# The Adventures of the Knights of Spellforge Keep



## Dr Midnight

_Circles and rings, dragons and kings 
Weaving a charm and a spell 
Blessed by the night, holy and bright 
Called by the toll of the bell _
*-NEON KNIGHTS, Black Sabbath *

This is the seventh ENboards Knights thread for this campaign tale, formerly known as the Knights of the Silver Quill. 

To read the entire story up until now, click here. 

Volumes I-III on the old ENboards should be back sometime...?... with reader commentary. 

Volume IV (on ENboards with reader commentary) can be read here.

Volume V (on ENboards with reader commentary) can be read here.  

Volume VI (on ENboards with reader commentary) can be read here.  

THE CHARACTERS (at the time of the last story post): 

DARTAN "THE GODLESS"
The bitter fallen paladin of Heironeous. His soul is dark but his actions speak of his bravery. He has little tolerance for activities that don't involve destroying those that oppose him. He was not heard from since the dragon's assault. He is suspected to be in hiding.

RAFFLORN SPELLFORGE
This wizard and clockwork expert is a recent addition to the party. He drew from the Deck of Many Things and won a castle, now called Spellforge Keep- the party's home base. He also won (through his own charms) the heart of Katya. The two were recently married. 

JETTOK TAKLIN
A fighter and follower of Kord, Jettok is a true friend and the purest kind of dwarf- a gruff but loveable bearded companion with a drink in one hand and a greataxe in the other. He died in the assault on Accessiwal and was not recovered. He is missed. 

KYLA OHANNA
A high priestess of Pelor, Kyla has earned her reputation as a good and fair cleric. She maintains a big sisterly watch over her more adventurous younger sister Katya, and rarely finds time for her own interests. She has recently become attracted to Rowan, Spellforge Keep's new guardsman.

KATYA SPELLFORGE 
Rafflorn's new wife Katya is a redheaded legend in Verbobonc. Her quick wit, quicker mouth, and powerful spellcasting has made her a force to be respected. She's matured over the last year, casting off her rebellious youthful attitude for a more catious perspective.

SIR VEK MORMONT
The descendant of a traitor to Wee Jas, Vek was raised to believe in the goddess of death and magic. He became the champion of Wee Jas, and executes Her will, smirking his quiet grin all the while. His ambition is to become a powerful lich, and to continue to do Her bidding. In the last year, he has changed: he now smells "funny" and won't remove his helm...

RECENTLY:
The famous party angered the elder dragon Accessiwal, and were ruined through the wyrm's cruel works. The dragon attacked and destroyed the town they lived in, but left them unharmed, to draw the hate and ire of the townsfolk. The party separated in grief and hopelessness. 

The first posts will be an interlude named "The Passing of Years", presented in several parts. The game will most likely start back up again on September the 28th.


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## Morrow

Yahoo!  The Knights are back!  

The Knights of Spellforge Keep site seems to indicate that some of the Knights won't be returning.  Is that the case?  

While I'm thinking of it, whatever happened to Taigiel?  He's mentioned at the beginning of the battle with Acessiwal, but isn't mentioned again, either during the battle or the epilogue. 



Morrow


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## Wee Jas

> some of the Knights won't be returning.




The Knights that imply I smell funny will not be returning.


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## Dawn

Yes!!

The Knights are back!


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## Dr Midnight

Morrow-


> The Knights of Spellforge Keep site seems to indicate that some of the Knights won't be returning. Is that the case?



Looks that way. Hmm...


> While I'm thinking of it, whatever happened to Taigiel?



Taigiel was with them the whole time... my fault for not making certain he was there in the background. You'll hear of him soon.

story coming up in a moment....


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## Dr Midnight

*THE PASSING OF YEARS*

The midwife looked up with a smile. "It's a girl." 

"Let me hold her." 

The squealing infant was wrapped in swaddling cottons and passed to Katya Ohanna-Spellforge. Beside them, Rafflorn pressed his wife's forehead with a damp cloth and said "She's beautiful, Kat."

"Yes."

Kyla approached and cast her blessing upon the baby. "May Pelor's truth shine on you for all the days of your long life. Let it be proclaimed now and after that you are Kizzlorn, born of Rafflorn and Katya Spellforge to do good in the world." She gently touched a sun symbol to the girl's head, and the baptism was completed. Kyla waited a moment and said "So. the old fortune teller's prophecy came true," Kyla said . "Two boys and a girl."

Kat glanced at her and said "Let's not talk about her."

Rowan, seated nearby, muttered "Why not? Everything else she's said has come true… I say we should find her and learn more. Like-"

"Dear, I love you," Kyla interrupted, "but silence yourself. If my sister doesn't want to talk of it on her child's birthday, we won't."

Forgetting herself, Katya said "It's her fault that we've got the problems we have. If not for her, we never would have headed off to fight the damned thing."

"Shhhh," Rafflorn whispered, glaring at Kyla and Rowan. "Easy." It was an old subject, but it hurt every time it came up. The dragon Accessiwal had taken everything from them but each other… and there was no certainty he wouldn't come back to finish the job. Since the horrible razing of Verbobonc three years past, they'd fled from town to town. Each time, the dragon had come to find them and destroy their surroundings, but not them. Never them. The cruel old wyrm was taking pleasure in turning the Spellforge family into hated bringers of death wherever they went. He had made a pastime of it. 

Now, in Greyhawk, they felt confident- but not sure- that Accessiwal wouldn't dare attack such a well-guarded city. This didn't spare them from the horrible whisperings their neighbors shared about how the young Spellforge upstarts would bring destruction to them on white leathern wings. It didn't spare them from the nervous compulsion to look to the sky every time they walked outside or passed a window. 

That night, Rafflorn took a final look through the North door. The skies were deep blue, and the stars were beginning to shine. "See anything, Nanny?" he asked. Beside him, the massive yet gentle shield guardian he'd constructed stood, watching the heavens. 

"Nan-ny see nothing," Nanny replied in an evenly-toned and modulated voice. 

Raff closed the door and locked it with a spell. 

"Daddy?"

Rafflorn looked at his elder son. "Yes Raelin?" 

"What are you looking for?" The boy was three years old, but very bright and very curious. He wasn't quite old enough to understand that an ancient dragon was hunting them for fun. Rafflorn had taken special care to shield the children from the beast's sight. Still, Raelin had begun to guess that his father was watching for something. 

Rafflorn tussled the boy's bright red hair and smiled. "Nothing, my little goblin," he lied. "Go to sleep." 

He tucked Raelin in, then checked on their two-year old in the bunk below. Kyler was asleep with his thumb firmly nestled in his mouth. He was young and beautiful. Raff looked lovingly at his boys for a minute more, then walked back to the bed, where Katya lay staring sleepily at their new baby girl. Raff gently sat on the bed and kissed the baby's head, and then his wife's. Kat lay still for a moment, then spoke softly. "She'll never be safe, you know. None of them will." Her husband looked at her and didn't say anything, so she spoke again. "You know what we have to do."

"We will. Yes."

"When?"

He paused. "Not yet." He climbed under the covers. "Let's give little Kizzlorn a year of our time. If we never return, I want her to have known us." 

The family slept. 

*More to come...*


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## Broccli_Head

Great idea Doc to put some years on the characters before they go back to adventuring. 

I hope Dartan comes back, though.


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## Malachai_rose

*sweet*

that was a very cool post, the idea of aging the pc's a few years in the layover then having them reunite gives the story an extra sense of depth, and having the dragon hound the poor Rafflorn and family is great..lol, who knew dragons were such evil bastards . Well I guess no one can acuse you of using disposable dragons in your campiagn  anyways, great as always Doc, looking forward to more from Vek and the gang.


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## Ziona

Wee Jas said:
			
		

> *
> 
> The Knights that imply I smell funny will not be returning. *




All I know is that I danced with you at my wedding, and you smelled just as funny then as you do now!  
-Kat Spellforge

Seriously, though, nice job Doc! I love the backstory on Raff, Kat and their little family.  Makes me look forward to playing.


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## fenzer

Damn it Doc, you've done it again!  You suck me in like a moth to flame.  I'm burning gleefully.

And, anyone who quotes Black Sabboth and Ronnie James Dio is okay in my book.  I love that song.  I have the album.  Yes, I said album and the CD too.


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## Breakstone

Heh. I can't wait to see the effects the years have had on Dartan...


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## Dr Midnight

*ONE YEAR LATER*

Rafflorn put a tube of scrolls into the wagon he was packing and stood back to take a look. “I think we’re all set. That’s everything.”

Katya sat nearby on their doorstop. Kizzlorn was bouncing happily in her arms. The adorable girl now had a shock of bright strawberry blonde hair and pudgy little baby arms and legs. 

Raelin and Kyler were playing with small wooden swords. An illusion spell cast on the pine toy swords had turned them into gleaming bright weapons of majesty. Kyler was perhaps too young to be playing with even wooden swords, but his brother was very careful to not hurt him. They loved playing with the swords Daddy made for them. Raelin had a short spruce twig he’d tucked into his belt. It was his “wand”. He’d occasionally point it at Kyler and yell “Kablow!” To this Kyler would giggle while the older boy commanded him to fall down. Kyler had little pieces of rolled-up parchment in a sack on his hip. They were his “scrolls”. Daddy had written things like “Kyler’s magical scroll of lightning bolts” on them in bright paint. Kyler couldn’t read them yet, and he certainly didn’t know how scrolls were used (he usually whacked his brother with them), but he loved them dearly. Katya had fashioned the boys two capes from linen and had lined them with gold satin. They whooped and yelled as they ran around the yard wearing them… never out of their mother’s sight. Kizzlorn had a tiny cape of her own folded up in the bureau, waiting for her to be big enough to put it on and run around with her brothers. 

Kat asked “We’ve got the potions packed in the bag of holding?”

“Yes.”

“And the amulets?”

“Yep.”

Katya sighed and stood up. “I guess that’s it, then… you’ve given Nanny his prerogatives?”

“I’ll do that now.”

Rafflorn walked back to the house while Katya waved to Rowan and Kyla, who were walking up their meager driveway, toting two hired swords (a dwarven barbarian and a halfling monk) and Taigiel the half-dragon. “Unca Rowan, Aunt Kyla!” the boys ran to them and gave them terrific hugs. Raelin then said hello to the dwarf, and challenged him to a swordfight. The dwarf, who normally remained stoic when conducting business, roared with laughter. 

Katya hugged her sister and said “Dartan never came?”

Kyla shook her head. “We sent the letter, but… I suppose he’s not going to come.”

“Did you send a letter to Vek?” Her sister’s guilty look told Katya that she hadn’t. Not that Katya could truly blame her… Vek Mormont unnerved everyone, and her sister was a devout worshiper of Pelor. Vek’s transformation to… whatever he was… had been hard on Kyla. She wasn’t equipped to deal with undead party members. “It’s no matter,” Kat said. “We’ve been training. We’re much better off than we were when we first faced him.” 

Inside the house, Rafflorn was speaking to Nanny. “Repeat all that to me.”

“Nan-ny take chil-dren to cas-tle”

“No, an armed cart will be here shortly to pick you up. The cart will take you to the castle.”

“Armed cart take Nan-ny and chil-dren to cas-tle”

“Correct,” Rafflorn said patiently. “What then?”

“Pro-tect, al-ways. Watch. Guard. Raff-lorn return, two weeks.”

“Good. Are the children to leave the castle?”

“NO!”

“Are the children to leave your sight until we return?”

“NO!”

Rafflorn nodded. “Excellent. What happens if we don’t return within three weeks?”

“Nan-ny give thing to no-bles.”

“That’s right. Give the paper to the nobles. Remember, Nanny- guard them to the last.”

Nanny’s eyeslights blazed red with indomitable mechanical pride. “NAN-NY PRO-TECT!”

Rafflorn knew he didn’t have to worry about Nanny protecting the kids with everything he had- he would be smashed to atoms before he’d let anyone lay a finger on Raelin, Kyler, or Kizzlorn. He was a well put-together shield guardian. “Carry on, Nanny. See you soon.” Raff walked outside to find Taigiel chilling glasses of water for the boys with his breath. “Are we ready?” 

Katya was making some final adjustments to her adventuring costume- which she still fit into, happily. “Yeah. Let’s say g… let’s hug the kids.” The two were being incredibly careful about using the word “goodbye” lately. They were heading up to the lair of the enemy that had been plaguing them for three years- they were more than a little fearful for their lives. Saying the word “goodbye” scared them. The dragon had not attacked since they’d come to live in Greyhawk- he knew that it could not survive against the forces and heroes of Greyhawk- but he occasionally sent them messages. Sometimes it snowed in warm weather. Sometimes the sun was momentarily blotted out while Rafflorn cut wood outside, and when he looked, there’d be nothing in the sky but clouds and sun. Still, he’d run inside and cast Protection from Evil on the whole family, among other spells. Those times were the most terrifying. The waiting and not knowing. 

They knelt and called the boys over. Rafflorn held Kizzlorn. “Raelin, Kyler… You know mommy and daddy are going away, right?”

“Yeah, fight-a DWAgon, right daddy?”

“That’s right soldier. Who’s going to take care of you while we’re away?”

“Nanny,” the two said. 

“Who else?”

“Castle people.”

“Who’s going to protect your baby sister?”

“WE ARE!” they shouted with big grins. 

Katya said “What big strong boys we have! Little Kizz will be very safe with you two around, I just know it.” Raelin and Kyler smiled with pride. “We’ll miss you very much, every day,” Katya continued. “Will you miss us?” 

“Yes, Mommy.”

“How much?”

“This much!” The boys held their arms out wide. 

“HOW much??”

“THIS MUCH!!” They spread their little arms as far as they went. 

Katya hugged them both. “Love you.”

“Love you too Mommy.” Raelin’s face brightened. “Will you bring presents?”

“We’ll see.” Daddy winked at him, then looked at his baby daughter in his arms. “And you, little Kizzlorn… “ She smiled upwards with her gummy baby grin. “…you be good, okay?” He kissed her forehead and passed her off to Nanny, who took her in his immense mechanical arms with calculated tenderness. 

Taigiel, Aunt Kyla, Uncle Rowan, the two sellswords, and Mommy and Daddy got on the cart. The horses led it down the road. Before it passed beyond the trees, Mommy and Daddy turned and waved. The boys waved back. Kizzlorn’s bright blue eyes watched, gurgling, and flailing her fat little arms in the sunshine, not knowing that she would never see her parents again. The wagon rolled around a bend and disappeared. 

_*More to come…* _


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## Breakstone

Woah...

Heh, I like the Nanny, Doc!


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## Xaltar

When I was Rafflorn, I spent every copper that I could spare to build Nanny.  The only problem was that I was just a couple hundred xp away from being the right level to finally animate the thing.

Of course when we returned I was finally able, but the group took a break at that point.


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## Blood Jester

Dr Midnight said:
			
		

> [B...not knowing that she would never see her parents again. The wagon rolled around a bend and disappeared.
> [/B]




Yikes!


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## Broccli_Head

*Dang!*



			
				Dr Midnight said:
			
		

> *ONE YEAR LATER
> 
> . Kizzlorn’s bright blue eyes watched, gurgling, and flailing her fat little arms in the sunshine, not knowing that she would never see her parents again. The wagon rolled around a bend and disappeared.
> 
> More to come…  *




Ahhh man! Who's going to die? 

The parents or the baby....

Doc, don't play with our emotions like that!


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## Malachai_rose

*...*

As much as it pains me to say it, kill the parents not the kids... I got this thing where kids dyin seems ungood to me. Well again great post the parts about the boys playing with the toy adventuring scrolls and swords their parents had made for them was great, really heartfelt stuff Doc. Gotta be honest you ever considerd putting this stuff together to write a book or series of books ? I would definitely read a few Knights books, I mean hey Dragonlance started the same way if I understand correctly. Anyways keep em comin Doc  and where the hell was Dartan, lol, slacker


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## Immort

Yah, I gotta say I'm missin' Dartan.  'Course, the boy really needs ta git some god in his life again.  I'm thinkin' if ya goes after the kids ya might have a pretty ugly bunch of readers on yer hands.  We might gear up our character sheets and come huntin' fer ya.  So think twice for yer makes any moves along them lines . . .

Lessin' of course the whole point of this interlude is ta kill off the parents so that the kids can be the new adventurers, fresh start and all that.  Now that I think of it, that seems ta be much more likely.  Vek is ageless and I gather rather attached ta his character.  Dartan is the only survivor from the beginnin', so it is mighty convienient them two didn't show up fer the dragon hunt.

Also noticed the name changed from Knights of the silver quill ta the whole spellforge thing.  New name new heroes?  All in all, yer one HELL of a writer Doc.  Yer writin' style has grown incredibly since yer started this scribble.  Lookin' forward ta more.

-Immort


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## Dr Midnight

> Doc, don't play with our emotions like that!



Awww, but it's so much fun...


> Gotta be honest you ever considerd putting this stuff together to write a book or series of books ?



That's very nice of you to say, but it'd never freakin' happen. Besides, you'd have to pay for it. I'll be taking a writing class when I go to college next year, maybe I can turn this into moneymaking. I dunno. I happen to think I'm perhaps too heavy-handed with the drama.  


> where the hell was Dartan, lol, slacker



Hmmm...


> 'Course, the boy really needs ta git some god in his life again



"You boys could use a little churchin' up." -Cab Calloway, the Blues Brothers


> Also noticed the name changed from Knights of the silver quill ta the whole spellforge thing. New name new heroes?



Well, what with the death rate, most of the heroes never met or gave a crap about Gorgoldand or his little book store. It didn't make sense to have one person in the group keeping the tie to his old group's name. I thought a change appropriate. 


> Dartan is the only survivor from the beginnin'



 


> Yer writin' style has grown incredibly since yer started this scribble. Lookin' forward ta more.



Thanks!


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## Taren Seeker

You are SO gonna whack the kids.

The other possibility that I see is that you'll have the Spellforge adults go down fighting, then Vek will train up the young'uns for revenge, or the young'uns will train themselves up and go find Vek. Dartan...well he'll be around as an even crustier old timer. He'd be what, 60 at that point?

Or he'll die too. I don't know.

Nevermind.


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## Hammerhead

I think the Knights would work better as a comic book or graphic novel than a book, centered around Dartan.

Since this dragon is after revenge, what could bring more misery than mudering the kids?


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## Xaltar

So, if each of you had to make a guess, what will the party line-up look like when we return?


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## Wee Jas

Where will we find someone who can draw?   

Lots of good guesses as to what might happen. .. but Doc has us under lock and key in regards to talking about whats going to happen.

Where has Gorgoldon been for all this time we have been hunted by the dragon?  No wonder we aren't the Knights of the Silver Quill anymore!

Where has Dartan been or me for that matter?


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## Dr Midnight

*THREE WEEKS LATER*

Lord Belthor was barely touching his meal. He pushed his roast quail around on his plate and kept looking towards the door whenever he heard what sounded like footsteps. The sun had set halfway over the mountains in the distance, and the light was failing on this, the twenty-first and final day. The pigeons and carrier birds were usually all accounted for by now. 

Then, approaching footsteps outside the door. Belthor bolted from the table and opened the large wooden door before the sentry even knocked on it. “Well?” 

“I’m sorry, sir, there’s been no word.”

A sad breath bled from Belthor’s chest. This was it, then. “Dismissed… have the Spellforge children and their nanny sent in.” 

“Yes my lord.” 

Belthor closed the door and sat wearily in his seat. Two and a half cold, heavy minutes passed. The door was reopened and Nanny the shield golem ducked as he walked through. He carried Kizzlorn. Raelin and Kyler trailed behind. Lord Belthor put on his best friendly smile and spoke. “Hi there, boys. Did you have fun today?”

Raelin was looking around, pulling at his hands. He obviously was no longer comfortable with their little vacation. Kyler’s eyes were pink and he chewed his fingers. “Yes.”

Belthor got up and moved to Nanny. He held up the medallion used to control the construct and said “Hold still.” He opened a panel on Nanny’s chest to reveal a small compartment. Just below it, cradled in Nanny’s gentle arms, Kizzlorn cooed and watched as he pulled out a rolled parchment and unwound it. “Tell me what you did today, Raelin,” Belthor said as he began to read the parchment. 

“Well, today I went to play with the other kids in the courtyard. They were playing with practice swords. The guards wouldn’t let me out. Why can’t I go outside to play?” The nobleman was obviously paying attention to his piece of parchment. “When are my mommy and daddy coming back?”

Lord Belthor lowered the paper and placed it on the table, then knelt before the two. “Boys, how would you like to live here in the castle with me and the others?”

“I want to go home.” 

“Just imagine- you get to live with your friends! All the noble children, Eryllk and Jaelssa and Spraund and everyone else… it’ll be like a slumber party, all year round!”

Kyler started crying. Raelin said “NO! When are Mommy and Daddy coming back?”

Nanny said “Ky-ler, Bel-thor hurt you?” His eyes were glowing red. The nobleman realized with some alarm that perhaps the shield guardian couldn’t tell that Kyler’s tears didn’t necessarily mean that he was trying to do him harm. 

He held up the amulet. “Easy, Nanny.” The machine relaxed. “Raelin, Kyler- “ he paused and swallowed three times. “Mommy and Daddy aren’t coming back. They’ve gone away, to live up in the clouds.”

“No, they’re coming back, they said they’d be back…”

“I’m sorry, Raelin, but they aren’t coming back.” The truth was a little more difficult to explain- they COULD come back, if he could amass enough interest to finance an expedition of heroes to find the remains and cast resurrection on them… after killing the dragon, of course. For another family the good deed might be enough reward, but the name Spellforge was accursed by commoners and adventurers alike for the pain their name had brought about. Verbobonc was gone- entirely reduced to a primitive hamlet. It would be very costly indeed to convince another party to endanger their lives and the lives of everyone in their town by attacking Acessiwal. Besides, Rafflorn’s wealth was all but spent, and his last favor called in by leaving the kids with the nobles. All he had left was the keep out by the ruins of Verbobonc, but he’d abandoned it when he fled. It was best to just let the children know the hard yet simple truth. 

Kizzlorn was crying now, alarmed by her brothers’ weeping. The boys were red-faced and screaming. “YOU’RE A LIAR, DADDY SAID HE’S COMING BACK, HE’S COMING BACK!”

Belthor was extremely distressed by now, and he didn’t manage to stop what next came out of his mouth. He cast his head back, glared downward, and commanded “I am a high noble of Greyhawk, and I will NOT be called a liar by the son of a penniless—“ He put a hand to his head. He didn’t mean to say that. There really was no blaming the children, and no amount of comforting would help them right now. He took a breath and eased his tone. “Your parents have died. We will grieve, and we will move on. That’s how it works, you see? It’s all right to be sad. It’s all right to cry when you’re a child.”

“I want mommy,” Kyler gasped.

“You’re going to live here, with me, now. Is that so bad?”

Kyler wailed “I WANT MOMMY!!!” 

Belthor straightened and said “Well- this is the way it is, so we’d all best get used to the idea. I’ll give you some time to be alone.” He walked out and began closing the door. “Nanny, comfort them as best you can. I’ll let you out soon.” He barred the door behind him. 

As he walked quickly down the hall, the sounds of the children pounding and screaming on the door for him to come back, come back tore at him. He kept walking until he couldn’t hear them any longer. The children didn’t stop crying for some time. 

_*More to come...* _


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## avangel

penniless?  You know how much Nanny is worth?!  heh.

Great write up Doc


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## Xaltar

> _Originally posted by Dr Midnight_
> *The children didn’t stop crying for some time. *




Until Nanny ripped the cruel noble limb from limb?


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## Ziona

snarf, snarf...   

Nice write up, Doc (heartwrenching as it is...)


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## Hammerhead

Hehehe. I'm wondering what will happen next. Any clues?


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## Thorntangle

Poor, poor kids. Then the golem went berzerk and levelled the place. Great writing, Doc. You're really good at building the level of anticipation.


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## Malachai_rose

*wow...*

dang, got me all weepy eyed Doc, ya big emotional bully. Thats tough, but it makes for a great story, it's not often a writer is unafraid to upset his audience in order to tell a deeper story, hats off to you.


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## madriel

Lemme guess, Lord Belthor is a childless bachelor, right?

My guess is either Vek and Dartan lead new companions in search of their missing friends, or else fast-forward to the future and it's the Spellforge siblings questing for their lost parents.


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## Horacio

Doc, you made me weep. 

It's the first time a story hout make me weep...


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## Dr Midnight

> dang, got me all weepy eyed Doc





> It's the first time a story hour make me weep...



I'm hoping that's a good thing. Thanks to everyone for the support. The next chapter will have conflict, but also a little levity, where the last had none. Sorry to get everyone so low, but it's about to start paying off. I guess I've been reading too much George Martin, and I'm eager to put the characters through some emotional turmoil. Bad me. 



> I'm wondering what will happen next. Any clues?



DEATH, DEATH, DEATH!!!!! EVERYONE DIES!

I've got the next chapter ready to go, but I'll wait a few hours to put it up... I'll let the last one age juuust a little more.


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## Ziona

You are too cruel to your readers Doc! 

(I've already read the next part...)


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## MasterOfHeaven

Pffft.  Dartan will never die.  If he did, Doc would lose half his fanbase.  Including me.  Dartans too valuable to kill off, and besides, he's one tough bugger.  Now, say this with me...  

*DARTAN!  DARTAN!  HE'S OUR MAN!  IF HE CAN'T DO IT, NO ONE CAN!*


Although, I must admit, as a BADD supporter, I'm not sure who to root for here.  Great job on the way Accessiwal wreaked his vengeance, by the way, Doc.  Now just make sure he kills everyone in the party except Dartan, who will strike the final blow and emerge victorious and the only survivor in the great battle.


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## MasterOfHeaven

On a side note, Dartan probably should consider finding god again.  He would really benefit from the bonuses.  However, there is an alternative...  Perhaps Dartan was pushed even farther away from his old path, and has sworn vengeance against Acessiwal, and cares only about that and attaining power enough to ensure he will not have to deal with such problems again.  He could take Blackguard levels.  I could definitely see Dartan the Blackguard.


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## Broccli_Head

Great Post, Doc! 

Can't wait to see what the future holds for the children...

and...where are Vek and Dartan!?


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## Wee Jas

> I could definitely see Dartan the Blackguard




Me too but he keeps whining "I'm nooot eviiil!"  but then  again .. So do I


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## Dr Midnight

*SIX YEARS LATER*

"Don't you call me that again, Jaelssa Halfleaf."

"Why not? That's all you are! Pauper's daughter, pauper's daughter!"

Jaelssa and six of her friends were surrounding Kizzlorn in the courtyard. The other children stood around watching. Kizzlorn had already been through quite an ordeal that day, what with Orlea Stonehand dipping her braid in an inkwell, being told she resembled a hobgoblin by Elliene Tindelsaff, and now this. She was surrounded by the meanest girls in school, led by Jaelssa- who was three years her senior. Her nice clothes were frayed and dirty from being pushed to the ground. Worst of it all, Jaelssa was of the true bluebloods- high nobility get away with whatever they want, Kizz thought to herself. Her little hands were clenched up into fists. That they called her father a pauper angered her to no end… which they were terribly fond of, of course.

"Pauper's daughter, PAUPER'S DAUUUGH-TERRRRR…"

"STOP CALLING ME THAT!" Kizzlorn pushed back. She put her hands on Jaelssa's shoulders and shoved her backwards. Jaelssa teetered, then fell on her bottom. From the look of it, she'd never been stood up to in her life, and she was furious. Her face turned red as her hands clutched at the grass and she bared her teeth at Kizzlorn. 

"You're just mad because your daddy was some dragon's lunch," she hissed. "Do you think his bones crunched loudly when the dragon chewed him up?" 

"YOU SHUT UP!! I HATE YOU!!!" 

The lower hem of Jaelssa's dress browned, smoldered, then burst into flame. Jaelssa screamed, and Kizzlorn clutched her hands to her chin in fright. Had she done that? The other girls were scattering and Jaelssa was frantically flapping her hands against the small fire and shrieking about how she was going to burn to death. Through the crowd ran Raelin and Kyler, who gasped and put the fire out with their vestcoats. 

Raelin looked up at his sister. "Kizz, what happened?!"

"I… I don't…"

"MOVE ASIDE, MOVE ASIDE!" Nelan Halfleaf pushed his way through the crowd of wide-eyed children and ran to help his daughter to his feet. "What happened, honey? Who did this to you?" Jaelssa pointed at the terrified girl and kept shrieking, which was now turning into sobbing. Nelan said "Are you okay, princess? Are you okay? Did she hurt you?" He stood up and took three quick steps towards Kizzlorn. Her brothers bravely stood in her path, but the man pushed them right aside and stood there. "Did you do this to my baby? Did you use MAGIC to SET my DAUGHTER ON FIRE, YOU LITTLE RAT?!" He raised his right hand up, palm outward, and it paused there before swinging towards Kizzlorn. 

His arm was caught in the grip of something cold, large, and very, very strong. He looked behind him to see a ten foot tall shield guardian with burning red eyes standing there. The grip on his arm tightened. The thing spoke. "Nan-ny de-fend. Nan-ny SMASH."

The man began gibbering, and Kizzlorn shouted "NO, Nanny! Release him!" Nanny let go of the man's arm immediately, but watched him, only waiting for Kizz's permission to tear her attacker to pieces. 

Nelan grabbed his arm and stumbled away, yelling "BELTHOR WILL HEAR ABOUT THIS, YOU FREELOADING PEASANTS! I'LL HAVE YOU OUT ON THE STREET BEFORE DAY'S END, MARK MY WORD!" He fled with his daughter. 

He had nothing of the sort, of course, but for months afterward she was made to scrub the pots and pans and assist the servants, as "that's what happens to little girls who forget their place". 

That night, Raelin sneaked into the kitchen and helped her scrub for a bit. "How did you do it?" 

"Do what?" Kizz was very tired, as she'd been cleaning for hours and was up past her bedtime. That and the events of the day had left her mind feeling fuzzy. 

"The fire." 

"I don't know. I don't think I did. It just happened."

Raelin picked up a particularly heavy pot and began scrubbing the inside. "I think you did it. Mom was a sorceress, you know." 

"I know." 

"She was tough, too. She told me once that she and Dad saved the world."

"Do you think they really did?"

"Of course. Mom never lied to me."

Kizz's face saddened. "Wish I could save the world. Then people wouldn't make fun of me so much."

"Nah, you'd still be ugly."

She splashed him with dishwater. "You're a troll," she said, grinning. They laughed and splashed.

From behind them: "Raelin, Kizzlorn is being punished. She is not to receive any help, or Heironeous bless me, have fun doing her chores."

Raelin wiped his hands and rolled his eyes for Kizzlorn's amusement. "Yes, Lord Belthor." He turned and left. 

Belthor glared at her for a moment, then said "Finish that stack and you can go to bed, okay?"

"Yes, Lord Belthor."

"I'm sorry I yelled so much at you today. I didn't mean to say some of those things." He waited for her reply, didn't get one, and sighed. He walked away. 

Kizzlorn washed the remaining dishes and daydreamed about how much fun it would be to save the world.

*More to come... *


----------



## MasterOfHeaven

Wee Jas said:
			
		

> *
> 
> Me too but he keeps whining "I'm nooot eviiil!"  but then  again .. So do I   *




Really?  I would've thought Vek went evil by now.  Just think of the benefits!  No more party members whining for you to spontaneously transfer your spells into healing for them.  No more suffering painful effects from both Holy and Unholy Word.  No more having to go without membership in the Evil Liches Guild Of Oerth.  Can you really say no to all of that?


PS

I can't recall, and I don't want to go through all of the previous posts, but whatever happened to your old Elven Archer character after he became evil?  Did the party ever kill him, or is he still out there somewhere?


----------



## Wee Jas

Erasmus is still kicking.  He fled after Jamison to finish him off.


----------



## MasterOfHeaven

Nice.  So, since he's an Elf, he could show up in the parties adventures someday.  Say.... wasn't he a Hunter Of The Dead?


----------



## Ziona

MasterOfHeaven said:
			
		

> *Pffft.  Dartan will never die.  If he did, Doc would lose half his fanbase.  Including me.  Dartans too valuable to kill off, and besides, he's one tough bugger. *




Ah, but keep in mind, Dartan is only human, and they age and die the fastest.  

As far as Doc's fanbase goes, I think it runs a bit deeper than that.  He has writing skills, so I doubt that he would lose everyone if Dartan died...not saying Dartan's dead or anything, but where the heck is the ol' baker-killing "paladin" anyhow?


----------



## MasterOfHeaven

Ziona said:
			
		

> *
> 
> Ah, but keep in mind, Dartan is only human, and they age and die the fastest.
> 
> As far as Doc's fanbase goes, I think it runs a bit deeper than that.  He has writing skills, so I doubt that he would lose everyone if Dartan died...not saying Dartan's dead or anything, but where the heck is the ol' baker-killing "paladin" anyhow?  *




Of course he wouldn't lose ALL of his fans.  Note I said half.  Let me put it this way...  If Hans Solo had died in Star Wars Episode IV, would Star Wars Episode V have lost all it's fanbase?  No, but you can bet it would've been diminished.  

And Dartan WAS only Human.  I say he should get a bonus of some kind for being the only original Knight to survive through all the trials and tribulations.  Maybe a template or something.


----------



## Ziona

MasterOfHeaven said:
			
		

> *And Dartan WAS only Human.  I say he should get a bonus of some kind for being the only original Knight to survive through all the trials and tribulations.  Maybe a template or something. *




WAS?  Did I miss something...?
Last time I checked Dartan was still only a human (fallen) paladin.


----------



## MasterOfHeaven

Yes.  He's now a Demi-Deity.  He rules over surviving and arse kicking.  He's rapidly approaching Lesser Deity as countless adventurers flock to his worship.


----------



## Ziona

Last I knew, the only template he had was baker-killer...


----------



## wolff96

MasterOfHeaven said:
			
		

> *Yes.  He's now a Demi-Deity.  He rules over surviving and arse kicking.  He's rapidly approaching Lesser Deity as countless adventurers flock to his worship.   *




Yep. 

First Church of Dartan.

And you can just BET that he won't be hosting any goody-two-shoes paladin in his faith, either!


----------



## Horacio

Dr Midnight said:
			
		

> *
> 
> I'm hoping that's a good thing. Thanks to everyone for the support.  *




It's a wonderful thing, your story has truely touched me!


----------



## Breakstone

Kizzlorn = Carrie?


----------



## Hammerhead

Either some old Knights will return to fetch the Spellforge's bodies, in which case the party composition MAY include:
Dartan
Vek Mormont
Jamison

OR
It's the new kids with Kyler, Kizzlorn, and Raelin, and a few extras, to avenge their parents and reclaim their keep.

Or, it's both. I just hope JAME-ZON returns as a hero. Or an evil, scary villain.


----------



## Gumby

Tsunami said:
			
		

> *Kizzlorn = Carrie? *




Don't go to the prom, Kizzlorn!  *IT'S A TRAP!*


----------



## Dr Midnight

*SEVEN YEARS LATER
NANNY*

_“Heavy boots of lead
fills his victims full of dread”_
*-IRON MAN, Black Sabbath * 

Castle Greyhawk was silent. The moon was high above the mountains and the castle slept among the buildings of its great city. Of course, Greyhawk never truly sleeps- but three hours till sunrise is as close as it comes, most nights. Sleepy guards wandered the turrets and halls. Only a few torchlights winked in the sea of dark roofs below. 

In the inner areas of the castle, a guard walked through a corridor and tried the lock on the door to Lord Belthor’s receiving chamber. Satisfied, he wandered down the hall and turned to the left. 

A nearby tapestry rustled slightly, and a cowled man stepped from behind it. His face was hooded but his eyes glittered as they glanced up and down the hallway. He rabbit-stepped over to the door without a noise and knelt by it. He put two tiny steel pins into the keyhole and began working the lock.

Click!

The cowled man turned to the left and gestured, opening the door. He stepped in and was followed by another with a sword on his belt. They closed the door. 

In the darkness, two red lights began burning and moving forward. “In-troo-durs,” a deep modulated voice buzzed.

“Easy, Nanny, it’s us.” Kyler pulled the hood back so the shield guardian could see his face. He’d grown handsome, with a gaunt face and red hair that never quite seemed like he knew what to do with it. Raelin, beside him, had grown a wider set of cheekbones and a clear set of eyes that closely resembled his father’s. His own red hair hung in waves over his forehead, and always looked freshly coifed. He walked over to the cherry wood desk that Belthor conducted affairs from. He pulled on a drawer and found it locked.  He motioned and Kyler walked over to pick the lock.

“Ky-ler, Ray-lin should sleep,” the guardian said. “Boys need sleep.”

Raelin put his finger to his lips. “Shhhhh, Nanny. Quiet. Have you got that lock yet?”

“I’m trying. It’s a tough one.” 

Click!

“Ahh, here we are.” Kyler took from the drawer a shining medallion on a gold chain… it was Nanny’s control amulet. To own it was to be Nanny’s master, and the master of a shield guardian is a person with great power at his command. He gave it to Raelin and took from him one that resembled it almost exactly. He put it in the drawer and closed it, then locked it. 

Raelin walked up to Nanny and spoke softly. “Nanny, we’re leaving.” 

Nanny answered as softly as he could. “Leave? No, stay, stay with Nan-ny.” 

“We’re going. We’re joining an adventuring team. We’re going to see the world.”

“Nan-ny come and pro-tect!”

Raelin held up the amulet. “No, Nanny. You’ve got a more important job. Your job will be to guard Kizzlorn. We won’t be there for her anymore, so you’ll have to.”

“Pro-tect Kizz-lorn.”

“That’s right. Give her this,” he put a folded, sealed letter into Nanny’s chest compartment, “and give her this,” he pointed to the amulet. “Nanny, this next part is important. This is my last command to you. Kizzlorn will be your new master, but you must pretend that Lord Belthor still controls you. Do as he says… but obey Kizz, should she command you. Understood?”

“Nan-ny un-der-stand.”

“Good.” He put the amulet into Nanny’s chest and closed the hatch. 

Kyler muttered “I still say we should take them with us. Nanny would be an invaluable companion out there… all Belthor does is use him for hard labor. It isn’t right.”

“Kizz is fourteen: she’s too young.” his brother replied. “I won’t have her risking her life until she’s old enough to make that choice for herself.” 

Kyler sighed, then looked to the shield guardian. “We’ll miss you, Nanny. Take care of yourself.”

They hugged the construct, and its huge arms hugged them back. “Nan-ny miss boys. Be safe.”

Kyler threw a leg over the windowsill and waved. He climbed out and down, silently down to the waiting cobbles below. Raelin followed. 

Nanny’s eye-lights dimmed, then went out as he stood perfectly still against the wall, awaiting the next day. 

_*More to come...* _


----------



## Malachai_rose

*Woot*

So the boys are sneakin off and leavin Nanny and Kizzlorn to fend for themselves huh, heh. Well gotta say thats a cool development, but what about Vek !! and Dartan, I know it's been 18 years and all but if Dartan was say 27 when the incident with the dragon happened he would only be 45 now... thats only a few age modifiers  ahh well even without Dartan I'll still read but you gots to bring Vek into this, hes ageless plus... Vek is the man, my favorite knight to be exact  Well I figure thats enough buggin ya for the dynamic duo, heh, great post and lookin forward to more.


----------



## Broccli_Head

Hmmmm....I wonder if shield guardians can become sentient and maybe have feelings.

Would be cool to explore IMO. 

so who plays the boys?

And what about Dartan and Vek? Dartan's only 45...and welll Vek is ageless. 

_Vek v. Accisswall at the end of time!_


----------



## MasterOfHeaven

Doc, if Dartan isn't in this story hour, I'll kill you.  Really.  I've got the voodoo doll right here, he's even got a little rapier and everything.     Seriously, where is DARTAN?!  Vek is fun too, I suppose, but Vek is to Dartan what Boo is to Minsc.


----------



## Wee Jas

> Vek is the man, my favorite knight to be exact




Thanks!   



> Vek v. Accisswall at the end of time!




You think that bitty dragon is gonna live that long?! 



> Vek is to Dartan what Boo is to Minsc.




Keep it up MoH... Last time I looked Accisswall's protection from Harm touch doesn't extend to Dartan


----------



## MasterOfHeaven

I would be surprised if Doc doesn't house rule Harm, actually.  It's pretty much accepted the spell is broken as is, in fact there's even a thread in the D&D Rules forum about it right now.  Although, if Doc is the kind of DM I am, the party would just start running into high level hasted Cleric enemies who love to use the Harm/Inflict combo. 

And, once they find out what Vek is, Heal is just as effective.  At this point, the players beg for the spell to be house ruled.  Docs probably not that wicked though.  Irregardless of that, if Harm is not house ruled, I'm sure high level opponents would take proper precautions, including Dartan.  And I'm betting Vek doesn't survive a FRA + partial attack from Dartan.  

PS

Clearly, Vek must be evil.  He keeps threatening party members.  And just think of all the benefits I listed earlier.  Admit the truth, be EVILLLLLLL.  Just because you're an adventurer doesn't mean you can't be evil.


----------



## Ziona

Boy, are you an instigator, MoH!!


----------



## Wee Jas

You better beg Doc to errata Anti-life shell too while your at it   

I'm not evil.. I'm misunderstood  .. lol


----------



## MasterOfHeaven

Wee Jas said:
			
		

> *You better beg Doc to errata Anti-life shell too while your at it
> 
> I'm not evil.. I'm misunderstood  .. lol *




I don't beg.  Or whine.  Unlike a certain Lich Cleric when he learned his cheesy Harm wouldn't work on a certain Dragon.   

I simply point out the logical implications of allowing a spell like Harm to exist as is.  I'm sure Doc will see the light, after all, he already realized the problem, which is why he wouldn't allow it to work on Acessiwal.  He's already taken one step towards enlightenment, and will reach the full truth soon, I'm sure.  

And you're evil.  Definitely evil.  Definitely.  And as for the Anti-Life Shell, enjoy the full round casting time.  Not to mention Dartan can, even if you manage to get the spell off A) Use an item to grow to Large size, giving him 10 ft reach, B) Simply use a reach weapon or C) Just use ranged weapons.  

Sorry, but you're still just a miniature giant space hamster, while Dartan continues to lead with blade and boot.


----------



## Nail

MasterOfHeaven said:
			
		

> *Sorry, but you're still just a miniature giant space hamster, while Dartan continues to lead with blade and boot. *




I didn't read KotSQ, so.....

Does MoH play Dartan, or is MoH just a big fan-boy?


----------



## MasterOfHeaven

Rather than the term "fanboy", I prefer "High Priest Of The First Church Of Dartan".


----------



## Ziona

Nah, he's just being an insanely geeky-fan-boy!


----------



## MasterOfHeaven

Ziona said:
			
		

> *Nah, he's just being an insanely geeky-fan-boy!   *




Oh yeah?  Well, in response to that, I call upon the power of Dartan to curse your dice forevermore.


----------



## Ziona

MasterOfHeaven said:
			
		

> *
> 
> Oh yeah?  Well, in response to that, I call upon the power of Dartan to curse your dice forevermore. *





Wow...do you realize I am ultra superstitous of my d20s?  I NEVER let anyone touch them, for fear that they may roll badly.  I just bought new, beautiful dice...don't want them jinxed, lest I have to run out and buy new ones.  (and yes, I have gone and bought new dice after someone touched my d20).

But since I  know Dartan, and I know he is godless, I know you can't call upon his "power" to jinx said dice.


----------



## Dartan

All are welcome in the church of Dartan, just leave your deity outside.  Oh and no bakers allowed!


----------



## MasterOfHeaven

Ziona said:
			
		

> *
> 
> 
> Wow...do you realize I am ultra superstitous of my d20s?  I NEVER let anyone touch them, for fear that they may roll badly.  I just bought new, beautiful dice...don't want them jinxed, lest I have to run out and buy new ones.  (and yes, I have gone and bought new dice after someone touched my d20).
> 
> But since I  know Dartan, and I know he is godless, I know you can't call upon his "power" to jinx said dice.   *




Yeah.  Dartan doesn't worship any gods.  Cause he's a god now.  Now, here's the good news...  The great and magnificent Dartan rules over only arse kicking and survival.  This means that, when making meaningless rolls for crafting, or something like that, your dice will operate normally.  

However, whenever you face a situation that requires much arse kicking, or survival of you or another is on the line, your dice will fail you.  Do not doubt my words, oh disbelieving heretic, or the power which afflicts you will but increase in it's potency.  

The only way to redeem yourself and remove this curse upon thy dice is to repeat, three times, "Dartan is the greatest adventurer that walks the face of Greyhawk, and soon shall be the greatest of gods as well."  Remember my words....  

PS


----------



## Malachai_rose

*heh*

lol, no ones downing the fallen paladin MoH  I was just observing that Vek is ths shiznat and in a battle between a high lvl spell caster and a front line beat em up... 

well the caster should win theres to many things he can do to make the battle go his way, such as summoning a greater planar ally 24hd (makes him something akin to a balor or a planetar) and then having him do the dirty work, or theres the ol' Power word stun (if you have the war domain) followed by a rather nasty coup de grace, or any number of bad things, 

Then theres the plane shifting the said person to another plane of existence where he couldnt live, like say the plane of fire (fighters have notoriously bad will saves) and then shifting yourself back to saftey or just word of recallin home, heh. 

Well my fanboy defense of Vek is done, I'm sure he could come up with even more devious things to do to protect himself from the rabid Dartanites that seem to habitate in the post  ( I actually really like Dartan, heh I'm just bustin your chops).


----------



## MasterOfHeaven

*Re: Woot*



			
				Malachai_rose said:
			
		

> *So the boys are sneakin off and leavin Nanny and Kizzlorn to fend for themselves huh, heh. Well gotta say thats a cool development, but what about Vek !! and Dartan, I know it's been 18 years and all but if Dartan was say 27 when the incident with the dragon happened he would only be 45 now... thats only a few age modifiers  ahh well even without Dartan I'll still read but you gots to bring Vek into this, hes ageless plus... Vek is the man, my favorite knight to be exact  Well I figure thats enough buggin ya for the dynamic duo, heh, great post and lookin forward to more. *




The Dynamic Duo?  You know, that's actually a good way of putting it.

Minsc and Boo.
Batman and Robin.
Dartan and Vek.  

You know, if you were to put Vek in red and yellow tights, he'd probably be the spitting image of Robin.   

PS

Well, I figure I should comment on the story in another regard than it's lack of Dartan.    Good job Doc, I think your writing style has really improved, and I was really impressed with the last post, especially the way you presented Kyler and Raelin.

PPS

Dartan.  Need I say more?


----------



## MasterOfHeaven

*Re: heh*



			
				Malachai_rose said:
			
		

> *lol, no ones downing the fallen paladin MoH  I was just observing that Vek is ths shiznat and in a battle between a high lvl spell caster and a front line beat em up... *





Vek is nothing but dust beneath the booted feet of Dartan.  


> *
> well the caster should win theres to many things he can do to make the battle go his way, such as summoning a greater planar ally 24hd (makes him something akin to a balor or a planetar) and then having him do the dirty work, or theres the ol' Power word stun (if you have the war domain) followed by a rather nasty coup de grace, or any number of bad things, *





Well, first the Planar Ally has to agree to your terms.  Note that taking the job is a risk to the outsiders very existence, as the Planar Ally spell actually brings them to the prime material, and if they die they die forever.  Going up against a man of Dartans might is a very dangerous proposition, and even if Vek could convince them to do it, he would be in a very bad position because of what they would demand of him in return.

And then there's the fact that Dartan can likely beat a Balor or Planetar at this point, and still kill Vek.  A high level Fighter can dish out amazing damage in one round, and if Dartan has the proper magic items, he'll be even deadlier.  

As for domain spells, there are counters to every spell, and Vek would really have to choose his spells carefully in a fight with Dartan, as Dartan could likely kill him in a FRA + partial attack, and certainly he could kill him in two rounds.

*



			Then theres the plane shifting the said person to another plane of existence where he couldnt live, like say the plane of fire (fighters have notoriously bad will saves) and then shifting yourself back to saftey or just word of recallin home, heh.
		
Click to expand...


*
Most fighter types have cloaks of resistance and so on, not to mention the fact Dartan might be a Paladin or Blackguard, thus increasing his saves if he gets a high enough Charisma through magic items.   


*



			Well my fanboy defense of Vek is done, I'm sure he could come up with even more devious things to do to protect himself from the rabid Dartanites that seem to habitate in the post  ( I actually really like Dartan, heh I'm just bustin your chops).
		
Click to expand...


*
No matter what Vek comes up with, he will still fall to the might of Dartan in the end.  At best, Vek would survive three rounds.  And then die a final death.  But, I'm sure Vek knows his place.

Dartan:  "Come Vek, to the Knightmobile!"
Vek:  "Right away, Dartan!  Holy Dragons, I hope we get there in time!"
Dartan:  "Worry not, my sidekick.  For I shall destroy all that stands in our way."


----------



## Breakstone

Woah! My fanboyism is in peril!

Compared to Master of Heaven, I'm but a lurker!


----------



## Hammerhead

I think that more or less everyone agrees that Clerics are the best class. Dartan is little more than a trumped up Ex-Paladin/Fighter. Vek will have a very high armor class, with a magical shield, Demon Armor, a Protection From Evil Spell or something, his +5 Natural Armor Bonus, etc. Vek has d12 hit dice. Furthermore, any wands or scrolls Vek happens upon, he can use. Vek could permanently paralyze Dartan. Vek can create Anti-Magic Fields, or summon Pit Fiends to hunt down Dartan. Vek can scry. And, he can drain Dartan's levels very quickly with his Enervating Shield, Lilith. Vek can use his Command Undead ability to conscript some allies, or animate skeletons to act as a wall against Dartan. What about creating some wraiths, and then Con draining Dartan.

Agaisnt a clever and skilled undead cleric with as many options as Vek, a straight Warrior/Fighter like Dartan has little chance.

Instead, Dartan became an asskicker by being supported by his comrades who fell against evil, not by being better than them.


----------



## MasterOfHeaven

Hammerhead said:
			
		

> *I think that more or less everyone agrees that Clerics are the best class. Dartan is little more than a trumped up Ex-Paladin/Fighter.*




Clerics are no better or worse than any of the other classes, with the exception of the Monk and the Bard.  Fighters can easily be the most powerful class, and I guarantee you that you can design any Cleric you want, and I will defeat that Cleric with an equivalent level Fighter at least 50% of the time.



> *
> Vek will have a very high armor class, with a magical shield, Demon Armor, a Protection From Evil Spell or something, his +5 Natural Armor Bonus, etc. Vek has d12 hit dice.
> *





So?  If Dartan is a typical Fighter of his level, he will be able to hit Vek at least 70% of the time.  In addition, since Vek cannot use his Constitution bonus to HP, he actually has less hp, on average, than a Cleric with 14 or more Constitution.  Dartan could probably kill him in one FRA + partial attack action.



> *
> Furthermore, any wands or scrolls Vek happens upon, he can use. Vek could permanently paralyze Dartan. Vek can create Anti-Magic Fields, or summon Pit Fiends to hunt down Dartan. Vek can scry.*





The wands and scrolls argument is meaningless, if we're talking equivalent amount of GP in equipment here.  Items are items are items.  They increase your power, and Fighters can spend the GP a Cleric would've spent on wands or scrolls on other equipment.  An Anti-Magic field would hurt Vek more than help him against a foe like Dartan.  

And as I explained above, Vek can't summon Pit Fiends without paying a major, major price, given the risk of the assignment, at least until he gets Gate.  And even then, Dartan could kill the Pit Fiend.  



> *
> And, he can drain Dartan's levels very quickly with his Enervating Shield, Lilith. Vek can use his Command Undead ability to conscript some allies, or animate skeletons to act as a wall against Dartan. What about creating some wraiths, and then Con draining Dartan.*





Vek would have to hit Dartan first, to drop his levels.  Besides, all Dartan has to do is have one Negative Energy Protection spell up, and he's fine.  Negative Energy Protection is not that hard to obtain for a character such as Dartan.  Which also eliminates Veks other possible tactics.  

If Vek is going to animate skeletons, he's going to have spend GP on it, and if he wants to create a wall, he's going to need a lot.  If Veks going to spend the GP on that, all Dartan has to do is buy one necklace of fireballs with just one bead left, and the skeletons are worthless anyway.
*



			Agaisnt a clever and skilled undead cleric with as many options as Vek, a straight Warrior/Fighter like Dartan has little chance.
		
Click to expand...


*
Well, I completely disagree there.  Clerics reputations are overrated, and again, design any level Cleric you want, and I'll defeat that Cleric with an equivalent level Fighter.

*



			Instead, Dartan became an asskicker by being supported by his comrades who fell against evil, not by being better than them.
		
Click to expand...


*
I disagree.  Dartan has proved he is the most resourceful, tough, and just plain lucky member of the entire group by surviving encounter after encounter where every other party member fell.  You can disagree if you want, but the fact is that Dartan has survived, and nobody else has.  And that's the bottom line.


----------



## Jon Potter

*My 2¢*



			
				MasterOfHeaven said:
			
		

> *
> Dartan has proved he is the most resourceful, tough, and just plain lucky member of the entire group by surviving encounter after encounter where every other party member fell.  You can disagree if you want, but the fact is that Dartan has survived, and nobody else has.  And that's the bottom line. *




My personal favorite Dartan episode was more-or-less glossed over in the compiled storyhour, but it still struck a powerful cord with me:

Dartan left behind in a mine full of hobgoblins and fighting his way clear. Alone.

It was fairly early on in RttToEE and there have certainly been more exciting villains to overcome, but that really expressed Dartan's gritty, kill 'em all, character.

I must say that it would have likely spelled the end for most of the other PCs if one of them had fallen out of the mine cart.

There isn't a character amongst the bunch that I don't find intriguing, but Dartan's combination of godless angst and tough-as-mithral determination make him my personal favorite.

No offense, Vek.


----------



## Hammerhead

Does it really matter? Both Vek and Dartan along with poor Jettok, are complete bad@sses. However, I would hesistate to call Vek a sidekick. That would be a cohort or something. 

I wonder who the characters in the story will be?


----------



## Dr Midnight

You people are friggin' nuts! 

Dartan's player feels like Dartan's so built up now that he's almost afraid to step behind the wheels of the death machine once more. He's fickle that way. 

A Dartan vs. Vek fight would be really cool, but it's pretty much the clear consensus that Vek would be the winner. He makes sure he knows every little thing that his character can do (like Harm, cough cough), while Dartan's player is all about playing the role. 

At any rate, here's the next chapter of the story:

SUNDAY, 5TH OF COLDEVEN

Vek Mormont wiped his blade clean and stepped over Dartan's cloven body. The look on the fallen paladin's face showed the horror he'd felt before having his life stolen by the cold, clerical servant of Wee Jas. 

"What a nice day," Vek thought. "I think I'll get me some ice cream."

END OF CAMPAIGN


----------



## MasterOfHeaven

Vek, like Robin before him, is an annoyance to the enemy and prevents the real threat to the enemy from dying on occasion.  Dartan, like Batman before him, is the one the enemy fears and is desperate to destroy once and for all.  But they're both Heroes.  And that's fine by me.  

As for the characters in this story hour, I really like Kyler and Raelin so far, though I find Kizzlorn vaguely annoying.  Regardless, if Dartan and Vek don't show up, they're doomed to die and be forgotten.  For the real Heroes are the former Knights Of The Silver Quill, and may they once again walk the land and wreak terrible vengeance on those who oppose them.

PS

I say Vek and Dartan both should go evil.  It'd be perfect.  Dartan, the deadly and fearsome Blackguard of Hextor, and his sidekick, Vek, sinster and smelly Lich Cleric of Wee-Jas.  Ahh, that'd be great.


----------



## MasterOfHeaven

Dr Midnight said:
			
		

> *You people are friggin' nuts!
> 
> Dartan's player feels like Dartan's so built up now that he's almost afraid to step behind the wheels of the death machine once more. He's fickle that way.
> 
> A Dartan vs. Vek fight would be really cool, but it's pretty much the clear consensus that Vek would be the winner. He makes sure he knows every little thing that his character can do (like Harm, cough cough), while Dartan's player is all about playing the role.
> 
> At any rate, here's the next chapter of the story:
> 
> SUNDAY, 5TH OF COLDEVEN
> 
> Vek Mormont wiped his blade clean and stepped over Dartan's cloven body. The look on the fallen paladin's face showed the horror he'd felt before having his life stolen by the cold, clerical servant of Wee Jas.
> 
> "What a nice day," Vek thought. "I think I'll get me some ice cream."
> 
> END OF CAMPAIGN *




The god of anti munchkins would curse Veks dice and Dartan would win.  Don't believe me?  Try a real fight between them.    And I swear, Doc, I'm not going to take the implications of your first paragraph seriously.  If Dartan doesn't show up...  Well, let's just say it's not really a Knights story hour without him.


----------



## Wee Jas

I'd off him without Harm   

Anyhow,  Dartan is my friend...  even if he did kill my ancestor, Clegar Mormont  (I crippled his daddy for revenge).  Its all water under the bridge now!

 Did you know the atone spell could make him Lawful Neutral too!  Wee Jas would be proud to have a new follower.. but if not Dartan.. maybe his son!  MWhahaahahaaa.


----------



## MasterOfHeaven

Wee Jas said:
			
		

> *I'd off him without Harm
> 
> Anyhow,  Dartan is my friend...  even if he did kill my ancestor, Clegar Mormont  (I crippled his daddy for revenge).  Its all water under the bridge now!
> 
> Did you know the atone spell could make him Lawful Neutral too!  Wee Jas would be proud to have a new follower.. but if not Dartan.. maybe his son!  MWhahaahahaaa. *




Yes!!  They're both back.  Hurrah.    His son?  Since when did Dartan have time to bag a chick?  Maybe I missed that it in the original story hour, but I don't think so.  And of course you're his friend.  Wasn't Robin Batmans best friend?    The Dynamic Duo returns at last.


----------



## Dr Midnight

*TWO YEARS LATER
KIZZLORN *

_“Out in my dreamworld there's a better place to be
Cause all this world is full of lies
Breaking chains that hold me down I fly up to the sun
Another place, another life”_
*-EAGLE, Gamma Ray* 

A column of fire whirled into existence above the ground, engulfing a halfling in its hellish whirlwind. The blackened corpse fell to the ground. 

“HOLD THE LINE!” the masked woman yelled as she locked her hands into position and cast forth a wickedly spiked magic missile. It killed one of their enemies. “Drerak’s gone- Orthos, we need your hammer on our right flank! Ziad, try to hit those fighters with something before they reach us!”

“YARRR!” Orthos the dwarf yelled as he swung his hammer into a platemail-clad foe. The resulting noise was like a kitchen pot being smashed with a boulder. Orthos ducked a returning blow, spun, and took his hammer to the underside of his enemy’s chin. The man was dead far before he landed, ten feet away. 

Another enemy dropped, and another ally. The masked woman, the dwarf, the human, and the elf drew together into a tight group and concentrated their fire on the two remaining warriors- a fighter and a powerful wizard. 

The fighter was switching to his longbow and making attacks from a distance. Orthos stepped in front of the woman to defend her, and the party elf fired two quick shots from his shortbow. The fighter fell. 

The wizard would not be finished so easily. He blasted them with a ray of greenish light, and Orthos fell. The masked woman shaped her fingers into a steepled triangle and thrust them forward, shouting a series of words. The wizard stopped casting, teetered on his feet, and fell forward- fast asleep. The enemy was defeated. 

“The winners-“ an amplified voice announced, “the FOES of the WINTER WYRM!!” The crowd erupted into a standing cheer. Robed high clerics walked out onto the field and brought the dead back to life, healed the injured. The two teams shook hands, smiling, which won another round of applause from the stands. 

Walking back, the woman asked “Ortho, Pyllip… what was dying like?”

Ortho shuddered, but the halfling was more willing to speak about it. “It was very odd. Pain, blinding light, then darkness… then I felt like something more was happening. I was being drawn somewhere- hopefully before Pelor. Then I felt myself whooshing back into my body. It felt like I was dead for about a full day, which of course I guess I wasn’t.” 

“Strange,” the woman mused. “Nothing to add, Orthos?”

“Didn’t like it.” The dwarf was rarely even this forthcoming about uncomfortable topics. 

“You’re in the wrong business, my friend.” They entered the team waiting areas to change out of armor and prepare to leave the arena for the day. Once out of view of the stands, she removed the mask. She revealed a beautiful face that framed two sparkling bluish violent eyes. Lightish freckles danced over her nose and cheeks. She shook her hair free of the ties she kept it in, and a mass of flowing strawberry blonde fell about her head in unkempt tresses. Kizzlorn Spellforge had grown tall and strong and sure. 

“That’s another victory, Kizz… we’re doing well,” the elf, named Taessus said. 

“Well, nothing! I believe we’re at the top of our tier for the events we’ve been competing in… or damn close to it,” Orthos huffed with a grin.

Ziad was going through his spell component pouches. “I agree, but don’t get too cocky. Any number of good teams has come through the King’s Games and failed after a few good events. Let’s celebrate if we win… not until.” 

The halfling was a cheerful youngster named Pyllip. He laughed and said “Ziad, you’d be the wet blanket at a mortician’s convention. I’ll be back, I’m just going to see where we rank.” 

“Ooh, I’m going too,” Taessus said. “Coming, Kizz?”

“No thanks, you go ahead. I’m going to rest for a minute. Those spells really drained me. Besides, I don’t want to be seen more than I have to, if you follow me.” 

The others left her in the combat preparation room. 

Kizz sat on a bench and held the purplish silk mask in one hand. The other absentmindedly petted a cat that had wandered through the area, perhaps looking for mice. “I hope this mask does the trick, kitty. The last thing I need is to be recognized. Do you know what it’s like to live in a castle, like royalty, but to be looked down on by everyone around you? It’s pretty awful. If they knew I was competing in such a base activity as the King’s Games, I’d probably be thrown out on the street without so much as a ‘Thanks for washing our dishes all these years, Kizz!’.” She scratched the cat behind its left ear, and it purred happily. She picked it up and it curled on her lap. “You’ll never find friends as you can within the lower class, I tell you. People who don’t judge you for being born the daughter of a broke adventurer. Like cats! You don’t think I’m street trash, do you? Noooo. You’re such a sweet thing. Are you lost? What’s your name, kitty?”  

_Snooky._ 

Kizzlorn blinked and sat still. “… …What??” 

_*More to come...* _


----------



## Malachai_rose

*heh*

Hmm... Snooky, interesting. Lookin forward to more Doc, and I like the way your being closelipped about whether Dartan and Vek are coming back. Honestly your writing of the children is compelling enough to enjoy the story hour even if it was just them  Hopefully though we will have it end up being the three spellforge kids with Vek and Dartan leading the charge, but we'll just have to wait and see I guess.


----------



## madriel

Looks like Kizz has built herself an adventuring company.  Glad to see she's got friends now.


----------



## Horacio

Wow! The story is really good, Doc, I want you to post even more often!!!


----------



## Dr Midnight

Geez, look at the post count. MoH's outnumbers mine by six. 

Just so you people have a sense of perspective, I'm maybe halfway through THE PASSING OF YEARS. Lots of stuff to come, so your guesses about party makeup and what's going to happen next are very fun for me to read.


----------



## Ziona

MasterOfHeaven said:
			
		

> *Oh yeah?  Well, in response to that, I call upon the power of Dartan to curse your dice forevermore. *




FYI: My d20s rolled beautifully last night...even after Lox caught one as it rolled off the table.  Your Godless banter has no hold on me & my dice!!


----------



## Thorntangle

Dr Midnight said:
			
		

> *so your guesses about party makeup and what's going to happen next are very fun for me to read.  *



Well, I'd say that Ziona's new banner is a pretty good clue 

The groups' banners, while very good, always give it away.


----------



## Dr Midnight

Well, Ziona waited for permission to post the banner. 

You're looking a little elfish, there, Kizzy...


----------



## fenzer

This is great stuff Doc.  I am really enjoying the Passing of Years.  I can't wait to find out what has happened to our old favorites.  Keep it up!


----------



## Horacio

Doc, Ziona and the others, your group's banners are wonderful. 
Do you hear me, WONDERFUL!


----------



## Ziona

Yeah, I know she looks sort of elven...but I removed the pointy ears!   

She just looks like what I picture Kizz to look like with her hair & all. The original picture was done by Todd Lockwood, whose artwood should be familiar to you all.

It's called Carnival.  Here's what it looked like:







I really like his art, but I especially like DiTerlizzi!


----------



## Horacio

Ziona said:
			
		

> *Yeah, I know...but I removed the pointy ears!
> She just looks like what I picture Kizz to look like with her hair & all. The original picture was done by Todd Lockwood, whose artwood should be familiar to you all.
> 
> It's called Carnival.  Here's what it looked like:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I really like his art, but I especially like DiTerlizzi!  *




[Spoiler about a wonderful Ravenloft adventure]
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
...
The girl in the art is a polymorphed snake.  It's from a wonderful Ravenloft module, Carnival...


----------



## Ziona

Really?  I had no idea!  I realized Lockwood does plenty of art for modules and game related things, but I didn't realize that pic was from a module.  If you check out his site, you'll recognize plenty of pics, I'm sure. 

www.toddlockwood.com


----------



## Horacio

Ziona said:
			
		

> *Really?  I had no idea!  I realized Lockwood does plenty of art for modules and game related things, but I didn't realize that pic was from a module.  If you check out his site, you'll recognize plenty of pics, I'm sure.  *




Yes, I do 

The Carnival module is, IMHO, one of the best for Ravenloft. It was creepy, and it gave the DM a powerful plot device to move the character around the mists...


----------



## ShawnLStroud

*And They're OFF!*

Doc, Ziona, et al;

It's great to see you back in the saddle!  I loved reading the KotSQ stories; I look forward to seeing how things shake out... if Vek the Creepy and Probably Incredibly Ugly turns up and how, if Kizz's brothers come back into the fold, if Dartan is a bitter and pudgy middle aged man...  And most importantly, if the parents really ARE dead!  How cool would it be to have, at an appropriately dramatic moment, the children confront the parents...  

You make me wistful; I'd love to *play* in your campaigns--all of them!


----------



## MasterOfHeaven

Ziona said:
			
		

> *
> 
> FYI: My d20s rolled beautifully last night...even after Lox caught one as it rolled off the table.  Your Godless banter has no hold on me & my dice!!   *




Oh really?  Trust me, it does.  The curse I placed on your dice is like placing a Geas spell on someone.  Initially, if they don't do what you want, they suffer only minor penalties.  But, as time goes on, the penalties get worse and worse, until they have no choice but to complete the requirements of the Geas.

Your dice rolls will get worse and worse, over time, until you repent and admit the truth that is Dartan.  In addition, the power of Dartan has cursed you in a special way.  The next time a roll is made, with your dice or anothers, that will affect your characters survival, it will turn out badly for you.

So, in other words, the next time you have to save or die, you will die.  The next time an enemy has to roll a certain amount to hit you and kill you, they will succeed.  It's too bad you won't repent, but that's the way it goes.  Enjoy your doom!  MUAHAHAHAAHAHAHAAHAAAAA!


----------



## Wee Jas

I'll protect you M'lady.


----------



## MasterOfHeaven

Wee Jas said:
			
		

> *I'll protect you M'lady. *




You really think she'll be able to take the smell?


----------



## Ziona

MasterOfHeaven said:
			
		

> *You really think she'll be able to take the smell?   *




Katya danced with Vek at her wedding & the "smell" was more like the light fragrance of decaying flowers...not exactly a pretty scent, but certainly not repugnant! 

Kind of like the scent an old book, I'm sure it gets better with age.


----------



## MasterOfHeaven

Ziona said:
			
		

> *
> 
> Katya danced with Vek at her wedding & the "smell" was more like the light fragrance of decaying flowers...not exactly a pretty scent, but certainly not repugnant!
> 
> Kind of like the scent an old book, I'm sure it gets better with age. *




Yes.  All walking corpses stench only gets better with age.  Why, I hear tell a seventy year old rotting corpse has such a lovely smell, even a rose seems like nothing in comparison.


----------



## avangel

Break it up


----------



## Dr Midnight

Channeling Xaltar: *nervous smile* "All right, all right, all right..."


----------



## Hammerhead

hey, I insulted Dartan too. Can you curse my dice? I failed saving throws four times in a row last week; I could use the luck.


----------



## Immort

MoH, yer kinda like a televangelist.  Ya claim ta represent someone despite the fact that they wouldn't approve of any actions ya take.  Everyone else seems ta accept the fact that Vek is clearly the most powerful of the group, just deal.  It ain't his fault, 3E just happened to overpower clerics.  Don't get me wrong, we all think Dartan is great but yer startin' ta git a tad bit annoying.

Plus, Ziona seems like a very nice person and we don't approve of you pickin' on her.  Be careful or Dartan might thump YOU.  She is a close personal friend of his.

-Immort


----------



## SJGiant

*About an old riddle from the story..*

Long time lurker thats been reading from the beginning.  Can't wait for the old group (Dartan) to get back into action.  

I have a question about a riddle the group came upon quite awhile ago.  There was even an image attached.  I had it saved on my HD before it died, and was planning on using it on my group.   It doesn't appear to be in any of the 4- current threads, so i'm guessing it was in thread 2 or 3.  

It was a folding boat and the riddle was something like "Speak Swords and die", with the letters spaced out.   Does anyone remember the exact riddle or have the image?

Sorry for the hijack  

J~


----------



## Wee Jas

Try Doc's website for the old stuff: http://dr-midnight.com/kotsq/


----------



## MasterOfHeaven

Immort said:
			
		

> *MoH, yer kinda like a televangelist.  Ya claim ta represent someone despite the fact that they wouldn't approve of any actions ya take.  Everyone else seems ta accept the fact that Vek is clearly the most powerful of the group, just deal.  It ain't his fault, 3E just happened to overpower clerics.  Don't get me wrong, we all think Dartan is great but yer startin' ta git a tad bit annoying.
> 
> Plus, Ziona seems like a very nice person and we don't approve of you pickin' on her.  Be careful or Dartan might thump YOU.  She is a close personal friend of his.
> 
> -Immort *




[southern accent]
I speak the truth!  Veks sinister ways are blasphemy to all who serve the light, and woe betide those who fall prey to his lecherous ways!  Verily, I say unto you, that those who refuse the light that is our great gawd, Dartan, shall fall into the pits of Hades while the faithful ascend to Paradise, on the fated day that shall soon come!  Doubt not my words, or brimstone and hellfire shall be your future!   [/southern accent]

In other words.... please don't tell me you think I'm serious.    I think you've been imitating the accent of a certain character and race too long, Im.    The thick skulled characteristics of that race must be affecting your ability to detect humor and sarcasm.


----------



## Victim

If Vek's smart, he can easily keep his body in quasi normal condition.  It's a trivial task for him to have a continuous Gentle Repose up, which would prevent his body from decaying.


----------



## Immort

Don't take it personal MoH, on these boards you can NEVER tell who is kidding and who is just nuts.  'Sides, there is such a thing as running a joke inta the ground.  Oh yah, what accent?

-Immort


----------



## Malachai_rose

*heheh*

Less yappin over   Dartan vs. Vek  , and more postin by Doc !!!  Lol, anyways just startin to fiend a little bit for the next post


----------



## Richards

Originally posted by SJGiant: 







> I have a question about a riddle the group came upon quite awhile ago. There was even an image attached. I had it saved on my HD before it died, and was planning on using it on my group. It doesn't appear to be in any of the 4- current threads, so i'm guessing it was in thread 2 or 3.



 Here's your problem: that "riddle" didn't appear in the _Knights of the Silver Quill/Knights of Spellforge Keep_ campaign that Dr. Midnight runs as a DM, it's from the _Unusual Heroes_ campaign that he plays in.  You can find what you're looking for here, in the thread entitled "The Unusual Heroes Reborn."

Incidentally, the riddle was originally from an adventure printed in Dungeon #91.  I won't say which one to prevent any spoilage for anybody who's going to go through the adventure as a player, but if you have that issue, the part you're looking for is on pages 26-27.)

Johnathan


----------



## Wee Jas

Aww.. I thought it was going to be a classic Richards song post


----------



## MasterOfHeaven

Immort:  Believe me, I never take anything on any board seriously.   

As for the joke... until it's six feet deep, I'll keep using it.    Hey, Richards, how about doing an "Oooooh, That Smell" parody?


----------



## Xaltar

Richards said:
			
		

> *
> Incidentally, the riddle was originally from an adventure printed in Dungeon #91.  I won't say which one to prevent any spoilage for anybody who's going to go through the adventure as a player, but if you have that issue, the part you're looking for is on pages 26-27.)
> 
> Johnathan *





I combined a couple of rooms from that issue of Dungeon into the maze that the party went through.  Hey Richards, didn't you write that adventure/competition?



Check it out that issue!  Heck, check out almost any Dungeon issue, I see his name all the time.  He has great ideas!

- Xaltar


----------



## Richards

> Hey Richards, didn't you write that adventure/competition?



 Guilty as charged.    Glad you liked it!

Johnathan


----------



## Richards

And now, at the request of MasterOfHeaven, here's a song parody of Lynyrd Skynyrd's "That Smell," in honor of Vek Mormont:

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

"That Smell"

Shiny armor, a brand new helm,
Eye-holes, they're kind of small.
It's like you hide what's there inside,
Just what's going on inside there?

Ooh ooh, that smell.
Can't you smell that smell?
Ooh ooh, that smell.
The smell of Vek surrounds you.

Cleric of Wee Jas is your calling,
Think you went a little far.  (You lich, you!)
Oh, please don't deny it, you just had to try it,
Did you think that you could fool us?  (Pshyeah, right!)

Ooh ooh, that smell.
Can't you smell that smell?
Ooh ooh, that smell.
The smell of Vek surrounds you.

We'll still call you Vek Mormont,
Won't speak a word 'bout your "condition."
Guess you'll be all right with your helm on,
As long as no one stands too close to you!  (Yeah, you!)

Ooh ooh, that smell.
Can't you smell that smell?
Ooh ooh, that smell.
The smell of Vek surrounds you.

Oh, you lich, you.
Phylactery's been hidden well.
I know I've never seen it.

One little problem that confronts you,
Got a musty odor smell.
An incense stick, Lord, might do the trick.
One hell of a stench, and it's not one I'd pick!  (Hell, no!)

Ooh ooh, that smell.
Can't you smell that smell?
Ooh ooh, that smell.
The smell of Vek surrounds you.

Ooh ooh, that smell.
Can't you smell that smell?
Ooh ooh, that smell.
The smell of Vek surrounds you.

Oh, you smell it?
Go on, stick your fingers in your nose.
Yeah, it's just Vek.
It's just Vek,
It's just Vek.
I know.

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

Johnathan
Self-Appointed, Unofficial Bard to the _Knights of Spellforge Keep_ Campaign


----------



## Breakstone

Hyuk hyuk hyuk


----------



## Wee Jas

> Cleric of Wee Jas is your calling,
> Think you went a little far. (You lich, you!)




lol.   Richards.. I like you.. I'll kill you last


----------



## MasterOfHeaven

LOL!  Thanks, Richards.


----------



## Dr Midnight

_My name is Snooky. You asked. _

The words came into Kizz’s head as a thought she might have had herself. She didn’t hear them or read them- she thought them. They had a voice that sounded small and polite. The black cat looked up at her with golden eyes and purred. 

After a moment, Kizzlorn managed to say “A… cat… is talking to me.” 

_I’m afraid that’s incorrect on two counts. For one, I’m not talking to you- You’re talking to me. I’m using telepathy. For two, I’m not a cat... not really. _

“Um. What are you?”

_I am a pseudodragon.  _

“You’re a pseudodragon. And you’re pretending to be a cat.” Kizzlorn was incredibly surprised. 

_I was polymorphed into a cat long ago by my master. This brings me to my reason for coming to you, if you’ll pardon me. I should like to approach your entire group about an adventuring opportunity. Would this be acceptable? _

“Y… yeah. Let me- I’ll just go get them. Wait here.” She ran out of the room and found her friends standing around the board. “Guys. You have to come with me.”

Niffler said “Hey, Kizz, we’re number one! We’re going to be awarded top honors for tier 1 at the ceremony!”

She waved that away and said “Right now there’s a talking cat in our prep room who wants to give us an adventure to undertake.”

Everyone stared at her. After a moment, Niffler said “Neat! Let’s go!” He ran back to the room. Kizz followed. It took everyone else another ten seconds to pull their heads together and process what she’d said before they went.

Back in the room, Niffler was petting Snooky. Kizzlorn gestured and said “See?” 

Orthos slowly said “It’s not talking, Kizz.”

“Say something, kitty,” Niffler pleaded. 

_Would you all have a seat? I’d like to discuss an adventuring opportunity. _

The stunned group sat. 

_As I told Kizzlorn, my name is Snooky. I am a polymorphed pseudodragon. About nineteen years ago, my master disappeared. He was a masterful wizard named Gorgoldand- and what’s more, he was a gold dragon in disguise, living among humans. He lived quietly in a town named Poddleton out to the east. He owned a bookstore and trained adventurers when need arose. In the Great Purge, as it is now known, a posse of false paladins of Heironeous assaulted our town and ousted, converted or killed anyone of differing religious faith or arcane skills. My master found his way outside and began fighting them. Through the army of paladins came a large cowled figure in a robe who blasted us with light and fire. He held up a small item and chanted some words. Everything after that is a blackened blur. When I awoke, I was alone and my master was nowhere to be found. The town had been all but burned to the ground. _

“Uh…” Taessus stuttered. He wasn’t the only one who perhaps thought Snooky was going through this altogether too quickly. 

_There will be time enough for questions in a moment. From that point on, I only wandered from place to place in a daze, trying to figure where to begin piecing the puzzle together. I needed to find my master. After a time, I managed to figure out a few small clues. I began to seek out adventuring groups with the hope of finding his location and freeing him. This is where you come in. Now… questions? _

The next half hour was a haze of clarifying questions for the puzzled group. After they had the basic facts down in their heads, they began to ask other things. 

“So- where do we begin?” Ziad asked. 

_There is a dead man in a town North of here. His name is NeMoren. He was a leader among the Eye of Heironeous, and was with the team that assaulted Poddleton, as far as I can guess. It’s told that he took many secrets to his grave. His tomb may have some clue yet as to who this robed figure was… or at least something that can give us somewhere else to look. _

“When would we leave?” 

_As soon as you are able. When would you want to leave? _

The group exchanged looks that blossomed into grins. Niffler shouted “Immediately!” and the others nodded. 

“I’m going to tell my family,” Taessus said. 

“I’m going to fetch my bedroll,” Orthus added.

“I’ve got to tie up some loose ends,” Kizzlorn finished. “All right, let’s meet back here in, say… a half hour?” 

Kizz ran off to the castle with an enormous feeling welling up in her. She was going on a quest! Like her brothers, mother and father before her, she was doing something for the good of Greyhawk… she wouldn’t just sit around under Lord Belthor’s thumb, whiling away the years wearing frilly dresses in the court. Freedom was hers. She’d just grab a few things and she’d be off on a life of adventure and excitement. She could hardly wait. 

She burst into her room and ran to her dresser, throwing some essentials into a knapsack. She took a bedroll from the back of her closet and took out some scrolls she’d been saving. 

“Nice job out there today, Kizz.” She whirled to find Lord Belthor sitting in a chair on the opposite side of the room. He looked quietly upset. “Nice to know you’re taking after your parents.”

She turned red and kept her chin high. “I don’t know what you’re-“

“Don’t insult me,” he snarled, standing up. “I don’t know what the problem is in your mind. I give you food, I give you shelter, I give you a regal life to live. You continually defy me. Why do you insist on finding the death that your parents found?”

She decided to be strong and continued tying the bedroll to the top of the knapsack. “I am not made for this castle life,” she said. “ballgowns and tiaras do not interest me. I thank you for all you’ve done, but I am leaving.”

“So this is my thanks? Leaving me here to find your death, as surely as your brothers found theirs?”

Kizzlorn turned her head to him with a gaze. “My brothers are not dead.” 

“You haven’t heard from them since they stole from Greyhawk in the night, like thieves, have you? Perhaps I didn’t raise any of you right, but I won’t allow you to make the same mistake. Nanny!”

The hulking shield guardian entered the room. “Yes, mas-ter.”

“Keep her here in this room. Do not allow her to leave.”

Kizzlorn threw her backpack around one shoulder and headed towards the door. “Nanny, let me pass.” Nanny stepped aside and she turned in the doorway to see the look on Belthor’s face. She’d dreamed of it for two years now. It was better than she’d hoped. He was positively red. He pulled the amulet out of his doublet and yelled.  

“NANNY, DO NOT ALLOW HER TO LEAVE! THIS IS AN ORDER FROM YOUR MASTER!!”

Kizzlorn pulled the real amulet from her pocket and held it up. “Nanny knows who his master is, and has been. I am a Spellforge. Nanny was created by my father, for his children. Nanny is mine.” 

Belthor looked at his amulet and threw it at the wall. The jewel shattered like glass… which in fact it was. “KIZZLORN!”

“This the way it is, so we’d all best get used to the idea. I’ll give you some time to be alone.” With that, she turned and left. “Come, Nanny.” Nanny tromped off after her. They barred the door shut behind them.

As they walked quickly down the hall, the sounds of the nobleman pounding and screaming on the door for her to come back, come back only cemented that they were now free. They kept walking until she couldn’t hear him any longer. Lord Belthor didn’t stop shouting for some time.

She rejoined her group. Orthos said “What’s this, Kizz? Your nanny’s coming with us?”

“Yep. We ready?” They were. 

The Foes of the Winter Wyrm walked out of the city of Greyhawk, headed north in the fading sunlight. Snooky sat atop Kizz’s knapsack. 

“You know, Snooky, this just feels right. My parents were adventurers.”

_Oh yes? Did they do anything I might have heard of? _

“Well, they saved the world once… or so my brothers said. They were a part of a group called the Knights of the Silver Quill.”

Snooky was silent for so long that Kizzlorn thought he’d fallen asleep. _Our mission may indeed be blessed, then, Kizzlorn. _

“Why is that?”

_The Silver Quill was the name of the bookshop my master owned. The Knights were his last adventuring party. They were famous throughout the land. I lost track of them after the assault on Poddleton.. _

“My parents knew your master?” Kizz was astounded.

_I don’t believe so… they must have come around after he disappeared. _

They walked for a while more. “Snooky, can I ask you one more thing?”

_Of course. _

“How would you like to be my familiar?” 

_*More to come…*_


----------



## Breakstone

Heh heh heh. Good stuff, Doc!


----------



## Ziona

Just wanted to say nice work.  Kizzlorn's defiance and partaking in the games incognito reminds me of how Wonder Woman disguised herself to partake in the games on Themiscyra against her Mother's wishes.  Nice touch!


----------



## madriel

Sneaky Doc.  You're bringing back all the loose threads people have been wondering about.  Since we're gonna find out what happened to Gorgoldand, I think we'll also find out what happened to Jamison and Erasmus too.


----------



## Horacio

When will the first game be, Doc?


----------



## Dr Midnight

> When will the first game be, Doc?



The 28th. 


> Just wanted to say nice work. Kizzlorn's defiance and partaking in the games incognito reminds me of how Wonder Woman



This is probably because when I asked you for a character concept, you wrote "Wonder Woman", and that was it. 


> Sneaky Doc. You're bringing back all the loose threads...



I'm terribly sneaky like that. Curse my ways! Jamison? Erasmus? Why, I'd forgotten all about them. I don't know what happened to them. Hmm. Here, how's this... uh... Jamison joined a nunnery, and Erasmus took up needlework. Will that do?


----------



## Horacio

Dr Midnight said:
			
		

> *
> The 28th.
> *




What a week!

The 24th Buffy returns.
The 28th the Knights of Silverforge.
Wow!


----------



## Ziona

Dr Midnight said:
			
		

> * This is probably because when I asked you for a character concept, you wrote "Wonder Woman", and that was it.*




Actually, it was _you_ who asked me if she would be as defiant and as fiesty as Wonder Woman.  I just said she wouldn't be a wussy magic user, but she wouldn't be tough-as-nails like a fighter.


----------



## fenzer

Dr Midnight said:
			
		

> *The Foes of the Winter Wyrm... *




I love it!  Great set up Doc, I can't wait until the 28th.


----------



## MasterOfHeaven

The best part about the last post is it brings us closer to the Dynamic Duo.  Soon, Dartan and Vek shall at last return.


----------



## madriel

Dr Midnight said:
			
		

> *  Jamison? Erasmus? Why, I'd forgotten all about them. I don't know what happened to them. Hmm. Here, how's this... uh... Jamison joined a nunnery, and Erasmus took up needlework. Will that do? *




*casts _Protection from Gullibility_ 

Uh-huh.  We're onto you.


----------



## Dr Midnight

*ONE YEAR LATER
ZIAD*

_Put on your armor
Ragged after fights
Hold up your sword
You're leaving the light
Make yourself ready
For the Lords of the Dark
They'll watch your way
So be cautious, quiet, and hark_
*-KEEPER OF THE SEVEN KEYS, Helloween*

Ziad, the young spellsword, shouted an oath and smashed the evil wizard’s crystal. 

“Gahhhh!!!” The wizened bald man, skinny and wrinkled with wild eyes, fell to his knees. Orange-reddish light gasped upward from the shattered crystal and dissipated in the blink of an eye. 

“Your reign is over, Myriachus,” Kizzlorn said, wiping blood from the corner of her mouth. 

“Done, yes, done!” The wizard hissed and giggled on the floor. 

Orthos eyed the foe with a distasteful glare. “What’s the matter with baldy, here?”

“His mind is gone. It shattered along with the crystal,” Ziad said as he sheathed his sword. 

“Good, he deserves it.” 

“He deserves worse, for what happened to Niffler,” Kizzlorn muttered. The dwarf gave no reply, but strapped his great warhammer to his back and tried to avoid thinking about it. The halfling had become a bit too curious about all the marvelous trinkets there had been to find within the tower. He’d begun touching things without inspecting them first, opening doors without checking them for traps, and walking several dozens of paces ahead of his companions (despite their warnings). He was obliterated when he put his hands to a milky white globe he had discovered in one of the lower levels. The party entered the room in time to see his gleaming, fleshless skeleton fall in a heap on the floor at the base of the podium. Nothing could be done. 

Ziad had thought their earlier adventures difficult, but they had at least survived their earlier adventures. The ghoul mistress of Baron NeMoren had been a simple defeat- it was even fun. The earlier days were lighter and full of jests. Then, Taessus had perished in Nightfang Spire. The reality of adventuring’s danger came rushing in on them. Niffler was gone. The little joker had been the glue that held the group’s sanity together in dark times with his inappropriate humor and easy smiles. He was now only so many bones in a sack hanging from Nanny’s shoulder. The entire group felt the loss. 

They busied themselves with going through Myriachus’s treasure hoard. One good thing about adventuring as time goes on: the treasure gets greater and greater, Orthos thought to himself. “This will make for adequate reparations to the people of the nearby villages… all of whom have suffered under your rule,” he grunted. He put a chest into a bag of holding. “With some for ourselves to offset expenses, of course.”

Kizzlorn looked around on the floor. “Where’s Snooky? Snooky! Here!”

“Nan-ny find.” The shield guardian was gingerly cradling the cat’s body against his chest. “Snooo-kee a-sleep.”

“Knocked out, eh? Poor thing. He did jump right at Myriachus to deliver that spell.” She took Snooky and poured a potion into his mouth. She then laid him in the bottom of her knapsack so he could rest. “He took a pretty good blow. He won’t be up and around for a while.”

“Oh, how they screamed!” The wizard cackled to himself as he leaned against the wall, clawing at his cheeks.

Kizzlorn shivered. “Let’s find what we came for.” 

“We came to free the townspeople, Kizz,” Ziad said. 

She blushed and lowered her head. “I… You’re right. I didn’t mean to put the people aside. Let’s at least find the mirror.” Kizzlorn had often shown how much she valued the ongoing quest over their year of adventuring together. Always they did good, but her drive often unsettled the others. 

They had come to free the townspeople, of course, but what had led them to this area of the Flanaess was the rumor they’d taken from the defeated orc warlord. The rumor stated that the wizard Myriachus possessed some relic: a gift of a high-ranking member of the Eye of St. Cuthbert. Of course the Eye of St. Cuthbert was no more (and hadn’t been for two decades), but the surviving lieutenants had fled across the map, still bearing their secrets. The Foes were chasing them down still in hopes of finding the clues that would lead them to the missing Gold Dragon.  

“What’s this,” Orthos asked. He was standing in front of a tall elliptical shape that had a sheet of canvas laid over it. 

Myriachus groaned low in his throat. “That… oh, that, the present, my present, it’s mine. Got from. GOT FROM! Mine. Heeee.” A trickle of blood ran from one nostril into his big toothsome grin. 

Orthos pulled the canvas away. It was a tall mirror in an oval shape. Its edges were rimmed in black and veined with gold. What captured everyone’s breath was the fact that someone was trapped within it. A frozen form, human, was standing within the mirror’s glass with his mouth half open. His hands were held up in a gesture of warding. Fear was in his eyes. His clothes were ragged and his hair was filthy. Though bearded and grizzled, he looked to be maybe twenty-five years old.  

“I’ve heard of these,” Ziad said as he stepped forward. “Mirror of life-trapping, or something like that. Suspended animation. This man is alive. All we need to do is smash the mirror… if what I’ve heard is true.” 

“Do it,” Kizz said. 

Ziad cracked the glass with the pommel of his sword, and the mirror shattered outwards. The man spilled out onto his face, then gasped. The spellsword knelt by him and said “Easy. You’re in the wizard Myriachus’s black tower. We’ve just freed you from the mirror. How do you feel?”

The man coughed in reply, hacking his breaths in and out. His scared rabbit eyes turned around the whole room, looking at every face. “Nuh. No!”

“I am Ziad. This is the lady Kizzlorn. Over there, that’s Orthos-“

“NOO! WHERE AM I?? KEEP ME SAFE!!!”

Orthos cast a calming spell on the man and his breathing returned to normal. “What’s your name, boy?” 

“Uh… I don’t know. I can’t… wait. Garren. My name was Garren.”

“What happened to you, Garren?” 

“You tell me, please… I’m sure you’ll understand if I’m more than a little confused.”

They brought him up to date, at least as far as how they came to find him in the tower. They didn’t happen to mention that they were now greatly interested in plumbing his memory for any details he could give as to the people who’d imprisoned him. It seemed that Garren couldn’t remember anything, really. His memory was damaged from the deep freeze the mirror had put him in. He knew his name and what he’d been doing at the moment he was imprisoned. Everything else was a blur. 

“I remember running, tripping, jumping into a stream to swim away. I was hunted down like a dog. They surrounded me on horses, and one of them- big one in a robe- got off and held something up. Then I was here.”

Kizz and Orthos exchanged a glance. They were on the right track. The person who'd imprisoned Garren was clearly the same person who'd come to Gorgoldand so many years ago.

The man was too flustered and frightened to bother with the questioning much further. He needed time to pull his head together and remember what he could. They gave him a sword and decided to bring him along with them, as he surely couldn’t recall who he was or where in life he belonged. Kizzlorn turned to question Myriachus and found him dead and smiling at her. 

“The wizard died. How?”

Ziad spoke with little compassion. “Maybe his brain boiled in madness. Who knows.”

“Who cares, more like,” Orthos said. He found a large stack of rolled parchment pieces. “Hey, scrolls.” He unwound one and tossed it aside. “Pfeh! Sleep. No wonder he left these in a dusty pile.” 

Ziad picked up another and unwound it. His eyes widened. “Kizz?”

“Yes Zi.” 

“Your last name is Spellforge, am I right?”

Her head turned with interest. “Yeah. What’s that?”

“Your father’s name was Rafflorn?”

“Yes,” she ran over and looked down at the parchment. 

It was a deed to a castle called Spellforge Keep, in a town called Verbobonc.

*More to come…*


----------



## Horacio

You're at least _Narrator 10/DM 10/Epic writer 5_, Doc...


----------



## Malachai_rose

*WoOoT !!!*

So the question is why Rafflorn didn't leave the deed to the keep with Lord Belthor. Then they would not have been penniless... ahh well, I am not to question only to enjoy a fine story  keep up the great work, and Kizlorn a Spell sword, tight, thats always looked like a fun prestige class. Also I thought th way you explained how she was higher in level by naming places (modules) that they had been before was cool.


----------



## Wee Jas

> So the question is why Rafflorn didn't leave the deed to the keep with Lord Belthor.




or with his good friend Vek!


----------



## Dr Midnight

Hmmm... Malachai_Rose, the spellsword is actually Ziad, but the first three paragraphs were written in a way that made it look like it was Kizzlorn. That's been changed. 

Do you know that almost every time I begin to type "Kizzlorn" I start typing "Katya"? 

Thanks, Horacio, but I'm not fooled... you talk to all the story hour authors that way. What kind of girl do you think I am? 

Phew. Only four more chapters to go!


----------



## Horacio

Dr Midnight said:
			
		

> *Thanks, Horacio, but I'm not fooled... you talk to all the story hour authors that way. What kind of girl do you think I am?
> *




Hey, Doc, it's not my fault if this forum hosts some of the most talented fantasy writers I've found. 

Seriously. I prefer your stories to lots of published fantasy crap.


----------



## Dr Midnight

Hey there peeps- 
Just put up the long overdue Song Parodies page. I'm still missing some from the first three messageboard threads, but most of them are here: 
http://dr-midnight.com/kotsq/songs.htm

Including these smash hits by Johnathan Richards:

Doctor Midnight
Gimme Four Cards
That Smell
Stupid Thing
A Hard Day, Knights
The Knights are Back

Also featuring:

Meepoium (guest song by "Grim", message board reader)

ACT NOW! Operators are standing still!

EDIT: Also, anyone want to take a poll? There are three up at the KoSK site... just hit refresh and you'll get to the others. http://dr-midnight.com/kotsq/

The poll topics (and available answers) are:

Who would win in a fight?
Vek
Dartan
It would be a draw

Which actor would provide the best voice for Vek Mormont?
James Earl Jones
Jack Nicholson
Christopher Lee
John Goodman
Kevin Spacey
Andy Serkis (Gollum from LotR)
Tim Roth
Patrick Stewart
Orson Welles
Someone else

Would you pay to join a KoSK contest, with all proceeds going to the winners (and not the author)?
No, I wouldn't.
Yes, I'd give $1.
Yes, I'd give $5.
Yes, I'd give $10 or more.


----------



## Broccli_Head

Yah! How come daddy Raffalorn didn't leave the deed with the Lord who fostered the Spellforge's? 

Oh well, maybe daddy had a bigger plan.  

Really enjoying the narrative and the creative liscense to examine the passage of time for young Kizz and her companions. 

What about Acceiswall? Hasn't he kept up on his enemies' legacies?  I guess when they find Snooky's master, then the white dragon won't stand a chance....


----------



## Blood Jester

I voted 'Other'

Christopher Walken 

Creepy...with style.


----------



## Dr Midnight

Nice. Too late, I thought of Anthony Hopkins... who gets my personal vote for Vek's voice. 

EDIT: I took out John Goodman and Andy Serkis and added Hopkins and Walken. I put your vote in for ya there. 

Our two were the only votes thus far, so I didn't mess anything up, really.


----------



## MasterOfHeaven

Interesting site, Dr Midnight.  However, as I pursue your house rues section, I notice a glaring lack of a HOUSE RULED HARM/HEAL.  Please go to the D&D Rules forum and note the vast assemblage of forumers, all experienced D&Ders, agreeing on the brokeness of Harm.  After you have done so, please take the neccessary steps.  That will be all.  

Seriously, I do think you should house rule Harm, but hey, your campaign, your rules.  I'm also curious as to how allowing the instant kill rules have affected your campaign.  

I never allowed them in my campaign because the idea of a commoner somehow killing a Dragon with a butcher knife seemed wrong somehow.  Still, it can add spice to the game I suppose.


----------



## Wee Jas

> Who would win in a fight?
> Vek
> Dartan




Not who would win the popularity contest.  Dartan doesn't want me to use spells so he threw down the hand to hand challenge but I agreed to quickly so he intelligently rethought the call out. lol   (damge reduction, negative energy attack and lich touch are my friends)

How many times can MoH vote anyhow?   



> I voted 'Other'
> 
> Christopher Walken




I AM .. going to have to kill.. YOU now. I love him.



> all experienced D&Ders, agreeing on the brokeness of Harm




Are they suggesting any good fixes?  Slay living is a level lower and kills you or you take 3d8 + caster level.  Harm only wounds you.   I agree there should be a hit point cap on Harm so everyone isn't going out Great Wyrm slaying.  (Although that Great Wyrm had CRAZY spell resistence, I flubbed 90% of my spells)


----------



## Dr Midnight

I'm all for a good HARM fix. 

I House Ruled it for the battle against Acessiwal, but I allowed it for Vek vs. Dartan's father Korgan, so I know I've got to be consistent and pick one. I'll be finding a good rule, but till then, I'll keep it off of the house rules page. It'll still be a very powerful spell. 

The rankings are as follows, right now:

 1.)  James Earl Jones 0   0% 
 2.)  Jack Nicholson 0   0% 
 3.)  Christopher Lee 0   0% 
 4.)  Anthony Hopkins 2   50% 
 5.)  Kevin Spacey 0   0% 
 6.)  Christopher Walken 2   50% 
 7.)  Tim Roth 0   0% 
 8.)  Patrick Stewart 0   0% 
 9.)  Orson Welles 0   0% 
 10.)  Someone else

2 for Hopkins, 2 for Walken! The two guys I initially left out. What was I thinking?


----------



## Nail

Dr Midnight said:
			
		

> *I'm all for a good HARM fix.
> 
> I House Ruled it for the battle against Acessiwal, but I allowed it for Vek vs. Dartan's father Korgan, so I know I've got to be consistent and pick one. I'll be finding a good rule, but till then, I'll keep it off of the house rules page. It'll still be a very powerful spell.  *




Just a thought:  How about save for half damage?

Seriously: if you save, you only lose half of your hit points.

Aside: Great Wyrms should not be immune to harm.  Jus' smart enough to have thought of counters.


----------



## MasterOfHeaven

Actually, yes.  A great deal of the entire thread is discussing the house rules people use on Harm, and how to keep it powerful while making it not so very broken.  The big problem with Harm is it has the potential to basically insta-kill anything, no matter how many HP or how tough it is, with NO SAVE.  The only thing that helps is SR, and if the creature the Cleric is fighting is even close to the appropiate CR, he's going to get it through at least half of the time, probably more.  And once he does, the creature is dead, no save.

But this is all discussed on the other thread, and I don't want to derail this thread too much.  By the way, I'm surprised Kizzlorns brothers aren't going to be part of the party.  I checked the characters section, and it seems her current adventuring companions are the new members.  Very interesting.  Good job Doc, and I look forward to more.


----------



## avangel

I think we are going to use:

HARM
WILL save for 50% hit point damage, failed as normal.
Will is the save for all Inflict Wounds spells.


----------



## MasterOfHeaven

The problem I would have with that house rule is it still far too effective against high hitpoint creatures.  Say you face Asmodeus, I believe he has 2,666 HP.  If you get the spell past his resistance, (which by the time you face the guy, shouldn't be hard) he suffers at least 1,333 HP of damage.  That's ridiculous.  Epic spells don't have that kind of power.  And it's worse for things without spell resistance and a lot of HP.

I personally prefer one of these house rules:  

Harm still has no save, but has a HP cap.  The spell will do 12.5 damage per caster level, so a 20th level Cleric will do 250 damage with the spell.  It's still very, very powerful but will not shave off thousands of hitpoints on one cast, either.

And number two, Harm does have a save,  if the save is failed the spell does damage as normal.  If the save is made the spell will do 10 damage per caster level.

Still, that's what I like, and it's probably because my players are just an inch or two from epic levels and I will soon be throwing things up against them that have too many HP for me to justify allowing so much damage from one spell without a save.  I also put a cap on Heal, as I did not like the idea of healing potentially millions of HPs with just one cast of one spell.  But that's me.


----------



## MasterOfHeaven

Wee Jas said:
			
		

> *
> 
> Not who would win the popularity contest.  Dartan doesn't want me to use spells so he threw down the hand to hand challenge but I agreed to quickly so he intelligently rethought the call out. lol   (damge reduction, negative energy attack and lich touch are my friends)
> 
> How many times can MoH vote anyhow?
> *





Pffft.  Everyone knows Dartan is the most bad arse character in the group.  Even Dr. Midnight secretly acknowledges it.  Just look at the site.  Does it say, "Vote for me, or I'll sic _Vek_ on you?"  Nay, it says, "Vote for me, or I'll sic *Dartan* on you."  The choice is clear.... vote Dartan!


----------



## MasterOfHeaven

By the way, how much did that negative energy shield cost?  It must've been a lot, since the only weapon I can compare it to from the core books is that weapon that takes away a level every time it scores a critical hit, although even then the target gets a fortitude save.


----------



## Taren Seeker

MasterOfHeaven said:
			
		

> *By the way, how much did that negative energy shield cost?  It must've been a lot, since the only weapon I can compare it to from the core books is that weapon that takes away a level every time it scores a critical hit, although even then the target gets a fortitude save. *




Actually, it's the energy Drain enhancement from DotF, and it's absolutely broken. For a +2 cost you can make an unlimited number of shield bashes per day each causing 1-4 neg levels, no save. In addition to the physical damage.

Doc, Great story. I would have voted for Dartan on your site but I couldn't find the who's better poll.

Nick


----------



## Breakstone

Woah!

Great cliffhanger, Doc!

Could the crazed mage possibly be Rafflorn?


----------



## MasterOfHeaven

Taren Seeker said:
			
		

> *
> 
> Actually, it's the energy Drain enhancement from DotF, and it's absolutely broken. For a +2 cost you can make an unlimited number of shield bashes per day each causing 1-4 neg levels, no save. In addition to the physical damage.
> 
> Doc, Great story. I would have voted for Dartan on your site but I couldn't find the who's better poll.
> 
> Nick *




Just refresh the main page if it's not the first poll you see.  The poll is below and right of the header, and you have to wait for the page to fully load.  

As for the Energy Drain enhancement....  Yes, that is broken.  Things like that are why I banned all supplements until I personally approve them, in my own game.  Isn't DoTF also the book that had that ridiculous Speed enhancement for armor?


----------



## Hammerhead

It was erratted, of course. To +7 Equivalent bonus.


----------



## Wee Jas

MoH.. can we get a list of house rules you use, magical item errata, spell eratta, so on and so forth. 

Then maybe we can start a thread devoted to all the stuff you'd change about the game so we don't have to suffer through it here.


----------



## Dr Midnight

*ONE WEEK LATER
ORTHOS*

_Onward Pounding Into Glory Ride
Sign Of The Hammer, Be My Guide
Final Warning! All Stand Aside!
Sign Of The Hammer, It’s My Time_
*-SIGN OF THE HAMMER, Manowar* 

They crested a hill. Plains of grass waved all around them. The wind whipped their capes and hair around them. “Is that it?” Orthos asked. 

“Yes. Verbobonc.”

Once a great and thriving independent city, Verbobonc’s ruins lay before them. For miles, the overgrown rubble of buildings, keeps and houses spawled about. Piles of brick reached up from the ground like the hands of skeletons clawing from the earth. The fields, once overflowing with grain and crops, lay brown and dead on the hills surrounding the town. Small earthen huts were erected here and there, and people tried very hard to go on living. 

Most baffling among the incredible range of shattered buildings was the castle. An enormous keep stood unspoiled on one hill at the edge of the ruins, facing them. Steam plumed up around it like wisps of smoke from a doused campfire. The keep’s walls were in disrepair and the banners flapped rotten and ragged from the spires… but the keep was obviously untouched by the hellish rampage of the dragon. 

Nanny had told them what he could manage on the ride here. Kizzlorn and the others had only the vaguest idea of the history of Spellforge Keep from his telling. They knew that Rafflorn and Katya had won the keep somehow and built Nanny there with the help of someone named Mormont. They knew that one night, something attacked the town and destroyed it, so the Spellforges picked up and moved West. They filled in the blank about the creature being the dragon that had followed them early on in life. Everything else was unknown. Kizzlorn only knew that she now had a birthright to reclaim. It drove her. It powered the fire in her eyes. 

In the last Inn they’d stayed at, they’d asked questions about Spellforge Keep and Verbobonc. “Don’t as hear it from me,” the barman said, leaning forward. “But I’ve h’ard tell there’s a lich what taken up residence in the bowels o’ that place. Strange doings, there. Have a care and stay well away.”

Here they stood, now, on a hill overlooking the valley of the ruined city. A passing resident who looked more like a filthy serf walked by carrying a basket of moldy mushrooms. “Old woman,” Kizzlorn called. “What can you tell us about that castle?”

The woman eyed the group suspiciously. “The castle? Dreadful place of dreadful things. I’d not step inside, milady, even wearing expensive armor and swords. They’ll do you no good ‘ere.” She lowered her voice to a whisper. “There’s tell of a black evil in it. Evil as can take your soul out’n your body. Evil as does not die.”

Orthos said “We have heard it is a lich that has taken control of the castle. Is this true?”

The woman’s eyes darted around nervously. “I can’t tell truthfully, my lord. I only seen bizarre red and green lights flashing through the castle’s lower windows at night, a few times. Often, some well-to-do party of adventurers and plunderers comes round to raid the castle. They don’t come out again.”

“We won’t be raiding the castle,” Kizzlorn announced. “We’ll be taking it back. Spellforge Keep is mine by right. I am Rafflorn Spellforge’s daughter.”

At that, the old woman’s eyes turned fierce, and she spat on the ground. “Then a curse on you,” she growled. “A lich’s torment is all a Spellforge has right to. I say go to it, and leave Verbobonc in the ashes your father laid it in.” She hustled away. 

“She wasn’t terribly friendly,” Garren said. 

“I suppose the townspeople blame my parents for what happened.” Kizz looked saddened, but only briefly. “Let’s go,” she said, kicking her horse in the ribs. “We’ve got a lich to kill.”

They tied the horses off outside the Keep. Orthos said his prayers to Moradin. As he did, Ziad spoke to Garren. “Are you certain you wish to come inside? You can’t even remember your place, much less how you did your fighting. This isn’t your fight to begin with.” 

Garren looked fearful but resolute. “I’m thankful to you four for saving me from the mirror. If I can help in any way, I will. Besides… this is exciting.” He drew his sword and tested it clumsily with a grin. 

Nanny unscrewed several small pieces of his arms and legs. He rescrewed them together into a long staff. He removed from his back two four-foot wide bladed sections fitted there by Kizzlorn’s father long ago. He affixed them to the staff, one at each end. Nanny’s thirteen-feet long double-bladed axe was now completed and ready to destroy. 

Orthos finished his prayer and took his warhammer from his back. It was a huge and wickedly brutal piece of metal. Each head bore a flattened teardrop shape, connected in the center by an anvil. The Tear of Moradin, he called it. He swung it through the air once or twice, grinning at the way its familiar balance pleased him. “Everyone ready?”

They walked into the castle, across the already open drawbridge. It’s as through intruders weren’t minded at all… or, in fact, welcomed. No one liked it. 

Kizzlorn gasped as she stepped into her father’s great hall. Dust covered everything. Long tables ran the length of the hall. On one wall was mounted a colossal sword that was wreathed in fire. Water poured onto it from an endlessly emptying pitcher mounted above. The constant hissing was maddening in the dim room. The steam flowed upwards and into tunnels. Cobwebs blanketed every surface. “Base-ment this way,” Nanny said. He still knew this castle fairly well, though he wasn’t permitted to roam much when he’d stayed here. 

They walked slowly down a spiral staircase hewn from stone. At the bottom, eerie torches lit a long corridor before them. Silence. Orthos took the last step from the stairs, and his foot clicked on the cobblestone it found. At once, liquid sprayed them from maybe six different hidden nozzles in the darkness. They sputtered and held their breath until Ziad gasped. The torchlight showed him perfectly well what had sprayed them. “B… blood!”

“What kind of madness…” Orthos muttered in disgust, shaking his arms of the gore. A deep, heavy ratcheting sound echoed towards them from far down the hall. They all looked down the corridor as the echoing sounds took forever dying. They waited. 

A scratchy, scrambling sound, from far down the corridor. “Running,” Kizzlorn said, readying her shortspear. “Several animals running.”

They all stood dripping with blood watching the darkness. The torchlight reflected off of a pair of eyes. Then another. Then, a horrible baying cry. From the dark ran a pack of undead wolves. The scent of the blood drove them mad with hunger. 

Orthos jumped towards them, uttering a cry to Moradin. He cleaved a wolf clean in two. Ziad and Kizzlorn fell back with spells, and Garren tried his hand at fighting. Scared though he was, he rushed up. A wolf flattened him and almost ripped out his throat before the Tear of Moradin spattered its skull against the wall. “Fight, fight to the last,” Orthos was yelling. Nanny waded through the wolves, stomping them when he could. They couldn’t hurt him with claw and fang. 

When the wolves were all killed, the group pulled themselves together. Garren was injured. He was given a potion, but it didn’t do all its work. The entire party now had blood on their clothes and faces and by that their spirits felt panicked. 

They walked past the cage that had held the wolves and rounded a corner. Here they found a small room with a door on one end. On the door were words. The group entered the room, and a portcullis slammed shut behind them. Immediately, the ceiling above them began grinding slowly downward. From it were growing long iron spikes, each about a foot apart, and each a half a foot long and growing. Nanny reached up and managed to slow their descent with his might, but only slightly. Kizzlorn read the words on the locked door. 

_My first is born but once and dies nine deaths.

My middle is the Heart of Alarm.

My last arranges the Locks of Golden Thread,

And can be found on the Morning Caller’s Head._

“Hurry! What’s it mean,” Garren shouted, badly shaken. 

“Uh… nine deaths… uh… cat! Middle… heart of… What’s… oh, I know! A. Cat a. Locks of- Comb! CATACOMB!”

The ceiling stopped, and redrew itself up to the ceiling. The doors behind them and before them opened. They picked themselves up and walked on. 

“I wish Niffler were here,” Orthos moaned. “He was always good at this stuff.” They all missed the halfling- except for Garren, of course, who’d never known him. They rounded another corner, and looked towards a door maybe thirty feet ahead. “WAIT!” The dwarf had spotted something. “Everyone be still. See that patch of stone up ahead by that door? It’s of a different cut and color than the floor around it. Another trap.”

“I’ll set it off,” Kizz announced. “A little MAGE HAND will turn the knob and unleash the trap, I think. Everyone stand back.” From twenty feet back, she used her magic to turn the knob of the door. 

And the floor beneath them opened down a seam between the rocks. 

They plunged into ice-cold water. Nanny, who was made of stone and metal, sank beneath the surface immediately. Ziad and Orthos struggled to stay afloat, but their armor was pulling them quickly down. Kizzlorn and Garren alone managed to tread water. It was a good three feet to the edge of the walkway above them. SHINK!! A series of parallel steel rods, each ten inches apart, extended from the wall to the other side above them. It began to slowly move downward. It would push them beneath the surface and drown them in less than a minute. 

Garren yelled “Kizzlorn, do something!”

She thought quickly, but nothing came. “I don’t know what I can do!”

“DO ANYTHING!”

What with all the yelling and splashing, it was a wonder Kizz heard the scrape of boots on the cobbles above them. She wrapped her hands around the descending bars, looked up with her terrified eyes, and saw a man’s form covered in hideous black armor. Horns sprouted from his devilish helm. Ragged gray bits of cloak hung from his shoulders. Red light gleamed where his eyes should have been. 

“Little flies. I always like how you writhe, though the web will not release you.” Vek Mormont laughed down at them. "Wee Jas grants you the gift of death.” 

*More to come…*


----------



## Breakstone

HOLY WOAH!

Doc...

that's... that's some good stuff there...


----------



## MasterOfHeaven

Wee Jas said:
			
		

> *MoH.. can we get a list of house rules you use, magical item errata, spell eratta, so on and so forth.
> 
> Then maybe we can start a thread devoted to all the stuff you'd change about the game so we don't have to suffer through it here. *




Now now, no reason to get so defensive.  I like discussing rules and the reasons behind them, and since the matter came up in the thread, I saw no reason not to talk about it.  But since you object, I'll stop.  

Great job as always Doc. I really like the traps you came up with for the Spellforge Keep.  Very inventive.


----------



## Malachai_rose

*ack*

it would appear that poor Vek has slid off the deep end into that abyss known as insanity... or possibly he just went frickin evil. Either way it would seem Vek in entered into what I like to call NPC land. Ahh well, I mean it's possible he will join them but seeing how hes an evil undead lich that is ranting about flies and how he likes to see people die, it seems unlikely a group of good adventurers would just let that kind of thing go... but ya never know I guess, heh, great story as always Doc and lookin forward to more from the new knights.


----------



## Immort

I don't know, Vek worships the goddess of death.  He is protecting his home, and well, he is a lich.  None of this seems screamingly out of character fer him.  He could very well have gone npc but it'd be a damn shame fer the only continuity of the story bein' one little spell tossin' waif with a broke down castle and a cursed out name.

-Immort


----------



## madriel

Vek better be ready to apologize.  That's his new landlady he's trying to drown.  Imagine the back rent he owes.


----------



## MasterOfHeaven

Yeah.  And how is Kizzlorn ever going to get that smell out?!  

By the way, it's certain Vek is making a return.  Veks player has alluded to that fact, as has Doc, and he's clearly playing in the campaign.  The characters section on Docs site has three blank spaces, so I'm assuming one will be Vek, one will be Dartan, and I have no idea who the third will be.  

By the way Doc, I note that Nanny is a character on that list...  Is an actual player controlling Nanny?


----------



## Gumby

This sounds like _such_ a cool campaign.


----------



## Wee Jas

Lilith had been a necromancer of great power but in her lust for knowledge she grew to love chaos and revoked Wee Jas as her goddess. When she died the death goddess punished her by trapping her soul in a shield. 

Lilith +1 small spiked shield of energy drain, damage d6  critical x3
* Lilith drains 1d4 levels from a living creature upon striking, the negative levels remain for 5 hours before disappearing, see the 4th level wizard/cleric spell Enervation, saving throw: none

Market Value: 9,159gp

The shield is the image of a beautiful woman one moment and a horrible vampire the next.  The spikes are fangs that latch on to an opponent and suck the very life out of them.  Woe to those who handle Lilith carelesslly.

(Vek has taken the image of Lilith as his own crest.  It is a constant reminder to him and his allies of what happens to those who betray the Crimson Lady)


----------



## Taren Seeker

Wee Jas said:
			
		

> *
> Lilith had been a necromancer of great power but in her lust for knowledge she grew to love chaos and revoked Wee Jas as her goddess. When she died the death goddess punished her by trapping her soul in a shield.
> 
> Lilith +1 small spiked shield of energy drain, damage d6  critical x3
> * Lilith drains 1d4 levels from a living creature upon striking, the negative levels remain for 5 hours before disappearing, see the 4th level wizard/cleric spell Enervation, saving throw: none
> 
> Market Value: 9,159gp
> 
> The shield is the image of a beautiful woman one moment and a horrible vampire the next.  The spikes are fangs that latch on to an opponent and suck the very life out of them.  Woe to those who handle Lilith carelesslly.
> 
> (Vek has taken the image of Lilith as his own crest.  It is a constant reminder to him and his allies of what happens to those who betray the Crimson Lady) [/B][/QUOTE]
> 
> Nice history on the shield, Vek. I know I try to inject a little history into the items I carry, or the DM does it for me.
> 
> It's still broke though. :p*


----------



## Wee Jas

It rarely ever comes into play.  As a high level spellcaster I'm not usually butting heads with the big baddies in HtH combat.  It's more for flavor.

When we fought the 2 Tyrannasaurous Half Dragons (The first time) I did wreck holy havok on the White one who decided to swallow me.. that was great.  Doc described the dragon getting all old and withered as I tore out of it.  Thats before I used my alter any situation card to replan that attack so everyone wouldn't die


----------



## Dr Midnight

> Great job as always Doc. I really like the traps you came up with for the Spellforge Keep. Very inventive.



Thanks, but the first trap and the riddle from the second are taken from the excellent TRAPS & TREACHERY.



> it would appear that poor Vek has slid off the deep end into that abyss known as insanity... or possibly he just went frickin evil.



Hmm, I dunno, seems to me he's defending himself from some raiders HE'S never seen before...



> I don't know, Vek worships the goddess of death. He is protecting his home, and well, he is a lich. None of this seems screamingly out of character fer him.



Ding ding ding! Prize goes to Immort.



> By the way, it's certain Vek is making a return. ... the characters section on Docs site has three blank spaces, so I'm assuming one will be Vek



So you're assuming, but it's certain? What's that they say about assuming making an ASS out of U and MING? 



> This sounds like such a cool campaign.



Nah, it all just devolves into butt jokes two chapters in. You'll see. 

Thanks people! Three more chapters to go... one for each character to join the group before the game begins.

I just want to say that Vek slamming Lilith into the T-Rex's stomach from within was so cool. I just thought that was great.


----------



## Broccli_Head

Now I am a BIG Dartan fan, but after seeing the reappearence of Vek Mormont, I have to tip my hat. But is he good or evil or just mad?

I like the entry of Mr. Lich, and am looking forward to how Kizz extracates herself from this situation. 

Now, this is still creative liscence, correct? This hasn't been played out?


----------



## Dr Midnight

*ONE SECOND LATER
VEK*

_Tell me why I had to be a powerslave
I don’t want to die, I’m a god, why can’t I live on?
When the life-giver dies, all around is laid waste
And in my last hour I’m a slave to the power of death_
*-POWERSLAVE, Iron Maiden* 

The bars were slowly pushing Kizzlorn under the water, along with the gasping, panicking Garren. She shook them, kicked at the wall, and thought as quickly as she could. Nothing was going to work, she could see- they were going to be submerged within another ten seconds. The lich stood above them, laughing with his cold voice.

She glared up at him with blazing eyes. “You can’t do this.” 

“Can, and am,” the laughing black armored thing said. 

She squeezed her head between two bars as they began to touch the water. She felt the water climb up around her ears and towards her mouth. “I swear it now, I WILL reclaim my father’s castle, you monst-“ 

The bars pushed her underwater. Her hands grasped the air above and her mind turned on ideas an plans as fast as she could think, and none would work. Her entire party was dying. Abruptly, she felt herself moved downwards. A roaring noise came to her ears, and she found herself laying on the bottom of the pool. Water rushed around her and was gone. She gasped for breath, as did her friends around her. Orthos and Ziad especially coughed and sputtered. They’d been pulled under instantly, and very nearly died. They lay about at the bottom of the thirty foot deep pit, which was coated in algae.

“I’m sorry,” the lich said, taking his hand from a lever. “Did you say your father?”

She looked up in confusion and let her hand creep to her belt to grab a spell component. “Yes, my father. I am called Kizzlorn Spellforge.”

“My most sincere apologies, my lady,” he said with the sound of smile in his voice. “I am Sir Vek Mormont. Why, curse my soul, is that Nanny?” He looked down at the moistened shield guardian with delight. “It is!”

“How do you know Nanny?” Kizz didn’t trust him at all, but this was certainly better than drowning. 

“I helped build him,” Vek said. “Oh, this is most fortunate. I’ve been looking for those.” He gestured down into the pit. The party looked down and found they were lying on a carpet of slime-slicked bones. 

The pensive party were helped out of the pit and led down the hallway. “Walk where I walk,” Vek said. “Touch nothing.”

They came to a large room where Vek turned and spoke cordially. “So. A Spellforge child. I suppose it’s about time, eh? How old are you?”

“I am seventeen.”

“My word. I rarely pay attention to the passing of years, so its occasional reminders do surprise me. How is your father?”

Kizz looked at him with a wounded glance. “You don’t know? Seems to me that a friend of my father’s would know he’s been dead the last sixteen years.” 

“Dead,” Vek repeated without changing his amused tone. “How?”

“He went off to fight the white wyrm of the North and never returned.”

This time his tone did change, to alarm. “They went to fight Acessiwal?! Why didn’t they contact me?”  

“Uh… I believe my aunt Kyla sent invitations to other heroes they’d known from around the Flanaess.”

Vek understood. He whispered low, in a very cold voice. “Kyla. Too proud to stand side by side and fight with me, if she could help it. A curse on Pelor and his flock.”

Orthos, nearby, hissed through chattering teeth. “A-a-any chance of drying our c-clothes? I’m ffffreezing here.” 

Vek swept into his graceful hostly manner once more. “I apologize once more, master dwarf!” He motioned at a pile of wood in the corner he was keeping aside for a trap, and it burst into flame. “First I try to drown you, now I try to freeze you. I no longer feel cold, so please pardon my inconsideration.” It was indeed very cold down here. The smell of death was rather strong as well. 

“So you adventured with my father,” Kizzlorn asked, turning her hands over the fire but never putting her back to the lich.

“Yes. We were the Knights of the Silver Quill. A mighty adventuring group. We won this castle, we saved the world. Tell me, if he didn’t tell you he had a companion he’d left behind in his keep, how did you know there was a keep at all? I mean, you were an infant when he died. How did you learn of your lineage?”

“I found a deed to this castle at the tower of Myriachus the black. The rest I’d heard from my brothers, who were only old enough to hear just a few tales when my parents left us.”

“Brothers, yes,” Vek said, thinking. “Two?” 

“Yes, why?”

“An old prophecy. Two boys and a girl. Fiery red hair.”

“I think of myself as strawberry blonde, thank you very much,” she replied dryly. “Our births were foreseen?”

“Yes... A few things were. Your parents had a fortune teller at their wedding, and she told some cheap fortunes that happened to come true. Your births, our battle with Acessiwal, Jettok’s death, my loneliness in undeath (which isn’t SO unbearable, mind you), Kyla’s being ‘called upon again’ by Pelor… did that ever happen, before she died? That and Dartan’s quest for the dragon.” 

“Dragon? You mean Acessiwal?” 

“No. Some other, a gold dragon by the name of Gorgoldand. Our partymate, Dartan, was obsessed with locating it. He was the last of his original party, and felt some odd pull to complete the quest.” He made a dismissive gesture with his hand. 

Kizz and her partymates froze. That’s right- her parents had been part of Gorgoldand’s final adventuring group! Could this “Dartan” be the clue they needed to find him? Someone obsessed with finding him must have had some luck and found out some things they hadn’t. 

“Gorgoldand. Where have I heard that name before?” Garren mused aloud.

“He was a rather famous wizard. You could have heard of him. Or you may have just overheard Kizz and I talking about him for the last week,” Orthos laughed. 

Kizzlorn cleared her throat and asked “Where can we find Dartan?”

 “Forget it. He’s become something of a hermit, to my understanding. Moved to a small hut some miles southeast of here. We don’t keep in contact. Too much of a rivalry, I think. People always were wondering which of us would best the other in combat. After the party broke up, I think he may have fled in fear,” Vek laughed. 

“Tell us how to find him,” Kizz said, sounding perhaps more commanding than she’d intended to.

“I see that old familiar spark in your eye. Just like your mother, you are. Except, of course, you’re not dead.” He laughed again. 

Kizzlorn darkened. “Do not joke about my mother’s death.”

“Why not? All life is a joke, and death comes to us all.”

They left Spellforge Keep that night with dry clothes, feeling refreshed, if not entirely comfortable with having met Vek Mormont. His creepy presence made one’s skin feel like it was trying to peel off.

“I’m glad to be away from HIM,” Ziad said after some miles had passed away. 

Kizzlorn looked straight ahead as they walked. “I’m going to invite him into the group.”

The others stared at her. “WHAT?! Why? We can’t possibly trust him, Kizz! Did you smell him at all? Did you hear him speak? He’s a lich!”

“He’s not evil. I believe this. Besides, if my parents trusted him, that’s good enough for me. We need someone with his power and knowledge. Vek Mormont is a dangerous man”

In the moonlight, the woods were closing in about them. Orthos looked at the map Vek had drawn for them. “According to this, we’re getting pretty close. Just a short while on, and we should find this Dartan’s house.”

“There! Is that it?” Kizzlorn pointed through the woods to a small house in a small clearing. No lights were on. 






“Could be,” Garren said. “Looks like he’s not at home. What do we do n… wait, what’s that noise?”

The noise was like a crashing in the branches of the trees above them, to their rear. They whirled, drawing weapons, in time to see a huge log swing horizontally down to them on hemp ropes. It smashed into them, sending them flying. Nanny tipped over with a metal REE-ENK. 

Only Garren managed to duck the log, and now turned his head, eyes wide, trying to survey the forest around him. All he saw was the barely moonlit forest floor, and black trunks of trees. Where did the attack come from? He backed up against some shrubbery and yelled, “Are you hurt? Get up quickly, I fear another attack while we’re distracted!”

From the blackness of the huge bush behind him, without a sound, a gloved hand slowly reached forward into the moonlight. It slapped over his mouth like a snake made of lightning. The other hand appeared, holding a razor sharp foot-long hunting knife. It went to Garren’s throat. 

Dartan the Godless leaned forward from the darkness into view over Garren’s left shoulder. His face was aged and hardened, all angles. His lower lip curled open as he spoke. 

“I’ve been wondering when you were going to come and try to kill me, Jamison.” 

*More to come…*


----------



## Grim

SWEEEEEEET!

I was the number 4 fan of the origional story hour, and just noticed this! I love it!

My only question is, what level is the current "party", and what level is the old one?


----------



## Horacio

Dartan is back!
Vek is back!

Let's party begin


----------



## Jon Potter

*Wha-???*



			
				Dr Midnight said:
			
		

> *Dartan the Godless leaned forward from the darkness into view over Garren’s left shoulder. His face was aged and hardened, all angles. His lower lip curled open as he spoke.
> 
> “I’ve been wondering when you were going to come and try to kill me, Jamison.”
> *




So the question now is: has Dartan gone a bit daft in his dotage or is our friend, Mr. No Memory, the Mirror Man, really Jamison? And if he's really Jamison has he really lost his memory or is the  Garren persona all a ploy? And in either case, why hasn't Snooky recognized his master's former apprentice?

Apparently there's more than one question...


----------



## Wee Jas

> “Oh, this is most fortunate. I’ve been looking for those.” He gestured down into the pit. The party looked down and found they were lying on a carpet of slime-slicked bones.




THAT was funny.  lol.  Seems I am a bit insane


----------



## Dr Midnight

*Re: Wha-???*



			
				Jon Potter said:
			
		

> *And in either case, why hasn't Snooky recognized his master's former apprentice?
> 
> Apparently there's more than one question... *




Let me answer that with another question: Where did we last see Snooky?


----------



## Ziona

Snooky was all tuckered out from his spell, sleeping in Nanny's arms...


----------



## Dr Midnight

----------
Nan-ny find.” The shield guardian was gingerly cradling the cat’s body against his chest. “Snooo-kee a-sleep.”

“Knocked out, eh? Poor thing. He did jump right at Myriachus to deliver that spell.” She took Snooky and poured a potion into his mouth. She then laid him in the bottom of her knapsack so he could rest. “He took a pretty good blow. He won’t be up and around for a while.”
----------


----------



## Broccli_Head

I am glad the both Vek and Dartan are back.  I see that both are a bit older and a little crazed...each in his own way. 

Or is Kizz crazier for wanting to ask Vek into the group?


----------



## Thorntangle

Doc, have you worked in theater? Because you are the master of setting the stage


----------



## avangel

Where the heck is Tsunami!?!  Is he sick?  Not even  'woah' when I need one!

Thats the last time I name my horse after him!


----------



## Wee Jas

*Tsunami:* Vek's Black Heavy Warhorse  
hp:30 
Ac17 (Black Studded Leather Armor)


----------



## Dr Midnight




----------



## Taren Seeker

Heh...that's some fine photohaxoring there Doc.


----------



## Immort

Doc yer fergot the end bracket in yer last update there.  So the kitty cat has been sleepin' in the backpack fer the whole time?  That wuz one hell of a nap.  Did they leave him somewhere when they went ta the keep?  I woulda thought the bath in the trap woulda at least woken ihim up.  All in all though, yer keepin' us slaverin' fer more.  I liked the little ribbing about Dartan vs. Vek.  Heh.

-Immort


----------



## Dr Midnight

Immort- Snooky was knocked into a coma by a devastating spell that almost killed him. He has been sleeping at the bottom of Kizz's pack for a week now. 

My fault for not mentioning it again. I may edit that in. 

Grim- good to see you here!

May have some more for you here tomorrow.


----------



## Cheiromancer

Dr Midnight said:
			
		

> *May have some more for you here tomorrow. *




*Dances with glee*


----------



## Horacio

Wainting for that update...


----------



## Breakstone

Ha ha ha!

Sorry, Doc and Avengal, but I've had some sort of a life recently... no time to check up on my favorite story hour...

Anyway, where was I?

Ah, yes...


Woah!!!

Heh, Vek mentioned people wondering who would win in a battle (cough, MasterofHeaven, cough)...

Jamison! Gasp! Is he still evil?


----------



## d12

*d12 turns off the amazing lurking device.*


I just wanted to say that I'm glad to see this is back.  I've read it all over on Doc Midnight's site and love it.  This is what convinced me to run my current campaign throught the RttToEE [and the current PC body count is 5].


*d12 re-lurks*


----------



## Jamison Crow




----------



## Horacio

Good use of Hero Machine!


----------



## fenzer

*Love it*

It's good to have  Vek and Dartan back.  I have a character that I started playing back in 1980, old and angry.  Dartan reminds me of him.

This is great stuff, Doc.  Keep it coming!


----------



## Breakstone

Say, Vek, is Tsunami the horse still around?

And when you ride him, do you say "Woah, Tsunami!"

Oh, and, Doc, I love that picture... heh heh heh


----------



## Metus

*Hey doc!*

I was a big fan of the KotSQ when they were around, and I've come back for more!  Recently finished reading all the interludes, and I have to admit I didn't like how the kids treated Lord Belthor.  I mean, he was paying for them out of his own pocket, and they didn't seem too appreciative.  Also checked your website and noticed Jill left as a player.  Sorry to hear that, as I liked Hannah and Kyla.

Anyways, looking forward to more!


----------



## The_Demoniac

Interesting.  I find it fascinating Dartan recognized Jamison, and Vek did not.  Does Dartan have some kind of True Seeing ability, or did he recognize Jamison another way?

By the way, are we supposed to vote on the Dartan Vs. Vek poll based on mechanics or literary merit?  In other words, mechanically speaking, Superman should always win against Batman.  But since Batman is a much more interesting/"cool" character, he somehow defeats Superman practically every time they come in conflict with each other.  So what are we supposed to be basing our votes on?

And of course, great story hour, I'm an old fan of the KotSQ story hour, and it's good to see you back.


----------



## Salthorae

*Jamison?*

Or maybe Dartan is mistaken...I mean he's getting up there in years now, mayhap his eyesight is on the fritz?  

Just thought i'd jump in with my opinion for once instead of being in super lurk mode


----------



## Taren Seeker

IIRC, Vek never met Jamison. It was immediately after the Great Betrayal, that lo, did Dartan come to the great city, and there was a mighty restocking. Of PC's that is.


----------



## The_Demoniac

Hmmm...  you know, that's right.  Jamisons player switched to Rafflorn, I think, and Erasmus' player brought in Vek.  Well, that makes sense.  Oops.


----------



## Xaltar

Actually, 

I was Rafflorn (and Dekker, Mallick, Menerous).  Jamison's player became Jettok, the chaotic dwarf.

You are correct, they never did meet.


----------



## Thorntangle

Taren Seeker said:
			
		

> *IIRC, Vek never met Jamison. It was immediately after the Great Betrayal, that lo, did Dartan come to the great city, and there was a mighty restocking. Of PC's that is. *



Maybe a little late but, Doc, get your bid in for the new named spell:
*Dr.Midnight's Everchanging Dramatis Personae*


----------



## Wee Jas

> Superman should always win against Batman. But since Batman is a much more interesting/"cool" character




Superman is a big brute while Batman is super intelligent with Kryptonite gloves and unlimited resources.  Batman would rock him!

I see Sir Vek like Thanos. He loves Death and would do anything to please her.  That makes him a tad bit insane.  In the end he will try to prove himself to her on a grand scale the forces of good will stop him (as a combined effort).


----------



## wolff96

The_Demoniac said:
			
		

> *In other words, mechanically speaking, Superman should always win against Batman.  But since Batman is a much more interesting/"cool" character, he somehow defeats Superman practically every time they come in conflict with each other.*




Superman is Lawful Good.  Batman is Chaotic Good.  Of course Batman always wins! Since he cares only about the end result, he has no moral limitiations to what he will do to succeed in whatever his current goal is.

They actually did a good job with this in a recent JLA: Superman holds a captive up against a wall and then raises a fist and threatens him. The prisoner, knowing Superman wouldn't hurt a captive, basically laughs in his face.

Superman ends up wandering away muttering something along the lines of "How does he (Batman) do it?" Superman can level planets, but he can't Intimidate a simple crook because he has limitations. Batman doesn't. And the villains know that.

That's the beauty of Dartan vs. Vek -- neither of them is morally limited. 

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

On a tangent, I have to say that I really respect the player of Dartan. Forgoing all the powers of a paladin, he is basically playing an NPC warrior. Getting a quick atonement and regaining his lost abilities has to be a temptation from a player standpoint, but he doesn't take it because it would be so out of character.

Go, Dartan!  (Of course, Vek would still win in a fight... Sorry.)


----------



## Immort

Always cracks me up how the comic books like ta take superman down a peg any chance they get.  'Course it usually involves makin' superman act incredibly stupid, and givin' all sorts of special equipment and scenarios ta the other guys that they never seem ta use in their own mags.  Like batman wearing power armor despite the fact that it ain't part of his normal schtick.

Long and the short of it is, ya may like batman's attitude better, (I personally don't but you might) but without some writer beefing him up beyond all limits ta even the odds, he could NEVER take the big S.  Oh, and get real folks, batman is chaotic good? Ya gotta be kidding.  Chaotic neutral with good tendencies maybe.

-Immort


----------



## Dartan

Doc we need an update so i don't have to read everyone going on about Batman & Superman...boring.


----------



## fenzer

Dartan said:
			
		

> *Doc we need an update so i don't have to read everyone going on about Batman & Superman...boring. *




Thank you Dartan.

Please post Doc, please.


----------



## Dr Midnight

Flashes of memory. Pieces. Little bits that don’t add up to much. These all flood in.

He remembered.

*FIFTEEN YEARS AGO
JAMISON*

_Give me the sense to wonder
To wonder if I’m free
Give me a sense of wonder
To know I can be me_
*-CAN I PLAY WITH MADNESS, Iron Maiden*  

Jamison ran through the woods. His breath came in quick, deep rasps. His eyes were wild and his hair stuck to his face. He crashed through the woods. He tripped on a vine and sprawled out onto the dirt. He glanced back and heard them crashing through the woods towards him. 

He’d been spending the last three weeks moving from town to town, posing as a lad named Garren. With the hunters not far behind, it was all he could do to assume different names and run when he could. It was no kind of life to live. Now, they had found him again and this time it didn’t look like he was going to make it. 

The deep, guttural voice yelled “Find him! Smell him! He can’t have gone far!” They were close behind. He got back up and kept running. 

CRACK!

A whip curled around his neck and he jerked short. The wind squeezed from his throat and he clawed at the whip’s end. “I’VE GOT HIM!” One of them yelled. Jamison whirled and blasted the orc with a well-placed lightning bolt. It arced through the filthy plate mail, but the orc held the whip with a devil’s strength and Jamison could not break free. 

He pulled out his wand and aimed it, but CRACK! Another whip wound around his arm and yanked it back. The wand tumbled out of his grasp. Another CRACK and he was held at neck and both arms, standing there in the woods. 

He was surrounded by well-trained orc hunters mounted on large worgs. The monsters snarled and laughed as blood trickled down his neck into his cloak’s lining. His mouth twitched helplessly. Without his arms and components, he was all but powerless. 

From the woods stepped an enormous cowled figure. It was entirely cloaked in expanses of greenish-brown graincloth. The face was hidden in the shadows, but two yellow eyes gleamed out at him. “Crow,” it croaked. “You broke our deal.” He didn’t answer. It continued, “Where is The Orb?”

“I’ll never tell you where I put it. It’s safe from you.” Jamison choked out with a smile. 

“Oh, you’ll tell,” the thing chuckled. “You’ll tell as we pull strips of muscle from your arms and legs with hot irons, yes you will.”

“Never. Know why, you stupid slag? Because I’ve forgotten.” The cowled figure glared at him as he smiled his weak little smile. “You know I’d do it, too. Hid it in the best place I could think of and cast a spell on myself that wiped the location from my memory. I could never tell you, though I’m sure you could make me wish I knew.”

One orc said “He’s lying!”

The cowled figure murmured “He’s not.”

The other orcs stirred with hatred. “Let’s torture him anyway, then! He deserves the pains of the Abyss!”

“He deserves that, and more,” the leader said with its crumbling voice. “However, we still may salvage something from this if he’s alive. There is a wizard some distance away that may be able to help us. His name is Myriachus. We will give Crow to him- as a gift. I believe the two were rivals, for a time,” it smiled. “Before Crow lost his mind.”

“Before I regained it,” Jamison hissed. 

“What happened, Crow? Why the change of your little black heart? You were as evil and fiendish as any demon I’d come across. A joy to work with.”

“I wasn’t myself. I was under the control of an evil idol, and it stopped working.” 

“Nothing stops working,” the thing cackled. “Something happened.”

Jamison’s lip quivered over his clenched teeth. His eyes blazed with pain. “It was hell being what I was. Through it all, nothing was so horrid as what brought me back to myself.” He spat on the cloaked creature.

It barely noticed the insult. “None of it matters. Your master plan will go forward, with others playing your role. You’re perfectly replaceable, now that we know what to do. Plus, you know the best part, Crow?” It leaned forward with a smile in its gravelly voice. “The memory spell is tricky. You can erase certain things, of course, but if performed hastily, it can have dire side effects. Portions of memory become wiped out that you never intended to lose. Your mind becomes hazy. All of this can happen over a long period of time, if you don’t keep your wits about you. How much of your precious goodness will you remember when you’re released from your eons within the mirror?”

Jamison felt fear, but his life didn’t matter anymore. He deserved to die for the horrible things he’d done. If he were to lose himself in a mirror for all time, so be it. At least they’d never find The Orb. Never. That brought him comfort. 

The creature pulled out a glistening purple-red gem and held it in her cracked, enormous hand. Blackened nails sprouted four inches from the tips of thick, furred four-knuckled fingers. 

Jamison looked into the gem and wondered if he’d ever live again as he had. Before all this happened, he’d been a happy boy growing up in a happy town in a happy world. Would he ever return to  consciousness… much less a consciousness worth returning to?

He cried out as the gem gave off its flash of light. He was trapped. 

_*More to come...* _


----------



## Breakstone

Woah...

Y'know, Doc, I think it's a good decision, bringing Jamison Crow back to the side of good...

However, I do so hope Erasmus stays evil...

By the way, didn't Erasmus become an Arcane Archer?


----------



## fenzer

Thanks Doc.  I needed the fix.  Boy, I must say I am enjoying your music selection.  I wonder how poor Jamison is going to fair against an angry old Dartan.  Good luck little man.


----------



## Horacio

Wow, Doc, the story is wonderful and true game hasn't even begun... Superb, man, superb!


----------



## Dr Midnight

Thanks! Yes Tsunami, Erasmus was an arcane archer. Two quick things...

On the official site (www.dr-midnight.com/kotsq) there's been a lost chunk of story from Session 21 found. This hasn't ever been up on the site. It's where Jame Zon and his giant friend meet up and quest for melons. Funny stuff.

All my complete story hours are now downloadable at ENworld: http://enworld.cyberstreet.com/news...e=Downloads&file=index&req=viewdownload&cid=4 
Feng Shui: Six in the Chamber
Star Wars: Wrath of the Rebellion
KotSQ part I: Sessions 1-23
KotSQ part II: Sessions 24-35
They're all up there in .zipped docs, fully formatted with the images I posted them with. Download them and rate them, squeeze them, touch them, make them your little fancy boy. 

I'll try to post more tonight, but... it's BUFFY NIGHT! BUFFY BUFFY BUFFY BUFFY!


----------



## Malachai_rose

*I hear ya*

Season premier of Buffy or post.. hmm, not that tough of a choice really, heh, I'll be to busy watchin Buffy's lat season begin to read any post anyways, lol.


----------



## Horacio

Buffy!

Buffy!

Buffy! 

*Buffy!!!!*


----------



## wolff96

Mmmm...  Buffy.

And Willow. 

Yummy.

Excuse me, I have to go lie down now.


----------



## sparhawk

I just finished reading the entire story. I loved this. I would love to find a group where I live that could play a party like this instead of everybody being so selfish. Keep up the good work Doc.


----------



## maddman75

Hey doc - just started reading.  Why the heck didn't anyone tell me your story hour was so good!  .

Just wanted to drop a note that you got another reader and I love your writing style.


----------



## Razamir

Doc.... Great stuff! You inspire me with every write up. I'm so happy the Knights are back. Can't wait for the update after the 28th!

Love the new party too. Nanny rules! Props to Dartan's player for sticking with the same character for so long. Our group is playing the core modules and we have only one player that has been there from the begining.... not an easy task.

Doc.... when are you going to get an art gallery up with all the KOSQ Art?



Thanks for all the great reads,

Raz


----------



## Lazybones

I'm still reading page 6, but I wanted to get a comment in before I left work for the day (it's been slow, so I took a break from writing my own SH to do some reading).  

AWESOME.

What a roller-coaster of a thread.  I hadn't read the story for a while, and just caught up on pages 2-5.  Excellent use of vignettes to present an evolving history of new characters, and I love the way that you bring in old unresolved plot lines and characters.  Truly, your story hour has one of the best histories here at ENWorld, and the fact that so many of us have read and enjoyed the old tales makes revisiting them that much more engaging.  The use of graphics/banners is a nice touch, and your website is a great companion to the written work.  And the banter from the peanut gallery is often as entertaining as the story itself (I mean that affectionately, not as a dig).  

Keep writing; I think that as your craft improves you will have great success as a writer (regardless of whether you intend to do it for money).  Clearly you already have the storytelling aspect of the job well in hand.  

I look forward to popping back in and seeing more of another great ENWorld story to lighten another dull afternoon at work.

Lazy


----------



## Dr Midnight

Buffy Buffy BUFFY!

Aaaand I'm back. Does anyone else feel like that was a lackluster episode, or is it just me? I mean it was GOOD, but was it season opener good? 

Anyway. New/ returning readers!

Great to see you. Such nice things you're saying. Wish I could hug you... sniffle. I love when people come in and inflate my ego to bursting. I'd write more, but shouldn't I be writing something else right now? 

Yes. And off I go. Four more days to the new adventures.


----------



## wolff96

Dr Midnight said:
			
		

> *Aaaand I'm back. Does anyone else feel like that was a lackluster episode, or is it just me? I mean it was GOOD, but was it season opener good? *




I think it did a relatively good job of tying up last season's loose ends. I thought it was kind of funny that I watched Spike acting nuts and couldn't help but think of the Doomdreamers from Monte Cook's RttToEE. Especially when he makes the comment about "just the three of us" and Buffy totally misses it. The little cavalcade of past villains was unique... 

And I find it interesting that Willow apparently went from high level wizard to high level druid in a couple of months. 



> *Yes. And off I go. Four more days to the new adventures. *




Four more calendar days or four more episodes of the interim stories? Either way, it's great...

Did Jamison get his mind back (because the stone lost power) when the group defeated Imix?


----------



## Dr Midnight

*PART II*

Jamison now stood with a cold blade pressing against his throat. He had no spells, no plan, and no defense. Most especially, he had no excuse for Dartan to not murder him right there. He’d certainly earned anything the fallen paladin could do to him. He’d murdered their friends, along with Erasmus. Just turned and killed them in cold blood. 

The power of the Temple of Elemental Evil had warped them both to its will and made them murderers. He and Erasmus fled, attacking each other as they did. In the years after that, he hid from the light and did horrible things. A tear squeezed from one of his terrified eyes and rolled over Dartan’s hand. 

“Now you’ve come to kill me. Brought some little friends to do it, I see. Well, your friends are well taken care of… so I’m free to relish this. I’ve been looking forward to it long enough,” Jamison squealed as Dartan put the knife to his jugular. Dartan’s whisper was like old leather being stretched.  “Goodbye, murderous traitor. I’ll see you in Hell.” 

“NAN-NY!!!” The construct’s enraged buzzing distracted Dartan from his work. The others were on the ground, wheezing from the blow of the swinging log. Nanny had no lungs to knock the breath from, and he was the first to recover. He sat up. His eyes blazed bright orange. The swinging log lazily came back towards him, slowing as it swung freely back and forth. Nanny stood up into it, spreading his arms out, smashing it to a million tumbling toothpicks. “NAN-NY SMAAAAASH!!!” He turned to Dartan and began stomping towards him. “MAN HURT KIZZ-LORN! MAN DIE! NAN-NY DESTROY!!!” 

Not much scared Dartan. He’d faced down Imix, prince of the elemental plane of fire. He’d met his own father in mortal combat. He looked at Nanny and cursed, then ducked as an enormous metal fist flew at him. It bashed Jamison aside and he fell to the ground, unconscious. 

Dartan rolled to his feet and stood, pulling his longsword and swinging it in a gleaming arc to meet Nanny’s next attack. CLANGG!! Dartan pivoted, jumped off a tree, and bashed Nanny in the face with his pommel. The blow would have killed an ordinary man. He landed and clashed two cuts against Nanny’s arms that were swinging in to meet him. The cuts were so powerful that chips of metal flew from the construct’s body. Nanny caught the next blow in his hand and held the sword, then flicked his wrist. Dartan’s own wrist broke from the strain with an audible crack. Nanny grabbed him and held him a massive bear hug. “Nan-ny CRUSH!!!” Dartan bared his teeth, arched his back, and whipped his head forward. It smashed into Nanny’s own head- KUNG! Again. KUNG!! Again. KUNG!! KUNG!!! 

“Enough, Nanny, stop! Hold him!” Kizzlorn was shakily standing up. Nanny turned to look at her. His head was dented inwards, slightly, by the incredible power behind Dartan’s headbutts. One of his eyepieces was shattered and unlit. Dartan looked at her too. Blood cascaded down his brow, but he looked like he could easily go for more. “Whoever you are, we have you.” Her companions were picking themselves up behind her and readying for battle. “It’s five against one.”

He smiled at Kizzlorn, like a wolf. “No you haven’t.” He whistled, loudly and shrilly. Whistles returned to his from the woods around them. Kizzlorn and the others glanced about, suddenly feeling very vulnerable. “I don’t know where you and the wizard got Nanny,” he grunted, “but this scrap heap used to belong to a couple of friends of mine. If you’ve killed them, I’ll see to it that you die REAL slow.”

Kizzlorn kept her eyes to the woods and replied “I didn’t kill them.”

“If they aren’t dead, then why is a group led by Jamison Crow traveling with Nanny,” he asked with disdain. 

“I didn’t say they weren’t dead- I said I didn’t kill them. They are dead. Nanny is mine. As for ‘Jamison Crow’, I don’t know what you’re talking about, but you WILL give my friend a chance to speak in his defense before sentencing him to death, am I clear?”

He looked at her, really looked for the first time. “Kat. You’re… I mean… you must be… Damn me for a fool. What’s your name?”

She looked at him warily. “Kizzlorn.” 

“Kizzlorn Spellforge.”

“That’s correct. You are Sir Dartan?”

“I am no ‘Sir’,” he spat. “I am Dartan.”

“We’ve been looking for you. First, I have to know you won’t attack Garren… or whoever you say he is.”

“He’ll kill us all,” Dartan said. “He’s a traitor.”

“No, he won’t. We’ll tie him up and watch him. Are you willing to cooperate?”

He grimaced and nodded. “I suppose so.” 

“Nanny, put him down.” 

Nanny lowered Dartan to the ground. He picked his sword up with his left hand and sheathed it. “Nova! Blaze! We’re going to the house on peaceful terms- remain alert!”

Kizzlorn tied “Garren” up and bound his mouth. Nanny carried him as they all walked towards the darkened cabin in the woods. As they got closer, they saw that it was adorned in the holy symbol of Pelor- fiery sun medallions. Orthos remarked “Religious man, huh?” Dartan chuckled and lit a torch as they got closer. Cobwebs and rust clung to each holy symbol, and were in grave disrepair. 

“No,” Dartan the Godless replied with a growl.  

_*More to come…*_


----------



## Grim

{plot zombie}/

soooo.... coooooool.... need more.... love story hour....


BRAAAAAIIIIIIIINNNNNNS!
/{plot zombie}


----------



## Breakstone

Amazing stuff, Doc.

Just. Plum. Amazing.


----------



## Horacio

AMAZING, Doc. 

The first game is near, isn't it?


----------



## MasterOfHeaven

*DARTAN!!  DARTAN!!  DARTAN!!*


I was away for a bit...  Fantastic job, Doc.  Good to see Dartan won in that poll.  Clearly, he would be the victor!    By the way, does Nanny have DR?  I assume he does...  I'd have to go check, I suppose.  If he does, Dartan would either have to do major damage with his head, or perhaps he's now a Forsaker?  It would make sense.  Regardless, I eagerly look forward to more.  Thanks for the story, Doc.


----------



## wolff96

MasterOfHeaven said:
			
		

> *By the way, does Nanny have DR?  I assume he does...  I'd have to go check, I suppose.*




Unless Nanny is a unique Shield Guardian, no.

Shield Guardians are pretty much unique constructs in that they repair themselves -- Fast Healing 5 -- but unlike most of the other constructs they do not have Damage Reduction.

I looked it up.


----------



## Broccli_Head

Thanks Doc for bringing back Dartan!


----------



## Dr Midnight

Wow, two "amazing"s and a "soooooo coooooool"! Excellent. 

The next and LAST Interlude chapter comes up tonight. You know what this means: 

*DARTAN* 

Then, on Saturday, the game begins. 
I'll be back with Dartan's story tonight- see you then!


----------



## Dr Midnight

*PRESENT DAY
DARTAN*

_I Am An Outcast On The Path Of No Return
Punisher And Swordsman I Was Born To Burn
Black Wind Always Follows Where My Black Horse Rides
Fire's In My Soul
Steel Is On My Side_
*-BLACK WIND, FIRE AND STEEL, Manowar* 

The small cabin was appointed with only a few necessities, and no luxuries. Everything lay in dust and mess. Things were shattered: Old mirrors, plates, pieces of wall, bits of chairs. It seemed the only things left unharmed in the place were the holy symbols of Pelor- though coated in the leavings of time, they were left hanging on the walls beside bashed shards of framed paintings. 

Dartan looped his foot under a chair and turned it upwards. He set it on the ground. “Put Crow in this, tie him up,” he said. “I’m afraid the rest of you will have to sit on the floor. I’m fresh out of chairs.” 

He sat on the bed and said “Tell me of your parents, child. Tell me everything.” Kizzlorn began to speak. She talked of her parents, their quest to destroy the dragon, how they’d never returned. She talked about her childhood in Castle Greyhawk, growing up with her brothers and friends, and leaving to find her fortune. She spoke low about Acessiwal and how they’d not yet been confronted by him, but they would, for they were the Foes of the Winter Wyrm. She came to the quest to find the gold dragon. She took Snooky out of her bag and held him on her lap. The poor thing had been lying near death in a coma for a week. She petted him sadly as she finished her tale. 

They didn’t say anything for a while, and Dartan stared into his unlit fireplace, thinking. “I missed them. I should have gone with them to fight the dragon.”

“Why didn’t you? You were sent an invitation,” 

“Don’t ask me that,” warningly. Kizzlorn sat silently, but after a moment, Dartan began to speak again. He sighed and rubbed his forehead. The skin on his hands looked like old leather. “Shortly after the Knights disbanded, I joined another group. To feel sane again, you know. There, I met and fell in love with a woman… the Lady Arlen Naramis. Gorgeous. Kind. Everything I’m not. Long dark hair that looked like the surface of a lake at nighttime. After a time, she came to love me as well, and we left the group to be married. We bought this quaint little cabin in the woods. It was our honeymoon palace. 

“We were so happy. I’d never really been happy before. Bloodspray and battlecries were all I’d known. Now, I had a wife, who was soon with child, and I felt so full of hope and gladness that I began to let her god into my heart. Pelor. I’ve known many of his faithful, and they all seemed a decent lot. I thought maybe I was being too hasty in forsaking religion. I was once called ‘Dartan the Godless’, did you know that, child?” She shook her head. 

“No matter. I began to believe, and we hung Pelor’s trinkets about the house like fools. Faith was with me again and it felt good. The children were born: twin boys. We named them after aspects of Pelor. Blaze, whose black hair and kind demeanor mirrored his mother’s. Nova, with a head of dull, dark blond as mine had been before it went gray. Everything was wonderful.” He silenced for a full minute, staring into the fireplace. The group knew from the sad surroundins that the story did not there. 

“She was called off to fight another holy war. High priests and warriors of Pelor only. Otherwise, I’d have come with her. She said it was forbidden, and besides, someone had to watch the babies. I wished my wife well and stayed here. One week. Two. A month. I began to worry. I sent a carrier pigeon off to the local temple of Pelor to ask what had happened. I received a reply within a few days: ‘We regret to inform you that your wife was killed on the field of battle, serving the Shining One. She was cremated and her ashes were given to the land where she died, so that Pelor may glare upon it in His goodness. May He grant you strength in this trying time.’ That was it.

He sat there. They looked at him. He turned his head upwards to them. “She was mine, not HIS,” he said. “Leave alone that my wife died in some holy war for this ‘god’, never mind that I was not TOLD until I ASKED that my children were left motherless… but SHE WAS MINE. Her ashes should have come to ME. The damned church of Pelor took even that from me. That would at least be something. All I had to remember her by was this house and those holy symbols we covered it in.”

Kizzlorn said “You had the boys.”

He shook his head. “Pelor found a way to take THEM from me, too. I was mad with grief. Near suicidal. I was no kind of father. I took them to town and left them in the care of the Church.”

Ziad asked “If you hated the Church, why would you leave them there?”

”It’s what she would have wanted,” Dartan replied, his mouth twisting with the pain of it all. “I came back to my empty home. I sat here in hell for some time, doing nothing, hardly existing. I received your parents’ letter. ‘Come fight the dragon with us,’ it said. I couldn’t even muster the interest. Hate and despair had consumed each other, and left me broken on the floor when they were done. I crumpled the letter and threw it in the corner with one hand, and lifted a bottle of wine to my lips with the other. That’s how I lived after for years after my wife’s death.”

He stood up. “Now, I’m burned clean. I’m done with gods and their cursed holy wars. I’m through with it all. My boys have been raised to believe, and they’ve grown fine and strong. Me, I’m just waiting to die.” 

He looked down at his right arm and said “Could I trouble one of you for a healing potion? I think Nanny broke my arm.”

He was healed and the subject changed when Jamison began to stir in his chair. Dartan drew his sword and watched with predatory eyes. 

“Garren,” Kizzlorn asked. “Do you know anything about what Dartan has accused you of?”

Jamison raised his head with a frightened look and said “Yes. It’s true. All of it.”

The group looked around at each other, not really believing it. “Garren” had seemed very kind and childlike to them over the week they’d had together. They were coming to like his earnest way. 

“Well then,” Dartan said as he stood up, positioning the sword at Jamison’s chest. “Let’s get this over with.”

“NO,” Orthos said, standing up. “I can detect NO evil in this man.” The look Dartan gave him almost made him sit down again, but dwarves are stubborn and he remained standing. “Whatever was in him that made him commit these crimes you say he did is gone now.” 

“I used to DETECT EVIL all the time, too, cleric. I used it as a crutch. It’s not always reliable.”

“I will not allow you to execute a man for crimes committed under the influence of evil that is no longer with him. He can pay for what he’s done, perhaps, but this is no way to do it.” His voice was fierce, and he meant it.

Dartan stepped closer and towered over the dwarf menacingly. “You are a guest in my house, holy man.” The last two words he spat out like a curse. “I will do as I wish… especially with the madman that murdered his- and my- friends in cold blood.”

Kizzlorn stood. “I’m with Orthos, who is as good and true a person as I’ve ever known. If he says this prisoner has no evil left in him, I believe it. I also side with him in that you will NOT be allowed to kill him for these crimes.”

“As I,” Ziad said, also standing. 

“Nan-ny,” Nanny said, somhow sensing the tension in the air. 

Dartan eyed them all. He sheathed his sword. “Very well. However, I will make a demand, and this will not be refuted: If Jamison Crow will be allowed to walk the world, I will be there. I will come along and watch. If he so much as gives me reason to believe he’s pilfered a loaf of bread, I will destroy him.” 

Jamison spoke. “I will do as best I can to right the wrongs I have done.”

And that was that. “Fine, then,” Kizzlorn said in an annoyed voice. She was secretly happy to have Dartan volunteer to come along… they’d come in hopes that he could help in their quest. This was working out well. 

Dartan said goodbye to his sons. They were like younger versions of him, but one had dark hair and grey-green eyes, and one had light hair and hard, drawn features. Both wore the symbols of Pelor on their chestplates. They bade their father a good adventure and Dartan told them to go back to town. 

They set out. The daylight was coming, and they walked for Spellforge Keep. Kizzlorn worked up her courage and asked “Dartan, our quest is to find the gold dragon Gorgoldand. We came to you because we had learned that you quested to find him yourself some years ago. We were hoping you would be able to tell us something that may help us.”

Dartan blinked, then laughed. It was a cold and cruel sound- not so much like laughter as it was like the baying of a direwolf. “Why not ask Crow? He’s the dragon’s bloody adopted son.” 

Kizzlorn looked at Jamison in surprise and asked as much as she could. As they walked, it became clear that Jamison knew no more than they did. If he’d known any part of it during his time of evil, he’d forgotten it now. All he had to go on was that the cowled figure had held up a gem and trapped him- which, as Snooky had recounted a year earlier, was how Gorgoldand had disappeared in the first place. Was he in some mirror, somewhere?

They reached Spellforge Keep and walked down to Vek, stepping around his traps as he’d shown them. Dartan looked uncomfortable to be back in the Keep, now so long after his friends’ deaths. Jamison had no recollection of the place at all, except of course for his brief time as Garren the other day. 

Vek was standing there like a spectre as the door to his chamber swung open. The old familiar stench greeted Dartan’s nose. “Dartan,” Vek acknowledged with a nod. 

“Vek,” Dartan nodded back. The two had never been terribly close, but always respected the other’s power. 

“Why have you returned,” Vek asked. “You’ve found your brooding warrior. Have you forgotten something?” That tone was ever in his voice, that seemed to hint that there was something comical about all this. 

Kizzlorn was much too tired to mince words. “Sir Vek Mormont, we are on a quest to find a gold dragon. We will be righting the wrongs done by Jamison Crow in his time of confusion. We will be finding and defeating the white dragon Acessiwal. We ask if you will join us.” 

“Certainly,” Vek hissed. His eyes flashed red with excitement. “It’s been too long in this dungeon. Besides, I should love to repay that dreadful creature for killing my friends.”

“I thought you didn’t have friends, Vek.” Dartan eyed him with an icy appraising glare.

Vek looked back. “Do not think to know my mind, paladin,” he said mockingly. “You may think you know what I am. You do not know WHO I am.” He spread his arms and laughed. “Of course, few do. At any rate, I will travel with you. I owe you that much for the rent, Miss Spellforge.”

“You do?”

“Of course. This is, after all, your castle… Is it not?” He took Snooky from her arms and poured some concoction he’d make down the cat’s throat. 

Orthos perked up. “That’s right! This IS Kizz’s keep, after all. We have a base of operations now!”

Ziad said “We should change the party’s name accordingly. I mean, we’ll always have been the Foes of the Winter Wyrm, but perhaps something with less of a vindictive tilt. Something that will show that we’re a powerful group… landowners. Besides, it looks like we need to cleanse the name of Spellforge ‘round these parts of their taint.”

“I like the idea,” Kizzlorn said, becoming excited. “Spellforge as a home and name. The Spellforge Keep Heroes! The … uh… Warriors of Castle Spellforge? The…”

“May I make a suggestion,” Dartan asked, almost meekly. He proposed a name. It was a tribute to the old group he’d joined with his childhood friends Bree Thornberry, Dekker Roughfoot, Kryn Thorbald, Tenchi Foxfingers… and even Jamison Crow. It was also a tribute to Gorgoldand’s last adventuring party. A party that had saved Oerth from ruin. 

Best of all, it struck the others as a fine name. 

It was done. 







_*This Saturday: THE WHITE QUEEN'S GAMBIT* _


----------



## Malachai_rose

*WOOT !!!*

WOOT !!!  WOOT !!!  WOOT !!!  WOOT !!!  WOOT !!!  WOOT !!!  WOOT !!!  WOOT !!!  WOOT !!!  WOOT !!!  WOOT !!!  WOOT !!!  WOOT !!!  WOOT !!! 
______________________________

heh, sorry as just a little excited about the new game   Also great way to get the group together and I like the way you have pinch hitters ready to step into the game if a player should die, heh. Kizz's two brothers, Dartans two sons, lol, thats four alternate pc's right there just waiting for someone to die so they can get into the game  Very cool Doc.


----------



## fenzer

Great start Doc, I can't wait.


----------



## Horacio

*WONDERFUL!
WONDERFUL!
WONDERFUL!
WONDERFUL!
WONDERFUL!
WONDERFUL!
WONDERFUL!
WONDERFUL!
WONDERFUL!
WONDERFUL!
WONDERFUL!
WONDERFUL!
WONDERFUL!*


----------



## MasterOfHeaven

I think I've started a horrible, horrible trend in font size.    Great job as usual, Doc.  I really am impressed with how you've portrayed the characters in the prologues to this story hour.  May your players do the same.


----------



## Thorntangle

Let me see if I can cancel out the font bloat trend.

Superb!
Superb! 
Superb! 
Superb! 
Superb!


----------



## Broccli_Head

Very touching, Doc.

I love seeing the excitement in the old veteran Vek and Dartan communicated in various ways. 

It's great to see them again!


----------



## wolff96

Nice.

Ought to be an interesting group dynamic... A lich, a fallen paladin, a sorceress, a cleric...

So... is there going to be a dramatis personae now that the group is all together?


----------



## Ziona

wolff96 said:
			
		

> *Nice.
> 
> Ought to be an interesting group dynamic... A lich, a fallen paladin, a sorceress, a cleric...
> 
> So... is there going to be a dramatis personae now that the group is all together? *




Don't forget NAN-NY!


----------



## Nail

MasterOfHeaven said:
			
		

> *I think I've started a horrible, horrible trend in font size. *




An' what ye've started......ye'd better stop.


----------



## Grifter86

Hey,
Long time fan and lurker. I just have a question:

Who was Kryn Thorbald, and where did he/she die?

Great story hour, by the way.


----------



## PaynAndispare

> _Originally posted by Grifter86_
> Who was Kryn Thorbald, and where did he/she die?



Kryn (my character at the time) was slain by Utreshimon, the blue dragon.

I guess I will take this time to introduce my new arrival to the party ... Orthos Stonefist, Cleric of Moradin.

Great write ups Doc ... looking forward to game day!!


----------



## Breakstone

Heh.

Heh.

Woah...


----------



## madriel

Excellent. 

Glad to see Dartan the Doubly-Godless back again, rage intact.


----------



## Dr Midnight

*Session 38
Waterday, 12th of Goodmonth
WHITE QUEEN’S GAMBIT*

“So… where do we begin?” Vek asked. 

“Well, we’re looking for high-ranking members of the Eye of Heironeous. They’re the link to whatever took Gorgoldand away. They’ve got to know something.” Kizzlorn was soothing Snooky, who had just come awake and was coping with the idea of Jamison Crow being in his life again. He hadn’t had to deal with evil Jamison, so it wasn’t as difficult as it was proving for some.

Dartan said “If we’re looking for that, then, we can begin with my father. He was a prestigious member of the cult.” 

“He was?” 

“Yes… He’s now a member of a group called ‘The Penitent’: a conclave of people doing good for the land who had done evil under Tharizdun’s illusions. They travel around building houses and helping farmers. Things like that. I still get a letter from him now and then, but I never answer them.”

“Sounds good,” Orthos said. “Where will we find him?”

“Somewhere in the Lortmil Mountains, last I heard.” 

“Hmmm… that’s about four hundred miles. If we keep a good rate, we can reach them within seventeen, maybe sixteen days.”

“Let me just tighten some security measures around the keep, then, and we can be off,” Vek said with the customary smile in his voice. “Dartan, your dad will be glad to see me.”

Dartan glanced at the lich. Vek had defeated Korgan, Dartan’s father, using an incapacitating spell during Dartan’s final showdown with him. Vek’s justification for interfering in the duel was that Dartan had killed one of HIS ancestors, so wasn’t he owed this? It was something of a sore spot between the two.

Jamison gasped and began searching his pockets frantically. Kizzlorn looked at him and asked “What’s with him? Is he going mad again?”

“Scratch! I forgot about Scratch!” The wizard reached into a pocket that seemed empty and pulled out a sleepy weasel. The weasel came awake, yawned, and yelped with joy at seeing Jamison again. “It’s me, Scratch! I’m not evil anymore… and we’re on an ADVENTURE!” He held the weasel up and kissed it on its nose. The weasel screeched happily. 

Dartan and Vek eyed the sickeningly sweet reunion with some distaste. “You were evil and filled with chaos, you murdered your own friends, but you couldn’t bring yourself to kill your familiar?”

“Why would I?” Jamison said defensively. “I love my widdle Scwatch. I don’t think I treated him all that well… perhaps only gave him three cheese cubes a day… at any rate, HE wasn’t all that happy about it. Now all that’s over.” He gave the weasel a big hug and Dartan groaned. He’d forgotten just how silly Jamison was capable of getting. It was almost worse than being evil.

They packed their things, Vek reset all his traps, and they set out.

*Starday, 1st of Harvester*

“Woah, Tsunami.” Vek brought his undead warhorse to an abrupt stop on the mountain trail. What was left of the creature’s skin was stretched tight over a framework of spindly bones. Light burned in its eyes and it gave off a funny smell.

They had found the conclave. The Penitent worked the hillside, wearing thick brown robes, carrying rocks and baskets and rope where it was needed. One approached the group. “Ho, strangers! We are The Penitent. We have little or nothing to give to you, and would greet you in peace.”

“Easy, friend,” Orthos said as he swung down from his pony. “We’re not raiders. We’re here to visit a man named Korgan. This man is his son.” 

“You would be Dartan, then? He’s spoken of you. Come.”

Vek murmured to Jamison. “I don’t think my mingling with these types would be a good idea, being what I am.”

Jamison pulled out a simple looking brimmed hat. He held it over. “I have this hat of disguise… It’ll allow you to appear normal, if that would help.” 

“That would be very kind of you… thank you very much. I did so look forward to visiting my old friend Korgan.” Vek laughed and put the hat on, unhooked his helm, and revealed a handsome young face. The lips smirked. The hair was long and raven-black. The eyes were dark and darting. 

They walked through some dwarf-carved caves towards the back. The man leading them said “I think I should warn you- your father is not well. He has taken the wet-cough, and is bedridden and quite ill.”

“That’s alright,” Dartan said coldly. “I’m not here for a pleasant family reunion.”

They were brought to a room where Korgan lay under three blankets on a cot. He coughed and clutched the blankets to his chest. The years had withered his face. If Dartan was aged at thirty-eight, his father looked positively ancient at sixty. Korgan saw his estranged son and gasped. “Dartan! Son! I’m so glad to see you. Did you get my letters?”

“Save it,” Dartan barked. “I’m here on business.”

The crinkled old eyes blinked in sadness. “What? I… I’m sorry for all the pain I’ve caused you, son, but I can only offer you my love now-“

“I said save it. We need to know where to find members of the Eye of Heironeous before you die.”

Jamison said “You’re being a little harsh, don’t you think?” 

Dartan looked at him with fiery murder in both eyes. “Don’t say a thing to me. Ever.”

Orthos, a kindly and good holy man, stepped forward with a furrowed brow. “Dartan! How dare you speak like this to your own father? He only wants your forgiveness, and you treat him like this. I should be ashamed to father a son like you.”

Dartan turned away. “You don’t know the whole story.” 

“Nor do I need to, I suspect,” Orthos said, “to guess that you are a callous man.” To Korgan he gently said “I will ease your suffering, friend.  Lie still and take the blessings of Moradin.” He prayed over Korgan and the man’s coughing abated. He began to feel better. 

Orthos tended to him and asked him the questions they were seeking, as Dartan was obviously not going to be much help. “Can you tell us where to find surviving members of the Eye of Heironeous?”

“Hmm… I should like to forget everything I did under their banner, but I do recall several members and where they went to before I left to fight my son. I know now that the high priest I’d known was a man named Hedrack, and I don’t know where he went. I do remember a group of our most powerful going south. If you could find them, or where their bodies lie, I’m certain you could find some information leading you to more. Their leader was a powerful man in the organization. They went to a town named Whiteport to wipe out the ‘heretics’, as we called them.” 

“Whiteport. That’s roughly two hundred more miles to the south, if I’m not mistaken. Who should we say we are looking for?”

“Anyone who was alive back then will remember the Eye of Heironeous, and the awful way we swept through towns, terrorizing the people into compliance. We were so horrible.”

Orthos smiled at him. “Easy, friend. We all make mistakes. You’re sorry for what you’ve done, and this means everything.”

Dartan said “Are we done? Can we go?”

Orthos replied “Yes, we can go.”

“Good. One last thing, then.” He walked up to Korgan’s bed and looked down on his father. “You did one thing for me, old man. You showed me that religion is the path of the weak man. Faith in empty gods is for empty people. I thank you for showing me what a weak mind is capable of. This is all I have to say to you… now go ahead and die.” He turned and walked out. Korgan looked deeply hurt by his son’s words. Orthos watched Dartan go with some anger and horror. He comforted Korgan, then gave his thanks and got up to leave. The group left Korgan. 

Vek, who was the last to leave the room, stopped at the doorway. He made sure no one was looking, then removed the hat he was wearing. The illusion melted away. He turned and looked at Korgan with his true face. Korgan’s breath caught in his throat from the horror. “Be seeing you soon,” Vek said, then put the hat back on. He laughed as he walked away. 

“Dartan,” Orthos said. Dartan grimaced and prepared for the sermon. “What you did took a lot of courage. I know it couldn’t have been easy to face him.” 

They began the travel south to the town of Whiteport. 

_*More to come...* _


----------



## Horacio

Nasty players, doing that to a poor old man! 

So you played yesterday evening and you've already had time to post the first update, you're a fast writer, Doc!


----------



## Immort

Heh.  Doc is the man.  I ain't seen nobudy whut updates as reliably as him.
Quality AND quantity.  A dream come true.

-Immort


----------



## MasterOfHeaven

Are Vek and Dartan ever going to admit they're EVIL?


----------



## Horacio

MasterOfHeaven said:
			
		

> *Are Vek and Dartan ever going to admit they're EVIL? *




I hope not!


----------



## Wee Jas

Go from town to town in the area and ask the family members of the people that man butchered in the name of the Eye of Heironeus.  Ask them if he deserves what he gets!

Dartan will never forget the pain and suffering his father has caused and I mourn the loss of magic and knowledge the Eye destroyed.  

They will all pay dearly.


----------



## MasterOfHeaven

Wee Jas said:
			
		

> *Go from town to town in the area and ask the family members of the people that man butchered in the name of the Eye of Heironeus.  Ask them if he deserves what he gets!
> 
> Dartan will never forget the pain and suffering his father has caused and I mourn the loss of magic and knowledge the Eye destroyed.
> 
> They will all pay dearly.    *




Ah.  So, given that point of view, I assume Dartan and Vek are both planning to kill Jamison off at one point?


----------



## Dr Midnight

Well, Dartan never did forgive Jamison (as we'll soon see), and I doubt Vek gives a crap. "Death comes to us all", etc...

Vek and Dartan aren't evil... I wouldn't allow them to play if they were. However, they're pretty dark. They work in the greater interest of good when they're not punching bards or trying to give heart attacks to repentent old men. 

Just want to give up some respect to Steve for his portrayal of Orthos- some fantastic roleplaying. I don't think I've ever seen a better dwarf. I look forward to having Orthos balance out the darkness from the "Dynamic Duo", as D & V are calling themselves.

Thanks for the compliments. I'm SO glad I took that typing class in high school, because being able to type at 60 wpm makes for easier story hour writing. 

More coming soon!


----------



## MasterOfHeaven

Dr Midnight said:
			
		

> *Well, Dartan never did forgive Jamison (as we'll soon see), and I doubt Vek gives a crap. "Death comes to us all", etc...
> 
> Vek and Dartan aren't evil... I wouldn't allow them to play if they were. However, they're pretty dark. They work in the greater interest of good when they're not punching bards or trying to give heart attacks to repentent old men.
> *





You don't allow evil PCs in your campaign?  In that case, Dartan and Vek, in my eyes at least, are shining bastions of light and good.  



> *
> Just want to give up some respect to Steve for his portrayal of Orthos- some fantastic roleplaying. I don't think I've ever seen a better dwarf. I look forward to having Orthos balance out the darkness from the "Dynamic Duo", as D & V are calling themselves.
> *





Have they decided on a theme song yet?    It does look like Orthos and the original two Knights will be butting heads.  Character conflict is fun.  



> *
> Thanks for the compliments. I'm SO glad I took that typing class in high school, because being able to type at 60 wpm makes for easier story hour writing.
> 
> More coming soon! *




Only 60?  You need more practice, Doc.  Faster typing means faster updates, after all.    You're welcome about the compliments, they're well deserved.  Thanks for the speedy updates, and thanks even more for the fantastic story.


----------



## fenzer

thanks Doc.  I wait with baited breath for your next installment.


----------



## Breakstone

"Woah, Tsunami!"

Ha ha ha!

You've got one wildly grinning reader over here, Doc!


----------



## avangel

nice story!


----------



## Wee Jas

Orthos is a fine addition to our group.  I agree.  Kiz and Nanny add to the light side of the group too.  Props to all the new characters.  I'll kill you all last.. ahem.. I mean.. I'll be glad to fight by your sides


----------



## Horacio

Dr Midnight said:
			
		

> *Just want to give up some respect to Steve for his portrayal of Orthos- some fantastic roleplaying. I don't think I've ever seen a better dwarf. I look forward to having Orthos balance out the darkness from the "Dynamic Duo", as D & V are calling themselves.
> *




LOL! ROFLOL!

In Spain, in the 60's - 70's there was a very very famous music group that was called like that, the _Duo Dinámico_. 

Worst music ever...


----------



## Dartan

MasterOfHeaven said:
			
		

> *Are Vek and Dartan ever going to admit they're EVIL? *




Vek is evil, all the way.  Dartan is just bitter.


----------



## Dr Midnight

Hey there, if you look above, you may notice some stuff about Jamison's old familiar Scratch edited in. My fault for forgetting it. If only Ziona would take notes like they do for Unusual Heroes... sigh...

Otherwise, I guess I've got nothing left to do but present Dartan's new banner.


----------



## PaynAndispare

It was a very fun game day Doc and all.  RPing good is tough, but I thoroughly enjoyed it ... thanks for the props 

They dynamic of the group as a whole is quite entertaining, and, in a strange way, we are quite cohesive.  Looking forward to more play time / story hour updates.

~ Orthos


----------



## madriel

Orthos is a fine cleric.  Maybe he can take the remaining KotSQ and knock some sense into them.  They deserve a good talking to.  Dartan and Vek for hurting a sick old man and Jamison for coochie-cooing his familiar.


----------



## Blood Jester

*Happy dance - - - Happy dance*

Love:

-Story

-Vek

-Dartan

-DrM


----------



## Ziona

Dr Midnight said:
			
		

> *If only Ziona would take notes like they do for Unusual Heroes... sigh...*




Sorry, Doc. Taking notes is very time consuming during game.  As Ziona in The Unusual Heroes, I'm used to the character & spells & such, so I don't need alot of prep time between rounds to figure out what I'm doing.  With Kizz, it's a bit more difficult since this is my first true sorceress.  I'm not familiar with all of her spells and abilities, so it's different.

Plus, it's easier to take notes for myself, because I know what things I want to elaborate on.  Like you said on Saturday, I write about things you "would never write about."


----------



## Dr Midnight

*Sunday, 9th of Harvester*

The warm air of late fall was blowing through their capes and over their faces as they rode down through a thin forest into a field of grain that waved before them. The town of Whiteport now lay in their view. It was a small sea town that did its business from trade and travel. Beyond it lay the vast Azure sea, which danced with the sun’s light. The ocean seemed to eat the horizon, from left to right. It was far more immense than anyone had imagined. 

“The rest of you can go about town looking for information,” Jamison said. “I’ll ride into town and get some lodging.”

“You’re not leaving my sight,” Dartan growled. They two went off to secure a room for the night. 

The others split up and began scouring the town for people to ask questions of. Kizzlorn and Orthos entered a tavern and right away found someone to talk to. A grizzled old sailor at the bar was happy to answer their questions… if they bought him a drink. 

“Sure, I’ll share a pint with you!” Orthos clapped the man on the back and climbed up onto a bar stool. “Barman! Two tall pints of the best stuff ye’ve got for me and my friend here.” 

The man, named Fialner, liked him immediately. “So what was it you wanted to know,” he grunted when he’d done with a massive slurp of his ale. 

“If it pleases you, we should to know what you remember of the Eye of Heironeous.” 

The man’s face darkened with the memory. “Aye. I remember. Horrible. They come sweepin’ down through town like a plague. Ran out or killed anyone of differin’ religion or arcane magic. Gave ‘em a choice: convert or be named heretic. It was an awful time. It didn’t last long, though, as I hear it some fancy adventurin’ party up north put an end to their cult, somehow.”

“Are they still around here?”

“The group? Nah, they were only here a few weeks before they had cleaned out all the heretics. They were looking for something new. They heard the legend of the crag and took off after it.”

”The crag?”

“A forgotten temple to the goddess Isillyn. They thought no temple to a false deity should stand, and set out to destroy it. They didn’t come back.”

Orthos thought for a moment. “If we were to go to this crag, could you recommend a good ship?”

“Aye… Look for Captain Pyterie. He funs a tight vessel. Oughtta know… he was my cabin boy for years. Now he’s a captain in his own right. ‘Pyterie the Pirate’, we sometimes joke. Once, he…”

Orthos politely listened to the old man’s pointless story, nodding when appropriate. Kizzlorn, who was less interested in courtesy, tapped her foot impatiently. When it was done, Orthos bought the man another ale and said a hearty farewell. 

They collected the others and headed for the docks. There, they found Pyterie, captain of The Azure Wind, a large and capable ship. For a gold piece a mile, he would take them to the crag. For fifty more pieces, he would dock there and wait for them. Ziad paid the man, and they were off. 

In the dusk they pushed across the foam. They saw many strange things once far out at sea. Schools of slingfish jumped alongside the boat. They saw a young Kraken trying vainly to capsize the boat. It was very funny, for it couldn’t have been bigger than fifteen feet from tip to tail. 

Jamison, on board a real oceangoing vessel, was delighted. He forgot his troubles and used his hat of disguise to make himself appear as a pirate- or at least as his idea of one. He wore an eyepatch, pegleg, big tricorner hat, and his poofy pirate shirt exposed plenty of thick black chest hair. “Arrr!” he yelled more than once during the short trip. “Can I be of any help to ye, Cap’n Pyterie?”

The amused captain replied “I don’t know… can you tie a sheepshank?”

Jamison the pirate grinned. His teeth looked to be made of gold… with one missing of course. “I can’t even SAY sheepshank.”

Kizzlorn looked over to Dartan, whose weary face seemed to say “Yes, he’s like this sometimes.”

Later, they ate. Orthos called forth a great feast- it was one of the many blessings of his god. He invited Dartan to sit and eat with the others. The fallen paladin eyed the meal and said “You can keep your god’s empty gifts. I won’t eat it.” 

“Fine with me,” Orthos said, ripping a juicy bite out of a succulent turkey leg with a smile. “I’m sure you’ll find some nice fat rats below deck to chase about and roast over a torch. Hey, Jamison, don’t be stingy with the mashed potatoes.”

Dartan’s stomach grumbled as he wandered away and sat, trying to ignore the smells of the banquet. After a moment, he said “I’d just like to make sure you’re aware that I won’t turn away healing from your god.” The dwarf laughed as he washed it all down with some ale. 


They reached the crag after nightfall. It was immense. Almost a thousand feet high, with a five-foot wide stone stairway winding up counterclockwise to the unseen summit. A cloud of seagulls wheeled and flapped around the upper half of the colossal structure. 





“This is it, then,” said Pyterie. He anchored the ship and sent the heroes over in a dinghy to the stairs. “I’ll be right here. I’ll not wait forever, though, so don’t take a week doin’ your exploring.”

The Knights waved and began ascending the steps. Jamison took the illusion away, now that he was off the ship. “Sorry, Scratch… time to be ourselves again.” He removed the hat and turned back into Jamison Crow. The green and yellow parrot on his shoulder turned back to a weasel, which squeaked its displeasure at once. 

Nanny barely fit on the five-foot wide stairs. Every time he took a step, his right foot came close to slipping off. Down he would tumble, near a thousand pounds of wood, stone, and iron… straight to the bottom. 

The climb up was treacherous. 

_*More to Come...* _


----------



## Broccli_Head

I guess they'll just have to leave Nan-ny in the boat!


----------



## Dr Midnight

Broccli_Head said:
			
		

> *I guess they'll just have to leave Nan-ny in the boat! *




Pretty soon, he'll wish they had...


----------



## Taren Seeker

Hmmm...Pyterie....just seems so...familiar...Maybe an homage?


----------



## Dr Midnight

Taren Seeker said:
			
		

> *Hmmm...Pyterie....just seems so...familiar...Maybe an homage?
> *




Uh... to what?


----------



## Taren Seeker

Well, Piratecat is, in some strange realms, spelled Pyratecat, who is also referred to as Pyratekitty, or Pkitty.

Pyterie just brought it to mind.

*shrug*

OK I'm reaching here. But it SOUNDS right!!! It does! And Pyterie's a PIRATE!

/defensive.


----------



## Razamir

Great stuff Doc!



Thanks,

              Raz


----------



## Breakstone

Say, who plays Ziad, and what sort of character is he?


----------



## Broccli_Head

Hey Doc! I love the new Signature!


----------



## Dr Midnight

Hi there folksie-people...
I'll be posting the next update in a half hour or so, and I just want you to know that this module has lots of puzzles. Nice word puzzles that made the game lots of fun. 

For you readers, I'll be color-coding the puzzles sky blue, so if you'd like to read the puzzle and try to figure it out on your own, you'll know when to stop before the solution is revealed by the write-up. It's not quite like the old Encyclopedia Brown books,  but hey, when did that little punk ever behead a bugbear? 

Also, look above to see a bit about Dartan's refusal to eat Orthos' food on the boat edited in. 

Enjoy.


----------



## Dr Midnight

“Hold… what’s that?” Ziad was looking ahead. He pointed. They were maybe six hundred feet high now, and just ahead, dozens of seagull feathers and a few gull skeletons littered the ground outside a cave. 

With no hesitation at all, Vek volunteered to investigate the cave. He strode in with no worries at all. 

In the darkness, his keen undead eyes needed no light. He saw a large hunched form raise one thin scaled neck with a dragonlike head at its end. Then, another raised beside it. Then another. Then another. Then the other five. It attacked. 

Vek parried its attacks and Dartan jumped in to fight beside him. Jamison hovered over the perilous drop and angled himself to look inside. He had little room to attack from here, but he could identify the monster. He remembered something about it from Gorgoldand’s books, long ago. “It’s called a hydra! Something about cutting off heads…”

“Sounds good,” Dartan said, and he swept his sword through a neck with the sound of an orange being quickly sliced open. Immediately, the wound seemed to cauterize, and then two buds began sprouting from the neck. They began to turn into new heads. 

“Oh, bother this,” Vek murmured in his amused voice. He stepped forward and placed his hand to the hydra’s body and said a word. Each of the hydra’s twenty eyes went wide with shock, then whitened and shriveled like raisins. The ten heads fell to the ground, because the hydra was dead. 

“That’s handy.” Dartan sheathed his sword. “Takes some of the fun out of things, doesn’t it?”

Jamison came in. “I can sense some magic in this room. Can we move this thing?” The hydra completely filled the cavern. 

Kizzlorn shrunk the hydra’s body to the size of one of the seagulls it had been so fond of eating, and threw it back over her shoulder. It plummeted towards the sea, with a dozen squawking gulls diving after it for food. They fetched the treasure they found in its cave and moved onwards. 

A small temple of white marble sat at the top of the stone-cut steps.  Four white pillars flanked the front surface.  The interior was cloaked in shadows, but a flickering light emanated from deep within. They readied their weapons and walked inside. There, they found the temple interior lit by four burning braziers in the corners.  At the far end of the room stood a damaged, white marble statue of a beautiful woman wearing flowing robes.  The woman's face had been broken off, leaving only blank space from chin to brow.  At 18 feet tall, the statue's head nearly touched the 20-foot-tall ceiling.




On the floor before her lay 64 squares of colored tile, forming an 8-by-8 chessboard.  Several stone chess pieces were in position, as if in the middle of an interrupted game.  Carved into the floor before the chessboard were the words, "SUBMIT TO THE FORCE OF DARKNESS." 

“What do you make of that?” Ziad studied the puzzle’s layout. 

Dartan loosened his sword in his sheath. “Whatever it is, that statue is attacking us. That’s always the way of it.”

“So… are we to assume that it’s our ‘turn’, and we have to… uh…”

Jamison had an idea. He ran to the braziers and began turning them over, extinguishing their light. When that was done, they all stood in darkness and Jamison muttered “Okay, it was worth a shot,” and turned the braziers back upright. 

“What if we just tip the white king over… as if to surrender, or submit, to the black side?” He tipped the white king over and a click was heard beneath the stone. The row of tiles closest to the statue lowered 1½ feet; the next, 3 feet; the third, 4½ feet, and so on, until a "stairway" formed, allowing entry into the lower levels of the temple. 

Everyone was impressed with the dwarf’s ability. Orthos didn’t take time to savor the adulation... he lit a torch and said “Let’s go!”

They walked down into the temple. This 20 ft. by 30 ft. room had an open doorway in the opposite wall and two niches on either side of the hall.  Situated in each niche was a marble statue of an athletic female archer with a drawn bow, standing upon a two foot tall platform.  Each figure wore a simple toga and shin guards, and, like the statue of the woman in the temple above, had had its face chipped off.  Engraved on the floor was the following:

THERE'S DANGER AHEAD, BUT YOU ARE IN LUCK
A CLUE TO SURVIVAL YOU WILL RECEIVE
I MAY NOT BE CLEAR, BUT I NEVER DECEIVE
YOUR CLUE IS TO GET WHAT YOU GET FROM A DUCK. 

The party exchanged glances and ducked under the archers’ lines of fire. “Are they all going to be that easy,” asked Ziad. 

“Nan-ny!” The huge shield guardian couldn’t duck that low, so he simply walked through the trap. Greenish bolts blasted into him and ate away a bit at his hull. Nanny turned and punched one of the statues in the face, and its head exploded into flying pieces of marble. Satisfied, Nanny walked on. 

The next room was slightly more puzzling. This room had a faint fragrance of oranges.  As such, it was perhaps not surprising that the floor contained a tile mosaic forming an orange tree in full bloom, or that the words "WEAK ORANGE PEELS" appeared over the three doorways to the north.  The doorways on either end seemed to veer off to side corridors, while the middle doorway led to a set of stairs going down. 

“Weak orange peels? What the…” Jamison knelt and studied the mosaic.

“Perhaps we have to depress the orange tiles… they’re made to drop into the floor.” Orthos’ keen dwarven eyes saw that the oranges moved downwards… to what end, though, he couldn’t guess. He looked at the others, shrugged, and pushed a tile into the floor. Fine orange dust sprinkled down upon them from tiny holes in the ceiling. “Hold your breath!” 

They did, but some of them were affected by the powder. Kizzlorn, Jamison and Ziad felt noticeably weaker and sicklier. Orthos healed them with his god-given powers. Kizzlorn looked up and said “Hey… ‘peels’ is ‘sleep’ spelled backwards.” They looked up and saw she was right, but they couldn’t make sense of “weak” or “orange”. 

They walked through the center doorway and down the stairs there. This oddly shaped room was a shambles: broken and rotting bits of wooden tables and benches made it likely that it once served as a dining hall, but it would be difficult to imagine it being put to any such use now.  Clumps of mold here and there might have once been bits of food, and could account for the stench of decay prevalent in the room.

Suddenly, from behind an overturned piece of table, four blackish-brown, oily masses begin to slither towards them. These were defeated with no real trouble, and the group mourned that there was no treasure to be found…  just more doors. 

They went back up the stairs and took the passage to the northeast. Here, the corridor bent toward the north, and up ahead there were several letters carved onto the floor tiles, which were arranged in a 4-by-9 gridwork that extended from wall to wall.  Over the gridwork were passing eight immense sawblades. They clouded the air so quickly that the other side of the hallway could scarcely be seen. The following was carved into the floor, immediately before the gridwork began: “THE CAPTURE OF YOUR ENEMY IS WELL WITHIN SIGHT OR MAKING SURE THAT YOUR SPOUSE IS ALL RIGHT"

The gridwork was arranged as follows:
SEKY
LITC
TANI
NMLG
CEKS
RNPC
IAEO
WLHR
NTAC 

“Checkmate,” Orthos said.

Ziad rubbed his forehead. “I suppose, but what do you…” 

“No, look.” The dwarf pointed at the floor: C. He pointed to the next letter up and to the left: H. Onwards, there was a path spelling CHECKMATE in the tiles. 

Again, the group was impressed with his skills. “Orthie, who knew you were such a cerebral puzzlehound?” Kizz had been adventuring with the dwarf for a year, and hadn’t seen this side of him. 

“We don’t do much traveling in dungeons that allow you the luxury of figuring out a brainteaser, Kizz, love. I wish they were all like this.” He stepped on the C tile and the blade barring his way to the next tile locked into the wall. In this way they walked all the way across.

This large, octagonal room had eight openings, one on each side.  The north, south, northeast, and northwest doorways led to different rooms or corridors, while the others each opened into a small niche holding a bench beneath a beautiful painting, presumably so someone can sit and gaze upon the statue prominently displayed in the center of the room.

The statue stood 8 feet tall upon a raised platform twelve inches high.  The carving was quite intricate, showing a warrior woman with a metal spear held high, stabbing down at a winged demon lying at her feet.  The demon wore an expression of pain.  Like the other statues they’d seen so far, the woman's face has been chipped away. Like all the other statues they’d seen so far, Dartan expected it to come to life at any moment and attack.

Carved above the three northern doorways, two words to each, was the legend "ORCS DID HARM YON STATUE THERE." 

“Huh. Another word puzzle.” Kizz looked up at the words, thinking hard. 

None of them saw Jamison reaching up to the statue’s hand and removing the spear from it. “Look, the spear isn’t attached to the statue. I think it’s magica-“

SHUNK!

The paintings above the benches shot up into the wall to reveal two “windows”, covered with three iron bars each, and beyond these was the head of a trapped beast. Each looked very much like a bull- except it had metallic scales covering its entire body. The bulls exhaled a thick greenish cloud of gas into the room. 

Ziad yelled just before the gas reached them. “Cover your mouth!”

The gas cleared, and they were all still standing. Jamison and Vek gave the creatures no time to blast them again- they were dead in moments. “Well, that was exciting. Say, what’s this?” Vek had found a glyph in the room to the northeast. He studied it from several feet back. “This is a Symbol of Discord. It would drive us all to fight. Everyone, stand back in the hall until I say it’s safe to come back.”

They did as he asked, and Vek walked over the symbol. It made a static noise and an arc of greenish light bent through the room. It passed through his head and found no mind to work its magic on. Vek stood there patiently until he was certain its effects were gone. He called the others in. 

As they walked, Kizzlorn looked above the door to the room he was in and made sense of the two words there. “Hey… ORCS DID. Rearrange the letters, and they spell DISCORD.” 

Orthos looked. “Well I’ll be,” he said. “And look! Over the center door: HARM YON. That could be HARMONY…”

“Which would be the opposite of DISCORD,” Vek noted. 

“But what does STATUE THERE translate to?” They stood for some time, working over the many possibilities. After a while, they just decided to enter that corridor to see for themselves. 

_*More to come…*_
Most room descriptive text by module author Johnathan Richards


----------



## Horacio

Wonderful, as usual...

I'd say they are going on too easily, but... but I know your style and I guess it will get nasty soon


----------



## Jamison Crow

Actually I made my save from the gas in the orange room. Cloak of resist +5 and brownie points are Jamisons best friends.


----------



## Broccli_Head

What module are you using? It sounds like fun. 

Like Horacio pointed out, seems they are having an easy time of it. When are you goin' to lay the Smack down, Doc?


----------



## Dr Midnight

The module is White Queen's Gambit, an unpublished module by Johnathan Richards (Richards here on the boards). I asked him if he had any heavy puzzle-based adventures, and this is what he slapped me with. It's pretty cool. Greek mythology based... think Clash of the Titans while you're reading it. 

As for them having an easy time of it, two things:

1. I leveled everything up from EL2 to EL13, so I may have gone too easy on 'em.

2. I'm not such a great DM to begin with, and I'm REALLY rusty. It'll take some time to get my meager skills back. 

Still, I did some damage later on.


----------



## Wee Jas

> I may have gone too easy on 'em.




Hurts when the baddies don't make thier saves either (yay for bad rolling!).   Lets not forget it's early in the day too.  I know most of my better spells are gone and the other casters blew some big spells too.  When your party is mostly magic using that can be very dangerous!  Doc still has plenty of monsters to throw at us while we rest and re-mem, I'm sure.


----------



## Malachai_rose

*Vek*

Woot, go Vek it's your birthday get busy ger your spell on... lol

Gotta say I love high level clerics, curious though what spell did Vek use ? was that destruction or harm or perhaps slay living, just curious as I play a 14th lvl cleric in Brocs campaign and I like getting ideas from fellow divine casters.


----------



## wolff96

*Re: Vek*



			
				Malachai_rose said:
			
		

> *Gotta say I love high level clerics, curious though what spell did Vek use? Was that destruction or harm or perhaps slay living?*




Can't be Harm -- the creature immediately died.

Can't be Destruction -- the body wasn't consumed in unholy fire.

Since he actually bothered to touch the creature, my bet is on Slay Living. Lernaean Hydras have a decent Fortitude saving throw, but I'll be Vek's DC is higher...


----------



## Esiminar

Or the domain power Death Touch


----------



## avangel

Nice update Doc!


----------



## Wee Jas

You guys need to make your spot check DC20.  Actually I did hit it with Harm but it failed it save against my paralyzing touch (Which makes it appear dead).   I just finished the helpless beast off.


----------



## JDragon

Dr. M, Glad to see you are back at it.

Your SWD20 story hour caught my attention, and had me hooked the whole time.  So when I saw you were starting the D&D back up, I had to go and read all of KotSQ, so I would have the background for this story.  

The stuff you did to cover the passing time was great.

Now to hi-jack your thread for a min or two..... 

Since you ran all of RTTTOEE, I thought you might be able to answer a couple ?'s for me.....

1. What level should the party be when they head for the Outer Fane? (assuming I want them to have an average chance of surviving)

2.  Would you be willing to share your notes on the Eye of Herionus(sp) and other associated groups?  These would be great in making this campaign come alive for my group. as yours seemed to for theKnights.

Hi-jack over, back to Nanny and friends.   

JDragon


----------



## Malachai_rose

*lol*

<delete question, stoopid invisible 8th page, grr.... lol. That joke will only make sense for me, since I deleted the rather stupid question I posted, needless to say it involved a 'missing' post and the forgetting of the sneaky page 8  lol


----------



## Dr Midnight

This unlit hallway led to a room beyond that was lit with many flickering candles.  There appeared to be a statue in the far room.  The center of the corridor became a pool of water, with steps leading down into it at each end.

“There’s magic in here. I wouldn’t trust that pool,” Jamison said. 

Kizz looked up to Nanny. “Nanny, walk across the pool.” He would be able to avoid any poison and most magical effects. It seemed the safe idea. 

“Hmmzzrt, Nan-ny.” The shield guardian waded into the pool. It was easily four feet deep, but only came up to just above his knees. Suddenly, he stopped, and lurched backwards. He fell on the lip at the edge of the pool and pulled his legs up. His upper legs were made of wood. His lower legs were made of stone. His knees, however, were forged of metal… and were turning orange and melting away. His knees melted away to nothing before their eyes, and Nanny was now separated fully from his stone calves and feet. 

“OH, NO!” Kizzlorn rushed around to tend to him. “A damned rust trap! Oh, Nanny, I’m sorry to have sent you into that.”

“Yes,” Vek said. “Just imagine if he’d toppled forward into the water.” 

She glared at him. “Your jokes are not always welcome, Mormont.” Nanny lay there as Kizz took out the spare parts kit she carried with her and went to work on his legs. One thing she seemed to have inherited from her father was her talent  for repair and clockwork mechanisms. 

Jamison flew to the other side of the pool and stood at the lip, looking into it. Vek approached the pool and chanted some words over it. The level of the water lowered to one inch. It was cloudy and brownish, but they could now see the bottom. There were two stone circular discs at the bottom, each roughly five feet in diameter. They were hinged on one side. Only Dartan would remember Jamison Crow’s impulsive drive to touch every trap and open every box. He was childlike that way- he couldn’t help it. 

Jamison lifted the stone disc, peered in, and shrieked when a thick green snake lashed out and plunged all four fangs into his face.  The others, quite startled, turned to see Jamison slapping at the snake, trying to get it off. “SNAKE ON MY FACE, SNAKE ON MY FACE!!”

Orthos pulled out his mighty warhammer, the Tear of Moradin, and jumped into battle. He landed with a small splash before Jamison and swung at the snake. It smashed into something in the hole that the others couldn’t see. Just then, Orthos whooped and jumped back, wheeling his arms for balance. He’d been standing on the other stone disc, and it was being pushed open. A snake-man began rising from the hole. He was covered in scales and slime. His arms weren’t arms at all- they were writhing snakes with hissing fanged maws. 

The snake attached to Jamison’s face clamped down and began gulping with a quick, even rhythm. Jamison moaned in agony. It was draining the blood from him. 

Vek pointed a finger towards it and uttered something that sounded like “Hhhhshighorothhhh”. The snake-man attacking Jamison curdled and burst into unholy black flame, then crumbled into blackened flakes- all in the space of three seconds. 

“HRRRR!” Orthos smashed the enemy before him against the wall and ducked a snapping bite. Dartan, behind the dwarf and the lich, fired a crossbow bolt into the monster. Kizzlorn hit it with a powerful fireball- allowing for her friends’ safety, of course.Vek approached and was attacked. He grabbed a hissing snake arm in mid-air and whispered a command to its soul. The thing died right there, and slumped to the ground, where it quickly turned white and withered away to ash and bone. 

Orthos did what he could for Jamison. Vek looked over at Dartan and said “Nice shot with the crossbow, Dartan.” He laughed with his mocking voice. 

Dartan turned red and stared back. “Shut up. I’m wearing full plate armor, and didn’t want a splash of that stuff on me.”

Orthos had healed the wizard as best he could, but it was clear that Jamison had lost life he’d never regain. Jamison sullenly walked over to the altar at the other end of the hallway and turned back. “An etching of a fish on a hook,” he reported. “The only magic over there was in the burning candles. Just a ploy to get us near the damn creatures.” He looked depressed. 

They walked back and took a right, leading them farther north. 

This large chamber was mostly empty.  Across the room from them was a small alcove flanked by two columns, upon which were carved various pictograms of animals and objects.  Within the alcove was a small chest and what looked to be a skeletal hand, while below it were the following words, carved into the stone of the wall:

PAVING STONE LAYER, PATCHER OF SHOES
SIMPLE DESSERT, WHICHEVER YOU CHOOSE





While the others studied the puzzle, Vek stepped forward and picked up the skeletal hand. He moved quickly, so the scything blade that flashed out when he broke the plane of the wall just barely missed him. He stood, surprised, thinking “Oh… so THAT’S how that got there.” 

“Vek? What just happened?” 

“Blade trap. I’m imagining the command word to disarm it is the solution to the puzzle.” 

Ziad gestured to the pictograms. “Well, we imagine it’s COBBLER, but we haven’t figured out what the images mean. Look… there’s a chair, and… is that a bar? A pole? What’s it all mean?”

They didn’t dare try to touch the chest until they’d solved it. They were looking for a way to spell COBBLER with the pictures given. It didn’t seem to make any sense… until Kizzlorn just happened to note that CHAIR and HAIR seemed to be lying side by side at the top. Next row down were BOAT and BAT.  “Take the one odd letter out from each of the seven pairs and put them end to end,” she said. Sure enough… COBBLER. 

Still, no one risked putting a hand towards the chest. Jamison opened it from five feet away and used a spell to float the contents to him. They were potion bottles… which was great, until they noted that each was labeled only with a cryptic phrase. 

CRIB DIMPLES
CURE AN END
GENERAL
LION DOES PAY 
ONE GUST
REWIND GHOUL CUTS 

“More word games,” Vek said with a note of annoyance. “Couldn’t we have gone somewhere interesting? My sword arm aches for action. Surely the Temple of Elemental Evil is ready for another purging by now.”

The others ignored him and thought about the names. Jamison recognized the potion in one of the bottles. “Hey, this is Cure Light Wounds.” He then saw that the label, REWIND GHOUL CUTS, was CURE LIGHT WOUNDS with the letters rearranged. With this knowledge, the potions were divined fairly quickly. CRIB DIMPLES was SPIDER CLIMB. CURE AN END was ENDURANCE. GENERAL was ENLARGE. LION DOES PAY was DELAY POISON, and ONE GUST was TONGUES. These were stashed away and the party looked about. 

“There is no door here… What do we do?”

“Let’s go back and explore the room with three doors.” They went back to the room they’d fought the puddings in and went through a door to the south. 

This small room had open doorways centered on the south, east, and west walls.  Each doorway led to a set of stairs going down, and each had a rune carved above the doorway.  There were also words carved above the three doorways, which together formed the phrase "A NIP OF MEAD OR PURE ALES."

In the middle of the room were several barrels and crates filled with various alcoholic beverages.  Three glass steins were available as well; they appeared clean but for a light coating of dust. 

“Pain,” Kizz said straight away. 

Ziad looked at her. “What?”

She pointed to the letters above the door on the left: A NIP. “Pain. More rearranged word games.”

“Well, then, I don’t like the look of the center door… look. OF MEAD OR. I can spell FEAR and DOOM with that. What say we avoid that door?”

Dartan pointed to their right. “This one- PURE ALES- could be PLEASURE.”

“Let’s take that one, then.”

Jamison sipped from one of the steins and remarked “The ale’s pretty good. Anyone want some?”

Ziad gasped. “You drank from those?”

Jamison looked abashed, as if reminded that he was often careless in deadly situations. It was a wonder he’d lived so long. 

They walked under the PURE ALES door. The long set of stairs had a gradual slope, ending in a closed iron door with the stylized designs of seven different creatures carved on it.  There was also an indentation in the door below the seven creatures, about the same size and shape as the pictures.




Clearly, each little image was broken up into three separate puzzle pieces: One for the head, one for the body, and one surrounding it (containing wings or antennae or a tail, and so forth). There was a space beneath the row of creatures with three empty slots. 

“We’re to put together some creature here. But what?” Orthos forbade anyone to attempt to solve it by trial and error. 

After a few minutes, Vek suggested “What kind of creature would fill its dungeon with puzzles and riddles?”

The others looked and saw what he meant. They put the eagle’s wings, the mermaid’s head, and the lion’s body together. 




The answer, of course, was a sphinx. More specifically, a gynosphinx. 

A magic mouth formed in the door. It spoke in a regal female voice. "You've built my body, but all the same, to pass you must first say my name." 

It took Orthos’ clever mind just a few moments to think to look to the first letter of each animal’s kind on the seven tiles. A for Ankheg, M for mermaid, A for ant, R for rat, I for imp, E for eagle, and L for Lion. “Amariel,” he said. 

The door opened. “Oh, no,” Vek groaned. 

The middle of the floor of this room was made up of a giant chessboard.  The pieces looked to be carved of black and white marble, with stylized faces on the kings and queens.  The board was set up as in mid-game, with captured pieces set in rows along the sides of the board.

The walls of this room contained murals of various animals helpful to the humanoid races: along the north wall, a bee amid honeycombs and a chicken with her nest of eggs; along the east wall, a fish being captured in a net and a hunting dog; along the south wall, a sheep and a goat grazing in a pasture; along the west wall, a horse and a cow. 

Click here to view the chessboard's layout  

*NEXT TIME: “I hate chess.” 
Coming this Saturday!*


----------



## Horacio

Wow, after that sessions, players' heads should be hurting, too much thinking, a lot of puzzles... 

Wonderful, Doc, wonderful!


----------



## Malachai_rose

*poor jamison*

so he go level drained huh... life energy that he can never get back ? Does that mean that a restoration spell from Vek or Orthos won't bring him back up to speed? Just wonderin, also the rust pool... that was evil, lol, glad Kizz had a repair kit to hook Nanny back up


----------



## Dr Midnight

double-post. duh.


----------



## Dr Midnight

> Wow, after that sessions, players' heads should be hurting, too much thinking, a lot of puzzles...



Yeah... I think I enjoy puzzles as dungeon hazards far more than some of them. They can easily defeat my poorly played monsters, though, so it's a trade-off.



> so he go level drained huh



Nope, drained CON permanently. I believe he lost 2 points. 

That chess puzzle at the very end I think will be the toughest puzzle in the module... Anyone care to take any guesses at the solution? Don't post them here... E-mail your solutions to me. 

I'll make this a contest. How? Uh... Hmm... how about the first person to guess correctly will be killed by Dartan in a future write-up. 

Okay, maybe it's not a new car, but I've got a REAL contest coming up soon, involving legitimate prizes. Stay tuned for that.


----------



## Breakstone

Heh, I love puzzles...


----------



## Hammerhead

Can't a greater Restoration, which your party has access to, get rid of the drained Con?


----------



## Malachai_rose

con losss... well beats losing a level anyday, but shouldn't a greater restoration fix him right up ? just curious. 

Also I just started reading SepulchraveII's The Rape of Morne... I am such a fanboy, lol, I would love to see a Vek versus Eadric matchup. Heh, theyre both such bad asses it would be fun to watch (I'm the same guy that sits around when bored debating with other fan bois whether the Enterprise form the next generation could smoke a Star Destroyer, lol ) Wayy wayyyyy off topic I realize (I'm not really serious anywasy  ) but it seemed like a funny enough thought to mention here, lol.


----------



## Jamison Crow

Soon as we rest I'll get patched up. One thing Doc hasn't mentioned is that I have been taking just about everything in the dungeon with me. I have all the ale, a hydra head, and loads of other stuff in my bag of holding.


----------



## Breakstone

Hooray! Game night! (I think...)

Heh. Dartan can't have any doubts that Jamison's back now...

Only the original Jamison could be so obliviously jovial.


----------



## PaynAndispare

Aye, we'll get Jamison patched right up.  I'll do this in exchange for a pint o' ale and perhaps half a dozen or so candles from his bag of holding.  YARRR!


----------



## PaynAndispare

Malachai_rose said:
			
		

> *I would love to see a Vek versus Eadric matchup.*




What a great story that is ... have you read the previous stories by Sep ... Heretics of Wyre?

I'm a fan of Mostin, though some of the more recent events with Ortwin has been rather entertaining.


----------



## avangel

> I would love to see a Vek versus Eadric matchup.




So who would win?


----------



## Dr Midnight

Game day!

Look for something here later tonight.


----------



## Breakstone

Oh, gaming on _Saturdays_.

Woah, we share the same game day!


----------



## Dr Midnight

Okay, going to ask you people to suspend some disbelief here. Ziad's player missed game one, so Ziad has never actually been IN PLAY. I was given his name and class, and worked with it to create the backstory. 

Today, he (Matt) came to play, and announced he'd changed his concept... and his name. He's now a wizard named Lem. 

So. I'll be going back and changing everything in the story from Ziad to Lem. What I ask from you is to just kinda shrug and not notice too much. Okay? You'll get used to it. 

I'll have something up before midnight, with luck.


----------



## Hammerhead

Wow, talk about spellcasting. We have:

Kizzlorn, Human Sorcerer
Sir Vek Mormont, Lich Cleric
Orthos, Dwarven Cleric
Jame-Zon, Human Wizard
Lem, ??? Wizard
Nanny, Shield Golem ?Fighter?
and Dartan, Ex-Paladin

Everyone but Dartan and Nanny has powerful spell-casting ability, and Nanny can store spells as well...
2 Clerics, 3 Arcanists. Wow.


----------



## Dr Midnight

*SESSION 39
Sunday, 9th of Harvester
DOUBT*

The party bent over the chess board and studied it- all except for Nanny, of course, who stood attentively… and Dartan, who had no love for chess. He walked restlessly about. 

“Can we… Should we move the pieces?” It was found that no, the pieces could not be moved… but they could be turned. Each rotated on its own central axis. 

“The board itself isn’t magical… nor are any of the pieces,” Jamison reported. 

After fifteen minutes, Dartan grew bored of waiting around, and decided to investigate the drawn curtain to the north. He pulled it aside and ignored the questions behind him. This large, rectangular room had open doorways along the northwest and northeast.  Standing in front of the curtained doorway, right before him, was a statue of two snakes wrapped around a winged pole.  The pole rose up from a small, flat pedestal.  On the opposing wall, above the serpents' heads, were carved the letters "E," "S," "C," "N," "W," and "C."

The snake-statue turned to face him with a low grating noise as the stone of the pedestal turned. One snake head spoke.  “If you wish to pass by me…”

“State how many in your party there be,” the other added.

“Tell the truth, and pass at will.”

“Lie, to me, I'll strike to kill." 

Dartan was happy to face something in combat after all this riddling and guessing, but he humored the creature. “There are seven of us,” he said, drawing his sword with a hopeful grin. 

The thing hissed and came to life, ripping away from its pedestal and attacking. Dartan swung at it and clocked a huge chunk of stone out of it. Nanny stamped up behind him and swung at the construct from over Dartan’s head. 

“What are they fighting,” Kizzlorn asked, only half-interested. 

“I don’t know, but I want in,” Vek said. He stood and walked over to find the battle already done. 

Dartan slid his sword back into his scabbard with an unsatisfied scowl.  “This is too easy. This dungeon needs bigger creatures, and more of them.” He stepped over the rubble of the shattered snake statue into the room beyond. He glanced at the ESCNWC overhead and made a disgusted noise. None of them ever took the time to figure out just why the snake hadn’t been satisfied with the truthful answer…

The others didn’t really feel like working on the chess puzzle anymore… there were new corridors to explore. They followed Dartan and Nanny through into the next room. They walked through the north passage. It turned east and came to a door, that Vek opened. This large room was filled with 14 pews, seven to a side.  At the south side was a raised dais, upon which were three closed chests.  There was a door at the southeast, and another at the southwest.  There were two torch sconces on the wall behind the chests, but neither of them were lit.

Each of the chests had a rune engraved upon the lid, and words carved into their fronts.  Together, the words read "A TINY SIN AS TINY AS AN INSECT." 

Dartan rolled his eyes and left them behind, to explore the other passage from the ESCNWC room. He went east, and Lem followed him. 

“Ahh, let him go,” Jamison said. “Dartan when bored is like a caged animal. Best to let him go get into his own trouble.” From his position outside the room, he cast a spell on the center chest and it opened. He opened the other two in like manner, and a flash of greenish light emanated from the chest furthest from them. As no one was in the room, no one seemed affected… 

Vek walked into the room and studied the chest. “Insanity… everyone else stay out until it’s run its course.” Vek’s brain, of course, had rotted away with the rest of his soft tissue. He wasn’t under the symbol’s control.

“You can read the symbol, Vek?”

“No,” he laughed. “It’s the one with ‘A TINY SIN’ written on it. Rearranged… INSANITY.”

They waited until the room was safe, then entered and looted the chests. The door at the other side of the room opened, and everyone’s head snapped to see what was attacking them, their hands all going to their weapons. 

Dartan and Lem stood there, with a look of excitement quickly souring on their faces as they saw where their adventurous path had taken them. “Damn it,” Dartan cursed.

They walked up the stairs at the other end of the room and found a door that opened into the COBBLER room. A secret door was always fun to discover, but not from the business end.

“So… we’ve been everywhere, correct?” Orthos was checking his hand-drawn map, and it seemed every door and passage had been taken… except for two. “Here we go,” he said. The room with A NIP OF MEAD OR PURE ALES had two sets of stairs leading down that they had not taken. They walked back to that room and began to descend through the door to the south… the one that didn’t spell PAIN in jumbled letters overhead. 

Vek led… and stepped on the trapped stair ten steps down. The stairs all turned downward and formed a smooth slide. Vek, Nanny, Orthos, and Dartan tumbled down into the darkness. The others still stood at the top. The four slid down and landed. Vek was first to his feet, looking about. 

This room was large, and cast entirely in a thick, sulfurous crimson light. Torches burned along wall sconces, and their smoke filled the cavernous room so that the opposing walls were hidden entirely. Smoke roiled amidst what appeared to be dozens of statues. Stone statues scattered all through the room- each appearing to be in mid-combat. Statues of armored men and women. Cracked and perfectly carved. Not one of the Knights trusted them. 

Then, rapidly, a sound: CH-CH-CH-CH-CH-CHhh….

Vek’s keen eyes saw something shift at the far end of the room. At this distance, it was just a dim form moving through the red mist. Greenish eyes glowed. The head seemed to move, shapeless. 





A slithering was heard on stone. “Best stand and ready yourselves,” the lich warned with a smile. “…and try not to mock her hairstyle.”

*MORE TO COME…*


----------



## Grim

Mmm... I love the smell of medusa in the morning...


----------



## fenzer

Great art Doc.  It makes the story.


----------



## Metus

I'll certainly agree with that.  The illustrations (which are great, btw) really enhance the story.


----------



## Horacio

It seems your players got a bit tired of puzzles, the wanted action... and I think they are going to get it!


----------



## Hammerhead

BUMP! Like the illustrations...

Remember though,... (see sig)


----------



## Breakstone

Heh heh heh... Vek is the best...


----------



## Nail

> *A slithering was heard on stone. “Best stand and ready yourselves,” the lich warned with a smile. “…and try not to mock her hairstyle.”*




Great stuff, Dr. M and Vek.

Say, do they ever get to find out who th' statues are?  Not dead, after all.........just a bit stiff wit' age.  A few questions could be answered......


----------



## Dr Midnight

Vek and Nanny ran forward to meet the creature. As they ran, Nanny saw it far to the right… so why was Vek running straight forward? Nanny charged the creature with fists swinging. It looked at him and its eyes blazed bright yellow-green. Nanny felt his non-stone parts begin to weigh heavily and solidify… and then it was over. He punched the she-demon in the head and it flew back, hissing. 

THWUCK!

An arrow lodged itself in Dartan’s breastplate. He saw where it came from: the Southwest corner of the room. He saw the medusa slithering at him, nocking another arrow. Why, then, were his companions focusing their attentions elsewhere? Then, he saw why. There were three medusas. They were each attacking from a different angle. 

Lem, from above, was attempting to use his spider-climb spell to walk down the slope. He was not prepared for Jamison taking a running jump from above and sliding straight into him. He held his ground… until Kizzlorn slid into both of them. They tumbled down to the floor. 

Vek strode up to one, preparing his devastating Harm spell, and saw that the flesh hung loosely and dry from her face. She was not living. “They’re undead,” he called out. He blasted the one before him to ash and flame. Dartan hewed at his, which radiated a blast of abyssal fire and madness that ate at them. Nanny finally punched the head straight off the one he was fighting. 

Lem cast a spell on one and it came under his control. He ordered it to stand still and submit to Dartan’s attacks. Suddenly, the medusa turned its head and looked to Vek… it was now under HIS control. “Death is MY domain, wizard,” Vek laughed. Dartan cut the head from the submissive creature and the battle was done.  

Dartan sheathed his sword, turned, and stared straight into the Eye of Heironeous. The blasphemous symbol was carved into the shield of one of the statues before him. His face was a permanent scowl of horror. “We’ve found the Eye members we’ve been looking for,” he reported to the others. 

The statue’s pack had been ripped open in the fight, or so the statue seemed to suggest. A quick search of the floor revealed several fallen items. Some gold, a map of the coastline, and a letter. Dartan plucked it up, unfolded it, and read. 

Maggord 
You asked for a task worthy of you. This is my command. You will take a band of our Holy and travel south. There, scour the coast clean of infidels and heretics. There must be no one to stand against the titans when they rise from the sea, for they will be at their weakest, and half-formed. 

Once the heretics have been cleansed, find the teple of Isillyn. Legend tells that long ago, Isillyn helped to trick the titans and trap them beneath the Oerth. The mer-demon that men named Gangizth lives in chains, imprisoned on the ocean’s floor. He will be the first to be released. Find the gong, deep within the temple, that will release him. Bang it thrice. 

A good natural disaster will stoke the faith of many, and bend them to His service. This may seem an unnecessarily harsh means to an end, but is it crueler to let them live without terror, so they may die as heretics? This will save tens of thousands of souls from false gods.  

Do this in Heironeous’ name, and His rewards will ever be yours.
-Mistress Elleth  

“What does this mean,” Jamison asked. Then, forgetting his first question, his eyes lit up and he exclaimed “There’s a gong nearby that will unleash a TITAN?!?”

“If you ring such a gong, I’ll kill you,” Dartan said as he put the note in his pack. “Let’s keep going. This doesn’t really tell us where to find the remaining Eye members.”

They walked up through the other stairway, as the one they’d slid down was now a steep slope. They walked under the Symbol of Pain they’d known about but forgotten… and their muscles clenched up. It felt like every piece of their bodies was cramping. “Urrgh!!! Pain… brings… goodness,” Lem said through clenched teeth. No one asked what he meant, because sometimes he was just creepy like that. When it cleared, they walked back to the chess room. 

Kizzlorn said “This is the only puzzle we’re missing, I believe. Let’s try to figure this one out.”

Lem got the idea that the heads swiveling meant something. They began to turn each head a different way and try odd combinations. 

Nanny was studying the floor. “What is it, Nanny,” Kizz asked. 

“Floor numbers, floor letters. Why?”

She looked down. The chessboard was indeed numbered and lettered, as some chessboards were. It was a way to keep track of what piece was where, where they’d moved from, and so on. “I don’t know, Nanny.  I think it’s something chess players know more about.” Kizz had grown up in Castle Greyhawk, and believed chess to be the pompous game of nobles and their silk-ruffled younglings.  She didn’t know much about it.

Lem stepped up and rubbed his jaw thoughtfully. “I think your friend has something, there.” He knelt and looked at the letters. Each piece was on a lettered square. Could it spell something? …And in what order? Moving from 1 to 8 was most likely, he thought. That spelled EAFACCHEHBEAEDE. Nonsense. 

Nanny spoke again. “Spell… by color?” Lem looked again and linked the letters by white pieces. EACHHEAD… EACH HEAD. He excitedly read the black pieces. FACE BEE. “Each head face bee. What does that mean? Where… there!” He began turning all the pieces to face the north wall… the one with the bee painted on it, amidst honeycombs. 

A grinding sound as the secret door on the south wall crept into the floor. Before walking through it, the group decided to sleep for the night. 

“Why should we sleep here? We can teleport home for the night, to the Keep, correct?” Jamison said. “We can sleep in comfortable beds.”

Kizzlorn shook her head. “Not with Nanny. He weighs too much for that spell. I’m not leaving him here.”
“And I’m not leaving Kizz here,” Lem added. 

“I think it’s best if we stay together.”

Jamison’s face soured. “Well, you guys camp here on the hard marble floor if you like… I’m going to sleep in a bed.”

Vek turned to look at him. “Wouldn’t you just love to go to the Keep without us?”

”What are you saying?”

“That you are not to be trusted.”

Dartan settled the deal by glaring at Jamison and saying “You don’t leave my sight.” The group settled in the chess room for a night of uncomfortable sleep. 

_*More to come...* _


----------



## Metus

So they aren't going to try to stone to flesh any of the statues?  Come now.  Surely there are some statues that deserve to be changed back.  Plus, they could also interrogate that one guy, if they changed him back.


----------



## Despaxas

Ah man, they have to turn those statues back. It wouldn't be fair to my character who recently had to pay a great deal of money to rescue his 3 companions and 6 more, I was flat out broke after that, and did those bastards pay me for helping the others, nah, course not. I swear I'm going to lay righteous fury on them very soon, oh yes, very soon, hehehe hehe ... Divine Power heh, Flamestrike ... hehehe

Don't mind me, great story


----------



## Richards

In the spirit of anagrammatic goodness (if that's even a word ), here's what we get when we play around with the names of the various Knights of Spellforge Keep:

*LEM = ELM*

Not much to say about Lem, as we don't really know much about him at this stage.  Maybe he likes trees?

*LEM = MEL*

Not really all that much more impressive, is it?  Oh well.  Try not to get a mental image of Mel Cooley (from the old Dick Van Dyke Show) playing the part of Lem as you read this Story Hour.  (And don't blame me if you do: I said try _not_ to!)

*DARTAN = RAT-NAD*

Not quite the same thing as being a Rat-Bastard, but it has its own quaint appeal.  Lest Dartan think I'm picking on him, though, this next one's a little cooler:

*DARTAN THE GODLESS = DEATH'S LOST DANGER*

This could either mean that Dartan is in fact the one danger that even Death herself has lost track of, or perhaps that Dartan is so tough that even the concept of death has lost its danger in his eyes.  Either way, I think it's pretty cool.

*SIR VEK MORMONT = VENOM-ROT SMIRK*

Now if _this_ isn't a perfect match!  I can just imagine the "venom-rot smirk" on Vek's face when he does stuff like steal control of a vampiric medusa from Lem or frighten a dying old man with his undead visage.

*ORTHOS = SHORTO*

Okay, "shorto" isn't really a word - so sue me.  I still think it's kind of ironic, given that Orthos is a dwarf.  Still, you want a better one?  I got a better one:

*ORTHOS STONEFIST = SOOT-SNORT FETISH*

So, maybe our dwarven cleric likes to snort soot in his spare time?  No?  Okay then, perhaps he has an even kinkier side:

*ORTHOS STONEFIST = SO, ON TO FRESH TITS*

Which would mean, what?  Maybe he's secretly a typical "ale and whores" kind of dwarf, only he prefers to move on to new female companionship after he's "sampled their wares."  Don't ask me, I only figure these anagrams out; I'm not necessarily responsible for explaining 'em.     One last shot at Orthos:

*ORTHOS STONEFIST = TOOT ISN'T SO FRESH*

Here's a hint to the other Knights: you might want to make sure you're not immediately behind Orthos in the standard party marching order the night after you all had beans for dinner.   

Okay, enough picking on the dwarf.  How about Kizzlorn?  I'll bet you didn't think I could come up with an anagram of Kizzlorn, did you?  Well...you're right.    Throw in her last name, though, and now we've got something to work with:

*KIZZLORN SPELLFORGE = KILLER OF RPG NOZZLES*

I'm not quite sure what an "RPG nozzle" is, but again, I don't have to explain 'em.  Or, here's a different one:

*KIZZLORN SPELLFORGE = LONG PORK ELF SIZZLER*

Correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't "long pork" a slang term used by cannibals to refer to human flesh?  If so, it's probably a good thing the Knights don't have any elves in their party at the moment.

*NANNY THE SHIELD GUARDIAN = AND HE IS A TINY GUN HANDLER*

I'll bet you didn't know about _that_, did you?  (Apologies to Doctor Midnight if I've spoiled any future surprises here.  I hope it won't be too much of a let-down when Nanny whips out a tiny gun from an arm-compartment to save the Knights from some deadly menace in the future and the readership says, "Yeah, I saw _that_ coming.")

*JAMISON CROW = ORC WINOS JAM*

I can attest to this, by the way.  You get a couple of drunken orcs together and throw them some musical instruments - we're talking some mighty fine music!  (Try it yourself and see!)  But then there's always:

*JAMISON CROW = JOIN ROC'S MAW*

If Jamison is ever devoured by a roc, don't anyone ever say I didn't warn him.

Johnathan


----------



## Wee Jas

Well, Level 15 is coming.  Sir Vek will be taking the Leadership feat.  Soon the Knights of Wee Jas will be moving into Verbobonc but I'll need a worthy commander to look after my soldiers while I'm away.  I was thinking I could name my commander after one of the posters but how will I decide which name to give?  Hmmn.. Any ideas?  

* Sorry Tsunami but you are already my undead warhorse!


----------



## Dr Midnight

Holy crap, that's funny. The Orthos Stonefist ones are best, I think... because, let's face it... toot isn't so fresh.

How about some for the old Knights? Dekker? Tenchi? Pleaaaase?


----------



## Richards

Okay, here are some anagrams of Knights of days past:

*DEKKER ROUGHFOOT = HOOKED GUT FORKER*

Looks like Dekker created his own weapon or something.  Commendable!  On the other hand...

*DEKKER ROUGHFOOT = KEG OF HOOKER TURD*

Uh, you really need to find a new hobby, Dekker.   

*TENCHI = ETHNIC*

I always find it interesting when I can get a single word from a name.

*TENCHI FOXFINGERS = NIXON'S FIG FETCHER*

Hey, don't laugh, it may not be the world's most glamorous job, but at least he's working for a former US President.  And ever wonder what Tenchi's main job was at his monastery?

*TENCHI FOXFINGERS = FIXING SHORT FENCE*

And not to be outdone by Dekker in the "disgusting hobby" category:

*TENCHI FOXFINGERS = SNIFF EXCRETING HO'*

Ouch.  Sorry about that one.  Let's move on, shall we?

*MALLICK HUCRELE = CERAMIC ELK HULL*

I'm not quite sure what an elk hull is, let alone a ceramic one, but anagramology is still a somewhat new science.

*MALLICK HUCRELE = LULL A MERE CHICK*

Does this mean Mallick was sexist?  "Mere chick," indeed.

*BREE = BEER*

Admittedly an easy one, but hey, it's beer!

*BREE THORNBERRY = BENT BY HER ERROR*

Anyone care to guess what her error was?

*MYRAMUS = SUMMARY*

Another cool anagram into a single word.

*MYRAMUS MAXIMUS = MAXIMUM RAY SUMS*

Okay, I admit it's kind of cheesy (I don't like using that many letters in the same way - "maximus" is only one letter away from "maximum") but that's what I could come up with.  But what about his twin brother, Menerous?

*MENEROUS = OUR SEMEN*

Ugh, I think you're taking the "twins do everything together" concept a little too far there, buddy!  

*MENEROUS = RUE OMENS*

Kind of the superstitious type, are you, Menerous?

*MENEROUS MAXIMUS = I NAME OUR MUM'S SEX*

Big deal!  I'll bet I can name your mum's sex, too: female, right?

*ANGELIQUE MATHEA = QUITE A HALMA GENE*

Halma is a PC over in Wulf Ratbane's Story Hour.  Perhaps the two are related?  Okay, perhaps not.

*ANGELIQUE MATHEA = I'M A LATE HAG QUEEN*

You are?  Then maybe it's a good thing you were killed off!   

*HANNAH = HANNAH*

Yeah, big freakin' deal, I know.  But I'd just like to point out that Hannah's name is a palindrome!  (It reads the same forwards and backwards.)  Wordplay geeks like me tend to find stuff like this cool.   

*KRYN = N-R-KY*

Seriously, there's not much I can do with "Kryn."  The coolest thing I could come up with is the above, which can be pronounced to sound (a little bit) like "anarchy."  Best I can do.

*ERASMUS = ASSUMER*

Shame on you, Erasmus!  Don't you know that when you assume, you make an ass out of you and me?

*ERASMUS NIGHTWALKER = SLUM-SHAKING WERERAT*

In case anyone was wondering what ever happened to Erasmus after he turned evil, apparently he became a wererat and started shaking up the poorer quarters on the town.  So now you know.

*JETTOK TAKLIN = TILT TANK JOKE*

I would never _joke_ about the party _tank_ being killed off.

*JETTOK TAKLIN = A JET KILT KNOT*

Now we all know how Jettok kept his kilt from falling down.  (Bet you didn't even know he wore a kilt, did you?)

*RAFFLORN SPELLFORGE = RAFFLES OF GRELL PORN*

Because no porn collection is really complete without pictures of naked, tentacled, levitating brain creatures, is it?  (I apologize in advance for the visual. )  

*KATYA OHANNA = AHA, NOT A YANK!*

Katya's player wasn't by any chance a Southern girl, was she?

*KYLA OHANNA = A LANKY NOAH*

_Kyla Ohanna is Eric Noah's love child?_  Remember, you heard it first here, folks!

Johnathan


----------



## Breakstone

Ha ha ha ha ha!

Hyuk hyuk hyuk hyuk hyuk!

Heh heh heh heh heh!

He he he he he he he!

Whoo!

Richards, you are quite the man.


----------



## Metus

Wee Jas said:
			
		

> *Well, Level 15 is coming.  Sir Vek will be taking the Leadership feat.  Soon the Knights of Wee Jas will be moving into Verbobonc but I'll need a worthy commander to look after my soldiers while I'm away.  I was thinking I could name my commander after one of the posters but how will I decide which name to give?  Hmmn.. Any ideas?
> 
> * Sorry Tsunami but you are already my undead warhorse! *



Well, I know I'm not the most prominent poster, but I'll put a vote in for the job.  My name's latin, and it has a few dark meanings.  Plus, I always reserve this character's name for necromancers!  How's about that!


----------



## Cheiromancer

Dr Midnight,

I just wanted to let you know that the Knights of the Silver Quill was my favorite story hour (while it lasted) and that I was very sad when it ended.

And I was overjoyed to see the campaign start up again.  Those back-story installments were absolutely superb!

Now I eagerly watch for new installments of the Knights of Spellforge Keep.  I know they are a lot of work- I just wanted to let you know that I really appreciate it.  As do, I'm sure, a large number of other forumites.

-Cheiromancer


----------



## Breakstone

Here here!


----------



## Dr Midnight

*Moonday, 10th of Harvester*

They woke and readied themselves for the room beyond. They walked through. The stink of decay assailed their nostrils, and its source was soon evident: lying among a pile of rotting straw was the skeleton of a large creature with a lion's body, an eagle's wings, and the skull of a giant.  

There was a depression in the stone wall on the far side of the circular room.  Closer inspection revealed it to be a large keyhole, above which were four carved indentations in the shape of the letters "M," "R," "E," and "L," each one a different size.

Immediately wary of the skeleton, they skirted its edge carefully as they studied the keyhole and letters. Dartan muttered “I am sick of the puzzles and games of this place.” 

Lem examined the keyhole. “It looks like the tallest of the letters is the height of the keyhole. Could it be we’re meant to use these letters as a key?”

“Not THESE letters, surely… these ones are just carved into the wall.” Kizz furrowed her brow and thought.

Lem touched the carvings, and the skull of the dead beast began to raise into the air. Dartan shouted in exclamation and drew his sword. The skull’s jaw moved to an eerie female voice that seemed to come from nowhere. "The door is locked, a key you need. I'll lead you if my words you heed… seek four letters made of lead. Each stood above you, overhead. Place each letter, say my name, then form the key from one and same."

“Is it undead?” Jamison prepared to blow the skull apart should it attack.

“No,” Vek said sadly. “It’s merely a pairing of triggered spells. There is no unlife in this creature.” They watched as the skull lowered to the ground and lay still.

It was quickly guessed that they should go back through the entire temple and look through the letters over the doorways they passed through. Sure enough, they found an R hidden in the word ORANGE, way back in the orange dust trap room. A quick sweep of the premises led them to find an M in the word HARM from the room with the statues in it. L was in the word ALES, from the room leading to the medusas’ lair. E was lodged in ESCNWC from the room with the snakehead statue. 

They brought the pieces to the skeleton room and examined them. M, R, E, and L. They placed them into the carved spaces on the walls, to no effect. “MREL. ‘Amariel’. Huh. What does she want us to do again,” Kizz asked aloud. “Make a key with these?” They began to place them in different positions. Eventually, the R fused to the M with a hard snapping noise. They kept fussing with the pieces until the E and the L snapped to the rest of the mass. It formed a vaguely key-like shape. This was placed into the slot on the wall and turned. 

The wall separated and moved apart as two doors. Beyond, a wide staircase descended into darkness that flickered with dim torchlight. The Knights walked down into the room, which was piled with various treasures.  Along the eastern wall was a wooden bookcase filled with several tomes. A shelf on the west wall held a variety of small objects and a large roll of heavy cloth sat below it. Against the south wall stood two chests, with a large bronze gong sat against the south wall.

Suddenly, a form partially materialized in the center of the room.  It was a winged lioness with a beautiful human face, and it eyed them with infinite weariness.  "You have made it this far," she said in a regal voice.  "Only one more obstacle stands in your way.  Answer my final riddle, and all that you see is yours.” She picked up the heavy gong-clapper that lay on the floor and held it over her head. “Answer me incorrectly and I bang the gong. With three false answers, I will unleash the titan upon you.”

Jamison slavered over the gong. He was very nearly ready to bang it himself. Curiosity should have killed him long ago, but he just couldn’t stop touching things. 

Dartan grunted in disdain. “Ask it, already.”

"Rod of wonder,
cube of force,
scroll of flesh to stone.
Add the numbers
in these things,
if their sum be known."

They huddled together quickly. Three items was a plain answer, and warranted a guess. Kizz popped her head up and said “Three.” Amariel’s face clouded and she banged the gong once. The sound was far louder and larger than the five-foot gong would have suggested. The group went back to thinking. Twelve was the next guess. The gong rang again. Amariel’s ghost was beginning to look anxious. The next and last guess was five. 

The sphinx’s shade hissed at them. “Fools!” The look on her face spoke of frustration and great anger. “The answer is simple. All you needed to do was think for a moment. Now you’ve cost me my freedom, and you your lives!” She raised her arm back to smash the gong for the third time, and Lem uttered the last word of the spell he’d been canting. 

“Stop,” he said. Amariel’s arm stopped, a mere five inches from the gong. Her eyes went wild with surprise. “Put it down.” She laid the gong’s padded striking hammer on the ground. She couldn’t resist his commands. 

“What have you done,” she demanded. “Release me at once!”

Lem smiled. “No. Step away from the gong.” She did. “Nanny, fetch the gong. Careful not to jostle it.” Nanny walked over and picked the huge disc of bronze up, then walked back. “Destroy it.” Nanny obeyed, folding the gong over with a great wrenching metal sound. Amariel cursed them and disappeared. “Come back,” Lem said to the open air. Her ghostly form manifested once again in the room. She was genuinely scared. 

Vek murmured a word, and for the second time, control of the undead was his. “Sorry, Lem,” he said. “I thought it only fair to show you once more who the master of the dead is.” He laughed. “Amariel, just try to go limp. This is going to hurt. Dartan?” Dartan walked toward her, brandishing his sword. 

Amariel stammered. “No! NO! This isn’t right! You’re supposed to answer the question and set me free, or fail at the questions and die! All I’ve wanted since I died was to BE FREE OF THIS PLACE! There are rules! YOU CAN’T DO THIS!”

“Here, I’ll set you free,” Dartan said. He destroyed the ghost in no time at all. Her anguished cry echoed off the walls and faded to nothing. 

“What now? Are we done?” Jamison eyed the gong. 

“Let’s clean up this treasure and be on our way,” Kizz said as she emptied the chests’ contents into a large sack. “Lem, can we levitate the gong and take it with us so it’s properly destroyed?”

Lem cast a spell on the gong’s mangled form and it lifted from the ground. Jamison, behind him, twitched.

Vek adjusted his armor with a distracted sigh. “Where to now? We’re not left with a clear path before us.”

Orthos rubbed his nose and said “Maybe we can find this Mistress Elleth person and-“

“GAAAAAHHHHH!!!” Jamison leapt between them and smashed the gong with the clapper. It rang deeply and loudly. So loudly, in fact, that ribbons of dust drifted from the ceiling. It was deafening. When the others collected their wits, they stared unbelieving at Jamison, who was standing there looking like a child who knew he’d done something bad. His guilty eyes darted around the room. 

Orthos shouted at him. “WHAT THE HELL DID YOU DO THAT FOR?!?” 

“I… I had to do it.” He quickly began to rationalize. “There’s a titan under the sea, just waiting to come up and wreak havoc! It was going to happen eventually. Why not just do it when we can be here to stop it? Am I right?”

“I’ll tell you why he did it,” Dartan said with plain murder in his eyes. “He’s evil.”

The ensuing screaming argument lasted a full minute, at least. Eventually the Knights realized that what was done was done, and they could figure out what to do with him once they’d gotten back to dry land. They walked up the stairs and out through the entrance. 

The sky was overcast, but a hole was cut in the clouds above and some rays of sunlight fell all over the ocean’s horizon around the crag. “I don’t see a titan,” Jamison said sheepishly. 

Then, the rock shuddered. The screams of something shattering and men screaming could be very distantly heard. Evenly spaced, deep vibrations shook the crag. 

Vek readied his favorite spell. Nanny prepared his battleaxe. Orthos said a prayer to Moradin: “May I smite the beast, and die well, or be stricken by your hammer.”

A hand roughly twenty feet wide rose up from the sharp drop-off where the crag began its almost thousand-foot descent. It slammed to the ground before them and pulled the rest of the creature up. Gangizth the Titan was a monstrous green scaled creature with yellow eyes the size of wagon wheels. Its maw was filled with hundreds of tiny, glittering teeth. In its other hand it clutched a spear, that could only have been the mast of a sunken galleon. It roared, and the sound filled the world. 

Everyone readied for battle. Kizzlorn was first to strike, and she said one word and made one gesture. The creature stopped. Its skin turned a mottled grey-green. Its roar died in its throat as it turned all to stone. Cracks and pits ran down its surface, and then, it was all solid rock. The other Knights looked at Kizzlorn with a wide-eyed stare. She stared back at them, just as unbelieving. The titan had been defeated by one simple spell of FLESH TO STONE? 

The weight of the creature couldn’t be supported by its brittle stone arms. It began crumbling. Its pieces fell into the sea below in a shower of rock and dust. Only its colossal clawed hand remained at the top of the crag, flattened against the rock like a squashed spider. 

“Is it over,” Jamison asked. 

Orthos shrugged. “Uh… certainly looks like it.”

“Was it really weak, do you think?”

Kizzlorn said “I think I just got lucky, and happened upon something it had little or no defense against right away. Everything has a weakness.”

Jamison paused then said “Yeah, but… but it was a TITAN.”

No one could do anything but shrug and wonder at it all. They descended the stairs and found the ship missing. Smashed timbers floated on the foam. Pyterie was soaked, trembling at the bottom of the stairs, huddled against the slime-coated rock. “M-my ship,” he muttered. That was about all they could get him to say. 

With no ship, all that could be done was teleporting to town and chartering another ship to come and fetch everyone. Nanny could not be teleported at all- otherwise they all might have gone at once. It took a day, but it was done. 

They slept in an inn once they reached Whiteport. 

_*Next: Things get dangerous* _


----------



## Immort

Yup, Jamison is back.  Heh.  Sucks when yer big dogs roll a "1" on their saves eh?  That musta juss kilt all of yer at the table.  Keep it comin'.

-J


----------



## Blood Jester

Doc, still love your stories. 

Jamison was once one of my favorite characters, and I usually don't say this but...

He needs to get dead.

Dartan should help him with that.

No lack of love intended.


----------



## Horacio

I'd have loved seeing your face when Jamison sounded the gong, Doc... I bet you didn't expected the adventure finished like that


----------



## Despaxas

> “What have you done,” she demanded. “Release me at once!”




Mwahahahaha, oh man that's just lame 



> The titan had been defeated by one simple spell of FLESH TO STONE?




ROFL even lamer

This is getting silly people, next time you should just go visit that dragon and kill it with a disintegrate or something


----------



## Wizardry

Yeah...  the entire adventure seems kind of pointless when you consider there was no real danger.  Basically it seemed like nothing more than "waste time solving puzzles".


----------



## Horacio

Wizardry said:
			
		

> *Yeah...  the entire adventure seems kind of pointless when you consider there was no real danger.  Basically it seemed like nothing more than "waste time solving puzzles". *




That's a bit rude, isn't it?


----------



## Wizardry

Horacio said:
			
		

> *
> 
> That's a bit rude, isn't it? *




Not really.  You know, I'm really tired of the attitude that unless a post is butt kissingly complimentary, it's rude and insulting.  I was giving my opinion on the story.  I like the authors writing enough to be reading this thread, but if I find the resolution of an adventure boring or such, I will say so.  This is not a personal assault or an attack on your right to live, it's just my opinion.  I swear it's turning into a PC world out there....


----------



## Malachai_rose

*trolls...*

Wow... Trolls on Docs post... 

Ma wheres my +5 keened vorpal scimitar?!?! I gots some killin to do 

Okay trolling aside I loved the post.. and no real danger ? huh ? It's called a saving throw and even the best of us can roll low, I was hoping to see the Knights throw down with the Titan but hey having him turned to stone was pretty darned funy. Plus jamison is da man, I was so wanting that gong to get rang the last time and he made it happen for me  

For those that think it was to easy, well thats just how a high level campaign works... sometimes it goes really well (like today) and sometimes it doesn't (like with the dragon) Magic is fickle like that sometimes. Great job Doc and good post, heh, I would love to know what was going on at the table when all this happened, roflmao classic


----------



## Horacio

Wizardry said:
			
		

> *Not really.  You know, I'm really tired of the attitude that unless a post is butt kissingly complimentary, it's rude and insulting.  I was giving my opinion on the story.  I like the authors writing enough to be reading this thread, but if I find the resolution of an adventure boring or such, I will say so.  This is not a personal assault or an attack on your right to live, it's just my opinion.  I swear it's turning into a PC world out there.... *




And I was giving my opinion about your post, so relax, man.


----------



## Malachai_rose

*Wizardry*

" Not really. You know, I'm really tired of the attitude that unless a post is butt kissingly complimentary, it's rude and insulting. I was giving my opinion on the story. I like the authors writing enough to be reading this thread, but if I find the resolution of an adventure boring or such, I will say so. This is not a personal assault or an attack on your right to live, it's just my opinion. I swear it's turning into a PC world out there"

Wizardy
_________________________________

... wow, your a spitefull little fella arent ya, I mean this is a DnD game man, Doc has no contol over what the PC's do or how the dice roll, hes a story teller. If the resoloution of the story didn't tickle your fancy fine but try to remember this is a story hour labored over by Doc, you pay NOTHING for the privlege to read his work and the work of his players...

Lol, I got an idea for a new best seller

...  'How to make friends and Influence people the Wizardry way'

roflmao... I bet people would be lining up to buy that one, lol


----------



## Wizardry

*Re: Wizardry*

Malachai:  Yawn.  Look, if I wanted to criticize Dr. Midnights writing style, I would, but it should be apparent that is not the case.  I don't know why I'm even bothering to post this, but if I don't like the way the story develops, I'll say so.  Not all feedback is going to be positive.  Deal, and welcome to the real world. 


PS

By.... the.... way.... putting.... period.... marks... in.... practically... every... part.... of.... your.... post... is.... really.... annoying....


----------



## Esiminar

Back to something related to the story  

Rod of *One*der
Cube of *For*ce
Scroll of Flesh to St*one* 

So thats 1+4+1

I think you will find the answer was six.
This is the only riddle in this whole thing that actualy jumped off the page punched me in the face and said heres my answer and it was the only one the Knights missed.

Now I just hope i'm right to prevent los of face


----------



## Dr Midnight

Wow, lots of discussion since I posted. 



> You know, I'm really tired of the attitude that unless a post is butt kissingly complimentary, it's rude and insulting.




Y'know what, I've got to stand with Wizardry on this one, and though it stung a bit, it's a reader's opinion, and I value them all. The truth is that it WASN'T a satisfying resolution to the adventure. There WASN'T much danger to it all, and I WASN'T as prepared as I should have been. 

Here's my flimsy excuse: I've been out of practice for a long time, and I've never run high-level D&D... or at least D&D at this high a level. I'd been struggling with it back when I was running every week. Now, I'm dealing with four spellcasters, and I'm never sure what their weaknesses are. So many times over the adventure I smacked my head and said "You can't do that... can you?? But... but..." etc. 

I leveled this adventure up from a 2nd level module, and I think I made a lot of bad choices. I'm going with a published one for the next module. I'm going to get a lot tougher, and do my homework, and before long I'm hoping we'll have characters lined up in their graves, just like the old days. 

So- thanks to Wizardry AND Malachai and Cheiromancer and everyone else. I would encourage anyone with criticism or "That was lame" comments to speak up. Give me the tough love I need. Just reading the nice stuff is great, but I don't want to feel like people are holding back with the bad. 
----
Esiminar: Gonggggg


----------



## med stud

First of: Dr_Midnight, I love your story hour and taste of music! Though I probably should give your players credit as well, as their characters are all interresting (I have lurked my way all through all of the story hours  )

Now, enough butt kissing ^^

What saves did the titan have? And what stats? Was it just a regular titan?


----------



## Broccli_Head

Dr Midnight said:
			
		

> *Wow, lots of discussion since I posted.
> 
> 
> 
> Now, I'm dealing with four spellcasters, and I'm never sure what their weaknesses are. So many times over the adventure I smacked my head and said "You can't do that... can you?? But... but..." etc. *




vs divine spellcasters...reflex saves
vs. arcane spellcasters...fort saves

then there's anti-magic which works against spell-like and supernatural abilities. 

even Vek has his weaknesses!

If you ever want some suggestions, doc there is that email thing we can use come up with and then to drop some suprises. 

Although, I won't give anything away against my favorite character, Dartan.  Sorry  
 

Also...don't titans have a ridiculous SR, like a 30+. And they may be immune to alterations? I'm thinking that your titan could have been classified as an abomination from the ELH, however. 

Well maybe next time.


----------



## Ziona

*Gaming Table*



			
				Malachai_rose said:
			
		

> *...I would love to know what was going on at the table when all this happened...*




Sitting at the table that night was rather interesting! We made our way to the platform outside and a titan was climbing up the side of the cliff.  We rolled initiative and Kizz got a natural 20, giving her the highest init with a 25.  So, I started casting and told Doc what the difficulty was, and to make a fort save (Kizz has *very good* spell diff checks).  Doc looked up from behind his DM's screen & said "Okay...he failed."

Vek said something like "What did you do, turn him into a worm?"

I just smirked and said, "No...I turned him to stone!"

Like Doc described in the story, everyone sat there for a second, then Doc said, "You're just messing with my head, right?"

But, I wasn't...good initiative roll combined with good stats and a bad saving roll for the titan = success for our heroes!  

Personally, I was proud of her ablilities and was quite excited when I managed to accomplish what I did, even though there were some at the table who were bummed about the lack of battle.  I thought it was great!  As far as it's saves and such, Doc asked for "loopholes" and there were none that would have prevented the spell's effects (trust me, they looked it up!)  

All in all, it was an interesting night with an ending I was enthused about.


----------



## Malachai_rose

thanks for the reply Ziona, heh, arcane casters are dangerous at higher levels  Here I was thinkin Dartan and Vek were the groups powerhouses but now I see that Kizz is pretty flippin powerfull as well. Now all that remains is to see what my favorite gruff dwarven cleric Orthos has hidden up his sleeve.  

Also I would like to thank Jamisons player, ringing that gong the third time was the coolest thing I've seen in a long time, lol, just suprised Dartan didn't try and kill you for it (glad he held his cool, I kinda like the whole curious crazy mage thing you've got going for you currently)


----------



## Richards

Originally posted by Esiminar:







> Rod of *One*der
> Cube of *For*ce
> Scroll of Flesh to St*one*
> 
> So thats 1+4+1
> 
> I think you will find the answer was six.



So close, but you're off by just a hair.  You've got the right idea, though: the solution was based on the phonetics of the numbers imbedded in the words of the magic items.  However, the phonetic sound of one ("won") does not appear in the word "stone" (unless you've got a really funny accent ).  The hidden number in the last line was 2 ("to" = 2).

Thus, 1+4+2=7.  The correct answer was 7.

Johnathan


----------



## Esiminar

*Aaaaarrrgg!!!* 

See loss of face (no smilies)


----------



## Breakstone

I'm Kizzlorn got her chance to shine, Ziona.

When my players' characters eventually get to that level, I'll be working on my use of imagery.

"With a cry like a storm of seagulls, the titan lifts and arm, dark claws extending with a sound like steel on stone. The claw begins its descent in your direction, death in flippered form. Suddenly, Kizzlorn steps forward, reciting the final words of her spell. The claw continues to swoop as she shouts the arcaic pronounciations. 10 feet away- 8 feet away- 5 feet away. A final spat of a sylable! 3 feet away- and stopped! A sudden shadow of doubt passes over the titan's face as his scales turn to stone, a wave of gray rushing over his skin. He attempts to free himself, but it is too late. The titan's face freezs in fear as he turns to solid rock."

Y'see? Now that's a climatic spell!

Heh, I just had a thought- that's just like the ending to Clash of the Titans...


----------



## Wee Jas

> even Vek has his weaknesses!




Fire! Vek hates fire.  Also, just walk up to me and  hit me with a weapon.  (That would work fine if you didn't have to get through my meat-sheild Dartan) 

 

I made the Flesh to Stone saves or I'd be in trouble too.  I want  Doc to be tougher on us more than anyone and I  gave him nasty ideas on how to do it .. mwhahaaa.


----------



## PaynAndispare

Looks like I have been out of the loop here a bit.

Great updates Doc!

Richards ... very funny stuff.  I am a stien totin' dorf, I just can't help myself sometimes


----------



## Ziona

Tsunami said:
			
		

> *I'm Kizzlorn got her chance to shine, Ziona.
> 
> When my players' characters eventually get to that level, I'll be working on my use of imagery.
> 
> "With a cry like a storm of seagulls, the titan lifts and arm, dark claws extending with a sound like steel on stone. The claw begins its descent in your direction, death in flippered form. Suddenly, Kizzlorn steps forward, reciting the final words of her spell. The claw continues to swoop as she shouts the arcaic pronounciations. 10 feet away- 8 feet away- 5 feet away. A final spat of a sylable! 3 feet away- and stopped! A sudden shadow of doubt passes over the titan's face as his scales turn to stone, a wave of gray rushing over his skin. He attempts to free himself, but it is too late. The titan's face freezs in fear as he turns to solid rock."
> 
> Y'see? Now that's a climatic spell!
> 
> Heh, I just had a thought- that's just like the ending to Clash of the Titans... *




It's my turn...WHOA...what muse kissed your brow, Tsunami?? Nice job in your descriptions!!


----------



## Dr Midnight

*Godsday, 11th of Harvester*

“I’m taking Nanny home.”

The others looked up from the table they were sitting around. Kizzlorn was standing before them with her pack over one shoulder. Orthos put down his mug of morning brew (a milder
kind of Dyversian ale) and looked at her with a concerned eye. “Why, Kizz? What’s wrong?”

“I don’t like how he’s not holding up anymore. Our adventures are getting deadlier, and he’s less and less able to take care of himself. He doesn’t progress in skill as we do, with time, and I fear he almost was lost to the rust pit in that temple. I don’t want to risk disassembling him.” In their beginning days, Nanny’s might and hardy metal frame had gotten them out of many a jam. Creatures like werewolves and orcs held no dangers for them while Nanny was around… but as adventuring parties ascend the ladder of success and fame, the trials and enemies become more testing. Nanny was very slowly becoming obsolete.

“It’s probably a good idea,” Vek said coldly. “He’s incredibly loud when he walks. We’d be better off without all the noise.”

Lem asked “Why not wait, and we can all go back together?”

Kizz shook her head.  “I’ll be away for a few weeks. We don’t have any leads on where to take the quest. I want you guys to keep probing for an answer, and I’ll catch up after I’ve dropped him off at the Keep.”

They bade her farewell, and she walked out the door with Nanny tromping behind her. She’d only told a half-truth. Part of the reason she was leaving for a while was to clear her head. What with Vek’s lichdom, Dartan’s hard sense of justice, and Jamison’s reckless inability to refrain from touching anything that might kill them, she had a lot of thinking to do. Lately, she’d been asking herself questions. _Why am I traveling with these people? I could take Orthos and Lem to join another, better group, couldn’t I?  _

These were hard questions, but Kizz couldn’t deny that the three morally questionable adventurers were great assets. She would need to weigh everything over her time away, and find the best answer.  

She and her shield guardian set off through the woods to the north. 

*Earthday, 13th of Harvester*

The shadows settled around the village and the last yellow light of the sun glinted off the sea. Up on a hill overlooking the town, two people were speaking in hushed voices, though no one was around to hear them.  

The man gave a quick count to the gold pieces in the chest he was given. They looked to easily number one thousand. He closed it with a satisfied smile and said “You want him dead?”

“Yes. Dead, beyond any shadow of doubt. At that point I’ll give you three more chests just like that.”

“What about the rest of the group? Won’t they try to protect him?”

“Probably. That’s why I’m paying you so much. It’s risky. If you’re clever enough, try to make it a quick in-out job, and not a straight-out fight.”

The man placed the chest in his carriage. “I’ll try. Assasination isn’t really my business, you know?”

“Make it your business. Remember, if you’re caught, you never met me.”

“What if they torture me to get the answer?”

“Well, with this crowd, it’s not unlikely. However, should you begin to talk, I’ll see that a fail-safe ensures that you won’t reveal me.”

The man’s face went blank. “How?”

“I’ll kill you myself.”


----------



## Victim

Is Dartan having Jame Zon killed?  In order for the "I'll kill you myself failsafe to work," the mysterious guy hiring a killer almost needs to be in the group.


----------



## Wee Jas

I have speak with dead memorized.  No worries  ;p


----------



## Breakstone

Quite sinister, Doc

By the way, thanks Kizzlorn! I'm a bit of a writer myself, actually.

Speaking of Kizzlorn, where are she and NAN-NY going? Is NAN-NY leaving the group?


----------



## Horacio

Great update, Doc!

So your players are getting rid of Nanny as if it were an old car...


----------



## fenzer

Thanks for the update, Doc.


----------



## Nail

Wee Jas said:
			
		

> *I have speak with dead memorized.  No worries  ;p *




Uhhh...you haven't adventured thru this part yet?   if so: Doc's pretty brazen t' give you that level of info beforehand.....


----------



## Razamir

Hey Doc. I really enjoyed this adventure, the puzzles were great. Now lets find Gorgoldand!

I know that high level Dming can be tough. My group just finished Bastian of Broken Souls. High level games can be very stressful for all involved. 

I suggest the module Lord of the Iron Fortess, it was very good. Very epic and cool. Not totally perfect but I haven't seen a perfect module yet. Iron Fortress really helped me get into high level dming... by the end I felt completely confident in my skills.

My group didn't have as many spellcasters as yours does but the creatures hold up well against spells. In fact some of the creatures are totally immune to spells. *coughIronGolumscough* Even if you don't dm it, it's a good read and has helpful information.

Raz


----------



## Dr Midnight

Game day! Game day! GAME DAY!


----------



## Breakstone

Hey, same here!

Hooray!


----------



## Jamison Crow

I thought for sure that Dartan was going to hack me down right there and then when I rang the gong. He specifically told me not to ring it and afterwords kept looking at me like he was going to snap. But Jamison is fine and well, at least for now.


----------



## Dr Midnight

*SESSION 40
Freeday, 14th of Harvester
THE THIN LINE BETWEEN GOOD AND EVIL*

The group woke up and went about their day. Orthos prayed at the local temple. Lem studied in the meager library of the inn they were staying at. Jamison fed Scratch and played with him among some local children. Dartan and Vek sat in the tavern, discussing what was next. 

“Are we done here? Where are we going now?” Dartan was sharpening his blade with an oilstone. Its edges gleamed bright white and deadly. 

Vek thought for a moment, then answered. “We really have nothing to go on. All we took from the entire temple that we didn’t know about was this ‘Lady Elleth’.”

“Where do we look for information about her?”

“We ask local historians and sages. Failing that, Dartan… failing that, you know what we have to do.”

The fallen paladin nodded grimly. They would have to go back to see his father… because if anyone knew, they were the members of The Penitent. The Penitent were the last remnants of the Eye of Heironeous, and lived their lives in the Lortmil Mountains, helping people and praying. They’d be praying for forgiveness for the rest of their lives. 

Dartan did not relish the thought of going back. 

The two collected Lem and Jamison and began sweeping through Whiteport, looking for answers. The local drunks were no help, as they’d been when the Knights first arrived. A “sage” at a temple was also without information.

Vek sighed with frustration. “We’re going to have to go back. We’ll leave tomorrow.”

“Scuse me, is one of you Jamison Crow?”

They turned to see a young boy, maybe nine years old, standing there looking up at them. Jamison stepped forward and said “That’s me.”

“Here.” He gave Jamison a curled piece of parchment, bound with a thin metal wire. 

Jamison took it, shrugged, and gave the boy a gold piece for a tip. “Thanks… here you go.”

The boy looked at the gold piece with his mouth hanging open. As he’d been paid a few coppers to deliver the message, having a gold coin of his very own meant he was the richest kid he knew. He clutched it to his chest, looked up at Jamison with a bright smile, and said “THANKS, MISTER!!” He ran off, shouting and jumping. 

Dartan scowled. “He’ll probably be mugged, yelling about it like that.”

Jamison unfolded the note with a grin. “Ahh, ease up. Let the kid have some fun.” He read. 

_Mr. Crow-
One of your own plots against you. Meet me tonight at the end of Canterly Wharf, when the bell tower strikes nine. Say nothing. Burn this as soon as you’ve read it.

p.s.- If someone asks you what this note is about, read this to them to alleviate suspicion: 

Dearest Mr. Crow-
You are hereby invited to visit the Black Fingers of Sorcery mage’s guild. We should like to speak with you and learn if you are interested in joining our ranks. We’ve heard tales of your accomplishments, and would enjoy having someone of your skill and dark ability with us. Meet us tomorrow in the basement of the Drowned Whale as the moon rises. Tell no one of this. 
-Your friends in the Black Fingers guild_

He read it, not believing one of his friends would do this. Why? Still, better to be safe. He read the second half of the letter to them in a bored voice, then burned the note in his hand with a quick bit of magic. It vanished into ash and smoke. “Not interested,” he sighed. 

“An evil mage’s guild? Should we investigate?” Vek looked intrigued. 

“Uh, no, I don’t think it’s anything to worry about. It doesn’t say anything about evil, specifically.” He stretched his arms above his head and yawned. “Well, I’m bushed. I think I’ll turn in.”

“Turn in? It’s not even eight o’clock yet.”

“Yeah, tough day of investigating. Pardon me.” He went off to his room and closed the door. Jamison thought long and hard. With only a few minutes left before nine o’clock, he decided to take Vek in on the plot. He beckoned to Vek with his hand, and the curious lich stepped into the room. The door shut behind them and Jamison explained the truth of the note. He chose Vek to trust after weighing the options and deciding that Vek was the most worthy of his trust. Certainly he was an undead cleric of the goddess of death and magic, but he was always steadfast and levelheaded. Vek was one to believe in- or so Jamison Crow’s not-often-perfect logic dictated. 

Vek said “So… you’ve been called to a secret meeting on the wharf. Are you going to go? It could easily be a trap. Separating us would be a terrific way to do some real damage.”

“That’s what I thought. I want to go, but I don’t want to go alone.”

“You go. I’ll be right behind. In fact, let’s take the others in on this.”

Jamison blinked his surprise. “What? But… but one of them could well be moving against me.”

“We’re still stronger if we don’t split up. Besides, having the others present would be best, as we could observe the reactions of Dartan, Orthos and Lem to what happens.”

“Hmm. I don’t think it’s Orthos. Do you?”

“No. Dartan’s no fan of yours, and Lem fancies himself dark and crazy enough.” He looked at Jamison and smiled behind his black helm. “I certainly hope you haven’t ruled ME out.”

“Ugh. Let’s just get them and go, okay?”

They gathered the others and set out for the wharf. Jamison walked about a minute ahead of the others, who took to the air and kept a watch over him from afar. The wizard walked out onto the wharf. 

_*More to come...* _


----------



## Wee Jas

More more!!

Next: The black pudding hits the blade barrier!


----------



## Neverwinter Knight

Can't wait to have this mystery resolved!!!

------------------------------
BTW, I finally got around to writing/posting the pieces of my last campaign, that can be found here. It's by no means near the quality of Doc's great story hour, but it's pretty funny IMHO. 

All of the episodes are written. I will post them over next few days.


----------



## Dr Midnight

Whiteport’s Canterly Wharf was without doubt the largest pier within a hundred miles. The structure reached out about five hundred feet into the water. It was supported by gigantic timbers cut from the forests lining the Lortmil Mountains. It had space for seventeen galleons on each side, and several smaller craft toward the shallows. At the end, three small buildings sat at the center of a fifty foot wide octagon. The wharf was lined with ships. At this time of night, few fishermen and sailors still walked up and down its length, but during the day the wharf was practically a town all its own. Jamison glanced over the edge of the pier, into the water. Here, large sea predators had adapted to man’s presence, and swarmed over each other whenever a fisherman tossed a cleaned fish into the brine. The water churned with teeth and scales whenever blood was in the water, and then calmed as the fish, sharks, and other things awaited the next offering. 

He strolled to the end, looking all around for someone standing alone. He saw only people going about their business. He began to circle the end, and he passed the small buildings. His partymates lost sight of him from their place in the air behind him. 

The curious young wizard stopped and stood, turning his head left and right. Where was this person? Then, he felt a horrible sensation, like the blood in his heart was trying to slow to a stop. He doubled over, groaning, and after a moment his blood began running smoothly again. He looked around and saw a woman hovering over the ocean, maybe forty feet away from him. Her finger was pointed at him and her face twisted with disappointment. She’d failed to kill him… with a spell called Finger of Death.

“TREACHERY,” Jamison yelled as he prepared to do battle. Behind him, Vek and the others heard the cry and flew forward. The woman cursed and hurriedly cast the spell again. Again, Jamison’s heart clenched in his chest. Scratch squeaked with alarm. His master was,still alive. The woman, who was moving much quicker than a normal person’s natural ability would allow, cast the spell again. The blood in Jamison’s heart slowed… and stopped. His eyes were wide as he fell back. He was dead. 

Scratch screamed his rage- which, being a mild-mannered weasel, was little more than a prolonged squeak. The woman swept down to Jamison with hands outstretched. Scratch leapt up into the air to meet the charge. He bit and tore as best he could, but he was little more than a distraction. The woman clenched Jamison’s robes and began to pull back. She meant to drag him over the fence and dump him in the water… where he would be devoured by countless sea creatures. 

FWOOSH! 

Lem’s DIMENSION DOOR opened twenty feet to her left. The woman gasped. Vek Mormont stepped from the greenish portal and moved his hand through the air. She was now the one feeling a surging mass of blackish energy moving through her body. She grunted with a man’s voice. “Urrgh!” With a bluish flash of light, she was gone. 

Vek quickly surveyed the area with his magically-enhanced eyes. “The area’s clear. No one else is standing by, invisible, waiting to attack as she had.” 

“Sounded more like a ‘he’ to me,” Lem said. 

Dartan walked up to the fallen wizard. “Oh, no, looks like Jamison’s dead.”

Vek said “Not really. I can resurrect him come tomorrow. He’ll be fine.”

Orthos put the Tear of Moradin over his right shoulder. The heavy battlehammer glinted in the moon’s light. “If she’d gotten his body to the water, there’d have been nothing to resurrect. He’d be gone.”

“Again, not really,” Vek said with his morbidly amused voice. “All I need is a chunk of flesh and we’ll have him back… at least eventually. Speaking of which...” He cut a small piece of tissue from Jamison’s body and gently laid it inside his pack. “For safekeeping.”

They carried Jamison’s body and the grieving weasel back to the inn. Vek laid him on the floor and sat in a chair. Dartan, nearby, said “You’re just going to sit there all night?”

“Yes, and why not? I don’t sleep. There’s no telling if the assassin will come tonight to try to finish the job.” He put an emphasis on _try_. “Go to sleep, Dartan.”

Dartan nodded with a frown and went to his bunk. 

*Sunday, 15th of Harvester*

Somewhere in the afterworld, Jamison Crow was tumbling through the ether. He’d been here for what felt like three years… but he didn’t hunger, thirst, or feel pain and want. He was at peace. The swirling blue mists parted, and a colossal, elegant woman’s hand reached out to him. It grasped him. 

“Wee Jas takes from you the gift of death,” said the slow, breathy voice of something horrid. 

Jamison looked where the mists had parted and saw the face of Wee Jas. He screamed, and it made no sound. The arm hurled him away to the echoed laughter of the goddess of death and magic. 

Jamison’s eyes snapped open, and he was in Whiteport Inn again. Vek was standing over his body. “How was it,” the lich asked with genuine interest. 

“Someone killed me,” Jamison gasped as he worked breath back into his lungs. “One of us. Hired an assassin.”

“It looks that way.  Pardon me for a moment while I find out who.”

Vek stepped into a smaller, adjoining room, and knelt. He cleared his “mind” of all distractions and left his plane of consciousness. He descended. He fell through limitless scarlet clouds, ribboned with rippling shades of black. He slowed as he fell into an infinite area of shadow. He met his goddess there. “Wee Jas. I am your servant in life and death. I am he who commands the reaper, and you are she that commandeth me. I come to find knowledge.”

“My servant. Vek Mormont. What would you have me tell?”

“Did Orthos Stonefist have any hand in the assassination of Jamison Crow?”

“No.”

“Did Lem Motlen or Kizzlorn Spellforge?”

“No.”

He’d saved the most interesting for last. “Dartan the Godless.” The way he said it, it was no question.

“Yes.” 

“Your humble servant thanks you, most terrible Wee Jas.”

He flew back up and took place in his own shattered, strong body again. He stood and walked back to Jamison, who was getting reacquainted with a gleeful Scratch. 

“It was Dartan.”

“Dartan?? What… why would he do it? He’s my childhood friend! I know he hates me NOW… but why wouldn’t he kill me HIMSELF if he wanted me dead?”

“Let’s ask him,” Vek said with a  smile.

_*More to come...* _


----------



## Neverwinter Knight

Vek is one cool bastard !

Dartan, you're never gonna get your status back this way. (yeah right, as if you actually tried  )


----------



## Breakstone

WOAH!

Dartan, how could you?


----------



## Malachai_rose

lol, the groups startin to remind me of the group I play with on saturday  Well just goes to show, if your gonna knock off a party member ya gotta do it yourself (with a hat of disguise of course )  or just hire assasins that won't send notes talking about  "one of your own is plotting against you", heh cause them clerical divination spells are killer when it comes to exposing secrets


----------



## denmstrsn

Great Update Dr. Midnight.  Much evil is being revealed.  The conspearitor and the betrayer will have it out.


----------



## fenzer

Doc, I have to say I don't buy it.  Dartan is not the type to hide behind an assassin.  If he wants Crow dead, and I believe he does, he will pierce Jamison's heart with his own blade staring into his victims eyes until they go out.  Assassins are not his style.

Better yet, an outside party is aware of the discord between Dartan and Jamison and is using it to destroy the party.

The one problem being, Vek was told directly from his god.  Wee Jas has no reason to mislead Vek, right?

Just my take on things.


----------



## Dr Midnight

hyuk. 

Y'know, yesterday, after the game, we were speculating on just how Master of Heaven (where's he been, anyway?) and Tsunami were going to react to this session. 



> Vek is one cool bastard !



Dass right. He continually foils my attempts to provide the party with something challenging, and is damn cool besides. I've kinda adopted him as my in-game archnemesis. I'm trying to beat him... or at least put him in a position where he can't find some loophole to get out of the trouble I set up. 

I'm a fan of in-party fighting and conflict. I guess it shows, with my record. The game was fun. 

I'd love to write up the next and most surprising chapter, but I'm off to see a movie and eat foooood with Dartan and Vek. Nyaaah!


----------



## Breakstone

Heh.

Tsunami vs MasterofHeaven!

Who's the greatest Knights fanboy?

Sunday, Sunday, Sunday!


----------



## Hammerhead

Dartan vs. Vek 

Fight, fight, fight!

Then, MoH, we'll see who wins. However, does anyone suspect that Vek lied about Dartan's involvement. However, if Vek were involved, why did he stop the kidnapping of Jamison. And if he wasn't, why did he lie? He is Lawful, after all...


----------



## Wizardry

I'd say being truthful is a good quality, not a lawful one.  But, YMMV.  As for Dartan, I don't see why the party would object to him having Jamison killed.  Jamison brutally murdered several of Dartans companions years ago, continually puts the party in severe danger, (ringing the gong) and is generally a liability in every sense of the word.  

The only thing that saved the character for so long was likely metagaming, since he's a PC.  I'm really impressed with Dartans player for roleplaying the reactions he would likely have without any sugarcoating, assuming Vek isn't pulling the wool over everyones eyes and Dartan is the "culprit".


----------



## Wee Jas

Right. So the champion of death wants someone dead so he hires an assassin.  Right.   Anyone buying this?

Vek doesn't lie.  He might not speak or he might tell the truth you don't want to hear but he doesn't lie.

Raf and Kat Spellforge were my friends.  I will avenge their deaths and protect their children to the best of my ability (Unless they oppose my faith of course!)


----------



## Breakstone

Sure, "Vek" _if that is your real name!_


----------



## Wee Jas

Aww.. /hugs Tsunami

I made Tsunami (my ghoul horse) airwalk this week and rode him all Venger like.  Gotta love being a spellcaster!


----------



## Dr Midnight

They found Dartan in the common room, sharpening his sword. He looked up at them as they entered. 

“You tried to kill me,” Jamison said. 

“What?”

“You tried to kill me. You hired an assassin to murder me.”

“No I didn’t. You’re crazy.” He paused, then shrugged his shoulders carelessly. “Yeah, I had you killed.”

Jamison shivered with fury, but to his credit, he kept his head level. “Why, Dartan? Why? I called you friend!”

Dartan gave him a cold glare. “I didn’t, the day you murdered mine. I told you I’d kill you if you stepped out of line. You did. When you banged that gong, I decided I’d had enough of Jamison Crow ruining the world.”

“Why hire an assassin, coward? Why not do it yourself?”

Dartan had stopped sharpening his blade, but didn’t put his sword back into its sheath. He stood up. “I could do it myself right now.”

Vek stepped into the space between the two and locked eyes with Dartan. “Well, Jamison,” the lich said. “We have the traitor here. He’s admitted to the crime. What would you have as his punishment?” The implication was clear. _Shall I kill him?_

Dartan sneered and flexed his fingers about the sword’s haft, readying his grip. The tension in the room bristled to a fever pitch and stayed there. The two well-matched warriors stared each other down. Who could win, if it came to a fight? Could Dartan manage to land a blow against Death’s chosen warrior? Could Vek succeed where countless enemies and monsters had failed? 

“Enough!” Jamison yelled. “I will travel with you no longer.”

“Good,” Dartan said, never taking his eyes from Vek. “We don’t need you. Walk away before you get hurt… again.”

Vek spoke. “Is this your will, Jamison? You would cast him out and let him live?”

“Yes.”

“You’re leaving the group, not me,” Dartan said. “I’m the only undefeated member of the original Knights. This is MY group.

Vek laughed. “I believe the group are the ‘Knights of Spellforge Keep’. If any of us truly lead the group, it’s Kizzlorn Spellforge. You are just one of us. All FRIENDS are welcome at Spellforge Keep. I think that as you’ve deigned to have one of your own murdered, you’re perfectly fit to be cut from our ranks.”

Dartan looked at the others. Vek and Jamison were obviously against him. Orthos and Lem stood in the doorway, having heard most of the conversation from the next room. The look on Orthos’ face told that he was sickened by Dartan’s actions. Lem’s face was considerably harder to read, as he was cowled and took matters of life and death less seriously. It was still clear, though, that he sided with the majority. 

“Fine,” Dartan said. His face reddened, and his bared teeth gleamed white like a hungry wolf’s.  “I don’t need any of you. I’ll form my own group, and do what none of you could. Watch yourself, Jamison. If I have reason to kill you again, no black arts will save you, I promise.” He walked away angrily and wrapped his bedroll, then spat on the floor and left the inn. 

The remainder of the party watched him leave through the upstairs window. Jamison especially seemed saddened by the events of the day. He’d thought he’d at least eventually win Dartan back over with his boyish charm and friendly manner, but it was not to be. 

His last friend from Poddleton, Dartan the Godless, walked away from the Knights of Spellforge Keep as an enemy. 

_*More to come...* _


----------



## Hammerhead

Jamison brutally murdered several of Dartan's companions years ago...under magical compulsion. He has made every effort of redeeming himself. 

Jamison, a liability? He has quirks, certainly, but ringing the gong allowed the KoSFK to drain the XP glands of the Titan, and take any treasure it may have had. Looking at it this way, he did them a favor. And a powerful, clever, magic user is in NO WAY a liability. Most of Jamison's antics in the Temple of Elemental Evil endangered only himself. 

Nor would I call violent threats and/or actions to be the appropiate response of any sane human being-which Dartan is not.

And it IS reasonable for Vek to hire an assassin. He may not expect the assassin to succeed, and it could be part of a long-term plot so insidious only an immortal lich could dream up.

Also, perhaps Vek phrased his question incorrectly. He never specified WHICH assassination, and he never asked a direct question of Dartan's involvement in the assassination.

There's more to this than meets the eye. 

Remember,


----------



## Breakstone

Wow!

Oh man!

Awesome!

Holy cow!

...

(did you see the Woah?)

Is Dartan truly leaving the group?


----------



## Hammerhead

I stand by my original opinion; there's more to this than meets the eye.

Still, I think Vek should have gone mano-a-mano with Dartan. He's just gonna cause trouble later.


----------



## Metus

Hm.  Jamison was always a bumbling fool who enraged me (and he killed Hannah).  I think he should've been executed.  On the other hand, I always thought of Dartan as a grouch and a meanie.  Even then, he's a more valuable asset then Jamison.  Honestly, I think they should both be kicked out of the party.  C'est la vie.

I am liking the new characters, though.  I'm quickly growing fond of Kizz, Orthos and Lem.  So here's hoping they don't go all freaky like the veterans have.

Oh, and Dartan wanted to kick Jamison out....  but wasn't his purpose in being with the group to watch Jamison anyways?  That seemed kind of weird.


----------



## Victim

Hammerhead said:
			
		

> *
> Jamison, a liability? He has quirks, certainly, but ringing the gong allowed the KoSFK to drain the XP glands of the Titan, and take any treasure it may have had. Looking at it this way, he did them a favor. And a powerful, clever, magic user is in NO WAY a liability. Most of Jamison's antics in the Temple of Elemental Evil endangered only himself.
> 
> Nor would I call violent threats and/or actions to be the appropiate response of any sane human being-which Dartan is not.
> 
> And it IS reasonable for Vek to hire an assassin. He may not expect the assassin to succeed, and it could be part of a long-term plot so insidious only an immortal lich could dream up.
> 
> Also, perhaps Vek phrased his question incorrectly. He never specified WHICH assassination, and he never asked a direct question of Dartan's involvement in the assassination.
> 
> There's more to this than meets the eye.
> 
> Remember, *




First of all, I wouldn't consider the Titan necessary challenge the group needed to face.  When you go far, far out of your way to inflict trouble on yourself, you are not facing a challenge to overcome a goal.  Therefore, the Titan probably isn't worth full XP.  

And Jamison does endanger everyone - since he recklessly messes with things he doesn't understand - he could easily be endangering everyone.  Just because most of the time, bad stuff only happens to him, doesn't mean that it couldn't be a fireball that hits the group, or something that unleases effects elsewhere.  The fact that he "experiments" anyway shows a casual disregard for the lives of his companions.

And the group is brimming with arcane spellcasters.  One fighter and 3 spellcasters?  I'd rather lose one of the redudant wizards than the only tank.

And I don't think the phrasing is that important.  It's not as if the favored cleric's god is trying to screw them on wording.  Well, depending on the diety.


----------



## Breakstone

Oh, bah humbug.

It's a story. Enjoy it, don't bicker over it.


----------



## Immort

Whut the heck?  Dartan killin' via assasin?  What the freakin' hell is up with that?  Dartan speak up here big guy, tell us why ya didn't just wax him personal.  Are ya switchin' characters on us or sumtin'?

-Immort


----------



## Blood Jester

Hammerhead said:
			
		

> *Jamison brutally murdered several of Dartan's companions years ago...under magical compulsion. He has made every effort of redeeming himself.
> 
> Jamison, a liability? He has quirks, certainly, but ringing the gong allowed the KoSFK to drain the XP glands of the Titan, and take any treasure it may have had. Looking at it this way, he did them a favor. And a powerful, clever, magic user is in NO WAY a liability. Most of Jamison's antics in the Temple of Elemental Evil endangered only himself...*




But his 'self-endangering' antics are what caused his possesion/alignment-shift which is what caused him to kill his companions and steal Hannah's(?) body.  So, it's not 'no harm no foul'.

Dartan said flat-out, 'Step out of line, and I'll kill you.' it seems to be the method that most upset people.


----------



## Horacio

I still don't understand why/if Dartan hired an assasain...


----------



## Wee Jas

Do you think the rest of the Knights would stand aside and watch Dartan kill Jamison?


----------



## Horacio

Wee Jas said:
			
		

> *Do you think the rest of the Knights would stand aside and watch Dartan kill Jamison? *




Maybe


----------



## Malachai_rose

*Assasination*

I found this in the general forum discussion and since its from Doc about what just happened and was extremely interesting I figured I would pass the link along here so those (like me ) that weren't aware of it can check it out.

http://enworld.cyberstreet.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=28183


----------



## Celtavian

*Re*

Doc Midnight,

How is it at the table when something like this happens? Do the players bicker or brood? Most of the folks I play with don't like it when you pit party members against each other. I think it makes for some great roleplaying personally, glad to see Dartan roleplaying his hate for Jamison.


----------



## Dr Midnight

*Sunday, 16th of Harvester*

In the last three days, the Knights had lost two party members. The recent events had left a cloud of gloom over them… or, at least, the few Knights of a nature to show emotions. Orthos, Jamison, Lem and Vek remained in Whiteport. 

Since Kizzlorn was the glue that seemed to keep the party together, no one had much to say to anyone else. Lem kept to himself in the library, reading various arcane texts (or as such could be found in a small port town). Vek kept a vigilant watch for Dartan, and immersed himself in his spells. Orthos seemed troubled as well, and kept to his temple, praying for an end to the party bickering. Only Jamison found it in himself to talk to the others… but they obviously weren’t feeling very conversational.

An idea occurred to him. “Hey,” Jamison asked Vek. “We haven’t found anything here, and we’re falling apart. Why don’t we teleport back to Spellforge Keep and just meet Kizz there? She won’t even have arrived for another two weeks, at least.”

The lich agreed. Anything was better than sitting around, going nowhere, waiting and looking for something that wasn’t happening. The group teleported back to the Keep. 

Vek stood at the top of the stairs to his lair in the basement and said “Ahh… be it ever so dank and eerie, there’s no place like a trap-ridden dungeon.” He laughed and descended into the black. 

The skeleton with a broom that Vek had created to keep things somewhat orderly around the dungeon was sent upstairs to sweep the levels of the castle. Lem and Jamison went to work selecting their rooms and helping the skeleton in cleaning up the dust and cobwebs. Orthos was a little too unnerved by the undead to work alongside it. It was believed that he was in denial about Vek’s condition, as well.

In the two weeks to follow, the group cleaned and repaired. They rid the castle of moldy old tapestries and rotted furniture. The table in the grand dining hall was replaced, and the upper bedrooms were cleared of bats. The winch mechanism for the drawbridge was oiled, and Orthos purified the water in the moat, as it had grown horribly stagnant and choked with algae. The place started to look hospitable again.

*Godsday, 4th of Patchwall*

A booming knock at the main door brought Lem from his study, irritably rubbing his eyes. He’d been reading many of Vek’s tomes on death and undeath and was in no mood to deal with visitors. He opened the portcullis and glared at the person standing on the drawbridge. 

The boy couldn’t have been older than fifteen. He wore the rugged, simple clothes of a farmer. His hands were rough and dirty. His hair was uncombed. He was obviously quite nervous. 

 “What do you want,” Lem snapped. 

“Uh… um…” the boy was now clearly frightened and rethinking his errand. Spellforge Keep still had a reputation for miles around as the den of a lich. That Rafflorn Spellforge was held responsible for the deaths of so many by the townsfolk around him didn’t help. The castle was something of a boogeyman for all the people who lived in its shadow. The new Knights hadn’t yet spent enough time in the area to work on their public relations. “I was told I could find adventurers here,” the boy stuttered. 

“What of it?”

“Uh- well, I’m from a village not far to the south, in the foothills of the mountains. We’ve got a problem. 

“How’d you like to be flayed? We don’t have time for—eh?” Lem turned his head, as if listening to something that wasn’t there. Invisibly, Vek had come to Lem’s side to keep him from entirely terrifying the young man. Still, he may as well have a little fun, and dole out a fright or too. He whispered to Lem. Lem thought for a moment, then nodded and turned back to the visitor. “All right, then, tell us about it.” 

“Us? S-sir, there’s a monster up in the forests surrounding our town driving the animals down into our valley. We’re just farmers, sir, and we can’t fight-”

“What kinds of animals, boy? Loosen your tongue, lest I cut it out and make a stew of it.” This was going a bit far, Jamison thought. He’d also turned invisible and joined the jest at Lem’s other side. He whispered. Lem replied to the whisper with “Well, we want an answer out of him, don’t we? Go on.”

The boy was now clearly weighing the prospect of turning and running away from the castle. “TH-THERE’S SOMETHING UP IN THE HILLS AND WE CALL IT THE EVIL EYE SOME OF US WENT UP AND KILLED IT BUT BUT NOW IT’S BACK AND and AND IT’S DRIVING THE DIRE BEASTS DOWN ON OUR VILLAGE THEY’RE REALLY HUNGRY AND and and” He calmed somewhat after the outburst, and added feebly, “purple worms…”

Lem listened to invisible council and said “All right, we’ll go out and kill this thing again. How much are we being paid?”

“What?? We don’t have much to give you- what do you want?”

Lem’s lips curled in the darkness of his cowled face. “Power,” he hissed. He rocked on his feet as if nudged, and said “Oh, all right.”

They followed the boy to his town and were pointed in the direction of the cave of the “Evil Eye”. Some locals thought it might be the beholder mage come again, but others weren’t so sure. The sum-up of the situation was that a village named Havenfast had uncovered a cave deep in the hills during a mining expedition. In the cave was a beast that slew all the miners. The town hired a small adventuring party to go out and destroy the creature. When they returned, they reported fighting and killing something that resembled a beholder mage in the hills. Done. Now, several weeks later, it seemed something up in the hills was chasing dire wolves and bears down out of their hunting grounds. The town was attacked the day before by two purple worms and had lost several sheep and a pony in the assault. The animals were afraid to hunt in the hills, and it was now the job of Orthos, Vek, Lem, and Jamison to discover what and stop it. 

They found the cave right where it was supposed to be. Vek walked in. His darkvision cut through the black and he saw nothing, even forty feet inward, where the cave ended. Then, it appeared. Something looking not entirely like a beholder shimmered into view before them. It appeared to be an enormous floating bloodshot eye with ten bloody nerve ends trailing off behind it, each of these tipped with another bloodshot eye. It was very clearly undead, Vek saw.

Lem cried out, as its horrifying appearance shook him to the core. He quailed and trembled, but held fast. It raised three of its eye-tendrils and blasted greenish and orange rays of light at them. Vek and Lem ducked, but Jamison was struck. Immediately, the eye “spoke”; a voice echoed through the cavern. “Stand aside,” it said. Jamison happily did. He stepped out of the cave and began petting Scratch, whistling to himself. 

“So he IS a traitor,” Vek joked. Then, they were awash in the creature’s field of antimagic. They felt the strength blink out from their armor and the power wash away from their weapons. Orthos cursed a blue streak when he realized the Tear of Moradin was now just a normal warhammer. 

Vek drew his sword and prepared to wade in. They wouldn’t be able to cast anything on it while the antimagic field was on them. The Evil Eye turned off the field and blasted them with its rays again. Vek said “This will never do.” He cast his own antimagic field on himself, and moved the remaining steps towards the creature. As he moved his field over the Eye, it disappeared. He thought for a moment, and realized that it was manifested as a ghost. It could well be moving through the ethereal plane behind them to strike at his partymembers. “Everyone, to me! Keep close!”

They ran forward and clustered about him, then began to slowly walk away from the cave. The Eye appeared thirty feet overhead and roared somehow. Its rays couldn’t touch them, though it tried. After a moment, it thought a bit, and blasted at the branches of trees overhead. The branches’ bases disintegrated, and the immense pieces of wood fell on the party. Vek raised his shield, Lilith, and deflected them as best he could… but they still took some damage. 

Lem jumped out of the antimagic field and fired several rapid-shot fireballs straight upwards into the Eye. When the flame cleared, the Eye wasn’t there anymore. “There, I’ve killed it,” Lem said without much interest. “Let’s go home.”

The thing didn’t manifest again, so they assumed they really had killed it. They walked back to Havenfast. Behind them, the cave of the Evil Eye waited for its master to reappear… because Lem and Vek seemed to forget that destroying a ghost is no way to be rid of it. 

They assured the grateful residents of Havenfast that yes, they’d met and destroyed the Evil Eye, and if there would be no payment, the Knights would be off to their castle now. They declined hesitant invitations to feast at a banquet in their honor. The farmers didn’t really want a lich at their tables, but they’d felt like asking them to dinner was the only reward they could afford to offer. 

They got back to Spellforge Keep. The castle was lit up as they ate and drank and talked of adventure. 

_*Next: THIS YEAR'S HALLOWEEN SESSION* _


----------



## fenzer

Don't I feel a little sheepish.  Boy and when you think you know someone, bam, they hire an assassin.  I don't know quite what to think about Dartan.  I figured he had a little honor, maybe not.

Thanks for the quick updates Doc.  I am enjoying the new crew.


----------



## Dr Midnight

I know. It's a little tough. He's never been away from the group, and now he's gone. I was really surprised when he hired the assassin, but you've gotta let Dartans be Dartans. I thought the whole baker-killing incident was nastier... but he pulled through that one. 

I don't think we've seen the last of Dartan, Jeeves. 

I know Dartan was a favorite, but stick with the new group people. They're going to prove just as interesting, if not more. 

Plus, let me whet yer int'rest with this little image I just made up, heralding the coming week's Halloween-themed session:





I may re-post last year's session, THE HORROR BEFORE DAWN, here just to smack you with more Halloweenie goodness. THE WITCHES' LAMPS will be up and creeping about soon.


----------



## Horacio

Dr Midnight said:
			
		

> *I may re-post last year's session, THE HORROR BEFORE DAWN, here just to smack you with more Halloweenie goodness. THE WITCHES' LAMPS will be up and creeping about soon. *





Waiting for that Witches' Lamp, Doc!


----------



## Wee Jas

Bah,  These Witches better worry about the LICH's Lamp.. or sword or spell     




> He’d been reading many of Vek’s tomes on death and undeath




Poor Lem.  I'm afraid he is headed off the deep end.  




> "How’d you like to be flayed?"




...or maybe he is off the deep end!


----------



## Dartan

I'm sorry to see Dartan go...I know he'll be back.  But i'm excited 
about the new power house that will be joining the pary soon.
I promise he'll be different, fun and exciting...can't wait!!


----------



## Breakstone

I can't wait to see your next character, Dartan!

Say, were you present in this last adventure (the one that had the ghost beholder)? If so, what did you do the whole time?


----------



## Razamir

*Bye Bye Dartan*

Major bummer! Dartan will be missed. He is a great brooding character and I'm sad to see him go. Can't wait to see what you got planned for him.

I'm a little bummed about Nanny leaving too but I know a Shield Guardian can't hang with a bunch of 14th level characters.

I do like the new group alot. Jamison has great history, Kizzlorn too, Orthos is cool (I really dig the "Tear of Moradin".... nice touch there) Lem is interesting and Vek just frickin' rocks.


Thanks for all the hard work, Doc! Looking forward to the Halloween session.



Raz   (always a Dartan fan)


----------



## med stud

I could bet a couple of dollars that Dartan will trade in his paladin levels for black guard levels now, and become a nemesis of the party.


----------



## Dr Midnight

Tsunami said:
			
		

> *were you present in this last adventure (the one that had the ghost beholder)? If so, what did you do the whole time? *



Dartan's player went off and played Godzilla: Destroy All Monsters Melee in the next room, while we played the remaining encounter at the table.

Pooo.


----------



## Breakstone

Oooh, how is that game?


----------



## Nail

Doc mentioned wanting "honesty" in  his readers responses....

So here's a whole bunch of honesty:

Wow, what a major let-down.  Dartan, Mr. Brooding Anti-hero, decides to hire an ineffectual assassin.   As if killing Jamison was a permanent solution. As if there wasn't two clerics in the party, with access to divination and _raise dead_ spells. As if Dartan couldn't have done the thing himself.  This whole episode seems out-of-character.  Perhaps the player jus' wanted to try a new PC......

And then there's the whole "leave the party" scene.  Seems like there's some dialog missing here......did Jamison have anything else to say?  Other party members?  And again, Dartan's leaving with his tail between his legs seems so strange.......

Doc, are you sure you and your players weren't replaced by alien dopplegangers?


----------



## Horacio

I must agree, at least partially. I found all the episode rrather surrealist, out of character. I didn't understand what did exactly Dartan/Dartan's player want with it...


----------



## Wee Jas

If Dartan had attacked Jamison he wouldn't of lasted 2 rounds.  The party just has too much spellpower.  We wouldn't have let him do it.  This way he gets to leave and come fight us again on his own terms.

When fighting a devil you must become a devil yourself.   Is that how the saying goes?


----------



## Horacio

Wee Jas said:
			
		

> *If Dartan had attacked Jamison he wouldn't of lasted 2 rounds.  The party just has too much spellpower.  We wouldn't have let him do it.  This way he gets to leave and come fight us again on his own terms. *




O.K., I understand that.

But I don't understand who could he hope to kill Jamison forever with an assasin, with such a clerical spellpower in the party...


----------



## Celtavian

*Re*

You know, it really is up to the DM to roleplay whether or not a deity is willing to revive a particular person from the dead. I'll admit, most DM's don't care to arbitrate cleric spells in terms of the cleric's deity, but this is the only real way to make sure either someone stays dead or is truly affected by negative game effects like ability loss and level drain.

Basically, just because you have alot of cleric spell power in the party, a DM should still determine if the god in question would grant ressurection type spells to raise a particular character. For example, a cleric of Tyr wants to ressurect a cleric of Bane because they are childhood friends. As a DM, I don't care what the cleric's level is, he or she is not obtaining any divine power from Tyr to raise a priest who worship's an enemy god.

Another example might be when a priest of Kelemvor tries to pray for a raise dead or ressurect to bring back a character who was killed during a non-essential adventure, aka non-world threatening. Kelemvor has no reason whatsoever to grant ressurection since death is a natural part of life, and even deaths caused by murder or plague must be allowed to occur without interference.

Cleric spells should involve some measure of roleplaying, especially powerful cleric spells such as True Ressurection or Miracle. As a DM, I have to arbitrate whether a god might grant a certain spell for a certain use based upon their philosophies. Otherwise, it is way too easy to avoid the negative consequences of being a hero. 

The point I am getting at is that maybe Dartan figured the assassin would kill Jamison in such a way as to make sure he doesn't ever come back. If Jamison had been completely consumed by the creatures in the water, it would have taken far more powerful magic to bring him back than the party might possess at the moment. Heck, maybe the deities know something about Jamison the party does not and they may refuse to grant the magic needed to bring him back. If Jamison were evil, then most likely the dwarf cleric's god would not grant him divine spells to ressurect Jamison. Then only Vek could do it or a powerful wizard. Who knows, maybe Wee Jas might tell Vek that Jamison is dead and that she will not grant  the power to revive him. It's all up to the DM. 

Hopefully, Dartan was hoping none of the parties gods would grant the power to bring Jamison back after he had been wholly consumed. Although, it could be that not everyone puts such stringent requirements on cleric spells and bringing him back would be easy. Then, Dartan truly did just waste his time.

Either way, I see no problem with Dartan hiring an assassin. He is consumed with hate for Jamsion and is obsessed withing vengeance for what Jamison did wrong. This would be motivation enough to do whatever is needed to destroy Jamison.


----------



## Wee Jas

Keep in mind Jamison did lose a level.  So  it's not like the assassin totally failed.  Being assassinated a few times would pretty much render Jamison useless.

I agree with what your saying about ressurection totally.   I don't think a cleric should just ressurect anyone.

Our party at our level is always going to be on those 'epic quests'  and we need all the allies we can get with all the enemies we make!   

Dartan doesn't know about clerical divination spells (as he shouldn't!  This was the first time something like this came up in our game).  As far as he knew Jamison was going to be eaten by the fishies and we would never have found the body to ressurect!

Lets give him a hand for making an interesting night of DnD!


----------



## Malhavoc

D'oh


----------



## Thorntangle

So the question is - Why did the note to Jamison include the fact that someone within the party wanted to kill him? Was this specifically requested by Dartan to put Jamison on edge? Or was this a DM intervention to bring this issue to finality and get Dartan out of the group rather than leave the assassination attempt a vague mystery?


----------



## Breakstone

And who could have sent the note?


----------



## Thorntangle

I'm assuming the note came from the assassin. A ruse to lure him to the docks.


----------



## Malachai_rose

Lol, if the note came from the assasin Dartan must have gone to McDougals House of Discount NPC's  Heheh, I gotta remember to put that in my contracts when hiring denziens of evil to kill my friends...  "Article 11 Subsection 09 paragrapgh B, Do not reveal PC involvement when attempting to lure target to watery grave".  It oughta be a rule or somethin


----------



## Celtavian

*Re*

I'd like to know about that note as well. I can't see Dartan sending it, that would be foolish.

Dartan should have talked Jamison into going out to the wharf alone to "make up" for the past. hehe. Then it would have just been the two of them, and that might have been the doom of Jamison at least for a while.


----------



## Richards

I figured I'd better post this now before it gets too much out of date...here's a new song, written from Jamison Crow's point of view, and with apologies in advance to the Ramones for butchering their song "I Wanna Be Sedated."

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

*"I Was Assassinated"*

Twenty-twenty-twenty-four hours ago
I was assassinated
Gotta admit
Came as a shock
I was assassinated

Just find me at the inn there
And give me a quick note
Hurry hurry hurry, must do just what he wrote
I'll meet him at the wharf's edge
Before the ninth bell-note
Oh no oh ho

Twenty-twenty-twenty-four hours ago
I was assassinated
Lucky for me
Vek was there when
I was assassinated

Floating over the water
Casting _fingers of death_
Hurry hurry hurry before I lose my breath
Oops I just failed my Fort save
That's it for me I guess
Oh no oh ho

Twenty-twenty-twenty-four hours ago
I was assassinated
Gotta admit
My killer's hot
I was assassinated

The guys come to my rescue
And blast that killer chick
Hurry hurry hurry get to my body quick
If sharks eat all my remains
Raise dead will be some trick
Oh no oh ho

Twenty-twenty-twenty-four hours ago
I was assassinated
It didn't last
Vek brought me back
Now I'm just fascinated

We found out it was Dartan
Who hatched that nasty plan
Hurry hurry hurry and make that traitor scram
But even more upsetting
That hot chick was a man!
Oh no! OH NO!!!

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

Johnathan
Self-Appointed, Unofficial Bard to the _Knights of Spellforge Keep_ Campaign


----------



## Wee Jas

Encore encore!


----------



## Dr Midnight

Excellent!! I think that's the best one yet.

The simple truth of the assassin's betrayal is that honestly, it was the only way I could think up to lure Jamison away from the group. Very rarely do people go off on their own and do things. If they do... it's probably because his or her player wasn't there that week. 

I found it really tough to plot a murder when all those stoopid clerical spells cover just about each contingency. Dumping the body in with the sharks was about the best thing I could think up. I really think if that'd happened, Vek would have had much less chance of success.


----------



## Breakstone

It's game day today!

How'd it go, Doc?


----------



## papa_laz

Wow! This is a really awesome story hour Doc. Got me sucked right in. I love the contrast you have going with the characters. 

Just a question for Dartans character, is the name Dartan inspired by Daratnian (sp?) from the Three Musketeers? Or is Dartanians even from the Three Musketeers or did I just dream that up? Hmm, I worry myself. Either way they are both cool names.

Keep up the good work.


----------



## Dartan

Yes Dartan's name came from The Three Musketeers.


----------



## Dr Midnight

No game yesterday Tsunami. Yesterday was our Halloween party, and we all got quite drunk at Doug (Vek)'s house and played video games. Quite fun. Except that other Doug (Dartan) and I were zombies, and Vek-Doug was a vampire, so he kept on conrolling us as minions. It sucks to be commanded to fetch his drinks and guard "the gates" (his screen door) all night.

The Halloween session I'm hoping will take place sometime this week... which would be better, as it would have to be at night. 



			
				papa_laz said:
			
		

> *Wow! This is a really awesome story hour Doc. Got me sucked right in. I love the contrast you have going with the characters.
> *



Phew, that's a relief- in your thread about how some story hours weren't so great, I had the biggest nagging paranoia that mine was one you'd read a few paragraphs of and sloughed off. Nifty. Thanks!


----------



## DWARF

I'm personally kinda annoyed that Jamison's antics HAVEN'T killed or seriously hurt anyone.  I mean, he's only "evil" when he was possessed?  I don't think so, his insatiable curiosity without regard to the danger around himself and others is an amazing liability.

I don't get why the other party members weren't a heck of a lot more surprised and angry over his behavior with the drum.  I mean, it's not like they can shrug their shoulders and say "Oh, that's Jamison for you..." because they haven't adventured with him that long.... right?!  (This being my not so subtle jab at the potential for metagame knowledge interfereing with character action)

All in all, I'm missing Dekker right about now....


----------



## Wee Jas

The players all wanted Jamison to strike it.. we wanted to have a challenging fight.  Our characters thought the act a lil crazy but the only one who considered it 'evil' was Dartan.  I don't think its more evil than say punchin a baker in the face  



> All in all, I'm missing Dekker right about now....




Me too!   I can bring him back you know!  One way or another.. we could have a kick ass ghoul Dekker party mascot if he doesn't want the ressurection  .. lol


----------



## Dr Midnight

Wee Jas said:
			
		

> * I don't think its more evil than say punchin a baker in the face
> *



You're confusing incidents. It's the BARD that got punched in the face. The baker took a sword in the gut. But I disagree, neither of those hold a candle to banging a gong for fun.


----------



## Celtavian

*Re*

I finally read the past story about what happened in RttToEE. Jamison went mad and killed two of the party members in rather cruel ways. I can see why Dartan hates him. I hope Dartan kills him permanently at some point in time.


----------



## Jamison Crow

Ouch guys, I see alot of anti-Jamison posts out there. Jamison has a childlike personality. He would never try to hurt his friends or anyone else for that matter. He is just really unwise and makes bad decisions. Wisdom: 8  He is also chaotic neutral and has a really free spirit. He feels awful about hurting and killing people while under enchantment. Dartan on the other hand hired an assassin to kill his fellow adventurer, someone he has known since childhood. He holds grudges against me that were not my fault. 

Any way there will be alot more Jamison, he still has to redeem himself of all the evil acts he did while under the evil enchantment.


----------



## Nail

Dr Midnight said:
			
		

> *I found it really tough to plot a murder when all those stoopid clerical spells cover just about each contingency. Dumping the body in with the sharks was about the best thing I could think up. I really think if that'd happened, Vek would have had much less chance of success. *




Ouch.  Really?  Look, if you'd ever like some of us to chip in some great ways to kill players, and make sure they stay dead, I'm sure we could oblige!

For example:  _Finger of Death_, followed by _Animate Dead_.  Undead creatures can't be _raised_ (but (sigh) they can be _Resurrected_).  Simple, cheap and effective.

And there are many other ways........

.....You thought sharks would prevent the all-mighty Vek from bringing him back?  Oh ye of little faith..........

But really, assasination in 3e D&D doesn't work.  There are better ways to remove opponents from "active duty".  <insert maniacal laughter here>


----------



## Victim

Jamison Crow said:
			
		

> *Ouch guys, I see alot of anti-Jamison posts out there. Jamison has a childlike personality. He would never try to hurt his friends or anyone else for that matter. He is just really unwise and makes bad decisions. Wisdom: 8  He is also chaotic neutral and has a really free spirit. He feels awful about hurting and killing people while under enchantment. Dartan on the other hand hired an assassin to kill his fellow adventurer, someone he has known since childhood. He holds grudges against me that were not my fault.
> 
> Any way there will be alot more Jamison, he still has to redeem himself of all the evil acts he did while under the evil enchantment.
> 
> *




Yes, he has 8 Wis.  That's slightly below average.  It's an 8, not a 3.  Anytime I see someone with a below average mental stat, they always see to play it much worse than it actually is.


----------



## Lazybones

Ah, internal conflict once again... looks like the Knights are back in their traditional form. 

It does seem like the group is getting a little overconfident though, Doc.  It'll be interesting to see what high-level challenges will be coming their way next.


----------



## Hammerhead

Obviously people play 8's as crippling ability scores. A Wis score of 3 WOULD be crippling in game; you would fail every single Wil save thrown at you, even from a Color Spray by a 1st level Wizard. The below average ability score allows players to play a character with a crippling in-character flaw, without being hosed by the extreme penalties.


----------



## DWARF

Wait, wait... you base his "idiocy" on a Wisdom of 8?  Wow, that's pretty bad.  I would figured all that indicates is that he sometimes forgets to lock his front door, or loses his glasses on the top of his head once in a while.

Heck, I'm playing a Half-Orc in one campaign with a Int of 6, a Wis of 8 and a Cha of 6.  I pretty much play him like the people you see in "Cops".  Sure, he's dumb, but he's not punching anyone he sees because of it...

But apparently Jamison Crow is supposed to be "atoning" for his misdeeds while under the evil influence.  Hmmm... how about starting by realizing that being possessed by a great evil can come from randomly fooling with things you don't know about.  Those trying to make up for their actions don't usually start off by getting people in even more trouble (ie, if the titan hadn't been a pushover...).


----------



## Dr Midnight

I agree with you guys... 8 is just not a low stat, and not excuse enough to do those things. However, I'm a bigger fan of letting the player play the character as he wants, if he'll have more fun with that. I'm not really into policing the character sheets. I guess I could do with more discipline on Mr. Crow pulling the crap he does sometimes.



> It does seem like the group is getting a little overconfident though, Doc.



Absolutely. Tonight, though, I think I did some damage to the collective ego... 

...I FINALLY SPANKED SOME KNIGHT ASS with SPELLCASTERS. Tonight was the Halloween session. I start writing in three minutes.


----------



## Blood Jester

Soon?

Drool droooll...


----------



## Dr Midnight

*SESSION 41
Waterday, 5th of Patchwall
THE WITCHES’ LAMPS*

Kizzlorn walked up over the rise. She was dirty and tired. She’d been walking with Nanny every day for hours on end for the last three weeks, and she wanted nothing so much as a hot bath and a hot meal. After that, she could begin to look through her castle. She hadn’t had time before. Now, she would have the run of the castle. She could begin to get to know her parents better. 

Spellforge Keep lay before her. A thin line of smoke wisped up from the chimney. She stopped in her tracks and glared. _They teleported back_, she thought. She’d walked for three weeks and slept on the ground while they lounged on featherbeds in her castle. The urge to cast a fireball at the Keep quickly passed and she walked on, grumbling to herself. Nanny followed dutifully.

She walked in and found Orthos lounging in a chair, sipping at a mug of hot spiced mead with a book in his hand. He looked up. “Kizz! You’re back! How was the trip?”

Kizzlorn muttered some dark words she didn’t mean and dropped her pack and bedroll to the floor.  “Tired. Bath. Then bed. Nanny, stand by the door.”

Nanny moved to the door and took a sentry position. “Stand,” he repeated. 

“How’d everything go?” she asked as she walked towards the staircase. She wasn’t really interested in the answer, until she heard it. 

“Dartan’s gone.”

She stopped. “What?! How’d he die?”

Orthos replaced his bookmark, set the book down, and said “Er- he didn’t.” 

“He’s a traitor,” Vek said as he ascended the stairs from the dungeon. “He attempted to have Jamison assassinated. We cast him out. I very nearly took his life myself.”

Kizzlorn’s tired brain wasn’t processing this right. She raised a hand as if to request a clarification, and realized none of it would register until she’d had some rest. “Wait. Hold that thought,” she said. “Tell me all about it in about twelve hours.” She walked upstairs, found a bath, filled it with hot water, then  collapsed into it. She was asleep within seconds.   

*Earthday, 6th of Patchwall*

The flame of Imix’s colossal fiery sword in the dining hall not only heated the castle with steam, but it heated an ingenious water pipe system Kizzlorn’s father had installed over twenty years ago. It kept the water in the brass bathtub perfectly warm and comfortable for the entire time she spent in it, sleeping with her head tilted back on the tub’s edge. Ten hours of the most peaceful sleep she’d ever known. She woke to find she’d paid the price: she was as wrinkled as pruned as a woman four times her age. 

She got out of the bath and stretched. She felt so much better. She found one of her mother’s old bathrobes in a closet and threw it around herself. She took something from her belt pouch and stuffed it in the robe’s pocket. She walked downstairs, where she found Vek and Lem having an animated discussion on the natures of right and wrong. 

Lem looked up, greeted her, and started to recount for her the story of Dartan’s assassination attempt. Before he could spit out four words she raised a hand to stop him as she crossed the hall. She leaned over and picked up a large bread loaf from a basket near the stove. She cut out the top and hollowed it. She ladled two heaping glops of delicious-smelling beef stew into the bread bowl from the fire, where it simmered in an iron kettle.

She sat at the table with a delighted sigh. “Please, continue.” She began to eat. Lem told her the entire story. The tale of the betrayal was a sad one, and too easily debated as a morality issue, so Kizz didn’t ask questions. She felt sad that Dartan was gone, though. She didn’t truly feel safe with Jamison OR Vek… but Dartan she’d felt would protect her until the last. Nothing to do about it now, she thought, and finished the last of her stew. It had been full of potatoes, just the way she liked it. She turned her mind to new business. “What now?”

Lem shrugged. “We didn’t really find any new leads on this ‘Eye of Heironeous’ matter. I’m beginning to think we’ve gone as far as we can go.”

Kizz removed the rolled-up piece of parchment from her robe pocket and placed it on the table. Vek picked it up and unrolled it. It read: 






14th through the 21st of Patchwall
~EVIL~
RETURNS TO HOMMLET!
Come celebrate Fear’s Eve with us
In the historic village of Hommlet.
-Have your fortune told!
-Go on a midnight walk 
through the Temple 
of Elemental Evil!
-Visit our gift shops!
-Hear storytellers recount
the horrors of the temple!
DANCES, COSTUME CONTESTS,
HAUNTED ATTRACTIONS, AND
MUCH MORE. BRING THE WHOLE
FAMILY… AND REMEMBER…
WEAR A COSTUME!

Hommlet. The town held in the grip of fear by the Temple of Elemental Evil, twice now, in its past. The town freed from madness by the company of Burne and Rufus, and the Knights of the Silver Quill after twelve years later. Vek knew the town. It had never seemed the type of community to capitalize on the horrors they’d suffered. Of course, with time, mortals grew callous and forgetful of their past. Could this grotesque new attraction be some way to deal with the pain of the past, or profit from it? Either way, Vek didn’t like what he read. “It could be a trap,” he said, rolling the paper back up. 

“Could be. Could also be the best place to go for new information on the Eye. Chances are that someone there knows something.” 

“I agree. Let’s go. I suggest leaving Jamison here… revisiting the Temple might not be good for him.”

Kizz looked confused. “Why not?”

“Because that’s where he went insane and killed two of his partymates,” Vek answered plainly. It was certainly sound reasoning. “We’ll leave him here with Orthos. The two get on well enough anyway. We need to be sure that if Dartan comes calling, Jamison will be well-defended.”

Kizzlorn looked bothered to be hitting the road again so soon, and asked “How far is it to Hommlet?”

Vek seemed to have that familiar smile in his voice when he answered “A good many miles… yet the distance is as nothing when you consider that we can easily teleport the entire group there.”

“Excellent.” Kizz was very happy to hear it. She’d have a full week to explore her castle.   

_*More to come...* _


----------



## Neverwinter Knight

*KNOCK, KNOCK, KNOCK !!!*

"Get up Doc, this is the ENWorld community! We're desperately waiting for you to finish your session review!"

Sorry for waking you up, Doc,  , want some coffee?


----------



## wolff96

Jamison Crow said:
			
		

> *Ouch guys, I see alot of anti-Jamison posts out there. Jamison has a childlike personality. He would never try to hurt his friends or anyone else for that matter. He is just really unwise and makes bad decisions. Wisdom: 8  He is also chaotic neutral and has a really free spirit. He feels awful about hurting and killing people while under enchantment. Dartan on the other hand hired an assassin to kill his fellow adventurer, someone he has known since childhood. He holds grudges against me that were not my fault. *




I don't blame Dartan at all.

If I was a member of the Knights, I would have helped Dartan assassinate Jamison. He's dangerous, stupid, and is only still with the party because he has "Player Character" stamped on his forehead.

His constant fiddling with all of the evil in RttToEE led to several problems, the most severe of which was the death of a couple of party members.

Tell me something: Would you choose to travel with a known mass murderer? There's no real difference between magical control and getting stoned out of your mind on PCP or LSD in my opinion. And Jamison messing with everything they came across in the Temple is JUST as dangerous as taking powerful drugs knowing the side effects they can have.

Atonement and making up for past misdeeds is a wonderful thing. Just don't do it anywhere near me. Anti-Jamison posts? H--- yeah.

(NOTE: I don't know the player, nor do I think anything bad of you. But your character is the kind I hate most in D&D -- the kind that needlessly endangers the rest of the party.)


----------



## Dr Midnight

Neverwinter Knight said:
			
		

> *KNOCK, KNOCK, KNOCK !!!
> 
> "Get up Doc, this is the ENWorld community! We're desperately waiting for you to finish your session review!"
> 
> Sorry for waking you up, Doc,  , want some coffee? *




Guh! 

Muh... wha? Nooo...

I'll get up later.

phzzzzzzzzz...


----------



## Conaill

Dr Midnight said:
			
		

> *I agree with you guys... 8 is just not a low stat, and not excuse enough to do those things. However, I'm a bigger fan of letting the player play the character as he wants, if he'll have more fun with that. I'm not really into policing the character sheets.*




How about this for an idea: lower Jamison's Wisdom to a 6 and give him Iron Will for free. "Foolish but stubborn" sounds like a good description for him.


----------



## Malachai_rose

*Leave Jamison alone*

posted by Wolff96:

"There's no real difference between magical control and getting stoned out of your mind on PCP or LSD in my opinion"

Huh ? So your tellin me when an evil cleric casts confusion on you and you turn around and bitch slap a party member it's your fault and you'd be ok with one of your party memebers killing you because of actions taken while you were under the effects of the spell ?

 Lol, being under the control of a charm person or confusion or command spell is NOT the players fault and he should NOT be held responsible for actions he takes while under a magical compulsion. 

Next lets talk about how people need to get off of Jamisons jock for a few minutes. He's a player entitled to RP his character any way he sees fit, and as a chaotic nuetral character he's been RP'ing him just fine. Thats what CN is folks a little nutty and somewhat unpredictable. 

I personally like Jamison, but regardless I think we need to draw a line with all the pointless Jamison bashing going on. It's starting to cross the line from reader commentary to semi personal attacks on Jamisons player and thats not cool. 

This may come come off as a little angry, thats good cause I am a little angry. It bothers me to see people rip into a player that have never even been present for a game session or met the guy face to face. If Dartan's player wants to come here and rip Jamisons player... fine, but last I recall Dartans player hasn't done that. And putting in your post  "I don't know the player, nor do I think anything bad of you", yet posting derragotory comments about the guy doesn't work. It's like saying "your a pussy, nothing personal" and being suprised when the guy gets angry about it. 

Anyways /rant off I just think people need to remember it's a game (a game in which none of us even play mind you) and give Jamisons likable yet somewhat crazy CN mage room to breathe. The players have already cast their vote by casting Dartan out of the party and keeping Jamison in, to me that speaks volumes...


----------



## Wee Jas

You guys need to save some of this energy!  You are going to need it when you find out what happened in Doc's Halloween Session!

.. I can say no more but I can't wait to read the write up myself!


----------



## Lazybones

Let's face it, the tension between Jamison and Dartan (or Dartan and Vek, for that matter), is/was one of the great things that made this story as compelling as it is.  Most good stories have such a dramatic tension to elicit the emotional connections that make it interesting.  I just finished the first part of Snicktch's new Spider Queen story, and that tension is there, in that case between a dwarf cleric and the party necromancer.  And Wulf's story has it too, with the anti-hero and the halfling (excuse me, I mean the peck).  

IMO it's a tribute to Doc's writing, as well as to the skill of his players, that he's able to provoke such debates among the readers regarding the characters.


----------



## Dr Midnight

*Starday, 8th of Patchwall*

A knock at the portcullis brought Lem to greet whatever visitor had come to Spellforge Keep. Vek had prohibited Lem from answering the door, but as it happened, no one else was near the front entrance at the time. “What!” He flung open the portcullis greeting-gate and peered through with his unpleasant glare. 

Standing there was a young man dressed in a cloak. He had a pale face that looked quick to blush. Bright red hair topped his hair in a shoulder-length, dusty mop. Atop the hair was a plain brown leather cap with a feather. Several belts of varying sizes were wrapped about his waist. The thickest carried a longsword on his left hip. He blinked politely, and asked “Uh, pardon me, m’lord, but I just crossed the river down from Littleberg, up north, and I was wondr’in if ye could tell me if I could find the Nubric family hereabouts…”

“No. Go away.”

“Um…” the visitor looked a bit startled to be greeted this way. “Is this the village o’ Hommlet?”

“No. Go away.”

The man frowned. “You’re a friendly one, aren’t yeh?”

“So you’re asking for help, but you’re insulting me? Not smart.”

Behind Lem, a voice spoke. “Lem, stand aside. I thought we forbade you from answering the door.” Vek opened the portcullis. “Please, come inside. Did you say Hommlet?”

The visitor stepped inside, glanced at Lem, and said “Uh, yes. Hommlet. I’m on my way there now on business, and…” he sniffed the air and wrinkled his nose. “What’s that smell?”

Lem said “He insults me, now he insults the the castle he stands inside as a guest.”

“This is not Hommlet, but we’re actually headed our way within a few days. Would you like to join us? There’s safety in numbers.” 

The man glanced at Lem, and nodded. “Yeah, sure, I could use some rest. Quite nice of YOU to offer,” he said pointedly. “My name’s Shamus, but my friends call me Shade.”

“Okay, Shamus,” Lem said. The shot didn’t miss its mark. Shamus gave him another glare, and then was invited by Vek to relax in the dining hall. 

Shamus shook Vek’s hand and said “Wuh, feels like shaking my dad’s hand.”

“Is he dead?”

“Yes.” 

He was brought in and he dumped his pack by the table. He made the rounds and met everyone else. He seemed nice enough to Kizzlorn, despite the look she saw Lem giving him. She asked him why he was traveling to Hommlet. 

“Well, I’ve got something to give to the family of a Zerosh Nubric.”

“Who’s that? Old acquaintance?”

“No, my father killed him.” It was clear he had his audience hooked, now, so he began. “It seems my dad was a deadly assassin.  Velder Delmorian. He ‘ad a powerful longsword known as ‘Sever’ that was his signature weapon. He’d kill his ‘marks’ with it as his calling card. It’s a vorpal sword- meaning it’s extremely sharp and can sever just about anything. He left a lot o’ headless victims. 

“Anyway, things seemed fine. We- my mother and I- thought he was a deep sea fisherman. He’d sometimes be gone for weeks at a time, but that’s a fisherman’s life, and we thought nothing of it. However, things fell apart when my mother found a stash of trinkets that he’d kept from all of his victims. Seems his OTHER calling card was to take one memento from each victim. He’d sometimes take a lock o’ hair, or a piece o’ jewelry. It was to remind him of what he’d done and the life he’d destroyed. 

“When my mother, Kirsha, had found out… my father was torn. He’d let her perfect image of him be sullied by his true profession. She was shocked and truly hurt. He saw her weeping and knew she’d never again feel trustful o’ him or loving. This must have driven him somewhat mad, because he killed her. Just drove that sword straight through her. He left my mother's body in the kitchen and slumped into a chair in front of the fire. I’m guessing he’d never felt guilt until that moment, but then, the guilt just flooded him.

“I returned home later that day to find a sword still impaled through my mother. I drew the sword and followed the trail of blood to the armchair.  My father stared at me with grave and red-rimmed eyes. I took off his ‘ead with his own sword. He could have easily avoided the swing, but made no effort to move.

“Only after I found the box of evidence was I able to piece together what had happened. I now  look for the families that my father has wronged and try to make amends. Right now I’m seeking the Nubric family. I have a ring to return to them. Hopefully they can find peace with his death.”

The table sat silently, and Kizz asked “Why would you tell us all this personal information, straight off? You hardly know us.”

He shrugged. “I figure that if you folks are kind and generous enough to give me a place to sleep and companionship abroad, I owe you the truth straight out. So there ye have it.”

They ate that night, talking and getting to know each other. Lem stayed distant. His eyes twinkled with the fire’s light as he watched this intruder, whom he immediately disliked. 

The days passed.

_*More to come...* _


----------



## wolff96

*Re: Leave Jamison alone*



			
				Malachai_rose said:
			
		

> *Huh ? So your tellin me when an evil cleric casts confusion on you and you turn around and bitch slap a party member it's your fault and you'd be ok with one of your party memebers killing you because of actions taken while you were under the effects of the spell ?*




Absolutely.  If there are no non-violent solutions viable, then the good of the party dramatically outweighs the good of one character. It's a game about having fun _as a group of players_. If something bad happens to my character because the alternative is the group being hurt, then kill me.

Besides, you missed the entire point I was trying to make: that Jamison's systematic interaction with EVERYTHING in the Temple is deliberately destructive -- just like taking hallucenogenic drugs when you KNOW the possible side effects is.



> *It bothers me to see people rip into a player that have never even been present for a game session or met the guy face to face. If Dartan's player wants to come here and rip Jamisons player... fine, but last I recall Dartans player hasn't done that. And putting in your post  "I don't know the player, nor do I think anything bad of you", yet posting derragotory comments about the guy doesn't work. It's like saying "your a pussy, nothing personal" and being suprised when the guy gets angry about it. *




Hello?  You do realize this is a game, right? I said absolutely nothing derogatory about Jamison's player. I don't care for the character he chose to play. Actually, I admire the guy for having the cajones to go through RttToEE deliberately trying to get his character killed -- but I certainly would not enjoy being in a party with that character. And that's the point I made.

Saying that I don't like the *character* that a person has created has absolutely nothing to do with my feelings about that *person*. There's a difference between a person and their character. Here's hoping you realize that disconnect and just didn't express your point very well.

I'm not going to further derail Dr. Midnight's storyhour -- which I really enjoy -- with this. I do not care for characters that are destructive to the party, such as Jamison Crow. That's my opinion. 

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

Looking forward to the conclusion of the Witches' Lamp, Doc... Keep up the great work.

In a way, this kind of conflict *does* prove how good the story hour is -- if we didn't care about it, we wouldn't argue about it.


----------



## Zelda Themelin

Nice story.

Oh, and I happen to like Jamison. Without him, whole story would have been much more boring. Jamison just acts dangerously curious. He seems more like DM's plot tool, than player character to me, however. 

Not all players prefer nice games, where group totally fights as one against the challenges DM chooses to make them face.

I've played a lot with groups, that enjoy much more colorful (and not always nice) character relations, and 'fun of group' would be ruined if someone forced them to co-operate all the time.

IMO there is nothing wrong with Dartan's behavior either. Nevermind that Jamison acted under evil possession, it's Jamison's face Dartan recalls smiling over his friends' deaths even though it wasn't really Jamison.
Of, course it's still hating the wrong thing, but Dartan might be right about excepting something like that taking hold of Jamison again. Of course, Dartan might as well fall for evil himself, haunted by bitter memories and all-consuming lust for revenge. That would be likely, considering how nastily he has acted recently.

Mmh, anyway, hopefully you all enjoy the game, and I will read on the following adventures as they are presented here.

Except for those riddles.


----------



## Endur

*Glasses of Hindsight 20/20*

Jamison needs a pair of Glasses of Hindsight 20/20.

These glasses allow the wearer to see what could go wrong.

When the wearer spends two minutes studying a suspected trap(takes 20 on a search check), the wearer sees a visual image of the effect of the trap going off.

He sees the snake biting his face and draining life, he sees himself turning to evil and slaughtering party comrades, he sees the Titan rising out of the water and destroying Verbobonc, etc.

Glasses of Hindsight 20/20 do not tell you how to defeat a trap, they just tell you how what the bad effect of the trap could be.  

A Rogue wearing the glasses gets a +2 competence bonus to Disable Device checks if he takes the time to study the trap.  

The glasses do not help the user find a trap, only if a trap is there and the user spends the time to study the trapped spot will the negative effect be seen.  Nor will the glasses show the user what triggers the trap.

Glasses of Hindsight 20/20 might solve some of Jamison's curiousity problems.

Tom


----------



## Dr Midnight

*Freeday, 14th of Patchwall*

The first day of the festival came. 

The group decided they’d not go without costumes- the sign clearly stated “Wear a costume”, and in case they needed to blend in, they made the appropriate adjustments. Shade wore a homemade costume he’d thrown together that resembled a pig-faced  demon. Lem polymorphed himself into a halfling farmboy. No one in the Knights would have understood the irony- except for Snooky, who muttered “Plocky!” from Kizz’s knapsack. Kizz added illusionary faerie wings to her back. Vek chose to remain in his current “costume”: a fierce black set of full-plate demonic armor. It should serve well as a frightful costume by any reckoning, he guessed. 

The group readied their things and assembled in the main room. First, Vek scried the area and found a good area to appear. Then, Lem teleported everyone to an alley in Hommlet. The spell went off without a hitch, and they were suddenly just… there. 

It was mid-morning. The dew had evaporated from the grass, but the town was only sluggishly getting to the final details in decorating. The Knights walked out into town. Vek was the only “person” who’d actually been here before, and immediately he noticed great changes. 

What was once a respectably self-sufficient little village was now a much grander region- a full-fledged city. The buildings were taller. The streets were cobbled, and no longer just great paths of packed dirt. The people wore finery and jewelry, every one. There were no poor. There were no rats. There were no hovels. The economy of the farming community had flourished in the twenty-one years since the Temple of Elemental Evil fell. Had they made this money on putting down their plows and forming a tourist trade from their tragic past? The thought was uncomfortable… or at least, it would have been to Vek, if he had cared at all. Mostly, he was inwardly congratulating them on turning something bad into something profitable. 

The town’s decorations were thematic, and the theme was fear. Orange and black banners and streamers were being strung from and along every rooftop and signpost. The color combination was not lost on Vek: these were the colors of the clerics of Tharizdun. Their robes had been orange and black… and, to Vek’s surprise, he found himself staring at one in a shop window. “Evil cleric robes, 50 gold” was the sign mounted in front of a wooden mannequin dressed in the robes. Around its neck was the triangular black pendant of the Elemental Eye. In the window’s corner was painted a wispy cobweb. 

An enormous half-orc stood nearby, holding a greatsword. In his other hand was one of the flyers advertising the town’s festivities. He looked at the group, held up the paper, and said “Where this?”

Kizz looked at it and said “What… do you mean the Fear’s Eve festival?”

“Yeah. I wanna go. Popcorn’s there.”

“Uh. You’re there. I mean- you’re here. Here is where the festival is.”

“Oh. Where’s popcorn?” His greatsword fell clumsily from his hand, and clanged to the ground. He bent and picked it up. 

Shade leaned over and whispered “Are you sure we should be talking to this fellow? Looks dangerous.”

Kizz shrugged and said “He seems pleasant enough.”

“I’m pleasant!” the delighted half-orc cried out. He wandered off and sat in front of a puppet show with a group of children. He laughed and pointed when one puppet whacked another with a stick.

Gnome illusionists cast spells on buildings and areas of town. One was making a cloud of bats appear over a chapel. One was giving the nearby graveyard skeletal green hands to reach up from the cemetery moss. One was setting up a booth. It looked like this one meant to cast his illusions on people. For a fee, she’d make you look like whatever you wanted. 

Other costuming goods and services were available. A roadside vendor was selling potions that would alter your form, and more mundane items such as disguise kits. His most expensive item was a small supply of Hats of Disguise. Vek thought for a moment and bought one. He put it on and changed from a fully-armored fearsome warrior to a handsome if dangerous looking man with dread black hair flowing over his shoulders. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




“This,” he laughed, “is what I once was.”

“I’ve got a real feeling that the clerics of the Elemental Eye are back and behind… something,” murmured Kizz. “We should do some questioning.”

Shade said “I’ll be sure to ask for you… I’m off to see the Nubrics.” 

“Good luck, Shade,” she replied as she waved goodbye. “I hope things go well.”

He walked off smiling and waved back. “Bye, and thanks for everything. I’m sure we’ll meet again.” He found his way to Fallcrest street, number 95. This was a run-down little magic shop with a weathered wooden sign reading “Zerosh Nubric, scrolls, potions and magic services”. The shop was closed, though it was almost eleven in the morning. The windows were dusty and cracked. It looked as though the shop had been closed for some time. Shade knocked on the door leading to the second story of the building. 

After a moment, an elderly woman came down. “Yes?” she said as she cracked the door open just a little. 

“Mrs. Nubric?”

She hesitated. “…yes.”

“I have something for yeh.” Shade unwrapped a piece of burgundy cloth and held it in his hand. In it was a ring. “This belonged to yer husband, I believe. I want ye to know that his murderer has been found and justice has been served. He is dead.”

The woman took the ring from him and her eyes quivered. “Oh,” she said. “This… this was his wedding ring. I can’t…” she sobbed. “You say the man who did it is dead? Good. Good.” She clutched the ring to her chest. 

“I hope that this may bring yeh some measure of peace,” Shade said.

“Yes. He- it was awful. Finding him like that. How can I ever thank you?”

Shade tipped his hat. “Well, I didn’t want for a reward, ma’am, but I’d be obliged if yeh could tell me a couple of things about the town.” 

“Certainly. Anything you want to know.”

“That’s kind o’ ye. I was wondrin’… why do you think your husband was assassinated?”

She darkened, and looked nervous. “He never said, but he hinted that he suspected something. Something about some recent deaths among city council members. He died before he told me, but I’ve always felt it had something to do with why he died.”

“Hmm. And after that, the magic shop didn’t stay open?”

“No. I know nothing about scrolls and potions, all that… That was Zerosh’s specialty. I had to sell out all his stock and close the shop. Still, we get by. The town’s affluent enough now, what with the tourism.”

“And how long has the town been doin’ this Fear’s Eve festival?”

She thought. “Not long… it only popped up in the last five years or so. The whole town loves it. People come from miles around to celebrate.”

“Has anything odd been goin’ on or seen round here, since then?”

“No. The local clergy preaches against a celebration of things stemming from demons and devils, but the townsfolk see no real harm in it. My own children run some of the haunted house events on main street.”

Shade smiled and tipped his hat again. “Well, that’s all I wanted to ask, ma’am. Thanks for your time.” 

“No thank you…”

“Shade,” he answered as he walked away. “Goodbye, Mrs. Nubric.”

“Goodbye, Shade, and thanks again.” 

_*More to come...* _


----------



## Richards

Endur: wouldn't those be _Glasses of Foresight 20/20_?

And Doc: excellent picture of Vek!  I love the sinister little smirk.

Johnathan


----------



## RingXero

I don't post much around here, but I do read abit.

Just wanted to say something about the ol' Jamison Crow thing.  I say, its fine, having characters played out with low stats is a good thing.  Whether or not it is detrimental to the party is something else, it forwards plots, introducing plot turns and about faces, adds a bit of spice to the whole thing.

As long as the group is having fun, then it's a good thing.

I have only one problem, and this is meant as no offense to Jamison's player at all, the fact that jamison has an '8' wisdom, it really should be much lower, it smacks of the 'having your cake and eating it too' syndrome.  The character concept if fine, but the stats are there for the game to have a way to show actual differences.  Roleplaying a low wis character without suffering the penalties of low wisdom is 'cheating' after a fashion.   During character generation, (point buy or roll) I would have approached the group/DM and proposed the idea, and tossed out the lowest number I rolled and subsituted a 3 or 4 instead, maybe getting a couple of plusses in other stats to compensate, or not.

This group reminds me alot of the group I used to play with, even the character Jamison, and so I enjoy reading your story hour, game - on, fellows, game - on.


RX


----------



## Wee Jas

> excellent picture of Vek! I love the sinister little smirk.




Me too!  Bravo Doc!

Richards,

Stay tuned.. I think I sense another parody coming up!  Another one turned to Dust by Queen maybe?  lol.


----------



## Dr Midnight

Hey, I just wanted to come in and boast briefly that we've now reached over 10,000 views. I'm pretty happy about it. 

Of course, then I note P-cat's views, which is nearing 200,000, but I'm still happy. Meaning I don't weep about it as much. 

I must say I've always enjoyed how at least one person would go and set off something that's obviously a trap. Tracy Hickman wrote an article a while ago about players who are ultra-cautious and sap the fun out of everything. Just having a goof running around yanking levers and picking up glowing skulls then saying "What's this thing do?" is lots of fun... for ME, at least. I know not everyone is so charmed when their character bites it due to his childish sense of WHEEEEEEE!!!. 

I think the group as a whole doesn't mind the way he plays him too much. In fact, I think Jamison's player would mind the most if anyone ELSE ran around doing that. Chew on that. 

I might have more time to write later tonight, but till then, I'm afraid I'll be away from dee computer. 

I can't wait to get you guys into the wax museum.


----------



## Breakstone

Is Shade Dartan's new character?

If so, that's a GREAT idea for character motivation!



Oh, and Lem's just creeping me out. Good job.


----------



## Celtavian

*Re*

Lem and Vek kind of make Spellforge Keep feel like Munster's Mansion. You knock on the door and someone very, very strange and quite possibly dead answers the door.


----------



## Stone Angel

I have been following the knights for a long time, even back when it was KotSQ. I must say I am impressed. Not with only your DMing but just the effort that you put into this stry hour, details, banners, illustrations. Standing ovation Dr. M., bravo. All so I may escape the harsh reality of this cruel world, if only for a half hour or so. Job well done.


----------



## Ziona

Tsunami said:
			
		

> *Is Shade Dartan's new character?
> If so, that's a GREAT idea for character motivation!
> *




Actually, that's Xaltar's new character.  I thought it was a cool idea, too!


----------



## Dr Midnight

Elsewhere in town, Vek had led the others to the keep of Rufus and Burne- the wizard and warrior who’d helped defeat the evil of the Temple the first time it had arisen. “I’ll warn you, I’ve met these men once,” Vek said. “They were friendly enough, but I’ve heard of an occasion before I joined the group, when the wizard was quite inhospitable.” He floated out across the moat to the closed drawbridge and knocked on it. 

In a short time, a little peep-hole opened up. Bushy white eyebrows appeared in the darkness, over glittering, hard eyes. “What?”

“Burne,” Vek said politely. “It’s good to see you again. I am Sir Vek Mormont, if you recall. I was a part of the group, years past, that…”

“Mormont, eh?” Burne interrupted. “I remember. Why are you here now?”

Vek never faltered. “We have suspicions that some clerics of the Temple still live, and are somehow trying to…”

“What?? Those black scoundrels? They’re all dead or run off. Why would they come back? The Temple’s not even standing any more… It’s all been razed to the ground.”

“They once subverted worship to Tharizdun through innocents. Perhaps this ‘Fear’s Eve’ is some tool of theirs to do the same, now that the town celebrates its dark history.”

“Do you have any proof? What are you basing this on?” 

“Well, nothing, yet. We just arrived, and are merely looking into the possibility. If you could tell us-“ 

“There’s nothing to tell,” he sneered. “The fools in town wear their costumes and taunt the spectre of death.”

“No one taunts the spectre of death,” Vek laughed. “May we speak to Rufus, then?”

His face saddened. “He died some years back.”

“Well, then… I guess we’ll be off. Thank-“ SLAM! The small hatched closed suddenly. Vek turned around and floated back. “Not much help from Burne. Seems he’s even more bitter than when last we met.”

Kizz adjusted her faerie wings and said “Perhaps we should just walk around town and keep our eyes open.”

They began walking around Hommlet.  The number of attractions was staggering. There were numerous “Haunted Houses”. The concept of these was a walk through small winding tunnel. The tunnel was entirely covered in glamers and trickster spells to appear as though you were walking through certain parts of the Temple itself. “Clerics” in ochre robes and monsters would jump out at you. 

Kizz saw this attraction and thought it might be interesting to feel what her mother and father had felt when they walked through the Temple. “I want to walk through the haunted house,” to which Vek chuckled and reminded her she lived in a haunted house.

A midnight walk through the Temple’s ruins was a popular choice with the townsfolk- but an expensive one, seeing as how the ticket cost had to cover a teleportation spell to the ruins (they were twenty-five miles away from Hommlet). Also, the brochure didn’t mention what Burne had told the Knights: the Temple had been completely demolished to rubble. You couldn’t walk through it… but the brochure was so cleverly worded that you wouldn’t know you’d just walk around the rubble under the moonlight. Surely it would still be terrifying, as the place- the very land- seemed to ooze evil.

Fortunetellings offering dark portents of one’s future could be found everywhere, and were all in questionable standing with the dark forces, Vek noted with some amusement. 

They reached the center of town and walked by an enormous stone-carved statue. The statue’s base read “The saviors of the realm, the KNIGHTS OF THE SILVER QUILL.” Six figures stood atop it, carved each at twice the size they were, heroic, beautiful. A dwarf brandishing an axe stood at the fore with a  fierce face. Vek Mormont himself stood there, with his hair flowing down his back. Vek admired the statue and noted that the artist had carved him with not enough character. Everyone recognized Dartan’s dark face. One of the statues was of a woman of passing resemblance to Kizzlorn- and one almost WAS Kizzlorn. The woman was Kizzlorn’s mother, Katya, and she stood beside her husband Rafflorn. 

Kizz stared up at her parents’ faces. She’d been told she had her mother’s face, and believed it. She’d seen a few portraits in Spellforge Keep, and now looked upon her as she must have looked in life- except twelve feet tall and made of stone. Her face was almost entirely her mother’s, except slightly longer and angular- like her father. It meant so much to her now to be in an area that knew of her parents, and to see their great deeds evidenced in the town’s appreciation. In Greyhawk, she’d only been known as the pauper’s daughter. In Verbobonc, so many people held the Knights responsible for Acessiwal’s rampage that she’d never tell they cared for the good they’d done. Here, she finally saw their worth through the eyes of the people they’d saved.

“Hey, how’re you guys doin’?” Shade was walking towards them through the crowd. 

“We’re not getting far,” Kizz admitted. “How did you make out?”

“Just fine. I met the woman and passed on her husband’s ring. Now I’m free for the evenin’, and was considerin’ enjoying the festivities with you good people.” He smiled. Lem sneered. “Oh,” Shade said. “I asked a few questions about your situation, and I didn’t find out much, but I did learn that there were suspicious deaths among city council members some years ago… around the time the Fear’s Eve festival came to prominence, in fact.”

“What could that mean?” Kizz asked. 

“I don’t know, but the woman I spoke to felt ‘er husband knew something about the deaths, and that’s the reason he was murdered. She says he never told ‘er what he suspected.”

They thought about this for a while, and eventually decided the best thing to do would be to continue walking about, looking for signs of trouble. “Look,” Lem said. “A wax museum.” A creepy place like that would suit his taste almost as much as Vek’s. They each paid five silver pieces and entered. 

The Hommlet Wax Museum was, like everything else, themed by the Temple. The walls were flagstone, and torches lit the way as they wandered from room to room. The waxworks were frighteningly realistic. The eyes all twinkled… it was quite unsettling. As they walked, magic mouths opened around them and talked briefly about the history of the Temple. “Madness and murder,” one mouth said. “Darkness and death,” another said. “To be a cleric in the service of Tharizdun is to take these things in hand and use them to drown all that is good in the world. Come with us, now, and meet the forces behind the Temple of Elemental Evil that very nearly set the dark god loose upon Oerth.”

In the first room they found a wax man in wizard’s robes holding his hands up in a spellcasting gesture. A magic mouth opened on the wall behind them and began to speak. “This is Falrinth. He was a wizard in the employ of the clerics, and a deadly opponent. He faced the Knights of the Silver Quill twice in combat, and died the second time.”

The next room was familiar. It was a model of the sitting room of the Inn of the Welcome Wench, where the Knights had checked in earlier in the day. At the bar was seated a filthy, unkempt man on a barstool. One arm rested on the bar, one held up a mug of ale. His smile was full of brown teeth and treachery. “This man,” the voice said, “Was Chatrilon Unosh. He was a spy for the Temple, and regularly staked out the bar at the Inn of the Welcome Wench for adventurers foolish enough to try to investigate the goings-on. He led many to their deaths. He himself died later that year, as he plummeted to his doom on New Year’s Eve. Fear’s Eve, however, still feels his ghost…”

In the next room was a middle-aged man in orange robes. One hand was reaching up and pulling back the hood to reveal a proud, evil face. “This man was known as Hedrack. He was once the high priest of the Temple’s fanatics… but when the Temple arose again, he merely oversaw the Doomdreamers in the Inner Fane of the Crater Ridge Mines. It is believed to be his influence, however, that bent many regional faiths to the Elemental Eye. Famously, he posed as a holy man named Ok Ulmok when he formed the splinter faction The Eye of Heironeous. He disappeared as the War of the Eye was won. He has not been seen since.”

Everything was black in the next room, except for the poorly-lit and horrible form of wax standing there on thin glass rods. It was a giant fishlike creature with tentacles creeping from its slime-coated face. Around it was a rippled bubble. “The Second, as it was known, was an aboleth: a horrid water creature with a devil’s mind. It floated about through the halls of the recovered Temple, overseeing the reconstruction. It died in a violent struggle in the Temple’s very heart, a room shaped like a demon’s skull.”

In the next room was a man who could have passed for Vek, in ghastly black armor covered with runes and symbols of the Elemental Eye. He wore a shield on his left arm bearing the symbol of the Eye of Heironeous. Vek smirked to himself at the waxwork. “Korgan was a powerful paladin in Heironeous’ service. He fell under the control of Ok Ulmok, who was truly Hedrack, and unknowingly did his evils. Korgan was even sent out to murder his own son, who was venturing to destroy the Temple at the time. He failed to complete the deed, and was freed from bondage when the Glaring Eye was used to win the war. He now is a member of the Penitent, and resides in the Lortmil mountains.”

“No wonder Dartan disliked him so strongly,” Kizz mused. They walked on.

In the next room a figure made of fire stood brandishing a great fiery sword over miniature figures at its feet. “This is Imix, prince of fire. He was the first of four princes to be summoned to the Temple. If the other three had come, Greyhawk would all have perished. Imix was slain in combat just before the end of the war.”

“Recognize that sword, Kizzlorn?” Vek asked. 

She did. “Hey, yeah, why is that?” Then it struck her. It was the sword mounted on the wall in her dining hall. Its fiery heat was even now used to warm the walls and water. She laughed and they walked to the next room. 

She stopped laughing as her heart froze within her chest. The next waxwork was standing amidst a half-dozen bodies. His head was down, and he stared up at them with a menacing glare that burned with malevolence, even though the thing wasn’t really him. 

Jamison Crow.

_*More to come...* _


----------



## Breakstone

Woah!

Great Cliffhanger, Doc!

Say, did you ever read the book "Something Wicked This Way Comes?" It's by Ray Bradbury, and contains many chilling ideas for a creepy "Fear's Eve" amusement park. Your game kind of reminds me of it.


----------



## avangel

Woah


----------



## Dursk Starkfire

*point-buy?*

wow Avangel, thats an absurd level of stats.


----------



## Dr Midnight

Today's game day! 

I know I'm not done writing up THE WITCHES' LAMPS, but I'm very excited to begin playing Todd Secord's Fiery Dragon module: 






Like Doug's player said last night: "Just think, when we break the campaign, now it won't be YOUR fault- it'll be the module's."

a-HAHAHAHAHAHA 

...$%^&ing jerk...


----------



## Neverwinter Knight

GO DOC! 

Looking really forward to the Return to the Return to the Temple of Elemental Evil


----------



## Neverwinter Knight

GO DOC! 

Looking really forward to the Return to the Return to the Temple of Elemental Evil


----------



## Dr Midnight

“This man was suddenly possessed of the evils of the Temple, and turned on his companions. He took a moment to join with another of his fellows, who had also just turned soulless and evil, and proceeded to destroy his confused partymates as they stood. He left two survivors in his wake, and turned on the one who had joined him in madness. He has since fled to the hills, and worked many great evils on the world. He disappeared many years back. Some whisper that we have more yet to hear… from Jamison Crow.”

This led the chilled Knights into the next room. They’d never been so directly confronted with the idea of Jamison’s past before, and they were all a bit shaken… except, as ever, for Vek. He smiled as he trailed behind. 

They walked through the remaining exhibits, including a striking wax figure of Kizzlorn’s aunt Kyla holding aloft the Glaring Sun. Other than her and Jamison, there was no Knight from their past… only evil servants and their other enemies from the ages. They left the wax museum. 

They visited a museum of artifacts from the Temple, but it only seemed a vehicle to sell souvenirs at the gift shop. The Knights passed an amphitheater where a “childrens’” version of the Tale of the Temple was being told by a lusty and gifted storyteller named Redithidoor. The half-orc they’d seen before was here, listening anxiously to the story. 

They went back to the Inn and had dinner. They had found nothing, and would wait until nightfall. 

When the dark came they left the Inn again to find the town alive. Fear’s Eve was beginning to bloom. Colored lights were behind every shop’s window glass. People walked the streets as animals, monsters, dragons, ghosts, warriors, wizards, ogres, and giants… and almost every one of them carried a frowning witches’ lamp. Singing and dancing were lighting up the center of town beneath a number of orange and violet lanterns hanging from wires. 

A number of people were lined up at a long dais, waiting to purchase an enchantment. It seemed they were all waiting for the same thing: a spell the people were calling _The Veil_. When asked what this was, a passerby said “First time at Fear’s Eve, huh? Everyone gets it. It opens your eyes to the eerie. Makes everything fascinating, in ways no simple decorations can.”

The Knights looked at each other. No one trusted the idea. Shade shrugged and said “I’ll try it. Sounds interestin’, at the least.” He stood in line and waited. When he got to the front, he asked “How much?”

“It’s free,” The wizard said. “A fully-funded service of the town. Close your eyes.” He closed them. The spellcaster muttered something. “Now… open them.” 

When he opened his eyes, the world was entirely changed around him. Colors were deeper and richer. The clouds above no longer were just floating through the sky past the moon; they were godlike tentacles of darkness reaching for it. The moon itself was a bloodstained yellow, and it hung low over the thorny treeline. Bats whickered through the inky marine air. The wizard himself, in front of Shade, now had three extra joints in his fingers, which were too long by far. The wizard smiled with through a mouthful of small, pointy teeth and asked “How do you feel?” A snake crawled out of his mouth and disappeared into the man’s folded robe. 

“Whuh,” Shade said. “I’m feeling a bit funny.” He turned around to the others with wide eyes that drank in the wonders around him. 

“What do you see?” Kizz asked. When he looked at her to reply, he saw that she seemed to have several small things crawling beneath the skin of her face, but she didn’t seem to mind. 

“Might want to have that checked out, luv,” he joked to himself. “Things’re… different. I’m seeing many an odd thing.” He held up his hand and watched as his fingers turned blood-red and pointed, then faded again, like a muscle tensing and relaxing. 

The witches’ lamps all around them had begun to smile at him. “I want one o’ those things,” he said. He purchased one from the robed vendor and smiled. He felt like he was in the moment, now, and the feeling of the holiday that the people around him loved so much was in his heart. It was a queer kind of fright that brought a smile, because the fear was so stylized and delicious.

He bought a witches’ lamp and looked about. In the corner of his eye, he saw someone staring at him through the yellow window of a dark house. He turned, and no one was there. He giggled nervously. 

The group bought tickets for the midnight walk through the ruins. They only had to pay fifty gold each, as they could provide their own teleportation to the area.  They walked around and waited for the hours to pass. 

“Nothing’s happening,” Kizz murmured. “We don’t have much to go on, do we?” 

Vek scanned the crowds for trouble. “We were never certain anything was GOING to happen. We’re just here to make sure that if something DOES, we’re here to stop it.”

A little girl nearby started choking on her own breath and gibbering. Her eyes were wide with horror. The Knights watched as her mother kneeled by her, calling out for help. Canoness Y’Dey, looking twenty years older but still spry and sharp, ran up and tended to her. She ordered the girl brought back to the Temple of St. Cuthbert, where she could be seen to properly by the clerics there.

Y’Dey looked up and saw the Knights there. She recognized Vek immediately, and seemed to believe Kizzlorn was her mother frozen in time. She seemed astonished. Ignoring pleasantries, she said “You! What are you doing here?’

Vek said “Greetings, Canoness..We’re looking into Fear’s Eve. We’re not certain, but we think there are hidden dangers.”

“You’re probably right,” she said. “I’ve been preaching that for some time. Nothing good can come of finding amusement in demons and evil, but the townspeople won’t listen. No one listened years ago, when I tried to warn them of the Temple’s reemergence, either. I have to go, but if you see anything, do let me know.” She ran back to her church.

Shade said “Odd, that woman with the missing eyeball seemed to almost recognize you, Kizz.” He turned to her and Kizz wasn’t there. “Kizz?”

He was all alone. No one was around him at all on the street. A moment ago, it had been filled with throngs of people in costumes milling about. Now, just him. The wind blew over his hair. The moon seemed to loom closer. He heard something from the darkness of the trees past the houses behind him. He looked, and saw nothing. It had souded like a far-off giggle. “What’s goin’ on, now? This isn’t funny.” 

He turned back to see a black silhouette standing in the road several meters away. It seemed to be shaped oddly. Its legs had two sets of knees… one bending forward, the other back. They ended in hooves. The head was round and topped with small floppy ears. 

“Nice costume,” Shade joked, walking forward. He was, in truth, fairly scared. _The Veil_ had left his mind more sensitive to fear, and he was feeling it weighing in his stomach like a cold, knotted snake. 

The silhouette walked away and disappeared around a bend. Shade ran after it, and found it gone. He heard the giggling again, closer this time, off to his right. It had a guttural quality to it. “Yeah, that’s funny,” Shade agreed. His voice quavered and betrayed his growing terror. In front of him was a temple. Its walls were painted black and its detailing and cupolas were pointed and jagged. The giant door to the temple closed just a bit as something dark moved inside. Shade ran after it and flung the door open. He stepped into absolute blackness.

The doors shut behind him with a final, jarring iron crash. His breathing quickened and he tried to keep calm. All around him, the sounds of things moving. Furtive shuffling, and something softer… it sounded like snorting. Ahead of him, a reddish light was growing. It was coming from a crack in the ground. The light slowly illuminated the walls, which were of rough-hewn and rune-carved rock. The shuffling and snorting grew louder, and a dull rumbling was coming from the crack. Shade clutched at his sword hilt and backed away, looking for a way out. There was none- only darkness. The roaring grew louder, and something was rising from the pit. Shade stood with his eyes wide open as an enormous demon rose from the pit. It had burning eyes and a piglike snout. Great goatlike horns protruded from his cruel face. Ragged furry hair cascaded down his shoulders and chest. He clutched a pitchfork. He was laughing. Shade screamed, turned and ran into the blackness. 

_*More to come...* _


----------



## Breakstone

Wow, that's creepy Doc!


----------



## Neverwinter Knight

consider me chilled!


----------



## Esiminar

This is so cool

The atmosphere is perfect Doc


----------



## Celtavian

*Re*

Nice build-up Doc. You definitely have an entertaining writing style.


----------



## Neverwinter Knight

*Doc goes NWN ?*

Hey Doc,

have you tried Neverwinter Nights, yet? If so, would you consider making an adventure? That way your fan community could get a chance to actually play one of your modules (we can't all come to Rhode Island, you know ).
If you haven't tried it yet, give it a shot. 

-------

On the other hand, I don't want to take your time away from playing DnD and writing your wonderful session reviews!


----------



## fenzer

Great update Doc!  It sounds a little "Book of Vile Darkness"-ish if you ask me.  I freaked my players out last week with nightmares of Orcus, it's a fun book.

Keep the posts coming.


----------



## Dr Midnight

*Re: Doc goes NWN ?*



			
				Neverwinter Knight said:
			
		

> *have you tried Neverwinter Nights, yet? If so, would you consider making an adventure? That way your fan community could get a chance to actually play one of your modules (we can't all come to Rhode Island, you know ).
> If you haven't tried it yet, give it a shot. *



Thanks sir, but I'm completely inexperienced with the NWN  module design stuff... never mind that I don't have much faith in electronic gaming over tabletop. 

Add to this that I think I come across as a MUCH better DM in writing. Anyone who thinks I'm a fantastic DM just hasn't played with me is the sad truth... One of the players once said "Tom, don't take offense to this, but I think of you as a Writer9/DM6 (or something like that)." I appreciate it, though.



> _Originally posted by Neverwinter Knight _*On the other hand, I don't want to take your time away from playing DnD and writing your wonderful session reviews! *



Yeah! It's freakin' Tuesday, and I haven't begun writing up this week's module... have one update left on the Witches' Lamps, which should be up later today. 



> Great update Doc! It sounds a little "Book of Vile Darkness"-ish if you ask me. I freaked my players out last week with nightmares of Orcus, it's a fun book.



Thanks, but I'm actually one of those jerks on the General RPG forums who goes against the BoVD. I don't think the industry needs the risk of another huge Bothered About Dungeons & Dragons onslaught, and I don't think you need a book about evil and demons. Blechh. Not that I disapprove of the BoVD as a purchase for mature gamers... I just think it's appealing to the black trenchcoat crowd for an easy purchase, because as they all know, "Evil's cool!™ *snort snort*"

Plus, I don't think vile, despicable evil has much of a place in MY kind of fantasy. My fantasy is all about good triumphing over evil. 

...Despite that Vek's player is in my game.


----------



## Wee Jas

> ...Despite that Vek's player is in my game.




Oh.. yeah.. I forgot.  I hired the assassin and summoned the Titan.


----------



## handforged

Great Job again Doc.

I just started checking the story hour board again and I am glad to see that you started to writing again.  The new characters seem to be an interesting bunch.  I like the horror style adventure right now.

Vek, you should check out a new web-supplement on the WotC site:

Dead Life 

Since you said you were planning to take Leadership as your next feat, I thought you might also want to check out other options for building your dominance of the world of the dead.

time to resume lurking in the background.

~hf


----------



## Dr Midnight

“Shade?” Kizzlorn was snapping her fingers in front of his face and calling his name. His eyes were wide open and glazed. He didn’t hear her at all… or if he did, he made no indication. “Shade? What’s the matter with you?”

“This is rather like that girl we saw a few moments ago, isn’t it?” Lem asked. He was right. The girl had suddenly turned numb and distant. 

“Look, there’s another one!” Kizz pointed to the southeast, where a woman stood with her mouth open, staring at nothing. 

“And another,” Vek said. 

All around them, people were freezing up.They began running around with the few untouched people, trying to help if they could. The frozen were inconsolable. They seemed locked in their minds, and they seemed terrified. 

Only a handful of people were up and about. Vek looked at them, and noticed something. “They don’t have the lamps!” He grabbed Shade’s witches’ lamp and smashed it on the ground. Shade gasped, fell down, and started to come around. He gibbered for a moment, and his eyes began to focus and look around.

“Wh… where’d you go?” he asked as he clutched at Kizzlorn’s arm. 

“SMASH THEM ALL!” was Vek’s confusing reply, and Shade watched the Knights around him run around, knocking witches’ lamps out of peoples’ hands and crush them on the ground. The people who recovered joined them. Soon, all the witches’ lamps to be found were orange splatter on the ground. The townspeople began weeping for fright. “Where’s that vendor?” Vek asked. 

They went and confronted the vendor, who smiled at them beneath his shadowy cowl. Vek bashed a lamp to pieces as he leaned forward. “What kind of enchantment is on these?”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” the man giggled. He held a lamp up. “Would you like to buy a witches’ lamp?”

Vek drew his sword and held it back. The other Knights readied to fight. “Better start talking. Who made these?” 

The vendor shrugged. “We buy the pumpkins from local fields and carve them ourselves.”

“You know what I mean. Who enchanted them to do this to people?”

“I don’t know. A wizard?” The vendor was having fun with this, it was clear. 

Vek said “That’s it… you’ll tell me what I want to know… eventually.” 

He made a move to grab the man, who jumped back and said “Madness consumes us all,” then vanished in a dark cloud of smoke. 

“Damn,” Shade said. “Where to now? Could he have gone far?” 

“That was a spell called _Word of Recall_, I’m betting,” Vek replied. “He could be anywhere.”

“We don’t have much to go on, do we?” Kizzlorn asked. “He mentioned a wizard. Could he mean Burne?”

“I doubt it,” Vek said. “He’s a bad-tempered old man, but he’s on the side of good. He may know other wizards in town, though. Let’s give it a shot.” They walked up the hillside to Heroes’ Tower. 

“We don’t have time to play games with him… let’s just walk in,” Kizz said, and cast _Knock_ on the castle drawbridge. It slowly opened. 

They were bathed in reddish light as they entered. An odd choice for someone who wasn’t celebrating the holiday. Looking up on the walls, they saw that the torches were covered by lumpy, odd looking lampshades that gave off the red color- and a sickening smell. On closer examination, the lampshades were skinned human ribcages

Kizzlorn groaned and held on to the dinner she’d eaten earlier. “There we have it,” Vek said, bemused. “Weapons at the ready.” They drew their weapons and readied their spells. They walked on, and came into a huge chamber filled with five men in black robes trimmed with orange. An altar sat at the north wall, with the half-orc they’d been seeing laying across it, unconscious. Burne sat in a thronelike chair at the far wall, beneath an immense tapestry bearing the twisting, thorny symbol of Tharizdun. 

“That didn’t take you long,” Burne laughed. 

Vek readied himself to attack. He eyed the four wizards. “Why, Burne? You were once a savior of the town.”

“Well, on that count, let’s not place blame just yet.” Burne passed his hand over his face. The face changed… to someone they all knew. They had seen his face, in fact, just hours earlier, in the wax museum. 

Vek laughed. “Hedrack. So. Burne and Rufus are really dead. You’ve been posing here for years- to do what? What have you accomplished?”

“Fear,” Hedrack said, standing and flexing his casting fingers. He didn’t take his eyes off the cleric of Wee Jas. “Revenge through fear. It’s working, too. I made certain the concept of Fear’s Eve spread to the surrounding area before I put the final plan into action. This way, I get to terrorize the fools who delayed our plans… and as a bonus, it turns out that causing fear through Tharizdun is more effective a means of worship than diverting it through another religion! Imagine! If Fear’s Eve spreads, and the Lamps go to every town, we could have enough fear in the Flanaess to free the Dark God in ONE NIGHT!” He gestured to the enormous half-orc on the altar. “With the help of a few well-timed sacrifices, my lord will gain power and influence quicker than we Doomdreamers could ever have hoped.”

“It’ll never happen,” Shade growled as he adjusted his grip on his sword.

“Yes, I know,” Hedrack said. “I’m the evil villain and I just betrayed my entire plan, so now, the time is ripe for you to kill me.” He rolled his eyes. “Let’s begin, shall we?”

Immediately, the four wizards unleashed a hell of magic on the party. A storm of ice swirled about and bashed the Knights before chilling them to the bone, and a ball of fire cooked them where they stood. Lem was lying on the ground when the storms cleared. “Scatter!” Shade shouted.

Vek pointed at a wizard and uttered something. The wizard disappeared in a cloud of black fire and ash, and was no more. 

Shade ran forward, weaving among the wizards, towards Hedrack. His father’s sword gleamed brightly in the red light. He reached the cleric and swung. The blow glanced off of Hedrack’s thick steel chestplate, and Hedrack put his hand to Shade’s forehead. Immediately, swirling black imaginings of madness and decay filled the young rogue’s mind. His eyeballs rolled up and glazed as his voice moaned in his throat. The corruptive touch of Tharizdun had seared his consciousness. He screamed, turned, and ran from the building. 

Kizzlorn traded fiery blasts with one of the wizards. She enveloped him in flame, and he hit her right back. She fell to the floor, right next to Lem’s horribly burned corpse.

Only Vek remained. He quickly dispatched two more wizards with the help of a _Haste_ spell. He fell into a defensive position, to think on what to do next. Hedrack pointed a finger at him and shouted “KA’Z’ROH!!” Vek felt a spell hit him that surely would have killed him- if he had any life in him at all. He smiled. Hedrack only saw his disguise; not what Vek truly was. Vek killed the last wizard with a gesture, and faced off against the cleric. 

Hedrack tried something else- a powerful spell that would wipe almost any material away from this plane in a cleansing fire. Vek stood when the fire cleared, laughing. Vek cast a different spell on Hedrack, that would choke the life from his body with the briefest, though greatest, of pain. The cleric of Tharizdun clutched his chest, looked like he might fall, then straightened again. He extended his arm and a beam of bright crystal green light shot out and covered Vek. Vek smiled through the green… then vanished. When the light cleared, Sir Vek Mormont was a thin layer of fine gray dust on the cobbled floor. He had been entirely disintegrated. 

Hedrack threw his head back and laughed. He’d won again… and destroyed the Knights of the Silver Quill (or whatever this group Mormont was traveling in) in the bargain. He walked through the bodies on the ground, basking in his victory. Tharizdun’s victory. Soon, he would be rewarded by his Dark God. He was certain of it. 

He knelt by the body of the woman and began to rummage through her collection of wands and potions. Perhaps, if the man next to her wasn’t TOO badly burned, he might have some interesting items on him as well. _A pity that Sir Vek’s items were destroyed along with him_, he mused sadly. He was lost in thought, and so didn’t really pay attention to the soft sound of footsteps running up the corridor behind him. He turned, too late.

Shade plunged his sword through Hedrack’s chest. The cleric gave a guttural scream. He tried to speak his [i[Word of Recall[/I], but his throat was churning with blood and bile. Shade was filled with unspeakable anger. The horror he’d experienced for the preceding minute was a lifetime’s worth of terrors and darkest nightmare. He cried out as he pulled the sword free and swung it straight through Hedrack’s neck. The vorpal blade bit cleanly through, and the astonished head bounced three times before rolling to a stop, ten feet away from its body. It blinked at him, and then it died. 

Shade sobbed, wiped his blade clean, and sheathed it. He had to occupy his mind. If he remembered any of what he’d known in that truly chaotic madness, he might lose his sanity for good. He bent over and saw he could do nothing for his companions. He ran from the castle and fetched anyone who would come. Anyone at all. 

He brought back Canoness Y’Dey and a large garrison of Hommlet watchmen. She did what she could. She brought Kizzlorn back to life, but Vek Mormont and Lem were beyond her help. Kizzlorn stood and thanked Shade for what he’d done. 

Together, they freed the half-orc from the altar’s chains. Y’Dey cast a spell of _Healing_ on him. He sat up, rubbed his great bald head, and said “Urrgh… Thank you. They were going to kill me… What happened?”

Shade and Kizz exchanged a surprised look. “Uh, pardon us…”

“Grumbar,” the half-orc said.

“…Grumbar. Pardon us, but… we’ve run into you twice today, and neither time did you seem quite this…” Shade fumbled for the right word. Earlier today, this same creature had appeared to be a great deal stupider. Watching childrens’ performances and drooling for popcorn.

“Sophisticated,” Kizzlorn volunteered. 

“I was stupid,” he grinned. “I know it. I’m not that bright, but I’m not THAT dumb. Some nasty wizard cast something on me in a fight. I got real dumb, and wandered around, looking for amusement. I’m sure glad to be smart again.” 

Kizz and Shade exchanged another look. 

Two of them had died. Lem, who was Kizzlorn’s childhood friend, had grown more and more distant and power-hungry as time crawled on. Vek, whom she hadn’t known for very long, was a creepy and deadly artifact from her parents’ time. She’d treasured him as someone her father had trusted, and who had danced with her mother at their wedding. Now, he was gone. 

Kizz and Shade sat to answer the questions of the high council about the night’s events. It would be a while before they would get to sleep. 

*EPILOGUE*

The rat scurried across the dank floor. There was no light to see by, but it smelled what it wanted. There, at the bottom of that pit. It crawled down. It approached the skeleton that had been lying at the bottom of this pit since before the rat was born. It snatched a piece of flesh in its teeth and began to climb out. 

It ran back through the corridor. Other rats ran by it, in the opposite direction. As it got nearer, more and more rats joined in from other corridors and rooms. They all ran, clutching tiny bits of bone, gristle, muscle and meat in their mouths. They entered the big room. 

The rat ran up to the pile and gingerly laid its piece of gray skin at the end of one of the pile’s four great peninsulas. The skin quivered. The rat squeaked and backed away. All the rats stopped adding their contributions to the pile, and began watching. The flesh on the mound trembled slightly. A wind seemed to blow through the room. The rats all turned and fled. 

The mound of dead flesh and bone was moving. Bones straightened and knit together. Strings of muscle crawled over and under chunks of whispering meat like thin gray snakes. Over them, the skin ate itself and unfolded like gray mold over a pile of rotting fruit. The flesh at the ends of the two arms separated and entwined into five grotesque claws. The ribcage was now fully formed, and the decayed flesh inside it began to boil and churn as it filled the cavity. Skin covered it like a thin spiderweb, then thickened until few holes remained. 

The jaw attached itself and closed. Dead skin crawled over it. The skull’s last piece clicked into place. Dead skin crawled over it. The eye sockets filled with writhing tendrils that looked like hungry mealworms. They braided around each other and wrapped into knots. The knots smoothed. Tiny black pupils faded in, like bodies floating to the surface of a pond of milk. The pupils flickered green, then glimmered, then glowed. 

The jaw opened. 

“I. Live. Again.”

*NEXT: BEYOND ALL REASON*


----------



## fenzer

I gasped out loud when Vek disintigrated.  My wife looked at me and shook her head.  I love that Ruffus and Burne were taken out and that nasty things were going on inside the castle, nicely done. 

I don't know, rib cage lampshades and sacrifices, sounds BoVD to me.  

I sure hope that's Vek doing the "Mummy" at the end there.


----------



## Broccli_Head

Crazy spell-battle, Doc! 

Vek destroyed and then reborn (or is that Haderak?). The KoSFK almost TPK'ed...what a great session. What happened to Orthos?


----------



## Grim

Actually, I think Vek or whoever went all worms-that-walk -sy. Its in the Epic Level Handbook. When a powerful spellcaster dies, or does this funky cerimony, his soul is transferred into a body of the worms/bugs/rats that consumed his fleshly corpse. Just a possiblity

But, eh, could be anything, knowing the good doctor...


----------



## Breakstone

Whoa (see, I spelled it correctly this time!)...

Poor Vek...

Lem always seemed a bit... odd... but he was growing on me.

They are two Knights who will be missed...

On the other hand, Great Job using Spellcasters effectively, Doc!


----------



## Wee Jas

At least I killed the 4 wizards before I went.  It would rocked had I gotten Hedrack too!

Anyway.. Doc has more surprises up his sleeve.  Great story!


----------



## Dursk Starkfire

*Vek reborn*

That was an utterly cool description of Vek's return. As we all know, any lich who  is clever enough to come up with "Wee Jas gives you the gift of death", MUST have their phylactory safely stored away for future incarnations. I'm sure Vek'll be back with a vengeance. If I'm not mistaken, I'd be surprised if he doesn't pop up back at Castle Spellforge. 


PS: (Orthos is still at the castle, guarding/protecting Jamison from the dispicable Dartan (or do I have that in the wrong order?


----------



## jonrog1

The bear of this story hour is that I have to keep going back and rereading the whole thing to get into the spirit of it every time you update.  Great as always.


----------



## Malachai_rose

*wow*

Ack !!! That was hardcore Doc, yikes. Vek.. No !!! I really hope that was my favorite Cleric of Wee Jas gettin reborn there cause I'd hate for it to be Hedrack instead  

Well great post, I loved the part where Shade comes and saves the day and was I reading something wrong or did you say that Shade's blade was Vorpal (lol, tell me it's a Keened Vorpal scimitar  and that he has improved critical, heheh). Well looking forward to the new adventure and hopefully Orthos' player can make it back so he can lend the party some much needed dwarven stoutness


----------



## Neverwinter Knight

Yes !!! GO VEK !!!

Hedrack, though a powerful cleric was just of flesh and blood. I believe we get to see more of Sir Vek Mormont.

BTW, where do you keep your phylactory ? I know, you won't tell


----------



## Celtavian

*RE*

A disintegrate spell with no Con is not good, especially when Hedrack's spell DC's are high enough to make a fighter fear for his life.

Hedrack is the biggest pain the behind. We are going through RttToEE right now, and twice now he has forced us to leave either directly or indirectly. I hate that guy. Glad to see someone finally killed him. Good job Shade.


----------



## Dr Midnight

What up, my gamer!

Good to hear from so many of you. I'll just go down the line. 

Fenzer, that's so cool that I bragged about it to three of the players last night. "Fenzer gasped when he read the part about Vek dying, and his wife looked at him, then shook her head." Ziona: "That's awesome!"

Broccli_Head: What happened to Orthos? Well, his player told me before we started that he would be out, often, during weekends. I thought he'd be out maybe every other game, but he's only been in the first returning session, session 38. Until he comes back to the table, I guess he'll just have excuses to putter around the Keep.

Grim: "But, eh, could be anything, knowing the good doctor..." That's right. Wait till you find out it's really Dekker, come back to life to lend a bit of Plocky to the party.

Tsunami: "Great Job using Spellcasters effectively, Doc!" Ahh, thank you! For maybe the first or second time, I think I did pretty well in a spellcasting sense. Of course, I had to compensate with BIG levels for the wizards. Vek still went through them like butte... err, sorry, Vek's player: tofu. 

Dursk- Vek's a cautious guy, indeed.

Jonrog! Nice!! I didn't know you were a reader. I'm rather proud to have you along, considering your reputation. I suppose it must be jarring to jump back into the story after a pause, but I'm lost on how to fix that.

Malachai- Shade spent most, if not all, of his starting 13th level gold on his incredibly wickedly unbelievably deadly sword. Vorpal, keen, and I'm PRETTY SURE he's got improved crit. I think he said his threat range is 15-20. slicedy-slice.

NWKnight- Glad you liked the story, man. "BTW, where do you keep your phylactory ? I know, you won't tell" I won't tell for him, but it's fairly secure. Oh yes.

Celt- Hedrack's a tricky bastard.

Now- on to writing up Session 42! Someone bring me some coffee? Hazelnut, light & sweet... thanks.


----------



## Blood Jester

The smile on Vek's face as he was disintegrated was _my_ personal favorite part.

Love the whole horror show night!  BTW, did you take pictures again this year?


----------



## Dr Midnight

Blood Jester said:
			
		

> *Love the whole horror show night!  BTW, did you take pictures again this year? *



No... this year was quite a bit more conservative. The only thing Halloweenie about it was the theme in the game. 

Plus that I bought the Call of Cthulhu book ($40... ka-ching) to do insanity checks. Turns out I only needed it once. Le sigh.


----------



## avangel

> The smile on Vek's face as he was disintegrated was my personal favorite part.




I loved that part too!




> Plus that I bought the Call of Cthulhu book ($40... ka-ching) to do insanity checks. Turns out I only needed it once. Le sigh.




WAHHHH.. you said we were playing Dragonstar so I bought the book!  JERK!  Anyhow Call of Cthulhu looks cool.  Trade you my Vampire Dark Ages or EverQuest D20 book for it!


----------



## Dr Midnight

avangel said:
			
		

> *WAHHHH.. you said we were playing Dragonstar so I bought the book!  JERK! *



I said I was going to run either Dragonstar or Star Wars, and that I wanted to do Dragonstar. That was vetoed by the majority, so we played Star Wars. You might have wanted to wait until we were certain of what we were playing, chump. 

You just keep your Vampire: The Dark Ages book. I'd have nothing to trade for a black trenchcoat and greasy ponytail. "I'm Azrael Abysssss!"


----------



## Dr Midnight

*SESSION 42
Freeday, 15th of Patchwall
BEYOND ALL REASON*

Kizzlorn and Shade sat on a bench outside Heroes’ Tower, where the town watch and several city council members were quickly putting together the pieces of Hedrack’s crimes. The morning sunshine wasn’t warm enough to put off the chill of the dew in the air. The two hadn’t said much, as they really didn’t know each other that well. 

Any topic to speak of was likely a gloomy one, so they sat silently. Kizz had lost two party members- one a trusted relic of her parents’ past, and the other a friend from her childhood. Lem had grown odd and consumed with lust for power in his final years, but at his heart Kizz had still felt he was a stalwart companion. She had lost good friends before, though, and would never forget them. 

Someone walked up to them. Kizz looked up to see the great lumbering half-orc Grumbar that she and the others had saved from sacrifice (and, to a lesser extent, stupidity) the night before. “Hello,” he grunted with a smile. 

“Good morning, Grumbar,” Shade said. “Sleep well?”

“Yes, slept on a bed that was feather-soft and comfy. I’m here now.”

Kizz blinked. “Here for what?”

“I’m joining you. I owe you my life.”

“What?? Uh… we saved you, sure, but you don’t have to pledge to us a life-debt or anything like that.”

The half-orc shook his head vigorously. A thin line of saliva whipped out from the force and splattered against the ground. “Nope. Nope. Must. Life-debt.”

Kizz sighed and looked at Shade. “Couldn’t hurt. On this note, you weren’t even a member of the group, either. How about it? Care to travel with us? We have two more back in Verbobonc, so we only number four right now… We could use that blade of yours.”

Shade thought for a moment as asked “I dunno, luv… Where are ya headed?”

“Eventually, we mean to slay an ancient white dragon and locate another dragon, freeing it from a mirror prison. Uh… as for where we’re headed, right now, I have no clue.”

“Why, bless me, that’s exactly where I’m going.” He grinned with a wink. She smiled back.

“Excuse me,” a voice said. The three looked to see Canoness Y’Dey, the high priestess of Saint Cuthbert in Hommlet. She was holding a letter. “This just arrived. I thought if anyone should be present when it’s opened, it should be you.” She held it out, and the three Knights read the address: _~Burne~ Heroes’ Tower, Hommlet”_.

“Let’s open it,” Kizzlorn said at once. They did, and read.

_Dearest Burne-
It pleases me to hear that you have kept busy. Best wishes to you during this especially festive Fear’s Eve season.
I myself have recently started a lucrative partnership that could bear fruit for our cause… come time.  I believe I have found the location of another “friend,” and am working with a curious gentleman up here in the Griff mountains to locate and free him. It’s rather cold, and winter is coming, but the prospect of what could be done here is just too exciting.
I promise I will tell you more when we next meet in person. The written word is just too dangerous to trust much to, if you take my meaning.
-E._

“’Lucrative partnership’, eh?” Shade noted. 

“’E.’,” Kizz muttered, thinking.

“’Written word’?” Grumbar blurted. The others stared at him for a moment. His gray-green skin reddened as he blushed. 

“Whoever this is, she’s onto something that will aid both their causes. This means she needs to be confronted and stopped,” Kizzlorn said.

“Agreed,” replied Shade. “How far away are the Griff mountains?”

They found a yellowed map of the Flanaess in the Temple’s library, and spread it out over Y’Dey’s desk. The mountains looked to be roughly 1,600 miles from Hommlet. Grumbar groaned. 

Kizz straightened. “The trip shouldn’t be any kind of hassle, with the use of a _teleportation_ spell. The trick is knowing enough about the location beforehand to make certain it works.”

Canoness thought silently for a while, and said “I may be able to help you with this.” She had a serving boy run off through town. He soon returned with two men in tow: The first was a man in a simple brown tunic with comfortable boots. He had an unkempt yet attractive mop of dark curls on his head. The man behind him wore no weapons and wore padded armor. He had blond hair that was combed back from his forehead. His sly blue eyes conveyed a sense of easy confidence that said he didn’t worry about much.

“This is Jo’nas Redlong,” Canoness said as she gestured to the first man, “and his companion Gryph Greycloak. I believe they might be able to assist you with the distance between here and the mountains.”

“It seems we have you to thank, my friends,” Jo’nas said with a courteous bow. “My brother and I fell to the treachery of the witches’ lamps. Without your help, who knows how long we might have dwelled in madness.”

Canoness Y’Dey spoke again. “Jo’nas here is a priest of Fharlanghn, the god of travel. He has seen much of the world. He may be able to provide you with the aid you need.”

“That would be greatly appreciated,” Kizzlorn said. “We are going far away, to the Griff mountains. Have you been through the area?” 

“Several times,” he answered. “It’s frost-rimed and cold, overrun by barbarians, ogres, giants, and griffons… from which the range takes its name. Not a bad place to travel to, at all.”

“Can you help us scry a suitable position to teleport to?”

“I can do better than that. I can come with you, as a guide.”

Kizzlorn looked surprised. “You can? You wouldn’t mind?”

“Not at all.” He looked to his friend. “Gryph, you wouldn’t mind helping these good people, would you?”

“I wouldn’t mind in the least. We owe these heroes our gratitude for what they’ve done here. It’s only right that we offer our services.”

Grumbar furrowed his brow and looked at Gryph. “Jo-nas can help travel, but what do you do? You don’t even have a sword.”

Gryph laughed. “I don’t have a sword because I lack for need of one, my porcine friend. Mine are the arms of the kraken, the wings of the eagle, the claws of the dragon.”

The half-orc looked genuinely confused. He looked at the man’s form and said “How do you mean?”

“Why, literally, of course.”

_*More to come...* _


----------



## Numion

Dr Midnight said:
			
		

> *
> “Yes, I know,” Hedrack said. “I’m the evil villain and I just betrayed my entire plan, so now, the time is ripe for you to kill me.” He rolled his eyes. “Let’s begin, shall we?”
> NEXT: BEYOND ALL REASON *




Uh oh. Simply great!


----------



## wolff96

Uh oh...

That sounded suspiciously like new party members being introduced.  Interim PC while Vek makes his way back? Or has something happened to our esteemed clerical lich?

We've lost Dartan... don't take Vek too!


----------



## Wee Jas

> don't take Vek too!




I think Doc was looking forward to some Vek-free time.  We will see how long that lasts with Gryph Greycloak around tearing stuff up!  RAHHRRR!

(Expect to see some cool Vek related events coming up anyhow.  What suprises could I have up my sleeve?)


----------



## Breakstone

Heh, sounds like a neat cast of new characters!


----------



## Neverwinter Knight

Great aftermaw, Doc ! 

BTW, I have just finished reading your Star Wars write-up! I must say: *TOTALLY AWESOME*. 
I love the campaign setting (there had to be other heros besides Skywaker and Solo to make it all possible), plus the characters! And your illustrations just kick serious a** !!!


PS: I believe you will have less trouble with the monk (?) than the unbeatable lich. I'd bring Vek back in time to battle the great white wyrm, though!


----------



## Wee Jas

> I believe you will have less trouble with the monk (?)




Whahahaaa!   

Have you no faith in me?!


----------



## Caliber

I thought the new character sounded more like a Druid/Shifter than a Monk, but perhaps that is just me. 

Great story hour Doc!


----------



## Richards

Wow, first Jamison gets killed off, now Lem and Vek.  I guess being a Knight of Spellforge Keep means you can pretty much stop worrying about whether or not you'll die of old age.

In Vek's case, however, there's a very good chance that he'll be back.  In fact...I just happen to have a song about that very subject.  (Wow, what were the odds of _that_?)  With apologies in advance to Meredith Brooks and her song "Bitch," here's a parody as sung by Sir Vek Mormont himself.

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

*"Lich"*

I was destroyed today
Nothing left but dust
I know, but that can change
Let me tell you, though, you look at me like maybe I'm just dust beneath your feet
Just a compost heap
Even though I died
There is a gem or such that keeps me safe inside
I can understand how you might be confused
I'm nothing like you
I'm currently all safe and sound in
My phylactery

I'm a lich, I'm undead
There's no skin upon my head
If you look under my helm
The sight will overwhelm
I'm a corpse, yet I walk
Just look at me and balk
You know I wouldn't want it any other way

So if you walk in range
This may mean that even though it might seem strange
Rest assured that when I start to take your body
And I'm making it my own
Your flesh will start to rot
And then all there'll be is bone

I'm a lich, I'm undead
There's no skin upon my head
If you look under my helm
The sight will overwhelm
I'm a corpse, yet I walk
Just look at me and balk
You know I wouldn't want it any other way

Just when you think you've got me taken down
My body's already forming
If you want to kill me for good you'd
Better start brainstorming

I'm a lich, I'm undead
There's no skin upon my head
If you look under my helm
The sight will overwhelm
I'm a corpse, yet I walk
Just look at me and balk
You know I wouldn't want it any other way

I'm a lich, I've got class
I'm a cleric of Wee Jas
When you hurt, when you suffer
I don't care because I'm tougher
I've been slain, I'll revive
'Though I won't be alive
You know I wouldn't want it any other way

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

And yes, I'm aware that under the 3E rules a lich doesn't take over another person's body anymore, it just reconstitutes its old body in 1-10 days.  I don't care; the old way was cooler.  So sue me.

Johnathan
Self-Appointed, Unofficial Bard of the _Knights of Spellforge Keep_ Campaign


----------



## Shaele

*stunned silence...*

/em silently applauds, jaw on the floor...


----------



## med stud

Vek, if your character is a druid/shifter or anything like that, Im extremely interrested in seeing a character sheet or just a stat- block!


----------



## Wee Jas

> My body's already forming
> If you want to kill me for good you'd
> Better start brainstorming




That was my favorite part, heh.

I'll reveal my character sheet when you learn a bit more about Gryph.. all Hades.. here it is!  http://www.spacefortress.com/gryph.html


----------



## Ziona

Dr Midnight said:
			
		

> Kizz sighed and looked at Shade. "...On this note, you weren’t even a member of the group, either. How about it? Care to travel with us? We have two more back in Verbobonc, so we only number four right now… We could use that blade of yours.”
> 
> Shade thought for a moment as asked “I dunno, luv… Where are ya headed?”
> 
> “Eventually, we mean to slay an ancient white dragon and locate another dragon, freeing it from a mirror prison. Uh… as for where we’re headed, right now, I have no clue.”
> 
> “Why, bless me, that’s exactly where I’m going.” He grinned with a wink. She smiled back.




*sigh*

I must have read this part about 500 times now...


----------



## Neverwinter Knight

Wee Jas said:
			
		

> *
> 
> Whahahaaa!
> 
> Have you no faith in me?! *




Go Gryph, that's the spirit. Nice stats, BTW. Did you make your character sheet with e-tools?




			
				Dr Midnight said:
			
		

> *
> ...Add to this that I think I come across as a MUCH better DM in writing. Anyone who thinks I'm a fantastic DM just hasn't played with me is the sad truth... One of the players once said "Tom, don't take offense to this, but I think of you as a Writer9/DM6 (or something like that)." I appreciate it, though.
> *




Yeah right, Doc. We could make a poll about this to see who believes it


----------



## Wee Jas

> Go Gryph, that's the spirit. Nice stats, BTW. Did you make your character sheet with e-tools?




Stats: Yeah, I rolled pretty well.   Doc, Dartan and I had watched Ninja Scroll so I really had the urge to make a kick-@ss monk.   Anyone who knows me knows that the 1st guy I make up is never the character I use.. lol.   I went from the monk to a druid to a druid/shapeshifter and finally to the wizard/shapeshifter.  I wanted Gryph to be more like a spy and I think the disposition of a druid just didn't fit even if I was a bit tougher that way.

Sheet:  I made a lvl 5 wizard in Etools and exported as HTML.  Then I hack up the code.  Do you have any idea how poorly Etools writes HTML?!  uhg.. but such is my devotion to DnD.


----------



## wolff96

Love the new banner, Ziona...

I like the softer, more hand-drawn look of the new one.

And... if I have to live without Vek, I guess seeing a Shifter in combat ought to hold me over...


----------



## ShawnLStroud

*Ziona's New Banner*

Ziona;

Liked the old banner -- LOVE the new one!!  Did you draw it?


----------



## Ziona

*Re: Ziona's New Banner*



			
				ShawnLStroud said:
			
		

> *Ziona;
> 
> Liked the old banner -- LOVE the new one!!  Did you draw it? *




I wish I could say I did, but it was Doc's drawing and Doc's design! I love the pic, too, which is why I was so eager to add it.


----------



## Urbanmech

Great story guys!  It is fun to see the variety of characters that join the group.  If only they knew the history of the group and what their chances were of ending up dead.

It will be a good day when they finally have their revenge on the dragon, though it seems that most of the characters who would want that the most are dead or not with the group anymore.  Oh well, most adventureres don't need much motivation to bash the monsters and take their stuff.

Wee Jas, you might want to look at the shifter requirements again.  You need to be able to cast Polymorph Self before you take the class, unless you are a druid.  Thus you would need to be Wizard 7 before you can go into shifter.


----------



## Wee Jas

*Does a character have to be able to cast a spell to meet the shifter's alternate form requirement?*
  You can meet the requirement with any spell from the list on  page  69  of  Masters of the Wild. You also meet the 
requirement  if  you  have  a  spell-like ability or supernatural ability that mimics one of the spells on that list.

Thats from Wizards MotW FAQ  
http://wizards.com/dnd/article.asp?x=dnd/er/er20021018a


----------



## Urbanmech

You don't meet the requirement because you can't cast the spell.  It is on their list but it says you must be able to cast it if I remember correctly.

Unless you are a natural shapeshifter or can somehow use polymorph self or shapechange as a spell-like ability that isn't listed on your sheet.


----------



## Victim

Alter self works, and Gryph has it.


----------



## Dr Midnight

With no trouble at all, Jo’nas helped Kizzlorn to locate a perfect teleportation spot, on the Djekul plains. He then took a moment to say goodbye to his brother, who was still recuperating in one of the Temple pews.

Kizzlorn, meanwhile, was holding her head, as though she had a sudden headache. She seemed to be concentrating. Shade approached her. “Kizz? You all right?”

“Yes,” she said as she straightened. “Vek just contacted me. He’s alive… or, rather, not dead. He’s back at Spellforge Keep. He has things to do, but he promises he’ll meet with us in time.”

“What things does he have to do?”

“Something about forming an army...”

They were ready to go. They thanked Y’Dey for her help, and bid her good health until they met again. The spell was cast. With a wrenching feeling and a whiff of brimstone-scented smoke, they were there. The Djekul plains were incredibly vast. They were on a fairly open and flat piece of ground. The brown-gray prairie grass was white with frost. The air was wild, and smelled like approaching snow. 

Jo’nas nodded with approval and looked around. “So. We’re here. Do we know where in the Griff mountains we’re headed? The mountains are a very vast range indeed…”

“We have no idea,” Kizzlorn said, frowning. “All we know is that we’re looking for this ‘E.’, who is supposedly in the mountains, working on some ‘lucrative partnership’. We don’t even know for sure that there’s evil involved. It’s all we have to go on.”

“It’s cold,” Shade said. “What say we go visit that castle over there, see what they can tell us, eh?”

They began walking toward the small keep in the distance. Behind it lay the largest mountain range any of them had ever seen. It could only be miles away, but still, it was enormous. The wind nipped at them as they walked. 

They came close to the castle, when they heard a voice yell out to them. “HALT! WHO GOES?”

They looked up to see a line of soldiers watching them from the wall above. Most were armed with spears, the others with longbows. All looked very nervous. Kizzlorn looked up and smiled. “Greetings! We are the Knights of Spellforge Keep.” Grumbar, Gryph and Jo’nas exchanged a look, because until just now, they hadn’t actually known that. “We’re here on a quest. We seek a…”

“We know what you seek!” one guard shouted. 

Kizzlorn continued, undaunted. “We seek a person who may have come through this area. Can you meet with us?” The guards talked amongst themselves for a moment.

“We’re lowering the drawbridge. We outnumber you greatly, so don’t try anything.”

Each Knight doubted the likelihood of their being outnumbered factoring into a battle against common watchmen, but they did as they were told and met the group at the drawbridge. They were questioned briefly on their quest before a bristling dwarf pushed his way to the front. “Hail, and my apologies for these oafs keeping you waiting under arms. My name is Jarl. Jarl Gembreaker, and I am the master of arms here.”

Jo’nas, who was more familiar with customary greetings of the region, bowed low and held his hands palms up. “We greet you, Jarl Gembreaker,” he said. “I am Jo’nas Redlong. These are my companions: Kizzlorn Spellforge, Gryph Greycloak, Shade Delmorian, and… uh… Grumbar.” Grumbar smiled and waved hello.

“Well met, all. Please, come in and sit. Are you from Krakenheim? Do you bring word?”

They walked in and sat at a large oak table. Jo’nas looked at the others and said “I’m afraid not, my lord. We came from the village of Hommlet, which lies in the center of the Flanaess. We used a teleportation spell to come here today.”

The dwarf’s face saddened. “Oh.” He sat down. “I was hoping you were the emissaries we sent for.”

“I’m afraid not. We’re in the area seeking a person who may be connected to some kind of evil plot.”

“What kind of plot?”

“We’re… not certain. All we know is that there’s someone in the Griff mountains doing something that MAY or MAY NOT be evil.”

“This is a vast area to not know what you’re looking for, I say…” the dwarf said as he stroked his beard. 

“Aye. So why did you think we were emissaries from Krakenheim?”

Jarl looked uncomfortable. He cleared his throat. “Oh… well, we sent for help from Krakenheim some weeks back. It seems that the snow covering the plains between there and here has slowed any progress. We need roughly three hundred foot, and one hundred cavalry. Anything they could send would be appreciated, but it doesn’t look like they’ll be getting here anytime soon.”

“Why do you need reinforcements?”

“Well… this castle is essentially a guardpost. We make sure nothing comes out of the Valley of the Mattadin to threaten the realms of men. Lately we’ve been under attack from the Jirrock- a clan of fire giants from the mountains to the north. They’ve never attacked us before. They look down on the smaller races, as a rule, and generally fight only with other giants. Now for some reason they’ve been launching assaults on us. They’re different in another way, too… they’re attacking in highly organized, strategically sound ways. A simple raid we could handle. These have been shattering our defenses with a few well-placed assaults. Anyway- that’s why we need reinforcements.”

Kizzlorn leaned back and crossed her arms. “Why would fire giants suddenly start attacking you? What do you have here?”

“Nothing,” the dwarf said with an angry head shake. “Like I said, we’re just a guardpost. We have nothing they could want.”

“That’s odd.”

“No, what’s odd is that we’ve had several deserters who’ve left in the dead of night… to join the bloody giants!”

Jo’nas was surprised. “What??”

“It’s true! We’ve had almost a dozen desertions of late, and just recently, one of our rangers reported seeing some of our red cloak guards walking about the valley in the company of the giants. I can’t figure it out. So, you’ll understand if I seem disappointed to learn that you’re on other business…”

“What are you going to do about this?”

“I’ve put orders to the guards to shoot down anyone leaving the castle after nightfall… you’ll of course be the exception, and you can leave as you please… but we don’t know what to try. All we can do is stop people from leaving and wait for help. Anyway. You are our welcome guests. Feel free to make yourselves at home.”

Kizzlorn thanked him and the group stood. “Thank you, Jarl. We promise to help you as best we can, if the Jirrock should attack during our time here.”

“That would be greatly appreciated.” He smiled and shook her hand. 

Jo’nas went straight to the mess hall and grabbed a wooden cup of mead. He sat fairly close to a group of soldiers and tried to listen to their conversation. Soon everyone joined him in the hall. They sat with the soldiers and talked about life in the infantry and combat. The Knights traded stories of their adventures in the world for stories of suspicious goings-on in the Griff mountain range area. “Drink, Kizz?” Jo’nas held out a cup of mead. He’d already had a few, it seemed. 

Kizz shook her head and said “No thanks. Someone should keep their head clear.”

He grinned and replied “Suit yourself- more for me!” He upended the cup into his mouth.

The night passed pleasantly enough, and when the time came, the Knights retired to a room on the east wing. 

_*More to come...*_


----------



## Breakstone

Hm... most mysterious...


----------



## Celtavian

*Re*

Interesting. Fire Giant raiders and treasonous guards. Sounds like good times for the Knights.


----------



## Horacio

Horacio is back 
And he wants more story


----------



## Neverwinter Knight

Uh, uh, sounds to me like some bad-ass templated fire giants coming up...

GO KNIGHTS


----------



## Dr Midnight

Hey, just wanted to come in and apologize for the wait between the last update and the one before it. For some reason I just could not get motivated to write that section, though I must have tried a dozen different times. 

Also, I want to apologize for the last update being purely pleasantries and politics. But, next, we'll read an action scene that really made for a great encounter. 

Some *ACTION*, DAMMIT, SOME *ACTION!!*


----------



## Thorntangle

Dr Midnight said:
			
		

> *Also, I want to apologize for the last update being purely pleasantries and politics. But, next, we'll read an action scene that really made for a great encounter.*



No need to apologize. Pleasantries and politics are sometimes as enjoyable and necessary as decapitating, eviscerating and looting.


----------



## Dr Midnight

*Starday, 16th of Patchwall*

Grumbar was on watch. It was roughly four hours to sunup. He was sitting there, singing a song (in his head, the way Kizzlorn told him to). The song was funny. Sometimes he’d substitute the words that were supposed to be there with other words, like names of people he knew, or rude terms for one’s rear end. 

One of his favorites was a song called _The Twelve Men from Dyvers_. In his head, the song played out its fifth verse.

_Then the third man came and he strung his bow
He nocked two long arrows and fired on his foe
Prince Magar blocked both, pulled his sword, swore an oath, 
And then slew the third man with a furious blow._

Grumbar happily replaced “third” with “dumb”, “Magar” with “Grumbar”, and “blow” with “butt”. He giggled to himself- but silently, so he wouldn’t wake Kizzlorn again. She got mad easily when awakened.

Someone shifted on their cot and sat up. Grumbar looked over to see Shade quietly putting on his boots. Shade locked eyes with Grumbar, and both nodded. To Shade’s right, Gryph was sitting up. He too began putting his clothes on as quietly as possible. Grumbar began to strap his bracers to his arms. 

Kizzlorn was having something of an unpleasant dream. In the dream, she stood in the center of a black forest with her companions. They were surrounded by some unseen enemy. The treetops swayed violently against the dim blue of the sky. “We’re all going to be okay if we stick together,” she called out. Her friends looked at her and turned smiled. 

“_We’re_ all going to be okay,” they said as they backed away from her into the darkness. “You can be okay too, if we just stick together…” Kizzlorn yelled at them to come back, but they abandoned her in the forest, and the forest was closing in on all sides. 

She woke to a noise. She lifted her head from the feather pillow and looked around. Something in the room was moving. She blinked and rubbed the sleep from her eyes, then saw that it was Grumbar, Gryph, and Shade, putting their gear on. “Mmwhat are you doing?” She yawned. “It doesn’t feel like morning. Is there trouble?”

“No trouble,” Gryph said amiably. “Just going for a walk.”

“That doesn’t sound like a good idea. They’re shooting people leaving the castle grounds. Why would you want to take a walk in the middle of the night, by yourselves… in your armor?” What Jarl had told them before about people deserting in the night fled back to her. She kept herself calm and nudged Jo’nas in the next bunk over. He woke and quickly put two and two together. 

Kizz stood up and tried to put herself between the three Knights and the door. “Now, hold on guys, why don’t we all just wait until sunrise, and we’ll go for a walk together?”

Gryph shrugged and smiled. “That’s okay, we really just want to stretch our legs a bit. Go to sleep, we’ll be back in a half hour or so.” His demeanor was friendly enough, but he was clearly watching her and Jo’nas very carefully. They all were. 

Jo’nas joined Kizz by the door. He exchanged glances with Kizz. She gave a slight nod, and they cast together. The room exploded into action. Kizz cast _Dispel Magic_ on Grumbar. Jo’nas cast _Hold Person_ on Gryph. Shade bolted for the door- he was almost faster than the eye could follow, when he wanted to be. Gryph stood perfectly still for a second, then vanished. In his place was now a glowing orb of light. The orb floated after Shade. Grumbar rubbed his head and belched. “Wow, what was THAT?” He was clearly no longer under… whatever he had been under. 

Kizz and Jo’nas ran out after the glowing orb. “Gryph’s turned himself into a Will-o’-wisp. He knows our spells aren’t likely to affect him this way.”

“Which is why he was able to slip out of my _Hold_ spell. Curses.” They saw ahead of them in the hall that roughly a dozen of the castle’s guardsmen were lined up by the drawbridge, which was lowering slowly. Shade joined them. 

“They’re all trying to leave! HELP! GUARDS ON THE WALLS, WE’VE GOT DESERTERS! WE’LL TRY TO HOLD THEM- SHOOT TO WOUND, IF YOU MUST SHOOT AT ALL!”

“I think the guards on the walls are among the deserters, Kizz,” Jo’nas said. It seemed he was right; the walls were unmanned, and several of the deserters wore crossbows on their belts.

“Damn… looks like it’s up to us.” The deserters ahead were starting to walk out across the drawbridge. Shade and Gryph joined them and calmly walked out. “I’ll try to _Dispel_ more people, you run ahead and do your best to block them.”

“Way ahead of you,” he smiled. He disappeared in a greenish flash to appear before the mass of deserters. “STOP! Turn around, and march back into the castle, or prepare to be sent back against your will!” They kept walking towards him. With his bluff called, he wasn’t sure what to do. 

Kizzlorn cast _Dispel Magic_ once again. It had seemed to work on Grumbar. It washed over Shade this time, and his eyes cleared up. He looked around and tried to figure out what had just happened to him. Kizzlorn cast another spell, this time on herself, and ran into the midst of the deserters. Her _Antimagic Field_ worked perfectly, and those close enough around her stopped walking. They looked around with wide eyes. Gryph turned from Will-o’-wisp to human again, and yelled “What happened?” 

“Never mind that for now- stay close to me!” Stay close he did- almost too close, in fact. He practically clung around her waist like a frightened child. He knew what would happen if he left her _field_, though… he’d be under control. It was like sharing a mind with hundreds of complacent slaves, and feeling completely at peace with it. He never wanted that to happen again. 

The deserters who weren’t affected by Kizzlorn’s field kept walking, heedless of Jo’nas’ warnings. Jo’nas prepared to make good on his threats with another spell, but he heard something behind him. 

He turned back to see nothing in the blackness. He’d heard a sound like a small pebble tumbling down a rocky hillside. He was about to ignore it, when he heard something else. It sounded like a heavy object being dropped on a bed of grass. As his eyes adjusted to the darkness, he saw only the black silhouetted treetops against the sky. Some of the trees on the treeline were not trees. They were as tall as trees, but shambling towards him. He looked closer and saw they weren’t shaped like trees. They were shaped more like heads and shoulders. He cried out and pointed. “GIANTS! GIANTS ARE ATTACKING!” 





Kizz looked and saw that at least part of her nightmare had come true. Be they giants or not, there were a lot of them. It seemed like the forest itself was advancing on the castle. She yanked on the drawbridge lever, and the bridge began slowly ratcheting to its upright position. “Fall back!” she yelled. Jo’nas stood his ground and readied a spell. “FALL BACK, JO’NAS, I’M CLOSING THE DRAWBRIDGE! YOU’LL BE KILLED!!” 

“No, I won’t.”

“Yes, he will,” Shade cursed and ran out over the bridge. He jumped to Jo’nas’ side and whipped out his deadly longsword. He twirled it in the moonlight and tried to avoid thinking about the size of the things walking toward them.

The giants came closer to the light, and as they did, they could be seen holding swords that were nearly a dozen feet long, and three wide. The deserters walked right past them, and were not attacked. The black-skinned, red-bearded giants stepped closer and raised their swords to strike. 

“Hope you had a plan, friend,” Shade said. 

Jo’nas answered in an annoyed tone. “Yeah, I had a plan for ME, if I should have to retreat!”

“… …Oh.”

The giant swords came whistling down.

_*More to come...* _


----------



## Neverwinter Knight

WOW, let's see how that part of the story unfolds...




			
				Thorntangle said:
			
		

> *
> Pleasantries and politics are sometimes as enjoyable and necessary as decapitating, eviscerating and looting.  *




Consider that on my next signature!!!


----------



## Horacio

This is getting very interesting...

MORE, MORE!


----------



## Broccli_Head

Sounds like a very cool adventure, Doc. I'm going to have to browse through it next time I'm in a gaming shop. 

Can't wait to see the outcome of the fight!


----------



## Breakstone

Heh heh heh...

I can't wait to see this unfold!


----------



## Dr Midnight

Writing now! 

All jacked up on coffee. Funny thing- just now I tried to classify what I was feeling from this coffee, which is a brand I haven't tried yet. What I found my head telling me when I wondered was "It tastes like this coffee is patronizing me."

I WRITE!


----------



## Dr Midnight

The swords swung into Jo’nas and Shade. 

SKLAATCH!! 

Shade grunted and tried to ignore the pain one feels when a three foot-wide sword deals you a pretty good blow along the ribs. He whirled his own sword and struck- once, twice, a third time. All his strikes were parried. The giants began to raise their swords again to strike. “This is not working,” Shade hissed through clenched teeth.

Jo’nas coughed up a glut of blood. “I didn’t know they’d be this powerful… we must escape.”

“I’ll be alright,” Shade said. “Go!” Jo’nas disappeared in a flash. Shade did his best to dodge the giants’ blows. Two of them hit, and nearly killed him. He pulled out a small stoppered vial. He bit the cork out, spat it away, and gulped down the liquid inside. He then shot up into the air. Their swords sliced the air beneath him as he flew. 

He arced up high into the night, then flew down to the castle’s courtyard, where Kizz and the soldiers were huddled in a close-knit group. Jo’nas was healing his wounds. Kizz looked up at him. “That was quick.”

“They were too strong.” To illustrate the point, something smashed against the thick, iron studded drawbridge. It shuddered with a booming crack. Dust and tiny splinters floated through the air. 

“They’re coming through!” Kizz moved her group to the far end of the courtyard and prepared to hurl distance spells. Grumbar readied his greatsword and Jo’nas limped to position. They watched the drawbridge. 

BOOM!!! 

The bridge bowed inward with the force of the blow. Chips of wood flew. Shade yelled “Be ready… Use ranged attacks!” 

BOOOMMM!!!! 

The drawbridge all but crumpled to the floor. One more hit would shatter it to kindling. “They’re almost through,” Kizz said. “Try to use any spells or abilities that utilize cold. HOLD YOUR GROUND!” They watched the drawbridge. The drawbridge stood still for ten full seconds, then twenty, then thirty. Shade ventured to fly up and peek over the top of the wall. He saw the giants walking away, into the woods, with the evening’s successful deserters. He flew back down. 

“They’re leaving. They’re leaving. Takin’ the soldiers with them. Leaving.” He put a hand to his side. It came away bloody. “Oh yeah. Could someone heal me? I think I’m dying.” He laughed, then fainted and fell face first to the dirt. 

While Jo’nas healed the broken rogue, Kizz confronted the problem of the seven people in her _Antimagic Field._ She was almost out of spells… she needed more rest before she could cast her full allotment again, but the _Field_ wouldn’t last much longer. As soon as it was over, the men would once again be under the domination of… something. Gryph, especially, would be a problem. It seemed he truly could take almost any form he wished. If he turned to a will-o’-wisp again, they’d never capture him. 

He begged “Don’t let me leave the Field… _conscious_.”

Kizz nodded. She knew what he was saying, and agreed. It was the only thing that was certain to work. “Grumbar,” she called. “Come here.” The half-orc plodded forward. “I want you to hit Gryph in the head with the flat of your blade...” He stared at her. “…as hard as you can.”

Grumbar shrugged, hefted his sword, and swung it into Gryph’s head. _THWOCK!!_ The half-orc looked pleased. “You knocked out yet?”

Gryph screamed his reply. “AAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!” Grumbar lifted the sword to swing again. “NOT THE SAME PLACE, NOT THE SAME--” _THWOCK!!_ “AAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!”

It took a while, but it worked. 

Gryph and the others were brought to a bunk room. Gryph’s unconscious body was tied to a chair. The six soldiers were left in the room, untied. As they left the _Antimagic Field_, there was no noticeable change in their behavior. “I apologize for my actions, my friend,” one said. 

“And I as well,” another said.

“It was like we were being controlled. Thank Pelor that’s over with.” They rose, as if to thank the heroes with handshakes and backpats. 

Jo’nas gestured threateningly. “I’m not convinced it IS over with,” he told Kizzlorn. “We cannot trust them.”

“What do you mean, you can’t trust us??”

By way of an experiment, they cast one last spell. “All I have left are two _Neutralize Poison_ spells,” Jo’nas said. “If it’s poison based, we should be able to rid two of it, and tell right away if they’re lying or not. Even if it has no effect, though, I think we should seal them here for the night, until we can _Dispel_ everything in the morning.”

Kizz thought for a second, then nodded. “Do it.”

Jo’nas cast the spell on one of the soldiers. Immediately, his eyes cleared and he said “They’re lying. The others are lying.” The liars cursed the man for a traitor, and Jo’nas smiled. He cast his remaining spell on Gryph. They then took Gryph and the cured man out of the room, and sealed the hallway shut with a spell that allowed Jo’nas to spread the wall shut on the men as easily as one might shape clay with his hand. 

The wall hardened in place and trapped the men inside, who started pounding it with their fists and screaming for mercy. “AT LEAST LEAVE US SOME MEAD! LEAVE US SOME MEAAAAAAD!!!”

“That’s an odd request,” Kizz laughed. 

Grumbar spoke up. “While under the control, I felt longing for mead as well. More than just thirsty. Was like a NEED.” He smiled. “A need… for mead.” 

Kizz ignored the jest. “Mead? That’s an odd thing to crave. Can we assume it has something to do with the domination?”

“I’m guessing so,” Jo’nas said. “Most of us drank some tonight. I did. Gryph did. Grumbar did, Shade did… and each of the men in that room did.”

“I ate a whole pig!” Grumbar offered. It was true. He’d ordered, and eaten, an entire roasted pig… to the delight of the soldiers in the mess hall. 

“It’s worth looking into,” Kizz said. “Let’s tell Jarl to remove all mead from the kitchens. In the morning we’ll try to detect any poisons in the stuff… but for now, we need to sleep.” She yawned. 

They slept the remainder of the night away.

When they woke, Kizz went to work on dispelling the magic over the six men. Gryph staggered around with a collection of huge knots on his head. He managed to shapeshift into himself without the knots, but he still groaned from the pain now and then. Jo’nas cast _Detect Poison_ on the casks of mead and found that they were tainted with more than just alcohol. That and the kitchen’s supply of honey were seemingly corrupted. He told Jarl, and Jarl had the stuff destroyed in the yard. 

“Where did the mead and honey come from?” Kizzlorn asked. 

Jarl shrugged and tried to piece any clues together. “We bought it from a traveling trade wagon, just as we always do. Just last week.”

“Do you know who they were or where they came from?”

“Their route moves south through the Valley of the Mattadin. Now that I think about it, they were acting a little more…” he grasped for a term. “…professional.”

“Professional?!”

“Yes. You know… friendly, quiet. They normally act pretty rudely, while trying to take us for more gold than their wares are worth. Last week, they were practically giving the stuff away. I didn’t give it any thought at the time.”

Gryph asked “Who else in the Valley might they have visited on their way south?”

“They must visit Hyia. Yes, I imagine they do.”

“Who is Hyia?”

“Hyiadramain. She’s a druid who keeps her own ranch in the southeast corner of the valley. You know what… I remember something, now. The last ranger to go through the area said when he passed within view of the ranch, he didn’t see her livestock grazing the fields. Again, I didn’t think anything of it at the time.”

Gryph stood up and straightened his clothes. “A ranch, at the southeast corner of the valley, you say.”

“That’s right,” the dwarf frowned up at him. “Why?”

“I’m going to go and investigate,” he answered. Gryph looked to the other Knights. “Just briefly.”

“Good idea, Gryph,” Kizzlorn said. “What will you go as?”

He smiled. “I have found, in my time, that only a small number of different forms work very well for a small number of different purposes. Variety may be the spice of life, certainly, but why stray from what works? Farewell- I’ll be back before breakfast.” He turned into a floating bluish white will-o’-wisp again and floated out through the window, and up into the sky, to the north.

_*More to come...* _


----------



## wolff96

I'm curious....

They just randomly came up with the idea of Neutralizing Poison? Was it just an out-of-the-blue idea because the spell was left over, or was there more to it?

I guess I just never would have thought about that possibility.


----------



## Dr Midnight

Yep. Two surprising things, on that level. One, they did just guess Neutralize Poison. Very easily. 

Secondly, after talking to Jarl, Jo'nas' player said "Okay, I go to the mess hall and get some mead." I couldn't believe it... but it provided a pretty interesting encounter, I thought.

It was enough to convince me they'd read the module, except they're not those kinds of players. I dunno what happened there.

The tough thing was that since everyone except Kizz drank the mead, and only Kizz and Jo'nas made their saves, we were looking at losing three characters. Maybe not for good, but for a while. A few sessions, at least. What with the revolving door crap going on here lately, I took pains to cheese it slightly so that Kizz got shade with her DISPEL rather than just blasting the whole group of deserters with the area effect, as she'd originally planned. 

One more brief write-up to come, and then, Saturday's Session 43... POSSIBLY FEATURING AN ENBOARDS GUEST STAR!


----------



## Breakstone

Gasp!

Who could it be?

Also, I love it when characters do just the right thing...


----------



## Dr Midnight

Gryph the will-o’-wisp flew high about Greyhawk. The air was cold and clean. He darted amidst clouds and flew past startled birds. He turned invisible and lowered into the Valley of the Mattadin. 

The Valley, set in the mountains, is fed by hot springs. It’s a small, pleasant oasis of warmth set in a harsh surrounding of stone and ice. In the valley the hot springs bubble up and feed the lush green growth. The springs are heated by the Uffatos volcanic range at the north end of the valley. When snow or ice falls within the valley, it doesn’t stay on the ground long. Moisture evaporates and meets with the cold air of the surrounding frigid mountains. This creates, nightly, a dense blanket of fog that fills the valley to its brim, like a swirling sea of white mist. 

It was still morning, and the mist filled the valley’s bowl in the growing light of day. Gryph plunged down into it. The fog was beginning to evaporate, and he could see trees rising up out of the white as he flew onward. The landscape passed beneath him. Trees and hills came at him out of the mist and disappeared behind him like silent ghosts. 

After a time, he found Hyia’s ranch. It was a sprawling across a snow draped plateau just beyond the forest. There was a fence to keep animals penned in, but no animals. No people could be seen, either. Gryph floated through the buildings on the ranch grounds. Everywhere, there was evidence of a struggle. No bodies, cattle, or supplies remained. What was odd was that there were things missing that no fire giant might make use of… the greenhouse was smashed, and certain botanical instruments seemed taken, judging from the shapes left in the dust of the tables there. Crates marked “fertilizer” had been smashed open and liberated of their fifty-pound sacks. 

Outside, he found a recently dug grave under an oak tree. It had a simple headstone, bearing a legend in elvish: 

_Oshat the Kind. Rest in Peace._

The sun had chased the fog away, and the valley was now draped in a thin mist that only obscured hills and trees in the distance. Gryph felt he had explored the ranch as best he could, so he flew back to the castle. He floated in through a window and bobbed through the halls until he found the group in the mess hall. Grumbar was eating another roasted pig. “I’m back. How’s breakfast, Grumbar?”

“It’s alright, I guess,” the fighter moped. Without honey, the cooks hadn’t been able to give the pig the sweet honey glaze that made their roast pig so tempting to half-orcs. He picked at it with a pouty expression. 

Jarl approached Gryph. “What did you find?” 

“Hyiadramain is indeed gone. Her ranch has been invaded and looted of goods. There’s a grave outside for someone named ‘Oshat’.”

The dwarf stroked his beard thoughtfully. “Hmm. He was the groundskeeper at the ranch… and was alive, when last we heard. If he died in the raid and has a grave, that means someone survived to bury him. Was there anyone there?”

“The ranch was entirely deserted.”

“Strange. Well, I’ve done all I can do, here. We’ve destroyed all the mead and honey we’ve taken from the traders. I expect we should have no desertions tonight. My men will be working all day to repair the drawbridge, but at least tonight we should be safe. I thank you. We may not be able to hold out until spring, but now we’ll be able to give them a better fight.”

“We’re going to help you, as best we can,” Kizzlorn said. The dwarf’s surprised reaction made her smile. “We’re here to find a possible evil-doer… and we don’t have a precise location. There is most definitely something wicked afoot in the Valley of the Mattadin, and we mean to investigate. It may be just what we’re looking for. At any rate, we’ll have helped a group of friends in need.”

Jarl grinned and shook Kizz’s hand. “Thank you. With your help, we just might make it.”

“Certainly.” She turned to the others. “Knights- suit up. There are only so many hours of daylight, until the fog returns. We ride.”

The Knights set out into the daylight. They walked north, over a broad line of stony foothills that provided the wall that welled in the fog. They crested the top, and looked down into the valley. They compared it to a map Jarl had drawn up for them. 




“According to this,” Kizz said, “We’ll be passing through a forest before we reach the valley floor, called Darken Forest. Should be about half a day’s walk.” They descended to the forest, and passed into the trees.

Despite its name, Darken Forest was actually a fairly stretch patch of woods to walk through. The canopy overhead was very dense, and cast shadows about the forest floor, which must have given the wood its name. Shafts of sunlight pierced the gloom here and there, and lit the mist, creating a lucent warm haze that gave the woods a heavenly feeling. The heavy foliage muffled all sound, and there was little to be heard. The eerie silence and beautiful scenery gave their walk a surreal feeling. 

Gryph was scouting ahead, invisible again. He stopped when he heard the sounds of distant crashing coming through the underbrush from the north. It was getting louder. Far ahead, he saw the canopy shudder as something immense pushed a tree over. Snow and sunlight swirled about. 

Much closer, something exploded from the shrubbery. Two elf maids were running with wild, frightened eyes. They ran straight past the invisible will-o’-wisp and saw the other Knights coming up the path. “RUN! RUN! THE JIRROCK ARE COMING!” they yelled. Heavy footsteps thrummed to the north, and soon, the giants burst into view. Five dark-skinned giants with fiery red hair and beards, wielding huge swords.

They stopped short of their chase when Gryph turned visible before them, laughing. In the space of three seconds, a remarkable change came over him. Gryph’s will-o’-wisp form grew bigger, darker, and deep red. Scales formed and multiplied as he grew. Orange spines erupted all around the large scaled sphere in lines, like dominoes falling upwards. Pale, membranous wings unfolded and thickened, then beat the air. The thing kept growing. The winged red sphere uncurled into a tail, neck, and four clawed legs. Gryph was now a red dragon, as long as the giants were tall, and wickedly ferocious. He roared, and a cloud of flame boiled out at the Jirrock attackers. 

The distraction proved enough to stop the giants from pursuing the elves any further. They attacked the dragon. The other Knights ran forward to join the fray. Shade ran forward with incredible speed, and began slashing and hacking at Jirrock legs. Gryph roared and ripped chunks out of one Jirrock with his claws, wings, and teeth. The giant swung at him, and clipped him in the upper chest. Gryph reeled, but his huge wings kept him aloft. 

Grumbar, far back, was still running forward, huffing and puffing. His half-orc legs carried him only so fast. He hoped there would still be some giant left for him by the time he got to the battle. 

Kizzlorn cast a spell. She cast it so quickly, though, that she didn’t consider the consequences of her choice of spell. _Ice Storm_ froze the giants’ area, then smashed them with ice and wind. The fire giants were hurt badly by the attack… as was Gryph. As a red dragon, he shared the vulnerability to cold that all creatures of flame and embers suffer. The freezing temperatures whipped at him horribly, and he screamed. 

Jo’nas destroyed a giant with a spell. Shade killed another. Gryph took his fury at being caught in an _Ice Storm_ out on the giants, and killed two within the space of six seconds. The giants fell to the forest floor in an immense bloody heap, and smoldered there.

“Almost there… almost there…” Grumbar huffed to himself as he ran. He arrived at the last remaining giant, and drew back his sword to strike. Before he could, though, several blasts of colored light shot over his head and rocketed into the giant’s chest. He fell back, dead. Grumbar looked down sadly on the remains of the giants he had been too slow to kill. 

Gryph whirled around. “Sorceress!” the dragon cried in a voice that was both screeching and thunderous at once. “You will watch how you cast your spells. I will not be killed in battle by a partymate for a senseless error such as that!” He landed on the floor and Jo’nas began healing him. Between the _Ice Storm_ and the damage he’d taken from the giants, he was very badly hurt. 

Kizzlorn was never a soft woman, to take reproach gently. She grew angry and growled her response. “If you perhaps cared to not PUT yourself where my spells would do the most damage to the enemy, I wouldn’t have to hit you with them as well. What do you think of THAT?”

The dragon growled back. “I think you know you erred, and are merely defending yourself. Don’t do it again.”

“Don’t tell me what to do.”

The uncomfortable tension was relieved when the two elf women returned from the woods, and thanked the group for saving them from the Jirrock attack. “I am Taso,” one said.

“And I am Innikit,” the other finished. The two looked almost exactly alike, now that the Knights had time to study them. 

Jo’nas finished healing Gryph and wandered over to greet them. “Are you two related?”

“Sisters,” they both answered. 

“What are you doing out here?”

“We might ask you the same,” Taso said. “Might I trouble you for healing as well, good priest of Fharlanghn?” Blood seeped from a wound on her side. The cleric helped, cordially. “We were returning from our parents’ house, farther north. We were druids living at Hyiadramain’s ranch, which is just a few miles from here. We were attacked. Only the two of us escaped.”

“You returned to bury Oshat,” Gryph added for them. They looked at the dragon in surpise. They were quite nervous to even be in its presence, much less to find that it knew pieces of their tale.

“Uh, yes. We then fled far to the north to see if our parents were in danger. We did not find them, and waited for their return. They did not come home. We left the house and tried to reach the castle to the south of the valley, and nearly perished several times to traps, old nemeses, and Jirrock foot patrols.”

Innikit added “We don’t know where they took Hyia, or her supplies and cattle. I’m betting they were taken to the Jirrock war camp that has been established at the valley bottleneck. We haven’t the strength to go and rescue her, though. Otherwise we would have.” The girl looked near tears. “We can’t even seem to locate our parents.”

“You are only two,” Shade said gently. “We’re a good number greater, and… well… kinda powerful, if ye take my meanin’. We’re travelin’ north. If we find any clue to their whereabouts- Hyia or yer parents, we’ll try to rescue them at once and send them south to the castle.”

“Would you?” Taso asked. “We’d be so thankful. We’d gladly do it all ourselves, but… we’re merely lowly druids. Peace-loving people with a love of things that grow.”

“We will keep an eye out for them,” Kizzlorn said. “We mean to put an end to this Jirrock threat, at least. We will bring your peace back to the valley.”

“Thanks and blessings,” the girls said. They were given some supplies and a potion or two, and were sent over the foothills to the south, to the safety of the castle.

The Knights of Spellforge Keep emerged from Darken Forest to the grassy lowlands of the Valley of the Mattadin. The sun shone down coldly on them. They walked on, to the north.

_*NEXT: Thunder and Fire*_


----------



## DWARF

Being unfamiliar with the Shifter class, I have to ask:

Why couldn't/didn't Gryph change into perhaps a white or silver dragon?  Sure, they wouldn't be quite as strong as a red, but their breath weapon would be much more effective against the fire giants, and they wouldn't be vulnerable to the ice spells that would typically be used against said giants, right?


----------



## Celtavian

*Re*

I don't believe you change type with the shifter class . It may be a modified shifter class as I am not thoroughly familiar with the prestige class either.

I do know that the shifter ability to change is more like polymorph than shapechange. Polymorph is a great deal less potent than Shapechange. You really only gain the creatures physical statistics and mode of movement. You don't even gain their extraordinary abilities.

It may be a modified shifter though. Hopefully Doc will let us know next time he posts.


----------



## wolff96

The Shifter class is more like the new, errated Wildshape than anything else.

You do gain EX abilities.  The only throwback to polymorph is that you can't change into something beyond your hitdice.

You don't get a breath weapon either way, so the breath weapon type doesn't matter. Breath Weapons are supernatural.

As for why Red...  Probably habit. Perhaps he isn't familiar with silver dragons. Or maybe -- just maybe -- he didn't consider the fact that fire giants and red dragons would be vulnerable to the same damage type. After all, most of the more common damaging spells are fire spells...


----------



## Dr Midnight

I'm pretty sure he chose the red dragon for its deadly attacks and flight, not for anything else.

Doug comes up with some very different concepts that are never all that simple, but he's very reliable about knowing what his character can and cannot do. I don't need to police him on anything... not like I do much policing. 

If he couldn't breathe fire, the "boiling flame" part is my fault. I just threw it in for flavor. Perhaps I should edit that out...


----------



## Sniktch

Nah, I'd keep it.  Extra salt makes everything better


----------



## Breakstone

Great chapter, Doc!

I loved the description of Gryph transforming into the red dragon.

More party conflict? Can't we all just get along!

And I don't trust those twin sisters...

Good luck in the game today!


----------



## Lothar

You forgot to add that the red dragon was wearing pajamas.


----------



## Wee Jas

I take the red dragon form for combat.  It has nice attacks and is scary.  lol.

I have natural spell and eschrew materials.. so I actually fireballed them.  I like docs description though!


----------



## Celtavian

*Re*

It was good detail Doc, no need to take it out. 

I was actually more interested in the rule change for wild shape. It is a much more useful ability if you actually gain the extraordinary abilties and type of the new creature. I actually wanted to make a shifter myself, but read the write up and decided the shapeshifting wasn't worth giving up spell-casting ability.


----------



## Wee Jas

I wonder what the title of the next session will be?  How about:  Whats eating Gryph or What is big mean and eats little red dragons for breakfast?!  

Good stuff to come!


----------



## Dr Midnight

Wee Jas said:
			
		

> *What is big mean and eats little red dragons for breakfast?!
> *



Good one.

I'm going to try to get some written today. I may have plans tonight, but if not, I'll try to whack out all of session 43 in one sitting.


----------



## Dawn

Wow!
After four weeks of being off the boards, I had a lot to catch up on – this story hour being one of the longest.

Excellent story telling as always Doc!


----------



## Dr Midnight

*SESSION 43
Starday, 16th of Patchwall
WHAT EATS LITTLE RED DRAGONS?*

The grasslands passed beneath them by the mile. These lands were once proudly kept by the centaur tribes of the Piquat forest, to the north. Now, they were all but wiped out or captured by the Jirrock raiders. 

Gryph scouted ahead, as before. His invisible Will-o’-wisp form floated several hundred feet above the grassy plains. He darted back and forth, looking for obstacles and enemies. 

Soon, he noticed something at the thinnest point in a pass the valley made between two close mountains. There, a wide circle was made of cut timber, cut ten feet long and jutting from the earth with threatening points. Inside the circle, creatures moved about from tent to tent. Outside the circle, a smaller pen held livestock. As Gryph drew closer he saw the fire giants conducting some kind of commerce with a number of other creatures: frost and hill giants, trolls, gnolls, and humans. He passed right over the camp, making mental note of the number of giants and tents, the position and function of key structures, and the security measures. It seemed there was a small number of gnolls walking the perimeter, keeping watch. Gryph floated down and hovered just to the right of one of the gnolls, who soon called out “All’s clear!” when a giant demanded a report. The gnoll smiled to itself with pride, as did the invisible Knight. 

He’d had his fun, and now Gryph flew back up into the sky, to return to the others. He melted into form before the group. “There’s a camp ahead. It looks to be a command post or base of some sort. It’s filled with giants. There’s a cage filled with three large barrels, I bet that’s where they’re keeping their mind-control mead.”

“Good work,” Kizzlorn said. “Is there any way around it?”

“Not without flying. Of course… why would we want to go around it?”

“What do you mean?”

“If we leave this war camp intact, they’ll just continue to take control of the people and creatures around here. Better to just wipe them out now, eh?” Gryph smiled. Grumbar growled his approval. 

Kizzlorn looked hesitant. “Do you think we can defeat eight giants, four trolls, and nearly limitless humans and gnolls?”

“Yes… I have an idea. It should be great fun.” They listened to Gryph’s idea. 

Back at the Jirrock war camp, the giants were standing about. The latest shipment of goods had been stockpiled, the weapons had been cleaned and racked, and preparations had been made for the next raid. There was little else to do, beside stand around and attempt to amuse oneself. 

Rurrgh stood watch. He pounded his greatclub into his hand and tried to count the number of times he did it. It was really very hard, though, and he always lost count after fifteenty-twelve. His huge club was in fact a knotted tree he’d found several years ago. Once he’d smashed a wagon into splinters with a single blow. That was always a great story to tell. He stopped counting and said “Myorlo! Rurrgh told you about when Rurrgh smashed puny wagon to pieces, ONE HIT?” 

Myorlo was a frost giant who’d been stationed with Rurrgh for eight days now. He’d heard the story maybe once every three hours, by his reckoning. “Yes, Rurrgh smash wagon,” he said. “horses and men go flying, very funny.” To this, Rurrgh started laughing, as if he’d only just now been told the story by someone else. 

“Rurrgh smashed, was make Rurrgh great!!” Rurrgh shouted triumphantly. Myorlo grinned. The mead seemed to make him far more tolerant of hill giants, which he’d despised before joining the clan. In fact, the mead made everything better. He was about to ask if Rurrgh would like to join him in a round of mead, when the hill giant cocked his head and grunted. “Myorlo, hear sound?”

“No, what?”

“Sound like flapping. Big bird!” Rurrgh turned to look behind him. “Rurrgh no see bird. What-“

Just then, Myorlo watched Rurrgh fly apart. His chest opened with deep wounds. His arm was torn away. His head was ripped off, just above the jaw. Rurrgh turned from good-natured hill giant to a pile or wet red pulp in the space of six seconds. Myorlo heard a deep-throated roar and saw a cone of frost and ice form in the sky above him, freezing several fire giants to the ground just yards away. “ATTACK!” Myorlo screamed. “WE UNDER ATTACK!!”

The Knights floated to the ground. The _Improved Invisibility_ spell they had cast on themselves left them free to attack, and free from being seen. They had coasted above the village using _Levitation_ spells and holding on to Gryph the red dragon’s tail. 

The creatures began to grab weapons and shout war cries. Shade hit the ground running and headed towards the big frost giant that had started yelling warnings. He pulled out his longsword and held it down and to his right, with both hands. He leapt and ran up the frost giant, putting one foot on his knee, and the next on the giant’s belt. He jumped off of the belt and spun away, so that he faced the direction he’d come from. He landed in a crouch with the sword pointed before him. “Hukkhh…” the giant said, before his head toppled off his cleanly sliced neck. 

Grumbar began hacking into the giant nearest to him. Kizzlorn was casting _Cones of Cold_ from her position, levitating twenty-five feet off the ground. Gryph was tearing into giants like a troll at a goblin buffet. Jo’nas was casting spells where he could, avoiding giants as they ran all over, threatening to trample him. 

A troll nearby had seen Myorlo’s head fall from his shoulders, and ran to the center of the camp, where a large barrel and several stacked rocks were kept. The troll reached into the barrel and withdrew a large clay pot, dripping with water. It looked large enough to hold maybe several gallons of fluid. He hurled the pot to where Myorlo had been. Shade watched the pot come down and hit the ground. 

With a crack and a fiery rush of air, Shade was surrounded in leaping flames. He screamed and his lungs filled with flame. 

Another troll removed a pot from the barrel… just before the barrel lifted from the ground and flew jerkily to the gate. It positioned itself above three frost giants, then dropped. The barrel exploded in a firestorm of wooden shrapnel. The giants within screamed, and Gryph, above, laughed. 

Kizzlorn blasted the trolls at the center of camp with a fireball. They were consumed with a forty-foot ball of flame, and then the bomb-pot one of  them had been holding went off. An orange mushroom cloud rose from the dying trolls. 

At this point, half the war camp was on fire. The fire giants were crawling from the inferno with blackened screams on their lips. Shade ran out of the fire he was in. He was still invisible, but the flames leapt from him, making him look like he was made of fire himself. This at least gave the enemies a target. A hill giant and several smaller creatures began to crowd around the poor rogue and whack at him. 

Shade managed to cut the head off a troll. This would normally not faze a troll, but his sword was coated in the flaming alchemical goo, and it burned the wound shut as soon as it was cut. The troll very comically tried to replace his head, with no effect. 

Gryph swooped down and helped Shade defeat the hill giant. Shade cut it across the chest, and it groaned, fell back, and crashed through a tent. All that was left now was cleanup… the gnolls and humans wouldn’t be enough trouble to worry about.

Then… what was that noise? Gryph turned to look behind him. He saw nothing, as Rurrgh had. It sounded like flapping.

_*More to come...* _


----------



## Thorntangle

Dr Midnight said:
			
		

> *Then… what was that noise? Gryph turned to look behind him. He saw nothing, as Rurrgh had. It sounded like flapping.*



Goose, this is Gander. Gander, Goose.


----------



## Breakstone

Whoa!

That had to be a great battle to play in. Exploding giants, severed heads, exploding barrels...

...not to mention the omnious flapping. I can't wait for more!


----------



## fenzer

I dug this post Doc.  I kept seeing the poor cave troll from LotR in my mind as the heroes slashed the giants to bits.  Thanks for the update.


----------



## Neverwinter Knight

Great stuff Doc,

I fear the worst for the knights... A real invisible dragon can be one hell of an adversary !!!


----------



## Wee Jas

> A real invisible dragon can be one hell of an adversary !!!




Whats that mean?!   Ok NwN.. me and you are gonna rumble!

I have to dig up my RED DRAGON FORM stats... I can output some great damage with all those attacks combined with Bull Strength, enlarge and my Amulet of Natural Attacks +3!

/pouts

Wheres the STORY?!  Doc.. GET TO WORK!


----------



## Grog

> Rurrgh turned from good-natured hill giant to a pile or wet red pulp in the space of six seconds.




Anyone else feel sorry for poor Rurrgh?


----------



## Neverwinter Knight

Wee Jas said:
			
		

> *
> 
> Whats that mean?!   Ok NwN.. me and you are gonna rumble!
> 
> I have to dig up my RED DRAGON FORM stats... I can output some great damage with all those attacks combined with Bull Strength, enlarge and my Amulet of Natural Attacks +3!
> 
> /pouts
> 
> Wheres the STORY?!  Doc.. GET TO WORK!   *




I'll have to try and best you with my dagger +1   ->  ->


----------



## Neverwinter Knight

Grog said:
			
		

> *
> 
> Anyone else feel sorry for poor Rurrgh? *




Not really. Guess they must have clubbed my characters too much in the last years...


----------



## Wee Jas

> Anyone else feel sorry for poor Rurrgh?




Uh no.. and I turned hi into the red pile  

I love killing stuff with claws and fangs!  (Ever since I became vegetarian in real life.. lol)


----------



## Neverwinter Knight

Wee Jas said:
			
		

> *Wheres the STORY?!  Doc.. GET TO WORK!   *




_*bump*_


----------



## Dr Midnight

It's game day, and sorry that I haven't given you guys the rest of session 43 yet. I'm a bastard. 

I "promise" more tonight.


----------



## belasco

> I "promise" more tonight.




Promises Promises!


----------



## Dr Midnight

> Last time, in the KNIGHTS OF SPELLFORGE KEEP story hour: “Myorlo, hear sound?”
> 
> “No, what?”
> 
> “Sound like flapping. Big bird!” Rurrgh turned to look behind him. “Rurrgh no see bird. What-“
> 
> Just then, Myorlo watched Rurrgh fly apart. His chest opened with deep wounds. His arm was torn away. His head was ripped off, just above the jaw. Rurrgh turned from good-natured hill giant to a pile or wet red pulp in the space of six seconds. Myorlo heard a deep-throated roar and saw a cone of frost and ice form in the sky above him, freezing several fire giants to the ground just yards away. “ATTACK!” Myorlo screamed. “WE UNDER ATTACK!!”
> ---------------
> A troll nearby had seen Myorlo’s head fall from his shoulders, and ran to the center of the camp, where a large barrel and several stacked rocks were kept. The troll reached into the barrel and withdrew a large clay pot, dripping with water. It looked large enough to hold maybe several gallons of fluid. He hurled the pot to where Myorlo had been. Shade watched the pot come down and hit the ground.
> 
> With a crack and a fiery rush of air, Shade was surrounded in leaping flames. He screamed and his lungs filled with flame.
> 
> Another troll removed a pot from the barrel… just before the barrel lifted from the ground and flew jerkily to the gate. It positioned itself above three frost giants, then dropped. The barrel exploded in a firestorm of wooden shrapnel. The giants within screamed, and Gryph, above, laughed.
> ---------------
> Gryph swooped down and helped Shade defeat the hill giant. Shade cut it across the chest, and it groaned, fell back, and crashed through a tent. All that was left now was cleanup… the gnolls and humans wouldn’t be enough trouble to worry about.
> 
> Then… what was that noise? Gryph turned to look behind him. He saw nothing, as Rurrgh had. It sounded like flapping.





Gryph’s head rocked back as four huge claws raked across it. Stars shot in front of his eyes and he almost fell over from the blow. When he focused his vision again, he saw a dragon swimming into vision. One like him- a red dragon. Except much, much bigger. It was maybe thirty feet long, from tip to tail. A mature adult. It bashed him with a wing, then clawed him again. 

Apparently it could see through their invisibility, and only bothered to disguise itself for its approach. It roared something that sounded like laughing. 

Shade ran forward and tried to slash and cut at the dragon’s forelimbs. “Gryph, I can’t see you, are you alright?” he yelled. 

“Barely,” the smaller dragon grunted as blood poured from his mouth. He couldn’t take many more hits like that, he knew. He lashed out and swiped a chunk out of the greater dragon's chest.

Grumbar, on the other side of the camp, saw a red dragon roughly four times as large as Gryph rearing up and roaring above the flames. “That’s not Gryph!” he shouted to himself, and started to move forward. He stopped. “Wait, it could be. He’s a shapeshifter. He could shift BIGGER.” He stood thinking. “But… Hmmm…”

After a while, he decided to go investigate simply because he’d slain all the available enemies on this side. He set his jaw and ran towards the flames. He jumped over the crisped corpses of the frost giants and disappeared into the fire. 

He burst from the other side of the inferno, twenty feet away. Smoke billowed from the thatches of hair on his head. He yelped as he ran. “Ow, ow, ow, ow…” He was coming close to the dragon. He yelled upward. “Gryph, that you?”

“No!” a voice shouted from an invisible nearby source. “Kill it!”

“HRARRR!” Grumber threw himself at the dragon and began slicing into it like a drunken butcher. It roared and smashed the half-orc with a wicked backhand, then sent Shade and Jo’nas sprawling in the dirt with a whiplike stroke of its tail. It spread its wings and flew up, inhaling. It clearly meant to bathe them all in dragonfire. 

It leaned forward and started to exhale, then its breath caught in its throat. Its scales rippled muddy red, then paled to a dull gray. Its eyes glazed over and turned opaque black. It fell out of the sky. A gnoll holding a spear ran by, looked up, and whined just as it was crushed by the force of the dragon, which crumbled to sharp pieces of boulder when it struck the ground.

Gryph caught his breath, looked around, and saw Kizzlorn standing fifty feet behind him, floating in the air. She smiled sheepishly and said “That’s the second time that’s worked.”

While Jo’nas healed the wounded, Kizzlorn recounted to brief but odd tale of the time she’d turned a continent-threatening titan to stone… destroying it with the first attack of combat. “It looks like big creatures just aren’t ready for a simple spell like that,” Kizz boasted.

Gryph smashed the cage around the three barrels at the north end of the camp. He picked one of the barrels up and heard liquid sloshing about inside. “The mead,” he said as he threw it down to the ground, where the barrel shattered. Water splashed up and fell all around the ground, leaving a large form among the broken barrel staves. It was a soaked, sealed burlap bag, about six feet long. Something was inside… something humanoid looking. It shuddered, twitched, and lay still. 

“Oh no!” Gryph gasped. Had there been something inside the barrel, that Gryph had just now killed? “CLERIC!!” he yelled. 

Jo’nas rushed over and knelt over the bag, then opened it. It was indeed a body. A human form, bound at the wrists and ankles. Male. He was very clearly dead. “It looks like he just died… but you mustn’t blame yourself, Gryph, you didn’t know.”

“I shouldn’t have done it,” Gryph said. The sorrow in the dragon’s deep voice was clearly deep and genuine. He then perked up. “Kizzlorn, don’t we have that scroll of resurrection?”

“Yes,” she said. She came forward and withdrew the scroll, then handed it to Jo’nas. If anyone regretted using an item of this worth and power on someone none of them knew, no one voiced their feelings. It was cast over the body and it came to life. 

It sputtered and gasped for several moments while Grumbar helped the other two prisoners to their feet. They were alive, but barely. They glared at their rescuers suspiciously and the woman, who was their apparent leader. “Thank… you,” she uttered slowly. “We… owe you our… we owe a great debt to you.” They helped their resurrected friend up and began walking slowly back, to a collapsed section of the camp’s fence. “We m… …we will be leaving now.”

“Wait,” Kizzlorn said. “what are your names?” 

The woman cleared her throat and said “Our n… umm… we are merely three… who travel. I am Lyla, the remaining are my… they help to keep company. Thank you again, goodbye!” They moved further away. They really seemed to be quite nervous and in a hurry.

Gryph was insulted. They’d just been rescued and healed, and now they were being quite rude in just running away with a curt farewell. He yelled after them. “Hey, where are you going to go? It’s dangerous out there!”

“We’ll be fine,” they replied, and walked on.

“Let them go,” Shade said. 

Gryph thought for a moment and said ”Like hell I will. There’s something rotten with those three.” He turned into a will-o’-wisp, turned invisible, and flew off after them. “I’ll be back soon,” he said. “Keep traveling. I’ll find you.”

He followed the people north. They paused briefly to catch their breath and speak in a strange tongue, before hurrying on. Gryph didn’t like it at all. 

They reached a vast chasm overlooking a half-dried riverbed in the valley. The people descended a set of steps and wandered into a pitch-black cave. Gryph wandered inside for just a moment, and remembered a conversation he’d shared back at the castle. _There’s that colony o’ Yuan-Ti up north. Live in a chasm,_ he heard the soldier’s voice say. _Dangerous enough, but they leave us alone so Hyiadramain says we leave ‘em alone. That’s good enough for me, as long as they don’t come attackin’ too._

Yuan-Ti. As a shapeshifter, Gryph was familiar with their ways and makeup. They were snake people. Very deadly. However, their tolerance of poisons might have helped them to resist the mead’s effects… which would explain why they were contained the way they were. The Jirrock couldn’t convert them to slaves of the mead, so they beat them within an inch of their lives and tied them up in barrels. The water would dilute the acid secreted from their bodies so that they wouldn’t be able to eat through their bonds. 

If the Jirrock couldn’t control them, why not simply kill them, outright? Maybe the Jirrock were waiting for a way to control them that they couldn’t resist. An entire colony of Yuan-Ti would be a powerful ally. 

_So THAT’S why they avoided speaking in ‘s’ sounds when they spoke_, Gryph thought to himself as he flew back up into the air. The hissing, sibilant sounds would have alerted the group to something amiss, certainly. If Hyiadramain had carefully established a truce with the Yuan-Ti, and they truly weren’t involved in the goings-on of the Jirrock, then Gryph couldn’t think of a reason to continue pursuing them into the cave, or harassing them further. 

He found his companions a mile north of where he’d left them. He landed by the group and reported his findings. Kizzlorn nodded and thought silently. “We camp here,” she said. “We’re not too far from the chasm, and I’d like to keep some distance between us and the Yuan-Ti for the night.” The mist was already beginning to roll in over the hills, fogging the landscape in the rose light of the setting sun. 

They made camp and slept on the plain. 

_*MORE TO COME...* _


----------



## Dr Midnight

Grumbar was alone, again, on watch. The campfire still burned, but soon it would be only so many embers and dead charcoal. The fire cast a lucent orange light that bled outward with the mist, like looking at a torch through a pane of frosted glass. It would have felt peaceful if the fog hadn’t come with an extremely eerie silence. There was no wind, there were no aminal sounds. It was like being blind and deaf.

To amuse himself, Grumbar sang another of his songs in his head. He was on the third voice of _The Poisoner and the Prophet_ when he heard a noise. 

It wasn’t a big noise… it was the sound of some pebbles slipping down a hillside. The sound came from the north, near some large rock pillars stood at the beginning of the descent to the chasm’s floor. Of course, from where Grumbar sat, he only saw the dim blue fog in that direction. He stood up and unsheathed his sword, then nudged Gryph with his boot. “Noise,” he whispered. “to the north. I’m going to look.” Grumbar lumbered off into the fog before Gryph could argue the idea. 

“Damn it,” Gryph thought as he chased sleep out of his head. “Everyone wake up. Grumbar heard a noise, and is going off on his own to investigate. I’m following. We’ll shout if there’s trouble.”

Kizzlorn lifted her head from her pillow. “Whaat?” she asked with her eyes half-closed. Her hair looked only slightly messier than it normally did, but as always, it suited her look very well. “Why would he… that great oaf. Shade, get up.” Gryph was quickest to rise, and turned into his red dragon form, then fly off through the air.

Kizz and Shade began walking north through the mist. “Stay close, love,” Shade said as he led her. He put a hand out and placed it on her shoulder. “Just so’s we stay together,” he muttered nervously.

“Are you afraid to simply hold my hand?” she teased. She couldn’t see him, but she sensed that he was turning bright red with embarrassment. It was very cute, she thought, that he was so sweet and shy. He reached out and took her hand. They walked. 

Gryph flew until he found Grumbar striding forward. “Grumbar, where are you going?” the dragon whispered.

“Heard a noise from this direction, investigating, like I said.”

“Can you see anything?”

The half-orc frowned. “No.” The fog was so thick that he couldn’t see five feet in front of his face. “But you can’t either.”

“Oh no?” Gryph concentrated on his acute dragon senses and let his consciousness expand outward. He felt the rock pillars around them by the way the air moved. He heard the echoes of his own breathing off the ground and the shapes around him… and he heard the beating of a heart, roughly thirty feet to the northeast. He whispered as softly as he could. “Someone to the northeast. Roughly thirty feet. An elf, I think. Kneeling and listening to us. Stand still… We’re going to drop in on him.”

He clutched Grumbar and Kizzlorn, who had just arrived, and flew them to the pillar. He dropped them on either side of the astonished elf and circled around to grab Shade. 

Kizzlorn crossed her arms in an authoritative fashion and demanded “What are you doing, skulking around in the darkness?”

The elf was crouching on a plateau halfway up a pillar’s face, wearing leather armor, a sword and a bow. He looked very sincerely shocked to find the two heroes drop on either side of him. He recovered his senses and glared indignantly. “What… what is this?! Do you mean to rob me? What are YOU doing, dropping down and threatening someone? Have I committed some crime?”

“No, but if you’re sitting atop rock spires spying on us, I think you’ve got some dark motive.”

“Spying?? I was sitting here minding my own business! YOU’RE the ones wronging ME, here!” He stood up and looked her in the eye, angrily baring his teeth as he spat his words.

Kizzlorn’s face showed the doubt she was feeling. Was it possible that he really was just an innocent wayfarer that they’d pounced on, here? “Who are you?”

“My name is Kalakain,” he said. “I’m a ranger. I patrol these areas. Or, rather, I did… because now I’m certain you’ll want to restrain me and give me whatever mind-controlling substance YOU’RE on, so I can start following the Jirrock blindly. Right? If so, you won’t take me without a fight.”

“You know about that as well?”

“Yeah, and I spend most of my time trying to avoid the big bastards… hence me perching up here on this cold piece of rock in the middle of the night. Don’t pretend you’re not a part of them. Who else travels with a big bloody red dragon? The Jirrock have the only red dragon around under their control.”

“We’re NOT a part of them,” Kizzlorn explained. Now the hunted had turned the tables on them, and Kizzlorn was defending themselves to him. “We’re trying to wipe the threat out ourselves. We meant you no harm.”

“No, other than scaring me half to death, is that it? You have no right to just drop down beside people and demand answers. A man’s allowed to spend the night in the wilderness without being harassed by the local militants.”

Kizzlorn looked hurt. “We’re sorry,” she said. “We didn’t know. Our apologies… we’ll leave you alone. Would you like to spend the rest of the night by our fire? There’s safety in numbers.”

“Bloody hell there is, with YOU lot,” he replied. “No thanks. I’ll be just as safe up here.”

The Knights left the man on his rock pillar and crawled back into their bedrolls. “If he wants to freeze out there on a slab of rock, I say let him,” Grumbar mumbled. 

They slept the rest of the night away.

*EPILOGUE*

Kalakain waited until they were gone, and then waited for fifteen more minutes. When he was certain they weren’t coming back, he crept down the pillar’s side and cautiously moved north, to where the fire giants were hiding. 

“I’m glad you didn’t attack,” he told them. 

One of the giants replied. “You said to wait for your signal.”

“They have a dragon. I suspect these are the ones who destroyed the camp to the south. We can’t move on them yet. They’re too powerful, I think.”

“So what do we do?” the giant asked in its low, groaning voice.

“We call for backup,” Kalakain said with a smile. “but before we try to take them… we’ll try to take them alive.”

_*NEXT TIME: INTO THE FIRE FORTRESS *_


----------



## Breakstone

So eeeevil, Doc...


----------



## Neverwinter Knight

Where do all these evil elves come from anyway? That was the question that accompanied me throughout Monte Cook's RttToEE...

As to this Bastard elf, well that is the advantage of good over evil...


----------



## Neverwinter Knight

bump

Hey, what's up Doc ?


----------



## Dr Midnight

Well, I'm assuming (hoping) that people were trying to post recently but couldn't thanks to the horrid non-postey phase the board went through. 

Otherwise, I have a new bit of story to put up based on Saturday's game. I'm going to try to get that up today. Fwarf!


----------



## Neverwinter Knight

Glad to hear it, Doc!


----------



## Dr Midnight

*SESSION 44
Starday, 16th of Patchwall
IN LIKE A LION*

Grumbar rubbed his head as he sat back on the log he’d pulled up to the campsite. He was far too tired to be up this late, dealing with weird elves scurrying around in the darkness.  It was almost more than he could bear. Now, he had to sit quietly again and try to wait out the darkness before the group could get up and smash things again. Sometimes being an adventurer wasn’t much fun. 

He was so taken with gloom that he didn’t hear the soft footsteps behind him. From the dark mist, Kalakain slowly moved forward with a longbow in hand. He crept up to about fifteen feet away from the moody half orc and silently drew an arrow. He dipped the arrow’s head into a small pouch at his waist, and pulled it out. It gleamed soft gold in the moonlight, and dripped long lazy strings of honey from its deadly point. Kalakain nocked the arrow and pulled the arrow ever so slowly to his ear, and the string creaked softly. With luck, the honey would immediately take control of the beast, and he’d have another ally to help him capture the group alive. He released.

The arrow plunged into Grumbar’s back and the half-orc screamed. He reached back and pulled out the arrow. The poison honey mingled with his blood on the tip. “We being attacked! I mean- again!” 

Kalakain cursed… the half-orc had resisted the poison’s effect. He turned and began to move back into the mist, to activate plan B. A glowing ball of light whipped around and blocked his way. “Where are you going, Kalakain?” Gryph asked with a gleeful voice. “Not just going to shoot and run, are you? Stick around, pull up a chair…” He shifted into his red dragon form. “…and have a bite.”

“Wait! You don’t want to kill me. There are things you don’t know. If you kill me, you will no longer be under my protection. I would not do this if I were you…”

“Yeah, yeah.” Gryph swiped at him with his huge claws, and Kalakain tumbled to the ground with bright red gashes across his chest. 

Kalakain grunted and ed up.“I warned you. Too bad… _NOW!!_” he yelled.

Kizzlorn was getting up from her bedroll. “Can’t we have one night of undisturbed sleep around here?” she yawned. Then, she blinked. “Did someone just scream ‘now’?”

Shade stood up. “Yep. I’m guessin’ there’s an attack comin’ in. But from where?” He looked around. Everywhere he looked, he couldn’t see more than five feet away. “We’re sittin’ blind here.”

“I’ll fix that.” Kizz floated up into the air and cast light all about her. It only dimly knifed through the mist, but it helped- and that was enough. Through the mist was now coming the sound of gigantic footsteps… from every direction. “They’re closing in!”

“Group together,” Grumbar said. He, Jo’nas and Shade put their backs together, within sight of Kizz’s glowing light. Off in the distance, the sound of Gryph finishing Kalakain off was being matched by the thundering footsteps. 

Gryph smashed the elf over the head with his wing one last time, who fell unconscious. The dragon was just about to scoop Kalakain up and move back to the group when two fire giants rushed at him from the mist and slashed at him with their immense swords. They cut deeply, and Gryph defended himself as best he could… but he was losing blood fast, and couldn’t last much longer, he knew. He shapeshifted. His dragon form shrunk, smoothed, turned pale, turned transparent, and then disappeared entirely with a sound like laughter echoing down a long hallway. The giants shrugged and moved away from the area, towards the others. 

The giants were rapidly surrounding the group. They hurled fiery rocks up at Kizzlorn, and she rained ice and hail down on them. Grumbar swept his sword through a giant two, three, four times, each time cutting a chunk of meat away. Jo’nas cast spells that glued the beasts to the spots they stood, unable to move. Shade’s whickering blade cut and stabbed. He slashed almost faster than the eye could follow… until a giant’s sword stabbed him through the gut. He fell to the ground. 

The giant bent to pick him up, but Kizzlorn shouted “No!” and cast a spell on him. The giant was frozen where he stood, unable to move. Grumbar finished him off quickly. The giants were still winning, though… Kizzlorn’s face was bloody from the boulders she’d been struck with, Jo’nas was almost down, and Gryph was nowhere to be seen.  “Pull together,” Kizz yelled. “We’ll fight to the last!”

_*More to come...* _


----------



## Caliber

Nifty keen Doc!

Beat those players!


----------



## DWARF

Silly Knights, Never, NEVER, sleep in a strange fog...


----------



## Wee Jas

> "Did someone just scream ‘now’?"




Some great dialog in that chunk o'story.  Nice writing Doc..  now keep moving!

/cracks whip

Unofficial KoSK writing taskmaster


----------



## Dawn

Where's the story on the flesh golem you mentioned your signature?  White Plume Mountain was a favorite.


----------



## Richards

Dawn - ~9~ the flesh golem was from a one-shot that Dr. Midnight recently played in, not this campaign which he DMs.  He has a separate thread going about the White Plume Mountain adventure over on the General forum.

You can find it HERE. 

Johnathan


----------



## Breakstone

Nice action, Doc. The characters are really kicking butt against these giants!


----------



## Dr Midnight

_Last time:
The giants were rapidly surrounding the group. They hurled fiery rocks up at Kizzlorn, and she rained ice and hail down on them. Grumbar swept his sword through a giant two, three, four times, each time cutting a chunk of meat away. Jo’nas cast spells that glued the beasts to the spots they stood, unable to move. Shade’s whickering blade cut and stabbed. He slashed almost faster than the eye could follow… until a giant’s sword stabbed him through the gut. He fell to the ground. 

The giant bent to pick him up, but Kizzlorn shouted “No!” and cast a spell on him. The giant was frozen where he stood, unable to move. Grumbar finished him off quickly. The giants were still winning, though… Kizzlorn’s face was bloody from the boulders she’d been struck with, Jo’nas was almost down, and Gryph was nowhere to be seen. “Pull together,” Kizz yelled. “We’ll fight to the last!”
_

Gryph was watching the action from his point on the ethereal plane. He wanted very much to dive in and keep fighting, but he knew that one more blow from a giant’s sword would kill him. He had to be more cautious. What was this? He floated through the wisps of antimaterial and watched as a giant picked Shade’s body up from the ground, while the others were distracted. The giant moved away and gave a guttural command in their language. The fire giants broke from their positions and began to scatter, each fleeing outward into the mist. 

Grumbar, Kizzlorn, and Jo’nas hadn’t noticed Shade’s corpse’s abduction. It was up to Gryph. He took a deep breath- or the ghost equivalent- and rematerialized. He then turned into a fire giant and sprinted out for that direction in the fog. Running blind, it was really just a good guess that he found the giant in question. “Hey!” Gryph hailed in the best fire giant accent he could muster. “I lost my sword! Give me the body, I'll carry it, you stay here and fight them off!"

The giant looked back uncertainly, looked to Gryph, and nodded brusquely. He tossed Shade’s limp form to the Knight and pulled his sword. “Go!” he said. Gryph smiled and ran off into the mist.

Jo’nas applied another healing spell to the gash in Grumbar’s chest. The torn flesh knitted, and the blood slowed to a stop. “Where’s Gryph?” 

Kizzlorn frowned and shook her head. “We’ve lost him… and Shade. Looks like they made off with the bodies. The elf’s, too… he’s nowhere to be found.”

Grumbar grimaced. “That’s bad.”

“Yes, Grumbar. That’s bad.”

Then, something large began looming through the fog again. “Damn,” Grumbar said as lifted his sword again. “They’re not gone...”

“Yes, they are,” the giant said. It shrunk down and changed its shape as it laid a body on the grass. 

“Gryph!” Jo’nas exclaimed. “What happened?”

“I had to get off of this plane for a moment,” he joked. “but I came back to fetch Shade when they snatched him away. Can you resurrect him?”

Jo’nas knelt over Shade’s body. “I certainly can. Give me a minute.”

Grumbar said “So we’re okay for the moment, correct?”

Gryph looked over and replied. “If you mean is the battle over, yes, for now it is. I don’t think they’re coming back tonight.”

“Good.” Grumbar fell backward. He was asleep before he hit the ground. 

Gryph paused for a moment, then said “Kizz. We can’t camp again and wait for something like this to happen. We almost got wiped out. If they hadn’t broken, we would have been.”

“I know.”

“Well, We’re almost at the end of the valley. We cut some of these giants pretty badly… I’m betting they leave a trail of blood we can easily follow. They can’t live far from here… Jarl said the giants lived in the mountain at the north end. That’s not even a day’s walk. I think we should immediately strike back. We need to stop being victims, and take control of the situation.”

“What do you recommend?”

*Moonday, 17th of Patchwall*

Chamak the gnoll brushed some flies away from his face and squinted against the sun. He turned his head left and gazed over the wide view of the southeast corner of the Griff mountain range. He slowly swept his head to the right, over the entire valley of the Mattadin. Up in the crow’s nest atop the south tower, several hundred feet above the valley’s floor, Chamak saw everything. The last remaining smudges of the morning’s mist were fading, leaving a clear field of vision for miles. He saw nothing but trees and trail. “All’s well,” he called down to his watch commander, who nodded. 

The south tower sat on the lower slope of the Uffatos Strath, the largest of the volcanic Uffatos mountain range. From here, the dirt trail wound down a hilly, rocky two miles to the lip of the vast north forest. Nothing could approach the tower without Chamak spotting it… and if he could spot it, they could defend against it. The tower’s defenses were well-designed: There were several burning pitch kettles set to pour down on those assailing the huge unbreachable doors. There were dozens of arrow slits surrounding the tower’s face, with archers behind every one. There were thick stone walls that could withstand almost anything. There was even a simple smoke signal system devised to get the attention of the Jirrock’s red dragon ally, who could swoop down on the attackers and finish them off. Not that that would help them much, if the rumors were true. Supposedly a new group of heroes had managed to kill the dragon yesterday. Still, Chamak only needed to blow his horn to alert every set of ears in the castle to an attack... and that would be enough.

He scanned the north forest’s rim again and paused. He looked closer and saw something moving. A single Jirrock warrior was lurching up the path with a hand pressed to his side. The gnoll put his horn to his muzzle and blew. The sound floated down into the valley. “Jirrock returning,” Chamak barked down. “looks like a straggler from last night’s assault. Looks injured.”

Watch commander Yurr’yeh walked up to an arrow slit and looked out. “Huh. I was sure all the survivors had returned. I’ll organize a party to go down and escort him the rest of the way up.”

The heavy wooden doors opened, and a garrison of five Jirrock descended the trail to the wounded giant. They met him midway. “Did you lose your way?” the leader asked. 

“Yes,” the wounded giant grunted. “I couldn’t catch up with the group after the attack. I only just now got back.” 

“I can see that, soldier,” the leader said warily. He eyed the giant. There was something… wasn’t there? Or was there something missing? He dismissed the thought and turned the group around. “Come on, let’s get you inside.” 

They walked the injured Jirrock into the tower. Here, gnoll archers behind a wall lined with murder holes eyed them as they passed through the center corridor. Two grates overhead could dump burning pitch down onto attackers, in the unlikely event that they could penetrate the tower’s defenses. The doors closed behind them. 

The leader was about to ask if the Jirrock would care to recuperate in the main living area when a curious noise came behind them. It was something of a clank. It sounded not unlike a piece of plate armor clapping against another, as would happen regularly with an armored, walking man… but the soldier they’d escorted up the hill was wearing leather and igneous armor. He turned and looked at the giant. “What was that?”

The giant raised his eyebrows. “That what?”

“That noise.”

“Oh, that. I think one of the gnolls above adjusted a pitch pot and the sound carried oddly. You know how it does that in this area…”

The leader nodded. It did sound odd in here sometimes, now that he thought about it. “Well… I suppose you’re right. It just sounded like metal armor.”

The soldier laughed, then winced from the effort. “Metal armor, eh? I can see how you’d think that. Of course, how could you have heard metal armor, when there’s none here? I think you’re hearing things, my friend.” The leader laughed and turned back around. He felt silly now for feeling suspicious. The wounded Jirrock added “Yeah, either that or I came in with an invisible team of adventurers behind me.”

“…What?”

The Jirrock were all swallowed in a wash of icy whiteness. When it cleared, the “wounded” Jirrock stood alive, and the other five were crusted with ice. They collapsed from their own weight, and shattered on the cobblestones like frosted glass sculptures. Then, everything started happening very quickly. 

Gryph the frost giant, who was disguised as a fire giant thanks to his magical hat, was unharmed by Kizzlorn’s _Cone of Cold_ attack, but he clutched his arms and shivered all the same. “WHAT THE HELL WAS THAT?” he yelled. He was quite enjoying the ruse.

A gnoll put his eye up to a murder hole to get a look at the commotion. He was then murdered when Grumbar plunged a sword through his head. The other gnolls yelped and jumped back from their holes. They hadn’t seen what killed their companion, but… clearly SOMETHING had. 

A  gnoll barked down “What’s going on down there?”

Gryph yelled his reply up through the grating. “We’re being attacked somehow, you idiot!” He opened a door to the gnolls’ area and said “Hey, get out here! You need to defend the tower, and you CAN’T DO IT FROM THERE!” The nervous gnolls ran out into the main area, only to have their heads sliced cleanly from their shoulders. 

The job was almost complete when something clanked from above. The gnolls had a kettle of burning pitch, and were tipping it into the room. Below, Kizzlorn heard the clank and looked up. Her pretty face tilted up just in time to see several gallons of boiling, burning pitch splash straight down onto her. She screamed and threw herself to the ground. She rolled until the fire was out, and sobbed for the horrible pain of her face. She was just glad she was invisible… she could feel the blisters rising on her ruined face. Hopefully she could have Jo’nas heal this before it could scar. 

“Kizzlorn, you all right?” Gryph called. The room was now clear of enemies, and the door to the north would lead to more.

“I’m… urghh… I’m okay,” she cried as she tried to stand. “Need healing.” Jo’nas found her, though both were invisible, and erased the burning from her body with some of his divine magics.

“Okay. Proceeding to the next area. Are we ready?” The others sounded off: yes, they were ready. Gryph threw this door open and ran in, then closed it hurriedly when he was sure the others were through. “It’s horrible out there! We’re being attacked by hundreds of screaming fiends!” He looked and saw that in this room, there were only two terrified gnolls and a troll. There was the bottom of a wide spiral staircase that led to the second and third levels. 

“What’s ha-“ the troll gurgled before its head fell from its shoulders and the gnolls were swallowed in fire. 

Shade called out. “Got ‘em, Gryph. Care to lead the upper levels down here?”

Gryph shimmered and shrank into the troll’s shape. He smiled. It was quite ghastly. “I’d love to.” He ran up the staircase and started shouting again to the dozen gnolls and giants of fire and frost he found there. “You have to come quick, they’re inside the tower, they’re too strong to handle on our own!” He led them down.

The giants led the troll and gnolls down to this, the north half of the first level of the tower, where the four invisible Knights waited. One giant spoke to Gryph the troll. “You guard that door! Don’t let anything through.” Gryph ran to the north door dutifully. Through this door would be a path to the heart of the mountain, it seemed. 

Then, giants started dying as fire exploded around the frost giants and ice around the fire. Gnolls started dying as their heads flopped from their necks with an almost rhythmic speed. In no time at all, the astonished enemy were dead on the ground. For the invisible adventurers, this wasn’t turning out to be much of a challenge. 

“Next room,” Gryph laughed. He pushed these doors open to find a long hallway leading down and to the north. The Knights plunged onward and into the mountain.  

_*NEXT TIME: GETTING WARMER...*_


----------



## Neverwinter Knight

YES !!! 

I can't wait for the knights to get to the root of this... Great write-up, doc. Improved invisibility is great for players, but bad for the DM.

Anyhow, I am really thinking about taking the Shape Changer PrC for my next character!!!


----------



## Wee Jas

> Shape Changer PrC for my next character!!!




Make sure you have your stats figured out for your alternate forms or you will end up flipping through the monster manual a lot.  

(Not that it takes me longer than it takes Kiz to decide what spell shes going to use or Grumbar to figure out what partial action to use when!)   

PS. I'm registered now!  Check out my new title!  lol.


----------



## Ziona

Wee Jas said:
			
		

> * (Not that it takes me longer than it takes Kiz to decide what spell shes going to use...)   *




Aw, you're just po'd because I've taken the big bad out twice now with one spell and you didn't get to fight as much as you would have liked!


----------



## Breakstone

> Can you resurrect him?”
> 
> Jo’nas knelt over Shade’s body. “I certainly can. Give me a minute.”




Heh, the joys of High-Level Adventuring.

Anyway Doc, I really enjoy it when the story shifts to the perspective of one of the monsters. It almost gives a "behind the scenes" look on things.


----------



## Victim

Gryph rules. Any chance Sir Vek will be permanently replaced by the Shifter?

In addition, in your character sheet you mention The Trick. What is it? Also, in your game does a Shifter receive its Su abilities. I was under the impression that an Undead's ability drains and incorporealness were supernatural.


----------



## Richards

I'm not sure if I trust Gryph.

He seems kind of...shifty.

Johnathan

(Ouch!  Sorry about that!)


----------



## Dr Midnight

Well, I for one never trusted Vek. I can't put my finger on it, but something smelled fishy with that guy.

Game day is FRIDAY for this week and next, so... there you go. Here's hoping I'll be able to tear myself away from Grand Theft Auto Vice City long enough to write.


----------



## Wee Jas

> What is it? Also, in your game does a Shifter receive its Su abilities. I was under the impression that an Undead's ability drains and incorporealness were supernatural.




The trick:  People argue a druid shapeshifter ignores the HD restriction because his wildshape has no HD cap mentioned.  Therefore if you wanted to twist the intention of the rules you could call that a 'benefit'.  Its a really cheap way to make an ultra-powerful Shifter but I don't know a DM slow-witted enough to allow it.



> Manifestation (Su): All ghosts have this ability. As ethereal creatures, they cannot affect or be affected by anything in the material world. When they manifest, ghosts become visible but remain incorporeal.




Gryph turned into a Ghost.  He can't use the (SU) ability to Manifest so Gryph gets pushed into the Ethereal


----------



## Neverwinter Knight

Wee Jas said:
			
		

> *
> 
> (Not that it takes me longer than it takes Kiz to decide what spell shes going to use or Grumbar to figure out what partial action to use when!)
> *




That's a tough thing to say, considering the limited number of spells of a sorcerer  

Not that I'm that fast a player - haven't had much time to go through the rule books for a while


----------



## Ziona

Neverwinter Knight said:
			
		

> *
> 
> That's a tough thing to say, considering the limited number of spells of a sorcerer
> 
> Not that I'm that fast a player - haven't had much time to go through the rule books for a while    *




It's okay. This is my first sorceress, so I get teased a bit.  I don't always choose my spells quickly, because I'm usually reading the descriptions to see exactly what they do. I'm getting better, though!


----------



## Wee Jas

aww.. I was just messing with you Kiz!   /hug

Ziona has been playing for years now.  I have to say she plays a kick-@ss fighter.  Shes the only female gamer I know who can kick down a door and slay monsters and move to the next door .. etc etc

Its almost sadistic!

Usually shes a cleric if I'm a wizard and I'm a cleric when she is a thief or fighter.   Its fun for me in both campaigns getting to try out the more fighting oriented classes!


----------



## Breakstone

What a minute... so Ziona isn't the same player as the one who played Hannah?


----------



## Victim

Ziona's player also played Angelique in KotSQ, I believe.

Gryph, have you considered Shifting into cryohydras against these fire giants? You get many, many attacks and a killer breath weapon.


----------



## Wee Jas

> cryohydras




Nah..  Lil' too cheese for me..  I probably never encountered one anyhow.  I get enough razzing for turning into a Willowisp!



> Ziona's player also played Angelique




Correct.  Hannah had another player.


----------



## Krellic

I've just caught up with this Story Hour, my compliments Doc, it's a corker!


----------



## Ziona

Victim said:
			
		

> *Ziona's player also played Angelique in KotSQ, I believe.
> *




In Doc's campaign I have been Bree, Angelique, Katya and now Kizzlorn.  (Hannah was played someone entirely different.)  I am really enjoying the sorceress class, although my favorite is still the cleric!


----------



## Caliber

Is Hannah still with you all? (the player that is)

If so, who does she play?


----------



## Lela

Does anyone happen to have the original KotSQ in a Word or Word Perfect doc?  Dr. Midknight's site is down and I was almost finished!  Dartan vs. Father emminent!  Must know more!!!!!

[Edit: Nevermind.  Site's back up!  *Heads over to read*]


----------



## Neverwinter Knight

As I recall, Hannah's player played Kyla (after that fatal session of Jamison's betrayal and poor Hannah's death) but did not return after the knights decided to take a break.

Doc, how far are you with the story - are you far behind?


----------



## Ziona

Neverwinter Knight said:
			
		

> *As I recall, Hannah's player played Kyla (after that fatal session of Jamison's betrayal and poor Hannah's death) but did not return after the knights decided to take a break.
> *




You are correct, she did not return after the break we took.


----------



## Dr Midnight

Neverwinter Knight said:
			
		

> *Doc, how far are you with the story - are you far behind? *



Just one session.


----------



## Dr Midnight

*SESSION 45
Moonday, 17th of Patchwall
WAIT, THAT WAS THE KING?*

The air shimmered over the drawbridge, and Jo’nas Redlong formed from nothing. He looked up at the castle and was impressed. “So, this is Spellforge Keep.” He’d never been here, of course… he’d joined the group in the field, and hadn’t been with them for a return trip to the place they called home. 

It was a large and imposing castle. Mist bubbled up from the moat, as if from hot springs beneath the land. He marveled again at the wonders Fharlhanghn showed him when he traveled. He walked inside. There, from the shadows, two guardsmen crossed spears before him. “Halt and state your business,” one said. Jo’nas’ eyebrows raised. 

He hadn’t been told that there would be soldiers guarding the keep… Kizzlorn had only said to walk straight in and up to the second level, find a dwarf named Orthos, and ask where the diamonds were kept. With the resurrection spells the group had been doing, they needed the valuable diamonds badly. Jo’nas had volunteered to make a brief trip to fetch some from the Keep. Now what? He shrugged and did as he always did… he adapted to the situation. “I am Jo’nas Redlong. Kizzlorn Spellforge has bid me come to the castle and fetch components for spells.”	

A soldier wearing badges and polished armor stepped forward to greet the traveler. “Kizzlorn Spellforge sent you, you say? Do you have any proof?”

“Uh… no. I was told to come and ask an Orthos Stonefist to help me take several diamonds from…”

“Diamonds?” The man eyed Jo’nas warily.

“For spells! To bring the dead to life, you need a diamond of significant worth to use as a component. Who are you? I wasn’t told there would be soldiers here at the castle.” This was not going well. 

One of the soldiers asked “Should we shackle him and put him in the dungeon, captain?”

The man glared at Jo’nas for a moment with hard ice-blue eyes. He nodded. “Yes. He may not be a thief, but this bears investigating. We’ll have the master question him when he arises from his studies.”

Then, from farther inside the castle: “No need, I am here. Stand down Captain Metus.”

The dutiful captain bowed and stood aside. “As you wish, my lord.” He left to go about his duties. Jo’nas sighed relief and let his eyes adjust to the darkness inside the castle so that he might see who had freed him.

The slow, soft scuffle of footsteps sloughed evenly toward him, and a shape that looked to be a cowled man’s silhouette loomed in the shadow. The light of the outdoor sun crept up the figure as it stepped closer, and Jo’nas saw that it was a gaunt man clothed- no, wrapped- in tattered black cloth. The fabric covered almost everything; legs, arms, torso, hands, feet… but not the face. The face was covered with a black lacquer mask in the stylized shape of a human face. The voice was like the creaking of an old leather book being opened. “You say you come from Kizzlorn Spellforge?”





“Uh… yes. I’m sorry, I wasn’t told about any of this.”

“You weren’t told because Kizz didn’t know. The men you met are but three of the army I command. I only took them on yesterday, so of course Kizzlorn could not have known. I am Sir Vek Mormont.” He extended a black-wrapped hand, and Jo’nas shook it. 

“Jo’nas Redlong,” the cleric said before noting the thin, bony nature of Vek’s hand. He withdrew his hand with polite alarm, and hoped it didn’t show on his face. He felt the eyes behind the mask watching him, crawling over him like grave worms. He could have sworn he felt a smile there. What was this Vek? And why would a nice young woman like Kizzlorn leave him to guard her castle? “I’ve been traveling with Miss Spellforge for the last two days.”

“Yes… since the battle with Hedrack. A good number of us died. Myself included. Who is in the group now? I haven’t heard any news since being disintegrated.”

Jo’nas blinked. Could you be resurrected from a disintegration? He’d never heard of anything like that… he ignored it for now and answered the question. “I believe the people you haven’t met are Grumbar: a stout half orc warrior, Shade: a quick young swordsman, Gryph: a shapeshifter of tremendous power, and myself. I’m a cleric of Fharlanghn.” He brought the masked man up to date on the happenings of the last two days.

Vek thought for a moment. “Interesting. When I left the party, were were almost entirely composed of spellcasters. Good for Kizzlorn: she recruited some muscle.”

“Have you left the party? Kizzlorn has spoken of you. She wonders if you’ll return.”

The frail-looking masked mummy chuckled. “Does she miss having me around? I don’t believe she ever found my company to be entirely palatable.” Jo’nas watched him, unsure of whether that was a joke or not. Vek nodded. “I simply have a handful of matters to attend to, before I do anything else.”

“What’s that?”

“First, I collected my army. It’s small, yet, but growing. I have fifty men devoted to my cause. Secondly, I must find a number of items. I lost my shield, armor, and everything I had with me when I died. Third, and lastly, I intend to take my own little adventuring party up north, where I will destroy a certain white dragon. Then, yes… I shall return.”

_*More to come...* _


----------



## Breakstone

Great imagery there, Doc. Vek's creepier than ever...


----------



## fenzer

Yay!  Vek is back!


----------



## Victim

Going to destroy the white dragon?  I think Kizz might be rather upset if Vek killed it without inviting her.  That whole Vengeance thing and all.


----------



## Metus

Dr Midnight said:
			
		

> *
> Then, from farther inside the castle: “No need, I am here. Stand down Captain Metus.”
> *




Ho ho HOOO!  Merry Christmas to me!  Thanks for the inclusion!


----------



## Celtavian

*Re*

Whose all dead? The last segment I read had the knights in pretty good shape.


----------



## Wee Jas

Whoo hoo!



> “I believe the people you haven’t met are Grumbar: a stout half orc warrior, Shade: a quick young swordsman, and myself




Hey.. don't let that weird lich shake you enough to forget to mention ole Gryph!


----------



## Neverwinter Knight

Oh, oh, I wouldn't want to be in Accessiwall's skin - except, of course if I wore him as a prized dragonhide armor  .

Doc, make him a dracolich to make things interesting    


And please give Vek back that armor. It just doesn't sound right, the way you described him. Sounds like that Mumra character from Thundercats


----------



## Dr Midnight

> Ho ho HOOO! Merry Christmas to me! Thanks for the inclusion!



Hey, you were the only one to respond to Vek's "who wants to be in my army" request... Captain Metus


> Whose all dead? The last segment I read had the knights in pretty good shape.



DEAD PARTYMATES, as of right now:
Kryn
Bree Thornberry
Tenchi Foxfingers
Dekker Roughfoot
Myramus Maximus
Angelique Mathea 
Hannah
Menerous Maximus 
Jettok Taklin 
Katya Ohanna-Spellforge
Rafflorn Spellforge
Kyla Ohanna
Lem

Doesn't seem as dire, when you look at it like that. 


> Hey.. don't let that weird lich shake you enough to forget to mention ole Gryph!



Gah... simple mistake. Will fix.



> Doc, make him a dracolich to make things interesting



If things go as planned, it will be interesting... Of course, things never go as planned.



> And please give Vek back that armor. It just doesn't sound right, the way you described him. Sounds like that Mumra character from Thundercats



I was thinkin of the creepy robed masked bad guy from THE MUMMY, but Mumm-Ra works, certainly...


----------



## Wee Jas

> And please give Vek back that armor. It just doesn't sound right, the way you described him. Sounds like that Mumra character from Thundercats




Ancient spirts of evil.. transform this decayed form too..  VEK .. THE EVER.. LIVING!


----------



## seasong

I just wanted to let y'all know: Vek has become an iconic necromancer, to me personally.

I can only hope that my own PCs will eventually become so emblematic as we reach the higher levels.


----------



## Dursk Starkfire

With all of these flashback visits, I feel like I'm watching that game show "It's Your Life". perhaps we'll be graced with a visit from Dartan the Godless soon?
I can only imagine he's off scheming of ways to terminally 'off' the dispicable Jamison Crow 

<btw: is Jo'nas played by the same person who played JC?>


----------



## Dr Midnight

Hey there... just in case written imagery wasn't enough, here's Vek as Jo'nas met him:


----------



## fenzer

Just found out you do this for a living, Doc.  I'm a little slow on the uptake.  I'm not surprised, they are very good.


----------



## Caliber

Spooky drawing Doc! Spooooky!

It vaguely tickles my mind that I've seen something similar before. Did you draw inspiration from anything for it?


----------



## Celtavian

*Re*

Jo'nas still went in the castle after seeing that guy? I wouldn't have. I would have went back to Kizzlorn and told her that the castle has been invaded.

That guy looks creepy. Did Jo'nas see the picture before he went in?


----------



## Wee Jas

So cool.

You rule


----------



## Neverwinter Knight

I second that! GO DOC !!!


----------



## Dr Midnight

_LAST TIME:
Jo'nas took a trip to Spellforge Keep to retrieve some spell components, and had his first run-in with a very different Vek Mormont from the one we know._

Back in the dungeon complex beneath Uffatos Strath, the party were sitting about waiting in a side room for the adventure to reconvene. A flash of light, and two people are standing there. “HOW ARE YA, LASS?”

Something ran out of the light and wrapped Kizzlorn in a big grizzled hug. She was too astonished to react for a moment, then realized who it was. “Orthos! It’s you!”

“It’s me!” the dwarf laughed. 

“What are you doing here? You’ve been on hiatus for so long, I thought you’d found something better to do.” 

“Nahhh… you guys left me to babysit Jamison while you took care of affairs around Hommlet, and you didn’t come get me when you were done.” 

Kizzlorn looked away. “I’m sorry, Orthos. It seemed with everything that was happening, we forgot just why you were there in the first place. So- why didn’t Jamison return as well?”

Orthos frowned. “Kid’s been actin’ weird lately. He keeps to himself in his room. Doesn’t talk much. Mopes and pouts. I think he’s upset about dying when last he adventured. He came back weaker less able, and this bothers him. He said he didn’t want to come back just yet. He’s not ready.”

Kizzlorn nodded. “He always seemed to lust for power more than glory, fame, and what’s right. I’m surprised he’s so down about what happened. Well… at any rate… Orthos, I’d like for you to meet the new party. These are Gryph, Grumbar, and Shade. You’ve met Jo’nas, of course… Everyone, this is Orthos Stonefist. He’s a good friend of mine who’s been with me since we were the ‘Foes of the Winter Wyrm’.” Orthos walked about giving a hearty hello and a handshake to everyone. 

“Jo’nas, yes!” Orthos thundered. We had a talk before we left the Keep, and as it happens, we share passions for similar things. Faith, ale… and smiting wickedness.”

Jo’nas laughed. “Except in your case it’s that sour dwarven ale, not the good stuff.”

“Hey, watch it, afore I smash ye through the wall, longshanks!”

“Ahh, you couldn’t smash a wine glass. You know, the thin, dainty kind you sip vintage champagne from.” Jo’nas mimicked the action, with his pinky finger extended from the “glass”. Orthos roared with laughter.

Shade over to Gryph and whispered “Looks like they hit it right off, ‘ey?” Gryph nodded. 

“Anyway, Kizz,” Orthos continued. “I may have to go back to the Keep to watch over James. He doesn’t seem ready to come back- but when he does, we’ll be here. As for now, what are we fightin’, and where’s the mead?”

“You don’t want to drink the mead around here,” Gryph said as he began letting Orthos in on the Jirrock attacks and poison mind control mead.” 

“What does any of this have to do with the greater mission at hand, love?” Orthos asked. “Gorg… the dragon, and all that?” 

“We don’t have any idea yet. We’re hoping when we find whoever this ‘E.’ person is, we’ll know where to go from there.”

“Are we ready, then?” Gryph turned into his frost giant form and walked to the large iron door at the north of the room. He began banging on it and yelling “Hey, I’m all alone in here, how about opening the door?” After a moment it became clear that no one was in the next room, and certainly no one was opening the door. He shrugged and tried to open it. It was locked, and locked hard. Gryph turned to the others with a confused look on his face. “The door’s warm.”

“Could this have anythin’ to do with it?” Shade walked over to a panel with four levers on it. All the levers were down. “I saw a giant pull these during the last battle, when we burst into this room. They could have locked the doors and secured the area somehow.”

Jo’nas said “It’s worth a shot. Can you push the levers back up?”

Shade strained against the lever. “Urrrrgh… no.”

Gryph walked over confidently and grabbed a lever. He pushed up with his giant’s strength, and only managed to bend the lever upward into a curve. “These are locked down, somehow.” 

Shade stepped up with a wand. “Let me try somethin’.” He pointed the wand into the slots and said a word. “Enmaiatus.” A cough of smoke, and a curl of lightning. The smell of ozone was in the air. “How ‘bout now?”

Gryph tried and failed. “Nothing.”

Shade fired a few more blasts of lightning into the lever panel, then used a different wand to fill the red-hot metal slots with greenish acid. The sounds of hissing sizzled out at them from the slot, and the mass of metal workings behind the panel effectively fused together. “Did that do it?”

Kizzlorn made a face. “Exactly what were you trying to do?”

He shrugged. “Fix it, I guess… make it break so we could unlock the doors.”

Gryph sighed. “Oh, for the love of Pelor. Here.” He walked up to the north door and yanked on it- hard. The door was now almost hot to the touch- and to a frost giant, this can be unnerving. His giant muscles stood out in corded knots on his arms. CLUNG! The door opened. The thick iron door had broken iron bars through its center- the levers had apparently shot the bolts through the door, locking it in place. A wave of heat washed up at Gryph, and he staggered back. “What the…”

Then they saw. The floor beyond the door was warped for thirty feet, and giving off incredible heat. “Some kinda trap,” Shade observed. “I don’t think it’s supposed to get that hot, though… I mean, it’s ruining the floor.” As he said that, a piece of the iron plate on the floor cracked. The metal was expanding too much, too quickly. “I think I broke it,” Shade said, looking guiltily at his wand of lightning. “And not in the good way.”

_*More to come...* _


----------



## Caliber

Shoot lightning at the levers? Acid?    

Exactly what was Shade thinking?


----------



## Broccli_Head

*Ooops!*

So when does the lava begin boiling up?


----------



## Lela

Okay Doc, as you may recall (and if you don't check my .sig) I blundered into your Star Wars Story Hour.  And dang it if I couldn't stop there.  It's taken some time but I finally got cought up.

Now, on to some obvious observations.  The player interaction is such a cool aspect of this Story Hour.  I care about the characters all the more because of it.  It also seems to add a sense of comraderie (sp?).  This thread feels like a big community I'm barging into.  But, like the new kid at school, I'll either find my place or be teased to the point of tears (watch it Wee Jas, I'm watching you).

Anyway, enough to the incoherrant rambllings.  Dartan rocks, Vek rocks.  Dartan would kick Vek's butt.

On that note, you (Wee Jas) should feel free to make Lela some kind of powerful undead (as revenge for the above statement of course ).  Vampire Drow females are always nice.

Then again, that may be up to Doc at this point. *Shurg*


----------



## Breakstone

Sounds like Shade messed things up a bit!

Good stuff, Doc!


----------



## Wee Jas

> Dartan would kick Vek's butt.
> 
> On that note, you (Wee Jas) should feel free to make Lela some kind of powerful undead (as revenge for the above statement of course ). Vampire Drow females are always nice.




I think I have a spare broom weilding skeleton to name  




> I'll either find my place or be teased to the point of tears (watch it Wee Jas, I'm watching you).




Who me?  Tease?  Never!


----------



## Lela

Wee Jas said:
			
		

> *
> 
> I think I have a spare broom weilding skeleton to name
> 
> 
> *




I could go with that.

As long as it's a +5 Unholy, Dragon Bane, Darkwood broom that is.


----------



## Neverwinter Knight

Hey Wee-Jas, 

please do me a favour and call Doc to get him going again!  What's he up to anyway???


----------



## Wee Jas

> Hey Wee-Jas,
> 
> please do me a favour and call Doc to get him going again!  What's he up to anyway???




I don't want you to beg.. but saying HArm's not broken and Vek would obliterate Dartan might get this request a higher priority.

Heck.. Bug Doc?  I just might do it for free!


----------



## Dr Midnight

I have been bugged, and as a result, am writing furiously. Expect the rest of Session 45 up tonight. 

The game was postponed on Friday, and this Saturday is our Christmas party, so there may well not be another game until after Christmas. I know, so many of you are hopelessly distressed. 

Just how many of my readers do I have LEFT since Dartan and Vek went away and we started this module? I think maybe five of you remain... 

Pity me. 

I do plan big things for the next session. I've made a pledge to cut out the suckiness and include the end to a major plot thread next game. There will almost certainly be some death, as well.


----------



## JDragon

I'm still here,

and still enjoying it.

JDragon


----------



## fenzer

Was there ever any doubt?


----------



## Immort

Well I am here . . . but I am waiting to see some more Vek.

-Immort


----------



## Cheiromancer

I just checked the number of views, and it is 18211 views.  If you have only 5 readers, they sure are hitting refresh a lot.


----------



## Breakstone

I don't know if anyone's noticed, but I'm still a fan.


----------



## Dr Midnight

_Last time: Shade shot lightning and acid into a lever panel, then found it wasn't such a good idea when it set a heat plate uncontrollably to overheating. _

“Damn.” Gryph looked out over a thirty-foot section of incredibly hot metal. “Anyone got a fly spell handy?”

“One or two,” Kizz said, concentrating. “Maybe we can use levitation to…”

Orthos shouted “Ahh, nuts to that, love! Watch me go!”  He sprinted over the metal as quickly as his stout little legs could carry him. At the other side, he huffed triumphantly, but did take a moment to sit on the floor, to allow his heels to cool.

Kizzlorn rolled her eyes and simply flew over while the boys proved just how manly they were by running across the hot plate. Gryph was still a frost giant, so the heat hurt him a bit more than it would have if he were in another form, but he grunted and dealt with the pain as only a strong frost giant might… by biting his bottom lip and trying very hard to not scream. 

They were through. This immense room had no opponents or creatures of any kind... just doors. Different exits. “You’d think an army in a mountain would take greater pains to defend themselves,” Orthos mused. 

“What’s this?” Gryph walked over to a circular iron portcullis guarding a small twenty by twenty foot room. “This door’s different from the others.” 

Shade said “Well, lift up the portcullis, let’s go in and see what’s worth guarding in an empty room.” 

Gryph nodded and lifted on the iron gate. It didn’t budge. He got angry, and pushed harder. It stayed. “What kind of sorry, stupid portcullis IS this?”

“It looks to be iron. Can we simply bend it and slip through?”

“It’s worth a try.” Gryph put his big, meaty frost giant hands around the bars and began to pull backward. He braced a leg on the wall. The tendons in his neck stood out. CRNNNNKKKK… The circular iron grate began to bow outwards. “Help me!”

Orthos and Shade stepped up to pull as best they could. The metal continued to give, and soon, the iron grating was entirely convex. Gryph braced his hands against the sides of one of the grating holes and pushed. RRRRUNNNK! The hole became big enough for a small person to fit through. “Here, you go in,” Gryph shouted. He picked Shade up and shoved him head first through the hole. The astonished swordsman rolled to his feet and looked around. He smacked his forehead. 

Orthos asked “What is it?”

“Directions for opening the portcullis. It apparently rolled into the wall.” 

“Well, that’s helpful.” Gryph looked at the gate. He could see it, now… simply push the gate to the left or right, and it would have rolled easily. Of course it was too late. The mangled grate would never fit into its thin wall housing again. The frost giant sighed and ripped the gate wide open, making a jagged tunnel to walk through. They stepped into the room. “So, what is this?” 

They looked at a series of pictograms carved into the wall to the right of the gate. Beside them was a large stone lever, not unlike the ones Shade had destroyed. The lever was positioned at halfway in the vertical slot, so that it was perpendicular to the wall. Jo’nas used a spell and the words on the wall became clear to him. “it seems this is a moving room. If we push the lever up, we’ll travel upward towards the ‘Home’ and ‘Royal’ levels… and down, we’ll go to the ‘Dungeon’ level. It looks like we’re on the main level right now.”

Kizzlorn was impressed. “So these giants managed to construct a room that effectively does what a _Levitate_ spell does, through a series of machinations? Ingenious. Not that we shouldn’t’ kill them, but still…”

“Let’s go to the Royal level,” Shade said. “I’m sorry, but I haven’t seen a speck of treasure among any these creatures. I’m betting a level lavish enough to be called ‘Royal’ is bound to have some goodies.” It sounded as good a reason as any to go someplace, so they pressed the lever up. 

The room began moving upwards in a series of jerky motions, then a smoother ride. They watched as hundreds of feet of stone crawled down, right outside the door. Then, a series of carved words slid by. “Home level,” Jo’nas reported. The level flashed past, an open area, a hole in the endless crawling stone. Then, the stone was back. Before long, another series of words. “Royal level.” They pushed the lever down slightly to slow it, and stopped it entirely when they came to the new level. They stepped out. 

“There’s no one here,” Gryph observed sadly. He turned into a rust monster and used his orange antennae to eat through the iron doors they found.

They walked through several rooms, and were distressed by how little resistance they met. For a “Royal level”, this certainly was not well-defended. The Knights were well-disciplined warriors for what was right, but they began to hunger for two things: combat and treasure. These things tend to attract the fledgling adventurer to the career, but after that, successful adventurers look beyond these things to the greater good of the realm. Still, an accomplished party needs those two staples of dungeoneering to keep from going mad. 

They opened another door, and found a room with a great chair in it, and several dozen giant-sized greatswords hanging on the wall. Admiring them was an especially large Jirrock. He wore furs and a series of wire-wrapped carved stones around the crown of his head. He had time to notice the door opening, and turned to see a redheaded human running towards him with a sword. Then, after a SWISH noise, he saw the floor tumbling up to meet him. There he landed, and he stared up at his falling headless body for a moment before he died. 

“Just one,” Shade sighed. He wiped the blood from his blade and placed it back in its sheath. He looked back at the giant chair in the room. “Wait,” he said. “was that the king?”

Kizzlorn asked “What?” then looked. The chair was ornate and carved from stone. The giant’s severed head was wrapped crudely with wire and stone. A throne, a crown, and on the “Royal” level. 

Gryph turned back into a giant, and his jaw hung open. “I can’t believe it. How… what… what kind of King is so poorly defended? We just walked in and killed him without a problem. The big villain of a decent dungeon should AT LEAST take twenty seconds to defeat.”

“Maybe he’s not the big villain…” Jo’nas suggested. “The fire giants have everyone in the area under the control of the honey mead. Suppose the giants are under that same control, themselves? Suppose they’re also pawns under some larger foe?”

Kizzlorn said “It’s feasible. I mean, mind control mead isn’t really a fire giant kind of thing, now, is it? Let’s move on. Maybe we’ll run into a decent combat, yet.”

The next room was a curiosity- it was 120 feet long on each side. The floor was forty feet below, and the ceiling was forty feet overhead. A ten foot wide catwalk skirted the pit around to the other side. Hanging from the ceiling above were several large bowls of fire, ranging from ten to forty feet in diameter. The levels of the fire bowls were staggered, so that no two bowls were at the same elevation. The room was incredibly hot. 

“I don’t like this,” Gryph said. He began to sweat as they walked through. He was finding life as a frost giant among the fire giants to be rather harsh. 

Then, figures stood up amidst the flames. Some hurled large chunks of fiery rock. Shade rolled out of the way and shouted “LOOK OUT!” The rocks smashed into Kizzlorn and Orthos. 

Fire giants were standing in the fire pots. They must have heard the noise of their king being killed, and hidden to ambush the heroes. The Knights couldn’t reach them without flying over the pit… only Kizzlorn was flying, and she didn’t dare fly up to melee range. Grumbar shouted “Kizz, make me float!”

Kizzlorn cast _Levitation_ on the half-orc and watched as he floated up to the level of the closest flame bowl.

Meanwhile, Jo’nas did some quick thinking and cast a spell that conjured an immense, spinning wheel of blades. He positioned it just so that it sawed through three of the bowls, and the giants within them. The bowls’ chains were severed, so they and their contents spilled down sixty feet to the rock floor of the pit. The giants smashed there and screamed, but quickly got up to climb the pit’s walls. 

Grumbar hooked his grappling line around the nearest bowl’s chain and pulled himself along. When he reached the bowl, he began hacking at the giant there.

Orthos shouted “Grumbar, move! Get out of there!” He mumbled a prayer and held his hands above his head, aimed at the ceiling. Grumbar looked up and saw plumes of dust drifting down from cracks that were growing across the stone. He kicked off the giant and drifted back just as the localized earthquake Orthos had summoned into the stone above the pit gave way. With a thunderous roar, the ceiling fell in. Hundreds of tons of igneous rock plummeted in, crushing the giants and the bowls to the bottom of the pit. The debris just missed the group, thanks to Orthos’ careful planning. It filled the forty foot deep pit all the way to the top.

When the dust cleared, Gryph coughed and looked over to Orthos. He hesitated, then said what seemed most fitting. “Nice one.”

_*NEXT: Revelations*_


----------



## Jon Potter

Dr Midnight said:
			
		

> *Just how many of my readers do I have LEFT since Dartan and Vek went away and we started this module? I think maybe five of you remain...
> *




Make that six. I'm still following along.



> *I've made a pledge to cut out the suckiness and include the end to a major plot thread next game.*




I guess I haven't been following along closely enough. I missed all the suckiness.


----------



## LGodamus

I am too still here doc.....and lovin every minute of it.....keep it up.


----------



## Red Baron

Chalk up one more following (and enjoying) this thread...

...but can I just say it again: vorpal weapons are the stupidest, suckiest thing ever invented in the history of gaming.

There. I said it. Carry on.


----------



## Metus

Hey Doc, are we going to get pictures of the gang during Christmas party?  I enjoyed that one time you posted the pics from Halloween.


----------



## Wee Jas

> I have been bugged, and as a result, am writing furiously. Expect the rest of Session 45 up tonight.




See Neverwinter!  Ask and you shall recieve!

Nice write up Doc...  Love the head rolling effect.


----------



## Victim

I am reading.


----------



## DWARF

I'm reading, and this is interesting.  I'm just kinda waiting for Dartan to be successful and rid the world of Jamison Crow.  His crazy antics should have gotten himself and others killed long ago.  Well, half of that is true...


----------



## Celtavian

*Re*

I still keep up with the story. I think the drop off is because peeps are busy during the Holiday. Alot of people's minds just aren't on gaming at this time of the year.


----------



## seasong

Still here .

So keep writing!


----------



## Lela

Wee Jas said:
			
		

> *
> 
> Nice write up Doc...  Love the head rolling effect. *




I swear I could envision myself as the king there for a moment.  I actually saw the floor coming at me.  Way good write up Doc.

And, unless the suckiness you speak of is more puzzels, I say go for it.  I wasn't bord by that but you're skills are put to better use than reporting the puzzels.

Like making the floor come closer to my head.


----------



## Neverwinter Knight

See Doc? If that does not spark a motivation burst, what does  ? So many still reading and still loving your story - it has to be very good.

Thanks, Wee-Jas. And, yes, I really think Vek would kick Dartan's ass within 2 rounds!


----------



## ShawnLStroud

Dr Midnight said:
			
		

> *Just how many of my readers do I have LEFT since Dartan and Vek went away and we started this module? I think maybe five of you remain... *




Ah, Doc.  I think a lot of people lurk, but don't post.  Personally, if all I have to say is, "Ditto on the excellent story!" then I post once a month.  Keep at it, *I'm* still at the party.



> *Pity me. *




Naaaah.  I'm too busy admiring you, you silky-tongued devil, you!


----------



## sparhawk

*Lurking*

I think you have more readers than you give yourself credit for. This story hour is one of my favs. So keep the story flowing.


----------



## Dursk Starkfire

*sheesh*

all this Vek vs. Dartan, Vek'd kill him in two rounds talk is just jibberish. We all know Dartan is smarter than to confront Vek head-on! What'd Dartan do? (I feel like I'm moderating a Batman is better than Superman contest, yeah Superman (Vek) is stronger, but Batman is uber-cool and much smarter 

I imagine Dartan's hatched at least one of the following plans:

1) Let Vek's sense of twisted revenge take care of himself. (ie: wait for the white dragon to eat what's left of Vek, and let Crow destroy his phylactory through his bumbling curiosity, and THEN finish the job off with Crow. Vek grants you the gift of death. Dartan will only make you wish there was a god to grant you the mercy of death.

2) Failing that, maybe a spiritual rebellion is reborn in Dartan when he realizes, hey, I used to be a paladin, I could TURN Vek into a big pile of dust.


----------



## rigur

No readers!!??!!  Do I sense pre Christmas depression coming on?


I'm still reading. So keep up the good work.


----------



## Wee Jas

> I imagine Dartan's hatched at least one of the following plans:




3. "I'm Dartan.  I hit stuff.  I don't even have a ranged weapon."

Dartan is like Batman?!   I think you guys are dipping into the hobbits' leaf!


----------



## Rugger

I am Spartacus!


err....I'm still readin' too!

There, Doc...you have your motivation. Get ye to writing! 

-Rugger
"I lurk!"


----------



## Dawn

Looks like you have lots of folks coming out to give you support, Doc.

Keep it up!  Your fans are here, even if they don't say much.


----------



## National Acrobat

I'll admit it-I am a lurker here. I've never posted but I love the story and the characters.


----------



## Victim

I would imagine that a Vek vs. Dartan matchup would be somewhat one-sided; why does everyone assume Dartan's smarter, or more clever than Vek? Dartan/Grumbar's main strategy is to run up and hack the bad guys until their dead. Effective, usually, but I see no real cunning or strategy in such actions. Vek is cooler and more powerful, and would use Harm to kill him.

Great story hour!


----------



## Lela

Victim said:
			
		

> *I would imagine that a Vek vs. Dartan matchup would be somewhat one-sided; why does everyone assume Dartan's smarter, or more clever than Vek? Dartan/Grumbar's main strategy is to run up and hack the bad guys until their dead. Effective, usually, but I see no real cunning or strategy in such actions. Vek is cooler and more powerful, and would use Harm to kill him.
> 
> Great story hour! *




I thought that Dartan became Shade.  In fact, I'm sure of it.

And even if they were the same player, that wouldn't mean they use the same stratagy.

That said, you do make a good point.


----------



## Shaele

Long-time lurker, first-time poster... great story hour Doc, definitely in my top 2 favs!!

On the Dartan vs. Vek question... sorry Dursk, but my vote's with Vek. Dartan is effective, but Vek's got soooo many options available to him that Dartan would never know what hit him...

Here's hoping we never see it though - I like both characters too much to want to see it end


----------



## Victim

Victim said:
			
		

> *I would imagine that a Vek vs. Dartan matchup would be somewhat one-sided; why does everyone assume Dartan's smarter, or more clever than Vek? Dartan/Grumbar's main strategy is to run up and hack the bad guys until their dead. Effective, usually, but I see no real cunning or strategy in such actions. Vek is cooler and more powerful, and would use Harm to kill him.
> 
> Great story hour! *




Matt, log off my account and use your own.  In any case, Anti-life Field would neutralize Dartan.  And I think it would be near impossible to turn Vek - he can bolster himself in theory to increase his turn resistance.  But we disgress, on with the story.


----------



## Wee Jas

> I thought that Dartan became Shade. In fact, I'm sure of it.




Grumbar is Dartan.  Shade is the late Lord Spellforge



> on with the story.




Thats were we left off kids.  Bug Doc to write some filler


----------



## Dursk Starkfire

well, somebody has to root for the underdogs. 
and I'm sure Vek gets his share of props already

(great SH btw Doc...


----------



## Lela

Wee Jas said:
			
		

> *
> 
> Grumbar is Dartan.  Shade is the late Lord Spellforge
> 
> *




Hmmm, it must just have been that he popped up shortly after Dartan left.  Grumbar didn't come in until later.  Threw me.

And thus I withdraw my statement and admit my wrongdoing (don't quote me on this, I won't admit it).


----------



## Celtavian

*Re*

I don't put much faith in Dartan beating Vek. Vek is too powerful, and Dartan is just some fallen Paladin warrior. He probably doesn' t even have the feats a normal fighter would have not to mention no Paladin abilities.

Dartan is dead meat if he takes on Vek. Now, if he were still a Paladin, he might have a better chance.


----------



## Wee Jas

I wonder if the dynamic duo will ever have a reunion tour?


----------



## Dr Midnight

Wow, do a little whining, get a little attention. Nice. Lemme jump into the fray, here, responding to whatever needs Doc Midnight's kung fu chop action...



> LELA
> The player interaction is such a cool aspect of this Story Hour. I care about the characters all the more because of it. It also seems to add a sense of comraderie (sp?). This thread feels like a big community I'm barging into. But, like the new kid at school, I'll either find my place or be teased to the point of tears...



Hey, nice, thanks. I'm just pleased you still use my furry, fanged Tasselhoff line in your quote. With you and Rel, that's TWO different peoples' sigs that I dominates over. I'm the man. I'm the man like Gimli's the dwarf. 

What with having just come out of my second TTT viewing, you'll notice a lot of Gimli worship, I'm betting. 

Uh, anyway, you're not the new kid by any means- I consider you a regular. In fact, when I was whining about few posters, you were one of the names that came up in my head. Neverwinter Knight, Tsunami, Lela, Wee Jas...

Big props by the way to Wee Jas for coming out and supporting the Story Hour. He gives me tons of crap, but like Gollum, he's got his nice side. Speaking of Gollum, he's in that new movie. The movie's about this dwarf named Gimli and how much ass he positively owns. 

GimliGimliGimliGimliGimliGimliGimli



> IMMORT
> Well I am here . . . but I am waiting to see some more Vek.



Vek will be back. It's only a matter of time until I figure out how to kill Gryph, and then...



> TSUNAMI
> I don't know if anyone's noticed, but I'm still a fan.



Hi! Who are you? New to the story? You know Vek has a horse named Tsunami. Did you pick your screen name based on Vek's mount?



> JON POTTER
> I guess I haven't been following along closely enough. I missed all the suckiness.



I tend to beat the crap out of myself publicly if I think something's slipping. In this case. I've been REALLY conscious of how I don't feel I picked the right module, and I've been too vocal with the hari-kari I guess. 

Even if you don't think the story's been slipping lately- Things are about to pick up.



> RED BARON
> ...but can I just say it again: vorpal weapons are the stupidest, suckiest thing ever invented in the history of gaming.



Barring an unrevised HARM, I agree. What can I do, though? I nerfed the sword a little, and Xaltar used all his starting money on getting that damned sword. It wouldn't be fair to try to block it, especially when FREAKIN' FLESH-TO-STONE has done more damage recently. Grrrrr.  



> METUS
> Hey Doc, are we going to get pictures of the gang during Christmas party? I enjoyed that one time you posted the pics from Halloween.



Well, it won't be the Christmas session, it'll just be the party for the group. I'll gladly post pictures, though, if anyone brings a camera. 



> DURSK STARFIRE
> all this Vek vs. Dartan, Vek'd kill him in two rounds talk is just jibberish. We all know Dartan is smarter than to confront Vek head-on! What'd Dartan do? (I feel like I'm moderating a Batman is better than Superman contest, yeah Superman (Vek) is stronger, but Batman is uber-cool and much smarter



Hey, I'm a big fan of Batman vs. Superman arguments, but in this case... in my opinion... it'd just be a matter of does it take one or two rounds for Vek to kill Dartan? Vek has the Superman powers, but surprise surprise, he's also the group's best tactician... or, rather, Doug (Wee Jas) is. He rolls the characters that make the NPCs cry, he casts the spells that makes the whole world die. Dartan is very very cool, but is much more about I-kill-this-guy-then-run-to-the-next-and-start-hacking.

No disrespect to Dartan.

You know, we're going to definitely have to run a Vek vs. Dartan showdown just to put an end to the debate. 



> DAWN
> Looks like you have lots of folks coming out to give you support, Doc. Keep it up! Your fans are here, even if they don't say much.



Looks like you're right. Kinda a George Bailey moment for me... sniffle

Thanks to everyone for coming out and propping up a schmuck who was down on his story hour rockin-ness. Hi to Jdragon, Cheiromancer, LGodamus, Victim, Dwarf, Celtavian, Seasong, Neverwinter Knight, ShawnLStroud, Sparhawk, Rigur, Rugger, National Acrobat (Sabbath!!), Shaele, and anyone else who came out to say hi. Stop lurking! Post, damn you! I'd buy you all a drink if I could. It's nice to have people who read your stuff.

Gimli.


----------



## Caliber

What's wrong with the module Doc?

I've noticed a strange tone to some of the happenings, but I hadn't thought that it might be from the module. Want to enlighten me here?


----------



## Lela

Dr Midnight said:
			
		

> *
> Hey, nice, thanks. I'm just pleased you still use my furry, fanged Tasselhoff line in your quote. With you and Rel, that's TWO different peoples' sigs that I dominates over. I'm the man. I'm the man like Gimli's the dwarf.
> 
> What with having just come out of my second TTT viewing, you'll notice a lot of Gimli worship, I'm betting.
> *




Well worth the worship.  Having neglected the Dwarf myself in the first movie, I decided to focus my attention on him.  He's great.  I love it.  The part about dwarven women was the best account I'd ever heard.

And just in case you were wondering, I timed the Battle scean.  I had heard 45 min and thought it was a little far fetched.  So, upon setting my watch and hitting the button at that all important, "It begins" line by our good kingly friend, I ended up with 27 min, 28 sec, and 23 hundredths of a second.  27.28; 23.



			
				Dr Midnight said:
			
		

> *
> Uh, anyway, you're not the new kid by any means- I consider you a regular. In fact, when I was whining about few posters, you were one of the names that came up in my head. Neverwinter Knight, Tsunami, Lela, Wee Jas...
> *




Wow, I hadn't realized.  Big ego boost Doc.  Something I really needed today.  Thanks.



			
				Dr Midnight said:
			
		

> *
> Big props by the way to Wee Jas for coming out and supporting the Story Hour. He gives me tons of crap, but like Gollum, he's got his nice side.
> 
> *




I thought he was funny at first.  After a moment though, it was just tragic (sp?).  Very sad.



			
				Dr Midnight said:
			
		

> *
> GimliGimliGimliGimliGimliGimliGimli
> 
> . . .
> 
> Gimli. *




Hay, did you hear about that new movie about the Dwarf and a few of his short friends?  I saw it today at 9 AM.  A great film.  There was something about a ring too, I think.  And a wizard or two.  I highly recomend it.

Did I mention  that Gimli rocks?


----------



## Wee Jas

> but like Gollum, he's got his nice side.




thanks man!   /twitch
Strangle him!  The DM has betrayed you he has!  /twitch
I appreciate it



> Speaking of Gollum, he's in that new movie. The movie's about this dwarf named Gimli and how much ass he positively owns.




Doc needs to turn every thread into a LoTR thread.. gah



> It's only a matter of time until I figure out how to kill Gryph




Maybe you will kill him with the gnolls you keep sending at us!  Poor Gryph.  whahhaaa.  Can't he just fly off into the sunset?  Hes a nice enough guy. 



> Even if you don't think the story's been slipping lately- Things are about to pick up.




More gnolls?   



> it'd just be a matter of does it take one or two rounds for Vek to kill Dartan?



We played this out as a mock battle.  Rnd 1:  Dartan ran up and cut me.  I cast Harm.  Hit him with the touch attack.  He failed the lich paralyzing touch save (which pretty much makes him helpless) then he failed the Harm house rule save.


----------



## Ziona

Let's not talk about who would kill who...

especially when we _know_ that Vek would romp Dartan.  Clerics are, in my opinion, the best class and Vek is just too powerful for Dartan to take.  'Nuff said!  



By the way, did I mention that *Legolas @$#^ing Rocks?!?!?!  /swoon*


----------



## Lela

Ziona said:
			
		

> *
> 
> By the way, did I mention that Legolas @$#^ing Rocks?!?!?!  /swoon
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *




*Picture, SNIP*

And, PostCount=PostCount+1


----------



## Malachai_rose

*Legolas vs. Vek*

Did I metion that Legolas would kick Veks @#$  LOL !!! 

First he would slide down the stairs on a vorpal shield while impaling Vek With 7 arrows (he's ELH all the way ya know)

Then with his extra action given by his +5 Chain shirt of Speed he would jump of the shield at the last minute sending it hurtling towards my favorite Lich  While planting another arrow into his head (did I mention hes gotta be like a 10th level weaponsmaster + 10 fighter + 4 ranger ) 

Of course he is using House ruled vorpal arrows which crit on a 16-20 (keen, improved crit, weapon master 8th level), lol, and if that doesnt do it the shileld he has just jumped off of would surely finish the task  

Can you tell I liked the movie, heh, well Doc you see what you get when theres no post love for a while... bored and thereby dangerous fanbois like myself whom have nothing better to do than drop in say hi and attempt to start a Vek vs. Legolas discussion  

So to salvage what little sanity I have left... please  please post soon


----------



## Victim

Weaponmaster only works with melee weapons.  I've only seen the first movie so far, but based on that and the books, I see no need for epic members of the Fellowship.  10th levels should be able to cover most things.


----------



## med stud

(High- jacking alert)
I agree with Victim. If Legolas (or anyone else) was epic, then they wouldnt have to run from the orcs in Moria, and he would kill the troll in a partial action.


----------



## Malachai_rose

like  I said ELH all the way  If you havent seen the battle for Helms Deep then you might not understand but TRUST me, All 3 of em are ELH material  Way above level 10. Legolas does something using the ride skill in the movie that must be like DC 45, heh. Trust me the Urukai must be like CR 3 or 4 themselves so level 10 PC's would get slaughterd doing what they do in the movie (ie... 10,000 Urukai vs. them).


----------



## Malachai_rose

Orcs in 3rd edition are not the Orcs from Tolkiens books.  DnD orcs are lame and laughable. Tolkiens Orc's are to be feared, and the Urukai even more so. You just don't do the things they do with out being at or near the ELH.  And the Cave Troll was not the Troll from the Monster manual... it was wayyy bigger and much worse.

Also even at high levels 100's of foes, even lowly DnD orcs can kill you. All they do is all attempt to grapple you. The first few you kill but after that it's a numbers game and strength checks make no allowance for level so it's just a matte of time before ytou are held down and repeatedly CdG'ed by the other 90 Orcs you didnt kill. In mass even lowly CR 1/2's can kill you. A grapple followed with a few 3x crit CdG's means I would have ran just like they did Epic or not  Just my fervent 2 cents though.


----------



## Wee Jas

> Vorpal




Vorpal weapons don't work on undead (except vampires).

I'd trounce him.. lol.


----------



## Victim

Malachai_rose said:
			
		

> *Orcs in 3rd edition are not the Orcs from Tolkiens books.  DnD orcs are lame and laughable. Tolkiens Orc's are to be feared, and the Urukai even more so. You just don't do the things they do with out being at or near the ELH.  And the Cave Troll was not the Troll from the Monster manual... it was wayyy bigger and much worse.
> 
> Also even at high levels 100's of foes, even lowly DnD orcs can kill you. All they do is all attempt to grapple you. The first few you kill but after that it's a numbers game and strength checks make no allowance for level so it's just a matte of time before ytou are held down and repeatedly CdG'ed by the other 90 Orcs you didnt kill. In mass even lowly CR 1/2's can kill you. A grapple followed with a few 3x crit CdG's means I would have ran just like they did Epic or not  Just my fervent 2 cents though. *




Not really.  DnD orc warriors will usually beat up human ones, and most people aren't warriors.  But I assumed that LotR orcs had a few levels to them as well, and probably not in warrior.  By about tenth level though, characters should be able to one shot low level fighters or barbarians.

Grappling includes base attack bonus in the check.  Even pinned characters aren't helpless.  So, no, orcs wouldn't quite grapple and CDG high level heroes.  And 90 orcs wouldn't be able to threaten a character all at once anyway.

IIRC, Rohan fielded an army at Helm's Deep too.  It's not like it was 10 000 versus 3.  But a group of level 10 characters that could act against the army itself - as opposed to being largely neutralized by the adventurers with the enemy army - provide a significant advantage.  But, IIRC again, in the book the battle still would have been lost if some of those angry ent-like things hadn't intercepted tons of orcs.

Yes, the cave troll seemed more like a giant.  10th level characters can kill those too.  

Buying skill bonuses through magic is pretty cheap.  Throw some effects with Balance or Ride bonuses on a elf with an already high dex, and then you have a Legolas capable of pretty outlandish stunts.


----------



## Wee Jas

> "Who would win?  Vek.  Cause Legolis isn't even REAL!", said Orthos.




YEAHHHHHHHH!


----------



## fenzer

Dr Midnight said:
			
		

> *...and anyone else who came out to say hi. Stop lurking! Post, damn you! I'd buy you all a drink if I could. It's nice to have people who read your stuff.*




Doc, I've been here since the beginning and will be here to the end.  I know I don't post much but don't think for a minute that I don't stop by here nearly every day.  

Here's to many more great Doc M. adventures!  And if you have a seat left, I'll take you up on that drink.


----------



## Lela

While I don't drink, I do have one thing to say about this who'd kill whom debate.












GimliGimliGimliGimliGimliGimliGimliGimliGimliGimliGimliGimliGimliGimliGimliGimliGimliGimliGimliGimliGimliGimliGimliGimliGimliGimliGimliGimliGimliGimliGimliGimliGimliGimliGimliGimliGimliGimliGimli

Oh, and Gimli.


----------



## Hammerhead

Having seen TTT, there is no way that Aragorn, Legolas, or Gimli are in any way close to Epic Level. Notice the fall that Aragorn took, one that dazed him and left him unconscious. Also, Gimli and Aragorn were forced to run from orcs on a small bridge, where they could only come a few at a time. Further, orcs were dropped with one hit from the bows of defenders, something unaccomplishable unless all the orcs were relatively low level, or that all of the defenders are high level. 

Even if Legolas killed Vek, he would come back, Harm Legolas, and kill him.


----------



## Lela

Hammerhead said:
			
		

> *Further, orcs were dropped with one hit from the bows of defenders, something unaccomplishable unless all the orcs were relatively low level, or that all of the defenders are high level.
> *




In Tolken's world, an elf translates into high level simply by being an elf.

Though you're probubally right.


----------



## Dr Midnight

When the man’s eyes glazed over and his posture straightened, he was untied and allowed to walk down the corridor towards the Strath Forge, where he would be handed a tool and given a job to do. _Is that the last?_

Garlak the gnoll nodded. “Yes, my lord.” 

_Good. Go back to work._ Garlak bowed and left the chamber. The creature behind him shifted from one foot to another, and walked across the room with arms folded behind him. He stepped into the light. He had a bald, rubbery head, greenish-blue skin, and where his nose and mouth should have been were four glistening, writhing tentacles. He wore an elegant longcoat of pearlescent indigo ripples. He turned and crossed the room again. 

A shadowed figure spoke from a corner of the room. “What’s wrong?” 

The creature stopped and looked up from his distraction. _Hmm?_ 

“Something is wrong. I can tell by the way your… tentacles… are crawling all over each other. It happens when you’re deep in thought.”

_Illithae are not in the habit of explaining their thoughts on command,_ the thing replied irritably.

“Then get in the habit. I warn you, Kolume, do not grow prickly with me. You may control a handful of men and giants, but do not forget who I am. I have not forgotten who you are.”

Kolume looked angrily to the corner of the room, where the immense figure sat in the darkness. Yellow eyes glittered there. He considered a retort, but thought better of it. _Yes, something seems wrong. There is a group of adventurers just newly come from the south. They’ve destroyed the war camp at the bottleneck, they’ve slain Yokyle, and now they’re within the complex._ His telepathic voice seemed to bloom within the mind of whomever he was speaking to, like a spot of blood through dark fabric. It resonated with the fear he was trying desperately to hide.

“Who are they?”

_Some upstart band of humans. One of the new men says they spent the night at the castle and thwarted a desertion… he says they’re powerful._

“They must be, to have wiped out the war camp. Again- who are they?”

_He said they were known as the Knights of Spellforge Keep. None of them are famous or even vaguely known in this area._

“Spellforge??”

Kolume extended an arm. A large honeybee landed on his outstretched hand. He studied it closely and spoke with a detached manner. _Yes. Do you recognize the name?_

“Spellforge… yes. Yes. Where do I know that name from?”

_If you’d let me probe your mind’s reaches, I could tell you. Help you remember._

“You’ll never get inside my head, mind flayer. You’d love to slip me some of your honey poison and add me to your army of slaves, wouldn’t you?”

_I don’t think anyone could blame me for trying… you least of all. And please. We detest the term “mind flayer”. We do not flay minds. We destroy them in the most artful of ways._

A hand waved the topic off. “Spellforge. I know the name from my time further south. Long ago.”

_How far south? How long ago?_

The figure paused. “Far south. Around Greyhawk. Many years ago- over a decade. I remember where I heard that name.”

Kolume let the bee fly back to its duties. He crossed his arm behind his back again and waited. _Well?_

“It was a name in the master plan laid down by an old cohort I used to work with. He was planning to destroy them.”

_Why didn’t he?_

“He regained his mind,” the creature laughed, and it sounded like pieces of bark being shuffled about in a burlap sack. “Betrayed me by hiding… something I need. I trapped him in a mirror and gave him away as a gift. Spellforge. It’s the name of the castle where his former friends were living, he’d learned.”

_Could they be connected? How many ‘Spellforges’ can there be in the world?_

“I don’t know. It doesn’t matter. They came here to die.”

Kolume shrugged. _I suppose. If they’re really so powerful, though, I should like them for myself._

A sigh from the dark. “As you will. I’m leaving here soon, at any rate.”

_Where are you going?_

“Why does this matter to you? We will go our separate ways. Our goals are not the same, Kolume. I’ve lent my power to you to aid in your struggles to take over the fire giants. You gave me a place and resources to aid me in my struggles to orchestrate the master plan. We’ve gotten what we want out of each other. I have things in the world to do before I can threaten to destroy half of it.”

_The half I don’t control, of course._

“Of course. I have a certain orb to look for… and just maybe I’ll look into this matter of the Spellforge group. Maybe I’ll look up my old friend Jamison Crow, and make certain he’s still trapped in that mirror. I don’t like the idea of what he knows being out in the world. I should have killed him when I had the chance.”

The illithid breathed silently, and the fireplace’s light glimmered sickeningly on the slick surface of his flesh. _As you will. I must say, our partnership has been quite productive, for the both of us. I do believe you might be able to free the remaining titans and accomplish your goal. Are you certain we cannot work together indefinitely?_

“No. I don’t trust you in the least, Kolume. You’ve been quietly watching me the entire time, waiting for me to drop my guard so you can steal my consciousness.” The yellow eyes stared at Kolume for a moment. “Still, we should part on good terms. I will present you with a gift.”

Kolume perked up at this. _Oh? What would that be?_

The creature stood and walked to the opposite corner of the room. The torchlight illuminated the enormous cowled form as it walked across the stones. It approached a round shape covered with canvas and put a clawed hand on it. The creature smiled at him and said “This.” She pulled the canvas off of the mirror and let Kolume admire it in awe before speaking. “I trapped it years ago, and I have no further use for it.”

_Is that what I think it is?_

“Yes. This one is rather old, and quite powerful. It liked to pose as humans and live among them. Isn’t that odd?”

_Live among humans? Really?_

“Really. Now, in thanks for all you’ve done for me, I present him to you.”

Kolume stepped forward and looked into the mirror glass. It was beautiful. The silhouetted shape in the mirror arched its back against the swirling patterns of the magic it was trapped in, and its shape could clearly be seen. There was no mistaking the draconic features. 

_I’m speechless._

“You’re welcome. Let’s celebrate with a drink, shall we? How about some mead?” Kolume looked up at her, and she laughed.


----------



## Malachai_rose

What ?!? Has everyone in the world gone insane !!!  Vek kill Legolas ?!? 

First the fall rom the cliff... House ruled by the DM  Peter Jackson to provide suitable drama for those in the movie going public whom either can't read or are terminally lazy and refuse to read the books. 

Second Vek would what ?!?  You know Peter jackson would nerf that harm shiat  No offense to my favorite Lich since my main in Broc's game is a 15th level cleric of Illmatter but Harm is about as broken as Vorpal weapons  So of course he would make his save.

Heres the pecking order folks.. 

Legolas pwnz Vek
Vek destroys Dartan 
Gimli kills both with well placed crotch shots from his +5 sonic Axe-O-Death.

I tell ya what for all those who think that Legolas, Gimli and Aragorn are 10th level or lower come over to my house and Ill run a battle of You versus 1,000 Urukai (I'll be nice and say the other guys got the other 9,000 ) and we'll see if survival is possible...

It aint folks, touch ac's are low and with only a few AoO's possible per character you'd be grappled and CdG'd within a few rounds tops. I've seen it happen, large numbers > anybodys uber leet 10th level dood  

Now if they were say... 17-24th level then they might be able to survive, Which they did !!! 17th+ levl = mondo starting gold = Phat gear = dead Urukai 

Well thats just my 2 cnts though, pardon me I gots to get back to my drinkin... The Beers gettin lonley without me there to keep it company


----------



## Lela

Holy crap in a box!!!*  


I must have gasped three or four times in that thing.  Revelation after revelation.  Doubt and confusion wiped away only to be replaced by yet more doubt and confusion.  Am I right?  Am I wrong?  Is that really who I think it is?  Then, suddenly, I'm not sure about the first that but that other _that_ is most certainly who I think it is.  Wow.

Very well done, Doc.  Very well done.



*Don't try it as a Christmas present by the way; it doesn't go over well.


----------



## Malachai_rose

lol, sometime between my Legolas vs. Vek ramblings Doc posted...

Woot !!! Great post and I really like the way you bring stuff back from the characters past to mess with em  Great stuff, lol, I wonder what Jamison would say if he knew, yikes


----------



## Dr Midnight

Lela said:
			
		

> *Holy crap in a box!!!*
> *Don't try it as a Christmas present by the way; it doesn't go over well. *



Dammit... Christmas is canceled this year, kids. 

Cool to read about you gasping, Lela. That makes me feel all wicked and methodical, and mostly wicked methodical. 

In case anyone would like to be refreshed on some items in this update, see page 7 of this thread, the JAMISON interlude post...

Hey, where's Horacio? Where's my favoritest frenchman in the whole wide world?


----------



## Celtavian

*Re*

hmm...I cannot wait to see who this new person is. Very strange. Looks like the Knights might be facing the White Wyrm earlier than expected.


----------



## Ziona

Malachai_rose said:
			
		

> *I tell ya what for all those who think that Legolas, Gimli and Aragorn are 10th level or lower come over to my house and Ill run a battle of You versus 1,000 Urukai (I'll be nice and say the other guys got the other 9,000 ) and we'll see if survival is possible...
> *




We were talking about Legolas last night at the gaming table, and whether or not they are Epic Level.  Legolas couldn't shoot 2 arrows at once if he were not Epic, could he?  I believe it was pointed out last night that shooting 2 arrows at once is an Epic Level Feat!! (although the feat name escapes me...Multishot perhaps?)


LegolasLegolasLegolasLegolasLegolasLegolasLegolasLegolasLegolasLegolasLegolasLegolasLegolasLegolasLegolasLegolasLegolasLegolasLegolasLegolasLegolasLegolasLegolasLegolasLegolasLegolasLegolasLegolasLegolasLegolasLegolasLegolasLegolasLegolas

...and Legolas.   

BTW...cool update Doc!


----------



## Neverwinter Knight

Hello folks, 

had to wrap up my work before x-mas, so I only got to lurk. Now, I'm happy to have the time to join the conversation!

I'm glad so many people jumped in to respond to Doc's whining. If this doesn't put pressure on him I don't know what . Go on working that magic of your's, Doc!!!



			
				Malachai_rose said:
			
		

> *Orcs in 3rd edition are not the Orcs from Tolkiens books.  DnD orcs are lame and laughable. *




Victim was right, 3rd Edition and their templated monsters kick ass. In fact, I lost my first 3 3E characters  due to underestimating templated orcs and trolls. [This can lead to uber-munchkinism in NPCs, see Monte Cooks RttToEE - :shiver


And all that TTT talk: STOP IT! I didn't have time to go see it, but I'll do so tomorrow. Then, I'll join you in your reverie...


----------



## Neverwinter Knight

*Re: Re*



			
				Celtavian said:
			
		

> *hmm...I cannot wait to see who this new person is. Very strange. Looks like the Knights might be facing the White Wyrm earlier than expected. *




No, I don't think this is Accessiwall, this creature must be a remains of the Cult of Tharizdun. Also, her name will begin with an "E", not the "A" of Accessiwall.

My best guess is a demon, I do have a hunch it could be a certain NPC from RttToEE.


Doc, I love your background dialogs. They totally enrich the story. Can't wait for your next session & hope the knights arrive in time to at least meet this creature, let alone destroy it.

And I'm hoping a certain golden dragon will be rescued.


----------



## Wee Jas

> Doc, I love your background dialogs. They totally enrich the story




..and intrigue the heck out of his players!


----------



## Lela

*Re: Re: Re*



			
				Neverwinter Knight said:
			
		

> *
> 
> No, I don't think this is Accessiwall, this creature must be a remains of the Cult of Tharizdun. Also, her name will begin with an "E", not the "A" of Accessiwall.
> 
> My best guess is a demon, I do have a hunch it could be a certain NPC from RttToEE.
> 
> *




I agree on the "E" but not on the NPC.  If you were to take out the "N" there though it would work for my idea.  Yet, there is a problem with the whole use of She throughout.  It might be the Mind Flayer sometimes and other times I think it's the dark personage.  But in the GrayHawk "World" there are plenty of ways to get around that.  Not to mention the possession thing.

Okay, please tell me someone noticed my little trick in there.


----------



## Wee Jas

Legolis.. BOWN DOWN TO ME!

Thanks DOC!!!!!


----------



## Lela

Wee Jas said:
			
		

> *
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Thanks DOC!!!!! *




Cool new look!

Now that's a big change.  You're looking smashing Vek.  

Please don't eat me.


----------



## Wee Jas

> Cool new look!




Actually thats me right before I got ... grrr.... disentegrated.  lol.




> Please don't eat me.




I don't drink... wine.  Heck.. I don't eat or drink anymore!


----------



## Victim

Multishot is a regular feat although it's in the epic book.

Malachai_rose, read the grappling rules.  Base Attack figures into grapple checks.  You can't coup de grace grappled or pinned characters.  Attempting to grapple 10th level characters would probably improve the more martial characters kill rates while decreasing the damage they take.  

The best way to take out powerful characters with troops is with mass missile fire.  The simple mechanic of natural 20 = hit means that volleys aimed at a single target will do lots of damage.  

The main benefit for the elite characters isn't that the ordinary defenders will kill lots of the enemy.  When it comes to killing low level guys, 10th level characters are more than adequate.  The defensive benefits of the defending troops far outweigh the offensive ones.  Having lots of troops would prevent the enemy from focusing attacks on the leveled characters.  1000 attacks on 5 targets /= 5000 attacks on 1000 targets, or 10000 attacks on 5000 targets, or whatever the troop ratios are.   Essentially, the lower level troops act like cover and concealment for the elite characters.  The high level guys take less damage because the others take hits for them, and in exchange can continue to kill enemies far more effectively than the lower level characters.

This is too long.  Vek kicks but.  I like the villains PoVs.


----------



## LGodamus

Killer story Doc....mad props to you....Wee Jas , I truly love Gryph , he has inspired me to want to make my own shifter......thanx


----------



## Caliber

Actually Gryph has inspired me to be a Shifter, Vek a Cleric, and Shade just makes me want to beat things. This story has been very inspiring. Now only if I wasn't a DM ...

Anyway, I would ask if the LotR = Epic or non-Epic stuff could be moved else where but since the thread owner doesn't matter, I'll say non-Epic. (well, maybe Gandalf is Epic. Its hard to tell.)

Think of it this way. When everyone is low level, mid-level characters LOOK Epic.


----------



## Lela

Caliber said:
			
		

> *
> 
> Anyway, I would ask if the LotR = Epic or non-Epic stuff could be moved else where but since the thread owner doesn't matter, *




I'll assume you mean mind instead of matter.  Doc certainly does matter.  In fact, he rocks.  I couldn't keep my story hour going (just couldn't make myself do it) but Doc's been going for years now.  That's amazing.

Besides, isn't it Mind over Matter?  Vek and Gryph prove this theory.


----------



## Dr Midnight

Lela said:
			
		

> *Doc's been going for years now.  That's amazing. *



Welll... I started June of last year, stopped in February, and picked it up again in Septemembemer. Keep that nice long hiaitus in mind. 

Otherwise, t'anks.

As for the epic Legolas stuff, I'm not really reading it, and I don't care... but it does up my view count.


----------



## Victim

Dr Midnight said:
			
		

> *
> Welll... I started June of last year, stopped in February, and picked it up again in Septemembemer. Keep that nice long hiaitus in mind.
> 
> Otherwise, t'anks.
> 
> As for the epic Legolas stuff, I'm not really reading it, and I don't care... but it does up my view count.  *




But Gimli isn't epic either.


----------



## Lela

Dr Midnight said:
			
		

> *
> As for the epic Legolas stuff, I'm not really reading it, and I don't care... but it does up my view count.  *




LOL!!!!!!!



			
				Victim said:
			
		

> *
> 
> But Gimli isn't epic either.   *




     

Well, really don't you think that Aragon throwing Gimli was something a normal 10th level character couldn't do?  I mean, Dwarven men weigh A LOT!

Not as much as Dwarven women, but still a lot.


----------



## Breakstone

Doc, I must say, your fiction rivals what really goes on in the game. You've got a great sense of imagery... "a spot of blood through dark fabric" indeed!

Have you ever considered writing fiction other than just for the story hour?


----------



## Dr Midnight

> Have you ever considered writing fiction other than just for the story hour?



Yes. I published a sixteen-volume epic called "The Trials of Scarblood Swordshield and his Intrepid band of Dudes" in June of 1978. Here's an excerpt:

Scarblood wiped the dude's blood off his big ass sword and said "I think he had a splitting headache." Wickat the thief said "Whoa, you cut him in half." Scarblood chopped the body again and said "Correction- fourths." At this, Boobia the barbarian princess threw herself at him and longed for his embrace. "Oh, Scarblood!" she screamed. "Take me!" "Later," he said, dropping her. "I still got a dude to kill."

It goes on like that for four hundred pages per novel.

Err, that is to say no- I haven't given serious consideration to writing fiction. I just don't think I have the stuff. I may be okay for an amateur, but I still can't tell when to use "who" and when to use "whom". I plan to take a writing class this fall when I go to college, though.

Thanks!


----------



## Celtavian

*Re*

If my DM brings back NPC's from the RttToEE, I will strangle him. The weeks following the completion of this module (On the last battle finally), will be spent scrying on the NPC's who escaped and hunting them down.

My sorcerer has kept a running list of the people we have fought that escaped, and he is going to track them down and kill them alone if necessary. 

I am about to hang myself because this module is dragging on. At this point, I feel like I am watching a slug crawl.


----------



## Richards

The following song parody is based upon recent events on this board.  It's written from the point of view of our own good Dr. Midnight, and is sung to the tune of "Tie A Yellow Ribbon ('Round the Old Oak Tree)" by Tony Orlando and Dawn.  (I apologize in advance if I inadvertantly get that song stuck in your heads all day as a result of reading what follows.)

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

*POST AN "I READ" MESSAGE (TO THE STORY HOUR)*

I'm feeling down, I don't know why
Maybe 'cause of late the action's kind of dry
If you're reading this story and there's more you'd like to see
Then you'll know just what to do
If you still read me
If you still read me

Post an "I read" message to the story hour
I've been feeling low
Kind of sad and dour (sad and dour)
If I don't see an "I still read" post there real soon
I won't swear or cuss
I won't make a fuss
I'll just stop what I'm doin'
If I don't see an "I still read" post there real soon

Help me with this insanity
'Cause I'm my biggest critic, don't you see?
I worry 'bout my post count
And how I stack 'gainst PC
A simple "I still read, Doc" is all that I need to see
And so, I'm saying please...

Post an "I read" message to the story hour
I've been feeling low
Kind of sad and dour (sad and dour)
If I don't see an "I still read" post there real soon
I won't swear or cuss
I won't make a fuss
I'll just stop what I'm doin'
If I don't see an "I still read" post there real soon

Now the whole damn board is postin'
And I can't believe I see
...A hundred "I still read" posts waiting there...for...me!

I'll update soon, mmm, mmm

(Post an "I read" message to the story hour)
(Post an "I read" message to the story hour)
(Post an "I read" message to the story hour)
[FADE]
(Post an "I read" message to the story hour)
(Post an "I read" message to the story hour)
(Post an "I read" message to the story hour)

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

Johnathan
Self-Appointed, Unofficial Bard to the _Knights of Spellforge Keep_ Campaign

By the way - I want you all to know I had to search for the lyrics for "Tie A Yellow Ribbon" on the Internet before writing the parody version.  I don't want anyone thinking I knew the song by heart or anything.  Because I didn't.  Really.


----------



## Wee Jas

> By the way - I want you all to know I had to search for the lyrics for "Tie A Yellow Ribbon" on the Internet before writing the parody version. I don't want anyone thinking I knew the song by heart or anything. Because I didn't. Really.




Gah.  I never memorize Discern Lies!


----------



## Breakstone

Beautiful, Richards.

I had tears in my eyes there...


----------



## Blood Jester

*Readership*

Hey! So a guy gets blocked from visiting the boards at work, and all of a sudden, he doesn't count!

You should be nicer Doc, you almost had to meet me at the Boston gameday, but it filled up so darn fast.


----------



## Lela

Richards said:
			
		

> *Johnathan
> Self-Appointed, Unofficial Bard to the Knights of Spellforge Keep Campaign
> 
> *




I think I'm feeling a rather hefty bonus to my next DM skill check coming on.  I'll have to reread this come Monday (game at 2 PM) to keep it going.

And aren't most (if not all) Bards unoffical?  Doesn't that, by definition, make you "Official" to the Bard's guild?  And, thus, you get to call yourself Offical. . .

But, hay, wait.  After you call yourself offical you won't be offical anymore.  Then you'll be unoffical.  Which will make you offical again. . .

Just trying to follow that to conclusion might blow Vek's life stone (can't spell that word _at all_).


----------



## Despaxas

OK ok, I admit it, I'm a lurker ... *mutters*

Love the story, keep it coming Doc. 

/lurkmode on


----------



## Neverwinter Knight

Dr Midnight said:
			
		

> *
> Welll... I started June of last year, stopped in February, and picked it up again in Septemembemer. Keep that nice long hiaitus in mind.
> 
> Otherwise, t'anks.
> *




I remember I was looking to share some experiences from the RttToEE campaign and stumbled across Doc's Knights of the Silver Quill. 

I've been hooked ever since...  


And that, even though the characters changed a lot through that "adventure"    



			
				Celtavian said:
			
		

> *If my DM brings back NPC's from the RttToEE, I will strangle him. The weeks following the completion of this module (On the last battle finally), will be spent scrying on the NPC's who escaped and hunting them down.
> 
> My sorcerer has kept a running list of the people we have fought that escaped, and he is going to track them down and kill them alone if necessary.
> 
> I am about to hang myself because this module is dragging on. At this point, I feel like I am watching a slug crawl. *




I felt the same way about it. I had a list, too, but sadly did not survive the final encounter...  



			
				Dr Midnight said:
			
		

> *
> Yes. I published a sixteen-volume epic called "The Trials of Scarblood Swordshield and his Intrepid band of Dudes" in June of 1978. Here's an excerpt:
> 
> Scarblood wiped the dude's blood off his big ass sword and said "I think he had a splitting headache." Wickat the thief said "Whoa, you cut him in half." Scarblood chopped the body again and said "Correction- fourths." At this, Boobia the barbarian princess threw herself at him and longed for his embrace. "Oh, Scarblood!" she screamed. "Take me!" "Later," he said, dropping her. "I still got a dude to kill."
> 
> It goes on like that for four hundred pages per novel.
> *




Doc, I love the concept. That sounds just like my kind of book. Where can I get a copy ???


----------



## Neverwinter Knight

Oh yeah, and if I don't have time for the computer tomorrow or the 24th:

MERRY CHRISTMAS


----------



## Wee Jas

> Just trying to fallow that to conclusion might blow Vek's life stone (can't spell that word at all).




What?  FOLLOW?    

Ah.. Lela.. Vek thinks the world of you.  Stop by Spellforge sometime!  lol.


----------



## Dr Midnight

Yeah, Merry Christmas or whatever the hell you enjoy celebrating everyone. I got some great swag last night at the party- 
Back to the Future trilogy DVD from Dartan
Dice, more dice, and Heroclix from Wee Jas
Kung Pow! (Don't laugh, it's a great movie for drinking to) DVD, an "I R.P.G." bumpersticker and a little Iron Maiden figure (Powerslave!) from Ziona and Xaltar. 
A good haul. If I forgot something, forgive me- I've still got it in a big bag.

Ziona liked her gift, I thinks... which lasted almost four hours before Xaltar broke a part of it. I bet he had a fun ride home. 

We played a good game of Heroclix that lasted hours. My Dr. Doom was quite displeased with how Titania and Sabertooth killed him, but my Scarlet Witch, bless her red soul, kept me from losing the game TOO early. YOU CANNOT PLAY without a Scarlet Witch... she's just too useful. 

HAPPY NON-TRADITIONAL HOLIDAYS! NON-TRADITIONALLY YOURS, the NON-TRADITIONAL DOC MIDNIGHT.


----------



## National Acrobat

*Happy Holidays!*

Happy Holidays to all you guys as well. 

Doc, you can never have enough dice (at least that is what my players tell me.) Unfortunately, they always get me ugly ones because they have some superstition that pretty ones might screw them in the end.

I keep telling them that the DM's dice will always screw them no matter what....


----------



## Wee Jas

> Doc, you can never have enough dice (at least that is what my players tell me.) Unfortunately, they always get me ugly ones because they have some superstition that pretty ones might screw them in the end.




I got nice dice.. I go the bribery route


----------



## Ziona

Dr Midnight said:
			
		

> *
> Ziona liked her gift, I thinks... which lasted almost four hours before Xaltar broke a part of it. I bet he had a fun ride home.
> *




I'll have you know the ride home was fine!  

You see, Doc bought me the Special Edition Collectors Series Legolas with Authentically Styled Fabric Outfit and Accessories from LOTR: TTT line.  /swoon

I took Legolas out of the box, equipped his bow, and kept him on the couch with me half the night while we watched Christmas movies.  Moments before we left, I handed Legolas to Xaltar and said, "Be careful with my action figure."  I headed towards the ladies room and when I came out, everyone was gawking at me and Xaltar.  Xaltar said, "You're gonna kill me...I broke your action figure."

Thinking he was joking, I giggled.  He said, "No really... I was trying to put his bow away and I broke the peice off that holds it to his quiver."

Doc or Wee Jas or someone blurts out, "As soon as you went in the bathroom he said, 'I am so dead.' "

I took a look at my husband and said, "That's okay...you'll just have to buy me the other Legolas action figure we saw today to make up for it."

(while doing last minute shopping, i saw a legolas figure that is different from the one doc gave me for xmas, but xaltar didn't let me buy it since he wasn't sure which one doc had gotten for me.)

The truth is, the little plastic peice that held the bow to his quiver looked silly when he was holding his bow in his hand, so it's not a big deal....but if I can get another Legolas figure from this accident, why not go for it??   

Thanks again, Doc!  Very cool gift...   

_BTW...I was more upset when I got my dice home that Wee Jas gave me & found that they are missing a d20 and have two d12s instead!!_


----------



## Neverwinter Knight

Ziona said:
			
		

> *
> 
> BTW...I was more upset when I got my dice home that Wee Jas gave me & found that they are missing a d20 and have two d12s instead!!  *




Wee-Jas, how could you ???


----------



## Wee Jas

> Wee-Jas, how could you ???




Gah!  Uh.. D12s are WAAY more useful anyway!  Right?  Right?

please somebody help me here


----------



## Horacio

Dr Midnight said:
			
		

> *Hey, where's Horacio? Where's my favoritest frenchman in the whole wide world? *




Well, Horacio... I think I remember that guy...
He fell in a depression some two months ago. Life wasn't going too well, some difficult and painful decisions to take. 

[warning: this story maybe won't interest you, so feel free to skip it]

So I took a break. I was also postiong a lot in Meta forum, with a bunch of EN Worlders know as Hivemind. And in a way, they saved me from depression. Oh, it sounds like a film line, maybe, but it did. Because I met very special people, people that today I call friends, more close friends that most people I've met in real life. And Because... well, I'll never tell... but anyways, I took some resolutions, and I'm working to archieve them. 

Life is still messy, and I have some strings to tie before beginning anew, but now I know I have to do it, and that I'm doing it. 

So I think it's time to return to my loved Story Hour forum, to be again the Story Hour addict I was. 

Nice to meet all you aain, my friends...


----------



## Sniktch

Welcome back to the Story Hours, Horacio.  I've missed seeing your name over here 

And congrats on hitting 20K views, Doc.  Keep up the good work!


----------



## Dr Midnight

Horacio- really sorry to read that. I can't find the thread, so I don't know the nature of the problem, but I hope everything's okay with your family.  I know there's not, but if there's something I can do for you, let me know, my friend. 



> congrats on hitting 20K views, Doc. Keep up the good work!



Ooooh, 20k. Nice. Thanks!


----------



## Wee Jas

Wow.. 20k.  Course P Kitty has like 230,000  

_Whahaha... If I keep this up doc will kill us all on Saturday and I can bring back Vek! lol. _


----------



## fenzer

Nice to have you back, Horacio.  I know things work out for you, good guys always win in the end.

Happy Holidays Everyone!


----------



## National Acrobat

> Wow.. 20k. Course P Kitty has like 230,000




Wee Jas, that's just.....wrong.

Funny mind you, but wrong.


----------



## Wee Jas

> Wee Jas, that's just.....wrong.
> 
> Funny mind you, but wrong.




Thats my style


----------



## LGodamus

vekvekvekvekvekvekvekvekvekvekvekvek   did I mention  VEK?


----------



## Lela

Wee Jas said:
			
		

> *
> 
> What?  FOLLOW?
> *





Ah Wee Jas, when I saw that I decided to scroll down and look for that exact comment.  I knew you'd be the one to make it. 




			
				Wee Jas said:
			
		

> *
> Ah.. Lela.. Vek thinks the world of you.  Stop by Spellforge sometime!  lol. *




I'll see what I can do.  Where to you guys play anyway?


----------



## Lela

Dr Midnight said:
			
		

> *Horacio- really sorry to read that. I can't find the thread, so I don't know the nature of the problem, but I hope everything's okay with your family.  I know there's not, but if there's something I can do for you, let me know, my friend.
> 
> *




I think that goes for all of us Horacio.

I always love seeing your name in a Story Hour thread.  It lets me know it's going to be a good one.  Makes me keep reading sometiems when it gets tedious.  It's never failed to pay off.  Thanks for that.

Ever notice how so often we think things but never say them until it's too late (or close to it anyway)?  I've never been able to fully change that.  I'm just forced to rely on those who will let me know when it's too late.  I guess it's something for us all to work on.  Letting others know when we need help.  Cause they always come out of the woodwork when we do.

Anyway, no more philosophy tonight.  Sorry about that.


----------



## LGodamus

here is a little bump to keep us up....and encourage the good doctor to post.


----------



## Neverwinter Knight

Dr Midnight said:
			
		

> *Ooooh, 20k. Nice. Thanks! *




20k ??? That counter must be broken! All those hours spent hitting the refresh button - should they have been in vain?


----------



## Dr Midnight

> here is a little bump to keep us up....and encourage the good doctor to post.



The only reason I haven't been posting lately is because the story is completely up-to-date... we haven't played lately. Playing on Saturday, and I know I say this now and then- but big things should be happening. 

Saturday Saturday Saturday at the Greyhawk Motor Speedway, we've got death and mayhem, maybe the end of a plot thread or two. It's roleplaying RAGNAROK... Kids' tickets just FIVE BUCKS.*

*"FIVE BUCKS" and "RAGNAROK" should be imagined in big scary monster truck announcer guy voice.


----------



## Breakstone

The ticket pays for the whole seat, but you'll only use the EDGE!


----------



## Dr Midnight

Guess who--


----------



## Wee Jas

> Guess who--




An elven monk with a longsword?  What lame-o would ever think of that!?  

I'm guessing it's Tenchi.. well cause the image location is tenchi.jpg ....  lol.. ooppps  (I can picture doc fuming now but I couldn't resist!) !!!!

But WHY is the real problem isn't it


----------



## Lela

Dr Midnight said:
			
		

> *
> The only reason I haven't been posting lately is because the story is completely up-to-date... we haven't played lately. Playing on Saturday, and I know I say this now and then- but big things should be happening.
> 
> Saturday Saturday Saturday at the Greyhawk Motor Speedway, we've got death and mayhem, maybe the end of a plot thread or two. It's roleplaying RAGNAROK... Kids' tickets just FIVE BUCKS.*
> 
> *"FIVE BUCKS" and "RAGNAROK" should be imagined in big scary monster truck announcer guy voice. *




I'm surprised at how widespread that is.  You've got that guy in Rhode Island?  I wouldn't think those commercials sophisticated enough.

Then again, who am I to talk of sophisticated?


----------



## Lela

Wee Jas said:
			
		

> *
> 
> An elven monk with a longsword?  What lame-o would ever think of that!?
> *




No one important, I'm sure. 



			
				Wee Jas said:
			
		

> *
> I'm guessing it's Tenchi.. well cause the image location is tenchi.jpg ....  lol.. ooppps  (I can picture doc fuming now but I couldn't resist!) !!!!
> 
> *




You're evil Wee Jas.  Which is no revelation to you, I'm sure.  Just vindication for a job well done.



			
				Wee Jas said:
			
		

> *
> But WHY is the real problem, isn't it  *




For Saterday to come faster!


----------



## Ziona

Nice pic of Tenchi, Doc!

I'd like to see the full pic of Kizz that you used for my banner someday...


----------



## Wee Jas

> Nice pic of Tenchi, Doc!




Yeah it is...

Doc is my hero.  nobody tell.


----------



## Dr Midnight

Wee Jas said:
			
		

> *(I can picture doc fuming now but I couldn't resist!) !!!!
> *



NOOOOOOOOOO!!! 

Well, I have a big list of characters to draw, but the truth is that I just felt like drawing that wily bastard. I want to finish up the Kizz pic next... I just need a halfway decent inking brush for that. The one I've got is going to hell.


----------



## Wee Jas

> I just need a halfway decent inking brush for that. The one I've got is going to hell




I'll pitch in.


----------



## Neverwinter Knight

Doc, nice Prologue to the next session! I can't wait for your tales!!! 

Wee-Jas, Ziona, you had better do a good job and find out all the things we need to know. 



			
				Dr Midnight said:
			
		

> *Vek's glowing red eyes shifted to watch his new captain, a promising young knight named Metus.
> *




Will there be a Metus fan-club now?



			
				Dr Midnight said:
			
		

> *The lich wanted to do battle in the name of the Ruby Sorceress, not to direct troops in repairing farmhouses.
> *




GO VEK, you can make yourself a nice new armor from that wyrm's hide when you are done!


----------



## Dr Midnight

> Doc, nice Prologue to the next session! I can't wait for your tales!!!




Uh, thanks, but that's Wee Jas (Doug) writing. I'll put the actual thingey up here, as well as at the official site. The whole matter of what Vek is planning to do was a surprise to me- quite a cool surprise. Nice.


----------



## Dr Midnight

*Prologue to Session 46
By Doug "Vek" Hopkins*

The city was located on the shores of the Velverdyva River. Before its destruction by the great white wyrm Acessiwal, Verbobonc was the capital of the Viscounty of Verbobonc. With a population of 11,000 humans and assorted gnomes and elves, it hovered between a large town and small city in size. The city was walled and well maintained, with many fine examples of ancient elven architecture. Long before the founding of the Viscounty, elves and humans lived in settlements along the river. Verbobonc was the greatest of these, once the seat of an elven principality but now it was little more than rubble. Spellforge Keep was the only structure that was spared the destruction. 







Vek watched from a window in the keep as the Knights of Wee Jas worked in the "city" below. A skeleton holding a broom entered the room and proceeded to sweep the area clean of dirt and dust. Vek smiled beneath the black mask that hid his face. The skeleton had been one of the high priests of Tharzidun that he had saved this very city from years ago. He loved the irony of it all. Would Acessiwal been any different? The dragon's bones would have made quite a fearsome addition to the landscape of Spellforge keep had they managed to destroy the dragon instead of just provoking it. Vek's glowing red eyes shifted to watch his new captain, a promising young knight named Metus. "He has good eyes on him." the lich said to his mindless servant but the skeleton was concerned only with sweeping.

In Verbobonc, Captain Metus assigned Vek's fifty knights to various tasks. Their orders were to rebuild the fortifications and help get the remaining townspeople on their feet. Vek brought fresh food and skilled laborers in from nearby towns. The first building to be revived was the Velvet Sabre Inn and Tavern. There was a lot of work to be done and Vek wished a place for his people to relax and more importantly he wanted to start the flow of coin again in the city. The knights worked for the glory their leader would soon show them but the other laborers required coin to work under the shadow of the dragon.

Vek was pleased with the progress that had been made since the knights had flocked to his banner. When Kizz returned she would see a very different Spellforge Keep. He wondered if things would be different enough not to require his direct attention. The lich wanted to do battle in the name of the Ruby Sorceress, not to direct troops in repairing farmhouses. He had lost many personal effects in the battle against Hedrack and instead of spending time and gold on replacing them he was overseeing the reconstruction of a city. Raflorn had better appreciate all the sacrifices he was making in his name. When he finally retrieves Lord and Lady Spellforge from the lair of that blasted dragon they are going to owe him much more than they would have ever imagined.


----------



## Wee Jas

> When he finally retrieves Lord and Lady Spellforge from the lair of that blasted dragon they are going to owe him much more than they would have ever imagined.




Vek always liked the Spellforges... of course... If I'm able to get the bodies out of the dragons lair.. Kyla's body will either "not be there" or have an "accident"


----------



## Lela

Neverwinter Knight said:
			
		

> *
> Will there be a Metus fan-club now?
> 
> *




Aw, Dartan would take Metus down flat.


----------



## Wee Jas

I didn't pimp my new character sheet yet!   Did I?


----------



## Dursk Starkfire

*Kyla*

WJ: Whats the vendetta against Kyla for?


----------



## Lela

*Re: Kyla*



			
				Dursk Starkfire said:
			
		

> *WJ: Whats the vendetta against Kyla for? *




I think her player didn't return to the group after the restart.


----------



## Wee Jas

> WJ: Whats the vendetta against Kyla for?




Kyla and Vek never saw eye to eye but when she took off to fight the dragon with the Spellforges.. and didn't invite Vek.  We'll  he didn't take it well.

Curse Pelor's flock!


----------



## Breakstone

Woo hoo! Game day!


----------



## Lela

Wee Jas said:
			
		

> *
> 
> Kyla and Vek never saw eye to eye but when she took off to fight the dragon with the Spellforges.. and didn't invite Vek.  We'll  he didn't take it well.
> 
> Curse Pelor's flock! *




Was I wrong about Kyla's player not returning then?


----------



## Wee Jas

Tonights game was AWESOME!  It was good to have the old Doc back DM'ing (FINALLY!).  You aren't going to believe what you read!

'NUFF SAID!


----------



## Dr Midnight

Thanks Wee Jas...

 Tonight's game was in my opinion one of the best games of the campaign, if not one of the best games I've ever run. Ohhh man, so much stuff to write. 

I start now... hang in there.


----------



## Dr Midnight

*SESSION 46
Moonday, 17th of Patchwall
THE DRAGON IN THE MIRROR*

The door at the other end of the room led to a long hallway. At the end of this hallway was a closed door. “I think this is it,” Gryph said. “Are we ready to go through?” The others nodded, and the door was opened.

This room was an immense chamber filled with insectlike buzzing. There were several tall rows of wooden boxes, and each was oozing with golden honey. Behind these, along the far wall, was a wide expanse of every type of flower, in every color. Roses, pansies, tulips, sunflowers, poinsettias, and daisies. Red, yellow, white, orange, violet, blue, and magenta. In the air was the humming of bees as they buzzed contentedly from hive to hive, in the rows of boxes. Above, a dazzling formation of crystals cast a bright faux-sunlight into the room, as a chandelier might light a banquet hall. Sitting in front of the hive boxes was an elf woman, bound and weakened on the floor. Her face had clearly been stung a number of times by the bees, and a collection of discarded jars nearby hinted that she had been force-fed many drinks of the mind controlling mead that the bees here were producing. A thin line of spittle ran from the corner of her mouth as she saw the heroes enter the room. 

Far to the left was a small lake. Hovering above the lake was a bizarre creature the likes of which none of the Knights had ever laid eyes to before. Its slender form was covered entirely in tight, rubbery material that was covered in chitinous, gray, form-fitting plates. Its head had four colored stones set about its headdress. Most disturbing was its mouth. Where a nose and mouth would be on a normal man was a set of writhing tentacles that slopped over each other as one might wring his hands together. The skin was purplish-green and glimmered with an oily quality that set off different colors depending on how the light hit it. 

_You’ve come a long way to find me, and I commend you,_ the thing spoke inside the Knights’ minds. _So. Would you like to have a drink, or should we do this the hard way?_

“Ugh… villain banter.” Shade pulled his sword and ran into the room, towards the woman on the ground. With one smooth downward stroke he severed the ropes that bound her. He tossed her a small gold ring. “Put this on, love… then run.” She caught it awkwardly and slowly slipped it on her finger. She disappeared. 

_A villain’s banter is an important part of the hero’s quest, don’t you know? I’m honoring convention._ The creature at the end of the room sighed. _We can’t have you freeing everyone you find tied up in the lairs of evil geniuses, now, can we? The hard way, then. Attack._ At this, the dull buzzing in the room rose to an angry roar, and thousands of bees boiled up out of the flowerbed and hive. They flew to the Knights carrying stingers dripping with their psionic poison. 

Grumbar leapt into the room with a yell, and Kizzlorn, Orthos and Jo’nas followed. The mind flayer held out his hand to them and a cone of roaring fire blazed out and enveloped them. 

Gryph’s body swelled, turned red, and melted outward into his familiar red dragon shape. He flew towards the floating tentacled creature on veined wings. “Mmmm… smells like calamari.” He reached the illithid and ripped into him with two vicious claws. 

The creature’s telepathic voice rang with more alarm than it had intended to let show. _Stop that. Back off now, and I’ll let you live as one of my slaves._

“Okay,” Gryph laughed as he continued to attack. The creature had clearly not expected to be attacked so easily by a red dragon.

The bees swarmed over the other Knights, and they fought back the screams as they were stung in a dozen places at once. They immediately felt the influence of the poison pressing in on their minds, but fought it back. Kizzlorn cast a fireball over Orthos, Shade and Jo’nas. The heroes easily survived the blast of fire, but the bees were burned to death in a split second. They fell to the ground in a rain of crisp black bodies. Shade followed that by fireballing the bees covering Grumbar, and they each began killing the advancing insect army with great gobs of flame. 

The illithid had one last option to try before it would plane shift away. It reached into its head and began swirling a cyclone of madness. It funneled this out through its consciousness, and Gryph felt a wave of palpable energy surge past him. His dragon’s brain shrugged off the effects, and the attack known as a “mind blast” was gone. Gryph reared back and opened his jaws, then bit through the creature entirely. Just ripped him in two. His black, oily blood spilled out into the water and created a slick on the surface that shone with sickening hues. Gryph had once more managed to use speed and brute force to overcome a deadly enemy. He was about to turn back to help the others finish scouring the room of bees when he felt an odd pinch at the side of his jaw, right by the pink of his gums. A bee flew away. Had he been stung? He had. No matter, though. No…

Shade put his sword into its sheath and looked around. “Are we done? That was easy, wasn’t it?”

“Yeah,” Grumbar agreed. “I didn’t even get to kill anything. As usual, Gryph gone ahead and done all the killin’ before I could get there.” The half-orc pouted.

“Ahh, don’t worry, lad. You’ll do plenty o’…” he paused, and his face drained of color as he stared over Grumbar’s shoulder. He whipped his sword back out. “Everyone brace yourselves… this is gonna hurt.”

Gryph the red dragon was rushing towards them with claws and teeth bared.

_*MUCH MORE TO COME...* _


----------



## Breakstone

Hooray for in-party conflict!

I can't wait to read more, Doc!


----------



## Lela

Dr Midnight said:
			
		

> *Thanks Wee Jas...
> 
> Tonight's game was in my opinion one of the best games of the campaign, if not one of the best games I've ever run. Ohhh man, so much stuff to write.
> 
> I start now... hang in there. *




Just a prepitory, "I'm so exited to start reading" post.


----------



## Lela

Now an, "I hope there's more tonight" post.

Truely rocking DM the DM.  It's great.


----------



## Dr Midnight

Thanks Lela. Sadly, no more for tonight- it's 2:15 and I'm one tired bizzy-nitch. I'll probably sit down to write more when I wake up. 

I'd like to point out that in-party conflict is not what makes this session good, though it is a small part of the beginning- and a somewhat larger part of the end. 

Goodnight all!


----------



## Krellic

Ouch, red dragons are great to have on the party until...


----------



## Celtavian

*Re*

Kizzlorn must get her pet Gryph back on the leash before he kills too many of the Knights.


----------



## Wee Jas

> Kizzlorn must get her pet Gryph back on the leash before he kills too many of the Knights.




Pet dragon?!  lol.  Jerk   

I'll show you pet dragon.. haha


----------



## National Acrobat

*Woohoo!*

"Please sir, I want some more."

Oh man, I cannot wait for the rest of this session....


----------



## Hammerhead

Eat him, Gryph.


----------



## Lela

Dr Midnight said:
			
		

> *Thanks Lela. Sadly, no more for tonight- it's 2:15 and I'm one tired bizzy-nitch. I'll probably sit down to write more when I wake up.
> *




NP.  I went to bed too. 



			
				Dr Midnight said:
			
		

> *
> I'd like to point out that in-party conflict is not what makes this session good, though it is a small part of the beginning- and a somewhat larger part of the end.
> 
> *




Oooo, better then in-party conflict? I can't wait for this.


----------



## Dr Midnight

A very brief update in a moment, because the cliffhanger there is too good to carry through on JUST yet. The desired effect is people screaming at me to update again.


----------



## Dr Midnight

_Destroy the intruders, defend the hive_, commanded the buzzing voice in Gryph’s head. He smashed Grumbar aside and flew over Shade, dropping down to hover over Kizzlorn. He tore into the sorceress with delight. 

Kizzlorn screamed as the claws raked over here, leaving bloody furrows. “Gryph, stop! You’re under the control of the poison! It’s me!” 

The hive boxes began to burn wildly. The fireballs had lit the wood, and the rows of hives were very quickly turning into an inferno. Bees crawled out and died on the ground.

Shade ran towards Kizz and vaulted up off of her backpack (careful not to squish Snooky, who hid there in terror). He flew up and swiped at the dragon’s chest- and missed. He landed in a crouch, unsure of what to do next or how to do it. Grumbar came forward swinging his grappling hook. He let it fly, and it wrapped around Gryph's neck and locked there. He shouted triumphantly, then stopped suddenly. Now that he had a red dragon on the end of a rope, what did he plan to do about it? He started yanking and trying in vain to bring the dragon down. 

Jo’nas yelled “Stay here, I’ll go get help!” he disappeared. Back at the Keep, he knew there’d be others with the power to stop a raging dragon. Orthos began casting spells in Gryph’s direction. 

Kizzlorn was dying. She was being ripped to pieces before their eyes. Shade jumped up on the rope and tried to climb. Gryph swatted him off and he fell. The red dragon cackled some mad laughter and brought its claw down on Kizz. She was crushed. She lay silently on the ground in the center of a crimson pool. “No! NO!” Shade began swinging his sword furiously, but it just didn’t seem to be hitting Gryph often enough. “Can’t someone do something?” 

Jamison Crow appeared in a flash of light at the door to the cavern. Quickly, he surveyed the scene and put two and two together- a red dragon was attacking the group. Not all that complex. Jamison, having never met Gryph, and having not been told about the fact that the dragon was a partymate, assumed the worst. He was about to blast the dragon with a bolt of lightning when the hive boxes collapsed in a cloud of soot and sparks. Beyond them, Jamison saw dimly a great pile of treasure. Gold, weapons, armor, wands, jewels, and so on… all heaped against the north wall, hidden until now by the hives. Jamison’s eyes locked on one thing in that pile of treasure. 

Shade died. Grumbar fell to his knees in despair and gave out a cry. He put his face in his hands and sobbed. “It’s hopeless. Hopeless.” Gryph reared over him, happily readying to rip him apart. 

Jamison shouted “Not yet…” and cast his lightning bolt. The bolt arced past Gryph and beyond. The bolt shot straight for the mirror in the treasure pile. The mirror was tall, ovular, and it had swirling patterns of color in its glass. Silhouetted against this color was the unmistakable shape of a dragon. As the bolt of lightning shattered the mirror, glass and smoke exploded upward in a white cloud. “DAD!!” Jamison exclaimed, somewhere between laughing and screaming. 

Huge wings spread out from the cloud. A clawed foot came down and crushed the flowers, then the other came down beside it. An immense head pushed up out of the cloud at the end of a serpentine neck. Jamison’s joyful cries choked and died in his throat when he saw it shake its wings free of the dust of the ruined mirror. 

The air grew noticeably chillier in the cavern. The wide white wings beat the air and lifted the beast from the ground with thunderous rushes of wind that pounded through one’s chest like a drum. The yellow eyes glared cruelly around the room and its breath turned to plumes of frost. The white dragon hovered above the Knights. 

Acessiwal was free. 

*MORE TO COME... *


----------



## Celtavian

*Re*

Dang...another TPK. I have never seen more people die than in these adventures and the Unusual Heroes. The carnage, the carnage is unbelievable. I will be incredibly surprised if they manage to escape this situation alive.

That SOB Jamison. I knew they should have killed him along time ago. Just unbelievable that he thinks Accesiwal is his father unless of course he has been charmed because of his low wisdom. Someone just put the guy out of his misery. No one with a wisdom as low as Jamison's should be allowed to wield magic.


----------



## Horacio

Give me more, doc!


----------



## Lela

Aside from a "Fricken heck!" a "Oh crap, that's bad!" and a recomedation to proof read the first 2-3 paragraphs, I have nothing to say until another update comes along.

Oh, yeah, and "GIVE ME MORE!!!!!!!!!!!!"

Can't believe I almost forgot that one.  Sorry about that.

It won't happen again.


----------



## National Acrobat

*Yikes!*

Man, this is going to be good...what a cliffhanger!


----------



## Wee Jas

I knocked Kiz down to -100.  (Who ever heard of that?!)

I power attacked for 9 and critical hitted her with the tail slap.  ouch.

Bad pet!


----------



## National Acrobat

*Ouch!*



			
				Wee Jas said:
			
		

> *I knocked Kiz down to -100.  (Who ever heard of that?!)
> 
> I power attacked for 9 and critical hitted her with the tail slap.  ouch.
> 
> Bad pet!
> 
> *




Man. Did you have to borrow any extra dice for that?

Did the room suddenly go quiet as you were picking up the dice?


----------



## Wee Jas

> Man. Did you have to borrow any extra dice for that?




Not really.  Kiz disguised that she only had 4 hps left when I attacked her really well.

A large red dragon gets:  Bite, 2 claws, 2 wings, and a tail slap.  5 attacks all powerattacking for 9.  I knew she would get hurt.. just not -100 hurt.


----------



## Celtavian

*re*

Kizzlorn is now a big pile gooey, bloody flesh mixed with burnt bees and honey, oh, and the remains of Shade. Gryph is a cruel, cruel dragon. 

I can't wait to see how the Knights manage to escape this horror. Maybe Vek will come and kill Gryph. That should be interesting.


----------



## Neverwinter Knight

Damn, what happened ??? Doc, you had us all fooled, thinking the dragon in the mirror was Gorgoldand - congrats. Please finish your story a.s.a.p.  

-100 hp? That's nothing! We had ourselves a merry little x-mas session as well and finished RttToEE by accident (we were only a 10th level party). We only lost one person during that encounter, who held on pretty well, but was reduced to -247 hp by Inmix in one round (full program: power attack, critical, ...). Finally that adventure is over. And BTW, I gained 4 levels from that encounter  !!!


----------



## Dr Midnight

Those two errors fixed... sorry folks. I don't know what happened. This never happens, honestly. I must be tired. Or all that stress from work. Heh. Uh, really, this never happens. 

Yes, I was very happy to lead you all to believe it was Gorgoldand. I'm afraid it won't be that easy mister Bond.


----------



## Broccli_Head

Ouch Doc!

It looks like a TPK.....


----------



## Ziona

Wee Jas said:
			
		

> *I knocked Kiz down to -100.  (Who ever heard of that?!)
> 
> I power attacked for 9 and critical hitted her with the tail slap.  ouch.
> *




I started out with 126 HPs.  I took a few bites from bees, and then I took half damage from the mind flayer's Fireball. I still had about 86 HPs left. Then Griff arrives and takes me down to 5!  Of course, I didn't say anything...(I actually tried to Flesh To Stone him...)  So, by the time his bite, claw, claw, tail attacks were done, I just said, "Negative 100...that's all you've got??"   

And then of course, I was convinced that the dragon in the mirror was good ol' Gorgoldon, but...well, you know.   I just assumed that since Jamison smashed the mirror, his dear old dad would save us...I was wrong!


----------



## Krellic

Dr Midnight said:
			
		

> *  Acessiwal was free.
> 
> And will he be grateful?  Somehow I doubt it...*


----------



## Lela

Dr Midnight said:
			
		

> *Those two errors fixed... sorry folks. I don't know what happened. This never happens, honestly. I must be tired. Or all that stress from work. Heh. Uh, really, this never happens.
> 
> Yes, I was very happy to lead you all to believe it was Gorgoldand. I'm afraid it won't be that easy mister Bond. *




Am I the only one here who didn't think it was Gorgoldand?  Then again, I didn't think it was our big white friend either.

I won't say who I thought was (coughlittlecoughfriendcoughwhitecough) cause that would just make me look stupid.

I do gotta say that I love how your group handles these kind of things though.  I worry about how my group would react to this kind of thing.  I tried once (last week) but they were kind enough to dispel magic on him after one round.  DANGIT!

I just don't use things to their fullest potential.

Then again, I did wack an 80 HP monk for 115 from a leveled minitour hith a huge greataxe.  He only had one crit with all three attacks. *shrug*  Didn't expect him to do that much damage.  Good thing he was stupid enough to charge down the stairs (which were covered in a _Grease_ spell).  Otherwise he'd have taken out the whole party before his playmates even had a chance to cheer him on.


----------



## Caliber

I thought it was the same person as you did Lela, if I can read between the coughs as it is.


----------



## Lela

Caliber said:
			
		

> *I thought it was the same person as you did Lela, if I can read between the coughs as it is. *




Thanks Caliber.  That makes me feel better.


----------



## Celtavian

*Re*

Shouts "DOC...DOC...DOC...DOC...DOC!!" while banging fervently on the table with an empty mug in an attempt to urge Doc to post more of his story.


----------



## Neverwinter Knight

GO DOC, I too am sitting here with my coffee mug, having breakfast and hoping that at least one knight survived this!

In terms of staying awake, I recommend Guarana - the original stuff, not the energy drink. It took me through our 12 hour marathon session on the 28th without being tired.  


Is Gryph really THAT powerfull? I mean, can he really take out the entire party? That is pretty bad, considering the high level they are and Gryph not having all the abilities of a red dragon... Or did the rest of the party just roll bad? (Got the good dice, Wee-Jas - eh...)


----------



## LGodamus

Good lord the torture of waiting is horrible...........post already


----------



## Lela

Neverwinter Knight said:
			
		

> *
> Is Gryph really THAT powerfull? I mean, can he really take out the entire party? That is pretty bad, considering the high level they are and Gryph not having all the abilities of a red dragon... Or did the rest of the party just roll bad? (Got the good dice, Wee-Jas - eh...) *




He went for the one who could do touch attacks and _Dispel Magic_ first.  Your too smart Wee Jas, even when dominated.  They also weren't ready for him.

Plus, it looks like they rolled bad.  If Shade had been able to Crit, well, bye bye Wee one.

Anyway, my question is what happened to the group who originally set out after Acessiwal?  Are they stuck in their own mirror somewhere?  Are they just coming out from behind Acessiwal  next?

Is it really Acessiwal?

Trust no one!

Plus, I would think the Bees would be more afraid of a White Dragon (they don't like cold) than the, now decimated, party.  Gryph may be bounding off after Acessiwal  next.


----------



## Celtavian

*re*

I think Gryph surprised them. When you can attack as many times as a huge red dragon, it isn't too hard to kill at least one person per round. I am surprised he has Power Attack, but I can see how it is a good feat to have for his concept.

Gryph shouldn't have too many hit points though as the Red Dragon's con doesn't cause hit points to change, but his armor class is probably insane. It will be interesting to see if the party can kill Gryph given how good Wee Jas uses his abilities.

It will be no surprise to me if Gryph does kill the party though. A tactically good player against with power against a surprised party equals bad news for all involved. Though, Accessiwal is probably worse news than a mind-controlled Gryph.


----------



## Wee Jas

> Gryph shouldn't have too many hit points though as the Red Dragon's con doesn't cause hit points to change, but his armor class is probably insane.




Actually.. I put my best stat in Con (21) + my Endurance spell (25) on that day nets me a ton of extra hps!

Grumbar and Shade could probably take Gryph out pretty easy if the large red dragon didn't have REACH!  So.. I fly 10ft above there heads and...


----------



## Celtavian

*Re*

Can you hover as a dragon with Poor Maneuverability? Or do you have a feat? I am not sure how big the room is either, but I am assuming it is quite huge to allow two dragons to move around inside of it.


----------



## Neverwinter Knight

Where is Doc? He is probably trying to make his write-up as *bloody* as possible.


----------



## Wee Jas

> Can you hover as a dragon with Poor Maneuverability?




You can't gah... Oh well.. Kiz probably would've only been down to -20 not -100.  Lol..  Thats not as bad as my big mistake... Which was taking ambidexterity with Vek even though he only has a 12 dex so I can't even use it!  
/wants to buy guantlets of Dexterity +4  



> Where is Doc? He is probably trying to make his write-up as bloody as possible.




No.. he is making music... STILL!  Write Doc!  /cracks whip


----------



## Dr Midnight

I just wanted to make the wait as tasty as possible... like holding it with the bathroom just in sight. Um. Probably a bad analogy. 

As for Gryph, when he was stung, he asked very seriously "Okay, now do you want me to just attack, or do you want me to be SMART about it?" I said be smart about it, knowing it meant carnage. Like I've said- Wee Jas is the group tactician. 

Lemme put a pot of coffee on, and I'll write up a big chapter with lots of good stuff. Hang in there.

TILL THEN, HOW ABOUT SOME MUSIC??


----------



## Neverwinter Knight

That's good news, Doc. But you definately write better than you make music   

Just kidding Doc, I like to play with music programs, too.


----------



## Dr Midnight

_*LAST TIME:
Gryph was turned against the group and began killing his friends. Jamison appeared and freed from an imprisonment mirror a dragon, which he believed to be his lost adopted father, Gorgoldand. *

The air grew noticeably chillier in the cavern. The wide white wings beat the air and lifted the beast from the ground with thunderous rushes of wind that pounded through one’s chest like a drum. The yellow eyes glared cruelly around the room and its breath turned to plumes of frost. The white dragon hovered above the Knights. 

Acessiwal was free. 
_

The white dragon floated up to the center of the cavern and looked down on the combat. “YOU… HAVE FAILED… TO KEEP ME IN YOUR PRISON.” His voice shuddered through the air and was as deep and as thick as cracking icebergs. “NOW… YOU ARE DYING.” 

His yellow eyes widened suddenly when he saw the remains of the sorceress on the ground. “SPELLFORGE,” he whispered. “SO… IT WAS YOU… AND I AM ROBBED… OF MY VENGEANCE. MY CAPTORS… ARE BEING RIGHTLY PUNISHED. I WILL LEAVE YOU TO IT… MY RED FRIEND… KILL THEM ALL.” He began laughing. The slow, deep booms of the dragon’s mirth echoed to deafening effect, and faded slowly when the dragon disappeared in a flash of white light that left nothing but a trail of slowly swirling frost in its wake. 

Jamison stared terrified and heartbroken up at the place where the white dragon was. He hadn’t been with the group when they’d fought him the first time… he’d only heard about the encounter in the recent months. No telling could have conveyed just how frightening it was to look upon the winter wyrm that Kizzlorn had devoted her life to destroying. If only Gorgoldand had been in the mirror, as Jamison had believed… this whole ugly mess would be settled. 

A rush of wings to Jamison’s right and Gryph was hurtling at him. He was now the only Knight left standing. Grumbar was kneeling and sobbing in defeat, and the others lay dead all around him. Jamison raised his hand and shot a greenish ray, but he hadn’t been able to concentrate correctly and the spell fizzled as Gryph’s mettle proved too tough. The dragon slammed into Jamison and snatched him up, flying him across the cavern. 

“Time to die, wizard, with water in your lungs instead of your spellcaster’s breath.” They plunged down towards the pool. 

Too late, a tiny voice shrieked _NOOOOO!!!_ in Gryph’s head. 

They crashed down into the underground lake’s cold blackness. Jamison flailed his arms and tried to escape the dragon’s claws. Then they struck something under the water, and it broke from the force. The psionic bees’ hive was only partially in the boxes that had burned. An underwater hive had been erected beneath the surface of the lake, and there lived the queen. Its thick honeycombed walls were no match for a dragon’s strength, and it crushed inward. 

A wash of bubbles and chunks of hive surrounded Jamison and Gryph, and Gryph heard the voice again. _Save meeeee…_ Gryph immediately released the wizard and used his sharp dragon’s sight to scan the water. He used all of his senses to tell what was floating about them. He searched, searched… and located her. He shot out a claw and gently caught the tumbling queen bee. He then beat his wings and shot up from the water, and his queen sputtered for life _Protect me!_ she screamed in his head. 

“As you wish, my queen.” They flew up to the cavern’s ceiling as the queen coughed out water and tried to rub water from her segmented eye bulbs. 

Jamison rose gasping from the lake and swam for shore. He reached the bank and made a stumbling run for Grumbar. “Grumbar, we’re going back! Grab a piece of Orthos!”

The miserable half-orc looked up from his hands and asked “Whuh?”

“GRAB A PIECE OF ORTHOS GRAB A PIECE OF ORTHOS GRAB A PIECE!!” Jamison was running with all his might and the words came with every step. Grumbar stood up and took from his fallen dwarf friend the hand that had been severed in the fight and held it tightly. “I guess my life debt’s over,” he said sadly to Kizzlorn’s remains. 

Jamison reached the bodies and took no time to be delicate about what needed to be done. He plunged his hand down and closed it around a wet fist-sized piece of Kizzlorn that may have been an abdominal muscle. He grabbed a similar handful from Shade, and said “Quick, grab hold of me!”

Grumbar saw what Jamison was doing, and nodded. He moved towards him, then turned away and grabbed Shade’s sword from the ground. He closed his arms around Jamison and yelled “GO!” 

They did. Light flashed as the _Teleportation_ spell whisked them away.

In the air, Gryph circled the hanging crystal structure, holding his queen in his hand. He had defended his queen and destroyed the infidels. He threw his head back and roared triumphantly, and the sound echoed through the halls of the Jirrock stronghold deep in the belly of the Uffatos Strath. 

Spellforge Keep loomed high over Verbobonc. The once lush fields of the land were covered with choking fog that made the treeline in the distance a gray silhouette. The sky may as well have not even been there. 

Captain Metus stood on the drawbridge of Spellforge Keep, looking out over what he saw, and his heart was heavy. There could be no victory in this, he knew. Not his men, not he, not even his master could turn what he saw coming through the mist towards the Keep. 

Roughly two or three thousand torches were bobbing through the gloom and coming closer. Angry voices grew louder. Pitchforks and axes were being jabbed into the air. The few remaining people of Verbobonc had rallied together and decided to take a stand against their boogeyman: the lich in the haunted castle. 

“Hold fast, men,” Captain Metus said. “We have the makings of a riot here. Don’t let them see one of you tremble or they will feed on it. Avoid eye contact. Don’t show fear.” His dedicated warriors stood shoulder to shoulder behind him. 

The mob slowed to a stop at the drawbridge. The torches faded back into the distance. So many torches… “What is the meaning of this?” Captain Metus asked. 

A half-elf stepped forward and yelled “Bring out your lich-lord, so that Verbobonc might know its GENEROUS benefactor!” The people cheered angrily. 

“Lord Vek has funded the rebuilding of our city. Why are you assembling against him?”

The half-elf turned, speaking more to the crowd than to Metus. “We are assembling against the CONTROL of a NECROMANCER… one who has allied with the winged DEATH to bring RUIN TO OUR ONCE GREAT CITY! Only this castle was left to stand on our blighted horizon, reminding us of the terror of the white DOOM that YOUR LORD’S BROUGHT DOWN UPON US!!!” The people screamed in agreement. “We don’t WANT your help! We don’t NEED your help! And we DON’T NEED to be PAWNS in VEK MORMONT’S SCHEMES! We will not be held under the thumb of a lich in return for putting up a new schoolhouse.” He paused for a dramatic beat and turned back to Metus. “Tell your undead master to take his ill-gotten coin back to the grave with him.” He threw a sack of gold at Metus’s feet and the people roared.

“DOWN WITH SPELLFORGE!”

“GO BACK TO THE ABYSS, UNHOLY FIEND!!”

“PELOR TAKE YOU!”

The crowd surged slightly, as if it grew, and boldly the torches moved a little closer. Metus held his hands up in a calming gesture and tried to steady his voice. It didn’t work entirely. “Now, people, if you don’t want Lord Mormont’s help, then you needn’t accept it. He feels it is his duty to aid the recovery efforts of the people. We have the funds and power to help you. Why…”

“DEVILS AND DEMONS TAKE YOUR FUNDS AND POWER!!!”

The half-elf leader said “Bring your reclusive corpse-lord out here and let us have words with HIM, instead of his lapdog.” 

Captain Metus was growing angry. “I don’t think…”

“No,” came a gravelly voice from inside the castle. The voice floated out over the crowd and silenced the shouts and stomping. The men on the drawbridge parted and Captain Metus stepped aside. From the blackness beyond melted a thin figure wrapped in robes wearing a black mask. “I am here.” Vek walked forward slowly, seeming to float over the ground, until he was three feet from the rebellion’s leader, who was very clearly steeling his nerves. 

“You want words. Let us have them.” 

_*MORE TO COME...*_


----------



## seasong

Got in a bit late, but just wanted to say:

A TPK couldn't happen... if Gryph doesn't die, it's not a TPK. And we all know he's gonna smear them all.


----------



## Elemental

And there's the white wyrm.....perhaps someone should start a fund to buy Jamison a _Peripat of Wisdom?_ 

Anyway, just dropped in to say great story, and happy new year!


----------



## Breakstone

In the wise words of one famous Inspector, "Wowsers bowsers!"

Doc, that sounded like a terrific session! Are Vek and Jamison back in the party now?


----------



## DWARF

So Jamison Crow shows up to "save the day" and releases the White Dragon instead.

*sigh*, I can only hope Dartan finishes his quest quickly...


----------



## National Acrobat

Of course Jamison only had the best of intentions....

Great write up. Now, about those rebellious citizens...


----------



## LGodamus

actually any dragon can hover for one round....no feat needed, but then they have to land........I think.


----------



## Horacio

Wow, what an update. And another cliffhanger...


More, please 


And Happy New Year!


----------



## Celtavian

*Re*

Damn, you run some very cool games Doc. Sounds like your players have a blast roleplaying as well as fighting. I envy your gaming group, that is for sure. 

I can't wait to see how this pans out. Great plot twists.


----------



## Lela

Dr Midnight said:
			
		

> *I just wanted to make the wait as tasty as possible... like holding it with the bathroom just in sight. Um. Probably a bad analogy.
> 
> *




Love it Doc.  I'll be sure to add it to my commonly used phrases.

But dang if it won't go in a .sig!  Just doesn't work for me _that way_.  I'll have to keep an eye out for something new.


----------



## Neverwinter Knight

DWARF said:
			
		

> *So Jamison Crow shows up to "save the day" and releases the White Dragon instead.
> 
> *sigh*, I can only hope Dartan finishes his quest quickly... *




Jupp, Jamison has lived far too long already   - maybe we should give Dartan a hint.


----------



## DWARF

National Acrobat said:
			
		

> *Of course Jamison only had the best of intentions....
> *




As Samuel Johnson never said, "The road to hell is paved with good intentions..."


----------



## Dr Midnight

There's a lot of anti-Jamison going on here. Just remember, people, he's very much a good character... he's just plagued by the fact that he can't stop touching things. That's all. That's what's led him to be controlled by evil... but I don't think you could say he's responsible for all the murders he did when he was evil. 

And, it's certainly not Jamison's fault for releasing Acessiwal. Who made him believe his big shiny daddy was in there? Me. Because I'm a treacherous bastard like that. 

If none of that will convince you, just remember it's thanks to Jamison that we don't have a TPK on our hands.


----------



## Celtavian

*re*

I don't think the way he ruthlessly killed Angelique will ever leave my mind when I think of the character. Jamison was vicious and doesn't seem at all affected by his experience. Another point that makes me seriously dislike the character.

From what I can recall of the old story, Angelique actually cared for Jamison. He killed her ruthlessly while corrupted. Now, he just does the same old crap he used to do.

Jamison gets no love until I see a change in the mindless mage. His damn teacher should have never taught him magic knowing how lacking he was in common sense. Magic is dangerous to the weak-willed.


----------



## Neverwinter Knight

Dr Midnight said:
			
		

> *Lemme put a pot of coffee on, and I'll write up a big chapter with lots of good stuff. Hang in there.*




We have some important events here, but still only the thing with the dragon in the mirror was resolved. What about the creature the knights came to find? What about Gorgoldand? 

Was there any more in that session or are you finished with your write-up, doc? 

_* crosses fingers and hopes there is still more to come  *_


----------



## Dr Midnight

Oh, I'm only about halfway done... Rest easy.


----------



## Breakstone

Anti-Jamison?

Whaaaaa?

What's wrong with you people? Jamison's great! He's the loveable, curious kid of the party!

Oh sure, he's had some bad times, but I chalk that up to puberty.


----------



## Lela

Tsunami said:
			
		

> *Anti-Jamison?
> 
> Whaaaaa?
> 
> What's wrong with you people? Jamison's great! He's the loveable, curious kid of the party!
> 
> Oh sure, he's had some bad times, but I chalk that up to puberty. *




Aw, if he had just been a halfling to begin with, no one would have a problem with it.  You're all just bigoted towards humans.


----------



## Dr Midnight

Langard, the man leading the uprising against Spellforge Keep, steeled himself and looked into Vek’s mask. He didn’t allow himself to flinch when he saw the two red points of light through the eyeholes. “Verbobonc rejects the aid of the Spellforge lich.”

“Why?” came the whisper that sounded like the word was spoken through a dried up throat.

“Because the name of Spellforge is cursed in this land. Your group cost everyone here a fruitful life. The few who remained in town have had to work hard to even begin to recover what was lost thanks to your friend the dragon.” The crowd yelled agreement.

“Our friend the dragon.” 

“That’s right. Why else would he leave your castle unharmed when the REST of us are slaughtered like lambs in a stable?”

“You fool. We went to kill the dragon… and when we failed, it attacked our town. It was the cruelest kind of revenge. It ruined the lives of the Knights of the Silver Quill. We separated to different areas of the land. Katya and Rafflorn, who by rights owned this castle, fled to the west to keep their people safe… to keep all of YOU safe… from further attacks. They fled, yes, and lived in hiding for the rest of their days.”

Langard spoke loudly. “So the dragon attacked us to attack you? I’m sorry, but let me tell you what really happened. You had dealings with the dragon. You were in league. Perhaps you even plotted this out to try to gain control of the town’s shattered people. What’s for certain is that you are now attempting to gain favor with our town so that we’ll perhaps look the other way when you begin increasing in power and attempting to take over the world. We’d be too weak and impoverished to fight back, is that it?” The crowd grew excited. “WE’D BE TOO INDEBTED TO YOU TO STAND UP FOR OURSELVES, IS THAT IT?!”

“We meant no harm to you or the people of Verbobonc… whom embraced us before the incident. It was the revenge of an ancient wyrm. It was planned to ruin us.”

“The only thing I see about this place that seems ruined is you, UNDEAD.” Langard hissed the word out and it sent a murmur through the crowd. “I think if you’re genuinely interested in our reconstruction, your precious castle should be made to match our town, eh?” 

Vek’s eyes flared orange red and stared into the half-elf. He whispered. “Don’t you… ever… threaten my home.” 

Langard swallowed. This wasn’t going well. 

Behind Vek, a flash of light and the sound of magic swirling through the castle. He looked back to see Jamison and Grumbar, looking very badly beaten. “Jamison. What happened? Where are the others?”

Jamison looked out and saw the town of Verbobonc across the drawbridge, staring into the castle at him. He realized he was carrying two mangled lumps of flesh in his hands, and quickly put them behind his back. Grumbar did the same with the severed hand in his grasp. Jamison tried to sound casual. “Oh… uh… I think we should talk about it afterward. You’re busy.”

Langard seized on Jamison’s appearance. “Jamison? As in Jamison CROW?? The mad wizard of the Flanaess is under your roof, lich? The man responsible for countless deaths in the realm?” Jamison shrank away and ran into the castle. 

Vek cursed Jamison’s inconvenient timing. “Yes,” he said. “He was under the control of elemental evil. He has since been purged of it and is working to make amends to those he helped destroy. It’s all he can do.”

“WAS under the control of evil?? What about you? Aren’t you ‘EVIL’, LICH?”

“No.” Vek spoke to the crowd. “I worship the goddess of death and magic. This does not make me evil. I am undead. This does not make me evil. I was part of a group that accidentally set a dragon to destroying my town. This does not make me evil. I am a creature of law, Langard. Law is the hard red blade that sends the screaming hordes of chaos back to their hell. I work to repair this town because it is MY town. My army, the Knights of Wee Jas, are here to help you and the people of Verbobonc to rebuild, because we ARE at fault for the dragon’s attacks, and it is something we can never repay… but we are going to try. That is the essence of law. Rebuilding rule in the face of entropic decay.“

The crowd murmured. Some lowered their torches and talked in hushed voices. Among them, Jamison Crow walked. He had slipped out the back door wearing his hat of disguise, and now wandered amongst the peasants, looking like one. “I don’t want to destroy the only force helping us to rebuild,” he said loudly. He moved to another spot and spoke in a different voice. “What exactly IS a lich, anyway?” He moved again. “Lord Mormont is right!” The people were starting to agree with the things Jamison was shouting. The people lowered their weapons and looked about at each other uncertainly.

Langard knew he had lost. “All right,” he said. “We will discuss this amongst ourselves for a time. I warn you, lich… We will be watching you very carefully.”

“And I,” Vek replied, “will be watching YOU, Langard.”  

The people began dispersing. 

Jamison went back to the castle and rejoined Vek inside. "That was a good plan," Vek said. "Quick thinking, Jamison... though you could have teleported in at a better time."

"Never mind that," Jamison said. He pulled out a chair at the dining hall and sat. "We've got bigger problems. Have a seat."

_*MORE TO COME...* _


----------



## Lela

Let's all walk up to a Litch and tell him he won't make us weak by making us strong.

Gee, it almost sounds like they don't want to be undead rather than the cash to make a school.

"Men, who above all else, desire power."


----------



## fenzer

Great story Doc.  I am excited to have Vek and Jamison taking on the white wyrm.  Please update soon.


----------



## Breakstone

Heh heh heh... great thinking, Jamison!

And that speech by Vek was very, very well said.


----------



## Ziona

Metus said:
			
		

> *Hey Doc, are we going to get pictures of the gang during Christmas party?  I enjoyed that one time you posted the pics from Halloween. *




Here are a few pics from the Christmas party, as requested...

From L to R: Doc, Xaltar (Shade), WeeJas (Griff/Vek), Dent (Jo'nas), and Justin playing Hero Clix...








and here is one of Dartan (Grumbar) with the Gandalf bobble head in his hands that Xaltar & I gave him for Christmas...






And finally, here is the pic that WeeJas took of the rest of us while we were watching A Christmas Story... (you'll shoot your eye out!!)






Happy New Year to you all!


----------



## DWARF

Okay, I'll expalin my logic behind my disapproval of Jamison Crow.

Jamison plays with forces he shouldn't -> Jamison ends up causing bad things

Then, Jamison says he wants to repent for all the bad things that happened.  And he then proceeds to play with forces he shouldn't.  (The gong, the mirror, etc.)  Now last time he did stuff like this, people died.  How is doing the same foolish actions that caused the original tragedy's "repenting"?


----------



## Lela

Thanks Ziona!

Wow, two cool updates in one hour'n half period.


----------



## Breakstone

Looks like it was a fun and dandy Christmas!

Except, y'know, for the whole d12 instead of a d20 disaster...

Wee Jas, how could you?


----------



## Lela

Lela said:
			
		

> *Thanks Ziona!
> 
> Wow, two cool updates in one hour'n half period. *




Wait just a gosh darn minute here.  I've yet to see anything with you in it, Ziona.


----------



## LGodamus

Come on doc........that can not be it..........post darn it post.


----------



## Neverwinter Knight

Lela said:
			
		

> *
> 
> Wait just a gosh darn minute here.  I've yet to see anything with you in it, Ziona.   *




Look at the last pic, she's either the one all the way to the right or the one two places to the left. I think the latter one  


Doc, cool update. This Langard fellow has to think of something else to get at the knights. He's with the Doomdreamers, right?


----------



## Horacio

I loved Vek speech...


More! More!


----------



## Wee Jas

> Look at the last pic, she's either the one all the way to the right




nuh uh.. thats my GF



> or the one two places to the left




maaaybe



> This Langard fellow has to think of something else to get at the knights. He's with the Doomdreamers, right?




He better hope not.. for his sake.  I can always use a skeleton with a mop for the keep


----------



## Dr Midnight

Langard can be found in the Verbobonc section of the Living Greyhawk Gazetteer...

He still may or may not be a doomdreamer. 

Writing now! The best is yet to come.


----------



## Ziona

Neverwinter Knight said:
			
		

> *Look at the last pic, she's either the one all the way to the right or the one two places to the left. I think the latter one
> *




I am the one with dark hair on the left.  I am usually not in the pictures since I am the one taking them, but WeeJas's girlfriend did take a pic of Xaltar & I near their tree.  I'll scan & post it once Xaltar finishes his game of WC3. (His computer has the scanner.)  

*EDIT*

Here is the pic of Xaltar & I from the Christmas party...


----------



## Dr Midnight

Vek listened to Jamison’s story. He sat at the table with his gauze-wrapped fingers steepled before his black mask. He was deep in thought. He stayed silent for two full minutes after Jamison stopped talking… then spoke. 

“This is very, very bad.” He stood up and crossed his arms behind his back, and went to stand at the window. He looked out at the night sky. “The dragon will retaliate. Even if he believes Kizzlorn is dead, he will make her people suffer for ‘imprisoning’ him. We did NOT need Acessiwal thinking we had captured him.” He turned back around to look at Jamison. “His rage will be terrible.”

The wizard stared at his hands and said “All these years, he was trapped in a mirror, like me. We needn’t have worried about him so much… still, this may work to our advantage.”

“How?”

“When I came from the mirror, I didn’t remember who or what I was. This was partially due to a memory spell I’d cast on myself years back, but the mirror has that effect as well. With both effects, it took me a long time to remember who I was, and I STILL can’t remember what I did when I was evil.”

“You’re suggesting the dragon may have lost portions of his memory.”

“Right. Dragon minds are keen and very clever, but I’m betting he’ll run across a hole or two. Maybe he’ll forget where he lives… or where we live… or why he hates us. Something. This may trip him up long enough to allow us to prepare.”

Vek looked outside again. “Last time, it took him but a few hours to retaliate. I hope you’re right.” He called out. “Captain Metus.”

The soldier appeared. “Yes, my lord.”

“The dragon is coming.” Metus, to his credit, turned pale but did not let it show in his eyes. “Acessiwal. The great elder white wyrm of the north. He has awakened, and it is only a matter of time before he comes to Verbobonc and rains ice and death once more upon us.” He walked towards Metus, speaking slowly with each step. “I want you to post a man with a horn on the tower. He is to blow it should he see the dragon coming. Tomorrow Jamison, Jo’nas, Grumbar and I are going to teleport first to the hive cavern to retrieve our fallen comrades’ lost items.”

“What about Gryph?” Jamison asked. 

Without much interest, Vek replied “If Gryph attacks, I will kill him. We will collect the items then teleport to Greyhawk to have them fully identified. We will purchase everything we need… potions, weapons, scrolls, wands… anything we can use. Three scrolls of resurrection for our fallen friends. We will need them in the fight. We will then come back and wait here. The soonest we’ll be ready is tomorrow afternoon. Let us hope Jamison is right, and the dragon will be delayed.”

“My lord?” Metus spoke and his voice quavered, giving away the fear he surely felt freezing his marrow. “What would you have me do?”

“Your job, Captain Metus,” Vek laid a hand on the captain’s shoulder. “will be the most important.”

*Godsday, 18TH of Patchwall*

Kizzlorn opened her eyes and sat up. “Welcome back,” Jo’nas said with a smile. 

She rubbed the back of her neck and stretched. “What happened?” 

“Uh… I think we should wait for the others to come back first, then we’ll fill you in. There’s a lot you need to be brought up to speed on.”

“Oh, THIS sounds like fun…” She looked around and saw she was lying on a table wearing a robe. There were two tables to her left and on one was a severed hand, and on the other was a mangled, wet chunk of flesh. “Who were they?”

“Orthos and Shade.” 

She grunted and stood up. “Being resurrected is an odd thing to experience.” Jo’nas laughed and nodded as he prepared the next scroll. Kizz yawned and continued. “It’s something like waking up from the deepest sleep of your life. Being resurrected from a small piece of your body is even stranger, though, because when you are brought back, your entire body is as it was when you died… but it’s new. Your consciousness and spirit are planted into a body you’re familiar with, but have never used. Your joints creak oddly as you use them for the first time. You have scars, though your body never earned them. Your hair is as you wore it before, though it wasn’t cut, nor combed.”

“Your hair’s always a mess anyway, Kizz,” Jo’nas said. She laughed and ran a hand through her unkempt yet ever-striking red hair. She wandered into the next room. 

Here, Vek, Jamison, and Grumbar were looking over the room. The floor’s expanse was covered with magic items and armor taken from the treasure in the hive cavern. “Good morning, Kizzlorn,” Jamison said.

 “Good morning. Where are we? I don’t recognize this place.”

“We’re in Greyhawk… in the Temple of Fharlanghn.”

“Greyhawk? Why? …I know, I know, you’ll tell all when the others are up and about.” She sat down. “One thing, though… Gryph?”

Jamison shook his head. “I’m sorry. It looks like whatever was controlling things psionically in the cavern has taken him as a slave. He wasn’t there when we went back to retrieve the items. Your things are over there, by the way.” He pointed to a blanket in the corner of the room, where her things were laid out. Snooky the pseudodragon cat was curled on her knapsack. He looked up, stretched, and jumped up into her arms. 

“Hey, Snooky!” she scratched him behind the ears. “How are you?”

_I’m fine. I was left in the cavern, but I just stayed in the knapsack until Jamison came back to fetch everything._

“How’d you know they’d BE back?”

The cat looked elsewhere and angled his ears differently, which is of course the feline version of a shrug.  _I have faith in the group. One of you may turn against the others now and then, but you wouldn’t leave someone behind. I just sat in the sack and ate my kitty treats._

Kizz began tickling his belly. “You just sit there too often. Most of the time we forget you’re there, my little Snookadoo…”

_I very rarely have anything to say._

Vek was discussing the expenditure of funds with Jamison. “Okay… so we’ll sell all the weapons we gained. It’s unfortunate that the plate armor we now have is dwarf-sized… I will need a full suit of powerful armor before tonight.” Vek’s last suit had been destroyed when he was disintegrated, back in Hommlet. 

“Armor? Of course!” Jamison got up and opened the group’s _bag of holding_. He conjured from it what they had taken from Hedrack’s body after the incident on Fear’s Eve. He laid it out. A full suit of coal-black armor, embossed with horrid designs and covered with spikes. “Will this do?”

Vek examined the armor. “Wonderfully. Except I don’t think I will be using this helmet.” He tossed the plain helmet aside. “Let it never be said that Sir Vek Mormont went into the world to do Wee Jas’s work wearing anything less but the most fearsome adornments available.” 

He chuckled and took an item from amongst the treasure they’d taken from the cavern. “This will be the new face of the champion of the ruby sorceress.”

Jamison smiled and said “I imagine it looks an awful lot like your REAL face.”

Vek laughed at the wizard’s joke. “Yes,” he said. “I suppose you’re right.” He placed the item on the suit of armor and spoke in a somber voice. “It’s only right that we look the part. We must be in top form. We must be at our strongest and most ready for this evening… Tonight, Hell flies on white wings.”

*MORE TO COME…*


----------



## JDragon

More, More, More....

JDragon


----------



## Wee Jas

> “What about Gryph?” Jamison asked.
> 
> Without much interest, Vek replied “If Gryph attacks, I will kill him."




That is just great!  lol.  Doc, I love how you write Vek!


----------



## Neverwinter Knight

That rocks, Doc. Let the white wyrm come!!! I wonder how Vek will look in his new dragonhide.  

Poor Gryph, though. I mean having to do the bidding of a BEE ? Come on, like that should be alright. I'll go get my fly-swatter +1 and get rid of that thing!


----------



## LGodamus

Doc, is that all or is there more to this last session?...If that is all .....well  but if there is more then


----------



## Dr Midnight

LGodamus- here's how you tell: lift up the story segment's tail and look at the last line of the post.


----------



## LGodamus

More to come?????

Well that could mean anything.....jeez


----------



## Breakstone

Wha-ho!

Doc, I know it's been said before, but you really are quite good at what you do!


----------



## Lela

Neverwinter Knight said:
			
		

> *
> Poor Gryph, though. I mean having to do the bidding of a BEE ? Come on, like that should be alright. I'll go get my fly-swatter +1 and get rid of that thing!  *




You'll need something a little better to get past Gryph first though.  

I can just see a little halfling running around swatting a red dragon.  You should see the look of anoyance on the dragon's face.  It's priceless.


----------



## Neverwinter Knight

Lela said:
			
		

> *You'll need something a little better to get past Gryph first though.  *




You are right, Lela, I would not want to go close range with Gryph. I'd rather engulf him in a fireball, which might not really hurt him, but gets rid of that queen of his!



			
				Lela said:
			
		

> *I can just see a little halfling running around swatting a red dragon.  You should see the look of anoyance on the dragon's face.  It's priceless. *




Who ever thought I would show up in my halfling form ???


----------



## Lela

Neverwinter Knight said:
			
		

> *
> 
> Who ever thought I would show up in my halfling form ???  *




It might not be you.  Just a halfling who read your post and thought it was worth a try.


----------



## Neverwinter Knight

ah, a copycat...


----------



## Dr Midnight

The darkness drew over Verbobonc like a shroud. Patchwall is the beginning of the autumn season in the Flanaess, and with it comes a shock of cool breeze to chill the warm late summer days. The leaves begin preparing to leave the world in their annual suicide firestorm of orange, red, purple, and yellow. The air starts to carry the fresh tinge of a changing season.

Kizzlorn checked her belt once more for the vials of potions there. Everything was still in place. She sighed and went back to watching the sky.

She’d been hunting the dragon since she’d learned to talk. Years of preparing led to years of adventuring. During that time she took on countless quests, but everything, including the quest to free Gorgoldand, was in her heart beneath slaying the dragon that had killed her parents. It had consumed her life. She hated this creature with more passion than she’d ever felt for anything, and she’d never even seen it with her own eyes. She’d been living for it. What would the world be like when that hate was consummated, she wondered? 

Shade walked over rubbing his left elbow. “I swear, I come back weaker every time I’m resurrected, or I’m a fool. My joints didn’t ache so much before… you okay luv?”

 “I’m fine. Just thinking about everything.”

“Ahh. Thinkin’. Nasty habit, that.” He grinned at her. It was an odd sight, as he was now wearing the armor-plated bodysuit that Kolume the mind flayer had worn. It was form-fitting and slinky. The eyes were covered with some kind of odd reddish glass bulbs that gave Shade an insect quality. Still, the effect was more fearsome than alien. He truly looked the part of someone who could run up to an enemy and sever its head with a simple gesture. 

Orthos and Jo’nas wandered over. “Kizz, Shade, my friends… join us in a last drink.” The dwarf was cheerful and heartily handing out mugs. “If I’m going back to Moradin tonight, I’m going with a pint in my belly. Ha!” He hefted a keg that was the size of his torso and began filling the mugs with the strong dwarven ale. “This is a vintage I’ve been carrying around for years. This is some excellent brew, let me assure ye.”

Jo’nas grasped his mug and smelled the lager. “Phew. You bearded doorstops sure know how to make a mean barrel of drink, don’t you?” Orthos laughed. The two were quickly becoming the best of friends. “Everyone, take a mug… Vek?”

Vek looked down from his position at the top of the tower and looked down on the others on the Keep’s roof. He wore Hedrack’s black armor and a flowing cape from his shoulders. His head was cowled with dark fabric, and the face inside the cowl was a grinning skull. “Yes, please.” A mug was levitated to him. 

The Knights each took a mug and lifted it. Kizzlorn, Shade, Orthos, Jo’nas, Jamison, and Grumbar stood in a circle, ready for war. Kizzlorn said “We’ve had some hard battles. Yesterday was one of the worst… We were lucky to escape with out chunks of meat. Still, tonight may be worse yet. I just want you all to know I consider it a privilege to fight alongside you.”

Orthos took a breath and said “To livin’ well and dyin’ for what you believe in. Cheers.” They drank. 

Jo’nas said “Vek, you didn’t drink yours.”

Vek replied. “No, I took part only in spirit. I’m afraid ale just goes right through me.” He laughed.

“Ugh… lich humor,” Orthos grunted. “Well, I’ll not let it go to waste, ya poxy leather bonesack! Levitate that back down here, I’ll finish it.” Vek did. 

The lich looked back to the sky and stopped laughing. His eyes traced a snowflake as it fell past him. Then another followed it, and another. “It begins,” Vek said. 

The snow started coming down in thick white mist over Verbobonc, and Acessiwal swooped down from the clouds. 







_*MORE TO COME…*_


----------



## JDragon

Oh Come on....

Don't  leave us hanging like that.  

JDragon

Trying to wait for more White Dragon fun.


----------



## Krellic

So it begins!   

And I have a feeling that it's not a fight that's going to be finished either quickly or easily.


----------



## Neverwinter Knight

So it begins...  

Come on Doc, almost there!


_"Tonight I'll dine on ancient wyrm!"_


----------



## PaynAndispare

Nice Doc, very nice.  I shall hoist a pint o' ale this eve' for ye!  HARRR!!


----------



## LGodamus

Ack...not possible.....he .....keeps ...pausing........maddening........must ...wait........NOOOOOOOOO


----------



## Breakstone

Doc...

...

oh, man!

...

Whew!

...

I can't wait for the battle, Doc!


----------



## Dawn

What a way to leave it.  I spend the afternoon catching up from before Christmas and WHAM!  I'm left hanging like an elephant over a cliff with it's tail tied to a diasy.
When do you play again?


----------



## fenzer

Damn it Doc!  You are such a tease.


----------



## Dr Midnight

> Damn it Doc! You are such a tease.



Just the way you like it baby.

Sorry to have teased you people so, but that update was just long enough to warrant putting up and stetching out your interest a while longer. I love to needle your "Gah! Post damn you!" glands. 

Hey Dawn, where've you been? Haven't seen you post in a while.



> When do you play again?



Tomorrow... but I'm going to write up the battle now and post it sometime before 8:30. 

So hang in there.


----------



## Lela

Ga, friggen monkey!*

I want to say that I can' believe you'd do this Doc.  But I know ya better than that.  Grrrrrrr.

*Not something you see everyday, let me tell ya.


----------



## Morte

Dr Midnight said:
			
		

> * Tomorrow... but I'm going to write up the battle now and post it sometime before 8:30.*




Just using my 2nd ever story hour post (new addict here) to say... 8:30 in Rhode Island, that's 1:30am my time. Yeah, I can stay up and wait for that. You better deliver Doc...


----------



## Dr Midnight

I promise, sir. Are you really just staying up for the post, or were you staying up anyway?


----------



## LGodamus

Your name should be Doc Addiction instead of Doc Midnight...........you have hooked another one.......dear lord the humanity....................you truly are evil.


----------



## Morte

Dr Midnight said:
			
		

> *I promise, sir. Are you really just staying up for the post, or were you staying up anyway? *




Well, I suppose it would have been 50/50 but now it's definite.


----------



## Lela

Morte said:
			
		

> *
> 
> Well, I suppose it would have been 50/50 but now it's definite.  *




He's not the only one.


----------



## Neverwinter Knight

Hey Doc, put it on...

Otherwise I'll have to read it for breakfast 


------------------
Edit
------------------

OK, going to bed now. 8:30 your time is 2:30 my time - cu tomorrow


----------



## Dr Midnight

Juuuust five, ten more minutes and *ding*! Crispy fresh dragon battle, piping hot from the oven.


----------



## Dr Midnight

The white dragon’s wings spread out and caught the wind. He glided silently just beneath the clouds and looked down on the town. He leaned his head forward and altered the pitch of his wings, and he dove down. Two hundred feet above ground he leveled out and lowered down to skim the surface. He dipped his claws into the rooftops beneath him as a pelican might dip his beak to catch a fish, and the small buildings shattered like clay, leaving a trail of devastation behind him. 

 “PEOPLE… OF VERBOBONC…” he roared.  “YOU HAVE BEEN… CONDEMNED… BY YOUR OWN. THE KNIGHTS… OF THE SILVER QUILL… HAVE GIVEN ME PERMISSION… TO DESTROY YOU ANEW.” He landed and began bashing buildings apart with tail, claw, tooth and wing. He craned his neck to find a group of people to blast into ice. He couldn’t find any. There were no groups of people, there were no running people, there… … There were no people. Verbobonc had been evacuated. 

Acessiwal threw his head back and roared a dense plume of white frost straight up into the air. It spread out and began falling around the enraged dragon in a windblown cloud. 

“Now,” Vek said. 

Jamison loosed a blast of lightning at the dragon. The white-hot bolt seared the air as it thundered across the four hundred foot space between Spellforge Keep and where Acessiwal sat in the town. The lightning around him, or dissipated in the air when it struck. It didn’t hurt him in the least… but it did serve to grasp his attention. 

The dragon’s head whipped around to look towards Spellforge Keep. The tiny yellow eyes blazed visibly even across the snowy distance. “Uh oh,” Jamison said nervously. “I made him angry.”

Vek said “Keep to the plan. Spread out.” He patted his undead horse on the neck and the animal’s dried, half-frozen sinew made a sickening sound from the gesture… a crisp leathery GRUNCH.  “Up, Tsunami.” The horse galloped up into the sky above the roof. Vek’s cape blew out behind him. He was very glad he’d had the presence of what was left of his mind to order Metus to evacuate the town when he did. This was the worst possible time for a nightmare like that to come about again.

Kizzlorn called out to Acessiwal. “We are here, dragon. The people of the town are safe. It’s us you should concern yourself with.”

 “SPELLFORGE…” The dragon turned its body to face the Keep, but did not move toward it.  “I THOUGHT… YOU WERE DEAD… BUT THIS WORKS WELL. I… WANTED TO THANK YOU… PERSONALLY… FOR TRAPPING ME IN YOUR PATHETIC MIRROR. YOU HAVE DONE… A MARVELOUS JOB OF REBUILDING… THE CITY. YOU MUST… HAVE WORKED… TIRELESSLY TO RE-ERECT THESE HOMES. I WILL REWARD YOUR EFFORTS… WITH MORE ICE, MORE DEATH. ” 

Jo’nas looked to Kizzlorn questioningly. “Worked tirelessly to rebuild? What does he mean by that?”

“Nan-ny,” Nanny said. He’d been brought to the roof to help defend Kizz, though there was small hope of him doing any real damage to the dragon. He’d never truly recovered from the rust pool.

 “WHERE IS… THE HUSBAND, SPELLFORGE? WHERE… IS THE PINK, SQUALLING… NEW BABY? ARE THEY… INSIDE? SHALL I GO IN AND FIND THEM… FOR MYSELF? I THINK SHE SHALL CRUNCH… LIKE A RABBIT BETWEEN… MY JAWS.” 

Kizzlorn understood. “You’re mistaken, Acessiwal. Katya was my mother. Rafflorn was my father.  The city has been slowly rebuilt over these long years.”

 “YEARS?”  The dragon’s voice sounded confused and almost small.  “I… HOW LONG WAS I IN… THAT MIRROR?” 

“Twenty years.” She relished the look of pain that crossed the beast’s face.

 “TWENTY… AND… SO… SO YOU…”

“Yes, dragon. I am that baby. That pink, squalling new baby. Me. Kizzlorn Spellforge. So why don’t we test that theory, monster? _Why don’t you fly over here… and we’ll SEE how well I crunch between your jaws!!!_

Acessiwal roared and pumped his wings as he jumped up from the ground, flying forward. Seeing a dragon fly towards you is terrifying in the best of circumstances… and this was positively horrid. The dragon suddenly disappeared. 

“He’s gone!” Orthos cried. 

“He’s invisible,” Kizzlorn corrected. “Listen for the wings.” She cast a spell on herself that would allow her to see the invisible creature. She saw him in a translucent fog, heading straight for her. She cast a devastating spell against the dragon, and it dissolved at his superior resistance to spells. 

“Wee Jas grants you the gift of death,” Vek said from his position atop Tsunami, high in the air. This spell also failed in penetrating the dragon’s defenses… and it was getting closer. 

Acessiwal didn’t come close enough to use conventional weapons on, and no one in the group was proficient enough with dangerous ranged arms. He opened his jaws and an avalanche blast of white death shot down at them. Shade managed to cartwheel out of the way, but Kizz, Grumbar and Orthos were bathed in the freezing cold cloud. The dragon passed by overhead, unhindered, and he sailed to a point far beyond, where not even the _See Invisibility_ spell could spot him. 

“He’ll be fighting this one from the air, looks like,” Vek said. “Damn. He knows he has the advantage in the sky. Well… we came prepared. Potions!” The Knights drew a clearly labeled potion vial from each of their belts and drank the contents, then took to the skies. 

Grumbar swung his sword menacingly as he swooshed through the air and falling snow. “Gonna cut me a big white steak!”

Orthos laughed and thumped the Tear of Moradin, his heavy warhammer, into his palm. “Gonna HELP YA DO IT, LAD!” They flew up and spread out, but not too far… they could be easily picked off if too far apart, but clumped together, they made a terrific target for his breath. 

Jo’nas and Shade were paying too much attention to where the dragon might be. They were listening, and not looking. They didn’t realize they’d drifted close to each other, and to Vek and Tsunami, as they flew. Vek noticed them and yelled “No, spread out m…”

A high-pitched thin screaming noise, and the glowing orange ball of light shot from somewhere in the west to the three clustered knights. A fireball exploded among them, and the flame burned them cruelly. ”ICE… THEN FIRE,” the distant voice chuckled. ”SOON, I THINK ICE… AGAIN, EH?” 

“Ahh, if only this dragon had the courage to face us in a REAL fight, Orthos…” Vek said. “I rather think twenty years in a looking glass has turned this white wyrm a shade of yellow!”

DO SUCH EGO TRICKS… WORK ON YOUNGER DRAGONS… SIR VEK? YOUNGER DRAGONS… GO TO THEIR GRAVES… BY FALLING PREY TO TRAPS OF ‘COURAGE’… AND I DID NOT SURVIVE TO… BE ONE THOUSAND TWO HUNDRED… AND THIRTEEN… BY BEING STUPID.

“One thousand two hundred thirty-three, I think you mean.” Vek spoke to the others, quietly. “Everyone get ready. I’m going to cast a spell on him next time he comes by… and if it doesn’t kill him, it’ll make his location visible for just a moment.”

Shade and Grumbar readied to fly to wherever they saw him appear. Orthos, Jo’nas, and Kizzlorn began preparing spells. Jamison was struck by inspiration and changed himself into a fire giant. “Wish I’d thought of this before,” he said. “I’ll be right back!” He flew down and into the castle. 

“Here he comes,” Vek said. “From the south this time. Be ready!” The dragon flew into range and into visibility with those who could see it. Vek waited until the last possible moment and cast his spell. 

“HRRRAUUGHHH!!!” Acessiwal was swallowed by the _Destruction_ spell. It didn’t kill him, but the spell is extremely dangerous even to those few who manage to survive it. He was bathed in the unholy green fires of Wee Jas for but a moment… making his location visible to the other Knights. 

Shade flew forward and slashed at the monster. He cut a long gash in its wing membrane. Grumbar missed, and Kizzlorn hit it with a spell of _Flesh to Stone_… which had helped her to defeat the Titan of the south sea. It failed, though, and Acessiwal remained fifty tons of dragon flesh. The other spells battered him around. 

He sailed onward, screaming in pain. He lashed out with his jaws and chomped down on Kizzlorn. He tore at her in the air for a moment then hurled her down with a mighty snap of his neck, and he was gone. He flapped away for another run. 

Kizz flew back up to the group, feeling the wounds that those huge icy teeth had left in her torso seeping blood. She was hurt, but not badly enough to affect her casting. “Vek, how are we doing?”

Vek dared to move Tsunami in closer to her, so he wouldn’t have to speak audibly to the dragon. “Not well. He’s tearing us to pieces. A few more passes and one of us will be dead… another few and we’ll all be dead.”

“I thought ‘death comes to us all’, Vek,” she smiled nervously.

“Oh, it does… but I don’t plan to give Acessiwal the satisfaction. “Our best hope is for one of my spells to get through. That’ll end him quickly. If not, maybe we should consider a teleport…”

“Retreat?!” she glared at him. “I’ll not abandon my parents’ castle to be destroyed by their murderer.”

“Your parents left the castle, Kizzlorn,” he said. “So that you could live. Think about that.” He wheeled away and flew Tsunami back upwards. 

”SPELLFORGE!” The dragon laughed from somewhere in the distance. ”“MY MEMORY IS COMING… BACK TO ME… EVEN NOW. I DO REMEMBER… IT WAS NOT YOUR GROUP… THAT  CAPTURED ME IN… THE MIRROR.  

“Oh?” she yelled back. “So you think the score is settled, then? Don’t consider running, dragon, I owe you more hurt than you could possibly believe. I am going to kill you, no matter how far or long you flee.”

”SPELLFORGE… WHAT DID I DO TO… INCITE SUCH WRATH IN A… SQUALLING, PINK MORSEL LIKE… YOURSELF?”  

“For the murder of my parents and aunt, I will see to it that you die writhing and wailing at my feet, Acessiwal.”

A long pause. Then: ”OH.” Laughter… horrible deep rumbling laughter echoed off the distant mountains. ”OH, SPELLFORGE… THIS IS TOO MUCH JOY… YOU HAVE GIVEN ME. I’VE… JUST REMEMBERED SOMETHING… ELSE.”

Kizzlorn said nothing and waited.

”YOU… DON’T EVEN KNOW… THAT I DIDN’T KILL… YOUR PARENTS.”

Kizzlorn choked and stammered for a moment, then spat out “W… what? Don’t lie to me, wyrm. My parents traveled off to find you. They never returned. You killed them.”

”THEY LEFT YOU. THEY NEVER… RETURNED... AND THEY ARE DEAD… BUT I DID NOT KILL THEM.”

“Of course you did.” Her voice sounded small, like a child’s. “If not you, then who?”

”WHY DON’T YOU… ASK YOUR FRIEND…”

Vek muttered “Oh, no…” 

”JAMISON… CROW.”

 “No.” Tears froze on Kizzlorn’s face as they rolled down. “No, that’s not true!”

”IT IS. ASK HIM.”

Jamison flew back up from the castle in his fire giant form, brandishing the fiery sword of Imix, which was rather too large for him to wield. “I’m back… where is he? How’re we doing? I can’t swing this, but I figure I can use it as a spear or…” he saw everyone staring at him. “What’s going on?”

”ASK HIM, SPELLFORGE... ASK YOUR FRIEND.”  The dragon roared with laughter. 

The sound of the teleportation spell rang through the air, signaling that the dragon had gone. No one really noticed.

_*NEXT: SINS* _


----------



## Morte

Dr Midnight said:
			
		

> ”ASK HIM, SPELLFORGE... ASK YOUR FRIEND.”




Oh boy...


----------



## fenzer

This is good stuff, Doc.  When is the next update?


----------



## National Acrobat

I know that we just received this gift of an update, and the end was perfect, but uh, when is the next update?


----------



## Immort

Well done.  Well done indeed my boy.  Don't know how this plays out at the table but it writes out with absolute brilliance.  Judgin' from yer picture yer a young sprat ta boot.  Even more impressive when that is taken into account.  You have thrown me curves that I haven't seen coming and I applaud you thunderously.

Keep it coming.

-Immort


----------



## Breakstone

Heh heh heh...

Whoa...


----------



## Conaill

No wonder you said that you had "a few loose threads to wrap up" in your campaign!


----------



## Dr Midnight

That's the last update of the session, so we're completely up-to-date for now. The next game is tomorrow. 

Phew... this session took a lot out of me. 

11 pages (with a 10 point font- Arial)
7,962 words
199 paragraphs
821 lines

That's a ton of stuff... but it was a session I'm very happy with, and I was pleased to drop two plot threads on you this week. 

Tomorrow we begin to see what happens to Jamison.

Immort-


> Don't know how this plays out at the table but it writes out with absolute brilliance.



Well t'anks, but the sad fact is that at the table it plays out with considerably less absolute brilliance. I'm much better at dramatizing what happened and enhancing dialogue, paraphrasing, etc., than I am at DM'ing. I try and keep trying. Thanks again.

Conaill-


> No wonder you said that you had "a few loose threads to wrap up" in your campaign!



Oh, this was maybe the tip of that iceberg. These threads are only two, and they're merely out in the open now, but not tied up... 

Where's Metus these days? His damn captain is doing all this cool stuff, and the guy's off shuffling about. I need to send an email out to all the people who haven't posted in a while and bug them about reading. Hmm, collecting all those email addresses sounds like a hassle... I wonder if I can manipulate Tsunami into doing it. Yesss... my hapless pawn. I must IM him now.


----------



## Horacio

Wow, Doc...


----------



## Lela

Dr Midnight said:
			
		

> *
> ”ASK HIM, SPELLFORGE... ASK YOUR FRIEND.”  The dragon roared with laughter.
> 
> The sound of the teleportation spell rang through the air, signaling that the dragon had gone. No one really noticed.
> 
> NEXT: SINS  *




You. . .you RBDM!!!!!!!!!!

Now that is just wrong.

Oh, and please feel free to come Over Here and defend me or attack me.  Don't worry, you won't be the only one to do either.


----------



## Breakstone

> I wonder if I can manipulate Tsunami into doing it. Yesss... my hapless pawn. I must IM him now.




We swears... on the _preciousss_ story hour!


----------



## Neverwinter Knight

Nice Doc, really nice! Had I known that, I would have stayed awake for it. Good ol' Jamison Crow...


But how did the knights plan to kill A. ? It should have been clear, that the dragon would be fighting that battle from the air. They should have made preparations as to take advantage of the dragons low manouverability or something like that. Also: noone on ranged weapons? That's bad.


I always wanted to find out just what ol' J. did when he was evil. This should be interesting!

Sounds like time to reactivate the good old Dartan !!!  


PS: Doc, please give us some news of poor Gryph - I can send you my squad of halfling bee-killers with their vorpal fly-swatters if necessary!


----------



## Neverwinter Knight

Lela said:
			
		

> *
> Oh, and please feel free to come Over Here and defend me or attack me.  Don't worry, you won't be the only one to do either. *




Hope that helped: http://enworld.cyberstreet.com/showthread.php?s=&postid=575028#post575028


----------



## Celtavian

*Re*

Unbelievable. Just unbelievable. 

Ziona, Wee Jas or any of the other knights who post, what do you do at the table when Doc springs these plot twists on you? 

I can't even imagine what I would do if I were there and suddenly the DM tells me that one of the other players killed my parents. What an awsome way to add drama to the game.


----------



## DWARF

I wonder what that gong-banging fool will do to avoid justice this time.

Time for a little more;
dartan....  Dartan.....  DARTAN!!!


----------



## Celtavian

*Re*

*Bangs the drum of reckoning with Dwarf*

"DOOM...DOOM...DOOM...DOOM"


Dartan enters the room, "I told you so." Looks smugly at Vek.


Destroy Jamison, Kizzlorn. Finish him off.


----------



## Thorntangle

I think Jamison's Crow is cooked this time. 

Great update, Doc. You can draw, you can write, you've done comics - When are we going to see The KoSK Illustrated?


----------



## Wee Jas

> Dartan enters the room, "I told you so." Looks smugly at Vek.




Jamison was under the charm of the ToEE.  Dartan hired assassins to kill him of free will.   I let the big bitter lug walk away once out of respect for old times but if he sets foot on my land again he will be buried in it.



> Ziona, Wee Jas or any of the other knights who post, what do you do at the table when Doc springs these plot twists on you?




We roll with the punches or get knocked out.   Although, if its true (and White Wyrms have been known to lie) I have no clue what we will do.  Or do I?!


----------



## Dr Midnight

Game day, and good morning to you alllllll...



> Great update, Doc. You can draw, you can write, you've done comics - When are we going to see The KoSK Illustrated?



I thought about that last night, and how I'd like to have the resources to pay someone to make it, but I wouldn't do it myself. I'm not a great comic artist, I'm better for pin-ups and single illustrations... Besides, comics pay crap and it takes a LONG time to draw a single page. 

I am, however, working on an actual KoSK product in my spare time with Wee Jas. In theory this will be released as a PDF.



> Doc, please give us some news of poor Gryph - I can send you my squad of halfling bee-killers with their vorpal fly-swatters if necessary!



Gryph has been made into the concubine slave of the queen bee. He lives as her prime drone and... uh... does whatever she wants him to. He'll probably be trapped like that for as long as Wee Jas has someone else to play, and Wee Jas really missed Vek...

You guys seem kinda disturbed, and not in the good way. Is the write-up not sitting well?


----------



## Dursk Starkfire

*write-up is amazing*

no Doc, the writeup is amazing, we've just grown attached to the old dragon-poser munchkin. i say let Gryph stew a little longer until the knights have the proper time to rescue him! 
I have to say that the story continuity in this thread is one of the best on the boards, and your formula of spoon feeding us little by little is as addicting as your mind-control honey.

(i'd ask where's the next update, but then i'd sound like a greedy fool who just had three story updates in two days and wasn't satisfied 

Dursk.


----------



## Wee Jas

> i say let Gryph stew a little longer until the knights have the proper time to rescue him!




Me too!  I much more enjoy role-playing Vek.  The dark hero who struggles against his own nature is much more my style of play.  I always envisioned Gryph like a super spy.  Very james-bondesque but it never really happened that way.  His personality never really got developed.   Also it takes a lot of time out of role-playing to figure out your stats for each form you take.



> dragon-poser munchkin.




Mnn.. Gryph was tough.  Reach is a HUGE advantage. Grumbar would tear the lil' ole red dragon apart if he could reach him and Shades vorpal sword could end his life in  1 swing.   

I know my dnd books pretty well.  It takes me hours to make my character.  Ask the team.. I change my mind 7 or 8 times each character I make.  Here is the original Gryph idea 
CLICK HERE 

I had talked about the Shifter class a lot.  Doc was really keen on having me play it.  When Vek got disintegrated  I think he felt the lich needed a break.  Now that he is back he will be here for good barring any big baddies breaking my Phylactery


----------



## Dursk Starkfire

*apology*

Hey Wee Jas,

I wanted to apologize on the munchkin comment, as it was completely in jest but may have been misinterpreted. I must say that you are quite adept in creating characters that have a real personality (at least Doc's writeups do them great justice), and I think that Vek has been one of the biggest reasons I've become a regular reader of this SH. (That and Doc's excellent cliff-hangers that make you scream "When's the next post?" seconds after he's posted the most current thread.

Anyway, don't take my Vek-bashing too seriously. I love the insane lich, but someone's gotta give props for the underdogs of the party!  

Dursk.


----------



## Wee Jas

No prob.  I'm the iconic powergamer.  lol.


----------



## Immort

Gotta say I was a long time Dartan fan, but since Spellforge, Vek has trumped him.  I'm a powergamer myself so it could well be that I appreciate the big dogs.  I think Dartan failing to repaladin kinda dumped him for me.

Gryph was okay and all but never really came close to Vek in my heart.  I gotta ask though, do you guys use healing and Doc just fails ta write it in?  Or are you so busy concentrating on offense that it just doesn't come into play?

Ziona, do you have stoneskin?  If ya don't you REALLY should.  And fer the love of God PLEASE git that poor half orc some boots of striding and springing!!!!

-Immort


----------



## LGodamus

Well Doc.......there it was did ya see it.......my hat is off to you.


----------



## Dr Midnight

Just got back from tonight's game, it was fun. Some hard enemies and great roleplaying, and an encounter that had even Vek floundering for a useful tactic. 

Some recommended reading to bone up on for the next session's writeup: Sessions 36 & 37 

Maaan, if you guys thought Vek was munchkin/powergamey before, wait till you read what he gets from the end of this session.


----------



## Horacio

Teasing Doc!

I want it now!


----------



## Celtavian

*Re*

Hopefully Doc posts tomorrow so we can find out what happened. I am itching to know.


----------



## Wee Jas

T-T-T-T- today Doc!


----------



## LGodamus

You tease us doc......your like that one girl in high school....


----------



## Dr Midnight

Am writing right now... it's a tough chapter. I plan to have it up within the hour. Sorry about the delay.


----------



## Dr Midnight

*SESSION 47
Godsday, 18th of Patchwall
SINS* 

“Jamison.” Kizzlorn’s voice was wafer-thin and controlled. “I want to ask you this, and I want you to answer me.”

The wizard looked at each of the Knights, confused, as they floated above Spellforge Keep. “Kizz, I don’t understand. Where’s…”

“Did you kill my parents?” 

“What? I-“ and it all came crashing in on him. 

*NINETEEN YEARS AGO*

The henchmen began searching the cavern for the treasure. It was an immense place to search, but the sun above splintered through the icy ceiling and shone down, lighting every crook of the room. After a moment, one of the henchmen walked back to the dark man standing at the entrance to the lair. “There’s nothing here.”

“It’s here. Keep looking.”

“I’m telling you, there’s noth-“

“Die.” 

The man clutched his chest and fell backwards in agony. He lay there, dead. The others didn’t stop looking, not even for a moment, as the man in black stepped from the shadows and glowered at them all. Jamison Crow wore his hair parted on either side of his head. His black facial hair formed a hinted smirk at the edges of his lips. 

“It’s here… it’s just hidden. If I can’t pay people to find it, I’ll have to find it myself.”

The workers stopped what they were doing in relief. Jamison stepped forward and cast a spell that allowed him to detect the presence of magic in the cavern. He found it and turned to its source. He walked and let the item call him from its hiding spot. He walked up to a wall at the west end of the cavern and put his hand to the ice. “It’s behind this.”

“Want us to smash it down, boss?”

“No. You’ll just damage something useful. I’ll do it.” Jamison pointed two fingers at the wall and said a word. A jet of flame erupted from his hands and blasted the wall, quickly melting the ice and creating a widening concave space. A hole opened at the furthest part of the pit he was melting, and he opened the hole with more careful flame. He stepped through the water into the darkness beyond. 

The wall of ice he’d melted had been roughly seven feet thick. “Clever old beast,” Jamison said to himself of the dragon that had hidden his treasure here. He walked further back into the hidden cavern and found the piles of gold sparkling in the blue darkness. Garnets and emeralds and sapphires glinted from their places dotted around the piles. Some were melted into the ice of the walls themselves. Jamison walked right by the gold. He didn’t pay any attention to the swords and armor he saw. He gave only a halfhearted glance to a wand, and kept walking. There, at the back, he found it. 

It was beautiful. It sat atop a curled pedestal of ice. He reached out and put his hands on either side, and gently lifted it from its cold throne. The orb was maybe eight inches in diameter and perfectly spherical. Milky white shapes swam in its glasslike form, and opalescent colors bloomed all around its surface, depending on how the light hit it.

Then, from the cavern behind him, the sound of weapons being drawn and the clattering of armor as bodies repositioned themselves. “Whuh- who are you?”

“Who are YOU? Stand aside or die, fiends. Our business is not with you. Today, we’ve come to end the dragon’s life.”

“Stay where you are- BOSS! We’ve got company!”

“So kill them,” Jamison replied. He knew the henchmen could barely overrun a small horde of orcs, but this would give him time to properly store the orb. He didn’t need his lackeys anyway… they’d turned out to be useless wastes of food, as ever. He listened to the sounds of combat in the cavern behind him as he gently opened the empty _Bag of Holding_ he’d brought just to carry the orb with. He placed the orb inside and closed the bag, then tied it securely to his waist. He walked out and looked again to the cavern, to see what was happening. 

A group of adventurers was easily mopping the floor with his henchmen. One was a powerful looking mage wielding a wand of lightning. Another was a long haired dark man clad in simple half plate armor, slashing with a large sword. Another was a woman cutting and slicing with twin sickles, wearing a symbol of Pelor about her neck. Beside her was another woman, with long dark red hair and a commanding presence. The most striking one of them was the man who appeared to have a dragon’s head, and white scales covering his body. He finished the last henchman off with little trouble and asked  “What happened here? FATHER! Come out and face us!”

“I don’t think he’s here,” the red haired woman replied. 

The woman with the symbol of Pelor around her neck asked “So who commanded these thugs to attack us?”

“No one did,” Jamison said as he walked slowly out of the nook into the light. “I ordered them to kill you, but as you can see, no one follows directions anymore.” He sighed and smiled at them. 

The mage nervously asked “Where is Acessiwal?”

”He’s safely several hundred miles to the south of here right now. Why? Did you come here to defeat him? Are you ‘adventurers’… on an ‘epic quest’? Is that what you’ve come for?”

The Pelor woman looked confused. “This can’t be right.”

The half-dragon yelled “Tell us where he is. Tell us now.”

Jamison smiled and relished the moment. “Shan’t.”

The red haired woman stepped forward and lifted her sword angrily. “We don’t have time for this… Tell us what we want to know, or you’ll meet the same fate as your friends. Who are you?”

“Me? Why, I’m the man who did this.” He held his hands out before him and bathed them in lightning. The heroes screamed and burned. The Pelor woman regained her footing first and tried to run forward. Jamison pointed at her and swept his arm aside, and the woman flew across the cavern to smash into the ice wall. She lay still. 

“Kyla- NO!!” The dark-haired man screamed and advanced. Jamison flew above his sweeping sword’s blow and cast a spell on an icy stalactite, which grew at an alarming rate straight down. It lengthened and plunged down into the man, pinning him to the ice and killing him. 

He floated over the others and watched as the wizard cast a spell upwards at him. Jamison smiled as his many artifacts absorbed and dissipated the power of the magic. He then put his hands back down and a hellstorm of fiery bullets shot down, peppering them. The half-dragon fell. 

The remaining man yelled “Kat, he’s too powerful- hold on, we’ll teleport-“ he held out his hand, and the woman reached for it… but their hands bumped something invisible between them. Jamison’s _Wall of Force_ spell separated them. The man would have to teleport without the woman- whom, he noted by the rings on their hands, was his wife. How amusing. 

“No- NO! Raff, you go ahead!”

“NO, I WON’T LEAVE YOU!”

She cast a fireball upward and it bounced harmlessly off of the mage to strike the ceiling. “YOU HAVE TO! THINK OF THE CHILDREN!!”

“Correction,” Jamison said. “…’Think of the ORPHANS’.” He blasted them with lightning and held it there, watching and laughing, as they died beneath him. He floated down. 

The woman with the Pelor symbol around her neck coughed weakly. Jamison walked over and stood above her. She was bleeding very badly, and he could see there was no need to finish her off when he could watch her life seep away by the heartbeat. 

Jamison looked down and shook his head with the slight smile that had become his trademark as the scourge of Greyhawk. “Ahh, let it never be said that Jamison Crow didn’t stand laughing over his enemies as they lay dying at his feet.” He chuckled and watched her eyes. In them he saw something: a flash of recognition. 

“So… you’re Crow.”

“Yes. I’m not surprised you’ve heard of me. You know, everyone’s going to know my name some day. Children will weep to hear it, and women will scream to know it, and… what are you reaching for, there? Don’t you know the battle is over? You’ve lost. You’re about to die.” The woman withdrew from her tunic an odd medallion. It bore a sun symbol on it. She held it before her tremblingly. “Oh, come on. I’ll let you get this one last shot in, but after that-“

The woman coughed up some blood and said “The old… woman… said I’d use… this… again.” She yelled something and Jamison was flushed with pure white light. The medallion was like a miniature sun in her hand, and she was its golden-eyed wielder. Jamison gasped from the light and felt it shine straight through him. It felt like his veins had turned to fire. He fell to his knees and choked for breath. 

When the light cleared, the woman was dead and he was alone in an ice cavern full of corpses. He looked around and knew what he’d done. He knew what the last few years had been… he knew what he’d done. His mouth hung open in disbelief and horror, and he looked at his hands, seeing them blood on them for the first time since he’d been turned to evil back in his adventuring days, years back. 

All the things he’d done, and all the things he’d planned to do were clear in his head. So much murder… Plus, this thing in the bag hanging from his belt- if he’d managed to use this, then… it was too monstrous to think about. He began hyperventilating and stood up, backing away from the body. “I… It’s… I can’t…” His voice echoed off of the ice walls and mocked him. 

He reached into his pocket and withdrew the black stone he’d found in the Crater Ridge Mines, so long ago. It had bade him to turn against his friends… to kill them. He’d listened to it. He’d continued to listen to it, letting it warp him completely. It had slowly turned him into an evil man- and it had happened because he had picked it up. He never did have much sense. 

He remembered not caring when the pretty girl he’d come to admire died in his arms. “Hannah…”  Suddenly furious, he sobbed and hurled the stone across the chamber. He untied the bag from his belt and withdrew the orb he’d come here to find. The orb could mean horrible things for all of Greyhawk if his accomplices got their hands on it. “They cannot have this,” he said to it. “They MUST NEVER HAVE THIS.” 

He made a choice, then, and replaced the orb in the bag, and the bag on his belt. He knew exactly where he had to go, and he ran from the cavern with tears on his cheeks and death in his wake. 

*PRESENT DAY* 

“Oh,” Jamison said softly. Kizzlorn stared at him, waiting for his reply. Jamison looked around at his friends and saw the looks on their faces. The flaming sword of Imix dropped from his hands and plummeted to the moat below, where it splooshed with a hissing sound. 

The snowflakes swirled past him as he looked at Kizzlorn, who was in almost every way the mirror image of the woman he'd killed on that day... the sorceress wife who'd begged her husband to leave for the childrens' sake.

Jamison put his shaking hands up to his face and wept. “Oh… oh my god… yes. Yes, I did.”

*MORE TO COME…*


----------



## Dr Midnight

To war, my pretties!

By that I mean "hey, who wants to come over here and pimp the story for me?

Hope you guys liked the post.


----------



## Horacio

Doc, very good stuff!

But I still want MORE!!!

Write, Doc, write!


----------



## Kesh

Damn.

Okay, now I have to go back and read _all_ the previous entries.


----------



## Breakstone

Crazy stuff, Doc.

Crazy stuff...


----------



## Celtavian

*Re*

How horrible. Now I actually feel a little sorry for that fool Jamison. Where was Vek when the Spellforge's made their way to kill Accessiwal? At least let us know what he was doing since he didn't show up for the fight.

I can't wait to see how this turns out. This is a real cliffhanger. Excellent judgement on where to end each write up.


----------



## Lela

Dr Midnight said:
			
		

> *To war, my pretties!
> 
> By that I mean "hey, who wants to come over here and pimp the story for me?
> 
> Hope you guys liked the post. *




While I wasn't soley fighting for you Doc--I hope you don't mind by the way--was that good?  If not I can take another go at it.  Some are just resistant to my charms though and I may not be able to convert all.  

Anyway, I would just like to note the fact that you like to include little things that your readers mention in the posts.  And not just Metus and Tsunami.  Vek's comment about who would win in a fight between himself and Dartan combined a few slightly more discreet lines about Jam'son's foolish touching of things and huge feeling of guilt over what he had done.  We even saw a broom-weilding skeleton in there (though whether having it there was Vek's idea or not is unknown).

You know what your readers are thinking and not only justify it but include their thoughts in the story.  Aside from making the story itself more personal it allows us to feel that we're valued by the author.  Notice how even _Celtavian_ is feeling a little sorry for Jamison.  Now that's talent. 

One thing though.  Why weren't they warded against cold?  Or was it not enough?


----------



## Wee Jas

> Where was Vek when the Spellforge's made their way to kill Accessiwal? At least let us know what he was doing since he didn't show up for the fight.




Kyla didn't notify me.  Blast her!   Curse Pelor's flock!


----------



## Dr Midnight

> Where was Vek when the Spellforge's made their way to kill Accessiwal? At least let us know what he was doing since he didn't show up for the fight.



From different parts of THE PASSING OF YEARS:
---------------------
Katya hugged her sister and said “Dartan never came?”

Kyla shook her head. “We sent the letter, but… I suppose he’s not going to come.”

“Did you send a letter to Vek?” Her sister’s guilty look told Katya that she hadn’t. Not that Katya could truly blame her… Vek Mormont unnerved everyone, and her sister was a devout worshiper of Pelor. Vek’s transformation to… whatever he was… had been hard on Kyla. She wasn’t equipped to deal with undead party members. “It’s no matter,” Kat said. “We’ve been training. We’re much better off than we were when we first faced him.” 
----------------------
“Dead,” Vek repeated without changing his amused tone. “How?”

“He went off to fight the white wyrm of the North and never returned.”

This time his tone did change, to alarm. “They went to fight Acessiwal?! Why didn’t they contact me?” 

“Uh… I believe my aunt Kyla sent invitations to other heroes they’d known from around the Flanaess.”

Vek understood. He whispered low, in a very cold voice. “Kyla. Too proud to stand side by side and fight with me, if she could help it. A curse on Pelor and his flock.”
----------------------


> One thing though. Why weren't they warded against cold? Or was it not enough?



I think they had some protective measures up, and it wasn't enough.



> We even saw a broom-weilding skeleton in there (though whether having it there was Vek's idea or not is unknown).



It's Vek's idea... The skeleton was a Doomdreamer... now he's just comic relief. That's justice. 


> Anyway, I would just like to note the fact that you like to include little things that your readers mention in the posts.



Hey, thanks for noticing. I do try to put things like that in whenever I can. I'm always trying to gauge by the readers' reactions the job that I'm doing, and I use it to make adjustments when I need to (like throwing a little more sympathy bait in for Jamison, etc...). Plus, I LURVES my readers, and try to reward them. 

Even if they pump Sepulchrave's story hour like dirty little thievesssss. Bastards! Maaaan, I have to read that story some day... he just trounces me and everyone else in the opinion polls.


----------



## Wee Jas

> Even if they pump Sepulchrave's story hour like dirty little thievesssss. Bastards!




It is PRECIOUS TO ME! 

Aww Doc.. you know I like our story the best!  Who bugs you to write EVERYDAY!



> Vek: ok ok.. its time for our morning exersize
> Vek: WRITE BISCH
> Doc: okay, I'm ready
> Doc: I just woke ulkgf
> Doc: see, I misspelled "up" because I just woke up
> Doc: I actually was just about to start writing.
> Vek: yay!
> Vek: Gives me something to do at work




Everyday.. we do this dance.  Everyday....


----------



## Dawn

Sorry, Doc.  I was out of touch on the holidays for a while.  First time I was able to get my super-extended family together for any length of time, so I took advantage of it.

Wow!  That last post really closed up some loose ends that were left out there.   What was the medallion?


----------



## Lela

Dawn said:
			
		

> *Sorry, Doc.  I was out of touch on the holidays for a while.  First time I was able to get my super-extended family together for any length of time, so I took advantage of it.
> 
> Wow!  That last post really closed up some loose ends that were left out there.   What was the medallion? *




Do you remember the "Eye of Heironious" back in the day.  That was the artifact Kyla used to clear the evil taint from the minds of all those "Eye of" worshipers.


----------



## Dawn

Ah.  Hadn't remembered that little artifact.

Thanks.

(100th post goes to Doc!)


----------



## Wee Jas

Welcome back Dawn!


----------



## LGodamus

Doc ..you rock I wanna  play in your game....


----------



## Dr Midnight

Kizzlorn sat and listened as Jamison told his story. Vek sat nearby and watched them both. Every once in a while her hands would twitch and Vek felt sure she was about to blast him from the face of the planet… but she never did.

He told her everything, and cried through most of the telling. At the end, he sat there and waited to be killed; expecting it, deserving it… only waiting for it. 

Kizzlorn stared at him for a full minute and her eyes burned him. He felt like he was being crushed under an avalanche with that gaze. She finally said “You are unforgiven,” She got up. “…and you are dead to me.” She walked out. 

Vek waited until Jamison calmed himself, then attempted to soothe him. “Easy. She’s upset. Emotions run hot when you’ve got blood in your veins. Give her some time, I’m sure she’ll see that one can’t be blamed for his actions when he’s under the control of an evil artifact. Now- what can you tell me about that orb?”

“The… orb? I don’t know. I wiped out all memory of what it did or where it was, and my time in the mirror only added to that effect.”

Vek thought. “What was this memory loss spell you cast on yourself?”

“Can you believe I don’t remember?”

“Well, maybe you should get about finding out what that spell was. So you don’t have any idea of where that orb might be?”

“No.”

Vek tried something else. “If you had the orb now, where would you hide it?”

“I have no idea.”

“Hmm…” This was going nowhere. “Jamison, you really have to rethink just walking up to things and touching them. This is unacceptable and no matter how you justify it, an indeterminate number of people are dead as a result of your childish carelessness.”

“I thought you worshiped the goddess of death.”

“Don’t challenge me with theology, Crow. I know what I believe. I know you stand against it every time you take the fate of Greyhawk in your hands just to sate your curiosity.”

Jamison pouted and looked at the floor. “I haven’t even done that recently.”

“Oh? Banging the gong that one time and releasing the ocean titan, was that so long ago?”

“That… that was harmless fun! I… and anyway, the titan was easily defeated.”

“It might not have been. It might have killed us and then waded its way across our world. You didn’t know.”

“You’re right.” He sighed. “I need to get out of this castle for a time.”

“That’s a good idea… I didn’t like the way Kizz’s hands were twitching.”

“I noticed that too. I’ll go to Greyhawk and try to find that memory spell. I’ll take a week away from the Keep… give her some time.”

“Good idea.” Vek got up and walked away. He passed the kitchen and heard the sound of muffled sniffling and chewing. He opened the door and felt like he’d walked in on a battle scene. Pie plates, roast pans, soup bowls, dessert cups, cake tins, and cookies sheets lay on the counter. Sobbing came from a large wooden walk-in pantry. Vek opened the door to find Grumbar sitting on the floor, eating pickles and baking ingredients, alternately, by the handful. Grumbar ate when he was sad, and the recent events had distressed him greatly. What with the despair of almost dying the other day and now finding that two of his favorite people hated each other, he’d eaten almost everything in the kitchen. 

“Grumbar? Are you all right?” The half-orc nodded and wiped his nose with the back of his hand. “Want to come out of the pantry?” Grumbar shook his head. 

Behind him, a gasp. The castle’s chef was a pleasant man named Horacio, who was now storming in to his kitchen with disbelief on his face. “What… WHAT EES THEES?!”

Vek said “Grumbar wanted a snack.”

“The half-orc, he has destroyed my keetchen! Everything ees ruined! My flan cups! My soufflé pan! LOOK, HE EATS FEESTFULS OF FLOUR FROM THE SACK!!!”

Vek looked down and saw that Horacio was right… Grumbar was indeed eating flour straight out of the sack. “Um… Grumbar. How’d you like to go on a vacation?”

The half-orc turned his sad tear and flour-stained face up. “Hmm?”

“Jamison is going to Greyhawk for a WHOLE WEEK. How’d you like to go with him?”

Grumbar considered, then spoke through pouty lips. “Okay.” 

“Okay then. Go clean up, he’ll be leaving soon.” Vek watched the half-orc plod out of the room, then left the furious chef to the task of picking up everything in the kitchen. “Sir Vek Mormont, lich cleric of Wee Jas and den mother to a houseful of children,” he said wearily to himself as he opened the door to his dungeon and began walking down the stairs. “Some days it just doesn’t pay to get out of the grave.”

_*MORE TO COME…* _


----------



## Spatula

Ha!  Poor Vek. 

So I guess the white dragon is no longer interested in the Spellforge family?


----------



## arwink

You know, between that last scene and the quote of the week on your website, I think I have to admit Grumbar is fast becoming my favorite knight.

I have a soft spot for the comic relief and the innocent


----------



## Immort

Alright, time ta lay down the smack . . .

Firstly, I been meanin' ta launch inta this ferever now, Jamison is a freakin' nutjob.  Now I know Vek says ya can't blame someone who ain't in control of their mental faculties and all that, but if you drink and drive and wipe someone out, yer guilty even if ya wuzn't in yer right mind.  If yer knowingly plays with evil toys and get possessed by them, it is still yer fault fer playin' with 'em in the first place.  So don't go tryin' ta make him inta a sympathetic character or anythin' cuz long and the short of it, it was his fault.  (don't gimme that 8 wisdom nonsense either, even a freakin' infant knows better than ta grab a campfire more than once)

No way I am ever gonna believe that Jamison could take out all them characters when they were already plenty buffed up to take a whack at the dragon.  Now I understand it was part of the story and all but JEEZ yer killin' me here.

Vek would obliterate Dartan.  Give it up people.  Frankly he ain't even the Dartan we all knew and loved anymore anyhow.  He became a sad, bitter, twisted, pathetic shell.  Not the ultimate survivor who weathered every situation with unflappable courage.

There now that I have gotten all that off my chest, I still gotta say yer doin' a bang up job Doc, keep it comin'.  And did anyone else just git a case of the screamin' gimme's when they read about all that dragon loot just sittin' there unguarded?  (not to mention the dead characters stuff)

Anyhow, Doc you rock, write more stuff.

-Immort

p.s. git the poor half-orc some boots of striding and springing, maybe he will actually be able to git inta the combats 'fore they are over


----------



## Celtavian

*Re*

Even I have to laugh at some of those lines. 


"Emotions run hot when you’ve got blood in your veins." Normally a misprint for a normal person, classic line for undead lich Vek.

 “Some days it just doesn’t pay to get out of the grave.” ROFL. This was just too funny.


Doc, you must really enjoy writing dialogue for Vek. Do you come up with it all yourself or does Wee Jas throw some ideas your way?

Poor Kizzlorn. She is a kinder person than I. Jamison should be dead but he isn't.

One thing that always puzzled me. Why didn't Dartan detect evil on the demonstone? My Paladin detected evil constantly on magic items and magical auras throughout the RttToEE module.

We destroyed that demonstone shortly after we found. We crushed it to pieces. Kind of surprised Dartan didn't do the same thing.


----------



## DWARF

I can totally feel sympathy and understanding for Jamison if he'd just *stop touching things he shouldn't!*
Well, we'll see how long his repentance last this time...

Keep up the good work Doc!


----------



## Horacio

Dr Midnight said:
			
		

> *Behind him, a gasp. The castle’s chef was a pleasant man named Horacio, who was now storming in to his kitchen with disbelief on his face. “What… WHAT EES THEES?!”
> *





WOW!

Now I'm a NPC in DrMidnight game!!!!!!!!!!!!


Thanks, Doc!


----------



## LGodamus

Wonderful dialogue between characters, I look forward to seeing where you run with this. Just like I hoped you keep finding ways to trump yourself......Bravo


----------



## Wee Jas

> Some days it just doesn’t pay to get out of the grave




Too funny!



> Doc, you must really enjoy writing dialogue for Vek. Do you come up with it all yourself or does Wee Jas throw some ideas your way?




I flap my jaw a lot at the table.  I tend to make a joke out of everything (and I'm always smiling).  Doc brings much of that to Vek.  Somethings I can take credit for somethings I can't.



> Vek would obliterate Dartan.




I doubt after the rest of the write up anyone will disagree..  whahaahaha.. oh the surprises to come!




> Why didn't Dartan detect evil on the demonstone?




Dartan lost that ability long ago.  Even when he had it he barely used it unless we elbowed him in the ribs  


Doc.. this was my favote write-up yet!


----------



## Dr Midnight

> So I guess the white dragon is no longer interested in the Spellforge family?



It's been a day- he's letting them stew with the pain he created, because he's cruel like that. 


> You know, between that last scene and the quote of the week on your website, I think I have to admit Grumbar is fast becoming my favorite knight.



Grumbar's player has a talent for creating loveable characters. His in-character dialogue always has me giggling like a fool. One time a line from Lox Lumley (Unusual Heroes Story Hour) had me wheezing and crying, I was laughing so hard.


> No way I am ever gonna believe that Jamison could take out all them characters when they were already plenty buffed up to take a whack at the dragon. Now I understand it was part of the story and all but JEEZ yer killin' me here.



Ahh, but it's not just part of the story. In mechanics terms, evil Jamison rose to a very very high level. Good Jamison has forgotten everything evil Jamison learned, and is back at his current level because that's all he remembers as a wizard.


> Doc, you must really enjoy writing dialogue for Vek. Do you come up with it all yourself or does Wee Jas throw some ideas your way?



Vek is very fun to write. Like Wee Jas said, he's always smiling and delivering these gothic horror lines, so he comes across as friendly-sinister. I just play up to that. Kinda like Raistlin's corpse on ritalin.


> One thing that always puzzled me. Why didn't Dartan detect evil on the demonstone?



The way I ran RttToEE was that anytime someone detected evil, they got a nosebleed, because YES. It was all around- in the floor, in the items, in the very air. The evil was so palpable when detecting that it was like trying to open your eyes in a sandstorm... it hurt. At any rate with Jamison grabbing everything, no one thought there was any harm in his keeping a shiny black rock. Ahh, folly.


> Now I'm a NPC in DrMidnight game!!!!!!!!!!!!



Hope you like it Horacio- Also, hope you don't mind the whole "french chef" thing and the accent. I looked over the list of readers to see who could be the chef, and Horacio just jumped out at me. So- Tsunami, Metus, Horacio... more to come, surely.


----------



## Dursk Starkfire

*just don't make me...*

a Wee Jas celebratin' nancy boy. 

(thinkin' that sword of Imix would do some nasty damage from this kin of Haela 

Dursk.


----------



## Olgar Shiverstone

Hey Doc!

Long time reader, first time .. yadda yadda.  Great to see the campaign pick up again with just as much, if not more, excitement than the old KotSQ.

One question that's been itching:  Is Jamison Crow a PC or NPC in this incarnation?

If a PC, have you coordinated some of this action, or is the player just gifted (the rest of the party might use other terms) in roleplaying?  All that mysterious missing memory and abilities makes for quite a roleplaying challenge.


----------



## Wee Jas

> Haela




Who?


----------



## Dawn

Have to agree about the lack of sympathy for Jamison.  If he had done it once, forgiven.  Maybe twice.  But every time he finds something, he has to touch it usually to the detriment of those around him.

Kizz has more patience and forgiveness than any redhead I’ve known.


----------



## Dursk Starkfire

*touché*

or in dwarf: ya stinkin werit.


----------



## Wee Jas

> or in dwarf: ya stinkin werit.




I have never bothered to learn the language of the dwarves.  I have no need to speak to stone.   I can however appreciate the grace of the elven tounge.


----------



## Breakstone

Heh heh heh... great update, Doc!

So now we've got Horacio the Chef, Metus the Guard and Tsunami... the dead horse.

But, hey, you can't beat a dead horse!


----------



## Dr Midnight

> But, hey, you can't beat a dead horse!



Oh no? 

AN EXERPT FROM THE NEXT CHAPTER:

"You stupid horse!" Vek cried as he whipped mercilessly at the horse's undead flanks. Strips of dried horse sinew and flesh were frayed from their moorings at the yellowed bones' ends, and chunks fell to the ground like dead horse bits often will.

"Woah," neighed Tsunami. 

"NOT ANOTHER 'WOAH', YOU UNDERSTAND ME??" Vek shouted as he bashed the horse's head with a hammer. 

"Woah," neighed Tsunami. 

"THAT'S IT, YOU WERE WARNED!" Vek then climbed up on the turnbuckle and flew off with a flying elbow smash, commonly known in the Greyhawk Wrestling Coalition as the "House-ruled Harm". 

Vek's arm snapped off at the shoulder when he landed. He looked silently at his arm and said "Well, that's that then." He picked up the arm with his other hand and started beating the dead horse with it. 

"Woah," neighed Tsunami. 

END OF INTERLUDE: BEATING A DEAD HORSE


----------



## Breakstone

Ha ha ha!

Whoo... that's great, Doc!

Well, I've been bested. So you _can_ beat a dead horse...


----------



## Dr Midnight

Jamison and Grumbar packed a few things together and teleported away to Greyhawk. While there, Grumbar did his best to entertain himself… but seeing as Vek thought it would be wise if they stuck together, the half-orc found himself fighting boredom in the Greyhawk archives while Jamison researched memory spells. 

For a time Grumbar tried to amuse himself by looking through books with pictures, but he only managed to find a few with dirty pictures (usually medical journals of some long-dead medical practitioner). He found a small number of books with pictures of combat inside, but these only entertained him for so long. Add to this that he was always told to “be quiet” by the other library patrons, and the Knight was one unhappy fighter. 

On the third day he quit trying to make sense of a diagram of the constellations and tossed it over his shoulder. “Books. Can’t read ‘em, can’t eat ‘em.” He got up and wandered around. The library was very large, and he managed to wander into a section he hadn’t seen in his time in the city. It was a large bulletin board filled with drawings of mens’ faces. “Ooh, scary men. Mean faces.” He looked over them and tried to out-scary every scary face on each picture… Then he stopped when he saw the corner of one of the pieces of paper, and something he recognized. 

It was the upper right hand corner of a man’s face. The rest was covered with other pictures. He peeled away the others and saw Jamison’s face staring back at him from the yellowed paper. “Neat!”

He ripped it down and went back to show Jamison. “Jamison, did you know they draw you here and put your picture up on the wall?”

Jamison looked up from a millennia-old text on enchantment spells. “Whuh?” Grumbar handed him the wanted poster and he looked at it. “Whuh!” He dropped it on the table and reached into the sack on his side, then pulled out the _Hat of Disguise_ he kept there. He put it on and his appearance changed, so he would be unrecognizable to anyone who might have noticed the poster. 

“Hey, how much am I worth?” He picked the poster back up and saw. 

JAMISON CROW
500,000 gold pieces REWARD

“That’s pretty good!”

Wanted for innumerable crimes
against the people of Greyhawk,
including mass murder, conspiracy, 
treason, torture, kidnapping, and 
other fiendish deeds. 
~DEAD OR ALIVE~

“That’s not good.”  He sighed. “Grumbar, I’m going to need a pseudonym to go by.”

“What?”

“Uh… a fake name. I can’t be known as Jamison here.”

“Ohhhh. How about Chorby… Chorby Drobber-Flounding the third, esquire, junior?”

Jamison ignored that. “Gregg Flamebrow. That’ll be my name. Call me ‘Gregg’ from now on, okay?”

“Okay, Gregg.” Grumbar winked and said loudly “I’m just standing here talking to my buddy GREGG, whose name is Gregg.” He smiled his half-orc smile. 

Jamison rubbed his forehead and went back to reading his book. It was becoming clear that he wasn’t finding anything in the books, and his easily distracted mind kept flitting from topic to topic. He always wound up back at the subject of the Spellforges, and what he’d done to them. What could he do for Kizzlorn, now, to win her trust back? Was he worth investing himself in, to that end? How do you bury the past? At that, he had an idea, and thought about it for some time.

Back in Spellforge Keep, a knock at Kizzlorn’s door disturbed her from staring off into space, as she had been doing next to her hearth in her father’s old chair. “Who is it?”

“s’ Shade.”

“Come in.”

Shade entered carrying a tray with some food and drink on it. “You’ve been locked up here so long, thought ye could use some rations, luv. How’re ye feelin’?”

“Better… and I’m starving, thanks.” She took a piece of bread and ate. 

“That’s fresh-baked… had to be, after Grumbar’s eatin’ everything and all.”

“It’s good.” 

“So, uh…” he eased into the chair opposite hers and looked at her. “Everyone’s kinda wantin’ to know what’s in yer head. What are we to do next?”

She shrugged. “I don’t know. I’m guessing Acessiwal is watching to see how long our grief lasts, and when we’ve-“

“No, I meant- uh- what are we to do with Jamison?”

“Oh.”

“I know how ye feel, luv. I myself lost both my parents. My da’ killed my ma, and I killed my da’ in turn. I know somethin’ about pain in this area.”

“I guess you do.”

“The point I keep comin’ back to, when I think about it, is how much I miss both of them… even though da’ was an assassin. He was a great man to us and we loved ‘im. Sometimes I find myself wishin’ I’d heard him out insteada doin’ the rash thing. I still feel I was right, but just sometimes, I miss havin’ ‘im around.”

“What would you have me do? I bear Jamison no great love. To learn that he murdered my parents and had me believing the dragon did it-“

“He didn’t remember himself, luv,” Shade interrupted. 

“He’s lucky I didn’t kill him.”

“Aye. But then, could ye have lived with yerself? Ye’ve adventured with him for a time and you know how he is. Jamison’s a trap-touchin’ cur, but he’s a good man with a good soul. He just… LOST that soul for a time when he got fool-careless about handlin’ things in evil temples. Jamison’s not evil, though he was under its control. Would killin’ him now, the GOOD him, have brought you any satisfaction?”

She sat and looked into the fire. 

“Well. I’m not here ta lecture ye Kizz, I’m just talkin’. You’re an adult, ye can make yer own choices. Yer parents did, too. They were adventurers. They knew the risks o’ goin’ out into the world with a sword and a spellbook. The odds aren’t good that ye’ll see your gray hair, livin’ that way, is the simple truth. Adventurers die young.” He paused, looking at the flames himself. His voice softened. “I’ve died three times now. I get weaker each time I come back. Y’know… next time, I don’t think I’ll be returnin’.”

He shook his head and stood up. “Listen t’me, all prattlin’ on. Sorry. Just came to bring ye some food. I’ll be headin’ back out, now…” 

“Shade.” She got up and stood on her toes, kissing him on the cheek. “Thanks.”

He smiled that smile at her. “A friend is a good thing in this world, and terrible to lose. More terrible, still, to throw away. G’night luv.” He left. 

Kizzlorn sat and stared into her fire, sipping at the wine he’d brought her.   

_*MORE TO COME...* _


----------



## fenzer

Without a doubt some of your best writing Doc, I really enjoyed going back and reading what Crow did.  I have wondered on their demise since the start of this story hour.

I do feel for Crow and I appreciate what his character brings to the game.  There is no question that he is the single most influencial character playing and that this story hour is better because of him.  I don't give two-hoots in Halafax who is better at what or if he touches things too much.  The story that has come out of that little quirk is worth it and thank you, Doc and your players, for bringing it to us.  

Here's to Crow!


----------



## Horacio

Wonderful update, as usual...


    Horacio the Chef


----------



## LGodamus

Doc ...very nice style on the dialogue..you are a great writer ,to be sure.


----------



## Dr Midnight

*Godsday, 25th of Patchwall*

Jamison and Grumbar teleported into the Keep’s atrium, and the half-orc happily dropped his pack on the floor and yelled “I’m back!”  A yelp and clatter from the kitchen indicated that Horacio the chef had heard and dropped a pan of muffins.

Vek emerged from his dungeon and greeted them. “How was your trip?”

“It was good,” Jamison said, removing the hat so his features could be seen. “I didn’t learn anything about that spell, though. What’s been going on here?”

“Not much. No new dragon attack. Repairing the village. Kizzlorn’s still brooding about the castle, but she’s in better spirits. Orthos and Jo’nas are on a unitheistic retreat in a nearby town-“

“Which you’ve decided not to attend,” Jamison said. 

“Yes. I find large groups of clerics bothersome. Someone always tries to turn me, and then I have to destroy them.” He laughed. “I scried on Dartan.”

“Oh? What is he up to?”

“It doesn’t look like he’s anywhere nearby plotting your death or anything. He’s in some dungeon with his sons. When I saw him he was in the midst of combat with a nightmare beast.”

“Well, that’s good. Is Kizz around?”

“Now, Jamison, I’m not sure that’s a good idea. I don’t know if she’ll want to talk to you, even after-“ Vek broke off when he looked to the end of the room.

Kizzlorn stood there, and she was staring at Jamison. “I’m here.”

Jamison swallowed and said “Uh… Kizz. I wanted to talk to you. I can’t possibly begin to-“

“Stuff your pleasantries and out with it,” she spat.

“I… I want to propose going north. These henchmen I traveled with are sure to carry something that will direct us to the creature I was working for… written orders, something, I don’t know. A clue to what’s next. Also,” and he spoke the next part with infinite care, “I thought we could give your parents and their company a proper burial.”

“Fine,” she said, spinning on her heel and walking briskly away. “We leave in the morning.”

Vek looked at Jamison, when she’d gone. “I really wasn’t expecting THAT…”

*Waterday, 26th of Patchwall*

The group saddled their new horses. The trek north had been deemed too dangerous to teleport through, as they would need to conserve their teleportation spells for an emergency. If Acessiwal flew over them to attack Verbobonc in their absense, they would need to be able to go back in a flash and face him. So, they planned to scry on home, save their teleports… and ride horses. 

Kizzlorn rode her horse, Goldie. It was a gorgeous yellow mare with a cream-colored mane. Jamison sat atop Ashes, a spotted grey and black stallion that would match Gregg Flamebrow’s fiery motif. Shade named his Vorpal, in honor of his sword. Vek of course rode Tsunami…. And Grumbar had Sunshine. 

“I’ll brush his mane every day and feed him apples. I’ll give him fresh straw and make sure he’s always happy,” the half-orc said as he buckled his saddle around Sunshine’s ample midsection. “I will not eat him, no matter how hungry I get.”

Shade said “That’s good, Grumbar. Can we get moving?”

“I’m going to give Sunshine a carrot first. Sunshine likes carrots, don’t you, Sunshine?“

Grumbar gave the horse a carrot and swung up into the saddle. “Ready.”

“North, then,” Vek said. They began the trip. “I’m the only one of us who’s made this journey before,” he remembered Jamison and said “from Spellforge Keep, that is. I’ll tell you everything I know about the area we’ll be going through…. Though I’m sure much will have changed.”

The sun turned through the sky as the day wore into afternoon and into night, and the Knights kept riding north, into the cold. 

_* MORE TO COME… *_


----------



## Lela

I'm currently thanking all that is good and holy that Grumbar didn't name that poor horse after anyone on the boards.  Especally me.


----------



## Horacio

Lela said:
			
		

> *I'm currently thanking all that is good and holy that Grumbar didn't name that poor horse after anyone on the boards.  Especally me.  *




I'm already the Chef, so I was hoping to see the horse named Lela...


----------



## Metus

Holy schnikies!  I'm gone for a few weeks and everything goes all crazy-like!  Well wow.  Ooookay...

Firstly, I'm all caught up and I loved every minute of it.  I laughed at plenty of parts, including one of Vek's lines and your "beating a dead horse" response (my most favorite).  The characters, the dialogue, the creativity and, lest we forget, the frequent updates all come together to form the rich tapestry of this great story hour.  Thanks to Doc and all the players for giving us this.

Secondly, thank you Ziona for the pics from Christmas.  I really enjoyed them.  On the rare off-chance that I actually come by RI, I'd be honored if I could stop in to observe a game.  All of you guys seem like a lot of fun.

And thirdly, all I can say about the new captain of the guard is...   AWESOME.  PURE AWESOMENISITY.  I feel bad that I wasn't around to comment on my more lenghty appearance in the story, but I'm here now!  And I'm doing a pretty good job, if I do say so myself.



			
				Lela said:
			
		

> *
> Aw, Dartan would take Metus down flat.  *




Just give me some time....   time to rise to POWER!  Bwahahahaha!

No, but seriously, I know my place.  I may not be able to take on Dartan (probably couldn't take on Snooky) but I'll be sure to do a damned fine job as Captain.  I appreciate Doug and Doc allowing me the small indulgence of appearing in the story.  Here's hoping we see more of my new most favorite character Metus, and his own riveting personal journies!  Woooo!

So with that, I say bring on more story!


----------



## Wee Jas

> I may not be able to take on Dartan




Thats because I just haven't rolled up the NPC, picked feats and given you your minimal number of magical items.  Soon.. your NPC will be a powergamer.. lol.


----------



## Datt

I must say excellent work Doc.  I came across your story hour when it was being pimped in another thread about a week ago and have been back everyday since.


----------



## Broccli_Head

Finally caught up! Great piece of writing from the battle with Acceiswall to the most recent.


----------



## Celtavian

*Re*

I certainly hope Accessiwal doesn't wipe everyone out again. It certainly doesn't look good. 

I hope Wee Jas and the others have come up with a good plan for killing him. If you don't mind Wee Jas, drop me a Meta-game description of the plan to kill the dragon? I would love to read what sneaky method you have come up with to kill such a foe. I love reading about tactics.


----------



## Wee Jas

> I certainly hope Accessiwal doesn't wipe everyone out again. It certainly doesn't look good.
> 
> I hope Wee Jas and the others have come up with a good plan for killing him. If you don't mind Wee Jas, drop me a Meta-game description of the plan to kill the dragon? I would love to read what sneaky method you have come up with to kill such a foe. I love reading about tactics.




Plan? I have none.  I don't wish to attack the dragon now.  I don't think we are as strong as the old group and I don't want Big A coming back and destroying Verbobonc after I took the time to outfit and rebuild it.

If I was to attack the dragon though...  

I'd cast anti-life shell on myself so it couldn't melee me.  I'd attempt a spell battle with it.  I have 4 Destructions memorized so I'd pray (get it? I'm a cleric) that one of those would sneak through.  The only other spell that might be effective would be blindness.   Maybe my mask of the Skull.  I'd never close in for the Harm or Slay Living cause the dragon would whip through my hit points.  If all that fails I'll word of Recall back to Spellforge to live to fight another day.

Doc no meta gaming!


----------



## LGodamus

Doc, I really dont have all that much to say this time except thanks for the quality and frequency of your posts...since I am the type of person who likes to read books in one sitting...I hate to wait on slow coming posts{ as you can probably tell from my hurry up darn it posts  I always leave you} but you do update much more quickly than most , so Once again thanks.


----------



## Clear Dragon

I have been spending the past few days reading this story thread and I must say it is excellent. I can't wait for more to come, though going back and reading about the Knights of the Silver Quill will keep me busy for a while.


----------



## Neverwinter Knight

Wow, I come back from skiing and find your greatest update, yet! Keep working that magic Doc !!!

Richards, how about a song about: Beating the Dead Horse?  

I hope to find out about the creature that good ol' Jamison was (or maybe still is) working for!


----------



## Celtavian

*Re*

Is there anyway you guys can dimensional lock the the dragon into place in its cave ? Maybe a  Wall of Force after landing a Dimensional Anchor.

Then disintegrate a hole into the cave 10 feet wide or use monster summoning or planar ally to summon a burrowing creature who can make a small hole into the cave, then start dropping fireballs in on him hoping to bypass his SR?

Use the dragons size against him and seek a good cover spot. Slowly but surely you can kill him.

P.S. Does Doc allow Tome and Blood spells?


----------



## Breakstone

Grumbar's player sure does have a talent for coming up with great characters...


----------



## Malexin

Dr. Midnight,

Great story hour.  I generally lurk but don't post, so thanks for taking the time out to write up your campaign logs.  I know that at one time you maintained a web page for The Knights of the Silver Quill, do you still do this?  Also I was looking at Vek's character sheet and all of his followers have levels in PC classes instead of NPC classes, is this a house rule?  I doubt it would overpower the leadership feat because of the level difference between Vek and his followers is huge.


----------



## Richards

Okay, this is at the direct request of Neverwinter Knight, so...blame him!    The following song parody is sung to the tune of Argent's "Hold Your Head Up," and it would only be right to dedicate it to our own Story Hour Addict, Tsunami.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 
*BEAT A DEAD HORSE*

And if it's there, 
Jump into the saddle,
You can make it.
And if it stays, 
After a "giddyup," 
You must break it.

Beat a dead horse, oh
Beat a dead horse, oh
Beat a dead horse, oh
Stills it says "Woah!"
Beat a dead horse, oh
Beat a dead horse, oh
Beat a dead horse, oh
Stills it says "Woah!"

And if it seems 
As if it's unimpressed
With your beatings,
And if it's 'cause
Undead flesh feels no pain,
That's just cheating.

Beat a dead horse, oh
Beat a dead horse, oh
Beat a dead horse, oh
Stills it says "Woah!"
Beat a dead horse, oh
Beat a dead horse, oh
Beat a dead horse, oh
Stills it says "Woah!"

_(Interlude)_

Beat a dead horse,
Beat a dead horse,
Beat a dead horse,
Beat a dead horse,
Beat a dead horse,
Beat a dead horse,
Beat a dead horse,
Beat a dead horse,
Beat a dead horse, oh
Beat a dead horse, oh
Beat a dead horse, oh
Stills it says "Woah!"
Beat a dead horse, oh
Beat a dead horse, oh
Beat a dead horse, oh
Stills it says "Woah!"

And if it "woahs"
After you've flayed its flesh,
That's Tsunami.
And if it knows
That you will never win,
Tell his Mommy.

Beat a dead horse, oh
Beat a dead horse, oh
Beat a dead horse, oh
Beat a dead horse, oh
Beat a dead horse, oh
Beat a dead horse, oh
Beat a dead horse, oh...

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 
Johnathan
Self-Appointed, Unofficial Bard to the _Knights of Spellforge Keep_ Campaign


----------



## Wee Jas

> P.S. Does Doc allow Tome and Blood spells?




I guess.. got a suggestion?



> Also I was looking at Vek's character sheet and all of his followers have levels in PC classes instead of NPC classes, is this a house rule?




Uh.. should followers not have core classes?  I must have missed that.   I just chose directions for the Knights of Wee Jas.  I wanted them to be like dark paladins , so Fighter/clerics just seemed the way to go.



> BEAT A DEAD HORSE




I'll save this song for all the Harm threads


----------



## Dursk Starkfire

*jam-son*

"I hope to find out about the creature that good ol' Jamison was (or maybe still is) working for!"

ohh, now that'd be a great plot twist... jamison is STILL working for the BBEG, but his memory-tweaking spell was so efficient he forgot that as well! 

nothing better than an evil wizard who scans as good to a paladin 

--------
Great updates Doc, keep 'em coming!

Dursk.


----------



## Lela

*Re: jam-son*



			
				Dursk Starkfire said:
			
		

> *"I hope to find out about the creature that good ol' Jamison was (or maybe still is) working for!"
> 
> ohh, now that'd be a great plot twist... jamison is STILL working for the BBEG, but his memory-tweaking spell was so efficient he forgot that as well!
> 
> nothing better than an evil wizard who scans as good to a paladin *





I've found that _Nondetection_ works well.  Try it on vampires.


----------



## Caliber

Wee Jas said:
			
		

> *Uh.. should followers not have core classes?  I must have missed that.   I just chose directions for the Knights of Wee Jas.  I wanted them to be like dark paladins , so Fighter/clerics just seemed the way to go.
> *




Normally Followers can only possess the classes of : Commoner, Warrior, or Expert.

You can find rules in the Epic Level Handbook suggesting that a Follower of the Adept or Noble Class count as +2 levels higher, a Player Class count at +3 levels higher, and a Prestige Class count as +5 levels higher.

Just FYI. Personally I think its cool to have a small retinue of Dark Knights as Followers, and because of their relative low level they probably aren't too effective in a fight anyway.


----------



## Breakstone

> BEAT A DEAD HORSE




Well, shucks, now I've got a grin from ear to ear! 

Thanks, Richards!


----------



## Dr Midnight

*Starday, 1st of Ready’reat*

The air grew chilly and patches of snow passed them on the ground as they rode. Vek was reminded of what it was like to travel north the first time he went, with Jettok, Katya, Kyla, Rafflorn, and Dartan. Things were not so different then, at least on the road north. Light skirls of snow brushed down into the trees on the horizon. 

Soon, they were riding through snow and ice. Their winter furs covered them like jealous lovers. Vek, of course, needed no protection from the cold. He rode in his armor and made no secret of how comfortable he was. “Ahh. Feel that late summer breeze. Shade, why are your teeth chattering? Have you caught a chill?” The lich always delighted in his jokes, and now was unleashing them. 

Grumbar snapped at him. “Who are YOU to say anything, smelly?”

“I’m sorry, have I offended you, Dumbar?”

“Well, it’s just that- HEY! Why’d you call me Dumbar?!” Defeated, the half-orc wrapped his furs around his neck and muttered. “I hate Vek.” Vek laughed.

They saw the village of Finch on the horizon. Kizzlorn asked “This is where you met Taigiel the half-dragon, right?” 

“Yes,” Vek replied. “Though it doesn’t look like we’ll be meeting anyone this time…”

Finch was destroyed. The entire town was leveled. It seemed that after Acessiwal’s reappearance, he took some of his rage out on this nearby village of fishermen and hunters. The Knights rode into the ruins and began looking for survivors. They couldn’t even find a standing building. Bodies lay everywhere. 

Grumbar got off his horse in the center of town. Shade called to him. “What are ye doing?”

“I’m going to burn the bodies. It isn’t right, leavin’ them all out here for the predators.”

“I’m going to help.” Kizzlorn dismounted and began levitating bodies for Grumbar to easily push into one centralized pile. 

“Jamison and I will patrol the area for survivors,” Shade said. 

Vek added “I’m coming with you, then.” They walked away. 

Grumbar mumbled as he moved the bodies. “It’s only the honorable thing, buryin’ people what can’t bury themselves. Or burnin’ ‘em. Either way is good. It isn’t nice to leave corpses out in nature.” 

Kizzlorn saw he was near tears again and said “You’re right, Grumbar. You’re a good person.”

“I’m hungry.” He sniffled and turned a corner to find two huge purplish caterpillar-like beasts feasting on one of the bodies. “YOU GET AWAY FROM THERE!!” Grumbar yelled, infuriated that the things would feed on the dead townspeople. 

The creatures looked at him and reared up to their full height- which was about ten feet taller than Grumbar was- and screeched. Snowflakes that touched their bodies hissed and turned instantly to steam. They curled forward and down, plowing into the earth. They burrowed down until they were out of sight. “Kizz!” Grumbar shouted as he unsheathed his greatsword. “I think we’re being attacked...”

One of the creatures burst up from the ground in front of Grumbar and began snapping its jaws at him. “HRAUUUGH!!” He swept his sword through it and a gout of blue blood splashed out onto the snow, where it melted straight through. Grumbar could feel the heat of the thing’s body through his sword pommel. “Kizz, these things are really hot!”

“I figure that out,” she replied, in battle with the other one. It snatched a bite at her and lifted her up in the air. She screamed as the pincers burned her like hot irons. It bit into her and severed her backpack, as well as melting several of the items she wore on her belt. 

Snooky poked his head from the pack and hissed, then ran from the pack to the safety of a nearby pile of wood, where he watched, helplessly, as his friends were overwhelmed. 

Elsewhere, two of the beasts popped up in front of Shade, Vek and Jamison. “Remorhaz,” Jamison remarked. “Two of them. Deadly.” 

“Not so deadly,” Vek said. He pointed to one and they watched it disappear into green flame, and the flame into wisps of ash, and the ash into nothing at all. “See?”

Shade said “What about the others?”

Jamison thought as they watched Vek vaporize the other attacker. “Hmm. Remorhaz are solitary creatures, generally, so if there are two here together, it’s likely that they were attracted separately to the carrion here… which could mean-“

“There may be more,” Shade finished for him. He was already running back to the area. He pulled out his sword and leapt into the fray. There were two of the remorhaz, and one was in the process of swallowing Grumbar. Kizzlorn was nowhere to be seen. GLUMP! Grumbar went screaming down the thing’s throat. Shade swung his sword through the creature’s neck, and its head thumped heavily to the ground. 

Grumbar reached out with his blackened hands and pulled himself out of the boiling gullet. He felt pretty good about that until he looked up and saw the other one rocketing towards him. Then, it was writhing in the grip of Jamison’s lightning blast. Shade killed it with an easy blow, then ran his sword along its side and spilled the contents of its gut onto the snow. 

All that spilled out was a mass of blackened charcoal and a melted piece of metal that vaguely resembled the belt buckle that Kizzlorn wore about her waist. “Oh, Kizz…” Shade said sadly. “Are ye tryin’ to catch up with me?”

_*MORE TO COME...* _


----------



## Breakstone

Oh... poor Dum- er... Grumbar and Kizz...


----------



## Horacio

Wow, Doc, good update


----------



## fenzer

I'm telling you Doc, your kill count has to be about the highest out there.  I can't remember the last time I killed off a character, let alone the same one twice in a couple of sittings.

You are one mean hombre.


----------



## Dr Midnight

Can you believe, then, that I nerf the hell out of everything? The players like it dangerous. I usually cheese down an encounter that's looking to be too tough. This case is actually a good example- the remorhaz could have burrowed away, taking Kizz's remains with it... and the other one could have burrowed, taking Grumbar ALIVE down with it.


----------



## Lela

fenzer said:
			
		

> *I'm telling you Doc, your kill count has to be about the highest out there.  I can't remember the last time I killed off a character, let alone the same one twice in a couple of sittings.
> 
> You are one mean hombre. *




Well, I have one character who seems to die a lot.  She's recently come back as a pixie and has finally taken the hint that she shouldn't get into combat.  Of course, she never died in combat.  A Necklace of firballs was enough to do her in last time.

Not that many monsters let the pixie alone though.  Small and tempting, they try to take her down and drag her off in some manor.


----------



## Wee Jas

Lets not forget the 1st two that attacked the party.  I got one and Jamison  Gravity Fluxed the other.        Then we split up.. I got two more....  So far its Vek 3  -   Party 3   (As it went down I think it was 4-2 in favor of me though)   lol..  

The next things we fight I'm not so lucky.. maybe Doc will pump me up a bit there.


----------



## Immort

I don't know, seems like the lions share of the story hours that I read seem to have a pretty decent body count.  Although really, does anyone think that a creature with the whole improved grab/swallow routine that follows up with 10d10 damage no save ta the swallowed critter is appropriately a cr 7?

-Immort


----------



## Neverwinter Knight

Richards said:
			
		

> Okay, this is at the direct request of Neverwinter Knight, so...blame him!    The following song parody is sung to the tune of Argent's "Hold Your Head Up," and it would only be right to dedicate it to our own Story Hour Addict, Tsunami.
> 
> - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
> *BEAT A DEAD HORSE*




Wow, Richards, that really cracks me up ! thx. 

Maybe Doc has time to record all your songs and release a "Knights of the Silver Quill" CD. Have Vek, Ziona & co. sing the apropriate songs.


----------



## Neverwinter Knight

*Re: Re: jam-son*



			
				Lela said:
			
		

> I've found that _Nondetection_ works well.  Try it on vampires. [/B]




I tried it. Found a vamp, cast the spell & looked to see what happened. Lost 4 levels 'cause of that.

Thanks a lot!


----------



## Neverwinter Knight

Dr Midnight said:
			
		

> *Can you believe, then, that I nerf the hell out of everything? The players like it dangerous. I usually cheese down an encounter that's looking to be too tough. This case is actually a good example- the remorhaz could have burrowed away, taking Kizz's remains with it... and the other one could have burrowed, taking Grumbar ALIVE down with it. *




Way to go, doc. The way things are going, you'll have the party back to low level again. If you continue to be really, really good, you might play Gorgoldand's Gauntlet again, in a couple of sessions.  
You'd have to get rid of Vek, though. Damn lich can't be killed or level drained


----------



## Celtavian

*Re*

Damn. Kizzlorn was melted..(

I was throwing out ideas to kill Accessiwal. I am assuming that he/she is a Great Wyrn White Dragon. Very nasty SR and AC if that is the case. I hope Kizz has Spell Penetration feats, at least if she decides to come back....*shakes head in sorrow*

Swallow Hole is such an overpowered ability. Very few if any can stand up to the ability. Last time we faced a creatured with Swallow hole it ate our dwarf Paladin a round after its breath weapon melted his short sword. He couldn't cut his way out and ended up dying. Very sad.

Wee Jas,

There is a spell in _Tome and Blood_ called _Energy Immunity_. It is a 6th level cleric spell (7th level Sorc/Wiz) that grants total immunity to a single form of energy for 24 hours per casting. You can use this to ward your party efficiently, especially if you can make scrolls.


----------



## Lela

*Re: Re: Re: jam-son*



			
				Neverwinter Knight said:
			
		

> *
> 
> I tried it. Found a vamp, cast the spell & looked to see what happened. Lost 4 levels 'cause of that.
> 
> Thanks a lot!  *




Aw, dangit.  That little trap was aimed at Richards.


----------



## wolff96

Immort said:
			
		

> *Although really, does anyone think that a creature with the whole improved grab/swallow routine that follows up with 10d10 damage no save ta the swallowed critter is appropriately a cr 7?*




We can add this one to the "Dead Horse" pile.

Remorhaz are only dangerous if the party is on the ground and gets hit with an ambush. All it takes is a single flight spell to make them no threat at all.  Ranged attacks are similarly effective.  Anything immune to heat can dismantle a Remorhaz with no troubles -- even a warded PC won't have too much trouble with one.

So the real question with Remorhaz CR is how they're used. If it's from ambush -- where the party has no chance to avoid the initial attack -- then I would say it is fair to add at least 3 to their CR for conditions.  But if you have any warning at all, they're ridiculously easy to deal with.


----------



## Neverwinter Knight

*Re: Re*

_Originally posted by Celtavian _


> I was throwing out ideas to kill Accessiwal. I am assuming that he/she is a Great Wyrn White Dragon. Very nasty SR and AC if that is the case. I hope Kizz has Spell Penetration feats, at least if she decides to come back....*shakes head in sorrow*



Even a powerful party would have to be very, very smart about it and fight the beast on their terms. I recommend every party to take at least one Vek with them on such a quest! 



> Swallow Hole is such an overpowered ability. Very few if any can stand up to the ability. Last time we faced a creatured with Swallow hole it ate our dwarf Paladin a round after its breath weapon melted his short sword. He couldn't cut his way out and ended up dying. Very sad.



A dwarf paladin? I would imagine you had a lot of fun with this character!!! Not that I am somehow influenced by a certain movie a saw recently or something.



> Wee Jas,
> 
> There is a spell in _Tome and Blood_ called _Energy Immunity_. It is a 6th level cleric spell (7th level Sorc/Wiz) that grants total immunity to a single form of energy for 24 hours per casting. You can use this to ward your party efficiently, especially if you can make scrolls.



Personally, I love *Ghost Form*, which let me come out of RttToEE as a winner. That's a mage spell, though.


----------



## Dartan

Tsunami said:
			
		

> *Grumbar's player sure does have a talent for coming up with great characters... *




Thanks for the compliment....it took awhile to get into Grumbar espically after playing Dartan for the longest time.  But i really like playing him now.


----------



## Datt

Instead of talking about tactics here go to one of these two threads.

To help the players go here:
http://enworld.cyberstreet.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=36544

To help Doc murderize them go here:
http://enworld.cyberstreet.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=35895

Now I expect you guys to play fair and not go into a thread you are supposed to. 

Edit: Add missing words.


----------



## Dr Midnight

DAMN the temptation to peek into that thread is almost overwhelming me. I haven't, and won't, but... guh.


----------



## Lela

Wee Jas, as an idea, Old One's players set up a Yahoo group some time ago to duscuss stratagy amungst themselves.  Of course we wouldn't be able to participate and Doc is trustworthy, so the idea may not be of use to you.


----------



## Richards

I think you'll be able to figure out what song this one's based on:

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

*FOLLOW THE ROAD TO THE NORTH/WE'RE OFF TO KILL THE DRAGON*

Follow the road to the north.  Follow the road to the north.
Follow, follow, follow, follow,
Follow the road to the north.
Follow the road to the, follow the road to the,
Follow the road to the north.
We're off to kill the dragon, the terrible dragon of ice.
He may not have killed Kizzlorn's parents but,
He's never been really nice.
If ever an evil white wyrm there was, the dragon of ice is one because,
Because, because, because, because, because,
Because of the terrible things he does.
We're off to kill the dragon, the terrible dragon of ice!

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

Believe it or not, the idea for _this_ stupid little song popped into my head while driving to go pick up pizza this evening.  Not all that much of a "Wizard of Oz" fan, I had to look up the words to "We're Off to See the Wizard" on the Internet, and was a little disappointed to see just how short it was - not a whole lot to work with.  But hey, they can't all be winners.  

And while I'm making Wizard of Oz references, I might as well throw in another:

Kizzlorn, inside the belly of a remorhaz:  "I'm melting!"

 Sorry, Kizz.

Johnathan
Self-Appointed, Unofficial Bard to the _Knights of Spellforge Keep_ Campaign


----------



## Toffron

*wow*

I just recently discovered this site, and Ive been reading this thread and I just have to say, OMG. This is friggin awsome.

Doc: The way you  keep this adventure going is just brilliant.

Vek: You are the MAN, im tempted to play change the deity of my current cleric to Wee Jas in tribute to you, but Tharizdun is much more evil   (Playing RtttoeE atm, and im igoing to infiltrate  our group as a Cleric/Doomdreamer of Tharizdun  ) 

Jamison: I like the old evil Jamison best =D he friggin owned in Big A's cave. Yeah yeah, so you what if you have to touch everything you see, every campaign needs someone like that, whats the fun in a very carefull group that have to study everything for 3 weeks, and cast all sort of detection spell on them first? 

All the others: You guys keep up the good work, but I have a thing for evil/evil looking characters   


Oh and btw, I NEED MORE


----------



## Lela

I choose to believe that Doc is now, at this very moment or one soon to come, writing something for those of us who *NEED MORE*.

Write Doc?


----------



## Wee Jas

> DAMN the temptation to peek into that thread is almost overwhelming me. I haven't, and won't, but... guh.




I'm hoping the reader will leak good info to the players thread.  Cause.. well.. if we all die then no more story hour!  Who wants that?!  Help us win! 



> Vek: You are the MAN, im tempted to play change the deity of my current cleric to Wee Jas in tribute to you




Aww.. thanks!  Vek is probably my favorite character ever.  I have played for 20 years give or take a year.  I'm interested to see where I will go from here.  I love the army angle so I may take leadership again at 18th lvl or just be crazy kick @ss and take reach spell (for HArm!).. lol.   If I 'unlive' that long!


----------



## Dr Midnight

Hey there people- 
Just chiming in to say that there'll be no session 48 this week, as the game's been postponed so that I can go up to Piratecat's house and run some Feng Shui for him and six others on the 11th. It should be good. Here's the story hour thread, because there WILL be a Doc M story hour next week, it just won't be the KosK...

http://enworld.cyberstreet.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=36267

Yes, I'm pimping a story hour in my own story hour. Feng Shui is big huge Hong Kong action movie-type stuff, with guns, kung fu, explosions, and minimalist plot that just acts as motivation to get together and fight bad guys in cool locales. If you can have fun watching an action movie, step into the theater and read the SEQUEL to the greatest action movie never filmed. 

Now to try to wrap up this KosK session's events before bed... Let's see how I do...

EDIT: just wanted to throw out much love and respeck to Richards, who makes up songs about my D&D campaign while going to buy pizza. 

and to everyone else, too... I'd respond to the posts individually, but until Sunday, I'll be pretty damned busy. Forgive!


----------



## Dr Midnight

*Sunday, 2nd of Ready’reat*

Kizz was resurrected the next day. The group had gone south a bit to avoid the predators that had been drawn to the area. They ate a cold breakfast of field rations and mounted up to head further north. 

Shade asked “What’s our plan, Vek?”

“What do you mean?”

“For fightin’ the dragon. How’re we going to do it? I know ye’ve got a plan…”

“Not now. He’s watching.”

A chill ran through Shade that had nothing to do with the fact that he was freezing. “What??”

“Right now. He’s scrying on us. He knows we’re coming, and watches us from time to time. This moment is one of those times.”

“So- how do you know he’s watching? And if he knows we’re coming, why isn’t he attacking us now?”

“It’s easy to detect, if you know what to look for- and I don’t know. Quiet, we’ll talk later.” Shade hushed and they rode on in silence. 

They came to Finch again, but this time something was different. There was debris from the town’s ruins strewn before them. Pieces of planks were laid end to end in an almost orderly way. “What’s this?” Grumbar asked. “Trap?”

“I don’t think so… Tsunami, up.” Vek cast a spell on his undead horse and it ran upward, spiraling into the sky. Vek looked down. “It’s a message.”

Kizz looked confused. “A message?”

“Yes: I’M WAITING.” Vek rode down. “Let’s keep riding. He’s trying to unnerve us.”

They rode past Finch and over the mountains to the north.

*Moonday, 10th of Ready’reat*

The bitter, frozen Knights rode upon the plain of ice. The last eight days had been hard. They’d been ambushed by a pack of enormous winter wolves, they’d had to deal with a pair of trolls demanding a toll on the road they walked, they’d met a giant that fell from the sky. Nothing was as difficult as dealing with the constant cold, and keeping the horses fed and alive. Vek and Tsunami were quite alright, of course… but Goldie and Sunshine were miserable, and Ashes would have died if not for Jamison’s clever use of heat-based spells. 

Then, another city on the horizon. “Where are we now, Vek?” Grumbar asked.

“I don’t know. When I came up with the Knights of the Silver Quill, we passed all this by in teleporting straight to the lair. I think it’s Latona. I remember Taigiel saying something about it. It’s the last human outpost before Eru Tovar.”

They were traveling across the Ice Island, as it was called. A thousand years ago this had been a part of the vast Vesve forest. No one is sure why the temperatures dropped suddently and an eight hundred mile wide patch of wintry lands grew in a lush area of Greyhawk. Some posited that Acessiwal created it somehow, when he moved into the realm… he “marked his territory” so to speak. Others theorized that an ancient winter wizard was killed in combat here, and his death resulted in the climate changes as revenge from beyond the grave. It would maybe never be truly known. There were secrets here beneath the ice that no one would ever learn, and some that no one would want to. 

They approached Latona, and it became clear that it had met the same fate as Finch. It was destroyed. However, seeing as it was an outpost built of stone and mortar, the dragon had not torn it down as easily as he had Finch. They rode past and found another “message” from Acessiwal. This one was written using the entrails of a corpse in the snow. The corpse looked to be a bard. He had a broken lute and a sheet of music paper rolled in his sack with a song called “Acessiwal the Yellow”. The singer had paid for his bravery with his life, and his viscera had been used as writing tools. 

“Not much farther,” Vek read to the others from above. He floated down and rejoined them. “I rather like this fool who dared to mock the dragon in his own lands,” he said as he took a finger bone from the corpse and put it in a compartment on his belt. “If we need, we can resurrect him and ask what he knows about the beast.”

They kept moving north. 

*Waterday, 12th of Ready’reat*

“Coldheart.” A cliff spread before them. From the horizon to their left to the horizon to their right, the immense Mect ice cliff stretched. Vek said “Somewhere nearby is the entrance to the dragon’s ice dungeon. We’re almost inside… and once there, we needn’t worry about being attacked from above… or, at the very least, wind chill.”

Grumbar nodded. “Th-that’s g-g-g-oo-d.” They rode closer. 

Shade looked around from beneath his fur cloak. “Wh-where are we headed? Where’s the entrance?” His lips were bluish. 

“There,” Grumbar replied. He was pointing to a door covered with a white pelt. A thin walkway carved in the ice led up to it. “There’s fur flappin’ in the wind.”

“Well, let’s get up there… what is that noise?” Above the wind, they could all hear it… it sounded like a high-pitched screaming, getting louder. Small winged creatures were flying down from the top of the cliff toward them. “ATTACK FROM ABOVE! GET READY!” 

The snow around them exploded as three frost-covered figures stood up from the drifts and attacked from below. Vek cursed. “Ice golems! I remember these- They’re extremely tough. Be on your best guard!”

Kizzlorn shot a single lightning bolt up into the air and cooked all of the incoming winged creatures with one shot. They plummeted to the ground, blackened and dead.

Jamison cast a spell on one of the nine foot tall ice golems. The spell didn’t have any effect at all. “What?! That’s impossible!” The golem trudged towards him. 

Vek was having a hard time of it.  He hammered away at one golem with spells of different sorts. The only one that even put a crack into the one he was fighting was a spell that caused vibrations in the air… and the crack then healed up as the golem pulled in moisture from the snow around them, freezing it to its skeletal frame. “Someone try a fire spell!” he shouted as he pulled out his sword and began cutting at the creature. 

Grumbar was chipping away at his own golem, but the damage it was doing to him greatly exceeded the damage he was doing to it. Kizzlorn cast a _fireball_ at one, and it burst around it. The golem melted immediately… water sheeted off its body in waves, leaving only a thin sticklike figure of ice standing there. Vek finished it off with a chop of his sword, then ran to help Grumbar. The golem crumbled into a pile of rotted ice.

Kizzlorn saw one of the Golems attacking the empty air, and heard grunts of pain. Phantom bloodspots appeared in the snow. “Shade?” she called out. “Shade!”

“Here, luv,” he growled. He sounded very badly hurt. 

“Shade, back away, I’ll hit it with a fireball! I can’t see you, so I can’t aim…”

“I can’t, one o’ my suit’s tentacles is stuck to it… I’ll try to cut-“ he was interrupted by a loud THWATCH noise when the golem swiped its claws through the air. Shade’s voice silenced and a long gout of blood appeared in the snow. 

“SHADE!!” Kizzlorn cast a _fireball_ at the golem, and it melted almost completely away… then she hit it with another. She knelt in the snow beside the Shade shaped impression there. She found his wrist and felt it. There was no pulse. “Damn it…” This was his fourth death in the Knights. “Damn it,” she said again, starting to cry. She removed his ring of invisibility and he came back into view. 

Vek plunged his sword into the snow and kept his hands on the pommel. He receded into his head and traveled on crimson ribbons through the deadspace. _Shade,_ he asked. _Are you coming back?_ 

_Not this time, friend._ Shade’s spirit was moving to the afterworld. He’d had enough of living and dying on Oerth. 

“He’ll not return if we resurrect him,” Vek said quietly. “He’s gone.”

Kizzlorn laid her head on his chest and wept. Grumbar, nearby, began to weep as well. 

They camped there that night and honored their fallen friend. They burned him in a blazing pyre, for two reasons. The first was so that there wouldn’t be a corpse for the dragon to bring to undeath and send after them. The second was that it seemed a fitting tribute to let his worldly body leave this cold, cold part of the world in some warmth. It was a comfort to them. 

Shade would have wanted the others to have his items, so they divided them amongst themselves. Vek found himself with the greatest share of the goods. He clipped the dead rogue’s vorpal longsword to his belt and flexed his fingers in the rubbery Ioun armor Shade had taken from Kolume not long ago. The black, skintight rubbery suit clung to Vek’s emaciated form, and it offered him more protection than the strongest suit of full plate armor in Greyhawk. Vek had sewn a piece over the nose and mouth hole, to preserve his undead dignity. The ruby eyepieces added to the skeletal appearance of the lich. Now, in the chitinous Ioun armor and bearing Shade’s powerful sword, Sir Vek Mormont was far deadlier than he had ever been in his life, or the time after it. 

“Yes,” he said, mostly to himself as he tossed the last piece of Hedrack’s armor into the _bag of holding._ “This will do nicely.”

* NEXT: INTO COLDHEART *


----------



## Horacio

Good update, Doc

And thanks for bringiing us a new Feng shui story, I really LOVED the first movie


----------



## Lela

You know, I've always thought it hard to reflect level increases and new items in story form.  We often find ourselves saying things like "powerful" and "strong" to make up for the lack of words.  I find this commonplace and, well, corny.

But, upon reading about Vek being more deadly than he'd ever been before, I found that you have a way of doing it that is amazingly subtle and effective.

You rock Doc.


----------



## Celtavian

*Re*

Four deaths for Shade. Ack. I hope he comes back as a Paladin. Give him a better chance of survival or maybe a cleric. 

So, Accessiwal's lair is a huge cave of ice. Nice. He probably can't use his breath weapon to destroy it. Should be easier to set him up.


----------



## Neverwinter Knight

Richards said:
			
		

> *
> He may not have killed Kizzlorn's parents but,
> He's never been really nice.
> *




lol Richards! I'm not a fan of da Wiz, but I am humming the tune myself from time to time.




			
				Celtavian said:
			
		

> *Four deaths for Shade. Ack. I hope he comes back as a Paladin. Give him a better chance of survival or maybe a cleric.*




Bye Shade, sad to see you go, but we understand. Come back as a fighter, though.


----------



## Metus

Wah?!  Why could he possibly not want to come back?!  I still felt like there was some unresolved story with the character (plus I used Shade as one of my party members in Icewind Dale).  I think that's a shame.  I was rather liking Shade's personality and his background.  I guess I'll just remain curious as to what kind of character is coming up next.


----------



## Wee Jas

> Wah?! Why could he possibly not want to come back?!




Maybe he did.   Beleive the lich!  Bah I just wanted the vorpal sword.   

Shade died to many times.  He was just getting to weak.  Too bad.  I really liked the rogue.


----------



## Datt

Great update Doc!

While I have just started reading the story hour, I had grown fond of Shade.  When I am not a dwarf I love to be a Rogue.  Although I can understand not wanting to keep coming back time and time again.  There is just a point when you decide that enough is enough.  I have already told my DM that if Datt dies again he is not coming back.   While it is hard for some to understand, there is just a time for every character.


----------



## Neverwinter Knight

Wee Jas said:
			
		

> *
> 
> Maybe he did.   Beleive the lich!  Bah I just wanted the vorpal sword.   *



We had a party member once who did that. After my paladin died in the ToAC, he claimed to have talked with the paladin's soul and that he did not want to return. The others believed him. Then he went and sold my Final Word sword (one of most precious artifact swords).
My mage who followed wanted to accidentally dispel his fly spell at an inconvenient time, but instead, I left him alone in the fire node to have a little chat with 4 Salamanders and 2 Fire Giants. 



			
				Doc Midnight said:
			
		

> *
> Just chiming in to say that there'll be no session 48 this week*




Rabääääääähhhhhhhhhhh! No KotSK ??? Buuuuuuhhuuuuuhhhuuuu.


----------



## Wee Jas

Hey whats this LINK ?

Shameless plug for my DM keep out thread.


----------



## Felix

So... what? Is Shade's PC going to show up as a newly ressurected bard?

Doc. Midnight, I loved the KotSQ, and was disheartened when you all split, even for the fun of your Star Wars campaign. So much so, that I didn't recognize KoSK for what it was - KotSQ's sequel. When I did realize my mistake, I tore through this thread, enjoying every bit. That being said, Wee Jas, get the good doctor back to work!

Wee Jas, the character concepts I think of these days all must meet the acid test: are they as cool as Vek? What a badass.

Alright, back to lurking.


----------



## Breakstone

Poor Shade...

But I can understand his passing on. It would be a bit... icky... coming back to life again and again.


----------



## Celtavian

*Re*

Shade should give necromancer a try. Either a sorcerer or a wizard specialiist. 

Check my idea on the dragon thread. 

From a roleplaying perspective, if Shade doesn't mind playing it, he could be a worshipper of Wee Jas who is friends with Vek. I am sure Vek wouldn't mind calling on a necromancer friend to come and put the smack down on a dragon...)


----------



## Lela

Hmmm, Doc, for those of us hanging out in the PC stratagy thread, what books to you allow for spells?


----------



## Wee Jas

> Wee Jas, the character concepts I think of these days all must meet the acid test: are they as cool as Vek? What a badass.




Thanks Felix!



> Hmmm, Doc, for those of us hanging out in the PC stratagy thread, what books to you allow for spells?




Think core books and splat books only.  No weird d20 stuff  )


----------



## DWARF

Oh please, I doubt Shade will come back as a Necromancer.  Every time the last necromancer tried flexing his muscles, Vek "put him in his place" and took over the undead.

I think at this point they really need some sort of "Dragon hunter", a ranger or ranger multiclass that specializes in taking out the beasts.


----------



## Lela

Oh, I think that Vek might have a different view if the Necro were to be a worshiper of Wee Jas.  He'd still consider himself in charge (as a Litch, he should in this case) but he'd be nicer about it.

Then again, I really liked Celtavian's idea (the one in the stratagy thread).  Shade's player would do well considering that one.


----------



## Dursk Starkfire

*Shade*

I think Shade should be an alienist, or maybe a delusional oracle.


----------



## Neverwinter Knight

That's too much Wee-Jas for one party! I also like the Mage of the Arcane Order PrC. You can use the spell-pool ability to cast the spell you need for every situation!


----------



## Lela

Neverwinter Knight said:
			
		

> *That's too much Wee-Jas for one party! I also like the Mage of the Arcane Order PrC. You can use the spell-pool ability to cast the spell you need for every situation! *




Which is why I immeditally said no on that one to my Sorceror munchkin.  And yes, he found a way for a Sorceror to take the class.

He's a Wild Mage now.  Oi.


----------



## Neverwinter Knight

Lela said:
			
		

> *
> 
> Which is why I immeditally said no on that one to my Sorceror munchkin.  And yes, he found a way for a Sorceror to take the class.
> 
> He's a Wild Mage now.  Oi. *



Ah, the thin line between powergamer and munchkin...


----------



## Lela

Neverwinter Knight said:
			
		

> *
> Ah, the thin line between powergamer and munchkin...  *




Too true.

But he's not that bad.  I've seen worse.


----------



## Neverwinter Knight

Lela said:
			
		

> *
> 
> Too true.
> 
> But he's not that bad.  I've seen worse. *




You mean Vek?


----------



## Lela

Neverwinter Knight said:
			
		

> *
> 
> You mean Vek?    *




LOL!!

Vek's up there but I havn't actually _seen_ him.  I do have a player who delt out 86 damage in one round (no crits) with a Mighty Composite Longbow.  I believe he was level 7 at the time.  Same game.

Anyway, I've developed my own rules on the whole _Harm_, _Polymorph Other_, _Slay Living_, machine gun bow of death thing.  If they use it against the NPCs, the NPCs will use it against them.  I'll hold back otherwise.  It's a cold war that I hope will one day be broken (we'll all have fun then) but it works for now.

The reason I mention that is because I've found that it keeps the munchkins in check.  They know it will work but they also know it will work against them too.


----------



## Wee Jas

> You mean Vek?




owww....       lol.  Well I could be worse.  I mean really... I haven't done HArm with a quickened Inflict Wounds.. YET!


----------



## Lela

Wee Jas said:
			
		

> *
> 
> owww....       lol.  Well I could be worse.  I mean really... I haven't done HArm with a quickened Inflict Wounds.. YET!   *




Until Doc does _Heal_ with a quickened Cure Wounds on you.


----------



## Wee Jas

> Until Doc does Heal with a quickened Cure Wounds on you.




shh.. don't give him ideas!  Now I gotta get a Contingency spell cast on me!  Thanks Lela.. know how much gold that post just cost me?!


----------



## Lela

Wee Jas said:
			
		

> *
> 
> shh.. don't give him ideas!  Now I gotta get a Contingency spell cast on me!  Thanks Lela.. know how much gold that post just cost me?!
> 
> *




As the new offical Rules Lawyer of the forums, I'm sure you'll find a way to cheapen it up.

Think of what you could offer in trade to a necromancer.


----------



## Neverwinter Knight

Normally I would now be drinking a coffee and reading Docs writeup of the session, only there is none this week...


----------



## Horacio

Neverwinter Knight said:
			
		

> *Normally I would now be drinking a coffee and reading Docs writeup of the session, only there is none this week...    *




I feel and share your pain...


----------



## Celtavian

*Re*

Necromancer is a great selection because it sets up the group. Druid can be fairly decent. I will have to see how it goes. It just seems to me that they have enough damaging spell power with Kizzlorn, Jamison and Vek. 

Necromancers offer a different type of spell power which would support the spell power of the others. An archer would also be extremely helpful since an archer could attack from range and the casters could easily create a position with cover for the archer to use.

I will enjoy seeing how the fight goes though. Heck, they can always load Jamison up and have him enact the strategy I suggested. He can cast all the same spells.

The big problem I they have to deal with is obtaining cover to prevent the dragon from destroying them with its powerful melee.


----------



## Neverwinter Knight

Okay, Richards, you have inspired me and I've just come in from the snow, where I came up with a small _jingle_ in the wake of the upcoming battle. It's crappy, but hey... 

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

JINGLE SKULLS

Jingle skulls, jingle skulls,
Jingle all the way.
Oh what fun it is to fight
An old wyrm that likes to play, hey
Jingle skulls, jingle skulls,
Jingle all the way.
Oh what fun it is to fight
An old wyrm that likes to play!

Slashing through the snow
At the old wyrm that likes to play.
Down and down they go,
Bleeding all the way.
Swords and armor ring.
The spirits take to flight.
And Vek just keeps to cast and sing
The slaying song allright.

Jingle skulls, jingle skulls,
Jingle all the way.
Oh what fun it is to fight
An old wyrm that likes to play, hey
Jingle skulls, jingle skulls,
Jingle all the way.
Oh what fun it is to fight
An old wyrm that likes to play!

A day or two ago,
Big A. killed Kizzlorn's dad.
What a surprise it was 
To find out Jamison had.
The dragon still must die
Misfortune seems his lot.
We are prepared, he is as well,
We'll find out what he's got.

Jingle skulls, jingle skulls,
Jingle all the way.
Oh what fun it is to fight
An old wyrm that likes to play, hey
Jingle skulls, jingle skulls,
Jingle all the way.
Oh what fun it is to fight
An old wyrm that likes to play!

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

*Neverwinter Knight*
Official fan of Richards, Bard to the _Knights of Spellforge Keep_ Campaign, & the knights themselves (Doc including  )


----------



## Wee Jas

You guys better watch it.. Dartan is known for punching bards!  Grumbar might share the same personality trait!  


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

*Symphony of Destruction* (Megadeth)
You take a mortal man, 
And put him in control 
Watch him become a LICH, 
Watch peoples heads a'roll 
A'roll... 

blah blah blah.. other lyrics...

The lair starts to rumble 
White dragon falls 
A'warring for Verbobonc 
Spellforge Keep stands tall 
Tall... 

aww crud... I can't do this...  

Sir Vek Mormont
Official lich to the Knights of Spellforge Keep Campaign & no bardic talent whatsoever


----------



## Xaltar

Lela said:
			
		

> *
> Anyway, I've developed my own rules on the whole Harm, Polymorph Other, Slay Living, machine gun bow of death thing.  If they use it against the NPCs, the NPCs will use it against them.  I'll hold back otherwise.  It's a cold war that I hope will one day be broken (we'll all have fun then) but it works for now.
> *




This is how I work things on Thursdays when I DM for the same group.  Although they still seem to roll better than I do, so they usually win.


----------



## Wee Jas

I might be a tad bored.   Visit Spellforge Keep 

Now Doc hasn't reviewed the House Rules Section yet cause he is too busy neglecting this story hour for his other


----------



## Razamir

Doc,

The story is great lately. Thanks!


Wee Jas,

That website is really cool. Nice work.


----------



## Lela

Wee Jas said:
			
		

> *I might be a tad bored.   Visit Spellforge Keep
> 
> Now Doc hasn't reviewed the House Rules Section yet cause he is too busy neglecting this story hour for his other  *




Cool!

Looks like you need to update Vek's character sheet though.  You've got a new sword and some armor to put in there.


----------



## Dursk Starkfire

*weather forcast*

I especially like the weather forcast...
we have a 50% chance of snow, and a likely chance of dragons.


Vek,
ever thought of true res'ing Lillith?  (wondering if its possible to resurrect an intelligent shield?   Of course the Ruby Queen probably would object, unless you could convince her that it would prolong her 'suffering'.
that would be a nasty combo. vek the litch with his vampire biznatch shield and a vorpal sword of unholy bane.


----------



## Wee Jas

> Ever thought of true res'ing Lillith?




Well actually yeah.. I thought of 2 things...

1. Questing for a wish of some sort and wishing it back  or

2.  Taking Leadership again and having Lilith the cohort.  (She would probaly be some sort of arcane spell user)

Thats a great question!


----------



## Lela

*Re: weather forcast*



			
				Dursk Starkfire said:
			
		

> *
> 
> Vek,
> ever thought of true res'ing Lillith?  (wondering if its possible to resurrect an intelligent shield?   Of course the Ruby Queen probably would object, unless you could convince her that it would prolong her 'suffering'. *




Well, Vek is a great champion of the Ruby Queen.  If you found a way to bind Lillith (a good name for a vampire) to Vek's will and command I think it could work.

She'd be required to serve you and if you die, she dies (and goes straight into Wee Jas' waiting arms).


----------



## Wee Jas

Who will die fighting the dragon?  Cast your vote - HERE 

Ahh.. what a fun poll


----------



## Numion

I just gotta say that these have been the best updates yet. I liked the RttToEE phase too, don't get me wrong, but the newer ones have been better. 

Many of the characters are very intresting; that's no small feat in a lethal game. Vek is a long-running favorite, but Grumbar has a thing going for it too.. and so does Crow.  

Great stuff!


----------



## Dursk Starkfire

*shade's new character*

Is Shade going to name his new character? or is he just going to call him "Red-Shirt #4"?


----------



## Wee Jas

> "Red-Shirt #4"?




Oh god.. now your going to get Shades player all worried and upset!  Don't tease him or we will never hear the end of it!  lol.  I love you Josh


----------



## Neverwinter Knight

yep, the weather update rocks !!!


----------



## Dursk Starkfire

*dragon poll*

1. why isn't the dragon listed on the poll?
2. someone should buy a bracelet of friends and summon jonas when you get to the dragon's lair. everybody should share in the carnage!


----------



## med stud

This isnt a story related question, but anyway: How are your rules for called shots (in the KoSF, that is)?


----------



## blargney

*Excellent story!!*

I've just read through the whole KoSK thread for the first time... what a great read!  Thanks for taking the time to write your story, Doc!

A quick question: am I completely off my rocker to guess that the sessions that challenged the players the least were all modules?  It just seems to me like the story flows better when you're DMing adventures that you've come up with on your own...

-two blargs up!

ps - is the current drawing of Vek inspired from Albator? (I'm not actually sure what the name of the Albator anime is in english, but it's a cartoon about space pirates...)


----------



## Wee Jas

> ps - is the current drawing of Vek inspired from Albator? (I'm not actually sure what the name of the Albator anime is in english, but it's a cartoon about space pirates...)




AARrrgggghhh - eee matey!  Dat be da voice Vek uses in da storyhour.. ye skurvy dog ye! Space pirates... arrrrrr......

uh no.


----------



## Richards

Well, since it'll be awhile before we get another update (if I remember correctly, the campaign's caught up to the present, and the next game isn't until Saturday), here's something to help pass the time.  I recently realized that we've had four PCs that I've yet to inflict anagrams on.     Let's see what we can come up with, shall we?

*SHADE = HADES*

Well, that kind of makes sense, since he's dead and all, and Hades being the Greek underworld.

*SHADE = HE SAD*

Not the best English, but yeah, I guess he is rather sad - too many resurrections, not enough stamina.   

*GRUMBAR = GRAB RUM*

Like any other half-orc I've ever heard of, I wouldn't doubt that Grumbar would grab up any rum he could find (or any other alcoholic beverage, for that matter, including poisoned honey mead).

*GRUMBAR = ARM GRUB*

If he's as hygienic as most half-orcs, it wouldn't surprise me in the least ot find a grub or two burrowing happily in Grumbar's arm (or one or two other bodily areas, for that matter...)

*GRUMBAR = RUB GRAM*

Hey, Grumbar, whatever you and your gramma get up to between closed doors is your business...I really don't want to hear about it.  No, really.

*JO'NAS REDLONG = SNARLED ON JOG*

Apparently Jo'nas isn't fond of jogging?  Or is there some orc blood in him as well?

*JO'NAS REDLONG = DARN JOEL SONG*

Is it possible that when Jo'nas' player was trying to come up with a name for his new PC, there was a Billy Joel song looping over and over in his head at the time?  ("Play us a song, yonder piano man...")  The subconscious can be a strange place, after all.

*JO'NAS REDLONG = LONG ROD JEANS*

"No, really, baby, I had to have these jeans custom made, to accommodate my massive--"  Yeah, right, Jo'nas.   

*JO'NAS REDLONG = JAR-EL'S NO DONG*

Well of course he's not!  And really, that's no way to talk about Superman's biological father!   

*GRYPH GREYCLOAK = ROCKY GLYPH RAGE*

Maybe Gryph gets really, really mad when he sees a _glyph of warding_ carved into a rock formation?  I dunno.  I just discover these things, I don't have to explain them.

*GRYPH GREYCLOAK = PORKY HAG CLERGY*

Well, since Gryph is a shapechanger and all, I don't suppose turning into an overweight hag cleric would be all that difficult for him...

*GRYPH GREYCLOAK = GAG PORKY CHERYL*

Or maybe he's a kidnapper that specializes in heavyset women named Cheryl...?

I think that's got everyone covered, then.  I'm looking forward to the rematch with Acessiwal!

Johnathan

Oh, and in case you were wondering...

*JOHNATHAN RICHARDS = HIS RANCH HAD TROJAN*

Because you never know when you're going to need one...


----------



## Breakstone

Richards...

that's just awesome...


----------



## Lela

Richards, you are both a very disturbed and disturbing man.

I love it.


----------



## Horacio

Freakingly funny, Richards...


----------



## blargney

Check it out.. it's pretty similar!  In English, Albator is called Captain Harlock.







-blarg matey


----------



## belasco

Vek is way cooler than that guy.   

I swear.. I'm not in here pimping my NEW SITE


----------



## Richards

I felt kind of bad that my last two parody songs were kind of short, so I came up with another one today that's a little "meatier."  It's also a little out of date already, as it takes place back when Gryph was still in the party.  But in any case, here's the next Knights of Spellforge Keep song, based on "Maxwell's Silver Hammer" by the Beatles.

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

*GRUMBAR'S +5 GREATSWORD*

Kizz was casting spells, _fireballs_ and nasty spells
Flung both left and right
Fighting for the lives of her fellow Kni-i-i-ights...
Gryph was changing form, 'cause for him it was the norm
An amazing sight
Red dragon seems right for the current fi-i-i-ight
But as the body count piles up
The half-orc wants his share...

Hack, hack, Grumbar's _+5 greatsword_
Comes down on a foe's head
Slash, slash, Grumbar's _+5 greatsword_
Makes sure that he is dead

When a fight rages, sometimes it can take ages
For Grumbar to appear
Always in the rear, yeah, that much is clea-ea-ea-ear
It's not from a lack of bloodlust, he's got the knack
It's just that he's slow
His friends are far more speedy, now, don't you kno-o-o-ow
But when he finally gets on the scene
His kill rate starts to rise...

Hack, hack, Grumbar's _+5 greatsword_
Comes down on a foe's head
Slash, slash, Grumbar's _+5 greatsword_
Makes sure that he is dead

When the battle's done, and of course the good guys won
Vek starts to take score
Noting he's killed more than the others ohh-oh-oh-oh
Grumbar doesn't care, long as he has got his share
The numbers he ignores (numbers he ignores)
Plus he can't count that high, so it isn't fai-ai-ai-air
But if there is a straggler left
Then Grumbar is your man...

Hack, hack, Grumbar's _+5 greatsword_
Comes down on a foe's head
Slash, slash, Grumbar's _+5 greatsword_
Makes sure that he is dead

_+5 greatsword_ man!

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

Johnathan
Self-Appointed, Unofficial Bard to the _Knights of Spellforge Keep_ Campaign


----------



## Sammael99

I've just been catching up...



			
				Horacio said:
			
		

> *
> 
> 
> WOW!
> 
> Now I'm a NPC in DrMidnight game!!!!!!!!!!!!
> 
> 
> Thanks, Doc! *




Question is, are you supposed to be French or Spanish. Some would say a Spanish chef is unrealistic...


----------



## Sammael99

OK, so now I'm completely up to date.

Doc, I must say this. In a first analysis, the style of campaigning that you run is not my bag. A lot of combat, very much "dungeon" oriented. 

However, the more I read and the more I enjoyed this SH. Much credit to you for making we wonder if I could enjoy playing in this style that I've never much enjoyed in the past, with the right players and the right GM. Respect !

I have a few interrogations. 

There are a lot of changes in characters from the early kotsq to now. Some are due to character deaths (fair enough) but quite a few were due to characters leaving the group. Was there a lot of shifting in the players or did they easily get bored with their characters ?

Another question : reading the SH it seems fairly evident that the interlude was not roleplayed (but maybe I'm wrong ?). Was it done interactively or was it just written by you as a background for the new campaign, Doc ? How did the players feel about their characters being killed in an interlude ? Or was it different players ?

And finally, at what level do the dead and not resurrected characters come back ?

Oh, and also, when are you guys playing again ?


----------



## Wee Jas

> There are a lot of changes in characters from the early kotsq to now. Some are due to character deaths (fair enough) but quite a few were due to characters leaving the group. Was there a lot of shifting in the players or did they easily get bored with their characters ?




When we kickstarted the campaign again some people wanted new characters but we didn't want to start fresh after all the work we did on the campaign.  Dartan and Vek's players were attached to their characters so we decided to stay with them.  (20 years is nothing to a lich and Dartan was looking forward to playing an older bitter Dartan).  We lost a couple players and picked up a couple more.  Hence a great rearranging!



> And finally, at what level do the dead and not resurrected characters come back ?




Lowest party level is the starting level for new characters coming into the party.  I think thats 14 at this point.



> Oh, and also, when are you guys playing again ?




Saturday!  I can't wait!


----------



## Dursk Starkfire

*Richards*

that's one of your best so far!


----------



## Olgar Shiverstone

Bumpage.

Game's tomorrow, right?

What are the odds right now?

I'm giving big A at 2:1 to win.  Any takers?


----------



## Felix

I'll take that bet.

10 smilies that the KoSK kill big A. 

[Note, the bet is if Acessiwal lives or dies. ie, if all the knights die, and so does big A, I win.]

Put your smilies where your mouth is!


----------



## Olgar Shiverstone

OK, 10 smilies for Felix on KoSK over A at 2:1.

First PC death?

Vek at 4:1
Grumbar at 2:1
Kizzlorn at 2:1
Jamison at 3:1
Othos at 3:1
New Guy at 3:1


----------



## Lela

Olgar Shiverstone said:
			
		

> *OK, 10 smilies for Felix on KoSK over A at 2:1.
> 
> First PC death?
> 
> Vek at 4:1
> Grumbar at 2:1
> Kizzlorn at 2:1
> Jamison at 3:1
> Othos at 3:1
> New Guy at 3:1 *




I'll just quote these.  Just so you're not tempted to change them.

And I'll put 1 _rolleyes_ on Kizz and 2 _mad_ on Grumbar.


----------



## Breakstone

...you people are crazy...


----------



## Lela

Tsunami said:
			
		

> *...you people are crazy... *




I take it that Tsunami will not count in the killable PC bets?


----------



## Olgar Shiverstone

*The Book*

OK, keepin' the book:

Felix: 10  on KoSQ at 2:1

Lela: 1  on Kizz @ 2:1
         2  on Grumbar @ 2:1

LGodamus: 10   for Vek's killing blow at 4:1


----------



## Lela

Aw, he's just taking it slow and plodding along.


----------



## LGodamus

I will bet 10 of these babies  that Vek lands the killer blow.


But it would be just my luck big A. will roll a 1 and kizz will turn him to stone....


----------



## Olgar Shiverstone

LGodamus ... 4:1 odds on Vek landing the killing blow.



Don't let me down, now, Doc.  I've got a lot of smilage riding on big A's rep as a BADD mofo.


----------



## Lela

Gameday!!

Now we see who's kung fu is better.

Ur, ah, I mean, LET'S TAKE THE DRAGON DOWN!!!!!!!!!


----------



## Dr Midnight

GAME DAAAAAAAAYYYY!!!

I'm so psyched to play today... What a great module this is. 

We should have a NEW PLAYER today... not a new character, but a NEW PLAYER (playing a new character). I'm excited... word of mouth on this guy is good. 

I'm off to see the wizards (and lich and fighter and new guy)... I hope to have some story up for you tonight. See you all later.


----------



## Lela

*Prepares to repeatidly hit refresh for the next 10 hours. . .*


----------



## Morte

Lela said:
			
		

> **Prepares to repeatidly hit refresh for the next 10 hours. . .* *




You know he's going to string this out for a week of cliffhangers, and we'll only find out who died on about Thursday?

My toes are already Curling at the ratbastardly SHwriting to come.

*Prepares to repeatedly hit refresh for the next 10 hours. . .*


----------



## Lela

I know, I know.

The good news is that he still has the Fung Shway (sp?) story hour so he'll have to finish one sometime soon.


----------



## Dr Midnight

That last refresh JUST PAID OFF, MY FRIEND!

I'm back... big game night. The new guy played and was pretty damned good. Some nice Vek moments, some nice Grumbar moments, and some nice Jamison moments. As no one else showed up to play, that means BIG GOODIES FOR ALL. 

We played from 3:30 to 10... the xp take? 10,204... each. Over 40 k in total. That's a lot of stuff. 

I start writing now. Even though I just got my Buffy season 3 DVD set, I start writing now, because I don't want Lela to go craaaaazy.


----------



## Breakstone

Wa-hoo!


----------



## Dursk Starkfire

*awwww Doc*

you gave too much away by saying they got experience! ALTHOUGH, it does seem that the exp is only divided by 4 characters? did someone take a turn for the worse? 

this seems like one of the longest weeks ever. (no KotSK SH updates, but at least we had a game night to quell the addiction


----------



## Horacio

Dr Midnight said:
			
		

> *That last refresh JUST PAID OFF, MY FRIEND!
> 
> I'm back... big game night. The new guy played and was pretty damned good. Some nice Vek moments, some nice Grumbar moments, and some nice Jamison moments. As no one else showed up to play, that means BIG GOODIES FOR ALL.
> 
> We played from 3:30 to 10... the xp take? 10,204... each. Over 40 k in total. That's a lot of stuff.
> 
> I start writing now. Even though I just got my Buffy season 3 DVD set, I start writing now, because I don't want Lela to go craaaaazy. *




Talk less and write more, Doc!

I want you to update both your story hours!!!


----------



## Celtavian

*Re*

Ack...I am surprised Kizzlorn did not show up for the killing of the dragon. That is unfortunate. I still can't wait to find out who won though it seems fairly evident that the Knights won.


----------



## Lela

*Re: awwww Doc*



			
				Dursk Starkfire said:
			
		

> *you gave too much away by saying they got experience! ALTHOUGH, it does seem that the exp is only divided by 4 characters? did someone take a turn for the worse?
> 
> *




Only four people showed up.  Sounds like everyone else went back to the castle with their tails between their legs.  And so, neaner neaner neaner, no XP for you.

And Doc, while I would understand if you went for Buffy instead of us (season 3 was the best), that doesn't mean you wouldn't die a slow and painful death for doing so.

Besides, I'm already insane.  Clinicly at least.  Craaaazy isn't such a far cry from that.

AND YOU'D BETTER BE WRITTING!!!!!!!!!


----------



## Lela

Wait a second here.  A CR 20 encounter giving out 40,000 XP. . .

I don't have my DMG in this state right now but if someone wants to look that up. . .

Horacio, Darklone, Tsunami?


----------



## Breakstone

Keep in mind that they have to get through all the dungeon first, Celtavian. At least, I think they do...


----------



## arwink

Lela said:
			
		

> *Wait a second here.  A CR 20 encounter giving out 40,000 XP. . .
> 
> I don't have my DMG in this state right now but if someone wants to look that up. . .
> 
> Horacio, Darklone, Tsunami? *




A little over that if you're 13th level or so, less than that if you're under.

I think the dungeon helped the XP total's a lot


----------



## Breakstone

(Tsunami puts on his bottle-cap glasses and brings out his accounting calculator)

Gah, according to my calculations, attaining a sum of 40,000 experience points (plus or minus 300 experience points) would require the defeat of at least one (1) CR nineteen (19) encounter, one CR fifteen (15) encounter, and one CR ten (10) encounter. The physical parameters of such encounters is boggling to the mind, to say the least.

Gha-hoy!

EDIT: We must keep in mind, however, that the basis of the above mentioned calculations was one (1) party of four (4) balanced Player Characters using approximately twenty percent (20%) of their resources on each individual encounter.

Gha-hoy!


----------



## Lela

Hmmmm, I would guess that the CR 19 would be big A.  I'd have to wonder about the others.

Then again, it's just like Doc to give us information that leads us down the wrong road.  The question is, would he know someone would check the XP values?

I'd have to say yes.  When we look at all the psychos and obssessed people on these boards (myself included) and consider the intellect and general RBSHWness that Doc is, I'd say he knew.

But, is the real question that he knew we would and then knew we would question it; thus driving his plan forward while manipulating us like pawns?  I would also say yes.

Then again, would he know we'd look it up and know we'd 2nd guess it?  What about knowing we'd 3rd guess it?  4th?  5th?. . .512th. . .984th. . .1483rd. . . 

ERROR, ERROR, PARADOX.  DOES NOT COMPUTE.

BLUE SCREEN OF DEATH BLUE SCREEN OF DEATH BLUE SCREEN OF DEATH BLUE SCREEN OF DEATH BLUE SCREEN OF DEATH BLUE SCREEN OF DEATH BLUE SCREEN OF DEATH BLUE SCREEN OF DEATH BLUE SCREEN OF DEATH BLUE SCREEN OF DEATH BLUE SCREEN OF DEATH BLUE SCREEN OF DEATH BLUE SCREEN OF DEATH BLUE SCREEN OF DEATH BLUE SCREEN OF DEATH BLUE SCREEN OF DEATH BLUE SCREEN OF DEATH BLUE SCREEN OF DEATH BLUE SCREEN OF DEATH BLUE SCREEN OF DEATH BLUE SCREEN OF DEATH BLUE SCREEN OF DEATH BLUE SCREEN OF DEATH BLUE SCREEN OF DEATH BLUE SCREEN OF DEATH BLUE SCREEN OF DEATH BLUE SCREEN OF DEATH BLUE SCREEN OF DEATH BLUE SCREEN OF DEATH BLUE SCREEN OF DEATH BLUE SCREEN OF DEATH BLUE SCREEN OF DEATH BLUE SCREEN OF DEATH BLUE SCREEN OF DEATH BLUE SCREEN OF DEATH BLUE SCREEN OF DEATH BLUE SCREEN OF DEATH BLUE SCREEN OF DEATH BLUE SCREEN OF DEATH BLUE SCREEN OF DEATH BLUE SCREEN OF DEATH BLUE SCREEN OF DEATH BLUE SCREEN OF DEATH BLUE SCREEN OF DEATH BLUE SCREEN OF DEATH BLUE SCREEN OF DEATH BLUE SCREEN OF DEATH BLUE SCREEN OF DEATH BLUE SCREEN OF DEATH BLUE SCREEN OF DEATH BLUE SCREEN OF DEATH BLUE SCREEN OF DEATH BLUE SCREEN OF DEATH BLUE SCREEN OF DEATH BLUE SCREEN OF DEATH BLUE SCREEN OF DEATH BLUE SCREEN OF DEATH BLUE SCREEN OF DEATH BLUE SCREEN OF DEATH BLUE SCREEN OF DEATH BLUE SCREEN OF DEATH BLUE SCREEN OF DEATH BLUE SCREEN OF DEATH BLUE SCREEN OF DEATH BLUE SCREEN OF DEATH BLUE SCREEN OF DEATH BLUE SCREEN OF DEATH BLUE SCREEN OF DEATH BLUE SCREEN OF DEATH BLUE SCREEN OF DEATH BLUE SCREEN OF DEATH BLUE SCREEN OF DEATH BLUE SCREEN OF DEATH BLUE SCREEN OF DEATH BLUE SCREEN OF DEATH BLUE SCREEN OF DEATH BLUE SCREEN OF DEATH BLUE SCREEN OF DEATH BLUE SCREEN OF DEATH BLUE SCREEN OF DEATH BLUE SCREEN OF DEATH BLUE SCREEN OF DEATH BLUE SCREEN OF DEATH BLUE SCREEN OF DEATH BLUE SCREEN OF DEATH BLUE SCREEN OF DEATH BLUE SCREEN OF DEATH BLUE SCREEN OF DEATH BLUE SCREEN OF DEATH BLUE SCREEN OF DEATH BLUE SCREEN OF DEATH BLUE SCREEN OF DEATH BLUE SCREEN OF DEATH BLUE SCREEN OF DEATH BLUE SCREEN OF DEATH BLUE SCREEN OF DEATH BLUE SCREEN OF DEATH BLUE SCREEN OF DEATH BLUE SCREEN OF DEATH BLUE SCREEN OF DEATH BLUE SCREEN OF DEATH BLUE SCREEN OF DEATH BLUE SCREEN OF DEATH BLUE SCREEN OF DEATH BLUE SCREEN OF DEATH BLUE SCREEN OF DEATH BLUE SCREEN OF DEATH BLUE SCREEN OF DEATH BLUE SCREEN OF DEATH BLUE SCREEN OF DEATH BLUE SCREEN OF DEATH BLUE SCREEN OF DEATH BLUE SCREEN OF DEATH BLUE SCREEN OF DEATH BLUE SCREEN OF DEATH BLUE SCREEN OF DEATH BLUE SCREEN OF DEATH


----------



## Neverwinter Knight

Tsunami said:
			
		

> *(Tsunami puts on his bottle-cap glasses and brings out his accounting calculator)
> 
> Gah, according to my calculations, attaining a sum of 40,000 experience points (plus or minus 300 experience points) would require the defeat of at least one (1) CR nineteen (19) encounter, one CR fifteen (15) encounter, and one CR ten (10) encounter. The physical parameters of such encounters is boggling to the mind, to say the least.
> 
> Gha-hoy!
> 
> EDIT: We must keep in mind, however, that the basis of the above mentioned calculations was one (1) party of four (4) balanced Player Characters using approximately twenty percent (20%) of their resources on each individual encounter.
> 
> Gha-hoy! *




Don't forget about roleplaying XP.  



@ Doc> START WRITING !!!


----------



## DWARF

I guess nothing tonight.

I suppose it means that Doc has mor time to properly get things written tomorrow..... or later.


----------



## Celtavian

*Re*

I can relate to Doc taking some time to do a good write up for an epic battle like this.


----------



## LGodamus

It is 6:20 am here I can wait no longer ..............must sleep.....


----------



## Neverwinter Knight

*Re: Re*



			
				Celtavian said:
			
		

> *I can relate to Doc taking some time to do a good write up for an epic battle like this. *




Me too, but I wish he'd hurry up just the same


----------



## Dr Midnight

*SESSION 48
13th of Ready’reat
INTO COLDHEART* 

The party woke to find they were covered with a thick blanket of snow. “Did the dragon do this?” Grumbar asked. 

“No,” Vek answered from his place in the snow, where he’d watched over them all night. “This was just normal snow.”

“Stinks anyway,” Grumbar complained as he brushed himself off. When Grumbar was tired, he was cranky.

“Don’t worry about it, hon,” Kizzlorn said wearily. The night had been hard on her. Her eyes were pink. She didn’t say it, and no one asked, but it was commonly believed that she and Shade had begun to develop feelings for each other. Now, they were torn apart in the mortal world by senseless violence with creatures of destruction. She knew it happened every day, and she’d lost friends before in battles, but… this one hurt. She mostly kept to herself and silent. She would remain that way for most of the day. 

Jamison was in a terrific mood, as was usual for him in the morning. The prospect of a new day always filled him with glee. So many possibilities… A new lever to pull, a new spell to learn, a new friend to make. Anything could happen in a day. On the path to absolution, it was the only way to think. He stretched and looked out to the horizon. There was someone walking on it… towards them. 

“Vek!” he pointed. Vek looked. 

A small man clad in furs was striding, hip-deep, through the snow. His red face was set in a determined grimace against the cold. “Hold,” Vek called. “Who goes?”

The figure stopped. “I’m looking for the Knights of the Spellforge Keep.”

“That’s us,” Vek replied. “And there’s only one ‘the’ in our party name. Again- who goes?”

“My name is Edge. I’ve come to offer you my help, in exchange for a share of the dragon’s treasure, including a specific item.” He came closer. “Pardon me, but mind if we talk near the fire? I’m freezing.”

“Of course, be our guest. I sometimes forget how the cold can bother the living.”

“What??”

“Nothing. So… why did you come in search of us?”

“I heard you were going up to defeat the dragon. I want in.”

“Where did you come from?”

“I come from The Old Order. It’s a monastic temple in Ket, just south of the Yatil Mountains. I was sent to retrieve the item, which is a dragon totem of some sort.”

Vek shrugged. “Good enough for us… we could use another bruiser. I’m assuming you’re skilled in hand-to-hand combat, by your lack of obvious weapons?”

“You assumed right.”

“This is Grumbar, Kizzlorn, uh… Gregg Flamebrow, and I’m Vek Mormont. Warm yourself by the fire for a while, and we’ll get going.”

Edge knelt by the fire, gratefully warming his hands over it. 

“We’re goin’ through the fur flap!” Grumbar said excitedly.

“…Uh. Pardon me?”

“Up there!” He pointed to the white pelt covering an entrance into the glacier, thirty feet overhead. 

“Oh. Is that the entrance?”

Grumbar ignored the question. “Why you got pointy teeth?”

Edge smiled. “I have some odd blood in my heritage. I think an orc gave me the teeth.”

When the young monk had warmed himself properly, they left the fire and walked up the catwalk to the piece of fur. Edge carefully checked it for traps. 

“What’re you doin’?” Grumbar asked. 

“He’s checking the entrance for traps, Grumbar,” Vek answered patiently.

The half-orc wrinkled his nose in confusion. “Why do that?”

“Some of the more cautious adventurers in the realm tend to do this sort of thing to find out if there’s danger ahead. We haven’t done it in some time, because we haven’t had the sort of person who knew how to do it in the party.”

Jamison chuckled. “I’ve got a much quicker way of finding out if something’s trapped.” He meant, of course, walking straight up to the trap and triggering it out of curiosity. Vek laughed, Kizzlorn didn’t, and the joke went over Grumbar’s head completely.

Edge completed his examination. “Okay, let’s go inside. What’s our marching order?”

“Order?” Grumbar said as he walked inside. “No order. Just go. Find things. Kill th-“ The floor gave out beneath the huge half-orc, and he fell. His hands grabbed the lip of the pit trap and he dangled over a drop into darkness. He cursed under his breath. “Stupid irony.”

_*MORE TO COME...* _


----------



## Lela

Dr Midnight said:
			
		

> *“Stinks anyway,” Grumbar complained as he brushed himself off. When Grumbar was tired, he was cranky.
> 
> “Don’t worry about it, hon,” Kizzlorn said wearily. The night had been hard on her. Her eyes were pink. She didn’t say it, and no one asked, but it was commonly believed that the two were beginning to develop feelings for each other.*




Um, Doc, I think that came out wrong.  I don't think Grumbar is the type of guy Kizz goes for.



Hmmm, the new guy is fun.  Too bad he isn't that good at looking for traps. . .




			
				Dr Midnight said:
			
		

> *
> MORE TO COME...  *




YAY!!!!!


----------



## Dr Midnight

Ahh, crap!!!

You're right Lela, that's a horrible circumstance error. Let me edit some stuff about Shade into that.

IGNORE THE MAN BEHIND THE CURTAIN

Edit: I might add that Grumbar's pretty goodlooking, as half-orcs go... and I believe we WILL see something of an amorous Grumbar later in the writeup...


----------



## Lela

I was a little surprised there for a second.  I could see Kizz and Shade but Grumbar just seemed wrong.



			
				Dr Midnight said:
			
		

> *“Stupid irony.” *




Such a half-orc statment.


Edit: In light of your edit, I retract my above statment (which has been earased).


----------



## Horacio

hehe, the new guy seems too ordered for the knights...


----------



## Olgar Shiverstone

Order, stability, knowledge of where the traps are ... a Knight craves not these things!


----------



## Sammael99

Dr Midnight said:
			
		

> *SESSION 48
> 13th of Ready’reat
> INTO COLDHEART
> 
> 
> MORE TO COME...  *




Doc,

That was even less than a teaser in my book...

Bring it on !!!


----------



## Dr Midnight

Grumbar was helped out of the pit. “How are we going to cross this?” Kizzlorn asked. “I’d hate to waste a fly spell on it.” The pit was thirty feet long, and by Vek’s estimation, a hundred feet deep. 

“I’ve got it.” Edge backed up to the entrance to the tunnel, and took off. He ran towards the pit, and jumped. He floated through the air and landed deftly on the other side. He tossed a coil of rope to his astonished companions while he held one end. He hammered a piton into the ice and tied the rope off. 

“Oh, I like this guy,” Grumbar said. They all crossed the pit and walked on. The passage curved up ahead. 

Edge said “Stay here, I’m going to have a look… There might be more pits.”

“I’ll fill ‘em!” Grumbar replied with pride.

Edge scouted forward, and came back quickly. “There’s a glyph of some sort beneath the ice at the curve.”

He took the group up and showed them, at a healthy distance of course. “Fireball,” Jamison said. “Delayed Blast.”

“Hmm. How do we get past that, Gregg? Do you know?”

Jamison stood up. “We set it off… everyone get back.”

Vek asked “Now, Gregg, are you sure this is a good idea?”

“As sure as I ever am. Don’t worry, I have lots of resistance to fire. I’m Gregg Flamebrow.” The others walked back to the pit’s ledge, and Jamison strolled over the glyph. It detonated and a bright orange ball of flame that lit up the entire corridor. When it cleared, a blackened, sooty Jamison was standing there. He coughed a cloud of smoke. “Ouch… It was more… powerful… than I had believed.”

Edge asked “Are you alright?”

“No, but let’s carry on.”

They walked to the next room, and it opened into an ice cavern. A huge skeleton of some draconic beast was slumped at the far wall. It had nine necks and heads and was shackled to the ice. 

“Yeah. How much do we want to bet that thing attacks us?” Jamison asked. 

Edge kept to the shadows and searched the walls. “Looks dead enough.”

Vek chuckled and said “Looking dead doesn’t mean IS dead.” He stepped cautiously up to it and summoned a clerical power to rebuke any undead that might be lurking nearby. The powerful wave of red-feeling magic washed over the entire room, and the skeleton didn’t move. “Hmm. I guess looking dead means dead, in this instance. So where’s the catch?”

Edge completed his sweep of the room. “I couldn’t find any hidden doors.”

Vek cast a spell on himself that allowed him to see through all illusions. He looked about, and the only thing in the room that changed was “Gregg Flamebrow” looking like who he actually was.

Jamison said “No trap, no beast, no way out except to go back. A dead end… pun intended. Why?”

Vek thought back. “I remember sitting with Taigiel- he was the half-dragon son of Acessiwal we traveled with- and he was telling us what he knew about Coldheart. I think I recall something about a distraction- a dead end.”

“So what’s with the skeleton?”

“I’m guessing that twenty years ago, it wasn’t a skeleton. It was meant to serve as death for people choosing this false entrance. Since Acessiwal disappeared, it starved to death here in the cavern.”

Kizzlorn said “Oh. That’s a little sad.”

“Death comes to us all, my dear. So where’s the real entrance?”

“Perhaps we missed it? Is it outside?”

“It’s worth looking.” They walked outside, and immediately Vek spotted something that hadn’t been there before. There was a large chunk of ice missing on the ground, and there was a swift black river flowing just beneath the surface, flush with the ice. “Was that hole in the ice visible before?”

Jamison asked “What hole?”

“I’ll take that as a yes. We’ve found something covered by an illusion… but what does this mean?” 

They dispelled the illusion so everyone could see. The water was flowing away from the glacial cliff. Jamison knelt. “Looks like if you move upstream, you’ll enter the glacier.”

Edge said “That’s somewhat ridiculous… why travel through ice cold water to get to a lair?”

“It would make the place almost impregnable,” Jamison suggested. “With the proper potions, anyone could do it. This hole is easily big enough for the dragon to get through. I think we’re on to something.” He stood up. “I intend to find out.”

“How?”

“Here, someone take Scratch.” Jamison took his weasel familiar from his pack and handed him off to Grumbar, who petted him lovingly. “I’ll be right back.” Jamison jumped up into the air, uttered a word, and plunged into the water as a fish.

They waited. Grumbar held Scratch and said “oo’s a cute widdle weasel-measel? DAT’S WIGHT, OO AW! This thing’s cute. I might have to get a familiar. I’d never eat him, no matter how hungry I got.” He smiled. 

Jamison the fish flopped up onto the surface of the ice and wriggled there for a moment, before turning back to the soaking wet wizard. “G-g-g-g-guh….” He chattered. “Cold.”

Once “Gregg Flamebrow” had sufficiently heated himself using spells and furs, he was able to chatter out that two hundred feet upstream, there was an opening in a chamber. 

“How are we going to get there?” Edge looked very uncomfortable with the idea of plunging into the ice cold river and trying to swim two hundred feet upstream without air.  

“Simple.” Jamison took out a large leathery sack. “We all get in this. This is my _bag of holding._ Vek carries the bag underwater to the hole. We get out.”

“Is there enough air in there?”

“Ten minute’s worth. There shouldn’t be a problem. Vek doesn’t need to breathe, and he’s immune to the cold.”

Vek thought, then nodded. “It’s a good plan.”

They made the necessary preparations. As the group was getting ready to enter the bag, Vek said “If you run out of air, something’s gone wrong… jump out of the bag. If you can.”

“Oh, and everyone?” Jamison smiled nervously. “Don’t touch anything in there. There are some… cursed items… that you might not want to examine. If you touch something, it could become yours. Permanently.”

With that, the bag closed over the shaken group and Vek closed it tightly with his bony fist. He turned invisible and plunged down into the black waters of the river. 





Please ignore the fact that Vek is visible in the above illustration. Ahem. -Doc 

The current pushed him backward, so he swam. His bony arms and legs didn’t propel him well, but his lack of mass also helped the water to pass around him without giving too much opposition. He swam.

Tiny blind white fish swam past him in the black murk. His vision allowed him to see into the darkness, but the silt beyond clouded his sight. Something was swimming toward him. Something very large. It came into view.  A great purplish eel with a mouthful of cruel, jagged teeth. Even though he was invisible, the thing somehow saw him. It rushed up and swallowed him in a great gulp. The huge worm swam onward, sated with his meal. Then, it paused. It opened its jaws and gagged, then expelled Vek (and the contents of the worm’s stomach) out into the water before swimming briskly away. Vek swam upstream through the sickly greenish cloud into clearer water, and kept swimming until he found the cavern above. 

He climbed out and opened the bag. The group tumbled out (along with all of Jamison’s possessions) while Grumbar was yelling “NO TICKLING GRUMBAR!”

Jamison looked up at Vek and said “Well, here we are. How’d it go?”

“Wonderfully,” Vek replied. “We’ll recollect your things and be on our way. Oh- by the way, we were just eaten.”

_*MORE TO COME...* _


----------



## Horacio

Wonderful stuff, Doc. And the art is GREAT!


----------



## fenzer

Thanks for the quick updates, Doc.  I cant wait for the next one.


----------



## Metus

Ohhhhhh!  Man, that illustration is rockin!  Kudos, Doc, kudos.  And Vek once again shows how much of a bad ass he is.  Gotta love it.

Not sure what I think about the new character.  I think it'd be interesting to have a paladin or an oozemaster around, if only to mix things up a bit with the party.


----------



## Breakstone

Heh heh heh.

Vek is not to be eaten!


----------



## Neverwinter Knight

Dr Midnight said:
			
		

> *Ahh, crap!!!
> 
> You're right Lela, that's a horrible circumstance error. Let me edit some stuff about Shade into that.
> 
> IGNORE THE MAN BEHIND THE CURTAIN
> 
> Edit: I might add that Grumbar's pretty goodlooking, as half-orcs go... and I believe we WILL see something of an amorous Grumbar later in the writeup...  *



Damn, I missed it. Let me just say that Grumbar and Kizz would make an excellent couple. He would never eat her, no matter how hungry he gets...  



			
				Olgar Shiverstone said:
			
		

> *Order, stability, knowledge of where the traps are ... a Knight craves not these things! *



I agree - this young padawan player has much to learn about the ways of the knights...



			
				Dr Midnight said:
			
		

> *Please ignore the fact that Vek is visible in the above illustration. Ahem. -Doc*



Don't worry Doc, I believe most readers have checked the option "See Invisible Objects/Creatures" in the ENBoards user cp.



			
				Dr Midnight said:
			
		

> *MORE TO COME...  *



You haven't let us down yet   Great story, Doc. Can't wait for the rest.


----------



## Richards

> Let me just say that Grumbar and Kizz would make an excellent couple. He would never eat her, no matter how hungry he gets...



That was EXCELLENT, Neverwinter Knight!  Almost made me spray Coke out my nose, that one did!

Johnathan


----------



## Wee Jas

> Heh heh heh.
> 
> Vek is not to be eaten!




Yeah, that Eel is going to need some extra strength antacid!  I'm glad I went out the front end insted of the back end though!   

ahh.. I haven't been swallowed whole since the white dragon/tyrannosaurus rex got a hold of me in the Temple of Elemental Evil.  Oh, and the same one before I used my reversal of fortune from the Deck of Many things.  You think the word would be spred that I'm not on the menu.


----------



## Grog

Closing in on 30k views. Congrats, guys!

Now you just need 220,000 more to catch up with Piratecat


----------



## Lela

Neverwinter Knight said:
			
		

> *
> Damn, I missed it. Let me just say that Grumbar and Kizz would make an excellent couple. He would never eat her, no matter how hungry he gets...
> *




It wasn't that great NK.  Just a little confusing.  I've quoted it above if you want to look (first post after first update).

Doc, that was a great, um, romantic, moment for Grumbar.  Perhaps all the knights should pitch in and buy him kitty.


----------



## Neverwinter Knight

Richards said:
			
		

> *That was EXCELLENT, Neverwinter Knight!  Almost made me spray Coke out my nose, that one did!
> 
> Johnathan *



What did I do ?  



			
				Lela said:
			
		

> *It wasn't that great NK.  Just a little confusing.  I've quoted it above if you want to look (first post after first update).
> *



 Äh, OK... ...hä? hm...


----------



## Lela

Neverwinter Knight said:
			
		

> *
> 
> Äh, OK... ...hä? hm...  *




Here:



			
				Dr Midnight said:
			
		

> *“Stinks anyway,” Grumbar complained as he brushed himself off. When Grumbar was tired, he was cranky.
> 
> “Don’t worry about it, hon,” Kizzlorn said wearily. The night had been hard on her. Her eyes were pink. She didn’t say it, and no one asked, but it was commonly believed that the two were beginning to develop feelings for each other.*


----------



## Wee Jas

Docs never going to live this one down


----------



## Lela

Wee Jas said:
			
		

> *Docs never going to live this one down   *




Only because you won't let him.


----------



## Richards

Okay, anticipating a confrontation with Acessiwal soon, I thought I'd better get this song out of the way before it's overcome by events.  This one seems somewhat appropriate for Kizzlorn, who, even though she now knows that Jamison was responsible for the death of her parents, has nevertheless hated Acessiwal for her entire life.  I imagine the following song - sung to the tune of Billy Idol's "White Wedding" - might be something that would be running through her head right before the final confrontation with Acessiwal:

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

*WHITE WYRM HUNT*

Hey evil white wyrm what have you done?
Hey evil white wyrm who's had some big fun?
Hey evil white wyrm who's your nemesis?
Hey evil white wyrm who can't you resist?
Hey evil white wyrm: Spellforge!

It's a nice day to fight again
It's a nice day for a white wyrm hunt
It's a nice day to kill again

Hey evil white wyrm who is it you fear?
Hey evil white wyrm who's that coming near?
Hey evil white wyrm: Spellforge, oh yeah
Hey evil white wyrm who's your nemesis?
Hey evil white wyrm: Spellforge!

It's a nice day to track again
It's a nice day for a white wyrm hunt
It's a nice day to slay again

Pick it up
Follow you home, yeah

Hey evil white wyrm where have you run?
Hey evil white wyrm who's long life is done?  (life is done?)
You've been away for so long (so long)
You've been away for so long (so long)
I've hunted you for so long

It's a nice day to chase again
It's a nice day for a white wyrm hunt
It's a nice day to blast again, wow

There is nothing fair in this world
There is nowhere safe in this world
And there's nothing sure in this world
And there is no cure in this world
You've got no place left in this world
Start again, come on

It's a nice day for a white wyrm hunt
Wow, it's a nice day to hunt you down
It's a nice day to kill you off 

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

Now let's hope that Kizzlorn's confidence is not misplaced!  I for one am keeping my fingers crossed for the Knights.  Dr. Midnight, you've got me on the edge of my seat as always!

Johnathan
Self-Appointed, Unofficial Bard to the _Knights of Spellforge Keep_ Campaign


----------



## Dr Midnight

They piled the things back into Jamison’s bag, and they headed through the passageway to the north. Here was a long hallway with a number of doors. 

They opened the door on the left and entered. In here, the room was perfectly warm and comfortable. The air was being heated, magically, by a brazier hanging on a silver hook in the corner. Jamison of course walked over to it and fiddled with it. No one really saw the harm in it, so they let him. It turned out that the brazier would heat the air to a comfortable seventy degrees wherever it was placed. What with all the cold they’d been slogging through, it would prove invaluable, Jamison felt certain.

There was a door in here leading to a guest room with a nice large bed. Edge examined it and announced “The bed’s trapped. It’s rigged to fall into a pit in the floor.”

“What sets it off?” Kizz asked. 

“Let’s have a look around.” With a little searching, two small levers were found concealed on the walls in the room Jamison had found the brazier. “This one looks to trigger the bed trap,” Edge said. “I can’t figure out what the other one does.”

Jamison nodded. “Everyone get out of the room… I’m going to pull it and see what happens.”

Vek said “Gregg, that’s not really advisable...”

Edge countered that with “Hey, going to hunt a dragon isn’t advisable.”

“Point taken. Sigh… at least he’s announcing, now, that he’s going to do something stupid. It’s your life, Gregg.”

They walked outside. Jamison pulled the lever, and the doors shut. Hidden vents sucked the air from the room, and Jamison felt the air grow thin. Soon he would suffocate. He cast a spell and immediately appeared outside, in the hall, next to Grumbar. 

“Woh!” Grumbar exclaimed. “What happened?”

He shrugged. “Trap. I escaped it.”

Edge said “You just walk into traps with no worries, Gregg. You do this all the time, and you say you’ve been with the group since its creation? You are incredibly lucky, my friend.”

Jamison frowned. “I… wouldn’t say THAT, but… Yeah.”

They moved on, through rooms filled with boring things like rope, barrels of nails and blankets, and general supplies. Finally they came to a hallway with a door in its center. Its ends curled… the one to the east curled clockwise and descended. The one to the west curled counterclockwise and ascended. 

“We’ll pick which way to go later,” Vek said. “Right now… door.”

“Shh… I hear something,” Edge said by the door. “It sounds like… giggling.” He heard the tiny giggles of fey creatures… to the left  of the door. He followed the sound until he found a small murder hole. He didn’t dare look into it. There was another on the right side of the door. 

Grumbar opened the door to find a twenty foot square room with nothing in it. A door was on the right and left side. Grumbar walked in and found two more of the murder holes in the walls, facing into the room. He looked into the hole on the right and saw a huge bloodshot eye staring back at him. “Eye,” he reported casually. He moved to the door to the right and attempted to open it… but it was held shut. He strained against it and felt it give… then shut again. “Somethin’s holdin’ me out,” he said. 

Edge came in and helped him. Together they pushed against the door… and it burst into chunks and splinters from their combined might. The huge ettin on the other side of the door blinked against the splinters and grimaced at them, not liking the looks of the two warriors. “NOW!” it screamed, before stepped away. Immediately, a cage of force formed around the edges of the room, completely blocking Edge and Grumbar in. The ettin grinned and walked to the murder hole to the south, to peer into the hallway at who might still be out there. 

Little did he expect Jamison Crow to be waiting for him. Jamison mumbled some words, made a gesture, then said… “Buddy! It’s me, Gregg!”

The ettin’s face lit up. It exclaimed “Gregg! You gom zank bee?”

“That’s right, I came to see you! Hey, you know, I could really use some help here.”

“Bah?”

“Yeah. Something’s holding my friends there in that cage over there. I sure am mad about that.”

“Gregg franz cage no?”

“Friends cage no! Can you help get my friends OUT of the cage?”

The huge face smiled with malevolence. “Oh,” the ettin said. ”Gran der SMUTCH da muffits!” He stomped away from the peephole, a laughing growl deep in its chest. He walked through a set of doors and passed to the left, presumably into the room of the “muffits”.

The giggling stopped. Several confused voices shouted… The ettin was heard to shout “Gran der SMUTCH ARE DA MUFFITS!!!” Then, dozens of high pitched screams as the sounds of wet splotches and splats accompanied the sounds of an ettin raging through the room and smashing at tiny creatures with a greatclub. 

Jamison smiled at the others. “He’s smutching da muffits. It should only be a minute longer, then we can get Edge and Grumbar out.”

Vek nodded. “Nicely done.”

Then, the sounds changed. The tiny voices had all died off, and now the ettin was shouting with alarm. “Gom no da bee… Gregg, hap! GREGG, HAP!”

Then, another wet sound… much bigger. The sound of something splashing against the wall was heard. A thin line of blood dribbled from the murder hole. Kizzlorn went to the hole and peered inside. This was an icy room filled with broken stalactites and stalagmites. About twenty ice mephits were crushed and strewn about, their small bodies bashed into hideous shapes by the ettin’s club. The ettin, too, lay dead on the floor. Over it stood a ten foot tall humanoid structure made of ice, and covered from head to toe in foot long icicles. The thing’s right arm dripped with ettin blood. 

Jamison asked “What is it? What happened?”

She grimaced at him. “Smutched.”

_*MORE TO COME...* _


----------



## Horacio

Another wonderful update, as usual, Doc


----------



## Breakstone

Whoa...

Why is it that bad things always happen to Jamison's giant friends?


----------



## Lela

Tsunami said:
			
		

> *Whoa...
> 
> Why is it that bad things always happen to Jamison's giant friends? *




As I recall, it was Jamison's giant friend who brought Dartan down from grace.  He got what he deserved.

Great update Doc.  You're just having too much fun with the new guy learning about the group.  And so am I.

Thanks


----------



## Neverwinter Knight

Neverwinter Knight said:
			
		

> *
> Äh, OK... ...hä? hm...  *



Good morning folks, by that time I was pretty low on caffeine... 


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

Doc, nice update, I'm beginning to like Jamison again (  ). But not being a native English speaker I must ask: *What is a murder hole?*


----------



## LGodamus

sweet


----------



## Sammael99

Great stoff !

I too appreciate the irony of Jamison charming a giant yet again ! BTW, is Jamison's player as reckless with his other characters, or is it really a character trait for Jamison ?


----------



## Celtavian

*Re*

Personally, I am starting to dislike Jamison again. Same old fool he has always been, I really wish Doc would throw a trap in that would annihilate him. I mean a true death trap like pulling a level that activates a sphere of annihilation. That would serve him right.

Glad to see the Knights in action again. This is one of the few story hours that I follow regularly. You usually do a great job building the story up and have a knack for cliffhangers. 

I can't wait to see how they fare against the dragon. I still am not disregarding the possibility that you listed the party xp so that you can surprise us with what really happened when the Knights fought the dragon.


----------



## Sammael99

*Re: Re*



			
				Celtavian said:
			
		

> *I can't wait to see how they fare against the dragon. I still am not disregarding the possibility that you listed the party xp so that you can surprise us with what really happened when the Knights fought the dragon. *




Maybe they haven't even met the Dragon yet...


----------



## Celtavian

*Re*

That could be true as well. I think Doc said everyone couldn't show up, maybe he just ran them through some pre-dragon encounters so that everyone could be their for the final dragon attack.

Edge is a completely new player, right? That means Shade hasn't made a new character yet and I don't think Kizzlorn's player was there either. I know she probably wouldn't want to miss out on killing the dragon.


----------



## Sammael99

Doc, I hope you're not sleeping, working or doing anything productive of the sort... WE WANT MORE !!!


----------



## Horacio

Sammael99 said:
			
		

> *Doc, I hope you're not sleeping, working or doing anything productive of the sort... WE WANT MORE !!! *




What he said!

We want more!!!!


----------



## Sammael99

Doc,

If you don't write some more, we'll unleash *Lela* on you !

BEWARE !


----------



## Wee Jas

> Doc,
> 
> If you don't write some more, we'll unleash Lela on you !
> 
> BEWARE !




Wheres Richards to do the Lela song...

Lela. L-E-L-A Lela.. Le le le Lelaaaa!

(sung to Lola)


----------



## Spatula

Murder-hole: A hole cut in the roof of passages needing defense, such as in gatehouses or along the top of curtain walls. Through murder holes could be poured hot water, oil, stones or archers could fire through them wrecking havoc on the assaulting troops. 

http://www.chronique.com/Library/Glossaries/glossary-KCT/gloss_m.htm#murder-hole

Although in the story hour, it sounds more like arrow slits (since murder holes are part of the ceiling, not the walls).


----------



## Lela

Spatula said:
			
		

> *Murder-hole: A hole cut in the roof of passages needing defense, such as in gatehouses or along the top of curtain walls. Through murder holes could be poured hot water, oil, stones or archers could fire through them wrecking havoc on the assaulting troops.
> 
> http://www.chronique.com/Library/Glossaries/glossary-KCT/gloss_m.htm#murder-hole
> 
> Although in the story hour, it sounds more like arrow slits (since murder holes are part of the ceiling, not the walls). *




What about those round holes in the walls that allow for spears and other pointy things to be shoved through?  Smaller at the end where the spear goes in then when it goes out, it allows for aiming while still providing cover.  Aren't those called murder holes too?



			
				Sammael99 said:
			
		

> *Doc,
> 
> If you don't write some more, we'll unleash Lela on you !
> 
> BEWARE ! *




_Lela's eyes gain a wicked glint as she reaches into her bad and removes a drinking straw, an empty two litter bottle (formerly holding Sprite) w/o a lid, and a pair of metal tongs.

"I can make him write," Lela's voice is filled with maniacal mirth._

Did I mention that Lela recently became Drow?


----------



## Richards

Okay, as requested by Wee Jas, here's a parody song sung to the tune of "Lola."  For obvious reasons, it's dedicated to Lela, our own Story Hour Addict from Utah.

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

*LELA*

I met her on the web down at EN World where I
Spend my time when I'm not watching old Bob Vila
V-I-L-A Vila
On Doc Midnight's site there are many addicts
There's Horacio, Tsunami, and a girl who's called Lela
L-E-L-A Lela, Le-le-le-le-Lela

Well, I'm not quite sure if the description's off
But apparently she looks a lot like Tasslehoff
Oh that Lela, Le-le-le-le-Lela
At 7 feet tall and some 400 pounds
I don't think that I'd fight her even for a few rounds
Oh that Lela, Le-le-le-le-Lela, Le-le-le-le-Lela

Well, I left the Knights of Spellforge Keep
Thought I'd give something else a peek
A Feng Shui game written up movie style
I thought, "Dear me, this ought to bring a smile"
Well, I took a virtual seat in the back
And who should I see there chowing down on a snack?
Lela, Le-le-le-le-Lela, Le-le-le-le-Lela
Lela, Le-le-le-le-Lela, Le-le-le-le-Lela

She sat by a guy
Who wore a bowtie
And tuxedo pants
With a well-oiled chest
And I didn't need to see the rest

Well all I can say is I know what I saw
And I guess that's the kind of thing they do in Utah
Oh that Lela, Le-le-le-le-Lela
Sometimes she seems like a pain in the neck
It's a sure thing she likes to pick on poor Vek
Oh that Lela, Le-le-le-le-Lela

With all my time spent on message boards
I'm using my typing skills, not my vocal cords
So Lela, smile, and know that you're in luck
I might write songs, but my voice sure does suck

Well, I know your wookiee sig is not about you
So I'll just picture the Leela from "Doctor Who"
Okay, Lela?
Le-le-le-le-Lela, Le-le-le-le-Lela
Lela, Le-le-le-le-Lela, Le-le-le-le-Lela

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

Okay, now that I'm done with that, I just want to make sure that everyone understands that this is all intended in good fun.  I am in no way endorsing the fact that Lela is a pain in the neck, or that she bears any resemblance at all to a wookiee, despite what her sig says.  Quite the contrary, I think she adds quite a lot to this (and a few other) Story Hour forums.

However, if you should be offended, Lela, please feel free to come up with a retaliatory song about me.  (Good luck finding something to rhyme with "Johnathan," though!)

And anyway, it's not really my fault.  *points at Wee Jas*  Vek made me do it!

Johnathan
Self-Appointed, Unofficial Bard to the _Knights of Spellforge Keep_ Campaign


----------



## Breakstone

Hyuk hyuk hyuk


----------



## Dr Midnight

(Dead Milkmen style: )
Johnathan Johnathan 
Prattle-ing on again
Johnathan Johnathan 
Writing up songs and then
fleeing back into HELLLLLLLLLLLL!!!!

(Judas Priest style: )
In the black depths of Hell 
where the demons and hounds
and the devil's dark bell
is rung once and it sounds

for JOHNATHAN!!!! JOHNATHAN!!!!
Crushing hope and scattering dreams!
it's JOHNATHAN!!!! JOHNATHAN!!!!
slaking his thirst on the innocents' screams!

Ebony claws wait
to sink into YOU!!!
Pure malice and hate
and destruction he knew

cause he's JOHNATHAN!!!! JOHNATHAN!!!!
Laughs at pleas for kindness and mercy!
oh, JOHNATHAN!!!! JOHNATHAN!!!!
Reigning as king of the D&D nerds, he....

is...

JOOOHHHHHHHNNN....
AAAAAA......

(drums pound, slow, to high-pitched climax: )

THAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAANNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


----------



## Richards

Hee hee hee...

"Reigning as King of the D&D Nerds," indeed.  I like it!

What an honor!  Thanks, Doc!   

Johnathan


----------



## Lela

Richards said:
			
		

> *
> 
> Okay, now that I'm done with that, I just want to make sure that everyone understands that this is all intended in good fun.  I am in no way endorsing the fact that Lela is a pain in the neck, or that she bears any resemblance at all to a wookiee, despite what her sig says.  Quite the contrary, I think she adds quite a lot to this (and a few other) Story Hour forums.
> 
> However, if you should be offended, Lela, please feel free to come up with a retaliatory song about me.  (Good luck finding something to rhyme with "Johnathan," though!)
> 
> *




Not offended at all JR.  And I'll let Doc be he who fights back.

This is likely the coolest thing I've ever seen on these boards and I think I might just come back and read it when I need a lift.

Thanks a ton,



			
				Richards said:
			
		

> *
> 
> And anyway, it's not really my fault.  *points at Wee Jas*  Vek made me do it!
> *




I knew Vek had some good qualities.  Somewhere under that boney exterior there's a soft caring spirit waiting to be set free.


----------



## Wee Jas

> Vek made me do it!




I blame P Kitty of course.  



> I knew Vek had some good qualities. Somewhere under that boney exterior there's a soft caring spirit waiting to be set free




Now don't start those rumors again!  Doc compares me to Golem and Grumbar says I'm like Darth Vader  "All evil on the outside but just a crusty old man on the inside".  

I'm just nice to them so I get the good magical items when they die


----------



## Lela

Wee Jas said:
			
		

> *
> 
> I blame P Kitty of course.
> 
> 
> 
> Now don't start those rumors again!  Doc compares me to Golem and Grumbar says I'm like Darth Vader  "All evil on the outside but just a crusty old man on the inside".
> 
> I'm just nice to them so I get the good magical items when they die
> *




You have a Vorpel sword.  What exactly would you want from Grumbar?


----------



## Breakstone

I don't know, I've seen him looking at Buttercup... Vek might be tired of his current rotting steed...


----------



## Dr Midnight

_LAST TIME: Grumbar and Edge were trapped in a force cage, leaving Vek, Jamison and Kizzlorn to deal with an attacking ice monster._ 

The huge ice creature started moving towards the wall. Kizzlorn backed away from it. “We’re about to have VERY BIG company… Fire spells on ready, people! Vek, can you get that cage open? We’re going to need their muscle.” 

Vek thought quickly. “Yes,” he said. “Just keep whatever-it-is away from me for a few seconds while I work this spell.” He began casting. 

BOOOOM!!! The thing smashed through the wall and lumbered towards them. Kizzlorn and Jamison unleashed a hell of fire on it, and they melted away some of the icicles. 

Vek’s spell began working, and he said “Hurry… we have to be quick. This spell negates all magic in the area, meaning we’re all very vulnerable out here without our magical protections.” The cage of force around Edge and Grumbar blinked away, and they ran through and up to the monster. Vek let the spell end. 

They pounded away at it. It swung a massive arm that raked across Grumbar, leaving several broken icicles protruding from his flesh. The fire spells were weakening the creature, and Grumbar was smashing away at it with his greatsword. Edge was knocking large chunks out with his lightning-fast punches and kicks. 

“Oop- OH NO!” Grumbar’s grip on the sword loosened, and it flew past the monster to lie amidst the rubble. Edge cartwheeled over across the ground, then did a graceful flip through the air over the creature’s icy arm to land in a kneel next to the sword. 

“Here!” He tossed it through the icicle monster’s legs, hilt-first, towards the half-orc, who caught it and swept it upward. It split the thing in two halves. It screeched and crumbled to the ground as shards and chunks of ice. 

“Good work,” Grumbar said. “You stay by me.” He smiled in Edge’s direction, but Edge was already gone… hiding in the shadows as was his preferred way of moving about. 

The group collected a great number of diamonds from the floor in the ice room. They looted the ettin’s corpse, and Edge sidled up to Jamison. “Gregg,” he said. “I couldn’t help but notice that when Vek’s antimagic field went up, you changed into a different person. What’s the illusion for?”

Jamison paused for a moment, then sighed and removed his hat of disguise. The illusion melted away to reveal Jamison’s true form. He saw no recognition in Edge’s eyes. ”My name isn’t Gregg Flamebrow. I’m traveling in disguise… because I’m wanted. My name is Jamison Crow.”

At this, Edge’s eyebrows did a little jump. “Crow. I know about Jamison Crow. He’s one of the most famed villains in the land. Why would you claim to be him?”

“I was under the control of an artifact… from the Temple of Elemental Evil. It turned me into a soulless killing instrument when I touched it. Calculating, monstrous, merciless.”

“So… you HAVEN’T escaped unscathed through touching things you know you shouldn’t.”

“No. Many people have died, and I don’t even remember most of the things I did. I was freed from the stone’s control by Kizzlorn’s aunt, and have lived my life since then in trying to right the wrongs of the world and make it better. Better, at least, than it would be if I were to just die. Though I deserve death, I’m going to attempt to leave things a little brighter here. Do you understand?”

Edge shrugged and said “What’s in a man’s past is his own business. I won’t turn you in. It’s not for ME to judge you. Just know that we’re alright so long as you don’t turn on me… because when you do, I drop you. Fast.”

The group had picked up all the treasure, so they went upstairs. There, they found two ice golems standing against the west wall of a room. They stepped inside, and an alarm started ringing. The golems attacked. 

“Damn,” Vek muttered. “Get them, I’ll silence the alarm. We can’t have everyone here coming down on us.”

“Why not,” Kizzlorn said as she blasted at a golem. “They know we’re here already. The dragon knows. Why isn’t he doing something about it?”

“I don’t know, Kizz. Just be glad he hasn’t, yet.”

The golems were dealt with quickly, and footsteps rushed to the door and opened them. There stood three men- two extremely large and dangerous looking, and the third looking the deadliest of all. His eyes were yellow and his skin was white and scaled. His lips pulled back to reveal large, jagged teeth. “Kill them all!” he ordered as Grumbar and Edge rushed at them. 

Edge managed to trip one and was about to pummel him when the man died in a swirl of green fire- just like that. The man on the left turned into a goldfish and flopped on the ground, and the last man, the half-dragon, died suddenly and fell down without any blows being exchanged. Edge looked up to see Jamison and Vek laughing over the combat… The three attackers were doubtless very powerful, but it hadn’t even taken five seconds to destroy them.

Grumbar sighed and sheathed his sword. He looked at Edge and sadly said “It’s like that a lot. Most of the time the bad guys are dead by the time I get to them.”

Jamison picked up the goldfish and put it in a barrel in his bag of holding. “Here you go, little fishie,” he said. “Jame Zon will take care of you now.” 

They walked on. They kicked in a door and found a small room with a few tables, a surprised dwarf… and hundreds of glittering gems. “Who… who are you?” the dwarf stammered. 

“Who are we? We’re here to kill your boss, and possibly you too. Who are YOU?”

“Guh!! Don’t kill me… my name’s Dommeruth. I was abducted by the dragon from Latona, and made to stay here and work on gems for his accursed golems.”

“So you work FOR him.” 

“As opposed to DYING? Well, yes, thank you! I’d rather NOT die, like everyone else I knew. Hey, if you guys are here to kill the dragon, you’ve gotta take me with you!” He started stuffing gems in his pockets. “You’re heroes, right? You gotta save someone that needs rescuin’!”

“Err… yes.” Vek agreed distastefully. 

“Well, let’s go!” Dommeruth finished putting the gems into his pockets. 

“So you plan to steal all this from your boss?”

“Severance pay. Let’s go, I said. I can’t wait to be out of here.”

They left through the river and camped up in the dead cryohydra’s chamber. The dwarf slept upon his bed of gems… his clothes’ pockets were absolutely stuffed with the things. He cradled some protectively with his arm. 

Vek, while on watch that night, felt the dragon watching over him. He leaned over, rubbed a clear spot in the ice, and gazed into it. Within a moment he was looking at Acessiwal. The dragon could see and hear Vek, and Vek could see and hear the dragon.

”LICH.”

“Wyrm.”

”YOU’RE DOING… WELL. I HAD… EXPECTED… YOUR TRIP THROUGH… THE CORRIDORS OF… COLDHEART… TO TAKE LONGER.”

“Yes. Just one or two more days, and it looks like we’ll meet again. First, though, we plan to clear out the lower level and free any more slaves you have, in between killing your lackeys.”

”YES, I BELIEVE… YOU WILL TRY.”

“If you were worried, you’d teleport to us and stop us, though, right?” Vek laughed, mocking the dragon. “Well, I’ve got to go back to watching over the group while being scried upon by a cowardly ice lizard, so if you’ll excuse me…”

”MORMONT… I HAVE COME… TO A DECISION. I… WILL NOT FLEE THE BATTLE… WILL YOU, IF IT GOES POORLY?” This time it was the dragon’s turn to sneer and mock. Vek kept silent. ”WHATEVER THE... OUTCOME, OUR NEXT MEETING… WILL BE... OUR LAST.”

Vek dispelled the scrying ice and stood, thinking, over his sleeping companions.

_*MORE TO COME...* _


----------



## Lela

Tsunami said:
			
		

> *I don't know, I've seen him looking at Buttercup... Vek might be tired of his current rotting steed... *




Oh, but we all know that Vek would eat him.  Then he'd come crawling back to you, begging for forgiveness.

Then again, he'd likely just take you over by Rebuking/controlling you.


----------



## Grog

Dr Midnight said:
			
		

> *Grumbar sighed and sheathed his sword. He looked at Edge and sadly said “It’s like that a lot. Most of the time the bad guys are dead by the time I get to them.”*




Sounds like Grumbar could use some Boots of Striding and Springing... Or some Boots of Flying. Either way he'd get to the battle a lot quicker.


----------



## Lela

And we devot a whole new post to the important part.

That was sooooooooooo cool Doc.  Edge will now find that he and Grumbar have a lot in common.  Even with their enhanced movement speeds, Vek, Kizz, and Jam Zon still seem to take the bad guys out first.

Hay, maybe Jameson could turn something evil into a pet for Grumbar.


----------



## DWARF

Of course Vek would agree to a duel to the death, one word; "Phylactery"


----------



## Breakstone

Very cool, Doc. I like the text effects of big A's speech. How's it sound at the gaming table?

By the way, you misspelled "scrying" in the last sentance. Just thought I'd let you know before Vek does.


----------



## Lela

Wee Jas, it seems you've found one of the dangers of being a star.  People confuse you for your character.

If you ever need a bodyguard I waigh 400 lbs and happen to be 7 ft tall.  I'm also very skilled at the art of giving people a hard time.


----------



## Neverwinter Knight

Doc, great story again! I guess the knights once again will FIGHT WITH SAFETY OFF !
Ah, that reminds me of old times... 



			
				Spatula said:
			
		

> Murder-hole: A hole cut in the roof of passages needing defense, such as in gatehouses or along the top of curtain walls. Through murder holes could be poured hot water, oil, stones or archers could fire through them wrecking havoc on the assaulting troops.
> Although in the story hour, it sounds more like arrow slits (since murder holes are part of the ceiling, not the walls).



Thanks !



			
				Richards said:
			
		

> Quite the contrary, I think she adds quite a lot to this (and a few other) Story Hour forums.



a few? I kind of see her wherever I go...


----------



## LGodamus

Well Well....the dragon ups the ante...Vek will have to pimp smack him one extra time for being uppity.......puny ice lizards should know their place ...........bleading at the feet of deaths chosen chanmpion.


----------



## Sammael99

Hey Doc,

TIME TO WAKE UP AND START TYPING !


----------



## Horacio

Sad Spanish French Blushing Boy wants more story!!!!


----------



## Dougal DeKree

Horacio said:
			
		

> *Sad Spanish French Blushing Boy wants more story!!!!*




Horacio! Don't be too depressed, just remember, that when you are totally down there is only one way it can go!!

And now don't quote me and ask "Sideways?!" 

Dougal

P.S.: But Doc, you sure can help Horacio better than i can...simply post another bit of your story, will ya?


----------



## Sammael99

Doc doc doc doc doc...

It's 14:12 French Time and I still have only had one update today...

THIS WILL NOT DO !


----------



## Horacio

Sammael99 said:
			
		

> *Doc doc doc doc doc...
> 
> It's 14:12 French Time and I still have only had one update today...
> 
> THIS WILL NOT DO !
> 
> *




Already 14:25 and he has not posted...


----------



## Wee Jas

> “Well, I’ve got to go back to watching over the group"




Should read, “Well, I’ve got to go back to watching over the group, tending there wounds, giving emotional support, walking them to the dungeons, tucking them in at night..."

Vek is such a nanny!   


How are you guys holding up without updates?   Hahaa.. Doc should sign on IM in about a hour.  Then I can harass him to write for you!


----------



## Sammael99

Hey Doc !

16:11 here, and I just saw you posted in another thread. You can't hide from us !

UPDATE !


----------



## Victim

> *Grumbar sighed and sheathed his sword. He looked at Edge and sadly said “It’s like that a lot. Most of the time the bad guys are dead by the time I get to them.”*





Two words come to mind:  *Mass* and *Haste*.  If someone (Kizz) was willing to toss that spell first in big fights, Grumbar and Edge could get full attacks instead of the single attack from a charge.  Also, it would prevent your fighters from getting chewed on so much.

That or bad guys with Deathward up.


----------



## Wee Jas

> Two words come to mind: Mass and Haste. If someone (Kizz) was willing to toss that spell first in big fights, Grumbar and Edge could get full attacks instead of the single attack from a charge. Also, it would prevent your fighters from getting chewed on so much.




Both Edge and Grumbar have Haste Items.



> That or bad guys with Deathward up.




Doc can let us know what his NPCs are going to cast too so we can be prepared.


----------



## Victim

Yes, but they have to activate them, as would other characters like Vek with Haste items.  Since they need to activate the item, they still only get a partial charge.  Having one person cast Mass Haste saves everyone else a bunch of actions, if they wait until after the spell goes off.  After all, a non-quickened haste isn't that useful when the battle only lasts a round.


----------



## wolff96

Dr Midnight said:
			
		

> *”LICH.”
> 
> “Wyrm.”
> *




This is an incredibly cool exchange. The Big A really has personality and style, Doc. What a great villain.  (Not to mention the mother of all anti-heroes...    We love ya, Vek!)


----------



## fenzer

Thanks for the update, Doc.  Here's hoping Vek can put his money where his mouth should be.


----------



## Lela

fenzer said:
			
		

> *Thanks for the update, Doc.  Here's hoping Vek can put his money where his mouth should be. *




Vek never said anything.  Being the smart one, he just made it seem like he was agreeing.

Though I wouldn't be surprised if the dragon had a spell up to prevent them from leaving.


----------



## Horacio

Lela said:
			
		

> *
> 
> Vek never said anything.  Being the smart one, he just made it seem like he was agreeing.
> 
> Though I wouldn't be surprised if the dragon had a spell up to prevent them from leaving. *




After the thread and the counter-thread asking for advice, I think that DM and players alike have most of possibilities thought and re-thought...


----------



## Lela

Horacio said:
			
		

> *
> 
> After the thread and the counter-thread asking for advice, I think that DM and players alike have most of possibilities thought and re-thought...  *




Yeah, I figure either the dragon's dead or Doc already has all his plans laid out.  So I was just musing aloud.


----------



## Immort

Alright ya gasbags!  Enuff wit the predictin', the bellyachin' the constant bumps ta feed Doc's little power trip of stringin' us along.  As fer you ya Sadist Screen wieldin', dragon sendin', post hoardin', tease!  I been chewin' enuff fat here, git ta the meat already.  Don't make me git upset.

-Immort


----------



## Lela

I predict that a halfling named Immort will take up resedence in the Keep.  He'll annoy Vek to the point that he will wind up as a broomstick weilding zombie (with shaved feat).



We must sate Doc's lust for begging.  Having developed an addiction over time, bad things happen to him when it's not appeised.  And not just to Doc.


----------



## Celtavian

*re*

No update, ack. Doc must be busy. Hopefully we see one later or tomorrow at the latest.


----------



## Horacio

Horacio wants an update...


----------



## Lela

Horacio said:
			
		

> *Horacio wants an update...
> *




Lela goes looking for that straw. . .


----------



## LGodamus

Jeez...there better have been some huge catastrophe for doc to take this long............. ....................anyway,bump


----------



## Wee Jas

> Jeez...there better have been some huge catastrophe for doc to take this long.............




Like sleep


----------



## Sammael99

Wee Jas said:
			
		

> *
> 
> Like sleep  *




WHAT ???

Doc sleeps ?

That's an outrage !!!

BTW Wee Jas, are you guys playing again on Saturday ?


----------



## Wee Jas

> BTW Wee Jas, are you guys playing again on Saturday ?




We are.  I will not be playing Febuary 1st though as I will be in sunny Florida.   I'm heading up to Islands of Adventure to see if I can get Dr.Doom to join the KoSK!


----------



## Sammael99

Wee Jas said:
			
		

> *
> 
> We are.  I will not be playing Febuary 1st though as I will be in sunny Florida.   I'm heading up to Islands of Adventure to see if I can get Dr.Doom to join the KoSK!   *




So I presume you'r enot all dead, then...


----------



## Neverwinter Knight

Sammael99 said:
			
		

> *
> 
> So I presume you'r enot all dead, then... *




He's just taking a week off from playing to make a new character...  

He wanted to play Gryph again, but he just can't bee there!


----------



## seasong

Neverwinter Knight said:
			
		

> He's just taking a week off from playing to make a new character...
> 
> He wanted to play Gryph again, but he just can't bee there!



Yeah, it's really bugging him. Last I saw him, he was practically spitting fire over it.


----------



## Dr Midnight

You all leave Gryph adrone. He took some time off to spend with his honey. Hive got no pollen with that, and anyone who does can buzz off.


----------



## Elocin

Groan......I think I am going to bee sick.  

An on another note I see that you are alive Dr. Midnight and it appears you are not being flayed alive for trying to make a living and offering a great discount (mind you if I was a player I would love to have you put pen to paper and bring my character to life) for said services.

But UPDATE already!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  I am dying from boredom here at work and it is driving me nuts!!!!


----------



## LGodamus

Aha........doc, if you have time to make jokes about an isectophiliac shapeshifter you can type up an update.....get crackin.......................................................PLEASE!!!!!


----------



## Richards

That's the sting about bad puns: just when you think they've all been made, somebody bumbles in to another one.

Johnathan


----------



## Lela

Richards makes a good point.

C'mon Doc, I think I'm starting to have some bad reactions here.  It won't be long before I go into shock.


----------



## Dr Midnight

Maybe I'll get some writing done tonight...

I've been stuck on a part that's been rather tough to write up, as it makes the Knights look like villains. I shouldn't really try to put much spin on it, but... well... 

I'll try some tonight, if my $%^&ING HANDS UNFREEZE

damn new england winters


----------



## Victim

Does it make them any more villainous than cutting down unarmed bakers, locking creatures in chests to starve, becoming a lich, or hiring assassins to kill other party members?  Oh yeah, there's the whole becoming evil stunt that a couple of punts tried to pull too.

Been there, done that.


----------



## Lela

Dr Midnight said:
			
		

> *Maybe I'll get some writing done tonight...
> 
> I've been stuck on a part that's been rather tough to write up, as it makes the Knights look like villains. I shouldn't really try to put much spin on it, but... well...
> *




Villains?  As opposed to a Litch, an Orc, and one of the most wanted murderers in all of Grayhawk?

Gee, this must be really bad.


----------



## Breakstone

Ah, I know what it's like, Doc. Sometimes, the players do things that just don't go with your image of the group...


----------



## Horacio

Tsunami said:
			
		

> *Ah, I know what it's like, Doc. Sometimes, the players do things that just don't go with your image of the group... *




Or sometimes the group's image of the group is not the DM's one...


----------



## Neverwinter Knight

Dr Midnight said:
			
		

> it makes the Knights look like villains



You mean to say they're not villains? Oh my...




			
				Dr Midnight said:
			
		

> I'll try some tonight, if my $%^&ING HANDS UNFREEZE
> 
> damn new england winters [/B]



How cold is it over there? Just saw on the news that it should be around -15°C - is that right?

(Hope you can manage the vastly supperior Celsius degrees. Oh,  and BTW, I also like the metric system  )


----------



## Celtavian

*re*



> Ah, I know what it's like, Doc. Sometimes, the players do things that just don't go with your image of the group...





This is too true. I have had quite a few players do things I just could not picture the character doing. When I was younger, I would just kill them, but now I try to take into account that the player probably sees things differently than I.

Some players enjoy being ruthless, underhanded, or cruel, whereas I prefer to play righteous, honorable, and good characters. I just can't bring myself to do otherwise even when roleplaying.


----------



## Dr Midnight

*14th of Ready’reat*

“Hey, what the…” Dommeruth sat up and slapped his hands to all his pockets. “Where’s my… where’s the gems?”

The Knights sat by the small campfire, cooking up some goodies. Kizzlorn didn’t look up from the bacon she was pushing about in the skillet. “Gone.”

The dwarf stood up angrily. “WHERE THEY GONE?”

“We took them.”

“What! Why? You STOLE my GEMS?”

“They only became yours after you stole them from the dragon.”

“But… that… you stole them from me? Thieves in the night??”

Vek spoke. “We saved your life. You took a hefty severance package from Acessiwal yesterday. We took a put-up-with-the-annoying-dwarf tax. Which just happened to be everything.”

The red-faced dwarf raged. “That’s not fair, and it’s not right! Taking from the dragon as… as payment for hard work is…”

“No different from our taking from you for rescuing you from the dragon,” Edge interrupted. His eyes gleamed as he watched the dwarf, ready for any sudden moves. 

“I had to work under a lich as my immediate superior, with a white dragon over him!” he yelled. The dwarf had been making plans in his dreams on how he’d spend the money. Now, it was all gone. He sniffled and spoke in a small voice. “It’s not fair.”

Jamison stepped forward. “Tell you what. Here’s two hundred gold pieces. With that, you can maybe find a caravan heading south. You’ll be all right. Take this ring of sustenance, and take these heavy pelts. You should be fine.”

The dwarf wrapped himself in furs and took the pouch of gold. It was more than he’d ever owned at one time, but he still had the ghost of his gems floating about him. He cast them a baleful look as he went to leave. “Fine, I’ll go. Just know that I’ll tell everyone I meet of how I was rescued from imprisonment and forced labor… to be mugged and set loose into the wild.” He turned and left. 

Kizzlorn sighed and looked at her partymates. Vek, Edge, and Grumbar weren’t moved by the dwarf’s heartbreak. Only Jamison seemed to show signs of doubt. 

Then, from the hallway, the dwarf’s echoed voice: “Dammit. Can someone help me over the ice pit?”

Later, as they were walking through the hallways of Coldheart to pick up where they’d left off, Kizzlorn voiced her thoughts. “I’m not so certain we did the right thing.”

Edge replied “There was a great deal of money and we took it. We now have more money. That seems right to me.”

Vek added “Think of it this way, Kizz. That was the dragon’s money… and we can now use it to help rebuild Verbobonc. You wouldn’t mind stealing from Acessiwal himself, would you?”

“No, but that’s different.”

“The dwarf stole from the dragon. I think the dwarf rather liked it here… he was well fed and spared from the terrors of the sky that his fellow villagers had feared. He only came with us when he thought he could get away with the gems.”

“That just sounds like rationalization.”

“It might well be… but we will put that money to good use. We don’t need luxury… we’re wealthy enough. We’ll devote that money to Verbobonc. What would the dwarf have used it for? Wealth and comfort, most like.”

Kizzlorn accepted this, and they walked on. “Vek, did he say the word ‘lich’?”

“Yes. I think whoever the dragon's old captain was twenty years ago… he found a similar way to bypass old age, if you will. Acessiwal’s right hand man may well be as undead as I am. We’re in for a good fight.”

This time they descended to Coldheart’s lower level. They killed an ice golem straight off, which Grumbar said was a nice way to start the day. 

They found a large underground lake. Here, about a dozen ogres were working tirelessly, harvesting huge blocks of ice from the lake and putting them on sleds to be brought elsewhere. “This is where they get the ice to make their golems,” Jamison said. “Wanna kill ‘em?”

Edge cracked his knuckles. “Of course!” 

They swept into the room like a hell of blades and magic. Within a moment, each ogre was dead. “Stupid ogres fell down too easy,” Grumbar complained. 

Jamison leaned against the doorway to the lake’s surface, smiling. “Ahh, come on, Grumby. You know we’re… you know YOU’RE too powerful for any number of puny ogres.”

Grumbar shuffled his feet and spoke dejectedly. “Damn right.”

Vek looked over at Jamison and raised his hand. A spell flew out. Jamison’s eyes widened… he knew which spell that was. He gasped as the spell shot straight past him, into the creature that was running up the corridor. It screamed as it lit up with greenish fire, but it didn’t disappear. It ran up to Jamison and cut into him with its sword. Jamison fell sprawling across the ice. 

“Everyone, wait!” Jamison yelled. He took something out of his knapsack.

Vek flexed his fingers and readied to destroy. “Whatever you’re doing, do it quick… this thing looks deadly.”

The thing was a half-orc, female, mean as hell and bearing a huge orcish double axe. It roared and advanced. 

“QUICKLY, Jamison…”

Then, Jamison held up a crystal. He shouted a word, and his eyes went dead. His arm fell limply to the ice. The half-orc snarled, then stopped. It lowered the double axe, smiled, and waved. “Hi guys!”

The others stared. The half-orc dropped the axe and wandered over to Jamison’s body, where Scratch had come out of the knapsack and was nuzzling at Jamison, squirking in a concerned manner. “I haven’t ever used that spell, thought it’d be fun. It is. I never realized how small you all look to someone from this height. Hey, Scratch, it’s me!”

The weasel bared its tiny teeth at the half-orc, ready to die to defend Jamison from the beast. 

“Scratch, it’s me… Jamison! C’mere, you!”

Scratch chattered, confused, then allowed itself to be picked up. Jamison the female half-orc cuddled his beloved weasel. 

“That’s weird,” Grumbar said. He straightened his hair somewhat, then sauntered forward. “Hi, I’m Grumbar. You, uh… you dwell in caverns of darkness much?” Jamison gave Grumbar a shocked look of disgust. Grumbar tried another approach. “I like your axe thing.”

Kizzlorn rubbed her temples. She burst out laughing. “Grumbar, don’t you get it? That’s Jamison.”

“Yeah, I got it. …What??”

“Jam-I-son.” Kizzlorn was doubled up on the lake’s icy surface now, clutching her belly, laughing from it all. 

The female half-orc nodded and smiled. “Jame Zon,” she said. 

Grumbar made a face. “UGH! Gross. Do we keep her now?”

Jamison bent and picked up his soulless human body. “No. I get to live in this body for a number of hours. After that, we’ll have to deal with her again when I transfer back to myself.” He strapped his corpse to his back, where it hung in a morbid fashion. “Let’s go!”

Kizzlorn stood up, wiping tears from her eyes. It felt good to laugh again, she thought to herself. She couldn’t stop giggling for several minutes. 

Grumbar mumbled to himself. “Stupid Jamison, lookin’ all saucy…” At this point, Kizzlorn lost it again and collapsed to the ground, laughing herself breathless.

With Jamison leading them, they wandered through the caverns, finding ogres and taking them out after their half-orc boss (whoever it was Jamison had taken over looked to be a fairly important leader in the caverns) distracted them. They released several prisoners they’d found in holding cells down in the darkness. These were given some gold and furs and told to flee. 

“Are we almost done down here?” Jamison asked.

Vek answered ”There are a few more rooms. What’s the hurry?”

“The sooner we get done down here, the sooner we can move back up to the upper levels.”

“We’ve got all the time in the world.”

“YOU have… you’re a lich.”

“Jamison, the sooner we get to the upper levels, the sooner we get to face Acessiwal for the last time.”

Kizzlorn looked at him. “Well, each time, we hope it’ll be the last time. He’s too crafty.” 

Vek said “He contacted me last night. The dragon says he won’t flee if the battle goes poorly for him. He’s laid a challenge to us to fight to the death.”

 “With the safety off,” Jamison said softly. 

Kizz said “You don’t sound too certain of our chances, Vek. Can we win this?”

“I don’t know.”

_*NEXT: White Hell*_


----------



## Morte

They do look pretty close to the edge on the old villainy metric there... I think they just about got away with it though.


----------



## Dursk Starkfire

*wow*

the KotSK are worse than even I had expected! It's one thing to become a lich or destroy a village of all its women and children by accident, but to steal from the poor and dilapidated is just plain cruel.

Now we understand what Accessiwal meant when he said "You'll try" in answer to Vek saying he'd save the slaves. Big A.'s just waiting outside and eating them up as the knights send them off.  yummy, lunch!


----------



## Dursk Starkfire

*hindsight...*

Vek probably should've cast Geas on that dwarf and forced him to use his gems for the good of Verbabonc... at least then there would be a chance for the gems to be used for good instead of evil.  

keep it coming doc! its great to see the knights have their own agendas as well! just remember hundreds of years after the knights are gone, the people of Oerth will remember them as saints for ridding the evil Accessiwal!


----------



## Wee Jas

> poor and dilapidated is just plain cruel.




We got the impression the dwarf liked working for the dragon.  Who knows that that greedy lil' bugger would have done with the money.  A Ring of Sustenence and 200gp is more than he deserved and more than most people in this world have in a lifetime.   Hes lucky to leave with his life.  Far luckier than the dead and homeless citizens of Verbobonc!



> to be mugged and set loose into the wild




Watch what you say dwarf.. the nearest habitation is well... Verbobonc!  I'd hate to see you speak ill of us there.  Maybe I'll find you in Spellforge Keep's prisions when I get home.  That would be most unfortunate...  I might consider the blaspemy treason


----------



## Ziona

Dr Midnight said:
			
		

> “Hey, what the…” Dommeruth sat up and slapped his hands to all his pockets. “Where’s my… where’s the gems?”
> 
> “We took them.”
> 
> “What! Why? You STOLE my GEMS?”
> 
> “They only became yours after you stole them from the dragon.”
> 
> “But… that… you stole them from me? Thieves in the night??”
> 
> Vek spoke. “We saved your life. You took a hefty severance package from Acessiwal yesterday. We took a put-up-with-the-annoying-dwarf tax. Which just happened to be everything.”
> 
> “I had to work under a lich as my immediate superior, with a white dragon over him!” he yelled. The dwarf had been making plans in his dreams on how he’d spend the money. Now, it was all gone. He sniffled and spoke in a small voice. “It’s not fair.”




You know, I have to say that if I were actually at this session, (Xaltar & I missed last weekend), I would have made a stink about taking the gems.  Glad Doc wrote that Kizz thought it was wrong, because that's the way I would have felt! Shame on the Knights!  




> Grumbar mumbled to himself. “Stupid Jamison, lookin’ all saucy…” At this point, Kizzlorn lost it again and collapsed to the ground, laughing herself breathless.




As for this...it's hysterical!  Even if Kizz would never do it, I might actually be caught laughing myself breathless from time to time IRL!


----------



## Wee Jas

Where is Dartan to say, "Heeee waaass eeevviiilll!"


----------



## Ziona

Oh, you were so *certain* he was EEEEEVVVVIILLL?

I wasn't there, so I can't say, but I would have fought you guys on that.  Barter with him for some, _maybe_, but not take them all from him. I just think it was cruel.  200gp & a Ring of Sustenence is fine and dandy, but not in comparison to the riches he had.  I just think we deserve whatever ire he has for us.


----------



## Wee Jas

> but not in comparison to the riches he had




...but not in comparison to the riches he had BEEN USING TO CREATE ICE GOLEMS TO KILL AND MAIM INNOCENT PEOPLE.

This dwarf was like the Greyhawk version of a Nazi scientist.  If we had more time and less pressing issues to worry about I would have had him jailed awaiting a court date.  He wasn't in a cell like the others... His door wasn't even locked.   He got off easy..  He better pray he never sees me again.


----------



## Wee Jas

oh my first double post!  How exciting!


----------



## Ziona

Like I said, I wasn't there, but the way Doc has presented it really makes us out to be the bad guys.  If he was there against his will and had no means of escaping, then I think the Knights did a bad thing by taking all of his gems.  I could maybe see wanting some for his "rescuing" but I can't see having taken all of them. It just seemed cruel, and I didn't see the point in it.   

But, that's just Kizz's 2 copper!


----------



## Dr Midnight

Wee Jas said:
			
		

> * he had BEEN USING TO CREATE ICE GOLEMS TO KILL AND MAIM INNOCENT PEOPLE.
> *



You forgot to include "FORCED TO" in there. Keep that in mind.


----------



## Wee Jas

> You forgot to include "FORCED TO" in there. Keep that in mind.




I'm not buying it.  You love the contoversy.  If he was so oppressed he'd be WAY more concerned (and grateful) to be getting out alive and way less concerned about the gems.


----------



## seasong

Here's my take on it: the Knights needed the money? They were there when the dwarf was taking it. They had plenty of opportunity to take what they needed then.

They did not stop the dwarf. They did not tell him, "Sorry, you can't have that". They waited until he _had_ it, they _let him_ take it, and waited again until he'd hauled it a fair distance, and _then_ took it from him.

In his sleep.

It was pretty rotten of them any way you look at it.


----------



## seasong

Wee Jas said:
			
		

> I'm not buying it.  You love the contoversy.  If he was so oppressed he'd be WAY more concerned (and grateful) to be getting out alive and way less concerned about the gems.



From just this, I can tell that there have not been many dwarves among the Knights. If there had been, Vek would have known better than to say such a thing.


----------



## Ziona

Wee Jas said:
			
		

> *I'm not buying it.  You love the contoversy. *




It's true...Doc _does_ love the controversy, but Seasong has a good point.  If the Knights wanted the gems, they should have taken them from the get-go, not wait until the dwarf was sleeping.  It was a very shady way for us to act... "wicked...tricksy...false!!"

Of course, I hadn't thought of the bliss that Doc would get out of the inner-party conflict...


----------



## Datt

I can see taking the money, especially if the party thought the dwarf might have taken the money and used it to create Ice Golems of his own.  If he wasn't in a locked cell or at least under some kind of guard, then he was working for the dragon.  He was only happy to leave when he thought he could get away with the gems and the party was going to kill Big A.  At least that is how I percieved it from Doc's great write up.

Edit: And Yes Seasong is right.  Every dwarf is always concerned with the gems.  Gems and your life go hand in hand as a dwarf.  Right along with Mithril and Adamantium.


----------



## Dr Midnight

Oh, yeah, I set you up. Please. The stuffing-of-gems was a humorous little bit put into the text for the room in the MODULE. It doesn't make him evil- just greedy. The fact that he didn't stand up to the dragon doesn't make him evil- just cowardly. He was cowardly and greedy. Cowardice and greed would nicely describe what's required to steal from a sleeping dwarf that you happen to be protecting. 

I'd have given an XP penalty, but really, they didn't do anything out of alignment or character. Plus, the wafer-thin justification would have been deafening instead of just... what it is...


----------



## Wee Jas

Wheres Edge to chime in on this?  I thought he was taking them from him all the time not just in his sleep.

Regardless,  The dwarf wasn't any abused hostage.  (He definately was role-played that way at least).  I didn't take the gems from him personally but I don't dissaprove.  

To me its like a underage kid picking up a six pack in a liquor store but crying when he gets to the counter and finds out he isn't leaving the store with it.  You didn't really think you were going to get away with that did you?


----------



## Dr Midnight

Wee Jas said:
			
		

> *To me its like a underage kid picking up a six pack in a liquor store but crying when he gets to the counter and finds out he isn't leaving the store with it.  You didn't really think you were going to get away with that did you? *



Did I say "wafer-thin" justification? 

By that metaphor, more accurately, he's like an adult looting a liquor store you're about to burn down.

Some kind of... illegal liquor store... that it'd be right and just to burn down, that is.


----------



## seasong

Wee Jas said:
			
		

> To me its like a underage kid picking up a six pack in a liquor store but crying when he gets to the counter and finds out he isn't leaving the store with it.  You didn't really think you were going to get away with that did you?



Hey you! You darned kid! You're not allowed to do the stuff I do! I don't care if you're older than me!

And it would be more like: letting the underage kid buy the drinks, then tackling him in the parking lot. Because after you stood by and let him take the diamonds, with nary a word... yeah, he thought he was going to get away with it. After all, you didn't seem to think there was anything wrong with it, until you realized that you should have grabbed those gems yourself.

The message you gave to the dwarf was, more accurately, "Hey! You can't steal from the dragon! WE'RE stealing from the dragon!"


----------



## Neverwinter Knight

Dr Midnight said:
			
		

> Vek said “He contacted me last night. The dragon says he won’t flee if the battle goes poorly for him. He’s laid a challenge to us to fight to the death.”
> 
> “With the safety off,” Jamison said softly.
> 
> Kizz said “You don’t sound too certain of our chances, Vek. Can we win this?”
> 
> “I don’t know.”
> 
> _*NEXT: White Hell*_



Sounds great, doc. See you in the white hell! 




			
				Ziona said:
			
		

> As for this...it's hysterical!  Even if Kizz would never do it, I might actually be caught laughing myself breathless from time to time IRL!



What? Is Kizz jealous?


----------



## Neverwinter Knight

Wee Jas said:
			
		

> To me its like a underage kid picking up a six pack in a liquor store but crying when he gets to the counter and finds out he isn't leaving the store with it.  You didn't really think you were going to get away with that did you?




Thank you again for reminding me of the advantages of living where I live.


----------



## Ziona

Neverwinter Knight said:
			
		

> *What? Is Kizz jealous?  *




LOL...can't say that she is.  (she still misses that heroic red-head Shade...snarf, snarf...)

The laughing on the floor breathless thing is funny to me, because IRL, when the clock strikes a certain time (say 10 or 11) I get all silly and find everything funny.  It also happens on the rare occasions that I drink. I've been known to laugh myself breathless from time to time.


----------



## Neverwinter Knight

I don't know if you read every post, but there are some here who sensed some kind of romantic tension between Kizz and ol' Grumbar. 

Besides, there can never be enough laughter in my opinion. I have days like these, too...


----------



## Ziona

Huh? 

 

Doc, what are you writing about Kizz?? Nah, Grumbar is kind of like a protector, like Nanny is.  Nothing romantic there. Sorry to disappoint!


----------



## Wee Jas

> Doc, what are you writing about Kizz?? Nah, Grumbar is kind of like a protector, like Nanny is. Nothing romantic there. Sorry to disappoint!




Yeah.. Ziona only falls for her husbands characters!  

Vek is DEAD segsy!


----------



## Ziona

Wee Jas said:
			
		

> * Yeah.. Ziona only falls for her husbands characters!
> *




LOL...Okay, I can't deny that.



> Vek is DEAD segsy!




DEAD..._DEAD_, but not "segsy."  Besides, even if you weren't a lich, do you really think a youngun' like Kizz would go for a cleric of death who used to hang out with her parents??


----------



## Dr Midnight

NWK- That was an error, and quickly fixed. There's nothing of the sort... go back and read the me/Lela posts on that.


----------



## Wee Jas

Where IS Lela?  IS she ok?


----------



## Neverwinter Knight

Dr Midnight said:
			
		

> *NWK- That was an error, and quickly fixed. There's nothing of the sort... go back and read the me/Lela posts on that. *



Oh I know that, but hey, why don't we just tease Kizz a little here


----------



## Metus

Hmmm...  I'm still hung up on the gems.  Besides anything else, that seemed like a VERY unlawful action.  Stealing from a prisoner while he slept strikes me as chaotic.  If there was anyone who had a lawful alignment, I would question the role-playing of such.  Not that the role-playing is ever bad, but this one kinda doesn't sit right with me.


----------



## Breakstone

Now my question is: What if Jamison's body is destroyed? Will he be forced to leap from body to body for the rest of time?

Hm... that'd actually be quite a neat character concept...


----------



## MTR

*Stealing from the dwarf*

If you're going to rob the guy at least admit you're doing it because you want the cash instead of making up lame excuses why he deserves to be robbed.

"He took them from the dragon so they weren't really his."  Is the stuff you took from the dragon not really yours?  If the party had taken the gems at first and he stole them during the night would the party think that was cool and there was no problem with it?

"He wasn't a captive"  He's surrounded by ogres, half dragons and a lich under a mountain where his only way out is by swimming several hundred feet through an airless tunnel - so he could reach miles of barren tundra.  High level adventures forget how the rest of the world lives.  There was no need for a cell or guard - how's he going to leave?  What could he do to hurt his captors?

If the party had said something at the time the dwarf was taking the gems I'd have less of a problem with it.  If they had talked to him instead of stealing them while he was asleep I'd have less of a problem with it.  If they hadn't put on such a "wanna make something of it?" attitude when he complained I'd have less of a problem with it.

Even not abandoning him to die in the wilderness - which would have been evil no matter how you paint it - was an afterthought by one party member.  Did they at least tell him which way was civilization?  

The dwarf had a better claim as "back wages" than any of the party's rationalizations.  The more I think about this the worse it seems.  If my party did this I'd tell them their alignment was drifting.  Doesn't mean they can't do it - but alignment drift and a bad reputation has a way of catching up with you....


----------



## Breakstone

> bad reputation has a way of catching up with you....




Yes, I get the feeling that the dwarf will be back...

and this time, it's personal...


----------



## Lela

Wee Jas said:
			
		

> *Where IS Lela?*




My internet went down and I spent the time studying for a test on argument.




			
				Wee Jas said:
			
		

> *
> To me its like a underage kid picking up a six pack in a liquor store but crying when he gets to the counter and finds out he isn't leaving the store with it.  You didn't really think you were going to get away with that did you? *




False Analagy.

As you can imagine, I did well on the test. 




			
				Wee Jas said:
			
		

> *
> IS she ok?   *




No, actually, I'm not.  But I hope to pull out of it by tomarrow.


----------



## Caliber

I don't think it was very nice of the Knights to steal the Dwarve's gems, but I wasn't there and neither were none of you. 

Only Ziona is entitled to tsk all of them. 

And of couse Doc Midnight gets to wreck horrible vengence for their slip. 

I was hoping to ask what that armor Shade had that Vek has now? The strange armor they stripped from the Mind Flayer?


----------



## Grog

Tsunami said:
			
		

> * Yes, I get the feeling that the dwarf will be back...
> 
> and this time, it's personal... *




Maybe that can be Shade's new character - a pissed off dwarf out to get his gems back


----------



## Lela

Grog said:
			
		

> *
> 
> Maybe that can be Shade's new character - a pissed off dwarf out to get his gems back  *




Ziona, a new man for you!

Sure he's a bit stubby, greedy, cowardly, vengful, and, well, evil.  But maybe you can change him.


----------



## DWARF

A *COWARDLY* DWARF?!!!!

He deserved FAR worse than what the Knights gave him.  No Dwarf worth his clan would allow his cowardice to cow him to work for a _wyrm_.

Our law would demand his execution.  If it weren't for the Knights need for battle readiness, I would expect them to shackle the wretched creature and turn him in to the clans, so they can deal with him properly.


----------



## Lela

DWARF said:
			
		

> *A COWARDLY DWARF?!!!!
> 
> He deserved FAR worse than what the Knights gave him.  No Dwarf worth his clan would allow his cowardice to cow him to work for a wyrm.
> *




New character concept taking shape. . .


----------



## Celtavian

*Re*



> Did I say "wafer-thin" justification?
> 
> By that metaphor, more accurately, he's like an adult looting a liquor store you're about to burn down.
> 
> Some kind of... illegal liquor store... that it'd be right and just to burn down, that is.




LOL. I found this analogy very amusing. 


I don't mind so much that they took the coin, but I do think the method was rather unbefitting the Knights. As has already been mentioned, had they taken the gems initially giving only small recompense, if any, to the dwarf for all his years of imprisonment, then it would be understandable.

The way they actually retrieved the gems was underhanded. If the dwarf talks to others about what they did, it will not look good for them.

Imagine if someone was going around saying "They let me travel with them, but robbed me as I slept and sent me on my way with a smidgeon of my wealth." No one is going to care about the whole story.

This dwarf is obviously a master craftsmen to have been chosen to build those golems, so he will probably find work for some noble or powerful dwarf merchant clan when and if he returns home.

I hope even Wee Jas can see this is not one of Vek's better moments. Personally, I like Vek and I really cannot picture him doing this. I would have thought Vek would take the gems and give them back to the dwarf telling Edge that this is not how the Knights operate. Then maybe take them after telling the dwarf that he was not thoroughly convinced he deserved to carry this much wealth away. Though hindsight is 20/20, I defintely don't picture Vek being underhanded in a petty way like this.

Oh well, what's done is done. I can't wait to see what happens in White Hell.


----------



## Sammael99

Great stuff Doc (and supporting cast)

And here I was wondering why nobody was commenting on my new Fading Suns SH. They were all here debating ! That's why !

Incidentally this brings home one of the odd effects of Story Hours : to see your character's actions discussed and judged by the masses !

I thought it was a great narrative moment, that thing with the dwarf. And a great springboard for future annoyment (at the very least )


----------



## Lela

Sammael99 said:
			
		

> *Great stuff Doc (and supporting cast)
> 
> And here I was wondering why nobody was commenting on my new Fading Suns SH. They were all here debating ! That's why !
> *




Actually, I'm over at Wulf's Wulf Story Hour.  Looks like I'm going to be there for a while too.  It's only page 1 and it's been 4 days and 10 levels.

But to remember the days when I was doing the same with Doc's story hour.  Griffins and Dartan falling, Jam Zon and his Giants, Vek and the Pelor brothers.

And that other guy who was possessed.  Who, by the way, is still out there.


----------



## Metus

Lela said:
			
		

> *And that other guy who was possessed.  Who, by the way, is still out there. *




Ohhhh yeah!  Erasmus!  I completely forgot about him!  I think it should turn out that he's good too and he joins up with the group.  Maybe not one of my most favorite characters but he's old-school Knights, so it'd be a cool addition.


----------



## Morte

Tsunami said:
			
		

> *
> 
> Yes, I get the feeling that the dwarf will be back...
> 
> and this time, it's personal... *





Hmm. Where did the knights leave their horses? Will the dwarf be going past them? Will Tsunami have to defend the other horses from a ravening pissed off (non-)evil kleptomaniac dwarf?


----------



## Wee Jas

> I hope even Wee Jas can see this is not one of Vek's better moments.




This is the last time I'm gonna chime in on this one.

We were beat up, low on offensive spells had 1 teleport spell left.  We decided going to a populated place might endanger said populated place if the dragon decided to attack us.  We decided to teleport to the false entrance to rest. So the dwarf has 2 options.

1. Leave with his gems and head to the place where he could buy passage to somewhere else with no food/water and encumbered with riches.  Which would probably make him die a happy greedy lil' filthy dwarf. or.. 

2. Take 200gp and a Ring of Sustenence (worth 2500gp) and live through the trek to somewhere else.

I'm tired of arguing over some rotten lil' grub eater who left our group with 2700gp in valuables.  

I think Doc wrote this NPC in as an extension of his previous character Bhorgin from the Unusual Heroes campaign we all play in.  That lil' rotten grubby dwarf took off with OUR gems.  haha..   Good thing he ditched that character for Doctor Midnight!  



> I was hoping to ask what that armor Shade had that Vek has now? The strange armor they stripped from the Mind Flayer?




Its very nice.  As protective as full plate, fire/cold resist 10, acts as a Ring of Sustenence, has some Psionic abilities that only a psionic character can use, but the best part is the regeneration 5/per round.



> Ohhhh yeah! Erasmus! I completely forgot about him! I think it should turn out that he's good too and he joins up with the group. Maybe not one of my most favorite characters but he's old-school Knights, so it'd be a cool addition.




I doubt it.  That was my old character.  Doc HATES Erasmus too.


----------



## Dr Midnight

Wee Jas said:
			
		

> * 2. Take 200gp and a Ring of Sustenence (worth 2500gp) and live through the trek to somewhere else.*



The Ring of Sustenance which no one actually gave him in-game?


----------



## Horacio

Dr Midnight said:
			
		

> *
> The Ring of Sustenance which no one actually gave him in-game?  *




ROFLOL!!!!


----------



## Wee Jas

> The Ring of Sustenance which no one actually gave him in-game?




Hahaha.. I wondered where that came from!  hence: 



> Vek: who game him the ring anyhow?
> Vek: Jamzon?
> Doc: Vek did
> Doc: Vek cares
> Vek: I didn't give him no ring.. Why would I have that?!
> Doc: Vek gave him a big hug and said "Now you be careful, alright?" then bundled him up like Randy in a Christmas Story
> Vek: "I can't move my arms!"


----------



## Taren Seeker

*snicker*

Doc has such a way with words...you must really want to break his skull sometimes.

BTW, If you don't mind me saying, why not give the armor to Grumbar? Since you don't eat and IIRC already have cold resistance, it would seem like it would be best for the Barbarian. Assuming that the Armor is light or medium. Also the healing would be really useful for him considering how much damage Barbarians usually take.

Oh, and I hope that was *fast healing* 5, not regeneration 5, else Vek just became invulnerable. Or moreso.

Which reminds me, how confident is Vek that big A won't strike at his Phylactery while you're slogging through the dungeons?


----------



## Datt

DWARF said:
			
		

> *A COWARDLY DWARF?!!!!
> 
> He deserved FAR worse than what the Knights gave him.  No Dwarf worth his clan would allow his cowardice to cow him to work for a wyrm.
> 
> Our law would demand his execution.  If it weren't for the Knights need for battle readiness, I would expect them to shackle the wretched creature and turn him in to the clans, so they can deal with him properly. *




Aye I must agree.  Any dwarf worth his mountain would have died defending his clan.  The only way he should have been working under a lich is if he had been turned undead by the lich.  Unless of course he is actually a duregar and the party mistook him for a dwarf.  Then they should have killed the evil lil sob on principal alone.


----------



## Wee Jas

?







> Oh, and I hope that was *fast healing* 5, not regeneration 5, else Vek just became invulnerable. Or moreso.




Regen 5.  How does that make me invulnerable?  Whats the diff?



> Which reminds me, how confident is Vek that big A won't strike at his Phylactery while you're slogging through the dungeons]




Pretty.. The rooms in the dungeon arent big enough to hold him.. dragons who polymorph into smaller things loose a lot of advantages and tend to die.  Like against greater glyphs of Harm and such .. lol


Grumbar is a fighter not a barbarian.


----------



## Taren Seeker

Wee Jas said:
			
		

> *?
> 
> Regen 5.  How does that make me invulnerable?  Whats the diff?
> 
> *




Doc may want to break MY skull for saying this, but...OK, Regeneration is different from fast healing. Any damage you take is considered subdual damage. (usually fire and acid are able to bypass this, but that has to be specified in the type of regeneration). Since you're an Undead you're immune to subdual. Ta daaa, you can no longer be physically harmed. 

*



			Grumbar is a fighter not a barbarian.
		
Click to expand...


*
Ah ok then. Still would be very useful for him, but then I don't know how your party is equipped.

Finally, I don't think you can put a touch spell (Harm) into a Glyph. (_edit: Well, t says any spell, but doesn't say how a touch range spell can be triggered. Up to the DM I guess. I would say that you have to actually touch the glyph for it to go off_) I will say beware though...Big A still has that enemy Lich captain floating around somewhere...hey maybe he could impersonate you? All you lichs look alike to me, especially when covered in black Full Plate


----------



## Lela

Taren Seeker said:
			
		

> *
> 
> Doc may want to break MY skull for saying this, but...OK, Regeneration is different from fast healing. Any damage you take is considered subdual damage. (usually fire and acid are able to bypass this, but that has to be specified in the type of regeneration). Since you're an Undead you're immune to subdual. Ta daaa, you can no longer be physically harmed.
> 
> *




Yup.  Take a look at R in the MM.  It's not fire and acid though (that's a troll thing).  Some demons/devils have it and they only take normal damage from blessed weapons, for example.

What is your weakness Vek?


----------



## Horacio

Lela said:
			
		

> *
> 
> What is your weakness Vek? *




Weakness? Vek? naw...


----------



## MTR

Wee Jas, not to keep beating a dead horse but I have the module (I'm thinking of running it) and Doc has modified it, but the dwarf is exactly as written.

I find it interesting that you justify your non-heroic action by slighting the dwarf for not being heroic.  Vek doesn't strike me as a shining becon of purity and truth; why aren't you just taking Edge's line of "I wanted the money?"  Look at the justification you're giving: "he wanted to live so he should be happy we left him with his scummy life, let alone some cash."  Come on, is there a maximum amount of property you're allowed to own based on your moral virtue?  You say he had two choices but he didn't any - you just robbed him.  He didn't say "hey, I'd like to buy a ring of sustenance for 50,000 gp."  

Frankly, from your tone of your posts here I suspect you know darn well it was out of character.  Well, out of character for a hero; for all I know Vek has "chaotic evil" on his sheet.  It's your attempts at making it upright and just I find strange.  You clearly have no ground to stand on.

Dr Midnight, so nobody gave him the ring or furs and you "GM forced" it?  Wow, the party was outright evil then.


----------



## Lela

MTR said:
			
		

> *
> 
> Frankly, from your tone of your posts here I suspect you know darn well it was out of character.  Well, out of character for a hero; for all I know Vek has "chaotic evil" on his sheet.
> 
> *




Actually, it's LN.


----------



## Wee Jas

> Frankly, from your tone of your posts here I suspect you know darn well it was out of character.




Like I said I had no part in taking it  but when I heard his money had been taken I didn't stop it.  I don't consider it his in the 1st place.   When it comes time to divy up treasure I'll insit a fair share of the dragons loot goes to Verbobonc and its inhabitants.  I really could care less about the gems but care not for the dwarf's hurt feelings either.  

As a player I justify the party's actions on how the dwarf was role-played.


----------



## Lela

Yes, let's blame Doc.

He set this all up intentionally becuase he loves conflict.  The man craves this kind of thing like a drug.

So Doc, you've had your fun but now it's time to come clean.  You can quit, we can help you.  All you have to do to start is admit you have a problem.


----------



## Dursk Starkfire

I personally like Doc's problem.  <handing scraps out under the table...>. It definitely stirs up a lot of conversation and is helping him reach PKitty's post count 

I can't blame Doc for how its written, but I do see that the knights have a history of "dropping the ball" when it comes to role-playing the good vs. evil and law vs. chaos alignments.  BUT, I also think that was one of the things that brings everybody to the story hour. These aren't your regular heros, these guys realize that you can't just beat up your enemies and take their stuff. Thats stealing! No, if you kill them, then its the spoils of war!   Anyway, I have to admit that what got me hooked here was that the party is dysfunctional to begin with. I mean we had a fallen Paladin, a nincompoop who touches everything in sight, regardless of consequence, a few side-kicks, and a tweaked-out uber-munchkin. wait, I was already harrassed for that... munchkin == "heavily researched character concept".  

Anyway, I don't think Vek should take the posts personally. Right or wrong, its the story, and it drives us forward to more interesting story lines!

Vek's favorite pal,
Dursk.

PS: I don't think stealing is lawful. 

PPS: Don't take my Knight-name calling personally. I love the knights, its just how a dwarf displays his affection.


----------



## MTR

Vek is the unsleeping watchman.  He could hardly have missed what was going on.  This is innocent like a mafia boss - you don't commit the crime, you just profit from it.

If it was just hurt feelings I wouldn't have a problem with it.  Stealing tens of thousands of gold (if I remember the module correctly) it a touch more than hurt feelings.  I find it especially strange from a LN, who I would expect to worry about precise laws first.  "I didn't like him" is hardly a legal reason for robbery.  If you really thought he was evil why didn't you kill him on the spot?  If you had doubts later I'm sure you have more than enough divination magic to find out his alignment, past history, and the color of his mother's beard.

As for giving a share to the city, I'll be curious to learn how big a share - and how much bigger your personal gain was by including the diamonds.


----------



## Wee Jas

> Vek is the unsleeping watchman




Yeah but his player is not.  I had to sneak in cuddle time with my girlfriend and son while some players were doing other things.  Vek was probably "talking with the dragon" if they were taken in the night.  I'm pretty sure Edge had just been taking them from him as we went along.  He isn't here to say what happened so I'm not sure but I think things were changed for the story.

I don't approve of the way the gems where taken but I'm glad they were.


----------



## Wee Jas

By the way.. check out the art Doc just did for my other character!


----------



## Dr Midnight

Wee Jas said:
			
		

> * I don't approve of the way the gems where taken but I'm glad they were. *



Smells like backpeddling to me... What happened to the Nazi Scientist analogy? 

For necessity's sake:


----------



## Richards

Don't tell me you didn't see this coming...   

The following parody song is sung to the tune of "Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds," by the Beatles.

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

*LET'S TAKE THAT DWARF GUY'S BIG DIAMONDS*

Picture yourself in a white dragon's dungeon
With pit traps galore and golems of ice.
You find somebody alone in a workshop,
A dwarf for whom gems are a vice.

Dommeruth begs you to help him escape,
Taking all the gems at hand,
Stuffing his pockets as full as they'll go
And you're gone.

Let's take that dwarf guy's big diamonds
Let's take that dwarf guy's big diamonds
Let's take that dwarf guy's big diamonds, ahhhhhhhhhhhhh

Lead the dwarf down to a dead cryohydra
Where you can make camp even though it smells bad.
Everyone smiles as he drifts into slumber
Without knowing that he's been had.

Some sticky fingers appear as he snores,
Taking the diamonds away.
Stuffed in the packs and in the haversack
And they're gone.

Let's take that dwarf guy's big diamonds
Let's take that dwarf guy's big diamonds
Let's take that dwarf guy's big diamonds, ahhhhhhhhhhhhh

Picture yourself with the dwarf in the morning
When he figures out that his heroes are thieves.
"200 gold pieces and a magic ring
Are scarcely replacements," he grieves.

Let's take that dwarf guy's big diamonds
Let's take that dwarf guy's big diamonds
Let's take that dwarf guy's big diamonds, ahhhhhhhhhhhhh
Let's take that dwarf guy's big diamonds
Let's take that dwarf guy's big diamonds
Let's take that dwarf guy's big diamonds, ahhhhhhhhhhhhh

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

All in good fun, guys!   

Johnathan
Self-Appointed, Unofficial Bard to the _Knights of Spellforge Keep_ Campaign


----------



## MTR

Ok, I don't want to hurt the feelings of any knights but that is just too funny not to complement you, Jonathan.  Nice job, but you're going to get me into trouble laughing at work.


----------



## Grog

I just went back and read the start of the story, and I have a question. Was Gorgoldand's Gauntlet the first adventure your gaming group had? Or did you have other campaigns before KotSQ?


----------



## Breakstone

Richards- Great stuff, as usual!

Grog- Gorgoldand's Gauntlet was their first adventure.


----------



## Wee Jas

Ohh.. I think Sep posted again!  

Thats such a good storyhour!


----------



## Lela

Wee Jas said:
			
		

> *Ohh.. I think Sep posted again!
> 
> Thats such a good storyhour! *




Wee Jas, you liar.

Doc, I think that's your cue to update.

Finnally time to go use post number 1,000 to get Old One back in the game.


----------



## Dr Midnight

The KoSK story hour is completely updated and current, here, people. Till tomorrow afternoon, that is. 

Ahh, sweet sweet resting time.


----------



## Celtavian

*Re*

Excellent!! The story hour is up to date, and soon they will fight the dragon. That is the battle we have all been waiting for...)


----------



## Dr Midnight

Just got back from tonight's game, and it was purty good. Lots of good roleplaying, with some great moments from Vek, and SEVERAL from Kizzlorn, not to mention the rest... Very cool. I'll try to get some up tonight.

EDIT: clearly I failed. Going to bed. See you in the morning...


----------



## Lela

Wow.  I can't believe I didn't realize it was gameday.


----------



## Celtavian

*Re*

Doc,

I wait patiently. Sleep well and make sure you dream of how you will write the story come tomorrow...)


----------



## Celtavian

*Re*

Is that Drexel Wee Jas?


----------



## Wee Jas

> Is that Drexel Wee Jas?




Ya,  why?


----------



## Celtavian

*Re*

I was just making sure. Drexel is not in the other adventure right now, and I didn't know if you had any other campaigns.


----------



## Wee Jas

I played...

Docs campaign:

Tenchi
Erasmus
Myramus
Vek
Gryph

Xaltars campaign:

Drexel
Gideon
Belasco
Avangel


----------



## Dr Midnight

*SESSION 49
14th of Ready’reat
WHITE HELL* 

“Free me.”

Jamison looked toward a cell by the end of the prisoner section. “Looks like we missed one. Why should we free you?” 

“Because I’m here to kill the dragon, along with you.”

They walked up to the cell and looked inside. In here, a pale elf with white hair and white pupils stared back at them. It was a most disturbing sight. He wore rags, but looked better fed than the other prisoners had. 

“How are you here to kill the dragon, if you’re trapped in its cells?”

“I’m waiting for an opportunity.”

“Uh huh. So why not just try to escape? The security around here’s pretty shoddy.”

“I escape regularly. I turn into a rat and seek a good meal when I need to, then return.”

Jamison nodded. “Ahh, a shapeshifter, eh? Well, if that’s the case, why do you need us to free you?”

The man smiled. “I can only do it so many times a day. I’d hate to waste one, when you could just open the door for me.”

They opened the door and he walked out. Kizzlorn asked “We have armor and weapons, if you need them.”

“No, thank you, my items are being held over here.” He began suiting himself in plates of contoured wooden armor. “Ahh… it’s good to be free. My name is Oaken Stormfire, and I’m pleased to meet you.”

Kizzlorn said “Well met, Oaken. I am Kizzlorn Spellforge, and we are the Knights of Spellforge Keep.”

Vek asked “So… your items are fifteen feet from your cell, and you could have reached them at any time. Why not escape?”

“Patience. I had to wait for my time. My time would come with a powerful group of adventurers. You see… I’m not leaving… until the dragon is dead.”

“Why?”

“That shall remain my story, for now. Suffice to say my own adventuring party was not fortunate enough to survive the perils here. Let’s go.”

They cleared out the lower level in no time at all, finding only a few scant enemies to deal with, and nothing of note. “Where is the lich, I wonder,” Vek murmured now and then. They wandered upstairs and began searching rooms beyond the corridor they’d left before. They were getting closer. 

They opened a door to find an attractive, plainly dressed serving girl. “Oh!” she said, turning. 

“I… you startled me. Who are you?”

“What are you doing here?”

“Um- I’m a servant. I keep things clean, I make the beds, sometimes I cook. Why?”

“We’re here to kill your boss. Will you stand against us?”

“What? I.. I don’t know. Look at you.” She put her hands on the hips and arched her eyebrows. “MY money’s on the dragon.”

Kizzlorn stepped forward. “We’re going to destroy him. What’s your name?”

“I don’t think you’re going to manage to kill a huge white dragon, sweetheart.”

“We’ve traveled far, and are ready to kill him. I’m going to mount his head back at my home. Sweetheart.”

“Are you? I’ve seen what he can do. I’m betting he wins in no time. In fact, if I scream for help, who’s to stop me?”

“Why would you try to call down guards on those freeing you? Aren’t you a servant here, against your will?”

“Yeah, but it’s not so bad. I might even get a promotion soon.”

Kizzlorn scowled. “Slaves don’t get promotions.”

She shrugged. “Big-boned girls with spellbooks don’t win battles against great white wyrms.”

“Big… what?? What are you saying, exactly, girlie?” Kizz’s hands opened and closed, and sparkles of magic twinkled there. Vek and Grumbar groaned and left the room. 

“I’m just saying mousy-haired tramps with fat ankles don’t tend to do well in…”

Kizzlorn snapped, and hurled a spell at the girl. The polymorph spell failed to turn her into a three hundred pound version of herself. Kizzlorn seemed surprised that the spell didn’t work. “Why didn’t… What are you?”

The girl’s jaw dropped from the insult of having a spell cast at her. “You… you tried to cast a spell on me! You BITCH!” She walked up and tried to slap Kizzlorn, but Kizz caught her wrist, then pushed her down to the floor. The girl landed and looked up angrily. 

Jamison was curious about something, and cast a spell on himself that allowed him to see through illusions. He glanced about, and his eyes widened. “Uh, Kizz…”

The girl stood up. “That’s what I love about you human women. So easily incited to acts of passion.” She grabbed Kizzlorn and Jamison cried out as he watched the red-skinned horned devil girl plant a kiss on her lips. 

_*MORE TO COME...*_


----------



## Viktyr Gehrig

*laugh* Ouch, Kizz.


----------



## Despaxas

ROFLMCAO great scene, one of the best out there, Jeeej Kizz


----------



## Wee Jas

> red-skinned horned devil girl plant a kiss on her lips


----------



## Ziona

Eeeewwwww!!  Devil girls have really bad breath (and cankles)! Her kiss left me feeling weak...and *not* in a good way!!  

BTW, Celtavian, that drawing Doc did for Wee Jas is not Drexel, it's another character named Ikhat. (I think Wee Jas thought you were asking if he played Drexel...)  Ikhat is in another campaign that Xaltar DMs on Wednesdays.


----------



## Lela

/me prepares to use that trick while DMing.

That was amazing Doc!  So cool.


----------



## MTR

My party never falls for the "innocent looking person in the villian's dungeon" trick.  Of course I've worked hard to make them very, very paranoid.  They carry weapons in their bath


----------



## Horacio

Woderful and funny update, Doc!!!

LOL! LOL!


----------



## fenzer

I pulled the same trick on our female thief.  It was the succubus in the Fordge of Fury.  She lost a level.  It gave her a big old smack on the lips.  Needless to say, poor damsels found in distress STAY in distress.

Fun update!


----------



## Lela

What about the whole women screaming off the side of the road with monsters around her thing?  That would make a good place to put a sucubus.  Have her run into the paladin's arms and such.


----------



## Breakstone

I can't believe they fell for that!


----------



## Lela

Tsunami said:
			
		

> *I can't believe they fell for that! *




The not-quite-evil dwarf softened them up.


----------



## DWARF

My players tend to be so paranoid that pretty much everything gets set on fire.  And if not, then anyone "rescued" ends up in chains until they finish clearing out a dungeon.


----------



## Lela

DWARF said:
			
		

> *My players tend to be so paranoid that pretty much everything gets set on fire.  And if not, then anyone "rescued" ends up in chains until they finish clearing out a dungeon. *




Time to have them rescue the crown-prince.


----------



## Dr Midnight

Kizzlorn felt her strength drain from her body. The girl pulled away, no longer appearing to be a mere serving wench. Her scarlet skin and wickedly attractive grin marked her for what she was: a succubus. “Thanks, dearie.” She screamed a call for aid. “GUUZAAAAB!!!” Her voice rang shrilly, and very loud. 

Kizzlorn pushed her away, and Oaken quickly destroyed the woman with a spell. Grumbar, outside, opened a door and was immediately attacked by a large toad-like demon. Grumbar eagerly hewed into it with his greatsword, and Jamison finished the job. “That wasn’t so difficult,” Jamsion noted. 

“I don’t think they were expecting us, or they’d have been ready,” Vek said.” Acessiwal must not have considered them to be much of a threat.”

Just then, a fireball detonated in their midst, enveloping all the Knights in a deadly maelstrom of flame. No one was around that they could see when the smoke cleared. Jamison, however, looked to the end of the hall, and saw a robed figure with a skeletal face covered with strips of dried, putrid flesh. “It’s the lich!” he cried. “Down the hall!”

They scattered and began firing spells down the hallway. Kizzlorn made it so that she could see him, and blasted a bolt of lightning at him. ”That won’t work,” Vek said irritably as he strode down the hall toward the creature. “My friend,” he called. “I have nothing but the gravest of respect for you and the knowledge you have accumulated. I too have come to the place after life, where all becomes clear, and flesh becomes a forgotten luxury. We mean you no harm. We wish only to slay the dragon, and ask that you leave us in peace.”

The lich held his hand up with a devastating fire spell ready to immolate Vek. He paused. “Hmm. Is this true?”

“Yes. We’re here for Acessiwal. Not you.”

The lich lowered his hand. “That might work. The dragon regularly scries on me, but is not now, so it’s alright to talk. Does your party agree to a peaceable pause to our combat, to have a word?”

Vek looked back to the others. They weren’t attacking, but the shocked looks on their faces told that they were expecting anything but a parley with the right hand of Acessiwal. “I think they consent,” Vek answered. 

“So,” Helios the lich said. “I leave you alone. You go one to slay Acessiwal. You take whatever riches you’ve won, and leave this area.”

“Yes, that’s the plan.”

“I like it. When the dragon was here long ago, I served him. Then, he was captured, and I ruled this land. That he came back and reclaimed his former territory doesn’t mean that I serve him faithfully. In fact, I mean to have my power back.” He became visible and walked forward, coming face to face with Vek. “This could serve both of us very well. Here are my conditions. You do not mention to Acessiwal that we have this deal. If you do, I will come to his side and share the fight… and we will win. I will be watching to ensure your end of the bargain is being held. If you lose, well… you’re dead, and your problems are over. If you win, you take your spoils and leave.”

“Agreed.”

“We have a deal, then,” Helios said. He and Vek shook hands.

Kizzlorn murmured under her breath. “I don’t believe it.”

Helios disappeared, and Vek returned to the group. “Wow… nice job, Vek,” Kizz said.

“Well done,” Oaken added.

“Thank you.” The pleasure in Vek’s gravelly voice was plain. “I suggest, that since we seem to be about done with the entire upper level, and we have a free pass from Helios, that we rest for the night.”

They stepped into a comfortable room and made camp. Vek stood watch, as he always did. Before long, there was a polite knock at the door. Helios leaned his undead form into the room and spoke quietly. “Pardon me,” he said. “But I’ve been ordered to come in here and kill you. Do be ready in about thirty minutes. We will be scried upon, I expect, so please help me to put on a good show.”

“Of course,” Vek answered. 

“I will attack with actual spells, but nothing to be concerned with… they’ll mostly be about sound and light. The damage will be minimal.”

“All right. What shall we repel you with? Should I rebuke you?”

“No, the old wyrm’s far too clever for such a trick. Besides, I would be soundly punished. He doesn’t understand our ways. Just destroy me… all right? I will regenerate at my phylactery within the week.”

“If you insist. Nothing personal, of course.”

“Not at all. See you soon.” 

The door closed. Vek said “What a gentleman,” to himself. He roused the others and told them to be ready. 

Thirty minutes passed, and Vek felt the gaze of Acessiwal on the group as he leaned against one wall, watching over the Knights in their bedrolls. Helios appeared in the room, hands blazing with fire and lightning. His eyes glowed bright red. “FOOOOLS!” He thundered. “You have been sentenced to death by the ICE KING, at the hand of his servant, HELIOS THE PROFANE!!”

“Wha? Huh?” Grumbar got up out of bed and attacked. 

Kizzlorn sprung to her feet. “A sneak attack as we lie sleeping, the FIEND!” She launched a fireball at him.

Within no time at all, Helios the Profane was a pile of ash on the ground. “That’s that, then,” Vek said as he brushed his hands together. 

The group went to sleep again. Vek sat up, on watch, feeling Acessiwal’s rage as he spied on them from his lair.

_*MORE TO COME...* _


----------



## Elocin

Ok, now that was just too funny!!!!  Hey Doc, don't you just hate it when you think you have all the angels figued out and your players come up with something that you did not think about?  Happens to me all the time, damn stupid psionic power that lets somebody go back in time up to 5 rounds, completely ruins some surprises you have ready for them.

Oh well, thoroughly enjoying the story and can not wait to read more.


----------



## Felix

Brilliant.

DMing, RPing, and writing.

Just brilliant.


----------



## Breakstone

Great stuff! The "life" of a lich sure is a strange one, eh?


----------



## Immort

YES!  Girl on girl (succubus) action in the Spellforge story hour!  I thought ya had it all before, but now . . . it is complete.

-Immort


----------



## Celtavian

*Re*

Ziona, 

Yes...I thought that was Drexel. Thanks for clearing that up.


Interesting write up. I still can't wait for the dragon fight though. I hope they fight soon.


----------



## DWARF

Is there *ANYTHING* Vek can't do?

Aside from reproduce, that is...


----------



## Horacio

DWARF said:
			
		

> *Is there ANYTHING Vek can't do?
> 
> Aside from reproduce, that is... *




I'm sure that if he really wanted, he would find a way to reproduce...


----------



## Wee Jas

> I'm sure that if he really wanted, he would find a way to reproduce...




How about a clone?  I call him... Mini-Vek

/puts pinky to corner of where lip should be


----------



## Datt

Great updates Doc!  You just got to love it when your players figure out a way to roleplay their way out of a combat.


----------



## KearaMedici

*Deal with the Undead*

It's a good job for Doc that the original adventure has a box specifically for any deals with Helios, ain't it? At least there was no need to wing it.

Strange how Vek walked straight up to the one guy they could make a deal with 

Perhaps Vek uses his scrying to look over Doc's shoulder?


----------



## Dursk Starkfire

I think Vek makes this deal with everyone, so long as they agree that the Knights get to keep the loot. 

Failing that, they either kill them outright, or wait until they sleep and take all of their gold.


----------



## Wee Jas

> or wait until they sleep and take all of their gold.




Damn lich doesn't sleep!

I felt that my Goddess (being of Death and Magic) would not want me to interrupt the lich's studies.  If he had pursued the fight... I would've killed him, taken his loot, and kept his Phlactery as token of the battle but let him come back


----------



## Dursk Starkfire

isn't being a lich counter to the ideals of the Ruby Queen? I would think liches would make her a little agitated, seeming as they've basically found a way to "cheat" death?


----------



## Wee Jas

Wee Jas has lich followers.  Gods/godesses of knowledge and magic often allow their servents to "cheat death" for the pursuit of lore.




> Occasionally, members of Wee Jas' faith are allowed to continue beyond death as undead, typically lichs (although some survive as mummies or even guardian ghosts). These undead maintain their standing and postition in the Church, and are addressed as Taken on the rare occasions they are addressed by the living. It is suspected that a the Archon of Wee Jas may call upon a secret council of lichs that normally lie, neither awake nor asleep, beneath the White Temple in Niole Dra until their advice and council is sought.


----------



## Dursk Starkfire

thanks for the info


----------



## Lela

Wee Jas, the pragmatic one.

A Litch is the ultimate combination of Death and Magic, even more so than the Deck of Fate/Chance/Many Things.  And we have a Litch with a Deck.  Nice.


----------



## fenzer

Lela, do my eyes deceive me or are you spelling "lich" with a "t"?

The reason I ask is back in my early days of playing this  wonderful game, I used to pronounce it "litch" as in "pitch" but if I remember correctly it is pronounced lich as in mike, no "t".  I only say this becouse I too have been corrected for my mispronunciation.


----------



## Caliber

I've always said it as Lich, as in Pitch, but minus the T.


----------



## Stone Angel

Wee Jas where did you find out all that info. about the dogma and such of Wee Jas' church. In my current campaign I have a paladin of Wee Jas and it would be most helpful.


----------



## Lela

fenzer said:
			
		

> *Lela, do my eyes deceive me or are you spelling "lich" with a "t"?
> 
> The reason I ask is back in my early days of playing this  wonderful game, I used to pronounce it "litch" as in "pitch" but if I remember correctly it is pronounced lich as in mike, no "t".  I only say this becouse I too have been corrected for my mispronunciation. *




You're telling me someone thought it was "Like"?  I'd never be willing to say that about the most feared undead (it's a Dracolike!  Run!!!!!!!).

I prefer that spelling  because it looks appropriate but I'll go ahead and change it.  I won't change how I say it though.  That just doesn't work for me.


----------



## Wee Jas

> Wee Jas where did you find out all that info. about the dogma and such of Wee Jas' church. In my current campaign I have a paladin of Wee Jas and it would be most helpful.




I just did searches on www.google.com.   There are a number of greyhawk sites out there.    The Living Greyhawk 3e stuff has some good info.  The manual of the planes tells a little about Wee Jas too.    She is not very nice.. lol.  I guess she often poses as a wizard and convinces other arcane casters to go into spellbattles with her.  lol.  mean!  I   honestly don't see her having paladins.

Do a seach for 'Wee Jas Lich codex' on google.  A great page will show up but it has been taken down.  Click on googles cached copy and save it to your desktop.


----------



## fenzer

I feel this may be one of those preference things, like the drow as in cow thing.  You say potato I say patato.

Anyway, if it is any consolation, I like to spell armor with a "u".


----------



## Wee Jas

You guys know we battled the dragon right?  You won't believe the outcome!  Get begging doc to write!


----------



## Morte

I'm begging. I'm begging. C'mon doc, I named an NPC in my story hour after Kizz's cat. You owe me. Get writing.


----------



## Ziona

You named an NPC Snooky?  Cool. 

Doc, get off your duff and appease the masses, would ya?? Do your little song and dance and update the story!!


----------



## Horacio

Doc, give us more story!


----------



## Dr Midnight

I'm dancin' as fast as I can, here! 

The writing's not coming to me today. Maybe later.


----------



## National Acrobat

Must.....have......update......gasp.........


----------



## Sammael99

Wee Jas said:
			
		

> *You guys know we battled the dragon right?  You won't believe the outcome!  Get begging doc to write!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> *




Dastardly tease...


----------



## Conaill

Wee Jas said:
			
		

> *You guys know we battled the dragon right?  You won't believe the outcome!  Get begging doc to write! *




Yeah right, that's what he had us believe last time too. Well, I for one am NOT going to fall for that a second time!


----------



## Olgar Shiverstone

Yeah, update already!

Lela & I have some serious smilage riding on the outcome of this fight!

While you're waiting for Doc to update, you can check out my campaign's story hour here.


----------



## Wee Jas

Sorry.. me and Dartan had to pummel Doc down in Heroclix!

Doc is such a powergamer with his Firelord/Cyclops/shield Medic teams.. and his still got beat by my Fantastic 4, X-men and Alliance of Evil teams (Red Skull, Dr.Doom, Doombot, Doctor Octopus, Bullseye and the Controller!)  .. lol.  Heroclix = RPG.


----------



## Datt

Comeon Doc!  We are on are knees here!  Please update!


----------



## Dartan

Yeah my X-Men and Hulk team took out the Doctor Doom gang.  Dr Midnight just didn't have a chance without some sort of theme going on...You can't miss match your clix and expect to win.  Now update the story Doc.


----------



## Dr Midnight

But it's NOT FAIR, Obi Wan's HOLDING ME BACK!

These punks teamed up on me just because I came up with a devastating strategy early on. I put my veteran Cyclops on the roof of a building with two SHIELD agents and Harley Quinn... So that Cyclops could do 7 clicks of damage all at once. These people just teamed up on me. Luckily I wiped out Dartan's Pyro with one blast... but still, it was a tough battle, especially with Nightcrawler comin' up from behind. 

I would have been much better off if FREAKIN' WEE JAS hadn't COME IN and MIND-CONTROLLED MY SCARLET WITCH RIGHT AWAY. I missed her the entire battle. You can't play without Scarlet Witch!

Jerk. 

Oh yeah, I'm about to do some writing.


----------



## Dursk Starkfire

that just goes to show that psions and invisible stalkers are overpowered


----------



## Dr Midnight

The next morning, the Knights got up and began preparing. Vek had spent the night thinking about tactics, and he coached each Knight on their place in the battle. Oaken prepared a small number of tiny red berries, and gave one to Kizz, Edge, and Grumbar, keeping one for himself. “Hurl these at him when you get close enough.”

He offered one to Vek, who said “I don’t throw berries,” with distaste.

Jamison turned both himself and Grumbar into frost giants. Everyone was given the ability to fly. A treant was summoned to join the fight… it was a tree-like creature, very tall, with a vicious look to it. Everyone knew the plan. “Are we ready?” Vek asked. 

Kizzlorn had been oddly quiet the entire morning. She said “Yes. Let’s go.”

They flew through a door and up a winding staircase to the top level of the complex: Acessiwal’s lair. The sprawling cavern was just as Jamison and Vek remembered it… an enormous hollowed-out section of glacier. Sunlight filtered in through the ice, illuminating the cold, misty lair of the dragon. 

Acessiwal stood at the far end, waiting for them. They flew towards him as he spoke.  “SPELLFORGE… TODAY I WILL FINISH…. WHAT I BEGAN WITH… YOUR PARENTS. NOT THAT… YOU CARE… YOU’RE STILL TRAVELING WITH… THEIR MURDERER. PATHETIC… IF I’D KNOWN THAT LITTLE BABY… WOULD GROW TO DISHONOR THEM SO… I’D PROBABLY HAVE LEFT THEM… ALONE, TO LIVE THROUGH THE… TORMENT… OF KNOWING YOU… AS THEIR DAUGHTER” 

Vek said “Ignore it, Kizz. Stay focused.”

The dragon glared at him.  “AND YOU. MORMONT. I… HAVE A SURPRISE FOR YOU. …I DID A LITTLE… SHOPPING… IN VERBOBONC… AND PICKED UP A … CURIOUS ITEM.”  He held up a small object in his claw. It was Vek’s phylactery. The one thing in the world, that if destroyed, would mean the end of Sir Vek Mormont. As a lich, he was bound to it. Vek’s fist tightened as he flew toward the dragon.  “TELEPORT AWAY, AND… I DESTROY YOU. …THERE WILL BE NO ESCAPE… FOR ANY OF US. …OH. BY THE WAY… I KILLED EVERYONE IN YOUR CASTLE.”  The dragon grinned.  “…EVENTUALLY.” 

Kizzlorn gasped. Metus. Horacio. Jo’nas. Orthos. The Knights of Wee Jas. All of them dead. “Monster,” she murmured. “You MONSTER!!” 

Grumbar threw his berry at the dragon- it bounced off. The spell had failed. Grumbar and the treant flew in and began hacking with their weapons. The other Knights spread out around Acessiwal, so that his icy breath couldn’t hurt many of them at once… if it even could hurt them, through all the protection spells they had. Vek put his contribution to the plan into action, and yelled “Wee Jas takes from you the gift of magic!” He dispelled the enchantments Acessiwal had over him. No fewer than eight spells winked out over the dragon. Spells that protected him from lightning. Spells that protected him from sight. Spells that gave him great speed. Gone.

Acessiwal cursed and a thick white cloud of mist rolled out from beneath his wings, hiding him. The fog created a slippery coating of ice over everything it covered, and Grumbar had to be very careful to keep a grip on his sword. 

Oaken threw his berry into the fog, and nothing happened. Edge threw his- again, nothing. Kizzlorn waited to see his wings crest the top of the fog cloud, then hurled her berry at him. FWOOOSH!!!  A storm of fire lit the cloud, and the dragon screeched. The roar  almost deafened the Knights and echoed off the walls. Oaken cast a flame strike within the fog, and it lit up a brilliant orange. “We need to get rid of that fog,” Vek shouted. “With that up, we can’t see him to let our spells connect!”

Kizzlorn dispelled the fog, and the air cleared, leaving the dragon visible and very, very vulnerable. 

Acessiwal angrily chomped and tore at Grumbar. He was being ripped apart by the spells, and none of the Knights were grouped together where they could be hit with one blast. The dragon leapt up and landed, facing Grumbar, the treant, and Kizzlorn all at once. He blew a great cone of dragonfrost at them. The treant was badly damaged, but the two Knights were fine… they’d made good use of spells of protection against cold. Acessiwal roared with fury. 

Jamison, at the dragon’s left flank, said “If you didn’t like that, you’re sure to hate THIS.” he reached out and touched a vast white wing, and the spell he’d been holding flashed into the beast… and Acessiwal began to shift from one foot to the other. His wings dipped and rose, rhythmically, and his head bobbed. 

”WHAT… WHAT IS THIS?!?”

Jamison smiled. “You’re dancing, and you can’t stop. It’s called _Otto’s Irresistible Dance_ for a reason. The idea, ‘Cessie, is that you’re going to die… without dignity.” In the midst of battle, all the Knights couldn’t help but laugh at the ancient white dragon who couldn’t keep from dancing before them.

Acessiwal lashed out with his wings and tail and cut Jamison viciously. The mage fell back, bleeding. The dragon may have been dancing, but he was still deadly. He grabbed Grumbar in his jaws and shook him, his teeth cutting through armor and into flesh. 

“Keep hitting him!” Vek yelled as he fired a blast of greenish fire. It fizzled. A lot of their spells weren’t getting through, but they persisted. Jamison cast chain lightning, and it swept completely past the target. Kizzlorn cast two or three failed fireballs. Vek cast his spell of Destruction, twice, but both failed. “His resistance to our spells is his greatest strength,” Vek added. “Keep piling them on!”

Oaken said “I can’t seem to hit it at ALL! This thing is almost impervious to my magics!”

The battle raged on, and Grumbar connected with a few attacks, but for the most part his sword glanced off the beast’s scales. Vek and Kizzlorn were having success with some fire spells, and the combat was starting to tell on Acessiwal. 

Jamison was almost out of options, so he cast one last spell, and it had no effect. He leveled the greatsword he was carrying and took a breath. He shouted a battle cry and flew in to close combat range. “FOR ALL I’VE WRONGED!!” He swung his sword into Acessiwal’s neck. 

Blood poured from the dragon’s mouth. Somehow, he still had the energy to attack, as he ceaselessly danced from foot to foot. ”I…WILL… …DESTROY…” He lurched forward and made a clumsy attack against Kizzlorn. 

“No,” she said, stepping back to avoid the bite. “You will die screaming.” Oaken cast a spell, and Acessiwal was consumed in flame. His head rose up above the maelstrom and roared a plume of frost that spread across the ceiling. His smoking body collapsed, and his wings twitched once, twice, then lay still. Acessiwal the Ice King of the north was dead. 

The Knights cheered. They hadn’t taken one serious wound. Grumbar was bleeding badly, but he still had fight enough in him “for THREE more dragons,” or so he bellowed. 

“I want its head,” Kizzlorn said. 

Edge glanced at her. “Kizz, let’s…”

“I don’t care, I want its head. It’s coming with us. Its skull is going to adorn the Keep, to let everyone know the dragon has fallen. Verbobonc can now rest easily.” She was walking back and forth over the snow and ice in the cavern, searching the floor. She stopped near the center and knelt. Here was what she was looking for. She gently brushed some snow away and looked upon the remains of her parents. Two skeletons, wearing colored rags, with frost-covered wedding bands on their fingers. She whispered to them. “So. There you are.” A tear rolled down her cheek. “It’s me, Kizzlorn. Little Kizz. I’ve come back to you. I’ve killed the dragon. We’re going to take you back to the Keep, now. Back home.” She gently placed her parents’ bones into a bag of holding. 

Kizzlorn stood and walked over to Jamison, who was shifting back to his normal form. She looked at him, and he looked back, nervously. She embraced him. “I forgive you.”

He closed his eyes. “I’m sorry about everything, Kizz. Never again.”

“I know.”

_*MORE TO COME...* _


----------



## Animus

One word




WOW! 

Keep it coming.


----------



## Morte

*deep, satisfied, sigh*


----------



## JDragon

Just gotta Dance!   

Great update as always!!!

So what did Mr. Acessiwal's treasure plie look like?

BTW - quick ? for Wee Jas about Vek and turning/rebuke/commanding undead.  How did you do it?  Iv'e read thru the Codex you mentioned in a post above, but it would be really cool to just get a simple explinatiojn of how youv'e done it.  (this is info for my own cleric of death I'll be playing in a game I'm joining in tomorrow night.)

JDragon _ who got strange looks at work when laughed out loud at Jamisons spell.


----------



## Dursk Starkfire

kind of makes you wonder if you want to be an NPC in Doc's campaign. 

sorry about that Metus. maybe Tsunami was lucky enough to not be eaten.

excellent write-up doc!

Dursk.


----------



## Wee Jas

> BTW - quick ? for Wee Jas about Vek and turning/rebuke/commanding undead. How did you do it? Iv'e read thru the Codex you mentioned in a post above, but it would be really cool to just get a simple explinatiojn of how youv'e done it. (this is info for my own cleric of death I'll be playing in a game I'm joining in tomorrow night.)




You could make it easy and have a Phlactery of Faithfulness you could consult.  I don't think Wee Jas wants to be bothered by her clerics asking permission to turn undead.  You should use your best judgement as her cleric.   The lich we encountered I warned to back down.  If he attacked us after that I would've attacked him in self-defense by any means possible.


----------



## Dursk Starkfire

just a silly question, but can you turn yourself Vek? and if you did, what would happen?


----------



## JDragon

Wee Jas - Thanks for the info.  

I like the Phlactery of Faithfulness idea, and will probably be doing that.

I guess part of it is I want to get a good idea of how it should work so I can pass it on to the DM, since he may not be aware of how the goddes feels about her followers dealing with undaed.

JDragon

Now returning you to your regular kick but story hour by the one & only Dr. Midnight.


----------



## Broccli_Head

So Doc, why didn't you have the dragon just crush Vek's phalactery?


----------



## Broccli_Head

double post...please delete


----------



## Dr Midnight

He didn't crush the Phylactery because Vek didn't leave. It was only there as a means of threatening Vek- otherwise, all he has to lose in combat are his items. Perhaps the dragon would really just crush it spitefully as he begins to lose, but who wants that? I just wanted to present the threat, and I felt it came across. One side wins, one side loses... no in-betweens, this time.


----------



## mypetrock

Long time listener, first time caller...

I'm a big fan of the Knights. I look forward to reading up on their adventures. But not crushing the phylactery bothers me. If the dragon stormed the keep and got to the phylactery legitimately he should definitely crush it to even the odds of the fight - without even thinking about it. It's not like the dragon is an honorable foe. 

I guess my biggest problem is that if there is no legitimate threat to the phylactery then Vek is immortal - there aren't any downsides to becoming a lich. In exchange for no Con score, you're immortal and people are afraid of you. It is almost like he becomes a character from some sort of MMORPG who just needs to find his corpse after death each time. The safety is always ON - even more so than the regular cast. 

I'm not saying that you should shred a beloved character for the fun of it, but the threat of death needs to be there.

mypetrock


----------



## Grog

Wow! Great update, Doc. I hope the big battle was fun for everyone.


----------



## wolff96

I'm curious as to what happened to Otto's Irresistable Dance.

That's an 8th level spell -- and it had virtually no effect on the dragon.

From the PHB:


> The dance makes it impossible for the subject to do anything other than caper and prance...




Maybe it's just creative license in the story hour, but it sure looks like the dragon continued to attack to me.

What's the story?


----------



## Richards

Originally posted by mypetrock:







> I guess my biggest problem is that if there is no legitimate threat to the phylactery then Vek is immortal - there aren't any downsides to becoming a lich.



Sure there are!  Here are just a few:

1.  Vek now smells funny.  (Just ask any of the other Knights.  Only be sure to do it out of earshot of Vek.)
2.  No genitalia.  Sure, he lives forever, but there's that whole "quality of life" issue...
3.  Liches can't snap their fingers, no matter how cool the background music is.
4.  For that matter, they can't make that cool "fake fart" noise with their armpits.
5.  No taste buds or digestive system means no more going out with the guys on a drunken binge.  If the Knights want to go bar hopping, you just know poor old Vek is going to be stuck being the "designated driver."
6.  Having to endure the whole "lich pronunciation argument" with everyone you meet.
7.  No lips means no smoochies.
8.  No lips also means that when you get a piece of broccoli stuck between your teeth, it's right there for all the world to see.  (It's possible this is one reason liches don't eat a lot of broccoli - well, that and the whole "being undead" thing.)

I'm just scratching the surface, here - I'm sure there are plenty of others.  Maybe Wee Jas will chime in with some more?

Johnathan

P.S. - Excellent writeup, Doc, as always!


----------



## Wee Jas

> aren't any downsides to becoming a lich.




The money and the XP loss hurt.  Its hard to heal.. and boy... I can never get a date!  The villagers trying to torch me every time the crops are bad isn't fun either.  

Sure I didn't lose a level from death like Shade but I have been disentegrated and lost all of the magical items I held dear.  Being a long time reader you know about my old shield Lilith.  I still get weepy.   

Vek is tougher than some of the other players mostly cause he is 2 levels higher than most of them  Grumbar is one level lower than me.. his attacks are like +30/+25/+20 maybe another.. I'm not sure. Grumbar is damn tough but not really flashy so he doesn't come across as the super-powerhouse he is in the story sometimes.  I had that problem with Erasmus (my archer).  I would take down like 2 or 3 foes with arrows and Hannah would cast fireball and take down the other 10.  When the enounter got written up Erasmus wasn't even mentioned.  Hard for Doc to remember everything the next day so usually the 'big bang' stuff makes the cut.  

The big half orc has been doing some great role-playing lately and Kizz was great last week.  I'd like to think Vek is entertaining and fun as an anti-hero and not overshadowing other characters.  The groups got a great dynamic right now.  I'm going to miss 2 or 3 game sessions.  That should give the other players much needed 'catch up' XP (Grumbar might out level me).

Anyhow.. enough of the meta (I've got townsfolk and KoWJ to ressurect!)

Great write up Doc!


----------



## Wee Jas

> 7. No lips means no smoochies.




/cry

oh wait... I can't do that either.. Damn you Richards!  I have a broom waiting for your NPC when he shows up in the story hour!


----------



## fenzer

As the only member of the Jamison Crow fan club, all I have to say is, WAY TO GO CROW!  Nicely done, Doc.  It is good to see some healing and hey, the dead dragon is pretty cool too.


----------



## Olgar Shiverstone

*Re: The Book*



			
				Olgar Shiverstone said:
			
		

> *OK, keepin' the book:
> 
> Felix: 10  on KoSQ at 2:1
> 
> Lela: 1  on Kizz @ 2:1
> 2  on Grumbar @ 2:1
> 
> LGodamus: 10   for Vek's killing blow at 4:1 *





Felix:                      


Can't believe no one died.  Can't believe the CE dragon didn't break his word and run, or crush Vek, or something.

WOW

Edit: How long did that combat take in game, anyway?


----------



## Morte

> _Originally posted by Dr Midnight _She stopped near the center and knelt. Here was what she was looking for. She gently brushed some snow away and looked upon the remains of her parents. Two skeletons, wearing colored rags, with frost-covered wedding bands on their fingers.




Hmm. Resurrection.


----------



## Felix

Way to go Knights!!!



> Originally posted by Olgar Shiverstone
> Felix:



w00t.

I'll need those when I go to Atlantic City this weekend. Wish me luck.


ps, Wee Jas, since security around Spellforge Keep is going to be on the light side for a while, if you need a name for the terrifying undead cat that lurks the halls and eats uppity pesants, you know where to find me.


----------



## Elemental

Dr Midnight said:
			
		

> *He didn't crush the Phylactery because Vek didn't leave. It was only there as a means of threatening Vek- otherwise, all he has to lose in combat are his items. Perhaps the dragon would really just crush it spitefully as he begins to lose, but who wants that? I just wanted to present the threat, and I felt it came across. One side wins, one side loses... no in-betweens, this time. *




I assumed the item was a duplicate of Vek's phylactery--it would have served the same purpose of making him hesitate to flee.


----------



## Hammerhead

fenzer said:
			
		

> *As the only member of the Jamison Crow fan club, all I have to say is, WAY TO GO CROW!  Nicely done, Doc.  It is good to see some healing and hey, the dead dragon is pretty cool too. *




The only member?


----------



## Lela

Hammerhead said:
			
		

> *
> 
> The only member? *




Aw, he's just play'n.  We all know that Lela and Hammerhead love the Jame Zon.  Woot, woot.


Olgar:   

Dang little half-orc, won't just lay down and die. . .


----------



## Metus

Dr Midnight said:
			
		

> * …OH. BY THE WAY… I KILLED EVERYONE IN YOUR CASTLE.”  The dragon grinned.  “…EVENTUALLY.”
> 
> Kizzlorn gasped. Metus. Horacio. Jo’nas. Orthos. The Knights of Wee Jas. All of them dead. *




NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!

Man, what a way to treat your readers.  Put them in a game and have them subsequently butchered!


----------



## DWARF

Dr Midnight said:
			
		

> * “TELEPORT AWAY, AND… I DESTROY YOU. …THERE WILL BE NO ESCAPE… FOR ANY OF US. …OH. BY THE WAY… I KILLED EVERYONE IN YOUR CASTLE.”  The dragon grinned.  “…EVENTUALLY.”
> MORE TO COME...  *




Okay, did no one else catch that last bit?  He killed everyone in the castle *"eventually"*.  So, does that mean that he's covered the castle in ice and it's going to melt and crush them?  

I mean, this sounds like one of those "you can save them if you get back fast enough" deals.  Doesn't it?


----------



## Victim

Dragons have large Bluff scores.  He could have just been trying to psyche the knights out.


----------



## DWARF

That may be true.  I mean, if the Knights could still save everyone, the Dragon wouldn't go and let them know that fact, _would he?_

A smart Dragon would just say everyone was dead, so if he does happen to lose, the Knights aren't racing home to try and save whom they can.


----------



## Cheiromancer

I thought that destroying a lich's phylactery only robbed it of its immortality- when killed, it stayed dead.  The lich could always make another one (at great cost).

The thing is, the only way a lich could tell if its original phylactery were really destroyed is by getting killed (and not coming back).  It make a duplicate phylactery, but wouldn't really know if it would work.  Of course, a phylactery made when the duplicate was still around would be useless.


----------



## Breakstone

I think it was a great way to keep the Knights from teleporting, Doc.

And Jamison... that was a _perfect_ spell...


----------



## Dr Midnight

About Otto's Irresistible Dance- I don't know what the specifics are, but at the time I was told he couldn't stop dancing, thought that only meant I automatically failed Reflex Saves. 

METUS: Don't worry, you'll probably be undead very soon. Captain Metus has always been a good and faithful "employee", I'm sure Vek will give him the treatment. 

Who can tell me at what point I directly ripped off an Alan Moore line in the story? 

The last write-up of the session will have, I think, the funniest and sickest twist ending you'll have read in this story. I told Piratecat about it earlier tonight and he had SERIOUS misgivings about a certain character's alignment. Which means it's going to be great.


----------



## DWARF

But being the tease you are, it won't be tonight, will it?


----------



## Horacio

> _Originally posted by Dr Midnight_
> 
> *…OH. BY THE WAY… I KILLED EVERYONE IN YOUR CASTLE.” The dragon grinned. “…EVENTUALLY.”
> 
> Kizzlorn gasped. Metus. Horacio. Jo’nas. Orthos. The Knights of Wee Jas. All of them dead.. *




ARRRRRRRRRRGGGGGGGG!!!!

I'm dead! DEAD!


----------



## Dr Midnight

DWARF said:
			
		

> *But being the tease you are, it won't be tonight, will it? *



Don't be silly, of course it will. I'm just finishing it up now, it should be posted in a few minutes.

...

...which means no.


----------



## DWARF

*AAAAUuuuuuGGGHHHH!!!!*


----------



## Lela

Doc, I hate you.


----------



## Celtavian

*Re*

The dragon battle was a bit anti-climatic. I was expecting more carnage. Not much can be done when dice decide the outcome.


I can't wait to see this sick, twisted ending. Are you going to make your players hate you Dr. Midnight?


----------



## Lela

*Re: Re*



			
				Celtavian said:
			
		

> *
> I can't wait to see this sick, twisted ending. Are you going to make your players hate you Dr. Midnight? *




They're not the only ones.  

See my above post.


----------



## Wee Jas

> METUS: Don't worry, you'll probably be undead very soon. Captain Metus has always been a good and faithful "employee", I'm sure Vek will give him the treatment.




I can raise you or bring you back as a mummy..  Metus, I'll let you choose!



> I told Piratecat about it earlier tonight and he had SERIOUS misgivings about a certain character's alignment.




I'll contact my lawyer.  Great.  I need an undead Johnny Cochrane.  I'm being unfairly targeted for being undead!  Help help.. I'm being repressed!

Doc you suggested it!  This ones not on my head!



> Are you going to make your players hate you Dr. Midnight?




Looks that way.. but I'll be in Sunny florida for a week so I won't get to read about it till later


----------



## Conaill

Ooh... did Vek Animate the dragon? 

Or did anyone else think Kizz's "I know" sounded kinda ominous at the end of the last update?


----------



## Morte

Conaill said:
			
		

> *Or did anyone else think Kizz's "I know" sounded kinda ominous at the end of the last update?  *




Hmm, now that you mention it


----------



## Sammael99

Dr Midnight said:
			
		

> *Kizzlorn stood and walked over to Jamison, who was shifting back to his normal form. She looked at him, and he looked back, nervously. She embraced him. “I forgive you.”
> 
> He closed his eyes. “I’m sorry about everything, Kizz. Never again.”
> 
> “I know.”
> 
> MORE TO COME...  *




My bet is she kills him...

Or tries anyway !!!


----------



## Malachai_rose

Not the only member  I myself am a big Jamison fanbois. He's like a big kender, lol. He's my hero because he rang the gong.... I mean who here honestly *didn't* want to see the Knights square off against the Titan  Come on I said be honest... heheh.   

-----------------------------------------------------
Originally posted by fenzer

"As the only member of the Jamison Crow fan club, all I have to say is, WAY TO GO CROW!"
-----------------------------------------------------

And great story as always Doc. The final battle was very cool. Even though you did hose them on the Otto's Irresistable Dance thing  (PHB p 234) Thats a valuable lesson to players, Always carefully read the spell description


----------



## Wee Jas

> And great story as always Doc. The final battle was very cool. Even though you did hose them on the Otto's Irresistable Dance thing  (PHB p 234) Thats a valuable lesson to players, Always carefully read the spell description




Jamison told Doc the dragon could still attack.



> I mean who here honestly didn't want to see the Knights square off against the Titan  Come on I said be honest... heheh.




I wanted to fight a Titan.


----------



## Ziona

Sammael99 said:
			
		

> *My bet is she kills him...
> 
> Or tries anyway !!! *




Tries?  TRIES?  Kizz may be young, but she is a tough cookie, and is not one to be trifled with!   Muhahahahaha.... 
/sinister grin

In other news...
The Winter Wyrm is dead!!! Huzzah!!


----------



## Dursk Starkfire

sounds like Dartan's evilness has finally infected the entire party. It sounds like the party's next campaign is going to be against the warmongers of Pelor and his up-the-sun peevishness. 

Acts of Evil, a summary of the KoSK.

- Dartan, you are hereby sentenced to a life of loneliness for butchering an old woman while she was making pie! (Really, how evil can a woman be, who's making pie??), as well as hiring an assassin to murder a party-mate.

- Jamison, murderer of his own love interest, and the bearer of evil to the Spellforge family in murdering them while they only intended to protect their children, you are sentenced to a lifetime of guilt for the torment you have caused.

- Edge, for the theft of goods from the unnamed dwarf, you are sentenced to a lifetime of poverty.

- Grumbar, for being so gluttonous, you are sentenced to always arriving to battle three rounds too late and not being able to eat your pie too.

- Vek, for embracing the pure evil designs of lich-hood, you shall never know true friendship.

- Kizzlorn, for the pre-murder of Jamison, you are sentenced to eternally brew on your ever-eluding revenge.


All fun and games.  
Dursk.


----------



## Victim

Then Jame-Zon should be one reading the spell carefully.  I'd say that still spells would be possible, though.

That's not a punishment for Vek.  First of all, why would he want to be friends with his treacherous, evil companions.  Second, friendship is for the weak.  Third, he'd outlive them all, so he's just sparring himself grief later.


----------



## Wee Jas

> warmongers of Pelor and his up-the-sun peevishness




Down with Pelor's flock!  Down with the sun!  I shall plunge this miserable planet into eternal darkness until a new sun rises, a red sun.  The Lady of Book and Bone will rise to light the lands with her ruby glow! All hail Wee Jas.

Your curse has no effect on me, Dursk Starkfire.  I need no true friends.. only the love of my Goddess.  You on the other hand shall meet a slow and painful demise.  I shall bring you back over and over until you beg me to let you rest in peace.

Mwhaha.. whaha.. WHAHAHAAHAHAAA!


----------



## Celtavian

*Re*

Hmmmm...that last statement by Kizzlorn could be bad. I wonder if she is plotting to finish Jamison now that this is over. I would have never thought her so ruthless and vengeful, but then again, she is a female and a redhead.


----------



## Dursk Starkfire

Vek, I wish I was in your campaign. An army of little people vs. the army of undead. Just don't make me undead, that'd stink.


----------



## MTR

Sounds like the next campaign will be a band of heroes trying to destroy the evil overlord Vek!


----------



## Dursk Starkfire

Honestly, I think its going to be the survivors of Verbabonc trying to kill them. They've had two generations iced by the dragon on account of the Spellforges. Doesn't make for good folklore. 

I'm just sad Orthos died. Now, there was a good dwarf.


----------



## blargney

*Wow*

I got to read both the first and the last battles against Accesiwal today!  I started reading KoSK a couple of weeks ago, and then started on the KotSQ a few days ago.  I got completely caught up today.

Wow.  Awesome story, Doc and all you players!  What a meat grinder.. you almost put (contact) to shame.

Are you bringing back Rafflorn and Katya?  They kick ass, and are a little less *clearly evil* than most of the current batch of Knights!  You all make Punisher look like a peacemonger!  (not that it doesn't make for a good read, mind you...) ;>

-blarg

ps - Did Vek's Deck get _disintegrated_ by Hedrack?  If not, where is it now?


----------



## Ziona

Although it would be easy to rez Raff and Kat, I think we're going to lay them to rest, and keep our current characters.  They have been dead for about 15 years or so, and somehow, I feel it wouldn't be right to bring them back now.

Besides, Kizz is more powerful than her mom, and although I liked playing Kat, I love playing Kizz.  I think the 'rents will find a nice resting spot behind Spellforge Keep, where each of the Spellforge decendants can be buried.  (At least, that's my thought on the situation.)


----------



## Wee Jas

> Honestly, I think its going to be the survivors of Verbabonc trying to kill them




We still have yet to find out exactly if the dragon really did attack Verbobonc.   If he did it was the Knights of Wee Jas's job to fight the dragon and escort the villagers to saftey.  Metus is a 14th level fighter I hope he was able to delay the dragon long enough for that to happen.

When the villagers see the dragon dead I'm hoping they will forgive the Spellforges and get on with rebuilding Verbobonc.  (With the help of my coffers!)



> a nice resting spot behind Spellforge Keep, where each of the Spellforge decendants can be buried. (At least, that's my thought on the situation.)




As it is mine.


----------



## Metus

Wee Jas said:
			
		

> *
> I can raise you or bring you back as a mummy..  Metus, I'll let you choose!*



Hum.  Well, as tempting as being a mummy can be (Imhotep, anyone?), I don't think he's gotten as much out of life as he could've.  I'll say raise!  And hey, thanks for the option!  Kind of like a "Choose Your Own Adventure" thing going on.


----------



## Breakstone

Drat. And here I was hoping for Tsunami to have another undead friend to play with, one who won't beat him when he says "Whoa..."


----------



## Lela

Dursk Starkfire said:
			
		

> *
> - Dartan, you are hereby sentenced to a life of loneliness for butchering an old woman while she was making pie! (Really, how evil can a woman be, who's making pie??), as well as hiring an assassin to murder a party-mate.
> *




I think the pie was for an orc.  Dartan wanted the pie.  If she had been an orc it would have been okay to take the pie.

That's cross-speiceis bias there.  Dartan was easily justified.  And he didn't even get the pie (I'm betting Grumbar ate it later).


----------



## Morte

Lela said:
			
		

> *That's cross-speiceis bias there.  Dartan was easily justified.  And he didn't even get the pie (I'm betting Grumbar ate it later). *




Would Grumbar eat 15 year old pie?


----------



## Lela

Morte said:
			
		

> *
> 
> Would Grumbar eat 15 year old pie? *




That's a trick question, right?


----------



## DWARF

Need......  more......  story......

_*DWARF attempts to summon Dr. Midnight!*_


----------



## Richards

Hey Dwarf, the _summon Dr. Midnight_ spell works better if you use a Gimli action figure as a material component.

Johnathan


----------



## Dr Midnight

Gimli action figure! What? Where!

Huh?

...

Heyyyyy, who summoned me? No fair using Gimli action figures.

I'm going to finish this session up tonight. I almost promise.


----------



## DWARF

Okay, let's really try to get the summoning to work this time!
Gotta get my wizardly robes and stuff on...






There, now let's gets this incantation cooking!




*I call forth the powers that first bound this place.
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



By the primeval lords Eric Noah and Morrus; I call thee Dr. Midnight!  
Reveal the latest chapter so that the masses may read and rejoice!*

Bring forth the plastic sacrifice:









And as the plastic bubbles and churns; the magic is bound.

*BRING FORTH DR. MIDNIGHT!!!*


----------



## Dr Midnight

_WHO SUMMONS DOC MIDNIGHT? _

Oh, it's you DWARF.

I'm juuuust finishing up the epilogue now, I expect to post this baby in maybe ten minutes, so stick around!


----------



## Dr Midnight

Jamison and Kizzlorn separated and went back to recovering the remains of the Spellforge family. Jamison saw something by the corner of the room, and went to investigate it. It was small, black, and shiny. “I think I found someth… oh.” It was the same purple-black stone that had turned him evil. “Guh, HUHH, NOOOOO!!” Jamison pinwheeled his arms and fell backward, kicking his legs to push himself away from the horrid little thing. 

Vek approached. “Gregg, what is it?” 

“Th-that…” he pointed, his hand shaking. He whispered so Oaken, who knew Jamison only as “Gregg Flamebrow”, wouldn’t overhear. “That’s what I found in the Crater Ridge Mines. It’s an artifact of the Temple of Elemental Evil. It’s what turned me into a murderer and fiend.”

“It doesn’t look so dangerous.” Vek bent to pick it up.

Jamison’s hand gripped Vek’s bony forearm, stopping it just inches from the stone. “No. Don’t touch it.”

Vek laughed. “J… Gregg, nothing can affect the mind of a creature whose brain has long since rotted away.”

“Trust me,” Jamison said. “It doesn’t affect your mind. It affects WHAT YOU ARE.” His lips were quivering.

Vek straightened. “Fine, then. Use a spell to move it into a container of some sort, and we’ll destroy it when we get back to the Keep.” He wandered off and knelt by another object on the floor of the cavern. 

Jamison moved the fist-sized stone into a sack as slowly and cautiously as he could. His hands shook from the fear he was feeling. 

Oaken approached Vek, who was placing something into his own bag of holding. Oak sighed in frustration. “I came here for something, and cannot find it. I need to know where the dragon kept his horde.” 

Vek closed the bag and said “Let’s ask him, then.” He cast a spell on Acessiwal’s corpse and said “Ask your question, and he will answer it.”

Oak asked “Where is the Key of Thuriaq?”

The dragon’s mouth moved, though his eyes were glazing and dead. ”I… DO… NOT… KNOW.”

“Isn’t it here?”

”NO.”

The horde was located at the northwest corner. It was a small room, covered with a sheet of ice. Kizzlorn melted the ice away with a fire spell and walked inside. Treasures and riches lay everywhere. The Knights began loading up their sacks. 

Oaken walked to the back and saw the pedestal of ice where the key should have lain. There was a hemispherical depression in the top of the pedestal, of the perfect size, and empty. “Damn!” he shouted before leaning on a wall and sliding down to sit. His white eyes darted back and forth as he cursed.  

Kizz looked over at him. “Oak? What’s wrong?”

He sighed. “The Key. The last Key of Thuriaq. It’s not here… which means my order has failed.”

“What is the last Key of Thuriaq? Sounds important.”

Oaken ran his hand through his white hair. “Thuriaq is an ancient demon. A doomsday titan. It was defeated, but could not be destroyed, so it was locked…”

“I’m sorry,” Kizzlorn interrupted. “Did you say ‘titan’?”

“Yes. Why?”

Kizzlorn sat nearby, looking very worried. Snooky climbed out of the knapsack and into her arms. “No reason. Go on.”

“Thuriaq was locked away in a hidden tomb. A prison beneath the ground. Seven keys were forged of crystal to lock him inside. These keys were then scattered across the Flanaess, and the knowledge of their whereabouts entrusted to a devoted handful of druids like myself. Since they can’t be discovered by any spell’s detection, it was vital that we keep tabs on them. We listen to rumors and voices on the wind, and go to keys that are in danger of discovery, moving them to safer areas. Over the last two decades, these keys have been disappearing, with no knowing who took them or how to find them again. This was the last one. One or two is a coincidence, perhaps. Losing six in twenty years is conspiracy.” 

He paused and looked at her. “Do you understand what I’m telling you? Someone means to unleash the most dangerous creature in the world. It will destroy us all. There isn’t anything that I know of, short of a full-grown dragon, that can stop it.” 

Kizz scratched Snooky’s ear and was silent for a moment, then spoke. “We’ve been on the trail of… something… that seems to be freeing ‘titans’ from prisons in the earth. We may be searching for the same villain.”

Oaken looked relieved. “That is very good news. At least now we have a trail to follow.”

“What does this key look like?”

Jamison interrupted. “It’s a milky white crystal sphere, with pastel colors swimming on its surface.” He walked inside and addressed them with a grim face. “I think I can find it for you.”

Oaken jumped to his feet excitedly. “You can? How? This is of dire importance, Gregg.”

“My name isn’t Gregg. I’m the one who hid the key. I took it from this place and brought it somewhere else.”

He told Oaken everything about his past, and told them both of how he stole the orb from Acessiwal’s horde and hid it somewhere, but had forgotten until he’d heard Oaken talking just what the orb was used for.

“So. Jamison…” Oaken said, still adjusting to the idea of traveling with one of the world’s best-known mass murderers. “Where did you hide the orb?”

“I don’t know. Yet. My memory is still very fuzzy on that count. It’s there, on the tip of my memory, but it skirts out of reach whenever I come near.”

“The fate of the world may rest on this,” Oaken warned.

“I know, I know. I’m trying to remember.”

“Trying may not be enough. We will have to take action.”

“What do you mean?”

“Never mind for now… this isn’t the place to discuss the matter. Let’s finish what we’re doing here, and I will accompany you to your home, and help you carry your goods.”

“No matter,” Vek laughed as he entered the cavern. “We’ve got the world’s biggest pack mule waiting in the other room.” He gestured grandly, and Jamison, Kizz and Oak looked out to see Acessiwal’s glistening, freshly-stripped skeleton standing there. Mounds of flesh lay in steaming heaps all around it. 

Kizzlorn laughed. “That’s disgusting, Uncle Vek!”

“Yes, that’s an unfortunate side effect of making a skeleton out of something. The flesh just sloughs off like bread dough. Pity.” He called out to Grumbar. “Grumbar! Load that dragon meat into a bag of holding, and we’ll have dragon steaks for months, and fine new dragonskin cloaks.”

Grumbar licked his lips and went to work stuffing the large slabs of meat into a bag. 

Kizzlorn stood up. “Looks like we’re about ready to go. Do we have the remains of my family and their friends?”

“All except for Kyla,” Vek said sadly. He held out a golden medallion, in which was pressed the design of the sun god Pelor. “I found this. It’s called ‘the Glaring Sun’, and it was hers. It looks like her body may have been… if you’ll pardon my saying so… eaten, Kizzlorn.”

Kizz furrowed her brow and slipped Snooky back into her knapsack. “That’s a shame. Nothing like that should happen to a warrior who saved the world.” 

“At least you have your parents, Kizz.” 

“I know. You’re right. Are we ready to go?”

They packed their bags and goods onto Acessiwal’s skeleton, went outside to retrieve the horses (who were almost frozen to death, except of course for Tsunami). The horses trailed behind as the Knights of Spellforge keep rode the undead corpse of their draconic enemy, on their way home. 

*EPILOGUE*

“We give their bodies to the oerth, and pray Pelor give them peace. Go in light and truth, Katya and Rafflorn Spellforge.” 

The caskets lowered magically into the ground. The Knights stood around the graves of Katya, Rafflorn, Rowan, Taigiel, Jettok, and Kyla’s memorial, behind Spellforge Keep, beneath a huge willow tree. The setting sun cast a rosy light into the misty hills for miles around, and all seemed right in the realm… if just for an evening. Nearby, Shade’s ashes had been spread over a memorial to him. Further back, the graves of the people who’d died in the Keep by Acessiwal’s claws lay in rows among the grass and trees. Jo’nas and Orthos had graves side by side, symbolizing the strong friendship they’d found in life. Grumbar had poured a mug of fine dwarven ale into the soil above their resting places, weeping softly, the day before. 

Kizzlorn sighed deeply as the graves were filled. Vek put a hand on her shoulder and said “You’ve made them proud, no doubt. You honor them.”

She hugged him. “Thank you Uncle Vek.” Hugging a lich is an odd thing on the best of days, but today she hardly noticed the smell. “I just hope I can continue to honor them. They saved the world, once. Will I?”

“I’m sure you- WE- will. Together.” He left her there and walked toward the Keep.

He came around to the front of the castle and saw that several Verbobonc children were climbing on the dragon’s skeleton. He waved to them. They waved back and laughed as they swung from the white dragon’s ribs and wing bones. “Such a fine lawn ornament you make, Acessiwal,” Vek joked to himself as he crossed the drawbridge. 

Inside, a man in a red cape greeted him. “How are you feeling, Captain Metus?” 

“Better, and thank you, my lord.”

“No thanks are needed, my friend. You’ve been a loyal and dutiful servant of Wee Jas. You deserved no less.”

“Being raised from the dead seems an odd thing. I still feel very weak.” 

“It will pass. Take care.” 

“I will, my lord. Good evening to you.”

Vek walked on, and passed the kitchens. Inside, Horacio the chef was toiling to prepare a side of dragon meat that must have weighed almost a hundred pounds. Grumbar had demanded that Horacio be among those blessed with a return from death. The chef’s cooking really was quite excellent, and with all this succulent and tender dragon meat to cook, the hungry half-orc wouldn’t trust the job to anyone else. Horacio cursed as the entire slab of meat fell off the table to the floor. Vek suspected the grouchy chef was perhaps happier among the dead. 

Vek opened the door to his dungeon and walked down the stone stairs to the dank depths he inhabited. The deadly traps that Acessiwal had torn through were now rebuilt, and his phylactery was replaced in its secret location. Vek sidestepped all the traps and walked through the halls. His footsteps echoed eerily down here in the darkness, which was just the way he liked it. He reached the door to his private chambers and stepped inside. 

“What are you looking at?” he asked with a chuckle. He stood and looked at his newest prize, which sat in a wooden chair in a corner of his study. “It’s your own fault, you know. No, don’t give me that.” He laughed louder this time. “What? What was that? You don’t deserve this? Oh NO? Perhaps you should have considered this when you failed to invite me to fight the dragon, you elitist sheep. A curse on you, and all Pelor’s flock.”

Vek cackled with laughter as he sat down to study an ancient tome of yellowing arcane lore. In the corner, Kyla Spellforge’s skeletal corpse watched from the chair she was propped up in, saying nothing.

_*NEXT: REMEMBERING*_


----------



## DWARF

(first off)  I can't believe my spell actually worked!!!

And secondly, 
*VEK*, you magnificent bastard!!!


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## weiknarf




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## Horacio

Dr Midnight said:
			
		

> *Vek cackled with laughter as he sat down to study an ancient tome of yellowing arcane lore. In the corner, Kyla Spellforge’s skeletal corpse watched from the chair she was propped up in, saying nothing.
> 
> NEXT: REMEMBERING *





ARRRRRRRGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGG!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


Vek is eeeeeeeeeeevil!!!!!!!!!!!!!


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## Dr Midnight

...


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## Horacio

Eeeeeeeeevvvvviiiiil!!! Vek is eeeeeeeevvvvviiiillll


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## Breakstone

!


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## Breakstone

Anyway, now that my mouth has closed from pure amazement:

Whoa!

Vek!

Whoa!

That was...

Whoa!

I must say, Doc, some of your very best villains are your very own players!


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## DWARF

I can see how Vek could justify this.  I mean, Kyla's body had to have been eaten by several things to get to such a state, mostly flesh flies and blow flies to start, before the beetle's could begin devouring the drier tissues.  (Okay, so I've taken a few forensic classes this last semester).

So he didn't really lie to Kizz.  She said "do we have Kyla's remains", and we can be very subjective.  Plus, in Vek's own way he did do the "proper" thing, Kyla's bones do rest below the stones of Spellforge Keep, do they not?  

Though, I'm sure he'd say that her remains lie without a grave as a testament to what destruction false pride can bring to oneself and ones friends.

-----

_"By the Gods," DWARF mumbled to himself, "did I just try and justify Vek Mormont's actions?  I think I need an ale..."_


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## Lela

I agree with P-Kitty.  That's something an evil lich (notice my spelling) would do.

You. . .RBPC!!!!!!


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## Lela

DWARF said:
			
		

> *
> "By the Gods," DWARF mumbled to himself, "did I just try and justify Vek Mormont's actions?  I think I need an ale..." *




Or six




kegs.


----------



## DWARF

The worst villians are always those the heroes once called friend.


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## Lela

DWARF said:
			
		

> *The worst villians are always those the heroes once called friend. *




As evidenced by the Final Fantasy series.

Hay, it might finally be time for Vek and Dartan to team up!


----------



## DWARF

I don't know, Dartan wants Jamison to reach a very untimely death, while I think Vek wants everyone to live their lives out.  I mean, what point is death if nothing lives?


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## Celtavian

*Re*

Well, I'll be damned. That was too cruel. Vek doesn't need to many more acts like that to shift over to evil, but I guess he had his reasons. 

Man, what a bastard. Hehe. That was very funny though. I had to laugh.

And now they're off to fight another Titan. Let's hope this one lasts longer than the last.


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## Horacio

*Re: Re*



			
				Celtavian said:
			
		

> *And now they're off to fight another Titan. Let's hope this one lasts longer than the last. *




ROFLOL!!!

I was just thinking that while I read the update!!!

LOL!!


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## Sammael99

Mild dissappointment...

Stress on Mild. 

From a drama point of view, it really would have been great for Kizz to kill Jamison. Not for revenge, mind you. Just to rid humanity of this terrible unvoluntary threat...

(And I know that from the standards of D&D morality that would have made her eeeevil. That's why I dislike alignments )

However, the Psycho ending more than makes up for it ! Way to go Wee Jas, way to go Doc !


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## Wee Jas

Ok ok.. last post then I'm off to florida.  See you guys in a week!

To paraphrase Reservoir Dogs,

"I told 'em not to fight the dragon without me, they fought it. If they hadn't done what I told 'em not to do, they'd still be alive today"

Kyla decided not to include me.  Raf and Kat paid the price.  Now she can sit in her chair and think about THAT!

see eveyone in a week!


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## seasong

I feel stupid. How is Kyla's spirit bound into the skeleton?


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## Celtavian

*Re*

Is Kizzlorn going to be pissed off if she finds out what Vek did to her aunt?


----------



## Sammael99

*Re: Re*



			
				Celtavian said:
			
		

> *Is Kizzlorn going to be pissed off if she finds out what Vek did to her aunt? *




One skeleton looks much like another... Who's going to tell her ?


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## Malachai_rose

ROFLMAO... Vek is _EVIL !!! _ 

But he's a good kind of evil, you know like  the Empire was evil but it wasn't really evil evil. Hmmm I 'm not sure thats a good example. Ok, scrach that he's not evil like the empire he's evil like... Rain on your wedding day, no wait thats more ironic (at least according to some chick I heard on the radio). Well I don't guess it really matters what he's evil like, it's fun to read and thats what counts


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## Ziona

*Re: Re*



			
				Celtavian said:
			
		

> *Is Kizzlorn going to be pissed off if she finds out what Vek did to her aunt? *




If Kizz knew that was her aunt's skeleton in the basement, she would probably feel very betrayed and would be rather upset that Vek didn't lay her to rest with the others.

On the other hand, Kizz doesn't go into Vek's quarters and if she did, as Sammael99 pointed out, how would she even know that the skeleton was Kyla?  She really wouldn't, so I think it's safe to say that Vek's (sickening) secret is safe.


----------



## Morrow

Sir Vek Mormont, an inspiration to necromancers everywhere.  Good show.

Morrow


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## Dr Midnight

Vek has a long history with Kyla. They never liked each other. 

--------------------------
Katya hugged her sister and said “Dartan never came?”

Kyla shook her head. “We sent the letter, but… I suppose he’s not going to come.”

“Did you send a letter to Vek?” Her sister’s guilty look told Katya that she hadn’t. Not that Katya could truly blame her… Vek Mormont unnerved everyone, and her sister was a devout worshiper of Pelor. Vek’s transformation to… whatever he was… had been hard on Kyla. She wasn’t equipped to deal with undead party members.
--------------------------
“They went to fight Acessiwal?! Why didn’t they contact me?” 

“Uh… I believe my aunt Kyla sent invitations to other heroes they’d known from around the Flanaess.”

Vek understood. He whispered low, in a very cold voice. “Kyla. Too proud to stand side by side and fight with me, if she could help it. A curse on Pelor and his flock.”
--------------------------

It certainly doesn't make Vek any less... not nice, but a lich's pride was wounded, and the cleric's bones paid the price.


----------



## fenzer

Lela said:
			
		

> *I agree with P-Kitty.  That's something an evil lich (notice my spelling) would do.
> 
> You. . .RBPC!!!!!! *




Noted.

Undead Kyla through me for a loop I must admit.  Not the twisted evil I was expecting but a good twisted evil just the same.  I was thinking more along the lines of Vek taking a look at the stone that turned Jamison evil and falling to its whims.

I good point about Kyla.  Is she in there somewhere or is that Doc's creative licence?


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## Dr Midnight

fenzer said:
			
		

> *I good point about Kyla.  Is she in there somewhere or is that Doc's creative licence? *



Heyyy, I never said anything about Kyla being "in there" or even if the skeleton was undead or not.


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## Datt

Great update Doc!

And Wee Jas, PURE GENIUS!!  That is one of the greateset moments I have ever read!!


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## fenzer

Dr Midnight said:
			
		

> *
> Heyyy, I never said anything about Kyla being "in there" or even if the skeleton was undead or not. *




So one can infer then that Vek has conversations with himself?


----------



## Krellic

An excellent end to a cracking tale, or at least episode of a saga.  Given Vek's proclivities I'm sure the dead cleric will be up and about in no time...


----------



## Morte

[slips into Neverwinter Nights DM mode]

*Vek animates the dragon's bones*

*Morte uses DM helper wand to shift Vek 5 points towards evil*

Morte: /tell "Wee Jas" AL shift for desecrating corpse, half penalty in view of identity of deceased

_later..._

*Vek conceals Kyla's remains to gloat over*

*Morte uses DM helper wand to shift Vek 5 points towards evil*

Morte: /tell "Wee Jas" AL shift for desecrating corpse, half penalty since you didn't animate it. You're on 40% now, drop below 34 and you're evil.

_later..._

*Vek waves to kids playing on dragon's corpse*

*Morte uses DM helper wand to shift Vek 2 points towards good*

Morte: /tell "Wee Jas" AL shift for atoning act, back up to 42. Take 200XP for cute play as well.

_later..._

Wee Jas: ooc To paraphrase Resevoir Dogs...

Morte: ooc Yep, that sounds like the way someone halfway to evil would talk, sounds like your score of 42 on good/evil axis is about right

[/slips into Neverwinter Nights DM mode]


----------



## Animus

Good show, Doc!  

I'm really impressed with Vek. I have a character in the game I'm running that is neutral, but has an interest in things of the undead nature (she even has a minotaur zombie servant). I can see her doing some of the things Vek did. I can totally understand how he felt about Kyla  (sp?). Looking forward to more.


----------



## Morte

So... does dragon taste good?


BTW, thanks Doc, a fine update. I really enjoy reading about this party. I think I would go mad playing in this group, but I'm delighted to be able to read about it.


----------



## Dartan

Morte said:
			
		

> *
> 
> Would Grumbar eat 15 year old pie? *





I don't see why not, espically if Grumbar was emotional at the time.


----------



## Dartan

Morte said:
			
		

> *So... does dragon taste good? *




Tastes like chicken.


----------



## Horacio

Morte said:
			
		

> *So... does dragon taste good?
> 
> *




As resident chef of the KoSK, I must say that dragon is both difficult to cook and rather unrefined as meal.... sigh, a chef like me forced to know that oversized chicken with scales...


----------



## Dr Midnight

White Dragon meat-
Imagine a succulent, perfect steak, pale in color, that cooks in minutes (double damage from fire, of course ). It has a subtle, aged flavor, mostly because it's been around for twelve hundred years. It's just excellent with a decently aged red wine, and like turkey, it can be made into just about anything. Dragon stew,  cold cuts, hash, etc... It's a diner's dream. Just not a chef's. 

Sorry Horacio, but you were just too cool to die. 

Tonight we game! It'll be just three players, so heavy roleplaying and a "side quest" kinda thing. It should be good. Next week we drop right back into the madness.


----------



## Horacio

Dr Midnight said:
			
		

> *Sorry Horacio, but you were just too cool to die.
> *




Thanks, Doc!

Good gaming tonight!


----------



## Dr Midnight

This thread's getting a liiiittle heavy... 

Could a kind mod close this one? The new thread is here: http://enworld.cyberstreet.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=39381

Thanks everyone, see you there!


----------

