The Story So Far X

7th day, Greenheart the 21st, 1845

(evening)

The adventurers continued to search the dark corridors of the dungeon. They kept hearing the faint sound of furtive footsteps but upon investigation they found nothing. Stuffed away in a corner of an otherwise barren chamber they found some equipment that looked as if it may have belonged to a fellow adventurer. The gear looked as if it may have belonged to a dwarven bard as there was a pair of small drums and a suit of dwarf sized studded leather armor in the pile of goods. They questioned Devinal if he knew anything about this and he admitted that one of his former captured party members was indeed a dwarf and a bard. Devinal tried to take some tobacco from the pile of goods but Gjord angrily told him to let it alone. Galifynakus tried to mediate the situation between the two but Gjord won out and the halfling eyed him spitefully.

In another chamber they found a griffin statue similar to the ones that stood sentinel in the room with the magical "fear" circle. It was old and worn with time but the party could see that it was different than the ones they saw earlier in that it held a large key (that was immovable and part of the statue). Also, carved upon its pedestal in Draconic (the ancient tongue of dragons readable by the wizard Svarnos) was the following legend. "We must do that which we think we cannot." The party tried to make sense of this and began to investigate the statue further. Gjord even lifted it so the others could search underneath but they found nothing. Devinal suddenly said that he thought he heard something (possibly footsteps) outside the rooms entrance. Lono and Fionnula also heard it as well so the three warriors Galifynakus, Gjord, and Martijn drew weapons and stormed out of the room to investigate. While the fighters searched the corridors outside the room Devinal struck up a conversation with Lono in the secret language of thieves known as the Cant. He asked Lono why he would work with such a party of gullible fools that walked blindly into danger and battle and that things could be far more profitable for both of them if they worked together. He said that they should wait until the party was asleep and then when it was Lono's watch they could rob them and make away with their treasure. He told Lono that he had connections with a prestigious thieves guild in Senion and he could put in a good word for Lono if he helped him with this caper. Lono listened and feigned agreement with the halflings plan, although he really had another plan for the treacherous halfling. The rest of the party noticed that some sort of interchange went on between the two rogues but Lono would not speak of what was said to anyone...yet.

So the adventurers continued on through the dungeon. In a large dank bat-infested chamber they found a gruesome sight. The bodies of three horribly mutilated and half eaten people were strewn about the room. They appeared to be the corpses of a male elf, a male human, and a female human. The party began to hear a chuckling sound behind them and they found that it was Devinal. They watched in disbelief as he walked up to the elf corpse and he spoke to it saying, "Serves you right Galen, you bastard!" These bodies were obviously members of Devinal's former party. Gjord was enraged by the halflings attitude towards his former party members and he attacked Devinal. The halfling thief reacted first and fled out of the chamber and into the dungeon. Fionnula went after him but was unable to capture him. Lono said that his plan was to kill the halfling in his sleep the next time they stopped to rest and that he felt that he now missed his opportunity. He also told the party what had occurred in his secret conversation with the halfling rogue.

So, the adventurers turned their attention back to the room and they found a large moldy sack with some treasure (two potions, a finely crafted flail, a wolf pelt, a small silver griffin statue and some gold, silver and electrum coins). The wall opposite the entrance was carved with the image of pegasi flying over a raging sea. The two half elves (Lono and Fionnula) noticed immediately that there was a concealed door in this wall. The party opened it and went inside and it lead to two small chambers. One appeared to be a conjuring room as there was a cauldron in the middle of a pentacle in the center of the room. The other was a study furnished with a desk and chair and a vented hearth along one wall. They also noticed some dusty shelves above the desk and on them they found some arcane scrolls and a large blue metal key. They figured that the blue key might open the large blue stone door that they encountered earlier. They decided to make their way back to this door.

As they approached the concealed door Lono heard the sound of movement on the other side. It turned out to be two bugbears that were searching the room. Svarnos took one down with a Sleep spell (and Lono soon slayed the creature) and Gjord took out the other one with his warhammer. The party continued on to the blue stone door.

They opened the stone door with the key and they found what looked to be a wizard's alchemical lab and a magic circle carved into the floor with faintly glowing runes around its circumference. On a dusty table with various beakers, distillers, oil burners and whatnot on it they found some potions (three of which were labeled and one that seemed to have a swirling dust inside it that was unlabeled except for a cork with a rune upon it) and some jars of alchemical reagents. Svarnos was able to tell that the rune upon the unlabeled potion bottle was from the Abjuration school of magic. The party figured that the magic circle was possibly a teleportation device of some sort. They were deciding what to do when Martijn (in his usual bold manner) stepped into the circle. There was a flash and the knight disappeared. A moment later and there was another flash and the knight reappeared and he told his comrades what had happened. He was teleported to circular room with one 10' high arched exit and strange writing carved into the walls in large letters. This room had a magic circle identical to the one in the alchemical lab and when the knight stepped out of it and back into it he was transported back to the lab. The whole group then entered the magic circle and was transported to the circular room.

The writing on the walls was again in Draconic and Svarnos read it. It read, "Fortune favors the Brave." the party noted this but could not make sense of it. When the party tried to continue on to the arched exit a strange thing happened. A mouth appeared in the stone over the archway and in a stern voice it began to speak.

"Invader! Turn back now and flee if you value your life! I Gormoon have not left my chambers unprotected. The guardians have been awakened and they await you. This is the only warning you will get!"

The adventurers did not heed this warning and went into the exit.

They came to a large square chamber with a ten foot exit on the opposite side from whence they entered. The walls of this chamber were embedded with the skulls of various (mostly humanoid) creatures. In the center of the room was a trapezoidal pedestal with a expertly carved statue of a nude medusa, her body entwined with a large snake. There was a dark 8" diameter hole in the center of the trapezoid. The party could hear an ominous rattling sound coming from the trapezoid as if it were filled with rattlesnakes. Martijn, thinking that maybe there was a actually a medusa in the room, took a small silver mirror that the party had and walking backward entered the room using the mirror to see. As he approached the statue they heard a sound at the far end of the chamber near the exit. Four creatures were coming out of the wall! They appeared to be large skeletal snakes with human skulls for heads. The party readied for battle but the snake creatures did not attack right away. The creatures began to sway and dance and all who saw them were affected with a spell that made them stand still dumbfounded and hypnotized. Only Martijn, Lono, and Svarnos were able to resist it! Martijn waded into conflict with two of the monsters while the other two attacked Lono and Svarnos. The creatures were completely silent and they made no sound as they slithered forward and attacked. Martijn held his own well against the creatures but Lono and Svarnos were hard pressed. Lono was dodging every attack made on him but was not dealing much damage in return. Svarnos first tried a Sleep spell but he found that they were immune, he then tried to fight with his dagger. Martijn, in a hard battle, killed the two he was fighting and eventually the hypnotism began to wear off the afflicted party members. Galifynakus snapped out of it and took care of the one on Lono. Gjord and Fionnula finally were free and they killed the one on Svarnos. Svarnos was severely wounded but Lono made it through unscathed.

With the creatures dead the party began to search the statue. No light seemed to penetrate the 8" hole and there seemed as if there was a magical darkness within it. Svarnos figured that the whole thing was a trick to scare would be intruders away. So, with a little trepidation, he reached into the hole. Feeling inside his hand came across a sort of lever which he pulled. There was the sound of grating stone and the statue and a 5' diameter circle around it began to slowly descend into the floor. Martijn jumped upon it as Svarnos jumped off. Then the whole group jumped onto it (Lono took some urging). The heroes slowly descended to another chamber.

It descended into a large rectangular chamber with a lever on the wall closest to the statue that now rested on the floor of this room. On the far side of the room they could see a huge chest. Lono decided to check the chest for traps but as soon as he touched it he found himself stuck fast to it as if by some super adhesive glue. They suddenly heard a deep laugh come from the chest itself. a seam opened between where the lid and the lock met and the chest began to speak with this "mouth". It told them that if they wanted the thief to live and if they wanted to get out of the dungeon alive themselves they were to drop all their treasure and leave. the party asked what the creature was and it said they could call it "Mimic". Gjord feigned that he was about to comply when suddenly he attacked! The mimic creatures mouth lashed out with a pseudopod of teeth and bit onto Lono. Gjord struck and damaged the creature but he found that he had to keep pulling his weapon free of the creatures strange adhesive. The rest of the party attacked and all had the same problem with the glue. Lono was sorely wounded by the creature as it kept biting him and it also released more pseudopodia that formed into fists to pummel its attackers. The party defeated it however and as the creature cried out, "Wait!" Gjord dealt it a killing blow. Lono was released and the body of the thing melted into a puddle of ooze.

Searching the room the party found that the wall behind the creature was illusory and they entered into a small treasure chamber. Inside amongst a small fortune of precious items (some which were likely magical) they found the large fist-sized uncut sapphire! The treasures twinkled in the torchlight and the heroes felt that all their trials and adventures in the dungeons Gormoon's ruined tower were justified.

Advanced Dungeons & Dragons

We are playing a revised version of Advanced Dungeons & Dragons that borrows heavily from Castles & Crusades (by Troll Lord Games), D&D 3.X, and Advanced Dungeons & Dragons (both 1st & 2nd Edition).

This fantastic version of the game was put together by Chris Perkins. Here is his webpage with a PDF of the Players Handbook we will be using and a bunch of other stuff.

LINK

Here is a link to the Character Sheet (home made) that we will be using. It is a MS Word document.

LINK

The Adventurers

Svarnos

Class: Wizard (Magic-user)

Race: Human

Description: Svarnos is a proud wizard with black hair and a goatee. He carries himself with an air of arrogance and wears a fine decorative mantle over his robes. Svarnos prefers to use his spells and his wits to overcome his enemies.

Fionnula

Class: Cleric (Sister of Varcan)

Race: Half-Elf

Description: Fionnula is a capable cleric with a mane of red-gold hair and green eyes. She wears her hair long and wavy. She is armed with a heavy mace and shield plus the symbol of her faith Varcan’s Cross. She wears scale mail armor.

Gjord

Class: Fighter

Race: Dwarf

Description: Gjord is a powerful dwarven warrior with a long golden blonde beard and hair. He wields a warhammer and shield in battle. He is wearing scale mail armor and carries a steel sheild.

Galifynakus

Class: Barbarian

Race: Human

Description: Galifynakus is a stout fiery berserker with red hair and a bristly beard. He seeks the ecstasy of battle above all other pleasures in life. He uses a great sword in combat and wears studded leather armor.

Lono

Class: Thief

Race: Half-Elf

Description: Lono is a slim dexterous rogue with strange violet eyes and wild hair that peeks around the corners of his cloaks hood. He primarily likes use his sling but will resort to using his dirk if forced into melee. He wears leather armor.

Martijn Alisander

Class: Knight (Cavalier) (Knight of Hadramoor - Order of the White Leopard)

Race: Human

Description: Martijn is a tall and imposing figure with black skin and black hair. He normally wears his hair short and clean. He wields a finely worked bastard sword with a sapphire in the pommel and shield in battle and is armored with a steel breastplate.

The Immortals

In case you want to play a cleric, druid or paladin I made up some deities that they could worship. This list is not yet complete as I've just started. I'll have images of their symbols added sometime soon (I'm only one man).For now.....bow down and worship!!!

The Immortals of Eleth

This is a listing of the deities of the world of Eleth (the elvish name for the world). These Immortals are primarily worshipped in Malavon and the realm of Elnarra.

Varcan - The Messenger

Alignment: Lawful good

Worshippers Alignment: LG,NG,LN
Symbol: Varcan’s Cross (representing the unity and balance between the spirit world and Eleth)
Favored Weapon: Mace (Message-bringer)

Appearance: Varcan is depicted as a tall androgynous human with silver skin and dark violet eyes. Great wings with silver feathers adorn his back. He wears robes of midnight blue and his head is adorned with a radiant nimbus of holy power and wisdom.

Description: Varcan is worshipped by many clerics, paladins, and common folk. He is admired for his unswerving devotion to the welfare of the people of Eleth. Varcan brought the holy word and the knowledge of Celestia (the planes where many lawful good deities reside) to Eleth. His clerics and paladins are devoted to fighting evil and exemplify aspects of virtue, morality and good. His temples are grand structures found in most cities and towns and his followers are usually well received wherever they go. Clerics of Varcan turn or destroy the undead and they will not use spells to summon them nor will they pray for “reversed” healing spells.

Mortarg - The Lord of Doom

Alignment: Chaotic Neutral
Worshippers Alignment: All Chaotics
Symbol: The Chaos Wheel (a wheel with eight spokes representing the nine alignments with neutrality at its center)
Favored Weapon: Warhammer (Doom-hammer)

Appearance: Mortarg is pictured as a tall powerfully built human with dark gray skin and glowing orange unblinking eyes. He wears a voluminous cloak and a ram horned great helm that keeps his face in shadow.

Description: Mortarg is a dark deity whose origins are lost in the forming of the world. His followers believe that Mortarg has foreknowledge of the end of the multi-verse therefore he knows that all in the end is futile. One needs only live for the day and take from life what they can because the hand of doom may fall on them at any moment. Nothing stands forever, change is inevitable, and the Chaos is all that is left in the end. Mortarg places great worth in individual freedom and he admires people that continue to live, strive, and struggle even though in the end it all comes to nothing. His temples are located in various locations but are usually dimly lit places shrouded in the smoke of incense. Clerics of Mortarg are a strange sort as they are champions of freedom and yet they are as fatalistic and gloomy as their deity.

Duvarion - The Gray Unicorn

Alignment: Neutral good

Worshippers Alignment: N, NG, CG, CN

Symbol: A Unicorn (a symbol of the perfection of nature)

Favored Weapon: Scimitar (Horn of Duvarion)

Appearance: Duvarion appears as a unicorn stallion with a silver gray coat that shimmers with unearthly light.

Description: Unicorns are said to be a living embodiment of the perfection of nature and Duvarion is their lord. His coat is gray to represent the balance of the natural world. Legends about Duvarion tell how he walked the primeval forests of the world before time began. In that silence he gained a profound wisdom from observing the harmony of nature that he tries to impart to his followers. Duvarion teaches the protection of woodlands and proper respect for the creatures that dwell within them. He watches over all who live in the forest, love the woodlands, or make their livelihood there. His shrines are located in natural groves and are usually open to the elements in the center of a group of standing stones. Some of his shrines are very ancient and are in actuality “magical crossroads” for fey creatures. Many rangers and druids of every race follow Duvarion. There are no clerics of Duvarion, only druids.

Mahal - Father of the Dwarves

Alignment: Lawful Good

Worshippers Alignment: LG, NG, CG

Symbol: A Hammer and Anvil inside a Mountain (representing the secret forge under the mountains)

Favored Weapon: Warhammer (Forgehammer)

Appearance: Mahal is depicted as a stern-looking dwarf warrior with a flowing white beard. He wears armor of mithral and holds a mighty mithral warhammer .

Description: Dwarves believe that Mahal was born from the living rock of Ereth in a vast underground cavern at the center of the world. Upon awakening he explored the world under the earth, built the first forge, and began to craft the first fathers and mothers of the dwarven race out of mithral. He gave his creations life by placing a magical stone called a “heartstone” in every dwarf. He taught them the ways of the underground world and the art of forging before he left them to forge out their own lives upon Ereth. Mahal teaches dwarves to walk the deeps of Ereth and seek out its hidden gifts. In doing so they are taught to work with the natural beauty of caverns and to work with, not against, the contours of the deep. They are also taught to keep their strongholds well tended and protected from enemies. Temples to Mahal are underground or built into the side of hills or mountains. Dwarven clerics turn or destroy undead and will not use spells to summon them. They do not pray for “reversed” healing spells.

Fainarel - The Queen of the Elves

Alignment: Chaotic Good

Worshippers Alignment: CG, NG, N, CN

Symbol: A white flower (Fainbereth)

Favored Weapon: Longsword (Fainarel’s Thorn)

Appearance: Fainarel appears as a lovely elven maiden with bright green eyes and hair that shifts with the colors of autumn. She wears a gossamer gown that looks as if it was set with miniature stars.

Description: Elves believe that Fainarel was the first elf, born from the petals of a white flower that they now hold sacred known as the Fainbereth. When she awoke she walked singing in her loneliness through the lands of Ereth. Everywhere she went Fainbereth bloomed and the first elves were born of these blossoms. When Fainarel and the first elves discovered each other they were overjoyed and the elves made her their queen. Fainarel teaches all elves to live in harmony with the natural world. She teaches them to defend their forest homes and to bring forth and revere the beauty in all things. She tells them to let their spirits be unfettered to create, love, and experience the world. Shrines to Fainarel are in all places where elves dwell. They are usually well tended gardens surrounded by evergreen trees. Some druids worship her as she is closely linked with Duvarion. Elven clerics turn or destroy undead and will not use spells to summon them. They do not pray for “reversed” healing spells.

Peredin - The Lucky Fellow

Alignment: Neutral Good

Worshippers Alignment: LG, NG, CG

Symbol: A Luckstone ( a stone that has a hole in it from wearing away in a riverbed)

Favored Weapon: Shortsword (Luckblade)

Appearance: Peredin is depicted as a stout halfling with bright eyes and a mischievous grin. He is usually shown playfully tossing a luckstone into the air.

Description: Halflings have hundreds of legends about the escapades of their hero Peredin. In these legends he always prevails by his wits, courage, or sometimes by his uncanny luck. He is always a bit of a scamp or rascal in these stories and they are usually quite humorous, although in the end they also teach an important lesson. Many halflings that go on adventures (a rare breed) feel their hearts moved by these stories. Although, most Halflings would prefer to tell these tales around a dinner table rather than live through them. There are no formal temples to Peredin, instead his clerics gather at each others homes for communal worship where they sing songs, eat, drink and have a party. For the most important lesson that Peredin teaches is to enjoy the comforts of home, hearth, and the fellowship of good friends. Clerics of Peredin turn or destroy the undead and they will not use spells to summon them nor will they pray for “reversed” healing spells.

Keliem - The Wanderer

Alignment: Neutral

Worshippers Alignment: All Neutrals

Symbol: The Convergence (An image of a sun and moon joined)

Favored Weapon: Staff (Walking-staff)

Appearance: Keliem is usually shown as a bearded middle-aged human wearing a gray traveling cloak and bearing a gnarled oak staff. He demeanor is cunning and he looks much traveled and wise. He also is depicted as a raven with a white breast and sometimes as a gray fox.

Description: Followers of Keliem say that this immortal has no beginning and no end but that he has always walked the strange pathways of the multi-verse. Keliem is a deity of travelers and adventurers. He is always open to new possibilities and experiences and he creates opportunities when they do not occur themselves. Legends of Keliem speak of him as a wily traveler that can change his skin to fool his enemies. He teaches that the greatest advantage that one can have in life is to keep an open mind and to be imaginative.

Thorar - The Furor

Alignment: Chaotic Evil
Worshippers Alignment: CE, CN
Symbol: The Thunderaxe (An axe crossed with a lightening bolt)
Favored Weapon: Battle axe (Thunderaxe)

Appearance: Thorar appears as a powerfully built human warrior with a red-blonde beard and hair. His eyes are a glacial blue and he wears the skin of a great dire wolf. In his hands he holds a great battle axe from which bolts of lightning spring forth.

Description: Born from the tempest of a thunderstorm the Furor came to Eleth to do battle. Thorar is the patron deity of the Korthian barbarians. Thorar is a brutal unforgiving deity of battle and violent storms that has no pity for the weak and only admiration for the strong. He commands his followers to take what they will from the weak and to show no mercy to their enemies. Make all fear you for that is the true path to power and glory. Temples to Thorar are great wooden halls where duels, feats of strength, and declarations of ones prowess in battle are made. Korthians believe that their slain warriors souls are taken to Thoror’s Hall to await the day that they are called to the final battle upon Eleth at the end of days.

Falthar - The Lion

Alignment: Lawful Good
Worshippers Alignment: LG, NG, CG
Symbol: Sigil of the Valiant(A rampant golden lion)
Favored Weapon: Bastard sword (Slayer)

Appearance: Falthar appears as a youthful human warrior in golden armor with an enchanted sword. He has a stern countenance and a mane of flowing blonde hair.

Description: It is said that Falthar was once a human warrior who wandered Eleth in the deeps of time. He fought all evil beings and creatures who would harm or enslave those that could not defend themselves and he became a renowned hero. His bravery was so great he even challenged the demon lord Adramelech - Overlord of the Undead. He made a horrific journey to the Abyss to challenge Adramelech in his own realm. He fought the demon in single combat and was on the verge of destroying the foul entity forever when Adramelech summoned his hordes to the attack. Falthar, already weakened by the battle with their master was overwhelmed and slain. But this was not the end of Falthar, for Varcan the Messenger had witnessed it all. For Falthars bravery Varcan beseeched the benevolent powers of Celestia to elevate Falthar’s soul to the status of an Immortal so that he could become their champion. This was granted and he is now known as Falthar the Lion. Falthar’s clerics and paladins are stalwart defenders against evil and his shrines and temples attract many good-aligned warriors and many others. His temples are beautiful structures with arched stained glass windows to let the brightness of the sun in. Clerics of Falthar turn or destroy the undead and they will not use spells to summon them nor will they pray for “reversed” healing spells.

Numora - Whisperer of Secrets

Alignment: Chaotic Good

Worshippers Alignment: NG, CG, N, CN

Symbol: The Lamen (A pentacle)

Favored Weapon: Dagger (Cat’s Claw)

Appearance: Numora is shown as a white skinned black haired woman with green catlike eyes. She dresses in black silk robes and she wears a veil of transparent spider silk. She has great shadowy wings that sprout from her back.

Description: Numora is an enigmatic deity that was formed by the mysterious powers of the multi-verse during the first setting of the sun upon Eleth. Her domain is the supernatural and the occult. Her followers seek to fathom the unknown and unravel the mystical secrets of the multi-verse. On their path to this knowledge Numora advises them to use wisdom and temperance lest they blunder blindly into areas that may be dangerous for mortals to tread. Although she is secretive, Numora is also a benevolent deity who opposes evil ways and seeks to counter it when she can. Many arcane spellcasters and some rogues pay homage to Numora as they see themselves as seekers of hidden knowledge. Her clerics delve into occult realms to uncover secrets for the benefit of all. Her shrines are hidden structures in remote places.

Adramelech - Overlord of the Undead

Alignment: Chaotic Evil
Worshippers Alignment: CE,NE
Symbol: The Face of Adramelech (A demons skull surrounded by flames)
Favored Weapon: Flail (Corruptor)

Appearance: Adramelech is depicted as a horned demon with black scaled decomposing skin and skeletal bat like wings rising from his back. His eyes are red smoldering pits and he is wreathed in unholy dark flames. He is shown more often than not devouring the souls of the damned in the Abyss.

Description: Adramelech seeks to destroy all life on Eleth. He envisions a world of undead monsters all under his total control. He believes that when this is accomplished, and he has devoured enough souls, he will be able to break through the cosmic barriers forged by the mysterious powers of the multi-verse and make war upon the other outer planes. He is the sworn enemy of Varcan and Falthar and seeks to corrupt or destroy their followers whenever he can. His twisted followers seek power and immortality through necromancy. They wish to become vampires and liches or other powerful undead servants of Adramelech. They believe that they will be rewarded for their devotion and command his legions when they march upon Celestia.

The Calendar of Eleth

The Elethian Calendar

There are twelve months in the Elethian Calendar each consisting of twenty-eight days. Every three months there are festivals that consist of five days that occur before the last month of a particular season. This adds up to three hundred and sixty five days in a year. Days are twenty-four hours long and a week consists of seven days. Days are called by their number as they fall in the week (1st day, 2nd day, 3rd day, etc.).

For example our campaign begins on 4th day, Silvangate the 18th, 1845.

The moon (known as Lyrayth) that orbits Eleth waxes and wanes in 28 day cycles yet it seems to vanish from the sky during the Festival days. Lyrayth appears full on the first day of every month even after it seems to vanish during the Festivals. During the Festivals, Eleths larger and mysterious moon Wyrlos waxes and wanes quickly during the five day interim becoming full in the middle of the festival week. This strange moon appears with a different hue every season. Eleth travels once around the sun (known as Radiayth) in 365 days on a path that never varies.The months and festivals are listed as follows.

Month or Festival	Season	Holidays and other special events
Snowdell	Winter
Dominion of Wintertide	Winter	5 day interim festival Wyrlos appears blue
Elderwind	Winter
Silverdew	Spring	1st Vernal Equinox
Deepwater	Spring
Rite of Spring Dawning	Spring	5 day interim festival Wyrlos appears green
Mossnock	Spring
Silvangate	Summer	1st Summer Solstice
Greenheart	Summer
Festival of High Summer	Summer	5 day interim festival Wyrlos appears orange
Goldengrass	Summer
Redleaf	Fall	1st Autumnal Equinox
Applehusk	Fall
Cycle of the Blood Moon	Fall	5 day interim festival Wyrlos appears red
Duskfall	Fall
Stormwatch	Winter	1st Winter Solstice

More Holidays and other special events will be listed soon.

Knightly Orders

Knightly Orders of Malavon & Elnarra

Please note that this list is not yet complete.

The Order of the White Leopard - The Knights of Hadramoor

They are the protectors of the land of Elnarra and the port city of Hadramoor. It is partly due to their vigilance that Elnarra has known peace for many years. One hundred years ago they rode to the defense of Malavon against the Shadow Dragon. They came north up the road through Besia, Pyra, and Senion to the desperate battle on the fields of Miragar. The people of Malavon have always contended that the onslaught of Zorvoath and his minions would never have been halted without their help. Some of these stalwart cavaliers still travel to Malavon to help those in need and they bring with them the dream of peace and hope that Elnarra has enjoyed for so long.

Heraldry: An argent crowned leopard (passant) on a azure field above an argent fess. Below the fess is Varcan’s Cross in or. In other words, a white crowned leopard (on all fours with one front paw up) on a blue background with a horizontal white stripe with Varcan’s Cross in gold beneath it.

The Order of the Sword - The Exiled Knights of Malavon

The heart of this knightly order was once located in the city of Malavon but now it resides in the recently constructed Valord Castle. They have been trying to liberate their kingdom from the clutches of the Shadow Dragon Zorvoath for 100 years now. Their numbers have been greatly depleted and they are have been in a stalemate with their foes for some time now. They draw many half-elves to their order owing to the fact that they hold allegiance to the half-elven princess Morelana the last surviving member of the royal house of Malavon. Morelana is a knight herself and leader of their order. She has vowed never to take the throne until her kingdom has been liberated.

Heraldry: An or chevron on a vert field with an argent upright sword beneath it. In other words, a gold chevron on a green field with a silver sword beneath it.

The Order of the Peryton - The Knights of Moondown

These knights are greatly feared throughout Malavon as they are believed to serve the evil Count Aleron lord of Moondown Keep. Count Aleron was once a member of the royal house of Senion but his thirst for power caused him to secretly assassinate his rivals. When he was discovered he escaped and fled and all thought he had left Malavon for good. Some 15 years ago however, a small army of black-armored human soldiers appeared from the East. They stormed the mining town of Worwyvern and brought it under their rule and began using their captives to build a keep east of the town. Refugees from Worwyvern say that the dark soldiers were under command of a man calling himself Aleron. Soon after the building of the keep mounted knights in black armor with strange shields were seen traveling the lands of Malavon. These knights are formidable and expect deference from all they meet. They usually challenge knights of other orders that are unfortunate enough to cross their path.

Heraldry: A gules peryton on a sable field. In other words, a red peryton on a black field.

The Story So Far IX

IX

6th day, Greenheart the 20th, 1845 (just after midnight)

The adventurers had barely fallen asleep when they were awakened by the grigs. The denizens of the dungeon had emerged and they were on the hunt for the invaders of their lair!

The party could hear growls and roars coming from the direction of the ruined tower. At first they were inclined to stay and fight but the grigs urged them to follow and run away into the forest, as there was no time for the warriors to even don their armor. The grigs led them on a mad chase through the woods with the pursuing creatures not far behind. Behind them, through the trees, the party could occasionally see pyrotechnic explosions of color and light. They soon discovered that these were magically created distractions by the grigs in their attempt to throw the monsters off their trail. The chase lasted almost two hours with the grigs hopping ahead and behind the party urging them on. Finally the sounds of pursuit faded away and the grigs told them what had chased them. It was a large group of bugbears, gnolls (with a pair of monstrous dog-like creatures), and a troll. The party was now safe and they once again bedded down under the watch of the grigs.

6th day, Greenheart the 20th, 1845

The following day the grigs led the party back to Gormoon’s ruined tower. The group declined an offer to be led to a druid’s grove (a two day march away) known to the grigs to rest and recuperate. Tursan seemed to like this idea but our heroes’ preferred to return to the dungeon and strike at their enemy while the monsters were weakened.

It was afternoon when the party (with Devinal the halfling trailing behind) approached the hill upon which the ruined tower stood and they entered the dungeon again through the secret door past the defeated spiders den. Lono wanted to try to set a trap for the creatures if possible. He thought maybe if the monsters were still hunting for them they could use oil on the main entrance stair to cause the creatures to slip and fall down into a pile of wood and giant spider webbing soaked with oil when they returned. They could then light this aflame and roast them.

They took what they needed for their trap with them. In the dungeon they noticed that many of the torches that were lit before were burnt out and the dungeon seemed quieter in general. Before they could do any of this however they were discovered by some bugbears that seemed to be moving supplies from a chamber that the party entered on their previous foray into the dungeon. The bugbears proved to be tough opponents but the group handled them well and had to slay four of the stinking creatures before continuing. The supply chamber had some barrels of beer missing but the party found that the keg of oil and other supplies were still there.

One room that the party found treasure in before (but did not take for fear of alerting the dungeon denizens to their presence) was now devoid of treasure. When Devinal found out that the party had left treasure behind he groaned aloud.

The party decided to continue onwards and soon encountered a horrid creature walking the dark hallways – a troll! The party ambushed it and after a dangerous battle the creature was killed (Gjord’s dwarvish defensive skill against these creatures really stood out here). They continued on to the areas of the dungeon they had explored before with Svarnos using Jarvis the cat familiar as a scout. They noticed that the gnoll heads had been removed from where Gjord had placed them earlier.

While exploring they were attacked by a troll again! This time it came from behind them and they defeated this one as well but not without getting injured in the process. The fighting also alerted a group of bugbears that came running up the hall and attacked. To the horror of the party in the middle of their fight the troll that they thought they had killed rose up in the midst of the battle and started to attack! Lono got behind the bugbears to backstab them but he could not get his dirk to pierce their tough hides. They were hard pressed but they survived the conflict and slayed the monsters.

Many in the party were wounded and they feared that the troll had the dreadful power of regeneration so Gjord cut off its head and took it with him. At this point, Devinal began to sarcastically critique how the party was handling themselves. He felt that they were getting into too many unnecessary fights and were getting weaker each time. This angered the group, as Devinal had not lifted a finger to help them yet. Again they all began to reconsider their association with the Halfling.

While they were talking they heard a roar behind them and they could see the troll that they just killed shambling towards them with a new head on its shoulders! They engaged the monster and killed it once more. They decided to shred it body into bits and Martijn, Gjord, and Galifynakus hacked away. The warriors were covered in gore but after a minute they noticed that a piece of the troll began to pulse and began to grow and regenerate. Fionulla said maybe fire could destroy it so they used the wood, webs and oil and lit the pieces on fire. Gjord even threw the head that he lopped off into the blaze. The fire seemed to work as the charred flesh did not stir afterwards.

The party was tired and weak so they returned to the spider den to rest and Fionnula cast her healing spells upon the wounded. They spent an uneventful night in the spider den.

7th day, Greenheart the 21st, 1845

The next day Martijn and Fionulla wanted to go back in and explore the griffin room. In the room nothing new could be discovered other than that the words (“Courage is the mastery of fear, not the absence of it.”) inscribed upon the floor emanated a faint aura of necromantic magic after Fionnula cast Detect Magic on them. Martijn was affected by the spells power and almost ran screaming out of the room but Fionnula cast Remove Fear upon him and the effect subsided. Devinal kept rolling his eyes and shaking his head as he watched the party.

Down one long hall they found a set of double doors that seemed to be made of the same blue stone as the griffin statues they saw before. The doors were locked with an inset iron lock in the middle that was so complex that Lono could not pick it (even Devinal tried and failed).

The dungeon overall seemed quiet and all the torches had not been replaced. There was a silent dread over all.

The Story So Far VIII

VIII

3rd day, Greenheart the 17th, 1845

The party ventured into the Ivy Forest to find the wizard Gormoon’s ruined tower in hope of capturing the sapphire that the elf Rumil spoke of. They found the forest to be quite spacious with numerous clearings and groves. The only trails through the forest seemed to be made by animals or possibly by the monsters that dwell within.

Rather quickly, the party ran into some trouble. As they entered a grove, six gnolls (evil hyena-headed humanoid monsters) broke from the brush on the other side and rushed to attack our heroes. The creatures were defeated after a battle that left the party wounded and their henchman Tursan unconscious. They were healed by Fionnula’s clerical healing magic. Gjord took the head of the largest ugliest gnoll as a trophy.

As they continued to travel deeper into the woods the adventurers noticed that it seemed like they were being followed. They kept hearing random sounds as if something was moving in the brush and leaves about them. Svarnos sent his familiar Jarvis to investigate. The cat reported that there was the sound of many small creatures moving about them. The party prepared for a possible conflict and Jarvis ran back to the side of his master. Suddenly a seemingly disembodied high-toned voice spoke from somewhere in front of the group. The voice wanted to know what the party was doing in the forest. While the party decided what to say, Martijn boldly answered with the truth, he stated that they sought the ruined tower. The voice then asked if they were friends or foes of those that dwelled within. Martijn answered foes and Gjord produced the head of the gnoll and held it out before him.

All of a sudden, a one-foot tall creature appeared before them. The creature had the torso of a fey-looking humanoid creature with antennae growing from its head; its hindquarters were those of a grasshopper however. A dozen more of these strange beings appeared and surrounded the party. They called themselves Grigs and said that they were enemies of the gnolls as well. They were armed with tiny daggers and darts and one had a miniature fiddle. Their leaders name was Murrr’k’k and after they were given some of the elven Feywine (reluctantly by Lono) they seemed quite comfortable with the party and became friendly. They told the adventurers that they would lead them to the ruined tower if they would defeat the menacing creatures within. They informed the party that gnolls and bugbears (large hairy goblinoid creatures with short snouts somewhat resembling a bears) were the main denizens of the dungeon. They also knew of a tunnel that might lead into the dungeon under the ruins but it was the lair of some dangerous giant spiders.

So, the party was taken to the ruined tower. All that was standing was a single curved wall with a section of stone stairs leading nowhere jutting up into the sky. The ruin was situated on a tree crowned hill and the Grigs showed a place hidden in the side of the rise that was the entrance to the spider lair. The heroes decided to rest before going any further and the Grigs kept watch for them throughout the night.

4th day, Greenheart the 18th, 1845

The party ventured into the dungeon the following day after Murrr’k’k gave them a tiny bottle of green liquid that he said was a healing potion. The natural cavern lair was infested with the foul spiders and the party had a hard time fighting them. They defeated the spiders but the creatures poison paralyzed Galifynakus and Gjord. Inside the lair of the spiders they found one room that had a spring of clear water and they also found an old rusted doorway behind a thick wall of webbing.

This doorway led into what appeared to be the dungeon underneath the tower. The party investigated some halls and rooms beyond the door and they even found some valuables. They did not take any of these as they thought this might alert their presence to the creatures that lived there. They also came across a room with four statues of griffins in the corners facing toward the center of the room, which bore an inscription in Draconic (which Svarnos can read) that read, “Courage is the mastery of fear, not the absence of it.” When the party tried to cross the room the inscription glimmered briefly and some of the adventurers were overcome by an overwhelming fear. They ran screaming from the room back the way they came. Luckily, the effects of this spell were temporary but the party decided to leave the dungeon anyway as they were still weakened by their battle with the spiders. They dragged the paralyzed forms of Galifynakus and Gjord out of the dungeon and spent another night in the forest under the watch of the Grigs.

5th day, Greenheart the 19th, 1845

By morning the paralyzing poison wore off and the party was ready to reenter the dungeon.

Inside, they came face to face with the gnolls and in a series of battles they even found and defeated the ferocious gnoll leader. They also found the portcullis barred main entrance to the dungeon.

After slaying the gnolls they met a captured halfling that was dressed as an adventurer in leather armor. He had sandy blonde hair and hazel eyes and the party noticed right away that he seemed to have a somewhat arrogant personality. He hardly thanked them for his rescue and told them he probably would have escaped anyway. He told the party that he was traveling alone to Sulthe when the gnolls ambushed and captured him. The halfling said his name was Devinal and from what the party could tell he was probably a thief by profession. Devinal offered to join the party as long as he got a fair share of the treasure found. They found Devinal’s equipment in the hall where they encountered the gnoll leader.

As the adventurers were slaying the female gnolls of the leaders harem (with Fionulla and Martijn watching with distain) Devinal began to search the bodies of the fallen gnoll guards. When the party caught him doing this he said that he found nothing and that they should continue their search of the dungeon. No one believed this and the Halfling was accosted by the party (Lono even drew his dirk on him). Under protest Devinal coughed up the coins he found on the gnolls. The party began to really reconsider their association with the thief.

They party withdrew from the dungeon again as they were greatly weakened after the conflict with the gnolls. Before doing so Gjord cut the heads from the slain gnolls and lined them up in the hall leading to the main entrance to the dungeon. Gjiord explained that this would serve to unnerve any other denizens of the dungeon.

They went looking for the Grigs that have proved to be such trust-worthy guards. As soon as they encountered them however both the Grigs and Devinal drew weapons and prepared to fight. The party intervened and asked what was going on. Apparently, Devinal had attacked the Grigs when he encountered them earlier. Devinal said that they were just monsters that had questioned him and his party when they came into the forest, and that they deserved to be attacked. This revealed a lie that Devinal had told earlier, as he told the party that he was traveling alone.

The heroes had had enough and they told Devinal to leave. Devinal said he wouldn’t because he knew that the Grigs would attempt to kill him if he went alone into the forest. This was confirmed by the Grigs. Devinal threw himself on the mercy of Fionulla and Martijn and asked for their protection. It seemed that they were stuck with the Halfling thief, at least for the time being. So, the party settled down for another night in the forest with a surly halfling smoking his pipe and eyeing the Grigs.