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Struggle and Strife- A scarred lands storyhour
- Thread starter Lars Frehse
- Start date
Lars Frehse
First Post
Thanks for your comments, and I am especially glad to see a new face here, too, Talix.
Well, the final part is supposed to take place during a thunderstorm, and I merely focused on it quite a bit. Glad you are enjoying it, though.
Unfortunately, I wrote the final update for this chapter at work, and there was a glitch when I sent it home. Since I have this week of, I won't be back to work till tuesday. This, in turn, means that I will post the next update on tuesday, but by then I will be able to several updates on a daily base, since I am already writing the newest chapter.
I hope you guys can wait this long.
Well, the final part is supposed to take place during a thunderstorm, and I merely focused on it quite a bit. Glad you are enjoying it, though.
Unfortunately, I wrote the final update for this chapter at work, and there was a glitch when I sent it home. Since I have this week of, I won't be back to work till tuesday. This, in turn, means that I will post the next update on tuesday, but by then I will be able to several updates on a daily base, since I am already writing the newest chapter.
I hope you guys can wait this long.
As long as Talix has spoken up, I'll add my kudos . . . You've made some excellent, excellent tales! When I got the Mithril book, I recognized some skeletons for a couple of your plot ideas (for those who don't know, the Mithril book contains some EXTREMELY BRIEF plot suggestions, which a DM has to flesh out to suit his interpretation of the world and his party's level and interests - this makes for some extra work on the part of the DM, but the story created will be unique). You made these little plot "suggestions" into extremely compelling stories for your players! And for your readers, too! I LOVE the unexpected directions you've gone with them. Thanks for posting them, so we can see how some of these play out in the hands of a creative DM . . . . your players are obviously very, very lucky!
Lars Frehse
First Post
Thank you very much. I am very glad to hear that you are enjoying it. I will do my best to keep entertaining you.
Last edited:
Lars Frehse
First Post
Thank you, Joseph. I will be able to post the final confrontation by tomorrrow. Then, the next chapter will pick up and tie up some lose ends of Torn's biography, and after that, the Serpent Amphora cycle will continue. (Since I haven't updated this for a week, I feel obliged to give you guys at least a brief preview. )
)Lars Frehse
First Post
Serpent in the Fold- part 4 of 4
She moved forward to block the entrance way, so that only man could face her at a time. Jam was the first to step forward. As Ben was transforming into his spiderform in the back, Amra slashed at the Paladin with both her short swords. Her right sword found a gap in his armor, and apart from the immediate pain, Jan felt weakened. He struck back, but merely inflicted a light fleshwound on her elbow.
As Torn now stepped into the way, Niklas jumped up, and using the small space between the doorframe and the woman, he saltoed over her, and was now standing behind her. Amra thrust the sword that hadn't drawn blood yet at the passing monk, and she hit him as well, poisoning him.
However, Torn hit her, and this time, she got wounded in the leg. Realizing that her position was precarious now, she thrust both her swords at the halforc. However, he had summoned a magical shield, which deflected her swords. With the monk in her back, she suddenly realized that there was no point in fighting on. Wheeling past Torn, she tumbled towards the large picture window, and sending a shower of shards out with her, she bursted through it, falling down to the roof below, where she landed in the crouched position of a cat on the wet surface.
A moment later, Torn was behind her. As the lightning cracked through the skies again and the thunder exploded all around them, he jumped down the three stories between towerchamber and roof, his spiked chain whirling over his head.
The moment he reached her, he let the heavy anchored end of the chain shoot towards the traitor. Amra hadn't gotten up to a fully upright position, as the sharp anchor-like weight shot into her back. Crying out in pain, she lost the footing beneath her and slid down the angled roof.
Before she could grab anything, she was already falling down over the edge of the roof. As quickly as he dared on the slippery surface, Torn went to the edge where she had fallen down. There she saw her, as the rain was pouring down and the lightning flooded the scene in white light: she had fallen back-first down on one of the steel spikes of the iron fence that surrounded the manor and was pierced onto it like a dead butterfly. Her dead eyes were staring up, but Torn couldn't tell if they were looking up to him accusingly or searching the skies for any help...
When Kelemis Durn summoned them, the sun was shining again. They had brought his corpse to the local Tanil temple which had been crowded with injured and dying people, where they had brought him discreetly into some back-rooms, for the knowledge of the death of the Home Commander would have shattered the people's morale. The priests promised to bring him back from the dead first thing in the morning.
By the time the adventurers had left the church, the attack was already over. It looked like the Titanspawn had payed a heavy toll for their attack- for every dead human, there were two slitheren, Asaathi or other titanspawn dead in the streets. For a few days, they helped in the hospitals or rescuing survivors from collapsed houses, until they received an invitation.
Now, in the Sun Room, Kelemis Durn was sitting behind his desk, only rising briefly to welcome and congratulate them. He looked older than he had, his shoulders were slumped and there was a trace of a beardstubbles on his once clean shaven face. All in all he seemed weaker and less lively than the energic and optimistic leader he had used to be. He looked deeply melancholic, but whether this sadness was due to having returned from the realm of death just recently or because of the treason of his trusted adjutant, they couldn't tell.
Finally, after long moments, he spoke, and his voice that had once been booming with good cheer was now subdued and trailing away every now and then:" I thank you in the name of all Vigilantes and the whole country of Vesh. Tanil knows what the servants of Mormo could have done with the amphora. The all-over assault a few days ago is the final proof that it holds unestimable value for them- they wouldn't have sacrificed so many of their numbers for a mere bauble.
" Yet, I can not give you the public recognition for what you have done just yet. I would like to rely on you again in the future, and since you are among the very few I can truly trust, it is better if you stay in the shadows for now.
"As a reward, I can order to have magical weapons crafted for each of you, Niklas and Torn. For you Ben, there is a robe for which he have no use: the way I understand it, it will allow you to change shape more often.
"For you Jan and Trepat, though, I have something else to offer. From what I heard, your body hasn't developed to become as resilent as it could be. If you like, I could arrange a meeting with a priest of Enkili- he could change your physical past to a degree that the way your body has formed will be as if you have lead a different life. But it could as well turn out for the worse for you, since Enkili's favors often end up as curses..."
Jan thought for a while until he decided:"I will take this chance, though. If Enkili favors me, this will only help me to be a more useful servant of Corean.".
Trepat, who relied on Tanil looking out for him, simply nodded, indicating his acceptance of the proposal.
"So be it, then", Kelemis Durn said, standing up:" It will take some days till your weapons are crafted, and you, Jan will need to ride out to the priest's temple, which is placed on a cliff near the coast."
He then asked them to remain in Lave for the time being. Once the vigilantes had opened the tome of Chardun, they would inform the adventurers about what they found out, and maybe they would need their help again.
Then, the friends left, and Niklas, who was last closed the door behind himself. Just as he was about to leave the door behind to catch up with his companions, he stopped in his step for a second. He was certain, that even through the oakwood door between them, he heard the soft sound of Kelemis Durn sighing deeply, as if under the pressure of a ton of sorrows and worries...
She moved forward to block the entrance way, so that only man could face her at a time. Jam was the first to step forward. As Ben was transforming into his spiderform in the back, Amra slashed at the Paladin with both her short swords. Her right sword found a gap in his armor, and apart from the immediate pain, Jan felt weakened. He struck back, but merely inflicted a light fleshwound on her elbow.
As Torn now stepped into the way, Niklas jumped up, and using the small space between the doorframe and the woman, he saltoed over her, and was now standing behind her. Amra thrust the sword that hadn't drawn blood yet at the passing monk, and she hit him as well, poisoning him.
However, Torn hit her, and this time, she got wounded in the leg. Realizing that her position was precarious now, she thrust both her swords at the halforc. However, he had summoned a magical shield, which deflected her swords. With the monk in her back, she suddenly realized that there was no point in fighting on. Wheeling past Torn, she tumbled towards the large picture window, and sending a shower of shards out with her, she bursted through it, falling down to the roof below, where she landed in the crouched position of a cat on the wet surface.
A moment later, Torn was behind her. As the lightning cracked through the skies again and the thunder exploded all around them, he jumped down the three stories between towerchamber and roof, his spiked chain whirling over his head.
The moment he reached her, he let the heavy anchored end of the chain shoot towards the traitor. Amra hadn't gotten up to a fully upright position, as the sharp anchor-like weight shot into her back. Crying out in pain, she lost the footing beneath her and slid down the angled roof.
Before she could grab anything, she was already falling down over the edge of the roof. As quickly as he dared on the slippery surface, Torn went to the edge where she had fallen down. There she saw her, as the rain was pouring down and the lightning flooded the scene in white light: she had fallen back-first down on one of the steel spikes of the iron fence that surrounded the manor and was pierced onto it like a dead butterfly. Her dead eyes were staring up, but Torn couldn't tell if they were looking up to him accusingly or searching the skies for any help...
When Kelemis Durn summoned them, the sun was shining again. They had brought his corpse to the local Tanil temple which had been crowded with injured and dying people, where they had brought him discreetly into some back-rooms, for the knowledge of the death of the Home Commander would have shattered the people's morale. The priests promised to bring him back from the dead first thing in the morning.
By the time the adventurers had left the church, the attack was already over. It looked like the Titanspawn had payed a heavy toll for their attack- for every dead human, there were two slitheren, Asaathi or other titanspawn dead in the streets. For a few days, they helped in the hospitals or rescuing survivors from collapsed houses, until they received an invitation.
Now, in the Sun Room, Kelemis Durn was sitting behind his desk, only rising briefly to welcome and congratulate them. He looked older than he had, his shoulders were slumped and there was a trace of a beardstubbles on his once clean shaven face. All in all he seemed weaker and less lively than the energic and optimistic leader he had used to be. He looked deeply melancholic, but whether this sadness was due to having returned from the realm of death just recently or because of the treason of his trusted adjutant, they couldn't tell.
Finally, after long moments, he spoke, and his voice that had once been booming with good cheer was now subdued and trailing away every now and then:" I thank you in the name of all Vigilantes and the whole country of Vesh. Tanil knows what the servants of Mormo could have done with the amphora. The all-over assault a few days ago is the final proof that it holds unestimable value for them- they wouldn't have sacrificed so many of their numbers for a mere bauble.
" Yet, I can not give you the public recognition for what you have done just yet. I would like to rely on you again in the future, and since you are among the very few I can truly trust, it is better if you stay in the shadows for now.
"As a reward, I can order to have magical weapons crafted for each of you, Niklas and Torn. For you Ben, there is a robe for which he have no use: the way I understand it, it will allow you to change shape more often.
"For you Jan and Trepat, though, I have something else to offer. From what I heard, your body hasn't developed to become as resilent as it could be. If you like, I could arrange a meeting with a priest of Enkili- he could change your physical past to a degree that the way your body has formed will be as if you have lead a different life. But it could as well turn out for the worse for you, since Enkili's favors often end up as curses..."
Jan thought for a while until he decided:"I will take this chance, though. If Enkili favors me, this will only help me to be a more useful servant of Corean.".
Trepat, who relied on Tanil looking out for him, simply nodded, indicating his acceptance of the proposal.
"So be it, then", Kelemis Durn said, standing up:" It will take some days till your weapons are crafted, and you, Jan will need to ride out to the priest's temple, which is placed on a cliff near the coast."
He then asked them to remain in Lave for the time being. Once the vigilantes had opened the tome of Chardun, they would inform the adventurers about what they found out, and maybe they would need their help again.
Then, the friends left, and Niklas, who was last closed the door behind himself. Just as he was about to leave the door behind to catch up with his companions, he stopped in his step for a second. He was certain, that even through the oakwood door between them, he heard the soft sound of Kelemis Durn sighing deeply, as if under the pressure of a ton of sorrows and worries...
