Argent Silvermage
First Post
Story hour: The Endhome 6
Hear ye the tale of the Endhome Six. As it is written in the great book of heroes, the Six were drawn together by their individual need to reach the city of Endhome.
Aislin the Wrathborn: A young woman who has turned her anger into a skilled weapon.
Ravenspur: A gnomish Sorcerer Master of misdirection and causer of confusion. Just as his friends they’ll tell you.
Keldin of Descott valley: A Halfling ranger Keldin has red curly hair and is trying unsuccessfully to grow a beard, but he hasn't given up yet. He goes back and forth between being intimidated by tall people and a desire to prove that he can go toe to toe with them.
Adson the monk: Little is known about the human other than he is his own weapon and a skilled archer. Adson always wears a blindfold across his eyes. Whether he is blind or just posing as such no one has been able to determine.
Absinthe the Elven “Adventurer”: She was a cat burglar until a change of heart led her to a nobler path.
Miccah Stonebrother: Dwarven cleric of Heironeous. He left his family and the calling to be a cleric of Moradin for a much different calling.
The Widow Johanna Frisk brought these unremarkable individuals together. Her husband had passed away some few years ago and left the caravan business to her. She and her Road manager a Dwarven gentleman named Horace were traveling to Endhome and decided they needed more protection, for they had decided to take a little traveled and dangerous route through the Duskmoon hills to the city in order to reach it before her competitors.
Our story opens on the caravan starting their run into Fool’s pass…
“Well it seems that we weren’t needed anyway.” Miccah said to Horace. “We should be there in three days time and we’ve seen not but a few bandits and your normal guards could easily have dealt with them.” Miccah sat next to the road manager and spoke in his native tongue. The young cleric had been apprehensive about taking a position with this caravan thinking in his novice’s mind that being paid for protecting others was some how against his vows to his deity. But now was very much happy he did. It seems that Horace was a distant cousin to the Stone brother clan and they spent much time together talking about their families.
“Now Miccah boy you just wait.” Horace said in his gruff deep bass voice. “We ain’t even got to the tricky part of the trail yet. ‘Though I gotta admit looking at the back end of that human woman’s a nice way to spend the time.”
Miccah stared at Horace for a moment and whispered, “If Aislin heard you talk like that Widow Frisk would be needing a new road captain.” Though Miccah had to admit she was a fine example of her kind.
Just as the caravan was beginning to become a real bore to him, Keldin’s sharp Halfling eyes noticed movement in the rocky cliffs along the fool’s pass. At the same time Absinthe noticed there was movement as well. She and Keldin motioned to Horace just as Miccah saw the gray humanoids stalking the wagons. “Grimlocks!” Miccah said in Dwarven.
Horace signaled the wagons to stop and the Widow Fisk came up to the lead wagon asking what had made them stop. Horace informed her while Absinthe made her way stealthily into the brush along the ridge. Miccah and Aislin saw this and Miccah decided he would get down from the wagon and pretend to be searching ahead of the wagons hoping to be enough of a distraction that the Grimlocks would be taken by surprise by the Elf. Aislin and Ravenspur joined Miccah while Adson and Keldin held back keeping themselves between the widow and any possible harm to her.
The Gnome sorcerer caught up to the rest huffing and puffing from the sprint. Why the little humanoid had decided to wear padded armor was beyond anyone’s comprehension but his-own but then no one ever understood what Ravenspur did. “What’s happening? What’s the hold up? I was just lighting some of my trail smoke when we stopped.”
“We’re about to be ambushed now try to stay out of my way.” Aislin swore at the little man. Miccah sighed under his breath. He was not just a little falling in love with the human.
Absinthe had made her way along the scrub without the Grimlocks noticing her and saw two of them hiding and waiting to strike at the party moving ahead on the trail. She fired a bolt from her crossbow at the one but it missed its mark and drew their attention to her. Wisely she ran back to the party and with their cover blown the grimlocks attacked.
The first one ran down the rocky hill toward Miccah swinging his battleaxe. Keldin let loose an arrow and it found it’s mark in the Grimlock’s leg. It lost it’s footing in the dirt and fell flat on his face. Miccah seeing an opening charged up to it and stabbed it with his Longsword. Then the other three Grimlocks appeared.
Adson leapt into battle with one his fists flying but not actually hitting the Grimlock while Absinthe struck it from behind almost killing it outright. Ravenspur cast a spell and a blue-white ray of cold struck one of the attackers causing it to develop frostbite on its arm.
Aislin and Miccah fought the first one as it got up but Aislin swung her Greatsword in an arc and brought the unfortunate beast down in one great blow. But the other Grimlock that had run to its kinsman’s, side cut deep into the Dwarfs flesh with almost felling Miccah. He was well enough that while Aislin fought the Grimlock He was able to cast a healing spell on himself.
With the help of Adson and Absinthe the second of the Grimlocks was dead and Ravenspur and Keldin were besetting the third.
Aislin and Miccah had the fourth at bay until a lucky strike from it almost killed the cleric. Miccah fell and Aislin was left fighting the monster alone. Soon the two remaining Grimlocks were dispatched and Miccah was stabilized and revived enough to heal himself.
Horace had jumped down from the wagon when he saw his cousin fall and was greatly relieved when he was up and around.
The widow Frisk was very happy that they had all made it through the battle.
Later that day they reached a Ford in the road but due to the expert scouting of Absinthe they were alerted to the Goblins who had been camping there but they had moved off when they heard the wagon train coming up the trail.
The wagons started moving again and there were no further encounters that day. They stopped in the shadow of a great dark tower that night. The tower had stood for centuries and was a well-known scenic spot and according to Horace it was a safe place to spend the night.
Ravenspur decided he had to investigate the tower. “What? You think I’m going to pass up a chance to see a haunted tower?” The Gnome said to the group. Miccah hearing the word ‘Haunted’ said, “I’ll go with you just in case it is haunted.” The odd pairing of Dwarf and Gnome went off to investigate the tower. After a few minutes of searching the dwarf was unable to find an opening in the tower. The stones had been fused together my magic. Ravenspur having lost all interest after the first few minutes left Miccah to try more in-depth investigation but he was stymied in his attempts to enter. Eventually he also returned to the camp.
That night while on Miccah’s watch there arose a distant barking and yipping noise that sounded a bit to intelligent for dogs. Miccah decided it would be best to have the scouts look into it and roused Keldin and Absinthe. The elf looking almost ghost like under the full moon made her way towards the tower where the sounds were coming from.
She saw the Gnolls long before they saw her and listened to them. It was almost too much for the young impetuous elf to bear. The Gnolls turned out to be a father and son. They were attempting a ‘manhood’ ritual.
Father to son “OK boy it’s tradition that before you can become a man you must first pee on the old wizard’s tower.”
“But father, I don’t want to pee on the tower. I want to pick herbs and roots with the women”. Said the son.
“I’ll have none of that! The wizard who lived in this tower terrorized our people for many years now pee on the tower and you will be a man.”
The ritual was over quickly and Absinthe made her way giggling back to the camp. She never informed the rest of the group to exactly what happened.
The next day’s events started off with the caravan being attacked by a lone giant bee that Ravenspur was able to lead off with a spell of lights. After the scouting expedition worked so well that both Absinthe and Keldin were sent ahead to insure he travelers met with no more surprises. They using their respective stealthy ways came upon a pair of Half-Orc hunters. The older of the two stopped in his tracks and said to the other. “We are being watched.” The younger simply looked around trying to see what the elder saw. It was then that Keldin noticed the eagle circling their position. “We are hunting. We have no trouble with your wagons coming through out hunting grounds.” The elder said.
“That’s what we were hoping to hear.” Keldin said never revealing his whereabouts. The younger brother started so bad at the sound of the Halfling’s voice that he may have soiled himself.
The Half-Orcs heard Keldin move off in the brush never knowing what they were speaking to. But the wise older brother looked into the brush saying, “There’s still one of them out there.”
Absinthe said from her place of hiding “That’s true. I was just watching to make sure you weren’t going to try anything.
“We are good for our word. Elf? Is it?” He said while his younger brother tried not to panic at the voices he could not find the owners of.
Absinthe thanked them and returned to the wagons as well.
The night passed with no problems, with the tiny exception of the adult Red Dragon. The night seemed uneventful until the rush of air and the beating of massive wings awoke the members of the Caravan. Adson and Aislin were on guard duty and saw the massive beast’s shadow as it passed before the moon. The assembled heroes shook thinking the dragon may see the caravan and attack but it never got close enough to see them or at least if it did it was more interested in the huge creature it eventually slew and flew back to it’s lair to devour.
None slept from that moment until they reached the Inn before Endhome. They each went their separate ways for the night Miccah, Aislin, Keldin and Absinthe spent a good deal of time and money in the bar while Adson meditated and Ravenspur smoked his Hookah.
Finally the group made their way through the gates of Endhome and parted ways with the Widow and Horace. Faced with a new city and no one else to turn to the adventurers looked at each other and said “What now?”
To be continued.
Hear ye the tale of the Endhome Six. As it is written in the great book of heroes, the Six were drawn together by their individual need to reach the city of Endhome.
Aislin the Wrathborn: A young woman who has turned her anger into a skilled weapon.
Ravenspur: A gnomish Sorcerer Master of misdirection and causer of confusion. Just as his friends they’ll tell you.
Keldin of Descott valley: A Halfling ranger Keldin has red curly hair and is trying unsuccessfully to grow a beard, but he hasn't given up yet. He goes back and forth between being intimidated by tall people and a desire to prove that he can go toe to toe with them.
Adson the monk: Little is known about the human other than he is his own weapon and a skilled archer. Adson always wears a blindfold across his eyes. Whether he is blind or just posing as such no one has been able to determine.
Absinthe the Elven “Adventurer”: She was a cat burglar until a change of heart led her to a nobler path.
Miccah Stonebrother: Dwarven cleric of Heironeous. He left his family and the calling to be a cleric of Moradin for a much different calling.
The Widow Johanna Frisk brought these unremarkable individuals together. Her husband had passed away some few years ago and left the caravan business to her. She and her Road manager a Dwarven gentleman named Horace were traveling to Endhome and decided they needed more protection, for they had decided to take a little traveled and dangerous route through the Duskmoon hills to the city in order to reach it before her competitors.
Our story opens on the caravan starting their run into Fool’s pass…
“Well it seems that we weren’t needed anyway.” Miccah said to Horace. “We should be there in three days time and we’ve seen not but a few bandits and your normal guards could easily have dealt with them.” Miccah sat next to the road manager and spoke in his native tongue. The young cleric had been apprehensive about taking a position with this caravan thinking in his novice’s mind that being paid for protecting others was some how against his vows to his deity. But now was very much happy he did. It seems that Horace was a distant cousin to the Stone brother clan and they spent much time together talking about their families.
“Now Miccah boy you just wait.” Horace said in his gruff deep bass voice. “We ain’t even got to the tricky part of the trail yet. ‘Though I gotta admit looking at the back end of that human woman’s a nice way to spend the time.”
Miccah stared at Horace for a moment and whispered, “If Aislin heard you talk like that Widow Frisk would be needing a new road captain.” Though Miccah had to admit she was a fine example of her kind.
Just as the caravan was beginning to become a real bore to him, Keldin’s sharp Halfling eyes noticed movement in the rocky cliffs along the fool’s pass. At the same time Absinthe noticed there was movement as well. She and Keldin motioned to Horace just as Miccah saw the gray humanoids stalking the wagons. “Grimlocks!” Miccah said in Dwarven.
Horace signaled the wagons to stop and the Widow Fisk came up to the lead wagon asking what had made them stop. Horace informed her while Absinthe made her way stealthily into the brush along the ridge. Miccah and Aislin saw this and Miccah decided he would get down from the wagon and pretend to be searching ahead of the wagons hoping to be enough of a distraction that the Grimlocks would be taken by surprise by the Elf. Aislin and Ravenspur joined Miccah while Adson and Keldin held back keeping themselves between the widow and any possible harm to her.
The Gnome sorcerer caught up to the rest huffing and puffing from the sprint. Why the little humanoid had decided to wear padded armor was beyond anyone’s comprehension but his-own but then no one ever understood what Ravenspur did. “What’s happening? What’s the hold up? I was just lighting some of my trail smoke when we stopped.”
“We’re about to be ambushed now try to stay out of my way.” Aislin swore at the little man. Miccah sighed under his breath. He was not just a little falling in love with the human.
Absinthe had made her way along the scrub without the Grimlocks noticing her and saw two of them hiding and waiting to strike at the party moving ahead on the trail. She fired a bolt from her crossbow at the one but it missed its mark and drew their attention to her. Wisely she ran back to the party and with their cover blown the grimlocks attacked.
The first one ran down the rocky hill toward Miccah swinging his battleaxe. Keldin let loose an arrow and it found it’s mark in the Grimlock’s leg. It lost it’s footing in the dirt and fell flat on his face. Miccah seeing an opening charged up to it and stabbed it with his Longsword. Then the other three Grimlocks appeared.
Adson leapt into battle with one his fists flying but not actually hitting the Grimlock while Absinthe struck it from behind almost killing it outright. Ravenspur cast a spell and a blue-white ray of cold struck one of the attackers causing it to develop frostbite on its arm.
Aislin and Miccah fought the first one as it got up but Aislin swung her Greatsword in an arc and brought the unfortunate beast down in one great blow. But the other Grimlock that had run to its kinsman’s, side cut deep into the Dwarfs flesh with almost felling Miccah. He was well enough that while Aislin fought the Grimlock He was able to cast a healing spell on himself.
With the help of Adson and Absinthe the second of the Grimlocks was dead and Ravenspur and Keldin were besetting the third.
Aislin and Miccah had the fourth at bay until a lucky strike from it almost killed the cleric. Miccah fell and Aislin was left fighting the monster alone. Soon the two remaining Grimlocks were dispatched and Miccah was stabilized and revived enough to heal himself.
Horace had jumped down from the wagon when he saw his cousin fall and was greatly relieved when he was up and around.
The widow Frisk was very happy that they had all made it through the battle.
Later that day they reached a Ford in the road but due to the expert scouting of Absinthe they were alerted to the Goblins who had been camping there but they had moved off when they heard the wagon train coming up the trail.
The wagons started moving again and there were no further encounters that day. They stopped in the shadow of a great dark tower that night. The tower had stood for centuries and was a well-known scenic spot and according to Horace it was a safe place to spend the night.
Ravenspur decided he had to investigate the tower. “What? You think I’m going to pass up a chance to see a haunted tower?” The Gnome said to the group. Miccah hearing the word ‘Haunted’ said, “I’ll go with you just in case it is haunted.” The odd pairing of Dwarf and Gnome went off to investigate the tower. After a few minutes of searching the dwarf was unable to find an opening in the tower. The stones had been fused together my magic. Ravenspur having lost all interest after the first few minutes left Miccah to try more in-depth investigation but he was stymied in his attempts to enter. Eventually he also returned to the camp.
That night while on Miccah’s watch there arose a distant barking and yipping noise that sounded a bit to intelligent for dogs. Miccah decided it would be best to have the scouts look into it and roused Keldin and Absinthe. The elf looking almost ghost like under the full moon made her way towards the tower where the sounds were coming from.
She saw the Gnolls long before they saw her and listened to them. It was almost too much for the young impetuous elf to bear. The Gnolls turned out to be a father and son. They were attempting a ‘manhood’ ritual.
Father to son “OK boy it’s tradition that before you can become a man you must first pee on the old wizard’s tower.”
“But father, I don’t want to pee on the tower. I want to pick herbs and roots with the women”. Said the son.
“I’ll have none of that! The wizard who lived in this tower terrorized our people for many years now pee on the tower and you will be a man.”
The ritual was over quickly and Absinthe made her way giggling back to the camp. She never informed the rest of the group to exactly what happened.
The next day’s events started off with the caravan being attacked by a lone giant bee that Ravenspur was able to lead off with a spell of lights. After the scouting expedition worked so well that both Absinthe and Keldin were sent ahead to insure he travelers met with no more surprises. They using their respective stealthy ways came upon a pair of Half-Orc hunters. The older of the two stopped in his tracks and said to the other. “We are being watched.” The younger simply looked around trying to see what the elder saw. It was then that Keldin noticed the eagle circling their position. “We are hunting. We have no trouble with your wagons coming through out hunting grounds.” The elder said.
“That’s what we were hoping to hear.” Keldin said never revealing his whereabouts. The younger brother started so bad at the sound of the Halfling’s voice that he may have soiled himself.
The Half-Orcs heard Keldin move off in the brush never knowing what they were speaking to. But the wise older brother looked into the brush saying, “There’s still one of them out there.”
Absinthe said from her place of hiding “That’s true. I was just watching to make sure you weren’t going to try anything.
“We are good for our word. Elf? Is it?” He said while his younger brother tried not to panic at the voices he could not find the owners of.
Absinthe thanked them and returned to the wagons as well.
The night passed with no problems, with the tiny exception of the adult Red Dragon. The night seemed uneventful until the rush of air and the beating of massive wings awoke the members of the Caravan. Adson and Aislin were on guard duty and saw the massive beast’s shadow as it passed before the moon. The assembled heroes shook thinking the dragon may see the caravan and attack but it never got close enough to see them or at least if it did it was more interested in the huge creature it eventually slew and flew back to it’s lair to devour.
None slept from that moment until they reached the Inn before Endhome. They each went their separate ways for the night Miccah, Aislin, Keldin and Absinthe spent a good deal of time and money in the bar while Adson meditated and Ravenspur smoked his Hookah.
Finally the group made their way through the gates of Endhome and parted ways with the Widow and Horace. Faced with a new city and no one else to turn to the adventurers looked at each other and said “What now?”
To be continued.
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