The Four Lands - Dark is Rising
J. Alexander
First Post
Opening
It's good to final leave the nest so to speak..and as you approach the northern most valley pass leading to the High City you are filled with wonder.
Having arrived at the Norther pass entrance just ten days ago have traveled through one of the 4 passes leading to the valley that holds the city. The mountains surronding them are as promised. Each day sees you climbing higher and higher into the mountains (think swiss alps but 3 times higher) and it seems to go on forever. As you climb you marvel that the weather seems to be constant while the higher peaks show heavy snow. At last you reach the northern most outpost of the high city and you behold it's outermost fortification.
Rumor just does not do it justice. Just a little over two mile in length a massive triple wall stads before you. Every five hundred feet there is an imposing 200x200 tower rising well over 100 feet in the air forming both rally points and choke points should some army get this far. The overall thickness of the three walls is 200 feet. with arrow slits on the 2nd and 3rd wall rising to provide additional indirerct fire support. Artilleary emplacements can be seen on the first wall being ballista, the second wall being light catapults and the third wall being trebuchets. While impressive the most astonishing site is the number of solider dressed in crimison tunics and cloaks with a stylized gold lion in rampart postion on the breast. Seeing the number you have no doubt that rumor must be true and this is the base of at least 10 full legions (50,000) men all personally sworn to the service of the city and it's prince. Further inspection shows that it is just not humans in the serivce, companies of dwarfs, elves, halfings, gnomes, ogiers and even one company of giants can be identifed by their standards.
As you approach the gate you are asked to state you business and asked for your papers. Having none, you are told that you must wait till tomorrow to receive them as the issuing authority has gone home to attend a sick child. As it is beyond your ability to control, you are offered a quest room in the small city just behind the walls. Your best guess is that this small city would number perhaps 200k people and runs the entire lenght of the wall and is perhaps some 2 miles in width. Exactly at the 2 mile mark is a roadway made of blueish grey stone. You are warned that should you cross this boundary without papers you could be subject to immediate and summary execution.
Finding the quest house is not difficult as the area is laid out in a rigid grid fashion like most military camps. Every 400 feet there are paved cross roads with the streets being 20 feet in width. Unlike most of the villages and cities you have seen, every building is made from either brick or quarred stone with no wood being seen except for decroative purposes. Just beyond the blueish boundary way you can see large holding pens for livestock and wagons as well as two large warehouse districs at either end of the valley that are in themself some one miled in width along the southern axis.
Wide eyed with wonder you enter the establishment to which you were directed.
It's good to final leave the nest so to speak..and as you approach the northern most valley pass leading to the High City you are filled with wonder.
Having arrived at the Norther pass entrance just ten days ago have traveled through one of the 4 passes leading to the valley that holds the city. The mountains surronding them are as promised. Each day sees you climbing higher and higher into the mountains (think swiss alps but 3 times higher) and it seems to go on forever. As you climb you marvel that the weather seems to be constant while the higher peaks show heavy snow. At last you reach the northern most outpost of the high city and you behold it's outermost fortification.
Rumor just does not do it justice. Just a little over two mile in length a massive triple wall stads before you. Every five hundred feet there is an imposing 200x200 tower rising well over 100 feet in the air forming both rally points and choke points should some army get this far. The overall thickness of the three walls is 200 feet. with arrow slits on the 2nd and 3rd wall rising to provide additional indirerct fire support. Artilleary emplacements can be seen on the first wall being ballista, the second wall being light catapults and the third wall being trebuchets. While impressive the most astonishing site is the number of solider dressed in crimison tunics and cloaks with a stylized gold lion in rampart postion on the breast. Seeing the number you have no doubt that rumor must be true and this is the base of at least 10 full legions (50,000) men all personally sworn to the service of the city and it's prince. Further inspection shows that it is just not humans in the serivce, companies of dwarfs, elves, halfings, gnomes, ogiers and even one company of giants can be identifed by their standards.
As you approach the gate you are asked to state you business and asked for your papers. Having none, you are told that you must wait till tomorrow to receive them as the issuing authority has gone home to attend a sick child. As it is beyond your ability to control, you are offered a quest room in the small city just behind the walls. Your best guess is that this small city would number perhaps 200k people and runs the entire lenght of the wall and is perhaps some 2 miles in width. Exactly at the 2 mile mark is a roadway made of blueish grey stone. You are warned that should you cross this boundary without papers you could be subject to immediate and summary execution.
Finding the quest house is not difficult as the area is laid out in a rigid grid fashion like most military camps. Every 400 feet there are paved cross roads with the streets being 20 feet in width. Unlike most of the villages and cities you have seen, every building is made from either brick or quarred stone with no wood being seen except for decroative purposes. Just beyond the blueish boundary way you can see large holding pens for livestock and wagons as well as two large warehouse districs at either end of the valley that are in themself some one miled in width along the southern axis.
Wide eyed with wonder you enter the establishment to which you were directed.
Scott DeWar
Prof. Emeritus-Supernatural Events/Countermeasure
"Ah, rest at last. i wonder if they serve sushi?"
J. Alexander
First Post
Sushi
"My good sir, I am sorry to inform you that this establishment does not..however you are at liberty until your posting tomorrow and I do think there are several such resturantes that cater to the prince's eastern troops" a good woman says
"My good sir, I am sorry to inform you that this establishment does not..however you are at liberty until your posting tomorrow and I do think there are several such resturantes that cater to the prince's eastern troops" a good woman says
Scott DeWar
Prof. Emeritus-Supernatural Events/Countermeasure
He bows to the woman with his hands together palm to palm and says, "Thank you for letting em know this."
J. Alexander
First Post
"We are all here to serve" she says then adds "The Prince's Peace be upon thee" and goes back to cleaning
Scott DeWar
Prof. Emeritus-Supernatural Events/Countermeasure
"the prince's peace upon you too," he enters in then hpong for his second favorite food- roast chicken.
looking for the inn keep he searches around, being careful not to step on the portion of floor the woman has already scrubbed.
looking for the inn keep he searches around, being careful not to step on the portion of floor the woman has already scrubbed.
J. Alexander
First Post
Much to his dismay he finds nothing but a common room on each floor with hallways running from them as if to guest rooms...(think hampton inn).. Besides the pitcher of water and a few glasses in each common area there is no evidence of food.
Scott DeWar
Prof. Emeritus-Supernatural Events/Countermeasure
*sigh* he acquires a room and cleans up. When clean he meditates for an hours and then eats rations.
Scotley
Hero
A tall lithe and lean Elf rides in at late afternoon on a remarkably graceful elven steed. The young mans considerable beauty and military baring draws the eye of those he passes. He sits on an Elven style war saddle. The mount is armored with a barding made of leaves that nonetheless appears to provide considerable protection.
The man himself is resplendent in finely tailored travel clothes of Elven nobility, but it is the armor, that is a true work of art--a mithril breastplate exceptionally well made to allow easy movement with no compromise to protection. It is elegantly adorned with a simple tree design. The silvery metal glows softly golden in the afternoon sun. On the man's back are a quiver loaded with a heavily made longbow and a variety of arrows and a slim two-handed sword of considerable length. A shield and a warhammer hang from the saddle and a lance rides in a cup at his side. From if flies a pennant with the twin trees of the Elven military on one side and a crossed bow and sword on the other.
His silver hair is wrapped with a strand of honey leather in a warrior's braid. His skin is fair and his violet eyes seem to view the world from a great height with little emotion to be seen on the finely chiseled features and high Elven cheekbones.
He leads a packhorse laden with travel gear and extra quivers bristling with arrows.
He eases to a stop in front of the quest house and slips lightly to the ground. Looks about for someone to take his mounts for the night.
The man himself is resplendent in finely tailored travel clothes of Elven nobility, but it is the armor, that is a true work of art--a mithril breastplate exceptionally well made to allow easy movement with no compromise to protection. It is elegantly adorned with a simple tree design. The silvery metal glows softly golden in the afternoon sun. On the man's back are a quiver loaded with a heavily made longbow and a variety of arrows and a slim two-handed sword of considerable length. A shield and a warhammer hang from the saddle and a lance rides in a cup at his side. From if flies a pennant with the twin trees of the Elven military on one side and a crossed bow and sword on the other.
His silver hair is wrapped with a strand of honey leather in a warrior's braid. His skin is fair and his violet eyes seem to view the world from a great height with little emotion to be seen on the finely chiseled features and high Elven cheekbones.
He leads a packhorse laden with travel gear and extra quivers bristling with arrows.
He eases to a stop in front of the quest house and slips lightly to the ground. Looks about for someone to take his mounts for the night.
Last edited:
