It allows you to search the
messageboards, send and receive private messages, give yourself a
custom usertitle, turn ads on or off, create a custom style for your
profile, get a nifty badge under your username, and gives you a special
warm glowy feeling! Oh, and it gets rid of this annoying message, too!
Story HourPost your ongoing tales from your campaigns, and read those from others for inspiration. Lots of other RPG boards post "Story Hours", but this is where it started!
I have been asked to post the story hour here but I hate to post the same thing in more than one place... so, instead I will post Jza's session write ups and you can see the above link if you would like to read the DM's write ups. They are basicly the same, except with this one you get to see Jza's thoughts and feelings.
These are not my write ups but Jza's players, Hope you find them enjoyable.
__________________ >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Douglas "Sayburr" Click
"As I walked with myself and talked with myself, myself said unto me; take care of thyself, for nobody but thou cares for thee" -Saying of the Watchers (Kindoms of Kalamar)
Last edited by Sayburr; 19th January 2002 at 02:46 AM..
For years, until she was 12, Alicia actually thought she was the youngest daughter
of Gretta and Foebin Tessin. For the most part, they gave her no reason to think otherwise. Perhaps they disciplined her a little more harshly than their other 3 daughters, but then again, she was at least twice as mischievous as the other 3 girls put together.Marjorie, Mathilda, and Mayfair treated her just like a sister,too. Foebin made a decent living for his family as a trader near the Ahznomahn coast. He was a moderate landowner and had a few servants to help his wife care for the place.
Then came the letter.
Marjorie, only 3 years older than Alicia, was stricken with a young man in the town close to their home. Alicia penned a note in Marjorie's handwriting and gave it to the young man, Aldus van Bergen, detailing all the things Marjorie had confided to Alicia that she would like to have Aldus do to her. She also included a time for Aldus to sneak into the Tessin household. Needless to say , more than one person suffered embarrassment and humiliation when the young man's presence in Marjorie's bedroom was discovered.
When Marjorie found out that Alicia had penned the note, she was furious. In order to hurt her in return , Marjorie let her know that at least she had a real family of her own. Not just some nice people who had agreed to care for a babe born to a servant girl, out of wedlock. Alicia was stunned. She asked Gretta if it was true, but the look on Gretta's face was all the answer she needed. What had been only mischief before accelerated to a new level. Always finding new tricks to pull on the 3 girls (mostly Marjorie), Alicia kept finding herself in trouble at home. She began slipping off from her studies, out into the woods, out to ride, wherever, and most especially into town. Always "finding" enough coins at home to keep the Magicians and jugglers and other entertainers glad to see her coming .Learning more and more from the street urchins and the shadier characters in town than from her studies, Alicia came up with a plan.
Shortly after her 15th birthday, she started making friends with the latest gypsy caravan to hit town. With her lithe, athletic build she talked them into taking her on to perform a gymnastics and tumbling show. One of the gypsies honed her talents and brought out more so that soon she was amazing the small crowds with her abilities to get out of locked boxes, manacles, and all manners of knots and contraptions. She convinces the gypsies to let her leave with them. They readily agreed but told her that she would have to buy her way into the act, of course. The plan blossomed further in her mind. Of course, kill 2 birds with one stone.
By this time, Aldus had since come into his birthright as a wealthy landowner's son and was attempting to court Marjorie again, despite the previous incident. Marjorie was playing hard to get and Alicia decided to use that to her advantage. Again imitating Marjorie's handwriting, Alicia left Aldus a note that "she" couldn't wait any longer to be with him. It further read, that "she" would sneak into his house in 3 nights time but for him not to come by between now and then, to keep her father's suspicions low. On that appointed night, Alicia snuck out of the Tessin home for the last time.
She stole one of their horses and rode to Aldus'. She crept into his house and his bed under cover of darkness, never letting on that she was not Marjorie. She sated his every whim, determined to ruin him for Marjorie. Once he fell asleep, exhausted, she began to search the house. She found a "safe" place in a drawer with a false bottom and removed the two small sacks of coins and scroll tube. She opened the tube to find a map or a drawing with characters she couldn't understand and a small silver key inside. Quietly, she let herself out and rode to meet the gypsies. Trying to put her painful past behind her as much as trying to make it difficult for Aldus and the Tessins to track her down, she decided a new life needed a new name. Thus between the setting of the moon and the rising of the sun, Jzashedra was re-born out of legend and into this world again.
Learning about being on her own already, she put her scroll tube in the bottom of her pack and tied the key up into and underneath her hair with a small strip of leather. The coins easily bought her way into the gypsy clan, so no one else had to know of her own swag for the night's work.
Jza joined the gypsies at just the right time. Their next stop, Zha-nehzmish at Grand Circus time. Here she learns of the University and it initiated into the thieves’ profession. One night while working a bazaar in the city after picking a few pockets she found herself bracketed by a couple of thugs. When she ducked away from them in an attempt to escape, she found out surrounded was a better word than bracketed. She was slapped and pushed into an alley and then sapped. When she awoke, she was in a darkened room where she was the only one not wearing a black and white mask and armband. She was told that since she was obviously a novice and not a veteran cutpurse trying to cheat the guild out of its due that they hadn’t cut her throat or at least dumped her raped and penniless and naked outside of town. Jza readily agreed that she was new to the life. Her captors proposed admission to their guild through initiation rite. How could she refuse? It would be a trial by fire of course. The tests: 1) In the bazaar tomorrow night she must pick 10 pockets without getting caught and have no more and no less than 57 coins (denomination doesn’t matter). Passing that: 2) she must be able to find the secret in at least 3 of 4 items presented to her. Passing that she must 3) free a guild member who is incarcerated in the city jail.
The following night the first test was going quite well. Jza was even managing to palm 2 coins per purse at the count site in case things got close later. This foresight probably saved her. The seventh purse was heavier than she had guessed and not even counting what she had palmed her count was 54. Over already! But only Jza knew this! Her mind raced. The probably knew she had been checking the tally sheet and thus knew she only had to bring 1 coin per theft for the remainder of the test. But what if they suspected she was holding extra out to make it appear she had the correct amount? What if they searched her? Then it struck her. Of course! Instead of stealing more, she would drop a few coins in the mark’s pocket each time and turn in only 1 coin each time, dropping all but 1 coin into the last mark’s pocket. She could make it work. And work it did. She was searched after the last turn in too, as she thought she would be. No honor (or trust) among thieves, after all. Some seemed impressed, some wanted her searched again, some seemed indifferent – more interested in their beer than the initiation.
Other called for the search test. So, they went to an old warehouse on the docks. The first item was easy. It was a desk and it had a drawer with a false bottom much like Aldus’. She had more than ½ of the sand left in the glass when she found it. The second search the told her was to be of the office that the desk was in. This proved harder. It was much larger an area to search for starters and you really didn’t know exactly what you were searching for. The glass was nearly ¾ empty before it dawned on her where she was and started searching the floor to find the secret trap door that led to the sewers and the ocean. She thought the third test would be easier than the first when she saw them bringing in a large chest. Even with a smaller sandglass for less time. How many secret places could there be in a chest right? Then she saw the padlock on the front and one of the thugs, a dwarf, lifting a key on string off the chest only to drop it inside his pocket. Laughing as he dusted his hands off. “Bet you don’t find this one girlie” he said as he patted the chest and went to sit down. Tougher, but still no problem after all she still had her tools. She went to work on the lock. She didn’t know if she would have enough time to search the chest thoroughly now even as small as it was. Sweat started to roll down the center of her back. Two bent picks later some one tapped her on the shoulder and pointed to the empty glass. “Told you that you wouldn’t find that one girlie. Now you must find the last item’s secret. You may only have one failure.”
That chest was taken away and another brought and put in its place and the glass was turned to sand on top again. This one had no lock and she placed her hand on the lid immediately; ready to find its secret and find it fast to prove to herself and those watching that she was not a failure in spite of the last test. But something stayed her hand. Two chests in a row? And what could be simpler than searching chests? Was it her or was her pyramid growing warmer? Even with the sand running she decided to lover over the outside before proceeding; tapping here, tapping there, looking on the bottom. It seemed normal, if perhaps lightweight. It was fairly thin sounding poplar all over, except the back seemed heavier and probably oak. The top seemed thin poplar too. She stayed behind the chest and gave the top a very small amount of upward pressure. Even though it should have been enough to raise the top it didn’t. She decided to play out her hunch. She looked over at the dwarf who had told her she wouldn’t pass the third test and lifted the lid from behind. Even though she thought she was prepared for was to happen she still flinched as the short sword blade inside the chest was punched through the front of the chest by spring mechanism hooked to the lid. Now, more than a few were impressed. Several even came over to shake her hand and pat her on the back and welcome her into the guild. “But what about getting the man out of jail?” she asked. “A few bribes in the right place can arrange an escape far better than a rescue attempt and sword play with guards not on the pay roll girlie” says the dwarf. “And we paid most of that with what you made on your first test. Let me welcome you to the City Shadows as a member in good standing and let me introduce myself.
You may call me Kestarek and what may I call you?” She tells him that she goes by Jza short for Jzashedra. The dwarf raises his voice above the dim of the room and says “The first two rounds are on me at the Knotted New if the lady is drinking with me.” Jza nods and a roar goes up and many head out to take advantage of the dwarf’s generosity. Later on, after finding out that the dwarf is apparently immune to alcohol, Kestarek offers to walk Jza home. In the dark, he pulls out a band of black and white material and tells her to pull up her sleeve. He ties it around her arm and pulls her sleeve back down. He then tells her it is not for show, not for just anyone to see and know about but will identify her to other guilds in other areas. He also tells her, “Don’t worry about the chest. I’ve seen several initiations here and not one has solved Gorian’s chest. The masks are custom jobs, but you’ll only need it if you plan to attend an initiation or other formal guild business. Well I have other business to attend to before the sun comes up so good luck and well met.” Before she leaves the city, Jza has an image of the armband tattooed on her upper arm. The Grand Circus comes to its end when the Carnival King, wearing his mask and colorful clothes proclaims the week-long festivities to be closed and disappears in a flash of light.
Sitting in a bar on the outskirts of Zha-nehzmish, the capital of Ahznomahn, as she ponders the Carnival King’s exit a figure walks up to her table and asks in a quite voice if this seat is taken. She looks up to see a hooded man hidden inside a dark cloak. “Look”, she says, “the show is over and I am not for sale or for rent, so go away.” The last three words are punctuated by her placing a dagger on the table. “Calm down, young one,” he speaks as he reveals his face. The hood falls back to show a fine looking half-elven man. “I have a need to speak with you Alicia”. Her hand grips her rapier as she studies her opponent closer, all the calmness caused by the wine fades as her senses come alive. “Yes, Jzashedra, I know your real identity, but that is not why I have seek you out. Do you still have in your possession a key, a silver key?” “I have no idea what you are talking about,” she says. He sighs, “Look, I know you took a silver key from Aldus van Bergen and he offered me a lot of money if I would bring you back to him. But, I don’t give a **** about him or his money. I have a message to give to the key holder, do you have the key?” He asks has he held up an envelope. “Look, I am trying to relax, go away” He sighs again and holds out his hand; in an instant the key rips itself from her possession and into his hand. She springs to her feet and the rapier leaps out of her sheath. He looks at her smiling and says, “so, you do have a key and this message is for you, please sit down and listen.”
“A noble in a foreign land handed keys out to people over 50 years ago and upon his death he bequeathed everything he owned to the people in possession of the key. You, have in your possession a key, which makes you an heir. You have one year from this date to arrive at the West Wood Barons, next to the Kalasali Woods in the country of Kalamar. If you are not there at the designated time I will retrieve your key like I just did and you will not receive any of your inheritance. Do you understand?” Dumbly she shakes her head yes with a million questions running through her head. But before she can ask, with a pop of dispersed air, the half-elf disappears.
After the half-elf’s disappearance, Jza stares in disbelief at the space where he was until her hands make contact with the key, the envelope and the money pouches left on the table. She quickly puts them all away, picks up the bottle with the remainder of her wine and goes to her room. Not until the door’s locked does she open the map, the envelope, and pouches. “Never count your profits at the bargaining table” her da… Foebin Tessin always told her. . The envelope contains a map from Zha-nehzmish to the West Wood Barons, 100 GPs, and the following letter:
It is with great sorrow that I must inform you of the passing of Baron Paytro NcMoren. You are invited to the reading of his will at the town of Weston. You will find directions and traveling money with this letter. If you are not on time your inheritance will be forfeit and be split among the others present. In addition to the note explaining about NeMoren there are a few small maps. She would easily recognize the one of Ahznomahn even without the Merchant’s speak letters labeling much of it. The others, she is glad, are labeled as well.
Though she has heard of Reanaaria Bay and Kalamar, heard much in fact, she knows she would not have recognized them just from their topography. In fact she only recognizes two other names – Whimdol and Elos Bay – out of the set of maps. Both are from Tessin’s background in trading. She wonders if the Watcher might have started out in a manner as simple as this, as she toys with his symbolic charm around her neck – the pyramid with an eye inside its apex. She decides to go to the University tomorrow before she and the gypsies move on to the mainland.
After arriving at the University she asks to see one of their learned men. The man at the desk asks her in reference to what subject. She says “A man named Baron Paytro NeMoren and a town called Weston or a place called Kalasali Woods.” The man leaves the atrium for a short while and then returns and asks Jza to follow him. He leads her back through the hallways to a door with “A’skerba – History and Geography” lettered beautifully in calligraphy upon it. She knocks. “Enter” creaks a deep but disused voice. Jza goes in. A spindly old man, bald on top but the hair that is there hanging to the middle of his back, looks up from the tumult that is his desk to her. “Yes?” he inquires. “I have come looking to trade coin for knowledge of a person and two places not near here, “ she states. “Well, I can assure you I have not always been here in this room, young missy,” he says. “Ask your questions and I’ll tell you how much coin it will cost you.” “I want to know about a man named Baron Paytro NcMoren, and about Kalasali Woods and a town called Weston oh sagacious one, “ she replies. “I don’t think you can afford my research fees so I’ll tell you what I remember right now for a gold piece, lunch and keeping an old man company this afternoon.” She grasps his hand in hers and pats his knee, “If only others could be half as kind as you are, sir! What would you like for you meal so that I might run and fetch it before you change your mind for I know I have come out on the good end of the bargain.” She passes the afternoon with the old man, making him feel good by entertaining him with stories. The old man keeps his end of the bargain as well, relating to her what he knows of the Baron and of the Kalasali Woods and of Weston. He rolls out her map across a desk, pointing out a Weston neighbor – a town called Salireta. He points to Weston, explaining that what is marked on the map is probably the old limits of the city, since Weston is said to be home to only 70-80 people now. “What happened?” she asks, the Watcher asserting himself. It is said to be under a curse. Jza tells him she will be back in 10 months or so to see what else he has found out.
The gypsies and Jza move on to the mainland and Ozhvinmish. The caravan first stops at Nenehi for two weeks. Then they move on to Svomnahni, probably the largest city in all of Svimohzia. In her two weeks here, Jza learns of the large thieves’ guild located there and how they and the pirates co-exist profitably. Traveling westward, they reach Anowhizh and finally Ashoshani, the capitol of Ozhvinmish, and home of King Shahn III. She learns of a vast tomb works, resting place for over 200 kings and royalty. The temptation was high. She could hear Risk almost demanding she try it but the six-dozen black and silver clad guards in real Plate armor and their cleric support made her decide discretion is the better part of valor. From Ashoshani, they travel nearly a month to the capitol of Meznamish, Monam-ahnozh. Monam-ahnozh is roughly the size of Ashoshani and is home to King Warven II and about 2000 dwarfs. It is also as far west as they will travel since the hobgoblin kingdom of Ul-karg lies west.
From there, they turn southeast and go through the Tanezh Mountains to enter Zazhni. The first stop is to be Zhanohven. Here is Zazahni. There is no central government like the Parliament of Ahznomahn or King like in Meznahish or Ozhvinmish. A duke, each of who sets his own law, rules each section of land. From there, southwest to Zenshahn, next to the Nohven Jungle. Here she meets with the Dark Omen guild. A strange guild really. Their only enterprise is black marketeering. After their two weeks there, the gypsies travel the jungle border for two weeks until they get to Emosvom. By now her Fhokki has become quite polished from her continued practice with the big Lummox. After their stay here, the cross the Izhoven River by ferry since there are no bridges to get to Wimish some four days to the north. After that they continue north to Svomwhi for two weeks. Then they turn east and head back into Ozhvinmish to Zomo-wim. Then they head back through Ahznomahn back to Zha-nehzmish.
Once in the city, Jza goes to the City Shadows and tells the guildmaster that she would like to see Gordian’s chest that night. “What for?,” he asks. I think I know its secret she tells him. She meets him at the same warehouse along with several other members who had heard she was going to try Gordians chest again. Jza walks right up to the chest, hands him the key which was still hanging by its cord and pulls prybar from under her coat. Struck dumb in surprise, he can say nothing before she is under the hasp and loud shrills of protest shriek throughout the warehouse. They stare in amazement as she uses the bar to pry the hasp, lock and all, completely off the chest. She hands it and the bar to him and starts to walk out . He says, “Aren’t you even going to look for the secret compartment after that?” She stops and turns to face them. “I don’t think I need to look in it to find it ,” she says.”Try the key in the lock.” He does as she asks and even though there are sounds as if the tumblers are opening the lock doesn’t yeild no matter how many times he turns the key. She smiles and turns to go again just to have him call to her again, asking who told her, and how did she know and such things like that. “Some problems just can’t be solved with just skill and finesse,” she says, “so that only leaves force.” That having been said, she turns and does leave this time, a smile on her face as she listens to the excited discussion her actions just sparked.
Now, after about ten months on the road, it is time to check in with the sage again and get ready to go to Kalamar. What had once represented rebellion and freedom now seems as restrictive as her schoolgirl classes. A little more drinking and debauchery and changing scenery perhaps, but still too orderly for her. Almost stifling in its routine. Shows at certain times, so many shows a day, blah, blah, blah. So Jzashedra slips off again. This time away from the gypsies instead of to them. She has learned much with them and from them, including the ways of the Watcher and those of Risk but it is time to move on. Time to travel and learn on her own.
After visiting the sage, Jza books her passage on a galley sailing for Bet-Kalamar and returns to her room to prepare for the trip. Jza, though normally her rooms look like a whirlwind has struck them, is meticulous about anything concerning travel. So she organizes, picks up and packs everything tonight that she will take with her tomorrow. She will rise early, eat a breakfast of fresh meat, soft bread, and honey here at the inn before beginning her journey.
After spending a week puking over the rail they finally sight land. Jza goes from the ship to an inn and books the night and stables her horse. It is, she thinks, the most restful night of her life. She even regains her appetite by the morning. She gets her horse and starts out for Salireta and Weston and the Kalasali Woods.
__________________ >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Douglas "Sayburr" Click
"As I walked with myself and talked with myself, myself said unto me; take care of thyself, for nobody but thou cares for thee" -Saying of the Watchers (Kindoms of Kalamar)
Jza arrived at the manor last night, was given the opportunity to sleep in a comfortable bed and then she gathered with some others in the small drawing room the next morning. Seated behind a desk in the room is a human who introduces himself as Kel Varnsen, the mayor of nearby Hollobrae. He is a rough looking gentleman with wild un-kept hair and a neatly trimmed beard. Standing behind the mayor is the half-elf who delivered the mysterious letters and who is introduced to you as Daresh. For the first time you get a very good look at this half-elf, who is not wearing traveling clothes like the last time you met. The fine black silk robes with silver trim highlights her fine of firm figure. She smiles and bows in greeting with a twinkle in her eye and a slight smile on her lips.
Sitting in chairs around the room are: A male Fhokki named Rakis, A female Dejy named Amber, a female Reanaarian named Laura, a male elf named Ars, and a bronze skinned female Svimohzia named Jzashedra.
After introductions are made and you've all been seated, Varnsen begins to speak:
"In my hands, I hold the last will and testament of Baron Paytro NeMoren, the former lord of this region, and resident of this manor. Baron NeMoren died five years ago at the ripe old age of 102. He left two documents in my care: The first was a letter addressed to myself, outlining the Baron's final request that I find five people, identified only by the silver key that they carry, and gather them in a room for the reading of his will; the second document, unopened until today, was the will itself.
I tell you, it has not been an easy task locating the members of this group. I tried on my own and even had a ranger friend of mine try but to no avail, finally Daresh came to my attention and she agreed to find you if you would agree to allow her to have a book that is in rumored to be in the vault of NeMoren. I told her that the will may not give the group access to the vault and she said that is was a risk she was willing to take. So, the only reason we are gathered her is because of Daresh's abilities so I feel like you should agree with her terms."
Everyone at the table agrees with Kel even though Jza doesn’t agree, she accepts what the rest of the people at the table say, for now.
"Good, the book is called the 'Spells of Gadrwyn Waeth' and without further delay..."
Mayor Varnsen unlocks a leather portfolio and withdraws a weathered
document. It looks to be very old. He breaks the seal on the papers; he opens it and begins reading aloud:
" 'The last Will and Testament of Paytro NeMoren, Baron of the West Wood region, heir to NeMoren Manor, and sole survivor of the respected NeMoren bloodline.
Gathered to hear my final words should be five fortunate people…
As the Mayor begins reading the will Jza notices the big Northman looking a little lost. She leans over and asks him in Fhokki “Do you understand what he is saying?”. The giant warrior looks a little startled but then nods his head and seems to pay closer attention. Jza shrugs inwardly but then focuses her attention back to the Mayor as well, did someone mention something about money?
After the will is read, the Mayor says something about breaking down a wall and asks the witch , Daresh, if she would mind getting the hammers. The witch says she has business elsewhere and leaves in that disturbing manner that she seems to favor. Good riddance, I say. I just don’t trust that bitch. Next time I am at a guildhouse I’m going to see what anyone knows about her. We go with the Mayor down to the cellar and find the section of the wall that was mentioned—damned fine work, cleverly camouflaged. He tells us we can clear away the racks while he goes to get the sledges. Glad those two bruisers are along , this looks like sweaty work. While we are clearing the wall face everybody starts getting to know each other a little, or at least what they want the others to think they know about them. I don’t tell them much about me of course, let them wonder. I do give them my working name: if a woman wants her rep known she’s got to earn it under one name.
The Northman and the woodsman beat the wall down. A short passage leads to a massive iron door that has 5 keyholes. We each put our keys in and then turn them. The mechanism opens inside the door but the door is still closed . Ars ,the woodsman, pulls against it and is rewarded as the massive thing swings open. The draft from the air being sucked into the passage beyond the door pulls at our torches. A light source far into the passage shimmers faintly, but our light only reveals rooms on either side of this corridor. Ars returns to the wall to get an impromptu stop for the door .
We decide to look in the room on the left first . The bladesmen go to open the door. As the 2 other women watch them, I decide to watch our rear. The room has tapestries on all 4 walls and a pool surrounded by what look like metal trees. I feel drawn to look behind the tapestries as the others look upon them as if children at story time. Bah, I came here for treasure not history lessons. Behind the western tapestry I find an alcove with a statue and a plaque. The priestess, Amber, casts some spell or prayer and looks the room over . After a short time she tells us that the trees and the pool and the plaque are magical.
The pool has an inscription in Kalamarian around its lip that reads “All true life comes from 2 components-
light and water.” For some reason , the woodsman puts his torch out in the pool and then throws in a gold coin. Odd fellow, this one. I would have thought the Northman to be the superstitious one.
We move to the room on the right. It seemed like it might have been a bunkhouse at one time but was trashed now. The room held little of interest but 3 giant centipedes and a note that mentioned no treasure so we moved on. The next room was a burial chamber of sorts with an upper and lower level.. While the others were talking about maybe doing something sometime ,I made my way to the first of the tombs that had had it’s door torn open. I could hear the Fhokki, Rakis, follow me. As I peered into the room, a filthy undead creature stepped from its hiding place and struck me in the throat. Surprised and bloody , I slipped away from it into the room and left it to face the ax weilding giant behind me. That is when they seemed to come out of the stonework. We were facing a platoon of undead. Things looked pretty grim but then the bard,Laura, started singing a battle hymn and the priestess stepped in and cowed the horrors with a show of power from her diety’s symbol. Raggedly and choking on my own blood I shot one of the fleshy creatures and then jumped down into the pit to finish off 2 of the skeletal creatures to help the bladesmen finish off the foes. Our search of this area was fruitless as well. Some treasure vaults these were turning out to be. This hardly seems the reward NeMoren was making it out to be.
We went up and down some stairs to find the shimmering light and with it another massive door of iron.
I searched for opening mechanismsbut found none. None until I touched the globe of light that is. It increased it’s glow and the door rose. I took the globe with me since it shone brighter than my torch in its invigorated state. The other side smelled dank and wet compared to the dry dusty state of the side we had entered thru. We found a mud room to the east where the men dispatched a giant frog. We moved on to a passageway that seems to have been not of the original design. We maneuvered thru its tight twists and turns only to find more skeletons . The confines were working against us until the priestess stepped forward and de-animated them with the power from her holy symbol. We followed it until it came out in a cavern with a river running thru it and some humanoids around a fire on the other side of it. We decided to turn back from here and look thru the other part of the designed vaults first to find that bitch her book of all things . Here adventure stares us in the face and they want to play fetch for that witch instead. We backtracked and moved on to the north until the corridor was blocked by a pit. Once again they had to have a caucus even tho I told them I could surely leap it. After I had had enuf of their banter I just backed up and ran and jumped it while they watched. I think they may all be politicians secretly except for the bearded giant and the priestess. The woodsman must have been shamed into trying the jump after seeing me do it. He backed up, ran and jumped and then started screaming as soon as he realized he was going to fall short.
And fall short ,he did. The pit was only about 2 feet deep. Some enchantments must have been keeping it dark and stopping sound from escaping it. The reward for getting past this “danger” was a ransacked store room and a dead end of rubble.
After some discussion, we considered the inscription around the pool and decided to try the light globe in the pool. The metal leaves seemed to sway under a breeze when we entered with the light. I put the globe in the depression in the pool and we all watched in amazement as the brackish water cleared and the pool filled up magically. I washed my near mortal wound with these waters and felt some relief from the pain and fatigue. We all took some of the waters to soothe our wounds and put the rest into the priestess’s emptied waterskin. We took about 4 hours searching the corridors for secret doors and the like. During this searching , Ars heard something behind one of the walls and put his ear on it to hear better. A massive burrowing monster collapsed the wall on him as it exited the stone right where he was standing. I sent a bolt deep into its chest for its trouble and the rest of our party responded with force as well to persuade it to retreat and find easier prey. We figured this to be enuf for one day and returned to the manor and locked the vault.
The second day, we returned to the underground river and the humanoid forms beyond it. The Fhokki and I crept across the shadowy cavern nearly silently. I moved into position behind the sentry. I stabbed as hard as I could . The blade slid in between his ribs and upward to deflate his lungs so that he couldn’t even warn his companions. I lowered him to the ground and motioned for the Northman to be ready. I moved next to a barrier to surprise the second of what I recognized now as hobgoblins. Since I couldn’t get behind him, when my opportunity came, I stepped out and ran my blade up under his chin into his skull and let him ease down against the wall as I pressed my advantage to strike down the third by the camp fire. By this time the big axman had rush in as well and slew the last of them as quietly as I had the others. We arranged the bodies using their own spears on them in case some one came to check on them and took the other weapons across the river. There were 2 ways out of this side of the cavern and one looked to be a guarded
Entrance , so we took the other, the one to the north.
Northward we came across a scene straight out of a charnel house . Blood and guts and rotted remains were the main decorations here instead of tapestries and finery. The priestess said that if any of this water seeping thru this room was making its way into the local water supply , that might be the “curse” or “sickness” we had heard so much about. Pressing onward, we find 30 ‘ section of one corridor to be made of glass with a rushing river under it. We decide to come back to that later. We find a door with no handle or lock. There is a sign or plaque on it only. The others puzzle over this while I watch the corridor. We hear bone on stone and I look down the passageway to see skeletons advancing on us. “We have visitors,” I tell them. Rakis steps out into the corridor and I charge them. I get in only one blow tho because Amber de-animates them brandishing her holy symbol with pride. Rakis returns to help Laura with the puzzle and the door is opened magicaly. At last! Finally some treasure in these treasure vaults! We discover some diamond earrings, a ruby ring, and some other goodies in a jewelry box. As the others look over the rest of the room’s contents I discover a secret compartment in the bottom of the box and pocket the potion hidden there.
A few rooms later we hear noise behind a door. We burst in ! The stench is awful. Two decaying creatures with terrible claws that look good for rending flesh but bad for us advance on us. The bladesmen clash with them. Something is wrong with the Northman. He is still standing but no longer attacking . No longer moving in any way for that matter. I try to help them with my bolts but the priestess proves her value again by cowing these monsters and sends them running. Laura and Amber with him, I think the Fhokki will be safe enough so I decide to press our advantage and fire at the retreating undead and give chase. The woodsman must have had the same idea for he matches me step for step. We make them look like pincushions as they have retreated to a hallway with a locked door. I listen at the door and break out my tools to pick the lock when we hear Amber shouting for us to come back. Maybe he wasn’t as safe as I thought. Ars and I hustle back to them. She found a note! I could be on the other side of that door I curse just under my breath. After a time Rakis regains control of his limbs. We go to the door and move the ghouls out of the way.I pick it and we enter a study perhaps . There is a large circle burned into one wall and the floor as well as cloven hoofprints . We start to look around the room but an archway to the south seems to call to me. I rush thru it and the others must sense my urgency since they are right on my heels. We enter a room with four statues , one in each corner, and another charred looking circle on the floor.
One of the statues begins to speak . A terrible form begins to take shape in the circle. Lisette returns to the living but only to proclaim her hunger for it. A terrible battle follows. I am forced to drink the potion I found earlier and feeling its magical power coursing thru my body leap into the melee. We are barely able to come out with our lives. Behind her is a hallway with openings for our keys. At last, our rewards! We enter and begin to go thru our booty. I see a sarcophagus and want to add its contents to our pile so I go over and open it. Immediately I feel weak and my senses are befuddled. I close it and back away fearing poison gas of some sort. We all think it would be a good time to leave since I was not the only one affected by opening the sarcophagus and our battle wounds. We close the vault up and lock it back. On the way out though, the Note Amber found mentioned a glass prison and I want to get a better look at the floor that we saw earlier.
I check out the floor for flaws and for traps and then test it with my own weight. I walk across to the other side and tell the others there are some short passages ahead. I ask if they want me to look ahead . Ars and Laura say they will come with me . I don’t think he trusts me. May be the only smart one of the bunch. Nah, probably just paranoid. As they cross, large cracks appear, threatening to drop them into the fast moving water but they leap to safety on my side just in time. We find a lab of some sort for our trouble.
I have Rakis and Amber set a grappling hook at the corner and tie the end of that knotted rope around my waist. I take a deep breath and jump as far as I can and start hand over handing it as I sink into the cold fast waters.Rakis and Amber help drag me onto the floor on the other side finally. As I lay gasping for air I can hear gasps and yells and manage to look up only to see Rakis, Amber and Laura staring at the waters surface where it goes under the wall. Not good, I think to myself since I don’t have the breath to say it, we locked the vault back and it takes all five keys. Laura learns from Ars’ mistake and fixes a better rig for herself. Definitely time to go now.
On our way out We hear Ars’ hoarse voice yelling. We ran toward it The Fhokki leaving us in his dust
As his powerful long strides ate up the distance. Ars ran past him and just as he did we saw what caused him to yell so frantically. Rakis runs face to face with the burrowing beast we faced yesterday. In spite of or perhaps because of the close passageway all we could do was fire our crossbows around him as the bard sang. Amber did happen to hit the axman but didn’t stop firing and managed to bring the beast down as we both filled it with bolts. Rakis went down under the beast’s onslaught. We drag him with us back to the manor.
From DM’s Log to help make rest of story make sense:
The party came up from the vaults weak, bloodied, and in one case, comatose. The Mayor of Hollobrae looked and acted quite concerned. “What the hell happened to you all? Come, lets get you all to a healer. There is one in Hollobrae.”
Hollobrae is two days ride to the north. The party decides to wait until Rakis is well enough to travel so they leave two days later. Upon arriving in Hollobrae, Kel says, “Thank the Raiser, it sure is good to be home!” He takes the party directly to the temple. The priest examines each of the cursed characters and says that he is sorry that he is not yet powerful enough to help but that he expects a bishop to arrive any day to check on the church and he may be.
So, the Mayor directs they to the Fiery Dragon Inn in the center of the town where they stay the night. The next day the mayor comes and asks them to his office where they meet Lord Llewiston a representative of the Emperor of Kalamar along with eight of the Kings Guards. Llewiston asks if they found anything interesting about Amelia for he is there to appoint another Baron of the area but before that can be done the whereabouts of Amelia’s body needs to be found. The party said they found nothing except for a note saying she was in a glass prison. “hmmmp” came the reply, “I am also here to collect two additional things, one is back taxes owed by the Heirs of the Westwood Barony and the five keys to the vault which is actually a part of the Manor and thus property of the Emperor. Please hand over the keys now.” The party angrily handed over the keys. [DM Note: Jza tells Llewiston that she lost her key.] “Thank you, anything you have already gotten out I consider yours for the keeping. Anything remaining I claim for the Emperor.” [DM Note: Later Llewiston finds out they didn’t get anything out of the vaults so he tells them they may go back in to claim their inherentance, but portions of it will be taken as taxes.]
A knock comes at the door. Kel goes and opens the door and finds a cleric there who informs him that the Bishop Anelstol arrived last night and would like to see the infected people. The party, the Mayor, and Llewiston go there and meet with the Bishop who says that yes, he can help them but they must do something for the church or the area first. “Ahem” coughs Llewiston, “may I speak with you a moment” and he and the Bishop disappear for a moment and return. “Since three cures must be given three quests must be made. First is to find out what happened to Amelia. Second is to find out what the curse of the Weston area is and find out what is stalking and kidnapping locals. Lastly a parishioner wants help locating her father. He has been missing for almost two months and everyone she has paid money to has run off with the money, so I ask you to go to a small town in the Reanaarian Bay Area called Haanex where he was last seen and try to find him. I will cure one person after each quest is completed but will cure the last person before you journey to Reanaarian bay. Time is wasting for I will not stay here long, let us travel to Weston and begin our adventures, we will begin our travels tomorrow. I must also ask you to take this mage with you, for she has requested something from us also and if she helps you with the three quests she may return here and receive what she asked for. If you do not what to take her do it as a favor from me.”
The mage is a female Reanaarian named Pandora
__________________ >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Douglas "Sayburr" Click
"As I walked with myself and talked with myself, myself said unto me; take care of thyself, for nobody but thou cares for thee" -Saying of the Watchers (Kindoms of Kalamar)
Nemoren part 2: the Curse, the Girl, the Hobgoblins and the Blade
I feel bad about lying to llewiston now that we know he is not out to rob us of our inheritance but how to tell him without damning myself? Ah, well; done is done: spilled milk and all that. I ride up to Amber to tell her how impressed I was with her in the vaults again. She seems a powerful if quiet ally. I ride to Rakis and tell him much the same thing . He seems reserved but nods and asks me how I came to speak Fhokki. We chit chat a while and before I know it I have told him from where I really came. Damn these befuddled senses! I ride over to Llewiston to try to keep an eye on the keys and to learn as much as pertinent about this scene as I can, unlike these others who seem so entranced with this drama. I desperately want to steal those keys from him, but think I will play this out a little further.
When we get back to Weston, Llewiston decides to gather all the townspeople together to bring as much information to light as possible. The arrogant bookworm bitch (Pandora) is overjoyed with herself for figuring that there might have been a kidnapping, something any one other than a buffoon has known for some time now. It is noticed that the former Red Cloak is not here even tho Llewiston dispatched guards to tell him to be here. Most of the town loads up and heads toward his home.
We see the smoke before we get there. When we arrive, the house has been burned to the ground and the bookworm bitch’s squab lands on her shoulder. Pandora then says something to Amber and they start around to the back of the house. She doesn’t just go around the house tho, she heads straight to a body lying prone 50-75 feet beyond the house. I smell witchcraft. I check the body for a pulse but find none . I see his hand covers a stone marker of some sort and cover it with my foot. I suggest that they go search the house and they nearly do but then decide to search the body better so I have to give up my discovery as if I had just found it. We upturned the marker to find a coffin buried underneath. There was no body but it was filled with Amelia’s personnel effects. Including some love letters between the Red Cloak and Amelia. Everyone seems stunned. Have these people never lived outside a glass jar where everything is perfect? The girl’s attendant reveals that they used to meet at an old cave rumored to be the den of a minotaur. Llewiston and his armed cadre form one group and our party makes the second as we decide to split up to search more area and head out to find this cave.
During our search we spot a female figure lying, weeping on the forest floor. We approach her. We find out that she is crying for her tree! Her tree! I begin to wonder if this curse upon the town isn’t one of madness. She asks us to help her tree. I say “Yeah right, after we find the minotaur’s cave we’ll help you and your tree. You just wait right here for us, ok?” and start to leave the crazy woman. Then she says that she can lead us to the minotaur’s cave if we will help her tree. Now she has everybody’s attention. We agree to help her tree. She leads us to an overgrown section of undergrowth and speaks, I guess you would call it. It sounds more like the wind blowing thru the trees but the plants actually move apart to reveal a cave entrance.
Inside here we kill a couple of mushrooms and a frog before coming to a large cavern with a strange light at the far side. We go over to get a better look. There are 2 jars floating about waist high with the glow coming from them across an 8 foot chasm. I start to take off my gear to get ready to make the jump. I am looking across for the best place to land when I realize that though I can easily make the running jump to get across to the lights there is no room to run and jump back to this side. In my weakened state the jump back would be iffy at best and with a 20 foot drop in between perhaps a little caution should be observed. Rakis says he can do it and backs up and runs at the chasm. He didn’t even drop his gear. Of course he is more powerful than I and faster despite his massive size but if the curse has affected him as it did me how will he make it? Oh no! he jumped well before he had to! He hits bottom with an ugly splat. I start to lower him my rope but then just yell for him to throw his up to the ledge on the other side. He does and starts to climb.
When he reaches the lip he is pulled up onto the ledge by something we cannot see! I fire my bolt hoping to hit whatever has him. He is not moving to protect himself. Not moving at all except as if drifting underwater. His skin is starting to blister. The creature then spans the chasm in one giant step and is upon us. His skin is starting to peel off. We must get him out; but how to do it without suffering the axman’s fate? My rope and grappling hook! Time to go barbarian fishing. I throw my hook high and far over the monstrosity, hoping to drag it back thru the beast hooking Rakis in the process. Our bookish bitch who when we met her admitted her ineptitude with weapons suddenly becomes an expert in them screaming , “Bludgeoning weapons! Bludgeoning weapons!” while doing nothing. My throw is true and I yell for the woodsman to help me pull Rakis free. Just as we start to pull the creature pulls as well – nearly sucking us in with Rakis but we let go first and only suffer some burns from its acidic goo. There is nothing left but hand to hand. “Bludgeoning weapons! Bludgeoning Weapons!” she still shouts. I will give her a bludgeoning weapon after this if she doesn’t shut up. I draw my short sword and wade into it. We all do even prissy britches helps some. Rakis is a mess when we kill it and it spills him back out. He looks like he has been boiled in oil. Amber helps him and me with our wounds somewhat.
The priss and Amber study the jars more closely and declare that they are magical. We decide to keep them to ourselves and just as soon as that bitch agrees I know it is the wrong thing to do and begin to plot how to take one to the bishop and frame her for stealing the other. Amber and Rakis save her by telling Llewiston that we found them tho. He sends for the bishop. The bishop agrees that they are magical and opens the blue-green one right there! A minotaur appears from the fog inside, dazed and confused. We take advantage of this by most of us pummeling him with blows to kill him. The bishop obviously affected by the town’s madness curse then opens the second jar! But Amelia appears this time instead of another minotaur. The bishop helped us with our wounds further and removed Rakis’ curse. May be he is not so bad after all. I will stop thinking of his murder, at least.
I convinced Llewiston to return our keys. The next day we go to make our third trip into the vaults. Llewiston asks if he needs to post someone at the door to keep it from locking behind us. I pipe up with my cursed senses “ But it doesn’t lock behind us.” Damn this curse. I guess that is one way to reveal my deception but from his look I am pretty sure I am damned in his eyes.
We returned without incident to the passage that led to the underground river and the hobgoblin sentry post beyond it. We decided to try for the element of surprise and dowsed our globe and tried to find the log in the dark. It wasn’t there. We decided to ready our bows and pull the light out and barrage the sentry post area , hoping to catch them of guard. Even priss seemed eager to help with the plan. She offered to help by holding the light. Each according to his ability … my fath—Tessin used to say. Just when we were about to set it into motion the stinking hobgoblins attacked us! Priss pulled out the light to reveal 4 hobgoblins along the edge of the river throwing javelins at us. Rakis was hit. The light dazzled half of the hobgoblins and our dimwitted helper too. I was glad I had moved away to avoid just such an event. We ,I, Amber, and Ars dispatched the 4 with our bows and Rakis even pulled the javelin from his own wound to throw it back to kill its owner. With the light shedding its light it was easy to see how we missed the log. It was not there. I decided to shed my gear but for my short sword and make the jump across the river. Rakis offered to hold a rope wrapped around my waist just in case I didn’t jump far enuf . How sweet even if unnecessary, I let him. I clear the river easily and untie the rope and let it fall. Rakis pulls it back to his side out of the river.
I figure the first place to look would be behind the wall. I move up quietly with my sword drawn just in case.
As I rounded the wall a wave of HG pours out of the passageway behind the wall. I immediately yell for help as I sink my blade into HG flesh! Within seconds Rakis is beside me in the gloom outside the globe’s shine ass deep in HG! I try to hold my ground to help Rakis as much as I can but at the same time lead them back into the light. The giant axman is in fine form today. He reminds me much of Magnus when he is like this. He is actually vibrating in his bloodlust. My survival instincts are on high as well, not only striking true but avoiding there blows at will- everything they do seems in slow motion or as if I know what they are going to try. It must be the hand of Risk or the Watcher touching me. With the aid of our companions on the other side of the river we manage to kill 16 HG and rout the rest into an unconditional retreat. The big man is really shaking now and looks in great need of a rest. We get the log and let our party members across. We search the HG chambers and follow the passage that leads out and mark a nearby tree.
We searched the rest of the vault and found little else of value so we set about clearing the room of all he carnage that we suspected to be the source of the curse. We carried our treasures to the door and started to exit but were drawn back to the pool room with the trees and Jaycin’s statue. We puzzled over it and priss said she might be able to figure it out after a good night’s rest, so we locked ourselves in and camped.
The next morning she cast some sort of spell over the plaque and revealed!…. it was a trigger to open a door. Well you have got to be kidding me! Powerful magic that! A blind bard by the surname of Charles in my hometown could have told us that! Everyone is just standing around even tho the key is obvious. No one wants to be adventurer that bad evidently. Not even the giant ax man and I didn’t think he would shy away from anything. Here goes. I pull out my silver dagger and lay my finger on the lip of the pool. Risk, watch over me in this, my biggest gamble yet. A quick pressure down and it comes of easily. Oh dear Watcher! The pain ! the blood! I force myself to put it up to the plaque before I am sick. It opens and I go in. There inside is one lone item . A big bastard of a sword that I am not even sure I can carry much less wield. I drag it out and Amber stops my bleeding. I pick up my finger and say let’s go now. We liberate our inheritance and Llewiston liberates his taxes. The town and Amelia gave us a hero’s feast and a weeks room and board and a packhorse with 2 weeks worth of provisions. Perhaps there is some good left in this world. While we rest and recover I will ask Rakis to accompany me into the woods in search of the dryad. I wish to ask her if she will obscure the HG’s entrance to the vaults for us. Also I will ask Rakis and Amber if they will help me practice with my new sword; sparring and the like. I also will pack my finger in some salt to cure it out. Then I will lash it to the hand guard of Flamesinger. I will see if I can’t return some respect to the rogue’s profession or barring that –fear.
Time to split up the items found in the vault:
The following was out of game, in character e-mailing:
Jza tells the other of the group: About the split, don't you think the inheritance should just be split among the 5 heirs? And the rest of the treasure after that? Anything incidental that we picked up sat Laura shouldn't get a part of, but by the same token Pandora was not a key holder. Perhaps the inheritance should be split between the original group and then every thing we found this sat split between the 2nd five.
Pandora: You are correct, Jza, I am not an heir. But I did not risk my life to just get a battle axe that we found in the Minotaur's cave. That's the only incidental treasure I can recall. I expect to be compensated for the spells I cast, the time I spent doing this, repayment for injuries incurred, and the overall risk of death that I took.
Jza: That is the risk we all took. We will all only increase our purses by the same amount as you and if I remember correctly you were here to repay a debt to the bishop as well as we were.
Pandora: how will you increase your purse by the same amount as me? There was no incidental treasure other than the axe Rakis has. Wasn’t everything else in the vault?
Jza: we will both profit little in coin but we will both relieve the debt we owe to the bishop. i did not ask for the contents of your purse to be divided when you got here. We had already been to the vault.
Pandora: "There are two items that I feel I can choose from. The first is the axe that was found in the minotaur's cave. Sorry Rakis but I may have to take it. No hard feelings. The second is the spell. Now, please, before you start hurling objections, please hear me out. According to the story as related to everyone, the spellbook was considered payment by Darish or whatever her name was for gathering you, the heirs, together to read the will. At this point the book was no longer part of the willed items. The book, when it was found, was given to Darish according to your agreement and summarily became her property. When we re-entered the vault (Pandora included), the book was found again with some pages torn out. I feel that at this point it became incidental treasure."
Ars: I don't mind if Pandora gets the spell book as long as she pays back the party for the value.
Jza: I cannot agree here---the book did not become Daresh's only to be rediscovered with the pages torn out later Daresh's payment was from the book which she took and left the rest of our book behind not bequeathed from her to charity or anyone else---we agreed to pay her from it, it just so happens that the payment was less than expected---it was still from the original trip into the vaults.
Rakis: Rakis listens to Jza and looks at Pandora, "Yes, you went on the quest to find Amelia and rid the town of the curse. But that was mainly to repay whatever debt you owed the church. We have invested much more time and effort claiming the inheritance and it is ours. I don't mind paying you for your services but I can't understand why you act as if you have a claim to the inheritance. Getting rid of the hobgoblins was part of your debt to the church. We will pay you for helping us carry out the inheritance but you have no claim to any of it. Why do expect compensation from us? The bishop told us to take you so that you could repay a debt. Again, I am willing to share some coins but do not demand anything." Rakis finishes, his eyes narrowing.
Pandora: I am not trying to take your inheritance. I understand that if I had one I would not want to give it up either. From my perspective I have risked my life for nothing. I haven't even incurred a debt from the church. If I had died during this adventure the church would have been out zero. I am now wondering if I should even adventure with this group again. Trust is not very high at this point.
Jza: if that is the way you feel --see ya, Jza says to pandora. The inheritance was ours and is ours. We secured it, we fought for it before you ever showed up. The book is part of the inheritance, it came from the vault. I feel that each should benefit from the treasure division equally based on monetary value, the common thread of treasure. This bull**** about “I could make the party stronger with these spells” (to which you have no claim to begin with) is just that-bull****. Doesn't a fighter with a magic sword make the party stronger but you all would count that as his share of the treasure wouldn't you? Let each pick according to the toss of the bones, those who have earned a toss anyway. If we were to adventure further I would have no qualms about the wench having her share, but she was not here for its winning so I see no reason to reward her with a cut from it. The bard isn't here today but I’m not trying to take her share because she won it with us--she is entitled. As to your helping us get the curse removed speak to the bishop about your recompense. He sent you along . Do you intend to pay us out of your pocket when we travel in search of this man gone missing? Do you think the church would have been out anything if any of us had died? No they would have been that much the better off, getting the job done, not having to pay anyone and not having to remove that persons enchantment. Once again I have no problem with an equal share for those who participate in any adventure but not for those who show up after and demand a share due to their incomparable contribution. And also once again think before you decide to start giving things to people -even ones deserving of a share - because they can use them or because they will make the party stronger. A share is a share. Keep it fair and equal and everyone will get along just fine and understand how things are. Start making gifts of things that don't wholly belong to you and eventually someone’s feelings will get hurt and they will feel cheated or wonder why they don't get these breaks or gifts when it comes to dividing the pot. Give to her from your share if you feel she deserves it but think before you are so free with moneys that are not all yours. The 3 fingered bitch has spoken her piece.
Pandora: obviously offended by Jza, and seething with barely controlled anger states, "three fingered bitch, did you cut one too may off. Would make getting that sword difficult then since you needed four. You decide amongst yourselves what you want to do. Then let me know. I know where you stand Jza, as most of your type will always do. Once again, I care not for your damn inheritance. I will continue to contribute to the best of my ability. What I find and what I do on my own will remain on my own, even if it will benefit the party as a whole. This is the feeling I am getting from all of you. So be it then. Outside of our adventures, ask nothing of me, I will ask nothing of you. Once the final task is completed, I will make my decision on whether or not to continue traveling with this group."
It was finally agreed the spellbook, since it was 8 volumes, would be split up among the group. Pandora received two sections of it.
One morning while everyone else is still sleeping off the partying of the previous night, Jza slips over to Rakis and awakens him. Together they travel back into the woods in search of the dryad. They locate her and then hide and mark the location to the entrance of the Hobgoblin’s lair so they can return to the vaults when it pleases them.
While they are gone, Pandora, Ars, and Amber wake up and find them gone. The quickly pack up and head towards Haanex, leaving without them.
"So they decided to leave without us....." Rakis mutters. "Like they can make it on their own." He turns to see Jza's reaction. Jza scoffs and nods wondering what they were thinking and says, “They might make it, they do have Amber with them.” Rakis looks to Jza, "I wonder if that wizard hexed them and made them leave?" "She might have, I just don't trust her. I had started to believe she had enchanted you back in Weston, the way you went along with everything she suggested." "I said what I felt was fair. My personal feelings aside. I feel she is greedy, like most of this group. Had she pushed me further she would not be here now." Rakis replies. "I am glad to hear you back to yourself, big man. As I said I was concerned for you --- the way you answered her ridiculous demands with such fire at first, but then you seemed to go along with what she said rather than what I remembered the situation to have been. I don't remember her having to dodge 1 single hobgoblin blow beside you but I never wavered at your side. And I don't remember her doing anything to end the curse except hauling some of that filth out of the water room. A peasant could have done that after we had removed the danger and Amber was the one to tell of the significance of the water source itself and the carrion therein. I don't remember her fighting the burrowing monster nor her helping to carry you out after you saved that -----woodsman , the second time we encountered it. I just think of her as taking advantage of our labors...
The party meet up with each other again a days ride from Haanex. Ars looks up and says, “About time you showed up.” Pandora asks where they have been while eyeing Jza suspiciously. Jza gives her the bird and reply "****ing --as if it is any of your business----mother" and then turns up her nose to both and rides over to Amber.
Pandora then rides over to Jza and says, “Jza, I know that we have not gotten off the best of starts, but I have information that you might consider invaluable. What if it I told you I know of a way to recover the finger that you lost, restoring you back to your original condition? Jza replies by asking, "and what would such information and/or service cost me?" "The cost is negotiable of course, knowing that you are a business woman of a sorts. A mutual agreement to end to the hostilities between us would of course be part of any deal that we reached. I will need time to consider,” says Pandora. Jza says, “consider with the others then for i am talking to my friend Amber” > "As far as I am concerned this is a private matter between the two of us. If you wish to discuss it with others that is your choice. But ultimately the deal will only be between us. Take as much time as you need to consider." Jza angrily spits, “You are such a conceited witch! Not everyone talking is talking about you. I was talking to her before you rode up and approached me with this so called private deal that is so private you have not named any terms and I won't even start on your presumption that I need your permission to talk to anyone else or it being my choice. Ride on whelp or taste steel before I regain control of my temper.”
FYI… Out of character e-mails were friendly.
__________________ >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Douglas "Sayburr" Click
"As I walked with myself and talked with myself, myself said unto me; take care of thyself, for nobody but thou cares for thee" -Saying of the Watchers (Kindoms of Kalamar)
After returning to Weston, we find the rest of the party has left town without us. Rakis and I start out after them towards the town of Haanex in the northern part of the Reanaarian Bay area. We are going there to find a man called Arowain as the last part of our repayment to the bishop’s church for removing our curses. I will let the axman lead the way as he seems much more adept at trails and tracking than I. It seems to make him feel good to be in the lead, and I do want to make him feel good - especially since I will probably have him between me and harms way as much as I can.
As we go past Hollobrea, we pick up Laura on the trail. It helps us that she is from the Reanaarian area. We twist and wind our way thru the Ka’Asa Mtns., which are filled with two sides waging war. We saw humans, dwarves, giants, and others fighting furiously. We continued northward thru Couni Heights and the Vrykar Mtns. When we came out of the mountains, we headed for Haanex to try to find a man named Veoden, an associate of Arowain’s. About a day out from Haanex, we spot Amber, Ars, and prissy britches.
Around noon the next day , we arrive in Haanex. Laura says that she knows the man and perhaps where to find him easily, a pub called Ki-Ren’s Rest. As we head to the pub, we notice flyers up all over the place. I ask Laura if she can read them because I cannot. She says it was posted by Veoden and that he is looking for adventurers for a mission that pays 100gp. All interested parties should go to his tower at sundown. We decide to try the pub first since we don’t know where his tower is and Laura says the man is a drunkard. When we get to the pub, Laura is welcomed profusely by the owner (she later tells us). She and he exchange some tales and after the polite reminiscing, she asks him where the tower is. He points it out from the doorway and we all depart.
It looks ready to fall over. It is about 6 stories tall but there is no way I would attempt to go above the 1st. We knock gently and then yell for Veoden but he doesn’t answer. Most of us decide to go back to our rooms but Ars says he will stay to watch the tower: why is anyone’s guess. We come back at dusk and ask Ars if he saw anything. He says no. We go over and knock and Veoden answers the door. I look at Ars and wonder if he lied or if he is just incompetent or tired from the trip, but say nothing. I tell him we are there for the mission and he asks us in. As ratty as the outside looks, the inside is as nice-plush even. He asks if we want a drink (I am sure he has already had a few) and I accept. I wonder how wise we are to get help from a drunkard. Perhaps Laura exaggerated the extent of his dependancy, but he does seem to like the stuff pretty well.
He tells us about the mission. It seems that a star fell to the earth about a hundred years ago up in the mountains northwest of Haanex. He feels that this star contains a metal more suitable for magical purposes, called mithral. He tells us he will pay each of us 100gp each for each pound of mithral we bring him back. We ask him where to look for the fallen star but he tells us he does not know where it is. He does tell us that a man, Atuur Dairoo, found it some years ago but he died shortly after returning with some of the metal. He tells us that he is buried in the local cemetary. “Some believe he took his secret to the grave,” he tells us. I hope so, because I intend to look there, I think to myself. That taken care of, I ask him about Arowain. He says he was working with him on this project until 2 months ago when he disappeared between here and his home a few blocks down. We thank him and leave.
Outside, we decide to try Arowain’s house first. It reveals nothing except the fact that someone has already been here looking for something. The place is a wreck. We decide to go to the graveyard under the cover of darkness. I am sure graverobbers are not looked upon kindly. We get there and look and listen for guards. Finding none, we go over the wall surrounding it. Veoden told us Atuur’s family had a mausoleum in here and we spot it easily. We approach it cautiously. It is locked but the lock is useless with its age. Rakis gives me the light orb and tells me to hold it high and open the door for him and Ars. I am only too glad to oblige. I swing it open and they rush in ready to lay low any foes, but there are none—only bones scattered on the floor amongst the wreckage of the interior. Ars bends over to see if the bones have gnawed on as if by ghouls he says. It is then that the skeletons animate and strike out at him. Others form and attack Rakis too. The bladesmen hold their own against these abominations but are unable to vanquish them. Amber steps to the doorway and blasts them to dust as she presents her holy symbol to them. We can find nothing of value in here except a scroll (I use my new found ability to read magic to learn that it is for protection from evil) or even anything that shows that Atuur is even among these dead.
We decide to search the headstones for his name. We find it quickly. Rakis goes to look for shovels when we can’t find any here. He comes back with pair and we start digging. We hit the coffin lid, which seems to be made of iron, after some time. We drag it up to the surface. It is bound by chains and locks as well as being iron. What the hell? I have never heard of such a practice. I try to pick the locks but they are of expert craftsmanship and I fail to open them. As Rakis tries to break them open using Amber’s warhammer, I go to the gate to see if anyone is coming to investigate the noise or light at this hour. After quite a while, Ars is the one to batter them open. Glad to see he has some use. His build is much more slight than the axman’s but somehow he has overpowered the locks when the axman couldn’t. I come back to help open the casket. It takes all of us to get it open. The stench is terrible as is the visage of the emaciated corpse. He has a bit of paper right there in his hand in plain sight. I reach to pick it up but Rakis beats me to it. Lucky for me, since when he did Atuur struck him with a gnarled claw-like hand and leaped out of the casket onto Rakis’s face and shoulders. Amber stepped up and tried to turn him to dust too, but only succeeded in making him flee. Rakis who’s pride was wounded more so than his body wouldn’t allow that and split Atuur in half as he tried to get away. We dumped the body and the casket back in the grave and covered it up as best we could.
We left the next afternoon. We headed to a place marked as “the Mounds”. When we got there the place was a mist filled valley with 3 huge mounds, not unlike rounded off anthills. We went down to investigate. The mist was about 4 feet deep and unnerved the horses a great deal, even to the point of throwing Amber and Rakis. I recovered her horses while the others helped Rakis out from under his mount. After this, we led the horses. We came to the first mound and I asked Amber to hold my horse’s reigns while I climbed to the top. Rakis said he would join me and prissy and Ars wanted to check the base for entrances. Amber and Laura held all the horses as the four of us set out to check our areas. Before we made it to the top, we heard one of the horse’s scream and so looked back to see the mist swirling about Laura and now only 5 horses with her. We charge down the slope to help them. Laura is stabbing into the mist and Amber is casting some sort of spell but the mist makes it impossible to see what is actually happening except that 3 more horses disappear as we make our way there. Amber leads the horses that she can out and Laura decides to do the same. I chant the protective rhyme the Watcher taught me in my dreams as I make my way to the place that the last horse, Pandora’s pack animal, went down. I swing Flamesinger with all my might and I am immediately drenched in blood, hot and coppery smelling. Watcher’s shield, protects me as whatever is here tries to claw and bite me giving me a chance to swing again and sever the creature’s insectoid head. I could have sworn I heard a wild cat’s screams mixed in with the creature’s clicking noises but see nothing else stirring in the mist. In a flash of brilliance, I realize this is Pandora’s animal. I decide to get even with that bitch right now by throwing her bags (with her precious books) out into the mist, but the Dm’s hand –I mean --, the horse’s weight won’t let me pull the bags free to do so, dammit!!! Ars wants to see what we were fighting, so he helps me pull the carcass over to the mound out of the mist. It is a monstrosity. It looks like a cross between a huge centipede and a huge grasshopper with a huge mantis-like head. The bard says she recognizes the creatures as ankhegs from descriptions she has heard in stories. She says they are burrowers like ants and usually ambush from just beneath the surface. Whatever! All I know is that we are 4 horses lighter than when we entered the valley. We leave the valley to make camp elsewhere right after we regroup since some of the riding animals were among those taken.
We decide to go to the area that Atuur went to right before he died even tho I wanted to go to the area marked ogres here. The area is called “Dark Hills” and it earned its name. The whole area seemed to be under storm the whole time we approached it (and the whole time we there afterward) even tho the rest of the surrounding lands were under clear skies. We venture into the foreboding hills looking for this fallen star. After some searching we spot a large crater ahead. We tie the horses up and close on the site. From a short distance, we see that the crater has a small ramshackle cabin on the far edge and is home to a large boulder in the center and has 2 caves in one wall. There is smoke coming from the chimney of the cabin and nothing else moving so I ask the others if they want to stay here while I sneak over to snoop. They agree, covering me with their bows as I go.
I see that the door is chained and padlocked when I get close to the shack but the window is only locked with a block of wood barring the shutters from the outside. I sneak a peek thru a crack in the shutters and see Arowain shackled to the fireplace but working furiously away at some chore. I also see a blanket at the back of the room, probably partitioning this room from another. It could be a guard’s room or the mage that we heard watches over the star. I sneak around the back to try to see in there but have no luck except to find that the cabin definitely has more room than can be viewed from the shuttered window. I sneak back to tell the rest what I have found out and to decide what we want to do next.
We decide that the bladesmen and I should sneak back to free Arowain in case there are guards there. Also, since they have seen movement in the cave closest to the cabin that Amber, Laura, and prissy should cover it with their bows from here since they aren’t trained for stealth. The woodsman lives up to his name and keeps up with us and doesn’t queer the approach. Once there they watch and I lift the bar on the shutters and slowly swing them open and go in. The old man looks up as I am trying to get to the partition and nearly gives me a heart attack when he starts asking me questions, loudly, even tho I am signaling for him to be quiet. I tell him we are here to help him and quickly close the distance to the blanket. Thank Watcher and Risk the room is only his sleeping area and no guards are present. I go to him to try to free him but the manacle has no lock to pick.
It is riveted closed into one piece. I go out the window to tell the men about it and tell them I will cover the cave from the lip of the crater with my crossbow while they free him.
I do for a few seconds. Even with all of Magnus’ teachings telling me to hold the high ground and to draw the enemy out to slaughter them as they have to struggle against bow fire and the grade of the slope, I find myself sneaking quietly down the slope. I did love the big northman but I follow Risk, afterall. I am close to the near cave entrance when two hobgoblins (curse their ability to see in the dark!) guarding it notice me and attack. I am still clumsy with the new, heavier blade but when I do hit with it, the damage it wreaks on the foe is impressive. The first HG dies immediately, skewered on the flaming blade. The second, however holds me off as the guards from the other cave are closing. I can hear someone coming down the slope behind me and my prayers are answered as Rakis arrives just as the other HGs do. We kill 4 of the 5 but one retreats back into the cave complex. Rakis, Ars , Laura and I decide to follow that one to press our advantage but I holler back to Amber to watch the other cave to make sure they don’t come out that way and follow us in to cut of our exit. At the chance not to get into the action, prissy suddenly listens to me without argument.
We advance to what will become a bloodbath---ours and the HGs. Ars steps up to the front with Rakis while Laura and I bring up the rear. But at the first wave of them he seems slow to react so I use some of my exercises from my show with the gypsies to move past him to engage the HG attacking him. The lack of practice with this blade shows up in full force here. I would have come out of that roll with the blade buried deep in his guts if it had been my short sword. The weight of this one pulls me off balance so that I miss the mark and end up on the defensive and out of balance instead of standing over his body tho. Laura is chanting her battle song for us and shooting her crossbow and Ars steps forward into the fray but the axman outshines us all here today. He is really in his element. He gets that crazed look in his eyes again (I would hate to be the one staring into that face) and starts hacking things to bits. His ability to withstand damage as well as dish it out amazes me. The woodsman earns his pay today, too. I am barely able to stand after wave after wave of HGs assualt us, as is Rakis--- but the woodsman is stabbed and cut and slashed literally to ribbons. I advanced on thru the room and into the corridor beyond as they finished the last HGs to find 2 doors and the corridor continuing on. I take this time to drink my potion of healing. I return to them to tell them what I discovered and ask what they want to do now. They want me to go get prissy and Amber while they rest a minute. I do as they ask.
I return with them and Amber helps them as much as she can and prissy is useless of course. We explore the little bit left of the caves only to find it empty except for a trapped door that burns me and Amber.
The threat of discovery quelled we return to the cabin to see if we can free the old man. While he is trying to convince us to let him finish his work, Daresh bursts the door open and wants to know what we are doing. We try to tell her but she acts crazed. Yelling that the coin is hers and going on like a mad woman even tho we tell her that she can have it. We tell her we only want the old man even if it is after he is done. She does that stunt she used to get my key to bring the coin to her but it is straight out of the forge, the stupid bitch! It burns her hand horribly and while I think she is distracted I pull Flamesinger and leap to behead her and put a stop to her nonsense. She shoots some black ray out of her hand toward me and as I try to dodge it the old man is suddenly between us and it strikes him. The beam blows his arm off at the shoulder and some sort of blackness swirls about his body. I continue my attack after dodging the ray but the bitch has pulled another one of her quick fades.
Arowain warns us back from trying to help him saying it is too late to save him and that we would die too if we touch him. I back away quickly. He tells us that Daresh will become unbelievably powerful and evil now that she has the coin. He tells us that only another armed with a similar coin can stand against her. He asks us to find a man named Halaan to do this and to tell his daughter and his friend Veoden what happened to him here and then he dies. We rest long enuf to heal most of our wounds and the head back to town with what mithral we found, about ½ pound.
We tell Veoden as Arowain wished. He pays us the full price since we helped his old friend and brought him the news even tho we only had half the mithral. He says he doesn’t know anyone named Halaan but he thinks someone named Geolain in the large city of Zoa might be able to help us.
We will travel to Zoa and hear what Geolain has to say. I need to go there anyway. It is a large city Veoden said and I am still shy 1 finger and Amber has told me that there are spells to regrow lost limbs so surely they can help me.
__________________ >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Douglas "Sayburr" Click
"As I walked with myself and talked with myself, myself said unto me; take care of thyself, for nobody but thou cares for thee" -Saying of the Watchers (Kindoms of Kalamar)
Before we left Haanex, the guilt must have gotten to Prissy Britches because she left the books and 100 gold pieces and a note saying that she didn’t deserve the shares from the vaults after all. You never can tell what she is going to do. The note also said something about scouting for a day but being back in time to go to Zoa with us. We get passage booked to Zoa on a ship called The Forsaken. I can only admire the audacity of someone who names a ship, which will have to brave the dangers of the open seas, something like that. Especially when one considers the very superstitious natures of those who make their living from the sea. We take our gear to the ship and then sell our horses.
The sea travel is nothing new to me. I am glad to have taken my first trip alone since I remember how sick I was on it and none of the others seem to suffer like I did. I am glad not to appear weak in front of them. We travel quite well for three days but then our wind dies. The captain seems quite nervous, saying something is unnatural about it. I dismiss his unease as typical sailor superstition and go swimming in the afternoon. The next day still finds us with no wind and I swim again. It feels good to know that the men are watching me so I wear even less than yesterday. Rakis and I pass the rest of the afternoon practicing combat. I still feel so clumsy with Flamesinger; I just cannot emulate the powerful strokes of the mighty axman with a weapon. I must find a better way to employ this magnificent blade. After our second full day adrift, I wonder if the captain might be right about the wind. I decide to ask Laura and Amber. I feel better when they both assure me that they are familiar with weather lore and both feel this to be a normal if somewhat odd lack of wind. The third still day passes much as the first two but the crew is pretty edgy by now. I hope this breaks soon if for no other reason than to appease their anxiety.
“Be careful what you wish for,” my fath—Foebin Tessin always told me, “because you just might get it.” That night it broke alright. Rakis and I were speaking with the captain when we heard Laura shouting. We ran out to see what was the matter and found her and Amber fighting some hideous sea-lizard-man creature. Ars came up from below decks as we engaged it. The thing was incredibly agile, fighting us while balancing on the railing of the ship. We basically had it surrounded except for the seaward side and it might have escaped but our blows made it fall from the railing. When it fell, I stepped forward and drove Flamesinger thru the back of its head and into the deck. We had heard some yells and splashes while we killed this thing and a head count and the wet slimy pools on the decks revealed that the thing had not been alone nor had their hunt been unsuccessful. Thank Risk and Watcher the wind returned shortly after the sun came up.
We were making good time again under sail. About the fifth day after our encounter with the sea-lizard-men, the crow’s nest shouts sail ho. The captain watches the other ship quite closely. We know why soon. The other ship seems to be veering towards us. I immediately think pirates. My suspicions are soon confirmed as they run up their black flag. One good thing about sea battles is that there is plenty of time to prepare. Everyone is ready for them to try to board us. A little ways out ports open and oars come out and the pirate ship speeds up noticeably. Pandora says it looks like they are going to hit us rather than pull along side and board us. By the gods, I know she is right! I mutter the few words Risk told me in my dreams to guide my aim as I take the only action I can think of to keep them from cracking the Forsaken open. I have the wheelman in my sights at the greatest distance I think my crossbow can reach and let the bolt fly. The magic Risk gave me guides my bolt to the mark and the wheelman takes it in the throat and goes down in a heap like a bull at the spring feasts slaughter. The ship starts to wallow. One of the other pirates notices this and moves to take the wheel. He sealed his own fate. I mutter Risk’s words again and send the bolt on its way again. He goes down with the bolt thru his eye. The ship is turning with no one at the wheel but not enuf to miss us entirely. I say the words to the Watcher’s protection spell and pull Flamesinger. I am ready to take the fight to them and so after the ships collide I run and leap aboard their vessel.
I land and start swinging the heavy flaming blade. Rakis leaps to the deck also and starts hacking with his fearsome ax. Four pirates fall to the deck to my right. I see no bolts in them so I think it must be Pandora. In just a few seconds we have eliminated nearly half of the pirates on deck. Just as I thought, by taking the fight to them and putting them on the defensive when they are used to being the aggressors has thrown them off. Most are trying to surrender. I tell them to throw their weapons down to surrender. All but one does so and that one yells something about fighting to the death. I will make an example of him. I rush over to him and deal him a tremendous slash but he doesn’t go down. Two bolts fly past my head but Risk is watching over me so one lands in the sea and the second hits this bastard. He is still up. Rakis comes to my aid and slashes at him with his ax. Ars closes on him too but this bastard is still on his feet and swinging after wounds that would have put me down twice over. He swings at me but Watcher’s barrier saves me. His swing and wounds carry him off balance so I step in close and run Flamesinger thru his guts and out his back. He can’t stand anymore. Rakis turns to face the remaining pirates and asks if any of the rest of them want to fight to the death. The one or two who had not dropped their blades do so then, quickly.
As I approach them to ask if they have any swag on board already, one of them asks me, “What are your orders, Captain?” I am caught off guard momentarily and wonder if he is running some game on me. I decide to go with it and tell him I want to see the hold and any booty they have. We go below decks and see the slaves they have chained to the oars. They all start pleading for us to release them. I ignore them. We continue to what should be the cargo hold, which is empty. The pirate says that the men are all they have so far this trip. Someone, I think Ars, asked him where they secreted the treasure they had before and he says it is far to the south in a freeport in the Sea of the Dead. The rest of the group seems upset by the men chained to the oars. How odd, don’t they see the difference between victor and vanquished where they are from? Even the big man seems concerned. I listen to them but tell them it doesn’t bother me to leave them chained. I remind them we might need oarsmen ourselves on the rest of the trip to Zoa. It seems important to them and is of little value to me either way so they are freed soon thereafter. We tell them they will have their freedom after we reach Zoa if they will do what they are able to help us get the ship there. As it turns out, they are experienced sailors captured from other ships. We debate leaving the other captain and the Forsaken a few of the slaves and making the best time to Zoa but in the end decide that two ships pose a harder target in case we run into more pirates or other dangers. One of the slaves says that he was captain of his own ship before being captured. I promote him from slave to first mate and let the crew know of his new position. I tell him to get the ship and crew ready to head to Zoa and then report to me in my quarters once we are under way. I have him give me the crash course on captaining and quickly decide to let him handle the day to day chores of maintaining the ship and keeping my mouth closed as often as possible. “ Better to keep your mouth closed and be thought a fool than open it and remove all doubt,” I heard a many a time growing up.
We travel a few more days when the lookout shouts sail ho again. Everyone gears up for more pirates. A view thru the spyglass quickly denies that. This is a ghost ship. The sight of her sails in tatters and the eerie air about it, even in the daylight, has me much more worried than pirates. I am glad Amber is with us. There is something that just seems evil about that ship. I tell the first mate to bring us along side her and prepare a boarding party. He advises against that since we don’t know what happened on board the other vessel. I pick four rowers and they and the six of us set out for the ghost ship in the two dinghies.
As we approach, the figure we had assumed was dead and lashed to the wheel lifts his head and croaks out a desperate warning to us to get away while we can and collapses back to the wheel. That just makes me want to get on there that much more. We pull along side and Amber casts one of her spells and tells us there is evil on board that one of them is more powerful that she is. I speak Watcher’s protection into existence while we throw our grappling hooks up and climb their lines to get on the deck. The deck is littered with gore. Bodies and pieces of bodies and blood cover the wooden surface. “Attack!” is yelled from somewhere under the quarter deck and the bodies rise up to slay us.
We battle the corpses for just a short while before Amber displays her Holy Might which forces them to cower and retreat from us. Ars seems to be heading toward where the command to attack came from but pulls up before entering the gloom of the hallway just as some ghouls climb over the side of the ship to attack us. If I can just hold it off long enuf for Amber to wreak her havoc on these abominations… And of course she does! I must talk to her to find the secret behind this awesome power. Perhaps Risk or the Watcher will speak to me of it in a dream.
With the undead gone, I turn to follow Ars down the hallway. As I close, he still is not advancing. When I get right on him I see that what made him pull up was not the ghoul attack on us but some sort of ghostly hand attacking him. Rakis runs up just ahead of me and the hand attacks him too. Ars steps to one side of the doorway and Rakis is on the other. Ars attacks the spectral hand as Rakis holds up the light orb to she into the darkness of the hallway. When he does that, I quickly check the doors to see if any are open to let a spellcaster see and attack us like this. Watcher guides my eye to the furthest door open a crack. I mutter Risk’s power words to guide my hand as I run down the hall and ram Flamesinger thru the door. I am rewarded to feel the blade slide easily thru the cheap, flimsy wood of the door only to slow as it hits the solid bone and meat of my target. I push the door open to find the priest on the floor in a small puddle of dark blood from the sword-sized hole in his head. I have little time to admire the magnificence of the death stroke before I am set upon by his minions, 3 more ghouls. A ghoul some how penetrates my defenses and I can feel a little death run thru my soul at its touch but I shake off the hopelessness of the inevitability of the grave and continue to fight. I have heard the others follow me down the hallway and know they cannot help me much with me in the doorway. I execute a cartwheel between two of the ghouls as I would have on the gypsy stage between Lola and Daphne in one of our close tumbling routines and Rakis barrels into the room. He swings mightily but misses in the close quarters. Then the ghouls are turned to dust before our eyes, as Amber unleashes her deity’s power upon them.
The ship is a charnel house. We dump all the bodies and pieces overboard along with the priest’s unholy trappings then debate what to do with the ship. We finally decide to tow the ghost ship behind the pirate ship. The pirates and the other sailors except for the 1st mate are too scared to board the ghost ship so we must do the rigging ourselves with the 1st mate checking our work. The rest of the trip is rather uneventful but still busy with the task of towing. Lines always needing checked and rechecked, course being checked so that we have the best one in case something were too go wrong we wouldn’t get rammed and so on. There really is very little free time sailing the seas. Everything is so important. If you fall off your horse or it steps in a hole ,you might get a bump or a bruise or have to walk. Out here on the open seas, forget your responsibilities and you and your shipmates could end up drowned or fish food. There is no walking home out here. I have a new found respect for the harsh life t
