buzzard
First Post
This will be the gaming thread for the Rappan Athuk anyone? thread started earlier. Rappan Athuk is also known as the dungeon of graves. Hence the horrible pun in the title.
The setting, the County of Urnst in the Flaeness on Oerth. You have all, in your travels, managed to end up in or around Radegast City. This is the capital city of the County of Urnst. It is where Countess Belissica sits and presides over her peaceful nation- Well peaceful until recently.
There has been word of horrific attacks on small settlements. The few survivors who have lived to describe the carnage tell of beasts whose horror must be other-worldly. These have all been on the borders of the Bandit Kingdoms, but they do not appear to be typical of raids by the forces of Iuz. They seemed more savage and less directed.
The Countess has made a call for adventurers to come to an audience in her palace. These were delivered individually by her agents. You have all noticed that you were not the only ones to receive such notices as yours were pulled from a stack. It would appear that she is casting a wide net in her search.
As you are let into the Castle, many of you warrant some odd stares. Given your appearance, you are quite used to such attention. Others who appear to be adventuring types have also heeded the call.
The troop of hearty fellows in which you find yourselves are herded into a room to hear the Countess speak.
"Well met brave fellows. The County is in dire circumstance, and I, or rather we, need the aid of able souls to investigate an evil which plagues us. I would involve my own troops, but as the source of the trouble is near the borders of the Bandit Kindoms, it would be imprudent to provoke the forces of Iuz with a show of force at the border. "
"As you have all heard, many hamlets and villages have been beset by some foul ravager. We know not who this is, but we have some suspicions. Our spy service tells us that it is unlikely to be an effort by Iuz. He is still amassing his forces, and would be unlikely to act early. This appears to be coming from Rappan Athuk. "
This exposition causes an uproar among the assembled crowd. Exclamations of "The Dungeon of Graves!" and "That's a hole straight to hell- noone returns from there" are about typical of the response.
A particularly scraggly dwarf speaks up-
"Do you mean to say you wish to have a team investigate that infernal pit?!? Have you lost your senses? I wouldn't go near that place for all the mithril in Oerth. I've worked for you before, and some of those missions were daft, but I have no desire to be part of the ground rather than dig in it." With that he turns and tromps out of the room.
The rest of the crowd appears to share that sentiment, and the crowd proceeds to empty the hall.
"Aye, it would be madness to go in there!"
"There are quicker ways to kill ones self"
"Bah, the Bandit Kingdoms are no excuse, she just does want to waste her own troops"
Soon all that is left is a group of strangers. Strangers not merely in their measure of association, but also in appearance.
The countess and her guards are left staring at you. She speaks"So do you, er, exceptional souls wish to aid our County, or do you tarry for some other cause?"
buzzard
The setting, the County of Urnst in the Flaeness on Oerth. You have all, in your travels, managed to end up in or around Radegast City. This is the capital city of the County of Urnst. It is where Countess Belissica sits and presides over her peaceful nation- Well peaceful until recently.
There has been word of horrific attacks on small settlements. The few survivors who have lived to describe the carnage tell of beasts whose horror must be other-worldly. These have all been on the borders of the Bandit Kingdoms, but they do not appear to be typical of raids by the forces of Iuz. They seemed more savage and less directed.
The Countess has made a call for adventurers to come to an audience in her palace. These were delivered individually by her agents. You have all noticed that you were not the only ones to receive such notices as yours were pulled from a stack. It would appear that she is casting a wide net in her search.
As you are let into the Castle, many of you warrant some odd stares. Given your appearance, you are quite used to such attention. Others who appear to be adventuring types have also heeded the call.
The troop of hearty fellows in which you find yourselves are herded into a room to hear the Countess speak.
"Well met brave fellows. The County is in dire circumstance, and I, or rather we, need the aid of able souls to investigate an evil which plagues us. I would involve my own troops, but as the source of the trouble is near the borders of the Bandit Kindoms, it would be imprudent to provoke the forces of Iuz with a show of force at the border. "
"As you have all heard, many hamlets and villages have been beset by some foul ravager. We know not who this is, but we have some suspicions. Our spy service tells us that it is unlikely to be an effort by Iuz. He is still amassing his forces, and would be unlikely to act early. This appears to be coming from Rappan Athuk. "
This exposition causes an uproar among the assembled crowd. Exclamations of "The Dungeon of Graves!" and "That's a hole straight to hell- noone returns from there" are about typical of the response.
A particularly scraggly dwarf speaks up-
"Do you mean to say you wish to have a team investigate that infernal pit?!? Have you lost your senses? I wouldn't go near that place for all the mithril in Oerth. I've worked for you before, and some of those missions were daft, but I have no desire to be part of the ground rather than dig in it." With that he turns and tromps out of the room.
The rest of the crowd appears to share that sentiment, and the crowd proceeds to empty the hall.
"Aye, it would be madness to go in there!"
"There are quicker ways to kill ones self"
"Bah, the Bandit Kingdoms are no excuse, she just does want to waste her own troops"
Soon all that is left is a group of strangers. Strangers not merely in their measure of association, but also in appearance.
The countess and her guards are left staring at you. She speaks"So do you, er, exceptional souls wish to aid our County, or do you tarry for some other cause?"
buzzard
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