Upgrade your account to a Community Supporter account and remove most of the site ads.

Reply to thread

Message: <blockquote data-quote="Darth Shoju" data-source="post: 1727636" data-attributes="member: 11397">Well, I was going to make a submission, but I found out today that courier services and priority mail won't deliver to PO boxes. I sent it regular mail but I doubt it will get there in time. So the work I did over the past couple of weeks doesn't go completely to waste I figure I'll post up my synopsis here. If anyone wants to take a look at my 10-page sample let me know, I'll send it to you.   The story revolves around a veteran of the Last War, Cael ir'Morgaine (NG male human, Fighter 4/Rogue 2/Master Inquisitive 2), an inquisitive-for-hire and troubled alcoholic. Cael emerged from the war with three surviving friends; Jarissa ir’Lornan (CG female human, Rogue 6/Extreme Explorer 2 ), a beautiful and daring scout and Cael’s former love; Tunstan (NG male personality warforged, Fighter 5/Artificer 2 ) a contemplative warforged; Hallarin “Hal” Vinitus (LN male human, fighter 8), a stoic warrior and classmate of Cael’s from Rekkenmark Academy. Cael and his friends have drifted apart in the past four years. Jarissa has taken up a life as a sky-captain privateer and adventurer, Tunstan wanders Khorvaire healing warforged and Hal lives and works in the Shadow Marches.  The tale opens in Sharn. Cael is surprised by a visit from Jarissa. She has come to discuss a letter she received from Tunstan stating Hal is missing and finds Cael has received the same message. The reunion is tense, but the two agree to travel to the Shadow Marches. Taking Jarissa's airship they meet Tunstan and learn that Hal disappeared eight days ago. A search of Hal's quarters reveals the remnants of his journal in the hearth. It provides two clues of note; the city of Korth and the name Vandur d'Cannith (CG male human, expert 12/Heir of Siberys 2).  The group travels to Korth and learn Vandur disappeared two days ago. They question his family, Baron Zorlan d'Cannith and Lady Bei’linn d'Cannith (LN female human, aristocrat 4). Bei’linn d'Cannith begs them to find her son, but insists that her husband not learn of it. She reveals Vandur is the result of her affair with a member of House Tharashk and he has recently manifested a Siberys Mark of Finding (Discern Location).   The trio traces Vandur’s disappearance back to a tavern called The Crimson Veil. They discover that Vandur was infatuated by a dancer there named Lady Nightblossom.  The group finds that the dancer is really a changeling named Vox (N female changeling, bard 6) who also poses as a human maid for House Cannith. She created the identity of Lady Nightblossom to gain attention from Vandur. She witnessed his abduction and tells the group that he was taken by members of what seemed to be a cult. Cael and Jarissa learn from the local underworld that an airship is docked at the smuggler’s port in a chasm in the Nightwood.  The heroes discover they are being trailed by cultists whom they confront and subdue.   Cael and Vox infiltrate the smuggler’s airship in cultist garb. They find Vandur as the ship takes flight. He reveals his captors as the Cult of the Ebon Heart. They forced him to use his dragonmark to find the second piece of a seal used to imprison a night hag sorceress (Baelbeg) in the Demon Wastes. He tells Vox and Cael of the location and they make their bid for escape. As the trio attempts to feather fall to Jarissa’s ship below, Vandur is seized by a bounty-hunter named Talon (LE male half-orc, monk 5, ranger 4) who had infiltrated the ship to kill the young man at the behest of Baron d’Cannith. Outnumbered, Cael can only flee. Moments before leaping Cael spots Hal standing with Ebon Heart leader Kahrana (NE human female, sorcerer 12).   The group follows Vandur’s instructions to the Temple of the Feathered Serpent in the Demon Wastes. After safely navigating the deadly traps of the complex they are ambushed by the Cult of the Ebon Heart. Cael and his companions are defeated as the cultists seize the seal fragment, leaving the heroes to the final trap of the temple.   Using Jarissa’s skills they manage to escape. With the aid of a Maruk tribe the heroes find Baelbeg’s prison in a massive cavern under the Lake of Fire and manage to interrupt her liberation ceremony. Cael confronts Hal and attempts to reason with his old friend, but Hal ultimately strikes him down. As victory seems within the cult’s grasp, Hal finds his humanity and slays Kahrana at her weakest moment and destroys the seal. Baelbeg possesses Hal and grows stronger on his fear. Seeing his chance at redemption slipping away, Hal throws himself into a lava flow.  With Baelbeg’s apparent demise, the cavern begins to collapse. As the heroes race out of the crumbling vault in their airship, Talon attempts to kill Vandur and Vox is cast over the side of the ship. Cael saves her but they are left dangling and seared by the elemental ring of the ship.  Tunstan defeats Talon, but the bounty hunter escapes into the Demon Wastes as the ship clears the collapsing volcano.  Vandur is taken to the Shadow Marches and is granted solace by House Tharashk. Vox finally reveals her true nature to him and leaves with him. Cael feels responsible for Hal's demise and looks to reform his life. He invites Tunstan and Jarrisa to become his partners in Sharn. Tunstan accepts but Jarrisa claims she has responsibilities to an influential investor and must continue on as a privateer. She drops Cael and Tunstan off in Sharn, trying her best not to look back.</blockquote>

Verification