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Beowulf
Learned Scribe
Canada
322 Posts |
 Posted - 06 Jul 2004 : 16:39:53
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Well met!
Of the warrior named Tyros it is said that he was born in the slums of Calaunt in the year 1343 DR. The bastard son of a tavern-maid and a visiting merchant from Sembia, his early years were spent learning how to survive on the rough and merciless streets of his hometown, and by the time he had entered his teens the lad was already becoming an accomplished pick pocket, burglar, and thug.
At the age of 14 it came to pass that Tyros arrove home to find three Calauntian soldiers in the process of raping his mother. He was quickly beaten down and left to watch her eventual death at their hands, but before the drunken soldiers could turn on him, the lad escaped; fleeing down to the nearby docks and stowing away onboard a merchant vessel preparing to set out to sea.
And so it was that Tyros left behind the dirt, hardships, and oppression of Calaunt ... only to be discovered and sold into slavery within the walls of Zhentil Keep. However, as luck would have it, the kindly Lord Orgauth of Zhentil Keep witnessed an altercation between the fledgling and a slaver (a shrewd blow that sent the slaver sprawling, and ensured a merciless beating), and so admired the lads "pluck" that he purchased him.
Under Orgauth's patronage, the young man grew strong and shrewd, learning swordsmanship from the finest swordmasters money could buy, and of commerce and leadership in long drawn out discussions and debates with Orgauth himself. And so it was that Orgauth came to regard Tyros as something of a son; granting the young Calauntian his freedom at the age of 18.
Soonafter, Tyros joined the Zhentilar, and served for two years at the Citadel of the Raven before being transfered (by request) to a lonely outpost in southeastern Daggerdale to act as a desert scout. It was here that Tyros, who had not taken very well to strict military regimentation, got invovled in a heated arguement with his commanding officer. As the arguement progressed, the C.O. refered to Orgauth as a penny-pilfering scoundrel. Tyros responded by breaking his nose. When all was said and done, the Calauntian found himself in a holding cell.
And so things remained for three weeks, when it happened that an advanced troop of Cormyrean Purple Dragons found the outpost and destroyed it; liberating it's few prisoners.
With war looming between Cormyr and Zhentil Keep over the fate of Daggerdale, Tyros drifted southward to Tilverton. Here he entered the service of the merchant Gilber Thond of the House of Thond, and eventually made his way to Arabel; where he and his new friends, the warriors Hrek of Daggerdale and Harmoth of Immersea, met the acquaintence of the street-wise, fast-talking Corwin of Arabel .... and eventually the diviner, Hector Sirus of Wheloon.
Tyros is a hard, practical, and not unintelligent. He see's Creation as being shaped and dominated by the force of hardship and destruction, and so impiously acknowledges Talos as the greatest of the gods. In recent years however, his deeds have greatly benefited the worship of Lathander; particualrly the Dawn Tower in Ordulin.
In regards to politics and power groups, Tyros is of the opinion that they are all equally dirty ..... it's just that some have better propaganda artists and spin-doctors than others. In the end, a Cormyr will seek to enforce it will as readily as a Zhentil Keep. And slavery is slavery regardless of the master.
Tyros is chaotic neutral (with good tendancies) and aspires to a life of freedom, adventure, and relative luxury in a stable world.
Tyros has very few magic items as he has a tendancy of giving them away when he finds an upgrade. And his upgrades have a tendancy of getting destroyed.
Str 17, Int 15, Wis 10, Dex 18, Con 15, Cha 14, Com 13 (14)
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"Ill tempered the wretch, who laughs at everyone. He cannot recognize, as he should, that he is not without faults." the High One, Poetic Edda |
Edited by - Beowulf on 10 Oct 2004 23:30:12
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Jerard Doonsay
Seeker
USA
65 Posts |
Posted - 14 Jul 2004 : 02:41:04
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| I've seen this, at least the begining, somewhere before. Maybe it was you somewhere else, all I know is that it is familiar. Any way, the end bit seems new, and it is all very interesting. I'm not sure what lvl your talking, but I may have some friends for him. But who knows. Anywho, very nice. |
May history live forever in the writings and stories of those who wish to tell them.
Please come and enjoy my website http://ferien.aribytes.org |
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brjr2001
Learned Scribe
106 Posts |
Posted - 14 Jul 2004 : 03:03:13
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| i know what you mean this sounds oddly fimiliar, have i threatened you before? lol j/k no have you played online somewhere? |
on second thought lets not go to candlekeep it is a silly place |
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Beowulf
Learned Scribe
Canada
322 Posts |
Posted - 14 Jul 2004 : 17:02:17
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Well met!
quote:
Originally posted by Jerard Doonsay
I've seen this, at least the begining, somewhere before. Maybe it was you somewhere else, all I know is that it is familiar. Any way, the end bit seems new, and it is all very interesting. I'm not sure what lvl your talking, but I may have some friends for him. But who knows. Anywho, very nice.
Thanks for the kind words! And indeed, I have posted blurbs about Tyros here and there in the past. Naturally, he is always on the look out for new contacts in different places, and the value of a true friend is immense, but a couple of his original adventuring buiddies still survive (no thanks to Hector the Diviner). Amongst these is the roguish historian/archeologist Corwin of Arabel. Of course, that country bumpkin, Ariovistus of Hlip is in a blue dragons belly somewhere in the Anauroch .... the reformd Daggerdalian Hrek of Lathander's skull is in the Darkhold and the rest of his remains are out on the Eastern Shaar .... and the wine and woman loving Harmoth of Immersea lays dead in the mountains north of High Horn. Good men.
As for the Corwin, Tyros, and Hector <spit>, they have just finished digging up Venominhandar's lair beneath Haptooth Hill, and are questing for the Green Orb of Dragonkind.
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"Ill tempered the wretch, who laughs at everyone. He cannot recognize, as he should, that he is not without faults." the High One, Poetic Edda |
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Dantrag
Learned Scribe
USA
141 Posts |
Posted - 18 Jul 2004 : 02:36:06
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| Does Tyros still work for Zhentil Keep in the end? By the way, good story... |
" The truth comes out only in bold and underlined" |
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Beowulf
Learned Scribe
Canada
322 Posts |
Posted - 19 Jul 2004 : 21:47:31
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quote:
Originally posted by Dantrag
Does Tyros still work for Zhentil Keep in the end? By the way, good story...
Nope. Tyros kinda called it quits with the Zhentilar the day he broke his CO's nose. He has been back to the Keep on a couple of occassions though, and has even helped Orgauth filter some "trade goods" (?) though Battledale and Sembia.
However, on his last trip to Zhentil Keep (fall/winter, 1371-72), he noticed that Orgauth was not exactly himself. And after completing a mission for "Orgauth" that came far to close to costing him his life, Tyros was quick to take his leave. He might be back ... in due time. |
"Ill tempered the wretch, who laughs at everyone. He cannot recognize, as he should, that he is not without faults." the High One, Poetic Edda |
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Beowulf
Learned Scribe
Canada
322 Posts |
Posted - 24 Jul 2004 : 01:51:22
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quote:
Originally posted by Beowulf
With war looming between Cormyr and Zhentil Keep over the fate of Daggerdale, Tyros drifted southward to Tilverton. Here he entered the service of the merchant Gilber Thond of the House of Thond, and eventually made his way to Arabel; where he and his new friends, the warriors Hrek of Daggerdale and Harmoth of Immersea, met the acquaintence of the street-wise, fast-talking Corwin of Arabel .... and eventually the diviner, Hector Sirus of Wheloon.
And so, after arriving in Arabel with (the disillusioned and bitter) Hrek and (the wine and women loving) Harmoth, Tyros and his fellow warriors undertook a couple of missions under the lead of Corwin of Arabel ... who fancied himself a historian and tomb-raider.
They were successful in these endeavors, and through their success, not to mention Corwin's mistreatment of the youthful street urchin, they came to the attention of one Drexle Hlanstad, the head of 1000 Shields Trading Arabellian operations. He had a couple of his men track the band down and bring them to him with promises of wealth.
And so, the band met with the merchant and were thus hired to track down an ex-employee who had stolen a number of costly items when he left 1000 Shields. This man's name was Zargoth, and in the course of their investigation they learned that he was no mere thief but a necromancer. And also that he had a tower secluded in the eastern reaches of thge Hulluck Forest.
Accompanied by Drexle's "new age" assistant, the charismatic and easy-going Bry'th, and the newly hired diviner Hector, they ventured out to said tower and there fought a great battle against Zargoth and his undead minions. When all was said and done, Zargoth was dead and the band stood victorious. The tower was then looted, with Bry'th claiming one or two artsy objects and a number of manuscripts, and the band claiming all else. They then returned to Arabel.
But a week after their return, Hector was summoned to Drexle's lavish abode. The elderly, hawknosed merchant engaged the aspiring diviner in chit-chat, offered him such luxuries as Chondathan wine, a puff or two on the lotus pipe, and then got around to offering him and "his" band a mission. It seemed that some of the objects they sought were still missing, but might have been stashed by Zargoth in another tower of his. According to the manuscripts Bry'th had collected, this tower sat in a valley immediately south of the Farsea Marsh, and only accessible through the marsh. With the promise of great rewards and impressive pay, Hector accepted the mission. And despite some moaning and complaining on Corwin's behalf, regarding the leadership of the band, his fellows were all in agreement.
And so, hiring three mercanaries (merc 1, merc 2, and merc 3 .... remember the old Star Trek?  ), and with Bry'th once again in tow, the band set out westward along the High Road.
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"Ill tempered the wretch, who laughs at everyone. He cannot recognize, as he should, that he is not without faults." the High One, Poetic Edda |
Edited by - Beowulf on 24 Jul 2004 02:01:28 |
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Beowulf
Learned Scribe
Canada
322 Posts |
Posted - 24 Jul 2004 : 07:06:09
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Well met!
Of Corwin it is known that he was born in the Cormyrean trade-city of Arabel in the year 1345 DR. His mother died in children birth, while his father was arrested for treason soon after the short reign of Gondegal in 1352 DR.
And so it was that Corwin was taken in by his father's friend and one time employer, Illastruth the Sage. While the lad was very independent and resourceful, spending more time then Illastruth approved of fending for himself on the streets of the caravan city, the learned old man nevertheless taught the lad how to read and write. He further fired the lad's imagination with tales of the Survivor States, the legacy of fabled Netheril, and instilled in him a great passion for history.
Corwin has grown into a roguish and adventuresome young man who loves wine and women almost as much as he does tales of ancient peoples and treasures. He stands just under 6', has a good athletic build, and his long brown hair is parted to the side. While not a pious man, neither is he impious, and he makes a habit of regularly visiting with local faiths and clergy; seeing them as good sources of information, and potential sources of employement. He aspires to one day lead an expedition into the Anauroch desert and unlock the secrets of Netheril.
Of Hrek of Daggerdale little is known other than that he was born in one of the small hamlets that dot the landscape of Daggerdale, that he has known the deep bite of betrayal from his very kin, and he see's no hope for a future for the people of Daggerdale. With the death of Randal Morn, he abandoned Daggerdale, and headed south for Tilverton.
Hrek is a man of few words, furrowed brow, and good looks. He stands over six feet tall, and is a big, paunchy man, whose muscle has not yet disappeared beneath his girth. He has long black hair, usually worn up in a bun, and a long well-groomed mustache. He acknowledges no god and does not let his gloomy disposition get in the way of his enjoyment of women, or their enjoyment of him. He is a grim combatant, with his prefered weapon being the heavy mace.
Of Harmoth it is known that he was born to a large kindred native to the Cormyrean town of Immersea, and enjoyed a relatively unspectacular upbringing. With word of a possible war brewing over the fate of Daggerdale, Harmoth left home and journeyed for Arabel to en list in the Purple Dragons. However, before he even made it to the barracks he got side tracked and fell into debt, a gambling debt, with the House of Thond and was thus put to work as a caravan guard.
Harmoth is a happy and out-going man of average appearance. He stands just over six feet tall and is slim and wirey, with a longish face, long sandy blonde hair, and brown eyes. He wields a longsowrd, has no regard for religion, and aspires to indulge himself in all the pleasures that life has to offer.
Of Hector it is known that he was born in the small town of Wheloon to a chamber maid and a fisherman, both in the service of the freedom loving, independent minded Lord Sarp Redbeard. Thanks to his mother, the good Lord Sarp arranged for the intelligent youth to be trained in the arts of divination by Odrosius the Learned. When the lad had learned all he could, Odrosius sent him forth into the world and he wandered northward to Arabel.
Hector is a man of slight frame and average appearance who aspires to one day be reckoned as great a mage as Elminster, whom his master would often talk about. Like Harmoth he is a compotent sailor and fisherman.
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"Ill tempered the wretch, who laughs at everyone. He cannot recognize, as he should, that he is not without faults." the High One, Poetic Edda |
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Beowulf
Learned Scribe
Canada
322 Posts |
Posted - 25 Jul 2004 : 01:01:47
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While passing through the town of Eveningstar, it so happened that Hector witnessed an altercation between a fat, drunk slob and a beautiful woman at a local tavern. Boldly going to her assistence, the stripling showed himself a capable pugalist, and thus came to meet the acquaintance of the stunning wizardress Yolandra, and her equally beautiful sword wielding friend, the quiet Glistra. The ladies quickly joined Hector at his table with the others, where they were eager to hear of the band’s mission. Explaining that they were down on their luck and far from home, Yolandra asked if she and her friend could join the band, and needless to say perhaps, the lads wholeheartedly agreed. Thus, began the romance between Hector and Yolandra.
Barely a day out of Eveningstar it came to pass that the band was accosted soon after sun down by a trio of Harpers and a handful of Purple Dragons. The leaders of this gang named themselves as DawnWarrior Arellius of Lathander, Pathfinder, and Sharanthra. They claimed that both Drexle and Bry’th were members of a foreign doomsday cult, and demanded that they hand Bry'th over into their custody for questioning. While Bry'th freely admitted worshipping a foreign god that was imported to the west soon after the Tuigan scare some years back, he denied that his cult of belief anything to do with destroying anyone. The ladies interceded on Bry'th's behalf, and accused his accusers of prejudice and bigotry. When the band backed Bry'th and refused to hand him over, a fight erupted. In the end, a number of Purple Dragons were left either dead or wounded, while the Harper's were set to flight.
Naturally, there was some grumbling amongst the members of the band and their hired mercs, but between the jibes of the women and Bry'th's insistence that, whatever the case, they were all in the same boat now, these were soon put to rest. And so the band sped with all haste through High Horn Pass until they at last reached the village and keep of Huthduth. And here the band remained for little over a day while Bry'th met with the Commander of the keep, Dammanzle the Strong. When Bry'th returned to them, they set off south along the High Road, but soon rode out into the marshy, mosquitoe infested Tunlands and soon began to head north again. According to Bry'th there was a village of swampers, but a couple days journey from ther present position. There they could hire guides and obtain the proper equipment and supplies for their journey.
And so it went, with the band securing themselves a guide in said village and setting out into the gods forsaken swamp. Just a few days into their journey, it came to pass that a ferocious storm rolled off of the Stormhorn Mountains and forced the band to take refuge in an old abandoned ruin they happened upon. Within the ruin, they awakened a black dragon of great age, who was less than pleased at the disturbance. Fortunately, it so happened that the equally frightened Bry’th understood the tongue of the wyrm. He greatly humbled himself before the beast, and sppke to it for along time, but ni the end he came away with news that Sha‘Harlegrauth, as it called itself, was young when the Survivor States were old and had long made it's home here in Moander's Marsh as it called it. It demanded a magic item from all who were in possession of such. It further demanded that the band out a relatively recent rival, the night eye, Grixgraxrix. In exchange for the continuence of their insignificant lives, the was to slay this pretender and return with it‘s treasure.
Thus it was that the band left their terrified porters and guide at the ruin, and both sought out and destroyed Grixgraxrix and it‘s bullywug minions. While many were badly injured, and Corwin left feebleminded, they returned with it's treasure to the lair of Sha'Harlegrauth.
Soon enough, the band collect its strength and recommenced with it's journey. Eventually, they reached the hidden valley spoken of in the manuscripts taken from Zargoth, and therein a building that had stood empty for at least a hundred years judging by the look of it. Bry’th offered no reasons for the tastes of a necromancer, and so the band penetrated into the ruin, where they were soon attacked by a spell-casting wraith calling itself Krellthyss. Before the band could launch a counter-attack, Bry’th called for the band to hold and brandished the strange amulet of a fiveheaded serpent that he wore. The wraith paused in recognition, and shrunk before the priest authority. He then began to question the restless spirit in the name of Tiamat ... about a man named Sammaster, about his destruction at the hands of the Twelve, and about a place called Harrowsmouth and the final resting place of both Sammaster's remains and something called a phylactery. Reluctantly, the well informed wraith answered all, but in the end it was overcome by it's hunger and attacked the band.
And so it was that the spirit of Krellthyss, ancient servant of the First Speaker of the Cult of the Dragon, was at last laid to rest.
Thence, the ruin was looted of the few scant treasures it held, and the band began the journey back to the swampers villiage. Most were perplexed about at the situation with Drexle and Bry’th, this “Cult of Tiamat” they apparently served, and their hand in the death of the King's men. Of them all, Tyros liked the situation the least, but he was quickly silenced when Bry'th revealed that Tyros was himself a ex-Zhentilar soldier. Of the others, Harmoth liked the welath thus far, but was otherwise lukewarm toward the idea of serving some crackpot cult, while Hrek, Hector, Yolandra, and Glistra took more of a sincere interest, and, noting their situation, began to question Bry’th muchly regarding the nature of the Cult and the benefits of membership.
As the band continued on it’s way through the swamp, Glistra, Hrek, and the halfwit merc. Airovistus of Hlip began to fall ill with fever and gastro-intestinal problems. And then it happened that one night, on Hector‘s watch, the band was ambushed by a number of bullywugs. They most certainly would have been destroyed if not for the timely intervention of a number of black skinned lizard men ... servants of Sha‘Harlegrauth. As it was, two of the hired warriors lay dead, along with half of the porters, while numerous others sat grievously wounded. Thus, when the last bullywug had fallen, and the nature of the lizard men was clear, Tyros turned on Hector. He chased the diviner down, and cut off three of his fingers.
Once order was restored, the lizard men helped the band carry it’s treasures and goods to the lair of their master, where Bry’th disappeared for a time to converse with the aged wyrm. When he at last emerged, most of the treasure they had hauled out of the Krellthyss’ lair was left behind, and they continued on their way.
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"Ill tempered the wretch, who laughs at everyone. He cannot recognize, as he should, that he is not without faults." the High One, Poetic Edda |
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Aldrick the Nightblade
Acolyte
37 Posts |
Posted - 26 Jul 2004 : 00:45:27
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| I have a question for the first story, did you take the gods Talos and Tyr, and make them into Tyros? Just asking, because it is a really great name... |
"Turn your face to the shadows, and let the sun fall behind you" |
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Beowulf
Learned Scribe
Canada
322 Posts |
Posted - 26 Jul 2004 : 17:08:10
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quote:
Originally posted by Aldrick the Nightblade
I have a question for the first story, did you take the gods Talos and Tyr, and make them into Tyros? Just asking, because it is a really great name...
Thanks! But I can't even say that name is my creation really. Well, okay, maybe I can, but there is a merchant named Taeros Bladesemmer in an old Waterdeep sourcebook. I developed him as an NPC years, upon years ago, and the name stuck with me, but I guess that amidst the fog of memory it came to look more like Tyros in recollection.
I like your idea though ... of a relation between Talos, and if not Grimjaws, then Torm. Talos representing the merciless storm of testing and ordeal, and Torm the human excellence and glory that emerges and shows itself off amidst the ugly strife.
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"Ill tempered the wretch, who laughs at everyone. He cannot recognize, as he should, that he is not without faults." the High One, Poetic Edda |
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Aldrick the Nightblade
Acolyte
37 Posts |
Posted - 26 Jul 2004 : 17:21:54
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| I'm actually thinking of a good name...how about Mystrane? |
"Turn your face to the shadows, and let the sun fall behind you" |
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Aldrick the Nightblade
Acolyte
37 Posts |
Posted - 26 Jul 2004 : 17:27:19
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The idea or tactic of mixing people's names for a new one is good , aye? Man....how do I come up with these things? |
"Turn your face to the shadows, and let the sun fall behind you" |
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Beowulf
Learned Scribe
Canada
322 Posts |
Posted - 26 Jul 2004 : 17:54:46
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quote:
Originally posted by Beowulf
Once order was restored, the lizard men helped the band carry it’s treasures and goods to the lair of their master, where Bry’th disappeared for a time to converse with the aged wyrm. When he at last emerged, most of the treasure they had hauled out of the Krellthyss’ lair was left behind, and they continued on their way.
The band at last arrove back at the village only to find a half dozen or more Purple Dragons awaiting their return. As it turned out, this gang was led by Dammanzle the Strong. He took Bry'th aside and informed him that Drexle, and indeed 1000 Shield's itself, had been forced out of Cormyr by the Crown. In fact, things were going poorly for their agents across Cormyr. Thus, Dammanzle and those loyal to him were to desert their post in Huthduth and accompany Bry'th, as well as his surviving mercs, down the High Road out of Cormyr. Ultimately they would hook up with Drexle in Elversult, and here the band would receive it's pay. When all was told, Bry'th relayed the infomration to the band. He further told them that if they remained loyal, there would be training, healing, festivities, and further oppurtunities for gianful employment once they reached Elversult.
Before the lot of them departed for Elversult, the priest obtained a scroll from Dammanzle's keeping and used it's power to heal Glistra, Hrek, and Airovistus of their illness. Of ocurse, Corwin remained a babbling idiot, and Hector a seven fingered man. And so, when all was done, they departed.
While the journey was relatively uneventful, there was much talk regarding the bands continued assocation with this Cult of Tiamat. Amongst them, Tyros suggested that they cut their losses and head west for the heartlands when they hit Proskur. Hrek was quick to shout the "Zhent-sympathizer" down, and both Hector and yolandra were quick to support him. Glistra supported the continued association with the CoT as being the most practical course of action, while Airovistus and Harmoth were in favor of sticking together either way. And so the Band moved on to Elversult following a brief stay in Proskur.
There they remained for nearly a month. As was promised, their more greivious wounds received healing, Hector having his fingers regenerated at a local temple of Lathander, and Corwin being cured of his idiocy. Likewise did they receive the promised training, Hector under the tutelage of Drexle himself, the agreed upon pay for the Lost Valley mission, a fair bonus for their troubles, and finally the offer to accompany Bry'th to the far off and exotic local of Unther. This offer seemed good, though Tyros still voiced his disapproval and attempted to sway the band west, to no avail.
Thus did it come to pass that, rather late in the year, the band headed north to Pros where they met a captian by the name of Grusk, boarded his ship the Waverider, and set out for Unther. En route, Corwin took the oppurtunity to learn Untherese from Bry'th, as did Hector, who continued to question deeper and deeper into the Cult's nature and goals. Naturally, they also heard much of Unther, it's oppressive and tyranncial god-king Gilgeam, the masses of poverty stricken and suffering found within the streets of the lands majour cities, and of the CoT's long struggle to overthrow Gilgeam's tyranny.
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"Ill tempered the wretch, who laughs at everyone. He cannot recognize, as he should, that he is not without faults." the High One, Poetic Edda |
Edited by - Beowulf on 26 Jul 2004 17:59:14 |
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Beowulf
Learned Scribe
Canada
322 Posts |
Posted - 07 Aug 2004 : 03:33:36
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After a long voyage that saw many stops inbetween, the Waverider at last put into port at Unthalass, the sprawling, chalk white, three ringed capital of ancient Unther. Much as Bry'th had told, it's streets were found to be teeming with droves of desperate and starving folk, some looking little more than walking skeletons, and both suffering and exploitation could be seen everywhere. Even Tyros of Calaunt had to steel himself against the outrage.
They lingered little more than a day in Unthalass before once again bording the Waverider and sailing up river for the Untherite city of Ethluk. This place looked like little more than a smaller replica of Unthalass, with it's three concentric walls and central ziggurat, and Bry'th told how it was modelled upon the divine pattern laid out by Gilgeam's father Enlil long ago. As such, all the great cities of Unther look the same.
Unlike all of the other ancient cities of Unther however, Ethluk was the home of a great underground temple of Tiamat. And it was within this temple that both Hrek and Hector swore their oaths of loyaty to Tiamat and her clergy, taking their places beside the likes of Yolandra and Glistra as "champions" of the Chaos Queen.
When the worshippers of Tiamat at last rejoined their companions (Corwin, Tyros, Harmoth, Airovistus) at the inn Bry'th had set them up in, they brought news of yet another job. On behalf of the Untheric Church of Tiamat, the band was to accompany Bry'th to the old temple of Tiamat in the ruins of Uruk and there retrieve some old religious artifacts. The catch of course was that the ruins of Uruk had long been declared off limits on pain of death by the God-King Gilgeam. And not without reason, for long ago a great battle was waged in the region between the Marduk Enlil and Tiamat. And such were the powers that were unleashed in this clash that the land was scorched and blighted and blackened, never again to support life or produce fruit. And more than this, the veil between this world and the lower planes was damaged, such that during the hours of darkness demons pour through the ruptures and reign supreme across the Plain of Black Ash. Such is the fate that awaits those foolish enough to violate the will of immortal Gilgeam.
And so it was that the band accompanied Bry'th even further up the river, trespassing into the crumbling ruins of Uruk. All went well as they penetrated the old temple, but it finally came to pass that, late in the day, as they prepared to depart, the band was ambushed by a troop of Untherite soldiers led by a naked silver skinned being with birdlike wings and wielding a flaming sword. According to Bry'th this being was called a Ninshubu, created long ago by Enlil to enforce the laws of the God-Kings of Unther. Knowing the fate of all trepassers upon the ruin, the band saw little choice but to scattered into the ruin, and maybe play hit and run until an oppurtunity to escape presented itself.
Ultimately, with night almost fallen, Bry'th found Hector, Hrek, Glistra, and Airovistus, and headed east for the safety of Ethluk. As for the others, they had it in their minds to flee south out of the ruins and there discovered the well nigh empty emcampment of the Untherite soldiers. Unfortunately, the Ninshubu spotted the foreigners as they fled the ruins, and quickly arrived to support it's fellows. Tyros met the divine champion in single combat as the others dispatched the common soldiers. The battle was hard fought, but in the end the Ninshubu fell to Tyros' blade; though it might have went otherwise without the timely intervention of Corwin and Harmoth.
Readying the steeds, the band quickly decided it was at last time to cut their losses and quit both the Cult of Tiamat and Unther altogether. Even Yolandra revealed that she had grown tired of the way the Cult had been using her, especially in regards to Hector. And so it was that Tyros, Harmoth, Corwin, and Yolandra bolted south across the Uthangol Mountains and found the city-state of Hardcastle, where, with the help of Corwin's language skills, they began to orient themselves and prepare for the long journey home.
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"Ill tempered the wretch, who laughs at everyone. He cannot recognize, as he should, that he is not without faults." the High One, Poetic Edda |
Edited by - Beowulf on 07 Aug 2004 04:52:26 |
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Beowulf
Learned Scribe
Canada
322 Posts |
Posted - 07 Aug 2004 : 18:34:48
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For Tyros and his companions, the journey from Hardcastle through Torsch to Innarlith was an effort, with slavers and goons attempting to abduct the fair and beautiful Yolandra, or the entire lot of them, every step of the way. At length however they arrived in Innarlith, only to become embroiled in a plot by yet another demon-worshipping cult, which seem to infest this part fo the world, to take over the High Council of the fair city-state. With the aid of the councilman Mellisinder and his companions, the band at last exposed and threw down the bird-worshipping demon cult (Pazuzu). Thereafter they enjoyed the finest hospitality of Innarlith had to offer. A romance even evolved between Yolandra and Mellisinder, but before long spirits grew restless and so the band bid farewell to their kind host and friend, and continued on their journey.
And so they fared, north up the Golden Way through Sespech to the Chondathan capital of Arrabar, where they sold their horses and bought passage aboard a ship bound for Yolandra's homeland of Sembia. Putting into port in Selgaunt, the band thence made their way up Rauthauvyr's Ride and at last settled at the Six Candles Inn in the Sembian capital of Ordulin.
Once again nestled in the bosom of the west, the band enjoyed the comforts of familiar sounds, ways, tastes, and smells, and surroundings until, sooner then one might imagine, their coffers began to run low. Luckily, Corwin had kept up his habit of acquainting himself with every temple and shrine in his vicinity, and so was in the right place at the right time when the Scrivner of Deneir's local shrine, a tall, skinny, bookish man by the name of Hla'thair, put out a call for adventurers to help him locate and unearth the lost library of Plinthius the Learned. The band thus took up this call, and despite some competition from a gang of looters, the at last discovered the underground library in the eastern reaches of the Dun Hills.
This discovery earned the band no small acclaim in the eyes of the Church of Deneir, for the library contained many unique texts, some of which were entiurely original, while others were known only through references in other tomes that had survivied the passage of centuries.
As the band enjoyed their new found prestige news drifted in from the west that a war had broken out between Cormyr and the Tunlanders. This news was made interesting by the fact that the Tunlanders seemed to have been supported by a great black wyrm, whom the band knew must be Sha'harlegrauth, whom they apparently awakened last summer. As a result of this wyrm, the Daggerdale campaign was postponed for yet another season as Cormyr shunted reinforcements into the Tunlands.
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"Ill tempered the wretch, who laughs at everyone. He cannot recognize, as he should, that he is not without faults." the High One, Poetic Edda |
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Beowulf
Learned Scribe
Canada
322 Posts |
Posted - 07 Aug 2004 : 20:05:16
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As for Hector, Hrek, and the simpleminded Airovistus, they escaped safely with Bry'th and Glistra to Ethluk, where they would remain until spring.
For over a week Hector enjoyed the hot winter and lotus dreams that both Unther and his new lifestyle had to offer, but then it came to pass that he was summoned to the underground temple of Tiamat and charged with the rediscovery of the ancient text known as the Necronomicon. Only through the power of this text could the full glory of Tiamat once again be made manifest upon the mortal plane.
Thus, Hector set out for the abode of an aged seeress nestled high in the Smoking Mountains, and once there had her conjure up a demon that might reveal to him the location of the Necronomicon. The brutish fiend, Shargore, toyed with the wizard for a time, striking fear into his soul, but then conceded to help him on the condition that Hector yield a virgin sacrifce up to him before the next full moon.
Returning to Ethluk, Hector quickly lured a young boy out to a nearby hill, promising him much gold if he would build a small stone cairn there for him. And then, when night had fallen, and the cairn was at last finished, Hector bashed the youths brains out with his staff and spilled his blood upon the roughshod altar, all in the name of Shargore.
That night Hector dreamt of the fiend, and in his dream it told him that, though the accursed tome was hidden from him, it's stench was strong in the lands around Hardcastle. And so it passed that the following day, Hector began to organize an expedition to Hardcastle made up of Hrek, Glistra, Airovistus, Ra'ha, and a number of other cult warriors.
The journey to Hardcastle was not a waste, as there they plundered the mist enshrouhded tower of an ancient mage known as Iblindir. According to local legend he had long sought to root out and destroy evil in all of it's forms, and even quested for the Necronomicon, but in the end he succumbed to the very evil he sought to destroy; surrounding his tower in a mist from which none who have entered ever returned.
For all of that, Hector and his group did enter the mist, encountering various fiends and lost souls therein, and ultimately penetrated the tower itself. Inside they gave battle to a diabolical floating eyeball and the zombified remains of what must once have been Iblindir, and though the eye-ball reduced a couple of the cult warriors to dust, in the end they succeeded in driving this evil out and banishing the mist from the towers surroundings.
With the battle ended the literate cultist quickly began pooring over Iblinir's journals and notes, and with the help of some sages from Hardcastle, they discovered that Iblindar beleived that the Necronomicom once again rested in the so-called Ruins of the Lost on the Eastern Shaar, where it's author had supposedly finished penning the tome in ancient times.
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"Ill tempered the wretch, who laughs at everyone. He cannot recognize, as he should, that he is not without faults." the High One, Poetic Edda |
Edited by - Beowulf on 07 Aug 2004 20:10:18 |
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Beowulf
Learned Scribe
Canada
322 Posts |
Posted - 08 Aug 2004 : 18:02:18
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And so it was that the cultists hired a guide and set off onto the windswept Eastern Shaar in search of the Ruins of the Lost. The guides name was Narem-Sin, and he was the offspring of one of the Shaarite tribes that had formed in the wake of the great genocide of Shaarites ordered by Gilgeam over a thousand years past. He knew the land well, and he believed that what the band was looking for rested within a patch of land that was forbidden to his folk by order of their high god Jesuah. Why this was so, the Shaarite knew not, save that a great evil and shame was said to reside there, sleeping, waiting for those foolish enough to trespass.
En route, the cultists were opposed first by the lammasu Messannepadda, who knew of their intent and sought to warn them of their foolishness in seeking the dreaded tome. Before the majestic servant of Jesuah could complete his plea however, the mace wielding Hrek launched a violent assualt that ultimately ended in Messannepadda's death. But a few days later, they found themselves confronted by a group of fierce Shaarite holy warriors, the Sons of Jesuah according to Narim-Sin. Their leader, a warrior-priest by the name of Mosias, condemned the cultist in the name of Jesuah for their sacrilege in the murder of Messannepadda and launched an attack on the cultists, but while they fought hard, luck was not on there side. In the end Hrek himself smashed Mosias' skull in, and when the two remaining Sons of Jesuah took flight, Hrek personally chased them down on horseback, mercilessly slaughtering them in the name of the Chaos Queen.
And so it came to pass that, at length, and despite considerable adversity, Hector and the cultist reached the long crumbled ruin of some ancient settlement which they believed to be the Ruins of the Lost. As they began to search said ruin however, they were ambushed by a pride of displacer beasts and quickly found themselves overwhelmed. One cult warrior after another fell to the panther-like creatures, and before long a much wounded Hector found that he had exhausted his spell repertoire. Drawing his dagger, he saw both Airovistus and Glistra hard-pressed, Ra'ha and the cult warriors all fallen, and though he moved quickly to aid Hrek, he found the brutal Daggerdalian in the process of being mauled. So, overcome by natural fear, Hector fled into the ruin, taking shelter in a partially intact tower he happened upon, digging through some rubble and making his way down a exceedingly long flight of stairs ... where he met the acquaintence of a shadowy being wrapped in a flowing black cloak. It named itself as the Nameless Fiend, and made Hector an offer ... in exchange for his soul, and a regular virgin sacrifice, the Fiend would not only grant the mage continued existence, but also take him on as a pupil and teach him the meaning of true power. Gripped by cold fear as he was, Hector nevertheless knew that, yes, he wanted to live ... before all else he wanted to live. And so it was that the Fiend tore the symbol of Tiamat from Hector's neck, destroying the dweomer it carried, while the contract for his soul was written and signed in his own blood.
For three months Hector remained with the Nameless Fiend, and during this time he learned secrets of magic that had hitherto been closed and entirely mysterious to him. He learned how to raise the evil dead, how to conjure demons, and how to inflict suffering upon the very soul of his enemies. And he even saw thge Necronomicon, though the Fiend never permitted him more than a brief look at it.
When at last the time was ripe, the Fiend reminded Hector of his obligations and granted him his leave to anywhere in all the mortal realm he might wish. And so it was that Hector was teleported to the land around the city of Ordulin. Here he sectretly hoped to touch base with the Cult of Tiamat via a local inn Bry'th told him on the voyage out to Unther.
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"Ill tempered the wretch, who laughs at everyone. He cannot recognize, as he should, that he is not without faults." the High One, Poetic Edda |
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Beowulf
Learned Scribe
Canada
322 Posts |
Posted - 11 Aug 2004 : 07:24:41
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And so it was that Hector Sirus of Wheloon wandered into the city of Ordulin in the early spring of the year 1366 DR. While he had originally considered rejoining with the CoT through the Ordulin contact, he quickly reconsidered (for the time being, of course) when he came across a notice advertising a lucratiuve enterprise for courageous adventurers under the employ of the High House of the Wonderful Wheel.
Thus did Hector venture forth to the House of Gond and arrange an appointment for inclusion in this enterprise. In the process he ran into Corwin, who was himself applying for the same mission, though on behalf of the band, and with refrences from Hla'thair of Deneir. The roguish historian was more than happy to see Hector and to hear that he had ditched the CoT. He told him of their own travels across the southlands, how he and Harmoth had visited every pleasure house between Innarlith and the shores of Sembia, of Yolandra's romance with an Innarlithian nobleman. At length Corwin invited Hector to add his strength to theirs and thus approach the Artificers of Gond from an even greater vantage point, and so it was. And in the end, Corwin's band was chosen from amongst the other applicants to undertake the mission.
Meeting with the High Artificer Chansibral Thjestnal himself, the band learned that they would be traveling to the ruins of an old temple/prison/mining colony in the mountains north of Saerb in southeastern Sembia. This temple came to be known as the House of Toil and Sweat. It was built atop a sheer, mineral rich outcropping of rock over 100' high in the year 1217 DR as a joint enterprise on behalf of the Church of Gond and the government of Sembia. Overseen primarily by the Church of Gond, the prison housed hardcore criminals who were forced to work hard labour in the mines beneath the temple and prison and treated brutally and without compassion for the sake of keeping the operation cost effective. And so for the next 65 years the House of Toil and Sweat grew in repute within the Sembian underworld as a hell on earth in which a man and his life might be lost and forgotten, never to see the light of day again. Then, in 1282 DR, something happened and all contact was lost with the colony.
Both government patrols and adventuring bands hired by the Church rode out to the House of Toil and Sweat never to return. The last attempt was in 1303 DR, but with the failure of that expedition, the temple-prison began to pass into underworld legend. But while the folk had largely forgotten, and the government long since washed it's hands of the matter, the Church of Gond did not forget. Thus was the band hired, to accompany the Artificer Hephistius of Gond to the House of Toil and Sweat, where they were to pentrate it's dismissal recesses, retreive a number of Gondian artifacts, along any papers, notes or blueprints that might have survived, and return with them to Ordulin.
And so with the agreement made and contracts signed, the band hired what additional fools they could convince to accompany them upon this mission, while Hector himself, apprehensive of Tyros' continued abrasiveness towards him, hired his own personal bodyguard, a plump surly warrior of dark hair and disposition named Togar. Within the week the band was traveling down the Dawnpost Trail bound for Saerb and thence the House of Toil and Sweat.
Though their journey was not uneventful, the large band at last arrived at the old ruin all hale and whole. As they ventured into the area they found various dessicated skulls planted on pikes throughout that marked the area as the terrority of one orc tribe or another, but the band paid this little head as they left a couple of warriors to guard the animals and equipment and penetrated the complex via a small marshy pond at it's southern base. The mines and prison were found to be filled with undead, while the temple itself had long become the home of a clan of gargoyles, but in the end the band overcame all adversity, collecting the necessary artifacts and finding much in the way of old documents.
As the band prepared to venture back out to their camp however, a large warband of orcii were spotted storming out of the northwest, and making much haste toward the House. Fearing that they could neither out-run the orcii with their bounty, nor face them in the open, the warriors devised a plan to hole up in the House of Toil and Sweat, and if they found entry as they themselves did, to attack in an orderly fashion with numerous fall back points.
It was not long at all before the orcii and their ogre companions found the entry point and began flooding into the lower reaches of the complex. As the fighting raged down below it came to pass that Hector decided to draw up the rope that led to the higher levels, and was caught doing so by Yolandra. Seeing no other reason for such an action other than betrayal, Yolandra launched a magical attack at Hector and a duel erupted. In the end, and with the help of Togar, Hector at last knocked Yolandra senseless and cast the wizardress down the mine shaft, to land dead at the feet of Corwin. He was the first of those to arrive at the fall back position, as the battle had began to turn against them. Corwin called to Hector, demanding to know the meaning of this, but then quickly ordered that the Wheloonian throw done the rope. When Hector refused and began to flee into the higher reaches, Corwin began to scale the shaft in pursuit. Reaching the top, Corwin found that Hector had taken the rope, and continued to give chase until he at last caught up to his former friend within the temple yard. Here Corwin was taken by surprised by Togar and quickly slain under Hector's order.
Thinking that surely the others must be slain, and that even now the orcii must be working their way up to the temple, Hector led Togar back down into the mines where he thought to use the mazelike tunnles to circumnavigate the orcii and escape with the Gondian documents; and thence return to Ordulin and collect the full fee.
Yet, on the way down he heard the voice of Tyros calling out his name and uttering murderous intentions towards him, and so they quickly fled back to the upper levels, trying to bar the ex-Zhentilar's passage by collpasing some of the old porculli they had earlier propped open. In the end however, Tyros met them in the temple yard where he saw the corpse of Corwin. Within short order, Togar was slain, but as they fought Hector figured out the command word for an magical ebony fly he had found in the ruin, and used it's powers of flight to escape both Tyros and the orcii.
Thus did Hector make his way back to Ordulin where he presented the documents to Chansibral, who, though saddened to hear of the death of his companions, at the hands of a horde of orcii, was nevertheless pleased with the mages success. And so receiving the agreed upon pay, Hector took leave of the High House of the Wonderful Wheel.
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"Ill tempered the wretch, who laughs at everyone. He cannot recognize, as he should, that he is not without faults." the High One, Poetic Edda |
Edited by - Beowulf on 14 Aug 2004 21:30:22 |
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Beowulf
Learned Scribe
Canada
322 Posts |
Posted - 11 Aug 2004 : 23:08:02
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Meanwhile, with the orcii making their way through the old temple-prison, Tyros stashed Corwin's corpse away good and well so that it might avoid defilement. He himself crept from hiding place to hiding place, always staying one step ahead of the brutes, until at long last, some two days later, he managed to escape with a couple of horses and Corwin's rotting corpse.
Making his way to Saerb, the ex-Zhentilar used the last of his wealth to purchase provisions, along with a good strip of canvas, and small pouch of special herbs, to bind his friends corpse tightly up with. When all was readied, he rode hard for "the Hub" (of Commerce, ie. Ordulin).
When he at last arrove, Tyros paid a brief visit to his new friend Barlow, owner of the Six Candles, where he stashed his gear and Corwin's corpse, before moving on to the High House of the Wonderful Wheel. Once there he quickly learned that Hector had since collected the mission pay, and was currently staying at the Lazy Hermit Inn. And the High Artificer was not unsympathetic to Tyros plight, saying that in his possession were certain scrolls that would enable him to restore life to his dead friends ... for an acceptable contribution of course.
With present business finished at the High House, Tyros stormed over to the Lazy Hermit Inn, in vendetta kinda mood, and caught Hector on his way out. After a litany of curses and threats that left Hector terrified, and some of the more modest citizens of the fair city running for the city watch, Tyros demanded not only the mission pay, but also all other wealth that the wizard might have. As Hector fumbled for his purse, Tyros was overcome with the desire to run the craven through anyway, and would have if Bry'th had not interceeded between the two. Furthermore, Tyros noted that the both Airovistus and the swordswoman Glistra (who apparently had survived the displacer beast attack out on the Eastern Shaar), along with a dark heavily muscled warrior, also followed Bry'th out of the inn, while a troop of city watch was making their way up the street in response to the commotion.
Before they arrove Bry'th explained that Hector had told him all about the what went on in the House of Toil and Sweat, and that though Yolandra was a fellow worshipper of Tiamat she had misconstrued Hector's actions. According to Bry'th, the mage was merely safegaurding the line of retreat. And so, when the situation conspired to make it appear otherwise, and with everyone intent on killing the poor man, Hector did the only thing he could have ... he defended himself.
As the city watch approached and questioned into the meaning of the commotion, Bry'th turned to explain that it had all been a misunderstanding concerning a debt. He then urged Hector to pay Tyros his fair share of the money he owed, which the Wheloonian promptly did. Before they all went their seperate ways, Tyros asked Bry'th about the money his operation owed him and his for the trip out to Unther, and the priest quickly and graciously produced a small pouch of a few small gems along with some gold and platinum coinage. Satisfied, Tyros glared at Hector, and bid Bry'th and the others fareweel, before turning to leave. He was soon joined by the Gump-like Airovistus of Hlip.
And so it was that Tyros had Corwin restored to life. While historian and adventurer regained his strength, both Tyros and Airovistus stoled back to the House of Toil and Sweat, where they collected the remains of Harmoth. Search as they might though, the corpse of Yolandra was nowhere to be found. And so, with Harmoth's corpse in tow, they made their way back to Ordulin and had their friend restored to life.
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"Ill tempered the wretch, who laughs at everyone. He cannot recognize, as he should, that he is not without faults." the High One, Poetic Edda |
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Beowulf
Learned Scribe
Canada
322 Posts |
Posted - 12 Aug 2004 : 18:05:15
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As already told, when the dark mage Hector returned to Ordulin from the House of Toil and Sweat he eventually sought out the Lazy Hermit Inn, where the innkeep Maximillian, aka Mad Max, put him back in touch with the CoT. Thus did Hector once agian come into the company of Bry'th. He was also happy to see the tight-lipped Glistra and his fellow Cormyrean Airovistus, both of whom had apparently survived their ordeal out on the Eastern Shaar.
Before long, and just before the previously mentioned incident with Tyros, the mage was summoned to the luxurious estate of Drexle by the aged cult wizards new bodyguard, the hulking Krelshaw of Hillsfar.
Following the incident with Tyros, Hector and the brute became fast friends, both seeming to revel in the idea of inflicting harm and suffering on others. Apparently, Drexle had purchased Krelshaw out of the arena in Hillsfar only 3 months back, and he had a reputation of being a fearless and formidable adversary.
In any event, making his way to the abode of his former mentor, Hector was greeted with comfort, fine wine, exotic munchies, and of course the elderly mages lotus pipe. At length, and after much small talk, Drexle began to touch upon more serious matters, and questioned Hector regarding his quest for the Necronomicon; as Bry'th had informed him that the Wheloonian had indeed discovered it. The two discussed the matter long into the night, with Hector telling all he had to tell, and admitting that the only reason he submitted to the dreaded tomes guardian was because to do otherwise would certainly have meant death or worse. Far from upbraiding the young mage, Drexle promised him the protection of the cult and awarded Hector with an expensive arm ring.
Within the week, after forming a relationship with a shapely, but modest looking serving wench at the Lazy Hermit named Jezebel, Hector was asked to accompany Drexle himself to the Ruin of the Lost. They would be accompanied by Bry'th, Glistra, Krelshaw, and numerous cult warriors, and would wreste the Necronomicon from the clutches of the Nameless Fiend, and retreive the contract for Hector's soul. And so it was that the lot of them once again boarded the Waverider, under Captain Grusk, and made for Chondath where they would approach the Eastern Shaar via the overland trade-routes.
Apparently, there had been somekind of falling out between the Church of Tiamat in Unther and the Cult of Tiamat in the west, regarding the latters intentions with the Necronomicon. It was the Cult's goal to eventually reclaim the phylactery and remains of Sammaster the Prophet, resurrect and reeducate him regarding his true origins and destiny, and then have him use the power of the Necronomicon to once again bring the manifest power of the Chaos Queen into the mortal realm and fullfill the ancient prophecy of Maglas. The focus of the Church however was primarily centred on Unther and the surrounding regions, and it was very much against tampering with the Necronomicon.
And so it was that the cultists set out on the first leg of their long journey. While off the coast of Turmish it came to pass that Captain Grusk gathered the crew and announced that there was a traitor on board, offering him the chance to step forward like a man. And so it was that the crewman known as Valdrayn came forward to fearlessly curse the cult for it's intentions, proclaiming that, Lathander willing, word of their plans would soon reach a group of Harpers and Lathanderites in Cormyr. And no sooner had he spoken thusly than the illfated spy succumbed to the poison he had consumed but moments ago. Neverthless, his corpse was brought below deck and interrogated by Bry'th, following which it was thrown overboard.
Leaving the Waverider behind in Arrabar, the troop of cultists eventually came to rest in Torsch, where, during their short stay, Hector caught a young boy of some 12 winters rummaging through his room at a local inn. When the lad failed to either flee or fight his way out of the room, he fell to his knees and begged the westerner not to report him to the authorities, that he would even become the mages slave if he showed mercy. This suited Hector well as he knew that before long autumn would be upon him and he would need to make an obligatory blood sacrifice to the Nameless Fiend and/or the mysterious elder powers it served. Thus did the dusky skinned lad, Hashu, become Hector's boy-servant.
Arriving at the city-state of Hardcastle, the troop did not linger long before hiring a couple of guides, from amongst the few, mostly outcast, Shaarites that could be found in the city, and then struck out for the Ruins of the Lost.
Though their journey was not uneventful, the cultists at last arrove in the vicinity of the crumbled ruin, where they set up a base camp. After a day of rest, Hector led Drexle, Bry'th, Glistra, Krelshaw, and a trio of cult warriors into the ruin, leaving the guides, a couple of warriors and Hashu behind to guard the camp.
And so, after dispatching the displacer beasts that still occuppied the surface ruin, Hector retreived the skull of Hrek, and then the troop penetrated down into the lair of the Nameless Fiend. As the last of them strode into the entry hall however, the great door slammed shut behind them and the shadowy Nameless Fiend appeared opposite them. It remained silent as Drexle demanded the Necronomicon in the name of Tiamat and her offspring Sammaster, and when the elderly mage at last finished it silently blasted him with magical energy. And so the battle was joined. And it raged ferociously until Krelshaw at last charged forward and split the Fiends shadowy skull. Far from killing it however, the Fiend merely broke apart into some dozen or so 1 foot tall figures in hooded robes. As these things recommenced the attack, their hoods fell back revealing each to be the spitting image of Hector.
While all of the lesser warriors fell in this battle, and all of the greater combatants bore their own share of wounds and pains, they at last prevailed over the Fiend and won entry in it's lair. The Necronimcon was quickly located and easily taken out of the ruin by Drexle and Glistra, while Bry'th, Hector, and Krelshaw continued to search the lair for the contract for Hector's soul. At last breaking into the scroll room, the Wheloonian quickly found the scroll from amidst a veritable sea of scrolls. No sooner had he found it however, then a tell tale chill fell over the room, and a shadowy being in a flowing cloak appeared. Bry'th was overcome by supernatural fear and immediately fled at the sight of the Fiend, while Krelshaw and Hector stood paralysed with fear. The Nameless Fiend reminded Hector of the altar he must eventually build, of the sacrfices he must soon yield up to the Elder Ones, and then chided him for violating the sanctity of the scrollroom, which the young mage well knew was off limits. The penalty for such a violation was suffering beyond reckoning, and yet the Fiend chose to spare Hector. Instead, since the Laws of the Elder Ones clearly demanded that someone must suffer, the Fiend turned to Krelshaw and conjured forth numerous hooked chains that tore into various points of the dark warriors massive frame, lifting him off the feet, and setting him to screaming. Such were the brutes screams of agony that Hector could scarcely believe that such sounds could come from a human throat ... let alone from so imposing a man as Krelshaw. And so the selfish young mage dropped the contract and fled, damned, from the ruin.
Back on the surfuce, the others sat pale of face as they marvelled at the shrieks of agony that arose from the depths of the ruin and echoed across the vast lonely grasslands. Following a grim night that seemed like it would never end, Drexle took the Necronomicon and began to teleport the core members of the cult, along with the young Hashu, back to Arrabar, where they were met by Captain Grusk and the Waverider.
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"Ill tempered the wretch, who laughs at everyone. He cannot recognize, as he should, that he is not without faults." the High One, Poetic Edda |
Edited by - Beowulf on 12 Aug 2004 18:46:43 |
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Beowulf
Learned Scribe
Canada
322 Posts |
Posted - 13 Aug 2004 : 16:25:17
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The cultist spent a longer time in Arrabar than Hector would have either expected or prefered, for magic and it's use had long been frowned upon in the fractured land of Chondeth. Nevertheless, Hector had been well rewarded by a very pleased Drexle for his service to the cult, and he came to pass much of his time teaching the urchin Hashu the common tongue of the west, as well as how to read and write. Despite himself, the intelligent youth began to grow upon him.
And so it was that, with fall growing near, Hector found himself an additional boy-servant to take along with them on the journey back to Sembia. And no sooner had the Waverider left the port of Arrabar, then Hector had it drop anchor while he rowed out to a small, barren rock with this new lad and Hashu. There, with young, impressionable Hashu as a witness to the fell act, Hector brained the new lad and then spilled his blood over the small cairn of rocks they had built.
Making their way back to the ship, the journey continued until, off the coast off the rocky coast of Turmish, the Waverider was intercepted by another ship carrying Arellius of Lathander, the Harper witch Sharanthra, and indeed an entire crew of do-gooders. Their leader, the Morninglord Cuthbert of Marsember, demanded the immediate and unconditional surrender of the Waverider, it's crew and cargo, and was thus lightning bolted by Drexle. Thus did the battle begin. And it raged for a goodly time, with Hector slaying Sharanthra, and in the end, the magical might of the cultists proved to be greater than the forces of goodness had anticipated. Luckily for them, the evildoers did not press their advantage, but chose instead to breakaway and flee, leaving them to contend with the fires raging aboard their own vessel.
Eventually, the Waverider put into port at Yhaunn and the cultists began to make their way back to Ordulin. By this time, hearts and tongues began to loosen, and many questions were asked of Hector regarding the Nameless Fiend, his contract and obligations with it, the powers it claimed to serve, and the damned mage answered to the best of his ability. In the end however, Bry'th brought an end to it all with an "encouraging" speech about the supremacy of Tiamat.
Upon his return to the Hub, Hector bought and furnished a home with his new found wealth, and had both Hashu and the wench Jezebel move in with him. She did not take to the lad as Hector had hoped, but he quickly put both of them in their place before beginning his studies under Drexle.
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"Ill tempered the wretch, who laughs at everyone. He cannot recognize, as he should, that he is not without faults." the High One, Poetic Edda |
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labcoatmunkey124
Acolyte
USA
42 Posts |
Posted - 14 Aug 2004 : 19:29:43
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| Beowulf, how long have you been working on this story? |
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Beowulf
Learned Scribe
Canada
322 Posts |
Posted - 14 Aug 2004 : 19:59:41
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Well met!
quote:
Originally posted by labcoatmunkey124
Beowulf, how long have you been working on this story?
Well, the campaign that inspired it started about 2, maybe 3 years ago, and is still going, drawing in smaller side campaigns, and even past campaigns from the dawn of FR. As for the story itself, which is a glossing over the many events that have transpired in the campaign, well, I've been working on the telling for about as long as I've been typing it out here.
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"Ill tempered the wretch, who laughs at everyone. He cannot recognize, as he should, that he is not without faults." the High One, Poetic Edda |
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Beowulf
Learned Scribe
Canada
322 Posts |
Posted - 14 Aug 2004 : 21:12:31
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No sooner had Hector finished his studies under the elderly Drexle, then he became embroiled in a plot on behalf of the Cult of Tiamat (see Pool of Radiance : Attack on Myth Drannor). It involved the bitter rivals of the CoT, the Sembian cell of the Cult of the Dragon and their doings in Myth Drannor, and was quite eventful ...
Soon after following a gate from the lands around Ordulin to the old elfin ruins, Hector, Bry'th, Glistra, and the cult warrior Azerond ran into Harmoth and Airovistus. They had been hired, along with Tyros and Corwin, to track down the son of a fat merchant, who had gone missing along with a number of other folk in recent weeks. Unfortunately, they were ambushed by a large CotD force soon after their arrival but a day earlier, and both Tyros and Corwin were taken captive. Thus it was that Hector led his companions against one arm of the CotD's operation, and succeeded in both destroying it, and saving both Tyros and Corwin from imminent zombification at the hands of a CotD necromancer.
As the band continued to investigate the CotD's intetions in Myth Drannor, it next came to pass that Hector unearthed and began to read from the testament of a Lathanderite known as Jade, who had lived in Myth Drannor around the time of it's fall. He found himself deeply moved by the ideals expressed.
Finally, it came to pass that, during their climatic battle with forces of the CotD beneath Castle Cormanthor, Bry'th was slain and Hector knocked into a pool of radiance. The life was drained from him, and he found a terrible being of wickedness awaiting him, thence to drag his soul off to realm of the Elder Ones. The dead mage fled in absolute terror, but there was no where to run, no where to hide. As the insectoid fiend was about to claim it's prize however, a warm and glorious light shone down upon Hector's soul. The fiend recoiled in pain and terror as the divine might of Lathander himself reached down to bare the fallen mage up, renewing his lifeforce and saving him, at least for a time, from eternal damnation.
Thus did Hector come back to his senses. He found himself at the edge of the pool and soon saw that his companions, Tyros, Corwin, Harmoth, Airovistus, and Glistra, had been successful in their endeavor. They were preparing to flee with Bry'th corpse, and so the reborn mage promptly joined them. Thence they escaped, first the castle via an underground tunnel, and then from the ruin itself via another gate in a nearby mansion.
Making it back to Ordulin, the two groups went their seperate ways, though on somewhat better terms than before ... grudgingly better.
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"Ill tempered the wretch, who laughs at everyone. He cannot recognize, as he should, that he is not without faults." the High One, Poetic Edda |
Edited by - Beowulf on 14 Aug 2004 21:25:46 |
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Beowulf
Learned Scribe
Canada
322 Posts |
Posted - 14 Aug 2004 : 23:27:59
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Upon their return from Myth Drannor, Corwin began to win the, ahhh, yeah, "the band" even more acclaim amongst the Churches of Gond and Deneir by presenting them with a number of precious craft tools and tomes that they retreived from Myth Drannor. He most certainly earned his friends no small amount of wealth in the process, and was himself awarded with invitations to a number of formal dinners and social functions held by the more affluent and well positioned folk of Ordulin.
Tyros took a good portion of his earnings and entered into a partnership with Barlow of the Six Candles Inn, while Harmoth expended his new found wealth in the pursuit of pleasure and indulgence. As for Airovistus, he countinued living the simple lifestyle he was accustomed to, sitting on the majourity of his coin and musing how he would one day return to his hometown of Hlip and buy his very own patch of land. He did however enjoy a night out with Corwin and Harmoth.
As for Hector, after a brief stop at his home, the mage returned to Drexle's abode for debriefing. He told virtually all there was to tell, and presented his mentor with the numerous treasures he had carried out of the elfin ruins. However, he said nothing of his experience within the pool of radiance or of the Testament of Jade, which he had stashed away in the study of his home.
When all was said and done, and Hector had be justly rewarded, with both coin and a powerful staff taken from the ruin (Rothillion's Staff), he told Drexle that, while he had greatly benefitted from his service with the CoT, he now felt it was time to move on and leave the cult. And though the old man was somewhat surprised at this, he graciously permitted his apprentice his will under the condition that the lad agree to tell no one of their association or deeds. Hector agreed, and thus took his leave.
For along while he wandered the streets of Ordulin. It had been too easy. And most certainly Glistra would inform Drexle of the tome if he did not know already. At length, Hector went to the Six Candles, sought out Tyros, and asked if he could hire him as a bodyguard. He was answered and sent on his way with mockery and sarcasm, mostly from Corwin.
Leaving the Six Candles, the mage made his way to the Local Lathanderite temple known as the Dawn Tower, where he found one of the lesser clergyman of the Morninglord, and began to unleash the burdens on "his" soul. He was ultimately advised to return on the morrow, with this "Testament of Jade", when he could speak with a more radiant servant of the Lathander.
And so, making his way back home, Hector arrove to find the 3 CoT warriors tearing apart his study, in search of the Testament of Jade presumably, while Hashu and Jezebel sat bound and gagged in the corner. Using the might of Rothillion's Staff, Hector destroyed the warriors, but he did not go unscathed. Nor did he have time to free his loved ones before Glistra burst into the hoouse at the head of a number of cult warriors. Feeling he had little hope of victory, Hector grabben the Testament of Jade and used the might of the staff to escape into the night.
He fled, first, back to the Six Candles, where he received a cool send off, and then to a small inn on the otherside of town. In the morning, he proceeded directly to the Dawn Tower, but was confronted on it's steps by a messenger of the CoT. This woman told him that both Hashu and Jezebel were in the keeping of the cult and would die terrible deaths if he did not meet Drexle at noon atop the Bossom of Chauntea, a great double humped hill that stood a couple of miles south of the Hub. He was to bring the Testament of Jade, and an honest duel would be fought, with the winner claiming the spoils. The woman further advised him not to involve anyone else lest the lives of both the pup and the wench be forfeit.
Making the appointment, Hector mounted one hill only to find, not Drexle, but a younger, much more sinister looking man standing atop the ajoining hill. Within the cleavage sat Hashu and Glistra, bound and gagged. The man named himself as Gregorious, the favoured pupil of Drexle, and asked if he had brought the tome. When Hector revealed that he had, the duel began. At first things were in the favour of Gregorious, but this changed when Hector noted that his opponent was wearnnig the cloak and carrying the diviners rod of his first mentor from back in Wheloon. Gregorious boasted of how he had killed the Wheloonians mentor with his own Art just over a year ago, and how the same fate would soon befall the traitor. Hector responded by unleashing the fury of Rothillion's Staff and destroying Gregorious with surpising quickness.
No sooner had Gregorius fallen however, then Hector heard Hashu call out. The lad had escaped his bonds, and was racing to reach his master and warn him of a number of cult warriors that had appeared from nowhere. They were already half way up the hill when Hector noticed the lad. A moment later, an arrow took Hashu in the back and the lad fell dead. Calling on the power of the staff once more, Hector decimated the offending archer, and then again used it's powers to reach Jezebel and make his escape with her and the Testament of Jade.
Arriving back in Ordulin, Hector lost little time in gifting Jezebel with a good deal of wealth and sending her away from Ordulin, while he himself sought out the Dawn Tower. Once there, he was met by the Dawnpriest Drallus of Lathander. He presented the servant of Lathander with the Testament of Jade, and asked in turn that his friend, Hrek, be given new life ... as he well knew that such was in the powers of the Morninglord.
Dawnpriest Drallus passed the tome, the honest tale of it's recovery, and both the skull of Hrek and the request for resurrection along to the High Morninglord Ombital Duskroon, and then heard Hector's tale. In the end, a room was prepared and the wretched mage was granted asylum with the temple, where they would begin to work toward his redemption.
That eve it came to pass that a priestess of Lathander arrove at Hector's chamber. She was more beautiful, seductive even, then anything Hector had ever seen, and to his surprise she began to loosen the neck of her garments and seduce him. As they kissed however, the young mage felt a chill fill, not only the room, but "his" very soul. He felt all the knowledge and secrets he had learned from the Nameless Fiend drain from him as though that three months of long hard study never was. Mustering the strength, Hector pulled away to find that he had been in the embrace of the Nameless Fiend. He mocked Hector, mirthfully chided him for his lack of loyalty, and warned him that all breaches of contract must be punished in one way or another, none good or pleasing. Thus reminding him of his obligations, the Nameless Fiend departed.
Nevertheless, Hector undertook his studies of the Dawn Scriptures with gusto, and was soon joined by his old friend Hrek of Daggerdale. He spoke little of what went one for that year he lay dead, and perhaps he knew little enough, but whatever it was, Hrek was a changed man. No sooner had he learned the basic tenets of Lathanderism then he swore himself to the service of the Morninglord, and even began musing of returning home to Daggerdasle one day soon, carrying with him Lathander's message of renewal.
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"Ill tempered the wretch, who laughs at everyone. He cannot recognize, as he should, that he is not without faults." the High One, Poetic Edda |
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Beowulf
Learned Scribe
Canada
322 Posts |
Posted - 15 Aug 2004 : 22:48:06
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And so it was that Hector and Hrek passed nearly a month in the Dawn Tower, studying the Dawn Scriptures, performing daily devotionals, and engaging in much meditation and silent introspection. As ordered from on high, the DawnPriest Drallus further began to work with Hector to produce a detailed account of what the mage knew of the CoT.
Before this latter work could go very far however, Hector was asked if he could lead a mission back to Myth Drannor and retreive a couple of pages that were missing from the Testament of Jade. Accepting, Hector and Hrek make their way to the Six Candles to draft Tyros and company, and all there were happy to see that Hrek was all hale and whole once more. As a result, they agreed to accompany the Lathanderites on their mission. Moreover, Corwin produced one of the two missing pages soonafter the conversation, explaining that he had found in one of the tomes he carried out of one of the crypts in the Polyandrium.
It was a cool and dreary morning, late in the year, when the band at last left Ordulin. Once again they made their way through Darnarest's Wood, an easy ride northwest of the Hub, and passed through the gate formerly controlled by the CotD. Fighting their way past a zombified black dragon that had been hidden under the winter snows, the band made their way to the Polyandrium and was shocked to find it filled with the impaled corpses of numerous CotD warriors and other personel. After a brief examination of the corpses and the upturned burial ground, Drallus determined they had been slain by vampires. Luckily, it did not take too long for the band to dispatch a number of hell hounds and track the other missing page down. And so, with at least an hour of light still in the sky, the band made good their escape from the ruins.
Arriving back in Ordulin, the band was well rewarded by the Church of Lathander for it's success. Both Hector and Hrek remained at the temple for another week to complete their studies, but then the mage decided it was time to return to his own home. And so, after hiring on Hrek as his chief bodyguard, making room for the warrior at his house, and then providing him with the money to hire on a few more men, the mage returned to home.
For a short time all went well, with Hector and Hrek visiting often with Tyros, Corwin and company, and enjoying the wealth they presently had at their disposal. On one occasion the ever more flamboyant Hector instigated a decadent, if kinda clean, and mostly harmless, orgy in his home. Within the week however, Hector received an urgent notice from Tyros to gather Hrek and meet him at the ruin in Darnarest's Wood immediately.
Arriving to find Tyros, Corwin, Airovistus and Harmoth all gathered together there, Hector asked what was so important. Tyros warned the mage to stop playing games and out with it himself, so Hector's produced the noticed, written in Tyros' "very own hand-writing". And yet Tyros had only just begun to learn how to read and write under the influence of Corwin and Hla'thair of Deneir.
Before any of them could even draw their weapons, the band was ambushed by an unseen enemy and rendered unconscious. When they at last awoke, it was no longer winter, but spring, and upon the good arm of each of them was an azure tattoo highlighted with a handful of specialized symbols ... the wizard mark of Drexle Hlanstad amongst them.
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"Ill tempered the wretch, who laughs at everyone. He cannot recognize, as he should, that he is not without faults." the High One, Poetic Edda |
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Beowulf
Learned Scribe
Canada
322 Posts |
Posted - 16 Aug 2004 : 07:02:08
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Thus it came to pass that the band awoke in the clearing within Darnarest's Wood in the early spring of the year 1367 DR (checked notes, definitely 1367 DR this time). The immediately identified one of the symbols that made up the azure tattoo that each sported as being the personal wizard mark of Drexle. Another was identified by Tyros as being the personal sigil of Fzoul Chembryl, but the other three were a mystery. When Hector attempted to work a divination spell upon them, he was wracked with pain so unimaginable that he went into seizures and lost consciousness for a time.
And so the band returned to Ordulin, touched base with friends and acquaintences, and then called upon the help of Hla'thair of Deneir in determining the nature of the tattoo and the identity of the other symbols. With a bit of time and research the servant of the god of glyphs was able to determine both the nature of the tattoo and the identity of the symbols that made it up. The tattoo was itself a bond of some form meant to enslave the wearer to the will of those who particpated in it's creation, indicated by the ajoining symbols. Of them, and beyond those of Fzoul and Drexle, there was the symbol of Ordulin's dominant thieves guild, known as the Rot Grubs, the symbol of a mage from the Moonsea region named Hretzelvang, and finally the symbol of a terrible power named Tyranthraxus that had long been considered dead and vanquished.
It soon came to pass that the band found themselves present for a chance public encounter with the Overmaster of the High Coucil of Sembia, Elduth Yarmmaster, as he made his way through the streets of Ordulin surrounded by a throng of guardsmen. At the sight of the elderly politician, each member of the band was overcome with the sudden desire to slay him, and made their way through the crowd to lauch a brash and thoughless attack. Elduth was promptly teleported away by an alert servant-mage, and with that the overwhelming desire subsided. And so the heroes promptly laid down their weapons and surrendered to the Overmanster's bodyguards.
They were taken and detained in the Tower of the Guard, and questioned extensively, but after nearly a week of explaining, re-explaining, warning agianst tampering with the azure bonds, and name dropping, the charges against the band were at last dropped. However, they were "offered" a shot at taking down the leader of the Rot Grubs. It was explained that traditionally the Rot Grubs were believed to be led by a secretive man known only as Dirge. Recently however word leaked out that this Dirge was actually a nobleman named Sergius Rendrassle III. It was further leaked that Sergius ruled the Rot Grubs through a secret inner cirlce, unknown to lesser members, which held as it's ultimate goal the toppling of the present regime in Sembia and the establishment of a Cormyrean-style Monarchy. Few of the Rot Grubs that heard this news appreciated it's signifiance, and it was from amongst these that the Guard had recently come acquired this information.
Knowing that they needed answers regarding what was goning on, the band accepted the offer. With the help of their Rot Grub allies, they located the secret meeting place of Sergius' inner circle, and slew the lot of them in a violent last battle. With Sergius' death, the symbol of the Rot Grubs disappeared from their arms.
Before leaving, the band turned the meeting place upside down, finding a map, apparently leading to Hretzelvang's abode in the forest southwest of Yulash, along with a goodly amount of information on the evil named Tyranthraxus. Amongst this, they found mention of two items that potentially had the power to defeat the daemon, the Blade of Lathander and the Flask of Imprisonment. Of these the band learned virtually nothing of the Flask, save that it could be used to imprison the essence of various beings. Of the Blade of Lathander however, they learned considerably more. According to reports it was lost some two years ago in the western reaches of the Moonsea when the Zhentilar sunk the ship carrying a thief that had stole the Blade from one of the Lord's of the Keep and sought to escape with it.
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"Ill tempered the wretch, who laughs at everyone. He cannot recognize, as he should, that he is not without faults." the High One, Poetic Edda |
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Beowulf
Learned Scribe
Canada
322 Posts |
Posted - 18 Aug 2004 : 18:20:07
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Soon after their battle with Sergius Rendrassle III and the "Inner Circle", it was learned that Dawnpriest Drallus had been founded murdered, and all of Hector's testimonial stolen. This did not bode well, as the Azure Bonds had been foudn to prohit the band from speaking/relaying information to outsiders about the CoT.
And so, within the week the band departed Ordulin, making their way northward along Rauthauvyr's Road in search of the small hamlet of Hap. Apparently, Drexle had once mentioned this rustic getaway of his to Hector, saying that the area was rich in cult-relevant history and that great things might one day be unearthed there. As such, the band decided that this Hap was the best place to begin their search for the elderly mage.
With the help of the simple folk of the roadside of hamlet of Yokeluk, the band at last made their way to Hap, where they found a small community of Lathanderites living in fear of the mage atop Haptooth Hill. They told how long ago Lathander had appeared to vanguish the evil of Sammaster the Mad, founder of the Cult of the Dragon, and that during that battle a drop of the Radiant One's fell to the earth. Not long after the epic battle, a humble shrine was erected on the very spot that Lathander's blood was said to have touched the earth, and it had been tended to well by a long line of simple dawnpriests. With the coming of the mage and his gang of dragon worshippers however, the shrine was vandalized and it's stained glass window shattered. None, not even it's keeper, the Dawnpriest Mumfrey Mimly, had dared go there since.
Needless to say perhaps, Hrek was outraged at the story, and this quickly led to a confrontation between the band and a number of CoT warriors that were in the area. The cult warriors were easily defeated, and with their defeat, the band next set out for Drexle's tower atop Haptooth Hill, where they fought their way past a number of wyverns, a black wyrm, and a chaos giant. In the end however, Airovistus was slain and Drexle managed to escape.
Prior to his escape, Drexle mocked Hector, saying that ultimately he was to blame for this entire fiasco. Not only as a result of his senseless betrayal of the CoT, but because he had awoken something when he fell into the Pool of Radiance, feeding it and making it strong once more with his life essence, even carrying it back to the lands of men. He had awoken the daemon Tyranthraxus, and it was he who conspired this "Alliance of the Bonds".
Returning to Hap with the body of their friend, the band laid claim to the tower, other buildings, and all grounds both atop and within Haptooth Hill, and then made sizeable donations to both the hamlet and the shrine of Lathander with the loot they carried out of the hill. Not long afterwards, they were invited to the shrine and told to bring their slain friend. Once there, they learned that when Lathander's blood had been shed in his battle against Sammaster it had somehow become encased in amber and that this holy relic had long been guarded and kept secret by Lathander's servants in Hap. Mumfrey Mimley had been no exception. But now Drexle was gone, and the cult driven out. And so it was that Dawnpriest Mumfrey brought the radiant Blood of Lathander out of hiding and used it's power to restore life and health to Airovistus.
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"Ill tempered the wretch, who laughs at everyone. He cannot recognize, as he should, that he is not without faults." the High One, Poetic Edda |
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Beowulf
Learned Scribe
Canada
322 Posts |
Posted - 18 Aug 2004 : 19:43:46
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Making their way back to Ordulin, the band lingered for a time (in training), before once again striking out north along Rauthauvyr's Road, this time bound for Hillsfar and thence the abode of Hretzelvang.
And so it was that the band found the tower of Hretzelvang, who had prepared for, and eagerly awaited the bands arrival. At least one of them was to act as a sacrifice in some obscure spell for some insane self-empowerment ritual that would meld the wizard's being with that of some fiendish, underworld power. As things worked out, the lot fell to Corwin, whom Hretzelvang sacrificed as the others contended with the dark wizard's fiendish minions. When all was said and done however, Hretzelvang and his minions were defeated.
And so the band left the tower with both Corwin's corpse and something they gathered to be the Flask of Imprisonment. Making their way to Voonlar, they soon found a shrine dedicated to Lathander, and met the beautiful Dawnpriestess Salleece. She told them of how the forces of Cyric had been driving her flock away, vandalizing both their homes and the shrine itself in night time raids that were consistently written off as Red Plume raids by the High Constable of the area.
And so it was that Hrek and Hector, spent the night in the shrines back room, only to be awakened in the middle of the night by a terrible commontion. Arming thmselves, Hrek and Hector investigated the noise and found themselves confronted a the biggest, ugliest gargoyle they had ever seen. Despite a tough scuffle, and with the help of Salleece, the two men managed to drive the fiend off. And when the High Constable was summoned, they told him what they had seen, with Sallece adding that the fiend strongly resembled the ghoulish figures depicted on the Temple of the Dark Sun and suggested that they were no mere carvings. While the High Constable listened with feigned concern and claimed he would look into it, he left advising Salleece to, perhaps, find a safer place to lay her head at night ... further into town ... perhaps a little closer to the, ahhh, "law".
Soon enough the band found they had to depart and get on with their quest. And so they departed ofr Zhentil Keep, but not before Hrek and Hector had hired a handful of merc.'s to ward the shrine and it's priestess, promising that they would soon return themselves.
Making their way to Zhentil Keep, Tyros immediately guided his fellows to the citadel of Lord Orgauth. While a certain cool constraint on both men's behalf was evident, it was clear that both were happy to see each other again and they talked long into the night. At length, Tyros explained the situation he and his friends were in. To make a long story short, with a bit of help from Orgauth, the band at once convinced Fzoul to dispel his symbol from their arm and "acquired" the Blade of Lathander. In the process they angered Cyric's High Inquisitor Xeno Mirrormane, but Orgauth helped them to safely escape from the Keep ... gifting Tyros both with a magical longsword and a ring with the power to restore Corwin to life.
Arriving back in Voonlar, the band found the shrine in flames. Many of the mercs they had hired lay dead on the grounds about it, while the survivng few sat bound and weaponless on the ground at the mercy of two margoyles. Furthermore, a gang of Cyricists in black platemail were preparing to have their way with a battered Salleece. And so it was that the band fell upon the brutes, placing aside any thought of lesson teaching, and killing the bastards with extreme prejudice.
Rough and shaken, but otherwise well, Salleece thanked the band for rescuing her, and told them that she had placed Corwin's body in the safe keeping of a friend of hers. Explaining that it was no longer safe for Salleece to remain in Voonlar, the band collected their friends corpse, used the power of the ring to restore him to life and health, and then invited the Dawnpriestess to accompany them. Accepting the offer, the lot of the rode for Hillsfar.
From Hillsafar, the band next made their way to Myth Drannor, where they found Drexle all cloaked in Tyranthraxus' signature cloak of fire. A great battle was fought, but luck was entirely on the side of the heroes, and in the end Drexle was slain, along with the daemon's minions, while Tyranthraxus himself was sealed with the Flask of Imprisonment. However, while the daemon's defeat caused it's symbol to fade from the tattoo, Drexle's symbol did not.
And so it was that the band used the gate they knew of to return to Ordulin, where the Flask of Imprisonment and the Blade of Lathander were both given into the keeping of the Dawn Tower, whom they also informed of the Blood of Lathander.
With the year drawing to a close, both Harmoth nad Airovistus decided they were going to hazard a journey back into Cormyr, where they would winter with their kin before returning to Ordulin come spring. Corwin had received more invitations to attend various social functions in Ordulin, including a dinner to mark to official opening of Deneir's Grand Hall of Letters and Learning in Tasseldale, and so decided he would winter in Ordulin. As for Hrek and Hector, they decided that they would return to Hap and, with Salleece's aid, concern themselves with matters there.
As for Tyros, he would meet up with the others in Hap by the time winter set in, but in the mean time he had it in his head to make a trip back to Calaunt. Once there, he intended to look up some old friends, and maybe settle some old debts.
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"Ill tempered the wretch, who laughs at everyone. He cannot recognize, as he should, that he is not without faults." the High One, Poetic Edda |
Edited by - Beowulf on 18 Aug 2004 20:06:31 |
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Beowulf
Learned Scribe
Canada
322 Posts |
Posted - 18 Aug 2004 : 23:06:53
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Having made it across the Dragon Reach to Calaunt, Tyros quickly made his way to the Orc's Head Tavern, which, in his early days had been run by a "former" thief, now "retired", named Ralluck.
Now, this Ralluck had a reputation for having a soft spot in his heart for bastards and orphans, and would often take one under his wing, provide the urchin with friends and protection, and teach it how to survive on the merciless streets of Calaunt. Such an urchin had Tyros been. And he had been one of Ralluck's favourites before fate drove them apart.
Once again Tyros enjoyed a happy reunion with a figure from his past, not so happy as with Orgauth, but joyous nevertheless. And not only Ralluck, but also his former best friend Grog. The years had be less kind to Grog than Tyros, and he had grown into a guarded and bitter man of cruel disposition that Ralluck at times employed as a collections agent, but often found to be to ruthless to make much use out of.
At length Ralluck called Tyros out on his reason for the visit, as the lad could hardly have been homesick, and the ex-Zhentilar said that he had come seeking vengeance against the captain that had raped and killed his mother. He then began to question Rallack in return, and the old thief revealed that the last he had heard said "war-captain" had been busted down to the rank of "block-warden" of the Hole, the ugliest and most dangerous part of Calaunt. With a little more digging and surveillance, it was found that Block-Warden Valek, as was his name, was on the take ... receiving regular payments from the owner of the Thugs Delight, a seedy tavern filled with dangerous criminals, cheap harlots and illicit drugs. And not only did he receive regular payments, he also made regular visits, late at night according to Grog, so as not to be seen by his fellow watchmen, who would, apparently, mock him for his poor tastes.
And so it went that Tyros readied a confrontation between himself and Valek late one night behind the Thug's Delight, only to find himself betray by Grog. Valek mocked at Tyros with a handful of armed and armoured warriors between them, claiming that he didn't even remember the ex-Zhentilar's mothers, and that the whore probably liked it anyway. With that, the battle was joined, and Tyros' mastery of the blade proved to be far greater then the Calauntan watchmen had anticipated. As the last of them fell, Valek fled into the night, but before long Tyros caught up to him. While Valek proved to be no pushover, in the end it was Tyros who won the day.
With his passage out of Calaunt already arranged and close to departure, the ex-Zhentilar stopped to bid Ralluck farewell, telling him to warn Grog of his potential return. From there, he headed for the docks and shipped out before any alarm or such was ever raised. If one was ever raised.
Making his way back to Ordulin, Tyros met with Corwin. The former resident of Arabel congradulated his friend on a successful journey, and told him that, during his own engagement in Tasseldale he had been awarded a voucher for entrance into Candlekeep from Melendilar Huantilar, the High Scrivner of Deneir's Hallowed House of Higher Achievement in Selgaunt!! Thus, he wanted to make a journey out that way come spring and see what he could dig up on either the Survivor States and/or Netheril, as part of his long term goal to lead a expedition into the Great Waste.
And so Tyros carried this information with him to Hap, where he found his comrades settling in and making themselves quite at home. Salleece recognized Mumfrey's authority, but assisted him greatly in planning out the building of a new and greater shrine of Lathander, while Hrek was busying himself with training and equiping a small local militia. Furthermore, he had been speaking with the town Spokesmen, Silas Genk, owner of the Millery Inn, and encouraging him to travel to Essmbra and force the War Chancellor of Battledale to either recognize or formally relinguish his obligations to Hap as Lord and Defender of Battledale.
As for Hector, he was filled with dread, for the harvest tide had once again come and gone, and this year he had made no sacrifice of innocence. And no 10,000 gp altar had been erect as per his contract wit hthe Namless Fiend. Nevertheless, the fall tide had indeed come and gone. And the power of Lathander saturated this area. And here with him was Hrek, Salleese, and now even Tyros. Thus it was that Hector managed to push aside his troubles and find himself a student of the magical arts. Her name was Delleah, and while her only equal in both beauty and intellect was Silas' own daughter Sillania, who was herself off studying magic with the elves of the village of Seven Oaks in Tangled Trees, Delleah was herself of more humble origins and enjoyed no such good fortune. Thus it was that Hector took her on as his student.
In time came the first snows of winter. And while the folk of Hap were not without at least a few pairs of snow shoes, and a couple of dog-sleds, the snows eventually came to make travel at least a bit difficult, to say the least, thus locking the folk of Hap into their own little world for yet another winter.
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"Ill tempered the wretch, who laughs at everyone. He cannot recognize, as he should, that he is not without faults." the High One, Poetic Edda |
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Of Tyros /And Dragons Shall Rule .....
