[IC Thread] The Tale Begins: Castle Ward

[zendog]

You come from all over the Empire, each of you has a story, but this cold winter’s night you find yourselves huddled by the fire in a small country Inn, called The Bear and The Balrog, listening to the landlord, a Rock Demon by the name of Halfcut, weave a tall tale . . .

Once upon a time there was a little-known tribal chieftain named EI Ghred who called himself "The Conquerer." He discovered that an alarmingly large number of his best warriors and bravest subjects were seeking riches and fame by venturing into an underground monster haven. Unfortunately for him, and for his best warriors and brave subjects, a number of them did not return from their adventures. To put an end to this waste of humanity, EI Ghred commanded that a castle be built. He named it Ward.

The Castle was a grand affair. The back wall of the manor house and the fourth wall of the castle itself were formed by the face of the cliff that housed the entrance to the monsters' lair. A round tower was built into the northwest corner of the castle; in the southeast corner was constructed a five-pointed tower for the use of EI Ghred's favorite wizard, a woman named Banitaar. She sunk a well which tapped into the monsters' water supply, knowing the monsters would not poison themselves to kill the humans outside. The courtyard was paved with mosaic of colored flagstones which formed EI Ghred's Red Hawk crest.

The Castle was built to prevent adventurers from entering the monster lair. EI Ghred gave the command of Castle Ward to his nephew, the Count, who was hopelessly in love with the
wizardress Banitaar. Anticipating charges that he and his soldiers were "mining" the dungeon for its riches, EI Ghred built the castle strong enough to stand off an assault by any military force his age could muster. He did not realize that the greatest threat to his castle came from the monsters within the dungeon it guarded.

The monsters became aware that something was amiss when adventurers no longer entered their dungeon to die. Their scouting parties returned with tales of a massive castle and many
soldiers. They also told of the weakness of the castle and how an assault from within could destroy it. The monsters struck.

Their assault was simple and deadly. They waited for a night with a full moon so that their were-companions would be at full strength. Trolls burst the doors the humans had erected to contain them. Werewolves and vampires, orcs and ogres quickly sacked the manor house and killed the Count and the officers of his guard while they slept. Having slain the leadership of the
garrison, the monsters abandoned caution and assaulted the troop barracks outside.

Their assault would have succeeded but for two people. One was a guard in the round tower; he happened to be watching the interior courtyard when the monsters rushed from the manor house. He roused the other guards in the tower, and they sold their lives dearly, making the monsters pay in blood for every step in the tower. Eventually they were slain, but not before
the monsters had vowed to eat their hearts to gain their bravery.

The other person who cost the monsters dearly was Banitaar. She returned the Count's love, and felt his death where she slept in her tower. Enraged, she set her demons to protect her
tower, then made her way to the tower's roof. From there she blasted the monsters back into their underground lair with sorceries more powerful than they had ever seen. Unable to touch her, the monsters shattered the east wall of the castle and then fled back home. With them, they dragged as much wealth as possible.

Banitaar found herself alone in Castle Ward. With the help of her demons, she buried the Count beneath the heart-shaped flagstone in the middle of the Hawk mosaic, then burned the
other bodies. At the entrance to the monsters' haven, she set an invisible demon and gave it instructions about how to let pass any who sought to leave. Satisfied that there was no reason to
stay, she outfitted herself with a small pack and left the castle to spread the tale of Castle Ward.

. . . when the tale ends, you notice that you few travellers are the only ones still there.

“Sounds fantastical, doesn’t it?” says Halfcut with a devilish twinkle in his amber eyes. The firelight cast eerie shadows across the Inns walls. It is very quiet.

“What if I told you, you could go there, what if I told you there were riches and adventures aplenty to be had?”

Of course, you have been drinking, and who doesn’t want riches and adventures. Especially when you’ve been matching a Rock Demon pint for pint.

Halfcut produces a small intricate chest full of Onyx rings, “Take one each,” he says. “Go on, take one.”

And of course you do. Those of you sensitive to such things feel the tingle of magic as you put on your ring.

“It’s very clever,” he says with a rascal’s smile. “If anything untoward should happen to the wearer of a Vortex ring, the ring appears back here, and I can send some other poo-, ahem brave adventurer through the mirror to aid you.”

“What mirror?” one of you asks.

“The Vortex mirror of course,” says Halfcut pointing to the wall where there is a huge onyx farmed mirror you all swear was not there before.

“If you should wish to return here before anything . . . happens to you, or for any other reason, you must gather in a circle, link hands, and chant this charm . . . 'Illish-nathrak-dothost-spethod-dilloc-de-veny-Illish-nathrak-dothost-spethod-dilloc-de-veny-Illish-nathrak-dothost-spethod-dilloc-de-veny!' . . . you might have to wait a little while," he says with a smile.

You cannot understand the words, but you are all certain they have been burned into your memory forever.

“The adventure of a lifetime awaits,” says Halfcut gesturing towards the swirling vortex mirror and one by one you move towards the mirror and step through the vortex . . .

. . . into the harsh heat of a midday summer sun, as you find your bearings, and your eyes adjust to the bright light you hear Halfcut’s voice from beyond within the vortex . . .

“Of course, adventure has a nasty habit of shortening lifetimes.”

Then the vortex closes.

You are standing on an empty grassy plain. In front of you, you see a dilapidated castle built into the side of a large rocky outcrop.

Bernard Stonefoot checks his compass. The ruined castle is directly to your north.

The moat is dry, the drawbridge and gate have long since rotted. The stone works looks, aged, crumbling, but the wall directly before you is still standing. Through it's gates you can see a badly aged manor house. On the east corner of the near wall there is a 40’ high round tower. You can see a taller squarish tower in the north-west corner of the castle.

Apart from the ominous cronk of carrion crows all is silent.

You stand before Castle Ward.

[Toad-Killer-Dog]

A two and a half foot tall leprechaun stand before the dry moat holding a flagon almost half his size leaning on a staff.

"Oh fek"

Saying this he turns around and view his erstwhile companions.

"We're in it now lads" he says while shaking his head.

Suddenly a red haired hobbit with a wispy beard and mustache breaks from the group and is copiously sick into the empty moat.

The leprechaun walks forward and pats the hobbit on the back.

"There now lad, get it all out and sure enough you'll be feeling better in no time"

"Well now, we may as well get to know each other, we'll be needing each others skill and support if we're to get through this alive"

"I'm Con Mac Finana, but most ranchers call me "Black Con" just Con will do fine by me"

"I'm a student of the arcane arts and a...... redistributor of cattle"

The red haired hobbit steadies himself with one of the javelins strapped to his back.

"I'm Bernard Stonefoot, a peltast ( light missile using warrior ) and mine runner"

"I was raised around dwarves and when I came of age I took up running messages through disputed territory and I've done a fair bit of scrapping while I was at it"

The leprechaun hands the hobbit the tankard.

"Here ya' go me merry lad, clear your throat with a little hair of the dog"

The hobbit quaffs mightily and belches thunderously.

"Well thats good, Now who might you good sirs be, if I might be so bold to ask?"

[zanshin]

A short compactly built Dwarf with a dark beard rolls his head around to limber up his neck, and rubs his eyes at the bright light. He has a full helm and a warhammer swinging from his belt, and a buckler hanging from his arm.

'Berek, soldier for hire. For equal shares on the treasure I'm in' he says, curtly.

'Sounds good to me' pipes up a smelly and grotesque looking hobbit, in a high pitched whine that reminds all present of fingernails scratching on glass 'call me Kellan, or Shortstuff, I answers to 'em both'
His dagger looks much cleaner than the rest of him, and a sling and pouch of stones are tied to a frayed belt. His eyes seem to be pointing in different directions and his nose is out of all proportion to his face, but his movements seem deft and sure.

[ProfGremlin]

A human of medium height steps up and touches his brow in respect as he nods to the others. The helm pressing down his sandy blond hair and shield that weight his left arm look slightly out of place when measured against the rough homespun of his tunic and trews. His blue eyes are clear when he addresses the others and no trace of the fear he must be feeling colors his voice.

"Name's Dirk. Dirk Thatcher. Used to be the stableman back at the Broken Cup. I kept listening to the guards tales and finally decided that I wanted some tales of my own. So, here I am."

Unconsciously, he fingers an old scar, crescent shaped, running down the left side of his nose and then curving out across his chin and jaw.

A small glitter of movement, a flash of color, and a small fairy stands on Con's shoulder. The delicate little man is dressed in what appears to be bark fashioned into armor and wears an acorn cap on his head. He holds a long thorn in his right hand and a small satchel graces his left hip.

"Greetings!" he says in the Fairy tongue, "I'm Flitwing. Do you really think that's a wizards tower?" he asks gesturing at the squarish tower seen over the top of the aged wall in front of them.

[jongjungbu]

"Sorry little Fairy, I have NO idea what you are saying, blah blah blah..." says a rather tall, young man with neatly cut blonde hair and smooth-shaven chin. His leather armor looks hardly used, a glossy shine sparkles from his buckler, and his boots have nary a speck of mud on them.

"I wonder what's inside the castle. I'd like to get a peek inside...Maybe something's been left behind," contemplates the young man. "- Oh sorry, name's Adiemar of Milluamont., A former squire I was, but...let's just say that kind of work is beneath someone as talented as myself." Adiemar laughs to himself, as if this were more than an inside joke, but stops short after a rather sinister look from a nearby elf. "Okaaay, no sense of humor. Check. Sorry, don't meet many elves. What's your name?"

The elf says nothing at first, only giving the young man an indifferent stare. His clothing, though thick and leathery, is scarred and mottled just as his long chestnut hair. His right hand grips a javelin tightly, resting his weight upon it much like a staff. This spear and his tunic are adorned in various feathers and cords; barefoot, he appears much like a savage.

"Greqo Aluvian," says the elf, "That is my name." With nothing more to say, Adiemar breaks the silence.

"Good to meet you," says Adiemar, hand extended in friendship. After a short awkward moment in which the elf does not move, the young man speaks up again, "Ahem, okay, well, it's good to meet the rest of you." Adiemar approaches Dirk, with a gloved hand near his mouth he speaks in a low voice, "Just a heads up, I don't think the elf speaks much of the common tongue. Know any Elvish?"

[ProfGremlin]

Jan 24, 2010 10:49:18 GMT -5 jongjungbu said:

"Sorry little Fairy, I have NO idea what you are saying, blah blah blah...

Flitwing, unaware that he was actually being addressed, continues to look over the wall at the square tower. After a moment he launches himself off of Con's shoulder and turns to hover in front of the Leprechaun. "I'm going to take a quick look through the gate there." he says pointing at the gate entrance with his thorn. Without anything further, Flitwing zips across the dry and dusty moat towards the entrance.

A flick and glitter catches Dirk's attention and he sees the little fairy that stood on Con's shoulder streak off towards the castle gate. "Uh, should he be doing that?" he asks of no one in particular.

Before crossing the threshold the little scout comes to a stop and hovers. He zips here and there in front of the now fallen gate to change his perspective and get as complete a view as possible. Flitwing notes the rotted boards lying on the ground and looks to see if there are any recent footprints in the dust. He looks for traps set in the crumbling stone of the walls as well as he can without crossing the boundary of the gateway. He checks for murder holes in the ceiling above.

Once he has seen as much as he can Flitwing zips back to the party in a bobbing weaving line full of the joy a fairy feels in the power of flight.

"... Know any Elvish?"

Dirk looks over Adiemar's well tooled and immaculate gear and feels a a sudden wave of doubt. His own battle-tested shield and helm bear little more than functional appearance to Adiemar's. Still, he thinks, it must be worth something to know that the shield has already proven itself. He looks up at Adiemar and the doubt slow fades from his youthful countenance, "No my friend, I don't. Just the common tongue and a little rodent." Dirk chuckles at the unintentional pun, "It helped to keep the mice out of the feed and straw in the barn."

Edit: preview vs. post button controversy...

[eagle]

Millsap introduces himself.

"I have left my Swift Runner talent, but in this dungeon adventure
I will probably do it naturally. Unfortunately, I have amnesia but that
may actually be an advantage.

Old Brick, he is being exmained by the council to see if he qualifies
for this mission. Any by the way, does he need a spell book starting today?

I wait for the council's decision on old Brick!

[zendog]

As Brick thumbs through his new spell book Flitwing reports what she saw at the gate . . .

Straight ahead, north from the gate, is a shambolic ruined manor house. To the West of that is the square tower which looks to be miraculously well kept by comparison. Half of the castle's west wall has crumbled.

Along the east wall there are a row of single story buildings, which look near to collapse. These are next to the round tower at the South-east corner.

In the centre of the courtyard there is a mosaic of a hawk, west of that is a well, and filling the south-west corner of the castle is a brackish looking pool of water.

[Toad-Killer-Dog]

Con scratches his chin and considers the new intelligence.

"Well I get a mighty bad feeling from the brackish pool"

"We might want to investigate the crumbling buildings before we proceed to the tower?"

Bernard set a javelin in his atl-atl.

"I'll feel better when we get underground, I feel uneasy with all this open sky above me"

[zanshin]

'Times a wasting' says Berek and sets off towards the gate, clapping his helmet on his head.

'Hey wait for me, i want in on anything good' says Shortstuff, scurrying after him.

[zendog]

You all hurry after Berek, down into the dry moat, filled with the rotten wood that used to be the drawbridge, up out of the moat, through the crumbling gates, and into the courtyard. Everything is as Flitwing described, but the Hawk mosaic is larger and more impressive than you’d imagined. Most of the tiles are blue, but at the centre there is a red heart-shaped flagstone. There is no sigh of life, in the courtyard, or in the buildings themselves. At least as far as you can tell.

[Toad-Killer-Dog]

Con will tap Bernard on the shoulder and motion him to follow.

OOC: Con and Bernard will try to sneak up on the crumbling buildings and see if anything lurks within.

[jongjungbu]

From the rear of the group, Adiemar yells out abruptly toward Con and Bernard as he sees them separating from the group, "Where are you two going?!" He emphatically waves a carved bludgeon in the air.

"Silence, you fool" gasps Greqo in a low, but audible whisper. The elf yanks the young man's arm down and separates himself from what he considers to be a moron.

"Such a waste," whispers the Elf as he rubs a hand along the courtyard stones near the feet of the party.

"I guess he speaks Common after all," mumbles Adiemar, with an insulted expression. He shrugs nonchalantly and awaits the report of the two delvers looking to explore the crumbled buildings.

[zanshin]

Berek looks on impassively, but his warhammer and shield are readied.

Shortstuff moves quietly after the leprechaun and ginger hobbit, a stone readied in his sling, hugging shadow and cover as he does so.

[zendog]

Shortstuff, Con, and Bernard stealthily make their way towards the single story buildings along the east wall. There are three, near rotted, doors along the east face of the row of buildings and one door in from the south. There are double doors into the tower in the south-east corner.

The roof of the most northerly of the buildings, along the east-wall, has collapsed.

There is a slight moment of embarrassment when the three erstwhile scouts reach the nearest window and realise none of them is tall enough to look inside.