The One True Game: According to Hoyle, and Others

[JoeBlank]

If you felt the foundation of the very earth move this day, if you saw the Heavens open and a ray of light shine down on a suburb of Atlanta, if a certain grognard seems a little more cheerful, you may have already guessed that our very own diaglo realized his dream today. At his home, a small group of four players eventually swelled to seven, and The One True Game lived. Yes, the master himself ran a game of OD&D. And it went very well, I must say.

By way of introduction, I have played since first edition, but never played the true 1974 version of the game. Rules-wise, I am sold on 3.x. (My apologies to the referee for that blasphemy, and I won't use the term again in this story hour.) But to play under the enthusiasm and pure love of the game that our diaglo embodies was an opportunity I could not pass.

This is my first story hour, although I have made contributions before. I invite the other members of the game to contribute here as well. Some of the characters are posted in this Rogues Gallery thread. For now, I am using the format of letters that my character hopes will one day reach home.

The first couple of posts will be some brief background, and then we'll get started on the action.

On edit: In my excitement I almost forgot to mention that while there were seven players, an eighth chair sat empty, a little back from the table, in honor of Ryan/Angelsboi. This story hour is dedicated to the memory of the games and good times we shared.

[JoeBlank]

Chapter 1: Beginnings

The County Margrave has been at war. Lord Margrave and his men have won victory in a great battle, and have taken the fight to the enemy. Every experienced soldier has answered the call, leaving the County under the watch of those of little experience. Indeed, less than one in a thousand of those who remain has ever seen combat of any sort. The call has gone out for volunteers to report to the Keep Margrave. Others who were less willing have been conscripted into service. It is here that we will meet our heroes, on the road to the Keep to report for duty.

Our narrator is Dalin Hoyle. Dalin comes from a land-holding family, mostly several acres of apple orchards. They are not wealthy by any means, but far better off than most. He is the third son, and does not stand to inherit much, so he has sought his own fortune. For the past few years he had done well for himself making money the honest way, by gambling. Dice, cards, drinking contests, or just betting on everyday events, he doesn't care as long as he can game. He has had his ups and downs, but has always gotten by. Had to return home a few times, but never for too long.

Recently his worst run of bad luck almost ended him up in debtors' prison. Thankfully, his father and older brothers taught him the basics of weapons and armor, and he has even competed in a few small tournaments. This background convinced the County of Margrave to offer him conscription into military service to satisfy his debts. He makes for the Keep wearing his brother's spare chain mail, and carrying his own sword and crossbow. His shield boasts the family standard, a green apple tree. Other than basic supplies, he has little else. Of course, he always tries to have a little walking around money, so he never has to turn down a bet.

Other members of the party have either been conscripted into service or have answered this Proclamation:

Proclamation

Be it known that the Lord Margrave has rallied his vast army and laid siege to the enemies of the free people.

Therefore, it is with unbridled pride and devotion that I call upon the best and very formidable militia of this great land to fill the ranks of the departed army.

All able bodied citizens of this land are expected to provide what assistance they may.

Lady Devereaux, Castellan of Margrave Keep

Acting Authority in the Absence of Lord Margrave

[JoeBlank]

Dearest Father and Mother,

I hope this letter finds you well. Your young Dalin has much to tell you. Foremost, please thank my friend Brother Ben Selzkin for scribing these words. He has promised to teach me the ways of ink and quill, and considers this my first lesson. Ben is a good man, as you will see from the stories of our brief time together.

Only a few weeks ago I had rightfully won the service of a noble steed, complete with barding, and my breeches were filled with coin. On my way home to tell you of my good fortune I stopped in a small tavern and chanced to join an ongoing game of cards. Before the morn all of my hard-earned winnings were gone, and my vow to you was the only thing that kept me from placing my inherited chain mail and sword on the table. These I kept, but they would not have been enough to satisfy the debt I owed. As I promised you last winter, I did not come crawling home this time. Instead, conscription into the service of County Margrave was offered, and I accepted.

With directions to the Keep, I began a walk of several days. Rumors I heard along the way, of others answering the call to duty, but I saw none of these until the Keep was nearly in my sight. Near dusk the path through the forest narrowed, and the light of a campfire on the trail was a beacon for this noble soldier and three others. Before I could make the acquaintance of my fellow soldiers a ranger by the fire called out a warning of goblins the area. He called himself Serda, and his guide was an ox of a man called Pendra. We had not yet reacted to their instructions when foul little red-skinned creatures came at us from the trees on both sides.

Let not your heart be troubled, for your son lives to send you this letter. While I feared for my life, the training offered by you, Father, and by my brothers, allowed me to keep my wits while the beasts fired arrows from every direction. Almost instantly, a low-born conscript who I would come to know as Igor climbed into a near tree and dropped one of the goblins. I swear to you now that I later witnessed this hunchback leap into the branches of the next tree to attack a second of the monsters. Another recruit I later learned was an excellent archer by the name of Dram Smith moved through forest, loosing arrows at every turn.

Those days in the orchard served me well, as I too had to climb into a tree and teach my sword the taste of goblin blood. In short order we had slain seven goblins. I even managed to drop one with my crossbow as he fled. Three goblins escaped, one of them apparently the leader of the bunch. Pendra took a nasty wound and went down, but Serda administered some form of medicine that renewed his vigor. Brother Ben, a man of the cloth, took an arrow in the rear and went down as well. With the goblins likely the regroup, we made for the Keep in haste, Pendra carrying Ben.

[biorph]

To look at Igor one wouldn't make much of him. One eye is all white with cataracts, the other appears to be lazy and wanders all over. He hobbles with a pronounced limp, making his movement more of a onelegged skip than anything else. He has a shield on his arm which hangs limp apparently useless. On his belt are a sword (with several notches from a recent battle) and a dagger. He wear some faded leather armors and a backapck, both of which fit poorly over the large hunch in his back.

He talks with a raspy voice as though he is constantly out of breath and his laugh has been described as maniacal and disturbing (especially when inexplicably leaping from tree to tree killing goblins, laughing the whole time)

He is the party cook, and is (in)famous for his bean casarole (seven kinds of beans, plus several things that look like beans) and newly appointed quartermaster for the group. Also his background with the wilderness makes him the only one in the outpost even remotely capable in a forest or other wilderness.

[JoeBlank]

We arrived at the Keep, but Pendra and Serda turned back to check for other conscripts reporting for duty. After being welcomed and shown to our bunks, we continued our introductions. As I mentioned before, the archer was Dram Hammersmith, a burly man covered in furs and skins. Igor spoke in a raspy, hissing voice and assured me that he was in not way capable of leaping any distance, much less from one tree to another, and that I must have imagined such a feat in the confusion of battle. He and I had both been quick thinking enough to grab a few items off some of the fallen goblins, and I offered to bet a small coin purse I had found against a similar pouch he had procured in a simple dice game. Despite his efforts to cheat, I still beat him fairly, winning a few coins and the knowledge of his true character.

Brother Ben was still quite injured, and we were introduced to Brother Hetrick, who administered some herbs and advised him to rest. This we all attempted, but it seemed like only a couple of hours before we were awakened by our screaming Sgt. Guido. He kindly advised us of our collective worth, and that we were to report immediately for an assignment at Outpost Xavier. Of the twenty-six outposts around the Keep, I know Outpost X to be the worst possible assignment. Practically on the battle lines, and the days’ journey there is a peril in itself.

Report we did, although Ben tried to talk some sense into the Sarge, even providing him with a note from Brother Hetrick. This only brought him disfavor, although he quickly rose to his station on the march, lifting the spirits of the men and offered to act as and advisor and healer for them. There were twenty of us, plus Guido, and I dare say those that I have named already were the only ones to have ever seen an iron weapon, much less wielded one in battle. Farmboys would be a complimentary term for this bunch. Dram and I began making efforts to get the men in line, to impose some sort of order on the group. Sgt. Guido apparently took note of our efforts, for the three of us were soon rewarded with field promotions. Brother Ben was put in charge of wound dressing and healing, being the only one of us with any such knowledge. Dram was made Corporal of the Watch, and your own proud son is now Corporal of Arms.

On the way to the Outpost we met them we were to replace, or what was left of them. They were battered and wounded, many of them not likely to survive the trip back to the Keep. They had nothing to offer us in way of supplies, and indeed told us they had given everything, weapons and supplies, to a giant who was tormenting the Outpost. This creature was said to be over twice the size of a man, and intelligent enough to demand that items of value be given in exchange for the lives of the men of the Outpost.

Once in sight of Outpost X we could witness with our own eyes the damage done. What was once a three-story stone tower was now missing most of the upper level. A 200 foot radius around the tower was cleared of growth and of rubble from the tower, and the door was falling from the hinges. A quick inventory told us that we had enough food for about a week, but we decided the door was the more urgent matter. Dram took charge of these efforts, and we managed to find a few farmhands who had mended fences before. Of course, what we needed was a reinforced wooden door that could hold back attackers.

Igor began scouting the area for useable herbs and food, having some knowledge in this area, and he also set some traps for small animals. I attempted to train some of the men to use the weapons they had, spears among the best of them, simple sticks and clubs for most of the others. Igor had salvaged a sword and shield from one of the goblins, and I assigned these to young Vosh, who appeared to be the most able-bodied of the bunch. Ben advised us that the water was fit to drink, despite the murky color and bitter taste. Dram had only four archers, plus one boy with a sling. We agreed that each of us would be in charge of a watch once night fell.

I went to report our progress to Sgt. Guido, recalling that he had hurried to the roof upon our arrival and had not been seen for some time. Any optimism our efforts had given me was soon quashed when I found Guido passed out and smelling of a drink most foul. I dared to taste the stuff myself, and was lucky enough to vomit it back up. The spirits for more fit for use to flame arrows and such, and I gave it to Dram for that purpose. Guido I handed over to Ben, who examined him and advised that he did not show signs of being a habitual drinker. Giving our commander the benefit of the doubt, I still recommended that Ben consider himself authorized to declare Guido unfit for duty should the need arise.

[JoeBlank]

Late in the day, the repairs to the door were nearly complete. A member of Dram’s watch signaled that he heard a sound. Others agreed there had been a male voice from down the road on which we had arrived. Dram advised that the door was serviceable, but may not hold. Determining that action was needed, I took Vosh and headed to investigate. The bold Igor volunteered to join us. We departed, and the door to the Outpost was closed behind us.

A short distance down the path we came upon the body of a man. I instructed Vosh to guard the perimeter of the clearing, where he could just see the body a short distance away. Investigation revealed him to be one of those who had left the Outpost earlier in the day, a deep slash wound across his chest. He still wore his leather armor but was without the sword I was certain he had before. While preparing carry the body back, we heard crashing in the woods behind us.

On my honor as a Hoyle, I swear to you, my own parents, that the warnings we had heard were true; the creature, this giant, stood no less than the height of two men. A barrel-chested beast, his head was above many of the trees. As Igor and I began to lift the body of the fallen man, we turned to see Vosh was already at the gate, standing in a pool of his own urine. We moved quickly to join him, and the body of another of our departed men sailed over our head, smashing into the wall of the tower. Once we were inside with the gate bolted we were glad to hear that the giant had wandered off. If he meant only to strike fear in our hearts he met with great success. The men we had worked so hard to motivate were again shaken and losing confidence in our chances. It was an effort on my part not to let them know how much I shared these feelings.

Our preparations and repairs continued in earnest, for now we had seen the true threat to our safety, and our lives. The work on the door was completed, and Igor continued work on his traps. I learned that his field promotion had been to the position of Quartermaster, and he was turning out to be quite resourceful. Dram did an excellent job of reorganizing his watches, as they were becoming out of sorts. Brother Ben had put the men through some sort of test of thinking ability, and had enlisted as his aides three brothers (in the familial sense of the word): Goodrich Greslam, Rizzle Greslam and Grizzard Greslam.

Night came, but I found myself unable to sleep. Volunteering to assist in watch duties turned out to be my good fortune, for I was awake when the excitement began. A light mist was falling, and through the woods we heard a great deal of movement coming down the path. This was surely no giant, but from the sound we made it to be a force of more than two dozen man-sized creatures, heading our way in a hurry.

[howandwhy99]

At age 25, Brother Ben Selzkin has spent the last 9 years living with clergy in the local priestly temple. After long days spent washing stone floors, piling hay for the horses, cleaning the stables, tending the fire in the kitchen, scrubbing pots, mending robes, memorizing verses, kneeling in prayer, assisting in services, collecting alms, running messages, and generally fulfilling the fathers' every need, he felt a yearning desire to experience life outside of the temple.

During his studies he has, on occasion, spent time with others in his family who have travelled to meet him. As the 5th child 3rd son of 17, Ben has fallen out of contact with several brothers and sisters who have moved away for many a reason. His parents work as horse trainers, grooming and feeding a herd for a large manor house some distance away. Ben still harbors fond memories of growing up on the horse farm: sleeping in the hay, eating his mother's cooking, and playing games outside with other children.

Well known for his quick smile, soft words, easy temperment, Brother Ben has an unfortunate tendency torwards clumsiness. Having spent long years confined to the temple grounds his appearance is somewhat unpolished and his palor a bit off, but his friendly ways more than compensate having won him the friendship of several frequent visitors. He typically wears brown robes or a tunic and breeches like most others in the temple's service. On what he would do if he left, however, he is still unsure.

[howandwhy99]

Dram Hammersmith

Dram is a tall, rangy youth of about 19 years (6’4”, 200 lbs.). He’s not a bad looking guy but isn’t particularly striking apart from his height and piercing bright green eyes. He has long blonde hair which is usually plaited in a single braid on the left side of his head. He sports a wispy goatee on his chin, but doesn’t shave and can’t grow a full beard or mustache yet. Dram is well-built and quite strong, especially for his age. He hasn’t yet realized the full extent of his strength however and doesn’t boast or make a show of it. Over his coarse linen undergarments he wears a pair of thick leather leggings made of bear hide, with his upper-body covered by hardened, yet flexible, pieces of various animal hide (whale, seal, mastodon, etc..), all skillfully stitched together with caribou sinew. His hooded fur cloak is fashioned out of fox, rabbit and beaver pieces patched together into a single garment. He wears homespun woolen stockings, badly in need of darning, beneath his knee-high polar bear boots (yes, white boots, now somewhat grayish and dingy, but he’s damn proud of ‘em!). His outfit is trimmed here and there with bits of fur and he wears a necklace made of bears’ claws (a gift from his dearly departed mother). Dram tends to carry his bow in-hand. His sword is sheathed across his back, next to his quiver, and his war hammer rests in a belt-loop at his side.

BACKGROUND
Both of Dram’s grandfathers came to the County of Margrave as young men (they were cousins). His father’s father, Fenn, and his mother’s father, Wonn, were among the first settlers in the Borderlands. They came from the north armed with a burning desire to forge a new and more prosperous life for their families. Together they established a solid reputation as trustworthy, hardworking and reputable blacksmiths. Their smithy soon became well-known throughout the County. Fenn’s eldest son, Gil, and Wonn’s eldest daughter, Helga, were promised in marriage in order to weld together the dynasty they had sparked. Gil and Helga begot two sons. The elder was named Tankurd and the younger, Dram. As fate would have it, Helga died at the same moment Dram sucked life from this world. Gil was never the same. He became obsessed with his work, often working til dawn. As Tankurd and Dram were toughened over the fires of their father’s madness they grew in strength. The endless pumping of bellows and hammering of iron and steel were only tempered by their father’s enduring devotion to their mother, his tireless pursuit of perfection, and the inner strength they gleaned from the family worship of Thor, the Leveler. As Tankurd and Dram grew into manhood the Borderlands began to change. Most of the young men in the County were being called to duty on the frontiers, and most were not coming home…..at least not whole. There was an increased demand for weapons, armor and all the trappings that a larger militia required. The situation was ripe for business-minded men to make a killing. Gil Hammersmith was not among them. A rival smithy, the Skun Brothers Armoury, took advantage of the situation. They imported cheap goblin labor to work at their forges. Gil refused to do the same. All the lucrative commissions passed him by. He was reduced to shoeing horses, mending hoes and repairing hinges, mostly in return for eggs, milk, meat or whatever else was needed for survival. As a result, Gil could no longer pay his taxes, which were ever-increasing to fund the Count’s seemingly futile war efforts. Dram’s older brother, Tankurd, was conscripted and his whereabouts are still unknown. After Tankurd left for the frontier, Gil sank further into despair. One particularly dismal night, when tax collectors approached him in the smithy, he went crazy and beat them senseless with his hammer. Dram tried to fight off the reinforcements but was soon subdued and unceremoniously conscripted into the militia. His last vision of home was his father being dragged, kicking and screaming, off to the county jail where he will stay until Dram can pay off his debt. Dram is torn in two directions: home, towards his father, and forward, towards his brother. Only Urth, Verthandi and Skuld know what awaits in the Borderlands!

[JoeBlank]

Coming out of the trees, from down the path, and running towards the outpost, were twenty-one men. Or I should say twenty men and one dwarf. (I have been using men to refer to my fellow soldiers, but our eventual number included four women. They stand their watches and acquit themselves well, and I consider them “men” in the racial sense of the word, and soldiers in every sense of the word.) The red-haired dwarf was heavily armored, wearing plate, carrying a shield and a warhammer, and his stout legs seemed to struggle to keep up with the others. As we opened the gates we saw that they ran in fear, for they were being followed closely by a pack of wolves that had them easily outnumbered.

The dwarf was the last one in the door, due in part to his slow pace but also to his desire to insure that the others were seen to safety. We managed to close it behind him only seconds before the wolf pack split and seemed to surround the outpost. As quickly as they came, the growling dogs departed, simply going around the outpost as if it were an obstacle. And they had good cause for their haste, for close on their heels was a threat to all living creatures. The giant had returned.

Dram and his archers were already making their way towards the arrow slits, preparing to fire on the wolves, and now they turned attention to a much bigger target. It was too dark to make out the creature clearly, and I saw little for myself. In the bottom floor of the tower, the new unit was in chaos, and they had brought with them pack animals and a great deal of supplies. The mules were the giant’s goal, and he began shouting in the common tongue “Give me what is mine! Give me the animals!”

Understand that the desire to give in to his wishes was strong in all of us. One had only to look at the ruined top third of the outpost to see the consequences of refusing him. But we could see too that he would never be satisfied. The previous unit had given over all of their supplies, leaving Outpost X nearly barren, and yet now he was returning for more. Our assignment is to man and protect this outpost, and we were determined to do our duty.

I began shouting to the new arrivals to take up arms and help me protect the gate. They were slow to react, and seemed to not know what to do. There were pole arms and spears which could be used to brace the doors, if only someone would bring them. The dwarf, who I later learned is called Darius, took up a bow and made for a position to fire on the giant, his race’s mortal enemy. Dram was already in position, and he lit his arrows so that they might serve as beacons for the others to fire on. His first two shots fell well short, as the giant stayed outside the clearing, a short distance into the trees.

From inside the door, I could not see what was happening, but I felt and heard the boulders the giant was throwing at our new home. BOOM! I thought the walls would crumble for certain. He had aimed for Dram’s position, and managed to cave in the wall there. Still, the archers continued to fire, and I continued to shout orders at the men on the bottom floor. A few were actually beginning to respond, while others were rushing to unload the mules, in fear that we would give in to the giant’s demands. Darius managed to connect with a flame arrow, hitting the giant square in the chest. BOOM! The giant returned fire on the dwarf’s position, knocking Darius down to the ground floor. The armored dwarf hit hard, obviously shaken, but he got up quickly and made for another arrow slit.

BOOM! Another hit, just above my position. Stones and debris fell on me, and I ordered the men to use the rocks to bar the door. The dwarf’s burning arrow made a perfect target for Dram, and he connected with two more, clearly wounding him. The three arrows were no where near enough to kill the giant, but he did not expect to be met with such a fight. He turned and began to lumber away.

Once we realized that he was leaving, we were too exhausted to shout and relish our victory. Brother Ben made a quick survey of the wounded, and learned that we had lost one man to the attacks, crushed by the stones thrown by the giant.

The new unit was led by Corp. Chervac. I asked him about Guido, and he had served with our Sergeant. He swore that Guido was not known as a drinker, but suspected that he had lost hope. Surely his assignment to Outpost X, with such green troops, was meant as a punishment or revenge of some sort, if not a death sentence.

[JoeBlank]

Darius had already demonstrated his combat prowess, but we soon learned that there was even more to this dwarf. He pulled Brother Ben aside, having seen that Ben was working to nurse the wounded to health while he himself still suffered from the wound he received fighting the goblins. Darius called upon the power of his god, Thor the Thunderer, and laid his hands upon Ben. There was a flash of light and Ben was restored nearly to full health. Many of the recruits witnessed this act, and were in awe of the dwarf's presence. He took the opportunity to talk with Vosh, the man I had been attempting to motivate for the better part of two days now. I could see that Darius had a natural ability to inspire the men, and while I found myself lacking this quality I too was impressed by him, and hoped that we had found something we had been lacking.

By morning we began finding roles for ourselves, and attempting to get the Outpost in order. This was quiet a task. Dram and Darius began looking at the structure itself, seeking ways to repair walls and the murder holes. Quartermaster Igor took ten men and began digging pit traps around the perimeter of the Outpost, although we lacked the proper tools for digging. I took ten men and two women and began training them with polearms and pikes. Brother Ben took Vosh (at my request) and the three Greslam brothers to assist him in preparing graves for the four fallen men.

Mirel and Kayla, two of the women from Cpl. Chervac's group, began to take charge inside the Outpost, caring for the animals and taking inventory. The list they prepared showed how carefully we would need to govern ourselves. We had:

12 handaxes

11 shortbows

51 score arrows

2 barrels of oil

100 torches

1 barrel of pitch

500 feet of rope

12 mules

24 saddlebags

4 polearms

12 pikes

7 beds in the infirmary were occupied, plus Sgt. Guido was still sleeping there, leaving 12 beds free.

An abundance of firewood, although most of it from freshly fallen and green wood

About one week worth of food.

Fresh grain and feeds

A roll call turned up 41 souls:

Sgt. Guido
Cpl. Chervac
Cpl. of the Watch Dram Smith
Cpl. of Arms Dalin Hoyle
Quartermaster Igor
Brother Ben
Kayla
Mirel
Darius, Hammer of Thor (the only Dwarf)
28 unskilled men
4 unskilled women
7 comatose men

casualties:

3 unknown soliders from the previous detachment
1 man from Sgt Guido's unit

Cpl. Chervac filled us in on our situation. "You are the best of the rest. The army has gone off to fight the war. We are here to insure the peace. Keep Margrave is on the Borderland of the Wilds. There are 26 Outposts in a line along this border that report directly back to the Keep. If they should fall... (a worried look crept into his face). We are just as likely to face bandits, elves, creatures of the forest. As we are to face Orcs, goblins, and their like. A Giant is unusual. And thus why the second unit was sent under my command.”

“I don't know whether we can expect more supplies or if we should be prepared to fend for ourselves. I was instructed to bring the supplies and the reinforcements to aid Sgt Guido. Normally we do 1 month stints at the Outposts. With couriers sent to the Outposts only when new orders are issued or from the Outpost when new confirmed information is to be passed back to the Keep. The Keep already knows about the Giant from Brother Thom."

While going about our morning's activities we began to face the fact that this would be our routine, fending off attacks in the night, making repairs and burying the dead during the day. At least until we took the initiative and did something about our tormentor. We began work on a plan to take the fight to the giant.

Your faithful son,

Cpl. Dalin Hoyle

[howandwhy99]

*Brother Ben uncramps his writing hand*

[Session 1 - end]

[Session 2 - begin]

[diaglo]

Originally Posted by howandwhy99

*Brother Ben uncramps his writing hand*

don't forget Brother Ben you have almost 40 more souls who want something written too....

[MonsterMash]

Nice story hour. Which of the named characters are the PC's

[diaglo]

Originally Posted by MonsterMash

Nice story hour. Which of the named characters are the PC's

so far...


Dalin is JoeBlank
Brother Ben is howandwhy99
Dram is loki44
Darius is skryaper
Igor is biorph
Kayla is (i'm not sure if she has a screen name here)
Mirel is AllanyaKT
Blackleaf is Olgar Shiverstone

and diaglo is the referee

[MonsterMash]

Thanks Diaglo,

Next question is which of the supplements are you using from OD&D: Greyhawk; Blackmoor; Eldritch Wizardry; Gods, Demi-gods and Heroes?
And any material from the Strategic Review or Chainmail for combat?

[diaglo]

Originally Posted by MonsterMash

Thanks Diaglo,

Next question is which of the supplements are you using from OD&D: Greyhawk; Blackmoor; Eldritch Wizardry; Gods, Demi-gods and Heroes?
And any material from the Strategic Review or Chainmail for combat?

yes.

we are using parts of all 4 Supplements plus TSR 1-4. and Chainmail. and also Outdoor Survival.

not really using Supplement 5 Sword & Spells, but we haven't had any mass combat yet.

[JoeBlank]

And now back to our story . . .

Dearest Mother and Father,

I am still well, and things have progressed here at Outpost Xavier. We are managing to establish a foothold, but it seems the more we accomplish the more mysteries we uncover. But I am getting ahead of myself. Allow me to begin where my last letter left off.

As I said before, we were each going about our chosen or assigned tasks, attempting to get the Outpost into working order. Igor was sent to scout for the giant, or any trace of him, while the we discussed plans for dealing with the beast. We all agreed that simply doing nothing and allowing his continued assaults would not work. Learning more about where he lived would help us decide whether launch an attack there or to set some form of trap for him at the Outpost. Suggestions included ropes or a log roll to trip him up. Darius knew that as a dwarf the giant and he shared a mutual hatred, so he volunteered to engage him in melee to lure him into whatever trap we could create. As the next most able-bodied swordsman, I agreed to aid him in any way I could. Dram and his archers would attack from the Outpost, with us using fire to illuminate the giant.

Our discussions were interrupted by Cpl. Chervac calling an assembly of everyone present. He advised that he was stripping Sgt. Guido of command for dereliction of duty. The drink had gotten the best of him. Known as Dargoth's Breath, this dwarven spirit was known to burn the insides of normal men. Chervac told us that Guido had volunteered to be sent to Outpost X, and appeared to have a death wish that would soon be granted, as he could not be healed from the effects of the Dargoth's Breath. In fact, he was now blind. I suggested that we provide him to opportunity for an honorable death, but in this state he was not capable of much. He did not put up any fight and simply stood his ground, head down, while Chervac delivered the news.

We now needed a new commander, and it was soon agreed that the dwarf was well suited for this role. Sgt. Darius took to the position well, asking that we each report our positions and duties. He then proposed that we send the majority of the mules back to the Keep, before we ran out of food for them. The young girl, Mirel, who had arrived with him volunteered for this job, as she had a mule of her own and seemed to know how to handle the animals. A list of needed supplies was prepared, including requests for shovels, pole axes, blacksmithing tools, grain, and supplies to build siege weapons; and a report of the damage was added. We also decided to send the bodies back for proper burial. The six men in the infirmary would have to remain, as Brother Ben advised they would not survive the journey.

It takes about a third of a day to reach the keep, and midday was almost upon us, so we quickly began packing to send them off, with the intent that they remain overnight and return on the morrow. One of the men, Ord Smitty, noted that Igor, our usual cook, had still not returned from scouting, and so began preparing a meal in his absence. I returned to drilling a team of ten men on setting pikes against a charge, in the hopes that they could at least protect the door if the giant returned.

Wondering about Igor, Darius used his hammer to sound a signal by banging on the oil pot. There was initially no answer, but shortly thereafter the watch sighted an arrow flying our way from the southeast. When it hit the wall we could clearly see that it was covered in dung, an signal Igor had planned to use only if he was in dire trouble.

[JoeBlank]

Sgt. Darius quickly grabbed his hammer and told me to follow him. We left the safety of the Outpost, with instructions for the archers to be ready to cover us. A short distance into the trees, I spotted Igor high in the branches, crouched down as if hiding. I loaded my crossbow and looked for the cause of his fear.

We were only a few hundred feet from the Outpost and there they were, orcs with dark green skin, carrying an array of weapons and outfitted as if ready for battle. They all had the image of skull on their chest. By the time we saw them we were nearly among them, their number over two dozen. Sgt. Darius called out to them, suggesting that they unite with us against the giant. We stopped, about 100 feet away from them, my crossbow at the ready.

“What say you?” shouted Darius. The answer came in the form of arrows, three of them bouncing off of his shield. I fired my crossbow, hitting an orc's shield. We began to backpedal, heading for the safety of the Outpost. It appeared that they had not seen Igor, so the man we had come to rescue was in a better position than we. Together Darius and I shouted a warning of “Orcs!”

More arrows flew our way, none of them connecting. We came into the clearing with the orcs close behind, when I heard a guttural voice that seemed to come from the Outpost walls, shouting “Halt!” in the orcish language. I turned to get off another shot before backing into the open gates, just behind Darius, and the doors were closed behind me.

This time I was certain the voice came from the walls above me, continuing to shout to the orcs in their language, instructing them to split up, that we had gone in opposite directions around the Outpost and into the woods. They followed these instructions and scattered into the woods. Later, Dram told me the voice had come from Kayla. She is a user of magic, but I know not whether she had used some sort of spell or if this was simply quick thinking and a bold wit. Either way, it saved us from a potential battle.

Igor soon hobbled back in, telling us he had climbed the tree to gain a better view of the area. He learned that the giant lived in a nearby hill, but the more immediate concern was the orcs. Sgt. Darius called off the mule caravan that was preparing to leave. After a period of calm, he sent Igor back out to scout. He returned with an orc's arrow in his leg. Darius instructed Kayla to shout again, in an attempt to shame the orcs into the open.

“Only elves hide in trees!”

There was no answer. Another period of calm, and then the watch spotted smoke from the woods. Something large was coming towards us, and it was on fire.

Again I tell you of the barely believable, but we all saw it. A large tree, walking and moving of it's own accord, came out of the woods. It seemed to be the victim of a battle, quite likely with the orcs, and was beyond our help. It collapsed before it reached the tree line, and lay there until it was consumed by the fire. Kayla knew of this sort of creature, a living tree, and said that they were peaceful beings. It was a sorrow to see such a thing die.

In the discussions of what we should do next we began to investigate the knowledge of Cpl. Chervac, by far the most veteran of us. He explained that there were twenty-six outposts, and that Outpost Yung was only about a half mile to our north. Although there was no road, a short trek to Outpost Y seemed the safer alternative over the half day's journey to the Keep, to our west.


Although some of the men suggested abandoning Outpost Xavier and moving our entire operation to Yung, Chervac said this would leave a weak link, an opening for orcs, the giant, and other foes to have an easy route to the Keep.

[JoeBlank]

In the discussions of what we should do next we began to investigate the knowledge of Cpl. Chervac, by far the most veteran of us. He explained that there were twenty-six outposts, and that Outpost Yung was only about a half mile to our north. Although there was no road, a short trek to Outpost Y seemed the safer alternative over the half day's journey to the Keep, to our west.

Although some of the men suggested abandoning Outpost Xavier and moving our entire operation to Yung, Chervac said this would leave a weak link, an opening for orcs, the giant, and other foes to have an easy route to the Keep.

Somehow, while we were discussing nearby outposts, Darius came up with and idea to take a closer look at our well. He asked for two volunteers who were able to climb. Igor seemed to be our best climber, but he had been injured by the orc arrow. As he did with Ben before, Darius said some words in dwarven and touched Igor. A glowing light consumed them both, and Igor was healed.

Dram, Igor and Darius made their way down into the well. They found plenty of hand and footholds, and about 120 feet down the dwarf's eyes spotted an opening. While they were doing this, Ben tied together rope and plumbed the well to determine its depth. He noted that there was a current at the bottom, apparently an underground stream, which was good news. This meant our water supply should stay fresh.

I only heard second-hand later, but the tunnel was worked stone, about then feet wide in arch. They came upon a door with a carving of two figures, one a tall, slender man in robes and the other a man in plate mail with a sword. An inscription described the men depicted as Elegar and Rogan, first explorers of the world. They found a push plate beside the door which issued a warning in loud, booming voice, against entering. We could hear it up above the well, echoing.

Dram remembered a rumor that and old lady selling apples had told him back at the keep, something about the word “Quesqueton”. When he said this out loud, the door opened of its own accord. They started down the hallway and found bodies, apparently the victims of a long-forgotten battle.

Up above, Guido began begging us to let him go down into the well. “This is why I came! Let me go!” Ben tried to reason with him, and keep him from leaping into the well, but the poor man collapsed and died before we could determine of what he spoke.

Sgt. Darius decided he needed a larger force to explore the dungeon below. He asked Kayla, Mirel, Ben and I to join the others, leaving Cpl. Chervac in charge of the Outpost. He also instructed one man to bang on the cooking pot with a club or hammer if there was any trouble that warranted our return.

When Kayla saw the figures and the talking door she took out a book and began taking notes. We went on to explore the winding passages. Mirel proved to be an excellent mapper, and also had quite an ear for listening at doors. I was uncomfortable underground, and found it difficult to maintain my sense of direction. We found more bodies, which Ben estimated had been dead for at least 60 years.

Behind one door, Mirel heard scratching noises. We opened it to find three of the largest rats, far larger than those in the fields at home. We attacked them, finding them fairly easy foes. I was surprised to see Igor attack with a large, two-handed sword which I recognized as Guido's. There was a carved stone idol on one wall, holding a bowl which contained dried, crusted blood. While Mirel was skinning the rats, Darius and Ben smashed the idol. We found the body of a small dog-like reptile, which had only recently been killed. Mirel searched it and found a sling which she kept.

[JoeBlank]

This continued for I know not how long, we would open doors, face whatever was inside, investigate the room, and move on. Of note was a large room with 20 pools, most of them containing liquid of various sorts. Each was about five feat around. Mirel headed straight for one that appeared to be filled with gold coins. We were all wary, so she tossed a pebble onto the coins and they all disappeared, as if they were never there. Kayla explained that this was some sort of magic meant to trick our minds, and she found arcane writings on the container after the coins were gone.

One pool had a liquid that actually healed wounds. Everyone who had been injured drank some, and was healed. Several of us rushed to fill our waterskins with this wonderful elixir. My cautious nature led me to avoid testing the pools, as most of the others did. As you know, I prefer not to enter into risks unless I know the odds, and this seemed completely random to me.

Darius found a container in the back that held what appeared to be a human body, wrapped in linens and very old. When he touched it only slightly the creature awakened and began to attack him, grabbing for the dwarf. I was close by and moved in to help him. I was still holding a torch, and figured that the old linens would be flammable, so I hit the thing with my torch. My instincts were right, and it burst into flame. This development was not all for the best, as it then grabbed and held Darius, burning him as well. Kayla doused the flames, but it was otherwise difficult for us to attack the creature while it held Darius. Finally, the dwarf broke free, and I was able to set it on fire again. We all continued to engage the thing, noticing that the dwarf's hammer seemed more effective than our swords. In fact, it was a blow from the hammer that eventually felled the creature.

Igor was hysterical at this point, screaming that the dead were coming to life, and that the end of times was upon us. Darius and Kayla managed to calm him, explaining that it was only more magic to fool the mind, that the body was never actually returned to life. Searching the body we found a ruby necklace that had been glowing but was now dark. We also found a hollowed out bone that contained a scroll. Attempting to read it made Darius uneasy, and he returned it to the container.

Ben and Mirel took skins filled with the healing fluid to the bedridden men up in the Outpost, while the rest of us forged ahead. We found a room with a bed, desk, chair, and numerous papers. Under the bed was a cast chest, with an old lock we could not open. We managed to break the lock, finding inside parchment, a broken bottle, one elven made boot, an ornate ceremonial dagger and 40 gold coins. Darius established that we would divide this evenly, keeping a separate share as a group treasury.

Moving on, we found an armory, where I acquired a flail which I began using as my main weapon. Ben and Mirel returned, reporting that the elixir had greatly improved the wounded men. We were glad to have Ben with us when we opened another door to find six humanoids, nearly skeletal, with rotting flesh hanging from their bones. He called upon his religious fortitude and shouted “The Gods command you get thee back, evil.” They responded by cowering against the far wall, and we managed to end their sad existence with little effort.

We found three well-made dwarven longswords, each with a symbol of and anvil with two hammers crossed. Darius, Dram and I each took one of these. Another room of interest had a large circle drawn in silver and chalk on the floor.

Ready for a break, we headed up for a meal and to collect ourselves. We found that without Igor to cook one of the men, Smitty, had taken it upon himself to prepare a meal, using some of the day-old stew as a base. Our archers had seen no orcs or other foes, but had managed to bring down a stag. The soup turned out to be bad, and fourteen men ended up in the infirmary. This was enough of a surprise, but the men passed away over night. It was agreed that Smitty would no longer be allowed to handle the food.

In the morning, we resumed our plan of reporting to Outpost Yung. Igor, Mirel and myself agreed to go. The journey was short, only about an hour, although we did almost lose our way at one point. We were pleased to find a pristine, well-kept tower, where we were greeted by Cpl. Seth, who took us to Sgt. Reginald.