The hidden

[megamania]

THE HIDDEN
03 THE MAZE
SEGMENT 038
“GEO-MORPH N- Aberrational Troops”
2/23/14

EYRE 22, 999

Bolts fly down onto RAF as he tries to hurry up the stairs. Cy and Truth are close behind with Witt following. The others remain below.

RAF acts as a moving wall and blocks most attacks. They take turns attacking through the opening taking out Dolgrims. As RAF climbs out of the stairway he is attacked by tall and gaunt creatures with twin tentacles. The tentacles try to pierce his armor but cannot.

The others climb out pushing back the pathetic creatures. Their sheer number s was their only chance but RAF is taking them down quickly. Cy and Persia also climb out to attack. Truth uses his hooked staff to pull unwary creatures down into the stairwell where Witt takes them out.

Persia is struck in the chest by a tall gaunt creature. Its tentacle digs in but she cuts herself free. Cy takes it down with RAF as she steps back to remove the obscene wiggling remains of a tentacle.

They finish off the creatures and only now note their surroundings….. mountains. Witt and Persia believe they are a few hundred miles north-east of Yrlag now.

They back below to look for anything of use on the Emerald Claw. They camp here after letting out the ½ orc and Maul. RAF suggests that if not for freeing Maul, they would not have returned to the red door room.

They decide to camp here before leaving in the morning.

 

[megamania]

THE HIDDEN
04 TROGLODYTE ATTACK
SEGMENT 039
“Dangerous Travel ”
2/23/14



EYRE 23-25, 999

The Group of adventurers are slowly working their way back to Yrlag by following a Cliffside trail along the Byeshk Mountains. The first day had no encounters or activity. But on the second day they come onto a rope bridge. Several Gnolls are on either side of the bridge.

“Our bridge…. Toll for use of our bridge.” One of the dogmen declares.

RAF doesn’t feel like fighting today. But he will if he has too. Cy asks how much.

“ Five copper per.” Says the creature.

Truth offers that and a little bit more (money he took from the Emerald Claw). They pass without incident.

That night, they are off the mountainside into a heavily wooded hill and valley area. An Ettin comes to their small fire and declares it is hungry and wants their money. Truth asks which is it- food or money but finds it a mute point as RAF charges it. The battle goes poorly as the Ettin is no Emerald Claw agent or Dolgrim. They do defeat it but require healing and repair potions.

The next night, they hear howls coming from the woods. Even as everyone prepares for battle, a pack of Dire Wolves race into the camp. They are after the smallest prey (Maul) but RAF charges the leader. It is a deadly free for all as the wolves tear into everyone while trying to take Maul. In the end, RAF is downed, Cy is downed and the others are fleeing. The Dire wolves take what they came for and leave. Tom is heart broken. Maul came back from the brink of death just to be killed by nastier cousins of the animal companion.

 

[megamania]

EYRE 27, 999

The group has finally gotten out of the mountains and near the low lands that leads to the swamps of the Shadow Marches. They are just beginning to think there will be no more violence or conflict when Cy believes he has heard something around the corner of the trail through the thick brush and low trees.

Truth concentrates and in Giant hears- “The shell is hard.” “Yes but the soup will be good”.

They move slower and more carefully to the corner of the trail. They see two large ogres hunched over a ridged hump. The hump is holding a large shield and peers out in peer and its eyes plead for help.

RAF doesn’t care for the creature in trouble. He just knows he has not shed blood in over 24 hours.

In giant- “This is our Turtle man. Get your own!”

“What did he just say?” asks RAF to Truth.

“You are small and pathetic.” Says the artificer whom wants to save the small creature.

“Really?” says RAF as the Ogres turn to the group and wave their clubs about to threaten them.

The group rushes the ogres whom step around and about the huddled turtle man whom is still withdrawn into his shell.

The ogres hold their own as they battle through. Once every few seconds the crucian peeks out from his shield and shell. RAF gets in a nasty hit and one giant-kin falls. This allows the entire group to concentrate their efforts on the last one and he goes down.

“Thank you.” Comes a quiet and weak voice from under the shell.

“Do you need help?” asks Truth as he offers a hand to the creature. The others look to loot the bodies. They find little and less of anything they would want to have.

“I can manage but thank you.” The turtle man slowly gets up and sweeps some dirt from his chest.

“What are you doing out here by yourself?” asks Tom.

“I look for aid. My people watch over a small temple. Troglodytes out of the mountains to take our temple… to take our treasure. If they only understood- they have no need for the treasure.”

“Treasure…?” questions Witt.

“Will you help us?”

“Yes. We will help you.” answers Truth.

“Yes- we will help you and the temple… save the treasure.” Quietly says Witt.

 

[megamania]

THE HIDDEN
04 TROGLODYTE ATTACK
SEGMENT 041
“THE TREASURE WITH VALUE TO FEW”
3/09/14

EYRE 27, 999

“I count twelve.” Says Persia.

“Twelve grunts. Look to the cavern entrance… two more. Magic users?” wonders Cy.

“Adepts…. Glorified witch doctors….” Comments Witt smirking to his own comment.

Truth wonders about him but agrees they are most likely magic users of some sort.

Before anyone can begin to make a plan of attack, RAF charges the group of lizard folk cousins. The battle becomes fierce quickly. The adepts do all they can to command their troops and defend themselves.

Chuu, the ½ Orc law enforcer is forced to defend himself and makes it appear he is protecting the Crucian peace man.

The battle ends and RAF begins to enter the cavern with Witt close behind.

Another troglodyte force faces them at a narrow point in the cavern walls. The chieftain is a barbarian and becomes enraged as RAF holds back his forces. It takes time but they force the creatures back and overthrow the lizard folk.

Witt asks about the temple. The crucian, now wondering what they want with the temple shows them. It is a manmade structure in ruins deep within the caves. Truth looks it over and suspects it is from the Age of the Goblins.

“Where is the treasure the lizard men wanted?” asks Witt.

With caution, the four surviving crucians lead them to a different path. It leads to a very large room. In the back there is a faint glow coming from the ground. They go there and the four turtle men bow in respect. Truth stops motionless in awe. The others don’t understand.

Before them…. Is a draconic Prophecy glyph.

 

[megamania]

THE HIDDEN
04 TROGLODYTE ATTACK
SEGMENT 042
“THE TREASURE WITH GREAT VALUE TO FEW”
3/09/14

DRAVAGO 7, 999

The group has learned how close they are to the main river and have left. Truth demanded to stay behind to study the glyph.

They find a passing ship and find themselves home in Yrlag by Dravago 3. What they are not so sure about is there is a new place of interest here.

When they had left, there were rumors that the lighthouse owned by House Tharashk was up for sale. The non-house rulers of the small city demanded the new buyers cannot be a house. Both Orien and Lyrandar wanted it badly and there was fear of open conflict between the two if one possessed it and not the other.

Surprisingly, there a buyer that easily came up with the price. His elemental air ship is moored to the lighthouse now just as House Lyrandar had intended. Few knew who owned the ship or now the lighthouse. Those that did kept it quiet. They wondered if fighting houses was a better option.

RAF asks around and they find get close enough to make out the two flags. Karrnath and the Emerald Claw!

The group goes about to buy things of need, especially healing potions. Rumors they hear about include the Emerald Claws growing presence, missing people in the swamps to the south and frequent appearances of the colossal red dragon over the swamps. Is the dragon attacking people?

Truth has remained behind and studies the glyph. He has made out some of it but not enough to understand it,

1) War to the North
2) War to the East
3) Day of Nines
4) Dragon’s Fear

So much of it is echoes of the prophecies he has seen already. Mentally, lady Silvermane has made contact with him. She feared for his life when she saw the group back in Yrlag but not him. Magically she pinpoints him and arrives.


He hopes to learn more by having Lady Silvermane look at the Glyphs. The humble turtle men are uncertain about showing another their prized magical item but agree. She looks it over and gathers nothing additional.

They continue to discuss the glyph through the day and onto the evening when there is a disturbance from the cave. They look up and see a human noble dressed in crimson with gold, white and black trim. He easily pushes the crucians out of his way as he marches into the large cavern room.

In Draconic he snarls to Silvermane. “The Eyes have overlooked your need to explore this region long enough. Worse- you teach this….thing…. our ways.”

Embarrassed since she knows Truth can understand Draconic she begins to defend him. “Lord Reddoxepherean…. This person is no thing and much of his knowledge he earned himself. He has our patience.”

“I have no more patience for this… thing. It was created! Not born! It has no right to learn our language, our ways or the prophecy!” The man leans in close to her. Truth wants to interject but a fear washes over him that stays his hand. He refuses to run away but senses this man could kill him without a thought…. Maybe even Silvermane.

“I see no harm by my actions. He is learning what he would have on his own anyway.”

“For a silver you lack common sense and wisdom. You are too carefree with our ways. You know the law. You know the Eyes of Chronepsis have declared this region off limits. Have you no respect for the DRAGON FEAR?!?”

Truth listens carefully. He wonders what the Dragons fear or is it what IS the Dragon Fear……

“I have been given the duty of guarding this region from….. things like this. I am prepared to destroy your toy if need be. I would level ALL of the city if need be to stop the Dragon Fear.”

Truth moves a bit to ask a question. The human whips his head at him and snarls an inhuman snarl with red glowing eyes. “Do. Not. Dare.” He leans into the warforge. Fear makes him want to flee but cannot. “You remain intact out of respect for her. But that respect goes only so far.”

He turns back to her to finish his warning. “Drop the studies with this creature and leave this area. I do not wish to destroy you but I will. And that goes for the creation and his city also.” He turns and teleports away as he walks off.

“Who was that?!?” asks Truth still fearful of the man’s return.

“Do you recall the rumors of a Red Dragon in the swamps?” She asks without looking to him, she merely looks down to the glyphs with lost interest. “They are true. The dragon’s name is Reddoxepheraen, or Roddox. He is a very old and powerful red dragon. A powerful group of enforcers from our lands have made him the guardian of this region. There is a myth of a powerful weapon within these swamps that could endanger our lands. I do not know if it is myth or truth. But many Eyes of Chronoepsis will not take a chance and have declared these swamps off limits to dragons.”

Truth is concerned about her sudden change. It is obvious she believes the danger to be true. The red dragon WILL destroy him and the city of Yrlag if they continue to explore the region for Draconic Prophecies.

 

[megamania]

THE HIDDEN
05 THE THEFT
SEGMENT 043
“THE HIRED MAGE’S AMBUSH”
3/09/14

DRAVAGO 16, 999

At the edge of the city Truth and Lady Silvermane part ways. She will get word to the group to meet at a specific dock area within the city. Her heart is heavy with the threats made by the Red dragon. She knows the Dragon’s strength and willingness to use it against the city people. However, she cannot find herself stopping the search for what is within the swamps. She will find out somehow even if she must use the entire city to do so.


Truth spots the group in the distance and begins to realize how much he has missed them. Witt spots him and mentions to the group that there he is two dock sections away. They don’t seem to miss him as much. RAF especially. He just keeps looking at the airship and wonders what it would take to reach the island the lighthouse is on and take their ship from them. His hatred for the Claw is growing daily.

Truth goes to a large group of humans and ½ orcs that are talking about the disappearance of a ranger within the swamp. Truth asks them to please move aside. He feels a wash of energy overcome him. He halts to see who is directing magic at him. Behind him a mage holding out a wand appears. The mage activates the wand once more and Truth finds he cannot move. A Hold Construct spell!

The ½ orcs break away from the others and systematically remove the large bag from Truth and speak about what to do with the warforged. With the group breaking up in a panic, the others see the ambush and begin to shout and rush to their artificer’s aid. The mage picks up the bag, thanks the warforged artificer and creates a dimensional door. Before the others arrive he reappears about 100 feet away on another section of dock that will take to reach without magic.

As the others arrive, Truth wills himself free of the spell and shouts at the mage. The mage pulls out his journal first and seems to nod. Then he finds the skull and with religious relevance- holds it up in the air and bows his head. Tom begins to rain arrows at him. He takes the book and the skull and begins to run further away.

Truth gives chase running along the interconnecting docks in hopes of keeping up with the mage. Two of the ambushers are taken down and the other two run. They go a different way from Truth and the mage. The mage outruns them….. the ½ orcs don’t.

On each of the 1/2orc thugs for hire are basic equipment and a brand new Karrnathi silver coin.

Truth follows RAF’s gaze to the airship and each in their own words degree that they are taking that ship.

 

[megamania]

THE HIDDEN
05 THE THEFT
SEGMENT 044
“SCRYING”
3/09/14

DRAVAGO 1, 999

The new Lord of the Yrlag lighthouse places the human skin hide book marker onto his book about dragons to save his place. Holding his glass of wine he walks to his work table. With a quick gulp to empty his glass he pulls a cloth from his crystal globe.

“Perhaps today I can see what Books is doing.” He smirks at his own humor and sits down. With a slow and steady hum and wave of hands he begins to prepare his spell.

Slowly the globe losses its shine and gleam and begins to cloud up. Then a gentle glow peeks through the clouds. Slowly an image begins.

“Ah- lovely. The created man has found a new glyph. He is trying to decipher it.” Allowing his vision to wander about through the scrying spell Lord Vollax finds an open journal. “What have we here….? He surprises me. He is beginning to understand the prophecy.”

“War to the North” He reads aloud. “Yes. The tiefling is massing his forces even now. The call has been sent to both sides. But that is a different prophecy….. Not mine.”

“War to the East…. Poor translation created one. But also true.”

“Day of Nines…..” The large tattooed man frowns deeply. “Neither Dragons nor elven sages have ever found this reference. It escapes me also.”

“Dragon’s Fear….. Hah! Pitiful translation. It is THE Dragon Fear. It is their downfall and thus why I am here.”

He studies the new glyph more. He tries to translate it further. “Mist…..”

He becomes frustrated and turns off the spell. He places his face in his hands and pulls at his hair in frustration.

“Quintos!”

The door opens immediately and the servant pops in. “Yes Lord Vollax.”

“How soon until we reach Yrlag?”

“Within the hour.”

“Good. Once there we need to locate Lord Grudgemaker….. ALL of him.”

 

[megamania]

THE HIDDEN
05 THE THEFT
SEGMENT 045
“DYING”
3/09/14

EYRE 26, 999

A fisherman sits on a pier sipping his drink and snacking on spiced bread. He has not caught anything all day. So when feels a nudge on the line he smiles and sits upright. Then another pull. He readies the long pole to raise with hook , line and fish. Then a strong pull. He sets the hook with a sudden and violent jerk of the pole. He has it! He raises the pole to lift the fish from the water and his blood runs cold.

Instead of a fish… it is a fish nimble hand. Disgusted by the thought of it the fisherman goes to remove the offensive thing from the hook. Once he touches it however the hand becomes animated and thrashes about. The fisherman falls back and the hand thumps onto his chest. Standing up on the finger tips, it moves to and fro like a horrid undead deformed spider then turns and “faces” down the man.

The hand leaps at his face and grabs the throat. It appears it will kill the man but he manages to finally pull it free and he tosses it down the pier. The hand rolls and tumbles then stops. Once more it rises on its finger tips then as if first looking for something….. sensing something…. It races off.

EYRE 27, 999

A lone seagull flies overhead above the water. It sees a fish swim in the shallows in distress. The fish bloods from the side. Near it, in the shallow water, is a possible meal. The seagull calls out- “Mine” and swoops down and easily gets it.

It greedily swallows the thing on shore. It flies off again. Once near Yrlag the bird suddenly falters. It falls in a circular fashion and thumps onto the roof of a blacksmith’s hut. The limp head is thrown back and something wiggles and makes it way out of the mouth. Bone and sinew work the flesh to the drain gutter and it falls to the ground. It sits there waiting.

DRAVAGO 1, 999

The bloated body of a crocodile floats in the shallow and muddy waters. Near it is another moving undead hand. It uses the body to float to the piers of Yrlag.

DRAVAGO 3, 999

Several men dressed in green and black with half face plates stride into a blacksmith’s room. The smithy calls for them to stop but they wave a blade at him. Bitter at the intrusion and trespass, the man stops and waits.

One takes something out of his pocket. It looks like a black skinned large hand. It wears a ring. It walks on its finger tips to the forge and points like a hound. Using metal rods, the men open the door and poke into the ashes. Carefully they pick up something within…. A large set of ribs and a back bone. Once out of the fire, the bones seem to lose some of their blackened and burnt appearance.

DRAVAGO 5, 999

Again, a hand with a ring on it leads men to a shallow grave where not so long ago a wolf had buried a limb. The limb has only slightly rotted within the rich mud. Grubs are caste out by its supernatural healing.

DRAVAGOS 8, 999

Another prized body part is located as another fish is found dead. It was a large meal that grew larger with excitement that it was joining the torso.

DRAVAGO 13, 999

“Lord Vollax,” begins the servant, “We have located and assembled all but one piece of Lord Grudgemaker. It appears it is too far away to be detected by him.”

“No, he merely shows his patience. It comes to us in a bag. The Made Man has him. Please see to it that he is brought home.”

 

[megamania]

THE HIDDEN
05 THE LIGHTHOUSE
SEGMENT 046
“THE TIME IS NOW”
3/23/14

DRAVAGO 16, 999

“Now?” asks Truth.

“It’s obvious they are watching us. If we act now we have the element of surprise.” RAF clearly states with a sense of there is no other option.

“It’s in the middle of the day!” exclaims Persia in disbelief.

“Where is Tom?” asks Cy noticing he is missing.

“He was here just a moment ago.” Adds Witt.

“There he is- uh guys….” Persia lowers her voice. Tom Garvin wanders down the dock with a rather large animal beside him. A Black Bear.

“Even if it followed you home you shouldn’t keep it… unless its dinner.” Says Witt trying to be funny.

“This is Fuzzy. He will be joining us now.” Answers Tom.

RAF and Truth look at each other with a similar look of disbelief then return to the subject on hand.

“If we wait I can maybe get help.” Suggests Truth.

“If we wait, the Claw will send out forces to hunt us and attack us. It’s better to go now.”

“What are we after?” asks Cy.

RAF looks across the bay to the lighthouse and the airship moored there. “I have an idea.”

Truth nods his approval. Anything to make a statement against the Claw. However, the artificer has a slightly different idea in his mind. Stealing the ship is one thought but……

The group wanders down to the docks that are the closest to the lighthouse. They are now about 600ft away. There are several unwatched small row boats and one large one. Unnoticed by them, the map salesman watches them from his booth on the dock as they check for the owner then hop into the large boat.

There is some confusion on who will row and how to go about it. Fuzzy, the bear, is mildly uncertain about the situation also and requires some coaxing to board the boat. The map sales man takes it all in with a smirk on his face. He has come to like this group despite the trouble they always to find themselves in.

Truth insists on not rowing as he begins to prepare for the oncoming conflict. He is energizing his blast rods. Acquiring the airship would mean then the cost of running it. Why spend money they don’t have. He merely wants them to pay for trifling with him and the journal he was working on (never mind the fact he took (kidnapped) Boris’ head).

About half way there one of the guards on the ship on the ship spots them coming. He jokes to the other guard about the likelihood of them making it across the bay. They make bets in fact.

The artificer then begins to rework the magic of RAF’s sword. Flames erupt on it. He nods his approval but Fuzzy isn’t keen on it. Fire causes forest fires.

Once they are nearly 75 feet away the one guard, still laughing, goes to get a person in charge. The necromancer, dressed in black and grey tatters, steps out onto the deck. He smiles at the would-be attackers. He summons up a spell to reach further with his touch spells and calls out to the boat.

“Turn around. You are unwanted and have no permission to near our island.”

If RAF had more fingers, he would “salute” him. At sixty feet, Truth stands up and points TWO blast rods at the airship. RAF picks up on the intension of destroying the ship instead of stealing it and seems to approve. The necromancer yells in anger as the first blast strikes the retaining arm of the fire elemental that powers the ship.

“What do you….. Archers!” calls out the necromancer as he channels a Shocking Grasp spell through his existing Spectral Hand spell. Truth is grabbed by the unseen hand. Not giving up so quickly, the artificer fires out the second rod striking in nearly the same spot. The ship shutters this time. He is electrocuted yet again for doing this.

The guards fire arrows down at them as more Emerald Claw agents appear with bows. Tom calls up a ball of fire and even as he focuses it onto the ship undead scaly claws rise out of the waters all along the ship- Zombie Sahuagin grasp and rock the boat.

Truth looks to the others with uncertainty. “What? You expected them to just give us the ship?!?” declares Witt with a smile that is somewhat evil in nature.

 

[megamania]

THE HIDDEN
05 THE LIGHTHOUSE
SEGMENT 047
“DON’T ROCK THE BOAT”
3/23/14

DRAVAGO 16, 999

Persia tries to return fire onto the archers but finds it difficult to aim with the zombies rocking the boat. Cy isn’t having much more luck. Tom drops the Flaming Sphere directly onto the necromancer in hopes it stops the zombies. Nope.

Commander Vollax and his aid- Quintos, come out of the cabin even as the pilot races to the controls. The commander glares at the pilot. “We will deal with this. I know the group. They cannot possibly board our ship.”

“Sir- I believe that is not their intension.” Replies the monk as he pulls out a sword that begins to glow with intense heat and energy. “They are looking to destroy the ship.”

Vollax looks to the damage to the arm of the ship. He makes a silent snarl. “How. Dare. He.”

A second Flaming Sphere appears on the ship near where the damage has been done to the arm. The necromancer races past the two nearest guards and the sphere, in pursuit, engulfs one.

Truth is about to begin attacking again when he notes the sheer numbers of undead then an wavy and semi-fluid magical aura rises from the water and covers the boat even as Witt commands undead to return to the water’s bottom. He begins to cough and gag as if drowning. Instead of attacking the ship, Truth goes to protect his “bodyguards” from the undead.

The pilot begins to move the ship slowly from the lighthouse. RAF and Persia can feel the heat of the elemental ring as it begins to power up to move away. A water elemental appears on the ship and it goes for the fire on the heavily damaged arm. A bloated undead zombie-like creature rises from the water. Only RAF and Truth seem to ignore its magical attack as the others begin to drown, even Fuzzy.

The ship pulls back and rises sharply as the pilot tests the strength of the arm. The last of the normal zombies are gone but the Drowned remains. RAF, Truth and Fuzzy do their best against it. In desperation, Witt, Cy and Persia leap off the boat and make for shore.

The creature’s slam attacks are incredibly strong and Fuzzy is taken down from the sheer brute force of it. Truth backs off, he is being taken apart (sections of metal have literally flaked off) and RAF has taken a lot of damage also.

RAF goes down just like the Black Bear. Truth steps in to repair him as much as possible. At this point the Drowned climbs on board and moves in for the kill (destruction). Both RAF and Truth spot something moving in quickly from behind the undead. The airship is looking to strike them with the fiery ring. They time it well as the two warforged either drop over the edge or jump off as the ring sweeps over the boat. The Drowned pops and sizzles as the fire ring washes over it. The boat catches on fire immediately and the Drowned steps off the boat into the water to put out the fire and pursue the two warforged.

The others have reached the rocky slim covered rocks of the island. They look at the burning ship and briefly wonder how they will return to the docks of Yrlag. They ready themselves for either the triumphant return of the warforged or for the Drowned to emerge.

Cy pulls out his potion of Dragon Breath and nods to the others.

Below the water, Truth and RAF have reached the bottom. Truth castes some repairing spells onto RAF even as the undead swims at them. He strikes RAF hard enough to force him forward. It turns onto Truth whom knows it is too late. He begins to make a farewell wish in his mind when struck down. Truth falters to the muddy floor of the river bed and lays there still. RAF goes down next and also falls inert within the silt.

The Drowned rises out of the water and is immediately attacked with arrows. As it closes in on Cy he smiles and “burbs” fire and sets the bloated undead on fire. It crumbles into the water… destroyed.

Cy wonders about the two warforged. “Dead?”

Witt looks around quickly. He sees no undead and no Emerald Claw so they go about looking for the bodies of the two warforged. Persia finds them in time and together, they work out a means with rope to pull them onto shore. Looking through his pack, they find three vials wrapped in wax paper. The paper states instructions-

“If non-reactivate, pour down mouth.
If still non-reactive return book to
Lady ir’Silvermane.
May Chronepsis bless you.”

Shrugging her shoulders, the Catfolk warrior pours a potion into the mouth of the artificer. The potion mixes with the muddy water still within him. The effect is weakened but enough. He reactivates and leans over to “pour” the foul water out of his mouth and chest cavity. He takes another potion and begins to become aware of what is happening around him. He goes to RAF’s aid and brings him back to “life”.

They search the island and the lighthouse but find nothing there. It is not clear whether they just have not yet set up base here or if they are using the lighthouse merely for a place to moor the ship within the swamps.

RAF checks out the lighthouse top and Truth follows him. They discover that it works by the uncovering of a fire elemental. RAF plans to free it when they leave. Why? In hopes it will burn down the house and anything that returns here.