Struggle and Strife- A scarred lands storyhour
- Thread starter Lars Frehse
- Start date
Lars Frehse
First Post
Thank you guys. 
Anc, yes, Jan reported it when he went back to temple city, so that will be taken care off.
The next story will be partially based on a plot idea from the Mithril sourcebook called "Dance of the Dark Lord". However, I don't think any spoilers are necessary. I took some of the ideas presented there and modified them until a new story developed.
So, without much further ado, here comes the first part of "A different kind of shade".
Anc, yes, Jan reported it when he went back to temple city, so that will be taken care off.
The next story will be partially based on a plot idea from the Mithril sourcebook called "Dance of the Dark Lord". However, I don't think any spoilers are necessary. I took some of the ideas presented there and modified them until a new story developed.
So, without much further ado, here comes the first part of "A different kind of shade".
Lars Frehse
First Post
A different kind of shade. Part 1
On the first morning of the year 151 After Victory, Trepat woke up with a bad hangover. Slowly opening his eyes, he looked at an alabaster ceiling. He slowly, painfully moved his head to see the covers his hands were laying on: Black Velvet. By and by, memories of the night before came back and as he turned his head to the left, his suspicions were confirmed. He hadn't spent the night alone...
Next to him slept a beautiful human woman in her mid-twenties with black hair and pale skin. She was facing towards Trepat and he full lips were half opened, showing teeth that were as shining and perfect as pearls.
He pushed himself up on his elbows. Looking around, Trepat saw that his hostess seemed to be wealthy- the furniture was made from exotic woods and the floor and the walls were covered with precious carpets. There were cupboards full of what appeared to be priceless tomes and the blue sky that was visible through the window indicated that the room was somewhere above the houses of the city.
He layed back again, and after a while he suceeded in remembering the name of the woman he had spent the night witt: Danye. Furrowing his eyebrows, Trepat was now able to recapulate what had happened the night before.
Except for Jan, who had been assigned for duty on Sky Tower, a defensive citadel on the west harbor, they had all had all gone to the DeBronis estate in Temple City. The new years ball at the mansion of Barconius’ family was the central event of Mithril’s society, and everyone who had made a name of him or herself had come. There were church leaders, mundane members of the Shining council, distinguished Paladins, succesful merchants, famous artists and many more of those that constituted Mithril’s “High Society”.
The heroes had been invited because Barconius and Emili Derigesh were sure that their aid to the Gravelfists had prevented an all out war. Except for them, hardly any other newcomers to the city were invited, and even those were usually nobles or members of important organizations.
Trepat remembered that Ben had befriended the only other halflings on the ball, a middle aged couple called Lutz and Maria Fahlfuss. They were vodka manufacturers, and from how they drank that evening, the elf gathered that they were their best customers.
Torn had befriended Baron Yurik Vogas, a nobleman from Albadia while Niklas had spent most of the evening along. He had never refined his ways and was at a loss at an occasion like this one.
Among the guests were some members of the Asuras family. The luckless Viando Asuras shot an angry look at the heroes, but once Niklas had stared back, the weak man turned away. Telinya Asuras, his sister, even thanked those adventurers she encountered. She claimed that she and her family were of course glad that careless activities like those her brother had allowed in Mullis Town were against the honorable policies of the house Asuras. She ensured Niklas, that the house Asuras would never consider a profit to be more important then the lives of innocent, like those her brother had endangered by not reporting the deadly fungus in the mines.
Even Khelarian Asuras, the local elder of the house, congratulated them, telling them that they were still waiting for a decision from his father regarding the punishment of Viando. And then, he ensured them that his house was grateful and that it never forgot those who had been of help to them.
At midnight, there was a ceremony to welcome the new year, and after that, the whole ball was more relaxed. The dances were less formal then before and it had gotten easier to mingle. Trepat had wanted to introduce himself to the leader of the shadowguild, Danye Blackburn. He walked up to her, and after they had exchanged some words, dismissed the crowd of men that had surrounded her all night to leave. When they were alone, she took him home with her.
Danye Blackburn took him to her “official” appartment on top of the guild of shadows. There, Trepat saw that she had the body of a human in her midtwenties. He knew that it was very unlikely that she was really that young- after all she was an archmage, from what he knew quite possibly the most powerful mage of Mithril, but since he too was over a hundred years old, he didn’t let that stop him.
Now, on the next morning, Danye woke up slowly. She greeted him with a peck on the cheek and then, with a flick of her hand, a little table with tea and fruits appeared next to the bed. When they were done with breakfast, she told Trepat that she had important things to do: ”And surely you understand that I’d rather take care of them alone. Don’t you, dear?”
Trepat nodded. He had expected no less. He got dressed and went to Torn’s appartment where he picked up his friends. The Gravelfist tribe had invited them to a new year’s ceremony too. It would take place in four days, and so they had decided to get going on new year’s day in spite of the hangover. After all, there was hardly anything better to clear the head then fresh air.
As they rode out into the snow covered plains, Niklas, who had refrained from drinking alcohol, was the only one in a cheery mood. The others were still recovering from last night, and especially Ben was going through a hard time. Maria and Lutz Fahlfuss had encouraged him to drink vodka with them all through the night and since he was lacking their training, he was now paying for it.
Fortunately, the day went by without anything happening, and after a good night’s sleep in their tents, they all felt revitalized on the next morning. They rode on for a little while, as they saw two wagons standing in the middle of the road. There were corpses laying on the ground and on top of the wagons, and two mules were standing shivering in the snow.
There had been an ambush here.
On the first morning of the year 151 After Victory, Trepat woke up with a bad hangover. Slowly opening his eyes, he looked at an alabaster ceiling. He slowly, painfully moved his head to see the covers his hands were laying on: Black Velvet. By and by, memories of the night before came back and as he turned his head to the left, his suspicions were confirmed. He hadn't spent the night alone...
Next to him slept a beautiful human woman in her mid-twenties with black hair and pale skin. She was facing towards Trepat and he full lips were half opened, showing teeth that were as shining and perfect as pearls.
He pushed himself up on his elbows. Looking around, Trepat saw that his hostess seemed to be wealthy- the furniture was made from exotic woods and the floor and the walls were covered with precious carpets. There were cupboards full of what appeared to be priceless tomes and the blue sky that was visible through the window indicated that the room was somewhere above the houses of the city.
He layed back again, and after a while he suceeded in remembering the name of the woman he had spent the night witt: Danye. Furrowing his eyebrows, Trepat was now able to recapulate what had happened the night before.
Except for Jan, who had been assigned for duty on Sky Tower, a defensive citadel on the west harbor, they had all had all gone to the DeBronis estate in Temple City. The new years ball at the mansion of Barconius’ family was the central event of Mithril’s society, and everyone who had made a name of him or herself had come. There were church leaders, mundane members of the Shining council, distinguished Paladins, succesful merchants, famous artists and many more of those that constituted Mithril’s “High Society”.
The heroes had been invited because Barconius and Emili Derigesh were sure that their aid to the Gravelfists had prevented an all out war. Except for them, hardly any other newcomers to the city were invited, and even those were usually nobles or members of important organizations.
Trepat remembered that Ben had befriended the only other halflings on the ball, a middle aged couple called Lutz and Maria Fahlfuss. They were vodka manufacturers, and from how they drank that evening, the elf gathered that they were their best customers.
Torn had befriended Baron Yurik Vogas, a nobleman from Albadia while Niklas had spent most of the evening along. He had never refined his ways and was at a loss at an occasion like this one.
Among the guests were some members of the Asuras family. The luckless Viando Asuras shot an angry look at the heroes, but once Niklas had stared back, the weak man turned away. Telinya Asuras, his sister, even thanked those adventurers she encountered. She claimed that she and her family were of course glad that careless activities like those her brother had allowed in Mullis Town were against the honorable policies of the house Asuras. She ensured Niklas, that the house Asuras would never consider a profit to be more important then the lives of innocent, like those her brother had endangered by not reporting the deadly fungus in the mines.
Even Khelarian Asuras, the local elder of the house, congratulated them, telling them that they were still waiting for a decision from his father regarding the punishment of Viando. And then, he ensured them that his house was grateful and that it never forgot those who had been of help to them.
At midnight, there was a ceremony to welcome the new year, and after that, the whole ball was more relaxed. The dances were less formal then before and it had gotten easier to mingle. Trepat had wanted to introduce himself to the leader of the shadowguild, Danye Blackburn. He walked up to her, and after they had exchanged some words, dismissed the crowd of men that had surrounded her all night to leave. When they were alone, she took him home with her.
Danye Blackburn took him to her “official” appartment on top of the guild of shadows. There, Trepat saw that she had the body of a human in her midtwenties. He knew that it was very unlikely that she was really that young- after all she was an archmage, from what he knew quite possibly the most powerful mage of Mithril, but since he too was over a hundred years old, he didn’t let that stop him.
Now, on the next morning, Danye woke up slowly. She greeted him with a peck on the cheek and then, with a flick of her hand, a little table with tea and fruits appeared next to the bed. When they were done with breakfast, she told Trepat that she had important things to do: ”And surely you understand that I’d rather take care of them alone. Don’t you, dear?”
Trepat nodded. He had expected no less. He got dressed and went to Torn’s appartment where he picked up his friends. The Gravelfist tribe had invited them to a new year’s ceremony too. It would take place in four days, and so they had decided to get going on new year’s day in spite of the hangover. After all, there was hardly anything better to clear the head then fresh air.
As they rode out into the snow covered plains, Niklas, who had refrained from drinking alcohol, was the only one in a cheery mood. The others were still recovering from last night, and especially Ben was going through a hard time. Maria and Lutz Fahlfuss had encouraged him to drink vodka with them all through the night and since he was lacking their training, he was now paying for it.
Fortunately, the day went by without anything happening, and after a good night’s sleep in their tents, they all felt revitalized on the next morning. They rode on for a little while, as they saw two wagons standing in the middle of the road. There were corpses laying on the ground and on top of the wagons, and two mules were standing shivering in the snow.
There had been an ambush here.
Lars Frehse
First Post
Sparhawk- ooops, I seem to get sloppier and sloppier in my narration... 
Actually, he had signed up when he first stayed in Mithril for a while. It is mandatory for any arcane spellcaster in Mithril to register with the shadow guild. At that time, however, he had naturally merely encountered some low level clerks.
Given her taste for young gentlemen, and his charisma score of 19, they were bound to have a good time together, though.
(In spite of her assumption that sorcerors aren't "proper" spellcasters).
Actually, he had signed up when he first stayed in Mithril for a while. It is mandatory for any arcane spellcaster in Mithril to register with the shadow guild. At that time, however, he had naturally merely encountered some low level clerks.
Given her taste for young gentlemen, and his charisma score of 19, they were bound to have a good time together, though.
(In spite of her assumption that sorcerors aren't "proper" spellcasters). Lars Frehse
First Post
A different kind of shade- part 2
The friends rushed forward to see whether there were any survivors who needed immediate attention. However, as they got to the ambush site, they soon saw that all the men, guards and drivers alike, were all dead.
There were six corpses alltogether. Four guards clad in chainmail and two cartdrivers. Some of the bodies, the carts and the snowfree ground, were scorched. Two of the guards had crossbow bolts sticking out of them and they had other wounds which had been caused by slashing weapons. One of the drivers and one guard, however, bore no obvious wounds. They were neither scorched nor wounded by bolt or sword but their skin was stretched taut over their skulls and their whole bodies looked as if all life had been sucked out of them.
Trepat looked around:"I am quite certain that the magic that blasted away the snow and scorched the humans and the wagons was an arcane spell called "Fireball". Apparently, it only killed two of those six right away. However, I don't know any particular magic that sucks the life out of a victim like it has happened with those two."
Torn and Niklas checked the carts, and it turned out that they had been searched. bundles of woolen cloth and rolled up carpets had been tossed aside. Apparently, the attackers had been loooking for something specific.
"I think it is odd that so much power was used to raid such an insignicant and small caravan. I wonder what they had been searching for.", Torn said.
Meanwhile, single snowflakes started to fall from the grey sky. Looking up, Ben said:" We should try to find some tracks before the snow covers them up. We can leave the mules behind. They should be able to find enough grass where the fireball had melted the snow and they look sturdy enough to cope with the cold."
They looked around and soon they found tracks. Whoever had ambushed the caravan seemed to have relied on the weather to cover the tracks. Judging by the falling snow, the friends estimated that the tracks would have been filled with snow in two more hours. And given the time of the year and the little traffic on the corridor before spring thaw, there really hadn't been much of a likelihood of anyone finding tracks of the ambushers.
There were tracks of at least eight individuals. Three of the tracks were made by human sized boots, but the rest of them were longer and thinner than human tracks. Indeed, they looked like they were made by bipedal, humansized rats. There was no doubt, the tracks were made by Trepat's chosen enemy: Slitheren.
The tracks lead to the north, away from the corridor, and after deciding that informing the Paladins of Mithril would take too long, they followed the tracks themselves. Again, the heroes had accepted that fate seemed to be frequently throwing them into dangerous adventures ever since they had left Durrover.
The snow in the plains was packed enough to carry them and their steeds without problems. As they rode through the snow, the snowfall got stronger, cutting down visibility to a few dozen yards. After a while, they were forced to dismount in order to follow the disappearing tracks.
Then, just fifty yards ahead of them, they could make out the shape of a structure in the snow. Whispering, they decided that Torn would scout ahead while the others would wait behind.
The halforc pushed forward through the driving snow until he reached a stone wall. The stonework looked old and cracked and the wall seemed to be about 10 feet high. Left and right, behind the far ends of the wall, he saw two wooden towers behind and the wall, and on the right one, he was able to make out a humanoid figure. The towers were simple structures. Each side consisted of two straight and two crossed beams, which were supporting one platform. On the platform was a rail and the whole thing was covered by a small roof.
Torn moved along the wall while the humanoid seemed to remain unaware of him. Getting close, Torn was finally able to make out the shape on the tower. It wasn't human but it looked like the animate skeleton of a Slitheren. It was holding a crossbow in it's bonehands and seemed to try to pierce the curtain of snow with it's empty sockets.
Registering it, but staying calm, Torn looked around the corner, where the wall continued. In a gap in the wall, there was a makeshift gate, and it appeared that the towers and the gate were much newer than the original walls. Carefully making sure that he wasn't seen by the skeleton, he returned to his friends.
A short heated debate ensued regarding how they would proceed. Torn wanted to try and take out the skeleton on the watchtower before he opened the gate, while Ben argued that the undead would probably be warned no matter what, and so he favored a full frontal attack.
In the end, they decided to let Torn give it a try while they hid close to the makeshift gate. Cowering behind a pile of snow, they could make out the shape of their friend climbing over the wall, where he disappeared from their sight. Then, they saw him again climbing up the wooden tower. With the grace of a feline predator, he slid onto the platform, where the skeleton faced the other way, and he shot his spiked chain at it. However, he slipped in the snow and missed his target.
The skeleton turned around, but before it could react, Torn slashed at it with the other end of his chain. This time he hit, and his defeated opponent fell into the snow below. Torn jumped down and opened the gate for his friends, and as his friends entered, he whispered to them:" Those aren't skeletons. They do have some sort of flesh and blood. However, all that is transparent as glass. Wouldn't it be for their bones, they would be virtually invisible.".
The friends rushed forward to see whether there were any survivors who needed immediate attention. However, as they got to the ambush site, they soon saw that all the men, guards and drivers alike, were all dead.
There were six corpses alltogether. Four guards clad in chainmail and two cartdrivers. Some of the bodies, the carts and the snowfree ground, were scorched. Two of the guards had crossbow bolts sticking out of them and they had other wounds which had been caused by slashing weapons. One of the drivers and one guard, however, bore no obvious wounds. They were neither scorched nor wounded by bolt or sword but their skin was stretched taut over their skulls and their whole bodies looked as if all life had been sucked out of them.
Trepat looked around:"I am quite certain that the magic that blasted away the snow and scorched the humans and the wagons was an arcane spell called "Fireball". Apparently, it only killed two of those six right away. However, I don't know any particular magic that sucks the life out of a victim like it has happened with those two."
Torn and Niklas checked the carts, and it turned out that they had been searched. bundles of woolen cloth and rolled up carpets had been tossed aside. Apparently, the attackers had been loooking for something specific.
"I think it is odd that so much power was used to raid such an insignicant and small caravan. I wonder what they had been searching for.", Torn said.
Meanwhile, single snowflakes started to fall from the grey sky. Looking up, Ben said:" We should try to find some tracks before the snow covers them up. We can leave the mules behind. They should be able to find enough grass where the fireball had melted the snow and they look sturdy enough to cope with the cold."
They looked around and soon they found tracks. Whoever had ambushed the caravan seemed to have relied on the weather to cover the tracks. Judging by the falling snow, the friends estimated that the tracks would have been filled with snow in two more hours. And given the time of the year and the little traffic on the corridor before spring thaw, there really hadn't been much of a likelihood of anyone finding tracks of the ambushers.
There were tracks of at least eight individuals. Three of the tracks were made by human sized boots, but the rest of them were longer and thinner than human tracks. Indeed, they looked like they were made by bipedal, humansized rats. There was no doubt, the tracks were made by Trepat's chosen enemy: Slitheren.
The tracks lead to the north, away from the corridor, and after deciding that informing the Paladins of Mithril would take too long, they followed the tracks themselves. Again, the heroes had accepted that fate seemed to be frequently throwing them into dangerous adventures ever since they had left Durrover.
The snow in the plains was packed enough to carry them and their steeds without problems. As they rode through the snow, the snowfall got stronger, cutting down visibility to a few dozen yards. After a while, they were forced to dismount in order to follow the disappearing tracks.
Then, just fifty yards ahead of them, they could make out the shape of a structure in the snow. Whispering, they decided that Torn would scout ahead while the others would wait behind.
The halforc pushed forward through the driving snow until he reached a stone wall. The stonework looked old and cracked and the wall seemed to be about 10 feet high. Left and right, behind the far ends of the wall, he saw two wooden towers behind and the wall, and on the right one, he was able to make out a humanoid figure. The towers were simple structures. Each side consisted of two straight and two crossed beams, which were supporting one platform. On the platform was a rail and the whole thing was covered by a small roof.
Torn moved along the wall while the humanoid seemed to remain unaware of him. Getting close, Torn was finally able to make out the shape on the tower. It wasn't human but it looked like the animate skeleton of a Slitheren. It was holding a crossbow in it's bonehands and seemed to try to pierce the curtain of snow with it's empty sockets.
Registering it, but staying calm, Torn looked around the corner, where the wall continued. In a gap in the wall, there was a makeshift gate, and it appeared that the towers and the gate were much newer than the original walls. Carefully making sure that he wasn't seen by the skeleton, he returned to his friends.
A short heated debate ensued regarding how they would proceed. Torn wanted to try and take out the skeleton on the watchtower before he opened the gate, while Ben argued that the undead would probably be warned no matter what, and so he favored a full frontal attack.
In the end, they decided to let Torn give it a try while they hid close to the makeshift gate. Cowering behind a pile of snow, they could make out the shape of their friend climbing over the wall, where he disappeared from their sight. Then, they saw him again climbing up the wooden tower. With the grace of a feline predator, he slid onto the platform, where the skeleton faced the other way, and he shot his spiked chain at it. However, he slipped in the snow and missed his target.
The skeleton turned around, but before it could react, Torn slashed at it with the other end of his chain. This time he hit, and his defeated opponent fell into the snow below. Torn jumped down and opened the gate for his friends, and as his friends entered, he whispered to them:" Those aren't skeletons. They do have some sort of flesh and blood. However, all that is transparent as glass. Wouldn't it be for their bones, they would be virtually invisible.".
Lars Frehse
First Post
They have only encountered Dayne yet... And now for something completely different: a little announcement.
Lars clears his throat: I have uploaded the text file of my story hour to Morrus' server today, and you can download it at: http://enworld.cyberstreet.com/news...e=Downloads&file=index&req=viewdownload&cid=4
All in all, it is 120 pages long by now, and growing!
Lars Frehse
First Post
I noticed that there is a typo in my Story Hour's description...
Oh, well, next time I do an update, I will correct that mistake. Or maybe Morrus will have mercy on me...
Anyway, here is another small update. I will post a bigger one, ending that chapter, tomorrow.
Oh, well, next time I do an update, I will correct that mistake. Or maybe Morrus will have mercy on me...
Anyway, here is another small update. I will post a bigger one, ending that chapter, tomorrow.
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