D&D 3.5e: Retired & Bored

[Guest 11456]

THE WORLD:
resembles the earth in many ways. Keep the topology and climate. Remove the technology, people, cities, etc. Add in typical D&D people, cities, etc. The calendar is the same as present day earth calendar. The dragon that you defeated lived in the Florida everglades. That is where you now live.

THE BACKGROUND:
You are veteran adventurers that have been together for many years. Nearly fifty years ago, you took down the black great wyrm, Toxous and got quite the horde. Many adventurers had tried and failed to vanquish the beast. All but one of you decided to settle down and build a keep in the location of the dragon's lair. The one that didn't want to settle down, Celine Everlife took her share and headed out to find new adventuring companions. You have not heard from her since that day she left. Although there have been rumors of her exploits. But the last rumor was that she died about five years ago.

You have a nice keep. Although it is built in a swamp, it has a firm foundation. Until the beginning of June, you had a nice group of young adventurers that waited on you hand and foot. It was great. It's great to have such a reputation. Comes from killing that big bad dragon.

But then the adventuring bug got to all of them and they left in mass. Things haven't been the same. Now you must do things for yourselves for the first time in 48 years (It took a couple of years to build the keep and attract all the help).

Nearly fifty years ago on August 16, 1953, is when you killed the dragon. It is now June 7 2003. You are all old. However, for the past 47 years you have been taking a rejuvenation elixer. It lasts exactly one year and removes the physical signs of age but leaves the mental effects. You will need to take it again on August 16.

THE PROBLEM:
You have lately been hearing rumors of unrest in the area. Also, the courier from the supplier of the elixer that you take always has arrived on May 29th. He is now 9 days late. You always get the elixer early so that you can have it ready. The elixer has a shelf life of about 3 months, so getting it much earlier then you do wouldn't help. Also, the instructions are quite explicit on when and how to take it.

There is also a rumor that the current unrest is due to your former companion. Seems the current rumor is that she is not dead, but rather undead. Since she was a formidable wizard when you last knew her, you can only guess as to what might have happened to her.

THE PLAYERS:
Player – Character Name – Character Class(es):
Jemal - Daniel – Ranger/Fighter/Horizon Walker 1/4/9
Arknath - Elrick – Rogue 14
Inez Hull – Ghannellis Boar-Blood – Ranger/Barbarian 6/8
Keia – Dargo Celenarn – Cleric/Wizard/Mystic Theurge 3/3/8
Pyrex – Vannyn the Seer – Diviner 14
Wrahn – Thergan Deneval – Bard/Barbarian/Dragon Disciple 1/4/9
Thels – Armand Eagleheart – Cleric 14

JUNE 7, 2003:
It is early in the morning when pounding awakens you from your deep slumber. The sun hasn’t yet peeked over the horizon. The temperature is unseasonably cold. The pounding continues. It sounds as if someone is banging on the keep’s main double doors. From the sound of it, ‘the someone’ is either large or big fisted. At first you think that the staff will get it. But as you slowly regain consciousness you remember that the staff is all gone. As you ponder what to do next you hear the terrible sound of metal scraping against stone. Did someone just knock the doors right off the hinges? Those are reinforced doors. They cost extra. Who or what could do that? Its time to get up and get moving....

 

[Pyrex]

"Gah, what is that racket!"
Vannyn stumbles out of bed and across the room to look out the window...

Edit: Vannyn's room would be up in a tower, with a clear view of the main approach to the castle.

 

[Wrahn]

Those are the sounds of war Thergan thought as he rises from his pallet, The road we abandon 50 years ago, does not seem to have abandon us

Thergan will don his easily equipable items (i.e. not his armor). Since he has had wings, he has prefered his room in the top floor with roof access, so he will take to the night air and circle around towards the front (keeping on high, just in case)

 

[Thels]

What's going on? Let's hope that's news about the deilvery. Armand get out of bed, puts on some decent clothing and styles his hair before moving down to see what's at the door.

 

[Keia]

Dargo stumbled out of bed to the sound of beating drums, or that's at least what it souned like from Dargo's room. Quickly gathering his items, as he had never really stopped wearing most of them to bed (well, he worn fewer items to bed in the more recent years, but the help was gone . . . and so was she).

Dargo reviewed his currently active spells . . . gods I have a boring life, I don't believe I've used a spell for days, Dargo thought. And I can't believe I just said I have a boring life - did I really want to jinx myself. He took the time to gather everything, for if something had the nerve to pound on our doors, it had to be serious. . .

 

[Jemal]

Daniel was out of bed immediately, putting on his sturdy boots and synching up the belt with his family crest. Donning his Lucky Gloves, he glanced for a second at his chain shirt, deciding quickly to wear it... just in case. He threw it on and, grabbing up his Magic Chain, he moved swiftly but silently out the door.

Daniel had insisted on bunking on the first floor, nearest the door, so that when he went out early in the mornings he wouldn't wake anyone. Thus when he oppened the door, the main hall was in sight.

 

[Inez Hull]

What IS that incessant throbbing? I really shouldn't have drunk so much last night.

Ghanellis groggily staggers to his feet from where he had fallen asleep on the floor of the keep's feasting hall. He fumbles about on the table until he finds a pitcher of water which he then proceeds to up-end over his head.

Unggh. I'm not as hungover as I thought and that damn pounding isn't going, better see what's up. Hmmm, why the hell haven't the others checked this out? I better take things with a measure of caution, this is the keep but I'm still in the swamp. Damn it, I've gotten lazy since everyone left, haven't kept up the patrols.

Ghanellis lets out a groan and shakes out his now sodden locks and jogs off to his quarters. He quickly throws on his mail shirt and grabs his blades and then jogs to the front door.

 

[Arknath]

What on Earth could be making that racket? Elrick muses as he slips his gloves and cloak on as quietly as he can. Even from his room, the room in the most unused part of the keep and furthest from the front gate, he can hear the commotion.

One good thing about so much noise, he thinks to himself, is that they won't hear me coming...

 

[Guest 11456]

Vannyn can see what looks like a smached wagon in front of the keep. He also spots Thergan flying down to the wagon. What next?

Thergan flies down and sees the wagon and the statue of a man near where the main doors used to be. The statue is of a man looking up, away from the keep. The statue reminds Thergan of the courier from Marc's Mystical Marvels. The company that delivers the elixer. The company resides in the port city of Sturps (near where Miami is).

Daniel is the first on the scene from the inside. He sees that the main doors have been literally ripped from their hinges and have been flung into the main hall. Just outside he can see the statue of the man.

Everyone else arrives after that in the order of Armand, Dargo, Elrick, and finally Ghanellis. Assuming Vannyn heads down immediately, he arrives between Dargo and Elrick.

 

[Pyrex]

"Snaps, keep an eye out on the road. Let me know if anything else is coming."

Vannyn then throws on a robe & heads down to the main hall.

OCC: Snaps = Ferret Familiar