Jon Potter
First Post
Yeah, HM. Come one! Don't leave us hanging.
The Band of Four (The Village of Oester)
Hairy Minotaur
Explorer
Tharhack knelt behind a tall ash tree in a small grove overlooking the village of Oester. He studied the village throughout the early morning hours, although no light shone in any window, that he could see, Tharhack did see people wandering the streets. Tharhack planned to venture into the town as soon as the sun rose, as the cold breeze blowing through the village carried the smell of death on it, unnerving the cleric.
Tharhack hoped the other part of his plan was doing it's job back in Mullikin. If it could fool the dwarves then it would be well on it's way. Tharhack waited for the sun to send it's first rays into the village, the area around him light up and he felt warmth spilling over his back. Tharhack stood up, and started to head into town. A warm hand fell onto his shoulder, stopping Tharhack's forward movement. Turning Tharhack came face to face with an angelic figure, it's wings spread wide giving off the golden glow of morning. Tharhack quickly fell to his knees and bowed his head.
"Please stand up Tharhack of the Bonepounder clan, I bring you a boon from god of creation." The angel stated
Tharhack stood and looked into angel's eyes.
"You've been watched for a while now, my master commends you on your restraint in allowing variations of creatures which have never existed to go free. Your aid in creating answers to the question; what if. Has greatly pleased my master, including your flawed attempt at deceiving the deceiver god. However, he will easily be able to tell which is the real Tharhack Bonepounder, and which is the doppleganger." The angel stated
"All I needed was it to make it seem as though I hadn't left Mullikin yet, which would hopefully grant me enough time to locate the false clerics here and retrieve my companions." Tharhack answers
"Which is why I am here, my master wishes to grant you a boon which will alter your aura enough to make it appear as though both you and the doppleganger are shapeshifters. Thereby making it impossible even for a deity to determine which of you is the real Tharhack." The angel responds
"Who is your master, and why does he wish to help me?" Tharhack asks
"My master wishes to remain anonymous for personal reasons, as that makes it harder for his enemies to counteract and react to his moves if they don't know who they're playing against. Which is why this boon has been granted to you, my master feels the best way to trick someone is with the truth. The deceiver will see the doppleganger in Mullikin, and then see the doppleganger in Oester and will never see a half-orc that looks like you." The angel replies
"What will that do to me?" Tharhack asks
"You will have the ability to change your shape into one other being for the duration on this boon, as befitting your new aura." The angel responds
Tharhack thinks it over, and accepts the boon. The angel closes it's wings around Tharhack and fills the space with a golden warm glow. The light dims rapidly and Tharhack opens his eyes to find himself alone, staring into the sunrise.
Tharhack leaves the small copse of trees, and emerges onto a north-south road. Tharhack turns north and heads into Oester.
The village looks deserted, no smoke rises from any chimney, no smells of breakfast fill the air, no sounds of people getting on with their day, just dead silence. Tharhack makes his way to the first T in the road, an east road intersects this road Tharhack is on. Looking up the east road, Tharhack can tell it leads into the center of the village, looking further up the road Tharhack is currently on and Tharhack can see a large building that appears to be the village's inn.
Tharhack elects to check out the inn first before probing the interior of the village. Heading on north, Tharhack spots the beginnings of fire in the inn's chimney as wisps of smoke begin to waft from the top on the inn's chimney. Tharhack then hears the sound of sweeping, and makes out movement on the inn's porch.
*******************************************************************************************************
Tharhack* (the true greater doppleganger) makes his way through the gathering crowds of the marketplace.
"Ho there Tharhack!" A stately dressed young human male calls out to Tharhack*
Tharhack* ignores the man and continues on his way to the main gates.
"Tharhack wait up, I've decided that your cause is one that should not be attempted alone. I shall be ready to die by your side!" The man shouts
Tharhack* stops and takes a look at the man, trying to remember if Tharhack told he about anyone with his description.
"Do I know you?" Tharhack* asks
"What have you forgotten the moral compass that is Sir Owain already? Surely you jest, when do we begin our quest to root out the evil of the traveler faith?" Sir Owain states
Tharhack* states dumbfoundedly into the man's eyes, unsure of how to get rid of this guy, and confused as to why Tharhack neglected to not mention him.... or did he? Maybe this guy is a spy sent to keep tabs on Tharhack. Sir Owain will need to be eliminated one way or another.
Tharhack hoped the other part of his plan was doing it's job back in Mullikin. If it could fool the dwarves then it would be well on it's way. Tharhack waited for the sun to send it's first rays into the village, the area around him light up and he felt warmth spilling over his back. Tharhack stood up, and started to head into town. A warm hand fell onto his shoulder, stopping Tharhack's forward movement. Turning Tharhack came face to face with an angelic figure, it's wings spread wide giving off the golden glow of morning. Tharhack quickly fell to his knees and bowed his head.
"Please stand up Tharhack of the Bonepounder clan, I bring you a boon from god of creation." The angel stated
Tharhack stood and looked into angel's eyes.
"You've been watched for a while now, my master commends you on your restraint in allowing variations of creatures which have never existed to go free. Your aid in creating answers to the question; what if. Has greatly pleased my master, including your flawed attempt at deceiving the deceiver god. However, he will easily be able to tell which is the real Tharhack Bonepounder, and which is the doppleganger." The angel stated
"All I needed was it to make it seem as though I hadn't left Mullikin yet, which would hopefully grant me enough time to locate the false clerics here and retrieve my companions." Tharhack answers
"Which is why I am here, my master wishes to grant you a boon which will alter your aura enough to make it appear as though both you and the doppleganger are shapeshifters. Thereby making it impossible even for a deity to determine which of you is the real Tharhack." The angel responds
"Who is your master, and why does he wish to help me?" Tharhack asks
"My master wishes to remain anonymous for personal reasons, as that makes it harder for his enemies to counteract and react to his moves if they don't know who they're playing against. Which is why this boon has been granted to you, my master feels the best way to trick someone is with the truth. The deceiver will see the doppleganger in Mullikin, and then see the doppleganger in Oester and will never see a half-orc that looks like you." The angel replies
"What will that do to me?" Tharhack asks
"You will have the ability to change your shape into one other being for the duration on this boon, as befitting your new aura." The angel responds
Tharhack thinks it over, and accepts the boon. The angel closes it's wings around Tharhack and fills the space with a golden warm glow. The light dims rapidly and Tharhack opens his eyes to find himself alone, staring into the sunrise.
Tharhack leaves the small copse of trees, and emerges onto a north-south road. Tharhack turns north and heads into Oester.
The village looks deserted, no smoke rises from any chimney, no smells of breakfast fill the air, no sounds of people getting on with their day, just dead silence. Tharhack makes his way to the first T in the road, an east road intersects this road Tharhack is on. Looking up the east road, Tharhack can tell it leads into the center of the village, looking further up the road Tharhack is currently on and Tharhack can see a large building that appears to be the village's inn.
Tharhack elects to check out the inn first before probing the interior of the village. Heading on north, Tharhack spots the beginnings of fire in the inn's chimney as wisps of smoke begin to waft from the top on the inn's chimney. Tharhack then hears the sound of sweeping, and makes out movement on the inn's porch.
*******************************************************************************************************
Tharhack* (the true greater doppleganger) makes his way through the gathering crowds of the marketplace.
"Ho there Tharhack!" A stately dressed young human male calls out to Tharhack*
Tharhack* ignores the man and continues on his way to the main gates.
"Tharhack wait up, I've decided that your cause is one that should not be attempted alone. I shall be ready to die by your side!" The man shouts
Tharhack* stops and takes a look at the man, trying to remember if Tharhack told he about anyone with his description.
"Do I know you?" Tharhack* asks
"What have you forgotten the moral compass that is Sir Owain already? Surely you jest, when do we begin our quest to root out the evil of the traveler faith?" Sir Owain states
Tharhack* states dumbfoundedly into the man's eyes, unsure of how to get rid of this guy, and confused as to why Tharhack neglected to not mention him.... or did he? Maybe this guy is a spy sent to keep tabs on Tharhack. Sir Owain will need to be eliminated one way or another.
Hairy Minotaur
Explorer
Tharhack walks along the wet street, muddied by the recent snows. Tharhack gets to within fifty feet of the large building on the right, and sees a solitary figure sweeping off the wooden steps leading up to a porch. A sign that reads "Oester Inn" hangs in front of the porch, as Tharhack makes his way towards the man, he notices bodies lying in the street opposite of the inn.
Keeping his eyes on the sweeping man, who seems to be completely oblivious to Tharhack, Tharhack walks to the nearest body. The body lies face down in the snow, but what surprises Tharhack even more is the clear sign of a drag mark in the snow leading from the inn to where the body laid. Without any training in survival, Tharhack had no idea how long ago the track was made, only that it had to have been made after the last snowfall. The body is partially eaten, large bite marks surround gaping holes in it's neck and chest. Festering boils seep a sickly yellow liquid onto the white snow and crows have managed to dislodge it's right eye and nibble on it. As Tharhack looked the body over, he could've sworn the thing moved, thinking it a trick of the light and his tired eyes, Tharhack dismisses the notion.
Tharhack looked up at the next body and found the same drag marks also lead from the inn, in fact Tharhack spotted three other bodies, all of them created a drag pattern similar to spokes of a wheel with the inn in the center. Tharhack heard the sweeping sound stop and looked up to find the man sitting in a rocking chair on the front porch of the inn. Confused, Tharhack hailed the man, but he didn't seem to register the hello. Tharhack made his way to the front steps of the inn, placing one foot on the first step.
"Good day to you sir! Traveled far?" The man's voice shattered the silence of the moment, startling Tharhack.
"I've been shouting at you for the past five minutes, are you deaf?" Tharhack counters
"No, I don't believe so. I hear my wife loud and clear." The man replies
"Did you drag those bodies away from the inn?" Tharhack asks
"I am merely an innkeeper, dragging bodies is not in the description." The man replies
"Well, then who did?" Tharhack asks
"Don't know, there are no other guests currently. I guess that just leaves you, maybe you did it?" The man answers
"Do not try my patience old man." Tharhack snarls as his ascends the porch steps to stand in front of the innkeeper.
"What's with all this hostility? Please come inside for a drink and some nice sweet potato soup." The innkeeper says, getting up and making his way to the door.
"No way old man, something very odd is happening here and I believe you know about it." Tharhack tells the man
"Please come inside, you look famished. Come inside and I will tell you what I know." The innkeeper says
"Why do we have to go inside? Why can't you bring it out here?" Tharhack asks
"Whatever you wish. My name is Fargus by the way, glad to have met your acquaintance." Fargus says as he retreats into the inn.
A few moments later, Fargus returns with a cup of water and a steaming bowl of soup. Tharhack's stomach rejoices with the smell of food. Tharhack takes a drink of the nice cold water and accepts the bowl from Fargus. Both Fargus and Tharhack devour their meals, as Fargus begins to tell his tale.
Fargus recounts how it was a plague that began when the tower was embraced with a blue light, that frighten the animals and children. Soon after that a man named Harstak fell gravely ill. Fearing contagion the steward ordered Harstack's house be boarded up while Harstak remained quarantined inside. We only left a small crack in one of the windows so we could give him food and water.
One night a woman named Laela was heard shrieking in terror, we found her fainted in the middle of the road, a nasty gash on the side of her neck where her flesh had been ripped off. After regaining consciousness, Laela recounted how a frightful man with "devilish eyes and skin so taunt that the bone underneath could be seen" was running towards her. Another shout came out that someone had broken into Harstack's house. A few of our braver men entered to find all of the food we had given him over the past five days rotting untouched.
Soon Laela became as sick as Harstak, and she too disappeared into the night. Soon more disappearances occurred and everyone wondered would they be next. That's when people started leaving. Then the final straw came when horrifying creatures emerged from the woods, these creatures looked like fellow villages but they didn't act like them. Attacking anything that moved on sight, sometimes each other. That's when the remaining villagers left.
"Why did you stay?" Tharhack asks
"My wife didn't want to move, she stubborn like that sometimes." Fargus replies
"Where is your wife?" Tharhack asks
"She's off with my daughter picking berries for dinner tonight, they'll be back soon." Fargus answers
"Aren't you afraid for their well being with all these creatures running around?" Tharhack asks
"Nonsense, they only come out at night." Fargus answers
Tharhack tried to stand up, but his head felt dizzy. Tharhack felt his eyes want to close, quickly Tharhack cast a detect poison spell and saw the bowl and glass of water turn a bright red. Looking back at Fargus, Tharhack saw him get up from the rocking chair and squat next to Tharhack.
"My wife will be home for dinner soon, I hope you will be as nice a guest for her as you have been for me." Fargus tells Tharhack, as Tharhack falls asleep.
**************************************************************************************************
"Ha, ha ha, ha. Dumb orc, he fell for the lamest trick in the book. Maybe this one isn't as bright as a half-orc." Loki almost falls out of his chair with laughter.
"My lord, there is news from Mulliken." A lowly dretch announces
"I'm waiting" Loki answers
"Seems that Tharhack has left Mulliken with a paladin of some small renown, and is headed for Oester." The dretch announces
"What? Are you blind?" Loki says before smiting the dretch into a pile of goo. Loki then sits quietly, contemplating. "Let's have a look."
"Impossible. Someone's trying to play a trick on me! Let's just see who the real Tharhack is?" Loki stands motionless over his scrying pool for an hour before a succubus dares to speak.
"What is it your excell.." Is all the succubus got out before Loki picked her up and broke her in half. Then thrust the twisted demon into the scrying pool.
"This is not possible, someone is cheating. That's my job!" Loki rants
Keeping his eyes on the sweeping man, who seems to be completely oblivious to Tharhack, Tharhack walks to the nearest body. The body lies face down in the snow, but what surprises Tharhack even more is the clear sign of a drag mark in the snow leading from the inn to where the body laid. Without any training in survival, Tharhack had no idea how long ago the track was made, only that it had to have been made after the last snowfall. The body is partially eaten, large bite marks surround gaping holes in it's neck and chest. Festering boils seep a sickly yellow liquid onto the white snow and crows have managed to dislodge it's right eye and nibble on it. As Tharhack looked the body over, he could've sworn the thing moved, thinking it a trick of the light and his tired eyes, Tharhack dismisses the notion.
Tharhack looked up at the next body and found the same drag marks also lead from the inn, in fact Tharhack spotted three other bodies, all of them created a drag pattern similar to spokes of a wheel with the inn in the center. Tharhack heard the sweeping sound stop and looked up to find the man sitting in a rocking chair on the front porch of the inn. Confused, Tharhack hailed the man, but he didn't seem to register the hello. Tharhack made his way to the front steps of the inn, placing one foot on the first step.
"Good day to you sir! Traveled far?" The man's voice shattered the silence of the moment, startling Tharhack.
"I've been shouting at you for the past five minutes, are you deaf?" Tharhack counters
"No, I don't believe so. I hear my wife loud and clear." The man replies
"Did you drag those bodies away from the inn?" Tharhack asks
"I am merely an innkeeper, dragging bodies is not in the description." The man replies
"Well, then who did?" Tharhack asks
"Don't know, there are no other guests currently. I guess that just leaves you, maybe you did it?" The man answers
"Do not try my patience old man." Tharhack snarls as his ascends the porch steps to stand in front of the innkeeper.
"What's with all this hostility? Please come inside for a drink and some nice sweet potato soup." The innkeeper says, getting up and making his way to the door.
"No way old man, something very odd is happening here and I believe you know about it." Tharhack tells the man
"Please come inside, you look famished. Come inside and I will tell you what I know." The innkeeper says
"Why do we have to go inside? Why can't you bring it out here?" Tharhack asks
"Whatever you wish. My name is Fargus by the way, glad to have met your acquaintance." Fargus says as he retreats into the inn.
A few moments later, Fargus returns with a cup of water and a steaming bowl of soup. Tharhack's stomach rejoices with the smell of food. Tharhack takes a drink of the nice cold water and accepts the bowl from Fargus. Both Fargus and Tharhack devour their meals, as Fargus begins to tell his tale.
Fargus recounts how it was a plague that began when the tower was embraced with a blue light, that frighten the animals and children. Soon after that a man named Harstak fell gravely ill. Fearing contagion the steward ordered Harstack's house be boarded up while Harstak remained quarantined inside. We only left a small crack in one of the windows so we could give him food and water.
One night a woman named Laela was heard shrieking in terror, we found her fainted in the middle of the road, a nasty gash on the side of her neck where her flesh had been ripped off. After regaining consciousness, Laela recounted how a frightful man with "devilish eyes and skin so taunt that the bone underneath could be seen" was running towards her. Another shout came out that someone had broken into Harstack's house. A few of our braver men entered to find all of the food we had given him over the past five days rotting untouched.
Soon Laela became as sick as Harstak, and she too disappeared into the night. Soon more disappearances occurred and everyone wondered would they be next. That's when people started leaving. Then the final straw came when horrifying creatures emerged from the woods, these creatures looked like fellow villages but they didn't act like them. Attacking anything that moved on sight, sometimes each other. That's when the remaining villagers left.
"Why did you stay?" Tharhack asks
"My wife didn't want to move, she stubborn like that sometimes." Fargus replies
"Where is your wife?" Tharhack asks
"She's off with my daughter picking berries for dinner tonight, they'll be back soon." Fargus answers
"Aren't you afraid for their well being with all these creatures running around?" Tharhack asks
"Nonsense, they only come out at night." Fargus answers
Tharhack tried to stand up, but his head felt dizzy. Tharhack felt his eyes want to close, quickly Tharhack cast a detect poison spell and saw the bowl and glass of water turn a bright red. Looking back at Fargus, Tharhack saw him get up from the rocking chair and squat next to Tharhack.
"My wife will be home for dinner soon, I hope you will be as nice a guest for her as you have been for me." Fargus tells Tharhack, as Tharhack falls asleep.
**************************************************************************************************
"Ha, ha ha, ha. Dumb orc, he fell for the lamest trick in the book. Maybe this one isn't as bright as a half-orc." Loki almost falls out of his chair with laughter.
"My lord, there is news from Mulliken." A lowly dretch announces
"I'm waiting" Loki answers
"Seems that Tharhack has left Mulliken with a paladin of some small renown, and is headed for Oester." The dretch announces
"What? Are you blind?" Loki says before smiting the dretch into a pile of goo. Loki then sits quietly, contemplating. "Let's have a look."
"Impossible. Someone's trying to play a trick on me! Let's just see who the real Tharhack is?" Loki stands motionless over his scrying pool for an hour before a succubus dares to speak.
"What is it your excell.." Is all the succubus got out before Loki picked her up and broke her in half. Then thrust the twisted demon into the scrying pool.
"This is not possible, someone is cheating. That's my job!" Loki rants
Jon Potter
First Post
Hairy Minotaur said:
Well, I don't like agreeing with Loki, but I have to.
My first thought was, "Duhh!".
My second thought was that he must not have memorized Detect Poison.
After the casting, I fell back on my first assessment.
I mean, really! Come on now. How could the food NOT be poisoned?
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Hairy Minotaur
Explorer
Jon Potter said:Well, I don't like agreeing with Loki, but I have to.
My first thought was, "Duhh!".
My second thought was that he must not have memorized Detect Poison.
After the casting, I fell back on my first assessment.
I mean, really! Come on now. How could the food NOT be poisoned?
I was hoping he'd cast protection from evil or something similar, since Fargus isn't evil. The look on his face would've been even more priceless.
Hairy Minotaur
Explorer
Guided by a star
Fargus dragged the massive body of Tharhack into his bedroom. With all his might he hefted and tossed the holy servant onto the bed. The devout husband reached across the half-orc’s body and pulled free a pair of leather restraints, stained with the blood of previous offerings. The dark color of the sheets concealed the blood stains of prior visitors but not the stench of fetid body fluids. The half-orc properly held in place, Fargus backed away and gave a prayer to Zeus before exiting the room.
A crash of glass from the front porch forced Fargus into a whirlwind of movement as he fled down to the cellar door and unbolted the exterior lock and then ran back up the stairs. Once he had reached the top he turned back to watch two lurching creatures emerge into the short hallway in front of the cellar door. With a smile of recognition on his face, Fargus motioned for the creatures to ascend the steps.
“Hello dear, better hurry. Sounds like your dinner has attracted others who’ve come to feast.”
Two soft thuds of arrow shafts hitting rotting flesh comes from behind Fargus from the front of the house. Startled the innkeeper whipped his head around, the sight of the black skinned demon in his living room frightened the simple man and he shied away from the creature. Retreating a couple of steps down the stairs to the cellar. His heart gripped with fear, he forgot why he had been standing at the top of the stairs to begin with. Then the claw stretched over his face as a searing pain erupted from his neck as his wife sank her ghoulish teeth into her husband’s fresh flesh.
Screams of terror gurgled up from Fargus’ lungs as he tried to pry his wife’s jaws from his neck, then his daughter gouged through his side and broke off a couple of ribs as her hunger for blood would not be denied. Missing her lower jaw, Fargus’ daughter shoved the bones straight down her throat. She caught a few strands of hair and dislodged them from her forehead in her impatience to get sustenance into her stomach. There was no doubt she had died several days and the mockery of life she clung to now was only matched by the debauchery her father engaged in to keep them fed. Fargus’ fragile world went black as the demon fired another salvo of arrows in his direction.
Tharhack became aware of a jostling to his left as his brain determined that he was prone. Tharhack’s eyes flew open as he stared up at a black skinned humanoid shaped man replete with glowing red eyes. Tharhack tried to bring his arms up to shove the thing away only to discover his hands have been restrained to the bed frame. Quickly thinking to save his life, Tharhack shoved his feet up towards the ceiling and knocked the creature off balance on top of his right arm. Twisting and bring his knees up to his chest, Tharhack managed to push the creature off the bed. The demon stood and smiled down at the helpless Tharhack, that action brought a swift boot to the side of the head from the half-orc. Using the slight stagger he gave the demon, Tharhack twisted and bucked against the leathers restraints trying to get them to break.
“Ow Tharhack, that hurt.”
Stunned that his name was known, Tharhack paused in his attempt to escape, “How is it my name is known to you?”
“It’s me, Rebrey.”
“Deceiver! I left my friend dying in a lich’s outhouse. You pervert his memory here now.” Calling forth his divine gift from Kord, Tharhack tears the leather straps from the bedposts.
Now it was Rebrey’s turn to feel enclosed, “wait, it is me. Emthur’s dead, your diamond gift destroyed him from the inside out.”
Tharhack’s rage abated as the truth of the demon’s words rung true in his heart. Tharhack laughed as he gave his friend a bear hug, lifting Rebrey off the floor and squeezing the joy he felt into him. The men spend the next few minutes relating their travels from Emthur’s tower.
“How was it you found me? Surely not by blind luck?” Tharhack questioned
“I asked for guidance from Prometheus and when I looked up there was a new star shining to the northwest. Viewing that as the sign I asked for, I followed it here. After defeating two ghouls on the porch I came inside to check on the building and the rest is history.”
“I am elated to see that you are healed, I ask for your help in finding Gothmog and Charekyal. I fear what has befallen them and my failure to utterly protect them, you or Alriand.” Painful tears of loss fill up the cleric’s eyes as he waxes on the memories of his lost friends and companions.
“I offer all that I am, and the promise that the next time we say goodbye it will be over a victory the likes of which our gods will sing of!”
With so many undead roaming the streets, the two holy men make their way by moonlight down the main east-west thoroughfare of Oester, looking for a temple or church where some holy water may be gained or even scrolls to help combat the creatures. Two blocks away from the inn, they spot the small church. Tharhack looks over the design on the door and raising his hand to point out the deity the church is consecrated to, Rebrey interjects.
“Thor, god of battle. I would think that would be a good sign for our cause.”
Tharhack nods and pushed open the wooden door, revealing the shambling forms of several ghouls as they turn toward the newly arrived food source.
“This place is no longer holy ground.” Tharhack intones with a mixture of anger and contempt
Both men raise their holy symbols and invoke the names of their respective gods. The building reacts to the divine energy and amplifies the power of their turning. Latent Thor energy approves of the use of foreign gods to cleanse his house. The extra power boost causes the ghouls to erupt in a divine shower of fire, embers of their former selves’ burn and wink out as if on a breeze.
More to come, I returned to scene of my initial story hour as I realize all the good things that have ceom from this humble beginning.
Fargus dragged the massive body of Tharhack into his bedroom. With all his might he hefted and tossed the holy servant onto the bed. The devout husband reached across the half-orc’s body and pulled free a pair of leather restraints, stained with the blood of previous offerings. The dark color of the sheets concealed the blood stains of prior visitors but not the stench of fetid body fluids. The half-orc properly held in place, Fargus backed away and gave a prayer to Zeus before exiting the room.
A crash of glass from the front porch forced Fargus into a whirlwind of movement as he fled down to the cellar door and unbolted the exterior lock and then ran back up the stairs. Once he had reached the top he turned back to watch two lurching creatures emerge into the short hallway in front of the cellar door. With a smile of recognition on his face, Fargus motioned for the creatures to ascend the steps.
“Hello dear, better hurry. Sounds like your dinner has attracted others who’ve come to feast.”
Two soft thuds of arrow shafts hitting rotting flesh comes from behind Fargus from the front of the house. Startled the innkeeper whipped his head around, the sight of the black skinned demon in his living room frightened the simple man and he shied away from the creature. Retreating a couple of steps down the stairs to the cellar. His heart gripped with fear, he forgot why he had been standing at the top of the stairs to begin with. Then the claw stretched over his face as a searing pain erupted from his neck as his wife sank her ghoulish teeth into her husband’s fresh flesh.
Screams of terror gurgled up from Fargus’ lungs as he tried to pry his wife’s jaws from his neck, then his daughter gouged through his side and broke off a couple of ribs as her hunger for blood would not be denied. Missing her lower jaw, Fargus’ daughter shoved the bones straight down her throat. She caught a few strands of hair and dislodged them from her forehead in her impatience to get sustenance into her stomach. There was no doubt she had died several days and the mockery of life she clung to now was only matched by the debauchery her father engaged in to keep them fed. Fargus’ fragile world went black as the demon fired another salvo of arrows in his direction.
Tharhack became aware of a jostling to his left as his brain determined that he was prone. Tharhack’s eyes flew open as he stared up at a black skinned humanoid shaped man replete with glowing red eyes. Tharhack tried to bring his arms up to shove the thing away only to discover his hands have been restrained to the bed frame. Quickly thinking to save his life, Tharhack shoved his feet up towards the ceiling and knocked the creature off balance on top of his right arm. Twisting and bring his knees up to his chest, Tharhack managed to push the creature off the bed. The demon stood and smiled down at the helpless Tharhack, that action brought a swift boot to the side of the head from the half-orc. Using the slight stagger he gave the demon, Tharhack twisted and bucked against the leathers restraints trying to get them to break.
“Ow Tharhack, that hurt.”
Stunned that his name was known, Tharhack paused in his attempt to escape, “How is it my name is known to you?”
“It’s me, Rebrey.”
“Deceiver! I left my friend dying in a lich’s outhouse. You pervert his memory here now.” Calling forth his divine gift from Kord, Tharhack tears the leather straps from the bedposts.
Now it was Rebrey’s turn to feel enclosed, “wait, it is me. Emthur’s dead, your diamond gift destroyed him from the inside out.”
Tharhack’s rage abated as the truth of the demon’s words rung true in his heart. Tharhack laughed as he gave his friend a bear hug, lifting Rebrey off the floor and squeezing the joy he felt into him. The men spend the next few minutes relating their travels from Emthur’s tower.
“How was it you found me? Surely not by blind luck?” Tharhack questioned
“I asked for guidance from Prometheus and when I looked up there was a new star shining to the northwest. Viewing that as the sign I asked for, I followed it here. After defeating two ghouls on the porch I came inside to check on the building and the rest is history.”
“I am elated to see that you are healed, I ask for your help in finding Gothmog and Charekyal. I fear what has befallen them and my failure to utterly protect them, you or Alriand.” Painful tears of loss fill up the cleric’s eyes as he waxes on the memories of his lost friends and companions.
“I offer all that I am, and the promise that the next time we say goodbye it will be over a victory the likes of which our gods will sing of!”
With so many undead roaming the streets, the two holy men make their way by moonlight down the main east-west thoroughfare of Oester, looking for a temple or church where some holy water may be gained or even scrolls to help combat the creatures. Two blocks away from the inn, they spot the small church. Tharhack looks over the design on the door and raising his hand to point out the deity the church is consecrated to, Rebrey interjects.
“Thor, god of battle. I would think that would be a good sign for our cause.”
Tharhack nods and pushed open the wooden door, revealing the shambling forms of several ghouls as they turn toward the newly arrived food source.
“This place is no longer holy ground.” Tharhack intones with a mixture of anger and contempt
Both men raise their holy symbols and invoke the names of their respective gods. The building reacts to the divine energy and amplifies the power of their turning. Latent Thor energy approves of the use of foreign gods to cleanse his house. The extra power boost causes the ghouls to erupt in a divine shower of fire, embers of their former selves’ burn and wink out as if on a breeze.
More to come, I returned to scene of my initial story hour as I realize all the good things that have ceom from this humble beginning.
Jon Potter
First Post
More to come, I returned to scene of my initial story hour as I realize all the good things that have ceom from this humble beginning.
Much HAS come from this beginning although I don't know how humble it is. It cleaves closer to stock D&D than your group's subsequent outings, but it's still great stuff.
Sorry it's taken me so long to respond to it: a dead computer, a new job, the holidays, and a household sickness all conspired against me.
Hairy Minotaur
Explorer
Its funny, through this story hour I was able to get a credit mention in Village of Oester. As I go back and read the first 2 pages of this story hour and then the last two pages and watch how the writing changed and then on to Don't Laugh... which to date I feel is the best of the 4 story hours I have (the 2 giants were comedic gold), though I feel the ending to The Acrimonious Adventurer Association will be the strongest of all of them (it was powerful, meaningful and forged the beginning of Defects and Nuisences) even though we've not reached that climax yet in the story. I noticed that other than the players themselves only you and Pogre popped into subsequent story hours. At you can say you got in on the ground floor.
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