Tales of the Heroes

[Hero]

Ari (Part 4)

"... But we have hope and with you there will be.." he counted on his fingers "...well, soon more of us than I can count."

This is all kinds of awesome. Well played.

[Asinjin]

Like Pavlov.. is anyone else sad there wasn't a 1am update....

I am sad too, but the Baratheons challenged the Free Folk in a Game of Thrones.

[Hero]

I am sad too, but the Baratheons challenged the Free Folk in a Game of Thrones.

[Zunder]

I am sad too, but the Baratheons challenged the Free Folk in a Game of Thrones.

Who won?

[whitesword]

Who won?

Clearly not us.

[Asinjin]

Who won?

The Free Folk won the mission, but a lot more of them died.  In fact, no Baratheon units were destroyed, only the mercenaries they brought with them.

[whitesword]

(Sha'ar art 4)

A few months before the Siege of Mount Oneash began, the Ambassador relocated from Fort Whiteknight to Messada. The embassy in the west became a consulate and Ambassador Mason had intended to appoint Sha’ar as Consul, but once the Siege began it was clear that she would not allow her followers to join the battle without her. As a diplomatic crisis was unlikely to arise with the fire giants, who had no nation, the Ambassador allowed Sha’ar to go, but with instructions that she remain with the headquarters for the sake of appearances.

 This came as a great relief to the Lord Protector, as Arion, crown prince Alcios, and prince Kanith, all joined the siege in its second month. Arion was by then a more experienced battlefield commander, having fought against barbarians and Chosen in the north, but was wise enough to leave the strategy to the generals. However, protected by Stasis’ dragon-forged armor and armed with his giant slaying hammer, Arion was nearly unstoppable in single combat. After a few engagements the giants only sent their allies against him.  The princes, seeking to emulate their father and legendary fore-bearers, would wade into battle and often find themselves overmatched.  Fortunately, Sha’ar was the greatest defensive warrior of the generation and the ideal bodyguard for them.

As the siege progressed the giants came to fear Sha’ar. Ignorant of her reputation from the Suian, the giants initially relished the idea of slaying an elven champion. This did not last long, as many giants and their servants fell to Sha’ar’s glaive. By the end of the siege none would willingly engage the headquarters, preferring to take their chances against a glowing, giant badger or a equally radiant, talkative griffon, (both accompanied by a Horarian sword master) than face certain death by glaive or hammer. In the last battle on the fields before the mountain, Sha’ar defeated Brukrel, the fire giant gensai, who had slain Sir Bartholomew weeks earlier. When the half-giant fell, the defenders sounded the retreat and withdrew into the mountain.

 After the siege Sha’ar was recalled to Olan to serve as second in command of the Red Guard. Iott seemed ascendant and likely to further expand their influence. Sha'ar was among many the leaders called home to prepare for war. Sha’ar made two attempts at the voyage but was turned back each time.  Arion offered to try and force the crossing with a reinforced battle group, but Admiral Mason, the commander of Layraedia’s navy, and Ambassador Mason’s father, declined.

 In recognition of Sha’ar and her countrymen’s contribution to the safety of the Kingdom, and Habololy, Arion bequeathed to the Republic, in perpetuity, the former estate of the Vai family, whose line had ended decades earlier.  The Layraedians established an academy for war orphans and a school for diplomats in the grounds and formally moved the embassy there in 814. Sha’ar remains in her position at the newly named Suffelist Keep, while serving as chief weapons instructor at the academy.

[whitesword]

Kerkly (Part 4)

Kerkly returned to lead the Guardians in their part in the Siege of Mount Oneash.  The servants of Sutyr called upon aid from denizens of the lower planes to fight alongside their elemental servants in nearly every battle. Among Sutyr’s servants who arrived from elsewhere, Kerkly’s name was greatly feared.  Many came to battle expecting to easily prevail against enemies with little recourse to the great powers of the upper planes, but instead found a legendary champion of one of those powers.  After the siege, his name was more famous among the people of Icefia and Gnarland than any other Guardian.

For the next two years the Guardians saw little action.  The servants of Nilas’anor were again cowed by the power of Iott.  Only Azelec the Souless, the Chosen of Frostine Doomknight, occasionally appeared to raid in the north.  Still, the Guardians sought them and looked for any sign of the Empty Men.  Weary from decades of battle, Kerkly settled into his role as Master Clerist and only left the Vale to visit Havenhollow or offer Ari his counsel.

In 813, as the conflict with Iott seemed to reach an apex, the assassination attempts resumed, and by the end of the year were occurring almost monthly.  At first there was confusion as to who was responsible, as sometimes the attackers were agents of Iott, but more often against leaders and their families, they were agents of the dark powers.  That spring, a council was held in Castle Gemblade.  All the lesser kings and queens and their heirs, along with the heads of the high noble houses, the leadership of goodly churches, the Guardians and the Knights were in attendance.  The great wizards of the nation were still unable to locate the assassins and a desperate plan was devised. It was resolved that until the assassins could be rooted out, or the threat of Iott was ended, the children of Icefia’s leaders would be moved either to Castle Gemblade, the Bardic College or the Guardian Vale.  By offering the assassins one chance to strike before their quarry reached a place of safety, it was hoped they could spur the assassins to strike.  While the assassins’ actions could not be predicted, Russel and Parker could keep watch on the potential victims. 

On the Day of Light, Kerkly and Escalon waited for the chronomancers’ sight.  Each group of travelers had powerful protectors but the leaders believed that the enemy would choose one group against which to strike a heavy blow.  As the group of high nobles and their families passed the walls of Messada, Russel sent Kerkly and Escalon to their aid.  As they arrived, they found the travelers beset by the Brethren and the Empty Men.  The Empty Men had no fear, but at Escalon and Kerkly’s approach they turned to flee.  As Escalon spoke a word of power, Kerkly saw them burst as if made of obsidian dust or metallic smoke.  A shadow was lifted from his memory and he perceived them for what they truly were: Wytchblades, the servants of Gyn’syrd, the god of murder, imprisoned centuries earlier by Nilas’anor.

After the attempt there was no further sign of the servants of Nilas’anor, though the leaders and heroes of the servants of good remain watchful for their return. Kerkly returned to the Guardian Vale, and has remained there since, guiding the sect’s clerics and paladins as they seek out the forces that threaten Habololy from the infernal planes.

[whitesword]

Rubius (Part 4)

For Havenhollow, the battles and assassinations did not go unnoticed.  The pogrom had the opposite of its intended effect on the good folk of the town.  Many volunteered as home-guards for other towns whose soldiers had gone to the siege.  Others joined one of the knightly orders, emulating Kerkly and Rubius’ efforts.  By 813 the town had become a destination for followers, especially non-humans, of the goodly cult powers. Russel established a small shrine to Jazirian, the mighty celestial power of community and wisdom, and on the Day of Light, Aezir appeared briefly to bless the structure.
Rubius became one of the most trusted members of King Oliver’s court and a leader among the mayors of all the Kingdom’s cities. By 814 Havenhollow was the fastest growing town in the Kingdom and, in a sign of Rubius’ boundless good fortune, a large deposit of precious stones was found nearby that brought even more prosperity.

Rubius was content with his family and position.  But for the ceaseless conflict with Iott, which clearly weighed heavily on his friends when he saw them, he was sure that the great nations of the world could work together to set aside their differences.  With King Oliver’s permission he wrote to the High King to propose an attempt to negotiate a peaceful resolution.  To his surprise he received a royal summons to Castle Gemblade. 

On his way he stopped in Colonye, and found a messenger waiting for him.  It was somewhat an odd thing for Ari to invite Rubius to a meal, but that was indeed was had happened.  Receiving a note to attend a simple dinner at a small seafood tavern wasn't too strange.  Ari did not usually go in for big events, certainly not ones he would plan.  And this tavern, Rubius had notes on most of them, other than having a very salty imported dwarven cod it was unremarkable.  Perhaps Rubius could chat with the chef.  A bit less salt, or perhaps using a milder Intorian variety, could go a long way.
 
The tavern was dark and small, but not dirty.  Might be the huge amount of salt kept mold and dampness at bay.  He walked down the stairs to the dining room.  Having made sure the note was real, and trusting his instincts if something was amiss, he opened the door to see a strange sight.  Packed into the room meant to hold only a few small tables was a motley group, led by Ari.
 
Rubius hugged his friend and began to speak when Ari shook his head, "He's the leader this time."  Looking over, Rubius received a wave from a hand missing several fingers, belonging to a goofy, smiling, tilted head.  "Its our lucky day, friend, as we have found you.  Pardon the venue, prying eyes don't look down here as they would elsewhere.  We were hoping you'd join us on a mission of long odds?" He smiled in a way you wouldn't want, or expect, someone who had just asked you to go on such a mission way would.
 
Looking around, Rubius too smiled.  Every great adventure story he had heard started in a tavern with a misfit group of adventuring types that didn't know each other well.  He was certain this was going to go just fine...

[whitesword]

Parker (Part 4)

Parker spent the years after he returned from the Plateau happily teaching and regaling admiring students with stories of his adventures.  His daughter Thera graduated in 812 and set out on her own adventures, giving Parker a taste of the worry he had inflicted on his own parents (who lived a happy life in retirement on the campus).  All of the children enrolled and pursued in their studies one of their parent's interests.  Parker did leave the campus to guide Ari and the Knights in the underground cities of Oneash, as he had visited them, and been politely asked to leave, many times in the past.

In 815, as the world rejoiced at Kallark’s destruction, Parker and his family felt confident they could return to Phiam.  Upon entering the mansion, they immediately realized they were trapped.  The Furious Guardian had been turned into a host for the soul of a slain Iottan archmage and Inexorious awaited them.  The golem pinned Parker down and a team of wizards began their ritual to permanently drain Parker of his spellcasting abilities..  The Inevitable sensing its mission was almost fulfilled held Emelda and Parker the Younger at sword-point and demanded that Robyn place herself in anti-magic shackles.  Knowing what the Iottans intended, and having been given a second life she never expected, Robyn unleashed a wave of pure white magical fire.  The wave of flame destroyed everything on the first floor of the house, including Inexorious, the wizards and the soulstone attached to the golem, but left Parker and the children unharmed.  Of Robyn nothing remained.  The following morning Mouser arrived and escorted the family to Castle Gemblade, where they could grieve without fear of the Empty Men.

[whitesword]

Asinjin (Part 4)

Though Asinjin appreciated the safety and resources (and prestige) that came with his deanship, the role did not come easily to him.  Only the most persistent students sought out his classes, which suited him, but many of his fellow scholars could not move past the loss of so many of their fellows, and spent more time researching ways to oppose Iott than on art or music.  But for the certainty that he and his family would have to spend their life in hiding if they departed, Asinjin surely would have resigned. Despite powerful magic, and the nature of the College grounds, Asinjin's health continued to deteriorate. During the plague years he was completely confined to the grounds and the memory of the vast open spaces of the desert pulled at him daily. 

In 811 an unexpected event convinced Asinjin to remain.  That fall Luigi resigned his position as Dean and moved to Amansky.  The College was devastated and Asinjin again considered if he would be better off on his own.  At the next faculty meeting Asinjin was stunned to see his old master Alrouk cheerfully enter the room and take the Dean of Magic’s chair at the table.  Looking decades younger than when Asinjin had last seen him, Alrouk quickly improved morale at the College, helped the faculty find their focus and served as the ideal go-between for Asinjin and his colleagues. Asinjin remained focused on his art, and took more pleasure in his position with Alrouk’s guidance.  He gave advice and guidance to those leading the Kingdom through the difficult years leading up to the end of Iott’s power.

After Kallark's defeat, there was a period of great celebration in Icefia.  Everywhere it seemed that a great burden had been lifted.  It was especially pronounced on the grounds of the College, which seemed to change overnight from a place besieged to a place of youthful wonder.  For Asinjin, once it became clear Iott’s dreams of domination were finished, the lure of his home, peace and solitude proved too strong.  He resigned his deanship and returned home with his wife and young son, while is daughter, Adijia, remained as a student. Despite his prickly persona, a parade of students and faculty sought him out to bid him farewell.  Alrouk promised to visit.  Upon reaching Intoria, he quickly settled into the life had long desired. He quickly settled into the life had long desired.  Early the following year, Adijia returned home with a surprise guest: Lira, the queen of Icefia and her son prince Evard, to announce their betrothal.  With a telltale sigh, which in truth masked his joy, Asinjin resigned himself to the occasional visit to Icefia. 

[Asinjin]

Acyll Edorm Fult (Whitesword, various)

The days of Iott's reign were frustrating ones for Acyll.  A warrior of devastating power, he was ineffective against Iott's tactics.  The other work in Icefia during that time was that of undead hunter, which was an inefficient use of his talents.  His eagerness to get involved left him on the wrong side of the Guardians' mindset more times than he would have liked.  During this time, he leaned on his elven patience to get him through, training himself and others for the time when his skills would be most needed.  Leading by example with his focus and adherence to the plans even if he was not fond of them.

The Day of Broken Magic was welcome meaningful action for him, but the consequences and results did Acyll no favors.  His superiors were displeased with his decisions.  The next few years saw Acyll getting back into action, as Iott's power waned, threats arose and he was there to stand against them.  Often as a bodyguard or protector, he was an imposing figure and turned away of few attacks simply by being present.

After Kallark left for the planes, Acyll was again in limbo.  A return to Iottian dominance would again likely relegate him to lesser tasks.  But fate smiled and he was named as a competitor in the Suian.  Once the tournament began, Acyll fell into an odd category.  The Suian of 801 was very much a home town favorite event, with heavy cheers and boos depending on if the combatant was seen as an ally or enemy of Iott.  They did not know what to make of Acyll.  His affiliation, race, disposition, faith, and homeland were a mix of what one would consider allies and enemies of Iott.  The crowd ended up basing the treatment of him based on his opponent, which lead to sometimes heavy boos and sometimes loud cheers.

His power and skill nearly unmatched, he blew through match after match.  Concessions were not uncommon after they felt the weight of his sword in duel 1.  It was terrible luck that pitted him against Primius Coustine in a round when both desperately wanted to take on Warlord Akrak.  The match was fierce a swift ad they were two heavy hitters.  Acyll's speed proved to win the days as he got to the mark a second before Primius on each occasion.  His luck proved poor again when in the next round he drew Elline Windblade, who stood little chance against his great sword.

Still undefeated, he drew Martin Bradtree next.  Already a veteran of a Suian, the Fironi was considered one of the most seasoned combatants.  For the first time in several rounds, the cheers went against Acyll.  Martin was a genius with his blades.  Confounding the swings of the great sword and fighting tight Acyll as if the two were in a coffin, he had clearly battled such an opponent before.  Martin let the fight drag on and on, allowing hits to go unmade to ensure he kept as close to Acyll as possible.  He had prepared for this, fighting others that would have used this same approach, but the daggers his sparring partners used were not Martin's short sword and the different in length proved just enough to give the match to Martin.

Disappointed, but still alive, Acyll had reached the rarified air of the Suian.  Fewer than a dozen competitors remained.  Luck found him in the next round and he drew Akrak.  Again, he was cheered.  The gnoll Warlord had not yet lost, but it was the opponent for Acyll.  Slower than him, not as technical, larger, and prone to be angered; the match would play out just as Acyll envisioned and how the crowd hoped.  Baiting the gnoll in and the battering him with blows that would have killed lesser warriors before Akrak could get off an attack.  So furious was the gnoll for the embarrassment, and possibly knowing he would lose again in more horrific fashion.  Akrak caught Acyll by surprise in the second duel by doing something he could not have suspected; he bit and punched, clawed and tackled.  The gnoll was immediately disqualified from the match, but he laughed his way out of the arena.

Now Acyll had to combat another enemy in his next match.  Akrak's bite festered, the wrestling  had torn something in Acyll's arm.  Healers did what they were allowed, but the wounds left their mark.  On top of that, Acyll now had to face Listem Ramsith, champion of Iott.  An unknown in the world of great warriors until the Suian, he had received the host's nation's choice of entrant, which meant no cleric of Han~Sui had to choose him.  His duels so far had been one sided affairs where the crowd was so loud the combatants could not hear themselves think.  Listem was a showman, a human of perfect physique.  He chose to walk into the arena unarmored and take the type of buckle on his incredibly made armor, flag of Iott emblazoned on his chest.  By the time he was done, only his chin and light brown curled mustache were visible.

Using a thin bladed long sword and buckler with dagger in the other hand, Listem was unbeaten.  Matching Acyll's speed and strength, Listem was able to deflect the best of Acyll's strikes.  Knowing where Acyll was sore, he took advantage as one would expect from the master tactician he proved to be.  The duels were close, but they tilted towards Listem slowly on every pass until finally Acyll was beaten.

He remained to watch the final matches, but his mind was only half there.  He wondered where he would find fulfillment and the end to years of frustration.

[Asinjin]

Acyll part 2

Returning to the Guardians, Acyll continued to have differences of opinion by somewhat reinvigorated by his performance, with new notoriety, he went back to work in Icefia before a mission he was really able to sink his sword into came along.  Joining Kerkly, he was sent to the planes to battle against the forces of evil.  Little could have suited him better and he was a devastating force.  As time on the planes moves differently, it was difficult to gauge how long he was gone other than to know how much time had passed on Habololy when he returned.

What he found upon his return was not what he would have hoped for or expected, the world descending in a plagues ridden few years.  Again, he sword would prove a less valuable tool.  It could not swing away disease or pestilence.  The battles he fought during the plagues years, with the occasional more satisfying mission against forces taking advantage of the situation, were ones of compassion and comfort.  Seemingly immune to the plagues for reasons he attributed to karma and luck, Acyll found some fulfillment helping the downtrodden.

His successes and heritage allowed him to head west and be a symbol to the scaled elves.  His time on the planes had made him so feared that the assassins of Iott did not approach him.  When the King Roflander called for help, Acyll lead a small contingent over the northern pole to the mountains and himself slew a dozen fiendish giants that had been rampaging through the mountains.  The path he took through the mountains to track and hunt down the half fiends became known as Acyll's Path.

Returning home, a mighty storm blew over the group.  The ice gnome scout who lead the party, Fernde Gneverlost, gathered the group together and safely sheltered almost all of them.  Somewhere in the storm, a call was heard.  The cook, Nealia, had somehow been separated from them.  Acyll went to retrieve her, but when he found her, he was stunned to see the storm part and a blue white winged fey standing over unconscious Nealia.

The next thing he knew, he was back in Icefia.  Fernde smiled as he opened his eyes.  "Quite the survivor you are.  Nealry a year out there and you don't look much the worse for wear."  Confused and feeling no different, Acyll let it be until they reached Degalas.  There he camped and recovered from the strange experience.

He thought he was better when a knock came and the guard's voice said, "Master Acyll, there is a group here to see you."  More voices were then heard...

"Acyll, I knew an Acyll many years ago, if I recall helped us deal with the Day Turned dark?  Right Daane?" asked a clearly dwarven voice.

"Surely so Monty, and from what I hear there is no better slayer of demons on this world, and no one with more planar experience.  Present company excluded of course."

"No need to appease my ego" replied another.

An disgruntled elven voice chimed in, "Must be the same one that did outlasted me in the Suian."

"Itz cold here", what was that? Acyll thought.

"Can we go in already, we look like idiots all crammed into this hall?" main continent accent, Acyll thought.

"Ack, an Acyll cut through a bunch of stinkin' dark giants more an a year back.  Hope that's the one."

The door began to open.

A chipper voice said, "I told you, moe meant north, and look where it brought us."

The first one into the room was none of the ones that had spoken, but rather an unimpressive jingling man with a receding hair line.  "Hello, I represent the Company of Long Odds, and we were wondering if you'd come with us."  There was a long pause as they all packed into Acyll's room and he said nothing.

Voice cracking, the human continued, "We hear you might like going to the planes...and killing some fiends?"  Acyll was about to answer, and the man stopped him, "um...Sorry, follow up, you don't happen to know anyone else that might like to go too?"


Psychic Warrior 7 / Ranger 8 / Bladelord 10

[Valdis]

.  Of Robyn nothing remained.

Uh oh. Someone just poked a sleeping bear with a stick...

[Asinjin]

Russell part 2

By the time Russell returned to life at the college, he found things different and, although he was in a better state than when he left, the situation continued to be challenging.   Asinjin had taken residence as a dean and the rivalry between the two (at least in Asinjin's mind) had not diminished.   Cloud was gone to no one knew where, or even if he was still alive.   Luigi was there, but was very busy.

With a new mindset, he renewed his focus, talking less of chronomancy, which he had come to realize was disturbing to people, and more of psionics, which for whatever reason was less unsettling.   The College was still a familiar place, and until The Night of Broken Gears, allowed him to put aside his concerns for a time.   The threat of Nilas’anor, seemed distant, and more mundane concerns rarely entered his mind.   It was a simple existence that took him back to the time before he became entangled in world altering events.   From time to time the Guardians would seek his aid, but Maglore in particular knew that Russel was struggling to find his way without his full power.

He soon also found travel outside of the College fraught with troubles.   People that should have remembered him didn't.   Others that should have had no reason to dislike him did. He was confident he himself was not infected or enchanted, but others seemed to be.   The more he tried to go into the world beyond the college walls, the more he noticed these effects.   Only at the College, and in the Guardian Vale, were there no signs.   Like time and time before, Russell had a puzzle before him he needed to solve. Forces seemed set on making sure he did not maintain the peace of mind he had found.

The Night of Broken Gears was a terrible reminder of the state of the world.   The Inevitables were not mindless, and did not engage in wanton destruction, but, true to their name, they let nothing stand in their way.   During the battle, as one of the constructs approached to capture him, Russell used a minor chronomancy spell, a time slip, to try to gain an advantage over it, and was surprised that when he reemerged, the machine had gone berserk. In the wake of the battle, Russel’s research would discover that while the Inevitables were immune to almost all magic, including chronomancy, they could not process when one of their objectives disappeared from the time stream.   Russel would share this with Parker, who would use it to keep his family safe for years to come.

The losses on the Night were crushing for Russel; in particular the death of professor Mangan, who had aided Russel in his journey into psionics.   Many of his fellow professors resolved to take the fight to Iott any way they could, but none of them were at the top of Iott’s most wanted list.   Possibly the smartest mortal in the world, trying to put the world back right, but denied access to the tools that would allow him to do so, Russel seethed in frustration.   Only conversations with Haskra and Maglore stopped him from attempting to repair the Chronomancy Stone.
 
On a trip to the market Russel was given a revelation.   A halfling walked out of a plague house, where the sick were quarantined.   He had an empty basket.   It was an odd sight, as few came out of the house.   He wore no symbols or insignia.   Russell worried that the foolish halfling might spread some plague and approached.   Taken a bit by surprise, but unconcerned, the halfling explained that he had been sick but had recovered without spells.   Some clerics believed that made him immune.   He wanted to help out and he remembered that when he was sick how much some food made him feel better, even though it couldn't cure him.   "I know I can't make them well, but maybe I can help them in some lesser way. Perhaps, if we all do what we can, things will get better." In that moment Russell remembered that his patron Jazirian, one of the mightiest powers of the multiverse, was not so powerful because he was the patron of psions, but because above all, he was the power of community and cooperation.   Russel journeyed to Havenhollow the next day, to visit Rubius and found a small shrine to Jazirian.   While there he saw no sign of the malaise he had encountered elsewhere.   After a few days spent is the cheerful company of the halflings, Russel returned to the College and dusted off his sword and staff.

Wizard 8 / Chronomancer 10 / Psion 5