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Knightfall's World of Kulan: Tales of the Companions Story Hour (Final Update: Sep 20, 2014)
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<blockquote data-quote="Knightfall" data-source="post: 1835441" data-attributes="member: 2012"><p><em><strong>The upper-tangles:</strong></em></p><p>“Watch yourselves,” Bren tested the catwalk like rope-bridge before stepping out onto it. “These walkways are treacherous.”</p><p></p><p>“How much weight can they hold?” Garth wasn’t confident about traversing the rope-bridge in his armor.</p><p></p><p>“A fair bit, but I can’t guarantee your safety with all that armor on. These bridges are meant for light to medium weight travel. I recommend you take it off and store it here. We can come back for it later and the garrison should have some lighter armor that will fit you.”</p><p></p><p>“I don’t know,” Garth was responsible for the armor, as well as the mission. It didn’t belong to him. It was an heirloom of his family. “If it is lost, my family would lose a precious, magical heirloom. Yet, if what you say is true then I won’t even make it across the first bridge.”</p><p></p><p>“Make up your mind, sir. We don’t have time to sit here and ponder it.”</p><p></p><p>“Very well, Garth relented. “Bactra, Dabuk, I’ll need you to help me take this armor off.” Garth started unfastening the few belts he could reach.</p><p></p><p>“Okay,” Bren looked out towards the firebreak. “You’ve got ten minutes then I’m leaving with or without you.”</p><p></p><p>“Understood,” Garth made a decision. “Don’t worry about the leg pieces. I’ll keep those on. Bren, where’s the best place to store the other parts?”</p><p></p><p>“Stick them on the top of the landing of the staircase. With the trapdoor shut, no one is likely to find it. We’ll cover the door with vines. Don’t worry, I’ll be able to guide you here again.”</p><p></p><p>“Of that I have no doubt.” Garth hoped they didn’t run into anything that would seriously threaten them.</p><p></p><p></p><p>* * *</p><p></p><p></p><p>The adventurers followed Bren across another rope-bridge, this one a little more stable than the four others they had already traversed.</p><p></p><p>Garth was glad he hadn’t tempted Fate.</p><p></p><p>The ropes would have surely broke with his plated bronze mail on. He had agreed to wear the heavier armor instead of his chain shirt at the request of his father. He looked more diplomatic in the armor and it gave its wearer a higher personal magnetism. He had been wearing it for so long that he’d forgotten his true stature. Not that he wasn’t a charismatic man just that the armor made him more so.</p><p></p><p>Bren had noticed the difference right away but hadn’t said anything. He knew the Senate of Onaway would be highly impressed by the justiciar in his fancy armor, but also knew the soldiers near the inner wall would respect Garth more as he was now. He was a battered, war hardened man. One could tell that right away from the many scars on his neck and arms.</p><p></p><p>“How much father?” Thessa wasn’t having any trouble traversing the rope-bridges, she was just interested in finding out where they were. Without Bren they’d be hopelessly lost, even crossing the upper-tangles.</p><p></p><p>“Not far, although I think we’ll have to cross the Vineyard Passage on the ground. I don’t trust the rope-bridges there. They haven’t been fixed in over a year.”</p><p></p><p>“I’m surprised you can find anyone who’d want the job.” Mesik noted. “This place just feels like one big trap waiting to happen.”</p><p></p><p>“You’d be correct, sir.” Bren hated cultivator work almost as much as ‘hole’ guard duty. “Only trappers and experience tangle warriors can find their way through all this. Those that find disfavor are often demoted to being cultivators, as well as guarding the holes in the wall.”</p><p></p><p>“Like you?” Dabuk was nothing if blunt.</p><p></p><p>Bren stopped just near the beginning of the next rope-bridge. He let out a long sigh.</p><p></p><p>“Damn it boy, can’t you ever think before you speak?” Garth was ready to cuff his son on the ear like the ignorant child he was behaving like.</p><p></p><p>“No, it’s alright. He’s correct in is assumption. I’ve been stuck doing guard duty for years now. I fell out of favor after one of the traps I set went off and killed a trapper and two cultivators. I’ve been trying to prove my worth ever since, but the Senate never forgets and its members never forgive. Especially when the trapper who died was the son of a senator.”</p><p></p><p>“Well, I’m sure you learned from your mistake and that’s what really matters. A little bit of disfavor never killed anyone.” Garth tried to ease the man’s troubled mind.</p><p></p><p>“Not so,” Bren tested the next rope-bridge as he continued. “My entire family shares in any dishonor I bring to myself. My father lost everything, as the Senate seized our lands, and my mother left him for another nobleman. My two sisters won’t even speak to me.”</p><p></p><p>“By Hade’s Underrealm, that doesn’t sound fair at all.” Mesik was livid.</p><p></p><p>Bren motioned for them to follow him across the bridge. Once on the other side he continued his story.</p><p></p><p>“Life is rarely fair in Onaway these days. Because of the threat from without, many in the community have a tendency to turn on each other for petty differences. It’s a hard life in this ruined city.”</p><p></p><p>“What became of your father?” Bactra asked the question this time.</p><p></p><p>Bren watched as the last of them came across the bridge. “He killed himself.”</p><p></p><p>“I see what you meant earlier.” Garth sighed. “I am sorry if my comments offended you.”</p><p></p><p>“No apology is required, sir. It is my way of life. All I can hope to do is reclaim my family’s birthright before I die so that my son and his children after him do not share in the shame.”</p><p></p><p>“I agree with Mesik that is not fair at all” Thessa was beside herself. “Perhaps we can put in a good word for you.”</p><p></p><p>“That would be very kind of you, but I doubt the Senate would even hear from you on the matter. The opinion of outsiders isn’t given much weight here.”</p><p></p><p>“Does that mean we came all this way for nothing?” Dabuk was ready to start banging his head on the nearest wall.</p><p></p><p>“I cannot say, but if this alliance your proposing is ‘very’ beneficial to the citizens and, more importantly, to the Senate then they will likely give it some real thought.”</p><p></p><p>A noise from the street below startled them all into readiness. Bren was the first to the side of the building. Looking down he saw what Dabuk smelled on the shifting wind.</p><p></p><p>“Ogres.” They said it once right after the other, Dabuk and then Bren.</p><p></p><p></p><p>* * *</p><p></p><p></p><p>“You’ve fought ogres before, haven’t you?” Bren already knew the half-elf’s answer.</p><p></p><p>“More than you see down there.” Dabuk liked to exaggerate. He was already standing next to Bren.</p><p></p><p>“No stupid heroics, son.” Garth caught Dabuk’s arm to keep his son from jumping to his death.</p><p></p><p>“Not this time,” Dabuk crouched next to Bren surveying the landscape. “There are too many of them.”</p><p></p><p>The others came to the edge of the building. All those over 5 feet in height crouched down to hide themselves. Mesik and Thessa didn’t need to crouch.</p><p></p><p>What they saw gave them all pause. The ogres were cutting through the foliage with large scythe-like blades. There were nearly a dozen of them in view of the surrounding torches set into the makeshift sconces set along the catwalks on the tops of the building on both sides. Several laid traps went off as the ogres proceeded down the street towards the T-junction that led to the vineyard Passage and eventually the inner wall. Two ogres in the lead were carrying huge tower shields, which deflected the blows of two large spears fired by a spring-like trap.</p><p></p><p>The ogres directly behind them weren’t as luck as one of them stepped on a stone pressure plate that started a collapse of one of the buildings on the other side of the street. The beasts howled as they died, but their ogre companions left them for dead, continuing on. All were wearing fine-looking hide armor.</p><p></p><p>“Those weapons and armor look like they could be masterwork items.” Garth couldn’t believe his eyes. “This is not just a simple ogre horde. This is a deadly invasion force.”</p><p></p><p>“You are correct, sir. We have to lead them away from the inner wall. The forces there won’t be able to handle this.” Bren began stringing his bow.</p><p></p><p>“I suggest caution.” Garth moved to stop the guard from giving away their position. “You won’t even make a hole in their armor from this range.”</p><p></p><p>“True, but that’s not the point. This force is the most well equipped group of ogres I’ve ever seen. There are several deadly traps on Wayward Avenue to the south of us. If we can lure them there then we might be able to take a few more of them out.”</p><p></p><p>“It’s worth a shot, father.” Dabuk began to string his bow as well. “If we can get them to chase us, even a few of them, then we can dwindle their numbers.”</p><p></p><p>“I agree, we must do something.” Thessa wasn’t usually the first to speak up. “There are families to consider here, Garth.”</p><p></p><p>“Very well, if the group decided on recklessness then who am I to stop you. I will stay with you and guard your backs but I will not get into an archery match with them.” Garth pointed to several ogre archers in the rear of the column coming down the street.</p><p></p><p>“Damn, this is not good.” Mesik knew his sling would do nothing to these creatures but annoy them like a fly would a horse.</p><p></p><p>* * *</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Knightfall, post: 1835441, member: 2012"] [I][B]The upper-tangles:[/B][/I] “Watch yourselves,” Bren tested the catwalk like rope-bridge before stepping out onto it. “These walkways are treacherous.” “How much weight can they hold?” Garth wasn’t confident about traversing the rope-bridge in his armor. “A fair bit, but I can’t guarantee your safety with all that armor on. These bridges are meant for light to medium weight travel. I recommend you take it off and store it here. We can come back for it later and the garrison should have some lighter armor that will fit you.” “I don’t know,” Garth was responsible for the armor, as well as the mission. It didn’t belong to him. It was an heirloom of his family. “If it is lost, my family would lose a precious, magical heirloom. Yet, if what you say is true then I won’t even make it across the first bridge.” “Make up your mind, sir. We don’t have time to sit here and ponder it.” “Very well, Garth relented. “Bactra, Dabuk, I’ll need you to help me take this armor off.” Garth started unfastening the few belts he could reach. “Okay,” Bren looked out towards the firebreak. “You’ve got ten minutes then I’m leaving with or without you.” “Understood,” Garth made a decision. “Don’t worry about the leg pieces. I’ll keep those on. Bren, where’s the best place to store the other parts?” “Stick them on the top of the landing of the staircase. With the trapdoor shut, no one is likely to find it. We’ll cover the door with vines. Don’t worry, I’ll be able to guide you here again.” “Of that I have no doubt.” Garth hoped they didn’t run into anything that would seriously threaten them. * * * The adventurers followed Bren across another rope-bridge, this one a little more stable than the four others they had already traversed. Garth was glad he hadn’t tempted Fate. The ropes would have surely broke with his plated bronze mail on. He had agreed to wear the heavier armor instead of his chain shirt at the request of his father. He looked more diplomatic in the armor and it gave its wearer a higher personal magnetism. He had been wearing it for so long that he’d forgotten his true stature. Not that he wasn’t a charismatic man just that the armor made him more so. Bren had noticed the difference right away but hadn’t said anything. He knew the Senate of Onaway would be highly impressed by the justiciar in his fancy armor, but also knew the soldiers near the inner wall would respect Garth more as he was now. He was a battered, war hardened man. One could tell that right away from the many scars on his neck and arms. “How much father?” Thessa wasn’t having any trouble traversing the rope-bridges, she was just interested in finding out where they were. Without Bren they’d be hopelessly lost, even crossing the upper-tangles. “Not far, although I think we’ll have to cross the Vineyard Passage on the ground. I don’t trust the rope-bridges there. They haven’t been fixed in over a year.” “I’m surprised you can find anyone who’d want the job.” Mesik noted. “This place just feels like one big trap waiting to happen.” “You’d be correct, sir.” Bren hated cultivator work almost as much as ‘hole’ guard duty. “Only trappers and experience tangle warriors can find their way through all this. Those that find disfavor are often demoted to being cultivators, as well as guarding the holes in the wall.” “Like you?” Dabuk was nothing if blunt. Bren stopped just near the beginning of the next rope-bridge. He let out a long sigh. “Damn it boy, can’t you ever think before you speak?” Garth was ready to cuff his son on the ear like the ignorant child he was behaving like. “No, it’s alright. He’s correct in is assumption. I’ve been stuck doing guard duty for years now. I fell out of favor after one of the traps I set went off and killed a trapper and two cultivators. I’ve been trying to prove my worth ever since, but the Senate never forgets and its members never forgive. Especially when the trapper who died was the son of a senator.” “Well, I’m sure you learned from your mistake and that’s what really matters. A little bit of disfavor never killed anyone.” Garth tried to ease the man’s troubled mind. “Not so,” Bren tested the next rope-bridge as he continued. “My entire family shares in any dishonor I bring to myself. My father lost everything, as the Senate seized our lands, and my mother left him for another nobleman. My two sisters won’t even speak to me.” “By Hade’s Underrealm, that doesn’t sound fair at all.” Mesik was livid. Bren motioned for them to follow him across the bridge. Once on the other side he continued his story. “Life is rarely fair in Onaway these days. Because of the threat from without, many in the community have a tendency to turn on each other for petty differences. It’s a hard life in this ruined city.” “What became of your father?” Bactra asked the question this time. Bren watched as the last of them came across the bridge. “He killed himself.” “I see what you meant earlier.” Garth sighed. “I am sorry if my comments offended you.” “No apology is required, sir. It is my way of life. All I can hope to do is reclaim my family’s birthright before I die so that my son and his children after him do not share in the shame.” “I agree with Mesik that is not fair at all” Thessa was beside herself. “Perhaps we can put in a good word for you.” “That would be very kind of you, but I doubt the Senate would even hear from you on the matter. The opinion of outsiders isn’t given much weight here.” “Does that mean we came all this way for nothing?” Dabuk was ready to start banging his head on the nearest wall. “I cannot say, but if this alliance your proposing is ‘very’ beneficial to the citizens and, more importantly, to the Senate then they will likely give it some real thought.” A noise from the street below startled them all into readiness. Bren was the first to the side of the building. Looking down he saw what Dabuk smelled on the shifting wind. “Ogres.” They said it once right after the other, Dabuk and then Bren. * * * “You’ve fought ogres before, haven’t you?” Bren already knew the half-elf’s answer. “More than you see down there.” Dabuk liked to exaggerate. He was already standing next to Bren. “No stupid heroics, son.” Garth caught Dabuk’s arm to keep his son from jumping to his death. “Not this time,” Dabuk crouched next to Bren surveying the landscape. “There are too many of them.” The others came to the edge of the building. All those over 5 feet in height crouched down to hide themselves. Mesik and Thessa didn’t need to crouch. What they saw gave them all pause. The ogres were cutting through the foliage with large scythe-like blades. There were nearly a dozen of them in view of the surrounding torches set into the makeshift sconces set along the catwalks on the tops of the building on both sides. Several laid traps went off as the ogres proceeded down the street towards the T-junction that led to the vineyard Passage and eventually the inner wall. Two ogres in the lead were carrying huge tower shields, which deflected the blows of two large spears fired by a spring-like trap. The ogres directly behind them weren’t as luck as one of them stepped on a stone pressure plate that started a collapse of one of the buildings on the other side of the street. The beasts howled as they died, but their ogre companions left them for dead, continuing on. All were wearing fine-looking hide armor. “Those weapons and armor look like they could be masterwork items.” Garth couldn’t believe his eyes. “This is not just a simple ogre horde. This is a deadly invasion force.” “You are correct, sir. We have to lead them away from the inner wall. The forces there won’t be able to handle this.” Bren began stringing his bow. “I suggest caution.” Garth moved to stop the guard from giving away their position. “You won’t even make a hole in their armor from this range.” “True, but that’s not the point. This force is the most well equipped group of ogres I’ve ever seen. There are several deadly traps on Wayward Avenue to the south of us. If we can lure them there then we might be able to take a few more of them out.” “It’s worth a shot, father.” Dabuk began to string his bow as well. “If we can get them to chase us, even a few of them, then we can dwindle their numbers.” “I agree, we must do something.” Thessa wasn’t usually the first to speak up. “There are families to consider here, Garth.” “Very well, if the group decided on recklessness then who am I to stop you. I will stay with you and guard your backs but I will not get into an archery match with them.” Garth pointed to several ogre archers in the rear of the column coming down the street. “Damn, this is not good.” Mesik knew his sling would do nothing to these creatures but annoy them like a fly would a horse. * * * [/QUOTE]
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