The Creation Schema:THE FINAL BATTLE FOR POSSESSION OF THE SCHEMA

[megamania]

EBERRON
07/09/05
SEGMENT 088
“Village of Glen Stone”

It has been two days of traveling by foot thus far. They have heard many rumors of a raging elemental in the forest that is being contained by powerful druids. Needless to say, the group is not saying much as far as any possibly connection they may have to the crash or the destructive fire elemental.

The dinosaur doesn’t like the snow but continues onward anyway. Taskerdoo’s own druidic concerns bother him. He knows the elemental will be stopped and the destruction it causes will allow for new and stronger trees to grow from the ash but he feels slightly guilty anyway. Black sands only wishes he could have fought the elemental instead of running but knows he would not have lived.

They pass through several very small villages. The locals look at them with a great deal of suspicion. Between the dinosaur and the ½ giant of the group, they can not possibly blend in. They stay in the small villages only long enough to get food and a few supplies. They also verify the directions to Glen Stone where they are too meet with the next House Cannith member.

On the third day four centaurs stop them. The centaurs are concerned about the group. They do not belong to the Reaches. The leader, dressed in studded leather, asks many questions of them. They answer the questions carefully and sigh in relief when the four woodland defenders leave. They are looking for the cause of the fires to the east towards Niern.

On the fourth day they arrive in Glen Stone. Little is here. It is a House Vadalis breeding area. There are many magebred horses here also. The party searches for the Cannith contact within the only tavern here. The Ripe Melon. Here they find Vale d’Cannith.

Vale is a Cannith family member whom follows the god Onatar. An elf with a well made longbow is with him. Introductions are made and updates required. Keltis was last seen in Varna repairing his ship from extensive fire damage. The druids that reside there seemed to have many issues with his mistress – a powerful necromancer and summoner of undead.

House Cannith South is roughly one day ahead of them currently. They stopped by a tradehouse within five miles of Glen Stone. The race is still on and very even at this point.

Vale buys magebred fast heavy horses for everyone. Though Black sands doesn’t like it, he agrees to be reduced in size to allow better means of travel to be done. He only agrees when Vale convinces him that the spell can be turned off instantly. Even with this, they will take a long time to reach the Dark Hills where Drogan’s Trap is believed to exist.

On the third day since leaving Glen Stone, the group is stopped by a group of Shifters. The shifters try to deter the group from pressing on. They fear the group will cause a great deal of harm to the forest and nearby areas if they continue. The shifters know where they are going. Another group has already passed by here trying to reach the area near The Gloaming.

The group is careful describing what their intent is. Though the leader of the shifter tribe doesn’t believe them, he listens to them. They try to convince the tribe they are here to stop the other Cannith house. They speak of their actions in the past and hope to sway any distrust to the Cannith House South only.

The last words make Sharshek worry a great deal.

“Beware of the Giants of Dark Hill.”

 

[megamania]

EBERRON
07/09/05
SEGMENT 089
“Misdirection”

The damaged airship reached Varna. When asked what had happened, Keltis was careful not to direct any more attention onto them then there already be. The damage was not structural. They needed blanks for the deck but the explosions were contained well enough with the protective magics used just in case.

Keltis goes to three warriors and asks them to seek information on the Cannith ship. He wants to know if it crashed, where and if any one survived. The three warriors each go their own way.

Keltis then looks around him. Varna is by no means a city. It is made up of hundreds of thatch roof 2-3 story buildings. The stone structure their ship is anchored to is the tallest here. It is a mere 4 stories high.

“Eldeen is so primitive and simple” snarls Keltis in irritation.

“It holds her secrets well.” Purrs Karrion Kold. The pale skinned necromancer walks up and places her arms around Keltis’ shoulders and neck. “But we excel in finding and revealing secrets don’t we lover.”

“Hurm…yes. Yes we do.” Keltis turns and holds her. The activities around them matter little at the moment.

= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =

Benlake wanders into a tavern. The Emerald Claw warrior wanted an excuse for a drink anyway. He sits down and waves over the bar tender. “Ale.” He gets his drink and takes a few sips before downing the entire mug. He thumps the mug twice. “More Ale.” The bar tender gets him another and the coins are exchanged for payment. Benlake turns and looks around. He sees only two other patrons here. A farmer and a warrior.

He goes to the farmer and asks several questions. The farmer has little to say. “Yup, nope, neva heard of one.” Benlake rolls his eyes. He gets up and says “Thankyou for nothing.” And moves to the warrior.

The warrior is dressed in bronze armor with black and orange trim. A red cowl and cape covers much of his armor and any weapons he has. “You seek answers?”

“So you over heard me speaking to the native …elf.”

The warrior looks up and his pointed chin and fine features make his racial origin apparent. “An elf I am. Bree is the name I am most known as.”

“Well, Bree I am searching for four outsiders from these lands. They should be obvious to spot. One is a dark gray skinned humanoid about eight feet tall. He is bald and has an angry disposition about him. There are two halflings. One rides a dinosaur and the other carries a large bag on him. A human fighter travels with them.

“What are they to you?”

“A silver for answers and another silver for answers only. No questions.”

Bree watches the two coins as Benlake places them to his side on the table. “Silver like a dragon? Silver like the mortal mineral to a werewolf?”

“Answer the questions elf. Have you seen them?”

The elf ponders the question for a moment. “I have not seen but I have heard of a disturbance. West of Niern there is a forest fire of unknown origin. The locals are convinced a crashed air ship caused it. You came on a fire damaged air ship did you not?”

“Answers- no questions elf.” Benlake’s patience is running out. “What makes you think they were there?”

“Everything leads me to think you and your masters are messing with something you should not. There are forces here that would be better left alone.” The elf gets up. Benlake finds himself unable to move until the elf has left the building.

= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = == = = = = =

Lt. Curst preferred being in Atur where he was stationed normally. This place lacked …. Atmosphere. It took him the better part of three hours to find who he was looking for. A woman willing to work for her money. He found her is a quiet section of Varna. It was not night yet so he had to try to locate her home. He found her walking in the area of her home.

“Terra I presume?”

“Why do you ask?” she says looking over the Claw warrior.

“I seek companionship and information.” He looks are her tanned skin. Despite the gentle snow that wanders individually, she wears no jacket. Her bare but tanned arms are revealed to him. She is not a city prostitute but she is fine …very fine.

“I am have both. What do you have for me in return?” She asks with a warm smile and leans against the wooden building. The orange and red scarf slides to her side revealing her black tight dress. Bronzed skin and cleavage is clearly visible.

Curst holds up a coin bag. Her blue eyes sparkle as she looks at it. “First- information. I seek four travelers. They may be injured and no doubt in hiding. A human, two halflings and a large ½ giant-like creature.”

“There was word of a halfling in town. He was …borrowing things and looking for healers. Something outrageous about a crash in the forest nearby.” Curst follows each and every word. His master Keltis will not be pleased to know they yet live. “No one else knows where they hide.”

“Else? Tell me woman. Where do they hide?”

“That will cost you. Along with any companionship you had in mind.” And she gets close and moves close to him.

He instead grabs both arms and pulls her to him and holds her face within inches of his. “Where woman? Where do they hide?” Spittle lands on her bronze tanned cheeks. Her blue eyes almost glow in fear ..or is it anger?

“They hide in the basement of the building closest to the clock tower. The human is near death and the giant has lost a limb.”

Lt. Curst pushes her hard against the building. She crumbles to the ground in a heap. Tears well and she whimpers. “coin …where is my coin?”

“HERE is your payment whore!” and Curst proceeds to kick her with his metal pleated boots. He kicks until he can kick no more. Huffing he leans over her. The snow is beginning to fall harder. He looks for any witnesses and sees none and leaves quickly.

= = = = = = = = = = = = = == = = = = = = = = =

Nathan Darkwater removes anything that marks him as a claw member and he goes into town. He goes to the stables. House Valalis controls this town. Through them, he is certain he can learn the truth. The first few stable hands have little to aid him. Then he spots a man dressed in fine clothes that obviously don’t belong here. While walking up, Darkwater listens to the man’s conversation he is having with a stablehand. The man is from Erlaskar. He was traveling here by horse but the horse became spooked by the sight of a flaming mass crashing to the earth from high above. Now he wants a new horse to make it to Redleaf.

Having no clue of the area, Darkwater assumes this man saw the crash of the Cannith ship and may know something about it. He walks up as the man is arguing about the cost of the horse. The man is dressed in orange, black and red. His blue eyes are quite piercing.

“Excuse me- but where was that crash you say you saw?”

“Who are you? Another stable boy? Your prices are outrageous.”

“The price is what it is but where was the accident? I have heard many rumors but know no one that actually saw it.”

“Why tell a stableboy?”

“Because I am no stableboy and wish to know. It may be the cost of a horse.” Darkwater holds up a pouch.

“A day’s travel back. The craft was high up and on flames. The crew tried to stop it but failed. It crashed into the forest and a huge fire erupted from it.”

Darkwater had heard of a fire. Maybe this man was on to something. “Any survivors?”

“If there was they would have been consumed by the fires. Now about my horse.”

== = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = == = == =

Each of the three report to Keltis that night. Keltis favors Curst’s story and acts on it. They break into the only building next to the clock. What they discover is a secret lab used by Dalin d’Vadalis. Though the repairs are not complete and several men are still within the town, Keltis is forced to flee the only town that could have helped him.

Keltis growls and fumes at this turn of bad fortune. He just wishes he had time to renew his prayers to create a fire within this wood and straw city. Karrion walks up to him. “We will find them.”

“Oh I know we will. The crash did occur. We can start there. But what angers me is someone out there is interfering with me.”

“Whatever do you mean lover?”

“You were there. What was the descriptions of the three informants?”

“Human –male and female and an elf.”

“No. All dressed in red, orange and black. Someone is playing a strange game with us. I do not tolerate games.”

= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = ==

Breedaernxen flies high over Lake Galifar. He can see Delethorn now and will turn west towards the area known as the Gloaming. He wishes not to fight the little one and his friends but the discovery of the Creation Schema can not happen. Not yet anyway.

 

[megamania]

EBERRON
07/17/05
SEGMENT 090
“Trouble in Sharn”

The young magewright was very nervous. This was the first time he had ever entered the Cannith house home. This was to be the first time he would meet Merrix d’Cannith also. This alone would unnerve many young magewrights but the fact he was bringing bad news made it worse.

This was to be the third attempted breach of Cannith security this week alone within Sharn. They found only enough remains of the first intruder to identify it as a warforged. The second intruder had a strange mis-matched eye socket over a helmet marking it as a Claw member. This last person however got far into the facility before dying from a flaming gas trap. Even then, most of the body was left intact. He had three separate forms of identification. Two were magically shielded and/or treated. He fit no one from Breland’s government. He was not a gnome so it was not a Trust member. He truly was a wild card in a game with too many players.

He had heard of a group based from the east that may be the benefactor. The Aurum. If so …was he here to spy on Cannith? Sabotage it? Was he seeking means to learn about their new sea craft? What was he looking for?

The meeting with Merrix is short. Merrix sends the magewright on his way quickly.

He paces for a few moments within his glamorous office. He stops and looks out the window. “It is time. “I must move the schema to the Vown estate. It is no longer safe here in Sharn.”

 

[megamania]

EBERRON
07/23/05
SEGMENT 091
“Death From Below”

“I’ve seen smaller dragons!” complains Cedious as he swats at a woodland gnat.

“Gold or Silver?” asks Vale not understanding the sarcasm. “I have not ever seen a live dragon. You are very lucky indeed.”

The entire group, even their elven fighter rolls their eyes. It has been five days now of walking through the dense forest that is the Eldeen Reaches. The trees are tall and thick. Thick vines hang from the high branches in this section. There is little ground foliage. The group has seen several groups of wolves and even a bear from the distance. There has been no other danger. Once roughly every hour Vale checks if they are going in the correct direction.

“I could go for a lift now that runs horizontally.” Adds Cedious. “My blisters have blisters!”

“Hurph. Whatever.” Says the i/2 giant warrior. Black sands is bored. He has killed nothing in three days and the chipmunks did little to curb his needs then. “How much longer until we find this “trap”?”

“I fear we are many weeks away. We are roughly 500 miles away. That airship was supposed to bring us within weeks distance. The Claw saw to us not having that advantage.”

“So Cannith South will beat us there easily then.” Says Taskerdoo riding his dinosaur that is beginning to show signs of fatigue. The cold-blooded animal doesn’t much care for the cold and snow of early winter.

“I can only hope they are being delayed. Some of our recon work suggested an outside party that is slowing down or at least challenging certain groups. We ourselves were delayed when going to search for you in the Talenta Plains. That delay allowed us time to discover the location of Drogan’s Trap.”

“Really? I can’t imagine anyone doing that with us. Me especially.” Quips the rogue as he picks up several small stones.

“We can not tell if this group is for or against us. They help and hinder on a whim.”

“If you do not know who they are can you tell us anything to aid us to spot them? Asks the Human fighter Sharshek.

“Not much. Many races are covered within the group. There does seem to a pattern in dress however. They allows have the colors of bronze, red and black. And the members may have a lot of magic on them. All of their weapons and their eyes glow bright blue.”

Cedious fumbles his throw of the stone. It bounces off a trunk and nearly strikes the elf that only scowls at the halfling. “Really…. That seems odd.”

Taskerdoo turns to him. “Didn’t you say a bugbear with blue eyes required your aid in Darguun?”

“Nope. No such thing.” Cedious suddenly realizes he has been duped and is quite embarrassed by it. NO ONE has ever tricked him like this. The bugbear and the human were using him. Who were they and who was their boss? More complications.

Unnoticed by any but Taskerdoo, the dinosaur slows down and becomes nervous. Taskerdoo shuts out the party’s conversation and listens. Vale stops in mid stride. “The insects and birds have stopped calling.”

Suddenly the ground opens up beneath the elf and he falls in. Taskerdoo whom was next to the elf sees a brief flash of armor.

Sounds of death and screams of agony and terror erupt from the hole. Cedious and Sharshek peer in with their weapons drawn. About ten feet down a creature can be seen in part. It has heavy armor plating. It begins to back up as Vale steps up and drops a pebble with a light spell on it. He hopes to see the creature better and maybe it will go away with a bright light being introduced to its tunnel. A great roar comes out instead and the creature backs up and leaps to the top. Taskerdoo recalls a creature of this sort. “BULLETTE!”

“Bull what?!?” yells Cedious as he moves away from the huge hulking creature of heavy armor plating and teeth (red with elven blood). The group surrounds it to attack. Many of their blows bounce off the plating. Black sands takes a vicious hit. Then Sharshek is leapt onto. Everyone does what he or she can. Vale has few spells to directly attack the creature. He supports the group with healing and strength in the name of the Sun’s Spirit (Pelor). Finally the creature is beginning to show signs of slowing down a second one shows up!

“More blood for my weapon!” yells the barbarian as he switches targets.

The first Bulette blinds Sharshek as it tries to bite him again. The light empowered pebble has been bitten and wedged into the teeth of the creature. Each time it opens its mouth strong light pours out. It looks more harmful than it truly is. An observer would wonder what kind of breath weapon the Bulette has acquired.

The first one goes down and then the concentrate on the second possible mate of the first. It goes down shortly after.

“AAAARRRRRRGH! I want more!” Bellows the enraged barbarian. The party now worries more about their strong ally.

They peer into the hole using the pebble. The shattered and torn up elf is below. It appears it was bitten but once then torn up. Maybe elves taste bad adds Cedious as a joke.

They try to save any of his equipment before moving on.

 

[megamania]

EBERRON
07/23/05
SEGMENT 092
“Caution and New Hope”

It is the eighth day now. The group is tired. This morning they saw a medium sized dragon flying over head. Where it was going was uncertain. So long as it was not near Drogan’s Trap.

They continue on when Taskerdoo notes something in the branches. The forest is younger here. The trees may be only several hundreds of years old instead of thousands. There is ground brush and saplings. It is harder to see but more light streams through the upper foliage to aid them. Taskerdoo thinks he saw an outline of a very still figure. He shakes his head and looks back but sees nothing. Fifteen minutes later it happens again.

“I think we are being followed” he whispers to Vale.

“Yes. The Shifters are following us still. They are known for being quite determined.”

“Threat?” asks Sharshek.

“I don’t think so. At least not for now.”

“We need a faster means of transportation. Worse, I fear my companion is ill suited for this terrain.” Says Taskerdoo as he pats his paler colored dinosaur. They are once more walking in two inches of snow. The dinosaur is becoming ill. The druid has done what he can to keep the animal well but there are limits.

A rippling stream becomes a raging river that they follow. They dread crossing the river. To become wet in this environment would be dangerous at best. Soon they come to an open plain. In the distance they can see smoke.

“A settlement!” exclaims Cedious with glee.

“Good or bad folk however?” answers Vale and Sharshek.

They camp and wait to find out the next day.

That morning they come onto the source of the smoke. A ranch. A Vadalis ranch no less. As they approach, they see a Pegasus with a rider fly around the far side of the ranch.

“Are you thinking what I am thinking?” asks Cedious, as he looks the horse with wings. A fast flying horse with wings.

“It would take only days to reach the region using Pegasi.” Answers Vale Matterhorn.

Cedious and Taskerdoo try to talk the ranchers into a good price for the transportation. They are laughed at. (a natural 1 and a 2 for diplomacy groan). Vale tries and only when he presents the gold and platinum supplied to him by Cannith do they begin to get any answers. In the end, they spend too much money and time but they are airborne. They try to create a harness for the dinosaur but within hours they are forced to land.

The party gives Taskerdoo and his dinosaur a moment in privacy. Taskerdoo is glum and leaves with a heavy heart. The dinosaur will not live long. He is certain of this. It is not fair but it is the way of nature. If the dinosaur was allowed to survive and reproduce, it could upset the natural balance here.

“Lets go.” Says Taskerdoo, as they become airborne.

 

[megamania]

EBERRON
07/23/05
SEGMENT 093
“Giants of the Dark Hills”

They have spent four days flying. They are making good time. The area of the Gloaming draws their attention. Vale mentions it is a dark area that is tainted with ways unnatural and malign. They avoid flying over it. Cedious wanted to fly over it and drop a light enchanted coin into it just top see what would happen. He is allowed the chance.

Finally they approach the area of Drogan’s Trap where House Cannith: South was going. They see no signs of the Dragonmarked house but do see a large man-made wall with an open archway. Either a mine or a tomb guesses Sharshek. Cedious’ sharp eyes spots a figure sitting in the shadows. He points to it and the others look closer. A Hill Giant!

He seems to be guarding the archway. It seems odd as he is nearly 10ft tall but the doorway is only 8 feet high but fifteen wide. It is clearly not made for him.

Black sands goes to land first. The words of “There are only one” trails behind him.

Taskerdoo waits on his Pegasus as the others dismount and look at the giant and the doorway.

The Giant calls out. Only Black sands understands him.

FOUR more Hill Giants come out of the forest and the rocks nearby. The giant continues to bellow with his deep voice. His eyes never leave the party.

“Ah…uh anyone speak Giant?” asks Cedious.

“I do.” Says Black sands.

“I am Gratdeer. I am the guardian of this doorway to the forbidden room. I ask you to move away and leave. We will not harm you so long as you move away.” Says the Hill Giant in Giant.

“**** you!” bellows the combative ½ giant.

“What did he say?” asks Vale wondering if he can trust the barbarian.

“He wants to kill us and use us for his stew. The pegasi have other uses for him and his kin.”

Black sands charges the giant making the others jump and rush in. They did not expect such a thing.

Taskerdoo goes to the air. Vale castes a protection spell onto himself. He will not fight but he will not be a victim either. The barbarian is quick to regret his decision. It is only because Vale stays with him healing him each time he is hit. The giant’s long reach hinders any flanking attempts by the group. Sharshek is struck down and killed. Cedious is swatted even as Taskerdoo begins to fire his wand of magic missiles from up high onto the giants.

The giant’s heart is not in this battle (either I miss or roll low on damage) but within a minute of combat beginning they are attacking with purpose ( a crit that nearly kills Black sands and DOES kill Sharshek). Suddenly a savage snarl and yell tears into the air. A giant begins to swing wildly. One hand goes to his eyes and the other swinging a club as big as Sharshek. Cedious and Black sands concentrate on this one and takes him down. Then another one does this. Vale heals as he goes.

As Taskerdoo circles above he watches the Shifter Cleric as he moves down the black stone cropped hillside that the archway is built into. Is he here to help or hinder? Does he have blue eyes?

Finally the battle ends. The giants are defeated but the party is decimated and one is down. Seeing no further danger except for the shifter, Taskerdoo lands to learn about him.

 

[megamania]

EBERRON
07/23/05
SEGMENT 094
“The Power of the Sun’s Spirit”

Vale stops and peers at the down human. He kneels down and slowly rolls the body over. His neck and ribs are broken. He was hit but three times but that was all that was needed. Vale places a few clear glass beads on the wounds. They create a prism effect as the sun strikes them. Vale moves the stones so as to allow the rainbow color to reflect onto the wounds. He then stands up and sighs deeper. He takes a few deep breaths before starting.

The others stop. They know Vale was powerful but this intrigues them.

He holds the staff over his head. A clear crystal is within the staff also. The same rainbow colors shine through and land on the body of the dead human fighter. Faint smoke rises from the wounds. Perhaps it is even steam.

“By the power of the sun and the spirit it holds I ask for a second chance for this mortal.” He waves his arms overhead to represent the rising sun. The ritual takes several moments longer then Sharshek begins to cough. Each cough draws in air that inflates his collapsed lungs. He rolls over to cough up blood and lose pieces of flesh that did not knit together from the healing.

“whoah” Cedious says in amazement.

“…and allow his spirit to return to completed body.” And the clear stones blacken and char then breakup. Ashes float away in the gentle breeze. “I and Sharshek need to rest.”

 

[megamania]

EBERRON
07/23/05
SEGMENT 095
“The Secret Lever”
“And who are you?” asks Taskerdoo of the shifter.

Over the course of the next few minutes the shifter explains himself. He is a member of the shifter clan they PCs ran into before. They had been warned by a bugbear with blue eyes of the group’s intent and direction. The clan stopped them to explain the dangers to them but felt the temple would stop them by itself.

When asked what this meant, the shifter merely suggests the threat of the giants and the final room itself would defeat them. He, a young and curious shifter, decided to watch for himself. He almost lost them when they got the pegasi. However, a wandering human dressed in bronze armor with a red cape and black trim happened onto him. They traveled unto the night. They camped and when he woke up, the human was gone but he found himself within a day’s journey of the temple.

This concerns the group.

However it is quickly forgotten when Cedious finds a large bag filled with gold and platinum. Also found are three giant sized brass mugs and a headband. Each of these has runes that remind Cedious of drawings from Bonel’s Journal. These runes were found in ruins within Xen’ drik. Cedious knows these worth more money to a collector than someone looking for the brass.

As he continues looking he finds a secret door with no handles or levers. Twenty feet down, he finds a small hole about twenty inches around in the wall. This hole seems to go through the wall. The giants could never hope to go through it. Even an adult human has o chance. Cedious however shrugs his shoulders and crawls in.

Vale gives him another light empowered pebble. On the other side Cedious sees a large natural cavern with man-made embankments, bridges and platforms. There is also a large lever on the wall. Cedious goes to it and inspects it. He can clearly see the secret door from this side. He pulls on the lever and gets no where with it. He hangs off of it and it slowly declines. After climbing on it and jumping on it from above the lever goes down and the group enters. Taskerdoo will not enter without the winged horse he rode on. Rolling their eyes, they allow it.

“We camp here.” Says Sharshek as he plops down and falls asleep nearly instantly.

 

[megamania]

EBERRON
07/23/05
SEGMENT 096
“Sick and Abandoned”

It ran and ran. Then it would fall. The white stuff was so cold to it. It hurt like little needles. Why was it abandoned? Why did the nature wielder leave him? What did it do wrong?

The dinosaur slowly got to its feet. Frosty white snow clung to its thick hide but slowly melted. It sucked the warmth directly out of it. The nature wielder first brought it to the land of men. The land had fields and smelled of fruit. It was pleasant enough. The many stone caves made little sense to the dinosaur. Then it faithfully joined the nature wielder on the trip with the flying loud thing. It nearly died if not for the restless little man. The air became cold and soon the white stuff came. Still he stayed and did what the nature wielder asked. It was fun to have the good magic. It could run faster, claw harder and climb like a spider bug. Then the roaring thing fell from the sky. It survived but was forced to walk in the white snuff. It was cold. So cold.

Then the nature wielder saw a large and tall hairy creature with wings. He left the dinosaur for the flying thing. Why? What did it do wrong? It tried not to become sick but the cold hurt its chest and its feet. It even gave pain to its eyes. But to be with the nature wielder was worth it.

The dinosaur was missing its humanoid companion.

It wandered for two days in the forest. The first day was scariest. Other men chased it. The men whom trapped the winged hairy creatures. It wished it had wings. Maybe the nature wielder would have kept it then.

Food was hard to find. There were smaller furry creatures that ran above and below the white cold. There where some that screeched and chattered at him from the hard trees. Then came last night. There were many of the creatures. They smelled like the creatures that his humanoid companion had before him. They growled and bit and ran at him but he was faster and could jump better. Not as good as when jumping from the roaring and burning flying thing but still jump better.

But the bites …they hurt. Hurt so bad.

I feel tired…. Sick …. Going to go away now … I miss my humanoid companion….


Even as the sickly dinosaur lies down a silhouette of a goblin climbs without a sound from a tree. The goblin looks at the dinosaur from a safe distance. Her skilled eyes look over this curiosity. Lizards did poorly in these woods. Some newts and salamanders survived but they knew to dug deep into the mud and deepest roots of the trees here. This ..creature was not even a native. What was it?

The Ranger created a gurney and brought the sick dinosaur to her warm cave. Perhaps this creature was meant for something. Maybe to join her in the protection of these woods.

Months went by. The dinosaur was very ill for several weeks. The chill settled in its lungs and it had developed frostbite on several toes and the tip of the tail. But it got better.

The snow melted and the flowers blossomed and the ranger knew the choice to save this queer creature from another world was a good one. She had a new friend and companion. Kick-sharp took to being a mount very well. It hunted as well as any woodland large cat she knew of. And Kick-sharp intimidated many of the clans here.

There was a reason he was brought to her. She thanked the spirits for him and turned to investigate the rumors of a haunted cave that was causing illness in the village by the lake.

 

[megamania]

EBERRON
08/06/05
SEGMENT 097
“Just Who or What the %#@%* Are You?!? ”

DM NOTES frustrating day. Only player made it today and he was very late. One other called. The other three were no call / no show. Need to think about TPK situations again…… So instead of doing nothing with Clinton whom plays Cedious, I opted to have him meet someone going in instead of out of Drogan’s Trap.

For the best descriptions of the bridges think of Lord of Rings within the Dwarven ruins. This is what I was aiming for.




Using the lantern they had and a few torches the group (complete with a Pegasus) begin to walk onto the first bridge. The light pierces into the dark but reveals very little. Sometimes the washed out grainy images of other ramps and stairways supported by large columns can be seen. The only sound is that of rushing water. Somewhere far below there is a fast moving river complete with rapids and possibly small waterfalls. They wind around and come onto a split in the bridge. Left or straight. They go left and find a section has collapsed. Forced to turn around they fail to see the blue lights that blink at them from the far side.

The continue walking around with little hint of distance or direction. Then they stop and try to get their barring. Cedious, being the curious rogue halfling he is, continues a short way forward. He reaches a new-leveled platform and stops.

“Hello Little One.”

Cedious turns trying to locate the source of the sound. Then his lantern crosses over another section of bridge about fifteen away. He draws his weapon and moves closer to the railed edge to investigate.

“Do I know you?” Cedious feels he knows this person but can’t place it. “I don’t take kindly to surprises.”

The light slowly reveals a dark skinned elf with no hair dressed in copper, red and black robes. His blue eyes burn when the light crosses over them.

“Who are you?” He thinks long and hard and recalls rumors of dark skinned elves that live in Xen’ drik but surely this is not Xen’drik. “I don’t know you. Who are you?”

“You may call me Zen. I come to warn you.” The monk – like warrior stands very still on the rail.

“Warn me?!? Why does everyone want to warn me. I already know this is a dangerous place to be. Its part of its appeal.” He says with a smirk while studying the monk.

“That which you seek can not be released onto the world. The dangers are too great. At least not now.”

“Fah!” And Cedious steps back from the rail. He is tired of these cultists. He recalls the dress of the bugbear and the fighter. Who or what they are doesn’t matter to him any more.

“That which you seek will seek you in time. It has been nearly 500 years since I saw the last one try to open the secrets of Drogan’s Trap. Fate has a way of working itself out.”

Cedious stops and rolls his eyes and grumbles then turns around. “500 years ago……?” He steps up to the rail again. “Just who the %^@# are you?!?”

“A witness.”

Flustered, Cedious yells at the black skinned monk. “Witness this!”, he gives him the finger, “If I ever get my hands and dagger on …you?” The monk crosses his arms over his chest and steps out and falls from view of the lantern. The roar of the river below covers any sound of impact. Cedious frowns in frustration.

“What is it?” asks Taskerdoo with the others in tow.

“A warning. That means we are close. Lets go.”