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From the Ashes (Updated 11/04/2008)
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<blockquote data-quote="ThirdWizard" data-source="post: 4352155" data-attributes="member: 12037"><p>It was only another day of travel before they found the the rock formation shaped like a dragon's claw. It stood out in stark contrast to the surrounding area, the dim light of evening giving it a sinister air. Laying out their heavy blankets, they saw the first few snowflakes of the winter coming down as Alandra began the first watch. By morning the entire area was covered in white powdery snow, the cold of winter setting in around them.</p><p></p><p>Going was rough through the dense forest, even with a skilled ranger guiding them through the underbrush. While they knew they needed to proceed North, the clouds and canopy above made it difficult to use the sun as a guide. The first day on the trail they made good time, by by the second, they were off course enough that they decided to backtrack and try to get back on the path again. After two more days of travel, they were lost, the thick forest around them giving them an unnerving sensation of being in a labyrinth.</p><p></p><p>About midday, they happened upon a small moss covered stone shrine to Avandra, goddess of travelers, frontier, and adventurers. Her shrines litter the world, set by her followers everywhere as guideposts and safe spots for resting - even a bandit will not attack someone resting near a shrine to Avandra, breaking that taboo would surely mean losing her favor forever. But, finding the shrine was a stroke of luck in their favor, perhaps divine by accounts of Tordek, who worshiped the goddess.</p><p></p><p>They rested there that night, Tordek praying over the shrine for them to find their way. The next morning, refreshed, they set out again, this time easily discerning the path they needed to take and making good time, even compared to their first day coming from the creek. And, after a day's journey northward, they spotted the top of a white tower reaching over the trees, reaching Caelynnasidhe's home as the sun began to set.</p><p></p><p>OOC:[sblock]This was a skill challenge. The PCs had to get 6 successes before 3 failures. It was mostly Nature checks to keep going through the forest, but I added two things. First was the ability to, once, backtrack to drop one failure and one success, essentially putting them back a couple of days. The second was the chance to happen upon the shrine and thus be able to use a Religion check to gain a substantial bonus on the next day's Nature check. They put both of these to use and they finally succeeded. </p><p></p><p>Had they failed, they would have run across another encounter, a traveling group of fey going through the woods. That encounter would prove very dangerous because it wouldn't have <em>looked</em> dangerous to them initially. I'm running the fey under some rules I borrowed (read: stole) from <em>The Dresden Files</em>. 1) Fey cannot lie (don't take this to mean you should believe everything they say!) and 2) Any favor done by a fey toward a moral must be repaid and vice versa. Any food the PCs had eaten, any supplies they had gained, any information gleaned would have meant the fey basically owned the PC for all intents and purposes. The PCs know this, the trick is remembering it when it is very tempting to take what they can get.</p><p></p><p>Anyway, they succeeded (barely!) and didn't have to deal with the dangerous fey encounter.[/sblock]</p><p>It was a structure that would stand out in any city they had ever been to, and amidst the forest under the red sun, it was amazing. It's white marble frame rose three stories from the ground, a second tower on the second, much smaller, perhaps onlly eight feet across, rose another four stories. It's front door was made of some black metal that stood in stark contrast with the rest of the building, and no windows were visible anywhere.</p><p></p><p>Approaching the door, the PCs used the large knocker affixed to the door, made of the same metal. It was extravagant, merely a loop hanging from the door. There were no carvings, no insets pictured. The white marble of the tower looked like a solid piece of stone. The only things on the door being the knocker and a doorknob with a small keyhole. After the second knock, the door opened, a tall woman, obviously eladrin, her eyes silver and her hair a light blue, her skin fair, smiling at them in welcome.</p><p></p><p>"Guests..." she said, "Please come in. It has been some time." Stepping back to allow them entrance, she added, "I have food, drink, please make yourselves at home while I prepare something for you." The entrance chamber was well furnished, couches, pillows, and other finery looked inviting, although there was no fireplace to warm themselves by. "I will return shortly."</p><p></p><p>The PCs made themselves at home as she had suggested, wondering why a hermit such as herself would have such an area for guests. Perhaps this would not be so difficult after all.</p><p></p><p>Of course, nothing is ever so simple for adventurers.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="ThirdWizard, post: 4352155, member: 12037"] It was only another day of travel before they found the the rock formation shaped like a dragon's claw. It stood out in stark contrast to the surrounding area, the dim light of evening giving it a sinister air. Laying out their heavy blankets, they saw the first few snowflakes of the winter coming down as Alandra began the first watch. By morning the entire area was covered in white powdery snow, the cold of winter setting in around them. Going was rough through the dense forest, even with a skilled ranger guiding them through the underbrush. While they knew they needed to proceed North, the clouds and canopy above made it difficult to use the sun as a guide. The first day on the trail they made good time, by by the second, they were off course enough that they decided to backtrack and try to get back on the path again. After two more days of travel, they were lost, the thick forest around them giving them an unnerving sensation of being in a labyrinth. About midday, they happened upon a small moss covered stone shrine to Avandra, goddess of travelers, frontier, and adventurers. Her shrines litter the world, set by her followers everywhere as guideposts and safe spots for resting - even a bandit will not attack someone resting near a shrine to Avandra, breaking that taboo would surely mean losing her favor forever. But, finding the shrine was a stroke of luck in their favor, perhaps divine by accounts of Tordek, who worshiped the goddess. They rested there that night, Tordek praying over the shrine for them to find their way. The next morning, refreshed, they set out again, this time easily discerning the path they needed to take and making good time, even compared to their first day coming from the creek. And, after a day's journey northward, they spotted the top of a white tower reaching over the trees, reaching Caelynnasidhe's home as the sun began to set. OOC:[sblock]This was a skill challenge. The PCs had to get 6 successes before 3 failures. It was mostly Nature checks to keep going through the forest, but I added two things. First was the ability to, once, backtrack to drop one failure and one success, essentially putting them back a couple of days. The second was the chance to happen upon the shrine and thus be able to use a Religion check to gain a substantial bonus on the next day's Nature check. They put both of these to use and they finally succeeded. Had they failed, they would have run across another encounter, a traveling group of fey going through the woods. That encounter would prove very dangerous because it wouldn't have [i]looked[/i] dangerous to them initially. I'm running the fey under some rules I borrowed (read: stole) from [i]The Dresden Files[/i]. 1) Fey cannot lie (don't take this to mean you should believe everything they say!) and 2) Any favor done by a fey toward a moral must be repaid and vice versa. Any food the PCs had eaten, any supplies they had gained, any information gleaned would have meant the fey basically owned the PC for all intents and purposes. The PCs know this, the trick is remembering it when it is very tempting to take what they can get. Anyway, they succeeded (barely!) and didn't have to deal with the dangerous fey encounter.[/sblock] It was a structure that would stand out in any city they had ever been to, and amidst the forest under the red sun, it was amazing. It's white marble frame rose three stories from the ground, a second tower on the second, much smaller, perhaps onlly eight feet across, rose another four stories. It's front door was made of some black metal that stood in stark contrast with the rest of the building, and no windows were visible anywhere. Approaching the door, the PCs used the large knocker affixed to the door, made of the same metal. It was extravagant, merely a loop hanging from the door. There were no carvings, no insets pictured. The white marble of the tower looked like a solid piece of stone. The only things on the door being the knocker and a doorknob with a small keyhole. After the second knock, the door opened, a tall woman, obviously eladrin, her eyes silver and her hair a light blue, her skin fair, smiling at them in welcome. "Guests..." she said, "Please come in. It has been some time." Stepping back to allow them entrance, she added, "I have food, drink, please make yourselves at home while I prepare something for you." The entrance chamber was well furnished, couches, pillows, and other finery looked inviting, although there was no fireplace to warm themselves by. "I will return shortly." The PCs made themselves at home as she had suggested, wondering why a hermit such as herself would have such an area for guests. Perhaps this would not be so difficult after all. Of course, nothing is ever so simple for adventurers. [/QUOTE]
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