For Bri, Tuon and Roderick
Close to one hundred wagons pulled out of Psion Keep, surrounded by two hundred seasoned guards, heading north through the Demon Wastes. Tuon and Roderick had no problem finding room on this trip; merchants are always looking for some adventurers to guard their products on the trip north. They rode out of Psion Keep astride two young horses supplied by the merchant they were protecting and looked to the northern land they had heard so much about.
Bri on the other hand could not sell her fighting ability so as the wagons started moving she was huddled in a small opening under one of the wagons. She ignored the cramp in her leg and the growing hunger in her belly as she was jostled and tossed around on the road north.
The first three days on the trip were uneventful and Tuon and Roderick enjoyed the trip meeting new people and glad to be leaving their home and memories behind. Bri managed to sneak out and find food when she could and tolerated the bumpy. One night as Bri reached out to grab a loaf of bread and cheese a man grabbed her arm and pulled into the light of the fire. The amusement Tuon and Roderick on their faces quickly turned to shock as the small halfling girl went berserk clawing, biting and kicking with abandon, and filling the night air with language that would make some women faint. After the brief encounter Tuon cleaned the bite mark on his hand, Roderick rubbed the soreness from the bents in his shin and Bri put a cold water skin on the lump on her head. The two bother impressed by the girls tenacity allowed her to eat with them and after talking through the night they decided to continue the trip together. Bri spent most of the days telling the brothers about Keepers Dale and the surrounding region and they quickly were very grateful to have met the small halfling.
After the first week Tuon and Roderick were starting to wonder if the tales of the Demon Wastes are more camp fire stories than true fact but Bri new better from her first trip south. As the dark clouds slowly grew in the northwest horizon things around the caravan changed, the guards quit joking with each other, the merchants kept their wagons closer together and the land grew more savage.
The caravan passed by the remnant of a lone wagon torn to pieces and covered in blood with what everyone assumes was the remains of a person lying in the sun. Several of the guards quickly buried the remains while they commented on the stupidity of trying the trip north alone. The nights were filled with horrible sounds outside of the lighted perimeter and one guard was grabbed by a flying monster and carried away his screams fading in the dark. Several days’ later two merchants disappeared in the night and rumors of a succubus luring them away quickly filled the camp. Tuon and Roderick quickly changed their opinion about the camp fire stories after their fourth sleepless night listening to the nightmarish sounds in the dark.
As the caravan entered the valley between Lonelywood and the Innerlight Hills the Demons Peak slowly was lost to the horizon and the tension faded. The remainder of the trip was filled with talk of how successful and uneventful the trip was, they only lost three people after all. The stop at Narath-dur was quick as several wagons left with the 199 guards to rest before their return trip back to Psion Keep and twenty more wagons joined and they head out east to Keeper Dale.
For Cort
The spring snows had finally melted, the streams and river are swollen with run off and the mountains of the Dragon Spine awaken from the long winter. Cort stands in the grove he visits often surrounded by three wolves and a black bear that have come down to visit him after his long winter absence. His gaze lingers to the north toward his abandoned homeland his mind lost in old memories. Shaking his head to clear the troubling thoughts he pats the bear on is side and says his goodbyes as he starts walking south along the Dragons Spine towards Keepers Dale. After the long winter around the city Cort is glad to get out and visit some of his only true friends but knows that he has to return to the city sooner or later. Cort can see the first signs of the city as small columns of smoke rise in the morning sky far to the south but he knows that he still has about two more days travel before he reaches the city.
The badger Cormot waddles behind the dwarf as they quietly walk down the trail enjoying the morning. The badger stops suddenly and the hair on his back stands on end as he growls at a large cave opening in the side of the mountain. As Cort and Cormot investigate they see a half-orc hanging by his wrists against the back wall with a large bleeding wound on his head. He is dressed in nothing but a ripped shirt and old pants and a quick look around reveals he is the only one in the cave.
Cort grimaced as he saw what his companion lead him to. "Great. One of those half bred'd things..." the druid grumbled, before looking up at the manacles that held the unconcious half-orc's arms over his head. "Still, no way fer one to die. Lucky that he ha'n't been 'ere durin' the winter."
Slowly, Cort crept up to the soul, stave at the ready, looking for mischief. When he saw that no raiders were going to pop out of the stones, he looked back at Cormut. "Oi, ya li'l rascal. Would it be too much t' ask ye to sniff about a bit?" he muttered to the badger. He then set the stave against the stone wall, and took the half-orc's limp head in his hands, inspecting the wound.
For Cort
Fair Tuon Clawed keeps his hood up as he wanders the camp. It is dusk and families and meals are all about.
The ugly scarred man has had enough of the mood around his brother and wants to feed off happier thoughts and maybe even a bit of laughter.
However every time he gets close to a fire and they notice his curled lip and jagged eye and cheek, the people go quiet. He hates it. Even when Tuon attempts to smile, it looks like he wants to eat someone.
And people just cannot see past that smile.
Well, the look serves its purpose, bodyguards with his face tend to be avoided.
The man's thoughts tumble out as he walks, he smiles inwardly at the day's antics of the halfling girl, Bri and rubs his hand again. She is a firecracker and no mistake. But she also has a good deal of life and Roderick needs that.
Perhaps this trip will work and him and his brother can move on from THAT DAY. Then again perhaps not.
Seeing a couple of guards returning from their watch, Fair Tuon Clawed goes over to chat about the recent attacks in the night.
The two guards invite Tuon to sit down with them, neither bothered by Tuons scars, for once he fits right in. One guard is missing an ear were it looks like something melted the side of his head and the other is missing two fingers on his right hand.
Borin, the guard with one ear, turns to Tuon "This trip was pretty mild, last one I was on a flock of winged demons attacked and our warriors managed to kill three of them before disaster struck. The last three joined hands and started this strange dance and suddenly there was a furious explosion and all that was left was the three demons. Twenty three men died in just that attack in a matter of seconds."
The other guard York nodded "I was on leave but I lost a couple friends in that attack. I have been lucky for about three months the trips I have been on the casualties have been below five each time and now we are both of to Keepers Dale to visit family. What is your reason to risk the trip north comrade?"
Bri walks around the make shift camp and feels confident that few will give her trouble as most everyone has seen her traveling with Tuon and Roderick. Tuon's looks can be intimidating but he seems to be quite gentle and Bri feels sympathy for him as she knows all to well how looks seem to define a person rather than who the person actually is. Bri looks around to get a better understanding of the layout so that if anything happens she will at least know where she can run to. Bri wanders around until she finds Tuon talking with what looks like guards. She decides her presence probably isn't appreciated by the guards and she ducks behind a wagon to stay out of sight. Bri slips a hand into the wagon in hopes of finding something that will benefit her in some way. Must to her disappointment she finds nothing worth while. Bri then wanders to the edge of camp looking for Roderick. She hopes that maybe at some point she will be able to work what happen to Tuon out of him. Bri stops by the edge of camp and hinds in the shadows listening and looking for any unusual sounds that may be found.
Cort was silent as he inspected the wound, then reached into his belt pouch to pull out a handfull of berries. Concentrating his druidic powers, he cultivated life giving force into them, making the dried berries plump, as though freshly picked. He then carefully mashed the berries into a fine paste, and put the healing berries into the half-orc's mouth, washing them down his throat with some water from his waterskin.
For Bri
For Cort
As you cast your spell three of the berries on your hand plump up and as you wash down the berries the half-orcs throat a small popping sound comes from his skull and he gives a cough and starts thrashing in his restraints. His eyes flash open and stare intensely at you.
For \-*^/
As your mind clears slightly from the pain and your eyes focus you can see a odd looking dwarf staring at you. Panic sets in as you relieve that you are hanging by your wrists and you have no idea why, in fact you don't know anything at all.
Cort snorted as he watched the wretch jerk around and awaken. "Good t' see that yer up 'n about," he grumbled in the common tongue in a slightly sarcastic tone. The druid can see that the half-orc could definitely use a bit more healing before he would be functional, but... Orcs aren't a group of monsters to be trifled with. Best to keep him where he is until he can get a sense of his intentions.
The two guards invite Tuon to sit down with them
......What is your reason to risk the trip north comrade?"
Tuon looks across and gives a crooked smile. "Could be my brother and I fancied a change of scenery. Could be we are looking for work."
He grins,"No, the truth is I'm looking to become some rich maid's pretty boy."
"No, the truth is I'm looking to become some rich maid's pretty boy."
York starts to laugh "Yeah that was my plan too but it seems the Demon Guard pays better." York then looks down at his hand "Even if it has it's prices."
Over the last couple of weeks you have learned that the two hundred soldiers that escorted the caravan north is part a company called the Demon Guard. Their only job is to protect the caravans between Narath-dur and Psion Keep.
Nothing
Darkness
The Half-Orc starts to move his cottony tongue around his rancid mouth. He finds a pleasant taste and works his mouth to form some moisture to soothe his throat and then finally swallow.
Vision starts to seep through as he becomes more coherent and his lids less heavy. He attempts to stand and put weight under his feet. From the rocky walls seen by his peripheral vision and the stony outcroppings viewed on the floor, he believes he is in a cave. As he focuses, blurred vision becomes sharper and he takes notice of noise that he slowly interprets as the common language. Lifting his head to follow the voice in front of him, he sees a Dwarf standing there. As he takes notice of the stout figure, pain reveals itself in his head as blood starts to circulate from his movement. He also feels the strain on his arms, the chaffing on his wrists, and the soreness in his neck and back as he better recognizes his situation and positioning. Barely able to move, and by far too weak to fight, he lets his head hang while saying in a rough dry wheezing voice, “Release me.” Just from that simple effort, his chest heaves and a dry cough erupts from his lungs and dark spew drools down his chin. His body gives from the effort to stand, and new chaffing wounds form around his wrists as his body slacks limp and his breathing becomes shallow.
Cort continued to look at the half-orc. "Ach, I don't think yer in the position t' be orderin' me 'round, lad." He crouched in front of him, watching his erratic breathing, then muttered something under his breath. He then reached out and poked the young half-orc with a finger, which, beyond all reason, infused a small bit of healing power into the half-orc.
He then took off his backpack, and unstrapped the sledge off of the outside of it. He took a glance at the chain, to see if he could either break the chain, or the stone that it was attached to.
"No, the truth is I'm looking to become some rich maid's pretty boy."York starts to laugh "Yeah that was my plan too but it seems the Demon Guard pays better.....
....their only job is to protect the caravans between Narath-dur and Psion Keep.
"So York, who is the man if I want to find work around Keepers Dale? Maybe something outside the town so that my tree-hugging brother can feel happy."
Fair Tuon Clawed jokes about Roderick but his eyes aren't laughing and probably by now the whole caravan knows what a grim soul his brother can be.
"Yes there are plenty of places to find work, when you get to town head to the Giant Skull, an inn that a lot of adventures hang out, start asking around there." says Borin.
York pipes in "As far as your brother is concerned there is a group, Scouts of the Spine, that merchants and even the Gilead army hired to scout and lead expeditions in the Dragon Spine. Their joining criteria is pretty high by he could start there."
"I'll tell my brother about the scouts. Thanks. Anyway time for me to rest."
"Watch well, both of you," Tuon murmurs as he gets up and leaves.
The Half-Orc feels a small strike of positive energy course through his scarred and bruised body. Consciousness takes hold again, and he feels jolts in his wrists and arms as the Dwarf works on freeing him. The clanging of rock and metal form a parallel rhythm with his heart which is now pumping blood through his body at a more regular pace. He finds the strength to stand to take pressure off his chafed wrists and stretched arms. Finally the bonds are free of rock, and he takes his first steps for as long as he can remember. Still partially dazed, the Half-Orc turns to regard his savior. “Thak,” he says in a rough, hoarse voice as he slightly tilts his head forward. “Wha diz’ ‘tis place?” he asks very lethargically. He slowly lifts his arm to move some multi-colored red hair from his face to better view the area. As his hair flows backward, it almost looks like the movement of fire against the wind.
Bri wanders around camp not being able to find Roderick. Bri sighs to herself, 'I'm bored' she says to herself. Bri wanders past a few wagons taking a quick glance in and around them hoping something will catch her eye, but people here seem overly cautious and give her glares as she walks by. 'Gee, its not like I have even done anything to them. It's not very nice to judge people.' She says to herself yet again. Bri goes back to the last place she say Tuon talking to the guards. She listens for a bit but doesn't hear anything worth sitting around here for. She then sees a guard walking the outskirts of the camp. 'Well its not like I have anything else to do' Bri walks up to the guard, "Anything good going on?" The guard taken back by the break of silence and gives her a look as if to say, Why are you bothering me. "Did you hear me? Yea me down here. Have you notice anything interesting going on?"
"Did you hear me? Yea me down here. Have you notice anything interesting going on?"
The guard looks down at Bri "Run along little one and don't distract us, but don't worry the dangerous part of the trip is over we shouldn't have any problems."
Listen DC 18
Listen DC 22
Spot DC 15
Spot DC 20
Feeling vulnerable, the Half-Orc starts moving around. His main purpose is to get feeling and movement back into his limbs. Secondary to this, and even though the Dwarf has aided him thus far, he is also looking for positioning incase he would need to defend himself. While moving, he looks around the cave using his senses to better orientate himself and look for any clues of how he got here.
As usual, Roderick is feeling out of sorts amongst all the people. His brother eventually tiring of his company, Roderick is left to his own devices.
As he sits alone by the fire the edges of the camp begin to look progressively more inviting. Moving to the shadows he decides to watch what the others (his brother and the little bread thief in particular) are up to.
For \-*^/ and Cort
The chamber you are in is pretty bare with rough stone walls, the marks on the wall seem fresh where your chains were mounted. There are several foot prints on the sandy floor but you really can't tell what they are, some animal and boot prints. There is another four foot hole leading back further into the cave and in the main chamber there doesn't look like your captures left behind anything.
Listen DC 15
For Roderick and Tuon
"Yer in the Dragon's Spines," Cort says, as though that explained everything. He stilled, hearing footsteps, and slowly picked up his quarterstaff in one hand, and set down the sledge. He said nothing to the half-orc, not knowing if he was in on an ambush or not.
He glanced at Cormot, who was busying himself with a pile of rocks near the other wall. "Durn over curious badger..." he growled irritably.
Tuon keeps walking through the camp back to his merchant's wagon.
He mulls over the offer from the wizard, Isiah-Morn, again. For 1,000 gold he can have a new face, permanent. or even the old one back. The problem is whether to trust the fruitbat mage and his promises. He just didn't seem right somehow.
"Yer in the Dragon's Spines," Cort says, as though that explained everything. He stilled, hearing footsteps, and slowly picked up his quarterstaff in one hand, and set down the sledge. He said nothing to the half-orc, not knowing if he was in on an ambush or not.
He glanced at Cormot, who was busying himself with a pile of rocks near the other wall. "Durn over curious badger..." he growled irritably.
"Drigennns-Pines?" The Half-Orc squints his eyes as if trying to pull any recollection from his empty mind. He then notices the Dwarf clutch at his quarterstaff. The Half-Orc tilts his head in confusion and backs slightly away. He then takes notice of the digging badger with its razor-like claws and fang-like teeth. His eyes bulge, "Oi, sum' type a' furvy deevill. Zu' Kno' Dis' Creatuuure?" He then looks again at the Dwarf with his staff in a ready position and takes on a hunched guarding position. “Zu’ Weel not nid zat wit me. Vy wud I ettaack. Zu’ Zaved Me.” His arms are somewhat outstretched in a non-combatant manner.
For \-*^/
I don't want to cripple you character so I would say your first encounter you would instinctively use your warlock Eldritch blast that sort of thing. I will limit your knowledge skill to everything your 'past' was not involved with but that is it. I think you could have a lot of fun role-playing your abilities coming back and I will worry about your memories. Its your character so it's up to you but I think this would be the funnest.
DM
for \-*^/ and Cort
The foot steps grow louder outside the caves entrance and a large dark shape blocks out the light. You see a large creature on four legs sniffs the air and suddenly stops. The bear rears back on it's hind legs towering over even the tall half-orc and lets out a savage roar challenging the intruders in his home.
Cort's stance softened as he noticed the angry bear come in the cave. "Ach, great. Should've seen this one comin'," Cort grumbled, ignoring the half-orc.
The bear growled in anger. "We Bears are a proud race! You will pay for your intrusion."
Cort spake back with, "On my journeys, I met one of your kind. His name was Katow-jo. We became friends."
The bear fell forward on his front paws. "Katow-jo? He is my cousin. How is he doing?"
"Oh, he is doing fine. He has a bad gas problem, though."
"I keep telling him to not eat those berries. In any case, you may go in peace."
"I shall tell tales of your compassion!" Cort exclaimed.
The bear shook his furry head. "Fare thee well, Cort Stonetree. You shall always be a friend of bears." And with that, Cort and the inpronouncable half-orc skipped merrily on their way, Cormut struggling to catch up.
Cort swallowed nervously, knowing that a riled bear was nothing to be trifled with. "Good friend!" he said loudly, stretching his arms out to appear bigger than he really was. "We did not mean to encroach upon your home! Let us go on our way!"
The guard looks down at Bri "Run along little one and don't distract us, but don't worry the dangerous part of the trip is over we shouldn't have any problems."
Bri doesn't hear anything that strikes her as wrong, so she leaves the guard alone and keeps wandering around.
The guard smirks at Bri as she turns away, he turns back just in time to see three javelins arching towards him. One javelin just misses the guard, lances through the space Bri just left and the last hits the guard high on the shoulder. The guard lets out a yell as he tumbles backwards to the ground.
The forest erupts as small figures start charging out of the trees throwing more javelins and spears.
Cort and \-*^/ slowly back out of the cave and turn around, standing about fifty feet away a goblin dressed in black leather armor and a red cloak with a strange scale pattern.
When he first sees you he looks confused and then his eyes fall on \-*^/ and he blanches in fear, turns and runs into the forest yelling. "Gordic narith blolog"
for those that speak goblin
The guard smirks at Bri as she turns away, he turns back just in time to see three javelins arching towards him. One javelin just misses the guard, lances through the space Bri just left and the last hits the guard high on the shoulder. The guard lets out a yell as he tumbles backwards to the ground.
The forest erupts as small figures start charging out of the trees throwing more javelins and spears.
As Bri is walking away from the guard she hears noise behind her. She turns to see javelins flying towards the guard and landing where she was just standing. 'Luck must be on my side today' Bri says to herself as she grabs her crossbow and aims towards one of the small figures running towards her.
The Half-Orc sees the goblin, hears the creature spout some gibberish, then run off. The fiery-haired brute looks toward the Dwarf. "Vut was zat all a vout? Maybe ze ‘ad somezing to do wit ze vay zu found me." He then gives an angry growl and shows a determined face, "Letz find out. Zu wit me?" The Half-Orc then starts to follow the goblin at a jogging pace.
Cort's eyes widened. "Idiot! Ye want to go hunting for gobs when ye... orc! Wait, ye darn blasted..." Cort growled, then shouted at his friend, who was now able to fully comprehend him with his spell, "Cormut! Keep up with him, and make sure he doesn't get his sorry hide killed!" With that, the badger and the dwarf charged after the strange prisoner, the badger easily matching pace with the dwarf falling behind.
The night erupts with feral screams coming from the trees and cries from the perimeter guards. Two goblins run into the fire light and charge the wounded guard. The tries to draw his sword but two goblin swarm him, one smashing his arm with a spiked mace and the other landing a blow to his chest with a large club. The guard pushes the goblins off but he is bleeding badly from his shoulder and his left arm hangs limp.
Another goblin charges Bri and swings with his sword but she nimbly side steps the swing.
The night erupts with feral screams coming from the trees and cries from the perimeter guards. Two goblins run into the fire light and charge the wounded guard. The tries to draw his sword but two goblin swarm him, one smashing his arm with a spiked mace and the other landing a blow to his chest with a large club. The guard pushes the goblins off but he is bleeding badly from his shoulder and his left arm hangs limp.Another goblin charges Bri and swings with his sword but she nimbly side steps the swing.
Bri steps back away from the goblin, pulls back on her crossbow and sends an arrow straight for the goblin. "Tuon, we are being attacked" Bri says as she steps further back and prepares to send another arrow towards the goblin.
Bri's bolt takes the sneering goblin right in the eye and he falls lifeless to the ground.
The goblin tears through the brush with \-*^/ close behind and Cort trotting along mumbling about stupid orc blood.
The goblin dives through some thick brush and once he and Cort fight through the thick foliage they see the goblin standing next to a large hairy, yellow skinned bugbear pointing in your direction babbling away. "Ur lormon sarion ni mart ya cordon we ohan kael"
Goblin
The large bugbear looks up at \-*^/ and Cort and first anger flashes across his face and then apprehension and fear and finally determination.
"Vin pole hoer ot" the bugbear says as he wave toward Cort and \-*^/ and another goblin steps out of the brush drawing his sword.
Goblin
The bugbear draws a large sword and grabs his whip and gives it a load crack. "Ur hor ya jur dool sarion et dor ya poom serot"
Goblin
The goblin next to the bugbear draws his bow and launches an arrow at Cort and it burrows through hair and leather into his leg..
The other goblin charges forward and leads with an over head chop at Corts head and misses by almost a foot.
The Half-Orc stops at the sight of the large creature spouting more gibberish, but when he sees his saviour, the stout dwarf, attacked and injured by the creature's shorter companion with the bow, an intensity fills his eyes and he moves closer to the attackers. Anger courses through his body bringing forth a force that is part of his very being. Unable to control the momentum of power, the Half-Orc's arm extends forward toward the goblin with the bow. A blasting ray of his very essence is unleashed and shoots forth. "Arrgrah", he yells as the blast leaves his palm filling the area with a magical aura and sending lighted colors against the Half-Orcs fiery hair making it dazzle with life-like movement.
The blast slams into the small goblin scorching his cloak and blistering his face but he growls and reaches back for another arrow.
The larger bugbear looks at the goblin, a little surprised he is still alive, and then grins at \-*^/, "Gort ut colen nort".
Goblin