# Servants of the Swift Sword (A Kalamar campaign)



## Wicht (Jul 9, 2002)

*Servants of the Swift Sword**

Prologue*

Alairic sighed as he tried to read the words again.  Reading was not the easiest thing in the world anyway and for some reason the sentence was not coming out quite right.  Alairic much preferred it when the other clerics would read the stories in “To Serve” to him, or even better, when the minstrels would tell the stories in song or as tales of action.  But such was not to be today.  He was forced to try to read it himself.  Defender Feiloo, Alairic’s teacher of the moment, wanted Alairic to identify three lessons from the account of Guardian Rooki.  Rooki had saved several villagers by leaping into the jaws of a dragon and slicing open its stomach.  The villagers, who had been eaten whole, could then crawl out.  It was a famous story and Alairic would have no problem coming up with three lessons.  He was good at application.  It was the learning that was hard.

	Alairic finished the one sentence and started on the next.  But he was soon distracted by the sound of someone outside the temple playing a flute.  Closing the book, Alairic looked out to see who was making the music.  In the street outside the temple wall, children were running and laughing.  An older gnome child was chasing them.  The parrot perched outside the store on the other side of the dirt street whistled and called after them, its wings flapping agitatedly.  
The flute player was a halfling perched atop a barrel.  He was Dilas, the proprietor of the store, and a friend of Alairic’s.  He looked up and, noticing Alairic looking down, he waved.  Alairic waved back and then prepared to go back to his reading.  But before he opened the book again, something else caught his eye.  It was a woman, propped against the side of Dilas’s store, her eyes roving over the walls of the temple.   A large black bird, a raven perhaps thought Alairic, was perched on her shoulder.  Her eyes traveled over the window by which Alairic was seated.  For a moment her eyes held his and then she slipped around the side of the store, out of sight.  

Alairic closed his eyes and concentrated.  Naemae had blessed him with a second sight and he used it now.  He opened his eyes and looked again.  As he suspected, there was a tinge of evil remaining in the spot where the woman had stood.  She was obviously someone up to no good.  Guardian Deochoo should be told, thought Alairic.

As if on cue, the older man entered the room even as Alairic turned his head away from the window.  Dressed as he always was, a steel Breastplate covering his White and Blue robe, Deochoo looked, just as he should, like a venerable warrior-priest.  The Servants of the Swift Sword were the only clerics in Xaruum who roamed their own temple fully armed and armored.

“Are you not supposed to be studying,” chided the old man gently, his eyes straying to the closed book.

Alairic turned red and his tongue fumbled over itself as he tried to explain, “Um, I, ah, was, but there was, um, a woman, out, ah, outside.”

“A woman?”

“Um, yes, and, ah, I don’t think she was up to any good.”

Fumbling through the account, Alairic explained what he had seen.  Deochoo nodded, smiled and said, “We will look into it.  That was very keen of you to notice such a thing, even if, ahem, you were meant to be studying the canon.”

“I am sorry sir,” said Alairic bowing his head penitently.

“That is quite alright,” said Deochoo, “But you must learn to focus better on the tasks at hand.  Distraction in the midst of battle can be costly.  Better concentration is a skill I would advise you to develop.”

“Yes sir.”

“I meant to tell you though, I have talked it over with Defender Feiloo and he agrees that you know the vows and the funeral rites and that you can make the basic applications of the sacred tales…  Furthermore, there is no denying you are one of the best students of the sword here, Defender Dthavin certainly did not fail you there…”

The older man placed a piece of cloth on the table in front of Alairic.  It was silk cloth of blue and white diamond patterns in the middle of which was sewn a golden eye, opened and watching.  It was the symbol of Naemae.  

“You may carry this with you openly,” said Deochoo smiling, “You are now officially a Purifier.  There will be a ceremony tonight in your honor.”

“Thank you sir,” said Alairic, a huge grin covering his face.  He could picture Dthavin looking on proudly and wondered briefly when he would get a chance to see the grizzled old knight again.  He then thought of his mother, knowing he would write her with the news that very night.  

“Congratulations,” said Deochoo, clapping the young man on the arms, “and tomorrow, I will want to see you in my office, first thing in the morning.  I think it is time for you to take a break from the books and get out of this stuffy old place.”

“Thank you sir!”

“You will need companions of course.  I would go with you myself, but I absolutely must finish my treatise on Saint Grigarus.”

“You know,” confided Deochoo to Alairic with a wink, “I once hated reading almost as much as you do now.  And now look at me!  Writing treatises and commentaries!  Give me a sword in my hand and a battle to fight any day!  Alas that we should get old!”  Giving Alairic one last pat on the arm, the older man smiled and turned to leave.

Alairic smiled broadly as the Guardian walked out.  He knew the old man was still a match for any number of men.  The acolytes were still talking about the hill-giant the priest had slain only last month. 

With a skip of his heart, Alairic suddenly realized he was being sent on a quest in the morning.  He wondered who would be sent with him.

*************************

	Purifier Tilliana walked back to the Citadel of Truth from the market.  She supposed, somewhat self-consciously that she presented an incongruous sight.  A petite woman warrior-priest in banded mail (over a white robe), with a huge sword (a foot longer than her body) strapped to her back, carrying in her arms, of all things, a basket full of vegetables.  

	“Hey, Tilliana,” called out a feminine voice.  Tilliana looked over and saw first the gang of children, and then the small woman who was escorting them through the city. 

 “Hey, Rouna,” called back, Tilliana, walking towards her friend.  Rouna wore the blue robe that marked her as a priestess in the Home Foundation.  “And how is Reona,’ asked Tilliana, referring to the baby girl that Rouna carried.  

“She is doing great, come look.”

Tilliana put her basket down and went over to tickle the child, making cooing noises all the while.

“Farlion! Stay out of Tilliana’s things,” shouted Rouna at one of the boys, “Good news Tilliana, me and Goetai are expecting again!  We are hoping for a boy this time, but of course we will take whatever the Holy Mother decides to give us.  Mother Roalee tells me though that it will be a boy.”

“I am glad for you,” said Tilliana, “I think you must be braver than I!  I can’t imagine having kids yet.”

“You just wait till you get married!  ‘Servants’ are allowed to be married aren’t they?  I can never remember all the practices of the other faiths, I have enough trouble trying to remember the children’s names!”

“My father was married,” Tilliana reminded her friend.

“Of course he was!  Oh, and how is your mother?”

“She’s fine, It was her that sent me to the market,” laughed Tilliana.  “One would never know I outrank her in the temple by the way she sends me here and there!”

“One must obey one’s parents,” chided Rouna with a wink.

“I know…hey!”  This last exclamation was directed at a young man, who in his rush down the street, had bowled into Tilliana.  Tilliana, surprised, was not so startled that she did not feel the slight tug at her hip.  Her gloved hand lashed out and caught the young ruffian by the scruff of his tunic and jerked him back.

“Aah,” he shouted, trying to twist free.  But Tilliana was stronger than her small stature would seem to indicate and holding him firm, she snapped, “What do you think you are doing, stealing from a lady!”

“I’m sorry!” said the young man, “It was just a joke.”

Tilliana reached over and pried her holy symbol, the silk cloth with the golden eye, from his hands.  She had been carrying it at her waist and he had snapped it off.  

“Stealing is no joke,” said Rouna sternly, “Especially the theft of something sacred.”

“But it was her friend as told me to do it, he said he wanted it for a joke.”

“My friend?” said Tilliana.

“He was tall, wearing an eye patch, and he had a pet bird, a raven.  He said he knew you ma’am and gave me a silver to play a joke on you.  I’m sorry, I didn’t mean nothing by it. Honest.”

“Somehow I doubt you’re all that honest,” said Tilliana, but nevertheless she believed his story.  She released her hold on the back of his collar. 

“If you steal from a Servant of the Swift Sword again, I warn you, next time it will not go so easy on you.  Now get out of here before I change my mind!” snapped Tilliana, trying to sound savage.  The young man complied and ran off across the north bridge. 

“I hope you scared him into behaving.” laughed Rouna as she watched him flee, “Who is this ‘friend’ of yours?”     

“No one I ever seen,” said Tilliana, sounding puzzled, “Who would want my focus?”

“I would not know.  Well, we’ve had enough excitement for one day haven’t we kids,” said Rouna, beginning to herd the children she was watching back together.  “Say hello to your mother for me, Tilliana.  And I will see you soon I hope?”

“I doubt that,” said Tilliana, as she picked up the large basket again, “Guardian Deochoo told me he was sending me somewhere in the morning.  But I will tell mother I saw you.  Bring Reona by sometime, Mother likes you and she loves babies.”

“I will,” said Rouna. 

***************************

	In the smithy at the Citadel of Truth, Niccolo Half-elven was helping Protector Laamak hammer out a new sword when Guardian Deochoo walked in.  Laamak , grunted out a greeting to his superior and continued hammering.  Niccolo, who was holding one end of the blade still with tongs, simply nodded at the old priest to show he recognized his presence.  
Deochoo stood, watching patiently until, at last, Laamak lifted the five foot long blade from the anvil and laid it into a long trough of water.  The steam hissed out in a torrent and Laamak nodded pleased.

	“Looks good!” said Deochoo pleasantly.

	“Aach, should be good,” said the heavier set man, “So what brings you into my smithy? Anything you need?”

	“Actually,” said Deochoo, “I came in here to see Niccolo.”

	“Me?” asked Niccolo.  He had boldly entered the Halls of the Valiant and offered his services to the Servants of the Swift Sword nearly two weeks before.  He had been impressed with their doctrine of bravery and their willingness to fight evil physically and passionately.  But other then helping in the Smithy, Niccolo had done nothing to fight evil yet.  

	“Yes, you,” said Deochoo pleasantly, “If I remember right, you told me you had some skill as a tracker?”

	“Yes,” said Niccolo.

	“Very good, I am sending a group out in the morning and they will need a tracker I think.  Please be at my office tomorrow shortly after dawn for details if you would.”  

“Certainly, sir!” said the young half-elf pleased.

	Deochoo smiled , then turned and left.  

	“Well then,” said Laamak, with a wry chuckle, “Seems I will be losing some help, we’d better get back to work to make up for you not being here.  Why don’t you get the material for the hilt together.”

	“Aye,” said Niccolo, returning to work, wondering where he would soon be headed.  

*****************************

As Heidon scaled slowly up the outer walls of the Citadel of Truth the only sound to be heard was the footfalls of the sentry atop the wall.  The lone sentry, one of the acolytes most likely, walked vigilantly, the moon glinting off of his armor and white robes.  He passed above where Heidon was climbing and Heidon froze against the wall.  Whether it was because Heidon had chosen his location of ascent well or because the moon did not reflect off of his clothing, the guard did not see him and as he walked on past the point above Heidon, the young thief finished his ascent to the top.  In another instant he had dropped softly to the ground and was hidden again in a shadowy corner.  Timing his movements carefully so as not to be seen by the sentry, Heidon darted from his hiding place to another hiding place, passing only momentarily through a lit spot of ground and then from there he was in another dark spot below an open and unlit window.  The night was warm and the window was open and it was an easy thing for heidon to scale the necessary five feet and slip into the room.  

It was a bedchamber and hardly empty.  A man lay sleeping in a bed only two feet away from the window.  But his snores were more than enough to cover any sounds Heidon made as he padded softly through the room and exited through the door.  He was in a short hall, open at both ends.  Closing his eyes, Heidon tried to mentally figure out which way he needed to go.  Having decided, he opened them again and turned to his right.
He was startled to see a thin old man, not two feet away, dressed in a nightgown staring at him with knowing eyes.  

“Wha…” was all that Heidon managed to say before the old man with a surprising amount of strength hit him in the chin with a fierce uppercut.  

The lights went out.

When he came back to, Heidon found himself tied to a chair, sitting at a table.  His head throbbed and his jaw felt broken.  A single candle, resting in the middle of the table lit the room.  Heidon looked around and saw that his possessions were in a bundle in a corner of the small room.  The door opened and the same old man who had laid him low with a single punch entered the room, no longer in a nightgown, but now in full battle armor and clerical garb.

"Welcome back to the land of the living good sir," said the elderly cleric, "I am Guardian Deochoo and I am in charge of this temple.  I must admit that I do not really appreciate being wakened from my sleep by intruders.  You have a lot of explaining to do.”

"I’m sorry, I’m sure." sad Heidon thickly.

"Oh, that must still smart, let me see if I can help you."  
The cleric reached out a gentle hand and rested it on the side of Heidon’s face.  A warmth flowed from hand to cheek and Heidon felt the pain quickly leave.  Even his head stopped throbbing.  

"Now," said Deochoo, "I want you to tell me why you decided to break into a sacred place and disturb an old man’s sleep.  And I warn you that I will know if you are lying to me."

Heidon did not doubt this last statement.  He figured to himself that anyone that could move that silently, hit that hard and heal with a touch was a person to be reckoned with.  Truth, was, he decided, in this case, the best policy.

"My name’s Heidon.  I needed some money and though I didn’t really think it was the best idea in the world, this guy said that if I could sneak in here and nip a few clerical robes and things like that, he would make it well worth my while.  He even gave me a few gold to start with, an earnest he said it was."
Deochoo looked steadily at the young man and Heidon found himself continuing, "Well, like I said, I didn’t really want to, but golds gold and foods food and not really seeing much other opportunity at the moment, I took him up on it and nipped in here and that’s when you clocked me."

"What did this man who paid you look like?"

"Well sir, he was about six feet tall, with a peg leg, a hook hand and he called himself captain."

"A colorful description, but one that is true.  Your willingness to confess all does you credit.  Was there anything else about this man?"

"“He had a bird."

"A bird?  What sort, a parrot?"

"No sir.  It was a black bird.  A big one.  It didn’t stay with him, but flew around a bit and he fed it some morsels when he was talking to me, so I figure it was his pet or something."

"Hmm.  Would you know this man if you saw him again?"

"Yes sir."       

Deochoo strode around the table slowly, one hand to his chin.  He seemed to be thinking hard.  

"Please sir, what are you going to do with me?"

"Do you have parents young man?"

"Yes sir, but they don’t live here in Xaarum.  I left home and somehow just ended up here.  Please sir, my mother would be awful upset with me if she ever found out."

"Hmm.  Well a punishment is in order.  One can’t just let thieves go freely about their business.  On the other hand, justice and mercy are two sides of the same coin and you seem redeemable.  I shall let you know in the morning what I plan on doing with you.  Until then you will stay here.  There is a man posted outside the door so even if you let yourself loose from that chair do not entertain any hopes of getting out.  My advice for you is to try and get some sleep.  It is what I plan on doing.  Goodnight young man."

He blew out the candle and closing the door as he exited, Deochoo left Heidon tied to the chair and alone in the dark, worrying about what was going to happen to him.


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## Wicht (Jul 9, 2002)

The first session of my new campaign starts this Thursday.  I will try and transcribe each session on a regular basis.  

 The Characters are as follows (for those who care about such things).  Each was rolled with 4d6 dropping the lowest.  

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*Alairic**, Male Human Pal1:* CR 1; Size M (5 ft. tall); hp 10; Init +5; Spd 20 ft; AC 15; Atk +3 melee (2d6+3); SV Fort +5, Ref +4, Will +3; Ali LG; Str 15, Dex 13, Con 11, Int 7, Wis 16, Cha 16.
*Skills and Feats:* Ride +5, Diplomacy +4, Knowledge (religion) +0; Improved Initiative, Blind Fighting.

                 Alairic, like most pure-blooded Reanaarians, is short and muscular.  He has light brown hair and brown eyes.  As a Paladin in service to Naemae (The Knight of the Gods), and a Purifier in the church, Alairic most often wears simple white.  Alairic was born a slave in the city of Zoa.  His parents, who were married and had four other children, belonged to a Gnome merchant, Heritte Deisly, who used their family as house servants.  Even as a youngster, Alairic displayed strength, bravery and a tact in abundance.  His qualities were one day observed by a passing cleric, Defender Dthavin, a giant of a man, known for his horsemanship and skill with a lance.  Dthavin bought Alairic off of the Gnome and, freeing him, took him as his squire.
	That was ten years ago, and in the meantime, Dthavin’s assessment of the young man has proven well founded and though Alairic will probably never rise high in the Hierarchy of the Halls of the Valiant, Naemae has favored him and he has the potential to be a great Knight.  As Dthavin’s squire, Alairic has seen much of the Reanaarian Bay and for his age, is already a seasoned traveler.	

*****************************************

*Tilliana**, Female Human Cle1:* CR 1; Size M (4 ft. 8 inches tall); hp 9; Init +1; Spd 20 ft; AC 15; Atk +2 melee (Greatsword 2d6+1); SV Fort +3, Ref +1, Will +5; Ali LG; Str 13, Dex 12, Con 13, Int 14, Wis 17, Cha 16.
*Skills and Feats:* Knowledge (religion) +5, Knowledge (Art of War) +4,  Diplomacy +5, Spellcraft +4, Concentration +5, Craft (Armor smithing) +6, Spellcraft +4, Craft (Calligraphy) +4; Combat Casting, Scribe Scroll, Weapon Focus (Greatsword).
  Domains:  War and Nobility

Tiliana has olive skin, dark hair and dark eyes.  She is short and slim, though athletically so.  As a purifier in the Halls of the Valiant, she exclusively wears white.  Tiliana was born in a rural hamlet, north of Geanavue and south of Gilia.  Her father, Protector Roanai was a rural priest serving Naemae.  His duties not only involved tending to the spiritual needs of the area, but he was also largely responsible for defending villagers from giants to the west and undead from the north.  He died leading an assault against a red dragon who had settled amongst the fire giants.  
	 Tiliana’s mother, Zailoo, knowing that the Halls of the Valiant would care for her children made the journey to Xaarum where Guardian Deochoo maintained the largest temple to Naemae along the Reanaarian Bay.  Whilst Gilia was much closer the presence of the undead made it undesirable.  
	In Xaarum, Tiliana, though small in size, determined to follow in the footsteps of her father.

**********************************************

*Niccolo**, Male Half-elven Ran1:* CR 1; Size M (5 ft. 3 inches tall); hp 10; Init +2; Spd 30 ft; AC 14; Atk +5 melee (Longsword 1d8+3), +3 ranged (shortbow 1d6); SV Fort +2, Ref +2, Will +2; Ali LG; Str 17, Dex 14, Con 11, Int 10, Wis 15, Cha 12.
*Skills and Feats:* Ride +6, Move Silently +5,  Heal +4, Craft (weapon smithing) +3, Wilderness Lore +6; Track, Weapon Focus (longsword).
   Favored enemies: Primary - Pirates

Niccolo has brown hair and green eyes.  His dark skin betrays his wood-elf heritage. He was born to two half-elven parents in a rural community near the Fautee forests. Both parents were killed by pirates while traveling the Reanaarian Bay on a business trip.  Niccolo at the time had been staying with some wood-elves who were on good terms with his mother.  While the wood-elves would not admit a kinship with Niccolo, they, out of a sense of duty, kept the youngster for a time.  From them Niccolo learned the ways of nature, but nevertheless he was never fully a member of the community.  As soon as he was able he left the Fautee Forest and journeyed to Xaruum where he apprenticed a while with a weapon-smith. 
	While working in Xaruum, Niccolo began attending services in the Halls of the Valiant, attracted to their sense of bravery and lured by the idea of chilvary.  Leaving the weapon-smith, Niccolo pledged his services to the Knight of the God’s.  The Servants of the Swift Sword, recognizing his abilities, accepted. 

****************************************

*Heidon**, Male Human Rog0/Ftr0:* CR 1; Size M (5 ft. 2 inches tall); hp 7; Init +7; Spd 30 ft; AC 15; Atk +1 melee (Longsword 1d8+1), +3 ranged (longbow 1d8); SV Fort +2, Ref +4, Will +1; Ali CG; Str 13, Dex 16, Con 13, Int 15, Wis 12, Cha 11.
*Skills and Feats:* Swim +4, Craft (Bowery) +6, Climb +5, Jump +5, Hide +7, Spot +5, Search +6, Use Rope +6, Bluff, Intuit Direction +4, Pick Pockets +6, Open Locks +7; Improved Initiative, Point Blank shot, Precise Shot.

Heidon is wiry and quick. with brown hair, brown eyes and olive skin.  He is the son of a forester and grew up hunting and playing in the Fautee forest.  He excelled at archery at a young age and could outswim and outclimb most of his companions, few as they were.  Though his homelife was pleasant, wanderlust hit him and as soon as he was able, he left and wandered the Fautee Peninsula, eventually ending up in Xaarum.  Virtually pennyless, Heidon fell in with a bad lot and picked up a few less than savory skills.  His greatest drawback as a thief is the fact that he worries that what he does is wrong.  He would much rather put his skills to use in a more upright fashion.  
	His most prized possession is his longbow, which he carefully carved himself.


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## Daniel Knight (Jul 9, 2002)

Most enjoyable, and very easy to read.  I look forward to reading further installments.


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## Wicht (Jul 12, 2002)

*Servants of the Swift Sword
Chapter 1 – Foorun*

	The sun was just breaking over the horizon when Niccolo, Alairic and Tilliana entered Deochoo’s office.  The first thing they noticed was the young man tied to a chair by the desk at which Deochoo did his writing and studying.  Deochoo himself  was staring out the window at a brightly colored parrot which was flying around the street.  The three could hear the sound of a dog barking and children laughing.  

	“Good morning,” said Deochoo cheerfully as he stared out the window.  Then turning around he immediately got to the point,  “I am afraid that one of our clerics has gone missing, a man named Giovan.  He maintains two shrines on the coast and he has been missing for about two weeks.  And he is not the only one, small villages and families have also been disappearing along the coast.  No one knows if it is sea monsters or pirates or what.”

	Deochoo paused for a moment and looked at the three.  Seeing that they had nothing to ask he continued on slowly, “I am sending you three up to try and find out where Giovan has got to, and perhaps where the rest of the missing are.  I received word yesterday from a man named Froima, he acts as a Marshall in the village of Taesoo, a little place in which one of the shrines is located.  He is a devout worshipper and wrote to me.  I will give you a letter to Froima and he can perhaps explain things better than I can.  If you follow the northern path out of the city you will come to the village of Foorun in a couple of hours.  The other shrine Giovan maintained was there.  Teasoo is about ten miles east along the coast from Foorun.  While you are there you might check in on the shrines as well and see if they need any maintenance in Giovan’s absence.”

	“Do you got that?”

	The three nodded.  Pleased Deochoo turned now to the young man tied to the chair.  “This young man is Heidon.  He tried to burgle the Citadel last night.  He was hired by a man with a large raven.  There seems to be an abundance of ravens at the moment, as I think at least two of you know, both here in Xaarum and elsewhere.  Froima wrote in the letter that at least one of the small villages that went missing had been visited by a man with a raven.  I think there may be a connection so I am sending this young one with you.”

	Deochoo closed his eyes and muttered a few words under his breath.  Then looking sternly at Heidon he said, “I hereby charge you with the following quest.  You are to accompany these three or another Servant of the Swift Sword until you identify and help them capture or defeat the man who hired you.  If you cannot find that man you must travel with them for a year and a day.  If, during that time you leave them, within 24 hours you will begin to waste away and die.  If they die and you do not find another Servant, within 24 hours you will begin to waste away and die.  If they leave you behind, you will begin to waste away and die.”

	Heidon could feel his stomach tighten.  He found himself believing the stern words of the normally cheerful old man.  “A year and a day,” he whined to no one in particular.

	“Oh great, just what we need,” muttered Niccolo, “a thief.”

	“He’s workable,” said Deochoo ambivalently.  

	“He might be useful,” said Alairic.

	Tilliana, seeing the distress of the tied up young man, patted him on the shoulder and said, “Be brave.” 

	Deochoo untied Heidon and told him, “You are now free to do as you will within the terms of the quest, if you need to get anything, do so.  And I think you all should leave as soon as possible.  Be brave.  Do good.  May Naemae bless you.”

	It was soon decided that the only thing the group needed to purchase was torches and as soon as Alairic bought some they were off.  The morning sun was about halfway up the sky as they walked through the gate of Xaarum and started north.  

“Just remember,” said Niccolo to the silent and brooding Heidon as they walked past the city guards and into the shades of the trees, “We can tie you up and leave you behind at anytime if you don’t watch yourself.”

For their part Alairic and Tilliana accepted Heidon’s presence a little more gracefully, though they made no great effort to speak to him either.  

Tilliana, as the senior member of the order carried the sealed letter for Froima.  

The day was warm and pleasant and soon the group had left the outskirts of the Fautee forest.  They found a clear trail going north and followed it.  

They were only about a half-hour from the city when they observed a caravan traveling south along the same path.  As the caravan drew closer they saw it appeared to be a group of merchants riding on horses with four covered wagons following behind them.  Armed hobgoblins, apparently guards, rode in each wagon and at either side of those that rode on horses.  
Noticing the hobgoblins they grew more weary and their hands went unconsciously to the hilts of their swords.  The caravan drew closer and the man in the lead, riding an expensive mare, waved and hollered out a greeting.

“Hello, and are we on the right road to Xaarum.”

“You are,” said Niccolo, her eyes drifting to the figure of the hobgoblin next to the man.   

“Good, good.  We have been traveling from Geanavue and on our way to Zoa.  We thought we might stop in Xaarum and catch some of the, uh , culture.”  They could not help but notice the sarcasm in his voice as he chose the word ‘culture.’  

“You are almost there.”

	“Good travels then to you,” said the merchant smiling benevolently as he rode past them.  They watched him and his company go and then continued on their way north.  
It was only fifteen minutes later when they found blood on the trail.  

	“Something was killed here and dragged away.” Said Niccolo, “Something heavy, dragged by a man in boots.”  Niccolo followed the tracks through the grass and the rest of them, curious, followed behind.  What they found startled them.  A hundred yards off of the path, hidden in the tall spring growth was a dead horse.  Its belly had been ripped open and its stomach and intestines had been apparently eaten.  Flies buzzed around the wound and the eyes.  

	“Interesting,” said Niccolo examining the wounds and sending a cloud of flies into the air, “This looks like a bird tore it open.”

	“Really?” said Alairic.

	“Look here.” Said Heidon.  It was the first thing he had said since leaving Xaarum.  They looked.  He held up a feather he had found in the grass.  It was over a foot long and gray in color.  

	Niccolo took the feather, but he had never seen anything like it.

	“There’s a house over there,” said Tilliana pointing east to a farmhouse perhaps less then a quarter of a mile away.  There were fences around it and somewhere close they could hear the sound of cattle bleating.

	“Let’s check it out,” said Alairic.

	A farmer came out to meet him before they made it all the way to the house.  He was a gnome and he carried a loaded crossbow.  But he did not appear to be threatening them.

	“Hello,” he called out as he approached.

	They returned the greeting and waited for him.

	“Do you know there’s a dead horse down the way,” asked Tilliana.

	“Aye, I heard it scream earlier this morning.  A little later a man stopped by and said a tiger had killed a horse and to be on the lookout for it.  I been carrying the crossbow ever since today, but my animals have been fine.”

	He looked them over a bit.

	“You folks from the temple to Naemae in Xaarum.”

	“Yes,” said Alairic.

	“Well good, if you see that tiger you guys are probably the ones to take care of it.”

	“Are there really tigers around here?” asked Alairic

	“Well, we haven’t seen one in a couple of years, but yeah they mostly keep to themselves but they are out there.”

	“What did this man look like who told you about the tiger?” asked Tilliana

	“He was blond, spoke with an accent, had a bird with him.”

	“What kind of bird,”

	“Some big black thing.”

	“A Raven?” asked Alairic

	“Coulda been.”

	“Well thanks,” said Tilliana 

“Keep your eyes open and good travels,” said the gnome.

	“Thanks,” they said.

	“That was no tiger that killed that horse,” mumbled 
Niccolo as they started north again.

	“Interesting,” said Alairic.

	It was about noon when they heard and smelt the ocean.  The path cleared a rise and then they saw the village.  It was a group of perhaps two hundred houses and some larger buildings built along the beach.  There were docks with small fishing boats and out in the water some larger ships were anchored.  

	“Who are we supposed to find?” asked Alairic.

	“Froima,” said Niccolo, “Pay better attention.  Dumb Paladin.”

	Alairic stoically said nothing, choosing to ignore the half-elf’s gruffness.

	“Let’s go find Froima,” said Tilliana diplomatically.

	They asked a woman as they entered the small village but she had never heard of Froima.  Asking after the local law, she directed them to an Inn called the Sea Dragon, telling them to look for the sheriff who would be eating lunch.  His name was Groi.

	The inn was not hard to find, a sign over the door displayed a green dragon head rising out of blue waves.  The Sea Dragon.

	Inside the inn, a number of people were eating.  The sherriff stuck out due to the fact he was the only one armed and in armor.  When he saw them, he looked closer and then, his face breaking into a smile, he waved at them to come over.

	“You folks from the temple in Xaarum?” he asked, his eyes looking at the divine focus hanging from Tilliana’s waist, “I knew they would send someone around sooner or later.  About time too, that evil spirit in the shrine is really bothering folks and some were suggesting that I oughta get rid of it, but I told them, evil spirits is not my job.  Holy folks should deal with them.  Someone will be sent and here you are.  You are here to get rid of the evil spirit right?”

	“Uh, yes,” said Alairic, trying to look like he knew what the sheriff was going on about.

	“Well good, ever since Giovan stopped coming around about a month ago, nobodies been really caring for the shrine.”

	That’s the other reason we are here,” said Tilliana, “We are supposed to find Giovan.  We need to see a man named Froima.”

	“Marshall Froima!  He lives in Taesoo, about two hours up the coast.  Giovan lived there too most of the time, except he would stop by about one week a month and take care of the shrine here in Foorun.  He was a good man, Giovan was, when he was here he would help keep the peace, fight monsters out of the bay…”

	“Monsters out of the bay?” 

	“You know, sea serpents, giant octopuses, fish men…”

	For some reason this was going over Tilliana’s head. 

	“Where is this bay?”

	The sheriff looked at Tilliana incredulously, “Surely you saw the water on your way into town.”

	It dawned on Tilliana that she was by the ocean. “Oh, now I feel silly.”

	“That’s, alright, I am just glad you guys are here to fight that evil spirit.  Some folks starting to get the idea I should do it, but now that you are here, I expect you will take right care of it.  The shrine is just out of the village on the west side, can’t miss it, big wall.  The gates not locked but no one is going in there, I promise you.”

	Alairic’s stomach rumbled and he mentioned lunch to the rest of them.  After assuring the sheriff that they would go fight the evil spirit once they ate, they sat down.

	The food was decent, though not spectacular.  Fish and bread.  As they ate the sheriff walked by their table on his way out.  “Sure is glad you folks are here.  Makes my life easier.”  Then he was gone, out the door.

	They finished their food and paid for it.  At the door, one of the villagers stopped them.  “I hear you guys are looking for Giovan.  A man came through town this morning, and said he saw a group of people in chains being dragged into Hooberan’s.  He thought one of them was Giovan.”

	“Hooberans?”

	“Yeah, Hooberan grows berries.  You go about three miles south and ten miles east and you will see it, a big wood stockade surrounded by berry bushes.”

	“And a guy just came through town this morning saying this?” asked Alairic suspicously.

	“Yeah some blond guy.”

	“Was there anything unusual about this man that you noticed?” asked Niccolo.

	“Well, there was something funny about him but nothing I could put my finger on.  Just thought I would share with you what I heard.”

	The villager walked away.  Alairic looked thoughtful as he watched him walk away.  “Now how did he know we were looking for Giovan.  That seems weird him just volunteering the information like that.  I don’t know if I trust him.”

	“True,” said Niccolo, “The only one we have talked to is the sheriff.”

	A moment later as they walked out of the inn, a woman hollered at them, “You folks going to fight that evil spirit?  Good luck.”

	“Ah,” said Niccolo, suddenly understanding, “the sheriffs been blabbing.”

	As they walked west through the village they noticed they were picking up a following.  First it was children and then women and then some men, many of them old.  The tag-alongs followed about thirty feet behind the four companions, all talking excitedly.  There were probably about forty to fifty onlookers when they reached the shrine.  

	“Groupies,” mumbled Alairic with unusual wit.

	The shrine was surrounded by a ten foot plastered and whitewashed wall.  The wall was topped with broken glass and had a gate of wrought iron bars.  The gate hung slightly open.  Looking cautiously through the bars of the gate they saw that there were two small buildings side by side within the yard.  The one on the left was apparently a hut.  The one on the right was a wooden building with three walls and an open front.  Over the open front of the second building was the golden eye of Naemae set on a field of blue and white diamonds.  

	“The shrine is evil.”  Said Alairic.

	“What?  It’s a holy shrine to Naemae,” Tilliana exclaimed.

	“Well it is now an evil place.”

	“How can you tell,” asked Niccolo.

	“I can sense it.”

	“You mean you can tell when something is evil or not?”

	“Yes, if I concentrate, I can do it any time.”

	“And you didn’t think to check out the guy you were suspicious of at the inn?”

	“I forgot.”

	“Dumb Paladin.”

	“What shall we do?” asked Tilliana.

	“I say we have the thief check it out,” said Niccolo, opening the gate and pushing Heidon through.  Alairic and Tilliana looked at each other, shrugged and followed the Heidon in.  it was apparent that the grass around the two buildings had not been trimmed in a while.

	“Let’s check out the hut first,” said Alairic.  The others followed him to the door of the hut.  It was locked.  

	“Can you open it?” Niccolo asked Heidon.  Heidon looked at the lock and pulled out a set of lockpicks.  He inserted one and a twist of the wrist later, the lock was open.  

	“At least your good for something,” muttered Niccolo.

	The hut however provided no answers, not even any questions.  It was sparsely furnished, with a stove, table and chairs in an outer room and a bed and a chest in a second room.  The floor was a dirt floor and the chest held only spare sheets and blankets for the bed.  Even checking under the mattress provided nothing.

	“It needs dusted in here,” commented Niccolo.

	They approached the shrine.  There was an altar in the middle of the building.  There was a rotting head on the altar.  Flies buzzed around the head.  Graffiti in the form of evil signs covered the walls.  

	“Uh-oh,” commented Heidon.

	“Ooo,” said Tilliana.

	Alairic scanned for evil and noticed what they had seen. “Hmm.”

	“Does someone want to clue me in here?” asked Niccolo.

	“There’s a big evil snake wrapped around the base of the altar unmoving,” provided Alairic helpfully.  And then Niccolo saw it as well.  It was not moving and though it was not truly hiding it almost blended in with the altar.  It was a full four inches across and it was wrapped twice around the base of the stone altar.

	“Why don’t we just shoot it,” asked Niccolo drawing his bow out.

	“Where is the valor in that?” asked Alairic drawing his greatsword.

	Niccolo did not answer but let off an arrow.  It missed the snake and hit the stone altar instead, the arrow ricocheting away.  

“Rats,” muttered Niccolo.

“Good job,” said Alairic.

In an instant the snake was moving, unwrapping from the altar and flying at Niccolo, fangs bared.  It snapped at him but the half elf knocked aside the snake’s head with one hand as he drew his sword with the other.  Alairic swung his sword even as Heidon and Tilliana were drawing theirs.  The snake dodged aside, its large body moving unbelievably fast.  Heidon, panicking swung wild but Tilliana’s swing was truer and she sliced into the snake with her over-sized sword.  The snake was still trying to bite the half-elf.  But even as Niccolo fought to keep the fangs away, Alairic swung and the snakes head fell to the floor, severed.  

	They surveyed the carnage.  Even with the snake dead the place was unnerving with a rotting head staring at them.

	“The rotting head on the altar is the sign of the Rot Lord,” said Tilliana knowledgeably, “god of disease and plague.”

	“Yep,” said Alairic.

	They surveyed the graffitti.  One spot in particular stood, out.  There was written the word, “Hooberan.”

	“Is that blood?” asked Heidon.

	“Yesp,” said Niccolo, “same as the rest of the writing on the walls.”

	“It means nothing to me,” said Tilliana looking at the evil scrawls.

	“Me neither,” said Alairic.

	“I think we should go to Hooberan’s” said Niccolo.

	“Do you notice,” said Tilliana, “That the word ‘Hooberan’ seems to be fresher then the rest of the writing on the walls.” 

	“Someone has been doing some very evil things in this shrine,” said Niccolo.

	They spent an hour cleaning the blood from the walls.  One of the villagers had gone to get some buckets and water for them.  Another went to fetch Silas, the gravedigger, who upon being informed that they needed to bury a head, agreed to do it for half price seeing as how it wasn’t a whole body.  

	“But,” the toothless gravedigger informed them, “someone’s got to do a funeral service over it cuz we don’t bury no unblessed corpses around here.”

	When Tilliana told him she would do the service and pay for a casket and a hole, Silas told them to be at the graveyard in an hour and then proceeded to cart the rotting head of in a wheelbarrow.   

When the blood was cleaned and the head was gone, Alairic and Tilliana offered the body of the snake upon the altar to Naemae as a sign of their triumph.  As the snake burned, some of the feeling of evil left the shrine.  However Tilliana knew it still needed to be consecrated again, something she did not feel quite capable of doing.

	As they were finishing up, Heidon showed them something he had seen.  It was the feather of a bird, about a foot long and gray.  It was almost identical to the one that Heidon had found by the horse.  This one however had been found in the grass outside the shrine.

	They buried the head in the graveyard with Tilliana holding a short funeral service.  About a hundred people of the village showed up to see this unusual event.  It was almost festive.  Afterwards, they set out for Hooberan’s.   It was about four hours after noon.


----------



## Wicht (Jul 13, 2002)

*Chapter 2 – Hooberan’s*
	Before leaving Foorun, the four companions were able to get good directions to Hooberan’s and verify that there had been a man in Fooruns that morning telling a story about men in chains being taken into the small berry village, one of the men being Giovan.  Another person related a tale they had overheard in which a week earlier, a patrol had been fired upon from the village and had left.  The speaker could not remember if the speaker had said why the patrol had not investigated further.

	“So there was no evil spirit in the shrine,” Niccolo mused as they traveled, “just a big snake and a rotting head.”  That appeared to be the group consensus.

It took them about two hours to travel from Foorun to Hooberan’s but they found the way easy enough and without incident.  They knew they had arrived when they saw the fields of redberry bushes.  Planted in ordered rows in a shallow valley, the bushes stretched out before them for nearly a quarter of a mile.  There were still redberries on some of the bushes and there were many birds flying from bush to bush, filling their bellies with the sweet fruits.  The village itself was located behind a stockade in the middle of the berry fields.  They noticed that there was a well traveled dirt road heading north from the village through the fields and aimed first for the road.  When they reached the road they started down it towards the stockade.

	About a hundred yards from the large gate into the village, they saw an arrow sticking in the road.

	“This must be the arrow that was fired at the patrol,” said Niccolo.

	There was a yellow rag tied to the shaft.

	“Plague,” commented Tilliana upon seeing the yellow piece of cloth, “that would explain why the patrol did not investigate further, no one wants to die from plague.”

	“The Rot Lord is the god of the plague,” commented Alairic, remembering the rotting head on the altar of Naemae.  

	“Who would drag a group of men in chains into a town with plague?” asked Niccolo.

	They approached the gate of the stockade carefully.  They saw a carrion eagle flying over the top of the stockade, and then another one rose up out of the enclosure even as the first flew down into the unseen village.

	“I am not afraid of plague,” said Alairic matter of factly and leaving the other three a bit further back, he walked boldly up to the gate.  The stockade was made of connected logs, buried upright in the ground, their ends pointed, all about fifteen feet tall.  The gate was equally massive and appeared to be barred on the other side.  A large yellow flag fluttered atop the left gate.

Looking closely at the gate, Alairic saw that there was no way for him to open it.  Scanning the top of the wall, Alairic noted the two watchtowers at either end of the gate and then at both corners of the wall.  His eye drifted back over the watch tower to his immediate left and he realized that he saw the back of a man’s head just over the wall, not moving.

	“Hello!” he called.

	There was no answer.

	Then even as he waited for an answer, the head twitched.  Alairic was startled but as he watched the man’s head was again still.  It did not seem like he was going to get a response.

	“How are we going to get in?” he asked the three behind him, “The gates barred?”

	Even as he asked he saw the back of the man’s head jerk again.

	“I can climb it,” said Heidon, “Its not that tall.”

	“You could climb to the top and lower a rope down and try to latch the bar holding the gate shut,” suggested Niccolo.

	Heidon just looked at him and running to the gate he clambered up in a matter of seconds.

	“Easy,” he said from atop the gate and started to lower himself down on the other side.  He slipped.

	There was an “oof” from the other side of the fence and they heard the sound of a body striking the ground.  A few seconds later the gate swung open and Heidon stared back from the other side sheepishly.

	The three on the outside walked in.

	“Did you even look to see if there was anyone about to charge you?” asked Niccolo as he walked past Heidon and looked around.

	“Oops,” said Heidon. 

	But there was no one in sight.  To their immediate left was a rather nice house of goodly proportions.  As their eyes traveled from there to the right they saw some smaller houses, then what appeared to be a well (dead center in the stockade).  There were houses behind the well and then some wagons a bit further back and to the right of the well.  Going further to the right in an arc of vision they then saw a large building that appeared to be a shed, or perhaps it was a barn, two large houses, and then some corrals and then to their immediate right there was a barn.  

	In the corrals behind the barn on their right they saw a mass of birds.  Carrion eagles in great numbers feasting on something.

	Alairic turned his attention to the small lookout tower atop which he had seen the back of the man’s head.  The lookout tower was a simple wood platform twelve feet of the ground, reachable by a ladder and covered with a straw roof.  As Alairic looked up there he saw the front of the man’s face, though he could make out nothing of the body lower then the neck.  The man appeared to be dead.  But even as looked, the head jerked again.

	“I am going to check out up there.”

	“Careful,” said Niccolo, “could be plague ridden.”

	“I am not scared of the plague,” said Alairic again, “Naemae will watch over me.”

	“Oh right, meanwhile the rest of us can drop dead.”

	Alairic started to climb the ladder.

	“I will go up with you,” said Heidon, beginning to climb up after the paladin.

	Alairic reached the edged of the platform and looked over.  He saw the face of the man.  It was chewed, bloody and disfigured.  Maggots crawled on the eyes.  He was clearly dead.  And then Alairic saw the rats that were chewing on the man’s legs.  They were huge, over a foot and a half in length.  There were two of them and they tugged and chewed on the dead flesh in front of them.  That would explain the twitching, thought Alairic.  And then the rats turned.

	As one they hissed at him, baring bloodied fangs.  Alairic did not have his sword drawn and he was holding on to the ladder with both hands.  Realizing his predicament he went to grab at the hilt of his sword even as the rats reached his face.  One he elbowed aside but the other landed on his shoulder and bit at his face.  Alairic clutched at it, realized what he was doing and failed completely to catch himself as he tumbled backwards, the rat chewing at his cheek.  

	Heidon broke his fall and all three, thief, paladin, and rat hit the ground, one after the other.  The rat, landing on its back, rolled over and hissed.  Heidon groaned and sat up.  Alairic wasted no time.  He rolled to his feet, pulled his sword out, and swung the huge blade in a fierce overhand arc that split the rat in two.  Blood sprayed out everywhere.

	Alairic laid his hand on his cheek and felt the shallow cut.  

	“Please Naemae,” he whispered and felt the pain ease as the cut healed itself.  

	“Are you alright,” he asked Heidon who was limping to his feet.

	“What do you think?” asked the younger man moodily.

	“Hold still,” said Alairic and laying his hand on the other and uttering another brief prayer Heidon felt the pain from the hard landing flee from his joints.  Overhead the other rat hissed at all of them for a few moments longer and then went back to its grotesque feast.

	“Ugh, I don’t want to do that again,” muttered Alairic.

	“Shame on you,” scolded Tilliana, “scared of a rat!  Remember, we must be brave.”  Then, wanting to be an example of bravery, the diminutive woman warrior-priest drew her own greatsword and, holding it in one hand, started up the ladder.

	“We could just shoot it from the other platform,” said Niccolo but Heidon,  thinking ahead of him, was already scaling up the ladder on the other side of the gate.  Shrugging Niccolo followed him up.  

	Tilliana reached the top of her ladder first.  Clearing the top of the platform, she gripped her sword with both hands and swung at the rat.  She missed and tore a chunk out of the floor, her sword’s momentum more than she could control.  Heidon reached the top of the other platform a moment later, readied his bow and nocked an arrow.  

	“Careful,” said Niccolo, “Don’t hit Tilliana.”

	Heidon just smiled and steadied his aim.  The rat snapped at Tilliana and missed even as Tilliana swung wild again and hacked into one of the support beams for the roof.  The arrow flew from Heidon’s bow, covering the short distance and tore through the rat.  It was a flesh shot.

	“Good try,” said Niccolo.  Tilliana was still swinging wild.  Heidon let lose a second arrow but this one missed.

	“Rats,” said Heidon and as he readied a third arrow Tilliana, dancing around the platform with the rat nipping at her leg finally managed to connect.  A single blow of the mighty sword was all it took to dispatch the rat.  

	“That swords a little big for you,” commented Niccolo gruffly to Tilliana.

	The dead man on the watchtower platform clutched a beautiful composite long bow in his right hand.  At his side was a quiver filled with arrows and a bundle of yellow rags.  His face had been partially chewn off and most of his legs were missing below the knees.  There was no indication of what he had died of.
Tilliana grabbed the dead man’s bow and clambered down the ladder.  Heidon, looking at the corpse from the other platform breifly considered taking the wonderfully crafted studded leather armor the dead man was wearing but the thought of peeling it off of a grisly corpse unnerved him and so it remained where it was. 
Looking around at the empty stockade, devoid of all life but the horde of carrion eagles, Tilliana said, “I have a feeling that whoever desecrated the shrine in Foorun sent the plague to this town.”

	“This is creepy,” agreed Niccolo, “Its like nobody is here.”

	After some discussion, they looked first in the barn.  It was filled with hay and barrels of grain, but other then a large pile of berry stained buckets they saw nothing interesting.  Even the loft held nothing but sweet smelling hay.  Exiting the barn, they walked over to the edge of one of the corrals next to the barn and leaning on the fence, they observed the birds feasting.  A leg and a hoof sticking out from one group of carrion eagles informed them that the birds were feeding on the carcasses of dead cows.  There were about fifty birds, all told and Alairic, noting their eight foot wing span, sharp talons and even sharper beaks, advised his companions against disturbing them.  

	Niccolo agreed, “We don’t need to get between fifty birds and their meal.  Let them eat.”  The other two agreed and after some more discussion they decided instead to look in the large house across from the barn.   

	The door was unlocked and one of the windows on the front of the house was busted in.  Heidon expressed disappointment.  He had wanted to try his hand at picking another lock.  They entered the house.  Noone seemed to be home.  They looked through the various rooms downstairs but found nothing.

	“Here are steps going upstairs.” Said Niccolo.

	“Here are steps leading down into the basement,” said Alairic, opening a door.

	“Look,” said Tilliana, she pointed over Alairic’s shoulder to some blood on one of the basement steps.  

	“Something was dragged into the basement,” said Heidon.  He pointed to a dried streak of blood across the floor.

	“Let’s split up,” suggested Alairic, “We can look faster that way.  Me and Tilliana can look downstairs.  Niccolo, you and Heidon can search upstairs.”

	“Sounds good,” said Niccolo.

	Heidon and Tilliana agreed.  

	Tilliana and Alairic were at the bottom of the basement steps when they realized they had no light and could not see in the darkness.  

	“Wait, I have torches,” said Alairic and pulling off his backpack he rummaged through it for a torch and his flint and steel.  He struck a few times at the flint until a spark caught the torch alight.  

	“There we go.”  Alairic looked around.  His eye first went to the body of a young girl, dead and partially eaten.  It lay only a few feet in front of him.  Next to the dead girl was the corpse of a boy.  And then the corpse of a woman, and then a man’s corpse and then…

	Bending over the body of another man were two creatures.  Bloodied fangs and red beady eyes with blotchy yellowed skin were the chief features Alairic noticed.  They were certainly not human, though they might have been once.  They had been eating at the body before them.  At the moment however they were staring savagely at the Paladin.

	Tilliana, rushed past him with a wild battle cry, her sword out.  Alairic, noting the floor was dirt, threw the torch down and joined her in attacking.  The creatures were not to be taken so easily.  Both swords missed and the creatures struck out.  Tilliana was struck with a claw.  The cut burned but even more so, Tilliana felt an icy coldness as the creature touched her flesh.  

	“Are they undead?” asked Alairic as he fought.

	“They could be.”

	Pushing away the creature with a boot, Tilliana reached to her side and lifted up her divine focus, attempting to channel the energy of her god.  There was a momentary flare of light and the creatures flinched, but then the light was gone and the creatures rushed back angrily.  Tilliana avoided being hit but Alairic was not so lucky.  The monster he fought bit into his shoulder even as it clawed at his chest.  Alairic felt that same icy coldness that Tilliana had felt and it was too much for him.  His limbs froze up and he collapsed, rigid.

	The two creatures snarled at the wounded Tilliana, sensing easy prey.  

	Bravely Tilliana faced them and as they rushed at her, she swung.  Her blow connected and her sword cut into one of them.  At the same time an arrow flew from the bottom of the steps and sank into the other.  Help had arrived.  Niccolo and Heidon had heard the noise of battle and rushed down the stairs as quick as they could.

One of the creatures rushed past Tilliana to attack the Heidon, who had fired the shot.  It connected with a savage claw and Heidon had to fight his muscles as they threatened to freeze up. . Niccolo swung his sword and hit the creature, killing it.  But it looked as if help might have arrived too late.  The other monster, despite the sword stroke, had laid Tilliana low.  She lay on the ground, blood dripping from two different wounds.

“Use your sword now,” said Niccolo as he rushed to attack the other monster.  Heidon obeyed and drawing his sword he rushed in.  The creature snarled and swung at Heidon but the two swords cut deeply and the creature fell dead.

Tilliana and Alairic were not dead.  Niccolo managed to stop Tilliana’s bleeding and bring her around.  Alairic simply seemed frozen.  As Niccolo examined Alairic, Tilliana uttered a prayer and her wounds slowly closed.  A little stronger, the priestess went to Alairic.  

“Perhaps healing his wounds will help him,” said Tilliana, channeling divine healing energies into Alairic.  The paladin’s wounds closed but his limbs remained paralyzed.

“I think we just have to wait,” said Niccolo.  That proved to be the case.  About five minutes later, Alairic was moving again.  They left the basement with its grisly inhabitants.  

“There are four bedrooms upstairs,” said Niccolo.  They searched the bedrooms.  In one, perhaps the servants quarters, they found a small sack of coins in a locked chest under some clothes.  Two of the bedrooms seemed to belong to the children.  The master bedroom turned out to be a bit more interesting.  In addition to a locked safe at the foot of the bed, there was a full suit of half-plate armor on a mannequin besides the bed.  A greatsword of superior quality leaned against the armor.  As Niccolo and Heidon examined the safe, Tilliana examined the sword and Alairic examined the armor.  

“A little big,” murmured Alairic, “but it could be adjusted.”  
The paladin started to take his own armor off to exchange it with the armor on the mannequin.  A brief doubt about the morality of looting someone’s house was shrugged off with the realization that the former owners were dead.  

Heidon opened the safe, revealing two sacks of coins.  Niccolo grabbed those and started looking through them.  

“A large sack of gold and a larger sack of silver.”

“Here, use a real sword,” said Tilliana to Heidon, handing him her own greatsword.  She had already strapped the better quality greatsword to her back.

Heidon took the proffered sword with a smile.  

The sun was setting when they left the manor house.  Tilliana noticed somebody propped against the stone well in the middle of town.  Walking closer she saw it was another corpse, a gnome, and it was already mostly picked clean by the scavengers.  A few unwholesome maggots crawled in some of the still meaty portions of the deceased.

“Let’s not stay here after the sun goes down,” said Niccolo.

The others seemed to agree and as dusk settled heavily over the area, the small group left the stockade.  They were torn between whether to camp amongst the berry bushes where they would have some protection.  Eventually it was decided to remove themselves from the stockade completely and they camped at the edge of the berry fields, just off the dirt trail going north.  

As Niccolo counted out the money they had found in the house, Alairic made a fire.  Heidon practiced swinging the heavy greatsword.  

“230 gold and 1700 silver,” announced Niccolo.

“I will take first watch,” said Alairic.

Niccolo volunteered for the second watch.  He heard heard horses to the north during his watch but they passed into the distance and meant nothing to him. Heidon took the third watch and Tilliana had the final watch. 

The sun was just start to creep over the horizon when Tilliana heard footsteps on the road coming towards them.  Standing she saw that it was a gnome, a wood gnome she realized as he drew closer and she could see his darker skin and simple clothing.  

“Good morning,” said the gnome cheerfully.  He was not armed.

“Good morning,” said Tilliana cautiously

 “I’m Tolo, and what may I ask are you fine folks doing camped outside Hooberan’s stockade?  I would have thought they would have let you in.  Great man is Hooberan!  My cousin lives within and I go to visit him this morning.”

The sound of a cheerful voice brought the other three from their slumber.

“Everyone inside seems to be dead,” said Niccolo gruffly from his bed roll.

“Everyone?”

“It seems to have been the plague,” said Tilliana, “There’s a yellow flag flying over the gate.  We went inside yesterday evening but there are monsters feasting on the corpses.”

“The plague!  Ah, and I see that you are a Servant of the great Knight of the Gods.  Doubtlessly here to discover what evil is within.  Very well, I will wait here for you and see to my cousins property when you have declared it safe to enter.  I know I wish not to catch the plague.”

“When is the last time you saw your cousin?” asked Niccolo.

“Its been two years or so.”

“That awful suspicious,” muttered Alairic groggily, “What are the odds of a long lost relative showing up on the very same day we discover everyone to be dead?  What are the odds?  Why didn’t he show up last week?”

The gnome cheerfully ignored the paladin’s comments and made himself busy setting up a little camp.  

Tilliana prayed and prepared some spells for the day and then proceeded to finish healing herself and Heidon, neither of whom had fully recovered from their fight with the flesh eating undead of the previous evening.  Niccolo hefted the two sacks of coins, not trusting to leave them with the gnome.  They were heavy but he managed them.  They left camp and headed back to the village.

They had locked the stockade again the night before in an attempt to insure that whatever was inside the stockade stayed inside.  But Heidon easily scaled the wall and let them back in.  The carrion eagles were still at work on the dead cows, but they seemed to be fewer in number.  

“We have to check all the houses,” said Alairic.

Tilliana agreed, “We have to make sure that they are all dead, perhaps there may be somebody alive.”  They began going through the houses.  The first house contained only dead bodies, sprawled on their beds, children and adults.  Covering the bodies were feasting rats.  But these were of the more mundane size and they did not bother the living.  Heidon found some gold hidden and they took it.  The next house was the same.  Again Heidon managed to figure out where money was hidden and again they took it.  

They entered a third house.  This one had a corpse in a chair downstairs as well as two corpses upstairs.  Along with the normal rats however were two rodents of immense size, at least two feet long.  These savagely snarled at the party and Alairic in front charged them.  The others followed behind and soon their swords had finished off the two beasts.  They left the corpses where they lay and left the house.  Though not before Heidon turned up a few more gold coins.  They were making easy money, but they were no closer to figuring out what had happened in the village of Hooberan’s.  They went through two more houses and then noticed the burnt house.  In the middle of the village, a single structure had been burnt to the ground.  The houses around it had some smoke damage but were unscorched.  

“Let’s check out the blacksmith’s place,” said Niccolo, referring to a structure nearer to the manor they had gone through the previous night.  The others agreed and they backtracked.  The actual smithy was located next to the smithy’s house and Niccolo spent a moment eyeing the quality tools by the forge.  Then they went in.  

The downstairs was pristine.  They went upstairs.  Like the rest of the houses in the village, the bedrooms seemed located on the second floor.  As they climbed the stairs, weapons at the ready, Alairic in front, Alairic motioned for them to stop.

“Giant rats,” he said and then he charged forward eagerly.

Tilliana smiled at the young paladin’s enthusiasm and then she joined him.  By the time she entered the room, Alairic had dispatched one of the creatures.  Another soon followed the first and Tilliana dispatched a third with her sword.  Alairic had been bitten but it was not serious.

“Woohoo,” said Alairic happily.

As they were leaving, Heidon informed them, “I found a mess of coins in this cookie jar.”  He proudly carried the jar out with him.  It was stacked to the brim with gold coins.  

They worked through three more houses finding only more dead, more feasting rats (and Heidon of course finding more loose change).  At the end of the row of houses there was a house with a shrine on its west side.  They could tell it was a shrine because over the door of both the house and the shrine was the symbol of the Raiser, goddess of the harvest and fertility.  The symbol was a sheaf of grain and over each door the sheaf was painted on a background of redberries.  The door to the house was opened.  The door to the shrine was nailed shut.

“This shrine is evil,” said Alairic.

“Like the shrine in Foorun?” asked Tilliana.

“Yes.”

“Let’s check out the house first,” suggested Niccolo.

The house was empty though.  Heidon managed to find a pouch with some coinage and Tilliana found a copy of the scriptures used by the priests of the Mother of Tellene.  She stuck the book in her backpack.

They pried the boards off of the door to the shrine and readied themselves to go in.

“Let us remember to be brave,” said Tilliana, “There is no obstacle Naemae will not let us face if we do so with courage and with honor.”  She looked pointedly at Heidon who was already readying his bow.  Her words encouraged them and Alairic kicked open the door eagerly.  There, standing in front of him was the corpse of a priest.  It was dressed in the brown clerical robes of the raiser and its flesh was rotting.  The dead man lifted his arms and shuffled forward.

“Undead!” cried Alairic and rushed forward.  Tilliana slipped in through the door behind him.  But the lone zombie was not alone.  There were four others inside.  All shuffled towards the two holy warriors.  Alairic, startled by the number of undead missed.  Tilliana fared no better.

“Shoot them!” said Niccolo to Heidon.

“Your in the way!” he shouted back.

One of the zombies struck Alairic a crippling blow.  His new armor kept him from being hurt worse.  Tilliana moved to the side as one of the zombies went after her and decided against using her sword.  She instead lifted up her holy symbol, but she was panicked and could not clear her head enough to call upon Naemae.  Niccolo slipped in through the door behind Alairic and sliced at one of the creatures.  Alairic missed again and even as Heidon shot an arrow past the paladin and into the flesh of one of the zombies, several strong blows laid the paladin low.  Heidon planted another arrow in the zombie and then dropping his bow he drew out the greatsword Tilliana had given him and charged forward.  Niccolo again sliced at a zombie and then with a third blow slew it.  Tilliana again tried to focus but as she dodged the blow from a zombie she let her divine focus fall against her waist again, gripped her sword and with a powerful swing cut the zombie in front of her in half from top to bottom. 

“Wow,” said Niccolo, and then a blow from a zombie shattered his jaw and he fell to the floor.  Heidon chopped at the zombie he had stuck two arrows in and it too ceased to move, falling to the floor.  Tilliana, seeing both Niccolo and Alairic on the floor and Heidon holding two zombies at bay took a moment to offer up a prayer for healing and laid her hand on the half-elf.  

Niccolo crawled to his knees just as Heidon was pummeled by a zombie.  Niccolo looked at the unconscious paladin next to him and tried to take a moment to see if he could tend to Alairic’s wounds.

But the two zombies were upon him and Tilliana too quickly and taking up his sword again he sliced into one of the animated corpses.  Tilliana also swung, her sword dispatching one of the walking undead.  Niccolo swung again and Tilliana swung and the fifth zombie was felled.  They quickly turned to tending to their fallen comrades.  Neither was dead and Tilliana had just enough energy left to bring them back from the brink of death with a healing touch.  

They surveyed the shrine.  There was a box for offerings in one corner of the shrine.  There was a hearth at the southern end, with a podium on one side and an altar on the other.  Before the hearth was a rotting human head.  Alairic carried the head out of the shrine.

“The Rot Lord again,” said Tilliana.

“What about the money in the offering box?” asked Niccolo.

“We leave it,” said Alairic.

“It belongs to the Raiser,” said Tilliana.  It was one thing to loot the houses of those dead and gone.  But it was another thing to loot the shrine of a god.

Badly injured they limped out of the stockade and back to their camp.  The rest of the village would have to wait until Tilliana could heal them more fully.  Heidon and Niccolo in particular were bad off.

Tolo, the gnome was waiting for them when they returned.

“I’ll cook supper,” he said cheerfully and set to it.

“That’s uncommonly nice of him,” said Niccolo pleased.


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## Spider_Jerusalem (Jul 15, 2002)

Good writing! 

Its a refreshing change to see a Kalamar campaign making a run on the boards. I'm sure this has run in the discussion boards already but, what do you see as Kalamar's advantages (and disadvantages) over other settings?

I'm enjoying trying to remember what all the Kalamar gods are as I read them! Any chance you could post a very quick overview of the deities represented so far?

Looking forward to more!


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## Wicht (Jul 15, 2002)

Thanks Spider.

The four gods specifically mentioned thus far in the story are

*The Knight of the Gods, The Swift Sword, Evil Slayer* - Called *Naemae* by the Reanaarians, his domains are bravery, valor and chilvary.  The servants of the Swift Sword are the name of the clergy, serving in temples called the Halls of the Valiant.  The temple to Naemae in Xaarum is called the Citadel of Truth and is led by Guardian Deochoo.

*The Holy Mother, Homemaker, the Counselor* - called *Mosia* by the Reanaarians, this goddess's domains are marriage, the home and industriousness.  The Brotherhood of industry are her clergy and they serve in temples called the Home Foundation.  Mother Roalee is in charge of the brotherhood in Xaarum.

*The Rot Lord, Bringer of the Plague, Prince of Pestilence* - called *Xeakue* by the Reanaarians, this god is lord of disease, plague and vermin.  His clerics are called the Pestilent ones and his church the Conventicle of Affliction.  A rotting human head is the sign of the Rot Lord.

*The Raiser, Farmer's Wife, Mother Tellene* - called *Naataal* by the Reanaarians, this goddess is queen of harvest, life and fertility.  Her agriculturally minded clerics are the Friends of the Fields and her church is called the Church of Life's Fire.  

_As to your other question:_
Kalamar appeals to me mainly because it is exactly what I am looking for.  The books are high quality and the accessories are packed full of all sorts of treats.  FR is too much like a comic book setting and Scarred lands is just a little too dark (though I was originally torn between Kalamar and SL).  Kalamar is filled with real people that act like real people, not like pulp characters.  I like that fact that in one country you can have good aligned nobels unswervingly loyal to an evil king and in another you can have evil villains supporting a good power structure because it serves their own ends.  Not everything is black and white but good and evil are, via the gods, still pretty cut and dried.  I also like the fact that Kalamar's books are all frozen in time.  I do not have to worry about messing with canon history because me and my players get to write that history.


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## Spider_Jerusalem (Jul 15, 2002)

> FR is too much like a comic book setting




Good point. I know exactly what this is like - my story hour takes place there. Its great fun, but when you need to let rip with the darker plot aspects, it never really comes across fully. I was wondering about Kalamar as I'm looking for another setting to peruse through (although I'm thinking Scarred Lands at the moment)...

Thanks for the info on the gods. The only one I originally remembered from Kalamar was someone called The Defiler, or something. Trust me to remember an evil one!

Spider.


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## Wicht (Jul 15, 2002)

*Dreams*

_	The winter wind was cold, carrying with it bits of snow and ice.  Veshema, full and low in the sky, reflected off of the dead grass and patches of snow, providing illumination for the drama unfolding in the valley below Tilliana.  Three poor souls, no doubt driven by desperation and hunger, fled southwards.  As they stumbled along, they fearfully looked back over their shoulders.

	One of the wretches stumbled.  The one next to him stopped to help him up, glancing northward the whole while.  The other did not stop moving, but he turned and watched the other two as he ran, gesturing the whole time.  No words of his reached Tilliana’s ears, the wind blew too fiercely for that.  But it was clear from his gestures and the frantic look on his face that he was urging them to press on.

	A cry echoed above the wind.  It came from the north and it sounded like neither beast nor man.  Shivers went down Tilliana’s spine and she clung all the more fiercely to her father.  From the eaves of woods on the north end of the valley there emerged three more figures.  They loped liked animals on all fours, but their shape was that of a man.  The full moon reflected yellow off their cracked skin and their eyes glistened red.  Though the air was freezing to the touch, they wore only rags.  They stopped for a second and like dogs sniffed at the ground.  Then with wicked glee they set off.  There was no mistaking their intent.  They were hunters and they scented their prey.

	“They are ghouls,” said Tilliana’s father as she trembled, “They are undead monstrosities and eaters of flesh.  Their touch can cause the muscles of men to freeze and they delight in eating those that are still alive.”  With gentle fingers he pried his daughter’s hands from his leg and began to move down the hill.  

	“No Dadda,…don’t go again,…” sobbed the little girl, “Don’t leave me…”

	“I have to little one.  It is why we are here.  Do not fear, be brave and Naemae shall protect you.”  And drawing his greatsword, that sword that seemed so huge to such a little girl, he began to run towards the foes below.

	Tilliana sobbed as she watched him running further and further away.  The wind seemed to stop and the valley melted away and her father continued to grow smaller and more distant.  

	There was a growl behind her and Tilliana whirled.  Not six inches from her face, one of the ghouls leered, its evil eyes glowing and its fangs evident.  The stench of death was all around.  There was a sword in Tilliana’a hand and she was in the basement of some building.  She swung her sword at the monster, but her arms were too heavy and weak and her sword bounced harmlessly away.  With a wicked laugh the ghoul sank its claws into her, its touch both burning and freezing. 

	Tilliana cried out. _


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## Wicht (Jul 18, 2002)

Our game is set for tonight and an update should be added sometime tomorrow.

Yes this is a thinly disguised bump


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## Darklone (Jul 18, 2002)

Hey, KoKy SH here  Nice!


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## sword-dancer (Jul 18, 2002)

Interesting Story with a good kalamarian feeling!

Theodorus lives!


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## Wicht (Jul 19, 2002)

*Chapter 3 – Hooberan’s*

	Tilliana woke with a start.  Her dreams had been bad and her head throbbed.  Around her, the other three were all waking up as well.  Heidon groaned and turned over, burying his face in his bedroll.  Alairic slowly sat up.  Around them, the air was foggy, dawn was just beginning to break and it smelled like rain.
	“Who was on watch?” asked Niccolo groggily.
	Slowly it struck them that no one had kept watch, all had been asleep.  Then they realized that Tolo, the little wood-gnome, was gone.  Heidon spotted a note near the camp fire under a rock.  It read
_Sorry to run on you guys, but I have other places to be.  I took my inheritance from my cousin and I will maybe see you someday. –*Tolo*_
 	“What does he mean, his inheritance?” asked Tilliana, “I thought he was scared to go in the village.”
	They swiftly realized that one of the bags containing coins was gone.  The gnome had taken all the gold coins they had found in the village and had left them with the heavy sack of silver coins.  There had been close to 300 gold pieces in the sack.
	“Was it magic?” asked Alairic, referring to the fact they had all been asleep.
	“He cooked our food last night,” said Tilliana, settling herself down to prepare her spells for the day.
	“He spiked our food!  If I get my hands on him, that gnome is toast!” growled Niccolo. 
	“The gnome is the least of our worries,” said Alairic, “we are no closer to finding Giovan.  We have to search the rest of the village today.”
	Grudgingly, Niccolo agreed.  As Alairic began picking up the camp, Tilliana healed Heidon and Niccolo, both still badly hurt from their fight with the zombies the day before.  That done, they picked up their belongings and headed for the village.  As Heidon unlocked the gate for them once more it began to rain.  The day promised to be cold and dreary.  
	The first thing they noticed was that the carrion eagles were gone.  The cows seemed pretty much picked clean and all that was left were skeletons, laying grotesquely in the corrals.
	They began by searching through the houses again.  Inside the first they found a mother, clinging to her baby.  Both were dead.  Rats were chewing on them.  That set the tone for the next few houses.  House after house filled with the dead and with rats.  
	“This could be depressing,” muttered Alairic as he went to the door to the next house.  They had not even had the heart to search the houses for more coins.  Heidon had found 14 gold coins in the last house, but that was because they had been out in plain sight.  Alairic opened the door.  Inside, just past the door was a corpse.  Four gigantic rats, each almost three feet long, were chewing on the body.  They hissed.  The other three tensed for battle.  Alairic shut the door.
	“That was real brave!” said Niccolo.  But no one else opened the door again to kill the giant rats.  Instead they decided to leave the last four small houses and go look at the chicken coops.  These two buildings were built against the southern wall of the stockade and were fenced in by wire mesh.
Inside the coops, chickens and turkeys alike were dead.  No rats seemed to be bothering the corpses and the stench was pretty bad.  They decided not to bother searching through the dead barnyard fowls.  They trudged through the rain to the large rectangular building near the coops instead.  
The door closest to them was chained and padlocked.  There was a door on the other side however and it was open.  Something had busted it open.  There were three large berry presses on the outside of the building.  They were stained within but the red stains were that of berry juice, not of blood.
Looking in the building they saw a large room, a third the size of the full building.  Many clay casks were stacked within, each sealed with pitch.  They entered in.  There was a door on the far side of the room.  It was partially open.  
“I wonder what is in these,” said Niccolo as he pried open the lid on one of the clay containers.  Inside was juice.  
“Don’t drink it,” cautioned Alairic, “It could be poison.”
Tilliana smiled at the paladin, “I’ll drink some.”  She lifted the open cask and drank.
“Redberry Juice,” she announced.  
“Hope its not poisoned,” muttered Alairic.  
“Dumb Paladin,” chimed in Niccolo.  
The room beyond the first was the same size, but this one was filled with oak barrels, on their sides, stacked from the floor halfway up to the ceiling.  Each of the barrels had a spicket.
“They are making wine,” stated Niccolo.
Alairic turned a spicket and, cupping his hand, caught some of the liquid.  He tasted it.  As Niccolo had surmised, it was juice in the process of becoming wine.  They entered the third and final room of the building.  This one was filled with shelf after shelf of wine bottles.  In the middle of the room, some of the bottles had been smashed on the floor.  Otherwise the room was empty.
“Think we should stay in here?” asked Alairic.  The others just grimaced and pushed him back towards the entrance.  
“Lets check out the wagons,” said Niccolo as they left the winery.  It was still raining.  He indicated the three wagons a little north of them.  The two wagons on either side looked normal enough but the one in the middle looked different.  It looked suspiciously like a giant barrel on wheels.  
“We still haven’t found Giovan,” said Tilliana.
“There’s those two big houses over there,” said Alairic, indicating the two houses on the west side of the village.  
“I say we check out the wagons first and then look in the barns over there,” suggested Tilliana, “Though we could check the big houses for money, I doubt we find any people.”
“I don’t think Giovan is here personally,” said Niccolo, “Its obvious that everyone is dead.  All we have found are rats and undead.”
“Do you think the rats brought the plague?”
No one had an answer as to what had caused the plague but they decided to check out the wagons next.  The two normal looking wagons were exactly what they appeared to be, wagons used for carrying various things.  The other wagon was a bit of a puzzle though.  It was indeed a giant barrel, on its side and wheeled.  There was a seat on the front of it and a tongue to which horses could be hitched.  A sturdy set of steps was built onto the left side, suitable for one man to climb up to the top.  Atop the wagon there looked to be a small hatchway.  The hatchway was currently closed.  Tilliana noticed that the back of the wagon could also be opened.  It was hinged at the top and latched at the bottom.  The latch could easily be lifted and the whole back of the wagon would open up.  
“Let’s open it,” said Niccolo.  They could tell he thought something might be hiding or hidden in the barrel of the wagon.
“Let me look in the top first,” said Alairic, climbing up the steps on the side of the contraption.  He reached the top and opened the hatchway.  The smell of manure and human waste hit him and he slammed the lid back down.
“ooo,” he said climbing down the wet steps.  
“We still have to open it and I guess I’ll be the one to do it,” said Niccolo, “Everyone get your weapons ready.”
They drew their weapons as the half-elf instructed and moved around him.  Alairic was the closest.  Niccolo lifted the latch.  They tensed.  The back swung up and open.
Niccolo, more by luck then skill managed to leap back just in time.  Heidon and Tilliana were not as close and stepped out of the way easily.  Alairic was not so lucky however and the putrid and foul contents of the sewer wagon washed over his legs, soaking him from the knees down.  They all stared at Alairic and then started to snicker.  Though the smell from the manure and offal was strong, the look on Alairic’s face was too much.   
“There is a well over in the center of the village,” said Tilliana helpfully and then all three of Alairic’s companions were laughing.  
“It’s not funny,” said Alairic, stamping out of the middle of the sludge.
They howled louder.

When they were done laughing they decided to examine the barns in the corner of the stockade next.  They opened the door of the first structure and looked in.  Within was row after row of preserved redberries.  Some were hanging, drying in clusters.  Some were stored whole and uncrushed in barrels.
Niccolo and Alairic noticed it first.  Some of the berries had a yellow growth on them.  
“Watch out,” cautioned Alairic, “It could be yellow mold.”
But the fungus growing on the berries did not seem particularly threatening.  As they looked closer they saw that every single berry was infected with the yellow fungus.  
“We should take a sample of this,’ said Niccolo, “We need a jar.”
“A bottle would work,” said Alairic.
“There are the wine bottles,” said Heidon.  They ended up trudging back out into the rain and over to the winery where they grabbed a bottle of wine, opened it, and poured out the contents.  Then going back to the berry barn, they stuffed it with some of the berries with the mold on it.
They looked in the second barn and it was the same way.  The next building was not a barn but was instead a giant shed.  It contained half-finished barrels and crates as well as the wood to make more barrels and crates.  There was a stack of iron barrel hoops and 10 large barrels holding oil by which the new barrels could be sealed.  There were piles of straw. 
“Why straw?” asked Niccolo and then comprehension dawned and he answered his own question, “For packing in the crates obviously.”
They poked apart the straw just to make sure nothing was hiding but it was just straw.  There were also many tables in the room, all of them stained with dark red stains.  Examination led to the conclusion it was berry stains.  
They left and went back outside into the rain.  As the water ran down their faces from their wet hair they surveyed the rest of the town.  There were four small houses and two large houses left to examine.  They opted for the large houses first.  
They went to the one closest to him.  It was, like all the other houses in the village, two stories tall.  Unlike the others though, this one had a porch.  There was a plaque above the door.  It read, “Deerl’s House.”  The door was ajar and they went in.  The front room was tastefully furnished and it seemed obvious that the owner of the house had had a little more to spend on furnishing then many of the other villagers.  
A slight growl was all the warning they had.  Tilliana was standing next to one of the two doorways out of the room and was the one attacked.  A creature, similar in look to the two they had fought two days before in the cellar of the house by the front gate, charged through the doorway and crashed into Tilliana.  Flashes of her dream from the night before filled Tilliana’s head and she heard her father’s voice in her head explaining, “They are ghouls.  They are undead monstrosities and feed on flesh.”  And then the ghoul sank its claws into her shoulder.  The wound was slight but Tilliana’s muscles froze and she collapsed to the ground, paralyzed.  Things could have gone badly for Tilliana just then, for it looked like the ghoul planned on dragging her out of the room but her companions acted swifter then the ghoul.  Alairic charged forward, pushing it back through the doorway and hitting it with the blade of his greatsword.  Heidon could not get a proper swing at it for Alairic was in the way and he tried ineffectually to poke it with the tip of the great blade Tilliana had given him.  Niccolo moved to get to where he could stab it, but another stroke from Alairic’s sword and the ghoul fell dead.
They waited for Tilliana to come back around.  
Her first words were, “That was a ghoul.”
“Ahh,” said Alairic, “Well we need to explore the rest of this house.”  The rest of the floor was empty except for some rotting food and moldy bread in the kitchen.  There were stairs to an upstairs as well as stairs down to a basement.
“This time we are not splitting up,” said Niccolo.
“No!  No more splitting up,” said Tilliana.
“Yes that last time we split up was too close,” agreed Alairic.
Heidon nodded his agreement, “Think there are any more in here?”
“If they are they can smell me,” said the paladin wryly.  He led the way up the stairs to the second floor.  
“I’ll go in front,” said Niccolo taking the lead.  Alairic followed behind with Tilliana third.
“Wooh!” exclaimed Tilliana holding her nose as she smelled the paladin’s boots.  They all laughed but Alairic.    

There were two more ghouls upstairs, feasting on the flesh of a dead woman.  Alairic saw them first and Pushing aside Niccolo charged forward down the narrow hall and into the room in which the ghouls were.  He swung and missed.  The ghoul he had swung at smiled evilly and latched a claw into Alairic’s side.  The paladin froze.  The other ghoul charged at Niccolo, who was just outside the room.  It missed and Niccolo managed to cleave into the ghoul while at the same time stepping into the room allowing Tilliana the room to move in and dispatch the undead monster.  Heidon had his bow out but could not get a clear shot through Tilliana at the other ghoul.  Enraged, the other ghoul leaped on Niccolo and bit down on the half-elf’s shoulder.  Niccolo answered by stabbing it in the belly with his longsword.  Tilliana swung and the ghoul fell dead.  
As they waited for Alairic to come out of his paralyzed state they examined the room.  The most interesting thing seemed to be a mannequin holding a suit of fine looking studded leather armor.  There was also a composite bow of exceptional quality by it.  Next to the first was another mannequin, this one empty.  They noticed the armor and bow were a match for the armor and bow on the man they had found atop the watchtower by the gate to the village.  This armor though was quite obviously cut and fitted for a woman.  
“Are you going to ever use that bow you took from the corpse on the watchtower?” asked Heidon to Tilliana.  
“No,” said Tilliana.  It had not occurred to her that one of her companions might have wanted to use it, “Do you want it?”
 Niccolo ended up taking the bow from Tilliana for it was strung for a stronger wielder.  The one in the room was slightly weaker and better suited to the young thief.  
“Do you want mine,” asked Heidon offering up his own longbow, one he had carved himself.
“Bows are for pansies,” said Alairic, finally coming around.
“I am not allowed to use a bow,” explained Tilliana, “Bravery is better demonstrated in melee.  If you wish to separate yourself from your enemy by the length of an arrows flight, that is your choice, but I have sworn to meet evil face to face.”
As they further searched the room, they found 50 gold coins.  Niccolo also found some perfume which he sprayed on the paladin’s legs.  The end result was that Alairic smelled like an outhouse covered in perfume.  It was not an improvement.  Tilliana did not want the leather armor and none of the others were female so they left it behind.
They went back downstairs and Tilliana hollered into the cellar, “Anyone down there?”  There was no answer.
“There is no evil down there,” said Alairic with some certainty.  They left the house and walked over to the other large house.  The door to this house was closed, but the window next to the door had been smashed in.  
They let Heidon pick the lock and went in the house that way.  The front room was sparsely but elegantly furnished and just to the right of the front door was another door.  It was made of solid wood and securely locked.  Heidon picked that lock too and they went through.  The room beyond was filled with books and dominated by a corpse.  The rotting corpse was sitting at a writing desk, its head slumped forward onto the desk.  They noticed that unlike every single other corpse in the village this one had not been eaten.  It clutched a quill in one hand and there was a paper under the other.  Niccolo wen tforward and grabbed the paper and started to read it.  Meanwhile the others looked over the books.  Heidon grabbed one and opened it,
“How to grow Berries.”
“Hah,” said Alairic and he opened up the book he had chosen to pull down.  Inside the hollow book were many gold coins.  His was the only book with money in it however, all the others were on various topics of agriculture.
“Listen to this,” said Niccolo and he read aloud the paper he was holding, “Everyone in Hooberan’s is dying.  We burned down the house he was staying in but it was not enough.  The fire was very bright and he screamed.  The fever is taking us all.  I can barely see to write and it grows worse.  Was it the water?  The Festival?  Hooberan tricked the things and locked them in the shrine to the Farmer’s Wife.  It is now an evil place where are the dead.  My head burns and I cannot burn the town for I cannot leave my room here.  There are things I fear clawing at the door.  But they will not kill me.  The fire kills me and burns my hand to the touch.  The town must burn.  There is oil in the packing crates.  Stay away from Hooberan’s and don’t read this.  Burn the town.”
“Don’t read this?” said Heidon.  Alairic grabbed the paper to read it himself.
“He was obviously delusional,” said Niccolo.
“It was the berries,” said Tilliana.
“Yeah, sounds like they had just had a berry festival.”
“Do you think we are contagious?”
“Well you are the one who drank the berry juice.”
“We need to burn down the town,” said Tilliana.  
As they went through the rest of the house, they found one more ghoul, or rather it found them.   Charging from a downstairs bedroom it bore down on Alairic.  Niccolo managed to wound it and then Alairic, pushing it away, split it open with his great sword.
“You guys get all the fun,” complained Heidon.

They ended up searching the last few houses before actually torching the town, but then, satisfied there truly were no living souls in town other then them, they rolled the barrels of oil out of the packing shed and began dousing the front rooms of the houses with oil.  They considered putting it on the outside of the houses but decided against it as it was still raining.  One by one they lit each building in town.  Soon each house, barn and body was burning.  The winery in particular went up with a roar as soon as they fire reached the barrels and bottles of wine.  The four companions even burned down the watchtowers along the wall.  Nothing was spared.  As the town burned the rain stopped.
They decided to camp one more time outside the village walls, just to make sure the fire did not spread past the stockade.  As they stood outside the stockade walls waiting and watching the village within burn, Tilliana said to Alairic, “We did not offer a sacrifice to Naemae from our battles.”
“The village itself is a sacrifice,” said the paladin wisely.
Tilliana nodded and led the group in a prayer of sacrifice as they watched Hooberan’s burn.


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## Buttercup (Jul 20, 2002)

This is great reading!  It makes me just itch to run a Kalamar campaign!


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## Wicht (Jul 20, 2002)

Thanks Buttercup (and Darklone and Sword Dancer).

I am glad you are enjoying it.

One question for those reading... would having any of the planned encounters posted be of interest to you (such as having the key to Hooberan's and an explanation of what happened).  I pretype all the encounters and so posting them in another forum and linking would actually be no problem (though maps might be tricky).


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## Wicht (Jul 20, 2002)

*Chapter 4 – Tiolo’ Beach*

The night passed uneventfully with brief periods of rain.  It was a little warmer the next morning and it looked as if the rain was done.  The fires were burnt out, though smoke still struggled upwards here and there.
“I don’t think the fire is going to spread,” said Alairic, putting on his armor.
“Hold still,” said Tilliana.  She had just finished preparing her spells.  Approaching the paladin she offered a brief prayer and then touched him on the shoulder.  Dirt vanished from him and even the stains in his pants disappeared.  In a moment he was completely clean.
“Wow,” he said.
“It’s a miracle!” laughed Niccolo, “Anything so long as the Paladin smells better.”
They all laughed.  Alairic scowled.
“I don’t really find this very humorous.”
They laughed more.  However when Alairic pointed out that he was, courtesy of the divine spell, the cleanest of them all, they quit laughing.  It was true.  None of them had bathed in several days and the stench of death and smoke clung to them. 
“Where now?” asked Heidon.
“I don’t believe Giovan was ever here,” said Alairic, “I wonder why someone would say they had seen him dragged in here?”
“You know,” said Niccolo, “We were told to go see Froima first.”
“Do we still have the letter for Froima?” asked Alairic.
“I have it,” said Tilliana.
“Taesoo should be north of us,” said Alairic, thinking hard and recalling the directions they had been given.
“Well lets go then,” put in Niccolo.  They left Hooberan’s.

It took them about three hours to reach Taesoo.  It was a small fishing village comprised of a couple hundred buildings haphazardly scattered along a hill just above the beach.  There were several fishing boats just out to sea and a short way out into the bay, a sailing ship was anchored.  On the beach, children were playing and women were mending nets.  
They obtained directions concerning how to locate Froima very easily and every villager they met informed them that the marshal had been looking for them to arrive for a couple of days and was a little upset at their tardiness.  This was born out when they encountered the man himself.  
Froima was about 5 and a half feet tall.  He had a gray and grizzled beard and appeared to be very muscular.  He was openly armed and dressed in armor.  When he saw them, he immediately began to berate them.
“Where have you guys been!  I wrote to Deochoo nearly a week ago!  I expected you here a few days ago!  I was nearly about to write a second letter asking Deochoo if he actually intended to send any one to help locate Giovan or not.”
“Sorry,” said Niccolo, “We have been at Hooberan’s for the last couple of days.”
“Hooberan’s?  I heard they had plague.  What did you want to go there for?”
“They don’t have plague anymore,” said Niccolo, “We burnt down the village.”
“Someone told us that Giovan had been seen there,” said Tilliana as she handed him the letter from Deochoo.
“But all we found was rats and undead,” said Alairic.  The paladin went on to explain what had transpired at Hooberan’s.  Froima listened to the paladin as he read the letter.
Maybe it was their explanation or maybe it was just the fact that three of them looked pretty worn and dirty but the old marshal calmed down a bit.  
“This letter just confirms you are who I thought you were.  And well, I coulda told you that Giovan wasn’t in Hooberan’s.  He was last seen on the northern tip of the peninsula.  He was investigating a small fishing village that had been burnt to the ground up there.  You should have come here first.  I wish you had been here yesterday.  A man with a raven on his shoulder spent some time in a little place up the coast two days ago and then left.  The place is called Tiolo’s Beach.  There’s about five families that live there, fishermen mostly.  Tiolo sent word to me yesterday and I sent him five men.  If you had been here I could have sent you too.”
“A man with a raven?” asked Tilliana.
“Yeah, one of the towns that got sacked a couple weeks back reported that there had been a man with a raven seen there a day or two before the attack came.  We have been on the lookout ever since.”
“What did the man look like in Tiolo’s beach?” asked Niccolo.
“He was ugly, the boy said, and he had long black hair.”
“The last one was tall and blonde,” said Alairic, “There seems to be a bunch of people running around with ravens.”
“I think it could be an organization,” said Niccolo.
“I think we should travel to Tiolo’s beach and see if we can help there,” said Tilliana.
“Yeah, that would be a good idea, and if you guys need a place to stay, I figure you can stay in the house by the shrine.  Giovan left it in pretty good shape.”
“You haven’t, uh, noticed anything unusual about the shrine?” asked Tilliana.
“Nothing except the grass needs cut.”
‘The last couple of shrines we have seen have been desecrated,” said Niccolo, “including the shrine to Naemae in Foorun.”

They wasted little time in heading to Tiolo’ beach.  It was about an hour and a half up the coast from Taesoo and the walk was fairly pleasant.  As they walked mostly along the shore, they passed a few other scattered settlements, most of them fairly small.  But Froima had given them good landmarks to look for and they did not bother stopping to ask for directions as they walked.  They had just estimated they were getting close to Tiolo’s beach when they spotted the two men running along the beach towards them.  
“Are you from Taesoo?” the two men called out as they drew closer.
“Yes,” they answered.
“We were heading there this morning when we passed through Tiolo’s and saw that the houses were all burning.  Some great big lizard or dragon or something attacked us and it was covered with these sharp things and it killed a friend of ours!  We’ve been running, going to go get Froima!”
“We were just on our way to Tiolo’s,” said Niccolo.
“Well be careful, that things dangerous, we just left our friend lying there!”
“We will check it out,” said Tilliana.
“And we will go get Froima then and tell him.”
“You do that.”
The two men took off again, running west along the coast.  The four companions wasted no time but walking faster now they hurried towards Tiolo’s beach.  
They saw the smoke first, thin threads streaming up towards the sky.  And then they saw the houses, five burnt shells, still smoking.  There were two sailboats beached on the shore and between them a large lizard lay sunning itself.  It was about fifteen to twenty feet long, its tail ended in a mace like appendage and its back was covered with spines that looked nothing so much like a porcupines quills.  Just up a ways from the water’s edge lay the body of a man.
Heidon and Niccolo drew out their bows and cautiously, the four adventurers moved down the beach.  They approached in a line, the cleric and the paladin on either end, greatswords at the ready, the two archers in the middle.  They got about thirty feet away from the creature and stopped.  It turned its head a little and gazed at them.  The spines on its back rippled a moment, but the lizard did not move.  
Heidon and Niccolo let lose with their arrows.  Both sank into the hide of the beast.  It roared and all the spines on its back flaired out and away from its body.  With a shout the paladin charged forward.  His sword bit into the creatures flank, drawing blood, but the paladins charge almost brought him into contact with the many spines.  The lizard swung its tail, smashing it into the side of the paladin, nearly knocking him to the ground, and then with blinding speed it moved forward, slipping into and under the water, out of sight.  
Cautiously, Alairic moved slowly back to the others.  Heidon and Niccolo nocked their arrows, their eyes scanning the water’s edge.
“It was a lizard,” said Niccolo, “That means it breaths air.  It can’t stay under there forever.  It will have to come back up.”
“Come back up charging,” said Tilliana.  She readied her sword.  There was no movement in the ocean except for the lapping of the waves.  Heidon and Niccolo readied themselves.  Alairic fidgeted.
The charge came from their right, the large lizard rushing out of the water about twenty feet from where it had gone in.  Niccolo missed it with his shot but Heidon’s shot was true.  The lizard rushed at Heidon, spines fully extended.  The young man barely managed to leap clear of them in time.  With a roar, the lizard stopped, moving into a position where it could swing its tail at both Alairic and Heidon.  But Heidon moved too quickly, dropping his bow and drawing his sword he ducked under the deadly spines and stabbed it, fatally wounding the lizard.  The spines fell limp against its body and it died.
“Hey,” said Heidon as he moved back away from the body, “I got to kill something.”

They searched the small settlement for clues.  True to the story of the two men they had met, the man on the beach appeared to have been killed by the lizard.  Numerous small stab wounds covered his body from the spines of the beast.  Leaving the body where it lay, they looked at the burning houses.  In one of the smoldering ruins they clearly saw the foot of an infant, charred and sticking out from under the rubbled.  In another of the burnt houses they saw a pile of dead men.  It looked like there were about five bodies, all armored.  They had apparently been killed and then piled in the house before it was set alight.  
“The five guardsmen,” suggested Tilliana.
She asked a few moments later, “Do you think that lizard could breath fire?”
“I think the lizard was just an animal,” said Niccolo, “Why would an animal pile up bodies and light houses on fire.”
“Could be a dragon,” suggested Alairic.
They found two sets of tracks in the village.  The first went back and forth from the village to a spot along the beach and had obviously been made by many men.  There were indications that there had been a boat beached there.  The other set of tracks had been made by a single man wearing boots.  Niccolo followed these away from the village.  He lost the trail for a bit, but once he found it again, he led the other three up to the top of a small cliff on the east side of the village.  The boot prints led up to the edge of the cliff and then stopped.  The cliff dropped about twenty feet down to the ocean.  It was vertical, but climbable.  At least Heidon claimed he could have climbed it.  But there was nowhere to climb to and the prints seemed to actually stop a couple of feet before reaching the very edge.  
“He laid something down here,” said Niccolo.  “But as its not here, he then picked it up again.”
“Where did he go,” asked Alairic.
“He flew,” said Tilliana, “You want to know what I think, I think we are dealing with a shape-shifter of some sort.”
“A dragon can shape-shift,” said Alairic.  
“Are there any feathers around?” asked Niccolo.
They searched but found no feathers.  
They went back to the village and searched it more carefully.  They found no feathers there as well, but Tilliana did find a pool of blood on the ground.  There was a faint trail of blood leading from the one pool and she deduced that at least one of the burnt corpses had been killed outside the house and then dragged in before being piled up and burnt.
“I say we go back to Froima,” said Alairic.  Not knowing what else to do, the other three agreed.
But the two men they had met earlier had done their job and alerted the marshal.  They met Froima about halfway back and ended up walking back to Tiolo’s beach with him and the four men he had with him.
After examining the scene himself, he voiced his opinion. 
“I think what I have thought in the other two cases as well,” he said, “It looks to me like the work of pirates.  You got the boat marks for one.  There’s no doubt that there are pirates around here.  There’s a ship docked off of Taesoo now and I don’t like the look of her crew or her captain, but what can you do without evidence.  I don’t know though who is doing this or why.  Most pirates don’t bother fishing villages.  I wonder if Scythe would know anything about this.  He’s a notorious pirate but he claims to be mending his ways and has set up a village of sorts west of Foorun.  He’s even taking up pig farming or so he claims, sent ten hams just last month to the Duke, though the day I trust Captain Scythe is the day all three moons come crashing into the bay.  But he might be worth asking.  He knows a lot about what goes on in the bay.”
He moved on over to where the great lizard lay dead.
“Now this, this is a puzzle.  We don’t have anything like this critter in these parts, which means he must have been brought here.  There’s a woman named Roona lives just east of here.  She is said to know every animal in, on and under the bay.  Some say she’s a witch as can change shape.  She lives in a cave about half an hours walk up the beach.  She can probably tell you what this thing is.”
“I think we should see this Roona first then,” said Niccolo.
“Let’s go,” said Heidon.
“I’ll warn you,” said Froima, “in my opinion she likes fish more than she likes people.  I met her once or twice and she’s a cantankerous old woman, though don’t tell her I said that.  Me and my men are going to take the body of this young man back to Taesoo.  We will have to leave the other bodies till they cool down.”

The afternoon was wearing on when they approached Roona’s cave.  The old woman apparently liked her privacy.  The area she lived in was fairly desolate and no one else lived along that particular stretch of coastline.  As they neared beach, Alairic motioned for them to stop.
“There’s something in the water, just off the shore,” said the Paladin.
The others drew out sword and bows.  They moved slower forward for now they could all see what the paladin had seen.  There was a green creature of some sort, its head just above the water.  As they drew nearer, the creature lifted a horn of shell to its mouth and blew out a note that echoed along the beach.  
“It’s evil,” said Alairic with certainty.
“Be brave and fight well,” said Tilliana as they moved closer, “Naemae will grant us the victory if we have courage.”
Her words emboldened them and the two archers fired at the creature in the water. Even as they shot, Tilliana was praying, calling on Naemae to bless them.  Despite the water, both shots flew true and struck the creature in the head.  It rose up and then fell back down, dead. Wasting no time, the four charged towards the mouth of the cave.  As they ran, two other creatures charged out to meet them.  They were obviously of the same nature as the first.  They were green, slightly frog like, with gills and fins, webbed feet and fish eyes.  They wielded tridents and they babbled in a strange tongue as they charged awkwardly forward.  One stabbed Tilliana with its trident and another wounded Heidon.  Heidon dropped his bow and drew his greatsword.  Tilliana, far from finished swung her sword, its heavy blade slicing into the creature in front of her.  Niccolo charged forward at the one that had stabbed Tilliana, sword in one hand dagger in the other.  Niccolo swung his sword and the creature sidestepped, straight into the dagger that Niccolo thrust into its chest.  Red blood flowed out of the wound and the creature was dead.  
Meanwhile Heidon parried the other fish-man’s trident.  He cut into the creature with his sword.  Alairic had originally been unable to attack.  His companions had been in the way, so he had moved around the other three and now he charged.  His greatsword flashed overhead and swung down, splitting open the monsters head. The fight was over.
The four cheered and congratulated one another.  They were beginning to feel like a team.  
The cave mouth was fifteen feet wide and the cave tunnel went into the hill for about thirty feet before opening up into a wider room.  There were four other of the fish-men in the outer tunnel, all dead.  There was no one in the cavern room that they could see.  The room was sparsely furnished.  There was a comfortable bed, with a chest at its foot, and there was a crude table but that was it.
“Let’s see what’s in the chest,” said Niccolo trying to open it.  It was locked.
“Let me,” said Heidon and he pulled out his lock picking tools.  He chose one and inserted it in the chest lock.  There was a flash of light and Heidon jerked his hand back as a small explosion knocked him back from the chest.  Heidon was singed, but not badly hurt.  
“And what are you doing trying to open my chest?” asked an elderly woman.  She was standing next to the table where moments before no one had been.  They noticed that in addition to her simple blue robe, she had a holy symbol around her neck.  It was a piece of blue corral in the shape of a wave.  Tilliana recognized her as being a priestess in the Water cult of the Assembly of Four Corners, the church that served the Mother of Elements.  
“Well, we just, um, killed some frog things,” said Niccolo “and we were looking for a woman named Roona.”
“Well I assure you I was not in my chest.  You should be more careful about things that do not belong to you.  I thank you though for finishing off the fish-men for me.  What can I do for you?”
“We need some help,” said Alairic and he explained about the lizard.
“Hmm, it had spines?  Do you mean it had a few or a lot?”
“A lot, all over its back,” said Alairic.
“And it’s tail?”
“Was like a club,” put in Niccolo.
“Was it a plant eater or a meat eater?”
“We didn’t check.”
“Sounds like a spined lizard, but that’s impossible cause they don’t live around here.  I think I want to look at it for myself.  I can’t stay here anyway, not since those things finally figured out where I was staying.  I’ll come with you then.”
“You,” she said, indicating Niccolo, “You look strong enough, why don’t you carry my chest for me and I will meet you outside in a minute, need to grab some stuff.”
Niccolo dutifully heaved the chest up onto one shoulder.  It felt heavy, like she had packed it with rocks.  She met them outside, holding a staff and a backpack, though they had not seen either previously inside the cave.  
“A shame,” said Roona as they left the cave behind, “I’m gonna miss that bed.”

When they reached Tiolo’s beach, it did not take Roona long to identify the lizard.
“That’s a spined lizard alright,” she said, “If you look at the teeth you will see they are designed for plants, not for meat.”
“You wouldn’t happen to know a man named Giovan?” asked Tilliana as the others examined the lizard’s teeth.
“Sure I know the old coot.  Why?”
“We are looking for him.  When’s the last you saw him?”
“A couple months ago.  Though it’s no surprise that he’s missing.  Man had no sense!  Always charging into battle, being brave when any sensible person would turn tail and run.  You mark my words or you’re liable to end up just like him!  Rocks for brains is what he had.”
“This lizard though,” continued the old woman, “you find them only one place in the whole world.  An island about fifty or sixty miles north, northeast of the peninsula.  Its called Dragon Isle by the sailors I believe.”   
They offered to let Roona go back to Taesoo with them, but she decided to stay at Tiolo’s beach instead.  
“This is a nice place,” she said, surveying the burning buildings, “especially now that all the people are gone.  I’ll stay here a while.”

It was dark when they reached Taesoo again but they managed to find the shrine and once Heidon let them in, they made themselves at home in Giovan’s house.  The house was rather small, having only three rooms and there was not much of value in it.  There was a well outside, and they gratefully drew the water and freshened up.
In the shrine itself they found Giovan’s copy of  “To Serve,” the sacred scriptures of the Servants of the Swift Sword.  Alairic stowed it in his backpack.  He figured if it turned out that Giovan was dead and could not use it anymore, he at least could use it to study.  In the shrine, Alairic and Tilliana offered up the tail of the spined lizard as a sacrifice.  They had cut it off of the lizard before leaving Tiolo’s beach.
Then, that done, they all settled in to sleep.


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## Buttercup (Jul 20, 2002)

Wicht said:
			
		

> *
> One question for those reading... would having any of the planned encounters posted be of interest to you (such as having the key to Hooberan's and an explanation of what happened).  I pretype all the encounters and so posting them in another forum and linking would actually be no problem (though maps might be tricky). *




I would love this!  If you have the maps in digital form you can just upload them into your post.  If they aren't digitized, then it would indeed be a hassle for you.


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## Desdichado (Jul 22, 2002)

Really shows the strong points of a Kalamar campaign so far!  Or maybe just the strong points of having a good DM.  Good job, Wicht!


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## Wicht (Jul 24, 2002)

Thanks for the kind words Joshua - I don't know whether its my skills as a DM or the players or Kalamar itself, but I am pretty pleased with how the first two gaming sessions have gone.

And now another brief interlude -again a character handout disguised as a bit of the story.


*Visions*

_Alairic settled himself down before the altar to Naemae and opened “To Serve.”  It was the fourth watch of the night and Alairic had guard duty.  Though they expected no trouble while in Taesoo, one never knew.  Froima had seemed anxious about the crew of the ship in the harbor and a little caution would not hurt.  But the night was quiet and the shrine felt peaceful.  It seemed a good opportunity for religious meditation.  Behind the altar the statue of Naemae watched over the paladin as he began to slowly read.

“There was a demon in the village of Delik, a black rat that ate children and raped the women.  The men of the village could do nothing to stop it and night after night all trembled in fear.  Having no other options, they sent for servants of the swift sword.  Two men, both valiant priests, heard the call and decided to do battle for the village.  They were named Nok and Rimon.  
	Nok arrived first.  A strong man of action, equipped with a stout heart, he wasted no time but valiantly stormed the lair of the demon.  The demon dwelt in an abondened temple north of the village and was guarded by many fell beasts.  The guardians of the lair Nok dispatched with speed.  But when in a battle with the rat demon itself, the brave priest was slain.
	Rimon was slower to arrive for he had first traveled to visit with a wise woman and learned all he could of the rat demon.  It was an ancient creature of evil and stories told of it said that it was invulnerable to steel, but certain tales of lore suggested that weapons of wood would hurt it.  Armed with this knowledge Rimon traveled to the village of Delik and fought the black rat.  Like Nok, he dispatched the guardians of the demon with ease, but when he met the demon itself in battle he did not fight it with a sword as Nok had done.  Instead he fought with a stout branch of oak, one which he had cut himself and blessed with many prayers and rituals.  With this staff he slew the demon and freed the village.”    

	As Alairic read, the walls of the shrine faded away around him and the light grew brighter and the words flowed easier.  As he finished the account, Alairic looked up and saw that he knelt before the altar of Naemae upon a great field below a blue sky.  Globes of light danced freely around him, the altar and the statue of Naemae.  As the paladin gazed at the scene before him a voice spoke from behind.
	“Do you understand what you have read?”
	Alairic turned and beheld a figure, dressed in armor, a greatsword strapped on its back.  Though it stood like a man, its face was like that of some great dog and it looked to be covered with golden fur.  But though its visage was strange, Alairic felt confident that it was a creature of good.
	“I do,” said Alairic humbly.
	“Which of the two priests was braver?”
	“Both fought the demon,” said Alairic remembering this lesson and the answers.
	“Which of the two priests was wiser?”
	“Rimon, for he studied his enemy beforehand and entered into battle prepared.”
	“And which was the greater servant of good?”
	“The one who defeated the evil.”
	“You answer well,” said the being, “I am Rowlandigo, one who fights besides the Knight of the Gods, and it falls to me to give you this message for Naemae is concerned lest evil should win a battle.  Beware the snake that bites from the darkness and the vulture that feeds on lies.  The tomb of the demon should remain sealed lest darkness grow stronger.  Now be brave and may the sword of Naemae slay all evil in your path.  But heed my words and learn well from the lessons of the past.”
	As Alairic watched, the scene changed and the light faded.  Gone was Rowlandigo and the many globes of light that flitted gaily across the grass.  Once more Alairic sat alone in a small shrine.  But the hours had passed swiftly and as Alairic gazed out the open door of the shrine he saw that the sun was already beginning to rise in the sky and that the night was past._


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## Spider_Jerusalem (Jul 25, 2002)

How did "To Serve" come about? Is it from the Kalamar book, yourself or the player? I'd like to know, because it's a wonderful focus for a character such as Alairic and was thinking of implementing something similar into my campaign (semi-yoink!).

Cheers for any info, and keep up the *great* writing.

Spider.


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## Buttercup (Jul 25, 2002)

*To Serve* is the name of the religious book for the Servants of the Swift Sword.  The Kalamar Player's Handbook details religious books for every deity of Tellene.  The story was Wicht's though.


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## Wicht (Jul 25, 2002)

The Kalamar Player's Guide is a great resource.  Amongst other things, it lists a different canon for each of Kalamar's faith.  The Servants of the Swift Sword's canon is called "To Serve" and is a collection of 21 Heroes.  Each Hero is a biographical account of a different heroic figure.  The heroes emphasize manners and ettiquette as well as courage and good humor.  

The 21 heroes are left open in the Player's guide (though it mentions that Saint Nolano, a halfling, is the third hero).  I chose to make one of the Heroes be Saint Rimon, and the story in the interlude is my introduction of this saint, a man renown for both wisdom and courage.

If you want to create a canon for a faith, I would recomend reading the many books listed in the Kalamar Player's Guide for ideas.


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## Wicht (Jul 26, 2002)

Chapter 5 – Taesoo

	As the dawn light grew, Alairic walked from the shrine back to the small house in which the others were sleeping.  He was musing on his vision, turning over lessons from his past in his mind, trying to think of which one might be meant.  Perhaps it was when Deochoo told me I should work on my concentration, he thought, clearly recalling that as a lesson.  I haven’t worked on it either like I was supposed to, thought Alairic guiltily.
	Opening the door to the house he went in and started waking up the others.  
	“Wake up! Get up you sleepy heads!”
	He gave Niccolo a shove with his foot, “Niccolo, wake up!”
	“Go away stupid Paladin,” mumbled the sleepy half-elf.
	“Are you two at it again?” asked Tilliana.
	Over breakfast, they discussed their plans.
	“We are still no closer to finding Giovan,” said Alairic.
	“I think we should go back and check out Roona’s cave while she’s not there,” said Niccolo, “I want to know where she got that staff and backpack out of and I am not sure I trust her completely.  She seemed a little suspicious.”
	“Hmm,” said Tilliana, “and here I was thinking we should go have a look at this Island she told us about.”
	“Personally, I wanted to go and talk to this Captain Scythe that Froima mentioned and see if he might know anything,” interjected Alairic
	“Yeah, it seems likely it was pirates involved,” said Niccolo.
	“You know,” said Alairic, chewing his food thoughtfully, “If there was a big enough ship, they could have put out a plank to that cliff where those tracks ended and that might account for them ending the way they did.  What do you think thief?  Though I guess you really have no choice huh?”
	“No, I gotta go where you guys go,” said Heidon, “And it really does not matter to me.”
	After quite a bit more debating Niccolo managed to convince them to go back to Roona’s cave before they did anything else.  So, breakfast finished, they set off.  As they were leaving the village, they met Froima.
	“Where are you guys going?” he asked them.
	“We are going to go back up to Roona’s cave and check some things out,” said Niccolo, “There were some things that did not make sense to us.”
	“Well make sure you come back to Taesoo when you are finished,” said Froima with a big smile, “I will have a surprise for you by this evening.”
	“Ok, we will,” said Alairic.
	The trip along the coast was uneventful and they found they were already beginning to learn many of the landmarks.  They skirted around Tiolo’s beach, so as not to yet encounter the old woman and in a couple of hours had reached the cave site.  The fish-men bodies were gone, dragged off into the sea by something.  They carefully and methodically searched the cave and were rewarded with two discoveries.  The first was a secret niche, well hidden, about two feet to a side and several feet deep.  The second was a large crack in the cave wall by the spot where Roona had first mysteriously appeared.  Niccolo got on his hands and knees and checked it out.
	“There’s a larger area a foot or so further through here,” he announced, squinting into the darkness of the crack.  They searched for some secret entrance into the other area but could find none.  Indeed, other than the bed, the cave was empty.
	“I think we oughta check out that island now,” said Tilliana, “If it is certain that the spined lizard thing came from there then someone ahs been there and we might be able to find more clues if we look there.”
	“Well, first we have to get back to Taesoo,” reminded Niccolo, “and see what Froima wanted to show us.”
	They arrived back in Taesoo about an hour after noon only to find that when they entered the village, people stared at them funny and moved away as if slightly anxious.
	“What is this,” asked Alairic attempting humor, “I washed all that stuff off me already!”
	The others laughed but they too wondered at the reactions of the villagers, who for the last few days had seemed friendly enough.  Their questions increased when, in the middle of the village they were met by the Froima’s remaining four guardsmen.  Each was carrying a crossbow and each crossbow was loaded and ready to fire.  As they approached the four companions they each aimed their crossbow at Alairic.
	“We don’t relish shooting you, sir, but if you don’t come with us quietly we will.”
	“What’s this about?” the four companions exclaimed all at once.
	“We are arresting you for the murder of Froima.”
	“I did not kill Froima!”
	“Alairic couldn’t have murdered Froima!” protested Niccolo, “He was with us all morning and we weren’t even in town, we were out past Tiolo’s beach all morning.”
	“I didn’t say we necessarily believed ourselves sir, doubtlessly there is foul magic of some sort at work, but we have thirty or more witnesses that watched and will swear that they saw Alairic drag Froima into the shrine of Naemae and stab him repeatedly on the altar.”
	“I will go with them,” said Alairic humbly, “They are after all just doing their job, trying to uphold the law, but you three can work to clear me.”
	“Who saw this happen?” asked Tilliana.
	“Just ask around, the village is not that big and I am sure you will easily find ones who were there.”
	Tilliana noticed that a crowd of villagers was watching them and called out, “Who here saw it?”
A small number raised there hands.  Tilliana singled one out and asked, “What did you see.”
“I saw this man drag Froima into the shrine and kill him on the altar!” exclaimed the man.
“You are sure it was Alairic, he had the same face and everything?”
“Of course he had the same face, it wouldn’t have been him otherwise!”
“There was nothing different?  Think hard.”
“Well,” said the man thoughtfully and honestly, “He did use a different sword, It weren’t as big as that thing he’s got on his back now, but that don’t prove nothing he could have switched weapons easy enough!”
“Was there a raven?” asked Niccolo.
“No there was no raven.”
“We will get the judge in here tomorrow,” promised the one guard who had done all the talking, “He will find out the truth soon enough.  I’ll send for him at once.”
	The guards led him away and Alairic went without a word, not even protesting when they took his weapons from him.  
	The other three watched him go and then tried to decide what to do.  Finally Niccolo and Tilliana decided that Heidon should ask around the village and learn what he could while they investigated the shrine itself.  
	“Meet us back in the shrine in a couple of hours,” said Tilliana.
	They found nothing at the shrine.  There were no clues, only blood on the altar.  Froima’s body had already been removed and nothing else in the shrine or the yard had been touched.
	Heidon did not have a lot to report when he came back, only that those that watched it had said it had seemed as if Froima was being sacrificed as he was being killed and that Froima had walked as if in a daze to the altar, laying his own body on the rock.  
	“That doesn’t sound like Froima,” said Niccolo, “He was kind of a fiesty fellow.”
Tilliana and Niccolo, followed by Heidon spent the rest of the afternoon trying to see if they could learn more than Heidon had.  Tilliana managed to glean one interesting fact hitherto not mentioned.  After killing Froima, the murderer had cut out the heart and dousing it with oil had burnt it on the altar besides the body.  But other than that there did not seem to be a lot more about the story to learn.
	They decided to go look at the body.  The village undertaker had possession of the body and was already building the wooden coffin in which Froima was to be buried.  He freely let them examine the body.  But they gleaned no clues from the corpse.  Froima had been stabbed and his heart cut out, but that was all that could be told and they had already known that.  
	“You wouldn’t happen to know which way the murderer ran out of town after he killed Froima would you?” Niccolo thought to ask the undertaker.
	“I believe he ran out of town to the west.”
	“And we were east of town all morning.  That’s one in Alairic’s favor anyway.”
	As they were leaving, the undertaker stopped Tilliana, “Froima was a devout worshipper of Naemae and despite the circumstances after a lifetime of devotion, it seems appropriate for a cleric of Naemae to do his funeral.  Would you be able to do that?”  
	Tilliana agreed to do it and they set a time for the following morning.	
	They decided to go visit with Alairic.  The village jail had only one cell, the only brick structure in the town.  Alairic sat within reading “To Serve” when they entered.  The two guards without let them in without a fuss.  
	“I learned something,” said Alairic as they told him what they had found out, “The guards say that Froima was worried about the crew of the ship anchored out in the bay and had told their captain that he would only allow five of the sailors ashore at a time.”
	“Hmm, they might be pirates and they obviously had a reason to be upset at Froima.  I wonder if there is a shapeshifter on board?” mused Niccolo
	“Could be worth looking into,” said Alairic.
	“You want to know what I think,” said Niccolo, I think we should hunt for that runt that stole the gold!  You remember, Tolo, that gnome.”
	“He could be anywhere!” exclaimed Alairic in disbelieve, “What about Roona, we were told that she was a shapeshifter and maybe she can shapeshift into something more than a fish.”
	“I think we might want to investigate that ship,” said Tilliana.
	“Why don’t you follow some of the sailors in town and keep an eye on them and you might want to see if you can find out where the guy ran when he left town.”
	After a bit more discussion it was decided that Heidon and Tilliana would keep an eye on the sailors and that Niccolo could see if he could find any tracks.  Feeling a little better with something to do, they left Alairic who returned to reading his book of scriptures.  
	Surprisingly, Niccolo managed to find a lone pair of tracks where he was told the man ran west out of the village and with skill he followed them for about an hour.  They ended about a mile west of the village near the beach.  Niccolo examined closely where the tracks stopped.  The markings looked very much so like the markings looked on the cliff near Tiolo’s beach where the tracks had also ended abruptly.  Niccolo thought for a moment and then decided to examine the ground past where the tracks ended.  He was rewarded by the discovery of a feather, a foot in length and grey.  Having an idea he went back and looked for a different type of track.  What he found was not what he expected.  He had been looking for a large paw print, perhaps that of a great cat.  Instead what he found was the markings of a giant bird with a claw at least six inches to eight inches long.  
	Meanwhile the other two investigators were discovering nothing.  They had found the sailors, all five of them, easily enough.  They were in the village bar drinking and talking.  Heidon and Tilliana took a seat out of the way, but where they could watch and listen easily enough.  The five sailors seemed to be interested in the death of Froima, but nothing in their conversation indicated they had any inside information.  After about an hour, one of the sailors started a fist fight with one of the villagers and the bartender threw out all five of them.  The drunken men stumbled off, cursing Taesoo, its inhabitants and vowing revenge.  Tilliana and Heidon followed them.  The men climbed in their rowboat at the beach and with unsteady strokes rowed back out to their ship.
	The sun was going down and it dusk was deepening.  Having nothing else to do, they headed back to the jail where they met both Alairic and Niccolo.  Niccolo described to them what he had found and showed them the feather.
	“I am thinking it’s something like a griffon,” said Alairic.
	“That’s what I was thinking,” said Niccolo.
	“I think we should get on that ship and see if we can learn anything,” said Tilliana.  Niccolo nodded in agreement.
	“How are you going to do that?” asked Alairic, “For all you know they are a bunch of pirates.  Sneaking aboard a ship of cut throats doesn’t seem that smart.”
	“We could row out there,” said Tilliana.
	“If you got me close enough, I could swim over and sneak on,” suggested Heidon.
	“I still don’t know what you hope to accomplish but I wish you would find out something that would show I did not do it,” said Alairic.
	The other three had made up their mind though and headed out into the night to sneak aboard the ship.  They found a fisherman on the beach who agreed to rent them his rowboat for a gold coin and after Niccolo paid him, they pushed out and with Tilliana rowing, they made their way out towards the ship.  The water was dark and the moon was hidden behind clouds, but there were lights aboard the ship to aim for.  They steered for a spot just past the light of the ship.  As they rowed, they thought they heard another boat rowing over the noise of the ocean waves.  Tilliana stopped rowing and sure enough, off to their left they heard another boat being rowed, this one away from the ship and towards the beach.  
	“I think we should follow that row boat,” said Tilliana.
	“Lets get out to the ship,” hissed Niccolo.
	They got near enough to the ship and Heidon, removing his armor and sword prepared to swim over.  He carried with him only his longbow and daggers.  Diving off the side of the rowboat, he swam towards the ship.  He reached it without difficulty and grabbing the anchor chain, he climbed quietly up it.  Peering over the side of the ship he saw two men on the other side of the ship staring out towards the village.  They seemed to be the only ones on deck.  Still moving stealthily, he climbed over the side and eased himself onto the deck.  On the other side of the deck he saw steps leading up to a higher deck and a door that most likely led into the crew’s quarters.  There was a cargo hatch between him and the men staring over the side.  Feeling emboldened, he decided to make his way to the door to the quarters.
	He stepped forward and the board under him squeaked loudly.  The men spun around and saw him.
“You there!  What do you think you are doing?”  They drew out short swords.
“Hardly pausing to think, Heidon drew out his bow and fired at them.  He hit one of the men who went down, clutching at the arrow in his chest.  The other man ran at Heidon across the deck, slashing with his sword.  His sword hit and cut into Heidon.  Heidon dropped his bow and drawing out a dagger plunged it into the man’s chest.  Overhead, a man positioned in the crows nest began shouting out a warning cry.  He was silenced by a well placed arrow fired by Niccolo.  The other two, having heard Heidon’s fight had rowed towards the ship.  As Heidon looked over the bodies, Tilliana climbed up to the deck and Niccolo tied off the rowboat to the anchor line.  Then he too joined the others on deck.  Just as Niccolo cleared the deck, the door to the crew’s quarters burst open and out strode a giant of a man.  He sported a beard and held in one hand a greatax.  He wore a chainmail shirt.  Behind him was a smaller man dressed in leather armor and holding a shortsword.
“What are you doing on my ship!” hollered the big one in the merchant tongue, “I’ll cut off yer head and feed em to the sharks!”
“Just try it,” said Tilliana, drawing her sword.  It was then she noticed how badly hurt Heidon was from his exchange with the other two men.  Heidon drew on his bow and fired a shot straight into the man.  But the man did not fall.  Instead his face grew bright red and veins stood out on the side of his neck and his eyes bulged.  With a roar, he charged with astonishing speed across the deck, plowing into Tilliana with a mighty sweep of his great ax.  The other man also charged forward, swinging at the petite woman, but Tilliana turned his blow and sliced at the larger man, missing.  Niccolo stabbed at the man with her longsword, missing and following through with a dagger, but he was too quick and sidestepped the hidden thrust.  Clearly such tactics weren’t going to work on this man.  Niccolo dropped his dagger and focusing on using just his sword cut into the man.
With eyes still bulging, the man swung at Heidon who ducked the swing.  Moving around the man, Niccolo swung at him again, drawing a little more blood.  Tilliana, deciding it would be easier only fighting one, swung at the other man, cutting him open with her huge sword and taking him out of the fight.  Meanwhile the pirate captain managed to hit Heidon with a terrific blow that laid the young man out on the deck.  Again Niccolo hit the man and now the man turned on the half-elf, with a swing that cut through the half-elf’s armor and opened a large wound.  Tilliana, hoping Niccolo would be able to handle the man for a while on his own backed up away from the fight and offering up a prayer helped Heidon regain his feet.  Niccolo parried one more stroke and then cut the man yet again.  But though he bled from many cuts, he refused to fall and continued to fight fiercely and madly.  Tilliana offered up one more prayer of healing for Heidon and then, grasping her sword firmly, she charged the man, shouting to get his attention.  As he turned towards her, she brought her sword down on his head, cleaving it open.  
All of them were badly wounded from the heavy ax, but they were still alive.  Tilliana tended to their wounds as best as she was able, using her divine spells to stop the bleeding and heal the worse of the injuries.  Heidon claimed the chain shirt as loot and Niccolo examining the ax decided to take it for her own.  Then they set out to investigate what else the ship held.

Alairic was beginning to doze when the door to the jail banged open and in rushed one of the guards, his hair disheveled and his sword drawn.
“We need your help!  Pirates from the ship in the bay are looting the town.  They have already killed the other three guards!  Please help us.”
“I will help,” said Alairic rushing to his feet and moving to the cell door, “let me out.”
The guard fumbled with his keys and then opened the door.  He motioned Alairic to his sword and daggers which they had stowed on a small table nearby.  Then, once Alairic had his sword on and was ready they went out.  There were three men, all with swords drawn, coming down the street.
“These were the ones that killed the other three.”
Alairic drew his sword.  
“Get ‘em men,” said one of the men and the three pirates charged forward.  Alairic ducked a sword swipe and managed to land a glancing blow on one.  The guard next to him was charged by two and though the turned one blade and stabbed the man, the other pirate, obviously a more skilled fighter, sliced into the guard.  Alairic parried another stroke and then swung around.  The weight of his greatsword carried through the mans defenses and then into the man himself.  The pirate fell to the ground dead.  The guard too finished one of the pirates and then parried a stroke from their leader.  Coming at the pirate from the side, Alairic nicked him.  The pirate however, ignored Alairic for a moment and with a powerful stroke cut open the guard who fell to the ground dying.  Alairic made the man pay for ignoring him by once more delivering a hit with his heavy blade.  The pirate, sensing his peril turned to fight but it was too late.  With a powerful overhand swing, Alairic’s struck.  The man moved just enough that the stroke missed his head, but cutting into his shoulder, the blade carried down into the chest and the man was dead.
Alairic took stalk of his situation for a moment and decided the best course would be to get help.  Dimly he recalled where the mayor lived and headed off in that direction.  There were two men banging on the mayor’s door when he got there.
“Open up and we may not kill you,” one of them hollered.
“You two, what are you doing!” exclaimed Alairic.
They turned and faced him, “Get out of here or we’ll give you some too!”
Alairic charged.  He swung and missed, but managed to sidestep their swings.  Then bringing his sword around he decapitated one and backing up a moment out of the way of the other man’s short sword, he  swung, letting his swords weight carry him forward.  The edge of his sword sliced through the other man’s arm and into his chest.  
“Good job,” said the mayor coming to the door.  The mayor was a short man with a balding head and gray hair.  Alairic thought he could see some gnomish ancestry in the man’s features. 
“Thank you sir,” said Alairic.
“Now what are you waiting for, get out there and get the rest of them!”
Wearily, Alairic turned to do as he was told.

He found two more of the men.  They were in the process of breaking into the village store.  
“What do you want!”  they cried.
Alairic answered, “You need to stop this.”
“I would like to see you make us,” said one of them with a laugh. 
Alairic sighed and charged.  Carried forward with the momentum of his armor and his sword, Alairic delivered a powerful attack.  His sword swung through the air and sliced one of the pirates from head to groing.  But the other one moved quickly as Alairic was regaining his balance and stabbed into Alairic’s side with his sword.  Alairic manaed to find the strength to bring his sword around, cutting into the man’s side, but somehow the pirate managed to stay on his feet.  Alairic prepared to attack once more but the other man was too swift and stabbed at Alairic again.  As the blood flowed from the wound, everything went black for Alairic.

Searching the ship, Tilliana and the other two swiftly discovered there was no one else aboard.  They found some money in both the captain’s quarters and the first mates quarters, and Niccolo took the captain’s log to study.  In the hold of the ship there was a lot of cargo.  But it was mundane stuff for the most part, cloth and spices.
“I say we burn the ship,” said Niccolo, “That was if the pirates are on the shore, they won’t have anyplace to flee to.”
The others agreed and Heidon had the honor of lighting the fire.  They boarded the rowboat and began rowing back to shore.  As the rowed, the fire spread and the ship began to sink into the ocean water.  Tilliana prayed as the ship burned and offered it up as a sacrifice of victory to Naemae.
There was a crowd to meet them when they returned to shore.  It was the villagers with torches and crossbows.  But when the villagers saw who was rowing, they cheered and welcomed the companions ashore.

Alairic was back in the prison cell they discovered.  The villagers, seeing him fighting the pirates, had taken courage and banded together and killed the last few themselves.  Alairic was bandaged and carried as a hero to prison.  
Morning brought both the local judge and new council.  The judge was a priest in the Courts of Justice and he quickly set about hearing the facts of the case.  When he discovered though that Alairic was not lying when he testified that he had not been in town at the time of Froima’s death, the Truthseeker determined the paladin to be innocent and set him free.  The villagers cheered at this for the events of the previous evening had made him something of a local hero.  
“I knew you were innocent all along,” was the common refrain Alairic heard that day.  There was even talk of having him take Froima’s place.  Alairic made no response to such ideas and when he had a moment, he offered up a sacrifice at the shrine to Naemae, thanking him for the victory.
Niccolo meanwhile read the log of the Raging Sea, that being the name of the ship they had sunk.  According tot he log, the ship had recently been purchased by the Captian, a man named Grinkar and had just two weeks ago successfully plundered his first merchant ship.  The Captain had anchored off of Taesoo to try to lay low for a time before selling the merchandise in Aasaer.  The pirates aboard the Raging Sea had no connection to either Giovan or the plundered villages.  
They counted out the money they had taken from the ship and split it up.  Alairic, Niccolo and Tilliana all deposited a good percentage of their take in the shrine offering box.  Niccolo tried to talk Heidon into tithing, but the young man did not see the need.


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## Buttercup (Jul 27, 2002)

Bravo!


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## Wicht (Jul 27, 2002)

*Chapter 6 – Dragon Isle*

	“Where do we go now?”  Alairic asked.  They had spent the day celebrating the release of Alairic and the destruction of the pirates.  Their celebration was only slightly dampened when one of the fishermen casually informed them that the boat they had sunk would have brought them a hefty amount of gold if they had sold it to someone.  Now however, the celebrating was done and they were back at the house next to the shrine in Taesoo.
	“Personally,” continued Alairic, “I am beginning to think we should go ahead and go talk to Roona again.  We are looking for a shapeshifter and she is rumored to have that ability.  We are absolutely no closer to figuring out what happened to Giovan then we were six days ago.”
	“I agree,” said Niccolo, “So far we have burnt down a village and sank a pirate ship, but neither of those seem to be in any way connected with our original mission.”
	“I still think we should find a way to get to that Dragon Isle that we were told about.  We are going to have to sail there and we will need a ship,” said Tilliana.  The words hung there a moment and then Tilliana groaned and  sank her head into her hands. They had had a ship but had sunk it.  
	“The man who murdered Froima went west,” said Niccolo, speaking aloud as she thought, “Foorun is west of Taesoo and this Scythe is supposed to be west of Foorun.”
	“I think Scythe will be a dead end too,” said Tilliana.
	“Why don’t we question Roona in the morning, assuming she is still there,” said Alairic, “And then we can go from there.”
	“You never know, she could have moved on,” said Niccolo.  
	The next morning, as Alairic had suggested, they once more walked out to Tiolo’s beach.  Roona was sitting before a fire, looking just as she had when they had left her.  She was sipping out of a cup of something hot and when she saw them coming over the dunes, she waved them over.  
	“Good Morning!” said Alairic cheerfully, “And how are you doing this morning?”
	“Well I was doing alright,” complained the woman, “Though I am not surprised to see you, I was wondering when it would sink in through your thick skulls!”
	“What?”
	“You obviously need to know more about this Dragon Isle, and I don’t know much but let me tell you it’s a nasty place.  For one thing, obviously, there’s a dragon, big and old, he lives at the top.  The whole island is basically one big mountain and its crawling with lizards: flying lizards, spined lizards, nasty lizards that will chew your leg off until you fall and they can get at your throat, kobolds in the north, little dragons.  And then of course there’s the old temple built hundreds of years ago and abandoned.  I don’t know much about that but when I was younger I heard stories there’s a demon buried in it, that can’t get out.”
	Alairic’s ears perked up and it became obvious he was thinking hard, “A demon?”
	“That’s what the stories say.”
	“Can you tell us anything about the island?” asked Tilliana, meaning for roona to elaborate, but the question annoyed the old woman.
	“Weren’t you listening the first time?  I told you what I know, if you want to learn more, I suggest you go to Zoa or even Xaarum and find someone else who might know more.”
	“Oh,” said Tilliana, “Well is there anything else we can do to make you comfortable or help you out here?”
	“Young lady I have survived out here for the last eighty years and I will for another eighty I imagine!”
	“Eighty years!? How old are you?” asked Alairic impolitely.
	“None of your business!”
	“Sorry.”
	“So what have you been doing out here?” asked Niccolo, trying to steer the conversation back to a point from which they could gather some information.
	“I buried that poor baby that had been in the hut and of course those men, and have gone for a few swims.”
	Alairic looked and spotted the gravesites some ways up from the beach.
	“Can I ask you,” began Tilliana not knowing how to phrase what she wanted to ask, “Is there anything you have noticed along the coast lately?”
	“Yeah,” said the old woman gruffly, “Its not a good time to be a villager is it?”
	“Hmm, your right there,” said Niccolo
	“I haven’t seen anything and now that I told you what you came to ask me, you can go and leave me in peace.”
	“Right,” they said and feeling dismissed they turned to walk off.  Alairic stopped and looked back over his shoulder.  Roona was staring at them like a hawk.  With a sigh the paladin turned and walked after the others.  About halfway back to Taesoo, it struck them that they had failed to question her about her shapeshifting abilities.  The woman had dominated the conversation.
	“And I forgot to check her to see if she was evil,” sighed Alairic.
	“Dumb Paladin,” quipped Niccolo more out of habit than anything else.
	“I want to go learn more about this demon,” said Alairic, “I think we should head back to Xaarum, tell Deochoo what we have learned and see if we can find out anything more about Dragon Isle.”
	“Why?”
	“I had a vision, a warning from Naemae two nights ago.  I was told about a demon that was buried, that it was to remain buried.  And I think we should do some research.  Being brave is not the same as being stupid you know, Naemae does not appreciate warriors who enter battle unprepared.”
	“Ok, ok,” said Niccolo, “Let’s go back to Xaarum.”

	That afternoon they were back in Xaarum.  Deochoo heard their account with interest and agreed that Alairic was right, research was what was called for.
	“I will ask around for you and see what I can learn about this Island,” said Deochoo, “It might take a few days though.  There does not seem a lot you can do in the meantime so I advise you to relax for a bit.”
	It did take Deochoo two days to hunt up the information.  Alairic spent the time studying.  Heidon and Niccolo mostly relaxed, though they also made a trip to the market.  They sold off a few things they had picked up and Heidon for some reason decided he needed to be better armed and purchased both a battle ax and a morning star.  They also bought more arrows.  Tilliana perhaps spent her time the most productively.  She purchased her own copy of “To Serve” from the temple and then spent the rest of the time locked up in her room.  She was preparing scrolls of healing.
	At the end of two days, Deochoo summoned them.  
	“I had to call in a few favors to get this information,” he said, “but I did find out about the island and it looks to be worth checking into.”
	“For starters, no one is quite sure anymore whether the island is named for the ancient green dragon that has made its lair atop the island or for the many forms of reptile life that cover it.  The island is home to some creatures that can not be found anywhere else.  The whole island is basically a big mountain.  It is three miles long, north to south and a mile wide at its widest.  The east and west sides are sheer and no craft could land there.  There are spots on the north and south sides of the island where boats can beach.  The south side has a thin strip of land, isolated from much of the rest of the island by cliffs and oceans and the north has a larger flat area with two bays.  The north half of the island is also covered with kobolds.  
	“Because of the sheerness of the mountain, the presence of the dragon and the kobolds, the island is mostly avoided by everyone.  Ships captains in particular do not like to go near it when they learn of the dragon, who has been known in years past to sink an occasional ship.  But that wasn’t always the case.  About three hundred years ago a pirate built a village on the southern strip.  He also built a temple to the Veuxoo, the Creator of Strife, on the southern slope of the mountain.  A band of Elvish adventurers destroyed both the village and the temple, but there were many demons in the temple and one of them they could not defeat.  They instead used powerful magic to entomb him within and then set up traps to keep out the unwary.  Fortunately, the location of the temple and specifically, the existence of the demon do not seem well documented.  I only accidentally discovered that last part myself.
	“Alairic, it seems to me that Naemae has chosen you in particular to make sure that this demon remains buried.  This, I deem is your mission from the Swift Sword.  You and you alone are charged with journeying to this island.  However, I think it seems obvious that this could easily be connected with the dissapearance of Giovan.  Tilliana can accompany you.  The other two I cannot bind pr se, though Heidon is already bound…
	“We have worked so well together thus far it would be a shame to break up the group,” said Niccolo, “I will travel with them.”
	“Very good!  You of course will need a ship to reach the Island.  Passage can most likely be found in Zoa, but there may be a ship anchored in Foorun which will agree to take you.”
	In the end they decided to walk the short ways to Foorun first to attempt to find passage.  They were in luck for there was one ship heading to Geanavue and the captain agreed to drop them off on his way, but his terms were less than agreeable.  He wanted a hundred gold pieces for a rowboat and 20 gold pieces apiece for passage and would drop them off ten miles from the Island and let him row.  They managed to bargain with him until he agreed to a total price of 150 gold pieces and a row boat let out two miles from the island.  He would get no closer for he had heard about the dragon.  He was bound to leave the next day, the 14th of sowing.  
	Tilliana had been in much thought ever since they had left Xaarum and after finding the passage she excused herself from the others and promised to be back in time to sail.
	Then, taking her stuff, she made the journey back to Xaarum alone.  Deochoo was slightly surprised to see her again.
	“I feel I am ready to be a Defender,” explained Tilliana when they were alone.
	Deochoo smiled.  
“Are you my child, well, I must ask you then, what evil have you defeated?”
Tilliana thought.
“I fought undead in Hooberan’s, servants of the Rot Lord and defeated them.  And in Taesoo I fought with Pirates and helped save the village.”
“Then you have indeed defeated evil, and I will agree to your promotion.  But with promotion comes responsibility.  When you return from your journey we will discuss your responsibilities in more detail.  For now, a simple acknowledgement of your new rank will suffice I think and though we don’t have time for a full ceremony, we will arrange one for you when you come back.  Your mother I believe has new robes already prepared for you.
“In fact if you want the truth,” said Deochoo with a smile, “I suspect she has robes prepared for you for when you ascend to become the Valiant.”
Tilliana met the other three in Foorun the next day, resplendent in her new rank.  Her cheerfulness soon turned to illness however when the ship set sail.  Tilliana was not alone in her seasickness, Heidon also spent the first few hours of the voyage retching over the side of the ship.  But Heidon quickly gained his sea legs leaving Tilliana alone in her wretchedness.  The ship had been out to sea for eight hours before Tilliana finally adjusted.
“I do not like sailing,” Tilliana declared.
Through the night the ship sailed and it was not until noon of the following day that the island came into view.  It was indeed a single mountain rising green out of the ocean waters.  The whole island was forested.  The captain used his spyglass to show them that there was a ship anchored off the southern tip of the island.
“Where do you want let off, north or south?” he asked them
“South,” they decided.
Two miles from the island, the captain steered his ship to the north and they let off the four adventurers in a small row boat.  Niccolo rowed and soon they were pulling away from the ship towards the island.  An hour into the rowing and the island was nearer and the ship that had brought them was fading into the distance.
They were too far from the other ship to make out activity on it but they decided to land as far away from it as possible, figuring that their every movement could be seen.  
“No sinking that ship,” warned Tilliana.
“No, its not like we are going to have any other way to get back is it?” said Alairic.  
An hour later and they were pulling the boat up onto the beach.  There was a cliff, nearly a hundred to a hundred and fifty feet in height to their left, just north of them.  As far as they could tell, the cliff extended for the whole length of the southern strip of land, which at its widest could be no more than a quarter of a mile wide.  The cliff extended not just to the east, but it also circled to the north, out into the ocean water.  The beach stretched out to their right, a thin strip of sandy land interrupted occasionally by trees.  As they gazed down the length of the beach, they saw that there were four legged lizards flying on thin wings out from the trees and over the ocean water.  They appeared to be fishing and there were many of the creatures skimming over the surface of the ocean to the southeast.
“Which way?” asked Alairic.
Their choices seemed limited.  They could follow the beach until they reached the spot where the ship was anchored.  There had appeared to be a small camp there of some sort, though the distance was too great to make out much detail.  They could also joureny straight through the forested strip of land, though the foliage was dense and the wildlife they had been warned about.  Or they could follow the cliff seeing if there was some way to scale it.  In the end they opted to follow the cliff, avoiding being found if possible.
“I think we should try and find this old shrine first,” said Niccolo, “And go from there.”
They Pulled the rowboat into the trees and tried to hide it.  Then, that done, they set out.  Following the cliff was not hard.  Trees did not grow on the rock face itself and the foilage seemed less dense, though rocks at the foot of the cliff warned of the danger of falling boulders.  They went slowly but surely.  As they walked, they observed many more examples of the native life.  Many small lizards scuttled on the trees and through the foilage.  At least twice they saw bipedal lizards.  They were about five feet long with a crested back and their teeth appeared sharp.  These would watch them intelligently and then take off quickly through the undergrowth.  Occassionaly they would see more of the winged lizards in the branches overhead.  They observed that there were sharp hooks on the scaly backs of these lizards.  But none of the reptiles bothered them.
	There were many small waterfalls that fell down the face of the cliff, gathering in small ponds and then flowing in streams out towards the ocean.  An hour through the forest and they came to an opening in the trees.  The reason for the clear space was readily apparent, a large pond, the largest they had yet seen, nearly a hundred feet in width lay before them.  Water cascaded down the cliff , frothing white at the northern edge of the pond.  Pretty as the pond was, what truly grabbed the attention of the four travelers were the four large spined lizards basking along the edge of the pond, the largest of these lay only a few feet from Alairic who stopped short.  
	“I think we should go around and not bother them,” said the paladin, nervously eyeing the clubbed tail of the reptile which was only five feet away.  
	“I agree,” said Niccolo and they started to move away.
	But the reptile had startled at the sound of their voices and it turned its head to look at them.  The spines on its back flaired up and it let out a trumpeting bellow.  
	“Uh-oh,” said Heidon and he drew an arrow and fired at it.  The arrow sank into the beast and in a flash it was turning on them.  Niccolo fired another arrow into it and then the creature was attacking, it’s tail flashing through the air.  Heidon leaped over it and drew out his battle-ax.  Alairic stood there, momentarily confused, not sure what to do, his hands gripping his sword.  Tilliana suffered no such problem and speaking words of encouragement, she offered up a prayer to Naemae.  All four felt emboldened and could feel the energy of the god blessing them.  Heidon swung his ax and connected, but as he did so he was stabbed by the creatures quivering spines.  
	“You fool!” said Niccolo “You should have used your bow.”
	Her casting done, Tilliana charged the lizard, but its defenses were better then her attack and not only did she not hurt it, but two of its spines ripped into her.  Another of the lizards was moving now, its spines also flairing.  Niccolo seeing this to his right fired at it and then as the arrow sank in drew out the great ax he had taken from the captain of the Raging Sea.  Alairic dodged the spines of the first lizard and cleaved into it, killing it.  Even as it died, another of the nearby lizards slipped into the water.  
	Heidon, still hurting from the stabs of the first lizard’s spines decided to heed Niccolo and once more picked up his bow.  As Niccolo dodged the tail of the second lizard, Heidon fired an arrow.  It flew true and sank into the creatures eye.  Alairic charged forward and though he was caught on one of the spines, he landed a killing blow.
	For a moment all was still.  The fourth spine lizard at the northern edge of the pond watched them but did not move.  
They stared at the pond, knowing the third lizard was in there.  They did not stare long.  It charged out and at them, spines erect, a shower of water flying off the sharp tips.  The lizard barreled into Niccolo, catching him with its spines.  Tilliana charged forward, cleaving into it, but the exchange hurt her dearly as several of the spines penetrated through her armor and into her skin. Heidon back away and fired at it, his arrow barely nicking it.  The creatures clubbed tail lashed out and caught Niccolo, knocking the half-elf senseless to the ground.  Alairic swung, but as one of the spines caught him, his swing missed.  Tilliana backed away from the creature and drew a scroll from her back.  As Alairic kept the creatures attention she used one of her scrolls to heal the half-elf.  
The effect was immediate and Niccolo, once more on his feet wasted no time.  Gripping the great ax firmly, the half-elf sank it into the lizard.  Though his blow was powerful, it did not stop the lizard and Niccolo paid a heavy price.  Two of the spines stabbed into him and clutching at the bleeding wounds, the half elf once more fell to the ground, unconsciousness swiftly taking over him.  With a sigh, her eyes firmly on the lizard, Tilliana drew out her other scroll to heal Niccolo again.
Alairic with a roar decided to finish the fight.  Heedless of the creature’s deadly defenses, the paladin rushed at the lizard, cleaving its brainpan open.  With a twitch it died, but Alairic could only stare at the wounds on himself.  One of the spines had penetrated through his chest.
The paladin pulled himself away from the lizard and fell to the ground, dying.  Tilliana was not about to let that happen.  In a moment she was at his side, the divine energies of Naemae channeling through her body, closing the paladin’s wounds.  It was enough to bring him to the edge of consciousness.  
Thanking Tilliana, the paladin proceeded to use his own gifts and soon he was strong enough to stand.  Tilliana took a moment to heal her own wounds and then some of Heidon’s.  
They heard shouts and for the first time, undistracted by spined lizards, they looked across the pond.  They saw a camp, located just beyond the few trees on the other side of the pond.  
“We are in no shape to take on a whole camp of pirates,” said Niccolo, guessing that that was who occupied the camp, “Lets back up into the forest a bit and prepare ourselves a bit better.   Alairic and Heidon, still sore and weak, agreed.  Tilliana, though she felt fine, saw how badly Niccolo was still hurt and also agreed.
Moving quickly they left the pond and traveled back into the trees.


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## Wicht (Jul 27, 2002)

One note concerning events in chapter 6...

Servants of the Swift Sword are expected to undertake 3 quests during their life.  One is a mission from the Swift Sword himself.  One is a mission from the halls of the Valiant.  And the third is a four year journey of seeking in which the Servant is expected to travel the land and undertake heroic deeds.  

The quest to Dragon Isle represents Alairic's quest from the Swift Sword.


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## Tuerny (Jul 29, 2002)

Good story hour Wicht. While I don't run Kingdoms of Kalamar personally I consider it a fine setting and I like what your doing with it. Bravo!


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## Wicht (Jul 30, 2002)

Welcome aboard Tuerny/Jesse  

And thanks for the praise.


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## Spider_Jerusalem (Jul 30, 2002)

This story keeps on getting better and better.

What sort of level are these characters at the moment?

Spider.


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## Wicht (Jul 31, 2002)

I was going to post a character update after our next session.  Alairic is currently third level, courtesy of his solo fights, while the other three are about 100 exp. short of third.  Tilliana spent 100 exp. for advancement within the Servants and then some on scrolls so she is currently the lowest in experience, though not by much.


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## Kaodi (Jul 31, 2002)

*Another Good Start*

Greetings, Wicht. I was disappointed to hear that your other campaign went under, because I was interested in it. It looks like you have another promising start. Just wondering too, which of your players from this campaign (if any) were in the last one, and which characters were they? Good Luck in DMing!


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## Wicht (Jul 31, 2002)

Kaodi, 
I am left with the question... How did you know my last campaign went under?  I never really discussed it a lot on the boards except in snippits here and there.  It quit because two of my three players went back to school after last summer and I couldn't get my schedule and theirs to click this summer.  

My wife is the only player who has played in both campaigns.  In my last campaign she played a female wizard named Halvena.  She is playing Tilliana in this campaign.


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## Kaodi (Jul 31, 2002)

*...*

*considers for -several- horrible moments that he has attributed the wrong campaign to the wrong person, thus hopelessly embarrassing himself for the umpteenth occassion in the lifetime...*

I am going to go out on a limb here... Didn' t you start a campaign based on the Coin Trilogy? If you didn' t, I am really sorry for confusing you with that person, and it would seem that my memory has failed me for once. However, if you -did- have a campaign based on the Coin Trilogy, and had a story hour for it, I remember it not being updated for a long time, then this one came along, and I thus assumed the worst. Sorry for the inconvenience.


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## Wicht (Jul 31, 2002)

Nope, that was not me.  My last campaign was based in the lands of Tarisato and had no story hour.  

Don't feel too bad.  If you make sure to read this story as it progresses I will forgive the faux pas.


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## Kaodi (Jul 31, 2002)

*Trouble*

Oh, no! The horror! The absolute horror! I just have I have not inflicted bad karma upon my own chances as a Dungeon Master and my own Story Hour! 

( *is going to be running his first real game hopefully this Sunday, a Dungeon adventure set in the Example of Play Dungeon* )


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## Kaodi (Jul 31, 2002)

*Update*

Should of posted this in the previous message, but have you stated before what day you play on? All of us readers I believe are looking forward to the next update of the story and the stuff about your players stats.


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## wsclark (Aug 1, 2002)

*Re: ...*

First off, Wicht, I am thoroughly enjoying your tale. It is nice to see another Kalamar campaign on the boards. You might also want to consider posting it on the Kenzer Boards in their story hour forum. I'm sure there would be a lot of interest in it. As for:



			
				Kaodi said:
			
		

> **considers for -several- horrible moments that he has attributed the wrong campaign to the wrong person, thus hopelessly embarrassing himself for the umpteenth occassion in the lifetime...*
> 
> I am going to go out on a limb here... Didn' t you start a campaign based on the Coin Trilogy? If you didn' t, I am really sorry for confusing you with that person, and it would seem that my memory has failed me for once. However, if you -did- have a campaign based on the Coin Trilogy, and had a story hour for it, I remember it not being updated for a long time, then this one came along, and I thus assumed the worst. Sorry for the inconvenience. *




There are two Coin Trilogy story hours buried in time here. One is by Sayburr (found here: Sayburr's Story )which was basically finished and I believed is the one you are refering to. The second is mind, which has not been updated in quite some time due to real life interfering with me actually writing them up. Fortunately, that is about to change and I will begin to catch the story hour up to where the party currently is. This will involve about a dozen session write ups. Hopefully I'll start them next week (as I go on a much needed vacation for two weeks). Right now the group is on their way to confront Daresh in the climatic battle, but it will take about 10 sessions to get there. If you have questions about my campaign, you should be able to find it in my sig.


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## Kaodi (Aug 1, 2002)

*I Can See Clearly Now The Rain Is Gone*

Thank you for clearing that up, I believe it was Sayburr's now... I also recall having read some of your own Story Hour. And sorry for confusing you with Sayburr, Wicht. Wicht is King, Wicht is God, Wicht is Dungeon Master!


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## Wicht (Aug 1, 2002)

Well I am hardly God (and I have no delusions of grandeur) 
...but other than that thank you Kaodi.

And I am glad that you are enjoying it Bill 
If I have the time tomorrow I will look into posting it on the Kenzer Boards

We currently game on Thursdays and I have been posting an update on friday and then another on saturday.


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## Buttercup (Aug 1, 2002)

Wicht, I've said this before, but I'm really loving this one!  I don't want to muck up your thread by posting my own comments too much, but I'm here, lurking, hanging on every word, eagerly awaiting your next installment. 

I wish I were playing in your game!


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## wsclark (Aug 1, 2002)

Hey Wicht,

Yeah, I'm definitely enjoying it. It seems that we also game on the same night, that being Thursdays. My sessions generally run for about 3 hours each week. We average meeting every 3 out of 4 weeks.

I've got a couple of questions about your campaign, if you don't mind.

How long are your sessions and how often do you see the characters advancing in level? Do you have a preferred advancement rate (could be number of sessions, hours played, whatever)?

Do you handle experience by the default method or some other (I use a modified version of the default method)?

How do the players like the campaign setting? How about you? I know that I'm really enjoying it as it leaves so much flexibility in my hands to run almost any type of campaign.

That's it for now, looking forward to an update soon (note to self, update your own story hour soon!!!)


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## Wicht (Aug 2, 2002)

Chapter 7 – Dragon Isle
The traveled about a quarter of a mile back into the woods before they stopped and listened.  There was no sound of pursuit.  
“Why are we not being followed?” asked Alairic.
“They must have heard us,” said Niccolo, “We made enough noise back there at that pond.”
As they caught their breath, wondering at the lack of pursuit, a reptillian head poked through the undergrowth about fifteen feet away and stared at them.   It was one of the crested bipedal lizards they had already seen with some frequency.  It sniffed the air and eyed them thoughtfully.  They could see its sharp teeth as it clacked its jaws.
“Flesh-eaters,” said Alairic, “and I bet that little guy has a pack just waiting to gang up on us.”
“Lizards do often hunt in packs,” agreed Niccolo.
Another reptillian head appeared about ten feet away from the first.
“Great,” muttered Alairic.
“Let us be brave,” chided Tilliana, “and then why don’t we climb some trees in order to rest.”
The others saw the sense of this and soon all four were scaling the trees around them.   Some of the trees were very large and apparently very old.  They made their way up with little difficulty.  Even Alairic in his heavy armor easily scaled high into the branches.  As they climbed a swarm of the reptilian creatures flocked around the base of the trees.  In particular they sniffed at the tree that Niccolo had climbed and growled up at the half-elf.
“They smell blood,” said the half-elf, “Probably my blood.”
They passed an uncomfortable night in the trees.  Though they were not bothered or attacked they heard many strange noises in the night.  There was scuttling movement at the base of the trees and the sound of things landing in the branches high overhead.  They even heard, deep into the night, a roar in the air from far above them and they shivered as they recalled the fact that a very old and powerful dragon was reputed to be making his home on the island.
Morning came and with it healing.  Tilliana’s divine spells once more proved useful as she mended the badly injured Niccolo.  Soon the whole party was energized and ready to move on again.  They decided to head back towards the camp they had seen and find out why they had not been pursued.  Following this strategy they began working their way once more through the woods.  
It was not long before Niccolo put up a warning hand.
“I hear something,” said Niccolo.
“Someone’s coming,” said Tilliana who had heard it too.
They each drew out their weapons and began cautiously moving forward.  As they strained their ears they were aware of other voices through the trees.  Apparently whomever they had heard had heard them as well.  The two groups saw each other at a distance of fifty feet.  The other group was comprised of five men, all of them rather unsavory looking.  
Their leader, a man with flame red hair barked out an order, “Get them!”  Then putting words to action he pulled back on the short bow he carried and let loose an arrow.  It flew straight into Niccolo.  The half-elf grunted from the impact.
“That does it,” growled the infuriated half-elf, “stupid pirates.”  He pulled back on his bow and fired back at the red-headed bowman.  The arrow flew straight and swift.  It lodged deep in the man who shouted in pain.  
Things began happening fast.  Tilliana was praying, filling herself and her allies with divine energy.  Alairic was running through the trees towards the five men.  The other attackers were firing crossbows.  One of the bolts struck Niccolo.  The red-headed man, pain clouding his vision, still managed to fire.  The arrow flew at Tilliana and grazed her.  Heidon let loose an arrow but his normally sure aim was off and it flew high.
The battle shifted in tone as Alairic plowed into the group of pirates, forcing them into melee.  Alairic swung wildly and missed but his greatsword certainly gained their attention.  Two of the men were abandoning their crossbows and drawing out rapiers.  Seeing that his men outnumbered the Paladin four to one, the red-headed leader, to the left of the melee, fired one more shot.  It struck Tilliana as she ran through the trees to join Alairic.  
“Aha!” cried the red-head triumphantly, but his cry was cut short as another arrow placed itself in his chest and he fell to the ground.
“Aha!” said Niccolo.  
Undeterred by the arrow wound, Tilliana continued forward, coming into the melee to the right of Alairic, her heavy sword cleaving into one of the men.  With hardly a sound the man crumbled to the ground.  Another of the men raised his rapier to strike at Tilliana but as he did so an arrow appeared like magic between his shoulder blades.  It had been fired by Heidon.  Surprised, the man grasped momentarily at the arrow and then fell to his knees, finally collapsing on his side, unmoving.  
Niccolo tried to draw a bead on one of the two remaining pirates, but deciding that he could not, because of the cleric and the paladin being in the way, he pulled out his greatax and charged forward.  He needn’t have bothered.  Tilliana swung at one of the men, cutting him open.  Heidon, firing with precision, finished the man off with a single arrow.  Meanwhile, the remaining pirate, seeing all four of his comrades down on the ground, made a clumsy strike at Alairic and then turned to run.  Alairic cleaved him open even as he turned.
The paladin contemplated his attack for a moment and then agonized, “I hope that was not striking him in the back.” 
“Search the bodies,” directed Tilliana taking charge, “Let’s see if we can find out who they are.”
“I would say they were from that ship anchored south of the island,” said Niccolo.
“Didn’t the captain say it could hold fifty men?” asked Alairic, trying to do the math in his head, “That would mean there are forty-five left.”
Though they found no information, they did find some coins, gold coins.  There was also a surplus of weapons.  Niccolo examined the rapiers.  The red-headed leader had possessed the best equipment.  Heidon, admiring the armor the man was wearing, a fashionable studded leather outfit, decided to see if it fit.  Niccolo grabbed the man’s rapier, a quality bit of work.  Alairic and Tilliana were more interested in the two potions the man had worn on his belt.  They each took one.
“I wonder what they do?” mused Tilliana.  Both potions appeared to be identical.  
“The only way to know for sure is to sip them,” said the paladin.
“I will sip mine,” said both Tilliana and Alairic at the same time.
“I will do it,” said Tilliana and she took a sip.  As she tasted it, her eyes brightened and she swiftly chugged down the whole flask.  Her wounds began closing immediately.
“A potion of healing,” she observed.
Niccolo cleared his throat at the paladin.  Alairic did not seem to hear him.  
“You know,” said Niccolo, “I’m over here bleeding from arrow wounds.”
Reluctantly, Alairic handed the magical drink to the half-elf who quaffed it down.  
“Much better,” said Niccolo with a smile.  Then grabbing one of the crossbows from one of the men, along with a supply of bolts, the half-elf indicated he was ready to go.  Heidon also grabbed some bolts and a crossbow and made to leave.  Alairic and Tilliana followed.  As they walked away they heard a noise in the undergrowth behind them.  
Turning around, they saw that it was one of the crested lizards.  It sniffed at the bodies.  “Let’s go,” said Alairic.
They soon reached the edge of the pond at which they had slain the three spined lizards.  The great carcasses were already well picked over.  
“Likely our little lizard friends,” said Alairic.
There were two other spined lizards, but they did not seem to like the smell of the carcasses and were well away from the party.  Looking across the pond and through the trees they could make out three tents.  Two were small, maybe holding up to five men.  The other however was quite large.
“Sneak around there and see what you can see,” said Niccolo to Heidon.  The young man complied and slipped quietly around the pond, disappearing into the foliage.  Heidon moved around until he had crossed the small stream south of the pond and was about 75 yards away from the middle of the encampment.  In the middle of the three tents was a small fire and two men were standing by it.  Heidon could see no others.  
“Is he going to give us a signal?” asked Niccolo softly.
“I can’t see him,” said Alairic.
“Let’s just move on after him,” suggested Tilliana and the three started their own quiet progression around the pond.  They moved close enough to  see the camp and were a bit startled to see Heidon walking boldly out of the woods and towards the two men.  Men that were, Niccolo concluded, obviously pirates.  It seemed as if Heidon wanted to talk with them.
Whatever Heidon’s plan had been, it did not work.  
“Halt!” ordered the two men, raising their crossbows on the young archer.  
“Who are you?  Drop your Weapons!” they barked.  
“Oops,” said Heidon, rolling his eyes and doing as he was told.  He laid his longbow, his longsword and his ax on the ground.
“That was dumb,” muttered Alairic.
“Listen,” said Tilliana, “If we just take courage, Naemae will give us the victory.  We cannot lose if we are brave and fight valiantly.”
“Right,” said Alairic.  With a yell he took off towards the men, followed by Tilliana.  Niccolo smiled and fired off an arrow.  It flew wide.  Alerted, the two men, who had been about to take the rest of Heidon's stuff from him shouted out and fired their crossbows at Alairic.  One bolt struck the paladin, a slight wound that did not even slow Alairic down.  Niccolo fired again and this time the shot was on the mark.  It flew into one of the two pirates and he fell to the ground.  Heidon, sensing a chance to do something, pulled out a dagger and plunged it towards the man next to him, the man twisted away and then just had the wit to move out of the way as Alairic’s sword plunged down at him.  Dropping his crossbow and pulling out his rapier, the pirate barely managed to parry Tilliana’s swing as she too closed in on the man.  
But he was not to be outnumbered for long.  Two other men stepped out of the large tent and there was the obvious sound of movement in one of the smaller tents.  
Heidon moved into a better position and stabbed with his dagger again at the surrounded pirate.  He missed but the distraction was enough that Alairic got in a solid swing, badly wounding the man.  The two pirates stepping out of the tent yelled loudly and rushed at Tilliana and Heidon.  One of them cut into Tilliana with his thin blade and the other managed to get a slice of Heidon.  It was then that Niccolo charged into battle.  Wielding the greatax, which he had become so fond of, the half-elf headed straight at the pirate fighting with Tilliana and brought the ax blade down with a sickening crunch on the man’s skull.  Tilliana, quickly adjusting to this turn of events, altered her swing in order to bring her blade around at the pirate attacking Heidon.  She missed but she distracted the man away from Heidon who managed to plunge his dagger into the other pirate.  As the pirate before him fell, stricken by Heidon’s dagger, Alairic charged at the remaining man and with a powerful swing of his sword cut him in two.  
Four pirates lay dead.  
But the four companions had no time to savor victory for the fight was not over.  Four more men stepped out from one of the smaller tents.  They were still making slight adjustments to their armor, but each held a rapier and each looked like they meant business.  
Niccolo wasted no time on pleasantries but charged straight into his hated enemies.  A single stroke of the heavy axe head and a pirate fell to the ground lifeless.
“I love this ax,”  said Niccolo grinning.
Tilliana and Alairic both charged into the fight, Alairic’s greatsword felling another of the men.  Heidon meanwhile was picking up the weapons he had tossed to the ground.  Niccolo dodged the stroke of one of the rapiers and then with a powerful swing, cleaved the attacker in two.  Tilliana took care of the last pirate, her sword cutting open his throat.  He, like his companions, fell to the ground dying.
They heard no other sound.  The fight, it appeared, was over.  Now that they had the time, they surveyed the camp a little better.  The clearing was not a natural one.  Several trees had been cut down to make it.  They also saw, on the cliff wall, a rope ladder stretching all the way to the top.  As their eyes followed the ladder up, they saw as well, that there was a lift at the top of the cliff, held up with pulleys and rope.  
“Shall we examine the bodies?” asked Niccolo, moving to do so.
“We check the tents first,” said Tilliana.
They looked first in the two smaller tents, but there was nothing in them but bedrolls.  They went to look in the larger tent.  As they walked in and their eyes adjusted, they were shocked.  Kneeling on the ground in three rows, all of them tied, were thirty people, men and women alike.  As these unfortunates took in the four companions and especially noted the outfits of Tilliana and Alairic, their countenance brightened.
“Are you here to rescue us?  Did you kill the pirates?  Who are you?”  All of the people asked at once in a chorus of voices.  
Tilliana looked over the group.
“Is Giovan here?”
“No he’s not here.  Are you going to untie us now?  Please!” Again all of them were talking at once.  The four moved to begin untying the group of prisoners.  
“Do you even know who Giovan is?” asked Tilliana
“Of course he is the priest from Taesoo, but he was not with us.”
“I’m so glad you have come.”
“They were going to feed us to the dragon they said.” 
After a bit, one of the men in the group grabbed the lead.
“I am Tiolo,” he said, “We have all been captured and brought here.  Each day they took two of us away, up the mountain.  There are ten men in this camp, two of them are away at the moment, escorting two of our number up to feed the dragon they said.”
“Can you fight?” asked Niccolo.
Tiolo grinned, “Several of us can fight.  Do you have weapons?”
“There are eight bodies outside,” said Tilliana
Without a further word, several of the men from the group went out and began arming themselves from the fallen pirates.
“Have you eaten?” asked Tilliana, giving thought to the physical needs of the rescuers.
“They have not been starving us.”  Looking over the crowd, Tilliana saw that though many were bruised and had cuts, none were in bad shape.  Nevertheless, seeing that there were supplies in the tent, she proceeded to make a meal for them.
As they ate, Alairic ran it over in his mind.  “We killed five in the forest and eight here which is more then ten which means that at times there were more then ten in this camp.”
Meanwhile Tilliana and Niccolo discussed their plans.  “I think we should proceed straight up the mountain now,” said Tilliana.
“Do we want to leave a group of pirates with their ship though?” asked Niccolo
“Straight up the mountian?  Why?” said one woman who had been listening in, “Did you not come here for the purpose of saving us?”   
“Well, we are glad we found you,” said Tilliana, “It was obviously Naemae’s will that we do so.  But Naemae has other jobs for us as well and we must do them.  For your part you should praise Naemae for letting you be saved.”
“If I may make a suggestion,” said Tiolo, “Even if you have to go up the mountain, I would suggest you take the ship first so you do not have pirates above and below you.  We can help you with the ship.  But I would also suggest that we first take care of the two that should be returning to this camp tonight.  We do not want them to raise an alarm when they discover no-one in the camp.”
“That makes sense,” said Alairic.
“Why can’t we just take the ship and leave?”  This from the woman who had originally intruded into the conversation.
“There is a temple up that mountain and we have to go up and find it,” said Niccolo.
“I have had a vision,” said Alairic proudly.
“But we can take the ship now,” said Niccolo.
There was some confusion as they prepared themselves to wait for the two pirates to return.  It was agreed that two men, dressed in the armor of the dead pirates should stand by the fire while the others hid in the large tent.  But the men could not decide which should stand the guard.  Eventually Tilliana sorted them out.  
“You and you, outside.  They rest of you inside.”
The day passed slowly but eventually the sun began to lower.  As it was setting, the group waiting in the tent heard the whispered voices of the guards, “They are coming.”
The four companions looked cautiously out of the tent flap.  The lift was slowly being lowered down the face of the cliff.  The waiting companions made no move however and waited to see how close the two on the lift would get.  The lift reached the ground and the two men on it disembarked and started back towards the camp.  Still the watchers waited.
When they were about a hundred feet away, the two men stopped.  Something had evidently aroused their suspicion.
“Who’s on watch,” they called.
There was the sound of two crossbows being cocked and the two men by the fire whirled around and fired at the two pirates.  With a cry Alairic was through the tent flap and running at the men.  Tilliana smiled and followed.  One of the crossbow bolts struck one of the pirates and the two pirates, afraid, turned to run back to the lift.  Alairic and Tilliana gave chase.  Heidon shot a harmless bolt after the two pirates and Niccolo holding his longbow, joined the chase.  The pirates had reached the lift.  One of them was turning a crank to lift the platform and the other was cocking a crossbow.  He fired the crossbow at Alairic and the paladin spun from the impact as the bolt sank into him.  Despite the pain of the bolt, Alairic once more ran at the lift and though it was now five feet into the air, he made a great leap and rolled onto the lift.  The one with a crossbow, cocked it again and prepared to shoot Alairic point blank.  He never had the chance for an arrow from Niccolo slammed into him.  He twitched once and then fell still.  Alairic rose to his feet, but the pirate who had been turning the crank lowered his shoulder and ran at the paladin, knocking him back and off the wooden lift.  Then as crossbow bolts bounced off the cliff face behind him, the man tried once more to start turning the crank.  Alairic once more leaped up and pulled himself onto the platform.  Tilliana, short as she was and as heavily armored as she was, was also trying to pull herself on.  Niccolo, seeing he had no clear shot pulled out his great ax and ran at the platform to join the fray.  
Alairic pulled himself to his feet.  But he had no chance to attack.  The pirate had drawn his rapier and with a cry he lunged at Alairic, skewering him.  The paladin collapsed, dying.  Niccolo, pulling himself aboard, swung his ax, missing and causing the platform to begin to sway more than it already was.  A bolt flew into the man.  Heidon had finally had a clear shot and made good with it.  
With a grunt the pirate lunged at Niccolo with his rapier, drawing blood.  Tilliana, now finally on her feet on the swinging platform swung true and cleaved into the man.  As the pirate stumbled backwards, another bolt found its mark and the man fell to the ground.  Quickly Tilliana was at Alairic’s side.  She uttered a swift prayer and though he was stil badly injured, the paladin regained consciousness.  They turned the crank and lowered the platform back onto the ground and then Tilliana and Niccolo helped Alairic back to the tents.


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## Wicht (Aug 2, 2002)

wsclark said:
			
		

> *How long are your sessions and how often do you see the characters advancing in level? Do you have a preferred advancement rate (could be number of sessions, hours played, whatever)?
> 
> Do you handle experience by the default method or some other (I use a modified version of the default method)? *




Our sessions have been running about four hours, though this last one was shorter, being about two and a half hours long.  Besides my wife the other players are Tom, Naomi and Justin.  Naomi, who plays Niccolo, and my wife are both into stamps and last night they had a stamping class that cut into our session (thus only one chapter this week).

As for experience, I use the default method as I actually enjoy the PCs leveling as I get to throw harder challenges at them without feeling guilty.  After four sessions, they are all at third level and I look to them to advance about a level every other session, from here on out (more or less).  I will post the character updates this evening.  

We will be changing our scheduling a bit after this week to compensate for a change in Tom's work habits and will thus be gaming again this monday, so look for another couple updates on tuesday and wednsday.  

As to the other question, I like Kalamar personally, and I have not had any complaints yet from the players, though three of them have never played in any other setting (This is Naomi and Justins first rpg experience and my wife only started playing last year).


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## Wicht (Aug 2, 2002)

And now the promised character update, but first, since I already mentioned the names of my players let me put player with character.

Tilliana is being played by Sandra, my wife.  This is her second real DnD experience.

Alairic is being played by Tom.  This is his first time playing 3e.

Niccolo is being played by Naomi, Tom's wife.  This is her first roleplaying experience.  The fact that Naomi is female and Niccolo is male has caused me to occassionally refer to Niccolo as a her in the text.  If you caught this, this is the reason why.

Heidon is being played by Justin, Naomi's son.  This is also his first roleplaying experience.

Almost 95% of the dialog in the story is taken directly from game play, though sometimes I am guilty of using OOC comments for my own amusement and for purposes of enhancing the story.

For hit point advancement I have allowed the players to roll once and then decide if they want to reroll.  They must keep the second roll.  This can be good or bad.  Niccolo ended up with a 1 hit point advancement at 3rd level due to a bad reroll, but thems the breaks.  

It might also be noted that the characters are relatively poor for 3rd level.  This is not my fault.  They have so far burnt 13,000+gp worth of loot 

********************************************

*Alairic**, Male Human Pal3:* CR 3; Size M (5 ft. tall); hp 20; Init +5; Spd 20 ft; AC 18; Atk +6 melee (2d6+3 Greatsword); SV Fort +6, Ref +5, Will +4; Ali LG; Str 15, Dex 13, Con 11, Int 7, Wis 16, Cha 16.
*Skills and Feats:* Ride +5, Diplomacy +4, Knowledge (religion) +3; Improved Initiative, Blind Fighting, Weapon Focus (Greatsword).
*Weapons and armor:* Greatsword, dagger, half-plate.

*****************************************

*Tilliana**, Female Human Cle3:* CR 3; Size M (4 ft. 8 inches tall); hp 24; Init +5; Spd 20 ft; AC 15; Atk +5 melee (2d6+1 Masterwork Greatsword); SV Fort +4, Ref +2, Will +6; Ali LG; Str 13, Dex 12, Con 13, Int 14, Wis 17, Cha 16.
*Skills and Feats:* Knowledge (religion) +8, Knowledge (Art of War) +8,  Diplomacy +6, Spellcraft +6, Concentration +6, Craft (Armor smithing) +6, Spellcraft +5, Craft (Calligraphy) +5; Combat Casting, Scribe Scroll, Weapon Focus (Greatsword), Improved Initiative.
_Domains:_  War and Nobility
*Weapons and Armor:* masterwork Greatsword, Scale mail.

**********************************************

*Niccolo**, Male Half-elven Ran3:* CR 3; Size M (5 ft. 3 inches tall); hp 16; Init +2; Spd 30 ft; AC 14; Atk +7 melee (1d8+3 Longsword) or +6 melee (1d12+4 Greataxe), +5 ranged (1d8+3 Mighty Composite Longbow); SV Fort +3, Ref +3, Will +3; Ali LG; Str 17, Dex 14, Con 11, Int 10, Wis 15, Cha 12.
*Skills and Feats:* Ride +6, Move Silently +6,  Heal +5, Craft (weapon smithing) +4, Wilderness Lore +7, handle Animal +5; Track, Weapon Focus (longsword), Power Attack.
   Favored enemies: Primary - Pirates
_*Weapons and Armor:*_ Longsword, Dagger, Mighty Composite Longbow (+4 str), Greataxe, Halberd, Masterwork Rapier and Leather Armor.

****************************************

*Heidon**, Male Human Rog1/Ftr2:* CR 3; Size M (5 ft. 2 inches tall); hp 28; Init +7; Spd 30 ft; AC 16; Atk +3 melee (1d8+1 Longsword), +5 ranged (1d8+1 Mighty Composite Longbow); SA Sneak Attack +1d6; SV Fort +4, Ref +5, Will +1; Ali CG; Str 13, Dex 16, Con 13, Int 15, Wis 12, Cha 11.
*Skills and Feats:* Swim +7, Craft (Bowery) +8, Climb +7, Jump +7, Hide +6, Spot +5, Search +6, Use Rope +6, Bluff +4, Intuit Direction +4, Pick Pockets +6, Open Locks +7, Move Silently +7; Improved Initiative, Point Blank shot, Precise Shot, Rapid Shot, Dodge.
*Weapons and Armor:* mighty Composite Longbow (+2 str), Daggers, Longsword, Rapier, and Masterwork Studded Leather Armor.


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## Wicht (Aug 6, 2002)

*Chapter 8*

As the sun rose on the 17th of Sowing, the companions stirred and awoke.  The night had passed uneventfully and they had slept well, the freed villagers standing guard.  Alairic laid hands on himself and healed a portion of his wounds.  The pain alleviated, he noticed that his stomach was growling and so arising, he set about making sure there would be a breakfast.  Tilliana, her divine spells renewed, swiftly healed the rest of the party’s wounds.  Then she too joined them at breakfast and as they ate, they talked.  
They had already decided the night before to try and take the pirates ship.  The main question was how.  Alairic thought it would be wise to have someone scout out the situation first and nominated Niccolo and Heidon.  Tiolo and several of the other men were listening in with interest.  
“Are you going to help us?” Tilliana asked them.
“We will do our part to get off this accursed Island,” said Tiolo, “of that you can be sure.”
“Good,” said Tilliana. 
Meanwhile Niccolo was agreeing with Alairic that the situation should be scouted first.
“I think we should take five of the men here with us,” said Niccolo
“Why not 10?” said Heidon.
Niccolo ignored him, “We have no idea what is on the ship and we don’t want to be taken by surprise.”
“That’s a good idea,” agreed Tilliana, “but what if you get caught?”
“Oh well,” said Alairic with a grin.
“Thanks a lot,” put in Niccolo.
They had no problem finding five volunteers and soon the seven scouts were heading south towards the beach.  There was a distinct path laid down through the forest and they followed this.  They moved fairly stealthily.  Niccolo and Heidon had their longbows out and ready to fire.  The villagers each had a crossbow taken from the fallen pirates.  They too were loaded and ready to fire.  The forest passed swiftly and soon the small group was exiting the trees. 
There was a small camp on the beach with two longboats pulled ashore.  There was also five men in the camp.  They were standing in a line, each with a loaded crossbow pointed at the seven men exiting the trees.
“Fire!” shouted one of the pirates and as one the five crossbows discharged.  One of the quarrels flew past Niccolo.  Another grazed the scalp of one of the villagers.  Yet another buried itself in the chest of one of the men with Niccolo and Heidon and gasping, he fell to the ground.  The scouting expedition stood as if stunned.  Wild thoughts flashed through the mind of the half-elf, They knew we were coming, we must have a traitor.
“Reload and fire,” shouted the same pirate who had barked the earlier order.  Swiftly they reloaded and swiftly another group of bolts flew at the small group.  Another one of the villagers went down, two bolts protruding from him.  Finally the surprise wore off the embattled scouting expedition and they remembered the weapons in their hand.  Niccolo fired wild, but Heidon drew blood and one of the men from the villages, a half-hobgoblin named Kinshag killed one of the pirates outright.  The pirates fired for the third time and another of the men was hit.  Niccolo, calming his nerves, pulled back a second arrow and, taking careful aim, let it fly.  It hit the man who had been shouting the orders in the eye.  He was dead before his body hit the ground.  Kinshag killed a second pirate.  Heidon fired, dropping one of the pirates.  The remaining pirate, firing at Heidon drew blood.  With a snarl the young man took aim and fired his third shot.  Like the first two it struck true and the fight was over.  There were eight bodies: five pirates, three villagers.  The ship, they saw, was about a quarter of a mile offshore, a fifteen minute row in one of the longboats.  
As they waited for the rest of the group to arrive from the cliffside camp, the remaining four members of the scouting party searched the camp.  The tents held nothing but bedrolls.  There was some gold on the bodies of the pirates, and their weapons of course, but nothing else of note.  Tilliana and Alairic soon arrived leading the other 25 villagers.  Tilliana took in the scene.  
“We need to bury these bodies,” she said, indicating the three villagers.  “It is only right that they have a proper burial.”
Alairic looked for shovels but there were none in any of the tents.  As Niccolo led a group of villagers in digging in the sand as best as they could, Tilliana examined Kinshag.  He had been hit by one of the pirate’s crossbows and was bleeding heavily.  Offering up a prayer, Tilliana closed the krangi’s wounds.  He was not much to look at, but his heart seemed to be in the right place.  Finally they had three shallow graves dug in the sand.  They placed the bodies of their fallen comrades in the holes and Tilliana held a brief service on the beach.  The villagers were all touched and more determined than ever to win their freedom from the island.  They just needed the ship.
The Longboats looked to hold about twenty each, so there was more than enough room for all of them to fit in.  Shoving the boats into the water they set out towards the ship.  Alairic took the helm of the boat he was in, with Niccolo sitting just behind him.  Tilliana took charge of the other.  
“Row!,” shouted Alairic at the men holding the oars.  “If you want off this island then row!”  They complied and soon Alairic’s boat was pulling ahead of Tilliana’s.  
There were definitely men on the deck of the ship.  About three quarters of the way to the ship, a little over three hundred feet out, they could start to see clearly what the men on the ship were doing.  They were getting ready to fire a ballista.  
The first bolt was off the mark, flying a couple of feet over Alairic’s head.  It hit the water behind the boat and skipped off the water twice before going under.  The second bold was also off mark, skimming across the water to the left of the lead boat.  But the third bolt found a target, it flew just past Alairic and into the woman sitting behind Niccolo.  She died almost instantly.  Niccolo judged the distance to the boat and decided to risk a shot with his bow.  Firing in a high arc, he watched the arrow sail through the air, landing in one of the men on the ship.  With a loud cry the man stumbled backwards and then collapsed.  
“Shall we fire?” asked one of the men sitting near Niccolo.
“Sure!” said the half-elf and then watching the men load their crossbows, he instructed them to aim and then yelled “fire”.  A volley of bolts sailed onto the ship.  A couple of the pirates were struck. Some of the men in the other boat, followed Niccolo’s lead and a second volley of bolts sailed over the water.  The pirates answered in turn.  A couple bolts bounced harmlessly off of Alairic’s armor, but two of the villagers weren’t so lucky.  One was wounded and another was killed.  
The two boats sent off a second volley and then the ballista fired again.  Again the bolt just missed Alairic, instead hitting the man just behind him and to the side of Niccolo.  They were close enough now to see some of the faces of the men.  There appeared to be only four left alive.  Six at least had fallen to fire from the two long boats.  Two of the men one the ship were operating the ballista.  But it was the man to their left that most interested Niccolo.  The keen eyes of the half-elf could make out his features clearly.  He had red hair and looked to be the same man that Niccolo had killed in the woods the day before, the man who had shot at and injured the half-elf.  Niccolo aimed his bow and fired an arrow at this red headed man.  The arrow struck.  Meanwhile the bolts from the villager’s crossbows killed two more of the other pirates.  As the two long boats drew closer, they watched as the red headed man pulled the arrow out and then, removing something from his side, he took a drink.  Niccolo, guessing it was a healing potion of some sort, growled in frustration.  Having taken his drink, the red headed pirate slipped backwards, off the prow, and out of sight.  A final volley of bolts killed the last of the pirates on the prow of the ship.  
They pulled close to the ship.  As they looked for a way up, they saw the red-headed pirate climbing the center mast.  He was deliberately climbing on the side away from them, giving them little to target.
“He looks like the pirate from the woods yesterday,” observed Alairic, “a twin.”
“Might be,” said Tilliana as the other boat pulled up alongside.  
There was no way up the side of the ship.
“I can climb it,” said Heidon.
“It’s too slick,” said Niccolo.
“There’s the anchor chain,” said Alairic.  
“I’ll take it,’ said Heidon.  He directed the rowers to bring their boat around the side of the ship, looking for the anchor.  As the boat holding Tilliana and Heidon pulled around, an arrow flew from high above, striking Alairic.
“Ouch,” said the Paladin.  He looked up.  The redhead had reached the crow’s nest at the top of the center mast.  Niccolo returned fire, but his arrow struck the crow’s nest itself, sinking into the wood.  The men behind Niccolo fared no better.  The pirate had too much cover.  
As the pirate fired again at Alairic, missing this time, Niccolo tried again.  Again the half-elf struck the wood, not the man.  Again the crossbowmen failed to find their mark.  The pirate fired at Niccolo now.  The arrow hit, a slight wound.  Niccolo again missed.  Another arrow scratched the half-elf and then a third grazed him.  Each time Niccolo failed to find his mark as he tried to return fire.  
Tilliana’s boat had reached the anchor line and Heidon swiftly scaled up to the ship.  Behind him, Tilliana, wary of falling started slowly up.  Heidon soon reached the prow and pulled himself over.  The bodies of pirates lay everywhere both on the prow and on the deck below.  Each had been pierced with an arrow or a bolt.  Overhead Heidon saw the red headed pirate observing him and briefly Heidon considered trying to reason with the man.  Then his eyes drifted to the deck below and his breath stopped.  Wandering the deck, looking very upset, was a spined lizard.  It snorted angrily, it’s tail swishing, its spines fully erect.  At the far end of the deck, near the door to the crew’s quarter’s, Heidon spotted a large iron cage.  The cage was both open and empty.  
Heidon’s keen eyes spotted a rope ladder near where Alairic’s boat was.  Not stopping to plan, Heidon raced across the prow and jumped the short distance to the deck.  He narrowly avoided tripping over a body.  Stumbling only momentarily, he managed to make it to where the rope ladder was.  
An arrow flew past Heidon’s head.  It buried itself with some force in the deck.  Heidon looked up at the pirate who had fired at hime and then over to where the spine lizard was.  It was charging him.  It barreled at him and the agile young man barely had enough time to roll out of the way.  The long lizard skidded to a stop and Heidon changed his plan.  He ran to the center mast, away from the dangerous beast.  He started to climb.
Alairic, below, Not seeing the lizard but seeing Heidon run up to the edge and then run away, shouted up, “What about a rope?”
“I have a rope,” said Niccolo, remembering the silk line stored in his pack.
As Heidon climbed the mast, the pirate above fired down.  The arrow grazed the young man, drawing a thin line of blood.   Another arrow flew down, but this time, Heidon managed to twist aside and it flew harmlessly past him, ricocheting off the deck.  
Niccolo was tying a quick lasso and as soon as it was done the half-elf threw it up.  Miraculously it caught a hold of something and Alairic, testing it, found it secure.  The paladin started climbing, followed closely by Niccolo.  
Another arrow narrowly missed Heidon and the young thief, looking up, realized he was almost to the crow’s nest.  Meanwhile Alairic had almost reached the edge of the deck.  As he pulled himself up and his face cleared the deck, he found himself staring eye to eye with a very large and very angry lizard.  Niccolo, forced to stop behind the paladin, felt his hands slip on the thin rope.  With a cry he fell down.  Fortunately there were several arms waiting to catch him.  Frustrated, he started up again.
Heidon pulled himself up to the crow’s nest and as he tried to enter the small wooden nest, the red-headed pirate stabbed him with a rapier.  The blade bit deep but Heidon ignored the pain and heaved himself aboard, reaching for his dagger as he did so.  Alairic watched the lizard closely and then as it turned to strike at him with its tail he pulled himself over and rolled over the attack.  
Tilliana, having taken her time, had just pulled herself up to the prow.  She took a moment to take in the scene before her.  
“There’s a lizard,” she called to the men climbing behind her and then drawing her sword she started to charge forward.  She tripped over a body and fell ungracefully on her face.  Snarling she pushed herself up and started forward again.  Overhead, Heidon stabbed the pirate with his dagger and then as the pirate tried to push him off of the crow’s nest, Heidon stabbed him again.  The paladin was stabbing at the lizard but getting no results as he at the same time tried to avoid both the club-like tail and the many dangerous spines.  Niccolo, almost at the top of the rope, felt the ship move and once more his fingers slipped and he fell down.  Again he was caught, but this time there was a crack as his boot slammed into someone below him.  The boat rocked and two of the people in the boat were thrown out.  
“Do you want me to try it for you,” snapped one of the men holding Niccolo.  The half-elf angrily grabbed the rope and pulled himself up one more time.  On the other side of the boat, two of the men, one of them being Kinshag the krangi, were climbing up the anchor line.  And in the crow’s nest both men struggled in the confined area to strike the other.  The pirate got lucky and his rapier slashed into Heidon, drawing blood.  
Alairic dodged another attack of the lizard’s powerful tail but as he swung his sword, two of the spines ripped into him and he missed.  Tilliana charged into the front of the lizard, but it dodged aside, her blow missed and she too was pierced by the long spines on the back of the lizard.  The lizard swung its tail again and finally managed to land a blow on Alairic.  The powerful tail caught the paladin up alongside the head and knocked him senseless.  He fell to the ground just as Niccolo finally reached the deck of the ship.  Pulling himself aboard, the half-elf immediately pushed the ladder over the edge to the men waiting below.  
“No one else should have to go through all that,” growled the half-elf.
Above, Heidon lunged at the pirate.  The blow missed and the pirate, sensing an opening, moved closer and plunged his blade into Heidon’s chest.  Heidon stared down in disbelief as everything started to go black.  With a satisfied smile the pirate wrenched his blade back out.  
The spine lizard, spinning around, struck at Tilliana with its tail, catching the priestess a glancing blow.  Backing away from the beast for a moment and catching her breath, Tilliana prayed for strength.  Niccolo meanwhile, had pulled out his greatax and with a heave he brought it down on the creatures back, nimbly avoiding the threatening spines.  
At that moment Heidon’s body hit the deck.  The pirate had tossed him the fifty feet from the crow’s nest to the deck below.  Heidon landed with a sickening crack of both wood and bone and as he lay there, his neck twisted, it was clear he was dead.  
Tilliana, determined to focus on the immediate problem, charged once more at the Lizard, divine energy filling her in answer to her prayer.  Her sword struck home as she ignored the spines that pierced into her.  Niccolo also swung once more at the beast, gaining only a scratch as his axe head once more drew blood.  As the two companions moved quickly back from the threatening spines, there was a shout from the other side of the boat and the twang of strings.  Three bolts buried themselves deep in the lizard and it heaved one final roar and then collapsed on the deck.  Kinshag and two of the other villagers had lined up their shots carefully.  
An arrow buried itself in the deck besides Niccolo.  The spine lizard was dead but there was yet another threat.  Ignoring the threat, Niccolo chose to instead tend to the paladin who lay unconscious on the deck.  Another arrow narrowly missed the half-elf as he worked to bind the paladin’s wound.  Tilliana considered the pirate for a moment and then holding aloft her divine focus and murmuring a prayer, she conjured up a glowing greatsword.  It flew from her, through the air, and up to the crow’s nest.  The pirate dodged the blade and fired once more.  This time, his arrow found its mark, striking Niccolo.  Tilliana motioned and the glowing sword slashed through the air, this time striking the pirate and cutting him just as a real sword would have.  He screamed and clutched his side.  Niccolo, having seen to the paladin, reached for an arrow and drawing his bow, he nocked it and let fly.  At last his aim was true and it pierced the chest of the pirate.  He fell and landed on the deck besides Heidon.
Satisfied that the paladin would live to fight another day, Niccolo went and examined the pirate’s body.  The armor he had worn was identical to the armor Heidon had been wearing, armor taken from the body of the identical pirate the day before.  The rapier at the pirate’s side was also identical to the rapier Niccolo now carried.  And as Niccolo was hoping, there was a second flask at the pirates side.  It contained a golden liquid.  By some quirk of fate, it had not broken from the fall.  Niccolo took the potion to the paladin and forced him to drink it.  It was, as the half-elf had hoped, a potion of healing and the tremendous wound on the side of the paladin’s head partially healed.  It was enough so that Alairic could walk and talk again.  They stripped the bodies and piled the pirates in the middle of the deck next to the spine-lizard.  Tilliana offered up a prayer over the body of Heidon, who though he had joined them unwillingly, had proven himself a great asset and almost a friend.  
Then as she rose and considered the deck she reasoned, “We only lost one.  Not too bad actually.”


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## Buttercup (Aug 7, 2002)

NO!  I don't want Heidon to die!   What will his player do now?


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## Wicht (Aug 7, 2002)

*Chapter 9*

The name of the ship was the Dead Squid.  It was a three-masted cutter built for speed.  A search of the ship revealed that the ten men they had killed had been the only crew aboard.  The ship, as had been surmised, could carry a crew of fifty.  Their search turned up three other things of interest.  The first was a locked chest in the captains quarters.
“We don’t have a thief anymore,” said Tilliana.
“I can open the lock,” said Niccolo.  Motioning for them to stand back, he hefted his greatax and then with a vicious swing, he brought it down with precision and force on the lock.  It snapped right off.  Opening the lid, they saw that inside, there were a number of coins and even a few gems.
The second thing they found was a nearly full cargo bay.  An examination by the villagers with them determined that the cargo was actually stolen items looted from the villages.  The villagers quickly moved in to determine what belonged to whom.  
The third thing of interest was the captain’s log.  The writing was cramped and sloppy, but the language was Reanaarian and the details of the ship’s recent activities were clearly detailed.  The captain had entered into an agreement with a cleric of the Overlord, a man he had met in Zoa.  The cleric was named Maerun.  Maerun had confided in the captain, telling of buried treasure in an ancient temple on Dragon Isle.  The cleric had further arranged a truce with the great green dragon atop the island, promising to feed it two people a day, and provide a share of any found treasure, in exchange for the freedom to move around the southern slopes of the mountain.  From there it was simply a matter of raiding enough villages to gain enough captives to keep the dragon satisfied long enough to find the ancient temple and the treasure within.  The last entry was dated the 12th, five days earlier.
“The dragon is going to want to be fed,” observed Niccolo, “I wonder if we can use the dead pirate bodies?”
“I think it will want live food,” said Alairic tersely.
That evening, Tilliana held a funeral service for Heidon and wrapping the body tightly and weighing it down, they gave him a proper burial at sea.
The next morning came swiftly.
“Do you know what day it is?” Alairic asked Tilliana.
“The 18th,” she replied and then it struck her, “Oh yeah, its been such a mess I forgot.”
The 18th of Sowing was also the spring equinox, a holy day to Naemae.  After tending to the various wounds of herself and her companions, Tilliana gathered the villagers together on the deck and led them in a brief ceremony.  She spoke extolling the virtues of bravery and the importance of politeness and courtesy.  After this, the three companions prepared to return to the island.  Kinshag, the half-hobgoblin, volunteered to go with them.
“For revenge,” he explained, and then with a glint in his yellow eyes, he added, “And maybe for buried treasure.”
The krangi had already proven to be useful the day before and so they agreed.  He outfitted himself with some of the equipment Heidon had carried, it being the best quality they could provide for him.  As he was getting himself ready, Tiolo took Tilliana aside.  
“You won’t be sorry taking Kinshag with you.  He has a heart of gold, though you can’t always tell it with that attitude of his and that mug.  He has lived on the coast for years now and though we were all skeptical at first, he has proven himself to be trustworthy and honest.  And don’t you worry about the ship, we’ll wait for you, a week at least, and if you are gone too long, we will send help back.”
As they climbed into the longboat, Tilliana and Alairic brought some of the weapons and armor from the dead pirates.  They also brought the head of the spined lizard.  When they reached the shore, they offered the items up in a fire to Naemae.  This done, they set of north, into the forest towards the great cliff.  
The cliff camp was just as they had left it, except that the pirate’s bodies had been well picked over by scavengers.  Climbing onto the lift platform, they turned the wench and steadily began to ascend.  The platform swayed slightly, but four heavy rocks tied to each corner helped keep it steady and they reached the top of the cliff without incident.  
At the top, Niccolo searched for tracks.  His search proved very successful.
“There are two sets of tracks, one is fairly recent and heads off to the northeast, while the other is a few days older and goes north.”
“The older tracks,” said Alairic.
“Yes,” agreed Niccolo, “The newer tracks must lead to the dragon, or wherever they took the people.”
Having decided this Niccolo took the lead, carefully following the nearly week old trail.  After about half an hour of following the trail, Alairic and Tilliana noticed the wall.  It was an old brick wall, standing only five feet tall and it was partially hidden by the forest growth,  An examination showed that it was the sole remains of what must have been a large building.  
As they went further north, up the mountain and through the trees, they saw more of these relics of a ruined settlement.  Portions of walls rose here and there through the trees.  And then Niccolo lost the trail.  He carefully searched the area to see if he could find it again.  They were close to the foot of another tall cliff, though this one was not as sheer as the first.  Ivy grew along the face of the cliff and even a few small trees grew here and there up it.  But ascending it would be difficult.  
Niccolo did not find the trail he was looking for, instead he found something else, a newer trail made by small reptilian feet.  He followed this trail and saw that it led first to a hole in the ground and then it turned and went towards the cliff.  He motioned the others over to look in the hole.  
It was nearly a square hole, two and a half feet wide at a side.  A flat wall stretched down near the southern side of the hole and Niccolo could make out the floor about fifteen feet below.  
“I bet you this is where the demon is buried,” said Niccolo.
“That seems a little too easy,” said Alairic skeptically.
Pulling his rope out of his pack, Niccolo tied it off to a tree and prepared to descend to get a better look at what was down there.  The other three made no move to stop him.  Shimmying down the rope, using the wall to prop his feet against, Niccolo noted that the wall was apparently very weathered brick.  The half-elf was about halfway down the rope when he heard something move to the east of him.  
“Something moved down here,” he said, but there was not enough light filtering through both the trees and the hole for him to make out what had moved.
“I’ll get a torch,” said Alairic. A torch was soon lit and thrown to the floor of the hole.  Immediately Niccolo could see everything.  It was a room, about twenty feet to a side, with bricked walls and an ancient wood roof, a cellar perhaps.  Niccolo noted these details with a part of his mind, but what really grabbed his attention was the pile of bones and bodies against the eastern wall.  Atop these sat a ten foot long, caterpillar, like monstrosity with tentacles waving out of its face and a cavernous maw for a mouth.  Two antennae atop the thing’s head seemed to serve for eyes and these twitched as Niccolo dangled there.  
Alairic stuck his head down the hole and saw it as well.
“Ugh,” he said.
“Kill it?” asked Niccolo.
“Yeah,” said the Paladin.
Tilliana began praying for a blessing upon their fight.  Kinshag drew out his bow and Alaric started to climb down the rope above Niccolo.  The half-elf, confidant in his abilities, dropped to the floor and reached for his sword.  He never drew it.  The creature rushed the half-elf as soon as Niccolo’s feet hit the floor.  Its tentacles waved and two of the horrid appendages latched onto the half-elf.  With hardly a cry, Niccolo’s muscles froze and the half-elf collapsed paralyzed to the ground.  Hollering, Alairic dropped to the ground.  The creature turned its attentions on him.  Several of the tentacles hit the paladin, but he willed himself to move and brought his sword down on the monster’s back.  It had no effect.  The creature’s spongy skin absorbed the blow.  An arrow ricocheted off of the floor as Kinshag tried to shoot around the paladin and then Tilliana, pushing Kinshag aside, dropped down into the hole.  The monster again latched its tentacles onto Alairic, trying to bite him at the same time,  Alairic easily avoided the mouth, and as he felt himself freezing from the touch of the tentacles he again tried to will himself to move.  His effort were of no avail.  He fell unmoving to the ground.  Tilliana swung her sword, but she too found her swing too weak to penetrate the spongy hide of the worm-like beast.  It turned on her with its tentacles and in seconds she too was paralyzed.  She collapsed to the ground, unmoving.  
Above, Kinshag was watching, an arrow at the ready.  The creature paid him no mind.  Instead it leisurely turned its attention back to the fallen paladin.  With a sort of stupid determination, it started to chew on the paladin’s foot.  Kinshag heard a crack as the toothed maw bit down on the boot.  Steeling himself in case the creature should charge him, Kinshag stood resolutely at the top of the hole, drew back hard on his string and shot at the creature.  He need not have worried.  His arrow pierced straight through the creature’s head.  It was dead with a single shot.  The krangi smiled to himself, satisfied at a victory well won.  
Tilliana moved first.  Looking around, she saw that the monster was dead and that Kinshag was sitting at the top of the hole, patiently waiting.  The priestess turned her attentions to the other two.  Alairic’s foot was wounded, but it was not severe.  There was nothing for her to do but wait for them to come around.  Which they did a few minutes later.
Niccolo made a search of the cellar they were in.  The skeletons were of many sorts, some of them were lizards.  Some of them were small reptilian humanoids.   A few of them were human.  One body in particular drew Niccolo’s attention.  It was a man, dressed in armor and the tattered remains of what looked to be the robe of a Defender of the Swift Sword.  Niccolo examined it closer.  The armor and clothing were badly damaged, they were almost melted and heavily corroded.  Niccolo had never seen anything quite like it.  There was a gold ring with a crest on the right hand and Niccolo pried that off.  Looking at the sword strapped to the dead man’s back, Niccolo was surprised to see that it was unmarked and undamaged.  It looked in fact to be almost new.
“Why don’t I carry those,” said Alairic, looking over the half-elf’s shoulder.  With a shrug, Niccolo hand both the sword and the ring to the paladin.  
“Is it Giovan?” asked Tilliana.
“I would say the body has been here for almost three years,” said Niccolo thoughtfully, “so no.”  
The three climbed out of the hole and joined Kinshag at the top.
“One shot,” said Kinshag proudly, a wide grin on his face.
Niccolo started to follow the reptilian tracks again towards the cliff, but as they drew a bit closer they saw a curious altar sitting in a wide opening in the trees to their left.  It was made of iron and appeared burnt. As they took this in, something on the altar moved.  Niccolo immediately drew out his halberd.  Alairic reached and drew out the new greatsword he had acquired.  They stepped closer and now they saw that the ground around the altar appeared scorched as well.  
There was a snake sitting on top of the altar watching them.  It was about five or six feet long.  
“Isn’t the demon supposed to be buried under an altar?” asked Niccolo.
Alairic thought, “I don’t remember ever hearing that.”
The four of them moved a little closer to the altar and the snake.  
“Let’s kill it,” said Niccolo.
“Ok,” said Kinshag and he drew back on his bow and fired at it.  The arrow hit the snake but bounced harmlessly off of its skin.  Alairic and Tilliana began to charge, followed by Niccolo.
“Whoa! Stop!” said the snake.
They stopped
“What?” said Niccolo stunned.
“It said stop,” explained Alairic.
“I heard what it said! It talked! It’s a talking snake!”
“Who are you?” asked Tilliana
“I am the guardian of this temple, set here to protect what’s buried below, a demon, from ever being released.  But now a group of men seek to find a way to let this demon loose and you must stop that from happening.”
“That’s what we are here for,” said Alairic.
“There is only one way for you to do this.  You must go north from this altar, enter through the ivy and descend to the bottom of the stairs that never end.  There, find the secret room.  Listen well to the red-headed man who will guide you.”
“Wait…,” began Alairic.
The snake repeated itself, “Go north from the altar, enter through the ivy and descend the stairs that never end.  Find the secret room and let the red-headed man guide you.”
“But…,” said Alairic, but it was no good.  The snake simply vanished.  Alairic, shaking his head in surprise still had the sense to try and detect evil.  As he concentrated, he found that, where the snake had been, sitting atop the altar, there was a lingering sense of evil.  
“It was evil, the snake was evil.” said the Paladin.
“Look!” shouted Tilliana.
“What?” asked the others.
“There, they ivy on the cliff, it moved, as if a wind had blown it aside.”
“Huh,” said Kinshag.
“That’s funny,” said Niccolo.
As the others talked, Alairic was thinking hard.  
“_Beware the snake that bites from the darkness and the vulture that feeds on lies.  The tomb of the demon should remain sealed lest darkness grow stronger,_” he whispered to himself softly
“I don’t want to follow that snake’s advice,” said Niccolo with some passion, “It said go through the ivy, and that’s where these tracks lead, I think we should go back and follow that other set of tracks from the cliff.”
“I thought we thought the other trail would lead to a big and powerful dragon,” said Alairic.
“I would rather face the dragon.”
“That snake is a liar,” postulated Tilliana.  She went towards the altar and examined it more closely.  Molded into the iron was the impossible symbol of the Creator of Strife.  
Alairic turned and scanned the spot where the ivy had moved.  There did seem to be an opening into the cliff besides the ivy.  Alairic could sense no evil inherent in the opening however.  
“It is possible,” said Niccolo, “that the snake was evil but had no evil intentions.”
“I was warned in my dream,” said Alairic, “_Beware the snake that bites from the darkness and the vulture that feeds on lies_”  
“I say we follow the snake,” said Tilliana.
“Agreed,” said Alairic.  Kinshag also shook his head in agreement.
As he was outvoted, Niccolo resigned himself.
Behind the ivy, there was indeed an opening in the cliff face, a ten foot by ten foot hand-carved hole with doors at the north end.  The left door was shattered and lay broken on the ground.  The right door swung on ancient hinges.
“Hold still,” said Tilliana to Niccolo and the cleric touched the ranger on the shoulder.  Niccolo felt his muscles grow more powerful.
“The strength of Naemae,” explained Tilliana.
Alairic lit a torch and he and Niccolo led the way through the doors.  They entered into a long hall with a single door at the far end.  Cautiously they made their way down the hall.  As they did, something curious happened.  They each appeared to grow taller.   At last, when they had swiftly reached the door at the north end of the hall, they all, with the exception of Tilliana, had to stoop to avoid bumping their heads off of the rock ceiling.  And even Tilliana had only a few inches between the top of her head and the ceiling.  They were much taller than the door.  Niccolo stooped down and looked through the door.  
“If I yell pull me back,” said the half-elf.
The torchlight lit up a broad room beyond the door.  The room had a high ceiling.  There was nothing dangerous that Niccolo could see and the half-elf scooted through the door.  Standing he found himself in an enormous room, made all the bigger by the feeling that he himself had grown in stature.  As the others filed into the room and the torch light better lit some of the recesses, they saw that there were walls to the left and right of them but that the room extended forward a long ways.  There appeared to be a drop in the floor some feet in front of them and to the left and right of the drop stone stairs went down.  High above the stairs, there were recesses in the wall.  Alairic, carrying the torch walked forward to where the floor fell away.  His sense of depth was off, thanks to the strange nature of the entrance hall, but the floor below was at least twice his height away.  The floor he was standing on was almost a balcony to the chamber below.  Gazing down he saw stone benches arranged around a raised altar of stone.
“Something moved,” said Niccolo
“I saw it too,” said Kinshag.
“Where?” asked Alairic.
“In the alcoves above the stairs.”
They looked and saw that there were reptiles crawling in the alcoves.  They had wings and appeared like those they had seen in the trees near the beach.  Each one was a foot to two feet in length.  Tilliana moved to the head of the stairs to their left and looked for a way up into the recesses.  Niccolo, thinking more fire might help, swiftly pulled a torch from Alairic’s pack and held it to the other torch to light it.  Kinshag fired an arrow at one.  It missed.
With a screech, one of the lizards shot through the air.  It flew past Tilliana, brushing her and then flew by and up to the recess at the other end of the room.  Tilliana spun around from the contact and collapsed to the ground.  The lizard had torn into her throat with sharp hooks on its scales as it had flown by.  She lay on the ground, blood bubbling from her throat, barely on the edge of consciousness.  Two more flew from the alcove to their left and three flew out of the alcove to their right.  With precision the reptiles flew past their targets and then up and out of reach to the other side of the room.  One of them grazed Kinshag.  Another two savagely tore into Niccolo and the half-elf collapsed unconscious to the ground.  Alairic took a moment to size up the situation, and then resolutely gripping his sword and lifing it over his shoulder he prepared himself for the next wave of attacks.  Kinshag dropped his bow and drawing his own greatsword, he did the same.  It took mere moments for the reptiles to realign themselves for a second attack.  They flew swiftly, three each at the two standing warriors.  Alairic swung as one approached him and catching it with his sword he sent it flying away from him across the room.  He barely dodged in time as the other two soared past him.  Kinshag also connected with one but another caught him with its hooks as it flew by and ripped him open.  The krangi fell to the ground bleeding heavily.   
Tilliana rose unsteadily to her feet. She had healed herself with prayer and though not fully recovered she moved over to where Niccolo lay and began offering a swift prayer on behalf of the half-elf. One of the reptiles flew past her and then another grazed her with its hooks, drawing blood.  Alairic swung again and a third reptile was dead.  This time however, one of them caught him with its hooks as it flew by and blood flowed freely from the wound.  As Niccolo weakly opened his eyes, Tilliana drew out her sword and stood to face the creatures with Alairic.  Kinshag, badly wounded was slowly crawling towards the door out of the temple.  Niccolo chose to remain as he was, lying on the ground, noting that the lizards seemed to only be attacking those that stood.  
Tilliana swung as a lizard flew by her, she missed, but her swing carried her out of the way and the reptile flew harmlessly past.  Alairic swung and his sword connected with the biggest of the lizards as it flew at him, chopping it in half.  A second flying reptile scratched his face as it sped by.
There were only two lizards still alive.  The two reptiles landed in the alcove to the left of the two warrior-priests and turned around.  They screeched and launched through the air.  Tilliana timed her stroke better and swinging, she knocked one down, battering it in two with her sword.  Alairic, his vision beginning to blur, blood running into his eye, missed and the lizard scratched the other side of his face.  It flew past and landed on the alcove to the right.  Swiftly, it turned around and screeched.
“What are you doing to my babies!?” cried out a voice.  The voice was high pitched, yet rough and gravelly, and the words were in the merchant tongue, though spoken with a strange accent.
Looking, Alairic and Tilliana saw a grizzled old kobold.  He was loping towards them, one hand on a great stone warhammer.  The remaining lizard screeched and launched through the air at Alairic, its reptilian brain focused on killing the weakened paladin.  
“I’ll show you,” said Tilliana to the kobold as she swung at the lizard flying at Alairic.  Her stroke was true and the lizard fell to the floor dead.  
The old kobold screamed in rage and hefting his warhammer he prepared to charge Alairic.  An arrow flew into the small reptilian humanoid.  Niccolo, from his position on the floor had shot him.  The arrow sticking out of him did not even slow him down though and with an astonishing speed and a savage yelp the little kobold was bounding at Alairic.  
Despite his weakened state, Alairic swung as the kobold charged and his sword cut into and through the kobold.  It was a mighty cleave.  The kobold stopped in its tracks, its warhammer poised.  It looked at the wound on its chest.  
“Alright, I give up,” it said, wincing in pain.  It let its warhammer settle on the floor, “You guys look like decent enough folks,” said the kobold gruffly in its odd voice, “Probably against your code to kill an unarmed opponent huh, ouch.”
“Who are you?” asked Tilliana, “What are you doing here?”  
“Well I live here, then, don’t I and I train these here…”
“Your babies,” put in Tilliana.
“Yeah that’s right,”
“Dangerous things,” said Niccolo, 
“Well it’s your fault breaking in here and all!”
“We didn’t plan on being attacked,” complained Niccolo.
“I suppose,” said the kobold irritated, its voice getting a notch deeper and rougher, “You think you ought to just barge into someone’s home and take what you like?”
“Yeah that’s right”
The kobold eyed them thoughtfully.  There was a wicked intelligence behind his small eyes.  They darted over to where Kinshag had propped himself next to the door.
“Tell you what,” said the kobold, “I’ll make you a deal, I think there’s trouble brewing with you here and those others and old uppity britches.  Old Reshk has been places, I don’t want any part of it.  I’ll tell you all about old uppity britches and you guys can go kill him and cause trouble with the others and I promise I’ll leave and not tell anyone else you’re here.”
“Who’s uppity britches?” asked Tilliana, “What does he want?”
“Oh that one!  He wants slaves of course and followers and the big things in life?”
“Who is he?’
“He’s a servant of the Slavelord isn’t he, always wanting slaves and a ship and then more slaves I suppose.  I lived here a long time, just me and my pets, until he comes and takes over.  Says he will let me stay, but you guys can take care of him.”
“Where is he?”
The old kobold eyed his wounds.  He stared at Tilliana. “I’m bleeding pretty bad, I don’t suppose you can help?”
“No,” said Alairic.
“No,” said Tilliana, “sorry, I have no more spells or prayers.”
“Let me take a look,” said Niccolo limping over.  The half-elf tore some bandages and bound the wound for the kobold.
“Now,” said Niccolo, “where is this guy?”
“Go to the end of this room and you can go left or right, doesn’t really matter because all the doors lead to the same places anyhow but left is quicker.”
“What does he look like?” asked Tilliana.
“He’s ugly,” said the kobold in his strange high voice, “You can’t miss him, big snout, ugly teeth, small beady eyes that you can’t trust.”
“Does he ever mention a demon?” asked Tilliana.
“Oh, just about every time he preaches its demons this and demons that.  Demons eating you or whipping you or drowning you or dragging you off.  His sermons are full of demons.  Of course I sleep through most of them, but don’t tell him I said that.”
“Where does he preach?”
“Here.  That was an altar for the Strifebringer, but he changed it to the Slavelord.”
“Did he ever mention a demon imprisoned below?”
“No, but he won’t go below.  He’s afraid of the stairs, but he let those pink ones through, those other humans.  Are you here after them?  I knew there was going to be trouble!  I kept my end of the deal, and told you.  Now you keep your end of the deal.”
“Oh, no, you aren’t going anywhere,” said Tilliana, “You are coming with us.”
The kobold grew mad.  “Reshk made a promise.  I won’t break it.”
“I don’t trust you,” said Tilliana.
Alairic concentrated.  The kobold was evil, though it was a mild sort of evil.  He nodded, “We don’t know what he will do.”
“Well can I at least get some of my stuff?”
“No.”
“I really would like my blanket and stuff,” growled Reshk.
“Too bad,” said Niccolo, “come on.”
“We need a place to rest a bit,” observed Alairic as he led the kobold to the door leading out.
The kobold picked up his stone warhammer and grumpily allowed them to lead him out as they headed out of the temple.  As they left through the strange entrance hall, they again seemed to grow smaller.  
They decided to make camp in the cellar in which they had killed the tentacled beast.  There they figured they would be safe from prying eyes.  Not trusting the kobold they tied him up using Niccolo’s rope.  He wasn’t too happy about it, but he put up no fight.  
“Poor guy,” observed Kinshag with sincerity.  He felt for the little guy.  As the day grew later, they all settled in to rest, the kobold included.


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## Wicht (Aug 7, 2002)

Buttercup said:
			
		

> *NO!  I don't want Heidon to die!   What will his player do now? *




I am sorry he died too.  I liked the character. 

Justin took the death of Heidon fairly gracefully and is now playing Kinshag (who did not actually exist by name before the events of chapter 9).  It was sort of his own fault he died, though he also was hit by two criticals in the fight in the crows nest and that hurt.  He was not actually fully dead when thrown off the crows nest but the subsequent damage was substantial.

It was actually kind of funny how big a part critical hits played in this last session.  Firing for the villagers from the longboats at the pirates on the Dead Squid I rolled no less then three criticals.    Heidon was taken out with criticals.  The carrion crawler in the old cellar had 19 hitpoints and a single critical bowshot fired at just the right moment did exactly 19.  Tilliana was struck in the first round with the fight with the hookwings and I rolled a critical.  This was followed by a roll of 2d12 and I rolled a 2 12s.   She went from 24 hp to 0 in one hit.  Fortunately she had one spell left to convert and then 1 0 level spell left to help Niccolo.

The fight with Reshk was going to be more of an event (he's actually one tough kobold) but after a decent bow wound from Niccolo for 10 hp, Alairic criticaled and did a further 21 points of damage.  Which was fortunate for the paladin.  He had like 2 hit points left himself.  

Probably tomorrow I will post new stats for Alairic and the stats for Kinshag.


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## Kaodi (Aug 7, 2002)

*Height*

I was just checking the stats you posted before again, and it appears that everyone in the party is vertically challenged by modern standards. I was just wondering if this is a feature of your campaign or some sort of fluke.

-Kaodi


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## Wicht (Aug 7, 2002)

Kaodi, 
The heights for the three humans was rolled using the Reanaarian charts in the Kalamar's players Guide.  The average height for a pureblood male Reanaarian is a little over five feet.  The average height for the other branches of humanity is much taller, with the Fhoki standing on the average over six feet tall.


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## Wicht (Aug 8, 2002)

I have finally got around to posting some of the planned encounters over in the plots forum.  If you are interested, follow this link 

I can only do maps in bmp and can't seem to attach them.  If you have any advise on doing so let me have it


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## Desdichado (Aug 8, 2002)

Wicht, are you on Windows?  The Paint utility that comes with Windows should be able to convert bmps to jpgs or gifs.


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## Wicht (Aug 8, 2002)

That doesn't seem to work on mine, do all windows do that or just the newer versions?

Anyway, I figured out how to attach the bmp files so its alright for the moment.


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## Wicht (Aug 9, 2002)

And now for a minor character update - mainly to introduce Kinshag a little better, but while I am at it, an update for Alairic.

Alairic it might be noticed has gained a magical greatsword.

********************************************

*Alairic**, Male Human Pal4:* CR 4; Size M (5 ft. tall); hp 28; Init +5; Spd 20 ft; AC 18; Atk +8 melee (2d6+4 _+1 Greatsword_); SV Fort +8, Ref +5, Will +4; Ali LG; Str 15, Dex 13, Con 12, Int 7, Wis 16, Cha 16.
*Skills and Feats:* Ride +5, Diplomacy +4, Knowledge (religion) +4; Improved Initiative, Blind Fighting, Weapon Focus (Greatsword).
*Weapons and armor:* +1 Greatsword, dagger, half-plate.

****************************************

*Kinshag**, Male Sil-karg (Krangi) Ftr2:* CR 2; Size M (6 ft.); hp 12; Init +1; Spd 30 ft; AC 14; Atk +5 melee (1d8+3 Longsword), +3 ranged (1d8+2 Mighty Composite Longbow); SV Fort +4, Ref +1, Will -1; Ali LG; Str 16, Dex 13, Con 11, Int 14, Wis 9, Cha 7.
*Skills and Feats:* Climb +8, Handle Animal +3, Ride +6, Swim +8; Power Attack, Weapon Focus (Great-ax), Cleave.
*Weapons and Armor:* Greatsword, Mighty Composite Longbow (+2 str), Daggers, Longsword, Rapier, and Masterwork Studded Leather Armor. 

Kinshag is not much too look at.  His dark red skin is offset with yellow eyes.  He has a pronounced underbite that is enhanced with large tusk like teeth, pointed ears and a mess of black hair.  He is tall and muscular, with broad shoulders, a broad neck and very large hands.

Kinshag is a curious mixture of Reanaarian and Krangi cultures.  His mother was a hobgoblin from the lands of Tarisato, who found the male dominated way of her clan too stiffling.  She migrated to Zoa where she worked as a mercenary.  Before she died in a drunken brawl, she also gave birth to half a dozen sil-kargs, all by different fathers.  Her children were left to fend for themselves.  Kinshag was ten when his mother died, and though she had instilled in him a need for order and discipline (as undisciplined as she sometimes was) and some skills with weapons, he found her way of life distasteful.  Kinshag spent some time with both hobgoblins and humans in Zoa and then eventually he headed north into the more agricultural areas of the penninsula.  He eventually settled down on the northern coast, offering his services as both a hired hand and a hired sword.  His reputation for honesty and his soft heart eventually won him a place to live, despite his poor social skills and unusual heritage.


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## denmstrsn (Aug 12, 2002)

I like it when you post the character stats.  It gives us an idea of where everyone is.


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## Wicht (Aug 14, 2002)

*Visions*_

Alairic lay on the ground bleeding.  Cool grass on his back contrasted with the burning agony of the many cuts on his skin.  Overhead the stars spun in the velvet sky as dancing globes of light flitted amongst each other.  At his head was the great altar to Naemae he had seen once before.  In his hands was the sword he had taken from the corpse of the dead Defender.  

A voice spoke to him.
“Arise.”

He had heard the voice before.  Pushing himself to his feet, Alairic stood once more before the figure of Rowlandigo. With a nod, the messenger of Naemae reached out his hand and touched Alairic on the forehead.  Immediately the Paladin’s wounds closed and the pain fled.   
Without a word the golden furred being walked past Alairic and approached the altar which stood in the middle of the meadow.  Behind the altar stood the great golden staute of the Knight of the gods. Alairic moved next to Rowlandigo.

“What would you offer?” asked Rowlandigo.
Though nothing had been said, the paladin understood instinctively what was expected of him.  He bore only the sword.  He had felt its magical power already and knew that it was no ordinary sword.  For a moment doubt gnawed at him.  Keeping the sword would make his fight easier.  And yet, if this was what was expected, who was he to doubt?  His mind said no, but his heart told him yes.  Smiling suddenly at this inward turmoil, the paladin strode the step forward and laid the sword down upon the altar.  Then he kneeled and bowed his head.  

Rowlandigo spoke, “Its name was Talbright and its last bearer was named Renkou, a stouthearted servant who sought to fight Gilkamen, the ancient green dragon who dwells atop the mountain.  He and his companions never even reached the creatures lair, it is a powerful evil.  But an even worse evil lies buried within the temple of confusion and it must remain there.  You and your companions must not free it nor let it be freed.  Beware the vulture that lies!”

Rowlandigo grasped the paladins arm and lifted him to his feet.  On the altar lay Talbright, but even as Alairic watched the altar glowed and the sword burned with a fierce flame.  But even as Alairic thought the great-sword would be consumed, the fires died.  The sword lay there untarnished.  

 “Take it servant of the Evil Slayer, and use its holy power to strike down evil in all its forms, but remember the words of the saint, ‘A weapon is only as strong as the arm that weilds it.’  Choose your battles well.” 
“I will.”

“Let Naemae guide you and remember that kindness is its own reward.  There is more than one way to destroy evil.”
And with that the vision faded, but as it did, Alairic felt a new awareness, a closer spiritual connection to his deity.
_


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## Desdichado (Aug 14, 2002)

Wicht said:
			
		

> *That doesn't seem to work on mine, do all windows do that or just the newer versions?
> 
> Anyway, I figured out how to attach the bmp files so its alright for the moment. *



I can do it with my older computer that uses Windows98.  In fact, my newer version of Paint doesn't seem to be any differet.  But I don't have a really new version of windows anywhere.


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## Wicht (Aug 15, 2002)

Well, I'm actually using Windows 95 

I tried converting to jpg manually but afterwards the picture would not load properly onto Explorer.

Fortunately I am getting a newer computer in 2-4 weeks.


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## Wicht (Aug 19, 2002)

*Dreams*

_Tilliana lay in her crib, fussing at her father over her.  Nearby, Tilliana’s mother was working with something at the stove and on the floor by the crib, her brother was playing with a toy sword.  Despite the close presence of her family, Tilliana felt anxious, alone and scared.  She felt trapped and frightened.

“Hush,” said her Father, sticking something into her hands.  She looked at it closely.  It was a pure white feather.  Stroking it she cooed and felt a little better.

“A swan feather for my little princess.  Would you like to hear a song little one?”

Tilliana smiled up at her father. He smiled back and tickling her face with the feather he sang her a song with a curious tune.

*“When you stand upon the sand,
with a feather in your hand,
say oldama…
say oldama

“When the dangers fill the night 
And the dragon takes to flight
Then you stand upon the sand 
and take the feather in your hand
and say oldama…
say oldama…

“Oldama is a word to note
Oldamas what the elves call boat
And the feather turns to wood
And takes you where you can be good
So when the dangers fill the night 
And the dragon takes to flight
Then you stand upon the sand 
and take the feather in your hand
and say oldama…
Say oldama…”*_


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## Wicht (Aug 20, 2002)

*Chapter 10 Temple of Confusion*

	The sunlight began to stream through the opening above them, waking all five of the sleeping inhabitants in the ancient cellar.  Without exception they had all fallen asleep, even Alairic, who had been supposed to be standing guard.  As they stretched and began moving, their sleep-fogged minds gradually began to register that they had been healed while asleep.  All of them except for Reshk, who was still tied and who was still asleep.
	“How?” asked Niccolo as he examined where his wounds had been.
	“I had a vision,” stated Alairic simply.
	“What was it of?” asked Tilliana.
	“I was visited by Rowlandigo.  He said that the sword I found was named Talbright and that its last owner had been named Renkou.  He said to remember that a weapon was only as good as its wielder and that we were to choose our battles wisely.  Also that kindness was its own reward and that there was more than one way to defeat evil.”
	“We need to get out of this hole,” said Niccolo eyeing the corpses stacked in the far corner.  His eyes drifted to the rope tied outside.  It still dangled down into the hole. “We left the rope up.  Noone remembered to take care of that.”
	Reshk began waking up.  He immediately began complaining of his wounds and of being tied up.
	“Deal with it,” said Niccolo to the kobold.
	“We need a muzzle,” said Alairic.
	After they had gathered up their belongings, Alairic scooted quickly up the rope. Soon he was pulling himself up and out of the opening above them.
	“Thank goodness you are awake,” said a soft, hissing voice from behind the Paladin.  Stumbling to his feet, Alairic turned quickly.  He saw the reptilian head first.  It had dark green scales, small horns and intelligent eyes of yellow.  His eyes soon took in the batlike wings and fierce claws.  It was a small dragon, standing about six or seven feet high, though with its tail it was actually longer then it looked at first.
	“I was just about to have to come down there after you,” said the dragon.  
	Alairic began to draw Talbright.
	The dragon reared back a bit, arching its neck, “Are you sure you want to do that?”
	Alairic could sense that the dragon was evil, but he doubted his ability to take it on himself.  He slid his sword back into its sheath.  
	“No, I guess not,” said Alairic.  
	“Good.”
	“What do you want?” asked the Paladin.  Behind him, Kinshag was crawling out of the hole.
	“My father, the powerful Gilkamen, sent me to keep an eye on you, “ said the dragon slyly, “And in the meantime, I thought it would be best if I remembered to make sure that you paid your toll.  You after all are trespassing.  It is only right that you pay for the privilege of sleeping here.”
	Tilliana was now climbing out of the hole with her eye was on the dragon.
	“How much do you want?” asked Alairic.
	“How much do you have?” asked the dragon.
	“How much do you want?”
	The dragon moved a bit closer to Alairic.  Niccolo was now out.  He had left Reshk tied up at the bottom of the rope.
	“I want all your gold!”
	“Listen,” said Niccolo, “We are here to keep a demon imprisoned, one that if released even your father won’t be able to handle.  We are in fact doing him a favor.”
	The dragon merely smiled wickedly at Niccolo’s suggestion of a weakness in her father and said, “I fully intend on letting you go into this old temple again, but first you will pay your rent.”
	At the bottom of the rope Reshk began to holler.
	“We don’t have to give you our gold!” said Kinshag fiercely and foolishly.
	Swiftly the small dragon turned her head towards the half-hobgoblin.  She reared back and opened her mouth and breathed a stream of acidic gas at the sil-karg.  He went down in a howl of pain, his flesh bubbling and melting.  For a moment the other three stared dumbfounded and then in a flash Tilliana was at the unfortunate fighter’s side.  Divine energy flowed through her, easing the pain.  Alairic went tot he other side, laying his hands on Kinshag’s head.  The wounds healed.
	Alairic turned to the dragon frustrated.
	“We’ll give you our gold,” he said.  
	“Don’t try and cheat me, I can smell gold, I will know if you are holding back.”
	Without a word, the four companions piled the money they had with them upon the forest floor.  The dragon smiled, revealing many sharp teeth.
	“Excellent.”
	She trotted past the four and looked down the hole.  “And do you plan on leaving this little person here for me,” she licked her lips.
	“We’ll take him with us,” said Tilliana.
	“What is your name?” asked Niccolo.  
	“I am sorry, forgive my rudeness, I am Goshaken, daughter of Gilkamen.”
	They helped Reshk out of the hole, untying him and then tying him again.  He seemed none too happy, but as the old kobold eyed the dragon, he grew silent and clammed up.  They entered through the vines on the cliff wall into the entrance to the underground temple once more.  The small dragon watched them carefully as they went in, her claws running absentmindedly through the small pile of gold coins.  
	Again they entered through the broken door and as they went down the strange hallway, they again seemed to grow in size.  This time however Tilliana and Niccolo both noticed that there was no magic involved, the hallway grew smaller, they did not grow taller.  It was a perfectly executed optical illusion.  As they entered through the small door, Tilliana casts Naemae’s Strength upon the sil-karg, making him temporarily stronger.    
	They entered again into the vast hallway, where the day before they had fought with the deadly flying reptiles, Reshk’s “babies.”  Alairic walked to the edge of the floor overlooking the altar below and then he and the others went down the stairs to the right.  They heard no movement and saw nothing that threatened.
	Alairic, once they had reached the bottom of the steps walked over to the altar.  It was atop a raised circular platform.  There were benches of stone on all four sides of the altar, though on the side across from where they had entered the room there were more stone benches than anywhere else.  Alairic examined the altar.  There was little doubt it was desecrated to evil.  No only did it have an evil aura, but there were fell signs on it.  A raised carving of stone on the side of the altar was fashioned into a curious and impossible geometric shape that confused the eye when watched.  Alairic knew this to be the sign of the Creator of Strife, the god for whom the temple had originally been built.  Niccolo connected it with the altar in the woods.  The design was the same.  However, painted in blood atop the stone carving was another sign.  Neither Alairic nor Tilliana recognized it, though they knew it to be evil.  
	“What do you know about this altar?” Alairic asked Reshk.
	The kobold however was pouting and did not want to speak.
	“There is still a dragon out there,” said Niccolo.
	“The priest uses the altar,” said Reshk.
	“A human priest?” asked Alairic.
	“No! A proper person.”
	“A kobold priest.”
	“Who is he the Preist of?” asked Tilliana.
	“The overlord.”
	The overlord, Tilliana knew was the name given to the god of slavery and domination.  
	“Does this priest have a name?”
	“His name is Disshak.”
	They went to the far end of the room.  There was a door on both the east and west wall.  
	“Where do these doors lead?” asked Alairic
	“The hallways,” said the kobold sourly.
	“Give us a proper answer and we will be nice to you,” said Niccolo.
	The kobold snorted. “I told you they lead to the hallways.”
	“And where do the hallways go?” asked Tilliana
	“They all go to the same place.”
	“Where do they go,” asked Niccolo.
	“They go to the hallways,” said the kobold frustrated.  “All the hallways lead to the same place!”
	“And where do the hallways lead?” asked Tilliana
	“They lead here!”
	A light dawned in Tilliana’s eyes. “I see,”
	“It’s a labyrinth,” said Niccolo.
	“How do we get to the priest?” asked Tilliana.
	“You want to go see Disshak?” asked Reshk slyly.
	“Yes, we have to stop him,” said Tilliana.
	“If you untie me and heal me,” said Reshk, “I will lead you to Disshak and you can kill him and then I will keep the others from attacking you, they will listen to me if Disshak is dead.”
	“Don’t you like Disshak?” asked Niccolo.
	Reshk just smiled wickedly.
	Tilliana, deciding to trust the kobold, healed him of some of his wounds.  
	“Will you untie me?” asked Reshk.
	“I am against it,” said Alairic.  
	“I make a promise,” said Reshk, “I won’t break it.”
	Niccolo went ahead and untied the small kobold.
	“Very good!” said Reshk, “It’s the door on the left, all the way to the end of the hall.”
	They went through the door and entered into a ten foot wide hallway that was quite long.  They passed a couple of doors on the left and then a short hall on the right before finally coming to a door at the end of the hallway.
	“Shall we go in?” asked Niccolo.
	Reshk opened the door for them.
	Kinshag was in front and could see the room clearly.  There was no need even for his darkvision.  A kobold was sitting at a table eating a meal.  There were some chests and other odds and ends in the room, including a bed.
	The kobold, seeing strangers at his door immediately began to yell.  Then with a wave of his hand and a muttering of foul words he motioned at Kinshag and the young fighter felt his limbs lock in place.  He could still breath but he could not otherwise move.  Pushing aside the motionless sil-karg, Niccolo raced into the room, greatax at the ready.  He swung and the nimble kobold ducked out of the way, scooting out of his chair and picking up a mace with a stone head.  Tilliana also charged in.  Her sword more easily found its mark and the kobold priest was bleeding.  Alairic moved in just past Tilliana and avoiding a blow from the stone weapon, the paladin swung.  His aim was off and the sword went harmlessly over the kobolds head.  With another loud yell, the kobold swung at Niccolo.  Niccolo stepped back and out of the way and then with a well placed swing and a step back towards the kobold, the half-elf brought his ax down in the small reptilian head, splitting it open.  
	The fight was over.
	“Good job,” said Reshk, looking in from the doorway.
	Niccolo began to search the body and Tilliana the room.  Alairic moved back to the door.  The sound of the fight had brought attention to them and armed kobolds soon began to move into the hallway.
	Niccolo found a scroll on the kobold’s body and some gold.  There was a curious box, engraven with symbols tied to the kobold’s head.  Tilliana ascertained that there was food on the table, a bed and two locked chests.  The food smelled good and the priestess was tempted to try some of it.  It was mostly roasted meat.  Niccolo pocketed the gold and slipped the scroll into his backpack and then taking his ax he cleaved open the chests.  They were filled with coins of copper and gold.  
	The hall outside was filling up with kobolds, many of them armed.  Alairic saw that some of them had nets and the rest of them had clubs.  Reshk was talking to them rapidly in some language unknown to any of the others.  Tilliana listened attentively, trying to pick up some of the words.  Meanwhile, Kinshag started to move again.
	Reshk motioned to the kobolds, and the kobolds motioned at the companions.  Reshk motioned back at the companions, all the while talking.  Finally he turned and said to Alairic, “They want to know why you are here?”
	“There is a demon buried here?” said Niccolo.
	He talked again to the other kobolds.
	“Where?” asked Reshk.
	“Somewhere in this temple.”
	Some more talk ensued.  
	“They say and I agree that perhaps you are after the other group like you.”
	“Other group?”
	“They made a deal with Disshak and then they went down the bottomless stairs.”
	“That’s probably where we want to go then,” said Niccolo.  The others agreed.
	“What about the coins?” asked Niccolo to his companions.
	“Leave them,” said Alairic, “They belong to these kobolds.”
	“Come with us,” said Tilliana to the kobolds and Reshk in particular, “Be brave and help us stop these men.”
	“None of them will go down the bottomless stairs,” said Reshk, “Though I might, if you will heal me and give me a part of what you find.”
	“Ok,” said Alairic, warming up to the kobold slightly, though not really trusting him.
	Tilliana and Alairic both healed some more of the small warriors wounds.  As Reshk walked with them down the hall and towards the entrance to the stairs, Tilliana explained to the kobold about some of the benefits of serving Naemae.
	The bottomless stairs, as the kobolds called them, were found at the end of the small tunnel the party had already passed.  They went through a door and found themselves on a small landing.  Stairs went up to their left and down to their right.  Going up, they went up for about fifteen feet and then turned to the right.  Going down, they went about fifteen feet and turned to the left. 
	“Up or down?” asked Alairic.
	“I bet up leads us to the dragon,” said Niccolo.
	“I say down too,” said Tilliana.  Kinshag agreed.
	They went down the stairs and made the turn to the left.  The stairs stretched down and forward another thirty feet or so and then turned again to the left.  They went further down and made the turn.  The stairs again went down and forward another thirty feet, turning again to the left, only about halfway down was a small landing on the right with a closed door.  They went to the door.
	“Should I open it?” asked Alairic.
	“If we open the door will we free the demon?” asked Tilliana.
	“The demon is supposed to be buried,” said Niccolo.
	“Well we are underground,” said Alairic, “thus its technically buried, and you call me dumb!”
	“Open it,” said Kinshag.
	Alairic opened it.  It opened up on a hallway, perhaps six feet wide.  It went about fifteen feet to another hallway which ran crossways to it.
	“Too many hallways,” said Alairic, closing the door, “Let’s keep going down.”
	They went down turned left, went another thirty feet down and turned left again.  There was another doorway on the right about halfway down the stairs and the stairs went past the door before eventually turning to the left again.
	They went down and Alairic opened the door.  A small crowd of kobolds stared at them through the door.  Alairic closed the door quickly.  
	“Let’s keep moving.”
	They went down to the turn again and then down another thirty feet and then turned left once more and again, halfway down the stairs was a doorway.  
	“I am not opening this one,” said Alairic.
	“I’ll open it,” said Kinshag.  He strode down the steps and pulled the door open.  It revealed a hallway, perhaps six feet wide and fifteen feet long, ending in another hallway which ran crossways to it.
	“Wait a moment…” said Alairic, as he stared through the door, “This is like that first door I opened.  We are going…”
	“in circles,” finished Niccolo.
	“Are you sure?” asked Tilliana, not quite buying it, “ If you think so one of us could stay here, or two of us, and two others could go down.”
	But Alairic and Niccolo were already convinced.
	“That would explain why those kobolds did not attack,” said Alairic.
	“Why they just stood there,” said Niccolo.
	“They were the same kobolds we had just left,” concluded the Paladin, his mind working overtime.
	Reshk nodded and smiled, “Endless stairs… they always go back to where you start.”
	“Let’s just go through here then,” said Alairic.
	They followed him through the door and into the hall.  At the end of the hallway the first thing they heard was snores from their left.  The hallway opened up into a room.  To their right the hallway continued on, with a branch going up to the left and further on, a branch to the right.  
	They went into the room from which they heard the snores.  There were four men sound asleep on the floor.  Around them was rubble and the broken remains of statues.  
	As they stared at the sleeping men, Alairic heard a sound from outside the room.  He turned to investigate just as a crossbow bolt flew through the door and into Niccolo.  Another one followed it.  In an instant Alairic was out the door charging down the hall.  Reshk followed behind him, stone warhammer at the ready.  There were four men in the hallway, each armed with a crossbow and rapier.  Alairic and Reshk both charged into them.  One of the men, dropping his crossbow , cut Alairic slightly on the arm.  Alairic, swung and his sword connected.  There was a flash of light from the impact and the man fell to the ground dying.  
	In the room, Niccolo, shrugged off the pain from the crossbow bolts stuck in him and went swiftly to one of the sleepers, intending to bash him on the head and keep him from waking.  His first blow missed the man’s head though and the flat end of his ax rang loudly off the floor.  Tilliana, puzzled what to do about sleeping enemies decided to try and wake one of them up so she could kill him in a fair fight.  She pulled one up and started to shake him awake.  Kinshag meanwhile walked over and cut one of the sleepers in half.
	Outside, Reshk had wounded one of the attackers and Alairic was holding the other two at bay.  
	Niccolo lifted his ax and tried to rap the man in front of him on the head again.  This time the ax head connected and the man, woke up, his eyes flying open, his hands going to his now throbbing head.  Tilliana had woken her man up and was just standing him on his feet when Kinshag rushed up to him and pounded him on the head with the pummel of his sword.  He had noticed that the other two were not killing the sleepers and so had decided to knock them all out instead.  The man Tilliana had just woken fell to the ground, out like a light.  Sighing, Tilliana walked over to the last man and pounded him hard on the head, ensuring he would not wake up anytime soon.  
	“Who are you?” snarled Niccolo at the man he had rudely awaken.
	“We’re just here for the gold!” said the man frantically, no fight in him.
	Outside, Alairic dodged a sword blade and sliced into another of the men fighting him.  Again his sword flashed white and the man was dead.  Reshk swung and hit his opponent once more and the man fell to the ground, his ribs crushed from the massive weight of the stone warhammer.  Alairic dodged another blow and then with another swing and another flash laid the last man out.  
	The kobold and the paladin walked back into the room.  Niccolo was fussing over how to tie up their three prisoners.  
	“Rope!  We left the rope tied to that tree out there!”
	Finally the ranger decided to try and use the strings the men had tied their bedrolls together with.  When all four were securely bound, they searched through prisoners and dead alike.  Besides weapons, there were gold coins on all of them.  
	“What do we do with these?” asked Tilliana
	“Take them all with us!” said Niccolo
	“Let’s leave them here,” said Alairic.
	They ended up leaving the three men tied up in the room.  They went and investigated the room the other four men had come out of.  It was mostly empty, bedrolls in one corner, tied.  There was a table in the middle of the room.  It was stone and had strange writing around the edges of the table.  There were playing cards on the table and chairs around the table.  Tilliana for the first time noticed that three of her companions were badly wounded.  She healed Reshk, Niccolo and Alairic as well as she could.  The action seemed to please the kobold.
	The left that room and went back out into the hall.  As they walked down the hall, Tilliana spoke words of encouragement.  “Let us be brave,” she said, “Take courage and let the swords of Naemae strike down whatever evil is down here.”  Her attitude did much to encourage them, kobold included, but no sooner had she spoken then crossbow bolts flew out of the darkness and ricocheted off of the floor and walls.  None hit, but it was clear they  were under attack.  Again Alairic was the first to react.  Pushing the others aside he raced down the hall.  In the dim light he could just make out a man standing in a doorway and Alairic made straight for this, sword at the ready.  His greatsword swung down and into the man, who staggered from the impact and from the burning light flashed from the connection.  There were two men to either side of the one Alairic had attacked and one of these managed to plunge a rapier into Alairic.  A fourth man, standing just behind the other three, fidgetted with his crossbow, looking for an opportunity to fight  The man Alairic had cut swung his longsword and managed to connect with the paladin’s side.  Kinshag raced up behind the paladin but could find no place from which to attack.  Tilliana, seeing she could do no good there, noticed a hallway to the right and took up a defensive position in case reinforcements should come from that direction.  Niccolo moved in to where he could see both ways.  Reshk merely held back for a moment and watched.
	Alairic missed with his next blow but was again stabbed multiple times.  He stumbled backwards, allowing Kinshag to move forward.  The sil-karg fighter stabbed the injured attacker.  His attack did not go unanswered and as three blades stabbed into him, he gave a cry and fell backwards.  Alairic took a defensive stance, daring the men to rush him even as Niccolo bent to pull Kinshag away from the battle.  
	“Crossbows men,” said the injured man and the other three in the doorway began to load there weapons.  
	Tilliana’s foresight proved effective and in the hallway Tilliana she was guarding, two men turned a corner and rushed at her rapiers at the ready.  She swung at them and missed, but they faltered in their charge.  
	Alairic, realizing the men would not move to fight him in the narrow confines of the hallway snarled and rushed forward.  His sword cleaved the man in the middle and at last the man fell dead.  Alairic swung at one of the other men and missed, but as one of the other’s went to fire, Alairic turned swiftly and with an upswinging blade ripped through the crossbow and into the man’s chest.  The man fell dead.  The other one, at point blank range fired and the crossbow slammed into Alairic.  The paladin collapsed to the ground, the fight out of him.  
	In the hallway where Tilliana was fighting, a third man ran around the corner.  He was a tall, fair-skinned red head.  He had a mace in one hand and as he turned the corner he swung once and then twice and laid one of the men attacking Tilliana out.  Tilliana was thankful for the help, though she wondered who her new ally was.  Niccolo, having stabilized Kinshag, drew out his ax and rushed into the room where the two men with crossbows were reloading.  Reshk followed him.  Reshk missed but Niccolo, with a mighty heave of the ax, ripped one man’s neck open.  In just a few seconds, the ranger had the other one dead as well.  
	Still Tilliana fought with the remaining attacker.  The red-head from behind clubbed the man with his mace and then Tillian swung her sword down on his head.  The man was dead.
	“Who are you?” asked Tilliana panting.
	“My names Nearum,” said the man, “These pirates had me locked up, but fortunately for you I managed to get loose just in time to help you.  Come let us tend to your companions and then there is much we need to do down here and not much time to loose.”
	Tilliana and Niccolo tended to the parties wounds and then searched the bodies.  One of the men, the one Alairic had fought in the doorway, was dressed in better equipment and clothing.  He had a potion on his belt.  Niccolo and Tilliana decided to let Alairic drink this, over the protests of Kinshag who was also badly wounded.  It was, fortunately, indeed a potion of healing and the paladin soon felt a little better.  The pirate also had a snow white swans feather in his pouch and Tilliana grabbed this.  It reminded her of the vivid dream that she had had just the night before.  Tilliana used the rest of her meager abilities to partially heal Kinshag and then they decided they needed a rest.
	Nearum protested this.  
	“We need to hurry.”
	“We need to heal,” said Niccolo.
	“I have a scroll with a healing spell on it,” said the strange Nearum.
	He went and retrieved it, but Tilliana did not have the energy to yet try to read it and thanking him for the gift, she slipped it into her pack and settled down with the others to rest in one of the rooms the pirates had occupied.  As she slipped out her copy of “To serve” to study, Nearum fumed and stomped off.
	“I’ll be back…” he said and slipped off down the dark hallway.
	“What’s with all the red-heads,” asked Niccolo.
	“I’m not sure I trust him,” said Alairic.


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## Wicht (Aug 21, 2002)

This last session got a little chaotic at the end.  I was suffering from a splitting headache for one thing, one of the players was worried about something else and one of them started feeling ill so the game was cut short at an ackward spot...

Still, three of them leveled up due to the rather numerous opponents they faced...

I'll posts the stats for Reshk here as well as he was involved in some of the fights.  As soon as the players are done on the island I will post the descriptions for Dragon Isle (including stats for two unique dragons) on the encounter thread.

********************************************            
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*Tilliana**, Female Human Cle4:* CR 4; Size M (4 ft. 8 inches tall); hp 31; Init +5; Spd 20 ft; AC 15; Atk +7 melee (2d6+3 Masterwork Greatsword); SA Spells;  SV Fort +5, Ref +2, Will +7; Ali LG; Str 14, Dex 12, Con 13, Int 14, Wis 17, Cha 16.
*Skills and Feats:* Knowledge (religion) +8, Knowledge (Art of War) +8,  Diplomacy +7, Spellcraft +7, Concentration +7, Craft (Armor smithing) +6, Craft (Calligraphy) +6; Combat Casting, Scribe Scroll, Weapon Focus (Greatsword), Improved Initiative.
_Domains:_  War and Nobility
*Weapons and Armor:* Masterwork Greatsword, Scale mail.

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*Niccolo**, Male Half-elven Ran4:* CR 4; Size M (5 ft. 3 inches tall); hp 30; Init +2; Spd 30 ft; AC 15; Atk +8 melee (1d8+3 Longsword) or +7 melee (1d12+4 Greataxe), or +6 ranged (1d8+3 Mighty Composite Longbow); SV Fort +5, Ref +3, Will +3; Ali LG; Str 17, Dex 14, Con 12, Int 10, Wis 15, Cha 12.
*Skills and Feats:* Ride +7, Move Silently +6,  Heal +6, Craft (weapon smithing) +4, Wilderness Lore +8, Handle Animal +6; Track, Weapon Focus (longsword), Power Attack.
   Favored enemies: Primary - Pirates
_*Weapons and Armor:*_ Longsword, Dagger, Mighty Composite Longbow (+4 str), Greataxe, Halberd, Masterwork Rapier and Masterwork Studded Leather Armor.

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*Kinshag**, Male Sil-karg (Krangi) Ftr3:* CR 3; Size M (6 ft.); hp 18; Init +5; Spd 30 ft; AC 14; Atk +7 melee (1d6+3 Masterwork Rapier), +4 ranged (1d8+2 Mighty Composite Longbow); SV Fort +4, Ref +2, Will +0; Ali LG; Str 16, Dex 13, Con 11, Int 14, Wis 9, Cha 7.
*Skills and Feats:* Climb +8, Handle Animal +3, Ride +6, Swim +8; Power Attack, Weapon Focus (Great-ax), Cleave, Improved Initiative.
*Weapons and Armor:* Greatsword, Mighty Composite Longbow (+2 str), Daggers, Longsword, Rapier, and Masterwork Studded Leather Armor. 

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*Reshk**, Male Kobold Bar3/Sor1:* CR 4; Size Small; hp 33; Init +1; Spd 40 ft; AC 15; Atk +6 melee (1d8 Stone Warhammer) or when raging (+7/1d8+3); SA Rage 1/day;  SQ Darkvision, light sensitivity, Uncanny Dodge; SV Fort +4, Ref +2, Will +3; Ali LE; Str 10, Dex 13, Con 14, Int 9, Wis 11, Cha 14.
*skills and Feats:* Spellcraft +3, Handle Animal +5, Climb +3, Intimidate +5:  Power Attack, Weapon Focus (Warhammer).
*Weapons and Armor:* Masterwork Stone Warhammer, Masterwork Leather Armor, potion (delay poison)
Spells (5/3 per day): 0 - Resistance, Daze, Detect magic, Mending; 1 - True Strike, Magic Weapon


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## Wicht (Aug 26, 2002)

*A ranger awakes*

_*Visions*

Despite the pain of injuries, sleep came swiftly for Niccolo and soon he was in the midst of the fields and trees of the Fautee forest.  It was familiar territory and the half-elf soon found himself wandering the paths of his childhood.  As he strode amongst the trees, the animals did not run from him and soon he had quite a following of small creatures.  

The paths he knew soon led to a strange path, a small trail that he did not recall seeing before.  Taking this he found himself walking through a dark stratch of forest.  The shadows grew on every hand. He noticed however that the animals with him showed no fear and so he determined not to either.  The darkness faded and he walked out from amidst the trees and entered a breezy glade.  A small hill, covered in grass and flowers rose up in the midst of the glade and atop the hill, a ball of light hovered, its light unmoved by the brisk breeze.

As Niccolo stood there wondering what he should do, the animals that had been following him made their way up the to the top of the hill and lay or sat on the ground in a circle around the globe.  Niccolo decided to join them.  There was something calming about the globe, goodness and purity seemed to radiate from it.
He walked up the hill.

“Hello Niccolo,” said a clear voice, with a tone like that of a bell or chime.  The voice came from the globe of light.

“Who are you,” said Niccolo, though for some reason he was not surprised to hear the voice.

“I am Tarfagel, archon of light and I have been watching you for a while now.”

“You have?”

“Very closely.  I have seen everything you have ever done, both good or bad and know more about you then sometimes even you do.  But the time for mere watching is over.  Naemae has bidden me to speak to you and to impart to you a measure of deeper understanding that you might better fight the good fight.  You have sworn allegiance to the god of chilvary, and he will not neglect you.  Take allies from the creatures of the wild and use them to do good.  Kindness is its own reward.”

As the voice spoke, a new understanding sprang into Niccolo’s mind.  He saw with clarity the divine connection which gave life and sustained it.  He saw the energy that flowed in the creatures around him and more strongly in himself and even stronger yet in the globe of light named Tarfagel.  And then his understanding faded, but yet not completely.  

“One last thing,” said Tarfagel, “We are not allowed to tell you all, some things must be decided on by you without full understanding, but I am allowed to tell you two things more.  One, that you should not listen to the vulture of lies, he is a servant of evil.  And two, the dragon you have met, her strength is acidic, but if you guard yourself well, she will be the weaker for it.”_


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## Wicht (Aug 27, 2002)

*Chapter 11 – Temple of Confusion*

The room Nearum had led them to contained a few bedrolls, apparently from pirates now departed.  Another room nearby was empty and just across from the room was a broken wall, behind which stairs led down.  There seemed to be nothing threatening them in the immediate vicinity, and so, deciding on an order for a watch, they settled in to sleep.

Alairic had the first watch.  He stepped out of the room and into the corridor so that he could watch in all directions.  Soon the torch in the room behind him burned out and he stood alone in the darkness, listening to the snores of his sleeping companions.  As he stood there and time passed, he gradually began to notice a glow coming from the corridor with the steps leading down.  It was a red glow and it seemed to be getting brighter.  Bright enough at least that he could begin to make out the walls and corridors around him.  

After a bit of thinking Alairic went back into the room and going to where he remembered Kinshag to be laying, he proceeded to wake the Sil-karg up.  

“Leave me alone,” complained Kinshag wearily, “Can’t you see that I am sleeping?”

“Something’s going on,” said Alairic, “I need you to keep on eye on things while I go check it out.”

“Is there no peace and quiet in this place?”

Nevertheless, Kinshag arose and agreed to watch and listen while Alairic investigated the glow.

The tunnel across from the room had apparently been recently excavated.  There had been picks and shovels in the room in which they had killed the one they took to be the pirate captain.  Perhaps this was what had been dug open.  Past the excavated area stairs led down.  Alairic descended these and arriving at the bottom he saw a long corridor with several wide side passages.  The glow was coming from the other end of the passage.  

Alairic moved cautiously forward and as he did so, he noticed an outlined square in the floor ahead of him.  Perhaps a door of some sort.  He tested it cautiously and found it only opened down and that it swung right back up when pushed.  It appeared to Alairic to be a trap.  He went around it.  A little further ahead there was an intersection and a body lay on the floor.  Moving slowly, Alairic made his way to the body.  Looking left and right, he realized he could not see down the corridors to his sides.  He turned his attention to the body.  It seemed to be human, and was burnt badly.  The light however was not good enough to make out much more detail than that.  

Looking ahead, Alairic could now see clearly that there was a door about sixty  feet in front of him and that the glow was pouring out from around the seams in the door.  Alairic looked at the body again and decided he did not need to get any closer to the door.  Turning around he went back to the room.  Kinshag went back to sleep and Alairic finished his watch.  Sometime before Alairic woke Niccolo to relieve him, the glow stopped.

It returned though as the half-elf stood there watching, a red glow that filled the dark passage across from the room they were staying in.  Niccolo decided to follow Alairic’s example and investigate too.  Waking Tilliana and explaining to her that she needed to keep an eye on things, Niccolo then proceeded to enter through the excavated tunnel and down the stairs.  As Niccolo walked forward, he stepped on the trap Alairic had seen and avoided.  The door began to open under the half-elf’s feet and Niccolo threw himself backwards.  He landed with a thud on the floor, but had narrowly avoided falling through the trap.  
Moving more cautiously now, the half-elf went forward towards the door at the end of the hall.  As he reached the burnt corpse, his keen eyes made out a little bit more of the detail than Alairic’s had and he saw that the floor around the corpse appeared to be charred as well.  Looking up, Niccolo saw that there was a hole in the ceiling directly above the center of the intersection.  With this in mind, Niccolo moved further down the hallway, looking up for more holes in the ceiling.  At the next intersection he saw another and so gingerly Niccolo crept around the side of the intersection, avoiding the middle.  

At the door there was another intersection and Niccolo again avoided the middle of the intersection, reaching the door from which the red glow streamed around.  Niccolo listened at the door and heard nothing.  Cautiously he tested the door.  It was unlocked.  Niccolo opened it.  Inside he saw a simple, unadorned room of stone.  There was a stone table in the middle of the room atop which sat a glowing ruby.  On the far wall, Niccolo also saw a large sarcophagus leaning against the wall.  The sarcophagus was shut.  

Deciding against entering the room, Niccolo turned to head back.  As he did so he heard a voice.  It was soft and cultured.  It was a voice, not in his ears, but in his head.

“Do you want a wish?”

Niccolo turned around.  He saw no one.

“Who are you?”

“I am a ruby of wishing and I offer you a wish.”

Niccolo thought hard, his mind flying.  Doubt was foremost in his mind as well as a suspicion that something was afoot.

“You are a ruby of wishing?”

“Yes.”

“Can I wish for anything?”

“Yes, for anything,” came the soft answer.  Niccolo suspected evil.  

“Can I go consult with my companions.”

“I can grant only one wish to one person.” 

“Only one wish?”

“Yes.”

Niccolo decided to test the ruby.  “Then I wish that the dragons on this Island were our allies."

“Its not that simple.  It does not work like that.  First you must come and take ahold of me.  Then there are a few other simple steps, but I can easily walk you through them.”

Niccolo now was firmly convinced the ruby was up to no good.  He said, “I am going to consult my allies and then I will be back.”

“Do not take too long,” said the ruby.

Niccolo carefully returned down the hallway, keeping away from the middle of the intersections again and when he had returned to the room, he woke up the rest of the sleepers, excepting Reshk.  Explaining what he had found, Niccolo urged them to come back to the ruby with him.  Kinshag opted to stay behind.  

“In case anyone comes up from behind,” he explained.

Niccolo led Alairic and Tilliana back tot he ruby, cautioning them to avoid the intersections.  The ruby was still there, glowing brightly.  

“It talks,” said Niccolo, “It’s a talking ruby.”

“It is also very evil,” said Alairic, “The ruby is evil, but nothing else in the room seems to be evil.”

“It’s evil?” said Niccolo, “Then lets smash it.”  

The half-elf drew out his great ax and prepared himself to smash the gemstone into pieces with it.

	“Wait,” said Alairic, “The ruby detects as evil, but perhaps its not the ruby, perhaps there is something evil in the ruby.”

	“Something in the ruby?”

	“Yes, like the…”

	“Like the demon,” said Tilliana and Niccolo, seeing where Alairic was going.

	“Let’s not smash it,” said Tilliana.

	“No,” said Niccolo, “Lets not.”

	Tilliana turned to investigate the rest of the room, the sarcophagus in particular.  The room however was featureless and the sarcophagus too was featureless, all except for an obvious padlock.

	“Lets not open that,” said Tilliana.

	“I say we just leave everything in here alone,” said Alairic.  

	“I say we take the ruby with us,” said Niccolo.

	“Let’s leave it,” said Alairic.

	“I say we sleep on it,” said Tilliana, “Things might make more sense to us in the morning after we have rested.”

	“You know,” said Alairic thinking hard, “When I was watching, the glow started and stopped.  Now in the room we are in, there are the steps going down and then a straight passage and so we can’t see this door from there.  How do we know someone has not been coming in and out of here causing the ruby to glow or stop glowing?”

	“So we should leave it?” asked Niccolo.

	“I think we should wrap it up in a bed roll,” said Alairic.

	“Yeah, then we can see if someone uncovers it,” said Niccolo.

	Alairic went cautiously but swiftly back to the room and grabbed his own bedroll.  Returning to the ruby, he covered it with the blankets.  Then they went back and tried to rest.  Kinshag’s watch went quietly as did Tilliana’s.

	Tilliana could feel the coming of Dawn and she began to prepare herself to prepare her divine spells.  But as she was about to do this, she heard footsteps in the corridor outside the room.  She reached over and shook Kinshag awake and then the others as well.  

	The red headed Nearum entered the room.  

	“Good Morning,” he said to Tilliana, “I trust you all are rested and ready for business now?”

	Alairic from where he lay scanned the red head.  As suspected he was an evil man.  

	“What is this business you want us to do?” asked Niccolo

	“First things first,” said the man kindly, “I believe you all said you needed to heal first and so you should do that before doing anything else.”  So saying he bent and woke the still sleeping Reshk.

	Tilliana prepared her spells, as did Niccolo and Alairic.  Then after Alairic had healed most of his own wounds, Tilliana took care of the rest of them.  When they were all healed, the kobold included, they once more turned to Nearum to see what it was that he wanted from them.

	“I need you to destroy a ruby,” said Nearum, “It is down the corridor across the hall and down the steps.”

	“If we are to destroy the ruby,” asked Tilliana, “first tell us who is in the crypt?”

	“You have been down to the room already?” asked Nearum with some surprise, “I believe there is a demon entombed in the crypt in the ruby room, one that must not be freed.  But there is also an evil ruby and it must be destroyed.”

	“What is this ruby?” asked Niccolo

	“It is said to be a ruby that grants wishes, but it is a force for evil.”

	“So you want us to destroy the ruby?”

	“Yes.”

	“Why?”

	“Because it is evil!”

	“Why should we not just take it with us?” 

	“Can you imagine what would happen to the world if an evil man got his hands on that ruby?  Can you imagine what horrors he might unleash?”

	“Why do you need us to do it?” asked Tilliana.

	“Only one pure of heart will have the power to destroy such an evil gem.”

	“Where did you learn all this,” asked Tilliana.

	“I have traveled far.  In Kalamar I read a legend in a book of a demon buried by elvish adventurers, but when they sealed the demon, they also buried an evil gem with the demon.  I foolishly let a pirate know of this and they brought me here searching for the gem.”

	“If you were there prisoner, what are you doing running around?” asked Niccolo suspiciously.

	“Well, I was captive, but I got loose just in time to help you, and good for you that I did.”

	“So, “said Alairic pointedly, “You confess that you are not a good man, insince you need someone pure of heart.  Indeed you yourself are an evil man.  Why should we trust you.”

	Nearum sighed.  “I confess,” he said, “that I have made mistakes in my life, but I try to do what I can to do the right thing, perhaps I am trying to atone for past misdeeds.  Now however,t here is a chance to do real good, to get rid of an ancient evil.  All you have to do is smash that accursed ruby.”

	“I still don’t think we should trust you,” said Niccolo.

	“Why would I help you defeat those pirates if I was their ally?” asked Nearum pointedly.

	“Personally,” said Niccolo, “I think you look like a pirate and a vulture.”

	Nearum reacted strongly, his eyes flashed.

	“Why do you say that?” he snapped

	“Because you do,” said Niccolo, trying to get another reaction.

	But Nearum calmed and said, “Look, all I know is what the legends say.”

“That elvish adventurers trapped both a demon and an evil ruby down here.”

“Yes.”

“And you want us to smash it?”

“Yes.”

“We’ll think about it,” said Tilliana taking charge, “but we want to talk about it privately.”

“Just whatever you do, do not take it out of that room,” said the red headed man, “You will unleash great evil if you do.”

“Leave us and let us talk,” said Tilliana.

Nearum complied and exited the room.  Tilliana looked out into the corridor where he stood leaning against the wall.  

“Shoo please,” she said, “Where you can’t listen.”

He frowned but complied, walking away down the corridor and around the turn.

“I think we should take it out,” said Niccolo as soon as they were alone.

“What did the ruby say?” asked Alairic.

“It said that I needed to take it, I tried to test it by making a wish but it would not let me have the wish, it wanted me to take ahold of it first and then said it would walk me through the rest.”

“I think this man and the ruby are both trying to use us,” said Alairic, “That’s why he keeps telling us to not take it out, he wants us to. I say we should just leave.”

“If you would stop running your mouth a moment you goofy paladin,” said Niccolo, “You could then listen to...”

“I thought he was a stupid paladin,” said Kinshag.

“He has graduated to goofy,” said Niccolo, “Anyway, I was about to say that you and you,” indicating Alairic and Tilliana, “are not the only ones to have had a vision, I had one last night as well and the archon of light, Tarfagel, told me to both beware the vulture of lies and to be aware that the strength of the dragon outside was acidic.  But the vulture of lies…”

“There are two types of lies though,” interrupted Alairic, “There are outright deceptions and then there are those where you say one thing hoping to accomplish another.  He keeps telling us to takenot take it out and what he wants is for us to take it out.”

“Ahh,” said Niccolo, “You think he is trying to use reverse psychology.”

“Trying to trick us,” said Kinshag.

“There is a demon buried down here,’ said Alairic, “How do we know its not buried in the ruby

“Perhaps,” said Niccolo, “The demon’s body is in that sarcophagus and its soul is in the ruby.”

“I say we take the ruby out of the room,” said Tilliana.
Reshk was looking confused.  The poor kobold was having trouble following the conversation of the Reanaarians.  

“Are you saying there is a ruby that grants wishes?” he asked.

“Yes,” said Niccolo.

“I am totally against taking it out,” said Alairic, “But majority rules, if that’s what you all vote to do?”

Further discussion ensued as they argued back and forth whether to retrieve the ruby or leave it where it was.

Finally Tilliana asked, “What were we told to do, not unleash a demon?”

“We were told to leave the demon buried,” said Alairic.

“I say we take it,” said Kinshag, ‘and throw it in a hole where no one else can find it.”

“I say we take it out,” said Tilliana, “separate the spirit and the body of the demon.”

“We could throw it in the ocean,” said Niccolo, “Nobody would ever find it there.”

“What do you think Reshk?” asked Alairic.

“I would go for the wish,” said the kobold.  There was a selfish gleam in his eyes.

“Let’s go back to the room with the ruby,” said Alairic.

They went back down the stairs and skirting all that they believed to be a trap, they once more entered the room with the ruby.  It still lay on the table, covered with Alairic’s blankets.  

“Niccolo can pick it up,” volunteered Alairic, “He’s the strongest.”

As Niccolo obliged and wrapped the ruby in the bed-cloths, tying it shut with a string.  Meanwhile Alairic scanned the sarcophagus.  

“This is not evil at all,” said the Paladin, “Just the ruby.”  

As Niccolo finished tying the ruby into the blankets, the voice came once more into his head, “Do you want a wish?”

“No,” said Niccolo aloud.

The five companions then exited the room.  Alairic was holding the torch.  As they stepped into the corridors outside there was a soft giggle from the other end of the corridor and the patter of little feet running.  Niccolo heard it and drew out his rapier.  Alairic, seeing the half-elf draw his weapon did likewise as did the other three.  

They made their way along the corridor and back up the steps.  

“What now?’ asked Alairic.

“Well, I think there is an evil being separated here,” said the ranger, “And the greater the separation between body and soul the better.”

“I think we should go and study about this,” said Tilliana, “If that man could find out information, then we should be able to as well.”

“How long was this thing buried here?” asked Alairic, “With nobody disturbing it.”

“Maybe they built the temple around the ruby, who knows?” said Niccolo, “I say we look for the book he mentioned.”

“Where?” quipped Alairic, “where did he say he found the book? In Kalamar?  As far as I know Kalamar’s a big place.  I am not sure I want to search every village and every alley in Kalamar looking for one book.”  

Alairic was clearly unhappy that they were taking the ruby out of the temple.  

“Look,” he said, “Buried has a lot of meanings.  It can mean underground.  The rubies underground.  It should stay here.  We are to leave it buried.  Buried has so many meanings and it does not just mean in a grave.  We should explore the places underground here.”

“Let’s see whats underground then,” said Tilliana.  They headed back down the steps.  Reshk looked confused.

“I still say we drop it in that hole,” said Kinshag.

“What you mean the pit trap?” asked Alairic.

“Yeah, in that hole.”

They went to examine the pit trap.  They pushed it open and by the torch light they looked down.  It was about twenty feet deep and spiked at the bottom.  There appeared to be a pirate corpse on the spikes.  

“hmm…” said Alairic, “that’s what I thought would be down there.”

“Do you think we have already unleashed the demon?’ asked Tilliana, made nervous by the paladin’s theories.

“I don’t know,” said Alairic.

“You look nervous,” said Tilliana, “I think we are doing too much thinking. The answers probably obvious.  I want to recheck the sarcophagus and see if it is still locked.”

The sarcophagus was still locked.  It provided no further clues.

“I’m going to pray,” announced Tilliana falling to her knees, “we need guidance.”

“Naemae,” she begun, “We need to know the answer, what should we do with this ruby.”

The others fell to their knees and joined her in prayer, hoping for a solution to their dilemma.  Earnestly Tilliana prayed.  There was no voice from heaven but she felt as she finished that she had already been given the answer if she but thought on it.

They began to discuss what they had been told in visions and dreams.  

“Leave it buried,” concluded Alairic, “We were told to leave it buried.”

“Well we haven’t taken the ruby above ground yet,” said Niccolo, “so its still buried.”

“We were also told that there were other ways than the sword to defeat evil, so weapons are not necessary here were we to destroy it we would be using weapons?”

“Are you saying smash it?” asked Alairic.

“I am saying not to smash it,” said Tilliana

“I understood her,” said Niccolo.

“You would,” said Kinshag.

Reshk was starting to look bored.

Niccolo decided to talk to the ruby again.  Untying the make-shift bag a little he spoke into the depths of the blankets, “Can you grant any wish?”

“Almost any wish,” came the soft voice into his head.

“Almost any?”

“I cannot make you a god or immortal, there are limits, but almost any…”

“Can I wish for you to die?”

“I am a ruby, how can I die?”

“Well you talk don’t you?”

“Magic is a strange and wondrous thing,” said the ruby cryptically.

Alairic decided to explore the sidehalls.  They had not really paid much attention to these yet.  They each were about thrity feet long and ended in blank walls.  Along the sides were areas in which bodies had been stuffed for burial.  The bodies were mostly skeletons now, with a few rags here and there.  

“This whole area is a tomb!” said Alairic.

“The demon’s body could be anywhere then,” said Niccolo.

“I think we might want to go find that guy, Nearum and threaten him to tell us more,” said Alairic.  They milled about undecidedly for a while longer, arguing back and forth, Reshk looking like he would rather be elsewhere but not wanting to be insulting by leaving.  

Alairic decided to look closer at the skeletons.  He walked down the first side corridor looking closely at the remains.  They were stacked into the walls in piles, but they seemed to have been buried with no possessions to speak of.  Alairic got close to the end of the hall.  The wall was blank, except for five curious holes in an x pattern.

CLICK!

Alairic looked down.  He had stepped on some sort of trigger.  He tensed.  Nothing happened.  Looking a little further into the holes, Alairic saw what he thought to be spear heads.  It was a trap then.  The others behind him had heard the click too.  They realized that Alairic might be in trouble.  He described what he saw to them.  Finally he crouched down, under the sight of the holes and cautiously moved his foot.  Nothing happened.  The trap it appeared was a dud.

“But there might be other traps,” cautioned Niccolo as Alairic told them not to worry.

“Did you find anything in the skeletons?” asked Tilliana.

“Just skeletons.”

“We could leave the bedroll with the ruby stuffed up into one of the corpses,” suggested Tilliana, “It would be harder to find then.”

As the others continued the discussion, Alairic explored the rest of the area.  He carefully avoided the ends of the corridors, but there was nothing in any of them to note.  Excepting the last corridor.  It contained not a trap at the end, but the mummified corpse of an elf, standing at attention.  Examining it, Alairic saw that its head had been cut off and then sewn back on by someone.  As Alairic turned and walked back, he saw that the others had walked back to the door of the room from which they had taken the ruby.  He told them about the elf.

“Well lets go,” said Alairic.  But as he turned to leave, he saw something over the door he had not seen before.  It was a rune of some sort, written just above the lintel.  He called their attention to it.

Tilliana recognized it as a glyph of warding, a magical symbol that would go off under preset conditions.  This one appeared to be harmonized to good against evil, but she could not determine what it would do. 

Niccolo changed his mind upon learning of the Glyph.  “I say we take it into the room and bury it in a corner of the room,” said the ranger.  But even as he said this, he heard the sound of footsteps down the corridor.  The party turned but they saw no one.

“Let’s get the ruby back into the room,” said Tilliana suddenly growing nervous.

“Right,” said Niccolo who was still holding the bag as it were.

At that moment, a little creature, with bat wings, two small horns, cloven feet and wicked fangs and claws appeared at Niccolo’s side and slashed into the half-elf with one claw.  Alairic reacted first.  Charging past Kinshag, the paladin brought his sword down towards the little creature.  It moved aside quickly and he missed.  

“Oof,” said Reshk as a mace smacked into him.  The kobold had been in the rear of the group.  Nearum appeared , mace in hand, and clubbed the kobold again.  Niccolo, realizing the importance of getting the ruby back into the room, tossed it over his head at Tilliana who was nearest the door, meanwhile trying to stab the little horned creature with his rapier.  He missed with his rapier and the bound ruby fell short, landing in front of Tilliana who ran forward to retrieve it. Kinshag swung his greatsword at the little thing and he too missed the quick creature.  Alairic swung again and missed.  

Reshk meanwhile was having no luck.  He had grown furious upon being attack and reptilian veins popping, he had uttered a savage bark and swung his heavy warhammer.  He connected but Nearum shrugged it off as if the attack meant nothing.  Alairic saw this and realized that they were facing a foe who was more than he appeared.  Nearum hit Reshk again with his mace.  Niccolo stabbed at the little creature that continued to claw at him but he could not find his mark.  Kinshag  stopped, took aim and swung.  His swing was powerful and true, but it did not damage the creature as much as Kinshag thought it ought to.  Again, their foe seemed formidable indeed, despite its small size.  Reshk, calculating that he could not hurt Nearum turned and swung at the little demon creature instead.  The horned creature did not expect and attack from that direction and Reshk connected solidly.  But the creature appeared unfazed.  

“No.” said Reshk with the feeling of impending doom.  

Nearum’s mace connected with the kobolds head and Reshk fell to the floor.  Alairic swung at the mace weilding foe but Nearum moved with surprising speed and the stroke missed.  
Kinshag and Niccolo were having no luck in their battle.  They could not hit the thing as it darted around them.  Niccolo was receiving scratch after scratch and with each attack the half-elf noticed his limbs getting more and more sluggish.  Some sort of poison was creeping into his system from the creature’s claws.  
Tilliana meanwhile had run the ruby into the room it had been in originally.  She looked around frantically for a place in which to hide it.  There were no seams in the wall, no cracks in the floor.  The room had been carved out of solid rock.  There was just the table and the sarcophagus.  Finally she dumped the make-shift bag on the table and ran out to help her allies.

Alairic’s blessed sword finally connected with Nearum.  There was a blinding flash of light and the other stumbled back momentarily from the contact, but he was far from out.  With a snarl, Nearum swung his mace, connecting solidly with the side of the paladin.  There was a cracking sound.  

Tilliana took this in and then watched as Niccolo and Kinshag tried vainly to hit the little creature they were fighting.  Niccolo was looking pretty bad.  Tilliana decided her friends needed divine help and so she prayed for a blessing on their battle.  She followed this up with a prayer for ill fortune for her enemies.  Alairic, feeling the energy of Naemae flowing into him once more, again swung his sword into the other.  Another flash of light and Nearum appeared severely injured.  With a snarl, the features of the other began to change.  The face became a beak and gray feathers sprouted from the head and neck of Nearum.  As Alairic watched horrified, the mace crashed into him again with savage strength.  

“What is your problem!” shouted Niccolo wearily at the little horned creature as he stabbed it finally.  But though his aim was true, the damage from the blade seemed minimal.  The creature responded by clawing into the half elf and biting him once more.  It was more than Niccolo could stand.  As the poison seeped into his blood, his limbs froze and ashen face the half-elf collapsed unmoving to the ground, barely breathing.  Alairic swung one last time and his holy sword cleaved through the monstrosity that he now faced.  Its life seemed to swiftly leave it as it collapsed to the ground, a vile feathered abomination.  

“Take strength,” said Tilliana touching Kinshag on the shoulder.

Kinshag’s muscles rippled and he went to swing once more at the tiny creature he had been trying to hit, but it was gone.  Alairic heard footsteps run by him, the clatter of tiny cloven hooves, but though he swung, his sword connected with only air.

The fight it appeared was over.  

Niccolo looked horrible and try as they might they could not get him to move.

Tilliana tended to healing while Kinshag and Alairic examined the body.  The gray feathers appeared identical to those they had taken from various places on the mainland.  There was a sack at the creatures belt and a horn hanging around its neck.  Kinshag took the mace Nearum had used whilst Alairic dumped out the sack.  An impossible number of golden coins flowed out, along with a bedroll, several changes of clothing, a backpack, and a heavy book.  Alairic noting there were several hundred gold coins, scooped it all back up into the sack and took the horn and the sack both.  

“I can heal Niccolo I think,” said Tilliana, “but I will not be able to do so for a full day.”

They decided they could really not go much further if they were forced to carry the half-elf, especially as they remembered the green dragon waiting for them at the entrance of the lair.  They made the decision to camp in the room with the ruby.  Alairic brought the kobold’s body into the room and performed the proper rights over it.  Then they settled down to wait for another dawn.


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## Wicht (Aug 27, 2002)

I am trying a new format with spacings betwen each paragraph (as the paragraphs do not copy well from word).  I have also already gone through and reformatted some of the earlier chapters.

I am interested in whether this makes it easier to read?  Comments are welcome (on format or story).


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## Capellan (Aug 27, 2002)

> _Wicht said ..._
> I am trying a new format with spacings betwen each paragraph (as the paragraphs do not copy well from word).
> 
> I have also already gone through and reformatted some of the earlier chapters.




The new format definitely makes it easier to read.

I'm enjoying the story.  The PCs interact well and the adventure settings have been interesting.


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## Buttercup (Aug 28, 2002)

Yes, the new format does make it easier to read.

--Buttercup, eagerly awaiting the next update.


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## Ridley's Cohort (Aug 30, 2002)

Good stuff.

I had already started reading the story hour when I saw the thread on how to get heroic hinnies moving.  It was pretty amusing to see it in gory detail here after that.

<bump>


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## Ruined (Sep 1, 2002)

hah hah!  I've finally caught up to the end of this thread!  Good work Wicht, as usual. (don't I know you from some other forum?)  

A few praises:  I like the characters. They seem to get beaten down a lot, but magic healing makes the world go around. Of course I think they all need something to protect form paralysis. =)

The interaction with Goshaken, draconic daughter, was very cool. Enjoyed that a lot.

And hey, nice to see some Kalamar on the boards. You make me want to pick up a book or two, see what it's like. I definitely appreciate the spin on religion in the group, so I may have to snag that Player's Guide.

Keep up the good work!


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## Wicht (Sep 3, 2002)

Thanks all for the kind words (Ruinedone - I really need to check back in on that other forum - I have been swamped lately though and yes they do get beat up a lot don't they - I've thrown some pretty tough battles at them though.)

The game was canceled yesterday due to Labor Day but next week we should play so look for the update then.  And if I get time this week I will work on scanning the maps for dragon Isle so I can post them.


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## Wicht (Sep 10, 2002)

*Another week without a game*

Our game was canceled again this week.  Naomi, who plays Niccolo, is recovering from a surgery.  Hopefully next week we will once more be able to play. 

On the bright side, this gives me more time to plan all sorts of evil things


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## tleilaxu (Sep 10, 2002)

Hey Wicht... just got through the prologue. Looks good so far! This is just a not of encouragement..,


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## Elder-Basilisk (Sep 15, 2002)

I'm looking forward to Naomi's recovery and the next post on this story then.

Thanks for letting us all enjoy your game Wicht.


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## Wicht (Sep 17, 2002)

*Chapter 12 – Dragon Island *

	The dreams were bad.  Lying in the dark room, lit only by the soft glow of the ruby, streaming slightly out from the bedroll in which it was wrapped, each of the four companions slept fitfully.  Their dreams were filled with images of the ruby and the voice offering them any wish they desired, even friendship with the dragons of the island, if they would but smash the ruby.

	Tilliana felt the dawn coming at last and roused her companions.  After a brief moment spent meditating, she prayed over the pale and clammy half-elf.  As she prayed, some color returned to the poisoned cheeks and some small movement to the limbs.  Twice more Tilliana prayed for the half-elf to recover and at the end of her prayers, Niccolo could move more easily, though he was still sluggish and his muscles ached.  The poison was not completely out of his system.  

	As they discussed their plans for the day, the general consensus was to leave the ruby where it was.  Alairic, who had wanted to leave it alone to begin with reasoned, “The one we killed yesterday, it seems like he was just waiting for us to take it, maybe the mark over the door kept him from coming in here, but did not stop us.  So he needed us to move it out of the room.  Therefore, if we keep it in here it will be safe.”

	“I think we killed the real villain when we killed him,” said Tilliana.  The others seemed to agree.  They worked out the date in their heads and realized that they had left the villagers waiting in the ship for three days.  It was time to head back and go home.

	They traipsed out of the room, leaving the ruby on the table tied in the bedroll.

	As they approached the stairs it dawned on them that they had forgotten about the pirates they had left tied up.

	“Oops,” said Niccolo, “That would be swell, if we just left them here to starve to death.”

	The right thing to do seemed to them to take the men with them.  They passed the hall leading to the stairs and went back into the room where they had left the bodies tied.  The smell of blood was the first thing to assail them.  The sight of the ravaged bodies was next.  Something had killed the men and partially eaten them.    Niccolo, swallowing his distaste, bent to examine them.  The marks seemed to have been made by some large bird.  

	“They were probably killed by that thing you slaughtered,” said Niccolo to Alairic. 

	“There’s a lot of probablies here,” said Alairic nervously, “we need to be cautious.”  He scanned the room for evil, but could sense none.  

	“You know what,” said Tilliana, “The body wasn’t there, where Alairic had killed him, the body was gone.”

	With a start, the others realized she was right.  When they had entered the trap hallway, leaving the room with the ruby, the body had not been where they had let it lay.  Slowly, not sure what to expect, they made their way to the stairs.  There, just at the door, was the feathered body of the monster that Alairic had slain.  It’s head was missing.  Someone or something had dragged the body to the door and then had removed the head.  A trail of blood led through the door.  

	“This gets better and better,” said Niccolo, visibly spooked.  

	“Maybe we should examine the rooms down here,” said Alairic.

	The others agreed to this and they went back checking each room.  But there was no life in any of them, only the bodies of the pirates.  

	Returning to the door to the stairs, Niccolo bent to examine the headless corpse.  Something had torn or ripped the head off he decided and relayed his opinion to the others.  

	“We should burn the body,” said Alairic.

	“Why,” asked Niccolo, “It will just attract scavengers.”

	“I think it would keep them away,” said Alairic defensively, and then another thought struck him, “Hey, you remember all those other heads we found, on altars and things.”

	The others did remember, how could they have forgotten such sights.  

	“The altar upstairs,” said Niccolo.

	They moved swiftly up the strange stairs to the next door.  There was blood, they noticed, on the stairs.  Opening the door out of the stairwell they looked out.  Nothing moved in the hallway beyond.  Moving stealthily into the hallway they looked left and right.  Nothing was there, though they could hear the faint sounds of snoring.

	“Kobolds,” said Alairic, trying to guess the source of the slumbering sounds.

	“Left or Right?”

	“Right,” said Alairic leading the way to the door at the end of the hallway.  He opened it.  It led into the room in which they had killed the kobold priest.  It was currently empty.  

	“Other way,” said Niccolo and once more they followed Alairic who led by the light of their last remaining torch.  The door at the opposite end of the long hall did indeed lead into the large altar room.  They made their way past the stone benches and looked at the altar.  It was just as they had left it.  There was no head.  

	It was then that Alairic noticed the gleam of gold to their right.  Up in the alcove above the floor, where the winged lizards had been, there was now gold.  Alairic could just see it.  He drew his companions attention to it.  After a very brief discussion, Kinshag was scaling the wall, seeking out handholds and working his way up to the alcove. Shortly he was within.

	“Gold,” he called back, “There are thousands of gold pieces up here, and gems as well.”

	“See if they will fit in here,” said Alairic and tossed up the bag he had just acquired, the one that seemed to hold so much.  Kinshag swiftly swept it all into the bag.  It did indeed fit.

	“I knew it,” said Alairic with a grin, “a bag of holding.”  He had heard tales of such bags.

	“There are reptilian tracks down here,” said Niccolo examining the floor, “Large reptilian tracks.”  Images of the great dragon filled their minds but they soon realized the tracks were too small for that.

	“The daughter,” was Niccolo’s conclusion, “but I don’t want to meet up with her again either.”

	Filled suddenly with a sense of urgency, they swept out of the temple, emerging at last into the bright sun of morning.  They saw no-one and nothing around and so moved quickly southwards through the woods towards the cliff and the ledge.  It was not actually that far and they made good time.  As they reached the cliff, they heard a scream in the distance.  It was a high wail coming from the direction in which they had just come. Alairic’s and Tilliana’s first impulse was to go back and see who needed help, but as a second scream sounded in the distance, they could hear the anger in it and realized it was no one in need of help.  As swiftly as they could, they lowered the lift to the ground and raced into the woods, southwards towards the beach.

	The sight that met their eyes when they finally reached the beach some minutes later was not the one they expected.  The ship was no longer in the water.  It had been dragged a hundred yards onto shore, up to the line of the trees.  The masts had been snapped and there was a ragged hole in the hull.  As they stared dumbfounded at the beached ship, eyes began looking out fearfully from within the ship.  

	“Its them,” said a voice and soon a crowd of villagers was exiting the bowels of the ship to greet the heroes.  

	“What happened,” said Niccolo.

	“It was the dragon,” said Tiolo, moving through the crowd, “He came the night after you left and pulled the ship ashore.  He told us that he would keep his word even if others could not keep theirs and took two of us.  We could do nothing to stop him.  And he has done the same thing each evening, he has taken six total since you left.”

	“How are we going to get home!” wailed a woman.

	The companions wondered the same thing.  Hope seemed to have fled.

	“Well, lets go fight the dragon,” said Tilliana stoutly, “the young one.”

	“What!” said Alairic.  

“Maybe we can get her to get her father to free us,” said Tilliana, “or allow us to hitch a ride.”  Alairic shook his head doubtfully.

“Maybe we could get Niccolo to swim and pull the ship in his teeth,” said Alairic.  Niccolo shot the paladin a look.  Tilliana observed Niccolo’s slowed condition and decided that maybe they weren’t quite up to fighting the small dragon.  

“Maybe we have to make a wish after all,” observed Niccolo.

Tilliana’s brain was racing however and as she recalled her dream from a few nights before she scrambled through her belongings until she found the white feather she had taken off of the dead pirate captain.  The words of the song from the dream came back to her.

_“When you stand upon the sand,
with a feather in your hand,
say oldama…”_

	Holding the feather in her hand she stood uncertainly, looking at the beach, wondering where she should stand.  Should she stand by the destroyed boat or by the water’s edge.  She stood there for several minutes, unmindful of the others trying to calm the villagers.  Alairic was speaking to them in small groups and individually, trying to encourage them.  Finally he noticed Tilliana.  Going to where she was standing Alairic saw her holding the white feather.  

	“Need help?” he asked.

	Swiftly Tilliana explained her dream to Alairic and as she did so, she made up her mind.  Striding towards the water, she stopped just at the edge.  Then, holding the feather aloft, she strode purposefully into the ocean water and said, “Oldama.”

	The feather flew from her hand, and landing on the water, transformed in a blinding flash of white light into a white boat, shaped like a swan.  Within the boat, there appeared to be enough room for all.

	“That’s pretty,” said Niccolo.

	“It’s a miracle,” whispered some of the villagers in awe.

	“Praise Naemae!” said Tilliana, turning to the small crowd, “Now get in the boat.”  

	Each one clambered into the boat, Tilliana last of all.  As she got in, she was aware, though she did not know how, that the boat would move at her direction.  Getting her bearing she tried to decide which way to go.

	“Which way is southwest?” Tilliana asked Niccolo.  Niccolo took his bearing and pointed.

	“That’s the way we go then,” said Tilliana.  And soon the swan boat was gliding through the ocean water.

	As they left the island behind, they caught a glimpse of a small green draconic figure gliding over the tree tops, but soon the island was behind them, dwindling in the distance.


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## Wicht (Sep 17, 2002)

*Chapter 13 Xaarum *

	They sighted land in the early hours of the morning and beached the swan boat in the sand of a small, but hospitable bay.  One of the villagers recognized the location.  

	“We are only a few miles from home,” he said, and then realizing his home had been destroyed, “Or what is left of it.”

	“How far from Taesoo?” asked Alairic.

	“About six miles,” said the man.  With little to do during the trip but rest, most of the villagers felt awake enough to make the journey.

	The sun was just starting to clear the horizon when the group tracked into Taesoo.  News spread quickly, and soon the whole village was awake and celebrating the return of their friends and family.  The whole village that is, except for the mayor, who rumor had it, rarely got out of bed until three hours or so into the day.  Alairic, deciding the mayor should be notified, led the way to his house.  He was indeed asleep, but soon the noise drew him out and as the situation was explained to him, he declared the day a town holiday.  Everyone cheered and clapped.

	“I want to think you,” the mayor said to Alairic, Tilliana and Niccolo, “These are people we thought to never see again.  At least we know they have their lives, though of course, their houses have been destroyed and they have absolutely no money now.”

	“Do they have any talents?” asked Tilliana.

	“They are mostly just simple fishermen and the wives of fishermen,” said the mayor, his eyes darting craftily up, “If only they had something to fall back on, someone to help them.”

	The three talked it over, including Kinshag in the discussion as he had earned a portion of the gold, and decided to help each individual.  Taking the gold they had taken from the pirates, the feathered creature and, apparently, the young dragoness, they counted out 50 gold pieces to each of the villagers they had rescued.  If there had been any doubt of the status of the four before, there was no doubt afterwards.  In the eyes of all, they were heroes.  The mayor smiled heartily and promised to spread the word far and wide of what they had done.

	Later, after the festivities had died down a little, the four heroes took their leave of the village and made their way back to where they had left the swan boat.  It was gone.  

	“It must have vanished as it appeared.”

	“Is the feather there?” asked Niccolo.  They looked for it but saw no trace of it.  

	“It must have been a one time only thing,” said the Paladin.

	Taking stock of their situation, they decided to go back to Xaarum and report to Deochoo.  Having money to spend, Kinshag decided to accompany them.

	It was getting close to evening when they walked through the city gates.  Several, recognizing Niccolo, Alairic and Tilliana, hollered greetings.  

	One in particular stopped to talk to Tilliana.  It was Rouna, her childhood friend, and now priestess in the Home Foundation.  As usual, she was surrounded by a flock of children she was watching

	“Hi Tilliana!  Good to see you back safely.  I missed you.”

	“Hi,” said Tilliana, “How are your children?”

	“Oh the girl is as healthy as ever and eight more months still, more or less, till I get to see the other one!”

	“That’s great!”

	“Hey, have you heard, oh but you wouldn’t have, Xaarum’s not been safe here lately, there have been three murders over the past three nights.  Horrible things!  The bodies have been hacked to pieces and whoever did it wrote in blood on the walls ‘For the children.’  Can you imagine?  Who would do that for children?”

	“I’ll say,” said Niccolo.

	“Anyway, be careful,” said Rouna with a smile, “And come see me when you get a chance, I want to hear what you have been up to.”

	“I will,” said Tilliana.

	They made their way finally to their destination and entered in through the walls of the Citadel of Truth.  Deochoo saw them readily in his office and heard their account.  

	“We will talk more about this later,” he said, “But you have done good.”

	That night they rested in the Citadel, on comfortable beds.

	The next day the four companions set about to examine and split up the treasure they had taken.  A spell from Tilliana revealed that not only was Alairic’s sword and new-found bag magical, but so was the ring taken from the Pirate Captain and the mace Kinshag had taken from the feathered creature.  Many of the coins were not from Xaarum and were therefore illegal to use in the city.  There was also the matter of 11 gems.  They visited several merchants to get fair prices for the gems and then visited the money changers to exchange the foreign coins for Xaarum minted pieces.  When all was said and done each of the four had a share worth 1535 gold pieces, a respectable amount of money.  The money split, they took their leave of each other.  Tilliana desired to speak to Deochoo, as did Alairic, and Niccolo and Kinshag were interested in buying new arms and armor.  

	Deochoo was apparently expecting some sort of conversation and saw Tilliana in private first.  Tilliana, it appeared, was ready to be tested for advancement.  Speaking with her, Deochoo saw that indeed she was ready for greater duties and promised to promote her.  There was, it appeared, to be a feast for them that evening, in their honor.  The announcement would be made then.  

	“And now dear,” said Deochoo, “You must give thought to where you want to go.  There are a number of possibilities.  You may take either a fixed position or you may choose to undertake your quest of seeking, which will take you away from our company for four years.”

	“What positions are open?” asked Tilliana.

	“Well, there are two in the main, both of which you might be interested in.  The first is of course Giovan’s former shrines.  There is little doubt now that he is dead.  You may work between Foorun and Taesoo if you choose, tending to the needs and safety of those villages.  Or there is also currently a need for a servant in an area you are familiar with, Your father’s old territory.  It too is under my current jurisdiction and is in need of someone to tend to its needs.  There is also with that area another job the church wants done.  We have no temple in Geanuvue and that is not good.  But the city there is resistant to the faith and it has been deemed that the best way to establish a temple in the city is first to gain the trust and following of a large number in the area north of the city.”

	From Tilliana’s expression, it was apparent that this last option appealed to her the most.  To work where her father had worked.  

	“Do not decide hastily,” said Deochoo, “it is a big decision.  You can let me know what you decide tonight.”

	“I will,” said Tilliana, and she took her leave of the old priest.

	Alairic, who went into Deochoo’s office as soon as Tilliana exited was also expected by the venerable priest.  Alairic, fumbling with his words, made it known that  also desired promotion, if possible, feeling that having completed his quest for the Swift Sword, he had shown some ability to handle responsibility.  Deochoo, with a smile, agreed to this as well and, just as he had promised Tilliana, so too he now promised to Alairic to make the announcement that evening.


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## Wicht (Sep 23, 2002)

*Letters*

_Daeloo, a doting mother 
To Alairic, noble priest of the powerful Naemae,

Words fail to convey how proud I was to hear of your acceptance as one of the Servants of the Swift Sword.  Having received your letter, I read it to all and sundry, until all were tired of hearing it again, all except for your father of course who is just as proud of your accomplishments as I am.  

Your brother Dalair conspiring with your father continues to plan on scraping together enough money to buy your sisters’ freedom but a recent shipwreck has set those plans back.  (You will be glad to hear that Dalair was unhurt, but all was lost when the ship went under the bay.)  Dalair was despondent over it but has since signed on to a new ship, The White Tide, as a mate and claims that he will soon be a wealthy man.  I don’t know how much of that is bluster, but Dalair assured me last night the Captain promises a profitable venture and Dalair hopes to recoup all that he lost in this one voyage.  The ship leaves in the morning for Loona and ports north.  We are lucky parents to have such talented sons.  Your other two brothers of course continue to help your father around the place, and they are both starting to become very competent butlers.  

I pray to the Traveler success for his venture.  Unfortunately, Master Deisley has recently become very ill and the mistress is taking it hard.  I am sorry to say, but she has broken up our family, something Master Deisley promised never to do.  But he is scarcely out of his bed anymore.  Your sister, Froidala, broke one of Mistress Deisley’s favorite vases while cleaning and the mistress had her sold.  A Kalamaran merchant bought her and took her away with a host of other girls.  I am fearful of her fate.  Please keep Froidala in you prayers.  I am sure such a thing would not have happened if Master Deisley still had his strength and I am fearful of what might happen if his illness proves to be final and no funds are available to fulfill the goals of your father.  He estimates that for all of us to be freed at once, it will take almost 1000 in gold.  Such a sum seems beyond hope to us presently.   Dalair had saved almost enough to purchase freedom for one of your sisters, but again, alas, that gold is gone.  We shall see though how Dalair’s present journey prospers him.

In the meantime, we shall continue as we have always continued.  With any luck, my next letter to you shall be more positive.  
_


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## Ruined (Sep 24, 2002)

Nothing like a nice letter from the parents to stress you out.


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## Buttercup (Sep 24, 2002)

Well, there goes Alaric's cash.


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## Wicht (Sep 24, 2002)

*Chapter 14 - Xaarum *

	It was still raining when Tilliana was awakened by her mother.  The rain, which had threatened the day before, had begun during the night and had yet to let up.  

	“Get up! Get up!” said Zailoo, grabbing her daughter’s clothes and armor and placing them on the bed.  “There’s been another murder.”

	“Another murder?” murmured Tilliana, struggling to awaken.  As Deochoo had promised, there had been a feast the night before in honor of the four heroes.  The meal had been very large and Deochoo’s praise had been heavy.  He had not only promoted Alairic and dressed him in the blue robes of a defender, but he had also made it clear to all that Tilliana was soon to be leaving for a great position of responsibility.  The evening had been exhausting in its own way.

	“Rouna’s husband, Goetai.  I just heard.  I thought you should go and make sure she’s alright, poor girl. Hurry now,” urged Zailoo as she begun to hunt for clean socks.  

	“Rouna’s husband?” said Tilliana, sitting up.

	It did not take long for Tilliana to be out the door and making the trek through the rain from the Citadel of Truth to the Great Hearth, the temple of the Home Foundation, on the other side of Xaarum.  The day before, Tilliana had heard of a fourth murder.  Indeed, everyone in Xaarum had heard of the fourth murder.  A gnome, a toymaker by trade, had been brutally murdered in his bed, and over the bed, on the wall, in his own blood, had been written, “For the children.”  The fourth such murder in as many days could not help but draw the attention of the city.  All the shopkeepers had been full of the news as she and Niccolo and Alairic had spent the day shopping.  

	But now it appeared, there had been a fifth murder, someone Tilliana had known.  Rouna and Tilliana had been childhood friends, though as they each progressed in the training of their respective religions, they had grown further apart.  Tilliana had not known Goetai very well, but she had been at his wedding due to her friendship with his wife.  And now he was dead.

	Tilliana found Rouna standing in the rain outside her house, cradling her daughter in her arms.  Inside the house, all was illuminated as watchmen searched the house for any leads in the predawn darkness.  Rouna and Goetai had lived in a house only a few hundred yards from the Great Hearth.

	“Rouna,” said Tilliana drawing close to her friend.

	“Tilliana, thank you for coming,” said Rouna and it was clear, even in the dim light and the rain that she had been heavily crying.  

	“What happened?” asked Tilliana.

	“It was awful!  I came home from service in the Great Hearth and found Reona all alone, Goetai was… was…” Rouna could not finish the sentence as tears once more overcame her.

	Tilliana, not really used to such demonstrations felt awkward and it took her some time to get the story from Rouna.  She had come home from a late shift in the temple to find her husband murdered and her young daughter upstairs alone, screaming her lungs out.  

	Another figure exited the house.  Tilliana recognized her by sight as Mother Roalee, the priestess in charge of the Great Hearth and the Home Foundation in Xaarum.  

	“Hello Tilliana,” said Roalee, who almost never forgot a name, “It s terrible, I came over as soon as I heard.  I had fully intended to call upon the Holy Mother to restore good Brother Goetai to us but then alas, I find that the monster responsible for these crimes has made it a habit to take the victims heart.  Without the full body I can do nothing.”

	“Oh Tilliana,” sobbed Rouna, “Can you help us, help us find his heart and the one who did this.”

	Tilliana her mind awhirl, hesitated for a moment, but the sight of her sorrowful friend resolved her.

	“Sure, I will help.”

	“Excellent,” said Roalee, “Come with me, I will introduce you to the watchman in charge of the investigation, I am sure he will be glad for any help, the poor man is at such a loss over these and we have been able to give him no leads.”

	The watchman was glad for any help.  He had in fact already heard of the rescue of the coastal villagers from dragon isle and was thus doubly eager to have Tilliana volunteer to help search for the culprit.

	“What we really need is a good tracker,” he lamented to Tilliana as he showed to her the front room of the house in which the grisly body of Goetai lay in pieces. 

	“A tracker,” said Tilliana, “I think I can get you one of those, I will be back shortly.”

	It was about thirty minutes later that she returned with Niccolo and Alairic in tow and the sun was just breaking the horizon.  Niccolo had agreed to come readily.  Alairic had been a little harder to awaken, as he had feasted very strongly the night before, but once up he too had been agreeable to the idea of helping the watch. 

	Rouna had been taken to the warmth and comfort of the great hearth by Mother Roalee when the three arrived.  But the three watchmen were still in the house.  Tilliana and Alairic went to ask the guardsmen questions while Niccolo started looking around for anything that might be a clue.

	Goetai had been killed in the front room of the house, but the watchman in charge made it clear that he thought the killer had entered through the back door.  It had been open when Rouna had arrived home to find the body.  On the wall by the door of the front room, written in blood were the words, “For the Children.”  The body itself was in pieces, scattered about the room.  One of the watchmen had the unfortunate tasks of placing the body into a bag for transfer to the Great Hearth.  

	Alairic, as suspicious as ever, immediatelly wanted to know why Rouna was not home at the time of the murder.  

	“Where was she?  Why wasn’t she home?” he asked the watchman.

	“She had a late shift at the temple, Goetai was home watching the kid and sleeping.”

	“There’s footprints from the murderer here,” said Alairic, pointing out the bloodstained footprint going from the middle of the front room towards the front door.

	“We saw those,” said the watchman, “But after all this rain, it will be impossible to follow them.”

	“I want to try,” said Niccolo, “but first I’ll take a look at that back door.”

	“How long has Goetai been dead?” asked Tilliana

	“We know he was killed sometime last night, between midnight and about four hours after midnight.”

	“Is there any connection between him and the other four victims?”

	“That’s the thing, we can’t make out any real connection at all, except they were all killed in the same way, hacked to pieces and their heart taken from them.”

	Niccolo returned from examining the back door.  As the watchman who had taken him back there had said, it had not apparently been forced.  

	“Who were the victims?” asked Alairic.

	“The first was a shopkeeper named Finn.  He had a large family, lived over the shop.  He was killed while his wife was at her sisters.  She came back in the morning and found his body in the bed.”

	“What kind of shop?”

	“A general shop.  Nothing exotic.  He was well liked by all his neighbors.  The second victim though was a beggar named Amoot.  Also well liked, but with no family.  He lived in a little basement apartment.  He used to give candy to the children in the marketplace when he was begging for alms.  The third victim was an actual officer of the watch.  Also no family.  No children and no connection to any children.  And then yesterday it was a Gnome toymaker named Grongo.  He lived alone except for his housekeeper and an apprentice.  He too was killed in bed.  And then Goetai last night.”

	“There must be some connection,” said Alairic, his brain working feverishly trying to see one.

	“They are all males,” said Niccolo helpfully.

	“And they were all missing their hearts,” said Alairic, thinking aloud, 

	“And they were all hacked into pieces and each one had the same message written on the wall,” put in the watchman, “If you want I can give you the addresses of the other four victims and you can check out their places.  I am not too proud to say you might be able to turn up something I couldn’t.  To be honest, I am stumped.”

	“Let’s see where these tracks go,” said Niccolo.

	Niccolo was able to follow the tracks from the house for about a block and a half.  They led towards the river and over the east bridge going towards the southern half of Xaarum.  But the rain and the other street traffic made it impossible to follow them further.

	“If you find out anything, anything at all, let me know,” said the watchman who had followed them from the house.”

	“We will,” they replied.  

	“Let’s check out these addresses,” said Alairic

	The first victim had maintained his shop near the northern end of the west bridge and they found it easily enough.  He and his family had lived in a set of rooms over the shop, rooms reached via a set of stairs on the west side of the building.  As the shop itself was unlit and locked, the three made their way up the stairs.  

	“The doors unlocked,” said Niccolo, opening it.  There was a woman inside the room, packing things into a chest.  She saw the three of them standing at her door in the early dawn light and began screaming.

	“Aaagh.  Murderers and Thieves! Call the Watch!  Aaagh!!!”

	“Uh, we are from the watch,” said Niccolo, stepping forward, “We were here to ask you some questions.”

	“Guess we should have knocked,” said Alairic quietly.

	“Oh,” said the woman, calming down when she saw the robes that Alairic and Tilliana wore,  “You gave me such a start, I thought it was the murderer come back to do me in.”

	“Sorry about that,” said Niccolo, “We are trying to help the watch.”

	Inquiries by the trio revealed that the woman was the wife of the deceased, they had seven children, ages 15 to 2, and that the children were with her mother, which was where she was planning on moving.

	“A merchant from Zoa is buying the store,” said the woman, “And such a relief it is too.”

	“What is his name?” asked Tilliana.

	“His name?  Zoot I believe.  He wants to settle down he says and get away from the hustle of Zoa.”

	“Did your husband belong to any orginizations?” asked 
Tilliana

	“Well, he was a member in good standing with the merchants guild?”

	“Any religion?” asked Niccolo

	“We worship at the Great Hearth mostly.  What with all our children, they consider us especially blessed and have always taken good care of us, Mother Roalee has.”

	An examination of the bedroom revealed that there were marks on the windowsill from where the window had been forced open from the outside.  Looking out the window they saw it was a sheer drop to the ground, about 12 to 15 feet.  A skilled climber could have made the ascent, but scarcely anyone else.  The rest of the room had already been scrubbed and thoroughly cleaned and no further clues were forthcoming

	Before they left, Tilliana gave the woman a gift of 25 gold coins to help with her time of difficulty.

	“Bless you,” said the woman gratefully.

	The basement apartment of Amoot the beggar likewise yielded few clues.  The small windowless room contained a bed, a fireplace and a large bloodstain on the floor.  Above the bed were written, in dried blood, “For the Children.” The only other thing in the room was an old table with a jar full of candy on it.  Otherwise the room was currently empty.  

	They asked around the neighborhood and found out that Amoot was well liked and though he was poor, he had always been very generous to anyone in need.  Talking to the Landlord, Tilliana found out that it was he who had found the body.  He had gone to check on Amoot, when he did not see him leave for the marketplace at his normal time.   He had feared the old beggar had been ill.  Tilliana also found out that the old man had had no family and had not been particularly religious.

	It was after noon by the time they had finished making inquiries about the third victim, Kaliou the watchman.  His room had already been thoroughly cleaned out but they managed to find out something about the man from his neighbors.  One neighbor in particular, a man named Harmin Wainwright, claimed to have been a close friend of Kaliou’s and was very helpful.  Kaliou had had no children, had when the mood took him, been a worshiper in the Citadel of Truth and had little social life.

	“He spent all his time working, even when he was off duty, he would follow private investigations, almost as a hobby.”

	“What was he working on before he died?” asked Tilliana

	“His main thing at the moment,” said Harmin, “was the deaths of the merchants in their sleep.  There’s been about a dozen deaths over the last ten months, guys just dying in their sleep for no real reason.  Kaliou thought there was something suspicious about it and had been doing some digging.”

	“So he might have been killed for investigating these other murders,” mused Alairic.

	“Well, except they weren’t necessarily murders.  There was no proof of poison or anything like that.  They just died is all.”

	“And these deaths are completely different,” said Niccolo, “These have been hacked apart.”

	The fourth victim, the toymaker, has also been killed in a second floor room.  He had been killed in his sleep.  Questioning the apprentice and the housekeeper failed to turn up any clues.  The gnome had been worshiped at the Great Hearth, but also at the shrine in the Fautee Forest.  He had no family and nothing to connect him to the others except he had, like the shopkeeper, been a member of the merchant’s guild.

	“Maybe,” said Alairic, as they walked the muddy streets of Xaarum, “maybe we are looking at this children bit all wrong.  Maybe its not for the children generally…”

	“Meaning that it refers to someone’s children specifically,” said Tilliana.

	“Let’s see what we have,” said Alairic, “The shopkeepers children were 2 to 15 in age, the beggar had no children, the toymaker… I wonder what the age is for playing with toys?”

	“We have two that belonged to the Great Hearth, three with Goetai, and one that worshiped at the Citadel,” said Niccolo.

	“Two of them belonged to the merchant’s guild.”

	“I think that the one was killed for investigating the merchants,” said Tilliana.

	“We don’t know that,” protested Alairic.

	“It’s just a feeling.”

	They argued it out a little longer and then Alairic’s stomach decided it was time to get something to eat.  They had been going since before dawn and they had not eaten all day.  It was getting close to the fourth hour of the afternoon.  They returned to the Citadel of Truth where Tilliana’s mother prepared them a meal.

	As they ate they discussed the problem.  Niccolo decided that the thing to do was spread a rumor around Xaarum stating that they had information that would lead to the arrest of the culprit and that they would reveal it the next day.  Alairic thought the merchant’s guild ought to be investigated and Tilliana decided to consult with Deochoo and see if he would seek divine guidance on their behalf.  Thus, after they were done eating they went their separate ways.

	  Niccolo tried valiantly to spread the rumor but even he could tell he was meeting with little success.  Alairic had slightly more luck.  Asking around the merchants guild revealed little until the subject turned to Kaliou, the dead watchman.  The members of the guild remembered him well.  Kaliou had confided to a few of them that he felt certain the dead merchants were being somehow poisoned, but he could not find out how.

	Tilliana, however, probably had the most success of all.  Deochoo readily agreed to cast a divination for her and after much prayer received an answer.  The killer was “a maddened griffin, twisted by death’s servant, seeking to protect the children.”  Deochoo understood the message no better than Tilliana, but at least it was something to go on.  

	The three companions were awakened the next morning by a member of the watch who had been asked to fetch them.

	“There’s been another killing,” he explained breathlessly as they hurried out of the gate of the Citadel, “A halfling woman, a widow.”

	They arrived soon at the house, situated on the southern side of Xaarum.  Inside the watchman who they had spoken to the day before greeted them.  As they went into the house, they all noticed the woman’s many valuable possessions.

	“Apparently it was not a robbery,” observed Niccolo.

	She too had been killed in her bedroom.  The blood was still fresh and a copper tang filled the air.  Again, the words, “For the Children,” had been written in blood over the bed.

	“Good thing we haven’t had breakfast yet,” said Niccolo wryly.  

	There were bootprints in the blood and they led to the window.  The three went downstairs and out of the house, around to the area underneath the window.  Niccolo examined the ground carefully.  The tracks, thanks to the rain of the previous day, were easy enough to read in the mud.  A man had jumped from the window, landing below.  He had then walked off to the street.  Eager to have such a fresh and easy trail, Niccolo sped off after the tracks.  The other two followed behind.  A member of the watch went with them.

	He followed the tracks along the street for about two blocks and then as they went off the street, between two buildings he lost them.  Niccolo and the other three searched the area closely but could turn up no clues.  

	“This is frustrating,” said Niccolo.

	“Let’s ask around,” said Alairic, “Maybe someone around here knows something.”

	Going door to door they asked questions, at first turning up nothing.  And then by a stroke of luck, the word Griffin at the right door turned up the fact that there was a man named Griffin who lived in the neighborhood.

	“Griffin One-handed,” said the woman they were talking to, “Strange fellow, big scar on his face, dark hair, you can’t miss him.  He lives in a basement apartment just around the corner over there.”

	Armed with this new knowledge the renewed their questioning of the neighbors, learning that Griffin One-handed was not well liked, most thought him fairly strange.

	“He never smiles,” explained one man, “I don’t think I ever saw him smile.”

	Griffin it turned out was a tax-collector who mostly kept to himself.  He only ever had a few visitors.

	They went to pay Griffin a visit.  He lived in the basement of a two story house.  A family of Gnomes lived over his apartment and the owner of the building lived on the third floor with his family.

	Going down the steps to the basement door, Alairic knocked.

	“Who is it?” came the voice of a man through the thick door.

	“Servants of the Swift Sword,” said Niccolo loudly.

	“What do you want?”

	“We are here for your Taxes,” said Niccolo.

	“That’s a good one, pull the other one!”

	“What?” said Alairic quietly, puzzled by the reply.

	“We want to talk to you about some murders,” hollered Niccolo.

	There was a moment of silence followed by the sound of a bolt being thrown shut.  The man on the other side had just locked the door on them.

	“Now what?” asked Alairic, “We can’t just barge in there, that would be against the law.”

	Inside they heard the sound of a metal door of some sort being banged open and the rustling of paper.  

	“We ought to get the watch,” said Alairic.

	“I will go get them,” said Niccolo taking off up the stairs quickly.

	The metal door could be heard slamming shut and then they heard the sound of another door being slammed shut.

	“The landlord,” said Tilliana, “he can let us in.” Then she noticed the door was barred not locked.

	“He can give us permission to break this one down,” said Alairic.

	Tilliana ran up to get the man and soon returned with him in tow.  She was explaining the situation to him as they hurried towards the door.

	The man appeared exasperated as he saw them standing there, “Why didn’t you just break down the door,” he said.

	Alairic rolled his eyes.  

Together he and Tilliana rammed their shoulders into the door.  The door burst open for them and Tillian barreled into the room beyond.  

It was sparsely furnished.  There was a table and a chair and in the middle of the room an iron stove of dwarf design.  Hanging on the walls were weapons of every sort, including some very exotic weapons.  Across the room was another door, a stout wooden door.

Tilliana rushed to the stove and opened the metal door on its side.  Inside papers were burning.  Looking carefully inside, she thrust her hand in and pulled out one of the papers.  It was only half burnt.  She looked back in.  The rest seemed unsalvageable.  She opened up the paper and read.

_	And then I saw the wretched priest take his son, tie him down and beat him till blood flowed from the poor boy’s back.  Truly it was horrible to watch, but what could I do, I had yet to collect his taxes.  The neighborhood children tell me it is not true, but that is only because he made them lie lest he lose his position in the temple.  Their denials only make the case that much stronger.  Surely each of them has felt the sting of his whip at one time or another!
	Dispatching the vile offender can only be a blessing to his child and his child to be.  If this is how he treats other’s children, what must his own be suffering in silence.
*				-T*_

	So engrossed was Tilliana in this fragment of a letter that she scarcely noticed the crossbow bolt that flew out of a small opening on the inward door of the room.  The bolt flew across the room, narrowly missing Alairic.  It landed with a thud in the wall.  Reacting quickly Alairic ducked and rolled towards the door.  He crouched below the murder hole in the door, out of sight and therefore out of harms way.  The owner of the building, seeing the bolt quivering in the wall near him, ducked outside.

	There was the sound of a crossbow being loaded and then another bolt flew out, missing Tilliana, who was still reading.

	“Cease and desist!” yelled Alairic.

	“You will never take me alive you child abusers!” came the reply.

	Alairic was confused.  “I think you have the wrong people.  We are no child abusers.”

	“I know what goes on in those temples!”

	“I think you have the wrong idea,” said Alairic puzzled.  Tilliana, put away the letter and took in the situation.

	There was the sound of another bolt being loaded.  With a shout Tilliana charged at the door, sword out and shoulder lowered.  A bolt flew out of the murder-hole.  It struck Tilliana, burying itself in her side.  Without stopping, Tilliana crashed into the door, ripping it from its hinges.  

	Alairic, his sword out, rushed into the room beyond after Tilliana.  The room was dark, lit only with a single candle, but Alairic could still make out the figure of the man on the other side of Tilliana.

	Spinning around and past Tilliana, Alairic cried out, “I smite you evil-doer!”  his sword just caught the man.  There was a blinding flash of light that illuminated the whole room and the other stumbled back, severely wounded.  With a snarl, the man pulled savagely on a rope which hung from the ceiling.  There was a creak and then the ceiling above crashed down towards Alairic and Tilliana.  Tilliana tried to duck out of the way and strike at the man at the same time, but a falling piece of wood struck her head and shoulder and her aim was thrown off.  Alairic however fared better and rolling out of the way of the falling ceiling, he swung again, cleaving another hole in their attacker.  With a gurgle the man collapsed to the ground, dying.

	Niccolo chose that moment to rush into the building, followed by two watchmen.

	“You missed it,” said Alairic with a grin.

	Niccolo, realizing that Griffin One-hand was not dead, rushed to administer first aid.  “Perhaps he can talk,” he explained.

	The others looked around the room.  The two windows in the room had been painted black.  Next to the door, six objects had been nailed to the wall.  Looking at them, they realized they were human hearts.

	“I don’t think there’s any doubt but this is our man,” said one of the watchmen, “There’s six hearts and if that ain’t evidence I don’t know what is.”

	Above, two gnomes looked down through the hole in their floor at the strange scene.

	Meanwhile Tilliana was starting to feel pain.  Her muscles were sore and she was having some trouble moving.  It appeared that the bolt that had hit her had been poisoned.  

Examining the still unconscious Griffin, they turned up a vial of something that did indeed appear to be poison.  He also had a quality dagger, made all the more striking by the pink pearl in the hilt.  

	“You can keep that,” said one of the watchmen generously as he helped Griffin to his feet.  He was barely conscious and it did not look like he was up to speaking.	

“We’ll take him to holding and you all can come and question him at your leisure when he has a bit more strength.  You done good here.  Go ahead and look around if you want while we haul him off.  There might be something here.”

As the guards hauled Griffin away, Tilliana handed the fragment of paper to the other two to read.

“He was a nut,” was Alairic’s conclusion.

“He didn’t write the letter,” said Tilliana, “It was signed with a T, not a G.”

“Who did write it then?”

“Another tax-collector,” said Tilliana.

Looking around, they discovered a chest under the bed.  Niccolo split it open with his great-ax, revealing about 300 gold coins.  They took the gold coins and some of the weapons off of the wall.  They also, not being able to tell which heart was which, took all six hearts with them.

Roalee was able to use divine spells to ascertain the right heart and once she knew this, Goetai was raised from the dead.  It was a rare event in Xaarum and the whole city rejoiced at the success of the three heroes in bringing Griffin to justice.

Unfortunately they were unable to question Griffin.  He never made it to a cell.  A drunken man had bumped into the watchmen escorting Griffin to jail.  In the ensuing mishap, possibly thanks to the mud, the drunk, Griffin, and one of the watchmen had fallen to the ground.  By the time the watchmen realized they could not get Griffin to stand because he was good and dead, it was too late, the drunk had disappeared.  

Tilliana, Niccolo and Alairic decided to split the 300 gold coins they had found in Griffins room among the families of the bereaved.  Kaliou had no family and so they gave the 50 gold pieces to the watchman’s guild in his honor.  Likewise Amoot the beggar had no family.  They finally decided to buy 50 gold pieces worth of candy and distribute it to all the children of Xaarum in his honor.  Many kids, as a result, developed tummy-aches, but there was no doubt that for a moment anyhow, the three companions were heroes of all.


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## Wicht (Oct 8, 2002)

*Letters*

_  Letters
Zailoo, 
To Tilliana, Defender of the Swift Sword

I am very proud of you and I know your father would be as well.  Before your father left, he entrusted me with this amulet and now, knowing where you are heading, I entrust it to you as well.  It is originally a key, but I have always felt it was something of a good luck charm as well.  Wear it with you and I will feel safer.
I never told you a lot about the area in which you were born.  It brought back to many painful memories.  I do not know how much you remember of the area.  It was near a stream among a series of small hills.  There was an old cemetery and nearby a cavern that led to foul underground tunnels.  If you head north from Geanavue you should find it nestled in the foothills.
Your father and his companions spent many years clearing the area in those parts of foul monsters and undead horrors.  The cemetery was originally a part of an older, evil temple and it was upon the ruins of that temple that your father had a temple to Naemae built.  He dreamt of establishing a more permanent settlement in what was a lawless area.  So safe did he and his friends make and maintain the area that there were two villages built within a mile of his outpost temple, entirely because of his efforts. My family had moved into the area from Geanavue and you know you still have two aunts and an uncle in or around the city there.  They might be happy to see you if you get the chance to visit.  I met your father soon after and we were married and your brother and you were born.  You know all that already.  
What I have not told you, is that part of the reason we left was that without your father to offer protection, the temple he had built was not safe.  Undead soon appeared again in the cemetery and monsters once more came to the cavern east of the temple.  I fled first to the village where my family lived but it was not safe there and the evil grew.  That is why I came here.  My own father died trying to protect us from goblins and the villages were forced to disband and move southward where the Fists of Geanavue could offer more protection.  
If you find the temple your father built, chances are it is no longer a holy place.  But seek the crypt that lies below and there you will find a lock.  I will say no more for I know that you will find a bit of a mystery more intriguing.  I will offer many prayers for your safety but you do your part and use your head.
_


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## Wicht (Oct 8, 2002)

*Chapter 15 - Xaarum*

	Alairic woke with a start.  He had been dreaming, but the dream had felt more like a vision than a true illusion of the mind.  As he sat in bed, Alairic considered.  Then he smiled and quickly got out of bed.  With determination, he dressed himself and then left the Citadel of Truth.  Before the sun had risen in the sky he was out of the city.  

	He had been discussing horses with Niccolo and Tilliana the day before.  A shipment of warhorses was expected in from Zoa and they had considered buying some.  But Tilliana and the half-elf would have to go horse shopping without him.  He had seen a horse in his dream and he thought he knew where to find it.

	After walking for thirty minutes or so he found himself in a field.  The sun was rising over the horizon and it was just as he had pictured it in his sleep.  With a simple smile he sat on the dewy grass of the field to wait for the horse he was certain would soon be there.  He pulled his copy of  “To Serve” out of his backpack and began to read.  It was a perfect spot to study, meditate upon the words and pray.  

	The horse showed up about an hour later.  It was a pure white stallion, unharnessed and unshod.  

	“Hi,” said Alairic to the horse.  It seemed natural to do so.  The horse snorted a greeting and trotting to Alairic it nosed his cheek and then looked at the open book.  

	“Just studying,” said Alairic, “Did Naemae send you?  You look like a beautiful horse.”

	The horse blew firmly and took a step back.

	“Handsome then,” said Alairic with a laugh, closing the book and standing up, “But what shall we call you?  I saw you in a vision.  Vision,…? Dream,…?”

	“You don’t like those?  Don’t worry, I will think of something?”

	“This is Trance,” said Alairic to Tilliana and Niccolo later when he caught up with them in Xaarum.  They had also obtained horses, though in a more conventional manner.  They had each bought a trained highland dancer, graceful horses from Svimohzia.  Tilliana’s, a soft white mare with light brown spots on its rear legs, was named Prancer.  She was an energetic animal, who, the dealer had said, had a fondness for apples.  Niccolo had named his Spirit.  It was an ash colored horse with a bit of a stubborn streak.  Tilliana had also bought an older warhorse to use as a pack animal.  Her name was Firebolt and she walked with a limp.  But she also was built tall and solid and could doubtlessly carry a heavy load.   
The next few days were spent preparing to leave Xaarum.  Deochoo had accepted Tilliana’s decision to head to the area north of Geanavue and had explained to her exactly what was expected.  

	“There has not been a located priest of Naemae in that area since your father was killed.  I fear it has again become a lawless and evil place, but you will soon know for certain.  Your job is threefold.  First you are to find the site of your father’s old temple.  You are secondly to rebuild the faith of the Swift Sword in the area through actions of chilvary and bravery.  Finally, if possible, establish a foothold for the faith in Geanavue.  It is shameful that there is no temple to the Evil Slayer in such a noble city.  They are beset by peril on nearly every hand, an island of peace in a hostile world.”

	Deochoo had also decided to send Alairic with Tilliana.  When Niccolo had approached Deochoo about being allowed to go with the other two, Deochoo had smiled and answered, “I had assumed as much already.”

	“Good,” said Niccolo, “It would seem a shame to break up a winning team.”

	Niccolo was little seen in the three days following this meeting.  He went out of the city each morning to roam the Forest.  The first day he returned with a wolf.  People in Xaarum looked at it somewhat askance but it did not attack anyone and followed Niccolo almost like a dog.  It had white forepaws and a dark brown coat and Niccolo named it Two-Socks.  The next evening he returned with an eagle and they day after that with another eagle.  He named them Hunter and Feather Grace.  

	It was Tilliana who first broached the subject of Alairic’s family with him.  She and Niccolo had both read the last letter from Alairic’s mother and knew that Alairic had wanted to send the money to buy their freedom.  But he had not done so.

	“Where you going to send money to Zoa?” she asked him at dinner one evening.

	“Not right away,” said Alairic.

	“Why not?”

	“I am going to do it later,” protested the paladin.

	Niccolo, listening in, got perturbed.  “But this is your family.  Surely there is no reason to wait.  You have the money,  buy their freedom.”

	“I have to wait.  I don’t have quite enough anymore.” Said Alairic sulkily.

	“Oh, well I was planning on helping you anyway,” said Tilliana understanding.  They had each had about 1500 golden coins in treasure when they had returned from Dragon Isle.  Much to Deochoo’s delight, they had also contributed 500 gold pieces apiece to the Citadel as soon as they had returned.  Added to this, Alairic had bought new armor and, as had Tilliana and Niccolo, paid an armorer, in advance, to make some barding for his horse.  Alairic no longer had 1000 gold coins, which was the sum his father had calculated as necessary to buy the entire families freedom.

	“I was going to help as well,” said Niccolo.  They each gave Alairic 200 gold pieces and in turn Alairic made arrangements with Deochoo to send the money to the temple in Zoa for the purposes of buying his family out of slavery.

	It was the 4th of Mustering before the armor for the three horses was finished.  That day they made their final preparations to leave Xaarum.  Their plan was to head north to Foorun and see if they could find a ship sailing to Loona.  Kinshag showed up that day.  He had been busily spending his money.  He too had bought a horse, a great brute from the north.  He had also bought new armor, a new ax and expensive equipment for his horse.  He was, he claimed, planning on going with them.  They couldn’t think of a good reason for him not to come and so their party was at four once more.

	The next morning it was cold and cloudy as they left the Citadel of Truth and headed for the northern gate of Xaarum.  Deochoo walked with them to the gate, as did Tilliana’s mother.

	“Do you have any questions?” Deochoo asked Tilliana one last time.

	“No, I think I got it,” said the priestess.

	“Good.”

	At the gate, Zailoo gave her daughter one last hug and handed her a small package.  It contained a note and an amulet.

	“Read the note later,” said Zailoo with a smile, “good luck and be careful.”


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## Capellan (Oct 8, 2002)

Ooh, an evil temple!  Those are always fun 

Looking forward to seeing what you've got in store for the Servants, Wicht.  Just one question: is Kinshag no longer with the group?

Edited because I can't type the word 'an' ...


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## Buttercup (Oct 9, 2002)

I noticed that Kinshag was missing too.  Is his player rolling up a new character who we'll meet later, or is he no longer playing with you?


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## Elder-Basilisk (Oct 9, 2002)

Kinshag shows up at the end of the storyhour with a horse and the intention to accompany them so I'd guess his player just had to miss a session.

Excellent update. I'm glad to see this back on the frontpage.


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## Wicht (Oct 9, 2002)

Elder Basalisk is correct.  Kinshag's player merely had to miss a session which worked out fine story wise.  But he is back with the group now as the end of the last update suggested.


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## Wicht (Oct 9, 2002)

*Chapter 16 - Loona*

	A bell from above clanged out a warning. 

	“Sea Monsters!” came the shrill accompanying call.

	“C’mon guys,” said Alairic, struggling into his armor. 
“Sea Monsters off the Port Bow!”  The bell on the crow’s nest continued to clang.

Tilliana staggered to her feet.  Her face was pale and her eyes red.  The alarm was not sounding at a good time for her.  She had just been sick and had not made it to the bucket provided her for just such an occasion.

	“Ooo,” said Niccolo, putting on his own armor and staring with distaste at the mess on the floor.  Nearby the horses shifted uncomfortably in the hold.  Two-socks lay on the floor, paws over his nose.

	For two days, Tilliana had resisted seasickness.  The calm sea and the cool air had made it easier.  But then, just as the sun rose on the morning of the 7th of Mustering, the ship had run into a thunderstorm.  For five hours the ship had been tossed about and Tilliana had been violently sick the whole time.  The storm had been over for two hours already and still the slight young priestess was having problems.  

	The alarm bell continued to clang.

	Struggling with her stomach, Tilliana managed to pull on her armor and stumble to the deck behind the other three.  

	The air was heavy with fog and the breeze was cool.  The twin sails were puffed out and the ship seemed to be moving at a good pace.  The floor of the deck was a chaotic mess.  Sailors were running to and fro as the alarm bell clanged.  Captain Antolo was yelling at his first mate to unlock the weapons chest and hand out the crossbows and rapiers to the crew. 

	Taking it all in, the four companions soon saw the source of the alarm.  Two great beasts were swimming at the ship from the North-East.  Their snake like necks arched more than twenty feet out of the water.  Their mouths opened and closed savagely revealing many sharp teeth.  It seemed certain that the two great sea monsters were making for the ship, perhaps hoping for a meal of some sort.

	Despite her nausea, Tilliana still managed to act first.  Thickly, but surely, she mouthed a prayer and motioned at the closer of the two creatures.  A glowing great sword flew through the air and swung at the neck of the beasts.  The divine sword connected, but the swing was weak and the creature seemed little affected.  

	Niccolo pulled out his longbow and fired off an arrow at the same creature.  It landed in the thick neck, and the creature let out a high pitched roar of rage. It swum at the ship with a renewed vigor, fueled by rage.  

	Kinshag had his bow in hand, but he wavered, uncertain whether to shoot.

	“Shoot it,” yelled Niccolo.

	“How do we know it’s dangerous?” said the half-hobgoblin.

	The first of the two creatures swam into the side of the ship with a thud.  The creatures head easily cleared the railing of the deck and the huge jaws snapped about, seeking something to bite.  A moment later, the second monster did the same.

	Somewhat unsteadily, Tilliana drew her sword and charged.  The spiritual sword she had conjured swung ineffectually at the great neck, but Tilliana, with great effort used her more material blade to better effect.  The sharp edge of her sword sliced into the creatures face.  Alairic charged the other beast.  Talbright, his sword, swung into the neck drawing blood.  Niccolo, exchanging bow for sword was soon at Alairic’s side.

	“Hey!” said Alairic, as Niccolo stabbed the beast in the face, “This is my beast!”

	Kinshag, arrow nocked fired at the creature Tilliana was fighting, but the shot went wide as he tried to avoid hitting the seasick priestess.  

	Tilliana moved to avoid the great mouth that opened up at her, but she moved too slow.  Savagely, the sea monster clamped its jaws around Tilliana with crushing force.  The glowing spiritual weapon vanished into thin air and the priestess’s greatsword fell from her fingers and clattered to the ground as pain coursed through her small frame and consciousness left her.  The other beast bit at Alairic, but he moved swiftly out of the way and swung once more, striking the creature on the snout.

	“Tilliana!” cried Niccolo, looking right and seeing the other sea monster preparing to drag the limp body of Tilliana off the deck.  With a cry, Niccolo rushed along the deck of the ship, striking the neck of the offending beast.  In a moment Kinshag was on the other side of the creature, hacking with his great-axe.  The monster snapped its jaws at Niccolo, dropping Tilliana in the process.

	The monster Alairic was fighting roared loudly at the paladin and then slipped away from side of the ship and dissapeared beneath the waves.  Alairic wasted no time in charging at the other monster.  All three warriors were busy dodging its attack and swinging wildly at it.  The beast fled from half a dozen wounds, but showed no sign of weakness.  Kinshag’s ax sunk into the flesh of the creatures neck but he moved back too slowly.  The beast turned on him in an instant, its teeth sinking into his flesh.  Kinshag screamed in pain as the massive jaws clamped down.

	But the creature was distracted just enough for Alairic to swing true and straight.  His sword cleft into the beast’s brainpan, a mortal blow.  The jaws released Kinshag.  As its life left it and the ship continued to move forward the monster fell away from the ship, its vast body slowly sinking into the depths of the great bay.  

	Tilliana was not dead and when the ship docked in Loona two days later both she and Kinshag were their normal selves once more.  The captain had praised them highly after the battle and had promised to buy them a meal in Loona.  As they were leading their horses off of the ship, he made it clear he intended to honor that promise.  

	Loona, the companions noticed, was a ramshackled affair.  The buildings all leaned and the majority of them seemed to be braced.  The whole town was of wood and likely only the dampness in the air kept it from becoming a pile of ashes, for the wood was certainly old and frail.  Mildew seemed to be everywhere and the smells of fish, rot and other unmentionables were overpowering.  Xaarum was known as a dirty city, but Loona had it beat.  Nevertheless, the small port city seemed to be a busy place.  Carts and Wagons rumbled to and from the docks and people crowded the dirt streets.  

	Captian Antolo led them to a place he knew, a small but busy tavern that served palatable food.  They tied their horses outside and Niccolo left Two-socks with them to act as a guard.  As the four companions ate, the captain inquired as to their plans and made a few mentions of things he knew about the Loona and Geanavue.  Tilliana was interested in the possibility of Alairic’s brother being in town, but the captain did not think the White Tide was in port.

	As Niccolo was kidding Alairic about the possibility of learning childhood secrets from Alairic’s brother Dailoo, they became aware of a fight breaking out at the counter close by.  The noise in the tavern died down for a minute and all eyes turned to the sailor who was arguing with one of the natives.  

	“You are nothing but a stupid Loon!” snarled the sailor.

	There was a murmur in the tavern room and the local man had his knife out in an instant.  A flash of steel later and the sailor was on the floor disemboweled.

	Conversation immediately resumed in the room.  Noone seemed to be to put out by the sudden demise of the sailor.

	“Get the body out of here,” snarled the barkeep to the knife-weilder, “dump it in the bay or something.”

	“Whoa,” said Niccolo, impressed by the sheer lawlessness of the place, and then as the thought struck him, “You mean they just dump bodies in the bay, that can’t be good.”

	“Loona is a bit rough,” admitted Captain Antolo, “If you want a more peaceful place head in to Geanavue.  The watch sometimes come in from Geanavue to clean up things, but for the most part, Loonans are left to themselves.  There’s a decent inn just inside the Loona Gate of Geanavue, Muratuur’s welcome.”  

	As the captain was talking a gangly youth with a lyre strapped to his back cautiously approached the table.

	“Excuse me,” he said gingerly, “but, uh, I have a bit of a problem and, well, I thought perhaps you looked like a group of people who could help me.”

	“What sort of people do you mean?” asked Niccolo.

	“Well, heroes to be exact,” said the youth somewhat emberassed.

	“Who are you?  What do you need?” asked Tilliana.

	“My names Toska, Toska the Bard, and well, there’s this girl.  Her father’s a wealthy merchant in Geanavue and she was coming to Loona to see me, and she disappeared.  She wasn’t supposed to be seeing me and so I don’t want to go to her father about it as it might get her in trouble.  But I don’t want to leave her either cause that might be worse and so I thought you looked like the sort of people who might be willing to get her.”

	Alairic took the opportunity to concentrate on the young man’s aura as the others engaged him in conversation.  Toska was evil, mildly so.  Which means, thought Alairic, he could be lying or not lying.

	“You know where she is?”

	“I think so.  She was supposed to be seeing me, but I was busy and so she told her friends she was going to a place called the pit and she never came back.”

	“I have to be going,” put in the captain, “I will leave you to your business, best of luck to you four.”

	The captain left the tavern, leaving them with Toska.

	“What is her name?” asked Alairic.

	“Is it important?”

	“Yes.”

	“If you must know, her name is Desme.”

	“And you said her father was a merchant?  What was his name?” asked Niccolo

	“Is it important?  He’s a merchant.”

	“But what’s his name?”

	“He would be awful mad if he found out where his girl had been.  I would rather not get her in trouble.”  

	“If you know where she is, why don’t you get her?” asked Tilliana.

	“Yeah,” said Niccolo.

	“Well, to be quite honest, I am a bit of a coward.  I’m not really a fighter if you know what I mean and the Pit is not quite the sort of place I like to frequent. ”

	“What’s so bad about the Pit?” asked Niccolo.

	“It’s a hive of debauchery, rape, drugs and violence.”

	“If the Pit is such a bad place, why would this girl go there?”

	“Well,” said Toska, slightly embarrassed, “She’s a bit of a wild spirit, she is after all dating me.”

	“I can’t pay you any money,” continued the young bard, “but I might be able to pay you in other ways.  I know all sorts of things about all sorts of things.”

	Alairic thought this over, “It might be useful to have a bard owe us, making songs about the glory of Naemae and spreading tales in all the common areas.”

	“Huh?” said Niccolo.

	“Bards are singers,” explained Alairic patiently, “They sing and if we want the area to know of Naemae, a bard would be useful.”

	Niccolo seemed wary of Toska’s story.

	“I could write a song about you if you wanted,” said Toska, “And I can show you where The Pit is.  Will you go in there and get her out for me?”

	“Sure,” said Tilliana, deciding to go with the flow and see where it led.

	“Great!  I can show you where the Pit is.  It’s on the very western edge of town.”

	“I think as payment,” said Niccolo, “He should have to journey with us after we do this.”

	“Huh?” said Alairic.

	“You wouldn’t want me,” said Toska, “I know I’m a coward.”

	Toska asked about their horses.  Not really wanting to leave their horses alone with the bard they decided to seek a stable to temporarily house them in.  Toska promptly offered a name of a place and led them there.

	“Keeping horses is a glint a day,” said the stall-master.

	“A glint?” None of the four companions understood the phrase.

	“Outlanders,” grumbled the man, “A glint is a gold coin, I’ll take whatever currency your carrying.”

	“Five gold coins,” said Tilliana agreeing and handing over the coins.

	Once they saw their horses would be cared for, they followed Toska to a pair of buildings on the western edge of Loona.  They were two decrepit looking buildings, joined by two walkways, one on the first floor and one on the second.  The walkways were walled.  The building on the right appeared to be nothing more than a warehouse of some sort.  The building on the left was likewise unmarked, but there were two large men in black leather armor standing guard by the door.  There were no signs on the building.

	“You get into The Pit through the door on the left,” said Toska, “Good luck.”

	Not sure what they were getting themselves into, the four companions nevertheless crossed to the entrance.

	“Watcha want,” snarled one of the men.  They were both very large and looked very strong.

	“We want in,” said Niccolo.

	“Entrance is a glint a person,” said the same guard.

	“You have to pay to get in?!” said Niccolo surprised.

	“Here,” said Tilliana, “Four gold pieces.”

	The guard took the coins with a smile and then pointed at Kinshag and Niccolo, “You and you can go on in, but you and you,” pointing to Alairic and Tilliana, “you can’t go in.”

	“Why not!?” said Tilliana angrily.

	“You’re the wrong sort of riff-raff.”

	Tilliana and Alairic realized it was their clerical robes.  The guard was not going to let them in because they were clerics of Naemae.  

	Angrily Tilliana drew her sword, “We’ll see about that.”

	In an instant both guards had stout wooden clubs in their hands and moved to attack her.  Tilliana moved just a bit quicker and swung her huge blade at the closest goon.  He stepped back, out of the way and swung his club at her.  Tilliana parried and ducked both clubs.  Alairic’s greatsword caught one of the guards on the side.  Howling, the injured man stumbled backwards, just as Tilliana’s blade descended towards him.  Her blade missed.  Meanwhile Niccolo stabbed the other guard with his longsword and Kinshag finished him off with a blow from his great-ax.  The remaining guard, badly injured, missed Tilliana’s head and was easily struck down by Alairic.  

	Bending down, Tilliana fished her four gold coins out of the pocket of the guard.

	“Hah,” she said to the corpse triumphantly.

	The door the two had been guarding was a stout wooden door.  Indeed as they looked they saw that the door was probably stronger than the walls it was attached to.  Nonetheless, it was not locked and they opened it and looked in.

	The room beyond was dimly lit and packed with people.  Alairic, leading the way, stepped inside.

	Just past the door, hanging from the ceiling, was a long sign with the words, “The Pit” written on it.  The room was about thirty feet by thirty feet and people and noise filled it.  The people were, for the most part, in various stages of drunkeness and some of them seemed to be slightly more than drunk.  Some of them giggled, some of them cried, some of them were talking, though not to anyone that could be seen.  

	In the middle of the room was an empty spot.  No one sat or lay there.  The reason was soon obvious.  There was a large open stone pit in the middle of the floor.  The door they had entered was in the middle of the eastern wall.  The Western side of the north wall was covered with a black curtain and two men stood guard at the curtain.  And there was another door on the western wall, behind a long bar counter.  

	Tilliana noticed a man, his back to them, at the northern edge of the bar counter.  He was dressed in what appeared to be a very loose toga and his head was shaved.

	“A cleric of the vice-lord,” guessed Tilliana.  The vice-lord was an evil god of sloth and vice.  His clerics delighted in the raping of innocents and in drunken revelries.  They were also noted for shaving their entire bodies and wearing clothing that could be easily discarded.  Tilliana pointed him out to the others.  As they looked at him, they couldn’t help notice two men approach the two guards standing near the curtain.  Money changed hands and the two were allowed to go behind the curtain.  They dissapeared from sight.

	“We stand out,” said Alairic to Tilliana.

	“I’ll take care of that,” said Tilliana quietly.

	“Me and Kinshag are going to check out what’s behind that black curtain,” whispered Niccolo, “It might lead to a back room.”

	Tilliana headed to the left, looking for a drunk in a cloak.  Kinshag followed Niccolo across the crowded room to the curtain.  Alairic stood for a moment uncertain and then he heard something.  It sounded almost like something slithering and it seemed to be coming from the pit.  He walked to the center of the room and looked down into the pit.  The bottom was dark and it was hard to make anything out down there.  As he gazed, a man on the north side of the pit suddenly laughed evilly and pushed another man into the pit.  He fell to the bottom, some twenty feet, yelling.  A crowd immediatelly formed around the edge of the pit, a crowd of drunken and drugged men, eager to see what would happen next.  Alairic, struggling not to allow himself to be pushed in, had a good view of the proceedings at the bottom of the pit.  

	The man was injured from the fall, but he still had life left in him.  Struggling to his feet he looked around in horror.  Something moved in a corner of the pit.  Alairic thought it might be a snake perhaps.  Then there was a sound, like a click, or a metallic blade being drawn.  A snakelike form sped across the bottom of the pit, brushing past the unfortunate man and then into the shadows on the other side.  For a moment nothing happened and then with a scream the man clutched his bleeding chest and fell dead on the floor of the pit.  There were a few cheers and then, the show being over, each in the crowd went back to their former activities. 

	Tilliana spied a drunken man laying unconscious against the southern wall and while a majority of the crowd was straining to watch the events in the pit, she was working to take the large cloak off of his shoulders.  

	“Watcha doing?” asked another drunk watching her.

	“I’m cold,” she said.

	“Oh, thatsh ok, allright then,” said the drunk with a smile.

	Tilliana rolled her eyes and put the cloak on, covering her clerical robe.  Then she started looking for another cloak for Alairic.   

	Niccolo and Kinshag made it to the two guards at the curtain.  Two-socks was at Niccolo’s heels.

	“We want through,” said Niccolo.

	“It’s 5 glint a person,” said one of the guards.

	Niccolo fished out the ten gold coins and handed them over.  The other guard held aside the curtain and let the two through.  Behind the curtain however was just a wall, no door. 

	“There’s probably a lever,” said Niccolo softly, “Look for it.”

	Alairic, standing alone in the middle of the room, suddenly found himself to be the object of attention.  The toga wearing man at the bar counter had suddenly spotted him.  

	“Hey you!” shouted the man at Alairic, “You are not wanted here!  Get out of here!”

	Alairic looked at the man closely and saw that Tilliana’s guess had been right.  He was a cleric of the vice-lord.  Hanging from his neck was a boar’s tusk, wrapped in human hair, one of the unholy symbols of the foul god.  Rather than leave, Alairic started to stride across the room to confront the man.

	“Get him,” snapped the man at the two guards near the curtain.

Tilliana meanwhile had found another cloak on another drunk and was in the middle of removing it from its owner for Alairic.

	“Hey, stop that!” shouted a drunk, apparently a friend of the man Tilliana was taking the cloak from.

	A drunk near Tilliana punched at her.  The drunk’s fist hit her armor and he yelped in pain.

	“Fight!  Brawl!  Fight!”  The words rang out through the room which immediately erupted into chaos.  Fists and chairs started flying.  A couple of unfortunate patrons were knocked into the pit where their screams added to the chaos.  

	Behind the black curtain, Niccolo had just found a somewhat hidden lever when the cries and screams erupted behind him.  He pulled the lever and a section of the wall opened like a door, revealing a hallway.  Niccolo looked at Kinshag trying to decide whether to see if their friends needed help or not.

	Tilliana was surrounded by drunks intent on bashing her head in.  Their intoxicated state was such however that they failed to land a single blow.  Tilliana, drawing her sword, gutted one and began wading across the room.   

	The evil priest, seeing that Alairic had to wade through two guards and several drunks to get to him, confidently clutched the boar’s tusk that hung from his neck and cried out words in a strange hissing tongue.  One of the man’s goons, weilding a club, swung and struck Alairic a glancing blow.  Kinshag, bursting from behind the curtain, charged the other guard, swinging wildly with a dagger.  Alairic positioning himself, absorbed another hit from his opponent’s club and then with a mighty swing of his sword cut his opponent open, dropping him on the spot.  Tilliana meanwhile had moved a step closer to the paladin, having hewn through a second drunk who tried to hit her with a chair.  

	Any elation the companions might have felt at their minor successes was cut short by the appearance of the two very large snakes that chose that precise moment to crawl out of the pit.  Arching their heads, the snakes hissed and hoods, like those of a cobra, flared out.  Then with a metallic clicking sound, the hoods contracted and expanded again and knife like blades sprang from the sides of the hoods.  The snakes hissed and swung their bladed hoods and two drunks near the edge of the pit screamed, clutched their bleeding sides and fell in the pit.

	“Oh no,” said Alairic as the snakes eyed him and began to move his way.  Even as they moved towards Alairic, Niccolo and Two-socks sprang from behind the curtain.  Niccolo headed straigt forward over the body of the dead guard and swung his longsword at the head of one of the snakes, cutting it.  Two-socks, going to the left rushed at a drunk who was trying to hit Alairic from behind and with a growl tore into the man’s throat.

	Kinshag’s dagger was proving ineffective against the club wielding guard and as Kinshag futilely tried to land a blow, the club smashed into his arm.  The evil cleric, taking advantage of the chaos, made his way, accompanied by the bar-tenders, to the door on the west wall and slipped out of the room.  Their was nothing the companions could do to stop him.  

	Tilliana, easily deflecting the attacks from those attacking her, moved to where she could strike at the snakes.  They were wasily twenty feet long and though their heads were near Alairic, Tilliana could get close to one of the backs of the snakes.  Alairic, perhaps panicked by the single-minded way in which the snakes were moving at him, swung and missed as one of the snakes charged forward at him.  The hooded blade swerved and a cut appeared on Alairic’s leg.  A drunk stumbled into the path of the other snake, preventing it from attacking Alairic.  With a sort of silent fury, the snake sliced the man open, killing him.  Niccolo moved now to where the drunk had been standing and swung at this second snake, cutting it.  

	Kinshag, giving up on his dagger, pulled out his greatax and skillfully swung at the guard he was fighting.  He connected, but still the man fought on, swinging wildly with his club.  Tilliana hefted her sword to cut one of the snakes in half, but a chair struck her in the back from behind and her swing was brought short, her sword missing the snake and striking the floor besides it.  

	Still determined to get at Alairic, the second snake swung its hood viciously at Niccolo, cutting the half-elf deeply.  Alairic too was cut again by the deadly hood of the large snake in front of him.  So busy was Alairic in defending himself from the swift snake that he failed to see the man next to him ready to clobber him over the head with a chair.  Fortunately for Alairic, Two-socks saw the threat and with a growl, the wolf plowed into the man, knocking him screaming into the open pit.

	Trying to ignore the drunks fighting around her, Tilliana once more prepared to cut the snake in two and once more the same man knocked her in the back with a chair, causing her to miss the snake.  

	Alairic, bleeding heavily, steadied himself and swung his sword around and into the neck of the snake.  Two-socks charged in and grabbed the snake with its jaws.  Tilliana swung and finally managed to hit her target.  The snake fighting Niccolo twitched as its back was severed and the life drained out of it.  Kinshag chose that moment to finally get past the agile defenses of the guard and planted his axe firmly in the other man’s chest.  The snake fighting Alairic made one more futile attempt to slice open the paladin and then died as the paladin’s greatsword decapitated it.  Almost as quick as it had started, the fight ended.  The few remaining drunks chose to flee out the door rather than face a group of armed and dangerous killers.  They were drunk, but not quite as much as they had been.  

	Alairic and Tilliana spent a minute or two tending to the wounds of the group and then they considered their options.  They could go out the western door after the evil cleric or they could investigate the hallway behind the curtain.  Niccolo voted for the door, Alairic wanted to investigate behind the curtain.  Tilliana was meanwhile finding a cloak that would fit Alairic.  They had decided to go with the door and were making their way towards it when two more guards burst into the room from behind the curtain.  One of them struck Niccolo from behind with a club.  Alairic turned on his heel and swung Talbright.  Their was a flash from the holy sword as the blade connected with the guard and the man fell dead.  Kinshag, with a yell planted his axe squarely in the skull of the other one.

	“I told you we should have checked back there,” said Alairic.

	The western door led to a small kitchen connected to a storeroom.  It was full of kegs and crates.  The kegs had cheap booze in them and the crates contained both a powdered substance and cheap bottles of wine.

	“We don’t want to mess with that powder,” said Alairic.

	Niccolo agreed.  

	There were also stairs going up to the north out of the store-room.  They took these and entered into a square room with a door on both the north and south walls.  Alairic was in the lead.

	“Which way?” asked Alairic.  

Two-socks paced up the stairs past Niccolo, Tilliana and Kinshag and growled at the southern door.  Alairic opened that door.
There was a puff of sulfur and two ugly, purplish, round things appeared.  They stood about four feet tall and stood on stubby legs.  Arms sprouted from all sides of their bodies and they had three eyes.  But the most noticeable thing about them was their mouths.  They stretched from one side of the round body to the other side, opening like a toothed crack at the top of the ugly, scab-ridden bodies.  

“Ooo,” said Niccolo in disgust.  

Alairic wasted no time in attacking the foul looking creatures.  He and Two-socks charged the one standing in the southern doorway.  Both wolf and sword missed as the ungainly creature moved out of the way with a surprising speed.  Niccolo and Kinshag charged the other one.  Niccolo’s sword cut deep into the rotund body bringing forth a black and foul smelling ichor.  Tilliana, seeing no opening, summoned forth her spiritual sword and sent it flying at the wounded monster.  

Meanwhile, the creature fighting Alairic and Two-socks charged the paladin and opening its gaping maw bit down hard, crunching through armor and bone alike, nearly killing the paladin in a single attack.

Alairic, with the little strength that remained in him, brought his greatsword down atop the creature.  The holy sword flashed and cut deep into the unholy creature which promptly dissapeared in a flash of sulphurous smoke.  Niccolo swung at the other creature, stabbing it again and it too dissapeared in a puff of foul-smelling smoke.

They tended to the badly injured Alairic and then investigated the room beyond.  It was a bedroom, but the only thing of value that remained in it was a set of silk sheets on the bed.  There was an open chest at the foot of the bed, empty, and an open window on the west side of the room.

They searched the rest of the upstairs and found nobody.  There were several small rooms, five feet by ten feet, filled only with mattresses and pillows.  There was another bedroom, this one with eight beds, but it too was empty.  There was also a second set of stairs going down.  They took these.

The room at the bottom of the stairs was about the same size as the Pit Room.  But it was dominated by a stage in the center of the room.  Here, fifteen girls stood, wearing little to nothing, arms raised above their heads, chained to a wooden pole.  They stood as if in a stupor, hardly moving.  The pole was connected to a mechanism on the north end of the room.  A crank which apparently would cause the pole to move back and forth.  Their was a stool by the crank and a bucket of water at the foot of the stool.  There was also a door on the southern end of the room.
Other than the girls, there was nobody else in the room.  Alairic unchained the girls and they collapsed to the ground.  They were evidently drugged.  Their bodies all looked bruised and abused, but they were clean and looked to be fed.  Niccolo checked out the door on the south wall.  It opened up to reveal a small hallway.

“I bet that leads to the other room,” said Niccolo.

Tilliana, hoping to revive one of the girls, took the bucket of water by the stool and threw the contents, soapy water, on one of them.  The only result was a soapy and wet girl in a drugged stupor.  After some discussion, realizing they couldn’t very well leave the girls in that condition, they decided that Kinshag and Niccolo would retrieve their horses and hire a cart for a day.  Alairic and Tilliana in the meantime waited and watched.

There was little difficulty in renting a cart and soon they were loading the women up on it.  They first however, took some of the clothing off of some of the dead men in the Pit and dressed the girls as well as they were able.

Tilliana also took the snakes.  She had thought of burning them as a sacrifice in the bottom of the pit itself but then thought better of it and decided to offer them up elsewhere.

“I say we burn down this place,” said Niccolo when the last girl was loaded.

“That would be illegal,” said Alairic practically.  

After the girls were loaded, Niccolo went alone to the docks to find Toska.  The young man was in a tavern drinking.  

“We did it,” said Niccolo.

“You don’t say!  Very good,” said Toska with a smile that struck Niccolo just then as slightly less than sincere.  

“So you will write a song about the glories of Naemae?”

“Naemae?  Uh, oh sure.  Thanks a lot by the way, and do me a favor.  Don’t mention me in connection with any of this.  I would hate for Desme to get in to much more trouble.”

“Sure,” said Niccolo, and then with a look at the poor appearance of the young bard, Niccolo kindly slipped him ten golden coins.  
Toska looked at them in genuine surprise.

“Wow!  Thanks!  I’ll be sure to drink your health tonight!”

The companions asked around Loona for a nice inn and were referred to “Muratuur’s Welcome”in Geanavue.  They also received several strange looks due to the fifteen girls dozing in the back of the cart.  Finally one kind soul suggested they drop the girls off at one of the temples in Geanavue, either Ilavaar, the temple to Mosia the Holy Mother, or else Geona Hau, the temple to the Peacemaker.

This sounded good to them and so they drove into Geanavue.  The road between Loona and Geanavue was as straight and flat as they could have wished for and the ride was pleasant.  As they drew near the gates of the city however, their first thought was the gates seemed smaller than they imagined and then they realized this was only because there were two giants standing guard at the gate.  These giants stood about twelve feet tall and had gray skin.  The giants stopped the companions at the gate.

“Where are you going?  What is your business?” came the booming voice of the giant as he eyed the girls in the back of the cart.

The four of them explained what had happened and how they had found the girls.  The giants relented after hearing the explanation and suggested they take the girls to the Geona Hau near the north gate of the city.  

	 The city itself was a busy place.  Like the dock in Loona, it seemed that carts and wagons were everywhere.  Busy people bustled about their business.  Nevertheless, they found the temple of Geona Hau with little difficulty.  The clerics there were polite and readily agreed to take the girls.  But as they unloaded them, they lectured the four on the evils of violence.

	“You realize,” said one of the peacemakers, “That violence is never a solution.  Problems in this world are caused by so many things, so many inequities and killing people is never the answer.”

	Tilliana listened to the lectures in silence, as did Kinshag and Alairic.  Niccolo however would have none of it.

	“I wish it were that simple,” he retorted, “but what about when people are trying to kill you.”

	“Better to die than shed blood,” was the response.  Niccolo’s defense only caused the lecturing to last longer.  Finally the girls were unloaded and the four companions took their leave of the peacemakers.

	“This is going to be a difficult area to convert,” observed Alairic.


----------



## Buttercup (Oct 9, 2002)

Wicht said:
			
		

> *Elder Basalisk is correct.  Kinshag's player merely had to miss a session which worked out fine story wise.  But he is back with the group now as the end of the last update suggested. *




Dunno how I missed him the first time around.  It must have been caffeine deprivation or something.


----------



## Wicht (Oct 18, 2002)

*Chapter 17 – Geanavue (Tilliana’s Day Out)*

	The sun was just starting to rise over the edge of the city wall as Kall and Jozz headed out of their house, looking for something to occupy them.  At the age of 14, both boys were already as tall as most of the men around them.  Though Jozz was slender and Kall was thick and muscled, the similarity of face and feature made it easy to tell they were brothers.  Their father helped in various stables around the city, having a reputation for being one of the best horsemen in Geanavue.  He also worked as a craftsman, as did the majority of workers in the city.  His specialty was the carving of fine wooden images.  Both boys, of course, had been trained by their father to assist in the work when need be, but their adolescent blood cried out for adventure and what they really wanted to do was be great heroes.  

	Around them the city was already bustling.  Indeed, by Geanavue standards, the twins were getting a late start.  But their father had given them the day off and so they were out on the city to see what adventure they could scrounge up.  Kall carried the huge club he had purchased the summer before and Jozz had a crossbow strapped to his back.  They were ready for anything.

	Their chance for some glory that morning was destined to come in the form of rats, giant sewer rats that had invaded one of the warehouses on the south side of the city.  As they wandered the streets, dreaming of their chance at glory, they had espied a man sitting outside a closed warehouse.  He was clearly upset.  Curious to learn what was the matter they had approached him.

	“Why are you upset,” asked Jozz diplomatically.	

	“I’ll tell you why!  Its those rats, twenty or thirty sewer rats came up out of the sewer sometime last night and invaded my warehouse!  They bit one of my workers and scared the horses near to death!  My men all left and said they would come back when I got rid of the rats.”

	He looked at them a bit closer.  Then he smiled.  

	“Say, you two look like capable young men.  I will pay you 1 silver coin for each rat you kill and if by some miracle you can get rid of all of them, I’ll throw in 5 glint.”

	Jozz and Kall smiled.  This was the chance they were looking for.  Money and glory!

	“Yeah!” said Kall, enthusiastically.

	“We will do it!” said Jozz.

	“Now be careful,” said the man as he opened the door for them, “some of those things are downright nasty, don’t get yourself killed.”

	The two boys headed into the warehouse excitedly, scarcely heeding his words.  Their were wooden boxes and crates stacked everywhere.  In the middle of the large dimly lit room, a wagon sat, half loaded.  It was Kall who spotted the first rat.  It was over a foot long, sitting under the wagon near the wheel watching them.  Gleefully Kall gripped his club in both hands and charged forward.  Though the position was ackward, Kall managed to swing his club in such a way as to connect with the rat.  Furious, the rat sprang out, teeth bared in an attempt to bite the boy.  Wanting in on the action, Jozz ran forward to help, but even as he pulled up alongside his brother, Kall swung his club again in a great overhanded arc and flattened the rat in a mess of gore.  

	“Alright!” said Kall.

	Even as Kall smiled another rat leaped out of the shadows and ran at them.  It bit at Jozz who managed to leap back just in time.  Kall swung at the rat with his club and the result was another dead rat.

	Nothing else leaped at them and so they looked around, seeing what they could see.  
“There,” said Jozz and cocked his crossbow and fired up into the shadows above them.  A rat squealed and, impaled by the bolt, flew off the box it had been perched on.  It landed on the ground dead.  It was Jozz’s turn to smile.  
They could see no more rats where they were standing and so together they began to walk the warehouse, peering up at the tops of boxes and back, into the dark corners.  Despite their close scrutiny, they were still surprised by two ferocious rats that charged at them from out of the shadows.  Back to back, the brothers swung around, avoiding being hit and fighting to hold back the two rats.  Jozz managed to scratch one with his dagger even as it was charging in to bite Kall.  It connected and Kall cried out from the injury.  Enraged, Kall swung hard at the other rat, killing it.  The first rat continued to bite Kall as Jozz struggled futilely to stab it.  Kall managed to kick it away and with a swing of his great club he finished its life.  

Jozz looked questioningly at Kall’s bleeding leg.  Kall shrugged it off.

“I want to kill more rats,” said Kall smiling.

They killed another rat that ambushed them, Jozz sustaining a minor bite.  Then Jozz managed to shoot another one that was crawling along above them.  That seemed to be an end to the rats that they could see.  Looking around the warehouse however they saw that there were stairs going down.

“Let’s go,” said Kall.  It was dark at the bottom of the stairs however and so prudence dictated that they find a light.  Jozz scrounged up a lantern from one of the walls of the warehouse and lighting it they proceeded down the stairs.  

There were three rats at the bottom of the stairs, glaring up at them and hissing.  These were even bigger than the ones that had been above.  Seeing them, Jozz fired.  But his shot was wild and missed them completely.  Hissing furiously, the three rats charged up the stairs.  Both boys were bitten.  

“Now I am mad,” roared Kall and he swung hard, smashing one of the rats open.  He was bitten again, as was Jozz.  Kall swung a second time and killed a second rat.  Jozz, ignoring his pain, feinted to the left and then when the rat opened itself up, he plunged his dagger into it’s side, killing it.

“Let’s go on,” snarled Kall.

“We need healing,” argued Jozz.

Listening to his brother, Kall relented and the two boys made their way to the warehouse entrance.  The warehouse owner looked at their bleeding bites and winced.  

“How many did you kill?” he asked.

“Ten,” said Jozz.

“Good job boys!  I can find someone else perhaps to get the rest.  In the meantime, here is the 10 silver pieces I promised you.  Get those bites tended to.”

Jozz took the coins and smiled.  Money and glory indeed!  With happy hearts they headed northward towards the temples.

*********************************

As the sun was rising higher into the sky, Tilliana strolled out of Muratuur’s Welcome for a day on her own.  The companions had been in Geanavue for a couple of days now, enjoying the bustling city and the comforts of the inn.  Tilliana had a rough plan for the day.  She planned on checking up on the girls they had rescued from the clutches of the vile cleric and his men and then perhaps looking for her aunt Zilma.  The air was warm and the sky was clear.  With a light heart Tilliana set forth.

“Excuse me, miss!” yelled a man at Tilliana.  He was dressed as an officer of the watch and Tilliana noticed a squad of men with him.  The officer, a young handsome man, left his men and made his way over to her, striding briskly.  

“Are you Tilliana?” he asked as he came closer.

“Yes sir.”

“I thought so, we don’t see many female Servants of Naemae in the city.  I am Latoor Soi, Caalavelar of the Teerel district.  It’s good to meet you.  I was looking for you or one of your friends.”

“What can I do for you?”

“Well, first of all, I want to officially welcome you to Geanavue.  But I also wanted to talk to you.  We heard about a little mix-up that happened in Loona and we talked to the priests at Geona Hau and so we are aware that you rescued a number of women that had been kidnapped, included three or four that we had been officially looking for.  Still, there did seem to be a number of corpses in Loona and we thought it would be a good idea to caution you.  Geanavue is a peaceful city and we like to keep it that way.  I would greatly appreciate it if you did not kill anyone else while you visit with us.”

“Uh-huh,” said Tilliana, feeling slightly guilty at having to be cautioned by an officer of the watch.  

“Still, I am sure that we won’t have any troubles with you,” sail Latoor with a broad smile, “Just make sure to listen to members of the watch, citizens are duty bound to do whatever a watch officer tells them to do, understand.”

“Yes sir,” said Tilliana.

“Good, and I must say, I look forward to seeing you around.  You have a good day.”

“Thank you sir,” said Tilliana.

Latoor strolled back to his men and they walked off through the crowd.  Gathering her thoughts, Tilliana headed west, planning on strolling past the castle and then north through the market to Geona Hau, the temple to the god of peace.  

As she walked through the market, she heard loud laughter from her left.  Looking over she saw a small crowd beginning to gather in front of an open tavern.  An argument was apparently starting between a well-dressed young man and a rather provocatively dressed woman.  The woman was clearly upset and the man was laughing at her.  Glaring, the woman moved to slap the man who ducked and kicked her into the mud.

“That’s where you truly belong!” said the man with glee.

The young woman, sitting in the mud seemed about to cry.  

“But you promised…”

“I promised?  My dear I believe you are mistaken, I said nothing of the king.”

“But you said,… you said after last night we would be together.”

The man made a face and the crowd laughed.  Tilliana, though she felt no real sympathy with a woman that could let herself be used like that felt irritated at the coldness of those who were laughing at her expense.  

The man fished some coins out of his pocket and threw them in the mud besides her.

“I suppose I do owe you something after last night… I should think this is better than the going rate,” he sneered.  The woman turned scarlet, embarrassed and began to cry.  The man and his friends laughed and turned to walk away.  

Savagely, the woman snatched the coins off the ground and turning to the crowd she yelled, “Is there no one here who will defend me?”  She quickly counted the coins, “Eight gold glints to the man who will be my champion.  Thrash this brute who has insulted me and I will give you all the money I have.”  

A second woman stepped forward, “I’ll add my coins to that.  12 gold glints to the one who will defend the honor of my friend Sabine!”

There was an amused gasp from the crowd and the young man turned around in surprise.  Seeing that no one else was stepping forward, Tilliana stepped forward.

“What did he do to you?”

The woman took in Tilliana’s outfit, her armor and her sword and then answered, “He insulted me, my lady.  He lied to me and now he kicks me into the mud.”

“What did he promise you?” asked Tilliana, though she knew the answer.

Before the woman could reply, the young man laughed, “A woman threatens to fight me!  They do have to stick together I suppose.”

Tilliana glared at him.  She had intended to try to avoid violence, still recalling the cautionary visit of Latoor Soi.

“I will defend your honor,” said Tilliana to the woman.  She turned to the man, who somewhat surprised raised his fists.  
He was wearing light leather armor Tilliana noticed, so she did not feel too guilty about being in armor of her own.  She moved toward him and the fight began.  Almost from the beginning it was clear that the young gentleman was outclassed.  Tilliana moved to avoid most of his punches, landing two good, hard jabs.  He circled warily, and for several seconds neither one managed to land a good solid punch until finally Tilliana, landed a fierce uppercut that laid him out cold on the ground.  

 “He shouldn’t have laughed,” muttered Tilliana to herself.  

“Thank you,” said the woman, Sabine, handing Tilliana the coins and grinning broadly.

“Keep them,” said Tilliana, “I don’t need them.  I only fought to teach him a lesson.”

	“Thank you very much then,” said Sabine and she and her friend walked off laughing.  Several people congratulated Tilliana on her victory and the young man’s friends hefted him up and made their way southward through the market.

	“Excuse me,” said a voice.  It was a young man trying to get Tilliana’s attention.  Tilliana looked at him.  He was a young man, blonde, very tall, but most likely in his early teens.  Next to him stood another young man who, despite being almost twice as big, could only have been his brother.  Both were, Tilliana noticed, bleeding from a number of wounds, bites perhaps.

	“Yes,” said Tilliana.

	“Me and my brother were attacked by some rats today and you looked like a cleric.  We wondered if you could help us?”

	Tilliana sighed and looked at their wounds, “I guess.”  She offered up prayers for both of them and their wounds healed up completely and the bleeding stopped at once.  The crowd around her murmured its approval at her generosity.

	“Thanks a bundle, I am Jozz and this is Kall.” 

	“You’re welcome,” said Tilliana.

	“My dear,” said another woman, grabbing Tilliana by the arm, “Can it be?”

	Wondering at this new intrusion, Tilliana turned to the woman and caught her breath.  For a moment she thought it was her mother.  Then she saw it was not.  The appearance was similar, but this woman was older and slightly heavier.

	“Aunt Zilma?”

	“You must be Tilliana!  You look just like Zailoo!  I haven’t seen you in years girl, not since you were what, five, no not even that old!  But I would know you anywhere!  You must come home with me!  I am not working right now, I can feed you and we can talk!  What are you doing here in Geanavue?  I see you are a cleric of Naemae, just like your father, I bet he would be so proud of you!”

	Zilma took Tilliana home and fed her and talked.  She pried Tilliana for news of Zailoo and of Tilliana’s brother and relayed quite a bit of information and gossip about the various relations of Tilliana’s in the area.  The talk turned eventually to the fact that Tilliana was planning on soon heading up to find her father’s old temple and to the fact that Tilliana actually knew very little of her father’s activities in that area.   

“I am not surprised,” said Zilma, “Your mother never did like talking about it and she was so miserable when she was forced to leave I think she would be ahppier not talking about it, but I am here.  I can tell you what I know.  Your father was in a group of adventurer’s.  They were all four from the coast.  There was Roanai, your father of course.  And there was Fleet, and Elias, and Tamil.  These four found an area where there was a great deal of evil and they worked to eliminate it.  There were some caves, and an evil temple and this castle, built right over a waterfall and all sorts of horrid monsters lived there.  They succeeded though and totally cleaned the place out and then they settled down and built right there in that spot.  Your father built a temple and then built his house right next to it.  Fleet, he loved horses and he built himself a ranch.  Elias built himself a little fort and then a water-mill and Tamil, he was a wizard, he built a tower for him and Angel, his cat.”

At the mention of Angel, a vague memory jarred in Tilliana’s memory.  

“Angel,” said Tilliana, “was he a white cat?  And he could talk, couldn’t he?”

“That’s right.  All you children thought that was the neatest trick in the world, that talking cat.  And you are right, he was a pure white, short haired cat.  Anyway, there we moved soon after that mill was built, your grandfather working the mill and soon farmers were moving in and things were being built up.  Your father married my sister and your brother was born and then you.  I was sorry when we had to leave, that was a real nice piece of country.  You know, I have a map I have kept back.  Let me get it for you.  You can have it.  If you are going that way it might be useful.”

Zilma left Tilliana for a few minutes, only to return covered in dust and carrying a parchment upon which a map was drawn.  Tilliana gazed at it as Zilma pointed out the features.  

“Here’s where your father’s temple was, marked by the eye of Naemae, and down here was the mill and up there was the ranch and the cat marks Tamil’s tower.  The castle was up here.”

“What do you know about the castle?” asked Tilliana.

“Only that nobody lived there while your father was alive.  They always felt it was too out of the way, hard to get to and they wanted to be where people could live, so they just let it stand empty.”

“The woods,” asked Tilliana, “anything in them?”

“Only deer when we lived there.  Over here was your father’s favorite fishing spot, a nice little pond.”

“Did you know my father well?”

“He did marry my sister.  He was a good man, very likable.  I always liked him anyway and he treated your mother well.  Your mother hated it when she had to leave her house.”

“Why did we leave?” asked Tilliana.

“Well, there was a dragon in the mountains and people said it was forming an army of fire-giants.  Your dad and the others thought they were the ones to take care of it.  Off they went.  I think Angel, that was the cat, knew they were dead first.  Tamil did not take him with him and Angel knew when Tamil died.  After they were gone, there was nobody to defend us.  Things started coming back to the caves and your poor mother couldn’t fight them.  She was forced to move back with us, and then things just got worse and we all had to leave the area and come back south.  There weren’t enough of us to fight and it didn’t seem worth dying for.”

“What happened to Angel?”

“We left him.  That cat refused to leave that tower and we couldn’t make him so we just had to leave him there.  I don’t know what happened.  He’s probably dead now, he was after all, in the end only a cat and it’s been fifteen years.  Will you look at that!  Where has the time gone.  I have to go to work dear, but you come visit again!  Where are you staying? ”

Happy at having had such a nice visit, Tilliana said her good-byes and let her aunt leave for work.  Then she herself turned to head towards Geona Hau, still wanting to find out how the girls they had rescued were doing.  It was about an hour after noon.
As she walked down the streets, trying to find her way back, she was startled by a small cloaked figure that bumped into her and then took off at a run down the street.  With a start, Tilliana realized she had just been robbed.

“Hey you,” she shouted and started to give chase.  Her armor slowed her and the thief slowly gained ground.

On the other side of the street Jozz and Kall were walking home. 

“Did you see that,” said Jozz as he saw Tilliana run by, “she was chasing someone, come on.”

Tilliana turned a corner, following the thief into a narrow alley between two buildings.   Stopping she grasped her silken holy symbol and barked out a command, “STOP!”

The thief instantly came to a screeching halt.  With a smile Tilliana started forward again when she heard another voice from the shadows mutter something.  Her muscles froze.  A spell, she realized with frustration.  In a second about eight people were surrounding her, clubbing her to the ground with saps. 

Everything went black.

A block away, Jozz watched from around a corner.  

“Let’s go get them,” said Kall.

“There are too many of them,” said Jozz, “lets follow them.”

Tilliana came to and immediately felt cold.  With a start she realized that she was nude and that her hands were bound to the wall above her head, a very compromising position.  
“I thought a small healing spell would bring you around,” gloated the man in front of her.  He was completely shaven and was wearing only a loosely fitting toga.  Around his neck was a boar tusk on a leather sting.  He reached out and stroked Tilliana’s face.

“That was a very profitable little enterprise that you and your friends busted up on me and I was not happy in the least.  But you shall have a chance to make it up to me, my dear.  I shall be back in just a minute as soon as I get some toys and some other friends to play with you.  I am so looking forward to a moment of revenge upon you.”

He savored the look of horror on Tilliana’s face and then left her.  He closed the door to the room behind him, leaving her naked and alone, tied to a wall in an otherwise barren room.  On the floor Tilliana saw her clothes and armor piled in a heap, her sword next to it.  There was no way however for her to get to them.

There was however a window in the room and even as Tilliana noticed it, she heard something outside the window.  Somebody crouched down and looked in it.  Tilliana realized she was in a basement of some sort.  As Tilliana scrutinized the face through the dirty glass pane, she recognized it.  It was one of the boys she had healed earlier in the day.  For his part, he looked slightly surprised to see her.  He fiddled with something and after about a minute, he had the window unlocked.  He wiggled his body through and landed on the floor.  A second later his brother followed suit.  

“Untie me,” hissed Tilliana at the first boy who was gaping at her.  Quickly he complied and pulling out his dagger he sliced the ropes over her head.  His brother moved to help him, undoing the knots for Tilliana.

“Thank you dears,” she said, “Now turn around, don’t look.”  As they blushed and turned their backs on her she rushed forward and grabbed her clothes, dressing hastily.  As she dressed she talked quietly to them.  

“There is a man coming back in here in a minute, a very bad man.”

“We will help you,” said Jozz.  His brother nodded in agreement.

“Thank you, you can look now.”  She moved to don her armor next and readied herself for battle.  They soon heard footsteps out in the hall and Tilliana motioned for the two boys to stand back out of the way.  Jozz moved behind the door and Kall his himself on the other side of the room from Jozz.  As the door began to open, Tilliana muttered a brief prayer and reached out to touch the man coming through the door.

Even as she touched him, she realized that it was not the priest of the Vice Lord.  But as she recognized him as one of those who had been beating on her in the alley she did not check her hand.  As she touched him, there was a flash and the man fell to the floor dead.

“Was he a bad guy?” asked Jozz.

“Yes dear,” said Tilliana, hefting her sword and noticing another man standing in the hallway outside the door.  As the boys were moving out of hiding, Tilliana was charging into the hall.  She swung her sword in a vicious arc and cleaved the man open.  Like the first man, he never had the chance to say a word.
The boys looked out in the hallway.  There was a door on the left and another down the hall at the end.  Jozz moved forward to take the lead and he opened the door on the left.  There was a man standing inside.  He looked up startled.  He could see Jozz, but Tilliana and Kall were still out of sight.

“Who are you?” he demanded.

“I’m Jozz.”

“Yeah well, but who are you?”

“Oh, I’m a hero.”

With a start the man drew his short sword.  Before he could do anything else though, Jozz raised his crossbow and shot him in the chest.  The man fell dead.  Jozz stared a minute.  He had actually killed someone, a person.  

“Search his pockets,” directed Tilliana, snapping him out of his thoughts.  They searched all three bodies and found quite a few glints and a key.  It looked like perhaps a house key.  Tilliana too the key.  Jozz marched over to the other door in the hallway.

“Follow me,” he said gallantly.  As Tilliana did so, she suddenly realized with a start that the boys were unarmored.  It was dangerous for Jozz to be so bold, but it was brave.  

The door opened to reveal stairs going up.  The three started up them just as two other men were starting down.  Jozz fired but missed.  With a shout the two men ran down the stairs charging.  Tilliana parried one sword thrust and with a powerful swing she ended the life of her attacker.  Kall with his club did the same to the other man.  As Tilliana looked at the bodies, she guiltily remembered what Latoor Soi had told her that morning.  Thinking of that, she let out a little groan as the boys searched the bodies.  These two also had gold and the boys also found another key matching the one Tilliana already had.  
The stairs led into a kitchen.  As they entered the small room, they heard voices through an open doorway.  As the voices drew nearer, Tilliana prayed for a blessing upon Jozz.

“Come on men, I promised you a treat and I am going to deliver.  She…,”  The sentence was cut short as the speaker entered.  It was the toga wearing priest.  With him were two men, though the second man was actually a halfling.  In the priest’s hands were all manner of strange rods, whips, chains and ointments.  

“Who are you?” demanded Jozz.

“There you are little one,” said Tilliana to the halfling, realizing it was he that she had been chasing.

Kall did not waste time speaking.  With a shout he rushed at the halfling, clubbing the small man over the head.  Tilliana, only a fraction of a second behind sliced into the unarmored evil cleric.  Jozz, realizing that dialogue was not going to occur, shot the other companion of the priest.  His aim was true and the man died clutching the bolt through his chest.  The priest raised his hands to defend himself, but with a terrific shout, Kall brought his club around and literally tore the man’s head off.  Tilliana wiped her blade.  

Behind the men she could see the door leading out.  She did not want to stay any longer than she had too.  She helped them search the bodies and after dividing up all the gold they had found between the two boys, she made them leave the keys they had found on the bodies and made Kall clean his club off.  Then, as casually as she could manage she and the boys left the house.  

“I would greatly appreciate it,” said Tilliana with an embarrassed smile, “If you would not mention this to anybody, alright.”

“Sure,” said Jozz.

She healed herself on the way to Geona Hau.  It was about four hours after noon when she finally managed to reach the temple and inquire after the girls.  It turned out that they had all been released the day before.  After the drugs had worn off, they had known who they were and each of them had possessed family to go to.  Tilliana tried to get specific information, but none was forthcoming.  Not quite satisfied, but having nothing else she could do, she left the temple, aware of the scathing glances her attire caused within.

She was making her way back through the market towards the castle when she became aware of two men moving through the crowd talking to each other.  She could not help but overhear their conversation.

“That fat fool didn’t even notice it was missing.”

“Shut up and move, he will notice it soon enough.”

She saw the two men clearly and noticed they were tussling over a black velvet pouch.

“Give it here, let me see it.”

“I have it, just move.”

A shout for the watch rang out from a stall nearby and the two men startled started running, still fighting over the pouch.  As they ran a small red stone fell and landed on the ground in the gutter.  Tilliana moved towards the men but they were lost in the crowd.  She glanced down and saw it was a small gem lying on the ground.  She wrestled with her conscience for a moment, tempted to just leave it there and forget she had seen anything.  Then with a sigh, knowing it was the right thing to do, she bent down and picked up the gem.  It did not seem all that valuable.  Holding it she made her way to the stall where even as she walked a group of watchmen were gathering.

“Excuse me sir,” hollered Tilliana, holding out the gem and offering it to the merchant behind the stall, “is this yours?”

“Who are you?” shouted the merchant angrily, “Where did you get that?”

“Tilliana?” said a voice.

She turned.  It was Latoor Soi.  

“It’s alright Necoot, I know her.”

“Two men were running that way,” said Tilliana, “they dropped this on the way.”

Latoor took the stone and handed it to Necoot.

“Thank you Tilliana, I appreciate you honesty, did you get a good look at the men?”

“Yes,” said Tilliana and she described them.

“I think I know just the men responsible,” said Latoor, “I’ll dispatch some men immediately to check on it. ”  He spoke to one of the watch men and shortly a group of them was leaving.  

“So tell me,” said Latoor in a very friendly fashion to Tilliana, “How was your day today?”

Tilliana hesitated, immediately feeling guilty.

“Um, I had a very interesting day.  I found a relative of mine, an aunt and had a nice visit with her?”

Latoor looked at her curiously.

“Why do you look guilty about something,” he asked.

“No reason,” she lied.  He was not fooled.  

Smiling he grasped her arm and said as they walked, “I want to compliment you on helping out back there.”

“I try sir.”  

“But I find it surprising that such an attractive woman could get into so much trouble.  Do me a favor and stay out of trouble.”

“Yes sir,” she said curtly and freeing her arm she walked away, determined to head back to her inn and go to bed early.

Latoor smiled as he watched her walk away and then chuckling he returned to his duties.


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## Buttercup (Oct 21, 2002)

Enjoyable, as usual, Wicht.  Are we going to see more of Kall and Jozz?  And were the other players not able to make it this week?  Or will we see the account of their day next?


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## Wicht (Oct 21, 2002)

Buttercup said:
			
		

> *Enjoyable, as usual, Wicht.  Are we going to see more of Kall and Jozz?  And were the other players not able to make it this week?  Or will we see the account of their day next? *




Last week's regular game was canceled because of car problems.  (This weeks regular game has also been postponed because of changes in work schedules.)  In the interim, I decided to do something different.  I had been practice gaming with my two boys (using the adventure box) and decided to see how they would do in a real game. Joshua (age 6) and Caleb (age 5) played the parts of Jozz and Kall and I think did very well for their ages.  They want to play again, so we will see how it goes. 

Incidentally, Kall is a barbarian and Jozz is a rogue.


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## Wicht (Nov 1, 2002)

*Chapter 18 – Dareen’s Tower*

	It was not yet noon when Jozz and Kall left Geanavue on a cart going south.  In the back of the cart was a large crate, carefully packed and tied down to prevent it from banging around.  

	Their father, who besides caring for other peoples horses, also did woodwork, had just finished a statue for a man who lived about twenty two miles away from the city.  A sudden demand by one of the nobles to break in a horse had meant however that he would not be able to deliver the statue himself.  His boys however, he had reasoned, were nearly men and they could make the trip and be back the next day.   

	“Mr Forgewright’s place is easy to find,” he had told them, “You pass the cemetery on the Zoan road and then take the first path to the right, towards the mountains.  Follow that path to the very end.  He lives in a tower in the middle of Deepen Wood at the very end of the path.  Do you got that?  What did I just say?”

	They had both seen their father working on the statue.  They knew it was of a man, in full plate armor holding a greatsword point down into the ground.  

	“Stay out of trouble,” their father had warned them as they were pulling away from the house, “If you see giants, run.  Don’t try fighting them.”

The twins passed the cemetery south of the city and coming to a path to the right, they took it.  The sun slowly moved through the sky as they bumped along in the cart, their horse patiently plodding along at a slow but reliable rate.  They passed farms and small communities until at last the houses grew further and further apart and the communities grew increasingly smaller.  And then they came to Deepen Woods.  It was an old woods, comprised of large, tall trees.  Little light escaped to the floor of the woods and there was an ominous feel to the air beneath the leaves.  Nevertheless, the two boys entered, their discussion turning to the subject of wolves.  

The path through the woods was even less traveled than the rest of the path and the going was slower.  They saw no sign of life in the woods until they passed by a house on the right.  Even then however they could see no one inside the house.  There was no sign that anybody was home.  No light inside the building, nobody moving around outside the house.

“Is this the place?” asked Kall.

“Father said it was a tower,” said Jozz and they flicked the reins and continued on down the path.

It was another mile till they reached their destination.  There standing alone atop a small rise was a wide, squat tower.  The grey stones were large and the windows plain and situated high above the ground.  There was a small stable to the right of the tower.  It was empty.  

The boys pulled the wagon into the stable and loosed the horse and tethered him with a bag of oats to keep him company.  Then they opened the back of the cart and pulled off the crate.  It was heavy, but between the two of them they managed to get it off the wagon and carry it over to the steps leading up into the tower.  

Jozz climbed the steps and knocked using the large brass door-knocker.  A solid boom echoed throughout the tower.  They waited.  No one answered the door.  Kall reached out to see if he could open it.  It was locked.

“I can open it,” said Jozz and he pulled out his set of lock-picks.
In less than a minute he had the door open and they looked in.  It was dark inside.

“I’ll get a lantern,” said Jozz.

“I’ll get my club,” said Kall.

*********************************

It was about an hour after noon when Tilliana left Geanavue heading south.  She was riding Prancer, but the war horse was not wearing its barding.  Tilliana was after information, not battle.  

She had spent the last few days trying to track down anyone who might know more about the area in which her father had built his temple.  Almost by accident she had stumbled across the fact that there was another priest of Naemae living west of the city.  He was an old man who, she had been told, might have been a friend of her father’s.  His name was Dareen Forgewright and he lived in a secluded tower in the midst of remote woods.  

“How do you get there?” Tilliana had immediately asked.

“You get to Deepen woods by going south, past the cemetery, which you don’t want to stop at cause it’s haunted, and then you turn west and follow the path for about twenty miles, out past the farms until you get to dark woods.  His towers in the middle of the woods.”

“The cemetery is haunted?  What can you tell me about that?”

“The cemetery has always been haunted.  Spirits, ghost and the like that never hurt anybody.  Lately though some people say they have seen skeletons in black robes chasing people with scythes.”

“Oh.”

Her curiosity piqued by the existance of a Servant of the Swift Sword that had not been known to Deochoo and by the hint that he might have known her father, Tilliana set out from Geanavue with a mind full of possibilities.

The ride was long and as she neared Deepen Woods the evening was already beginning to approach.  She entered the woods and slowly made her way down the dim path.  She felt slightly put off by the quietness of the trees.  She could hear no birds and she saw no small animals, such as she might have expected to see.  
She began to pass a house on the right.  The house seemed strangely alone and quiet.  She saw no one around the house and there was no light in any of the windows.  There was an ax planted in a stump in front of the house and a lone wagon by the side of the house.  But there was no horse and nothing to suggest anybody was present.

Tilliana rode up to the house and dismounted.  She left Prancer standing by the stump and walked to the front door.  She knocked.  There was no answer.  She peered in one of the windows and saw nothing.  It was too dark inside.

Filled with curiousity, Tilliana went back to the door and tried it.  It swung easily open and she entered.

*******************************

Jozz held his lantern up high and led the way into the tower.  Kall followed right behind.  The front door led into a hallway.  There were three doors and Jozz opened the one on the right.  The room beyond was a sitting room of sorts.  The boys noticed that the decorative motif was the same throughout the room.  Statues, wall-hangings, tapestries, paintings and rug all bore the same two emblems.  A man in gold full plated armor holding a greatsword and a golden eye set on a background of blue and white diamonds.  

“Let’s bring in the crate,” said Jozz.  Kall agreed.

They carried the heavy wooden box up the stairs and placed it in the middle of the sitting room.  Then they decided to look around further.  They still heard no sound indicating anyone was home.  They went out of the room and entered into another hallway.  There were stairs going up to their left and in front of them was a door to the right of an open doorway. Light streamed out through the doorway and illuminated the whole hall.  The room beyond was a library of some sort.  Jozz opened the door and looked in by the light of his lantern.  It was a bathroom containing a toilet and a sink, each fed by pipes descending from the ceiling.  

“Let’s check up stairs,” said Kall and he led Jozz up the stone steps to the second floor of the tower.  The stairs opened into a single straight hallway with two doors on either side.  Jozz moved to open the first door on the right.  

There was a bedroom on the other side of the door.  A bad odor lingered in the room which was decorated with the same two emblems as the sitting room, the eye and the warrior.  There was a suit of full plate mail standing in one corner of the room, a greatsword in a scabbard leaning against the wall next to it.  There was also a dresser and a cedar chest in the room as well, of course, as a bed.  There was a man lying in the bed, bundled up in the blankets, his back to the boys.

“Hello, who are you,” said Jozz to the man.

There was no answer.  Cautiously they approached the bed.

The man in the bed was dead.  Kall looked on horrified.  

“Is he Mr. Forgewright?” asked Kall.

“I don’t know,” said Jozz.

The man had obviously been old.  His long silver white hair fell down limply around his wrinkled face upon which there was a serene look.  

“What do we do now?” asked Kall.

“Let’s check the rest of the upstairs,” anwered Jozz.

There were two other bedrooms and a chapel.  The chapel contained a small altar placed before a golden statue of the man holding a greatsword.  The last lights of the setting sun streamed through a small stained glass window depicting the golden eye.  

The boys decided to go back downstairs.

********************************

Tilliana looked into the small dark house and decided she needed a light.  She prayed and brought forth a small divine light from her holy symbol by which she could see.  The front room of the house was a mess.  There were obvious signs of violence everywhere.  Claw marks on the walls and dried blood on the floor told of a recent fight, onethat had occurred within the last day or two perhaps.  Tilliana stepped in to get a closer look.

The door slammed shut behind her and she jumped.  She saw however that it was just a rock, tied to a string in such a way as to make sure the door closed properly.  

There were no bodies in the front room.  An open doorway in the back of the room led into a small kitchen.  There was also a door on the east wall which she opened.  It led to a bedroom in which there were four beds.  Lying on the floor of the room in various positions were four bodies.  

Tilliana moved to get a closer look.  The body closest to her was male.  He seemed to have died from severe claw marks of some sort.  She bent down to get a closer look.

The eyes opened on the corpse and stared at her.  They were yellow and red.  The corpse reached out to grab at her but she jumped back, just out of the way.  Around the small room all four of the corpses were shambling to their feet.  

Her heart pounding, Tilliana raised her holy symbol and prayed.  Light burst forth in an explosion of divine energy and the corpses screamed.  Their flesh melted and the fell back to the floor, writhing only for a moment and then were still.

With determination Tilliana set out to search the rest of the house for any clues as to what had happened here.

***********************************

Jozz and Kall descended the stairs.  As they did so they started to hear a thumping sound.  Something was banging around on the first floor.  They went through the library and entered into a dining room.  The thumping was coming from a door on the other end of the room.  Jozz and Kall cautiously approached the door.  Jozz held his lantern so that he would be able to see properly and slowly opened the door.

At first he saw nothing moving, and then a figure shuffled into view.  It was covered in bandages and an odor of spices lingered in the air around it.

“A mummy!” said Kall.

Jozz raised crossbow and fired at the creature.  The bolt stuck in it but seemed to do little.  Kall pushed past Jozz and ran at the mummy, slamming at it with his club.  He missed and the mummy turned as swatted at him, landing a solid blow on the boy.  Jozz, thinking a moment raised his lantern and foregoing the crossbow he ran at the creature, swinging the lantern as a weapon.  He struck and the lantern shattered and oil coated the mummy, bursting into fiery flame.  Kall, enraged at being struck, swung his club as hard as he could and landed a blow.  But it was clear that the fire was doing more to hurt the mummy than the huge club.  Jozz tried to stab at the creature with his dagger but the flames kept him back.  The mummy, screaming as it burned turned and struck Jozz, knocking him back a step.  Again Jozz tried to stab it but with no greater success.  Kall ducked a blow from the mummy and struck it once more with his club.  The mummy, the flames eating its life away screamed one last time and fell to the ground.  The boys quickly put out the small fires that had spread to other parts of the room.  There was a sarcophagus in the room, opened, just one of many bizarre relics that filled the room.

********************************

Tilliana found nothing in the house to indicate anything other than the fact that these were simple woodcutters who had been killed in their own house.  Frustrated she stepped back out the front door.

She saw immediately that Prancer was frightened by something.  It did not take long to figure out what was scaring the young war horse.  White skeletal shapes were marching out of the woods towards the house.  Tilliana counted at least twenty of them.  Slowly but surely they were surrounding her.  She gripped her holy symbol and waited.  

The rush came quickly.  The skeletons, pinpoints of fire in their eyes raised bony claws and moved to attack her.  Already prepared, Tilliana raised her silken holy symbol.  For the second time that evening, divine light poured forth from it.  A majority of the skeletons shreiked silently and crumbled into dust.  But not all of them.  Three remained and the surrounded the priestess, clawing at her.  Prancer snorted and moved as to attack, but it was unnecessary.  Tilliana once more called upon Naemae and the remaining three skeletons were smitten into dust.  

The priestess, shaken, but not cowered mounted Prancer and headed once more up the trail, further into the dark woods.

*********************************

As they finished beating out the last of the fires, the two boys heard a scream from outside.  It was high-pitched and unnerving.  They rushed through the dining room to the front door and looked out just in time to see their horse bolting off through the trees.  Something had frightened it badly.

There was a red glow, almost like a fire, coming from around the side of the tower.  Gripping their weapons they ventured out to see what was making it.  They saw first what appeared to be a crack in the ground from which red light streamed in a fiery glow.  Then they saw the man shambling towards them, arms outstretched.  He came from the direction of the crack and the red light outlined him.

“Uhhhh,” he said and they saw that he seemed to already be dead.  

“Uugghh,” came an eerie voice from behind them and they saw another of the walking corpses aproaching from the stable.   
Jozz fired and missed and then the two corpses were almost on top of them.  They zombies moved slowly and both boys had enough time to ready themselves and attack.  Kall struck one of them.  The creatures head lolled sideways at a disturbing angle,but still the creature continued to try and press forward to attack Kall.  Jozz failed to strike his and for his effort he received a strong, solid slamming punch to his ribs.  Kall also was struck.  The zombies moved slow but they were strong.  Kall swung and missed and then another blow from one of the living dead struck down Jozz.

“My brother!” screamed Kall, and focusing more on swinging as hard as he could, Kall swung around at the creature that had attacked Jozz.  He landed his blow and the zombie flew backwards and struck the wall of the tower.  It did not move again.  Kall redirected his energy at the remaining zombie and swung again missing.  He was focusing too much on the force of his swing and not on where he was swinging.  Moving nimble, he dodged the next strike and then swung his huge club around and smashed open the zombie which collapsed to the ground.  
Kall bent down to see what he could do to aid Jozz who was unconscious.  He slapped jozz lightly on the face and made sure he was not bleeding anywhere.

“Uuggghhh.”

Another zombie was slowly crawling out of the crack in the ground.  Kall bent over and hefting his brother to his feet he half propelled and half carried him back to the tower and slammed the door shut behind.  They went back to the trophy room and the two looked out the window.  They could see the crack below them and as they watched they saw zombie after zombie crawling up out of the ground  and walking away into the dark woods.  

Tilliana healed her minor wounds as she rode through the forest.  All was still silent.  She heard no owls nor crickets.  She heard nothing until she heard the hoofs.  As she stared ahead down the path she saw a skeletal rider on a skeletal steed approaching her.  The rider carried an ancient spear and when it was close enough, it raised its spear and charged her.  Tilliana again raised her holy symbol and the undead horrors crumbled to dust.

She spurred Prancer forward, convinced somehow that something was dreadfully wrong somewhere in this forest.  She soon approached a tower from which dim light could be seen in the windows.  However it was the bright glow on the left side of the tower that most attracted her attention.  

There was someone walking towards her from the direction of the glow.  As it drew nearer she saw it was a walking corpse.   Dismounting, Tiliana drew her sword and charged.  Her sword flashed once, cutting into dead flesh, and then as she dodged a blow it flashed through the air a second time and the zombie fell to the ground in two.  She stared out towards the crack and saw another zombie crawling slowly out.

She was not sure what she should do with Prancer so she decided to leave him first in the stables before doing any more fighting.  She noticed there was a cart in the stable as well.  
Having tethered Prancer she walked towards the glow.  The zombie she had seen crawling out of the crackhad made it out and was moving slowly towards her.  She waited till it drew closer and then charged.  Unfortunately her foot caught on something in the dark and she swung wild.  The zombie, grunting incomprehensibly swung at her and she ducked easily out of the way, seeking to regain her balance.  Then she swung again.  Her sword sank in, but she was too close and a molding fist caught her up alongside her helmet.  She swung again and then again and finally the zombie was dead.  Even as she stopped and caught her breath she saw another hand groping to reach up over the edge of the glowing crack and get out.  

Determining that there must be a reason for a zombie spewing crack of doom she decided to look in the tower.

The door was unlocked and she entered in, her holy symbol illuminating the way.  She walked through the front hall and into the dining room.  Light from the library spilled into the room and she looked around.  

The door on the left side of the dining room opened slowly and an eyed peered out.  Then it swung more fully opened and Jozz stumbled out wincing.

“Hi Tilliana,” he said stiffly and weakly, “I don’t suppose you could spare a heal?”

“What are you doing here?”

“We were delivering a statue and we were attacked by zombies.”

“Who were you delivering it to?”

“Mr. Forgewright.”

“Come here,” said Tilliana.  She saw Kall looking out the doorway and motioned him over as well.  She reached out and touching their wounds she channeled the positive energies of her god into their bodies.  The bruises cleared and the boys felt whole again.  When they were healed she walked into the room they had been in and looked out the window as they had done.  Below she could see the glowing crack and the zombie that was slowly crawling out.

“Is there anyone in the house?” she asked them.

“Yes,” said Jozz, “He’s dead.”

“Upstairs,” added Kall.

“Show me,” said Tilliana and so the boys led her up the stairs to the bedroom containing the body of the old man.  Tilliana looked briefly at the body, the first she had seen that evening that was not still moving.  Then she tried to look in the chest.  It was locked.

“Let me,” said Jozz and he had it open in a flash.

Inside were blankets.  Packed atop the blankets were three bottles, each containing a golden liquid.  Jozz reached out and opening one he took a sip.  It was sweet and felt uplifting.

“Potions of healing,” guessed Tilliana after hearing Jozz try to describe it.  She handed one to Kall and took the third for herself.  Then she turned her attention to the armor and the sword.  While she looked at the sword and Kall admired the armor, Jozz looked more closely at the body on the bed.  He saw there was a ring on the finger of the corpse.  Swiftly the boy pulled it off and placed it upon his own finger.

Tilliana muttered a brief prayer and the sword started to glow.  She looked at it with a smile.  Then she noticed something else in the room glowing.  The ring on Jozz’s finger was glowing, as was the medallion upon her neck.  She had never bothered to check the amulet before to see if it was magical.  It obviously was.  
Tilliana took the sword, strapping it on her back with her other sword.  Kall meanwhile finding the armor was not that bad a fit, started putting it on.  If he was going to fight more monsters, he preferred to do so with some protection.  It was heavy and he moved much slower in it, but he felt slightly more secure.  

“What was the statue you brought,” asked Tilliana.

“It was like that one,” said Kall, pointing to a corner of the bed where in place of a standard post, a statue of Naemae was carved.  All four corners of the bed bore the same figure.  Looking around the room, Tilliana realized with a start that the symbols of Naemae covered everything.  Indeed it had been the same way downstairs.  Not even the temple in Xaarum had that many holy icons crammed into every feature.

“Let’s look in the basement,” said Tilliana, recalling that there had been stairs down leading out of the dining room.  She led the two boys back down to the first floor.  

“Over there’s the restroom,” said Jozz helpfully when they reached the first floor.

“Thank you,” said Tilliana.

"Just in case you need to go."

"I'm fine at the moment, I assure you," said Tilliana amused.

Jozz grabbed a candle from the dining room table and lighting it he led the way into the basement.  The basement appeared to be nothing more than a good sized storage room.  Odds and ends were stacked in various places.

Tilliana thought a moment and then walked towards the part of the basement in which direction she guessed the crack to lie.

“Look around,” she said, “there might be a secret door or something.”

It was Kall who found it.  A pressed switch revealed a swinging panel of stone in the wall.  Tilliana moved to go through it.  Jozz and Kall also moved at the same time to go through it.

“Only one can go in front,” said Tilliana patiently.

“I think there should be a rule,” said Kall, “that whoever finds the secret passage gets to go through it first.”

“Ok,” said Tilliana, “but just remember there’s no rule that says I have to heal you when you get killed.”

Kall led the way through the secret panel and into a small hallway.  It went straight for about fifteen feet and then they emerged into a room, about thirty feet square.  On the far end of the room, in the right hand corner there was a crack in the ground.  Four squat, ugly creatures with white blubbery skin, red eyes, bristle like hair and needle filled mouths were working to lift a large stone out of the crack.  They looked at the three intruders and hissed.

“What are you doing?” said Kall as he entered the room and saw them.

“Go away!  Go Away!”  the voices rang in Kall’s head, not in his ears.

“Telepathy,” said Tilliana.  The voices rang out in her head as well, as they did in Jozz’s.

“What are you going to do?” asked Kall

“Free the Master!  Free the Master!”

“Are they bad?” asked Kall

“They’re bad,” Tilliana drawing her newest sword.

“How do you know they are bad?”

“They just are!  Attack them!” said the priestess rushing forward.  

She sliced into one and it flew across the room in pieces, almost exploding from the impact.  Jozz fired, but his shot was slightly off the mark.  Kall charged up alongside of Tilliana, but he found the tough hides of the monsters were thicker than they looked.  

“Help me!  Help me!” screamed one of the monsters, its silent voice echoing in the heads of the heroes.  Whatever help the thing was seeking however failed to appear.

The other two charged Tilliana and scratched and bit at her.  Tilliana swung and killed one of them.  Jozz moved up alonside her and attempted to stab the other one.

“Darkness!” screamed the telepathic voice of the one that had called for help.  The whole room was plunged into utter blackness.

“Daylight!” cried out Tilliana triumphantly, holding aloft her divine focus.  The room burst forth with the light of day and the two remaining creatures screamed in horror.  Tilliana managed to avoid being bit again, but Kall was not so lucky.  His club seemed to be unable to penetrate the leathery hide of the creature he was striking at.  

Tilliana sliced open one more of the creatures when the last remaining thing screamed, “Flee!”  As the message bounced around in their skulls, both of the boys grew scared.  Their breath grew short and sweat broke out on their skin.

Tilliana however was not affected and she planted her sword firmly in the creatures head.  As swiftly as it had come, the supernatural fear implanted in the boys vanished.  As they watched, the bodies dissolved into a greenish goo and then vanished.

“Let’s take a look at that stone,” said Tilliana, “I want to see if we need to destroy it.”

Neither boy was exactly thrilled at the idea but nevertheless Tilliana coaxed them into helping and soon they had it out.  It was shaped like a large wheel, or perhaps like a millstone.  On its upward side was written words in strange letters.

“Celestial,” said Tilliana recognizing the writing.  

Even as she spoke, from the side of the stone, melding out of it appeared a black claw.  It groped and soon the wrist and arm of the creature appeared.

“It seems to be a spell,” said Tilliana, “A spell written in celestial script.”

“Hurry,” said Jozz as the claw groped towards him.  There was a whole black arm now somehow stretching out of the stone, as if the stone were water or an illusion of some sort. 

Tilliana muttered a brief prayer and then reread the inscription.

“It’s a spell that seems designed to trap demons,” said Tilliana.

“Read it!” said Jozz, panic growing in his eyes as he sidestepped the groping claw.

Tilliana read the spell.

The claw was immediately sucked back into the stone.  There was a swirl of darkness in the air and a swooshing and sucking sound as if the three were in the middle of some sort of vortex of air.  They felt nothing but their eyes seemed to see a great darkness being drawn into the stone.  And then in an instant it was over.

As Tilliana examined the stone the boys examined the rest of the room.  Jozz was convinced there was another secret passage in the room.  He soon discovered it and the boys dragged Tilliana away from the stone to examine the other room under the house.  It was smaller than the first secret room and contained only a chest and a bow.  Kall took the bow and looked it over while Jozz popped open the chest.  Inside the chest was a great deal of gold coin, as well as a ring and a dagger.

Jozz smiled.


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## Wicht (Nov 1, 2002)

The last entry was our family halloween game, planned by me in the space of an hour (which is why it resembles certain low budget horror movies - The Unnameable, the Gate, etc.).

Hope you enjoyed it as much as we did.  

Scheduling conflicts have kept our regular game from happening for a while... but we will figure something out here soon I am sure.


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## Elder-Basilisk (Nov 1, 2002)

It was  good reading--I'm glad you decided to post it and I'm getting to like Kall and Jozz. Will they be joining the regular game when you end up getting together?


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## Buttercup (Nov 1, 2002)

I surely did enjoy it, Wicht!  It sounds like everyone had a great time.

So are you going to tell us about the magic items they have acquired?  And I agree w/ the old Basilisk.  I like Kall and Jozz.


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## Wicht (Nov 7, 2002)

> _Originally posted by Elder-Basilisk_
> *It was good reading--I'm glad you decided to post it and I'm getting to like Kall and Jozz. Will they be joining the regular game when you end up getting together?*



Since the players in question (ages 5 and 6) take just a little more on hand DMing, they are likely not to join the main group any time soon.  However as they both keep asking me when they get to play again, I will certainly find a way to keep them in the story.


> _Originally posted by Buttercup_
> *So are you going to tell us about the magic items they have acquired? *



Since you asked (and since I finally have a free moment right now) here are some character updates.  
********************************************            
********************************************

*Tilliana**, Female Human Cle5/Fgt1:* CR 6; Size M (4 ft. 8 inches tall); hp 50; Init +5; Spd 20 ft; AC 20; Atk +8 melee (2d6+3 +1 Keen Greatsword); SA Spells;  SV Fort +7, Ref +2, Will +7; Ali LG; Str 14, Dex 12, Con 13, Int 14, Wis 17, Cha 16.
*Skills and Feats:* Knowledge (religion) +8, Knowledge (Art of War) +8,  Diplomacy +8, Spellcraft +8, Concentration +8, Craft (Armor smithing) +7, Craft (Calligraphy) +6, Ride +5, Handle Animal +4; Combat Casting, Scribe Scroll, Weapon Focus (Greatsword), Improved Initiative, Power Attack, Cleave.
_Domains:_  War and Nobility
*Weapons and Armor:* +1 Keen Greatsword, Banded Mail, Amulet of Natural Protection +2, Ring of Protection +1, Potion of Healing, Masterwork Dagger (410 gp value).  
**********************************************

*Alairic**, Male Human Pal5:* CR 5; Size M (5 ft. tall); hp 37; Init +5; Spd 20 ft; AC 18; Atk +9 melee (2d6+4(+1d6vsevil) +1 Holy Greatsword); SV Fort +8, Ref +5, Will +4; Ali LG; Str 15, Dex 13, Con 12, Int 7, Wis 16, Cha 16.
Skills and Feats: Ride +5, Diplomacy +4, Knowledge (religion) +5; Improved Initiative, Blind Fighting, Weapon Focus (Greatsword).
Weapons and armor: +1 Holy Greatsword, dagger, half-plate, Ring of Protection +1.

**********************************************
*Niccolo**, Male Half-elven Ran5:* CR 5; Size M (5 ft. 3 inches tall); hp 40; Init +2; Spd 30 ft; AC 16; Atk +9 melee (1d8+3 Longsword) or +8 melee (1d12+4 Greataxe), or +7 ranged (1d8+3 Mighty Composite Longbow); SV Fort +5, Ref +3, Will +3; Ali LG; Str 17, Dex 14, Con 12, Int 10, Wis 15, Cha 12.
*Skills and Feats:* Ride +7, Move Silently +7,  Heal +8, Craft (weapon smithing) +4, Wilderness Lore +8, Handle Animal +7; Track, Weapon Focus (longsword), Power Attack.
   Favored enemies: Primary - Pirates, Secondary - Undead
_*Weapons and Armor:*_ Longsword, Dagger, Mighty Composite Longbow (+4 str), Greataxe, Halberd, Masterwork Rapier and Chain Shirt.

****************************************

*Kinshag**, Male Sil-karg (Krangi) Ftr4:* CR 4; Size M (6 ft.); hp 30; Init +5; Spd 30 ft; AC 16; Atk +9 melee (1d12+4 Masterwork Greatax), +5 ranged (1d8+3 Mighty Composite Longbow); SV Fort +5, Ref +2, Will +0; Ali LG; Str 16, Dex 13, Con 12, Int 14, Wis 9, Cha 7.
*Skills and Feats:* Climb +10, Handle Animal +5, Ride +8, Swim +10; Power Attack, Weapon Focus (Great-ax), Cleave, Improved Initiative, Great Cleave.
*Weapons and Armor:* Masterwork Greatax, Mighty Composite Longbow (+3 str), Daggers, Longsword, Masterwork Rapier, and Breastplate. 

****************************************

*Kall**, Male Human Bar3:* CR 3; Size M (5'9"); hp 38; Init +4; Spd 40 ft; AC 15; Atk +6 melee (1d12+3 Masterwork Greatax), +5 ranged (1d6+2 +2 Shortbow); SV Fort +5, Ref +1, Will +1; Ali CG; Str 14, Dex 10, Con 14, Int 12, Wis 11, Cha 11.
*Skills and Feats:* Craft (Wood Carving) +7, Climb +8, Handle Animal +6, Intuit Direction +6, Jump +8, Listen +6; Power Attack, Cleave, Improved Initiative.
*Weapons and Armor:* Masterwork Greatax, +2 Shortbow, Dagger, Masterwork Breastplate, potion of healing.

****************************************

*Jozz**, Male Human Rog3:* CR 3; Size M (5'9"); hp 18; Init +6; Spd 30 ft; AC 17; Atk +4 melee (1d4+3 +3 Dagger), +4 ranged (1d8 Crossbow); SV Fort +2, Ref +5, Will +1; Ali CG; Str 9, Dex 15, Con 13, Int 16, Wis 10, Cha 11.
*Skills and Feats:* Craft (Wood Carving) +9, Climb +5, Balance	+8, Bluff +6, Disable Device +9, Escape artist +8, Hide +8, Move Silently +8, Open Locks +8, Search +9; Point blank shot, precise shot, Improved Initiative.
*Weapons and Armor:* Crossbow, +3 Dagger, Masterwork Studded Leather, Ring of Protection +2, Potion of healing.

************************************

In addition each character now has a horse or some other means of transportation (Jozz and Kall decided to buy a wagon).  

Tilliana took the level of fighter to help her fight better from a horse.


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## Wicht (Nov 8, 2002)

*Excerpts From the Journal of Dareen Forgewright*
_
*4 Sowing 714*
Me and my companion, Tartis the Bold have managed to eradicate the demon led orc legions and have captured an ancient elvish artifact.  It is not has beautiful as many other elvish creations, being but a round rock, but it is very powerful.  I believe it may be the legendary Demon Stone which elvish sailors gave to the people of the bay nearly 500 years ago.  If so it is a powerful weapon
Naemae be praised for giving it into my hands.

*2 Mustering 714*
The Demon Stone is a curse!  Though it traps demons within it, it also lets them out.  I am sure of it for I saw it with my own eyes just two nights ago and only now am able to record what happened.  Demons begin creeping up the inn stairs and skeletons filled the courtyard.  Tartis and myself barely managed to make it to the stone and draw the demons back in.

*12 Mustering 714*
It has happened again.  Demons and undead filled the inn, the stone being the cause of the problem.  Something must be done with the dreadful thing.  It is not safe to have around people.  Fortunately the incantation on the stone once more ended the menace.

*1 Declarations 714*
I have figured it out.  It is the new moon.  On the night of the new moon the stone slowly releases the evil within it.  A better way must be found to contain the evil.  I would destroy the stone but I fear that would do more harm than good.

*15 Mid-season Harvest 715*
Finally I have constructed a prison for the Demon Stone.  As long as I live I shall guard it.  Encased within the rock below my new tower I am confidant the evil cannot now be released.  There it shall stay for many a long years.  I have told few of my church where I am going.  Better the location of such an evil thing be forgotten.  Naemae grant this prayer.

*23 Frosting 720*
A strange thing has happened.  I have heard word from north of the city that a fellow Servant of the Swift Sword has uncovered a stone similar to the Demon Stone, possibly its twin the Devil Stone.  Both were brought to the bay by elves and both were lost to time.
His name is Roanai I believe and he and some companions have destroyed a great evil.  I wrote to him of the nature of the Demon Stone and await his reply.

*5 Famine 720*
Roanai has written back.  Apparently the Devil Stone functions has also been warped by the evil within but in a different way.  I wrote to him of my solution and advised him as well as I was able.  

*28 Sowing 744*
My eyes grow weak and my hand trembles.  This shall be my last entry I believe.  At last I shall join my god in glorious eternal battle and serve him with a vigor lost through the years.  I hear a noise now and then from the basement.  I fear the wards are loosening.  I know not what the evil shall do if freed but I have done my best to contain it.
May the Swift Sword forgive me if I did wrong in burying it.
_


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## Buttercup (Nov 9, 2002)

Uh oh.  Tilliana's got a heap o' trouble now.


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## Elder-Basilisk (Nov 9, 2002)

It's the stories like this that make me appreciate the story-hour so much. There's a history to the characters' struggles. And, most likely, enduring consequences.


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## Wicht (Nov 15, 2002)

*Chapter 19 Terfiindel*

Tilliana divided up the treasure with the boys the next morning and sent them back to Geanavue while she stayed behind to look through the old cleric's stuff.

Jozz and Kall were excited as they headed back home.  Jozz in particular thought his magic ring was the greatest thing ever.  Though Tilliana had told him that she thought it was a ring of protection, he was convinced that it could do other things as well.  

“Turn me invisible!” he commanded it, “Fire!  Lightning!”

But none of his attempts worked and eventually he gave up.
It was late afternoon when they reached their house and their mother was glad to see them again.  

“You’re almost men,” grunted their father when he heard their tale, “But you will do better when you realize that hard work and honest labor are better than all the adventure in the world.  Still, I must admit that you brought home a good bit of money.  Doesn’t seem quite honest.  But its yours and you can do with it as you will.  An early birthday present.”

The two boys spent the next few days shopping.  Their fifteenth birthday was swift approaching and they yearned to be after adventure.  Kall traded in his huge club for a masterfully made axe of immense proportions.  He also sold the full suit of plate mail he had retrieved from Dareen’s tower and bought something a little lighter.  Jozz bought a wagon and two horses.  Then the two boys proceeded to load it down with chests, poles, a ladder and other paraphernalia they thought might be useful.  

“You’ll end up like your grandfather,” their father warned them, but he did not stop them.  


Tilliana buried Dareen behind his tower and conducted a solitary service consecrating his grave.  She spent the next few days exploring the contents of  Dareen’s tower.  She found the old priest’s journal, along with several other books she thought might tell her more about the stone she had unearthed, and what she read therein made her a bit nervous.  She eventually decided to take the stone with her.  For that she would need something to haul it in.  She guessed its weight at about two hundred pounds.  Far more then she wanted to force her horse to carry.  Giving it some thought she remembered the small wagon that had been by the woodcutters house.  

Retrieving the wagon was a simple matter.  Prancer, not used to pulling a wagon fought for a bit but she eventually coaxed him into the job.  After that there were no problems.  Loading the stone onto the wagon herself was a bit more of a challenge but she managed it.  Then, afterwards she loaded up the books she wanted to keep from the tower and some of the more costly statues of Naemae.  In particular she took the gold statue out of the chapel and placed it on the wagon next to the stone.  Then, with the keys she had found, she locked the tower door and set back out to Geanavue.

*****************************

Their birthday had arrived with much celebration on the part of Jozz and Kall.  It was the third day of Declerations and the two boys had just finished their shopping and were going home for a grand dinner their mother had promised them.  

“You see that?” said Jozz to Kall as they walked the crowded street.

“See what?”

“That man over there, holding something under his arm like he’s trying to hide something.  Look how he looks around like he’s afraid.”

Kall watched and saw that Jozz was right.

The man ducked out of the street and into a side street.

“Want to follow him?” said the curious Jozz.

The two boys drifted over to the mouth of the alley wondering whether or not they should stick their noses in when they heard a scream from out of the alley.  With scarcely a thought both boys took off into the alley.  The man they had noticed was lying on the ground dead in a pool of blood.  Footsteps echoed from the end of the alley and both boys saw a cloaked figure running away and around the corner out of sight.

“Let’s catch him,” said Jozz and took off running.  Kall pulled ahead of Jozz and was out of the small alley just in time to see a door of a nearby house shut.  The murderer however was not in sight.

“I think he may have gone in there,” said Kall pointing to the house.

“Come on,” said Jozz, running towards the house.  

Jozz knocked quickly on the door and then decided just to open it. Inside he saw a man in the act of taking off a heavy cloak.

“What do you want!” demanded the man.

“Did you kill that man?” demanded Jozz bluntly and undiplomatically.

“What man?”

“The man carrying a package!”

At the mention of the package, the man’s eyes blazed and his hand went to the hilt of a shortsword at his waist.  

“You have seen too much my boy,” said the man as he drew his sword.

“Kall!” yelled Jozz, drawing his own dagger out and lunging at the man.  His dagger, newly acquired, slid easily into the man’s side.  Yanking it back out, Jozz ducked under the man’s wild swing.

“I’m here!” yelled Kall as he sped past his twin brother.  His new great axe swung in a vicious arc and cleaved into the man attacking his brother.  The man died instantly from the blow.

An moment later, the watch were at the door, weapons at the ready.  

“Drop your weapons!” demanded the lead officer to the boys.

“He was a bad guy!” declared Kall, but he obligingly dropped his axe.

Jozz toyed with the idea of fighting for a minute, but then he too lowered his dagger.

“I’ll go with you but don’t you know that he killed him.”

“Killed who?”

“The man in the alley over there.”

“We will see, In the meantime we are going to have to place you under arrest.  Please come with us.”

The boys spent the rest of their birthday in a lock up.  They were released the next morning.

“Your story seems true,” said the man who released them, “My name is Latoor Soi.  You two seem to have stumbled onto something rather evil and you no doubt did the city a favor by ridding us of that vile man you killed yesterday.  I would however like to ask you a few questions before I let you go.”
Latoor questioned them for a good while, even more so when he learned they knew Tilliana.  He seemed especially interested in her and pumped them for everything they could tell him about her.  Finally when he was done he told them they could go.

 “You know of any big monsters around here we could fight,” asked Kall of Latoor as they left the lock up with him.

“Hah!” said Latoor, “You two ought to try and stay out of trouble.  The watch can handle anything in Geanavue.”

***************************************

“Good Morning Tilliana” said Latoor as he met her in the lobby of Muratuur’s Welcome.  She had just returned the night before to find that Kinshag, Niccolo and Alairic had already left Geanavue.  Their note said that they would meet her, as planned, in a little place called Terfiindel, about a day’s ride north of Geanavue.

“Good morning sir,” said Tilliana, “What can I do for you?”

“Some friends of yours have told me that you are soon to head to Terfiindel and as you are going that way I thought maybe you could help me with something.”

He pulled a piece of parchment from his tunic and handed it to her.

“Yesterday a black market ring of the foulest sort was uncovered in our city and it would seem that there are connections between it and Terfiindel.  I am authorized to pay you 100 golden glints if you can find out a little more for us.”

Tilliana read the parchement.  It was a letter.

_To Nelo, Grand Master of Destruction and servant of Heartrot, the Lord of Foulness,

Greetings exalted one.  The last shipment from Terfiindel was late.  Perhaps Sawtooth should be spoken to.  I don’t know why you put up with that egotistical savage.

We lost a batch of the worms in a shipwreck.  It shall be interesting to see what that causes but in the meantime our customer in Zoa still wants some.  

There is another order from Pekal for mummified zombie tongues, the breath of skeletons and that glowing moss.

May the world turn to ash so growth may begin again,
Firndish_


“In the same house that we found that letter, we also uncovered horrendous items that I will not even begin to try to describe to you.  But we think something very evil is going on and there is a connection in Terfiindel.”

“Who told you I was going to Terfiindel?”

“Two young friends of yours, Jozz and Kall, we arrested them yesterday and let them go today.  They were part of the reason we uncovered what we did.  You might want to warn them so they stay out of trouble.”

“I will speak to them,” said Tilliana, “And I will look around Terfiindel for you.”

“Thank you,” said Latoor Soi, “I greatly appreciate it.  Terfiindel is just outside of our furthest patrols north.  The land starts becoming very wild up there.”

“Can I keep that letter?”

“I suppose,” said Latoor as he handed it over.


Tilliana, having already given the matter some thought, hunted up Jozz and Kall’s house.  There she spoke to them and their parents about hiring the boys to accompany her as squires.  Their father, though not thrilled with the idea of his sons seeking adventure, nevertheless agreed to it.  

The next morning when Tilliana went back to fetch them for the trip, the boys already had Jozz’s wagon loaded and ready to go.  Tilliana had hitched Firebolt to her small wagon with Prancer alongside.  The two wagons were driven north through Geanavue to the northern gate.

“Stay out of trouble and don’t get killed,” grumbled the boy’s father at them as he escorted them through the gate.  

“We won’t” said Jozz, “My magic ring will protect me.”
His father grunted, showing skepticism.

“Don’t worry,” said Tilliana, “I will protect them.  Be brave and they will return to you.”


The drive northward was uneventful.  Farms and country estates soon gave way to a more desolate hilly land.  It took them about eight hours of steady driving to finally reach the town of Terfiindel.  It did not look like much.  Many of the building seemed to stand empty and there was a dirty and lonely feeling to the town.  Most of the people they saw looked like farmers and that was likely the case.  

They soon spied a tavern, standing next to an inn, the town general store across the dusty street.

“Shall we go in the store?” asked Jozz as he pulled his wagon up alongside Tilliana’s.

“Let’s try the tavern first,” replied Tilliana, “Maybe we can get some information in there about this Sawtooth.

The tavern was dimly lit but not empty.  Small groups of men sat around the front room, drinking and talking.  As they listened they heard several of the men grumbling about the town’s young people heading further south, closer to Geanavue to find work.  

“See what you can overhear,” whispered Tilliana to the boys and then she walked over to stand next to some men and listen to them.  They were complaining about the poor weather and the closed mines.  

“Are there mines around here?” asked Tilliana breaking into the conversation with a smile.  The men glanced at her, taking in both her armor and sword and her pretty face.

One of the men answered her, “There were some mines northwest of town, but the miners said they were played out a couple of years back and since then the town has been slowly dying.”

Meanwhile Kall was listening in on another group.

“It’s demons and death they worship,” said one man, “They will bring no good to us I tell you.”

“But what can we do?” asked another.

One of the men, glancing over at Kall and seeing that he was eavesdropping nodded his head in the direction of the boy.  The men looked over and stopped talking.  Instead they stared silently at their beers.

“Why did you stop talking?’ demanded Kall.

“Who are you?” asked one of the men.  Tilliana, from where she was, seeing the exchange started across the room in case Kall needed support.

“I am Kall.”

“And that means?”

“I am a hero,” said Kall simply.

“Are you afraid of something?” asked Tilliana of the men.  They shot her strange and dark looks.

“Do you know a Sawtooth?” Tilliana asked them.  The men gave her no answer but stared back at their drinks.  Jozz, from his vantage point, however noticed another group of men move silently but swiftly out of the tavern.  He also noticed the dark, evil glances they shot at Tilliana at the mention of Sawtooth.

Not knowing quite what to do he went over and quietly mentioned them to Tilliana.

“Follow them if you can,” said Tilliana and went back to where she had been standing at the bar, taking Kall with her.

Jozz obediently went out of the tavern to see where the men went.  When he walked out onto the street and stood by his wagon he could not see them.  They had apparently already gone in somewhere.  A flicker in a window of a house across the street drew his attention and he thought he saw someone looking out of one of the second floor windows.  Then the curtain moved and the face disappeared.  

He went back in and reported to Tilliana.  Jozz was of the opinion they should break into the house and question the inhabitants.  Tilliana dissuaded him and so instead they went to the inn to find rooms.  

The inkeeper was a pleasant man with a cheerful smile.  He informed Tilliana that nobody answering to the names or descriptions of Kinshag, Alairic, and Niccolo had arrived yet.  The cost of the rooms was a glint a person, an extra glint for the horses.  Tilliana paid, the Innkeeper promising her a private room and giving Jozz and Kall a room together.

“So what are you doing in our dying town,” he asked them cheerfully as he signed their names into his log book.

“We are heroes,” said Jozz enthusiastically.

“Heroes are you,” said the innkeeper with a smile, “well you all will be wanting to explore Brightstone Keep then won’t you.  Its northwest of town, just by the old mines, but lately folks say that there is something evil happening out there.  Folks disapearing and not returning and strange things in town.”  He said this with a mixed air of humor and seriousness, as if he was ribbing them about something that was actually bothering him.

“Do you know a Sawtooth?” asked Tilliana

“Where did you hear that name?” he asked, all humor draining from his face.

“So you know of him?”

“Funny things happen to people in this town who asks too many questions.  The sheriff is out of town today, but he’s a good man, one you can trust.  Ask him tomorrow when you see him.”
He showed them to their rooms and helped them carry up their packs and chests but he would say no more about the mines, the keep or Sawtooth.


Jozz went to Tilliana’s room after he had arranged his belongings.

“Should we go check out that house?” he asked her, “I think that’s where those men went.”

“I think we should get some sleep,” answered Tilliana, ‘Something tells me we may have visitors tonight.”

Jozz taking Tilliana’s suspicions to heart retrieved some bells from his pack along with some twine.  Each of the rooms had a patio door-window which opened out onto a small balcony outside the room.  He tied one bell on each of the patio doors and then placed a bell on each of the doors leading from their rooms to the hall.  Then he went to talk to the innkeeper about the doors downstairs being locked.

“Don’t worry,” the innkeeper assured him, “I always lock the doors before going to bed.

Tilliana, not sure about efficiency of the bells advised the boys they should have one person awake at all times.  Jozz volunteered for the first watch.  

Tilliana was tired from her travels and was soon sound asleep.  In the room right next to hers Jozz sat silently in a chair in the corner, listening to his brother snore.  The hours ticked by slowly and though he tried to fight it Jozz also fell asleep.

A bell softly ringing woke both Jozz and Kall.  The lock on the door to their balcony was being picked.  The room was mostly dark,  but the moon Pelselond was full and a faint amount of moonlight spilled in through the window.  Silently Jozz drew his dagger, fighting an impulse to scare away the intruders.  Lying in his bed Kall reached over the side and gripped the handle of his ax.  
“Let’s surprise them,” whispered Jozz very softly.  Kall said nothing.

The lock clicked and a man opened the glass door slowly, trying hard not to ring the bell.  Two men crept into the room, one heading towards Jozz and the other towards Kall.

Next door Tilliana was also awakened by the clumsy sound of someone trying to open the lock on her balcony door.  She reached over and gripped the hilt of her sword and waited.  The bell on the door handle rang softly once and the incompetent burglar/assassin tried again.  Silently Tilliana waited.

Jozz, as the man stepped softly towards him, lunged suddenly out of his chair and plunged his dagger into the man’s side.  Kall shouted and jumping up swung his ax viciously at the other man.  

“I’ll kill you dead,” snarled Jozz and pulling out his dagger he plunged it once more into the man who collapsed to the ground.  Kall snarled and swung again, killing the other.  Two more men rushed into the room, these brandishing long swords and wearing chain shirts that glimmered in the moonlight.  Kall tried to swing at one of them as he charged towards Jozz.  The swing missed but so too did the charge as Jozz’s armor turned the weakly thrust sword.  The other swordsmen swung at Kall who fell backwards under the stroke and then bounced up again using the spring of the bed.  

Tilliana could hear the sounds of battle in the room next to her and considered what to do.  She had intended to wait till the man picked the lock to the door and then attack him, but he seemed a very poor lockpick.  Finally the lock clicked and the man, no doubt prompted by the nearby sound of battle rushed through the door and into the room.

“About time,” said Tilliana, swinging viciously, her sword cleaving effortlessly into him.  She pulled her bloody sword out of the dead burglar and rushed at the man on her balcony.  A single stroke ended his life.

Meanwhile Jozz was holding his own, having wounded his new assailant.  Kall was not doing as well.  He had swung at the attacker Jozz had injured, missed and subsequently was struck by the blade of the other swordsmen.  The cut bled on Kall’s nightshirt.  As Kall tried to parry another attack, Jozz weaved under a sword stroke and plunged his dagger into the throat of his opponent.  

Kall found himself losing his temper.  Ignoring the pain of his cut he hewed down at the swordsman.  His ax blade connected but even as it did the other sliced him again.  There was a sound of someone landing softly on the balcony out the window.  The swordsman looked out and saw Tilliana in her nightgown.  Her sword was clutched in one hand, her hair was a mess and she was in her barefeet.  She had apparently jumped from her balcony to the one she was on.  

Jozz, taking advantage of the man’s distraction plunged his dagger into the man’s side.  

	In the light of Pelselond they could see the man smile as he died.

	“Death is beautiful,” he said and then was gone.

	Tilliana wasted no time.  She rushed into the room and knelt down besides the man.  Pulling her divine focus out from the neck of her she offered up a prayer and placed her hands on his head.

	“He’s dead,” said Jozz not understanding.

	“Why is death beautiful?” asked Tilliana.

	To the surprise of the boys, the newly made corpse spoke.  

	“In destruction all will be made new,” said a strange hollow voice.

	“Where is Sawtooth?” asked Tilliana.

	“Brightstone Keep,” came the reply.  

	The spell ended and Tilliana rose.  

“Search the bodies and collect up their weapons and armor,” said Tilliana.

The innkeeper was knocking on the door moments later.  Looking at the six dead bodies spread out over two rooms he shook his head.

“I knew these men, I thought they were up to no good.  What is it coming to when guests can’t sleep in their own beds at night?  I will send for the sheriff if he is back.”

The gathered up the armor and weapons and searched the bodies for valuables or clues.  One thing they notices was that each of the men had been wearing a black headband with a white skull on it.

The innkeeper soon returned with a tall, middle aged man in armor.  He introduced himself as the sheriff and taking stock of the situation he soon acquitted the three companions of any wrongdoing.  

“It seems certain,” he said, “that they were trying to break in here, likely to kill you.  There’s dark secrets forming in this town.”

“Sheriff,” said Tilliana, “you seem an honest man and so I will show you something.  It is a letter uncovered by the watch in Geanavue.  I was asked to look into it up here.”

Tilliana retrieved the letter addressed to Nelo and asked about Sawtooth.

“I don’t know names,” said the sheriff as he read the letter, “but someone is living in the old keep near the mines.  I have been too fearful to investigate it on my own but I know this, every Godday a wagon rolls into town from that keep, driven by cloaked men who unload it in an empty warehouse on the south part of the town.  Tomorrow is Godday and I expect the wagon will be on schedule.”

“We will head out tomorrow and see who is in the keep,” said Tilliana.

“And we will kill Sawtooth,” declared Kall to the sheriff.

“They are ambitious,” said Tilliana with a smile.
Later when the sheriff was gone and the bodies had been carted off Jozz admitted to Tilliana, “When someone landed on the balcony outside I was scared.  I thought it would be more men, I am glad it was you.”


The next morning Tilliana, having determined that she had over two weeks till the next full moon, locked her wagon and the boy’s wagon in the Inn stable and saddling the horses they rode out towards the keep.  The boys were riding bare-backed, having not purchased saddles, but Tilliana had dressed Prancer in both barding and a war-saddle.  

The morning was bright and the day was warm.  This made the journey through the rolling country pleasant.  There was an easy trail to follow to the keep and it was possible to make out the wagon wheel marks along the way indicating the trail had seen quite a bit of recent usage.

About an hour out of town Jozz spotted a wagon heading towards them.  They stopped and observed it coming their way.  There were two heavily cloaked figures driving the wagon and trotting alongside the wagon was a huge green skinned creature.  It must have stood about nine feet tall and it loped with an easy but ungraceful stride, easily keeping up with the trotting horses.  It carried no weapons and wore no armor but it looked dangerous

“I wonder if that is Sawtooth,” said Tilliana as she watched the tall monster bounding closer towards them.

“I think it more likely it is a demon,” said Jozz.

Tilliana began to pray.  She prayed for strength and protection and she prayed that her lance might strike true.  In the meantime both Jozz and Kall had decided to light candles.  That done they each pulled out a flask of oil and prepared them as fire-bombs.  As Tilliana finished her prayers, the creatures pulled close.  The cloaked figures they saw were not humans, they were orc warriors.  The orcs dismounted from their wagon and drew out great-axes.  The tall monster by them roared and charged, covering the distance between the two parties quickly.  Jozz and Kall however were ready and as the creature charged they lit their make-shift bombs and through them.  Jozz missed but Kall’s was on target and striking the tall, warty monster, the oil burst into flames as the vial burst.  The creature roared in anger and adjusted his charge towards Kall.  As the flames licked the green skin the monster reached with a deadly claw and tore into Kall.  Tilliana pulled her horse around and charged at the creature, her lance sinking deep into its gnarled and wrinkled hide.  Meanwhile the orcs moved into charging range and readied their axes.

Kall swung his axe at the green giant before him but his swing was off .  The creature bit at him and then turning towards Tilliana, it tried to knock her off her horse.  One of it’s deadly claws swept around her shield and scratched her.  Jozz meanwhile, pulling out his crossbow, took careful aim and fired at one of the orcs.  The bolt sank in and it collapsed to the ground unmoving.  

“Yeah!” said Jozz

The other orc roared with anger and charged at Jozz, its great ax grazing him.  Jozz dropped his crossbow and drew his dagger.
Tilliana locked her knees around Prancer and released her lance and shield.  Drawing her sword and making sure of her balance, she hewed into the giant beside her.  The blow was deep, but even as Tilliana Wrenched the blade back out, she noticed the deep lance wound starting to close.  She also noticed the burn marks on the creature were not healing.

Kall, filled with a battle rage and intent on doing as much damage as possible swung again at the green monster.  He swung his ax with all his might and this time it sank deep into the monster’s back.  The giant and Tilliana again exchanged blow for blow as Kall wrenched his as out and swung again.  The monster was more prepared this time and dodged Kall’s swing.

	Jozz dodged one blow from the orc and then another and then seeing an opening he feinted and catching the orc unawares he plunged his dagger into its chest.  The orc fell to the ground dead and the young adventurer turned his attention to the battle with the green giant just in time to see Tilliana fall from her horse.  The giant roared in delight, but its celebration was cut short as Kall’s axe once more buried itself in the creature’s back.  
The green giant collapsed unmoving to the ground.  But its wounds were still healing and mere seconds after it had collapsed it was struggling to rise again.

“Stamp!” Tilliana ordered as she rose to her feet and Prancer, obeying the commanded lifted its legs and brought them crushing down on the green hide.  Tilliana rushed forward and hacked it with her sword.  Once more it collapsed to the ground, but still the wounds were healing.

“We need fire!” Tilliana yelled at Jozz, “It’s a troll I think, we must burn it!”

Aiming carefully she hewed the head off the monstrosity.  But even that did not stop the wounds from healing.  Kall hacked the arm off.

Tilliana watched in fascination.  The arm started to grow a new body even as the body started to grow a new arm.  

“Burn it,” Tilliana ordered the boys and then remembering she had some alchemist fire in her saddle bags she rushed to get it.
The boys dowsed the body in oil and she threw a flask of the strange flammeable liquid called alchemist fire on it.  As soon as the vial broke open the whole body burst into flames as the oils lit up with a whoosh.

“Get wood,” said Tilliana.

After the troll’s body had been burnt to a crisp they examined the wagon.  Their stomachs turned as they saw babies floating in strange bottles, human tongues packed in straw and other even more ghastly items.  

“We burn it all,” said Tilliana and after throwing the orc bodies on the wagon and the remains of the troll body on as well they lit the whole thing.

Tilliana knelt and prayed, offering it as a sacrifice to her god, a token of a battle won.


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## Elder-Basilisk (Nov 16, 2002)

Now that's an update! None of this pause between commercial breaks stuff. . . .

I'm looking forward to Alairic, Niccolo, and Kinshag joining Tiliana as well. . . .


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## Wicht (Nov 20, 2002)

*Chapter 20 – Brightstone Keep*

	After they had finished watching the orc’s blasphemous cargo burn, Tilliana turned her attentions to their wounds.  Jozz was the in the best shape of the three, but even he sported a couple of nasty gouges where an orc ax had caught him.  

	“We have those healing potions,” said Kall.

	“Save them for later,” said Tilliana as she channeled the divine energy of her god into his body, closing the young man’s wounds.  She did the same for Jozz and then for herself.

	“Shall we keep going?” asked Tilliana when she was done.

	“If its ok with Jozz,” said Kall.

	“Let’s keep going,” said Jozz.

	After nearly another hour on the trail the started to crest a hill over which they could just see the top to two towers a little further along.

	“That looks like the keep,” said Tilliana, pulling her horse to a stop.

	“Maybe Sawtooth is in it,” said Jozz.

	“Get off the horses,” said Tilliana, “We will tie them to a tree and go the rest of the way on foot.”

	The boys complied and soon they had the horses secured.

	“We don’t want to stay on the trail,” said Tilliana, “It might be better to go tot he right or to the left.”

	“Left,” said Kall.

	“Left then,” said Tilliana.

	“What do we do if Sawtooth steals our horses when we leave them?” asked Kall.

	“If so we get them back,” answered Tilliana, “after we kill him.”

	They went to the left of the path, Tilliana trying to stay hidden behind the few sparse trees in the area.  When they reached the top of the hill they saw the keep.  It was situated atop the next hill, just across a small valley.  Behind the keep was a cliff wall.  

	The keep wall was in poor shape but it looked as if , except for one spot on the south-western wall, one could still walk atop the wall.  Three towers, two on the south and one on the west, rose above the walls, each being at least three stories tall.  

	“There are people on top of the towers,” said Jozz, “lookouts it looks like.  How do we get in?”

	Tilliana considered this for a moment.

	“We could split up,” suggested Kall.

	“No!” said Tilliana, “We could get into the keep yard through that broken part of the wall.”

	“I could climb the wall up to the top of the towers,” said Kall.

	At that moment one of the sentries atop the towers spotted them.  His guttural voice, indicating his orcish nature, rang out as he raised an alarm.

	“What kind of language is that?!” asked Jozz

	“Orcish,” said Tilliana, moving at a run towards the south eastern tower, at the bottom of which was a porticullis, “Let’s just try the front door.”  

	“Why?” said Kall.  He had wanted to try his hand at climbing the wall.  Nevertheless he and Jozz started sprinting after Tilliana.  Soon they were pulling ahead of her, Kall in the lead.  

	As they raced past the southwestern tower two javelins flew through the air towards them.  They missed, striking the ground.  Jozz stopped and raising his crossbow he fired up at the Southeast tower from which one of the small spears had flown.  He fired and his bolt shot through the air, embedding itself in the lone sentry atop that tower.  

	Another Javelin flew from atop the southwestern tower.  Jozz stepped back and it landed in the ground in front of him.  Tilliana ran past Jozz just then and another javelin flying through the air missed her.  Jozz started running again.  

	The porticullis was down when they reached it.  Kall was standing there, not knowing what to do and Tilliana, pushing him aside reached down and tried to heave it open.  Her muscles strained but nothing happened.  The boys, seeing what she was trying, moved in to help her.  The three of them working together wrenched it up.  Beyond was a narrow tunnel leading through the base of the tower.  They moved into the tunnel just as another set of javelins thudded into the ground .  

There was a door on the right side of the tunnel.  Jozz went to examine it.  

“Locked,” he said with a smile, “I can get it.”

He pulled out his tools, a new set just recently purchased in Geanavue, and set to work.  In a matter of seconds he had the door unlocked.  

He pushed it open proudly revealing four large orcs on the other side, javelins at the ready.  The orcs snarled and threw at Jozz.  Jozz ducked and all four javelins flew over him, past the other two and struck the wall behind him.  Jozz looked at the javelins behind him and then back at the orcs.  

“I will kill you,” he snarled at the orcs and pulling out his dagger he charged the nearest orc.  His dagger, carried by his momentum, plunged into the orc and it fell to the ground.  Tilliana charged into the room behind him, closely followed by Kall.  Her sword flashed through the air, cleaving open one of the orcs and then all in the same movement, killing another of the green skinned bandits.  Kall’s attack was slightly less successful as he missed the remaining orc.  The orc, timing Kall’s movements well, ducked away from the young man’s vicious ax swing and swung the head of his own huge ax up toward’s Kall’s abdomen.  Kall managed to twist away enough to avoid being killed, but the ax had nevertheless taken some of his wind out.  

“Aaaarghhh!” came a bloodthirsty cry and another orc plunged down the stairs from above, ax at the ready, straight at Tilliana.  She failed to move swiftly enough and the ax tore through her armor and into her shoulder.  Two more orcs plunged down the stairs after the first.  

“Aargh!” Jozz issued his own battle cry and stabbed with his dagger at the orc that had just struck Tilliana.  The orc avoided the blow and ducked under a weak swing by Tilliana.  Kall meanwhile was having troubles with his orc.  It was a more skillful combatant than the others and the young man, though he was avoiding its ax, could not land a blow himself.  The orc that had struck Tilliana, twisted around and swung at Jozz, who seeing the blow coming, got swiftly back and out of the way.  Jozz, as soon as the orc had swung at him and missed, made as if he was going to keep moving back.  As the orc moved forward to close the gap, Jozz changed his direction and lunged forward, plunging his dagger into the orcs throat.  It was a killing blow.  

Tilliana, though in pain from the ax wound, had enough presence of mind to turn the ax blows of the other two orcs coming down the steps with her sword.  She parried both coming blows and then swung viciously.  She cleaved through the neck of one and then, swinging her sword up, she brought it straight down on the head of the other.

The remaining orc, still parrying with Kall, turned aside the young man’s ax and brought the haft of his weapon up into Kall’s stomach.  Then he turned and prepared to swing what would have been a killing blow.  It never landed.

“You hit Kall, prepare to pay!” shouted Jozz, charging across the room and slicing at the orc and drawing blood.  The orc turned just in time to avoid being killed by Jozz’s slim dagger but Tilliana’s was only a second behind Jozz and her sword plunged into him.  The orc snarled as his blood ran out and Kall, seizing the moment, swung and ended it’s life.  They searched the bodies, removing gold and armor alike from each.  The orc that had given Kall so much trouble has on it a flask of golden liquid which Tilliana determined to be a healing potion.  The armor and weapons they stacked at the door and then they searched the rest of the tower.

Conditions were squalid, especially on the second floor.  There the orcs had apparently made their home.  They did find a good many Javelins and on the roof was the corpse of the orc Jozz had killed with a bolt from below.  

Jozz, going to the edge of the tower roof looked over the battlements at the next tower.  There a group of orcs, at the door connecting to the keep wall, seemed to be preparing an ambush.  Jozz loaded his crossbow and fired down at them.  The bolt skipped off of the armor of one of them and they cursed in his direction and then retreated into the tower, away from his shots.  

Tilliana looked over at the other tower.

“I’m going to charge across,” she said “going from this tower, across the top of the wall to the next tower.  Do one of you want to stay up here and provide cover?”

“I want to go with you,” said Jozz.  

“Me too,” said Kall

They descended back to the second floor where Tilliana opened the door to the wall and stepped out.  Jozz followed right behind her, but Kall, eager for the battle, raced past her and across the top of the wall.  There were three orcs now stationed on the roof overlooking the wall and they each had a Javelin.  Jozz seeing them preparing to fire at Kall aimed and shot one of them.  Tilliana took off after Kall.  The two javelins from the orcs above landed with clatters on the stone around her.  

Kall with an almost inhuman speed had covered the whole length of the wall.  He gripped his ax and plunged through the doorway leading into the southwest tower.  He also ran straight into two axes.  The orcs had been waiting on either side of the door and two of them swung at him as he plunged through the doorway.  Sharp reflexes were all that kept Kall from being killed as he twisted into the blows, his own ax plunging into one of the attacking orcs.  

Jozz fired again at the orcs atop the roof, but they were better prepared and ducked behind the battlements as he fired.  
Kall still in the doorway was in bad shape.  Another ax chopped into him and only sheer will and a mindless battle fury kept the young man on his feet.  His life was draining away from him.

“Be healed,” said Tilliana, standing behind him, mindless of the javelins clattering on the stone around her.  She laid her hands on Kall and some of his wounds closed up.  With renewed vigor Kall swung again and killed another of the orcs.  Tilliana moved into the room next to him just in time to receive the attack of the largest orc in the tower room.  

“Prepare to die!” Jozz shouted up at the orcs above him and fired again, missing wildly.  He had moved forward and was now almost directly underneath the tower wall.

There were only three orcs left in the room with Kall and Tilliana.  Ignoring the pain from her wounds, Tilliana shouted and with a terrific scream, beheaded the large orc sergeant who had just cut her.  Kall held off the other two.  Outside, Jozz fired another shot almost straight up into the air.  It, like the shot before it, missed completely.  Kall, swung and killed another orc, missing the last in a follow up swing.  The orc though never had a chance, for as it backed away from Kall, Tilliana, attacking it from behind, cleaved into it and ended its life.

With scarcely a pause for breath Tilliana bounded up the stairs and out onto the roof.  Kall followed behind her but there was really no need.  The orcs had enough time to throw a javelin each at Tilliana.  The javelins bounced off her armor and did not even slow her down as she beheaded one and then reversed her stroke and cut open the other.  Both were dead within six seconds of Tilliana hitting the rooftop.  

They searched the bodies, finding one more of the golden healing potions and then Tilliana advised the two boys that they should withdraw.  She was badly hurt, as was Kall.  Jozz was not so hurt but he did not feel like arguing.  With plans to return the following morning, they left the keep and returned to their horses.

***************************************

“Shall we head back to town or should we make camp halfway?” asked Tilliana.

“Halfway,” agreed both of the boys.

They ended up near to where they had fought the first two orcs and the troll, setting up camp a little ways away from the road.

As the sun grew lower in the sky, Tilliana started to have a bad feeling and realized it might have been smarter to return to the town.  She feared a night attack on their camp by the remaining residents of the keep.  She and the boys had used all five of the healing potions they had and she had even pulled out one of three healing scrolls she had prepared.  Physically they were in far better shape than they had been in when they had left the keep, but still she had few other divine spells and there were only the three of them.

“Jozz,” she said finally, “Set up those bells around the perimeter of the camp, far enough away to give us some warning.” As Jozz went to comply, Tilliana went through the rest of their gear to see what they could use.  Jozz, it was discovered, had caltrops.  These she had him place in a strategic location between a tree and a large rock on the edge of their camp.  She took the silk rope Kall had in his pack and she set it between two pegs, low to the ground, at another point around the camp, calculating that any attack would likely come through that very spot.  

Then she had the boys prepare flasks of oil for throwing and discovering that Kall also had four tanglefoot bags, she made each of the boys divide these amongst themselves.  Not knowing what else they could do, they proceeded to sit around the fire and try and get some rest.  

As it began to get dark Tilliana started to consider watches.  

“Who want’s first watch?” she asked.

“I will take it,” said Jozz.

But even as he volunteered, the sound of orc voices drifted over the wind.  All three started up at once.

“Put out the fire,” snapped Tilliana.

“Then we won’t be able to see,” protested Jozz.

“Oh, yeah. Right,” said Tilliana, “Guess that’s not the best idea in the world.”

“We need to move the horses,” said Kall.

“The horses will be fine!” snapped Tilliana.

“I am going to hide behind those rocks,” said Jozz, pointing to a large set of boulders on the other side of the camp.  

“Try that tree,” said Tilliana, pointing to the tree next to which Jozz had placed the caltrops.

“Right,” said Jozz, running to climb it.

“Then I’ll hide behind those rocks,” said Kall.

“No, then you will be on the wrong side of the camp to be of help,” said Tilliana, and she pointed to some rocks across in the other direction, “You hide over there and don’t move until they move past you.  I’ll stand here and they will charge in at me and then you two take them from behind.” 

“First I’m going to move mine and Jozz’s horses,” said Kall, “And let Prancer loose so he can help you in the fight if you need him.”

“Ok,” said Tilliana, “but hurry.”

A few minutes later and all were in their positions.  Tilliana stood, sword at the ready.  Jozz, up in the tree, tried to remain as still as possible, his crossbow loaded.  Kall, crouching down behind some rocks waited the most impatiently of the three.

Soon the orc voices were closer.

One voice in particular, speaking guttural common, carried, “Fire Ahead.  Quiet!”

The three continued to wait.  

Figures came into view.  There was a group of orcs, perhaps nine total.  But to the right of the orcs was a troll.  The troll had two large pitch black dogs on chains in tow.

“Oh no,” said Tilliana as she saw the troll.  It was as large as the one from earlier in the day and was furthermore dressed in a shirt of finely crafted chainmail.

As the enemy drew closer she offered up a prayer, “Naemae, bless this battle.  Bestow your divine favor upon me.”
The orcs started to charge.  The troll let the dogs loose and then it too started forward.

As the divine energy of her god renewed her strength, Tilliana cried out so that her two companions could hear, “By the power of Naemae courage will carry the day and bravery will see the outnumbered through to victory!”

The orcs surged between the many rocks around the campfire, taking the most obvious and direct way.  The orc leading them plowed into Tilliana’s trip-wire first.  He tripped and plunged into the dirt face-first.  The orc nearest him saw the rope and jumped it, continuing straight at Tilliana.  The rest were not so lucky however and between trying to avoid the ones already on the ground and the rope itself, most of them ended in a rolling snarling heap on the ground.  

“Yeah!” said Kall rushing from his position and swinging his ax into one of the few orcs not on the ground.  It connected with a solid thud and Kall wrenched the ax back out letting the orc fall lifeless.

Meanwhile the two large black dogs had chosed a different route than the orcs, running past the tree in which Kall was hiding.  The first jumped over the caltrops but the second stepped right on one and its running was brought up short with a yelp.  The troll, following right behind his two hounds was also stopped and with a curse he pushed the injured dog forward.  

The dog that had leaped the caltrops charged straight at Tilliana and to the priestess astonishment it opened its mouth and unleashed a torrent of fire, thirty feet long.  Tilliana rolled with the fire and came immediately to her feet, singed but not badly hurt.  

From his vantage point in the tree, Jozz fired down at the injured dog.  With a yelp the dog leaped forward past the caltrops and opening its mouth it too breathed a cone of fire at Tilliana.  The troll, ignoring Jozz moved through the Caltrops and at Tilliana as well.

Tilliana, beset suddenly by the two hounds, swung mightily and laid the first black beast low, her sword ending its life instantly.  With scarcely a thought Tilliana swung at the other one.  But the orc that charged her from behind threw her swing off and she missed as she ducked to avoid the deadly ax head that was seeking her neck.

Kall continuing his charge at the orcs that were rushing to their feet, hewed into one just as it was getting to its feet and then turning swiftly he chopped open another.  The orcs had the presence of mind, to surge towards the young fighter but for the moment Kall was at the top of his game and he turned aside one ax, killing its owner and then cleaved open the head of another near him.  

Jozz, still in the tree, thought for a moment about throwing oil, but instead decided to try out the tanglefoot bags.  He threw one at the troll.  It struck the green skinned giant on the back, bursting open with a pop, its slimy contents coating the giant’s shoulders and back, working its way into the joints of the troll’s armor.  The troll and its remaining hound moved in on Tilliana, even as the orc behind her continued to attack.  Tilliana easily dodged the troll and with a sweep of her blade killed the injured hound.  Then she swung wildly at the orc behind her.  There was a loud pop as a second tanglefoot bag, thrown by Jozz struck the troll.  This one hit lower and some of the gunk hardened around the troll’s feet.  

“Stamp!” yelled Tilliana and prancer charged in at the troll, rearing and kicking the armored green giant.

“Look up here,” Jozz yelled at the troll, trying to distract it away from Tilliana.

An ax head connected with Kall’s armor and then a second hit him as well.  Kall, gritting his teeth, killed the weilder of the second ax and then turned and killed another orc.  There was only one orc left facing him, the one who had first tripped over the rope.  It grinned a grim, tusk filled smile and hit him with its ax.  

The troll, if it had been slightly smarter, might have worked to clear the contents of the tanglefoot bag off before doing anything further.  Instead, rooted to the ground and filled with rage it twisted its head and bit at Prancer, even as it swung its claws towards Tilliana.  It drew blood from both Tilliana and the horse.  
Tilliana, wrenched from the trolls’s claw still managed to spear the tip of her sword into the orc behind her and roll away from a second claw attack.  She swung and forced the troll to rear up and out of the way of the sword.  Prancer, filled with a battle-fury from the smell of her own blood, stamped on the troll again.  Jozz, scooted out of the tree and charged in at the troll with his small dagger.

The remaining orc swung its ax again at Kall.  Kall rolled away from the attack, bringing his axe around.  The orc dodged backwards, but even so, Kall drew blood as he scratched across its chest.  The orc snarled and plunged his ax up into Kall.  Kall grunted from the impact but managed to hammer the orc back.  The orc stumbled back as did Kall.  Both were badly injured, neither intended to give quarter.  

The troll managed to twist enough to bite down at Jozz.  Jozz returned the favor by plunging his dagger up into its back.  Tilliana, seeing an opening brought her sword around and cleaving under the chain shirt cut the troll open.  The troll roared and turned back, focusing all its attention on Tilliana even as Prancer stamped on it again.

The troll was badly injured, but even as Tilliana and Jozz watched the wounds were already healing.  The troll swung at Tilliana who easily avoided the attacks.  Then, charging forward Tillian brought her sword as hard as she could down on the trolls head. Jozz from behind plunged his dagger in up to the hilt.  The troll staggered and then fell backwards, its knees bending oddly as its feet were still anchored to the ground.

Kall cut the orc again but in doing so left himself open.  The orc with a snarl of pleasure said something Kall could not understand and swung hard, tearing open Kall’s throat.  Kall fell to the ground.

The orc grunted happily and lifted its ax to finish the job.  

“No!” screamed Tilliana as she raced over the fallen troll and swung her sword into the back of the orc.  The ax fell from lifeless hands and the orc fell to the ground.

“Its starting to move again!” said Jozz from besides the troll.

“Stab it!” shouted Tilliana as she hurriedly pulled out a scroll from her side and struggled to open it.  

Jozz kneeling besides the troll, reversed his dagger and plunged it into the troll’s throat.  It stopped moving again.  Just to be sure, Jozz stabbed it a second time.

Tilliana read the scroll over Kall’s bleeding form.  The bleeding stopped and the throat wound healed.  Kall opened his eyes.

“Tilliana, where’s the orc?”

“Its dead, on the ground,” said Tilliana as she smiled and helped him to his feet.

“Oh.”

Tilliana out a vial of alchemist fire and strode back over to the troll.  

“Let’s burn it,” she said.  She threw the glass vial on the troll.  It broke open and flames exploded over the trolls body.  Jozz likewise threw a vial of oil on it.  They watched it burn for a moment and then with horror realized it wasn’t burning.  It’s wounds were still closing and the fire did not seem to be hurting it.

Tilliana grabbed a log out of their blazing campfire and pressed the fiery end of it into the flesh of the troll.  Nothing happened and the wounds continued to heal.

“Just chop it up,” said Kall cheerfully and lifting his ax he chopped of the legs and threw them in the fire.  The legs in the fire burned.

“We will need more wood,” said Tilliana watching, puzzled as to why the troll legs would burn but the body was not.  
As Jozz got wood, Tilliana went to take off the troll’s chainmail shirt, thinking maybe that was the reason it was not burning.
Kall chopped off the arms and threw them in the fire.

“Look Tilliana,” he said, “One of the arms is not burning.  In fact it seems to be trying to grow another troll.”

“It has a ring on it,” said Jozz, bringing up an armful of wood and throwing it on the campfire.
Kall reached in and pulled out the arm, removing the ring rather violently from the green hand.  Then he threw the arm back in the fire.  The arm began to burn.  

	“So that was it,” said Tilliana, as she removed the rest of the chain shirt and threw the rest of the troll body onto the flames.  

	Kall looked at the ring closely.

	“What are you doing,” asked Tilliana.

	“Looking for writing to see if its evil,” said Kall.  

	“Do you see any?”

	“No, but I am going to check very closely.”

	“Just put it on,” said Tilliana, “its yours.  Ugh this chain shirt smells like troll.  Good quality though.”

	Kall suspiciously put the ring on.  A cool chill crept up his spine.  He hurriedly took the ring back off.  He put it back on again.  He felt the chill again.  This time he decided to test the ring.  He stuck his hand towards the fire and then grimacing he plunged it in.  Pulling it out he stared.  He had not been burnt, not even a little.


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## sparhawk (Nov 22, 2002)

I just finished reading this story hour. Bravo , you are doing a wonderfull job writing. It sounds like your kids are having a ball playing. Keep up the good work and keep the story hour going.


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## Buttercup (Nov 23, 2002)

Tilliana and the boys kicked troll butt! 

Fun reading, as usual.


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## Wicht (Dec 2, 2002)

*Chapter 21– Brightstone Keep*

Dawn came and with it healing.  Tilliana tended to the remaining wounds from the previous evening and then they set about breaking camp.  Or at least Kall and Tilliana set about breaking camp.  Jozz, who had decided to claim the troll’s chain shirt was busy trying to get the smell of Troll out of it.  Tilliana had determined the shirt, like the ring the troll was wearing, had some magic in it and Jozz thought a magical chain shirt would be worth owning.  But no matter how he scrubbed it, it still smelled of the troll.

“Here,” said Tilliana with a smile after she had let Jozz work at it a while.  She uttered a small prayer under her breath and then grasped the chain shirt.  Almost immediatelly the grime disappeared and it sparkled as if new.  Furthermore, its insidious odor was gone.

“Wow, thank you Tilliana,” said Jozz amazed.

“You are welcome,” said Tilliana, “now why don’t you help us clean up the camp site a bit.”

“We should leave the caltrops and rope where they are,” said Kall, “In case anybody else attacks the camp here.”

“But we need to go back to the keep,” said Jozz.

“Oh, right, well in that case I guess we should pick them up.”

They gathered up their equipment, stripped the orcs of their armor and weapons and then piled up the bodies.  Finally they were done.

“Let’s go adventure and let’s find Sawtooth,” said Kall

“He might be in the other tower,” said Jozz.

“The other tower?” asked Kall.

“You know, the third tower in the keep, the one we did not clear out.”

“We might have already killed Sawtooth,” said Tilliana, thinking of the trolls in particular.

She went to where the orcs were laying and muttering a prayer she touched one on the head.

“Where is Sawtooth,” asked Tilliana in the merchant tongue.

The orc’s lifeless jaw opened and out came the dead reply, “He sleeps in the mines.”

“How would I know Sawtooth if I saw him?” asked Tilliana.

Once more the dead corpse replied, “He wields a fearsome scythe and raises the dead.”

“Is Sawtooth alive?” Jozz asked the dead orc.

“Can I talk to the troll?” asked Kall.

“The spell is over,” said Tilliana, “and besides we burned the troll, there are no remains to talk to.”

“Oh, yeah.”

“Can you only do that once a day?” asked Kall

“Yes, if I prepare it at dawn, or at least I can do it once for each time I prepare it at dawn when Naemae gives me renewed spiritual strength.”

Tilliana mulled over what the dead orc had said concerning the possibility of Sawtooth raising the dead.

“We burn the orcs,” she announced.

They headed back towards the keep when Tilliana was satisfied the orcs were not going to be raised as zombies, skeletons or anything else.  As they rode near the keep they saw no guards atop the towers this time.  Despite the absence of visible threats they still tied their horses away from the keep and walked the rest of the way.  No-one and nothing challenged them and they entered the first tower.  The towers smelled of orc but no orcs could be found.  Even the bodies from the day before had disappeared.  

“What happened to them,” asked Jozz.

“He probably raised them,” said Tilliana.

They searched and looted all three towers and then turned their attentions to the rest of the keep.  

They descended out of the third tower into the keep yard.  Two large buildings were connected to the keep wall to the north.  In the southern half of the yard, a large roofed area seemed suited for the storage of wagons and horses.  In the center of the keep yard was a well.  Emerging from the well were two heavy chains.  They appeared to be made to tether something but nothing was attached to the chains.

“I am going to look in those buildings,” said Jozz.

“Do you want to be ambushed?” asked Tilliana.

“No.”

“Then stay with us, its safer together.  Don’t split up.”

“Ok, lets all go see whats in those buildings then.”

“Ok.”

The buildings smelled of troll but there were no trolls left in the buildings.  There were people but they were not a threat.  In both buildings, sorted into various rooms, an assortment of captives lay chained.   They looked to be physically weak and somewhat malnourished.  There were humans, dwarves, gnomes, halflings and even an elf.  But the majority of the prisoners were goblins, doubtlessly from the mountains.  Jozz was able to pick the locks and they loosed all of the captives from their chains, even the goblins.  As he did this, Tilliana worked to comfort and question the captives and Kall gathered together two chests worth of assorted coins.  

Excepting the goblins, the captives were eager to talk.  The orcs and the trolls it appeared had been making them work in the mines.  There they quarried crystals and gems for the orcs and their boss.

“Would that be Sawtooth?” asked Jozz.

“Yes,” said one of the captives, “that is his name.  He is a foul worshiper of the harvester and can kill with a touch.  He is surrounded with skeletons and zombies and they would mind us as we worked for him.”  

As the three companions conversed with the former captives, Tilliana noticed that the goblins were not involving themselves in the conversation.  Instead they were slyly easing their way towards the door which led out of the building.  

“Stop right there!” said Tilliana to the goblins.  The goblins sheepishly obeyed.

“We are here to kill Sawtooth,” Kall said to the captives.

“Do any of you want to help us?” asked Tilliana.

“We are farmers and simple laborers,” complained one of the men, “We do not want to fight the dead.”

“I can point out the mine entrance,” volunteered one of the men, “but I do not wish to enter those dark corridors again if I need not.”

“You can leave then,” Kall said to the assembled captives, “We will fight and kill Sawtooth for you.”
Hearing permission to leave the goblins bolted for the door.

“Thank you for freeing us,” said the elf, “We are not fighters but we are thankful for what you have done.  We will journey to Terfiindel where we will tell of what you have done and maybe we will meet you there soon.”

“We will be back there soon,” said Tilliana confidently.

The mine entrance was not hard to find.  A well traveled path led straight from the keep to the large cavernous opening in the cliff wall behind the keep.  The three adventurers  made there way towards the mine entrance where they immediately noticed the large iron gate just past the opening.  It appeared to be locked.  

“No problem,” said Jozz and he pulled out his lockpicks, “I can open this.”

Soon enough the lock opened and Jozz proudly swung open the gate.  Beyond it was dark.  They stared for a moment into the darkness.

“Tilliana!” said both of the boys at the same time.

“How about a light!” said Kall.

“Yeah, that magic light thing you can do,” said Jozz.

“It’s not prepared.  I did not plan on using it this morning and did not prepare it.  Don’t you have torches?”

“No, I have candles,” said Jozz.

“Don’t you have a torch?” Kall asked Tilliana.

“No, you don’t have anything?”

“Wait, I guess I do have an oil lamp,” said Kall and he shrugged off his backpack to pull it out.

They lit the lamp and entered through the gate.  The mine tunnel was wide and smooth from years of miners traveling through it.  The walls were fairly smooth and every few feet wooden supports helped hold up the ceiling of rock.  The entrance tunnel stretched out for some distance until at last the tunnel split.  A “y” in the tunnel led to the left and the right.

“Which way?” asked Tilliana.  She and Kall were in the lead, Jozz followed behind them.

“I hear something coming,” said Jozz, readying his crossbow.

“Sounds like something clicking on the stone,” said Kall and he set the oil lamp on the stone.

“I don’t hear anything…” began Tilliana.

“There they are,” said Jozz and he fired his crossbow over Kall’s shoulder.  The bolt sailed into the darkness, and they heard it bouncing off the stone wall of the mine.  Kall gripped his ax and then Tilliana heard it too, the sound of bones rapidly striking the rock.

The three skeletons charged into the lamp light from the right hand passage.  They bore no weapons but their eye sockets glowed with an unholy light.  One ran at Tilliana, its claws futily striking at her armor.   Another scratched at Kall, drawing blood.  Kall retaliated by smashing it apart with his ax.  Jozz, letting his crossbow drop to his side, drew his dagger and charged forward at the third skeleton.  He scratched it and then ducked underneath its claws and out and away from its reach.  Its bony fingers scrapped across his leather armor.  Tilliana evaded the reach of the first skeleton once more and then brought her heavy sword up and then down, literally tearing the skeleton apart.  Kall leaped forward and did the same to the skeleton trying to claw at Jozz.  

“I say we go down after the skeletons,” said Jozz.

“Let’s go this way,” argued Kall pointing to the left hand passage.

“I say we go after the skeletons,” said Tilliana, “Down the right hand passage.”

Outvoted, Kall smiled and shrugged and picking up the lamp he once more led the way through the dark mine.  They were more alert now though, bracing themselves for another attack.  
A short ways further and they spied a chest on the side of the mine tunnel.  It was a stout wooden chest and it was locked.

“Jozz,” said Tilliana.

“I can open it, no problem.”

“It might be trapped,” chided Tilliana as Jozz hunched down to look at the lock.

Jozz searched it over.

“I don’t see any traps,” he said, “I can look again though.”

“Just open it then,” said Tilliana impatiently.

Jozz inserted a lockpick into the lock and giving it a twist he popped opent he lock.  Opening the chest Jozz gazed in.  Tilliana looked over his left shoulder with interest and Kall lifted the lamp for better illumination.  Inside the chest was filled with raw gemstones, uncut and unpolished.  Still, they sparkled in the fire light.

Tilliana stood and thought.

“Might as well leave the chest here.  We can get it easy enough on our way out.”

Jozz closed the chest and relocked it.  Then with Kall leading the way with the oil lamp, they made their way further down the tunnel.  

They did not notice that there was a room in front of them until they were almost in it.  The dim light of the oil lamp only let them see about fifteen feet forward.  One moment the tunnel closed in on either side of them and then the next, they found the tunnel ending and in front a wide expanse of stone floor.  They could not see any walls, just the floor and the ceiling of stone.  And then they saw the walking corpses to either side.

A voice called out into the darkness from somewhere in front of them, “W’ash kulling targkit!” and then the zombies lurched at them.  One of them swung at Tilliana and another at Kall and two more of the foul things stumbled forward into the lamp-light.

Jozz, behind his brother, readied his dagger and looked for an opportunity to rush forward.  Kall, in a moment of panic, ducked away from the zombie attacking him and threw his lamp at it.  The lamp burst and flames engulfed the zombie, illuminating the room, revealing an orcish looking figure on the other side of the room holding a large black scythe.  The flaming zombie swung a fiery fist at Kall who moved aside to avoid it and was subsequently punched by one of the other zombies.

The orc moved a step back, further into the shadows and spoke a powerful divine word, pointing at Kall.  The muscles in Kall’s body froze and he stood still as a statue as the two zombies moved in for the kill.  

Tilliana, keeping her wits, held up her divine focus and as she moved away from the dangerous dead fists of a zombie she prayed to Naemae and golden light shone forth from the eye of her focus.  With a hoarse scream the zombie in front of her started to bubble and then it collapsed into a dead heap on the ground.  The other three zombies did likewise.  But as the flaming zombie collapsed tot he ground, the flames covering it’s body went out.  The room was plunged into blackness.

Jozz, thinking quick, pulled out a flask of oil and poured it into a depression on the ground.  Then grabbing his flint and steel he quickly struck a spark.  A fire blaze up from the oil, illuminating a portion of the tunnel and room.

They could not see the orc now, but they could hear him.  He chanted out in a strong harsh voice and suddenly, in the air in front of Tilliana there appeared a grotesque flying head.  Strange tentacles squirmed from the neck’s head and large bat wings propelled it.  The head let out a piercing shriek, a shriek that would have scared the daylights out of the majority of men.

Undaunted Tilliana held aloft her silk focus and once more the divine light of Naemae poured forth.  But it washed over the strange flying head without affect.

Bravely, Jozz rushed forth into the room, dagger drawn and he stabbed at the hideous thing.  His dagger cut true and as suddenly as it had appeared, the head vanished.

A rock flew out of the darkness and struck Jozz.  

Tilliana strained to see the attacker but she could not.  She muttered a prayer to Naemae and holding up her focus, another beam of light shot forth.  But this one was more focused, a searing light that sped through the room and struck a wall on the other side.  For a brief moment the whole room was illuminated and they saw the orc for a second once more.  But the beam, which Tilliana had tried to aim at the orc, had missed him.
Jozz, once more thinking quickly reached back and pulled out a candle from his backpack.  Then he ran back to the burning patch of oil and lit the candle wick.

The orc called out from the darkness in the merchant tongue, “Quench!”

Jozz felt a sudden compulsion to put out the candle, but he fought it.  Tilliana, not seeing her enemy and feeling frustrated prayed.

“Naemae, give me strength.”

Jozz, carefully holding his candle to protect the flame, ran out towards where he had last heard the orc’s voice.  The orc appeared in the dim candlelight to the right of Jozz.  His scythe was poised and the orc looked mad.

“May the Harvester’s black fury take you!” screamed the orc and he stepped forward and cleaved into Jozz with the heavy blade.  There was a flash of blackness and Jozz felt ill.  He fell to the ground, somehow managing to keep the candle from extinguishing.  The orc raised its scythe and brought it down at Jozz who barely managed to roll out of the way.  

But Tilliana had a target now.  With a shout she charged forward at the orc and her great sword cleaved through the air.  The orc barely managed to roll away from the attack, but still a part of Tilliana’s blade found its mark.  On the floor of the room, Jozz, every fiber of his body hurting, wedged the candle into the ground and then slowly moved away from the fight.

The orc cried out in rage and swung at Tilliana.  Tilliana managed to catch the blade with her sword, but still the impact jarred her and the scythe blade’s tip pressed into her arm.  Tilliana pushed forward with her sword and then brought it around and into the orc.  More of the orc’s blood flowed.  

A fierce cry sounded from the entrance to the room and Kall charged forward, his axe swinging.  The orc’s dark energy had worn off and he could move once more.  Kall rushed the orc and before the orc could properly defend himself, Kall brought his axe down with tremendous energy on the orc’s head.  The orc gave a cry and sank to its knees.  Tilliana, paused and then with a deadly aim brought her sword around and decapitated the prone orc.

Weakly Jozz sat up and stared at the other two.  He let out a groan.

“So that I take it,” said Tilliana as she headed over to heal Jozz, “was Sawtooth.”


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## Wicht (Dec 4, 2002)

*Chapter 22 – Terfiindel*

They spent the next few hours piling loot on the ground in front of the Keep’s first tower.  There were numerous chests of coins, most of them filled with copper coins but a couple of them had silver gold and even platinum coins in them.  Including the chest of uncut gems they had taken out of the mines, when they were done they had a total of twelve chests of coins stacked in front of the keep.  Most of them weighed around two hundred pounds.  Whatever the orcs had been involved in had apparently been lucrative for them.

“We need a wagon,” said Tilliana as she tried to adjust a strap on her new armor.  She was wearing the armor that had previously been on Sawtooth.  It was an old suit of dwarven armor and it was magical.  Tilliana was not sure however that she liked the armor.  It was harder to move in then she was used to.  

“I could stay and you two could go back to Terfiindel and get the wagon or you can stay and I can go,” continued Tilliana.  

“We could all go,” said Jozz.  Kall said nothing.  He was too busy taking practice swings with his new ‘toy’.  The jet black scythe he had taken from Sawtooth’s body.  The wood was polished black and the metal was also black.  Tilliana had informed him that it was magical as well and despite its black coloring it did not seem inherently evil.  

“If we all go someone might take these coins while we are gone,” said Tilliana.

“We should leave a guard,” said Jozz.

In the end, Jozz and Kall opted to stay with the treasure while Tilliana rode back to town and fetched Jozz’s wagon. 

It was a few hours after noon when she finally got underway, her lance held at attention and her spirits high.  The day was warm under the spring sun and she and the boys had been successful in clearing the keep of the evil within.

About an hour out of town she was ambushed.  Her first warning came in the form of a javelin that missed her by mere inches.  Another javelin bounced from her shield and one struck Prancer.
Prancer reared back, neighing in pain and Tilliana held on tightly lest she fall.  And then the orcs charged out of hiding.  There were six of them, emboldened by the sight of a lone traveler.  Tilliana readied her lance and worked to bring Prancer back under control.  Other javelins sailed past her and she ducked as one flew towards her head.  She was almost too slow and the tip scratched her scalp, drawing blood.  But it was a scratch, no more.  Digging her heels into Prancer she directed the mare at one of the orcs and charged, lance down.  The orc rolled away from the attack and came up, axe at the ready.  The other orcs pulled out their axes and then the six foul smelling creatures rushed Tilliana, surrounding her and Prancer.

Tilliana loosed her shield and slammed the lance into the ground, tip first.  It stuck and gripping Prancer with her knees she drew her sword.  Two axe blades struck her, their blades ringing against the metal of her armor.  Snarling Tilliana swung her sword, cleaving the head from one orc and then deftly following through and cutting the throat of another.  She quickly reversed her momentum and cut down an orc on the other side of Prancer and then cleaved through the skull of a fourth.  

The two remaining orcs, seeing their companions cut down in mere seconds screamed in fear and took off running.  One ran down the trail, towards the keep and the other ran away from the road to the north-east.  Tilliana sheathed her sword and pulled her lance out from the ground.  Then, judging that the one running away from the trail would be in cover faster she spurred Prancer towards him.  In a matter of seconds the swift warhorse had overtaken the fleeing orc and Tilliana’s lance ran him through, killing him almost instantly.  She pulled the lance free from the body and then swiftly turned Prancer back towards the last orc.  He had more of a headstart, but he could not outrun the horse.  

Hearing the sounds of the hooves drawing up behind him, the orc turned and looked over his shoulder.  There was no way for him to escape.  With a brief prayer to the battlerager the orc turned and hefting his axe charged at the coming foe.  It ducked under the lance and then swung at the priestess.  Tilliana ducked to the side, the axe missing her.  Then, determining her lance would be useless against a foe so near she dropped it and reached to pull out her sword.  Prancer reared back and away from the orc’s great axe and then as Prancer came back down, Tilliana brought her sword down on the orc’s helmet.  There was a flash of sparks and the orc fell to the ground.

Tilliana took the time to pull the bodies off the road and searcht hem for valuables.  There was little on them and nothing to indicate they were more then mere bandits.  

She made it into Terfiindel without further incident and promptly rode to the inn.  She dismounted and led Prancer into the stables.  Inside Firebolt greeted her with a snort.  Tilliana stopped and patted the old battle-horse and then went over to where the wagon and cart were parked.  It did not take her long to notice something was amiss.  The chests that had been on the back of the wagon were gone and even worse, the demon-rock, which Tilliana had left in the back of her cart was missing.  

“I’m sorry miss,” said the Innkeeper busting through the side door of the stables, “I am glad to hear you was back but dreadful afraid to have to tell you.  But I do have to tell you, we had trouble last night.  Someone broke into our stables here, took some of your stuff and killed my young stable-hand.  I don’t know what this town has come to with those black cultists and stealing and murder and all.  The sheriff, he thinks he knows who done it but he can’t proof it and he’s afraid to have a go at it.   But you should see him as soon as you can.”

There was nothing Tilliana could do about it.  She decided to see the sheriff after fetching the two boys and so prepared the wagon, hitching her two horses to it to pull.  She assured the innkeeper she did not fault him and after asking whether anyone fitting the description of Alairic, Niccolo or Kinshag had checked in yet, she drove back out to the keep.

She worried the whole trip back, not so much over the stolen money but over the stolen rock.  There was still a week and more to go until Pelselond was new in the sky but still she did not like to think of what could happen with the demon-rock in the wrong hands.


“What!” shouted Jozz when Tilliana made it back to the keep and broke the news about the stolen chests, “I didn’t think people would steal from us!”

“It is horrible but the sheriff has an idea about who did it, so we can talk to him when we make it back.”

They loaded the wagon down with the chests and the orc’s weapons and armors.  Then they exchanged Tilliana’s horses for Jozz’s two horses.

	They made two stops before reaching Terfiindel.  They stopped at the sight of their camp from the previous night, where they loaded the wagon with the various weapons and armors taken from the dead orcs, and then they stopped once more to load up the weapons and armor of the orcs Tilliana had killed that same day.  The wagon was creaking from the weight as they pulled into Terfiindel.  They sun was already sinking over the horizon and night was coming.

	The innkeeper promised them the same rooms they had slept in before and fixed them a hearty supper.  Tilliana and the boys then carried every single one of the chests from the wagon up to the two rooms.  

	“No one is going to steal these tonight,” said Kall.

	Before going to sleep, Tilliana carried one of the orc’s great axes and one of their suits of armor out into a field and there she burned them, offering them up to Naemae as a tribute of her victory.


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## Buttercup (Dec 5, 2002)

Fun as usual, Wicht.  Are you going to post your campaign notes again in the other thread?


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## Wicht (Dec 5, 2002)

Buttercup said:
			
		

> *Fun as usual, Wicht.  Are you going to post your campaign notes again in the other thread? *




The encounter with Sawtooth was not actually original with me, so I can't really post it - It was one of the WotC freebies, "A Base of Operations," by Ed Greenwood - with a few adjustments to account for the different storyline and world.


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## Wicht (Dec 5, 2002)

*Chapter 23 – Terfiindel*

The smell of bacon frying in the kitchen woke the three adventurer’s the next morning.  Dressing quickly, the three were soon downstairs eating a hearty breakfast. 

About halfway through the morning meal, the sheriff entered the front room of the Inn and joined the three.

“I’m sorry about your things being stolen,” he began, “I am afraid however its not generally safe to just leave valuables in a wagon in the inn stables.”

Tilliana grimaced in embarrassment.

“Ok,” said Jozz to the sheriff.

“Do you know who took the chests?” asked Tilliana.

“Yes and no,” said the sheriff, “I can’t proof who took it but I have a fairly good idea.  A man by the name of Tanel moved into the area a few years back and he seems to have built himself up quite a following.  He doesn’t exactly announce it publically but most people know he is leading some sort of death cult.  Lately they have grown bolder and it seems likely they are the ones who took your stuff.  Anytime there is trouble anymore I generally blame them first.  The six who broke into your rooms a few nights back were hooked up with that outfit.”

“Why don’t you stop them if you know who they are?” asked Tilliana pointedly.

“For one most people are scared of them.  These you rescued from the orcs yesterday were some of the most outspoken and they get kidnapped.  They are naming a few names but even so, Tanel has at least sixty followers at the moment who would fight and die for him.  Not to mention a tough looking bodyguard and two men who seem to be personal disciples.  People are just scared and I don’t have an army to back me up.”

“We are an army,” boasted Jozz, “We can do it.”

“They are very confident of themselves,” said Tilliana with a smile.

“Well son,” said the sheriff, “You have my permission to go after them.  They meet in a large house here in town and also in a big barn just outside of town.  Mostly they meet in the barn but once a week they meet here in town too.  And furthermore, by the power invested in me by the folks of this town, I promise that you can keep whatever you take from them as payment for your services.”

“We will help you,” said Tilliana, “But we would like help as well.  Who can you get to go with us?”

“I will ask around quietly,” said the sheriff, “And see who I can rope into it.  I will be there for one.  Kidnapping, murder and theft cannot be ignored forever.”

They spent the rest of the day talking to merchants and shopkeepers.  Tilliana reasoned that a ton of copper coins was impractical to store or haul around.  And so she and the boys found merchants who were willing to exchange the copper coins for gold or silver.  Tilliana also hunted up someone willing to buy the uncut gems at what she felt was a fair price and merchants willing to buy the orc’s used armor and weapons.  The task would have been easier in Geanavue, for the merchants in Terfiindel were not so wealthy but eventually the matters were taken care of and the dozen chests of coins and the pile of salvaged weapons were reduced to three chests of coins, one for each of the companions.  

One thing that Terfiindel did have was a good alchemist and here they made the man very happy.  They purchased tanglefoot bags, sunrods, oils and alchemists fires off of him giving him the best business day he had had for several months.  
The sheriff met them again as they were coming out of the alchemist shop.

“There you are!  I have been asking around, like you wanted.  Unfortunately people are upset about the cult but no one feels brave enough to do anything about it.  I think it will take some sort of impetus and then we could rally over a hundred men to the cause, but for the moment nothing.  I will keep working on it though.  

“Is there a wizard around here,” asked Jozz.

“There is none in these parts that I know of,” said the sheriff, “We don’t have much use for them, though there are a few scattered here and there in other towns.”

“Thanks anyway,” said Tilliana.

“You see that man,” said the sheriff, and he pointed at a dark cloaked man in armor walking on the other side of the street.  A great two handed sword hung on his back, its hilt of gold and blue gems on the pommel and crosspiece.  Four other men walked just a pace behind him, also armed.

“That’s Gurk, Tanel’s bodyguard.  He’s a tough customer.  Those men with him are farmers and crooks, an odd combination.”

Tilliana took in the man’s features but it was, in reality, the sword that caught her interest the most.  Something about it seemed familiar.  In a moment though, Gurk and the men with him were out of sight.

“Will you be staying at the inn?” asked the sheriff.

“Probably,” said Tilliana.

“I want to buy a new crossbow first,” said Jozz, “Then we will go get those thieves.”

“Tanel’s house or that barn I mentioned are the best places to look,” said the sheriff.

“We will get to it,” said Tilliana who was already forming a plan about doing that very thing in the morning.  After they had bought Jozz a new crossbow, a quality piece of dwarven design, they retired back to the inn for supper and bed.


That night as they lay in their beds, they were roused by the sound of shouting in the street.

The boys blearily walked out and looked over their balcony at the street below.  A young boy, perhaps twelve, was screaming, “Help!”  Tilliana walked out onto her balcony, her arms crossed.

“What are you shouting for?” shouted down Jozz.
The boy turned and looked up at the three on their balconies and hurried closer, talking all the while.

“They are after me.  I was taken and tied up.  There were dead people and others as well and there was chanting.  I slipped from the ropes and ran back to town.  But now they are after me.”
Kall, hearing the boys story jumped over the balcony railing and landed on the dirt street.

“Come up here,” said Tilliana.

Without warning there was the sound of bolts flying through the air.  Two thuds sounded and the boy gave a start and then fell to the ground, a pair of crossbow bolts protruding from his back.  Kall raced to help the boy.  He briefly saw three men running down the street, away from the scene, but his first thought was saving the boy.  

Above the street, Jozz ran back into his room to don his armor.  

“Carry him up here,” said Tilliana, and then realizing what she was saying she also ran into her room, where she grabbed her sword.  Then she was flying out the door and down the stairs to wake the innkeeper.

Kall pulled the bolts out of the boy and cast them aside.  Then, examining the wounds he worked to stop the bleeding.  He was no trained medic but he still managed to staunch the bleeding.  Lifting the boy in his arms, Kall slowly made his way towards the front door of the inn.  Inside, the innkeeper was already lighting lamps.

Tilliana threw open the front door and rushed out, her divine focus in one hand, her great sword in the other.  Holding aloft the silken square emblazoned with the golden eye of Naemae, she prayed for healing and then touched the boy’s wounds.  The blood cleared and the wounds closed.  The boys breathing, which had been ragged and shallow became normal again.  The boy’s eyes opened.

Kall carried the boy into the front room of the inn and set him down on a chair.  The innkeeper’s wife hurried into the room and the boy looked nervously around.  He reached back to feel where his wounds had been.  Jozz raced down the stairs, his armor on and his weapons ready.

“Young man,” said Tilliana, “you said there were others?  Did you mean other prisoners?”

“Yes,” said the boy nodding his head, “and I heard them say something about a sacrifice, I think they plan on killing them tonight.”

“Do you know who was chasing you?”

“Yes, a man named Gurtz, with a couple of other men.”

“Gurtz!” said Kall and Jozz together.

“Do you think you could come and help us fight them?” said Tilliana.  Then, as she realized what she was asking a boy who looked to be only about ten or eleven years old to do, she changed her mind, “Uh, nevermind.  Do you know where they took you?”

“To the big barn outside of town where the evil people have been meeting.”

“Get the sheriff,” Tilliana told the innkeeper, “Take the boy with you.  We three will get ourselves ready and head straight out to this barn.”

“Its just outside town, to the south,” said the innkeeper helpfully and then he and the boy were out the door.

Jozz was already ready, so he was elected to help Tilliana suit up.  Kall went to get his stuff himself.  Soon their weapons were ready, their armor was on, and their packs were on their backs.

“Ready Jozz and Kall?” asked Tilliana.

“Yeah!” said Jozz.

“Right but before we go, lets lock the windows and doors,” said Tilliana, “No reason to encourage thieves while we are away.”
Soon they were heading out of town, southwards, looking for a big barn filled with evil cultists.  They found it by the fact that not only was it very big, but it was also well lit from the inside and the faint sounds of chanting could be heard eminating from its general direction.

“Let’s be brave,” said Tilliana as they approached the front doors of the barn.

“Stop a moment,” she said when they were closer.  Clutching her divine focus, she prayed and then touched Kall on the head.  

“May the strength of Naemae be upon you,” she intoned.

“Wow!” said Kall as divine strength filled him.

“Do you have a plan?” asked Jozz.

“Not really,” said Tilliana as she eyed the doors of the barn only about fifty feet away.  The chanting was much louder this close.
She prayed once more over Kall and blessed his armor, endowing it with a divine strength.

“Ok, now I have a plan,” said Tilliana looking at the doors, “I want each of you to get your ropes and here is what we do.”
Tilliana’s plan was interrupted however by the arrival of walking dead.  Shuffling around from either side of the barn, the animated corpses mindlessly made their way towards the three adventurers. 

“Oh no,” muttered Tilliana, “I hope they haven’t activated that demon stone.”

Jozz acted immediatelly, firing his crossbow at one of the zombies.  The bolt sank into the zombies flesh but still the zombie trudged forward, mindless of the injury.  Kall hefted the scythe he had taken from Sawtooth and with a cry he ran the distance to one group of the zombies and hacked into one.  The scythe cut deep but still the corpse moved, swinging a powerful blow at Kall.  Kall ducked aside but another dead fist slammed into him from a different zombie.  Tilliana looked at the zombies coming from either direction around the barn and calmly walked between them, albeit closer to the group now trying to tear Kall apart.
Jozz fired another bolt into one of the zombies and again the corpse trudged on, heedless of an injury that would have killed a normal man.  Kall evaded the slow zombies and once more swung the scythe at the zombie he had already injured.  The scythe did its job this time and as that zombie fell in two pieces to the ground, Kall used the swing to carry the heavy scythe blade into another of the animated corpses.  The other group of zombies continued to trudge towards Tilliana.

Tilliana waited until the zombies were near her and then she raised the divine symbol of Naemae and focusing she caused a light to burst forth.  The zombie each raised their arms, fearful of the light and then with a breathless cry they collapsed to the ground, their undead flesh melting.  

“Okay, here’s what we do,” said Tilliana as the two boys gathered near her and the chanting from the barn grew slightly louder, “You two tie ropes to the doors of the barn and then, standing back, you pull the doors open.”

Kall looked at her and then reached back to pull out his rope.

“Just open the doors,” said Jozz, deciding he did not like the plan.  He strode purposefully towards the barn and threw open the right hand barn door.

Inside the barn, a large crowd of people, all in black robes, was gathered at the far end of the building.  There were no stalls, just a large open floor.  Somewhere on the other side, a large fire burned openly on the floor.  On the other side of the fire there appeared to be a platform.  In the middle of the platform stood a man in black armor and a black robe, holding a big scythe.  Two other men stood at either side of him.  In front of him, bound and gagged atop a large circular stone was a young girl.  Two other bound figures were at the back of the platform on either side.

“Hey!” shouted Jozz, “Move it!  Be good or die!”

There was an instant reaction as the chanting ceased and every head in the room turned to stare at Jozz.  Jozz raised his crossbow, and choosing a man at random, he fired.  The bolt sank into the man who staggered backwards.  

Kall, smiling at the chance for action, dropped his rope back into his pack and gripping the black scythe in his hands he charged with unnatural speed past Jozz and into the barn.  He covered a third of the length of the barn before plowing into the crowd.  The scythe blade whipped around wickedly and in a matter of seconds, three of the cultist lay on the ground unconscious and bleeding to death.

With a sigh Tilliana ran as quickly into the barn as she could.  Despite her heavy armor slowing her down, she still managed to charge at the crowd of cultist before the had fully reacted.  Charging into the barn to the left of Kall, she rammed her greatsword straight into one of the black robed men.
Meanwhile, Jozz, trying to take advantage of the distraction caused by the other two sped around the crowd, running along the side of the room, behind a series of post.  There was no one along the walls and Jozz managed to run almost to the other end of the room.

“Keep the infidel’s away from the altar,” shouted the man in the center of the platform.

The cultists with an angry shout ran at the companions.  Several of them charged at Jozz, backing him up against the wall of the barn.  They wielded swords of various lengths and several of them apparently were wearing armor under their robes.  As they crowded around, one managed to scratch Kall with a short sword.  Another, on the other end of the barn, also managed to stab Jozz with a sword.  Only Tilliana escaped injury unscathed, her long sword and enchanted armor kept her attackers from hurting her.  As Tilliana fought off her attackers, she noticed one man in particular trying to make his way towards her through the crowd.  It was Gurtz and his sword was drawn.

Kall, putting as much energy as he could into his scythe swings swung the black weapon in a vicious arc, cutting through two men, killing them both.  Jozz meanwhile ducked and parried for all he was worth to avoid the five swords pressing at him from three sides.  

At the front of the room, the three men on the platform continued their chanting, apparently heedless of the battles being raged in the same room.  At the height of his chanting the one in the center, holding aloft his scythe brought it down with deadly accuracy, cleaving the one bound in front of him into two bloody halves.  Blood washed over the stone upon which the victim lay.

Tilliana, noticing the sacrifice out of the corner of her eye, ducked two sword blows, lifted her divine focus and with a spoken word she caused a loud burst of sound to shake the room around her.  Several of the cultists collapsed outright from the sound burst, blood streaming from their ears and noses.  Most of the others were stunned into inactivity.  Taking advantage of the momentary shock, Tilliana raced forwards.  One of the cultist, deciding he had had enough, ran out of Tilliana’s way and jumped out one of the barn’s windows in a shower of glass.

Kall, unfortunately was one of those caught in Tilliana’s sound blast.  His sense reeling he found himself unable to focus properly and was subsequently hit by a sword thrust.  On the other side of the barn Jozz, fienting away from one of his attackers managed to reverse his movement and catch one of his attackers by surprise.  His dagger jammed through the man’s leather armor and into his heart.  

“Be brave,” said Jozz to his attackers, a deadly smile on his face, “or be scared.”

Tilliana managed to evade several attackers as she ran towards the front but then a wave of black robed cultist swarmed towards her and she could run no further as she moved to defend herself.  They came at her with swords, but they were not very skilled with them and in a matter of moment’s, Tilliana had felled four of them.  Still others swarmed in to take the place of the fallen.  Behind the wave of cultist, Gurtz continued to try and press his way at Tilliana.  

Another sword thrust struck Kall, drawing blood and now Kall, shocked back into action, yelled a battle cry.  The veins on his neck stood out and blood and adrenaline pumped through his body.  He swung viciously and mowed down three of those attacking him.  

Suddenly a strange odor, tinged with brimstone filled the barn and bursting out of the blood of the dead victim atop the stone, a purple skinned monstrosity burst forth.  It was covered with glowing red eyes and its round body was dominated by a huge fanged mouth that stretched from one side of its body to the other.  Stubby arms flailed and stubby legs propelled it.  
The demonic figure leaped from the stage and fell upon one of the cultist, its huge mouth tearing the man apart.  As the man fell dying, the fiend flew into a feeding frenzy, its jaws taking quick and powerful bites out of the slain man.  

“After that man,” shouted the scythe wielding man atop the platform and he pointed to his left, towards where Jozz was ringed in by a crowd of cultists.  Behind him, the other two men atop the platform were already dragging another victim towards the stone.

A small group of the cultist, looking fearfully at the fiend they helped summon cried in fear and raced around the side of the barn towards the exit.

“Don’t worry,” said Kall to a man besides him staring across the barn at the demon, “You won’t get eaten.” And taking advantage of the man’s distraction, Kall cut him apart with the black scythe.
Tilliana was still holding her own.  Three more men fell to the ground dead and one was forced to back away, clutching his bleeding arm.  Tilliana was uninjured.  As the crowd around Tilliana grew thinner, Gurtz, seeing an opening rushed at Tilliana.  Tilliana easily parried his sword stroke and backed away a step, still unscathed.

Directly across the barn, Jozz was having a harder time of it.  Bleeding from several minor cuts, Jozz was finding it difficult to fight five at once.

“Look over there,” said Jozz to one of the men and though the man turned and looked for a moment at the demon rushing at him, when Jozz lunged at him, the man managed to turn back just in time to avoid the dagger thrust.  At the same time, the man rolled away from the snapping jaws of the demon, who, intent on reaching Jozz, had decided to go through him first.  
Kall, seeing his brother in trouble, turned his attention firmly to those around him, determined to break through and help Jozz.  With miraculaous ease, he disemboweled a man, followed through to slice open a second, brought the scythe with tremendous energy down on top of a third, literally splitting the man in half lengthwise, followed through with a decapitation and then cut open the chest of a third.  With a shout, Kall raced forward to help Jozz.

On the platform, the black robed scythe wielder cut the next victim in half.  Again, the blood flowed over the stone.
Feeling helpless to stop the sacrifices, Tilliana could only continue to fight those that surrounded her, deflecting another blow from Gurtz, Tilliana proceeded to ram the tip of her sword into one of the men.  He fell, dead, but he momentarily pulled Tilliana forward as she worked to pull her sword loose once more.  The momentary lapse was enough to allow another of the men to strike her.  She saw the blow coming and managed to roll away from the brunt of it in time, but still it rang across her helmet, causing her to momentarily see stars.  

The demon meanwhile was still snapping at the man it perceived to be between it and its target.  The man managed to hold the demon back and Jozz, feeling the respite of only dodging four attackers, managed to ram his dagger into another of the cultists.  But  perhaps because of overconfidence, another of the cultist, managed to scratch another line across his armor.  With a shock, as he turned to avoid being cut deeply, he saw that this attacker was a woman.  

Kall raced across the floor towards the demon even as two others were racing out the barn doors.  The demon turned away from the cultist it was attacking and towards Kall but it was too late to avoid the deadly scythe blade descending through the air towards it.  The black blade cut through it and in a puff of foul smelling brimstone the demon was gone.  

“Sawtooth’s weapon,” muttered the man atop the platform as the blood flowed around his feet.  His two assistants were already moving towards the third and final sacrificial victim.  With another wave of odor, a second demon, identical to the first crawled out from the blood covering the stone.

“Get me that scythe,” the man intoned, pointing at Kall.

Tilliana, still the hardest pressed of the three companions, parried and swung and then swung again.  Four more of her attackers fell to the ground, cut, bleeding and dying.  The floor of the barn around Tilliana was stained red.  Tilliana moved to parry another blow from Gurtz, his sword ringing up against hers, and then she swung back at him.  From her right another man charged in, his sword descending towards Tilliana’s head.  Tilliana checked her swing and moved back, out of the way.  The sword tip still managed to slam into the shoulder of her armor.  

“What is your name,” Jozz asked the woman attacking him as he ducked two more sword blows.

“Traxi,” snarled the woman as she too failed to strike Jozz.  Jozz, taking advantage of the fact she had overthrust, grabbed her arm and plunged his dagger up into her throat.  As the blood flowed out of the wound and out of her mouth, she fell lifelessly forward.

A few feet away, Kall moved forwards, swinging wildly at one of those attacking Jozz.  The nimble cultist easily ducked the blow, but it did turn the man’s attention from Jozz.  

The demon, on its stubby legs charged off of the patform and towards Kall.  With barely an inch to spare, Kall leaped away from the huge jaws as they slammed shut at him.  Kall snarled and with the last bits of energy he could muster, he brought his scythe down at the demon.  The scythe did its work and the demon, just like the first, vanished in a puff of brimstone.  With scarcely a pause for thought, Kall swung the scythe around and into the cultist he had just missed.  The cultist, distracted by the demon, had little opportunity to defend himself.  He fell to the floor dead as Kall then proceeded to slice open the man next to him.

Atop the platform things were still happening.  The third sacrificial victim died as the deadly scythe cut its third body that evening in half..  Once more blood flowed freely upon the stone.  Enraged, Tilliana swung too hard at Gurtz, missing and opening herself up once more to the man attacking her from the right.  A slight scratch acroos the cheek rewarded her for her lack of focus.
Coming back to her sense, Tilliana moved just in time to avoid a deadly swing of Gurtz’ golden hilted great sword.  

Jozz, left with only a single attacker, proceeded to stab the man and simultaneously avoid a sword thrust by that lone cultist.
Kall was bleeding in several places, still had something of a headache from Tilliana’s sound burst and was now exhausted from his exertions.  Still, as he watched the two assistants on the platform bring forth small unholy symbols and heard them utter divine prayers of protection, he resolved himself to slay the evil men.  Gripping his scythe with as much energy as he could he charged towards the platform.  The two assistants were at the edge of the platform, reaching down to pick up two scythes which had lain there the whole time.  Kall, with a yell brought his scythe around at the one nearest the edge.  The man leaped back just in time to avoid being killed but Kall still felt the scythe tear through something more solid then the man’s robe.  

Tilliana, slammed her sword around through the air, tearing the head from one of her attackers and then brought it down atop the skull of another.  Her only opponent was now Gurtz and with a savage cry she brought her sword tip around and into him as well.  Gurtz rolled away from the attack, barely saving himself from being cut in two.  He was the only thing standing between her and the platform.

Jozz meanwhile killed his final opponent just in time to see one of the evil clerics atop the platform reach out a hand towards his brother.

“Die!” snarled the cleric, touching Kall.  Kall felt dark energies wash over him and his heart skipped a beat.  But he was too strong and the energies flowed back out of him.

“I smite you in the name of the Harvester,” yelled the other, bringing his scythe around and at Kall.  Kall, still in shock from the death attack of the other was too slow to avoid the scythe blade entirely and it scratched across his sleeve as he rolled away from the stroke.  It was just a scratch but there was a black flash as the scythe blade connected with skin and Kall felt even more of his energy drain away.

Tilliana, desperate to aid Kall sliced once more into Gurtz, but he, ignoring the pain, managed to bring his own sword up and around into Tilliana’s side.  It was too weak to be a deadly blow but it was enough to knock the slim priestess back and away from the grim fighter.  

Jozz loaded his crossbow and aimed it at the man still standing in front of the blood soaked stone.  He fired and the bolt found its mark, sinking into the man’s thigh.  But Jozz’s feeling of triumph turned to horror as he saw the new monstrosity crawling forth from the blood upon the stone.  It was large and vaguely dog like, but rows of scarlet spines covered the length of its back and its jaws were massive.  It pulled itself forward and Jozz saw a tail whip into the air, a barb of some sort at its tip.

“Kill that one!” shouted the man, unmindful of the bolt in his thigh, and he pointed to Kall once more.

“I smite you for the harvester,” shouted the cleric who had tried to kill Kall with a touch.  Again there was a black flash as the scythe blade scratched Kall and he felt more of his energy draining away.  

“Die!” shouted the other as he tried to use the same death touch his partner had used.  Kall tried to back away but the other was too quick and just a touch was all it took.  Kall felt his heart constrict as black forces threatened to take his life.  Barely holding on to life, Kall cried out and forced himself to swing the scythe in his hand.  It connected and drew blood from one of the death clerics.

Tilliana, meanwhile was still going toe to toe with Gurtz.  Finally she saw an opening and leaping forward to take it, her sword cleaved throught he fighter’s defenses and ended his life.  Stooping down for a moment, Tilliana pried the sword from Gurtz’s fingers.  It’s golden hilt gleamed and the blue gems sparkled memories into Tilliana’s mind.  She pictured her father for a moment, showing her this identical sword, telling her its name, “_Razortongue_.”

Jozz, from his spot away from the platform fired up at the large demon as it charged forward at Kall.  His bolt found its mark and was enough to make the demon miss as it swung its spiked tail up and over towards Kall.  Kall, twisting away from the wicked looking tail also managed to avoid the scythe blades of the two clerics, but he was too hard pressed to allow his own scythe to find a target.  

The only man not currently involved in combat, the one who had commanded the demons, strode off the platform and into the middle of the corpse covered room.  He clutched something and began to pray.  

Suddenly Tilliana was on the platform.  Razortongue swung through the air and killed one of the two clerics and then proceeded to gut the other.  Jozz, seeing the third cleric, the leader of this whole outfit, starting a spell, chose to shoot him.  The bolt grazed him, but it was enough for the man to loose focus on what he was saying.  

The spiked tail of the demon whipped forward and this time Kall was too slow to avoid it.  It punched through his armor and pierced his flesh.  There was a burning as Kall felt some sort of poison burning his skin.  Furious, Kall brought his scythe up and into the side of the demon.

Tilliana looked across the room, over the fire that burned brightly in the middle of the floor and saw that the remaining cleric had lost whatever spell he had been trying to cast.  As Jozz fired once more at the cleric, this time missing, Tilliana brought Razor tongue up and onto the back of the demon.  There was a puff of brimstone and the demon’s body melted away into nothing.  Kall turned his attention to the cleric in the middle of the room and laying down his scythe he drew his bow and swiftly fired an arrow across the flames of the fire and across the side of the cleric.

The cleric pointed a finger at Kall and shouted “Burn!”  Kall felt an urge to throw himself into the fire but resisted.

Tilliana charged off of the platform at the cleric.  He tried to duck, but Razortongue still found a mark.  Jozz, seeing Tilliana engaging the man in hand to hand combat, charged forward as well.  The man still had enough life left to raise his own scythe and fend off Jozz’s small dagger.  

“That fire can’t hurt me,” said Kall to himself and once more grabbing his scythe he too charged at the cleric, running straight through the roaring fire to do so.  The cleric, surprised to see Kall running unscathed through the flames was too slow to block and the black scythe also cut into him.

Still the man was not dead.  He snarled at Tilliana, recognizing her as a servant of the Swift Sword and raising his scythe he brought it down at her.

“May the dark Harvester smite your soul!”

There was a flash of blackness and Tilliana felt an unholy energy washing over her.  But neither the blow nor the dark energy was strong enough to stop her.

“May Naemae smite you!” she retorted and Razortongue pierced the cleric and in a second his life was ended.

As the three wearily stood and bled through numerous wounds, they could hear the sound of the sheriff and the townsfolks approaching the barn.


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## Wicht (Dec 5, 2002)

DM's notes: There were over sixty opponents in that barn.   
The death count was somewhere between forty and fifty.  

By the end of the fight Kall had exactly 1 hit point.  The second Death attack he experienced almost did him in, I rolled exactly 1 less then Kall still had hitpoints.  Fortune was definitely with him as he made both saves against the poison of the Abysmal Ravager and failed to die from either of the clerics death attacks.  he also killed two demons singlehandedly whilst not being hurt by either.


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## Buttercup (Dec 7, 2002)

Crininey, Wicht!  Those boys really like to mix it up.  But you've got to get Jozz a better weapon.  Think what he could do with a short sword!

So how much experience did they all gain?


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## Wicht (Jan 7, 2003)

It's been over a month but at last...

The campaign's back on!

(and to finally answer Buttercup's question - a lot of experience  at the end of that session Tilliana was a Cle6/Fgt2 and the boys were both level 6)

 I'll try and find the time to post a character update, though just writing up this last session is going to take a while.  I have 10 pages of notes to transfer to story - and I just finished 2 of the 10 today.)  I also have to work on finishing up notes for my first Sunlight Campaign adventure (read about it in my new storyhour) and make sure to get back to work on typing up the next few adventures worth of encounters for the Servant's campaign.  Frankly I'm swamped.  But also happy to be playing again after the holidays.


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## Wicht (Jan 7, 2003)

*Chapter 24 – Elias’ Fort*

True to his word, the Sheriff allowed Tilliana and the boys to keep whatever they wanted from both the barn and the house belonging to the cult.  Tilliana reclaimed the Demon Stone, which the cult’s leader had been using as a sacrificial altar and from which he had been summoning demons when Tilliana and the boys had barged into the barn.  A search of the house turned up the other things stolen from them as well as a good deal of money and some valuable art and gems.  Tilliana presided over the sale of these things and sent to Geanavue for a suit of high quality plate armor with the money she made.

In addition to the material possessions they had acquired, a search of the house used by the cult also turned up documentation showing that the cult had been a part of a smuggling ring for ingredients in black rituals and dark magics.  They had received shipments from the orcs in the old keep and had sent them on to the coast. Tilliana sent these papers to Geanavue as well for the men of the Watch there to go over.  
The matters of business were interrupted by the arrival of Alairic, Niccolo and Kinshag.  A query as to where they had been for ten days caused Alairic to blush.

“Someone got us lost,” said Niccolo staring daggers at the paladin who kicked his feet and mumbled something incomprehensible.

They spent another week in Terfiindel whilst the dwarven smith Tilliana was dealing with custom fitted a suit of armor for her.  It was lighter in weight than normal plate and allowed her to move easier.  But it was also magnificent in its appearance and when it was done and she donned it, she appeared resplendent and knightly.

They left Terfiindel on the 16th of Declerations. Their destination was the area settled by Tilliana’s father and his friends.  Tilliana left Jozz and Kall behind to watch over the remaining bulk of her money and to help restore some semblance of order to the poor town.  She drove a new wagon, packed with all manners of new equipment.  Prancer walked behind the wagon and her companions rode their horses.  Any semblance of maintained paths soon ended and the going became slower, especially for the wagon.  

They made camp that night and then continued onward in the morning.  Though the area was not heavily wooded, shrubs and tall grass grew unchecked.  They traveled for most of the day until finally, about two hours before dusk, they saw ahead of them the ground start to become more mountainous.  They could see a waterfall above them and to the north, about four miles in the distance.  They stopped to consult Tilliana’s map.

“There was a castle,” said Tilliana, “built above a waterfall.  Its marked here by the bat and the words, evil only sleeps.  I say we head that way and we will soon know if we are in the right area.”
That sounded good to the others and so they began to steer in the direction of the still distant falls.  None of them heard the wolves surround them.

There first warning was the rustling of grass as four large wolves charged in, two on each side.  Two of them rushed at Prancer, tied as she was to the back of the wagon.  The other two charged Alairic and his horse, their jaws snapping at Trance.
Prancer screamed and reared at the wolves biting at him.  One of his hooves connected with one of the wolves, knocking it back.  And then Tilliana was leaping over the back of the wagon and jumping to the ground next to her warhorse.  Razor-tongue flashed through the air and in seconds both wolves were dead.  

Alairic’s horse also reared as one of the wolves bit him and Alairic was forced to hold on tightly, unable to draw his blade.  Two-socks, Niccolo’s wolf companion growled and charged at one of the wolves.  They rolled together on the ground and then Niccolo was riding in close, sword out.  He swung down and the strange wold was dead.  Kinshag drew his sword and tried to run down the fourth wolf.  But the animal ducked away from the charge and moved in once more to attack Trance.  It never got the chance.  Tilliana rushed from besides her wagon and Razor-tongue ended the life of the remaining wolf.  

Two-socks rolled to his feet, sniffed the carcass of the dead wolf and then trotted over besides Niccolo.  

“Wow, Tilliana,” said Alairic, “Three of them.  Leave some for us!”

“Did you see that?” said Niccolo.

“What,” said Tilliana and Alairic.

“Yes,” said Kinshag.

“A flash of white, over there, in the growth.  Something small.”  Niccolo walked over and examined the ground where he had seen the movement.

“It had to be a small creature, but I see no tracks,” said Niccolo as he scanned the ground.  Shaking his head he returned to the other three.

Alairic laid his hands on Trance and healed the wounds of horse.

“Shall we continue then?” said Tilliana, climbing up once more into her wagon.  

They had only gone another half a mile however before they met another small obstacle.  Marching towards them from the north they saw a squad of ten animated skeletons.  There was no mistaking the intent of the undead.

“Wait and leave them for me,” said Tilliana, standing in her wagon.  The other three pulled their horses to a halt and watched the skeletons draw closer and closer, moving with an unholy energy.  Tilliana lifted her divine focus and as soon as the skeletons charged in at the four she called upon Naemae.  A burst of divine light shone forth from her focus and all ten of the charging skeletons burst into dust at the same time, a dust that moved forward with the momentum of the charge and then was scattered on the wind.

Tilliana sat back down.

From ahead of them and to the left there came suddenly the sound of someone cursing softly and then the sound of quick movement.  Straining to see, however, revealed no one to be there.

“That’s strange,” said Alairic.

***************************

They traveled only a bit further and they found themselves atop a gently sloping hill.  At the bottom of the hill, traveling through a small valley was a stream.  The remnants of houses dotted the hillside and across the stream atop another hill was a small fort.  Behind the fort grew a wood.  

There was an old mill by the stream, it looked to be in disrepair, and about halfway up the hill, in the midst of the abandoned settlement was the remains of a grain silo.  

Surveying the scene, Tilliana noted, “We could cross the stream and spend the night in the fort.  Its walls would give us some shelter.”

But there seemed to be no way of crossing the stream save swimming.  The remains of a bridge could be made out, but it was long past servicable.  

“We only have an hour till nightfall,” said Niccolo, scanning the sky.

“We don’t know how deep the stream is,” said Alairic, “I say we camp down by the stream, just past the ruined houses.”

They traveled slowly down the hill, passing the shells of houses long empty.  A few of them still sported walls, but many of them were just piles of collapsed walls and rubble.  

They stopped and began to make camp.  Alairic led the horses to the stream and let them drink.  Niccolo bent and spoke to his wolf, two-socks, and after a brief exchange he sent the wolf to scout out the area.  Kinshag gathered wood and began lighting a fire.

“Let’s set up some defenses,” said Tilliana, “I have a good supply of Caltrops in the wagon.  Let’s set them up around the camp.”

“I’ll do that,” said Niccolo.

“I also have bells,” said Tilliana.  “We can fasten them to ropes and set them up around the camp to ring if anyone approaches.”

Tilliana went to arrange the bells.  Niccolo started with the caltrops.  The shadows lengthened as the sun descended past the horizon.

Niccolo was almost done laying the caltrops when he smelled something.  He was just west of the others.  Looking up, the smell hit him almost at the same time as he became aware of a small host of foul looking creatures rushing at him noiselessly.  He recognized them as ghouls, nine of them.  The smell was foul and strong, nearly overpowering.  He struggled not to retch and drew his sword just as the first was upon him.  The thing was thin and scabrous with glowing eyes.  It charged at him, its teeth bared.  Barrelling into  Niccolo the undead flesh eater bit him, tearing past the half-elf’s chain shirt and drawing blood.  Niccolo felt his muscles freezing and fought to move.  But it was no good.  He was paralyzed.

The others however were swift to respond.  Running as fast as he could, Alairic covered the distance from the stream, up the slope, pulling out his divine focus.  Tilliana was right behind him.  Alairic cried aloud and divine light poured forth from his silk symbol of Naemae.  Five of the ghouls turned to flee.  Tilliana did the same and with a scream, the ghouls began to melt and burn, even those that had started to flee.  All except for the one that had bitten Niccolo.  Stronger and more fell, it snarled.

Kinshag rushed at it, great ax at the ready.  The monster turned quickly to meet this new threat and bit at Kinshag even as the ax descended.  Kinshag cried aloud as the thing bit him and his ax missed its mark.  Another bite and a scratch of its deadly claws caused Kinshag’s muscles to tighten and freeze.  

Alairic covered the rest of the distance and swung his sword down.  There was a flash of holy energy as the blade connected with dead flesh and then Tilliana was there, swinging Razor-tongue.  The creature fell to the ground unmoving.  

When Niccolo and Kinshag were able to move again, Niccolo traced the tracks of the ghouls back to the old mill.  But as it was getting dark he decided not to go in.  Instead he returned to camp and finished laying the caltrops.  Then, taking the ropes Tilliana had prepared with the bells, he began to tie it down.

Alairic watched Niccolo work for a moment and then commented, “Shouldn’t you lay the bells on the other side of the caltrops, just past them in a wider perimeter.”

Niccolo stared at the Paladin for a moment and then with a groan of frustration he undid what he had done and started again.  

In the meantime night had truly and deeply come.


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## Wicht (Jan 8, 2003)

*Chapter 25: Elias’ Fort*

The night was clear and bright.  They had not yet tried to sleep, though Alairic had broached the subject of keeping watches.  Kinshag had lit a good fire and they were seated around it keeping warm.  

“Mew,” whispered a white cat silkily as it crept into the firelight.  Its short fur was dirty and it looked a little thin.  Looking at the four companions cautiously it inched slowly closer to the fire.

“Ahh,” said Niccolo and breaking off some of the food he was eating he tossed it to the cat.

The cat looked at Niccolo for a moment and then gingerly poked at the food.  Satisfied, it then proceeded to gulp it down.  Having eaten it lay down by the warm fire for a moment.  They stared at it for a while.

Suddenly the cat perked its ears up and it stood.  Then, with a look to the east it ran off to the west, passing quickly out of the firelight.  Niccolo stood and drew out his rapier.  In a minute, from the east, there came the sound of slow movement.  Shuffling footsteps indicated that something was coming their way.  Kinshag moved to the edge of the firelight and peered out.

“I see nine figures,” he said, “They move slowly… They move like dead men… zombies.”

“Tilliana, get over here,” said Alairic from besides Kinshag.

Tilliana pulled forth her divine focus and walked near the others to call down the wrath of Naemae on the undead creatures.  The zombies moved closer and closer.  

Holding her divine focus forward, Tilliana waited.  The zombie lurched closer.  With a brief prayer Tilliana called forth upon the divine power of her god and in seconds nine zombies became two as the other seven let out groans of pain and collapsed in heaps of burnt unmoving flesh.  Alairic and Kinshag rushed forward and in seconds the last two were on the ground unmoving as well.

Niccolo was standing just behind Tilliana, facing Kinshag and Alairic as they mowed down the last two zombies.  A bolt of magical energy flew out of the darkness from behind him and struck him in the rear.

“Ouch!” exclaimed Niccolo.  The pain was very real, though not life-threatening.  The four companions whirled around and looked out over their campfire and peered into the night.  They saw no-one to the east.

“Up there!” said Alairic, pointing south.  Outlined on the hill by the light of one of the moons, a robed figure strode out of the shadow of one of the more structurally sound houses.  They could see no features, just the shape.  

The robed figure must have heard them for it turned and it seemed as if they were being watched.  And then, in seconds it had disappeared, seemingly into mist.

“I have first watch,” said Alairic.

“I thought I called first watch,” said Niccolo.

“We should sleep in pairs and watch in pairs,” said Tilliana, “This area does not seem safe.”

There was some brief arguing between Niccolo and Alairic but eventually it was decided that Alairic and Niccolo would sleep first and then sometime after midnight relieve Tilliana and Kinshag to rest.  

Alairic and Niccolo were soon asleep and Kinshag was watching the camp on the east side of the fire and Tilliana on the south side.  The six horses were tied to the wagon on the northwestern corner of the camp and just to the north the stream flowed busily through the night.

It was about an hour after Alairic and Niccolo had gone to bed that the wolves appeared.  They crept up to the edge of the firelight and moving with an uncanny cunning, they crawled under the belled rope without ever disturbing it.  They were upon Tilliana in a flash.  

One of them manages to bite Tilliana’s leg.  It was enough to make Tilliana move quickly.  In a flash Tilliana was fending them off and drawing her sword at the same time.  The wolves surged forward one more time and then Razor-tongue flashed through the air.  Three furred bodies collapsed to the ground.  Tilliana panted and examined her wound.  It was not deep, little more then a scratch.

Kinshag rushed over but there was nothing for him to do.  Niccolo stirred and then resumed snoring.

Tilliana sat back down, sword at the ready.  Kinshag returned to his post.

The white cat returned a little thereafter and sat down again by the fire.  Tilliana watched it but did nothing else.  

Three more hours passed and midnight approached.  Nothing had moved in the night.

It was Kinshag’s turn to be startled.  He sat and stared out into the darkness when a voice next to him stated, “I am so thirsty.”
Kinshag whirled with a start.  A pale skinned man with a drawn face and wearing shepherds clothes stood besides him.  Kinshag had heard nothing.

“Give me drink,” moaned the man.

“What do you wan…” Kinshag started but the man lunged at him before he could finish the question.

The man was stronger than he looked and he grabbed Kinshag’s arms and bit into the half-hobgoblin’s throat.  Kinshag tried to cry out as he felt the blood flowing out of him, and with it his strength.  With a savage cry he tore loose from the fangs of the blood-sucking horror and swung his great-ax up and at the once-man.  The vampire lunged back and out of the way with the speed of a serpent.

“Away fiend,” shouted Tilliana, holding forth her holy symbol.  There was a brief flash of divine energy but it was not strong enough and the thing leaped back once more at Kinshag, latching on once more to the already bleeding neck.  More of Kinshag’s life was sucked away.  Kinshag, furious and frightened once more twisted the undead creature off and swung his ax at it.  The blade struck and even though it sank in to the creature’s dead flesh, when Kinshag pulled it out, the wound looked like little more than a cat-scratch.  

Tilliana, standing a little closer once more held out her divine focus at the thing and this time the energy from it was powerful.  The vampire reared back and hissed as the divine light flowed over and into it.  With a cry it was gone, vanished into a mist that flew off to the west.

Tilliana ran and woke the others to tell them what had happened.  As she was shaking Alairic awake, she remembered the cat.  When she looked over by the fire, it was gone.

************************************

	They switched watches shortly thereafter.  Tilliana knew that she could help Kinshag heal from the foul bites he had suffered, but she would need to rest first.  Kinshag, tired and hurt took off his armor, lay down and was soon asleep.  Tilliana did likewise.  

The cat returned a couple of hours later.  Niccolo rummaged in his pack a while and found some food for it.  The cat ate it once more and again lay down by the fire.  Niccolo amused himself by watching it for a while.

As it had earlier, after a bit the cat perked up its ears as if it heard something.  It stood, stretched, looked east, and then ran off to the south.  

Niccolo looked east and with his keen vision he could make out six white figures marching in military fashion towards their camp, skeletons.

“Alairic,” said Niccolo.  

“My turn,” smiled Alairic and the paladin drew forth his own divine focus.  He lacked the power of Tilliana in such matters he knew, but he also knew that skeletons would not be difficult to destroy.  As Tilliana had done he waited until they were close enough and then calling upon Naemae, he brought forth the divine power necessary to destroy the dark magic’s holding the skeletons together.

The skeletons burst into dust before him.

“Very good,” said a deep voice from behind the two companions.  
Niccolo and Alairic whirled around.  Two tall, powerfully built men stood besides the fire, so alike in appearance they could only have been brothers.  One held a huge axe in his hand, the other a great sword.  They each wore chain shirts and sported heavy red beards.

“Very good,” repeated the one with the ax, “But you will not find it so easy to deal with us puny mortals!”

“Is that so!” cried Niccolo, drawing his rapier and lunging forward.  He covered the ground quickly and sank his rapier into the man with the ax.  But the powerful thrust did nothing and as he pulled the rapier out the other laughed and swung, hitting Niccolo with his ax.

Alairic charged the other, his holy blade already in his hands.  

“May Naemae smite your evil!” shouted the paladin and his blade struck.  There was a great flash as righteous energy flowed from both the paladin and the sword into Alairic’s opponent.  The man screamed in pain and anger as the blade pierced him deeply and burned.  Then with a cry he was gone and an unholy mist flew north, over the fire and out of sight.

The cry brought Kinshag out of sleep and he jumped to his feet.  He took stock of the situation and decided to put on his armor.
Niccolo meanwhile was hard pressed.  Bleeding from the sword wound, he was finding the man to be a strong and able opponent.  Alairic rushed to help him, striking the from the side.  As the holy energies of the blade flashed forth once more the undead cried and swung around to attack Alairic.  Alairic parried the ax even as Niccolo once more plunged his rapier into the creatures other side.  But again, Niccolo could have been stabbing a corpse for all the good the rapier did.  

Alairic parried again and then once more swung true.  The undead fighter cried with frustration even as he and all he carried turned to mist before the eyes of Alairic and Niccolo and flew west into the darkness.  

Kinshag, seeing the fighting was over, once more removed his armor and laid down.

Niccolo began to worry about Two-socks.  The wolf had yet to return.  There was nothing to do but wait and hope the horrors that seemed to fill the area did not hurt the wolf.  

Two more hours passed without incident and the night grew old.  But danger was not yet past.

They felt the presence of the creatures before they saw them.  Two shapely and beautiful women, walking noiselessly from the south.  For a moment neither Niccolo nor Alairic felt compelled to feel frightened.  The women were alluring, seductive, magical.
Both realized at the same time what was happening and fought the unnatural charm exuding from the women.  As they shook off the effects they saw the pale skin and the extended fangs.  

Realizing their charm attempt had failed the women snarled like animals, now less beautiful but still powerful and deadly.  The women rushed forward, hands extended, bent on drinking blood before the night was gone.  Niccolo had exchanged his rapier for his heavier great axe and as one of the women charged him he swung it.  The blow would have killed a normal man, but it merely annoyed the undead woman.  Still it was enough to keep her away from the half-elves throat for the moment.

Alairic was not so fortunate.  The woman attacking him lunged down and under his sword swing like a snake and then was at his throat.  Alairic could not force her off and she bit, drawing forth blood and life.  

Niccolo swung again, his axe once more finding its target, but again doing little actual damage.  The woman was still trying to go for his throat, more intent on drinking then fighting.  Niccolo swung once more and again did little to truly hurt her.  

Alairic meanwhile was fighting desperately to get the vampiress off of him.  She was latched to his throat like a leech and he could feel the life draining out of him.  Remembering his divine focus he clutched at it, but even so he could not concentrate properly to focus enough.  Finally he managed to twist her off and away from him.

The other vampire woman had given up trying to drink first and was now swiping her clawed hands at Niccolo.  Back and forth they parried, axe against claw, circling each other.

The one fighting Alairic wiped blood from her mouth and smiled.  Then she tried to rush Alairic once more.  Alairic was ready this time and swinging around and away from her he brought his sword in a vicious circle.  It connected and the woman cried aloud as the holy energy of the blade burned her.  Alairic, remembering his slumbering companions shouted, hoping to wake them and then swung again as the woman charged him one last time.  There was a flash of holy energy and then the woman was turning to mist.  A mist which flew north, across the stream.  

Niccolo had cut the woman once more with the ax but still it did not seem to be slowing her.  Though she had suffered nearly half a dozen hits, none of them bled.  Niccolo swung once more.  The woman did not dodge this time but moved with the blow.  The ax struck her and in that instance, she swung a double fisted punch around, connecting with Niccolo’s chest.  The half’elf gasped as more than wind was knocked out of him.  The dark energy of the creature seemed to eat at his very soul.  

Alairic charged in just then, hoping to distract the vampire woman away from Niccolo.  He missed.  Niccolo swung again, but his swing was weak.  It connected but did not even break the monster’s dead flesh.  The woman refused to be distracted by Alairic and moved to try and latch onto Niccolo’s throat.  As weak as he felt, Niccolo was not about to let that happened.  He struggled as hard as he could to hold her away.  

Alairic stabbed forward with his sword, piercing her from behind and Niccolo used the opportunity to swing at her again, this time cutting a little deeper.  The woman snarled and Alairic swung once more.  Before their eyes the woman dissolved away into a mist which flew to the south.  

Alairic and Niccolo looked over at their companions.  The fight had not awaken them in the slightest.  They were still sound asleep.


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## Elder-Basilisk (Jan 9, 2003)

Brutal! I counted at least three vampires--maybe five. And nobody in the party able to cast restoration. . . .

Are these Monster Manual vampires dealing negative levels or some other kind that just does con drain or con damage?


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## Capellan (Jan 9, 2003)

You know, when you get attacked *four times* in one night, it's probably time to find a new place to camp.

Were I in this party we would be _leaving_.  We'd be back in time: but not until we had a _much_ better plan than "let the bad guys jump us every two hours while we try to get some rest"


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## Wicht (Jan 9, 2003)

Capellan said:
			
		

> *You know, when you get attacked four times in one night, it's probably time to find a new place to camp.
> *




I didn't suggest the camping site.  It was all their idea. 

Actually their first plan was to spend the night in the fort... 
(I would say more but I hate to give too much away)


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## Wicht (Jan 9, 2003)

Elder-Basilisk said:
			
		

> *Brutal! I counted at least three vampires--maybe five. And nobody in the party able to cast restoration. . . .
> 
> Are these Monster Manual vampires dealing negative levels or some other kind that just does con drain or con damage? *




As to game mechanic specifics...

These were all vampire spawn.  They have yet to meet _real_ vampires. 

The majority of attacks were blood drain which dealt permanent constitution damage, but Niccolo did take one attack that did a temporary energy drain.  

Tilliana can cast lesser restoration and in fact she was forced to use all her second level spells slots available just for that spell come dawn.


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## Buttercup (Jan 10, 2003)

As everyone else has said, these folks need a safer place to camp.  If they're going to stay in the area and try to clean it out, they'll never make it unless they can spend their nights unmolested.

Great fun to read, though!


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## tleilaxu (Jan 13, 2003)

bump of encouragement


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## Wicht (Jan 14, 2003)

*Chapter 26: Elias’ Fort*

The Dawn came and when it did Niccolo and Alairic woke Kinshag.  They let Tilliana continue to rest.  

“Watch for a while, we are going to go back to sleep,” said Niccolo.

“On my own?” asked Kinshag, still feeling a bit weak from loss of blood.

“Vampires can’t attack during the day and perhaps if Tilliana gets enough rest, she can heal some of our wounds.”

Kinshag reluctantly agreed and Niccolo and Alairic returned to sleep.

An hour passed and Two-socks returned from his scouting expedition.  Bloodied and torn, the wolf limped back towards the camp, one leg trailing behind him.  Kinshag obtained some food and fed the wretched looking animal.  It was clear that the wolf was barely alive.  

Tilliana finally awoke and a couple of hours later Alairic and Niccolo got up as well.  It was about two hours before noon.  Tilliana, with her divine spells, was able to help both Kinshag and Alairic partially recover from the vampire attacks and Alairic tended to Two-socks.  Then they picked up camp and surveyed the area.   

The various buildings and remains of buildings dotting the hillside took on a more sinister air than they had the night before when the companions had ridden into the area.  Now each crumpled shell, each abandoned house, stood out as a sort of tomb, a potential home of undead monstrosities.  The spring sun shining on the long grasses gave only slim comfort.

“Those vampires fled from us last night,” said Alairic thinking, “to the north, to the west and to the south.  That means some are likely in that fort over there and the others are in these houses.  I say we deal with the ones on this side first.”

“How do we kill vampires,” asked Tilliana.

“Shove them out into the sun,” said Alairic.

Several of the houses were little more than piles of rock and wood.  They had collapsed through the weight of fifteen years of neglect.  The first structure they looked at was like this.  
Tilliana, staring thoughtfully at some of the pieces of wood sticking out from between the stones muttered something about, “Stakes.”

“What was that,” said Kinshag.

“Stakes,” said Tilliana, “We could try killing the vampires with stakes.  We could make some from some of the pieces of wood that are still sturdy enough around here.”

Niccolo nodded thoughtfully, “Sure we just need to gather enough wood to do it.”

“Should we split up and search the buildings seperately,” asked Tilliana.

“No!” was the immediate answer from the others.  Alairic shivered as he remembered ghouls in a basement.

They gathered up a few stout pieces of wood that they thought would service as stakes and approached one of the sturdier looking houses.  This one still had four walls and a roof.  The roof was of slate and looked to be in decent repair, with only one corner of the roof exposed.  The door to the house was closes but all the windows were broken out.  The door was not locked.
As the others opened the door and peered in, Alairic pulled out a torch from his pack and worked to light it.  The others turned and stared at him.

“What are you doing?” asked Niccolo.

“A torch.”

“Why.  The sun is shining, there are windows, it won’t be dark in there.”

Alairic looked up, “I thought that a torch might be a good weapon against vampires.”

“They didn’t seem afraid of our campfire last night, walked right up near it,” said Niccolo as Kinshag walked in the house.  There was an odor of rot in the air.  The roof had obviously let in some water.  The floor under Kinshag sagged.  He looked down.  The wood was very rotten.  

“Uh guys,” said Kinshag as Tilliana walked into the house.  That was as much as he managed to get out however before the floor under him collapsed from his weight and he plunged through the floor and into the basement.

“Ugh,” said Kinshag as he landed a bit awkwardly below, more shaken then hurt.  

“Oh, oh, said Niccolo walking in and looking through the hole in the floor.

Tilliana was also looking through the hole from the other side.

“You okay?” asked Tilliana.

“Yeah,” said Kinshag.  And then the floor under Tilliana’s feet cracked and the priestess in her heavy armor fell straight through.

“Oouf!” said Tilliana as she hit the dirt floor of the basement hard.
Alairic walked up besides Niccolo and looked down.  

“Catch,” he called and tossed the torch he had lit down into the hole, “Thought you two could use a light down there.”

“Thanks,” said Kinshag picking it up.  The torch light lit up the dirt basement.  There were large webs.  There were also large eyes staring at Kinshag and Tilliana from the walls.  Eyes that glittered multifaceted in the firelight.

“Oh no,” groaned Kinshag drawing out his great-ax and dropping the torch to the dirt floor.  Tilliana drew her sword.

“What is it,” said Niccolo looking down through the hole Kinshag had made, trying to see what had bothered the half-hobgoblin.  
The spiders charged in.  They were nearly five feet across, tow to toe and stood almost a foot off the ground.  One of them bit at Tilliana, scratching her on her leg.  The others crowded in, mandibles clicking.  

Tilliana gave a war cry and cleaved into and through one, sliced open a second and managed to hack into a third.  Kinshag fending the spiders off with his axe split one in half and missed a second one.  Their flashing weapons gave the spiders pause.  Tilliana killed a third spider and Kinshag cut his second.  And then Tilliana was besides Kinshag and the last two spiders were cut open by Razor-tongue.  

“We got them,” Tilliana hollered up.

“Good,” said Niccolo as he straightened up from trying to gingerly look through the hole.  The movement was the last straw for the rotting wood that the half-elf was standing on.  In a shower of rotting splinters Niccolo plunged down through the floor, landing on the ground besides the other two.  

“Ouch,” said the half elf as he stood up.

Kinshag meanwhile had found the stairs out of the basement.  He examined them.  The wood was in nearly as bad a shape as the floor above.

“I’ve got rope,” said Alairic as he shuffled around above them.  

“I’m gonna try the stairs,” said Kinshag and he very gingerly started to climb them, testing each foot and trying to distribute his weight as best as possible.  He made it to the top of the stairs.  

“Well if he can do it,’ said Tilliana.  And with that she started to climb the stairs.  They caved in when she was about halfway up and collapsed about her as she fell suddenly five feet down.  

“What happened,” said Alairic, pulling out his rope and moving closer to the holes.  It was a mistake.  The floor failed to hold him as well and the hole to the first floor grew a little bigger and the paladin joined Niccolo and Tilliana in the basement amid a shower of dirt and wood.  

“Ugh!” said Alairic.

Meanwhile  Kinshag, more by luck than skill, had managed to make it all the way out of the house.

“I have rope in the wagon!” called out Tilliana when Kinshag informed them of his escape from the rotting house.”

“Right,” said Kinshag, “I’ll be right back.”

A few minutes later and all four were once more on the grass in the sunshine.  They stared at the house.

“I say we torch it,” said Alairic.

“The torch is in the basement still,” pointed out Tilliana.

“I have others,” said Alairic.

“Any riches in there will have to stay in there,” said Niccolo.
They set fire to the house, the rotting wood going up quickly and hot.  As the fire spread to the second floor and then to the attic the screaming commenced.  Something inside was being burned in the hot inferno.

“I hope that wasn’t a bad thing to do,” said Kinshag as the screaming continued.

“No living thing could have gone in and out of that house,” said Alairic.

“Not without being in the basement,” said Niccolo.

The second floor collapsed down and the walls started to cave in and the screaming ceased.  

The next house was another pile of rock.  

“Should we burn it?” asked Tilliana.  But most of the wood had already rotted away and there did not seem a lot to actually burn so they decided to leave it.  The next two structures were the same way.

“Let’s look in the silo,” said Alairic.  They had worked their way from the eastern side of the ruined village to about the middle where the tall walls of a grain silo still stood.  The wooden house next to the stone silo had collapsed and it looked like most of the silo’s ceiling had as well, but the round walls remained.  The door to the silo wa missing, so they walked in through the open gap.

Sunlight shone through the hole in the top of the silo, illuminating a small dead body on the dirt floor.  It was a strange almost bat like creature with long legs and a long needle like nose.  Its crumpled wings suggested it was a flying creature.

“A stirge,” said Niccolo examining the body, “they suck blood.”

“Check this out,” siad Alairic from near the wall, “The ground looks like its been dug here and there is a strange metal tube in the ground.”

At the sound of Alairic’s voice something above them stirred.  They looked up.  Four flying creatures, twins to the dead one on the ground, were circling down.  The stirges attacked swiftly, dropping down like bullets.  One flew at Niccolo and plunged straight onto the rapier Niccolo held out at it, dying.  Tilliana’s powerful sword sliced open another, killing it.  Kinshag went to swing his axe at the one diving at him but the creature flew swiftly around the blade and latched onto Kinshag’s shoulder, plunging it’s long needle like snout into Kinshag’s flesh like a giant mosquito.  The fourth one landed on Alairic and started to drink.

“Aaah,” shouted Alairic , grasping it and pulling it off of himself.  He tried to throw it at a wall, but it merely flew up and started back towards him.  The stirge on Kinshag, swiftly bloating itself with blood detached and started to lazily fly up and away.  Niccolo pierced it with his rapier and it exploded in a shower of blood.

“Argh!” shouted Kinshag in horror and as the last of the beasts flew back at Alairic, Kinshag charged the short distance between it and him and cleaved it in two with his axe.

“You must have tasty blood,” said Tilliana to Kinshag with a worried look, “Seems like everything is drinking your blood lately.”
Kinshag did not seem too thrilled at the prospect of having his blood drank and simply shivered with horror.  It felt like someone had just walked over his grave.

Alairic meanwhile had decided to plug the tube with a finger.  He stuck one finger into the tube, blocking it and held it there.  Then satisfied he pulled it out.

“Do we have shovels?” he asked.

Tilliana informed them that they did not.

“I say we pour dirt down the tube,” said Niccolo.

“There’s nothing down there breathing,” said Alairic, “Otherwise they would have suffocated when I held my finger over the hole.”

“You didn’t hold your finger there long enough for anything to suffocate!” snapped Niccolo.  This led to a fight about how long it would take to suffocate any creature hiding down the pipe.

Finally, “fine,” said Alairic, “I will do it longer!”  And he stuck his finger back in the metal tube.  This time he held it there for several minutes, staring at Niccolo the whole time.

“Fine,” said Niccolo finally, “There’s nothing alive down there.”

“Let’s dig it up,” said Tilliana.

“I am curious as to what is down there,” said Alairic.

“Let’s try pulling first,” suggested Niccolo and tried prying it free of the ground.  Nothing happened.

“Let me try,” said Kinshag and he bent down to try.  He pulled and the tube came out of the soil.  It was about two feet in length.  

“A pipe system?” said Alairic.

“It was put in recently,” pointed out Tilliana.

“We can get some slate and dig,” said Niccolo.

They followed through with this and the slate seemed to move the dirt well enough.  About a foot down into the soil and they struck wood.

“A coffin,” said Tilliana.

“I bet it’s a chest,” said Niccolo and they continued to dig.

It was a coffin.

“Good call,” said Niccolo as he pried open the top of the coffin.

Inside lay a female.  She had been the one who had attacked Niccolo the previous evening.  

“We need a stake,” said Tilliana.

“Pull her over into the sunlight,” said Alairic, “Or we could use holy water.”

“I’ll do her,” said Niccolo pulling out a stake like piece of wood he had picked up earlier.  He kneeled down beside her.

“Little Harlot,” said Niccolo as he plunged the stake into the chest of the creature.  The woman’s eyes flew open and she screamed.  Blood flowed out of her mouth and then she lay still.

“Is she dead?” asked Alairic.

“Could be,” said Tilliana, “Let’s put her in the light.”

They heaved the body over and into the circle of sunlight in the center of the floor.  The body began to smoke and then burst into flame.

“Well, we know sunlight works,” said Tilliana when the body was consumed with fire.

As Alairic started to search what remained of the body, Tilliana walked out of the silo and looked around.  She purposely scanned the horizon for signs of a white feline.  During the morning her mind had reconstructed memories of a white cat who had roamed these very hills.  A white cat who had been able to talk.

She spotted the cat sitting in a small tree just to the southwest.  It was watching them intently.

“Angel!” called out Tilliana.  The cat reacted immediately.  Its head had perked up and it had looked alert and then it had jumped out of the tree and ran off towards the east, swiftly disappearing in the long uncut grasses.

“We found four gems,” said Alairic as they joined her outside.

There was another house a little west of the silo, if one could call three and a half walls a house.  The rest of it was gone, scattered over the ground, the roof and second floors completely collapsed.

“Nothing here,” said Niccolo, “The last house is over there and then the mill.”

They approached the remaining structure.  Of all the buildings, except perhaps the mill house, it was in the best shape.  

“One person should stay out here with a rope,” said Tilliana.

That seemed sensible and so Tilliana held onto a rope while the others slowly entered the single story house.  The top floor was completely empty, even of furniture but Niccolo soon found a door that led down into a basement.

“Basement!” he called to get the others’ attention.  Alairic came up besides him and looked down and then lit a torch.

Alairic led the way down the steps.

Tilliana, deciding that there was little reason to stay above, tied the rope off to a small tree and then went in after the others.  Soon all four were in the basement looking around.  It was not hard to find the coffin.  It was in the middle of the floor.

“Any more stakes?” asked Niccolo.

“I’ll make one,” said Tilliana, pulling out a dagger and hunting for a board to pry a piece of wood off of.

Alairic opened the coffin.  Inside was sleeping the huge man who had attacked them with his great-ax.  He wore a chain shirt and also carried several daggers.  

“Let’s stake him,” said Alairic and taking the wood that Tilliana offered him he plunged it into the creature’s heart.  They then removed the shirt, ax and daggers and after leaving the basement, they set fire to the house.

The mill proved to be empty of all but a large pile of gnawed bones.  Deer, wolf and human bones lay jumbled together in an unwholesome pile.  Despite the gruesome nature of the pile, Niccolo upon seeing a glint of metal in the stack of bones searched through the whole pile, unearthing not only coins, but a few gems and even a glass bottle containing a potion of some sort.

As they left the mill house, Tilliana returned to the structure with the three and a half standing walls.  Some sense of intuition told her to look there harder.  Her close scrutiny of the area paid off and she hollered the others over to her.  The dirt, in one place had been recently dug up.

They dug down and pulled out a fresh body.  The body of a shepherd with rosy cheeks.  The same man who had first attacked Kinshag in the night.  As they pulled him out into the evening sun he screamed and then burned.  When there was little more than ash, Tilliana pulled a ring out of the charred remains.  It was gold and slightly warped from the intense heat of the supernatural fire.  It looked to be a wedding ring of some sort.

They returned to the horses and the wagon.  It was two hours before  dusk.


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## Buttercup (Jan 14, 2003)

Hmm.  I wonder how many vampires will visit them tonight?


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## tleilaxu (Jan 21, 2003)

i think your kids are hilarious... _ Make me invisible! Fire! Lightning!_ ... i busted my stitches on that one...


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## Wicht (Jan 28, 2003)

Sorry, for falling behind and not posting any updates recently.  I'll blame it on the weather.  My water pipes have froze up five times in the last two weeks causing me to have to spend about two hours at a time standing in the basement with a propane torch.  Anywho, I am trying to get caught up on all sorts of things including this storyhour... so...without further ado here is...

*Chapter 27: Elias’ Fort*

	As the companions discussed their camping options for the night the sun slowly crept towards the horizon.  They were aware that the locality seemed inhospitable to say the least, but they were not sure they would be safer if they sought to travel further south for the night.  Eventually Tilliana won out and convinced the other three that the safest course would be to take up shelter somewhere inside the fort across the stream.  Alairic did not seem convinced but he was outvoted and so they pulled the horses down to the stream and considered how to cross it.

The stream looked to be about ten feet deep in the center, too deep to merely wade, and though it was only twenty feet wide or so, it was flowing fast.  Finally after much discussion on the various ways to get everything across, they decided to have Kinshag swim across with a rope and then anchor the rope to both ends of the band in order to facilitate the crossing.  Kinshag made it across with little trouble and tied the rope off to a small tree.  Alairic, still on the south side of the stream, tied off the other end.  Niccolo was next with the horses.  The horses were tied together along the line of another rope and spaced out so that one struggling horse would not injure another.  Using the tied rope as an anchor for himself, the half elf reached the other side without being swept downstream.  Soon all six horses where on the north shore, shaking themselves dry.  

The wagon was next.  Tilliana tied a third rope to the front of the wagon and threw the end of the rope across the stream to Niccolo and Kinshag.  Then Alairic and Tilliana pushed the wagon into the water and the other two pulled it across.  It floated and the tied off rope kept it from being swept swiftly downstream.  On board the wagon, Two-socks, the wolf, whined a bit as he was ferried over the water.  Despite the ease with which the wagon was pulled across the stream, Tilliana fretted the whole time lest the demon stone in the back of the wagon should somehow fall into the water, out of reach.  

Finally, when everything else was across, Tilliana and Alairic swum across, one hand grasping the tied off rope for support.  When they were on the other side, they helped Kinshag and Niccolo who were putting the two work horses back into harnesses for pulling the wagon.

“Let’s get inside,” said Tilliana, “It will be dark soon enough.  It will be safer with walls around us.”

“Sure,” murmured Alairic, “the village is crawling with vampires, some of them even came this way last night, how much safer could we be?”

“You got a better idea?” asked Niccolo.  The paladin did not and so they made their way up the path to the gates of the small fort.  The gates were a twin pair of iron barred doors on hinges.  Niccolo stepped towards them first to examine them.  They were locked and slightly rusty.  There was a second set of gates five feet past the first.  The half-elf peered through the bars into the courtyard of the fort.  Something dog or wolf like ran swiftly past  the bars.

“Yummy,” said Niccolo wryly.

Kinshag walked up to the bars and knocked.  The sound rang out.  The other three looked at him quizzically and the half-hobgoblin shrugged and grinned.  

“Doesn’t hurt to try,” he said.

“We can tie the gates to the horses and pull them down,” said Niccolo.

 “What?” asked Kinshag, puzzled.

“Tie ropes to the gate and then tie ropes to the horses and then have them pull.”

“Ohh.”

“I have a small portable ram in the back of the wagon,” said Tilliana, “we could try just battering them down.”

That seemed a sensible suggestion and being the two strongest, Kinshag and Niccolo were the best choices for making the attempt.  The iron bound wooden ram was unloaded from its spot next to the demon stone and the two fighters went at the door.  Overhead Niccolo’s two bird companions wheeled and Two-socks, smelling trouble in the air jumped out of where he had been sitting on the wagon and watched the procedure with interest.

The first set of gates crashed to the ground with ease but the second set of gates gave the two more trouble.  They crashed the ram into the iron once and then twice.  Nothing happened.

“One more time,” suggested Niccolo and Kinshag nodded.
Taking a step backwards, the two rushed forward mightily and tore through the iron bars, wrenching the hinges from their settings in the stone wall.  But even as they plunged through the gate, wolves leapt at Kinshag and Niccolo from both sides.  There were six of them and they were lean and hungry.  Two of them latched jaws onto Niccolo, trying to pull the half-elf to the ground.  One of them tore a chunk out of Kinshag.  Niccolo dropped the ram and pulled out his longsword, slicing into one of the animals.  Two-socks rushed through the fallen gates to aid his companion.  Tilliana was right behind the wolf, her greatsword already out, she charged straight through in and rushing to Kinshag’s side dispatched two of the wolves.

Meanwhile Niccolo was faring badly.  Despite Two-socks trying to help, the half-elf was pulled to the ground by the two wolves.  Immediately the wild animals were after the half-elf’s throat.  

Alairic rushed in through the gates and killed the last wolf going after Kinshag, shouting to Niccolo as he did so, “Slice their heads off!”

Niccolo stabbed up at one of the wolves trying to do just that.  The blade slid into the creature, but it was far from a death stroke.  Kinshag swung his axe at one of the remaining wolves and struck, drawing blood.  In a mere second, Tilliana was closing in on the animal from a different direction, killing it.  One of the wolves grabbed hold of Niccolo’s shoulder with its jaws and clamped down.  Alairic stabbed the animal through with his sword, throwing it lifelessly off of Niccolo.  Kinshag swung at the last animal, cleaving his axe into its side even as Niccolo struggled to keep it away from his face.  Tilliana moved in and finished the job.  

The wolves were all dead and Niccolo, though it had been close, was still alive.  Thankful for not being dead, the half-elf lay for a moment on the ground, quietly bleeding from a half-dozen bites and then pushed himself to his feet.  

As the other three surveyed the courtyard of the fort, Niccolo looked at the dead wolves.  

“Poor creatures they were half-starved,” said the half-elf sympathetically.

The courtyard was surrounded on three sides with buildings.  Lining the west side was a series of stables.  A building that looked possibly to be a barn or carriage house was built just north of the stables.  Joined to this structure on the north wall was the house which was built in an l shape against both the north and east walls.  The house connected to a stone tower in the southeast corner of the courtyard.  There did not appear to be any door into the tower from the courtyard, suggesting that it was entered via the house.  The house itself had a second story, though straight across from the gates it was only one storied with a flat roof that looked to be a sort of terrace by which one could walk up to the wall of the fort and look over.  The roof of the stables was built the same way and was in fact connected to the roof over the front of the house.  In the corner of the house there was a well.

“Where shall we stay?” asked Tilliana.

“In the stables,” suggested Alairic.

“Definitely not in the house this close to dark.”

“We could put the horses in the stables,” said Alairic.

“Lets try that barn building,” said Tilliana, “we can keep the horses with us.”

That suggestion pleased the others and so they went to explore the large barnlike structure.  Inside, the place had a faint smell of hay, though any hay was long gone.  The first floor was a single room, fairly large, with empty hooks on the stone walls to hold saddles and harnesses.  

“A carriage room perhaps,” said Niccolo eyeing the large double doors leading in.

“Check out the floor,” said Tilliana, “lets see if any of the ground has been dug up.”

The ground however appeared to be solid and the room empty.  Alairic went up the stairs in the northwest corner of the room to investigate the second floor.  It too was empty, with a set of double doors on the south wall leading out onto the landing.  The smell of hay was stronger up there but the room was barren and featureless.

	“Can we bar the doors?” asked Tilliana when they had brought all six horses and the wagon inside.  There was nothing however to bar the doors shut.  As Alairic started to move the wagon up flush with the doors, Tilliana decided to take the time to heal Niccolo from the wolf bites he had suffered.

As he grunted to push the wagon up firm against the doors, he asked, “What about the door upstairs?”

“We could get the iron gate me and Kinshag knocked down, said Niccolo as Tilliana finished healing him.

“But we are already inside!”

“Well who’s bright idea was that?”

“Alairic,” said Tilliana, surveying the paladins work, “You realize don’t you that those doors opened out?”

The paladin looked again at the doors and then at the wagon.  With a shake of his head he started to work to push the wagon away from the doors and  back into the northeast corner of the room.  

“Should we get the iron gates?” asked Kinshag.

“We could just tie the doors shut and attach them to the post holding up the second floor,” said Niccolo looking at the stout wooden post next to him.

“I’ll do it,” said Kinshag and started to get the ropes from the back of the wagon.  

**********************************

Night came and Alairic and Kinshag elected to take the first watch together while Tilliana and Niccolo tried to get some sleep.  Hours started to pass and nothing had bothered them.  It couldn’t last.
About three hours after dusk, there was the sound of movement on the stones outside the door.  Kinshag and Alairic stirred themselves and drew their weapons.  The door was pulled and the rope came loose as the poorly tied knot gave way under pressure.  The door swung open and outside Alairic and Kinshag could see five figures.  The one in front was slightly shorter and wore a robe.  To his left was another man in a blue robe and behind him a giant of a man with a beard and a greatsword.  To the right of the center figure was a woman and behind her a man in charred and burnt clothing.  Alairic and Kinshag recognized both the woman and the man with the sword from the previous evening.

Alairic and Kinshag felt something pulling at their heads and felt a compulsion to drop their weapons and walk meekly to the five.  With an effort both fought off the compulsion and held their weapons tighter.

“Surrender now intruders!” commanded the robed man in the middle.

In answer Alairic yelled, “Wake up!”

Twosocks jumped from his place on the floor and giving one yelp he ran up the stairs and away from the intruders.

With a suprising speed the female vampire rushed into the room at Kinshag, arms outstretched.  Kinshag tried to hit her with his greataxe, but the blade bounced harmlessly away from her as she grabbed him by the throat and plunged fangs into his neck.  Kinshag cried out as he tried to wrestle her away, feeling his life draining away as he did so.  With a wrench he pushed her back and away and then tried to hit her again with his axe.

The one who had spoken rushed at Alairic, slamming into him with a fist that buckled the paladin’s knees and drained him physically.  Alairic responded by swinging his blade up in a perfect arc that cut straight into the man’s chest.  The blade flashed with a holy light that burned the vampire badly.  Alairic yelled again as he sidestepped a second attacker trying to reach for his throat and slashed again at the injured vampire, striking him once more across the chest.  

  Kinshag, weakened, but hardly out of the fight found himself parrying a sword-stroke from the greatsword wielding vampire at the same time as he continued to try and keep the woman from his throat.

The remaining vampire meanwhile had turned into a mist which drifted lazily across the room to a spot behind Kinshag.  

Alairic’s shouts had woken Niccolo who grabbing his longsword, lurched to his feet and surveyed the room.  He saw the female vampire lunge once more past Kinshag’s axe, shrugging off the bite of the blade as she plunged her fangs once more into Kinshag’s neck.  Kinshag once more managed to push her away, but not before she had drawn more blood.  With a smile on her face the vampiress licked her lips.  Alairic meanwhile was holding his own against two of the creatures even as a third creature turned material and moved to attack Alairic from behind.  With a yell Niccolo rushed to aid Alairic.  Snarling, Niccolo leaped into the fray and plunged his longsword into the vampire Alairic had already injured.  The sword went in but as Niccolo pulled it out, he realized it had not even slowed the vampire. 

“May Naemae smite you!” yelled Alairic as he swung once more at the wounded vampire.  There was a brilliant flash of holy energy and with a cry the vampire fell backwards, cut in twain.  But even as the body fell to the ground, it was turning to mist and drifting away from the floor.  

“Yes!” said Alairic and then one of the other vampires slammed a fist into him.  Alairic turned swiftly and his sword cut into the offending undead.

Kinshag meanwhile was definitely having difficulty.  He had managed to avoid having the large vampire skewer him on the greatsword, but he could not shake the female vampire.  Once more she was at his neck, drinking deeply and Kinshag could feel the life draining from his body.  

“Daylight!” cried Tilliana from her place upon the floor and suddenly the room was filled with a bright light, almost as bright as the sun.  The vampires snarled and moved to flee the light.  Alairic plunged his sword into one even as it was starting to run towards the door and then turning swiftly he caught the female with his blade as she threw Kinshag away from her and moved swiftly away from the light.  All four of the undead were out of the door in seconds and as the companions rushed to follow, they saw them turning to mist and dissapearing into the night.

“The light will last about an hour and then will be gone,” said Tilliana, “And I cannot summon forth such a light again tonight.”

As they went back into the shelter of the barn Tilliana looked to see which of her companions was the worst off.  Kinshag had suffered the loss of a lot of blood and Tilliana knew there was not a lot she could do for him until the morning, if even then.  But there were also some physical wounds she could mend.  She pulled scrolls of healing out of a pouch in the wagon and used four of them in tending to Alairic and Kinshag. 

“I need a better weapon against those things.  That’s for sure,” said Niccolo, “I plunged my sword into them and it did not even faze them.”

“Hmm,” said Tilliana, eyeing the smile pile of weapons they had one the back of the wagon.  She walked over and uttering a small prayer smiled when the great-ax they had pulled off of a vampire earlier in the day started to glow.

“Here,” said Tilliana handing the axe over to Niccolo, “I think this will prove useful to you.  Niccolo took it and placed his old greatax on the wagon.  

“Do we have holy water?” Alairic asked.

“Yes,” said Tilliana, its in the wagon.  She proceeded to give everyone a vial of the blessed water.

“Kinshag,” said Niccolo, “That mace you’ve been carrying around forever is enchanted, the one you took from that guy on Dragon Isle, why don’t you use that, it might keep you alive a bit better.”

“Oh, yeah,” said Kinshag, “I had forgotten about that.  Okay.”
Noone went to sleep this time.  Instead they all stood guard.  Niccolo sat in the wagon his back against the wall.  Kinshag sat upon the bottom stair.  Tilliana sat in her bed, back against the north wall and Alairic paced in the center of the room.  The hour came and went and the Daylight spell faded into blackness.  Alairic retied the door shut, testing the rope this time to make sure it would hold.  

Another hour past and nothing happened.  Midnight was approaching.  Tilliana lit a lantern and placed it on the seat of the wagon.  The horses shuffled nervously but slept.  Upstairs Twosocks whined a bit and refused to come down.

A mist began to creep into the room, noticeable in the light of the lantern.  It flowed under the closed door and filled the floor.

“Here they come,” said Alairic readying his sword.  Tilliana began to pray for blessing.  

One of the creatures materialized next to the priestess.  He was the one who smelled of smoke and wore charred clothing.  With a snarl he swung at Tilliana, connected with a powerful punch.  Tilliana felt a bit of her strength drain away.  The female vampire materialized about five feet away from Kinshag and immediatelly Kinshag could feel her in his mind, trying to wordlessly seduce him into surrender.  

One of them, the one with the greatsword, appeared on the wagon next to Niccolo and immediately Niccolo threw a vial of the holy water at the thing.  The water splashed and burned into the dead flesh.  With a cry the monster howled and swung his sword.  Niccolo raised his axe to parry but the weight of the swing caused the sword to push the axe back and at the half-elf.  The blade managed to cut into the half-elf'’ arm.  

Kinshag fought off the attempted supernatural charm and rushed at the female vampire, black mace at the ready.  He swung the heavy end of the mace around and into the woman’s head.  It snapped her head back and Kinshag was gratified to see it left an imprent.

Alairic saw the robed vampire he had already cut into pieces once materialize away from the fighting near the door and charged him.  The undead creature ducked easily away from the swing and looking into Alairic’s eyes, whispered, “Surrender!”

Alairic felt his will weaken and for a moment was ready to throw down his sword and offer himself to the creature when he remembered himself and fought off the mental attack.

A second vampire attacked Tilliana, this one wearing the blue robes.  Tilliana dodged the blow and then swung Razortongue around and into this new threat.  The sword cut true and the vampire stumbled back.  

Niccolo, bleeding from the cut inflicted by the sword wielding vampire pushed away the blade and swung the enchanted axe up and into the skull of the vampire.  Already weakened from the burning holy water, the vampire was too slow to dodge and fell back and away as Niccolo wrested the axe head from the skull of the other.  But the body did not remain.  In a pattern that was all too familiar now, it vanished into mist and the mist sailed out and towards the door.  

Meanwhile Kinshag was doing better in his exchange with the female vampire than he had done previously.  He struck her again with his mace and then as she moved in to try and bite him once more he struck her a third time.

Tilliana swung and Razortongue cleaved into the blue-robed vampire again.  But her guard was lowered and the other vampire, the one smelling of smoke struck her from behind.  A bit more of her energy drained away.  Niccolo leaped between two of the horses and rushed into the fray to help Tilliana, swinging, but missing, at the one that had struck her from behind.  Tilliana, thrown off balance, swung but missed her target.

Alairic was managing to keep the robed vampire in the corner, cutting him once and then dodging away from the deadly claws of the vampire before moving in to cut him again.  Kinshag stuck the vampiress once more and then again and she was down.  With a cry she transformed into a slow moving mist that floated towards the door

Niccolo plunged his axe once more at the vampire that had struck Tilliana and then it too was turning into mist.  Tilliana, feeling weak from the two hits she had received, left herself open and was struck by the blue robed vampire.  She stumbled back and away and the vampire moved in gleefully, closing the gap again just as Kinshag bashed him on the head from behind with his mace.  As the vampire mistily followed its companions out the door, Tilliana shrugged off her weakness and with Niccolo rushed to help Alairic.  

Niccolo managed to cut the vampire who cried out and moved to defend itself.  

“I’ll get it!” shouted Kinshag and he hurled his mace across the room.  It missed, striking the wall behind the vampire.  But it was enough of a distraction to allow Alairic to plunge his holy blade into the vampire, causing it too to turn to mist once more and flee the room.

Tilliana tended to their wounds, at least their physical ones.  There was nothing she could do for the spiritual drain the party was starting to feel.  

“Do we have any stakes?” said Niccolo, “There has to be a way to finish them off so they don’t keep coming back again and again.  Even burning didn’t seem to work.  I’m guessing that char-boy there attacking Tilliana was the one in the house we burnt down.”

“Sunlight worked,” said Alairic.

“I have tent pegs,” said Tilliana, perhaps we could use those as they are wooden.”

“Holy Water worked,” said Niccolo, “but not as well as the axe.”  
Tilliana handed out the tent pegs and then they settled back down to wait.  

  	“This ain’t right,” moaned Kinshag as his head swum from loss off blood and he looked at his own skin, “I ain’t suppose to be pale.”

	Time passed.

“Perhaps,” mused Alairic, “We could anticipate right where they will materialize and plunge the stake into the mist just as they are turning.”

More time passed, a total of three hours since the second attack, as they sat and waited, once more in the positions they had occupied most of the night.

Movement could be heard above them.  Stealthy footprints on the dry boards.

Music started up from above, a harp.

“Here we go again,” said Alairic.  Niccolo got down off the wagon and moved closer to Tilliana.

“Plug your ears,” said Tilliana as she moved to do just that.  There was a snarl upstairs and then a whine.  It sounded as if something had happened to Two-socks.  

The music continued.  

Mist started to drift down through the floor-boards.  Kinshag looked up the stairs.  The female vampire that had plagued him all evening stood at the top of the stairs, harp in hand.  Kinshag felt his will being sucked away as he watched her.  

The vampire with the greatsword was suddenly once more at Niccolo side, the greatsword descending in a vicous arc at the half-elf.  Tilliana was struck from behind as the vampire in the blue robes punched her.  Alairic barely managed to dodge aside as the shorter robed vampire lunged at him.  Things were looking bad.  

Tilliana swung around and Razortongue cleaved into the vampire that had struck her.  Niccolo shrugged off the painful wound and ignoring the sword wielder turned swiftly to swing his axe into the smoke smelling vampire who was about to attack Tilliana from her other side.  The axe  bit deep but Niccolo was not swift enough to move out of the way as the vampire snarled and turned on him, punching hard.  

A cry from the steps sounded.  Alairic, Niccolo and Tilliana looked over just in time to see Kinshag fall limp in the eyes of the vampiress.  Gleefully the woman carried the stout body of the half-hobgoblin up the stairs.

“No!” shouted Tilliana and Razortongue once more cut into the blue robed vampire.  In seconds he was mist.  Niccolo once more struck the smoke smelling undead as Alairic fought to hold his ground against his opponent.

Niccolo sidestepped another sword stroke as Tilliana turned and swept Razortongue up and into the vampire Niccolo had already injured.  The man fell to the ground as he turned to mist.  Niccolo swept his axe up and into the sword-wielder as Tilliana took a step towards the stairs, her heart bidding her to follow and try and save Kinshag.  She turned her head and saw that Alairic and Niccolo were still fighting.  Should she chase after a bloodless corpse or stay and help her still living companions.  She made her decision and turned and rushed at the large vampire with the Greatsword.  He was already injured from Niccolo and Tilliana managed to finish him off.  Niccolo for his part rushed to help Alairic.  In seconds the last vampire was mist and the three companions stood alone in the room as the horses sweated and stamped.  

Upstairs they found the rope untied and the doors open.  Two socks lay on the floor dead.  With a heavy heart Niccolo drove one of the tent pegs through the heart of his former companion.  They retied the door, though it was obvious that such a device could not stop evil creatures that could turn into mist at will.  
They sat and waited till dawn but no more attacks came.  As the sun crept into the sky, Niccolo summoned his two feathered friends and had them watch as the three of them lay and got some sleep.  Sleep that they would dearly need before they went in search of the vampires and of Kinshag.


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## Wicht (Feb 7, 2003)

*Chapter 28 – Elias’s Fort*

It was a couple of hours after noon before the three companions were ready to venture out of the carriage house.  Tilliana and Alairic healed the remaining wounds as well as they were able, but though the physical marks from the night before were gone there seemed little they could do at the moment for some of the spiritual wounds they had suffered at the hands of the vampires.
As they rolled up beds and prepared to explore the house itself it seemed odd not to have Kinshag with them.

“We’ll have to find Kinshag’s body,” said Niccolo.  The other two understood.  They were afraid that Kinshag would rise as a vampire and join in the attack against them.  

“I think we need to make sure that we stake the vampires, perhaps even if they attack us again.  We could always try and wrestle them to the ground and drive stakes through their hearts,” said Tilliana.

Their conversation was interrupted by a scream that echoed in the air.  It was a man, yelling for help.  Running out of the carriage house, they hurried down to the broken open gates of the fort, weapons at the ready.

There was a man running down the hill on the south side of the stream.  Behind him, lumbering along slowly were a number of zombies.  The man was tall, with a neatly trimmed beard.  He was armed with a crossbow and a staff, but was unarmored.  

They watched him run for a moment between the ruined houses of the village on the slope across the stream.  There seemed little danger of the zombies outrunning the man, but neither did it look like the walking dead were going to stop chasing the man.  Not unless he managed to get to where the zombies could not reach him.

“Hey!” shouted Niccolo, "Run to us!  Cross the stream, there’s a rope there you can use!”

The man must have heard Niccolo because he looked across at the trio and then dashed desperately towards the stream.  Seeing the rope he leaped into the water and clutching at the rope to keep himself from being swept downstream, he crossed the stream in record time before collapsing wet and out of breath on the bank.  A small wet animal, crawled out of the bag on the man’s shoulders and shook itself dry.  It was a small brown weasel.

The zombies upon reaching the edge of the stream stopped their pursuit and turned eastward, stumbling slowly along the southern edge of the stream.  Tilliana, Niccolo and Alairic made their way swiftly down the broken path to the man.

“Who are you,” asked Niccolo as they drew close to the bank, “and what are you doing here?”

“My name is Rasthok, I’m from the coast and I was looking for a pair of towers called the towers of Daylight.  They were built by a powerful mage who died and I thought there was a possibility he had left behind some spellbooks.  I study such things you see and had a professional interest in finding them.”

“How did you meet your friends over there.”

“I was just wandering the area and chanced upon them.  I had no idea this region would proof to be a home to undead!  I am afraid I did not stand a chance with so many and so was forced to run, as you saw.”

“Well you will be happy to know that this whole area seems to be infested with vampires,” said Alairic cheerfully.

“Ohh,” moaned Rasthok.

“I knew the wizard, Tamil, whose home you are looking for,” said Tilliana, “I grew up around here.  He had a talking cat named Angel I used to play with.”

“She is fixated on that cat,” said Niccolo to Rasthok.

“Tell you what,” said Alairic, “why don’t you stick with us and help us kill some vampires and then we will go with you to explore those towers.  There is safety in numbers after all.”

“Sure,” said Rasthok, who was visibly shaken by the thought of vampires, “Thank you, I will do that I think.”

They led him back up to the fort, introducing themselves as they walked.  Once past the gates they turned to business.

“Shall we look through the house,” said Alairic, “We can get in through the front door and there is another door up on the landing there I noticed that we could get to through the barn.”

After a brief discussion they decided to simply try the front door.  As they approached, they could not help but notice that there was a small door on the bottom of the door, a cat-flap.  The door proved to be unlocked and Alairic in the lead opened it.

“I could have opened that with magic,” said Rasthok, “In case it was trapped you know.  The others drew their weapons and entered.  

The door opened onto a small hall running to their left and right.  There was a door a few feet to their left and to their right there were two archways, one to the north and one to the east.  The eastern archway opened into a room, illuminated by the sunlight streaming through the uncracked windows.  

“Let’s check out this door first,” said Alairic going straight to the door on the left and opening it.  The small amount of light that entered through the doors revealed the room to be a closet, 10 feet deep, with hooks for cloaks, coats and hats.

“Nice closet,” said Tilliana looking over Alairic’s shoulder.
The room to the right of the front door, the room illuminated by the windows turned out to be a dining room.  There was still a large oak table in the middle of the room, covered in dust, but it was the only piece of furniture to be seen.  There was an empty fireplace between the windows on the south wall and beyond that, on the eastern wall, were stairs leading up to a second floor.  Doors led out of the dining room to the north and an archway in the northwest corner of the room led into a dark unlit room.  

“Just a moment,” said Rasthok, “I can help you there.”  The tall bearded man shrugged off his backpack and opening it, he pulled out a flaming torch.  

“A light,” he said with a smile.  The others looked on impressed.  The torch burned bright but it shed no heat.  

Now that they had a light, they decided to try one of the doors.  Opening it revealed an empty room, completely devoid of anything but a musty smell and a puddle on the stone floor.

“There’s a water stain on the ceiling,” said Tilliana pointing up.

“I hope the floor’s not weak in here,” said Niccolo, remembering the house with the collapsing floor.

“It’s stone,” commented Alairic dryly.  

There was another door in the room on the west wall and they opened it.  Beyond was a small bedroom with a bed and a wardrobe.  The bed had and old musty mattress and the wardrobe was cracked.  

“Maybe we could get a good night’s sleep in here,” said Tilliana as Alairic checked under the bed for monsters.  The room was completely empty of life however and they left it, wondering where they would find the vampires.

“Let’s go back and check out the hallway near the front door,” said Alairic and they backtracked through the dining room to the front hall and then through the northern archway.  It was another short hall, parallel to the dining room, with another archway on the north end and a door in the middle of the west wall.  They opened the door and looked in.

It was obviously a small private library.  Books lined the walls on shelves and there were old chairs for sitting in.  Rasthok rushed right in, followed by Alairic and Niccolo.  Tilliana remained in the hall watching the other three.  

Rasthok eagerly pulled a book off a shelf and opened it.  The pages within crumpled apart from the pressure and Rasthok could see small wormholes in some of the pages.  Niccolo too opened a book and the same thing happened.  The books were evidently in dreadful condition.  With disgust, Niccolo noticed a small worm crawling off of the book and crushed it with his fingers.  Alairic stood in the middle of the room holding the torch, watching the others.  

“Nothing in here,” said Niccolo, leading the way out into the hall, “just worms.”  Rasthok and Alairic turned to follow Niccolo out.

“Wait a moment,” said Tilliana going in as the other three walked out.  Rasthok and Niccolo, having just left the room turned and walked back in after her.  Alairic was left standing out in the hall holding the torch.

“Look there,” said Tilliana, pointing to the ground.  Niccolo and Rasthok watched as small maggot like worms crawled across the hard floor towards Tilliana, “they are attracted to us.  Come on, lets get out.”

“Right,” said Niccolo, following the priestess back into the hall.
“They are just bookworms,” said Alairic, puzzled by the goings and comings.

“What?” asked Rasthok.

“Just bookworms,” repeated Alairic.

“Oh no,” said Rasthok as he tore off his backback and threw it open.  Frantically he dug into it, pushing aside the crowbar, the food and the rope.

“Do you have a book?” Tilliana asked him.

“My spell book!” cried Rasthok, pulling out a thick tome.  Opening it revealed the worst.  Five worms were merrily munching through the book.  Rasthok was clearly upset as he started frantically killing the worms.  “They are ruining my spells!”

After killing the worms, Rasthok examined the book.  He had lost about ten spells, a huge loss to him.  the others tried to console him as best as they could though they had little experience with such things.

There was nothing they could do but go on exploring the house.  There was a sitting room, just north of the Library and the front hall.  There were four old, scratched chairs in the room, covered in dust.  There seemed to be little else though.  Alairic looked over the fireplace and noticed that there was on spot on the wall which was offcolored from the rest of the wall.  It was a rectangular spot, likely the old site of a hung picture.  

“Umm,” said Alairic looking closer, “could be a secret door here.”  He searched carefully as the others watched him but in the end was forced to decide it was nothing more than a spot where a picture had once hung.

They walked from the sitting room, through an archway back into the dining room and then opening another door they entered a room that looked to have once been the kitchen.  The room was dominated by a large fireplace on the east wall, evidently built to cook over, with an oven next to the fireplace.  There were two archways on the south wall and a doorway on the north wall.  

“The ceiling is buckled overhead,” said Tilliana, “It doesn’t look too stable.”

“There is smoke coming out of the fireplace,” said Alairic, and indeed it did appear as if smoke was starting to pour out of the cold, dust covered fireplace.  

“Wha…?” began Niccolo, but he did not finish his question for it was immediate apparent that it was not actually smoke, but some shadowy substance.  Flowing in and with the shadows flowing from the fireplace were small rat like forms, charging at the companions.

Alairic, who was closest, swung his sword and one of the small shadow like rats dissipated into nothing. He swung at another and it too disappeared, but when he swung at a third, his sword passed harmlessly through it.  Tilliana too was quick to react, moving forward to stand next to Alairic.  Two more of the shadow rats were sent into oblivion as Razor-tongue cleft through them.  

Rast swung at one with his staff and Niccolo attacked one with his sword as the rats closed in on them.  Both dissapeared.  But still there were many of the small things.  One latched a jaw onto Tilliana, its teeth passing into and through her armor.  The wound was slight but Tilliana could feel her strength draining away from the chilling touch of the beast.  Three of the shadow like rats latched jaws onto Alairic and he too felt his strength drain away.  
Tilliana swept Razortongue down at the rats biting at her, moving her feet back and away from the little monsters.  One of them dissapated from the touch of the blade but the enchanted sword passed harmlessly through a second.  Alairic swung, but his holy blade passed harmlessly through his target.  Niccolo managed to spear one on the tip of his longsword but still more rats pressed in at the companions.  

Their feet shuffled to avoid the small biting jaws and their weapons stabbed down and at the creatures.  But the smoky substance that formed the rats was not always solid and the weapons frustratingly kept passing through the incorporeal forms.  

Tilliana as she moved to avoid another of the small jaws released her right hand from the hilt of her sword and reached to the silken divine focus hanging from her neck.  Pulling it out she called to Naemae and a divine light bathed the room for a moment.  The silent rats finally made a noise and with a hideous shriek, they were gone and the shadows that had crept across the floor of the room from the fireplace disappeared as well.  

The four stood there panting for a moment, the frantic fight suddenly over.

“I should have done that in the first place,” said Tilliana, “I didn’t realize they were undead though at first.”

When they had gathered themselves together, Tilliana prayed over Alairic and his strength, so drained by the shadow rats, was restored to him.  Feeling better, Alairic was once more all business.

“Let’s check in the fireplace,” he said.

But with the shadow rats gone, the fireplace had nothing unusual to note.  It had evidently not been used in many years except as a rat nest.  

Tilliana opened the door on the north wall and led the way into it.  But scarcely had they begun to examine what to all appearances was an empty room, Tilliana barked, “The ceiling is bad in here, everybody out!”  As they looked up, they saw she was right, the ceiling was bowed badly as if a great weight was on it above.  Not wishing to have the ceiling collapse on them, they quickly exited back into the kitchen.

The archway on the left leading south proved to be a rubble filled hallway.  Someone had dragged rock, brick and timber and had filled the hallway completely, making it impossible to use the hallway without first cleaning it out.

The other archway also led to a hall.  This one was unblocked, with a door on the south, a door on the west wall and right next to that door, an archway leading to stairs going down.

“Let’s open the doors at the same time,” suggested Alairic.

“Alright,” said Tilliana, “I’ll open the one in the middle of the hall, you take the one on the end.”

“One, two,” counted Alairic and they opened the doors.
Tilliana’s door opened onto a cupboard, currently empty.  Alairic’s door led into a bedroom, empty with a sagging ceiling.  

“Let’s go down,” said Alairic cheerfully leading the way.  Tilliana followed right behind him.  Rasthok took the rear, right behind Niccolo.

There was a small room at the bottom of the stairs, hewn out of the rock under the fort.  There was a door on the south wall and an archway on the west wall, leading to a dark room.

They tried the door first.  Behind the door, which was unlocked, they saw a small five foot hallway and then a room.  There were three beds in the room, all parallel to each other against the east wall.  At the foot of each of the beds were large chests, each at least five feet in length and three feet tall.  Alairic opened the chest on the far right.  It was unlocked and empty.  At the bottom of the chest they could see that the chest was bolted to the stone floor.

Tilliana strode forward and opened the one in the middle.  It too was unlocked and empty.

“That leaves me,” said Niccolo and tried to open the one on the left.  The lid would not budge.  

“Let’s check under the beds,” said Alairic, and getting on his knees he looked under each of the beds.  The beds too, it seemed, were bolted to the stone floor.

“Who would bolt beds to the floor?” asked Niccolo.

“Split open that one chest,” said Tilliana to Niccolo.
Niccolo smiled and hefted his greatax.  Rasthok looked on for a moment and then backed away, out of the swinging space of the half-elf.  

Niccolo swung hard and the lid of the chest shattered and then suddenly blew up and open.  A clawed hand shot up, out of the chest, followed closely by a large body!  The claw shot up and struck Niccolo, knocking Niccolo back

“Ouch,” said Niccolo as something sucked the energy from him.  

The attacker flew up and snarled.  It was the large bearded vampire, the one who wielded the greatsword and he did not look happy to be awake.  Somehow his greatsword had fit with him in the chest and he pulled it up now, readying it for combat, still hissing and snarling like some beast.

Rasthok, who had been standing back, was the first to react.  As soon as the vampire stood, Rasthok was murmuring arcane words of power and a second later, two bolts of energy flew from his fingers and struck the vampire in the chest.  The missiles seemed to hurt it.  A second behind the missiles, Niccolo’s axe swung through the air, cleaving into the vampire’s shoulder in what should have been a mortal blow.  The vampire turned to mist, the snarl’s dying on its lips.  But the mist did not fly off and away.  Instead it settled back down into the open chest and the vampire rematerialized there, looking for all the world like a corpse, laid to rest in somebody’s foot-locker.  

“Stake him!” shouted Alairic, “And then lets drag him upstairs and out into the sunlight.  They quickly put the words into action and after removing the creature’s chain shirt, sword and some gems, they drove a tent-peg through his heart and then carried the lifeless body up the stairs and into the sunlight where it burst into bright flame.  

“That’s one down!” said Alairic happily.

“Do you need the chain-mail,” said Niccolo to Rasthok, eyeing the armorless form of their new companion.

“He can’t wear armor unless I’m mistaken,” said Alairic knowingly.

“He’s right,” said Rasthok, “I’m a mage, an evoker and it would interfere with my spells.

“Ohh,” said Niccolo, not quite understanding but not willing to push the issue.

“Let’s go get the rest of them!” said Alairic with a broad grin, leading the way back into the house.


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## Elder-Basilisk (Feb 12, 2003)

Wow. I missed 2 updates. . . . let's put this on the first page in case anyone else missed them.


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## Buttercup (Feb 13, 2003)

I missed this one too, somehow.

Wicht, are you going to post maps and adventure notes in your other thread?  

And I never thought of using bookworms to chomp a mage's spell book.  Brilliant! 

Final question.  Is Rasthok being played by the former Kinshag?  If so, that player sure keeps losing characters.  This is his third, yes?


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## Wicht (Feb 18, 2003)

I am going to be posting tons of maps and adventure notes on my other thread.   Just as soon as I get the time to start running my scanner.  Probably this week some time.  I am also currently at least 2 chapters behind in my writing and hoping to catch up on that as well.  

Rasthok is indeed the third character for Justin.  

As for the bookworms...  What else are they for


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## Darklone (Feb 18, 2003)

It's always the same players who tend to lose characters...


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## Wicht (Feb 18, 2003)

*Chapter 29 – Elias’ Fort*

There was still plenty of daylight and so the four companions went back into the house and made their way back down into the basement once more.  There seemed to be nothing else in the room with the three beds and the three chests.  At the bottom of the chest in which the vampire had been sleeping, they found foul smelling dirt, but nothing else.

“Let’s check out the other room down here,” said Alairic and he led the way, followed closely by Niccolo.  Rasthok, with the torch, brought up the rear.  Alairic, scarcely waiting for the light moved swiftly into the room with the stairs leading back up into the house and then went left through the unexplored darkened archway.

A small hall, perhaps only three feet in length led into what appeared to be a room.  Alairic walked straight into it about ten feet and then stopped, waiting for the light from the torch to get better.  Rasthok was still in the other room though and all Alairic could see was the smooth stone floor, wet in a few places.  
Something wet and a little heavy dripped onto Alairic’s shoulder.  Immediately there was the sound of hissing coming from the spot, loud in Alairic’s ear.  Another blob of the unseen, wet and heavy substance fell, landing on Alairic’s head.  

“What?” began Alairic and then without warning he loudly screamed, “Aarrgh!” 

The intense pain of something burning away at his flesh overwhelmed Alairic.  It burned and hissed and the smell of scorched flesh suddenly filled the air.  Niccolo, right behind Alairic stared in horror for a moment, wondering what to do and then as Alairic screamed even more loudly, Niccolo grabbed the paladin by the arm and propelled him back out of the room.  The other two made room for Alairic and by the light of the torch they could see a green, slimy substance, eating quickly through Alairic’s flesh, down to the very bone.  It was a horrifying sight and so quickly was the acidic substance doing its job that there was not doubt that Alairic would in seconds be dead.

“Stand back,” commanded Rasthok to the other two, and speaking a word of power he brought a glowing ball of fire into existence.  With a flick of his wrist he directed it towards the anguished Paladin who was writhing on the ground.  
“What are you doing!” shouted Niccolo, rushing forward to stop the Evoker.  Tilliana grabbed Niccolo by the arm, stopping the half-elf and the ball of flame descended on Alairic.  The smell of burning flesh grew stronger as the flames engulfed Alairic’s head and shoulders.

“It’s the only way,” said Tilliana to the upset Niccolo.
Rasthok made another gesture and the flames moved off of Alairic and into the dark room beyond the archway.  There it burned in the next room until it went out seconds later.

Alairic lay on the ground, still alive.  The flaming sphere had done its job and the slime had been burned away.  The resulting mess was not pretty.  Alairic had just enough presence of mind to lay his hands on himself and pray to Naemae for healing.  The burns on his head and shoulders quickly healed over and Alairic stumbled to his feet.  He was still very weak from the attacks of the slime.

“Green slime,” said Alairic weakly as he rose, “I have heard of it, but never before encountered it.”

Tilliana rummaged through her brain before saying, “Fire, cold and daylight kills it I think.”  Striding through the archway, Tilliana stopped before actually entering the room beyond and uttering a brief prayer she held up her divine focus and suddenly the whole room was bathed in light, as bright as the light of the sun.

The others moved behind her.  The green slime could clearly be seen to coat almost the entire ceiling beyond, save right around the doorway.  But the light Tilliana had conjured forth was having an effect on the slime.  It shriveled and dried before their eyes.

“Good riddance,” muttered Alairic.

The room inhabited by the green slime was empty, though bits of metal on the floor, the remnants of weapons, along with the remains of floor padding gave the hint that this was perhaps once a training room of some sort.  The green slime had eaten away almost everything in the room though.  There were no other exits from the room.  

“Let’s get out of here,” said Niccolo and turned to leave.

“I want to search the room more closely,” said Tilliana to Niccolo as the half-elf reached the archway.  So saying, Tilliana began minutely searching the walls.

“I’ll help,” said Alairic cheerfully and he started examining the wall on the other end of the room.  Niccolo and Rasthok watched impatiently.

The two carefully went over the walls, inch by inch, looking for any signs of other exits.

“Found one!” announced Alairic.  He was standing at the spot where Tilliana had begun her search and pressing a certain stone he caused a doorway in the wall to open.

“Someone else can go first,” said Alairic sheepishly, looking through the door.

“Check the ceiling first,” cautioned Tilliana, but the warning was unnecessary.  There was nothing on the other side of the door but a short hall leading to another door.  This new door was of a strange stone-like substance.  There was no visible lock or handle for the door, but in the middle of the door was a metal fixture, with a pattern in the middle, an indentation.  The door would not push open and they concluded that the metal fixture was indeed a special lock of some sort.  

They studied the indentation more closely.  

“Perhaps the gem we took from that vampire down here,” suggested Tilliana, but the gem did not match the indentation.  They looked at it some more.  The roundness of the indentation suddenly suggested a medallion in Tilliana’s mind and she remembered the magical amulet her mother had given her, the one that had belonged to her father.  Pulling it out from underneath her tunic and armor, she tried fitting it into the indentation.  It did not quite fit.

“Let’s check the second floor,” said Niccolo, “We can come back to this later when the vampires are all dead.”

“Or we could dig our way into the tower,” said Alairic, recalling the pile of rubble someone had stacked in the hall leading from the kitchen to the tower.

“The second floor first,” said Niccolo, “before we dig.”

“Don’t forget the floors up there seem to be sagging,” Tilliana reminded them as they moved to return to the stairs.

************************************

Returning to the room with the large dining table, they took the stairs to the second floor.  To their chagrin, there was little room at the top of the stairs.  A door straight across seemed in decent condition, but immediately to the left of the door, parts of the ceiling of the house had collapsed in, filling the area with nearly impassable debris.  The sagging ceilings below were explained.
Niccolo, now in front, opened the door at the top of the stairs and looked through it.  The room beyond was in poor shape.  The ceiling was intact, but the lone bed that occupied the room was junk and the walls were cracked.

Niccolo, determined to find something on the second floor, started searching the room carefully, in the end turning up nothing.

“Let’s go dig,” said Alairic.  They had about three or four hours remaining until dusk.

******************************

Two hours later they had managed to clear a path through the rubble in the hall leading south from the kitchen to the tower.
As they entered the bottom floor of the tower, they could see that it seemed to be in better shape than other places in the keep house.  Even the dust, so prevalent elsewhere, seemed absent.

There were two doors opposite the hall leading into the tower and to the left of the doors, stairs circled up around the wall of the tower to the next floor.

They opened the door on the right first.  Inside was a newly refurbished bedroom, not that big but very tastefully decorated.  They stared around for a moment at the signs of recent work.  The new bed and wardrobe, the carpet freshly laid out on the floor.

“Is anyone in the room,” said Tilliana finally and they remembered they were supposed to be looking for vampires.

A fifteen minute search of the room revealed no-one.  Beginning to wonder where all the other vampires were, they checked out the next door.  It revealed a linen closet, completely empty of everything but shelves.

They climbed the stairs.

The stairs circled around the tower in a clockwise direction and after a half turn around the tower, the stairs came to a small landing with a door on the right.  Beyond the door the landing ended and the stairs started climbing once more.

The door opened onto an empty bedroom and after a quick search revealed that it too was empty they resumed climbing the stairs.

At the top of the stairs they came to another door.  Opening the door revealed another recently remodeled room.  The wooden floor looked to have received a great deal of repair and the walls were newly painted.  A painting of a red dragon in flight hung on one wall above a new chair.  There was another door in the room as well as a door on the ceiling.  Niccolo reached up and pulled the ceiling door open.  The door swung down, along with a folding set of steps, which Niccolo unfolded.  Above them they could see the sky.  The sun would soon be setting and the sky was darkening.  

“Let’s check out the other door first,” said Niccolo.

“I say we go up first,” said Alairic.

Niccolo shrugged, not wanting to argue the point and began climbing up the steps.  No sooner had he reached halfway up then the ancient wood collapsed under him and he fell rudely to the floor.

“Umph,” said Niccolo in surprise as he landed in an undignified heap.

“Let’s check the door,” said Tilliana.

The next room looked to have seen some recent work as well but was fairly empty of everything except a desk.  

Niccolo, entering behind Tilliana made straight from the desk.  Atop the desk was some unfinished correspondence.

Niccolo read, “Things go well but we are suffering attacks from unknown persons…”

“Tear it up,” suggested Alairic, “make them write it again.”

Niccolo did so and the group searched the room, finding nothing else.

“There’s nothing here,” said Alairic with disgust, “Where are those vampires hiding?”

As they descended back down the tower and into the house, they discussed their options.  Alairic reminded them of the other door leading into the second floor of the house, the door atop the landing above the entrance to the house.  They could reach the door via the barn doors on the second floor of the carriage house.

Following Alairic’s suggestion, they made their way out of the house and back into the barn, stopping for a moment to check on the horses.  The doors on the second floor did indeed lead onto the landing, a sturdy platform which ran above both the tables and part of the house, providing access to the north and west walls of the keep.

The door into the second floor of the house from the landing opened easily and they entered through, aware that their daylight was swiftly fading.  The door opened onto a hall.  The hall contained two doors, one on the left and one on the right and just past the doors, someone had clogged the hallway with rubble.  

“Let’s open them at the same time,” said Niccolo to Tilliana, motioning to the doors.

“Right,” said Tilliana and moved to open the door on the right even as Niccolo moved to open the door on the left.

Tilliana’s door opened to reveal a bedroom, in decent shape, but dusty.  Niccolo’s door opened to reveal an empty room.

They entered and searched the bedroom first.  Alairic checked under the bed and Niccolo opened the trunk at the foot of the bed.  It was empty and there was nothing under the bed but dust.  Tilliana looked at the fireplace in the room and looked up the chimney.  She saw nothing.  The room seemed to be unoccupied.

Frustrated Alairic went around the room double checking everything while the others watched.  He still found nothing.  They went back out into the hall and looked into the empty room Niccolo had opened.

Just as he was about to enter, Niccolo looked up and noticed the ceiling of the room was leaking.  

“Maybe we should not go in there,” said Niccolo looking at the floor and deciding it looked a bit weak and rotten.

“Where are they hiding?!” exclaimed Alairic.

In the end they decided to dig out the rubble blocking the hallway and see what lay beyond.  They set to and like the hallway leading to the tower, it took them about two hours to get this one cleared.  It was truly night by they time they were finished.

“It’s night time now,” said Alairic, stating the obvious.  They made their way through the recently unclogged hallway and looked around.

“Maybe we should set up some sort of alarm,” said Niccolo.  There were two doors to their right and ahead of them the hallway opened into a large room, part of which looked to be in pretty poor shape.

The first door to their right burst open and a lithe, snarling shape sprang through.  It was the female vampire who had taken Kinshag.  She slashed with claw like hands at Niccolo who barely managed to move out of the way in time.

Alairic drew his sword and swung viciously at the creature but she nimbly ducked under the swipe.  Niccolo, remembering Tilliana’s suggestion earlier in the day that they wrestle the creatures to the ground and stake them, moved in to grapple the vampiress.  Avoiding the claws, Niccolo futilely tried to pin the woman.  Tilliana rushed in from the other side, putting the undead woman into a headlock but with a snarl, the lock was broken seconds later and the vampiress moved to try and push her two grapplers away.  

Rasthok flicked his fingers and murmured a word.  A flash of light went off in front of the eyes of the vampiress, but whatever the intended effect was supposed to be, it did not work.  

Alairic, seeing an opening, swung his holy sword up and over and into the undead creature.  The sword bit deep and there was a flash of divine light that burned the undead woman.  As Alairic wrenched his sword away, Niccolo and Tilliana moved in again.  Tilliana managed to grab the woman and hold her and before the woman could escape, Niccolo pulled out a tent peg and plunged it into her chest.  The woman gurgled and fell to the floor, unmoving.

“Cut her head off,” Tilliana directed Niccolo as she moved to look through the door the woman had just charged out of.  It was a closet.  There was a coffin propped up in the back of the closet.  Lying on the floor in front of the coffin was Kinshag’s dried and lifeless body, gear and all.  With a sigh Tilliana moved in to behead the body.

The door next to the closet door opened to reveal a toilet.  There was a sink next to the toilet.  Water was leaking out of the sink faucet, drip, drip, drip, indicating that somewhere above was a cistern.  

They left the toilet and continued down the hall, Rasthok’s magical torch providing light.  There was a door on the left wall in the room beyond the hall, and a fireplace on the east wall.  The southern half of the room was filled with debris from where a major part of the ceiling had collapsed.  

Niccolo and Alairic moved to check the fireplace.  There did not, however, seem to be any corpses, dead or undead, lurking up the chimney.  

Tilliana moved over and tried to open the door to the north.  It would not budge, though the door did not appear to be locked.  Niccolo strode forward and pulled out his great ax to chop the door open.

Tilliana moved back.  As the axe swung and struck the door, it became obvious that a mist was floating into the room.  

“Here we go again,” muttered Alairic.  Rasthok, standing near the fireplace, looked nervous as he saw the others preparing their weapons.  His mind raced as he tried to think of a plan.

Two vampires appeared on either side of Tilliana and attacked.  Tilliana fended them off with her sword even as Alairic moved to aid her.  There was not a lot of room to maneuver in what remained of the room but he still found room enough to swing his massive sword into the side of one of the vampires.  A third vampire suddenly appeared as he attacked Tilliana.  He had, it appeared, been invisible.  Mainly by luck, Tilliana moved just in time to avoid the vampire’s claws as they reached for her.  

Moving forward from his spot by the fireplace, Rasthok uttered a series of arcane words and reaching out for the robe of the vampire that had just been invisible, Rasthok transformed the cloak into a source of bright light, as bright as the noon sun.  As the light filled the room, the vampires all screamed.  The robed vampire with his cloak a source of magical sunlight screamed the loudest as his skin burned.  He transformed into mist still screaming but even as mist the daylight spell traveled with him and the screams vanished into silence.

The other two vampires, seeing the magical light started to move away.  Tilliana pulled out one of the sharp wooden tent pegs and tried to ram it into the chest of one of the fleeing vampires.  Her aim was off however and even as she missed the vampire was turning to mist and flying down the hall, leaving the house.
Niccolo raced after the mist, calling for his two feathered friends as he did so.  With a shriek, his two eagles, Hunter and Featherbrace swooped down out of the sky.

“Follow that mist,” commanded Niccolo and the birds flapped and shot back up into the sky to do so.

“We need to find a place to camp,” Tilliana was saying when Niccolo returned back to the others.

“We could stay in the barn again,” suggested Niccolo.  They argued about the merits of staying in the barn with the horses again for a while.

“I think we should stay down in the basement with those three beds,” said Tilliana, “And there’s only one entrance into the room there.”

“We won’t have an exit down there though either,” said Alairic, “If we are attacked we will have our backs to the wall.  Might as well slit our own throats.”

They discussed it for some time before finally deciding on staying in the room on the second floor with the bed and chest.  It was near and they were ready to camp.  Rasthok set up a magical alarm for them and they were soon drifting off to sleep, only one of them at the watch at a time.  They were not attacked again that night and by morning they had decided to head out of the area for a couple of days until Tilliana could have them back to their normal strength.  Alairic in particular, between vampires and green slime, had been drained and needed to rest.  Having thus decided they went and saddled the horses, left the keep, crossed the stream and rode back south.


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## Wicht (Feb 18, 2003)

Tilliana's Map


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## Buttercup (Feb 18, 2003)

I was wondering when they would decide to go away and rest up.  They seem to be gluttons for punishment!

I hope they're sharpening those tent pegs....


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## Capellan (Feb 19, 2003)

Wicht said:
			
		

> *Rasthok is indeed the third character for Justin.*




On the plus side, at least they now have some arcane support - it's been sorely lacking until now.

Of course, they are still pretty short on stealth and scouting skills, since most of the group seems to be melee-focussed.


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## Wicht (Feb 19, 2003)

They did need some Arcane support.  I just hope they can manage to keep the poor wizard alive. 

The vampire spawn were the easy parts 

Incidentally I started updating my campaign thread yesterday though I warn those who do not want anything in the story given away that it does contain some spoilers in the background, though I will try not to post actual encounter details until they have been already dealt with by the players.  

As to them leaving - Poor Alairic was down a level or two (not to mention a bit of permanent constitution and quite a lot of temporary strength) and Tilliana had lost two fighter levels for good.  However, Tilliana had also gained just enough experience to cast the restoration spell so they left the area until she could get their levels back up to par (about three days of game time.)

I will post character updates sometime after I finish the next chapter (hopefully this week) and then I will be caught up to our actual gaming.


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