Crothian
First Post
Amber Company Have You Heard of Us?
The start of the Amber Company was not perceived to be a big event. It was a small group of friends that had a commitment to trying to help out and to do something about the problems plaguing the lands. The Orc invasion though was bigger then people thought, and the Drow and the Underdark proved to be problematic. But the Amber Company survived and even though the tales of them are exaggerated, I figure it is time to tell their tale. I am not a story teller or historian. I am just a stone carver least that is all I ever really wanted to be. But I also named Amber Company after our first successful job. I remember those days well full of celebrations and Ale. Lots of Ale actually for the company seemed to thrive off that glorious drink. I am Malaki and I am one of the founders of this legendary group.
My story starts in an island off some unnamed coast in the place some know as the Forgotten Realms. My people are slightly xenophobic having little to do with the outside world. We are dwarves, but truer then the ones most people see and know. We have not lost our connection with the earth like many of the other so called dwarves have. Our skin tones are that of rock, and out hair and beards look strong and complete in the natural earth tones the other have lost. But being the third child left me with little options. So, I choose to travel. The family and clan understood. My journey took me a long way. I don’t know the lands I traveled through or the people I traveled with. Those details are not as important as where I ended up. I arrived in the Citadel Adbar. It is a dwarven place, built mostly underground and had a good tone in it as the boots echoed down the earth and stone caverns. The place was the closest to home in appearance I had seen on my journeys.
It all started in Hammersmasher’s Ale House. A caravan captain had lost her caravan and it included some rare materials for the crafting of some weapons for the Kings sons. She was looking for volunteers to go into the Underdark to try to retrieve it and possible some other things. . For the most part the dwarves and a few others that were enjoying the place fell silently not wanting to help. Then a dwarf stood up and accepted the job, he was Brioden. Then a few others joined in as well. Many of the names you probably have heard: Ulfgar another dwarf, Corados, a human, and Durabo an elf. Lastly, I stood and joined in not to sure what to make of these other people.
Brioden was like myself. A dwarf with an axe to grind and stick into things that got in our way. Ulfgar while a dwarf was not like any I had seen. He used magic. Not the good and clear magic that Moradin blesses people with but the exploding and destructive kind that just seems to come naturally to him. Yet, he can do it wearing armor without any hindrances. It does not really surprise me though that it would be dwarves that can cat in armor. Corados was tall. But for such a big fellow he moved with surprising grace and ease. Durabo is the first elf I have ever really encountered. And while he is not that smart as I expect from elves and their flighty ways, he has a sense of adventure about him. He was also the one that wanted to go into the Underdark the most and even though my knowledge of the place is very limited, I am not sure if he was being brave or foolish.
The adventure as was lined out for us was fairly simple. We need to go down a large tunnel that caravans came though and find the one that was hit only a few kilometers away. Others had tracked out that far but were unable to find anything to help locate the missing supplies. It was now our job. I was eager to go and my ignorance was a good thing. Actually, we remained quite ignorant of what the place was like for quite a while. The tales of horrors to be found there never did the place justice. The rumors of people getting lost in mazes of tunnels and passages seemed preposterous. But I get a head of myself and should probably tell the tale as it happened
The gates the lead into the city where huge covering from the bottom to the top of the cavern. We had a special writ that allowed us to get back in. The remains of the caravans were easy to find. It was a straight walk out to them. The caravan looked like it got hit pretty hard. The place had obviously been gone over a few times by other scouts and possible some of the things that were around and living in this place. There was some ruble by one of the walls and from there we encounter some big rats. Nasty creatures that had no fear of man or dwarf. I really was not expecting anything to fear the elf.
The battle with the creatures went well. Brioden got a nasty bite that we later found out was infected but the good and skillful clerics of Moradin where able to cure that for him later. The collapsed wall actually gave way to some small side passage. The dwarves had an easy time with it but I could hear the grumbling of Corados as he had to bend over quite far to fit. We ran into some troglodytes in there but they were not co operative,. I tried to converse them in the Draconic Tongue and while they responded and understood they were not willing to help us out. They actually opposed us and had to be dealt with. From there we came to what might be described as a lot of passages going this way and that. But that did not confuse me at all. Being a dwarf of the earth I seemed to have a knack and each tunnel I picked turned out to be the correct way to go.
We spent a few hours following the paths. We say a room filled with some thing on the ceiling. We never did determine what it was. I am thinking lots of bats but the movement of them just did not seem right. In another room was the first time I felt fear but it turned out to be completely unfounded. I am sure you have heard of these dreadfully powerful creatures called Beholders that haunt and trouble people in the Underdark. We ran into a pair and I must say they turned out to be no challenge. They descended on us and I through my lucky hammer at one and with one solid hit it was dead. The other one tried to use an eye ray on us but it proved to be complete ineffective. We killed them both with little harm to us. The biggest problem with them is we needed to use missile type weapons, so Brioden and I were not that great. The others though seemed skilled with their bows and crossbows. Without even trying we have a good group with a versatile number of weapons and options. I knew this group would be something special.
Past the Beholders were more Troglodytes. They also did not want to help and had to be put down. There was some weird ancient dwarven writing s that we never figured out along with some odd watering holes. I always meant to get back their one day. The troglodytes had the supplies that we were looking for and back to Citadel Adbar we went. They were really surprised to find us back and successful so fast. What was expected to take a few days we did in about twelve hours. The treasured items we had rescued included the price component of Amber for the Kings son’s weapons. It was based off of that that I choose to name the group Amber Company. The rest thought it was a fitting name and it stuck. It was funny when we were in the Alehouse talking about it. Not a minute after we choose the name Durabo leaned over to another table and said:
“We are Amber Company, have you heard of us?”
Of course they had not but that did not stop the crazy elf from asking that very question to nearly everyone we meet in Citadel Adbar. It was quite funny at the time and still makes me chuckle thinking about. We made some mistakes with the items we got though. We had a nice set of stone plates and accessories that we sold for some good money and then had to buy back at like twice what we got it for once we realized that it was supposed to be a gift for the King. Not our greatest moment there but it happens.
It amazes me of people who adventure and do not take the time to relax when they can. I was a bit beaten and bruised after the first job and spent a few good days drinking and eating and relaxing. Sure I can swing a good axe like the rest of them but I am just a Stone Carver. So, I spent a few days crafting some small symbols of Moradin to give as gifts to people we helped out. The others seemed busy and had stuff to do,. I saw them every now and then as they stopped by but they were frantic at times. They need to relax and drink the ale and wine. Though Durabo thought our wine was a little to thick. He seemed to think wine should have the consistency of water. He is an elf and really does not know better but he is learning.
The start of the Amber Company was not perceived to be a big event. It was a small group of friends that had a commitment to trying to help out and to do something about the problems plaguing the lands. The Orc invasion though was bigger then people thought, and the Drow and the Underdark proved to be problematic. But the Amber Company survived and even though the tales of them are exaggerated, I figure it is time to tell their tale. I am not a story teller or historian. I am just a stone carver least that is all I ever really wanted to be. But I also named Amber Company after our first successful job. I remember those days well full of celebrations and Ale. Lots of Ale actually for the company seemed to thrive off that glorious drink. I am Malaki and I am one of the founders of this legendary group.
My story starts in an island off some unnamed coast in the place some know as the Forgotten Realms. My people are slightly xenophobic having little to do with the outside world. We are dwarves, but truer then the ones most people see and know. We have not lost our connection with the earth like many of the other so called dwarves have. Our skin tones are that of rock, and out hair and beards look strong and complete in the natural earth tones the other have lost. But being the third child left me with little options. So, I choose to travel. The family and clan understood. My journey took me a long way. I don’t know the lands I traveled through or the people I traveled with. Those details are not as important as where I ended up. I arrived in the Citadel Adbar. It is a dwarven place, built mostly underground and had a good tone in it as the boots echoed down the earth and stone caverns. The place was the closest to home in appearance I had seen on my journeys.
It all started in Hammersmasher’s Ale House. A caravan captain had lost her caravan and it included some rare materials for the crafting of some weapons for the Kings sons. She was looking for volunteers to go into the Underdark to try to retrieve it and possible some other things. . For the most part the dwarves and a few others that were enjoying the place fell silently not wanting to help. Then a dwarf stood up and accepted the job, he was Brioden. Then a few others joined in as well. Many of the names you probably have heard: Ulfgar another dwarf, Corados, a human, and Durabo an elf. Lastly, I stood and joined in not to sure what to make of these other people.
Brioden was like myself. A dwarf with an axe to grind and stick into things that got in our way. Ulfgar while a dwarf was not like any I had seen. He used magic. Not the good and clear magic that Moradin blesses people with but the exploding and destructive kind that just seems to come naturally to him. Yet, he can do it wearing armor without any hindrances. It does not really surprise me though that it would be dwarves that can cat in armor. Corados was tall. But for such a big fellow he moved with surprising grace and ease. Durabo is the first elf I have ever really encountered. And while he is not that smart as I expect from elves and their flighty ways, he has a sense of adventure about him. He was also the one that wanted to go into the Underdark the most and even though my knowledge of the place is very limited, I am not sure if he was being brave or foolish.
The adventure as was lined out for us was fairly simple. We need to go down a large tunnel that caravans came though and find the one that was hit only a few kilometers away. Others had tracked out that far but were unable to find anything to help locate the missing supplies. It was now our job. I was eager to go and my ignorance was a good thing. Actually, we remained quite ignorant of what the place was like for quite a while. The tales of horrors to be found there never did the place justice. The rumors of people getting lost in mazes of tunnels and passages seemed preposterous. But I get a head of myself and should probably tell the tale as it happened
The gates the lead into the city where huge covering from the bottom to the top of the cavern. We had a special writ that allowed us to get back in. The remains of the caravans were easy to find. It was a straight walk out to them. The caravan looked like it got hit pretty hard. The place had obviously been gone over a few times by other scouts and possible some of the things that were around and living in this place. There was some ruble by one of the walls and from there we encounter some big rats. Nasty creatures that had no fear of man or dwarf. I really was not expecting anything to fear the elf.
The battle with the creatures went well. Brioden got a nasty bite that we later found out was infected but the good and skillful clerics of Moradin where able to cure that for him later. The collapsed wall actually gave way to some small side passage. The dwarves had an easy time with it but I could hear the grumbling of Corados as he had to bend over quite far to fit. We ran into some troglodytes in there but they were not co operative,. I tried to converse them in the Draconic Tongue and while they responded and understood they were not willing to help us out. They actually opposed us and had to be dealt with. From there we came to what might be described as a lot of passages going this way and that. But that did not confuse me at all. Being a dwarf of the earth I seemed to have a knack and each tunnel I picked turned out to be the correct way to go.
We spent a few hours following the paths. We say a room filled with some thing on the ceiling. We never did determine what it was. I am thinking lots of bats but the movement of them just did not seem right. In another room was the first time I felt fear but it turned out to be completely unfounded. I am sure you have heard of these dreadfully powerful creatures called Beholders that haunt and trouble people in the Underdark. We ran into a pair and I must say they turned out to be no challenge. They descended on us and I through my lucky hammer at one and with one solid hit it was dead. The other one tried to use an eye ray on us but it proved to be complete ineffective. We killed them both with little harm to us. The biggest problem with them is we needed to use missile type weapons, so Brioden and I were not that great. The others though seemed skilled with their bows and crossbows. Without even trying we have a good group with a versatile number of weapons and options. I knew this group would be something special.
Past the Beholders were more Troglodytes. They also did not want to help and had to be put down. There was some weird ancient dwarven writing s that we never figured out along with some odd watering holes. I always meant to get back their one day. The troglodytes had the supplies that we were looking for and back to Citadel Adbar we went. They were really surprised to find us back and successful so fast. What was expected to take a few days we did in about twelve hours. The treasured items we had rescued included the price component of Amber for the Kings son’s weapons. It was based off of that that I choose to name the group Amber Company. The rest thought it was a fitting name and it stuck. It was funny when we were in the Alehouse talking about it. Not a minute after we choose the name Durabo leaned over to another table and said:
“We are Amber Company, have you heard of us?”
Of course they had not but that did not stop the crazy elf from asking that very question to nearly everyone we meet in Citadel Adbar. It was quite funny at the time and still makes me chuckle thinking about. We made some mistakes with the items we got though. We had a nice set of stone plates and accessories that we sold for some good money and then had to buy back at like twice what we got it for once we realized that it was supposed to be a gift for the King. Not our greatest moment there but it happens.
It amazes me of people who adventure and do not take the time to relax when they can. I was a bit beaten and bruised after the first job and spent a few good days drinking and eating and relaxing. Sure I can swing a good axe like the rest of them but I am just a Stone Carver. So, I spent a few days crafting some small symbols of Moradin to give as gifts to people we helped out. The others seemed busy and had stuff to do,. I saw them every now and then as they stopped by but they were frantic at times. They need to relax and drink the ale and wine. Though Durabo thought our wine was a little to thick. He seemed to think wine should have the consistency of water. He is an elf and really does not know better but he is learning.
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