Against the Shadows IV - A Faded Glory Story Hour

What Do You Think of This Story Hour?

  • It is the greatest Story Hour ever!

    Votes: 8 16.0%
  • It is one of my top 5!

    Votes: 29 58.0%
  • It is entertaining. I recommend it to others.

    Votes: 11 22.0%
  • I don't like it very much.

    Votes: 1 2.0%
  • It sucks! I wouldn't read it if it was the only Story Hour available!

    Votes: 1 2.0%

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Old One

First Post
Ancalagon said:
Great work as always Old one!

The squark made me laugh. We have a transmuter who uses that spell (elf). He basicaly reduces his weight and springs huge butterflies wing. Now I always thought it was ridiculous (but realistic... the spell gives you a slow flying speed and atrocious maneurvability) but this was funnier :)

Ancalagon

Ancalagon -

Glad to see you over on the new boards! If anyone who knows what they are doing ever gets a close look at the Squawk, Quintus might be in trouble!

Thanks for stopping by!

Old One
 

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Old One

First Post
Re: Bards do Rock (n Roll?)

Darklone said:
Heyho Old One,

Well... the new boards... something new to get accustomed to (I get old).

Storyline: Hilarious as ever... paranoid players... female bards ... I THINK I met a similar barkeep a few weeks ago... But aren't they all the same? (Well my bard won there :)... but against another male)

Let's see how the players start to earn some cash in Oar. Perhaps dancing on the tables somewhere :) ? I really like how you let them pay.... My players always got too many cash... Not that they would agree though.


May the sun shine always on the dagger in your back!

Darklone

Darklone -

Guten Tag! The PCs actually managed to get some cash the last session, although they lost some almost immediately afterwards:D! Anyway, I hope to have the next session or two up over the next several days...

Stay tuned!

Old One
 

Old One

First Post
Re: ...the amazingly time-eating storyhour

Dougal DeKree said:
Hello OldOne!

just finished with the whole storyhour - i started reading it only last week and i have to say excellent work! Use of the rules, creating the mood/paranoia, enchanting that table of yours - just plain perfect.
By the way, did your players read quickbeams how-to-influence-a-die-guide? It's veeery helpful :) but for now...i am waiting...for more...

Dougal DeKree

"When you are totally down, there is only one direction it can go!"
"Sideways?!"

Dougal DeKree -

Another Deutschlander! Viegeits!

Thanks so much for the kind words...when Quickbeam posted his dice disciplining guide on the old boards, the players had some good discussion about it!

The dice rituals practiced by the players due to the influences of the Table of Elemental Evil include:
  • Never letting a die actually touch the table...it must be rolled on a book or some other surface
  • Changing dice every hour of play to limit the evil influence
  • Retiring any die the DM has touched
  • Touching the die to a good luck token prior to rolling

All-in-all it is quite humorous!

Thanks for dropping by and I hope to see you again soon!

Old One
 

Old One

First Post
Tortoise said:
And now for a little poetry break ...



The money comes
The money goes
Who will steal it?
The DM knows!

Thank you, thank you

Talk about rapidly changing fortunes. Here Rowan was about to retire wealthy enough to take good care of Q's sister Maxima when the winds of fortune shifted and ...

Well, let's just say he's determined to get a little "payback".


I'll leave it at that and let Old One tickle your imaginations with the recent events.

Alright Tortoise...keep that day job;)!

If all goes well, we will have a post later today...

Old One
 

el-remmen

Moderator Emeritus
I thouhgt I was WAY BEHIND - but it turned out I was only 1 session behind - so caught up quick.

Great stuff as usual. . .

The number of page views you get is INSANE. I guess the new page views feature is going to show which story hours really are the most popular. :D

Ranger Wickett has a lot of reading ahead of him. Have you thought about posting a downloadable version in word for people to print out and read at their own leisure?

I would be happy to host it if you decide to do it.
 

Old One

First Post
Greetings All!

I am officially 2 sessions behind now...

Session 12 and Session 13

I hope to have at least the first part of Session 12 done today. In these two sessions, the PCs finally reach Oar and waste no time making lots of new friends and new enemies!

Stay tuned for more!

Old One
 

Old One

First Post
nemmerle said:
I thouhgt I was WAY BEHIND - but it turned out I was only 1 session behind - so caught up quick.

Great stuff as usual. . .

The number of page views you get is INSANE. I guess the new page views feature is going to show which story hours really are the most popular. :D

Ranger Wickett has a lot of reading ahead of him. Have you thought about posting a downloadable version in word for people to print out and read at their own leisure?

I would be happy to host it if you decide to do it.

Nemm -

Thanks for stopping in! The new "page view" feature is pretty cool, although my numbers pale in comparison to Dr. Midnight's and Wulf's!

I think that we have an out-of-date compilation on the website and I have a shiny new compilation in Word on my PC...I will check with O'berton and see if he wants to post it up, but thanks for the offer!

I've popped in on yours a couple of times but haven't commented yet. See you there or in the RBDM lounge soonest:D!

Old One
 

Broccli_Head

Explorer
Hey, Old One! Finally caught up! I thought I was super-far behind, but I guess I had only missed Session 11.

I was wondering if any of your players come back to you about things they missed that you write about on the story hour.?For example...when "Tomas “The Bull” Nacalius fingered the hilt of his spatha" (Session 11, part one). Does the player knowledge become character knowledge and do they have a tendency to act upon it?

Thanks for the tactics options. I realize how many times I forget to use sound tactics for mooks in my games. The head guy is always prepared, but the lackeys tend to be push overs. Some of those options and ideas you put forth can definitely make the encounters more challenging and hence more memorable.
 

Lela

First Post
Austounding, Amazing, Gotta love that Harry Potter, Urrrr. Old One, ya: Old One

So, the hairbrush is magical. Hmmmm. I missed that my first pass through. Any chance we can find out the properties of that brush? I've given a player a magical shirt that doesn't ever need to be cleaned and changes color match any outfit but never a hairbrush. [He asked for it to change to fit his clothing. Almost useless otherwise]

Also, did I notice our mute bombshell giving the amazing bard a little look there? ;) Go Sextus!
 
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Tortoise

First Post
Old One said:


Alright Tortoise...keep that day job;)!

If all goes well, we will have a post later today...

Old One

I'll have you know that -I- am a published poet! (harrumphs and turns nose to the air)

:D

That's right, I was published in a collection known as "Just Say No to Barney"

:p
 

Lela

First Post
Tortise's Barney Poem

Tortoise said:


I'll have you know that -I- am a published poet! (harrumphs and turns nose to the air)

:D

That's right, I was published in a collection known as "Just Say No to Barney"

:p

Let's hear it.

*Looks at Tortise expectantly while tapping foot*
 

Darklone

Registered User
FLEE!

I have to admit it's my fault that gnome (Dougal DuKree) is over here... He's haunting my group. Well not exactly. He's a crazy gnome. Illusionist. And the worst: he has to save the group. Everytime. :D

No idea why, I am soooo nice as DM! And my players roll as hell. (Not as good as me but good enough!)

May the sun always shine on the dagger in your back!

Darklone
 

Old One

First Post
Session 12 (Part One)

When we last left our intrepid band, they had finally reached the outskirts of civilization in the form of the Two-Headed Stag and Wayhouse. After an entertaining "Bard's Duel", the party prepares to continue their journey to Oar.

The Big City

Brigit joined them the next morning over a bountiful breakfast of eggs, toast and bacon, chatting amiably about the contest the night before and road ahead to Oar. She was as gracious in victory as Sextus was in defeat and the two got along famously. The saar indicated that they had a 2-day journey ahead or one-and-a-half if they pushed hard. She told them that the road was patrolled by troops of the ruling Merchant’s Council and was considered fairly safe.

She did, however, warn them about the political situation in Oar. “The biannual election for the Council approaches and the political infighting this year is particularly nasty! The ‘greens’ and the ‘reds’ brawl in the streets daily whilst the ‘stunties’ keep a low profile and work behind the scenes. Old man Sestius is trying to pack the Council with his cronies, but the stunties will give him a tough fight this time around!”

The party’s collective ears perked up at the mention of the Sestius name and Quintus noted that Drusilla fought hard to control her emotions. Further discussion with Brigit yielded the following information:
  • The Merchant’s Council was the ruling body of Oar. It was “elected” every other year from among the leading merchant families and concerns in town. Political factions in town included the “Greens” (led by Antoinine Sestius), the “Reds” (led by a loose coalition of other human merchants) and the “Stunties” or halflings (representing the various halfling merchant houses). The run up to the election consisted primarily of vote-buying, intimidation, poisonings, stabbings, shifting alliances and street brawls between the various factions.
  • The halflings were able to stay above the fray, largely because of their immense economic power. Outright attacks on the halfling candidates or merchant houses would result in a boycott and economic ruin for the offender. This left the “Greens” and the “Reds” to battle it out for second place, which both factions did with relish!
  • The election was about 2 months distant and both human factions were re-doubling their efforts in a final push to “get out the vote” (or kill the other factions voters).
Brigit named the current council members, although she warned that one or more might have been permanently withdrawn from the race due to death. They included:
  • Nolius Bramthin (Halfling Faction)
  • Firthin Battenhorn (Halfling Faction)
  • Antoinine Sestius (Green Faction)
  • Koldric d’Beck (Red Faction)
  • Matron Leonir (Unaligned, but thought to be stepping down)
Council aspirants included:
  • Vandorus Skibbereen (Halfling Faction)
  • Octavius Rook (Red Faction)
  • Del Vandross (No known affiliation although rumors circulate that he is a “Green”)
  • Tavorius Creed (Green Faction)
Thanking Brigit for her timely information, Quintus inquired after her saar troupe. She indicated that they had traveled northeast to the Monrovian Highlands about a year ago, but she decided to stay at the Two-Headed Stag. The party finished their breakfast, packed up their gear, made their farewells and departed down the Oar Road under a warm summer downpour!

Within the hour, they were soaked through and through, but the rain didn’t carry the “bite” of the weather around Glynden. Just past midday, several in the party caught the ringing of metal on metal and muffled curses. Hefting their weapons and closing ranks, they moved forward cautiously.

Around a slight bend in the road, they found a young farmer with a heavily laden produce wagon drawn by two dilapidated horses. The left rear wheel of the wagon was bent and the young man was trying, unsuccessfully, to fix it. The party approached quietly, alert for signs of an ambush. They closed to within several paces of the oblivious farmer before speaking.

“Do you need some help?” Lew called out.

“Gahhhh!” The farmer dropped his hammer, stumbled to the front of his cart and pulled out a gnarled cudgel before spinning about. Seeing the number in the party, he dropped the club and stammered, “Please don’t hurt me, take the team and the goods but leave me with my life!”

Quintus, suppressing a grin, waved him into silence. “We don’t want to hurt you…we asked if you needed any help.”

The farmer, still clearly frightened, stood stock still as they approached.

“The wainwright said the rim would hold, but it bent again ‘n I can’t seem to get it straight.”

Quintus looked at the wagon wheel. He had no experience with wagon wheels, but he had straightened a mining cart wheel or two in his day. “Mind if I try?”

The farmer nodded is ascent and two deft whacks later, the wheel rim was as good as new!

(DM’s Note: Quintus rolled a natural “20”!)

The farmer, who introduced himself as Kordas, fell all over himself thanking the party. “I can’t really pay you, but you can help yerself to a bushel of turnips if ya want.”

“Are you traveling to Oar?” Quintus inquired. Kordas nodded and the sorcerer continued, “Then perhaps we can travel with you and the lady can ride in the wagon with you.”

A slow grin crept onto Kordas’ face as he noticed Drusilla for the first time. “Absolutely, Cap’n, whatever you say!”

Kordas caught Quintus’ scowl as he held his gaze on Drusilla a bit too long. The farmer quickly ducked his head, coughed and suggested they get moving.

The rain trailed off before nightfall and the party could see, with increasing frequency, small crofts and stone-lined fields planted with summer wheat, turnips, carrots, cabbages, corn and hay. Kordas proved to be quite talkative…unfortunately, most of his knowledge centered on farming, the weather and his aching back. Rowan guessed the farmer to be no more than 20 winters, yet he was already bowed by his labors. It was soon clear that Kordas was a simple man with simple dreams, content with his uncomplicated life.

As they set-up camp in a small grove of trees, Lew asked Kordas if he could look at his back. Initially reluctant, Kordas quickly relented and Lew examined the farmer’s lower back. The priest quickly determined that the man’s spine was slightly out of alignment.

“Hold still, now, this may hurt a bit!”

Lew mouthed a silent prayer to Osirian and popped Kordas’ back into alignment. A resounding “crack”, like that of a rotten branch being stepped on, echoed across the encampment. Kordas let out a high-pitched scream of pain and then fell silent. For a moment, Lew thought he had killed the man, then the farmer let out a “whoop” of joy!

“Bless me! It is a miracle! You are a miracle worker! My pain is gone!”

DM’s Note: Another natural “20”!)

Kordas jumped around the campfire for a moment, dancing an off-beat jig, then grasped Lew by his hands. “You have healed me and worked a miracle! First your companion fixes my wagon and then you fix me! Osirian be praised!”

Profoundly embarrassed by the young man’s display of emotion, Lew disengaged and replied, “ I am able to do that which Osirian provides.”

Lew did take the opportunity to discuss the mercy and goodness of Osirian with Kordas, who proudly admitted going to the Cathedral every chance he got. When Lew pressed for how often he attended services, Kordas beamed, “I go at least twice a year! But now I will go even more often…praise be to Osirian and his miracle worker Lew for taking my pain away!”

The rest of the party exchanged smiles over Lew’s new “hero” status and over his general discomfiture with being in the limelight.

The weather cleared during the night and the remainder of the trip to Oar was fairly uneventful, although Kordas continued to sing the praises of “Lew the Miracle Worker”! They encountered increased traffic on the road in the form of farmer and merchant wagons, pedestrians and a Merchant Council cavalry patrol. The patrol consisted of a dozen men, accoutered in lorica hamatas and armed with spathas and lances, atop big horses. The traffic cleared off the road as they approached – Kordas and the party followed suit.

As the patrol thundered past, one of the cavalrymen yanked his mount out of the column a stone’s throw past the party. He glanced at each one in turn, his eyes lingering on Rosë’s hulking form and Drusilla before he spun his mount and spurred ahead to catch up with his fellows.

Kordas informed them that the Council imposed a “gate tax” of one denarii for each person or animal that entered the city, plus additional tariffs for trade goods. Rowan inquired as to how much Kordas would be required to pay.

“Five denarii.”

The ranger nodded and quietly slipped the farmer the coin. Kordas shook his head in amazement at the generosity of the group. “True miracle workers,” he mumbled to himself, a wide grin across his simple face.

Quintus had inquired after suitable inns to stay in. Kordas only knew of two – The Boarding Pike, located along the wharf in the Dock Quarter and the Bright Lady, a newer inn run by “stunties” that was located just outside the city gate.

“I would stay away from the Pike unless you like bad ale and good brawls,” Kordas warned. “Them sailors have nasty tempers!”

As he was speaking, they turned a corner and the walls and gate of Oar hove into view. Sextus whistled through his teeth, visibly impressed. The whitewashed walls of Oar were half-again as high as the massive fortifications that enclosed Glynden, with the battlement soaring 30 paces above the ground. The towers added another five paces atop that. Blue flags with 5 white stars flapped lazily in the afternoon breeze and a queue of wagons and travelers awaited entrance into the city. A large wooded hill, topped by an impressive looking fortress and ringed by large villas, rose inside the city to the left of the gate. Enormous steeples and bell towers of what could only be the Cathedral of Oar commanded the center of the city.

Rosë stopped for a moment and gawked. He had been impressed with Glynden and was amazed by Oar. “Never did I know men could build such things!”

A gaily-painted three-story inn, with numerous outbuildings, lay to the south of the road just before the gate. A huge sign announced The Bright Lady Inn. After a brief discussion, they bade Kordas farewell and wished him luck at the market.

“Goodbye, miracle workers!” He called over his shoulder. "I promise to visit the Cathedral every chance I get, Brother Lew!"

Quintus entered the Bright Lady while the others waited outside. The staff seemed to be all halflings and several well-dressed patrons were enjoying delicious smelling meals. A sandy-haired halfling called out from behind the bar, “Greetings sir, I am Ronjeur! How may I help you today?”

Quintus inquired after room and board, barely managing to keep a straight face as the diminutive proprietor rattled off the room tariffs. Quintus nodded his thanks, “Let me speak with my companions.”

Sputtering angrily about “gouging stunties”, Quintus rejoined the group. “Lew, do you think the Cathedral might give us shelter? The prices here are outrageous!”

Lew (who had earlier suggested they seek lodging at the Cathedral) sighed and nodded is head with a “see, I told you so” look on his face. The others nodded in agreement and they joined the line waiting to enter the city. It was nearing nightfall when they reached the shadow of the massive gatehouse. Closer inspection of the impressive walls showed numerous cracks and other signs of neglect. Several bored looking guards in studded leather and armed with long spears and gladius’ watched as a pinched-faced tax collector and scribe accosted each entrant.

“Name and goods to declare,” the pinched-faced man whined in a nasally, yet officious, voice. The young scribe beside him waited patiently, quill pressed to parchment.

Lew stepped forward and brandished his holy symbol. “I am Brother Gandlewyn of Glynden and I have business at the Cathedral.”

“Very well…one denarius and pass through.” The tax collector’s boredom was readily apparent. “Next.”

Quintus stepped forward and gave false names for the rest of the party. Lew gritted his teeth at each falsehood and he met Quintus’ eyes over the shoulder of the tax collector, holding them for a long moment with obvious displeasure. The names were duly noted and, after a perfunctory search of Josephus the Mule, a tax of one denarius each was leveled and the rest of the party was waved through. Rowan noted the murder holes in the roof of the passage under the gatehouse.

(DM's Note: Lew (who is LG) gets very put out by some of Quintus' schemes. I will post Lew's log a little later that details his feelings in greater detail!)

As they entered the city, their senses were assaulted by a myriad of unfamiliar smells, sights and sounds. The sharp “tang” of sea air hung over the city, mixed with the smell of woodsmoke, rotten fish and slops. To their combined amazement, the streets were made of cobblestones and several men in leather smocks and large sacks were placing wooden ladders against 5-pace high wooden poles that lined the main street at regular 20-pace intervals. As they watched, the men climbed up the ladders and pulled leather coverings off wooden globes set atop each pole.

The soft glow of Continual Flame spells soon illuminated the main avenue that wound through the city towards the Cathedral. Close-packed buildings of stone, most three or four stories height, lined the main road and numerous alleys and side streets forked off from the avenue at irregular intervals. As the party slowly made their way through town, a slight figure leaned from one of the alleyways, regarding the group intently from behind for several long moments before darting away, chuckling quietly!

To Be Continued…

Next: Session 12 (Part Two) – The Cathedral of Oar
 

Rel

Liquid Awesome
I'll be carefully watching to see what I can steal from this section of the campaign, Old One (why stop now, right ;)). Although, my group shows no signs of going anywhere near Oar anytime soon.

Just curious, why the leather covers over the Continual Flame lamps during the day? Seems more efficient just to let them burn in the open.

Keep the posts a-comin'.
 

Old One

First Post
Unions!

Rel said:
I'll be carefully watching to see what I can steal from this section of the campaign, Old One (why stop now, right ;)). Although, my group shows no signs of going anywhere near Oar anytime soon.

Just curious, why the leather covers over the Continual Flame lamps during the day? Seems more efficient just to let them burn in the open.

Keep the posts a-comin'.

'Cause of the Unions, of course:D!

The remnants of the Imperial Service Bureau: Lamplighters and Streetsweepers Local 179 has a perpetual contract with the city from the days when they were non-magical street lamps that needed to be lit every night. Rather than suffer the sanctions and bad publicity brought about by a strike, the former Imperial governer extend the contract indefinitely when the city switched to magical lighting in ER 2544;)!

Old One
 

Darklone

Registered User
Lamps :)

Del Vandross??????

Well the lamps... Hilarious :)) But for Del Vandross... I have to check ... uh oh ...
 

Rel

Liquid Awesome
Re: Unions!

Old One said:


'Cause of the Unions, of course:D!

The remnants of the Imperial Service Bureau: Lamplighters and Streetsweepers Local 179 has a perpetual contract with the city from the days when they were non-magical street lamps that needed to be lit every night. Rather than suffer the sanctions and bad publicity brought about by a strike, the former Imperial governer extend the contract indefinitely when the city switched to magical lighting in ER 2544;)!

Old One

No undue flattery intended, but that may be the single most brilliant explanation I've ever seen.

I bow before your mastery, Old One.
 

ShawnLStroud

First Post
Unions

quote:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Originally posted by Old One


'Cause of the Unions, of course!

The remnants of the Imperial Service Bureau: Lamplighters and Streetsweepers Local 179 ...
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------


Oh. My. God. I couldn't stop laughing! That's one of the best (most lifelike) and funniest answers I've ever heard! Old One, I've glanced briefly at your site, but now I have to go back and strip mine it for goodies!

Rel, I've gotta tell you -- your story and events therein are just getting better each time.
 

Rel

Liquid Awesome
[hijack-blatant self promotion]

Thanks for the compliment, Shawn. But the next installment promises to be the most shocking yet. I'll try to post it before the weekend.

[/hijack-blatant self promotion]

We now return you to Old One's regularly scheduled awesome thread.
 

Old One

First Post
Thanks!

Darklone, Rel, and SLS -

Thanks guys!

It is just one of those little things that I try to put in to make the world more believable. If you think that's funny, just wait until we get to Emor:D!

Thanks for the readership.

Old One

PS - Rel, I completely agree with SLS, you have done great and wonderful things with your storyhour!
 

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