Menu
News
All News
Dungeons & Dragons
Level Up: Advanced 5th Edition
Pathfinder
Starfinder
Warhammer
2d20 System
Year Zero Engine
Industry News
Reviews
Dragon Reflections
Columns
Weekly Digests
Weekly News Digest
Freebies, Sales & Bundles
RPG Print News
RPG Crowdfunding News
Game Content
ENterplanetary DimENsions
Mythological Figures
Opinion
Worlds of Design
Peregrine's Next
RPG Evolution
Other Columns
From the Freelancing Frontline
Monster ENcyclopedia
WotC/TSR Alumni Look Back
4 Hours w/RSD (Ryan Dancey)
The Road to 3E (Jonathan Tweet)
Greenwood's Realms (Ed Greenwood)
Drawmij's TSR (Jim Ward)
Community
Forums & Topics
Forum List
Latest Posts
Forum list
*Dungeons & Dragons
Level Up: Advanced 5th Edition
D&D Older Editions
*TTRPGs General
*Pathfinder & Starfinder
EN Publishing
*Geek Talk & Media
Search forums
Chat/Discord
Resources
Wiki
Pages
Latest activity
Media
New media
New comments
Search media
Downloads
Latest reviews
Search resources
EN Publishing
Store
EN5ider
Adventures in ZEITGEIST
Awfully Cheerful Engine
What's OLD is NEW
Judge Dredd & The Worlds Of 2000AD
War of the Burning Sky
Level Up: Advanced 5E
Events & Releases
Upcoming Events
Private Events
Featured Events
Socials!
Twitch
YouTube
Facebook (EN Publishing)
Facebook (EN World)
Twitter
Instagram
TikTok
Podcast
Features
Top 5 RPGs Compiled Charts 2004-Present
Adventure Game Industry Market Research Summary (RPGs) V1.0
Ryan Dancey: Acquiring TSR
Q&A With Gary Gygax
D&D Rules FAQs
TSR, WotC, & Paizo: A Comparative History
D&D Pronunciation Guide
Million Dollar TTRPG Kickstarters
Tabletop RPG Podcast Hall of Fame
Eric Noah's Unofficial D&D 3rd Edition News
D&D in the Mainstream
D&D & RPG History
About Morrus
Log in
Register
What's new
Search
Search
Search titles only
By:
Forums & Topics
Forum List
Latest Posts
Forum list
*Dungeons & Dragons
Level Up: Advanced 5th Edition
D&D Older Editions
*TTRPGs General
*Pathfinder & Starfinder
EN Publishing
*Geek Talk & Media
Search forums
Chat/Discord
Menu
Log in
Register
Install the app
Install
Community
Playing the Game
Story Hour
Steel Dragon's "Tales of Orea"
JavaScript is disabled. For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding.
You are using an out of date browser. It may not display this or other websites correctly.
You should upgrade or use an
alternative browser
.
Reply to thread
Message
<blockquote data-quote="steeldragons" data-source="post: 5970597" data-attributes="member: 92511"><p>Alaria sat at the table, staring idly at the spiced wine and tray of food brought to the chambers by the attending Daughters of Gilea.</p><p></p><p>It was a similar set of chambers as she'd stayed in on her last visit to Bridgetower. But were obviously elsewhere in the tower.</p><p></p><p>Braddok stared out the narrow window into the night sky. A goblet of wine in his hand. He turned to look at the "shellshocked" magess. His heart cried for and with her, though her tears had stopped flowing some time ago.</p><p></p><p>"Alaria, are you sure you don't want to retire? A good night of sleep might proof a world of good for you." the swordsman offered cautiously.</p><p></p><p>The wizard just shook her head and continued to stare into her goblet. She was tired, to be sure...but it just didn't seem right for her to sleep...when Festus and Erevan couldn't...It didn't make sense and she knew that. But she just couldn't bring herself to go to bed.</p><p></p><p>Haelan entered the chamber. "They've restored Duor. He is sleeping, but intact. Fen...well, Fen is another matter." the daelvar trailed off as he climbed into one of the chairs at the table near Alaria and poured himself a smaller cup of the spiced wine.</p><p></p><p>"What's wrong with Fen?" Braddok said, seeing Alaria was not going to ask.</p><p></p><p>"Well...that's the thing. Nothing is 'wrong' with him. He is unhurt and suffered no wounds from those unholy horrors. He's just...well...not really 'there', if you know what I mean. He just stares and tears come out of his eyes...but he makes no sound. Acknowledges no one or nothing. I've never really seen the like. Ole Midge says she's seen it before and he'll kjust 'snap out of it' when he's ready...but she's done all she can do." the daelvar said with a deep swig of the wine. </p><p></p><p>Haelan, himself, had run out of tears some time before and while his heart was heavy at the loss to the company, he simply had no more tears to shed at the moment. </p><p></p><p>Braddok solemnly nodded his head in understanding. "He'll snap out of it...sooner or later...You have to, eventually." Braddok's thoughts turned to the horrors he'd seen when Barforth had fallen to the usurper. He'd been just a boy and had been in that sort of..."catatonia" the priests had called it at the time...for a while before coming to his senses.</p><p></p><p>"What do we do now?" Haelan asked Braddok, specifically. "Word among the guards is that the fight goes badly in Miralostae. Some say the Steel Dragons met with defeat...though others disagree."</p><p></p><p>"We shouldn't have gone." Alaria said quietly. </p><p></p><p>Braddok's eyebrows rose in surprise at the first words Alaria had said since their return, as did Haelan's.</p><p></p><p>"We didn't really have a choice, my lady." Braddok said calmly.</p><p></p><p>"No...we did...and we made the wrong ones. We opted for greed and glory when we should have opted for the more valorous path." Alaria said, again to her goblet as opposed to the others. "And now Festus and Erevan...<em>and</em> Coerraine, have paid for our folly."</p><p></p><p>"You can not blame yourself, Alaria. It was all of our choice." Haelan attempted to soothe.</p><p></p><p>"No...I'm not to blame...that blasted dwarf is. I curse the day I ever offered to bring him with us." the magess replied.</p><p></p><p>"You speak in anger, Alaria. You know, in your heart, that is untrue. You did the right thing then...and Duor has been a valuable companion. He's helped us through a great many trials." Haelan said.</p><p></p><p>"And gotten us into a great many more!" Alaria spat. She put her head in her hands and closed her eyes in exhaustion. "You are right, of course, Haelan. I just am not in the mood to hear it right now. And I fear for Fen."</p><p></p><p>"He'll be alright, magess." Braddok offered. "He just needs a bit of time."</p><p></p><p>"Time we don't have! All of Orea might not have!" Alaria barked back and then, again, ashamed of her outburst, put her head back in her hands.</p><p></p><p>A soft knock at the door was met by Haelan. One of the acolyte Daughters of Gilea entered with a tray holding three small cups and was followed by Ole Midge.</p><p></p><p>"Here you are, dearling. I thought for sure you'd be back in Stenthil's library working on your magics." the gentle old woman grinned. Her attempt at a warm hearted greeting was met with silence.</p><p></p><p>"Well, I've brought you these. They will help you sleep." the elder priestess nodded at the young woman with the tray and she placed the cups upon the table and with a silent nod of a bow to Haelan and Braddok retired from the room.</p><p></p><p>"There will be much to discuss tomorrow, Magess Alaria. The seneschal has already declared that you take precedence to meet with him tomorrow...whenever you like. The Hilltender has told me what's happened and there's nothing else you can do about it, this day." Midge said with obvious sympathy and offered the cup to Alaria.</p><p></p><p>Alaria nodded at the old priestess and sipped at the cup. It was warm and sweet...minty.</p><p></p><p>"Yes. Yes, of course. There will be much to do tomorrow." Alaria replied weakly. "I am tired. I shall adjourn to my chamber and begin anew tomorrow."</p><p></p><p>Midge smiled and began to exit. She turned in surprise as Alaria's hand gripped her sleeve strongly. </p><p></p><p>"Thank you, Midge. Please convey our thanks to the holy Daughters." Alaria said as she rose from the table.</p><p></p><p>Midge grinned back, the gentle grin of a grandmother. "No thanks at all are necessary, Magess. The Merciful Mother be praised that you and the others were returned to us safely. Now...rest."</p><p></p><p>Alaria nodded dumbly and left the common room.</p><p></p><p>Meeessh watched her go with obvious concern. He then took a position near the warming glow of the fireplace and, as he appeared to fall "asleep" or whatever it was mephits did, he kind of "evaporated" out of view.</p><p></p><p>Haelan and Braddok watched her go and observed with curiosity as the mephit "left", as did Midge. </p><p></p><p>"You boys too!" Midge said with a wink when Alaria's door had shut. "I suspect you have a long day ahead...and much yet to do. Hilltender Haelan, I think the druid will be in sore need of your attention."</p><p></p><p>"Thank you, Midge. I will look after him." said Haelan.</p><p></p><p>"We shant be up late." added Braddok.</p><p></p><p>With a grin and a nod, the elder priestess took her leave.</p><p></p><p>"So...what do we do next?" Haelan asked the swordsman again.</p><p></p><p>"We do what we are trained to, Haelan. We do what good we can, where we can...and eventually, some day, we avenge our friends against the forces of the dark wizard...dragon...whatever he or she is." Braddok replied absently, staring out the window at the starlit sky.</p><p></p><p>Haelan nodded in agreement and sipped at his wine. The two adventurers passed the remaining time in silence and contemplation before saying their goodnights and retiring to their respective beds.</p><p></p><p>*</p><p></p><p>Braddok awoke with a start at the screaming of Alaria.</p><p></p><p>The swordsman lept from his small bed, naked, grabbed his scabbard and raced from his room. He barged into Alaria's bedchamber to see the wizardess sitting bolt upright, her night-shift covered in sweat. She was panting and staring straight forward...at least until the warrior had burst her door open, blade flaring.</p><p></p><p>"What is it!?!" Braddok said, ready to slay anything he saw in the room. There was nothing there. "Are you alright?"</p><p></p><p>Alaria looked at the warrior in surprise...His chest heaved in expectation of combat. She looked at his naked form in the moonlight filtering into her room. "I...uh...Braddok?..."</p><p></p><p>He relaxed his stance and sheathed his blade, not seeing any obvious intruder. Looking down, the warrior blushed and placed the sapphire studded scabbard over his...privy.</p><p></p><p>"I heard a scream! WHOA!" Haelan said in surprise. The daelvar had come racing from his room as well. He had his mace and shield and was clumsily trying to set the slightly oversized helmet on his head. He got it adjusted just in time to see Braddok's bare buttocks very close to his face.</p><p> </p><p>"I'm fine, Haelan...I'm sorry. To you both. I was having a nightmare. But I'm fine now." Alaria said calmly...attempting as best she could to keep her eyes off of Braddok's glistening torso...at the very least above his waist.</p><p></p><p>"Uh...huh...O...K." Haelan said, also averting his eyes to the nape of the swordsman's broad back. "I'll...uh...I'll be going back to bed, then." Not awaiting any comment the halfling blushed his way back into his bed.</p><p></p><p>"Yeah...I'll...uh...I mean...I should...uh...go...then...too." Braddok stammered and threw a thumb over his shoulder as he edged his way, backward, toward the door.</p><p></p><p>Confident that Haelan had gone, Alaria stopped the swordsman. </p><p></p><p>"Braddok, wait...don't go. I think..." she looked toward the moonlight streaming in the narrow slit of a window.</p><p></p><p>"I think I'd rather not be alone tonight." Alaria said quietly.</p><p></p><p>"Alaria? I mean...my lady...I mean..you want...?" Braddok couldn't believe what he was hearing.</p><p></p><p>"Stay with me...please?" Alaria asked softly.</p><p></p><p>"If you...I mean...if that's your wish?" the swordsman forced himself to respond. He looked over his shoulder as if someone might hear him saying what he was saying.</p><p></p><p>Alaria nodded and drew back the down comforter from the vacant side of the bed. "I think...no, I know, it is."</p><p></p><p>The warrior gently placed his sword down beside the bed and climbed into the bed. </p><p></p><p>The two bereft adventurers looked at each other for a while before Alaria lay back down and snuggled up to Braddok's muscled form.</p><p></p><p>"Yes...this is better." Alaria said softly. "You will keep me safe" she added as sleep quickly drifted over her once more.</p><p></p><p>"Always, magess." Braddok said quietly.</p><p></p><p>Braddok placed a thick arm over her. After a few moments, he too drifted into slumber.</p><p></p><p>The warrior dreamed of awakening with tentacles instead of arms. But after once being shocked awake by that image, to find the still clothed magess in his actual human arms, he fell back to sleep.</p><p></p><p><em><strong>Next time: Of Druids and Dwarves.</strong></em></p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="steeldragons, post: 5970597, member: 92511"] Alaria sat at the table, staring idly at the spiced wine and tray of food brought to the chambers by the attending Daughters of Gilea. It was a similar set of chambers as she'd stayed in on her last visit to Bridgetower. But were obviously elsewhere in the tower. Braddok stared out the narrow window into the night sky. A goblet of wine in his hand. He turned to look at the "shellshocked" magess. His heart cried for and with her, though her tears had stopped flowing some time ago. "Alaria, are you sure you don't want to retire? A good night of sleep might proof a world of good for you." the swordsman offered cautiously. The wizard just shook her head and continued to stare into her goblet. She was tired, to be sure...but it just didn't seem right for her to sleep...when Festus and Erevan couldn't...It didn't make sense and she knew that. But she just couldn't bring herself to go to bed. Haelan entered the chamber. "They've restored Duor. He is sleeping, but intact. Fen...well, Fen is another matter." the daelvar trailed off as he climbed into one of the chairs at the table near Alaria and poured himself a smaller cup of the spiced wine. "What's wrong with Fen?" Braddok said, seeing Alaria was not going to ask. "Well...that's the thing. Nothing is 'wrong' with him. He is unhurt and suffered no wounds from those unholy horrors. He's just...well...not really 'there', if you know what I mean. He just stares and tears come out of his eyes...but he makes no sound. Acknowledges no one or nothing. I've never really seen the like. Ole Midge says she's seen it before and he'll kjust 'snap out of it' when he's ready...but she's done all she can do." the daelvar said with a deep swig of the wine. Haelan, himself, had run out of tears some time before and while his heart was heavy at the loss to the company, he simply had no more tears to shed at the moment. Braddok solemnly nodded his head in understanding. "He'll snap out of it...sooner or later...You have to, eventually." Braddok's thoughts turned to the horrors he'd seen when Barforth had fallen to the usurper. He'd been just a boy and had been in that sort of..."catatonia" the priests had called it at the time...for a while before coming to his senses. "What do we do now?" Haelan asked Braddok, specifically. "Word among the guards is that the fight goes badly in Miralostae. Some say the Steel Dragons met with defeat...though others disagree." "We shouldn't have gone." Alaria said quietly. Braddok's eyebrows rose in surprise at the first words Alaria had said since their return, as did Haelan's. "We didn't really have a choice, my lady." Braddok said calmly. "No...we did...and we made the wrong ones. We opted for greed and glory when we should have opted for the more valorous path." Alaria said, again to her goblet as opposed to the others. "And now Festus and Erevan...[I]and[/I] Coerraine, have paid for our folly." "You can not blame yourself, Alaria. It was all of our choice." Haelan attempted to soothe. "No...I'm not to blame...that blasted dwarf is. I curse the day I ever offered to bring him with us." the magess replied. "You speak in anger, Alaria. You know, in your heart, that is untrue. You did the right thing then...and Duor has been a valuable companion. He's helped us through a great many trials." Haelan said. "And gotten us into a great many more!" Alaria spat. She put her head in her hands and closed her eyes in exhaustion. "You are right, of course, Haelan. I just am not in the mood to hear it right now. And I fear for Fen." "He'll be alright, magess." Braddok offered. "He just needs a bit of time." "Time we don't have! All of Orea might not have!" Alaria barked back and then, again, ashamed of her outburst, put her head back in her hands. A soft knock at the door was met by Haelan. One of the acolyte Daughters of Gilea entered with a tray holding three small cups and was followed by Ole Midge. "Here you are, dearling. I thought for sure you'd be back in Stenthil's library working on your magics." the gentle old woman grinned. Her attempt at a warm hearted greeting was met with silence. "Well, I've brought you these. They will help you sleep." the elder priestess nodded at the young woman with the tray and she placed the cups upon the table and with a silent nod of a bow to Haelan and Braddok retired from the room. "There will be much to discuss tomorrow, Magess Alaria. The seneschal has already declared that you take precedence to meet with him tomorrow...whenever you like. The Hilltender has told me what's happened and there's nothing else you can do about it, this day." Midge said with obvious sympathy and offered the cup to Alaria. Alaria nodded at the old priestess and sipped at the cup. It was warm and sweet...minty. "Yes. Yes, of course. There will be much to do tomorrow." Alaria replied weakly. "I am tired. I shall adjourn to my chamber and begin anew tomorrow." Midge smiled and began to exit. She turned in surprise as Alaria's hand gripped her sleeve strongly. "Thank you, Midge. Please convey our thanks to the holy Daughters." Alaria said as she rose from the table. Midge grinned back, the gentle grin of a grandmother. "No thanks at all are necessary, Magess. The Merciful Mother be praised that you and the others were returned to us safely. Now...rest." Alaria nodded dumbly and left the common room. Meeessh watched her go with obvious concern. He then took a position near the warming glow of the fireplace and, as he appeared to fall "asleep" or whatever it was mephits did, he kind of "evaporated" out of view. Haelan and Braddok watched her go and observed with curiosity as the mephit "left", as did Midge. "You boys too!" Midge said with a wink when Alaria's door had shut. "I suspect you have a long day ahead...and much yet to do. Hilltender Haelan, I think the druid will be in sore need of your attention." "Thank you, Midge. I will look after him." said Haelan. "We shant be up late." added Braddok. With a grin and a nod, the elder priestess took her leave. "So...what do we do next?" Haelan asked the swordsman again. "We do what we are trained to, Haelan. We do what good we can, where we can...and eventually, some day, we avenge our friends against the forces of the dark wizard...dragon...whatever he or she is." Braddok replied absently, staring out the window at the starlit sky. Haelan nodded in agreement and sipped at his wine. The two adventurers passed the remaining time in silence and contemplation before saying their goodnights and retiring to their respective beds. * Braddok awoke with a start at the screaming of Alaria. The swordsman lept from his small bed, naked, grabbed his scabbard and raced from his room. He barged into Alaria's bedchamber to see the wizardess sitting bolt upright, her night-shift covered in sweat. She was panting and staring straight forward...at least until the warrior had burst her door open, blade flaring. "What is it!?!" Braddok said, ready to slay anything he saw in the room. There was nothing there. "Are you alright?" Alaria looked at the warrior in surprise...His chest heaved in expectation of combat. She looked at his naked form in the moonlight filtering into her room. "I...uh...Braddok?..." He relaxed his stance and sheathed his blade, not seeing any obvious intruder. Looking down, the warrior blushed and placed the sapphire studded scabbard over his...privy. "I heard a scream! WHOA!" Haelan said in surprise. The daelvar had come racing from his room as well. He had his mace and shield and was clumsily trying to set the slightly oversized helmet on his head. He got it adjusted just in time to see Braddok's bare buttocks very close to his face. "I'm fine, Haelan...I'm sorry. To you both. I was having a nightmare. But I'm fine now." Alaria said calmly...attempting as best she could to keep her eyes off of Braddok's glistening torso...at the very least above his waist. "Uh...huh...O...K." Haelan said, also averting his eyes to the nape of the swordsman's broad back. "I'll...uh...I'll be going back to bed, then." Not awaiting any comment the halfling blushed his way back into his bed. "Yeah...I'll...uh...I mean...I should...uh...go...then...too." Braddok stammered and threw a thumb over his shoulder as he edged his way, backward, toward the door. Confident that Haelan had gone, Alaria stopped the swordsman. "Braddok, wait...don't go. I think..." she looked toward the moonlight streaming in the narrow slit of a window. "I think I'd rather not be alone tonight." Alaria said quietly. "Alaria? I mean...my lady...I mean..you want...?" Braddok couldn't believe what he was hearing. "Stay with me...please?" Alaria asked softly. "If you...I mean...if that's your wish?" the swordsman forced himself to respond. He looked over his shoulder as if someone might hear him saying what he was saying. Alaria nodded and drew back the down comforter from the vacant side of the bed. "I think...no, I know, it is." The warrior gently placed his sword down beside the bed and climbed into the bed. The two bereft adventurers looked at each other for a while before Alaria lay back down and snuggled up to Braddok's muscled form. "Yes...this is better." Alaria said softly. "You will keep me safe" she added as sleep quickly drifted over her once more. "Always, magess." Braddok said quietly. Braddok placed a thick arm over her. After a few moments, he too drifted into slumber. The warrior dreamed of awakening with tentacles instead of arms. But after once being shocked awake by that image, to find the still clothed magess in his actual human arms, he fell back to sleep. [I][B]Next time: Of Druids and Dwarves.[/B][/I] [/QUOTE]
Insert quotes…
Verification
Post reply
Community
Playing the Game
Story Hour
Steel Dragon's "Tales of Orea"
Top