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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Droid101" data-source="post: 1731910" data-attributes="member: 942">Of Gods and Devils…The Exploits of the Invincible HeroesThe continent of Aldor-Valencia runs the gamut on races, climates, and terrain.  The southeast holds the Cape of Blades, south is the Baron Peninsula.  Southwest is the Tormyr Forest.  Northwest is the Tralig Desert.  North, the trade region of Four Towns.On the western seaboard of Baron, Drelk held strong trade ties to the elven forest kingdom across the western ocean.  Eltharion Ulthuan and Ogrim Oakenshield grew up here.  Eltharion was an extremely lithe, but unearthly quick elf.  Pale skin, hair the color of the wooded forest in winter.  Ogrim was a stout dwarf.  He longed for the life of his people; ale, meat and dwarvish chants.  But his duty was to be here, and so he was.  Eltharion, however, was naïve about the world, thinking that nobody could do wrong, and the world was open for those who wish to act.Eltharion’s parents lived here as the elven trade liaisons.  Ogrim was sent also to bolster trade ties, but with the dwarves in the northern mountain ranges.  They spent most of their free time training with a local adventuring party.  Arelion, the party’s ranger, and Eltharion’s inspiration to follow the path of nature, had died recently.  A small funeral was held, the other members of the party along with Ogrim, Eltharion, and Johnathan; one of their friends, were present.  Ulgrim Stonehammer, the huge dwarf, Trisha Torvanna, cleric of Kelemvor, God of Death, Krin Selmer, creator of melodies, and White, the stark white haired warrior, and leader of the group, all paid their respects to the fallen.It wasn’t but a week later, that White fell ill.  Constantly feverish, slipping in and out of unconsciousness, babbling madness, and pale as his own white hair.  His servant, Mannquelin, sent a summons for his master’s apprentices…Eltharion, Ogrim, and Johnathan arrived.  “Hey man, what’s up?”  Eltharion spoke.“It’s Mannquelin, sir.” “Whatever…”“Right, anyway.  I have summoned you here to ask you a favor.  As you know, White has been sick for over a week now.  None of the pharmacists who have looked at him know what it is.  I had a shaman come from the Isle of the Barbarians off the east coast, and he gave me the recipe for the cure.  Moonleaf and Thrulk tusk are the ones we don’t have.  Ulgrim, Trisha and Krin are going to find the Thrulk in the northern swamplands.  However, they need you to retrieve the Moonleaf from the great Tormyr Forest, the only place it is known to grow.  We need it in 3 weeks… we’re counting on you.”  Mannquelin seems out of breath, but his stature holds firm. “For White, we shall disembark immediately.”  Ogrim states matter-of-factly.And so they did.  They headed straight to the port to see if there was a ship setting out in the next few days.  Their search proved futile, however, as the only trade ships setting out weren’t leaving for at least a week and a half.  That would give them no time to search for this Moonleaf.  They had to go on foot.  The journey would bring them out of the Baronian peninsula, west along the beaches, and south into the Tormyr forest.  By their estimates, it would be a good eight day travel, leaving them enough time to search for a couple of days and make it back just in time to make their deadline.They set off immediately, stopping off briefly at home to grab their backpacks and other supplies.  The kingdom of Baron is very friendly toward all races, so they never had any trouble traveling.  One day north took them to the town of Froal, where they rested that night at a local inn.  They looked around the next morning for a trade caravan or some other way to travel with a bit more safety and security.  They found a group of about five traders with a horse-drawn carriage.  Ogrim pulled Eltharion and John aside.“I don’t trust them.”  Ogrim piped up, his deep voice sensing mistrust.“Don’t worry about it, we can handle ourselves.”  Eltharion put in.“I agree with Eltharion, we should be fine.”  Johnathan ended the discussion at that.  Two to one, they would travel with the wagon.After a half day of travel, they reached the Great Wall of Baron; a wall that travels from ocean to ocean, almost 12 full miles across, totally closing off the peninsula that Baron sits on from the rest of the continent.  The gate guards are polite as they let the wagon pass.  The heroes keep to themselves, while trying to overhear any conversation they can.  The wagon driver had been pushing at an almost alarming rate, and seemed very relieved when they got past the gate guards.  Ogrim sensed that something wasn’t right.He sensed correctly.  Looking behind them toward the wall, they saw four horses ride out toward them at a blistering pace.“Great, the jig is up.” The wagon’s driver was already pulling out a dagger and getting ready.“I knew this was a bad idea…” Ogrim grumbles.The horses quickly catch up, surrounding the wagon.  Four armed guards point longswords at the wagon.  “Surrender now, you are charged with armed robbery and suspicion of murder!” Ogrim, Eltharion and Johnathan immediately put their hands up, as they know they are innocent.  The four bandits do the same, and the driver drops his dagger.  They are all deprived of their weapons, bound, and set on the wagon with one of the guards taking up the reigns as a driver.  They start heading back towards the Wall.Ogrim whispers to Eltharion, “We don’t have time for this…”“Seriously, we need to get out of this and get going.”  Eltharion nods in agreement.As this conversation is going on, Ogrim feels something fiddling with his bonds.  The bandit driver is cutting the rope with another concealed dagger he had!  With the bandit’s and Ogrim’s bonds loose, they quickly burst into action.  The bandit jumped on the back of the guard who was driving the wagon, and Ogrim picked up one of the crossbows that was near the back of the wagon and shot one of the horse-riding guards behind them.  A resounding thud of the bolt knocked the guard from his mount onto the earth and into unconsciousness.  The other two horse riders drew their blades and closed in on either side of the wagon.  The bandit had successfully pushed the driver from the wagon, who rolled a few times before slowly staggering to his feet, already quite far behind the moving wagon.  Ogrim cut Eltharion and Johnathan’s bonds, who both picked up crossbows and aimed at the guards.  Eltharion’s shot glanced off the rider’s shoulder, causing no damage.  Johnathan’s shot flew wide, missing entirely.  The other bandits had all freed themselves by now, and were similarly scrambling for a weapon.  Too late for two of them, as the horse-riders came in from both sides and slashed them, each scoring a deep wound and taking the bandits out of the fight.  Just the driver and one bandit were left.  The driver veered the wagon to the left, attempting to hit the horse rider, but with no luck.  In an unexpected move, Ogrim punched the other bandit, cleanly knocking him out with one hit.  Johnathan and Eltharion both aimed a the same horse riding guard and both crossbow bolts connected; one in his upper leg, and the other in his shoulder.  That was enough to send the man reeling into unconsciousness, although he was caught in the saddle as the horse slowed down.Seeing the battle going as it was, the other guard quickly sped off toward the Wall, presumably for reinforcements.  Ogrim turned to the bandit driving the wagon, and summarily pummeled him until his lights went out.  Eltharion and Johnathan went and gathered the bodies of the guards and bandits alike.  They bandaged their wounds and made sure to stop the bleeding.  They gave the bandits a few more kicks for good measure; and to make sure that the guards woke up first.  They also tied up the bandits very tightly.  They took their newly acquired horses (from the bandit’s wagon, not the Baronian guards’), and set off along the road to the north.  “I told you something was amiss,” Ogrim stated flatly.“Yeah, but look, we made it out all right, with basically no time lost, and we got free horses!” Eltharion was always looking at the bright side.They continued to follow the dirt road north.  The evening finally drew near, and they set up camp.  Eltharion felt great sleeping outside.  He didn’t get the chance to do that much in the bustling port town of Baron.  The night seemed so perfect, that they didn’t even use their bedrolls.  The next day, early in the morning, a small wagon train was coming toward them, from the north.  As it got near, one of the drivers waved and hopped down off his wagon.  He was carrying a large battleaxe, but clearly didn’t know how to wield it, as he held it from the base of the handle, letting the blade dangle downward.  “Ho travelers, is there an ‘Ogrim’ with you?” said the man.“That would be me,” Ogrim stepped toward the man.“Some fancy adventurers down the road said to give this to you.  Some big ol’ dwarf and two girls.  He said his name was Ogrim also.  Said that you should add some notches to this axe,” the man handed the fine axe to Ogrim.The notches were many, filling up almost an entire side of the axe.  The many times Ogrim had talked to Ulgrim they had spoken of his axe, the Orc-Killer.  This must be it.  It was finely crafted and Ogrim was honored to use it.“Thank you stranger,” Ogrim gave him a silver for his troubles, and they began to travel north.Once the wagon train was out of view, the northern road forked east and west, with a less traveled part going straight north.  They knew that the Adventurer’s Guildhall was north, and they had all wanted to visit it, but they also knew they had no time for such things, so they turned west toward the beach, and their ultimate goal, the Tormyr forest.The next five days were pretty uneventful.  The beach to their left and the grasslands to their right, they continue to travel.  On the sixth day they reach the town of Helian; the last town before the depths of the Tormyr forest.  They go in and rest, leaving their horses there and setting out on foot into the forest.The overgrowth is thick and travel is slow.  The humidity is pretty bad, making it that much more uncomfortable to travel.  An entire day is spend trekking through the forest.  All they have to go on is a simple sketch of the tree on which the Moonleaf grows.  Eltharion is in his element here, and is faring well.  Ogrim doesn’t much like it, “too much stuff brushing up against me.”  Johnathan is beginning to take a shine to it, however.That night, they found a small clearing to set up camp.  They elected against a fire, as they didn’t want to draw any unwanted attention to themselves.  Attention was drawn, however, as in the middle of the night they were awoken.  They dashed for weapons, but an attractive human male wearing skins and a horse quelled their fears with their words.  “Do not be alarmed, we mean you no harm,” the human spoke.  The horse then slowly changed form into that of a slender elven female.  “You are in dangerous territory.  Orcs run this area.  Savages and primitive,” her voice soft.  “My name is Seive.  This is Helmar.  We are a part of a druid conclave here in the woods.”“We’re searching for something called  Moonleaf; have you heard of it?” Eltharion asks.“Why yes.  But you had better turn around and leave now.  You have no chance at retrieving it.  The only tree of that kind left is in the middle of the orc encampment.”  Seive states flatly.“We aren’t turning back!” Ogrim adds.“We can’t go back.  We have to get this Moonleaf to help our friend,” Eltharion stated.“If you are set in your course, then so be it.  May the forest bless you.  We will be one mile to the east of here if you need us.  Go straight south for half a day; that is where the orcs reside.” Seive transforms into a horse once again and gallops out of view.  Helmar follows swiftly after.“Orcs…” Ogrim’s voice is full of both hatred and eagerness.“We better try to sneak in at night, pick the leaf, and take off,” Eltharion says.“Wow, those druids were amazing…” Johnathan’s mind was wandering. They slept the rest of the night, and waited until the following evening before setting off to the south.  They reached a fairly large clearing.  It was obviously orc-made, as they could see many tree trunks in the midst of small tents in the moonlight.  They spotted the tree.  “Oh no…” Eltharion’s confidence deflated.  The sketch they had seen was not to scale.  Not by a longshot.  The tree, standing in the middle of the camp, was easily 80 feet high.  With no branches.  And from what they could see (which wasn’t much) only one leaf at the very top.  There was a tent at the base of the tree, as well.Eltharion burst into action.  “You two wait here.  If there’s trouble, come get me.”  He began to climb the tallest tree around the camp.  He found a good sized one (about 100 feet) and started up.  He climbed slowly and methodically, making sure not to fall.  He got near the top, took out his bow, attached his rope to an arrow, and fired toward the Moonleaf’s tree.  A hit!  Oh glorious luck.  The arrow stuck about five feet from the top.  He tied the rope snugly around some branches of the tree he was in, and he began to cross it.  Hanging over 80 feet in the air, hand over hand, he slowly made his way across the orc camp.  Ogrim and Johnathan merely stared in horror.A campfire was burning below, slightly.  One orc could be seen sleeping next to it, but that was the only apparent guard.  Eltharion neared his goal when a javelin flew past him.  The orc by the fire was awake!  The orc, not having anything left to throw, picked up a branch that was burning in the fire and flung it……and hit the Moonleaf, catching it on fire and sending it trailing down toward the camp.  Eltharion quickly jumped onto the tree and started sliding down.  The orc had pushed on another tent, with two more emerging, groggy-eyed.  Ogrim and Johnanthan were on them.  Ogrim’s axe came down with thundering force, cutting deep into the orc’s belly and sending it back to Gruumsh.  The other fell quickly as well, as Johnathan swiped with his longsword and shortsword, both scoring deadly hits.  Eltharion landed next to the big tent that was right next to the tree, and charged at the orc who had thrown the javelin.  He quickly drew his warhammer and whip, and closed on the the orc.  He whipped him once, the snap causing the orc to wince.  His warhammer, however, swung wide as the orc jumped out of the way.  Ogrim, on the other hand, didn’t miss.  His axe sunk deep into the orc’s back, who fell into a heap.Out of the large tent emerged an older orc wearing fur robes.“Stop this, be quiet, come here,” the orc’s speech was slow and highly accented.  “I see you want our Leaf.  I have more.  You will trade.  Come in tent.”With slightly puzzled glances toward eachother, the heroes entered.  The tent was decorated with many dead-animal skins and parts, and the old orc went straight for a chest.  He pulled out two dried leafs.“Here is leaf.  What do you have for trade?” the orc asked.The three heroes immediately began to empty everything they owned, from extra rope, torches, grappling hooks.  All the extra crossbows from the bandits.  Ogrim had to give up his own crossbow, along with Eltharion giving up his longbow, quiver, and arrow.  By the time they were finished, all they had was their clothes, armor, and weapons left.  No supplies whatsoever.  The orc looked over the pile and nodded slowly.“This will do.  Here are leafs.”  He placed the two leafs into a small pouch and gave it to the heroes.  “You go now, chief will awaken.”They took off.  Before they were even halfway towards the edge of the camp, a large horn was heard blowing from the old orc’s tent.  Orcs began emptying from their tents.  Luckily, only three were between them and escape into the dense woods.  Weapons drawn, they charged in.  The orcs weren’t so lucky, as they didn’t have their weapons on them.  One tackled Ogrim, while Johnathan made fast work of another one.  Eltharion just kept running, with the final orc running after him.  Ogrim pushed the orc off the top of him, and Johnathan finished him with a cut across the throat.Eltharion reached the woods.  A horse was there?  The druid!  Eltharion hopped on, and the horse kicked the orc squarely in face, his nose splintering as he fell.  The horse then bucked off Eltharion, his head motioning toward Ogrim, who climbed on.  They all raced out into the forest, quickly getting lost in the brush and losing the orcs.  An outrageously loud roar is heard from the camp as they retreat, something in orcish.  They don’t pause long enough to think about it.  Their run slows to a hustle, and their hustle slows to a walk as they feel they have put enough distance between the camp and themselves.  The horse changes back to Seive the druid, and she leads them back to their conclave.  Helmar is there, waiting in a nice clearing with a clear pond.  They all rest and gather their thoughts.  The druids empart wisdom on the party.  Eltharion and Johnathan are taken by the ways of the forest.  The druids teach them some fundamentals, and both are on their way down the druidic path.  Ogrim grumbles about the outdoors and takes a puff of his pipe.  They sleep the rest of the night.Will they reach White in time?  Will the cure even work?  Will everyone want to be a druid?  This and more, next update…</blockquote>

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