Post by David on Aug 7, 2008 13:30:38 GMT -5
Black Robe (with the blessing of the spirits of Charn) gave the heroes (Ichi, Torr, Maedhros, Kyron, and Idky) two more days to rest and recover from their previous victory over the undead. The 24th passed without incident. Black Robe visited the local tribe of Lakota, returning with a neophyte shaman, SittingBeaver. His command of Common was sufficient for all of the heroes to understand him and he seemed quite personable. The new shaman had volunteered to accompany the party so as to help train Kyron as well as deal with the gate to Charn, in the form of the Queen's life blood.
On the 25th, the heroes had a visitor. Moorak Drake teleported to the site with a very-pregnant, dark-haired woman, Kyron's wife, Samandra. The shaman-in-training was overjoyed to see her and they moved away from the group to talk. Moorak asked Black Robe if he would mind if Kyron spent a few hours with his family on the first day of Yule celebration. He also offered to bring Torr, but the paladin did not want to abandon Black Robe. Moorak returned Kyron around noon time, the former-ranger having obtained healing salves, herbs, and goodberries for the party.
That evening the heroes had another visitor. Over the weeks, Black Robe had used his dream messages to contact other Flan shaman, in order to seek help protecting the region around Tovag Baragu. One of those shaman, a Huron from the mountains, sent a totemic warrior, Low Dog, to support Black Robe's mission. Kyron immediately greeted the man warmly, having spent most of his childhood among Huron tribes. The two men shared the identity of their spirit guides (Low Dog's lizard and Kyron's buffalo).
During all this time, Maedhros was staying within the mages' tower on Charn, penning spells into his spell book. The half-elf noticed that beginning on the 24th, the remaining undead in town begin to return to the streets, but the ghouls were in larger packs now. On the morning of the 26th, he noticed three new buildings in town, in the middle of the great iron road. The northern-most building was black and strangely shaped with lumps and a very active chimney, while the two behind it were both very close to one another and freshly painted in scarlet. The cleric / mage climbed onto Vedma, his magical broom, and flew back to Deer Leap Hill. He did a pass around the new buildings, spying a number of zombies dressed in pristine scarlet finery and standing at attention. As the half-elf approached the gate, he saw a number of undead waiting to ambush the heroes as they came through. Maedhros landed and turned two shadows, which fled into the field-of-view of the heroes back on Oerth...
Torr and SittingBeaver charged through the gate, followed immediately by Ichi and Low Dog. As they did this, Maedhros turned two more shadows and another five ghouls, leaving five ghouls left with which to battle! Low Dog was hit immediately and paralyzed. Torr moved to shield Sitting Beaver, who stabbed over the paladin's shoulder. Idky moved to protect Low Dog, but the ghouls slashed him open, crippling the cleric's left leg. Maedhros attempted to turn again (over Torr's protests), but failed, so the heroes battled the remaining ghouls. Kyron came through the gate with Dart and Ahusaka, taking time to steady the yearling hippogriff. The shaman-in-training managed to hit a ghoul with an arrow, while Ichi destroyed another. The party finished off the remaining ghouls, Ichi accounting for three, although in the process Maedhros' left hand was ripped open.
SittingBeaver set about tending to the wounded with his medicine herbs, instructing Kyron in how to use them. Torr asked his cousin to shoot an arrow at the turned ghouls fleeing in the distance, but the rest of the party shouted the paladin down.
Maedhros on Vedma, Kyron on Ahusaka, and the now-healed Idky on his own wings, flew around the new buildings in a wide arc staying well over 100' above them. The group tried to ascertain the nature of these new structures, confused by zombies in military finery standing at attention around a line of new structures. When the undead spied the heroes, the lead zombie tossed a silver ball in the air -- a powerful female voice called out, "Greetings heroes! I wish to speak with you!"
The fliers returned and the whole party headed down to the new buildings. After a short hike into town, the group spied a fair-haired man in tattered finery, watching the three new buildings. The man heard the group's approach and spun around. Torr marched out to speak with him after not sensing any evil. The paladin introduced himself awkwardly, learning the man was a native of Charn named Marius. The two returned to the cover of the rest of the party and compared what they knew. Marius was looking for his sister and worried about the undead. After securing a promise from Torr to help him learn of his sister's fate, Marius agree to accompany the party.
The group decided to go out and speak with the undead. SittingBeaver convinced the young paladin to not be rash or charge headlong into battle when a greater evil could be defeated, using the man's philosophy against him. Thus, Torr, Ichi, quickly joined by Marius, presented themselves. The lead zombie drew forth another silver sphere and tossed this into the air. Suddenly, a monochromatic, female, eight-foot tall image composed of light appeared. The woman worn a fine white gown, with darker (red?) hair and a shining circlet on her brow. She spoke:
The heroes fell back to consider what to do next. Do they trust her? Do they find their own way? What will they do...?
On the 25th, the heroes had a visitor. Moorak Drake teleported to the site with a very-pregnant, dark-haired woman, Kyron's wife, Samandra. The shaman-in-training was overjoyed to see her and they moved away from the group to talk. Moorak asked Black Robe if he would mind if Kyron spent a few hours with his family on the first day of Yule celebration. He also offered to bring Torr, but the paladin did not want to abandon Black Robe. Moorak returned Kyron around noon time, the former-ranger having obtained healing salves, herbs, and goodberries for the party.
That evening the heroes had another visitor. Over the weeks, Black Robe had used his dream messages to contact other Flan shaman, in order to seek help protecting the region around Tovag Baragu. One of those shaman, a Huron from the mountains, sent a totemic warrior, Low Dog, to support Black Robe's mission. Kyron immediately greeted the man warmly, having spent most of his childhood among Huron tribes. The two men shared the identity of their spirit guides (Low Dog's lizard and Kyron's buffalo).
During all this time, Maedhros was staying within the mages' tower on Charn, penning spells into his spell book. The half-elf noticed that beginning on the 24th, the remaining undead in town begin to return to the streets, but the ghouls were in larger packs now. On the morning of the 26th, he noticed three new buildings in town, in the middle of the great iron road. The northern-most building was black and strangely shaped with lumps and a very active chimney, while the two behind it were both very close to one another and freshly painted in scarlet. The cleric / mage climbed onto Vedma, his magical broom, and flew back to Deer Leap Hill. He did a pass around the new buildings, spying a number of zombies dressed in pristine scarlet finery and standing at attention. As the half-elf approached the gate, he saw a number of undead waiting to ambush the heroes as they came through. Maedhros landed and turned two shadows, which fled into the field-of-view of the heroes back on Oerth...
Torr and SittingBeaver charged through the gate, followed immediately by Ichi and Low Dog. As they did this, Maedhros turned two more shadows and another five ghouls, leaving five ghouls left with which to battle! Low Dog was hit immediately and paralyzed. Torr moved to shield Sitting Beaver, who stabbed over the paladin's shoulder. Idky moved to protect Low Dog, but the ghouls slashed him open, crippling the cleric's left leg. Maedhros attempted to turn again (over Torr's protests), but failed, so the heroes battled the remaining ghouls. Kyron came through the gate with Dart and Ahusaka, taking time to steady the yearling hippogriff. The shaman-in-training managed to hit a ghoul with an arrow, while Ichi destroyed another. The party finished off the remaining ghouls, Ichi accounting for three, although in the process Maedhros' left hand was ripped open.
SittingBeaver set about tending to the wounded with his medicine herbs, instructing Kyron in how to use them. Torr asked his cousin to shoot an arrow at the turned ghouls fleeing in the distance, but the rest of the party shouted the paladin down.
Maedhros on Vedma, Kyron on Ahusaka, and the now-healed Idky on his own wings, flew around the new buildings in a wide arc staying well over 100' above them. The group tried to ascertain the nature of these new structures, confused by zombies in military finery standing at attention around a line of new structures. When the undead spied the heroes, the lead zombie tossed a silver ball in the air -- a powerful female voice called out, "Greetings heroes! I wish to speak with you!"
The fliers returned and the whole party headed down to the new buildings. After a short hike into town, the group spied a fair-haired man in tattered finery, watching the three new buildings. The man heard the group's approach and spun around. Torr marched out to speak with him after not sensing any evil. The paladin introduced himself awkwardly, learning the man was a native of Charn named Marius. The two returned to the cover of the rest of the party and compared what they knew. Marius was looking for his sister and worried about the undead. After securing a promise from Torr to help him learn of his sister's fate, Marius agree to accompany the party.
The group decided to go out and speak with the undead. SittingBeaver convinced the young paladin to not be rash or charge headlong into battle when a greater evil could be defeated, using the man's philosophy against him. Thus, Torr, Ichi, quickly joined by Marius, presented themselves. The lead zombie drew forth another silver sphere and tossed this into the air. Suddenly, a monochromatic, female, eight-foot tall image composed of light appeared. The woman worn a fine white gown, with darker (red?) hair and a shining circlet on her brow. She spoke:
Greetings great heroes! I, Queen Sidra of Belvar, Emperess of Charn, thank and salute you for your excellent work! Vile rebels corrupted the magics of my great sky navy and used them to rain death and destruction upon Caspar and Belvar alike. Using the powerful spells at my disposal, I have limited the scope of this destruction, but was unable to end the rampage over so great a distance. You, however, have accomplished this wonderous task and for that, I thank you and wish to reward you. I fear our world has great need of heroes such as you, for these renegades have used fell sorceries to conjure unnatural foes. These enemies have plunged both Caspar and Belvar into chaos, threatening our very way of life. In light of this crisis, I have ended the war between our two peoples and rule alone only until my neice, Aurora, can be found. Meanwhile, now is the time to act! While I have snuffed out the authors of this massacre, their minions yet remain. Together, however, we can put things aright. Working in unison, we can destroy these thinking undead and end the bloodshed! I have many magical treasures here in the palace, items which could greatly aid us in our noble quest. What's more, I wish to personally thank you, our saviors, and entrust you with lands, titles, and wealth commensurate with your accomplishments. I entreat you then to board my Royal Carriage and allow my servants to transport you Clavell. Here, we may gather our strength and work together to make Charn the paradise it should be.
The heroes fell back to consider what to do next. Do they trust her? Do they find their own way? What will they do...?