Having completed most of the menial tasks that Dugan set the heroes out to do, there was one final ceremony to complete... the funeral pyre for the dead. Night was rapidly closing in and they decided to begin preparations. Vyreth and Doc headed out to grab some fuel, but soon realized they didn't know where it was being stored so turned back to ask Dugan for directions. On the way to the militia house, Doc realized he'd be more valuable out with Talos chopping wood for the fire and split from Vyreth. Fhasys, meanwhile, headed over to the Golden Coin to assemble the remaining townsfolk. The people huddled in the tavern were tired and traumatized and not entirely receptive to direction, so the barkeep tried his hand at garnering their attention. Finally, Talos conjured his mage hand to snap its fingers loudly and this combination was enough to shake the villagers into action.
The townsfolk slowly gathered around the old wagon, piled high with the bodies of departed friends and loved ones, as the heroes piled chopped wood beneath, poured fuel on the wood, and lit the fire (courtesy of a dazzling light display from Talos). Doc, relatively new to the whole "funeral rights" thing, stepped up to the plate and spoke for the dead. At the end of his speech, an old woman made her way through the crowd and gave the heroes a parting gift--a magical sword passed on throughout the generations. Apollo then made an appearance, soothing the crowd with his warm aura, and offered advice to the heroes on their coming role in a larger drama. His speech, however, was quickly interrupted by a foul visitor.
A huge, ancient undead dragon descended upon the scene, putting out the pyre and kicking up a major dust storm. The dragon had come to see what the huge bonfire was all about, but upon discovering the heroes in his midst he realized what role they were to play in his plans. Instead of disintegrating the entire lot right then and there, he took flight and left the heroes a going-away present. The pile of corpses wriggled and writhed forming a giant flesh golem. Combat ensued. The fight with the golem was brutal and slow, and it took a while for the heroes to realize that their normal attacks weren't having any effect. Finally, the golem went down and the party turned in for the night.
In the morning, after an extended discussion regarding the sword and Doc's fears of visiting Quanlo, the crew headed out for the long journey on foot. After 6hrs of walking in the hot, arid foothills, they crossed paths with a badly injured rancher and his horse. Talos and Doc managed to bring him back from the brink and the man began babbling about an attack by "strange creatures", his horses being slaughtered, and his wife and daughter having gone missing during the chaos. The group, being kind of heart (and seeing an opportunity to finally get mounts), headed South into the foothills toward the ranch to investigate. What they found was a grisly scene involving three giant centipedes happily munching away at horse corpses in the corral. Using a sphere of invisibility, Vyreth stealthed the entire party and they made quick work of the bugs. They managed to save three horses from the attached barn, but it was too late for the mother and daughter who had been dragged behind an outcropping and eaten alive. The bad news was relayed to the rancher back at the crossroads, and the party continued their journey to Quanlo.
Monday, December 29, 2014
Monday, December 1, 2014
Episode 6, "A Fresh Start"
The troublesome trio made their way downstairs for some breakfast after a harrowing day's worth of slaughter and ichor-vomiting ogres, and ended up meeting a fellow traveler with a turbulent past. After sharing their tales of adventure in and around Lehren, Doc felt a pang of compassion for the stranger's tales of loss as he introduced himself as Vyreth. Shoveling down the last of breakfast, the crew was joined by Dugan once more. He explained the current state of things in town and pleaded for help in some rather non-heroic rebuilding tasks, and was delighted to hear their acceptance. Dugan presented a laundry list of options: dousing smoldering embers, recovering bodies from the ruined homes and shops, restoring an old lumber mill just outside of town, locating a missing flock of sheep, orchestrating a funeral pyre and last rights for the departed, and building temporary shelters for displaced townsfolk. There was quite a bit to be done, but the heroes--connecting with their more humble roots--stepped up to the plate. As a gesture of gratitude, Dugan promised the original trio (Talos, Fhasys, and Doc) each a cottage in town once the rebuilding was complete, and Vyreth was offered free room & board at the Golden Coin.
The crew set to work, first tackling the chore of putting out smoldering embers amongst the wreckage. Dugan had suggested they grab some buckets and use well water for the task, but Doc had a better idea... shovels. The barkeep at the Golden Coin hooked them up with some worn gloves and shovels, and they set out scouring the town for hot spots. Finding them proved a bit tricky, but they managed to put most of them out over the course of two hours.
Next came the bodies... Taking a moment to huddle, the party discussed options as to how to carry a load of dead bodies around as they searched. Someone had the bright idea to find a cart, and Dugan just so happened to have an old one laying around. Unfortunately, he had no beast of burden to pull it. Vyreth offered his services in bear-form, and Talos helped Doc tether him to the cart as best they could. With bear-Vyreth holding up the center of the cart and one hero holding up either side, they awkwardly made their way through town searching for corpses. In all, they found 9 bodies, most of which were pinned beneath fallen beams and rubble. Since the strongest of the group was preoccupied with the cart, it fell on the rest of the party to free the bodies from the debris. Doc and Talos struggled with the effort, trying to apply brute force to shove and lift the debris off of the corpses to no avail. Fhasys, taking a moment to stand back and analyze how all of the pieces had fallen together, discovered several leverage points and was able to free the bodies from the mess. After another hour or so of gathering corpses, they hauled the cart to the outskirts of town, Vyreth's bear-timer ran out, and they set out for the next task... Fixing up the old mill.
After another short debriefing with Dugan regarding the mill, it was made clear that the structure has lay idle since the founding of Lehren some 90-100 years prior. Dugan assumed, at minimum the generator would need some fuel, but there might also be need for cleaning and light repairs. The heroes set off toward the boundary of the forest just SE of lake Saun and Doc played a merry tune on his flutes to lift their spirits. Soon, the mill was spotted jutting out of the timber line and the party agreed to let Fhasys scout it out. Sneaking up upon the side of the mill, Fhasys discovered that the windows were too dirty and clouded to see through so she hopped up on the entrance ramp to peek through the door. As she stood on her tippy-toes to peek through a small window in the door, her weight unlatched it, swinging open into the mill and banging against the metal wall. So much for stealth. Several bandits had been using the mill for shelter, and having already been alerted to her presence had their crossbows at the ready. Fhasys became a momentary pincushion before finally ducking back outside and taking cover. Combat ensued. The impact of the initial volley caused Fhasys to scream a chain of obscenities, which the rest of the heroes heard and came running to her aid. After a major battle involving 6 bandits, 1 leader, an epic thunder clap, several streams of magic missiles, and a perfectly thrown axe, the mill was finally cleared. Talos, in an attempt to see if the mill equipment was still functional, walked around banging various pipes and hoses with his sword. Fhasys instead turned to the generator itself and made quick work of repairs. She flipped the "on" switch, the generator began to rumble, and then died... out of gas. Weary and tired of menial labor, the crew decided to return to town and bargain their way out of the remaining chores for the sake of a hot meal and ale.
The party met up with Dugan once again, and after short debate agreed to give him the chipped ruby they'd found in the mill as a token of their dedication and support... And, hopefully to make Dugan forget all the other stuff he'd asked them to do. Of course, Dugan was in no place to refuse or press the issue... He acquiesced and handed Talos a sealed letter as a final request, a plea to the mage's guild of Quanlo to seal the Embershard mine for good. The mention of Quanlo alone spooked Doc, and for good reason. The dwarf suddenly found himself much more amenable to sticking around for more menial labor, and the others had a difficult time sorting out his change of heart as Doc kept a stiff upper lip about the whole thing. During their back-and-forth about Quanlo and Doc's sudden enthusiasm for manual labor, the old lady who had snapped Fhasys out of her sleepwalking session the night prior came to check up on her. She suggested that Fhasys talk to an "occultist" named Terin who might be able to both provide sleep aids as well as recall the contents of her dreams.
As dusk fast-approached, the crew headed back to the Golden Coin for some grub and drink. Feeling refreshed, Doc and Vyreth hopped back into the action and decided to use the last remaining daylight to find the missing sheep. Talos and Fhasys, enjoying the warmth of the tavern and the ale in their bellies, wanted none of that and instead opted to stay at the bar.
On Dugan's recommendation, the duo set out toward the South end of town to hunt for sheep tracks. A cursory search revealed nothing, and the two started discussing options for tracking. Doc had the bright idea for Vyreth to transform into a bird to scout from the sky, but they didn't see any birds in the immediate vicinity. Thinking on it for a moment, Vyreth chucked a stick into a cluster of nearby bushes and his dog, Vulkan, dove in after it letting loose a flock of sparrows. But, no matter how hard Vyreth concentrated, he couldn't muster the power to transform into a flying animal. Clearly bummed by Vyreth's lack of ability, they decided to simply start walking South. Sure enough, after 15min or so Doc noticed some tracks and was able to discern that they were, in fact, sheep tracks. They followed the tracks for another 20min or so and, just as the sun was starting to set, stumbled upon the missing flock. Something, however, was amiss. Most of the sheep stood in a tight cluster, bleeting nervously and eyeing a strange, hulking brown mound a few feet from them. Doc, channeling his sheep-talking abilities, managed to convince several of the dim-witted animals to run for their lives but most simply stood in place, paralyzed by fear. Slowly inching closer, Vyreth noticed that the brown mound was, in fact, slowly moving in place. It was at this moment that his dog panicked and bolted back to town. Vyreth decided to try and entagle the thing so they could get a closer look, but this only pissed it off. Rising up on its hind-quarters and dropping a half-eaten sheep, it quickly became clear that this "mound" was really a carrion crawler! Combat ensued. Doc was immediately struck by one of the crawler's tentacles and paralyzed from the poison, which cast a shadow of heavy doubt on Vyreth's confidence in the outcome of this fight. Vyreth cast poison immunity on himself and Doc eventually shook-off the paralysis. The trio had exchanged blows for a few rounds when Talos and Fhasys came hurtling toward the scene on their pony, lead by Vulkan. When in range, Fhasys loosed a bolt from her new crossbow, impaling the crawler and sending it into the dirt.
The heroes managed to corrale the remaining sheep back to town and began preparations for the funeral pyre, agreed upon by Dugan to take place shortly after dusk.
The crew set to work, first tackling the chore of putting out smoldering embers amongst the wreckage. Dugan had suggested they grab some buckets and use well water for the task, but Doc had a better idea... shovels. The barkeep at the Golden Coin hooked them up with some worn gloves and shovels, and they set out scouring the town for hot spots. Finding them proved a bit tricky, but they managed to put most of them out over the course of two hours.
Next came the bodies... Taking a moment to huddle, the party discussed options as to how to carry a load of dead bodies around as they searched. Someone had the bright idea to find a cart, and Dugan just so happened to have an old one laying around. Unfortunately, he had no beast of burden to pull it. Vyreth offered his services in bear-form, and Talos helped Doc tether him to the cart as best they could. With bear-Vyreth holding up the center of the cart and one hero holding up either side, they awkwardly made their way through town searching for corpses. In all, they found 9 bodies, most of which were pinned beneath fallen beams and rubble. Since the strongest of the group was preoccupied with the cart, it fell on the rest of the party to free the bodies from the debris. Doc and Talos struggled with the effort, trying to apply brute force to shove and lift the debris off of the corpses to no avail. Fhasys, taking a moment to stand back and analyze how all of the pieces had fallen together, discovered several leverage points and was able to free the bodies from the mess. After another hour or so of gathering corpses, they hauled the cart to the outskirts of town, Vyreth's bear-timer ran out, and they set out for the next task... Fixing up the old mill.
After another short debriefing with Dugan regarding the mill, it was made clear that the structure has lay idle since the founding of Lehren some 90-100 years prior. Dugan assumed, at minimum the generator would need some fuel, but there might also be need for cleaning and light repairs. The heroes set off toward the boundary of the forest just SE of lake Saun and Doc played a merry tune on his flutes to lift their spirits. Soon, the mill was spotted jutting out of the timber line and the party agreed to let Fhasys scout it out. Sneaking up upon the side of the mill, Fhasys discovered that the windows were too dirty and clouded to see through so she hopped up on the entrance ramp to peek through the door. As she stood on her tippy-toes to peek through a small window in the door, her weight unlatched it, swinging open into the mill and banging against the metal wall. So much for stealth. Several bandits had been using the mill for shelter, and having already been alerted to her presence had their crossbows at the ready. Fhasys became a momentary pincushion before finally ducking back outside and taking cover. Combat ensued. The impact of the initial volley caused Fhasys to scream a chain of obscenities, which the rest of the heroes heard and came running to her aid. After a major battle involving 6 bandits, 1 leader, an epic thunder clap, several streams of magic missiles, and a perfectly thrown axe, the mill was finally cleared. Talos, in an attempt to see if the mill equipment was still functional, walked around banging various pipes and hoses with his sword. Fhasys instead turned to the generator itself and made quick work of repairs. She flipped the "on" switch, the generator began to rumble, and then died... out of gas. Weary and tired of menial labor, the crew decided to return to town and bargain their way out of the remaining chores for the sake of a hot meal and ale.
The party met up with Dugan once again, and after short debate agreed to give him the chipped ruby they'd found in the mill as a token of their dedication and support... And, hopefully to make Dugan forget all the other stuff he'd asked them to do. Of course, Dugan was in no place to refuse or press the issue... He acquiesced and handed Talos a sealed letter as a final request, a plea to the mage's guild of Quanlo to seal the Embershard mine for good. The mention of Quanlo alone spooked Doc, and for good reason. The dwarf suddenly found himself much more amenable to sticking around for more menial labor, and the others had a difficult time sorting out his change of heart as Doc kept a stiff upper lip about the whole thing. During their back-and-forth about Quanlo and Doc's sudden enthusiasm for manual labor, the old lady who had snapped Fhasys out of her sleepwalking session the night prior came to check up on her. She suggested that Fhasys talk to an "occultist" named Terin who might be able to both provide sleep aids as well as recall the contents of her dreams.
As dusk fast-approached, the crew headed back to the Golden Coin for some grub and drink. Feeling refreshed, Doc and Vyreth hopped back into the action and decided to use the last remaining daylight to find the missing sheep. Talos and Fhasys, enjoying the warmth of the tavern and the ale in their bellies, wanted none of that and instead opted to stay at the bar.
On Dugan's recommendation, the duo set out toward the South end of town to hunt for sheep tracks. A cursory search revealed nothing, and the two started discussing options for tracking. Doc had the bright idea for Vyreth to transform into a bird to scout from the sky, but they didn't see any birds in the immediate vicinity. Thinking on it for a moment, Vyreth chucked a stick into a cluster of nearby bushes and his dog, Vulkan, dove in after it letting loose a flock of sparrows. But, no matter how hard Vyreth concentrated, he couldn't muster the power to transform into a flying animal. Clearly bummed by Vyreth's lack of ability, they decided to simply start walking South. Sure enough, after 15min or so Doc noticed some tracks and was able to discern that they were, in fact, sheep tracks. They followed the tracks for another 20min or so and, just as the sun was starting to set, stumbled upon the missing flock. Something, however, was amiss. Most of the sheep stood in a tight cluster, bleeting nervously and eyeing a strange, hulking brown mound a few feet from them. Doc, channeling his sheep-talking abilities, managed to convince several of the dim-witted animals to run for their lives but most simply stood in place, paralyzed by fear. Slowly inching closer, Vyreth noticed that the brown mound was, in fact, slowly moving in place. It was at this moment that his dog panicked and bolted back to town. Vyreth decided to try and entagle the thing so they could get a closer look, but this only pissed it off. Rising up on its hind-quarters and dropping a half-eaten sheep, it quickly became clear that this "mound" was really a carrion crawler! Combat ensued. Doc was immediately struck by one of the crawler's tentacles and paralyzed from the poison, which cast a shadow of heavy doubt on Vyreth's confidence in the outcome of this fight. Vyreth cast poison immunity on himself and Doc eventually shook-off the paralysis. The trio had exchanged blows for a few rounds when Talos and Fhasys came hurtling toward the scene on their pony, lead by Vulkan. When in range, Fhasys loosed a bolt from her new crossbow, impaling the crawler and sending it into the dirt.
The heroes managed to corrale the remaining sheep back to town and began preparations for the funeral pyre, agreed upon by Dugan to take place shortly after dusk.
Sunday, November 30, 2014
The Story Of Vyreth
Vyreth Qithuen--that's the name given to me by my new family. According to tales told to me by my new father (and captain of a fishing vessel), Vjoro, he'd discovered me floating in a makeshift raft some miles off the coast of Hanover's Run--an island along the SW shores of Erenon--during a routine fishing trip. There was no form of identification, nor any hint as to my past whatsoever, on my person me aside from strange tattoos covering my torso and a jeweled ring dangling from a chain around my neck. Out of kindness and admiration of the strange alignment of paths that had occurred on that fated day, Vjoro took me back to the village and adopted me as his own child. His wife, Vera, tended to my cold and malnourished form and their biological son, Voltek, kindly accepted me as his new younger brother. My new family was good to me and taught me how to hunt and fish, and my skills in these areas grew to a point where I won several local competitive events. Vera was the mother you read about in story books--kind and gentle, empathetic and sympathetic yet firm and disciplined.
Since coming of age, I continue to have dreams about my original parents... my beautiful mother and her long, blonde, curly hair standing next to my stalwart father. In my dreams, my father always wears the ring that I now carry around my neck, a symbol and reminder of my own inner-strength in the face of being shunned by most of the others in my village. I was an outcast regardless of how much I tried to fit in. The only person who was willing to see me for who I was was a girl named Varishna, the daughter of the town steward who soon forbade her to see me. But his rule didn't stop us. Our affections grew into love, and when I turned 16 she confessed that she wanted us to marry and run away together. I finally felt alive and my soul came alive.
Then, one day a strange man paid a visit to our village cloaked in black and riding a massive black steed. He was clearly searching for something or someone, come to find out that someone was me. The man came to my father's home in the night, and I spied on their conversation from a back room. I couldn't make out their conversation, but my father shot me a glance that told me to run. I hid in a closet until the strange man left, and when I emerged he told me that Voltek and I would be heading out to sea the following morning to fish. I was growing sick and tired of fish... The smell, the taste, it was everywhere.
We headed out to sea the following morning, as planned, but I knew something was amiss. As we made the return voyage home, we saw our village being razed in the twilight. After docking at the harbor, I ran back home only to find my mother laying murdered on the floor and the village in ruin. I frantically searched the burning homes for Varishna to no avail. One badly injured villager told me, in his dying breath, that the women had all been rounded up and taken away in a menacing and dilapidated ship. Our family dog, Vulkan, luckily made it through unscathed, tied to a post out back and barking out of sheer panic. Vulkan and I returned to my father's fishing boat, and with Voltek at the helm set sail for the Erenon coast to begin our search for the wicked hands behind the slaughter and for Varishna, my one true love.
Once we came ashore on the edge of the Fairn Forest, Voltek and I agreed to split up--he travelling East toward Trey La and myself North, to the town of Lehren. Hopefully, one of us would discover clues or at least bring us closure. We made a pact to return to the fishing boat in 3 months time to share our findings and decide what to do next.
Since coming of age, I continue to have dreams about my original parents... my beautiful mother and her long, blonde, curly hair standing next to my stalwart father. In my dreams, my father always wears the ring that I now carry around my neck, a symbol and reminder of my own inner-strength in the face of being shunned by most of the others in my village. I was an outcast regardless of how much I tried to fit in. The only person who was willing to see me for who I was was a girl named Varishna, the daughter of the town steward who soon forbade her to see me. But his rule didn't stop us. Our affections grew into love, and when I turned 16 she confessed that she wanted us to marry and run away together. I finally felt alive and my soul came alive.
Then, one day a strange man paid a visit to our village cloaked in black and riding a massive black steed. He was clearly searching for something or someone, come to find out that someone was me. The man came to my father's home in the night, and I spied on their conversation from a back room. I couldn't make out their conversation, but my father shot me a glance that told me to run. I hid in a closet until the strange man left, and when I emerged he told me that Voltek and I would be heading out to sea the following morning to fish. I was growing sick and tired of fish... The smell, the taste, it was everywhere.
We headed out to sea the following morning, as planned, but I knew something was amiss. As we made the return voyage home, we saw our village being razed in the twilight. After docking at the harbor, I ran back home only to find my mother laying murdered on the floor and the village in ruin. I frantically searched the burning homes for Varishna to no avail. One badly injured villager told me, in his dying breath, that the women had all been rounded up and taken away in a menacing and dilapidated ship. Our family dog, Vulkan, luckily made it through unscathed, tied to a post out back and barking out of sheer panic. Vulkan and I returned to my father's fishing boat, and with Voltek at the helm set sail for the Erenon coast to begin our search for the wicked hands behind the slaughter and for Varishna, my one true love.
Once we came ashore on the edge of the Fairn Forest, Voltek and I agreed to split up--he travelling East toward Trey La and myself North, to the town of Lehren. Hopefully, one of us would discover clues or at least bring us closure. We made a pact to return to the fishing boat in 3 months time to share our findings and decide what to do next.
Monday, November 10, 2014
Episode 5, "Ruin of Lehren"
Fhasys and Talos (wisely) decided to high-tail it out of the swath of blighted forest surrounding the cavern entrance. In the frantic dash, leaping over rotted logs and plowing through the underbrush, Talos lost his footing and got tangled in the spider webs. Fhasys, deciding that this would be an opportune time to lecture Talos on the finer points of honesty and character, found herself staring into the face of a giant spider. Combat ensued, Talos broke free of his trappings, and the two managed to make the 1/4 mile dash mostly unscathed. The duo stumbled upon the entrance to the Embershard mine, found their ponies waiting anxiously, and rode out of the godforsaken forest. They made camp a couple hours into the countryside and Fhasys had some very disturbing nightmares, courtesy of the curse of Quar Jezz't.
Meanwhile, a lone dwarf clad in chain mail and playing uplifting music on his pan-flute, discovered an old abandoned farmstead and decided to turn in for the night. After a chilling and inspiring dream involving Peter and Apollo, the paladin awoke to the sounds of muffled speech and cabinets banging shut. An encounter with some bandits lead to Doc attempting to push his case for a sane, blood-free end. After grappling the first bandit who discovered him, Doc explained that he'd be happy to leave and let them get back to looting... The bandit leader agreed and Doc made a hasty retreat through the bedroom window. Taking in the early morning scenery of the countryside, Doc noticed some billowing smoke in the distance--not unlike what he saw in his dreams. Realizing this was too great of a coincidence to pass-up, he once again took to his pan-flute and started walking.
After a couple hours of travel, the rogue and the wizard crossed paths with the paladin. Pleasantries were exchanged, Doc got a taste of the duo's icy dynamic, and they agreed to help each other out further down the road. As they compared notes, Dugan came running toward them in werewolf form bringing dire news from Lehren. The town was under siege by a maddened ogre and a mob of bandits; buildings lay in ruin, and the townsfolk cower wherever they can find shelter from the chaos.
Upon arriving to Lehren, Dugan left the adventurers to route the ogre while he dispatched the bandits. Doc summoned his magical prowess to "taunt" the ogre while Talos (through the power of suggestion) convinced it that bandits taste simply fabulous. The ogre immediately set off for the gravy-filled looters and the heroes enjoyed the show while it lasted. Cornered in a small home, several bandits quaked in fear as they watched their compatriots get eaten, and Talos used this distraction as an opportunity to attack. Jumping through a side window, he squared off with the bandit leader in a brutal fight.
Outside of the home, the ogre finished off the last visible bandit and turned his attention toward the heroes. Fhasys had already got in some solid shots with her bow and Doc moved in for the kill. Then, something strange happened... The ogre fell to its knees, revealing large patches of blackened, diseased skin, and began to vomit ichor. A foul stench began to permeate the air and, soon after the ogre collapsed, ghasts arose out of the foul black pool.
Talos polished off the bandit leader with a scorching ray and joined his friends outside for an epic struggle against the undead. The fight was vicious, resulting in momentary paralysis for both Doc and Fhasys, and a nasty bite sent Doc over the edge... unconscious. Stiff as a board from the paralysis, he fell onto the ground motionless. Fhasys, in a surprisingly heroic surge of constitution, managed to free herself from the paralysis in the nick of time and landed a critical blow on the last remaining ghast--once again, saving the day.
Dugan arrived on the scene shortly thereafter, asked for the run-down on all the black ooze, helped Talos carry the stiffened body of Doc into the house, and walked with Fhasys down to the remains of the curio shoppe in search of healing potions. To their surprise, Matilda was still alive and cowering behind what was left of her counter! She hugged Dugan and thanked Fhasys profusely for the party's help in dispatching the ogre, and gave her a healing salve and poisoner's kit as thanks.
After a bit of healing, Doc awoke in a bed surrounded by friends and was filled-in as to what all he missed during his unconsciousness. Dugan informed the heroes that the townsfolk had all been gathered in what's left of the Golden Coin for food and drink, and he'd appreciate any effort they could muster in lifting their spirits. The heroes huddled and discussed their various talents.
Standing around a crude bonfire with a mob of disheveled, shell-shocked adults and children, the heroes put on a show... Doc set the stage with his pan-flute, but unfortunately he was still too weak to muster a steady breath. Talos stood up before the crowd, waved his blonde ponytail in the wind and assured them that everything will be okay. As the onlookers looked at each other with increasing confusion and wariness, Fhasys stepped it up with some acrobatics. All in all, the combination of hilariously bad entertainment and ale calmed their nerves and provided a welcome night's rest... for all but Fhasys.
In the middle of the night, Fhasys snapped out of a dream to find herself standing--weapons drawn--in front of one of the townsfolk who looked quite concerned. Apparently she'd been sleep walking with no recollection of what she was doing or why. Sheathing her rapier, the kind lady escorted Fhasys back to bed.
The town of Lehren smoldered throughout the night with nary a sound from beast or man, but for now things appear safe.
Meanwhile, a lone dwarf clad in chain mail and playing uplifting music on his pan-flute, discovered an old abandoned farmstead and decided to turn in for the night. After a chilling and inspiring dream involving Peter and Apollo, the paladin awoke to the sounds of muffled speech and cabinets banging shut. An encounter with some bandits lead to Doc attempting to push his case for a sane, blood-free end. After grappling the first bandit who discovered him, Doc explained that he'd be happy to leave and let them get back to looting... The bandit leader agreed and Doc made a hasty retreat through the bedroom window. Taking in the early morning scenery of the countryside, Doc noticed some billowing smoke in the distance--not unlike what he saw in his dreams. Realizing this was too great of a coincidence to pass-up, he once again took to his pan-flute and started walking.
After a couple hours of travel, the rogue and the wizard crossed paths with the paladin. Pleasantries were exchanged, Doc got a taste of the duo's icy dynamic, and they agreed to help each other out further down the road. As they compared notes, Dugan came running toward them in werewolf form bringing dire news from Lehren. The town was under siege by a maddened ogre and a mob of bandits; buildings lay in ruin, and the townsfolk cower wherever they can find shelter from the chaos.
Upon arriving to Lehren, Dugan left the adventurers to route the ogre while he dispatched the bandits. Doc summoned his magical prowess to "taunt" the ogre while Talos (through the power of suggestion) convinced it that bandits taste simply fabulous. The ogre immediately set off for the gravy-filled looters and the heroes enjoyed the show while it lasted. Cornered in a small home, several bandits quaked in fear as they watched their compatriots get eaten, and Talos used this distraction as an opportunity to attack. Jumping through a side window, he squared off with the bandit leader in a brutal fight.
Outside of the home, the ogre finished off the last visible bandit and turned his attention toward the heroes. Fhasys had already got in some solid shots with her bow and Doc moved in for the kill. Then, something strange happened... The ogre fell to its knees, revealing large patches of blackened, diseased skin, and began to vomit ichor. A foul stench began to permeate the air and, soon after the ogre collapsed, ghasts arose out of the foul black pool.
Talos polished off the bandit leader with a scorching ray and joined his friends outside for an epic struggle against the undead. The fight was vicious, resulting in momentary paralysis for both Doc and Fhasys, and a nasty bite sent Doc over the edge... unconscious. Stiff as a board from the paralysis, he fell onto the ground motionless. Fhasys, in a surprisingly heroic surge of constitution, managed to free herself from the paralysis in the nick of time and landed a critical blow on the last remaining ghast--once again, saving the day.
Dugan arrived on the scene shortly thereafter, asked for the run-down on all the black ooze, helped Talos carry the stiffened body of Doc into the house, and walked with Fhasys down to the remains of the curio shoppe in search of healing potions. To their surprise, Matilda was still alive and cowering behind what was left of her counter! She hugged Dugan and thanked Fhasys profusely for the party's help in dispatching the ogre, and gave her a healing salve and poisoner's kit as thanks.
After a bit of healing, Doc awoke in a bed surrounded by friends and was filled-in as to what all he missed during his unconsciousness. Dugan informed the heroes that the townsfolk had all been gathered in what's left of the Golden Coin for food and drink, and he'd appreciate any effort they could muster in lifting their spirits. The heroes huddled and discussed their various talents.
Standing around a crude bonfire with a mob of disheveled, shell-shocked adults and children, the heroes put on a show... Doc set the stage with his pan-flute, but unfortunately he was still too weak to muster a steady breath. Talos stood up before the crowd, waved his blonde ponytail in the wind and assured them that everything will be okay. As the onlookers looked at each other with increasing confusion and wariness, Fhasys stepped it up with some acrobatics. All in all, the combination of hilariously bad entertainment and ale calmed their nerves and provided a welcome night's rest... for all but Fhasys.
In the middle of the night, Fhasys snapped out of a dream to find herself standing--weapons drawn--in front of one of the townsfolk who looked quite concerned. Apparently she'd been sleep walking with no recollection of what she was doing or why. Sheathing her rapier, the kind lady escorted Fhasys back to bed.
The town of Lehren smoldered throughout the night with nary a sound from beast or man, but for now things appear safe.
Thursday, November 6, 2014
The Story Of Demetrius
Demetrius Ramses "Doc" Livingstone was born... somewhere. Nobody knows where, exactly, or if they do they aren't saying. Doc appeared in a basket on the doorstep of a seedy Quanlo orphanage some 50-odd years ago, and as he grew older his dwarven lineage became quickly apparent. Sadly, nobody wanted to adopt a dwarf and Doc spent his entire childhood at the mercy of the orphanage's cruel proprietor, Draven. The man was negligent at best, and downright abusive at worst. He barely fed the children and what little food they did get often consisted of cold gruel or week-old bread, hard as a rock. Consequently, Doc spent most of his formative years roaming the streets and alleys of Quanlo scrapping with other youths, picking pockets, and begging for coin & food to make life less miserable for his fellow orphans and himself.
By virtue of his dwarven strength, Doc quickly ascended the ranks of the street scrappers and established himself as a defacto leader amongst the street kids and orphans. Even though Doc wasn't the sharpest tool in the shed, he soon realized that his position as alpha dog was tenuous, especially as he grew older and started catching the attention of the local criminal underground. He realized he needed someone to watch his back, so he decided to ally himself with a fellow orphan who was also a long-time resident in his orphanage. This person, Peter, was a handsome young (human) boy who had suffered a rather pronounced facial disfigurement at the hands of some unknown fiend as an infant. The entire left side of his face was scarred and his left eye was a dead, unseeing, milky-white orb. Despite the circumstances of his upbringing and gruesome countenance, Peter was easily the happiest, most positive person Doc had in his life. Nothing could wipe the smile off his face, and he was always ready with a jest and a hearty laugh. Peter and Doc were around the same age, had been at the orphanage approximately the same amount of time, and thought of each other as brothers.
Peter was a devout follower of Apollo, and his unflappably positive attitude was infectious. He soon convinced Doc to abandon his scrapping, begging, and petty thievery in favor of earning his coppers through busking. Peter had managed to whittle himself a crude set of Pan pipes, which he would play while Doc told stories and sang poems for passers by. Several years went by and and the brothers did pretty well for themselves. They became fairly well-known and even talked of becoming bards and taking their show on the road. Draven, however, had other plans. Unbeknownst to Doc, Draven maintained several connections to Quanlo's criminal underworld and had been keeping a watchful eye on the young dwarf's development. One day, Peter was suddenly nowhere to be found. Doc looked everywhere in Quanlo that he knew his brother liked to go, but to no avail. Upon his return to the orphanage, Draven pulled Doc aside and informed him that he would now work for him, and that Peter would be held captive in some secret oubliette to ensure Doc's cooperation. Doc was furious, but had little choice in the matter as Draven made it abundantly clear that any insubordination would result in severe punishment... for Peter.
And so, Doc became Draven's unwilling thug, performing collections and torturing people as directed. Several times he balked at Draven's orders, but he kept his brother's crude Pan pipes as a constant reminder of his motivation and always did as he was told. One night on his way back from a particularly gruesome "collection", he overheard Draven speaking to someone through an open window. Doc stopped to listen and quickly realized they were talking about him, marveling at how effective he was as Draven's enforcer. The strange voice asked how Draven had managed to command such unquestioning loyalty from the dwarf, especially in light of the unsavory acts he was made to perform. Draven replied, "Simple. I took his brother 'hostage' and told him to comply or else his brother would pay the price. Luckily, he has no idea that I just killed the little bastard and dumped his body in the woods for the wolves!" Both voices laughed heartily as Doc's blood boiled. He thought of everything he done in the name of Peter's safety and flew into a rage. He kicked in the door to Draven's office and before anybody could react, he grabbed a letter opener from Draven's desk and flung it into the stranger's left eye before grabbing Draven and choking him so violently that he felt his neck snap under his grip.
Doc packed his meager possessions and fled Quanlo that very night, having recognized the stranger as the son of the local magistrate. He decided to spend his life as a living tribute to Peter and so became a paladin for his brother's god, Apollo. He vowed to live his life in opposition to those who would do evil and bring darkness, and to spread the goodness and light that was so abundant in Peter. Doc would live out his days honoring his fallen brother in all things.
By virtue of his dwarven strength, Doc quickly ascended the ranks of the street scrappers and established himself as a defacto leader amongst the street kids and orphans. Even though Doc wasn't the sharpest tool in the shed, he soon realized that his position as alpha dog was tenuous, especially as he grew older and started catching the attention of the local criminal underground. He realized he needed someone to watch his back, so he decided to ally himself with a fellow orphan who was also a long-time resident in his orphanage. This person, Peter, was a handsome young (human) boy who had suffered a rather pronounced facial disfigurement at the hands of some unknown fiend as an infant. The entire left side of his face was scarred and his left eye was a dead, unseeing, milky-white orb. Despite the circumstances of his upbringing and gruesome countenance, Peter was easily the happiest, most positive person Doc had in his life. Nothing could wipe the smile off his face, and he was always ready with a jest and a hearty laugh. Peter and Doc were around the same age, had been at the orphanage approximately the same amount of time, and thought of each other as brothers.
Peter was a devout follower of Apollo, and his unflappably positive attitude was infectious. He soon convinced Doc to abandon his scrapping, begging, and petty thievery in favor of earning his coppers through busking. Peter had managed to whittle himself a crude set of Pan pipes, which he would play while Doc told stories and sang poems for passers by. Several years went by and and the brothers did pretty well for themselves. They became fairly well-known and even talked of becoming bards and taking their show on the road. Draven, however, had other plans. Unbeknownst to Doc, Draven maintained several connections to Quanlo's criminal underworld and had been keeping a watchful eye on the young dwarf's development. One day, Peter was suddenly nowhere to be found. Doc looked everywhere in Quanlo that he knew his brother liked to go, but to no avail. Upon his return to the orphanage, Draven pulled Doc aside and informed him that he would now work for him, and that Peter would be held captive in some secret oubliette to ensure Doc's cooperation. Doc was furious, but had little choice in the matter as Draven made it abundantly clear that any insubordination would result in severe punishment... for Peter.
And so, Doc became Draven's unwilling thug, performing collections and torturing people as directed. Several times he balked at Draven's orders, but he kept his brother's crude Pan pipes as a constant reminder of his motivation and always did as he was told. One night on his way back from a particularly gruesome "collection", he overheard Draven speaking to someone through an open window. Doc stopped to listen and quickly realized they were talking about him, marveling at how effective he was as Draven's enforcer. The strange voice asked how Draven had managed to command such unquestioning loyalty from the dwarf, especially in light of the unsavory acts he was made to perform. Draven replied, "Simple. I took his brother 'hostage' and told him to comply or else his brother would pay the price. Luckily, he has no idea that I just killed the little bastard and dumped his body in the woods for the wolves!" Both voices laughed heartily as Doc's blood boiled. He thought of everything he done in the name of Peter's safety and flew into a rage. He kicked in the door to Draven's office and before anybody could react, he grabbed a letter opener from Draven's desk and flung it into the stranger's left eye before grabbing Draven and choking him so violently that he felt his neck snap under his grip.
Doc packed his meager possessions and fled Quanlo that very night, having recognized the stranger as the son of the local magistrate. He decided to spend his life as a living tribute to Peter and so became a paladin for his brother's god, Apollo. He vowed to live his life in opposition to those who would do evil and bring darkness, and to spread the goodness and light that was so abundant in Peter. Doc would live out his days honoring his fallen brother in all things.
Monday, October 27, 2014
Episode 4, "Flirting With Disaster"
Dugan turns-tail and heads back topside to get some R&R and consult the local mage's guild about what to do next with the whole "breach" situation. Meanwhile, the crew decide to retreat back into the kobold lair for a little nap. Talos' trance gets interrupted by the 'ole aboleth again, suggesting that a conversation needs to be had, so they about-face and head back into the Underdark for round 2.
Their first trek involves a somewhat lengthy climb up a series of mounds covered in human-sized mushrooms. Fhasys makes her uneasiness known, and her fears are confirmed when several mushrooms start lashing out at their legs. In a dramatic display of fire, Talos manages to set of a group of nearby shriekers who alert everything within the cavern to their presence. A giant wolf spider is the first to respond, descending upon the heroes in a stealthy attack. Finally, the duo makes it to the top of the mounds to find a space clear of mushrooms, home to the trapped spirit of an old adventurer. The spirit makes an impassioned plea to slay the resident aboleth once and for all and release her from her bonds and Talos comes into possession of the fallen adventurer's spear.
Pressing forward, toward a mysterious and pale dot of light in the distance past the mounds, the heroes descend the opposite side of the mushroom hill. After another half-hour's walk, the terrain begins to shift into a more spider-appropriate theme, complete with webbing floor cover and towering pillars of silk. Almost immediately, the party is slung into battle once more with two more giant wolf spiders and an ettercap. They barely manage to keep it together as reinforcements start arriving (more spiders and ettercaps), and quickly decide to make a hasty retreat.
Finding a quiet spot along the Southern wall, the heroes make camp to tend their wounds and then strike out toward a curious dancing light show rippling along the Western cavern walls. As the sounds of a distant waterfall begin to fill-in the ambiance, the two stumble upon a small creek that leads them to a stinky, putrid subterranean lake (another spider sneak-attacks). Talos announces his presence--to what, exactly, Fhasys is unclear--and the two argue for a moment about the finer points of sharing information with one another. The aboleth makes an appearance.
Quar-Jezz't is his name, and power is his game. Talos and Fhasys quickly discover the perils of communing with a sentient telepathic being. First, Talos is grilled about the spear and warded from touching it at all. Then, the silence of Talos and Jezz't's telepathic conversation proves too much for Fhasys to stomach... She makes a play for the spear to put an end to this creature once and for all. Unfortunately, the aboleth was already two steps ahead of her and blasted her mind with awful, evil visions and pain. Her body froze in place, convulsing from fear, and Talos grew a bit worried. Fortunately, the aboleth released Fhasys from his grip shortly thereafter as he explained to Talos the task before him. He must capture the soul of his ex-mentor, Weshryn, using his strange glass orb in exchange for their lives. Agreed. Talos is fine with this arrangement as he already hates the guy--something the aboleth had already taken into account--and the two are guaranteed protection on their journey out of the Underdark.
However, instead of opting to take the "safe route" back to the surface, the heroes decide to milk their new aura of protection for all it's worth and head back toward the ettercap farms. Strangely (and predictably), neither spider nor ettercap is anywhere to be found. Discovering a dimly lit tunnel, the two wind their way topside and stumble out into a corrupted swath of forest, full of spider webs and decaying flora. As the aura of protection dissipates, it becomes painfully obvious that creatures are fast on their heels.
Their first trek involves a somewhat lengthy climb up a series of mounds covered in human-sized mushrooms. Fhasys makes her uneasiness known, and her fears are confirmed when several mushrooms start lashing out at their legs. In a dramatic display of fire, Talos manages to set of a group of nearby shriekers who alert everything within the cavern to their presence. A giant wolf spider is the first to respond, descending upon the heroes in a stealthy attack. Finally, the duo makes it to the top of the mounds to find a space clear of mushrooms, home to the trapped spirit of an old adventurer. The spirit makes an impassioned plea to slay the resident aboleth once and for all and release her from her bonds and Talos comes into possession of the fallen adventurer's spear.
Pressing forward, toward a mysterious and pale dot of light in the distance past the mounds, the heroes descend the opposite side of the mushroom hill. After another half-hour's walk, the terrain begins to shift into a more spider-appropriate theme, complete with webbing floor cover and towering pillars of silk. Almost immediately, the party is slung into battle once more with two more giant wolf spiders and an ettercap. They barely manage to keep it together as reinforcements start arriving (more spiders and ettercaps), and quickly decide to make a hasty retreat.
Finding a quiet spot along the Southern wall, the heroes make camp to tend their wounds and then strike out toward a curious dancing light show rippling along the Western cavern walls. As the sounds of a distant waterfall begin to fill-in the ambiance, the two stumble upon a small creek that leads them to a stinky, putrid subterranean lake (another spider sneak-attacks). Talos announces his presence--to what, exactly, Fhasys is unclear--and the two argue for a moment about the finer points of sharing information with one another. The aboleth makes an appearance.
Quar-Jezz't is his name, and power is his game. Talos and Fhasys quickly discover the perils of communing with a sentient telepathic being. First, Talos is grilled about the spear and warded from touching it at all. Then, the silence of Talos and Jezz't's telepathic conversation proves too much for Fhasys to stomach... She makes a play for the spear to put an end to this creature once and for all. Unfortunately, the aboleth was already two steps ahead of her and blasted her mind with awful, evil visions and pain. Her body froze in place, convulsing from fear, and Talos grew a bit worried. Fortunately, the aboleth released Fhasys from his grip shortly thereafter as he explained to Talos the task before him. He must capture the soul of his ex-mentor, Weshryn, using his strange glass orb in exchange for their lives. Agreed. Talos is fine with this arrangement as he already hates the guy--something the aboleth had already taken into account--and the two are guaranteed protection on their journey out of the Underdark.
However, instead of opting to take the "safe route" back to the surface, the heroes decide to milk their new aura of protection for all it's worth and head back toward the ettercap farms. Strangely (and predictably), neither spider nor ettercap is anywhere to be found. Discovering a dimly lit tunnel, the two wind their way topside and stumble out into a corrupted swath of forest, full of spider webs and decaying flora. As the aura of protection dissipates, it becomes painfully obvious that creatures are fast on their heels.
Monday, October 13, 2014
Episode 3, "Into The Breach"
Continuing their descent into the Embershard Mine, Fhasys springs a kobold alarm trap that sends the critters scurrying within their lair. Using a network of crude tunnels snaking between the main shafts of the mine, the kobolds get the jump on the party. A fight ensues in a small room filled with trash piles and campfires, and the number of kobolds became nearly too much for the heroes. After the melee, they decided to take a short rest and recoup some hit points. On the way out, the party discovered several more kobolds lying in wait just outside the lair. While in the heat of combat, the heroes spotted two armored men running down the hall chasing kobolds who apparently didn't notice them. Cleaning off their weapons, they headed out of the lair to say hello to their new guests.
Turns out, Dugan had been alerted to the party's whereabouts by the escaped prisoner (see previous session). Knowing a bit about the mine's sordid past, Dugan decided to grab a lackey and go help the idio... er... heroes. Once the pleasantries were dispensed, Dugan explained all he knew of the "official" history of the mines. They were created during the founding of Lehren as a source of income and soon shuttered do to a breach that was discovered leading to the Underdark.
Continuing their exploration (now +2), the party descended even deeper into the mine into a strange network of mining tunnels. The stone tunnels were dotted with strange liquefied stone pools that neither Fhasys nor Talos could make heads or tails of. Was this the work of a dragon? Or perhaps the embershale was capable of heating to the point of melting stone. A strange whispering chatter erupted further down the tunnels.
Investigating one tunnel in particular, blocked by a cave in, Talos manages to spot a dead miner behind the wall of stone. Using his mage hand, he brings the deceased worker's bag up to a small opening in the rubble and rifles around. Dust and cobwebs litter the pack--a sign of just how old this mine really is--and inside is found a set of scribbled journals detailing the miner's last days. The cave in was not accidental, but instead created to protect him from some evil thing that was trying to eat him. The chattering noises continued to ebb and flow within the lower tunnels. Fhasys worried of an ambush.
No sooner had the party gathered itself to continue their exploration, a very odd thing happened... What appeared to be a large, blue-green tentacled creature dragged itself into view, turned its head, and locked its gaze with Talos. A round of telepathic communication ensued and then the creature flickered out of existence. An illusion, perhaps? Talos was left with some precious clues regarding the lower mines and his mentor/captor but unsure of what to make of them.
Pushing on, the crew stumbled upon "the breach"--a large gaping hole in the side of the tunnel walls leading out into a dark and massive chamber. A slightly cooler and more "fresh" breeze wafted into the mines from this opening, a layer of mycelium creeping onto the stone floors from the outside, and some phosphorescent mounds could be seen far off in the distance surrounded by pitch black. As the strange chattering noises slowly grew to a point where conversation was becoming difficult, the group decided on a change of scenery and stepped out into the Underdark.
Their greeting party wasn't exactly friendly. Several darkmantles dropped down on their heads from the cavern ceilings high above, emitting a strange and dark magical cloud as they attempted to suffocate their victims. Stumbling around blindly and flailing at the huge squid-like things on their heads, Dugan decided he'd had enough and transformed into a werewolf. Most managed to either wrestle or slash the things off their heads, except for Dugan's lackey who got eaten. In the midst of the squid frenzy, a grotesque and menacing creature entered the scene from the mines.
A huge, shambling, red pile of ooze sporting dozens of seemingly disconnected eyeballs and jagged tooth-filled mouths discovered its next meal and advanced on the disoriented crew. Dugan (the werewolf) engaged the blob in what would be a very brutal exchange of blows. Talos, succumbing to the gibbering mouther's incessant babbling, took a quick run in a random direction for no apparent reason. After a volley of arrows, a few magic missiles, and some bites and slashes, the blob was dispatched. Unfortunately, the mouther got one solid bite on Dugan which finally incapacitated him.
The party caught their breath, surveyed the scene, and Talos managed to (barely) revive Dugan using a healing potion. He was not amused. Fhasys, in her strange womanly ways, decided it'd be fun to sift through the now melted puddle of red slime and assorted mining equipment to see if she could find any shiny baubles. Staring out into the darkness, the heroes resolved to press onward... toward the glowing mounds in the distance.
Turns out, Dugan had been alerted to the party's whereabouts by the escaped prisoner (see previous session). Knowing a bit about the mine's sordid past, Dugan decided to grab a lackey and go help the idio... er... heroes. Once the pleasantries were dispensed, Dugan explained all he knew of the "official" history of the mines. They were created during the founding of Lehren as a source of income and soon shuttered do to a breach that was discovered leading to the Underdark.
Continuing their exploration (now +2), the party descended even deeper into the mine into a strange network of mining tunnels. The stone tunnels were dotted with strange liquefied stone pools that neither Fhasys nor Talos could make heads or tails of. Was this the work of a dragon? Or perhaps the embershale was capable of heating to the point of melting stone. A strange whispering chatter erupted further down the tunnels.
Investigating one tunnel in particular, blocked by a cave in, Talos manages to spot a dead miner behind the wall of stone. Using his mage hand, he brings the deceased worker's bag up to a small opening in the rubble and rifles around. Dust and cobwebs litter the pack--a sign of just how old this mine really is--and inside is found a set of scribbled journals detailing the miner's last days. The cave in was not accidental, but instead created to protect him from some evil thing that was trying to eat him. The chattering noises continued to ebb and flow within the lower tunnels. Fhasys worried of an ambush.
No sooner had the party gathered itself to continue their exploration, a very odd thing happened... What appeared to be a large, blue-green tentacled creature dragged itself into view, turned its head, and locked its gaze with Talos. A round of telepathic communication ensued and then the creature flickered out of existence. An illusion, perhaps? Talos was left with some precious clues regarding the lower mines and his mentor/captor but unsure of what to make of them.
Pushing on, the crew stumbled upon "the breach"--a large gaping hole in the side of the tunnel walls leading out into a dark and massive chamber. A slightly cooler and more "fresh" breeze wafted into the mines from this opening, a layer of mycelium creeping onto the stone floors from the outside, and some phosphorescent mounds could be seen far off in the distance surrounded by pitch black. As the strange chattering noises slowly grew to a point where conversation was becoming difficult, the group decided on a change of scenery and stepped out into the Underdark.
Their greeting party wasn't exactly friendly. Several darkmantles dropped down on their heads from the cavern ceilings high above, emitting a strange and dark magical cloud as they attempted to suffocate their victims. Stumbling around blindly and flailing at the huge squid-like things on their heads, Dugan decided he'd had enough and transformed into a werewolf. Most managed to either wrestle or slash the things off their heads, except for Dugan's lackey who got eaten. In the midst of the squid frenzy, a grotesque and menacing creature entered the scene from the mines.
A huge, shambling, red pile of ooze sporting dozens of seemingly disconnected eyeballs and jagged tooth-filled mouths discovered its next meal and advanced on the disoriented crew. Dugan (the werewolf) engaged the blob in what would be a very brutal exchange of blows. Talos, succumbing to the gibbering mouther's incessant babbling, took a quick run in a random direction for no apparent reason. After a volley of arrows, a few magic missiles, and some bites and slashes, the blob was dispatched. Unfortunately, the mouther got one solid bite on Dugan which finally incapacitated him.
The party caught their breath, surveyed the scene, and Talos managed to (barely) revive Dugan using a healing potion. He was not amused. Fhasys, in her strange womanly ways, decided it'd be fun to sift through the now melted puddle of red slime and assorted mining equipment to see if she could find any shiny baubles. Staring out into the darkness, the heroes resolved to press onward... toward the glowing mounds in the distance.
Monday, September 22, 2014
Episode 2, "A Sneaking Suspicion"
While the adventurers slept off the prior day's brow-beating by Grum'Glum, Dugan was notified by the staff at the Golden Coin of a development in the theft of his prized ring; the remains of the lockbox had been discovered in a bush outside the establishment. Dugan decided to grab breakfast and wait for the two to come downstairs to discuss the issue at hand.
Fhasys and Talos joined Dugan for breakfast and a bit of stern talk, but Talos' attention was soon drawn to a pair of townsfolk at the other end of the bar. The two men were talking about some old "haunted" mine nearby and goading each other on about how neither of them were man enough to go explore it. The Embershard mine was established during the founding days of Lehren and had initially provided a sizable surge of capital, but the money soon dried up as miners began to dissapear one by one into the depths. Soon after, Embershard was all but abandoned and now plays host to god-knows-what types of evil vermin.
Dugan gave the party a subtle warning to turn the ring back in, and when it appeared that they weren't going to cooperate, he ordered a search of their belongings. Fhasys had initially planted the ring in Talos' pack, but with this warning looming overhead she decided it'd be best to point out to Talos that he'd in fact stolen it. Summoning his mage hand, Talos decided it'd be best to get the ring out of both of their possessions and dropped it in the rooftop gutter of the Golden Coin. Needless to say, Dugan's search came up empty-handed... which, of course, only intensified his suspicion.
Shortly prior to this whole ring fiasco, Dugan had asked the duo to dispose of the giant ogre head--still laying in the dirt and tethered to a pony outside of the Golden Coin. Children had gathered around the decaying head and an old man was drawing sketches of the scene for tips. Talos, seeing an opportunity to immortalize himself, took advantage and obtained one for himself. Shortly thereafter, he hired the stable boy at the Golden Coin to haul the head off to a dump somewhere.
While they awaited the stable boy's return with Talos' pony, the duo went down to the local stables to speak with a young assistant who'd once paid a visit to the old mines. The boy nervously recounted his story to the best of his ability and provided basic directions should the party want to investigate. He obviously had zero desire to ever go back and sobbed at the memory of his childhood friend who never made it back from the exploration with him.
Using the intelligence gifted upon him by the Gods, Talos realized that they were now one pony short and decided to see if Dugan had another to offer. He did not. The stable boy (who was to dispose of the ogre head) was also nowhere to be found, so they decided to go find out what happened.
Riding off into the forest just SE of Lehren, they stumbled upon a small rock quarry with said pony standing all by his lonesome smack in the middle of the pit. Closer inspection revealed some blood-spatter trailing up the far ledge and missing saddlebags. As the two investigated the scene at the bottom of the pit, it became obvious that they were being watched... Climbing back out, they decided to try and sneak around the perimeter of the quarry to get the drop on whomever was spying on them, but the gnolls got the first shot. Fhasys took a glancing blow from a spear that was hurled out from the treeline and combat ensued. Eventually, the party disposed of four gnolls and discovered the eviscerated remains of the stable boy nearby. During the combat, one particularly ravenous gnoll decided to have some raw pony flesh for lunch so the duo, once again, rode back to town on a single mount.
Talos delivered the bad news about the stable boy to the barkeep at the Golden Coin (who said he'd notify the family) and then the two turned right back around to go find out what all the fuss is about at the Embershard mine. Though a bit difficult to find, the mine was right where the folks at the tavern had said it was... some 15mi along the Deepvine river heading SW toward the coast. The going became quite difficult as they approached the mine, forcing the party to dismount and walk their ponies along a crude, ill-maintained path. After a lengthy search, Fhasys finally found the opening to the mine overgrown with vegetation and they crawled inside.
The mine entrance was dark and the air stagnant as expected for a long-since abandoned tunnel. Fhasys took the lead just outside of Talos' well-lit sword's light radius and she quickly came upon the first signs of life... A pile of rubble with a smashed body beneath. Fhasys also discovered the makings of a tripwire and post jutting out of the rubble, so the two decided to do a bit more "active" searching as they descend further into the mines. After finding an old dusty ladder descending down to the next level, Talos decided to use some rope to try and secure their climb down... just in case. Fhasys nimbly slid down the latter with little commotion, but Talos lost his grip and came crashing down on top of Fhasys at the bottom of the ladder.
The second floor's layout seemed fairly straightforward--a simple main shaft with branches at every 20' or so--and Talos did his best to map their findings. In their exploration of the first set of branches, the party found a small group of kobolds and dispatched them without too much trouble. In the second set of branches, they again found a couple more kobolds ripe for the picking. In the third set of branches, the not-so-subtle sound of snoring could be heard.
Fhasys approached cautiously and, in the grainy monochrome light of her darkvision saw a human sleeping behind rusted bars on a crude hay mat. The prisoner, badly beaten and emaciated, seemed quite traumatized and feared the return of "them"... the "things from below". The man rambled on (somewhat hysterically) about having had lost his friend and having been imprisoned by the beasts of the mine, and he pleaded to be set free. Using Fhasys' handy-dandy crowbar, the two managed to apply enough leverage to break the gate open and the prisoner scurried away to safety.
Talos and Fhasys, slightly bruised by the kobold encounters but not at all dissuaded by the prisoner, decided to take a short rest before they press on.
Fhasys and Talos joined Dugan for breakfast and a bit of stern talk, but Talos' attention was soon drawn to a pair of townsfolk at the other end of the bar. The two men were talking about some old "haunted" mine nearby and goading each other on about how neither of them were man enough to go explore it. The Embershard mine was established during the founding days of Lehren and had initially provided a sizable surge of capital, but the money soon dried up as miners began to dissapear one by one into the depths. Soon after, Embershard was all but abandoned and now plays host to god-knows-what types of evil vermin.
Dugan gave the party a subtle warning to turn the ring back in, and when it appeared that they weren't going to cooperate, he ordered a search of their belongings. Fhasys had initially planted the ring in Talos' pack, but with this warning looming overhead she decided it'd be best to point out to Talos that he'd in fact stolen it. Summoning his mage hand, Talos decided it'd be best to get the ring out of both of their possessions and dropped it in the rooftop gutter of the Golden Coin. Needless to say, Dugan's search came up empty-handed... which, of course, only intensified his suspicion.
Shortly prior to this whole ring fiasco, Dugan had asked the duo to dispose of the giant ogre head--still laying in the dirt and tethered to a pony outside of the Golden Coin. Children had gathered around the decaying head and an old man was drawing sketches of the scene for tips. Talos, seeing an opportunity to immortalize himself, took advantage and obtained one for himself. Shortly thereafter, he hired the stable boy at the Golden Coin to haul the head off to a dump somewhere.
While they awaited the stable boy's return with Talos' pony, the duo went down to the local stables to speak with a young assistant who'd once paid a visit to the old mines. The boy nervously recounted his story to the best of his ability and provided basic directions should the party want to investigate. He obviously had zero desire to ever go back and sobbed at the memory of his childhood friend who never made it back from the exploration with him.
Using the intelligence gifted upon him by the Gods, Talos realized that they were now one pony short and decided to see if Dugan had another to offer. He did not. The stable boy (who was to dispose of the ogre head) was also nowhere to be found, so they decided to go find out what happened.
Riding off into the forest just SE of Lehren, they stumbled upon a small rock quarry with said pony standing all by his lonesome smack in the middle of the pit. Closer inspection revealed some blood-spatter trailing up the far ledge and missing saddlebags. As the two investigated the scene at the bottom of the pit, it became obvious that they were being watched... Climbing back out, they decided to try and sneak around the perimeter of the quarry to get the drop on whomever was spying on them, but the gnolls got the first shot. Fhasys took a glancing blow from a spear that was hurled out from the treeline and combat ensued. Eventually, the party disposed of four gnolls and discovered the eviscerated remains of the stable boy nearby. During the combat, one particularly ravenous gnoll decided to have some raw pony flesh for lunch so the duo, once again, rode back to town on a single mount.
Talos delivered the bad news about the stable boy to the barkeep at the Golden Coin (who said he'd notify the family) and then the two turned right back around to go find out what all the fuss is about at the Embershard mine. Though a bit difficult to find, the mine was right where the folks at the tavern had said it was... some 15mi along the Deepvine river heading SW toward the coast. The going became quite difficult as they approached the mine, forcing the party to dismount and walk their ponies along a crude, ill-maintained path. After a lengthy search, Fhasys finally found the opening to the mine overgrown with vegetation and they crawled inside.
The mine entrance was dark and the air stagnant as expected for a long-since abandoned tunnel. Fhasys took the lead just outside of Talos' well-lit sword's light radius and she quickly came upon the first signs of life... A pile of rubble with a smashed body beneath. Fhasys also discovered the makings of a tripwire and post jutting out of the rubble, so the two decided to do a bit more "active" searching as they descend further into the mines. After finding an old dusty ladder descending down to the next level, Talos decided to use some rope to try and secure their climb down... just in case. Fhasys nimbly slid down the latter with little commotion, but Talos lost his grip and came crashing down on top of Fhasys at the bottom of the ladder.
The second floor's layout seemed fairly straightforward--a simple main shaft with branches at every 20' or so--and Talos did his best to map their findings. In their exploration of the first set of branches, the party found a small group of kobolds and dispatched them without too much trouble. In the second set of branches, they again found a couple more kobolds ripe for the picking. In the third set of branches, the not-so-subtle sound of snoring could be heard.
Fhasys approached cautiously and, in the grainy monochrome light of her darkvision saw a human sleeping behind rusted bars on a crude hay mat. The prisoner, badly beaten and emaciated, seemed quite traumatized and feared the return of "them"... the "things from below". The man rambled on (somewhat hysterically) about having had lost his friend and having been imprisoned by the beasts of the mine, and he pleaded to be set free. Using Fhasys' handy-dandy crowbar, the two managed to apply enough leverage to break the gate open and the prisoner scurried away to safety.
Talos and Fhasys, slightly bruised by the kobold encounters but not at all dissuaded by the prisoner, decided to take a short rest before they press on.
Friday, September 12, 2014
Episode 1, "Trouble in Lehren"
The story begins in the peaceful lakeside hamlet of Lehren, nestled on the southern shores of Lake Saun in the Kingdom of Erenon. Two recruits from the Lehren militia, sent on a typical scouting mission to report on local disturbances in the northwestern farmlands, have failed to return and the headmaster is growing concerned. Being a somewhat "tame" and docile little town, Lehren doesn't see much action and thus hasn't staffed the militia to appropriate levels. However, fate has it that two fine young adventurers just happen to be passing through...
Talos, a brilliant-yet-snobby young wizard of Elven descent, has chosen Lehren as his first stop in his quest to unravel the mysteries of a small, smoke-filled glass orb he'd recently obtained. A small curio shoppe, such as the one in Lehren, just might be the place to pick some brains. Sadly, the shoppe owner knew nothing save for pointing Talos in a new direction--Reeser Cloudlake in the city of Quanlo. Having the rest of the day to ponder the meaning of life, the universe, and everything, Talos decided to take a stroll through town. Upon crossing a small, dirt side road, he caught movement out of the corner of his eye and decided to investigate. Talos had spotted an unusually quick and shadowy figure darting around the side of one of the more "noble" establishments of Lehren.
Fhasys, a deft yet vengeful young rogue of some Elven descent, had just stepped out into the daylight after what struck her as the most useless thieve's guild meeting she'd ever attended. Not only was the meeting sparsely attended (how many thieves does a hamlet really need, anyway), but they were all clearly far below her level of skill and expertise. She'd provided some tips and pointers on the finer skills of stealth but soon decided to move on... to stealing stuff. Winding her way through the town's various dirt roads and back-alleys, Fhasys stumbled upon quite possibly the most "upscale" home in all of Lehren--which wasn't saying much. She poked her way around the building looking for signs of life (and open windows), and eventually found one that she could slip into.
Talos was chasing a ghost, and one that barely held his curiosity... but it was better than getting drunk this early in the day. He followed the shadowy figure around one side of the home and then the other, finally stopping to watch her slip into a window. Shrugging his shoulders, he figured this sort of business was best left alone and made his way to the Golden Coin--the local inn and tavern. On the way, he was approached by a messenger and handed a letter... from none other than the headmaster of the local guild.
Managing to avoid detection of the home's single inhabitant, Fhasys unlocked and explored two rooms in the house for goodies. She left with a small wooden lock-box and a couple pairs of fancy clothes which she flipped at the local curio shop for a few gold. Seeing nothing of real value, she decided to head down the block to the Golden Coin as well for a drink. On the way, she was approached by a messenger.
The scene in the Golden Coin was that of absolute mellowness... Nothing, in particular, was going on anywhere. To celebrate her new found wealth, Fhasys bought a round for all four strangers at the bar; including a fancily-dressed elf sitting in a dark corner drinking some fancy wine. The elf, obviously, refused the vastly inferior drink. Taking it personally (as she usually does), Fhasys confronted the elf with a flying mug. Talos deftly dodged and landed next to her at the bar. What happens when an elitist meets a girl with a chip on her shoulder? Nothing good, I tell you.
Fhasys and Talos finally agreed to stop arguing and they were soon visited by the militia headmaster, Dugan Steinland. Some local farmsteads in the outskirts of town had been reporting disturbances, and the last batch of recruits sent to scout the area have not returned. For a handful of gold, they agreed to investigate.
After some while of walking the fields, the duo came across a badly damaged farm house owned by the Fetterman family. Smoke billowed from one side of the building where a huge gouge was dug out of the upper-floors. Talos discerned some rather large footprints in the grass while Fhasys moved closer to scope the situation. Inside, they encountered a group of mean-spirited bandits (which they dispatched with some difficulty) and then decided to head back for their reward. Actually, Fhasys decided to head back as Talos, at this point, was lying unconscious on the back of her horse.
Reward collected but with no news of the recruits, Dugan urged them to continue their search. More gold was offered, and accepted, as well as two ponies. Talos and Fhasys got in some more bickering at the Golden Coin before turning in for the night. Before going to sleep, Fhasys demolished her new found lock box to discover a small silver ring, embellished with an amethyst.
The next morning, they set off back toward the Fetterman farmstead following a crudely drawn map Fhasys had found on one of the bandits. After quite a long ride toward the foothills of Mount Ayrah, they encountered a sleeping giant... literally. The party snuck up on Grum'glum (the ogre) and, once within range, loosed an arrow in its direction. Unfortunately, the arrow missed--landing in a nearby bush--and awoke the beast. The ensuing battle was frightening, to say the least, involving a humongous javelin toss, constant "running away" behavior by Talos, and a club-slam that launched Fhasys into the air knocking her unconscious. Eventually, they managed to slay Grum'glum and search its cave.
In a huge, iron cauldron they found the skeletal remains of two people--assumed to be the missing recruits--and a silver token emblazoned with the symbol of a raven. Fhasys rode on the back of Talos' pony this time, and after a bit of healing they were granted another reward and thanked by Dugan for work well-done. The town of Lehren can rest easy knowing that nothing will ever happen again to disturb their peace... ever. Never ever. Again.
Talos, a brilliant-yet-snobby young wizard of Elven descent, has chosen Lehren as his first stop in his quest to unravel the mysteries of a small, smoke-filled glass orb he'd recently obtained. A small curio shoppe, such as the one in Lehren, just might be the place to pick some brains. Sadly, the shoppe owner knew nothing save for pointing Talos in a new direction--Reeser Cloudlake in the city of Quanlo. Having the rest of the day to ponder the meaning of life, the universe, and everything, Talos decided to take a stroll through town. Upon crossing a small, dirt side road, he caught movement out of the corner of his eye and decided to investigate. Talos had spotted an unusually quick and shadowy figure darting around the side of one of the more "noble" establishments of Lehren.
Fhasys, a deft yet vengeful young rogue of some Elven descent, had just stepped out into the daylight after what struck her as the most useless thieve's guild meeting she'd ever attended. Not only was the meeting sparsely attended (how many thieves does a hamlet really need, anyway), but they were all clearly far below her level of skill and expertise. She'd provided some tips and pointers on the finer skills of stealth but soon decided to move on... to stealing stuff. Winding her way through the town's various dirt roads and back-alleys, Fhasys stumbled upon quite possibly the most "upscale" home in all of Lehren--which wasn't saying much. She poked her way around the building looking for signs of life (and open windows), and eventually found one that she could slip into.
Talos was chasing a ghost, and one that barely held his curiosity... but it was better than getting drunk this early in the day. He followed the shadowy figure around one side of the home and then the other, finally stopping to watch her slip into a window. Shrugging his shoulders, he figured this sort of business was best left alone and made his way to the Golden Coin--the local inn and tavern. On the way, he was approached by a messenger and handed a letter... from none other than the headmaster of the local guild.
Managing to avoid detection of the home's single inhabitant, Fhasys unlocked and explored two rooms in the house for goodies. She left with a small wooden lock-box and a couple pairs of fancy clothes which she flipped at the local curio shop for a few gold. Seeing nothing of real value, she decided to head down the block to the Golden Coin as well for a drink. On the way, she was approached by a messenger.
The scene in the Golden Coin was that of absolute mellowness... Nothing, in particular, was going on anywhere. To celebrate her new found wealth, Fhasys bought a round for all four strangers at the bar; including a fancily-dressed elf sitting in a dark corner drinking some fancy wine. The elf, obviously, refused the vastly inferior drink. Taking it personally (as she usually does), Fhasys confronted the elf with a flying mug. Talos deftly dodged and landed next to her at the bar. What happens when an elitist meets a girl with a chip on her shoulder? Nothing good, I tell you.
Fhasys and Talos finally agreed to stop arguing and they were soon visited by the militia headmaster, Dugan Steinland. Some local farmsteads in the outskirts of town had been reporting disturbances, and the last batch of recruits sent to scout the area have not returned. For a handful of gold, they agreed to investigate.
After some while of walking the fields, the duo came across a badly damaged farm house owned by the Fetterman family. Smoke billowed from one side of the building where a huge gouge was dug out of the upper-floors. Talos discerned some rather large footprints in the grass while Fhasys moved closer to scope the situation. Inside, they encountered a group of mean-spirited bandits (which they dispatched with some difficulty) and then decided to head back for their reward. Actually, Fhasys decided to head back as Talos, at this point, was lying unconscious on the back of her horse.
Reward collected but with no news of the recruits, Dugan urged them to continue their search. More gold was offered, and accepted, as well as two ponies. Talos and Fhasys got in some more bickering at the Golden Coin before turning in for the night. Before going to sleep, Fhasys demolished her new found lock box to discover a small silver ring, embellished with an amethyst.
The next morning, they set off back toward the Fetterman farmstead following a crudely drawn map Fhasys had found on one of the bandits. After quite a long ride toward the foothills of Mount Ayrah, they encountered a sleeping giant... literally. The party snuck up on Grum'glum (the ogre) and, once within range, loosed an arrow in its direction. Unfortunately, the arrow missed--landing in a nearby bush--and awoke the beast. The ensuing battle was frightening, to say the least, involving a humongous javelin toss, constant "running away" behavior by Talos, and a club-slam that launched Fhasys into the air knocking her unconscious. Eventually, they managed to slay Grum'glum and search its cave.
In a huge, iron cauldron they found the skeletal remains of two people--assumed to be the missing recruits--and a silver token emblazoned with the symbol of a raven. Fhasys rode on the back of Talos' pony this time, and after a bit of healing they were granted another reward and thanked by Dugan for work well-done. The town of Lehren can rest easy knowing that nothing will ever happen again to disturb their peace... ever. Never ever. Again.
The Story of Talos
Talos Aldaron was born in a small Elven village on one of the smaller islands between Nightfalls Island and the City of the Steel Lotus. Talos' tribe of Elves had been guardians of the island for several thousands of years, allowing only creatures that did not upset the balance on the island to migrate or settle there. When Talos was a young child, the village elders' egos swelled and they lost touch with an evil growing on the island. The Elves believed themselves to be too powerful to be overcome by the trolls, giants, and orcs on the island because they were disorganized and fragmented; that is until a powerful mage appeared.
The creatures eventually overcame his tribe, reducing the village to ash and slaughtering the majority of his people. Talos tried to take up arms against the invaders but he was not prepared for the onslaught. After the slaughter, his mother and father were never found. When Talos came to, he was being driven to a slave market to be sold to a powerful sorcerer's estate. The remaining members of his tribe (including his brother and sister), also taken to market, were dispersed among the various bidders.
After learning of Talos' arcane Elvish bloodline, the sorcerer who'd purchased Talos had originally planned to rend his physical form into components for magical rituals and potions. Upon reflection, the sorcerer instead decided to model him in his image as an apprentice. After living as a servant in the fields of the sorcerer's estate, the young apprentice came of age and his master sought a new apprentice. He brought Talos and several other children to a large hall where various magic items were strewn about and then summoned several large bears and wolves to attack them. Many of the children were ripped apart in a matter of seconds before they even realized what was going on. Talos dodged several of the attacks and managed to grab a wand. With the threat of death looming, he was able to channel a few simple spells from the wand blinding and confusing the animals. The sorcerer, realizing the potential in Talos, ordered the animals to stand down. The few remaining survivors were ordered back to the fields, some severely crippled by their wounds.
Unknown to Talos, centuries prior to his village's invasion and his own abduction, his master had made a pact with an evil being of great power from another plane in hopes of power and longevity. This demon soon returned to collect on his debts, enslaving Talos' former master and slaughtering everyone in the estate. Amidst the chaos, Talos fled east into the Glitter Flame desert in search of sanctuary and a new beginning.
The creatures eventually overcame his tribe, reducing the village to ash and slaughtering the majority of his people. Talos tried to take up arms against the invaders but he was not prepared for the onslaught. After the slaughter, his mother and father were never found. When Talos came to, he was being driven to a slave market to be sold to a powerful sorcerer's estate. The remaining members of his tribe (including his brother and sister), also taken to market, were dispersed among the various bidders.
After learning of Talos' arcane Elvish bloodline, the sorcerer who'd purchased Talos had originally planned to rend his physical form into components for magical rituals and potions. Upon reflection, the sorcerer instead decided to model him in his image as an apprentice. After living as a servant in the fields of the sorcerer's estate, the young apprentice came of age and his master sought a new apprentice. He brought Talos and several other children to a large hall where various magic items were strewn about and then summoned several large bears and wolves to attack them. Many of the children were ripped apart in a matter of seconds before they even realized what was going on. Talos dodged several of the attacks and managed to grab a wand. With the threat of death looming, he was able to channel a few simple spells from the wand blinding and confusing the animals. The sorcerer, realizing the potential in Talos, ordered the animals to stand down. The few remaining survivors were ordered back to the fields, some severely crippled by their wounds.
Unknown to Talos, centuries prior to his village's invasion and his own abduction, his master had made a pact with an evil being of great power from another plane in hopes of power and longevity. This demon soon returned to collect on his debts, enslaving Talos' former master and slaughtering everyone in the estate. Amidst the chaos, Talos fled east into the Glitter Flame desert in search of sanctuary and a new beginning.
The Story of Fhasys
Fhasys Kittouch was born to the owner of a brothel in Cherak, a lonely port city on the coast. Obviously, she was a ‘mistake’. The brothel was quite successful due to its strategic location and reputation, owned by a woman with the willingness to accommodate any need no matter how depraved. Needless to say, there was a lot of turnover at this brothel. The owner, Sybil, was a perfect business-person - smart, ambitious, lacking in moral character and an expert manipulator. She was also quite meticulous and calculating, so it came as a shock when she learned that her ex-boyfriend-turned-psycho-stalker Elf had managed to knock her up before they split. Sybil went into complete denial which lasted right up until she was about to pop, by which time it was too late to do anything about. Fhasys was born.
She was an awful baby, which wasn't surprising considering her gene pool, nor did it help any that Sybil wanted nothing to do with her. She wasn’t a particularly attractive child, though she was smart and curious. She had no siblings to play with growing up, and Sybil kept her home from school to avoid dealing with Half-Elf haters. She hired tutors who were qualified enough, but not exactly friendly. Fhasys didn’t mind though, she was always lost in her own world-- dark and shadowy, yet somehow comforting. Although Sybil was cold to her child, she enjoyed showing her off like a bizarre novelty to her wealthy patrons and friends. She hired the best dancers, musicians and acrobats to train Fhasys in all manners of performance. The young girl was enthralled with all of it as it was the only form of self-expression her mother would allow. Fhasys hated the way her mother treated herself and the desperate women she employed, but she learned the hard way not to speak out against her.
As Fhasys grew into a (surprisingly attractive) woman, Sybil’s attitude toward her went from that of a slight burden to a constant reminder of her own waning mortality. Her bitterness toward Fhaysis only grew worse over time, and when Fhaysis turned 19 she rashly decided to sell her in her annual concubine auction. This was the second time Sybil had ever made a mistake.
Fhasys, in a fit of rage, burned the brothel down--and Sybil with it. She never looked back. It was the beginning of a new life for her, with no one but herself to rely on and a newfound freedom she would never take for granted.
She was an awful baby, which wasn't surprising considering her gene pool, nor did it help any that Sybil wanted nothing to do with her. She wasn’t a particularly attractive child, though she was smart and curious. She had no siblings to play with growing up, and Sybil kept her home from school to avoid dealing with Half-Elf haters. She hired tutors who were qualified enough, but not exactly friendly. Fhasys didn’t mind though, she was always lost in her own world-- dark and shadowy, yet somehow comforting. Although Sybil was cold to her child, she enjoyed showing her off like a bizarre novelty to her wealthy patrons and friends. She hired the best dancers, musicians and acrobats to train Fhasys in all manners of performance. The young girl was enthralled with all of it as it was the only form of self-expression her mother would allow. Fhasys hated the way her mother treated herself and the desperate women she employed, but she learned the hard way not to speak out against her.
As Fhasys grew into a (surprisingly attractive) woman, Sybil’s attitude toward her went from that of a slight burden to a constant reminder of her own waning mortality. Her bitterness toward Fhaysis only grew worse over time, and when Fhaysis turned 19 she rashly decided to sell her in her annual concubine auction. This was the second time Sybil had ever made a mistake.
Fhasys, in a fit of rage, burned the brothel down--and Sybil with it. She never looked back. It was the beginning of a new life for her, with no one but herself to rely on and a newfound freedom she would never take for granted.
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