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Maissen: Shades of Grey [UPDATE 12/12, post 199]
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<blockquote data-quote="Beale Knight" data-source="post: 2781112" data-attributes="member: 7033"><p><strong>Session 14 pt. 2 Battle! , Ferralie Pass</strong></p><p></p><p>Ren waved the others forward and rode Sandy on to the scene. Soon he saw that a pair of dog-men had a gnome strapped to a crude alter and seemed ready to sacrifice him. One heard Ren’s approach and turned. The other received an arrow through the neck. It tore through the bones of the spine and sliced through the artery, sending a splay of blood outward as the dog-man fell dead to the ground. </p><p></p><p>His companion decided to flee. </p><p></p><p>The others right behind him, Ren rode up to free the captive. As soon as he loosed the binding he realized he’d been tricked. The ropes weren’t tight. </p><p></p><p>The gnome victim turned into a repulsive woman with sickly green skin and stringy dark hair. The hag reached out to Ren and drained his strength by half. He staggered back toward Sandy as the others came to get the fight started. </p><p></p><p>Bobrack shot and missed, Dumb Bear destroyed the alter trying to get at the hag, Bessie and Ren both sent off wild shots, and Aneirin managed to actually wound the woman and avoid her touch. </p><p></p><p>The hag then yelled out, “Now!”</p><p></p><p>At her bidding some dozen gnolls emerged from the hiding places. Suddenly the battle took a turn against us! </p><p></p><p>Anierin and Dumb Bead were in the thick of it, concentrating on the hag woman. She only managed to get her hands on Dumb Bear once, draining some bit of strength from the barbaric elf. Bessie and Bobrack found themselves surrounded a desperately trying to get off blows and crossbow shots while avoiding the gnoll attackers. Ren pulled back from the thick of battle, sending arrows into the fray – some with more success than others. Bobrack was grievously wounded by two of the gnolls and fled the scene entirely. Dumb Bear and Aneirin were landing blows against the hag and gnolls while suffering only a few themselves. It was still anyone’s battle at that point.</p><p></p><p>Then Bessie changed everything. She retreated from the gnolls and began casting intensely, as when summoning a creature. But this time no creature appeared. This time the clouds gathered and the temperature rose. Winds shifted and humidity shot up. </p><p></p><p>The druid from Vaunth-on-the-Lake pointed and lightning struck the hag. </p><p></p><p>For a moment the entire world stood still save the winds whipping about Bessie’s smiling face. We saw Aneirin and Dumb Bear standing amid dead and wounded gnolls, facing a hag blackened by the force of lightning but still on her feet. </p><p></p><p>Then she vanished. All but two of the surviving gnolls turned on their heels and fled. Aneirin and Dumb Bear struck them down as Ren wheeled Sandy around one of the stone hives. It blocked the sound of the slaughter and the hunter focused his ears. </p><p></p><p>A twig snapped. Ren shot right at the spot, but saw his arrow fly harmlessly through the air. He bit back a curse and rode back to the others. </p><p></p><p>We expressed our amazement at Bessie’s new mastery of natural magic, and now understood her smile from this morning. Bobrack to returned, and we all resolved to use a different plan the next time we came upon a helpless victim calling for help. Both times we’d been fooled by a shape changer. </p><p></p><p>Our thoughts then turned to these gnolls. We wondered out loud what they were and what they were doing here when the ground shook.</p><p></p><p>“They work for me,” came a voice like thunder. </p><p></p><p>Coming down the trail was a giant, twice as tall as any of us and with three heads. </p><p></p><p>We wasted no time. Ren, still on Sandy, shot the giant. Aneirin rode full speed to it, Dumb Bear ran to the fight, and Bessie stood still. It hadn’t been two minutes since her spell began. </p><p></p><p>Lightning struck the three headed giant. Followed by an arrow, a deep biting lance, and a flail that emitted acid against giants, the attack brought the giant down quickly. </p><p></p><p>Sandy, ordered to be on guard for the hag’s return, noticed a strange scent. We followed this to another lizard-like mount, this one armored in scale barding and with full riding gear. Saddle bags contained silver coins and blue gems, foul herbs, and other bits of miscellany. These we put in the portable hole, along with the heads of the giant, all still connected by shoulder skin. </p><p></p><p>Aneirin took charge of the lizard, what we presumed to be the hag woman’s mount, and tested himself with him as we progressed further up the trail. Night was coming and we wanted to put some distance between us and the ambush site. </p><p></p><p>We were all on edge that night, ready for the hag to return, but it passed without incident. Day Fifty saw us continuing through the forest and watching the mountains grow on either side. Abundant game indicated the forest was thinning and as the sun began to sink we saw a grand castle in the distance. Though not as large as Maissen castle, it was fancier by far.</p><p> </p><p>As we approached we could see light and smoke but no other sides of activities. No farm fields surrounded the castle, no guards walked duty. </p><p></p><p>Not until we got closer. We rode up to the edge of the waterless moat and saw elfin heads and bows rise above the walls. Dumb Bear hailed the castle, saying we came in peace. We waited.</p><p></p><p>These elves were kinder than the wizards of UrZin. In minutes the main gate opened and a wizened elf appeared to bid us welcome. We gave him our message regarding Idien and were allowed to enter the castle. He gestured and from the wall itself a bridge formed out to meet us. The wizened elf offered us shelter for the night, had handlers stable our mounts (without the slightest grimace toward Sandy and the other lizard) and that we would meet with himself and the others tomorrow to discuss things. </p><p></p><p>Shelter was an eight story tower. Just for the five of us. Bathing was encouraged and fresh garments would await us come morning. </p><p></p><p>It was luxury. Not the traveling tower of Thrand, the hidden cottage of Balloong, the tents of the wandering elves, all of The Town, nor even the castle of Maissen could compare to the luxury of that tower. Scented oils and soaps, roaring fires, sweet wines and breads, thick robes and rug, and soft beads. Not the sort of place most of us wanted to live, but it was a delight to visit. </p><p></p><p>The morning of Day Fifty-One the fresh robes awaited us. As did two guards just outside the tower doors. They led us to a huge hall, half as tall as the tower and featuring a stained glass window running the full width and height of the hall itself. There the wizened elf and two others that seemed just as old met us. </p><p></p><p>Filling the hall were all manner of craftworks. Every single one a unique and perfect example of a style of work. The trio of elves led us around the hall explaining that this entire castle was a museum of crafts, perfect crafts – crafted by elves. These elves held the most perfect examples in display for any proper folk to see and study, and sponsored talented artisans to come to here and engage in their craft. </p><p></p><p>We were then led up a stairway that felt as if it stretched to the stars. A wide meeting hall at the top had chairs for twenty-four. As we waited for the other elves to show, our host explained that there were only nine resident elves in the castle, along with a modest guard and the sponsored artisans. Nonetheless they were unworried about Idien. They were supremely confident in their defenses, but very pleased we had taken the trouble to come and warn them. “It *was* the Good thing to do.”</p><p></p><p>After Bessie went over everything that had happened to us since gathering at Popa Thorson’s home, the elves answered what questions we had. Derros, they told us, was responsible for the destruction of so much of the eastern Seven Peaks mountain range – the Valley of Shards. They indicated the herbs we found could be used to craft evil potions but not heal or aid, so we let the elves destroy them. We obtained a common moth for Balford, and elves presented us with a blue one. They told us the hag we fought was one of trio, and would never rest until we or she were dead. </p><p></p><p>The elves showed us a remarkable magical device built from a tree trunk and moss. It was a locator. Speaking the name of an individual to the tree prompted it to form a map of moss indicating where that individual was on its flat surface. It occurred to us to ask it where the hags were. Our wizened elf guide nodded and asked us to step back. </p><p></p><p>He leaned in close and whispered a name. Ren’s sharp ears caught him saying “Bloomis,” and he made a mental note. The map of moss quivered and slide about the flat surface of the tree until it formed a map of the region of the stone hives. We then asked about the other two. </p><p></p><p>Again our guide leaned in close and whispered a name caught as Noomis. This time the moss moved to show a wider area Bessie and Ren recognized as northern Maissen. A hag in North Maissen! How did this relate to the escaped slaves there?</p><p></p><p>Then we asked for the location of the third hag and again the elf leaned close to the tree. He whispered Toomis and the moss moved to the edge of its display region. There was no map.</p><p></p><p>“She is beyond the map’s ken,” said the wizened elf. He explained that menat she might be in an area protected from scryes, but that most likely she was dead. </p><p></p><p>It was a lot to take in and it was alredy well passed noon. We opted to stay another night and leave for the halfling’s on Day Fifty-Two. We bid the elves farewell and were welcomed to return whenever we wished. </p><p></p><p>Travel that day was simply. We camped a peaceful night and Day Fifty-Three found us passing the ambush area again. Armed with knowledge, and with better tactics in mind, we dallied there, taunting Noomis by name. We thanked her for the mount, mentioned the elves had destroyed her herbs, and finally wished her the best as she hid and to send our regards to her sisters Noomis and Toomis. </p><p></p><p>“But wait – oh that’s right,” Ren called. “Toomis is dead isn’t she?”</p><p></p><p>Fate dutifully tempted, we rode on. </p><p></p><p>By the time we reached the halfling village it was almost gone. They were ready to move on to Maissen. We were ready to shake the road off of us. Ren returned the borrowed book and the group met with Lykos. He had just returned and reported the tree elves were warned. We told him our tale, and then it was time to find something to eat.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Beale Knight, post: 2781112, member: 7033"] [b]Session 14 pt. 2 Battle! , Ferralie Pass[/b] Ren waved the others forward and rode Sandy on to the scene. Soon he saw that a pair of dog-men had a gnome strapped to a crude alter and seemed ready to sacrifice him. One heard Ren’s approach and turned. The other received an arrow through the neck. It tore through the bones of the spine and sliced through the artery, sending a splay of blood outward as the dog-man fell dead to the ground. His companion decided to flee. The others right behind him, Ren rode up to free the captive. As soon as he loosed the binding he realized he’d been tricked. The ropes weren’t tight. The gnome victim turned into a repulsive woman with sickly green skin and stringy dark hair. The hag reached out to Ren and drained his strength by half. He staggered back toward Sandy as the others came to get the fight started. Bobrack shot and missed, Dumb Bear destroyed the alter trying to get at the hag, Bessie and Ren both sent off wild shots, and Aneirin managed to actually wound the woman and avoid her touch. The hag then yelled out, “Now!” At her bidding some dozen gnolls emerged from the hiding places. Suddenly the battle took a turn against us! Anierin and Dumb Bead were in the thick of it, concentrating on the hag woman. She only managed to get her hands on Dumb Bear once, draining some bit of strength from the barbaric elf. Bessie and Bobrack found themselves surrounded a desperately trying to get off blows and crossbow shots while avoiding the gnoll attackers. Ren pulled back from the thick of battle, sending arrows into the fray – some with more success than others. Bobrack was grievously wounded by two of the gnolls and fled the scene entirely. Dumb Bear and Aneirin were landing blows against the hag and gnolls while suffering only a few themselves. It was still anyone’s battle at that point. Then Bessie changed everything. She retreated from the gnolls and began casting intensely, as when summoning a creature. But this time no creature appeared. This time the clouds gathered and the temperature rose. Winds shifted and humidity shot up. The druid from Vaunth-on-the-Lake pointed and lightning struck the hag. For a moment the entire world stood still save the winds whipping about Bessie’s smiling face. We saw Aneirin and Dumb Bear standing amid dead and wounded gnolls, facing a hag blackened by the force of lightning but still on her feet. Then she vanished. All but two of the surviving gnolls turned on their heels and fled. Aneirin and Dumb Bear struck them down as Ren wheeled Sandy around one of the stone hives. It blocked the sound of the slaughter and the hunter focused his ears. A twig snapped. Ren shot right at the spot, but saw his arrow fly harmlessly through the air. He bit back a curse and rode back to the others. We expressed our amazement at Bessie’s new mastery of natural magic, and now understood her smile from this morning. Bobrack to returned, and we all resolved to use a different plan the next time we came upon a helpless victim calling for help. Both times we’d been fooled by a shape changer. Our thoughts then turned to these gnolls. We wondered out loud what they were and what they were doing here when the ground shook. “They work for me,” came a voice like thunder. Coming down the trail was a giant, twice as tall as any of us and with three heads. We wasted no time. Ren, still on Sandy, shot the giant. Aneirin rode full speed to it, Dumb Bear ran to the fight, and Bessie stood still. It hadn’t been two minutes since her spell began. Lightning struck the three headed giant. Followed by an arrow, a deep biting lance, and a flail that emitted acid against giants, the attack brought the giant down quickly. Sandy, ordered to be on guard for the hag’s return, noticed a strange scent. We followed this to another lizard-like mount, this one armored in scale barding and with full riding gear. Saddle bags contained silver coins and blue gems, foul herbs, and other bits of miscellany. These we put in the portable hole, along with the heads of the giant, all still connected by shoulder skin. Aneirin took charge of the lizard, what we presumed to be the hag woman’s mount, and tested himself with him as we progressed further up the trail. Night was coming and we wanted to put some distance between us and the ambush site. We were all on edge that night, ready for the hag to return, but it passed without incident. Day Fifty saw us continuing through the forest and watching the mountains grow on either side. Abundant game indicated the forest was thinning and as the sun began to sink we saw a grand castle in the distance. Though not as large as Maissen castle, it was fancier by far. As we approached we could see light and smoke but no other sides of activities. No farm fields surrounded the castle, no guards walked duty. Not until we got closer. We rode up to the edge of the waterless moat and saw elfin heads and bows rise above the walls. Dumb Bear hailed the castle, saying we came in peace. We waited. These elves were kinder than the wizards of UrZin. In minutes the main gate opened and a wizened elf appeared to bid us welcome. We gave him our message regarding Idien and were allowed to enter the castle. He gestured and from the wall itself a bridge formed out to meet us. The wizened elf offered us shelter for the night, had handlers stable our mounts (without the slightest grimace toward Sandy and the other lizard) and that we would meet with himself and the others tomorrow to discuss things. Shelter was an eight story tower. Just for the five of us. Bathing was encouraged and fresh garments would await us come morning. It was luxury. Not the traveling tower of Thrand, the hidden cottage of Balloong, the tents of the wandering elves, all of The Town, nor even the castle of Maissen could compare to the luxury of that tower. Scented oils and soaps, roaring fires, sweet wines and breads, thick robes and rug, and soft beads. Not the sort of place most of us wanted to live, but it was a delight to visit. The morning of Day Fifty-One the fresh robes awaited us. As did two guards just outside the tower doors. They led us to a huge hall, half as tall as the tower and featuring a stained glass window running the full width and height of the hall itself. There the wizened elf and two others that seemed just as old met us. Filling the hall were all manner of craftworks. Every single one a unique and perfect example of a style of work. The trio of elves led us around the hall explaining that this entire castle was a museum of crafts, perfect crafts – crafted by elves. These elves held the most perfect examples in display for any proper folk to see and study, and sponsored talented artisans to come to here and engage in their craft. We were then led up a stairway that felt as if it stretched to the stars. A wide meeting hall at the top had chairs for twenty-four. As we waited for the other elves to show, our host explained that there were only nine resident elves in the castle, along with a modest guard and the sponsored artisans. Nonetheless they were unworried about Idien. They were supremely confident in their defenses, but very pleased we had taken the trouble to come and warn them. “It *was* the Good thing to do.” After Bessie went over everything that had happened to us since gathering at Popa Thorson’s home, the elves answered what questions we had. Derros, they told us, was responsible for the destruction of so much of the eastern Seven Peaks mountain range – the Valley of Shards. They indicated the herbs we found could be used to craft evil potions but not heal or aid, so we let the elves destroy them. We obtained a common moth for Balford, and elves presented us with a blue one. They told us the hag we fought was one of trio, and would never rest until we or she were dead. The elves showed us a remarkable magical device built from a tree trunk and moss. It was a locator. Speaking the name of an individual to the tree prompted it to form a map of moss indicating where that individual was on its flat surface. It occurred to us to ask it where the hags were. Our wizened elf guide nodded and asked us to step back. He leaned in close and whispered a name. Ren’s sharp ears caught him saying “Bloomis,” and he made a mental note. The map of moss quivered and slide about the flat surface of the tree until it formed a map of the region of the stone hives. We then asked about the other two. Again our guide leaned in close and whispered a name caught as Noomis. This time the moss moved to show a wider area Bessie and Ren recognized as northern Maissen. A hag in North Maissen! How did this relate to the escaped slaves there? Then we asked for the location of the third hag and again the elf leaned close to the tree. He whispered Toomis and the moss moved to the edge of its display region. There was no map. “She is beyond the map’s ken,” said the wizened elf. He explained that menat she might be in an area protected from scryes, but that most likely she was dead. It was a lot to take in and it was alredy well passed noon. We opted to stay another night and leave for the halfling’s on Day Fifty-Two. We bid the elves farewell and were welcomed to return whenever we wished. Travel that day was simply. We camped a peaceful night and Day Fifty-Three found us passing the ambush area again. Armed with knowledge, and with better tactics in mind, we dallied there, taunting Noomis by name. We thanked her for the mount, mentioned the elves had destroyed her herbs, and finally wished her the best as she hid and to send our regards to her sisters Noomis and Toomis. “But wait – oh that’s right,” Ren called. “Toomis is dead isn’t she?” Fate dutifully tempted, we rode on. By the time we reached the halfling village it was almost gone. They were ready to move on to Maissen. We were ready to shake the road off of us. Ren returned the borrowed book and the group met with Lykos. He had just returned and reported the tree elves were warned. We told him our tale, and then it was time to find something to eat. [/QUOTE]
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