"Fade to black" huge update 02/03/03

[Stone Angel]

Mason set peering in the darkness, thinking of days before he was intiated into the order of the cudgel, when he would watch the livestock at night just like this. Suddenly the pack animals shuffle and whine. They are frantic.

"There, there" Mason says as he tries to comfort one of the mules by scratching behind it's ear.

A few more of the party members wake up, Fulrik, and Caber are the first to their feet.

"What is the matter" asks an annoyed and groggy Fulrik.

"I am not..." Mason is cut short by a gesture from Caber pointing towards his ear telling them to listen.

There is movement from all around. They begin to wake up the rest of their party and ready weapons.

Tree branches crack and leaves crunch in all directions whatever it was had the party surrounded.

They party looked back and forth at each other for answers, seeing that they were at disadvantage they circled up back to back.

A piercing shrill laugh cut through the night air, if anyone in the party had been over fifty there hearts might have stopped.

"What are we going to do" asked the frantic Bard Lucas.

"Shut up" and be still scolded Fulrik.

By this time the "Avengers of One Eye" had circled up as well, looking just as helpless as the party.

"Look" cried McDougal as he pointed to several small forms coming just to the edge of the campfires light.

"They are...." Lucas choked on the rest of his sentance.

"May the Gods have mercy, they are children" Mason finished.

The children take start to sway from left to right and begin to chant.

"Ring around the rosy
Pocket full of posies
Ashes ashes we all fall down

Ring around the rosy
Pocket full of posies
Ashes ashes we all fall down

The one eye is coming and all shall fail, the one eye is coming for you
Hope is in the light of day, Hope is in the light of day
Those that see shall lose their sight, the one eye is coming for you
Hope is in the light of day, Hope is in the light of day
The beautiful one comes to eat you flesh, the one eye is coming for you
Hope is in the light of day, Hope is in the light if day.
All that have lost have much to lose, the one is coming for you
Hope is in the light of day, Hope is in the light of day.


Ring around the rosy
Pocket full of posies
Ashes ashes we all fall down

Ring around the rosy
Pocket full of posies
Ashes ashes we all fall down"

The children begin to retreat back into the darkness.


It is obvious that everyone is shaken from what just occurred, the oldest one of the gypsy ladies comes out with a grave look on her face pointing as single bony finger and says

“You are cursed, Northman, terribly cursed, until the end of your days you shall bring death and despair to those you care about and care about you, death and despair."

She then shuffles back into her wagon.
Everyone makes for bed again though it is certain none will sleep.

Yet somehow the party does sleep you awake with the sun on your face, for a moment the party forgets what has happened then a gypsy cries out

Her baby has been stolen.......

I shall return

 

[Stone Angel]

One of the younger gypsies comes out screaming

“My baby, my baby, my baby is gone.”

“Taken by the hag”

Says a horrendous form from the shadows of the trees. Out steps what was once Redferne only a majority of his body has no skin, showing sinewy muscle, bone, and tendons.
Mason quickly rushes to the warriors side though he refuses help they get Redferne laid down. He begins to speak

“Our party left in the night so you would not follow, but now you must for the sake of that mother, you must. Swear it, swear it to me that you avenge all that the hag has taken so that no more may suffer, avenge my Kyrie. Our trail is easy enough to find,”

At that Redferne cries a lone tear that trickles across his fleshless face, he begins to say something else but blood rushes through his mouth as Redferne proud warrior of the North, expires.

"He deserves a warriors funeral" states Mason

"We shall see to that" one of the gypsies replies.

The party sets out following the winding trail of blood that Redferne left for them.



I shall return

 

[Stone Angel]

This land was unlike any the PC's had ever seen. The very landscape was twisted to this Hag's evil. The party rushed through the mountain side as the suns light was pulled away into the dark.

"Is it just me or does every thing seem gray and dull" asked McDougal

"No...It is the Hags magic, she has perverted the natural order, and turned this land into an abominat......."

Mason stopped mid sentence. The rest of the party quickly found what had halted the clerics speech. A tree. A great twisted tree and from it's limbs were hung, severed heads, hands, different organs such as lungs spinal cords, it even had a torso nailed to its trunk. Some of the party got a little nauseous. They decided to give the tree a wide birth and pass around.They have no idea how lucky they were.

Soon the trees began to thin as they reached higher elevations. The suns light winked out. Redfernes trail was much harder to follow in the dark. The party began to have second thoughts.

They followed the path of blood to the of a particular peak. Above them torch pikes lit a path with eerie green fire. They could see to large Monoliths at the top a small plateau. They began up the path Fulrik out front trying to be as stealthily as possible, yet with every step there was a crunch, or snap.

"Mage, for the sake of Pelor give us some light here! Are you good for nothing" snapped Fulrik.

This place was obviously getting to the soldier he was usually more stoic than that. He quickly wished he had remained in the dark.

With a word of power the ring on the mages hand began to glow with a soft light and they found what had made the noise. Bones the path was paved with human bones.

The party took a deep breath and pressed forward.

The darkness bellowed "Turn back lest you pave the way for more of the beautiful ones meals"

Lucas scanned the area with his elven sight.

"The monoliths" his search had revealed that what they had thought to be stone protrusions were actually large humaniods, with an eye missing.

At the plateau the party fell upon the flayed Ogres with abandon, glad to lose themselves in the fervor of combat for a few moments.

As the Ogres fell McDougal shuddered

"Look at the torches" he pointed at the torch pikes whose tops were human heads. The very tops of the skulls had been cut off to make room for whatever the source of the green fire was.

McDougal then pointed to a lone entrance into the side of the mountain. The party took a few moments to rest, and cast some spells that would aide them in the trials to come. They had little time to prepare with an infants life on the line.

The party entered the cave.....

I shall return....

 

[Stone Angel]

The cave seemed to go on forever twisting this way and that, like a long snake. There were traps everywhere of a wicked nature. The party passed most of these without much injury, untill a particular bend to the left. Lucas was ahead making sure that the way is clear.

"Hey everyone becareful there is some sort of glue here" said Lucas without to much alarm.

"How do you know that" asked Mason

"Because I am stuck to the ground you moron" Lucas shot back

Stoli who really didn't care for the bards attitude at the time took to throwing small stones at the Elf saying

"What are you gonna do, fairy boy". The rest of the party welcomed this little comic relief considering the horror and terror they had all been through in the past 24 hours.

The bard annoyed that no one was helping him, decided to play a trick on the dwarf.

"Stoli come here I wish to tell you a story, a story about an orc....." said Lucas

The bard began to sing a little melody that reminded everyone of a bar tune and began to tell the dwarf a hillarious story of an orcish thief that one day bit off more than he could chew by stealing some spirits from a band of dwarves.

The rest of the party watched as Stoli stood there totally captivated by the bards tale even a few moments afterwords.

When Stoli came to he realized that everyone was laughing, and he had been hit by a small stone, the same stone that he had thrown at the elf just a second ago.

"Hey..." Stoli started

"Just get me unstuck for Pelors sake" Lucas interupted

Caber walked forward to help Lucas but just as he got near he heard a small click then the ceiling exploded above Lucas

When the dust cleared they found that the trap had let loose a mass amount of giant bones that were hidden up into the ceiling above the adhesive area. Caber had escaped most damage. Lucas however was unconscious and was bloodied and badly bruised. First the party got him unstuck then Mason beseached his god with great supplication to allow him back to the realm of the living. A graceful aura surrounded the body of Lucas. The light grew brighter and seemed warm then Lucas gasped a large breath as if he was underwater for a long time.

After they had regained there bearings and cleared the path of the large bones. They continued on down the snaking passageway, finaly it opened up. The saw to bodies peeled in a similar fashion as the warrior Redferne. The party guessed that the bodies were the easterners Domone and his sister. Then they noticed the hunched robed form that skulked in the shadows. The robed one whispered a word. MdDougal could tell it was magic speak but it was full of wickedness. The forms began to animate and the robed figure turned into a cloud of vapor with a "pft".

Soon battle was joined. Caber engaged the fleshless Domone in a fury of fists, feet, and grapples. Domone led with an unorthodox attack. A ridgehand to his left shoulder, then with that same arm curled his arm to strike with his elbow but Caber blocked it, counter small upercut, followed by a knee to the midsection. Fulrik and Mason surrounded the form of Rain. She did not last long. McDougal and Stoli both sent a number of bolts of energy that pummeled into Domone's body. Lucas cast a spell on himself.

Domone's peeled face took on a grimace of anger as he lept into the air and planted two feet right into Caber's chest, landed then lept forward with backhand that sent Caber reeling. Domone went to press the attack further but was stopped by another barrage from Stoli and McDougal. Caber gritted his teeth drove forward landed a roundhouse kick to the midsection, then a kick to the back of Domones leg, bringing him to one knee, he then followed that up by a spinning kick to the back of Domones head.
He slumped to the floor where he did not get back up.

Now that Domone and Raine were down Mason spoke a prayer hoping this time that they would find rest in the here after.

McDougal was the first to speak "That was Domone and Raine...So that leaves"

"Benito and the half elf" finished Lucas. They healed up a little bit and kept going.

Another chamber opened up this one with the forms Sarek and Benito and the robed figure that vanished again. These two proved a little more tough, but in the end the party overcame. They were tired and had used up much of there resources but the dare not rest...Not here, they steeled there nerves and strode forward to find the One Eyed Hag.


I shall return.....

 

[Stone Angel]

The party entered the hag's lair quietly, the last cavern was decorated with bones and well preserved bits of human flesh, presumably for later meals. They found the hag immersed over a bubbling pot in an incantation. Her guard was down with luck this would be easy. Fulrik charged and used his double sword like a spear, it went through the hag.

"Damn an Illusion" cried Fulrik though it was to late the damage was done. Stoli lay in a bloodied heap at the rear of the troupe.

The party regrouped, This time Caber charged forward, feinting low then going high, he missed however. McDougal called forth a block of pure force to imprison the witch. No luck though. Lucas began a millitary melody that helped calm the party and lead an organized strike. He charged forward with his rapier, with deft skill, making a cut on the Hag's right arm, drawing forth a green ichor. Mason moved into a position where he could tend to Stoli's wounds.

Fulrik quaffed a potion, he felt immensley stronger. The Hag moved with blinding speed raking Caber with two wicked claws to his chest, Caber prepared to counter but the Hag diappeared. The rest of the party scanned the room but found it was empty.

Lucas was the first to see her. She was standing over Mason who was in supplication for a healing spell for Stoli. The party charged trying to get the hags attention they all charged towards her. That may be what she had intended all the time. The party gasped in suprise as a bolt of pure lightning ripped through almost the entire party. McDougal saw a bundled form then heards the babes cry, he grabbed the babe and took off back down the cave. Lucas used his own healing on himself. Mason lost his concentration when he was hit by the Lightning bolt. Fulrik was injured but knew that if he did not step forward they would perish. He charged swinging wildly and connected a powerful blow that opened up the Hag's midsection, she screamed in pain and suprise.

The Hag was silenced by a beam of sacred light as she diminished into a steaming husk. The rest of the party breathed a sigh of relief. They quickly tended to Stoli whose breath was ragged, and spittle was painted with blood. But they saved him they healed up a little looted the few things that they found and headed back to the travelers haven.

 

[Stone Angel]

WHERE...In the capitol city Paridon

"A fog had risen, the autmn night was mild and comfortable, there would be many out this night after a days long work" the dark form thought as he strode threw the alley. Tonight would be a success. He traveled down the Road of Indulgence which was lined with shops that sold anything and everything...everything. He noticed a party of three men he passed by them into an alley.
Then he saw her, she was beautiful to the eyes of normal men, but he was NOT normal, he saw only her sins, she was filthy, dirty, she was unclean, and stained. Yes he would remove this blight against the gods this sinner.

That morning the watchmen found another body, just like the others, on her back, hands crossed over her chest, silver coins laid upon her eyes, and somewhere they knew she would have a wound closed up indicating an organ had been "stolen".

Bloody Jack had killed again. And somehow they knew this would not be the last girl they saw dead.

That same moment, at a place ancient an unknown

The tall figure read the runes just as he had read the stars the previous night. He had waited for this moment for countless millenia since the prophet had phrophicied. The time was drawing nigh, and so were the hero's. Perhaps it was time to meet them. Yes he would set out first thing in the morning.

I shall return.....

 

[Stone Angel]

The party returned the babe to the gypsy woman. She thanked them time and time again. The ate a breakfast and hurried down the mountain towards the borders of the kingdom Alos. The did not regret leaving this place.

The next few days passed without incident, the wheather was pleasant as the first real days of autmn began to set in. The passed through a small town the inkeeper indicated that they were two days from the Marquis estate. With more luck the be there with a few days to "gather" some information, be in and out without the Marquis noticing.

The party arrived two days before the tournament, thought the festivities were well underway. The party bid the gypsies farewell, as the set off for purposes of their own.

"This was a welcome holiday for these people the Marquis is known well for how hard and unsympathetically he works his people" said Lucas

"They really go all out" Stoli said "Merchants of all kinds, a circus, and I am bad need of a malt beer. There is the common tent. What say ye lads?"

Everyone agreed. They were asked if they were here to participate. They agreed to participate in the Hero's Melee. Fulrik presented his paytons and they headed to the common tent.

Asking around proved hit and miss they learned a lot. Whether it was truthful or pertinent to the mission, well none can say.

They learned that the circus folk are weird the only come out at night,

A drunk told them that the Marquis was a vampire!

There was a troll problem and that the Alosian millitary had sent a platoon to deal with the problem.

The Marquis preformed experiments on trolls.

They met back at the cabin tent set in the field, and discussed what they had learned. They concluded that after the Hero's melee they would scout out the mansion.

"Is not St. Kain supposed to be here" pondered McDougal aloud.

"Yes, we may find him a usefull ally" stated Lucas

"Or not" said Fulrik, he explained " Kain is very....Odd. Unless you worship the shining one, or have earned his respect, he can be very distant."

"Have you ever met him befor Sir Fulrik" asked McDougal.

"Charles just call me Fulrik, please. No not directly, I have met Magnus Rex. He was a senior student in the academy of arms, when I was drafted into the millitary." Replied Fulrik

"Lions of Pelor is the name of their company I believe" added Lucas, "They are reproted to be very, very good."

Caber finally spoke " Perhaps they are seeking the item also. But why would Romero send both our groups.

Everyone knew of Cabers distrust of Romero and the fact that they were in the dark about these "children".

The next day the entered and won the grand melee, though barely. They dubbed their company name "The sons of Artaurus" as they recieved there prize. Platinum pendants bearing the crest of Alos, triple Ravens set against a red field.

They found St. Kain to be no help at all, he would not even see them, they spoke briefly with Magnus Rex and another of their member a magess Lillith. The two assured them that they were here on leave, and to see St. Kain joust.

Stoli came back from his scouting mission that night saying he had found a servants entrance that led to a sub level, which is where he believed that the servants were housed. There would be a banquet after the joust, that is when they would enter the mansion.

I shall return....

 

[Stone Angel]

De'Saad's mansion set atop a small hill, that looked down over his lands. The mansion itself was a sprawling single level complex, with a sub level(according to Stoli), with a single tower attached towards the rear.

The party decided to try to scale the tower instead of work their way up. The tower had one lone window that looked out to the south, towards the forest that bordered the Marquis lands. Lucas and Caber were the only ones to enter the others standing guard or ready to make a distraction. Personal was small skeleton crew since almost everyone was attending the banquet and award ceremonies. They did not notice the first few of the large lumbering green forms emerge from the forest, nor the small ones that accompanied them. If they had they would have noticed that they marched......For battle.

Lucas was up first and helped the monk in the window.

"Remember plain urn" Lucas said to Caber as the scanned the room.

Apparently this was the Marquis personal chamber and study. Lucas thumbed threw some documentation that was on his desk, remembering certain facts he thought interesting. Caber saw the urn on a mantle over a fireplace in the rear. He grabbed and headed towards the window.

"I've got it lets go!" said Caber angry that Lucas was more interested in the Marquis personal affects than the task at hand.

"Alright, alright" said Lucas

Then they were down, the had done it in and out, no problems until they heard the whispers of a patrol rounding the corner.

Caber sprinted straight towards the corner and past. The guards took the bait chasing after him, commanding him to "Halt".

Caber stopped suddenly and kept his back turned. One grabbed him on the shoulder and attempted to spin him around. Caber anticipated this backed into the guard with an elbow to the stomach, using the same momentum slammed the back of his own head into the guards nose. Caber smirked in satisfaction when he heard catilage crunch. Mason came in from behind and knocked out the other guard with a blow from his mace.

They regrouped at there field tent. McDougal decided to head back to Artaurus with the child, he would take the Toll Road almost all the way there and avoid any dangerous treks through the mountains. He set off while the rest made for the banquet.

They passed through the midway where the circus was just starting to liven up, at dusk. They made there way to the building where the banquet was held. They were about to be seated when they heard a scream from outside. The banquet crowd murmered saying someone should stop whoever is making a fool of themselves.

The party outside saw what had caused the scream. There what seemed like hundreds of little brown "trolls" they moved with blinding speed and seemed to come from all directions. Then they saw the actual trolls jumping through the window of the banquet, attacking the nobility.

"Thats a little odd that would pass up the easy meat of the common folk don't you think" asked Caber as the party prepared to engage a small band of about seven of the "mini-trolls" that were accosting some citizens.

By the time the party had dealt with the little trolls most of the survivors were holed up at the field arena. Why was beyond the party that was probably the worst defensible position ever. They made ther way to help.

“Manlings will suffer, you will all suffer. The strong one told us to come that, we could win with his help. We will rule this land with him as friend." shouted an inhuman voice from their right.

The party looked to see two unuasually large, and well armed trolls advancing toward the party. One of them was probably the chief.

“Humeans... how dare you oppose us, you and the man you defend will die. The Painted one slew our old chief Oolog, so that we could see his power, then he make me chief. He told us he would help us defeat De’Saad, and we are. You not scare Gorgos, with The Painted one, us trolls win this day."

The party fought a drawn out fight with the two trolls. They escaped without two much injury. They stopped a running civilain and asked where the rest of the fighting was at. He told them that the knights had taken up a position in the tilting grounds and were holding off the trolls well.

"Good if that was there leader, then they should soon break" stated Fulrik.

A scream cut through the air. They turned to see an armored figure pounce on a young woman tearing into her like a wolf into a deer. Then he started to feed on her.

Caber ran forward leaping into the air extending both feet in front of him. The armored figure looked up just in time to recieve two feet in his chest. The form flung back but then turned into a sommersalt and rolled to his feet. Face covered in a dark blood. Stoli let loose his bolts of force the rest of the party spread out flanking him. Now they could see his face. It was Lord Tarran Rand. He was the one St. Kain was to face in the finals of the joust, but did not show. Now they knew why.

"Vampire, sweet St. Cutbert, it is a vampire" shouted Mason.

Caber was the first to engage him. He started at the vampire like he would do a straight kick, but instead pivoted and sprung to one hand and brought the other leg over and slammed it into Rand's neck. The vampire shrugged the effect off and tore into the monk with claws and teeth, the only thing that stopped him from pressing his attack were more of Stoli's force bolts. The others surounded him and finally he fell, but he had put at a dent in all there hearts as they looked to Caber's form whose breathing was ragged and blood painted the ground. A few words from Mason and the warrior could once again walk but was far from fighting form. The vampire had sapped the strenght from some of the others as well. But nothing could prepare them for what happened next......


I shall return....

 

[Stone Angel]

They all felt it. One of those moments, where fate has laid down all it's cards. They seemed helpless. Depleted from there battles with the trolls and vampire Tarran Rand, they seemed helpless. At first it was hard to tell, the haze of battle clouded everything.All of them turned at once to see three trolls mounted atop large bears. The trolls dismounted. One bearing fine armor pulled a large warhammer from his saddle, it had a human face stretched across it's with. A horrifying item. The next nocks an arrow in his bow made out of human bones, and the third a shaman of sorts, had claws twice as large as the others.

"Could it be....The slayers" asked Lucas aloud

"Bah childrens stories" shouted Fulrik.

"Yes pour some fire on them and they will die like any other troll" added Caber.

Stoli chimed in "Nay, we must tarry not and retreat with haste. We are wounded and in no condition to fend off adversaries such as these. If these are the slayers of legend as the poet says".

The legends were true, the half listened to stories from town fools and supposed mad survivors were true. This is no mere story to keep the children from misbehaving. There are actually trolls that live for one purpose only, to slay men, and were here.

The trolls started to advance towards the party. Out of the corner of his eye Mason spotted a familiar caravan. The gypsies caravan. One gypsy was shouting at them and motioning for them to hurry. Who knows for how long all had been lost in the din of battle.

The party rushed to wagaons and the drivers sped away like the wind leaving the carnage, and death behind.

Once back Paridon they took a much needed rest. The massacre at De'Saads was publicized in The Weekly Flyer. But they recieved there reward and knew that soon enough they would be called on again.....


I shall return.....

 

[Stone Angel]

The night was chill with the autumn air, a good night for business thought Lucas as he surveyed the bar from his table on the second floor. Most of his companions who had become known as the Sons of Artaurus would be in tonight with the exception of McDougal the Mage's guild had sent him on an archeological excavation of some old ruin. Stoli was already here eating some veal and roasted potatoes. That sounds good, he thought. I shall join him. He sat down besides Stoli and started to make conversation when the door opened. The man was gigantic, very tall and nearly as round as a barrel. He was clad in heavy robes, of an unfamiliar design, and his cowell was pulled tight around his head, his face remained a mystery. One of the waitresses went about telling the stranger that they would not be open for about another hour.

He simply pointed at Lucas and Stoli and said "I have business. With them." He continued "My name is...Well you may call me Adam. I am far from the North, and have spent many days in the elements. So I shall make this brief, I have a question. Did you not enter a cave filled with gigantic murals, of dragons, beasts, and other things you did not understand. You did see didn't you" he said more telling the asking.

Stoli started "Yes but how did you..."

"I know many things sir dwarf, some you need to know some that have not been uttered since the first rays of the sun. Now you would be wise to heed my words." Adam said.

At this he pulled back his hood, Stoli nearly spit out his ale. He was human enough, but there was certain subtleties that reminded them of a lion. Before they could ask questions he continued.

Fulrik was the last to arrive at the pub. They told him of the stranger Adam, and his tale.

He spoke of a great sphere to the north, past e'en through the land of the Horned Ones. He said it was are destiny" said Stoli as he briefed Fulrik. They sat discussing his riddle.

"His last words were this" Lucas said. "I have shown you the path, with tongues of fire, but you shall also start on the trail of the dead." the bard finished.

They all sat thinking about what this could mean. Then Mason asked

"What is this" he said pulling the weekly flyer from underneath Fulriks plate of steaming food.

"What do you think it is, damned fool. It's the flyer, ya' know comes around once a week. Tells about important events and such. Gee I guess it's new concept, they've only been doing it since before you were born." Said Stoli angered that Mason would interupt a serious conversation over something as menial as that.

"No look" Mason pointed to where the hot plate had been set down on top of the flyer.

"It looks like writing of some sort" Caber said.

"Of course" Lucas started as he snatched the flyer from Mason's hand. "Adam pointed to this as he left saying I had mail.

Lucas looked around muttering "tongues of flame, tongues of flame" he finally found a candle behind the bar. Once lit he held the flyers back over the flame. Soon a map remained, although vague it was something to go on.

The map contained a few distinct marks. A point marking Paridon, and a trail leading to the north by north-west to a marking that read Great Sphere. It also showed a great eye and a trio of humanoid figures. However they had no clue what the last two really meant. They all left for the night, not sure if they knew more at the beginning of the day or now.

That morning they were summoned by Romero once again. The old spymaster had become quite fond of the group and was beginning to trust them more and more as well as offer up more about the quest for the Eight Children.

Romero started "The Eight Children each represent a pinnacle of the great wheel an element if you will. While seperate they are useless together however they possess some power. Although I am not entirely sure what there use is either. By the way have any of you seen St. Kain? No. Hmmm most disturbing. He has not been seen since the tournament and his body was not found."

"Alas we get down to business" he continued. "The final child is located in a small lake town known as Bastion. The church of Wee Jas there is holding the item for us. Their church here has asked me to send an emissary with you. His name is Tartallion, he will meet with you in the morning at the western gate in three days time. I look forward to seeing you again my friends.


I shall return....