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Beowulf
Learned Scribe
Canada
322 Posts |
 Posted - 24 Apr 2005 : 15:37:24
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Putting into port at Selgaunt late in the winter, the band quickly found lodging at the Slumbering Crescent Inn. This inn was owned and usually operated by a humbly arrogant native of Selgaunt, one Raythion Symmyllus, whom Corwin had met and enjoyed the company of some years back at the Overmaster's Midwinter ball. He was pleased to see his old acquaintence, and once again the two talked long into the night about lost civilizations and forgotten ruins.
The following day Tyros and Corwin set about finding passage aboard a ship that would carry them to Zhentil Keep. By day's end however, it was Raythion who came through with a lead. And by the end of the next, Tyros had arranged passage aboard a ship called the Seahag which would be departing for the Keep, via Tantras and Melvaunt, in five days time.
During their downtime in Selgaunt, Tyros and Corwin looked into a matter that occurred here in Selgaunt some time ago concerning one of the younglings from Hap. Apparently, this youngling, Yohann by name, was amongst those Hapster's who had accompanied Izuldrayn of Tantras in his pursuit of the CoT after they passed through Hap a few years back. While they were in Selgaunt, a devilish looking wizard hired them to accompany him down into the sewers beneath the city, where Yohann had some kind of episode and killed him. The lad claimed that the wizard had an evil look in his eye and was probably leading them into some kind of trap. His friends and companions were horrifed at this act, and thus, upon their return to the surface Yohann turned himself into the authorities ... thence to be tried for murder.
Tyros however had a soft spot for this lad, as he had trained him in the use of the longsword in years past. He was also aware that Yohann had displayed himself heroically when the dead began to walk in Hap prior to this murderous misadventure. And of course, he knew "all" about devilish, and not-so-devilsh looking wizards. So, with a bit of help from Corwin, and a bit of snooping around, he learned that Yohann had been sentenced to hard labour in the reopened House of Toil and Sweat. However, with a bit of name dropping, not to mention the strategic positioning of several hundred gold pieces, Tyros managed to arrange for the lads early release.
In the meantime, Hector decided to try his hand at wooing Voldreena, but when he quickly found himself being outshined by culture-wise Corwin, he redirected his efforts to tending to the local shrine of Lathander. Likewise did Disciple Landrian spend time preaching to the poor in Selgaunt's rougher neighbourhood, while Lacander spent most of his time lazing around the inn, providing it with delightfully free entertainment and chatting it up with anyone in talking distance.
In due time the lot of them boarded the Seahag and put out to sea. During their brief stay in Tantras, Tyros and Corwin mananged a visit with Barlow, while Lacander sought out the company of Yasil. As a result, he, Tyros and Corwin would spend some time answering the questions of local authorities regarding the murder of Izuldrayn, but in the end the truth was seen for what it was and all was for the better.
From Tantras the Seahag carried on through the River Lis and into the purple waters of the Moonsea before striking out for Melvaunt. Following a brief, uneventful stay in the "City of Smoke", the Seahag once again put out to sea, eventually entering the mouth of the River Tesh and putting into port at Zhentil Keep.
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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 May 2005 : 23:47:57
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Putting into port at Zhentil Keep early in the spring, Tyros told everyone to mind their tongues and leave the talking to him as they moved from the docks to a nearby inn. However, it so happened that Hector took somekind of offence to this suggestion, such that when they were but one hundred feet from the door of the tower-inn they were headed for, and Hector spotted out a small patrol of Zhentilar, he immediately called out to them, curtly asking for directions to the Hall of Rulership. The patrol-leader quickly turned the tables, hitting Hector with one question after another, and despite Tyros' best efforts to stem the tide, the band was soon being led off to the Detention Centre for further questioning.
Things went very difficult for the priests, and only got worse for Dawnpriest Hector when he revealed to his captors that he wasn't really a priest of Lathander. Having clearly forgotten his cult-history, Hector told them that he was "secretly" an agent of the Cult of the Dragon -- as well mentioning that he was in search of the Green Orb of Dragonkind -- and thus not much different from them. When he realized the extent of his mistake/s, he attacked his wizened old interrogator, only to be knocked unconscious by a nearby Zhentilar and subsequently sent to the torture chamber.
As for the others, they each suffered a very rough interrogation as well, Tyros no exception, but as luck would have it their prescence within the Keep, along with their goal, soon came to the attention of Fzoul Chembryl. His agents quickly scrambled to, by means both fair and foul, silence those who knew too much about these prisoners, and then to both "acquire" the prisoners and bring them to him.
And so it was. The band was gathered in the prescence of Fzoul, who thence spoke of the Green Orb of Dragonkind ... that he knew of it and of it's fate, and that he was quite willing to trade this information in exchange for a favour. When the band showed interest, he began to question Tyros regarding his last visit to the Keep and his suspicions surrounding Lord Orgauth. At length he confirmed what Tyros already knew, that the real Lord Orgauth was dead, slain during the fall of the Keep buy a powerful fiend from the pits of Hell named Abarax. This fiend had since assumed Orgauth's identity, slaying all that might have expose him, conspiring Tyros' death during his last visit, and bringing disgrace to all the true Orgauth stood for in life. While Fzoul had to suffer this for a time, that time had since come to an end, and now he stood willing to aid Tyros in exacting vengeance for Orgauth by driving Abarax from this world. To this end he not only gave the band all of their gear back, with all chargeable items charged to full, but also had them all fully healed and further offered them a number of potions, along with the temporary use of a magical flail that the fiend would be exceptionally vulnerable to.
Having agreed to the matter, the band struck very, very late that same night, with the aid of a trio of Fzoul's warriors. With Tyros at the lead, they quickly penetrated into Orgauth's Citadel via a secret entrance, and therein found surprisingly few guards. What resistance was encountered was lower planar in origin. Before long Abarax and his remaining minions confronted the band on his own terms. A fierce battle was fought, leaving Lacander and two Zhentilar all but incinerated and both Vandril and Landrian hanging at deaths door. In the end however, the band was victorious and Abarax driven from the world of men.
Carrying the remains of their friends, the rest of the band retreated from the Citadel via the secret entrance, and were met by another of Fzoul's agents who quickly whisked them, via another secret passage, to a chamber within the cellar of the Tesh Inn. There they were met by yet another agent, a dark-haired, pastey skinned, sneering man of middling years by the name of Haaldoran of Bane. He collected the flail, passed the band a scroll containing the information they sought, and then told them that, while rooms awaited them upstairs, horses also awaited them in the stables. And that they should not neglect to use these in a prompt and timely manner.
Before they would allow Haaldoran to leave, the band had Corwin look over the document in the scrollcase. It told of how the Green Orb had been confiscated by the Zhentarim almost immediately upon Dellorak's return to the Keep. The Zhentarim held it until approximately 53 years ago when it was sent to the High Forest in order to aid in a Zhentarim mission there. However, the caravan that was transporting the Green Orb fell prey to a barbarian raid on the outskirts of Northwood in the Delimbyer Vale. Presumably the Orb was born off into the Northwood by these barbarians. It was never seen again.
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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 - 28 May 2005 : 16:16:15
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And so it was that the band settled into their rooms at the Tesh Inn, and there decided that after a full day of rest they would set out for Shadowdale. Once there, they would seek out the aid of the Morningdawn Hall, and also that of Elminster, who might identify where exactly they might find this Delimbyer Vale and North Wood.
Unfortunately, such were Vandril's wounds that he passed away through the night. Quite the contrary however, such was Disciple Landrian's resilence that the following morn, as shakey and weak as he was, he was nevertheless able to ride with Hector in the saddle. So, with Vanril's corpse tighly bound in canvas, and Lacander's scorched skull in pouch, the band made their way out of the gates of Zhentil Keep.
Before long they had arrived at Voonlar, where they quickly found lodging at the Three (Dead) Elves. The innkeeper, a plump, aged old man by the name of Hrallup immediately recognized Tyros, Corwin and Hector from their last stay, many years ago. From Hrallup they learned that, soon after the fall of Zhentil Keep the Red Plumes secured their hold on Yulash and then moved into Voonlar. While their first act was the desacration of the temple of Cyric and the rehallowing of the structure to the worship of Tempus, this was quickly followed by the mass liquidation of all resident demi-humans. Only the best placed and well protected demi-humans survived the ordeal, and most of them had since left. And yet for all of that, a general sense of freedom, unknown under the shroud of Cyric and the Zhents, did at length return to the town.
With this knowledge, Dawnpriest Hector lost little time in spreading the word amongst the locales that a Lathanderite service would be held tomorrow at dawn, at the old shrine of Lathander.
Arriving at the shrine the next morning, the Dawnpriest was pleased to find nearly two dozen adults and children present, amongst them the farmer Dulwood, a good friend of Dawnpriestess Salleece, who had safeguarded Corwin's corpse and aided the heroes during their last stay in Voonlar.
While the shrine structure had since become a grainery of sorts, containing many large barrells of grain, the congragation worked together to quickly clear a space, and soon enough the lot of them were praising the dawning of the day under Dawnpriest Hector's lead. As the service tied up however, Hector found himself accosted by a trio of Red Plumes. They encouraged the folk to hurry on their way, as did Hector, and then proceeded to question him about his business in Voonlar ... where he had come from, where he was going. In the end, he was given until noon tomorrow to get out of town. And when he at last returned to the Three Elves, he found that his companions had had a similar encounter.
So it was that the band made themselves ready, riding south out of Voonlar by mid-morning the next day. Barely had the band covered a mile however, when they found themselves accosted by a large, well armed group of bandits ... some of whom bore a suspicious resemblence to some of the Red Plumes that had chatted with yesterday. These bandits demanded that they hand over all of their valuables, or die.
There was a moment of hestitation and uncertainty, as wounded and unprepared as they were, about what they should do, when suddenly Tyros spurred his horse forward and charged those bandits blocking the road (as opposed to the archers arrayed on either side of it). However, while Tyros fought hard, slaying a good three of the enemy, a misplaced step soon grounded him, while Hector, Voldreena and especially Landrian were quickly over come. As for Corwin, when he saw that things had gone awry, he used his boots of speed to make a hasty exit.
The survivors, while not harmed any further, where stripped of everything but the clothes on their back and sent, humbly, on their way. Later that day they joined up with Corwin once again, and thence continued on their way to Shadowdale.
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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 - 17 Jun 2005 : 18:29:45
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Having safely made their way to Shadowdale town Hector and Landrian immediately made for the Morningdawn Hall, while the others settled in at the Old Skull Inn. Arriving at the temple, Hector immedaitely sought an audience with the High Dawnpriest Munro Cassimar, but was soon rebuffed as a result of the air of authority and privilege he presumed. The High Dawnpriest explained, quite tactfully for one rumoured to be vain, arrogant, and superficial, that he would be departing, permanently, for Ordulin in but a few days time and was all arush with preparations.
The following day Hector sought out an audience with Elminster, and, after knocking on the old sages door, was left so long in the waiting that he managed to wash his clothes in the nearby pond. He was in fact stark naked and bent over the pond scrubbing away when Elminster himself at last emerged from the tower. He stood with Storm Silverhair, and spoke to her in excited tones and gestures, like something had his blood up, only to be stopped dead by the spectacle.
Noticing them noticing him, Hector quickly doned his wet and wrinkled clothing, and then rushed toward the Sage of Shadowdale. He was about to introduce himself when Elminster hushed him, and proved that he already knew. He then went on to quickly tell of how, last winter, Hluthvar had once again fallen to the forces of Tiamat, while, with the break of spring, Huthduth, Eagles Reach, and Iriaebor all followed it into ruin. Nor had Berdusk or Scornubel gone untouched! Furthermore, the wind had begun to whisper, muchly, of secret meetings between multitudes of goblinoid chieftains from throughout Cormyr's High Moor, the Stonelands, and the Goblin Marches.
With that Elminster informed Hector of the whereabouts of both the Delimbyer Vale and North Wood, following which he hastily cast a spell that caused both him and the beautiful Storm Silverhair to vanish.
Making his way back to the Old Skull Inn, Hector shared the news with his fellows. Discussing the matter, it was decided that they would first make their way back to Ordulin, perhaps travelling with Cassimar, where they had a few thousand gold coming their way from a necklace placed on the market a year or so ago. Also, if either Vandril and/or Lacander were to be restored to life, Ordulin and/or Hap would be the ideal place for them to have it done, all things considered.
And so it was that, as the others re-equipped themselves at Corwin's expense, the tombraider himself went to the Morningdawn Hall and made arrangements for the band to accompany Dawnpriest Cassimar, his bodyguards and aids, back to Ordulin.
Setting out east on the Mistletrail, hardly more than a day went by before some intense spring rains forced the carvan to seek shelter. And shelter was soon found in the form of an old abandoned castle just off the main trail. Settling into the main hall of the small castle, the various warriors split up to search the rest of the place and make sure that they were indeed alone. When the Lathanderite warriors that were sent to investigate the basement didn't return however, the band followed to investigate. Descending down the stairs, it did not take long befor Corwin and Hector noticed that they were no longer in a castle in Shadowdale. In fact, according to Corwin, the look of the stonework (beyond the stairs and the first hallway), the dryness of the air, the distinct feeling of being watched, were all reminscient of the "Dungeon in the Desert" that they were transported into a few years back, on their way home from the Moonshaes.
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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 Dec 2014 : 06:47:19
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It's been quite a while since I posted here, but thought it necessary to come back to my old thread here and post a link to a recent blog entry of mine that readers might be interested in. Concerning And Dragons Shall Rule and the "Tyranny of the Dragons".
Cheers!
http://jameybmartin.wordpress.com/2014/12/12/note-the-rise-of-tiamattyranny-of-the-dragons/ |
"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 .....
