Sagiro's Story Hour Returns (new thread started on 5/18/08)


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Zaruthustran said:
Wow. Reading Abernathy's name reminded me of how very far The Company has come.
That would be about 12 levels. :D

The players' favorite indication of character growth is that now they withhold information from others because "it's too dangerous for them to know."

-Sagiro
 

Sagiro’s Story Hour, Part 151

Wednesday, July 25

Sitting cross-legged in the center of the Greenhouse living room, Flicker lets out a contented sight. Around him are piles of gems on the floor, stacks of gems on the low table, gems being batted around by cats and (in all likelihood) gems that have found their way into a few hidden pockets. The other members of the Company are nearby, eating lunch and waiting for the final tally.

“Including the trade bars, I’d say we’ve got about 190,000 gold pieces worth of loot out of that place. The Black Circle must have been building up that nest egg for years!”

Even after several generous donations to various churches, that still leaves enough left over for plenty of the exotic ingredients required for making magic items. The Company has started to make shopping lists when there is a knock on the door. A messenger delivers a letter to Eddings, which he passes to Kay. It seems that their royal uniforms are ready to be picked up at the palace tailor, at their convenience.

“All right!” Dranko exclaims, and at his urging, they leave for the palace grounds straight away. The tailor, a nice old lady named Bella, makes them all change into the new uniforms on the spot, and then makes some impromptu alterations while they stand there. They are ornate but tasteful, crimson with gold trim, bearing the royal crest of Charagan – a fish over a sword. Wearing them, the Company will be now be recognized as soldiers of the King’s Guard, as Kay had requested.

“Pulling rank will be a breeze in these,” Dranko notes.

While they’re in the neighborhood, Kay makes an appointment for the Company to debrief with Duke Nigel of Harkran the following afternoon, since they still haven’t made any official report to the Spire about their defeat of Mokad.

Back at the Greenhouse, while Ernie prepares dinner, there is another knock on the door.

Eddings grabs his continual flame coin from its pouch, opens the door a crack, and shines the light in the face of the man standing outside. But there’s no cause for alarm – it’s Sutton, their erstwhile replacement-navigator hired on after Makel’s departure. He squints straight into the light and clears his throat.

“Yeah, yeah I remember the drill,” he says, walking past Eddings into the house. “I ain’t no crazy body-possessin’ critter. Not today, anyways. I just figgered I’d drop by and remind you that you still had me on retainer.”

“We haven’t forgotten,” Morningstar says. “We’ve just been very busy lately, and haven’t had any reason to sail anywhere.”

“You think you might need me anytime soon?” Sutton asks hopefully.

“Er…we’re not really sure,” says Aravis.

“Well, I wondered if you’d mind, then, if I went and did a bit o’ sailin’ on my own. I’m itchin’ for a rocking deck beneath my feet. Antsy for the ocean and all that. It’d just be a short job, two weeks maybe, but I’d be out of touch.”

The Company assures him that that’s fine. Ernie brings him some fresh rolls for his trouble. If anyone notices his wide-eyed stare when he spots Flicker’s stacks of gems on the floor, they are polite enough not to point it out.

Wednesday, July 26

Duke Nigel lets out a long, slow breath.

Before him in his audience chamber, the Company has just given him a full report of Mokad’s operation in Kallor. The closeness of the shave is not lost on him.

“Abernathy chose well when he selected you,” he says. “Charagan is indebted to you once again. I wish time and circumstance could allow for a celebration, but I still fear for the Spire and the Kingdom.”

“Has something specific happened?” asks Aravis

“Not as such,” says Nigel. “But Ozilinsh isn’t the only Archmage who’s gone silent. It’s all of them. No one else in the Spire has heard a word from an Archmage in weeks, and the most likely explanation is not promising. They must be being put to the test, out there in their towers…”

He gestures vaguely toward a window.

“…spending all of their energy and focus on their task. We must face the possibility that Naradawk is making his final push, and that our wizards may fail. I believe that we should be repositioning troops to Verdshane.”

“But what about the Nifi worshippers?” asks Flicker. “Aren’t the…?”

“Yes.” Nigel snaps. “The Delfiri still press us on the peninsula. I wouldn’t propose giving up the southern theatre. In fact, soldiers we’ve already recommitted to the fight with the Delfiri have allowed us to push the front back in recent days. But we have other troops who were in more demanding engagements with the humanoid forces, and who have not yet been reassigned to the Balani. We were hoping that they could have time to recover before being thrown back into the fray, but I feel that is not a luxury we have. We could field a force of two thousand troops near Verdshane without devastating our defenses elsewhere.

“I hate Verdshane,” Dranko mumbles.

“At least the news from there is good,” says Nigel. “No more monsters have escaped from the hanging boxes, no sign of change in the stasis field around the gate. And no sign of that woman… Meledien.”

The Duke sighs. “I wish I knew where Rosetta and Etria had gone.”

“Rosetta?” Ernie asks. The Company is immediately on edge at the mention of her name.

“She took my court wizardess and a dozen guards off on some kind of ‘secret mission’ against Black Circle interests. That was a few days ago. I don’t know when to expect her return.”

No members of the Company voice their vague suspicions of Rosetta out loud to the Duke. There is an awkward silence.

“Ah, I must get back to work,” the Duke says finally. “I’ll send word should we have need of you. You should do likewise, if you learn anything new, or hear from Ozilinsh.”

Back at the Greenhouse Eddings has taken control of the ice-box, so dinner is happily free of Skorg’s culinary influence. There is some preliminary discussion around the table about what to do next, and the group decision is to spend some down time training and crafting magic items, until the next crisis hits.

As dinner ends and Eddings starts bringing out dessert, the sound of a violent wind comes from the Greenhouse chimney.

…to be continued…
 

Sagiro said:
.....the group decision is to spend some down time training and crafting magic items, until the next crisis hits.

As dinner ends and Eddings starts bringing out dessert, the sound of a violent wind comes from the Greenhouse chimney.

…to be continued…

Now, why am I not surprised they won't have any of that "down time"?
 
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WARNING! MAY CONTAIN SPOILERS!

Dedicated lurker here, checking in on his favorite story hour. I'd like you to know that I keep playing D&D (and RPGs in general) because of this and other story hours on this board. Knowing that games this good exist gives me hope that I might one day take part in one.

Dranko's confrontation with his grandfather is a touching moment indeed. This game has had several already, most memorably the death of Abernathy; and Ernie lecturing Solomea's father (or rather, the memory of his father) inside the Crosser's Maze. It's these times that make this story the best IMO.

Now, did somebody say it was an angry wizard coming through the chimney? I really hope that's not who I think it is. Looking back to when the Company fought P's simulacrum, the highest spell it cast was Chain Lightening, I believe. That would put the real Parthol Runecarver at 18th-22nd level (or even higher!) The Company's good, but they've been cought at the dinner table, probably completely unarmed. Besides, what can they do to compete with Wail of the Banshee, Prismatic Spray, Horrid Wilting, and Power Word, Kill?

Also, I thought that the Greenhouse was supposed to be impregnable. Considering that Abernathy was a centuries-old archmage, how could someone break through his protections? Guess the Spire will have to find a new place to meet...

Anyway, post another update! I know they didn't fight P. But that makes me more impatient to know what happened!
 

Another thing!

Once the story is all caught up, could ya'll post an updated version of the Company's "to do" list? And how about the quote list? Thanks once again for the story!
 

Sagiro’s Story Hour, Part 152

The Company abruptly stops talking and listens for a moment. Then they are all leaping backward out of their chairs and scrambling for weapons, except for Morningstar, who begins to cast detect thoughts. As the others are arming, she casts about for minds and discovers one more than there should be. A few seconds later she pinpoints that extra mind up near the top of the chimney, right at the source of the noise. And the round after that she skims its inhuman surface thoughts, which are of frustration at being unable to descend any lower, and determination to keep trying.

Morningstar reports this to the rest of the party, and there is some tempered relief that the wards of the Greenhouse are still working. Kibi goes over to the fireplace and cautiously extends his head, to look up with his darkvision. He sees a swirling mass of cloud-like vapors up near the very top of the chimney. He pulls back and stands up. “I think it’s an air elemental. It can’t get in.”

“An air elemental?” Aravis raises his eyebrows. “It must have been summoned, by someone outside…”

“Should we go out, then?” Step is already headed for the door.

“Wait!” says Morningstar. “I’m not prepared for a fight. I don’t think we’re ready, in case it’s… another one of P’s simulacra.”

“We should at least try to spot him out the windows,” says Dranko.

The front door of the Greenhouse begins to shake. The Company looks on, weapons drawn, tense, as the door rattles loudly, glows softly for a moment and then quiets.

“Ha!” says Ernie. “That won’t work either. Abernathy sure did…”

“What’s that?” Aravis barks sharply, pointing at the center of the room.

Several heads swivel to look, but there is just empty air above the living room table.

“I see nothing,” says Step, frowning.

“There was a blurring in the air,” says Aravis. “It was almost like… it was the size of a scrying sensor, like someone was casting Clairv…”

Everyone sees what happens next. A dark shape like a doorway’s shadow appears in the center of the Greenhouse living room. It flickers out, flickers back in again. It warbles like a reflection on a disturbed pond. Then it winks out, leaving another soft glow behind. Step lunges forward and swing his sword through the spot, harmlessly. Grey Wolf casts see invisibility, but sees nothing.

Aravis looks thoughtfully at the spot for a few seconds before speaking again. “That was someone trying to dimension door into the house. Looks like it failed.”

From upstairs, another sound. A window is rattling. Dranko takes the stairs two at a time while the others fan out to various other windows. Kibi also casts see invisibility, and soon everyone is looking out of windows, hoping to spot their attacker. Dranko finds one window entirely frozen over (on the outside) and very cold to the touch, but unbroken.

Minutes pass.

Nothing.

An hour later, it seems that they have weathered the storm.

Flicker summarizes general sentiment. “This sucks!”

The Company spends the remainder of the day inside, continuing to make plans and lists for magic item creation. The main list is long. On it are numerous potions and scrolls as well as wands, amulets, sashes, vests, shields, and (to Ernie’s delight) a new Flying Carpet. Divided up efficiently among the many party members with the requisite feats, it could take two or three months to make everything on the list. This discovery segues into a discussion of what urgent tasks the Company might have to undertake – or might want to undertake – in the near future. Maybe they should go to Kivia now, to find Het Branoi and its Eye of Moirel. But what if Aravis (and the Crosser’s Maze) are needed in the meantime?

The debate continues for hours before they decide to consult a higher power. Morningstar prays for a few minutes for the spell of commune before retiring to her room, invoking a personal darkness, and asking for the wisdom of Ell.

Is leaving for Kivia in order to get the Eye of Moirel the best course of action to prevent the Emperor from coming through to Charagan?

NO

If we leave for Kivia in nine weeks, will the Crosser’s Maze be needed before we return, to prevent the Emperor from coming through to Charagan?

MOST LIKELY

Was “P” or his agents responsible for today’s attack on the Greenhouse?

YES

Have “P” or his agents tried everything he (or they) can to get into the Greenhouse?

NO

Will “P” try again?

YES, OR AN AGENT

Would we be likely to be successful in finding and taking out Parthol Runecarver?

NO, NOT AT PRESENT

Are the Eyes of Moirel safe in the Greenhouse?

AS SAFE AS THEY WISH

Is pursuing the Black Circle the best course of action to prevent the Emperor from coming through to Charagan?

NO

Is pursuing the Sharshun the best course of action to prevent the Emperor from coming through to Charagan?

NO

Is investigating Calnis the best course of action to prevent the Emperor from coming through to Charagan?

NO

Is pursuing the remaining red-armored soldiers the best course of action to prevent the Emperor from coming through to Charagan?

NO


Morningstar offers a prayer of thanks for these divine answers. “You’re welcome,” a voice sounds in her soul. She returns to the others to share her new intelligence.

“That’s good news,” says Dranko.

The others turn to look, puzzled.

“It means we shouldn’t feel like we need to run out and kill Parthol Runecarver.”

“Yeah, that’s a relief,” says Flicker, rolling his eyes.

“What I think it means,” says Aravis, “is that I’d better figure out how to use the Crosser’s Maze to stop the Emperor, and soon. I’ve spent a lot of time inside it, moving around, testing it, probing it. But I still don’t know how I’m going to use it for what we really need it for. I have an idea, though.”

“Yeah?” Grey Wolf asks. “Why do I think we’re not going to like it?”

“Oh, it shouldn’t be that dangerous,” Aravis assures the others. “I intend to seek out previous Keepers of the Maze and ask their advice.”

“You can do that?” Ernie asks, wide-eyed.

“It should be possible,” Aravis nods. “I’ll craft myself an amulet of intellect over the next week or so, since I think I’ll be helped by a, um, deeper understanding, if you will, of certain aspects of the Maze interior. Then I'll go in.”

No one says anything for a moment.

“I noted that Ell said “P” wasn’t finished with us,” Grey Wolf says despondently.

The Company sleeps uneasily that night.

…to be continued…
 
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