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!
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Disclaimer: I helped generate a portion of the material for this text, providing a few derro items and one of the monsters. However, I did buy my print copy of this book. My PDF was provided by... [Read More]
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Quintus matched Gratian’s slow and painful descent to the pillows strewn about the atrium.
“Where are the legionnaires?” asked Quintus.
“They still have not arrived,” said Gratian. “But I am confident they will be here any day now. What have you discovered?”
“We found the underground fortress,” said Quintus. His face was puckered and scarred from the Spawn’s attack. “We managed to clear it out. The wagons are there for your retrieval, although some of them were…damaged.”
“I see. And you’re sure it was House Otrecto?”
“Yes. Here’s your proof.” Quintus flipped one of the rings he had found to Gratian. “You can identify the bodies when the legionnaires arrive.”
“I sent watchmen to the office of the Otrecto representatives here after I received your note, but there was no one to be found. It looked like they left in a hurry.”
“I’m sure they did,” said Quintus.
“Well, House Otrecto’s involvement is treasonous. You’ll be happy to know that the val’Dellenovs stripped them of their lands and titles. Several ranking members of House Otrecto were executed or imprisoned.”
“I take no pleasure in their misery,” said Quintus. He looked tired.
“That’s not what I meant.” Gratian placed a rolled up scroll with the val’Dellenov seal on it before Quintus. “Governor Elana val’Dellenov of Panari assigned you a tract of Otrecto’s seized lands. You now have your farmland.” He pushed a small chest forward. “I assume the imperials will satisfy the rest of your companions.”
Quintus took both without comment.
“And finally…did you find the box?”
“I did,” said Quintus. He placed the box down and slid it towards Gratian across the floor.
Gratian smiled and carefully picked up the box. He didn’t say anything else.
Quintus started to rise when Gratian interrupted him. “It’s amazing that a house would stoop to banditry to undermine its competitors.”
The legionnaire, slowly, painfully rose to his feet. “It was not simple banditry.”
“Oh?” asked Gratian. “What other motive could they have for stealing grain?”
“An army travels on its stomach.” Quintus turned his back on Gratian. He paused at the exit. “They were preparing for war.”
“War? That’s ridiculous.” Quintus could feel Gratian’s gaze burning into his back. “What war?”
“Let’s hope we never find out,” said Quintus. Then he limped out of the val’s home.
Wow. Just wanted to say what a great story hour you've got here. I haven't started the Grains of Sand chapters yet, but I had to chime in after reading the King in Yellow story. Great mix of creepy horror culminating in a climactic battle.
Thank you for the compliment. I know there must be many lurkers out there who read the story hour, what with it getting over 200 hits every time I post, but it's nice to hear that someone's reading it.
This King in Yellow thread is actually a major campaign arc. I didn't plan it that way -- the main bad guy was genuinely meant to be killed, but circumstances allowed him to escape...and an entire campaign was born out of it. The next few adventures are a bit of a divergence, delving into the backgrounds of Beldin and Kham. Then the King in Yellow thread will resume in Chapter 23. Stay tuned and thanks for reading!
Chapter 19: As Gray and Cold as Stone - Introduction
This adventure is hard point 1 in Year 2 of the tournament module, "As Gray and Cold as Stone," written by Brian Schoner, set in the Arcanis setting. You can read more about Arcanis at http://www.onaraonline.org. Please note: This adventure contains spoilers!
Our cast of characters includes:
· Quintus Aurelius Ignatius (human cleric) played by Michael Tresca
· Ilmarė Galen (elf bard/fighter) played by Amber Tresca
· Kham Val’Abebi(val rogue/psychic warrior) played by Jeremy Ortiz (http://www.ninjarobotstudios.com)
I’ve gotten accustomed to having a fighter around, be it Cal the crazy barbarian, Beldin the stalwart dwarf, or Vlad the meat shield. We didn’t have any of those guys this game, which means Quintus was supposed to be the fighter type guy. Unfortunately, I didn’t shift my spells to reflect that change. When push comes to shove, Quintus gets his butt kicked all over the place.
On the other hand, the one time a fight does happen is when none of us are prepared for it. Quintus is effective in armor hiding behind a shield with a longspear. Not in a nightshirt with a gladius.
There’s a lah-HA-HA-ot of talking in this adventure. The politics bored Kham considerably. Fortunately, he got to shine by completely screwing up. You’re surprised, I know.
By far the highlight of this adventure is when the Emperor notices Quintus. As Ilmarė put it: “We’ll never hear the end of this.”
Ilmarė lifted a flower from one of the trees on Quintus’ estate. The citron tree was only about ten-feet in height. It had intensely green foliage and long, well-concealed thorns to defend the fruit. Oval in shape and yellowish-green when ripe, the fruit was rough-skinned and highly perfumed.
“I’ve never smelled something so pleasant,” said Ilmarė. “What do you call it?”
“Citron,” said Quintus. He was carefully pruning another tree. “My slaves have make all kinds of dishes from it: candied fruit, flavoring for dessert dishes, syrup for beverages, and even a liqueur. I shall have them prepare something.”
Ilmarė inhaled the flower’s scent. “Amazing,” she whispered.
Quintus stood up to look at the pretty elf. She was dressed in a simple purple peplos, with her hair down. It was a rare unguarded moment.
“I’m hoping to grow more citron trees instead of the usual wheat crops, but it’s slow-going. The citron tree is very delicate. It must be carefully cultivated.” He smiled at Ilmarė, though she didn’t see his expression.
A slave interrupted their dialogue. He bowed low before Quintus and presented a scroll.
“What is it?” asked Ilmarė.
Quintus’ eyes scanned the scroll. “A letter, from Elandre val’Assante.”
“The weak human woman, husband of that disgusting Gaius.”
“The same. She’s also the daughter of Acastus val’Assante, the Prelate of Grand Coryan,” said Quintus. “She’s invited you—us—to her father’s villa in Grand Coryan on the twenty seventh day of Vires at sunset.”
“For what?” asked Ilmarė.
He kept reading. “A party, apparently. Influential and prominent persons will be in attendance.”
Ilmarė narrowed her eyes. “That’s all? Just a social invitation?”
Quintus cleared his throat. “Ah yes. She also mentions in the letter something about assisting her in a personal matter.”
The elorii sighed. “Nobody ever invites us to parties for our company anymore.”
As Gray and Cold as Stone - Part 1: Arrival at the Villa
Their journey to Grand Coryan was as uneventful as such a trip could possibly be, given the countless travelers, merchants, beggars, thieves, thugs, nobles and folk of all descriptions who surged constantly in and out of the city like Yarris’ unceasing tide. Episodes of minor trouble and opportunities for small heroic deeds had both presented themselves from time to time during the trip, but nothing of particular note happened by the time they reached the outskirts of the city late on an autumn afternoon.
As always, the roads into Grand Coryan were thronged with people. Farmers and tradesmen on their way into the city jostled with caravans of merchants bound for the far corners of Onara. Quintus and Ilmarė didn’t follow them, however. Instead, they turned onto a road of old but well maintained gray flagstones, which led north around the walls of Grand Coryan. On the hills above, bright in the glow of Illiir’s light, red-tiled roofs emerged from behind walls of smooth white stone.
“The villas of Grand Coryan’s wealthy elite,” said Quintus, nodding towards them.
They made their way over to a large villa with its gate prominently marked with the symbols of Illiir. It was buzzing with activity. Servants and slaves moved frequently in and out of the gate, bringing in all manner of parcels and goods before heading out empty-handed for more.
Two guards, with the balanced stance and watchful eyes of veterans, observed them with unsmiling faces. “Halt,” said one of them.
Quintus recognized that tattoo on one of the guard’s arms. “Legion of Radiant Glory,” he said with a smirk. “Great legion.” He cleared his throat. Ilmarė took a step back and waited out the introduction. “I am Quintus Aurelius Ignatius of the Legion of the Triumphant Rays of the Invisible Sun. I have received an invitation from Lady val’Assante.”
“Great legion,” said the guard with a nod. “Go on through.”
The bustle of activity became more obvious as they passed through the gates into the outer courtyard. One slave was carefully trimming the hedges that line the outer wall while another followed behind him, carefully pick up each cut twig and fallen leaf. Other slaves were polishing the white marble steps and washing the walls of the villa, while still others decorated the lawn and front doorway with brightly colored summer flowers.
“To be in full bloom this late in the year, those flowers must have been brought all the way from Altheria,” said Ilmarė.
“A considerable expense,” said Quintus. “It speaks volumes about our hosts.”
“Which volume is that?” Ilmarė eyed the servants. “That they’re pretentious boors or prissy nobility?”
“Perhaps a combination of both,” said Quintus as a fat man with an ill-fitting wig and a powdered face flounced up to them.
As Gray and Cold as Stone - Part 2: You Take the High Road…
“Guests! Oh wonderful! I’m Clavius, the majordomo,” he lisped. “I must apologize, the festivities are not scheduled to begin for another few hours.” Clavius shouted at one of the servants. “No, no, you LIFT them. LIFT the leaves! We want it all to be spotless. We need more pep, more smiles. Everyone smile!”
“Let’s kill him now before he escapes the summoning circle,” said Ilmarė.
Quintus hushed her. He turned back to Clavius. “Lady Elandre invited us. Do you know the occasion?”
“Oh yes,” said Clavius, “Lady Elandre said as much. I’m afraid she’s unavailable at the moment, but she would like to meet with you in her parlor in an hour or so. As for why we’re having the party…” he whirled, lifting his chubby arms to take in the beautiful surroundings, “what better reason to celebrate when you live in luxury at the center of the civilized world!” He leaned over conspiratorially to Quintus, who struggled not to take a step back. “Master Acastus says that he will be making an important announcement this evening.”
“An announcement?” asked Ilmarė. “She’s not getting married to another lout, is she?”
“Oh, yes,” a sad expression came over Clavius’ face. He spoke quietly. “A sad day that was, my lady. Gaius val’Tensen was killed during a hunt. A terrible pity.”
“How…abrupt,” said Ilmarė with a smirk.
Quintus arched an eyebrow. He had personally seen to it that Gaius was brought to justice.
“None of us know what this party is about,” said Clavius. “But it IS exciting, isn’t it? So many important guests!”
“Oh, yes, yes. The Patriarch himself is expected to be here.” Clavius seemed nervous and excited at the same time. “Also, several generals will be attending—friends from the days when Master Acastus served in the Legion of Radiant Glory. General Menisis was too busy to attend, unfortunately.”
Quintus looked crestfallen at the news.
“We’ve also been told that a group of honored guests from Milandir will be here, though we don’t know exactly who. Beyond that…well, who can say?” Clavius’ extremely short attention span was distracted once more. “You must polish that marble in a SMOOTH motion!” he sang. “Smooth. Up and down, left and right. That’s it, that’s it!”
The fat man floated away to pep up another servant, all of which were studiously ignoring him.
“Osalian help us,” said Ilmarė, rubbing her temples.
“I know,” said Quintus. “He’s really quite annoying.”
“Not that,” said Ilmarė. “One of the ‘important guests’ just arrived.”
As Gray and Cold as Stone - Part 3: Meeting With Elandre
“I didn’t know you were invited,” asked Quintus. They were standing in Elandre’s parlor.
“Call me Katticus Maximus Val’Abebi,” whispered Kham, “I’m just another guest. A shame about Gaius though.”
“I see you’ve heard,” said Ilmarė.
“Yeah,” said Kham. “Very…abrupt.”
The far door opened and Lady Elandre emerged. She was a tall and beautiful young woman with long, golden hair and fair skin. She wore the gold striped toga of Coryani nobility.
Elandre looked around the room and smiled at each of them in turn before seating herself on a comfortable divan. She motioned for them to be seated as well. Elandre looked at both doors to ensure that they were closed.
“Thank you for coming,” she said, her voice sweet and melodious. “I am sorry that my letters were rather vague, but I assure you that I have my reasons.”
“Don’t we all,” said Kham, reclining on his own divan. He had already managed to find a wine bottle. It was half empty.
“I…I need your help,” said Elandre. She looked down at the carpet for a moment to gather her thoughts. “At the celebration this evening, my father is going to announce my betrothal to Roderick val’Tensen. He is the son of Adolphos val’Tensen, the Duke of Moratavia in Milandir.”
“Another lout,” said Ilmarė.
Elandre blushed. “I am sure that the Duke and his son are good men, but I have no desire to live in Milandir. I have no idea why my father would agree to such a marriage.”
“Acastus is a reasonable man,” said Quintus. “Have you spoken to him about this?”
“I have asked him about it, but he has been unwilling to answer any of my questions and that is very unlike him. I almost feel as though he doesn’t want me to marry the Duke’s son either, but for some reason he’s insisting that I go through with it.” She looked up again. “I would like you to find out why my father wants me to marry Roderick val’Tensen. I cannot defy my father’s wishes, but if you can find a socially acceptable reason for the marriage to be called off, I would be profoundly grateful.”
Kham hopped up off of his divan. “Let me get this straight. You want us to stop a wedding, but without using force? How exactly are we supposed to do that?”
“I’m sure my father’s been exchanging letters with Duke Adolphos about the betrothal. My father keeps his study locked whenever he’s not there, but he’ll be busy entertaining guests once the party starts. If you could get into his study, that might provide some clues.”
Quintus looked perturbed. “You want us to break into your father’s study? That doesn’t seem very appropriate.”
Elandre blushed again and looked down at the ground. “I know that, and I had hoped it wouldn’t be necessary. But you must understand…I’m worried that something is very wrong with him. He is not himself lately. I think he needs help, but he’s too proud to ask for it. I don’t want anyone to do anything illegal or dishonorable, but if that’s what it takes to help my father, it’s a chance I’m willing to take.”
“Well then I’m your man,” said Kham with a broad smile. He jabbed a thumb over his shoulder in Quintus’ direction. “The legionnaire here isn’t good at this sort of thing, but I’m sure we can work something out.”
“You might be able to overhear something during the party itself,” she said, addressing Quintus. The legionnaire crossed his arms in disapproval. Quintus didn’t like what he was hearing. “You’ll need to be careful though, since no one knows about the betrothal yet except my father, Adolphos, Roderick, myself, and now you.”
“How much?” interrupted Ilmarė.
“I can offer you 200 Imperials each to find out the reason for the betrothal.”
Ilmarė turned to Quintus. Quintus’ nostrils flared. He stared sideways at a wall. Then he nodded.
“We’re in,” said Ilmarė.
“Me too,” said Kham.
“Thank you very much for your assistance,” said Elandre. “Remember, no one else knows the real reason you are here.”
“They’re not the only ones,” muttered Ilmarė.
“Please try not to attract too much attention to yourselves.” Elandre looked Quintus up and down. “I’m sure you’re accustomed to carrying weapons and wearing armor, but that would be very inappropriate at a party such as this.”
Quintus’ brow furrowed. “I know how to conduct myself. I’m a legionnaire, not a mercenary.”
“Of course,” said Elandre. “I will be at the party, at least for awhile, but I will be busy acting as hostess. I will probably not have much time to talk. If you find anything out, try to get my attention and I will meet you when I can.”
With that, Elandre exited through the same doors she came in.
“Sorry ladies,” said Kham, speaking to the pistols concealed beneath his overcoat. “Looks like you’re going to rest this one out.”
“Still got Fleshripper?” asked Ilmarė.
Kham patted a wrapped up tube on his back. “Like an old friend, he never leaves my side. Now if you’ll excuse me, I have to freshen up for the party.”
After he left, Quintus shot Ilmarė a worried look. “Since when did Kham start referring to his sword as a ‘he’?”
“The man refers to his pistols as ‘ladies’,” said Ilmarė. “Stupid human.”
As Gray and Cold as Stone - Part 4: The Party Begins
As they entered the central courtyard of Acastus’ villa, it was clear that he had spared no expense in preparing for the party. Garlands of flowers hung from every wall and curtains of golden silk screened off alcoves, which might be used for more private conversations. Servants stood attentively around the room, carrying trays of filled wineglasses or plates full of exotic fruits and cheeses.
In the center of the courtyard was a fountain of white marble, polished to a brilliant shine. Crowning the fountain was a magnificent statue of Illiir himself, one hand outstretched in benediction while the other held aloft the Light of Illiir, a golden orb that glowed visibly beneath the moonlit sky.
A few guests mingled around the courtyard in small groups, most wearing the gold-trimmed togas of the Patrician Imperialis.
“Judging from the amount of food and drink we saw being brought in earlier, there must be more guests yet to come,” said Ilmarė.
Their host, Acastus val’Assante, approached. He was a middle-aged man with curly blonde hair, wearing long golden robes and a large sun ring.
”Welcome to my home, honored guests,” he said.
Quintus shook his hand. “It’s good to see you again, Acastus.”
“I am terribly sorry that I was not available to greet you when you first arrived. So many things to prepare…I do hope you understand.”
“Elandre should be along presently as well.” He turned to a tall, brown haired woman beside him. “May I present General Nicia val’Dellenov, commander of the Legion of the Mighty Oak?” Nicia smiled back at Quintus.
Acastus glanced toward the main entrance to the courtyard. “I fear I must beg your pardon once more. More guests are arriving and I must make them welcome. Kindly excuse me.” With that, Acastus was gone.
Nicia laughed quietly as Acastus departs. “He certainly seems to be on edge tonight,” she said. “He’s as nervous as a celibate in Savona.”
Ilmarė blinked. “Charming,” she said out of the corner of her mouth to Quintus.
“I suppose we shall have to finish our introductions ourselves. You are…?”
Quintus took a deep breath. “I am Quintus Aurelius Ignatius, signifer of the Legion of the Triumphant Rays of the Invisible Sun,” he smiled. Ilmarė squeezed his arm after a moment. “Oh, yes, this is Ilmarė Galen—“
Ilmarė interrupted Quintus. “Ilmarė Galen, Larestri from Entaris. Now if you’ll excuse me, I believe I’m standing in a puddle of Quintus’ drool.”
Quintus blinked. “What?”
Ilmarė disappeared into the steady stream of dignitaries, lesser church figures, local politicians and other gentry.
From the main entrance of the house, the majordomo announced the arrival of a new guest. “Hemin val’Tensen, General of the Legion of Radiant Glory.”
The general was a fit, fortyish man with close cropped iron gray hair and a hawkish nose that looked like it had been broken at least once. He had a stern, almost scowling face, but it broke into a wide smile when he saw Acastus. They embraced each other like very old friends.
Hemin made his way over to Quintus and Nicia, interrupting their conversation.
“What’s the matter?” Kham asked Ilmarė, leaning against one wall. “Your boyfriend not paying enough attention to you?” Despite the fact that he wasn’t wearing his overcoat, he managed to be invisible nonetheless. No one seemed to notice him.
“The Vessel of Illiir, Felician val’Mehan, Most Holy Patriarch of the Mother Church of Coryan!” announced the majordomo.
The guests and servants nearest the doorway all dropped to one knee. Acastus kneeled and kissed the Patriarch’s ring. Quintus got in line to do the same.
The Patriarch himself was an older, white-haired man. His tanned face was weathered by the sun and creased with smile lines. He wore the golden robes of a priest of Illiir. While they were finely made, his robes were somewhat plainer than the robes Acastus wore.
Ilmarė rolled her eyes. “Too many humans with titles they don’t deserve,” she nodded towards Quintus. “He’s loving every minute of it.”
The newest guest was introduced as “Gerrius val’Borda, General of the Legion of the Watchful Hunter!” A short, barrel-chested man with olive skin and black hair entered. He greeted Acastus with a brief but heartfelt embrace before moving towards the corner where the two generals were in deep conversation.
“All you’ve got to do is keep them busy,” said Kham.
The majordomo’s voice cut through the din of conversation. “Roderick val’Tensen, Margrave of Moratavia and party!” The other guests murmured as the young nobleman entered the courtyard, clad not in a toga but in the finest of Milandisian fashions. He was perhaps eighteen years of age and accompanied by a quarter of other similarly dressed young men.
Roderick bowed politely to Acastus as he entered. A knowing glance passed between them. As Roderick and his party arrived, Elandre quietly slipped out of the courtyard and headed back towards her chambers.
Quintus meandered his way back to the generals, a goblet of wine in his hand. He was talking excitedly with the female general.
Kham nudged Ilmarė in the ribs. “You remember how to do that, right? Talk to other people and pretend that you don’t want to throw up?”
Ilmarė’s lip curled in irritation. Then she looked over at Roderick. “Yes, I think I do remember how to do that.” Her sneer transformed into a dazzling smile. She adjusted her hair. “You might want to leave now,” she said to Kham. But he was already gone.
The elorii shrugged. Then she strode across the room towards her prey.
The noisy conversation and laughter of the guests faded behind Kham as he slipped down the hallway towards Acastus’ study. No one else was in the halls; those servants who weren’t tending to the guests were staying out of sight so to not offend the sensibilities of their betters.
Kham didn’t realize how much he would miss Fleshripper. It was easily within a hundred paces, but the magic that bound it to him and he to it was not to be denied. Kham kept fighting the urge to go back to it, if only to see that the sword was still where he left it.
He was being ridiculous. Kham shook his head to clear the cobwebs and tried to focus on the task at hand.
The door was of plain, but sturdy oak. It was well-polished and thoroughly locked.
Kham drew his trusty dagger from within his tunic. He pushed the butt of it against the door and an array of lock picks popped out of it. Then he went to work.
After wrestling with the lock for much too long, he was rewarded with a quiet click. Kham pushed the door open and ducked inside, gently closing it behind him.
The larger study was unlit and dark. A few moonbeams came through the windows and gleamed off the dark polished wood of Acastus’ desk and bookshelves.
Kham lit a tindertwig and held it up over his head to look around.
The shelves were crowded with books, most of them religious in nature. Atop the desk were a few unfinished documents, as well as several blank sheets of vellum, a writing kit. There were also a variety of small paperweights, including a statuette of Illiir. There were several drawers in the desk, one of which appeared to be locked.
“They always put it in the false drawer,” said Kham with a knowing smile. Another few minutes of fumbling with the hilt of his dagger and the drawer popped open.
Inside were a variety of letters, most of which dealt with fairly mundane church matters. All except for two.
Kham scanned the letters. His eyes went wide as he finished. “Holy crap,” he whispered.
As Gray and Cold As Stone - Part 6a: Love at First Sight
“Quintus, have you ever thought of joining the Mighty Oak?” asked Nicia with a smile. “We could use a man with your experience.”
Quintus smiled. “You are very kind, lady val’Dellenov, but my first love is my legion. Did I mention the time when we took on the Nierites in Ventaka? We were outnumbered…”
Ilmarė’s keen hearing picked up on the conversation from across the room. She was struggling to keep focused on the idiots before her.
“That is SO fascinating!” said Roderick, staring not quite into her eyes. “I’ve always wondered about the Elorii culture.”
“Yes,” said Brendis, one of Roderick’s pack. Or as Ilmarė thought of him, Idiot Number Four. “Tell us more, dear lady.”
Ilmarė patted Roderick’s arm. The boy’s eyes lit up at the touch. “Enough about me. Tell me more about you,” she said.
“Oh, nothing nearly as exciting as you,” said Roderick. “Do all elorii have purple hair as beautiful as yours?”
Ilmarė smirked. This was too easy. “Sometimes I’m not sure which color is my original hair,” she said, twirling one silvery curl around her finger. “But yes, it’s my natural color.”
The constant murmur of conversation grew suddenly louder near the main entrance to the villa. Then it abruptly fell silent.
The majordomo’s voice rang out to announce the arrival of another group. “The Light of the World, by the grace of the Pantheon, Emperor of Coryan, Calsestus val’Assante!”
The assembled worthies began to bow before the Emperor—the Milandisians not quite so deeply as the Coryani—and Ilmarė finally got a look at the most powerful man in the Empire. Ilmarė bowed about as deeply as the Milandisians.
Calsestus was perhaps forty years old, dressed in a purple toga with intricate gold trim. He wore a benevolent and slightly smug smile as he surveyed the assembled guests.
“Her Majesty, Queen Alezha,” shouted the majordomo. Upon his right arm, moving with an almost catlike grace, was a petite and stunningly beautiful woman with dusky skin, night black hair and deep amber eyes. A small but ornate tiara nestled with her long hair, set with emeralds that matched the green silk of her dress.
“Lady Verina val’Sheem!” On the Emperor’s left arm was another beautiful black haired woman. This one was taller than Alezha, with the olive skin of a Cafelan and the steel gray eyes of a Val.
“Lady Aconia val’Dellenov!” Walking a pace behind the Emperor was a third woman, also breathtaking in appearance. She was the tallest of the tree, and her brown hair curled in ringlets around her face.
As the Emperor and his consorts entered the courtyard, a dozen guards, courtiers and servants filed in afterwards.
Roderick and his boys openly gaped at the crowd and in particular the consorts. Ilmarė cleared her throat. She moved from Roderick to Brendis’ arm and began to steer him towards Quintus. “Tell me more about your homeland,” she said. “I find it interesting.”
She didn’t even know where the young fool came from.
They came face to face with Quintus. The legionnaire’s expression registered surprise and then a flicker of something else. Was it jealousy? Ilmarė smiled sweetly at him.
“Hello, Quintus. I’d like you to meet my new friend…”
The Emperor passed by them. The whole party paused for a moment. Quintus, who was in mid-gesture as he spoke to the other generals, froze in place. Then he immediately bowed low.
Calsestus seemed alternately amused and satisfied by the gesture. “We will be watching your progress carefully, Quintus Aurelius Ignatius of the Legion of the Triumphant Rays of the Invisible Sun.” Then he moved on.
”Osalian help us,” said Ilmarė, lifting a thumb and forefinger to the bridge of her nose. “We’ll never hear the end of this.”
As Gray and Cold As Stone - Part 6b: Love at First Sight
A small bell chimed three times near the fountain in the center of the courtyard. Conversation died down as all eyes turned in that direction.
Acastus stood expectantly by the fountain with a large goblet of wine in one hand. Once the courtyard quieted down, he spoke.
”Glorious Emperor, beloved friends, honored guests! I have invited you here tonight for two reasons. First, I am always honored to open my home and share the bounty which Illiir has given me with such illustrious guests.” Acastus smiled as a wave of polite applause rippled through the assemblage.
“Second, I wish to make an announcement.” A hush fell over the crowd. Even the servants watched intently. “You have doubtless noticed that among our guests tonight are several visitors from Milandir, our northern neighbor, which shares so much of our beloved Coryani heritage.”
Standing at Roderick’s side, Ilmarė could see the boy’s thin smile. Several murmured comments whispered through the crowd.
“I am always pleased to welcome such visitors to my home, but tonight’s visit has special significance.” Acastus’ voice took on a more formal, almost ceremonial tone. “Roderick val’Tensen, Margrave of Moratavia, I hereby offer you the hand in marriage of my daughter, Elandre val’Assante. Will you take it?”
All eyes turned towards Roderick. He realized Ilmarė was holding his arm and pulled himself away from the elorii.
Roderick stepped forward among the murmuring of surprised, even shocked, voices. He bowed formally to Acastus. When he rose, there was a self-assured smile on his face.
“Master val’Assante, you do my nation and myself a great honor here tonight. The goal of bringing Coryan and Milandir together by bonds of marriage, rather than by force of arms, is a laudable one. However, I cannot…” his voice trailed off as he stared across the courtyard. The smug grin on his face had disappeared.
“I…cannot…”
Elandre had returned. She stood framed in the archway, wearing a long dress of white silk that caught the moonlight. She didn’t look happy, but that did not change the fact that she was a remarkably beautiful woman.
Ilmarė slapped her forehead. She hadn’t managed to get that kind of reaction out of Roderick.
Roderick’s jaw worked soundlessly for a few moments as he stared at Elandre. Finally, he spoke again, his final words tumbling out in a rush. “…imagine a more beautiful woman in all of Arcanis. I accept your offer with pleasure.”
A festive cheer erupted from the crowd and a surge of well-wishers moved towards Elandre, with the Emperor and his party at the forefront.
Acastus and Roderick headed into the back part of the villa amidst much backslapping and cheering from Roderick’s companions. Acastus had Roderick’s shoulder clamped in a grip that looked more angry than fatherly as they passed through the archway.
Ilmarė sighed. Roderick and his cronies had left her standing alone. She grabbed a silver tray from a servant and inspected her purple and silver tresses. Then she lifted her chin and looked back at her image. “Still the prettiest,” she said.
“…and that’s how we defeated the Harvesters of Ymandragore,” said Quintus. He was starting to slur his speech. He showed almost no interest in the wedding announcement, far too concerned with regaling the generals with tales of his glory. The generals were politely interested, but there was a limit to how polite they were willing to be.
“Stupid human men,” said Ilmarė. Then she went to rescue Quintus from himself.
As Gray and Cold as Stone - Part 7: Meet the Parents
Kham got a quick glimpse of Acastus’ reaching for the statue of Illiir. He tapped it once and it glowed with the brilliance of daylight. Then he ducked down again to avoid being seen.
The door closed behind them. As soon as it was closed, Acastus snarled at Roderick. “What treachery is this, boy? Your father and I had an agreement!”
Kham hung from the windowsill by his fingertips.
“Yes m’lord,” said Roderick, nervous. “And believe me, I had every intention of rejecting your offer, just as my father instructed.”
It was cold outside. Kham’s arms were beginning to hurt.
“Then what in Illiir’s name happened?”
Kham made the mistake of looking down at the tindertwig he had hastily discarded. It tumbled down the slope. That’s when he realized he that the villa was built into the side of a hill. It was a long way down.
Roderick walked over to the window to look up at the moon.
Don’t look down, Kham screamed mentally as hard as he could.
“She is beautiful, my lord,” Roderick said simply. “Beautiful beyond words and her eyes shine like those of Larissa herself. When I saw her face, I knew in that moment that I could not bear to turn her away from me.”
Kham rolled his eyes. He’d been there, but the kid was sappier than most.
“You idiot!” shouted Acastus. “There are greater things at stake here than your loins, you damnable lout. And now that you’ve done this in public—in front of Calsestus no less—it’ll be hell getting out of it.”
“I still don’t understand, Acastus. If you did not want me to marry your daughter, why offer me her hand in the first place?”
Acastus laughed bitterly. “if you ever plan to succeed your father as Duke, boy, you’d better learn to think. The Emperor ORDERED me to offer you Elandre’s hand. He wants you to marry her in order to keep General Menisis from attacking your father’s lands again. Menisis has been a friend of my family for years, and he won’t risk a war if Elandre might be endangered. She’s a hostage for the General’s good behavior.”
“Holy crap” mouthed Kham.
Roderick’s voice grew cold. “All the more reason that I SHOULD marry her, then! My father’s lands do not belong to Coryan, nor will they ever. If Elandre’s presence will keep Menisis from spilling more blood, I will be doubly glad to wed her.”
“Do you honestly think the Emperor cares any more than Menisis does for your homeland? Calsestus would see all of Milandir rejoined to the Empire as a captive province once more. And if he forces the Mother Church to reunite with the Canceri heretics, there will be enemies on both sides of your nation, ready to crush you in the middle.”
Kham had to admit he had a point. Although he would have felt much more agreeable if he could still feel his fingertips.
“Menisis is the only one in Coryan who can oppose the Emperor. If this marriage goes through, Calsestus’ position on the Alabaster Throne will be secure…and Milandir doomed as much as Coryan. I have explained all of this to your father, and he saw the wisdom of my reasoning. And now your adolescent lusts have ruined everything.”
There was a pause. Roderick turned away from the window to reply. “What would you have me do?”
“Go back to the courtyard and try to put a good face on this. Surely, even you are capable of that much. I’ll be here trying to come up with a way out of this mess. “
Althare’s ass!, thought Kham. Acastus was going to be there all night.
Kham’s arms were numb, it was cold, and he had just finished an entire bottle of wine. All this conspired against him.
And finally, Kham’s fingers decided they had enough.
As Gray and Cold as Stone - Part 8a: A Restless Night
Quintus and Ilmarė entered the parlor, only to find Elandre pacing there. There was no trace of her practiced smile.
“What have you learned?” she demanded.
Quintus rubbed the back of his head. “Well, actually we didn’t—”
“—have a problem digging up the evidence,” said Kham as he limped into the parlor. He was covered in dirt.
“Oh?” said Elandre.
“Yes,” said Ilmarė with a smirk. “Do tell.”
Kham dusted himself off. “From what I was able to find, Adolphos val’Tensen made a deal with your father to reject your hand in marriage. Basically, it was a ploy to say no to the Emperor without publicly dishonoring your family.”
“Katticus…” said Ilmarė.
Elandre’s eyes narrowed and her lips curled angrily. “So, father would use me as a pawn in his political games, would he?”
“But then I suppose you knew that already,” continued Kham.
“Katticus…” said Quintus.
Elandre resumed stalking up and down the parlor floor. “Dangle me as bait to keep the Emperor happy, hoping to snatch me away before the jaws close on me?”
“I mean, Roderick would have to be an idiot to marry you. Going along with the marriage is tantamount to a hostile takeover.”
“Kham!” shouted Ilmarė. “Roderick went through with the proposal!”
Kham coughed into one fist. “Oh.”
“And now his failure means I’m doomed to a miserable life with that damned Milandisian,” said Elandre. “I’ll kill him.” Elandre remembered she still had an audience. She smiled, once again appearing to be the perfect congenial hostess. “I’m sorry. You have done well, and I thank you. Please stay in the villa tonight as my guests; I will have your payment ready in the morning. For now, I must go speak to my father.” With that, she left.
Kham shook out his hair. A few leaves fell off.
“What happened to you?” asked Quintus.
“Let’s just say it was much faster getting out of Acastus’ study than getting into it. He’s still in there.”
“Fell out the window again?” asked Ilmarė.
Kham rubbed some dirt off of his nose. “Anyway, I didn’t tell her everything. There’s this other note,” he waved the note in Quintus’ direction.
Ilmarė snatched it from Kham and read it. Then she handed it to Quintus. “Well,” he said. “Looks like the holier than thou Acastus is actually in league with a cult.”
“All to prevent reunification of the Mother Church with the Dark Triumvirate,” said Kham.
“This is troubling,” said Quintus. “We should—“
“How DARE you?” Elandre’s voice was brimming with barely controlled fury. They could hear in the parlor, even though she was with Acastus in the study.
“You will not speak to me in such a tone, girl,” replied Acastus.
“I have, and I will again. You have made me a pawn in your games with the Emperor. And when you lose the game, I am the one who pays the price. You could have at least warned me—“
“And if I had warned you,” Acastus interrupted, “what would you have done?”
“Tried to bring you to your senses!” yelled Elandre. “We could have figured out some other way together, a way to avoid defying the Emperor—“
“There IS no other way, Elandre. I know you’re angry, but I am still your father, and I am still the one who decides what is best for my family and my country.”
“What’s best for YOU, you mean,” said Elandre. “You don’t care a grain for Coryan or for me.”
“Elandre—“
“Which is why I suppose you’re just as happy to banish me to some cold, gray wasteland with a fool for a husband. That way, you won’t ever have to trouble yourself over me again. Well, if that’s what you want, so be it. The next time you see me father, it will be over your grave.”
The argument ended with Elandre violently slamming the door.
“Awk-ward!” sang Kham. “Well that was fun.” He grabbed a bottle of wine from a pedestal. “I’m going to bed. Wake me when she kills him.”
As Gray and Cold As Stone - Part 8b: A Restless Night
Some hours later, Ilmarė was awakened by a loud crash from the back part of the villa, followed by a heavy thump. After that, silence descended once more.
Ilmarė lay in her bed, staring at the ceiling. She really didn’t want to investigate the disturbance. But she knew she should. And she knew that things would only be worse if she didn’t get up.
Ilmarė drew her trusty throwing dagger from beneath her pillow. She had never given it back to its original owner, Captain Bezyli, but with good reason; it had saved her life and ended the lives of others on more than one occasion.
“Quintus!” she hissed. “Wake up!”
Quintus was still dressed in his party attire in a bed on the other side of the room. Ilmarė was sure that an unmarried female sleeping in the same room as an unmarried male would offend human sensibilities, even if she were elorii. But she didn’t care.
Or at least, she told herself that when she shook her companion awake. People had just assumed, and Ilmarė was not inclined to disabuse them of the notion.
“Get up, Quintus! I heard a noise.”
Quintus’ eyes fluttered open. “Wha?”
“A noise.” Ilmarė threw his sheathed gladius to him. He was too groggy to catch it, so it thumped into his stomach. “I think it came from Acastus’ study.”
That got the legionnaire to his feet. He opened the door and poked his head out. “There’s a light under the door.”
Ilmarė crept past him and made her way over. She peered into the darkness on the other side of the lit doorway.
“Kham?”
“Oh, hi.” Kham held Fleshripper pointed towards the ground. “Did you two just come out of the same bedroom?”
Quintus didn’t bother to answer. He kicked the door open with his bare foot.
Acastus’ study was dark, but light from the hallway revealed a ransacked mess. Books and papers were strewn everywhere, and bloodstains dotted the floor in several places. The curtains in the window swayed gently in the still night air, but there was otherwise no movement or sign of life.
“Show yourself, intruder!” bellowed Quintus.
Suddenly, a hideous figure leaped out from behind the desk, snarling from its sharp-toothed mouth. It wore a bloodstained toga. A bloody wound still gaped open at its throat. By far its most horrible feature was its face; it leered, pallid skin stretched tightly over the skull, its eyes as gray and cold as stone.
“It’s Acastus!” shouted Kham.
Quintus lifted the amulet at his neck and lifted it towards the thing that was once Acastus. “Foul creature of Neroth’s rage, back to Beltaine’s embrace!”
Acastus’ lips peeled back in a feral snarl. Then it leaped at Quintus with claws outstretched.
There was a flash of metal, and Acastus stumbled. Kham held Fleshripper with both hands. Gibbets of flesh dripped from the blade.
“I saw someone escape out the window,” said Quintus. “Keep going! I’ll take care of this!”
“How?” asked Kham. “By shouting at it?”
The ghoul launched itself again at Quintus. He drew his gladius in time to run the thing through. Its claws gripped Quintus’ face.
Then Captain Bezyli’s dagger jutted from Acastus forehead. And for the second time, he was still.
Acastus slumped to the ground, eyes wide, jaw slack.
Ilmarė kneeled down to pluck something out of Acastus’ mouth. “Here’s the problem.” She flipped a coin to Kham.
Kham snatched it out of the air. “Canceri coin,” he said, holding it up to the moonlight.
“A Coin of the Soul’s Travails,” said Ilmarė.
Kham pocketed the coin. “If I had a light I could tell you more…say, where’s the statue?”
“What?” asked Quintus.
“The statue. There was a statue of Illiir in here and now it’s gone.”
“So we have a murderer and a thief,” said Ilmarė. “Whoever assassinated Acastus wanted to ensure he could never be brought back. They didn’t just violate his corpse…”
“They violated his soul.” Quintus’ nostrils flared. “Whoever did this will pay dearly. Let’s go.”
Quintus hopped up on the windowsill.
“Uh, you may want to—“
The legionnaire disappeared over the edge. Kham winced when he heard the sound of legionnaire tumbling down the steep hill. It was followed by a loud curse.
“Never mind,” said Kham.
Ilmarė leaped easily onto the windowsill. “Child’s play for a child of Osalian,” she said. She waved at Kham and then stepped backwards off of the sill.
“You do that,” said Kham. “The children of Althares take the steps.”
It's true, Kham does have all the best lines. This is a combination of the person playing his character (Jeremy Ortiz, who can be quite witty when he wants to be) and my conscious decision to make Kham the "everyman."
I am convinced that what went wrong with the later versions of Star Wars was the lack of Han Solo. Han Solo wasn't just an outsider to the established hierarchy of the Star Wars universe, he was a skeptical outsider who talked like us. In other words, he was the person you could relate to most because he was most similar to the audience. He wasn't a wide-eyed farm boy learning to use magical powers or a headstrong princess or a giant furry alien.
In this story hour, Vlad is our Luke Skywalker. He's the newbie, but it's hard to see things through his eyes if you're an experienced player. Matt (Vlad's player) was new to 3rd edition, so everything was new to him. Kham, on the other hand, is our Han Solo -- experienced, jaded, and a wiseass with all the good lines. And of course Ilmare is the Princess Leia type, full of sarcasm and telling everyone what to do.
I could keep making the parallels (Dril = Lando, Cal = Chewbacca, Quintus = a more aggressive version of C3P0, etc.), but these character tropes existed long before I came along.
I have a soft spot for Cthulhu monsters. I don't know why. We played every King in Yellow adventure I could get my hands on. In fact, we're kind of King in Yellow-ed out. But it made for a great series of villains.
This is just the INTRODUCTION of the King in Yellow. There will be repercussions throughout the story hour. In fact, the events you just read about will be a very important part of the conclusion of the story hour.
The story hour is complete. It runs 60 something chapters or so. I'm just posting them now in installments. After rewriting the final chapter several times to wrap up a bunch of plot lines, I'm finally happy with the finished product. Overall the players are happy too.
There is the possibility of an additional chapter involving Sebastian (you'll see why later), but that's been complicated by a couple of factors:
* My son was born, which pretty much derailed all gaming for months (we have to travel 2 hours to game together, and he's not always happy about that).
* The switch to 4th edition is right around the corner, and I'm starting to sell my books to Noble Knight. I've held onto the ones that are still relevant to the adventure but I'm not going to hold onto them for much longer.
* We're starting a D20 modern conspiracy-type game and the players really want to start that rather than play D&D.
So it really depends on whether or not we can squeeze in one or two more D&D 3.5 sessions. If not, I'm content with the ending as is.
Rest assured, at the posting rate of about one every four or five days, you guys will have plenty to read for a long time to come.
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