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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Paka" data-source="post: 5712812" data-attributes="member: 100">Chapter IV16th of Eleint, Year of the Prince, 1357, Dale ReckoningGM<a href="http://www.obsidianportal.com/campaigns/the-song-of-hal-whitewyrm/characters/reltav-the-witch-rider" target="_blank">Reltav the Witch-Rider</a> lands the two of you half a day away from <a href="http://www.hardcounter.com.br/bloghc/wp-content/uploads/2010/09/Map-Zhentil-Keep.jpg" target="_blank">Zhentil Keep</a>.The foulwing lands through the hole in the ruins of some kind of grand wizard’s tower. If any monsters had been living there, Toad would have sensed their presence. Once some wizard tried to better understand the planes and rule the world. These days it is an owl roost and home to squirrels. Now it is a place to conspire.“This place should be safe for a few hours. I caught some runaways here.”She looks at you and realizes that what she said caused discomfort and makes the tangible decision not to apologize.You ran out of food a day ago and she seems edgy and tired. Both of you need a bath and smell like a rank combination of body odor and otherworldly winged frog steed.“Here’s the plan, Hal. I am going to cast Mask upon you so that Xerez will not recognize you at first glance. We will meet in private to discuss your Whitewyrm artifact and we will kill him as quickly and quietly as we can.“But here are the problems: If the orc has talked too much and mentioned your orange eyes or even your name the wizard might already know. If your friend has made a misstep, Xerez might have had him tortured; the wizard might already know. If he has some magical power that I don’t yet know of, something he has kept secret from me that allows him to scry on me the damned wizard might already know.“He has two dozen guards, mercenaries who have worked with him for years. One of them might recognize you somehow, see through the spell.“There are Beholders through the city. If one of them were to turn its big anti-magic eye on you the spell could be burned away like a scroll in a hearthfire.“Thoughts? Are you prepared to do this? Are you ready to fly into Zhentil Keep and kill Xerez the Mad?”Did you bring the tapestry? I’m assuming you did, as you mentioned it in front of the orcs and Laelin.PlayerI know things are bad when Toad already doesn’t smell that bad, and frankly, I am starting to smell like the foulwing as well. I let her comment about the runaways slide by; I’m too tired to make any kind of issue out of it at the moment. I look around the place; I recognize this tower fairly well and indeed, it puts us about a half-day’s ride from the city.“I am ready to do this, Reltav. I have been ready for fifteen years. Help me unfasten the tapestry and move it somewhere where it’ll stay dry. I would also like to point out, just to be clear, that if at all possible I would like to keep this tapestry when all is said and done.”Between the two of us we easily move the heavy rolled tapestry to what once was probably a pantry or ingredients cabinet which is fairly clean and dry.“The first thing we need to do to avoid standing out like a paladin in Hell is bathe and eat something. I believe I spied a well not far from the tower as we were landing. One of us should go, see if it hasn’t run dry and if we’re in luck, wash off. The other can see if there is anything to eat in this ruined tower.“Once we’re in the city, we need to move as quickly as possible to reach Xerez. I am not terribly worried about the guards; I was a scrawny boy of twelve when they last saw me and if your magic can keep my eyes masked, then we should be able to fool them. As for the wizard, the most prudent thing is to assume he already knows we are coming and is letting us fall into his web. We do everything as if he has no idea, though, and proceed as vigilantly as possible.”I offer to go check on the well as the sun begins to hide behind the Dragonspine Mountains in the distance.GM“Not fitting in to the Keep because we’re not properly bathed? Did you live among the Zhents in some kind of golden age that I am ignorant of. You know, we grew up there at around the same time. I wonder if we ever met?”The well has some water in it and glyphs to please some long dead deity or powerful spirit who held dominion over wells and towers.The bucket is attached to a chain and its still stout wood would lead one to believe that someone settled this tower and lived in it for a while since the megalomaniacal mage who raised it from the earth. When the bucket comes up, you struggle to take it off the chain and an extra pair of hands help you.<a href="http://www.obsidianportal.com/campaigns/the-song-of-hal-whitewyrm/characters/brother-vhelt-marrim" target="_blank">Brother Vhelt Marrim</a> smiles despite the gash still in his neck. “The Foehammer thought you might need an extra pair of eyes. I wish I could be more help than just that but there are customs and rules that must be respected in such matters. Walking into a battle, are we?”Player“I refuse to adventure smelling worse than the foulwing!” I say as I walk off to check the well.As my eyes fall on the figure of Brother Vhelt I cannot help but grin fondly. That he is here is obviously a form of miracle, but given the vow I took, I do not find it strange in the least.“Indeed, young Brother Vhelt, who now marches with Tempus Foehammer. The time has come to repay a debt of blood and I did invoke the help of Tempus in my hour of need. That he has seen it fitting to send you fills my heart with true joy.”In my excitement I make the motion to clasp the young battle-acolyte on the shoulder, only realizing too late that I do know if this apparition is corporeal or pure spirit.GMYou put your hand right through him and Vhelt looks almost embarassed.“When word of your oath made its way through our ranks, I told my superior officer that I know you…or knew you, that you were the last person I spoke to back in life and told them the things you said over my grave.”Vhelt smiles and for a moment, the sun’s light shows over the Dragonspine one more time before dusk.“I have an epic grave marker, though, don’t I? Stuck into the earth by some dragon, sorcerer-king or demi-god. Yes, indeed.“Anyway, word went up through the ranks and it was decided that among those serving in the Foehammer’s Army who knew you, I would be sent. I’m here, Hunts-brother and I’m watching. From what I hear, Laelin and your brother won’t be in Zhentil Keep; they escaped their orc hosts and made their way into Myth Drannor.”And as the sun goes down and it grows a bit cold, he’s gone in an eyeblink.As you make your way up the tower’s broken steps with the water, you can hear Toad making the noises he makes when his tack is put back on him, when he’s becoming excited about jumping into the sky.It is almost time to go and get your revenge. Powers Above and Powers Below are watching.Vhelt is just fun color for your call-on, particularly anything having to do with battle (and a way to drop information into your lap).PlayerThe news of Laelin’s and the Whitewyrm boy—my brother?—fill me with joy. Myth Drannor is a perilous place indeed, but I trust that Laelin’s skills and Whitewyrm’s elven heart will be enough to help them navigate that dangerous maze to freedom. As for me, my own dangerous maze awaits me.I wash briefly, if only just taking off the grime from hands and face, and it rejuvenates me. Food would be great, too, but I’ll take my little blessings as they come. As Reltav prepares Toad for flight anew, morbid curiosity takes hold of me and the question spews out of my mouth before I realize that I may not really want to know the answer. But it is too late.“What can you tell me about the wizard’s “love” for my mother and what happened surrounding our escape?"GMShe continues checking the straps, knowing that if things go poorly your lives might depend on the foulwing for escape.“I don’t know much, Hal. When you are an apprentice in Zhentil Keep, part of your job is to know about whatever weaknesses your wizard has ever displayed, so that you can either not trip over them or use them for one’s own gain.“I know he adventured with your mother, his brother-in-law…so, I guess that would have been your uncle and an elven sword-singer of the Whitewyrm clan. Something went very wrong but I don’t know what and they all became separated. Your mother ended up in Zhentil hands, the uncle and the elf were gravely wounded. Somehow Xerez made his way back to the keep and carved out a name for himself, got himself a tower and purchased your mother but refused to free her.“I can’t tell you much about the break-out attempt, other than Xerez killed your mother during the mess and blames you for her death. Shall we fly into danger and fulfill our oath?”GMInterlude: The Rogue and the Attendant<a href="http://www.obsidianportal.com/campaigns/the-song-of-hal-whitewyrm/characters/laelin-blackhand" target="_blank">Laelin Blackhand</a> could not say what it was that had come out of Myth Drannor and walked through their camp. It seemed to be some kind of construct, maybe a golem, maybe some kind of defense the city held but now its magic had become warped or faded or broken and now it patrolled in some lost pattern. It had walked through their camp, the orcs, the wolves, his crossbow bolts as if they were water.It was only Lady Luck’s own blessing that he and the elf boy had not been killed. The greater of the Black Hunters had run and the Head-taker, refusing to run, had been the first to fall with <a href="http://www.obsidianportal.com/campaigns/the-song-of-hal-whitewyrm/characters/stormcloud" target="_blank">Stormcloud</a>.<a href="http://www.obsidianportal.com/campaigns/the-song-of-hal-whitewyrm/characters/whitewyrm-heir" target="_blank">_________ Whitewyrm</a> picked up his sword, <a href="http://www.obsidianportal.com/campaigns/the-song-of-hal-whitewyrm/items/winter-s-kiss" target="_blank">Winter’s Kiss </a> and kissed the flat of the blade, saying some words in elvish over it.“We should make our way, Whitewyrm. Any day now Hal will arrive at Zhentil Keep.”The boy’s voice was rough after days of mistreatment at the hands of Obould’s orcs. “No, we’re not going to Zhentil Keep; that is a foolish decision when we aren’t even sure Hal and the witch won’t kill each other or become snowed in or some other deviltry. My family had a manor in Myth Drannor, we could hole up there and gather our strength.”“You want to walk into the Myth, boy? My decision is foolish and you talk of walking into the ruins of Myth Drannor as if they were a quaint village in the Dalelands. Allow me to assure you that they are not.”Their argument is cut short by a gurgling from a nearby stream-bed. The lesser Black Hunter had been badly wounded, both of its legs broken, its wolf, the omega who had talked to Hal, stood nearby, snarling at its former rider.Laelin and young Whitewyrm stood over the orc. Laelin took him out of the cold water as gently as he could. The orc cursed in its own language and made some words in the common tongue.“Thank you. Mercy. Mercy as we showed you. Mercy.”Laelin began to make conciliatory gestures when Winter’s Kiss struck, taking the orc in the throat, causing a fast death. Laelin jumped, tripping over a rock and cussing as Vorass the Maul had taught him, like a Sword Coast mercenary soldier.While the elf boy cleaned the poisonous elf blood off of the Laelin began screaming, “What is wrong with you, boy! That was merciless it was…”“Necessary,” the boy said, interrupting Laelin’s rant. "Did you think you were going to nurse the orc back to health? Were you two going to become brothers and go on adventures? You are naive and young. You call me boy but I likely have a decade or more on you, human. This monster tortured me from the icy north of the Sword Coast to here. I’d had enough.“Hal will have an easier time getting in and out of Zhentil Keep if he doesn’t have to worry about us and honestly, I’m wondering if the easy power of Zhentil Keep doesn’t appeal to his human blood and lure him in. I’m going to find the halls of my ancestors; I hope to find sanctuary there. Follow me if you wish.”Laelin sat on the ground where he had fallen, regretting haven made such a loud ruckus in these haunted woods. After a few minutes he got up.“Bane’s balls. Bane’s shriveled poisonous, hate-filled balls indeed. Dammit, Hal, I’m sorry. Good luck, brother. May Tymora put us on the same path before too long.“C’mon, wolf, let’s go after the boy.”Together, a great wolf, an elf and a human walked into the Ruins of Myth Drannor towards Everwinter Hall.GMZhentil Keep assaults your nostrils before anything else. The smells bring back strong, terrible childhood memories.A full flying wing of foulwing air calvalry swoop by. Reltav gives them the right coded gestures and they fly away, sure that she is not a threat, one of them. The city has grown since you escaped. Areas where there were only shacks and fire-pits are now stone barracks and warehouses. More docks allow for more ships, more shipping, more slaves. The Dark Shrine has grown and soon could be considered a cathedral to Bane.Beyond the walls are flat drilling grounds for their armies. Eye Tyrants float down the city streets, stalks taking in the world around them, a wide berth given to these evil monsters.You can plainly see why Lord Manshoon was confident enough to send his proclamation to Sembia, Cormyr, Archendale and Scardale, letting the world know that an attack on any one of Zhentil Keep’s holdings was an attack on all of Zhentarim armies.Xerez’s tower is still the same but he bought out a shack tavern that leaned against his stone tower and built a proper barracks for his mercenaries. A wall is being built around his manor. Signs of his fortunes are clear.In front of the tower children are beating a near-dead rodent with a stick. The game seems to involve hitting it as hard as one can, without actually killing it.Xerez’s mercenaries were black tabards with white trim. Two are at the door with wicked looking barbed spears and more are in a nearby alley, playing dice and cursing loudly. They wear the silver Z over their hearts for the keep and a white X’s on their shoulders for their paymaster, Xerez the Mad.Reltav is hitching up Toad when the front door of the tower opens and there he is. Xerez the Mad walks out into the yard and right past you, speaking to the witch-rider.“Where in the hells have you been, apprentice?” In the old days, Xerez had mad moods that would take him into shaking fits of anger. Now he seems to have marshaled these moods but is always on the edge of such an outburst.She nods towards you. “Located this bounty hunter camping out at Drowned Hope. He had word of a fine Whitewyrm treasure that I thought you would find valuable. We had to take a dangerous trip south but we got it.”Xerez turns towards you and for the first time since you were a boy, he fixes his gaze on you, without any realization as to who you are.“You missed us in the Dead Gods’ Grove. No matter. What do you have? I don’t have all damned day and I’ve seen every trinket from here to Westgate that has even the semblance of a damned white dragon on it. So, what is it?”PlayerI did not think it would assault me this way. Looking down upon Zhentil Keep, upon its filth and squalor, upon its dejected victims and predatory powermongers, upon the misery that passes as daily life here, it makes me want to vomit far more than the smell of the foulwing did the first time. I imagine if Reltav could see my face right now she would delight in my morality and how the simple sight of this city offends it to the core.My eyes scan the routes in and out of the city from Xerez’s tower. Rarely did I ever see the light of day during my time as a slave, and my escape was via a tunnel, so this is not a mental map I have ever had to call upon. I try to memorize as much as I can: an alley behind the barracks, a long street leading into a—a plaza? a market? a gallows ground?—the avenues being patrolled by the eye tyrants. It’s too much in too little time, but hopefully it will be helpful should there be a need for it.When the mad wizard emerges from the tower it takes every ounce of willpower in my being to remain calm, to not jump him and wrap my hands around his throat and squeeze with all the hatred in the planes of existence. I feel Reltav tense beside me, sensing my turmoil, and in turn I feel her silent warning to keep my act together, though I am sure she used far more profane words in her mind.“You missed us in the Dead Gods’ Grove,” he says to me. He has no idea who I am. Perfect. “No matter. What do you have? I don’t have all damned day and I’ve seen every trinket from here to Westgate that has even the semblance of a damned white dragon on it. So, what is it?”If I were to strike him right now, plunge my dagger right in between his eyes, I am sure my life would be forfeit but my mission accomplished. But I also have a life I want to live, not throw it away on this piece of foulwing excrement that calls himself a person. And given that Reltav’s magic seems to be working, it is better to bide my time until Tymora smiles.“I bring you a tapestry,” I say without introductions, without any words beyond what is necessary, “one that bears the tale of a young winter elf who would go on to found the Elven dynasty of Whitewyrm.”</blockquote>

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