Tuesday, August 16, 2011

The Enemy of My Enemy

This session begins with the companions standing with King Darius’ Eastern front; waiting with the troops for an attack that never came. Previously, Cor’Nal had delivered a sealed message from King Darius for Colonel Rutland, ordering his army to retreat to the city’s Southern gate, leaving the companions floundering for direction. As the companions weren’t under orders to retreat with them, a decision had to be made as to where to go from here.

After much discussion, Gareth suggests a return to Grodek Keep, which the companions decide is as good an idea as any. After watching the Eystlund troops set out for the South gates to help with the impending attack, the four men begin to walk to their destination, having no horses and no spells to whisk them off as usual. Ademar quickly draws the irritation of his friends bemoaning the loss of his new man-servant and wondered aloud about who would be raising his tent each night now that Sheldon had left with the rest of the Eastern front.

The companions walked the road back towards Grodek Keep until twilight, hiding amongst trees nearly a hundred feet off the road. Ademar continued to complain about the injustice of being forced to sleep on the ground without his tent shielding him but they eventually got their camp set for the evening. Moments before the sun dipped over the horizon, a platoon of orcs, led by a pair of ogres, were heard marching down the road, the way the companions had come.

Not wanting to let the enemy slip by Ademar took aim with his bow and let the first shot fly. Gareth, caught off guard by the sudden call to action jumped up, grabbed his weapon and shield and went to meet the orcs with nothing more than his nightclothes on. Raell seeing the Orcs charge towards Ademar and Gareth drew Est’Megill-Galahd and commanded the sword to blaze as bright as the sun. Several orcs seeing a lone figure standing off to the side with light broke off and charged towards him along with one of the ogres. With the battle in full swing, Cor’Nal began to move about the group, using his druidic powers to aid his friends as needed. The companions made short work of the evil creatures and moved camp further down the road, away from the bodies of the monsters they had just killed. Once the new camp was established, the companions were able to rest for the remainder of the night.

In the morning, the companions quickly finished their journey to Grodek Keep, as Cor’Nal again utilized his “Smoking Bottle” spell, and met with Captain Herschel. The newly knighted Sir Cor’Nal reported to the captain that the king’s orders had been delivered to the commander of the troops on the Eastern front. Herschel seemed pleased with this news and told Cor’Nal that he would take the gathered companions to the city after dark to meet with the king. Ademar seeing this as an opportunity to relax decided to go in search of whores and wine, only to be halted in his tracks by the master of the keep, Greden Grodek.

Greden explained to the companions, that he had been having some strange dreams of late. One, before their arrival told of four heroes who would arrive at camp and stem the turn of the war in favor of King Darius and his subjects. This vision, he told them, he thought of as little more than wishful thinking manifested in the form of a dream. However, after their group arrived and reports came to him from Captain Herschel, Lt. Bancroft, Sir Kralek and others within camp about their successes in routing entire platoons and capturing siege machines, he began to wonder whether they could be the heroes his dreams had foretold. Later on, after their arrival, he had another dream. This one included a beautiful woman, vaguely elven, who led him through a bright, flowered meadow into a darkened forest. While in the forest, he tried to speak. While no words would come, he could hear his own voice in his head. Ignoring his questions, she told him to take the four outsiders to see “him”. While she did not speak his name, he believed he knew of whom she spoke. He explained to the companions that he had once been helped by this man in a time before. He told them that, once he felt the time was right, he would take them all to see this man.

After Greden left the companions to think about his cryptic story, they were once again set upon by Lt. Bancroft. Seeking their aid in getting word to another military unit in the north east that was still far from the city in order to give them orders on where to move in order to best defend it. Cor’Nal offered him a way to send a scout at best speed possible by use of a magical smoke horse. After this business was concluded Ademar saw this as his chance to go in search of booze and whores again. Raell tried to ignore the elf until he invited Gareth to join him. Raell knowing that Gareth would be meeting King Darius in just a few short hours used the power of the Sword of Light to halt Gareth in his tracks with its Hold Person ability. Raell then dragged the magically held Gareth back to the stable that was now being used to quarter them. Ever sanctimonious, Raell set to lecturing Gareth about how he was soon to meet a king and that he needed to rest. Ademar seeing his trouble-seeking friend get dragged back to the stable decided to give up on his search and settled down, content to sip from his own private stock of wine.

Shortly after dark that night, the companions set out with Captain Herschel to go meet with King Darius. Once they were through the city gates Herschel led them on a twisting path to the place where the king waits in hiding. Taken far down below the earth, the group was left in a room where the king would come to greet them.

After the usual pleasantries are completed, the King explains to the group that he feels that, as desperate times often call for desperate measures, it seems that he may need to utilize the service of a longtime nemesis in order to flush out the spies that have thwarted many of his plans in recent weeks. He goes on to tell them of a man, apparently known only as Rulan, leader of a gang called “The Stone Crows”. He tells them that for nearly the entire tenure of his reign, since almost his day of coronation, this criminal and his gang of thugs have run rampant in the slums of the city and beyond. He lists the multitude of their crimes: bribery, racketeering, slave running, theft, kidnapping, and worst of all, murder.

Another of his crimes is in the dealing of illicit information, the paying off of everyone from the lowest messenger boy to the highest ranking members of Darius’ Court, when possible, to find whatever information he can to further his own ambitions and stay out of the King’s dungeons.

It is this criminal talent that Darius is most concerned with now. It is a talent that, ironically, he feels the kingdom now needs in her darkest hour.

He asks that they find a way to meet with Rulan, though gathering the requisite information on how to do that is something he cannot help them with. The little information Darius has he gives to them: Rulan is a grotesquely obese man who dresses opulently and reportedly “wears his weight in gold”; his operation is known to be highly secretive and centered within the slums, though his subordinates are not confined to them. Darius tells them that, once Rulan is found, he does not want him killed; instead he wants the companions to find a way to appeal to Rulan’s interests and ask him to assist his monarch by finding out whatever he can about the enemy’s spy network. He tells them that he expects this to be a difficult task, but one that could prove essential to defeating the insurrection.

With the meeting complete, King Darius humbly offers, as he did the previous day with Cor’Nal, to make the remaining three companions Knights of Eystlund, giving them lands within the kingdom as well. Gareth, seemingly caught up in the dream of every sword for hire drops to his knees and accepts this honor with great humility, unable to even speak. Ademar, with half a grin on his scarred face, also bent knee and accepted this honor.

Raell on the other hand, inexplicably felt the need to refuse. Instead, he makes a cryptic demand of the King saying, ‘If you wish to honor me, you will drop my father down the deepest, darkest hole you can find, where the closest thing he gets to fresh air is what escapes from his arse.’ The King was, for a moment, struck dumbfounded, and soon after demonstrably angered by the incredible insult. Raell explained attempted further explanation stating that it would not look good for King and Kingdom if one of her knights were to be convicted of murder. Raell made it very clear that at some point, if all else failed, justice would be meted out by his own hand. Overtly suggesting his target would be Keller Kromwell. This further enraged the good king, who could not leave the seemingly insane, or perhaps incredibly stupid, half-elf behind fast enough. Who would dare enter his chamber, no matter how humble it was made by the circumstances, and not only refuse an offer of Knighthood but to also have the audacity to profess to the future crime of murder? Considering the many important matters laid at his feet, this was not something that Darius considered a priority, and expected his subject, the only one among them to be a true citizen of Eystlund to leave his own personal grievances behind and not be so stubbornly myopic and opportunistic. Briefly considering having the ignorant and clearly confused half-elf arrested by Captain Herschel for treason, he instead thought better of it and dismissed Raell altogether.

Afterward, the King reminded the group that, as another token of his appreciation, he would have his aging mage enchant an item of their choosing. One that had to meet the requirement of being something they already own of masterwork quality. They spent a considerable amount of time debating which item they would like enchanted by Bravin Silvermorn, before settling on the bracers of Ademar’s Remhoraz armor; which were given a +1 defense bonus (after a lousy roll by the DM).

Several hours later, the companions leave their King as well as their horses and start to walk about the city in search of an inn. Raell inexplicably decides the best way to go about it was to pretend he didn’t know his friends and walk well behind them, misunderstanding Darius orders to wear their arm bands that distinguished them as Knights of Eystlund. At nearly four in the morning, the group came upon the closest inn to the King’s whereabouts: The Chunky Wench. Raell, in a further attempt to separate from the others seats himself at the bar as the trio of elves move to a table. A thickly cut inn keeper over six feet in height introduces herself as Patricia Reynolds and tells them that she is also owner of the establishment. After ordering food and drinks, Ademar loudly asks if she knew of Rulan or anyone associated with the Stone Crows. Patricia explains that she knows of one gentleman who might have some association with them who often comes in during afternoon hours. After giving the three a full description of the man, Ademar asked if there was anywhere else they could go to find information, Patricia told them of tavern in the slums that they might try. Cor’Nal then proclaimed in a deadpan voice, ‘this isn’t the slums?’ Patricia did her best to ignore the comment as she went about the task of taking care of her other customers. Finished with seeking information here, Raell bought the use of a room for three nights and was ready to retire to it until his companions decided to head for the ‘slums’, in further search of more information on how to get in touch with Rulan.

With the coming light of the morning, the three Elves strolled into the worst area of Eystlundtowne. Burned out shops and homes were gutted and left standing on nearly every street. Homeless people and other dubious characters watched the three elves, one in full plate armor march through the streets. Raell still following dozens of feet behind also drew the eyes of the common folk, failing miserably in his endeavor to blend in. The armor he wore under his cloak told those who watched that he had coin, and probably a lot of it. A screeching old woman approached the Elves, pleading with them to give her some coppers. Ademar gave her some coins and moved quickly away from her, hoping she hadn’t drawn any more attention than his clothes, armor and weapons already had. As Raell came into her view she started to screech again, only this time, Raell called her over showing her a flash of coin in his hand. As the old woman drew near, Raell reached out to give her the coin telling her that ‘Master Kromwell sends his regards.’ This seemed to frighten the woman who ran away, disappearing around a corner into an alleyway. After the commotion, the companions continued on, with Raell inexplicably keeping distance at the rear.

Shortly before finding the inn that Reynolds had described to them, Cor’Nal glanced up, seeing what looked to be a figure watching the three from the roof top of a distant building. Yet at the distance it was impossible for the druid to make out many details. Shaking his head at the surrounding human filth, the druid followed Ademar into a brightly lit, music-filled tavern replete with gaming tables. A sign over the door gave the name “The Barrel’s Bottom”. Ademar Nightwalker, intrigued by the smell of wine and the telltale click of dice, did not hesitate to make his way inside. Ademar and Cor’Nal moved to the bar to order drinks while Gareth waited outside for Raell. Raell seeing this moved to the other side of the street, trying to find a place to watch the inn from what he believed to be a safe distance. Gareth still not understanding his friend’s strange behavior called out to him. “Raell, what are you doing? Come over here!” In a panic, Raell ignored Gareth and continued walking down the street and into a blind alley where he was accosted by two thugs.

After feeling a sudden thump on the back of his head he turned with stars in his eyes turned to face his attacker. Dropping a hand to his sword, he looked at two men, one held a well-used sap, the other a small dagger. Using Est’Megill-Galahd once again, Raell caught the thug in a hold spell. The smaller of the two men, the one holding a dagger in his fist, ordered his partner to ‘hit him again.’ Raell looked at the man, extended his blade and told him to run, which he did. Raell then interrogated the one he had held magically, finding out that he was a member of a minor gang, and had no affiliation with the Stone Crows. Before the thug came free of the spell, Raell bound him with rope.

While inside the inn, Ademar tried his hand at a house game called Three Dragon Ante. After losing a few games, he moved on to his old favorite, Dancing Dice. Cor’Nal continued to watch this version of the shell game as it claimed a new victim, seeing the man palm the ruby that should have been under one of the three cups. Cor’Nal attempted to warn the man of the game’s fix, but was ignored. After the victim pointed to a cup Cor’Nal knew would have no ruby, he reached out and picked up the other two cups, showing the drunk that there was no ruby under any of them. Looking at the dealer Cor’Nal said, ‘I believe you owe this man some money.’ While the dealer did pay the poor drunk the coin he owed, he rushed off with his cups to leave the inn, but not before stopping to talk to a rather large man at the rear of the inn, who only nodded as he turned his gaze towards the druid.

As Ademar lost his first five silver to the Dancing Dice, Raell was further harassing the thug he had tied up in the alley. He asked the man if he knew where to find Rulan. The stuttering man protested that he didn’t know anything about Rulan and that he didn’t run with the Stone Crows. Raell smacked the man in the head, telling him that he wasn’t stupid, that even if he didn’t know where Rulan hid, he knew what areas to avoid, what questions to ask. Raell then pulled out a single platinum coin and stuffed it into the mouth of the man who tried to murder him. Raell told him, “You find out what I want to know, I will give you enough of these to fill your whole mouth.” The thug looked at the crazed half elf and said “Who are you, how will I find you?” As Raell stood over the thug, he told him “Kromwell and I will find you, where you just found me.”

With that, Raell left the man tied in the alley and went to rejoin Gareth in front of the inn.

Back at the Dancing Dice table, Ademar continued to lose coin. After a time he asked the man running the table if he knew anything about Rulan or the Stone Crows. The man said he would talk to him but ‘not here.’ The Dancing Dice man told Ademar to meet him out back, scooping up the dice and the coin he had taken from Ademar, the man stood and started to leave the room through a door at the rear. Ademar and Cor’Nal followed quickly behind. As Cor’Nal walked by, he was stopped by an enormous bouncer who put a massive hand to his chest. “I’m watching you.” He told the druid who shoved the brute’s hand away, muttering a retort as he followed behind Ademar.

Following the Dancing Dice man into an alley behind the building the elves noticed a pair of elderly men puffing on pipes, their eyes glassy and unfocused. The man who led them into the alley noticed their discomfort with the audience and explained that the two were hop-heads that wouldn’t remember anything they saw here come morning. The Dancing Dice man then proceeded to tell the elves that if they wanted to know about Rulan, they needed to talk to a man he knew as “Mackey”. Mackey was described as giant of a man who was an enforcer employed by the Crows and if anybody could lead them to Rulan, it was him. Ademar asked when Mackey normally came around and the Dancing Dice man told him he was there most days around highsun or later. Satisfied with that the elves thanked the human and left the inn. The four companions returned to The Chunky Wench where Gareth decided to sleep in the room Raell had paid for while Ademar got himself and Cor’Nal breakfast.

Ademar and Cor’Nal then decide to go in search of things to procure; legally. This leads them first to Cora’s General Store where they buy some masterwork arrows. There aren’t many to be had and Ademar finds the price exorbitant and so decides to talk down the beautiful, but seemingly dim proprietor. She doesn’t come down much, but acquiesces due to the lack of customers since the beginning of the war, especially since the initial siege. After leaving Cora, the two make their way to “INSERT NAME HERE” where the proprietor tells them that he just fletched a hundred masterwork arrows some weeks before, but never sold a single one. Initially, he tells them they can have the lot for 700 gold pieces, which of course Ademar scoffs at. Eventually, he is able to get the shopkeeper to accept a meager 550 sovereigns for the hundred arrows.

Raell also decides to do some light shopping and makes his way to Cora’s General Store. As his companions before him had found out; the store was run by an extremely beautiful woman blessed with the voice of a harpy. Raell decides to buy a simple pair of black breeches with a matching shirt. As he paid more for the set of clothes than she had asked, Cora unexpectedly propositions Raell with sex. Only hearing her voice in his head, Raell declines and leaves her store. Once in the street, he momentarily considers going back and accepting her offer before thinking better of it. Raell then sets out for the south side of the city where he could find the estate of Keller Kromwell. It wasn’t until he sees the pair of plate-armored guards standing outside of Keller’s gate that Raell realized that he didn’t know what he was doing there. A guard looked down at the half-elf and asked if he had an appointment.

“What? No.” Raell stammered, “Is he here?” The guard continued to look down at Raell and asked him what he wanted. “Tell him it’s his bastard.” The guard turned around, opened a large iron gate and spoke to someone inside. After a few moments the gate opened up again and Raell was told that they were not receiving visitors. Raell unable to think of anything else to say just told the guard “Tell my father that his other son is coming.” With this Raell turned and started the long walk back to the Chunky Wench. During the walk back, Raell was stopped by a man in white robes claiming to be a priest of Solarth who began to question Raell about his faith. Saying that he believed Raell to be a good man, he suggested to the half-elf that he should consider joining the Order of The Golden Dawn.
Raell politely declined, though he was taken back to the day before when Greden Grodek told the companions of his dreams. When the robed-man finished, Raell tried to tell him the story of his own death and the death of Ryan MacBrady, though the man took no interest in it. After bidding the priest farewell, Raell looked towards the Temple of Solarth off in the distance and briefly considered going there but instead returned to the inn to meet with his friends.

All four companions, now reunited, set out to return to “The Barrel’s Bottom” to seek out Mackey, hoping to broker a deal that would lead them to Rulan. Gareth, attempting both a lower profile, and a more accommodating outfit should the need for haste arise, opted for a lighter set of armor, specifically a set of unused elven chain. Regardless, the many poor of the slums swarmed him and the rest of the group. Gareth tossed coins in the street in order to distract the mob, which works splendidly as they scatter to fight for them. Once they arrive at “The Barrel’s Bottom”, Gareth and Raell wait outside while Cor’Nal and Ademar investigate within. Soon, the man who promised to point him out nods them in the direction of a massive man who could only be the “Mackey” they had been told of.
Ademar, feeling the weight of his past experiences went to stand next to the man. After a moment he asked the giant man if he indeed, was Mackey. Mackey turned and reached for Ademar’s throat, but the elf deftly deflected Mackey’s massive paw, barely avoided having his throat crushed. Somewhat surprised, Mackey looked at Ademar for the first time. “What do you want little man?” Ademar told Mackey who he was and told him he wanted to meet with Rulan. After a lengthy discussion Mackey agrees to their requests and if allowed to do so, will arrange a meeting with Rulan.

Ademar tells Mackey that he and the others can be found at The Chunky Wench if he has any news concerning their audience with the gangster.

The four companions then leave the The Barrel’s Bottom but are quickly drawn to the alley behind the tavern by the sound of a fight. The four of them stand and watch as two shirtless humans are engaged in what appears to be a loosely sanctioned boxing match between a tall, well-muscled, heavily tattooed fighter and a smaller, leaner fighter, sans body ink. Cor’Nal, caught up in the spirit of things, jests that it would be a waste that this fight should go on without someone placing a bet, which Ademar, of course, promptly does proclaiming that he has 20 silvers on the smaller, less tattooed of the pugilists. Some random commoner watching from a window above the group gladly accepts Ademar’s careless wager. The four stand transfixed on the two fighters until the smaller man succumbs, losing his consciousness as well as a few teeth. Once Ademar’s lost silvers were paid, the four make their way back to the Chunky Wench to await word from Mackey and the man Patricia had told them of in the early morning hours.

As the noon hour approached, Mackey's lackey entered the Chunky Wench, looking around the room. As the companions were the only elves in the place, Ademar was easy to pick out. He went directly to Ademar and told him that he had a message from Mackey. When Ademar leaned in to listen the agent of Mackey’s said, “Piss off.” When Ademar told the messenger what he could do with that message, the fool drew his blade to threaten the elf. Raell, seeing this reached out with the power of his sword and held the man. Raell then drug the thug out of the inn and laid him down in the road. After taking away all of the thugs weapons, Raell pointed one finger at the man’s face and told him, “Not in here.” Raell then turned around and went back to his spot at the bar.

The hours passed away in The Chunky Wench as the companions waited for their next possible lead to Rulan. As the dinner hour drew near a man matching the description the companions had been given by Patricia came in and took a seat at the bar.

Before the man was able to order, he was set upon by Ademar. Believing Ademar to be one of the thugs in Mackey’s crew, he began to blurt about how he had three days left to pay Mackey back what he owed him. Ademar, sensing an opportunity, attempted to use this against the ruffian. After some confusion, Ademar gives up the ruse and demands to know where the entrance to the Stone Crows hideout is. At first the thug is reluctant, stating that he already was in debt to Mackey, who was not known for kindness to debtors and he wasn’t interested in making things worse by leading Knights of Eystlund to the leader of the Stone Crows. Raell listening not far away asked the man how much he owed Mackey. When the man told Raell that he owed one thousand gold pieces, Raell offered to pay the debt in exchange for the whereabouts of the hideout. Ademar reluctantly agreed that he and his friends would give the man the gold if he led the companions to Rulan. Of course there was a catch: “I won’t show you anything ‘til after dark.” The man said before leaving. Agreeing to meet at The Chunky Wench after sundown, the companions used that time to get some much needed rest.

As promised, the man met with the companions after dusk, demanding half the total coin before leaving the inn. Grudgingly, Ademar paid the man, though this wasn’t part of the original agreement. After the man had the gold in hand, he led the companions to a crossroads in the slums. He looked at the companions and said, “I am not going to point, I will only nod towards the door once you give me the rest of my coin.” Once Ademar gave the man the rest of the promised coin, he gestured slightly towards an old, wood and stone building with a very solid wooden door. He then ran off, disappearing into the city slums leaving the companions behind.

Ademar knocked on the door once they approached the building. A peephole slid open in the door showing a pair of eyes on the other side. The voice inside the door asked “What do you want?” When it was said that they were there to meet Rulan, the voice asked, “How does a Stone Crow fly?” Cor’Nal answered “It doesn’t”. The voice then asked, “When does it?” As none of the companions were able to answer the question, the peep hole slid closed. Cor’Nal, approaching the limits of his patience decided to open the door under his own power. Reaching out with his gifts, Cor’Nal warped the wood of the door until it broke free of its hinges and fell away from its frame. The door fell outward towards them, landing with a thud. They then moved toward the opening, using the fallen door as a ramp and gained entrance to the stone structure. There they saw a porcine, male figure, seated in a chair on the other side of a small fire pit in the center of the room. The massive man stood, and introduced himself as Rulan, leader of The Stone Crows.

Ademar stepped forward, telling the man that he and his friends were here on behalf of the king. The man in the chair asked what it was that the king wanted. “Information.” Ademar stated, “The king believes he has a spy in his ranks. If Rulan can tell the king who that spy is, the king would be willing to forgive Rulan of one future indiscretion.” The man in the chair asked why he would do that, why would The Stone Crows betray Rogar the Beast, a fellow enemy of the king? The companions tried to make the point that life under the rule of Rogar, or whomever he works for would not be kind to Rulan or the Stone Crows. The fat man then turned his head slightly to the rear and asked someone out of sight, “What do you think?” The ominous response was clear:

“Kill them.”

With this, two curtains fell and the companions were attacked by a trio of guards and two flesh golems.

Ademar wasted no time responding and quickly drew an arrow from his quiver and made ready to shoot. It was at this moment, all eyes in the room were drawn to the elf. Waves of power and heat rolled off Est’Perolyne as the magic arrow Ademar nocked reacted in synergy to the magic of the bow. Ademar, unsure of what was about to happen, fired the shot towards the man in the chair. The arrow of fire sunk deep into the gangster’s forehead, blowing out the back of his head, spraying bits of skull and brain matter into the lavish seat behind, killing him instantly. Certain now that they had killed Rulan, despite orders to the contrary, they continued to fight with the remaining men in the room. No longer believing that discretion was necessary with Rulan dead they slaughtered all that came, including the flesh golem monstrosities.

Though they had won, the companions looked around at one another in disbelief at what Ademar’s arrow had done to their query. Defeated, Ademar spoke first, “I only wanted to stun him!”

Before anyone could respond the sound of sarcastic applause filled the air. Seeming to walk through the stone of the wall itself, a man, wearing expensive red and black silks and a smallish, circular headdress appeared. “Mackey said you might be tough, but he didn’t expect you would be this tough.” As he spoke, more men filed out of the wall, lining the outer walls of the room to surround the companions. The clapping man moved around the throne that the enormous dead man’s body had comically fallen upon, callously shoved the carcass to the floor and sat upon the chair himself. It seemed a natural fit. It was then that the realization came over them all.

The dead, fat man wasn’t Rulan at all.

“Hello.” The man spoke. “Welcome. My name is Rulan.”

Before anybody else could say a word one of the companions spoke.

“We’re not paying for the door.” Raell said plainly.

End Recap.

16 comments:

  1. This 5500 word monstrosity still needs some polish, which I will get to when I get home. My phone is too unwieldy to do what needs to be done without reams of frustration.

    Feel free to comment as you like. As before, TOWJ did the bulk of the work and I edited and omitted where needed. If there are any errors, let me know.

    ReplyDelete
  2. A couple things:
    1. On the second trip into the slums it was Gareth who was tossing coins like candy not Ademar.
    2. The betting on the fist fight in the back alley was indeed the druids' idea but it was Ademar who placed the bet.
    3. You have the 'Chubby' Wench in several places where it should read Chunky Wench.

    Other than that minor stuff, it was good to see the recap as always. I think I will never tire of Raells' comments which are either entirely inappropriate or supremely fitting! Perhaps Ademar should begin wagering on what the ranger will say next! It's a 50/50 chance that it will bring trouble, those odds aren't all that bad actually...

    Thanks to the both of you.

    ReplyDelete
  3. "Sir Nightwalker." That really does have a grand ring to it! I do hope that whatever lands Darrius has in mind for us comes with at least a modest home and a wine cellar. The bag of holding is becoming heavy with 're-appropriated' wine bottles.

    ReplyDelete
  4. First, congratulations are in order. For those who chose to be knighted, may the titles and blessings associated bring you much prosperity and happiness. Yes, Sir Ademar Nightwalker does have a very nice ring. I guess I will need to get us a new set of beer steins this Christmas!


    Secondly I really must ask, what was the comment Sir Cor'Nal said to the bouncer on the way out after being told he was being watched?

    Thirdly, my hats off to the DM and TOWJ for the effort in typing up this recap.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Aye, and Sir Ademar, should ye wager on on the ranger, I may take thy bet. I have a few sovereigns...

    ReplyDelete
  6. "Stunning" is a pinch better with the flat of a blade my good sirs. Have to applaud the shot though... Sweet!

    Also, nice job with the orcs gentlemen.

    ReplyDelete
  7. We will have to be careful if we do; the fun marshal is always about looking to ruin my sport!

    ReplyDelete
  8. Yes, well, I was caught just a touch off guard when I discovered that Est'Perolyne really liked magical arrows! Suddenly having a fireball on a stick is a bit unnerving!

    ReplyDelete
  9. As I was standing right next to you, that was a bit scary.

    I've been telling you guys for a year that Raell is insane. You just don't listen.

    ReplyDelete
  10. Darius should give Ademar the parcel of land where Glenn Meddows once stood.

    ReplyDelete
  11. Glenn Meddows, why does that name sound so familiar?

    ReplyDelete
  12. It is the village that Raell comes from. Twice in the history of the land, all the people who live there have been slaughtered in the middle of the night.

    ReplyDelete
  13. Okay. The edit is officially complete. There are many changes, so don't be too alarmed if you re-read this post. I took care of everything E pointed out and reworked a few paragraphs that needed it.

    Again, thanks to TOWJ for doing the heavy lifting.

    ReplyDelete
  14. When the King speaks of lands, I'm guessing we are talking about small estates not acres of land. I'm guessing Glenn Meddows is probably a haunted space; I do hope that Ademar is not stationed there with the zombies. *shudders*

    ReplyDelete
  15. I just read this recap again for the first time since I posted the revision. I have to admit that I laughed out loud a few times even while here at work.

    Especially the bits at the end. Ademar and Raell really brought the funny after "Rulan's" unexpected death.

    It's too bad the campaign ended when t did. I would've loved to have finished that storyline. The showdown with Rogar, his henchmen and a whole assortment of others (OMG an Old Blue Dragon!) would've been epic.

    Perhaps someday, when scheduling planets align, and conflicts get resolved, there will be a return to this campaign.

    It was, sincerely, some of the best gaming of my life, and I thank all of you for being a part of, the heart of and the reason for it.

    Yes, even Mike.

    ReplyDelete