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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Quasqueton" data-source="post: 850362" data-attributes="member: 3854">The Fiendish Oerth Game Story - part 1dThere was a stunned silence in the room for many moments.The Abyss. Part of the deep, dark, and utterly evil nether world. The place where the most depraved and malicious souls go after physical death."What do you mean we're in the Abyss?" Salem asked. Cedrin and Simon had stopped eating.Rayson gazed deeply into the halfling's eyes, confirming to himself that these three, and the fourth lying unconscious on the table, were honestly lost."From what I understand," began Rayson, "it started in the Empire of Iuz about a century ago. Something or someone created a major gate to the Abyss. Teachings say that the opening to the netherworld was really more than just a gate -- it was a hole between the planes. This hole allowed the Abyss to pour into our world, slowly at first. But as more demons and evil pushed through the portal, the wider it grew. Now it flows over the lands quickly enough to watch. This village was enveloped less than two years ago.""What is this village?" Salem asked."Eastfarm," answered Rayson. "This is the Veluna side of the Velverdyva River. What used to be the Kingdom of Furyondy, on the other side is completely in the Abyss. Veluna will be absorbed within a year or so."We've been lucky so far," he continued. "Most of the demons are in the eastern lands fighting the devils.""Devils too?""Yes. In what used to be the old Great Kingdom, Hell has been brought into this world just as the Abyss grew from Iuz. The demons and devils now fight their eternal Blood War between the two 'gatelands'."Tales of refugees over the decades describe the old lands of Nyrond and Urnst as blasted battlegrounds now, full of fiendish armies.""What happened at this battleground, here?""The Holy Army of Veluna came here to stop an invasion force of orcs and gnolls from crossing the Velverdyva. We destroyed the bridge to stop them, but they made it across anyway. Then our army met theirs -- we survived, and they broke up. But there was a lot of confusion on the field. There were several powerful demons leading the humanoids, and though the orc and gnoll formations collapsed when hard pressed, the demons wrought great destruction on our men. Their humanoid forces fled in several directions, and our army had to fall back towards Veluna City to regroup.""Why didn't you go with the army?""My responsibility was to support Captain Moortine and his infantry company. The captain fell with most of his men when they pursued fleeing gnolls. A horde of minor demons attacked while we were too far from the main army. Only a few of us escaped the ambush, and I wasn't able to rejoin any large group. These men," he indicated the four warriors watching the windows and door, "joined me when we escaped the chaos of the battle. We fought our way here, using most of my spells and channeling power doing so."Rayson continued to answer their questions as they all alternated through resting, eating, taking watch, and checking on the unconscious dwarf. He explained that the border of the Abyss was about 3 days walk to the southwest, and Veluna City was another 3 days beyond that.Those watching outside noted the occasional zombie group walking through the village. There was no way of really telling time in this situation; the outside sky stayed a deep crimson, never dimming or brightening. But it seemed only a few hours when Cedrin and Simon started noticing that their cuts, scratches, and aches from the "morning" battles were healing. Then Lorgard gasped, opened his eyes, and then  sat up from where he had been lying on the table.Silence again overtook the small home as everyone stared at the dwarf mage in burned robes. He was awake but in some not inconsiderable pain. His most serious burns had started healing, and his minor blisters had disappeared. Salem and Rayson stepped up to the dwarf and examined his body."Uhg," was Lorgard's first word, quickly followed by his first sentence, "where are those damned flamers?"A quick examination of the mage and his companions showed that they were healing quickly, but in an otherwise normal fashion. Their wounds left minor scars, and the dwarf's major burns left discolored patches of skin. Rayson noted that they weren't really regenerating, merely healing faster than normal; in hours rather than days.Simon and Cedrin caught their newly revived companion up on the current situation, and Salem and Rayson discussed what the group should do next.Rayson said he needed to go back out on the field to collect the body of his captain, and to return with it to Veluna. "Do you want our help?" offered Salem."I can find the captain's body with these soldiers' help," answered Rayson. "Perhaps you could investigate where the zombies are coming from. They are all headed southwest through the village to the Veluna road, so I suspect someone or something is controlling them. Do you think you could backtrack them to their origin?""We'll do what we can," said the halfling.When everyone was well rested, and healed, and Rayson estimated that it was probably "morning" outside the Abyss, the clerics and wizard began their prayers and studies for spell preparation. Simon said he wanted to get out of the house for a scouting look at the nearby area. He wanted to find a bow and quiver of arrows. He asked if anyone needed him to look anywhere in particular."See if you can find some spears for me," said Salem."I want a warhammer," said Lorgard. "I need something better than that staff.""Very well," Simon said, "I'll see what I can find." He strapped on his swords belt and went to the door.One of the human warriors commented, "You sure you want to go out there alone?""I'll be alright," assured the ranger.He was only gone a short while. He was back in the house with three halfspears for the halfling, a warhammer for the dwarf, and a short bow with arrows for himself before the priests and mage were finished with their spell preparations. "Saw a pack of black wolves wandering in the village, but they didn't see me. Otherwise looks still and quiet out there."Soon everyone made ready to leave their temporary base. "Natural creatures born under the Abyssal sky are always evil, twisted with fiendish taint," warned Rayson. "And they are the least dangerous beasts you'll see here. Minor demons are all about: dretch and manes especially. Be very careful. May peace and reason protect you."Rayson and his four guardsmen left together to find the body of their captain. Salem, Simon, Cedrin, and Lorgard left to investigate the source of the zombies.To be continued . . .</blockquote>

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