Menu
News
All News
Dungeons & Dragons
Level Up: Advanced 5th Edition
Pathfinder
Starfinder
Warhammer
2d20 System
Year Zero Engine
Industry News
Reviews
Dragon Reflections
Columns
Weekly Digests
Weekly News Digest
Freebies, Sales & Bundles
RPG Print News
RPG Crowdfunding News
Game Content
ENterplanetary DimENsions
Mythological Figures
Opinion
Worlds of Design
Peregrine's Next
RPG Evolution
Other Columns
From the Freelancing Frontline
Monster ENcyclopedia
WotC/TSR Alumni Look Back
4 Hours w/RSD (Ryan Dancey)
The Road to 3E (Jonathan Tweet)
Greenwood's Realms (Ed Greenwood)
Drawmij's TSR (Jim Ward)
Community
Forums & Topics
Forum List
Latest Posts
Forum list
*Dungeons & Dragons
Level Up: Advanced 5th Edition
D&D Older Editions
*TTRPGs General
*Pathfinder & Starfinder
EN Publishing
*Geek Talk & Media
Search forums
Chat/Discord
Resources
Wiki
Pages
Latest activity
Media
New media
New comments
Search media
Downloads
Latest reviews
Search resources
EN Publishing
Store
EN5ider
Adventures in ZEITGEIST
Awfully Cheerful Engine
What's OLD is NEW
Judge Dredd & The Worlds Of 2000AD
War of the Burning Sky
Level Up: Advanced 5E
Events & Releases
Upcoming Events
Private Events
Featured Events
Socials!
Twitch
YouTube
Facebook (EN Publishing)
Facebook (EN World)
Twitter
Instagram
TikTok
Podcast
Features
Top 5 RPGs Compiled Charts 2004-Present
Adventure Game Industry Market Research Summary (RPGs) V1.0
Ryan Dancey: Acquiring TSR
Q&A With Gary Gygax
D&D Rules FAQs
TSR, WotC, & Paizo: A Comparative History
D&D Pronunciation Guide
Million Dollar TTRPG Kickstarters
Tabletop RPG Podcast Hall of Fame
Eric Noah's Unofficial D&D 3rd Edition News
D&D in the Mainstream
D&D & RPG History
About Morrus
Log in
Register
What's new
Search
Search
Search titles only
By:
Forums & Topics
Forum List
Latest Posts
Forum list
*Dungeons & Dragons
Level Up: Advanced 5th Edition
D&D Older Editions
*TTRPGs General
*Pathfinder & Starfinder
EN Publishing
*Geek Talk & Media
Search forums
Chat/Discord
Menu
Log in
Register
Install the app
Install
Community
Playing the Game
Story Hour
The Rise of Felskein [Completed]
JavaScript is disabled. For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding.
You are using an out of date browser. It may not display this or other websites correctly.
You should upgrade or use an
alternative browser
.
Reply to thread
Message
<blockquote data-quote="Iron Sky" data-source="post: 4345406" data-attributes="member: 60965"><p>Session 7, Part 1</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Harold leaned down to rifle through his saddlebags and produced the scroll that had arrived for him just as he left Laketide. The wax seal bore the Crystal Towers sigil. He sliced it open with his long dagger and read.</p><p> </p><p><em>Honor Guard Harold Trisden,</em></p><p> </p><p><em>I have heard of your exploits with the Iron Tribes. One faction of the Council disapproves, but another - growing - faction favors war with the hobgoblins and I have sided with them. As such, any harm you can inflict on the Iron Tribes will further our standing here, with at least the Council members I am currently in negotiations with. You have my leave to follow your own judgment on these matters until I return from our recently re-extended tour of Northmand on the 21st of July.</em></p><p> </p><p><em>Under the Light of the Crystal Towers,</em></p><p><em>Ambassador Stevens.</em></p><p> </p><p>Harold skimmed it again and half-smiled with satisfaction as he rolled up the scroll and placed it back in his saddlebag.</p><p> </p><p>"Good news?" Grok'nar said, from his place at the head of the small column, glancing back as he took a drought from his wineskin.</p><p> </p><p>Harold shrugged. "Good enough."</p><p> </p><p>The Greywarden rode up beside him. "So, what is this plan of yours to bring Neergrog to justice?"</p><p> </p><p>Grok'nar, riding a shaggy horse about the same color as the hills they were passing through and Suniel, riding one of his carriage horses bareback, rode closer at the mention.</p><p> </p><p>"Grok'nar and I have put together a plan we think will work," Harold said. "Quite simply, we ride through a region of the Ragged Hills called the Burrows. The Iron Tribes avoid the area, so we only risk being spotted when we cross the border into the lands they do patrol. Once there, we keep our hoods up, Grok'nar keeps his down to minimize risk at a distance and we destroy any patrol that gets too close."</p><p> </p><p>"Sounds like a decent plan, but what about when we actually get to wherever Neergrog is?" Suniel said. "And isn't there a good reason why the hobgoblins avoid the Burrows?"</p><p> </p><p>Grok'nar shrugged. "We'll figure out how to get in when we get there. Shouldn't be too hard. They aren't expecting an attack, especially that far from Northmand."</p><p> </p><p>"And the Burrows?"</p><p> </p><p>"Ankhegs. As long as we don't stumble into one of the larger warrens, we should be fine."</p><p> </p><p>Suniel frowned.</p><p> </p><p>"Look, Grok'nar made it to here from there without getting caught, we'll be fine," Harold said.</p><p> </p><p>After a moment Suniel's frown faded. "That's true I suppose. All right. Three days you say?"</p><p> </p><p>Grok'nar and Harold both nodded. "Or so," Grok'nar added.</p><p> </p><p>Suniel and Kezzek drifted back a bit, but Grok'nar leaned close to Harold. "I didn't take the Burrows when I fled, too dangerous."</p><p> </p><p>"Doesn't matter," Harold said. "It'll work out."</p><p> </p><p>Grok'nar snorted and scratched his back, his eyes drifting towards the sky. A moment later he raised a hand to shade them. "What is that?"</p><p> </p><p>Harold reached for his bow and looked up, not knowing whether to expect a rain of metal men or a ball of fire. He saw neither.</p><p> </p><p>After a moment of staring, he said, "I have no idea."</p><p> </p><p>***</p><p> </p><p>It was about the size of a man's head and almost perfectly round, made of the same rusty metal as the iron constructs had been. On one side it had a red gem that shifted about in a shallow socket, giving the impression that it was looking around. A single, almost wire-thin arm extended from the bottom, ending in a tiny pincer claw.</p><p> </p><p>Suniel and the others reined in and regarded it in silence for several minutes as it did the same to them.</p><p> </p><p>"Sherguz werkal?" it finally 'said,' the strange sounds tinny.</p><p> </p><p>The four companions glanced amongst themselves.</p><p> </p><p>"Alooah beao nala?" it said, spurring another round of bemused glances.</p><p> </p><p>"You speak this?" it finally said in draconic.</p><p> </p><p>"Yes, I do," Suniel said in the same language. "What are you?"</p><p> </p><p>The gem-eyed orb turned towards him, floated closer, and examined him for a moment as the others all shot Suniel questioning looks.</p><p> </p><p>"Return the stone," it said.</p><p> </p><p>"What's it saying?" Harold said.</p><p> </p><p>It immediately spun towards Harold and repeated itself in common. "Return the stone."</p><p> </p><p>"What stone?" Harold said. Suniel noticed the archer's hand drift towards his chest and quickly jerk away, but his attention was mostly focused on the floating construct.</p><p> </p><p>"It is ours, return the stone."</p><p> </p><p>"Who is us?" Suniel said. "And what stone is it you want?" He murmured and gestured and a few small rocks floated to his hand from the dirt. "Do you want one of these?"</p><p> </p><p>"Maybe it's hungry," Grok'nar said. Kezzek snorted.</p><p> </p><p>It turned back to Suniel as he held the rocks out to the thing. The spindly arm reached out and picked each one up with its pincer and held them each under close scrutiny before it's gem for a long moment before tossing them aside. "The stone, the amulet. Iron Sky demands the amulet."</p><p> </p><p>"What is Iron Sky?" Kezzek said, trotting closer to the thing.</p><p> </p><p>It drifted higher and spun towards him. "Give us the stone," it said, it's tinny voice almost pleading.</p><p> </p><p>"Do you mean this?" Suniel said, reaching into a side pouch and pulling out the charged hematite necklace he had taken from Ming before he buried her. Harold's eyes shot to it, his lips pursed, but the gem-eye's reaction was even stronger.</p><p> </p><p>It hurled itself towards Suniel, gem aglow and pincer arm waiving about towards him frantically. "Give it to us, give it to us. Iron Sky demands you give it to us! Demands!"</p><p> </p><p>"Wait a moment," Suniel said, pulling the amulet away from its reaching pincer. "Why-"</p><p> </p><p>There was a clang and the thing flew sideways in a rain of metal parts, disintegrating into a cloud of metal flakes as it struck the hard dirt. The other three turned to Harold as he placed his bow back in his quiver. "We don't have time for this," he said. "Grok'nar, lead on."</p><p> </p><p>Grok'nar quirked an eyebrow at Harold, but complied. Kezzek stroked the point of one of his tusks, growling faintly and seemingly absently as he watched the archer ride after the hobgoblin. Then he too followed.</p><p> </p><p>Suniel glanced down at the metal dust that had already begun to drift in the wind, a hundred questions flitting through his mind. In the end, he sighed and he too turned his horse and followed Grok'nar deeper into the Ragged Hills.</p><p> </p><p>***</p><p> </p><p>There was movement outside its prey-spot and the creature settled down, legs compressed and ready to leap through the dirt-rouse-wall that it had carefully constructed over this prey-spot. The things smelled of meat even through the thin dirt covering and acid began to run from its mandibles in anticipation.</p><p> </p><p>One passed, but the ground-trembles told it that it was big and too far away to reach with a burst-lunge, so it waited. Another passed, closer. Then another, close enough to-</p><p> </p><p>It hurled through the dirt-rouse-wall and shook loose soil from its compound eyes. A four-leg/two-leg meat thing was before it, the four-leg rearing up on two as the creature launched towards it.</p><p> </p><p>The four-leg came down, lashing fore-legs keeping the creature at bay. Then there was a pain from the side and the creature spun towards another four-leg/two-leg, this one spitting wooden splinters that punched through the creature's hard carapace. It snapped at the splinters as it tried to catch the spitter, but the spitter was too quick.</p><p> </p><p>Then something bit the creature from behind and it spun again, snapping onto the first thing it saw - the square wood carapace attached to one of the two-leg's forearms. It bit at it angrily, pain from all sides pushing it nearer and nearer to the point of flight. The two-leg with the carapace-arm stabbed it again and again with a metal stinger, piercing painfully here and there on the creature's abdomen until it could take the pain no more.</p><p> </p><p>It turned to flee only to find the biggest four-leg/two-leg of them all blocking the way back to its hole. The creature charged the four-leg, hoping to knock it out of the way so it could escape, but there was a blast of sudden flame and the creature felt three of its legs detach, watching them fly apart, trailing smoke, through its rear eye-facets.</p><p> </p><p>Desperate and hurt, it reared back its head, a glob of burning acid working up towards its mouth. It flicked its head down, mandibles wide, to hurl the sticky-burning ball at the four-leg/two-leg in its way, but as it brought its head down, it saw the two-leg leaping from the four-leg's back with a roar, its metal arm glinting, a shining metal twin-claw in its hands. The two-leg landed heavily on the creature's back, claw swinging and slicing the creature's head off.</p><p> </p><p>The glob of acid fell from the thing's mouth and dissolved into the baked dirt.</p><p> </p><p>***</p><p> </p><p>Kezzek pulled the second blade of his quor'rel from the Ankheg's back and leaped clear as the headless, seared, one-legged body thrashed.</p><p> </p><p>He pulled out a rag and wiped the blades of his quor'rel down quickly as Harold rode closer and Suniel stood a safe distance away examining the body.</p><p> </p><p>"Well, now everyone knows what an Ankheg is if you didn't already," Grok'nar said, rubbing his shield arm and examining his acid-marked shield. "Welcome to the Burrows."</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Iron Sky, post: 4345406, member: 60965"] Session 7, Part 1 Harold leaned down to rifle through his saddlebags and produced the scroll that had arrived for him just as he left Laketide. The wax seal bore the Crystal Towers sigil. He sliced it open with his long dagger and read. [I]Honor Guard Harold Trisden,[/I] [I]I have heard of your exploits with the Iron Tribes. One faction of the Council disapproves, but another - growing - faction favors war with the hobgoblins and I have sided with them. As such, any harm you can inflict on the Iron Tribes will further our standing here, with at least the Council members I am currently in negotiations with. You have my leave to follow your own judgment on these matters until I return from our recently re-extended tour of Northmand on the 21st of July.[/I] [I]Under the Light of the Crystal Towers,[/I] [I]Ambassador Stevens.[/I] Harold skimmed it again and half-smiled with satisfaction as he rolled up the scroll and placed it back in his saddlebag. "Good news?" Grok'nar said, from his place at the head of the small column, glancing back as he took a drought from his wineskin. Harold shrugged. "Good enough." The Greywarden rode up beside him. "So, what is this plan of yours to bring Neergrog to justice?" Grok'nar, riding a shaggy horse about the same color as the hills they were passing through and Suniel, riding one of his carriage horses bareback, rode closer at the mention. "Grok'nar and I have put together a plan we think will work," Harold said. "Quite simply, we ride through a region of the Ragged Hills called the Burrows. The Iron Tribes avoid the area, so we only risk being spotted when we cross the border into the lands they do patrol. Once there, we keep our hoods up, Grok'nar keeps his down to minimize risk at a distance and we destroy any patrol that gets too close." "Sounds like a decent plan, but what about when we actually get to wherever Neergrog is?" Suniel said. "And isn't there a good reason why the hobgoblins avoid the Burrows?" Grok'nar shrugged. "We'll figure out how to get in when we get there. Shouldn't be too hard. They aren't expecting an attack, especially that far from Northmand." "And the Burrows?" "Ankhegs. As long as we don't stumble into one of the larger warrens, we should be fine." Suniel frowned. "Look, Grok'nar made it to here from there without getting caught, we'll be fine," Harold said. After a moment Suniel's frown faded. "That's true I suppose. All right. Three days you say?" Grok'nar and Harold both nodded. "Or so," Grok'nar added. Suniel and Kezzek drifted back a bit, but Grok'nar leaned close to Harold. "I didn't take the Burrows when I fled, too dangerous." "Doesn't matter," Harold said. "It'll work out." Grok'nar snorted and scratched his back, his eyes drifting towards the sky. A moment later he raised a hand to shade them. "What is that?" Harold reached for his bow and looked up, not knowing whether to expect a rain of metal men or a ball of fire. He saw neither. After a moment of staring, he said, "I have no idea." *** It was about the size of a man's head and almost perfectly round, made of the same rusty metal as the iron constructs had been. On one side it had a red gem that shifted about in a shallow socket, giving the impression that it was looking around. A single, almost wire-thin arm extended from the bottom, ending in a tiny pincer claw. Suniel and the others reined in and regarded it in silence for several minutes as it did the same to them. "Sherguz werkal?" it finally 'said,' the strange sounds tinny. The four companions glanced amongst themselves. "Alooah beao nala?" it said, spurring another round of bemused glances. "You speak this?" it finally said in draconic. "Yes, I do," Suniel said in the same language. "What are you?" The gem-eyed orb turned towards him, floated closer, and examined him for a moment as the others all shot Suniel questioning looks. "Return the stone," it said. "What's it saying?" Harold said. It immediately spun towards Harold and repeated itself in common. "Return the stone." "What stone?" Harold said. Suniel noticed the archer's hand drift towards his chest and quickly jerk away, but his attention was mostly focused on the floating construct. "It is ours, return the stone." "Who is us?" Suniel said. "And what stone is it you want?" He murmured and gestured and a few small rocks floated to his hand from the dirt. "Do you want one of these?" "Maybe it's hungry," Grok'nar said. Kezzek snorted. It turned back to Suniel as he held the rocks out to the thing. The spindly arm reached out and picked each one up with its pincer and held them each under close scrutiny before it's gem for a long moment before tossing them aside. "The stone, the amulet. Iron Sky demands the amulet." "What is Iron Sky?" Kezzek said, trotting closer to the thing. It drifted higher and spun towards him. "Give us the stone," it said, it's tinny voice almost pleading. "Do you mean this?" Suniel said, reaching into a side pouch and pulling out the charged hematite necklace he had taken from Ming before he buried her. Harold's eyes shot to it, his lips pursed, but the gem-eye's reaction was even stronger. It hurled itself towards Suniel, gem aglow and pincer arm waiving about towards him frantically. "Give it to us, give it to us. Iron Sky demands you give it to us! Demands!" "Wait a moment," Suniel said, pulling the amulet away from its reaching pincer. "Why-" There was a clang and the thing flew sideways in a rain of metal parts, disintegrating into a cloud of metal flakes as it struck the hard dirt. The other three turned to Harold as he placed his bow back in his quiver. "We don't have time for this," he said. "Grok'nar, lead on." Grok'nar quirked an eyebrow at Harold, but complied. Kezzek stroked the point of one of his tusks, growling faintly and seemingly absently as he watched the archer ride after the hobgoblin. Then he too followed. Suniel glanced down at the metal dust that had already begun to drift in the wind, a hundred questions flitting through his mind. In the end, he sighed and he too turned his horse and followed Grok'nar deeper into the Ragged Hills. *** There was movement outside its prey-spot and the creature settled down, legs compressed and ready to leap through the dirt-rouse-wall that it had carefully constructed over this prey-spot. The things smelled of meat even through the thin dirt covering and acid began to run from its mandibles in anticipation. One passed, but the ground-trembles told it that it was big and too far away to reach with a burst-lunge, so it waited. Another passed, closer. Then another, close enough to- It hurled through the dirt-rouse-wall and shook loose soil from its compound eyes. A four-leg/two-leg meat thing was before it, the four-leg rearing up on two as the creature launched towards it. The four-leg came down, lashing fore-legs keeping the creature at bay. Then there was a pain from the side and the creature spun towards another four-leg/two-leg, this one spitting wooden splinters that punched through the creature's hard carapace. It snapped at the splinters as it tried to catch the spitter, but the spitter was too quick. Then something bit the creature from behind and it spun again, snapping onto the first thing it saw - the square wood carapace attached to one of the two-leg's forearms. It bit at it angrily, pain from all sides pushing it nearer and nearer to the point of flight. The two-leg with the carapace-arm stabbed it again and again with a metal stinger, piercing painfully here and there on the creature's abdomen until it could take the pain no more. It turned to flee only to find the biggest four-leg/two-leg of them all blocking the way back to its hole. The creature charged the four-leg, hoping to knock it out of the way so it could escape, but there was a blast of sudden flame and the creature felt three of its legs detach, watching them fly apart, trailing smoke, through its rear eye-facets. Desperate and hurt, it reared back its head, a glob of burning acid working up towards its mouth. It flicked its head down, mandibles wide, to hurl the sticky-burning ball at the four-leg/two-leg in its way, but as it brought its head down, it saw the two-leg leaping from the four-leg's back with a roar, its metal arm glinting, a shining metal twin-claw in its hands. The two-leg landed heavily on the creature's back, claw swinging and slicing the creature's head off. The glob of acid fell from the thing's mouth and dissolved into the baked dirt. *** Kezzek pulled the second blade of his quor'rel from the Ankheg's back and leaped clear as the headless, seared, one-legged body thrashed. He pulled out a rag and wiped the blades of his quor'rel down quickly as Harold rode closer and Suniel stood a safe distance away examining the body. "Well, now everyone knows what an Ankheg is if you didn't already," Grok'nar said, rubbing his shield arm and examining his acid-marked shield. "Welcome to the Burrows." [/QUOTE]
Insert quotes…
Verification
Post reply
Community
Playing the Game
Story Hour
The Rise of Felskein [Completed]
Top