Insight
Adventurer
Note: This story (and game) is set in the Known World (later known as Mystara), and is going to eventually visit some of the classic modules of 1st Ed, but using 3.5 rules, as well as a few house rules, etc. Some of the setting is going to be slightly modified to fit the story and the modules themselves, and I am not intending to make use of a whole lot of the 'official' Mystara materials, most of which I don't have access to.
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Things had always been peaceful in the small town of Stirrick, a farming community situated on the banks of the River Ielan in the Barony of Kelvin. It was so peaceful in fact that there was little need even for a simple militia. Men of the town did not need to train in warrior skills, and instead spent their days tending sheep, planting crops, and creating and selling wares. Stirrick, being a peaceful place, was a common stopping-over point for travelers along the road between the capital city of Specularum and the distant city of Penhaligon to the north. This was the only way that news would travel in or out of Stirrick, for it was quite uncommon for the townsfolk to leave the pastoral place for any great period of time.
But not all those born in Stirrick stayed put. One in particular, Harrian Thane, left Stirrick to become a hero of renown. Thane battled dragons, and giants, and hordes of the Undead, and visited many farflung places, such as the wild north and the Savage Coast. Thane was an inspiration to many, but not to the people of Stirrick, who had all but forgotten of their native son for the two decades of his absence.
Stirrick, being a gentle town, did not care much for violence or perpetrators thereof. In fact, despite Stirrick's location at the heart of a human-ruled Grand Duchy, many elves, half-elves, and halflings were known to make their home in Stirrick. While these non-humans never quite attained the same status as their full-blooded human counterparts, it was a cozy and jovial co-existence.
As children are apt to do, the younglings in Stirrick dreamt of adventure among the wild places of the world. Children at play took stories of Harrian Thane and others, and made themselves into make-believe heroic descendants of these legendary figures. It was not at all uncommon for the children of Stirrick to play at this make-believe well into their early teens, but for most, the dream of leaving Stirrick to become a great hero ended when they would begin an apprenticeship to their fathers (in the case of boys), or when they would be overburdened with household chores and other duties (in the case of girls).
But for three children of Stirrick, this dream did not end. In fact, these three children, two human brothers and an elf girl, became very close, and began to develop complex training methodologies, in the event that they would leave Stirrick to see the world and experience adventures of their own.
Of course, their relatives and friends mocked the children at this notion. After all, no one ever left Stirrick (forgetting of course about the great Harrian Thane!), so what good was all this training and planning anyway? Despite the jokes and finger-pointing, these three youths continued in their training for some time.
All this would change one day when the great hero, Harrian Thane, returned to the town of his birth. The townsfolk were shocked to see this hero of legend in the flesh, in their peaceful, pastoral township. It turned out that Thane had retired from the adventuring life, and wished to open a tavern in Stirrick, where he would live out the rest of his days, regaling travelers and locals with his tales of high adventure throughout the Known World.
Not only had Harrian Thane returned to Stirrick, he intended to pass on his vast knowledge, and chose the three children, the brothers Tamos and Rothrusk, and their good friend, Lenalia, the elf, as his pupils. A great shock came over the conservative town, who could barely believe that these veritable outcasts had now become the favored students of Harrian Thane!
Weeks went by, and the youths learned much about the life of an adventurer, the skills needed to survive on their own in the wilderness, and how one goes about finding treasure and glory, succeeding against insurmountable odds. In fact, Thane imparted more knowledge than ever the youths could have absorbed, try as they might.
Tamos, who had learned the ways of unarmed combat and acrobatics, was bolstered with additional tricks and skills to supplement his already impressive natural talent at combat. Though Thane was highly skilled in the sword, the axe, and the bow, Tamos had no interest in these weapons. Thus, Thane imparted his knowledge of street brawling, and the art of the quarterstaff, to which Tamos took very quickly.
His brother, Rothrusk, was a highly spiritual youth, who was introspective by nature and a moral pinion in a highly moral town. Rothrusk and Harrian Thane did not see eye-to-eye on matters of religion, but Thane was able to school Rothrusk in some mundane combat arts, on wearing and caring for armor, and in the crossbow. The rest of Rothrusk's training came from the local pastor, Brother Ladius, an old friend of Thane's.
The hero's greatest challenge was the elf girl, Lenalia, who was growing in arcane power. Unlike book wizards, who learned their magic from a common source, Lenalia's magic came from within. This was something with which Harrian Thane had little experience. Instead, the hero taught Lenalia how to handle herself in a fight, when perhaps her spells might fail her. Thane taught the elf girl to rely on her physical skills as much as her magical might, which would prove invaluable later.
It was a fantastic few weeks, but soon, it was time for training to end, and experience to begin. Thane provided Tamos, Rothrusk, and Lenalia with the tools and provisions they would need on their first foray out of Stirrick. Families provided food that would last a few days on the road, and Thane provided trail rations to carry the youths the rest of their way to the destination, a lonely place far to the north, known as Merghis Keep.
This keep, situated on a plateau overlooking a vast forest, bordered on the wild Altan Tepes Mountains, and was literally surrounded on three sides by orc, goblin, gnoll, and kobold tribes, in addition to scores of other nasty creatures. Duke Stephan, in his wisdom, placed Merghis Keep along an old road leading into the mountains, to protect the regions to the south, and perhaps one day, to expand his territory into those mountains.
Our heroes traveled for nine days, through lands they had only heard about, and were kept safe by what Harrian Thane had taught them in order to survive along such roads and into the wilderness beyond. And after nine days of travel, our heroes stood at the foot of the gate to Merghis Keep. It would be here that our three heroes would make a name for themselves, finding glory and adventure... at the KEEP ON THE BORDERLANDS!
... more to come!
==============================================
Things had always been peaceful in the small town of Stirrick, a farming community situated on the banks of the River Ielan in the Barony of Kelvin. It was so peaceful in fact that there was little need even for a simple militia. Men of the town did not need to train in warrior skills, and instead spent their days tending sheep, planting crops, and creating and selling wares. Stirrick, being a peaceful place, was a common stopping-over point for travelers along the road between the capital city of Specularum and the distant city of Penhaligon to the north. This was the only way that news would travel in or out of Stirrick, for it was quite uncommon for the townsfolk to leave the pastoral place for any great period of time.
But not all those born in Stirrick stayed put. One in particular, Harrian Thane, left Stirrick to become a hero of renown. Thane battled dragons, and giants, and hordes of the Undead, and visited many farflung places, such as the wild north and the Savage Coast. Thane was an inspiration to many, but not to the people of Stirrick, who had all but forgotten of their native son for the two decades of his absence.
Stirrick, being a gentle town, did not care much for violence or perpetrators thereof. In fact, despite Stirrick's location at the heart of a human-ruled Grand Duchy, many elves, half-elves, and halflings were known to make their home in Stirrick. While these non-humans never quite attained the same status as their full-blooded human counterparts, it was a cozy and jovial co-existence.
As children are apt to do, the younglings in Stirrick dreamt of adventure among the wild places of the world. Children at play took stories of Harrian Thane and others, and made themselves into make-believe heroic descendants of these legendary figures. It was not at all uncommon for the children of Stirrick to play at this make-believe well into their early teens, but for most, the dream of leaving Stirrick to become a great hero ended when they would begin an apprenticeship to their fathers (in the case of boys), or when they would be overburdened with household chores and other duties (in the case of girls).
But for three children of Stirrick, this dream did not end. In fact, these three children, two human brothers and an elf girl, became very close, and began to develop complex training methodologies, in the event that they would leave Stirrick to see the world and experience adventures of their own.
Of course, their relatives and friends mocked the children at this notion. After all, no one ever left Stirrick (forgetting of course about the great Harrian Thane!), so what good was all this training and planning anyway? Despite the jokes and finger-pointing, these three youths continued in their training for some time.
All this would change one day when the great hero, Harrian Thane, returned to the town of his birth. The townsfolk were shocked to see this hero of legend in the flesh, in their peaceful, pastoral township. It turned out that Thane had retired from the adventuring life, and wished to open a tavern in Stirrick, where he would live out the rest of his days, regaling travelers and locals with his tales of high adventure throughout the Known World.
Not only had Harrian Thane returned to Stirrick, he intended to pass on his vast knowledge, and chose the three children, the brothers Tamos and Rothrusk, and their good friend, Lenalia, the elf, as his pupils. A great shock came over the conservative town, who could barely believe that these veritable outcasts had now become the favored students of Harrian Thane!
Weeks went by, and the youths learned much about the life of an adventurer, the skills needed to survive on their own in the wilderness, and how one goes about finding treasure and glory, succeeding against insurmountable odds. In fact, Thane imparted more knowledge than ever the youths could have absorbed, try as they might.
Tamos, who had learned the ways of unarmed combat and acrobatics, was bolstered with additional tricks and skills to supplement his already impressive natural talent at combat. Though Thane was highly skilled in the sword, the axe, and the bow, Tamos had no interest in these weapons. Thus, Thane imparted his knowledge of street brawling, and the art of the quarterstaff, to which Tamos took very quickly.
His brother, Rothrusk, was a highly spiritual youth, who was introspective by nature and a moral pinion in a highly moral town. Rothrusk and Harrian Thane did not see eye-to-eye on matters of religion, but Thane was able to school Rothrusk in some mundane combat arts, on wearing and caring for armor, and in the crossbow. The rest of Rothrusk's training came from the local pastor, Brother Ladius, an old friend of Thane's.
The hero's greatest challenge was the elf girl, Lenalia, who was growing in arcane power. Unlike book wizards, who learned their magic from a common source, Lenalia's magic came from within. This was something with which Harrian Thane had little experience. Instead, the hero taught Lenalia how to handle herself in a fight, when perhaps her spells might fail her. Thane taught the elf girl to rely on her physical skills as much as her magical might, which would prove invaluable later.
It was a fantastic few weeks, but soon, it was time for training to end, and experience to begin. Thane provided Tamos, Rothrusk, and Lenalia with the tools and provisions they would need on their first foray out of Stirrick. Families provided food that would last a few days on the road, and Thane provided trail rations to carry the youths the rest of their way to the destination, a lonely place far to the north, known as Merghis Keep.
This keep, situated on a plateau overlooking a vast forest, bordered on the wild Altan Tepes Mountains, and was literally surrounded on three sides by orc, goblin, gnoll, and kobold tribes, in addition to scores of other nasty creatures. Duke Stephan, in his wisdom, placed Merghis Keep along an old road leading into the mountains, to protect the regions to the south, and perhaps one day, to expand his territory into those mountains.
Our heroes traveled for nine days, through lands they had only heard about, and were kept safe by what Harrian Thane had taught them in order to survive along such roads and into the wilderness beyond. And after nine days of travel, our heroes stood at the foot of the gate to Merghis Keep. It would be here that our three heroes would make a name for themselves, finding glory and adventure... at the KEEP ON THE BORDERLANDS!
... more to come!
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