Argent Silvermage
First Post
Next instalment of Avonshar very soon.
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NOW LIVE! Into the Woods--new character species, eerie monsters, and haunting villains to populate the woodlands of your D&D games.
Avonshar: The Horror is in the Knowing. Updated 8/8/03
- Thread starter Argent Silvermage
- Start date
Argent Silvermage
First Post
Game tomorrow
The inside of Strider Cullaighn's quarters are sparce with one exception, His beloved mahogony desk. He sat there in the dark awaiting news of Rannos and his party. They had been out of contact for hours now and the elderly man was getting worried. He brushed his greying blond hair from his eyes and said a prayer to himself for thier safety.
His vigil was disturbed by Walker Dashan barging in as she normaly does when Cullaighn is seeking quite. "Strider we have a problem. We are getting reports from Journier Tallon that the Town of Hope is under attack." She said breathlessly. "Dashan, child, slow down and remember to breath!" He said in a half yell "Under attack by what? Have the Orcs or Gnolls broken the Truce?" She looked at Cullaighn and "Father they are Undead! Tallon stated they look centuries old!"
"That is not possible child. It must be an illusionist at work. Send word to Bequin and have a portal opened to Hope and have him take a group of Warriors through."
"Sir may I be so bold to say I think this is Casparo's fault. Anything that happened out there has his stink on it." Dashan pouted her lips and twisted one of the braids in her onyx hair.
"I am well aware of what happen between you both, but you have to remember an unfaithful lover is not the enemy of the world."
half an hour later....
Bequin stood in front of the only working 7 league step portal on Avonshar and gulped. He hated conflict. His mage robes flowing around him and a troop of rangers by his side and he still wanted to go back to bed. "Well At least I have the guards to keep me safe."
They stepped through the portal 3 at a time and arived in Hope's town square. The creatures were all over eating what and whom ever they could find. Bequin saw one eating a 3 year old girl and let loose a fire ball. It passed through the creature and obliterated the townhall. Bequin darted into the closest building while the warriors plied thier trade with expert efficency, and then the sky went dark.......
The inside of Strider Cullaighn's quarters are sparce with one exception, His beloved mahogony desk. He sat there in the dark awaiting news of Rannos and his party. They had been out of contact for hours now and the elderly man was getting worried. He brushed his greying blond hair from his eyes and said a prayer to himself for thier safety.
His vigil was disturbed by Walker Dashan barging in as she normaly does when Cullaighn is seeking quite. "Strider we have a problem. We are getting reports from Journier Tallon that the Town of Hope is under attack." She said breathlessly. "Dashan, child, slow down and remember to breath!" He said in a half yell "Under attack by what? Have the Orcs or Gnolls broken the Truce?" She looked at Cullaighn and "Father they are Undead! Tallon stated they look centuries old!"
"That is not possible child. It must be an illusionist at work. Send word to Bequin and have a portal opened to Hope and have him take a group of Warriors through."
"Sir may I be so bold to say I think this is Casparo's fault. Anything that happened out there has his stink on it." Dashan pouted her lips and twisted one of the braids in her onyx hair.
"I am well aware of what happen between you both, but you have to remember an unfaithful lover is not the enemy of the world."
half an hour later....
Bequin stood in front of the only working 7 league step portal on Avonshar and gulped. He hated conflict. His mage robes flowing around him and a troop of rangers by his side and he still wanted to go back to bed. "Well At least I have the guards to keep me safe."
They stepped through the portal 3 at a time and arived in Hope's town square. The creatures were all over eating what and whom ever they could find. Bequin saw one eating a 3 year old girl and let loose a fire ball. It passed through the creature and obliterated the townhall. Bequin darted into the closest building while the warriors plied thier trade with expert efficency, and then the sky went dark.......
WizarDru
Adventurer
From the Journal of Walker Rannos of Blackmoor, being an account of the Evermore Expedition:
Day 6, Evening:
What we have discovered is every Walker's dream, but something of a nightmare, too. A fear grows in my heart for what has been done, and what may yet be done. I cannot know for sure what has happened, but I have my suspicions, and they are not of a good sort.
I should continue from the events of this afternoon's entry.
We paused and consulted in the chamber with the fallen beings. I know I should have been overjoyed with the discovery, but instead my heart was heavy with concern. Armed and armored, how had these alien beings come to be here? What had laid them low, so many centuries ago?
There were two corridors that led forth from here. We choose the left, and proceeded, with Casparo leading the way ahead. Casparo and Rali reported an unnatural darkness, and disappeared within it. Scant seconds later the darkness dissipated, and they reported finding a control mechanism to banish it.
I enchanted my staff with the blessings of Farlanghan's protection through dark places, so that we could see. The strange darkness unnerved me, and only Rali seemed unfazed by the absolute darkness. She seemed more interested in the walls of the corridor. They were lined parallel strips made from the same strange metal that the creatures armor was, though worked with consumate skill. The stone was clearly worked as well, although centuries old in the carving.
At last we came to an area of unusual darkness, similar to the first. Rubble covered the floor, making the passage unsure. While we pondered how or whether or not to proceed, I heard a ringing of metal...not unlike the sound of a tuning fork. It came from behind us. My companions stood at the ready, Tazendra at my side, prepared for an assualt. None came. After several minutes, we relaxed and returned to the obstacle before us. I chose to invoke the blessing of Farlanghan again to banish the darkness, however briefly. It revealed what we suspected...a cave-in rendered further travel impossible. We cautiously returned to the chamber, and I examined the floor for tracks. Something had flown through the chamber, creating a dispersal pattern in the accumulated dust. I guessed it to be larger than a sparrow, but smaller than an eagle.
Casparo stared at me as if I'd grown a set of horns.
"You can tell that from just looking at the floor?!?", he exclaimed incredously. "You are scaring the hell out of me."
We proceeded down the second passage, and discovered another cave-in, but this one was far from total. Passage was possible, and an impatient Casparo chose not to wait for us. His rash action resulted in the floor giving way beneath him, causing a rockslide that cut us off from him. With Rali directing our efforts, we safely shifted the rubble, to reopen the passage and allow us to follow. A portal, the first true one we'd seen, greeted us on the other side.
It was a round door, of sorts, with a strange handle in the center. The handle had a series of holes set as a circle in it, like finger grips, but twelve of them, with light glowing within. I would later check the bodies of the fallen creatures, and when claiming their ruined gauntlets, note that they had six digits. At this time, I produced the cube, waiting to see if it reacted to the obviously enchanted door. Casparo performed a series of odd tests, and seemed to have determined how to open the door, when I heard the sound again. This time it was loud enough that everyone heard it. We stood on our guard, and the 'creature' that I had seen the tracks of arrived.
We prepared for an attack, but chose to let it arrive first, and prove it's hostilities. A wise move, it turned out, as it flew to Tazendra and began flying about her, as if examining her. It was a clockwork of some sort, a small sphere made of the same white metal which was in such prominence in this place. It had two wings that looked not unlike those of a dragonfly, moving so fast as to almost be invisible, yet made of metal all the same. It then proceeded to do several other, until it came to me. It spied the cube, and suddenly seemed to become agitated.
It produced two miniature claws and sought to take the cube from me. I held it tight for a moment, then decided it was best to let it have it. The spherieal, as I have named it, then raced away, bearing the cube benath it. I called on the speed of Farlanghan and gave chase, much to the consternation of my companions. I was merely swift enough to see it disappear into the wall itself, as a portal was revealed and the disappeared after the spherieal passed through it. I yelled a curse but could not follow. Though hollow beyond, neither Casparo nor Rali could later find any indication of it's presence, other than my crude chalk markings. We left it be, though I cursed the loss of the cube. I would later curse it more.
We then gained access to...the chamber. It was a hollowed out sphere, worked with a great number of crystal windows from which light shone. It was like being inside some great bauble or odd piece of jewelry. I, myself, never entered the chamber for more than a moment. Casparo, however, was the first in, and the first trapped. When the sphearieal had arrived, he backed into the room. None of us heard his panicked yell as he flew upwards, to the center of the great room, to very center of it, some 15' above us.
Eventually, Delwyn used his powers and common sense (and more than a little rope) and got Casparo down. By that point, however, Casparo wasn't entirely ready to leave, but we forced him to, nonetheless. Both Delywyn and Alden could feel the psionic power that resonated through this place, and we left them mostly to investigate it. The would spend the rest of the day examining it.
They soon realized that it was a controlling device of a huge scrying system, of sorts. The windows were viewers...eventually we realized that they were for spheariaels...lots of them Dozens, perhaps. They would display spoken dialogue, but in some script unreadable to us. I transcribed as much as possible, content to record while they tinkered.
Hours later we returned to the surface cave, to disturbing sights. The first was our remaining kasir was gone. We soon found it's emptied husk by the water, a dozen or more giant bite marks to signal it's draining and then demise. I examined the body...it had been fed on like a vampire feeds...but by a dozen creatures, at least. Judging by the signs of struggle, blood spilled and other factors, I guessed it had suffered for five minutes before death. The thought chilled me. The elves claimed that the lake was no longer hallowed, but unhallowed, instead. Alden, in particular, wanted to leave, and seek refuge. While I would have rather remained and mourned the poor beast, I followed.
When we checked on where the cube had once been, we found the sphearieal there, guarding the cube. But we instantly noticed the walls. The crumbled walls.
The HOLLOWED walls.
Where once there had been reliefs of strange, horrible looking humanoids, now there was only crumbled rock. As if something trapped inside had broken free, and escaped. And escaped HUNGRY. I intimated as much to Alden, but he merely had eyes for the cube...and even more so for the spherieal that guarded it. He mumbled something about my reading too much into the signs, and then began....doing something to the little creature. It approached him, and seemed fixated on him. It didn't object to my taking the cube...but I when I placed it on the floor, it retrieved it and placed back it came from. We tested this several times, with similar results.
Now, we must prepare for the night to come.
Day 7
I organized an effort to put up defenses, lest we be attacked in the night. They proved imminently successful, and we were kept safe due to my watchfulness. The greatest threat to our rest that night was Casparo's snoring.
Delwyn and Arden inisist on examining the chamber more today, before we set out. While apprehensive, and worried that we must not linger much more, I wait patiently. At one point Delwyn concentrates on something a particular crystal window, and then smirks wryly....though when I sneak a glimpse at his window, all I see is billowing white clouds.
Arden too seeks to use the devices...and discovers there are many of them, but that some of them are positioned near major towns and cities. Most lie idle, watching each other. We decide we have enough information for one journey, and decide to return to Avonshar.
I place the cube in a simple pouch at my side. The first sphearieal follows at waist height, eager to return it's charge to it's resting place. It continues to follow us as we leave the cave, and then the lakeside.
I retain worries of this place. Knowledge of it is as dangerous as it's misuse. Alden again thinks I worry too much.
"As long as we just don't go telling everyone, it'll be fine!"
I hope my misgivings are wrong.
Day 8, Late Morning:
Hope is destroyed.
The quiet community of elves lies slaughtered. Every last man, woman and child. Many killed while they stood, unaware or helpless, as the things came. There are signs of an action that is less of a battle and more of a massacre.
Govin, Sharys, Allisyander and several others I know. Knew. Walkers of the Traveller, defenders of the people. Dead. Their blood splattered carelessly on the ground, their bodies near to ripped apart. I recognized the remains of Bequin, a mage. That would explain the blast marks about. The stench of brimstone in this place could only mean one of his fireballs. If two dozen of my fellow walkers and a mage couldn't stop what did this, how could we?
Delwyn found some piles of ash scatterd about, with black crystals that were almost like tiny charcoal hearts in each one. I found Casparo examining the fallen, including Bequin and Sharys. I nearly struck him in anger. He may have meant no harm...but I was in no mood for such foolishness. There is practicality and there is respect, and I found Casparo short of both at that moment. He disappeared without telling us where he was going, and I was glad for it, at that moment.
While Tazendra climbed a roof for a better view, I examined a few corpses. No meat eaten, no blood drank. This was slaughter for slaughter's sake. Alden again told me that this place, like the lake, had become unhallowed ground. He was near to panic that we leave. Seeing his bretheren in this state was clearly a strain for him. Perhaps it was for Delwyn, but he kept his own counsel.
Rali watched for danger, at turns both eager and calm. Such may be the ways of dwarves, I suppose, but she seemed calmer than the rest of us in the face of such horror. Alden threatened to leave on his own, if necessary, and I saw no reason to argue. I was angry, filled with rage, but with some amount of fear, as well. I yelled aloud that we were leaving. If Casparo came, then fine. If not, I had no time to wait for him. Every moment from the capital may be more lives lost. Casparo appeared quietly, sensing my mood, and uncharacteristically quiet.
We start walking, and one thought echoes in my mind, over and over again.
Did we release this horror?
Day 10, Avonshar:
Every city, town and settlement more than fifty miles from Avonshar is either an abbatoir or a ghost town. As we entered the city, the smell of panic fills the air. The Walkers try to keep the peace, as the clerics guard the 7-League portal in city-center. Mobs are pushing through to use it to escape off-plane, to somewhere, anywhere other than here. Their panic is a palapable thing, and unnerving. It does little to improve our mood.
We reach the temple and I seek Strider Culaighn. The strain he must be under is clear to see, and he appears to have aged years in the week or so we've been gone. I tell him almost everything, although I do not go into exacting detail. I surrender the cube, my notes and sketches, the armor pieces and other artifacts we've found.
We go to take our rest, and then later meet with 'the Council'. An elf, a dwarf (who Rali later identifies as 'GoldBuckle') and the Strider. Our discussion is formal, but they are somewhat dismissive. I am unsure who they represent, but do not question my elder directly. Perhaps they are masters of other chapterhouses.
Casparo arrives, accompanied by a rag-tag collection of street rabble. They are quiet, but obnoxious, and seem to be...protective...of Casparo. It is odd.
We discuss the mission at some length, but it is Rali who manages to capture most of the real informaiton from Goldbuckle, it seems. The metal is called Occlarium, a rare, almost unknown alloy of Mithral and Titanium. The product of a lost race known for it's unending war against their counterparts. It is clear that the strider and others are not telling us as much as they might.
Alden nearly turns violent when they make it clear that none of the items we recovered are to be turned over to us. They are, according to my master, potentially dangerous ancient artifacts. When they are judged safe, they will be given back to us, but not until then. Alden throws a murderous look towards me....the word of my order is worth nothing in his eyes, now. He cannot see the necessity, only the frustration of our victory being snatched from us.
I negotiate replacement equipment, and a few other minor bonuses, but Alden makes it clear he finds it as palatable as wood shavings. My attention falls to Casparo and his rabble. They have become loud and embarrasing (not unlike Casparo himself), and I ask them to remove themselves. They nearly turn violent, until an abashed Casparo leads them outside, almost apologetically. I stand amazed. Something is amiss, though I am unsure what.
I retreat to my cell to brew a potion and mediate on what has occured. Tomorrow, I shall have answers.
Day 11:
No sign of the strider today. Patrols report that the undead abominations, for that is what they are...some form of wraith, it is suspected, have disappeared. Casparo's rabble follow him everywhere now. Even the lavatory. In numbers. He seems less pleased with himself at every turn.
Day 14: Casparo. Cursed. Ring.
Sigh.
Day 16
I have talked it over with my companions. We must return to the chamber and elsewhere. There is too much left to do. Tomorrow, we will go.
More to come.......
[color=dark red]Rannos of Blackmoor, Walker of Fharlangan[/color] [/B][/QUOTE]
Day 6, Evening:
What we have discovered is every Walker's dream, but something of a nightmare, too. A fear grows in my heart for what has been done, and what may yet be done. I cannot know for sure what has happened, but I have my suspicions, and they are not of a good sort.
I should continue from the events of this afternoon's entry.
We paused and consulted in the chamber with the fallen beings. I know I should have been overjoyed with the discovery, but instead my heart was heavy with concern. Armed and armored, how had these alien beings come to be here? What had laid them low, so many centuries ago?
There were two corridors that led forth from here. We choose the left, and proceeded, with Casparo leading the way ahead. Casparo and Rali reported an unnatural darkness, and disappeared within it. Scant seconds later the darkness dissipated, and they reported finding a control mechanism to banish it.
I enchanted my staff with the blessings of Farlanghan's protection through dark places, so that we could see. The strange darkness unnerved me, and only Rali seemed unfazed by the absolute darkness. She seemed more interested in the walls of the corridor. They were lined parallel strips made from the same strange metal that the creatures armor was, though worked with consumate skill. The stone was clearly worked as well, although centuries old in the carving.
At last we came to an area of unusual darkness, similar to the first. Rubble covered the floor, making the passage unsure. While we pondered how or whether or not to proceed, I heard a ringing of metal...not unlike the sound of a tuning fork. It came from behind us. My companions stood at the ready, Tazendra at my side, prepared for an assualt. None came. After several minutes, we relaxed and returned to the obstacle before us. I chose to invoke the blessing of Farlanghan again to banish the darkness, however briefly. It revealed what we suspected...a cave-in rendered further travel impossible. We cautiously returned to the chamber, and I examined the floor for tracks. Something had flown through the chamber, creating a dispersal pattern in the accumulated dust. I guessed it to be larger than a sparrow, but smaller than an eagle.
Casparo stared at me as if I'd grown a set of horns.
"You can tell that from just looking at the floor?!?", he exclaimed incredously. "You are scaring the hell out of me."
We proceeded down the second passage, and discovered another cave-in, but this one was far from total. Passage was possible, and an impatient Casparo chose not to wait for us. His rash action resulted in the floor giving way beneath him, causing a rockslide that cut us off from him. With Rali directing our efforts, we safely shifted the rubble, to reopen the passage and allow us to follow. A portal, the first true one we'd seen, greeted us on the other side.
It was a round door, of sorts, with a strange handle in the center. The handle had a series of holes set as a circle in it, like finger grips, but twelve of them, with light glowing within. I would later check the bodies of the fallen creatures, and when claiming their ruined gauntlets, note that they had six digits. At this time, I produced the cube, waiting to see if it reacted to the obviously enchanted door. Casparo performed a series of odd tests, and seemed to have determined how to open the door, when I heard the sound again. This time it was loud enough that everyone heard it. We stood on our guard, and the 'creature' that I had seen the tracks of arrived.
We prepared for an attack, but chose to let it arrive first, and prove it's hostilities. A wise move, it turned out, as it flew to Tazendra and began flying about her, as if examining her. It was a clockwork of some sort, a small sphere made of the same white metal which was in such prominence in this place. It had two wings that looked not unlike those of a dragonfly, moving so fast as to almost be invisible, yet made of metal all the same. It then proceeded to do several other, until it came to me. It spied the cube, and suddenly seemed to become agitated.
It produced two miniature claws and sought to take the cube from me. I held it tight for a moment, then decided it was best to let it have it. The spherieal, as I have named it, then raced away, bearing the cube benath it. I called on the speed of Farlanghan and gave chase, much to the consternation of my companions. I was merely swift enough to see it disappear into the wall itself, as a portal was revealed and the disappeared after the spherieal passed through it. I yelled a curse but could not follow. Though hollow beyond, neither Casparo nor Rali could later find any indication of it's presence, other than my crude chalk markings. We left it be, though I cursed the loss of the cube. I would later curse it more.
We then gained access to...the chamber. It was a hollowed out sphere, worked with a great number of crystal windows from which light shone. It was like being inside some great bauble or odd piece of jewelry. I, myself, never entered the chamber for more than a moment. Casparo, however, was the first in, and the first trapped. When the sphearieal had arrived, he backed into the room. None of us heard his panicked yell as he flew upwards, to the center of the great room, to very center of it, some 15' above us.
Eventually, Delwyn used his powers and common sense (and more than a little rope) and got Casparo down. By that point, however, Casparo wasn't entirely ready to leave, but we forced him to, nonetheless. Both Delywyn and Alden could feel the psionic power that resonated through this place, and we left them mostly to investigate it. The would spend the rest of the day examining it.
They soon realized that it was a controlling device of a huge scrying system, of sorts. The windows were viewers...eventually we realized that they were for spheariaels...lots of them Dozens, perhaps. They would display spoken dialogue, but in some script unreadable to us. I transcribed as much as possible, content to record while they tinkered.
Hours later we returned to the surface cave, to disturbing sights. The first was our remaining kasir was gone. We soon found it's emptied husk by the water, a dozen or more giant bite marks to signal it's draining and then demise. I examined the body...it had been fed on like a vampire feeds...but by a dozen creatures, at least. Judging by the signs of struggle, blood spilled and other factors, I guessed it had suffered for five minutes before death. The thought chilled me. The elves claimed that the lake was no longer hallowed, but unhallowed, instead. Alden, in particular, wanted to leave, and seek refuge. While I would have rather remained and mourned the poor beast, I followed.
When we checked on where the cube had once been, we found the sphearieal there, guarding the cube. But we instantly noticed the walls. The crumbled walls.
The HOLLOWED walls.
Where once there had been reliefs of strange, horrible looking humanoids, now there was only crumbled rock. As if something trapped inside had broken free, and escaped. And escaped HUNGRY. I intimated as much to Alden, but he merely had eyes for the cube...and even more so for the spherieal that guarded it. He mumbled something about my reading too much into the signs, and then began....doing something to the little creature. It approached him, and seemed fixated on him. It didn't object to my taking the cube...but I when I placed it on the floor, it retrieved it and placed back it came from. We tested this several times, with similar results.
Now, we must prepare for the night to come.
Day 7
I organized an effort to put up defenses, lest we be attacked in the night. They proved imminently successful, and we were kept safe due to my watchfulness. The greatest threat to our rest that night was Casparo's snoring.
Delwyn and Arden inisist on examining the chamber more today, before we set out. While apprehensive, and worried that we must not linger much more, I wait patiently. At one point Delwyn concentrates on something a particular crystal window, and then smirks wryly....though when I sneak a glimpse at his window, all I see is billowing white clouds.
Arden too seeks to use the devices...and discovers there are many of them, but that some of them are positioned near major towns and cities. Most lie idle, watching each other. We decide we have enough information for one journey, and decide to return to Avonshar.
I place the cube in a simple pouch at my side. The first sphearieal follows at waist height, eager to return it's charge to it's resting place. It continues to follow us as we leave the cave, and then the lakeside.
I retain worries of this place. Knowledge of it is as dangerous as it's misuse. Alden again thinks I worry too much.
"As long as we just don't go telling everyone, it'll be fine!"
I hope my misgivings are wrong.
Day 8, Late Morning:
Hope is destroyed.
The quiet community of elves lies slaughtered. Every last man, woman and child. Many killed while they stood, unaware or helpless, as the things came. There are signs of an action that is less of a battle and more of a massacre.
Govin, Sharys, Allisyander and several others I know. Knew. Walkers of the Traveller, defenders of the people. Dead. Their blood splattered carelessly on the ground, their bodies near to ripped apart. I recognized the remains of Bequin, a mage. That would explain the blast marks about. The stench of brimstone in this place could only mean one of his fireballs. If two dozen of my fellow walkers and a mage couldn't stop what did this, how could we?
Delwyn found some piles of ash scatterd about, with black crystals that were almost like tiny charcoal hearts in each one. I found Casparo examining the fallen, including Bequin and Sharys. I nearly struck him in anger. He may have meant no harm...but I was in no mood for such foolishness. There is practicality and there is respect, and I found Casparo short of both at that moment. He disappeared without telling us where he was going, and I was glad for it, at that moment.
While Tazendra climbed a roof for a better view, I examined a few corpses. No meat eaten, no blood drank. This was slaughter for slaughter's sake. Alden again told me that this place, like the lake, had become unhallowed ground. He was near to panic that we leave. Seeing his bretheren in this state was clearly a strain for him. Perhaps it was for Delwyn, but he kept his own counsel.
Rali watched for danger, at turns both eager and calm. Such may be the ways of dwarves, I suppose, but she seemed calmer than the rest of us in the face of such horror. Alden threatened to leave on his own, if necessary, and I saw no reason to argue. I was angry, filled with rage, but with some amount of fear, as well. I yelled aloud that we were leaving. If Casparo came, then fine. If not, I had no time to wait for him. Every moment from the capital may be more lives lost. Casparo appeared quietly, sensing my mood, and uncharacteristically quiet.
We start walking, and one thought echoes in my mind, over and over again.
Did we release this horror?
Day 10, Avonshar:
Every city, town and settlement more than fifty miles from Avonshar is either an abbatoir or a ghost town. As we entered the city, the smell of panic fills the air. The Walkers try to keep the peace, as the clerics guard the 7-League portal in city-center. Mobs are pushing through to use it to escape off-plane, to somewhere, anywhere other than here. Their panic is a palapable thing, and unnerving. It does little to improve our mood.
We reach the temple and I seek Strider Culaighn. The strain he must be under is clear to see, and he appears to have aged years in the week or so we've been gone. I tell him almost everything, although I do not go into exacting detail. I surrender the cube, my notes and sketches, the armor pieces and other artifacts we've found.
We go to take our rest, and then later meet with 'the Council'. An elf, a dwarf (who Rali later identifies as 'GoldBuckle') and the Strider. Our discussion is formal, but they are somewhat dismissive. I am unsure who they represent, but do not question my elder directly. Perhaps they are masters of other chapterhouses.
Casparo arrives, accompanied by a rag-tag collection of street rabble. They are quiet, but obnoxious, and seem to be...protective...of Casparo. It is odd.
We discuss the mission at some length, but it is Rali who manages to capture most of the real informaiton from Goldbuckle, it seems. The metal is called Occlarium, a rare, almost unknown alloy of Mithral and Titanium. The product of a lost race known for it's unending war against their counterparts. It is clear that the strider and others are not telling us as much as they might.
Alden nearly turns violent when they make it clear that none of the items we recovered are to be turned over to us. They are, according to my master, potentially dangerous ancient artifacts. When they are judged safe, they will be given back to us, but not until then. Alden throws a murderous look towards me....the word of my order is worth nothing in his eyes, now. He cannot see the necessity, only the frustration of our victory being snatched from us.
I negotiate replacement equipment, and a few other minor bonuses, but Alden makes it clear he finds it as palatable as wood shavings. My attention falls to Casparo and his rabble. They have become loud and embarrasing (not unlike Casparo himself), and I ask them to remove themselves. They nearly turn violent, until an abashed Casparo leads them outside, almost apologetically. I stand amazed. Something is amiss, though I am unsure what.
I retreat to my cell to brew a potion and mediate on what has occured. Tomorrow, I shall have answers.
Day 11:
No sign of the strider today. Patrols report that the undead abominations, for that is what they are...some form of wraith, it is suspected, have disappeared. Casparo's rabble follow him everywhere now. Even the lavatory. In numbers. He seems less pleased with himself at every turn.
Day 14: Casparo. Cursed. Ring.
Sigh.
Day 16
I have talked it over with my companions. We must return to the chamber and elsewhere. There is too much left to do. Tomorrow, we will go.
More to come.......
[color=dark red]Rannos of Blackmoor, Walker of Fharlangan[/color] [/B][/QUOTE]
Last edited:
Zad
First Post
Yeah I was pretty put out. Not violent of course - Alden really isn't a very violent man. A bit more like a mad scientist/artist really. But loosing the chance to examine and re-create the oriculum mady him very pouty. More like a kid having a pouty brooding fit. It was like a once-in-a-lifetime treasure, and the people that said we could keep anything we found promptly took away the only thing they found worth keeping.
Moral of the story: do not trust the Church of Fharlangan, and make sure to keep at least some of any interesting materials and not tell them.
Silly dwarves probably don't have the first clue how to begin making oriculum.
Valanthe the Sleepless
First Post
Zad said:
Yeah, you got that right. Rali, a dwarf who does armorcrafting, has a new armor in her hands, and then promptly taken away. Arggg!
Zad said:
Hrmph! That armor most definitely had a dwarven hand involved in the crafting, I'll have you know. Dwarves are masters of weapon and armor smithing.
*grumble, grumble* Insulting the whole Dwaven race. Impudent Elf! *grumble, grumble*
Argent Silvermage
First Post
HeHeHe!
This session was good. no combat (read: no one had anything implanted in them) But tons of role playing. All the characters ae beginning to take shape and they are beginning to see that they are not the "Savage Sword of Meepo" is Avonshar.
It was great to hear Alden et upset over the loss of the armor. I hope Zad realises that I couldn't allow them to have 3 sets of medium armor with a base ac of 10 plus a spell mischance of only 5%.
One was even enchanted. (+3 to saves)
This was just a taste of the wonders to come.
they now have a way to find dungeons and can loot to thier hearts content. Of course there will be the beings who do not want to part with thier things.
This session was good. no combat (read: no one had anything implanted in them) But tons of role playing. All the characters ae beginning to take shape and they are beginning to see that they are not the "Savage Sword of Meepo" is Avonshar.
It was great to hear Alden et upset over the loss of the armor. I hope Zad realises that I couldn't allow them to have 3 sets of medium armor with a base ac of 10 plus a spell mischance of only 5%.
One was even enchanted. (+3 to saves)
This was just a taste of the wonders to come.
they now have a way to find dungeons and can loot to thier hearts content. Of course there will be the beings who do not want to part with thier things.
MavrickWeirdo
First Post
Argent said:
Actually I was thinking the style reminded me a bit of Edgar Rice Burroughs or Henry Kuttner. Your World/Story has a definate 50's pulp feel to it. Keep it coming.
P. S. I love that the party keeps naming stuff, great touch.
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Argent Silvermage
First Post
Great! Some one got what I was going for!MavrickWeirdo said:
I love the Idea that they are the "namers" as well. Most all of the creatures they encounter will be directly from my imagination. So they are fair game for new names. I don't name them myself.
dravot
First Post
What I like about Argent's game
One of the best parts about Argent's game for me is that since all of the creatures to date have been out of his head (that part does scare me though
) it eliminates some of the metagaming that tends to take place in other games.
Yeah, you can pretend that your first level character doesn't know that a random monster is immune to lightning , but it's not the same as finding out the hard way
One of the best parts about Argent's game for me is that since all of the creatures to date have been out of his head (that part does scare me though
) it eliminates some of the metagaming that tends to take place in other games.Yeah, you can pretend that your first level character doesn't know that a random monster is immune to lightning , but it's not the same as finding out the hard way
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