# Strange Friends, Part I: Of Mountains & Molehills



## Cyronax (Mar 21, 2002)

This is a retelling of the D&D 3e campaign that I ran from mid-September to mid-December of 2001. Most of the players and I were students at Beijing Normal University in China, and we were all American. We played a lot, since we were all too poor to party all the time and because we seemed to never find time to study our Chinese like we should have. It’s been a long time since we parted ways, now we are all scattered across North America and East Asia. I didn't have many of my gaming materials or a computer for that matter at the time, so I was forced to rely on the bare essentials, being the 3 core rulebooks, my aging campaign notebook that has all my maps and old ideas, a tattered copy of Dungeon magazine, and an adventure who's name I'll not reveal so as not to ruin any surprises for you the reader.  

Strange Friends will be retold with every effort to include what dialogue I can remember. I will probably have to take some liberties with some of it, but I plan to stay as true to what actually happened as possible. I'm even going so far as to try to keep the pace of combat true to what happened. My memory is pretty good I think.....

The name of this Story Hour pretty much sums up my feelings on how the campaign turned out. I had a great set of roleplayers who each created characters with strong and conflicting personalities. This is a party where most of the characters started out a bit greedy or downright evil, but eventually came to find their own moral compass. There several points throughout the campaign that some of us thought it'd be better for the characters to part ways, and have a new group be formed around the more "hero-like" characters, but that never really happened.  The term "strange friends" is actually the English name for a horrible, horrible Chinese movie (mosheng pengyou) that a few of the players and me were subjected to during Chinese class one semester. 

When we ran the campaign, I cut the bard class from the core classes and added the aristocrat class presented in the DMG. Clerics are very, very rare in my world, so I didn't allow the PCs to start off as them. There are only a handful of divine beings, about 11-15, depending on what your category of "god" is. All of the gods, except for the intermediate power Avasha, are demigods or quasi-deities. I had a witch class, which was basically a sorcerer using the witch spell list found in the DMG. We used Monte Cook's version of the ranger. I only allowed human, dwarven, half-orcish, orcish, and tiefling for the PC races. I'll say more about this later perhaps, but for now I'll briefly introduce my campaign world of Gauthon, which has been a work in progress since my senior year of high school four years ago. I'll try to post the first actual part of the Story Hour when I find the time, but for now here's my campaign world!

SOME ADVICE TO THE READER - Skip through the world introduction. Its useful for understanding some of this story hour, but its not necessary. I added it because I don't really have a homepage to put much of that sort of thing on.


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## Cyronax (Mar 21, 2002)

*The History of Western Mythrus*

The savage Tsai Nau frontier ("Sigh Now"), a region on the southeastern part of the continent of Jera, is a wild land of misty hills and tangled forests. It is littered with ruins of a countless civilizations that have inhabited this region for millennia. Long ago it was said that the enigmatic gnomes, a race known to be steeped in ancient magic, used their unnatural wizardry to twist the land, causing all kinds of evil creatures to stalk the land. After a time however, humans (from Halthyte lands from farther west) moved into the area. 

Beyond those simple facts about this region's ancient history, no one has any knowledge of the past. Only within the last three centuries, with the arrival of the restless Mytherian explorers, was Tsai Nau even remotely tamed. The Mytherians, Dendar dwarves, and orcs (followers of St. Poligran) were pilgrims from the distant continent of Faldor across the vast eastern Antraic Ocean.   

The Mytherians and their allies still speak of the barbaric wilderness that Tsai Nau was and still is. Those first Mytherian colonists lost much during the first foray into the wilderness, and it was only by the luck of the saints that they survived at all. Only two generations after establishing their new city of Valis Melgrin and erecting several outposts deep in the Tsai Nau woods, dark forces of some unknown menace razed the city, killing the last descendent of the Mytherians' great ancient king and patron saint Bellas of the Whiteblade. Bellas IV's death was a great loss to his subjects, as was the death Meynard the Mariner. That venerable hero and accomplished statesman, who had founded the first colonies in Jera decades before, was done in during a battle with a many-armed aberration of unknown origin.

The three hundred years between that dark day and the present are well known to sages and commoner alike. The remnant of the Mytherian army (which included a fair number of orcs) as well as a lucky four score of hill dwarves from the Brodin (Blackhammer), Bronderk (Gatehold), Lutgehr (Delvedeep), and Khazendruk (Strongbrow) clans, as well nine young nobles from the Visted (Westlight) clan survived the fall of Valis Melgrin, and fled with a few meager possessions on eleven longships south. Their strength and their resolve to survive came from a common soldier of remarkable strength and intelligence. Taurin Blackwulf was his name. Descended from the Tulusian barbarians on far Faldor, Taurin was said to be a head higher than any orc, craftier than any gnome, and able to out drink any dwarf. Taurin would go on to become the leader of the Mytherians, but to his people, he never could (or tried to) take the place of the line of St. Bellas.

Eventually the harried refugees under Taurin's banner came south to what is now the city of Southgate. On the arid coast of northern Tyradis the Mytherians encountered the survivors of the dying Tyradian empire known as Paradise. The Tyradians had become fractious people who constantly warred amongst themselves. One side still followed their cruel god Akkadurai, while the other had thrown off the yoke of oppression and taken to a nomadic lifestyle. The Mytherians and the nomadic Tyradians forged a valuable friendship thanks to the efforts of the wise Sai'hine Aderra. An ageless matriarch, who was as much a warrior as she was a philosopher and healer. 

Centuries passed as the Mytherians and their allies made a life for themselves in northern Tyradis. The Dendar under the youthful leadership of Karak, Son of Mulftor of the Visted clan founded a new homeland farther south in the deep caverns of Mount Argus. The dwarves, with their long life spans and cultural memory, have helped the Mytherians develop a thriving economy, many fortifications and aqueducts, and have even supplied them with their much guarded gunpowder weapons during Southgate's last war with Muruk. With their aid, the desert lands that the Mytherians settled soon became lush and verdant plains.

Meynard the Mariner, Sai'hine Aderra, and Taurin Blackwulf, after their own deaths, were apparently inducted into the Avatars of Fate (known as saints or soul-wardens to Mytherians ) much like Bellas, Tarkis, and Poligran were centuries before. The three new saints replaced a trio that had been killed during the Freeing of Ishtar. The Avatars of Fate are always beings of strong character and power who are granted a portion of the archangel Avasha's power. Avasha is known as the Chained Angel, and is the guardian of the Godwall, an important magical barrier that permeates the mortal plane and protecting it from destruction. The Godwall also ensures the imprisonment of Anshar, the ancient embodiment of entropy and utter annihilation. 

It was Anshar who, during the War Across Forever in ancient times, nearly destroyed the entire universe, had all the gods not sacrificed themselves to defeat him. Of the original gods, only Ishtar, the cowardly Ramman, and a few angels like Avasha or Garse survived. The fact that so many of the current avatars were once a Mytherian, or one of their allies among the Tyradians and Dendar, makes many Mytherians feel very honored, while at the same time somewhat uneasy since the world is still mostly controlled by servants of the surviving Children of Doom, beings who have accepted a part of Anshar into their souls. 

The fact that the cruel Akkadurai is also an avatar (and probably the most powerful one at that, having become an avatar during the final days of the War Across Forever) is a bitter pill of sorts to many self-righteous followers of the Church of the Whiteblade. The final avatar, who has little influence in Western Mythrus, is Jun Longdi ("Jun the Dragon Emperor" in Mytherian). Jun Longdi was once the ruler of a vast Halthyte empire that fought against Thaglut, the gnomes of Tsai-Nau, and sometimes Akkadurai's empire of Tyradis. Though his ancient empire lies in ruins, he still fights the servants of Chaos and Destruction in the afterlife.

Their number throughout history is always eight. The number eight is very significant to many people. One, it represents the amount of power that Avasha can grant to the avatars (though the avatars have many powers in their own right), and two the number eight symbolizes opposition to Anshar, since that god=s main servants during the War Across Forever were the Children of Doom, who numbered eight. The Children were alternately known as the Dark Eight. The Children of Doom were the archangel Garse, the fire demon Thaglut, the gnoll Worgul, the gnome Ix, and the elves Cyronax, Lilith, and Menander. They were created during the last battle of the War Across Forever as Anshar was clearly losing to the combined might of the gods. Since then, the Dark Eight divided the world amongst themselves, snuffing out all that was good and civilized. They warred amongst themselves as much as they did what little resistance the first Avatars of Fate could muster. In the ages that have come and gone since they were the created, some parts of the world have been reclaimed from Evil. It is in these areas that life for humans and the other mortal races is possible. In other parts of the world however, the utter corruption of the Children of Doom and their servants still lingers. 

At the present, the Mytherians have forged an enduring civilization that is only getting stronger. They've been without a king for centuries, and much has changed since then. Taurin Blackwulf, as the saint most concerned with watching over his people (the other avatars have many other duties), is the most popular saint in Western Mythrus right now. His chosen servants, the Stokan Knights, are the de facto rulers of the Church Council, and the Grand Cardinal of the Stokan has great influence on the Grand Assembly, the semi-republican body that now governs Southgate. They are powerful warriors who are able to draw on the divine powers of their great patron. The divine magic they wield is a rarity in this world, and thanks to their wise efforts, much good has come from it.

In the past fifty years, the Mytherians have achieved several key victories against Muruk, the City of Purity, a large city-state ruled by priestesses of Akkadurai. Southgate, with the help of several Halthyte wizards and an effective use of Dendar gunpowder weapons, has finally gained the upper hand against the city, and for now Muruk poses little threat to the free peoples of 
Southgate or its holdings. As a result of this victory, Southgate began using its resources for more than just defense, as it has begun to conquer or establish contact with several islands in the Sea of the Turtle Gods. These areas once were settled by a few Mytherian freebooters from before the Fall of Valis Melgrin, and some of them have survived to this day. A host of new territory has come under Southgate's control in the past fifteen years, including the lost Dendar village of Stoneroot on Gray Moor Island, the old Mytherian lighthouse-fortress on island known as Meynard's Vigil, and the crime-ridden city of Holdover, which was once a major pirate stronghold.

The most recent colonial activity of the Mytherians is the Eswhalon settlement, which is barely thirty years old. Eshwhalon is located is less than a hundred miles from the glutted ruins of Valis Melgrin, and it has become the Stokan Knights' staging grounds for a crusade to reclaim the Mytherians' original lands in Tsai-Nau, and also locate several sacred items lost during the Fall of Valis Melgrin. These sacred items include the Shield of St. Bellas, the remains of Bellas IV and St. Meynard, and several holy books of lost scripture. 

Being few in number, the Stokan Knights, under the control of the aging Cardinal Redhat, has taken to issuing writs of indentured adventure. These writs often obligate individuals to a contract of two to five years of service depending on the skills of the individual. The duties entailed in such an agreement include laws for dividing spoils, tithing to the Stokan authorities, and funeral arrangements for the unfortunate. Those who complete the terms of the contract are often given plots of land, and in some cases given titles of nobility (for those who served with honor, fairness, and integrity). In the past thirty years, a new class known as the "adventuring nobility," has arisen.  The practice of issuing writs of indentured adventure is a practice that is slowly falling out of use since a sizeable portion of the frontier has been cleared for non-adventuring settlers from Southgate and the Turtle Islands. 

The most pressing order of business is tribes of orcs who have survived and thrived on the Tsai-Nau frontier since the Fall of Valis Melgrin, more than three centuries ago. These orcs seem to have reverted to barbarism, and have forgotten the example of St. Poligran. Nowadays, the orcs of Tsai-Nau, thanks to their race=s fecundity, are thought to out number the Halthytes and Mytherians on the frontier. Barbaric and stupid, the Tsai Nau orcs have become a devastating force that often raids human villages and other orc tribes in an endless cycle of violence. Many of these orcs follow the fire demon Thaglut. The most depraved of these orcs are known as ravagers, killing machines with no purpose other than slaughter. Ravagers, as well as some of that demon's shamans, have been known to pluck out their right eye in order to emulate their cyclopic patron. Despite missionary activities on the part of missionaries of St. Poligran, few of the proud Tsai-Nau orcs have been converted. Many of the new settlers on the frontier have growing fears of full-scale war between the orcs and the Stokan Knights.

**Note on Geography: I'll try to scan a map of campaign world sometime in the future, but for now picture the Tsai-Nau frontier as a fantasy version of Virginia, in terms of both geography and climate. Following this, the Eastern Shore is actually an island, which creates the narrow Meirlenith Sea, instead of a bay (Chesapeake). Eswhalon lies near the fall line of the Northern Neck River (Rappahannock River), and is analogous to Fredericksburg in location. The ruins of Valis Melgrin lie on the Meirlenith River (Potomac), and are analogous in location to Washington. The small city of Archaven lies at the mouth of the Brinding (James) River, and is analogous to the Hampton Roads area. The village of Cherry Knoll (where the campaign started) lies about seventy miles to the west, and is basically analogous to the southern hinterlands of Richmond. The Tsai-Nau frontier's climate is like Virginia's except that its temperate woodlands are vast and primal, while the areas near the Meirlenith Sea are swampy.  Beyond those parameters, the Tsai-Nau frontier, and the rest of my world bear no similarity to the real world.


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## Cyronax (Mar 21, 2002)

*Common Races of Western Mythrus*

Dwarves: Most of the Dendar that accompanied the Mytherians across the Antraic Ocean were either killed during the Fall of Valis Melgrin or else came south to Tyradis with St. Taurin. There are hopes though, that some of the Dendar managed to escape the wrath of the enemies that defeated the Mytherians. Reports from some adventuring groups, who have been in the deep woods of the Gorgon Mountains and beyond, pass on rumors of several lost strongholds of the Dendar farther west. Despite long years of searching, the only lost stronghold of dwarves that has been found is the village of Stoneroot on Gray Moor Island. This community of barely fifty dwarves has survived thanks to the protection of the powerful monks of Ghost Mountain, a misty mountain at the center of that small island. The aging Thane Karak and the other dwarves of the Last Clans, now wealthy and powerful in their redoubt at Mount Argus, fervently hope to find more of their brethren one day.  

The Dendar are divided roughly into five clans, all but one of which are considered hill dwarves. The other clan, the Visted clan, is known as mountain dwarves. The actual delineation between hill and mountain dwarves is more of an ancient way of determining one=s lineage in relation to the great highborn families of the old Dendar Thanedom on Faldor (the only known dwarven empire). The Visted clan remains the most "high-blooded" of the five clans, and though they have intermarried with the other clans numerous times over the last three centuries, they are still considered to be the only clan with blood ties to the old lords of the Dendar Thanedom. The Visted clansmen typically have lighter skin than hill dwarves, and they usually average about 4 2 feet tall, slightly above average for a dwarf. Only a Visted clansman can become a cleric of the Valarwruk, as the dwarven pantheon (Tarkis and the Old Gods) are known, or an aristocrat. Among the Dendar, Valarwruk clerics are very rare, and they usually don't stray far from the fastness of Argus. 

The dwarves of Mount Argus and the few other scattered holdings consider themselves the last bastion of Dendar culture. There are enough old-timers among them that the Dendar still vividly remember their homelands on Faldor. They know that great wars on that continent had caused the final defeat of the Dendar Thanedom, and thus many of the Dendar have a fatalistic attitude about their future. Thane Karak is usually very reluctant to send his dwarves into dangerous situations (such as the recent war with Muruk). He often makes up for this fact by donating huge amounts of gold to Southgate or loaning out gunpowder weapons. These cautious steps are often sometimes seen as cowardly to common Mytherians, and many people have an unfavorable opinion of the dwarven thane considering him and some of his people as greedy old men who sit on a hoard of gold like the dragons in old fairy tales. This has led in recent years to a lessening of Mount Argus's influence in the government in Southgate.

Elves: Known only through legend, elves are thought to have died out long ago during the War Across Forever. These powerful beings, along with the gnomes and other Elder Races, controlled the world, the heavens, and the planes themselves. Some Halthyte legends say that elves still dwell deep in the woodlands of the Tsai-Nau frontier, but no one has ever substantiated these rumors.

Gnomes: These little demihumans are feared by humans and dwarves alike for their devious and crafty minds and often sarcastic sense of humor. Greed is a virtue among gnomes, and their larcenous reputation is quite apt. Gnomes are also feared for their skills with illusionary magic, something few human wizards have any skill in.

Unlike their appearance presented in the Player=s Handbook, gnomes have wiry, gnarled physiques. Their skin is usually heavily tanned, their eyes are blue, lavender, or green, and most gnomish males are bald. Females and those gnomish men who actually grow hair have either black or silvery-gray hair. The men usually shave off their hair if they grow any.  It's a mystery if the gnomes are just reclusive hermits studying mad ancient tomes, or if they have dark cities somewhere on the frontier. Many historians believe that the Anameless horrors@ that drove the Mytherians out of the Tsai-Nau so long ago were either conjured or somehow controlled by the gnomes. Few people have ever seen a gnome, but their have been accounts of them on the Tsai-Nau and occasionally the Turtle Islands dealing with Halthyte wizards in various esoteric matters. 

Humans: Most humans on the coasts of northern Tyradis are of two types, Mytherian or Tyradian, though there is an increasing number of Halthytes given Southgate's growing influence. Mytherians are, as a rule fair skinned (burning easily in the harsh sun of arid Tyradis), and have a wide range of hair color and texture. They likewise have a great variety of eye colors. They are often taller than Halthytes, and Mytherians are known as great seamen and. The Way of the Shield, a chivalric code drawn from common courtesy, a warrior's honor, the stories of St. Bellas, and the Dendar thanes of Faldor, is followed by the most traditional and lawful Mytherians.  Though many people thought all of the Mytherian colonists were killed during the last days of Valis Melgrin, the returning explorers have been extremely surprised to find that many Mytherians must have survived and found their way to the few Halthyte villages on the Tsai-Nau coast. The returning adventurers have spoken of many Tsai-Nau humans with characteristics of both Mytherian and Halthyte lineage. There have also been rumors of pure Mytherian villages deep in the wilds. 

Tyradians have black hair and dark eyes. Most have a bronzed, olive complexion, almond shaped eyes, angular features, and are usually slightly shorter than the average Mytherian, but still taller than a Halthyte. Tyradians and Halthytes look alike in many ways, save for the Tyradians darker skin tones. Tyradians are known as excellent swordsmen, riders, and extremely obedient to their superiors. Most Tyradians have at least grudging respect for their ancient god Akkadurai, though few love him. Tyradians are also thought to be a little arrogant, if not racist. Many traditional Tyradians think that only their people are the only pure race left. 

The Tyradians who allied themselves to St. Taurin and the Mytherians three centuries ago have been more or less integrated into Mytherian society, and many have forgotten their ancestral language, a language said to be drawn heavily from Infernal (the language of devils). Among Tyradians, women hold an especially important place. Men are practically slaves to Tyradian women, and they are often purposefully crippled at birth (usually by ritually breaking the infant boy's ankles and sometimes shoulders), so that their greater strength will not one day threaten. 

Only noble women (usually tiefling priestesses of Akkadurai) have been allowed to rule. Among all Tyradians, it is very common for even a poor woman to have more than one man. For traditional Tyradians there is no such thing as marriage, but in Western Mythrus where some of the Free Tribes have been integrated, Tyradian women usually have more than one husband. The Church in Southgate frowns heavily on this, but has yet to outlaw this practice due to the influence of the Tyradians trading houses in the city. The highest role a man has always been the protection of a woman, and to this day, many Tyradian men take great satisfaction in helping their women. Many Mytherian women admire Tyradian culture for their strange brand of chivalry. The katana and wakizashi are the traditional tools of this protection. The patron saint of Tyradians in Mytherian society and a few of the Free Tribes is St. Sai'hine Aderra.

Halthytes are dark haired with almond shaped brown eyes, and have black hair and a pale complexion, though some are also tanned. They dwell mostly in the Turtle Islands and a few villages on the Tsai-Nau frontier. They are a relatively primitive people who were easily dealt with by the Mytherian seamen who reclaimed Meynard's Vigil and a few of the other islands in the region. Halthytes worship the spirits of their ancestors, the dragons of the Sea of the Turtle Gods, and various local nature spirits. They have no clerics, only adepts.  

Despite their somewhat primitive lifestyle, Halthytes seem to have a fairly advanced writing system based on thousands and thousands of characters. There are legends among them, of a great Halthyte empire somewhere deep in the Tsai-Nau frontier over the Gorgon Mountains in a place called Kai Xin. Some sages speculate that the Halthytes living in the Turtle Islands were once more civilized than they are now. This goes a long way to explaining why there are a fair number of wizards amongst them. These magic-users usually focus on alteration or elemental based evocation magic. 

These wizards, known as wu jen to the Halthytes, are constantly searching for ways to extend life beyond its natural limit. The necromantic Cult of Garse has become popular in some remote villages since its arrival from Faldor three hundred years ago. Halthyte wizards are not organized like Halthyte and Mytherian wizards in Western Mythrus (see the Wizard entry for more details). Instead, an apprentice learns the magical arts from a singular master, who often treats the young apprentice little better than a slave. These wizards, much like druids, often live the lonely life of a hermit, studying their art and nothing else. The average Halthyte villager fears any and all things magical, and usually the only spellcaster that they can tolerate is their village priest (adept) who tends to a small shrine housing the soul tablets of their ancestors. Clerics of the Church of the Whiteblade are also respected, but few Halthytes are willing to convert to a foreign religion. Most followers of the Church see the Halthyte ancestor worship as a primitive form of their own faith, given the once mortal nature of their saints. 

Orcs: Orcs are another one of the races that emigrated from Faldor so long ago. In Southgate the other towns of Western Mythrus, people consider orcs to be as integral to their country as the dwarves are. Relations are generally peaceful. Orcs are usually called Arock-blooded@ by normal Mytherians due to their grayish skin color. Many Mytherians and dwarves regard orcs as more or less human, while Tyradians and some Halthytes see orcs as yet more proof that Mytherians are related to beasts. A common Tyradian insult to half-orcs is "pig-f**ker." Half-orcs are fairly common, and actually seem to be getting more numerous in the some of the towns south of Southgate. Half-orcs far outnumber dwarves in Western Mythrus. 

In terms of personality and culture, half-orcs fit into Mytherian society pretty easily. Some tend to be individualistic, a little wild, and carefree, but not to any inhuman extreme. While others, lacking self esteem due to their bad looks, tend to be shy and soft-spoken. Full-blooded orcs are somewhat of a rare sight, and don=t fit in as well as half-orcs. Orcs look much different than average humans, and are usually relegated to low class jobs. Both orcs and half-orcs are usually not found in professions that rely on intelligence and education (or beauty for that matter). Orcs and half-orcs take Mytherian names, and are usually devout followers of St. Poligran, St. Bellas, and St. Taurin (in that order).

A disproportionate amount of the Mytherian military is made up of half-orcs and orcs. Nearly one third of the entire orcish race either is a soldier or was in their youth (the army has generous veterans' benefits). Still, even then, half-orcs and orcs comprise of only about 10% of the total number of soldiers. Mytherian orcs and half-orcs have fighter as their favored class, not barbarian. Most of these Mytherian orcs are neutral good, chaotic good, or neutral.

Tieflings: Despite the appearance of a hatred of anything nonhuman (and often non-Tyradian), the ancient Tyradian followers of Akkadurai saw the stern devils who served their Shining Prince as sacred beings. In time humans and devils, and in some cases Akkadurai himself (before the death of his mortal body), coupled during horrible rites, that ultimately resulted in half-devils and tieflings. Currently, devils and other outsiders having been banished or destroyed over the centuries, no longer stalk the mortal plane as much as they once did. Tieflings, however, still survive, and openly display their fiendish heritage in lands where Akkadurai's priesthood still holds power. Tieflings, due to difficulty in breeding, are still fairly rare. Among traditional Tyradians, tieflings are still given great respect, and even now only tiefling women and those Tyradian women (usually noblewomen) with devilish ancestors can become priestesses of the Shining Prince. Tiefling males have some status in traditional Tyradian lands (often as pampered studs in the heavily regulated breeding programs controlled by the high priestesses), but they are often viewed with suspicion and even a little fear. Tiefling males are usually killed outright if they show any disrespect to any female. To own a male tiefling slave in places like Muruk is a sign of status.


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## Rune (Mar 21, 2002)

Ooooo!  Exciting!

Great start, keep it up! (And check your thread on the main board, if you don't mind; I have a request.)


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## Cyronax (Mar 22, 2002)

*A beginning.......*

September 16th, 407 MY

LI HAI:
The creak of wagon wheels and the buzzing of marsh weevils greeted the stranger's ears as he was bumped awake by a rut in the trail. Li Hai cursed under his breath,

"Eh...old man, its been less three days, and I already regret picking your wagon."

The graying driver pursed his lips, but whatever he was going to mutter back to the stranger he wisely kept to himself. The reins clicked again, and Li Hai sat up in the back of the covered wagon. Leaning against bails of worked cloth offered little comfort on this road. This road was actually a trail that somehow served as the single artery for travel to and from the lucrative copper mines in the Gorgon foothills. It was aptly named the Copper Way. 

Li Hai climbed out the back of the wagon and followed along the wagon train. Six wagons, all but one in poor condition, made their west at a pace slower than the stranger could walk. A number of armed men on horseback rode alongside the wagons. Li Hai trailed beside his wagon, "When do we reach the next village?" he asked. 

"I suppose by sun down given our pace," the driver said, "and after that......we're really in the wilds."

The next village was Cherry Knoll, a pleasant name for a rather dreary place, or at least that's what Li Hai had heard. Cherry Knoll was the last village on the Copper Way for more than a week's journey west. There was no safety passed that village, only the Tsai-Nau woodlands in all their ancient mystery. Li Hai didn't see it this way however; he wasn't worried. Even if he had had plans to continue with the wagon past this village and into the true frontier, he had no fear. He silently mocked the scared tales of the "nameless horrors" of Tsai-Nau's past. History be damned, his time was coming. 

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GARETH:
The creak of wagon wheels also came to the ears of Gareth Steele. He heard this and much more. His senses were as alert as they had ever been.
More so than any of the other outriders, Gareth made sure he never let his guard down. An admirable quality for someone who has never had a serious day in all his life. He felt the weight of his chain shirt fall across his broad, yet unimpressive physique. 

"You seem worried Lord Steele, is something wrong?" The voice came from the driver of the first wagon, one Master Hollum, the caravan master, and a long time friend of the Steele family. Gareth drew his horse closer to the lead wagon with a natural smile playing across his handsomely broad face. "I was just wondering about what time we would reach Cherry Knoll. I can't remember the last time I've seen the Abbot." He had in fact never seen the Abbot. This was his first serious travel west of his family's castle at West Point. Hollum and the rest of the caravan didn't know this however.

"Well, Lord Steele, it should na be much further. We're making good time, and the road aien't been too baddened by the summer rains." 

"Excellent my good man. Tonight, we'll call on the Abbot's generosity, and perhaps we'll taste some of the delights of Cherry Knoll. Heh, a place with a name like that must have delicious food."

Mater Hollum kept an even smile on his face, and answered, "Well I suppose sir. Cherry Knoll isn' much more than an expression though." 

"What?"

"I mean to say that there are no cherries grown out in Cherry Knoll. It be just a name."

"Oh."

The caravan continued west towards the village.  Gareth was already annoyed.

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KELEC: 
It was unlikely anyone or anything noticed their passing. Even with his own clomping gait and the impatient panting of his wolfen companion, Kelec hurried east through the unclaimed woodlands of the Tsai-Nau frontier. He had foresworn the Copper Way, knowing he could reach his destination nearly as fast if he stuck to the trails that the wolf knew best. His companion was also a bit worried about using the road, instinctively sensing danger along such a course. 

It has been a long time since Kelec had seen this part of the forest, and even longer since he'd seen the marshlands and noisy villages near the Meirlenith Sea. If these thoughts gave him pain, he didn't let it slow his pace. He tried focus on the duty at hand: Illitol's Mound.
He was already tired from their march, but he kept going, knowing that the sooner he got there, the sooner he'd be able to come back. He didn't much care for civilization. It'd been at least a decade since he'd come to the frontier, and his time here could be boiled down to one word: relaxing. The only consolation he could find for coming east, was the promise of some proper ale at Cherry Knoll's only inn. Ole' Porblin's moonshine was definitely losing its strength lately, and a change would be nice. Optimism was a rare occurrence for this dwarf, and he immediately became sullen again.

He cared little for his mission, being a rather unambitious man himself. As he let his thoughts wander, Kelec began to worry that he was being pulled into something that would ruin his precious solitude. He had little doubt that this mission would take more than a week. Was this yet another plot to increase Nexatatus's influence in the Tsai-Nau? Or was this mission truly one of mercy for the wolf guardians of Illitol's Mound? 

To the dwarf the wolf seemed to be in an awful hurry. The wolf would often stop and look back on the dwarf's progress before continuing on the journey to his homeland. The wolf knew that his pack was in danger, and he could only hope that the dwarf's help would prove sufficient.

"F**k it!" 

He laid aside his daydreams and redoubled his efforts and began to run faster. Whatever the true reason for his mission mattered little now. He was in it up to his neck, and he knew it had to get done no matter what the true purpose. As his stout legs continued to pound eastward, he imagined that he could already smell the stench of humans and their unnatural ways.

---------------- 

GORBAG:
He probably misplaced his sword's sheath a day or two ago when he had camped near that pond. He didn't care. He just held the naked steel of his bastard sword idly in one hand. He barely noticed his chafing, bloody shoulders. He also barely noticed his soiled and rusting chain mail shirt. He merely lumbered east, down the Copper Way, towards an unknown future. He had stopped crying a few days before, and he barely remembered why he had left his people. 

Gorbag knew he was doing something right for a change. It felt good to be away from his father's incoherent speeches, the sickening sight of their weak goblin and human slaves, and the constant fighting. If thoughts could talk, Gorbag's were definitely were mute. He merely felt the present, always living from moment to moment. The blessing and the curse of it was that Gorbag's past was little more than a murky blur. He usually couldn't remember things unless someone helped him. In his dreams he saw more, remembered more. Sometimes the dreams spoke to him.

On the rare occasion he did think about the past, even as dark and bloody his was, anger rarely came forth. Even the throbbing wound on his right temple had finally lessened. He dimly remembered what this wound would have represented had he not resisted his father that night. 

He loved his dad, but leaving was the right thing to do. He was on a new road now. His homeland was more than a week behind him, and if he had been able to read it, much less notice it, he had just passed a sign upon which was sloppily written in Mytherian, "Welcome to Cherry Knoll."


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## Cyronax (Mar 23, 2002)

*Session I (Part I)*

Session I (Part I) 

Cherry Knoll had a shabby look to it in the light of the setting sun. It was the last gasp of summer, and today was even more unbearable and humid than normal. The rutted Copper Way, still muddy from last week’s rains, widened and bulged for a mere sixty feet before being tightened back to its normal size on the other side of the village. Several buildings lined either side of the bulge, with only one building having more than one story. 

The only remarkable building in Cherry Knoll was a small, one-story fort on the small hill, rising just north of the village proper. It was surrounded by a wooden palisade. All in all, the fort looked barely strong enough to withstand a strong breeze, much less an opposing army. 

Gorbag took in little of this in as he came to the western outskirts of the village. He passed several huts. Some had chickens meandering around out front. One had a pair of dirty peasant children that immediately froze at the sight of the newcomer. They just stared at the tired orc. 

He was probably the biggest man they’d ever seen. Standing at nearly six and a half feet, with wide shoulders and a lean body rippling with muscle, the orc was the size of three men. His tangled mass of long, sweaty black hair, gray skin, and the dull, bestial yellow eyes shadowed by thick eyebrows and a prominent brow ridge made him fearsome to behold. Even more unnerving was the fact that the orc’s massive bastard sword was unsheathed and held lazily held in his meaty left hand. The orc also had several bloody bruises on various parts of his body, with the oozing cut on his right temple being most prominent. 

As the orc passed the two small children, their mother appeared in the doorway behind them, and pulled both children back into the house. Gorbag paid little attention to any this. He was focused on something much more important: his stomach. 

As he came through the eastern outskirts of the village, his nose picked up the scent of cooking meat coming from the two story stone building in the village square. It was “L” shaped, and even the orc could tell it was an inn. 

A wooden sign with faded red letters proclaimed this backwoods oasis to be “Cutter’s Inn and Tavern,” and below it scrawled with little proficiency, was the Halthyte character for "Inn." 

The door to Cutter’s was pushed open, and stooping, the big man entered, bumping his greatsword and his right shoulder loudly against the door frame. This sound caused the girl behind the bar to issue a small cry of surprise. 

The rest of the common room held little interest for the orc. The only other people in the room were four bleary-eyed men dressed as woodsmen hunched, over a round table with a half empty bottle of some dark liquor and several upturned shot glasses scattered about their table. The men glanced up at Gorbag and sheepishly went back to their booze. If they had been doing any talking before he had come in, they weren’t doing any now. 

“Uh….hello….si..sir, welcome to Cutter’s.” she said. 

Gorbag, head nearly hitting the ceiling, lumbered over to the bar. 

“My stomach hungry………” 

The girl braced herself against the cloud of bad breath and body odor that surrounded the orc, and said, “What would you like?” 

Gorbag dropped his sword against the side of the bar, and it fell to the floor with a loud crash. The drunken men across the room jumped up in surprise, looking at the orc even more fearfully than before. The girl backed away from the counter. The orc barely noticed. 

“Uh…food. I wans meats and beer.” 

The girl just nodded and told the orc to make himself comfortable at which point she hurried through the curtained door that was directly behind her. 

She reemerged barely a minute later, followed by a middle-aged man with graying red hair. The pair found their new customer sitting at a table right next to the bar. The orc’s greatsword was where it had fallen earlier. A squat stool next to the table barely supported the orc’s monstrous weight. 

“Welcome to my inn sir. I’m Cutter; uh…I brought you some brew.” The Mytherian offered Gorbag a large tankard of beer, which Gorbag quickly took. 

The orc chugged it quickly, and slammed the empty crock on the table. He looked up at the barkeep expectantly, and the entire bar could hear him emit a long, rumbling belch. 

Cutter took a step back. 

“It good! More!” 

“Yes well, I’d be happy to uh…..sell you some more beer sir, but first sir, might I ask what part of the frontier are you from?” 

“Uh…I from the hills.” 

“Oh you mean from west of here,” Cutter’s face grew even more worried, and he continued, “that’s wonderful sir. Might I ask what business brings you east?” 

Gorbag looked a little perplexed, shrugged, and just said in slow and fumbling words,”Yaw………O K. I wan beer and food. My stomach hungry.” 

“Very good sir, I was just now cooking some chicken in the back. It’ll be out soon.” 

“Good.” 

“I’m sorry, but might I ask if you have any other, uh, companions who will be joining you tonight?” 

“No.” 

“So you just want something to eat and drink tonight. Will that be all sir? 

“Yes.” 

Cutter just nodded, and as he was going into the kitchen, he wisely advised his daughter to heavily water down any more beer she served their new customer. 

After a little more than an hour, night had finally fallen, and crickets and swamp bugs could be heard chirping outside. It was still humid, but the heat was dissipating. The main door and the windows were wide open to let in the night air. 

The common room at Cutter’s was still fairly empty. A handful of farmers had trickled in, but most of the seats remained empty. The woodsmen had all already retired to their rooms upstairs for the evening. 

The atmosphere at Cutter’s could only be described as awkward. Gorbag was well into his fifth helping of dinner and his third flagon of brew, when the sounds of wagons and horses could be rattling in from the east. 

---------- 

Li Hai was restlessly gathering his things as the caravan came within sight of town. It had been a long three day journey from West Point, and a little over a week since he’d joined the caravan in Archaven. He was glad that he'd be away from these men soon. 

As the six wagons started to roll themselves into the village, Hollum shouted, “Alright men don’t be getting too drunk tonight! We’ve got a schedule to keep!” 

“Don’t worry Master Hollum,” Gareth began,”I don’t think there’s too much fun to be had in a place like this.” He surveyed the hovels that the villagers called houses, and noted the glaring differences between Cherry Knoll and even a backwater like his home Westpoint. “I didn’t expect the frontier to start to be this ....uh primitive...so soon.” 

“Well Lord Steele, I’m surprised you actually wanted to come west. You were becoming quite the ah……”man about town,” as they say, back in Archaven. You'll be very bored out in Copper Country. It’s worse than this in some ways.” 

And with that the Hollum stopped his wagon in front of Cutter's, and began to gather his things from beside him. Gareth dismounted as well, and led his gray horse closer to inn. 

Over the course of the next few minutes, Gareth and Hollum met with Cutter, who had come outside when he had heard the caravan’s approach, and made preparations to stay at the inn for the night. Gareth suggested as much, already confused as to the run down fort on the hill, which Cutter identified as the Abbey. He had thought that Cherry Knoll’s Abbot Rethra would live in something a bit more “abbey”-like. He said as much to Cutter, but the ostler just shrugged his shoulders and helped Gareth and the other caravan guards attend to the caravan. 

---------- 

The second that his wagon had stopped, all the while ignoring his driver’s request for help, Li Hai shouldered his light crossbow, and made his way into Cutter’s. 

Li Hai’s gaze fell about the room. He saw only a few peasants, most Mytherians. He also saw a solitary orc reeking of the frontier surrounded by dirty dishes and piles of chicken bones. 

He gave everyone, especially the orc, a wide berth, and he ended up sitting on the farthest stool from the door. He made the conscious effort to position it so that he could see all the doors in the bar from his seat. His stool was at the end of a row, so to his left there was merely a wall. He placed his crossbow on the stool to his right, leaving a subtle zone of personal space. 

Cutter’s daughter soon approached him with a welcoming smile on her face. “Good evening sir, where are you all coming from?” 

Li Hai quickly sized her up, and he replied in a dismissive tone, “Archaven.” 

“Well I’m Merin, and is there anything I can get you tonight.” She obviously thought the young Halthyte attractive, and indeed she wouldn’t have been the first. Li Hai, despite the sullen frown always he wore, was a handsome man. He looked to be in his late teens or early twenties. He had fine features, piercing almond shaped, gray eyes, and flawless ivory skin. His shoulder-length hair was black, as it was for all Halthytes. Though he was of slight build, it was easy to tell that he had a well-formed physique, even from beneath his dark blue cloak. He was a definitely man who could get by on his looks. 

The Halthyte ordered some dinner and glass of water. After Merin had delivered his dinner, Li Hai resisted further attempts at conversation. He ate quietly, with a look of introspection on his face. 

About the time Li Hai’s food arrived, Gareth, Hollum and the other members of the caravan started trickling in, having stowed all their cargo and stabled their animals. Once they all had been seated, the small common room felt very crowded. All the seats were filled except for those around Gorbag’s table and the stool with Li Hai’s crossbow on it. 

As their food was delivered and the haze of alcohol came about them, Cutter's Inn became a merry place. One of the few such places this deep into the Tsai-Nau frontier.


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## Felix (Mar 29, 2002)

Kuai dianr, A!

Me and the boys here in East Asia are waiting for the next installment. Cool narrative by the way; if it stays this good, you'll be introducing Randall next Febuary! 

To everyone else: Cyronax really isn't a devil; he was the sweetest, most adorable, hugable ice elemental (that is to say DM) this side of the international dateline.

ÄãÐ´µÃÌ«Âý!¿ìµã¶ù,°¡!

Aus


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## Cyronax (Mar 29, 2002)

Damn it, now i have to perform for my old players! I actually hadn't told them I was writing this. I thought I'd see how long it took them to find it .  

This will definetely be a fairly stop and go story hour for awhile at least. It took me about two hours just to get that last installment written. 

Once summer comes and school's out, I should definetely be able to make my insomniac-lazy ass write a little faster. 

Oh, and Austin, if you or the others see any holes in my memory, let me know....

C.I.D.


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## Cyronax (Mar 29, 2002)

*Session I (Part II):*

Session I (Part II)

The night drew on, and Gareth's face was already reddening from drink. He had been doing little save listening to his travel companions talk about what lay ahead of them on the road. His brow continued to furrow more and more. At least a week's forced march through dangerous wilderness, and then a transfer of ox drawn wagons for packs of mules at Cliff Town at the base of the Gorgon foothills; beyond that an arduous trek into Copper Country. It hadn't sounded so bad when he'd first joined this caravan. The young nobleman hoped his doubts were due to the beer.

Gareth brought himself out of his doubting reverie and began to take in his surroundings. He noticed that Cutter had returned from wherever he had been since they'd first arrived. The ostler was now serving some of the men at the bar, as Gareth made his way over to him.

"Well Master Cutter, I daresay you are getting some good business tonight!" 

"I suppose so Lord Steele, this'll be the first in a long time since I've seen so many smiling faces in my inn however." 

Gareth began to enquire as to Cherry Knoll's current misfortune, and Cutter told him several strange events of the past few months. The first, though hardly the most strange, was the complete disappearance of an entire caravan last June. The caravan was thought to have been well-protected, being owned and operated by the influential Clover Trading Company that based itself out of Archaven and a few other frontier strongholds. 

"Now that'd be none too odd a thing to hear about in these parts. Things happen ... caravan's get raided by orcs or bandits. But usually if a caravan is raided there's some sign of battle, there's usually a survivor or something left behind that was of little value to the raiders. Given this particular caravan, I no doubt would've at least expected a ransom letter."

Gareth's eyebrows rose slightly, "a ransom for who might I ask?"

"Well I've heard that the daughter of some powerful Clover trader was a part of this caravan. I don't rightly know what a highborn lass like that would be doing coming out west." 

Gareth continued to mine Cutter for more details, and he soon gathered a few more interesting things. First, despite the missing caravan and its important passenger, some of the local people have apparently seen strange men in the forest, dressed in the tabards of the Clover Trading Company. Most of the villagers have agreed that these men are simply the bandits who had taken the caravan and its spoils last June. 
Cutter, however thought otherwise. 

The ostler seemed completely at ease talking to the gregarious Gareth, and he confided to the unfamiliar nobleman that he had reasons to believe that these strange men had made late-night calls to Cherry Knoll's Abbey. His brought his words to a whisper and continued,” Now I'm telling you this not to do wrong on ole' Abbot Rethra, but I think the son of the lord of Westpoint, our neighbor, needs to know about the situation, given that the previous search parties haven't returned themselves." 

"Previous search parties? I'm surprised that I'm the first to hear about this problem. I mean, why hasn't my father, Roderick, been informed about this?"

"Well Lord Steele, it’s by no misdeeds on my part. I'm sure the Abbot has his reasons; if indeed he's aware of this situation. Our Abbot hasn't been seen in nary a month. In fact.....his men seem to have stopped their regular patrols of the forest in recent weeks."

"Well how big were the search parties Cutter?" Gareth was steadily sobering up, and his normally carefree demeanor was darkening.

"Well sir, they weren't too big. Both consisted of some "expert" bounty hunter hired by the Clover Trade in Archaven and a few local guides. Don't know why they weren't bigger milord. Both bounty hunters seemed mighty arrogant though. Too arrogant I suppose, given that they also seem to have disappeared."

"I think I'll be doing some investigating about this missing girl. You're sure you don't know who her father is Master Cutter?"

"No sir, I surely don't." 

Almost as an afterthought, Gareth quietly handed the helpful ostler a few pieces of gold, which Cutter seemed to take reluctantly. 

The nobleman returned to his seat next to Hollum, and whispering in the old man's ear, "Well Hollum, I'm giving you a reprieve from my presence. I think I'd like to spend a few nights in this cozy tavern, maybe take in some local flavor. I might catch up to you in a day or three, but if I haven't then don't feel bad about dividing up my promised salary among your men."  

And with that Gareth found his way up to his private room, and fell asleep.

----------------

Li Hai had been straining his ears to little avail during Gareth's and Cutter's quiet discussion, and almost immediately after he saw the aristocrat go upstairs, the Halthyte called the busy barkeep over. 

Despite his best efforts to get Cutter to tell him what Gareth and him had talked about, with both coin being offered and a few subtle threats, Li Hai found himself rebuffed. 

The Halthyte gave up that line of questioning, and started to question Cutter about the local history of the Cherry Knoll. Cutter was a bit more open to this, but proved insufficient for whatever Li Hai was looking for. The ostler finally told Li Hai that much, telling the man that he knew nothing of Cherry Knoll from before when he first brought his family here five years ago. 

Annoyed and weary from a long journey, Li Hai bought a pallet in the common hostel upstairs, and went upstairs. 

----------------

Gorbag, to everyone's disdain, fell asleep sprawled across the table that he'd been sitting at all night. The smell of many ales and even more food wreathed the orc's already potent body odor. 

Cutter apparently decided to deal with the orc on the morrow, and Gorbag slept soundly, alone in the common room of Cutter's Inn and Tavern.


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## Felix (Apr 3, 2002)

Cyronax:

This is your weekly alarm clock.

6 days have passed.

You have one remaining to post.

Or else large, intimidating Chinese people will be sent to visit violence upon your person.

±ð½ôÕÅ,Ð´ºÃ.µ«ÊÇ¿ìµã¶ù,°¡!

Aus


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## Cyronax (Apr 3, 2002)

*Is There Anybody Out There?*

Thanks for the pressure Austin! I've been writing a new update off and on for the past few days. I'm going to try to get a goodsized chunk out within a few days. 

I do want to ask though, how does all of those lurking viewers like the Story Hour so far? Its a slow beginning i suppose, but what does everybody think so far? 

C.I.D.


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## Salthorae (Apr 3, 2002)

*Are people out there?*

Out there? there is no one out there  hehehe Now I will sit back and watch as the dwarft Kelec grows stronger and stronger, outstripping all others in power might...and smell muhahahahhaha. 

Sorry there "icy" i was gonna post on the name Kelec, but they wont' send me an email tellin me out to activate the account...sigh. ZHONGGUO JIAYOU!

post post post....

<don't believe the signature...it's really Kelec in this here elven persona>


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## Cyronax (Apr 4, 2002)

*Session I (Part III)*

September 17th, 407 MY

Li Hai awoke a little after sunrise, and after cleaning up, he came down to the common room of Cutter's already packed. The light crossbow, as usual, was his only visible weapon. He found Merin busily serving breakfast to the guards from his caravan. The inert form of Gorbag was still slouched over the same table from the night before, and everybody kept a wide berth of the huge man. 

Li Hai ignored his traveling companions and the reek of Gorbag, and called the girl over to him. He looked around the room, seeing Cutter was not around, he touched upon subjects that her father was so reluctant to speak of the night before.

He found her ready to help, and soon he knew about the caravan that had disappeared, as well as the strange men in the woods. Merin mentioned Abbot Rethra's strange absence and the behavior of his men. The Abbot's men, for the past week or so, have only come down from their hilltop fort to get supplies at the general store. She stressed how odd they've been acting of late. 

The Halthyte also questioned her about more ancient events, and the girl was much more forthcoming, than her father had been. Merin was able to tell Li Hai a bit about a certain character of no small infamy in Halthyte folklore: Radeem the Mad. 

That name held a secret importance to Li Hai, and he was able to learn that the area around Cherry Knoll, as he had long suspected, had once served as Radeem's base of nearly a century ago. The exact nature of Radeem's power was unknown to Merin, but she concluded that the villain was something quite unnatural. 

"I don't know much more about him, Master Li, but I....uh.....do know that my father wouldn't think that it’s a good idea that I'm talking about him.....to you."

Li Hai, his face pulled into what was his best attempt at a friendly smile, replied,” You think I would cause trouble if I were to go snooping after that name, aye girl? Well don't worry about that, trust me."

Merin just nodded and said, "Well, I guess its okay. Look I do know that my dad thinks that Radeem was an evil man. I think you should be careful though."

"While I appreciate that, I've come a long way to investigate the legend of Radeem. Now if you can tell me more I would be in your debt. It is said that he fell a century ago. Who or what caused his fall? I've heard that it was...."

Li Hai was interrupted as Cutter came through the door leading to the kitchen. "Merin!" her said,” I thought I told you to serve the men and come back to help get the wagons ready! The caravan is leaving soon."

Merin looked from Li Hai to her father, and quickly shot him a small smile saying, "Well perhaps we'll...."

"Now girl!" Cutter growled. Merin followed her father through the kitchen out back. The ostler narrowed his eyes at Li Hai, but said nothing, as he turned to follow his daughter out back.

The other caravan guards, heeding the ostler's impatience on behalf of their employer, began to gather their things, and soon all the men were outside, helping Hollum and Cutter with the wagons. A few of the men asked Li Hai whether he was coming or not, but the mysterious Halthyte ignored their questions, and left Cutter's Inn, walking in the direction of the derelict Abbey.

Over the course of the next hour, Li Hai found himself rebuffed by several unkempt Abbey guards. His desire to speak to the Abbot was met with lame excuses and outright lies as far as the Halthyte saw it. Despite his best efforts, Li Hai was unable to question the Abbot or any of his men about his personal quest.

----------------

Gareth awoke to the sound of departing horses and bumping wagon wheels. He quickly groomed himself, donned his armor, and went downstairs. He found the common room empty, save for Gorbag and his filth. He was about to leave for the Abbey, when a weary looking Cutter came into the common room from the back. The ostler greeted Gareth and seemed relieved that the noble had indeed stayed to investigate the strange events of the last summer. 

As the two men chatted, Gorbag lifted his massive head off the table, with an utterly confused look spread across his face. 
"Where am I?" he asked groggily. The orc began to pull himself to his feet.

Gareth, with a genuine smile on his face, said, "Well it looks like you've slept off your feast from last night master orc!" 

"Uh yeah. I hungry again."

"Of course you are, I'll whip something up in the kitchen for you in a few minutes." an annoyed Cutter replied. To Gareth he muttered, "This orc is eating me out of business."

Gareth just nodded, and looking at the many empty beer mugs and devoured chicken bones said, "I'm surprised he hasn't had to relieve himself yet. Hopefully he's potty-trained." 

"Ha, I hope so to Lord Steele."

"Please, please call me Gareth. I take it he hasn't paid you yet Master Cutter?"

"You'd be right on that account, but I'm happy to give away some free food and brew as long as the orc doesn't wreck up the place."

Gorbag interrupted their whispered conversation with a loud moan as he began to stretch out his tired limbs. As the orc worked out the kinks, Cutter took a breakfast order from Gareth and went into the kitchen. Gareth sat down on a bar stool and watched the massive orc silently. After another moment or two, Gorbag got a worried look on his face, and rumbled, "Where my sword? I lose it?"

"I'm sure Cutter put it with the other weapons his guests bring in. I'm sure it’s safe my big friend. No one here would want to take a sword from a mighty warrior such as you." 

"Humph." The orc continued to scan the room for his greatsword.

"I must admit, I've seen my share of rock-bloods before, but none of them ever looked so, uh....wild. You must be from west of here." 

Ignoring Gareth's platitudes, a frustrated Gorbag again growled, "Argh!!!!! Where my sword!?!"

Gareth leapt off the high bar stool and took a few steps away from the orc as Gorbag lurched towards the bar, his bruised face turning left and right scanning the floor.

"Master Cutter where is your guest's sword?! He seems slightly agitated." 

From the kitchen Cutter called back, "It’s behind the bar Lord Steele, but please do see that he doesn't do anything violent. His breakfast will be ready in a moment."

Without waiting for the innkeeper's instructions to finish, Gareth had gone behind the bar, and found Gorbag's sword. Hefting it atop the bar, Gareth said, "Master orc, here it is, but please be careful with it.....for all our sakes'."

A muttered "thank you" was all Gorbag said as he put both of his meaty hands on the greatsword and seemed engrossed in its dull, heavy blade. He left it lying on the bar while he stroked the dull, thick blade.

Over the course of the next few minutes, Cutter brought out their breakfasts, which were nothing more scrambled eggs and greasy grits, and Gareth introduced himself. He then began to painstakingly piece together what business brought this strange barbaric orc to Cherry Knoll and the settled lands on coast. 

After many slowly worded and oft repeated questions, all he could gather was that Gorbag had come west because of "bad things" in the hills. The orc had no planned destination, and as far as Gareth understood it, Gorbag had decided that Cutter's Inn was as good a place as any to live.
The orc wasn't aware that he was entering lands where many people would want to kill an orc such him on sight.

Gorbag, still nattering about Cutter's Inn concluded, "It nice here. No fightin'. Pretty and lot of stuff to eat. Bar-man nice n' puh-lite too."

Cutter, busy cleaning up the remains of Gorbag's meal last night, looked up at Gareth with genuine fear in his eyes. 

Gareth merely laughed, and agreed with the orc's assessment of the ostler saying, "Indeed Master Gorbag, Cutter is a nice man. He's been most helpful to me so far. It’s good to know that you too are a peaceful man. You don't like fighting needlessly I take it?"

"Uh....."

Repeating his question, more slowly this time, Gareth asked, "You don't like fighting?"

"Naw, I like my sword," the simple orc said as continued to stroke the sword's blade, "but getting it all bloody aien't too fun."

"Well, I must say that that is a splendid sentiment Gorbag. If only other orcs on the frontier thought that way” Gareth trailed off, a worried look on his face. "Well Cutter, as I said previously, I plan to begin an investigation into the missing caravan. Hopefully the Abbot and his men will be more helpful to me than they've been to the villagers of Cherry Knoll.

"I hope so too Gareth." Cutter replied.

Gareth made ready to leave, straightening his chain shirt and strapping his finely wrought masterwork longsword to his belt, and somewhat absentmindedly said, "Well Cutter that meal was quite delightful. I'll most likely stay on tonight, but I'd like to pay you now." 

The nobleman went into his belt purse and drew out a total of fifteen gold pieces to a wide-eyed Cutter. 

"Three is for my room and board; the rest is for whatever else our friend Gorbag requires." Gareth then turned to Gorbag and said, "Well Gorbag, Cutter will be glad to serve you anything else you want. I only ask that you wait for me to return. I think I might have a proposal for you later on."

Sifting through all that Gareth had said for a few moments, Gorbag finally gave the nobleman a slow nod and said, "Uh....I stay here, eat lots, drink lots, and wait for you. OK."

And as Gareth was finally at the inn's door, he turned and called back to Cutter, "Oh and Master Cutter, if it wouldn't be too much trouble, do you mind tending to a few of those nasty wounds that Gorbag has? Also maybe you could be so good and show him to a place where he could wash up."

After Gareth was out of earshot, Cutter muttered, "Maybe twelve gold aien't enough....."

----------------

As Gareth left the village square and turned towards the hill that the Abbey was on, he saw Li Hai walking down the hill on the same path that Gareth found himself on. As the two men approached one another Gareth, with an uncertain smile on his face, called, "Hail friend, I had thought all of those traveling with Hollum's caravan had left."

Li Hai, his face bereft of emotion, stopped walking and replied, "I had thought I was the only one to stay as well. Why are you still here?"

"We were both mistaken then." Gareth answered as he also halted his ascent of the low rise, ending up about four feet from Li Hai. "Actually, I'm here on a hopefully quick errand. I'll probably rejoin the caravan in a few days, but first I wanted to question the Abbot about a few things."

"Whatever this errand is, I can tell you the Abbot's men were not very friendly to travelers. They'll probably not help you."

"I take it you were unable to see the Abbot, Master......."

"Li Hai." (1)

Gareth was about to say something, but then a quizzical look came on to his face, followed by a small smile. "Hmmmm......I'm not fluent in Halthyte, but doesn't that m-..."

Li Hai quickly cut Gareth off, and answered with a with annoyed sneer, "Yes it does."

"You took the name for yourself then?" Gareth asked, trying to avoid showing too much mirth.

"I did. What of it?"

"I mean no disrespect Li Hai. I'm sure that it suits you. Actually it fits you to a tee," he concluded, and then said with a slight bow to his shoulders, "Well, I'm Gareth Steele, fourth son of Sir Roderick Steele I, Lord of Westpoint."

Li Hai just nodded at the introduction, and simply said, "Mytherians always have such long names."

"Heh, I suppose that we do. Tell me what were you trying to talk to the Abbot about?"

"Well that's a private matter, just as sure as I am yours is too." Li Hai replied.

"Not so my good man, my errand actually concerns the entire village of Cherry Knoll. I'm investigating the disappearance of a caravan for the Clover Trading Company. There's a rich "damsel in distress" that seems to not be getting the attention she deserves."

"I've not heard of this and I'm not here about that. I'm just a simple traveler with no interest in that sort of thing. So don't worry about me hogging all the reward money friend." The Halthyte promised.

"That's not what I was implying at all friend. I'm actually thinking about looking for some information on it from anybody I can. From what I've heard, there's something odd going on in this town, and I was coming to see Abbot Rethra to let him know that I'd be more than happy to help in whatever capacity he might need."

"I've heard that he hasn't left that Abbey in months, or been seen by anyone but his men either."

"Well I plan on at least trying to see him," and Gareth further proclaimed, "He can't deny a member of the Steele family."

Li Hai looked at Gareth appraisingly and then said, "Well Gareth, if you can help me get some of the information I'm looking for from the Abbot, I could help you find that missing caravan." Li Hai then added, "I noticed that you are in this village on your own. You'll need more men than that to root out a group of bandits or whoever might have caused the disappearance of that caravan."

Gareth thought about the mysterious Halthyte's offer, and told him that he'd think about it. He did add however, that Li Hai was welcome to return with Gareth to the Abbey and demand to speak to the Abbot. The young noble said he could at least help Li Hai get whatever information he needed from the old Abbot, and with that the pair walked up the hill together. 

----------------

Not far from Cherry Knoll pair of weary travelers was finally reaching their long sought destination. The unlikely companions were none other than the dwarf Kelec and his unnamed wolf.  Kelec was sweating profusely in the noonday sun, and he was relieved to reach Illitol's Mound. As the wolf and he broke through the last bit of underbrush, they found themselves in a large grove in the middle of the Tsai-Nau woods. 

The grove was really a vast field of wildflowers with a number of beehives scattered about. In the middle of the field was a low hill. A closer look revealed that the hill had a small abode cut into its side. Great timbers supported a sod roof that was now thick with flowers. A small, inviting door stood open, and sitting casually in the doorway, watching the bees fly about, was a wolf cub with its head resting lazily on its paws. 

As it became aware of the travelers, it stood up let out a happy bark and bounded towards them. In a few short minutes, about seven adult wolves and four young pups had assembled, all greeting their returned brother and Kelec to friendly licks. Kelec happily petted all of them, and soon felt the doubts he had about his mission melt away.

The pack's warm welcome was broken by a determined bark from the direction of the mound. Kelec and the other wolves stopped all saw a large white wolf standing regally atop the mound. It eyed Kelec for a few moments, and then leapt off the mound and came towards the dwarven woodsman. 

Kelec respectfully came forward to greet this great wolf, and suddenly his mind was filled with visions and flashes of emotion. He was disconcerted at first, but quickly realized that the wolf was trying to communicate empathically. The wolf's thoughts did not convey words, but it effectively related to Kelec that it could understand the words of humans.

Kelec nodded and said gruffly, "Well I'm here because I was told to come. I'm Kelec a member of Nexatatus's circle. And I aien't no human!"

The white wolf ignored the dwarf's bruised ego, and related that its name in human speech was Thornfur. This part of the forest, once home to the great druid Illitol, was his domain. He was now its guardian, and a great evil had befallen the area. 

"Yeah yeah I know. I've already been through this. What do I need to do?"

Before they continued further, Thornfur led Kelec into Illitol's Mound-home, now the den of this wolf pack. Kelec saw that the inside of the house was spacious and mostly bare. Besides an unused fireplace, a broken down bed frame and a small plank table with two benches in the center of the room, this home had few of the amenities even Kelec was used to. Shreds of old blankets, dead leaves, broken pottery, and old bones were scattered about, making this 30' by 40' room feel more like a cave than a home. 

The wolves brought Kelec and the wolf who had brought him to the grove some deer meat, raw and but a day old, to help relieve their weariness. Kelec, never one to turn down food, ate the meat in a few gulps (2). His black beard was now caked in animal fat and blood, but the dwarf didn't seem to care. 

With his stomach filled, he put his mind to the task at hand, and soon Kelec and Thornfur were deep in discussion. 

----------------

Thanks to Gareth's dogged persistence, and the liberal use of both the Steele name and that of Baron Stafford (3), both Gareth and Li Hai found themselves being led into the dilapidated Abbey after only ten minutes of arguing with a few guards.

Gareth managed to convince the guards that it was unnecessary to take either his or Li Hai's weapons, and both were led into the main hall of the Abbey. The main hall was a large room dominated by three long tables put together end to end so that they formed an "E" without the middle line. There were several doors leading into this room, all of which were closed.

Strangely, the main hall was filled with about ten or twelve of the Abbot's men, all barely sleeping or at least resting in pallets scattered around the room. The room smelled of body odor and another oddly pleasant smell. Neither Gareth nor Li-Hai recognized it, but the closest approximation either would later be able to give was "cinnamon." 

The two companions questioned several of the men, all acted cagey and tried to do as little talking as possible. Gareth noticed that each man looked very, very tired, and all of them had bleary bloodshot eyes. The men looked like they had bad hangovers and some energy-sapping fever all at once.

The unofficial spokesman for these men was a burly man named Michael, and it was this man who led Gareth and Li Hai to a thick wooden door at the very back of the main hall. As he opened the door, they saw a set of cold stone stairs leading down into the darkness. He began lighting a   
large candle set on an intricate candlestick, and handing it to Li Hai, said,” The Abbot's down there in his strong room. He's probably sleeping, but if you're really from the Baron, then go on down and talk to him."

As soon as Gareth and Li Hai began their descent, they heard Michael slams the door behind them.

"What the hell is his problem?" Li Hai muttered.

----------------
Endnotes:

1.) Li Hai, in Halthyte (and Chinese  ), means formidable or powerful, but many people use the word to mean "cool" or "badass."

2.) Kelec's virile and robust dwarven health has given him the ability to eat just about anything imaginable, and this dwarf isn't one to discriminate. To him food is food is food.

3.) Baron Raelin Stafford is the ruler of the port city of Archaven and the nominal lord of all the lands between that city and Cherry Knoll. He's rumored to have ties to the pirates of the Turtle Gods' Sea, and he's something of an enemy of the Stokan Knights, the ruling order of the northern Eswhalon colony. Stafford is a rogue member of the respected Stafford family of Southgate, and became the ruler of Archaven, a destination for many seedy travelers, slavers, and pirates, nearly twenty years ago.


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## Salthorae (Apr 5, 2002)

*bravo*

ÎÒ¸úfelix Í¬Òâ, ÄãÐ´µÃÕæ²»´í, ¿ÉÊÇÎÒ¾õµÃfelixÓ¦¸ÃÄÍÐÄÒ»µã°É! ¸øÎÒÃÅµÄ×÷ÕßÐ´µÄÊ±¼ä...Ëû»¹ÓÐ¿Î, ÄØ£¿ 


It's nice to finally see that beautiful dwarf Kelec in something other than my own imagination . keep it up Cyronax, and don't let Aus' buggin make ya nervous...story is great so far man!

¼ÌÐø°É£¡Keep up the good work...I look forward to the next installment.


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## Cyronax (Apr 5, 2002)

Thanks for again for the support Salthorae! I'm going to try and finish up the entire first session by the end of the weekend. 

In the mean time how about someone *besides* my old players post to this story hour!! Here's a topic: can any of you lurkers guess what classes the PCs are? Its not as obvious as you'd think it is.

Or another topic might be on how my players and I obnoxiously spout Chinese. Annoying anyone  ? 

Nimen de zui da de xiao wangba dan,
C.I.D.


P.S. Salthorae, I think need to get a Chinese language program for my school computer. Your Chinese is showing up on my screen as a bunch of incomprehensible computer symbols....as opposed to a bunch of incomprehensible Chinese characters that I've probably forgotten since coming back to the States  .


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## Salthorae (Apr 14, 2002)

*naixinde dengzhe xinde post or Patiently waiting for a new post*

Well hey there Cyronax  I must say that Felix and I both really enjoy the retelling of our follies but...*turns on whiny voice* I wanna read more *whiny off* hehe okay with that said and done. I'm out to enjoy the slendor of Beijing Once more.


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## WenRou (Apr 14, 2002)

*Excellent work! Now if you'll just pick up the pace...*

ÎÒÍ¬Òâ Felix ºÍ Salthorae ËµµÄ»°-- Hurry up man! I can't believe you didn't let me know you were writing all this-- I had to wait until a certain odiferous dwarf told me of it, and now I hunger to re-live the adventures of the mosheng pengyous, or as I like to call it, The Tale of The Most Dysfunctional Intra-Party Dynamic Ever. So far, yer doin a great job-- superb narrative. Except for that jab at my awesome, imaginative, fear-inspiring name that strikes fear into the fearing hearts of the fearful. To honor this thread, I shall henceforth be known as Wen Rou.


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## Cyronax (Apr 15, 2002)

*Best method for continuing*

Hey Wen Rou, its great that you approve of my rendering of Li Hai! Incidentally, I hadn't told any of the players I was writing this story hour, since I wanted to get a few updates posted first. 

I was going to tell you guys, but I guess it was only a matter of time before someone came upon it before I was even into the second session . Well anyway, Please keep reading, and tell me if I'm gettting wrong! My memory's only so good.

---------
Okay, so after a particularily hectic week in the real world, I'm just now sitting down to work on the Story Hour again. Even though the number of viewings on this story hour seems decent when compared to the number of posts, I'm not sure if people are actually reading the story all the way through, or if they're just popping in and then popping out. I hope its the former. 

C.I.D.


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## Cyronax (Apr 15, 2002)

*Session I (Part IV)  - Long in coming......*

September 17th, 407 MY

Gareth just shrugged to Li Hai’s question, and the pair descended into the basement of the Abbey of Cherry Knoll. After a short flight of stairs, the pair found themselves in a long hallway with a few closed wooden doors along the sides and one door, slightly ajar, at the very end of the hallway. From the open door, both could see a dim, flickering light. 

As they made their way down the hallway, they heard a wracking cough and then a few wheezing breaths.  Unperturbed, they came to the end of the hallway. In the light of only a few candles, the pair took in the room, perhaps 15 X 20 feet, lined mostly with racks of weapons and common gear for soldiers. One corner however, was adorned with a few simple tapestries, two small bookshelves, and seated on a decrepit lounge chair was a decrepit old man, with sagging shoulders and a wrinkled face housing sad, blood shot eyes. 

The Abbot seemed to shake himself out of a near drunken trance as Gareth opened the door. Apparently showing little surprise at the arrival of the two strangers, the old man said, “Well, we could deny you no longer. I take you are the son of Sir Roderick,” he said looking at Gareth continued, “Please come in.”

Gareth, with a deliberate smile, replied, “I thank you for your long sought hospitality Abbot Rethra. I am Gareth Steele, fourth son of Sir Roderick Steele, and I am at your and Cherry Knoll’s service.” He concluded the introduction with a slight bow, and then began to interview the old man. The Abbot seemed amenable to talk to them, in part due to Gareth’s lineage, but perhaps the empty, hopeless look that both men saw in his eyes had something to do with it as well.

They plumbed the old man for information for nearly an hour. Gareth, gregarious and always polite, and Li Hai, persuasive in a direct, almost threatening way, was able to find out much. 

Rethra confirmed that the missing caravan was indeed related to strange men in the woods and the his own reclusive behavior, and with a quiet desperation in his eyes, he told Gareth and Li Hai the person responsible for his condition,  “Well, this all boils down to the evils of one man. His name is Chatrillion, and no he probably isn’t in the area anymore. He’s the cause for our maladies. All of my men and me are addicted to an herb known as tambrosh.”

As he finished his statement, he drew a small pouch out from his thick robes. He took a pinch of the ground up herb in his hand, and showed it to both of them and said, “It resembles some sort of cooking spice doesn’t it?” 

The Abbot put the pinch of tambrosh back inside his pouch, and continued, “I don’t know where it comes from or how he got it, but this Chatrillion was known to us for at least the past two years as a friend. I had once thought he had had ties to the Stokan Knights, but now I really doubt it. He told us that he traveled as both an orc hunter for Eswhalon and also a dealer in strange herbs.”

“Did Chatrillion have any friends in West Point? I’ve never heard of such a man before.” Gareth asked with a perplexed look on his face.

“No I don’t know young Steele. In fact even before I came under that plant’s foul sway, I must say I haven’t been as engaged in my duties as I once was. My captain Michael has really been the leader of Cherry Knoll for the past several years. I think he’d tell you that Chatrillion likely didn’t do much business in your town, but I really don’t know why. I’m sorry.” Rethra grasped the pouch in his hand and concluded, “I’m a weak old fool.”

Li Hai, eyes narrowing, said, “To that I think I agree,” and ignoring the surprised look on Gareth’s face asked, “So why are you telling us, two complete strangers, all this now? We come in out of the blue and you wag your tongue like alleyway snitch. If you are under this Chatrillion’s control, isn’t it pretty dangerous to tell us all of this.” 

The Abbot readily agreed with the Halthyte traveler that he was further risking his life by telling them. He said that up until now however, his men, led mostly by Michael, were willing to do Chatrillion’s bidding. The addictive herb, tambrosh, is only harmful if not taken regularly. The herb’s effects were tangible and for awhile it had made even the Abbot feel like a young man again. He went on to say how tambrosh seemed to give the user greater physical strength, vitality, and a greater sense of confidence. As the Abbot put it, tambrosh made “the world burn a little brighter,” in a way not even the finest of wines could.

“It was only a matter of time before all of my men were addicted. Chatrillion kept us well supplied for the first six months, and all we had to do was keep the herb to ourselves, keep an eye on a few people from the village or who traveled in the area, and also give him a place to sleep when he was in town. Not much obligation on the face of it. We quickly realized however, that if a person goes for even a day without taking a dose, then they’d begin fading.”

“We’ve had several men die when they were on extended patrol without an adequate supply of tambrosh. It’s just a matter of a few days without it, and then……”

The Abbot continued to say that after that his men were willing to do whatever it took to keep their supply of tambrosh regular. They never even considered looking for help. Recent events changed that however. Chatrillion hasn’t come through the area since the beginning of summer, and they’ve had to painfully stretch out their supply of the addictive herb.

The missing Clover Trade caravan, the Abbot told them, was related to their addiction to tambrosh because the strange men in the woods apparently worked for an agent of Chatrillion’s or someone connected to him. 
This person, who the strange men called simply “the master,” had repeatedly promised to deliver tambrosh to the Abbot’s dying men, but that had amounted to little. The Abbot didn’t know the identity of this agent, but he has been directing the Abbot and his men to eliminate any outsiders who would venture near the swampy parts of the forest. 

“Something is going on deep in the woods. Those mysterious men are in fact the members of the caravan themselves. Some of them still wear their Clover Trade uniforms, others not, but I’m sure it’s the same men. They aren’t under the effects of tambrosh I don’t believe, but someone is controlling them in a very unnatural way. I’ve killed innocent men, betrayed my village, and probably helped cover up a dangerous criminal all because of this blasted plant!!”

Rethra, with a shamed look on his dying face, admitted that it was his own men who had killed the two bounty hunters who had come to Cherry Knoll earlier this summer. He said that he and his men no longer had the ability to wait for the promised delivery of tanbrosh. With a miserable expression on his face, Rethra said that without a miracle, he and his men would be dead within two weeks, given their dwindling tanbrosh reserves.

Li Hai, with a quick confidence, said, “I’ll help you old man. You’re going to die unless we figure out who that is in the swamp. You need to tell me a bit more about what I’d up against however,” and with a small gleam in his eyes added, “I’ve heard that there used to be some sort of cult or mad sorcerer that used to live in the area……is that somehow related to all of this?”

Gareth asked the Halthyte, “How do you know all that? I’ve lived in this area for all of my life, and I’d never heard of such nonsense.” 

“Its common knowledge from where I come from Steele,” answered Li Hai. 

Gareth quizzically asked, “And just where are you from Li Hai?”

Ignoring the noble, Li Hai, said, “So I’m right aren’t I old man?”

“Yes indeed Master Li Hai, you must be thinking of Radeem the Mad. He once lived in the swamps around the area that these men are protecting,” as the Abbot spoke his face became even more ashen, “but I hope you don’t mean there’s a connection. Radeem was said to have dealing with demons, gnomes, and all manner of horrible monsters.” 

To this Gareth exclaimed, “How could such a fell person have lived in the area, and I’ve never heard of him? This village is right next to my own fiefdom!!” 

“Don’t worry Lord Steele, I remember hearing that the druid Illitol and one of those strange monks from the Ghost Mountain (4) defeated him a little over a century ago.” 

“I haven’t heard of them either. Hmmmm…..strange.” 

Again ignoring Gareth, the Halthyte instructed the Abbot to give him some rough directions towards the swampy area that the Clover Trade’s men seemed to be guarding. He also asked if there was anyone else in town who might know a bit about Radeem the Mad or the men from the caravan.

The Abbot said, “Talk to Cutter at the inn, if anyone knows about that sort of thing it’s him. I know he’s ventured into the woods before, and he’s heard many an ancient tale from travelers I have no doubt.”

With an annoyed look on his face, Li Hai said, “Eh, I talked to him earlier, and he didn’t seem to know all that much.” And with that Li Hai began to leave by saying, “Don’t worry old man, I’ll find out who’s in the woods causing this trouble, and I’ll try to help you find some more tanbrosh before your supply runs out.”

Li Hai left Abbot Rethra, even as the old man was thanking him, and made his way out of the Abbey. Gareth, confused by all that he’d heard, left the Abbot without so much as a “goodbye and good luck,” and chased after the departing Halthyte.

“What the hell was that?” he asked as he caught up to Li Hai just outside the Abbey’s broken down main gate. 

Li Hai, “Well you were being rather longwinded back there with all of your honorifics. I cut to the chase, I found out what I came for.” 

Gareth, caught up to Li Hai, and forced him to stop. They were now standing halfway up the hillside from the village square. The sun was high in the sky, and it was almost unbearably hot again. The noble from West Point exclaimed, “You seem quick to go off on your own. Weren’t you the one who offered your services to me earlier? Do you still intend to help me, or… or…. what are you planning to do?”

“Well as to earlier, thanks for helping me get in there. I guess you did do that much. I was right earlier when I said someone couldn’t handle this alone, but no offense, you don’t look like you’d be much good in a fight.”

Gareth, attempting to regain a bit of lost confidence, quickly replied, “I can hold my own. I was trained by the captain of my father’s guard, a very capable swordsmen and an able soldier. My older brother Roderick and I once…….”

Li Hai cut him off by saying, “I’m sure your master and brother were both quite capable,” and then subtly gave Gareth the once over, noting the nobleman’s confident gait, even in chain mail, and also his finely crafted longsword. Even though Gareth seemed a bit soft to the Halthyte, he finally said, “Fine you can accompany me on my mission, but let’s both understand who’s in charge okay?”

“You really take yourself seriously don’t you? Well we’ll deal with leadership issues when the time comes I suppose, but for now let’s go back to the tavern. I think I know of someone who could help us with your mission.”

“You don’t mean that dried up old barkeep do you?” Li Hai asked.

“No not him.” And with that Gareth led the way down the hill towards Cutter’s Inn. 

----------
Endnotes:

[4] Ghost Mountain, or Gui Shan in Halthyte, is located on Gray Moor Island, and for as long as anyone can remember has been home to a reclusive order of monks. Old-timers say that the monks of Gui Shan were once very active in the Halthyte lands of the Tsai-Nau and the Turtle Islands, but nowadays most people think that Gui Shan’s monks are little more than a myth.


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## Cyronax (Apr 17, 2002)

*Behold!! The wonders of Spellcheck!*

In honor of the fact that I just installed MS Office XP, I decided to run a grammar and spell check on my Story Hour. I had previously written it on WordPad, and thus I'd been relying on my own proofreading skills and grammar knowledge. Big mistake lemme tell you.

The long and short of it is, that I've finished editing every update so far. Hopefully there aren't any more glaring spelling mistakes or confusing grammar problems. I'm a bit embarrassed at how bad my spelling has been in the old updates.


Later, 
C.I.D.


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## Cyronax (Apr 17, 2002)

*Session I (Part V)*

September 17th, 407 MY

Gareth was the first to arrive at Cutter’s, followed closely by Li Hai. Both men seemed annoyed with one another, but they now had a common goal and for expediency’s sake, both needed as much help as they could get.

As they entered the common room, they saw a few peasants, all sitting at two round tables situated next to the open front door and windows facing the square. They were eating meager fare for lunch. The only other person in the room was sleeping Gorbag who was sprawled in the corner next to the dormant fireplace with his bastard sword cradled in his massive arms. 

As they were coming to the bar, Merin walked out kitchen, greeted them warmly, and then took a lunch order from each of them in turn. She then returned to the kitchen. Li Hai seated himself at the bar, putting his crossbow on the seat to his left. Gareth walked over to Gorbag and began to lightly shake the orc’s shoulder.

An astonished Li Hai exclaimed, “What are you doing? Do you know him?”

Gareth, with a knowing smile, answered, “We were introduced when you were trying to gain an audience with the Abbot. This orc, Gorbag is his name, is really a charming fel-“

Gorbag woke up cutting off the Mytherian, as he quickly stood up with a confused look on his face. He looked down at Gareth for a few moments until he finally recognized the young noble, and then said, “Hi. You back?”

“Yes I am, and I see that Master Cutter didn’t tend to you wounds. We’ll have to talk to him about that later, but first I’d like to introduce you to an associate of mine.”

Gareth led Gorbag by the shoulder over to Li Hai and said, “Gorbag meet Li Hai.”

“Hi. I Gorbag.”

Li Hai’s face was unreadable, but Gareth thought he saw the Halthyte’s left eye twitch slightly. After a moment or two Li Hai finally answered, “It’s nice to meet you….uh Gorbag.”

“Gorbag here has agreed to accompany me in my search for the missing caravan. He’s my bodyguard, aren’t you Gorbag?” 

“Bah dee gaard?” the orc asked.

“You come with me remember? And guard me? I give you lots of food and we be great friends. Remember?” said Gareth slowly.

“Oh yeah, must’ve forgot.” 

Li Hai pulled Gareth aside, and asked the noble, “I’m not sure it’s wise to travel with a savage orc like him. I’ve heard that they’re really unstable. I mean, look at him, he’s barely aware of his surroundings or the fact that he has open wounds! Are you telling me that you are trying to pass him off as your manservant or something? ”

“I can vouch for him Li Hai, but if you really don’t need a warrior as strong me or Gorbag, I understand. You probably can manage on your own I suppose.” said Gareth, with a restored confidence.

“Feh, quit that kind of wordplay okay? I agree that it’s a bit too dangerous to go into the woods without enough manpower, but I still have reservations about that orc.” Li Hai looked over at Gorbag and saw that the huge man was still standing in the exact place he’d left him, and it looked like the orc was still stuck on the word “bodyguard.”

Gareth said, “Well Li Hai, I’ve dealt with orcs like him before, and I know…”

“You? You’ve dealt with...”

Gareth cut in and said, “Yes! See here, it’s a simple matter really; much like dealing with a mercenary warrior, or any inferior for that matter,” the nobleman then whispered to Li Hai, “Everybody has a price.” 

“Maybe, maybe not,” and with that he walked over to the orc. As Li Hai came over, his face contorted into a smile even as his eyes seemed to eye Gorbag as if he was a lamb to the slaughter. “So Gorbag, if you want to come with us, I think that it’s a good idea, but you have to agree to some ground rules okay?”

“Huh?” The orc said.

Gareth came up beside Li Hai, and said, “Li Hai wants some assurances. Uh..….. he wants you  to do what I tell you okay?”

“Okay.” 

“Wait! No, Gareth you know I meant, I meant to tell him…….,” Li Hai trailed off for a second, but then looked up at the huge orc and said with a determined look on his face, “Gorbag if you come with us, you have to….”

“I know I know!!! I do what GARETH says me to do!” the orc, proclaimed loudly, and then he looked to Gareth, and asked with a surprisingly deferential tone, “Please, I wans beer!”

“Oh course my good man! Merin, could you please bring Master Gorbag a beer?” Gareth asked the young woman who was just now bringing out two plates of chicken and potato for the companions. 

Li Hai looked at Gareth and then at Gorbag and just shook his head in annoyance. 

Gareth and Li Hai ate their meals in silence. After they were done with lunch, Gareth told Li Hai that he was going to take Gorbag to the blacksmith so that he could get the orc’s armor repaired. He also wanted to buy the orc a scabbard for his sword. 

Li Hai just nodded and told Gareth to be ready to go at sunrise tomorrow morning, and with that Gareth led Gorbag out of the inn. Li Hai quietly chatted with Merin, he still was interested in all she could tell him about the local history of Cherry Knoll and also any rumors she thought important. 

-------------

It was probably a few hours before sundown, and Kelec was sweating as always. His black beard was a liability in this heat, and the thick frock and dingy leather armor he usually wore were uncomfortably constrictive in this heat. 

The dwarf and the wolf, the same that had guided him this far east, had left the wolf pack a little less than two hours ago, and they were just now coming to the clearing the Cherry Knoll was found in. The first thing they saw as they broke through the last of the underbrush at the forest’s edge was a small, inviting pond.

The pond was a little over hundred yards from the village square and was fed by a small stream that originated from the hill that the Abbey was on. In between the pond and the village square, several huts lay scattered about, and the dwarf saw a few miserable peasants working in their gardens or tending to livestock. 

Oblivious to the peasant farmers, the dwarf, without any shred of modesty, yanked off his frock, dropped his club and backpack to the ground, all the while pulling off his aged armor. He almost tripped himself in the process.  

Naked, and now little more than a ball of matted hair and dirt, Kelec let out a hearty cheer and hurled himself into the pond. The wolf just sat on its haunches and waited, as his companion happily washed the sweat off his body. After only a few minutes, Kelec seemed refreshed. He let out contented grunt, and got out of the pool. 

The day was so hot, that the dwarf decided against putting his armor back on, and simply put the armor in his backpack. 

The peasants whose fields he crossed said nothing to the strange dwarf, who, dressed only in his homespun frock, walked confidently beside a mangy, wild wolf towards the village square of Cherry Knoll.


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## Nota Pixie Insight (Apr 20, 2002)

*Purple Eyes and Deceased Owls...*

Cyronax, hurry 'er up mateee, finals be damned!

p.s. hello again everybody!


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## Salthorae (Apr 21, 2002)

*Blasted Faeries *

It would appear that the darned pixie has "looked" and "listened" well enough to find us 'ere on these boards, so if I's was you...and I think I'd do a much better job mind you...I'd get us here a new post, I fer one don't wanna be on da recievin' end o' no pixie magic  

I really love this story hour...might n' be tha' I'll have me some time ta be posting up a lil' Rogues gallery thread on dat der finest o' dwarves kelec...I'll let yer know fer sure later


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## Felix (Apr 23, 2002)

*Exams Ain't 'Till MAY!!*

I quite agree. Get on your horse. They'll probably let you graduate anyway.

Listen Rogue's Gallery: look out for that hunka hunka burning love named Gorbag coming your way!


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## Marvin the WarLord (Apr 23, 2002)

*Nifty...*

I'm just delurking to say... well, I guess the title says it. Very nice story hour. I like the way the character concepts are so clear and not wishy-washy or generalised, but still have room for development. I recognise the adventure, and so I guess I know which issue of Dungeon you had along with you. I plan on using it in my new campaign, actually.
As for the PC's classes, I might be way of base, but a fighter, an aristocrat, a druid and a... wizard, perhaps. How close was I/
Anyway, keep up the good work because its great to see a story hour grow from Day One.


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## Cyronax (Apr 24, 2002)

*Re: Exams Ain't 'Till MAY!!*



			
				Felix said:
			
		

> *I quite agree. Get on your horse. They'll probably let you graduate anyway.
> 
> Listen Rogue's Gallery: look out for that hunka hunka burning love named Gorbag coming your way! *




Don't post anything more than his first level stats Felix!!! I don't want to give away even an ounce of what's to come.....granted its a snail's pace, but still. 

Also thanks for the support Marvin! As for your guesses for the character's classes, I'll say this much you were 75% right. I've been a bit sneaky on some of the description in order to capture the way certain players portrayed their characters during the actual gaming sessions. 

Working on the new update,
C.I.D.


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## Cyronax (Apr 24, 2002)

*Session I (Part 6)*

Gareth and Gorbag had gone to the blacksmith of Cherry Knoll. Though they had some difficulty with Gorbag’s girth, the blacksmith had told them that it’d take him a day if they wanted the job functional, and maybe as much as three if they “wanted it done pretty.” Gareth said that one day was all they had, and the blacksmith, who had had barely any work for the past month, consented.  Then after buying Gorbag a new scabbard, the pair went to see about tending to Gorbag’s wounds and buying some rations at the town’s trading post.

Meanwhile back at Cutter’s Inn and Tavern, Li Hai and Merin were still discussing the recent events of Cherry Knoll. It was at this moment that Kelec and his wolf came into the common room. It was quite an entry, Kelec swinging his club against the door instead of a simple push, sent splinters flying as the door banged against the adjacent wall. 

Dressed in his dingy frock, his matted black beard still caked in blood, and dripping from his recent bath, Kelec looked like some horrible forest spirit brought to flesh. The few peasants in the room stood up as they saw him, many with disgusted looks. 

Merin looked at Li Hai, who was as unreadable as always, and then at Kelec, and simply asked, “Uh, you’re here to see my father right?”

“Aye, if yer father be Cutter, than that’s that. Fetch him, and get me some beer!!” 

Merin just nodded and went into the back, while Kelec, meeting the surprised gaze of the peasants, loudly muttered a curse about villages and the filthy rabble that lived in them. And with that, the dwarf led the wolf over to the cold hearth of the fireplace, and pulled out an old long stemmed pipe, which he began to stuff with some sort of forest weed. The wolf sat on its haunches, next to the wild dwarf, quietly eyeing the peasants.

One of the bigger peasants made ready to deal with the dwarf’s insult, but his companions forced him to sit down, saying that anyone traveling with a wolf and covered in blood probably isn’t going to be made to apologize so easily. The man gave in, and an incident was diffused. 

Li Hai just sipped his water, and observed the situation.

After two or three minutes, Merin reentered the room carrying a flagon of beer, a clean rag, and a bowl with water in it. She brought them over to the dwarf, and said, “Well….my father is out right now, but I’m sure he’ll be back shortly. I take it you’re part of the Circle, master…….?”

“Kelec,” the dwarf growled, and then grabbed the beer from her, and began slurping it down. After a few moments, Kelec noticed Merin still standing there, and loudly asked, “What! Why are you still here? Go find your father or somethin.”

She answered in a surprisingly confident tone, “I was just going to give you this…uh….water and towel….to clean up with.”

“Ah, I don’t need that. I just took a bath. I’m clean where it counts, but while you’re here, you might as well me some food. I’ve been on my feet for many days.”

“What would you like sir? We have potatoes, chicken, and..”

“Whatever meat you have is good enough. Bring enough for my friend here as well,” Kelec said, appearing to grow tired from talking, he added, “Leave that water there for the wolf. Got it?”

“Uh…yes Master Kelec,” Merin answered. She then promptly placed the bowl on the floor however, and the wolf lapped at it thirstily. 

As Merin was heading for the kitchen to fill the order, Li Hai whispered, “Merin, who is that ….. um..man?”

“Oh, I’m not sure Li Hai, he said his name was Kelec.”

“Well then, how did you immediately know he wanted to see your father?” The Halthyte asked.

Merin leaned across the bar, and answered in a quiet tone, “My father knows a lot of people on the frontier. I do to I suppose, and the way that that man is dressed and the fact that he travels with a wolf makes me think he’s one of those druids.”

“Your father deals with druids? Do they often pass through the village or protect these woods? I had thought Illitol’s kind was a thing of the past.”

“Well I think that they are, but father has talked about a one druid who …”

Merin’s sentence was interrupted by an impatient Kelec who exclaimed, “Quit yer flirting girl!! That pretty boy soldier type will wait for whatever you’re offering. Go get our food!!”

Merin, blushing, hastily apologized to the irate druid. She then scrambled into the back to get the food. Li Hai went over to the dwarf, and asked, “Hello friend, might I have a word with you?”

“What for? You protectin’ that little girl? Hah!” Kelec blew a gob of smoke at Li Hai, but the Halthyte didn’t seem to care. He merely smiled, and grabbing a chair from a nearby table, sat down a few feet from where Kelec was perched on the hearth.

Maintaining his smile, Li Hai quipped, “Hah hah, you think a peasant girl like that would entrap me? No I’m actually in the area for another purpose. I couldn’t help but overhear your conversation with the girl ….friend….Kelec. I heard her mention the Circle. I take it that you’re a druid then.” 

Kelec remained quiet, merely looking Li Hai in the eye with a thoughtful expression on his face.  After only a few seconds, the dwarf snapped, “F**k off! I’ve got no business with you, whoever you are!”

Li Hai only laughed and said, “I see that you’re quick to judge others, but actua…”

An angry Kelec exclaimed, “Git out of my face! I got no time for this.” 

He then slid off the hearth, motioned for the wolf to remain where it was, and brushed past Li Hai as he made his way to the kitchen. Kelec pushed through the curtain separating the kitchen from the bar, and found Merin busily cutting meat off a dead, plucked chicken. 

Kelec stopped in the doorway and proclaimed, “I’m already sick of this pit you call a village! Damn it girl! Where’s your father?”

Merin, patiently replied, “I’m sorry Master Kelec, but he’s still not back, he went to our neighbor’s house near the outskirts of the village. You seem desperate to talk to him, but maybe I could help you instead.”

“Arghh!! Alright you might be able to, but first back up!” 

Kelec left the doorway and practically pushed Merin towards the only other door in the room. He led her to the door, opened it, and found that he was on the back-porch of the inn. He saw that the backyard was fenced in and had a chicken coop and a hovel that passed for a stable. A few chickens clucked around the yeard, and the dwarf could make out a donkey and a beautiful gray riding horse in the stable. The dwarf walked out into the yard and said, “Alright I guess I can trust you if yer Cutter’s daughter. I’ve heard he aien’t like most humans, a friend of mine said that he would be a help on my mission.”

The girl, nervously answered, “My father is a wise man. I know that he has a friend among the druids….a man named Porblin Gandalaxe if I remember right.”

“Right! That’s his name, but I aien’t here to start chumming around, I need to find out what’s going on in this part of the forest. I’ve come here to investigate some sort of evil that is growing within these woods. I don’t rightly know the nature of it, only that my friends think it’s powerful. Do you know what I’m talking about?”

Merin replied, “I’ve heard of some odd things, but I don’t really know that much about it. What I do know is that there are some strange men have been seen in the woods over the past few months.”

Kelec, dourly said, “Tell me more, girl.”

And with that Merin began to tell Kelec about the missing Clover Trade caravan as well as her father’s suspicions that the strange men in the forest might actually be the missing traders. As she began to tell Kelec about the Abbot’s seclusion and the strange behavior of the Abbot’s men, Kelec cocked his head slightly, listening to sounds coming from the kitchen, and after a moment he said, “Hold on a sec!”

Merin did as he commanded, and watched as the dwarf ran up the stairs of the backstoop. As he came into the kitchen he saw Li Hai scrambling from the shadows of the backdoor towards the curtained doorway leading to the bar. He had obviously been listening to their conversation.

Kelec, a wrathful look on his face, cried, “Eavesdropping aye!! Just what the hell is yer interest in me? I’ll git my wolf on you, you bastard!” Kelec shook his club menacingly at the Halthyte, and again said, “Well, what do you want?”

As Li Hai was regaining his composure, Merin ran inside and exclaimed, “I don’t know why he’s spying but I trust this man Master Kelec! Li Hai’s come here to help!” 

“I may not be around people much, but I can just look at this guy and see that he’s hella trouble.”

Li Hai soothingly said, “Now now, I’m sure I can explain myself. You see, I’ve come to this village to look for that missing Clover Trade caravan. I come from Archaven, and I can assure you that I mean you no harm Kelec.”

“He speaks the truth Master Kelec! He’s here with the son of the Lord of Westpoint,” said Merin as she crossed the kitchen to stand next to Li Hai.

“Really, human titles means little to me, but if that’s case, then so be it, he paused, again sizing the Halthyte up, and then said, “I guess you heard everything I said back there, so I don’t have to explain what I mean when I tell you to tell me what you know about this evil in the woods?”

---------------

Gareth and Gorbag were done with their business in Cherry Knoll, and the two men were now returning to Cutter’s Inn and Tavern. Gorbag was happily muttering to himself in a sing-songy fashion that made the orc’s bestial face seem almost childlike. Gareth seemed quite pleased with the amiable orc, and the two seemed to strangely compliment one another. 

Though he had a quiet smile, Gareth was tired from all he had done today, but Gorbag seemed invigorated. The orc’s wounds had been tended by the old woman who ran the village trading post. She knew the ways of an apothecary, and had done a masterful job in cleaning and binding a few of the orc’s nastier wounds. Gareth had managed to convince Gorbag to wash out his clothes and hair in the trough outside the store, and then he had the old woman trim Gorbag’s unkempt hair to a manageable length.

As the two companions entered the common room, Gareth saw Kelec’s mangy wolf friend lying next to the fireplace. As Gareth stared, the wolf let out a low growl, but only seemed to be warning the noble to keep his distance. Gareth, could only oblige the animal, and he continued into the common room with Gorbag at his flank. 

The Mytherian saw that most of the peasants who had been in the common room earlier had left, and only a trio of men, all in their twenties, were nervously sitting at one of the tables. Gareth questioned the peasants, and was told that some crazy, dirty old hermit from the woods had come in with that wolf and caused all sorts of trouble. They told the noble how they had had heard some shouting and sharp words coming from the kitchen after Kelec had followed Merin inside, and they also said how “that strange Halthyte man” had told them to leave the protection of Merin to him, and since then, Merin, the dirty hermit, and the Halthyte have been sequestered in the kitchen.

Gareth told the men that they should indeed stay out of whatever’s going on in there, and he bade Gorbag follow him into the kitchen. As he rounded the bar, he noticed that Li Hai’s light crossbow was carelessly left on the bar stool where he had put it earlier. As Gareth and Gorbag approached the curtained off room, he could hear several voices coming from inside.

As he pushed back the curtain, he saw Li Hai leaning coolly against the door frame of the backdoor with Merin standing next to him. They were both in deep conversation with a short, dirty looking man with a large bulbous nose, a wild black beard, and dressed in a filthy grey frock. A thick wooden club was held at his side.

The stumpy hermit quickly raised his club, and pointed it towards Gareth and Gorbag and asked, “Who the hell are you?”

Li Hai nonchalantly announced, “This is Sir Gareth Steele, fourth son of Roderick I, Lord of Westpoint.”
The Halthyte gave Gareth a quick wink, and crossed the kitchen so that he could stand next to the nobleman. 

“Li Hai who is this?” asked a confused Gareth.

Li Hai introduced Kelec to Gareth and Gorbag, and filled them in on what had happened. He stressed how both he and Gareth had set out from Archaven in order to investigate the missing caravan, making no mention of his other reasons for coming to Cherry Knoll. 

Li Hai had Kelec relate what little information the druid knew about the evil in the woods, though he did not mention Thornfur or the other wolves. Kelec said that he had come east at the behest of his master Nexatatus, who’s name no one seemed to recognize. 

After a few minutes of conversation, Merin wondered if they wouldn’t be more comfortable in the common room, to which the men all agreed. They all went into the common room, and sat down at the table closest to the bar, and discussed the strange events that had brought them to Cherry Knoll. Kelec’s wolf friend came over to their table and sat at the dwarf’s feet. The wolf probably absorbed as much of what was said as Gorbag did. Merin began cooking dinner, knowing that many of the locals would soon begin trickling in.  

A half an hour had passed and Cutter finally returned to the inn, and at Gareth’s invitation, the ostler sat down at the table to help them sort out all that had been going on. 

Night settled upon Cherry Knoll, as the men talked, and after nearly an hour’s long discussion, Gareth, Li Hai, Kelec, and Gorbag agreed to investigate the strange men of the swamp together. They decided that it would be best to leave first thing in the morning, and soon after this they each bought inn rooms, and retired to rest for tomorrow’s quest.


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## Salthorae (Apr 25, 2002)

*Kelec  me boy!*

That Kelec sure is a surly dwarf ain't he? He's almost got the personality of a dretch tanari...or so it seems, but in reality I'm sure he's a lovealbe kinda dwarf  Soo good to see him in action.

Good luck on your tests Icy! and POST AGAIN SOON...we're all waiting with rapt attention


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## Cyronax (Apr 25, 2002)

*Almost there....*

Actually Sathorae, my finals are next week and the week after. This past week has been taken up by 3 papers (I'm working on the last one right now ) , 1 problem set, and a presentation. Thinking back to one of the opening verses of Steely Dan's My Old School.....

Anyway, now that I've established the PCs as a group, I can move much faster through the story I think. I have probably one more update to go before the entire first session is recounted (it was almost completely devoted to roleplaying and rolling up the characters). 

Alright, gotta get back to work! 

Hey and all you lurkers, give throw me a bone here! I'd be interested in knowing who's reading my story hour!  

Zhen de rhenzhen,
C.I.D.


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## Cyronax (Apr 25, 2002)

*Stats for the PCs in Rogues Gallery*

The subject speaks for itself. Here's a *link*http://www.enworld.org/messageboards/showthread.php?s=&threadid=11423 to the PCs' stats. Gareth's are the first to be posted.

C.I.D.


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## MavrickWeirdo (Apr 26, 2002)

*Good story*

I decide to check out this story hour when I saw your Sig. in another thread. Great characters and background. 

Now the guesses...
 Gareth: Human, Aristocrat (I started with the easy one)
 Kelec: Dwarf, Druid (Why are dwarven druids so popular?)
 Gorbag: Half-orc, Fighter (or maybe Barbarian)
 Li Hai: this is the tough one I can't decided if he is a "house rule Ranger" or a "house rule Warlock"
[/list=a]

time will tell.


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## Cyronax (Apr 26, 2002)

*Re: Good story*



			
				MavrickWeirdo said:
			
		

> *I decide to check out this story hour when I saw your Sig. in another thread. Great characters and background.
> 
> Now the guesses...
> Gareth: Human, Aristocrat (I started with the easy one)
> ...






Glad you like it MaverickWeirdo! I hope you keep reading!

As for your guess, I'll say that you are partially right. The only thing I'll correct right now is that Gorbag is a full-blooded orc, who's simple, yet dynamic outlook on life does not jive well with most of his brethren on the fronier.

The rest of your predictions shall resolved themselves by the end of the second session, which I'll hopfully have posted along with the last part of the first session in the next few days. 

Later, 
C.I.D.


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## Cyronax (Apr 27, 2002)

*Session I (Part VII)*

September 18th, 407 MY

The  dwarf was up at the crack of dawn, and with all manner of foul oaths for who  he called “lazy perfumed and soft city-folk,” Kelec woke up Li Hai, Gareth, and Gorbag and was able to get them to assemble downstairs in the common room in less than fifteen minutes. 

Cutter was up nice and early, happily cooking breakfast for the four men. Over breakfast it was established that Kelec would guide the party to where his “friends” had told him the strange men were believed to dwell. Kelec continued to make no mention of Thornfur. They all were under the belief that the strange men were indeed a part of the missing caravan from the Clover Trading Company, and Gareth noted that everything, all of Cherry Knoll’s problems, were probably caused by whoever these men and their strange master were. 

Gareth made some mention about how they would divide any spoils they found, but was rebuffed by Kelec, who proclaimed that they could deal with that issue when it came up, and with that the four men went to attend to more preparations for their departure.

Li Hai decided to return to the Abbey again and ask Rethra a few more questions.  It took him a good ten minutes before he could convince the soldiers to let him see the Abbot. The men were in bad shape even with the tambrosh coursing through their systems, and Micheal seemed about as “with it” as Gorbag did. Li Hai finally got down to Rethra’s basement chambers, and had to shake the old man awake. Li Hai was brief and to the point, and he was able to get a detailed of description of Chatrillion, something he and Gareth had forgotten to ask earlier, and a small sample of tambrosh. 

The Abbot described Chatrillion as a gruff man who has a sinister look in his eyes. A quality the Abbot wished he had picked up on sooner, he admitted. 

Li Hai just sneered, “Bah, just get on with it old man.”

Rethra, a guilt-stricken look on his face, continued his description, “Fine, fine. Chatrillion, his surname is Unosh by the way, is a gaunt Mytherian man who probably is a fair swordsman, given the rich looking sabre he carried. He usually just wore studded leather armor, with an old, green cloak. He had shaggy black hair and a thick, drooping moustache. I wouldn’t say that he was very old, maybe in his late thirties. His face was leathery and lean, but not that notable I suppose. I doubt he was much of a lady’s man.”

Li Hai just nodded, and asked, “Okay, what about any other aliases? Do you know if Chatrillion is actually his real name?”

“No don’t know. As for aliases, I really wouldn’t know. I’m sorry Master Li Hai.”

After a long moment of silence, the Halthyte seemed to have memorized the Abbot’s description of Unosh, and as he made ready to leave he leaned over the Abbot, who was still in his old lounge chair. With eyes narrowed and a cruel look in his eye, Li Hai said, “All that you have told me old man, had better be true,” and then grabbing the weak man’s shoulder and squeezing tightly, he continued in a bare whisper, “I will do worse than kill you if you’ve lied or if you betray me somehow. Tell no one of me, of Gareth, or our discussion.”

With the pressure of Li Hai’s grasp hurting the old man, the mysterious Halthyte then added, “Don’t cross me. I am more powerful than you could ever imagine.” 

And with that, Li Hai let go of the old man and rose to his full height. Rethra was groaning from the shoulder, and nearly crying from the lingering pain, assured Li Hai, “I am nothing. I tell you my crimes not for myself, but for my men! For Cherry Knoll! My long silence was necessary. Once we were addicted to the plant I had to…… had to …….This is bigger than the tambrosh, bigger than a few bandits in the woods…..I know this, but I don’t know why! I can only ask for your help. My men are dying, they didn’t deserve this.”

Li Hai, coldly replied, “I know. I said I’d help you, and if I can I will.”

“Thank you Master Li Hai. I…I….thank you.”

Li Hai turned and walked out of the room.

---------------

While he was gone, Gareth paid Cutter to take care of his horse while they were conducting their investigation. The noble took Gorbag to pick up the orc’s repaired chain shirt. The blacksmith had done a good job for the little time he’d been given, though the chain shirt had patches of mismatching scale and leather in places.

Kelec, telling Cutter to “f**k off” when his bill was mentioned, went to the edge of the forest by the pond he swam in the day before, and meditated for a short time. When he was done the dwarf returned to Cutter’s just as Li Hai was coming down from the Abbey. As always, his wolf friend accompanied him wherever he went.

The two men met Gareth and Gorbag in front of Cutter’s. Li Hai told the others what he’d talked to the Abbot about. He told them the description of Chatrillion, and then produced the tiny bit of tambrosh, and showed it to Kelec hoping that druid would recognize it. 

With a look of utter surprise on his face, Kelec looked at the plant for nearly two minutes and then exclaimed, “Blast it all to hell! I don’t know what this it!” And turning his dirty face to the sky, “This don’t make no sense! I’m trained to be able to IDENTIFY PLANTS WITH PERFECT ACCURACY!” (5)

With an incredulous look on his face Gareth said, “Don’t get so worked up. Maybe it doesn’t grow around here. We don’t hold it against you.”

Kelec just shot Gareth a dirty look and said, “You just don’t get it, you … you pampered fruit.” 

Li Hai’s face, betraying a hint of a smile, looked down at Kelec and soothed, “Don’t worry, maybe you’ll recognize it later. Sometimes these things take time.”

Kelec just said, “This aien’t no normal plant.”

Gareth, stung by the dwarf’s insolence, just blurted out, “Grr… whatever! Let’s just get going, its already getting late. Come on Gorbag.” 

“OK Gareth.”

And with that Gareth and Gorbag began walking north, in the general direction Kelec had said he thought the strange men to be hiding. 

Li Hai just shrugged to Kelec, and then followed after the Mytherian noble.

Kelec put the tambrosh into his belt pouch, cursed whatever meddling spirits were at fault for the plant’s existence, and then followed as well. 

---------
(5) - A bit of OoC moment on Kelec's part, but my campaign had its share of these little quips, especially since Sathorae, his player, probably thought my grasp of 3e rules was pretty tenuous at the time . As you will see, however, *my* version of tambrosh is a bit different from its original source.


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## Cyronax (Apr 28, 2002)

*Gorbag's Stats*

I just posted Gorbag's stats in the Rogues Gallery. Here's the *link*http://www.enworld.org/messageboards/showthread.php?s=&postid=170846#post170846 to it.

Later, 
C.I.D.


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## Cyronax (Apr 28, 2002)

*Here's the dwarf*

I just posted that dirtbag Kelec's stats in the Rogues Gallery . Here's the *link*http://www.enworld.org/messageboards/showthread.php?s=&postid=168076#post168076 to it. 

I seem to be cranking out a lot of updates this past week. As usual, I hope folks are enjoying it. I still would like to see some posts from the readers who are reading this story. 

As for our previous guesswork by MaverickWeirdo and Marvin the Warlord, you both were mostly right. Li Hai's stats will be put off until I finish posting the second session for certain story considerations. 

Later,
C.I.D.


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## Cyronax (Apr 29, 2002)

*A few odds and ends....*

I've been chatting with Felix through emails lately, and realized that I posted a fairly inaccurate version of Gorbag at 1st level. His entry in the Rogues Gallery has been edited, so hopefully that'll work out the kinks. One further note about Gorbag is that I've been writing his weapon as a greatsword. In fact its a bastard sword, so I'll be editing that bit of the story hour soon hopefully.

Anyway, I'm sure by now that anyone who's played through or read the RttTOEE recognizes the name Chatrillion Unosh. I think it'd be best if I confirmed that that was the adventure that we used towards the end of the game. 

On the advice of Felix, I do think that its best if I warn people of possible spoilers. I hope this doesn't turn away too many readers, given the number of RttTOEE campaign logs out there. Believe me when I say that most of the plots, as well as the party's main nemisis for about 75% of the campaign is of my own creation and was taking shape in my imagination well before I ever read RttTOEE.

Our campaign took the PCs through 1st to 10th level (at least the surviving characters ), and by the time that the campaign ended, the characters had only made one foray into the Temple of All Consumption (being the great portion of RttTOEE). My point is that our campaign was not dominated by the RttTOEE. It was influenced by it, but I hope that mere fact doesn't turn away any would be readers. So I guess take that as a modified spoilers alert.....

Anyway, off my soapbox,
C.I.D.


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## Felix (Apr 29, 2002)

"the party's main nemisis"

Excuse me Cy, but which Main Nemesis are you talking about? As far as I can remember there were about 20 freakin guys we were aiming at at any one time. "Main Nemesis" my tookus. 

I wanted that Greatsword thing corrected ASAP because that would leave my beloved Gorbie without his shield. More importantly, his shield spikes. Oooohhh, spikes. Spikies! Lovely spikes that stick in things. Get stuck in things's faces! Mmmmmm, spiiiiiiikes. DON'T SIT ON EM! Or need get unstuck. That not fun. Stick, prick. slish. bluddy. I like red. Red is a pretty color. Gorbag like red spikes because they make Gorbag laugh. Funny red spikes on his shield! Gareth say he like my spikes too. I like Gareth. He nice to me. He funny too. Gareth like spikes on Gorbag shield. Says they good spikes. He so smartish.

Sorry, heh heh. I reverted back to character mode. By the way, anybody interested in a trip into Gorbag's mind for his background on the Rouge's Gallery? It will mostly be stuff of that sort.


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## Cyronax (Apr 29, 2002)

Edited: this entire post......I gave away a bit more than I wanted to. 

baka baka baka,
C.I.D.


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## Cyronax (May 4, 2002)

*Session I (Part 8)*

Okay here’s the last part of the first session. I can’t believe it took me this long to spit it out. For those of you who’ve read this far, thanks and I hope it was worth it for you. This is a HUGE post!

-------------

Kelec’s wolf had bounded to the front of the party, followed by Gorbag, then Gareth. Li Hai followed closely behind, while Kelec was farther back yet, his hairy brow furrowed in thought.

The party made their way north, under the dark boughs of the Tsai Nau woods. There was little underbrush in this part of the forest, and the terrain was fairly flat. After about three solid hours of travel, Gareth finally had to call for a rest.  The noble was unused to traveling at such a breakneck pace, and he obviously wasn’t as up to this sort of thing as the other men. 

Once the rest was called, Gorbag flopped down on the ground, while Li Hai continued forward past his lazing companions and scanned the area around them nervously, with his crossbow, loaded, but held at his side. He had kept it readied throughout their journey. 

Kelec squatted down to rest alongside Gorbag and Gareth. The wolf pawed impatiently at the ground, showing its clear desire to continue on.

“How much farther,” Gareth asked Kelec. 

“Ah…not much more, in fact were nearly there.”

After about ten minutes of rest, Li Hai urged the party onward, and they continued on their way. It had been barely five minutes when the party heard s wolf howling close by.

Kelec called for a halt, and listened for a few seconds. The howl came again, and this time Kelec’s wolf howled back a reply, and bounded off in a northwesterly direction. 

Despite calls for him to stop, the wolf soon was gone from their sight. 

“Damn that mangy mutt,” Kelec cursed, and started to run in the direction that the wolf had gone. Gareth, Li Hai, and Gorbag were more than able to keep up with the stubby dwarf.

After two minutes of running, the party halted when they saw Kelec’s wolf waiting for them at the base of a large moss-covered rocky outcropping that thrust out of the forest floor at a very sharp angle. 

The area surrounding the outcropping seemed to have fewer dead leaves than other parts of the forest floor.
Also, once they got closer, the companions could make out a small opening in the rock that started about five feet off of the ground. It looked like it had some sort of stone statue placed inside. 

Upon seeing this Kelec said that this site was sacred to the druids. As he said that, another wolf trotted out of the tree coming from the north. It was Thornfur.

Kelec immediately greeted the large white wolf, and explained to the party that Thornfur was the guardian of this particular patch of forest. He said that he hadn’t mentioned him before because he didn’t think it was necessary to. 

Thornfur, using his strange form of empathic communication, told the companions that the rock outcropping was a shrine to the Illitol. As they came closer to outcropping, they saw placed in the opening in rock’s side, an elaborate ivy-covered statue of a thin human with a flowing beard and a wild mane of hair battling a monster that dwarfed the man. The monster was humanoid, had a long, sharp nose, and had broad shoulders and horribly, long arms that ended in nasty looking claws.  The statue captures a moment when the man gracefully sidesteps the monster’s clumsy attacks and slips his scimitar through the monster’s heart.

“Is that Illitol?” Gareth asked.   

The dwarf answered, “Yep, I guess this shrine’s a memorial to Illitol’s victory over Radeem the Mad.” 

Li Hai quickly asked, “Radeem the Mad, who’s that?”

Kelec, not seeing the odd look Gareth gave Li Hai, went on to tell how Radeem the Mad was a powerful sorcerer who had used all manner of magicks to unite several ogre tribes over a century ago. Kelec said that Radeem also had many troll servants, noting that the monster statue obviously represented a troll. He continued to say that beyond that, he didn’t know that much about him, other than the fact that Illitol raised a swamp over the ruins of Radeem’s stronghold after he had defeated the villain with the help of a powerful monk from Ghost Mountain.

Gareth noted the possible link between Radeem’s legacy and the strange men who were dwelling in these parts of the woods. That was merely conjecture as of yet.

Thornfur interrupted Gareth with an impatient growl, and then went on to describe the situation at hand. Kelec understood all of what the white wolf said, and had to relate much of the finer details to the others, who were not that adept at interpreting images from the mind of the forest guardian.

What Kelec related to them was that less than a half a mile away, the party would find a woodsman’s trail that would lead them to “the gateway to the swamp,” where Thornfur and his wolves had observed dangerous “two legs,” coming and going. He also noted that the men could “bite at them from afar,” which Kelec translated as the men having bows and arrows. 

What lay beyond the gateway, Thornfur knew very little. It is an altogether twisted place. Though Illitol raised a swamp over the den of Radeem the Mad, Thornfur said that his pack never ventured inside. Dangerous beasts lurk therein, who do not share the “covenant of forest guardians.”

The wolf also said that among the two legs, was the “Bringer of Storms” who flew on a thin, dark cloud and was no friend of the forest. Thornfur’s pack had once been attacked by this man, losing three of their adult males to the this strange foe’s power.

“Are you sure you’re understanding the wolf right?” Gareth asked Kelec incredulously.

“Aye I think I am. Thornfur’s mind works in images not words, and I see in his half memories a man with a writhing mane of long, black hair, unleashing all manner of destruction while flying on a dark cloud, no….something else….I’m not certain what he means by “dark cloud”, but I’m sure this guy’s dangerous.”

“Flying on a cloud!?! What kind of nonsense is that?” The nobleman exclaimed.

“It’s a powerful bit of nonsense if such a thing’s true,” Li Hai retorted and eyed Gareth with annoyance. After a brief second, he then turned to Kelec and asked, “Kelec ask this wolf to tell us more. Is this flying cloud guy around right now?”

Kelec related that Thornfur and his pack had only encountered the man once, nearly two moons ago. They hadn’t seen him since. Thornfur also said that of the few other animals that he had the ability to communicate with, none of them had seen the man either. The wolf had only told the companions, so that they would take care.

The four men discussed their situation for a few more minutes, and it was finally agreed that they would proceed into the “gateway of the swamp.” Thornfur said the swamp was an impassable mire of dark, murky water, and that this gateway was the only place he’d seen men coming or going from. The wolf also told the party that the men had only arrived at the beginning of the summer. Before that, there was no gateway.

Thus Kelec, Gareth, Li Hai, and Gorbag left the shrine, saying goodbye to Thornfur and Kelec’s wolf companion, as made their way towards the gateway to the swamp.

-------------

Kelec led the party to the trail that Thornfur had described, and indeed it was not much. Only Kelec could really make out the true path, and he led the way with his eyes carefully scanning the forest floor. 

As they followed the dwarven woodsman, the humidity grew worse, and soon it was nearly unbearable to Gareth and Gorbag in their heavy metal armor. A fetid smell was in the air, and after no more than three miles, the party broke through the trees and saw a vast marsh.

After the relative quiet of the forest, the croaks of frogs, buzzing of insects, and the cries of marsh birds filled the companions’ ears. The smell of moist decay filled the air. The mucky, humid haze that hung over the marsh as well as the rushes grew as high as eight feet in some areas, obscured the party’s vision. 

As they continued forward, they all could now make out the trail, which seemed to continue more or less straight towards a wooden bridge constructed from reinforced planks. The bridge was a little over fifteen feet in length, but only three feet wide.

Before the bridge, about twenty feet to the left of the trail, the party saw an old garbage heap. Broken chairs, rotted wood, and scraps of old canvas were piled along with chunks of rusted iron, and the remains of a wagon. A handful of gold coins was scattered atop one of the pieces of discarded canvas. 

Li Hai and Gareth both walked towards the pile, while Kelec inspected the trail closely for footprints. Gorbag stood beside the dwarf, idly waiting to continue. 

As Li Hai and Gareth approached the pile, Kelec said, “So I bet that that’s what’s left of that cara….”

Kelec was cut off abruptly as a near deafening wail erupted from the pile.  

Li Hai immediately dropped to the ground aiming his crossbow at the garbage heap, but not yet firing a bolt. 

Gareth cried, “What is that!?” The noble began backing up nervously as he drew his long sword. 

Gorbag covered his ears with his massive hands and began to moan in pain. He still stood, but he looked like the mere sound alone could make him fall over at any second.

Kelec brought out his club, cursed loudly, and ran towards the refuse pile. As he climbed the pile, he began to wildly smash any and all debris he could. “It’s a shrieker alarm you fools!! Help me destroy them!!!”

Without a second thought Gareth leapt into action and ran to the pile, stabbing everything deeply with his sword.

“Shriekers?” Li Hai muttered, stood up, and ran over to the pile to help.

Gorbag, however, barely understood what the dwarf said, and continued to stand their, hands over ears, crying in pain.

Kelec, Li Hai, and Gareth broke up much of the top layer of garbage, and after another ten seconds or so had passed. The horrible wail ceased. 

“Damn it!! Any guards in the area will know we’re here now!!” Kelec exclaimed.

“Its not our fault dwarf!! How were we to know that this heap of garbage was trapped?” Gareth shot back.

“You MORON! I wasn’t blaming you, I was just……..darn it……Help me make sure we destroyed the rest of the shriekers. They look like mottled green and blue mushrooms I think.”

Gareth and Kelec started scrambling through the debris, while Gorbag finally relieved from the throbbing screech, drew his sword and was looking around wildly for something to hit.

Li Hai, his crossbow aimed at the bridge, angrily said, “The alarm’s tripped. Might as well prepare for battle, because I’m sure someone’s coming to investigate.” He then moved to the edge of the bridge and found some cover against any possible enemies to cross it.

Gareth noted Li Hai’s action, and said, “Good idea. You cover us while Gorbag and I meet any guards or whoever’s over there. Gorbag follow me!!!”

The Mytherian’s call brought Gorbag to attention, and the orc obediently did as Gareth had told him. The orc, barely a step behind Gareth, began to cross the narrow bridge. As orc and Gareth started over the bridge, Kelec, his club still out, came to stand next to Li Hai, and expectantly watched the two men cross. 

Gorbag and Gareth successfully crossed the bridge, and they found that the low, muck covered island that they had come to was choked with vegetation. Their feet sunk into the mud a few inches with each step, and going at normal speed was impossible. Gareth scanned the island, pushing his sword among the tall reeds and straining his eyes into the morass to make out anything. Gnats and mosquitoes danced around his eyes making it even harder to see clearly in this stinking morass.

Kelec, after seeing them safely across, came next. The dwarf noted the dark, murky water beneath the bridge, and said to the others, “This water looks pretty deep, I think. Be careful.”

Li Hai also came across with his crossbow readied as always.

The party now assembled on the other side of the bridge, and they decided to work out a marching order since the path became almost too narrow for even Gorbag to proceed without being consumed by the swaying reeds. At Gareth suggestion, it was agreed that Gorbag should have the honor of going first with Gareth only a few steps behind. Kelec would take the middle, and Li Hai would take the rear. Thus ordered, the four men walked along the path, high reeds on either side, feet sinking into the muddy ground.  

After marching, rather trudging, for about ten minutes, the nervous party could see a break in the path ahead, and it looked like they were coming to another bridge. Gorbag seemed oblivious to the approaching area, but Gareth leaned around the huge man as they walked in order to see what they were coming to. 

The noble wasn’t sure exactly what they were coming upon, since the most he could make out was some sort of skeletal wooden tower rising from the high reeds of another island. Leading to this new island, Gareth made out a well-constructed bridge, perhaps six or seven feet wide and nearly thirty feet long. As they continued their approach, they could now see that the bridge was built from scrap lumber, but it seemed to have a further purpose, due to a complex series of ropes and pulleys that were built into the railings of the bridge. 

Taking all of this in, Gareth whispered back to Kelec and Li Hai, “Alright, there’s a fairly wide bridge with railings and a bunch of ropes attached in various places. I can’t make out much more right now, but I don’t see anyone yet.”

Kelec and Li Hai were ready for anything, and they continued to follow closely.

Gorbag finally pushed through the last of the reeds and clomped on to the bridge. Just Gareth was about to step out from behind the orc, two arrows hit Gorbag. One hit the orc in the left shoulder, while the other grazed his right arm. The arrows had been fired from the concealing reeds on the adjacent island. Neither archer could be seen.

As soon as the orc was hit, Gareth and Gorbag saw two men, emerge from the reeds. They were probably not the archers who had shot Gorbag, since neither had a bow, instead each was armed with a long sword. Both men were Mytherian, and they were garbed in chain mail and wore very dingy tabards. Their tabards bore the badge of the Clover Trading Company.

The older of the two men, a lanky man of middling years, raised his arm, and said, “Turn back in the name of the Master! You savages are not welcome here.”

Gorbag paid them no heed, still grimacing from the fairly deep wound, started across the bridge toward the two men.

Gareth followed the orc’s lead and began to cross the bridge, “Gorbag!! Watch out for the archers! You’re wounded!”

Kelec and Li Hai were now able to get a better view of the situation, and the dwarf followed his two companions on to the bridge with his club bared and Li Hai, finding some cover among the reeds on his side of the bridge, tried vainly to spot the hidden archers on the other island. As he was aiming his crossbow, he started muttering nervously to himself in his native Halthyte.

Now that the party could all take full stock of their surroundings, they all saw that the bridge they were on was actually a dam of sorts. Someone appeared to have undercut the natural revetement that originally held the water from the swamp, and built this bridge/dam to raise the level of the water in the swamp even further. Thus, the left side of the bridge had the marsh waters nearly lapping over its sides, while the right side of the bridge was little more than a muddy trench. 

As Gorbag, who probably took little of that in, got about nearly two thirds of the way across the bridge, the twangs of bowstrings could again be heard amid the reeds. An arrow flew toward Gorbag, but went high, while another shot towards Gareth who was not as lucky. The noble was shot in his right thigh and he nearly fell over in pain.

Li Hai, still muttering, let out a strange, excited sound, and then continued muttering.

Gorbag had reached the two men and he easily avoided there blows, showing himself to be surprisingly quick on his feet. He answered the tall man’s attack with a swing of his bastard sword, but was unable to hit the tall Mytherian who had warned them. 

Gareth made it to the other side as well, but his attack on the other man fell short as well. The noble was nearly bumping into Gorbag as they fought side by side. 

Kelec was unable to get around either of his companions to help with combat.

As they continued the melee, the hidden archers fired anew. This time Gorbag was hit, but it was barely a flesh wound. The second arrow hit Gareth in his chest, and the noble coughed, tried to say something, and fell to the ground beside the fighting Gorbag. 

Gorbag again missed the lanky Mytherian swordsman. Absorbed in combat, the orc seemed oblivious to Gareth’s fall.

Kelec quickly leapt over Gareth’s prone form and with a wild shout and not a few curses laid into the shorter swordsmen with his club. He hit, but not soundly.

Li Hai, having studied the near perfect concealment of the archers, shot a bolt into the waving sea of reeds that hid them. He knew his shot was true when he heard a cry of pain come from the archer who had shot Gareth.

Li Hai’s shot proved deadly when only one arrow shot out of the reeds, missing Gorbag by a large margin.

The two enemy swordsmen were still confident; the tallest of the pair engaged the orc, while the other dealt with Kelec. Gorbag’s opponent made a low slash towards the orc’s groin, but the orc was too swift, avoiding the blow. Kelec however, was slashed across his chin. Blood began to pour from the wound, and a look fury came upon the dirty dwarf’s face.

The tall swordsmen who fought Gorbag, seemed as deft as the orc, and narrowly avoided the towering orc’s blow. With his third miss, Gorbag bared his teeth and growled in frustration.

Kelec missed his opponent with a wild, clumsy swing and nearly tripped over Gareth’s body in the process.

Li Hai took aim and fired. His shot flew into the reeds, and he assumed that he had  missed.

The remaining archer now took aim at Li Hai, but his shot was lost in the reeds to Li Hai’s left.

The tall swordsman got through Gorbag’s defense and slashed Gorbag’s swordarm. The orc howled in pain and dropped his sword to the ground to the surprise of his foe.

The other swordsman missed Kelec, and began moving forward, trying to make the dwarf trip over Gareth.

With no sword, Gorbag lunged towards the swordsman with his massive arms outstretched. He received an opportunistic wound from his opponent, but shrugged it off, and grabbed the man underneath his armpits. The Mytherian couldn’t break the hold, and Gorbag dragged the man towards the railing that overlooked the held back water of the marsh. With no ceremony whatsoever, the orc tossed the man into the muck. The armored man sunk like a rock. 

Kelec missed the other swordsman, but managed to avoid being pushed back over Gareth’s bleeding form.

Li Hai emerged from his cover, and fired a bolt at Kelec’s foe. He hit the man squarely in the chest, and the swordsman fell over unconscious.

Kelec looked back at his “saviour,” and said, “F**k you! I would’ve gotten him eventually!”

“Just get the archer! In the reeds! In the reeds!” exclaimed the Halthyte, who then began to reload his crossbow, even as he sunk back into his covered position.

Not giving a care to the archer, Kelec bent over Gareth’s body, and began chanting in a solemn tone. Kelec’s hand, touching Gareth’s brow, glowed blue for a moment, but quickly faded. The dwarf matter-of- factly said, “There he’s dinged (5). Now to the last one.”

Li Hai, with his crossbow loaded, crossed the bridge looking nervously towards where the other archer probably was still hidden.

No attack came, and Gorbag, who had retrieved his sword from where he had dropped it, said, “What happen to Gareth?”

----------
(5). “Ding” is Kelec’s ever so creative way of referring to a casting of the cure minor wounds spell.


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## Cyronax (May 6, 2002)

*Bah!! Anyone?*

Is anybody reading this story? Come one show some love here!!

Any, enough of that. Here's a *link*http://www.enworld.org/messageboards/showthread.php?s=&postid=181599#post181599 to Li Hai's stats. His class is revealed, but not much else......

Well, I'm cramming for last two finals, but I took a break to post that little bit up. I'll probably post a meaty update this Wednesday sometime because after Wed. morning I'm done!!

Later,
C.I.D.


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## Nota Pixie Insight (May 7, 2002)

*Love, Love, Love*

Hello boys, here's some good-ol' purple-eyed lovin' from pixieland.
When oh when are we gonna get to the entrance of the one character this epic adventure story is *really* about....?!!

I'm getting so bored of waiting here here, even the dwarf is starting to look interesting....


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## Cyronax (May 8, 2002)

*Re: Love, Love, Love*



			
				Nota Pixie Insight said:
			
		

> *Hello boys, here's some good-ol' purple-eyed lovin' from pixieland.
> When oh when are we gonna get to the entrance of the one character this epic adventure story is *really* about....?!!
> 
> I'm getting so bored of waiting here here, even the dwarf is starting to look interesting.... *




I have my last final tomorrow morning! I'll probably be through the second session in two updates, I have a rough draft down, but its well, rough. 

So Nota Pixe Insight, keep "looking" and "listening" for the next one tomorrow or the next day.....the next day if I do end up going to see Spider Man. 

C.I.D.

Oh, and btw for those of you who think I mispelled the name Cryonax unwittingly (I mean you Steve), you're wrong! CYronax is altered b/c I think it sounds better. My namesake was an NPC ice devil (variant elf subrace with a cold subtype) sorcerer/fighter who eventually became pretty important in my world's history.


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## Felix (May 12, 2002)

*Our wuddle baby done growed up (snif)*

1
.
.
.
2
.
.
.
3!
Hooooooooorayyyyyyyyy! Cyronax is now an offical person living in the real world of jobs and taxes! Well done Cy, well done. Now go get yourself drunk, laid, infected, whatever your pleasure; then GET YOUR BUTT BACK HERE AND GET ON WITH THE STORY!

Congrats again bud.

Aus


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## Felix (May 20, 2002)

BUMP

Cy, it's been more than a week. You gonna let us know when you have time? I hate to see this thread on page 3. I want to read more "Fun With Gorbag Throwing Things"  Salthore, Pixie, gimmie some help here. 

Oh, yeah: check your schedule for the 4th, I'll probably be back by then.

Aus


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## MavrickWeirdo (May 21, 2002)

I recently discovered how tough it is to write a story-hour, so I have been patient, but it has been almost a month since we have gotten an update. So...

MORE MORE MORE PLEEEEESEE


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## Nota Pixie Insight (May 30, 2002)

*Come on come on come on!!!*

Mr. Cyronax'd better hurry up...getting antsy pantsy over here!


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## Cyronax (May 30, 2002)

*Re: Come on come on come on!!!*



			
				Nota Pixie Insight said:
			
		

> *Mr. Cyronax'd better hurry up...getting antsy pantsy over here! *




The scary thing about Nota Pixie Insight, is that she uses phrases like "antsy pantsy" in real world conversation. 

If I can force myself away from the wild times in ole "Hoodbridge" long enough to get to the third session Story Hour, you all will be quite familiar with Nota Pixie's charming way with words. The third session is when her character is introduced. So watch out!

Anyway, here's  a short update. I won't promise to get further updates posted today (yeah right) or tomorrow (hopefully) or even next week (more likely), but be warned: despite my stop-go progress so far, this Story Hour will be long, long, and long. Not a threat, just a statement.

Muu-hahahaha,
C.I.D.

------------
Session II (Part I)

“Don’t worry about Gareth! We need to go after the last archer!” Li Hai snarled as he began to follow Kelec on to the second island. 

Before following the Halthyte’s order, Gorbag, bent over and scooped up the unconscious form of the second swordsmen, and tossed it into the deep, held back marsh. Gorbag then retrieved his sword and followed after his two companions.

The trio quickly found the remaining archer. The solitary guard was hiding not far off the reed choked path on the second island, and after barely missing Kelec with surprise shot from hiding, tried to head deeper into the second island’s tall reeds. Kelec and Li Hai quickly wrestled the man to the ground, beat him unconscious, and then tied him up with some silk rope that Gareth had stowed in Gorbag’s backpack (6). For good measure, Li Hai ripped off a piece of cloth from the man’s clothes and gagged him with it. 

With the last man subdued and hoisted over Gorbag’s shoulder, the three companions returned to the bridge to retrieve Gareth’s unconscious form. As Kelec further tended to Gareth’s wounds, Li Hai searched the battleground for any items of interest. Except for the fact that all four men were dressed in tabards from the Clover Trading Company, Li Hai found nothing of value on the men, save for a few gold pieces and two nearly full quivers of arrows.

The druid was able to better bind Gareth’s wounds, and soon he said that they could move him. Kelec made Gorbag carry the armored nobleman’s inert form along with their captive guard. Gorbag seemed happy to oblige.

Everyone but Li Hai was wounded, and after a quick debate, both Li Hai and Kelec agreed that they needed a place to rest. Kelec said that they shouldn’t travel too far, since they were all hurt, and suggested that they find some remote corner on one of the marsh islands to lay low for awhile. 

After crossing on to a third island and then a fourth, Kelec finally found a suitably isolated patch of open ground off the beaten path. It was barely big enough for the party to all stand in at once, but Gorbag was able to flatten down some of the tall reeds, which he used as a bed for himself. Kelec put the unconscious archer and Gareth side by side in the center of the clearing. 

Over the course of the next eight hours Kelec rested, healed himself, and then tended to Gareth and Gorbag as best he could. The dwarf was able to bring Gareth back to consciousness, at which point Li Hai made several snide comments about Gareth’s reckless charge into battle. Gareth did little to defend himself, and seemed ashamed of his poor performance.

The now grimy noble seemed truly miserable, and merely said, “I wasn’t trained for that type of fighting.”

As everyone was now feeling rested and up for further exploration, they decided that it was time to ungag their captive for questioning. Gareth wasn’t able to get much information out of him. The man seemed quite lucid and matter of fact, and despite an occasional head lock from Gorbag or threatened beating from the entire party, he seemed quite ready to die right then and there.

What they were able to glean from him was that the intricate bridge where they had fought him earlier was called the “Floodgate.” Its purpose as far as the party could discern, was to build up enough water to create a “vengeful reckoning” on the “cruel people of Cherry Knoll.” 

The guard also said not a few times that even though he and his fellow guardsmen had been defeated, the destruction of Cherry Knoll was inevitable. This was the “Wise Master’s” will, and if the party progressed any further into the heart of the swamp, they too would be cleansed and enlightened by his virtuous leader.

The man seemed unable to relate why his master hated Cherry Knoll so much, and he likewise would give little description of him or his true power. In the words of their captive, “my Master’s weakness is his strength and you won’t find him caught unawares.”

Further questioning revealed a few more things about the man. It seemed that the man was indeed one of the guards who had been escorting the Clover Trade caravan at the beginning of the summer. The man talked like a religious zealot; like someone who had once lived in sin, but now had found purity. 

He spoke harsh words about the filthy ways of Archaven. The hypocrisy and greed of the Church and its “thugs” the Stokan Knights, and would have gone on and on if Gareth hadn’t told Gorbag to knock him out.

After quietly listening to their captive, Kelec said, “He be charmed or brainwashed….I think. This “Wise Master” sounds pretty tough. I hope him and the “Bringer of Storms” aien’t the same guy.”

“Actually, if they are, that makes for one less enemy to deal with.” Gareth said.

“Aye I suppose,” Kelec, his brow furrowed, then said, “But if these idiots have been ensorcelled, we might not want to be using deadly force.”

Li Hai said, “Heh, I’m surprised you care dwarf. I don’t think we have the luxary of using kid gloves, no matter what the circumstances.”

Gareth added, “I agree with you Li Hai, but don’t forget that there was a rich daughter of one of the Clover Traders in that caravan. She’s worth a lot alive.”

Looking at Gareth disgust, Kelec said, “Do you always think with your purse like that, you prissy fancy boy?”

“A dwarf of all people is lecturing me about greed?” Gareth mocked, and continued to say, “Come now, you have to agree that we can’t hold back against people trying to kill us.”

The druid shot back, “First of all, I think most dwarves are even worse than you humans, so don’t lump me in with them again, you hear!? And second, I will only kill when necessary, now that we know that these people have been…..uh…tampered with.”

Kelec didn’t wait for the Mytherian to respond, and was already grabbing his gear and making his way through the tall reeds towards the path.

Gareth, speaking to the dwarf's back, "Heh....I was going to say......"How do you even know they're charmed," but I guess that's a stupid question."

Li Hai just shrugged at Gareth, readied his crossbow, and followed the dwarf through the reeds.

Gareth dragged Gorbag to his feet, helped the orc position the unconscious guard on the orc’s shoulder, and then followed after his companions.

------------

(6) Gareth, due to his mediocre strength, often had Gorbag carry his non-essential adventuring gear. The other party members, being even weaker than Gareth, soon mimicked this practice, and ever after Gorbag would be charged with carrying the party “kitty.”


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## Cyronax (May 31, 2002)

*Session II (Part II)*

The September sun hung low to the west, and the party trudged through the muck, following the path that they could only assume led to the source whatever evil was at work in this dank swamp.

Kelec walked a few feet ahead of Gorbag and Gareth, while Li Hai brought up the rear. 

They had been walking for about a half hour from the place they had rested earlier, and in that time, Kelec was able to discern that at least one group of men had passed along the muddy trail since they had hidden themselves after their battle at the bridge. The tracks indicated that the men had been dressed as the guards they had fought earlier, and luckily, the tracks led towards the gateway to the swamp. This meant that the Master would be caught “with his pants down,” as Kelec put it.  

Even as twilight turned to night, the party continued their march through the marsh. The air grew cool, and visibility was still poor thanks to lingering swamp gas and the high swaying reeds. Crickets, frogs, and the sounds of other swamp vermin, helped make the night just as unpleasant as the day. 

Over the course of the next hour, the four men had crossed over numerous islands. Rickety bridges, much simpler in design than the Floodgate, connected the islands, and it was generally an unambiguous trail. They went slowly, in part due to the muddy path, but also due to Kelec’s cautious guidance.

Only a few times did the path divide, but in those cases it was merely to send an unwary traveler to a dead end, often over a trapped, collapsing bridge. Kelec, a patient guide and skilled woodsman, was never fooled by such simple protective measures. The dwarf was even able to traverse a fairly large island where the path was not so clear. Numerous hidden, lethal mud holes dotted the island, but the dwarven druid was able to lead the party around these. 

During their slow march, the captive guard had recovered enough from Gorbag’s punch to wake up and again proclaim the powers of his Master. 

Having enough of the man’s ranting, Li Hai had Gorbag put the man down, and for the next few minutes, while Kelec and Gareth kept an eye on the trail, the Halthyte threatened and cajoled the guard to cooperate and tell them some real information or else they’d throw him into the swamp like they had his fellow guardsmen. 

That threat seemed to scare the man enough to tell them about a secret cache of rations, fresh water, and weapons not far from where they were all standing. This peaked everyone’s interest, and so they followed the man’s directions to the cache, which he said was hidden in the cleft of a big rock on a new island.

To the south of the main trail, a small side path branched off, over a small bridge, towards a small island that had large rock jutting out of its center. High reeds surrounded the rock, and swayed in the dim moonlight. 

The party bade Gorbag, bearing the captive guard in his arms in front of him, to make his way over the bridge as soon as Kelec had made sure that it was not trapped.

After the whole party had crossed to the new island and had walked only about ten feet into the high reeds, the trail ended with a wall of tall, uncut reeds blocking there path. The large rock at the center of the island was still more than thirty feet ahead of them.

“There’s not even a trail here you worthless slug!!” Kelec said to the prone guard.

As the companions started questioning their prisoner, Gareth began to draw his longsword. He had heard something.

Even as he was about to yell a warning, three monstrous buzzing insects with sharp, black stingers protruding from their bulbous yellow exoskeletons rose out of the tall reeds in front of them. The insects, which were even bigger than Kelec, looked like giant bees. 

The sound of their “buzz” and their sudden appearance scared Gorbag, who immediately dropped to his knees in the muck. The orc squeezed the bound guard fearfully, and started to fumble with his sword.

Li Hai was already backing up, and aiming his crossbow.

Kelec dove into the reeds to his left, and raised his club, waiting to defend himself from an attack from above.

Gareth, his sword already out, also went towards the safety of the reeds even as he avoided an attack from one of the bees.

The fight between the bees was fairly quick. One bee had been done in by lucky strike from Gareth, while the other two bees were driven off by the rest of the party.

In the end, both Li Hai and Gorbag had been stung. Gorbag seemed unfazed by the bee’s dagger-sized stinger. He was able to shake off any ill effects from the poison, but Li Hai was not quite so lucky. The young Halthyte’s shoulder had gone numb, and Li Hai limbs seemed heavy.

Kelec bade Li Hai to strip off his shirt and for Gorbag to remove his chain shirt so that he could help stop the poison from having more of an effect on the two men. After a few moments of Kelec washing out each man’s wound and doing other ministrations, the dwarf said that he thought that both men would not suffer further effects from the poison.

Li Hai, his shoulders and neck were still horribly stiff, thanked Kelec and started to rub the throbbing wound.

The bound guard, who had directed the party to the giant bees’ nest, had gone unconscious from the force of Gorbag’s fearful “squeeze,” and despite Li Hai’s murderous intentions, Kelec convinced the Halthyte 
to leave the man tied up, gagged, where he lay. The dwarf said that they could leave the man on the rock island, so that “he’d be out of my beard, and away from a place where any of his buddies could find him.”

Gareth added, “Heh, I like it. This way he can greet the bees when they return.”

Still rubbing his numbed shoulder silently, Li Hai merely kicked the guard solidly in the stomach, and then turned to leave.

As the party crossed the bridge, walking off the island, Kelec said, “I don’t care if that guard was charmed or just crazy. Leading us into that bees’ nest was downright mean.”

----------------  

The party had returned to the main path, which was crossing the largest island thus far, and they continued onward.

Gorbag, free from the burden of carrying the guard, seemed much more at ease in the slippery mud, and was now walking neck in neck with Kelec. The orcish warrior had been walking with his sword drawn since the party’s fight with the bees. Kelec cast an occasional annoyed glance at the eager orc, but was no doubt grateful for the orc’s readiness, as the party pushed through a narrow part of the trail only to come face to face with two armored guards.

Kelec and Gorbag were the only ones who were aware of the guards in that moment. The two guards, who the dwarf and orc clearly saw thanks to their darkvision, were initially surprised by the two men, and didn’t even begin to draw their weapons.

Kelec, despite all of his previous vigilance, was also a bit surprised, while Gorbag mutely raised his sword and lumbered towards the two guards.

As Gareth and Li Hai hastened around the corner after their two companions a moment later, both were amazed to see Gorbag standing over the crumpled bodies of the two guards, while Kelec stood there dumbly.

With looks of combined admiration, fear, and gratitude on their faces, Gorbag’s companions muttered their thanks even as they began to clear the bodies off of the trail.


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## Felix (Jun 1, 2002)

*Anticipation of a thing...*

Have you heard the wise man say:
"The anticipation of a thing is often better than the acquisition of the thing."

What a load of chud. [read: we don't like waiting, we like reading!]

Good update Cy


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## Cyronax (Jun 1, 2002)

*The latest from your friendly neigborhood Ice Devil ~~*



			
				Felix said:
			
		

> *Have you heard the wise man say:
> "The anticipation of a thing is often better than the acquisition of the thing."
> 
> What a load of chud. [read: we don't like waiting, we like reading!]
> ...




As always, thanks for the kind words. I'll try to keep up my current pace of updates. 

Also, *as always*, I'd love getting posts from the readers, so please post if you like the stuff. Post if don't to, but it'll do you little good, seeing as this campaign took took place last year......

baka baka,
C.I.D.

--------------------

Session II (Part 3)

Kelec, Gorbag, and Li Hai were nearly finished transferring what was left of the two guards’ corpses after Gorbag’s mighty cleave to a hiding place about ten feet off the trail, amid the concealment of the reeds. 

While they were doing that, Gareth was trying to patch up the two Clover Trading Company tabards that they had just removed from the dead men. The noble had realized that they had not taken any from the guards they had already defeated, and he was beginning to think that he might be able to use the tabards as some sort of disguise. The tabards were worn, bloodied, and heavily damaged thanks to Gorbag, but Gareth thought that he had enough to work with. 

After the bodies were disposed, Kelec bade the companions to help churn up the muddy ground so that the blood from the two guards wasn’t as noticeable. The dwarf seemed certain that this would help them go unnoticed for a bit longer.

Once all of these precautions were taken, the party started forward again, with Kelec and Gorbag still at the front. The night drew on and only a little bit of the waxing moon’s light shone through the hazy air of the marsh. Even with his keen vision, Kelec’s pace slowed even more than before, as he carefully watched the trail for any sign or danger. Gareth and Li Hai, though handicapped in the dim moonlight, followed Kelec’s advice against the lighting of torches. The dwarf said that he could guide them safely forward, though Gareth put two torches on his belt with his flint and steel in case of emergencies.

The dwarf’s vigilance paid off about a half an hour after they had started again. Just after they had crossed a shaky bridge on to a new island, the dwarf saw something jutting out of the mud several feet off the trail.
After he pushed through a few reeds, Kelec saw a “gargoylish” statue half-buried in the mud. It had broken wings and sharp talons. The statue’s fanged mouth was hollow, and had a small bird’s nest built in its orifice. The nest held three small, green-blue eggs, which Kelec knew had come from an unnamed species of red-winged blackbirds that were common in the mountainous regions to the west. 

As the party gathered around the statue, Kelec inspected the statue and the muddy ground around it carefully, and after a few moments of consideration, started to push the mud away from the statue’s base all the while taking care not to disturb the bird’s nest. 

Kelec’s digging was slow, but the dwarf cursed off any offers for help, and even batted away Gorbag’s attempt to simply lift the statue out of the muck.

After nearly ten minutes of work, Kelec found a small metal box, wrapped in velum lodged between the toes of the gargoyle statue. After inspecting it carefully and unwrapping the thick velum wrappings, Kelec opened the box and found two crystal vials filled with a bright blue translucent fluid. 

As soon as the dwarf saw the blue potions, he let out a triumphant shout, and told the companions that these were most likely healing potions. He said that he’d seen some before, and that they usually had a blue color. He was certain that they’d been placed under the statue fairly recently. The other companions were heartened by the find, and Kelec said that they’d have a much better chance to tackle the “Wise Master” now. 

Kelec placed the potions carefully in his belt pouch, and made sure to pad the pouch with some extra cloth.
He then rewrapped the metal box in velum, and placed it back between the gargoyle’s toes. The druid then reburied the statue, and attempted to hide any sign of their passage. It took a few extra minutes, but no one complained. 

After Kelec’s valuable discovery, the party pushed on with greater determination, and decided to keep going through the night. They still lit no torches, content to follow the dwarven woodsmen’s lead.

Over the course of next half hour or so, the party made steady progress. They only stopped once to investigate another strange object jutting out of the muddy earth. The object looked like a large lump of rusted and pitted metal. Rusted pins, each about two fingers thick, extended through the back of the object. After a quick investigation, only Gareth had any reasonable guesses as to what it was. The noble seemed to think that it was the head of an ancient battering ram, and he posited that it might have been used during the fighting that went on here during the days of Radeem the Mad. No one had any better ideas, and at Kelec’s urging, they continued onward.

They hadn’t very far from the rusty battering ram, when they came to another bridge, which led on to a new island. They all crossed very carefully, and after only a hundred feet or so into this latest island, Gareth and Kelec were able to hear human voices somewhere up ahead.

The party moved off the path and quietly plotted their next move. After a few minutes of whispered debate, it was agreed that Kelec would relinquish both healing potions, and give one to Li Hai and the other to Gareth. Kelec didn’t like it, but both men were adamant, and so the dwarf finally relented. He ended that part of the debate by cursing Gareth and saying that the noble would probably need both potions in the end.

They argued a bit more about a battle plan for a foe they hadn’t even seen yet, and finally Li Hai offered to scout ahead and see what could be seen. Li Hai said that his lack of nightvision didn’t matter in this case, since he was betting that their foes were human, and thus would probably be using a light source of some kind anyway. After some resistance, mainly from Kelec, the party agreed that Li Hai would be the scout. Gorbag abstained as usual.

The Halthyte pulled his muddy black cloak around him and camouflaged his face and hair with mud, readied his light crossbow, and then crept along the path ahead. After he had moved about thirty feet away from his companions, Li Hai reached into a secret pocket in his tunic and pulled out a small brown horny toad. Li Hai delicately rubbed the amphibian’s head with his thumb, and then placed it on his left shoulder. 

As he slinked forward, Li Hai was very quiet, the only sound he made, was a quiet warning to the toad, “Hold tight.”

The toad said nothing.


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## Cyronax (Jun 3, 2002)

*Session II (Part 4)*

Covered in mud and with nerves as tense as his wound crossbow, Li Hai made his along the trail straining his ears and his eyes for any sign of his enemies.

Li Hai’s pet toad helped him a little. It too didn’t have the greatest night vision, but it saw much more than Li Hai ever could.

Moving in and out of the high marsh reeds to either side of the trail, Li Hai started to hear the 
sound of people up ahead. He heard several low voices, probably male and human, as well as the occasional crackle or pop of a campfire. If there had been a cloud of smoke from the fire, it was probably obscured by the haze that hung over the swamp.

After another fifty feet or so, Li Hai, finally rounded a corner along the trail, and could make a break in the reeds not far off. Beyond that, Li Hai thought he could make out another rickety bridge in the moonlight, and finally after that, he saw a small island that was wreathed in high reeds. The trail continued on to the island, and Li Hai could barely make out the cozy glow of a small fire. He thought he could see several figures sitting around it, but it was still too far to know for certain.

Li Hai decided to go back and inform his companions on what he’d seen, so that they could plot their next move. As he made his way back, he discreetly put the toad back into an inner pocket in his tunic.

Li Hai returned to the party, told them what he’d seen, and they immediately fell into a long debate. Li Hai made sure to keep an eye on the trail, so that they weren’t caught unawares.

During the course of their debate, several ideas were tossed around, but Gareth seemed to be set on a highly risky plan of his own. Gareth proposed that he don the tattered, bloody disguise of a Clover caravan guard, burst into the camp, and tell the men that a party of well armed mercenaries, led by a Clover Trade bounty hunter had waylaid his watch-post at the Floodgate. He then would attempt to lead or direct a contingent of guards to leave the camp, so as to divide their forces. The rest of the party he explained would hide among the reeds along the side of the path. Li Hai could cover Gareth with his crossbow in case trouble started, and after the forces were divided, the party could then attack which ever group they thought they could best handle.

The noble confidently stated that his performance would be made all the more genuine by the fact that no patrols had returned to the camp since the party had entered the swamp.

Kelec agreed that Gareth was probably right about the fact that no guards had come back to report about the party’s presence, but the dwarf was not willing to risk his life on that assumption. As cautious as always, Kelec told the group that even though he had been well trained at tracking and wilderness skills, he still might have missed something. 

“Plus,” Li Hai added, “There might actually be more than one way into the swamp. We really can’t know for sure. This is a big place, and it looks like these people know the lay of the land pretty well. That old wolf could be wrong Kelec.”

Kelec said, “Bah…I doubt that……..Thornfur was certain that the “gateway into the swamp” was the only way into this whole sh*t-infested hell hole. I’m willing to trust his knowledge about that. His pack has been here longer than almost everyone.”

Gareth smiled broadly and said, “That gives my plan a good boost. Think about it….we’ve already killed six of their men. We already know that at least one patrol had passed out of the swamp while we were recuperating from the Floodgate battle. I think I place more faith in your tracking skills than you do Master Kelec. I don’t think you would have missed signs of a recent patrol returning to that camp up ahead.”

The dwarf just shrugged.

“Hmmmm..okay Kelec, how many people do you think have actually been living in this swamp? Based on the signs along the trail I mean,” asked Li Hai.

Kelec furrowed his brow, and thought the question over for a few moments before replying that he didn’t think anymore than fifteen to twenty. Both Li Hai and Gareth tried to get a more definite approximation from the dwarf, but Kelec couldn’t be sure. The dwarf told the party that in all likelihood, his estimation was wrong anyway. In the end, Kelec concluded that Gareth’s plan might work.

Li Hai disagreed. He thought the bluff was too risky. He thought it might be better to just wait until they send out another patrol and then waylay them safely away from the main camp.

Gareth immediately countered that. He believed that any further delays of contact with the already defeated guards would put the entire camp on edge and make them think something was wrong. He also reminded Li Hai that a patrol of unknown strength was already away from camp. Thus, they would have fewer guards now then they would later. In the end, Gareth had managed to convince Kelec to go along with his plan. Gorbag followed Gareth’s lead by default as always.

Li Hai just said, “Fine but just remember who thought of this stupid idea when it blows up in your face.”

Gareth flashed the doubting Halthyte a defiant grin.

-------------------

The camp wasn’t much to look at, but had a cozy, rustic feeling despite the oppressive and fetid swamp air. As Gareth stumbled towards the camp, now dressed in a bloody, torn Clover tabard and clutching a fake wound on his torso, no one seemed notice him at first. 

The disguised noble had crossed the plank bridge rather loudly, and was now leaning weakly against a four foot high stone barricade that was built immediately to the left of the bridge on the new island. The stonework might have been built to serve as a fortification had anyone bothered to guard the bridge and the approach to the island. 

As he mustered his will to continue further, Gareth saw that the island he was on was probably around forty or fifty feet in diameter, it was surrounded by the now familiar tall reeds, but had been hollowed out for the most part leaving a “courtyard” in which a camp for many people had been set up. 

He noticed that off to his right lay a small, weedy vegetable garden, and on the side of the island opposite of the bridge, was a wooden shack that had been assembled on a set of stilts. It hovered a foot over the waterline of the swamp, and had a small stone chimney that served as one of its stilt legs. The shack was composed of mismatched pieces of scrap lumber. The windows and a few of the larger cracks of the house were covered by cheesecloth, probably to protect its inhabitants from swamp bugs. The shack also had a porch that partially surrounded the hovel and it looked to be littered with firewood. Gareth could see mud-covered picks and shovels leaning next to the stairs that led up to the shack.

Gareth finally composed himself, noted that he only saw five figures, all men equipped in a similar fashion as the other guards camped around a small campfire. Three of the men were asleep, and the other two seemed to be nodding off anyway. 

“Okay here it goes….,” Gareth whispered to himself, and then he moaned in a faked rough, tired voice, “Help…wake up!! Wake up, we were attacked at the Floodgate!”

The two guards wheeled around in surprise, hands going to their weapons reflexively. They relaxed a bit when they saw a “fellow guardsmen,” and came over to him.

It took less than two minutes, and Gareth’s sudden arrival had roused the entire camp. The three sleeping men had been awakened, while two other people had emerged from the shack. The first to emerge was a small, but attractive young Mytherian woman, probably in her late twenties, who had a beautiful mane of amber hair and deep green eyes. She seemed remarkably out of place and Gareth could thought she’d look better gliding across the Baron’s banquet hall in Archaven instead of their current swampy location. 

He tried not to make eye contact with her, and instead passed his gaze to the second inhabitant of the shack, a short stocky man dressed in dirty rags. The man, who was probably a Mytherian-Halthyte mutt, had a pug-like face, beady almond shaped eyes, and scarred and angry features. His left eye was missing, and the twisted man didn’t even bother to cover the hollow socket with a patch or some other effect. The noble would have discounted the man for worthless pauper had it not been for the look of bitter genius that burned in the man’s one good eye. 

Gareth felt a nervous lump rising in his throat. He only hoped that the mud and other filth that he had covered his face in would be enough to give him a chance at impersonating one of their own.

“Hey are you listening to me?”

“Uh….what?” Gareth stammered. He realized that he had been blindly staring at the stooped man and the woman even as the five guards around him were throwing questions at him.

“So how many guards were they? Did you recognize the bounty hunter?” The guard repeated.

“Oh…there were about ten plus the leader I think,” Gareth answered roughly. For good measure he winced from some imagined pain in his side.

“Are they very far off?” One of the guards asked.

By this time the woman and the strange man had made it across the island, and were now silently observing the questioning.

Gareth was in the middle of making up some false details about his flight from the Floodgate when the one-eyed man rasped, “Only you survived? What happened to the rest? Did you meet up with Khelsor’s patrol?”

“Uh yes, they said he would go investigate the ….uh…incident.” Gareth lied.

The ugly leader just looked deeply into Gareth’s eyes, and then said with a broad smile on his face, “So _General_, its fortunate that you alone survived. You should be rewarded.”

Gareth only said, “Uh……..thank you sir……I appreciate..uh….I.”

The twisted man’s eyes narrowed angrily, and he shouted, “Porlow, Fredrick take him!! You three,” he said, pointing at the other three guards, “Guard the bridge! Janne follow me! He’s not one of us! He’s baiting us for an attack or a trap of some sort!”

And with that Gareth was quickly subdued by the two guards and dragged after the leader and the woman Janne towards the shack on stilts. 

--------------------

Li Hai and Kelec both cursed Gareth’s inept performance as soon as they saw the noble’s physical reaction to the appearance of the woman and the leader. Safe among the concealing reeds of the adjacent swamp island Kelec commanded Li Hai not to act until they were sure that Gareth had failed. The second that the dwarf heard the leader shout the orders to capture the Mytherian noble, he knew they were all in trouble.

“Fire!” Kelec told the Halthyte even as he grabbed Gorbag’s meaty hand and led the orc on to the trail. Kelec had his throwing axe readied, while Gorbag wielded his bastard sword as always.

Even as Kelec dragged the orc out of their hiding place, he shouted, “Gorbag get ready for a fight!!” 

Li Hai didn’t immediately fire, even though he knew Kelec and Gorbag needed some help against the three bowmen who were deployed behind the stone wall on the other side of the bridge. Instead, the Halthyte took aim on the ugly leader. He then started muttering to himself, all the while focusing on the man’s back, which was outlined in the dim light of the island’s campfire.

Kelec wisely got behind Gorbag as they began their charge across the bridge (7). 

By the time he had crossed the bridge, the orc was hit at point blank range by two of the archers. The third guard actually dropped his unfired bow and was already drawing his longsword by the time Gorbag had finished crossed the bridge. 

The other two archers also dropped their bows, but it was too late. Gorbag was already upon them, and the orc killed one and badly wounded the other with but one mighty swing of his blade. 

The third archer took off as fast as he could towards the safety of the shack.

Gareth meanwhile, was roughly dragged by the other two guards towards the shack. Even as he struggled to draw his long sword and fight back, the guard named Porlow soundly punched Gareth across the face, and the other one, Fredrick, had slashed Gareth’s stomach with his drawn longsword.

Gareth went limp in their arms, and they continued to carry his bleeding, prone form towards the shack. The archer who had fled Gorbag, raced passed these two encumbered guards.

Kelec, coming out from behind his orcish shield, left the wounded guard to Gorbag, and set his sights for the two guards holding Gareth. He hurled his axe at Porlow, but missed badly. The dwarf cursed, and knew that Gareth was either dead or close to it. He hoped he could take the guards before they made it to the shack.

Li Hai finally got a bead on the stumpy leader and fired expertly at his fleeing form. The Halthyte watched with great satisfaction as he saw the ugly man nearly fall over from the force of the bolt. 

Janne, the comely Mytherian woman, seeing her master wounded, immediately helped him to his feet, and supported him all the way to the shack. They had climbed up the steps and made it into the shack before Li Hai could reload his crossbow for another shot.

The wounded guard facing Gorbag missed the fast orc, and a look of imminent defeat came to his face, even as he was turned into a storm of blood and flying severed limbs. Gorbag stood in this storm’s eye, with a calm humdrum expression on his face.

The last archer, the one who had run from Gorbag previously, also reached the door, and forced it open, only to slam it behind him as soon as he’d gone in.

Kelec shouted a few more potent curses at the two remaining guards, and yanked his club off his belt. He dared not charge them, and instead stopped about ten feet away from them, hoping that they’d drop Gareth and engage him instead.

Li Hai meanwhile decided against wasting anymore time, raised his crossbow, quickly took aim at the guard Fredrick and fired.

The Halthyte missed, and as he was reloading for another shot, he emerged from the cover of the reeds and began to carefully cross the bridge to help his friends.

The two guards were able to out run the dwarf, and made it to the shack with Gareth’s unconscious, bleeding form held between them.

Even as the door to the shack was slammed shut, Kelec shouted, “Gorbag! Li Hai!,” Kelec called, “Get the f**k over here! (8)”

----------------------
Endnotes:
(7) – Despite the fact that Kelec, Gorbag, and Li Hai all had high hit point totals for 1st level characters (11, 12, 11 respectively), all of the players took advantage of the orc’s malleable will and often used the orc as a human(oid) shield in combat. 

(8) – When I ran these sessions Kelec’s player, who posts as Sathorae on these boards, didn’t actually say curses as much as I might have made him out to, but the other players and I generally assumed that whatever Sathorae had Kelec say was also surely peppered with a few foul insults and curses. We didn’t require Sathorae to vocalize all of the curse words, partly because it wasn’t in his real world nature and also because it would have been really distracting. This was all part of trying to realistically play and also react to a dwarf who had a Charisma equal to a dretch tanar’ri (p.10 of the PH). It was sometimes hard for me as the DM to remember how unlikable Kelec would come across to everyone but animals NPCs.

The interesting part of all this, was that Kelec’s foul mouth and sub-par hygiene was off set by the fact that he was hands down the smartest character in the party throughout much of the campaign. Though he would never be looked upon as the party leader as Gareth sometimes would, his opinion was generally regarded as the tiebreaker in many of the many intra-party arguments.


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## Salthorae (Jun 4, 2002)

*Kelec that comely lad*

Aye, I truly be happy to see ya up and 'bout postin up our story 'ere. And thankee kindly fer settin tings straight 'bout me and me charisma...I try but it's hard to play the CH of a dretch Tana'ri I tell ye!!! , blasted +2/-2 for stats

Well das all for now from mee...keep up da good work there Icy.


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## Cyronax (Jun 4, 2002)

Its good to see a post from you again Sathorae. Hadn't heard from you in awhile. I just got into writing this story hour again after a few weeks of real world bizness. I should (and I mean this one this time) have the last part of session II done by Wednesday.

*Also*, Somebody delurk and post! I hope that my old players and I aren't the only ones racking up the view hit counter!

Ah, well......I guess I'll throw another topic out there. Discuss among it among yourselves or something.

Topic I: Which character is your favorite and why?

Gettin a little V-clemped ,
C.I.D.


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## Lazybones (Jun 5, 2002)

Hey Cyro,
Had a slow stretch today at work so I read most of your story (I'm now at the second post of Session II).  It's a good piece; like one of the early posters I really liked the characters and it's nice to have their commentary within the thread.  I'm curious to see how RttToEE will fit into the complex world you've created.

One bit of advice from a long-time writer: accolades are great, but if you want to write you have to do it primarily for yourself and for the story.  I've filled three threads now with my Forgotten Realms story, and while I've gotten good feedback there have been long stretches with just me and Horacio posting (that guy reads tons of story hours ).  

So keep going, even if people aren't posting, you're telling a good story and it will be out there for people to discover, even if it's on a lazy Tuesday months after the story began...

Lazybones


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## Salthorae (Jun 5, 2002)

*Garr!!*

Well ICY...see? you have readers after all, and if you don't mind my saying LB's story is one of the best on this board so you should listen to what he's a saying there...and while I have been away awhile, I was checkin the story but ye weren't updatin so nuthin ta be sayin! ...


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## Cyronax (Jun 5, 2002)

Lazybones said:
			
		

> *
> One bit of advice from a long-time writer: accolades are great, but if you want to write you have to do it primarily for yourself and for the story.  I've filled three threads now with my Forgotten Realms story, and while I've gotten good feedback there have been long stretches with just me and Horacio posting (that guy reads tons of story hours ).
> 
> So keep going, even if people aren't posting, you're telling a good story and it will be out there for people to discover, even if it's on a lazy Tuesday months after the story began...
> ...




Thanks for the kind words Lazybones, and I perhaps sounded a bit more whiny than I wanted to , but your words ring true. Really glad you posted though! I hope it keeps your interest. 


C.I.D.


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## Felix (Jun 5, 2002)

> Written by Cy:
> (7) – Despite the fact that Kelec, Gorbag, and Li Hai all had high hit point totals for 1st level characters (11, 12, 11 respectively), all of the players took advantage of the orc’s malleable will and often used the orc as a human(oid) shield in combat.




Yeah, a human(oid) shield with SPIKES! 

I really don't think old Gorbie cared that they were cowering behind him. If anything, Gorbag thought them smart to follow the best in the trade. If Gorbag thought, that is.


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## MavrickWeirdo (Jun 5, 2002)

*I'm reading*

I'm enjoying this storyhour, in fact it's in my top 5. At this point I'm really looking forward to meeting the pixie.


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## Cyronax (Jun 5, 2002)

I cannot seem to end the blasted second session !! I keep going on for longer than I thought was necessary. Okay, well this one gets us close, but its not the end yet. Sorry Nota Pixie Insight....next time will definetely be the last ::crosses fingers for good measure::

--------------------

Session II (Part 5)

“Get over here!!” Kelec shouted again.

The dwarf was now nervously watching the shack for any sign of movement. He knew that the strange leader, the woman, and three other guards were now all holed up in the shack. Gareth was in there too, probably bleeding to death and unconscious even as he stood there.

He wheeled around again to shout for his companions, but Gorbag was already standing right behind him with his sword and much of his armor dripping with blood. Gorbag was wounded, but most of the blood was from the two guards he had just killed. The orc seemed unfazed as usual.

Kelec looked behind the orc and saw Li Hai standing on the edge of the island, behind the small stone barricade, which nearly came up to the short Halthyte’s chest. He had his crossbow loaded and aimed at the door to the shack. Li Hai just nodded to Kelec and said, “I got you covered, try and flush them out somehow.”

Even as Kelec muttered a curse about cowardly humans and trying to formulate a plan of attack, the door to the shack banged opened, and the two guards, Porlow and Fredrick came out of the house both with short bows aimed at Kelec and Gorbag. Both the orc and dwarf were surprised by the pair’s appearance.

The second they came into sight, Li Hai let loose a bolt, but it went wide, and ended up on the roof of the shack. 

Porlow and Fredrick both reaimed their bows and fired at Li Hai. Li Hai ducked behind the barricade, even as one arrow passed through the space where Li Hai’s head had just been. The other arrow bounced harmlessly off the barricade. He started to reload his crossbow, still crouched behind the cover of the barricade.

With the surprise of the moment wearing off, Kelec yelled, “Git them Gorbag!”

As the dwarf and orc began to charge towards the shack no more than fifteen feet away, both of the guards dropped their bows and drew their long swords. Both men had a look of true horror in their eyes as the saw Gorbag rushing at them.

Preempting his guards’ imminent defeat, the stunted and ugly leader suddenly came out from behind Porlow, and brought himself to full height all the while holding a strange speckled green medallion out before him.

With a look of utter confidence on his twisted features, the leader loudly said, “Please, Heed my words.”

Gorbag, who had by that time inched ahead of Kelec during their charge, stumbled to a halt a mere three feet from the one-eyed man, and simply said, “OK.”

Kelec, nearly barreling into Gorbag’s halted rear, also lurched to a halt. For a split second he almost thought he knew the leader or at least felt like he could trust him, but the feeling passed. Kelec was confused for a split second, but quickly realized that the man thought that Gorbag and himself had fallen under some sort of enchantment.

“Men, remove their weapons, we are finally victorious!” the leader said, and then looking arrogantly into Gorbag’s and then Kelec’s eyes asked, “So travelers, what brings you into my little domain?”

Gorbag obediently dropped his sword on to the ground, and then said to the man, “I think we come to bash you!”

The dwarf allowed the guards to remove his weapon, even as he tried to hide the horror he felt after hearing the orc say that. 

“To bash me!! That’s not going to happen now will it? You’ve obviously had your will tainted by those scoundrels in Cherry Knoll!”

Kelec replied, “I don’t know what….what you mean….we were looking to rescue some rich girl from Archaven. We’re just adventurers. We don’t get involved in politics friend.”

The leader laughed derisively, “You mean Janne don’t you? Hah!!,” The ugly man then called into the shack and said, “Janne, come out, there is nothing more to fear. The misunderstanding has been cleared up. These men now know I am no threat to them. You have seen my pure virtue have you not?”

Kelec grumbled, “Yes Master…..uh…..yes friend.”

Gorbag just said, “Huh?”

As Kelec tried to explain to the leader that Gorbag was a simpleton and didn’t understand much in the way of Mytherian or any other language for that matter, Janne emerged from the ramshackle hovel.

“See here my friends, this is Janne. I believe this is the woman you seek she is no prisoner however…”

“Um…excuse me Master?” interrupted Fredrick, even as he held Kelec’s club and Gorbag’s bastard sword gingerly in his arms.

“Grrr..what is it? I’m in the middle of something here!”

“Uh, forgive me milord, but I just wanted to remind you that there is still at least one more man left out there,” Fredrick continued, after meekly glanced down at the arrow wound on the leader’s lower back, “……um, remember the archer.”

“Blast these quibbling details!! I’m sure he saw my great display of virtue! Where is he, why has he not come into camp to offer his apologies for shooting me?!!”

“I don’t know master! I really don’t!!” quivered Fredrick.

Porlow and the other guard, who even now were investigating the stone barricade and nervously scouting around the bridge for any sign of Li Hai called back saying that they saw no sign of him.

“Bah!! Alright then, he must be too ashamed of himself or something,” the Master, but then muttered, “Find him and bring him back here, alive you can.”

“As you command Wise Master!!” the three guards said in unison, and then they gathered up as many arrows as they could find, lit one torch, and then left the island to search for Li Hai.

The Master was now nervously rubbing with hands through his greasy black hair. He had a worried, ponderous look on his face, and after a few moments asked Kelec, “So tell me, what else have you heard about me? You two must know a bit more than a false rumor about me kidnapping some girl from Archaven. Tell me!”

As Gorbag tried to put meaning to all of the Master’s big words, Kelec nervously said, “I’ll do that *Master*, but first could I see the my friend….the one who your men took into the shack?”

“What?!” the Master asked angrily.

“He was hurt….I’m sure he needs to be looked at. Um….he’s not a bad guy or nothing. We didn’t know that you were such a _virtuous_ man before we got here. Please.”

“No, do as I say, tell all that you know about me and what I’m doing here,” the Master said, but then added acidly, “Besides your friend is dead already.”

Kelec gasped and then stammered, “but if I could just make sure. Gorbag….tell the master, we need to help Gareth.”

“Uh…..we need to help Gareth,” the orc dumbly repeated, but then after a moment’s thought, said, “Oh…but we’s do! Where Gareth?”

“I’m sorry friend Gorbag,” the Master said, “but your friend Gareth is truly dead. I’m very sorry.”

Gorbag looked sad for a moment, but then just shrugged and said, “Can na stop that. Poor Gareth.”

Kelec lamely added, “Poor Gareth indeed, I still want to see his body.”

Janne, still standing beside her Master patiently, said, “Just tell the Master what he wants to know dwarf!”

“Yes indeed! I gave you a task, now tell me what you know! You know you can trust me. I need your help now. Think now to the living. Your friend will have to wait.” the Master pleaded. Frustrated by the dwarf’s reticence, the Master finally said, “Orc, tell your friend to do as I say. You know I’m a good man.”

“Uh Yaw,…uh....Kah-lack tell Master what um…he want OK.” 

Kelec just looked at the orc, and gave up trying to manipulate his new Master. Even though the Master was unaware that the dwarf had resisted the charm, Kelec knew that he would be unable to do anything so long as the ensorcelled orc was there to protect him.

He began trying think of a good story. The dwarf knew that he was a bad liar, but knew that the key to any good lie was a few well placed bits of truth, so the dwarf told the Master the entire truth, as far as he knew it, about Gareth, Li Hai, and Gorbag. All he could do was leave out any mention of the fact that he was in fact a druid and friends with Thornfur and his pack and also that Gareth and Li Hai weren’t working to help cure the Abbot and his men from the tambrosh.

He hoped his “Master” thought it sufficient.

------------------------------

Li Hai had been lucky. Lucky that he had been out of sight behind the barricade reloading his crossbow, and lucky that none of the men heard him jump off of the island and into the swamp as soon as he realized that the one-eyed leader had charmed Gorbag and Kelec. He wasn’t sure if he would have been affected by whatever spell the leader had cast had he seen it, since he was over fifty feet away at the time, but he knew that he was probably no match for whoever the one-eyed man was.

The Halthyte wasn’t one for indecision, and so he quickly formulated a plan and hoped that his luck held. 
Up until a few days ago, Li Hai’s luck was something he had come to count on. Ever since he came to Cherry Knoll however, things felt different. It seemed that his luck was faltering. 

It was probably well past midnight even as the Halthyte made his way away from the Master’s island.  He had swum through the muck towards other island, and then came out of the water only after he was sure no one was nearby yet. Once he emerged from the water, Li Hai made sure to stay among the reeds. It slowed his progress, but it gave him camouflage and also made his tracks all but undetectable without a great effort on the part of the trackers. Even he was slowed in the reeds, Li Hai’s robust physique allowed him to keep going faster and farther than most men could ever hope for.

The Halthyte had passed over the island next to the Master’s camp, and managed to get about hundred feet past the old battering ram on the next island, when he heard the sound of several men pounding through the muck at a fast pace.

He soon could make out the light of a single torch, and realized that he would have to deal with the men sooner than he had anticipated. Maybe he shouldn’t have bothered to try to hide his progress by staying among the reeds.

As Li Hai saw the men pass by his hiding place along the trail, the Halthyte realized that all three men were as of yet unwounded. 

“Heh, this’ll be fun,” Li Hai muttered, and after the men had gone about ten feet past him, he shot his crossbow, at Fredrick, the last man to pass him by. He hit him square in the back, but the bolt didn’t go very deep and Fredrick painfully wheeled around, pulled the arrow from his back, and shouted for help from his companions.

Li Hai reloaded his crossbow, even as the three guards made their way back to his position. Porlow had his long sword drawn, while Fredrick and the unnamed guard had their short bows readied. 

Li Hai stood up and moved out of his concealment, so that he was about two feet off the trail with his crossbow aimed at Fredrick’s chest.

Porlow shouted, “Alright drop the bow! You know you can’t win!”

The Halthyte’s lip quivered a bit and his face took on a pensive look. Finally after a tense staredown with the guards, Li Hai dropped his crossbow on to the mucky ground. He now stood there, completely exposed, with arms outstretched in front of him.

As the three guards circled around so that they were all standing in front of him with their bows still aimed at him, Li Hai pleaded, “I give up, I can’t win.”

“You’re damned right! Get on your knees you bastard!!” Fredrick yelled.

Li Hai, shoulders slumped a  little as it he were ready to comply, but suddenly the defeated, scared expression left his face, and in its place was one of playful cruetly. Li Hai laughed quietly, even as he touched the thumbs of his outstretched hands together and spread his fingers in fan-like manner, and then said, “You simple fools!! Taste my _Reqie de Shou_ (9)! 

As he shouted this, a blue-white sheet of searing flame shot from his outspread fingertips. The fire rushed out nearly ten feet forward, engulfing the upper part of each man. Fredrick and the unnamed guard were caught completely off guard, and both were quickly transformed into human pillars of flame that screamed in horrible pain, and fell to the ground dying almost instantly. Porlow had somehow managed to avoid most of the blast, with it only burning around his right arm. He had enough presence of mind to dive into the reeds on the other side of the trail in part to extinguish the flames on his arm and also to try to get away from Li Hai.

Li Hai just laughed, and in the light of flames, his face bore a sadistic grin. 

Fredrick and the unnamed guard were now nothing more than smoking corpses, but Porlow had managed to extinguish his arm and brought his long sword to bear against his powerful foe. 

It mattered not; Li Hai summoned forth the flames again even as Porlow made a feeble charge towards him. The guard was unable to avoid the blast this time, and he died in agony. The sorcerer’s piercing grey eyes were the last thing he saw.

-----------------
(9) – Wen Rou (Li Hai’s player) and myself are both anime fans, and one of the things that we always found most humorous about anime is that many of the characters have to shout out the names of their attacks. Li Hai, as an arcane spellcaster, must use verbal components for many of his spells. “Reqie de Shou” is Halthyte (Chinese) for “Burning Hands.”


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## Cyronax (Jun 7, 2002)

*Re: I'm reading*



			
				MavrickWeirdo said:
			
		

> *I'm enjoying this storyhour, in fact it's in my top 5. At this point I'm really looking forward to meeting the pixie. *




Thanks MavrickWeirdo! That's high praise indeed!

As to the 'pixie,' you'll have to wait a lot longer than session 3 to understand the reference and why all the other players are always "looking" and "listening" for more updates.
Its a bit of an inside joke.

Anyway, the next update will have to wait til at least the weekend since the Real World has issued its ugly head in the form of a double shift waiting tables and an odious econ exam to study for.

C.I.D.


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## Cyronax (Jun 22, 2002)

um.....call this a shameful bump. I haven't updated in awhile due to some real world business and also that ever so important WotC setting submission contest. With the latter finished and sent, I'm hoping to get around to this story hour again. So hope for an update...maybe soon.

C.I.D.


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## Salthorae (Jun 22, 2002)

*yay!*

Felix and I were jes' talkin' bout ya last night wonderin when we be seein th' next update so...hurray!

Hope your entery in the contest goes well...we all know what a fine settin ye've got yerself


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## Cyronax (Jul 4, 2002)

Happy 4th of July everyone!!

Here's the last part of session II. Enjoy!!

------------------

Session II (Part 6)

As Kelec stammered out the last of his story, the stunted one-eyed Master’s face did little to betray whether the dwarf’s half-tale was to be believed or not. 

After a few moments of thought, a seeming eternity for Kelec, the Master finally said, “Very well then. It seems you came upon my little operation with relatively good intentions. You merely sought to rescue a “damsel in distress” and make some money for yourself while doing that.”

“Yes….that’s it in a nutshell Master,” the relieved druid replied.

“That’s good my dear Kelec,” The Master said, and then continued in a preachy, arrogant tone, “Honest working men….even common mercenaries are rare in this world. Much too rare I think. Corruption, decadence, and vanity are becoming the norm. The world is rotting from the insides, and I think that soon…soon..”

Janne interrupted, “Excuse me Wise Master, but I think the others have been gone for quite some time, they might be in trouble.”

“What!? Oh yes, I lost myself for a second, thank you my dear. That’s right, Kelec, you and Gorbag shall come with me. Your last companion is out there. Hopefully you can help me find him, so that he will see the error of attacking my camp. Janne you wait here, it could be dangerous.”

“Yes my Master, but please be careful,” the woman said with a zealous passion burning in her eyes.

“Don’t worry my pretty, my death matters not. Everything is nearly finished; all of our plans are close to fruition.”

As he turned to go, Kelec asked one last time for permission to check on Gareth. Surprisingly, the Master relented, and told the dwarf to “be quick about it.” As the dwarf made his way back to the hovel, the Master told Janne to also go to the hovel and find a few torches for him to take along for patrol.

The dwarf entered the hut alongside Janne. Kelec saw that the shack was packed with clutter and was illuminated by a single hooded lantern, hanging from the rafters. Two buckets were nailed to walls in order to catch rainwater from leaks in the roof. The floor had wide gaps in the boards and in some places had rotted through leaving gaping holes that led to the dark swamp below. Some other furniture littered the room, including a small anvil that was affixed to the apron of a surprisingly large fieldstone firestone.  Gareth’s broken form was sprawled beside this stonework, with his limbs bent unnaturally, looking for all the world like a dead beggar cast into a ditch. The man’s face was covered in blood and filth, and his eyes stared lifelessly toward the ceiling of the hovel. 

The normally stoic Kelec, sighed sadly, and bent over the Mytherian’s corpse. The form lying before him looked nothing like the dapper, fastidious nobleman he had met only a day before. As Kelec was about to close Gareth’s eyes for the last time, the dwarf was surprised to feel a slight breath coming from the man’s mouth. He quickly felt Gareth’s pulse, and sure enough, there was a faint, yet steady throb. 

Gareth was alive, if tenuously. 

Kelec looked over his shoulder at Janne and said sadly, “Aye the poor lad be dead. I think it proper if I say a quick prayer for his soul…..uh…he was a spiritual one this one.”

Janne, who was intently searching the hovel for torches, acidly replied, “Do what you will, but such sentiments are a mere crutch for the weak in the face of the cleansing fires of The Great Eye.” 

The dwarf looked at the woman as if she were mad, but said nothing in reply. He wasn’t sure if he knew how to reply to such a strange, bone-chilling statement anyway. Instead he quietly began chanting a string of non-sequiter but solemn sounding Dendar words. He waited until he was sure that Janne wasn’t watching him carefully, and then intoned a _cure light wounds_ spell on his gravely wounded companion, hoping against all hope that the words of the spell would be disguised as part of false prayer. 

Once the spell was cast, he immediately put all of his strength into holding down the Mytherian’s shoulders and head. Kelec also made sure that one of his hands was covering Gareth’s eyes. 

As Kelec had anticipated, Gareth tried to instinctively stir after the spell had been cast, and even as he struggled to suppress the wounded man’s movement, he cried mournfully, “He’s really dead!! _Please_ rest well Gareth! You poor dead bastard!”

The revived noble quickly understood, and stopped moving. 

Kelec stood back up and nervously glanced at Janne. The Mytherian woman didn’t seem aware of what had happened, and was completely fooled by the dwarf’s cries of mock grief. She was too busy poking through a crate that sat on the opposite side of the hovel from Kelec and Gareth still looking for a torch. 

“Well I guess that’s that, I’m ready to go,” the dwarf proclaimed, and then looking down at his “dead” companion added, “I guess I can tend to his funeral arrangements when….uh…me, and Gorbag get back from……uh…finding my other friend.”

After another moment, the oblivious Janne found two torches deep in the shipping crate she had been searching, and handed both to Kelec. 

Torches in hand, Kelec rejoined Gorbag and their new Master by the stone wall that guarded the bridge on to this island. The Master had Kelec light one of the torches, and bade the dwarf give it to Gorbag. The other torch the Master put in his belt for later use. 

With that done, the three men left to search for the other guards. 

Kelec was greatly relieved that the Master had forgotten to tell Gorbag and himself recover their weapons. The dwarf was still worried however, the charmed orc was still quite formidable without his sword.

---------------------

Li Hai was careful in disposing of the three corpses, having dumped them unceremoniously into the swamp. His confidence had been bolstered by the ease with which he took out the three guards, and he had all but forgotten the stiffness in his joints that had been brought on by the giant bee sting from before.

He was as of yet, unwounded, and was operating under the assumption that he alone would have to deal with the rest of the men in the swamp. He had crept back to the island adjacent to the island on which the Master and his men had made camp, and

He knew that the only way he could accomplish this, was by picking off a man here and a man there, until he had slowly whittled down the enemy, until it was just down to him and the Master. He relished the thought of that battle, but knew that he had to be careful. He still had many enemies to go through before he could face down the strange and powerful one-eyed man.

-----------------------

It was still very dark, with dawn still many hours off, as Kelec and the Master struggled through the swamp, while Gorbag, spry even armored in chain, led the way bearing a smoldering torch.

Gorbag didn’t know where he was going, and occasionally went too far for the Master’s comfort. The Master always called the orc back. 

A few times during their arduous search for the other guards and Li Hai, Kelec thought about somehow striking the one-eyed man from behind, but the dwarf could never get up the nerve. The thought of fighting both Gorbag and the Master stayed the druid’s hand.

The dwarf needed help, but no aid would be forthcoming. He hoped that Li Hai was still alive.

Li Hai of course was alive, and he had in fact witnessed the trio’s passing. The sorcerer had hidden himself amid the reeds on the island with the rusty battering ram, and his presence went undetected. Li Hai let them pass by, not risking a confrontation. He believed Gorbag and Kelec to be charmed, and he had no desire to enter a battle that badly outnumbered.

The Halthyte instead started to creep back towards the island with the camp on it. He planned to kill whoever had remained behind and then set up an ambush for the Master when he returned. Hopefully the odds would be more in his favor then.

Kelec, Gorbag, and the Master meanwhile, continued through the swamp. They soon left the battering ram island, and plodded on to the island with the nest-crowned gargoyle statue.

As they neared the statue, Kelec grew nervous. He suspected that the Master knew about the secret cache of potions that he had found buried beneath it. 

Kelec’s fears were proved right when the Master gleefully turned off the path and headed immediately towards the statue. 

It only took a few seconds for the small man to uncover the box, and it was but a split second before the Master had opened the small strongbox only to find it empty.

“Arggh, What is this!? Where are my potions?!” the Master roared.  

He quickly started pushing through the mud around the statue in the vain hope that the potions had somehow been moved.

Kelec meanwhile was already backing a few feet away, uncertain of what to do. He merely watched the Master, while stoking his dingy beard nervously.

“Where are they?! I need those potions! I’m wounded!” the Master cried, even as he put his hands to the wound on his back from Li Hai’s well-aimed crossbow bolt. 

Exasperated, the Master stood up and wheeled around towards Kelec. 

“You know where they are don’t you?! Tell me! I checked on them two days ago!” the Master moved towards Kelec with a murderous look in his eye.

Kelec was backing up with gritted teeth, “Wait Master, I don’t know what you’re talking about…..uh one of your men must have…..um….taken them. Maybe they were wounded.”

“You’re lying! I can see it in your face! Answer me now slave!”

Kelec, grasping at straws for a way out, shouted, “I…I..don’t know where the freakin’ potions are okay!?!” 

The Master was nearly on top of Kelec, when the calm, oft-forgotten Gorbag chimed in and said, “Hey Masta, I know where dem drinks be.”

The stumpy Master spun around and said, “What!? You do!? Where are they!?”

“Uh…Kelec….I thinks…you….gave one to Gareth and one to Li Hai.” replied the orc, who then helpfully added, “Silly Kelec, you must a forgot dat right?”

Before the Master could even react, Kelec screamed at Gorbag, “You stupid bastard!! You’ve f*cked both us!”

Even as Gorbag stood there dumbfounded at the druid’s scornful words, the Master drew a wicked looking curved dagger out from under his ratty cloak and charged towards Kelec.

Kelec quickly uttered a minor spell, which caused a burst of light to erupt directly in front of the Master face, and then took off at top speed off the path, into the thick waving swamp reeds.

The _flare_ had little affect on the Master beyond giving the dwarf a quick diversion, and barely a moment after Kelec had left the swamp path, the twisted man turned and ordered Gorbag to capture him. 

Gorbag, still stinging from Kelec’s angry words, tried his best to do what he was told, but wasn’t able to catch Kelec before the dwarf had pushed his way through the reeds and jumped headfirst into the murky waters of the swamp.

The orc, long afraid of water, and dimly aware that his armor would cause him to sink like a stone, stopped on the edge of the island dumbly watching Kelec swim away from land.

Once the Master realized what had happened, he shouted to Gorbag and said, “Come back here orc! That villain is as good as dead anyway without a horsemint salve.” (10)

“What you want me to do then Masta?” the orc asked obediently.

 “Bah everything’s near ruin thanks to all of you! The only thing I can do now is try and unleash my vengeance on Cherry Knoll. I’m still in danger. The archer is still out there.”

The Master pondered his situation for a few more moments, and then turned to his charmed orc and said, “Gorbag, do you know if your companions did anything to the Floodgate when you first came into the swamp?”

Gorbag could barely understand question, and just shrugged. 

The Master angrily cursed and then said, “It matters not, I hopefully can fix whatever sabotages they’ve delivered upon my creation. Follow me orc.”

“Uh, yessir.”

That said, Gorbag followed the Master towards the Floodgate with torch in hand.

---------------------

Back on the island with the derelict shack, Gareth was easily able to surprise Janne and quickly subdue her after Kelec, Gorbag, and the Master had left for their patrol.

By the time Li Hai returned to the island after seeing the trio pass him by on the path, Gareth had already consumed the healing potion from the Master’s secret cache, and then started questioning Janne.

Li Hai crept up into the shack and found Gareth sitting on a small stool with his long sword idly held at the woman’s throat. Li Hai, though surprised to find his companion still living, moved into the shack and sarcastically asked, “So this is how you noble types tame your women eh?”

Sporting a somewhat shamed look on his face, Gareth simply said, “Things got pretty harry there for a while aye? Heh, good to see that your still alive Li Hai!”

The Halthyte just sneered and coolly answered, “I wish I could say as much for you, you spineless whelp. Your plan is the reason for this whole…”

“Now now enough of that!” Gareth interrupted, “There’s no harms done, Kelec’s okay (he healed me for Saints’ sake), you’re okay, and I’m sure that Gorbag’s okay. So let’s just let the past remain ….the …uh…past.” 

“You’re an idiot,” Li Hai hissed, and then began rummaging though the shack looking for something to help fight the Master and his still charmed companions.

-------------------

An hour passed and night still clung to the area mercilessly. Kelec was able to figure out where the Master and Gorbag were heading, and he decided that the most direct way to the Floodgate would be to swim there. 

Thanks to his tireless stamina, Kelec was able to swim nearly the length of the swamp by the time the Master and Gorbag were anyway near the Floodgate.

At one point during his hard swim, Kelec was nearly swallowed hole by a monstrous catfish that inhabited the dark waters of the swamp. By some act of dumb luck, Kelec managed to punch the beast right between the eyes just before he was consumed. His exacting blow was enough to make the fish lose its appetite, and it swam away to find something a bit less troublesome. (11)

Kelec was able to beat the pair to the Floodgate, but by the time he was able to hear them coming, he found himself unable to do much if anything to damage the Floodgate.

The dwarf was still unarmed, and even if he had had a cutting blade or something along those lines, he wasn’t sure he’d know how to disable the Floodgate. To the dwarf, it looked like the huge dam would almost certainly burst if any rope, pulley, or mechanism were sabotaged. 

He couldn’t make heads or tales of the construction without a lot more time.

Therefore, just moments before he would have been spotted by the Master and Gorbag, Kelec ducked into the concealing reeds of the swamp. Hope was his only ally.

--------------------

“Finally, we’re here.” the Master announced in a tired voice. Both Gorbag and the Master had run through the mucky swamp trail to reach the Floodgate. The Master, old and relatively out of shape, was exhausted from the trek.

Gorbag was still feeling fine, and seemed almost invigorated from the run.

After a few more seconds of catching his breath, the Master moved towards the complex Floodgate, and started checking all of the pulleys and woodwork to see if they’d been tampered with.

A few minutes passed as the one-eyed man meticulously checked the dam. 

Kelec still lay in wait ready for any advantageous moment to attack, while Gorbag stood beside the bridge barely paying attention to what was going on as usual. The orc stood dangerously close to Kelec’s hiding place, and it was only thanks to the warrior’s sheer stupidity that Kelec wasn’t spotted.

Finally after much careful investigation, the Master smiled wickedly and in a very anti-climatic move, simply moved to a small winch near the center of the Floodgate’s eastern bridgeway, pulled out his curved dagger, and cut the thick rope that was wrapped tightly around the winch.

A flurry of motion rumbled through the entire complex as the dam’s gates were lowered and the great held-back force of the swamp spilled through, hurdling towards Cherry Knoll miles away. 

Kelec cursed quietly and then forced himself out of concealment and charged past the idle Gorbag and barreled into a very stunned Master.

It was a bitter fight, with Kelec desperately struggling to wrest the dagger away from the Master, while at the same time trying to avoid several well placed blows from Gorbag, whom the Master had ordered to help fight off the lone dwarf.

Gorbag was able to punch Kelec solidly in the face on two occasions, but the doughty dwarf was able to overcome the exhausted Master and keep more or less away from Gorbag, who was vainly trying to separate the pair, even as he was trying not to hurt Kelec that much. (12)

In the end, Kelec managed to push the Master against the wall on the bridge that overlooked the deep, now churning waters of the swamp. After a hard punch into the Master’s gut, Kelec was able to grab the dagger away.

Now armed, Kelec stabbed the one-eyed Master in the chest, and was able to heave the Master over the side of the bridge, even as he had the prescience to grab the master's strange charm medallion from around his neck even as the battered man fell over towards the water below.

The Master now exhausted, bleeding, and pummeled, lost consciousness as soon as he hit the surface of the swamp, and then sunk like a rock.

He died right there even as his limp form was pushed through the open gates of the dam. His corpse was sent swiftly downriver, not to be seen again.

Kelec meanwhile was still in grave danger, because Gorbag finally lost what little compassion he had for the dwarf. The orc cried angrily several times about “his Master being hurt” or Kelec being “mean, bad man.”

Thus, with the Floodgate open and spilling forth the pent up strength of the swamp towards Cherry Knoll, Kelec was forced to flee or risk getting smashed to bits by Gorbag.


End of Session II   

------------------------

Endnotes:
(10) A horsemint plant is native to the lands around Cherry Knoll, and the Master had brewed special salves that when applied to the skin made a person unpalatable to the giant catfish as well as leeches who inhabit the local swamp.

(11) I ruled that Kelec, as a druid, would know that big fish, such as the catfish, would probably leave a person alone if a solid punch was applied to their nose area. I took that idea from what little I know about sharks in the real world.

(12) Gorbag takes no pleasure from killing, and was trying hard not to hurt Kelec too bad. Thus during the battle between the Master and Kelec, the orc was attacking with several negative modifiers based his desire not to hurt Kelec.


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## Felix (Jul 5, 2002)

Good post.

But...............

What about the caber tossing?

Good post................... Do another


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## Salthorae (Jul 7, 2002)

*blah blah blah*

Felix is one to talk, just cuz he's got strength enough to toss a poor little dwarf for all they're worth...sigh  well good update! but give me more hehehe i'm so demanding huh?


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## Felix (Jul 29, 2002)

*Take your friggin time about it!*

Cy, you are approaching the one month mark. I know you're busy with the other campaign and all, but if you need some help writing, you need only ask. 

Salthorae, you back in the states yet?


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## AEtherfyre (Aug 17, 2002)

*Bump*

Are you going to update this again anytime soon, Cyronax? 

I'd really like to see the rest of it.


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## Cyronax (Oct 10, 2002)

Crap.....well its been three months + since the last update.

A lot has happened since then, and despite my desire to keep going with this, time is always my greatest enemy. The desire to write is still there....and, I'm pretty much posting on this thread in part to motivate myself to start with the next update sometime soon. No promises (though i have a truncated fall break fast approaching) as to when it'll be done, but try I will. 

I find that I need to finish the story for some reason (even though its barely started) since I feel that it was a cool campaign and blah....

Blah,
C.I.D.

PS this post is a place holder, since Strange Friends was all the way past the 5th page


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## MavrickWeirdo (Oct 10, 2002)

More More More


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## Salthorae (Oct 10, 2002)

*yay!*

great to see you back on your feet C.I.D., long time no see and all that, i was wondering if you had fallen into the black pit of despair or something like that...and our resident orc couldn't give me anymore info than that 

 I hope you have time post again on this thread soon, l8r


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## Felix (Oct 10, 2002)

Well, I was thinking more along the lines of Cyronax hanging out with Ozzie Smith at the Mystery Spot, but I guess not.

Good to see you're back.

Or, more accurately, good to hear that you are thinking about making an effort to schedule some time for a possible comeback.

Aus


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## Garreth (Oct 11, 2002)

Cy, I must say that I have enjoyed this story hour immensely.  Unlike my comrades, I just stuck with a nick that was a thinly veiled disguise of my own part on the story.  Mostly because that campaign was the first serious gaming I had done for at least 10 years. Which I think added to the role play because my RP ability coincided with my character¡¦s development in many ways.  Most likely why I started neutral, but later found that it was not really to my (character¡¦s) taste.

I do miss the big lug of an orc, comic relief and a fighting porcupine, all in one.  His utter randomness and cut through the BS ways are sorely missed.  Raise a glass, Aus. 

One point that will surely help the readers understand the reason why Garreth Steele, was always coming close to dying and doing stupid $h*t early on, would be more accurate stats in the rogues (so apt) gallery.

Garreth Steele Level 1 Aristocrat
Str. 9, Dex. 16, Con. 8, Int. 14, Wis. 11, Cha. 15
Feats: Expertise, Improved Disarm (never used once)

And it was always a rapier, never a long sword. (I was a dexterous weakling, remember),  And Studded Leather (chain was too heavy).

The reason I always died, was the low Con. and hp (7).  The reason I always tried: it always worked at home and I could always talk my way out of it if I screwed up, boy was I wrong.

Thanks for retelling the story Cy, and I want more too ƒº.


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## Cyronax (Oct 11, 2002)

*the circle is  now complete*



			
				Garreth said:
			
		

> *
> Garreth Steele Level 1 Aristocrat
> Str. 9, Dex. 16, Con. 8, Int. 14, Wis. 11, Cha. 15
> Feats: Expertise, Improved Disarm (never used once)
> ...




Garreth thanks for the words of praise and the corrections to my tattered and frayed memory. 

Of all the PCs, I think that you were the most disadvantaged in typical rule standing from the start. Some of the story hour has shown this i think, but I will say now that I would have jacked up the aristocrat a bit more relative to the other classes. Despite that however, I will say that you realistically made up for given setbacks and used every possible rule, plot, or scheme keep me guessing. That's what made it fun in the end right...  ?

Well anyway, Gar(r)eth's stats, as like most of the PCs and NPCs, were recontructed from my memories of the relative power of each compared to the other.  In most cases it seems i've been corrected on the fine details of said info, but the story, in most cases remains accurate i hope. Hopefully private emails can further alleviate any further inconsistencies.......so that i don't further embarassas myself further 

Well enough for now (until the update),
C.I.D.


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## Garreth (Oct 14, 2002)

Cy, your memory is as accurate as could be, (being that I still have my character sheet), and it has kept me at full interest for the rest of the story.  Which, at this rate, will take us through 9 level (minus a few  ) and the next few years.   If you like I could send you my own notes, but they would be amature next to your own, I am sure.

And be sure to include the spike armor orc and liz. wrestling and one self immolating dwarf. (He finally found a way to get clean).
Those are some of my favorite parts.  You can also continue to acurately describe the continuing foly of a certain popus young noble's actions, (none of which I will admit in public, mind you).

BTW. Cy, ni yinggai hui gei wo email, hao bu hao. Huozhe wo hui shasi ni bu ke.  .  That goes for you other guys too.  you know the address 'my name "in" the country i live in'@hotmail.com


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