Search Posts
The drivers nod their agreement and set to feeding the horses and taking a few moments to relax. The carts are old, battered, and weathered, however they are of solid construction and materials. It seems that they suffered minimal cosmetic damages in the escape from the forest, a few scrapes, some light singeing, nothing particularly noteworthy.
The cart driver looks to Erhart, his breathing still a bit unsteady. "Yeah, maybe we should." He lets out a shrill whistle and clicks his tongue twice as he steers his horse over to the side of the path. The drivers move like a well oiled machine as they pull the carts into a half circle and start to set up a small camp.
The cart driver casts a quick eye behind him and then turns his attention back to the charging bear. "Gods helps us..." He breaths as he whips his reins, urging the horses forward. The other cart drivers follow suit. At the same moment the goblins release their slings, the stones fly true and find their mark right between the eyes of the great bear. In an instant the image flickers and shifts as the stones momentarily break the illusion. The Large Goblin blinks twice and then, realizing he has been tricked, lets out a loud roar and charges forward, the rest of the goblins follow their leader. The cart drivers, now strengthened with the knowledge of the illusion push onward, urging the horses ever faster. The horses charge through the illusionary bear and move towards the end of this wretched forest. The goblins let fly with more slings, missing anything or much importance. With a final push your carts break through the final few feet of the stretch of road bursting out into the light of late afternoon. As you leave the dense woods the goblins stop at the edge of the road, chattering and calling out to you as you leave them behind. They seem hesitant to follow, and soon enough are swallowed up by the land as your carts move farther and farther away.
Both Erhart and Markus are able break through the illusion, seeing the bear as merely a shadow before their eyes. The driver looks from the bear to Erhart. "A-Are you sure?" The man is trembling, shouldering a crossbow weakly.
The Brave Goblin stalks forward and calls orders to a few smaller goblins who start to whip up their slings. It points to the charging bear, a fire in it's eyes.
Carts(17): The drivers continue to urge their beasts forward, trying to escape the dangers of the forest. The carts are but 40 ft. away from the light, which is very noticeably the end of this dense foliage and back to the open road. As the carts thunder along a roar comes from ahead as a large figure crashes through the thick brush. A great Bear stands tall in the middle of the road and then turns, noticing the carts. With a vicious roar the beast turns and charges towards the cart, it's teeth bared. [/b]The carts drivers shrink in terror, and the horses rear in fright as the great black creature charges. The carts come to a standstill as the drivers are caught between the wave of goblins to the rear, and the fearsome bear before them. Perception (12):
The Black Road is extremely dusty and thick with the black, beaten ash that gives the path it's name. Through the creatures fearsome howls you notice that it's feet don't seem to be moving the packed earth below it. Even your own feet sink slightly in the soil beneath you; something isn't quite right.
Goblins(3): The goblins stop dead in their tracks, refusing to move any closer to the gigantic beast before them. You can barely make out whispers in the strange jerking language that they had been screaming in previously. One goblin, that is every so slightly larger than the rest, steps forward bravely. He has a piece of boiled leather wrapped around his body, the skull of a horse on his head, and is brandishing an ugly rusted blade in his hands as though it were a claymore.
Carts(17):The cart driver in the front hands the reins to Erhart and starts to search through his belongings. Finally he withdraws a long, thick, walking stick. "We've only got one shot at this men! Sir Erhart, hold these horses steady, I'm going to try and trip the trap before we get to it. Gods have mercy." He stares intently at the thin line of twine pulled taut across the road as the horses thunder ever closer. The driver tosses his stick, letting it sail through the air sideways, , and with a sharp *TWANG*[/dice] the line breaks, caught dead center by the stick. Nothing happens for a breath, and then a deep rumbling is heard as a large bolder smashes onto the road, rolling right across it and settling itself on the other side of the path. The drivers cheer as they see the path before them, only 70 ft. away is the light breaking through the dark forest, they egg on their horses who gallop along at great speeds. [b]Goblins(3):The goblins behind you howl in anger once again, their plots foiled, they had been expecting the trap to work and had slowed down, with that pause the carts were able to pull even further away. They scream something in a barking tongue that you do not understand. Suddenly you hear the shattering of glass around you, and flames spring to life along the road. Luckily none of the carts are hit directly by the fire, however the horses are starting to spook and rear up.
Rali is pulled up onto the cart as it plows on forward. Behind the carts, sill out of sight, you can hear the angry howls of the Goblins. They still seem to be giving chase, however they have yet to round the corner. Carts (17): The drivers of the carts continue to barrel down the straightaway, the massive horses pulling the carts breathing hard as their hooves tear up the earth below. To the far end of this run you can see a glimmer of light. It looks to be around 100 ft. away. Ehart Two Goblins leap from atop a tree and lands in the back of your cart, they start chattering frantically and pulling out knives from their belts. The driver yells a curse tries to swerve the cart frantically. The goblins fall off the cart and roll in the dirt, howling loudly. Goblins (3): The Goblins explode around the bend, their singular focus of the carts powering them and their fanatical surge forward and closing the distance between the carts and themselves.
Markus, you see Rali stagger up from his position beside the road. As the 4th cart rumbles by you notice as he flails wildly for a handhold, but finds no purchase, and stumbles into the road, directly in the way of your oncoming cart. "MOVE!" The driver roars as he grabs the reins and yanks hard. The driver tries to manuver the cart, but to no avail, as the horses stampede straight for Rali!
Carts (17): The carts continue to thunder along , taking the turn like regular champs. Perception (DC 12):
You notice a small glint in front as light from the lanterns catch something. It looks like a long line of twine stretched across the trail. Goblins (3): The goblins continue to pour across the road, chattering and cackling as they hound after your carts, blood in their eyes. Some of the Goblins get lost in their blood-lust, tripping and falling over each other, causing more than a few to throw take a swing at their allies. You can hear the howls of pain from them as your carts pull a little further away, losing sight them around the bend. Rali, while sprawled on the ground you feel the beating of giant hooves as the next cart comes thundering at you. It doesn't look like the driver is slowling down. The horse's shooed hooves barley miss you as they continue to beat down the path.
The ride through the dark forest continues on, ahead you can see where the road starts to wind. "The road ahead is tricky, it's sharp turns require us to slow down a bit or we're liable to tip." The head driver relays the information down the line and the carts start to slow. Suddenly you hear a high pitched cackling. Markus, you turn instinctively to the sounds behind you. There, down the road a small ways, are a horde of small humanoids with large heads and red eyes; Goblins. They seem to be rushing the carts from behind, and by your count there must be 25 or more. The rear driver calls out "WE GOT GREENSKINS TO THE REAR!" Quickly the drivers start to pick up the pace. The drivers hand you crossbows with 20 bolts each, if you take them. "Keep 'em off of us, and we'll do our best to get out of here."
As the horses gallop at breakneck pace the bend comes up, it looks sharp. "HOLD ON!"
The carts trundle along at a decent pace and the ride seems farily uneventful for a long while. The farther you go along the Black Road the thicker the surrounding forest seems to grow. The drivers seem a little worried about the thickening woods. "These woods are not supposed to have grown this thick...", is a common sentiment between all the cart drivers. As the woods thicken they seem to blot out the midday sun, casting the road into deep shadow. The drivers pull out lanterns and light them, hanging them onto the carts to that they can see in front of them. The Lanterns illuminate the road in front of them well, reaching the next cart with ease. Perception (DC 15):
It is very quite. Before you had reached this thickened area there were birds singing, bugs chirping, animals chattering - but now there seems to only be the soft whistle of wind trying it's best to wind it's way through the brush and thickets. Markus:
You recognize this area from your studies. This is one location that was marked with a bend in the road that is possible for ambush. You had not known that it was also going to be so difficult to due to the trees however. Rali Perception (DC 12): You see a small figure running alongside the carts, just past the road. It's using the thickening brush to cover it, you can just barley see it's outline. You are uncertain what it might be, but it runs in a vaguely humanoid manner.
It's early morning as you depart, the Black Road is on old trade route that was worn before Falk even settled. You can see that it stretches on far in either direction. The three adventureers meet up with the carts and their drivers. You notice that the carts are stocked with some basic traveling supplies and a few baskets of food. On of the drivers, a middle aged man, says "The trip to Grott isn't long. It should only take A full days travel, and we should arrive around Sun High tomorrow. We'll make break for camp when the sun sets. Thank you three for traveling with us, some of my boys were worried about this Black Tooth but they're feeling a might bit more confident with you around." As you begin your journey you can see why the route is called "The Black Road", the ground of packed earth has been scorched black, the road looking like a winding scar through the forests. The carts don't have much room besides enough for the drivers, but each of you are able to squeeze in with a few of the smaller drivers. The Black Road is only wide enough for a single cart to comfortably travel on, with a little extra space to either side. Presumabley a cart can squeeze past or beside if it had to, but it'd be a tight fit.
In about 2 hours I'll assume no one has anything they wish to investigate further. I'll move the story to the next morning at that point and you'll begin your mission.
The journey to Falk was notably uneventful. It took a week an a few days of travel to reach the Frozen Town. Erhart can attribute the length mostly to your retinue of followers. Without them it might have only taken half a week of hard travel. The village is small, only a few scattered buildings that look hastily erected. Living in the town are 20 some men, women, and children. They eye your party suspiciously until Hilde comes forward and explains they are religious refugees seeking shelter and sanctuary. A group on men quickly hurry you all inside a slightly larger building in what you could call the 'center' of town. The building is a rather large bar/inn where you are quickly set up in the few rooms they have left, free of charge for refugees. They mention that it will take time, but their leader will figure something out. They tell you to get some rest and that in the morning they could discuss further accommodations. --- In the morning, Erhart heads down the steps and into the large bar area. Overnight it has seemed to transform into some sort of meeting space/town hall. In the center of the room there are three large tables set up in the form of a U shape. In the middle of the U are three chairs at a smaller table. Two men sit at the table already. An older man waves you over to sit down at the table. The older man is sitting at the larger tables with a number of others. It would appear as if this is a sort of town council, the difference being that all of these men seem as if they are merely workers - not politicians by any sense of the word.
The Church in Gyt has slowly begun the process of annexing religions as the age continues. For example, Souna the Virtuous has a very small cult following, plus Erhart as her Champion. At one time she had quite a few villages dedicated to her worship, but as the Kingdom of Gyt grew, so did it's Church, and they began to convert followers of other religions en masse. Eventually the old religion would be considered 'heretical' or 'illegal' and would see no more growth while The Church flourished. They worship a being called "Facientem" who is the Creator of all, including the various divine beings. The Church refuses to acknowledge other gods, calling them Divine Emissaries, or Divine Beings. They believe in the Nine Hells, which Facientem also created as a place to stow his 'failed' creations (the Wicked, Evil creatures, etc.). The Church's reasoning as to why Facientem never appears to anyone is that, in layman's terms, he's important to concern himself with the day-to-day of his creations. It is said that he appeared in the beginning, and will appear once more in the end. One of the main tenants of the Church is that everyone was created, made, by Facientem for a specific purpose. Like a scythe harvests wheat, or a plow through a field, every person was created to fulfill a specific purpose. It is the believers job to discern theirs and live up to that purpose. If they fulfill their worldly purpose in the mortal realm, then they will be lifted up on high. Should they fail to serve in their purpose then they will be cast down into the Nine Hells, where all failed creations are sent. All other religions, by comparison, are uncommon to rare. Gyt is a large place with many different cultures and beliefs that were folded into it during it's era of expansion - much akin to the Roman Empire. If there is a type God you wish to worship, go ahead an make it and submit it for review.
As though in answer to you the Sun finally rises enough to shine in through the singular window to the back of the room. The light pours in around you, bright and full. The sudden light blinds you for a moment as your eyes adjust to the better lighting of the room. "A crown of Light..." you hear Hilde whisper, transfixed on you. Her mouth is slightly agape in surprise and wonder, and her eyes shine. Geoffry finally breaks free of his mothers grasp and runs forward, grabbing your arm. "Now you get to come with us to the Frozen Town! Will you teach me how to be a Champion on our way?" His mother starts to move to collect him, but stops short; it's hard to tell whether she is scared of you or scared that Geoffry might be doing too much. Hilde pulls out a small map from the folds of her robes and starts to lay it out. She turns it around so that you may view it as she starts to point out a few things on the map. "Sir Erhart, I believe it is you that I must take with me to the North." She gestures with her hand to a small star labeled, Raven Spire, "This here is where we are now, the Raven Spire. It's said that a powerful Wizard claimed this and it's surrounding lands as his home years ago."[b] Hilde's gaze falls on Erhart,[b]" - although that is simply a rumor made by the surrounding people. Everyone needs something to blame for their misfortune. So - Raven Spire around where we are, and we must travel North to..." Her hands traces a line on the map as it searches for something, anything, in the North. "This must be it" She mutters as she finally finds a small dot. "Falk. I've never heard of the place, although that may be a good sign. The few places North that I recognize certainly aren't a small, frozen village." She looks at you, a warm smile forming on her lips. "Shall we go to Falk, Champion of Virtue?"
Your sword smashes diagonally through the Gold-Clad Skeleton's torso, shattering it. The skeleton falls, it's head rolling along the ground and resting directly at your feet; it feels as though it's looking up at you. Make her keep that promise deGrey
Erhart feels a cool hand placed on his cheek. I knew you could do it...my Champion. Light returns to the room, and the chiming of bells stops. Where Olaf once stood is coiled a simple metal chain around a small Oaken Chest.
Erhart (16): Erhart charges Olaf's Burning Skeleton, slamming into him quite hard. He feels the bones rattle beneath his blow and hears a sharp crack. The burning heat of Olaf's Skeleton singes Erhart dealing .
"Kek-Kek-Kek-Kek!" Olaf's Skeleton roars, it's lower jaw clacking sickeningly against it's upper skull. Erhart (16): Intense heat radiates off of Olaf's Skeleton dealing
You hear a soft, bell-like sound - as though far in the distance. Before your eyes the room begins to grow darker, and darker. The darkness seems to have no effect on your own vision, however you feel Hilde and Geoffry reach out and brush you, as though reassuring themselves that you are still there. "I thought it was still well before night..."Olaf muses. You feel Hilde shivering beside you, "The Shadows - they are so cold.." The solemn tolling of the bell grows louder and louder - now as if you are in front of a cathedral. A woman, cloaked in glowing robes walks out from where the statue sits, "Erhart, my Champion, I thank you for volunteering to return to the mortal coil. You have always shown great faith, and for that I endeavor to reward you." She smiles softly at you, before her eyes shift slowly; first to Hilde, to whom she also smiles and nods slightly, then to Geoffry and his mother, whom she seems to notice but mostly passes over. She finally settles her eyes on Olaf as her face turns impassive. Olaf glares at Her, a look of disgust on his face, "Now you show yourself - to him!? I asked and I asked, I prayed and I prayed, and STILL YOU DE--" Olaf is suddenly cut off as a golden chain wrap itself tightly around his neck. You can see blood starting to seep from around it's loops. Erharts eyes follow the chain all the way to it's anchor, in the Lady's hand. "Strength for one's self is not a Virtue you should keep locked in your heart. Greed, Envy, and Pride are all I see locked away in your heart Olaf the Golden. I will give you a chance to recant your sins, devote yourself, and regain your honor. One chance." Her words are cold and her mouth is a hard line, however her eyes are warm and almost comforting. The skin under the golden chain starts to glow and looks almost flaky, glowing red lines start to spider web out from where the chain has been wrapped around his neck and his skin turns black. "I'd rather burn in the Nine Hells." Olaf manages to spit with the last of his breath, blood starting to pool in the corners of his mouth. Her expression turns sorrowful, "I am sorry." She pulls the chain taunt, and suddenly Olaf's skin starts to crack as fire starts to burn from inside his body. Olaf screams as he gets pulled forward, but it's as though his skin refuses to come with him, and you can see blackened, cracked bones being ripped forward by the chain. Soon a Skeleton wrapped in the Lady's Chain steps forth, as Olaf's skin crumples into ashes and is blown away by a slight breeze. Erhart watches as the chain falls limp and slowly crawls up the Skeleton, melting onto it's blackened bones, plating it in gold. There is a small pause as the Skeleton stands still that is broken by it's skull suddenly looking up and staring at Erhart, it's eyes aflame. Hilde jumps backward, acting surprisingly quickly, grabbing Geoffry and his mother. She chants a small prayer as she quickly scrawls a chalk line around them, surrounding herself in symbols and words. You can hear a small bell chime and see a great aura of sunlight surround the group. "I am sorry my champion, but my comrades doubt your devotion to my and mine. I did my best to attest to your nature, alas - I am not as...prominent...as I once was. Prove to them that you are worthy, and be granted power." She glides closer to Erhart, whispering in his ear, "As you have faith in me, I have faith in you." You feel a hand hold your cheek for a moment, and then you feel Her presence leave.
Olaf's Skeleton (7):The Skeleton stares hard at Erhart before giving a strange roaring sound. A Longsword start to form in it's grasp, made from many broken bits of metal that seem to be stitching themselves together in it's outstretched hand. In it's other hand an overturned table flys into it's grasp, seeming to form into a shield in midair. The Skeleton widen's it's stance as though in preparation for Erhart's onslaught.
Erhart and the pilgrims ascend the stairs moving purposefully. Reaching the top, the group proceeds to the Eastern Wing and to a small room towards the far end. Inside of the room there is a small statue in the center towards the back on a makeshift alter. Scattered around are a few broken peices of furniture. This is certainly the room you remember, however it seems to have lost much of its luster over the years. Hilde let's out a small, sad sigh, and Olaf snorts back a small laugh.
Hilde nods thoughtfully, "Yes, I have heard of such a shrine, although I am uncertain of it's location." Erhart seems to remember there being a shrine in the East Wing off of the upper Foyer, at the end of the hallway. It was a nice enough shrine, however not prominently used by those stationed in the keep.
"Champion of Souna? HA! I was her champion once, and look were it's landed me. Trust me deGrey, don't follow gods so willingly." Olaf's smirk has completely disappeared, replaced with a scowl. He spits the name Souna as though it were a curse. Hilde moves forward, a look of contempt clouding her face "Ignore the blasphemer; had he an ounce the grace you have Sir, he would doubtless have fallen despite it. Greed is not a Virtue, and Olaf the Golden seems to have forgotten that." Fury flashes over Olaf's face as he turns to move towards the nest, removing himself from Hilde's sight. "We are on a pilgrimage, of sorts. It was naught a week ago that I received a flash, a vision, of a buried Castle. Within this buried Castle was a thing made of shadows, it felt...vile." Hilde shudders a bit before continuing, the memory obviously quite haunting, "However, the Shadow was searching for something when Lady Souna herself appeared. She raised her hand and light blew through the Shadowy beast, removing all the darkness, leaving nothing but a man crowned by the Light of the Lady Herself. Then, as if a bird, I flew far above the Castle and up to the North and the West, far far away. Over trees, and grasslands, until the Earth grew Cold, and I could see the Dusk Sea on the horizon. It was in this place of far cold that a small town was. It looked Frozen, as though waiting for the Warmth and Light." Hilde looks wistfully to a space just past you. " When I awoke from my dreams, I felt an urge to find this sunken Castle and lead the Shadow Crowned in Light to to Frozen Town in the North." Hilde nods and smiles as she turns to meet your gaze, "Being a request from the Virtuous Lady, I felt it necessary to bring any members of the Church who wished to. We were once a congregation of five strong, but Oswald passed on the journey to this Castle. Now it is but us four - although I hardly would count Olaf as a participating member of this congregation any longer." Olaf comes stumbling out of the nest, holding a small leather bag. He tosses it to Erhart. "Your cut Champion. He moves back together with the group, "Hilde's right though, I could hardly call myself a member of the clergy; With my sword broken, my shield battered, my dagger dulled, my bow bent, my armor crumpled, my horse slain, and my gold depleted I fought on. Olaf the Golden, Champion of Souna, Hero of Portach, Slayer of Trine, Tamer of Broken Spear, Master of the Hard Edge - you would have thought me the perfect servant. BAH!" Olaf spits sourly, "To the Nine Hells with it all. Souna the Virtuous - more like Souna the Selfish. I'd rather-" "ENOUGH!" Hilde bellows, cutting off Olaf as she slaps him clean across the cheek. Olaf makes a hurt face at the old woman, "Please forgive me, but my good looks are all I have left, try not to hit the face would you?" Then he saunters off towards the stairs and sits, counting the coins in another leather bag he holds in his hands.
Olaf only half listens, a smirk on his face. He goes to swing his club down anyway, trying to rip it from Erhart's grip in the process
"Warrior! I have not often met one as strong as you. It takes much to stay my bl - uhh...club." He finishes weakly. He nods for Erhart to release the club.
Before Erhart has much of a chance to answer he feels a sudden weight thrown against his legs. He's able to keep his balance well enough, considering his strength, but it is enough to give him a jolt. Looking down Erhart sees the young child clasped tightly to one of his legs, the child's eyes are alight and he is smiling very widely up at Erhart, giggling. His mother runs over trying to coax him away from the newly risen paladin. "Come Geoffry, we do not even know this man. It is uncomely for you to be acting as such. The boy, Geoffry, seems to be unyielding in his efforts to hold onto Erhart.
Kobold Gang (15+): The Kobold being accosted by the man drops his sling and grabs the shaft of his spear, readying it to fight off his assailant. The second Sling Kobold looks neverously between Erhart and the Man, finally settling on a target he whips up his sling, sending a stone flying to Erhart but the stone thuds harmlessly against his armor, the Kobold whimpers.
The man strides over to the Kobold he had downed himself and kicks it over. With the Kobold facing up, he places a boot on his chest and raises his club high. The Elderly woman yells "Olaf - NO!"
The man quickly scoops up his fallen club and moves up to stand just behind you. "Ha-HA! A fellow Champion of the Righteous!" He claps you on the shoulder and gestures with his club to the Kobolds, "Now you lizards got something to fear! I'll use your hides as a bag!" The 'Lead' Kobold narrows it's eyes at Erhart. "You ssstandsss in my nessst and help tHE DIRTSSS MONKEYSSS!?" It hisses in rage and screams in the same hissing language that you don't understand. Immediately two of the Kobolds pull up their slings and start whipping them around their head. A third Kobold brace's it's spear, hissing widely. The 'Lead' Kobold stands in the back, and you catch a glint of daggers held in it's hand. Kobold Gang (15+): The two Sling Kobolds with slings let loose with their stones, one misses it's target but the other connects solidly with the Man behind you doing damage. The Spear Kobold charges Erhart landing a good hit against him, doing damage. The Dagger Kobold moves off towards it's nest, moving out of view and into the nest.
You feel 4 evil presences in the room, one of them stands out from the rest - but by a very small margin. Their aura does not feel particularly noteworthy as it barely even registers to you.
The air in the room is completely still as your voice rings out from the side door. A moment of silence grows as heads turn to look in your direction, some slower than others. The stockier Kobold narrows it's eyes at you. It hisses something to it's comrades and they shrug there shoulders and make sounds of confusion. The man is the first to pipe up, "Hail Warrior! Help me to smite these scale-skins here and there's money in it for you." The elderly woman shoots him a look but says nothing as her gaze turns back warily to the Kobolds. The Kobold that has been doing all the talking whips it's head back to the man, but seems to still be talking to you. "The filthiesss dirt monkeysss should have stayed in their dirt homesss." Another of the Kobolds starts to cackle cruely, "'Cosss they eatss dirt they have no homesss." He whips his sling up and around his head , causing the woman behind the pillar to wrap her arms tight around her child and the man to drop his club - to which the Kobold cackles some more. The child, a young boy of around 10, stares at you wide eyed, with seemingly no sense of how much danger he is in.
You feel the presence of evil within the room.
Past the door is a large room, circular in shape. It seems to be some sort of grand entryway. To the left are elegant stairs leading up to a landing that wraps around the entirety of the room with other doors on the upper level. Straight ahead is another door similar to the one you just opened. To the right you see giant doors that have been knocked inward by rocks, dirt, and debris completely blocking what you would assume was once the entrance to this sprawling mass of hallways. Toward the center of the room, closer to the stairway, you see a small band of what seem to be travelers. There is a tall man with broad shoulders holding a club in one hand, and a torch in the other - providing them an adequate amount of light. Behind and slightly off to the side of the man is an elderly woman in dramatic robes of bright reds, golds, and yellows - looking almost as though she is on fire. Well behind both of them and cowering behind some fallen columns are a woman and a child. The child seems to be putting on a brave face and has a thick looking stick in his hand, the mother is trying to pull him back further to the relative safety of the column. In front of them and back towards the collapsed door, to your right, is a gang of short, reptilian creatures - Kobolds. One of the Kobolds looks a bit stockier than the rest, and you hear it yelling "GET OUT! FILTHIESSS, MONKIESSSS! GET OUT OR DIE!!! *Hisss*" It then barks a few things in a language unknown to you. The rest of the gang cackle with delight in a high-pitched giggle - similar to that of a hyena. They seem to be standing in an aggressive stance, however none of them have pounced. Behind them you can see what looks like a nest of sorts, although it's contents allude you completely. Kobold Gang (15+):The Kobolds are busy laughing at Kobold jokes and preparing their slings.
Perception (DC 12):
You notice a symbol hanging from the elderly woman's neck. It is instantly recognizable as a sun encircled by chains, the symbol of Souna. Perception (DC 15):
You also notice, although faded with age, that the man has the same symbol tattooed on his upper arm. It looks quite old, although the man doesn't seem particularly aged. Nest (Perception DC 18): Half burried in the nest seem to be eggs of some sort, and you can barely make out the small snout of a young Kobold.
As you move through the second floor it is quite easy for you to find necessary provisions. The fortress looks unkept, but not completely abandoned. Some cook fires contain still warm embers, and some of the beds look as though they have been slept in recently. At the end of the long hallway there is a large wooden door, on the other side you can hear sounds of fighting.
Rats(9): The rats seem to have an aversion to the bright light eminating from your blade and they scurry back and try to hide behind debris.
Much of the second floor seems to be made of living quarters of some kind, quite possibly guard barracks that have long since gone unused. You search your memories for what the chapel might have been, if you had to guess it would have been a room for silent meditation and prayer for the invocation of whomever the room had been dedicated to; in this case the tomb you crawled out of. You vaguely remember the existence of such a room in Ravormfeld, and as you begin to search this floor you start to realize with a sinking heart that this is the Ravormfeld you remember, although it is long abandoned.
You suddenly see two dark shapes dark out between your legs, they nip at you but do nothing. Standing before you are two rather large rats, and they look as though they haven't eaten for a while.
Rats(9): Both take a nip at Erharts legs, hoping to try and tear off a small hunk of flesh , however both don't manage to do anything much.
You have an easy time of it as you climb up into the upper levels. As you climb you notice that although you could enter the second level, the rubble actually comes from further up, you think it looks safe enough that you could keep climbing if you wanted. Looking out of a sunken window you can see what looks to be the top of a dome, around the same area that the chapel you woke up in would have been. You are surprised to see that the lower-floor looks mostly sunken into the earth below it, as the domed roof of the chapel could easily be climbed onto from the ground around it. It's around early morning, with the sun having just fully risen over the horizon and continuing it's steady climb upwards.
You notice that the sword you hold is most assuredly your own, however the armor you currently wear looks like you were hurriedly dressed in spare armor that wasn't beaten and broken before being entombed. Luckily it would appear that the sealed marble has done well enough to preserve the gear, even if it is a bit old. As you enter the hallway you notice that the darkness seems to have no effect on your ability to see. You had naturally reacted at first by opening your eyes wide in preparation for the darkness, but quickly found that this room feels just as bright as the last. The place looks abandoned, and you can easily see signs of aging. Some spots are missing stones, others are cracked. The floor runner is in tatters. Some of it looks as though there might have been a fire at one point, and you can see elaborate candle holders, lanterns, and chandeliers that have fallen to the floor ages ago, or have otherwise burnt out. At the end of the hallway you see it branch left and right. The left looks as though it has collapsed in, with one of the walls sunken and buckled and the roof haven broken down. It looks as though you may be able to climb the rubble and reach the upper floor. You do notice that there seems to be dirt and tree roots protruding from the buckled wall. To the right is another hallway that ends with double doors. They look to be made of a very solid, very dark, wood and are barred from the inside.
Dawn breaks it's way past the tattered remains of a curtain, casting it's small light upon a large marble tomb in the center of a rather ornate room. The room is large and hexagonal in shape. By way of the broken, rotting furniture and withering tapestries the room might once have been some sort of chapel. The tomb is enscribed with mostly faded text, only a small line of text can be made out from the rest; ...of The Virtuous Hero.... Suddenly, with a resounding *Crack* the tomb splits open revealing a decomposed corpse within. An airy voice floats through the room, "Tch. Now that just won't do." Slowly the corpse starts to shudder as it's bones begin to regain their original shape, and loose flesh starts to knit itself back together. Another voice cuts through the room, almost sounding disdainful. "At least it will do for our purposes, now be done with it." A second after the voice fades the corpse slowly rises out of it's tomb and a dark miasma surrounds it. The lifeless eyes flick open as the corpse becomes animated. "Rise my champion, and be born anew." the first voice announces, the sound reverberating around the whole room. A bright light appears above the newly made zombie. It starts to grow bright and burn with an intense heat as it slowly descends, moving into the vile creature. With a startling shriek the zombie is engulfed in light and fire, which slowly grows dimmer and dimmer, leaving the zombie floating in midair - a peculiarly bright light where it's eyes should have been. The zombie gradually becomes less corpse like, until - to the unobservant eye, it would be passably human. It falls to the ground with a dull thud. "Come my awakened Champion, grasp your sword and shield and once again serve me until the end of an age." A door to the back of the room flies open, revealing a ruined hallway that advances into the dark.
Welcome to An Age of Embers, a Pathfinder campaign that will be loosely based off of Dark Souls. Check out the Campaign info tab for character generation breakdown as well as general setting info. Most info you will find out as you play, but I'll tell you what you know at the moment and feel free to ask any questions you may have.
It appears to be back up, although you might already know this.
@Azalea I replied to your question in the other thread @Adria This will be the first campaign I have ran on these boards that were open to recruitment. I was going to run another campaign for a few friends, but unfortunately it fell through. @Henry Don't worry too much, Sunday Night is when recruitment closes and selections are made, hopefully that's enough time for you to get your internet back! @Joshua I have replied to you as well.
Sorry for my delay in replying, I hadn't been able to access the thread for most the day due to some error, although I'm not sure if everyone else had that same problem. Tools of your trade is any item that you would personally have/own that is a staple requirement of your job. For a Blacksmith it's tools and work clothes, for a Librarian maybe they own a few rare books. It was assumed that you have a place to live (for some this most likely will double as your place of business) and living necessities. The gold I will be giving you in game and in character creation will represent your "disposable" income. I didn't really want to turn this whole game into a giant bookkeeping problem with budgeting your characters/families day-to-day living and rent, so I was just going to assume you already "pay" for that. That being said, necessary living items are only available to you within Bastrop so any traveling fees will come from your GP. If you all would rathrer bookkeep we can do that as well, but I thought it might just be a hassle and it'd be easier to just say "This 150 gp is assumed as your Net reward" rather than "Here's your 150 gp, now did you pay your rent this week?"
I see no problem with this, as long as he doesn't just simply answer a question and return to sitting in meditation.
Any race from Core and the ARG, and yes just those classes
Yes, this campaign puts you in the place of the regular men and women in a little village, so we will be sticking to NPC classes. I'm really enjoying the submissions so far and I'm glad to see so many excited by the idea.
I promised a day, and here it is I hope I didn't drag this interest check out too long and lose some of you in the process! I'll keep this thread alive for a bit longer to make sure the word gets out, but now you have actual campaign information which is always nice.
Hello, Recently I've had this idea of a "heroic" campaign running through my head, people using their wits, charm, and brawn in order to hurl themselves onto the forefront of history in the making. Then the thought occurred "What if it were just simple people, trying to do something great and live their life?" You are naught but the common folk, just trying to get by in the crazy world we all live in. Do you help the plight of your fellow men, or do you ignore it all as life passes you by? Will your town ever grow in stature, or will you simply be left behind to wither in the dust and poverty? Welcome to A Village Tale. Recruitment will be open until Sunday May 4th, so just under a week, and I'm looking for around 4-5 players. All necessary character generation information is under the Campaign Info tab. This campaign is going to be less about combat and more about RP and clever use of skills. If you have any questions or concerns, or even requests of what you would like to see just post away and I'll help any way I can!
OOC discussions, questions, comments, concerns, requests, etc. Let it all out here!
Wow, apparently the bump did itself justice. I'm going to go ahead and make this thread inactive tonight and repost this campaign with a more formal name, actual recruiting thread, and all necessary setting and character creation info. I promise to have it up by tomorrow. (My apologies to you Adria seeing as you already posted it here!) I hope to see you all there!
Although I think it's too early to call this, it doesn't seem to be an idea with much steam behind it. I'll wait it out a bit longer, maybe a quick bump will see some action?
So I was thinking of a campaign where we don't run heroes, we don't slay dragons or stop armies with a wave of our hand; what about the people in the background? The dirt farmer drafted to the war, the militia protecting the town from 3 goblins, the volunteers just trying to help get supplies down the trade route? Roughly the game would be a 15 point buy, only NPC classes (excluding the Aristocrat and the Commoner), and very little starting gold. We would start somewhere around level 2-4, I'd rather not just do a level 1 meat grinder right away. Feats would be gained at levels as normal, but would have to be earned in game, same with skill ranks. I.E you went to the forest after work every day for a few weeks working out how to cleave through stumps/sticks before you could do it every time without fail. This game is less about the "Grand Adventure" and more about "How do these people even live?" It's not a dungeon crawl, or a rescue mission for a Princess, it's more of finding out the local farmer is out of seed and the only source is through the forest. Any questions, or comments, or if it just doesn't sound interesting let me know.
The room is small and uncomfortable with a large table and chairs taking up most of it. On the left wall there is a single window that looks out to the sprawling city of Tarn below. In the far distance The Wall looms. You are all seated at the table with a small folder set in front of each of you. You recognize some of the people around you from your academy days, except for one man. He seems slimmer than the rest of you and almost like he doesn't quite belong here. It's uncomfortably silent in the room, and the only light is the natural light pouring in from the window. Inside the Folder:
Inside the folder is a two sheets of paper. The first is a very basic ADMIN memorandum congratulating you all on your recent graduation from the Academy and informs you all of your new living arrangements. You have room and board for as long as you remain within the city you are currently assigned. Since you are not part of a formally recognized ADMIN Team yet, you living-quarters will be in the dormitories found at your current ADMIN Outpost, and your meals will be provided for you in the cafeteria. The second piece of paper explains your current assignment. The local militia have noticed a new drug raising on the market. They have repeatedly tried to find the culprit but to no avail, it's as though every time they get close all traces of the operation simply disappear. They have requested ADMIN's help in the matter. ADMIN's official stance on this matter is that it is simply the poor skills of the militia that are leading to this investigation going south, however they can afford to send a small team to investigate. It is noted that your team's pay will be 500 gold, plus reparations of any equipment lost or damaged.
The door to the room opens up and a short man strides in. The man is around 4' 9" and close to 175 lbs. He's chewing a cigar that's barley larger than a nub at this point, and doesn't seem to be lit anymore. He gets the the center front of the room, turns on his heels, and looks at the group of you. "Alrigh', I'm to be yerr C.O. until such a time that you can take care o' yerr-selfs. I am Sergeant Root. You may call me either Sir, Sergeant, or just Root is fine. I assume you have all seen yerr assignmen'. Any questions?"
This is the discussion thread, all questions, comments, concerns will be handled here. Also we can just hang out and talk about things that are not the game too I suppose. |
