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The Adventures of the Knights of Spellforge Keep- UPDATED 6/6
- Thread starter Dr Midnight
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Dr Midnight
Explorer
SESSION 51
25th of Ready’reat
FORGIVENESS
The Spellforge Brothers relaxed with the Knights for several days. The whole while, though, there was a quest that wasn’t being accomplished. Raelin informed Kizzlorn that they meant to leave on the next day, because the world still had troubles, and titans beneath its surface waiting to rise. Kizzlorn made a decision, then. She would tell her brothers about Jamison’s secret past, and how he met their parents on that day in Acessiwal’s cave. It was only the right thing to do, she felt.
She told Jamison about her intent. He nodded and seemed to understand. She assured him that the Knights wouldn’t allow him to be harmed if the brothers should become enraged. “You know who would want to be here for this,” Jamison said miserably.
Kizz replied “Yes. I’m seeing him next. Take heart, Jamison- everything’s going to be alright.”
She stepped outside and walked up the dirt road into the woods. She walked for almost a full mile. The leaves above rustled and swayed in the air. A stream ran alongside the trail. Up ahead, at the side of the road, there lay a small tent. She approached it. The man there was scrubbing a piece of armor with a handful of sand. He looked up and acknowledged her. “Kizzlorn.”
“Dartan.”
“Didn’t expect you to come out and visit the rabble.”
“How are you?”
“Cramped and cold, but that would just be because I’ve been sleeping on the hard ground this past week. What do you want?”
She paused, uncomfortably. “I’m sorry about everything that’s happened. I wasn’t with the group when you were expelled.”
He snorted. “Would that have changed things?”
“…Probably not. You had one of your friends assassinated, Dartan.”
“He was evil,” Dartan muttered.
“But he wasn’t when you killed him. He was just Jamison. That look in your eyes tells me you feel doubt about what you did.” Dartan sat, silently, scrubbing his armor. “Look. I know what you’ve felt, because I’ve felt it too. I very nearly killed Jamison recently in a fit of rage. The difference is that I gave myself time to cool down, and I found in me the capacity to forgive. It’s in this spirit of forgiveness that I’d like to invite you to stay in the Keep tonight.”
Dartan finished scrubbing his armor piece and put it aside. “I’m afraid you forget, Kizz, that I was cast out. The gentle hint our rotting friend gave me is that if I return, I die.”
“I can guarantee your safety. Vek won’t do a thing. I need your assurance, though, that you will be a gracious guest. You don’t have to like Jamison, or me, or Vek. You do have to behave yourself.”
“I can do that.” He stood up and called to his sons, who were practicing their tactics about fifty feet off in the woods. “Blaze, Nova- pack up camp… we spend the night in the castle.” They walked amidst the falling orange and crimson leaves on the road to the castle, and the sun shone down on them. “Y’know, Kizz, I’m actually really looking forward to this. A warm bed. Dragon meat.”
“The company of old friends?”
He ignored that. “I’ll tell you what I’ve been enjoying, though, is some time away from your brother’s zeal for preaching the Shining One’s wretched nonsense. Get him together with my two boys, and the Pelor-praise just flies through the air.”
Kizzlorn laughed. “Yes, Raelin’s somewhat passionate about his religion, isn’t he? He’s been grating on Vek’s nerves, horribly.”
“Good. The corpse-lord could use a little grating, I’ve always thought. I almost look forward to seeing some of that tonight. Not that I look forward to sitting through the sermons once again.”
Kizz smiled. “Still godless?”
“Still godless.”
MORE TO COME…
25th of Ready’reat
FORGIVENESS
The Spellforge Brothers relaxed with the Knights for several days. The whole while, though, there was a quest that wasn’t being accomplished. Raelin informed Kizzlorn that they meant to leave on the next day, because the world still had troubles, and titans beneath its surface waiting to rise. Kizzlorn made a decision, then. She would tell her brothers about Jamison’s secret past, and how he met their parents on that day in Acessiwal’s cave. It was only the right thing to do, she felt.
She told Jamison about her intent. He nodded and seemed to understand. She assured him that the Knights wouldn’t allow him to be harmed if the brothers should become enraged. “You know who would want to be here for this,” Jamison said miserably.
Kizz replied “Yes. I’m seeing him next. Take heart, Jamison- everything’s going to be alright.”
She stepped outside and walked up the dirt road into the woods. She walked for almost a full mile. The leaves above rustled and swayed in the air. A stream ran alongside the trail. Up ahead, at the side of the road, there lay a small tent. She approached it. The man there was scrubbing a piece of armor with a handful of sand. He looked up and acknowledged her. “Kizzlorn.”
“Dartan.”
“Didn’t expect you to come out and visit the rabble.”
“How are you?”
“Cramped and cold, but that would just be because I’ve been sleeping on the hard ground this past week. What do you want?”
She paused, uncomfortably. “I’m sorry about everything that’s happened. I wasn’t with the group when you were expelled.”
He snorted. “Would that have changed things?”
“…Probably not. You had one of your friends assassinated, Dartan.”
“He was evil,” Dartan muttered.
“But he wasn’t when you killed him. He was just Jamison. That look in your eyes tells me you feel doubt about what you did.” Dartan sat, silently, scrubbing his armor. “Look. I know what you’ve felt, because I’ve felt it too. I very nearly killed Jamison recently in a fit of rage. The difference is that I gave myself time to cool down, and I found in me the capacity to forgive. It’s in this spirit of forgiveness that I’d like to invite you to stay in the Keep tonight.”
Dartan finished scrubbing his armor piece and put it aside. “I’m afraid you forget, Kizz, that I was cast out. The gentle hint our rotting friend gave me is that if I return, I die.”
“I can guarantee your safety. Vek won’t do a thing. I need your assurance, though, that you will be a gracious guest. You don’t have to like Jamison, or me, or Vek. You do have to behave yourself.”
“I can do that.” He stood up and called to his sons, who were practicing their tactics about fifty feet off in the woods. “Blaze, Nova- pack up camp… we spend the night in the castle.” They walked amidst the falling orange and crimson leaves on the road to the castle, and the sun shone down on them. “Y’know, Kizz, I’m actually really looking forward to this. A warm bed. Dragon meat.”
“The company of old friends?”
He ignored that. “I’ll tell you what I’ve been enjoying, though, is some time away from your brother’s zeal for preaching the Shining One’s wretched nonsense. Get him together with my two boys, and the Pelor-praise just flies through the air.”
Kizzlorn laughed. “Yes, Raelin’s somewhat passionate about his religion, isn’t he? He’s been grating on Vek’s nerves, horribly.”
“Good. The corpse-lord could use a little grating, I’ve always thought. I almost look forward to seeing some of that tonight. Not that I look forward to sitting through the sermons once again.”
Kizz smiled. “Still godless?”
“Still godless.”
MORE TO COME…
Dr Midnight
Explorer
Still writing, I hope to have another chapter up sometime soon. Honest.
Don't go thinking the "GUESS WHO'S BACK" is now told... because it's not.
On that note- I'd like to say that Dartan is not "back". He was invited to dinner and a night in a comfy bed. He is still a member of the Order of Valor.
Don't go thinking the "GUESS WHO'S BACK" is now told... because it's not.
Dr Midnight
Explorer
"I want to help make dinner."
"No. You cannot."
Horacio was frantically trying to roll out pie crust, glaze the Dragon roast, and monitor the cooking time of the vegetables all at once. Add to this the constant pleading of a half-orc with a newfound interest in culinary studies, and you have a sure-fire way to drive a chef mad.
"PLEASSSSSE, Horacio. I'll be such a good chef's apprentice! I'll wear the little hat and I'll stir stuff in bowls and I won't lick the spoon unless you say it's okay."
"No. Go away! I have to make deenair, and I don't have time to show you how to be a good cook."
"What if I promise to not make fun of your silly accent?"
"GET OUT, GET OUT, GET OUT!" Horacio chased Grumbar from the kitchen, bopping at his head with a saucepan.
Grumbar stopped in the dining room, where everyone was looking at him. He cleared his throat and said "Dinner's almost ready." He sat.
An uncomfortable silence was hanging over the table. The Order of Valor and the Knights of Spellforge Keep, on opposing sides of the long table, stared at each other. The presence of Dartan had sparked a curious tension. Vek watched him carefully. Dartan watched back with defiance. Jamison, who was again perhaps the least comfortable person in the room, avoided looking in Dartan's direction. He squirmed in his chair and tried to not think about how he was sitting at a table with one person who'd murdered him, and three people who were orphans because of him.
The guard in the castle had been doubled. Sensing the possibility of trouble, Vek had ordered a sustained presence of the Knights of Wee Jas. Captain Metus, now resplendent in his new armor, watched the table carefully for signs. He wore a Mask of the Skull, exactly the same as Vek's. He now wore Shade's old vorpal sword on his belt, exactly as Vek had done. Indeed, Captain Metus looked like Vek himself. The lich had been dressing his lieutenant in like armor and trappings. The cunning reason for this, though, Vek did not share.
Vek was dressed differently tonight. He wore his new dragonhide armor: a full suit of gleaming scaled white, sewn from the skin of the dead wyrm Acessiwal. He wore his Mask of the Skull and a new fine white cape. He was a vision of pallid death, and his morbid flair for style shone through.
The psionic armor, worn first by Kolume the mind flayer, then by Shade, then by Vek, was now being itched and pulled at by Grumbar. It really didn't look good on him. The tentacles got in the way, he couldn't see well through the insectlike red eyepieces, and he complained that it "smelled funny". Vek had laughed and told him that before him, it had clothed three different corpses.
Jamison attempted to start a conversation. "So, I, uh, just put down a payment on my new tower."
Kizzlorn took the cue and jumped right in. "Oh yes? What's this, I haven't heard about a tower."
"I'm going to build a four-story wizard's tower not far from here. Use it as my home and laboratory. It's not much, but I'm very excited about it."
Silence around the table, so Kizz pursued the topic. "Will you be using labor from the people of Verbobonc?"
"No, they're so preoccupied with the reconstruction, I thought it would be helpful to bring in outside contractors. They arrive in a few days."
"Well, that was thoughtful of you."
Grumbar said "Yeah, and why would they help, anyway? You're the scourge of the land, right? Ha ha."
The half-orc meant no harm by the remark, but it struck a chord. "Don't fret all this, Jamison," Raelin said. “There’s naught a man can do about his past. Pelor deems you forgiven.”
Vek said “Pelor certainly has been doing a great deal of deeming around here lately. I think perhaps too much.”
Raelin smiled. “Friend Vek, I think Pelor doesn’t do near enough deeming around here. Some things would change, if he did.”
“Not in our house.”
“Didn’t we discuss this? The name on the deed, all that? You are the guest here, not me.”
Kizzlorn stepped in. “Stop this, both of you. Raelin, you speak of forgiveness. It’s easy to say you would forgive, but do you think you could bring yourself to forgive in a like situation?”
“I believe so, yes. Pelor preaches forgiveness.” He smiled at Vek.
“What if you were told about something awful done to someone you loved, by someone you knew and trusted. Do you think you could rise above the urge to seek vengeance, if there were no evil left in them?”
“I don’t see why not… Kizz, what are you driving at?”
Kyler spoke up. “I couldn’t. If I were a member of one of your victims’ families, Jamison, and I mean no offense, I probably wouldn’t rest until I’d cut your throat.”
“Kyler!” Raelin exclaimed. “What a thing to say. ‘Cutting throats’ and ‘backstabbing’. I dare guess you’re turning evil yourself.”
The food was brought out, and the two adventuring parties ate at the table. Conversation flowered and grew again, and they all enjoyed each others’ company until the plates were cleared and they sat about, full of dragon and mead.
Kizzlorn waited for a pause in the chatter before saying “Um… Dartan, Raelin, Kyler… I’ve wanted to gather you here so that I may tell you all something together. This is something very serious. I want you to act with level heads, and remain calm.” She took a breath. “The fact is that…”
"It's okay, Kizz," Jamison interrupted. “I’ll tell.” He stood up.
MORE TO COME...
"No. You cannot."
Horacio was frantically trying to roll out pie crust, glaze the Dragon roast, and monitor the cooking time of the vegetables all at once. Add to this the constant pleading of a half-orc with a newfound interest in culinary studies, and you have a sure-fire way to drive a chef mad.
"PLEASSSSSE, Horacio. I'll be such a good chef's apprentice! I'll wear the little hat and I'll stir stuff in bowls and I won't lick the spoon unless you say it's okay."
"No. Go away! I have to make deenair, and I don't have time to show you how to be a good cook."
"What if I promise to not make fun of your silly accent?"
"GET OUT, GET OUT, GET OUT!" Horacio chased Grumbar from the kitchen, bopping at his head with a saucepan.
Grumbar stopped in the dining room, where everyone was looking at him. He cleared his throat and said "Dinner's almost ready." He sat.
An uncomfortable silence was hanging over the table. The Order of Valor and the Knights of Spellforge Keep, on opposing sides of the long table, stared at each other. The presence of Dartan had sparked a curious tension. Vek watched him carefully. Dartan watched back with defiance. Jamison, who was again perhaps the least comfortable person in the room, avoided looking in Dartan's direction. He squirmed in his chair and tried to not think about how he was sitting at a table with one person who'd murdered him, and three people who were orphans because of him.
The guard in the castle had been doubled. Sensing the possibility of trouble, Vek had ordered a sustained presence of the Knights of Wee Jas. Captain Metus, now resplendent in his new armor, watched the table carefully for signs. He wore a Mask of the Skull, exactly the same as Vek's. He now wore Shade's old vorpal sword on his belt, exactly as Vek had done. Indeed, Captain Metus looked like Vek himself. The lich had been dressing his lieutenant in like armor and trappings. The cunning reason for this, though, Vek did not share.
Vek was dressed differently tonight. He wore his new dragonhide armor: a full suit of gleaming scaled white, sewn from the skin of the dead wyrm Acessiwal. He wore his Mask of the Skull and a new fine white cape. He was a vision of pallid death, and his morbid flair for style shone through.
The psionic armor, worn first by Kolume the mind flayer, then by Shade, then by Vek, was now being itched and pulled at by Grumbar. It really didn't look good on him. The tentacles got in the way, he couldn't see well through the insectlike red eyepieces, and he complained that it "smelled funny". Vek had laughed and told him that before him, it had clothed three different corpses.
Jamison attempted to start a conversation. "So, I, uh, just put down a payment on my new tower."
Kizzlorn took the cue and jumped right in. "Oh yes? What's this, I haven't heard about a tower."
"I'm going to build a four-story wizard's tower not far from here. Use it as my home and laboratory. It's not much, but I'm very excited about it."
Silence around the table, so Kizz pursued the topic. "Will you be using labor from the people of Verbobonc?"
"No, they're so preoccupied with the reconstruction, I thought it would be helpful to bring in outside contractors. They arrive in a few days."
"Well, that was thoughtful of you."
Grumbar said "Yeah, and why would they help, anyway? You're the scourge of the land, right? Ha ha."
The half-orc meant no harm by the remark, but it struck a chord. "Don't fret all this, Jamison," Raelin said. “There’s naught a man can do about his past. Pelor deems you forgiven.”
Vek said “Pelor certainly has been doing a great deal of deeming around here lately. I think perhaps too much.”
Raelin smiled. “Friend Vek, I think Pelor doesn’t do near enough deeming around here. Some things would change, if he did.”
“Not in our house.”
“Didn’t we discuss this? The name on the deed, all that? You are the guest here, not me.”
Kizzlorn stepped in. “Stop this, both of you. Raelin, you speak of forgiveness. It’s easy to say you would forgive, but do you think you could bring yourself to forgive in a like situation?”
“I believe so, yes. Pelor preaches forgiveness.” He smiled at Vek.
“What if you were told about something awful done to someone you loved, by someone you knew and trusted. Do you think you could rise above the urge to seek vengeance, if there were no evil left in them?”
“I don’t see why not… Kizz, what are you driving at?”
Kyler spoke up. “I couldn’t. If I were a member of one of your victims’ families, Jamison, and I mean no offense, I probably wouldn’t rest until I’d cut your throat.”
“Kyler!” Raelin exclaimed. “What a thing to say. ‘Cutting throats’ and ‘backstabbing’. I dare guess you’re turning evil yourself.”
The food was brought out, and the two adventuring parties ate at the table. Conversation flowered and grew again, and they all enjoyed each others’ company until the plates were cleared and they sat about, full of dragon and mead.
Kizzlorn waited for a pause in the chatter before saying “Um… Dartan, Raelin, Kyler… I’ve wanted to gather you here so that I may tell you all something together. This is something very serious. I want you to act with level heads, and remain calm.” She took a breath. “The fact is that…”
"It's okay, Kizz," Jamison interrupted. “I’ll tell.” He stood up.
MORE TO COME...
Last edited:
Hammerhead
Explorer
Go Kyler. Finally we get a real rogue, not some punk who uses a Vorpal Longsword. Go throat-cutting!
Can't wait for what happens next!
Can't wait for what happens next!
Breakstone
First Post
Dartan just gets more and more like Batman the older he gets...
Salthorae
Imperial Mountain Dew Taster
cliffhanger
GAAAHHH! I can't stand the wait!
must....know....reactions...
Seriously though, I absolutely want to be a buttkiss and say that your writing is awesome, I just hate how you story hour writers leave me hanging...well I love it too...makes it that much better when we finally find out what happens.
GAAAHHH! I can't stand the wait!
must....know....reactions...
Seriously though, I absolutely want to be a buttkiss and say that your writing is awesome, I just hate how you story hour writers leave me hanging...well I love it too...makes it that much better when we finally find out what happens.
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