Maedhros watched in suspense and awe as the large stone monolith appeared on the Top of the World at the end of Fall Solstice. The shamans and witches felt the Hallowed Day or the Eve of the last day of the Autumn season had mystical powers. The large building with a single mist shrouded opening was a good indication the prophecies were true. Now, would he be up to the test?
You enter through the doorway, and find yourselves in a dimly lit room with a robe and underclothes on a hangar, and table with a dagger upon it. Across the room from you is an old man, well worn and calloused all over, he wears a simple loin cloth and close fitting shirt.
"Welcome. My first lesson to you is a simple dagger is the a great weapon and tool for all. This well made dagger is your gift for trying to enter the Hall. If you can defeat me, you may move forward. Put on your garments, grab your dagger, and come and get me when you are ready."
The old man has a set of well made manacles.
"I am going to put you in these manacles and shove you back outside if you are not up to the task."
Above you, you notice there is a set of chains running over the ceiling with a winch by the old man. Anyone manacled to the chains hanging from the ceiling should be easily winched back outside through the fog shrouded doorway.
Staying silent, Maedhros bows to the old man in the manner of a martial artist about to enter combat, his eyes watching for any trick. This gesture of acceptance completed he steps to the hangar and, constantly watching the old man, he unashamedly strips off his clothes, folding and placing them neatly in a pile. His fingers linger on the dagger given to him by his father, but that too he places on the pile. Once naked he says a small prayer to Irori, before donning the clothes laid out for him. Stepping to the table he picks up the dagger and drops to a fighting stance.
" I do not usually need a dagger venerable one as nature has gifted me with my own, but I will accept your gift. I have no wish to hurt you, but I will be moving on"
With that said he leaps forward almost animal in his pounce, lashing out with the dagger as if it is but 1 long metal claw.
Unused to the weight of the dagger he overestimates, putting power over accuracy.
Upon advancing, the old man seems ready for the attack and reaches out with both arms trying for a grappling hold. Dodging the old man, the dagger thrust is off target.
Again the old man tries to grab Maedhros, but the attempt is easily dodged.
Squaring off after the initial strike attempts. "It appears we are evenly matched, although not for good reason."
The old man finally grabs you. You are grappled.
"Got you."
"Maybe for now"
The old man tries for a more controlling grip and pins you. Leaving you unable to do much but break free. The dagger is still in your hand.
As you struggle with the old man, he seems to talk between grunts.
"Aye, wrassling around. Who would have thought I could use it to help people and turn it into a career. Once you wrap up a wizard, it makes casting spells a bit hard."
Maedhros delays, and the old man snaps his well made manacles on Maedhros, making escape possible.
"Some are not able to beat me. It is not easy to gain admittance to the Hall."
Maedhros squirms in the manacles, unable to bring his strength to bear.
The old man shouts.
"Why should I let you continue? The trials get more challenging and lethal. It is my job to minimize deaths."
"Because Irori has tested me, I have failed, but I have learnt. Why didn't I rely on myself and my natural gifts? I fell into the trap of accepting and trying to use a weapon that I am not used to. Secondly i must not let the animal in me take control. Without precision then power is no use to me, I look to the ancient hero Theris to help me with this, so that my attacks may strike true. And lastly because it is my decision whether i choose to risk dying here and I do not give up."
As he finishes speaking, Maedhros bunches his muscles and strains at his manacles once more.
The man unhooks you and passes you through the door.
After the encounter with the old man, he waves you through the door. The next room smells of burning wood, sweat, and smoke. The sound of hammering can be heard. A large dwarf with a ruddy face is there to greet you.
"You need weapons and armor if you are to be warriors of any account. Pick from the armor on the rack here, you can get one. It all depends on whether you are after light, medium, or heavy armor."
There is a mithral chain shirt, an enchanted breastplate (+1) and a suit of masterwork full plate.
"I am going to make you three weapons for your journey here. No exotic ones, but I can make pretty much anything. I already made three light hammers and three javelins, you never know when you need them.
Maedhros' claw lingers on the chain shirt, before he moves to the breastplate. "This shirt is beautiful and normally I would choose it, but here where I know not what to expect I think I will take the breastplate. I would have a guisarme, an earthbreaker and a buckler to carry me through, but after my first fight here, I would test the weight of them first."
The dwarf gives you a smile as he makes the weapons for your quickly. The weapons are made with sheaths or slings so they can be easily stowed when not in use.
"Be ready for some action at all times."
You prepare to enter the next room.
Strapping on the breastplate and its accoutrements, Maedhros tests the weapons before sheathing the earthbreaker on his back along with the javelins, with the hammers and dagger on his belt. Finally he straps the buckler to his left arm and picks up the guisarme in his hands. "I am ready for the next challenge, thankyou smith for these."
After selecting a weapon to carry, and slinging two backup weapons as well as the javelins and light hammers, you move to a dimly lit sanctum. There the icons of the great heroes are depicted on the wall in large tapestries. On a large, wooden mead table are laid out necklaces corresponding to all the heroes.
Gerund, the stout dwarf warrior, was famous for the amount of damage he could take and not fall. Cyndi, the elven ranger, was renowned for ability to dodge and evade the blows of her attackers. Grond, the half orc barbarian, delivered the most lethal blows. Harold, the human gladiator was known for the exotic combat maneuvers he would perform; he preferred to drop, disarm, or hold his opponent helpless before he finished them off. Theris, the true, it was said his strikes never missed his opponents and with an economy of motion demanded every strike be true.
You now have five necklaces with a medallion corresponding to each of the heroes. Besides what you have in your hands, I need to what necklaces your are wearing.
An acolyte explains: "Wearing a necklace is an attempt to seek favor from one of the heroes. Their relationships are complex, and gaining the favor of one may cause problems with another. For example, Cyndi and Gerund are rivals. It would unlikely, but not impossible, to gain the favor of both of them."
"I see the many facets of Nature represented here, but i am no child of fire or water so Cyndi and Grond may stay here. I came seeking the favour of Theris, and will take his token, but I have learnt much from the old man and would take Harold's as well. I know not how they see each other, but i hope it is as a team that works together like all the muscles pulling together in a well toned body. Gerund I know little of, but as a fellow creature of the earth I will take his token along with me, for ine should always strive to learn and develop." Picking up the 3 tokens, Maedhros places Theris' around his neck, he ties Harold's around his right wrist and the token of Gerund around his left. Then kneeling he says a short prayer before heading on to the next challenge.
"Heroes of this place, hear the prayer of a servant of Irori. I come to learn and seek enlightenment in service to Irori. Help me to achieve this by test or challenge and lend me your guidance when I am not yet ready."
With your totems on, you are lead to the next door. "There will be a difficult fight, best of luck."
As the door is opened, you are confronted by four skeletal goblins holding long spears. You try to get a jump on them.
Animal fury rushing through his system, Maedhros drops his Guisarme as he steps in close to the goblins in front of him. Baring his claws he strikes once at each.
B+S
B+S
But again it seems Theris does not favour him.
Both strikes miss the goblin skeletons, and two skeletons hit the hero.
Theris why have you forsaken me!
Severely wounded in both sides, Maedhros knows the spears would strike him down if he ran,he must fight or die here.
The ranger attacked, but the claws just couldn't harm the skeletons enough before a bite brought the ranger down (4hp bite). Before the ranger passed out, a divine flash of light destroyed the goblins and healed the ranger
What just happened? I should be dead!
Pulling himself back from the brink of unconciousness, Maedhros is amazed by the divine favour.
" Thankyou Irori and heroes of this place I will bear these scars as reminders of your guidance when I was not strong enough"
Maedhros bashes two skeletons, dodges the blows of the last. One skeleton remains.
His confidence in his abilities returned, Maedhros pushes his body to step close to the goblin on his right and strike.
?
Maedhros manages to destroy two goblin skeletons and dodge the two counterattacks.
One of his strikes hits and takes out all but the last goblin.
The last goblin misses pathetically.
Seeing his opportunity as the skeleton struggles to control it's long spear, Maedhros steps in close trying to tear apart this last attacker.
Maedhros finishes the last skeleton, wiping blood and sweat from his face.
The ranger is ushered into a room that look like an alchemists lab by the old man he met at the door. The old man explains:
"Warriors need to accept that we live in a magical world. We can easily use magic by imbibing simple potions. The most useful typically is the minor cure potions, but we have others here. You can have Grimaldi here make you three potions. He knows the following recipes: Cure Light Wounds, Oil of Magic Weapon, Enlarge Person, and Protection from Evil. You can get multiples of one if you like."
He adds with a serious look: "Looks like you need some healing ones!!"
Wiping the sweat form his face, Maedhros does his best to staunch his wounds before limping over to retrieve his Guisarme. Leaning heavily on it, he follows the old man into the lab.
"Alas I did struggle there and healing is needed. Much though i would like a selection, I will take 3 Cure Light Wounds Grimaldi, as I will need at least one right now."
With that he downs the first potion made.
As you get your potions issued to you in an adventurer's sash (see main thread: discussion), the old man comes to you to explain to you what comes next.
"You are going into the arena. Each of the heroes in the test will have their own bugbear to fight. He is basically just a big goblin. In the center is the blind ogre waiting to attack whoever comes to get him on the center platform. The bugbear assigned to fight you will stand down when you go unconscious. When the ogre is incapacitated, the trial is over, and whoever the judges deemed contributed the most to defeating the ogre is declared the winner."
The old man winks and adds: "There is a slight wrinkle. You can't hit your rivals when they are knocked out or after the ogre falls, but if you want, UNTIL the ogre falls you can go after your competition if they are standing."
The old man looks at your amulets. "I heard Harold was a pretty good hero. He wrestled the minotaur of Ugin into submission. I think he defeated Ulamog the Ceaseless Hunger too."
"I feel this should be a challenge of self. I will not attack, unless attacked.
As a follower of Irori, I have heard many stories about Harold. The man who trained me used to tell me of how he used an improvisation of the Reverse Headscissors to defeat the minotaur. I have an idea of a tactic that I hope he would like."
Maedhros selects his potions, decides which ones to drink before his next challenge and steps through the door.
Hits= 9/17
Enemy hits= 3/10
Damage dealt= 74
Damage taken= 31
Combat manoeuvres =0/2
Hits= 9/17
Enemy hits= 4/11
Damage dealt= 74
Damage taken= 37
Combat manoeuvres =0/2
Natural Wpn style:- Wpn Focus Claws
5HP (3+ 1 con +1 fav class)
7 skill points
+1 Fort and Ref
+1 BAB
Looking for answers, Maedhros searches the halls for the old man, forgemaster or alchemist.