Menu
News
All News
Dungeons & Dragons
Level Up: Advanced 5th Edition
Pathfinder
Starfinder
Warhammer
2d20 System
Year Zero Engine
Industry News
Reviews
Dragon Reflections
Columns
Weekly Digests
Weekly News Digest
Freebies, Sales & Bundles
RPG Print News
RPG Crowdfunding News
Game Content
ENterplanetary DimENsions
Mythological Figures
Opinion
Worlds of Design
Peregrine's Next
RPG Evolution
Other Columns
From the Freelancing Frontline
Monster ENcyclopedia
WotC/TSR Alumni Look Back
4 Hours w/RSD (Ryan Dancey)
The Road to 3E (Jonathan Tweet)
Greenwood's Realms (Ed Greenwood)
Drawmij's TSR (Jim Ward)
Community
Forums & Topics
Forum List
Latest Posts
Forum list
*Dungeons & Dragons
Level Up: Advanced 5th Edition
D&D Older Editions
*TTRPGs General
*Pathfinder & Starfinder
EN Publishing
*Geek Talk & Media
Search forums
Chat/Discord
Resources
Wiki
Pages
Latest activity
Media
New media
New comments
Search media
Downloads
Latest reviews
Search resources
EN Publishing
Store
EN5ider
Adventures in ZEITGEIST
Awfully Cheerful Engine
What's OLD is NEW
Judge Dredd & The Worlds Of 2000AD
War of the Burning Sky
Level Up: Advanced 5E
Events & Releases
Upcoming Events
Private Events
Featured Events
Socials!
Twitch
YouTube
Facebook (EN Publishing)
Facebook (EN World)
Twitter
Instagram
TikTok
Podcast
Features
Top 5 RPGs Compiled Charts 2004-Present
Adventure Game Industry Market Research Summary (RPGs) V1.0
Ryan Dancey: Acquiring TSR
Q&A With Gary Gygax
D&D Rules FAQs
TSR, WotC, & Paizo: A Comparative History
D&D Pronunciation Guide
Million Dollar TTRPG Kickstarters
Tabletop RPG Podcast Hall of Fame
Eric Noah's Unofficial D&D 3rd Edition News
D&D in the Mainstream
D&D & RPG History
About Morrus
Log in
Register
What's new
Search
Search
Search titles only
By:
Forums & Topics
Forum List
Latest Posts
Forum list
*Dungeons & Dragons
Level Up: Advanced 5th Edition
D&D Older Editions
*TTRPGs General
*Pathfinder & Starfinder
EN Publishing
*Geek Talk & Media
Search forums
Chat/Discord
Menu
Log in
Register
Install the app
Install
Community
Playing the Game
Story Hour
Heritage of Dragonsreach (UPDATED September 4, 2007)
JavaScript is disabled. For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding.
You are using an out of date browser. It may not display this or other websites correctly.
You should upgrade or use an
alternative browser
.
Reply to thread
Message
<blockquote data-quote="sniffles" data-source="post: 3406412" data-attributes="member: 30035"><p><strong>Finding Our Way</strong></p><p></p><p>Praise the Lady! It seems we won't have as much difficulty locating the village of the Blessed as I'd feared. I should trust in her more. I wish I could convince Latan to do the same. She's so doubtful sometimes that it worries me. I suppose that's just part of her fey nature.</p><p></p><p>After our brief farewell to the crew of the <em>Fey Wind</em>, Roland suggested we make our way to the temple of Ubtao and pay our respects to the deity who once ruled this land in person. Latan didn't understand why we should need to do that, but she didn't refuse to come along. </p><p></p><p>The temple is certainly an impressive structure, especially in a country like Chult that is less civilized than the lands further to the north. It's the tallest building I've ever seen, made of crystal and colored glass and broader at the bottom than at the pinnacle. Curiously it has only one entrance. I'd have expected more in such a large structure. When we made our way through this single portal we found ourselves in the Hall of Champions, a tall chamber filled with huge black stone statues of the <em>barae</em>, the protectors of Chult. There were a few other visitors in the Hall, most of them looking as out of place as we did. </p><p></p><p>Roland and Hedrin became attracted to some disturbance near an empty plinth. Hedrin claimed that a man who'd been standing there a few moments earlier had simply vanished. There's a rumor that one of the <em>barae</em> was exiled for his involvement in wiping out the Eshowe people, and supposedly if you say his name you'll be whisked away to his current location. Evidently the empty plinth must have been meant for a statue of this exiled barae. I don't know if the rumor is true, but just out of caution I won't inscribe his name here.</p><p></p><p>At the end of the Hall of Champions there was an archway that seemed unnaturally dark. We couldn't see any light coming from it, nor hear any sounds from beyond. But we didn't think it would hurt us, as Ubtao isn't an evil god. So we took a chance and stepped through together. </p><p></p><p>We didn't arrive together on the other side. I found myself in a cupboard. When I stuck my head out into the corridor I saw no one. I stepped out and called for my friends, but heard no reply. Catching a scent of something cooking, I proceeded in that direction. This led me into a kitchen, where numerous servants were busy preparing food. They didn't seem disturbed by my presence and pleasantly offered me something to eat. When I explained that I'd gotten lost they didn't seem surprised. I mentioned that I'd become separated from my companions and that led to the discovery that Hedrin had already been to the kitchen. The cooks directed me down another corridor. </p><p></p><p>I quickly stumbled upon Hedrin in the temple apothecary. The healer greeted us very kindly and again didn't seem surprised or perturbed by visitors wandering around the temple. While we were chatting with him Roland found us. He told us he'd arrived in what appeared to be a throne room. Apparently if one doesn't have a set destination in mind, the magical portal in the archway will send the visitor to a random location. </p><p></p><p>Latan didn't turn up, so we set off in search of her. On the way Roland explained that the throne room had contained a map of the city on which he could see all the populace moving about as tiny motes of light, and by their colors could determine who was a native and who was a traveler! I should like to see that device myself should I get the opportunity. </p><p></p><p>We found Latan back at the entrance. She told us that was where the archway portal had deposited her, so she'd simply waited for us to return. Roland had left a donation to the temple with the healer, so we concluded that our business at the temple was done and set off to seek a guide for our search. There is no official guild of guides here, but we'd learned through the information Istanil provided that guides into the interior can be found in certain parts of the city. </p><p></p><p>Unfortunately we had little success in procurring a guide. The man we spoke to didn't seem disposed to help us, even when Roland explained that the village we seek is in grave danger and we only want to help. Hedrin had the impression that the man was afraid of something. He insisted that he couldn't help us and that all the other guides were away from Mezro at present. At an impasse, we decided to go and find an inn before trying again to find a guide.</p><p></p><p>After we'd found rooms and had a meal, Roland, Hedrin and I set off for the scholar's quarter, while Latan decided to visit the agricultural market. Roland and I were a bit concerned that she should go off on her own, and Hedrin offered to accompany her, but she insisted she'd be fine and wouldn't approach Lerner or his cronies if she saw them. She was so determined that we gave in. Before we left Roland performed an <em>augury</em> to determine if there was danger, and received a response that nothing immediate threatened us.</p><p></p><p>Mezro is laid out in a circle, divided into four equal quarters, though what lies within those quarters isn't an equal distribution of the populace. The wizard's college lies within the scholar's quarter, and we hoped there to find a sage who would know of the village of the Blessed. While Roland and I went to seek a sage, Hedrin acquainted himself with some warriors who were practicing in a nearby courtyard.</p><p></p><p>We had to wait for a time at the library until the sages returned. We took the opportunity to do some research. We didn't find a great deal, although Roland didn locate a tome containing some vague information about a kind of forbidden magic and hunters who would bring outcasts back to their villages. Apparently those who could perform this strange magic would often leave their homes and these hunters would return them, but Roland couldn't determine from the meager information if the practitioners of the magic were brought back under duress. The book had been transcribed some 70 years ago, which wasn't promising. My own researches were even less successful.</p><p></p><p>Hedrin then rejoined us and told us that one of the warriors he'd, met Bantu by name, had been friendly enough to tell him a little about the village we seek. Bantu had given Hedrin the names of several guides who might be willing to take us there. After a short time we were introduced to a sage called Shasu who seemed more receptive to our inquiries than the would-be guide had been. When we told him what we sought he immediately remarked, "You seek the village of the Blessed." It was such a relief to find someone who knew what we were talking about! </p><p></p><p>Shasu was very secretive, but he explained that the village is treated with great respect here and the reason the guide wouldn't speak with us is due to the desire of the citizens to protect the Blessed. The Blessed of this village helped the people of Chult in their last war. The village can't be located by any scrying magic. The people of Mezro had once given the villagers a protection of some sort, but it seemed that they didn't really need it. Shasu also told us we might be able to find guides who would be better than the ones Bantu had mentioned to Hedrin. But we may need to speak with the king and gain his permission first. </p><p></p><p>Hedrin also reminded me of an event I'd not thought of for a long while. Some 90 years ago a monk named Xiao Lu left Dragonsreach suddenly and never returned. I was only a child then and didn't pay much mind to that, but I'd heard of it through my <em>Naneth</em>. According to Bantu, the village of the Blessed here had been established by a woman whose voice had the power to do amazing things - and this woman fit the description of Xiao Lu! </p><p>___________________________</p><p><strong>Quips & Quotes:</strong></p><p></p><p>Zora: "One of the two explorers over there is dumbfounded..."</p><p>Devo: "... and one is dumb and not found."</p><p></p><p>Zora: "You get the feeling the chair can turn."</p><p>Hedrin: "Roll a turn check."</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="sniffles, post: 3406412, member: 30035"] [b]Finding Our Way[/b] Praise the Lady! It seems we won't have as much difficulty locating the village of the Blessed as I'd feared. I should trust in her more. I wish I could convince Latan to do the same. She's so doubtful sometimes that it worries me. I suppose that's just part of her fey nature. After our brief farewell to the crew of the [I]Fey Wind[/I], Roland suggested we make our way to the temple of Ubtao and pay our respects to the deity who once ruled this land in person. Latan didn't understand why we should need to do that, but she didn't refuse to come along. The temple is certainly an impressive structure, especially in a country like Chult that is less civilized than the lands further to the north. It's the tallest building I've ever seen, made of crystal and colored glass and broader at the bottom than at the pinnacle. Curiously it has only one entrance. I'd have expected more in such a large structure. When we made our way through this single portal we found ourselves in the Hall of Champions, a tall chamber filled with huge black stone statues of the [I]barae[/I], the protectors of Chult. There were a few other visitors in the Hall, most of them looking as out of place as we did. Roland and Hedrin became attracted to some disturbance near an empty plinth. Hedrin claimed that a man who'd been standing there a few moments earlier had simply vanished. There's a rumor that one of the [I]barae[/I] was exiled for his involvement in wiping out the Eshowe people, and supposedly if you say his name you'll be whisked away to his current location. Evidently the empty plinth must have been meant for a statue of this exiled barae. I don't know if the rumor is true, but just out of caution I won't inscribe his name here. At the end of the Hall of Champions there was an archway that seemed unnaturally dark. We couldn't see any light coming from it, nor hear any sounds from beyond. But we didn't think it would hurt us, as Ubtao isn't an evil god. So we took a chance and stepped through together. We didn't arrive together on the other side. I found myself in a cupboard. When I stuck my head out into the corridor I saw no one. I stepped out and called for my friends, but heard no reply. Catching a scent of something cooking, I proceeded in that direction. This led me into a kitchen, where numerous servants were busy preparing food. They didn't seem disturbed by my presence and pleasantly offered me something to eat. When I explained that I'd gotten lost they didn't seem surprised. I mentioned that I'd become separated from my companions and that led to the discovery that Hedrin had already been to the kitchen. The cooks directed me down another corridor. I quickly stumbled upon Hedrin in the temple apothecary. The healer greeted us very kindly and again didn't seem surprised or perturbed by visitors wandering around the temple. While we were chatting with him Roland found us. He told us he'd arrived in what appeared to be a throne room. Apparently if one doesn't have a set destination in mind, the magical portal in the archway will send the visitor to a random location. Latan didn't turn up, so we set off in search of her. On the way Roland explained that the throne room had contained a map of the city on which he could see all the populace moving about as tiny motes of light, and by their colors could determine who was a native and who was a traveler! I should like to see that device myself should I get the opportunity. We found Latan back at the entrance. She told us that was where the archway portal had deposited her, so she'd simply waited for us to return. Roland had left a donation to the temple with the healer, so we concluded that our business at the temple was done and set off to seek a guide for our search. There is no official guild of guides here, but we'd learned through the information Istanil provided that guides into the interior can be found in certain parts of the city. Unfortunately we had little success in procurring a guide. The man we spoke to didn't seem disposed to help us, even when Roland explained that the village we seek is in grave danger and we only want to help. Hedrin had the impression that the man was afraid of something. He insisted that he couldn't help us and that all the other guides were away from Mezro at present. At an impasse, we decided to go and find an inn before trying again to find a guide. After we'd found rooms and had a meal, Roland, Hedrin and I set off for the scholar's quarter, while Latan decided to visit the agricultural market. Roland and I were a bit concerned that she should go off on her own, and Hedrin offered to accompany her, but she insisted she'd be fine and wouldn't approach Lerner or his cronies if she saw them. She was so determined that we gave in. Before we left Roland performed an [I]augury[/I] to determine if there was danger, and received a response that nothing immediate threatened us. Mezro is laid out in a circle, divided into four equal quarters, though what lies within those quarters isn't an equal distribution of the populace. The wizard's college lies within the scholar's quarter, and we hoped there to find a sage who would know of the village of the Blessed. While Roland and I went to seek a sage, Hedrin acquainted himself with some warriors who were practicing in a nearby courtyard. We had to wait for a time at the library until the sages returned. We took the opportunity to do some research. We didn't find a great deal, although Roland didn locate a tome containing some vague information about a kind of forbidden magic and hunters who would bring outcasts back to their villages. Apparently those who could perform this strange magic would often leave their homes and these hunters would return them, but Roland couldn't determine from the meager information if the practitioners of the magic were brought back under duress. The book had been transcribed some 70 years ago, which wasn't promising. My own researches were even less successful. Hedrin then rejoined us and told us that one of the warriors he'd, met Bantu by name, had been friendly enough to tell him a little about the village we seek. Bantu had given Hedrin the names of several guides who might be willing to take us there. After a short time we were introduced to a sage called Shasu who seemed more receptive to our inquiries than the would-be guide had been. When we told him what we sought he immediately remarked, "You seek the village of the Blessed." It was such a relief to find someone who knew what we were talking about! Shasu was very secretive, but he explained that the village is treated with great respect here and the reason the guide wouldn't speak with us is due to the desire of the citizens to protect the Blessed. The Blessed of this village helped the people of Chult in their last war. The village can't be located by any scrying magic. The people of Mezro had once given the villagers a protection of some sort, but it seemed that they didn't really need it. Shasu also told us we might be able to find guides who would be better than the ones Bantu had mentioned to Hedrin. But we may need to speak with the king and gain his permission first. Hedrin also reminded me of an event I'd not thought of for a long while. Some 90 years ago a monk named Xiao Lu left Dragonsreach suddenly and never returned. I was only a child then and didn't pay much mind to that, but I'd heard of it through my [I]Naneth[/I]. According to Bantu, the village of the Blessed here had been established by a woman whose voice had the power to do amazing things - and this woman fit the description of Xiao Lu! ___________________________ [B]Quips & Quotes:[/B] Zora: "One of the two explorers over there is dumbfounded..." Devo: "... and one is dumb and not found." Zora: "You get the feeling the chair can turn." Hedrin: "Roll a turn check." [/QUOTE]
Insert quotes…
Verification
Post reply
Community
Playing the Game
Story Hour
Heritage of Dragonsreach (UPDATED September 4, 2007)
Top