# Heroes Of The Lance (4th Age Dragonlance) [UPDATED 5/16]



## peteyfrogboy (Apr 12, 2004)

This story hour is going to be different from my last one, since I'm playing instead of running. The campaign is a (mostly) 3.5e D&D game in the Fourth Age Dragonlance setting. The rules will be a mix of the WotC Dragonlance sourcebook and a large stockpile of 2e resources that will be converted as necessary. The players are a mixture of hardcore and inexperienced gamers, with only a couple of players familiar with the setting. We'll be playing the classic series of modules, so technically there will be some spoiler material here.

Anyway, on with the story!


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## peteyfrogboy (Apr 12, 2004)

*The Tower*

_*The 11th day of Summer's End, 351 AC*
Since my arrival at the Tower I have found myself reading the journals of many wizards and have found them most enlightening. It is my intention, therefore, to begin a journal of my own so that future generations may learn from my successes and, no doubt, from my failures.

While I would like to believe that I will one day be famous enough to need no introduction, I shall provide one for the sake of completeness. My given name is Auresh, and I was born seventeen years ago in the port city of Rigiit on the edge of the Plains of Dust. My mother, Lynnet, was until recently a resident of one of that city's finer pleasure houses. She is of Solamnian descent, and her fine blonde hair and blue eyes have always been great assets to her in her profession. Of her history I know little, save that she was not born in Rigitt.

My father is Linthahar of the Black Robes, and it was he that set me on the path of wizardry some three years ago. He was a good teacher and a kind master, and I will always be grateful to him for that. I know less of his past than my mothers. He was exiled from his native Qualinesti for some transgression unknown to me, and made his residence in Rigitt. He told me what he could of the Test of High Sorcery, and trained me as best he could to survive and succeed at it. When the time came, that training was put to its ultimate test..._

***

Auresh picked his way along the forest path, cursing the twigs and briars that clawed at his robe and cloak. The countryside of his homeland may have been bleak and barren, but he wasn't sure that this tangle of vegetation was much of an improvement. He had begun his northward journey in the middle of Spring, and the weather had been temperate enough that he was still wearing the loose robes and turban that were the style most familiar to him. He had been able to dispense with the dust-blocking veil once he reached the mountains, but aside from that he looked much like any other traveler from that dusty country. A closer look, however, revealed the fair skin and hair that he had inherited from his mother, as well as the delicate features and distinctive ears given him through his father's elvish blood.

The half-elf grunted as he snagged the hem of his robe on a root for the thousandth time. He knelt down to disentangle himself. The sun was nearly set, and he was hopelessly lost. Even with his keen elvensight, the dim forest gave him no clue which way to go. Indeed, as he understood it, it was impossible to find the Tower of High Sorcery by any normal means. As if in answer to his thoughts, when Auresh stood again he saw a tall white tower illuminated by the setting sun. 

Relief and apprehension battled for dominance in the young wizard's heart as he approached the Tower. There was a single door in the wall of the structure, before which stood three men. The three men were similarly clad save for the colors of their flowing robes: there was one each of white, red, and black. As Auresh came nearer, they stared impassively at him. Finally, the red robed wizard spoke: "Who is this that comes to the Tower?"

Auresh swallowed, knowing that from here on everything he did would be scrutinized. "I am Auresh, son of Linthahar of the Black Robes. I have come to take the Test of High Sorcery."

The three wizards exchanged glances. The white robed wizard spoke next: "We are well aware of your father. He has stolen an artifact from the Tower, and we wish its return."

Whatever Auresh expected to hear, this was not it. "I had no knowledge of this." He didn't know much about the ways of High Sorcery, but he knew that stealing from another wizard within the Tower itself was strictly against the rules.

The black robed wizard sniffed. "We figured as much." He gestured toward the door leading into the tower. "The object he took was a magical staff. He took it into one of the training rooms and sealed the door behind him. He also left this for you." The wizard handed Auresh a roll of parchment sealed with black wax.

Auresh recognized his father's seal. He broke the seal and unrolled the letter. "Say this to pass the door," it read, followed by a word that was in no language Auresh was familiar with. "You may enter the Tower to retrieve the staff for us," said the red robed wizard. "After you pass through the door, take the first stair on your left, then go to the door at the end of the hall. beyond that I cannot tell you where to go."

The three wizards stepped aside as the door opened. With little other option, Auresh followed the directions he had been given. The door he came to seemed no different from others he had passed, though he guessed that there must be some sort of enchantment on it. He unrolled the parchment and said the word his father had written there. The door opened, revealing a dark, swirling mist beyond. Taking a deep breath, Auresh plunged ahead.


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## peteyfrogboy (Apr 14, 2004)

*Alone In The Woods*

_The beginning of my Test was somewhat surreal. I wasn't sure what I should believe and what was illusion. I felt it was best to take everything at face value, just in case. In hindsight, I'm glad I made that decision._

***

As he emerged from the portal, Auresh found himself in the forest again. For a moment he thought he might have taken a wrong turn and walked back out of the tower. His train of thought was interrupted, however, by a pair of walking corpses staggering toward him. The zombies were slow, but they were already almost upon him. He stepped back and began speaking magical syllables, and soon disappeared from view. The zombies swung their rotting arms through the space where they had last seen him, but to no avail.

As he caught his breath, Auresh saw something moving quickly away through the woods. It was smaller and faster than a man, but aside from that he could make out no other details. Looking around, he could see the outline of the portal he had emerged from, still filled with swirling mist. There was a path through the woods going in the same direction the mysterious creature had gone. With no other clues to follow, he quietly made his way down the path.

The sun had long since gone down by the time Auresh became visible once more. He had taken note of the two moons as they rose in the night sky, and they were not quite in the phase they should have been. He wasn't sure what that meant, but he made a note of it. Wherever he was, it was likely not simply the forest outside the Tower. 

The narrow path continued straight for several miles, and Auresh wondered if it would ever end. Just as he was beginning to fall into his normal habit of swearing at the underbrush, he spied a flickering light ahead. Approaching as quietly as he could, he saw a small clearing in the forest along the path. It seemed in fact to be at the intersection of two paths, with four creatures camped in the clearing itself. He could see that they were not men, though too tall to be goblins. _Hobgoblins_, he guessed, taking note of the sword at each creature's hip. Two were sleeping, while the other two were watching the forest around them. Perhaps most unsettling was the presence of a large wooden cage, just the right size for a single young wizard.

As Auresh knelt in the underbrush, one of the watchers called out, "Are you coming out?" The hobgoblin wasn't looking in his direction, but Auresh assumed that the question was intended for him.

_This is supposed to be a test of my magical skills_, thought Auresh. _I suppose it's time to start using them_. Keeping his voice as low as he could, he wove an illusion of himself peeking through the bushes at the edge of the clearing. The hobgoblin who had spoken turned toward the image. "Come on out," he said. The Auresh-image looked at the hobgoblin, then bolted around the edge of the clearing and ran down the path that ran perpendicular to the one Auresh had been following. The other guard ran off after the illusion, while the first guard roused his sleeping companions and sent them of the same way.

Auresh smiled at his success, though there was still one hobgoblin left in the clearing. He started moving around the clearing as carefully as he could, but the clinging brush made enough noise that the hobgoblin began looking in his direction. Auresh stopped and began casting quietly again. He concentrated on one of the flaming logs in the campfire, trying to use it to set the hobgoblin's clothes on fire. His intended victim saw the brand coming, however, and managed to get out of the way and draw his sword. He slashed at the floating log, calling for the other guards to return. Making the most of the distraction and noise, Auresh continued around the clearing and moved as quickly as possible back to the path he had originally been following.

The night wore on as Auresh continued down the path. He again saw the light of a campfire in a clearing ahead. He crept forward through the trees, again seeing two sleeping hobgoblins and two on watch, though this time there was no cage. He was still having trouble staying quiet, however, and one of the watchers looked directly at him. Auresh began weaving his magic again, this time planning to silence the guard with a blast of flame. As he was casting, however, Auresh noticed that the hobgoblin didn't seem to look like he was planning to do anything especially violent. More than anything, he looked tired and bored. Cursing his own indecision, Auresh redirected his spell at the last minute to scorch the ground near the creature's feet.

The hobgoblin jumped back and drew his sword. "I don't recommend you doing that again."

Auresh stood and walked to the edge of the clearing, though still just out of sword range. "What do you want from me?"

"We're just following your father's orders," said the hobgoblin. "We're to wait for you and take you to him."

"So what was the cage for?"

The hobgoblin shrugged. "He wasn't sure you'd cooperate."

Auresh considered his option. All four hobgoblins were awake now. Whatever was going to happen, it looked as though he was going to have to meet with his father sooner or later. He sighed and stepped forward. "Take me to him."


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## peteyfrogboy (Apr 14, 2004)

*Family Reunion*

_Despite his belonging to the Order of Black Robes and predilection for necromantic magic, I had never known my father to be anything but kind and generous._

***

The hobgoblins left Auresh at the edge of a vast clearing. There was no one in sight. At the center of the clearing was a large, flat boulder, a wooden crate, and a canvas tent. Auresh walked into the clearing. As he drew near the tent, Linthahar emerged, as always clad in his black wizard's robes. "I've been waiting for you," he said.

Auresh was wary. He was not by nature the most trusting of people, and his father had given him little reason to change now. "Hello, Father. Is it true that you stole a staff from the Tower?" There was no staff anywhere to be seen.

Linthahar waved a hand dismissively. "I only borrowed it. I simply seek to increase its power, which will benefit us all in the end."

"So what do you need your old apprentice for?"

"I can't cast some of the spells I need for the ritual." Auresh recalled that Linthahar had forsaken illusion-based magic, which was Auresh's own concentration. "Also," continued the black robed mage, "I need a little bit of your blood."

The more he heard of his father's plans, the less Auresh liked them. Aside from the general unease he felt about blood magic, he didn't want to get mixed up in any activities that would get him thrown out of the Order of high Sorcery before he even got in the door. "Why me? Why not get someone else to cast the spells you need?"

The elf sighed. "I told you I needed your blood. My _son's_ blood. I really thought you were smarter than this. You haven't even asked who's in the box yet."

_Who?_ Auresh glanced over at the long, narrow box. There were holes in the lid of the box; whoever was in there was at least still alive. It didn't take long for the realization to hit him. "My mother."

Linthahar clapped. "Bravo."

Auresh turned his gaze back to his father. "And what if I refuse to help you?"

"I'd really rather it not come to that," said Linthahar wearily. "I could always start over with a new apprentice, but that would take time I'd prefer not to spend. Think of it: once the ritual is completed, the staff will be attuned to you and I alone. We could use its power together."

"I thought you said you were going to increase the staff's power to benefit _everyone_."

"Certainly, our gain is everyone's gain, don't you think?"

Auresh didn't think much of that line of reasoning. Indeed, he was now trying to figure out how to get out of the entire situation with his own hide intact. He spared a thought for his mother, but he doubted his ability to save himself, much less her. Shaking his head, he began to cast a spell to increase his speed; if he was going to run, he'd need to run fast. He felt the magic tingling in his feet and dashed for the far side of the stone at the middle of the clearing. Even as he ran, he could hear his father casting his own spell. auresh felt the pressure of his father's incantation trying to grab hold of him, but he managed to fight off the feeling and keep running. He stopped on the other side of the stone, hidden from Linthahar's view.

The respite didn't last long. He heard more arcane syllables; they were unfamiliar, but he was sure he wouldn't like the outcome. He reminded himself why he was there: somewhere nearby was the staff he had been sent to retrieve. Linthahar didn't have it on him, and it was unlikely to be in the box with his intended sacrifice. That only left the tent. Auresh spoke a few quick words, and saw several magical auras blaze from within the tent. 

Just then, Auresh heard a new sound from the far side of the stone: an evil, canine growl. "Find him," was his father's command. Whatever creature he had summoned, Auresh didn't feel inclined to face it. He conjured the sound of running feet moving away from his position, but there was no chase given. He heard the sounds of footsteps and canine sniffing growing nearer. Using one of his last few spells, he sheathed himself with a protective barrier and dashed into the tent.

The tent was small and sparsely furnished. Auresh's attention was immediately drawn to a staff and dagger lying on a small table. He grabbed them both as soon as he saw them. The staff seemed quite ordinary for being so highly prized: it was a simple wooden shaft topped with a golden triangle. Before Auresh could study it any further, however, The entrance of the tent was blocked by a menacing shape. It looked like a large dog, but its glowing red eyes and brimstone breath gave away its infernal origins. Auresh dropped to the ground as the hellhound's mouth opened, miraculously avoiding most of its fiery breath. The walls of the tent were not so fortunate, however, and flames leaped all around him.

For a few frantic moments Auresh tried to fend off the beast with the staff, but only succeeded in annoying it. He felt its teeth rake across his legs even as the tent became further engulfed in fire. Desperate to escape, Auresh ran right past the hound, amazingly dodging its snapping teeth. Once clear of the burning tent, he ran as fast as his legs would carry him back down the path.

After several minutes the magical quickness left his legs, and he stopped to catch his breath. There were no sounds of pursuit from behind him. He knew there was still danger ahead, though, and he warily continued back the way he had come. He gave the hobgoblins at the nearest clearing a wide berth. He had developed a realistic enough opinion of his stealth skills by this point to not take any unnecessary chances. Indeed, even as cautious as he was, one of the guards at the second encampment managed to spy him though the trees. As the hobgoblin opened his mouth to shout an alarm, Auresh cast a quick spell. A large ball of flame rolled out of the campfire, incinerating the vigilant guard in an instant. As the other three hobgoblins tried to avoid their apparently haunted campfire, Auresh crept the rest of the way around them.

By the time he finally returned to the magical portal, Auresh was tired, singed, and bleeding from a hundred tiny scratches. Fortunately, the zombies had wandered away. He doubted that he had the energy left to fight them. he cautiously probed the portal, but it seemed just as harmless from this side as it had from the other. Relieved that his ordeal was over, he stepped through and emerged back in the hallway from which he had come. 

The three wizards were waiting there, expectant looks on their faces. Auresh held out the staff without a word. The wizards smiled. "Congratulations," said the black robed wizard. "You have survived the Test." He smirked and added, "You passed up an opportunity to gain power for yourself, however. The Order of Black Robes frowns on such a lack of ambition."

The white wizard shook his head. "We do not put so high a price on ambition. However, you made no attempt to save your mother from her dire situation. Callous disregard for innocent life makes you unfit to wear the White Robe."

Finally, the red wizard spoke. "As difficult as it is to achieve the ideals of either of my colleagues' Orders, it is no easier to strike a balance between them. The Red Robes applaud both restraint and self-preservation. I am happy to welcome you to our ranks." Auresh hadn't seen it before, but there was a folded red robe in the wizard's hands. "You may keep the staff and dagger as a reward for passing the Test. I would suggest availing yourself of the Tower's resources to determine the extent of their powers.

***

_In a way I was angry that they had been watching me and did nothing to help. It was my Test to take, however, and if I couldn't succeed at it, then I was not worthy of their assistance. It's a hard thing to accept, and I have seen the same sentiments reflected in many of my colleagues' memoirs.

I have spent some time researching the history of the staff my father stole. It appears to have been created by the famous war-wizard Magius, and has resided here in the Tower since his death. It has a number of enchantments to both create and manipulate magical effects. It also provides the bearer with magical defenses. There are claims that it also has potent offensive enchantments, but I have yet to see any proof of that.

At first I was amazed that I was allowed to keep such a powerful artifact. I realized quickly, however, that my father quite likely still covets it and will possibly attempt to take it again. It will be as much a curse to me as a blessing.

Having been given possession of  the staff, part of me wishes I had aided my father in increasing its abilities. The means to that end were too grave, however, even in hindsight. Perhaps with the staff and his apprentice gone, Linthahar will release my mother from her captivity. Sadly, I doubt that will happen.

If Linthahar's plan was indeed a sound one, perhaps there is another way to increase the staff's power, without resorting to blood magic. I will have to research the matter further. 

As for the dagger, it bears only a minor enchantment. At least I won't have to sharpen it._


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## peteyfrogboy (Apr 16, 2004)

it'll be a couple more weeks before we get a chance to play the first real session, but I've started working on new miniatures for the game. The gallery thread link is in my sig.


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## peteyfrogboy (Apr 18, 2004)

The next actual gaming session will be the first weekend in May, so until then I'll leave you with a sneak preview of the full party:

http://www.houseofpung.net/dl/images/heroes.jpg


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## Kai Lord (Apr 20, 2004)

Right on, its nice to see a Dragonlance Story Hour.      I like the Test, did your DM run it for your character or did you write it up as his backstory?  Either way it was very nice.


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## peteyfrogboy (May 3, 2004)

Kai Lord said:
			
		

> Right on, its nice to see a Dragonlance Story Hour.      I like the Test, did your DM run it for your character or did you write it up as his backstory?  Either way it was very nice.




She ran me through it while everyone else was working on their characters.


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## peteyfrogboy (May 3, 2004)

*On The Road To Solace*

_*The 13th day of Autumn's Harvest, 351 AC*
Life among the wizards of the Tower is a great change from what I have known before. The power we have access to is indeed a blessing, a daily reminder of the presence of the three gods of magic in our lives. The faith of my colleagues is both comforting and infectious, and I find myself more and more devoted to the pursuit and preservation of the magical arts.

In the world outside, however, there is still an undercurrent of despair that I never really noticed until it was gone. For those not privy to the secrets of High Sorcery, the gods are still absent. I have discussed this matter with Master Urugon, and we are both intrigued with the possibility that the other gods might be returning to the world. Also of great interest to Urugon is the claim of the Council of High Seekers in Haven that there may be new gods that might take the place of those that abandoned us during the Cataclysm. I have agreed to travel to Haven to see if I can find any truth in the rumors of their divinely granted powers.

Being on the road again is both a joy and a burden. I miss the comfort and companionship of the Tower, but I find myself enjoying seeing new places. In particular I am looking forward to Haven. It will be interesting to see a great city not in a state of decay. My next stop will be Solace Town, however. It is a curiosity in that the majority of it is built up in the valenwood trees that dominate the local forests. The journey has been a pleasant one so far; I pray that it remains so._

***

For all its power, the Staff of Magius also made a fine walking stick. Auresh had had little call to use magic of any sort on the road from Wayreth Tower, save for minor enchantments to patch his boots and clean the dust from his robes. The trip north had been primarily through hill and mountain country, and the area near Solace was no different. Auresh was just coming to the top of another hill when he had to leap aside to avoid being run over by a fat hobgoblin perched atop a galloping pony.

Looking down the far side of the hill, Auresh saw nearly a dozen more hobgoblins surrounding a strange trio of people. One was an elf of Qualinesti extraction, another a large man dressed in the style of the Ice Folk, while the third was clearly marked as a Knight of the Crown. It wasn't hard to pick which side of the battle he would rather be on. Turning back in the direction he had come, the half-elf loosed a trio of magical darts at the fleeing rider. Though they struck unerringly, the hobgoblin stayed in his saddle. The pony was moving at a dead run, and only one spell in Auresh's arsenal could hit it at its increasing range. He felt a little bad for the pony as he sent a flickering mote of fire in its direction. A ball of fire blossomed around mount and rider alike, but both managed to survive the inferno and round a bend in the road.

"Blast," muttered Auresh. "I must be out of practice." He turned back to the battle below, only to find that it was already over. He was hardly surprised at the outcome; from the look of them none of the three defenders would be easy prey for bandits. Despite their varied backgrounds, the companions in arms seemed to know each other. They were talking amongst themselves as he approached along the road.

"Who goes there?" The knight spoke as Auresh approached, a naked sword still in his hand.

"I am Auresh, a traveling wizard." the half-elf glanced around at the bodies strewn around the road. "You seem to have had a bit of trouble."

"Nothing we couldn't handle," said the elf woman. Several of the fallen hobgoblins had been pierced by elf-fletched arrows.

"I can see that. There was one other who nearly ran me over, but he was moving too fast for me to bring down with magic."

The barbarian, who had been leaning on his sword and catching his breath after the battle, spoke: "We thank you for the effort, wizard." He straightened up to his full towering height and extended a hand in greeting. "I am Glupin," he nodded toward the others. "This is Raelyn of Qualinost, and Gildas, Knight of the Crown."

Auresh greeted each of the companions in turn. "Is this road usually so dangerous?"

Gildas shook his head. "Normally it is quite safe. These creatures were no simple bandits, I fear. They seemed to think we had something... what was it?"

"A blue crystal staff," said Raelyn.

"That was it. A strange thing to be looking for. They said they were sent by someone called Onyx. Does that name mean anything to you?"

"It doesn't sound familiar." Auresh hadn't heard the name before, but someone who took the name of a black gemstone seeking a magical staff brought a shiver of _deja vu_ to his spine.

"Where are you headed, wizard?" asked the elf. Her tone had an edge of suspicion, but Auresh expected no less from any of the Qualinesti.

"I am bound for Solace Town. It should be nearby."

"It is," said Glupin. "Solace is our home town. We were just on our way back there ourselves. It will be good to see a familiar place again after so long."

"So long?" asked Auresh. "What has taken you from your home for so long?"

Glupin and Raelyn hesitated, and looked toward Gildas. The knight said, "We have been traveling widely, searching for signs of the True Gods' return."

"Is that so?" It seemed to be a popular pursuit. "Have you found any?"

The three shook their heads. "A few hints here and there," said Raelyn, "but no clear signs."

"That is unfortunate." Auresh wondered if they would accept the magic of High Sorcery as proof of the existence of the gods from which it flowed. The three gods were otherwise silent, though; they had no priests like the other gods of old once had. In any case, Auresh felt no need to discuss the secrets of the Tower.

Auresh broke the somber mood with a smile. "There's no point talking here on the road when we can find beer and beds in Solace. Shall we be on our way?"

***

Notes: As usual, much of the conversation is paraphrased. We had the usual party-building issues and goofing around during this session, which I have edited out. I also left out the reference to the hobgoblin's "fire retardant pony". For the record, the party at this point is:

Gildas, Human Fighter 4/Crown Knight 1
Raelyn, Qualinesti Rogue 5
Glupin, Human Barbarian 5
Auresh, Half-Elf Wizard 4/Red Robe 1


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## peteyfrogboy (May 14, 2004)

*A Short Visit To Solace*

_It was a strange group I had fallen in with, but things were to get stranger still before the day was done..._

***

Auresh was intrigued by the architecture of Solace Town; all of the buildings save the forge were built up in the branches of the giant vallenwood trees. He made a mental note to start preparing his fire spells as sonics, just to be safe. The Inn Of The Last Home was a pleasant refuge from the dusty road, and the wizard sat down in the first chair he saw.

His companions, being locals, were busy making the rounds of their old acquaintances, leaving Auresh to his own devices. He waved over the barmaid after she was finished greeting the returning adventurers. He could hear a bit of their conversation, enough to determine that her name was Tika. She was a pretty, red-haired lass with bright green eyes; a far cry from the dour and dusky girls of his youth on the Plains of Dust. As she brought him his beer he made a comment about showing her the power of his staff that earned him nothing but a cold glare. He was a little puzzled; he had seen that sort of line work countless times before. Then again, the men using those lines had been paying for the privilege. It seemed that growing up in a whorehouse was not the best way to learn the fine art of romance.

Auresh sighed and resigned himself to the simple pleasure of hot food and good drink. He looked around the room as he ate. Aside from the innkeeper and the barmaid, there were only a few others present: a storyteller sitting near the hearth, a cloaked man drinking alone, and a dark-haired woman with a sickly-looking plainsman for a companion. Gildas and Raelyn were talking with the pair of plainsmen, while Glupin spoke with the storyteller. Auresh finished his meal and went to join the knight and elf.

The woman introduced herself as Dreya, and her companion was named Wolfsong. The soft-spoken plainswoman said they were just passing through Solace, though she was guarded about their destination. She had one of those faces that didn't show her age; she could easily have been anywhere from twenty to forty.

Before Auresh had a chance to say much more than his name, Gildas bumped into the walking stick leaning against Dreya's chair, causing it to fall and strike Raelyn on the shoulder. As it touched the elf, the staff flashed with a right blue light; for a moment it appeared to be made of shining blue crystal rather than simple wood. All conversation in the room ceased instantly.

Raelyn's eyes widened, and she reached up to untie the bandage on her upper arm where one of the hobgoblins' swords had grazed her. the rent in her shirt was still there, but the wound beneath was gone. Her head turned sharply then, and her expression of surprise was replaced with her usual elvish wariness. "We should go," she said, nodding toward the empty chair where the cloaked man had been sitting.

Dreya scooped up her staff and gripped it with both hands. Her normally serene expression was clouded with worry. "_We_ should go. This is not your concern."

Gildas shook his head. "I don't know exactly what's going on, but if you're in danger my Oath demands that I offer aid."

Glupin approached then, his face unreadable. "I agree. We should make haste."

"As you wish," said the plainswoman.

***

_The appearance of this blue crystal staff both disturbs and intrigues me. Clearly it is of importance to someone -- someone who will go to great lengths to acquire it. Traveling with Dreya will put us in further danger, but to leave it unprotected would increase the chances that it would fall into the hands of this "Onyx" or someone else. Of course, I am eager to examine the staff myself. It is a source of healing magic of the sort not seen in centuries. For this reason alone it would be a great prize, but I suspect there is more to it than that._

***

The six travelers struck out west from Solace. The sun was already set, and they marched as quickly as they could across the hill country. After they had put several miles between themselves and the Inn Of The Last home, they stopped to rest.

Raelyn peered eastward from the crest of a hill. "No one's following us... yet." She trotted back down the hill to join the rest of the group, who were sitting on rocks and fallen trees eating some of the food they had taken with them from the inn.

"We were attacked by a band of hobgoblins on our way to Solace," said Gildas to Dreya. "They said they were looking for a staff like the one you carry. Do you know who they are?"

The healer shook her head. "I know little of the staff, much less who might be seeking it."

Raelyn arched a golden eyebrow. "How did you get the staff in the first place? It's not the sort of thing you just find lying around."

Dreya's gaze drifted toward Wolfsong, who sat apart from the rest of the group, looking out into the darkness and muttering to himself. "Wolfsong brought it to me. He wet on a long journey -- where, I do not know -- and when he returned, he had the staff with him. Whatever happened, it... changed him. I hope to find some way to heal his mind, but it has so far been beyond my skills at healing."

"Have you tried using the staff to heal him?" asked the elf.

The healer shook her head. "It can heal wounds of the body, but it has no power to heal the mind. At least, not that I have found."

Gildas frowned. "The question remains: where are we going to go from here?"

"We need to learn more about the staff," said Auresh, "and the largest library I know of outside the Tower is the Seekers' archive in Haven."

"Xak Tsaroth," said Glupin, who had remained silent until now. The others looked at him curiously. "The storyteller at the inn told me that, in a few days, I would bring the staff to a place called Xak Tsaroth. He said that there I would receive the greatest gift given to the world."

"What's that supposed to mean?" asked Raelyn.

Glupin shrugged. "I don't know. I just know what he said."

"Well, that puts a new light on things," said Gildas. "Does anyone know where this Xak Tsaroth place is?" Everyone shook their heads.

"I think I may have read something about it once," said Auresh. "It's an ancient ruined city, lost since the Cataclysm. Maybe we can find out where it is once we get to Haven." Auresh, of course, knew exactly where it was, or at least where it was supposed to be. Xak Tsaroth was one of many grand cities destroyed during the Cataclysm. Besides being a broken ruin in a stinking swamp, it was hundreds of miles in the opposite direction from Haven, and he had no intention of going there. 

"Well, I guess we have no other choice," said Gildas.

Auresh smiled. "Don't worry about it. Prophecies like that are funny things; if we're really supposed to go to Xak Tsaroth, we'll go there whether we want to or not."

***

Notes: Since all of the players already know and it may not actually come up in the story for a long time, I'll go ahead and reveal that Dreya (being played by my wife) is a disguised Irda. She is also a cleric of Mishakal, though at this point she hasn't actually figured that out yet. It's all very strange, but that's a Dragonlance campaign for you. The DM has heavily customized the cleric class for this campaign. They cast spontaneously like sorcerers, but with a very limited spell list. Essentially, each god provides six domains, and their clerics have access to those domains spells (including all six domain powers) and nothing else. It's an interesting system, but I think it will work out well in the end. As Dreya's player has never played a spellcaster before, it should make it easier for her by doing away with spell preparation and the sensory overload of the full cleric spell list.

At the beginning of this session, the DM gave each player a sheet with some backstory and motivation for their particular character. Auresh's has already pretty much played itself out now, so I can put the details in the story hour without giving anything away. I still don't know what any of the other players' agendas are.


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## peteyfrogboy (May 16, 2004)

*The Road To Haven*

_I am glad to be on the road to Haven, but I regret missing out on a night in a good bed. Hopefully the rest of the trip will be uneventful.

Somehow I doubt that will be the case._

***

Auresh woke to the sounds of shouting. He sat up and looked around. They had set up their camp at a crossroads a few miles west of Solace, between the boles of two vallenwoods the size of houses. It was still the middle of the night, but Solinari was at its peak, so there was some light to see by aside from the small campfire. He could see Raelyn reaching to her quiver for arrows, while Gildas already had his sword and shield at the ready. The knight had stayed up to keep an eye on Auresh during the first watch, so now he was without the heavy plate armor he had removed when he bedded down. Across the fire from Auresh, Glupin was reaching for his own sword. His coat of mail was light enough that he could sleep in it if necessary.

Peering through the darkness, the wizard tried to determine what was causing all the commotion. He could see humanoid forms entering the tiny circle of light made by the fire. They were taller than the average human, and as they grew nearer he could see the firelight reflecting off of their shiny scales. Leathery wings loomed behind them, and steel swords were held forth in their hands. Wolfsong took one look at them and ran off screaming. Auresh got up and followed him.

After putting a little distance between himself and the growing melee, he looked back and took stock of the situation. More and more of the things were appearing, gliding down out of the trees. Glupin was engaged with several of them on one side, with Raelyn just behind him plying her bow, while Gildas was on the other side of the camp defending himself against a handful more. Dreya stood between the two, gripping her staff with both hands.

Auresh saw four of the creatures coming forward toward Gildas. he quickly calculated their speed and distance, then began reciting the formulae to call forth the element of fire. The entire area was lit by a bright orange glow as the fireball exploded over the four lizard-men. As it faded, they continued staggering forward, their wings smoldering.

Dreya quickly came up behind Gildas, touching him with the staff. With a bright flash of blue light, the knight's wounds began to heal. One of the creatures took that opportunity to deliver a slash with its sword, and the healer recoiled, bleeding. Auresh came forward and wove an illusion over Dreya, causing her to appear as though she was several feet away from her actual location. If the warriors fell, the wizard would not be far behind; keeping the unarmored healer alive improved everyone's chances of survival.

Now that the initial surprise of the attack had passed, the creatures were beginning to fall beneath the blades and arrows held against them. Another surprise was in store, though; as the first of the lizard-men fell, Gildas shouted in surprise. As he struck a mortal blow to his opponent, the thing had turned to stone, trapping his sword deep inside its chest. Suddenly disarmed, the knight drew a dagger and continued to fight. Glupin lost his own sword similarly, and raced to retrieve another sword from Gildas's pile of gear.

Even with this bizarre turn of events, the creatures slowly began to lose the fight. The swordsmen began to learn the trick of yanking their swords back before they became trapped, while Raelyn and Auresh simply kept up a barrage of arrow and mage-bolt. Dreya ran back and forth healing those who needed it. Soon enough there was silence. A dozen stone statues stood about them in postures of death, and in several minutes they all crumbled to dust.

Gildas winced as Dreya bound one of the several wounds he had sustained during the fight. "What were those things?" he looked toward Auresh. "Wizard, did you recognize them?"

Auresh shook his head. "I haven't the faintest Idea." He stooped and shook stone dust out of his bedroll. "Wake me if anything else interesting happens."

***

_*The 16th day of Autumn's Harvest, 351 AC*
Aside from the ambush at the crossroads, the journey around the mountains to Haven was fairly boring. As we drew nearer to the city itself, however, we began to see more traffic on the road. We were passed by a farmer bound for Haven, with what seemed to be all of his worldly possessions in a wagon. When we inquired about his destination, he said that he was seeking the safety of the city because the North was burning. Indeed, as we looked that way, we could see thin columns of smoke far in the distance. The farmer spoke of winged, reptilian creatures that were on the move, bringing death and destruction with them. It was a worrisome tale, and our worries were only to grow as we continued._

***

As they came over the crest of a hill, the six companions caught their first glimpse of the spires of Haven in the distance. Of more immediate interest, however, was a band of brown-robed monks walking alongside a tarp-covered wagon. The monks, unlike most of the people they had seen lately, were traveling away from the city. Gildas led the group off to the side of the road to let the wagon pass. One of the monks stopped and addressed him: "Traveler, have you heard any rumors of a staff made of blue crystal? It is a holy relic that was stolen from our temple in Xak Tsaroth." He gestured toward the wagon. "One of our brothers lies within, mortally wounded. We seek the staff that we may heal his wounds."

Auresh tried to see the face beneath the brown hood, but there was only shadow. Gildas shook his head. "We have seen no such staff." The monks continued on, soon disappearing over the hill to the east. After they were out of sight, Gildas frowned. "That was another one of those lizard things. They seem to be everywhere."

Continuing on toward the city, the traffic on the road continued to increase. Refugees from the North were streaming toward the relative safety of Haven. Auresh supposed that the sprawling city could probably support the sudden population increase, but there were no walls save the one around the city center. If an army marched against Haven, it was likely that the only benefit for the refugees would be not dying alone.

They began to see patrols of soldiers coming from the city, riding up and down the road. Rumor came quickly that they were questioning all travelers with staves. Auresh looked at Dreya's staff. It looked like a simple wooden staff now, but it seemed best to not have it come under closer inspection. He began weaving an illusion to hide it from view. "This will only last about an hour," he said, "but that should at least get us past the first patrol." He reached out to place the enchantment on the staff, but as he touched it he could feel a strong surge of electricity jump up his arm. He jerked his tingling hand away. The brief contact seemed to have been sufficient; the staff was now invisible. "It seems like that thing can protect itself pretty well."

When they finally came abreast of  one of the patrols, Auresh was somewhat surprised by the cursory inspection they received. The soldiers said that the High Seekers were looking for a blue crystal staff, or any information about it. They glanced briefly at Auresh's staff, but made no closer inspection before moving on. Still, just to be safe Auresh used one of his minor spells to help fix a broken harness on a farmer's wagon, in return for a hoe that would be seeing no use in the city. he removed the head from the tool and gave it to Dreya to affix to the top of her staff. "not much of a disguise," he said, "but better than nothing."


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