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The Rise of Felskein [Completed]
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<blockquote data-quote="Iron Sky" data-source="post: 4206847" data-attributes="member: 60965"><p>Session 4, Part 1</p><p></p><p>-Note: Played session 27 this weekend. 5 rounds of combat = 5 hours, but at least they got what they were going for-</p><p></p><p>Suniel saw movement between two nearby hills and stared in its direction intently. He waited, saw it again, and began jogging down the hill.</p><p></p><p>He scrambled up to the rocky crown of the next hill and peered down to the other side, hiding amidst the outcroppings.</p><p></p><p>Below, a small wooden ship sat, floating a few feet off the ground, a crew of what looked like orcs in loose clothing pulling up the sail and scurrying across the deck. A larger orc in a long red coat walked down the extended gangplank, flanked by two more with cutlasses at the ready. All the crew wore red here and there - bandannas, caps, strips of cloth bound to their arms or legs.</p><p></p><p>At the base of the gangplank stood a tall figure in a black robe. In the figure's hand was a black staff that ended in three prongs. Floating at the end of the prongs was a black gem the size of a halfling's head that seemed to radiate shadow.</p><p></p><p>A chill went down Suniel's back and he quickly warded himself from sight.</p><p></p><p>What was presumably the captain of the strange land-ship stopped at the base of the gangplank with his two bodyguards and began speaking to the figure in the dark robe. Suniel strained to hear, but was too far away to hear anything but the wind.</p><p></p><p>They talked for several minutes and Suniel had just about resolved to move closer and find out what was being said when the orc in the crow's nest of the ship let out a cry and tumbled down, striking the deck hard. Suniel saw a flight of black-shafted arrows rain down, the figure in black spun around raising his staff, and suddenly he and the ship vanished in a massive globe of darkness.</p><p></p><p>Guttural shouts and cries came from the sphere of dense black mist and moments later the land-ship was out of the darkness and flying across the ground under full sail. On an impulse he didn't entirely understand, Suniel cast a quickening spell and bounded down the hill after it. He skirted the edge of the globe of darkness just as five figures materialized out of it, firing arrows after the fleeing ship.</p><p></p><p>Suniel glanced at them as they rode past him: slender figures in finely made black clothing that had to be elven make, dark cloaks billowing behind them as they rode, faces hidden behind strips of cloth. They fired arrows rapidly from long black bows as they rode. Their mounts were reptilian and predatory looking, bipedal with long tails held rigidly behind them, slender forearms tipped in ripping claws.</p><p></p><p>The ship and the strange elves outpaced Suniel even with his magically enhanced speed and so he slowed to a jog, watching the ship and its pursuers exchange bow and crossbow fire as they wove between the hills. He was about to give up pursuit entirely when he saw one of the orcs tumble off the ship to land unmoving in the dust.</p><p></p><p>Breathing heavily, Suniel walked towards the fallen figure to investigate.</p><p></p><p>***</p><p></p><p>Harold stood atop the hill and slowly turned, scanning the surrounding hills for some sign of the wizard. He heard someone climbing up the ladder behind him and glanced back.</p><p></p><p>The strange monk climbed out and stood beside Harold, yawning. Harold began to turn back to his search, but the monk placed a hand on his shoulder. Harold shrugged it off,took a step away, and began to turn towards the monk to rebuke him.</p><p></p><p>When he turned, an amulet with what seemed to be a diamond the size of an egg dangled on a white metal chain before his face. Harold took a step back to examine the amulet, but the monk tossed it to him. He instinctively caught it and stood staring at it. It felt warm and seemed to shine with light of its own, pulsing and flaring with an inner rhythm.</p><p></p><p>When he glanced up, the monk was wandering off down the hill, humming.</p><p></p><p>Ilsa's shield rose from the trapdoor and fell into the dirt and the dwarf pulled herself out a moment later. Harold quickly put the amulet on and tucked it under his clothing and armor. Ilsa picked up her shield and glanced from the receding figure of the monk to Harold, a questioning expression on her face.</p><p></p><p>Harold shrugged. "Guess he had enough of us. Won't necessarily miss him."</p><p></p><p>"An odd creature," Ilsa said. "Did he say why he left?"</p><p></p><p>"Did he say why he was here?" Harold said.</p><p></p><p>Ilsa shrugged and they stood and watched him walk away.</p><p></p><p>A moment later Ming scrambled out of the ladder shaft, drew her sword, and looked around sharply.</p><p></p><p>"Looking for something?" Ilsa said, glancing around as well.</p><p></p><p>"Where's the wizard?" Ming rasped, her expression grim.</p><p></p><p>"Could someone help me with carry him?" Suniel called from somewhere down the hill, as if on queue. "I don't want to drag him farther and open his wounds any further."</p><p></p><p>They walked quickly towards the sound of his voice, Ming running ahead of them.</p><p></p><p>***</p><p></p><p>Ming grabbed Suniel by the front of his robe with one hand and put the blade of her sword across his throat with the other. "Tell me why I shouldn't kill you right now elf," she rasped.</p><p></p><p>"Whoa, wait, what's going on?" Ilsa said, placing a hand on Ming's arm. Harold stood and watched impassively.</p><p></p><p>Ming shrugged Ilsa's hand off and stared at the suddenly quiet wizard. "This wizard is a necromancer. He's just following us for his own dark purposes. What are you really doing here elf?"</p><p></p><p>"Where does this accusation come from?" Suniel said quietly. "That's quite the claim without any proof."</p><p></p><p>"Proof? You want proof?" Ming thrust Suniel towards the ladder shaft. "Let's head back inside and I'll show you the proof."</p><p></p><p>"What about the orc? He was a crew-member of a land-ship and is gravely wounded," Suniel said, gesturing behind Ming.</p><p></p><p>She didn't take her eyes off of the wizard. "I don't care who or what he is. Move."</p><p></p><p>Suniel seemed to be about to protest, but looked Ming in the eye and seemed to change his mind. The wizard turned and headed back towards the entrance to the outpost and Ming followed closely, the point of her sword close to his back.</p><p></p><p>***</p><p></p><p>Ilsa had no idea what was going on and followed along helplessly as Ming guided Suniel back towards the outpost. She glanced to Harold for aid. He was following, but didn't even seem to be paying attention to what was going on, rubbing at his chest with a distant look in his eyes.</p><p></p><p>They climbed back down into the outpost, the corrupt, carnal smell even worse than before. Suniel began to gesture and opened his mouth, but Ming snarled and pressed the tip of her sword against his back.</p><p></p><p>"He was try to produce some light," Ilsa said, putting a restraining hand on Ming's.</p><p></p><p>"Light a torch. I don't trust this one's magic," Ming replied, not taking her eyes off of Suniel's back.</p><p></p><p>Ilsa sighed and bent towards her pack, but Harold climbed down the ladder a second later and a drew an arrow. He concentrated on it for a moment and the tip began to glow.</p><p></p><p>"To the main area, the execution block," Ming said.</p><p></p><p>"Hold on a second," Ilsa said. "If you're going to execute him you at least need-"</p><p></p><p>"The proof is on the execution block," Ming said coldly. "Forward elf."</p><p></p><p>They walked slowly through the outpost and into the carnage of the main barracks. They gathered around the alcove that contained the execution block and the torso of a dead hobgoblin. Ilsa glanced around for whatever Ming's proof was, but found nothing.</p><p></p><p>"It was right here," Ming said, staring at a smear of dried blood on the execution block.</p><p></p><p>"What was?" Ilsa said, peering at the smear intently.</p><p></p><p>"Yes Ming, where is this proof of my evil ways?" Suniel said, his voice still soft.</p><p></p><p>Ming snarled and kicked the block before turning on Suniel. "It said in blood, right here! You must have... you used some hidden magic to obscure it as we came down."</p><p></p><p>"Said what?" Ilsa said, looking at the block.</p><p></p><p>Ming stared hard at Suniel. "It said his name, clear as day."</p><p></p><p>"So, one of the dead - after we killed it again, of course - conveniently wrote my name?" Suniel said. "That seems somewhat... unlikely."</p><p></p><p>"I saw it with my own two eyes, right here!" Ming shouted.</p><p></p><p>"Let's not waste any more time with this," Harold said. "It's going to be dark as it is by the time we reach Laketide again. I have no desire to still be in the hills at dark."</p><p></p><p>The archer turned walked away, leaving Ming and Suniel staring at each other in the receding light - Ming clenching her jaw in anger, Suniel impassive, Ilsa standing by helplessly. Finally, Ming spat, sheathed her sword and strode after the light. Ilsa followed.</p><p></p><p>She glanced back at Suniel and saw him stare at the smear of blood on the block for a long moment before he too turned and followed.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Iron Sky, post: 4206847, member: 60965"] Session 4, Part 1 -Note: Played session 27 this weekend. 5 rounds of combat = 5 hours, but at least they got what they were going for- Suniel saw movement between two nearby hills and stared in its direction intently. He waited, saw it again, and began jogging down the hill. He scrambled up to the rocky crown of the next hill and peered down to the other side, hiding amidst the outcroppings. Below, a small wooden ship sat, floating a few feet off the ground, a crew of what looked like orcs in loose clothing pulling up the sail and scurrying across the deck. A larger orc in a long red coat walked down the extended gangplank, flanked by two more with cutlasses at the ready. All the crew wore red here and there - bandannas, caps, strips of cloth bound to their arms or legs. At the base of the gangplank stood a tall figure in a black robe. In the figure's hand was a black staff that ended in three prongs. Floating at the end of the prongs was a black gem the size of a halfling's head that seemed to radiate shadow. A chill went down Suniel's back and he quickly warded himself from sight. What was presumably the captain of the strange land-ship stopped at the base of the gangplank with his two bodyguards and began speaking to the figure in the dark robe. Suniel strained to hear, but was too far away to hear anything but the wind. They talked for several minutes and Suniel had just about resolved to move closer and find out what was being said when the orc in the crow's nest of the ship let out a cry and tumbled down, striking the deck hard. Suniel saw a flight of black-shafted arrows rain down, the figure in black spun around raising his staff, and suddenly he and the ship vanished in a massive globe of darkness. Guttural shouts and cries came from the sphere of dense black mist and moments later the land-ship was out of the darkness and flying across the ground under full sail. On an impulse he didn't entirely understand, Suniel cast a quickening spell and bounded down the hill after it. He skirted the edge of the globe of darkness just as five figures materialized out of it, firing arrows after the fleeing ship. Suniel glanced at them as they rode past him: slender figures in finely made black clothing that had to be elven make, dark cloaks billowing behind them as they rode, faces hidden behind strips of cloth. They fired arrows rapidly from long black bows as they rode. Their mounts were reptilian and predatory looking, bipedal with long tails held rigidly behind them, slender forearms tipped in ripping claws. The ship and the strange elves outpaced Suniel even with his magically enhanced speed and so he slowed to a jog, watching the ship and its pursuers exchange bow and crossbow fire as they wove between the hills. He was about to give up pursuit entirely when he saw one of the orcs tumble off the ship to land unmoving in the dust. Breathing heavily, Suniel walked towards the fallen figure to investigate. *** Harold stood atop the hill and slowly turned, scanning the surrounding hills for some sign of the wizard. He heard someone climbing up the ladder behind him and glanced back. The strange monk climbed out and stood beside Harold, yawning. Harold began to turn back to his search, but the monk placed a hand on his shoulder. Harold shrugged it off,took a step away, and began to turn towards the monk to rebuke him. When he turned, an amulet with what seemed to be a diamond the size of an egg dangled on a white metal chain before his face. Harold took a step back to examine the amulet, but the monk tossed it to him. He instinctively caught it and stood staring at it. It felt warm and seemed to shine with light of its own, pulsing and flaring with an inner rhythm. When he glanced up, the monk was wandering off down the hill, humming. Ilsa's shield rose from the trapdoor and fell into the dirt and the dwarf pulled herself out a moment later. Harold quickly put the amulet on and tucked it under his clothing and armor. Ilsa picked up her shield and glanced from the receding figure of the monk to Harold, a questioning expression on her face. Harold shrugged. "Guess he had enough of us. Won't necessarily miss him." "An odd creature," Ilsa said. "Did he say why he left?" "Did he say why he was here?" Harold said. Ilsa shrugged and they stood and watched him walk away. A moment later Ming scrambled out of the ladder shaft, drew her sword, and looked around sharply. "Looking for something?" Ilsa said, glancing around as well. "Where's the wizard?" Ming rasped, her expression grim. "Could someone help me with carry him?" Suniel called from somewhere down the hill, as if on queue. "I don't want to drag him farther and open his wounds any further." They walked quickly towards the sound of his voice, Ming running ahead of them. *** Ming grabbed Suniel by the front of his robe with one hand and put the blade of her sword across his throat with the other. "Tell me why I shouldn't kill you right now elf," she rasped. "Whoa, wait, what's going on?" Ilsa said, placing a hand on Ming's arm. Harold stood and watched impassively. Ming shrugged Ilsa's hand off and stared at the suddenly quiet wizard. "This wizard is a necromancer. He's just following us for his own dark purposes. What are you really doing here elf?" "Where does this accusation come from?" Suniel said quietly. "That's quite the claim without any proof." "Proof? You want proof?" Ming thrust Suniel towards the ladder shaft. "Let's head back inside and I'll show you the proof." "What about the orc? He was a crew-member of a land-ship and is gravely wounded," Suniel said, gesturing behind Ming. She didn't take her eyes off of the wizard. "I don't care who or what he is. Move." Suniel seemed to be about to protest, but looked Ming in the eye and seemed to change his mind. The wizard turned and headed back towards the entrance to the outpost and Ming followed closely, the point of her sword close to his back. *** Ilsa had no idea what was going on and followed along helplessly as Ming guided Suniel back towards the outpost. She glanced to Harold for aid. He was following, but didn't even seem to be paying attention to what was going on, rubbing at his chest with a distant look in his eyes. They climbed back down into the outpost, the corrupt, carnal smell even worse than before. Suniel began to gesture and opened his mouth, but Ming snarled and pressed the tip of her sword against his back. "He was try to produce some light," Ilsa said, putting a restraining hand on Ming's. "Light a torch. I don't trust this one's magic," Ming replied, not taking her eyes off of Suniel's back. Ilsa sighed and bent towards her pack, but Harold climbed down the ladder a second later and a drew an arrow. He concentrated on it for a moment and the tip began to glow. "To the main area, the execution block," Ming said. "Hold on a second," Ilsa said. "If you're going to execute him you at least need-" "The proof is on the execution block," Ming said coldly. "Forward elf." They walked slowly through the outpost and into the carnage of the main barracks. They gathered around the alcove that contained the execution block and the torso of a dead hobgoblin. Ilsa glanced around for whatever Ming's proof was, but found nothing. "It was right here," Ming said, staring at a smear of dried blood on the execution block. "What was?" Ilsa said, peering at the smear intently. "Yes Ming, where is this proof of my evil ways?" Suniel said, his voice still soft. Ming snarled and kicked the block before turning on Suniel. "It said in blood, right here! You must have... you used some hidden magic to obscure it as we came down." "Said what?" Ilsa said, looking at the block. Ming stared hard at Suniel. "It said his name, clear as day." "So, one of the dead - after we killed it again, of course - conveniently wrote my name?" Suniel said. "That seems somewhat... unlikely." "I saw it with my own two eyes, right here!" Ming shouted. "Let's not waste any more time with this," Harold said. "It's going to be dark as it is by the time we reach Laketide again. I have no desire to still be in the hills at dark." The archer turned walked away, leaving Ming and Suniel staring at each other in the receding light - Ming clenching her jaw in anger, Suniel impassive, Ilsa standing by helplessly. Finally, Ming spat, sheathed her sword and strode after the light. Ilsa followed. She glanced back at Suniel and saw him stare at the smear of blood on the block for a long moment before he too turned and followed. [/QUOTE]
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