-
The VOIDRUNNER'S CODEX is coming! Explore new worlds, fight oppressive empires, fend off fearsome aliens, and wield deadly psionics with this comprehensive boxed set expansion for 5E and A5E!
The Unusual Heroes Enter The City of the Spider Queen!
- Thread starter Ziona
- Start date
Son_of_Thunder
Explorer
Thanks Wee Jas!
Thanks muchly dude.
I'll be sure to read.
Son of Thunder
Wee Jas said:
Thanks muchly dude.
I'll be sure to read.
Son of Thunder
Wow! I was surprised to see that someone remembered the Unusual Heroes. That makes me all warm and fuzzy inside. 
Yeah, it's me, Ziona. (Somehow my Ziona handle doesn't work anymore, so I had to make a new one.)
Thanks for asking about us. I'm in week 38 of my pregnancy, so our little girl should be arriving anytime she likes! Today is actually my last day of work, so who knows...maybe I'll be able to finally catch up and conclude the story of the Unsual Heroes before her arrival. (I won't make any promises, though...)
Hope you're enjoying the new story hour. I think Arkyst is doing a great job with the campaign & the story. Thanks again for checking in!
Ziona
(aka Reyna, aka Melissa)
Yeah, it's me, Ziona. (Somehow my Ziona handle doesn't work anymore, so I had to make a new one.)
Thanks for asking about us. I'm in week 38 of my pregnancy, so our little girl should be arriving anytime she likes! Today is actually my last day of work, so who knows...maybe I'll be able to finally catch up and conclude the story of the Unsual Heroes before her arrival. (I won't make any promises, though...)
Hope you're enjoying the new story hour. I think Arkyst is doing a great job with the campaign & the story. Thanks again for checking in!
Ziona
(aka Reyna, aka Melissa)
Ziona
First Post
Piercing Illusions
As the heroes ascended the staircase and began to cross the bridge that Ziona created they heard the stomping of many feet. As they looked down, they saw a wave of orcs, ogres and demons staring back, pounding their chests and growling with anger. Fiercely they chanted “GRODU!”
“Great,” mumbled Varr, “now what?”
“Now we deal with him,” said Dent motioning toward the crowd.
Below them the ocean of foes parted to make way for a large demon creature. With a wave of his massive hand, he silenced his minions.
“I have seen you defeat Kurgoth. But now you face Grodu! If you defeat me in combat my forces will be yours!”
“Our group against you alone?” asked Belasco.
“I need no other to defeat you!”
“If it is the only way out of here, so be it,” said Dent.
“But we still have not found Lox,” Ziona reminded the group.
But it was too late. Dent and Belasco rushed back down the stairs toward Grodu with Varr following closely behind.
“Something is amiss,” said Tark to Ziona and Roedyn. “The demon is not what he appears to be!”
“What do mean?” asked Roedyn.
“Friends, do not be deceived! What appears before us is not what it seems!” called Tark. “It is but a giant scarecrow made of wood and twigs!”
“Eh? Then we will chop down this wooden foe!” grumbled Varr.
The heroes went to work, destroying what looked to be the demon Grodu. Varr hacked pieces of the demon away, while Dent attacked with First Light. Ziona and Rossal assaulted the creature with fire based spells while Belasco and Roedyn added to the fray.
Tark, however, had other plans. He began casting, and within moments, a demon appeared a short distance away.
“Friends, the real foe is not before you!” Tark called to the group. “He hides invisible, sending a scarecrow for us to attack.”
The heroes finally saw that this “demon” they were attacking was nothing more than a burning pyre. The real Grodu was laughing sinisterly while his minions dispersed.
“You have beaten me,” he laughed while motioning toward the burning pyre.
The decimated pyre began to fall apart. As it did, the limp body of Lox Lumley fell lifeless to the ground.
“LOX!” cried Ziona.
“Damn you!” called Dent as he rushed Grodu.
The others were not far behind him. The remaining ogres, orcs and demons that had made up the chanting crowd were now running and disappearing as their leader was attacked.
Meanwhile, Ziona approached Lox’s small lifeless form. What she found sickened her. The chattering halfling’s tongue had been cut from his mouth, so as not to alert the heroes. The horror of what they had done filled the half-drow with grief, and she momentarily remembered her own horror at the hands of the Underdark villains.
After defeating Grodu, the others gathered around and gasped at the wretchedness that had befallen their friend.
“To the Abyss with this place!” growled Dent.
“This might as well be the Abyss,” said Roedyn solemnly.
“Poor lad,” grumbled Varr.
“You worship the Dark Maiden. I’m sure she’d allow you to bring him back,” said Belasco with impatience.
“Lox has been through quite a lot, if you ask me,” said Tark. “I don’t believe he is cut out for the Underdark. What is your opinion, Ziona?”
“The trauma is a heavy burden,” she said as though it pained her. “I don’t wish it on our vivacious friend. We should wait until we reach the surface to vivify him.”
She looked to Dent, who nodded.
“Let us hope we make it to the surface, Lady Ziona.”
The Adventure Continues…
As the heroes ascended the staircase and began to cross the bridge that Ziona created they heard the stomping of many feet. As they looked down, they saw a wave of orcs, ogres and demons staring back, pounding their chests and growling with anger. Fiercely they chanted “GRODU!”
“Great,” mumbled Varr, “now what?”
“Now we deal with him,” said Dent motioning toward the crowd.
Below them the ocean of foes parted to make way for a large demon creature. With a wave of his massive hand, he silenced his minions.
“I have seen you defeat Kurgoth. But now you face Grodu! If you defeat me in combat my forces will be yours!”
“Our group against you alone?” asked Belasco.
“I need no other to defeat you!”
“If it is the only way out of here, so be it,” said Dent.
“But we still have not found Lox,” Ziona reminded the group.
But it was too late. Dent and Belasco rushed back down the stairs toward Grodu with Varr following closely behind.
“Something is amiss,” said Tark to Ziona and Roedyn. “The demon is not what he appears to be!”
“What do mean?” asked Roedyn.
“Friends, do not be deceived! What appears before us is not what it seems!” called Tark. “It is but a giant scarecrow made of wood and twigs!”
“Eh? Then we will chop down this wooden foe!” grumbled Varr.
The heroes went to work, destroying what looked to be the demon Grodu. Varr hacked pieces of the demon away, while Dent attacked with First Light. Ziona and Rossal assaulted the creature with fire based spells while Belasco and Roedyn added to the fray.
Tark, however, had other plans. He began casting, and within moments, a demon appeared a short distance away.
“Friends, the real foe is not before you!” Tark called to the group. “He hides invisible, sending a scarecrow for us to attack.”
The heroes finally saw that this “demon” they were attacking was nothing more than a burning pyre. The real Grodu was laughing sinisterly while his minions dispersed.
“You have beaten me,” he laughed while motioning toward the burning pyre.
The decimated pyre began to fall apart. As it did, the limp body of Lox Lumley fell lifeless to the ground.
“LOX!” cried Ziona.
“Damn you!” called Dent as he rushed Grodu.
The others were not far behind him. The remaining ogres, orcs and demons that had made up the chanting crowd were now running and disappearing as their leader was attacked.
Meanwhile, Ziona approached Lox’s small lifeless form. What she found sickened her. The chattering halfling’s tongue had been cut from his mouth, so as not to alert the heroes. The horror of what they had done filled the half-drow with grief, and she momentarily remembered her own horror at the hands of the Underdark villains.
After defeating Grodu, the others gathered around and gasped at the wretchedness that had befallen their friend.
“To the Abyss with this place!” growled Dent.
“This might as well be the Abyss,” said Roedyn solemnly.
“Poor lad,” grumbled Varr.
“You worship the Dark Maiden. I’m sure she’d allow you to bring him back,” said Belasco with impatience.
“Lox has been through quite a lot, if you ask me,” said Tark. “I don’t believe he is cut out for the Underdark. What is your opinion, Ziona?”
“The trauma is a heavy burden,” she said as though it pained her. “I don’t wish it on our vivacious friend. We should wait until we reach the surface to vivify him.”
She looked to Dent, who nodded.
“Let us hope we make it to the surface, Lady Ziona.”
The Adventure Continues…
Stebie9173
First Post
Wow!!! An update! Look, everybody they're back!
Great to see you back Ziona. Only yesterday did I find a pic of Lox Lumley (That's mine!) and wondered what had happened to everyone!
Look, everybody they're back! Great to see you back Ziona. Only yesterday did I find a pic of Lox Lumley (That's mine!) and wondered what had happened to everyone!
Ao the Overkitty
First Post
Nifty. It took me a little bit to remember just where they were in the story. Nice to see an update and good luck with the delivery of the little gamer girl.
Ziona
First Post
Hellooooo!
Hey there everyone!
It feels great to be back. I found some of the journals I kept with my notes from the game, and I felt compelled to write again. Of course, I've been pretty tired & catch naps when I can, but I've been making time to write because the outcome of this story is just too crazy to pass up.
Our little gamer was born on March 2nd at 5:49am (after about 16 hours of labor!!) Her name is Autumn Elan and she's just amazing. She hangs out with us each Sunday while we play either in her swing or strapped to Daddy's chest in her carrier while he DM's.
Here she is:
And here is her pirate face. Can't you just hear her saying AAAAARRRRRR!!
So, the next update is just about ready. I'll be posting it soon!
Thanks for checking out the story again & for the support. It's great to be writing again, and it's wonderful to see that we still have readers!
Hey there everyone!
It feels great to be back. I found some of the journals I kept with my notes from the game, and I felt compelled to write again. Of course, I've been pretty tired & catch naps when I can, but I've been making time to write because the outcome of this story is just too crazy to pass up.
Our little gamer was born on March 2nd at 5:49am (after about 16 hours of labor!!) Her name is Autumn Elan and she's just amazing. She hangs out with us each Sunday while we play either in her swing or strapped to Daddy's chest in her carrier while he DM's.
Here she is:
And here is her pirate face. Can't you just hear her saying AAAAARRRRRR!!
So, the next update is just about ready. I'll be posting it soon!
Thanks for checking out the story again & for the support. It's great to be writing again, and it's wonderful to see that we still have readers!
Ziona
First Post
The Road to Castle Maerimydra
As the heroes trekked forward, they could see Castle Maerimydra looming ahead. They approached it with silent caution, weapons drawn and alert.
Around them the ruined city was eerily quiet. The rotting corpses of dead drow hung from gibbets and rats scurried from street to street.
“The vermin in this blasted place rank higher than the drow in my opinion,” muttered Varr.
As he spoke, one of the rats transformed into a female drow.
“And what right does a dwarf have speaking down upon vermin?” she scowled.
Varr huffed in surprise and raised his axe.
“I wouldn’t do that if I were you.”
The voice echoed and bounced off the crumbling walls. From the darkness stepped a stylishly dressed male drow. His hair was as black as his inky skin and he had armor to match. At his side was a childlike half-drow, her eyes drawn to Ziona.
“Well, it’s good to see another male drow who as broken from the norm of the matriarchy,” said Belasco as he lowered his weapon.
“What purpose do you have wandering in Maerimydra?” asked the dark-haired drow.
“We are here to stop the drow raids that are plaguing the surface,” explained Dent.
“I saw your prowess in battle, though I do not think you will be able to take the Castle so easily.”
“I suppose you plan on stopping us?” growled Varr.
“I wouldn’t dream of it,” smiled the drow. “I am Hamadh the Unseen. My companions and I follow our own order and would like nothing more than to see Irae T’sarran crushed. You have already destroyed Kurgoth, so I can see you’re serious about removing Irae as well.”
“Irae holds Castle Maerimydra,” said the half-drow girl. “She is vicious, she is cruel. She should be destroyed. She is more evil than any drow…”
The child rambled on much like the lost Lox. Ziona smiled upon the girl. “We plan to thwart her evil ways, child.”
“You can try,” said Hamadh. “But you will not get far without our assistance.”
“You wish to accompany us?” asked Ziona with surprise.
“We are The Hidden. Our numbers are fewer than your own,” said Hamadh with a smile, “but I have valuable information that will get you within the walls of the Castle.”
“And why would you give us this information?” asked Dent.
“Better yet, why would we trust the information?” muttered Varr.
“Because they want to see the wench fall as well,” said Belasco. “They just don’t have the means to do it.”
“Precisely,” said Hamadh. “We skulk about the city, avoiding Kurgosh’s thugs and Irae’s wrath. We have gathered much information, but have not been able to put it to use. It would seem your odd group may have a chance of overthrowing the wretched witch, even if it is a slim chance.”
“What type of information do you have?” inquired Tark, “And what will this information cost us?”
“I can provide a password that will allow you to pass through the spell of forbiddance that has been cast upon the castle,” said Hamadh. “I can also provide a place out of sight for you to rest yourselves before you begin your task. I ask nothing in return. I only hope that you succeed.”
“I must say, this is the last place we expected to find hospitality,” said Ziona. “We appreciate your assistance. May Eilistraee shine upon you.”
“Ah, a worshipper of the Dark Maiden. Interesting,” said Hamadh rubbing his chin. “Come along. You have destroyed Kurgoth and Grodu, but there is still much danger lurking about the streets of Maerimydra. I’d hate to see you snuffed out before you get a chance to brave the Castle.”
The heroes followed Hamadh and his companions into a large, disheveled inn that looked as though it had been looted and burned. Within, they rested and readied themselves to enter Castle Maerimydra.
The Adventure Continues…
As the heroes trekked forward, they could see Castle Maerimydra looming ahead. They approached it with silent caution, weapons drawn and alert.
Around them the ruined city was eerily quiet. The rotting corpses of dead drow hung from gibbets and rats scurried from street to street.
“The vermin in this blasted place rank higher than the drow in my opinion,” muttered Varr.
As he spoke, one of the rats transformed into a female drow.
“And what right does a dwarf have speaking down upon vermin?” she scowled.
Varr huffed in surprise and raised his axe.
“I wouldn’t do that if I were you.”
The voice echoed and bounced off the crumbling walls. From the darkness stepped a stylishly dressed male drow. His hair was as black as his inky skin and he had armor to match. At his side was a childlike half-drow, her eyes drawn to Ziona.
“Well, it’s good to see another male drow who as broken from the norm of the matriarchy,” said Belasco as he lowered his weapon.
“What purpose do you have wandering in Maerimydra?” asked the dark-haired drow.
“We are here to stop the drow raids that are plaguing the surface,” explained Dent.
“I saw your prowess in battle, though I do not think you will be able to take the Castle so easily.”
“I suppose you plan on stopping us?” growled Varr.
“I wouldn’t dream of it,” smiled the drow. “I am Hamadh the Unseen. My companions and I follow our own order and would like nothing more than to see Irae T’sarran crushed. You have already destroyed Kurgoth, so I can see you’re serious about removing Irae as well.”
“Irae holds Castle Maerimydra,” said the half-drow girl. “She is vicious, she is cruel. She should be destroyed. She is more evil than any drow…”
The child rambled on much like the lost Lox. Ziona smiled upon the girl. “We plan to thwart her evil ways, child.”
“You can try,” said Hamadh. “But you will not get far without our assistance.”
“You wish to accompany us?” asked Ziona with surprise.
“We are The Hidden. Our numbers are fewer than your own,” said Hamadh with a smile, “but I have valuable information that will get you within the walls of the Castle.”
“And why would you give us this information?” asked Dent.
“Better yet, why would we trust the information?” muttered Varr.
“Because they want to see the wench fall as well,” said Belasco. “They just don’t have the means to do it.”
“Precisely,” said Hamadh. “We skulk about the city, avoiding Kurgosh’s thugs and Irae’s wrath. We have gathered much information, but have not been able to put it to use. It would seem your odd group may have a chance of overthrowing the wretched witch, even if it is a slim chance.”
“What type of information do you have?” inquired Tark, “And what will this information cost us?”
“I can provide a password that will allow you to pass through the spell of forbiddance that has been cast upon the castle,” said Hamadh. “I can also provide a place out of sight for you to rest yourselves before you begin your task. I ask nothing in return. I only hope that you succeed.”
“I must say, this is the last place we expected to find hospitality,” said Ziona. “We appreciate your assistance. May Eilistraee shine upon you.”
“Ah, a worshipper of the Dark Maiden. Interesting,” said Hamadh rubbing his chin. “Come along. You have destroyed Kurgoth and Grodu, but there is still much danger lurking about the streets of Maerimydra. I’d hate to see you snuffed out before you get a chance to brave the Castle.”
The heroes followed Hamadh and his companions into a large, disheveled inn that looked as though it had been looted and burned. Within, they rested and readied themselves to enter Castle Maerimydra.
The Adventure Continues…
Similar Threads
