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The air is crisp and cutting this first Oathday of Pharast. The sun is only just winking at the surface of the earth as droves of would be adventures swarmed around the Hall of Swords. They had come to see the list.
Be it so known that the bearers of these charters have been commissioned by the Swordlords of Restov as acting council for this city under the watchful eye of Lord Noleski Surtova, Regent of the Dragonscale Throne in the great nation of Brevoy. The following few have been chosen to fulfill a purpose disclosed specifically in their individual charters.
The Hooktongue Slough
Colonel Lars Norgen and the nineteenth legion
Inquisitor Gabriel Galden
High Potentate Ferrel Tajin and cabinet
The Nomen Heights
Swordlord Maegar Varn and the Red Dawn
The Glenebon Uplands
The Iron Wraits, commanded by Dof Stonefist
The Greenbelt
Thanatos Eternal
Dagoth, called the Savager
Nor Gexxa
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As quickly as they'd come, the crowd files away. Whether it was to plan for a journey or, for those not chosen, back to cups and bed. Before long, three green adventures: strangers, stand gawking at their own luck before a piece of parchment in an empty courtyard on a cold Pharast morning.
Who are these others...? Dagoth and Nor Gexxa. I wonder what they're like. I'm sure they'll be best friends with my skeleton Nyx. He doesn't talk much.
A bulky hobgoblin casts his beady red eyes over the other two. His face, and the exposed parts of his legs and arms are gnarled by heavy scarring. Despite the uncouth visage, he opens a toothy grin that seems to hide a jest.
"Well, it seems they don't want the likes of us working with the other groups. Suits me fine, so long as there is coin to be earned and blood to be spilled. I'm the Nor Gexxa on the lists, distinguished sellsword, and you are...?"
The slightly crazed tiefling looks over "I'm Thanatos, and this is Nyx." He motions to the skeleton standing next to him. The tall, skinny tiefling leans on his staff. "Just us 3 suits me fine. Won't have to explain myself to the rest of them. Hope you don't mind my little quirks. Seems a lot of people don't like my having Nyx."
The look of shock arose on Dagoth's face, and Orc chosen to map and secure the Greenbelt. "Aye, I am Dagoth the Savager. Tonight we should aim to be on the march. Does anyone have anything of pressing concern?" He gave the others a look of part eagerness and an equal part statuest anger.
Nor lets out a guffaw, "Thanatos, I make corpses of men, I do not mind Nyx at all, so long he doesn't come shuffling after me. Savager, eh? We just may get along. I came to the lists ready to leave immediately. Shall we embark now? We have most of the day left."
He hefts the pack higher onto his shoulders, and adjusts the falchion across his back to make for an easier draw in the future. The mocking grin returns to his face, and he looks expectantly to Thanatos, then the Savager. "Shall we?"
The cloaked skeleton shook his head at Thanatos. Thanatos gave a cold chuckle. "Apparently, Nyx here thinks we have our affairs in order. Shall we depart soon?"
Dagoth motioned with a his hand and then began walking at a brisk pace out of the city. After a quick wave a hawk flew in and perched on Dagoth's shoulder. The bird's talons pronged at first, and the orcs face tinged. But between the leather and his thick skin you could see that he could endure the pain that his close friend provided. "Good Gotha, meet my companions,"he gave a slight gesture to the new faces Gotha hadn't seen before. Dagoth had two greataxes that mirrored each other tightly on his back, and often when he was in thought he would put one arm up and feel the leather straps that made the axes grip. "The hob is Nor and the half-demon is Than,he paused for a moment to see if his new founded companions were okay with his words. Then after he realized he didn't really care what they thought,"Best keep pace, our charter is a coveted thing."
As soon as Dagoth got the open road he grabbed his bow that rested on top of his axes and readied himself for the chance of combat.
Eyebrow raised, teeth clenched Thanatos glanced at the orc searching for any signs of belittling with the improper use of his name. Who is this fool to be calling me "Than"?
"Than....? As you say, Dag."
"Hearing tends to be an issue with Gotha, it's best to keep your names short to her."He glanced at his bird wondering if she could understand, but she stared back into Dagoth. It was clear after the orc had looked away that Gotha had one the first round of their power plays. With a heartless voice,"Again my apologies Thanatos."
"The hob is Nor! The hob is Nor! Hey nonnie-nonnie, blood and gore!"
Maniacally snickering behind his teeth, Nor's skipping feet catch up with the other two and their pets.
"The charter mentions the exploration beginning south of an Oleg's Trading Post. We ought to find that place first, methinks."
Stoically Dagoth forms his response,"I agree, I figure we'll make our way into that direction and the locals will be sure to guide us further. By chance either of you great with maps, or to that note have a map?"Dagoth pauses realizing he just might be mapless. I knew it was in this direction, RIGHT?
OOC: Is where we are going common knowledge or would traveling require a guide of some kind?
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The morning air is crisp and biting as the three leave the yard. Travel this first day is easy as the roads are wide and good. Moreover, your fellow travelers are leery and yield the road at nearly every passing.
A little while after sunrise on the third morning, a voice calls out from the road. It is a thin and shrill, disembodied voice.
"Back blight bringers and defiler of forests. You continue at your own peril! The Sisters of the Green will not hesitate to end your evil here if you do not heed this warning!"
"Defiler of forests? I'm sorry ma'am, but I think you have the wrong people. Who are you looking for?" Thanatos asked as he squinted down the road to see who was talking to the party.
Nor nervously scans their surroundings. "Show yourself!"
Thanatos smirked. "Who are you who claims you can see into our souls? On whose authority are you doing this? We've been given a charter by the Sword Lords. Stand down or you face the authority given to us by the watchers if these lands." He scanned the road.
"Seriously your trifling efforts to hold us back are futile, witch." He paused gleaming into the forest. "Show yourself for we may have words, or do not and ambush me. My axe is longing for some bandit blood." With another one of his shrug Gotha left Dagoth's shoulder and flew into the trees searching for the voice. Dagoth pulled his axe and sheathed his bow, "I am no more evil then the lion that kills its prey, nor the elf that hides in the trees scaring and attacking weary travelers. YOU ARE SCUM FEAR ME" Dagotha lets out a roar that is palpable from just the air.
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"You were warned and now you'll pay!"
Suddenly, four figures appear in mid air forty feet from you. No bigger than house cats, their lower bodies are those of a grasshopper while their torsos are those of lovely women.
One speaks a series of words in a language you don't know. At once the plants and roots for forty feet in every direction of you lash out at your limbs: attempting to hold you in place.
You are all able to resist the plants' hold.
The other three sisters fire longbows at you.
Only Thanatos is struck.
Thanatos grits his teeth. "You would DARE?!" he growls as he trudges through the plant life as he flicks his wrist and the staff he's holding sprouts a scythe blade.
At his mental command, Nyx proceeds forward, scimitar drawn.
"You'll be the next ones I offer up to my Queen." Thanatos focuses for just a second, and sends a wave of dark energy crashing into the creatures.
Dagoth and Gotha continue looking for the sharpshooters knowing that staying hidden after firing a shoot is no easy task.
Dagoth drops his axe and grabs his bow as quick as he can. "Pesk Brats!" he yells. His Hawk being not called out to does not engage but moves quickly down the treeline. Gotha hides in the trees out of sight. Dagoth finally releases an arrow.
Nor shouts something unintelligible as his fury rages against the four airborne foes. He charges forward ten feet , while jerking a javelin from his pack. At his final step, he hurls it at the nearest archer.
"Damn the invisibility!."
Thanatos unleashes another blast of energy.
"RAWR GODS BE DANMED", Ragoth rages. In his anger and frustration he blind fires an arrow while Gotha searches for prey.
"Cowards! You fight with arrows and weeds. Show yourselves and I'll teach you to fight true."
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The arrow is wide and neither bird nor Orc can discover their quarry.
Nor's anger is indeed terrible to behold, but alas, there is no sign as to whether or not he has effected the creatures.
A wave of dark energies ripple forth from his unholy symbol, but it is unclear what effect, if any, it had on the creatures.
After a time, it is clear that the Sisters of the Green are not attacking anymore.
Thanatos grunts as he holds a hand over the wound the arrow left and heals it up.
"They are cowards, and eventually they will die a cowards death," He shrugged and called back his feathery friend. Dagoth freed his feet, then picked up his dropped greataxe, and finally motioned to continue.
Nor visibly calms down, though the sudden anger leaves his chest heaving deep breaths. After a moment, he runs to retrieve the errant javelin. On his way back to the group, he tries to recall if he had seen creatures like these before.
"I expect these griggs will be back. Pesky critters, and obnoxiously good-natured. No matter, they are just bugs with teats."
"Annoyances will only slow us down if we let them. I am quiet eager now to do some real hunting," Dagoth smiles back at the group. "Gotha one day you'll get some of that stringy fey meat, one day."
"Let's continue on then." Thanatos flicks his wrist and the scythe blade folds back into the staff. Nyx sheathes his broken scimitar and falls into step behind Thanatos.
"Yes."
Nor continues down the path, his head slightly angled to hear if the others are following, and more importantly, to listen for the fluttering of unseen wings.
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In the early morning on the seventh day since leaving Restov, you see the first sign of any civilization: Oleg's trading post.
The gate is open to your approach and Oleg can be seen mending the roof above area A3. He sees you and waves half-heartedly.
Before long, the door at A6 opens and a kind looking woman rushes toward you. As she gets closer, her step become less exuberant.
"Are you it then?" She asks hesitantly.
"Are we it? What were you expecting, might I ask?" Thanatos asked as he mentally commanded Nyx to fall in step behind him and to pull his hood further down across the smiling skeleton's face.
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The woman sighs. Her face suddenly looks older, like all the cares of a a hard life materialized at once. After a moment, she smiles weakly and shrugs.
"I'm sorry to be so rude. I am Mrs. Leventon, Oleg's wife. You may call me Svetlana."
"I ask because the lords of Restov promised us a small garrison to defend the trading post. I guess it doesn't matter now..." a shadow passes behind her eyes.
Svetlana shakes her head and smiles again. "Please, stay the night if you wish, but I fear you will want to be gone before first light to avoid any unpleasantness."
She beckons you all to follow and walks to the board in the yard and motions for you all to sit.