# Rel's Faded Glory II (Thanks Old One) Final Update 7/14



## Rel

I never thought I'd get here, but here I am in the second rendition of my Story Hour set in Old One's Faded Glory world.

You can find the original thread here:
Rel's Faded Glory Campaign 

If for some crazy reason you aren't already reading Old One's Story Hour, you can find the latest version here:
Against the Shadows VI 

I'd like to take this opportunity to thank all of those who have taken the time to read about our game and have posted their many praises and questions.  The feedback has helped make me a better GM and Story Hour writer.

And, of course, I always thank Old One every chance I get for crafting such a intricate and inspiring world.  So inspiring, in fact, that I was inspired to steal it for my own game.  Old One has offered his blessing to both use his world and to write a Story Hour about it and for that I will be forever greatful.  And seriously, if you haven't read his stuff, go do it.  It is, hands down, one of the best campaing settings that I've ever had the pleasure to read, published or unpublished.

Lastly, I'd like to thank my long-suffering players.  I consistently throw challenges beyond their CR at them and occasionally kill their characters.  I am sometimes skimpy with the treasure and a lot of my NPC's are total bastards.  And they come back every week for more.  They are truly the best players a GM could ask for and the best friends a guy could ever want.

That said, they're still going to have to find a way to fight through this pile of Ghouls without getting killed...


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## Rel

*Campaign Synopsis*

Our story began with three friends attending the Harvest Festival in Glynden.  The celebration was interrupted with the terrible news that the parents of Isabeau, Rhys' love interest, had been killed on the road outside town.  Speaks, Rhys, Krase and Kyndalyn all rushed forth to check things out.

It was quickly determined that Gnolls were responsible for the murders and the group turned their attention to tracking them down.  They found the Gnolls just a couple of miles away, locked in combat with a barbarian of the Coritani tribe from across the Fodor river.  The party quickly helped this barbarian dispatch the remaining Gnolls.  After the fight, the barbarian reported that he had a message for the Council of Glynden.  The barbarian turned out to be named Ilrath and he returned with the group back to town.

They met that evening with the Council in Nan's Tavern.  Ilrath brought word that Chief Hrongar of the Coritani was seeking their aid against an army of orcs who had invaded from the Blackpeak Mountains.  In return for their aid, he offered to cease the barbarian raids into the lands east of the Fodor.

Speaks With Stone, Rhys and Krase were asked to return with Ilrath to the barbarian lands to work out the particulars of the deal and to assure that it wasn't some kind of trap being laid by the barbarians.  The party agreed and departed Glynden.

The group ran afoul of a band of Gnolls near the ruins of the town of Aquae Sulis.  They were nearly wiped out during a night time attack and found themselves in a desperate forced march toward the Fodor while trying to evade the Gnollish patrols.  Finally they reached the bank of the river and managed to get across just minutes from being overrun by the band of Gnolls.

Once in the barbarian lands, the group met with the various tribal chieftains who had been gathered in the village of Rilaga in the lands of the Coritani.  The party led by the impassioned speeches of Rhys managed to sway most of the Chieftains to agree to Glynden's terms for them providing aid in the form of a small body of troops and a number of engineers (especially Dwarves) who knew a good deal about defensive fortifications.

The party was also asked if they would journey north to a mountain known as the Stone Tooth to try and contact the dwarves who used to dwell there and see if they might provide magical weapons crafted to slay Orcs.  The party agreed and traveled beyond the forests of the barbarian lands and into the glacier-plains of the far north where they found the mountain.

Instead of a band of dwarves, they found the upper level of the mountain to be guarded by a group of Orcs.  The party heroically fought their way through the Orcs and located a passage deeper within the mountain.  There they did locate some Dwarves (Duergar) but they were found to have been cooperating with the Orcs!  The party asked after enchanted weapons that could be used to slay the Orcs.  The Dwarves answered that they no longer had them as they had been given to Nightscale, a dragon that lurked in the deepest part of the mountain.

The party ventured into the lair of Nightscale and after a harrowing battle, managed to slay her and recover the Orc-Slaying weapons.  They negotiated safe passage through the chambers of the Duergar and left the mountain only to discover that a sizable orcish encampment lay at the foot of the mountain.  An ascending party of Orcs forced the heroes to perform a dangerous nighttime rappel down the side of the mountain.

The group was battered and low on magic by the time they made it to the ground and worse yet, they were being pursued by the Orcs.  They split up in a desperate attempt to confound the Orcs who would no doubt be tracking them and eventually regrouped safely having evaded the orcish patrol.  They hurried back to the lands of the barbarians and presented the weapons to Hrongar.

In their absence, a site had been chosen for the fortress the barbarians were to erect.  It was situated on a hill in the lands of the Brigantes and the combined forces of the barbarians and Glynden were hard at work erecting palisades and other defenses there.  The party met with Kyndalyn and Hrongar and were asked to conduct a harassing operation against the approaching orcish army to slow their progress in order to buy time to finish the fortifications.  The party agreed and set off to the north again.

The group encountered several bands of Orcs including more of their shamans and even some riding undead dire-wolves.  Against these groups, the party enjoyed great success albeit with a few close scrapes.  Eventually, they realized that most of the orcish army had moved south of them and was close to the hill fort the barbarians had erected.

When the party drew close enough to see the encamped army, they could tell that there were still several hundred orcs left, outnumbering the barbarians by at least three to one.  Also, curiously, there was a small fortress comprised entirely of ice situated at the rear of the encampment.  The party pulled back to consider their next move.

Arc, Speaks With Stones' loyal wolf companion was sent to scout the edge of the orcish rear and failed to return.  The following morning, the party set out to learn his fate and approached the back edge of the orcish encampment where lay the ice fortress.  As they got closer, they realized that they had arrived right in the middle of an orcish attack on the hill fort and the camp was only lightly guarded.

The party did battle with a handful of guards and shamans before they were set upon by a flying snake-like creature (Banelar) bent on their destruction.  In a valiant battle that brought more than one party member to the brink of death, the Banelar was defeated and the orcs were put to rout.

In the aftermath of the battle, it was learned that both Hrongar and Uncle Claudius (Glynden's town Wizard) were killed during the battle.  Memorials were held and awards were handed out to the party for their pivotal role in disrupting the enemy chain of command at a crucial moment of the battle.  They all returned to Glynden as heroes.

They spent the remainder of the winter engaged in various activities around town but as spring approached, there was talk of re-inhabiting the town of Aquae Sulis.  Unfortunately, there were unsettling rumors that a band of Gnolls had taken up residence there and the party was asked to rout them.

The party arrived outside the town and set up camp in an abandoned tower once owned by a powerful wizard.  They observed the town and found it to be occupied by over a hundred gnolls.  They orchestrated a clever hit and run attack (mostly hit) on the town and killed at least a score of Gnolls before withdrawing to the tower.  In the process, they captured a magical flail from one of the gnollish priests.

A Gnoll messenger arrived at the tower and requested the return of the flail.  The party informed him that they must abandon the town and if they wanted the flail back, they must fight for it.  The following day, a large group of Gnolls appeared outside the tower and their best warrior faced off against Krase.

In an extremely hard fought battle, Krase fell to the gnollish champion.  Rhys tried to rescue his fallen friend from being killed by the Gnolls and was successful, only to have Krase be shot by a group of Kobolds hiding in some nearby trees.  With that, a full on battle broke out between the Gnolls and Speaks and Rhys.  This culminated in Rhys using a Fireball scroll on a large cluster of Gnolls, killing most of them and putting the survivors to flight.

That night, as they mourned the loss of Krase, Speaks and Rhys met Raven, a dwarf traveling toward The Stone Tooth to aid his fellows in routing the Duergar there.  Raven turned out to be Krases third-god-cousin or some such distant relation and decided to take up with the party at least until they got revenge on the Gnolls.

The group set out, chasing the Gnolls after they had fled Aquae Sulis.  Using his ability to Wildshape, Speaks took to the air as an eagle and quickly found the column of Gnoll refugees.  He staged an ambush that killed or wounded large numbers of the Gnolls using the combination of Entangle and Flaming Sphere to deadly effect.  Their numbers vastly reduced and their morale shattered, the Gnolls scattered into the surrounding hills and forest.

The party returned to Aquae Sulis and decided to explore the mines, which were the main object of the resettlement.  Inside, they were confronted with a band of Kobolds, heavily possessed of magic, including the ability to summon forth some kind of shadow-dragon.  The party managed to kill a few of the Kobolds but were forced to withdraw after taking brutal damage from Magic Missiles and crossbow bolts.

The party regained their strength and made a second foray into the mines only to encounter even stiffer resistance.  After an abortive attempt to scout further into the mine, Rhys was forced to flee, pursued by the shadow-dragon.  The entire party escaped to the mine entrance only to be ambushed by a pair of Kobolds lying in wait who claimed the life of Rhys.

Raven and Speaks took the body of their friend and withdrew back to the tower to rest and plan.  Speaks concocted an elaborate plan to flood out the Kobolds by collapsing the entrances to the mines and using his Everflowing Bottle to fill them with water.

While putting this plan into effect, the party was joined by Scar, a half-orc warrior and worshiper of St. Cuthbert, sent by Father Tomas of Glynden to check on their progress.  Scar aided Raven and Speaks in carrying out their plan to flood the mines.  But just when it seemed the plan would work, the Kobolds launched a desperate ambush which distracted the party long enough for them to steal the Everflowing Bottle.

In frustration, the party withdrew to the tower to plan once more.  The made a final assault on the mines, burrowing into the collapsed main entrance with the help of a summoned dire-badger.  Upon encountering the Kobolds, Speaks used a Loosen Earth spell to collapse a tunnel on top of them, killing several and breaking their chokehold on the mines forever.

The party was approached by the leader of the Kobolds, Frakir, who wished to negotiate for the withdrawal of her people from the mines.  Speaks With Stone agreed provided that they returned all of the belongings stolen from their fallen comrades and that Frakir remain hostage to the party and give them information she had about the location of the silver bars that had been smelted in Aquae Sulis before it was abandoned and the goings on in the Darkwood to the north.

In the aftermath of the battle for the mines, Speaks With Stone felt the awakening of new powers and was able to Reincarnate Rhys who returned to the living as an Elf.  This was a happy occasion but clearly one that would take some getting used to.

Frakir served her time cheerfully and revealed the location of the silver bars (approximately 11,000 GP worth) and informed the group that undead in the northern Darkwood were driving the Gnolls into the lands around Aquae Sulis.  With that, she departed to rejoin her tribe with the understanding that they would not trouble the folk of Glynden.

The party returned to Glynden with the silver and related their story to the Glynden Council.  The conversation grew heated when it was suggested by some of the Council members that the silver rightfully belonged to the former owners of the mines.  The meeting ended on a bad note with Speaks making some veiled threats.  The party received a quarter of the silver as a reward for its return and were able to sell a few of Krase's possessions to Tadius Silvanus, a traveling elven wizard/merchant whom they had met during the Winter War with the Orcs.

Tadius had come to town early in the hopes of making a side trip to the barbarian lands across the Fodor River.  He carried more goods than usual and had hired on additional guards led by none other than Speaks' sister, Tarsheeva.  Speaks and Tarsheeva caught up and Tadius was able to speaks with the, now-reclusive, Rhys about all things elven.  It came to light during that conversation that the Elves had once ruled the Darkwood until a bitter civil-war had caused the place to become a blasted battlefield.  Now, most of the Elves lived far to the south and it was rare for the people of the Northlands to see one.

Raven stayed hard at work at the local forge, enchanting a variety of weapons and armor for himself and his party members.  Several days after the party arrived back in town, a group of dwarven priests from the Novantae Highlands arrived.  They bore dire tidings of an evil arising in the west and carried an Edict Stone, a stone bearing important instructions for dwarven eyes only.  It read, "Trust only in those who speak with stones."  Raven went straightaway to seek out Speaks but found that the Druid had departed to an unknown location.

Shortly after that, a group of Inquisitors associated with the church of St. Cuthbert arrived in town.  They carried with them an amulet similar to the Amulets of Communication worn by Speaks, Rhys and Scar.  They wanted to know where these amulets came from because they believed them to be of an evil nature and associated with some kind of corruption that was foretold to arise in the Northlands.

The Inquisitors first questioned Tadius Silvanus who had sold several similar amulets in the city of Oar.  He indicated that he had obtained the amulets from the Heroes of the Winter War.  Next they questioned Scar and then Raven who both indicated that Speaks With Stone would be a more reliable source of information.

Speaks was unavailable for questioning because he had answered a calling coming from within the Darkwood.  There he found an enormous Treant named Great Root who asked Speaks to investigate a temple located in the western portion of the Darkwood.  Great Root indicated that what he found would put him on an important but terrible quest.

In Speaks' absence, some of the Councilors who had personal reasons to dislike the Druid had started rumors about him implying that he might in some way be connected to the corruption the Inquisitors spoke of and could possibly be somehow responsible for the deaths of Rhys and Krase.  That, combined with the Inquisitors seeking him made Speaks a questionable figure in the minds of many of the townspeople.

Finally, Speaks returned to town to gather his friends in order to go explore the temple in the Darkwood.  When he found what had transpired in his absence, he was angry.  He and Raven confronted the Inquisitors outside the gates of Glynden.  He demanded the return of the amulet that had been taken from Scar and angrily denied that he had any connection to any "evil or corruption".

Although the encounter started out angrily, as the conversation went on, both Speaks and Capito (the chief Inquisitor) gained a grudging respect for one another.  Both saw that the other was doing what he felt was right.  They parted, not as friends, but wishing each other well in his endeavors.

With that, Speaks, Raven and Scar gathered their things and departed for the Darkwood and the temple that lay therein.  Hopefully, there they would find the secret of what made the dead restless in the north and answer the rumors of the rising of a force of corruption.


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## Piratecat

*Re: Rel's Faded Glory II (as always, thanks Old One)*



			
				Rel said:
			
		

> *That said, they're still going to have to find a way to fight through this pile of Ghouls without getting killed... *




I can respect that.  

Would you prefer to continue your old thread, deleting the extraneous posts? If so, please email me.  It'll be great stuff either way; just let me know.


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## Rel

Thanks for the offer, PC.  But I think I'll leave the old thread intact.  I think that the comments between the posts (both mine and those from the readers and players) tie it together nicely.  So feel free to lock it up if you like.

And about that pile of Ghouls - I'll admit that my pile is not nearly as big as yours (I've got Ghoul envy).  But then again, the characters in my campaign aren't 17th level+.  If you ask my players they'll tell you that by they time they get to that high a level I'll have them facing off against the White Kingdom, the Purple Kingdom and the Mauve Kingdom.

Otherwise I lose the "RB" in front of my "DM" title.


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## Darklone

*And the monster of the month: THE GHOUL!*

There must be some hidden DM email group where monsters of the month are discussed and agreed upon... 

Glad to have the second FG campaign back!


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## Thorntangle

Next month it will be: The Digester!

People who nominated the Flumph were, of course, wedgied and then driven in the trunk of a car to the county line and abandoned.


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## Piratecat

Yeah, but the tirapheg and the flail snail are out back beating the snot out of each other for the honor. I say it goes to the gambado (springing skull of death!), and leave it at that.


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## Darklone

*Hmmm*

I thought the undead halfdragon/kobold lich was a favourite this time?


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## Darklone

*Club on head?*

BUMP.


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## Rel

Hey everyone.  I just wanted to drop in to issue the latest installment in my ongoing series of appologies for the lack of new posts.  Unfortunately, the baby has come down sick with the flu and then passed it on to me.  Between helping to take care of her and taking care of myself, I've had precious little free time.

I could have used that free time to do Story Hour write-ups but that would have meant neglecting the work I needed to do for the actual campaign.  While I do enjoy posting to the Story Hour, my first obligation is to provide a quality gaming experience to my players (i.e. kicking their butts royally).  But I'm now about three sessions behind.  Add to that the fact that I am trying to cobble together a campaign summary and I've got a lot of writing to do.

So, I'm going to do a few things to try and get caught up.  First, I'm going to commit myself to writing at least a page a day until I'm caught up.  Secondly, I am going to shorten my combat naratives a bit.  Instead of an almost blow by blow description, I'm going to scale back to a more general description.  That way, you'll still get the feel for what happened but I won't be wracking my (aging) brain for the details of the battle.

As always, thanks for your patience and look for the campaign summary soon.  (Edit:  I finished the campaign summary and posted it above)


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## Rel

At last!  An update!

I appologize for my tardiness.  Life just won't slow down enough to let me catch up.  But here is an update and I should be able to squeeze in one more before the weekend.  Thanks for your patience.

*Journey to the Temple*

The group set out making best speed with Speaks leading the way toward a point that was indelibly burned into his consciousness.  Unfortunately, best speed was not all that great.  Raven's short legs and heavy armor conspired to keep their pace to just a few miles a day through the increasingly dense forest.

"Maybe you could turn into a pony.  Then I could ride you." Suggested Raven to Speaks.  Speaks was not fond of the notion of playing the pack animal again any time soon.  He went aside into the woods and sat in communion.  The following morning he reported that he thought that the magic of nature would provide a means of transport but that it would take a few days for him to gain mastery of the spell he would need.

The group settled into camp a couple days march from Glynden.  Speaks spent this time in contemplative seclusion while Raven and Scar both enjoyed the quietude of the woods in contrast to the political hotbed that Glynden had become.  After three days past, Speaks announced that they were ready to move on.

He produced a finely crafted bottle which he had purchased previously and used his magic to conjure forth a plume of smoke.  The smoke coalesced into an equine shape and Raven was able to mount the creature and ride at a pace considerably greater than he normally walked.  Speaks transformed into an eagle and the trio set out to the northwest.

Another day passed uneventfully but on the second day after they broke camp, Speaks spotted some movement from the air.  He swooped lower to the treetops which were now beginning to leaf out and saw a small pack of Gnolls and a trio of larger forms moving quickly toward the party from the flank.

Speaks landed immediately, placing himself between the oncoming humanoids and the rest of the party.  He transformed back into human form just as the group came within easy bowshot of the party.  "Halt, I wish to speak with you!" He bellowed.

The onrushing group showed no signs of slowing so Speaks dropped a _Briar Web_ spell in their midst.  It captured two of the Gnolls and one of the larger foes but the rest continued their approach.

Disregarding his plea to parley, two of the three largest of the approaching group charged forward and struck out with their enormous great axes.  Both connected with Speaks, one with enough force to crack several bones and send the Druid reeling with pain.  The third giant (just Ogres actually) managed to break free of the vines and roots that held him and moved closer to the combat, hanging back a short way.

The Gnolls who were free of the entanglement howled a battle cry and came running forward in the wake of the Ogres.  The other pair struggled to get free but were rewarded only with painful wounds from the thicket of thorns that surrounded them.  They decided to stay put.

Speaks staggered back away from his attackers and moved closer to Raven.  This put Scar between him and his assailants and bought him a momentary measure of safety (or so he thought).  Scar in turn saw the Ogre hanging back a short distance away and moved to attack.  The Half-Orc moved up to the Ogre and dealt a sound blow with his hammer and deftly danced back out of reach again before the Ogre could react (Scar has picked up Spring Attack).  Unfortunately this left an open lane between Speaks and the two Ogres who had done him such grievous bodily harm just seconds before.  They charged again and laid Speaks low with their mighty axes.

Raven braved attacks by the Ogres to assist his friend with healing magic.  His special training concerning large foes came into play and he was able to protect himself from the brunt of their blows.

The Gnolls charged the closed target, Scar and one of their axes found its way to his thigh.  Ignoring the pain from the wound, Scar ignored these lesser opponents and moved up to hack at the Ogre again.  He landed another blow but this time stayed with his enemy and the Ogre repaid the hit in kind.

The other Ogres continued to pound at Raven but thanks to his training and armor, he ignored most of the damage.  Speaks, just barely conscious moved a short distance away and took eagle form once again.

The Gnolls quickly moved to flank Scar but could not land a blow on the dexterous Half-Orc.  Scar turned his hammer on one of them and brought the Gnoll low in a single stroke.  In the next few moments, he managed to down the other Gnoll and had the Ogre calling for help.

Meanwhile the pair of Ogres had finally found their rhythm and pounded Raven to within an inch of his life.  One of the pair disengaged and went to help his compatriot with Scar.

All the while, Speaks was _Producing Flame_ and raining it down on the Ogres.

Scar dealt a blow that at last knocked out the first Ogre he battled only to have him replaced by a new one.  The third brought his axe crashing into Raven's breastplate, knocking him unconscious to the ground.  He quickly moved to take up a flanking position around Scar.

Speaks saw that Scar was in a tight spot and landed near Raven.  After transforming back to human form, he healed the Cleric of Moradin back to consciousness and then joined the fray against the Ogres.  Scar had taken a punishing toll on one of them but had paid the price in blood.  Clearly he could not last much longer against the pair.

But then, a lucky shot took down one of the Ogres and Speaks attacked from the flank.  Where a moment ago, the Ogre had enjoyed a two on one advantage, he now was outnumbered.  He struck a desperate blow against Scar and was rewarded with seeing the warrior crumple to the ground.  But just then, Speaks thrust The Fang of Arc at him from behind.  The spear point ran into his back and protruded out his chest.  The Ogre fell dead with a look of surprise on his face.

Speaks quickly used his healing wand on Scar and the group sat around panting from their exertions in a battle that had seen all three of them to the brink of death. (This was the near TPK that I mentioned in the old thread.)  More healing was applied and the group approached the edge of the _Briar Web_ where the other pair of Gnolls remained entrapped.

One of the Gnolls called out, "I know who you are and what you intend!  I have several oil flasks and we will not be taken alive!"

Speaks demanded, "What are you talking about?!"

The Gnoll retorted, "Do not attempt to beguile me from your foul motives!  We know of what you have done to the other tribes and we will not fall prey to the same fate!"

Speaks started to see where the misunderstanding lay.  "We are here to destroy whatever is stirring the dead from their resting places.  We have no quarrel with you and had you not attacked us, your companions would still be alive.  Now, tell me what it is that you fear!"  (Speaks used his new Mask of Intimidation and rolled quite well.)

The Gnoll, cowed before the daunting presence of Speaks, spilled his guts.  He revealed that the "Dark Druids" had been rounding up large groups of Gnolls and taking them away somewhere across the "Darkflow".  When they returned, they were walking dead who seemed to serve the will of the Dark Druids.  These particular Gnolls were of the Bloodclaw tribe and had survived because they had allied with a band of Ogres who helped them to fight the undead hurled at them by the Druids.

Speaks roughly informed the Gnoll that he was in no way aligned with these "Dark Druids" and that, although some of his magic may bear some resemblance to theirs, there the similarities ended.  He made it clear that if the Dark Druids were responsible for the walking dead, they were surely his enemies.  By extension, the Gnolls were nominally his allies, so long as they ceased any hostile intent toward the party.

The Gnoll took some convincing but he agreed to carry word of the party and their intentions back to his tribe.  He then urged Speaks and the others to burn the bodies of the fallen Ogres and Gnolls so that they would be of no use to the Dark Druids.  Speaks agreed to this.

Once the _Briar Web_ had expired, the Gnolls aided the party in gathering wood from the surrounding area and making a pyre for the bodies.  The corpses were doused in the oil that the Gnolls carried, which burned hot enough to consume even bones.  Once the fire was lit the Gnolls told the party that smoke from these pyres often drew the attention of the Dark Druids and it would be best if they departed the area with all haste.

The Gnolls headed back toward the rest of their tribe to the southwest.  The party departed and proceeded more cautiously on foot, moving ever closer to the Temple.  Perhaps the answers to this mystery lay there.

*NEXT:  A Taste of Their Own Medicine*


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## Broccli_Head

Hmm...Dark Druids...ogres allying with gnolls...an almost total party kill! 

Keep up the good work Rel! 

I promise that I too will have an update soon.


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## Speaks With Stone

What Rel failed to mention is that in that combat he rolled no less than 3 critical hits by the ogres.  In round 1 I tried to parley and then cast Briar Web when they charged.  They then proceeded to deliver 46 pts of damage to me in one shot.

Between ogre luck and bad tactics (Scar and I have had a talk about protecting his companions), we had a very rough go.  Raven had a shield other spell on Scar, which in retrospect was not such a good idea since Scar had a terrible AC compared to Raven and both were engaged in melee.  If Scar had not accidently stepped out of range of the spell just before he got critically hit and knocked out, it would have killed Raven.

Bad mojo that night.


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## Thorntangle

Spring Attack rears its ugly head again.  It looks so good on paper...  The feat should be for Rogues only.  Just like VW Cabriolets - anybody can buy them, but only certain people should.

Great update, Rel.  Glad to see you up and about and all recovered.  It sucks when the family gets a bug.


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## Darklone

*Uhm...*

3 crits? ouch. As if ogres can't hurt enough without critting. Scar's got bad AC? Thought he wears the mithril breastplate? Hmm well ok. That's not too much without high dex and shield and barkskin... shield of faith would help?


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## Old One

*Great Update!*



			
				Darklone said:
			
		

> *3 crits? ouch. As if ogres can't hurt enough without critting. Scar's got bad AC? Thought he wears the mithril breastplate? Hmm well ok. That's not too much without high dex and shield and barkskin... shield of faith would help? *




Rel -

That sounds like it came amazingly close to a TPK!  I am greatly anticipating their arrival at the "Temple" and seeing what _your_ Dark Druids are up to!

~ Old One


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## Darklone

*Re: Great Update!*



			
				Old One said:
			
		

> *That sounds like it came amazingly close to a TPK!  I am greatly anticipating their arrival at the "Temple" and seeing what your Dark Druids are up to!*




Hehehe... Villains of different dimensions work together and inspire each other! That must be the reason why fantasy roleplaying villains often do better than their real life shadows... Do they?


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## Malachai_rose

*Ogres and Dark Druids*

Gotta say Rel good job  And to Speaks , wow, that was a harsh 1st round, lol. As for Scar he seems to be doin alright , just some bad circumstances that time. I can sense that the party is quickly aproaching the flash point at which it will destroy the next band of villanous monsters (only because Speaks is pretty hoss and I am totally rooting for them ) Hehe, anyways good post, lol,you have this nack for making normally cannon fodderish monsters into extremely uber hoss foes to be reckoned with  I would appreciate it if ya didn't keep fillin broc's head with these "players need to get a beat down" type of ideas  It's starting to get a little dangerous, he even asked me to post some of his cruel and vicious plots on the board so everyone could know that he to bore the title of R.B.D.M. (roflmao, he's proud of it, a little scary if ya ask me) So for our sakes  go easy on Speaks and the gang, lol, because the party you save may not just be your own


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## Rel

Thanks for all the replies, gang.  I'll try not to be such a bad influence on Broc, Malachai Rose.

I've got bad news, good news and good news.

The bad news is that I still am not caught up with the posts (I guess you could tell that, huh?).  And I'm fairly swamped at work and at home leaving me with little time and less energy for story hour write ups.

But the good news is that my wife and baby girl are going out of town for a long weekend this week and I will have plenty of time to devote to getting caught up.  That is, if I don't squander the whole weekend sitting in my underwear playing computer games and watching movies where lots of stuff blows up (I am totally renting Spy Game and Behind Enemy Lines on Friday afternoon).  I promise that I'll put in plenty of time on the Story Hour though.

That's because of the other good news.  The campaign has seen some really great stuff happen lately.  Revelations are popping up left and right, religious tensions are running high, armies of evil are massing in darkened corners about to burst onto the scene and things are generally running at a fever pitch.  So there is a lot to look forward to.  I just need a few peaceful hours to devote to writing it all down.

If you are willing to stick with me just a little longer, I promise that there is a payoff in the near future.  Thanks for reading.


----------



## Thorntangle

It's going to be hard to be productive while the wife and kids are gone.  That's pure regression time, my friend!  You no longer have to speak with actual words (grunts suffice) or worry about where you eat (floor's good).  

I remember that some author, knowing he needed to get some productive writing done, commanded his servant to lock him in a room naked with nothing but desk, chair, pen and paper.

So maybe you could do something like that.


----------



## Darklone

Rel said:
			
		

> *Revelations are popping up left and right, religious tensions are running high, armies of evil are massing in darkened corners about to burst onto the scene and things are generally running at a fever pitch. *




Teasers, nothing but teasers 

Take your time, a weekend alone is often spent better than writing story hours, WAIT, what did I say?  

I am getting soft. Gotta DM more.


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## Rel

Darklone said:
			
		

> *Take your time, a weekend alone is often spent better than writing story hours, WAIT, what did I say?  *




I appreciate the latitude, Darklone.  And never fear, I have plenty of hedonistic plans.  I'm doing a testosterone movie fest tonight and Sunday I'm doing some LAN play with Raven's player.

But I really do want to get some of the recent events put into the story hour.  I'm anxious to share what's been going on.  And like the Elton John song says:

_Saturday Night's Alright For Writin'_


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## Raven_Khazundam

*Sheild Other*

In Theory....it sounds like a great spell to plop down on a death dealing fighter.....In Theory.   Theory, however is not reality and it really was the Ogres that blew the plan out of the water.  What where they thinkin??  Attacking the Dwarf(ME!) and the Druid over the viscious Half-Orc (Scar).  You'd think we had a RBDM....oh wait...we do....  

As to our future....it just keeps getting better and better.  You should look forward to our trap finding strategies, in fact I think I should write a book about it, 
"Ravens Traps for Dummies: The TO DO list for the Rogue impaired"

It'd be quality reading, really.


Raven
Lawful Good Cleric of Moradin


----------



## Rel

Alright!  Got another update finished despite the temptations of my "Home Alone" weekend.  I'm going to try to write at least one more section tonight before the lure of computer games grows too strong and hopefully another installment tomorrow night as well.

Thanks for your patience as always.  I hope you enjoy...

*A Taste of Their Own Medicine*

Two days later, the party found themselves on the banks of a large, slow moving river.  The water seemed exceptionally dark and along the shores, conditions were positively bog-like.  They settled in for the night and arose at dawn to continue.  Raven provided magic that allowed all of them to _Walk on Water_ and they crossed the river without event.

Across the river, they soon found that the forest took on a more sinister cast.  The trees were gnarled and dark.  Animals were seen more seldom and a hint of dread seemed to hang on the wind.  The party moved cautiously ahead, certain that danger awaited them.

Two nights after crossing the Darkflow, Scar stood a lonely watch over their cold camp.  He thought he detected some noise off in the woods.  He paid more careful and became certain that he heard something.  He stooped and awakened Speaks.  As he moved to do the same for Raven, he heard another noise, this time from the opposite direction.

Speaks quickly gathered up his spear and pulled forth his Everburning Torch.  A moment later, a skeleton, once a Gnoll by the look of it, lurched into the light.  Two more quickly followed it.  Scar moved quickly to intercept the skeleton in the lead while Raven gathered up his weapon and prepared to join the fray.

Before the Dwarf could join his companions however, he spotted several walking Gnoll corpses moving jerkily toward them from the opposite direction.  Raven called out a warning to his companions and began to call on the power of Moradin to sanctify the ground on which they fought.

Scar meanwhile shattered the first of the skeletons he engaged while Speaks found his spear to be fairly ineffective against these undead.  His companion Scrubs had little luck with his claws either.

The zombies closed quickly on Raven and a second trio of skeletons joined the battle behind the first.  Raven called out to Moradin to smite these abominations with his heavenly hammer.  A thundering roar sounded and all the zombies and the two closest skeletons exploded into dust. (Raven has a bad Charisma and is sub-par at turning undead, but he rolled quite well on top of the _Consecration_ he had just performed.)

Scar downed another of the skeletons while Speaks and Scrubs handled the others.  Just as it seemed that the battle was well in hand, a strange voice was heard in the same directions that the skeletons had come from and suddenly the tree branches and roots reached out to seize the party.  All three of them became _Entangled_ even as they smashed the last of the undead.

Raven was the first to struggle free and escape the grasp of the trees and bushes.  Speaks managed to ignore the flailing branches long enough to conjure a _Flaming Sphere_ in the direction the voice came from.  There, among the trees, was a cloaked figure finishing another magical gesture.  As the ball of fire rolled toward it, the figure fled, but not before being singed by Speaks’ flames.

Raven also spotted the figure and pursued with vigor.  As he did so, he cried out in pain.  Looking down, he saw that the nearby plants had grown wicked spines that had pierced his legs.  He gritted his teeth and bulled his way forward after the fleeing figure.

Charging onto the scene came Scrubs the bear who slammed into the hooded villain, rending him with his claws.  Speaks rendered further assistance by _Summoning_ a badger to assist.  Scar freed himself from the entangled area and rapidly closed the distance to their assailant and prepared to smite him viciously.

Just as he seemed within their grasp, the figure transformed into a large bird and took flight, leaving his attackers on the ground below.  None had any missile weapons at the ready and could only watch as the mysterious foe disappeared into the night.  Speaks freed himself a few moments later and took to the air in bird form as well.  But by then, the enemy had effected his escape.

Speaks returned to the ground and conferred with his companions.  He related that their attacker must be one of the mysterious Dark Druids based on his capabilities.  Raven and Scar had already surmised as much.  Their chief concern was whether Speaks could counter any of their druidic abilities.  Speaks promised to give it serious thought.  For the moment, he recommended that they move their camp.  The others agreed and they quickly gathered their things and moved a couple of miles further west.

They settled in to try and get what rest they could at the new location.  But their respite was short lived.

The plants around them came to life once more, reaching out with gnarled roots and limbs to entrap them.  Worse yet, this time sharp briars adorning the plants threatened to rend them should they struggle against their grip.

Raven and Speaks found themselves held by the _Web_ of _Briars_ but Scar had scrambled clear before becoming entrapped.  Already suffering wounds from the earlier encounter, Raven and Speaks could do little to aid the Half-Orc.

No sooner had he won his way clear of the patch of thorns than Scar was beset by another pair of skeletons.  This time, they took the form of large wolves.  They moved swiftly to engage him.

Scar quickly found that his hammer shattered their bones in a most satisfactory manner.  But his troubles were not over yet.  Still plagued by the skeletal dire wolves, a pair of arrows flew out of the darkness and struck Scar with horrible accuracy.

Scar marked the direction they came from and gave ground to the wolves in order to put the _Briar Web_ between himself and the sniper.  The wolves closed again and one dealt him a vicious bite that bruised him beneath the chain shirt he wore.  He struck with his hammer again and one of the wolves crumbled to the ground.

Noting that the archer had not materialized again, Scar stood his ground this time.  He barely evaded the bite of the skeleton but followed with a pair of mighty, two-handed swings of his hammer that left the wolf a pile of broken bone.  Scar wasted no time gloating but turned and ran the opposite direction.  Keeping the thicket of spiny woods between him and the last known location of the archer, he circled and then slowed his gait to a crawl.

He furtively approached the cluster of trees where he suspected the archer lurked.  He drew within twenty paces, then a dozen, then five.  Finally he stood where he thought the archer may have hid but found no one.  He crouched low and made another, wider circuit of the camp.  But his search was fruitless.  The Dark Druids appeared to be masters of hit and run tactics.

Figuring that they would get little additional sleep that night anyway, the party gathered their gear to head out.  They reasoned that the Dark Druids may have divined their destination and were setting up ambushes all along the trail between the temple and their present location.  They decided to stray from this path in the hopes of eluding further attack.  Rubbing their eyes from fatigue, they set out to the northwest, into the darkness.

*NEXT:  The Temple*


----------



## Thorntangle

Good one, Rel.  Thanks for your sacrifice of precious family-out-of-town time.

I can see you've grown sick of constantly being on the receiving end of Entangle


----------



## Broccli_Head

Yes Rel! Keep the poor players on their toes, make them use up all their spells, and let them not get any rest. 

That is fantastic. Sure they get xps but then they are dead.  Why couldn't Raven and Speaks esape the _Briar Web_?

And when are you going to comment on my story  ?


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## Malachai_rose

*Hardcore*

lol, your hardcore Rel, hehe. That sounds like a rough night, but ya know what ? Sounds like Scar can kick some serious booty, thats one tough half orc  Question, did the party have any healing left to heal their woulds, scrolls, potions or did they just have the memorized heals from Speaks ? Kinda curious, as a fellow divine caster of (in Broc's game) I was just wondering  Wel great post and I hope ya get another one up soon.


----------



## Rel

Thanks for the comments all.  I'll address the points you bring up before I post the next installment.

Thorntangle - I don't mind Entangle too bad.  It isn't useful in every situation and it gives me a good excuse to throw way more bad guys at the party than they should be able to handle.  But Briar Web is just plain nasty.

Broc - I love it when the players get that feeling of dread.  They look at each other and say, "You know that he is going to burn us with those damn Dark Druids every night between here and the Temple so we might as well hurry."

Re: Briar Web.  Like Entangle, you can try to break free from it every round.  Unlike Entangle, you take damage (I think it's 1 pt per caster leve) every time you try whether you succeed or not.  Speaks and Raven were already wounded from the first fight and just couldn't handle the damage.  Speaks' player figured that since Briar Web gives you cover, you may as well just wait it out unless the enemy has some nasty area effect spells (he was banking that the Dark Druids didn't have Flame Strike yet).

And I promise to get caught up on your Story Hour during lunch tomorrow and tell you what I think.  Thanks for your continued support, even though I've been a bit lax with mine of late.

Malachai Rose - Scar does indeed kick serious booty.  He seems to specialize in taking damage sometimes.  But his real strength is his versatility.  Between his two-weapon fighting and his Mobility/Spring Attack capabilities, he can serve lots of different roles in combat.  He's no slouch with his bow either though he rarely gets a chance to use it.

As far as healing goes, Speaks rarely prepares any unless the group is resting for a day after a particularly brutal combat.  Raven can of course spontaneously cast healing.  But as you may have noticed, he tends to do A LOT of buffing before combat.  Combined with a few spells during the course of the combat and he has precious little healing to dole out afterwards.  Which brings us to their wands.

Working in concert with Tadius Silvanus, after the Winter War, Speaks had crafted a pair of Wands of Cure Light Wounds.  This gave them 100 castings of the spell and I was a bit concerned with what this would do to the challenge level of the game.  Apparently my fears were unfounded as you'll notice that both the character deaths that have occurred have happened since then.

Speaks has always used these wands very sparingly.  Usually he would use them to bring someone back from unconscious so they could flee to a location where they could rest and prepare more healing spells.  He has still sometimes used several charges at a time however because the luck with these wands has been astonishingly bad.  I've never seen so many 1's and 2's rolled on a d8 in my life until these wands came into play.

And ever since Raven has been in the party their use has accelerated.  Opposite of what you'd think with adding a cleric to the party, eh?  But Raven's player tends to have the attitude that "A wand unused is a useless wand."  I believe that the pair of wands have a combined total of around 20 charges left (probably more like 35-40 as of this episode if that gives you any idea of what lies ahead).


So let me finally get to the actual update.  I present:

*The Temple*

The party moved for the rest of the night.  After dawn, Speaks and Raven stopped to commune and pray respectively.  Speaks provided the group with a combination of magic that rendered them _Invisible to Animals_ and allowed them to move through the woods _Without a Trace_.  Armed with this magic, they marched all day until they tottered on the brink of exhaustion.  They finally collapsed and kept a sleepy eye out for any trouble.  Thankfully the next night passed without an attack by the Dark Druids.

Further considering their situation, they decided that it was important to be prepared for another attack by the Dark Druids.  That meant having their most powerful magics ready to bring to bear and therefore foregoing the smoky steed that had allowed Raven to travel so quickly before.  To make up for their general lack of speed, they resolved to travel for longer into the night and to try and pick up their pace at certain times during the day.

(We learned a lot about the travel rules regarding hustling and forced marching this session.)

The group set out and made best speed along the straightest route toward the Temple.  The sooner they could go there and leave, the better as far as they were concerned.  This feeling was intensified a day later when the woods made another disturbing transition.

As the group moved closer to the Temple, they passed an unmarked boundary after which the wood suddenly became dead.  Not just a few trees dead, but the entire forest was devoid of life.  There were plenty of trees and bushes but they were all gray and black and bore no leaves.  No deer scampered away from their approach.  No birds flew from tree to tree.  No insects crawled the ground.  The woods had become simply lifeless.

The party exchanged uneasy glances but decided not to tarry.  Soon the party made camp and spent a fretful night in the decidedly unnatural silence of this dead place.  At dawn when Speaks went to pray he made another disturbing discovery:  The lands in which they traveled no longer had any link to the natural world.  By struggling, he eventually felt his way back through the dead lands to the natural world beyond and managed to refresh his magic.  But it was obvious that it would become more and more difficult to do so with each additional mile they traveled within the dead zone and each passing day he spent there.

The party kept to the cautious but enduring pace they had been setting.  None enjoyed the extra long days of hiking.  But the nights were restless and the shorter they were kept the better.  Two more such days brought them to a large clearing and in the center stood the object of their quest.

The Temple stood some forty feet tall at the top of the cathedral.  Four lower wings stood lower than the center and around all of it was a twelve foot high stone wall.  In the center of the wall they faced was an archway flanked by a pair of statues.  The statues were eight foot tall renderings of men in garb that resembled that of the Imperial Legions.  In their right hands were maces and their left hands were raised above their heads.

Speaks assumed eagle form and took flight to scout the temple from the air.  From above he could see that a path led from the archway to an alcove in one wing of the building.  The roof of that wing formed a railed balcony occupied by several skeletons.  In the courtyard lay a dozen or so dead bodies.  Speaks suspected that they may not be quite as dead as they appeared and swooped lower for a closer look.

As he descended toward the courtyard, he was suddenly jolted by a powerful shock.  He recovered his senses a moment later and flapped his wings vigorously to regain altitude.  He cast about seeking an assailant but saw no one.  He circled twice more looking for any signs of who or what had attacked him but found nothing.  He returned to the ground where his companions stood and related what had happened.

Neither Raven nor Scar had ever had much use for subtlety.  Raven cast a variety of protective magics on them (including _Shield Other_ on Scar, _Circle of Protection from Evil_ on himself and _Invisibility to Undead_ on all of them).  They drew weapons, checked their armor and strode forth through the archway.  Speaks feared the lot of them being caught in another _Entangle_ or _Briar Web_  so he gave Scrubs instructions to protect Raven and transformed back to eagle form.

The approach to the Temple appeared perilous from the start.  The skeletons on the balcony held bows fashioned of bone and stood poised to rain arrows down on them as they approached.  None of the party was so gullible as to think that the bodies lying in the courtyard would stay that way.  Who knew what other devious trickery awaited them.

Scar rushed the doorway alcove into the temple hoping to bottle up any inside who might attempt to sally forth.  He also figured that this would also shield him from the skeletal archers on the balcony above.  Unfortunately, it also took him beyond the range of one of Raven’s protective magics (_Shield Other_ foiled again).  Additionally, as he entered the alcove, he set off some kind of ward which sent crackling lightening shooting throughout the alcove.  Scar dodged the worst of it but was still wounded.

Raven followed more slowly with Scrubs at his heel.  Seeing the blaze of lightning that shot through the alcove, he only slightly regretted that Scar had invalidated his spell by haring off like that.  Glancing around, Raven could already see the bodies on the ground starting to move.  He moved forward with caution counting on the _Invisibility_ to keep him hidden.

Speaks stayed just beyond the archway for the moment, keeping a watchful eye out for any who would try and assail them from behind.

Seeing the destructive forces he had unleashed by merely entering the alcove, Scar opted to wait until the others arrived before opening the door.  He watched with disgust as the various corpses rose from the ground and began to cast about for what had disturbed their rest.  His disgust turned to apprehension as several of them seemed to turn directly toward himself and Raven.  But Raven had told him that they were invisible!

A pair of them entered the alcove, and raked their filthy claws at Scar.  Raven had given explicit instructions not to attack lest it cast off their invisibility.  “To hell with that!” thought Scar.  He certainly wasn’t going to stand her and become a snack for these spawn of hell!  He swung his hammer overhead and brought it crashing into the shoulder of one of the corpses.  The thing staggered under the blow and as it lurched back, Scar saw several more of the undead turn his way.

Another pair of the ghoulish figures slashed at Raven at almost the same moment.  His armor and the protective ward around him kept their claws from finding purchase.  Raven knew that if an undead creature was smart enough, it may not be fooled by the _Invisibility_.  But most of them still seemed unable to find him so he resolved to stick with the plan and hope for the best.

Scrubs however, only saw Raven come under attack.  Speaks had charged him with guarding the Dwarf and his protective instincts kicked in.  He slashed and bit at the Ghoul with all his strength.  Several more of the creatures turned in that direction as though seeing the bear for the first time.

Speaks saw that the situation was about to get really out of hand.  Most of the Ghouls had still not engaged the party and Speaks called forth the plants to _Entangle_ the area.  But even as he discharged the magic, he felt it find no purchase upon the land.  The few black vines and weeds in the courtyard were only the gnarled and lifeless shells of their former vigor.  Speaks suddenly became very afraid at what was about to happen.

Scar continued to smash at the Ghouls with his hammer with fairly good results.  More of them continued to pack into the alcove with him, but he held his own.  Out in the courtyard the creatures started to press in around Raven.  Some seemed to know where he was and others clawed at the air in an attempt to locate him.  Fearing that he would be overwhelmed, Raven muttered a quick prayer and wrapped himself in a cloak of _Sanctuary_.

Scrubs had no such cloak however.  Several of the Ghouls attacked him and dug their claws into his flesh.  He also came under fire by the skeletal archers who could now see him but most missed because of the intensity of the melee with the Ghouls.  Speaks started to call out to Scrubs to retreat but found that he could not form the words with his avian throat.  A moment later, the point became moot when he saw Scrubs go rigid under the hand of one of the Ghouls.  He filled himself with resolve and transformed back to human form as he prepared to go and rescue his companion.

*To Be Continued…*

(Note:  We stopped the session right about here.  It was getting late that night and I knew we would be up till all hours if we tried to finish the combat.  It made for a suspenseful week as everyone wondered what would happen.  You only have to wait a day.)


----------



## Darklone

*Hah!*

Welcome to our daily session with Mr. Hack and Mr. Slash. 

Yihaaa. Looks very _blight_ for the players. I still don't understand why so few players around here stick to the druid


----------



## Raven_Khazundam

*Why I don't Escape.*

I am a tank, literally encased in metal, that avoids nothing and I routinely watch arrows bounce off my chest.  My dex bonus is ZERO and my armour bonus is ELEVEN.  I rarely make a Reflex save and consequently the Dark Druids have become a royal pain in the arse.  Oh, and even if I made the Reflex save, it's highly doubtful I'd be able to move out of the area of effect of an entange.  

As for healing, I don't prepare any Cure X spells, because there is no need to prepare them as a Good Cleric.  Since I can spontaneously turn any spell I have into a Cure X, its more productive and tactically sound to prepare spells that are useful to the current situation.  In this case Conscrecrate, because as my RBDM pointed out my Chr. is belllloooowwwwyyy and I need all the help I can get to turn undead.

"You're a cleric, why would you bag your Charisma???"  Well, for one I didn't read the turning rules.  I wasn't concerned with that aspect of the cleric and who'd thunk they'd base your turning ability on Charisma.  [As an aside I just returned to dnd after nearly 10 years of playing Rolemaster.]  

Also Raven's background provides some basis for his make-up.  Growing up, Raven's family always sent a son to the Church of Moradin and that role was to be filled by Raven's brother.  Unlike my brawny and unruly self, my brother was the perfect canidate for the church, cerebral and personable.  Well he was as personable as a dwarf could get. Right after his training Raven's brother went on a personal pilgrimage and during his journey he was ambushed and killed.  When this news reached our clan we greived for my brother, but our grief did not overwhelm our families obligation to provide a son to the church of Moradin.  I was called into my Grandfather's study and told I had been selected to take my brother's place in the church.  I told my grandfather I would be honored to carry the honor of the clan and to serve the church as faithfully as my brother would have served.  So you see I gave up my dream of being a Forge Master, but I was given a chance to honor my brother's spirit and the maintain our tradition by becoming a Cleric.


----------



## Rel

I'd like to thank Speaks' and Raven's players from dropping in to provide a bit more "player perspective" of late.  I think it helps give much better insight to how they percieve the events in the campaign than I can provide in my write ups.  Thanks guys.

As promised, here is the continuation.  I'll also mention with regards to Darklone's observation about Mr.'s Hack and Slash that the next several updates will follow a similar theme.  You may have noticed that when we Roleplay, we Roleplay hard, sometimes foregoing combat for several sessions at a time.  Likewise, when whe get heavy into combat, it tends to stay that way for a pretty good stretch.  The Temple is one of those.  Hope you like it.

*The Temple - Continued*

As Speaks stepped forward to go to the aid of Scrubs, he noticed out of the corner of his eye, one of the statues flanking the archway moved slightly.  Speaks groaned inwardly but held his course of action, boldly striding forward to engage the Ghouls who attacked Scrubs.

(Actually, I think that right here is where we really ended the session.  If I've got to stop a session in mid-combat, I like to do it at the point of maximum "screwedness".  Things were looking very, very bad for the party at this moment, so I called it there.)

Scar continued to defend his alcove from the seemingly endless stream of Ghouls who plowed forward to attack him.  He dodged furiously to stay out of the way of their claws and teeth.  He had seen what happened to Scrubs and knew that he was doomed if he became paralyzed inside the alcove.  He was able to fight off the effects from the few attacks that found their way past his armor. (As you might imagine, Scar has a great Fortitude save.)

Raven used the respite afforded him by the _Sanctuary_ to _Summon_ one of Moradin's chosen creatures into the battle.  A badger appeared behind one of the Ghouls attacking Scrubs and tore into the rotting flank of the creature.  Raven felt a brief sense of relief when he saw Speaks come charging through the archway with his spear held at the ready.  But this relief parted when he saw the pair of statues step into the archway behind the Druid.  Raven moved a short distance toward the alcove and called for Moradin to sanctify the ground around him.  The power of the magic could not establish holy ground in this most unholy of places, but it did at least lessen the taint of evil that hung about the temple.

Speaks braved attacks by a pair of the Ghouls and used some healing magic on Scrubs to bring him back from the brink of death.  He could see panic in the bear's eyes as he stood next to him.  Seeking to buy some more space for the helpless bear, Speaks called forth a _Flaming Sphere_ and rammed it into one of the Ghouls.  The hideous creature was plowed under by the ball of fire and the other Ghouls moved to give it a wide berth.

The stream of Ghouls moving into the alcove to attack Scar seemed to stop as they found more ready targets near the archway.  Scar laid about with his hammer, smashing the unlife out of those remaining.  As he thinned their numbers he could more easily see the events unfolding near the archway and knew that he would be needed there soon if disaster was to be averted.

The statues moved into the courtyard and attacked those closest to the entranceway:  Speaks and Scrubs.  Speaks took a glancing blow from the stone mace wielded by the statue.  The other statue brought his mace down on the defenseless Scrubs.  Speaks could hear the sound of ribs cracking and it was clear that the end was near for the bear barring a miracle.

Perhaps not quite a miracle, but in the circumstances, the next best thing, Raven held aloft his hammer bearing the symbol of Moradin and sent forth a wave of holy energy to turn away his foes.  Several of the Ghouls closest to him exploded into dust.  Seeing that Speaks and Scrubs were hard pressed with the Statues, Raven moved closer and attempted to put himself between Scrubs and his attacker.

The remaining Ghouls had plenty to contend with including the Celestial Badger and Speaks' _Flaming Sphere_.  But a pair of them pursued the Dwarf, eager to attack him now that the _Sanctuary_ was cancelled.  One of them managed to get a claw past the Dwarf's considerable armor but Raven fought off the paralysis that threatened to take over his body.

Speaks rolled over another Ghoul with the _Flaming Sphere_ and stabbed the Fang of Arc at the closest statue.  The damage was clearly not devastating but a few chips of stone did part from the statue.

Scar downed the last of the Ghouls in the alcove and then charged back out into the courtyard to aid his companions.  Unfortunately, the destruction of most of the Ghouls had opened up clear lanes of fire for the skeletal archers.  Scar was struck with a pair of arrows as he moved across the courtyard.  He shrugged off the pain for the moment, knowing that the Ghouls and statues were the greater threat.

The statues attacked those threatening them.  Speaks' attacker missed him with a pair of swings of its stone mace.  Raven took a sound blow from the one that he fought and staggered under the attack.  The Dwarf responded by swinging not at the statue, but at one of the Ghouls.  The creature was struck in the chest and knocked to the ground out of the fight.  Raven followed through with a smite from his hammer to the statue that sent chips of stone flying.

Speaks sent the _Flaming Sphere_ hurtling into the last of the Ghouls and burned him from his tortured existence.  He then struck again with the Fang of Arc and was rewarded with seeing a large crack form in the statue he faced.  Scar charged in and swung his hammer in a mighty overhand blow that sent pieces of the statue crumbling to the ground.

The remaining statue swung again at Raven but the Cleric turned the blows aside with his shield.  Simultaneously, a second volley of arrows shot from the balcony.  Most went wide but Raven was struck once for a minor wound.  Ignoring the pain from the arrow, the Dwarf swung his hammer and shattered the last statue where it stood.

Speaks With Stone assumed the form of an eagle once more and took to the air to gain a better vantage on the skeletons.  Meanwhile, dodging arrows left and right, Scar and Raven both drew their own bows.  Although the arrows found little purchase on the bare bones of their targets, the sheer power imparted to them from the mighty bows of Scar and Raven were enough to assure at least some damage.  Once Speaks got into the action by _Producing_ balls of _Flame_ to hurl down from above, the skeletons were quickly mopped up with only a couple more minor wounds being taken in the process.

The party regrouped and decided that they were too wounded to continue pressing forward for now and their magic too depleted.  But none wished to have to fight any of these foes again.  They quickly gathered the bodies into a pile within the area _Consecrated_ by Raven and burned the lot of them using several oil flasks and the quivers and arrows of the skeletons as fuel.

By the time this was done, Scrubs was free from his paralysis and given some additional healing.  Speaks conveyed to Raven via one of the Amulets of Communication that he felt it best if he stayed in eagle form and flew outside the "dead zone" to camp.  He felt that if he stayed here much longer, he would be unable to regain his spells and they would surely be necessary if they were to broach the Temple and reveal its secrets.  He took flight and alighted in the forest outside the dead zone to the southeast of the Temple.

Scar, Raven and Scrubs meanwhile trekked in the same direction for just a couple of hours walk from the Temple until they found a small area in which to spend the night.  Given that some of Speaks' magic (most notably _Entangle_) had been ineffective in the dead zone, they hoped to remain unmolested by the Dark Druids who seemed to possess similar powers.

It was agreed that Speaks would keep wearing his amulet in case Raven needed to contact him during the night and vice-versa.

*NEXT:  Visions of Fire*


----------



## Malachai_rose

**

Gotta say Rel, that was a well don action sequence, it was cool to see the teamwork the party displayed. It was all very tense and seemed as if the party wason the brink of defeat but they managed to pull themselves up by their boot straps so to speak and lay the beat down on the undead minions.

 While I can sympathize with Speaks desire to get out of the dead zone so he could get his spells back, it seems kind of... dangerous. LAst time my group split up... well lets just say we have 2 new PC's  hehe. 

Also to Ravens player, I liked the info you posted about how you viewed things in character and what motivated the brusue dwarven cleric. It's always cool to see posts from the players where they get into their characters, letting the reader better understand what motivates them in the story hour. 

Gotta say originally Speaks was my favorite PC (he's still my favorite druid ) but the other 2, Scar and Raven are both very compelling as well. I find myself rooting for all 3 of them equally now. Also the addition of Scrubs is  cool  gotta love animal companions.


----------



## Darklone

*Nice post*

Thanks for the update, Rel. Doesn't Speaks use the goodberries? Most druids I know remember one goodberry spell every day since you can use them for days/lvl.... Makes the druid a quite reliable healer.

Will write more as soon as my cut hand heals.


----------



## Rel

*Re: *



			
				Malachai_rose said:
			
		

> *Gotta say Rel, that was a well don action sequence, it was cool to see the teamwork the party displayed. It was all very tense and seemed as if the party wason the brink of defeat but they managed to pull themselves up by their boot straps so to speak and lay the beat down on the undead minions.*




Well, you'll note that things improved dramatically for the party in my "part 2" post above.  As I mentioned, there was a break between sessions in there.  While I wouldn't exactly call it metagaming, I think the break allowed to players to absorb how much trouble they were in and have a bit of discussion about how they were going to pull their fat out of the fire.

It REALLY helped that Raven did the Turn Undead.  The Ghouls didn't inflict a tremendous amount of damage due to their poor attack bonuses vs. the party's fairly good AC's.  But the sheer quantity of rolls (2 claws and a bite for each of them on a full attack) meant that a certain number were inevitably going to connect.  And one failed Fortitude save was all it would take for a complete disaster.

On the matter of the party splitting up, you are right to say that it was risky.  In the next installment, you'll find out if they get 'burned' because of it...

Muhahahahahaha!!!


----------



## Rel

*Re: Nice post*



			
				Darklone said:
			
		

> *Thanks for the update, Rel. Doesn't Speaks use the goodberries? Most druids I know remember one goodberry spell every day since you can use them for days/lvl.... Makes the druid a quite reliable healer.
> 
> Will write more as soon as my cut hand heals. *




Sorry to hear about the wounded paw, Darklone.  I hope it heals quickly.

While we're on the subject of healing, Speaks has used Goodberries on a semi-regular basis in the past.  Especially when he was the sole source of healing in the group.  Lately, since embarking on the quest to the Temple, he hasn't used it much.  I'll let him share his reasons for that, but I can speculate.  I'd guess that it is because they have been travelling through unfamiliar, hostile territory at a fairly quick pace.  Since the spell requires that you find some actual berries to cast it on, Speaks may have felt like he had little time to go berry picking.  Also, once inside the "dead zone" there would be no berries to be had anyway.

The principal way I've seen Goodberries used is to "top off the tank".  You know, to heal those last three hit points that weren't cured by the Cleric.  But the running joke among the party is that they haven't been at full hit points since they left Glynden.  Sadly, this is nearly true.


----------



## Broccli_Head

*Re: Why I don't Escape.*



			
				Raven_Khazundam said:
			
		

> * So you see I gave up my dream of being a Forge Master, but I was given a chance to honor my brother's spirit and the maintain our tradition by becoming a Cleric. *




This why dwarves are my favorite race. I love the sense of family honor. I know this is stereotypical, but hey it makes for a rich history of the character and a sense of obligation to others. 

Thanks for bringing Raven alive!


----------



## Broccli_Head

*Re: Re: *



			
				Rel said:
			
		

> *
> 
> Fortitude save was all it would take for a complete disaster.
> 
> On the matter of the party splitting up, you are right to say that it was risky.  In the next installment, you'll find out if they get 'burned' because of it...
> 
> Muhahahahahaha!!! *




I long for the days when failed Will saves and failed Fort saves bring a party down...sigh...

Oh, and haven't any of you seen slasher flicks. Splitting the party is a DM's dream! 

It's hard not to like Speaks with Stone, but Raven is fast becoming my favorite character. I like the use of _sanctuary_ to buy him some time to evaluate the situation. Bravo! That seemed to be the turning point in the battle.


----------



## Lazybones

Hey Rel,
I haven't had much time to read lately, but I had a long, boring group training this morning, so I printed out the last few updates to your story and covertly brought it along to help pass the slow spots .  Now I'm up to date, and looking forward to more adventures in the Temple and against the Dark Druids!  

P.S. Do you follow Old One's convention of rolling the dice in the open and letting them fall as they may?  During that battle with the ghouls, I was waiting for that failed save (seems both you and he have a gift for hitting the players with _just_ enough to lead them to the brink of total disaster without crossing over, leading to some very dramatic moments).   

With only three players, do you and they expect the possibility (probability?) of a TPK in the future?  Do you think they would accept such a disaster, if the dice suddenly turned against them?

LB


----------



## Raven_Khazundam

*Temple Gates*

When we stepped up to the Temple we knew that there was going to be plenty of Evil to Smite.  Speaks may be able to add to this but our basic plan was to charge the door with Scar leading the way.  With Bull's Strength, Bless, Protection from Evil and Sheild Other on Scar he was to be the sole instrument of destruction.  My role was to support Scar through the Sheild Other spell and with Invisibility to Undead on all of us it was thought we could breach the courtyard and reach the temple door as our first defensive spot.  That was the essence of the plan.  When we stepped into the courtyard the plan, it changed.

One problem we encountered, undead that can think, which is yet another real world surprise.  I thought for sure Illarik Urzandram, my instructor in the Occult and all things Evil had said that simple undead were mindless minions that are easily smited and overcome with the divine power of Moradin.  I have a mind to go back and shove him in the middle of some ghouls and let him test that "theory" of his....grrrrrrr.  

Our intention was never to split up, it's just happened that more undead overcame my spell than I had thought possible and during our break for the door they interposed themselves between the three of us.  It was not a great moment to be sure, when I was in the middle the mayhem with a pile of Undead in front of me and another pile of undead and animated statues behind me cutting Scrubs and me off from our companions.


----------



## Rel

Thanks for reading, Lazybones.  I am still plugging away at your Story Hour when time permits but I fear that it will be a long time before I am caught up.  Until then, I feel kind of silly making comments in your story hour about events that the rest of the readers saw months ago.  But I am reading!  

As far as dice conventions go, yep, I roll out in the open for the other players to see.  For Christmas, I bought sets of giant dice for Speaks and Raven's players and my wife picked me up a set too.  They are much easier to see from across the table.  It means that I can't fudge things if they are going especially good or bad for the party.  But that is the way I want it.

Don't get me wrong, I've done plenty of fudging in the past to heighten the dramatic tension or to save a character from dying due to poor luck (when the character was otherwise played smart and heroically).  But when we switched to 3E, I decided to let the chips fall where they may and I have not regretted it.

With regard to the challenge level of my campaign, you may have noticed that the party seldom tends to run into encounters equal to their CR.  It happens once in a while, but certainly not consistently.  I attribute this mainly to the fact that they don't tend to have several encounters in a single day but rather one (or maybe two) large encounters that require most of their resources to overcome.

As you observe, this seems more likely to lead to a TPK than the DMG recommended method of only occasionally placing encounters above the party CR.  So yes, I do think this is a possibility, but I don't think it is necessarily probable.  My players are not rash and they make pretty good efforts to assure that they are walking into odds that are doable.  They tend to plan fairly well, even if the plan sometimes falls apart in the heat of battle.

In the unfortunate event that a TPK should occur, I think they would take it reasonably well.  They've all lost characters before and they know that I'm not going out of my way to be malicious about it (most of the time  ).  At this point, a TPK would likely mean the end of my current campaign.  This is simply because we tend to rotate GMing duties and I've already told them that the Faded Glory campaign is headed into the home stretch.  After that, it sounds like Raven or Scar's player will be "behind the screen" for a while.

But don't fret, there is still plenty of story hour left to come.  I did some calculations and I figure that we still have a quarter to a third of the campaign ahead of us.


----------



## Lazybones

Thanks for the feedback, Rel.  Although I think that the snafus are more dramatic (I must have a RBDM streak to me, for I take some secret pleasure when things blow up in the players' faces), I'm going to be rooting for this party so that we can get to the end of the campaign.  

Good luck, guys!  

LB


----------



## Speaks With Stone

Hmmm.  Perhaps I should start picking up some more goodberries.  I think it was the limit of 8 per day per person that slowed me down on those.  I keep thinking, a single first level spell by Raven has better potential than the goodberries.  I have been playing with Regenerate Light Wounds a bit of late.  It has been useful as often as it has not.  I've recently brewed up a batch of RLW potions so Scar can just drink and run.  I like the RLW because it will automatically stabilize anyone and also has a better upward potential if cast early in the combat.  Still a bit of a trick to pull off right.

As for the splitting up call, it was risky, but without my spells I'm just a mediocre spearman.  So the plan was for me and my 2 kestral friends to wing out, I'd sleep in bird form, pray in bird form and then return.  I don't like unnecessary risks, but this one seemed necessary.  Speaks is a survivor and not a hero, he just keeps getting pushed into different corners and having to fight out.  My allies have repeatedly gotten me into things better left alone, but I'm afraid that this time I may be getting them in over their heads.  My respect for Great Root (and certainly he is the most likable of my neighbors) is immense and his urgency is my urgency. 

But this has lead to the present state where my paranoia has been kicking in to overdrive.  Without spilling the beans, I need more allies and I need them now.  But I really don't trust anyone but the dwarves.  A bizarre situation for a druid to be sure.  The Coritani I trust, but I also know that they are in no position to lend aid.  The Glyndeners are unstable allies at best.  I may be better off allying with the kobolds or gnolls, or at least try to engineer the gnoll/ogre alliance into confrontations where we can use them against the undead.  Of course, Raven's frown at this suggestion was deep and steadfast.  If I wish to keep dwarves on my side, I will have to forgoe any alliance with the gnolls and apparently tricking them is too similar to working with them for Raven's liking.

Let's see.  There is the church of St. Cuthbert.  I'm not too comfortable with that idea, but Scar vouches for them and I do need clerics.  There is the church of Elhonna and the Druid Circle back in Emor, but I am too far out to send an animal messenger to them.  Plus there are other problems related to these ideas, which will be revealed soon.  

Sometimes, I miss the simple days of orc shamans and banelars.


----------



## Raven_Khazundam

Lazybones said:
			
		

> *Hey Rel,
> 
> P.S. Do you follow Old One's convention of rolling the dice in the open and letting them fall as they may?  During that battle with the ghouls, I was waiting for that failed save (seems both you and he have a gift for hitting the players with just enough to lead them to the brink of total disaster without crossing over, leading to some very dramatic moments).
> 
> With only three players, do you and they expect the possibility (probability?) of a TPK in the future?  Do you think they would accept such a disaster, if the dice suddenly turned against them?
> 
> LB *




Like Rel said he rolls these monsterous dice in the middle of the table for all to see and it's a great way to run the game.  After months of playing in this style of game I wouldn't really want it any other way.  When Rel is rolling out in the open for combat it adds to the suspense and realism to the game.  Another part of realism is the fact that with Rel rolling the dice in the open it adds immensely to our sense of accomplishment.  We took on the bad guys and won, nothing was fudged in our favor and we don't feel like the encounter/adventure was given to us.  All in all it's a good way to operate.  

As an aside after we planned this bold and brazed assualt last session I had this thought pop into my head as I drove home.  Mind you it was totally unbidden and un-Raven like but none-the-less it was funny.  It's almost as if we are doing a parody of Star Trek were Scar and I are two willing and eager Red Shirts waiting for the Captain's (Speaks with Stone) orders.  And we all know how it ends for the Red Shirts............  

From,
Raven's Player


----------



## Raven_Khazundam

Speaks With Stone said:
			
		

> *I may be better off allying with the kobolds or gnolls, or at least try to engineer the gnoll/ogre alliance into confrontations where we can use them against the undead.  Of course, Raven's frown at this suggestion was deep and steadfast.  If I wish to keep dwarves on my side, I will have to forgoe any alliance with the gnolls and apparently tricking them is too similar to working with them for Raven's liking.
> *




I thought the pressure of the situation had addled Speaks brain when I heard this suggestion.  Not only did I frown because of personal reasons, I pulled out "The Book", flipped to the relevent passages that concerned Druid Morality and that was all I needed to do to end that question.  

You see we found this book that was a history of sorts and we all had agreed that what the Druids did in "The Book" was wrong and how could they have done such a thing??  It was an object lesson in the nature of Druids and why it is a good thing Speaks has a steadfast companion in myself to point out the just and good path.  

Raven


----------



## Rel

Now, now, Raven.  Let's not confuse the nice readers by getting ahead of ourselves.  Plenty of time to for them to read about your likely impending, gruesome deaths later.

(Besides, you're giving them some sense of how far behind I still am on writing the story hours up.)


----------



## Darklone

*Hear ye, hear ye!*



			
				Rel said:
			
		

> *Now, now, Raven.  Let's not confuse the nice readers by getting ahead of ourselves.  Plenty of time to for them to read about your likely impending, gruesome deaths later.
> 
> (Besides, you're giving them some sense of how far behind I still am on writing the story hours up.) *




Hehe. Nice to hear that we still got a plenty to read 

Btw: Would you guys promise to write a storyhour about the next campaign you start ? Who's going to DM then?

Rolling in the open... Can't say I like it (though we do it regularly). The DM in one of my groups uses to roll a statistically impossible number of 20s against my char.


----------



## Rel

Darklone, it's still up in the air as to who will be running the next game.  Raven and Scar's players are both interested in running a campaign so it will be one of them.

I certainly can't promise that the GM of that game will want to post a Story Hour.  But as a player, I tend to keep a journal of what goes on and I will certainly post that.

The present campaign is projected to run at least through the end of June and in total, will probably have lasted just shy of a year.  That is a pretty good run for this group.  It isn't that we exactly get bored of a given setting.  It's more that everyone in the group is a talented GM and sooner or later we all find our hands itching to get hold of the reins.  There are just too many good campaign ideas floating among us to stay with any one of them for much more than a year.  That is to say nothing of the army of character concepts we've got.

But don't fear.  I think me and my group are pretty much a permenant presence on the ENWorld Story Hour boards.


----------



## Rel

'Bout time for another update, don't you think?  Here ya go...

*Visions of Fire*

Speaks settled onto a low branch of a large tree and huddled up next to the trunk.  His keen eagle eyes scanned the forest for any signs of enemies.  Being as close to the Dead Zone as he was, there were few animals of any sort about.  With the Dark Druids about, any creature could be the enemy.

Satisfied that he was safe and alone for the moment, Speaks tucked his head under his wing and tried to get some sleep.

Raven and Scar settled into their own camp.  As per usual, Scar was allowed to take his nap first.  The half-orc only needed a couple of hours sleep each night thanks to the magic ring he wore.  Raven was tired from the day's fighting and travel but he kept a watchful lookout around the camp as Scar slept.

By the time that Scar woke, Raven was ready to get some shut-eye.  He doffed his armor and settled into his thick bedroll seeking shelter from the cool spring night.  His sleep was to be a restless one.

In his dreams, Raven found himself lost in a void of the darkest blackness.  Presently, he spotted a single point of flickering light.  As he observed it, the distance to the point seemed to grow smaller, although he couldn't tell if he was moving toward it or it was moving toward him.

As it came closer, it resolved into a humanoid shape but it seemed to be made of fire.  Raven felt drawn to this figure.  It became closer.  He could now see that the figure was not made of fire, it was on fire.  Raven could feel the heat draw beads of sweat to his face, just like when he stood in front of his forge.  The figure drew closer.  Raven could now see that the flesh of the creature was blackened and cracked.  In places, blood oozed through the cracked flesh to sizzle and boil in the flames that never quite consumed the being.  It drew closer.

Raven felt himself start to be burned, but he didn't care.  He only sought to draw closer to the flaming figure with an obsessive fascination.  It drew closer.  Raven could see that its mouth was a black void, seemingly incapable of being illuminated by the fire that surrounded the creature.  It drew closer.

At last Raven stared directly into the face of the burning thing and could see its eyes.  Its eyelids were the most tenuous bits of charred flesh and the eyelashes must have singed away long ago.  But untouched and apparently untouchable by the flames were the eyes themselves.  They were a deep, brilliant blue and contained a myriad of emotions.  Chief among these were fear and enduring agony but somehow underneath lay a sense of triumph.  Into these eyes, Raven felt he could somehow find a new meaning for life.  He longed to punish whoever was responsible for the pain that lay in those eyes.

Suddenly, startlingly, the burning thing let out a howl of terror and agony that pierced Raven to the soul.  The cry seemed to stretch off into forever until it finally dissolved into an ululating cackle of triumphant laughter.  Just as Raven felt on the verge of dedicating his soul to the burning thing, a sound rang out through the void.  To Raven's trained ear, it was the unmistakable sound of a hammer ringing on an anvil.  The sound broke his reverie and he felt pain in his chest.

Raven woke with a start and a burning at his breast.  He sat bolt upright and tore at his shirt until his hand found the Amulet he wore.  He tore it from his neck and threw it to the ground where it lay, glowing red-hot.  Raven rubbed his burned fingers and his burned chest.  As he did so, his hand encountered the cool metal of his holy symbol and it soothed the pain somewhat.

Scar had noticed Raven awaking so suddenly and came over to insure that his companion was well.  "What's wrong?"

Raven rubbed his fingers together, already feeling the blisters rising on them.  He stared down at the Amulet where it sat on the floor of the unholy forest, its heat fading to a faint glow.  "Bad dream."

*NEXT:  The Cathedral*


----------



## The Lone Corndog

*Scar checking in*

Been a while since I posted, so I'm not gonna do any blow by blow recounting of events from Scar's perspective, but just some general commentary.  Scar is a simple creature, just point him in the general direction of those that need a dose of boot leather to the posterior, and let him go to work.  A bit of healing from time to time is greatly appreciated (hint, hint).

Scar is a bit of a diversion from my usual character - not very bright, not very sneaky, not very...rogue-ish, you might say.  He's fun to play when the fur starts flying, but is at a bit of a loss when more subtle means to an end are the way to go.  Scar doesn't do subtle.  At all.

While Raven and Speaks are cooking up the next intricate, clever plan, Scar is pacing back and forth muttering under his breath 'Time's a'wasting - let's go!!'  If the question is: Should we press on, or run away, the answer is 99.44% 'Press on' from Scar.  That Scar, often wrong, never in doubt.

Some operating priciples:

Find the biggest mofo on the battlefield, and take him out - fast.  The others should lose heart and be easier to take later.  Besides, getting nickeled and dimed by the small fry decreases your chances of taking out the big boy with ease.  That's why they are there - ignore them when possible.

Kill the magic using types asap (duh!)

Best way to deal with an ambush:  Bull through it to the other side - if they could take you in a fair fight, they wouldn't bother with an ambush.

If you are in a temple of evil, and the baddies won't come out to play, pee on the altar - that'll bring 'em running.  Not to mention, it's just fun to do.

Always keep forward momentum - retreating to regroup is not keeping forward momentum....

The good stuff is usually downstairs - when you start setting off traps and alarms, you're getting close.  Press on!

Bull Strength is good.  Bull Strength is very good.

Yell stuff in combat - try to be insulting to the enemy's parentage, race, religion, appearance, smell and combat prowess.  This gets results... of some kind, anyway.  Not to mention, it's just fun to do.

If the priest tells you the amulet you are wearing is evil, believe him.  It'll give you bad dreams, or worse.....

Taking your pet into the middle of a screaming melee with blood an gore spraying everywhere is just a bad idea - particularly if that means spending healing on the pet and not the fighter 

Anyway, thanks for reading this Story Hour - Rel seems to get a real kick out of it, and a happy DM is a good thing.

Yrs,
Scar


----------



## Darklone

*Calling Mr. Bump*

Oops that was Posys storyhour ...


----------



## Darklone

*Yaddayaddayadda*

BUMP.


----------



## Rel

Hmm, I think that Darklone is trying to tell me something. 

I'll see if I can get a post up by tonight.  Sorry for the delay.


----------



## Lazybones

Um... hey?

Anyway, know you're busy, Rel, but I hate to see this story on page 2. 

(BUMP!)


----------



## Darklone

Lazybones said:
			
		

> *Um... hey?
> 
> Anyway, know you're busy, Rel, but I hate to see this story on page 2.
> 
> (BUMP!) *




Agreed.


----------



## Rel

I hate to see it fall off the first page too, guys.  I really do.

I wish I had more time lately but in the last few weeks I've had my wife's birthday, mother's day and our anniversary.  I've had more household projects than I can shake a stick at (yard projects now that summer is here, and tons of baby-proofing stuff to do).

Then of course, there is the time I must allocate to working on the campaign and actually gaming.

*sigh*  I had such good momentum there when I had my "home alone" weekend too.  Sorry guys.  I'll see if I can cram in some writing during my lunch hours the next couple of days.  Take care.


----------



## Lazybones

Lunch hours?  C'mon, Rel, you gotta get a job where you can actually write _during_ work.  It's the only way to get a reputation as a prolific story-hour writer.  Heck, even when I'm away from my office and my computer (say, at boring board meetings) I'm jotting down campaign ideas on my notepad.  

Sadly, I'm still doing good work in between SH breaks despite the attitude described by my moniker, so I might get a promotion and have to do more _real_ work soon...

Oh, well.  

We'll still be here when you get back.  Real life's more important.  

LB


----------



## Rel

Lazybones said:
			
		

> *We'll still be here when you get back.  Real life's more important.
> LB *




Thanks, Lazybones.  The thing is that I could write Story Hour posts all day long if I wanted to.  But I work on straight comission.  If I don't do any work, I don't get any money.  Bummer that. 

Here's what I think I'll do.  I've been putting off writing the stuff because I can't allocate a single block of time big enough.  So, instead, I'll do the writing whenever I can get a spare half-hour or so and just post whatever I've written.  It won't be in such nice big chunks and there will be a lot more, "So?  What happens now?!" from you guys, but at least things will be moving forward.

Look for a post this afternoon.


----------



## Darklone

*Bought that permanent spiderclimb!*

Hah! Rel you were only looking for an excuse to torture us with cliffhangers like the Old Ones uses to do 

Keep them coming!


----------



## Rel

Gah!  It seems that the very gods conspire against me getting an update posted.  I managed to get some writing done at lunch and a bit more at home, only to find that our home phone line (and therefore internet connection) was out.  Later tonight I found out that our phone line was restored so I logged on to post and I get the "boards are busy" message at 12:02 AM!

But I have persevered and brought you an update.  No longer must I hang my head in shame (well, not as much anyway).  So here you go and I'll try to follow up with another one relatively soon.  It sounds like the Boards may be a bit wonky in the near future anyhow.

*The Cathedral*

The party approached the temple for the second time with some trepidation.  The palpable aura of evil that hung over the place was even more real given the events of the previous night.

As they came closer, they saw the guardian statues had reformed and once again stood flanking the archway entrance to the courtyard.  Not desiring for the statues to pursue them into the Temple, they decided to go ahead and deal with them before entering.

Raven and Scar readied their bows and let fly.  Their arrows struck home but did little damage.  The statues immediately came to life and moved toward the group at top speed.  Another volley of arrows came on to meet them and these too did little harm.  And then the statues were upon the party.

In the first few moments of the melee, one of them struck a vicious blow to Raven, which nearly sent him sprawling.  He recovered quickly enough and landed a series of hammer blows that began to send chips of stone flying in all directions.  Scrubs too entered the fight but his claws were no match for the statues who struck out at the bear with their stony hands and maces.  Scrubs found himself wounded and retreating after just a few moments in the battle.

Scar on the other hand lay about him with his hammer and got excellent results.  He battered one of the statues into chunks of shapeless stone with one two-handed blow after another.  As he rounded on the other, he saw Raven take another strike which would have felled a lesser warrior.

Speaks meanwhile helped where he could with healing an occasionally struck with his spear.  He held back on his more potent magics in order to save them for whatever evils lay within the temple.

With one statue down, Raven and Scar made quick work of the last.  The first skirmish of the day was won, but at some cost.  Raven and Scrubs had been sorely wounded in the fight and it took more than a bit of the Dwarf’s healing magic just to put him back in fighting fettle.  It was decided that Scrubs should wait outside the Temple lest he fall easy prey to the evils within.

Leaving the bear behind, the group approached the temple entrance warily.  Stopping outside the door, they warded themselves against some of the elemental magics they suspected awaited them.  They were not disappointed.

Upon opening the door of the place, a thunderous roar burst forth that shook their very bones.  Speaks and Scar avoided some of the blast, but Raven took the full brunt of it.  The group paused to collect and heal themselves and Speaks called forth an _Ally_ in the form of a wolf.  They proceeded into the Temple proper.

Beyond the front entrance was a hallway leading into the darkness.  Speaks drew out his Everburning Torch to provide illumination.  The party passed a pair of doorways that led to vestibules but with no other obvious foes.  Because some of the wards they had cast earlier had limited durations, they pressed forward seeking opposition.

A few steps further brought them into the heart of the Temple:  A large cathedral whose far side could not be seen and whose roof rose some 35 feet above them.  There was little time to enjoy the architecture however as several figures wordlessly approached from the darkness.

Speaks let slip his dog of war and the wolf charged to meet one of the oncoming enemies.  Before the wolf reached his target however, he yelped in pain as bolts of lightning arced up from the floor and coursed through his canine body.  The wolf continued on the attack, but apparently rattled from the shock, his jaws fail to close on his adversary.

Speaks himself called forth a _Flaming Sphere_ which helped light up the room and expose who exactly they were fighting.  At first glance it was clear that these creatures were more of the undead.  There appeared to be two types.  There were a half dozen who wore chainmail and brandished long swords.  Another pair were slightly more bulky and had faces locked in a grimace of pain.  These each had a monstrous claw in place of one of their hands.

Raven and Scar tightened ranks to hold the hallway at first.  The pair of warriors swung tentatively at the attacking undead, trying to get a measure of their foes.  The enemies wasted no time exhibiting what their capabilities were.

In the first moments of the battle, the wolf was felled and vanished back from whence it was summoned.  The other creatures came forth and challenged the line held by Scar and Raven.  Their attacks fell heavily but failed to penetrate the armor worn by the Dwarf and Half-Orc.

Gaining a bit of confidence, Scar stepped forward to flank one of the attackers and struck a sound blow with his hammer.  Raven struck a moment later and felled the undead warrior.  Unfortunately, these maneuvers opened up a gap and a pair of the ghastly creatures managed to slip into the hallway to threaten Speaks.

Speaks gave a bit of ground to make room for plying his long spear.  He simultaneously guided the ball of fire he had conjured and began to scorch one undead after another.  Raven and Scar stepped fully into the cathedral as both wielded their hammers to devastating effect. This allowed more of the undead to move into the hallway, cutting off Speaks from the rest of the party.

Which was just what Speaks was waiting for.  He unleashed one of his most powerful spells and a _Flame Strike_ filled the hallway with fire and the wrath of nature.  Several of the hideous creatures were instantly incinerated and Speaks and Scar fell upon the others with a vengeance.  Within moments, the hallway was cleared.

The trio turned their attentions to the remaining pair of undead who pressed relentlessly forward.  A brief break in the action allowed Raven to call forth one of Moradin’s magics he had not yet used.  A ray of brilliant light sprang from his hammer and struck one of the undead, burning through its rotten flesh and destroying it.  Speaks drove his ball of fire into the last of the enemy and Scar finished it with a firm hammer blow.

The battle ended as quickly as it had begun.  Although the party members had suffered a few small wounds, the fight was a resounding success.  As the dust settled, the party began seeking signs of the sinister secrets, which Great Root had hinted the Temple may hold.

*NEXT:  Oh for a Rogue!*


----------



## Darklone

*Banethings *

Funny things! You do like the Monsters of Faerun, don't you?


----------



## Rel

None of my players own it, so anything out of MoF comes as a surprise.


----------



## Darklone

*Hehehehe*

Right! Banelar, Banewarriors.... Waiting for stingers 

Kudos to your players to enter such an area without trapspringer, ehm, rogue. Well, they can always send summoned monsters through the glyphs!


----------



## Speaks With Stone

As it turns out, only Scar's player has really extensively read the Monster Manual anyway.  I have it but I've tried to only read up about the creatures I can summon, so I really have no concept of what a lot of other creatures can do.  When we run into kobolds, I'm genuinely surprised when they start whipping out lots of spells.  When we run into a Banelar, I can't even begin to guess at what to call it much less figure out what it can do.

In some ways this has been fun to just experience the opposition without player knowledge, in other ways it has led us into a number of poor decisions.  Ah well.


----------



## Darklone

Speaks With Stone said:
			
		

> *In some ways this has been fun to just experience the opposition without player knowledge, in other ways it has led us into a number of poor decisions.  Ah well. *




Hmm, the good old times when we started roleplaying without knowing all monster stats and abilities.....


----------



## Rel

Anybody out there still reading this thing? 

Finally, an update.  The good news is that I got a fair chunk of writing done over the weekend and I should have enough to update every day this week if I slice it right.  Now if I could just manage to log on at times when I'm not hitting the user limit...

*Oh for a Rogue*

In the immediate aftermath of the battle, the group surveyed the cathedral more carefully.  A pair of double doors stood on each side of the room, most likely leading to the wings of the Temple the party had observed from outside.  At the front was a series of steps, raising the floor some three feet above the main floor.  Atop this dais was an altar and behind that a large wall hanging depicting a raised fist surrounded by green flames.

The group was mindful that there were magical wards placed throughout the room as evidenced by the fate of the wolf that Speaks had summoned.  Raven used a minor spell to _Detect_ any _Magics_ that were currently active in the area.  He located several areas that he suspected would be painful to enter and made this known to the others.

Before he could sweep the entire room however, Scar boldly approached the altar.  He appeared not to set off any of the elemental wards set about the place, but as he drew close to the unholy altar, he felt a sense of _Doom_ overcome him.  He tried unsuccessfully to shake the oppressive feeling.  In anger, he tore down the large, silk wall hanging and left in a pile on the floor.

With a few of their protective spells still in place, the group decided to press on with due haste.  They selected one of the sets of doors and warily opened them.  Beyond was a single large room with a few bits of scattered, broken furniture.  In each of the far corners was a small alcove.  Scar stepped inside to investigate further.

As he did so, he heard an audible click from the floor below him and a fullisade of darts shot from the wall flanking the set of doors.  His armor stopped some of the darts and he instinctively dodged a few others, but he was still wounded, angry and a bit depressed.

By way of consolation, Speaks cast a spell on him that would allow him to _Regenerate_ any further wounds he took in the next few minutes.  Scar proceeded across the room to one of the alcoves and found a door.  Raven found another in the opposite alcove.  Both doors seemed to lead into the area situated between the alcoves, which was fairly small.

Scar suspected another possible trap within the alcove, but there was no way to open the door without stepping inside.  He did and was rewarded with another volley of darts.  He fared slightly better against these and opened the door to find a staircase leading upwards.

Raven entered the alcove he had been exploring and was pleased that there was no trap.  He opened the door and was struck from behind by a cluster of arrows shot from carefully hidden holes in the wall.  The dwarf growled in pain and plucked the arrows out of the gaps between the plates of his armor.  Looking beyond the door, he saw a staircase leading down.

After a brief pause, the group decided to take the stairs down.  They lodged the door open behind them hoping that the trap would not reset itself and descended.  At the bottom, they entered a narrow hallway that turned twice in quick succession.  A few feet further on, Raven spotted a series of side passages or alcoves further up the hallway and moved forward to investigate.

He traveled roughly ten feet before falling down a pit, making a loud rattling of armor as he came to rest on the floor, thirty feet below.  "Stupid */@%& Traps!"

Scar and Speaks started forward to aid their friend when they noticed several Skeletal Archers step out of the side passages ahead.  The archers began to fire immediately into the ranks of the party.  Scar immediately drew his bow and began to return fire at the skeletons in return.  Speaks pulled out a rope and tossed it down to Raven.

Scar noticed right away that his arrows were having little effect against his bony foes.  He opted to drop his bow and leap across the pit (it was only 5 feet) to directly engage the archers.  Speaks meanwhile tried in vain to pull Raven from the pit.  Raven was not very adept at climbing and with his heavy armor, he would never manage on his own.  Raven attempted to tie the rope around himself and let Speaks just haul him out, but the dwarf also knew little about knots.  All of this resulted in a great deal of cursing by the dwarf as he remained trapped down a hole whilst evil was being smitten overhead.

Scar made quick work of the archers and returned to aid Speaks in getting Raven out of the hole.  The group was getting rather banged up by this point and more healing magic was applied to soothe their wounds.

Further up, the corridor took a left turn and became wider.  Ahead they could see that the hallway opened into some kind of larger room.  As they reached the opening to the room, the area came alive with more of the gaunt, longsword wielding undead they had faced in the cathedral above (they had determined that these were undead elves).

Scar was first to react and he stepped forward to engage the enemy.  His hammer began to strike foes left and right with satisfying results.  Raven was quick into the fray as well anxious to make up for the last battle, which had passed with him down a pit.  Speaks grumbled as his allies charged forward.  He had hoped that they could force the undead to fight them in the hallway where they could keep them from all attacking at once.  Clearly, this was not to be and Speaks moved forward into the battle.

The undead elven warriors were not so easily vanquished as the skeletons the party had faced.  Several times during the melee, Scar and Raven felt the bite of their swords.  But the party avoided any life-threatening wounds and fought well as they had above in the cathedral.

Scar and Raven mostly stayed shoulder to shoulder to avoid being flanked.  Speaks worked at keeping another of the foes occupied with his club and conserving his magic for the greater challenges he knew must lie ahead.  Within a few more moments, Scar and Raven downed their foes and helped Speaks with his.

Casting about for any further enemies, the group realized that they were in a sort of gallery.  Before them the floor dropped into a sunken area.  A pair of staircases dropped down into this area and were separated from the rest of the gallery by low, stone railings.  The group stepped to the edge of the gallery to look down into the sunken area.  It was easily 60 feet to the other side and almost as wide.  Gazing down at the floor, it was obviously uneven.  As the party gaze in horror, they could now see that the floor was covered from wall to wall with bones.  And some of them were moving…

*NEXT:  The Chamber of Bone*


----------



## Broccli_Head

I'm still reading! Like you, I have posted far and few between. Unfortunately, I don't get  help from my players to post their insight or new insight. Just demands to post!
Haven't been able to read as much either. Honestly, the only stories I have been reading are Lady Despina's Virtue and yours. The others have grown stale....


----------



## Darklone

*Hihihi!*

No cleric who can turn and no rogue for the traps....

Brave heroes  !!!


----------



## Rel

Hey gang.  I hope you all had a nice weekend.  I've got lots of new material to post this week.  I need to run through some of the stuff one more time to check it against some of my notes.  I'll try to do that at lunch and start my deluge of posts for the week.

I'm still far from caught up, but I should have enough material to keep the wolves at bay for a few days.  Also there is lots of juicy info coming up that should let you in on some of the overarching plotline.


----------



## Rel

This post continues the battle begun in the previous one.  This was without question the largest single battle of the campaign so far and will be continued in the next post as well.  Enjoy.

*The Chamber of Bone*

As the party watched on in horror, the bones drew together to form a cluster of skeletons who immediately started up the staircases.  These undead were unarmed but their clawed hands and undying tenacity were not to be underestimated.

Speaks immediately moved to the top of one of the staircases while Raven and Scar moved to the other.  As the skeletons clawed their way up the stairs they unleashed a flurry of attacks at them.  The skeletons shattered easily enough, but there were more horrors waiting for the group.

In the far corner of the room, Raven and Scar peered through the darkness to see a whirlwind of bone coalesce into a towering figure.  The thing was comprised not of a single skeleton but was simply a collection of random bones assembled into a twelve foot high creation of nightmare.  The mass of bones shifted as the thing drew back both arms and shot forth a pair of "bone javelins" at Speaks.  He was pierced by one and felt the power behind the bolt as it shredded his robe and cut open his side.

Scar saw that the skeletons were little more than a distraction from the real threat.  He demolished another skeleton and dashed down the staircase into the pit below.  Bones crunched underfoot as he approached the "Bone Golem" before him.

Speaks continued to smash away at the skeletons coming up the staircase he guarded.  His human eyes could not penetrate the darkness to see what it was that had shot him but he had felt the might behind the attack and was afraid for Scar as he ran to face it.

Raven prepared to follow Scar's lead but before he could react the air around him shimmered and he was suddenly surrounded by creatures almost too hideous to describe.  They were nearly shapeless blobs topped with almost humanoid faces contracted in grimaces of pain and hopelessness.  Their pathetic claws scratched at his armor and they cried out in a soul piercing wail.  Raven struck out with his hammer, laying one of the tormented souls to rest with nearly every swing.

Scar continued to make his way across the pit of bones, awkwardly moving toward the Bone Golem.  Now that he was down in the pit, he could see an arched passageway leading out of the pit through the opposite wall.  But there was no time to contemplate that now.  He was halfway to the Bone Golem when it fired another pair of bone javelins, this time at him.  Both struck him but the second was absorbed by the protection afforded him by the _Bark_like enchantment that Speaks had cast on his _skin_.  The first struck him in the shoulder and the force of the blow caused him to pivot, sending a wrenching pain down his back.

As if to add insult to injury, another cluster of skeletons rose from the floor and began to crowd in on Scar from every side.  He felt their claws scraping ineffectually at his armor and recoiled in horror.

Speaks had finally managed to destroy all the skeletons trying to ascend to the balcony via the staircase he guarded.  He was considering trying to aid Raven whom he could barely see through the hideous, slug-like creatures whom he fought.  But before he could go to the aid of the dwarf, yet another batch of skeletons rose up from the bones piled below and moved toward the stairs.

Tired of fighting them piecemeal, Speaks called on one of his most powerful enchantments and a pillar of _Flame Struck_ the group of skeletons, burning them to bits with fire and the power of nature.

Scar battered his way through the skeleton in front of him and moved to attack the Bone Golem, heedless of the skeletal claws that tried to scratch at him as he left them behind.

The Bone Golem launched another pair of bone javelins at Speaks and again one found its mark.  It then moved away from Scar, staying tantalizingly out of reach.

Raven continued to batter at the horrid creatures of the Abyss that continued to press in on him.  His enchanted hammer flew about him in a blur, but it seemed that every time he destroyed one of the creatures, another stepped in to take its place.

Speaks moved over to aid the dwarf and began attacking the mass of tormented souls from the other side.  At the rate they were falling, the creatures would be gone in a few more seconds and then they could go help Scar.

Except for the fact that yet another cluster of Skeletons sprang from the pit of bone (they were popping up in batches of 7, roughly every other round).  These quickly moved up the stairway and Speaks found himself with even more adversaries.

Those down in the pit were no less tenacious.  They moved to attack Scar, unwilling to let him disengage with them.  The half-orc ignored their assault and moved in to attack the Bone Golem.  He bashed away at it with his hammer and chips of bone sailed across the room to join the others on the floor.

The Bone Golem responded by moving back away from Scar's hammer.  It used its superior reach to attack while letting the other skeletons in between to serve as a distraction and a buffer.

Raven and Speaks continued to fight a virtual army of foes atop the balcony.  Raven had banished nearly all of the slug creatures but some of the skeletons ascending the staircase had pushed their way past Speaks and were now appearing on the dwarf's flank.

Speaks too was in danger of getting surrounded and backed away from the staircase somewhat.  A new group of skeletons were now scaling the opposite staircase and threatening to completely overwhelm the balcony area.

Things below were not much better.  Scar continued to smash the lesser skeletons out of the way in an attempt to reach the Bone Golem.  His blows were telling when they landed, but he was having a tough time getting close enough to swing.  And when he did get a clear line on the Golem, he found himself getting clouted by a stout bony club, studded with a ring of vertebrae.  He still had some fight left in him, but he was starting to wear down.

Raven could see that they were never going to get a handle on the skeletons by destroying them one at a time.  He raised high his hammer and golden light poured from the symbol of Moradin inscribed thereupon.  A half dozen skeletons nearest him turned to dust and the way was clear now for him to move to aid Speaks.

And not a moment too soon.  Speaks had retreated to the rear of the balcony area and was being hard pressed by the mass of skeletons around him.  A couple of them had managed to slip their claws through the hides he wore and raked at his flesh beneath.  When he saw the Dwarf free of the crowd he had been fighting, Speaks felt a sense of relief.

Then, without warning, the space between them grew hazy and a _Wall of Ice_ bisected the balcony area, cutting Raven off from aiding the Druid.

Below in the pit, Scar had destroyed most of the skeletal harriers and had backed the Bone Golem into one corner of the Chamber of Bone.  He launched himself at the creature and withstood another blow from its jagged and bony appendage.  But he ignored the pain and met the creature with a two-handed, overhand swing of his warhammer that landed squarely on the creature's lower body.  It collapsed in on itself (and Scar) and lay in an inert heap of bones indistinguishable from the rest of the floor.

Scar turned and breathed a sigh of relief as he prepared to ascend to the balcony where his friends still fought.  As he watched, another _Wall of Ice_ came into being, cutting the pit in half and separating him from his companions.

The group was now split and none of them could aid each other.

*NEXT:  The Overlord*


----------



## Darklone

*Eeee-Vil!!!*

Like it. Very much.


----------



## Broccli_Head

Yes! Split the party!


----------



## Speaks With Stone

As if we aren't usually divided.  

I've noticed that teamwork is nigh unto a dirty word among our group.  Whenver a fight happens, we are generally in three distinct areas.  Scar charges forward, Raven stands still (casting spells until the enemy closes), and I tend to soar above the fight.

We have talked about using tactics on occasion and I believe we all agree that tactics are good, but none of us seem to use any when the fight closes.  We are currently trying to make our plans based on character personalities.  Scar is guaranteed to charge at the biggest guy on the field no matter how many times it isolates him from the two healers in the party (and he often mutters about how little healing he receives, hmmmm).  Raven is guaranteed to use his spells creatively, but rarely for healing.  I am guaranteed to maximize safety and survival (and I also rarely use my spells for healing to be fair).

What has seemed to work best is I try to shape the battle field with entangles, briar webs, spikes, etc and fly around to fill in where needed.  Scar attacks the big guy (what else could we do with him?).  Raven does his spell work and slowly catches up to Scar.  It's not perfect (or even very good), but it's as close to teamwork as we seem capable of.  

Indoors we can work a little better, because I'm forced to stand back to back with Raven, but that generally means that we are even less likely to catch up to Scar.  It's amazing how that half-orc stays conscious (and alive).  Perhaps we should shorten his ration of healing to make him a bit more dependent on us.  Nah.  I doubt it would work and it might piss him off.


----------



## Rel

*The Overlord*

Scar paused for only a moment before he swung his hammer at the wall of ice that separated him from his companions.  Chips of ice flew from the wall and Scar sensed that, with some effort, he could bash his way through the wall fairly quickly.  He began hammering at the wall more fervently.

For Raven, there was good news and bad news.  The good news was that the wall of ice that had appeared on the balcony had cut off any further skeletons from accosting him.  The bad news was that there were still several of the bony adversaries left for him to deal with from the last batch.  With his jaw set in grim determination, he hefted his hammer and continued to smite evil with all his might.

Speaks was in perhaps the most precarious situation.  He was cut off from both his companions but was not cut off from the groups of skeletons who seemed to be marching forth from the bone pit with alarming regularity.  An escape route was open to him by way of the hall opposite the one they had entered through.  But if the other hallway was any indication, this one was also likely to be heavily trapped.  He was starting to run out of magic and few of his spells would be of much help against the hordes of skeletons.  He maneuvered himself such that he could not be easily flanked and settled into battle with his shillelagh, buying time until a better plan could suggest itself.

Scar smashed through the wall of ice that divided him from his allies.  He clambered through the hole he created and discovered to his shock and dismay that while the ice was indeed gone, the intense cold of the wall still caused him pain.  He growled in frustration.
His frustration doubled when a moment later another wall of ice blocked his path to his friends.  It quickly became obvious that he was going to wind up stuck in a prison of ice if he didn't do something quickly.  At that moment, he gave up the idea of trying to rejoin his friends.  Whoever was conjuring these walls of ice was his new target.

It took Raven a bit of time, but the outcome of his battle with the remaining skeletons was never in question.  His hammer was the ideal weapon for turning the undead into just so many scattered bones.  In a few moments, he was left alone and panting on his side of the ice wall.

Speaks was managing to hold his own against the skeletal horde that pressed in around him.  But once in a while, one of their bony hands would penetrate his defenses and rake his flesh.  It was obvious that if something didn't change, he would never again see the outside world that he loved so dearly.  Momentarily ignoring the attacks of the skeletons, he reached within and called forth one of his last offensive spells.  One of the _Flaming Spheres_ that had served him so well in the past appeared before him and plowed under one of his undead foes.

Scar turned around and mentally prepared himself for pain.  Then he dove back through the hole in the wall he had just come through.  Again, the icy cold gripped him and his sweat stained clothes became crunchy with ice.  The battle had taken more of a toll on him than he had thought and as he made his way toward the arched passage his hand reached down to a small bottle tucked in his belt.

Raven struck the wall again with his hammer and was pleased to be making progress.  But he knew that things were likely not going well on the other side.  The tide of skeletons seemed neverending and Speaks was the weakest warrior in the group.

Weak though he may have been as a warrior, Speaks had a certain cunning.  Rather than continue to use the ball of fire he had conjured as a weapon, he rolled it into the ice wall that blocked off Raven and their escape route.  The sphere sizzled as it hit the ice but it quickly began to melt a hole in the wall.  Speaks meanwhile smashed down another skeleton with his club and prayed to that Raven would soon come to his aid.

Having drunk a healing draught, Scar felt somewhat better but knew that he was far from fully healthy.  (I'm pretty sure that Scar's hit points were in single digits at this point.  Going through the Ice Walls twice in quick succession could have put him unconscious if I hadn't rolled poorly.)  He dashed into the arched hallway, hammer at the ready.  He found that it made a quick turn to the left and ended in a staircase going up.  Without a second thought, he began mounting the stairs three at a time.

Meanwhile, Speaks was still desperately trying to hold off the skeletons.  There were still more than half a dozen of them pressing in on him, but it did seem that no new ones had appeared in the last few moments.  He glanced at the ice wall long enough to notice that it seemed the ball of fire had melted its way through.  He called to the flames and sent the ball careening into one of the skeletons at the back of the pack.

Raven saw the _Flaming Sphere_ melt through the wall and when it turned and moved away, he seized the opportunity to scramble through the hole it had left.  Once on the other side, he saw Speaks backed up against the wall by a pack of skeletons.  Scar was nowhere in sight but Raven suspected that he was located behind some of the ice walls that were down in the pit of bone.  Clearly, Scar was too far away for the Dwarf to help given how slow he was.  Raven moved in at the rear of the pack and started turning more skeletons into shattered piles of bone.

Scar moved up the last few stairs a bit more quietly and found himself in a doorway.  Across the room he saw a robed figure peering through a narrow hole in the wall.  The figure seemed to be muttering to himself and watching something through the hole with great interest.  A cruel grin came across Scar's face as he hefted his hammer and crossed the room in two great strides.

The thin robed figure didn't even turn as Scar brought his hammer down in a two handed grip that sent the hammer passing all the way through his body.  In fact, the hammer didn't even slow down as it passed harmlessly through the image and crashed into the floor with a loud *clang*.  Scar's mind reeled in confusion as a voice behind him spoke a single word: "Fool."

Scar had no time to react as he was struck from behind.  As he toppled to the floor and slid into unconsciousness, he had a curious final thought.  "I wonder why someone carved that intricate circle on the ceiling?"  Then, the world went black.

*NEXT:  The Overlord (continued)*


----------



## Lazybones

Great update and a nice cliffhanger, Rel.  Here's hoping that you don't keep us hanging too long for the conclusion. 

LB


----------



## Rel

Fear not, Lazybones.  It is already written, but I'm gonna hold out and post it tomorrow.

In the mean time, would anybody care to speculate on what our bad guy is?


----------



## Speaks With Stone

Ew.  Ew.  Pick me.  Pick me.  I know.  I know.


----------



## Lazybones

Rel said:
			
		

> *In the mean time, would anybody care to speculate on what our bad guy is? *




Well, from the spells used in the encounter, I'd have to guess an Osyluth.


----------



## Broccli_Head

Good guess...How about an Ice Devil? Although all those skeletons....hmmm...And a Gelugon would be overkill for the party, wouldn't it?


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## Darklone

*Osyluth*

Same guess here... I suffered the same lately


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## Rel

The answer can be found within...

*The Overlord (continued)*

Thanks to their combined efforts, Speaks and Raven had destroyed most of the skeletons on the balcony area.  Their thoughts were just starting to turn to how Scar was doing when a voice boomed from the far side of the Chamber of Bone:

"Come and fight me or your friend dies!"

Speaks' shillelaigh smashed the last of the skeletons to the ground and he summoned his sternest tone for his reply, "Why don't you quit hiding and come out to fight us face to face!" (a fairly unimpressive Intimidation check followed)

A sinister chuckle drifted out of the darkness, "Sorry, it doesn't work like that."  A moment later, another cluster of skeletons rose up from the Bone Pit and started up the stairs.

Knowing that Scar was in trouble and that he and Raven would never be able to fight through the tide of skeletons in time, Speaks transformed into hawk form and soared into the air.  His flight took him above the various Ice Walls that now divided the Bone Pit into sections.  He dove down into the entrance to the arched passageway.  He arrived at the stairway in short order but knew that it would be suicide to try and face the enemy in hawk form.  He concentrated and resumed his human form.

Meanwhile, Raven was alone atop the balcony smashing away at the skeletons there.  Although he would not have traded the protection his armor afforded for anything, he was often frustrated at the way it limited his mobility.  For all he knew, Speaks and Scar were about to be butchered and there was nothing he could do about it.  He took out his frustration on the skeletons.

Speaks crept up the stairs until his eyes were level with the floor of the room above.  He saw Scar's prone but still breathing form lying on the floor.  Across the room he saw a robed figure peering through a narrow hole in the wall.  The figure seemed to be muttering to himself and watching something through the hole with great interest. (sound familiar?)

Speaks had almost no spells left.  He reached into his pocket and his fingers found the familiar shape of a Pearl he had purchased from Tadius Silvanus back during the Winter War.  Gripping it tightly, he felt the power of the _Flaming Sphere_ spell he had cast earlier reform in his mind.  Then, speaking the words to the spell as quickly and quietly as possible, he called the ball of fire back into being and sent it rolling into the back of the robed villain.

Raven continued to bring low the undead warriors he fought but not without receiving a few wounds himself.  He didn't know how many of the skeletal warriors he had fought personally, but it had to be nearing a score.  He was slowly being worn down and he hoped beyond hope that Speaks and Scar were putting an end to whoever was responsible for this unending tide of undeath.

Speaks didn't wait for the reaction of the figure but instead charged right after the _Flaming Sphere_ to attack.  But he noticed before he even got there that the ball of fire passed right through the legs of the robed image.  A voice quietly whispered, "Pity about that." He whirled about trying to locate the actual villain and was greeted by a surprise attack.

A hideous monster appeared before him out of thin air.  It stood some 8 feet tall and strongly resembled the skeletons they had been fighting.  But a long, barbed tail loomed over the creature's head, supported on a tail of vertebrae.  It struck without warning but Speaks' _Barkskin_ kept the attack from being lethal.  Speaks struck back and brought his shillelagh crashing into the creature's ribcage.

The demon staggered back and smiled.  "Did I underestimate you?  Perhaps you'll do the job after all."  It flexed its claws and lunged to attack.

For Speaks, the world dissolved into a mindless flurry of battle.  He brought the _Flaming Sphere_ to bear on the creature but it seemed to ignore if not actually enjoy the flames.  He did his best to stay away from the vicious tail of the creature.  The times when it managed to strike him, he felt it pump poison into his body.  But he trusted in his inner strength to combat that.  He had to remain focused on his attacks.  He ducked and dodged and launched swing after swing at the beast with his enchanted club.

Raven smashed the final skeleton from the balcony.  He bled from a dozen wounds but he still stood.  He prepared to go to the aid of his companions and started to descend into the Pit of Bone when suddenly a peal of maniacal laughter rang out from ahead of him.

Speaks heard the same laughter as he smote the creature back to oblivion.  He smelled an acrid burning smell on the air.  The Druid didn't know what damnable depth of hell he had sent the creature back to and hoped never to find out.  He knelt to check on Scar.

The Half-Orc still lived.  Speaks drew out his healing wand and began to apply it to both Scar and himself.  Just as Scar's eyelids fluttered open, Raven appeared on the staircase.  "Damned lot of skeletons, wasn't it?"

*NEXT:  The Oubliette*


For bonus points, can you tell what just happened?


----------



## Broccli_Head

Yeah! The devil _teleported w/out error_ somewhere!


----------



## Darklone

... probably somewhere close and went invisible again....


----------



## Rel

Now that teleportation thing would have been dastardly, wouldn't it?  But no, the devil was simply banished back to hades.  The trick to this encounter was that the devil was imprisoned in a Circle against Evil and Geased to protect the temple (at least the part of it that he could see from his prison) against interlopers.

As the party is about to learn, there haven't been any interlopers in a LONG time.  The devil was duty bound to protect the temple, but he was playing to lose.  He knew the only way he was getting out was for someone to "kill" him and send him back to the abyss.

But he only had so much wiggle room in his "contract" so he had to do something each round to thwart the party.  I made a few sub-optimal combat choices for him along the way, especially once he got into melee.


----------



## Speaks With Stone

And if you didn't think Rel qualified for RBDM, yet.  . . .

We finally beat a major bad guy (as opposed to us being beat by some minor bad guys) and Rel informs us that he was "playing to lose."  

But wait!  It gets better.  Stay tuned.

(Though I admit the teleport/invis trick would have been worse)


----------



## Darklone

Speaks With Stone said:
			
		

> *And if you didn't think Rel qualified for RBDM, yet.  . . .
> 
> We finally beat a major bad guy (as opposed to us being beat by some minor bad guys) and Rel informs us that he was "playing to lose."
> 
> But wait!  It gets better.  Stay tuned.
> 
> (Though I admit the teleport/invis trick would have been worse) *




When we encountered an osyluth last time, he was sitting all the time 5ft outside of our clerics invisibility purge and annoyed us while we bashed fireball throwing skeletons and ogre zombies. Ah well, and as he entered melee in Deeper Darkness, the only thing our Dispel Magic killed was the Greater Magic Weapon of the paladin who was walking in the dark... Argh. DR20/+2 really sucks if you got only +1 weapons and no blindfighting!


----------



## Darklone

Bump!


----------



## Lazybones

[Looks around...]

Hey, where did Rel go?  We're not at the end of the campaign already, are we?

Anyway, bump.


----------



## Rel

Sorry guys.  I've got major deadlines at work this week and the usual family stuff (baby got a cold, Rel gets the cold, wife gets the cold).

What I really need to do is push through the rest of the temple stuff because I've got a major section of stuff already written up after that.  That should be doable this week.  I predict an update on Thursday and several posts after that including an info dump for the party.

I'll also go ahead and leak the fact that the campaign has officially ended after last week's session.  That's the bad news.

The good news is that I'm so far behind on writing my story hour posts that you have plenty more material to go before it ends.  The other good news is that I've positioned things such that there is a lot of unfinished business in the campaign as fodder for further adventures in the future.  The other other good news is that Raven's player will be running a new campaign starting in July.  For that game, I'll be playing Noblin the Gnomish Illusionist and general scoundrel.  I'll do a story hour thread from my perspective as a player.

And the other other other good news is that between now and July, I'm going to run a short Star Wars adventure for the same game group.  It will only be 2-3 sessions, but I guarantee they will be action packed and tie in well with the SW universe.

In some ways, I'll be sad to leave Faded Glory for a while, but it will be fun to explore other worlds.  Don't worry though.  Like I said, there is plenty more to come in this thread before we get to the end of the campaign.


----------



## Jodo Kast

That's all great news!  Looking forward to more updates, plus hopefully a story hour generated from your Star Wars foray.


----------



## Darklone

Huzaah!


----------



## Rel

Better late than never...

*The Oubliette*

Healing was applied to all members of the party via the healing wands and a couple of Raven's remaining spells.  Once back from the brink of unconsciousness, the group examined the room.  In addition to the circle inscribed on the ceiling and the spy hole overlooking the chamber of bone, they found a door.  It had no apparent handle or lock but in the center was a shallow depression in the same shape as one of the Amulets of Communication which the Inquisitors of St. Cuthbert had so strongly cautioned them about.

Raven reached into his haversack and pulled forth one of the amulets and gave it to Scar.  Scar fitted it into the depression on the door to which it adhered with an audible click.  A moment later there was a sound of stone scraping on stone as the door slid into the wall.  Beyond was a stairway leading upwards.  The party quietly ascended.

The top of the stairs brought them to a room similar in size to the one below.  It clearly held the trappings of a bedroom but also contained a small altar at the far end.  There was little time to ponder the décor however as a robed figure kneeling at the altar sprang into action and attacked the party.

It first unleashed a ray of _Searing Light_ which struck Raven in the chest, burning him.  Scar closed quickly and found himself face to face with a creature that looked similar to the illusion he had faced in the room below.  But this "man" had an appearance of undying antiquity as if he was being kept alive by some malevolent force.  It struck at the Half-Orc with its mace and connected.  The strength behind the blow was considerable for someone with such a thin frame.

But Scar also packed a punch.  His warhammer landed a pair of telling blows on the creature.  Raven joined the melee a moment later and the pair of warriors made quick work of the abomination.  The group stood about panting with exertion, wondering what other horrors the temple could possibly hold.

A search about the room turned up a few objects of note.  Among them were a pair of amulets (that looked nothing like the Amulets of Communication), a magical cloak, magical boots, the mace wielded by the creature that guarded the chamber and a book that appeared to be a journal of some kind.  Speaks paged through the journal for a minute or two before announcing that it was the object of their quest.  It was decided that they should depart the temple before taking time to fully read the contents of the journal.

The group gathered the magical items they had discovered and prepared to set out.  Scar quickly decapitated and bagged the head of the guardian, defiled the altar and declared himself ready to depart.  (Note:  Scar's player has somewhat of a history of having characters who defile altars at the drop of a hat.  In a published, Rolemaster sourcebook authored by Speak's player and myself, Scar's player - one of our playtesters - was assigned the nickname "Religion Wrecker".  You'll also note that he casually tore down the wall hanging in the sanctuary when they first entered the temple.)

The group cautiously made their way out through the chamber of bone and across the pit trap that had troubled Raven previously.  They ascended back to the vestibule, mindful of the traps contained there.  As they entered back into the Sanctuary, they heard a noise.  A moment later, Scrubs the bear came tearing into the temple with an arrow protruding from his rump.

*NEXT:  Yet Another Nasty Fight While The Party Has Virtually No Spells Or Hit Points (or Rel Vies For Rat Bastard Of The Year)*


----------



## Darklone

Fighters rule over spellcasters


----------



## Fade

You need to fix the link on the first page. Here is the correct link for part one:

http://test.cyberstreet.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=110&perpage=15&pagenumber=1


----------



## Rel

Fade said:
			
		

> *You need to fix the link on the first page. Here is the correct link for part one:
> 
> http://test.cyberstreet.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=110&perpage=15&pagenumber=1 *




Oops.  Thanks, Fade.


----------



## Fade

Just started reading your storyhour from the beginning, and it's a lot of fun!



> The group was now tired, battered, without spells, without shelter, in knee deep snow and had, at most, a handful of hours before a score of orcs would be on top of them. In other words, things were about like normal.




There seems to be a definite trend in the Faded Glory setting.


----------



## Rel

Fade said:
			
		

> *Just started reading your storyhour from the beginning, and it's a lot of fun!*




You know what, Fade, I've had a really crappy morning and that just made me feel a LOT better.  Thanks for that.

If you have any comments or questions about the old thread, feel free to post them here and I'll be happy to answer them.


----------



## Fade

Ilrath seemed to crit at the most appropriate times - was this sheer luck, or were you avoiding killing all the characters before the players had become attached to them, so you could kill them later in a much crueler fashion?


----------



## Rel

Fade said:
			
		

> *Ilrath seemed to crit at the most appropriate times - was this sheer luck, or were you avoiding killing all the characters before the players had become attached to them, so you could kill them later in a much crueler fashion? *




There was no fudging for or against the players in this campaign (although I've done it in many a game in the past).  I always roll the dice out on the table where the players can see it unless it is a roll that needs to be kept secret.  So Ilrath's crits were all legitimate.

As far as killing the characters later in a much crueler fashion, no comment on that for now since you are still reading the earlier adventures.


----------



## Fade

Now finished the backlog, and anxiously waiting for more!

I see that Raven is a student of the Wulf school of trap disarmament.


----------



## Speaks With Stone

Rel, seriously.  What's up with the story hour?  I mean, I don't want everyone to know that our campaign is done, we've played another entire system, and even begun a new campaign since your last installment.  

Just checking in, buddy.  Let me know how it's going and I'll keep your little secret.   

P.S.  You are coming over to X-box it this weekend right?


----------



## Rel

If I didn't have smartass friends, I'd have no friends at all...

I heartily appologize for taking forever to update.  Lately other things have taken priority.  But things are about to change!

First off, right about the time we ended the campaign, I had a birthday.  For that birthday, I bought Star Wars d20.  We decided to play a 3-session "mini-campaign" of Star Wars until Raven's player got his D&D campaign ready to go.  So I spent most of my time in June reading and learning the SWd20 rules and running that game.

We had a lot of fun with it but it is over now and since I'm freed from my GMing responsibilities, I can focus on finishing the Story Hour.  Also, tomorrow morning, my wife and baby are leaving on a 5 day trip to visit her grandmother.  So that means Rel will be having some bachelor time that he can use to write Story Hour.

Anyhow, sorry again and expect several new posts by next Thursday.


----------



## Rel

Well gang, I wish I was posting with a massive update.  Instead, I'm reduced to the old "good news/bad news" routine.

Bad news - I got laid off from my job.  With a wife and baby to support, this has been a cause of concern (how's that for understatement of the year?).  My prospects are not bad and I'm hopeful that I will find another job soon.

Good news - This certainly makes more time to write up story hours, eh?  So, still look for an update before the end of the week.  I'm hoping that by paying off that huge karmic debt that I'll get repaid by a good new job.


----------



## Lazybones

Sorry to hear about your misfortune, Rel.  Been there/done that, and I know that it's grueling both financially and emotionally/spiritually.  We'll be rooting for you.  

LB


----------



## Old One

*You don't work for Worldcomm, do you?*

Yea for more updates...

Boo for layoffs!


Rel -

Here's hoping for a speedy re-entry to the work world.  What do you do?  I know a few people in the R/D/RTP area...

~ Old One


----------



## ShawnLStroud

*Layoffs*



			
				Rel said:
			
		

> *Well gang, I wish I was posting with a massive update.  Instead, I'm reduced to the old "good news/bad news" routine.
> 
> Bad news - I got laid off from my job.  *




Rel;

I'm really sorry to hear that.  I was laid off my job back in January and worked a temp job for about 3 months...  Keep the faith.  I know there's something out there for you -- 'cause there was for me, and I'm qualified to do nothing but cook, teach school and analyze data!


----------



## Rel

Thanks for the well wishes, guys.  It means more than you know.

Old One, I'm a commercial real-estate appraiser.  If you know anybody in that field around here, I'd be a bit surprised because it is a fairly small community.  But hey, stranger things have happened.

I'm not at all happy about this situation because I really like the place I work and the people I work with.  Even my boss who fired me is a great guy.

But with the amount of experience I have, it shouldn't be too tough to get a new job in my field.  And if I don't, who knows what I might do.  Maybe I'll get into the lucrative field of "Game Design"  .  Actually, been there, done that and it is not lucrative at all.

Oh well, I'm gonna try to just keep a positive attitude.  At the very least I'll get to spend a bit more time at home with my little girl for a few weeks.

Thanks again for your kind words and I promise there will be an update before the week is out.


----------



## Old One

*You'd Be Suprised...*



			
				Rel said:
			
		

> *Thanks for the well wishes, guys.  It means more than you know.
> 
> Old One, I'm a commercial real-estate appraiser.  If you know anybody in that field around here, I'd be a bit surprised because it is a fairly small community.  But hey, stranger things have happened.
> 
> I'm not at all happy about this situation because I really like the place I work and the people I work with.  Even my boss who fired me is a great guy.
> 
> But with the amount of experience I have, it shouldn't be too tough to get a new job in my field.  And if I don't, who knows what I might do.  Maybe I'll get into the lucrative field of "Game Design"  .  Actually, been there, done that and it is not lucrative at all.
> 
> Oh well, I'm gonna try to just keep a positive attitude.  At the very least I'll get to spend a bit more time at home with my little girl for a few weeks.
> 
> Thanks again for your kind words and I promise there will be an update before the week is out. *




Rel -

I have 2 contacts with Duke-Weeks Realty Corp (a major national REIT and Developer), located in Morrisville, NC.  Also, my stepmother is one of the top residential brokers in R/D/RTP and she networks with everyone.

Let me know if you want to give anything a shot.

~ Old One


----------



## Darklone

Rel, sorry to hear that. 

Hope you're all doing fine and if not we simply ask around, someone in ENworld should be able to find a job for you


----------



## Rel

*Re: You'd Be Suprised...*



			
				Old One said:
			
		

> *
> 
> Rel -
> 
> I have 2 contacts with Duke-Weeks Realty Corp (a major national REIT and Developer), located in Morrisville, NC.  Also, my stepmother is one of the top residential brokers in R/D/RTP and she networks with everyone.
> 
> Let me know if you want to give anything a shot.
> 
> ~ Old One *




Well, Old One, you are pretty well connected.  I've got a few other prospects to try out but I might just take you up on that.  Thanks!


----------



## Speaks With Stone

*Not to entirely hijack this list . . .*

Rel
If Old One can get your foot in the door at Duke-Weeks, then go for it.  I've seen plenty of appraisers/architects/etc move into developing due to higher $$$$$.  You can do fine with that or appraising, but no sense in not checking all of your options.


----------



## Rel

Alrighty, gang, I'm going to stop posting stuff about my job woes and start posting more story hour.  Just in case I somehow attract another reader or two down the line, I don't want a big self-pitty-fest sitting in the middle of my story hour thread.  But I do offer one final thanks to you guys for your support.

I'll be posting several new updates in the next few days.  I'm going to intersperse the action updates (as the party continues to try to battle their way out of the temple) with summaries from the Jounal they recovered in the Oubliette.  That way I can keep you from getting bored at having to read one giant chunk of journal text.  I hope you enjoy this format.

*Journal of Titus Pontius Macer*

_The creature encountered in the oubliette is Titus Pontius Macer.  He was left behind in the Temple of Bane to record the last days of the faith until “The Rekindling”.  He kept a journal for most of the first century after the Death of Bane but it is largely indecipherable due to the madness that quickly overtook him after his transformation to undeath.

The journal tell of the history of the Cult of Bane in the Northlands:

They originally came at the behest of the Druids who desired their aid against the Elves of the Greatwood.  Those Elves had become possessed of some foul force and began to use their powers to pervert nature to their own ends.  The Druids could not abide this but at the time they were a small and insular group that enjoyed little acceptance in the Empire.  They called upon the aid of the Cult.

The Banites swept into the Darkwood (as it was coming to be called) and set up a stronghold.  This stronghold would later become the site for their temple.  Upon entering the conflict with the Elves, they were initially frustrated by the elven Druid’s capabilities to Reincarnate their fallen to be sent back into battle.  In response, the cult adopted the practice of making sure they retained the bodies of the fallen Elves and reanimating the corpses.  This prevented the reincarnation and provided the Cult with a steady workforce of undead to aid in construction of the temple.

Initially, some of the Druids objected to this practice.  But its brutal effectiveness at turning a foe into a disconcerting and unfeeling ally was above reproach.  Eventually, the leaders among the Druids fully endorsed the practice and even facilitated it by using their swift means of movement through the wilderness to deliver the elven bodies back to the temple.  This extended to them combing the woods for signs of battle between the two elven factions and delivering the dead of both sides to the Cult for reanimation.

The uncorrupted Elves objected strongly to this.  The Druids pain no heed to their pleas for several reasons.  First, they were the cause of these problems by virtue of the dark pact that caused the corruption in the first place.  Then, when the fighting turned really ugly, many of the Elves retreated to the south rather than fight former friends and family for the Greatwood.  That meant they were clearly outnumbered and on the losing end of most of the battles.  The Druids figured that the least they could do was contribute the bodies of their fallen to the cause of defeating the corrupted Elves.

But the Elves on both sides quickly learned a way to counter this.  Before battle, they would cut off a braid of hair and leave them with their own priests and Druids.  In the event that they were killed, they would quickly be raised or reincarnated such that their bodies could not be turned into undead…_


----------



## Rel

Hey guys.  My job hunt in the last week or so has been more fruitful than I anticipated.  I've had several interviews and yesterday I got two job offers.  So I've had less time to work on the Story Hour than I thought I would.  All things considered, I'm glad it worked out this way.

I'll update when I can but I'm going to try and make it at least a modest pace of one per week.


----------



## Darklone

Wohooot! 

Nice to hear you got a job again, Rel!

No worries about the storyhour, it's not as important as you not sitting with wife and kid under a bridge


----------



## Thorntangle

Sorry to come in late on this, but congrats Rel! It's always such a relief to get that job and get everything back on track. Including Story Hours (hint hint). I want to see how the campaign ends (blood-saturated, rat-bastardly TPK?).


----------



## ShawnLStroud

*Congradulations!*

Don't you just give a huge sigh of relief?  I know that I felt a huge burden lifted from my shoulders when I was offered a job.  Good luck with the new job, and I'll keep an eye open for your next writing!


----------



## Rel

Thanks guys.  We're gaming again tonight (in the new campaign) but I should hopefully have some time to write more before the end of the week.


----------



## ShawnLStroud

Hmmmm, I'm looking, but no update.


----------



## Rel

Sorry guys.  I was babysitting all week last week while my wife worked and then we went on vacation.

Maybe this week...(sigh)


----------



## Malachai_rose

**

Hey Rel  just did a little catch up readin and got to say I'm beginning to really like Scar, heh... Religion Wrecker... I like the sound of that  I mean what else are you supposed to do with an altar to an evil God besides defile it  lol. Well glad to hear things have been goin well for you and I'm lookin forward to a new update when you get the chance


----------



## Rel

Screw it.  If I keep waiting around until I feel like I have a nice big chunk of time to write and I'm not tired and I feel at the height of creativity, I'll never get to it.  I'm just gonna pound this thing out in chunks whenever I get a few minutes.  So pardon me if the updates are small and don't always end at the proper place for a dramatic pause.  On the up side, there should be more frequent (if smaller) updates if I do it this way.

And I'm not begging for your comments and such, but if you do care to make a remark or two, it might help me get some momentum going again.  That is if anybody still cares to read this thing.  ("Rel?  Yes, that's a name I recall from the times of antiquity.  I figured the bastard must have died by now.")

Anyhow...

*Yet Another Nasty Fight While The Party Has Virtually No Spells Or Hit Points (or Rel Vies For Rat Bastard Of The Year)* 

The party raced toward the entrance to the sanctuary, hoping to escape before they were cornered.  Such was not to be however and a pair of undead wolves raced into the evil Temple and engaged Scar before they had a chance to react.

The half orc managed to fend off the bites of the undead canines for the moment at least while Raven moved to attack a shadowy figure moving into the temple.  The dwarf found himself suddenly face to face with the lithe form of an elf who wasted no time in slashing at him with a sickle.  But Raven too held his own for the time being.

Speaks with Stone glanced back to see that Scar had the wolves at bay for the moment and moved to aid Raven with his spear.  The druid had few of his spells left after the epic battles in the bowels of the Temple.  As Speaks moved into the passage leading into the sanctuary, an arrow flew from the darkness and struck him causing a minor wound.

A moment later, one of the wolves suddenly shifted his attack from Scar to the already injured Scrubs the bear.  The yellowed teeth of the unliving wolf gripped the neck of the bear savagely (critical) and the mighty Scrubs slumped to the floor of the Temple.

Scar lashed out at the other wolf and splintered a few ribs from the creature but it fought on relentlessly.  Raven pressed forward, swinging his hammer with religious fervor and connected with his elven assailant with a satisfying thud.  Speaks noted Scrubs falling and cringed inwardly but he couldn't abandon the dwarf against the evil Dark Druids and struck out unsuccessfully with his spear.

Scar struck with accuracy once again and flindered the skeletal wolf that he fought.  He readied himself to recieve the assault of the second one that he was certain was coming.  But instead, that wolf continued to rend the fallen Scrubs.  Scar observed with horror as the wolf sank its teeth deeper into the bear's neck and suddenly the floor was covered with blood.

Speaks cried out with rage and thrust his spear at the elf in front of him while Raven maneuvered behind the evil druid and struck again.  It was clear that the elf wouldn't last long against the fury of the party.

The other elven druid had laid aside his bow but instead of closing, he waved his hands and spoke words of power as a ball of fire burst into being and rolled down the hallway toward Raven.  The dwarf, never the most nimble of warriors, yelled in rage as the _Flaming Sphere_ seared his skin.

Scar raced to the side of the fallen Scrubs and with a mighty swing of his hammer shattered the skeletal wolf into a scattered pile of bones.  He then wheeled and moved toward the temple entrance where the rest of the battle raged.

Seeing that Scar had destroyed the other wolf and was coming to aid Raven, Speaks withdrew in a desperate effort to save the bear.  Raven swung his hammer again but, distracted by the pain of the ball of fire pressing into his flank, his strike went wide, clanging off of the evil stones of the Temple.

Seeking to check the onrushing Half-Orc, the Dark Druid who was still not engaged in melee guided the _Flaming Sphere_ at Scar.  But Scar leapt over the fiery obstacle and kept coming like a spirit of vengeance.  He crashed into the Druid with whom Raven was locked in battle and his hammer struck home, dropping the elf to the floor.  Raven wheeled on the remaining Druid and launched himself toward him as fast as his short legs would carry him.

Meanwhile, back in the sanctuary, Speaks moved to the side of his fallen companion, Scrubs and readied his last minor healing spell.  He was immeasurably relieved to see that Scrubs began to stir even as he moved by his side.  But his relief turned to sorrowful horror as the bear rose from the floor with a pale blue glow of evil emanating from his eyes...

*NEXT:  Yep, I'm a bastard.  No question about it.*

Wow.  That felt good.  I'll try to post another one tomorrow.  Thanks for reading.


----------



## Thorntangle

Rel said:
			
		

> *But his relief turned to sorrowful horror as the bear rose from the floor with a pale blue glow of evil emanating from his eyes...*



You bastard! Harmless little bear transformed into an undead fiend! And this is the second time you've done this unspeakable thing.

Good to see the story pick up again, Rel! Has work been dragging you down?


----------



## Broccli_Head

Hey Rel...good to see ya postin' again. 

OK, how did you rule that Scrubs became an evil undead bear?


----------



## Malachai_rose

*...*

Poor Speaks... lost his bear buddy, you really are heartless Rel. heh, good story though  looking forward to more from my favorite RBDM.


----------



## Speaks With Stone

Yeah.  After losing my second animal companion to the undead, I decided to forgo them until I could have awakened companions.  It was too hard on the heart and soul to keep leading them to such a fate.  This happened even after I had him stay outside of the temple in order to protect him.  Dang.  

Animal companions can be quite a liability in the mid-levels.


----------



## Rel

Thanks for the replies, guys.  I have had a lot to do at my new job and my wife has also slightly increased her hours at the hospital so our schedules have been more hectic and we are really just settling into a routine.  It's not that I haven't had any leisure time, but typing the Story Hour hasn't been my recreational activity of choice of late.  But it felt really good to get back to it and you can expect that I'll keep posting updates.

To answer your question, Broc, one of the terrible secrets that the party has just discovered about the temple is that ANY creature that dies within a large radius is automatically and immediately raised as an undead.  Total bummer, huh?

And I was not really gunning to kill Scrubs intentionally, but sometimes "crit happens".  I roll right out on the table and so that was just the way the dice fell.

And, Malachai_Rose, of all the RBDMs at this site, I'm your favorite?  That brings a little tear of joy to my eye.


----------



## Lazybones

Rel?  Wasn't that bastard dead or something?

Nice to see you writing again, Rel.  The "I'll write when I have some time to focus," thing is the classic trap of the writer.  It is so easy to find reasons not to write, and the blank page is just as imposing on the computer screen as it is sitting in front of you on your desk.  Every guide to writing I've ever read has suggested the same basic course: try and get something down on paper each day, even if it's only 5 minutes at work while you're waiting for your boss to get back to you on the assignment you turned in that morning (I've written more _Travels_ updates that way  ).  Anne Lamont refers to "ty first drafts," and it's funny how much of what you think of as utter drivel when you are writing it turns into gems later with a little tweaking/revision.  

And congrats on getting the new job.  Good to know that I don't have to send those old dented cans of soup and lima beans that I was saving for you...

LB


----------



## Rel

*Yep, I’m a bastard.  No question about it.*

Speaks felt his heart falter at the horror he witnessed.  Another faithful animal companion struck down only to arise as an unspeakable abomination of undeath.  It was almost more than he could bear, but he knew what must be done.  His hands tightened on the haft of his spear.

Back at the Temple entrance, unaware of the grief of their companion, Scar and Raven closed with the remaining druid.  For his part, the druid guided the ball of fire he had conjured into Raven once again and the dwarf faltered for a moment but pressed forward heedless of the pain.

In but a moment he and Scar had cut the druid off from escape and were bringing their mighty hammers to bear on the foe.  The Dark Druid tried to use more of his magic to save himself but a hammer blow from Scar smote the manna from his grasp.  The Druid drew his sickle and attempted to make a battle of it but the relentless assault of Scar and Raven quickly overcame him and in moments he was on the ground unconscious.

The pair of warriors stood panting for a moment at the Temple entrance, barely capable of standing after all they had been through within the evil walls of the place.  They started to turn to go back inside to check on Speaks when the Druid emerged from the darkness, his face stained with sweat, grime and tears.  He held his longspear limply in his hand, it’s point covered with the blood of a friend.  “I need your help,” he said.

A short while later, a pyre had been built and the heavy body of Scrubs had been lifted atop it through the combined strength of the companions.  Nearby lay the unconscious body of one of the elven druids they had battled.  He would have much to answer for when he awoke.

A torch was lit and the black branches gathered from the dead forest around the temple reluctantly caught fire.  A dense black smoke poured into the sky as the flames began to consume the remains of Scrubs the bear.

Raven broke the silence.  “We have what we came for.  Let us depart this accursed place and never come back!”  Scar bent and without a hint of gentleness threw the body of the elf over his shoulder.  Then, somberly and without further comment, the trio moved off into the black woods headed in the general direction of Greatroot.  Anywhere but here.


Their travels soon took them beyond the edge of the dead area surrounding the Temple and to the man they all took a deep breath of relief.  But their weary bodies could carry them little further that day.  The group collapsed with exhaustion and ate a few fistfuls of rations before settling into their normal night-watch routine.

Scar was dutifully keeping watch several hours later, paying especially close attention to the bound and still unconscious form of the elf.  Speaks had warned each of them that if he came to while unattended he could very likely alter his form and escape.  Scar secretly hoped that the elf would awaken and try to escape.  Better to end his useless existence now.  After all, what knowledge was there to gain?  He was the enemy and deserved only death and the same could be said for the rest of his kind.

Scar was snapped from his reverie of vengeance by the sound of something large moving through the woods toward them.  He listened more closely – several somethings large.  He moved quickly to rouse Raven and Speaks from their sleep.  The pair groggily awakened as Scar informed them in hushed tones that something approached.

The group hastened to grab their weapons.  There was no time to don their armor and the best they could do was to shove it into sacks in case they had to flee.  A moment later, three skeletons the size of ogres crashed through the trees.

[I have to make a side comment here.  You have to understand that since the last time the party had any rest they fought the Statues guarding the temple entrance, encountered many of the traps in the Sanctuary and the rooms extending from it, fought a half dozen skeletal archers, the entire Chamber of Bone thing including 11 lemures, the Osyluth and somewhere around 40 skeletons.  After that they battled the undead creature that Macer had become before emerging from the depths of the temple only to encounter the pair of Elven Dark Druids and their skeletal wolves.

I have no idea what the CR’s of the various encounters tally up to, nor do I want to.  But it will likely come as no surprise that when I announced that the Ogre Skeletons had smashed their way into their encampment, they looked like they were ready to kill me.  And frankly I probably deserved it.]

*NEXT:  All Hope Is Lost*


----------



## Thorntangle

You batter them with waves of undead to the point of an almost TPK, turn the Druid's cute little animal companion into an undead abomination for the second time (while he was trying to keep it safe), and then attack them when they are not wearing pants.

Hmm.....Yep! You're a bastard!


----------



## Thorntangle

Rel said:
			
		

> *NEXT:  All Hope Is Lost*



BTW - I love the brutal honesty of your story hour segment titles.


----------



## Lazybones

Bah.  If they'd been _hill giant_ skeletons, then I'd be impressed.  Or maybe monstrous undead fiendish half-dragon colossal spiders with the vampire template.  But ogre skeletons?  Bah.


----------



## Ziggy

That don't impress me much 

In my campaign I've used a two-headed true ghoul owlbear (went down easily), an advanced skeletal Umber Hulk (nasty critter), and finally a vampiric greater doppelganger (Wheee - killed by plot device). 

.Ziggy


----------



## The Lone Corndog

*Yup, he's a bastard*

And what level were we at this point oh bastard, my bastard?  I believe that paragon of half-orcishness, Scar (my boy!), was 4th, Raven was also 4th, and Speaks was probably 5th.  Unless we were 5,5, and 6.  I can't remember - too much blood under the bridge since then...

Yeah, we were pretty close to T'DM'K that night.


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## Malachai_rose

*grrr....*

Heh, I feel for your players Rel, lol, I play a cleric in Brocs campaign and I have nothing but sympathy for Speaks, all that combat , all those sessions in one game day with no rest to refresh healing spells and it's worse for Speaks because unlike a Cleric he can't channel the unused spells in his repotoire into needed and usefull healing for the party. Then just when they thought 'hey were gonna get a chance to sleep and rest a little' WHAM!!! 3 Ogre skeletons catch em nappin in their jammys, lol, your a hard hard man Rel. 

As a side note why do the not sleep in their armor ? A player can sleep in armor with an armor check penalty up to -4 with no penalties upon awaking the next day. In our group everyone has learned to sleep in there armor with the exception of our paladin who normally wears full plate, and we bought her a mithril shirt to sleep in just for ocassions like this one. Ahh well just a thought


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## Rel

Good to have your comments, TLC!  And let me take this opportunity to appologize profusely for the rough treatment Scar and the others recieved in this portion of the campaign.  Let me assure you that at such time as we resume that campaign that the really tough encounters will be tickle fights with the herd of nymphs who will flock to the region and that after every encounter there will be fluffly towels and free Rods of Lordly Might for everyone!

(The Lone Corndog is currently DMing our group and after a near TPK in the first adventure, I'm sucking up every chance I get.)

I am almost positive that the group was 5th, 5th and 6th level respectively at that point.  Regardless, I cringe to think of the total CR of the Temple encounters I threw at you in a single day.  But, it was supposed to be a climactic encounter full of dread and near the limits of the party's endurance.  I'd say it met that goal.

One quick point, Malachai_Rose:  Although the party was completely out of spells at this point, they still had their twin Wands of Cure Extremely Light Wounds (so named because it was a rare thing for them to roll above a 3 when they used them).  So even though they were beat down and out of offensive spells, they still had the capability to have decent hit point if they wanted to burn some charges off the wands.  As I recall, they used enough to assure that they were all in the double digits (which wasn't the case after that last fight with the druids) but after that decided to try and conserve the charges on the wands.

As far as the armor situation goes, perhaps I overstated the case when I described them as scrambling for their armor.  Scar was on watch and wore a chain shirt, so he was fine in any case (especially since he only slept 2 hours a night thanks to his Ring of Sustanance).  Speaks slept in his hide armor too.  It was Raven and his full plate armor who was hastily shoving it into his Hewards Handy Haversack.  Perhaps if he survives the encounter, he will do something to remedy that problem...


----------



## Blood Jester

REL'S BACK!  REL'S BACK! 




Oh, and you are a bastard.  Poor pooh-bear.


----------



## Darklone

Johooooooo!


----------



## Tony Vargas

Rel said:
			
		

> *It was Raven and his full plate armor who was hastily shoving it into his Hewards Handy Haversack.  Perhaps if he survives the encounter, he will do something to remedy that problem... *




Well, you could be nice and let a character in full plate strip off most of the articulated fiddly bits and be left with something equivalent to Breastplate armor... the masterwork version of which just slides in under the check penalty required to be able to rest in it...  The other alternative is the "chain shirt nightie..."


----------



## Rel

Tony Vargas said:
			
		

> *
> 
> Well, you could be nice and let a character in full plate strip off most of the articulated fiddly bits and be left with something equivalent to Breastplate armor... the masterwork version of which just slides in under the check penalty required to be able to rest in it...  The other alternative is the "chain shirt nightie..."   *




That's not a bad idea.  I probably would have gone for it if Raven's player had suggested it (it was MW platemail in fact).  Hindsight is 20/20 however...

I'm going to do my level best to get an update posted tonight.  I don't have time right now since the baby is about to wake up from her nap.  If I can't make it tonight, it might be a couple of days because we play tomorrow night.

But I promise not to be nearly as tardy as before.


----------



## Mahiro Satsu

Good stuff.


----------



## Rel

Good to have you aboard, Mahiro Satsu.  And thanks for the compliment.

Well, I managed to put together another update.  After this, I've got an info dump that is pre-written so I should be able to update at least one more time this week.  A big thanks for the various "welcome back" posts I've had and I appologize again for keeping you waiting so long.

*All Hope Is Lost*

It only took a moment for the party to realize that this was a battle they could not win.  Still battered from their trials in the Temple, almost completely without spells, against an enemy with the initiative who was likely prepared for the fight and well suited for fighting in that terrain:  It was no contest.

The only question was whether they would be able to flee fast enough and hide well enough to avoid the battle.  The group almost instinctively turned east, the direction in which lay their closest ally, Great Root.  But before they had taken more than a handful of steps, the night filled with a blaze of light as a *Wall of Fire* blocked their disengagement.

The skeletons continued their pursuit and began to close the distance on Raven who’s dwarven legs were strong, but short.  They turned to their right hoping to make it around the end of the blazing barrier.  If they could, perhaps they could even use it to keep the skeletons at bay for a moment or two while they gained some distance.

Speaks, who was in the lead at this point, skidded to a halt on the leafy forest floor as another *Wall of Fire* sprang up just in front of him.  Together, the pair of walls formed a narrow “V” with the party near the intersection of the two.  The only way out was back into the ambush.

“Time to die,” muttered Scar to himself as he tightened his grip on his hammer.  He turned and strode several steps to put himself beside Raven who was also coming to the realization that this was one fight they wouldn’t be walking away from.  He gripped his own hammer and readied his shield, which seemed a feeble barrier between him and the approaching skeletons.  “Been a pleasure fightin’ aside ya’,” grunted Raven, “Now lets see to it that they pay blood for blood.”

Speaks saw his companions make their stand and a conflict settled into his soul.  He reached down and felt the power of the wild within himself and knew that if he chose, he could transform into an eagle and take to the sky.  Returning to Great Root and defending the forests from whatever further evils would be perpetrated by the Dark Druids was too important a task to let himself die in a futile attempt to win this battle.  But doing so would mean abandoning his companions to certain death and, from the looks of it, likely reanimation into undead.  He decided to at least try and give them a chance.

Scar noticed Speaks come up behind him and felt a few of his wounds soothed by the magic of the wand the Druid used on him.  There was little time for thanks as the first of the skeletons came within range and the night dissolved into chaos.  Scar ducked under the first blow aimed at him and stepped forward to deliver a well placed hammer blow that shattered half the skeleton’s ribcage.  Raven stepped to the side to intercept the next skeleton and was rattled by a sharp blow from one of the undead creature’s huge hands.

Scar managed to evade another strike from the skeleton but the other hand caught him in a glancing blow nearly knocking him from his feet.  He retaliated and his next shot connected with the skeleton’s spine, just above the pelvis.  The skeleton fell in two pieces and did not rise.  Scar moved quickly to support Raven who had also managed to land a blow, cracking one of the leg bones of the skeletal ogre he fought.

Speaks moved in, braving an off handed swipe by the creature to deliver a bit of healing magic to Raven from the wand.  Speaks saw that the third ogre was bearing down on them and also caught some other movement further back in the woods.  Lithe forms moved confidently toward them, illuminated by the walls of fire.

Raven took a firm blow on his shield that knocked his breath out for a moment and he staggered back from the skeleton.  Scar struck with his hammer but missed his mark.  It was clear that Raven would be down after one more hit, and with the other skeleton closing in, the battle would be over soon.  Perhaps then he would finally get some rest.

A flash of movement swept through the battle and where Raven had stood a moment before, there was nothing.  Scar had no time to determine what had happened but Speaks looked up and lit from below by the twin walls of fire imprisoning them was the beautiful form of an enormous owl.  “Great Root!” Speaks exclaimed, “Great Root has sent help!”

Scar was otherwise occupied and did not share in the Druid’s celebration.  He struck again at the skeletal ogre and smashed through both legs, bringing the creature low.  He took a few more steps back toward Speaks and was about to call out for an explanation of what had happened to Raven when a large form swept from the night sky and a giant pair of talons tried to grab him.  Scar’s reflexes took over and he hit the ground and rolled to his feet, evading the huge avian.

“No!” Cried Speaks.  “They’re here to help us!  Go with them!  We can still escape!”  Speaks backed further into the wedge formed by the fire walls as he yelled to Scar.

Scar continued to backpedal, keeping his distance from the next skeleton and trying to decide what to do.  Knowing that they faced the Dark Druids, going willingly into the clutches of a giant bird seemed imprudent.  But, he had nearly been killed by skeletons several times already within the last day.  May as well try a new way to die.  Scar continued to back toward the terminal tip of the wedge, feeling his arms grow hot as the pair of fiery walls closed in on him.  He held his arms out to the side in a pose of surrender.

A moment later, it felt like a wagon hit him as the world turned upside down and his legs were burned from dragging through the top of one of the fire walls.  When his head stopped spinning, he was sailing beneath an enormous pair of silently beating wings while the treetops glided below, lit by the soft moonlight.  The world was peaceful for a moment.  Then, up ahead, he heard Raven cursing his winged savior in the way that only someone who had never been more than four feet off the ground could.  Scar smiled and tried to enjoy the ride.

Speaks backed himself to the very tip of the wedge and could see the skeletal ogre charging him.  He had only moments and he focused on his inner wild and felt his body start to change.  Just as his vocal chords went from those of a human to those of an eagle, he spoke aloud, “This doesn’t end here.”

A second later, he was rocketing into the night, hoping his weary wings would carry him eastward until dawn broke over the horizon.

*NEXT:  Rest and fluffy towels.*


----------



## Malachai_rose

*cool*

ahh, I knew you weren't that evil  That is quite possibly the nicest thing I have ever seen you do Rel  lol j/k . Anyways great post I liked the way you built the tension during the battle, very well done.


----------



## Darklone

Well, I admit *Rest an fluffy towels* doesn't sound like another RBDM manoever...

Those wands of cure least wounds ... must be a kind of magic disease. We have them over here in Europe too.


----------



## Rel

Hello again, guys.

I wanted to make one further comment about the last update.  I knew from the moment that session ended that the Story Hour write up would seem to be the ultimate "Deus ex machina".  I mean, c'mon - Giant owls fly down and carry them to safety just as it becomes clear that there is no escape?  Please.

But actually, it wasn't.  When Speaks met with Great Root before they journeyed to the Temple, Great Root told him that he would send them what aid he could.  So, the Dire Owls were sent to the area to try to locate them.  I made some Spot rolls for the owls and rolled fairly bad and so they were reduced to patrolling above the woods looking for a sign of the party.  The Dark Druids inadvertantly provided that sign with the pair of Walls of Fire.

The interesting part was when Scar almost got overrun by the Dark Druids and their minions when he made his Reflex save to avoid being grabbed by the Owl.  The player knew by that point that the Owls were their only ticket out of there, but he felt that his character would still be mistrustful of them.  Great bit of roleplaying there that I think should be recognized as outstanding.

Anyhow, soon I'll be posting the summary of the contents of the journal the party found in the Temple and the scope of the events that grip the northlands shall become more clear.


----------



## Thorntangle

Nice update Rel. I thought that this segment might be the end for them since you have told us that this campaign had ended in an as-of-yet unexplained manner. Can't wait to read the Fluffy Towels episode.


----------



## Darklone

Bumpudu!


----------



## Enkhidu

Dang it, Rel, now you went and hooked me on a new story hour, dagnabitt!

I wasn't able to get to the thread you have linked in the first post of this thread, do you have it archived anywhere else?

By the way, this is some good stuff - 3 PC parties are hard to challenge correctly, and you seem to be doing a bang up job of it.

Plus I like the conversational tone you chose to tell the story - keep up the good work!


----------



## Rel

Thanks for the compliment, Enkhidu.  It means a lot coming from a writer of your caliber.

I was noticing just the other day that that link no longer worked.  I don't have the Story Hour archived anywhere, but I do have it in a Word document.  Perhaps I need to re-post it in order to have it available to the occasional new reader like yourself.

I'll see what I can do about that.

Sorry for the delay in getting the next update done.  It should have been a slam dunk because I was going to drop in some large chunks from the Journal they found which I had already typed up.  Unfortunately, I can no longer locate the document where I had typed it.  I still have a hard copy, so I'll have to retype it from that.  Hopefully I'll have time to do that tonight.

Thanks for reading.


----------



## Rel

For Enkhidu and anybody else who is a more recent reader and missed the thread before this one, I'm reposting the earlier adventure logs in another Story Hour thread (Rel's Faded Glory - The Early Days).  You can find a link in the first post in this thread.

That link has always been there, but it now points to something you can actually read.


----------



## Rel

For Enkhidu and anybody else who is a more recent reader and missed the thread before this one, I'm reposting the earlier adventure logs in another Story Hour thread (Rel's Faded Glory - The Early Days).  You can find a link in the first post in this thread.

That link has always been there, but it now points to something you can actually read.

I'll be posting 2-3 of the old posts into that thread each day until it is caught up to the start of this one.


----------



## Rel

Phew!  Finally got that stuff retyped.  I'm going to cheat a bit and repost the earlier bit of what the party learned from the Journal they found in the Temple.  That will save you from having to flip back to page 3 to re-read the earlier bit (because it's been a LONG time since I posted that).  Hope you enjoy this rather lengthy update:

*Rest and Fluffy Towels*

The party arrived back at the grove where Great Root dwelled.  Utterly exhausted, they collapsed to the ground and fell into a deep and restful sleep.  Even Scar's lack of need to sleep because of the ring he wore was overcome by the bone-deep fatigue from the events of the last day and a half.

Speaks was the first to awaken and saw that it was dark again.  He lay for a while looking up at the night sky marveling at its beauty.  Then he rose and slowly made his way to the center of Great Root's grove.  He found the mighty Treant in repose near the huge Standing Stone at the heart of the grove.

"Did you find what you needed to find?" boomed the oaken guardian of the Darkwood.

"Yes," said Speaks quietly.

Great Root spoke with sadness in his voice, "It speaks of a terrible time for this land and for the world.  It was a thing better left alone.  But it cannot be so.  Soon another evil will be reborn upon this land if nothing is done to stop it.  I needed you to see what the consequences of failure would be."

Thinking upon the death of Scrubs and his horrible transformation into a thing of the Unlife, Speaks croaked, "While there is strength in my arms, we will struggle against that which blights this wood."

After a moment, the Treant responded, "It is an evil which must be battled beyond this wood.  But there are others who must be battled first or the world will find itself distracted while corruption takes hold.

But your soul needs rest.  Go back to your friends and take your ease.  You are safe here."

Speaks left the center of the grove and returned to find Raven and Scar building a small fire and cooking the first hot meal they had had in over a week.  Together, alive and out of danger for the moment, the three took comfort in their camaraderie.

Over the next few days, they rested, took time to commune with the powers they drew strength from and even managed to take a bath in a cool, clear forest pool. (No actual Fluffy Towels were dirtied in the creation of this Story Hour)

But all the while, the three could never quite shake the thoughs of what they had discovered in the journal they had found.  The Journal of Titus Pontius Macer...


*The Journal of Titus Pontius Macer*

_The creature encountered in the oubliette was Titus Pontius Macer.  He was left behind in the Temple of Bane to record the last days of the faith until “The Rekindling”.  He kept a journal for most of the first century after the Death of Bane but it is largely indecipherable due to the madness that quickly overtook him after his transformation to undeath.

The journal tell of the history of the Cult of Bane in the Northlands:

They originally came at the behest of the Druids who desired their aid against the Elves of the Greatwood.  Those Elves had become possessed of some foul force and began to use their powers to pervert nature to their own ends.  The Druids could not abide this but at the time they were a small and insular group that enjoyed little acceptance in the Empire.  They called upon the aid of the Cult.

The Banites swept into the Darkwood (as it was coming to be called) and set up a stronghold.  This stronghold would later become the site for their temple.  Upon entering the conflict with the Elves, they were initially frustrated by the elven Druid’s capabilities to Reincarnate their fallen to be sent back into battle.  In response, the cult adopted the practice of making sure they retained the bodies of the fallen Elves and reanimating the corpses.  This prevented the reincarnation and provided the Cult with a steady workforce of undead to aid in construction of the temple.

Initially, some of the Druids objected to this practice.  But its brutal effectiveness at turning a foe into a disconcerting and unfeeling ally was above reproach.  Eventually, the leaders among the Druids fully endorsed the practice and even facilitated it by using their swift means of movement through the wilderness to deliver the elven bodies back to the temple.  This extended to them combing the woods for signs of battle between the two elven factions and delivering the dead of both sides to the Cult for reanimation.

The uncorrupted Elves objected strongly to this.  The Druids pain no heed to their pleas for several reasons.  First, they were the cause of these problems by virtue of the dark pact that caused the corruption in the first place.  Then, when the fighting turned really ugly, many of the Elves retreated to the south rather than fight former friends and family for the Greatwood.  That meant they were clearly outnumbered and on the losing end of most of the battles.  The Druids figured that the least they could do was contribute the bodies of their fallen to the cause of defeating the corrupted Elves.

But the Elves on both sides quickly learned a way to counter this.  Before battle, they would cut off a braid of hair and leave them with their own priests and Druids.  In the event that they were killed, they would quickly be raised or reincarnated such that their bodies could not be turned into undead.

As the war raged on, some of the Druids had been killed and they were slow to replace their numbers.  But more and more Cultists flocked to the area.  A subtle shift in power took hold and soon there was no doubt that this had become Bane’s war.  The Cult had clearly taken control but continued to have trouble bringing the Elves to battle.

They started to resort to creative means.  With the help of aerial scouting by the Druids, they would locate elven villages.  The Druids would cloak the approach of the Cultists and then surround the villages with impenetrable walls of vegetation.  Then the Cult would sweep in and slaughter the guards, capture the women and children, perform rituals on the spot to transform them into undead and flee.  The elven warriors would return home to be attacked by their own wives and children.

Able to stomach this no longer, the “Dark” Elves massed for an attack on the Temple of Bane.  This was precisely what the Cultists had hoped for.  When the attack was launched, the Cult finished a powerful ritual (which required the sacrifice of many of the Cultists themselves) that permeated the surrounding land with the power of Unlife.  All who were killed in the battle on both sides instantly arose as undead under the control of the Cult.  The Elves were easily routed and the few who escaped fled north out of the Darkwood.

Realizing too late whom they had allied themselves with, the Druids turned on the Cult.  Unfortunately, they found their own magic weakened near the Temple where the link to Nature had been severed.  They could contain the Cult within the “Dead Zone” but could not stamp them out.

Meanwhile back in the Empire, Bane’s rising malevolent tide was noticed by others of the churches, most notably those of St. Cuthbert and Pelor.  A crusade was launched to stamp out the Cult and it was quickly eradicated throughout Emor.

Bane had foretold of his own demise but prophesied that if his faith remained alive, he would rise again one day.  The stronghold in the Darkwood was the last remaining enclave of his followers.  They knew that it was only a matter of time before their presence was discovered and they were rooted out and slain by the other religions.

One thing that bought them time was that the group who knew their exact location and most of their capabilities, the Druids, desperately wanted to keep their link to the Cult a secret.  Fearing that they would be tarred with the same brush as the Cult, the Druids set about eliminating any evidence of their involvement with Bane.  This included the “disappearance” of a few small settlements of humans (both Barbarian and Imperial) who lived south of the Darkwood.  Further, they swore a blood oath among the order that their involvement with Bane would never be discussed.  Ever.  Exempt from this oath were a handful of the most ruthless of the Druids (ironically, those who most approved of the “efficient” methods of the Cult) who were tasked with hunting down and killing any Druid who violated this oath and revealed the former alliance between the Druids and the Cult of Bane.

This was all learned by careful scrying by the holdouts at the Temple and through communion with Bane who focussed all his attentions on keeping some vestige of his followers alive.  Also discovered was that the Druids were gathering all the forces they could muster throughout both continents for the final extermination of the Cultists remaining at the Temple.

The Cultists were given a vision by Bane of a place high in the mountains to the west where Bane would invest the last of his power to create for them a refuge.  The Cultists resolved to take flight from the Temple, but to assure that some record was kept of what had happened in the final days before the Fall of Bane, someone would have to be left behind.

Chosen was Titus Pontius Macer.  He was fanatically faithful and hand extraordinary skills at stealth and observation.  He could remain behind to spy, scry, create defenses for the Temple and serve as an undying reminder of the power of Bane.  A powerful curse was placed upon him and he was given a scroll to seal his fate after he had completed his defenses for the Temple.  Then he was left behind.

The Cultists fled to the west but were intercepted by the Druids.  The Druids were ruthless and thorough in destroying those who could personally testify as to their involvement with one of the greatest evils the world had ever seen.  Whether any of the Cultists survived to make it to the promised land in the west is very doubtful.

Titus Pontius Macer worked feverishly to place wards and traps around the Temple.  When the Druids returned, they were dissuaded from attempting to enter the place through a combination of traps, wards and the fact that their link to Nature could not work in the desecrated place.  Instead, the Druids returned to the Empire where they presented a host of artifacts, taken from the Cultists, to the church of St. Cuthbert as proof of their wholehearted support of the destruction of Bane.  They then proceeded to become among the most fervent in stamping out any slivers of Bane worship in the Empire.

This garnered them a great deal of approval from the churches of St. Cuthbert and Pelor and solidified the Druids as a legitimate and respected religion by the Emperor.  In recognition of their service in the Bane War, reserves of land were set aside for the use of the Druids throughout Emor.  Those who fought in the Darkwood were gifted a special place in one such reserve without the obligation to teach any new students or come into contact with outsiders.  And always nearby were unassuming animals who kept watch ready to visit with a sickle in the night any for forsook their vow of silence about what transpired in the north.

That was among the last visions granted to Titus Pontius Macer by lord Bane.  St. Cuthbert and Pelor confronted the deity in a realm beyond the comprehension of mortals.  There, virtually all of his followers slain and his power nearly gone, Bane was struck low by the Mace of St. Cuthbert and then burned from existence by the Righteous Light of Pelor.  Across the land, those who were in tune with the calling of the gods heard his dying screams, almost turning into a hysterical laughter before fading away.

Huddled within his vault, buried in the back of a Temple to a dying god, buried in the darkest part of a darkened wood, buried in the recesses of the untamed wilds of the Northlands, Titus Pontius Macer felt his link to Bane severed forever.  As it happened, he received a final vision:  A three-spoked wheel of coppery red with patterns dancing like waves of flame across it.

With this image burned indelibly in his mind, he opened the scroll that was left for him.  He read it and felt his body fill with a terrible and everlasting force.  Then, he took up his tools and set to work on the device that would guard his vault.  He worked no more vigorously than before.  But he now worked with the methodical and unwavering inevitability of a creature that would never die. _


----------



## Malachai_rose

*wassup !*

great post Rel , though I was kinda of hoping for a few fluffy towels... ya know the kind they always seem to have in those Snuggle commercials. Anyways glad to see that your game is entering a second story arc after its hiatus. The heroes are on a hiatus as well, lol, just that no one has noticed since Broc is so far behind in his posting that he wont be caught up till were ready to play again, lol. Well good to see ya posting again and as always keep up the good work.


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## Thorntangle

*Fluffy towels?*



			
				Malachai_rose said:
			
		

> *great post Rel , though I was kinda of hoping for a few fluffy towels...*



Me too. I didn't see anything remotely soft or absorbent in his last post.

Thanks for the flashback. It's much appreciated since that happened months ago real-time. I forgotten the darkness of those horrible events.


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## Rel

Well, there was some moss.  Yeah, soft, cushy, super-absorbant moss.  It was all over the place at Great Root's grove.  In fact, look for it at your local Bed, Bath and Beyond.  In stores  by Christmas:  Great Root's Soft, Cushy, Super-Absorbant Moss Towels.  All proceeds will go toward buying Speaks With Stone a new, more durable Animal Companion.

You guys are way too literal.


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## Broccli_Head

so when are you starting up again?


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## Rel

Broccli_Head said:
			
		

> *so when are you starting up again? *




I'm not sure I understand the question.


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## Broccli_Head

I guess I got the impression that you had taken a hiatus from the game playing and hence the  story and were going to start it again.


----------



## Rel

Broccli_Head said:
			
		

> *I guess I got the impression that you had taken a hiatus from the game playing and hence the  story and were going to start it again. *




Ah, hence the confusion.  Let me update you on the status of our game group and the Story Hour:

My campaign went on hiatus back in late May.  We were at a good stopping point and I felt like I needed a break.

So what did I do then?  I ran a 3 session "mini-campaign" with the Star Wars d20 system.  It was a lot of fun.

Meanwhile, the player who ran Raven in my campaign put together a campaign for us and we started that up.  We suffered a Total Party Kill in the 6th session of that game.  Thus ended the short but interesting life of Gnoblin the Gnome (my character).  After some discussion, we decided that that campaign could not be resurrected in any satisfactory manner (the campaign was tightly focused around the characters in question).

So we then passed the torch to the player who ran Rhys and Scar in my campaign (The Lone Corndog).  A couple weeks later we started that campaign which we are now playing.  I'm playing Sarthas Kaga (named in honor of the late Chairman Kaga of these boards) who is a Ranger/Cleric of Obad-Hai.  You may recall seeing some discussions about his character concept on the Rules board (he dual wields spiked shields).

At about the same time we started that campaign, I also started running a solo campaign for my wife.  Her Wizard is going to be running through The Sunless Citidel and Forge of Fury along with some other adventures that serve as bridges between them.

The implications of all of this for this story hour and any other potential story hour threads I might write are as follows:

I'm still not caught up with where we went on hiatus with my Faded Glory campaign.  The biggest battles against the forces of evil are still upcoming and I'm desperately scrabbling for notes and memories to make sure that the write ups are as accurate as possible.  I've probably got at least a half dozen or more updates until we reach the break point for this campaign.

I decided not to write story hours for the two campaigns that have been run by the other guys who played in mine.  I figure that I'm bad enough with keeping this one updated that I don't need any others right now.

When I do finish updating this one to the point at which we went on hiatus, I will probably do a SH for my wife's solo campaign.

I expect that The Lone Corndog's campaign will last for some time to come (although we did almost have a TPK in our first fight with some goblins).  After that, it is likely that Speaks With Stone will run a game of some sort.  Presumably then it would be "my turn" again.

If so, I'll probably crank Faded Glory back up and try my hand at a mid-high level game with the same (or at least some of the same) characters that were in the game at it's conclusion.

So there you have it.


----------



## Darklone

Silly wildelf barbarian here sitting at the tribune and waving a small flag reading: "Me want Rhys!"


----------



## Darklone

Kabomb!


----------



## Horacio

You, silly summoner, your summoning pentagram (also known as link at signature) is broken, it points to a void place!

Horacio doesn't like to be summoned to a .null place... 

But I've arrived, and I've begun to read...


----------



## Rel

Horacio said:
			
		

> *You, silly summoner, your summoning pentagram (also known as link at signature) is broken, it points to a void place!
> 
> Horacio doesn't like to be summoned to a .null place...
> 
> But I've arrived, and I've begun to read... *




That's odd.  Last time I checked my sig, the link was working.  Anyway, I've fixed that now.  Thanks for pointing it out, Horacio.  And darn you for posting here!  I just commented that your absense lent a certain cache to my Story Hour (just kidding of course).

You may want to go and read the "Early Days" thread that I've started.  I'm reposting the thread that chronicles the start of the campaign there.  That thread was lost in the board switch.

In any event, thanks for reading.

And for everyone, sorry for the delay in posting (as usual).  The last week has been absolutely insane (my wife was out of town all weekend and I was babysitting my daughter solo.  She won.)


----------



## Darklone

Rel said:
			
		

> *In any event, thanks for reading.*




In any event, thanks for writing. 

Glad to hear your daughter already wins


----------



## Rel

Thanks for the bump, Darklone.

Just to let everyone know where things stand, I recently found out that Raven's player has a "Battle Report" for the epic throwdown that is about to occur in the Story Hour.  I was dreading (and probably putting off) writing the next installment because my memory of the specifics is starting to get a bit blurry.  But now that I know that there are notes on the event, I want to get it as close to accurate as possible.

So as soon as I get my hands on the battle report, I'll get it written up and posted.  It is the biggest fight the campaign has seen yet.


----------



## Darklone

Blood and Gore!


----------



## Old One

*When do you guys play?*

Hey Rel,

When do you guys play?  I will be down in RDU on business on 11/1, 11/2 and part of 11/3.  You guys interested in a guest appearence?

~ Old One


----------



## Speaks With Stone

Hey Old One

We normally play on Tuesdays.  But maybe we can talk The Lone Corndog into an extra session that week or twist Rel's arm into a one-off.  It's really easy to twist his arm on such things.

Alternatively, we tend to get together on weekends for a kaffeklatsch (or warhammer depending on what our wives lets us do).  Our kaffeklatsch involves cooking out, playing games, watching movies, or whatever.

We can hash something out by tomorrow night, I'm sure.  Any preferences?


----------



## Old One

*I'm easy...*

SWS -

A D&D session in FG, run by Rel, would be primo, but I am pretty easy.  Saturday (11/2) would probably be the best day for me, since I will be traveling on to Charlotte that afternoon.

Just let me know what you guys are up for!

Thanks,

Old One


----------



## Rel

Old One, I would LOVE to have you make a "guest appearance".  With this much notice, I should be able to get our game group to schedule an extra session for that Saturday.

As far as what game we play, I'm not running the main campaign right now so I should have a chance to cook something up.  I'll give it some thought and talk to the other guys about it tonight.

Keep me posted on your expected schedule and I'll send you some directions closer to your expected arrival.

Looking forward to it.


----------



## Old One

*Saturday works best...*



			
				Rel said:
			
		

> *Old One, I would LOVE to have you make a "guest appearance".  With this much notice, I should be able to get our game group to schedule an extra session for that Saturday.
> 
> As far as what game we play, I'm not running the main campaign right now so I should have a chance to cook something up.  I'll give it some thought and talk to the other guys about it tonight.
> 
> Keep me posted on your expected schedule and I'll send you some directions closer to your expected arrival.
> 
> Looking forward to it. *




Rel,

Saturday (11/2) afternoon (probably after 1:00 PM) would work best if it fits your schedule...I will be working that morning, but have the afternoon off.  I don't know how long you guys usually play, but I may drive down to Charlotte later that evening (10:00 PM or so), but that is still up in the air.

Thanks,

~ Old One


----------



## sheelba

Sorry, the third page is not for the likes of you, Rel. Such a smooth, flexible group should be read about! Go and join your peers on the first. 

Thanks for sharing your story with us.


----------



## Rel

sheelba said:
			
		

> *Sorry, the third page is not for the likes of you, Rel. Such a smooth, flexible group should be read about! Go and join your peers on the first.
> 
> Thanks for sharing your story with us. *




Thank you very much for the bump and compliment, sheelba.

For those of you out there waiting on the next update, the good news is that I now have the "battle report" in hand that I'd mentioned previously.  I'm starting to write out the *updates* (that's right, more than one for the single battle) that will stem from it.  I had forgotten how huge that fight was until I got Raven's notes.  The battle went for 33 rounds!

I should have one post up this week that will contain the rest of the downtime leading up to that huge and fateful fight.  That's probably all I'll have time for this week because I am in the midst of preparing the adventure I'll be running when Old One comes to visit us.  I want to make sure it is up to his standards ya know  !

As usual, thanks for your patience.   The only assurance I can give you is that we'll get to the end eventually.  I hope it will be worth the wait.


----------



## Jodo Kast

Looking forward to the battle updates, Rel!  I for one respect your devotion to quality posts, which makes it more tolerable to wait for updates.  I'm also guilty of getting way behind on posts in my own story hour.  Have sympathy on Rel, folks ... keeping updates current is much more difficult than it would seem at first glance!

Keep up the great work, Rel.  Your writing is among the best on these boards.  Many do a good job of chronicling events from their gaming sessions, but IMO the best, such as yourself, tell an evocative story as well.


----------



## Rel

Thanks for the kind words, Jodo.  Those mean a lot coming from someone whose story hours I really enjoy reading.

I hope to read some more of your work in the near future.  But like you said, it ain't as easy as it looks, so I try to be patient.

I'm still shooting to post an update this week that will be a prologue to the biggest battle my Story Hour has yet seen.  Now if I can only find the time...


----------



## Rel

Here's a chunk of prologue to the big battle I've been talking about.  There will be another to follow in the next several days and then I'll begin posting the "Fight to (almost) end all Fights".

*Shadows of the Past*

Although the party spend several days recovering from the seemingly endless trials of the Temple of Bane, they were not idle.  Speaks With Stone and Raven both spent much of their time in communion with the higher powers from which they derived their magic.  Both felt that with the battle against the force of evil and corruption on the horizon, they needed to seek insight to magics that would aid them in that endeavor.

(One of my house rules is that if Divine spellcasters want any of the spells from the splatbooks, they have to meditate on the spell for 1 day per spell level and then make a spellcraft check (DC 15 + 2xSpell Level).  If they are successful, they can add the spell to their spell list.  If not, they can try again after gaining a level or take on a quest (difficulty based on the level of the spell they seek) significant to their deity in order to be granted access to the spell.  During the downtime, Speaks With Stone got the Feathers spell  and Briar Web.  Raven spent time doing this too but I can’t recall what spells he got.  I’ll post them later if we remember.)

The group also discussed where to go next.  Greatroot informed them that the Dark Druids appeared to be massing an army of undead, comprised largely of skeletal Gnolls and Ogres.  He could not be precise about the numbers involved, but his avian informants reported that there were “too many to count” (how high the average sparrow could count was left to speculation).  What they planned to do with this army was anybody’s guess, but it was surely not going to be pleasant.

But the group also acknowledged that they were now in possession of an item of great importance:  The Journal of Titus Pontius Macer.  That book held a lot of information about what happened during the Bane War and some of it was very sensitive.  They needed to find a safe place to put it with someone they felt they could trust.  After some discussion, they decided that the best place for it to be put in the possession of the dwarven “Record Keepers”, the sect of Moradin worshipers whose responsibility was to preserve knowledge and see to it that it was properly safeguarded.

The closest known group of Record Keepers were those who had traveled through Glynden in the recent past and then headed west to join the dwarven enclave that sought to recapture the Stone Tooth from the vile clutches of the Duergar.  Heretofore, this journey would have been out of the question because the distance involved would have forced the party to spend a minimum of a month in travel to the Stone Tooth and back and that was too long to leave the Dark Druids to work their sinister plans unmolested.  But Speaks now had a rapid means of travel available in the form of his _Feathers_ spell.  He could transform the entire party into birds and they could fly to the Stone Tooth in the matter of a few days.

Bidding farewell to Great Root and promising a quick return to battle the Dark Druids, Speaks and his companions gathered their gear and in moments were soaring above the Darkwood headed west toward the Fodor River.  Three days later they spotted the distant shape of the Stone Tooth looming in the distance and casting a long shadow over the cold, glacial plains of the north.  The sight filled Speaks with sorrow because when he had last lay eyes on the mountain, it had been in the company of Rhys and Krase.  But he pushed aside his sadness and focused on the task at hand.

He had been feeling very conflicted of late.  Clearly there were some event in the past that cast the Druids in a very poor light.  Did any of the Druids who had trained him know about these things?  Probably not considering how hard those involved in the Bane War had worked to suppress any link between the Druids and the Cult.

And what about these reports of a sect of Druids tasked to kill any who threatened to uncover these dire secrets.  Were they still active or had they died out over the years when it became obvious that nobody remembered any Druid involvement with the Cult of Bane?  How many more innocents were killed by those Druid assassins just because they had seen something that might threaten the favor the Druids had garnered among the Imperial elite?

Without question unearthing Macer’s journal was putting his whole order in a precarious situation.  But what if the contents were true?  The whole thing was shocking and uncomfortable.  But there was nothing to be done for it now.  Speaks was not going to involve himself in any cover up of past deeds.  He had not participated in them and neither had any of his mentors to the best of his knowledge.  Any ancient evils committed by the Druids were just that:  Ancient.  And that did not outweigh the good that they had done since then.

And it did not outweigh the good that he and his companions were trying to do now.

*NEXT:  East on a Cold Wind*


----------



## Broccli_Head

Hey Rel, glad to see you post.


----------



## Rel

Broccli_Head said:
			
		

> *Hey Rel, glad to see you post. *




Thanks man.  It has been a struggle finding the time lately.  But I'm slowly chipping away at it.


----------



## Old One

*Brief Thread Hijack...*

Greetings All!

A quick hijack of Rel's thread...

I had the pleasure of gaming with him and his player's last night for a rousing rendition of his version of A1-4: Return to the Dungeons of the Slave Lords.  I got to play Elwita, the ox-strong dwarven warrioress with a face only a mother could love!

He was a very gracious host and his lovely wife cooked a huge pot of excellent chili.  Good chili, a Guinness or two, a giant bowl of Peppermint Patties (TM), great company and an excellent game made for a fantastic night!

I think he is planning to post the adventure in the near future, but suffice it to say we kept him guessing!

~ Old One


----------



## Darklone

Rats and pits, they say... rats and pits..


----------



## Rel

Here's a link to the one-shot adventure we mentioned:

Return to the Dungeons of the Slave Lords - One Shot Adventure Guest Starring Old One


----------



## Darklone

Lo bumpuru!


----------



## Darklone

Just wanted to remind Rel of the NEXT storyhour


----------



## Rel

*Blows dust off of thread.  Coughs uncontrollably.*

Hello? Is anybody out there?  Does anybody remember this old thread?  Anyone?  Bueller?

Ahem, well I had promised that I'd post a new update by 5/11.  I'm only going to miss that mark by a day.  A new update will appear here sometime tonight after I get home.  I've roughed it out but I need to make a few refinements based on some notes I've got to scrounge out of the back of the gaming closet.  But, there will be an update later today.  I promise.  

Whether anybody will want to read the update, that's another matter.  But, if for no other reason than so I can say I did it, I'm going to push through and finish the Story Hour writeups for the campaign by the end of the month.  If you are still reading this, I can promise you that by the end you will get to see two HUGE battles, bigger than any in the campaign so far.  You will also witness the death of one of the PC's.

Lastly, I'll mention that one of the distractions that has provided a nice break from writing Story Hours (and served to make me a terrible procrastinator - as if I needed help in that department) is Neverwinter Nights.  I've recently started playing around with the Neverwinter Toolset and I'm designing an adventure set in my version of the town of Glynden.  If (and I can't stress the word IF enough) I get it into some kind of playable form, I'd be happy to pass it along to any of the readers out there who play NWN.  I'll go ahead and warn you that it will almost certainly not be up to the high standards of some of the modules I've downloaded and played from the web.  But it will be in the lands of Faded Glory.  Maybe that's enough to make it special.

If you are reading this, check back in tonight and I'll have the next update in place.


----------



## Enkhidu

Ahhh, Neverwinter Nights...

Is this module you are designing one that requires a DM, because if so, I'll see if I can round up D'Shai and myself as a couple of players (and anyone else from over at the Small Beginnings thread)!


----------



## Rel

Enk, that remains to be seen.  This is our first try at module design, so anything (including giving up in frustration) is possible.  At this point, I'm guessing that it will benefit from (if not require) some sort of DM intervention.  If we ever get it into final form, which is weeks if not months off at best, we'll include some documentation so that other groups can run it with a DM with a bit of guidance from us.

As much as is possible though, I want to try and make it playable for a solo character.  It can be hard to coordinate with others to play online sometimes.


----------



## Lazybones

Hey Rel, nice to see your thread back on the front page!

RE NWN, I'd like to recommend you to the online community at neverwinterconnections.com; it's a site designed to help folks find others to play in scheduled games.  I've been playing there for 9 months now, since the game came out, and it's a blast.  NWN with a DM and a regular group of players in an ongoing campaign is, IMO, the closest thing yet to the tabletop game that I've seen yet on the computer.  I have players in my current campaigns from England, Austria, Canada, and all over the U.S.  We're always short of good DMs, though, and if you're interested, I know you'd make a great one. 

Good luck on your NWN mod; I've done several campaign mods and know how much work it takes!  I agree that good DM docs are essential for a good multiplayer mod.  You might want to check out the DMFI (DM-Friendly Initiative); this is a group that is dedicated to making tools and mods that are easy for any DM to pick up and play.  Their wand kit is a MUST for adding into a module (http://razorwise.com/dmfi_dl.html); they add incredible functionality to the DM client.  I believe you will find modules on Neverwinter Vault like The Vethboro Dragon and The Sinister Secret of Saltmash that were designed to be DM-friendly; they might give you some suggestions on how to prep your mod for release.  

Another GREAT tool, if you haven't already found it, is the Lilac Soul Script Generator (also available at the Vault).  It is incredibly powerful and has taken my own scripting to a much higher level (it's a simple Windows app that runs outside of the toolset).  

Anyway, I look forward both to more Faded Glory story, and maybe someday experiencing part of the world in NWN as well!

Lazy


----------



## Broccli_Head

checking in....would like to see update!


----------



## Rel

I'd just like to say that for those of you who waited so long to get my next installment, I am very sorry to have made you wait.  All I can say is that there came a point late last year when I was just burned out on writing the Story Hour.  I couldn't bear the thought of slogging through the last few updates.  Part of that was because there was some truly spectacular moments of gaming in those last sessions and I just couldn't do them justice in my frame of mind back then.

But as I was writing up this one, the words seemed to rush out of my fingers as I types.  It was very nearly effortless and I am stoked about writing the next installment.  It feels really great to write when you're "in the groove", so expect a new update soon.  Probably before the end of the week.  Hopefully on Wednesday.

Thanks again to anybody who is still reading this and I hope it was worth the wait.

*East on a Cold Wind*

The clanging was incessant.  Literally all day and all night (as though those times could be differentiated in the underground halls of Durgeddin's Forge) hammers rang on steel and mithral.  The forges had been too long out from the control of their rightful owners and they intended to make up for lost time.

For Raven, the ringing was as soothing as a mother's song.  He had long been away from his home far in the eastern mountains where the sounds of the forges of Mithrak Ghul had rung with hammer blows as he became a servant of Moradin.  And like the forges of his homeland, those within the Stone Tooth imparted the metals worked on them with strength and magic.  

His own hammer moved to his will and the magic flowed from his voice as he annealed his armor with a new enchantment.  For a priest of Moradin a hammer was of utmost importance.  But a hammer in your hand without steel across your back was a quick road to a glorious death.  Raven had been caught without the protection of his armor once too often and this enchantment would assure that when it was time to fight, his armor could be _Called_ to him with but a thought.

***

Thought was becoming difficult for Speaks With Stone.  Urgency was tightening its grip on him and each passing day he felt as though the stone of the mountain above him was pressing on him, trying to squeeze him out and send him where he knew he must go.  Now that the Journal of Macer was in the hands of the dwarven Record Keepers, he could commit himself to a dangerous task.  Its danger and the dread he felt about it did nothing to shake his resolve in completing it.  The elven Dark Druids must be dealt with.

Any moral ambivalence that he had felt upon learning about his predecessors among the Druidic Order being involved with the Temple of Bane was gone.  His purpose and the power that he served were now clear.  His allegience was to Nature, represented by Great Root, not some organization of other druids who huddled in their parks and preserves across the Crescent Sea in Emor.  His task was to destroy the Dark Druids and the undead minions that they were amassing.  And that was a task that was better done soon, before their evil corruption could spread through the Darkwood destroying he and his friends.

***

Friends was not a word that Scar would ever come to call the Dwarves of the Stone Tooth.  The fact that Raven (or whatever his many-sylabled dwarven name was) had vouched for him as well as Speaks, who had been instrumental in liberating the Stone Tooth from the Orcs and the Dragon, did little to change the fact that he was an Orc, living among Dwarves.  At best, he was regarded with pity, a poor half-breed whose mother had been so badly used by the orc tribe that had captured her.  At worst, he was accused of being a spy, lying in wait to strike at the Dwarves when their backs were turned.

But their backs were never turned when Scar was around.  His presence in any room assured that he would be the focus of unwanted attention.  It was time to go.  The sooner the Dark Druids were dealt with, the sooner he could get back among the peoples of the Northern Wilds.   There, he was still viewed with some distrust by those who didn't know him well.  But he could take care of himself, and, when the situation demanded it, could take care of others too.  Independance and the willingness to aid the less able were traits that were valued in the harsh lands of the north.  Scar might never have what could truly be called a home.  But if one could be found, it was to the east.  Away from the dwarven mountain.

***

By sheer luck, dawn was breaking as the trio of heroes gathered on the rocky path descending from atop the Stone Tooth.  Raven was the only one to look back.  He stared at the stout doors that the dwarves had repaired and could almost feel the heat of the forge through them.  He could have spent years back at the forge, his hands and hammer bringing use to useless ingots.  But that would have to wait.

"It's time." spoke Speaks.  His throat formed a chant and his hands wove patterns as a force of animism swirled among and then gripped the three companions.  In the blink of an eye, three birds took flight into the summer sky and headed east.

But though it was summer, the Stone Tooth stood high and it stood in the far north of the Western Wilds.  Though the sun shone brightly on the friends as they set out on their task, it was a cold wind that bore them to the east.

*Next Time (hopefully Wednesday ):  Impossible Odds - Again!*


----------



## Broccli_Head

Ominous new beginning!

Great to see ya back writing again, Rel!

sometimes I get writer's block, so my mind has to be distracted until the Muse comes again.

 Singing helps! I love to sing. Reading helps. A new game (Hero!  ) helps! Even analyzing data at work...

But the good thing is that She...the Muse always returns.


----------



## Darklone

Yeahyeahyeah! Just checking in expecting some whatever creative bumps... and I got an UPDATE!!!

Wahey!

Lazybones, Rel... if any of you will DM a NWN session during somehow daytime here in Europe... please let me know 

Lazy: Checked your game announcements on NWNconnections, but it's usually at 2am ... 

Rel: Glad to have your dudes back at wasting evil ones!


----------



## Rel

Broccli_Head said:
			
		

> *Great to see ya back writing again, Rel!
> 
> sometimes I get writer's block, so my mind has to be distracted until the Muse comes again.*




Thanks, Broc.  It was pretty weird this time.  I've had writers block before when I needed to bang out something creative.  But really, I wasn't short on material to work from.  The campaign was complete and had been for months.  I even had pretty good notes outlining what happened.  But somehow I just couldn't bring myself to write it.

The strange part was that it wasn't just my SH that I lost interest in.  I stopped reading virtually all of the ones I had been keeping up with, regardless of how fine the writing was.  I had been reading yours, Piratecat's, Sagiro's, Wulf's, Milo Winby's and I had been slowly working my way through Lazybones'.  But it was like the Story Hour switch in my head just sort of turned off.

The only exception to that was Small Beginnings.  I started reading that one because I was getting ready to run Sunless Citidel as a solo game for my wife.  But the writing was so compelling that I just couldn't help myself.  I really do highly recommend it because I think that the quality of the setting and writing is right up there with Old One's.  And you know what a high regard I hold him in.

So, now I've got a lot of catching up to do.  But I suppose that it puts me in the enviable position of getting to read Story Hours for a while without having to pine away for updates!

Thanks again for reading.


----------



## Rel

Darklone said:
			
		

> *Lazybones, Rel... if any of you will DM a NWN session during somehow daytime here in Europe... please let me know
> *




Darklone, I'm a pretty long ways from DMing anything online right now.  But the guys in our gaming group (particularly Speaks and Raven) tend to get together to play Pre-Fab modules that we've downloaded.  Often times these games are started in the mornings on the weekend.  If my timezone math is right that would let you play along with us for at least a while until it became too late, your time.

Raven has a 4 computer LAN set up in his house that we play on and he usually has one computer designated as a server.  Next time we're getting together, I'll see if I can work it out for you to play with us if you're free.


----------



## Lazybones

Hey Rel,

I too totally know where you are coming from experiencing writer's block.  I consider myself to be a fairly prolific writer, although my luck at getting published leaves a lot to be desired.   

I think the best advice, if you really want to right (and you are good at it), is to force yourself to write just a little bit each day (not even my advice--comes from Steven King's _On Writing_ and about a dozen other writers' manuals I've read).  I know you're really busy with RL, but I find that even taking 15 minutes each day to write, even when you *know* that what you're going to write is just going to be hash and never printed/posted/published, is really important.  

And the funny thing is, often times that 15 minutes worth of utter drivel becomes 3 hours of top-notch stuff.  And when you recapture that feeling that you commented upon in your earlier post, where it's all just flowing from your fingers, then it's golden.  

Lazy


----------



## Rel

Lazybones said:
			
		

> *I think the best advice, if you really want to right (and you are good at it), is to force yourself to write just a little bit each day (not even my advice--comes from Steven King's On Writing and about a dozen other writers' manuals I've read).  I know you're really busy with RL, but I find that even taking 15 minutes each day to write, even when you know that what you're going to write is just going to be hash and never printed/posted/published, is really important.  *




Lazy (if I may call you Lazy  ), I've heard this same advice, from the same source no less.  I think it is great advice if you are serious about writing as a hobby or as a means of making a living.

The trick is that I have no aspirations of making my living as a writer.  I have that vague notion that there might be a novel lurking inside me somewhere, but I'm under no real illusions that my novel would be groundbreaking or bestselling.  That being the case, my writing is essentially relegated to "hobby" status.

I've discovered that since having a child (and the commensurate drop in my available free time) that I've become much more of a hedonist with regard to my hobbies.  I'm now much less inclined to engage in the tougher or more grueling aspects of my hobby, simply for the fact that it falls under the hobby.

Reading is a hobby of mine.  It used to be that I would pick up a book I thought was interesting and start reading.  If it became boring or wasn't like I thought it would be, I'd press on and keep reading anyway because it felt like finishing the book was part of the hobby of reading.  Nowadays, if a book gets boring, I'll just quit in mid-sentence and say, "There are funner ways of spending my limited free time."

That's sort of how I feel about writing.  I enjoy writing when it is enjoyable.  When it isn't, I try and find something else to do that is enjoyable.

That's why I was very non-commital about the NWN module.  I'm still feeling out whether this is going to be a compelling outlet for my creativity or whether I'll quickly realize that, while the idea of adventure design is near and dear to my heart, the more "programming" aspects of the NWN toolset are tedious and I'd rather spend my time in other ways.

I'm not particularly proud of this attitude.  It frankly seems a bit immature.  But when it comes to creative hobbies that are intended for the consumption by others (like Story Hours or NWN modules), I feel like if you aren't enjoying the creative process that it will probably show through in the quality of your work.

None of which contradicts your point about how if you always put in the 15 minutes that you'll occasionally get 3 good hours when you weren't expecting it.  I think you are wise to pursue that course.  You have real talent as a writer and I really hope your work pays off soon.  I am a published author and there is nothing quite like holding a book in your hand with your name on it.

Good luck and thanks for the encouragement.


----------



## dshai527

> _Posted by Rel_
> The only exception to that was Small Beginnings. I started reading that one because I was getting ready to run Sunless Citidel as a solo game for my wife. But the writing was so compelling that I just couldn't help myself. I really do highly recommend it because I think that the quality of the setting and writing is right up there with Old One's. And you know what a high regard I hold him in.




AH, Pimpin our Story Hour. 

Okay Rel, what's the catch. Where is the hidden camera. Okay, just for that you get an update tonight.

Funny thing is I think you may be the last person still reading it. With Enk having a son, our own timetable has been thrown off. Good to see your back in the saddle again though. Look forward to more. And just email us if you wanna get some NWN time in.


----------



## Darklone

Rel said:
			
		

> *Raven has a 4 computer LAN set up in his house that we play on and he usually has one computer designated as a server.  Next time we're getting together, I'll see if I can work it out for you to play with us if you're free. *




 Gimme a email two days before you play!


----------



## Rel

Sorry for those of you popping in expecting an update.  Er...when I said Wednesday, I meant *this* Wednesday.  Yeah, that's it.

My plans last week got put off due to the wonky server.  Once again, I've got part of the story down but need to add the finishing touches from my notes.  I should have the next update up tomorrow night.

Meanwhile I'm going to go back to my "Early Days" thread and try to start getting it caught back up to where this thread picks up.  So if you are a recent reader (like the Small Beginnings gang) that would help you understand how the characters got where they are.  And if you are not a recent reader, you could go back and read it just for nostalgia. 

Thanks again for the patience and I promise you that update on Wednesday.

And BTW, Raven and I are getting close to having our "Old Glynden" module for NWN done.  We should have the final touches put on it in the next week or so.  After we run it for our the gang here, I'll be happy to e-mail a copy of it to anybody who wants one.


----------



## Enkhidu

Hey Rel, I've been meaning to ask you:

Are you by chance a large man with one eye who can see his own death?

Just checking...


----------



## Rel

Enkhidu said:
			
		

> *Hey Rel, I've been meaning to ask you:
> 
> Are you by chance a large man with one eye who can see his own death?
> 
> Just checking... *




Are you calling me fat?!   

Ok, I've been wracking my brain for a few minutes and I can't figure out what (other than the Cyclops) that this can be in reference to.  So 'splain it to me real slow like, wouldja, Enk?


----------



## Enkhidu

Ever see a movie called _Krull_?

If not, count yourself lucky. It's a movie that, as a child back in '83, I absolutely loved, and then recently managed to catch it as I was doing an all nighter with my son. It didn't live up to my childhood memories.

It did, however, include a character named "Rel," with the above description.


----------



## Rel

Ah yes, Krull.  I remember it fondly from my youth.  Had it come out just a few years later, I'm sure that I would watched it endlessly on videotape (and done the same with Hawk the Slayer too).  I have seen the movie a couple of times over the years but I never caught that the cyclops guy was named Rel.

That is not the place from whence my username is derived.

Rel was the name of my first Rolemaster character that I made when I was shown that system by Speaks With Stone.  As I sat down to create my character I was trying to come up with a good name for my heavily-armed-heavily-armored knight type character and I thought up "Relin".  I mused a bit further about a society wherein noble deeds and an honorable reputation would earn you extra sylables to your name.  I extended the character's name to "Relinsingursonlyer".

Upon starting to actually play the game, it was quickly decided that having a seven-sylable name sounds cool in concept but was in fact a huge pain in the butt in practice.  Thus, his name got shortened back to "Rel".

Years later I went to join my first internet chat room and needed a username.  I used "Relinsingursonlyer", which nobody could spell and I could never type the damn thing in right when I wanted to log on.  When I came to join ENWorld, I shortened it back to Rel and it has been that way ever since.

So there you have it.


----------



## Rel

*grr* stupid server switch.

I got the next update all set to go last night and then couldn't post it.  Now I'm at work and I don't have it with me so I STILL can't post it.  I'll get it posted tonight, but I want it to go on record that I at least TRIED to meet the deadline!

Watch the server be down again tonight!  I'm telling you, dark forces conspire against the completion of this story hour!


----------



## Rel

*Impossible Odds - Again!*

The Darkwood stretched out below them like a great, green carpet.  It's vastness and sameness had lulled them into a thoughtless pattern of wingbeats carrying them eastward for the past three days. Then there was something different.

Out on the horizon was a discoloration.  Something was brown.  Incapable of speaking to each other, their hawkish heads shrieked back and forth until it seemed obvious that all three of them were aware of the discoloration and they headed for it.

As they drew near, they began to realize how big it was.  It hadn't been so obvious when they stood within it, but the "Dead Zone" around the Temple of Bane extended for exactly a mile in every direction.  From their altitude, it described a neat circle of dead, black trees clawing skyward with the stone temple sitting in the center.  Just north of the circle was a clearing in the forest that was a couple of hundred feet wide.  Their enhanced vision immediatly showed them that there was movement in the clearing.

Without need to confer, they circled wide to the east and kept well away from sight of the clearing.  A hawk in the summer sky was nothing to question.  A trio of them was, especially when those doing the questioning were Dark Druids, familiar with the concept of beings shifting themselves into animal form.

A short while later, the group settled to the ground in a much smaller clearing several miles north of the larger one.  Raven and Scar immediately changed back into their dwarven and half-orcish forms respectively.  Both agreed with the necessity of their chosen means of transport, but neither enjoyed it.  As Raven said, "If Dwarves were meant to fly, Moradin would have given us flying mountains!"

Speaks did not transform back to his human form and instead took off to the south to do a bit more scouting.  Leaving the others behind, he glided along just above the treetops, taking joy in the feeling of doing so.  His joy was short-lived as his eagle speed quickly covered the distance to the clearing and he got about the serious business of gaining altitude to get a broader view of what lay in the clearing.  What he found was increasingly horrifying by stages.

The center of the camp was a group of hide tents, including a rather large pavillion, spaced comfortably apart and surrounded by a thick hedge that looked like it would be difficult or impossible to hack through in any reasonable period of time.  At approximately the easternmost and westernmost end of this hedge were openings in the hedge allowing access into the interior.  Moving around inside this hedged in compound, Speaks could see a couple of ruddy skinned elves dressed in hides.  They seemed to be in conversation near one of the tents.  

As he scanned more of the compound, he saw something much more disturbing.  Standing in seemingly random places around the inner perimeter of the hedges were large humanoid skeletons.  Closer inspection revealed that they were likely skeletons of ogres.  These were doubtlessly among those whom Great Root had indicated were captured by the Dark Druids and brought to the Dead Zone to be slain and brought back as undead.  While Speaks had little regard for such creatures as Ogres, such a fate seemed a cruel end, even for them.

He widened his field of view even further and that's when he began to understand the enormity of what they faced.  Outside the hedge, scattered about the forest, were a hundred, no, *hundreds*, of other skeletons.  The majority of the time, they would stand or lay still.  But occasionally one would move totteringly about the woods in a mockery of the life it once had.  Most of these skeletons were clearly those of Gnolls but among them were the bones of other forest creatures including wolves, bears, deer and perhaps even an elk.

The Dark Druids didn't have an enclave.  They had an army.

What purpose could such an army serve?  The answer seemed all too obvious:  Revenge.  The Dark Druids would have revenge on those who drove them out of their beloved woods so many years ago.  The Banites were already believed extinct and the Dark Druids using their own temple as a means of exacting revenge on their co-conspirators was doubtlessly justice in their own twisted view.

Now they would exact punishment on the other parties to their banishment.  They would attack and destroy the last remaining vestige of the Imperial occupation of the Northlands:  Glynden.  When they were through, their army of undead would infest the Darkwood for generations, their corruption of the forest serving as a mocking insult to the Druids who had forced them from their homes after they turned to evil.

In a flash of insight that he desperately hoped was not precient, Speaks saw a series of images.  Great Root, burning as he cried out in dispair.  Animals of the forest slaughtered in the bony hands of the undead haunting the Darkwood.  The guards of Glynden standing atop the walls, uselessly firing arrow after arrow into the ranks of the skeletal army.  The children of Glynden huddled in the mines, hoping in vain to hide in a darkness easily pierced by the sightless gaze of empty eye sockets.

And then what?  Would the army go as far south as Oar?  Would they turn east towards the Novantae lands of the Dwarves?  Or would they go west toward the barbarians?  West, where Speaks unborn child lay in the womb of another man's wife.

Looking one last time at the almost endless skeletal horde below, Speaks turned and flew north to rejoin his companions.  What they could do against such odds, he didn't know.  But they had to do something.

*NEXT:  Hit and RUN!*


----------



## Elder-Basilisk

Rel,

I'm glad to see that you're back on the story hour. I've definitely missed it in the months it's been gone.

And sign me up for the NwN module too when you're finished with it. That sounds like quite a bit of fun.


----------



## Elder-Basilisk

Rel,

I'm glad to see that you're back on the story hour. I've definitely missed it in the months it's been gone.

And sign me up for the NwN module too when you're finished with it. That sounds like quite a bit of fun.


----------



## Elder-Basilisk

Rel,

I'm glad to see that you're back on the story hour. I've definitely missed it in the months it's been gone.

And sign me up for the NwN module too when you're finished with it. That sounds like quite a bit of fun.


----------



## Darklone

Can't but agree with the last three posts


----------



## Broccli_Head

Hit and Run seems the favorite tactic of the companions!


----------



## Rel

Broccli_Head said:
			
		

> *Hit and Run seems the favorite tactic of the companions! *




Sometimes it is more successful than other times...


----------



## Malachai_rose

Rel, you've started updating again !!! Woot !!! Lol, why didn't tell me  

An army huh... No problemo for my buds Speaks (possibly the coolest druid ever, cpet maybe for Nwm but even then its real close), Raven (my favorite Dwarven cleric) and Scar (Half orcs rule ).


----------



## Rel

Malachai_rose said:
			
		

> *Rel, you've started updating again !!! Woot !!! Lol, why didn't tell me
> 
> An army huh... No problemo for my buds Speaks (possibly the coolest druid ever, cpet maybe for Nwm but even then its real close), Raven (my favorite Dwarven cleric) and Scar (Half orcs rule ). *




Thanks for the post Malachai_rose!  We'll soon see how problematic the army will be for our fearless (sometimes almost foolishly so  ) band of adventurers.

Just so that you and everybody else knows, I should be posting one more update sometime before Sunday.  After that I'm off to the beach for a week of R&R.  When I get back I'll be busy with work but I'm still going to try and push through to the end of the campaign before I get consumed with organizing NC Game Day II.

[Bartles and James Old Fat Guy] And as always, thanks for your support. [/Bartles and James Old Fat Guy]


----------



## Rel

*Hit and RUN!*

The plan was far from complex.  That was a good thing because the group had proven time and again that their complex plans fell apart, usually just moments after they were conceived.

"We swoop in.  Kill as many as we can and fly out before they even know we're there.  It's simple." said Raven.

"Most of the really good and really bad ideas are." commented Speaks.

"Is there a backup plan?" asked Scar in an uncharacteristic moment of caution.

"No backup plan," insisted Raven.  "It distracts us from the primary plan!"

On that inarguable point of logic, Speaks remained silent.


The group girded themselves for battle.  Both Raven and Scar recieved the blessing of Moradin, endowing them with _Bull's Strength_, _Freedom of Movement_ and the ability to _Endure_ the _Element_ of fire.  Speaks used a spell to give his _Skin_ the toughness of Great Root's _Bark_.  He also rendered himself _Invisible_ to any _Animals_ the Dark Druids may have watching.  They exchanged glances and all knew they were ready.  Speaks summoned the power of the wild and they were transformed into eagles.

Speaks took a slight lead over the other two and in just a few minutes the Dark Druid camp was in view.  He flew just above the treetops dodging the occasional tall pine that jutted above the oaks.  Without hesitation, he swooped in and alighted in some branches just on the north side of the compound.  He didn't wait before using his magic to summon a _Web of Briars_ upon the southwest side of the camp, inside the hedges.  The encampment started to erupt in chaos and the battle was joined.

Before the Dark Druids could react at all, Speaks shrouded the other side of the camp in a similar _Briar Web_ as Raven and Scar swooped over the treetops and into the edge of the camp.  As he watched his companions descend into the enemy's lair, Speaks summoned forth an area of _Spiked Growth_ around the break in the western hedge of the encampment.  Whatever was inside the camp was going to stay there and hopefully the undead army camped outside couldn't get in either.

The first enemy reaction came in the form of a bird flying out of one of the smaller tents and landing near the entrance to the large central pavillion, just outside of the area enmeshed with the Briar Web.  Scar darted down and came to rest atop the central pole of the pavillion.  Raven opted to get his feet back on the earth a bit sooner and landed near the entrance to the pavillion where he found himself face to face with a skeletal ogre.

No sooner had Raven's little birdie feet touched the ground when a column of fire arced from the heavens and he was _Struck_ by _Flame_.  Though it was startling and impressive, the attack did little damage to the dwarf thanks to the protective magics upon him.  The worst was the sickening feeling caused by the unholy force from which the Dark Druids channeled their magic.

At nearly the same moment, the oak in which Speaks perches burst into flame as another such column of fire struck down frm above.  Speaks too suffered only minor injuries from the attack and was able to cast about and locate the probably source:  A pair of other large bird forms were perched in the trees on same side of the camp that he was!  In response, Speaks called upon the woods to _Entangle_ them, hoping that would keep them busy for a while.

Back in the center of the Dark Druid camp, Raven transformed back into his normal form.  As always, the change was a bit disorienting.  Adding to his confusion was the tremendous backhanded slap that he recevied from the ogre skeleton (critical hit).  Shaking off the blow, Raven retaliated with his hammer and the skeleton exploded in a storm of bone fragments.

One of the Dark Druids in bird form managed to break out of the tangle of limbs that tried to grasp it and its falcon form shot toward Speaks, failing to rend him with its claws.  Speaks attempted to consume his avian attacker with a _Creeping Cold_ even as he took to the air in retreat.  The falcon seemed to shake off the effects and keep coming.

Below, Scar resumed his normal form and took great delight in swaying back and forth atop the pavillion support pole as he drew out his weapon and prepared to join the battle proper.  A moment later, the half-orc jumped slightly and the tent fabric ripped under him and he plunged into the pavillion ready to deal death to those inside.  A short way away, Raven called forth a _Magic Circle Against Evil_ as he took a step away from the main tent and cast about for a new enemy.  He didn't have to look far.

Even as Scar made his grand entrance to the tent, an Elf emerged from it with a green-glowing rod in his hands.  He spoke strange words and with a wave of the wand, darkness sprang out of the earth near Raven.  From above, Speaks watched helplessly as the darkness separated into individual Shadows who swarmed over the dwarf, sucking the strength and life out of him...

*NEXT:  Moradin, Give Me STRENGTH!*

I hope this little cliffhanger is enough to keep you going until I get back.  We're headed to the beach tomorrow and I've got about a million little things to do before then.

When I return, look forward to the rest of this battle, which lasted a whopping 33 combat rounds and consumed an entire game session.


----------



## Darklone

33 rounds after such a bad start??? OMG.

Endure Elements helped them so much against flame strikes? Wow. Looks like Raven made his Reflex save this time, eh ?


----------



## Broccli_Head

can't wait!


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## Elder-Basilisk

It appears I could wait longer than some but no more. . . . bump.


----------



## Darklone

Ladididi.... deeedeeeduh.

Come on: Vasqueeez, let's raaaawk!


----------



## Rel

I am back from vacation and officially swamped at work.  However, I should still have some time in the evenings to get the next installment together.  I should have something up by either Wednesday night or Thursday morning.

Fortunately I'm working from a set of careful notes that Raven's player took during the session and that is helping a lot.  Unfortunately, his handwriting is about as bad a mine and therefore nearly indecipherable sometimes.


----------



## Darklone

We want slaughter !!!


----------



## Rel

Darklone said:
			
		

> *We want slaughter !!! *




Be careful what you wish for...

I had to take a bit of work home with me yesterday and then I spent an hour or so last night working on our "Old Glynden" NWN module.  So I didn't get my update finished to a suitable stopping point.  But I just found out that my other plans for tonight have been cancelled so I will finish and post it tonight.  Sorry for the delay.

On the upside, those who are looking to play the NWN module will be pleased to hear that it is coming along nicely and should be ready for some playtesting in the next week or so.  If any of you guys want to playtest it for us, let me know.  You may want to wait until the final version is ready though.  This being our first module, I'm certain it is going to be a bit buggy.

While you're waiting for an update, maybe you NWN players can help me out with something.  I'm trying as hard as possible to inject the "Faded Glory" feel into the module.  But there's only so much you can do with the Toolset.  If you have any ideas for things I can add that would enhance the feel of the campaign, let me know.  If they are within my (meager) abilities, I'll implement them.  Keep in mind that this is not yet the campaign styled after my story hour.  This is a smaller, "prequel" module set about 20 years prior to my campaign.


----------



## Elder-Basilisk

I would expect that the biggest difficulties with getting the faded glory feel would probably be visual. Roman armor isn't very well supported by the standard toolkit.  (Although shortsword models could probably work for gladii and the plumed horsehair helmet would probably fit in as well).

I don't think lorica segmentata, for instance would be modelled by the toolset well although you might manage the chain mail armor (Lorica Hamata?) using the toolkit.

However, some of that can probably be fixed by using the online community's creations. (The best site I know of is Neverwinter Vault but there may be others).

I think I saw an antique breastplate armor model--it's more greek than Roman but would still fit well with a Faded Glory.

I'm sure I've seen some square tower shields there as well. Reskin a few (reskinning was fairly easy when I did it for Freespace 2) with imperial eagles and they'd make a great Faded glory addition.

A few custom portraits would also greatly enhance the faded glory feel. (Even just a few of the major NPCs would help out). If there aren't many suitable ones online, you might be able to color some pictures of Roman busts and/or statuary from art history sites for the faded glory look.

Put all of those into a hakpak and I think it would give the mod a much more "Faded Glory" appearance.



			
				Rel said:
			
		

> *While you're waiting for an update, maybe you NWN players can help me out with something.  I'm trying as hard as possible to inject the "Faded Glory" feel into the module.  But there's only so much you can do with the Toolset.  If you have any ideas for things I can add that would enhance the feel of the campaign, let me know.  If they are within my (meager) abilities, I'll implement them.  Keep in mind that this is not yet the campaign styled after my story hour.  This is a smaller, "prequel" module set about 20 years prior to my campaign. *


----------



## Rel

Thanks for the reply about the NWN module, Elder-Basilisk.  Also, let me take just a brief second to say how honored I am that you have been reading my story hour.  Not to gush or whatever, but you represent to me pretty much the pinnacle of thoughtful game analysis that initially drew me to ENWorld in the first place.  It is rare that I read one of your posts and don't come away feeling like I have just learned something new.  That you are reading my Story Hour makes me beam with pride (and frankly makes me a tad self conscious).

Now, with that bit of hero worship out of the way, thanks again for your comments on the mod.  I agree that few of the default armors are very Roman (and therefore Emorean) in appearance.  I think that for right now, I'll probably hold off on trying to skin any new ones.  The same probably goes for the custom portraits.

The reason for this is twofold.  First, I'm just not particularly good at manipulating the toolset yet.  My strengths seem to be in the plotting and also the creating of interesting and unique items within the strictures of the toolset.  Custom content is probably a bit out of my mental grasp at the moment (I utterly stink at even fairly rudimentary coding).  

The other reason is even more compelling and that is that this module is sort of a test to get down the basics of the toolset before I make the one modeled after my actual campaign.  Because this one predates the campaign by 20 years, any of the custom portraits I made would be for people who aren't around for the next one or who will be 20 years older.

So I guess I'm saying that I think those are good suggestions, but I'm not quite up for implementing them just yet.  I will make sure and keep my eye out for some good "Romanesque" armors and weapons over at NWVault though.

Any further ideas would still be appreciated.


----------



## Rel

Oh, wait, I promised you an update too, didn't I?

*Moradin, Give Me STRENGTH!*


It was as though the weight of the world settled on his shoulders.

Raven suddenly felt himself barely able to move under the heavy load of his armor.  His hammer felt like an anvil in his hands.  Dark forms swarmed around him.  It was these black, disembodied ghosts of the damned that had stolen his strength.  He meant to make them pay for it.  He raised his hand that bore the ring taken from Macer and let go with a blast of pure radiant light.  The beam tore through one of the shadows, ripping it to shreds and sending it to oblivion.  But there were more.  Many more.

Scar was not ignored either as a pair of the shadows homed in on his position just inside the pavillion.  He felt the coldness of their touch and the pull as the weight of his gear seemed to drag on him.  But he had no attention to spare them.  In front of him was one of the Dark Druids, his face twisted in a rictus of hatred.  Scar decided to try and twist it a bit more with his hammer but most of the blow was turned aside.  As he glanced around at the hovering shadows, he knew that this battle was going to be a painful fight.

Above, Speaks could tell that his _Creeping Cold_ spell was hurting the Dark Druid that he had cast it upon.  But he felt that before the battle was over he was going to need more than just his magic.  He called upon the power of the wild to empower his natural attacks.  Even as he completed his magic, he felt the heat of flames around him and was engulfed by a sheet of fire emanating from the outstretched wings of the soaring Dark Druid.  His magical protections saved him from the worst of it but he felt a couple of his tail feathers get singed.

Back in the pavillion below, the Dark Druid facing Scar cursed in a language the Half-Orc didn't understand.  He drew forth a rod that looked as though it was carved from bone and with another utterance a burst of unholy, green light enveloped everyone inside the tent.  Scar felt the sickening taint on his spirit and looking across the tent, he saw another Dark Druid, who had just entered, cringe before the evil blast as well.  Clearly the Druid with the rod had no regard for the safety of the others.  That would make him the leader then.  Hauling back his hammer, he sent another blow at the Dark Druid, this time with a more satisfying thud.  Without pause, Scar sent a blow at one of the shadows as it moved past him and felt the slightest resistance as his hammer tore shreds from its being.

Outside the tent, Raven stepped back from his attackers and unleashed another blast of _Searing Light_ at one of the shadows and was pleased to see it disperse as well.  That left only two of them but one lashed out at him and he felt his strength even further decreased.

Speaks turned on his pursuer and sank his beak into the Dark Druid's feathers, tasting blood.  They began to tumble earthward but Speaks disengaged and put a bit of distance between them.  The avian Dark Druid recovered quickly however and managed to fire off an incatation that called forth a _Stinking Cloud_ of noxious gas around Speaks.

The Dark Druid facing Scar swung the rod like a club and scored a glancing blow against the Half-Orc.  His compatriot summoned a small sphere of fire into his grasp and hurled it at Scar, hitting him but only burning him slightly thanks to the fire wards Scar had received.  Scar did manage to stay out of the clutches of the shadows for a few moments and for that he was thankful.  Focusing his attention back on the Dark Druid leader, he lashed out with his hammer and again struck a minor blow.  The might he had lost to the shadows was playing hell with the accuracy and strength of his strikes and he roared in frustration.

Raven heard Scars roar and decided that his companion might be in trouble.  He backpedaled away from the shadows, barely staying out of the grasp of one of them.

Overhead the acrobatic aerial battle raged as Speaks burst from the _Stinking Cloud_, gasping for breath.  The pair of airborne Dark Druids followed but gained no ground as they had to maneuver around the cloud themselves.

In the large tent below, the Dark Druid leader tried to use his magic but failed to get out of the reach of Scar.  The angry Half-Orc swung his hammer and knocked the breath from the elf, befouling the magical words he was using to summon his magic.  Across the tent, the other Druid grabbed a nearby spear and ran to the aid of his leader.  Just then, Raven burst into the tent.  "In the name of Moradin, begone creatures of unlife!"  A wave of holy energy sprang from Raven's hammer and both of the shadows around Scar and one of the ones chasing Raven disappeared beneath the earth.  It appeared that the companions might finally be getting a break.  Looking up at the Dark Druid leader, Raven challenged, "Prepare to die!"

Above, Speaks _Produced_ a _Flame_ in his claw and flung it toward one of the falcons chasing him.  The ball of fire struck the Druid who was already suffering the effects of the _Creeping Cold_ and it was obvious that he had little fight left in him.  The other however was still quite capable and he let his malice be known in the form of a column of fire that descended from the heavens and blasted Speaks in mid flight.  Speaks let out the scream of an eagle as all around him the air crackled with unholy fire and he smelled burned feathers.  He was astonished that he could still fly.  He winged over and swooped back toward the encampment.  As he did so he saw another pillar of flame form in the sky ahead and slice down toward the roof of the large tent.  Speaks cringed as he thought about its destination.

Back in the pavillion, in answer to Raven's challenge, the Dark Druid leader stepped out of Scars reach and used his magic without being struck by the Half-Orc this time.  Suddenly, the roof of the pavillion above them disintegrated as a column of evil _Flame Struck_ the pair of them.  They were fortunate in that the hide roof seemed to dampen the fires enough that they dodged the worst of it.  Most of the rest of the heat was absorbed by their magical protections.  Adding insult to minor injury, the other Dark Druid stepped up with his long spear and inflicted a shallow wound across Scar's thigh.

Scar ignored him for the moment and struck again at the leader, this time landing his most solid blow yet.  A few feet away, Raven dodged out of the grasp of the last of the shadows and called upon the power of Moradin to heal himself.  Both felt weary out of proportion to the time they'd been in battle as their lack of strength had taken its toll.  Neither had any reason to hope that they were even close to victory.

Speaks pulled his wings in slightly and rocketed toward the encampment.  He was simultaneously racing to the aid of his companions and fleeing the fiery wrath of his pursuers.  As he came closer to the encampment, his spirits sank as he saw yet another pair of the Dark Druids had managed to free themselves from the tangle of _Briar Webs_ and stood ready to greet him.

The leader of the Dark Druids moved still further from Scar, seeking safety behind the long spear that his minion wielded.  Once safely behind his ally, he held forth the bone rod again and with an unholy word, a blast of negative energy engulfed the interior of the tent once again.  Raven caught the full brunt of it and found himself back on the brink of unconsciousness again.  Scar steeled himself but was still somewhat weakened by the blast as was the Dark Druid who held him at bay with the spear.  The Dark Druid looked at his leader with undisguised malice and though he continued to hold forth his spear in Scar's direction, he witheld his attack.

Hoping that the Druids may start fighting amongst each other, Scar turned his attention to the shadow still plaguing them.  He slashed out with his hammer but struck nothing.  Raven prayed to Moradin yet again to deliver him from the wounds his foes had inflicted and felt the welcome surge of positive energy fill him.

Speaks was already weakened and needed a moment to heal himself before he could engage the pair of Dark Druids below.  He called on the grasses and weeds around them to _Entangle_ them to buy him some time.  It didn't buy much.

Slowing down to use his magic allowed Speaks pursuers to catch up to him.  The wounded one kept his distance still but called down yet another _Flame Strike_ upon Speaks who managed to avoid some but not nearly all of the flames.  The other Dark Druid in falcon form shot in close to him and a crackling sheet of fire shot from the forward edges of his wings but the damage paled in comparison to the column of unholy fire that he had just endured.

Below, one of the new pair of Dark Druids managed to maintain his concentration amid the grasping vines long enough to _Dispel_ the _Entanglement_.  The other let fly with a _Ray_ meant to _Enfeeble_ Speaks as he flew overhead but he managed to shrug off the effects.  His path took him over the edge of the hedge surrounding the encampment and he descended toward the ground.  For now, his companions would have to try and deal without him for he had to have healing if he was to continue the fight.

With the rest of his allies tied up outside the pavillion and no signs of lending any aid, the Dark Druid leader decided to abandon his ally who surely must want to kill him by now.  As Scar and Raven watched, he transformed in much the manner they had seen Speaks do.  Only the form he assumed was not that of a normal creature of the woodlands.  He became a skeletal bat and somehow took flight on skinless wings, escaping through the hole in the roof of the tent.  Like a dog running after its master, the shadow raced from the tent after him.  For a brief second, all was quiet, as the two companions looked at the lone remaining Dark Druid.  For the first time since the battle started, they outnumbered the opposition.

*NEXT:  An Incredibly Brief Respite*

That brings us up just shy of halfway through the battle.  Look for more to come somtime next week.  Thanks for reading.


----------



## Elder-Basilisk

Thanks for the compliments. My memory turns out to have been faulty about the vault--there's not much romanesque there (I just took a look in case you or your co-laborers decide to add haks in the  future).

This shield might be made to look Emerian if changed to a matte color and given an imperial Eagle design:

http://nwvault.ign.com/Files/hakpacks/data/1028187026435.shtml

These ones are a bit squarer but probably don't come with reskinning instructions:

http://nwvault.ign.com/Files/hakpacks/data/1033445727360.shtml

The kilts from this hak might be able to be adapted to simulate the leather skirts that are commonly associated with Roman armor. They're a bit too long though.

http://nwvault.ign.com/Files/hakpacks/data/1038112729644.shtml





			
				Rel said:
			
		

> *So I guess I'm saying that I think those are good suggestions, but I'm not quite up for implementing them just yet.  I will make sure and keep my eye out for some good "Romanesque" armors and weapons over at NWVault though.
> 
> Any further ideas would still be appreciated. *


----------



## Broccli_Head

Rel said:
			
		

> *Oh, wait, I promised you an update too, didn't I?
> 
> Moradin, Give Me STRENGTH!
> 
> 
> In front of him was one of the Dark Druids, his face twisted in a rictus of hatred.   *




Heheh...you used rictus....

nice battle so far Rel.


----------



## Darklone

I'd love to help and test the module ... 

Kewl fight! Raven actually turned undeads?  I think I remember he said something about his charisma and beating undeads rather than turning them once... 

Considering the amount of flame strikes and other spells, the druids pretty much overpowered our lone heroes this time, eh?


----------



## Rel

Retrospectively (and remember, this fight took place over a year ago), there were a number of factors running against the party in this battle.  The primary one was that they lacked really thorough intelligence about their enemy.

This was primarily because their normal method of having Speaks fly over in bird form for an extensive scout of the compound would have aroused too much suspicion among the Dark Druids.  They knew he was around, knew he was a Druid and used the same technique themselves.

If I recall correctly, they discussed the option of trying to ambush individual Dark Druids as they went off on their "shopping trips" further south in the Darkwood to harvest Gnolls and Ogres to augment their undead army.  That idea was discarded because they could probably only do it successfully once and it would put the whole camp on guard against them.  They figured it was better to attack with more or less total surprise.

They largely achieved that goal and Speaks dropping two Briar Webs into the camp before the Dark Druids did anything really helped.  Unfortunately, there were a pair of Dark Druids in bird form always on watch at one side of the compound.  Those are the ones who immediately went after Speaks.

The other two characters made (in my opinion) a substantial tactical error in splitting up.  The plan was always for Speaks to stay overhead doing "crowd control" while the others wreaked havoc inside the camp.  But Raven and Scar really couldn't support each other much because Scar was inside the pavillion and Raven was outside and they couldn't even see each other.

In their defense, they had no idea the shadows were going to be there.  They stayed beneath the earth during the daytime, but were always ready to come to the call of their master, the Dark Druid leader (that rod is pretty nasty).  The attack of the shadows and the resulting strength drain had (and will continue to have) a very large impact on the flow of the battle.  By this point in the fight, the Dark Druid leader would probably have been dead if Scar's blows were landing at full force.

On the plus side, Raven did manage to get a fairly successful turn off against the Shadows at a critical moment.  As he has explained before, his low Charisma tends to work against him in that department.  But they really needed a break and the dice were kind.  It was a really great moment in the session because the players were all obviously starting to think, "I'm not sure any of us are going to live through this, much less vanquish the Dark Druids."  After the turning of the shadows, they could see a tiny light at the end of the tunnel.

As far as the Dark Druids (They're all Blighters in case you haven't figured it out yet) spells go, yes, they are quite unpleasant.  Fortunately for the party they were fairly well protected against fire which guarded them against the Flame Strikes and Burning Hands (Blighters can use Burning Hands every round as a spell-like ability) for the most part.

In any event, this was always set up to be the pivotal battle of the campaign (the Battle of Hrongar's Hill was much larger and probably at least as important, but didn't hinge solely on the actions of the PC's) and I could hardly have asked for a more intense and exciting outcome.  It gets even better.


----------



## Broccli_Head

Well...I'll continue to be here supporting the story!

can't wait!


----------



## Darklone

Me too!


----------



## Speaks With Stone

I seem to recall Scar's player getting the wild idea that he could collapse the pavillion by swinging on the main tent pole.  I remember he spent a round trying to do that before opting to rip a hole in the roof.

Sadly, we did not capitalize on our surprise at all.  We managed to land both birds but the whole camp was up in arms by the time Raven and Scar set about to kick some tail.  I think (not certain) that Raven cast a consecrate spell when he first landed, which is why his turning attempt was more successful than normal.

Man, reading what we did is almost as painful as experiencing it first hand.  I remember the flame strikes numbering over six (the unholy part still got throguh) and the burning hands were able to burn through some - so it was painful.  All of us were constantly pouring pebbles out of our hit point cups and nervously looking at each other.

I won't comment much at the moment, but the strength drains were crippling.  Ugh.

I can't wait until we pick up these characters again.  Maybe I'll hurry up and kill off the characters in the campaign I'm running so Rel will be free to DM again.  Whaddaya say, Rel?


----------



## Darklone

The campaign with the two shield dude played by Rel ?

What levels did you guys have there? 6 flamestrikes even with saves would have easily ruined my day... Well, actually not, my char had evasion + a DM tormenting Refl save...


----------



## Rel

Darklone said:
			
		

> *The campaign with the two shield dude played by Rel ?
> *




Nah.  That character was the campaign before this one.  I'm currently playing Fim, the Halfling Rogue with a nearly bottomless bag of tricks.

The real question is whether Raven and Scar can even locate their characters...


----------



## Speaks With Stone

I don't remember but I was level 7 - maybe 8.  I remember having 4th level spells but rarely being able to use them.  I think the Feathers spell that let me turn everyone into birds was 4th level and that ate up all of my high level spells.  One to get in and one to get out.  If I only had 2 then I was probably 7th level.  I think Raven and Scar were the same.

I was very jealous of the many flame strikes.  We were once again very out gunned and only aware of it after it was too late.  This one we definitely asked for, though.  We could of tried less risky things, but we all agreed that no one would expect this and if we could kill even just one druid and then escape in bird form it would slow down their advance and give us more time to build allies.  

We were trying to work out a way to use the gnolls, the folks at Glynden and GreatRoots forces to ambush the druids, but I was only good at threatening people (which kinda works for gnolls and kinda sucks for humans).  Besides, we all felt like we could expect little to no help from that town after the fiasco when we left.  The gnolls could only be counted on to be bait (whether they agreed or not).  That left Great Root as our only useful ally and he was highly susceptible to the Blighters.  We didn't think we had many options other than a daring raid on the Blighters.  

Besides, we could all turn into birds and fly away.  What could go wrong?


----------



## Rel

Speaks With Stone said:
			
		

> *II was very jealous of the many flame strikes.   *




I don't have Masters of the Wild in front of me so I may not be remembering this correctly, but I think Flame Strike is a 3rd level spell for the Blighter.  Most of the Dark Druids were 5th level (the leader was higher than that of course) so they could cast it if only barely.  Of course Flame Strike damage is level based so while they were flying thick and fast, the damage was a bit below what you would normally expect from that spell.  The fact that the "unholy" part got through the elemental protection spells is what made it so nasty.

On a slightly different topic, in addition to being very busy at work this week, I've been sick with a cold and haven't felt much like writing in the evenings.  On the other hand, I have managed to put in a bit of time here and there on the NWN module and it is nearly done.  Raven and I will need to playtest it at least once ourselves before I go sending it off to anybody else.  But once we've done that (probably some time next week), I'll fire off a copy to Darklone and anybody else who wants a "test copy".

After we run the module for the gang here and I feel like we've gotten most of the bugs out, I'll send copies to the various other folks who have said they would like to see it.

As for the Story Hour, there is a good chance that I'll be able to whack out the next installment on Friday night.  If I am still sick then or if my wife makes plans for me that evening, it'll probably be Monday before it gets posted.  Sorry for the delay.


----------



## Darklone

Dwarven receipt for a cold: 

Drink four darkbrew _Andechs Doppelbock Dunkel_ hand warm. Tasted ugly, warm beer.. ok. Then go to sleep (as if you could do anything else) ... should have said to lay down somewhere soft before drinking. After sleep, you'll feel healthy. Usually.

NWN: Can't wait!!!


----------



## Rel

There may be a short delay on the NWN module, Darklone.

It appears (from me checking out the NWN forums) that the latest patch (1.30) does some sort of integrity verification that filters not only through the module itself, but also all the hak packs it uses.  This has resulted in some cases where the module takes several minutes to load in the toolset.

Because module design is (so far for us anyway) very much a "trial and error" process, it requires lots of switching between the Toolset and playing the game to make sure stuff works properly.  There's no way I'm going to wait for several minutes each time I've got to reload the mod in the toolset.

Therefore, I'm not patching until they release the 1.31 patch (due out soon according to Bioware).  Since you MUST patch if you log onto the website for multi-player, this might delay our multiplayer testing for a short while.

I guess that'll give me more time to add in a few last cool features.

On the illness/updating front, the good news is I'm feeling a bit better.  The less good news (depending on your point of view) is that my wife seems to want to spend some time with me tonight and I may not get a chance to finish the update.  Hopefully I'll manage some time either late tonight or tomorrow morning.  Sorry about that but I suppose that spouses can be pesky that way, interfering with our gaming habits on occasion.  

It's probably best that she doesn't read this, eh?


----------



## Rel

Well now, what's this?  Rel is delivering an update *earlier* than promised?  Surely a sign of the appocalypse.  

I managed to get home a tad early today and sneak in some update time before my wife and child got home.  This is a big one and the most riveting part of the fight yet.  Hope you enjoy it:

*An Incredibly Brief Respite*

Scar lunged.  His hammer struck along one shoulder of the Dark Druid and his spiked gauntlet struck the other.  But Scars meager strength as a result of the shadows leant little force to the blows.  Raven stepped in behind the Half-Orc and called upon the grace of Moradin to _Restore_ some of Scar's strength but his tired prayer only brought a bit of relief (rolled a 1 on restoring the Str damage).

Outside the compound, Speaks alighted amid some low bushes and resumed his human form.  No sooner had he gained his footing and bearings than was enveloped in yet another column of fire.  The bushes around him erupted into flames tainted with the sickening taste of evil.  Speaks rolled away from the worst of the flames into another cluster of bushes.  As he scrambled beneath the plants of the Northland forest, time almost seemed to come to a halt.

He stared at a branch of the bush above him and could see where the main trunk turned from a greyish brown to a fading green of new growth.  The bright green leaves on this branch hovered over him in contrast to the deeper green leaves of the older growth.  It was summer.  And even amid all the evil and fighting and death around it, this plant kept on living and growing.  Even sitting in the middle of a horde of undead, life found a way.

As Speaks watched, the branch suddenly sprouted thorns and spikes and descended upon him, enveloping him in its grasp.

Inside the pavillion, the Dark Druid looked at the odds and didn't like what he saw.  His form collapsed in on itself and his bird wings began to carry him aloft throught he same hole his master had fled through moments before.  Scar swung wearily with his hammer but only succeeded in dislodging a few tail feathers.

Scar looked around and saw that he and Raven were alone in the large tent.  He knew it wouldn't last.  He guzzled down a potion and felt its soothing magic immediately start to work into his wounds.  Then he stepped over to the edge of the tent and kicked open one of the chests there, figuring that until somebody else showed up to try and kill them, there was no reason not to do a bit of looting.

Raven called once again for the power of Moradin to _Restore_ his strength and again his call was answered in only the most meager fashion (yet another 1 on Lesser Restoration).  His disappointment descended upon him like the weight of his armor and he began to try and struggle free of his greaves and vambraces.

Speaks knew all too well the spell he was up against.  He had used it to great effect just a minute earlier.  If he didn't struggle, the _Briar Web_ couldn't hurt him.  He lay still and listened for any sign that his friends were in trouble.

Scar moved near to the far exit of the pavillion and kicked open another chest.  Inside lay a pair of potions atop a bed of silver and gold coins.  He grabbed them and shoved them roughly into a belt pouch.  Outside he spotted the tangled mass of grasping grasses and weeds that Speaks had used to immobilize that side of the camp.  Thorny blades of grass flew through the air and a nine foot tall skeleton broke free of the entanglement and moved purposefully toward the pavillion.  "Raven, we're about to have a visitor!"

Raven started from where he was fumbling with a buckle on his arm guard and grabbed up his hammer once again.  He moved as fast as he could under the incredible weight of his plate mail, trying to get to the doorway where Scar stood ready with his hammer.  Before the Dwarf could get there, the hide of the tent ripped open and there stood the skeletal ogre.  It traded blows with Scar with the Half-Orc coming away slightly worse in the bargain.  Raven watched as the undead ogre was joined by another who tore itself free from Speaks' _Briar Web_, the grasping plants pulling away a rib and deeply scratching one of the creature's leg bones.  Scar howled in defiance as the huge pair of skeletons descended upon him.

Hearing Scar's cry, Speaks knew that it was time for him to act.  Trying to pull free of the thorny bushes that had him was suicide.  Instead he let the wild flow into him and shrank as he assumed the form of a badger.  Before the grasping thorns could tighten upon him again, he dug between the very roots of the plants that grabbed him.  He dug down and began angling to the side.

Weakened as he was, Scar knew his odds in a straight out fight against these undead giants he faced.  But he knew something they did not.  Dodging past one of their sweeping claws, Scar ducked between the ogre skeletons and into the safety of the _Briar Web_.  Thanks to Raven's magic, Scar enjoyed a _Freedom of Movement_ that the ogres did not.  One of the ogres pursued Scar and the Half-Orc watched with glee as the thorny branches tore the creature apart.

The other ogre turned its empty eye sockets on Raven and swung a claw at the dwarf as he healed himself of some of his wounds.  Raven stepped into the doorway of the tent and came into view of another pair of the ogre skeletons that guarded one of the entrances to the compound.  They immediately began to mindlessly move toward him and were, in turn, grappled by the enchanted branches which dug their thorns into bone and ripped limbs from their frame.

Now that he was safely within the confines of the briar patch, Scar put away his hammer and pulled out his bow.  Spotting the form of a skeletal bat circling overhead, Scar drew an arrow and fired, causing very minor damage to the bony creature.  Nearby, Raven stayed just out of reach of the skeletal ogre near him and used a scroll of healing upon himself.  The mindless skeleton struggled in vain to reach him and with every move the vines and branches tightnened around it, digging in thorns and breaking bones.

By this point, Speaks had dug far enough to assure that he would emerge outside the _Briar Web_ when he dug his way to the surface.  He stopped and used his magic to further _Protect_ himself from _Fire_.  As often as he'd been burned by those columns of flame the Dark Druids were producing, he would likely need it.

Scar kept up a barrage of arrows at the bat skeleton overhead.  Thus far the Dark Druids seemed to have no good way to reach him while he hid within the confines of the Briar Web.  A grin spread across Scar's face at the irony of it all.

To further gird him against enemy attacks, Raven called upon Moradin to _Aid_ him in his struggle.  Still struggling under the weight of his armor, he edged closer to Scar.  He spared a glance at the closest exit of the compound to note it as an alternate escape route and watched as a wall of flames burst into being there.  It looked like they'd have to go out the same way they came in.

One of the ogre skeletons still roaming free turned his attention on Raven and started to charge into the briars after him.  Suddenly the undead creature stopped and moved slowly away from him.  Raven spotted the skeletal bat fly overhead and guessed that the Dark Druid leader had decided he had lost enough skeletons to the shredding vines already.

Outside the compound, a couple of feet underground, Speaks assumed human form and in the dark he fumbled out the healing wand he carried.  He hoped that his friends could hold on for just a few more seconds because he sorely needed healing if he was going to continue the battle.

Scar could no longer see anyone to fire his bow at from his current vantage point so he moved forward somewhat and spotted a trio of Dark Druids on the far side of the pavillion.  He was outside the _Briar Web_, but still within one of the _Entangled_ areas.  He took aim at a female Dark Druid and struck her with his shot.  Raven prayed for Moradin's _Blessing_ and moved a bit closer to Scar.

Close to Scar was perhaps not the most fortuitous place to be however as all three Dark Druids unleashed spells at the Half-Orc.  Only two seemed to take effect as Scar first noticed his armor start to grow cold, which he ignored thanks to one of the magical protections granted to him by his companions, and was then surrounded completely by a _Cloud of Stinking_ gas.  Fortunately, Scar's childhood upbringing among the orcs had brought him regularly into contact with similar stench and he avoided losing his breakfast as a result.  Likewise for Raven standing nearby whose dwarven penchant for strong constitutionserved him well.

Speaks felt the soothing rush of healing enter his body from the wand.  At the same time he used his hand to dig a small hole above him, attempting to dig through the last foot or so of dirt.

Scar moved out of the poisonous cloud and fired another arrow, striking the female Dark Druid again.  Raven followed and continued girding himself with magic, this time calling for Moradin's _Divine Favor_.

In answer, the Druids let loose more magic against Scar.  A large, icy ball popped into being almost beneath him and he barely dodged out of the way (cold substitued Flaming Sphere) and he felt his body fight off another evil magic that he never even saw coming.

Scar fired another arrow at the Dark Druid woman and was rewarded  with yet another hit.  Close by, Raven, exhausted by spending so much of his energy just to move quaffed a potion that would allow him to move a bit more _Expeditiously_ in case they needed to _Retreat_.

The female Dark Druid guided the _Icy Sphere_ and struck Scar with it, but his magical _Cold Endurance_ rendered it largely ineffective.  Seeing his casual attitude about the icy ball of death, one of the other Dark Druids decide to test his wards by using attempting to _Dispel_ his protections.  Scar's armor suddenly grew heavy (lost Bulls Strength) and burned with intense cold (lost Endure Elements Cold) as some of the enchantments on him failed.

Speaks was ready to rejoin the battle.  He crammed a handful of _Goodberries_ into his mouth and his other hand almost simultaneously dug free of his underground escape tunnel.  As the female Dark Druid disappeared out of sight around the edge of the pavillion, Scar fired fired opportunistically at one of the other Dark Druids rather than leave the safe confines of the entangled area.  Raven however charged forward with his newfound speed and moved to attack the fleeing female.

He arrived around the corner just in time to meet her sickle coming at him.  He was struck hard enough to be reminded that she was to be respected for her melee prowess as well as magic.  There standing next to her was the entirely unwelcome form of the Dark Druid leader who also struck Raven a glancing blow with his rod.

Seeing Raven rush in to attack, Scar abandoned the cover of the entangled area and moved to get a clear shot.  This drew some sort of sinister ray of evil from one of the Druids but the Half-Orc shrugged off its ill effects and fired at the Dark Druid leader, missing him.  Raven's strike also failed to connect as his weary arms once again hefted his hammer.

Speaks pressed up against the roof of the tunnel, stretching his arm out as far as it would reach.  He let in the wild and tried to channel it up into his hand as much as he could.  His hand became a claw and his body somehow contracted and surged up to join with the claw as his eagle form shot skyward.

Enchanted as he was, the melee back near the pavillion rapidly began to turn against Raven.  First the female Dark Druid, then the leader struck him again with their weapons.  The one who had fired the ray at Scar drew a large club and moved to attack the Half-Orc, missing.  Scar ran from the Druid near him receiving a glancing blow across the back as he moved by him.  As he moved in closer to the melee, Scar flung a jar of Alchemists Fire at the Dark Druid leader to give him something to think about for a moment.  The distraction allowed Raven to land a light blow of his own against the elf.  Dropping down from the sky to land almost directly between Raven and Scar came Speaks who transformed back to human just as he landed.

In response, the female elf slashed again at Raven with her sickle, drawing blood.  Raven gazed at her quizzically as she made an odd gesture with her hand.  An instant later the Ice Ball came rolling into him from behind, stinging him with its freezing crystals.  Ignoring the flames around him, the Dark Druid leader raised his rod and a green burst of evil flew from it once again, harming all nearby including the woman.

Speaks yelled above the melee, "LET'S GET THE HELL OUT OF HERE!!"  He desperately grasped at the wild magic he commanded and his enchantment encompassed he and his friends.  With a flap of his newly made wings, Speaks, in the form of a falcon, ripped at the air and flew toward the heavens and escape.  Glancing down, he saw the avian forms of his friends.  Why weren't they following?  Why were they laying helplessly on the ground?!

*NEXT:  Just Completely Buggered*


----------



## Broccli_Head

That's just not good!


----------



## Speaks With Stone

Totally my fault.  I was the one who asked if the strength drain would effect them in bird form.  The resounding answer after a little thought and page flipping was unfortunately yes.   Neither one of them could fly with the reduced base strength in bird form.

We just stared at each other as it became clear that things were about to get worse than we ever imagined.


----------



## Darklone

Ouch. 

Did you take into account that the dispel magic on Scar could have dispelled the Chill Metal too?

Sadly not his ability damage


----------



## Rel

Darklone said:
			
		

> *Ouch.
> 
> Did you take into account that the dispel magic on Scar could have dispelled the Chill Metal too?
> 
> Sadly not his ability damage  *




I don't recall, Darklone.  Probably, because I was really worried I was about to cause a TPK.


----------



## Darklone

Rel said:
			
		

> *I don't recall, Darklone.  Probably, because I was really worried I was about to cause a TPK. *



That seems about right 

I am really waiting to hear how they got out of there.


----------



## Rel

Darklone said:
			
		

> *
> That seems about right
> 
> I am really waiting to hear how they got out of there. *




There should be one more installment in this battle.  I'll get that posted sometime this week.  After that there will be a more "roleplay focused" interlude.  And then, the climactic battle of the whole campaign.  That one will likely be a multi-parter as well.


----------



## Darklone

I love climactic battles


----------



## Darklone

Babonk.


----------



## Rel

*Just Completely Buggered*

(Before we begin this last - and relatively brief - account of the Battle in the Dark Druid Camp, I'll just mention a quick rules reference.  According to the Ability Score Damage rules on page 72 of the DMG, an ability score cannot be reduced below 0.  This could be considered somewhat of a boon to Scar and Raven, in that, if scores were allowed to be reduced below 0, they would have Strength scores of -11 and -17 respectively.  However, since a Strength of 0 is enough to leave you motionless and helpless on the ground under the force of your own body weight, the fact that they were not in the negatives was fairly cold comfort.  With that in mind...)

Time seemed to slow down as every intricate detail of their doom seemed to become its own insurmountable obstacle.  Things looked utterly hopeless and each, in his own way, accepted that his death may be at hand.

Scar cast off the magic that held him in bird form and stood up quickly to find a pair of Ogre skeletons looming over him.  Raven did the same and came face to face with the she-elf Dark Druid wielding her sickle.  She slashed out with it and caught Raven in the throat.

The Dwarf saw the blade slash through the air off to his left, droplets of red trailing after it.  He saw a gleeful grin of triumph on the face of the female Dark Druid in front of him.  He felt relief as the burdensome weight of his hammer let go his arm.  His whole body felt light and his beloved earth came up to embrace him in darkness.  His lifeblood began to rapidly soak the ground around him.

The Ogre skeletons rained blows down on Scar with their claw hands.  He staggered under them and despair gripped him as he saw the terrible wound that Raven suffered.  Looking to the sky, he saw Speaks, in eagle form, turn and alight a short distance away as he resumed human form.  Was the human insane?  Could he not see that they were going to die here?  Clearly Speaks had decided that he would return so they could all die together.

Or perhaps not.  The Druid didn't usually think in those terms.  Could it be that he really thought that Scar might make it out alive?  Well, it would be an insult to the Druid's sacrifice if he didn't at least try.  Scar decided to live.

He ran.

Speaks saw Scar bolt back inside the pavillion and hoped that his return might buy the Half-Orc a few precious moments of respite to get away.  The Dark Druids turned their ire on Speaks with a vengeance.  First, the ball of glistening ice under the command of one of the evil elves came rolling toward him and struck his thigh with chilling impact.  Even as he tried to dodge the first, the same Dark Druid summoned another such _Snow Ball_ and sent it at him.

Then came the female Dark Druid who had just dealt Raven such a vicious blow.  As she closed in on him, Speaks struck out with his long spear, skewering her shoulder and spoiling her attack.  The tiny surge of revenge he felt at that blow was quickly overwhelmed as he saw the Dark Druid leader wave his glowing green rod of evil overhead and send four of the skeletal Ogres to attack him.

Scar found himself dodging between more of the large skeletons and saw that the exit he was angling for was now a gateway through which a dozen or more Gnoll skeletons were pouring through.  That way was death.  Looking toward the other end of the camp where at least three Dark Druids and four Ogre skeletons tried to kill Speaks, he knew that way was death too.  But at least that way his death might be fast and glorious.  Better that than having his flesh picked from his bones by the clawed hands of the Gnoll skeletons.  He moved back the way he had come.

Speaks return hadn't bought Scar much time, but he had done the best he could.  He backpedaled out of reach of the Dark Druid woman and the undead Ogres and took to the air as an eagle once again.  He flew like his life depended on it.  It did.

The Dark Druids and Ogre skeletons moved toward the northern edge of the encampment, guarding against another feint by Speaks.  Their leader glanced back to see if his Gnoll skeletons had killed the Half-Orc yet and saw no sign of him.  That was odd...

Scar ran with a grin on his face.  He was running for his life or to his death and didn't know which.  Either way it was going to be a memorable occasion.  He darted through the ruined pavillion and spied the motionless form of Raven lying just outside the opposite entrance.  _Your hammer hasn't killed its last Dark Druid my brother in arms._

Barely slowing down, Scar scooped Raven's warhammer from where it lay next to his body.  His eyes full of murder and with a hammer in each hand, he ran toward the eastern exit of the compound.  And woe to he who tried to stop him.

The Dark Druids tried to stop him of course.  A pair of them had already taken the form of eagles themselves to pursue Speaks, but their leader remained vigilant.  With a wave of his hand, a _Wall of Fire_ sprang up across the exit.  His other hand pointed at Scar and his unliving servants closed in on the captive Half-Orc.

Scar's grin kept its place on his face.  He kept running as he tucked Raven's hammer under his other arm and then pulled out a potion.  As it coated his throat, he felt ice-water running in his veins.  With the Ogre skeletons in pursuit, he ran fearlessly at the inferno ahead.

Above, the Dark Druids closed in on Speaks With Stone.  As wounded as they were, they knew that he couldn't have much fight left in him either.  Flames surged from thier claws as they moved in for the kill.

Speaks banked over and saw Scar running at the _Wall of Fire_ like a charging grizzly.  In a moment, he would live or die and the only thing Speaks could do about either was see to it that the avian Dark Druids behind him couldn't hunt down the Half-Orc at their leisure.  Speaks slowed and sent out his magic to _Summon_ an _Ally_ of _Nature_.

Scar leap into the flames.  They swirled around him and blood boiled on his armor and weapons.  An instant later, he emerged unharmed on the other side of the fire.  His long legs stretched out and launched him into the woods.  He hoped that he could outrun any Dark Druids that tried to follow him but those hopes sank as he saw the eagles pursuing Speaks overhead.  He had worn the form of an eagle before thanks to the Druid's magic and he knew exactly how fast they were and how easily they could spot him from the air.  His chances of evading them were virtually none.

As he watched, the pair of eagles closed in on the third and Scar prayed that St. Cuthbert would lend some justice to their fight and let Speaks strike a few last good blows.  Then, as if in answer to his prayers, a giant bat seemed to burst into being just behind the flying Dark Druids and swooped in to attack them.

The Dark Druids were taken completely off guard as the sky darkened above them and they found themselves the targets of the Dire Bat.  The thing moved in utter silence and was more maneuverable than they were as well.  Trying to fight it off with their talons and beaks was going to be impossible and they couldn't focus on attacking Speaks or searching for Scar while it harried them.  They turned and beat a desperate retreat back to their camp where their brethren might help protect them from the ground.

Speaks watched them retreat and breathed a ragged sigh of relief.  He traded altitude for speed as he dove down to just above the treetops.  His eagle eyes quickly found Scar below, running like he was being chased by the hounds of hell.  Speaks glanced back to make sure that he wasn't.

The Druid thought of alighting so that they might regroup and talk of what they would do next.  But he didn't.  He couldn't imagine what he might say right now.  They both needed to just flee for a while and let their bodies exhaust their minds to stave off the wave of despair that waited to crash in on them.  There would be plenty of time to talk and mourn later.

----------------------------------------------

On the blood soaked ground of the Dark Druid camp, Irakthanbar Derin Khazundam, known to his friends as Raven, died.  As the life slipped out of him, part of him was aware of what was happening.  That part prayed.

_I thank you, All-Father,
for letting me die this day on this hallowed and blessed earth.
For though these creatures may bring their evil into these lands
the earth itself is your domain and my home.

I thank you, Soul Forger,
for watching over me as I fought my way to this day.
I thank you for letting me die outside the cursed realm of the Bannites
where I would have arisen as an abomination to your sight and a foe to my friends.

I thank you, Creator, for letting me see the halls of the Glitterhame before I met my fate.
Its beauty and glory are a testament to your love for our people.
I die happy that those caverns are once again ruled by our people.

I thank you, Dwarffather, for letting me spend my last days fighting alongside those
who helped to clear the evil from those halls.
They have been my friends and, unlikely though they seem, friends to the dwarven people.
I only ask that if I have pleased you in my time upon your earth, hold your shield over them
and defend them with your hammer.

My lord, Moradin, take me into the earth and hold me in your halls.
I have come home._


----------



## Elder-Basilisk

I look forward to seeing who will join Speaks and Scar to avenge Raven's death.


----------



## Darklone

*Darklone abuses his handkerchief*

Damn! *excuses to Erics granny*

That's bad


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## Darklone

Bumpuleeee!


----------



## Rel

*Unlikely Allies*

Speaks and Scar soared above the treetops as miles of the Darkwood passed below them.  Ahead on the horizon was a bulge in the treeline where a cluster of enormous oaks thrust higher than the surrounding trees.  Another hour passed and they alighted on the outskirts of the grove.

As they transformed back to their normal forms, Scar reverted to practicality and immediately sought a tree to huddle against to try and rest for a bit.  Speaks went directly to the center of the grove of great oaks.

Great Root was there, seemingly lost in reverie.  A few moments after Speaks entered the clearing, Great Root moved slightly and a veritable flock of birds flew from his branches in all directions, going back out to bring word of the Treant's realm.

"I am glad to see you have returned, my friend." boomed Great Root.  "Did you find what you needed to know at the Temple?"

"I did.  It cost us a friend." replied Speaks.

Great Root's branches sagged, "I am sorry.  Do you feel that his sacrifice was worthwhile?"

"I wish we had acquited ourselves better against the Dark Druids.  They are powerful.  And they have an army of undead."

"I know." Great Root replied.  "They are coming this way."

"So soon?" asked Speaks.

"Yes.  I suppose they wish to strike before you are able to organize much resistance.  Can the people of the village to the south stand against them?"

Speaks considered for a moment.  The folk of Glynden were tough and determined as had been proved in the Winter War, and they had fairly good fortifications.  But then he envisioned the columns of fire pouring out of the sky as commanded by the Dark Druids.  _Flaming Spheres_ would roll through the streets of Glynden and the Dark Druids would set fire to every building in town as their eagle forms swooped above the town, fire shooting from their talons.  The town would be an inferno before the undead army was even at their gates.

"No.  If we fight on their terms, we will die." said Speaks, looking up into the deep eyes of Great Root.

The Lord of the Forest replied with an air of finality, "Then we fight them on our terms.  Here, in the woods."

Speaks nodded.  They began to plan...
--------------------------------------------------------------------

A pair of falcons soared over the walls of Glynden and alighted near the center of town.  Suddenly Speaks and Scar stood in the middle of the road between Nan's Tavern and the Church of St. Cuthbert.  Speaks went in search of Kyndalyn and Scar entered the Church.  Word of their arrival spread like wildfire through town and within an hour, a Council of War was convened inside the Church and the doors were closed to the public and guarded by one of the men-at-arms under the command of the the Inquisitors.

Inside were gathered a diverse group.  Speaks and Scar were there of course, as were Father Thomas and Kyndalyn.  Also in attendance were Lucius Capito and the other Inquisitor of St. Cuthbert, Cornelius.  Boss Brathwaite was the only other member of the Glynden Council there, as it would still take several hours before word could be taken to the various castellans.  One other figure was present who was not familiar to Speaks and Scar.  He wore the mantle of a War Wizard of the Imperial Legions of Emor.

Apparently the dwarven envoys who had passed through Glynden some months ago had made their way south to Oar and had, with some trepidation, sailed across the Crescent Sea to Emor.  There they sought guidance from the Imperial College of Wizards.  Their missive from the dwarven High Priests of Mithrak Ghul had indicated they should seek out those who "spoke with stones" and it was widely known that the Imperial Wizards used crystals for scrying and communication.

The visit by the Dwarves piqued the interest of the Imperial Wizards who had consulted with the Church of St. Cuthbert for any portents that could be provided by the state sponsored religion of the Empire.  The Church rather smugly informed the College of Wizards that they had been aware of a possible "disturbance" in the Northlands for months and had dispatched "top men" to look into the matter.  Upon getting this news, the Imperial College of Wizards felt that they could ill afford to ignore the situation and dispatched one of their younger, but well trained, members to see to it that nothing of interest occured in the Northlands that would escape thier notice.

Thus, the Imperial War Wizard known as Lazarius (he refused to reveal any more of his name than that) arrived in Glynden a week prior and had been rather bored ever since.  His boredom was rapidly coming to an end.

During the last two months, the Inquisitors had ventured to the barbarian lands across the Fodor and conducted an investigation into the mysterious amulets that bore the symbol which had been the subject of so many dreams and portents.  They were unable to find anything concrete and further found the barbarian tribesmen rather inhospitable to thier imperious demeanor.  They had only just returned to Glynden a couple of weeks prior and were about to complete their reports and return to Oar when Speaks and Scar had arrived.  What they learned from the pair of adventurers was enough to warrant a delay of their return to Oar.

As Speaks described the coming army of undead and their Dark Druid masters, faces around the table ran the gammut from grimly determined to utterly horified.  Speaks explained their tactics and his fears if they were to reach the walls of Glynden.

The War Council quickly and unanimously decided that such a thing must not be allowed to happen.  The enemy must be confronted well away from Glynden so that if they failed, the people of the town could abandon the place and seek refuge to the south.  Doing so would mean relinquishing the last shred of the great Empire of Emor that still stood in the Northlands, but the only alternative was death.

Or worse.

*NEXT:  The Final Battle*


I am finally caught up at work and I was rather hoping to maybe finish the Story Hour today.  But I decided to finish posting the old installments in the Rel's Faded Glory - The Early Days  thread.  Some 45 posts later, it was done, and a big chunk of my afternoon was gone.  But it was fun too.  I skimmed over those old installments as I was posting them and it was a great walk down memory lane.

So, I only got the above update done and you'll have to wait for the rest until I'm back from Texas where I'm attending a wedding this weekend.  Trust me though, it should be worth the wait.


----------



## Darklone

Story hour goodness!! 

Thanks, Rel!

Boredom came to and end.


----------



## Jon Potter

*Darn you, Rel!*

Darn you for getting me hooked on another Story Hour!

And darn you for making me plow through both of your Faded Glory threads only to find that I have to wait along with all the rest of your addic- _err..._ fans for the final update(s).

Your games seem like a lot of fun to play and I know that the SH is a lot of fun to read. Well done on all accounts.

Except for the timeliness of your updates of course. That's not well done at all. 

Of course, having a toddler of my own, I know how the time can disappear without you even noticing until its gone.

And now, I look forward to NC Game Day II even moreso that before.


----------



## Rel

Well, Jon, I'd say you picked a pretty good time to start up reading the Story Hour.  My handfull of long-suffering faithful readers have had to wait a lot longer than the week it'll likely take me to get the final battle written up.

I'm flattered and impressed that you took the time to go through the entirety of the Story Hour to date.  It is a LOT of material.  I'm not entirely sure where the page count will finally clock in, but it'll be well over 300 pages (albeit with rather funky spacing due to the boards needing an extra hard return to allow for a paragraph break).  I have to say that though it has been a lot of effort at times, it yields a great satisfaction to see the chronicle of that campaign coming to an end.

When a moment of free time presents itself, I'll have to head over and check out your story hour thread too.  And likewise about NCGDII.  I'm starting to get excited as the time draws closer.  I look forward to meeting and gaming with you.


----------



## Rel

Hey, guess what:  Final Update!

*The Final Battle*

_The Dark Druids moved through the forest as lords.  They were home and the elves would once again rule the Darkwood.  But they would not be so foolish as their brethren of old had been.  Such idiocy to have tried to "live in harmony" with nature and live in such a way as to leave almost no mark on the woods.  Their time in the north, beyond the Pillars of Heaven had taught them a lesson:  Nature has no compassion and it will kill you if it can.  Nature must be bent to the will of those who sought to live amongst it.  Nature was a tool and once shaped properly, a weapon.

The army that attended them was an excellent example.  These creatures would never have agreed to fight their enemies and help them reconquer the lands they had been driven from by the human scum of the so-called "Empire" to the south.  But killed and returned to unlife, they were perfect for the task.  Obedient, fearless, inexorable.

While they would have preferred to gather a few more bands of Gnolls and Ogres to fill the ranks, the army they had was quite powerful enough.  In fact, though he made sure that none of his lesser brethren knew it, the leader of the Dark Druids strained to maintain control of much of the army.  Though the Rod that he weilded vastly increased his ability to command the unliving, he was still forced to give succinct orders to one group and then switch to another almost constantly.  For that reason, the army marched in a perfectly straight line to the southeast.

He would be glad when they reached the town they were to destroy.  Part of him almost hoped the humans would put up a worthy fight since that would cut down the size of his army to a slightly more managable size and weed out some of the weaker skeletons and zombies that filled its ranks.  With Glynden destroyed, he could release many of the lesser undead to roam the Darkwood as pickets to deter any other wanderers while they consolidated their power within the forest.  Many of his fellow Dark Druids from the north had thought his assault on the Darkwood to be foolish and suicidal.  But they would quickly change their thoughts when they heard of his successes and saw the might that he controlled within these woods.

On marched the army.  In the vanguard were the undead animals, mostly wolves and bears.  Behind them came some three score zombies followed by the bulk of the skeleton army, well over a hundred strong.  These were trailed by the larger Ogre skeletons and the darting forms of the Shadows that still remained, serving as a personal bodyguard for the half dozen Dark Druids.  Behind them were a rear guard consisting of a couple score more Gnoll skeletons.

They  marched toward the town of Glynden, tireless and unstopable._

"Now."

The woods exploded with fury.

An _Ice Burst_ was the first thing to strike the center of the army, catching nearly all the Druids and most of the Shadows in its hail of razor sharp ice crystals.  A split second later a column of Holy _Flame Struck_ down from the heavens landing squarely on the leader and a pair of the Shadows.  And then, like a spirit of vengeance, Scar burst out of the woods where he had waited behind the _Silent Image_ of a cluster of bushes.  He looked almost shadow-like himself due to the greyish cast of his skin as a result of the _Stoneskin_ spell cast upon him by Lazarius.  He charged the nearest of the Dark Druids with Raven's hammer in his grasp.  The horror that dominated the Dark Druid's final moment was mercifully brought to an end as his head was caved in and he fell twitching to the ground (49 point critical by Scar).

The battle had started.

The _Invisible_ Lazarius took to the air and appeared above the skeletal horde as he let loose a _Lightning Bolt_ into the center of the Dark Druid core of the army, striking a pair of them including the leader and flindering a line of lesser skeletons also caught in its path.  On a nearby tree branch, a falcon transformed into Kyndalyn the Younger, Guardian of Glynden.  Even as his form solidified into its Half-Elven shape, he was drawing his bow and he sent an arrow slamming into another of the Dark Druids.

Now recovered from the initial shock of coming under attack, the Dark Druids began to respond to the ambush.  The leader had been a principal target and was badly wounded.  He could spare only cursory attention to controlling his undead troops as he drank a potion that healed the worst of his wounds.  Having just seen the 250 year life of his friend brought to an abrupt and messy end by Scar, another of the Dark Druids called down a _Flame Strike_ on the Half-Orc, but it seemed to only slightly injure him.  When another Dark Druid did the same, the effect was more pronounced.  A third Dark Druid unleashed a _Flame Strike_ on the pair of Inquisitors of St. Cuthbert who had now emerged from the illusionary bushes but, having heard the accounts of the battle at the Dark Druid camp, they had warded themselves against such magic and ignored the flames that fell around them.

Scar howled in defiance and charged one of the Dark Druids that had magically assaulted him and delivered a firm blow with Raven's hammer before dancing out of the Elf's reach and moving to threaten the other Dark Druid that had called down fire upon him.  Now directly in the midst of the enemy, Scar figured that if they wanted to call down any more fire on him, the damned Elves could get burned too.

Speaks With Stone swooped below the treetops and called upon the plants of the forest to _Grow Spikes_ behind the Dark Druids and ahead of the rear guard who, bereft of any commands by the Dark Druid leader, continued to march forward into the chaos of the ambush.

The Inquisitors were now alone amidst an army of evil who had begun to take notice of them.  They called upon the protection of St. Cuthbert as Lucius _Consecrated_ the area around them and Cornelius called forth a _Magic Circle Against Evil_.  Even as they did so, a horde of zombies moved in to surround them.

Near the rear of the enemy army, the skeletons began to plow into the area of Speaks' spell and suffer the rending and shredding assault of the undergrowth.  The front ranks escaped with minor damage but the ones further back were quickly ripped into individual bones by the thorn covered vines that had sprung from the ground.

A group of Ogre Skeletons had spotted Kyndalyn and moved toward the tree in which he was perched.  Another group of the large undead moved to attack Scar and one landed a blow on the Half-Orc but he shrugged it off thanks to his _Stony Skin_.

Lazarius disappeared from sight as his invisibility reasserted itself.  As he moved above the battle, he used another spell to create mutliple _Mirror Images_ of himself.  When he reappeared next, his enemies would have a nearly impossible time trying to target him properly.  It was all just like the exercises back at the Academy.

Kyndalyn wasn't sure whether the Ogre skeletons were going to be able to shake him out of his tree or not, but he only had a moment before they arrived and he wanted to make it count.  He let fly another arrow at one of the Dark Druids near Scar and was pleased as it struck home and the Dark Druid fell to the ground.

One of the remaining Dark Druids saw Scar in their midst and, not wishing to call down fire on his ally, he used his magic to fill the Half-Orc with a sense of _Doom_.  Although he succumbed to the dark magic, Scar had been exposed to a lot of doom lately and kept it all in perspective.

Speaks wanted to make certain that his allies didn't lose track of their main objective and wreathed the Dark Druid leader in _Faerie Fire_.  Below him, he could see that the skeletons were starting to cluster around his allies in groups and hoped that they would be able to fend off the superior enemy numbers.

Lazarius and his various doubles reappeared and unleashed another _Lightning Bolt_ , catching another pair of Dark Druids and splintering more skeletons that clustered around them.  But some of his enemies had been lying in wait and another Dark Druid sent a _Flame Strike_ descending on the War Wizard and his images.  Thankfully, he dodged the worst of it and had magically protected himself against Fire (and Cold, just in case) before the battle.  But he was disturbed to see that a pair of the remaining Shadows had taken notice of him and began to rapidly approach.

The skeletal Ogres began hammering on the tree Kyndalyn occupied but the Half-Elf kept his balance and fired a pair of arrows at another Dark Druid but they missed their mark.  The Dark Druid responded by calling down another _Flame Strike_, but not at Kyndalyn.  Lazarius was hit yet again by a column of fire and this time more forcefully.  His magic protected him some, but he wouldn't last much longer at this rate.

The Dark Druid leader found himself face to face with Scar again.  Again, it seemed an imprudent place to be and he shifted form into that of a skeletal bat.  Scar swung Raven's hammer at him as he did this but failed to strike the shrinking form of the Dark Druid.  As the bat flew away low above the ground, the forest exploded around Scar as one of the Dark Druids took the opportunity to _Flame Strike_ him while none of his allies were likely to get hit.

Scar didn't take the bait and charged after the Dark Druid leader who had, foolishly, not gained much altitude.  He struck the bone-bat with the hammer of his fallen friend and it landed with a satisfying crunch.  Behind him, a flash of light accompanied a wave of holy energy that rolled out from the Inquisitors.  A full score of zombies turned to dust in an instant.  But there were plenty more where those came from and they began to close ranks around the Inquisitors almost immediately.

At the opposite end of the battlefield, still without any contrary commands from their leader, the rear guard of skeletons continued to march into the spiked vegitation that Speaks had laid before them and were systematically torn to bits.

Braving further retribution from the Dark Druids, Lazarius maneuvered in mid-air and let fly with another _Lightning Bolt_, destroying a Shadow and severely wounding one of the Dark Druids that had hurled a column of fire at him just moments before.  Below, Kyndalyn continued to hang on to the swaying branches of the tree he perched in and managed to fire a pair of arrows into the other Dark Druid that had attacked Lazarius.

The leader of the Dark Druids was becoming desperate.  Above him was the eagle form of Speaks and the War Wizard who seemed to be able to blast out one bolt of lightning after another.  He elected to stay near the ground but, as he tried to retreat, he found his path cut off by the vines and branches that were tearing his rear guard of skeletons to shreds.  As he swooped first one way and then the other in indecision, he barely even saw the charging form of Scar.  At the last second, the Half-Orc let loose a cry of triumph and sent Raven's hammer crashing down in a two handed blow that smashed the ribs of the skeletal bat form of the Dark Druid leader.  It fell to the ground, lifeless and transformed back into the form of an Elf.

With their leader down, a couple of the more wounded Dark Druids decided to take flight into the forest.  Two transformed into birds and began to retreat into the woods.  Another spitefully called down another _Flame Strike_ atop the Inquisitors, even though it incinerated a couple of Gnoll zombies at the same time.  But the destruction of a pair of zombies was insignificant compared to the crowd of them that was pushing in on the adherents of St. Cuthbert.

Just as it seemed they would be overwhelmed by sheer numbers, first Lucius and then Cornelius held forth their holy symbols and holy energy burst from them.  Where moments before had been a horde of zombies and skeletons, there were now only wisps of dust being carried on the forest breeze.

Speaks With Stone knew that if any of the Dark Druids got away, they could be looking at facing another undead army sometime in the unknown future.  He streaked out of the air and marked one of the fleeing targets with _Faerie Fire_, seeing to it that even if they escaped, they could be quickly located.

Determined not to let the Dark Druids retreat and regroup, Lazarius flew after those retreating and let fly with an _Orb of Acid_ but the ball missed its target and landed, sizzling and smoking, on the forest floor.  Kyndalyn too tried to stop the fleeing avians and fired an arrow that hit its mark.  Unfortunately the glancing shot was not enough to bring the bird down.

The pair of Dark Druids began to pick up speed now that they were away from the thick of the combat.  Each began to climb toward the treetops where they would be in open air and could go even faster.  One of the pair suddenly turned into a cloud of bloody feathers as an oak branch swatted it out of the air with a mighty blow.  Great Root lunged at the other but it dodged out of his grasp and through a hole in the forest canopy...where it was met with the talons of a pair of Dire Eagles, coming to the aid of the true Lord of the Darkwood.

Scar bent and picked up the unholy Rod that had been the source of so much trouble and pain for he and his friends.  As he stood, he roughly kicked the dead elven Dark Druid and spat on his corpse.  "That's for Raven, you nancing elven bastard!"  He turned and with a whoop of joy, he charged into the midst of the skeletal mob that was pressing in around the Inquisitors.  Bones shattered in his wake.

Another wave of holy energy burst from the Inquisitors and skeletons became dust by the dozen.  The animated animal skeletons had returned to do battle with them and were closing in but now other, live, animals were starting to emerge from the forest.  Wolves, bears, even elk and deer were shattering the bones of their undead counterparts with hoof, claw, horn and tooth.  The undead army was rapidly becoming a few disorganized pockets of skeletons who mindlessly attacked the closest target and were being destroyed in detail by the combined forces of Glynden and Great Root.

The last of the Dark Druids looked on dispairingly at what was taking place.  How could this have happened in the scope of just a couple of minutes?  But there was no time for regrets.  His only chance was to flee.  As he did so, Lazarius took flight after him and Kyndalyn took another parting shot with his bow but missed.  Speaks, still in hawk form, locked on to the fleeing Dark Druid, determined not to lose him.

Alternating between smiting skeletons with their maces and waves of holy energy that destroyed nearly a score of them each time, the Inquisitors were making quick work of the few pockets of undead resistance.  Scar leapt from one foe to the next, shattering and smashing them with Raven's hammer.  He and the Inquisitors of St. Cuthbert suddenly found themselves face to face amid a pile of splintered bone with no enemies in sight.  All were covered in the dust of the dead and it was nearly unbelievable to them that they had managed to destroy such an army of undead in so short a time.  Scar howled in victory and even the Inquisitors broke their normally stoic manner as the clapped each other and Scar on the back in celebration.  Kyndalyn jogged up a few moments later, his bow dangling from his hand and his quiver nearly empty.  Looking about, they wondered what had become of Speaks and Lazarius.

As if in answer, the War Wizard and a hawk broke through the treetops and settled to the ground near them.  For the first time since the start of the battle, Speaks assumed his human form.

Lucius asked, "Were you able to catch the last of them?"

After a pause Speaks answered, "He would not surrender."

"Would you have accepted it if he had?", Lucius replied.

Speaks With Stone and Lazarius exchanged a glance with each other but said nothing more on the matter.  Throughout the forest around them, wolves, bears, deer and elk quickly retreated from the scene of undead carnage.  Speaks knew exactly what they were thinking:  Such a place was unnatural and so too was their being in such close proximity without some of them becoming prey of the others.  While they were willing to put aside instinct for a short time to answer the call of Great Root, it was a situation best left behind and forgotten as quicky as possible.  The thoughts of the animals could not possibly have been closer to those of the humanoids present.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------

Midsummer approached quickly, and for most of the folks of Glynden, it was the same as the previous summer.  The crops grew thickly in the rich soils of the Northlands and before they knew it, it would be time once again for the harvest festival.

This winter would see more traffic at Nan's and he was already counting the extra money he would make from the ale that would flow heavily as tales were told over and over.  The Winter War, The Battle for Aquae Sulis, The Evil Temple of the Darkwood and The Battle of the Dark Druid Army of Death were all tales circulating thickly through the town.  No doubt they would continue being refined and elaborated upon until, by the first snowfall, they would each be epics in their own right.

For a few, they already were.

Kyndalyn was having an easy time keeping the Glynden Guards in top form.  Not only were all the town boys of suitable age (and many who were less than suitable age) clammoring for a chance to join the Guards, but those men already in the Guard knew exactly how dangerous these lands could be.  They trained hard every day without being asked.

The Inquisitors of St. Cuthbert had departed for Oar weeks ago.  They had quickly wrapped up their investigation and taken possession of the Rod of Unlife to return to the Church for destruction.  Although they spoke little of the events that had transpired during their visit to the Northlands, they made it clear to Father Tomas and the rest of the townsfolk that no further suspicions fell on Speaks With Stone and that they considered him a man of honor who had fought beside them against the forces of Evil.  Before departing, they participated in a brief service, during which Krase Sandoval and Irakthanbar Derin "Raven" Khazundam were honored by a marker placed in the graveyard behind the Church of St. Cuthbert.

Lazarius decided to stay on in Glynden for a while at least.  It would be unseemly for him to arrive back in the south before the Inquisitors had vacated the area, lest they uncover some interesting information after he left.  With Kyndalyn's blessing, he also moved into Uncle Claudius' residence to compile the old wizard's memoirs and notes as a former War Wizard of the Imperial Legions of Emor.  Although the townsfolk treated him with a healthy dose of superstition and fear, they were gradually coming to accept him.  Someone had even just recently left a pie on his doorstep.

Rhys had stayed on with Tadius Silvanus and was now earning a decent living helping the elven Wizard trade his wares.  With his quick wit, easy charm and sorcerous abilities, he was a perfect front man for Tadius.  He had also been trying to develop a relationship with the lovely and dangerous mercenary, Tarsheeva, Speaks With Stone's sister.  She had been comforting and friendly but always seemed to pull away just when it seemed they were getting close.  He hoped it wasn't because of his race.  Although it was still tough coming to grips with his new skin, he was getting used to being an Elf.  It was strange and painful to think that he would probably outlive by centuries all of his family and friends.  He wished his great-grandfather, Cinhil Cameron, was still around as he had also lived to over a hundred years of age and could likely relate to what he was going through.

Scar had divided his time between Glynden and Aquae Sulis.  A few of the Glynden miners had set up at the rich Aquae Sulis mines and started digging out ore and making repairs to the ore processing building there.  Fearing possible attacks by the Gnolls or possibly a return of the Kobolds, they had hired Scar on as a bodyguard.  He also sometimes lended his strength to the mining endeavors, which, more than anything else, earned the respect and admiration of the miners.

It happened that Scar was visiting Glynden to purchase supplies for the miners and deliver a load of unrefined ore when the dwarven delegation that had gone south in the spring returned through Glynden on their way back to the Novantae Lands.  Scar and Speaks With Stone met with them and told them of Raven's fate and how nobly he had fought in the Temple and the Darkwood.  Scar presented them with Raven's hammer and they assured him that this weapon would be returned to Raven's family and would be a weapon of honor that would be passed down to further generations of Dwarves.  The Record Keepers even made an official record for their archives and went so far as to note Scar's clan name and draw his likeness in their books.

Speaks With Stone spent several weeks roaming the depths of the Darkwood, staying away from Glynden.  He spent considerable time with Great Root and even finally began his project of carving the guidestones for other Druids to follow that had been his original goal in coming to the area.  Mostly, he needed time to sort out his feelings about an awful lot of things.  Chief among them was if and how he was going to raise the issue of the Druid's historical involvement with the Temple of Bane and the war against the elves.  Knowing that there may or may not still be an order of Druidic assassins lurking about to silence anyone who uncovered the unsavory past of the Druids did not set his mind at ease on the matter.

One morning, he lay sleeping in a patch of sun near the Standing Stone at the center of Great Root's grove.  He was awakened by the creaking of branches that he had come to recognize as Great Root moving around.  He sat up and gazed up at the Treant.

"Good morning, Speaks With Stone."

"Good morning, Great Root."

"I have a bit of news you may wish to hear."

"What is that?", Speaks asked, his curiousity piqued.

"Your son is born."  Great Root smiled in the wooden way that was his custom.

"What?!  How do you know this?!"

Great Root smiled even broader, "A little bird told me."

Speaks sagged back against the Standing Stone, staring ahead, full of nearly every emotion he knew of and several that he didn't.

"His name is Ormgar, it means _Stone Jaw_ in the tongue of the Suevi."

As the name of his son sank throught the layers of confusion he seemed mired in, Speaks stood up and his emotions settled on a faint smile.  "Great Root, I thank you for the time you've let me spend here."  He started to move about the grove, collecting his few belongings.

"I think I know where I'm going now."

*The End (for now)*


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## Rel

Ahhhhhhhh.  Finished.  For now anyway.

I wanted to take a second to say a few words of thanks (hopefully without sounding too much like I'm accepting an Academy Award).

As the thread title says, and will always say, Thanks Old One.  I know he has been away from the boards for a while and he may not see this for some time.  But I want to once again give a hearty thanks for his endorsement, without which, none of this story hour would ever have happened.  I'd still have stolen his excellent campaign setting though.  

Old One is a very nice guy (he's also not *that* old) and it was a great honor to meet with him in person and game with him.  I hope he, his wife and his new baby are all doing great.  And I'm still looking forward (patiently) to reading more of his Story Hour when he gets around to updating it.

I'd also like to thank my players, Speaks, Raven and Scar (thankfully those are not their real names).  I'm am very blessed to have guys to game with who are not only great gamers, but are also very close friends.  I've known the three of them for pretty close to a combined 55 years and gamed with them for at least 45 of that.  Wow!  That makes *me* feel like the "old one".  Anyhow, they are fantastic friends and I'm really glad that we can do all the fun things we do together, including gaming.

I'd also like to thank my wife who was more instrumental in all of this than most of you probably realize.  Consider that I started my Faded Glory campaign a tad over two weeks after our daughter was born just under two years ago.  Since then, just about every Tuesday night, she has made sure that I and my basement are available to our game group.  Additionally, she has also been a great sounding board for many of the campaign ideas that I've had and even tossed in a few ideas of her own.  She has been not just accomodating, but supportive of my gaming hobby and now that I am done writing the story hour, I'll have time to put my attention back on the solo campaign I'm running for her.

And of course I want to thank the folks who have read what I've written and especially the ones who have commented on it.  I've often said, and I mean this, that if you are writing a Story Hour because you want "kudos" and comments, you are probably doing it for the wrong reasons.  Those things are never guaranteed and I think of them as gifts from the readers that are by no means obligatory.  Thank you sincerely for every bit of feedback that I've gotten during this whole process.  One thing I noticed when reading some of the "Early Days" posts was how much better I think my posts are as a result of feedback you guys have given.

I do want to single out one reader in particular who I've been thankful for on too many occasions to count and that is Darklone.  Darklone is a combination of that little angel of a cheerleader offering words of encouragement and that little devil poking you in the butt with his pitchfork.  He has offered comments, questions and nearly endless bumps, many of them just when I needed them the most (though he probably didn't know it at the time).  Every Story Hour writer should have a Darklone, and thankfully, several of them do.

I guess that's about it for now.  If anybody has any further questions about the story hour (even dating back to the Early Days thread), I'll answer them, as long as I don't think they give away anything vital to the players.  That is because there is a fairly strong chance that we will be picking up this campaign sometime in the not-so-distant future.  I won't make any predictions about exactly when because that depends on what the whole group has to say.  But it does seem likely and if it happens, I will write a story hour about it.

Until then...*THANKS FOR READING!!*


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## Jon Potter

Rel said:
			
		

> *That is because there is a fairly strong chance that we will be picking up this campaign sometime in the not-so-distant future.  I won't make any predictions about exactly when because that depends on what the whole group has to say.  But it does seem likely and if it happens, I will write a story hour about it.
> *




I for one will be waiting to read about it.

That battle was an epic end to the campaign and I really like how you tied up many loose ends while still leaving enough dangling to logically supply the group with another Faded Glory campaign.

I must say that I wonder what's going to happen when Speaks knocks on some barbarian's door and says, "Hi. I'm the father of your wife's baby."

I loved Scar's use of Raven's hammer in the final battle. Very poetic in a warrior sort of way. And speaking of poetry: _"That's for Raven, you nancing elven bastard!"_ That brought a huge grin to my face!

I wish we'd had more of an opportunity to get to know Lazarius. He added some much-needed arcane oomph to the group. What exactly is a War Wizard? Is that a particular of the Faded Glory setting or is it a PrC from one of the many, many supplements floating about?

On the topic of Old One: is there anywhere that I can get a look at the campaign information for Faded Glory and/or his early story hours? There's clearly a lot of background to the campaign that I found myself scratching my head over when reading your SH. I looked for Old One's Faded Glory Story Hours but the first three (I think) are lost and both links to his campaign website lead nowhere. Anyway, sort of a hijack here. Sorry.  

Now on to read the Slave Lords one-shot that you wrote up!


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## Rel

Thanks for the praise and comments, Jon.

I can't tell you how glad I was at how the final battle turned out.  After the campaign was over, I looked back and thought about how it had been structured and how  the characters had fared in the various encounters that I had thrown at them.  Frankly, I think I was way to hard on them overall.

That's not to say that I didn't like having some really tough battles including a few where I was within a couple of die rolls of a TPK.  But I don't think I provided nearly enough combats where the party was at a clear advantage and could get those "feel good" wins that are like a breath of fresh air sometimes.

That is absolutely not to say that I arranged the final battle to be a cake walk.  That would clearly be a let down after everthing that had led up to it.  The fact is that they came up with a well conceived plan, implemented it well, rolled pretty good and tactically improvised wisely when needed.  It was a great example of when everthing just clicks.

Which was fairly surprising considering that Lazarius had just joined the group.  It is true that his character was not extraordinarily fleshed out and I didn't require him to be either.  By that point in the campaign, it was no secret that the ultimate battle was going to be against the Dark Druids and their undead army.  It was a shame that Raven died just before that but sometimes that's the way it goes.

Lazarius was only around for two sessions and he was pretty well geared for the final battle.  As far as what a War Wizard is, it isn't terribly well defined.  Pretty much an Evocation specialist that is good at blowing things up while retaining a respectable bag of tricks that might benefit the Imperial Legions.

Uncle Claudius was such a War Wizard and was attached to the Legion stationed at Glynden until it was withdrawn closer to the heart of Emor prior to when my story begins.  Uncle Claudius' period of enlistment was up anyway so he mustered out and settled in Glynden.

I have a modified version of the Faded Glory history that I adapted from what Old One originally posted in his first Story Hour.  I'll try and post it tomorrow if I can find the disk it's on.

As far as the early Faded Glory threads, I don't know if they are archived anywhere.  I read them as they were being created and cut and pasted bits that I wanted to adapt for my campaign as I went along, so I never had much occasion to revisit them.

One last bit:  Speaks With Stone is not exactly known for his diplomacy skill, but I'd guess he may be a bit more subtle than to stride up to the Suevi Chieftain and tell him his son's true heritage.  But you never know.  

Another dangling question is whether TheLoneCorndog (the player of Rhys and Scar) will play Rhys or Scar if we should pick the campaign back up.


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## Darklone

*Darklone abuses his ooze tainted handkerchief*

Sad and nice at once... the storyhour is finished. 

Krases and Ravens souls may rest in pieces... peace. 

Happy endings and new beginnings everywhere... I feel old. 

Thanks for everything, Rel for DMing and writing, Old One for the inspiration, Lone Corndog and Speaks and the others for playing and ENworld for the forum, some ancient dudes for the internet... Thanks for the flowers Rel, I won't take the angelic part wrong though I have a hard time to imagine myself in a cheerleading costume


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## Broccli_Head

thanks for a great story, Rel!


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## Rel

As I promised, I located the original campaign info that I handed out to the players.  There is quite a bit of it and the large majority is copied directly from Old One's notes that he posted in his first thread.  I did make some substantial alterations, particularly in that I did not use Old One's cosmology and that the non-human races are much more prevalent in my campaign world.

If anybody is interested, I still have th unaltered text from Old One's campaign background too.  I don't really want to post it here in my story hour thread (mostly because so much of it is identical to what I'm about to post) but I'd be happy to e-mail it to anyone who wants it.

*PLAYER'S INTRODUCTION*

Your breath comes in quick gasps as you climb the last few feet to the summit of Kyndalyn’s Watch.  The cool autumn air quickly dries the sweat soaking your tunic, causing you to shiver ever so slightly.  Your feet come to rest atop the stacked stone cairn; nearly three spear throws long, a spear throw in width and another in height. Below you, in their granite tomb, lie the moldering remains of Kyndalyn the Fair, his brother Farinmail and their 20-odd staghounds. Here, 20 winters ago, the brothers and their faithful hounds fell protecting Glynden from a fierce raiding party of the Coritani.

Your grasp the imaginary sword at your side and swing it over your head! You shout a battle cry as you strike again and again, felling a Coritani with every deadly blow, just as Kyndalyn did all those years ago. You have heard the story many times, told late at night at Nan's tavern, as the embers from the banked fire grew dim. Heard the tale of the ranger Kyndalyn, the sorcerer Farinmail and their pack of magnificent hounds; four score and twelve Coritani crossed the Fodor River and not one returned home!

You look north and east and see the object of their defense two long bow shots or more distant. The village of Glynden lies between two rocky spurs at the southern end of the Dragon’s Tail Range. The wood smoke from the evening cooking fires curls lazily skyward above the stout stone and timber homes with slate roofs. You can make out the bell tower of the Church of St. Cuthbert, where Father Thomas must be preparing for evening vespers. Two ox-carts are straining to make it up the switchback path, under the every-vigilant eyes of the watch at the town gate.

You marvel at the crumbling, but still stout, walls and towers left behind when the 4th Cohort of the Rustica Auxilia departed for distant Emor, a decade before you were born. Here and there the walls were patched with timbers and lime cement – but they have withstood 30 winters of harsh weather and even harsher neighbors. Without those walls, Glynden would have shared the same fate as many of the other settlements of the Lost Northern Provinces, or so the elders always say.

Aquae Sulis, Ironoak, Greenspire and Bremerton have all been lost to marauding barbarians, fiendish Gnolls or other evils in the last ten winters alone. Since the legions withdrew, even the imperial provincial capitals of Lords and Roses had fallen, cast down into dust and memory. Now fewer than a score of holds remained throughout all of the Lost Northern Provinces, according the last merchant caravan to make the long and arduous journey to Glynden.

Evening is rapidly approaching, as is usual in the autumn of the North. You should be getting back, before they close the gates for the night – but you linger for a few more moments, surveying the land around your home. To the west, just under the fading sun, lay the Western Wilds; rough, densely wooded hills that are home to fierce barbarian tribes that Imperial Emor could not tame, even at the height of her power. Those tribes; the Coritani, the Nervii, the Brigantes and a score of others now raid across the Fodor River in increasing numbers, seeking to pick the bones of the Lost Northern Provinces clean. The river is at least ten days of hard walking distant and those that have made the trip swear that unfriendly eyes watch them every step.

Beyond the tribal lands of the barbarians lie the Blackpeak Mountains whose icy reaches are inhospitable to all but the heartiest of races.  There are rumored to be tribes of Orcs who live there and war amongst each other and eke out a savage existence on the barren slopes of the Blackpeaks.  Others say that beyond the Blackpeaks lies an ancient paradise city where the snow never falls and flowers bloom all year.

You turn to the south and spot several distant smoke plumes. There are still several fortified villas that survive, due to their proximity to Glynden. They raise foodstuffs and breed hardy ponies, which find a ready market in the town. Beyond the villas, three weeks or more on foot, is the port of Oar and beyond that, the Crescent Sea. Some of the trading caravans that visit Glynden two or three times a year travel by sea to Oar from the Eastenmarch, the Jewel Cities or even Imperial Emor herself. Most, however, prefer the longer (but safer) overland route – or so you have been told. The Corsairs of the Crescent Sea are rumored to be quite fierce and without mercy. Somewhere to the south, beyond the villas, beyond Oar and the Corsairs and the Crescent Sea is the shining city of Emor, Queen of the entire world!

You cast your eyes to the east and can faintly make out the huge bulk of Dragonspire Mountain in the fading light. The peak is lost in the misty clouds that always adorn it like a crown, even on the clearest of days. Everyone knows that a great and fearsome wyrm lives on the mountain. Several of the more permanent fixtures at Nan’s Tavern whisper of seeing the beast winging through the night sky when Seluna is smiling brightly, but only when they are deep in their cups. Rumors hold that the dragon considers the entire North to be its domain and it has destroyed no fewer than a dozen barbarian and Gnoll armies! From time to time, foolish adventurers set out to find the wyrm and steal its treasures, but none are known to have reached the peak and survived to tell the tale. The beast does not seem to take an interest in Glynden and the town returns the favor! Beyond Dragonspire Mountain, two weeks or more distant, are the Novantae Highlands where the ferocious highland clans raise their cattle, drink their mead and bash each other’s heads. Travelers say that the clansmen are suspicious of outsiders, but make sturdy friends, or terrible enemies.

Finally your gaze turns north and you shiver again as the evening breeze picks up. To the north lies the Great Northern Forest, also known as the Darkwood. Beyond that lost in the gathering gloom, but visible on a clear day are the majestic Pillars of Heaven. Even further to the north, beyond those mighty mountains according to tales whispered in hushed tones, lays the hidden Isle of the Dark Druids – the terrors that cast down the Imperial City of Roses in but a single night. The Darkwood is the domain of the fey, fierce creatures known for their deadly archery and even deadlier sorcery. It is said that they eat the flesh of their victims and hate all of the free folk with a burning and twisted hatred. Somewhere near the heart of the Darkwood is the lost city of Chrysilium, once home to the princes and princesses of the Seelie Court, or so old Sentenius claims. Of course, he is drunk half the time and asleep the other half, so who knows if he is telling the truth!

The half-smile that is playing across your face disappears as the gate horn sounds. You only have ten turns of the minute glass before the gate is closed and barred for the night. You leap down the cairn, leaving Kyndalyn and Farinmail and their hounds to their eternal watch, only to pause and look westward once more. There, far in the distance, framed by the burning eye of Pelor are the low hills of the Western Wilds. One day soon, you tell yourself, the sword at your side will not be imaginary and the barbarians’ best mind their heads! Perhaps you will brave the ruins of Lords or rid the Darkwood of the evil fey. Maybe you will travel to the Jewel Cities or the Eastenmarch or even to Emor herself.  Perhaps the bards’ will sing tales of your bravery in the tavern halls one day or, you think as you glance one last time at the cairn, maybe a monument such as this will stand for you 20 winters hence.  Suppressing a shudder at that last thought, you race down the slope for home – where a steaming bowl of mutton stew and a soft, down-feather tick await you. As you disappear into the darkness, a pale, translucent shape rises from the top of the cairn and watches you go. As if reading your mind, a brief smile touches the lips of Kyndalyn’s shade. With in inaudible sigh, the apparition then turns its sightless gaze westward, beginning its nightly vigil.

*BACKGROUND*

The Emorian Empire was the crowning glory of the Free Race’s technological, magical and cultural achievement. Its’ disciplined legions, skilled engineers and powerful battlemages helped spread the civilization of the Emorian Empire to the ends of the known lands. For nearly 3,000 years, the Empire was the dominant force in the land. However, like a mighty oak, impervious to external enemies, the Empire slowly rotted from within and toppled from its own weight.

The Empire had long seemed to roll across the land as an unstoppable force.  One after another, petty kingdoms and tracts claimed by barbarian tribes were brought under the rule of the Empire and civilized.  It stretched across a continent and a half as its conquests were consolidated into provinces.  It grew ever northward and westward.  But this vast size began to take its toll.

These newly conquered areas were often vast but sparsely populated.  This presented two problems.  First it required a great deal of infrastructure including roads and bridges to move the massive legions of the Empire.  Supply lines were long and with much of the land uncultivated it was difficult to feed the legions and the numerous other supporting troops necessary to keep them equipped and moving in the field.  The other problem was that the subjugated peoples of these regions did not always stay subjugated very well.  They would often wage ferocious guerilla wars against the legions and other imperial troops.  The barbarians would destroy a bridge here and kill a group of foragers there.

The costs of keeping the legions in the field year after year began to add up.  As much tax as possible was squeezed from the conquered provinces, but those areas were beaten down from years of warfare already and needed time to recover.  The sparse populations of these regions could not produce the resources necessary to support the imperial war machine.

At home near the core of the Empire the affluent society that had long prided itself on conquering all of the nearby lands started to feel the weight of the burden of war.  Not only were taxes high to support the constant war effort, but generations of young men were conscripted into the Imperial Army as legionnaires, engineers, teamsters, or any of a hundred other jobs.  Thousands of slaves were shipped into the center of the Empire to help support the agricultural industry there to help ease the manpower shortage.  But this caused its own set of problems with a rise in the number of slave uprisings and the need to keep more legions available to put down these revolts.

The situation was unsustainable and a breaking point was reached some 100 years ago. Emperor Narses III desired more than anything to push into the furthest reaches of the continent, beyond the mighty Fodor River and to crush the barbarian tribes there against the Blackpeak Mountains.  But the Empire was starting to fall into financial ruin.  He needed to raise money and support for his campaign in the north and there was only one place that had the resources he needed: Sythia.

The Sythian lands to the east had long been conquered by the Empire and had had time to recover from war and become one of the wealthier provinces in the Empire.  Sythia benefited greatly from being situated on the Bittertear Sea and conducted vast amounts of trade with the island nations to the southeast.  Narses III called upon the provincial governor, Legatus IX, to invoke draconian taxes to provide him with the funds necessary to conquer the northlands.

Legatus IX had been awarded the position of provincial governor of the Sythian province because of his long time service to the Empire as a general in the northlands.  When his legions returned triumphantly from their years of campaigning, Narses II gave over control of Sythia to Legatus as a reward and allowed him to retain most of his troops to be stationed in Sythia.  This turned out to be a grave error.

Legatus refused the Imperial mandate to increase taxes and instead called upon his long time companions in the legions to support the secession of Sythia.  He declared the independence of the Sythian Federation.  All but a handful of the legionnaires supported his bid for independence and those that didn't were quickly subdued.  Legatus quickly turned the huge merchant marine fleet of Sythia into a deadly weapon giving him incredible mobility and undisputed dominance over the seas.

Narses was completely caught off guard by the actions of Legatus.  He had been positioning his legions in the northlands in preparation for the assault across the Fodor River.  There were precious few troops in the core of the Empire to put down Legatus' insurrection.  Narses issued an immediate recall of all unnecessary troops in the outlying provinces.  He sent what legions were available to station along the Sythian border with orders to await support before launching an attack to retake control of Sythia.

As the legions withdrew from central Emor to array themselves on the border with Sythia, the slaves began to grow restless.  Without the legions to suppress any revolts, dozens of slave uprisings began to occur, all over the heart of the Empire.  In several cases, the slaves were able to band together in large enough numbers to be considered armies in their own right.  They raged northwards towards their historical homelands, burning, pillaging and releasing more slaves as they went.

In a final, fatal error, Narses III pulled nearly half of the legions encamped on the border with Sythia back into central Emor in an effort to quell the slave revolts.  This was precisely the opportunity Legatus was waiting for.  His own legions swarmed across the border and massacred the outnumbered Imperial legions in huge numbers.  He then withdrew across the border and sent word to Narses to attempt no recapture of Sythia.  It is said that Narses personally killed over one hundred of his own house slaves in a fit of rage.

Narses refused to be recorded as the Emperor who suffered the first major military defeat in nearly 800 years.  He sent orders for all available ships to amass at Oar to bring the legions from the northlands back across the Crescent Sea.  Once again, however, Legatus was able to capitalize on Narses rash move.  The navy of the Sythian Federation harried the fleet at Oar and sunk nearly two thirds of the ships that attempted the crossing of the Crescent Sea.  Over two hundred thousand Imperial Legionnaires went to the bottom of the ocean wearing breastplates bearing the symbol of Emor.

Meanwhile, the slave armies had made their way to the northern coast of Emor and sacked many of the towns there, stealing fishing boats and the racing yachts of the wealthy to return home across the Crescent Sea.  Many of them were also sunk by the zealous navy of the Sythian Federation.  But many more returned to their ancestral homelands only to find that their once proud barbarian forefathers had been turned into humble farmers and shepherds.  Some of the returned slaves who had grown up in the heart of the Empire adopted this pastoral lifestyle easily.  But those who had been captured in more recent years had wild blood singing in their veins.  They made their way across the Fodor River to the wild lands and established the Coritani tribe.

As for the Empire itself, the Slave Wars and Sythian Secession had robbed it of its ruling family and many of its leading citizens and it was left sorely weakened.  Somewhere amid the chaos, one of Narses enemies managed to enter the Imperial Palace and slay him in his sleep.  The once stable Empire was shattered by a series of vicious civil wars as one claimant after another sought the imperial purple.  Legions proclaimed their own consuls and legates emperor and marched and counter-marched across the length and breadth of the Empire.  After nearly a century of fruitless warfare, the Emorian Empire was a pale shadow of its former self, exhausted and impotent.

In the south and the east, province after province rose in rebellion – shaking off the mantle of Imperial Emor and declaring their independence. Emor had no strength to oppose these moves and was soon battling for its very existence.  Despite entreaties from many of his subordinates, Legatus IX refused to invade the Empire.  Whether because of some sense of loyalty to the land he once served or a simple lack of desire to conquer a land already in utter chaos, is unknown.  He did however pass this idea on to his son Gaius I and since that day, the Sythian Federation has not expanded its boundaries by so much as a league.

In more recent years, Emperor Dartalus II has taken firm control from the various warring factions and set about putting the Empire into some semblance of order. It was his father who ordered the withdrawal of the Rustica Auxilia from Glynden some 30 years ago to consolidate the holdings closer to the heart of the Empire. The young emperor has stabilized the Empire’s borders and fought off all enemies. He has reclaimed several lost provinces, cleared the southern half of the Crescent Sea of corsairs and negotiated a lasting peace with the Sythian Federation. He wishes to return the Empire to its former glory, while avoiding the mistakes of earlier Emperors.

The Emperor is beset by perils on every side, however. The current strength of the Empire is brittle – one major defeat and all could be lost. The Empire has few natural resources left and must acquire most of it raw materials through trade or conquest. The resource rich north is out of reach to all but the boldest merchant families. Many of the Sythian warlords would love to see Emor pulled down stone by stone, but they bide their time and wait. The Corsairs of the Crescent Sea, rogue elements of the old Sythian Navy prey on merchant ships of all nations, raid coastal towns and extort ransom for captured notables. 

This is the backdrop against where the adventure is set. The PCs will start in the small frontier town of Glynden, once part of the Imperial Theme of Lords. Since the last of the legions withdrew 30 winters ago, barbarians, Gnolls and others have overrun most of the former northern provinces.

To the west are the wild barbarian tribes that never submitted to Emorian rule, even at the height of the Empire. To the north is the vast expanse of the Darkwood; home to the fey and beyond that, farther to the north through a treacherous pass in the Pillars of Heaven is the legendary Isle of the Dark Druids, rumored masters of Darkwood. To the South is the Crescent Sea, across which is the fabled city of Emor – if you can survive the Corsairs and sea serpents. Far to the east, across the moors and highlands, is the Plain of Glittering Stone – once known as the Plains of Aresh – beyond that, the Eastern Barrier. Legend holds that, somewhere in that waterless waste, the Tomb of the Shadowlord lies. No living soul has ever visited the Tomb and no known tome or map marks its location. All that have sought the Tomb have disappeared in the wastes never to be seen again.

The land about Glynden is dotted with ruins - fallen towns, legion posts and forts, forgotten towers, abandoned mines and burned out villas. It is hemmed in by enemies - barbarian tribes, the Gnolls, the Dark Druids and, of course, THE Dragon. It is far from any real civilization and many goods are difficult to come by or very expensive. In short, it is a great place to start a band of would-be heroes!


Geographical Notes

 To help follow things as the story unfolds, without the aid of a map, here are some geographical/regional notes. The easiest way to visualize it by geographical "bands" which go from north to south. There are 5 "bands" - the Utter North, the Northlands, the Midlands, the Southlands and the Utter South. Information on the Utter North and Utter South is very sketchy, so I won't be presenting much here, except to say the Dark Druids are rumored to inhabit a vast island - North of the Pillars of Heaven - in the Utter North.

 The Northlands

 The Northlands have three major areas, moving from West to East - the Western Wilds, the Lost
 Northern Provinces and the Novantae Highlands.

 The Western Wilds

Home to over a score of barbarian tribes - the Brigantes, the Nervii, the Coritani, the Suevi, the Allmani and others - that never knelt before the banner of Imperial Emor. Although numerous Imperial Expeditions crossed the Fodor River, they were never able to bring the tribes to decisive battle. Even though the tribes often fight among themselves, they always banded together to meet any Emorian threat.

Further west are the Blackpeak Mountains that are said to be the home of many tribes of Orcs.  There is also rumored to lie somewhere in the Blackpeaks a place called the City of Endless Summer.  No Imperial cartographer has ever ventured far into the Western Wilds and certainly not into the Blackpeak Mountains and so the exact extent of that range is unknown.

This area is bordered on the West by the Trackless Sea, on the North by the majestic Pillars of Heaven mountains, on the East by the Lost Northern Provinces and on the South by the Crescent Sea.

Each barbarian tribe has an animal totem and old Imperial writings tell of great bears, wolves, eagles and other beasts that would stalk foraging parties, appear at midnight in the proconsul's command tent and generally wreak havoc among the legions that crossed the river. In addition, the barbarian warriors, although undisciplined, showed no fear and would attack unceasingly, even when injured by wounds that would drop a normal man.

With the retreat of the legions, the barbarian tribes have raided across the Fodor River into the old Imperial Themes (Provinces) of Lords and Roses - sacking towns and villas, taking slaves and plunder all of value. For some reason, however, they have not attempted to cross the "Great Water" - as they refer to the Fodor River and settle the now largely abandoned lands. Sages speculate that some major taboo prevents them from doing so.

The Lost Northern Provinces

This area includes the former Imperial Themes of Lords and Roses. The former provincial capitals of Lords and Roses are but distant memories, one destroyed by a barbarian horde (Lords) and the other (Roses) destroyed by the Dark Druids - pulled down stone-by-stone in but a single night. Perhaps a score of settlements of any note still exist. Oar is the largest remaining town in the Lost Northern Provinces - a seaport with perhaps 5,000 inhabitants. 

This area is bordered on the West by the Western Wilds, on the North by the Pillars of Heaven and the Great Northern Forest (The Darkwood), on the East by the Novantae Highlands and on the South by the Crescent Sea. The Dragon's Tail Range splits the area into two roughly equal portions along a North-South line.

The Lost Northern Provinces is the most isolated of all civilized areas. It requires either a dangerous sea voyage or a safer (but much longer) overland trip to reach the area from Emor, the Jewel Cities, Eastenmarch or the Sythian Federation. The Lost Northern Provinces are rich in natural resources - timber, raw ore of many varieties, furs, precious metals, gemstones and ruins.

The culture of the area is akin to Dark Ages Britain from our own history. A few isolated pockets of civilization trying to survive and keep the lamp of culture burning in the face of great odds. Much of the technology of Imperial Emor - aqueducts, indoor plumbing, luxury goods, formal magic academies and the ability to make advanced weapons and armor - has been lost. Many goods that are taken for granted on the streets of Emor must be inheirited, found or purchased for exorbitant prices in the Lost Northern Provinces. 

The population is mostly human, although there are fair amounts of Halflings and Dwarves mixed among the population.  As the human population has shrunk and receded into a small number of towns and villages, groups of elves have begun to repopulate the scattered forests of the northlands, but they still prefer to dwell in the warmer forests of the southlands.

The Novantae Highlands

The Novantae Protectorate never became an actual Imperial Theme. The area was too rugged and remote for reasonable Imperial administration - so several auxiliary legion posts were built, trade relations were established, a title of "Imperial Protectorate" was assigned to the region and the inhabitants were largely left to their own devices.

The region is bordered to the West by the Lost Northern Provinces, to the North by the Pillars of Heaven, to the East by the Eastern Barrier Mountains and to the South by Eastenmarch and the Crescent Sea.

Like the Lost Northern Provinces, the area is rich in natural resources, particularly mineral wealth, but the ruggedness of the terrain makes extracting said wealth and bringing it to market fairly difficult. There is also a thriving livestock industry, consisting primarily of hardy Highland Cattle, sheep and goats.

Culturally, the area resembles the Scottish Highlands and western Ireland from our own history. There are forty or fifty independent clans in the area, with each clan's first loyalty to itself. The fierce clansmen raid each others herds, engage in terrible blood feuds, drink to excess and hold regular games to show off their strength and prowess in battle. They are suspicious of outsiders, but it is rightly said that no truer friend exists than a Novantae Highlander - once you earn their trust!

The population is primarily human, with a heavy portion of Dwarves. In fact, a number of clans are made up entirely of Dwarves

THE TOWN

The Village of Glynden

Location and History: Nestled betwixt two rocky ridges at the southern end of the Dragon’s Tail range lies the mining and farming village of Glynden. It began as a collection of ragged tents around a single mine shaft over 250 winters ago. Once a part of the Imperial Theme of Lords, Glynden is one of the few holdings in the Lost Northern Provinces that has not been overrun by barbarians or the Gnolls.  Glynden was once the home of the 4th Cohort of the Rustica Auxilia and has significant, if crumbling, fortifications that have helped it survive. In addition, it is not adjacent to any of the major trade routes, so it attracts little attention.

Nevertheless, Glynden has survived ½ dozen barbarian incursions since the legions withdrew 30 winters ago. Several times, the village has come close to disaster, but has recovered each time. Several neighboring hamlets have been destroyed in recent years and their survivors now call Glynden home (Aquae Sulis, Ironoak, Greenspire and Bremerton - all but Aquae Sulis within five days walk of Glynden). Perhaps 700 souls now reside in Glynden and they make their living primarily from mining the rich iron and tin deposits in the surrounding hills and through farming.

Glynden boasts a large militia (about 100 – 10 always on duty, 50 within 1 hour, 100 with 3 hours) and their constant watchfulness help keeps danger at bay. Glynden is also the home of an ex-Emorian battlemage, who was mustered out of the legions just before they withdrew – Claudius Sentenius. “Uncle Claudius”, as the village children know him, is old and forgetful, but he can still call up some magical energy when the situation is desperate (he will also tutor aspiring wizards in simple spells, but the instruction process is long and arduous, as he often falls asleep during lessons or is too drunk to make much sense). The final reason for the village’s survival is that it lies within the shadow of Dragonspire Mountain. The barbarians, Gnolls and Dark Druids all give Dragonspire Mountain a wide berth, for it has an evil reputation.

Both legends and eyewitnesses agree that Dragonspire Mountain is the home of a great and terrible elder wyrm who has resided on the mountain’s peaks for over a century. The dragon does not bother Glynden or the other few surviving communities in the Lost Northern Provinces, but has been known to descend on large groups of armed men and utterly destroy them. Several barbarian hordes and Gnoll armies are said to have perished under dragon fire and claw. Also, no one has ever successfully visited the dragon’s lair (and lived to tell the tale). Those few that have ventured close to the summit and returned tell tales of being chased away by a band of fearsome rock trolls. The trails and paths that lead to the upper reaches of the mountain are strewn with the skeletal remains of those that have sought the wyrm’s treasure and failed (each skeleton is laid out in a neat pile, skull on top, with their mundane gear stacked neatly beside it – no treasure or magical items are ever found among the remains). Some few report seeing a tall, slender tower rising into the mists on the highest peak of the mountain, but most reporting such a sight were found wandering aimlessly about the base, dazed and confused.

Curiously, the great wyrm has never bothered Glynden and most of the villagers seek to discourage would-be adventurers from stirring up trouble on the mountain.

Leadership: Glynden is ruled by a “Council of Elders”. They meet weekly in the Council Chamber located next to the market square to administer justice and discuss problems facing the village. The Council meetings are generally open to all and usually take place on the evening of Market Day. See Important Personages for those who sit on the Council.

Trade/Outside Relations: Traders come to Glynden two or three times a year, trading finished goods and luxury items for iron and tin ore, foodstuffs and the hardy mountain ponies bred at several of the surviving villas. Only large, well-armed caravans make the trip and they are normally controlled by one of the trading families. Local craftsmen of note include a decent blacksmith, a good stonemason, an excellent leatherworker and a fair bowyer. All other finished goods must be imported (chief among these is metal armor – such as lorica hamata [chain mail] and the lorica segmentata [banded armor]). Horses, especially trained war mounts, are in very short supply (and very expensive), most families use mountain ponies, mules or ox-carts for transportation.

Other travelers are fairly rare, especially after the Suevi tribe sacked Bremerton 2 winters ago.  Bremerton was the closest thing Glynden had for a trading partner, but the town, four days walk to the west and north, is now a deserted ruin. Those few that survived the attack now call Glynden home.  Occasionally, a bard or tinker will stop in Glynden, bringing word from Oar or the Novantae Highlands.  Also, adventuring bands regularly use the village as a way stop in their forays into the North.

As often as not, the bright-eyed, eager youths that leave Glynden boasting of the deeds they will do return hard-eyed with terrible wounds and even worse tales – or fail to return at all. The jaded gamblers at Nan’s Tavern now lay wagers on who will or won’t return and those that bet against the adventurers win all too often. Perhaps two in three of the lads and lasses that pass through Glynden as fortune seekers are never heard from again.

Important Personages: There are still several veins of iron and tin that are actively mined, with perhaps half a hundred miners working the lodes. All of the miners currently work for the Brathwaite Mining Company, run by “Boss” Bigglestrom Brathwaite, easily the richest (and most powerful) man in Glynden. Several smaller operations have closed in recent months due to cave-ins or monstrous attacks. Boss Brathwaite has hired the remaining workers from the shuttered operations and actually expanded his own. Some in Glynden grumble that the misfortunes at the other mining operations were no coincidence, but Brathwaite denies any wrongdoing. Boss Brathwaite sits on the Council of Elders.

Calian Cassuvius is probably the second most important citizen of Glynden, even though he doesn’t live in the village proper. He and his family live in Castellan Cassuvius a large, fortified villa an hour’s walk south of Glynden. He is a tall man of aristocratic bearing, although almost 70 winters have stooped his shoulders a bit. Local lore holds that the Cassuvius family has held the villa for over three hundred years!

The family Cassuvius still affects the style of Imperial Emor, in speech, dress and attitude. It is said that a visit to their holding is like returning to the glory days of the Empire, 200 winters hence. They hold a lavish banquet once a year, inviting the notables of Glynden and the other local villas. Calian regularly bemoans the fact that most “necessary luxuries” are so difficult to come by these days and is known to pay well for interesting works of art. The three greatest treasures that reside in Castellan Cassuvius, however, are Calian’s three daughters – Ludmilla, Drusilla and Carmilla – all great beauties of marriable age.

The ponies bred by Calian and his charges are said to be the swiftest and sturdiest within two weeks ride. Castellan Cassuvius also produces ample wheat and barley in its high-walled fields. Perhaps four score people call the Cassuvius compound home, and they are not counted among the inhabitants of the village. Calian Cassuvius sits on the Council of Elders. Three other fortified villas still exist, held by the Jucadius, Nacalius and Octorus families. Each of these families also holds a seat on the Council of Elders.

Young Father Thomas maintains the small abbey dedicated to the Church of St. Cuthbert. It is open to all that are “welcomed” into the Church. Father Thomas has ministered to the needs of the local parishioners since Father Holthyn disappeared while returning from one of the outlaying villas five winters ago. Two Acolytes and four Lay Brothers assist Father Thomas at the abbey. Father Thomas holds a seat on the Council of Elders.

Kyndalyn the Younger commands the village militia. His father, Kyndalyn the Fair, his uncle, Farinmail, and their pack of staghounds succeeded in defeating a large war-band from the Coritani tribe on a tall hill just to the southwest of Glynden. The Coritani, over 90 strong, came at the town in the dead of night, in a heavy snowfall, just after the Midwinter’s Eve celebration. Had it not been for the watchfulness of Kyndalyn and Farinmail, it is likely that the village would have suffered the same fate as many of the others throughout the North.

Some in the village reported hearing sounds of battle, but the swirling winds made it impossible to discern the direction. The following morning, the rising Eye of Pelor illuminated a terrible sight. Atop the rocky tor, not 700 paces from the village gate, lay Kyndalyn the Fair, dead and rimed in ice, twin blades still clutched in unfeeling hands, amidst a circle of fallen foes. Kyndalyn, Farinmail and their score of hounds had all traveled to the Deathsgate – but so had every single one of the Coritani! The grieving villagers built a lofty cairn over the brothers and their faithful hounds and to this day the hill is known as Kyndalyn’s Watch.

All of these events occurred 20 winters ago, when Kyndalyn the Younger was but a child. Today he is a grim-faced young man of few words. He drills the militia hard, but is regarded as a fair leader. It is said that he rarely sleeps and spends much time patrolling the countryside around Glynden. His slightly pointed ears and straw-colored hair betray his elven heritage. Kyndalyn the Younger holds the title of Constable of Glynden and sits on the Council of Elders.

Threats/Opportunities: The greatest threats to Glynden’s survival are the barbarian tribes of the Western Wilds and the tribes of Gnolls who live in the Darkwood. Raiding bands of numerous tribes have been seen in the area in the past several moons and the Council of Elder is concerned that one or more tribes may try to sack the village, destroying it as they did Bremerton

The entire North, however, is dotted with lost ruins. Cities, abbeys, towns, towers, old dwarven holds and deserted legion forts are everywhere. Many have undoubtedly been picked clean by bold adventurers, but who knows what may still lie buried out there.

Such concerns are for another day, however.  Tomorrow is the harvest feast.  It is a time for revelry and fun.  There will be plenty of food and games.  The crops that have been harvested will be sold and stowed away for the long winter.  Merchants up from Oar will be present to buy ponies at the harvest auction and will also have many goods to sell.  And at night, after the children are tucked away in bed, there will be the dance at Nan's and rumor has it that all three of the Cassuvius girls will be there…


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## Rel

For the sake of completeness, here are the guidlines I had for character design.  I stole most of them from other posters on the boards whose names are lost in antiquity.

*Character Design:* 

The rules for stat generation are below. Here are the guidelines on what you can have and do for character design: 

Replacement characters (if any are needed) will always start with XP equal to the average total of all the other PCs (including the one being replaced). If above level 1 they get equipment equal to 70 percent of the DMG guidelines for a character of their level. Otherwise if level 1 they get normal starting equipment.

All PC classes and races published in the PHB are open. I haven't made up my mind about the prestige classes.  If you are specifically shooting for one of the prestige classes, let me know and we'll talk about it.

Variant First Level Multiclass characters as per DMG pg.40 can be made. For those who don't have a DMG, these rules just let you start as a multiclass character, even though you are only first level.

If you don't pay for the skill, you don't have it. This is mostly a note for Craft, Profession, and Knowledge skills. But applies to anything else as well. If you describe training in your background I expect to see at least one rank in the skills mentioned. 

No character can have an evil alignment. Good is recommended but certainly not required. 

Stat generation: The idea behind these guidelines is to get all the PCs to be close but not identical in stat points. This gives me a tight range I can use to judge power levels but keeps out the carbon copy syndrome. 

Point Buy is REQUIRED as listed in the DMG pages 19-20.

Characters will start with 26 points and gain additional points as outlined below.  The maximum allowed will be 32 points. If you fulfil more than six of the items below, you will not go over 32 points to spend on your stats. Depending on the additional material you submit, I may grant some "in game" bonuses such as extra equipment, starting money, etc. Obviously this extra material could also have the benefit of giving you and the other players a better idea of what your character is really like.

*1 for a background story that works with the campaign world. Must reference world elements at least four times. Minimum one typed page. 

*1 more if the story ties together with one or more other PC's story(s). Must be at least a couple paragraphs or more on how they tie in. Cannot have 'just met recently'. 

*1 more if your story fleshes out an element of the town or world that I've mentioned in my intro.  The info you provide must meet my approval (obviously) and should be at least half a typed page.  If I decide not to use your material, I'll still give you the point for the effort.

*1 if you have 1 or more major and/or 3 or more minor plot hooks built in. Plot hooks must be worked into background story in detail. A major plot hook is something that drives the story and gives the DM options to work with nearly every game session. It must be easy to work in under most normal circumstances. A minor plot hook is anything that can give such story ideas but will not do so consistently on a regular basis. Having an active career that can be a part of the roleplay and gives you an assortment of interconnections in the game would be a major plot hook. Having a family secret that might be exposed someday is a minor plot hook. The difference lies in how often they would come up in game. 

*1 for an illustration. I don't care who draws it, as long as it's a representation of what they 'really' look like. Don't draw a frog and call it your character but a cartoony sketch is ok. You are encouraged to label equipment carried as well. The drawing should be something that helps people to visualize the character. 

*1 for a painted miniature. I don't care who paints it or how good they are at it. 

*1 for being from the campaign starting town of Glynden.

*1 for making a list of 5 or more personality traits that show why your character has their chosen alignment and 1 thing about them that is outside their alignment but why this doesn't change their alignment. Minimum 15 words per trait. Must be relevant to the alignment and show why it is such. 

*1 for detailing the character's religious beliefs. Must be at least half a page or more. This is required for Clerics, Druids, and Paladins, optional for all other classes.

If you have other ideas for things I could add to this list please let me know. It will only serve to give you more options. Also note that while I asked that you have two characters ready to go in the event that the first one meets an untimely demise, there is obviously a lot of work involved in the character creation process outlined above.  I'll try not to kill off your primary character on the first night so you have a bit of extra time to work out the background for the second one.  In other words, you don't have to have both of them ready to go on night one.

A few other house rules to keep in mind:

I have a few relatively minor changes as to how I plan to govern the use of scrolls and spellbooks for wizards in my campaign.  If you plan to play a wizard, let me know and I'll tell you the rules.

Although I have no plans to try to make this campaign deadlier than average, I do plan to "let the chips fall where they may".  Unless you stray WAY off the path, the challenges you face will likely be tough but winnable.  However, bad luck or stupidity can and perhaps will get you killed.  I don't intend to fudge any rolls for or against the party.  Therefore I will make all the combat rolls for the opposition out in the open where all of you can see the result.

But I also don't want to put the fate of my campaign and the work I've put into crafting a storyline entirely at the mercy of chance.  To give you just a bit of an edge, I plan on giving out "chips" when your character performs an action that is particularly heroic or adds immensely to the enjoyment of the game.  These "chips" can be redeemed at any time to re-roll dice on a one for one basis.  You will only be allowed to spend a chip to change a die roll once.  So if the red dragon bites you in half when I roll a 20 and you spend a chip and then I roll another 20, get ready to whip out that second character.

One other thing I want to try is a more tactile/visual way of keeping up with hit points.  I plan to give each of you a small bowl to put some marbles in.  Each one will represent a hit point (I may use "higher denomination" marbles when the hit points get higher than around 20).  When you take damage, you take points out of your bowl and when you heal you will put them back.  This way, at a glance, the other players and myself will have an approximate idea of how many hit points you have without asking for an exact number.


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## Jon Potter

Rel-

Thanks for posting the background information. I had pieced some of it together from reading the story hour, but I appreciate you filling in the blanks.

And I can see why you decided to "steal" Old One's campaign world. It's very interesting and very unique as far as game worlds go. In terms of the real world, it does seem vaguely familiar.


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## Rel

Jon Potter said:
			
		

> *And I can see why you decided to "steal" Old One's campaign world. It's very interesting and very unique as far as game worlds go. In terms of the real world, it does seem vaguely familiar.  *




Let me tell you an embarassing little secret, Jon:  It was probably six months after I started reading Old One's Story Hour and three months after the start of my own campaign that I realized what Emor was if you spelled it backwards.

You may recall having heard a loud smacking sound in the fall of 2001.  That was my hand against my forehead.  It's not that I didn't realize that Emor was patterned after the Roman Empire, but I just didn't catch the little word play.  Doh!

By the way, I went and checked out your story hour and I'm impressed.  The bit that I read was well done and I look forward to reading more.  I also skimmed the thread to see what I was getting myself in for and there is a TON of Story Hour there.  That's a good thing though.

I did note that your wife is a player too.  Any chance of getting her to come to NCGDII?


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## Jon Potter

Rel said:
			
		

> *By the way, I went and checked out your story hour and I'm impressed.*




Why, thank you. It's definitely a labor of love for me, but it's always nice to hear that others enjoy my efforts. as you well know, I'm sure!



> *I did note that your wife is a player too.  Any chance of getting her to come to NCGDII? *




Not really. Someone's got to stay home and watch our daughter. I don't think that having a crazed 18-month old running around the place would be very conducive to everyone's enjoyment of Game Day.


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## Darklone

Rel said:
			
		

> *You may recall having heard a loud smacking sound in the fall of 2001.  That was my hand against my forehead.  It's not that I didn't realize that Emor was patterned after the Roman Empire, but I just didn't catch the little word play.  Doh!
> *




LOL! That explains THAT.


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## Rel

Jon Potter said:
			
		

> *Not really. Someone's got to stay home and watch our daughter. I don't think that having a crazed 18-month old running around the place would be very conducive to everyone's enjoyment of Game Day. *




Well, if you guys manage to arrange babysitting, I'd love to have her in my afternoon Orcz game.  But I know that can be tough.  Thankfully, my wife will be keeping track of our little "Wandering Monster" that day so I can go enjoy the Game Day.


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## Old One

*Great Finish!*

Rel -

Just back to catching up on SHs after my long pause and your's is the first one I went to (after dropping by mine for quick comment).  Great final battles...great sacrifice by Raven...way to leave lots of hooks for further campaigns!  It would be great to see you guys start up again...

A quick comment on Rel's use of the *Faded Glory* campaign world.  I was amazingly flattered and humbled when he requested to use FG as a base for his own campaign.  I was likewise extremely pleased to see how he customized it, swapped elements and made it live and breath.  The level of detail he expanded on rivals (or surpasses) my own.  Well done!

Finally, I had the opportunity to play with Rel and his crew for the one-shot Slavers module in Nov 02 while in NC on business.  They were tremendously gracious, welcomed me with open arms and I had a great time.  I wish I could make it down for the NC game day, but chances are slim and none !  If Rel is organizing, I am sure it will rock!

Great finish and I look forward to more soon...

~ Old One

PS - Jon, let me know if you would like me to give you access to my Yahoo!Groups for the Faded Glory Campaign...it has most of the history, a player's guide, table rules and other items.

PPS - Rel, I have done some work with Glynden in NWN as well...I would be interested in seeing what you have!


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## Jon Potter

*Re: Great Finish!*



			
				Old One said:
			
		

> *PS - Jon, let me know if you would like me to give you access to my Yahoo!Groups for the Faded Glory Campaign...it has most of the history, a player's guide, table rules and other items.
> *




I'd love the opportunity. Thanks for sharing!


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## Darklone

Fame bump.


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## Rel

I just thought I'd chime in here and mention that the campaign we're currently playing (being run by Speaks With Stone) is about to come to a close.  Then we'll be taking a few weeks off to play some board games, maybe watch a movie or two, possibly have a baby.  After that the group has decided to resume playing my Faded Glory campaign.

There will be more story hour.

Speaks With Stone is a lock to return.  Either Rhys or Scar (probably Scar) will return and it is as yet undecided whether Lazarius will be back or whether that player will make an entirely new character.

My one question to you folks is whether you think I should just keep adding on to this thread or if I should start a new thread (Rel's Faded Glory III)?  What do you think?


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## Broccli_Head

Start a new one!


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## Jon Potter

I vote new thread.

Maybe post a link here pointing to the new thread.


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## Rel

I just wanted to let the readers know, in case you didn't see the thread in General, that we've had a terrible tragedy in our group.  The Lone Corndog, who played Rhys and Scar, died of a heart attack on Saturday.  He was 33 years old.  The thread is here:

http://www.enworld.org/forums/showthread.php?p=1101574

I'd like to ask that if you wish to post your condolences, you do so in that thread.  I'll be directing his mother there so she can see the outpouring of sympathy and support that we've gotten from ENWorld.

Thank you.


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## Darklone

*mourning bump*


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## Darklone

Bump.


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## Rel

Anybody who's been reading this thread may want to check out this one:

http://www.enworld.org/forums/showthread.php?p=1217575#post1217575


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## Rel

Anybody who's been reading this thread may want to check out this one:

http://www.enworld.org/forums/showthread.php?p=1217575#post1217575


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