The troll drakkar sails off into the dark night – the stars, like diamonds on black velvet, it's only guide. The ordeal is over, and despite the little rest you have received, your muscles still ache, your mind still craves a deep restful sleep – free of nightmarish visions of the Horror.
You regroup with Elissar and Ahmok and ponder the next move. You have recovered two volumes of the book of harrow, a great victory over the Hand, though carrying the heavy tomes back to Travar will be a feat unto itself.
Agreeing to move by night and rest by day, the five flames repair back to the forge entrance and strike camp there. Elissar works the message stone and touches the anxious mind of Ambassador Farion:
"Elissar? Is that you?"
"Indeed Ambassador."
"Are you well? Did you succeed?"
"We have the tomes, two books of Harrow. We are all alive, though at a great cost."
"What happened?"
"Suffice to say we have slain a horror in the course of our mission."
"Ambassador?"
"…I am sorry, I am still reeling from your last statement. Return to Travar, and I will be sure your deed does not go unrewarded. Your actions have drawn attention from the court of Throal itself."
------------
To pass the day, many things occur.At Ivors urging, Elissar performs a light ceremony for the dead within the forge, the former collecting what he can of the dead and placing them in a room acting as a temporary ossuary until he can do them more justice. Ajisha plucks at her lyre for the first time in many days, the light soft tones echo through the dark passages as if to fight the sinister aura away. Ahmok is delighted to discover that with the Wormskulls evil influence gone, water no longer seems to vanish and the fountain begins to supply other rooms via miniature hidden aqueducts. Still nursing his seared skin he curls himself in a corner of the bathhouse in the cool water, though the light of the torches still unnerves him somewhat. Indeed most of the time, you each spend alone or in silence, as yet not ready to discuss what has gone on in the last few days.
Later a number of ornate items are collected in one of the rooms, ornate weapons incredibly well balanced and with fine pommels, armor with intricate carvings depicting scenes of battle, or artistic patterns. A few of the paintings, as yet undamaged are rolled up and put away, as are other forms of art in metal, stone or wood. Silently you vow to keep the location of this forge a secret for as long as you can. At the very least it is a refuge few know exist.
A small fortune is amassed, though painfully you realise that virtually none of it is transportable. When Jarl goes out in the day to reassert his bearings he becomes aware why the Bad Lands are so notorious: summer is drawing close and the heat is devilishly intense.
The decision is reached to carry only the barest minimum of items. As many waterskins as can be salvaged, down to the empty vials that once held potions, are filled with the life bringing nectar. Even though you have left much of your travelling possessions at the embassy, you still shed more weight, abandoning extra weapons, shields and even most armor.
Jarl prepares what little food he can into easy to eat ration sizes, the last few strips of meat into tough jerky to chew on. You trade your tattered tunics and leathers for some lighter shirts and loose fitting trousers.
When dusk hits, you head out Ivor sealing the magical door barring the entrance, everything will be exactly where you left it upon your eventual return.
------------
The Bad Lands are unforgiving. The sky itself seems to confuse the elementalist, and with every dune looking like another it is not the first time you wonder if you are walking in circles or in the wrong direction. The sand slips into every crevice of your shoes and clothes rubbing your skin sore. Wind kicks up clouds that are blinding, creatures both small and large seem to be ever watchful for the moment you succumb to the fatigue. Vulgar displays of magic keeps them at bay.
Both Jarl and Ajisha move slow in the dunes, Elissar seems to find the climbing of each dune a feat and Ivor and Ahmok each are burdened by the weight of a tome.
It is a blessing that you are travelling with a Questor of Upandal. By day the initiate summons a small tower, and you repair inside, cloaked in the magical bedrolls that keep the temperature at a comfortable level and you rest blissfully for at least an hour, until the structure fades away and you construct a tent out of the bedrolls to shield you from the merciless sun until Ivor manages to draw the strength to call the tower again.
By the second day, the water is running out faster than expected, and Jarl begins to cheerfully announce the impending doom upon everyone. Arguments break out, harsh words exchanged, all blamed on the heat. Patches of rock are found, easier to walk on though they radiate extreme heat from the day, and certain outcroppings make it easier to construct shelter.
Ivor nearly falls into a fast acting quicksand, a sunburned Elissar collapses with fatigue and Ahmok vents his tension on his 'supposed guide' Jarl, who counters in turn. With the elf as dead weight and fatigue too much to bear, the group finds the first patch of shade in the rock and stops to recover. Jarl is shocked to see the tomes being used as a small wall to shade Elissar but opts to shrug, weave a spell over himself and head out on a fruitless mission to seek a source of water.
In the middle of the night Elissar revives, and a push to cover more ground is made. Few speak this time, partly because throats are swollen and mouths are dry, and partly because the outlook looks grim. The terrain shifts to rocky outcroppings that must be climbed, but at least it is easier to step on than shifting sand. On the last waterskin things turn further sour.
As you are surmounting a steep rocky ridge a pack of beasts appear at the base of the ridge. "Holy Fu- Stingers!" Jarl calls out as his fingers start a thread weaving dance, "Don't let them get close – they are insanely poisonous!"
Small and rodent-like, a stinger stands a mere 4 feet tall, with much of its body drooping over its short hind legs. Its upper half tapers into a narrow head, flanked on either side by vicious barbs. The cluster of ten greedily draws close.
Dropping the baggage where it may lie and drawing out your weapons you prepare for the attack, at least you have the advantage of high ground. Ajisha gathers a handful of rocks and takes flight, bombing them from above. Ivor and Ahmok heave a hefty boulder with their feet, which tumbles down the hill collecting more rocks with it. Jarl coats what little he can with ice, the uneven surface working against the nature of the spell. Elissar too readies his astral spear.
The attacks serve to slow the stingers down, they defty avoid rockfall with surprising agility and stones falling from the sky do them little damage but both assaults make them hesitate and hold them at bay for a little longer. Seeing some success the two warriors forcefully hurl hefty boulders below trying to gain the same advantage as before while Jarl, fishes for his fire starter. Elissar unleashes his spell injuring one of vicious animals.
This time the Stingers redivert their hesitation to anger and begin to leap up the ridge towards you. Ajiesha swoops over one of the unsuspecting animals slashing at it with her dagger, and the first volley of spirit darts and flame strikes smash into the monsters. A second volley leaves two of the animals dead but they soon reach the group. In a surprisingly effective concert attack, Ivor and Ahmok slay the first of the beasts with such vigour the remaining pack rethink the attack and escape; the magi launching attack after attack for as long as the beast remain in sight. It is only after the angry shouts and cheerful cursing of the group settles that Elissar notices the beasts cadaver.
"Draw no closer. The venom of this beast is a perfect acid. Oh how many alchemists elevate the value of this poison! It can eat through flesh and bone as easily as fire goes through hair."
Elissar continues his analysis of the beast, noting the stinger is in the tail – like a scorpion, and the claws of the stinger are very long and curved, clearly used for digging. Ever cautious, the nethermancer decides against the harvesting of the venom, as many alchemists often end up getting killed in the process.
As per the norm, Jarl suggests a crazy plan. "We should go and kill them where they sleep, or they will keep chasing us. They might have water too." He leans back, smiling at his out-of-the-box thinking. The expected argument ensues, but the half full waterskin draws out the desperate in all.
------------
Trapped within their burrow by an icy surface and a hastily erected rock wall the warriors keep piling on the stones and the magi fire volley after volley into the opening. The stingers are trapped in a single file, though how deep their burrow goes is impossible to tell. Ajisha sacrifices one of the bedrolls, soaking it in oil and throwing both it and the remaining flask inside. Jarls flame strike creates a momentary inferno as fire licks the walls and the creatures go mad with fear. The smouldering bedroll fills the tunnel with smoke and the animals within are more frantic to emerge than to fight. Ahmok and Ivor are ready for this at the entrance doing their best to butcher whatever comes out of the hole. The battle is not without injury, but you all emerge triumphant. Ahmok is raked raw by the claws, though as of late it seems that all his injuries are so grievous that he withholds complaint. Ivor however suffered a stingers barb to his leg. He bites down on a rolled up empty waterskin, in maddening pain while Jarl frantically searches for a potion of healing. The muscle in the weaponsmiths leg is visibly melted, and a white glimmer of bone can be seen. The potion is forced down Ivors throat, his eyes rolling and body spasming in agony.
The burrow is deep, but breaches into a series small underground caverns roughly the size of three cottages laid end to end, but the real reward is in the trickling stream of water from an underground font. It is warm and dusty, but ever so refreshing. You remain in the smelly chambers for another day, until everyone has recovered and the potions do the job of regenerating Ivors shredded muscle.
------------
You roll on the ground and rip up tendrils of sweet grass and chewing them like you have taken leave of your senses. A splash later and you are in the water, near-tearful cries of jubilation at the release from the Bad Lands grip. It has been two days since leaving the burrow, slow and dangerous as ever. But once the shimmering light in the distance catches your eye, and you understand that this is the sun reflecting off the water your body ceases to groin with fatigue, and you move quick, as if the air itself was lifting you off the ground.
You frolic for hours in the water like children throwing water at one another eventually collapsing on the shoreline in a blissful nap. Once the euphoria dies down, you start to wonder where exactly your location is, and how close to your rendezvous point with Wolf is. For the price of a single amethyst you commandeer a fishing vessel. The three T'skrang waste no time accepting your invite, and ignore your smell and dishevelled look as they ferry you to your destination.
It is late in the afternoon when you reach the cove. The T'skrang leave you ashore a half mile further up, and you proceed on land, cautiously as ever. Thankfully the familiar face of the hooded dwarf with the black beard is the first you see.
"Took you long enough. C'mon lets go," he says, taking a hurried lead before you have time to speak a word.
You were expecting a caravan, but instead find a riverboat waiting for you. A troupe of able bodied dwarves and a couple of T'skrang man the riggings. "Our mutual friend has dispatched some extra help to get you back home quicker. A wasteful extravagance, our enemy will more likely hear of it," says Wolf half growling his displeasure. The master spy is obviously more used to patience and moving in shadows. But after your infernal trek, you are more than happy to let someone – anyone – take you where you need to go.
As you collapse in a bunk you hear the midshipman call out, "We reach Traver in three days!"
------------
You arrive by night, when the streets are silent but for stray dogs and staggering drunks. You reach the imposing door of the embassy and knock heavily, cursing the builders for not creating a more subtle entrance.
Holding a candle the manservant answers, in his usual irritated look. He ushers you in, bidding you wipe your feet and not get 'dirt on anything'. He walks slowly and quietly down the corridors, leaving you in a waiting area while he goes to rouse the Ambassador. Clearly he intends to take his time, and you wonder why this sort of treatment keeps happening every time you visited. You cast your mind back to see if and when you have offended this man in some way.
"My friends!"
Varadi Farion walks into the room arms wide and he gives everyone a firm clap on the back, and to the windling a chaste kiss on the hand. He immediately opens a cabinet and lays a few glasses on the table, unscrewing a cork from a large ceramic jug.
"Start at the beginning," he says, handing over a glass of cherry brandy, "and spare no detail."
Hours pass as you tell your tale, omitting no fact, pouring it out from your soul like a broken levee. The process is both thrilling, with everyone jumping in each others sentences, and therapeutic finally airing out the fears and dreams the Horror left behind. Farion listens, never interrupting save to clarify a point.
When you are finished the old war veteran, nods his approval much like a a proud grandfather to his nephew. He does not delay to tell you what has transpired in your absence.
"I have transferred your possessions and horses to the stables at the Kings Arms Guild Inn, you are paid for a week there. But before I leave you to your rest, I must warn you. The Hand is even more insidious than expected. There was a raid at the great library in Throal. Two agents infiltrated the cloistered annexe, and killed thirty men, nearly every scribe within. One was slain, but the second managed to escape, though through what magic she managed this – to cross the magical barriers of the annexe, and escape the mountains itself has eluded us all."
"She?" says Elissar.
"Yes, it was a woman. Reports have her carrying two curved blades, I believe you mentioned them before in an earlier report."
"The book?" pipes in Jarl, eyes wide.
"She failed to capture it. Possibly because Merrox, the Master Librarian himself, has seen it's value and moved it to a hidden location. His wisdom holds no bounds. He is studying it himself with a cadre of his most trusted assistants in a secret location, not even I am privy to. He sends two things to you."
He reaches into a drawer on his desk, and presents you with a smooth black stone. Shaped like a three pointed star. "The first is a messenger stone. As promised some of the information gleamed from the book will be communicated to you by the Master himself. Speak your name to the stone and the words 'the shadow from the lamp' and Merrox will contact you as soon as he is able. Do not misuse this gift."
"The second is news. The scribe of the book of harrow inserted many annotations in the work. Some are musings about the text itself, others are diary entries, and then there are the makings of experimental spells and magical theory. Merrox has gleamed that the scribe was a powerful magician unlike any other. He has read a mention of the lost kaer the Hand is looking for, though it is not quite a kaer itself, but the gate to a hidden world of his own creation. With your tomes I am certain he will learn more, though what the Hand wants with this information is beyond me – surely nothing pleasant."
A polite knock and the manservant comes in bearing some warm bread, jars of jam and a pot of steaming coffee. Farion eagerly reaches for the coffee only now noticing through to small narrow window that it is twilight outside. "Eat my friends, and then rest, we will discuss the next phase of our…" he looks at his manservant who is quietly leaving the room, "courier mission to Vivaine later." And with that he swallows the coffee, hot as it may be in two gulps. "An old war habit. Drink fast before the next wave of arrows hits," he laughs merrily pouring himself a second cup while you spread the bread with jam.
Suddenly you hear a shout in the corridor. Leaping to his feet, Ahmok makes for the door and peeks outside. The guards who patrol the corridor lie on the ground in a bloody pool and smoke is emerging from the side rooms. You all draw your weapons and move close to the door. The manservant comes rushing, eyes wide with panic nearly slipping on the blood of the guards. "Fire, Fire!" he cries out, "Everybody out!"
He runs towards you "You have to help me! Two men and a woman, they are killing everyone! We must get the Ambassador out of here!"
You turn to Farion, who is holding his desk for support, his legs swaying, and he is coughing bile. The servant runs to his aid helping him to a chair. Uncontrollable shudders run through Farions system, and as you struggle to get a grasp of the situation an explosion rocks the very core of the embassy, sending a gout of flame through the corridor that sets all the tapestry ablaze.
Elissar's cloaksense brooch delivers a tiny shock and the nethermancer takes a sudden step to the side just narrowly avoiding the edge of a wickedly sharp blade held by the servant. The smile of a deranged man adorns his face as he throws a small vial towards the furniture, making a small explosion and setting it aflame. "Thanks for getting me the books," he says dipping under Ivors hammer swing, and cutting at Elissars hamstring who elf drops to the ground, "shame everyone who got in our way had to die."
He parries the swordmasters deft strike, and ripostes with a kick, not injuring the T'skarang, but forcing him to trip over a chair and collapse onto the ground like a house of cards. Jarls flame strike simply fizzles. "If you drop your weapons and run for the door, you might still get out of here in one piece," he says pushing the tomes across the floor with his foot to the furthers corner of the room where the flames of the desk cast the biggest shadows. "I'd rather stand here and watch you burn with me asshole," says Ivor standing between the assassin and his friends, "you too have nowhere to run."
The servant responds by dipping his hand into the dancing shadows which stop moving as he does so. Then with a sudden movement he forces a rift and a doorway into the shadow appears. "Good luck," he says smiling as he puts a foot through the portal. But suddenly Ajisha, who had flown unseen amongst the rafters, drops the jug of brandy onto the overconfident spy smashing it on his head, soaking him with the brandy. Immediately responding to his friends action jarl unleashes a flame strike that immolates the man, igniting another of his exploding vials in his pockets. He screams and runs blindly into the shadow his whole body set alight and vanishes therein.
While Elissar brushes off a small flame that fell onto the two tomes, Ivor inspects the corridor: the fires have reached a raging inferno and beams are collapsing. Jarl coats the door and covers it in an icy surface hoping to buy a little more time. The group looks around the room trying to figure out what to do next.
------------
The embassy sends a deep black column of smoke into the sky as the city of Travar awakes to the sounds of bells and alarms. While a few attempt to ferry buckets from a nearby fountain, and one enterprising adept calls forth a rain cloud, most realise there is little to be done, and just stare at the captivating flames.
Skee, the captain of the watch, barks out order to his men to hastily bring water and sand to dowse the flames that have lept to nearby buildings. With a cloak resistant to flames he rushes close to the building to help a struggling guard out of the door just as another blast drops some of the masonry at the entrance. Shaking his head helplessly he looks at the building again, the guard on his shoulders as he makes for safety.
Suddenly a window, no more wide than an arrow slit on the topmost floor starts to lose bricks. One at first, then two then more and more, as a man bashes bricks with a hammer, and a cluster of others use a heavy desk as a ram. Skee looks horrified at the soot covered people – if they jump they will surely perish. Passing the limp guard to one of his men he reaches at the healing potion at his belt and races back to the courtyard – perhaps one of them may survive.
But to his amazement a stream of brickwork shoots from the aperture and to the roof of the building across the street forming a bridge. The men run across it hastily to the sound of further explosions. Just as they reach the other side the ceiling of the embassy caves in and the structure is no more.
------------
You cough out the soot from your lungs, and catch your breath. You turn to Farion to give him some aid, but in the panic he has slipped away. You close his eyes gently and lay his body down with care.
------------
"My name is Elissar. I speak to he who draws the shadow from the lamp"
"I am Merrox. Speak young Elissar who walks in shadow and speaks to those yet unreborn."
In your rooms at the Kings Arms Inn you tell what has happened to Merrox. And passing the stone from hand to hand he tells you wise words that leave you quiet.
"It is as I have feared, the Hand grows ever stronger. We need to put an end to this madness before they accomplish whatever insidious plan they have concocted. But you are not safe, the Hand now knows the face of their enemy and will seek it out to smite it. I have contacted Wolf and he will collect the books from you soon. You, however, must fade into the shadows just like your nemesis does. Fade from memory itself. They cannot see you as a whole – they will be looking for your party. Heed my words and listen to them well – for I shall entrust a mission to each of you in turn."
"Speak to none where you will be going, not even your fellows. Bid them a fond farewell for it may be a long time before you see them all again. And into the night cease to be."
Sunday, September 30, 2007
Saturday, September 29, 2007
Heros
Seeing the vision of such a horrible being I was somewhat paralyzed although the forge gave me the strength to speak up and challenge the Horror. The Horror hearing my challenge roared loudly. Hearing that loud roar my feet trembled and without me wanting, fear struck me, and I darted away from the Horror. My companions had done the same. Seeing so I regained will turned and created a wall that covered the door and would thus block the horror in the room, at least until we regrouped. I saw Elessar and Ahmok running before me in the same direction I was whilst when turning round neither Ajisha nor Jarl were in sight. Possibly they headed right at the fork.
I was in complete darkness and could not figure out were I stood and were to head to. I called out for the others with no success. I tried recalling the path to the forge and headed there. After a couple of meters I spotted a vague light at the end. I ran towards it and was happy to feel that warmth turning all around me, as if though protecting me with its warmth. There in the forge huddled in a corner I see Elessar. He is afraid shaking and I try to make him come to his senses.
I tried calling out for the others with no success at first but than Ajisha and Jarl came following my voice. Only Ahmok was missing, who was found after a while by Ajisha and Jarl in the fountain coiled in a fetus position. Whilst Ajisha and Jarl looked for Ahmok I tried to setup the forge hose system in a way to make it pour the hot ore at the door entrance. We all regrouped and agreed that we would make our last stand here no matter what.
Again I go to the door of the forge and call out for him. Some time elapses and than he materializes few meters away from me. He shoots a magical dart and hits me in the chest and sends a frost like sensation that causes much pain and agony. I turn and head back inside with the intent to hopefully lure him in to the trap. To our demise he stopped at the door and started shooting spirit darts at us. All of a sudden a skeleton animated itself in the centre of the room. Seeing so both me and Ahmok charged it and bashed it to the ground. Elessar materialized a spear and threw it straight at the horror sending him on the floor. Seeing so Ahmok charged the horror with no success unfortunately as he falls on the icy surface produced by Jarl.
The Horror stood up moved forward where the trap was set and grabbed Ahmok from the neck, and was trying to choke him. Heroically Ahmok screamed at Ajisha to pull the lever regardless of him being caught in the trap as well. Both Ahmok and the horror screamed with pain as the hot molten ore fell on top of them. After a few seconds both fell unconscious on the floor maggots lay scattered and burnt together with the stench of burnt flesh and maggots gave nausea. We dragged Ahmok out of the molten ore and gave him a last chance salve with the hope to see him regain his senses. We rested a bit and regained our breath.
We opt to venture further in the tomb with the hope to find the discs. As soon as we enter the tomb we see the statue of Dolcral, its posture as if though waiting to hold something. I place my hammer in its hands the statue grasps it and pulls back giving way to an entrance.
As soon as we surpass the entrance Dolcral himself appears. He talks to me as if I was their alone. He offers me the forge and asks me to either man it or destroy it, as he would not rest knowing that another Horror could make the forge his home once more. I choose to men it or it least find some one worth to men it. He also hands me one of his hammers and compliments me for the craftsmanship of mine. Than Dolcral turns and vanishes the same way he had come.
We proceed to leave the forge and rest in the cavern outside. I close the door of the forge as if though I had known how to open or close it ages ago. We make camp in the cavern and rest our aching bones.
Day comes as the first rays of light starts peeking through the cavern. Elessar and Ahmok move ahead so as to meet the Trolls. From a distance I see the vessels landing on the soft sand impairing us the vision of our friends. However after a couple of minutes or so we see them coming back with two huge books on their back. A sigh of relief leaves my heart. At last we can head back to Urupa.
Sunday, September 16, 2007
Of Gnashers and Horrors
More tunnels led us to a series of rooms. One was just like all the other rooms we saw, empty, with a few remains of tools or life scattered here and there. The one next to it was similar in structure, but was ravaged throughout. Columns and walls had what appeared to be claw and teeth marks on them.
Moving on to the next room we came onto one of the strangest sights I have seen. Cocoon-like shapes dotted the floor, upright and spaced evenly. In the dim light I could not make out what was in them, but I saw Ahmok lean in close and mutter, "they look like big heads." Somebody then remembered reading about these creatures, called Gnashers, and it was quickly decided to do something about them before they could move. We started dousing them with lamp oil, while Jarl was preparing his Flamestrike spell. Just as he was about to cast three of them broke through. It was a nasty sight indeed - the creatures consisted of one massive jaw, with absurdly small limbs in comparison, and eyes and ears thrown in as an afterthought. They jumped on us immediately. More of them broke through their cocoon and we had a hard time keeping them at bay
The fight dragged on. There must have been between ten to twenty of them, it was hard to tell at first in the gloom. Suddenly we all felt what must have been a divine aura. I later remembered that it was forewarned by the tinkling of hammer on anvil as if from a distance, but then I had trouble making sure if it was a real event or an embellishment of my memory. Ivor had just felled one Gnasher when he stood upright, eyes burning red. He swung his hammer slowly in an arc, and where it pointed a wall was formed, effectively trapping half of the creatures behind it. We had no doubt that they would eventually eat through it, but it bought us precious time to finish off those near us and regroup. With the help of a narrow corridor and judicious use of Icy Surface we managed to overcome the last of them as well.
Catching our breath and recovering our health, we continued northwards, keeping to the right of the large amphitheater chamber. Somehow we felt safer delaying the inevitable. In such ways work the feeble minds of men. And dwarves, t'skrang, windlings and elves.
After some time we came upon another series of three-disc shaped rooms as we had encountered previously. Before we had time to fully explore them, a figure walked out from one doorway. Tall, imposing, and with wriggling worms instead of flesh, we believed we had met our first horror.
Moving on to the next room we came onto one of the strangest sights I have seen. Cocoon-like shapes dotted the floor, upright and spaced evenly. In the dim light I could not make out what was in them, but I saw Ahmok lean in close and mutter, "they look like big heads." Somebody then remembered reading about these creatures, called Gnashers, and it was quickly decided to do something about them before they could move. We started dousing them with lamp oil, while Jarl was preparing his Flamestrike spell. Just as he was about to cast three of them broke through. It was a nasty sight indeed - the creatures consisted of one massive jaw, with absurdly small limbs in comparison, and eyes and ears thrown in as an afterthought. They jumped on us immediately. More of them broke through their cocoon and we had a hard time keeping them at bay
The fight dragged on. There must have been between ten to twenty of them, it was hard to tell at first in the gloom. Suddenly we all felt what must have been a divine aura. I later remembered that it was forewarned by the tinkling of hammer on anvil as if from a distance, but then I had trouble making sure if it was a real event or an embellishment of my memory. Ivor had just felled one Gnasher when he stood upright, eyes burning red. He swung his hammer slowly in an arc, and where it pointed a wall was formed, effectively trapping half of the creatures behind it. We had no doubt that they would eventually eat through it, but it bought us precious time to finish off those near us and regroup. With the help of a narrow corridor and judicious use of Icy Surface we managed to overcome the last of them as well.
Catching our breath and recovering our health, we continued northwards, keeping to the right of the large amphitheater chamber. Somehow we felt safer delaying the inevitable. In such ways work the feeble minds of men. And dwarves, t'skrang, windlings and elves.
After some time we came upon another series of three-disc shaped rooms as we had encountered previously. Before we had time to fully explore them, a figure walked out from one doorway. Tall, imposing, and with wriggling worms instead of flesh, we believed we had met our first horror.
Thursday, September 13, 2007
A Normal Day in the Dungeon...
From the Journal of Ahmok Silannas, Swordmaster
After dealing with the infighting constructs Ajisha informs us that she would attempt an astral perception to see if there was anything useful in this section of dungeon. She immediately started convulsing and foaming at the mouth. We went to her aid while Elessar informed us that these things happen if one tries to see through the ether in heavily tainted or Horror corrupted areas. In the hall were four statues to Mynbruje, Floranus, Thystonius and the now corrupted Rashemon. In the centre, over a doorway was another one to Upandal. Upon insepcting other rooms we found what seemed to be a bathhouse and laundry with a working fountain. The room containing the fountain was richly decorated with patterned tiles of various colors. Jarl pointed out that the water source is coming from thin air, probably directly from the elemental plane of water. We filled our waterskins and drank to our heart's content and kept going to find some kitchens and supply rooms with plenty of salt. We ventured through the back door that led to the room that was under Upandal's statue. It appeared to be an assembly room with various hanging, decaying tapestries that gave a hint of the former majesty of this room. Nothing else of note was found here.
In a service corridor we found a secret door leading to another door which in turn led to a room with another two sword constructs in it. They were dispatched rather easily by means of brute force and complicated magic.
Going further down the previous corridor we found a door leading to a large stepped, circular area. Too late Jarl realised that he had just disturbed a set of inscriptions all around the doorway. Upon inspection, and with dread, we found out that these inscriptions were meant to keep something in, not out. Cold sweat ran down our faces as we all thought about the abomination that we might have just freed.
Further into the dungeon, and avoiding the circular, stepped room, we found a colossal forge with a working smelter. Ivor spooged at the marvel of smithing especially after he found out that the hearth of the smelter was fed directly from the elemental plane of fire, much like the water fountain we had seen earlier. We also found three resting rooms for what seemed to be the resting rooms for the forge's meisters. Upon a closer inspection we found a few gems and some trinkets of no use to us.
Going out of the forge we saw that the way out was barred by a huge mass of trash. I tried to remove it but my hand got stuck in and started to burn badly as I tried, in vain, to take it out. Soon after the mass of goo and stuff started writhing and moving towards Jarl, dragging me behind it. From my very close vantage point I could see that inside the creature there were also skeletons amongst the various stuff. I managed not to get more 'involved' with the creature but Jarl wasn't so lucky. It charged him with a surprising dash of speed and he got stuck face first in it. The others in the mean time were casting spells and throwing stuff at it. Ajisha handed me a bag of some of the salt we had found earlier to spread around my arm to free it more easily. It sort of made it easier but the creature's glue like substance was powerful enough to stop me from taking my hand out. Ivor in the meantime was pouring molten ore in an iron bucket to throw on the creature. Moments later he did so and parts of the creature caught fire. It stopped lurching after a while and we realised that it was dead, not after Elessar cast another spell to make sure of its demise. The problem remained on how to get Jarl and me out of the gooey mess as its acidic substance was still damaging us. The salt in the supply rooms solved our predicament as Ivor, Ajisha and Elessar fetched a wheelbarrow full of the stuff and managed to free us. We nursed our wounds as best we could and decided to rest here after barricading the exit.
The next morning we all woke up to find the remains of the creature, called a Globberog, disintegrating piece by piece. After some testing with wooden sticks it was still very sticky so we decided to leave it be and made a mental note to come and check the remains later. Only the passions know what this creature was carrying inside it.
After dealing with the infighting constructs Ajisha informs us that she would attempt an astral perception to see if there was anything useful in this section of dungeon. She immediately started convulsing and foaming at the mouth. We went to her aid while Elessar informed us that these things happen if one tries to see through the ether in heavily tainted or Horror corrupted areas. In the hall were four statues to Mynbruje, Floranus, Thystonius and the now corrupted Rashemon. In the centre, over a doorway was another one to Upandal. Upon insepcting other rooms we found what seemed to be a bathhouse and laundry with a working fountain. The room containing the fountain was richly decorated with patterned tiles of various colors. Jarl pointed out that the water source is coming from thin air, probably directly from the elemental plane of water. We filled our waterskins and drank to our heart's content and kept going to find some kitchens and supply rooms with plenty of salt. We ventured through the back door that led to the room that was under Upandal's statue. It appeared to be an assembly room with various hanging, decaying tapestries that gave a hint of the former majesty of this room. Nothing else of note was found here.
In a service corridor we found a secret door leading to another door which in turn led to a room with another two sword constructs in it. They were dispatched rather easily by means of brute force and complicated magic.
Going further down the previous corridor we found a door leading to a large stepped, circular area. Too late Jarl realised that he had just disturbed a set of inscriptions all around the doorway. Upon inspection, and with dread, we found out that these inscriptions were meant to keep something in, not out. Cold sweat ran down our faces as we all thought about the abomination that we might have just freed.
Further into the dungeon, and avoiding the circular, stepped room, we found a colossal forge with a working smelter. Ivor spooged at the marvel of smithing especially after he found out that the hearth of the smelter was fed directly from the elemental plane of fire, much like the water fountain we had seen earlier. We also found three resting rooms for what seemed to be the resting rooms for the forge's meisters. Upon a closer inspection we found a few gems and some trinkets of no use to us.
Going out of the forge we saw that the way out was barred by a huge mass of trash. I tried to remove it but my hand got stuck in and started to burn badly as I tried, in vain, to take it out. Soon after the mass of goo and stuff started writhing and moving towards Jarl, dragging me behind it. From my very close vantage point I could see that inside the creature there were also skeletons amongst the various stuff. I managed not to get more 'involved' with the creature but Jarl wasn't so lucky. It charged him with a surprising dash of speed and he got stuck face first in it. The others in the mean time were casting spells and throwing stuff at it. Ajisha handed me a bag of some of the salt we had found earlier to spread around my arm to free it more easily. It sort of made it easier but the creature's glue like substance was powerful enough to stop me from taking my hand out. Ivor in the meantime was pouring molten ore in an iron bucket to throw on the creature. Moments later he did so and parts of the creature caught fire. It stopped lurching after a while and we realised that it was dead, not after Elessar cast another spell to make sure of its demise. The problem remained on how to get Jarl and me out of the gooey mess as its acidic substance was still damaging us. The salt in the supply rooms solved our predicament as Ivor, Ajisha and Elessar fetched a wheelbarrow full of the stuff and managed to free us. We nursed our wounds as best we could and decided to rest here after barricading the exit.
The next morning we all woke up to find the remains of the creature, called a Globberog, disintegrating piece by piece. After some testing with wooden sticks it was still very sticky so we decided to leave it be and made a mental note to come and check the remains later. Only the passions know what this creature was carrying inside it.
Sunday, August 19, 2007
Dolcral's Forge
Seeing Elessar step out, Ahmok got edgy and stepped out right after him. Both get escorted to the trollish encampment. With the tension time was as if it had slowed down. A minute was as if an hour had passed. After 15 minutes or so, what seemed an eternity, we see Ahmok and Elessar coming back. A sigh of relief leaves my spine as they both come unharmed. As soon as they regained their breath all of us started questioning what happened. Elessar tells us that we will have to venture in Dolcral’s forge, the one I had found earlier, and from it recover three discs. Apparently these discs are used to forge legendary weapons. We are to recover and handover the discs in order to get the books.
As son as he says so we quickly head to the forge and start studying the door so as to open it After about four hours we find out that to open the door we have to turn the cogwheels and form the sentence “This door has been closed to keep what’s within sealed forever”. We opted to rest as we were all tired now that we knew the combination we could easily go in the day after.
I went in first totally enchanted by the awesomeness of the place. As soon as I go in the first couple of meters darkness engulfs me and I had o light a torch. Venturing further in crushed bones where crumbling under our feet the result of a battle done long before. Whilst watching the different passageways and rooms we all notice the different traps there have once been now all activated.
As we venture still on a large door closes our way. At a closer inspection though we see a crack on the upper part, that enabled us to pass through. We continue heading forth and come to junction which we recognize being the road that led to the closed door found earlier. We opt to go and open the door. So we do but in doing so we make a lot of noise. After we opened it we opt to continue on and so we do.
Down the corridor odd noises started to be heard as if chains where being dragged. Silhouettes of humans started to be seen moving slowly towards us. When near we see that they are not humans but constructs made up of a jumble of different weapons. Two of them engage me in combat. Pieces if weapons start to scatter on the floor when the creatures are hit and sparks flew with the clashing of the weapons. Concentrating on the battle, I spin round my hammer and hit the creature on its bare chest and send it scattering to pieces on the floor. Almost simultaneously Ajisha shoots and hits the other construct in an eye socket crumbling him to the ground as well.
Jarl went down on the floor and with fear in his eyes tells us that these are definitely horror constructs. We opt to go back and close the door once again so as no one to leave this place. When venturing further in we find three rooms what might have been the leader chambers. We continue on and headed to the other corridors. One of the corridors led to what might have been a presentation chamber of some sort. An altar was clearly seen at the lower end of the room. On two opposite sides we see six weapon constructs three painted black and three red. All fighting against each other, as soon as they see us however they stop, turn and head towards us menacing. They manage to pin me not allowing me to retreat. Blows where flying from every angle, as three of the constructs on me! I managed to hold on and dispatch two of them. Ajisha’s keen eye also dropped down two as her arrows hit critical places of the constructs’ body. At last we managed to dispatch them. At a high cost though as I am hurt badly.
Sunday, August 12, 2007
of a Desert Mission, voices in one's head and an old old Forge
from the journal of Jarl!!, elementalist and more.
Silence descends in the safehouse. The screaming, shouting and sickening thuds and rips as blows and dagger stabs were exchanged finally fade out. Fastar lays battered and limp at the bottom of the stairs, her body broken and very close to death. I observe her for a few seconds while I recover myself, I am heavily wounded as well, but alive; upstairs her companion's body is already cooling.
We search both our assailants, again, and retrieve an Esparga cloak and some silvers. The cloak goes to Ivor after a quick random call. We contact Varadi Farion through the speaker stone, while outside Ahmok informs us we being watched by an elf who quick disappears when we spot him. We have to wait some time before Varadi Farion sends his man to cleanup, and we settle in. Elessar asks the rest of us to leave him with Fastar alone to do some nethermancing ritual and we oblige. He soon returns back bloodied and explains that she died. A heated discussion ensues as Elessar had broken one of the Flames' tenets of not killing a helpless opponent. Elessar confesses it was the voice in his head that made him do it, not very reassuring as we previously only knew this as a harmless quirk of our mysterious nethermancer. We decide to let this one go after several stern warnings to Elessar and reassurances from him.
We leave to Varadi Farion after his cleanup man, an interesting character with a wolf pelt on his back and shades, takes over the situation. Back at the embassy Varadi is still eager to continue on the plan and asks us to go on a mission to spy on this meeting at Blackrock ridge. At midnight we board the airship. The voyage for myself passed like in a dream, I sleep heavily and recover my wounds, the next day I spend focusing on my spell matrix talents. The heat of the desert brings me back to our mission, Blackrock ridge looms huge below us and we land next to it. As the airship leaves we remove any excess items we had and start exploring.
With a stroke of luck we spot a hidden entrance in the ridge, the passage looked man-made. Inside a wall covered in runes read 'Behind these runes is the inner sanctum of Dol Kral'. Immediately upon hearing the name, our weaponsmith Ivor blurts out excitingly the story of Dol Kral, a great weaponsmith of old. His name is steeped in legend and revered almost as a Passion amongst the weaponsmith. After the temple of twelve and the second book of Harrow, this is another huge find indeed. We rest in the shade of the entrance and try to figure out the message. Suddenly it dawns on me and, almost unheeded, I press the wall at certain points and it slides back. Inside is a chamber, names carved in runes cover a wall, the rest of the room empty except for a hugely intricate locked double-doorway, embedded with cogs and wheels and inscriptions. Doubtlessly behind the doorway's riddle lies the Forge of the great weaponsmith. On the walls the runes were of the men and women who manned the forge through the eons. It is pretty clear this riddle will take a lot longer to solve than the previous one, and we decide to leave it for now and prepare hideouts to observe the meeting.
Hours pass, and we are drenched in sweat and nerves are fraying. The meeting hour comes and goes and nervousness besets us. Suddenly the sky darkens and a huge Crystal Raider ship passes over us and lands heavily. Trolls in full gear emerge and secure the place with military precision. We lay hidden. The trolls sound an arrival horn but no-one replies. We wait with them.
The minutes pass by like hours and the hours like days. We look at each others in our hideouts, each of us in slow agony, the heat sapping at our strength and the waiting sapping at our will. Suddenly a familiar voice rings out in the silence, and unbelieving i turned round to see Elessar walk out of his hideout shouting to the trolls that he arrived. The trolls turn to face him. I stare in disbelief and press my back more in my hole.
Silence descends in the safehouse. The screaming, shouting and sickening thuds and rips as blows and dagger stabs were exchanged finally fade out. Fastar lays battered and limp at the bottom of the stairs, her body broken and very close to death. I observe her for a few seconds while I recover myself, I am heavily wounded as well, but alive; upstairs her companion's body is already cooling.
We search both our assailants, again, and retrieve an Esparga cloak and some silvers. The cloak goes to Ivor after a quick random call. We contact Varadi Farion through the speaker stone, while outside Ahmok informs us we being watched by an elf who quick disappears when we spot him. We have to wait some time before Varadi Farion sends his man to cleanup, and we settle in. Elessar asks the rest of us to leave him with Fastar alone to do some nethermancing ritual and we oblige. He soon returns back bloodied and explains that she died. A heated discussion ensues as Elessar had broken one of the Flames' tenets of not killing a helpless opponent. Elessar confesses it was the voice in his head that made him do it, not very reassuring as we previously only knew this as a harmless quirk of our mysterious nethermancer. We decide to let this one go after several stern warnings to Elessar and reassurances from him.
We leave to Varadi Farion after his cleanup man, an interesting character with a wolf pelt on his back and shades, takes over the situation. Back at the embassy Varadi is still eager to continue on the plan and asks us to go on a mission to spy on this meeting at Blackrock ridge. At midnight we board the airship. The voyage for myself passed like in a dream, I sleep heavily and recover my wounds, the next day I spend focusing on my spell matrix talents. The heat of the desert brings me back to our mission, Blackrock ridge looms huge below us and we land next to it. As the airship leaves we remove any excess items we had and start exploring.
With a stroke of luck we spot a hidden entrance in the ridge, the passage looked man-made. Inside a wall covered in runes read 'Behind these runes is the inner sanctum of Dol Kral'. Immediately upon hearing the name, our weaponsmith Ivor blurts out excitingly the story of Dol Kral, a great weaponsmith of old. His name is steeped in legend and revered almost as a Passion amongst the weaponsmith. After the temple of twelve and the second book of Harrow, this is another huge find indeed. We rest in the shade of the entrance and try to figure out the message. Suddenly it dawns on me and, almost unheeded, I press the wall at certain points and it slides back. Inside is a chamber, names carved in runes cover a wall, the rest of the room empty except for a hugely intricate locked double-doorway, embedded with cogs and wheels and inscriptions. Doubtlessly behind the doorway's riddle lies the Forge of the great weaponsmith. On the walls the runes were of the men and women who manned the forge through the eons. It is pretty clear this riddle will take a lot longer to solve than the previous one, and we decide to leave it for now and prepare hideouts to observe the meeting.
Hours pass, and we are drenched in sweat and nerves are fraying. The meeting hour comes and goes and nervousness besets us. Suddenly the sky darkens and a huge Crystal Raider ship passes over us and lands heavily. Trolls in full gear emerge and secure the place with military precision. We lay hidden. The trolls sound an arrival horn but no-one replies. We wait with them.
The minutes pass by like hours and the hours like days. We look at each others in our hideouts, each of us in slow agony, the heat sapping at our strength and the waiting sapping at our will. Suddenly a familiar voice rings out in the silence, and unbelieving i turned round to see Elessar walk out of his hideout shouting to the trolls that he arrived. The trolls turn to face him. I stare in disbelief and press my back more in my hole.
Wednesday, August 8, 2007
As Safe as Safe Houses
We manage to subdue Fastar and her companion. Carrying their unconscious bodies as best we could we exit the room to find ourselves in some kind of sewer system. In an adjacent chamber we find all our possessions, and we all breathe a sigh of relieve.
The first exit from the underground tunnels alighted near the Ogre & Ogre, not exactly the best part of Travar. Before going very far we were spotted by a couple of city guards out on patrol, and they didn't buy our story that the two bodies were just drunk troublemakers. Not wanting to cause trouble ourselves, we let them take us for questioning.
We are questioned separately by Captain Skee of the guard, and each of our stories matches the truth. Jarl is silent. In spite of this we are locked in until the story can be verified and ambassador Varadi Farion contacted to vouch on our behalf.
In the middle of the night Jarl and I are awoken by approaching footsteps. Two guards are accompanying a robed figure, who Jarl later makes out to be a woman. They stop in front of the cell of Fastar and her companion, she recognises them, and to our horror they are set free. Jarl cannot take it any longer and makes a lot of noise and fuss. His efforts are rewarded by a sound beating by the guards, during which he continues to spite them. I heard the words "your mother" repeated often, but the sound of falling blows masked much of everything else.
The next day saw us being freed after the ambassador was finally contacted. It seems that the woman who came during the night claimed to have been the ambassador's own envoy, and had some sort of papers to prove it. It was very worrying that The Hand managed to track them down so quickly, but then again the watch house was the first place to look for missing persons...
We meet up with Varadi Farion and recount what we learned about the upcoming meeting at Black Rock Ridge. It was decided that we should go there to intercept / disrupt the meeting. As we are discussing this news reaches Farion that a safe most probably used by The Hand was discovered in Travar. Not wanting to take direct action, he turns to us. Of course we say, it's time to pay back for what we endured in the sewers.
The ambassador arranged for a diversion to draw away the attention of good- and ill-intentioned onlookers. We sneak inside the house. The ground floor is deserted. We climb up the stairs to check the other floor, while Ajisha scouts the roof and looks out for incoming trouble. I'd rather she'd been watching my back, as I was the last in line and suddenly feel a dagger embed itself in my back. Half in rage and half wondering why the cloaksense brooch failed me, I turned round to see Fastar grinning there. Mayhem ensued.
We outnumbered her, of course, but she used the doorways and passageways to her advantage. It takes us a while, but in the end we overpowered her, again. The bitch should have learned the lesson the first time round. She seems to be hanging on to life by a dwarf's beard hair, which I'd very gladly cut, but we restrain ourselves. This time we want to get some answers out of her.
The first exit from the underground tunnels alighted near the Ogre & Ogre, not exactly the best part of Travar. Before going very far we were spotted by a couple of city guards out on patrol, and they didn't buy our story that the two bodies were just drunk troublemakers. Not wanting to cause trouble ourselves, we let them take us for questioning.
We are questioned separately by Captain Skee of the guard, and each of our stories matches the truth. Jarl is silent. In spite of this we are locked in until the story can be verified and ambassador Varadi Farion contacted to vouch on our behalf.
In the middle of the night Jarl and I are awoken by approaching footsteps. Two guards are accompanying a robed figure, who Jarl later makes out to be a woman. They stop in front of the cell of Fastar and her companion, she recognises them, and to our horror they are set free. Jarl cannot take it any longer and makes a lot of noise and fuss. His efforts are rewarded by a sound beating by the guards, during which he continues to spite them. I heard the words "your mother" repeated often, but the sound of falling blows masked much of everything else.
The next day saw us being freed after the ambassador was finally contacted. It seems that the woman who came during the night claimed to have been the ambassador's own envoy, and had some sort of papers to prove it. It was very worrying that The Hand managed to track them down so quickly, but then again the watch house was the first place to look for missing persons...
We meet up with Varadi Farion and recount what we learned about the upcoming meeting at Black Rock Ridge. It was decided that we should go there to intercept / disrupt the meeting. As we are discussing this news reaches Farion that a safe most probably used by The Hand was discovered in Travar. Not wanting to take direct action, he turns to us. Of course we say, it's time to pay back for what we endured in the sewers.
The ambassador arranged for a diversion to draw away the attention of good- and ill-intentioned onlookers. We sneak inside the house. The ground floor is deserted. We climb up the stairs to check the other floor, while Ajisha scouts the roof and looks out for incoming trouble. I'd rather she'd been watching my back, as I was the last in line and suddenly feel a dagger embed itself in my back. Half in rage and half wondering why the cloaksense brooch failed me, I turned round to see Fastar grinning there. Mayhem ensued.
We outnumbered her, of course, but she used the doorways and passageways to her advantage. It takes us a while, but in the end we overpowered her, again. The bitch should have learned the lesson the first time round. She seems to be hanging on to life by a dwarf's beard hair, which I'd very gladly cut, but we restrain ourselves. This time we want to get some answers out of her.
Wednesday, August 1, 2007
The Hand takes off the glove
From the Journal of Ahmok Silannas, Swordmaster.
After the dealings with Varadifarion we all went separate ways, each in pursuit of private goals and and the same time looking for clues on 'The Hand'. I went to Clearview to help with works in rebuilding the village and tending the fields. My first task there was to talk to Enora, the village spokesperson. I unveiled my idea of starting a militia unknowing that her son, Colimar, was overhearing. Enora didn't like the idea of a militia so I let it die and instead offered to help with buying seeds for the fields when I get back to Travar. I also commissioned the building of two small shrines to be dedicated to Garlen and to Upandal. The latter is payment for Ivor's working on my sword. I will commission some statues as soon as I get back to Travar and send them over with a merchant.
Later during the evening I am silently approached by Colimar and two of his friends. They want to learn to fight to defend their village. Their noble streak and honorable words strike a chord and I agree to secretly teach them the art of fighting during the early hours of the night right after work and dinner. Colimar seems to have quite an aptitude in the art of sword fighting, his moves are fluent and his strikes powerful yet accurate. I will need to recommend him as an apprentice if he is to learn more for my duties will rarely see me go to Clearview.
After a few days in Clearview I travel to a merchant outpost called Jura to look for clues on activities of 'The Hand' but this poves useless. Jura only deals with local merchants and does not send caravans up north towards Daiche.
Back to the city I meet the rest of the Group where Ivor hands me my reforged blade. The workmanship is impeccable and it is even finer than before. Ajisha seems to be making a name for herself after touring the local taverns and singing a well made song about two mages and a weaponsmith outsmarted by a few windlings.
A day later we are contacted by a man who claims he has information on 'The Hand'. He meets us in a small abandoned house. He acts paranoid, as if someone is after him and tells us that they are looking for us and that they want the book. He also mentions he has maps and that we are not safe in Travar. Unfortunately it turns out as a trap for us. His paranoia is a ruse to fool us in thinking he is a good guy. A strange smell permeates the room and it too late when we realise that it is soporific gas.
We wake up. We are all tied to chairs, backs to each other and Ajisha is tied in a corner.
There is a guard holding a torch and soon after an elven woman in a cloak joins him. She immediately starts asking questions about the whereabouts of the book to Ivor. Ivor does not answer and she slaps him heavy handedly. I intervene but all I get after my witty comments is a dagger through my thigh and the bitch leaves it there. She then turns to Elissar who promptly uses a frighten spell on her. She runs screaming from the room and the guard follows her.
I take the opportunity to slide the dagger off my thigh with my mouth and dropping it in Ivor's hands behind my back, he starts to cut off his bonds. Meanwhile the elven slut is back and soon embeds her dagger in Elissar's eye and turns on Ajisha threatining her to rip off her wings. Then an old acquaintance of ours, Silas, joins us in the room and takes the elven woman aside. Ajisha makes out a few words of what they are saying by lip reading. The woman's name is Fastar and she has to meet with Silas in five days time at Black Rock Ridge to get an artifact. Silas wants the book badly. Apparently there is a route inside it that he needs. She tells him that it will be no problem and
as soon as he is leaving she turns to Ivor and puts a dagger at his throat and addresses Ajisha. She asks her where the book is and seeing the dagger draw Ivor's blood the THAT LOUD MOUTH NO GOOD THIEVING KNIVING LOOSE EXCUSE-FOR-A-WINDLING WINDLING* spills her beans and tells her the full monty, well almost.We tell her the book is already safe in Throal and there is no way they can get it back. At that point Elessar cuts his bonds and leaps for Fastar.
* - Registered Trademark, Jarl
After the dealings with Varadifarion we all went separate ways, each in pursuit of private goals and and the same time looking for clues on 'The Hand'. I went to Clearview to help with works in rebuilding the village and tending the fields. My first task there was to talk to Enora, the village spokesperson. I unveiled my idea of starting a militia unknowing that her son, Colimar, was overhearing. Enora didn't like the idea of a militia so I let it die and instead offered to help with buying seeds for the fields when I get back to Travar. I also commissioned the building of two small shrines to be dedicated to Garlen and to Upandal. The latter is payment for Ivor's working on my sword. I will commission some statues as soon as I get back to Travar and send them over with a merchant.
Later during the evening I am silently approached by Colimar and two of his friends. They want to learn to fight to defend their village. Their noble streak and honorable words strike a chord and I agree to secretly teach them the art of fighting during the early hours of the night right after work and dinner. Colimar seems to have quite an aptitude in the art of sword fighting, his moves are fluent and his strikes powerful yet accurate. I will need to recommend him as an apprentice if he is to learn more for my duties will rarely see me go to Clearview.
After a few days in Clearview I travel to a merchant outpost called Jura to look for clues on activities of 'The Hand' but this poves useless. Jura only deals with local merchants and does not send caravans up north towards Daiche.
Back to the city I meet the rest of the Group where Ivor hands me my reforged blade. The workmanship is impeccable and it is even finer than before. Ajisha seems to be making a name for herself after touring the local taverns and singing a well made song about two mages and a weaponsmith outsmarted by a few windlings.
A day later we are contacted by a man who claims he has information on 'The Hand'. He meets us in a small abandoned house. He acts paranoid, as if someone is after him and tells us that they are looking for us and that they want the book. He also mentions he has maps and that we are not safe in Travar. Unfortunately it turns out as a trap for us. His paranoia is a ruse to fool us in thinking he is a good guy. A strange smell permeates the room and it too late when we realise that it is soporific gas.
We wake up. We are all tied to chairs, backs to each other and Ajisha is tied in a corner.
There is a guard holding a torch and soon after an elven woman in a cloak joins him. She immediately starts asking questions about the whereabouts of the book to Ivor. Ivor does not answer and she slaps him heavy handedly. I intervene but all I get after my witty comments is a dagger through my thigh and the bitch leaves it there. She then turns to Elissar who promptly uses a frighten spell on her. She runs screaming from the room and the guard follows her.
I take the opportunity to slide the dagger off my thigh with my mouth and dropping it in Ivor's hands behind my back, he starts to cut off his bonds. Meanwhile the elven slut is back and soon embeds her dagger in Elissar's eye and turns on Ajisha threatining her to rip off her wings. Then an old acquaintance of ours, Silas, joins us in the room and takes the elven woman aside. Ajisha makes out a few words of what they are saying by lip reading. The woman's name is Fastar and she has to meet with Silas in five days time at Black Rock Ridge to get an artifact. Silas wants the book badly. Apparently there is a route inside it that he needs. She tells him that it will be no problem and
as soon as he is leaving she turns to Ivor and puts a dagger at his throat and addresses Ajisha. She asks her where the book is and seeing the dagger draw Ivor's blood the THAT LOUD MOUTH NO GOOD THIEVING KNIVING LOOSE EXCUSE-FOR-A-WINDLING WINDLING* spills her beans and tells her the full monty, well almost.We tell her the book is already safe in Throal and there is no way they can get it back. At that point Elessar cuts his bonds and leaps for Fastar.
* - Registered Trademark, Jarl
Thursday, July 26, 2007
Safe, At Last (on behalf of Ajiesha)
Safe, At Last
Soon after we leave Daiche` the party is hit with a dilemma - Jarl and Elessar want to go to Throal in order to deposit the Second Book of Harrow. The rest of us put forward their arguments and finally reason prevailed and the other two agreed to go with our plan subject to a couple of reasonable conditions.
The first day on the way to Travar passes without mishap…by the second day we pass Lybaden, where we are given a warm welcome by the villagers. Darren, who still appears to be the spokesman, invites us to his house and replenishes our rations. We accept his invitation to spend the night resting there but by the crack of dawn we on our way again.
During our travels, Ivor finds great success with the sword we found in The Temple of Twelve - he discovers that it has Runes in Elven script in poetic format on its side and that the sword was actually used as a ward against horrors. Ivor also finds out that the sword belonged to Farley’s The Great, a famed horror-hunter. The sword had helped him grievously injure a horror - great things were definitely tied to it.
Later during the night, Elessar and Ahmok wake up to find that there’s a lion stalking our encampment. Although we try our best to get rid of it without killing it, the battle ends up with the poor beast definitely on the losing end and Ahmok decides to give it a fast, humane end rather than leave it languishing for days…
The next day we set off again and it’s not long before trouble strikes in the shape of a troll raider ship. Somehow we all manage to hide and to find safe places for our horses - all, except Ahmok, who finds himself on the receiving end of a couple of arrow shots. Luckily the raiders decide that one solitary t’skrang is hardly worth the effort of stopping and the ship continues on its ominous way.
A couple of hours later we reach the river - tired of travelling, we decide to catch the ferry to Travar and to go straight to the Throal Embassy in order to let the Ambassador know what happened to his mission.
The Ambassador gives us a very warm reception and it’s easy to see that he’s impressed with our achievement. He offers us a job on the spot and, after some discussion between us, we decide to work for him on a freelance basis. The extra money will certainly come in handy. The Ambassador also gives us a kind of messenger stone that will keep us in communication with him wherever we are, as well as an official seal for each of us - all this besides the generous remuneration for the job, of course.
There’s only one thing left to decide: what to do with the Book. Again, discord threatens our group but finally we agree to entrust it to The Ambassador in exchange for access to it whenever we need it. Equally importantly, we are given a list of names of people who will provide a safe-house should we ever need one.
That evening, the Ambassador throws a party in our honour. It’s finally time to relax a bit before deciding what path our immediate future will take.
Wednesday, July 11, 2007
Heavy Load
So a simple piece of magical paper turned our situation upside down. What set out to be a simple investigation of trade disturbances suddenly became a responsibility to prevent an insane cult from killing all name-giver races - or did it? Was it in fact our responsibility, or should we just report it back?
A lot of names were mentioned in Aubrin's (Forest) report, two of which were familiar. Silas we knew from the Temple of the Twelve, and Freya just brought me back to health after the Experience Death ordeal. And how could it be that the heiress of the most bloodthirsty of the troll moots becomes a questor of Garlen? She was definitely not faking beneath a white-robed disguise, my scars can vouch for that. We decided that this lead was too close to let pass, and sent Ajisha back to Daiche to try and bring her out to talk to us.
The windling disguised herself as a bulky male of her race, using that uncanny talent troubadours have. She later reported that, since it was late, the town was deserted and the inns all but closed. Her search yielded nothing, so she headed outside of town to the encampments beyond. There she changed her disguise to that of a sickly female windling, in need of healing. She was given directions, not to where Freya was, but gruff man who offered here another type of healing - in the form of a vial of mescal. This was the new drug mentioned in Aubrin's report, and I hope to gather some useful information from studying its alchemical properties. This man gave her more than a vial of the drug though, he also let her know that he had plans for Freya, as she was probably intent on stopping his trade in that gold mine of a drug.
Meanwhile Jarl and myself decided to try and learn more about the huge tome brought back from the Temple. Little did I know then that I was about to make the single most important discovery in my whole life, the though of which makes my hand tremble even now, when the initial impact subsided. We pitched our magic reading abilities against it. First we found out that it was in Theran, and obviously very old. Then that it was none other than the Second Book of Harrow, translated from the original by Elinar Messias, as written by the scribe Tarish Ferros. The Second Book of Harrow. Literally one of the foundations of Thera and a huge repository of arcane knowledge. It lay there on the ground, beckoning me with a nasty grin. Half remembered tales of scribes dying while translating the Books of Harrow came back to me. I exchanged a long silent glance with Jarl, and in unison we closed the tome. Two thoughts crossed my mind then. What was Silas planning to do with this ancient knowledge? And more importantly, how could we prevent it from falling back again into his hands?
We were interrupted by Ahmok, who announced that he was off to see why Ajisha was taking her time. It seems he met her on the way back, and tey returned to share what she'd learnt. Ahmok decided to go back to town during the day, to attempt to confront her. They found her at Pappi's, in the company of Dvorak. He scowled at them, but they explained why they were there. They took her by the side, and told her about how they thought she was the daughter of the troll Chorak, and that if she reclaims her rightful leadership then the senseless raiding and pillaging of the different moots would stop, and stability be restored. She stared back blankly, denying she was Chorak's daughter. Ahmok and Ajisha were not too convinced, and tried talking her out of it. She would have none of it, and would not even come with them to talk outside town, as it would be seen as a sign of defeat in her struggle against the Mescal pusher.
While this was happening we were beset by windling thieves. Injuries were inflicted on both sides, my left and my right... We didn't want to kill them off, and so Jarl managed to convince them to leave in exchange for their leader's life, who he had downed. This encounter was enough of a nuisance to warrant a return to Freya's healing touch, for which I shall be eternally grateful. Long story short she was not going anywhere. We thanked her anyway, and I think she realised that we were not quite buying her story.
Back outside of town, and we had our first major argument as a party. Jarl and myself concluded that the most important thing to do at this point was to take the Tome to Throal, to deposit it with the Library there for safekeeping. The others wanted to finish the mission and return Aubrin's note and news of his fate to Varadi Farion in Travar. It went on and on, and Ahmok and Jarl were the most stubborn about it. Issues of the party's leadership inevitably came up, as a leader would have solved this argument quickly. Finally I suggested a compromise - we would take the note and report to Travar, on condition that we resolve the issue of the Tome immediately afterwards. I realised that if the party split up to reach both goals at the same time we would be more vulnerable to attack, thus a greater chance that the Tome falls back into the wrong hands.
A lot of names were mentioned in Aubrin's (Forest) report, two of which were familiar. Silas we knew from the Temple of the Twelve, and Freya just brought me back to health after the Experience Death ordeal. And how could it be that the heiress of the most bloodthirsty of the troll moots becomes a questor of Garlen? She was definitely not faking beneath a white-robed disguise, my scars can vouch for that. We decided that this lead was too close to let pass, and sent Ajisha back to Daiche to try and bring her out to talk to us.
The windling disguised herself as a bulky male of her race, using that uncanny talent troubadours have. She later reported that, since it was late, the town was deserted and the inns all but closed. Her search yielded nothing, so she headed outside of town to the encampments beyond. There she changed her disguise to that of a sickly female windling, in need of healing. She was given directions, not to where Freya was, but gruff man who offered here another type of healing - in the form of a vial of mescal. This was the new drug mentioned in Aubrin's report, and I hope to gather some useful information from studying its alchemical properties. This man gave her more than a vial of the drug though, he also let her know that he had plans for Freya, as she was probably intent on stopping his trade in that gold mine of a drug.
Meanwhile Jarl and myself decided to try and learn more about the huge tome brought back from the Temple. Little did I know then that I was about to make the single most important discovery in my whole life, the though of which makes my hand tremble even now, when the initial impact subsided. We pitched our magic reading abilities against it. First we found out that it was in Theran, and obviously very old. Then that it was none other than the Second Book of Harrow, translated from the original by Elinar Messias, as written by the scribe Tarish Ferros. The Second Book of Harrow. Literally one of the foundations of Thera and a huge repository of arcane knowledge. It lay there on the ground, beckoning me with a nasty grin. Half remembered tales of scribes dying while translating the Books of Harrow came back to me. I exchanged a long silent glance with Jarl, and in unison we closed the tome. Two thoughts crossed my mind then. What was Silas planning to do with this ancient knowledge? And more importantly, how could we prevent it from falling back again into his hands?
We were interrupted by Ahmok, who announced that he was off to see why Ajisha was taking her time. It seems he met her on the way back, and tey returned to share what she'd learnt. Ahmok decided to go back to town during the day, to attempt to confront her. They found her at Pappi's, in the company of Dvorak. He scowled at them, but they explained why they were there. They took her by the side, and told her about how they thought she was the daughter of the troll Chorak, and that if she reclaims her rightful leadership then the senseless raiding and pillaging of the different moots would stop, and stability be restored. She stared back blankly, denying she was Chorak's daughter. Ahmok and Ajisha were not too convinced, and tried talking her out of it. She would have none of it, and would not even come with them to talk outside town, as it would be seen as a sign of defeat in her struggle against the Mescal pusher.
While this was happening we were beset by windling thieves. Injuries were inflicted on both sides, my left and my right... We didn't want to kill them off, and so Jarl managed to convince them to leave in exchange for their leader's life, who he had downed. This encounter was enough of a nuisance to warrant a return to Freya's healing touch, for which I shall be eternally grateful. Long story short she was not going anywhere. We thanked her anyway, and I think she realised that we were not quite buying her story.
Back outside of town, and we had our first major argument as a party. Jarl and myself concluded that the most important thing to do at this point was to take the Tome to Throal, to deposit it with the Library there for safekeeping. The others wanted to finish the mission and return Aubrin's note and news of his fate to Varadi Farion in Travar. It went on and on, and Ahmok and Jarl were the most stubborn about it. Issues of the party's leadership inevitably came up, as a leader would have solved this argument quickly. Finally I suggested a compromise - we would take the note and report to Travar, on condition that we resolve the issue of the Tome immediately afterwards. I realised that if the party split up to reach both goals at the same time we would be more vulnerable to attack, thus a greater chance that the Tome falls back into the wrong hands.
Friday, July 6, 2007
Daiche (written by Jarl)
20th of Rua
After the strange encounter with the gargoyle, we decide we had more than enough of this temple and head back to Libaden, leaving behind the mysteries of the accursed place and its restless ghost in the library. Once in Libaden we decide its time we get ourselves a good draft horse, and we soon as the proud owners of a fine horse we name 'Butters'.
We soon pile Butters up with our gear including the accursed tome we found in the temple. On the road again, we try to make up for lost time, the road to Daiche should not take more than two days on horseback. The first day of riding passes uneventful, and likewise the night.
21st of Rua The following morning , as we turn a bend in the road, we spot a white clad troll walking towards Daiche. We signal our approach and the troll, a female we get to learn is a Questor of Garlen, present herself as Freya. She looks friendly enough and pretty soon she joins us on the road. She is quite the taciturn type, but a good listener. After a whole day of riding we set camp and Freya takes up guard duties with us. The night passes uneventfully.
22nd of Rua After a good breakfast we hit the road again, and once we head clear of the forest the sun shines on the peaks of the Tylon's, my birthplace. Pretty soon we slowly creep back into civilisation as we see in the distance several groups heading towards Kratas and Daiche. By late afternoon we walk into the border town. The first impression of the place is not exactly reassuring, it seems like the bordertown has taken as resident a distinctly unsavory bunch. Several individuals clearly under the influence of alcohol or drugs loaf about uselessly, the town of about a thousand is build very haphazardly and it will be quite some time before any semblance of order is established; unless the town destroys itself in the meantime, as we were to hear from the barman of a local tavern 'The Satyr and Stiletto'. Seems like the town has two warring gangs 'the Force of the Eye' (the same group who had a hand in saving us from the dungeons in the very first adventure) headed by a powerfully built black woman referred to as 'the Duchess' and the 'Brochers Brood' gang. After a few beers, a buzzing sound and a distinct smell signal the approach of a long time acquaintance of ours - Longfellow the windling. The small guy is still upto his old habits and he is pretty quickly sloshed up. Nonetheless we do manage to tell him of our mission to find a man going by the name of Forest and he promised to keep an eye out and meet us the following day. After renting rooms for ourselves, and Ivor getting his own room with one of the local wenches, we rest.
23rd of Rua The following morning we head off to market to sell some loot, unfortunately we realize we had forgotten to pack some of the non magical gear we had scrounged from the temple. Instead we decide to sell off a medallion we had found and the silvers should be enough to cover our costs for a few days. Longfellow meets us again and directs us to an tavern named Pappi's before passing out. Once at Pappi's we are pretty sure we spot our man but he seems elusive. Telepathically he instructs us to meet him at another Inn named 'the Pit' in the evening. After spending some time away from Daiche to do some training, we head to the Pit. As the name suggests, the place has a fighting pit in the middle and we spend time having a few rounds and watching the fights and competitions. Time passes and we start growing restless. As midnight approaches Ivor and I head back to Pappi's to investigate what happened to Forest, but once there we find someone else expecting us. A huge troll by the name of Dvorak, who describes himself as a sort of sheriff for this town, is pretty intent on getting info about Forest from us and the situation is pretty tense. I manage to find an excuse to call back the rest of the group over. Once we are all in the now closed tavern, we get to learn that Forest has been brutally murdered at Pappi's a few hours back. As the midnight hour strikes we head up to his room.
24th of Rua
Opening the door revealed the grisly scene of walls covered in blood and a mangled and cut up Forest lifeless on the floor. Elessar steps in to do some investigating and suggests he performs a necromancer talent to reexperience Forest's death. Ajisha goes out to find Freya, on suggestion from Elessar, as the process is obviously very harrowing for Elessar. Once Freya arrives, we are told to head downstairs and wait. After an hour or so Elessar descends, visible distraught and rather incomprehensible. Dvorak is still asking him what he discovered but Elessar asks if he can go pay last respects. After he returns he tells Dvorak some facts and the 'sheriff' instructs us to head out of town. Once safely out of ear's reach, Elessar tells us that he saw Forest being brutally murdered by an expert female assassin and that he transformed the note into a gem. Elessar also shows us a magical ring he manage to slide off Forest. After he utters the command word the gem unfurls into a note, we read it in earnest...
{to insert scan or text of letter}
After the strange encounter with the gargoyle, we decide we had more than enough of this temple and head back to Libaden, leaving behind the mysteries of the accursed place and its restless ghost in the library. Once in Libaden we decide its time we get ourselves a good draft horse, and we soon as the proud owners of a fine horse we name 'Butters'.
We soon pile Butters up with our gear including the accursed tome we found in the temple. On the road again, we try to make up for lost time, the road to Daiche should not take more than two days on horseback. The first day of riding passes uneventful, and likewise the night.21st of Rua The following morning , as we turn a bend in the road, we spot a white clad troll walking towards Daiche. We signal our approach and the troll, a female we get to learn is a Questor of Garlen, present herself as Freya. She looks friendly enough and pretty soon she joins us on the road. She is quite the taciturn type, but a good listener. After a whole day of riding we set camp and Freya takes up guard duties with us. The night passes uneventfully.
22nd of Rua After a good breakfast we hit the road again, and once we head clear of the forest the sun shines on the peaks of the Tylon's, my birthplace. Pretty soon we slowly creep back into civilisation as we see in the distance several groups heading towards Kratas and Daiche. By late afternoon we walk into the border town. The first impression of the place is not exactly reassuring, it seems like the bordertown has taken as resident a distinctly unsavory bunch. Several individuals clearly under the influence of alcohol or drugs loaf about uselessly, the town of about a thousand is build very haphazardly and it will be quite some time before any semblance of order is established; unless the town destroys itself in the meantime, as we were to hear from the barman of a local tavern 'The Satyr and Stiletto'. Seems like the town has two warring gangs 'the Force of the Eye' (the same group who had a hand in saving us from the dungeons in the very first adventure) headed by a powerfully built black woman referred to as 'the Duchess' and the 'Brochers Brood' gang. After a few beers, a buzzing sound and a distinct smell signal the approach of a long time acquaintance of ours - Longfellow the windling. The small guy is still upto his old habits and he is pretty quickly sloshed up. Nonetheless we do manage to tell him of our mission to find a man going by the name of Forest and he promised to keep an eye out and meet us the following day. After renting rooms for ourselves, and Ivor getting his own room with one of the local wenches, we rest.
23rd of Rua The following morning we head off to market to sell some loot, unfortunately we realize we had forgotten to pack some of the non magical gear we had scrounged from the temple. Instead we decide to sell off a medallion we had found and the silvers should be enough to cover our costs for a few days. Longfellow meets us again and directs us to an tavern named Pappi's before passing out. Once at Pappi's we are pretty sure we spot our man but he seems elusive. Telepathically he instructs us to meet him at another Inn named 'the Pit' in the evening. After spending some time away from Daiche to do some training, we head to the Pit. As the name suggests, the place has a fighting pit in the middle and we spend time having a few rounds and watching the fights and competitions. Time passes and we start growing restless. As midnight approaches Ivor and I head back to Pappi's to investigate what happened to Forest, but once there we find someone else expecting us. A huge troll by the name of Dvorak, who describes himself as a sort of sheriff for this town, is pretty intent on getting info about Forest from us and the situation is pretty tense. I manage to find an excuse to call back the rest of the group over. Once we are all in the now closed tavern, we get to learn that Forest has been brutally murdered at Pappi's a few hours back. As the midnight hour strikes we head up to his room.
24th of Rua
Opening the door revealed the grisly scene of walls covered in blood and a mangled and cut up Forest lifeless on the floor. Elessar steps in to do some investigating and suggests he performs a necromancer talent to reexperience Forest's death. Ajisha goes out to find Freya, on suggestion from Elessar, as the process is obviously very harrowing for Elessar. Once Freya arrives, we are told to head downstairs and wait. After an hour or so Elessar descends, visible distraught and rather incomprehensible. Dvorak is still asking him what he discovered but Elessar asks if he can go pay last respects. After he returns he tells Dvorak some facts and the 'sheriff' instructs us to head out of town. Once safely out of ear's reach, Elessar tells us that he saw Forest being brutally murdered by an expert female assassin and that he transformed the note into a gem. Elessar also shows us a magical ring he manage to slide off Forest. After he utters the command word the gem unfurls into a note, we read it in earnest...
{to insert scan or text of letter}
Tuesday, June 26, 2007
Heroes at Last
Ajisha was trying to calm the afraid villager using her unmistaken charm and soothing voice. With a little bit of patience and with the use of the lyre, she manages to calm him down and reassure him further. After bandaging and tending to Ahmok’s wounds, he stood up on his feet with some help and assured us that he was stable now, and that all he needed was some rest to recuperate from the fatigue.
After all have somewhat recovered and we all regrouped, we opted to further explorethe temple. The room had been changed into a sacrificial room. On the floor lay scattered pieces of gory flesh. At the side of the room we saw a cot and right next to it fresh food and water lay scattered. All shows that this was were the elf was living. In front of Rashman lay a large pile of butchered beings, what might have once been people? Whilst looking through the elf’s stuff we found a large heavy tome. The tome was bound with a thick hide which looked human after giving it a second glance. Both Elessar and Jarl immediately identified the tome as being a powerful and evil artifact. Together with the tome we find some silver, an elemental coin, an orichalcum coin, firefly chalk and a knife.
Elessar started casting some spells of his, so as to recover some of the villagers that were hurt. Whilst doing so Ivor headed towards the blocked corridor and started removing the rock masses blocking the way. It does not take him much to clear the path and after doing so the party headed back to town where they could rest and recover.
The way back seemed longer as our feet were heavy with the fatigue. As soon as we were spot by the villagers in town the people rejoiced in seeing some of their kin and beloved ones return home. But as soon as they have seen that only few came back and after hearing about the death of the others cries o desperation and sadness were heard echoing in the streets.
The day comes as the cockerel coco doodle doing is heard and we wake up as the first rays of light strike right thorough some of the cracks present in the village huts. We try to look up every corner of the temple and head out with quite some loot. We had spent the whole day looking here and there and in the afternoon as the sun was descending, we started burying the dead.
There was only one room left unexplored, the room where the gargoyle stood guard. We plan to tackle it there and than but time was against us and a little more rest would not harm, as some bruises were still clearly visible.
Day comes and immediately we make way to the temple as soon as we arrive in front of the gargoyle we freeze on how to act and what actions all should take, when all of a sudden an idea strikes Ivor. As if though driven by a mystical hand Ivor raises his hammer and with one decisive strike he cracks the padlock present on the iron door. He makes a gesture to the rest to keep calm and move back slowly. The party seeing that the gargoyle was not attacking followed Ivor’s trail of thought and did as instructed. The Gargoyle reacted with his animal instincts and flew off out of the temple. After searching the last room we head back to the village bid farewell to the villagers and started off back again on our original mission.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)