SableWyvern
Hero
With nothing better to do, I've decided I might as well start a story hour. The campaign has been running for about six months; this first post is designed to briefly summarise what has transpired so far.
If anyone wants some more detail on anything, let me know, and I'll try and expand. Being 6 months condensed, this post won't be brimming with magnificient expression and detail. Some more PC background and info should follow in the not-too-distant future.
The Setting
The ongoing tale of the Obsidian Hammers occurs currently on the continent of Eastern Amoria. The stable, relatively peaceful Age of Empire passed into the Present Age some two hundred years ago. During the Age of Empire, the great empires were at their peak, and strife between them was rare and limited. Then came the Time of Chaos.
Exactly what caused the Time of Chaos, and what occured during it, is uncertain. What is known beyond doubt is that the gods withdrew and demons flooded the lands. Most people blame the Arcane Order for the calamity, and as such practicioners of magic have become viewed with distrust, fear and hatred. Among the major races, only the elves have not had their view of magic tainted - for they place the blame purely upon the heads of human wizards, whom they claim incapable of the maturity to wield arcane power safely.
Those with a religious bent do not suffer the persecutions of wizards and sorcerers, but they are generally looked upon with scorn. Few now follow the gods, for they withdrew their power when the Time of Chaos struck, and many people do not even realise that clerics and the like can still wield true power.
As for the demons that ravaged the land, most have disappeared, but far too many still remain. In Western Amoria, where what remains of the once mighty empires of Kadrendorst and Menria fight a seemingly endless battle for the disputed lands of Norral, demons are used frequently in their ceaseless wars.
Currently, the Obsidian Hammers reside in the Dallarn Freeholds, a region of city states that are more civilised than most places. Although the cities are regulalry at war, they remain interdependant, and total war would damage them all and make them a ripe target for outside forces. As such, battles are fought at prearranged places and times by mercenary forces. These battles may be fought for tribute, land, excise concessions, or anything else desirable by one state or another. The results of a battle are almost always honoured, and the defeated will hand over whatever they had staked.
Friends from Esgaro
The story of the Hammers began with a small group of friends from the township of Esgaro in the Freeholds. Of otherwise little interest, the town sits over the Urden River, and its fortified bridge is the only fixed crossing for 50 miles in either direction. Outside the direct sphere of control of any of the city states, the town is self sufficient, and makes extra income from the toll it charges passing mercenary companies - a fee large enough to generate substantial income, but not so high as to make it worthwhile for a company to lose the men they would, should they try and force a crossing.
Seven friends began their adventures when an old man stumbled into the local inn one evening, haggard and injured. Hiring a room, he was followed upstairs by a concerned young Ranger by the name of Rhael. The man did not deign to give his name, but saw innocence and genuine concern in the Ranger, and told a little of his tale, of a quest to unlock the secret keep of the fabled King Aldaran. His quest had led him to an ancient, long forgotten crypt that lay not far from the town, and Rhael volunteered his aid for when the man set out to the crypt the next morning. Rhael gained now clue as to the reason for the elderly gentleman's current condition, however.
The Ranger's friends agreed to help; all interested in a change from the hum-drum of their lives. Waramayl (Var-a-male) was a monk from the small monastery just outside of town, interested in nothing beyond self-discovery and testing his limits. Terjon was a devoted, insightful, but somewhat dim-witted paladin of Heironeous, who longed for some way to show the world that the gods had not abandoned it. Reikon (Rye-kon) was an elf of somewhat darker ethical disposition; he come to Esgaro as a youngster with his family, and was driven by a hatred of demons. Even his closest friends were unaware of his obsession, and were not entirely aware of his high consideration of ends rather than means. His family had links to ancient warrior cults, and he studied illusion and thievery with a bent towards one day finding the truth behind his history and joining such a society. Mareth, another elf, was considerably lighter in mood, a dashing fighter who had just recently began to study a little magic under Reikon. Entarsis was a fledgling sorcerer - unbeknownst to all but his closest friends, and serious about little else but his magics. Finally, the group was rounded out by Chade (Shade), a cleric of St Cuthbert, who was later to discover he did not truly have the disposition required for such a serious calling.
The next morning, as Rhael made his way back to the inn to meet his new-found friend, he heard an explosion. Rushing onwards, he saw four men in black plate mount their warhorses and ride away from the inn. Inside, the old man was dead, and a large silver ring he had worn around his neck missing.
The local constabulary was unimpressed - the man was clearly involved in magics (the explosion had caused a large hole in one wall of his room), and the town better off with him dead. No pursuit of the horsemen was made.
However, once the group of friends had assembled (Entarsis an hour late, not greatly interested in rising so early), their grand exploits began as they made their way to the crypt the dead man had spoken of...
Character Profiles
Rhael
Lawful Good Human Ranger 6/Cleric of Heironeous 3
Rhael is an adventuresome lover of the outdoors. Somewhat idealistic, he is a practical individual that wants a lot from life, but realises his limitations. Ultimately, he wants to do good and make the world a better place. Seeing the presence of demons in Amoria as the single greatest thing keeping the world unstable, he has made it his purpose to fight and defeat them whenever possible. Currently he is endeavouring to join the Knights of the Chalice.
Waramayl
Lawful Neutral Human Monk 7
Raised by the monastic order situated just outside Esgaroth, Waramayl knows little more than the rigid discipline of a monk. He is utterly unconcerned with worldly things, and while he is dedicated to his friends, he is with them really only to test himself in battle – in so doing, he seeks to learn about himself, his limitations and his abilities, and to become better at what he does. He has no real desire to use his increasing abilities for any particular purpose – self-improvement is an ends in itself, rather than a means to anything else.
Terjon
Lawful Good Paladin of Heironeous 6.
Terjon sees it as his personal duty to restore the people’s faith in the gods. The powers granted by Heironeous allow him to defeat his foes, and even when this does not directly affect others, he ensures that the spoils of his victories are used to better the lives of the less well off. He is not a particularly smart individual, but he can be very insightful, and his confidence and genuine concern for others shows clearly through, making him a very likeable, if somewhat teased, member of the group.
Mareth
Neutral Good Elf Fighter 4/Evoker 3
Like many contemporary elves, Mareth grew up amongst humans, and has little knowledge of his elven ancestry. Originally, this did not greatly concern him, but ever since his death and raising by the centaur priest Longstride, he has been beset by nightmare visions of a dying tree and a forest in pain. Unable to discern the meaning of the visions, he has begun to try and seek information on his heritage. Inquisitive and adventurous, Mareth is most interested in pursuing an exciting lifestyle. When an opportunity to help others in the process raises itself, he will gladly participate, but one gets the sense that he is most concerned with enjoying life - within certain boundaries, of course.
Heykan
Chaotic Good Human Barbarian 1/Cleric of Kord 6
Heykan is in some ways similar to Waramayl, in that he seeks to test his strength whenever possible. Unlike Waramayl, though, Heykan sees this testing as a form of worship of Kord; and considers his strength to bring with it a responsibility to help others. He has a strong sense of right and wrong, and unlike Rhael, Heykan has difficulty setting aside a just cause even when it is beyond him to meaningfully affect the situation.
A member of a disgraced clan, Heykan’s ultimate ambition is to return to his homeland and restore his clan’s honour.
Shadow
Chaotic Good Human Rogue 7
Shadow is concerned with one thing, and one thing alone: LOOT. Loot is lifeblood, the essence of all. He also interprets the term quite broadly. Cash, jewels and books are his favourite finds, but this rogue will do all in his power to leave any building, dungeon, castle or what-have-you with furniture, rugs, tapestries, paintings, door fittings, as well as anything else that isn’t nailed down and quite a few things that were. The biggest obstruction to his eternal search for loot is convincing other party members to help him carry stuff. When not pocketing loot, Shadow can generally be found doing one of two things: Either firing his longbow from up a tree, or using his brash, overconfident attitude to get the party into trouble.
Takklin
Neutral? Dwarf Fighter 5
Takklin is a relatively new character that hasn’t really been fleshed out yet.
The Fallen (and missing)
Entarsis (Human Sorcerer): Hacked up by orcs while trapped in a Web.
Ulric (Halfling Bard): Annoying git that wandered off and fell down a pit. Player commented that he had never before made a PC with a personality even he himself couldn’t stand.
Rikon (Elf Rogue/Illusionist): Abandoned the party after being given an ultimatum not to take a magical longsword from a tomb.
Chade (Human Cleric of St Cuthbert): Left the party at the same time as Rikon, due to a personal crisis of faith (ie, the player had no interest (or ability) in playing even a vaguely Lawful Character).
If anyone wants some more detail on anything, let me know, and I'll try and expand. Being 6 months condensed, this post won't be brimming with magnificient expression and detail. Some more PC background and info should follow in the not-too-distant future.
The Setting
The ongoing tale of the Obsidian Hammers occurs currently on the continent of Eastern Amoria. The stable, relatively peaceful Age of Empire passed into the Present Age some two hundred years ago. During the Age of Empire, the great empires were at their peak, and strife between them was rare and limited. Then came the Time of Chaos.
Exactly what caused the Time of Chaos, and what occured during it, is uncertain. What is known beyond doubt is that the gods withdrew and demons flooded the lands. Most people blame the Arcane Order for the calamity, and as such practicioners of magic have become viewed with distrust, fear and hatred. Among the major races, only the elves have not had their view of magic tainted - for they place the blame purely upon the heads of human wizards, whom they claim incapable of the maturity to wield arcane power safely.
Those with a religious bent do not suffer the persecutions of wizards and sorcerers, but they are generally looked upon with scorn. Few now follow the gods, for they withdrew their power when the Time of Chaos struck, and many people do not even realise that clerics and the like can still wield true power.
As for the demons that ravaged the land, most have disappeared, but far too many still remain. In Western Amoria, where what remains of the once mighty empires of Kadrendorst and Menria fight a seemingly endless battle for the disputed lands of Norral, demons are used frequently in their ceaseless wars.
Currently, the Obsidian Hammers reside in the Dallarn Freeholds, a region of city states that are more civilised than most places. Although the cities are regulalry at war, they remain interdependant, and total war would damage them all and make them a ripe target for outside forces. As such, battles are fought at prearranged places and times by mercenary forces. These battles may be fought for tribute, land, excise concessions, or anything else desirable by one state or another. The results of a battle are almost always honoured, and the defeated will hand over whatever they had staked.
Friends from Esgaro
The story of the Hammers began with a small group of friends from the township of Esgaro in the Freeholds. Of otherwise little interest, the town sits over the Urden River, and its fortified bridge is the only fixed crossing for 50 miles in either direction. Outside the direct sphere of control of any of the city states, the town is self sufficient, and makes extra income from the toll it charges passing mercenary companies - a fee large enough to generate substantial income, but not so high as to make it worthwhile for a company to lose the men they would, should they try and force a crossing.
Seven friends began their adventures when an old man stumbled into the local inn one evening, haggard and injured. Hiring a room, he was followed upstairs by a concerned young Ranger by the name of Rhael. The man did not deign to give his name, but saw innocence and genuine concern in the Ranger, and told a little of his tale, of a quest to unlock the secret keep of the fabled King Aldaran. His quest had led him to an ancient, long forgotten crypt that lay not far from the town, and Rhael volunteered his aid for when the man set out to the crypt the next morning. Rhael gained now clue as to the reason for the elderly gentleman's current condition, however.
The Ranger's friends agreed to help; all interested in a change from the hum-drum of their lives. Waramayl (Var-a-male) was a monk from the small monastery just outside of town, interested in nothing beyond self-discovery and testing his limits. Terjon was a devoted, insightful, but somewhat dim-witted paladin of Heironeous, who longed for some way to show the world that the gods had not abandoned it. Reikon (Rye-kon) was an elf of somewhat darker ethical disposition; he come to Esgaro as a youngster with his family, and was driven by a hatred of demons. Even his closest friends were unaware of his obsession, and were not entirely aware of his high consideration of ends rather than means. His family had links to ancient warrior cults, and he studied illusion and thievery with a bent towards one day finding the truth behind his history and joining such a society. Mareth, another elf, was considerably lighter in mood, a dashing fighter who had just recently began to study a little magic under Reikon. Entarsis was a fledgling sorcerer - unbeknownst to all but his closest friends, and serious about little else but his magics. Finally, the group was rounded out by Chade (Shade), a cleric of St Cuthbert, who was later to discover he did not truly have the disposition required for such a serious calling.
The next morning, as Rhael made his way back to the inn to meet his new-found friend, he heard an explosion. Rushing onwards, he saw four men in black plate mount their warhorses and ride away from the inn. Inside, the old man was dead, and a large silver ring he had worn around his neck missing.
The local constabulary was unimpressed - the man was clearly involved in magics (the explosion had caused a large hole in one wall of his room), and the town better off with him dead. No pursuit of the horsemen was made.
However, once the group of friends had assembled (Entarsis an hour late, not greatly interested in rising so early), their grand exploits began as they made their way to the crypt the dead man had spoken of...
Character Profiles
Rhael
Lawful Good Human Ranger 6/Cleric of Heironeous 3
Rhael is an adventuresome lover of the outdoors. Somewhat idealistic, he is a practical individual that wants a lot from life, but realises his limitations. Ultimately, he wants to do good and make the world a better place. Seeing the presence of demons in Amoria as the single greatest thing keeping the world unstable, he has made it his purpose to fight and defeat them whenever possible. Currently he is endeavouring to join the Knights of the Chalice.
Waramayl
Lawful Neutral Human Monk 7
Raised by the monastic order situated just outside Esgaroth, Waramayl knows little more than the rigid discipline of a monk. He is utterly unconcerned with worldly things, and while he is dedicated to his friends, he is with them really only to test himself in battle – in so doing, he seeks to learn about himself, his limitations and his abilities, and to become better at what he does. He has no real desire to use his increasing abilities for any particular purpose – self-improvement is an ends in itself, rather than a means to anything else.
Terjon
Lawful Good Paladin of Heironeous 6.
Terjon sees it as his personal duty to restore the people’s faith in the gods. The powers granted by Heironeous allow him to defeat his foes, and even when this does not directly affect others, he ensures that the spoils of his victories are used to better the lives of the less well off. He is not a particularly smart individual, but he can be very insightful, and his confidence and genuine concern for others shows clearly through, making him a very likeable, if somewhat teased, member of the group.
Mareth
Neutral Good Elf Fighter 4/Evoker 3
Like many contemporary elves, Mareth grew up amongst humans, and has little knowledge of his elven ancestry. Originally, this did not greatly concern him, but ever since his death and raising by the centaur priest Longstride, he has been beset by nightmare visions of a dying tree and a forest in pain. Unable to discern the meaning of the visions, he has begun to try and seek information on his heritage. Inquisitive and adventurous, Mareth is most interested in pursuing an exciting lifestyle. When an opportunity to help others in the process raises itself, he will gladly participate, but one gets the sense that he is most concerned with enjoying life - within certain boundaries, of course.
Heykan
Chaotic Good Human Barbarian 1/Cleric of Kord 6
Heykan is in some ways similar to Waramayl, in that he seeks to test his strength whenever possible. Unlike Waramayl, though, Heykan sees this testing as a form of worship of Kord; and considers his strength to bring with it a responsibility to help others. He has a strong sense of right and wrong, and unlike Rhael, Heykan has difficulty setting aside a just cause even when it is beyond him to meaningfully affect the situation.
A member of a disgraced clan, Heykan’s ultimate ambition is to return to his homeland and restore his clan’s honour.
Shadow
Chaotic Good Human Rogue 7
Shadow is concerned with one thing, and one thing alone: LOOT. Loot is lifeblood, the essence of all. He also interprets the term quite broadly. Cash, jewels and books are his favourite finds, but this rogue will do all in his power to leave any building, dungeon, castle or what-have-you with furniture, rugs, tapestries, paintings, door fittings, as well as anything else that isn’t nailed down and quite a few things that were. The biggest obstruction to his eternal search for loot is convincing other party members to help him carry stuff. When not pocketing loot, Shadow can generally be found doing one of two things: Either firing his longbow from up a tree, or using his brash, overconfident attitude to get the party into trouble.
Takklin
Neutral? Dwarf Fighter 5
Takklin is a relatively new character that hasn’t really been fleshed out yet.
The Fallen (and missing)
Entarsis (Human Sorcerer): Hacked up by orcs while trapped in a Web.
Ulric (Halfling Bard): Annoying git that wandered off and fell down a pit. Player commented that he had never before made a PC with a personality even he himself couldn’t stand.
Rikon (Elf Rogue/Illusionist): Abandoned the party after being given an ultimatum not to take a magical longsword from a tomb.
Chade (Human Cleric of St Cuthbert): Left the party at the same time as Rikon, due to a personal crisis of faith (ie, the player had no interest (or ability) in playing even a vaguely Lawful Character).
Last edited:
