seasong's Light Against The Dark II (May 13)
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seasong
First Post
Note: Short, but I've got another one planned shortly after this one; probably later this morning.
Plans
Hastily, the heroes of Theralis cancelled and re-arranged their planes. Bellos was sent to hire some mercenaries for Uridates' trip home, Greppa did some quick research on the states to the north (and turned up mainly historical references, and the fact that Aglaonis did some trade with them), and Merideth wandered around, "planning".
When Bellos asked why the sudden change of plan, Greppa was somewhat pensive, "I've had.. a visitation, I guess. There's information there that we need about the... orcs, and maybe their ancestors, or whoever is driving them to war." Bellos seemed to take this as satisfactory, and off they each went to handle their various arrangements.
While hiring a mercenary, Bellos also kept an eye open for a solid wilderness guide or trapper - he'd seen Greppa's idea of proper travel in the wilds, and while Bellos felt confident in his own abilities therein, he'd discovered that he wasn't that great at helping other people along the way.
So he needed, at the least, a second pair of eyes on Greppa and Merideth, and a second pair of skilled hands wouldn't be amiss around the campsite, either. Eventually, someone directed him to a massive, drunk orc... and despite Bellos' highly questionable opinion, he was assured that the orc (currently dozing lightly, a beer cradled to his rolling pectoral mountains) was easily the best wilderness guide available, period. His name was Chatham, and that summoned a vague memory of someone Greppa and Merideth had mentioned.
Bellos went back to check with them.
Later, Chatham stared with intense concentration through a haze of alcohol at the trio. Leaning in to Bellos, he commented, "Yoush ha' shrunk!" His perceptive analysis complete, he leaned back to hear the offer.
Greppa launched into it, "We need a guide to the far north - as far as Tuoma. We'd like to hire you to help us."
"Tuwha? How mush?"
Greppa named a very, very reasonable price, and Chatham took it in stride, "Sh'okay. When yoush nee' ta go?"
Greppa looked at Merideth, "We'd like to go as soon as possible. Merideth could sober you up..."
"The HELL she will... I'sh earnt thish."
Bellos leaned in to Greppa's ear, "We can't really leave today anyway. It's taking a bit of time to hire mercenaries I trust with Uridates and our gold."
Greppa sighed, "Okay.. how about when you've sobered up naturally?"
Chatham seemed to consider, rolling the thought around in his head while beer rolled around his tongue, "Ish a deal. I'sh meetchu in... two daysh."
"It's going to take that long to sober up!?"
"Ish gonna be tha' lon' fore I'sh sober..."
Plans
Hastily, the heroes of Theralis cancelled and re-arranged their planes. Bellos was sent to hire some mercenaries for Uridates' trip home, Greppa did some quick research on the states to the north (and turned up mainly historical references, and the fact that Aglaonis did some trade with them), and Merideth wandered around, "planning".
When Bellos asked why the sudden change of plan, Greppa was somewhat pensive, "I've had.. a visitation, I guess. There's information there that we need about the... orcs, and maybe their ancestors, or whoever is driving them to war." Bellos seemed to take this as satisfactory, and off they each went to handle their various arrangements.
While hiring a mercenary, Bellos also kept an eye open for a solid wilderness guide or trapper - he'd seen Greppa's idea of proper travel in the wilds, and while Bellos felt confident in his own abilities therein, he'd discovered that he wasn't that great at helping other people along the way.
So he needed, at the least, a second pair of eyes on Greppa and Merideth, and a second pair of skilled hands wouldn't be amiss around the campsite, either. Eventually, someone directed him to a massive, drunk orc... and despite Bellos' highly questionable opinion, he was assured that the orc (currently dozing lightly, a beer cradled to his rolling pectoral mountains) was easily the best wilderness guide available, period. His name was Chatham, and that summoned a vague memory of someone Greppa and Merideth had mentioned.
Bellos went back to check with them.
Later, Chatham stared with intense concentration through a haze of alcohol at the trio. Leaning in to Bellos, he commented, "Yoush ha' shrunk!" His perceptive analysis complete, he leaned back to hear the offer.
Greppa launched into it, "We need a guide to the far north - as far as Tuoma. We'd like to hire you to help us."
"Tuwha? How mush?"
Greppa named a very, very reasonable price, and Chatham took it in stride, "Sh'okay. When yoush nee' ta go?"
Greppa looked at Merideth, "We'd like to go as soon as possible. Merideth could sober you up..."
"The HELL she will... I'sh earnt thish."
Bellos leaned in to Greppa's ear, "We can't really leave today anyway. It's taking a bit of time to hire mercenaries I trust with Uridates and our gold."
Greppa sighed, "Okay.. how about when you've sobered up naturally?"
Chatham seemed to consider, rolling the thought around in his head while beer rolled around his tongue, "Ish a deal. I'sh meetchu in... two daysh."
"It's going to take that long to sober up!?"
"Ish gonna be tha' lon' fore I'sh sober..."
seasong
First Post
Chatham's first appearance, for those coming in late. He's a seven foot, good-looking orc with an erudite tongue... when he's not drunk.
Road to Tuoma
The first day of travel, the trio and Chatham hiked... east. A bit north. Everyone figured Chatham knew what he was doing, so no one said anything, until night began to fall, and they found themselves in as deep a wilderness as could be imagined.
Merideth spoke up first, "Chatham, uh, did you know there's a ROAD to Tuoma? It's not complete, but it goes through, uh, friendlier areas."
Chatham nodded, so Greppa chimed in, "So where exactly are we going?"
Chatham was an immense, muscular orc. His shoulders were broad enough to support both of his questioners, his hands large enough to crush their heads... he smiled at them in a manner more at home in an effete Theralis academy of actors, "Mostly, my small friends, I am awaiting the cessation of my payment to Dianas, upon whose teat I spent the past week. And in the meantime, a good, slow walk did well for my constitution. In the morning, we shall travel as swiftly as you could hope for, like an arrow loosed for the city you seek."
Bellos just grinned. He, like Chatham, felt more at home away from the crowded masses... although spending money and making beer were both also good.
Chatham failed to mention that the northern civilizations were taking a dim view of orcs at the moment, and that a orcish gentleman such as himself might be taken amiss. No need to worry the young heroes with the dooms of his people.
-
The next morning, Chatham had his three foot diameter wardrum out and tucked under an arm. "So, my fine heroes, once upon a time you ran with me; or rather, you ran beside me while I passed gently through the mother forests. Today, however, you are in even more luck!"
At this, Merideth and Greppa groaned as quietly as they could. If Chatham meant for them to run as fast as he could...
"For just recently, I have mastered an ancient drumming, one not often used in our crude modern age, one suited to the plains of our ancestors, and the coverage thereof. I shall play as we run, and I think you will find the poor beats of an aging drummer to be uplifting this morning!"
And as they began to jog (and Greppa flew), he beat upon his drum, a stocatto, rolling march that drew one in as fatigue set in and cradled one from the pain of the body. Greppa, to his consternation, began to find himself falling behind in the air. He pushed the magic, but was finally forced to land and start pelting after the others.
In time, the beat esconced him as well, and enraptured with sounds that were heard by orcs a thousand years ago or more, they ran. And ran. And ran.
The days swelled and fell away like leaves. The ground passed beneath them. The mountains were mere hills, to be crushed underfoot as they travelled north. In a matter of days, a journey of weeks was passed with only the faintest of fatigues, although all three noticed how ravenously they ate each night.
Finally, they arrived at a highway, with a steep, mountainous ridge that it passed over to the north. "Beyond that ridge, my young friends, shall you find the city you seek, if the maps you shared with me are accurate. I will remain here for a week to await your return, and you will find me thus." And with that, Chatham made a square of twigs, and carefully wove it into the bark of a tree. "May your path find you safe, and your hunt fruitful."
The trio left the oddball orc in the wilderness, and set upon the highway. Greppa noted, glancing at the road they walked upon, that it was a significantly more expensive endeavor than the best highways of Theralis. He wondered what these cities looked like, so far north, that they could afford such a highway...
The ridge beckoned, and they went.
Road to Tuoma
The first day of travel, the trio and Chatham hiked... east. A bit north. Everyone figured Chatham knew what he was doing, so no one said anything, until night began to fall, and they found themselves in as deep a wilderness as could be imagined.
Merideth spoke up first, "Chatham, uh, did you know there's a ROAD to Tuoma? It's not complete, but it goes through, uh, friendlier areas."
Chatham nodded, so Greppa chimed in, "So where exactly are we going?"
Chatham was an immense, muscular orc. His shoulders were broad enough to support both of his questioners, his hands large enough to crush their heads... he smiled at them in a manner more at home in an effete Theralis academy of actors, "Mostly, my small friends, I am awaiting the cessation of my payment to Dianas, upon whose teat I spent the past week. And in the meantime, a good, slow walk did well for my constitution. In the morning, we shall travel as swiftly as you could hope for, like an arrow loosed for the city you seek."
Bellos just grinned. He, like Chatham, felt more at home away from the crowded masses... although spending money and making beer were both also good.
Chatham failed to mention that the northern civilizations were taking a dim view of orcs at the moment, and that a orcish gentleman such as himself might be taken amiss. No need to worry the young heroes with the dooms of his people.
-
The next morning, Chatham had his three foot diameter wardrum out and tucked under an arm. "So, my fine heroes, once upon a time you ran with me; or rather, you ran beside me while I passed gently through the mother forests. Today, however, you are in even more luck!"
At this, Merideth and Greppa groaned as quietly as they could. If Chatham meant for them to run as fast as he could...
"For just recently, I have mastered an ancient drumming, one not often used in our crude modern age, one suited to the plains of our ancestors, and the coverage thereof. I shall play as we run, and I think you will find the poor beats of an aging drummer to be uplifting this morning!"
And as they began to jog (and Greppa flew), he beat upon his drum, a stocatto, rolling march that drew one in as fatigue set in and cradled one from the pain of the body. Greppa, to his consternation, began to find himself falling behind in the air. He pushed the magic, but was finally forced to land and start pelting after the others.
In time, the beat esconced him as well, and enraptured with sounds that were heard by orcs a thousand years ago or more, they ran. And ran. And ran.
The days swelled and fell away like leaves. The ground passed beneath them. The mountains were mere hills, to be crushed underfoot as they travelled north. In a matter of days, a journey of weeks was passed with only the faintest of fatigues, although all three noticed how ravenously they ate each night.
Finally, they arrived at a highway, with a steep, mountainous ridge that it passed over to the north. "Beyond that ridge, my young friends, shall you find the city you seek, if the maps you shared with me are accurate. I will remain here for a week to await your return, and you will find me thus." And with that, Chatham made a square of twigs, and carefully wove it into the bark of a tree. "May your path find you safe, and your hunt fruitful."
The trio left the oddball orc in the wilderness, and set upon the highway. Greppa noted, glancing at the road they walked upon, that it was a significantly more expensive endeavor than the best highways of Theralis. He wondered what these cities looked like, so far north, that they could afford such a highway...
The ridge beckoned, and they went.
.
seasong
First Post
I just noticed how many pages/replies this thing is at. I'd rather not prune it (that's what the PDF version is for, which, yes, I am working on this weekend), so I'm going to need to start a IIIrd part before Dinkledog gets to it (I like being able to modify the header with the last update date).
Anyway, I'd thought I'd've gotten further along by the time this happened, but I guess I've gotten wordier (that boggles the mind). So, I'm going to try to figure out a good break point sometime in the next week. I'll also try to have the narrative PDF up and up-to-date at that point.
Anyway, needless knowledge, I know, but thought I'd give some warning.
Anyway, I'd thought I'd've gotten further along by the time this happened, but I guess I've gotten wordier (that boggles the mind). So, I'm going to try to figure out a good break point sometime in the next week. I'll also try to have the narrative PDF up and up-to-date at that point.
Anyway, needless knowledge, I know, but thought I'd give some warning.
seasong
First Post
I haven't updated the web page in forever 
.
It's a performance-based feat, much like the Drums of Thunder (which he also has). The game effect is to ignore fatigue for overland travel only... which means a x4 run is possible. It was inspired by the original ring of sustenance, with which a character of mine once crossed a continent in a very short amount of time, after being left behind by a no-good double-crossing teleporting magic-user.
I made it require a total skill of 20+, so with the skill focus feat I use, a performance-focused person could concievably pick it up around level 8. It has a limited radius of effect (30 ft), but get a couple of orc war drummers together with that, and they can move a pretty hefty military band about 64 miles per day through mountainous terrain.
.It's a performance-based feat, much like the Drums of Thunder (which he also has). The game effect is to ignore fatigue for overland travel only... which means a x4 run is possible. It was inspired by the original ring of sustenance, with which a character of mine once crossed a continent in a very short amount of time, after being left behind by a no-good double-crossing teleporting magic-user.
I made it require a total skill of 20+, so with the skill focus feat I use, a performance-focused person could concievably pick it up around level 8. It has a limited radius of effect (30 ft), but get a couple of orc war drummers together with that, and they can move a pretty hefty military band about 64 miles per day through mountainous terrain.
Last edited:
seasong
First Post
Tuoma
At the top of the ridge, the trio looked, and an immense city rolled down slope and away from them. Easily three times the size of Theralis, and slightly more than twice the size of Aglaonis, it sprawled across the rapidly dropping hills beyond the mountain slope and spilled into a flatland bowl beyond. A quarter million people, representing the combined trade between North and South; the funnel through which everything passed. If you looked, a few arcanists might be spotted flying about the sky; horses built more for the flatter northlands pulling wheeled contraptions; espers in street stalls, selling fortunes; steel weapons rather than black iron; and much more. The first thing the young heroes noticed was the lack of proper architecture.
"Where's the high towers?"
"Or the arch bridges between them?"
"Are people supposed to live in those boxes?"
"I don't see any ducts... how do they get water into the city?"
"Forget about that, how do they get it OUT?"
"Ew."
"EW!"
"Hey, look, there's a tower about a stone's throw that way..."
"That's the library that, ah, I saw in the vision."
"Cool. At least it's one of the bigger buildings."
"If you call them buildings."
As they talked, they walked, passing people on the way through the wide open gates. A pair of oddly-uniformed soldiers, dressed in shiny ringlets of silvery metal, nodded in passing and continued on. Like the south, the cities were largely open when not repelling an attack of some sort, and for a trade city, it was even more important.
As they reached the library, however, another soldier stopped them. Built like a six-foot-six brick house, she towered over all three, but her manners, while brusque, were gentle. Merideth pegged her, almost immediately, as a kindly Captain type. "Sorry to bother you folks, but you're new here and arcanists?"
Merideth shrugged, "I'm an esper."
The soldier smiled, "Ah, of course. Well, I do apologize, but spellcasters without permits have to be peacebonded. You can get permits at the Arcanist's Guild, for espers as well, but I have to peacebond you here and now."
Greppa, his mind swimming with images of the gag and tied up fingers from his days as an orc slave, opened his mouth to protest when she pulled out two wrist bracelets. "These are the peacebonds. You have to wear these; if they are removed by an unauthorized entity they will begin to shriek."
And without further ceremony, she clapped the bracelets around the left wrist of Greppa and Merideth. "Again, my apologies for the inconvenience."
Greppa's mouth closed. Merideth fumed... and when she tested the limits of the spell casting, fumed some more. The bracelets didn't affect her ability to cast a spell at all, they just made it extremely difficult to resist the exhaustion that followed. Extremely difficult.
Bellos grinned at them, but not when they were looking. The soldier hadn't even blinked at the huge iron meat cleaver he was carrying.
The library was quiet, but not abnormally so. A few children whispered to each other in a back corner, under the watchful eyes of an aristocrat's servant, while a pair of elderly men argued quietly but vehemently over the price of steel plate armor in "the Age of Kithios". And as Greppa watched, and ellini girl pulled a book, the very book Greppa was looking for, and carried it over to a stack she was making, placing it on top.
As she walked back to the book shelf, hunting further books, Greppa walked over to the pile she'd made. It looked exactly like the pile in Belial's image. It was a bit disconcerting.
He picked up the book and began idly turning the pages. The girl walked up to him, her voice quiet, timid, but very serious, "I'm using that."
He turned and looked at her. She was smaller than him, and looked perhaps fifteen, just barely an adult, with black hair and intense brown eyes. The eyes were very serious, her mouth was pinched shut - an arcanist apprentice, then, he decided, and one not accustomed to dealing with people.
"I only wish to read one passage. I will not take it from your stack."
She nodded, and fled back to the shelf, stealing glances at him as he read. Luccas the Red, cast down by Allas...
At the top of the ridge, the trio looked, and an immense city rolled down slope and away from them. Easily three times the size of Theralis, and slightly more than twice the size of Aglaonis, it sprawled across the rapidly dropping hills beyond the mountain slope and spilled into a flatland bowl beyond. A quarter million people, representing the combined trade between North and South; the funnel through which everything passed. If you looked, a few arcanists might be spotted flying about the sky; horses built more for the flatter northlands pulling wheeled contraptions; espers in street stalls, selling fortunes; steel weapons rather than black iron; and much more. The first thing the young heroes noticed was the lack of proper architecture.
"Where's the high towers?"
"Or the arch bridges between them?"
"Are people supposed to live in those boxes?"
"I don't see any ducts... how do they get water into the city?"
"Forget about that, how do they get it OUT?"
"Ew."
"EW!"
"Hey, look, there's a tower about a stone's throw that way..."
"That's the library that, ah, I saw in the vision."
"Cool. At least it's one of the bigger buildings."
"If you call them buildings."
As they talked, they walked, passing people on the way through the wide open gates. A pair of oddly-uniformed soldiers, dressed in shiny ringlets of silvery metal, nodded in passing and continued on. Like the south, the cities were largely open when not repelling an attack of some sort, and for a trade city, it was even more important.
As they reached the library, however, another soldier stopped them. Built like a six-foot-six brick house, she towered over all three, but her manners, while brusque, were gentle. Merideth pegged her, almost immediately, as a kindly Captain type. "Sorry to bother you folks, but you're new here and arcanists?"
Merideth shrugged, "I'm an esper."
The soldier smiled, "Ah, of course. Well, I do apologize, but spellcasters without permits have to be peacebonded. You can get permits at the Arcanist's Guild, for espers as well, but I have to peacebond you here and now."
Greppa, his mind swimming with images of the gag and tied up fingers from his days as an orc slave, opened his mouth to protest when she pulled out two wrist bracelets. "These are the peacebonds. You have to wear these; if they are removed by an unauthorized entity they will begin to shriek."
And without further ceremony, she clapped the bracelets around the left wrist of Greppa and Merideth. "Again, my apologies for the inconvenience."
Greppa's mouth closed. Merideth fumed... and when she tested the limits of the spell casting, fumed some more. The bracelets didn't affect her ability to cast a spell at all, they just made it extremely difficult to resist the exhaustion that followed. Extremely difficult.
Bellos grinned at them, but not when they were looking. The soldier hadn't even blinked at the huge iron meat cleaver he was carrying.
The library was quiet, but not abnormally so. A few children whispered to each other in a back corner, under the watchful eyes of an aristocrat's servant, while a pair of elderly men argued quietly but vehemently over the price of steel plate armor in "the Age of Kithios". And as Greppa watched, and ellini girl pulled a book, the very book Greppa was looking for, and carried it over to a stack she was making, placing it on top.
As she walked back to the book shelf, hunting further books, Greppa walked over to the pile she'd made. It looked exactly like the pile in Belial's image. It was a bit disconcerting.
He picked up the book and began idly turning the pages. The girl walked up to him, her voice quiet, timid, but very serious, "I'm using that."
He turned and looked at her. She was smaller than him, and looked perhaps fifteen, just barely an adult, with black hair and intense brown eyes. The eyes were very serious, her mouth was pinched shut - an arcanist apprentice, then, he decided, and one not accustomed to dealing with people.
"I only wish to read one passage. I will not take it from your stack."
She nodded, and fled back to the shelf, stealing glances at him as he read. Luccas the Red, cast down by Allas...
Last edited:
seasong
First Post
I've done the first narrative update to the Book of Runes story hour. Go see! Go see!
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