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Story Hour
Mazariim - "Orcs From Beyond"
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<blockquote data-quote="Dragonsbane" data-source="post: 6353391" data-attributes="member: 6775188"><p><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'book antiqua'"><span style="font-size: 22px">Adventure 01 Session 01</span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'book antiqua'"></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'book antiqua'">1 Garn (April) 811 AW</span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'book antiqua'"></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'book antiqua'"></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'book antiqua'">It was a wonderful spring day in the Free City of Amara with a gentle breeze blowing the ocean air up and over the people going about their day. At the Red Raven Trading Coaster, a few young heroes wanting to make some gold and perhaps kill some orcs gathered in answer to the rumors and message bills placed around the merchant district. There they met with one of the owners, a rather confident and flashy large man named Aldorph Broomspatch and worked out an agreement to guard his shipment to Instar and try to track down and destroy any and all orcs they find. Aldorph had suspected that another trading group was sabotaging his shipments, and soon he would know for sure.</span></span></p><p></p><p><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'book antiqua'">The heroes spent the rest of the day gathering supplies and eventually retired to Galen's family villa where they spent the evening making revelry. In the morning they assembled outside the North Land Gate and met up with the two drivers for the cart as well as Fellin's tiger. In what seemed to be an impossible feat of animal management Fellin calmed the horses enough to allow the cat to travel somewhat nearby. The group set out at dawn for Instar with Aziune in the lead as scout. </span></span></p><p></p><p><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'book antiqua'">It was around noon that Aizune spotted the orc ambush in hiding. Falling back, the group hid the cart and stalked up towards the orcs to flank them and a furious battle ensued. Plants erupted to entangle the orcs as the adept hurled fire from his fingertips. Fellin's cat ripped two orcs apart and Galen's acid dart covered an orc that died in agony. Aizune was able to fell some orcs by the sword as well, although slightly wounded in the process. In the end, by the ways of steel and magic, the heroes captured the adept leader of the ambush with no losses.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'book antiqua'"></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'book antiqua'">=-=-=-=-=-=-=</span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'book antiqua'"></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'book antiqua'"><span style="font-size: 22px">A01S02</span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'book antiqua'"></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'book antiqua'">(from a player)</span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'book antiqua'"></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'book antiqua'"></span></span><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'book antiqua'">Dear Diary,</span></span></p><p></p><p><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'book antiqua'">The stakes are increasing. We interrogated the orcs that ambushed us after meeting a Dwarf and Gnome traveling the road. They joined our party very quickly; all of us seeming to share an animosity toward these savage creatures. </span></span></p><p></p><p><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'book antiqua'">We got good, though disturbing, information on the Orc base camp... A full-fledged keep; very odd for orcs. We kept Farz as a guide but the Gnome, Smiggles, was very decisive in ridding us of the zealot Cleric Orc... Nasty how much gunk comes from a smashed Orc skull (bleah).</span></span></p><p></p><p><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'book antiqua'">We set off on a day and half journey to the keep. It dawned on me in those many hours of walking the serious nature of our mission. Luckily, we were able to scout and lay ambush to another raiding party, this time dealing serious damage with minimal harm to ourselves. Felinn's entanglement spell is such a wonderful spell! I hope I can learn such battlefield control in the future! </span></span></p><p></p><p><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'book antiqua'">Listen to me rambling on in envy despite just how scared I really was. It's one thing to have to react in ambush, it's another to fire shots at near-helpless foes. But yet again my training in the bow seems to have paid off and I seem to have more mettle in my bones... As I fired off the the leading volley and felled another Orc. There's something absurdly good in that statement. Do I like this combat element of adventuring?</span></span><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'book antiqua'"></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'book antiqua'"></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'book antiqua'">We'll as good as we were, one Orc did manage to get off what we think was a warning shot. </span></span></p><p></p><p><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'book antiqua'">Who knows what lies next for our little but growing party.</span></span></p><p></p><p><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'book antiqua'"></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'book antiqua'">=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=</span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'book antiqua'"></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'book antiqua'"><span style="font-size: 22px">A01S03</span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'book antiqua'"></span></span><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'book antiqua'"></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'book antiqua'"></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'book antiqua'">The discovery of a secret passage into the orc keep would turn out to be an incredible boon to the heroes. The slowly explored the secret passages that wound through the keep, the orcs unaware of the tunnels or the heroes. </span></span><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'book antiqua'"></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'book antiqua'"></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'book antiqua'">First ambushing some orcs preparing hot oil for the entrance of the keep, the heroes then backtracked and found their way to the barracks area of the orcs. Slipping inside quietly while orcs were getting organized in another part of the keep, eventually the orcs heard noise the heroes mistakenly made and a large battle ensued. Although a orc shaman was able to give the heroes a tough fight using his spells, his magical webbing in the end would not prove enough to stop the onslaught of the heroes. As the battle neared its end, a strange snake-like creature, a orc snake, appeared and tried to gain allegiance with the heroes. Although they struck first, they were able to stop the battle and learn a little about the orcs from Aspei before they let her go, now free from her enslavement by the leader of the orc tribe, Kru'ka'ta. portraits/maz_p_krukata.jpg</span></span><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'book antiqua'"></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'book antiqua'"></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'book antiqua'">Heading upstairs, the heroes found a library with many notes and scribblings from the orc shaman regarding an ancient magical machine located beneath the keep. What could this ancient machine do? Better to check after all the orcs were killed.</span></span></p><p></p><p><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'book antiqua'">The heroes would then head to the upper level and confront the leader of the orcs. Hidden at first, the heroes matched steel with the two toughest orc bodyguards, and then felt the taste of negative energy as Kra'ka'ta entered the fray. With most of the heroes close to death, it was a readied magic missile that prevented the orc shaman from letting lose another blast which would surely have killed a few of the heroes.</span></span><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'book antiqua'"></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'book antiqua'"></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'book antiqua'">The orcs defeated, the heroes now turn their attention to what is below the keep . . . </span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'book antiqua'"></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'book antiqua'">=-=-=-=-=-=-=-</span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'book antiqua'"></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'book antiqua'"><span style="font-size: 22px">A01S04</span></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'book antiqua'"></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'book antiqua'"></span></span><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'book antiqua'">Ready to explore the unknown ruined wizard lair beneath the keep, the heroes descend into the darkness. They first discovered a few orcs drained of their strength in the main room, killed by a diabolical shadow they would later encounter. Another room contained dozens of mirrors, all with strange illusionary images of the wizard who made the keep over a thousand years ago, Zanthar, leading different lives. In one a wizard, in another a priest, in another a meager cook . . . and strangely, slight differences could be found in them as well. In the mirror showing Zanthar as a priest, the symbol of Tiovin was slightly different . . . </span></span></p><p></p><p><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'book antiqua'">Pressing on, the heroes soon found themselves in a game of cat and mouse with a whisper of Zanthar, a shadow of the former wizard. Using tactics to try and combat the heroes superior numbers, a few of the heroes has close calls with death as they were drained of strength.</span></span><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'book antiqua'"></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'book antiqua'"></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'book antiqua'">In other rooms the heroes found more subtle dangers, such as a yellow musk creeper they avoided, or a gigantic mercury ooze they defeated. Although challenging, the dangers of this ruined wizard's tower were not insurmountable.</span></span></p><p></p><p><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'book antiqua'">After repeated battles with Zanthar's shadow, the heroes finally found a huge machine in the last room of the ruins. There they found two corpses - one of a rather strange looking and well-groomed orc with incredible gear, and one of a monk of Paladine, most likely a member of the nearby monastery in the small village of Blowing Rock.</span></span></p><p></p><p><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'book antiqua'">Through trial and error they figured out how to use the strange machine, and upon its activation they found their view changed to that of a land much like our own, with one major difference. It was inhabited completely by orcs! The elven lands decimated and the human lands ruled by civilized orcs, this strange place . . . could it be real?</span></span><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'book antiqua'"></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'book antiqua'"></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'book antiqua'">As they pondered what they had seen, the heroes decided to head back to Amara to collect their rewards for vanquishing the orc thread to the Red Raven Caravan Group as well as taking the body of the monk to be returned to Blowing Rock.</span></span></p><p></p><p></p><p><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'book antiqua'">=-=-=-=-=-=-=--</span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'book antiqua'"></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'book antiqua'"></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'book antiqua'">Garn 811 </span></span></p><p></p><p><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'book antiqua'">The elf stood motionless, cloaked in magic to mask his presence. As he looked down, he watched the group of raiders exit the keep, confident looks on their faces as they came through the courtyard, somehow surviving the orc legion that had infested the fortress for so long. Two elves, a dwarf, a gnome, a human . . . an interesting mix indeed. Rare to see such cooperation between different races, especially in these turbulent times.</span></span></p><p></p><p><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'book antiqua'">Finally he would see what the strange pulse that called to him was. He had felt it more than a month ago, and now as he was waiting for a way to get inside the keep, he felt it again. A feeling like the universe itself was shaken, albeit ever so slightly. And he knew, somehow, that this had something to do with his destiny.</span></span></p><p></p><p><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'book antiqua'">As he watched the group, a young green elven girl that had been watching the group as well finally showed herself, approaching the group with earnest. Should he ask them about what they saw deep below the keep? No . . Aleron knew he had to learn more about them if he were to approach them. With a slight movement of his wrist, magic whisked he to the other side of the keep, where he would wait until the raiders had left. It was time to discover his destiny.</span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'book antiqua'"></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'book antiqua'"></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'book antiqua'">=-=-=-=-=-=-=</span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'book antiqua'"></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'book antiqua'"></span></span><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'book antiqua'">Some player posts . . . </span></span><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'book antiqua'"></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'book antiqua'"></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'book antiqua'">Aizune: </span></span></p><p></p><p><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'book antiqua'">Aizune enjoyed his time hunting the Orcs with his new found companions. Counting their left ears they must have killed over 40 themselves and found another 20 dead. His companions are an odd lot. A human druid with a large tiger who is not afraid to fight. Another elf who specializes in conjuration. A Halfling sorcerer who is quite terrifying in battle. A Dwarven inquisitor who specializes in hunting monsters and is handy with both mace and spell.</span></span><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'book antiqua'"></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'book antiqua'"></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'book antiqua'">The group functions well and so far no large personality differences have been encountered. The most curious part is why the Orcs came to the keep in such large numbers. Reading from the leaders, a shamans, notes they came here specifically for the device in the basement. Down there many Orcs had died because a shadow or a former mage haunts those crypts. We encountered him ourselves and only the magic missile spell, a force spell, had an effect on him. I must get a magic sword that can effect incorporeal creatures down the road. Having our entire fate depending on the Halfling sorcerer was a little disconcerting.</span></span></p><p></p><p><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'book antiqua'">To add to the mystery we found a dead Orc noble just outside the machine. Who knew Orcs could so civilized. At the machine we found a dead monk of Paladine who either came there before the Orcs took over the place, or he was captured by the Orcs. At the machine we found 10 gems that were forced into position. The center orb absorbed magic thrown at it and so we let the Halfling keep throwing spells at it while some waited in the hallway and I waited in the protection room. Once the sphere absorbed enough energy the most wild happened.</span></span></p><p></p><p><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'book antiqua'">We could view the world from a sphere and someone how it moved to the Halflings thoughts. We saw a different world than the one we lived in before and it was populated with Orcs, civilized Orcs everywhere. When we observed the city of Amara we also saw humans and dwarves in chains but no elves or halflings. Curious about where the Elves and Halflings where we were taken high into the sky and over to the elven lands of my birth. There we beheld a most terrible sight. The elven forest was completely razed to the ground and the largest Orc army that we had ever known was marching across it towards what appeared to be a portal to another realm. Then the vision ended.</span></span></p><p></p><p><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'book antiqua'">I do not recall this tale from the history books. There would be no Elves to this day if this had happened. Was this the future of things to come or was this a vision of what would have happened if the Orcs had won the great war? And how in Minevera did the Orcs know this device was here and as crude as it was get it to work? We believe the gems were taken from the trade caravans, along with other supplies for the Orcs but they were sent here. What Orc is smart enough to be making plans this advanced? What is their goal? We must find out why and stop them or perhaps this vision comes to pass and I shudder to think what that means for anyone not an Orc.</span></span></p><p></p><p><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'book antiqua'">Perhaps returning the monk to his people will shed more light on things.</span></span></p><p></p><p><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'book antiqua'">Before we head back to Amara Aizune will collect as many left Orc ears as possible. I know there was a lot of dead Orcs down in the basement. I would then suggest that we burn or bury the dead Orcs. I would like to come back to the keep with a wagon team to salvage the remaining gear or if possible make a deal with Adolph that he convert it to a trading post. This would prevent some random Orcs taking back over the place and earn us some good will. We would just have make the lower basement area off limits as part of the deal.</span></span></p><p></p><p>=-=-=-=-=-=-=</p><p></p><p><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'book antiqua'">Simggles:</span></span><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'book antiqua'"></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'book antiqua'"></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'book antiqua'">Smiggles couldn't seem to get to sleep after the day's trial. It felt so amazing to be able to fly around the world with just a thought! Not to mention all of the things he saw. Orcs being civilized? He would have thought it all a dream, or that he had gone insane, except that everyone else saw the same thing too. Then again, this new family was pretty insane...</span></span></p><p></p><p><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'book antiqua'">Smiggles tossed and turned in his bedroll, trying to will himself to sleep but his animated brain was having none of it. It kept playing back the images. It all looked so real, so...natural. He was confused. Was what he saw the past and the great war? Hmm. Doubtful. He was no great scholar, but surely that could not be the past. The Orcs looked to be in complete control, burning the Elven lands and keeping the rest in bondage. And surely, he thought, if there were ever Orcs wearing monocles and top hats, someone would have wrote about it, how could one not? By simple logic, he reasoned, if that was the past, then Smiggles couldn't see how he would be here today.</span></span><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'book antiqua'"></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'book antiqua'"></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'book antiqua'">Couldn't be the future either, he thought. The were too many things that were here now that were missing in the vision. Sure, he mused, it could be in the far far future, but then things didn't look very futuristic to his eye. Where were the automatons, fly machines and all the other gizmos that he had seen being developed back in is homeland?</span></span><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'book antiqua'"></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'book antiqua'"></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'book antiqua'">Smiggles sighed and rolled onto his back, placing his arm over his eyes. Well there is only one thing left he could think of that made any lick of sense. He must have been looking at another Plane. One where the Orcs were the smart ones. It would explain the room with all the dimensional anchors, and the Orc corpse with all the strange clothing of unknown origin. Yes, he thought, that makes the most sense, let's go with that. He nodded to himself in satisfaction and rolled over, ready for sleeps embrace.</span></span><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'book antiqua'"></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'book antiqua'"></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'book antiqua'">If that Orc corpse was from another dimension, then how did it get here? </span></span><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'book antiqua'"></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'book antiqua'"></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'book antiqua'">The question seemed to pop in his head from no where. Smiggles slapped the side of his head and mumbled, “That's enough outta you. Shut up and go to sleep brain.” This time it obliged.</span></span></p><p></p><p>=-=-=-=-=-=-=</p><p></p><p><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'book antiqua'">Galen: </span></span><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'book antiqua'"></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'book antiqua'"></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'book antiqua'">Galen, begins to scribble in his diary, but can't seem to put thoughts to words.</span></span><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'book antiqua'"></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'book antiqua'"></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'book antiqua'">He begins to wonder about the strange turn of event from escorting a caravan to this strange device (machine really) that sits before them in a dungeon below the Orc keep.</span></span></p><p></p><p><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'book antiqua'">Aizune rode it... What a brave soul indeed! He tells us of strange places and strange flight ability. How can this be?</span></span></p><p></p><p><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'book antiqua'">Is this evil or just a machine with great ability? What should we do with it? </span></span></p><p></p><p><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'book antiqua'">It definitely needs more study. Those crystals do something. There should be notes somewhere, somehow to harness the power of this amazing device.</span></span><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'book antiqua'"></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'book antiqua'"></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'book antiqua'">Ha! This could be a FABULOUS story and play for the stage in Amara! If only I could describe it better. May have to get Aizune to pen something.</span></span><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'book antiqua'"></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'book antiqua'"></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'book antiqua'">I'll ponder more later...</span></span></p><p></p><p><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'book antiqua'">=-=-=-=-=-=</span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'book antiqua'"></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'book antiqua'">Felinn:</span></span><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'book antiqua'"></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'book antiqua'"></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'book antiqua'">The belly of the keep was a strange mark of ancient civilization. We first were met with a room of mirrors, one where one man hogged the spotlight. Next we approached a room where there was no right way up, I am still queasy thinking of the room. There we met a friendly ghost like figure who would not leave us be and haunted us throughout the ordeal.</span></span></p><p></p><p><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'book antiqua'">Further in the underbelly we dealt with more creeper mold and an ooze however the greatest thing we came across was a room with a strange magical device. This device had shown a world where orcs reigned supreme as nobles ruling the lands of humans but laying waste to those of the elves.</span></span></p><p></p><p><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'book antiqua'">At seeing this I did not know what to think, whether this be true or not. However I will not ponder too long on this subject for it must be real in some realm for no man would make this as a joke but rather a foreshadowing of what may happen. This is truly why I hate orcs, selfish and uncaring for other mortals leaving themselves as the only races stomping out the lives of others.</span></span></p><p></p><p><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="font-family: 'book antiqua'">As I said I will not dwell on this for it breeds ill thoughts, hopefully we return to Amara soon.</span></span></p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Dragonsbane, post: 6353391, member: 6775188"] [SIZE=3][FONT=book antiqua][SIZE=6]Adventure 01 Session 01[/SIZE] 1 Garn (April) 811 AW[/FONT][/SIZE] [SIZE=3][FONT=book antiqua] [/FONT][/SIZE] [SIZE=3][FONT=book antiqua]It was a wonderful spring day in the Free City of Amara with a gentle breeze blowing the ocean air up and over the people going about their day. At the Red Raven Trading Coaster, a few young heroes wanting to make some gold and perhaps kill some orcs gathered in answer to the rumors and message bills placed around the merchant district. There they met with one of the owners, a rather confident and flashy large man named Aldorph Broomspatch and worked out an agreement to guard his shipment to Instar and try to track down and destroy any and all orcs they find. Aldorph had suspected that another trading group was sabotaging his shipments, and soon he would know for sure.[/FONT][/SIZE] [SIZE=3][FONT=book antiqua]The heroes spent the rest of the day gathering supplies and eventually retired to Galen's family villa where they spent the evening making revelry. In the morning they assembled outside the North Land Gate and met up with the two drivers for the cart as well as Fellin's tiger. In what seemed to be an impossible feat of animal management Fellin calmed the horses enough to allow the cat to travel somewhat nearby. The group set out at dawn for Instar with Aziune in the lead as scout. [/FONT][/SIZE] [SIZE=3][FONT=book antiqua]It was around noon that Aizune spotted the orc ambush in hiding. Falling back, the group hid the cart and stalked up towards the orcs to flank them and a furious battle ensued. Plants erupted to entangle the orcs as the adept hurled fire from his fingertips. Fellin's cat ripped two orcs apart and Galen's acid dart covered an orc that died in agony. Aizune was able to fell some orcs by the sword as well, although slightly wounded in the process. In the end, by the ways of steel and magic, the heroes captured the adept leader of the ambush with no losses. =-=-=-=-=-=-= [SIZE=6]A01S02[/SIZE] (from a player) [/FONT][/SIZE][SIZE=3][FONT=book antiqua]Dear Diary,[/FONT][/SIZE] [SIZE=3][FONT=book antiqua]The stakes are increasing. We interrogated the orcs that ambushed us after meeting a Dwarf and Gnome traveling the road. They joined our party very quickly; all of us seeming to share an animosity toward these savage creatures. [/FONT][/SIZE] [SIZE=3][FONT=book antiqua]We got good, though disturbing, information on the Orc base camp... A full-fledged keep; very odd for orcs. We kept Farz as a guide but the Gnome, Smiggles, was very decisive in ridding us of the zealot Cleric Orc... Nasty how much gunk comes from a smashed Orc skull (bleah).[/FONT][/SIZE] [SIZE=3][FONT=book antiqua]We set off on a day and half journey to the keep. It dawned on me in those many hours of walking the serious nature of our mission. Luckily, we were able to scout and lay ambush to another raiding party, this time dealing serious damage with minimal harm to ourselves. Felinn's entanglement spell is such a wonderful spell! I hope I can learn such battlefield control in the future! [/FONT][/SIZE] [SIZE=3][FONT=book antiqua]Listen to me rambling on in envy despite just how scared I really was. It's one thing to have to react in ambush, it's another to fire shots at near-helpless foes. But yet again my training in the bow seems to have paid off and I seem to have more mettle in my bones... As I fired off the the leading volley and felled another Orc. There's something absurdly good in that statement. Do I like this combat element of adventuring?[/FONT][/SIZE][SIZE=3][FONT=book antiqua] [/FONT][/SIZE] [SIZE=3][FONT=book antiqua]We'll as good as we were, one Orc did manage to get off what we think was a warning shot. [/FONT][/SIZE] [SIZE=3][FONT=book antiqua]Who knows what lies next for our little but growing party.[/FONT][/SIZE] [SIZE=3][FONT=book antiqua] =-=-=-=-=-=-=-= [SIZE=6]A01S03[/SIZE] [/FONT][/SIZE][SIZE=3][FONT=book antiqua] [/FONT][/SIZE] [SIZE=3][FONT=book antiqua]The discovery of a secret passage into the orc keep would turn out to be an incredible boon to the heroes. The slowly explored the secret passages that wound through the keep, the orcs unaware of the tunnels or the heroes. [/FONT][/SIZE][SIZE=3][FONT=book antiqua] [/FONT][/SIZE] [SIZE=3][FONT=book antiqua]First ambushing some orcs preparing hot oil for the entrance of the keep, the heroes then backtracked and found their way to the barracks area of the orcs. Slipping inside quietly while orcs were getting organized in another part of the keep, eventually the orcs heard noise the heroes mistakenly made and a large battle ensued. Although a orc shaman was able to give the heroes a tough fight using his spells, his magical webbing in the end would not prove enough to stop the onslaught of the heroes. As the battle neared its end, a strange snake-like creature, a orc snake, appeared and tried to gain allegiance with the heroes. Although they struck first, they were able to stop the battle and learn a little about the orcs from Aspei before they let her go, now free from her enslavement by the leader of the orc tribe, Kru'ka'ta. portraits/maz_p_krukata.jpg[/FONT][/SIZE][SIZE=3][FONT=book antiqua] [/FONT][/SIZE] [SIZE=3][FONT=book antiqua]Heading upstairs, the heroes found a library with many notes and scribblings from the orc shaman regarding an ancient magical machine located beneath the keep. What could this ancient machine do? Better to check after all the orcs were killed.[/FONT][/SIZE] [SIZE=3][FONT=book antiqua]The heroes would then head to the upper level and confront the leader of the orcs. Hidden at first, the heroes matched steel with the two toughest orc bodyguards, and then felt the taste of negative energy as Kra'ka'ta entered the fray. With most of the heroes close to death, it was a readied magic missile that prevented the orc shaman from letting lose another blast which would surely have killed a few of the heroes.[/FONT][/SIZE][SIZE=3][FONT=book antiqua] [/FONT][/SIZE] [SIZE=3][FONT=book antiqua]The orcs defeated, the heroes now turn their attention to what is below the keep . . . =-=-=-=-=-=-=- [SIZE=6]A01S04[/SIZE] [/FONT][/SIZE][SIZE=3][FONT=book antiqua]Ready to explore the unknown ruined wizard lair beneath the keep, the heroes descend into the darkness. They first discovered a few orcs drained of their strength in the main room, killed by a diabolical shadow they would later encounter. Another room contained dozens of mirrors, all with strange illusionary images of the wizard who made the keep over a thousand years ago, Zanthar, leading different lives. In one a wizard, in another a priest, in another a meager cook . . . and strangely, slight differences could be found in them as well. In the mirror showing Zanthar as a priest, the symbol of Tiovin was slightly different . . . [/FONT][/SIZE] [SIZE=3][FONT=book antiqua]Pressing on, the heroes soon found themselves in a game of cat and mouse with a whisper of Zanthar, a shadow of the former wizard. Using tactics to try and combat the heroes superior numbers, a few of the heroes has close calls with death as they were drained of strength.[/FONT][/SIZE][SIZE=3][FONT=book antiqua] [/FONT][/SIZE] [SIZE=3][FONT=book antiqua]In other rooms the heroes found more subtle dangers, such as a yellow musk creeper they avoided, or a gigantic mercury ooze they defeated. Although challenging, the dangers of this ruined wizard's tower were not insurmountable.[/FONT][/SIZE] [SIZE=3][FONT=book antiqua]After repeated battles with Zanthar's shadow, the heroes finally found a huge machine in the last room of the ruins. There they found two corpses - one of a rather strange looking and well-groomed orc with incredible gear, and one of a monk of Paladine, most likely a member of the nearby monastery in the small village of Blowing Rock.[/FONT][/SIZE] [SIZE=3][FONT=book antiqua]Through trial and error they figured out how to use the strange machine, and upon its activation they found their view changed to that of a land much like our own, with one major difference. It was inhabited completely by orcs! The elven lands decimated and the human lands ruled by civilized orcs, this strange place . . . could it be real?[/FONT][/SIZE][SIZE=3][FONT=book antiqua] [/FONT][/SIZE] [SIZE=3][FONT=book antiqua]As they pondered what they had seen, the heroes decided to head back to Amara to collect their rewards for vanquishing the orc thread to the Red Raven Caravan Group as well as taking the body of the monk to be returned to Blowing Rock.[/FONT][/SIZE] [SIZE=3][FONT=book antiqua]=-=-=-=-=-=-=--[/FONT][/SIZE] [SIZE=3][FONT=book antiqua] [/FONT][/SIZE] [SIZE=3][FONT=book antiqua]Garn 811 [/FONT][/SIZE] [SIZE=3][FONT=book antiqua]The elf stood motionless, cloaked in magic to mask his presence. As he looked down, he watched the group of raiders exit the keep, confident looks on their faces as they came through the courtyard, somehow surviving the orc legion that had infested the fortress for so long. Two elves, a dwarf, a gnome, a human . . . an interesting mix indeed. Rare to see such cooperation between different races, especially in these turbulent times.[/FONT][/SIZE] [SIZE=3][FONT=book antiqua]Finally he would see what the strange pulse that called to him was. He had felt it more than a month ago, and now as he was waiting for a way to get inside the keep, he felt it again. A feeling like the universe itself was shaken, albeit ever so slightly. And he knew, somehow, that this had something to do with his destiny.[/FONT][/SIZE] [SIZE=3][FONT=book antiqua]As he watched the group, a young green elven girl that had been watching the group as well finally showed herself, approaching the group with earnest. Should he ask them about what they saw deep below the keep? No . . Aleron knew he had to learn more about them if he were to approach them. With a slight movement of his wrist, magic whisked he to the other side of the keep, where he would wait until the raiders had left. It was time to discover his destiny.[/FONT][/SIZE] [SIZE=3][FONT=book antiqua] [/FONT][/SIZE] [SIZE=3][FONT=book antiqua]=-=-=-=-=-=-= [/FONT][/SIZE][SIZE=3][FONT=book antiqua]Some player posts . . . [/FONT][/SIZE][SIZE=3][FONT=book antiqua] [/FONT][/SIZE] [SIZE=3][FONT=book antiqua]Aizune: [/FONT][/SIZE] [SIZE=3][FONT=book antiqua]Aizune enjoyed his time hunting the Orcs with his new found companions. Counting their left ears they must have killed over 40 themselves and found another 20 dead. His companions are an odd lot. A human druid with a large tiger who is not afraid to fight. Another elf who specializes in conjuration. A Halfling sorcerer who is quite terrifying in battle. A Dwarven inquisitor who specializes in hunting monsters and is handy with both mace and spell.[/FONT][/SIZE][SIZE=3][FONT=book antiqua] [/FONT][/SIZE] [SIZE=3][FONT=book antiqua]The group functions well and so far no large personality differences have been encountered. The most curious part is why the Orcs came to the keep in such large numbers. Reading from the leaders, a shamans, notes they came here specifically for the device in the basement. Down there many Orcs had died because a shadow or a former mage haunts those crypts. We encountered him ourselves and only the magic missile spell, a force spell, had an effect on him. I must get a magic sword that can effect incorporeal creatures down the road. Having our entire fate depending on the Halfling sorcerer was a little disconcerting.[/FONT][/SIZE] [SIZE=3][FONT=book antiqua]To add to the mystery we found a dead Orc noble just outside the machine. Who knew Orcs could so civilized. At the machine we found a dead monk of Paladine who either came there before the Orcs took over the place, or he was captured by the Orcs. At the machine we found 10 gems that were forced into position. The center orb absorbed magic thrown at it and so we let the Halfling keep throwing spells at it while some waited in the hallway and I waited in the protection room. Once the sphere absorbed enough energy the most wild happened.[/FONT][/SIZE] [SIZE=3][FONT=book antiqua]We could view the world from a sphere and someone how it moved to the Halflings thoughts. We saw a different world than the one we lived in before and it was populated with Orcs, civilized Orcs everywhere. When we observed the city of Amara we also saw humans and dwarves in chains but no elves or halflings. Curious about where the Elves and Halflings where we were taken high into the sky and over to the elven lands of my birth. There we beheld a most terrible sight. The elven forest was completely razed to the ground and the largest Orc army that we had ever known was marching across it towards what appeared to be a portal to another realm. Then the vision ended.[/FONT][/SIZE] [SIZE=3][FONT=book antiqua]I do not recall this tale from the history books. There would be no Elves to this day if this had happened. Was this the future of things to come or was this a vision of what would have happened if the Orcs had won the great war? And how in Minevera did the Orcs know this device was here and as crude as it was get it to work? We believe the gems were taken from the trade caravans, along with other supplies for the Orcs but they were sent here. What Orc is smart enough to be making plans this advanced? What is their goal? We must find out why and stop them or perhaps this vision comes to pass and I shudder to think what that means for anyone not an Orc.[/FONT][/SIZE] [SIZE=3][FONT=book antiqua]Perhaps returning the monk to his people will shed more light on things.[/FONT][/SIZE] [SIZE=3][FONT=book antiqua]Before we head back to Amara Aizune will collect as many left Orc ears as possible. I know there was a lot of dead Orcs down in the basement. I would then suggest that we burn or bury the dead Orcs. I would like to come back to the keep with a wagon team to salvage the remaining gear or if possible make a deal with Adolph that he convert it to a trading post. This would prevent some random Orcs taking back over the place and earn us some good will. We would just have make the lower basement area off limits as part of the deal.[/FONT][/SIZE] =-=-=-=-=-=-= [SIZE=3][FONT=book antiqua]Simggles:[/FONT][/SIZE][SIZE=3][FONT=book antiqua] [/FONT][/SIZE] [SIZE=3][FONT=book antiqua]Smiggles couldn't seem to get to sleep after the day's trial. It felt so amazing to be able to fly around the world with just a thought! Not to mention all of the things he saw. Orcs being civilized? He would have thought it all a dream, or that he had gone insane, except that everyone else saw the same thing too. Then again, this new family was pretty insane...[/FONT][/SIZE] [SIZE=3][FONT=book antiqua]Smiggles tossed and turned in his bedroll, trying to will himself to sleep but his animated brain was having none of it. It kept playing back the images. It all looked so real, so...natural. He was confused. Was what he saw the past and the great war? Hmm. Doubtful. He was no great scholar, but surely that could not be the past. The Orcs looked to be in complete control, burning the Elven lands and keeping the rest in bondage. And surely, he thought, if there were ever Orcs wearing monocles and top hats, someone would have wrote about it, how could one not? By simple logic, he reasoned, if that was the past, then Smiggles couldn't see how he would be here today.[/FONT][/SIZE][SIZE=3][FONT=book antiqua] [/FONT][/SIZE] [SIZE=3][FONT=book antiqua]Couldn't be the future either, he thought. The were too many things that were here now that were missing in the vision. Sure, he mused, it could be in the far far future, but then things didn't look very futuristic to his eye. Where were the automatons, fly machines and all the other gizmos that he had seen being developed back in is homeland?[/FONT][/SIZE][SIZE=3][FONT=book antiqua] [/FONT][/SIZE] [SIZE=3][FONT=book antiqua]Smiggles sighed and rolled onto his back, placing his arm over his eyes. Well there is only one thing left he could think of that made any lick of sense. He must have been looking at another Plane. One where the Orcs were the smart ones. It would explain the room with all the dimensional anchors, and the Orc corpse with all the strange clothing of unknown origin. Yes, he thought, that makes the most sense, let's go with that. He nodded to himself in satisfaction and rolled over, ready for sleeps embrace.[/FONT][/SIZE][SIZE=3][FONT=book antiqua] [/FONT][/SIZE] [SIZE=3][FONT=book antiqua]If that Orc corpse was from another dimension, then how did it get here? [/FONT][/SIZE][SIZE=3][FONT=book antiqua] [/FONT][/SIZE] [SIZE=3][FONT=book antiqua]The question seemed to pop in his head from no where. Smiggles slapped the side of his head and mumbled, “That's enough outta you. Shut up and go to sleep brain.” This time it obliged.[/FONT][/SIZE] =-=-=-=-=-=-= [SIZE=3][FONT=book antiqua]Galen: [/FONT][/SIZE][SIZE=3][FONT=book antiqua] [/FONT][/SIZE] [SIZE=3][FONT=book antiqua]Galen, begins to scribble in his diary, but can't seem to put thoughts to words.[/FONT][/SIZE][SIZE=3][FONT=book antiqua] [/FONT][/SIZE] [SIZE=3][FONT=book antiqua]He begins to wonder about the strange turn of event from escorting a caravan to this strange device (machine really) that sits before them in a dungeon below the Orc keep.[/FONT][/SIZE] [SIZE=3][FONT=book antiqua]Aizune rode it... What a brave soul indeed! He tells us of strange places and strange flight ability. How can this be?[/FONT][/SIZE] [SIZE=3][FONT=book antiqua]Is this evil or just a machine with great ability? What should we do with it? [/FONT][/SIZE] [SIZE=3][FONT=book antiqua]It definitely needs more study. Those crystals do something. There should be notes somewhere, somehow to harness the power of this amazing device.[/FONT][/SIZE][SIZE=3][FONT=book antiqua] [/FONT][/SIZE] [SIZE=3][FONT=book antiqua]Ha! This could be a FABULOUS story and play for the stage in Amara! If only I could describe it better. May have to get Aizune to pen something.[/FONT][/SIZE][SIZE=3][FONT=book antiqua] [/FONT][/SIZE] [SIZE=3][FONT=book antiqua]I'll ponder more later...[/FONT][/SIZE] [SIZE=3][FONT=book antiqua]=-=-=-=-=-= [/FONT][/SIZE] [SIZE=3][FONT=book antiqua]Felinn:[/FONT][/SIZE][SIZE=3][FONT=book antiqua] [/FONT][/SIZE] [SIZE=3][FONT=book antiqua]The belly of the keep was a strange mark of ancient civilization. We first were met with a room of mirrors, one where one man hogged the spotlight. Next we approached a room where there was no right way up, I am still queasy thinking of the room. There we met a friendly ghost like figure who would not leave us be and haunted us throughout the ordeal.[/FONT][/SIZE] [SIZE=3][FONT=book antiqua]Further in the underbelly we dealt with more creeper mold and an ooze however the greatest thing we came across was a room with a strange magical device. This device had shown a world where orcs reigned supreme as nobles ruling the lands of humans but laying waste to those of the elves.[/FONT][/SIZE] [SIZE=3][FONT=book antiqua]At seeing this I did not know what to think, whether this be true or not. However I will not ponder too long on this subject for it must be real in some realm for no man would make this as a joke but rather a foreshadowing of what may happen. This is truly why I hate orcs, selfish and uncaring for other mortals leaving themselves as the only races stomping out the lives of others.[/FONT][/SIZE] [SIZE=3][FONT=book antiqua]As I said I will not dwell on this for it breeds ill thoughts, hopefully we return to Amara soon.[/FONT][/SIZE] [/QUOTE]
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