Elder-Basilisk
First Post
Your non-player readers appreciate the story hour too. Just thought I'd chime in and let you know you've appreciative readers....
Veils and Crossings (was: Shadow over Felthera) - StalkingBlue's Midnight game
- Thread starter StalkingBlue
- Start date
Brother Shatterstone
Dark Moderator of PbP
Elder-Basilisk said:
SB, indeed you do, I hadn't seen to many , if any, posts from other so I wasn't sure if you frowned on such things.
This is actually the first story hour I started to read upon, I love the Midnight setting, I have all the books, but have had no such luck when it comes to having a chance to play so I consider myself playing though reading your wonderful story hour.
StalkingBlue
First Post
Wow! Thank you guys. I'm floored. 
So will be my players I'm sure - it's them who write most of these Story Hour posts after all.
(Not to mention that without some fantastic players, I couldn't be running this game.)
So will be my players I'm sure - it's them who write most of these Story Hour posts after all. (Not to mention that without some fantastic players, I couldn't be running this game.)
StalkingBlue
First Post
Just to state it clearly: I do appreciate feedback. I'll also be happy to answer any questions.
StalkingBlue
First Post
Brother Shatterstone said:This is actually the first story hour I started to read upon, I love the Midnight setting, I have all the books, but have had no such luck when it comes to having a chance to play so I consider myself playing though reading your wonderful story hour.
Keeping fingers crossed here that you find other people interested in a MN game, Brother S - we're finding Midnight an incredibly inspiring setting. If no one's willing to DM it for you, you could always recruit a couple of players and take the tiller ... a small group is prob even best for kicking off a Midnight game. (I split my group, originally six players, into three subgroups for their first sessions, and would always do the same again, it was great for setting the tone of the campaign.)
Brother Shatterstone
Dark Moderator of PbP
StalkingBlue said:I'll also be happy to answer any questions.
Great!
I'm not quite done yet, I'm still in the second page as I'm new to story hour reading, but I have hopes of catching up today.
Last edited:
Brother Shatterstone
Dark Moderator of PbP
Oops I missed this... I didn't want to post again till I finished reading but I don't see that happening today and didn't want to come of as rude.
Thank you. Its been a while since I've read the books, but it just seems like an amazing setting. I'm glad you, and your players share that feeling.
Its a long story, and I won't tell it here cause I don't want to take away from your captivating story but do to my job and its schedule it's impossible for me to find the time to sit in front of a group, let alone run one.
My only real hope is to find a PbP game, game played on the internet via message board. (Play by Post)
So wish me luck on that.
anyhow, back to reading...
StalkingBlue said:
Thank you.
Its been a while since I've read the books, but it just seems like an amazing setting. I'm glad you, and your players share that feeling. StalkingBlue said:
Its a long story, and I won't tell it here cause I don't want to take away from your captivating story but do to my job and its schedule it's impossible for me to find the time to sit in front of a group, let alone run one.
My only real hope is to find a PbP game, game played on the internet via message board. (Play by Post)
So wish me luck on that.
anyhow, back to reading...
StalkingBlue
First Post
[Pallas's account, by Pallas's player: ]
“This is how you shall know him:
'He partakes of the bread and mould of dawn.
His head is in the clouds but his ankles chained to straw.
He will address the one of you who is not present.
His are the robes of snow, and the lost wolf.'”
So we went through the White Refuge on the third day as foretold by the elves. On the way, I picked up a ghost. Appropriate in the Ghost World. A young one, about 17. A minor noble. I shared his memories and body. They were different than mine. At least he was quiet. He did what I told him to. As we came together, I saw a celebration. The young one was looking at a woman. His memories knew her as Sabba. Then it was gone. I appeared in a large set of ruins made of white stone, on my horse and with my equipment. I still had my mask.
His memories told me I was in the Second Age. The Sarcosans were fighting the elves. The Shadow had not spread South. We were close to a town called Hamra. There the young Pallas was a court guard, whatever that was. At this moment, the young Pallas was part of an elf hunt. An elven spy was on the loose.
I dismounted and led my horse through the ruins. Then I saw three figures. One I immediately recognised as Apari. He had picked up a ghost as well. He was human. There was a slumped figure with a couple of arrows in it and riding towards it was the last figure, a woman. I moved towards Apari. He acknowledged me. That was good. No sign of Katrin or Tam. That was bad. They were probably dead. Well we would have to do our best to accomplish our task. Even though we had no idea what it was. I still remembered the cryptic verse of recognition for our ally in this world. Apari looked excited. The rider had introduced herself as Ara Than. He had made the connection with Zana’s family name. I was less sure. The young one knew that the Than clan was big. It was not unusual to find one in Sarcosan lands. Then the air filled with arrows.
Ara had been checking the fallen figure, which was an elf. She bound it. She quickly put it over her horse and mounted, galloping away. That left us. Apari made me unseen, then himself unseen. I tried to ride away but my horse was shot from under me. So I walked out of the ruins. I saw the ambushers were elves. Apari found me in his usual way. He could see me more than most now. He made me fly and I picked him up and we flew away. I had also picked up a couple of arrows in the ambush.
The magic ran out. At this point I decided to trust Apari with one of my secrets. I healed myself with my Light in his sight. It worked in the Ghostworld. He muttered and asked me if I could always do that. I looked at him.
We set out for Hamra.
Several hours later we were getting tired. Apari was saying we should find a place to camp. The town was still quite far away. I reminded Apari that we were quite close to the forest of Erethor and that at this point there was war with the elves. It was too dangerous. We heard hooves coming towards us. We saw a group of riders. Ara was at their head. She stopped when she saw us.
“Ah Ghostwalker. Come with us. We need a good tracker and scout. We are hunting members of the elven ambush at the ruins!”
Maybe it was her assumption of command or the tone of her voice but she set my teeth on edge. I could see Apari had the same reaction. Then I thought, yes, ask an elf to hunt more elves. That will work.
“Lieutenant Than, I have been on the move for several days and I am very tired. I will decline your offer”.
It looked as if Apari was just as aware as I that Ara Than was not in either of our chains of command. She could request but not order.
With a look of frustration she rode off with her men. We continued to Hamra.
Reaching the town we made our way to the mess hall kitchens where we ate. I looked around me in amazement. I didn’t think I had ever seen so much food in one place; and these were the leftovers. From the look on Apari’s face his thoughts were the same. So we ate as much as we could and then more. One never knew where the next meal was coming from. I had to exert a little more control over young Pallas as he stared at the kitchen woman. He had feelings for her. I didn’t. She was just a ghost.
We spent the night uneventfully. The next morning, Apari and I had arranged to meet at the mess hall. First I reported to Sargeant Tia, who was in charge of the Court Guard. Then I went to the mess hall. As I was approaching I saw a tall commanding figure, wearing white robes with snowy white hair and a wolf loping by his side. He was surrounded by an honour guard as he crossed the courtyard to the quarters of the Princess Meghna. Then a voice called out:
“Cousin Virrinu! Cousin Virrinu!”
Lieutenant Ara Than approached the figure and briefly conversed with it before it disappeared inside the building. The wolf looked towards Apari unerringly and bristled, baring its teeth. Then it followed the man. I crossed the courtyard and went into the mess hall where I met Apari. He was excited. He felt that the figure matched a lot of the cryptic verse we had been given. There were some similarities, especially the reference to the wolf. Ara then came into the mess hall and started a conversation with Apari. It turned out the man was her cousin Virrinu, whom she had never seen before. However, he was famous in her family for being eccentric. He had been touched by the Starry Host. He was convinced he should attach himself to the entourage of the Princess. Ara had been instructed to help him as much as she could. I finished my breakfast and went to the entrance to keep a watch on the door of the building. Apari and I had decided that an open approach was better than subterfuge. Neither one of us could do social subterfuge.
I watched for a time. The door opened. I saw the young prince Daghu appear with his bodyguard. He was cradling his lower arm, which looked freshly bandaged. He crossed the courtyard and went into another building. I continued watching. Then I was joined by Ara and Apari. Finally the door opened and Virinu appeared. Ara approached him first followed by Apari and myself. As we got closer, the wolf bristled and growled again. The man had to physically restrain it. There was some inconsequential conversation between the man and Ara and then Apari moved forward and said to Virinu:
“We ask for help and we will give help”. This was in reference to what the elves in Dhargam’s folly had said. The man did not react although he was now fully restraining the wolf.
He stared at Apari and said: “You should cleanse yourself of that witch blood. It will be the death of you. Yes, I think you could help me. I will call upon you soon.”
I was beginning to get an uneasy feeling. I remembered Bernt’s last contact. Betrayed and dead. Apari however was still excited.
Time passed with no response from Virinu. Apari and I were getting restless. We did glean that the “Princess Katrin” had been sent South on a mission. We couldn’t find out what. We had to remember that our ghosts were the lowest of the low here. But there was always enough to eat. Then Apari learned that there was an acquaintance of his in an inn. A court guard named Astimo. He invited me along but I refused. I wanted to try to get to see the young prince but I couldn’t think of a way of doing it.
Then Apari came back excited. He told me that Astimo had been part of an escort for Virinu. An alleged assassin had tried to murder him on the way here. This assassin was about eighty years old, wore nothing but a loincloth and was nearly eaten by the wolf. He was now languishing in the dungeon, next to the elf. Apari was insistent we go and visit him. My ghost had a friend among the court guard assigned to the dungeons. We made our way over there. We had to wait for a time as the friendly guard was not on duty but when he did get there, he let us through. As we made our way down, we heard a familiar voice from the elf’s cell. It was loud, menacing. Then Ara appeared. She looked at us.
“What are you doing here? You two have been acting very strangely recently. I don’t trust you one bit. Are you elven spies or working for the elves?”
Then she did something unforgivable. She reached out and lifted my mask. She recoiled at what she saw. It took all my self-control not to strike her. The mission came first. She was only a ghost. It wasn’t my real face, only my ghost’s face. I would soon go back to the world without her. No point in causing trouble by hurting a military officer. I counted to ten…..slowly. Apari was looking at me with horror, waiting for the violence. He looked relieved when it didn’t happen.
We moved to the next cell where we saw a figure lying on the straw. It was a dirty old man. His body was covered in bruises and he looked lost. We convinced her to let us into the cell. When we entered, she looked closer at the old man and a dreadful look of recognition came into the face. At the same time, he reached forward with his hand and touched her face. Faintly he whispered “Jazhel, little Jazhel. They took my wolf away. You have to get him back”.
“Jahzel is my mother” Ara whispered. Then she rapidly told us she had seen the man who called himself Virrinu now and he was acting very strangely. Certainly not like a cousin. He had been most interested in the two of us, especially Apari and seemed to encourage suspicion against us. We had been watched for the last few days. She also said that he had shut himself in the garde-robe and she had heard another voice, almost inhuman. That confirmed it for Apari and and I. He quickly told her about Legates and mage hunters.
Suddenly there was a cry of “Murderers!” from the top of the stairs.
“This is how you shall know him:
'He partakes of the bread and mould of dawn.
His head is in the clouds but his ankles chained to straw.
He will address the one of you who is not present.
His are the robes of snow, and the lost wolf.'”
So we went through the White Refuge on the third day as foretold by the elves. On the way, I picked up a ghost. Appropriate in the Ghost World. A young one, about 17. A minor noble. I shared his memories and body. They were different than mine. At least he was quiet. He did what I told him to. As we came together, I saw a celebration. The young one was looking at a woman. His memories knew her as Sabba. Then it was gone. I appeared in a large set of ruins made of white stone, on my horse and with my equipment. I still had my mask.
His memories told me I was in the Second Age. The Sarcosans were fighting the elves. The Shadow had not spread South. We were close to a town called Hamra. There the young Pallas was a court guard, whatever that was. At this moment, the young Pallas was part of an elf hunt. An elven spy was on the loose.
I dismounted and led my horse through the ruins. Then I saw three figures. One I immediately recognised as Apari. He had picked up a ghost as well. He was human. There was a slumped figure with a couple of arrows in it and riding towards it was the last figure, a woman. I moved towards Apari. He acknowledged me. That was good. No sign of Katrin or Tam. That was bad. They were probably dead. Well we would have to do our best to accomplish our task. Even though we had no idea what it was. I still remembered the cryptic verse of recognition for our ally in this world. Apari looked excited. The rider had introduced herself as Ara Than. He had made the connection with Zana’s family name. I was less sure. The young one knew that the Than clan was big. It was not unusual to find one in Sarcosan lands. Then the air filled with arrows.
Ara had been checking the fallen figure, which was an elf. She bound it. She quickly put it over her horse and mounted, galloping away. That left us. Apari made me unseen, then himself unseen. I tried to ride away but my horse was shot from under me. So I walked out of the ruins. I saw the ambushers were elves. Apari found me in his usual way. He could see me more than most now. He made me fly and I picked him up and we flew away. I had also picked up a couple of arrows in the ambush.
The magic ran out. At this point I decided to trust Apari with one of my secrets. I healed myself with my Light in his sight. It worked in the Ghostworld. He muttered and asked me if I could always do that. I looked at him.
We set out for Hamra.
Several hours later we were getting tired. Apari was saying we should find a place to camp. The town was still quite far away. I reminded Apari that we were quite close to the forest of Erethor and that at this point there was war with the elves. It was too dangerous. We heard hooves coming towards us. We saw a group of riders. Ara was at their head. She stopped when she saw us.
“Ah Ghostwalker. Come with us. We need a good tracker and scout. We are hunting members of the elven ambush at the ruins!”
Maybe it was her assumption of command or the tone of her voice but she set my teeth on edge. I could see Apari had the same reaction. Then I thought, yes, ask an elf to hunt more elves. That will work.
“Lieutenant Than, I have been on the move for several days and I am very tired. I will decline your offer”.
It looked as if Apari was just as aware as I that Ara Than was not in either of our chains of command. She could request but not order.
With a look of frustration she rode off with her men. We continued to Hamra.
Reaching the town we made our way to the mess hall kitchens where we ate. I looked around me in amazement. I didn’t think I had ever seen so much food in one place; and these were the leftovers. From the look on Apari’s face his thoughts were the same. So we ate as much as we could and then more. One never knew where the next meal was coming from. I had to exert a little more control over young Pallas as he stared at the kitchen woman. He had feelings for her. I didn’t. She was just a ghost.
We spent the night uneventfully. The next morning, Apari and I had arranged to meet at the mess hall. First I reported to Sargeant Tia, who was in charge of the Court Guard. Then I went to the mess hall. As I was approaching I saw a tall commanding figure, wearing white robes with snowy white hair and a wolf loping by his side. He was surrounded by an honour guard as he crossed the courtyard to the quarters of the Princess Meghna. Then a voice called out:
“Cousin Virrinu! Cousin Virrinu!”
Lieutenant Ara Than approached the figure and briefly conversed with it before it disappeared inside the building. The wolf looked towards Apari unerringly and bristled, baring its teeth. Then it followed the man. I crossed the courtyard and went into the mess hall where I met Apari. He was excited. He felt that the figure matched a lot of the cryptic verse we had been given. There were some similarities, especially the reference to the wolf. Ara then came into the mess hall and started a conversation with Apari. It turned out the man was her cousin Virrinu, whom she had never seen before. However, he was famous in her family for being eccentric. He had been touched by the Starry Host. He was convinced he should attach himself to the entourage of the Princess. Ara had been instructed to help him as much as she could. I finished my breakfast and went to the entrance to keep a watch on the door of the building. Apari and I had decided that an open approach was better than subterfuge. Neither one of us could do social subterfuge.
I watched for a time. The door opened. I saw the young prince Daghu appear with his bodyguard. He was cradling his lower arm, which looked freshly bandaged. He crossed the courtyard and went into another building. I continued watching. Then I was joined by Ara and Apari. Finally the door opened and Virinu appeared. Ara approached him first followed by Apari and myself. As we got closer, the wolf bristled and growled again. The man had to physically restrain it. There was some inconsequential conversation between the man and Ara and then Apari moved forward and said to Virinu:
“We ask for help and we will give help”. This was in reference to what the elves in Dhargam’s folly had said. The man did not react although he was now fully restraining the wolf.
He stared at Apari and said: “You should cleanse yourself of that witch blood. It will be the death of you. Yes, I think you could help me. I will call upon you soon.”
I was beginning to get an uneasy feeling. I remembered Bernt’s last contact. Betrayed and dead. Apari however was still excited.
Time passed with no response from Virinu. Apari and I were getting restless. We did glean that the “Princess Katrin” had been sent South on a mission. We couldn’t find out what. We had to remember that our ghosts were the lowest of the low here. But there was always enough to eat. Then Apari learned that there was an acquaintance of his in an inn. A court guard named Astimo. He invited me along but I refused. I wanted to try to get to see the young prince but I couldn’t think of a way of doing it.
Then Apari came back excited. He told me that Astimo had been part of an escort for Virinu. An alleged assassin had tried to murder him on the way here. This assassin was about eighty years old, wore nothing but a loincloth and was nearly eaten by the wolf. He was now languishing in the dungeon, next to the elf. Apari was insistent we go and visit him. My ghost had a friend among the court guard assigned to the dungeons. We made our way over there. We had to wait for a time as the friendly guard was not on duty but when he did get there, he let us through. As we made our way down, we heard a familiar voice from the elf’s cell. It was loud, menacing. Then Ara appeared. She looked at us.
“What are you doing here? You two have been acting very strangely recently. I don’t trust you one bit. Are you elven spies or working for the elves?”
Then she did something unforgivable. She reached out and lifted my mask. She recoiled at what she saw. It took all my self-control not to strike her. The mission came first. She was only a ghost. It wasn’t my real face, only my ghost’s face. I would soon go back to the world without her. No point in causing trouble by hurting a military officer. I counted to ten…..slowly. Apari was looking at me with horror, waiting for the violence. He looked relieved when it didn’t happen.
We moved to the next cell where we saw a figure lying on the straw. It was a dirty old man. His body was covered in bruises and he looked lost. We convinced her to let us into the cell. When we entered, she looked closer at the old man and a dreadful look of recognition came into the face. At the same time, he reached forward with his hand and touched her face. Faintly he whispered “Jazhel, little Jazhel. They took my wolf away. You have to get him back”.
“Jahzel is my mother” Ara whispered. Then she rapidly told us she had seen the man who called himself Virrinu now and he was acting very strangely. Certainly not like a cousin. He had been most interested in the two of us, especially Apari and seemed to encourage suspicion against us. We had been watched for the last few days. She also said that he had shut himself in the garde-robe and she had heard another voice, almost inhuman. That confirmed it for Apari and and I. He quickly told her about Legates and mage hunters.
Suddenly there was a cry of “Murderers!” from the top of the stairs.
StalkingBlue
First Post
When Lt Ara Than got back to A'Hamra after her second foray to the white ruins at the borders of Erethor, she found a letter stuffed underneath the door to her quarters.
The letter is addressed to her in her mother's flowing script. It has a second letter enfolded inside it.
"Dearest Daughter, Light of my Lonely Evenings –
I hope you are in strong health and are doing what you ought to. Your reverend Uncle Arrenu was here and sends word, see the enclosed. He reminds you to read it. He asked me twice to retell the story of the day you were made an officer. I was so proud.
Always remember to honour the memory of the Mighty Hero your Father. I groom the dahlias at the foot of his pedestal every day.
Ever tearfully and faithfully,
Mother"
"Ara –
Your mother reminds me where you are and insists that you could be of help.
Crazy old Cousin Virinu has got it into his head to take the White Robes and go offer himself as Wiseman to His Mightiness the Prince-General. I have sent him and his smelly beast to A’Hamra with a letter of recommendation to Her Highness, hope that keeps him out of harm’s way. See that you introduce yourself to him and offer all help, he will need it. Obnoxious and scatterbrained as he may be, remember that he is family.
A."
The letter is addressed to her in her mother's flowing script. It has a second letter enfolded inside it.
"Dearest Daughter, Light of my Lonely Evenings –
I hope you are in strong health and are doing what you ought to. Your reverend Uncle Arrenu was here and sends word, see the enclosed. He reminds you to read it. He asked me twice to retell the story of the day you were made an officer. I was so proud.
Always remember to honour the memory of the Mighty Hero your Father. I groom the dahlias at the foot of his pedestal every day.
Ever tearfully and faithfully,
Mother"
"Ara –
Your mother reminds me where you are and insists that you could be of help.
Crazy old Cousin Virinu has got it into his head to take the White Robes and go offer himself as Wiseman to His Mightiness the Prince-General. I have sent him and his smelly beast to A’Hamra with a letter of recommendation to Her Highness, hope that keeps him out of harm’s way. See that you introduce yourself to him and offer all help, he will need it. Obnoxious and scatterbrained as he may be, remember that he is family.
A."