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Hear now the story of beginnings, without which we would not be in this place and time.
Before all else there was the Egg of Io and the First Void. When the time came for Io to emerge:
One egg's lower half transformed
And became the earth below,
And its upper half transmuted
And became the sky above;
From the yolk the sun was made,
Light of day to shine upon us;
From the white the moon was formed,
Light of night to gleam above us;
All the colored brighter bits
Rose to be the stars of heaven
And the darker crumbs changed into
Clouds and cloudlets in the sky.
Behold, with his emergence Io found the First Void was no longer but had transformed in to the Shadow Void, and all of existence was defined by the two and reality shuddered at the strain. For like an egg this new reality was fragile and Io looked to give it strength.
And behold, Io found within the new Void a mystery: his equal-Chronepsis. And Io and Chronepsis took each other as mates, to help weave the fabric of reality tighter and stronger. For as the realization of Io's existence flowed into worlds, becoming all things, Chronepsis drew it back into herself balancing beginning with end, creation with destruction, light with dark.
Io created his first child alone and Vorel was born, small and simple-minded but perfect of scale and form; and Io was pleased. When seeing Io's creation Chronepsis complained and said, "Why have you made Vorel of your own mind and will. Does not our union hold all things together, each needing the other? So should we not make our children together and thus strengthen the harmony of creation?"
Io heard the wisdom of Chronepsis' words and together they created a pair of children; male and female they created them: Bahamut and Tiamat were their names. Intended to grow up and mate, producing children that combined the best traits of each. Instead, the two were immediate rivals, yet Io and Chronepsis would not choose a favorite between them.
After many failed schemes to make herself look better and Bahamut worse, Tiamat hatched a diabolical plan inspired by the words of Chronepsis: she slew her sibling Vorel and framed Bahamut for the awful deed. Io, however, carefully sought out the truth, and sorrowfully banished his daughter Tiamat from his presence. Tiamat turned utterly to hatred and Evil, while her brother Bahamut, ever her rival, turned to Good in order to oppose her. So it was that Io lost three of his children: the first to death, the second to Evil, and the last to Good.
In his sorrow Io confronted Chronepsis about her involvement in the death of his son Vorel. Chronepsis laughed and said, "Why now do you lament Io? For can you not see that again the balance of creation is restored by the death of your misbegotten son Vorel?" Furious at her admission Io sank his teeth in to Chronepsis' side and she in turn sank her teeth in to his. From the blood that fell from their bodies sprang all the other gods of the cosmos-evil from Chronepsis and good from Io; and to this day neither relents of their hold on the other.
Daedeloth, the cleric of Desna, seeks adventuring companions to explore Kithios!
On the Northern edge of the continent Folgefonna forest is one of the last remaining large expanses of wild forest land. The Frozen Seas North of the Forest are kept at bay by the volcanic ring of islands that surround the port city of SkOvde. SkOvde is one of the main links between what has become known as the "Wooden Marches" and the Empire of which it was once a part, The Empire of Gold (EOG).
The Wooden Marches are ruled by the Vulkerson family currently led by Duke Gorn from the capital seat in Vulksberg, by far the largest city in the Marches. The Marches have been under continuous threat from the East and the Barony of GhUl since it was a part of the EOG. The Barony continues to be ruled by it's vampiric master Navras the Necromancer. With no standing army the Marches have been kept safe only by the strength and valor of the men and women garrisoning the Citadel of Bone which dominates the pass between the two principalities. The core contingent manning the Citadel are the Grey Cloaks, a mercenary force primarily funded by EOG.
Duke Gorn maintains his hold on the vast forests and mountains of his realm with the loyal service of the Green Cloaks and the Duke's Champions, led by a select group called The Named.
Done with your first rounds of training, you have each come from different units of the Green Cloaks and were summoned to Vulksberg for a new assignement. You have arrived at the head quarters of the Green Cloaks and await entry in to the Assignment Officer's room.
Daedeloth stands ready for assignment!
A tall rail thin elf with dusky red tinted skin, shaggy brown hair, and loosley dressed in drab brown trousers and offset olive tunic looks around the room at each of the other three occupants. "I assume we are all here for assignment? My name is Variel."
lets bomb!
clerics are pussy
iam ready for everything.
what?????
just like that hot chick whokimd of liked me
go aztecs
no ideawhat i am dog ???
Well met Variel and Azzakan, I am Daedeloth, a cleric of Desna. It does seem likely that we are all here for the same assignment.
To Variel: Do you have any ideas what the assignment might be?
Steepling his fingers together in though, "Well I can't imagine it's going to involve our Naming but rather something more mundane; like what backwater hamlet they will send us to cut our teeth in." (chuckles) "The flame burns at it's own pace, so my teachers told me." (looks more serious)
She has Variel disease!!! Watch out for her.
Well met Daeldoth! And V Jayj
The flames burns at a teachers pace. They think they know everything.
Where is the ranger?
"Hmmm. A tree that has seen many seasons may impart wisdom to the acorns it drops and grow in its shade; yet the growing saplings can not see the true nature of the sun because the vision of it is denied to them. Does this make the tree wrong? Maybe I can be clearer, yes? ~We shall see what we shall see~"
Jalriel is busy hunting acorns...they are very sneaky...(I am not sure how to input a character sheet, Don is rubbing off on me)
Azzakan looks forward to his assignment. I assess the "tall thin elf with dusky red tinted skin" he seems very rougish??
Stop hunting acorns Jalriel!
DM. Yes the tree is wrong!
@Azzakan
You can't discern anything about Variel's background.
A young man in a dark green uniform walks in to the room and looks at a clipboard, "Azzakan, Daedloth, Jalriel, Variel; yes? Please come with me sirs."
I shall go with you. I look forward to discovering what awaits me. These others with me I do not know them and they may wish to stay behind.
I stand up and will accompany the man.
I am happy that at least one companion other than myself stood up and is ready for their assignment. I ask Daedloth about his experiences and where he is from.
To Azzkan: I grew up in the local area, when I got old enough I joined the city watch, then on the Green Cloaks which is why I am here. What about you?
The elf called Variel stands and strides towards the young man, listening attentively to the by-play of Azzakan and Daedeloth.
The elf called Variel stands and strides towards the young man, listening attentively to the by-play of Azzakan and Daedeloth.
** spoiler omitted **
Not sure how you roll dice here.
I rolled an actual d20 and got a 4.I get +12 perception =16
Daedloth eyes the young aide speculatively as the group moves forward in to the next room.
As the party enters the next room they see a man in what appears to be late middle age with a huge scar cutting through where his right eye should be. As he hears you enter, he raises his head from reading the ledger on his desk, closes the book, and rises to take all of you in.
This is the group bound for Falcon's Hollow then Aden?-Growls out the older man behind the desk.
Yessir, at least they were in the waiting room and responded when I read their names of the duty roster-The young lad quicly stammers.
Hmph. Well then be on your way. I'm sure there are other tasks assigned to you and I wouldn't want to give you an excuse to loiter. As for you lot, have any of you heard of much less been to Falcon's Hollow?
I have heard nothing of Falcon's Hollow, but I look forward any information you can provide. i cannot wait to begin this journey and add whatever small skill set I possess to this group.
As the party enters the next room they see a man in what appears to be late middle age with a huge scar cutting through where his right eye should be. As he hears you enter, he raises his head from reading the ledger on his desk, closes the book, and rises to take all of you in.
This is the group bound for Falcon's Hollow then Aden?-Growls out the older man behind the desk.
Yessir, at least they were in the waiting room and responded when I read their names of the duty roster-The young lad quicly stammers.
Hmph. Well then be on your way. I'm sure there are other tasks assigned to you and I wouldn't want to give you an excuse to loiter. As for you lot, have any of you heard of much less been to Falcon's Hollow?
No, I have not heard of Falcon's Hollow, does it lie within the Wooden Marches? What is our purpose at Falcon's Hollow?
The man smiles, apparently to himself faintly amused by something.
Well my little green Shoots, Falcon's Hollow is one of the tradtional first postings for all of the Cloaks' new recruits. We send Shoots like you to places like Falcon's so you can't get in to any trouble. It allows you some time to work with local populaces and get a sense of the role that the Cloaks play in the Marches without us having to worry about you breaking your fool necks or some such foolishness.
He reaches back in to his desk and pulls out some string wound documents. You will take these and present them to Magistrate Vamros Harg, town judge and barrister. He should introduce you to the town and its inhabitants and you are to provide him what aid you can. You will be assigned to the Hollow for at least six months and will be replacing a group of other Shoots that had better be on their way back to Vulksberg by now. Any quesitons?
Is Falcon's Hollow facing any particular challenges right now? Can you give us any background on the area?
I use diplomacy to try to get him to reveal as much info as possible and use sense motive to see if I can discern any underlying motives.
The man rumbles, Falcon's Hollow? Nothing EVER happend in the Hollow, again that's why we send Shoots there because it's SAFE. As to background just watch out for Thuldrin Kreed. He's the Lumber Consortium's "boss" there and even though the Magistrate is officially the law, the Consortium owns most of the town and the commerce that flows through it and this means that Kreed has a lot of influence on what takes place there. Sheriff Baleson is supposed to be honest as the day is long, but his influence doesn't extend much past the reach of his axe.
Otherwise you know that the town is a few weeks travel to the South East near a mountain pass that connects the Marches to an aggressive Southern neighbor. You can't ever remember anything interesting being said about the area except that once long ago it was part of an ancient Dwarven kingdom.
The man speaks again If there's nothing else, get yourselves together and get on the road. The Magistrate should be expecting you
Yes Sir, "I shall shoot well."
Knowledge check....Dwarven history
Rolled a 6 + 0= 6
Yet I remember my former mentors words
P.S. I know nothing of the Green Cloaks. Apparently I am a "green shoot!" Just rolling with the punches.
Daedeloth, can you enlighten me?
Local roll 9 + 0= 9
I must have been conscripted. Seems my group are very familiar with the woods.
To DM: Do we know the gruff man's name and position within the Green Cloaks? If not, I ask, then prepare to leave as instructed.
** spoiler omitted **
My father is a noble. No one in the green cloaks knows who I am or what I can do. I wear a chain sheet and carry steel.
When Azzakan gets a chance he does his best to better himself. It is obvious he does not belong with the "woodsmen" group and must move on. He wishes everyone the best of luck.
Daedeloth-As you walk out of the office you notice
He has nicely engraved name plate on his desk=Major Kenneset
You all exit the office. The door closes shut. Variel looks at the group, I need to return to the barracks and gather my equipment as well as get some provisions from the quartermaster's post. Are the rest of you ready to travel?
To Variel: Ready as I'll ever be, we will be relying on you and Jalriel to keep us out of trouble in the wilderness. Azz and I are city folk.
Variel-Well then why don't you all accompany me and if you need to grab any last second things from headquarters or the city we can do so. Then we should set forth.
To Variel: I have all my equipment with me, is there anything special you think I need to get?
Rations certainly unless your god will give them to you daily? I'd prefer not to harvest from the forest if we can avoid it. A backpack, water skins, comfortable boots; a good walking stick I will craft for you on the trail. If you have armor, weapons, or other equipment you should grab and ready that as well. My understanding is that we will be on the trail for some weeks.
I have all that, but will pick up some extra rations.
To DM: I assume that as a Green Cloak that I have been outfitted with appropriate weaponry and armor? I bring my normal adventuring gear, rope, rations, etc. and I grab my personal items.
To Variel: is there anything in particular I should get to make our trek easier?