The Lord of the Forums, Aftermath III>>>Death in the Shadows

[Larry_OHF]

OOC>>>Game Master Notes:
Welcome to our next chapter of Lord of the Forums, Aftermath III. It is entitled Death in the Shadows, and with good reason. If you have read the previous chapters, you will understand this from both the factual and humorous sides. Anyway, we hope to achieve much in this chapter. It is designed to be very heavy and the battles will be epic in porportion. Not all of us will ever see the realms of light and daytime again, for our souls will forever suffer in the shadows of the Underdark while the rest of the party ventures on to the next sequence of events to save Ironworks from the mysterious Hunger that plagues the land. Yet to do this, our brave adventurers will have to discover and face two mighty foes. Euyrale and Terrakis. What have they do do with the Hunger? What does the mysterious Breath of Death from another game campaign have to do with this story? Why do people keep having wierd dreams? All of this will be revealed.

Where did we leave off?

* Morgeraut has left the party after realizing that his presence is dangerous to the others. He is going through rough times, and dealing with the hardships of a major status change. Realizing his weaknesses, he has left the party to fend for themselves. That puts Dantes in command.
* Dantes is a seasoned War Mage of substantial power. Being wise to the days when the Mad Modding Mage ruled...Dantes is a fountain of information and resource. His status has increased in reputation lately, due to his unselfish acts in the benedit of others. He tavels with Dankorona.
* Dankarona is a gnome that can get into all kinds of trouble, but has always just slipped out of them in time. He is kind-hearted and meek, seeking shelter to sleep rather than troubling over wars and what-not. Many of the party simply view him as somebody to keep around for laughs. Laughter is the best medicine, afterall.
* Then there is Syrathic. He joined on last in this terrible quest with no connections other than the thrill to travel and learn. His skills in the craft of being a Rogue and Elf have been welcomed and needed in this journey.
* Next, we have Brendon. He was led to this game to find the source of the strange dreams he had been having and also because he felt this quest was for the betterment of the Realms of Ironworks, which he loves.
* Anarrima is an elf lady that had been abducted by drow that had her enslaved. She managed to escape and find a gnomish settlement where she was cared for and nursed back to health. She is a devoted Cleric, but has never travelled abroad.
* Ruby is a strange party member who keeps to herself and rarely ventures forth with any information that would give you a handle on where she is coming from. Her true talents still lie hidden. She travels with a familiar.
* Two party members have vanished in this dark realm. Where their roads have led them, we know not, but hope to cross their paths again someday.

We have left off from the previous chapter where Morgeraut has left the party, but the party does not yet know this. Dantes has discovered secrets within a runestone, and Dankarona is dealing with a bully in town. The others are making preparations to leave camp. Little do they know that terrible evil is closing in on them all. Two main enemies have been named, but who is the greater? Do they work together? How will the party find their way in the shadows of the Underdark? That is what we plan to discover.

If there be any newcomers that would like to role play with us, let me assure you up front that this is a high level campaign, and PC or NPC death can occur. We would like to offer the chance to one or two people, but they must be screened and filled in on the happenings of the past. Being in the caverns of the Underdark also presents a problem. How does your character come to be with us? If any of you have the courage to embark on a hopeless quest and like to write a good story...feel free to PM me, and we'll talk.

[ 08-12-2003, 01:13 PM: Message edited by: Larry_OHF ]

[AzRaeL StoRmBlaDe]

The weavings of time are far beyond the comprehension of mere mortals. A stitch here starts a war, a stitch there and a child is born. So many different threads and so many different things they control. As we follow one thread we see the rise and the fall of a powerful mage, and an endying hunger that consumes the very souls of those brave enough to face it. Further down this thread we see another mage and a fallen paladin and an elf and an archer. But we follow the stitch of a simple gnome. That that stitch takes us deep into the caverns of the underdark well below where most Ironworkers could even imagine. Down the where the earth is warm from the very bowels of the earth. Down where a great evil lies dormant, or maybe not so dormant. . . Within a city of gnomes far below the great cities of man and the surface elves walks a gnome deep in thought, in a rather seedy part of town.

Dankorona had no idea how he was going to raise this money to protect his sister from that ruffian. Many thoughts crossed his mind, but none that were particulalry appealing. He didn't want to go to his companions for help, because he knew that they already had enough on their mind, and none of them had very much gold that they would probably loan him anyway. Dankorona was trying to consider what jobs he could get that he could raise that money, but nothing came to mind. Just when he was starting to lose hope an idea hit him in the form of the warm inviting light coming from a rather large hall called "skulls, swords, or crowns." Dankorona remembered that the name itself was actually refering to a gambling game that he had played as a younger gnome back in his home town. Dankorona therefore assumed the place was a gambling hall and made for the open door. The place contained several large tables a bar an empty stage and several lamps casting a soft warm glow about the room. The hall was packed with people, some of them drinking and but most gathered around the three large gambling tables. There was a list of rules posted in a neat script on the wall in large letters.
After looking at the rules of the game listed on the wall Dankorona clearly remembered how to play. Each of the 2 dice was six sided. On one side was a crown, on 2 sides were skulls and on 3 sides were swords. You would place your bet on what you think will come up. If a skull came up the house won. If any other combination came up and you bet on it, you would win. Two swords paid 2-1. A sword and a crown paid 4-1 and 2 crowns paid 8-1.
As Dankorona watched a rather inebriated gnome went from up 200 gold pieces to out front of the hall trying to sell his shirt for a copper piece so that he could try and win back his life savings. This wasn't the sort of place for a respectable gnome like Dankorona, then again neither was 300 GP in debt to a local rapscallion. The current roller lost and the dice came to Dankorona. He held them for a moment before timidly placing all his 15 GP on 2 swords.

"'Urry up, dere are peoples waitin'" said the slovenly looking game attendant muttered at Dankorona.

Dankorona just shot him a glare and rolled the dice.

"Two swords 'ouse pays 2 swords," said the attendant as he quickly distributed and collected the money that was on the table. Dankorona stared gladly down at his 30Gp and decided to let it ride.

"Lettin' it ride, huh, lovely, more money for de 'ouse" the game attendant said with a smile.

Dankorona shook his fist vigorously and then cast the dice.

"Two swords, 'ouse pays two swords," said the attendant again as he distributed the money. "Well looky 'ere, we 'ave a lucky pup in de 'ouse tonight."

Dankorona looked down at his now growing pile of gold. 60 GP was a good start in getting his sister out of trouble. But it wasn't enough. Dankorona moved his 60 gold over to two crowns and noticed the attendant chuckling at him.

"None 'as rolled more dan two in a row all night, but good luck to dee." The attendant said as he broke off in a coughing laugh.

Dankorona held the dice so hard his knuckles were white, as sweat broke out on his face. If Dankorona didn't make this roll then his sister would surely meet a terrible fate. Dankorona didn't know what to do as he looked timidly at his GP sitting there on the table and then at the hand the dice were in.

"'urry up dere we don't got all durn day." The attendant snarled at Dankorona, sensing his hesitation.

Dankorona shot the attendant a glare that stopped another response he had coming and then cast the dice down the table.

The dice rolled all the way down the table bouncing off two of the walls before coming to rest near the far end of the table.

The attendant glared at Dankorona a moment before announcing,
"Two crowns, de 'ouse pays on two crowns."

Dankorona collected his gold and went to get a good nights sleep before he met Kendrick, but to his surprise Kendrick had other plans. Just as Dankorona stepped out the door he heard a voice he recognized from the shadows of the nearest alley.

"I see you did well in there." Kendric said from the shadows of the alley.

"Here," Dankorona said, practiaclly throwing a bag full of 300 Gp at Kendrick. "Now if I ever see you again, or you ever threaten my sister again, You will disappear permanently."

Kendrick laughed and then said, "I don't think you are in a position to demand much of anything."

"I have powerful friends," Dankorona stated bravely. "And I will not hesitate to call on them in the future. Now get out of here before I call for the authorities."

Kendrick shot Dankorona a glare, that would have killed him, if glares were capable of such, and then disappeared into the alley. Dankorona wiped his now sweaty brow and set about heading back to his lodgings the gnomes provided, his mind still in awe over the events of the night.

OOC: Here is the current conclusion of this subplot, iot is still fairly early. I revised my original idea a bit to fit in better with the timeline. As for the monsters bring it on Larry. [img]tongue.gif[/img]

[Larry_OHF]

OOC>>>You have no idea! Lol!


The Lady had given her command. The assault was on the move. Stealthly and quickly they ran, each one bearing their preferred weapon in their toughened hands if they had one at all. They had no sight, but were able to find thier way in the darkness by other means that actually served to their advantage.

Now they were upon their prey and it was time for a terrible feast of humanoid flesh. They had been instructed to seek out the surface dwellers first, as their flesh was the sweeter and their Master had commanded it. They swarmed like a plague of death near the entrance of the settlement and awaited their command to attack. An arrow from far behind the war party was then fired upon the entrance wall that hit the cavern door with a definate "thump". Immediately, the Grimlocks ran towards the sound and began tearing at the walls and climbing through whatever hole they could get through. As they did, the entrance grew larger, as pieces of the stone was worn and broken away. The massive party of Grimlocks poured into the unsuspecting city and began their hunt. Although they were to seek out the humans and elves...there was nothing stopping them from killing anything in their path.

OOC>>>
The attack has begun. The war party has the initiative and has begun to kill.

The gnomes had no warning. The Grimlocks were all the sudden there and tearing into whatever they could and there was nothing left to do nor any way to prepare. It had simply just begun. Wherever a good gnome would turn, a Grimlock was bearing down on him. Screams filled the city in seconds, and a stampede of gnomes were running away from the mainstream of the attack. These people were by large not warriors of any kind, and they were afraid. The weapons smith come from his tent at the commotion bearing a large war axe. He charged into the melee and disappeared in the darkness and screams. The potions master began throwing fiery explosions from his window at any passing Grimlock. The fletcher had begun firing bolts from his window as fast as he could load them. The Elders were chanting furiously and loudly in defiance of the intrusion of death in the shadows. Their chants were in unison and appeared to be in a combined pattern as though it were one great and intertwined spell. They were being guarded by brave apprentices and commoners who had little to defend with except their own lives and a few miscelaneous items.

OOC>>>

This would be a day of great loss. Would it be the end of our story?

I am setting up a NWN module that will have the count of each gnome and each Grimlock on the board. When one is recorded as dead, then I will remove him from the board. I also have NPCs representing each one of us. I will move the monsters into position against our characters as that happens. I also have Eurayle placed on the board somewhere, but do not expect to find her.

The Grimocks do not have a particular attack pattern. They attack as they desire individually. There are a few champions in their ranks that are harder to fight. I will have them sporatically placed.

You have more help than you could anticipate. Do not give up hope. Just play and have fun. Ask me any question you like as to the layout of the area or whatever. PM is it is private, and post here if you want the party to know the question and answer.

Oh yeah...GOOD LUCK!!!

[Lord Starshadow]

ooc: Well, here we go.

Syrathic HP:74/74

Syrathic had stayed up well into the night, remembering the lands of his birth. It seemed like it had been an eternity since they had come into the oppressive darkness of these caverns, and he missed the out of doors. But finally, he fell asleep.

He woke up that morning to find the note Morguerat had left them. With a sigh, he went to show the others the note. "Anyone have an idea of what this means?" he muttered to himself since he figured no one really had a clue.

The screams and sounds of battle quickly caught the attention of the Elf as he went to show Brendon the note. "It sounds like... the settlement is being attacked!" he exclaimed in surprise as he listened. He looked at his friend carefully. "Let's go help and hope the others follow."

[Larry_OHF]

Brendon

"This can't be happening!"...Brendon gazed over Syrathic's shoulder and over the small tents of the gnomes and far into the distance toward the direction of the cavern's entrance. He did not have the eyes of an elf, but what he heard was sickening. The terrible bloodlust of the humanoid beasts were pouring in like a wave of sure death. A few of them were near enough to barely make out with his imperfect vision, and he quickly notched an arrow in his bow. Firing immediately, it saved one gnome from being clubbed with a weapon of some sort from the Grimlock. Already, another arrow was on it's way to finish the job. Brendon forgot about anything around him and was focused entirely on notching and aiming arrows. One after another, they whizzed to their targets. They could not be allowed to approach the tents, where the majority of the gnomes now gathered and tried to strategize a counter-attack. Males, females, and children all made up this gret gathering of the last defence to their homes. Already Brendon began to feel the loss. There were just so many of the enemy. So few that could fight with effectiveness.

OOC>>>
DM Notes.
I don't know if any of you remember, but Cyril did grant my archer special weapons by sacrificing other things in return. If any of you want stats or charts, I will be happy to oblige. If you need commentaries on the action, I will fill you in on everything that your character should know at this time.

[AzRaeL StoRmBlaDe]

OOC: Ok time for a high level mage to do what he does best.

Dantes felt it before he heard it. The pulling of a strong magic. A defensive magic. That could only mean one thing: that the city was under attack. Dantes went through his usual prebattle routine of spells. He cast a "stonskin" spell on himself, an "Improved Invisibility" spell, followed by a "spell turning" spell. With this done Dantes stepped out of his lodging and was unprepared for what he saw. Tons of grimlocks pouring through the relatively small opening into the gnomish settlement. Dantes knew that these gnomes were no fighters, and that they stood almost no chance against the number and sheer ferocity of the grimlocks. Dantes looked to his left and saw Syrathic and Brendon. He knew he must act fast to slow down this dark tide.

Dantes, yelled to his companions, "Its Dantes. I am invisible. Stay here and guard the gnomish elders. They are casting a powerful defensive magic. I will go try to stem the flow through the gate."
With that Dantes hurried toward the entrance. When he was within range of the first large group of grimlocks, Dantes began casting a "chaos" spell. Magic words rolled off his tongue, and his invisible hands arced magic symbols in the air. As the last syllable rolled of his tongue dantes only prayed that, that would buy him enough time to do what he could to slow down the grimlocks.

OOC: also If I assumed too many actions here, then please letme know and I will edit it accordingly.

[ 08-13-2003, 06:48 PM: Message edited by: AzRaeL StoRmBlaDe ]

[Larry_OHF]

The Elders drew near to the end of thier enjoined chant. Their voices rose up in defiance of the screams of merciless death nearby. Suddenly, the concluding syllable was sounded and it was done. Near the entrance, many grimlocks begain screaming in terror. Any onlookers with the ability to see were amazed to witness the grimlocks seemingly melting into the rock, but in actuality, the rock under their feet had become liquid-like and the the grimlocks were sinking into it. At least 45 Grimlocks were caught in this snare and screamed their final breaths away as they drowned in the liquidy rock. The duration of the spell lasted long enough to consume their bodies entirely, then the rock solidified again. So many deaths of their comrads that were heard startled the other Grimlocks that were in the area, though a few monsters had neared the residential area and were already preying upon gnomish flesh. They had not found the outsiders yet. Then a spell erupted upon them. They looked about and tried to figure out what had happened. Fights broke out between the monsters, forgetting about why they were there. Some were still chasing gnomes and one Grimlock began eating his own arm.

OOC>>>

Dantes: Your Chaos spell has effectively altered the minds of the Grimlocks you engaged, the ones closest to the settlement homes. There were 12 of them.

Brendon: Your arrows have felled 2 Grimlocks in your first turn.

Other: 4 Grimlocks have been killed by the gnomish defenders. 45 were consumed by the quicksand-type spell from the Elders.

Casualties: 22 of the 70 gnomes have been slain. No PC casualties or injuries to report at this time.

[Lord Starshadow]

Syrathic HP:74/74

Syrathic could feel the anger at what was happening rising within his friend, the same that was bubbling up within himself. He watched as Brendon's arrows found their marks and the Elf decided that his best place at the moment would be keeping Grimlocks off his friend while he fired his deadly arrows.

When Dantes spoke, Syrathic nodded in his direction and began to move toward the Elders, keeping an eye on Brendon as they moved. "Dantes is right," he said. "We have to keep the Grimlocks away from the Elders; they would have something to protect the village."

He stood defiantly in front of Brendon and the entrance to the where the Elders chanted, waiting to put his twin blades to use in the protection of the village. He would not go out on the offensive himself, however; he knew he would be easily overwhelmed in a rush.

As he heard the elders finish, he followed Brendon's eyes to the group of tents and saw Gnomes preparing to defend themselves, no matter how ill-equipped they were. "I don't know if we can both help those and keep the Elders safe," he muttered. The sounds of Grimlocks screaming filled his ears, he knew the Elders' spell had done some damage to the raiding party. "I just hope they have another spell."

[Cyril Darkcloud]

ooc: Not only has post-graduate school life proven to be both more busy and more immediately fulfilling than anticipated, my move away from the Boston area has left me without reliable internet access for the last several weeks -- thus my having disappeared without warning or explanation. The internet issues seem to have been sorted out allowing me to resume posting here occassionally. My schedule is still very full, however, and so I am very grateful to Larry for jumping in to handle the day to day DMing of the game as I'm not sure when I'll have the freedom to post on a more frequent basis.

As I now have the time, energy and internet conectivity for some occasional posts, however, there's no time like the present to handle a few plot details out of the party's immediate vicinity ......

Nothing stirs on the black and broken earth near the fallen tower save the wind and the silent encroachment of slender blades of grass. There is no sound save the imperceptible notes of roots sinking deeply into soil and the subtle to-and-fro of breezes passing through scattered clumps of a green that asserts each day a more defiant claim upon a soil which welcomes no life at all. Life has no place here in this dead forsaken earth nor the right to even so much as the most meager and fragile of beginnings from which to grow. Still, however, these slender blades take no heed of such things as the stern refusal of life and sink their roots in firm defiance into the black and stony ground. Silent is their assault, and relentless. Each sunrise sees the silent encroaching of the grass as having tightened its circle about the ruins and each sunfall finds the green of the blades to have deepened slightly in its color. Life has no right to be here, has no place here, yet life in the form of slender and fragile spears of green thrusts itself where it is most unwelcome, most unwanted and least expected.

High above the blackened ruins and free from the oppressive shroud of distant thunder clouds the sun burns. Its light, refused by the dead earth of this place, is seized by these strangely persistent blades and its warming power carried through aggressive roots into the very ground that shies away from its touch. Even the moat with its stinking and motionless water so choked with death proves no real barrier to the scattering of wind blown seeds that find their way across its stillness to the site of the fallen tower. Power was the coin of this fallen realm, and power the language its warring factions spoke. Power still, it would seem, is the only grammar those of these forums so far from the skies use with which to comprehend their world. Power means nothing to grass which grows with simple and unyielding insistence. Some hungers are not so dramatic as others even though the appetite which drives them is all the more insistent, and more than one hunger was buried by the Windbringer in the lifeless earth of this place. One Hunger, terrible in size and might, raged with such strength as to snatch the very strength of the Ring from the hand which wielded it. Another hunger, silent and numerous, simply reached outward and snatched some of that very same power from the ravening emptiness which consumes. Unnoticed by all, this quiet hunger advances and soon the heart of the Realm of Modding Shadow will simply be consumed by the subtle march of an appetite without noise.

Nothing stirs in this place save the wind and the silent encroachment of slender blades of grass, the grass that bears the searing light of sun even to the heart of the fallen realm of shadow ……


ooc: It's good to be back.

[Morgeruat]

~~A Shadow in the tunnels~~

The great host of humanoids surged through the tunnels towards the sleepy village, a human had slipped out earlier, mere minutes before the assault came. But he had not left unobserved, a shadow had been resting nearby, carefully cloaked in powerful and subtle magicks, as they charged in the shadow took note and watched, the humanoids were hideous and grotesque in a way only subteranean creatures could be, hunched and withered from a long absense of the sun; wielding clumsy, but effective weaponry they would no doubt trouble whatever creatures they were bent on destroying.

Divination spells had revealed a town near here, one populated by good creatures whose only desire in this lightless realm was to survive and mine the gems they loved, such a group did not deserve to die, torn apart by ruthless savages in this lightless realm. Help would arrive, the shadow thought, as it melted back deeper into nearby catacombs in preparation for forthcoming spells.

ooc Sir Morguerat is essentially an NPC (with player input hopefully) and his replacement should be an interesting fit in the party.

[ 08-18-2003, 04:12 PM: Message edited by: Morgeruat ]