The All Falls Away

[Lela]

The elves of the great Hundi forest have lived in peace for the last 20 years. Surviving the last goblin invasion easily, they have once again failed to grow complacent. After all, when you live for 800 years, there’s no hurry to do anything. They’ve repelled hoard after hoard of ugly beasts and know they will be forced to do so again. The goblins keep coming. The elves keep killing them. It has been so for as long as the elves can remember. The beginning of time.

Right?

. . . . .

Welcome to the story hour that incorporates Tolken and Salvatore into fine goo, squeezes them into a toothpaste tube, and sprays it all over the bathroom counter. After this refined process, we will scoop the gunk up and smear it over the gaming table, hoping to save something of its original richness. Anyone got any wet-wipes?

To give a brief intro, we find ourselves in a world where elves cherish nature above even arcane magic. Here, in this forest, there are no cities or towns. The only permanent structures of any kind are the larger temples of the elven gods and the ever-watchful holy sites of the drow goddess Eilistraee.

Elves live what humans would call a lonely life, spending most of their adult years with only their spouse. On the rare occasion when the glorious Corellon Larethian entrusts a couple with one of His children, they will seek out and form traveling groups for added protection. Once the couple’s youngest child reaches 22-25 the new family will leave these groups and begin the intensive training that only nature can truly bring.

House Rules:

1. Depending on family lineage, an elf’s favored class is either Ranger or Druid.
2. I use alternate Ranger feats. A total of three options: A. Normal Ranger B. Point Blank Shot, Precise Shot or C. Ambi, TWF applying only to double weapons.
3. Characters die at -10-Con Modifier. For example, Hawke has a Con of 14. Instead of dying at -10, he'll die at -12. This also applies to negitive modifiers. Those with a lower Con could die at -9 or even -6. Thanks goes out to Old One (who I stole this from).
4. More as they come up.

Characters

Whisper: Female elven Druid. Her family has been raising wolves for generations and she is no different. Her animal companion, the son of her mother’s wolf, was been her deepest friend long before she bound him to her. Having left her family to seek a husband, she took a brief moment to visit her human friends Erinte and Melkien.

Hawke: A male quarter drow Elven Scout, Hawke’s mother was brutally assaulted during a violent drow raid and became with child. His true father, the elf long married to his mother, accepted his existence long before he was born and loved him like his first son, whom he gave to a druid family when the boy started showing the Talent. Never resentful, his father taught Hawke well.
When he came of age, Hawke was confronted by a tall elf who told him to follow his instincts, that nature would lead him. He would be the ointment that burned away nature’s infection. After the man had gone Hawke confided in his father, who counseled him to listen for the call. The stranger’s council proved true several months later and Hawke, with his father’s blessing, listened to the call.

The following character background was written by the player himself.

Myen Guul: A male human Sorceror, bold, charismatic, and ever humble, this is the story of Myen Ghul. Born to a small family in a rocky wasteland, he lived a lonely childhood. The villiage children shunned him and threw large rocks at him. After a severe accident involving much fire and a lot of dead children, the villagers forced him away. He wandered to a small hut. Living inside was a candle maker. He smuggled special "incenses" and various narcotics inside his candles. Myen fondly grew to love the high he got from the candle smoke and spent the next three years strung out on candles. During these years, he wandered the world burning things, inns, homes, small animals, various wile canines, a cow, and the occational grove of trees. One day as he wandered he happened upon a small hut with a rather fierce woman living it with he roddly spineless husband. And the rest is history.

Three more characters coming soon!

__________________________________

The rest later tonight.

Prologs #1 and 2 later tonight as well.

 

[Lela]

After "bragging" like a proud father about my game as I cruised the boards, I was finally confronted by Darklone, who challenged me to let everyone know what's really going on at that table. Likely the challenge was in jest (or I dreamed it) but I'm not one for physical assault and caved in, agreeing to do the Story Hour so as long as Darklone wouldn’t force me to lick the bottom of his shoe.

So, here it is! Enjoy it.

 

[cthuluftaghn]

I'll be watching and waiting to enjoy....

 

[Darklone]

... as long as Darklone wouldn’t force me to lick the bottom of his shoe.

So, here it is! Enjoy it.

Interesting start! No worries, I wouldn't ask you to lick "the bottom of my shoes" since I don't wear any. Enjoy!

PS: Noo elven barbarians?

 

[Lela]

Interesting start! No worries, I wouldn't ask you to lick "the bottom of my shoes" since I don't wear any. Enjoy!

Just remembering some movie I saw a while ago. The "bully" intercepted some kid on the way to school. He gave him three choices, the shoe thing, some form of punching or kicking, and giving up his lunch money. He told him to pick two or, as a special offer, he would leave the kid alone for a week if he took all three.

I don't remember most of the specifics but I do remember thinking that licking the bottom of someone’s shoe was really disgusting and humiliating. I recall thinking that I would probably take the other two and leave that alone.

How does the no shoes thing work for you? I don't think I could ever do it myself.

PS: Noo elven barbarians?

While there is definatally not a lack on elves, there aren't any barbarians. Sorry.


Everyone: I apologize to everyone who was waiting for the prologs. The home computer that has internet access has been trying to die again. It happens every once in a while but I didn't plan on it hitting last night. For now it's up and running! Will post soon.

FYI
These prologs were given directly to the players involved at the beginning of the first session. As I only had any background of Whisper and Hawke at the time, they were the only two players to receive one. They are written in 2nd person, allowing the players to delve deeply from the very first session into a storyline. If you’d like, feel free to imagine yourself as each player. These are two of my best role-players and are capable of carrying the campaign by themselves RP wise. Though I should point out that everyone has really blossomed during the run of this campaign, connecting with their characters on deep level. It should be a good one.

Once again, ENJOY!

 

[Lela]

Prolog #1: Enter Whisper

As you step out of the forest, the farmhouse catches your eye. You’ve been there many times over the past 10 years and it’s always been a pleasure. Ever since the day when you found Melkien laying by that tree on the forest’s edge–to you at least, he had thought himself deep inside. He had been young then–humans age so quickly–and had attempted to climb the tree, hoping for a good view of his house. His leg was broken–a compound fracture with pieces of bone sticking out of the flesh–and he was near death as his lifeblood slowly drained out of him.

You, of course, were quick to help. Pouring the healing energies of the forest into him, you felt his body begin to warm under your hands as color returned to his cheeks; as his wound closed over as the ripple of a pond spread across his leg. The broken bones joined just as the roots of the mighty oak blend into one.

His fever gone, he awoke. You had helped him back to his home a short distance from the edge of the forest. His young wife had been terrified, for her husband of only few short months had been missing for two days. She had thanked you profusely and invited you to spend the night. She had not taken no for an answer. She had insisted on you eating her best cooking that night and had been up even before you preparing breakfast.

That morning you noticed something about her. When you looked into her eyes you heard the wind whisper. You knew she would make a fine druid, though, when you mentioned it, she had, politely but firmly, mentioned she wasn’t interested.
You have been coming back regularly in hopes that she would change her mind. This time, though, the place seems different. Laughter rings in the air and you see two children playing near the barn, practicing with slings.

As you move closer, you see the boy, who is obviously older, rush to the side of the barn and pull out a large stick of white. Using this he redraws a face on the side of the barn. Though it is sketchy, you know immediately that it is the face of a gnoll.

Unnerved, you quicken your pace. Erinte steps out to greet you.


Prolog #2 coming up next!

 

[Lela]

Prolog #2: Enter the Drow!

As you watch the children, you can’t help but wonder. How were they protected? It was but chance that you happened across the gnolls’ tracks. Pure chance that they believed you were a demon. How did you protect them, and fail to save their parents?

The girl had disappeared with the gnolls; had seemingly vanished into the air itself, though it must have been a trick of the darkness, and the shadows.

The flickering shadows. The shadows had danced as the small farmhouse burned. You could hear screaming inside. A woman, the mother of the two children was trapped and you could do nothing.

Nothing accept save her children, you knew, and you did. You stepped forward, your staff twirling and twisting around your body. Pure death. The boy had stepped up next to you, his own staff spinning and twisting. He was quick and skilled, you noted. Given time to grow he could become a powerful warrior. Given time to grow. That was the problem, he needed to live for that to happen.

You knew there were too many gnolls for you to win out over. Too many for one staff to handle. And you couldn’t count on the boy. One good hit would end him. But it seemed that the gnolls were retreating. They were intimidated. They had not expected you.

But then, it happened. A tall gnoll stepped out of the woods, his stance regal, his voice strong and sharp. The other gnolls began to turn back towards you. You were but two, and one a small boy at that. There was no chance. It would soon be over.

Out of nowhere a figure had dashed out of the night, heading straight for the tall gnoll. He carried an old rotting spear. Old, but it could still do it’s job. His presence surprised the other gnolls and, before they could collect themselves, he was past.

Thinking quickly, you decided to add fear to surprise. You focused on the man, and he was illuminated in light, bright sparks dancing along his form, showing his face and body fully.

“Father, NO!” The shout had come from the boy fighting at your side.

But it was too late. The man had screamed, thinking he was truly aflame. Yet he had pressed on, as, somehow, you knew he would. He was fighting to avenge his wife, to protect his children.

The tall gnoll had been surprised. Enough so that the spear had struck home, badly wounding the beast. But that is all that it did, wound him.

The horrible beast struck out with his claws, ripping across the man’s throat, dropping him to the ground, a silent scream on his lips.

The boy had screamed for him though. A scream that would have done his father proud. A scream that still haunts you.

The hand of Eilistraee had guided your thoughts though. You had covered the hated gnoll’s body in the same harmless fire that had stretched over the boy’s father, adding to effect with a globe of magical darkness centered on his head. He could see nothing but, even better, the other gnolls could not see his head either. All they had seen was fire rippling along his body and his head lost in the night.

They screamed too–though it could never have matched the boy’s, nothing could ever match that–and ran into the night.

Hastily, you scooped up the boy and vanished into the forest.

A day later, the little girl had walked into your camp. She already knew the fate of her parents, seemed almost to accept it, though whenever the gnolls were brought up there was a look of hatred and determination in her eyes.

Her presence cheered the young boy greatly. He had begun to speak again then and, by the end of the third day, he was laughing again. You were reminded of how resilient children can be, especially human ones.

On the afternoon of the fourth day you had come across another farmhouse. Something had told you this place was safe, a place where the children could be protected. You had sent them to the house and watched them enter. They were safe.

Or were they? For some reason you couldn’t bring yourself to leave, your footsteps always bringing you back here, where you have waited for two days.

Now, you watch with fascination as a beautiful elf maiden, obviously a druid, walks towards the farmhouse, the children playing by the barn. You watch, and listen to the scream that still rings in your ears.

 

[Darklone]

Nicely done.

Why does everyone use gnolls as starting enemies? You could think they would be a bit too tough

As for the boots thing: Guess why I became so fast!

 

[Lela]

Nicely done.

Thanks!

Why does everyone use gnolls as starting enemies? You could think they would be a bit too tough

Well, we never actually played out that encounter. Just a "prequil" to the story.

But Gnolls do appear in the first one. The players actually do exeptionally well, until one player leaves early and another starts a sequience of what we will call "In Character Tacticle Errors." Of which he has made at least one every session except the last.

As for the boots thing: Guess why I became so fast!

I would assume it's because you were running accross hot asfault (sp?). That would make anyone move fast.

 

[Darklone]

... starts a sequience of what we will call "In Character Taaticle Errors." Of which he has made at least one every session except the last.

Know those players. Group of three got charged by twelve dire boars and he thought splitting up and fighting in the open is a wise idea...

I would assume it's because you were running accross hot asfault (sp?). That would make anyone move fast.

Nah, the kids in my school didn't like that strange boy who liked knights and swords.They only liked me as punching ball. Luckily I had an elder brother with lotsa friends... that brother was very glad to "practice" brawling with me. So I was able to wrestle down two or three at once, but not ten... So I used the feat combo Run, Sprint and Dash plus barbarians fast movement!

*sigh dreamily* Before my bike accident I could run 100m in 11secs... Gotta practice again