The power of disinformation can add spice to a campaign, especially when the disinformation is created and spread by PCs without DM help. (-:
Thank you, oh chronicler of campaigns!
The Shine of Blade and Stone
Re: The Shine of Blade and Stone
Enjoy the game
Re: The Shine of Blade and Stone
He strode over the rise as Ashan and Lemual were speaking of some Mistress Augustine, potions and having freinds in high places. Garlus knew nothing about any of that, he tuned it out. Later, Garlus would look back and think of his coming often. Who could have foreseen the events to unfold...perhaps the Masters at the college...perhaps divination was why Nephos carried with him something that would save the whole of the Marches in his pack. Why he did not speak of it, but carried the burden silently. Why he knew at what particular instance to use the....ah. But we are getting ahead of ourselves, aren't we?
Nephos appraoched the gate, dusting off his robes, muttering something or other about the damn mountain passes. Lemual and Ashan had moved toward the gate, feeling the time approach for leaving. Garlus still stood looking over the wall, sharpening the axe.
Greetings, if they could be called such, were passed betwixt each, the contestation of who's role was more important ensued....ending with Lemual stating "As you said, it would have been rather rude of us to delve into the ruins without you, as you feel this is your investigation, despite the fact that our orders are to retrieve one of our own."
Children.
Rathalan arrived soon after, greetings ensued again, talks of the "drunken elf" that had yet to show.
Warnings of "Watch your feet, I do not relish another faceful of poison, even if I have the potions to counter-act them" were made by Lemual, the ever present I have things that make me better than you tone. Garlus didn't mind. He'd come prepared himself.
They muddled about, exchanging words of no real content for a while. He grunted, then climbed down the stairs, approaching the group.
"Mayaps yeh wish tah dascuss stratagay, instead ah worryin ore ow taint ere. I ahd oped tah dah sah aforeahnd....thah whit yeh all gehttin ere sah late." Garlus snorted and muttered under his breath... Couldnah plan ahn invasian against five rabbats sittin ehn a cage ehf yeh gave ehm ten days...
Rathalan replied back that it would be likely that any plans made would be changed with the situation...a clear sign of ineptitude of leadership, and that he had not devoted anytime whotsoever to the planning of this operation.
And since that was the case, Garlus spoke up, directing his speech toward Lemual.
"Yer ehn froont ehs time lad, I tripped ehm last."
The last cave had not been fun for Garlus....the Helmites had sent Garlus ahead, using him to spring any traps along the way, protected with some spell. Though protected, he had not been comforted. And the Helmites would surely use him in the same capacity again if he did not speak up. After Lemual agreed, they finally discussed tactics. Lemual and Garlus, Nephos and Ashan, and Rathalan watching their backsides.
Garlus then prodded for other goals beyond rescuing the missing Helmite Officer, if indeed he were under. Of coarse, as no one had any other goals besides Nephos, who kept his to himself beyond stating research and investigation, Garlus spoke up about the Halforc female.
Coravia came up at that moment though, and those talks were abandoned at his words.
"I passed what looked like half the legion and a small army of spell guards and clergy at the fourth peak camp on my way here....is there something more then I know about to happen?"
Rathalan replied..."They expect the destruction of this expedition. My orders are to succeed."
And then Grimstadh came from his perch...the Cheif of Settlestone. Grimstadh, the enormous Dwarf....half-dwarf to be precise. Fathered of a dwarf and Mothered of the Orckin Garlus sought to save. Grim feared his mother dead within the cave itself. And he was enraged now.
"What's all this!" he boomed. "I'll nae have it! Get ye gone! Get ye back t' yer flatlands! Garlus, what be ye aboot here?"
Garlus answered the only way he could in front of the others. "Ehs lahds beh lookin fer uhn ah ere oon."
"Garlus, ye'll tell 'em! Tis foolishness! Blather!"
Lemual responded well for once. "Chief Grimstadh, with all do respect to you and your kin, would you leave one of your own behind in the hands of the enemy? We cannot, and will not."
The Faenor came and gave his blessing. More to the Helmites than anyone, Garlus later realized. As if to add insult to injury, Lemual spake in dwarven, giving the Soul-forger's and Hearth-warmers blessing on Settlestone.
Worse, Grimstadh called out as they left. "I promise ye, Garlus. If ye do this thing, ye'll ne'err be friend here again!
And the lot of ye!"
Oh yes, the Helmites plotted his downfall from the start, Rathalans words that made little sense to Garlus at the time would come back to gnaw at him later.... "The reign of Grimstadh shant be long I forsee". Yes, the power-addled son of a bitch planned it from the start. Because he could, and no other reason.
The six started out toward the cave nearby, skirting the mountains that separated the valley with the Black Raven tribe, a large and rather brutal tribe of mountain men. The party kept quiet, the last thing they needed was the tribe to come down on their heads...it was said that they had upwards of two hundred men grown enough to fight.
The Truemage and Rathalan spoke on weapon blessings as they travaled, Lemual throwing in something about acid or fire in flasks.
The wildlife of the Mountains came alive as they traveled, first a hungry mountain lion jumping from the rocks to tackle one of them from above, falling into the middle of the group and laying about them with its claws until it was put down, and close after a large pack of wolves, some wolves as large as the mountain lion had been. Though the Seekers of the Star, as they would later be known, tried to skirt the pack of wolves, the wolves seemed to skirt right along with them, closing the gap between and finally attacking. Again, it was not a hard pressed fight, as some were put to the sword and others beat until they fled with tails tucked....though Lemuals reference to them as kitty and doggy made Garlus wonder exactly how old the man really was.
As the party came close to the entrance of the fabled Star Tower, an Ancient Netherese School of magic also named the Star Court, they readied their weapons. It was known that the ground here was cursed, and that the dead walked it outside in great numbers. As they approached, both Rathalan and Ashan comented on the negative enrgy surrounding the place that made ones hair stand on end and want to grind ones teeth to dust. The skeletons of the outside charged...all easily dispatched by the band. They clambered down the side of the mountain into the outer ruins of what was once a place bustling with activity, possibly even a peice of one of the flying cities come down from the sky. Garlus didn't know how much he believed in the flying city talk...he thought some mages had made those stories up just to impress upon ordinary folk just how powerful and important magic, and thereby themselves, was.
There could be no mistake though. Something evil resided under the ground at this very spot. And it wasn't just a feeling. At the north end of the outside ruins lay an entrance...quite probably a mine entrance, since the veins of bluestone were so apparent. Now, bluestone in and of itself is not a valuable gem, like a Pearl or Garnet. But enough quantity, and it is worth mining. Garlus grinned slightly, there were at least ten carts showing on the surface alone. Worth mining for sure. His grin faded as he noticed the cliff face surrounding the mine entrance was covered in some moving red thing...as well as the black cloud that seemed to come right through the closed doors of the mine and suffuse the air with an extra darkness, more than an evening hour could explain.
Coravia approached the entrance. He called back..."Alright....there is a device in place that would paint the rocks red with blood if any of us stepped on it." But the rocks around the entrance were already painted with blood. Garlus moved closer to the entrance, but behind a boulder to be hidden, and inspected the red. The rocks appeared to be bleading...Not only that but Garlus could hear....scrapping behind the doors. And a distant....thumping...paced...large...verrrry large footsteps.
"Oi! Ware aht tha door!"
Rathalan heard it as well, and motioned everyone back. The party quickly spread back from the door, finding safety behind ruined walls of what must once have been a magnificent covered archway. There was a long, tense minute of nothing...before the doors flew open, and something the like of which Garlus had never seen seethed out of the doorways and formed itself...
Taller than two mens height together, an enormous flame wreathed shadow burst out of the opening, arching its head to the sky and belting a high shrill call to the fading light of the sun as it set in the background.
"DEVILRY!" Rathalan cried out, as Garlus himself murmered a quiet "Shite." The massive shadow approached Lemual and Rathalan, and the first true test was begun. Garlus grinned, and charged the beast from the side.
Nephos appraoched the gate, dusting off his robes, muttering something or other about the damn mountain passes. Lemual and Ashan had moved toward the gate, feeling the time approach for leaving. Garlus still stood looking over the wall, sharpening the axe.
Greetings, if they could be called such, were passed betwixt each, the contestation of who's role was more important ensued....ending with Lemual stating "As you said, it would have been rather rude of us to delve into the ruins without you, as you feel this is your investigation, despite the fact that our orders are to retrieve one of our own."
Children.
Rathalan arrived soon after, greetings ensued again, talks of the "drunken elf" that had yet to show.
Warnings of "Watch your feet, I do not relish another faceful of poison, even if I have the potions to counter-act them" were made by Lemual, the ever present I have things that make me better than you tone. Garlus didn't mind. He'd come prepared himself.
They muddled about, exchanging words of no real content for a while. He grunted, then climbed down the stairs, approaching the group.
"Mayaps yeh wish tah dascuss stratagay, instead ah worryin ore ow taint ere. I ahd oped tah dah sah aforeahnd....thah whit yeh all gehttin ere sah late." Garlus snorted and muttered under his breath... Couldnah plan ahn invasian against five rabbats sittin ehn a cage ehf yeh gave ehm ten days...
Rathalan replied back that it would be likely that any plans made would be changed with the situation...a clear sign of ineptitude of leadership, and that he had not devoted anytime whotsoever to the planning of this operation.
And since that was the case, Garlus spoke up, directing his speech toward Lemual.
"Yer ehn froont ehs time lad, I tripped ehm last."
The last cave had not been fun for Garlus....the Helmites had sent Garlus ahead, using him to spring any traps along the way, protected with some spell. Though protected, he had not been comforted. And the Helmites would surely use him in the same capacity again if he did not speak up. After Lemual agreed, they finally discussed tactics. Lemual and Garlus, Nephos and Ashan, and Rathalan watching their backsides.
Garlus then prodded for other goals beyond rescuing the missing Helmite Officer, if indeed he were under. Of coarse, as no one had any other goals besides Nephos, who kept his to himself beyond stating research and investigation, Garlus spoke up about the Halforc female.
Coravia came up at that moment though, and those talks were abandoned at his words.
"I passed what looked like half the legion and a small army of spell guards and clergy at the fourth peak camp on my way here....is there something more then I know about to happen?"
Rathalan replied..."They expect the destruction of this expedition. My orders are to succeed."
And then Grimstadh came from his perch...the Cheif of Settlestone. Grimstadh, the enormous Dwarf....half-dwarf to be precise. Fathered of a dwarf and Mothered of the Orckin Garlus sought to save. Grim feared his mother dead within the cave itself. And he was enraged now.
"What's all this!" he boomed. "I'll nae have it! Get ye gone! Get ye back t' yer flatlands! Garlus, what be ye aboot here?"
Garlus answered the only way he could in front of the others. "Ehs lahds beh lookin fer uhn ah ere oon."
"Garlus, ye'll tell 'em! Tis foolishness! Blather!"
Lemual responded well for once. "Chief Grimstadh, with all do respect to you and your kin, would you leave one of your own behind in the hands of the enemy? We cannot, and will not."
The Faenor came and gave his blessing. More to the Helmites than anyone, Garlus later realized. As if to add insult to injury, Lemual spake in dwarven, giving the Soul-forger's and Hearth-warmers blessing on Settlestone.
Worse, Grimstadh called out as they left. "I promise ye, Garlus. If ye do this thing, ye'll ne'err be friend here again!
And the lot of ye!"
Oh yes, the Helmites plotted his downfall from the start, Rathalans words that made little sense to Garlus at the time would come back to gnaw at him later.... "The reign of Grimstadh shant be long I forsee". Yes, the power-addled son of a bitch planned it from the start. Because he could, and no other reason.
The six started out toward the cave nearby, skirting the mountains that separated the valley with the Black Raven tribe, a large and rather brutal tribe of mountain men. The party kept quiet, the last thing they needed was the tribe to come down on their heads...it was said that they had upwards of two hundred men grown enough to fight.
The Truemage and Rathalan spoke on weapon blessings as they travaled, Lemual throwing in something about acid or fire in flasks.
The wildlife of the Mountains came alive as they traveled, first a hungry mountain lion jumping from the rocks to tackle one of them from above, falling into the middle of the group and laying about them with its claws until it was put down, and close after a large pack of wolves, some wolves as large as the mountain lion had been. Though the Seekers of the Star, as they would later be known, tried to skirt the pack of wolves, the wolves seemed to skirt right along with them, closing the gap between and finally attacking. Again, it was not a hard pressed fight, as some were put to the sword and others beat until they fled with tails tucked....though Lemuals reference to them as kitty and doggy made Garlus wonder exactly how old the man really was.
As the party came close to the entrance of the fabled Star Tower, an Ancient Netherese School of magic also named the Star Court, they readied their weapons. It was known that the ground here was cursed, and that the dead walked it outside in great numbers. As they approached, both Rathalan and Ashan comented on the negative enrgy surrounding the place that made ones hair stand on end and want to grind ones teeth to dust. The skeletons of the outside charged...all easily dispatched by the band. They clambered down the side of the mountain into the outer ruins of what was once a place bustling with activity, possibly even a peice of one of the flying cities come down from the sky. Garlus didn't know how much he believed in the flying city talk...he thought some mages had made those stories up just to impress upon ordinary folk just how powerful and important magic, and thereby themselves, was.
There could be no mistake though. Something evil resided under the ground at this very spot. And it wasn't just a feeling. At the north end of the outside ruins lay an entrance...quite probably a mine entrance, since the veins of bluestone were so apparent. Now, bluestone in and of itself is not a valuable gem, like a Pearl or Garnet. But enough quantity, and it is worth mining. Garlus grinned slightly, there were at least ten carts showing on the surface alone. Worth mining for sure. His grin faded as he noticed the cliff face surrounding the mine entrance was covered in some moving red thing...as well as the black cloud that seemed to come right through the closed doors of the mine and suffuse the air with an extra darkness, more than an evening hour could explain.
Coravia approached the entrance. He called back..."Alright....there is a device in place that would paint the rocks red with blood if any of us stepped on it." But the rocks around the entrance were already painted with blood. Garlus moved closer to the entrance, but behind a boulder to be hidden, and inspected the red. The rocks appeared to be bleading...Not only that but Garlus could hear....scrapping behind the doors. And a distant....thumping...paced...large...verrrry large footsteps.
"Oi! Ware aht tha door!"
Rathalan heard it as well, and motioned everyone back. The party quickly spread back from the door, finding safety behind ruined walls of what must once have been a magnificent covered archway. There was a long, tense minute of nothing...before the doors flew open, and something the like of which Garlus had never seen seethed out of the doorways and formed itself...
Taller than two mens height together, an enormous flame wreathed shadow burst out of the opening, arching its head to the sky and belting a high shrill call to the fading light of the sun as it set in the background.
"DEVILRY!" Rathalan cried out, as Garlus himself murmered a quiet "Shite." The massive shadow approached Lemual and Rathalan, and the first true test was begun. Garlus grinned, and charged the beast from the side.
Zyrus Meynolt: [Party] For the record, if this somehow blows up in our faces and I die, I want a raiseSwift wrote: Permadeath is only permadeath when the PCs wallet is empty.
<Castano>: danielnm - can you blame them?
<danielmn>: Yes,
<danielmn>: Easily.
"And in this twilight....our choices seal our fate"
Re: The Shine of Blade and Stone
The blows against the creature were many, and seemed to carve large chunks out of the shadow. Finally the Shadow beast gave a final massive roar as it errupted into the air, cinders flying first out and then in a vertical column back through the open doors before the doors slammed shut with a resounding boom. The elven Coravia slowly put his bow back across his shoulder while the gathered wide-eyed swordsmen slowly put their weapons back into their sheathes and loops. Nephos stared, curiosity and wonder clearly written on his face.
After a quiet moment, Lemual spoke up. "Well... that was certainly different... what in the nine-hells was it?"
Garlus responded in an awed whisper.. "Taint nere seen sech...."
Rathalan spoke up after a moment. "You may investigate now, Coravia." He then turned to look at the rest of the group.. "Be readied to come to his aid."
Ashan, just coming out of his own daze, spoke quietly "The shadow of all shadows." Meanwhile Coravia strode forward toward the doors. "Let me get on that trap so we can get going....you all may wish a step back.."
Garlus strode back to the boulder, watching Coravia's progress. The elf was toying with a line when his mistep settled on a hidden metal plate on the ground, covered by soil. A huge resounding boom, as the elf crumbled to the ground and blood oozed out of his ears echoed through the valley.
Garlus screamed out over the huge bell-like tones "RATH!" Lemual was already on point, dragging the elf back by his collar as Rathalan rushed to his aid. As Garlus turned to watch the appraoch from the Black Raven's camp, he saw Coravia slowly raise to his feet.
Garlus looked back after the tones had receeded. "Wholl, ehms nah weh beh ere nah..."
Rathalan nodded and spoke up in agreement "Any though of discretion in our entrance is gone."
Nephos eyed Garlus, noting the direction he was now facing. "And now every barbarian in the hills knows we are here. Let's get inside and hope they are superstitious."
Coravia, once recovered, stepped cautiously toward the doors, quickly slinging them open as he took position behind one. A few moments of waiting, nothing came. Coravia slowly strode inside.
During the wait, Garlus edged closer to the rocks. Indeed the mountain itself seemed to issue forth blood..the stones themselves bleeding. A whisper tugged at his mind, but quickly dissappeared. Movement caught his eyes, as a sling bullet arched out of the door and landed on the ground. Lemual picked up the bullet, removing a message tied to it, then proceeded into the doorway. The others followed closely behind, Nephos chalking the blood on the rocks up to discolored rainwater. The entrance was dank and dark...Garlus grinned as he entered under the hill...and then shuddered at the voices and noises that assailed his ears and mind.
After a quiet moment, Lemual spoke up. "Well... that was certainly different... what in the nine-hells was it?"
Garlus responded in an awed whisper.. "Taint nere seen sech...."
Rathalan spoke up after a moment. "You may investigate now, Coravia." He then turned to look at the rest of the group.. "Be readied to come to his aid."
Ashan, just coming out of his own daze, spoke quietly "The shadow of all shadows." Meanwhile Coravia strode forward toward the doors. "Let me get on that trap so we can get going....you all may wish a step back.."
Garlus strode back to the boulder, watching Coravia's progress. The elf was toying with a line when his mistep settled on a hidden metal plate on the ground, covered by soil. A huge resounding boom, as the elf crumbled to the ground and blood oozed out of his ears echoed through the valley.
Garlus screamed out over the huge bell-like tones "RATH!" Lemual was already on point, dragging the elf back by his collar as Rathalan rushed to his aid. As Garlus turned to watch the appraoch from the Black Raven's camp, he saw Coravia slowly raise to his feet.
Garlus looked back after the tones had receeded. "Wholl, ehms nah weh beh ere nah..."
Rathalan nodded and spoke up in agreement "Any though of discretion in our entrance is gone."
Nephos eyed Garlus, noting the direction he was now facing. "And now every barbarian in the hills knows we are here. Let's get inside and hope they are superstitious."
Coravia, once recovered, stepped cautiously toward the doors, quickly slinging them open as he took position behind one. A few moments of waiting, nothing came. Coravia slowly strode inside.
During the wait, Garlus edged closer to the rocks. Indeed the mountain itself seemed to issue forth blood..the stones themselves bleeding. A whisper tugged at his mind, but quickly dissappeared. Movement caught his eyes, as a sling bullet arched out of the door and landed on the ground. Lemual picked up the bullet, removing a message tied to it, then proceeded into the doorway. The others followed closely behind, Nephos chalking the blood on the rocks up to discolored rainwater. The entrance was dank and dark...Garlus grinned as he entered under the hill...and then shuddered at the voices and noises that assailed his ears and mind.
Zyrus Meynolt: [Party] For the record, if this somehow blows up in our faces and I die, I want a raiseSwift wrote: Permadeath is only permadeath when the PCs wallet is empty.
<Castano>: danielnm - can you blame them?
<danielmn>: Yes,
<danielmn>: Easily.
"And in this twilight....our choices seal our fate"
Re: The Shine of Blade and Stone
Garlus entered to the sound of battle, metal on metal..shouts and gutteral grunts and cries of pain and anguish. Things breaking, the murmering of mages, all seeming to peirce his mind at once. The entryway was but a small room with three openings into a larger hallway. The most immediate thing noticeable was the right door had completely caved in over time....then again, the dust was heavy in the air...perhaps the trap outside had caused the roof to cave in, sealing off the doorway. Nothing else was noticeable except for a statue between the right and front doorways, also crumbled with time, age, and possibly their help. The sounds slowly faded from his mind, as a slithering voice echoed breifly... "So, you can hear me dwarf...you......" The voice faded with the sounds of battle, till the sounds were only a small din in the back of his mind...present, but ignored without much effort. Coravia mentioned that he had disarmed some traps before the rest had entered, to be on the lookout for more. Ashan spoke up, saying the sounds they had heard might be remnants of the towers fall. Garlus didn't know what to believe, but he did know he wanted to do whatever it is they were going to do and get the fueges out of the ruins.
Garlus examined the statue a moment, definately human handwork. Lemual called to him from beyond the doorway...
"Come stand by me. we're the rock and the hard place, my stout friend. let us crush the enemy between us."
Of coarse he was full of heroics...it certainly wouldn't be him dying...his temple had probably given him an extra life and soul, and he probably had that safely tucked away among his things too.
Garlus stepped into the hall, which opened up in places...in fact, all three doorways from the entryway went into the same room....Just like a human to make three doorways for one room so invaders could split your forces and attack and break through easier....Humans thought of looks before they thought of practicality. Garlus didn't even have a mind for defence and already he began to count the things wrong....Ashan inspected some old tapestries on the wall, almost to the point of crumbling to ancient dust themselves to make Garlus sneeze and awaken hordes of orcs sleeping around the corner...
Rathalan pointed the way, to the left, as they started toward another barricaded door. All was ruined here, broken wood and stone littering the floor, every now and then a bone jutting out from something heavy that had fallen on top of whatever it had belonged to. Coravia strode forward and kneeled, finding yet another trap before the doorway. Lemual called back to Garlus in aggitation "Garlus! you're supposed to be up front, with me. Rathalan will cover the rear." Two minutes before, no one had been covering their backs, which is why Garlus had turned to focus behind them. He would bring that up, next he Saw Rathalan too eager and watching their fronts instead of their backs like he was supposed to be. It wouldn't be long, in fact.
Nephos spoke up... " This place has been so thoroughly destroyed that there is nothing of remote value here.
At least with Nephos, you knew exactly where his mind was.Lemual spoke in his own tongue to reassure him..."Just keep your mind on the goal, my friend, and a prayer on your lips." Tell that to your leader who isn't watching our asses like he is supposed to.
His mood worsened. At first he thought the elf mad, but it turned out Coravia wasn't talking to himself at all. Beyond the trap he had been working on and the doorway floated a shade between worlds. It spoke in moaning tones, but Garlus was too far away to hear what it said. Coravia looked back after speaking with the ...being...
"Alright gentlemen....the doorway is trapped with tangle wire I can not remove...it will likely trap in place anyone who steps on it....and the ghost there...she does not want us here." And Rathalan stepped forward with his sheild, and Garlus grinned.He called over to Lemual in Dwarven, "Who's watching our backsides now?"
Lemual looked back, and replied sullenly "Damn... i'll take the rear." Teach you to question what I'm doing.
Coravia began to slowly backtrack as the others, including Vorn, pushed forward toward the apparition. Even Lemual turned his attention back to the beings, so Garlus once again watched behind them, Coravia not far from his side. Nephos began to speak some hissing language to the apparition, the others murmering about something called Ilveroon. Garlus huffed, looking down the hallway to their back. "KEY", the apparition moaned. Garlus looked back, and swore under his breath. Nephos had actually managed to agitate an apparition. Not only was he a master at annoying the living with his superiority, his itching attitiude had now clearly crossed the realm of the living and had found its way to the realm of the nonliving...and the apparition looked as if it were just about ready to scratch. Nephos looked back worriedly to Ashan... "Key...what key?" Garlus cursed again under his breath...
It's all downhill from here....
The others began to question the ghost on the key as Garlus looked worriedly over his shoulder. "SHOW ME!" The ghost echoed...making Garlus head swing back around in it's direction. Nephas commented quietly "It demands a key. I do not know of what it refers to." And if you don't know, none of us know mage. The rest of us have been kept out of your loop.
"ENEMY! The tower must not fall!", the being wailed as it floated past the doorway. Next came Rathalans cry of "We are attacked!" If not for the sobering situation, Garlus would have spent the next five minutes on the floor laughing at the absurd obviousness of the statement. The "Leader" of the expidition...and that was all he could get out of his mouth. At least Ashan had sence enough to call out for them to fall back. As Garlus rounded on Nephos, intent on bringing whatever information the mage had not told yet to light, the same damn apparition came floating down the hall at them....again. Of coarse, leave it to Lemual to call out.... "Wait, we're not enemies of the Tower of the Star!" right after he had been in conflict with the same apparition.
The group backed past the entrance, and around a corner, the only other option. Ashan called out... "More traps."
Coravia vanished out of sight as the rest of the group eyed two hallways. With Coravia out of sight, two traps at the end of each of the new halls, and apparitions behind....Garlus was glad he had put on a fresh pair of undergarments.
Garlus examined the statue a moment, definately human handwork. Lemual called to him from beyond the doorway...
"Come stand by me. we're the rock and the hard place, my stout friend. let us crush the enemy between us."
Of coarse he was full of heroics...it certainly wouldn't be him dying...his temple had probably given him an extra life and soul, and he probably had that safely tucked away among his things too.
Garlus stepped into the hall, which opened up in places...in fact, all three doorways from the entryway went into the same room....Just like a human to make three doorways for one room so invaders could split your forces and attack and break through easier....Humans thought of looks before they thought of practicality. Garlus didn't even have a mind for defence and already he began to count the things wrong....Ashan inspected some old tapestries on the wall, almost to the point of crumbling to ancient dust themselves to make Garlus sneeze and awaken hordes of orcs sleeping around the corner...
Rathalan pointed the way, to the left, as they started toward another barricaded door. All was ruined here, broken wood and stone littering the floor, every now and then a bone jutting out from something heavy that had fallen on top of whatever it had belonged to. Coravia strode forward and kneeled, finding yet another trap before the doorway. Lemual called back to Garlus in aggitation "Garlus! you're supposed to be up front, with me. Rathalan will cover the rear." Two minutes before, no one had been covering their backs, which is why Garlus had turned to focus behind them. He would bring that up, next he Saw Rathalan too eager and watching their fronts instead of their backs like he was supposed to be. It wouldn't be long, in fact.
Nephos spoke up... " This place has been so thoroughly destroyed that there is nothing of remote value here.
At least with Nephos, you knew exactly where his mind was.Lemual spoke in his own tongue to reassure him..."Just keep your mind on the goal, my friend, and a prayer on your lips." Tell that to your leader who isn't watching our asses like he is supposed to.
His mood worsened. At first he thought the elf mad, but it turned out Coravia wasn't talking to himself at all. Beyond the trap he had been working on and the doorway floated a shade between worlds. It spoke in moaning tones, but Garlus was too far away to hear what it said. Coravia looked back after speaking with the ...being...
"Alright gentlemen....the doorway is trapped with tangle wire I can not remove...it will likely trap in place anyone who steps on it....and the ghost there...she does not want us here." And Rathalan stepped forward with his sheild, and Garlus grinned.He called over to Lemual in Dwarven, "Who's watching our backsides now?"
Lemual looked back, and replied sullenly "Damn... i'll take the rear." Teach you to question what I'm doing.
Coravia began to slowly backtrack as the others, including Vorn, pushed forward toward the apparition. Even Lemual turned his attention back to the beings, so Garlus once again watched behind them, Coravia not far from his side. Nephos began to speak some hissing language to the apparition, the others murmering about something called Ilveroon. Garlus huffed, looking down the hallway to their back. "KEY", the apparition moaned. Garlus looked back, and swore under his breath. Nephos had actually managed to agitate an apparition. Not only was he a master at annoying the living with his superiority, his itching attitiude had now clearly crossed the realm of the living and had found its way to the realm of the nonliving...and the apparition looked as if it were just about ready to scratch. Nephos looked back worriedly to Ashan... "Key...what key?" Garlus cursed again under his breath...
It's all downhill from here....
The others began to question the ghost on the key as Garlus looked worriedly over his shoulder. "SHOW ME!" The ghost echoed...making Garlus head swing back around in it's direction. Nephas commented quietly "It demands a key. I do not know of what it refers to." And if you don't know, none of us know mage. The rest of us have been kept out of your loop.
"ENEMY! The tower must not fall!", the being wailed as it floated past the doorway. Next came Rathalans cry of "We are attacked!" If not for the sobering situation, Garlus would have spent the next five minutes on the floor laughing at the absurd obviousness of the statement. The "Leader" of the expidition...and that was all he could get out of his mouth. At least Ashan had sence enough to call out for them to fall back. As Garlus rounded on Nephos, intent on bringing whatever information the mage had not told yet to light, the same damn apparition came floating down the hall at them....again. Of coarse, leave it to Lemual to call out.... "Wait, we're not enemies of the Tower of the Star!" right after he had been in conflict with the same apparition.
The group backed past the entrance, and around a corner, the only other option. Ashan called out... "More traps."
Coravia vanished out of sight as the rest of the group eyed two hallways. With Coravia out of sight, two traps at the end of each of the new halls, and apparitions behind....Garlus was glad he had put on a fresh pair of undergarments.
Zyrus Meynolt: [Party] For the record, if this somehow blows up in our faces and I die, I want a raiseSwift wrote: Permadeath is only permadeath when the PCs wallet is empty.
<Castano>: danielnm - can you blame them?
<danielmn>: Yes,
<danielmn>: Easily.
"And in this twilight....our choices seal our fate"
Re: The Shine of Blade and Stone
As the rest contented themselves with examining the far hallway, at the end of which were stairs and a door down, Garlus followed the taping noise. It had begun only seconds earlier, something tapping on the other side of the wall on his left. Rath heard as well...and just now noticed Coravia gone. "Where is the elf?" Garlus sighed in resignation...and accepted the fact that the expedition was not going to go the way he would like for it to go. There was nothing he could do about it but accept it, and do what he must. Coravia should know better, and Rathalan should be keeping a clearer mind as to where his charges were. The Helmites debated for a moment, deciding in the end that yes, they both heard a tapping. Meanwhile, Garlus followed the tapping sound, pulling out his axe and tapping on the wall in return. As the tapping turned to thumping, a crusted over bloodstain could be seen on the floor, with drag marks suggestive of something being dragged near the wall.. Ashan spoke up. "It's Coravia...he said...Pillar?" Lemual began searching around one of the pillars, Garlus did the same to the stone pillar near him. Lemual soon found a hollow stone that could be pushed into the pillar, making a portion of the stone wall in front of them slowly clank down, revealing..more stone. As the Helmites stepped toward the lowered door, the stones behind parted as well, for only a breif moment. A small downward chute appeared. Nephos wisely suggested someone remain behind incase the mechanism needed to be reopened.
Nephos entered as Garlus and Lemual tried to jam the switch that opened the doorway and chute, to no avail.
Rathalan called in forcefully, "Speak in detail your findings, both of you!"
Coravia called back...a portal was all. Rathalan asked if there was a key present. Coravia responded in jest.."If there was a key, coin lasses or anything else I would tell you.." Garlus grinned slightly, and waited for Rathalans orders. Lemual tried to jam the passage open...with a thousand year old chair...the success of which was about as triumphant as trying to kill a giant by throwing a pebble at it. At least the lad has the right idea...
The apparition could be heard again, moaning low of intruders as Ashan, Lemual and Rathalan pondered whether to enter behind Nephos, or to remain outside of the room. Garlus saw little choice, with Coravia in the hidden portal room down the chute with no way of climbing back up, there was no proceeding forward unless the traps were deliberately sprung...
The Helmites wandered off to search the area for any telling clues, leaving Ashan and Garlus at the entrance.
They came back with reports of the downward passage being trapped...and the three began speaking of a tome. One more thing Garlus knew nothing about...further instilling his silence. The rest obviously had more information than he of the place...best to just follow along and swing when the time came.
The apparition came into sight in the doorway behind them. "Readay yer blades!"
They all stood waiting. Garlus pursed his lips... "Semuhn make ah call, eh?"
One choice or another, just make one and stick with it.
Rathalan responded, "It is my command."
Then make a call, be the leader you are supposed to be, and quit being indecisive...
"I shall pass the pillar. Any who wish not to pass it with may be excused service."
Finally.
The four entered, dropping down the chute around ten feet, into a round room. An archway decorated the center of the room, the inside of the archway shimmering slightly. Otherwise, the room was bare. The portal itself has scribings on it....otherwise, the room was undecorated.
As they arranged themselves, Rathalan finally spoke as a leader. "There is only forward now."
Nephos retorted sardonically.. "Indeed. I suggest you go first Helmite."
"I shall."
Lemual responded "I'll be right at your side, sir."
The Helmites and Nephos stepped through the portal...and Garlus grinned. All of their belongings sat on the floor.
"Fook."
Coravia, with a grin to match, looked to Garlus. "Think they are laying naked on the glacier?" Garlus ran a hand through his locked hair as he nodded. The three, like Silverblade before them, were probably freezing out on the glacier.
Ashan looked over to them. "I hope there is a portal at the othe side."
Garlus replied... "Yeh cen cem back fer meh."
Coravia immediately began going through the belongings of Nephos.
Ashan replied, "There is not much we can do...We must follow."
Ashan stepped through, all of his belongings being shed to the floor.
Garlus looked over to Coravia as Coravia moved over to Rathalans belongings, then grunted.
"Yeh beh goin ferst afore meh, I taint leavin yeh ere whit meh balongins." The elf grinned, as Garlus began searching the wall. It was not long before he found something of interest. Near the stone chute was a stone set into the wall, a stone different than the other stones. A large bluestone. Coravia continued to inspect the item as Garlus first wiggled, then swung the stone from its purchase. The stones of the steep, slick chute slowly turned...revealing on the opposite side steps upward. Garlus looked back to Coravia, who just stared at the exit.
"Gathah ehms thins ahn lehts geht tah footin lahd....eht's ah bit oh ah hike whit all ehs stuff tah Fourthpeak."
Out on the Ice, four naked, angry men, three of which whom were very prideful, trudged through the snow and ice, naked, to Fourthpeak.
Garlus grinned at the thought, then gave a prayer to Dumathoin for their safety. His eyes caught Nephos's book...and his grin widened. He would hear something he had never heard the mage say, before he gave it back.
The two who had found SIlverblade alone, naked on the ice, slowly trudged out of the ruins, laden with a fortune worth of equipment.
Nephos entered as Garlus and Lemual tried to jam the switch that opened the doorway and chute, to no avail.
Rathalan called in forcefully, "Speak in detail your findings, both of you!"
Coravia called back...a portal was all. Rathalan asked if there was a key present. Coravia responded in jest.."If there was a key, coin lasses or anything else I would tell you.." Garlus grinned slightly, and waited for Rathalans orders. Lemual tried to jam the passage open...with a thousand year old chair...the success of which was about as triumphant as trying to kill a giant by throwing a pebble at it. At least the lad has the right idea...
The apparition could be heard again, moaning low of intruders as Ashan, Lemual and Rathalan pondered whether to enter behind Nephos, or to remain outside of the room. Garlus saw little choice, with Coravia in the hidden portal room down the chute with no way of climbing back up, there was no proceeding forward unless the traps were deliberately sprung...
The Helmites wandered off to search the area for any telling clues, leaving Ashan and Garlus at the entrance.
They came back with reports of the downward passage being trapped...and the three began speaking of a tome. One more thing Garlus knew nothing about...further instilling his silence. The rest obviously had more information than he of the place...best to just follow along and swing when the time came.
The apparition came into sight in the doorway behind them. "Readay yer blades!"
They all stood waiting. Garlus pursed his lips... "Semuhn make ah call, eh?"
One choice or another, just make one and stick with it.
Rathalan responded, "It is my command."
Then make a call, be the leader you are supposed to be, and quit being indecisive...
"I shall pass the pillar. Any who wish not to pass it with may be excused service."
Finally.
The four entered, dropping down the chute around ten feet, into a round room. An archway decorated the center of the room, the inside of the archway shimmering slightly. Otherwise, the room was bare. The portal itself has scribings on it....otherwise, the room was undecorated.
As they arranged themselves, Rathalan finally spoke as a leader. "There is only forward now."
Nephos retorted sardonically.. "Indeed. I suggest you go first Helmite."
"I shall."
Lemual responded "I'll be right at your side, sir."
The Helmites and Nephos stepped through the portal...and Garlus grinned. All of their belongings sat on the floor.
"Fook."
Coravia, with a grin to match, looked to Garlus. "Think they are laying naked on the glacier?" Garlus ran a hand through his locked hair as he nodded. The three, like Silverblade before them, were probably freezing out on the glacier.
Ashan looked over to them. "I hope there is a portal at the othe side."
Garlus replied... "Yeh cen cem back fer meh."
Coravia immediately began going through the belongings of Nephos.
Ashan replied, "There is not much we can do...We must follow."
Ashan stepped through, all of his belongings being shed to the floor.
Garlus looked over to Coravia as Coravia moved over to Rathalans belongings, then grunted.
"Yeh beh goin ferst afore meh, I taint leavin yeh ere whit meh balongins." The elf grinned, as Garlus began searching the wall. It was not long before he found something of interest. Near the stone chute was a stone set into the wall, a stone different than the other stones. A large bluestone. Coravia continued to inspect the item as Garlus first wiggled, then swung the stone from its purchase. The stones of the steep, slick chute slowly turned...revealing on the opposite side steps upward. Garlus looked back to Coravia, who just stared at the exit.
"Gathah ehms thins ahn lehts geht tah footin lahd....eht's ah bit oh ah hike whit all ehs stuff tah Fourthpeak."
Out on the Ice, four naked, angry men, three of which whom were very prideful, trudged through the snow and ice, naked, to Fourthpeak.
Garlus grinned at the thought, then gave a prayer to Dumathoin for their safety. His eyes caught Nephos's book...and his grin widened. He would hear something he had never heard the mage say, before he gave it back.
The two who had found SIlverblade alone, naked on the ice, slowly trudged out of the ruins, laden with a fortune worth of equipment.
Zyrus Meynolt: [Party] For the record, if this somehow blows up in our faces and I die, I want a raiseSwift wrote: Permadeath is only permadeath when the PCs wallet is empty.
<Castano>: danielnm - can you blame them?
<danielmn>: Yes,
<danielmn>: Easily.
"And in this twilight....our choices seal our fate"
Re: The Shine of Blade and Stone
*sigh* Good times. Thanks for immortalizing these memories, Dan!
Enjoy the game
Re: The Shine of Blade and Stone
Garlus cracked his eyes open, slightly. The cold stone floor beneath had made for a horrible bed...nevermind the damn noises....the creaking of the suspended boats, the lapping of the water below....the whimpering and mad cackling of Nephos as he rocked back and forth wild eyed. Nephos....
They stood near the trap that blocked there progress down. Lemual and Ashan inspected the trap, determining it was of the same type that was outside. Garlus would have to study on traps himself, he could not tell one from another. Nephos spoke up... "The ruin has survived hundreds of years, it can survive a minor audible disturbance."
Lemual proceeded, bringing an axe to bare. He quickly found his way to a pillar, as did the others after they saw him move. The first throw clanked against the preasure plate on the floor, and a loud resoundin BOOM echoed through the chamber. Garlus covered his face with his arms as rock and dirt poured down from above, striking him and the others. The earth shook mightily for moments, and Garlus prayed Dumathoin spare his life...especially for not speaking up on just how bad of an idea tripping that trap was. He had given up trying to stear though...merely a tool now, merely a blade. The stone and dirt rained down, partially burying him. Garlus remained with his face covered by his arms. The rumbling stopped, and the dust swirled in the air. The rest began to crawl out from under what had fallen, the dirt and dust making them earily appear like apparitions themselves. The stairs down were now caved in, and the hallway to the portal room partially as well. Brilliant idea...brilliant.
Nephos stared ahead into the watery cavern, his hands bound behind his back as he lay on his side. He looked like...Silverblade.
They rose and fell back to reasure the Legion and Spellguard outside. Rathalan still had his mind on that damned room the apparitions had come from. There was nothing in the room except for more rubble, but Rathalan insisted on waisting more time picking through it. Garlus sighed, but accepted. He was in no hurry now. "If we find nothing after dutiful efforts then I will again consider the portal." They went back to the entrance to tell the rest gathered that all was well...Lemual inviting the Lathanderite in. Ashan spoke up "Oh by the Goddess, no! They must not step inside." Bringing others to face the noise and voices inside was not such a great idea... they stepped out for a moment, to make sure all was well with those outside. All except the Mage Vorn. Ashan called in, but no reply came. Rathalan gave the order to return inside to look for him. Last Garlus saw of the mage was right after the ceiling had fallen...Vorn was heading toward the portal room again. Rathalan gave the order for them to keep their wounds mended. Garlus was becoming more at ease, Rathalan was slowly but surely getting a firm grasp on command. Yet again Rathalan searched the room his mind was so focused on. Garlus remained standing, watching the fruitless effort. Vorn was somewhere, possibly in trouble...
Rathalan commented "Vorn is gone who knew the lore. And still I doubt his words as falsehoods meant to motivate us wrongly." As the others were intent on the room Rathalan just couldn't seem to shake off of his mind, one of the Spelguard came rushing in along with the Legion guards. The spellguard called out, wild eyed..."The mage...has fallen!" Garlus cursed silently. While Lemual tried to wrap his head around what exactly the Spellgaurd meant, Garlus called out "Geht yer arses ehn geah!" He goaded the others to follow, quickly heading over the debris pile and into the portal chamber. A glowing blue light that Nephos had awakened surrounded the portal, as Garlus stepped through.
Garlus stared a long time at Nephos, curled up on the floor and whimpering about soemone taking something from him...about not serving. Garlus could only imagine what sort of nightmare the man had seen...
Garlus stepped through the otherside, coming face to face with two orcs standing over the body of Nephos Vorn. He charged instinctively and drove them both to the floor with his axe. He eyed Nephos a moment, grabbed what few potions the man had on his belt, and then set guard against the only doorway leading into the room. It seemed to take the others a lifetime to cross....as Garlus tried not to look at the crumpled, bloody body of what was once Nephos.
They stood near the trap that blocked there progress down. Lemual and Ashan inspected the trap, determining it was of the same type that was outside. Garlus would have to study on traps himself, he could not tell one from another. Nephos spoke up... "The ruin has survived hundreds of years, it can survive a minor audible disturbance."
Lemual proceeded, bringing an axe to bare. He quickly found his way to a pillar, as did the others after they saw him move. The first throw clanked against the preasure plate on the floor, and a loud resoundin BOOM echoed through the chamber. Garlus covered his face with his arms as rock and dirt poured down from above, striking him and the others. The earth shook mightily for moments, and Garlus prayed Dumathoin spare his life...especially for not speaking up on just how bad of an idea tripping that trap was. He had given up trying to stear though...merely a tool now, merely a blade. The stone and dirt rained down, partially burying him. Garlus remained with his face covered by his arms. The rumbling stopped, and the dust swirled in the air. The rest began to crawl out from under what had fallen, the dirt and dust making them earily appear like apparitions themselves. The stairs down were now caved in, and the hallway to the portal room partially as well. Brilliant idea...brilliant.
Nephos stared ahead into the watery cavern, his hands bound behind his back as he lay on his side. He looked like...Silverblade.
They rose and fell back to reasure the Legion and Spellguard outside. Rathalan still had his mind on that damned room the apparitions had come from. There was nothing in the room except for more rubble, but Rathalan insisted on waisting more time picking through it. Garlus sighed, but accepted. He was in no hurry now. "If we find nothing after dutiful efforts then I will again consider the portal." They went back to the entrance to tell the rest gathered that all was well...Lemual inviting the Lathanderite in. Ashan spoke up "Oh by the Goddess, no! They must not step inside." Bringing others to face the noise and voices inside was not such a great idea... they stepped out for a moment, to make sure all was well with those outside. All except the Mage Vorn. Ashan called in, but no reply came. Rathalan gave the order to return inside to look for him. Last Garlus saw of the mage was right after the ceiling had fallen...Vorn was heading toward the portal room again. Rathalan gave the order for them to keep their wounds mended. Garlus was becoming more at ease, Rathalan was slowly but surely getting a firm grasp on command. Yet again Rathalan searched the room his mind was so focused on. Garlus remained standing, watching the fruitless effort. Vorn was somewhere, possibly in trouble...
Rathalan commented "Vorn is gone who knew the lore. And still I doubt his words as falsehoods meant to motivate us wrongly." As the others were intent on the room Rathalan just couldn't seem to shake off of his mind, one of the Spelguard came rushing in along with the Legion guards. The spellguard called out, wild eyed..."The mage...has fallen!" Garlus cursed silently. While Lemual tried to wrap his head around what exactly the Spellgaurd meant, Garlus called out "Geht yer arses ehn geah!" He goaded the others to follow, quickly heading over the debris pile and into the portal chamber. A glowing blue light that Nephos had awakened surrounded the portal, as Garlus stepped through.
Garlus stared a long time at Nephos, curled up on the floor and whimpering about soemone taking something from him...about not serving. Garlus could only imagine what sort of nightmare the man had seen...
Garlus stepped through the otherside, coming face to face with two orcs standing over the body of Nephos Vorn. He charged instinctively and drove them both to the floor with his axe. He eyed Nephos a moment, grabbed what few potions the man had on his belt, and then set guard against the only doorway leading into the room. It seemed to take the others a lifetime to cross....as Garlus tried not to look at the crumpled, bloody body of what was once Nephos.
Zyrus Meynolt: [Party] For the record, if this somehow blows up in our faces and I die, I want a raiseSwift wrote: Permadeath is only permadeath when the PCs wallet is empty.
<Castano>: danielnm - can you blame them?
<danielmn>: Yes,
<danielmn>: Easily.
"And in this twilight....our choices seal our fate"
Re: The Shine of Blade and Stone
The fall of a 'hero'.
GREAT STORY.
GREAT STORY.
Re: The Shine of Blade and Stone
"We cannot proceed without a mage...We lack the lore."
Garlus looked back to Ashan. That answered the question of weather the man could use magic, or was merely a blade for the school.
Lemual nodded, responding "The spellguard.. she should come with us, no doubt."
"Fool! Why did he do this..." Ashan stomped the ground in a fit of annoyance.
Rathalan spoke up... "I do not know what drove him. But it is clear to me that Vorn was driven somehow. I know not if compulsion or corruption .....or merely imprudence."
Lemual stepped back through the portal to fetch the Spellguard. Garlus watched the doorway and listened...slight movement in the room beyond, but away from the door. He remained on guard, watching the doorway. Lemual stepped out of the portal again, the Spellguard and a Dawnbringer with him.
"We have the blessing of both the dawnwarden, and the lady spellguard."
Garlus narrowed his eyes as something bumped into something else in the next room and knocked whatever it was over. "Shhhh.: He pointed to his ears, then the doorway.
Garlus quickly entered the other room, followed closely by Lemual, and dispatched the loan orc who had not been wise enough to retreat.
Garlus reentered the room as the Spellguard, later to be known as Amada Bluewater, was twining a spell in the air.
"He....arrrived here... And there was...something on the floor. There. By the door. A trap. He...cast arcane magic from his hands at the trap, perhaps to...do what you all did foolishly above, too. The trap went off, but it alerted the....orcs. In the other room. But the orcs that were guarding the room rushed in at him. They shouted in orc.
The Man of Lathander prayed over the body of Vorn while the mage saw into the past...and then spoke up. "There is.... resistance. Something....struggles.....something has...hold of him.... I can feel it. I cannot...leave...a man...in that.... Lord of Light, give me strength.... I... it ... Such power... NO!" The preist lerched backwards, as if thrown back by some unseen force.
Garlus left the room, spooked by the happenings. The room where he had killed the orc appeared to be some barracks, there were weapon racks and chests and tables, many odds and ends. Garlus examined the weapons racks and pulled a small dagger marked with runes from one.
Lemual called back to see what it was Garlus had found, so Garlus reentered the room and held the dagger up, his eyes focused entirely on the preist.
"Garlus, i think that may be a relic of the old occupants. i'm willing to bet it's enchanted.."
"Mmm? Oh..aye...mayhaps...." His eyes never left the preist as he swayed over the body of Vorn...
Both Ashan and Lemual became intrigued with the blade, clambering to see it...Garlus was about to toss it to the floor and let the two have at it for ownership as he watched the preist.
"Release this soul, foul being! It...comes...."
As Lemual and Ashan eagerly studied the blade, Garlus's jaw dropped, as the spirit of Nephos appeared hovering nere the body, fire in its eyes. It opened its mouth emitting screams of pain and agony, clutching its head and falling to its knees, writihing in pain.
" It...has him...."
" RELEASE ME!"
" Release him! I will not... allow....."
"LET ME GO! LET ME GO!"
The spirit sank into the body, as the Spellguard seemed to black out and crumple to the ground and the preist shuddered uncontrollably. And then...the preist spoke with a different voice.
INTERLOPERS! I HAVE THE MAGE. HE THOUGHT TO PUT OFF HIS CHOICE..... HE WILL HAVE ETERNITY IN MY PRISON WITH ME TO DECIDE. COME TO ME. NEVER WILL YOU LEAVE THIS PLACE. COME TO ME. YOUR LIFE IS MINE TO TAKE AWAY AS I HAVE GRANTED IT.
The preist fell to the floor, dead, blood running from his ears and nose....and Nephos writhed in agony on the floor.
A life for....some time.
Garlus stared on, taken aback. The sooner he left this magick filled nightmare of a Tower, the better.
Garlus looked back to Ashan. That answered the question of weather the man could use magic, or was merely a blade for the school.
Lemual nodded, responding "The spellguard.. she should come with us, no doubt."
"Fool! Why did he do this..." Ashan stomped the ground in a fit of annoyance.
Rathalan spoke up... "I do not know what drove him. But it is clear to me that Vorn was driven somehow. I know not if compulsion or corruption .....or merely imprudence."
Lemual stepped back through the portal to fetch the Spellguard. Garlus watched the doorway and listened...slight movement in the room beyond, but away from the door. He remained on guard, watching the doorway. Lemual stepped out of the portal again, the Spellguard and a Dawnbringer with him.
"We have the blessing of both the dawnwarden, and the lady spellguard."
Garlus narrowed his eyes as something bumped into something else in the next room and knocked whatever it was over. "Shhhh.: He pointed to his ears, then the doorway.
Garlus quickly entered the other room, followed closely by Lemual, and dispatched the loan orc who had not been wise enough to retreat.
Garlus reentered the room as the Spellguard, later to be known as Amada Bluewater, was twining a spell in the air.
"He....arrrived here... And there was...something on the floor. There. By the door. A trap. He...cast arcane magic from his hands at the trap, perhaps to...do what you all did foolishly above, too. The trap went off, but it alerted the....orcs. In the other room. But the orcs that were guarding the room rushed in at him. They shouted in orc.
The Man of Lathander prayed over the body of Vorn while the mage saw into the past...and then spoke up. "There is.... resistance. Something....struggles.....something has...hold of him.... I can feel it. I cannot...leave...a man...in that.... Lord of Light, give me strength.... I... it ... Such power... NO!" The preist lerched backwards, as if thrown back by some unseen force.
Garlus left the room, spooked by the happenings. The room where he had killed the orc appeared to be some barracks, there were weapon racks and chests and tables, many odds and ends. Garlus examined the weapons racks and pulled a small dagger marked with runes from one.
Lemual called back to see what it was Garlus had found, so Garlus reentered the room and held the dagger up, his eyes focused entirely on the preist.
"Garlus, i think that may be a relic of the old occupants. i'm willing to bet it's enchanted.."
"Mmm? Oh..aye...mayhaps...." His eyes never left the preist as he swayed over the body of Vorn...
Both Ashan and Lemual became intrigued with the blade, clambering to see it...Garlus was about to toss it to the floor and let the two have at it for ownership as he watched the preist.
"Release this soul, foul being! It...comes...."
As Lemual and Ashan eagerly studied the blade, Garlus's jaw dropped, as the spirit of Nephos appeared hovering nere the body, fire in its eyes. It opened its mouth emitting screams of pain and agony, clutching its head and falling to its knees, writihing in pain.
" It...has him...."
" RELEASE ME!"
" Release him! I will not... allow....."
"LET ME GO! LET ME GO!"
The spirit sank into the body, as the Spellguard seemed to black out and crumple to the ground and the preist shuddered uncontrollably. And then...the preist spoke with a different voice.
INTERLOPERS! I HAVE THE MAGE. HE THOUGHT TO PUT OFF HIS CHOICE..... HE WILL HAVE ETERNITY IN MY PRISON WITH ME TO DECIDE. COME TO ME. NEVER WILL YOU LEAVE THIS PLACE. COME TO ME. YOUR LIFE IS MINE TO TAKE AWAY AS I HAVE GRANTED IT.
The preist fell to the floor, dead, blood running from his ears and nose....and Nephos writhed in agony on the floor.
A life for....some time.
Garlus stared on, taken aback. The sooner he left this magick filled nightmare of a Tower, the better.
Zyrus Meynolt: [Party] For the record, if this somehow blows up in our faces and I die, I want a raiseSwift wrote: Permadeath is only permadeath when the PCs wallet is empty.
<Castano>: danielnm - can you blame them?
<danielmn>: Yes,
<danielmn>: Easily.
"And in this twilight....our choices seal our fate"
Re: The Shine of Blade and Stone
The boats creaked, swaying on their ropes, as the rest slumbered. Garlus lookied out over the room, the glowing moss keeping the movement of the water. Nephos stared out over the edge of the ledge, silent.
The Spellguard Amada rose "Wha....what happened? The Dawnbringer! Get that...thing...." she pointed to Nephos.
"No! No! It spoke to him! He is the servant of the lich lord! It has restored him to life to be his servant!" Ashan grabbed her as she tried to flee back through the portal. "Let me go!"
Vorn spoke in a deadpan and almost echoing voice "I am dead already. He took it from me. How could he take it?"
Vorn rose. "Help me take it back." He looked to Rathalan almost pleadingly. "I NEED IT BACK!" Rathalan knocked Nephos back as he tried to grab a hold of Rathalan. "DO NOT APPROACH ME!"
"Dammit.. we'll get nowhere at this rate! garlus, get vorn's things and help him get ready to march. we will keep him under close guard, and the spellguard will be behind us" Garlus looked at Lemual for the breifest of moments...and then did as he was ordered. A tool, nothing more. Just a blade.
He took Nephos by the arm. "GEHT AH OLD AH YERSEHLF!" Nephos stared at Garlus. "Don't you understand? HE took it!" "Wholl geht eht back!" Garlus helped the mage dress. "Geht yer robes ahn! Ahts twice mere ehn I need tah see yeh whit yer smallclothes ahn."
Garlus stared at the lever near the door, and then back across the water that lay more than a hundred feet below the ledge. sharp rocks jutted up from the water.
The spellguard retreated through the portal, wild eyed and crying in fear. THe others clambered to see the dagger, Garlus gave the thing up to the first pair of hands. "I taint gaht nah use fer eht." The elven Coravia come through the portal, late.... "Get to formatiuon, elf." Rathalan looked at Coravia with displeasure, as he set to disarming a trap on a chest in the barracks room. Garlus approached the first of two exits from the room, listening at the door while the others busied themselves with looting the chest, weapon racks and other things. Lemual even found a small trove of jewels within a skull marked with orckin script that read Brun Skullcrushers Cup. He eyed the gems a long moment before Lemual towed them away. He would later pay almost two thousand gold to Lemual for the right of them...two rubies, two emeralds, two topaz's, and a saphire. A Lords Ransom, and a Lord's Ransom he would pay for them. Coravia opened the chest, pulling out some vials. The vials were dispersed betwixt them, as Garlus listened again at the door. The sound of...mining. Hammer on stone.
Garlus eyed the grate below, and then the waterfall on the other side....a constant flow of water through the room. Seal the grate.....and the water rises....
They wound their way through hallways, through locked doors, through passages that seemed to be portals in their own right. Mine tracks and Bluestone....orcs mining....easily killed. A mineshaft leading off...left alone. They wound their way to the blocked stairs up, to a room of refurbished war machines, cells, grain rooms. The mage wandered off more than once....Lemual smashed him on the head, bound him, and started leading him. Garlus kept his tongue...just a blade now. Let them act like Banites.
He eyed the others, then closed his eyes for sleep after waking Lemual. Best to wait until all were awake before throwing the lever.
The Spellguard Amada rose "Wha....what happened? The Dawnbringer! Get that...thing...." she pointed to Nephos.
"No! No! It spoke to him! He is the servant of the lich lord! It has restored him to life to be his servant!" Ashan grabbed her as she tried to flee back through the portal. "Let me go!"
Vorn spoke in a deadpan and almost echoing voice "I am dead already. He took it from me. How could he take it?"
Vorn rose. "Help me take it back." He looked to Rathalan almost pleadingly. "I NEED IT BACK!" Rathalan knocked Nephos back as he tried to grab a hold of Rathalan. "DO NOT APPROACH ME!"
"Dammit.. we'll get nowhere at this rate! garlus, get vorn's things and help him get ready to march. we will keep him under close guard, and the spellguard will be behind us" Garlus looked at Lemual for the breifest of moments...and then did as he was ordered. A tool, nothing more. Just a blade.
He took Nephos by the arm. "GEHT AH OLD AH YERSEHLF!" Nephos stared at Garlus. "Don't you understand? HE took it!" "Wholl geht eht back!" Garlus helped the mage dress. "Geht yer robes ahn! Ahts twice mere ehn I need tah see yeh whit yer smallclothes ahn."
Garlus stared at the lever near the door, and then back across the water that lay more than a hundred feet below the ledge. sharp rocks jutted up from the water.
The spellguard retreated through the portal, wild eyed and crying in fear. THe others clambered to see the dagger, Garlus gave the thing up to the first pair of hands. "I taint gaht nah use fer eht." The elven Coravia come through the portal, late.... "Get to formatiuon, elf." Rathalan looked at Coravia with displeasure, as he set to disarming a trap on a chest in the barracks room. Garlus approached the first of two exits from the room, listening at the door while the others busied themselves with looting the chest, weapon racks and other things. Lemual even found a small trove of jewels within a skull marked with orckin script that read Brun Skullcrushers Cup. He eyed the gems a long moment before Lemual towed them away. He would later pay almost two thousand gold to Lemual for the right of them...two rubies, two emeralds, two topaz's, and a saphire. A Lords Ransom, and a Lord's Ransom he would pay for them. Coravia opened the chest, pulling out some vials. The vials were dispersed betwixt them, as Garlus listened again at the door. The sound of...mining. Hammer on stone.
Garlus eyed the grate below, and then the waterfall on the other side....a constant flow of water through the room. Seal the grate.....and the water rises....
They wound their way through hallways, through locked doors, through passages that seemed to be portals in their own right. Mine tracks and Bluestone....orcs mining....easily killed. A mineshaft leading off...left alone. They wound their way to the blocked stairs up, to a room of refurbished war machines, cells, grain rooms. The mage wandered off more than once....Lemual smashed him on the head, bound him, and started leading him. Garlus kept his tongue...just a blade now. Let them act like Banites.
He eyed the others, then closed his eyes for sleep after waking Lemual. Best to wait until all were awake before throwing the lever.
Zyrus Meynolt: [Party] For the record, if this somehow blows up in our faces and I die, I want a raiseSwift wrote: Permadeath is only permadeath when the PCs wallet is empty.
<Castano>: danielnm - can you blame them?
<danielmn>: Yes,
<danielmn>: Easily.
"And in this twilight....our choices seal our fate"
Re: The Shine of Blade and Stone
Garlus continued to work the stones that sat upon the workbench. The emeralds, saphires, topazes, rubies would wait. They made a beautiful rainbow of color, as Garlus chipped away at an onyx. He looked to the large sheild propped in the corner....an intricate pattern of a Tower within a large Star.
Garlus raced through the dirt tunnels of the mine, following the blood lost from the Shaman Theck. The same Shaman they had seen previously, the one who had haunted his dreams. Twice they had caught him in these tunnels, twice he had called upon huge skeletons to his aid while he fled. He slew two orc miners as he ran down the tunnel, Coravia and Vorn close on his heels. The helmites and Ashan were occupied with something in the spiders den. At one time, the rest had fallen back while he alone faced three huge spiders on his own. But they had driven forward to him again. And seen something. But there was not time...the Shaman was fast on something....
He gazed a long while at the sheild he had brought back from the ruins. Smaller than the sheild he bore before it. He had given the thing to Optym for a pittance...it was well they were on close terms.
Past the tunnels, to obvious living quarters, Garlus carved into the orcs with abandon, loosing all sense of hesitence in the flow of blood. His grin wide, eyes shining, he charged with wrecklace abandon at the next few orcs that came clambering out of their rooms....he breathed heavily, as he heard Lemuals voice nearby calling for a rally. A dead end here anyway...he made his way back to the room lined with pews. They rushed through a room, down a great hallway carved out of the dirt, and into the large room. Theck....a larger brute, guards. Garlus grinned and charged with a great smile on his face. If but for one moment, his life was this, this moment encapsulated in time. The unsurity of survival. The facing of a worthy might, not some silent shrouded slinking evil. Not some pup-dog what thought themself evil. No, this was evil. A worthy evil...something worth noticing, worth fighting. Bluetusk, the giant orckin, roared as they charged Theck, who wove a spell around a large vase. The alter before them began to glow black as Garlus and Lemual went toe to toe with Theck, bringing him to the floor. They charged Bluetusk after, Garlus winded but striking, until Lemual layed low the Great Bluetusk as well. Not satisfied with even the fall of the Great One, Garlus looked about, and went chasing after guards that were now cowering from the group in a corner. They had not reached Theck in time....a growing black evil came upon the alter to take shape in a huge shadow. The Lichfiend had manifested itself.
"I AM NEPHOS VORN, CHILD OF IMASKAR, I WILL NOT SERVE! Remember this, it was me that returned you." The Helmites attempted to pull Vorn away, but were driven back, Lemual cowering in the corner under some sort of mindspell. "IT IS MY TASK!" As the creature stood over Vorn, the human called out in triumph "I. WILL. NOT. SERVE.
Without a vessel, you are NOTHING!" In his last act of defiance, Neophos threw with full force the iron box he had carried with him....out of it flew a skull, which hit the shadow of shadows. The ruins shook....the thing...the Lichfiend, howled in anger as the shadow slowly faded to nothingness. All was still, as Nephos slumped over the alter.
Garlus packed up the gems, intent on heading to Rundarr's. He had some work there as well.
The Helmites had stricken the Orc Lass dead. Lemual explained later, that the one Garlus had tried to save was a murderess and more. That the Preist of Settlestone himself had requested the human Helmites get involved with Dwarven happenings. Garlus's last act for the place, was to make sure Grimstahdt remained alive and free after the Helmites had fended him off for killing his mother. Garlus washed his hands of Settlestone, if he was judged to be beneath Helmites when it came to helping his brothers, then his help would not be offered again. The Cyracist behind it all was still missing, the only peice of unfinished business of the whole affair.
There are songs sung of the Helmites in Rivermoot...songs that tell of their misdeeds. It is easy for the weak to point to the weakness of others. Of all things, Garlus knew this. The Helmites were lacking, but he would never say such, for their weaknesses were for their own discovery. He was no better or worse, nor was anyone else, no matter how much they pretended to be.
Garlus left Ironsheilds days later, the new etching upon his armour complete. Upon a pauldron was now etched a Tower within a large Star, underneath which a blue laquered broken tusk. He approched the House Invincible...for there was one small thing that remained undone...a promise Lemual had made. It sat in front of the alter on display...the head of the mighty Bluetusk, son of Obould Many Arrows, once Chief of Felbarr when Felbarr fell into orckish hands. Garlus grinned as he nodded to the preist, then snatched up the head, already starting to turn. Outside, he put the head on a pike, and then made the slow trek up the passes. It was only fitting that its final resting place be outside the gates of Felbarr.
Yes, the commoners would at times look at the Helmites with a bit of disdain, or fear...they would even poke fun at a mages weakness, or an elves slyness, or a dwarfs drunkenness. And the people, bards, and small men and women could talk long into the night of such things. The irony was, and is, that the common man and woman, be they merchant or sellsword, was able to speak of these things, because these few, these brave few, had stepped forward. Four humans, an elf and a dwarf. It is whispered the Helmites drug Nephos to his grave, by those who weren't there to see it with their own eyes...some will use any small thing to advance their own ends. But ask one who was there, and they will tell you how the Mage Nephos Vorn, scholar and worshiper of Kossuth, flamebringer, died. He died with a smile on his lips, defiant unto his last breath, unwilling to bend knee to any, not even the darkest of ancient powers. He died sealing a great Lich back into it's bonds after a great orc tribe had tried to free it. He died a hero, flames jetting from his fingers toward shadow.
The tale of the Seekers of the Star is being recounted by bards, scholars within the Lady's School of Magick, as well as professional armsmen of the Knights in Silver, the Malitia of the Legion, and unprofessional sellswords within the city itself. A statue within the College has been erected bearing the likeness of Vorn, Hero of the Marches. It is said that the elf, Coravia, has since met his own end since the battle, and can be found buried alongside Nephos Vorn within the tombs of Rivermoot.
*****************************************************************************************************************************************
A special thanks to Rathalan Whitsword (DD) Lemual Ogdenstorm (BH) Ashan Faewind (Istef) Coravia (Jmecha) and Nephos Vorn (The BURT) for allowing me a little leeway in the retelling of the tale. I hope you each enjoy it, though from Garlus's perspective, it may not be the most glamorous telling you'll hear...but I try to represent a middle range charisma score in my writing as well.
A very special thank you to Wynna...Your torch shall remain forever bright within the halls of this library.
To everyone else, thanks for reading up to this point....back to our regularly scheduled Garlus entries!
Garlus raced through the dirt tunnels of the mine, following the blood lost from the Shaman Theck. The same Shaman they had seen previously, the one who had haunted his dreams. Twice they had caught him in these tunnels, twice he had called upon huge skeletons to his aid while he fled. He slew two orc miners as he ran down the tunnel, Coravia and Vorn close on his heels. The helmites and Ashan were occupied with something in the spiders den. At one time, the rest had fallen back while he alone faced three huge spiders on his own. But they had driven forward to him again. And seen something. But there was not time...the Shaman was fast on something....
He gazed a long while at the sheild he had brought back from the ruins. Smaller than the sheild he bore before it. He had given the thing to Optym for a pittance...it was well they were on close terms.
Past the tunnels, to obvious living quarters, Garlus carved into the orcs with abandon, loosing all sense of hesitence in the flow of blood. His grin wide, eyes shining, he charged with wrecklace abandon at the next few orcs that came clambering out of their rooms....he breathed heavily, as he heard Lemuals voice nearby calling for a rally. A dead end here anyway...he made his way back to the room lined with pews. They rushed through a room, down a great hallway carved out of the dirt, and into the large room. Theck....a larger brute, guards. Garlus grinned and charged with a great smile on his face. If but for one moment, his life was this, this moment encapsulated in time. The unsurity of survival. The facing of a worthy might, not some silent shrouded slinking evil. Not some pup-dog what thought themself evil. No, this was evil. A worthy evil...something worth noticing, worth fighting. Bluetusk, the giant orckin, roared as they charged Theck, who wove a spell around a large vase. The alter before them began to glow black as Garlus and Lemual went toe to toe with Theck, bringing him to the floor. They charged Bluetusk after, Garlus winded but striking, until Lemual layed low the Great Bluetusk as well. Not satisfied with even the fall of the Great One, Garlus looked about, and went chasing after guards that were now cowering from the group in a corner. They had not reached Theck in time....a growing black evil came upon the alter to take shape in a huge shadow. The Lichfiend had manifested itself.
"I AM NEPHOS VORN, CHILD OF IMASKAR, I WILL NOT SERVE! Remember this, it was me that returned you." The Helmites attempted to pull Vorn away, but were driven back, Lemual cowering in the corner under some sort of mindspell. "IT IS MY TASK!" As the creature stood over Vorn, the human called out in triumph "I. WILL. NOT. SERVE.
Without a vessel, you are NOTHING!" In his last act of defiance, Neophos threw with full force the iron box he had carried with him....out of it flew a skull, which hit the shadow of shadows. The ruins shook....the thing...the Lichfiend, howled in anger as the shadow slowly faded to nothingness. All was still, as Nephos slumped over the alter.
Garlus packed up the gems, intent on heading to Rundarr's. He had some work there as well.
The Helmites had stricken the Orc Lass dead. Lemual explained later, that the one Garlus had tried to save was a murderess and more. That the Preist of Settlestone himself had requested the human Helmites get involved with Dwarven happenings. Garlus's last act for the place, was to make sure Grimstahdt remained alive and free after the Helmites had fended him off for killing his mother. Garlus washed his hands of Settlestone, if he was judged to be beneath Helmites when it came to helping his brothers, then his help would not be offered again. The Cyracist behind it all was still missing, the only peice of unfinished business of the whole affair.
There are songs sung of the Helmites in Rivermoot...songs that tell of their misdeeds. It is easy for the weak to point to the weakness of others. Of all things, Garlus knew this. The Helmites were lacking, but he would never say such, for their weaknesses were for their own discovery. He was no better or worse, nor was anyone else, no matter how much they pretended to be.
Garlus left Ironsheilds days later, the new etching upon his armour complete. Upon a pauldron was now etched a Tower within a large Star, underneath which a blue laquered broken tusk. He approched the House Invincible...for there was one small thing that remained undone...a promise Lemual had made. It sat in front of the alter on display...the head of the mighty Bluetusk, son of Obould Many Arrows, once Chief of Felbarr when Felbarr fell into orckish hands. Garlus grinned as he nodded to the preist, then snatched up the head, already starting to turn. Outside, he put the head on a pike, and then made the slow trek up the passes. It was only fitting that its final resting place be outside the gates of Felbarr.
Yes, the commoners would at times look at the Helmites with a bit of disdain, or fear...they would even poke fun at a mages weakness, or an elves slyness, or a dwarfs drunkenness. And the people, bards, and small men and women could talk long into the night of such things. The irony was, and is, that the common man and woman, be they merchant or sellsword, was able to speak of these things, because these few, these brave few, had stepped forward. Four humans, an elf and a dwarf. It is whispered the Helmites drug Nephos to his grave, by those who weren't there to see it with their own eyes...some will use any small thing to advance their own ends. But ask one who was there, and they will tell you how the Mage Nephos Vorn, scholar and worshiper of Kossuth, flamebringer, died. He died with a smile on his lips, defiant unto his last breath, unwilling to bend knee to any, not even the darkest of ancient powers. He died sealing a great Lich back into it's bonds after a great orc tribe had tried to free it. He died a hero, flames jetting from his fingers toward shadow.
The tale of the Seekers of the Star is being recounted by bards, scholars within the Lady's School of Magick, as well as professional armsmen of the Knights in Silver, the Malitia of the Legion, and unprofessional sellswords within the city itself. A statue within the College has been erected bearing the likeness of Vorn, Hero of the Marches. It is said that the elf, Coravia, has since met his own end since the battle, and can be found buried alongside Nephos Vorn within the tombs of Rivermoot.
*****************************************************************************************************************************************
A special thanks to Rathalan Whitsword (DD) Lemual Ogdenstorm (BH) Ashan Faewind (Istef) Coravia (Jmecha) and Nephos Vorn (The BURT) for allowing me a little leeway in the retelling of the tale. I hope you each enjoy it, though from Garlus's perspective, it may not be the most glamorous telling you'll hear...but I try to represent a middle range charisma score in my writing as well.
A very special thank you to Wynna...Your torch shall remain forever bright within the halls of this library.
To everyone else, thanks for reading up to this point....back to our regularly scheduled Garlus entries!
Zyrus Meynolt: [Party] For the record, if this somehow blows up in our faces and I die, I want a raiseSwift wrote: Permadeath is only permadeath when the PCs wallet is empty.
<Castano>: danielnm - can you blame them?
<danielmn>: Yes,
<danielmn>: Easily.
"And in this twilight....our choices seal our fate"
Re: The Shine of Blade and Stone
Awesome.
Re: The Shine of Blade and Stone
Alas, to be called a hero by filthy westerners is only the last of Nephos' indignities suffered.
Good job Garlus.
Good job Garlus.
Jagoff.
-
dergon darkhelm
- Fionn In Disguise
- Posts: 4258
- Joined: Fri Jul 08, 2005 1:21 pm
- Location: Cleveland, Ohio, United States
Re: The Shine of Blade and Stone
Thank you, daniel!
PCs: NWN1: Trailyn "Wayfarer" Krast, Nashkel hayseed
NWN2: ??
gsid: merado_1
NWN2: ??
gsid: merado_1