The
EARTH story - November 26, 1372
In the morning you continue. It seems colder today.
After walking only a few miles, though, you stop. Before you the trail
ends at a clearing along the bank of a small river. You see another
trail emerge from the trees to your right by the river, and disappear
into the woods at the far end of the clearing, still following the
river. Not far away now, you see the river winding back into a narrow
valley through a range of hills, and beyond, looming in the distance,
the mountains which are your goal.
Between you and your goal, though, in the middle of the clearing, is a
palisade of logs, apparently encircling a small village of some sort.
An open gate faces you, and standing guard before it are several ogres
and trolls.
They look rather larger than the trolls and ogres that you have
encountered on the Prime, but they do not seem to have noticed
you...yet.
It is gloomy morning. The light seems dimmed as if by heavy overcast. The temperature is about 40F.
"I wonder what is in that village," Equinox whispers to the party,
"Unless anyone has an objection, I am going to turn invisible and fly
over it to see what I can see."
No one objects, so Equinox turns into an invisible raven and flies off.
A few minutes after Equinox flies off, you see some activity around the gate in the palisade.
Going by the way the creatures are looking in your direction, you suspect that you have been spotted.
"This is not good," Al says, "We
were supposed to keep a low profile. How about we try to ambush them?
Anyone who can become invisible, do so and run back into the forest for
about two hundred feet. I and whomever else will make enough noise and
distraction and then 'run' into the forest with them chasing us, then
we will catch them in between both groups, killing them away from their
town!
"What do you think?" he asks.
Drinor grasps his sword hilt. "I cannot become invisible, so I will be 'bait' along with you."
"I do not run from a fight," says Devlin.
A second raven (Ayazin) circles
in the air near the main gate, keeping an eye on Equinox as well as on
the party and the group of ogres and trolls.
"Mikodin and I are both fast runners, and can probably dodge whatever they may throw at us. We should also serve as bait."
"Indeed, I have often been used as 'bait' before," says Mikodin wryly, "And I'm sure that Aron and I can outrun any troll."
"I can't become invisible either. So I would gladly become a bait as well," says Kithus, volunteering.
Jon shakes his head in disbelief. "We are not here to fight the locals or to be noticed if at all possible. Quickly, let us be gone from here and loose them in the underbrush or along the trail. Perhaps Equinox can lead them away from the group. Which is the way we should go and lead the way..."
"I do not run from a fight," repeats Devlin, "The way we need to go is right past this village."
Mikodin turns toward Jon, and,
after a moment in thought, adds, "I, myself, have some misgivings about
attacking these creatures just because they're here. We were told
to keep a low profile, and I think we should follow that advice.
We have more important things to do than kill a few trolls."
Op Code remarks, "Is there any way we can make it look like we are not interested in them, I mean like circumventing the village. We may be able to have the element of surprise if we decide to attack them."
Aldarin goes invisible and prepares a fireball in case the party ends up engaging the beasts.
"Fine, let's pull back and find another way around!" Al says as he tries to get lost in the bushes.
Brennon follows the rest into the forest.
As you try to meld into the
forest you hear war cries from the village and at least a score of
ogres and trolls come charging out through the gate, heading for you.
The forest is very dense, the
underbrush thick and difficult to move through quietly and with any
speed. Only the elves and rangers are able to move with any degree of
stealth.
After a few moments from back at
the entrance to the clearing you hear the whoops of the monsters, then
they come crashing through the underbrush after you.
Due to the thickness of the growth you cannot see the enemy...or each other.
Sharone, running blindly into the woods, suddenly feels a strong hand grab her shoulder.
"Stay by me," whispers Devlin.
As he says that the bushes suddenly heave, and wrap themselves around you, holding the two of fast in a leafy embrace.
Devlin gives a heave, and begins to slowly fight his way through the entangling brush, pulling Sharone along behind him.
Suddenly a fireball engulfs the two of them. Both of you take 8 hit points of damage.
The forest is engulfed in fire.
As the warrior drags Sharone through the flames he takes 1 hit point of damage. The priestess is unharmed.
"Equinox, we're in here too!" you hear the voice of Aron cry from not far away.
Sharone tries to make herself as small and un-noticeable as possible.
She prepares her flail & shield just in case she is discovered.
Devlin takes another 3 hit points of damage from the flames, but
suddenly you are out of the area of effect of the entanglement spell.
Just in time, too, as a troll rises up out of the bushes and lunges at you!
The troll attacks both of you, clawing Devlin for 10 hit points. He replies with his flame tongue and barely connects.
The monster's other claw attack misses Sharone, and his bite misses the warrior.
Sharone, shield & flail in hand, swings at the troll, trying to put the troll between herself and Devlin.
Devlin curses and moves around to attack the monster's flank.
The cleric fans while the warrior chops into the monster with his flame tongue.
The troll attacks both of you, clawing Sharone for 7 hit points and missing Devlin.
Meanwhile, the flames catch up with you, burning Devlin and the troll for 6 hit points.
Sharone will back the troll into the flames, parrying his blows to hold it in the inferno.
"Devlin, together we should be able to hold this beast in the fire, and let nature take its course."
"We're in the fire as well!" replies the warrior.
Sharone's parrying is of limited effect, as she is clawed for 7 hit points, then bitten for 11.
Devlin strikes the troll with his flaming sword, as he is singed for 1 hit point.
Sharone continues to try to avoid and deflect the troll's blows with some success this time.
Devlin chops into the monster again and it drops in flames. He in turn is burned for 1 hit point.
He grabs her hand and hurries as best he can, trying to find a way out of the fire.
Sharone shakes her head. "Never was much good at this hand to hand thing."
"That's not your job, cleric," replies Devlin, as you retreat out of
the flames and suddenly step out into the open area around the village.
A short distance away lies a form, which you recognise to be Brennon.
He looks to be badly burned.
From the village you hear sounds of female ogres arguing.
Brennon lifts up his hand from his lying position and waves to the others, showing them where he is.
Sharone moves quickly to Brennon, and using her healing stick tries to
repair some of the damage. Brennon is healed for 20 hit points.
He still remains weak and helpless, though. Only time or more powerful magics will heal that.
From the woods nearby you now hear the sounds of two battles.
Devlin curses, obviously torn between staying and protecting the injured and the priestess, and going to the aid of the others.
"We may soon have problems of our own," Brennon says, pointing to the
village, "The natives inside have been restless and some more may be
coming out. Ayazin gave me an invisibility potion just in case, but I
wanted to fill you in on the situation."
"Bring them on," says Devlin, flame tongue drawn, as he watches the village warily.
From the forest, meanwhile, you continue to hear the sounds of several battles raging.
"It sounds like our friends might need our help. I can stay here and be
invisible, while you go to help the others. I'm weak and it's going to
take some time for me to gain back my strength. I wouldn't want to slow
you down if you are going to help them," Brennon says.
Devlin seems torn with indecision for a moment, then shakes his head.
"Trolls have good noses. Even invisible, they might find you."
As he finishes saying that there is a screech from behind you and a troll rushes out of the woods straight at you!
Brennon tries to raise is wand to fire it at the troll but is too weak to do so.
Sharone moves back and prepares a flaming oil bomb.
Devlin faces the troll.
The warrior's first swing is wide, as he is scratched for 6 hit points.
Next, Kithus, Beth and Ayazin step out of the woods and into the
clearing which surrounds the village. They see Devlin battling a troll
close by, as Sharone prepares a molotov.
Suddenly you hear more roars and cries, as a half a dozen female ogres charge out of the village, heading straight for you!
Kithus draws his sword and moves up between the female ogres and the
casters, as he growls angrily, "Cast something that will slow these
down, Ayazin, Beth! I can only hold of them for so long."
Kithus tries not to engage in battle until absolutely necessary, so
that he won't be caught up into a locked battle and unable to help the
spell-casters.
His attempt is a failure, as three female ogres converge on him. The
other three make after Beth, Ayazin and Sharone, respectively.
Kithus gets dinged by an ogre for 2 hit points. They are armed with
clubs. The Mighty First Edition Ranger then lands a glancing blow with
his two handed sword, all but killing his assailant regardless. Another
ogress clobbers him for 9 hit points. Kithus' second swing is wide. The
third ogress then cracks him over the head for 1 hit point.
Devlin is still battling the troll, but his skill with the broadsword
is noticeably inferior to his ability with the bastard sword, which was
destroyed by the remhoraz. Nevertheless, he connects. The troll is
unable to get past the warrior's armour.
Sharone hurls her molotov at the ogress who comes at her, and the
monster is sprayed with burning oil. Through the inferno she swipes at
the priestess but misses.
Beth tries to retreat. An ogress gives chase.
Ayazin barely gets missed by the last ogress.
Next, there is a roar from behind you, and a giant troll charges out of the woods, looking to join the fun.
Kithus tries to finish off the two ogresses quickly so he can turn
towards the troll. He uses his sword as a lance, and charges his two
remaining enemies.
The ranger skewers one of the ogresses and she perishes with a final
wail. The two remaining monsters press the attack, and he is belted for
10 hit points.
Ayazin makes a mental note of the giant troll, but stays focused on
fighting the ogress with his scimitar. The druid fans with his blade as
the ogress does likewise with her club.
Devlin continues to battle the troll as the giant troll goes at him
from the rear. He chops into the monster with his flame tongue, once,
then misses, as the enemy misses on all its attacks. he then takes a
hit in the flank from the giant troll for 12 hit points.
Beth is able to outrun the ogress chasing her, who stops and then goes after a slower prey: Sharone.
The ogress whom the cleric set afire sees the last flames flicker out
as she swings her club at Sharone and misses. Sharone fares little
better with her mace.
Suddenly Drinor bursts out of the bushes where the trail enters the forest, sees the battle, and rushes over to help Sharone.
Kithus turns on the second ogress and kills her. One remains, and she misses him.
Ayazin connects with his scimitar, opening a large wound, as he in turn is missed.
Devlin again connects with the troll and it is beginning to look hurt. The giant troll misses.
Sharone dodges another attack as she clobbers her adversary with her mace.
Close by, Drinor engages the ogress that was about to attack Sharone. A single prod with his avenger kills her.
Kithus gets clobbered again for 5 hit points by his last ogress as he
easily connects with his blade and kills her. He rushes over to attack
the giant troll.
The druid chops into the his ogress a second time as she continues to miss.
Devlin lops an arm off of the troll as it bites him for 10 hit points. His second swing misses and the warrior curses.
Sharone continues to avoid the ogress' club as she again connects with
her mace. The ogress drops, just as Drinor arrives to help her.
Al rushes out into the open area before the village and sees a battle
in front of him. Devlin fights a troll, Kithus is about to engage a
giant two headed troll and Ayazin spars with an ogress. Sharone and
Drinor - who arrived several minutes ahead of the cavalier, have
apparently jusy cut down another ogress, and several other humanoid
bodies lie about. Beth stands nearby. There is no sign of Brennon.
From behind, you suddenly hear the bellow of a troll and the sounds of another fight up the trail astern of Al.
Feeling the healing might of Thor settle on him, Al grins savagely as he says, "Flame on."
The flame tongue sword in his right hand blazes to life as he charges
forward, shield in his left hand. He helps Kithus with his troll unless
there is an opponent in the way.
Brennon, invisible and too weak to fight, crawls away from the battle trying not to be stepped on, or mauled by the enemy.
Sharone sets fire to the trolls as they fall. "I seem to remember they regenerate with time."
Drinor continues fighting in melee, moving to help out Devlin with his troll.
Ayazin continues melee with the ogress, feeling pretty good about the way it has gone so far.
Devlin ducks under an incoming claw and retaliates with brutal chop of
his flaming broadsword. The troll drops as Drinor arrives.
Nearby, Kithus is hit for 4 hit points by the giant troll, but then nails the monster twice and kills it just as Al arrives.
Ayazin, meanwhile, is crunched for 5 hit points by the female ogre as he fans badly with his scimitar.
As Devlin, Drinor, Kithus and Al rush over to help, Ayazin is hit again
for 5 hit points. Ayazin stabs her again, though, but she still stands.
Devlin attacks her flank, and she drops dead, her a kidney lying on the
ground beside her.
Suddenly Jon, Tully, Op Code, Aron, Mikodin, Equinox and Aldarin burst out of the woods and see a scene of carnage before you.
Kithus, Beth, Ayazin, Drinor, Devlin and Al stand surrounded by dead
trolls, ogres and a deaad giant troll, catching their breath, while
Sharone moves around burning the bodies.
Brennon is not to be seen, and nor is Violet.
Ayazin stretches out his sore neck and stiff arms.
"Wow, I'm a bit beat up. Speaking of which, we should go get Brennon -
I left him right around this area, but he's probably invisible now.
Someone follow me please, he'll need to be carried."
Saying this, he shapeshifts into a hound dog and begins sniffing the air, trotting off in the direction of Brennon's scent.
"Jon said that Violet is in hiding and I have no idea where she is,"
says Equinox, "but when I last saw Brennon, he was unconscious and Jon
had brought him out of the battle and I think he left him around here."
"Phew, that was fun," the cavalier grins as he speaks the command word
for his flame tongue. The blazing sword suddenly shuts off, leaving a
hot but non-flaming blade in Al's hand.
"So, Brother E, can you look at the town to see if there are any other defenders?" he asks.
"As soon as I check on Brennon I can," replies Equinox and heads off to see if he can find Brennon.
"I'll help look," says Mikodin, loping around the area looking for Brennon.
"I am over here, trying to keep out of the way," a voice pipes up.
Jon says, "So we are only looking for Violet now."
"Whoever needs healing, step right up!" Al offers to everyone.
Jon steps up and shows his numerous wounds with a look of expectation.
Aldarin scans the area, taking in all the death. "Yes, that WAS some
pitched battle. Especially so, since we were split into several
small groups. I could use some healing, for I received several
wounds during the encounter, although I will wait until the more infirm
are taken care of first."
Kithus steps up. "Could you please heal me? That was quite a workout."
"Certainly," he says as he lays his right hand on the man and intones,
"Great Thor, please heal my companion's serious wounds," as he casts cure serious wounds on Kithus.
Kithus is cured for 17 hit points.
Drinor sticks his chest out and sheathes his avenger at last. "I came
through that without a scratch! Thank Tyr, that was quite a battle."
The paladin then lays his hands on Aldarin, healing his wounds for 16 hit points.
Aldarin nods in thanks, "Truly you must be favored by Thyr for you not
to receive any wounds from those vile beasts. My thanks, my young
companion."
Jon, looking burnt and with a number of deep and nasty gashes, says,
"Well done. Can someone look for Violet while I get healed? Violet
should be hiding and is invisible. Tully is in a bad way and will
need a lot of healing I think. VIOLET WE ARE OVER HERE! VIOLET WE ARE
OVER HERE!"
"I'd like to have a word with the idiot who cast the fireball," says
Devlin, looking singed. "And then a short talk with whoever did the
entangle."
"That entangle certainly lasted awhile," says Mikodin testily.
Jon adds, "Umm...me too. Look at my hair and cloak. They are burnt.
Missed the entangle, though, but got hit by the sleet/snow storm. Now
where is Violet? VIOLET...VIOLET...once I'm healed I will look for her
too."
An invisible voice - Brennon - replies nearby, "I would really love to
know who cast that fireball as well. It was the last thing I remembered
before waking up out here in the clearing."
"You would be referring to me, I believe," Aldarin replies, with a
concerned look. "If I harmed anyone in the conflagration of my
fireball, then I truly apologize. It was a split second decision
based on the fact that I was alone and only saw the several beasts
approaching me. It was meant more as a deterrent toward the trolls than
to completely consume them, for my magic is not as powerful as some of
you others."
"It is still too powerful for you," snorts Devlin.
"Brennon, old friend, it's me, Mikodin. Where are you?" The monk
begins searching the area for the disembodied voice and quickly trips
over him.
"Oh, hello Brennon," says Equinox in surprise as he returns to the group. "I was just going to look for you.
"Let's wait to address the wisdom of the fireball spell until we have
found a safe place to rest and recover and identify that key," Equinox
suggests.
"I suspect we only have a short time before something else shows up,"
Equinox glances around at the charred clearing and the smoke filled
sky. "I think that we have probably successfully announced our presence
to every creature within 100 miles. Let's quickly search this village
and then get the &%@# out of here to find a safe recovery place.
"Ayazin, will you take to the air to ensure that nothing else is waiting to surprise us or heading our way?"
"I'm going to look for any captives they might have had."
Jon says, "Aron, I think the village may still be held against us, but
I did find this magical key so there should be good treasure..."
"I don't understand. Do we need the key to enter the village? And if so, hostages are my first concern."
Jon replies, "Aron I'm not sure what the key opens other than it is magical, and a giant troll was carrying it."
Aron heads off to the gate in the palisade, which is only a short distance away.
The area where Jon left Violet is now in the midst of the forest fire,
which continues to blaze away. The fire is expanding, but not towards
you.
As Aron approaches the village gate he starts to hear voices and cries. To him they sound like children or young monsters.
Sharone steps towards Devlin. She raises her healing staff and applies it to his wounds.
She then calls upon the might of Idun, casting a Cure Serious Wounds to Devlin.
The warrior is healed for a total of 27 hit points.
"I believe I might not be here except for you," she smiles her thank you.
"It was nothing, milady," he replies, bowing.
She then drinks a potion of healing to help reduce the pain from the burns on her body.
She is healed for 7 hit points.
Jon takes to the air and with Geerzo starts looking for Violet, starting with the area she was left, repeating, "VIOLET!"
Aron continues towards the village, using what cover he can and tries to see who is there.
"Do we go in and wipe them out or go around them?" Al asks the group.
"They may not be a threat now, but when they grow, they will be or if
we let them live, they might not prey on others, though I doubt that,"
the cavalier asks, unsure how to proceed.
"We first have to find out what they are," says Equinox. "I'll go check it out if you come too for protection."
"We've started the job; we may as well finish it," Devlin says as he heads off with Equinox and Al.
Aron is ahead of you all, trying his best to be inconspicuous in an
area where there is no cover. He reaches the open palisade gate and
peers through it, to find himself confronted by a female ogre and three
young ogres.
They scream and jumps at him!
"Surrender before the rest arrive and they may spare your lives!" Aron yells to the ogres as he tries to dodge their attacks.
Aron stumbles as he backs up, and the ogress mashes him for 6 hit
points. The children also jump him, but their attacks are ineffective.
Two more female ogres appear, along with another young one.
"Wipe 'em all out and let Thor sort them out!" Al cries. Then he says, "Flame on!"
His flame tongue roars to life as he lashes out with the blade in defense of Aron.
"I'm with you," Op Code calls back as he attacks with his ogre killer.
"Seems sort of bloodthirsty to me," comments Equinox. "I say just ignore them, search the place and split."
The druid's comments are ignored as the melee resumes.
Al confronts an ogress and opens an ugly wound in her hide. She is unable to penetrate his thick skin with her club.
Devlin faces the last ogress, and she is wounded as well. She misses as well.
Mighty Op Code is attacked by a young ogre, about the size of a goblin.
It attacks but misses, and the ranger quickly skewers the monster then
moves to help Aron.
The ogress attacking the monk strikes him again for 2 hit points. Aron
fights back but misses. The children miss. Op Code arrives and opens a
massive wound in the flank of the ogress. Still she fights.
Al kills his ogress, as does Devlin.
They move to help out Aron as well.
Aron is nailed again for 2 hit points, as his attacks miss. A young one
hits him for 5 hit points with a sharpened stick. Another one prods him
for 6 hit points.
Op Code connects again and the last ogress drops. Al attacks one of the young ones, as does Devlin, and they both die.
The last young ogre hits poor Aron again for 2 hit points before the monk kicks in him the head, decapitating him.
The severed head sails through the air and conks Equinox on the noggin.
No more monsters are forthcoming. You move into the village and search
the place. It is a filthy, squalid affair, but devoid of threats now.
In the way of treasure you find 667ep, 17 gems (50gp ea.) and 3480gp.
Most of you have been beaten up to greater or lesser extent, and Tully and Brennon are in no condition to travel.
Al prays to Thor for healing, then casts his last cure light wounds on Aron for 3 hit points.
"Unless someone has a better idea, let's get out of here and go find a
place to hide and recover. Pick a direction," says Equinox to the
party, pointing a random direction into the woods and away from the
village and battle site.
"Ayazin, if you will take to the sky to try to find a good and safe
recovery area, and to make sure nothing is heading in our direction
right now, I will do the same in a different area. As soon as one of us
finds something, he should just return to find the party and lead them
to it."
"We should head up the trail along the river, if you don't think that
this is secure," says Devlin. "That is the way we are going anyway."
Ayazin steps up to Aron and casts Cure Serious Wounds for 16 hit points
on the battered monk. When it's done, he turns to Equinox and says,
"All right, Brother, let's fly."
He transforms into a Peregrine Falcon and takes to the air, circling to the east in search of a good place to camp.
"Thank you Ayazin," says the now not so battered monk.
Equinox shifts to Raven form and takes to the sky. He circles the
group twice, looking for Violet, and then heads upstream as suggested
by Devlin.
Drinor frowns at the recent slaughter. "It pleases me not, to slay
whelps. Necessary in a way, I suppose, but hardly a valorous act. Let's
leave this place."
Jon returns, reporting that he has seen no sign of Violet.
"We shouldn't stay here much longer... We definitely need to find
shelter. But we can't just abandon someone here either just in case she
is still alive," ponders Kithus out aloud.
Jon says, "Can anyone cast detect invisibile or such to aid in the
search? Or any augury that she is okay and has left the area. Sharone
can you help in any way or are you too busy healing the wounded?"
Jon looks to the group and pleads, "It is likely that Violet is dead
and her body burning in the fire we can see. Can anyone put it out or
cast resist fire on me so I can search for her body? Please?
"Can you cast an augury or something to try and locate her?"
Time passes, while you ponder. The forest fire moves on...burning back
in the direction from whence you came, the flames dying out in the area
of the original fireball as their fuel is consumed. Jon takes flight
again to resume his search, returning a short time later carrying
something invisible. He drops it with a clatter. He has found Violet's
magical armour, and that is it. Her body and all her other possessions
were consumed in the flames...with no remains.
Equinox and Ayazin return, and transform back into their normal forms.
Equinox reports that he has found a jumbled pile of rocks along the
bank of the river perhaps a mile upstream that could serve as a shelter
while the injured recover. There are signs that the rock pile has
served as a lair for a bear or two in the past, but the markings are
old and he does not think that anything is occupying the place now.
"Works for me," Al says, and sets off for the rock pile.
Mikodin, who has been silent during the slaughter of the female and
young, finally speaks, "I think we should rest for the benefit of those
unable to continue. And, perhaps, to pray for guidance on our
mission."
Jon bows his head at the lack of remains of Violet. Somewhat shattered
at the loss of Violet, Jon looks for Aldarin, moves directly to stand
in front of the elf and stares directly at him with his hands on his
hips.
"NOT EVEN A SORRY!"
Jon turns away with anger showing clearly all over his face.
Jon walks a little aside from the group and fiddles with his fingers
and starts to dance, saying loudly, "DJINNI OF FUNK! IF IT IS WITHIN
YOUR POWER TO GRANT A BOON I ASK FOR ONE NOW."
A wisp of smoke appears, and the djinni forms.
"I AM THE DJINNI OF FUNK! EVERYBODY GET DOWN!" he says as he starts to dance about.
"`I WISH THAT VIOLET MY HENCH PERSON WAS ABLE TO HIDE SAFELY DURING THE LAST BATTLE.` "
"GROOVE WITH THE DJINNI!"
Tully, still very weak, shakes his head. "Never try to change the past. Never try to change the past."
"This ought to be interesting," says Equinox as he moves a few steps away from Jon and watches him to see what happens.
Mikodin watches Jon for a moment, then merely shakes his head sadly and
says, "I pray, Jon, that your wish is realized just the way you want
it."
Brennon, who already is down, closes his eyes and says a silent prayer for protection...
Tully smiles. "Djinni of Funk, I welcome you. If you have the ability
to perform a wish, would you please hold off till I advise Jon?"
"OPEN SESAME!" the djinni replies.
Op Code, on the ground, watches the goings on, carefully.
Jon starts to groove with the djinni and kicks the invisible armour that he dropped.
Jon looks at Tully and Equinox, "I vowed to do everything within my
power to safeguard and protect Violet. A wish is a wish and I have
never asked or cast one before. What are your recommending? Sharone
will you heal me please?"
The djinni continues to dance about to music unheard by the rest of you and does little else.
After awhile you grow tired of the spectacle and move on.
Jon heads towards the village moving cautiously and conducts a final search with Geerzo in hand.
Jon yells out for Violet: "VIOLET...VIOLET..."
He finds no sign of her.
Jon then follows the rest to the rock pile.
The place is as the druid described it. Not really a cave, there is an
area under a jumbled pile of boulders which provides you with a measure
of shelter.
You settle in for awhile.
Next day