Upgrade your account to a Community Supporter account and remove most of the site ads.
Rocket your D&D 5E and Level Up: Advanced 5E games into space! Alpha Star Magazine Is Launching... Right Now!

Reply to thread

Message: <blockquote data-quote="Jon Potter" data-source="post: 2079526" data-attributes="member: 2323">[PLAIN][Realms #305] Reward & Recrimination[/PLAIN]"Briarhopper!" Karak bellowed, flecks of spittle lodging in his beard. "Where is that blasted hobbit!? When I get my hands on him I am going to snap his neck like a rabbit!""The reincarnation of your friend was not the boon you sought," the Great Oak sighed. The tone of the tree's comments made it unclear whether it was asking or telling them."Our halfling made his decision without our consent, but we will stand behind him," Ledare answered."Do nae speak for me, lassy!" Karak fumed through fiercely gritted teeth. "How dare Vade just decide to bring back Feln from the underworld. Why that is where every warrior aspires to be, and I know Feln at least was a warrior when he left this plane.""I do not approve of Vade acting without us. That is not how a team functions," Ixin added. "Morier has reminded us many times of the dangers of striking out on our own without the group." The Eldritch Warrior just nodded sagely and Ixin went on. "That being said, Vade was right in my opinion. I for one welcome back our friend Feln and hope he can understand our intentions were positive in waiting.""Bah!" Karak spat. "Hobbits have nae business messing with the dead. Why they have but half a business messing with the living. He stole the chance for us to obtain items of power to defeat chaos. Has he nae noticed we seem to be behind the dark powers at every step. Plonius is taken, killed, and most likely possessed and we can nae stop it. Feln dies along with half our number being swallowed by the beast o' chaos and we are barely able to stop it. If'n it were nae for the electric power of the albino we be all gristle by now. We need information and weapons if we are to stand against this dark tide.""Returning your friend and ally in the fight against evil and Chaos was not aid enough?" the tree asked and there seemed to be the faintest hint of annoyance in its tone.Karak harrumphed. "I miss Feln too, but we must worry as to the living too!" he grumbled. Ledare was quick to spot the souring mood of the conversation and did her utmost to turn it around."You are an old and wise soul. You know both our hearts and our purpose. You can strengthen our small stance against the powers of darkness," she said to the tree in her most diplomatic tone. "You have given Feln a priceless gift, to be sure. However, we must beg for further assistance. We ask for guidance and that you favor us with the tools to speed our travels. Will you help us in our fight against Aphyx?" There was a pause during which the only sound was the pleasant rustling of the Great Oak's vibrant green leaves. Then it spoke. "My reward to you was to be two companions returned from Purgatorium," it said. "Only Feln of the Gelgian Brotherhood has been so returned. My debt to you remains unfulfilled.""Oh, aye?" Karak asked, his eyes glinting with the prospect of further reward. He held up his waraxe and grinned, "Then I ask that ye bless my axe to be a better weapon against Chaos."None of the others said anything to stop Karak. Perhaps it was because they saw the earnestness in the dwarf's request. Perhaps it was because they could sense that Karak had been rehearsing this speech in his head. But either way, they let him continue uninterrupted."As you may know a dwarf an' his blade be closer than chalak to chalak," he told Great Oak, holding the axe up in both hands "I have been with my axe since its birth in the master forges of my clan. I have cared for it, protected if from the weather and elements, and cleansed it when it has cut Chaos. But, it be unable to hurt the creatures of true Chaos or those that are magical. This be a fine blade but it not magical. I wish it to be magical so I can continue to bring the fight to Chaos. So I nae need to choose another weapon simply to fight the foe. I ask you humbly, to bless my axe in your spirit so it may fight true as any dwarven blade." Karak lowered himself awkwardly to his knees and raised his head to look up at the massive green canopy of leaves overhead.If any of them saw the irony in asking a tree for help in making a better axe, they did not voice it."Any enchantment I could place upon your weapon would be but temporary in nature, Karak, son of Kignar," the tree told him. "My power does not extend to things that deal death... even death to followers of the Rot Queen." Karak seemed deflated, and he looked sorrowfully at his axe, his shoulders slumping beneath his heavy armor. "For that you will need to seek the help of a mage or a priest of the warrior gods," Great Root went on. "I am sorry. But all I can offer you is enough coin to pay for such an enchantment."Karak nodded and got to his feet once more. He turned to look at Ixin, Ledare and Morier. "As I stand on this hollowed ground, even a dwarf can appreciate its holiness in the wood. As you know, me chalak was a cleric of Shaharizod," the dwarf said gravely. Taking a deep breath, he went on. "I do know and say openly now that I am able to commune with my goddess directly. But no cleric be I. I am a warrior for Shaharizod, yes. But I do not aspire to wear the robes of the priest or the scale mail of the Battleguard. I aspire to wear the armour and the axe in Shaharizod's name as her warrior.""I be but a simple fighter blessed with some of Shaharizod's skills. These skills I will use to aid in our fight against Chaos," he continued. "I can sense that some balance has been returned to the world with a goblin tribe turning to good and the followers of Flor being brought here. But there be more to do and I say we continue this fight!" He raised his axe overhead in a rallying salute and growled, "With the blessings of Shaharizod I'll carry it into the depths of Chaos itself to restore the balance to our realm!""I will have some coins brought from the temple treasury," Great Oak said. "And then my debt to you will be fulfilled." Karak nodded, but Morier got a concerned look on his face."Can lend us guidance as to where our efforts might best be concentrated to help stop the evil?" he asked quickly and the tree rustled its leaves in reply."Alas, my power is re-awakening but slowly, Morier Tulien," the Great Oak admitted. "However, I can tell you that there is a sense of unease growing within The Green beyond the mountains to the south," the tree added."In Pellham," Ledare observed."Yes, that is the name men have given the land there," Great Oak confirmed. "I cannot yet divine the exact nature of the troubles in that distant place, but as the Aronerai School begins to attract more Florians and druids to the Termlane forest, my powers too shall grow. Then I will pinpoint the Taint that festers in Oerune's breast and together we will cut it away."The Great Oak had further agreed to beseech the Beastlord, Hirrumm, to aid them in their travels southward. Then he told them where it was that Vade and Feln had gotten to: an area of sacred standing stones once used for religious rites and meditation. One of the goblins lead them down a cobbled path that was nearly invisible beneath its growth of moss and grasses. It was the same path by which they'd first entered the ruins of the school and they recognized the wide plaza of standing stones from their previous trek through the area. It occupied a flat area between the hill on which most of the school was built and a bluff that dropped off into the level of the forest proper. Vade was clearly visible sitting on one of the rock benches that occupied the center of the hemisphere of standing stones.Sight of the halfling instantly fanned the embers of Karak's anger and he bustled down the path at a trot, bellowing at Vade as he came."What made you believe you could sneak off and make that decision by yourself, hobbit! Who annointed you godling to make the decision of life and death for another?" he roared. "What if you've condemned Feln to living. What if Feln nae like the form he be in! Did you every think of that? What if he nae be himself did you think about those consequences?"Vade looked at the dwarf and rolled his eyes before activating his Ring of Invisibility and disappearing from sight. Karak spat and shook with anger."You'll nae escape me tha' easy, hobbit!" he bellowed loudly enough that a flock of birds was startled from a nearby tree. "If you be human I'd understand you do nae know the consequences of short thought out actions, but you be halfling and live longer. You should know better, Vade!""I will remember that when you die, Karak. A team does not leave someone behind when they can save them," Vade's disembodied voice answered from somewhere nearer the standing stones. "I chose to save Feln. He is my friend!""An' what is that supposed to mean?" Karak growled. "I miss the orcblood, same as you. But-""You wanted to take gold instead of getting him back!" Vade cried. "You're not his friend! You have no right to say you miss him! No right!""Vade, I do not believe Karak was right to joke about choosing treasure over Feln, but I do believe he was joking nevertheless," Ixin said, stepping up to stand beside Karak. "What is important now is that our team is whole and that is how we fight best.""I just wanted Feln back," Vade's voice came again from a spot near the stones guarding the edge of the clearing."I know, Vade," Ledare added as she joined the dwarf and the drakeling. "Your heart was in the right place. But we are together in this fight against evil, and you are to remember that even when personal desires stand in the way. We act together for the greater good or not at all.""Show yerself, hobbit!" Karak grumbled as he stomped forward toward the spot that he thought Vade must be. "Hiding'll nae save ye from answerin' for what ye've done!" The dwarf rounded the nearest column of stone and slammed face-first into the hairy belly of an ogreling who was skulking behind the stone. He looked up, irritated and bellowed "Outta my way, oaf! You are blocking out my sun!"The half-ogre shook his huge head and smirked at the dwarf - an expression made somewhat disturbing by the tusk-like fangs protruding from the corners of his mouth. "I see my death has done nothing to change you for the better, Karak," Feln said.</blockquote>

Verification