Reply to thread

Message: <blockquote data-quote="Joachim" data-source="post: 2859341" data-attributes="member: 9531">Preamble - A Cry for HelpWith a gasp, Durgarl awoke and sprang upright in his bed.   Breathing hard, feathers covered in sweat, the raptoran jerked his head around the room, looking for invisible foes.  After a few seconds in the silent dark, the cleric’s heart rate slowed, and he realized that he was alone.  It was a dream…no, a nightmare, but one so real, so vivid, that the young priest questioned if it wasn’t some form of communication from The Binder of What is Known, Oghma.  The details were somewhat uncertain but what Durgarl did know was that the entire Channath Vale was under the scourge of war.  Teeming hordes of humanoids poured down from the mountains, burning and murdering everything in its path.  One image played out over and over in the dream, until it became symbolic of the host arrayed against the Vale.  Durgarl recognized the symbol, but could not exactly place where or how he knew it.The symbol was that of a blood-red hand, palm open, slowly expanding over the entire region…----------------------------------------Jarmaath, the Lord Mayor of Rethmar, drummed his fingers on his desk impatiently: His ‘heroes’ were running late.  Just yesterday, a runner had arrived from nearby Drellin’s Ferry, bearing an urgent message.  It would seem that goblinoid raiders had been sacking outlying farmsteads and marauding merchant trains passing through.  While this sort of activity was not uncommon so close to the Wyrmbones, the level of coordination as well as the frequency of the attacks was what concerned the town council in Drellin’s Ferry.  The small hamlet had its own militia, but it was little more than a police force and was not capable of handling the goblin threat…thus they turned to their ‘big brother’ in the east.Rethmar was the largest and, from a military standpoint, the most viable community in the Channath Vale.  Her mighty stone walls would repel even the most determined of invaders, and once deployed her Lion Guard soldiers could crush any goblin warband it met in battle.  Rethmar was also the largest of the Vale’s towns, housing over eighty-four hundred souls.  All things considered Rethmar was, in the opinion of the Lord Mayor, the shining jewel of the region, but this did not negate or even lessen the strategic importance of Drellin’s Ferry.The frontier hamlet would be insignificant were it not for one significant detail:  It was the most accessible gateway into (and out of) the entire Channath Vale.  The main artery through the Vale was a well-worn highway known locally as the Dawn way.  The road cut through the Vale in an east-to-west orientation, until it met the mighty River Talar.  There were no fords crossing this imposing waterway, so a massive stone bridge had to be constructed.  Through the depredations of time the bridge slowly rotted away, and was replaced by a series of ferries, creating the town’s namesake.  The ferryman’s fees for constant passage of pilgrims, merchants, etc., provided the town with a modest income…and a friendly stranglehold on the region.The Lord Mayor knew this all too well.  While Drellin’s Ferry was an ally, Jarmaath knew that if Rethmar sprung to the hamlet’s aid it could likely mean certain financial benefits as well as consideration not granted to the other communities.  Now, warbands of hobgoblins may be able to cut through the relatively common guard of Drellin’s Ferry, but they would most likely be handled by a small group of suitably equipped and seasoned veterans.  If it became apparent that a small strike team would be insufficient, then he could mobilize the Lion Guard to destroy whatever marauding force remained, but he doubted that would be necessary.Two letters had been sent out from Jarmaath’s office this morning, with one going to Captain Lars Ulverth, chief officer of the Lion Guard.  Apparently, there was a elven sergeant of the city’s scouts (a group known as the ‘Stalkers’) that was making a name for himself, and was probably due for a promotion.  Considering that their travels would most likely be in the wilds, having one so skilled would be to the group’s advantage.  The second letter was sent to the dwarven merchant Eldremma Axenhaft’s home.  Eldremma served as a middle-woman and emissary between Rethmar and the Hammerfist Holds, a small series of gold dwarven fortresses and iron mines located in the North Wall mountains.  Eldremma could spare one of the mighty dwarven axefighters that served as her personal guard, and in so doing create opportunities for her people similar to what Jarmaath dreamed to accomplish for Rethmar.  Jarmaath also realized that the dwarves shared no love for goblins and their larger kin.Lastly, Jarmaath spoke with his seneschal, an odd little priest of Oghma that had been living in the Mayor’s manse for some time.  Having spent many years cloistered in a temple-library, Durgarl was of little use in a fight.  However, Jarmaath mused, his healing skills were considerable, and his range of knowledge may prove useful in their mission.-------------------------------------------Fendric sat outside the Lord Mayor’s office, staring blankly at the floor while vigorously rubbing his temples.  Oh, the ignominy, having been relegated to a simple message boy for his superiors.  At one time, he led an entire company of the finest Halruaan guard.  Over a hundred soldiers looked at the wizard as their arcane-wielding captain, and those men hung on his every word.  Now, since his exile, he was stuck here in this second-rate frontier, working for a third-rate militia, and living in a fourth-rate hick town.  Considering the current events, however, the wizard knew that he would have to put aside his bruised ego and think about the common folk of Drellin’s Ferry.  They were terrified, and they needed the help of Rethmar, another fourth-rate hick town.  Ok…maybe a third-rate hick town.--------------------------------------------Guaren Thaius, or simply “Garth” to his friends, trudged along the street, his banded mail clanking loudly with every step.  The people of Rethmar had stopped staring at him so much, but he was still a spectacle as his made his way through town towards the Lord Mayor’s house.  Standing fully a head taller than the tallest human, the goliath was going dressed for battle as he knew where his next steps would take him.  Eldremma had commanded the warrior to make himself available to the demands of the Lord Mayor, and in payment Eldremma would set the goliath free of his oath.  Garth owed the merchant-dwarf a life debt, as it was she who saved him from starvation and ruin on the slopes of the North Wall.  In truth, Eldremma had no intention of ever keeping the goliath around, but he would never leave her side, and in time the large grey-skinned beast had become a close friend.  Eldremma did not like the thought of keeping friends as slaves.-----------------------------------------------Garet Jax crept silently through the forest, keeping safe distance from his quarry.  Several goblins, all mounted on their huge dark-gray wolves – worgs! – had been making their way through the woods north of Rethmar.  Little to the goblin’s knowledge, they were being shadowed by one of Garet’s best squads, each man hidden and silent.  At his signal, hell was to be rained down upon the intruders, but Garet was lax to give the kill order.  Something wasn’t right.  Usually, goblin worg-riders would find the nearest farm, raid it, kill the inhabitants, and burn any buildings they saw.  These buggers, however, weren’t attacking.  Their movements suggested something more planned, more controlled.  If he didn’t know goblins any better, Garet might have guessed these riders were some sort of forward scouting unit.Silently, one of Garet’s corporals made his way to the wild elf and gently tapped him on the shoulder.  Using a series of complex hand signals he communicated to his superior.  A messenger had arrived from Rethmar.  He was to return to base and repot to Captain Ulverth…immediately.  The extermination of the worg riders would eventually occur, but Garet would not be presiding over the onslaught.  Exasperated, the elf collected himself and silently began the trek south.</blockquote>

Verification