Adventurers in this tale: Finn of A^T devilsreject Gen (the wandering animal tamer) Spencer Tracy of Stormhold Felshurner – Viceroy of Paws Tomah Thamara – Freeman of Paws Athena – Freemaiden and animal handler of Paws Luthain of Brae ------------------------ In an Island town full of debauchery and malevolence In a dank and smelly tavern, that was poorly lit as well, a man stooped over his waning ale. Kieran finished the last drought and, as casual as man tipping his hat for a greeting, he left a coin on the table for his tab. But with his other hand, with a sleight of hand so quick, he stuck a second copper on the underside – a copper with two deep lines scratched across the head ‘X’. He dreaded that he had to leave the coin, but his courier had not arrived and he had already waited too long. He stumbled from the cavern doors, playing his act with a commitment that he hoped fooled the man across the tavern who had locked cast his wretched stare towards Kieran once too many. He meandered around the city twice, to shake his tail, then when he thought no one was watching, he broke into a deadman’s sprint straight for the bath house. Kieran reached his camp that lay in caverns that ran beneath the entirety of the island. He shook his lovely Luna to wake and shouted as loudly as one could in a whisper, “We must flee, we’ve been double crossed!” In his haste, he didn't realize his effort to roust Luna was hopeless, and he quickly moved to clearing the camp. Despite a pirate’s often course and unkempt appearance, it was a known fact that a good pirate could clean up his trail better than a sainted bunny on Easter. He suddenly stopped and turned back to Luna, who still seemed to remain in her sack. “Luna?” he called again in a hushed exclamation, “Luna fetch the damn’ed hart and let’s be off!” as he reached over to roust her once more, he noticed what he had not before – while her body moved, her head remained still. With a final jostle that he now felt now was pointless, her head rolled from the blood soaked pillow at stopped at his boot. A well of anger welled up within him and he turned to the shadows to shout “You can tell your abject masters they’ll never have their sacrifice!” With teeth clenched he spoke the words, Kal Ort Por - leaving his camp, and his beloved in her gore. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Village of Paws – Village Proper “I’m glad you've all answered my call for heroes,” the grey wizard examined each of the visitors as he spoke, “some of you may feel you are not up to the task; perhaps your skills are not yet honed. But listen to me now and know that as you stand here, you have the courage of heart that most master swordsmen can only chase after in their dreams. You shall be known as the Heroes of Hart!” he slammed his staff to the grassy forest floor, “I Jupiter the Grey so name you!” Within the tower, Jupiter explained to the heroes that by some devious manner a majestic hart had been hunted and captured from the Spirit Wood. The poacher had almost eluded all notice, except for the fact that his target was the majestic hart of ages, the oldest soul of Spirit Wood. The poacher’s efforts to clean his trail were hopeless, as the essence of such a creature cannot be blotted or hid by any means of human hand. Scouts of Paws had followed the poacher as far north as the Vesper road, but lost the fiend at the land gate for Buccaneer’s den. Jupiter warned that the thief was most likely not alone, since there are no mortal means to extinguish the essence trail of a majestic hart. He sent the heroes on the most dangerous of quests, to search Buccaneers den, and pick up the poacher’s trail and rescue the hart of Paws! ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- a squire’s record of the tale Upon arriving near the land gate, we stumbled upon a camp of vile lizardmen. No doubt our destinations were the same. We dispatched the wretches and discovered a map within their chests. It was a curious map; it was a plainly drawn map of the island township, yet it also that seemed to be enchanted with a tracking spell. The brave heroes pass through the portal do the deadly island town. They quickly searched all the houses and found a secret passage way in the bath house. We found a series of caverns stretching under the entire island! No doubt these were used extensively for smuggling all manner of stolen treasures. Within the cave we found the mark listed on the map, but what met our eyes was a scene of gore and tragedy. Certainly there is no honor among thieves, and there is no limit to an evil master’s depravity. The heroes did not have long to examine the bloody scene. They had not been there more than a moment, when they were assailed by a hundred armed and blood thirsty knaves! The heroes fought back as best they could and several of their foes fell, but they had to resume their quest to save the majestic hart before the trail ran cold! Before we fled, we managed to find a final clue, a smuggler’s rock, within the bloody camp. The rock led us to the guarded passage at Serpent’s Hold! Somehow this smuggler had found a way to elude the notice of the guards and mark a rune right near the entrance! We entered the cave and searched all around, and within the burning cemetery we found a final clue: “A Bloody Curse” written in the blood and scratched by the hand of the smuggler known as Kieran. He swore the mages would pay for double crossing him and murdering his beloved Luna! He left a message that was legible only to the virtuous, “The majestic hart lies within the Ring of Fire” Let the Spirit Wood rejoice, for the hart was saved and returned to hearth and home, and remains now under the care of Paws! ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- EPICS (Note if you got pictures of the battle between the PK’s during this adventure please post them. My auto-capture on death was turned off, and I missed this entire scene!)
Will somebody please post pictures of our encounters with the reds? Or pm them to me if you wish to remain anonymous? This was a very exciting part of the quest
A very good thing to see, fleshlings out fighting for a cause. Hope to see more of this in the future.
PROLOGUE II "Mr. Bojangles, you are certain your men are up to the task? This is no common target and we must make certain we do not lose our prize" There was no sign of compassion or any trace of humanity from the shadowed visage of the shrouded man. "Yes, yes, me an' my crew can can deal with this smuggla. We'll have his head and the hart to you by dusk govna'" came Mr. Bojangles reply "DO NOT ADDRESS ME SO YOU CUR!" the shrouded man seemed to grow twice his size, as his voice boomed, yet Mr. Bojangles barely flinched. "Man ya'lls are just the same," Mr. Bojangles speech always seemed to come out in rhythm. His ability to keep a calm demeanor no matter the situation had proven to be beneficial on more than a few occassions, "Thinkin' I gonn' give two $%#@ about ya'lls power. Nah man, I get it. You can' just get this silly deer thing by normal means, it's gotta' be done with a broken deal. Me an' my crew, we's juss the ones to get your deal done, but don't you dare think about double crossin' us." Though whatever expression was on the shrouded man's face was hidden behind the deep shadow, it was clear it was anything but pleasant, "You are in no situation to negotiate the terms cretin, you will fulfill our bargain, or you will suffer the curse of our master. You've already struck the deal." Mr. Bojangles covered his mouth and stifled a laugh, then a severed hand dropped from his robe, "Awww man, you mean you cursed that hand that you shook? Aww son, you gotta learn, Bojangles 'as been rubbed shoulda's with all ya'lls more than once. The only hand that's cursed be that severed hand of a no-name mistress. Mr. Bojangles ain't gonna suffa no curse. Now you just make sure you pay us well and we'll slay this Kieran fellow for ya, and lay in wait for them villagers that you are so upset about."
Dorian watched from the far side if the Shrine Pool, his body hidden in the shadows cast by the low, gnarled branches of an ancient oak. The crowd was thick tonight; more people than had been through the village in a week were milling about and chatting. They seemed to be waiting on something. Then, the Wizard came striding out of the Tower and all eyes turned to him. He said something, no doubt, but the words didn'tcarry all the way to Dorian's ears, but it didn't matter. Whatver news the Wizard had imparted, it would reach him soon enough. He hadn't been named the Purveyor for nothing, after all. When it came to finding things of great value, information for instance, he had no equals.... or so he told himself, anyway. And since he rarely listened to anyone else's opinion, that's really all that mattered. The Gypsy smiled to himself. Time to collect a debt, or part of one. He crept back through the trees and retrieved his horse. He took hidden trails around the back side of the Tower, and approached from the north west. It was an old habit that had never left him. He never like to approach a place from an observation point. Good hiding places were hard to come by, and it wouldn't do to reveal one such as this without good cause. Dorian rode confidently through the group, and directly to the Wizard, purposefully ignoring the glances and comments that followed him. "G'devening, Wizard," Dorian said, putting on his most winsome smile. The Wizard turned, and his face suddenly looked as if he'd bitten into a grape before it had ripened. "Hello, Dorian," Jupiter said, "What can I do for you?" Dorian grinned and traced the hint of a bow from his saddle. He crossed his wrists on the pommel, the gems in his bracelet and rings sparkling in the light from his sgapite lantern. The cut crystal set into the ornate side panels cast small rainbows on his face and those around him. He cocked his head to one side, as if thinking. "Do you remember our last encounter, Wizard?" Dorian asked after a few moments, "The one in the tavern?" That sour expression again. If the Wizard kept that up, Dorian was going to start taking it personally. "I could hardly forget," The Wizard replied, "Have you decided on a payment?" "Well, let's just say there's something I need to find," Dorian said, somewhat vaguely, "If you can find it for me, that would go a long way towards settling our debt." "Very well," The Wizard replied, "Let's have it. What are you looking for?" Dorian blinked, caught somewhat off guard. He had expected the Wizard to put up more of a fight before agreeing to the search. "Well, that is...." Dorian began, stumbling over how to answer, "I don't exactly know what it is." The Wizard blinked, "Well, then how am I supposed to find it? Where do I start looking? Don't tell me you don't know that either?" Dorian swallowed and smiled somewhat sheepishly, "I have a map," He said, shrugging his shoulders, "But it is beyond my skill to decode. I have been assured, however, by reliable sources that what I seek will be in the chest which this map leads to, and that I will know it when I see it." THe Wizard growled, "Any more helpful information you care to share?" Dorian handed the map over and shrugged slightly, "Only that I have no more choice in this than you do, Wizard, and I am less happy about it. But, in the end, I am bound by my word, just as you are bound by yours." ************ Jupiter took the map, albeit grudgingly. He looked at the map, and shook his head; the Purveyor had been correct. The map was indeed deviously drawn, and it would take great skill to decipher. He looked up to make a comment, but Dorian had slipped away already. The Wizard shook his head again, and turned to the rest of the assembled adventurers to see if any would follow him and seek whatever it was that Dorian wished to find. There would be more blood shed tonight, or so it seemed. The Wizard sighed heavily. Sometimes the price to be paid seemed too high to bear.....
