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Cydra: the Early Years
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<blockquote data-quote="the Jester" data-source="post: 4679235" data-attributes="member: 1210"><p>Heaven was the most wonderful place imaginable. </p><p></p><p>Dexter was at peace for the first time in his life; perhaps the only time. To those that were true followers of Galador, especially Dex, Jenner, Belmondo, Therighast and Pandos, Heaven was pure bliss. They basked in the Divine Radiance. </p><p></p><p>To others it was less comfortable. Nydroth was on edge the entire time he was there; he was a despoiler of corpses, a practicioner of the Black Art, and he was only barely welcome, and only by virtue of being one of Dexter’s companions.</p><p></p><p>Inevitably, they would have to go back; but if they lived good lives and had faith in the Light in the face of all adversity, they could one day return to Heaven- and from that day forward, they would have eternal life near the Throne of Light.</p><p></p><p>***</p><p></p><p><em>I’ve waited too long,</em> Rajah decided. <em>It has been weeks and there’s no sign of my companions. Ilyara and I have solved the puzzle; it’s time to follow my friends. Hopefully they’ve left a trail of bodies and broken doors that I can follow, and the things they have slain have not simply been replaced.</em> He took a deep breath and turned to Ilyara. “I think it’s time,” he said.</p><p></p><p>“Finally,” she replied. </p><p></p><p>They walked from their camp site down into the valley from which the Hill of Skulls rose like a great spider bite on the skin of the land itself. And, to Rajah’s amazement, for the first time since he had been teleported inside the Hill, he saw one of his friends.</p><p></p><p>“Hello!” bellowed Belmondo cheerfully.</p><p></p><p>“Belmondo!” exclaimed Rajah. “Where are the others? What happened?”</p><p></p><p>Belmondo sighed. “The others are still in Heaven. We were lifted there to escape the worst the Hill had to offer. Belmondo was sent back to find <em>you.</em> To join you as you re-enter the Hill of Skulls, so that we will all hopefully be reunited soon..” </p><p></p><p>“Why not send everyone back at once?” asked Rajah.*</p><p></p><p>“The Light works in mysterious ways,” Belmondo answered.</p><p></p><p>“Have you seen any sign of Drelvin?” Rajah and Belmondo said at the same time. </p><p></p><p>***</p><p></p><p>Back inside again. The Hill of Skulls was a daunting challenge. The three of them fought another handful of duergar, and then Ilyara’s keen elven eyes spotted a secret door. That led the group to a maze patrolled by a halberd-wielding minotaur. Rajah broke his neck and Ilyara found another secret door- this one leading to a chamber with a staircase leading down.</p><p></p><p>“This seems to be a good sign,” Rajah said.</p><p></p><p>“Or a bad one,” Ilyara retorted.</p><p></p><p>***</p><p></p><p>The others followed not long after. Galactus and Criediki stumbled upon Rajah, Belmondo and Ilyara, and then the entire group rejoined- less Drelvin, of course.</p><p></p><p>“I hope he is still alive,” Dexter murmured.</p><p></p><p><em>Me too,</em> signed Pandos the Mute. </p><p></p><p>***</p><p></p><p>Down the stairs, the party found a tribe of bugbears in service to the Dark Empire. Jenner shouted in joy as <em>Brainmasher</em> slew goblinoid after goblinoid. Therighast charmed one, and it led the party to their chief, who they engaged and defeated, gaining an ominous-looking map. Therighast studied it, along with Nydroth and the dwarves, easily discerning that it seemed to represent the level they were on.</p><p></p><p>“Look here,” pointed Nydroth. “This arrow points upwards, and it seems to be in the chamber we entered from. I would bet that marks a set of stairs... and that <em>this</em> arrow over here, pointing downward, marks the way into the deeper levels of the Hill of Skulls.”</p><p></p><p>“And these markings seem to indicated danger, here, here and here,” Jenner rumbled from behind his whiskers. “But I don’t know if I’d trust a map we got from bugbears.”</p><p></p><p>“Maybe,” Dexter hesitated.</p><p></p><p>“The stairs,” said Ilyara, “sound like what we’re after.”</p><p></p><p>But when the party approached the stairs on the map and Ilyara checked for traps, she halted them. “Those aren’t stairs at all,” she reported. “It’s some kind of illuson covering a trap.”</p><p></p><p>“I guess the bugbear map isn’t exactly reliable, then,” Nydroth said, disappointed.</p><p></p><p>“Told you,” Jenner grunted.</p><p></p><p>They looked at the map again. “Maybe they were trying to hide their treasure with these danger signs,” suggested Ilyara. “I say we check them out.”</p><p></p><p>The party moved to the door to one of the indicated high-danger areas and threw it open. </p><p></p><p>Standing hip-deep in a pool of molten lava was a fire giant. </p><p></p><p>With a harpoon.</p><p></p><p>Dexter said, “Oh sh-“</p><p></p><p><em><strong>Next Time:</strong></em> Everything goes wrong!</p><p></p><p>*On a metagame level, there were only a few pcs present at that session.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="the Jester, post: 4679235, member: 1210"] Heaven was the most wonderful place imaginable. Dexter was at peace for the first time in his life; perhaps the only time. To those that were true followers of Galador, especially Dex, Jenner, Belmondo, Therighast and Pandos, Heaven was pure bliss. They basked in the Divine Radiance. To others it was less comfortable. Nydroth was on edge the entire time he was there; he was a despoiler of corpses, a practicioner of the Black Art, and he was only barely welcome, and only by virtue of being one of Dexter’s companions. Inevitably, they would have to go back; but if they lived good lives and had faith in the Light in the face of all adversity, they could one day return to Heaven- and from that day forward, they would have eternal life near the Throne of Light. *** [i]I’ve waited too long,[/i] Rajah decided. [i]It has been weeks and there’s no sign of my companions. Ilyara and I have solved the puzzle; it’s time to follow my friends. Hopefully they’ve left a trail of bodies and broken doors that I can follow, and the things they have slain have not simply been replaced.[/i] He took a deep breath and turned to Ilyara. “I think it’s time,” he said. “Finally,” she replied. They walked from their camp site down into the valley from which the Hill of Skulls rose like a great spider bite on the skin of the land itself. And, to Rajah’s amazement, for the first time since he had been teleported inside the Hill, he saw one of his friends. “Hello!” bellowed Belmondo cheerfully. “Belmondo!” exclaimed Rajah. “Where are the others? What happened?” Belmondo sighed. “The others are still in Heaven. We were lifted there to escape the worst the Hill had to offer. Belmondo was sent back to find [i]you.[/i] To join you as you re-enter the Hill of Skulls, so that we will all hopefully be reunited soon..” “Why not send everyone back at once?” asked Rajah.* “The Light works in mysterious ways,” Belmondo answered. “Have you seen any sign of Drelvin?” Rajah and Belmondo said at the same time. *** Back inside again. The Hill of Skulls was a daunting challenge. The three of them fought another handful of duergar, and then Ilyara’s keen elven eyes spotted a secret door. That led the group to a maze patrolled by a halberd-wielding minotaur. Rajah broke his neck and Ilyara found another secret door- this one leading to a chamber with a staircase leading down. “This seems to be a good sign,” Rajah said. “Or a bad one,” Ilyara retorted. *** The others followed not long after. Galactus and Criediki stumbled upon Rajah, Belmondo and Ilyara, and then the entire group rejoined- less Drelvin, of course. “I hope he is still alive,” Dexter murmured. [i]Me too,[/i] signed Pandos the Mute. *** Down the stairs, the party found a tribe of bugbears in service to the Dark Empire. Jenner shouted in joy as [i]Brainmasher[/i] slew goblinoid after goblinoid. Therighast charmed one, and it led the party to their chief, who they engaged and defeated, gaining an ominous-looking map. Therighast studied it, along with Nydroth and the dwarves, easily discerning that it seemed to represent the level they were on. “Look here,” pointed Nydroth. “This arrow points upwards, and it seems to be in the chamber we entered from. I would bet that marks a set of stairs... and that [i]this[/i] arrow over here, pointing downward, marks the way into the deeper levels of the Hill of Skulls.” “And these markings seem to indicated danger, here, here and here,” Jenner rumbled from behind his whiskers. “But I don’t know if I’d trust a map we got from bugbears.” “Maybe,” Dexter hesitated. “The stairs,” said Ilyara, “sound like what we’re after.” But when the party approached the stairs on the map and Ilyara checked for traps, she halted them. “Those aren’t stairs at all,” she reported. “It’s some kind of illuson covering a trap.” “I guess the bugbear map isn’t exactly reliable, then,” Nydroth said, disappointed. “Told you,” Jenner grunted. They looked at the map again. “Maybe they were trying to hide their treasure with these danger signs,” suggested Ilyara. “I say we check them out.” The party moved to the door to one of the indicated high-danger areas and threw it open. Standing hip-deep in a pool of molten lava was a fire giant. With a harpoon. Dexter said, “Oh sh-“ [i][b]Next Time:[/b][/i][b][/b] Everything goes wrong! *On a metagame level, there were only a few pcs present at that session. [/QUOTE]
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