Aryana- Slayers of the Eldritch

[Corey]

Hi all: This campaign’s setting is essentially Afghanistan after Alexander’s generals fought the Successor Wars. All names have been changed (Bactria to Bastiyaan, Hindu Kush- Hindu Killers- to Sind Killers) to make me look smarter than I actually am. The first post is the handout the player’s received just prior to our first game. I will put up the first part of the session soon. Enjoy!

Corey

**********************************************
Session 1: Prelude

Vendetta. The word, accompanied by fear or anticipation, can be heard in Jehna’s every corner.

Last week Naram, the newly installed qadi of Heta, a town one day further east up the Darya River Valley, arrived raging at the fortified stone gateway that is Jehna’s main entrance. Diyala, qadi of Jehna, was visibly stunned when her offer of hospitality was ritually refused. Naram was sending a clear signal- the tribal peace was about to be shattered.

Tired of unceasing revenge, the Durrani tribes of the Sind Killer Mountains long ago established the qadi system. Qadi are Duraani who exist outside the tribal structure. They are mediators and peacemakers, charged with judging crimes and ending vendettas. When a crime involves members of different tribes, the qadi evaluates the offense and sets limitations on retaliation. If a Nefrat loses and eye in a fight, so does the guilty Hazar. If a Hazar is murdered, the guilty Afrid is slain in the same way. In this manner, balance and peace are maintained.

Diyala grew pale as Naram, spittle accompanying every word bursting from his mouth, outlined his accusations. Three Tadu tribesmen of Heta lay slain in a high pass. One of them, Lut Tadu-Heta, was the son of the head of Heta’s ruling council. According to two Tadu witnesses, reliable family men and seasoned warriors, the murderers are members of Jehna’s Hazar and Afrid clans.

Slapping Diyala’s face, Naram gave his judgment: unlimited vendetta.

“Due to the importance of the slain men,” he yelled, “the Tadu tribe is justified in killing every Afrid and Hazar they can find for an unfixed period of time.”

All activity in Jehna ceased. Her residents stood watching Naram’s departing back and the red welt rising on Diyala’s check. Such words had not been spoken in a least a generation.

That night Jehna’s ruling council met in chaos. First to speak was Zidane Nefrat-Jehna, leader of Jehna’s generally despised third Durrani tribe. He immediately declared his follower’s neutrality in the issue. Even though they were expected, his words drew curses from a few of the younger warriors present. The Nefrati have much to gain from Hazar and Afrid suffering.

Thulyaar, head of Jehna’s paree (elven) residents also bowed out of the fight. His words were saddening, but also expected.

Ixion, leader of those of Jehna’s residents who are descended from men born in far off Iona, declared his follower’s support for the Hazars and Afrids.

“We are not of the tribes,” he said, “but when the army of Draco the Leopard of Iona emerged from the Empty Quarter needing solace, the benefactors of Jehna gave it. Our ancestors, the army’s sick and wounded were left behind and cared for by your ancestors. Our debt is deep. We will see it repaid, Avasara willing.”

His words were brave, his invocation of the present reality’s creator making them binding. But everyone knew the declaration was acquired at great personal expense. Two Ionian notables, Epiphilates and Deinon, had bitterly contested the decision.

Over the next few days, Diyala desperately sought the source of the killings. She failed to turn up any useful information.

Yesterday, some Afridi goatherds were attacked by Tadu warriors in the defiles south of Jehna. No one received lasting injuries, but the town’s temper is beginning to fray.

Now at sunset, oddly enough of the night that will give birth to a new year, all of Jehna’s warriors are being called out. Several large groups of Tadu spearmen are approaching the town.

Tonight, they will seek blood compensation.

 

[Corey]

Session 1 Part 1

Session 1 (Part 1): Fear and Loathing in Jehna

Deciding to ignore the strange figure staring from the narrow goat-track above, Ajax began looting the dead Tadu warriors. The tattooed halfling was a problem for keener minds. Ajax preferred to concern himself with acquiring the dead men’s possessions.

From behind, he heard the animal summoned from the ether by Corum screech in pain. Whipping his head around, Ajax saw Initiate Cato collapse, white froth erupting from the priest’s mouth.

Shocking as that was it paled next to the feeling of the dead man jerking his arm from Ajax’s grasp. Eyes gutted of life locked with Ajax’s.

Jerking back, Ajax snatched up his short sword.

“Come on,” he swore, “I just killed this guy.”

**********************************************

Earlier that afternoon, Initiate Cato stood among the warriors still milling around Jehna’s fortified stone gateway. Consciously or not, they tended to cluster by tribal and ethnic affiliation. Here were the Hazars and Afrids, there the Ionians. During the course of the afternoon, the headmen of Jehna had come by, each pulling seasoned fighters from the crowd and leading them east, up the Darya River Valley toward the approaching spearmen of the Tadu tribe.

Remaining were Jehna’s less practiced warriors. Cato watched the dung-collector, Nur Hazar-Jehna, experimenting nervously with his spear. While he had few problems finding uses for it over the years, Nur obviously had never considered using it for its intended purpose.

Cato walked over and, placing a hand on Nur’s shoulder, said, “Avasara will watch over you, my friend.”

The tribesman seemed reassured.

Brother Ismail, the long-serving head of Jehna’s Sanctum guardians, spotted Cato and waved for his attention.

“Cato, bring your ferenghi friend and the Dost,” he said.

The ferenghi, a not entirely polite reference to Ionians and other outsiders, he was referring to was Ajax. Newly arrived in Jehna by way of a difficult ordeal through the mountains, Ajax had frequently sought Cato’s assistance in dealing with certain inner turmoils.

Volgar was also new in town. Like any Durrani, his tribal affiliation –in Volgar’s case the Dost clan- was easily discerned from any number of personal details. Wearing a particular item of clothing or growing one’s facial hair in a certain manner told any Duranni all they needed to know. Volgar was not speaking about his reason for coming to Jehna. Durrani hospitality frowned upon asking a guest the reasons for his visit, so no one had. Frequently, he kept company with Ajax. Beyond that, Cato knew nothing.

Scanning the crowd, Ismail spotted another inexperienced recruit.

“You,” he said. “You are one of Catrika’s students, yes?”

Catrika of Jehna, an Ionian, was Jehna’s most skillful wizard. Her mathematical formulae were gaining her a reputation beyond the isolated village.

“Yes,” the young man replied.

“Good,” Ismail murmered. His tone implied this was a duty he wanted done with quickly. He pulled a few more boys and men from the crowd. Setting off at a jog, he led them west- away from the approaching Tadu spearmen.

After a few minutes, he stopped by one of the goat-tracks that led into the mountains surrounding the town. He sent a few men up the trail then moved on.

Again he came to a trail-head. Here, he pulled out Cato and his companions.

“This trail widens a short distance from here, Ismail said. “At the far end of the open space you will see two narrow tracks. Guard them. Anyone coming along them will not be from our town. Stay there until either the sunrises or I return. Understood?”

Cato nodded.

The seriousness of the situation belayed any conversation among the four.

The sun was setting as they were entering the southern end of the gorge Ismail spoke of. It was about two hundred feet long. At the north end, one toward the right side the other to the left, were the tracks the group was charged with guarding. Along the gorge’s western side, about thirty feet up a cliff face, ran another track. About midway up the gorge toward the right a natural pillar of stone jutted upwards. Thirty feet short of the left hand track, conveniently large enough to conceal a man, was another swelling of rock.

Several of the low thorny scrub trees common in the Sind Killer Mountains struggled for existence on the gorge’s floor.

Splitting up, the inexperienced warriors placed themselves where they felt best. Corum spent a few moments climbing the stone pillar and went prone with his crossbow. Volgar found a spot behind the swelling of rock where he could see the right and left hand trails. Ending up between the two, Ajax crouched down almost in the open. Behind them all, Cato stood, watching.

The setting sun was replaced by a gloriously bright moon. Time passed and each of the companions occupied themselves with their thoughts.

Finally, Corum began hearing the sounds of fighting to the east, in the direction of Jehna. Glancing that way, the student wizard saw the horizon suddenly flash bright and then go dark.

Volgar too, heard the sounds. It became distracting, filling his mind with thoughts of troubles back home.

Swinging his eyes away from the direction of Jehna and toward the left-hand trail, Volgar saw movement.

A man was emerging from the trail. He was crouching low, keeping a crossbow leveled to his front. Moving about ten feet into the gorge, he paused as if listening. His own breathing far too loud in his own ears, Volgar tensed. The Dost briefly toyed with the idea of surprising the man and cutting him down, but his father’s teachings stayed his body. This man was not alone, he was a scout. Let him think the gorge was unprotected.

Seemingly satisfied, the man turned and scurried back up the goat-track.

Ajax’s inquiring face appeared next to Volgar.

“Scout,” Volgar said.

Nodding Ajax ventured forward. Placing himself just to the right of where the trail met the gorge he froze, blending into the shadows.

To the east, the sounds of destruction grew more chaotic.

From his hiding spot, Corum saw the approaching Tadu warriors first. Even his inexperience saw that Ajax was in serious trouble.

 

[Corey]

Session 1 Part

Session 1 (Part 2): First Blood

Coming down the left-hand trail were two Tadu warriors. Both carried spears. However, two more men- who obviously saw Ajax’s exposed back- were emerging from the trail on the right. One of them, who had two dogs on leashes, shouted a warning. Then, smiling, the Tadu dropped the leashes. The dogs, however, fiercely stood their ground. Smile evaporating, the man cursed the animals.

Only moments ago, Ajax was thinking the two men in front of him would be easy kills. Snapping his head toward the shouted warning, he saw the Tadus emerging from the other trail. One sprinted towards him. At the same time, the two at his front began flailing with their spears.

In a flash of inspiration, Corum hurled a cantrip at the dogs. Just before their muzzles, ethereal lights started flashing in and out of existence. Deciding this was the reason their master was cursing them they attacked the foul lights with abandon. Behind them, the Tadu dog handler’s vulgarities went up in pitch.

Rushing forward to aid Ajax, Volgar spotted two more Tadu warriors in the trail behind his companion’s assailants. One of them carried a mace. Clearly visible around his neck was a trinket exactly matching that worn by Cato. Another of Avasara’s servants was joining the fight.

Cato, now at the swelling of rock where Volgar had hide, saw this as well. He experienced a brief rush of sadness at such events, but then returned to seeking a way to aid his companions.

Seeing Cato at the rock, the Tadu dog handler gave up on the fool animals and sprang into action. He ran forward to one of the low, dry scrub trees and aimed a crossbow at the rock. If Cato emerged, he was to be impaled by a bolt.

Amazed, Corum realized that none of the attackers were noticing him. Aiming his crossbow at the man who was hiding behind the small tree, he saw a clear shot. Loosing a bolt, it flung itself into the distance. Hearing it smack off the wall of the gorge, Corum saw his shot missed so badly the man remained unaware of him.

“Next shot,” Corum vowed.

Working in tandem, Ajax and Volgar were quickly gaining the upper hand over their foes. Two lay sprawled on the ground already. Volgar now found himself confronting the young Tadu cleric. Like most Duraani, he had a great respect for those who served the Creator. Swinging his battleaxe, Volgar hoped the man’s death would be quick.

Knowing he was being stalked, Cato popped his head out from behind the rock. The Tadu with the crossbow yelled in triumph and Cato winced in anticipation of violent impact. Instead, the Tadu cursed as his weapon fouled and the bolt dropped harmlessly at his feet. Looking down at the useless projectile, the man jumped when another bolt sank into the ground between his feet.

Up on his perch, Corum hissed and reloaded.

Control of this fight was now definitely in the companion’s hands.

Bloodied, Ajax sank his short sword deep into the last remaining Tadu to his front. The man sighed heavily, then dropped to the ground.

Corum saw the dogs cease their fruitless attacks on his lights. Both of them at one seemed to spot Cato and they rushed towards this new foe at breakneck speed. Confident now that his first summoning was so effective, Corum reached out for anatmiya, the purest primal energy from which all matter derives, and pulled forth more of the present reality’s vigor.

A small rodent appeared on the gorge floor and sped toward the Tadu with the broken crossbow. Where bolts failed, the beast succeeded. The man fell dead after being raked by the creature’s claws.

Now only the dogs remained. Nothing blocked their path to Cato. Suddenly, the initiate was fighting for his life, backing up the swelling of rock. Volgar, Corum’s summoning, and a well placed rump shot from Corum’s crossbow quickly resolved the cleric’s predicament.

Seeing the situation well in hand, Ajax turned to begin looting the bodies. The blood seeping down his side certainly entitled him to first pickings. Certainly, the necklace the Tadu cleric was wearing looked interesting.

By chance, his eyes strayed to the high trail running along the gorge’s western wall.

There, face impassive as stone, stood a halfling. The stranger was wearing a simple pair of gray pants and sleeveless shirt. Each arm bore heavy black tattoos. Beyond a sheathed kopis hanging over the Halflings left shoulder he appeared unarmed.

“There’s a weird guy on the trail,” Ajax called out. Nonchalantly, he turned back to his looting.

The others all turned, each feeling that they were being coldly assessed.

Corum’s summoning scurried toward the halfling. The stranger snapped his arm and something sped toward the rodent. The impact drove the creature back several feet and at the end of its tumble it lay bloody and still before fading back into unreality.

The Halfling then made a quick gesture and stepped back, deftly melding into what little shadow there was on the ledge.

At the stranger’s gesture, Cato crashed to the ground- white foam spewing from his mouth. At the same time, Ajax cried out in alarm.

 

[Cyronax]

This story hour was recommended to me by one of your players. I like your setting a lot. It seems very colorful from the bit that I've read thus far. You capture a fantasized ancient Afganistan well I think....

I look forward to more,
C.I.D.

 

[Corey]

This story hour was recommended to me by one of your players. I like your setting a lot. It seems very colorful from the bit that I've read thus far. You capture a fantasized ancient Afganistan well I think....

I look forward to more,
C.I.D.

Cyronax:

Many thanks for your kind words. Having an Afghan wife makes research a lot easier. Plus, the setting lets me talk to her about my two main hobbies, history and D+D, without her eyes glazing over. I’m sure a serious historian would freak out, but we’re having fun.

The players are great. I was very impressed with their creativity during our first session. At this point, I’ve laid out some several problems for them to investigate and where we go is up to them. I’m looking forward to seeing how they evolve the story.

Corey

 

[Corey]

Session 1 Part 3

Session 1 (Part 3): Second Blood and Aftermath

Neither fear nor training drove Ajax’s weapon into the rising corpse. The blow was driven by a visceral realization that this animate carcass was an offense to creation. Even with his sword pinning it to the ground, the creature tried to rise. Ajax’s hit was telling though and the creature again collapsed to the dust.

Confusion reigned as the companions watched their butchered foes rise. The necklace marking the Tadu aspirant fell away from his neck by its own volition. Of all the slain warriors, the vileness of this magic was rested most plainly upon Avasara’s former servant. Melting away into a thick, black ichor, his eyes streamed down his cheeks, their hollow sockets taking own a dim violent glow.

Shaking his head, Cato rose. Feeling both sick and elated he called forth the order inherent in Avasara’s creation.

“As Avasara cast Sin into the Chaotic Abyss so too shall you return to its seething waters. Join the drowning in their torment. Begone!”

At his final words, a palpable force hurled from his person. Washing around the companions it seemed to slam into the undead. Obviously overwhelmed by it, they turned and began to flee.

Again, the friends worked butchery on their foes, cutting down the fleeing abominations.

After lopping the head from the last of the creatures, Volgar turned to his companions. Happily, he saw the dawn pushing its way into the sky.

From the east came only silence. For good or ill, the night’s fighting was done. The new year was born.

The group laid out the dead Tadus, giving special care to the defiled priest.

“I’m coming up the trail,” came Ismail’s voice. The man’s eyes were red from a sleepless night and his left arm bore a couple of minor gashes.

“We beat them off,” he reported. His eyes surveyed the four Tadu corpses. His face took on an aspect of concern as hid gaze passed over Cato.

“What has passed, Initiate?” he asked.

“I was touched,” Cato reported.

He was thinking of the passage in the Recitations of Arrousha, the mother of the Eternal Faith. The scripture, a collection of her words compiled by several people of impeccable memory and honesty who knew her, serves as the primary guide for all of Avasara’s followers.

Apparently thinking the same thing, Ismail spoke in the archaic dialect of the Median Empire, the language of Arrousha.

“All the trusted inheritors agree: When having insights into the present reality Arrousha sometimes appeared as if a heavy rock was crushing her chest. Other times she spoke of bells whose loud ringing deafened her for days. Most often, she would collapse to the ground and convulse, foam issuing from her mouth,” Ismail said. There was some awe in his voice.

Then he continued, quoting another source: “In his commentaries, Nafuna the Ifriqiyan adds: ‘Once Arrousha was struck with insight into Avasara’s creation and her flesh crawled as if insects moved within her. I was the only witness to this.’ ”

Cato nodded, “My body convulsed and I suddenly understood how to inspire fear in the walking dead.” He told the night’s tale.

Switching back to the Duraani tongue Ismail said, “You must speak to Sanctist Naraka about this, his knowledge of such things is deeper than mine.”

His businesslike tone reasserted itself.

“Have the ferenghi bring the body of our deceased brother. Naraka should see that as well.”

Cato and Ajax picked up the corpse of the Tadu cleric and the companions followed Ismail back to Jehna.

Approaching the town, they saw wisps of smoke rising from an outbuilding of one of the fortified homesteads sitting outside Jehna’s perimeter. Realizing that this was the home of Zidane Nefrat-Jehna, Corum arched an eyebrow. The Nefrati leader had clearly announced his tribe’s neutrality in this vendetta. The Tadu were fools for burning the building. Zidane would be justified in joining the Afridi and Hazar tribes. Not that he would, but now there would be pressure from his fellow tribesmen.

Before Jehna’s main gate, in the space that served as the marketplace, crowds of Duraani warriors celebrated and boasted of their accomplishments. Snatches of “…how I hit that Tadu in the arse…” and “…so I carved ‘take that’ into my sling bullets just to really ram home my point…” drifted past the companions. About twenty bodies lay in a line, blankets covering them. Further along was a pile of Tadu corpses, about thirty in all.

Looking around, Cato noted a small knot of Ionian warriors. The set of their shoulders did not speak of joy over the town’s victory.

Asking Volgar to aid Ajax in taking the body to the Sanctum, Cato and Corum went to the Ionians.

Smiling Cato patted one man on the shoulder. “Congratulations,” he said.

“Aye, sure,” the man replied. “A great win, and with Ixion slain it’s a victory to leave a foul taste in your mouth.”

“What?” Cato said. This was alarming news. In the power struggle that was sure to follow, Epiphilates was most likely to assume the leadership of Jehna’s Ionians. Epipilates was sure to seek a truce with the Tadu, probably offering blood-payment for any warriors slain by Ionians.

“That’s right,” the Ionian warrior continued, “we found his remains with at least ten arrows sticking out. His head was gone too and that we couldn’t find.”

 

[Felix]

This ain't falling off the boards. Get back to work Corey.

Bumpish.

 

[Corey]

This ain't falling off the boards. Get back to work Corey.

Bumpish.

Many thanks, Felix. Ramadan ends this Friday and life should start getting back to normal. I'll post an update in a day or so.

Corey