In the Valus - The Heroes of Marchford (Chapter 14 Continues - 12/24/08)

[Funeris]

Ah...hmmm...okay...hmmm...

It's now 'sometime in June' time! <looks around for an update>

Ah...so it is, so it is. I enjoyed my vacation...and somehow managed to return to my "normal" life. Don't ask me how. It was difficult...very very difficult not to stay on Oahu. <sigh>

So, now, I'm going to let the can of worms out of the bag (so to speak). Our group is on a hiatus. I do believe its going to be a permanent hiatus. This has been the major factor in my...seeming reluctance to update. I don't like stories without an ending. So, I've been ambivalent (at best) about continuing my updates. But it seems the desire for me to continue is still there.

Also, the Yeti has also begun his own Story Hour based on what happened 20 years after the stuff in this Story Hour. I need to give him a better tie in...so I don't want to leave my story hanging. You all can find the link in my signature if you want to read it.

So, this is what I'm going to do. I'm going to go through the rest of our sessions. I may even take more creative license with these characters now. But I will at least touch on everything we did. It may jump around a bit. I may try adjusting my style until I am sure I've found my niche. But, I will be here. And I will be updating. And I will try to tie this thread off neatly. And, it should be a nice intro for the Yeti's thread.

Now that I've got that aside, how 'bout an update? I warn you now, its short. But I have to get back to work and can't work on this until I finish up with another project (by the end of this week). So, this update's for you:

 

[Funeris]

Chapter 11: Abbey of Sin Continued

Tobias stood in the center of the rapidly fading effect. Uzukiel, the half-fiend, the hot-blooded murderer, the beast Tobias was sent to eradicate had already collapsed into ash. Tobias’ hand had not made the killing blow. The success of this battle had been in large part, Magnus’ doing. Even Motega had landed several strikes.

Tobias had been, in a word, ineffectual.

Now the Holy charge of the angel Reddel wondered if their attack had been a bit hasty. The Heroes had faced the necessary and expected evils of invading a desecrated tomb. Wicked followers of the half-fiend had been mercilessly vanquished. The hordes of goblins and gnolls had fallen to the group; to Tobias’ blade in specific. But the cool steel held in the paladin’s hand had not once touched the real target.

Tobias’ glanced around at his comrades; all resting momentarily in the debris laden courtyard of the abbey. There they sat gathering their strength and cleaning gear. All of the companions were covered in the blood of their enemies and the foul dirt of this place. All, except for Magnus, sported minor burns.

Uzukiel had asked to speak with the party before the combat. He had specifically wanted an audience with Tobias. It seemed as if the half-fiend had expected them. The Heroes offered no such chance at parley. They shot the messenger, allowing the gnoll to run back to its master. Then, the Heroes did what heroes did. They stormed the humble room cut into the face of the plateau.

Tobias now doubted that Uzukiel was trying to trick the party. Something in his gut churned; the realization that a parley could have offered some information. The paladin shook his head trying to remove that thought. After all, why trust a half-fiend? It had to have been a trick.

Even if it wasn’t, Uzukiel seemed prepared for battle. Perhaps the Heroes pushed him into the position. When the Heroes approached the door of the room, they found themselves caught in Uzukiel’s web both literally and figuratively. And Uzukiel flew above the movement-constraining web, ranting and raving. He also had his pick of which Hero to kill.

Only, the half-fiend hadn’t prepared for the mage. Magnus had stayed back from the main party to watch another doorway. Once his friends were ensnared, Magnus returned. It was the mage that burned the web and consequentially his friends. It was the mage that had saved the Heroes’ collective asses. And once the webs had burned away, Motega and the mage were most effective. Tobias had been…useless.

Whatever Uzukiel had wanted to speak to the paladin was scattered to the wind with his ashes. The silky strands had all but vanished in the few moments since his death. Only unanswered questions would remain.

Tobias grimaced. He hefted his sword and laid the blade across his shoulder. The paladin stalked away from his companions.

Magnus’ head darted up at the movement. “Hey! Where are you going?!”

Tobias remained silent. He crossed the large courtyard and stood at the other door. This doorway was recessed into the stone, just as Uzukiel’s had been. Tobias glared at the thick door. He grabbed the handle and wrenched but the door was solidly locked.

Magnus bolted over to Tobias, company in tow. The mage slipped his large hand onto the paladin’s arm. “What the f*ck do you think your doing?!”

“My job.” The paladin grunted as he kicked the door, shattering the old lock. The door flew open.

 

[Destan]

I'm too busy handing Funeris his own butt in chess to DM.

 

[Mortepierre]

I'm too busy handing Funeris his own butt in chess to DM.

How about just updating SoOF2 then?

Now that I've got that aside, how 'bout an update? I warn you now, its short. But I have to get back to work and can't work on this until I finish up with another project (by the end of this week). So, this update's for you:

<snif> I feel all special now

 

[WizarDru]

I'm too busy handing Funeris his own butt in chess to DM.

But...but...Chess doesn't even use dice! [shudder]


Good ol' web. Funny story: in our secondary game, we were running one of the mini-modules that AEG used to put out. A major battle broke out in a stairwell, and one of the PCs pulled out Web. This was the first time we had seen it cast (this being under 3.0 way back in late 2000) and the NPCs were immobilized, as were two PCs in the process. Then they asked "So, how long until this thing dissolves?" Then we looked it up in the book....20 more minutes. So the party basically sat down and ate lunch, being unable to do anything else until the web disappeared.

Well, I thought it was funny, anyhow.

 

[TheYeti1775]

Yes the truth is now out.
Destan preferred having gay cross-dressing midgets all to himself.
Like WizDru I shudder at the thought of a diceless game, remembering the dark years of the late eighties and early nineties.

But now for the shameless plug.
Yes, I'm starting a Valus campaign set 20 years past the point of the sourcebook.
It divorces itself of this story in linear structure after the incident in Rhelm. If Funeris writes about it, you will know what I speak of.

If you are interested we welcome new players, we are playing primarily using a Yahoo Group page by post and when we get all our times together on Fantasy Grounds. And if lucky then in person.

Feel free to email me for any details. Even if you can only play via yahoo, I'm sure I have roles available for use. Not everyone has to be on the same side in this grim world.

Just send emails to my addie here on EnWorld. I will get them.

Bill

 

[Funeris]

True, chess does not use dice. We've played how many times now pudgy D? I must've lost count. You've won what? Like once? And then Yeti lost to me twice today as well...

The web was a pain in the ass. Big ol' pain in the but. But you know, once you get past the idea of setting your barely double digit character on fire it doesn't pose that much of a problem.

And like I said, I will keep updating....there just might not be a nice tied-up-with-a-bow-ending. Actually, thinking ahead...its kinda tragic. Sigh.

Well I guess if pudgy D ever wants to beat me at a game, he'll have to pick up DMing again...eventually.

 

[HalfOrc HalfBiscuit]

And like I said, I will keep updating....

I'm very glad to hear it.

there just might not be a nice tied-up-with-a-bow-ending.

I wouldn't worry too much about that. Obviously a neat ending would be great for the storyhour, but it's my experience that more campaigns end with a whimper than a bang. I'm amazed at the (real life) length of some of the campaigns reported on these boards, to be honest. I've invariably found that the vagaries of people's lives mean that groups ending up drifting apart.

I'll keep reading anyway (as I'm sure others will) even if the final updates is of the "series canned" rather than the "epic series finale" variety.

 

[Funeris]

Yuppers. Real Life has a tendency to intervene. I think at this point we were all about...4th level. We've still got 4 levels left until we were canned. The ending is tragic, including <spoiler deleted> and <spoiler deleted>. But then <spoiler deleted>. And it should be a great tie-in for Yeti's SH, like I've said before.

I know, I know, I tease with the <spoiler deleted>s. Here's another tidbit to keep you all reading: I was on my third character when we called a hiatus.

 

[TheYeti1775]

Yes we were 4th, Motega was pushing 5th or just turned 5th with the Battle of the Abbey.
Magnus remembers where he turned 5th and could finally learn the boom boom spell.
I was a scroll writing fool whenever we had enough time. Pudgy D would tell me how many days of writing I could get done and I would tick off the experience and some ill gotten silver, if Tobias asks I destroyed it not sold it. Yes the scrolls slowed me down experience wise but they saved our ass later on in the game.