Knightfall's Heroes of Deepwater Story Hour [Kulan]

[Knightfall]

A while ago, I started a thread in the World of Kulan social group forum called the Heroes of Deepwater Story Guide. My intentions originally had been to try to run Heroes of deepwater as another E.N. World pbp v.3.5 game, but I didn't find any interest in it. So, I decided on another plan...

Heroes of Deepwater would become a story hour in which I would control four DMPCs like they are fully-fledged PCs and roll dice for the characters, as I put them through a series of adventures. The goal was to build more background for Deepwater (Kulan's version of Waterdeep). However, i got sidetracked by a thread I began on Candlekeep's forums. And while I haven't updated that thread in some time, I haven't truly abandoned it either. It will help shape this story hour as much as the campaign guide will.

I've also create a dice roller page here: http://identicalsoftware.com/coco/dicesessionview.php?&id=873

And yes, the fate of these heroes will depend a lot on the roll of the dice. I expect some character deaths. The Lands of Harqual can be brutal and my version of Deepwater has a lot of darkness hiding in its streets. None of the DMPCS will be safe. In fact, they should be called nPCs instead of DMPCs.

This, hopefully, will be an experiment in writing and fun. If it starts to give me headaches, I might just let it go. However, I'll try not to leave it hanging.

Cheers!

KF

 

[Knightfall]

The Sated Satyr:

"Where, by Hades' beard, are they?"

"Lost your brother again, did ya?" An old dwarf laughed at her.

Cefrey Haenraets was livid. They promised her they wouldn't do this today. Not today. She stood alone in the Sated Satyr. Alone amongst dozens of other adventurers here to face the face. To try their luck an d hopefully win favors or honor or whatever by the Nine Hells they were hoping to win. All she wanted was what belongedto her goddess.

It was Kansbar who first discovered the information. He'd been looking for a reason to convince Cefrey to go with him and Stedd into that place. Cefrey had been skeptical about Kansbar's motives, but the priests of the temple assured her that the document was real when she showed it to them. The relic was in there, somewhere. Hidden somewhere in the Blue Alley.

How the mad mage who constructed the 'dungeon' got his hands on it likely won't ever be known. For years, the priests believed that the relic had been taken by Helm Blackheart and secreted somewhere below Deepwater in Bergunter Mass. They had sent expedition after expedition into that true dungeon, which adventurers often call Undermountain.

The priests had never allowed Cefrey to go on any of those missions. 'She was too important to risk losing,' they would tell her. More likely it was her family's growing influence and wealth that the priests didn't want to risk losing. Cefrey's father wasn't fond of her, but he was fond of her half-brother, Stedd.

"Is everyone here?" A man stepped out from a back room with several scrolls in his hand. He looked right at Cefrey when he did so and with a smirk on his face.

"You know they're not here, Adrian!" Cefrey replied with a growl. "Don't pretend that you don't."

"Cefrey. Cefrey. Cefrey." Adrian replied. "I cannot hold off the contest just because your bastard of a brother is off whoring or fighting or doing whatever the hell he is doing right now. His fame might getting him cheers while in the pits, but this is not the Bloody Rose."

"T-that's where h-he is?" Cefrey turned pale.

"You're a smart girl, after all."

Cefrey was no longer livid. Now, now she was worried. She ran from the tavern. Ran towards the southern half of the city. She hoped there would be something left of her brother once she reach the Dock Ward.

"By the gods," she gasped as she ran. "Not the Bloody Rose." If he gets himself killed, I'm going to have his ass raised and then kill him again.

 

[Knightfall]

The Bloody Rose:

Stedd was having the time of his life. The crowd loved him. The women were swooning over him. The men wanted to be him. Plus, the fix was in. There wouldn't be a clear winner of this match. It had been agreed on by both fighters and the owner of The Bloody Rose. All he and his opponent, no his friend, had to do was make it look good. They'd both get an even cut of the gate and the crowd would go home thrilled to see two champions square off.

“Attention all sentients,” the match is about to begin. “Get in your bets, now, or simply watch the mayhem.”

The crowd roared. More bets were made. Coins changed hands but no side bets. That was the rule in The Bloody Rose. It was one of the few.

Kansbar looked aghast with terror. He didn't approve of Stedd's past-time. He'd gotten used to the worse parts of it, but whenever Stedd stepped into the fighting circle, he'd get knots in his gut. Stedd could see that his old friend was truly terrified this time. He knew the fix was in, but there was always a chance a fight could still get hurt. This wasn't a duel of honor to first blood. This was bare-knuckle fighting at its bloodiest.

No armor. No weapons. One full hour with no breaks and whoever was left standing was the victor.

If Stedd was facing anyone else but Grogor, he'd be scared out of his mind. Sure, Old Groggy was one of the toughest pit fighters from the Chara Coast, but he and Stedd were friends and fellow Kordites. They'd fought for honor's sake many times in the past in less dangerous circumstances and both had a great respect for one another. Hell, the old half-orc was one of the few people in Deepwater that he trusted with his life.

“No more bets!”

“The combatants!” Dagfinn Koldelyd stood on a raised platform above the circle. The owner of The Bloody Rose was in good spirits. And why not? He was about to make a fortune of this fight. It was one of the few reasons he'd agreed to let Stedd and Grogor arrange this little fight. Of course, Dagfinn wasn't against fixing a match. He simply preferred to b the one making all the coin. “I give you Stedd Alfonsir and Grogor the Knuckler! Two of the best, no, the two best circle fighters known to the Chara Coast!”

“Stedd! Stedd! Stedd!” He was the hometown favorite. Of course, there were cheers for Grogor too.

“Grogor the Knuckler! Once a member of the notorious Crimson Brigade of Izmer! Now, a renowned mercenary in our own fair city! The scourge of elves everywhere!” That was a funny thought since Dagfinn himself was a half-elf.

“Stedd Alfonsir! Formerly of the City-state of Hellekan and adopted son of the Haenraets Family! Honored so of Kord and Apollo.” Stedd tried to ignore that last part. “Champion in his last four matches!”

“Stedd! Stedd! Stedd!” The crowd was definitely behind him. It didn't seem to be bothering Grogor. His face was stoic.

Stedd played to the crowd, pumping his fists and roaring back at them.

“Begin!”

Stedd barely had time to react to Grogor's first punch. The burly half-orc caught him right in face. If Stedd had been paying less attention, he'd be unconscious.

That was not in the script. His head rung and his eyes were stinging. He was on one knee and Stedd's supporters had grown silent. Dagfinn had jumped the gun and Grogor had known it was coming. This was not good news.

“I am sorry, old friend,” Grogor said bluntly. “But, the fox, as you would call it, is no longer set.”

“'fix', you pigheaded ass!” Stedd spat blood on the half-orc's foot. “The word is 'fix'.”

“Ah yes, fix.” Grogor tried to knock Stedd to the ground, but Stedd manged to roll away.

“Why, Grogor? What did Dagfinn promise you?”

“Nothing. I am a mercenary, and I have been paid to, how did that nobleman say it, 'break your buns'.

“'Bones',” Stedd almost laughed. “Who did I piss off? You owe me that at least.”

“Lord Ederick.” *

“Oh crap,” Stedd knew what he'd done. He swung twice at his old friend. One caught the half-orcs shoulder. Stedd barely made Grogor flinch.

“You should not have beaded his daughter.” Grogor nearly got Stedd in a bear hug. If he did that, it would be over in seconds.

“Ha! 'Bedded', not beaded.” Stedd kicked Grogor's legs out from under him and the crowd roared.

Grogor hit the ground and rolled away before Stedd could punch him in the face. He laughed as he stood up. “You humans have too many wards.”

Stedd just shook his head and let it go. “I can't talk you out of this, can I?”

“I am sorry, no.” Grogor's eyes were resolute.

“Okay then. For Kord!”

“Aye, for Kord!”

The two combatants charged each other with fury in their eyes, and Kansbar knew that whatever agreement had been planned was now over.

“Stedd!” He yelled. “You can take him!”
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*. Lord Thijs Ederick. The Edericks are equivalent to the Eltorchuls of the Forgotten Realms.
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When reading Grogor's speeches think of him having a thick Turkish or Russian accent.