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The Liberation of Tenh (updated April 24)
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<blockquote data-quote="(contact)" data-source="post: 480429" data-attributes="member: 41"><p>Coldeven 2, CY 593</p><p></p><p><strong>11: In which a mysterious thread is pursued, and the Tip of the Iceberg revealed.</strong></p><p></p><p>Having finished with his correspondence, Gnomer stalks out of the cave muttering darkly, and shortly afterward Ethel flies into a nervous fit, bemoaning her sister's incompetence in overly loud tones while fidgeting with her knitting projects.</p><p></p><p>Curst approaches Heydricus with a scheme whereby he proposes to set up a gambling ring, with the profits funneled back into the payroll fund. He promises Heydricus a 45-60% reduction in payroll expenditure, and crowingly brags that he'll make his own yearly salary back for Heydricus in one month. Heydricus has other things on his mind, and absentmindedly dismisses Curst while turning the strange, leathery note over in his hands.</p><p></p><p>Heydricus and Prisantha regard one another over the mysterious unsigned note. Elijah seems to sense their unease and moves protectively near the pair. A close examination of the leathery parchment shows a mark that could be a tattoo. Elijah recognizes it as half of Tritherion's holy symbol, and Heydricus recalls a crusader of Tritherion he used to know . . . </p><p></p><p>A dark realization comes over him, and Heydricus asks Prisantha to scry Aelniir, but the pool remains gray and indistinct.</p><p></p><p>Time to go to Hommlet. </p><p></p><p>Prisantha and Heydricus gear up, and place Elijah in charge (with instructions to keep Curst away from the lad's silver). Prisantha <em>teleports</em> herself and Heydricus to the dirt road just outside of town, a few hundred yards away from Kelanen's Rest.</p><p></p><p>The duo move behind the inn, and unseen, examine the small graveyard for the Fallen Heroes of the Temple. They count graves, and find all eighteen seemingly undisturbed. Heydricus takes a moment to read the makeshift grave-markers that are the only worldly recognition of his companion's sacrifice. Wincing as he mentally re-lives the death, after death after death of his friends, he fondly reads the wordy inscription carved into expensive stone heading the grave of Pippin, and finally comes to the brief and half-finished wooden markers the later dead received: </p><p></p><p>"Egil. <em> BNR, bludgeoned by giants", </em></p><p> </p><p>"Lady Amyryth, <em> we hardly knew you." </em></p><p> </p><p>"Lucius Maturin, <em> he ain't liked nobody" </em></p><p> </p><p>"Anton Rex, a Real Burner from Almor, <em> died quick", </em>and </p><p> </p><p>"Tisha --<em> the ogre got her".</em></p><p></p><p>Prisantha leaves Heydricus to his reverie, and walks to her grandparent's farm. She is greeted at the low stone wall by her grandmother, who has hiked her skirt up around her knees and is running as fast as her chubby legs will carry her.</p><p></p><p>Heydricus walks into the half-finished Inn, and finds a group of half-drunken dwarves sitting on half-chairs around a partially carved wooden table. The dwarven foreman tipsily takes his feet and greets Heydricus, then begins to complain about the stonemason. Apparently, the stonemason has been complaining about the dwarves, and as a result, the monies taken from the sacking of the Temple and allocated by Furyondy to rebuild Hommlet have been frozen.</p><p></p><p>The argument? The dwarves refuse to build in wood, complaining that even elves aren't stupid enough to kill the tree before making a home out of it, and pointing out that the first good tornado to come along would snatch a wooden inn from its solid, dwarven-built stone foundation, and then where would you be?</p><p></p><p>Never one to argue with a drunken dwarf, Heydricus proposes this solution: the dwarven crew should undertake to finally finish Andras' tower, and leave the inn to Hommlet's population. Finally a human with some sense. Problem solved, and toasted with ale.</p><p></p><p>By this point, Heydricus' presence in town has been noted, and the Hommlet folk begin gathering around the inn, sunnily greeting their hero. A general work-stoppage is called, and a party hastily planned for the evening.</p><p></p><p>Heydricus walks to the farm owned by Prisantha's grandparents, and finds her grandpa leaning on the fence, surveying the recently deceased neighbor's farm. Heydricus chats with the old man, who reminisces about the days before Prisantha's mother was born, when he was free to<em> just roam all over creation without a care in the world. </em> Heydricus excuses himself and goes inside to find two things of note:</p><p></p><p>1) A fresh baked berry pie, just now cool enough to eat, and</p><p>2) Prisantha, dressed for the evening's festivities in a hideous blue dress she hasn't worn since she was sixteen. (A bit tight, and quite a bit out of date, even a Fashion Accident of her Grandmother's creation cannot dim the light of Prisantha's beauty -- a fact that is apparently lost on the preoccupied sorcerer.) </p><p> </p><p>Heydricus snatches Pris by the wrist and takes her into the bathing room announcing that the bathwater must be left in the cauldron! Flustered and blushing, Prisantha asks what for, only to be met with a curious smirk from the sorcerer. Why, to scry with my dear, what else did you suppose?</p><p></p><p>Prisantha stutters and mutters an arcane phrase. The bath waters reveal the form and figure of Jespo Crim, showing the vexatious summoner sleeping fitfully in a small, dank cell -- heavily drugged, and wearing the uniform of Chendl's debtors prison! And if Jespo is jailed, where is Thrommel? Of the Crown Prince there could be no word, at least until tomorrow, when Prisantha might be able to <em>scry </em>again.</p><p></p><p>Some trouble is brewing at home, of that the duo are sure, and they absentmindedly mime their way through the party held in their honor, then duck out early in order to catch the 7:25 <em>teleport </em>spell back to Tenh.</p><p></p><p>The next morning, Prisantha's scrying puddle in the back of the cave is coaxed to reveal the image of Prince Thrommel: alone, and behaving fearfully, the Prince is placing some object in his backpack, and rather raggedly running through an unknown forest. He looks like he is in trouble, and Elijah is hastily summoned. Pris and the ranger plan to<em> teleport </em>to Thrommel, grab him and return him to the relative safety of Cur'ruth. Final preparations are made, Elijah paints her face for field work, and off they go.</p><p></p><p>They return a half-hour later soaked to the skin, smelling of rot and stagnant water, and looking defeated. The following story emerges: Prisantha's<em> teleport</em> spell malfunctioned, dropping them chest-deep into a swamp. As they wade toward the nearest dry land, Pris is attacked by a massive swimming constrictor snake! The unholy predator bites the enchantress, and a numbing wave of negative energy courses through her, dulling her mind and ravishing her spirit.</p><p></p><p>Elijah jumps on the snake, cutting it deeply, but she cannot prevent the serpent from twining around Prisantha and dragging her under water, biting her again and again. Elijah swims into the murky water, and unable to see, uses her hands to locate the snake's tail, then climbs hand over hand until she reaches the other end, and begins to saw the head off the beast.</p><p></p><p>Eventually, the limp form of Prisantha is coaxed free from the coils of the headless constrictor, and Elijah swims the semi-conscious mage to an outcropping of dry land. The duo rest, and Elijah tends to Prisantha's wounds. The Enchantress of the Temple removes the spell components needed to return them home, but finds that she cannot summon the spell to mind. Apparently the horrific paralytic energies of the serpent have suppressed her mastery over her most powerful spells. Facing a grueling overland journey out of a swamp unknown to either of them, the adventurers have no choice but to use Prisantha's most precious possession. Elijah holds tight as Pris reads her<em> limited wish </em>scroll, and gods be praised, they are transported securely to Cur'ruth.</p><p></p><p>Heydricus runs forth to find Gnomer, hoping the gnome can cure Prisantha's wounds, and <em>restore</em> her vitality. What he finds however, stops him in mid-request. The gnome is sitting outside, gazing into the afternoon sky and rocking back and forth on his heels. Gnomer keeps his eyes on the sky, and points out the fact that the dragon is still out there. </p><p></p><p>"A cave isn't a forest, Heydricus" Gnomer remarks, "and we can't be <em>sure </em>that we're safe, can we? <em>You </em>understand, don't you?"</p><p></p><p>The gnome is unclean, and has obviously not slept for days. Heydricus gently says "It may be time for you to go home, Gnomer. I think your sons need you."</p><p></p><p>Gnomer pauses to reflect for a moment, then begins to mutter what he knows about dragon lore.</p><p></p><p>Heydricus returns to the cave, and gives Prisantha his remaining<em> cure light wounds </em>potions.</p><p></p><p>The next morning, Ethel and Gnomer are <em>teleported </em>back to Gnomer's village, promising to return when their personal business is settled. </p><p></p><p>The rescue attempt botched, things don't look good for the Prince. <em> Scrying</em> reveals Thrommel to be securely bound, bruised and bloodied, encased in some sort of wooden box. He is alive, but for how long?</p><p></p><p>If it is to be a rescue, then it is up to Prisantha, Heydricus and Elijah to do it -- the once mighty Heroes of the Temple, reduced to three. Pris can only memorize two <em>teleport</em> spells per day, and has the might only to take two others along. If a rescue is to be made, Pris will need a pair of <em>teleport </em>scrolls to accomplish the feat. The best place for this scribing to take place is, after all, Chendl, and while she is working, Heydricus and Elijah can look into Jespo's situation, and investigate the mystery of Anton's miraculous return from the dead . . .</p><p></p><p>-----</p><p></p><p>Next: Prisantha, Heydricus and Elijah investigate the mystery of Prince Thrommel's abduction, discover why Jespo is in jail, and find out how Fras has fared, left to her own devices! The Provost Marshall Reine takes the stage, and the King himself is consulted!</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="(contact), post: 480429, member: 41"] Coldeven 2, CY 593 [b]11: In which a mysterious thread is pursued, and the Tip of the Iceberg revealed.[/b] Having finished with his correspondence, Gnomer stalks out of the cave muttering darkly, and shortly afterward Ethel flies into a nervous fit, bemoaning her sister's incompetence in overly loud tones while fidgeting with her knitting projects. Curst approaches Heydricus with a scheme whereby he proposes to set up a gambling ring, with the profits funneled back into the payroll fund. He promises Heydricus a 45-60% reduction in payroll expenditure, and crowingly brags that he'll make his own yearly salary back for Heydricus in one month. Heydricus has other things on his mind, and absentmindedly dismisses Curst while turning the strange, leathery note over in his hands. Heydricus and Prisantha regard one another over the mysterious unsigned note. Elijah seems to sense their unease and moves protectively near the pair. A close examination of the leathery parchment shows a mark that could be a tattoo. Elijah recognizes it as half of Tritherion's holy symbol, and Heydricus recalls a crusader of Tritherion he used to know . . . A dark realization comes over him, and Heydricus asks Prisantha to scry Aelniir, but the pool remains gray and indistinct. Time to go to Hommlet. Prisantha and Heydricus gear up, and place Elijah in charge (with instructions to keep Curst away from the lad's silver). Prisantha [i]teleports[/i] herself and Heydricus to the dirt road just outside of town, a few hundred yards away from Kelanen's Rest. The duo move behind the inn, and unseen, examine the small graveyard for the Fallen Heroes of the Temple. They count graves, and find all eighteen seemingly undisturbed. Heydricus takes a moment to read the makeshift grave-markers that are the only worldly recognition of his companion's sacrifice. Wincing as he mentally re-lives the death, after death after death of his friends, he fondly reads the wordy inscription carved into expensive stone heading the grave of Pippin, and finally comes to the brief and half-finished wooden markers the later dead received: "Egil. [i] BNR, bludgeoned by giants", [/i] "Lady Amyryth, [i] we hardly knew you." [/i] "Lucius Maturin, [i] he ain't liked nobody" [/i] "Anton Rex, a Real Burner from Almor, [i] died quick", [/i]and "Tisha --[i] the ogre got her".[/i] Prisantha leaves Heydricus to his reverie, and walks to her grandparent's farm. She is greeted at the low stone wall by her grandmother, who has hiked her skirt up around her knees and is running as fast as her chubby legs will carry her. Heydricus walks into the half-finished Inn, and finds a group of half-drunken dwarves sitting on half-chairs around a partially carved wooden table. The dwarven foreman tipsily takes his feet and greets Heydricus, then begins to complain about the stonemason. Apparently, the stonemason has been complaining about the dwarves, and as a result, the monies taken from the sacking of the Temple and allocated by Furyondy to rebuild Hommlet have been frozen. The argument? The dwarves refuse to build in wood, complaining that even elves aren't stupid enough to kill the tree before making a home out of it, and pointing out that the first good tornado to come along would snatch a wooden inn from its solid, dwarven-built stone foundation, and then where would you be? Never one to argue with a drunken dwarf, Heydricus proposes this solution: the dwarven crew should undertake to finally finish Andras' tower, and leave the inn to Hommlet's population. Finally a human with some sense. Problem solved, and toasted with ale. By this point, Heydricus' presence in town has been noted, and the Hommlet folk begin gathering around the inn, sunnily greeting their hero. A general work-stoppage is called, and a party hastily planned for the evening. Heydricus walks to the farm owned by Prisantha's grandparents, and finds her grandpa leaning on the fence, surveying the recently deceased neighbor's farm. Heydricus chats with the old man, who reminisces about the days before Prisantha's mother was born, when he was free to[i] just roam all over creation without a care in the world. [/i] Heydricus excuses himself and goes inside to find two things of note: 1) A fresh baked berry pie, just now cool enough to eat, and 2) Prisantha, dressed for the evening's festivities in a hideous blue dress she hasn't worn since she was sixteen. (A bit tight, and quite a bit out of date, even a Fashion Accident of her Grandmother's creation cannot dim the light of Prisantha's beauty -- a fact that is apparently lost on the preoccupied sorcerer.) Heydricus snatches Pris by the wrist and takes her into the bathing room announcing that the bathwater must be left in the cauldron! Flustered and blushing, Prisantha asks what for, only to be met with a curious smirk from the sorcerer. Why, to scry with my dear, what else did you suppose? Prisantha stutters and mutters an arcane phrase. The bath waters reveal the form and figure of Jespo Crim, showing the vexatious summoner sleeping fitfully in a small, dank cell -- heavily drugged, and wearing the uniform of Chendl's debtors prison! And if Jespo is jailed, where is Thrommel? Of the Crown Prince there could be no word, at least until tomorrow, when Prisantha might be able to [i]scry [/i]again. Some trouble is brewing at home, of that the duo are sure, and they absentmindedly mime their way through the party held in their honor, then duck out early in order to catch the 7:25 [i]teleport [/i]spell back to Tenh. The next morning, Prisantha's scrying puddle in the back of the cave is coaxed to reveal the image of Prince Thrommel: alone, and behaving fearfully, the Prince is placing some object in his backpack, and rather raggedly running through an unknown forest. He looks like he is in trouble, and Elijah is hastily summoned. Pris and the ranger plan to[i] teleport [/i]to Thrommel, grab him and return him to the relative safety of Cur'ruth. Final preparations are made, Elijah paints her face for field work, and off they go. They return a half-hour later soaked to the skin, smelling of rot and stagnant water, and looking defeated. The following story emerges: Prisantha's[i] teleport[/i] spell malfunctioned, dropping them chest-deep into a swamp. As they wade toward the nearest dry land, Pris is attacked by a massive swimming constrictor snake! The unholy predator bites the enchantress, and a numbing wave of negative energy courses through her, dulling her mind and ravishing her spirit. Elijah jumps on the snake, cutting it deeply, but she cannot prevent the serpent from twining around Prisantha and dragging her under water, biting her again and again. Elijah swims into the murky water, and unable to see, uses her hands to locate the snake's tail, then climbs hand over hand until she reaches the other end, and begins to saw the head off the beast. Eventually, the limp form of Prisantha is coaxed free from the coils of the headless constrictor, and Elijah swims the semi-conscious mage to an outcropping of dry land. The duo rest, and Elijah tends to Prisantha's wounds. The Enchantress of the Temple removes the spell components needed to return them home, but finds that she cannot summon the spell to mind. Apparently the horrific paralytic energies of the serpent have suppressed her mastery over her most powerful spells. Facing a grueling overland journey out of a swamp unknown to either of them, the adventurers have no choice but to use Prisantha's most precious possession. Elijah holds tight as Pris reads her[i] limited wish [/i]scroll, and gods be praised, they are transported securely to Cur'ruth. Heydricus runs forth to find Gnomer, hoping the gnome can cure Prisantha's wounds, and [i]restore[/i] her vitality. What he finds however, stops him in mid-request. The gnome is sitting outside, gazing into the afternoon sky and rocking back and forth on his heels. Gnomer keeps his eyes on the sky, and points out the fact that the dragon is still out there. "A cave isn't a forest, Heydricus" Gnomer remarks, "and we can't be [i]sure [/i]that we're safe, can we? [i]You [/i]understand, don't you?" The gnome is unclean, and has obviously not slept for days. Heydricus gently says "It may be time for you to go home, Gnomer. I think your sons need you." Gnomer pauses to reflect for a moment, then begins to mutter what he knows about dragon lore. Heydricus returns to the cave, and gives Prisantha his remaining[i] cure light wounds [/i]potions. The next morning, Ethel and Gnomer are [i]teleported [/i]back to Gnomer's village, promising to return when their personal business is settled. The rescue attempt botched, things don't look good for the Prince. [i] Scrying[/i] reveals Thrommel to be securely bound, bruised and bloodied, encased in some sort of wooden box. He is alive, but for how long? If it is to be a rescue, then it is up to Prisantha, Heydricus and Elijah to do it -- the once mighty Heroes of the Temple, reduced to three. Pris can only memorize two [i]teleport[/i] spells per day, and has the might only to take two others along. If a rescue is to be made, Pris will need a pair of [i]teleport [/i]scrolls to accomplish the feat. The best place for this scribing to take place is, after all, Chendl, and while she is working, Heydricus and Elijah can look into Jespo's situation, and investigate the mystery of Anton's miraculous return from the dead . . . ----- Next: Prisantha, Heydricus and Elijah investigate the mystery of Prince Thrommel's abduction, discover why Jespo is in jail, and find out how Fras has fared, left to her own devices! The Provost Marshall Reine takes the stage, and the King himself is consulted! [/QUOTE]
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