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The Heroes of Winterhaven - updated 8th June - Ryam Plays Dice
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<blockquote data-quote="Mathew_Freeman" data-source="post: 4616337" data-attributes="member: 1846"><p><strong>Ninaran and Agrid Make Their Play</strong></p><p></p><p>Swiftly returning to Winterhaven, the party was not suprised to see the gates barred and locked. Several torches flickered above the strong wooden doors, and Lord Parrag’s voice rang down to them.</p><p></p><p>“The town is under attack! Several of my people have gone missing this night, and if you look yonder you can see some sort of strange glow from the graveyard. We’ve closed the gates, waiting to see what happens – I beseech you, please investigate for me, brave adventurers! Ryam volunteered to bring you back from your quest. I do not believe we can stand for long if the dead rise against us.”</p><p></p><p>The curious Halfling led the party, leaving them barely time to rest before they arrived at the graveyard at the edges of the town. Introducing himself as Ryam Rateater, the heavily armed Halfling pointed his broadsword down the hill across the dark landscape.</p><p></p><p>“See for yourselves!” It was night time, the air was frigid, and an eerie blue glow could be seen from far away amongst the gravestones. The party approached the gates and made their way inside.</p><p></p><p>Cautiously moving through across the frost bitten grass, their breath rising in the air around them, the adventurers saw a circle of arcane power had been drawn on the stones in the center of the cemetery. From the shadows around them, figures began to move.</p><p></p><p>“Prepare to die!” came a voice from the shadows of an old stone mausoleum. Ninaran, the elven huntress stepped into view and raised her bow to fire, flanked by a group of skeleton archers. From the edges of the graveyard other groups of skeletons began to appear, amongst them could just be seen the figure of Agrid the gnome, whom the party had previously captured and had interred in Winterhaven.</p><p></p><p>“What foul evil is this!” shouted Elwanen, drawing his sword. Des nodded to the party, strode to the front of the group and held up his hand to the ambushers.</p><p></p><p>“Wait!...” shouted the great orator, his voice carrying the promise of revelation. Ninaran paused expectantly. Agrid relaxed for a second as he strained his ears to hear what Des was about to say. Even the skeletons seemed to pause, as if awaiting instructions.</p><p></p><p>Seizing the moment, the paladin charged towards to nearest group of undead. Following his lead the rest of the party spread out and, charging through the darkness, closed with the archers as they were raising their bows and taking aim. Ryam swung his oversized broadsword overhead and ploughed into the skeletons on one side of Elwanen and Cass.</p><p></p><p>Ninaran, gathering her wits, took her shot. The arrow sailed through the night air, narrowly missing Des.</p><p></p><p>“Carry on then, lads” said the tiefling ruefully, prudently lowering his hands and stepped back into the group. Fangorn the barbarian charged the elven huntress, who was left fending off his mighty maul swings with her bow. Fau the warlock strode across the graveyard into the middle of a group of skeletons until he stood face to face with Agrid. The gnome had a look of hate burning in his eyes, for it had been Fau who had tormented him so cruelly.</p><p></p><p>“You!” uttered the warlock. The memory of the foul curse caused Agrid to step back, allowing Fau to unleash an aura of frost that engulfed all those that surrounded him.</p><p></p><p>Breaking off from the melee for an instant, Ninaran had just enough tme to call another group of skeletons from the ground. They quickly clawed their way out of their graves and ran with their swords drawn to engage the adventurers.</p><p></p><p>Aran had disappeared from view. He had made his way to the arcane circle and was engaged in the business of attempting to disable it, although it did not resemble the common wards that folk would place over their doorways to prevent pilfering during the night.</p><p></p><p>Over the other side of the cemetery a slathering, slobbering and snarling noise could be heard. A moment later a pair of rotting grave hounds burst out of the crypt house, bounding over the crunching earth, ribbons of fetid drool flying about them, their loose rotting flesh rippling this way and that. They charged into the main group where Elwanen, Ryam and Cass were finishing off the skeletons.</p><p></p><p>The warriors braced themselves to recieve the grave hounds with equal intensity, one hound bouncing off Elwanens large shield and rolling across the earth before Ryam pinned it to the ground with his sword. Cass ran several steps to meet the other hound in mid-flight, swinging her greataxe and sending it, whimpering, into a gravestone. It rolled onto its paws and crouched ready to leap.</p><p></p><p>“Bad dog!” shouted Des sternly, “No biscuit!” Even in undeath the grave hound understood disapproval, shrinking back for a moment, long enough for Cass to follow up and bring her axe down on it’s head one final time.</p><p></p><p>Fangorn had battled Ninaran back step by step. They now fought on the edge of the glyph circle. With a mighty shove, Fangorn sent Ninavan back pedalling until she toppled over the crouching Halfling and fell into the circle.</p><p></p><p>“Oi! I nearly ‘ad that!” reprimanded Aran.</p><p></p><p>“Feast on your own dark magic, witch!” spat the barbarian, watching as Ninavan writhed on the ground, a look of agony on her face.</p><p></p><p>“The pain!” she screamed.</p><p></p><p>“Bloody hellfire!” muttered Aran, “What did you do?”</p><p></p><p>The next instant, the elven huntress was upon them. Leaping out of the circle, laughing, she had her swords drawn and was ready to kill or be killed. With both Fangorn and Aran flanking her, though, she had little hope. As the two of them hacked her to the ground, the circle began to fade, it’s magic dying with her. The remaining skeletons also crumbled to dust and ash in an instant.</p><p></p><p>Meanwhile Fau and Agrid traded volleys, the gnome darting in and out of the shadows as he fired his crossbow, the warlock standing still and emotionless, unleashing blast after blast, demolishing the stonework around them.</p><p></p><p>“I will hunt you down and make you pay, warlock, mark my words!” shouted Agrid, realising his allies had all been killed. The gnome fled into the night, with Fau sending a huge wave of fire in his direction as a parting gift. To a casual observer it would have seemed as if Agrid had left a trail of burning trees and foliage in his wake.</p><p></p><p>“We return to the keep anon,” the warlock called after him, “I will expect you…”</p><p></p><p><span style="color: orange">DM note: I'd really wanted to include this encounter in the adventure, given the excellent graveyard map that is provided for it. So when the party looked to be staying in the Keep until finished, and Floating_Disc needed to introduce his new character, it seemed like a perfect match!</span></p><p><span style="color: orange"></span></p><p><span style="color: orange">It also allowed me to bring back Agrid (the gnome that had kidnapped Douven Staul and subsequently been tortured by Elwanen and Fau) and, now that he's escaped again, start to make him a recurring villain. Now he's been defeated again, he's going to get really nasty, I can promise that.</span></p><p><span style="color: orange"></span></p><p><span style="color: orange">This brings us back up to date in the campaign, with the next session scheduled for 19th January. So I'm afraid that between now and then you'll just have to wait...although I may be able to fit in another "Villainous Interlude" in the meantime...</span></p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Mathew_Freeman, post: 4616337, member: 1846"] [b]Ninaran and Agrid Make Their Play[/b] Swiftly returning to Winterhaven, the party was not suprised to see the gates barred and locked. Several torches flickered above the strong wooden doors, and Lord Parrag’s voice rang down to them. “The town is under attack! Several of my people have gone missing this night, and if you look yonder you can see some sort of strange glow from the graveyard. We’ve closed the gates, waiting to see what happens – I beseech you, please investigate for me, brave adventurers! Ryam volunteered to bring you back from your quest. I do not believe we can stand for long if the dead rise against us.” The curious Halfling led the party, leaving them barely time to rest before they arrived at the graveyard at the edges of the town. Introducing himself as Ryam Rateater, the heavily armed Halfling pointed his broadsword down the hill across the dark landscape. “See for yourselves!” It was night time, the air was frigid, and an eerie blue glow could be seen from far away amongst the gravestones. The party approached the gates and made their way inside. Cautiously moving through across the frost bitten grass, their breath rising in the air around them, the adventurers saw a circle of arcane power had been drawn on the stones in the center of the cemetery. From the shadows around them, figures began to move. “Prepare to die!” came a voice from the shadows of an old stone mausoleum. Ninaran, the elven huntress stepped into view and raised her bow to fire, flanked by a group of skeleton archers. From the edges of the graveyard other groups of skeletons began to appear, amongst them could just be seen the figure of Agrid the gnome, whom the party had previously captured and had interred in Winterhaven. “What foul evil is this!” shouted Elwanen, drawing his sword. Des nodded to the party, strode to the front of the group and held up his hand to the ambushers. “Wait!...” shouted the great orator, his voice carrying the promise of revelation. Ninaran paused expectantly. Agrid relaxed for a second as he strained his ears to hear what Des was about to say. Even the skeletons seemed to pause, as if awaiting instructions. Seizing the moment, the paladin charged towards to nearest group of undead. Following his lead the rest of the party spread out and, charging through the darkness, closed with the archers as they were raising their bows and taking aim. Ryam swung his oversized broadsword overhead and ploughed into the skeletons on one side of Elwanen and Cass. Ninaran, gathering her wits, took her shot. The arrow sailed through the night air, narrowly missing Des. “Carry on then, lads” said the tiefling ruefully, prudently lowering his hands and stepped back into the group. Fangorn the barbarian charged the elven huntress, who was left fending off his mighty maul swings with her bow. Fau the warlock strode across the graveyard into the middle of a group of skeletons until he stood face to face with Agrid. The gnome had a look of hate burning in his eyes, for it had been Fau who had tormented him so cruelly. “You!” uttered the warlock. The memory of the foul curse caused Agrid to step back, allowing Fau to unleash an aura of frost that engulfed all those that surrounded him. Breaking off from the melee for an instant, Ninaran had just enough tme to call another group of skeletons from the ground. They quickly clawed their way out of their graves and ran with their swords drawn to engage the adventurers. Aran had disappeared from view. He had made his way to the arcane circle and was engaged in the business of attempting to disable it, although it did not resemble the common wards that folk would place over their doorways to prevent pilfering during the night. Over the other side of the cemetery a slathering, slobbering and snarling noise could be heard. A moment later a pair of rotting grave hounds burst out of the crypt house, bounding over the crunching earth, ribbons of fetid drool flying about them, their loose rotting flesh rippling this way and that. They charged into the main group where Elwanen, Ryam and Cass were finishing off the skeletons. The warriors braced themselves to recieve the grave hounds with equal intensity, one hound bouncing off Elwanens large shield and rolling across the earth before Ryam pinned it to the ground with his sword. Cass ran several steps to meet the other hound in mid-flight, swinging her greataxe and sending it, whimpering, into a gravestone. It rolled onto its paws and crouched ready to leap. “Bad dog!” shouted Des sternly, “No biscuit!” Even in undeath the grave hound understood disapproval, shrinking back for a moment, long enough for Cass to follow up and bring her axe down on it’s head one final time. Fangorn had battled Ninaran back step by step. They now fought on the edge of the glyph circle. With a mighty shove, Fangorn sent Ninavan back pedalling until she toppled over the crouching Halfling and fell into the circle. “Oi! I nearly ‘ad that!” reprimanded Aran. “Feast on your own dark magic, witch!” spat the barbarian, watching as Ninavan writhed on the ground, a look of agony on her face. “The pain!” she screamed. “Bloody hellfire!” muttered Aran, “What did you do?” The next instant, the elven huntress was upon them. Leaping out of the circle, laughing, she had her swords drawn and was ready to kill or be killed. With both Fangorn and Aran flanking her, though, she had little hope. As the two of them hacked her to the ground, the circle began to fade, it’s magic dying with her. The remaining skeletons also crumbled to dust and ash in an instant. Meanwhile Fau and Agrid traded volleys, the gnome darting in and out of the shadows as he fired his crossbow, the warlock standing still and emotionless, unleashing blast after blast, demolishing the stonework around them. “I will hunt you down and make you pay, warlock, mark my words!” shouted Agrid, realising his allies had all been killed. The gnome fled into the night, with Fau sending a huge wave of fire in his direction as a parting gift. To a casual observer it would have seemed as if Agrid had left a trail of burning trees and foliage in his wake. “We return to the keep anon,” the warlock called after him, “I will expect you…” [color=orange]DM note: I'd really wanted to include this encounter in the adventure, given the excellent graveyard map that is provided for it. So when the party looked to be staying in the Keep until finished, and Floating_Disc needed to introduce his new character, it seemed like a perfect match! It also allowed me to bring back Agrid (the gnome that had kidnapped Douven Staul and subsequently been tortured by Elwanen and Fau) and, now that he's escaped again, start to make him a recurring villain. Now he's been defeated again, he's going to get really nasty, I can promise that. This brings us back up to date in the campaign, with the next session scheduled for 19th January. So I'm afraid that between now and then you'll just have to wait...although I may be able to fit in another "Villainous Interlude" in the meantime...[/color] [/QUOTE]
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