DRAFTED: or The Adventurer's Guild Gone Wild
Called into Governor Muddlebrooke's audience chamber was a collection of scum the likes of which you've never seen! Or at least that's what Bannon, head of the Adventurer's Guild and advisor to the governor, would have you believe. In actuality the group standing before the head of Ridgeshire was mostly confused and probably guilty of little more than being in Ridgeshire at the wrong time.
There was:
-Quint the swashbuckler, taken in quickly for being far too friendly with some of the daughters of high ranking nobility.
-Kae Nacin, a bard of some renown in the area, arrested for her less than flattering poems.
-Ryo, a samurai taken into custody while simply escorting a dignitary from Greyfold.
-Edgerrin, a local blacksmith (with a mysterious past?), who got caught up in another man's arrest in the confines of his shop.
-Ricky "the blade." An actual criminal. And how.
-Emerys, a woodsman thrown into jail while on a bartering mission for his tribe.
-And the Faerber Bros... Edwin and Lunk. A couple of uncivilized rowdies who spend all their time busting heads.
Bannon, as he let the "criminals" know, was content to let them rot in prison for the rest of their lives. However the governor stepped in and informed those present that a plea bargain deal had been worked out whereby doing a service for the Guild itself the criminals debt to the guild would be wiped from the records, everyone would gain guild membership and be allowed to go free.
Less than thrilled with the Governor's "generous" offer, the men bristled at the idea of being used by the guild. Emerys, in particular, claimed not to belong there. Borrowing a peasant from the street, Governor Muddlebrooke attempted to show the men that their defiant spirit alone set them apart from the majority of the unwashed masses, and by protesting they were only affirming their places.
With some of the men still seemingly willing to return to prison, the Governor presented a few more assurances. The first was that even though they felt the laws were unjust, that they were still the laws and they still applied to everyone in Ridgeshire. Secondly that this was all part of a plan to ensure Ridgeshire's future as planned out by the leaders, sages and economists.
They were all promised that things would get better. Seeing as how little promises might mean from these folks, the men were also given contracts promising that if they completed their task for the guild that they would indeed be guaranteed their freedom.
And so Quint, Edgerrin, Ryo and Emerys were assigned to the care of a knight and a mage of the realm. Sir Damas the brave and She'dra, a student of the mind. (The Faerbers, the blade and Kae were meanwhile assigned to Sir Phobos the mighty and the wizard Malcolm.) She'dra, once a favorite of the governor as the court's arcanist had for whatever reason fallen out of favor and been relegated to studies in the sub-sub basement of the governor's mansion (castle). Each group was given a cart, supplies, and instructions and sent off to retrieve magical items of great renown to be put on display in the Guild's trophy room (thus increasing the guild's prestige). They were given three months to find something (approved by their wizard) and return. They were also reminded that Damas and She'dra were there to help and keep them from running. In addition, each man was covered in a mark of justice, promising dire consequences to deserters...
Sir Damas opened his package and revealed that the group's destination was the great library of Pungumplia. If any place in all of Galen Tur had information to lead them to powerful items, then Pungumplia was probably the most likely. (At least the most likely place that was easily accessible.)
Sadly, the journey got off to a rocky start... literally. A broken wheel sidelined our adventurers for a few moments and sent them searching for some way to fix their wheel until they could purchase a replacement. However they were not the only creatures in the area searching for something. A nearby hunting party of giants was searching for lunch!
The party sprung to life! Sending his owl Bubo to distract a pair of Brown Bears accompanying the giants, Emerys took to the trees with his bow and arrow. Ryo, Quint and Edgerrin took up their swords and set about engaging the giants. Taking a crippling blow from a greatclub, the party nearly found itself short one wizard. Sir Damas, however, leapt to defend his companion (regardless of his feelings about him...not that he dislikes She'dra per se... he just finds him... strange...). Diving into the cart, he retrieved a healing potion that cured most of the wizards substantial wounds.
And so the pitched battle raged... the giants gave almost as good as they got, managing to take Quint down (also saved by a potion) and doing some pretty serious damage to the others. Unfortunately for the giants, the men were just too skilled for them to win. Two of the giants lay dead, and one used his last vestiges of life to retreat into the forest.
Fearing for the life of his trusted friend, Emerys called for Bubo to return to him... unintentionally unleashing the two brown bears upon the party! Catching Ryo the samurai unawares, one of the bears viciously clawed into his chest. As Ryo stumbled the bear stood to his full height and with a mighty swipe hit him in the back, jarring his neck and moving him in close. Rearing back he plunged his sharp white teeth down into Ryo's exposed throat. His teeth sinking in and tightening, the bear shook his head side to side, ripping Ryo's throat out and sending blood and gore spurting all about the area. He barely managed a gurgle as he dropped to his knees. Dead.
Or did he?
Looking on in horror (as much as you could tell from his calm facade) , She'dra pulled a die out of his pocket and began to mumble some words of considerable arcane might. Throwing some of his very soul into spell, he hurled the die towards the blood soaked bruin. With a loud smack and a crackle of white light, the world moved in reverse. The next thing She' dra knew the scene was playing out again... Only this time after the initial swipe Ryo was positioned a fraction of an inch differently... The bear's second strike bounced off of his shoulder armor, and the bear's slobbering maw snapped shut mere inches from Ryo's nose.
After this incident, the party made short work of the bears. Of special note may be the prowess of the man called Edgerrin. Although claiming not to have touched a sword in years and having little skill in the art, he performed some of the more amazing displays of swordplay one could imagine... by even one who dedicated his life to the craft. At the very least he did not seem "rusty" as he had claimed.
Always a student, She'dra retrieved a brain from one of the giants and spent much of the next few days studying. He found little more than the fact that giants are common to the area... but also something odd that he couldn't put his finger on. Perhaps if he had more time and resources to research...
The party took a much needed rest at a small community which pretty much consisted of a roadside inn. Resting their wounds and fixing their wagon, the men spent a few days of their precious time. 3 days later, and people were beginning to get a bit antsy...
There was:
-Quint the swashbuckler, taken in quickly for being far too friendly with some of the daughters of high ranking nobility.
-Kae Nacin, a bard of some renown in the area, arrested for her less than flattering poems.
-Ryo, a samurai taken into custody while simply escorting a dignitary from Greyfold.
-Edgerrin, a local blacksmith (with a mysterious past?), who got caught up in another man's arrest in the confines of his shop.
-Ricky "the blade." An actual criminal. And how.
-Emerys, a woodsman thrown into jail while on a bartering mission for his tribe.
-And the Faerber Bros... Edwin and Lunk. A couple of uncivilized rowdies who spend all their time busting heads.
Bannon, as he let the "criminals" know, was content to let them rot in prison for the rest of their lives. However the governor stepped in and informed those present that a plea bargain deal had been worked out whereby doing a service for the Guild itself the criminals debt to the guild would be wiped from the records, everyone would gain guild membership and be allowed to go free.
Less than thrilled with the Governor's "generous" offer, the men bristled at the idea of being used by the guild. Emerys, in particular, claimed not to belong there. Borrowing a peasant from the street, Governor Muddlebrooke attempted to show the men that their defiant spirit alone set them apart from the majority of the unwashed masses, and by protesting they were only affirming their places.
With some of the men still seemingly willing to return to prison, the Governor presented a few more assurances. The first was that even though they felt the laws were unjust, that they were still the laws and they still applied to everyone in Ridgeshire. Secondly that this was all part of a plan to ensure Ridgeshire's future as planned out by the leaders, sages and economists.
They were all promised that things would get better. Seeing as how little promises might mean from these folks, the men were also given contracts promising that if they completed their task for the guild that they would indeed be guaranteed their freedom.
And so Quint, Edgerrin, Ryo and Emerys were assigned to the care of a knight and a mage of the realm. Sir Damas the brave and She'dra, a student of the mind. (The Faerbers, the blade and Kae were meanwhile assigned to Sir Phobos the mighty and the wizard Malcolm.) She'dra, once a favorite of the governor as the court's arcanist had for whatever reason fallen out of favor and been relegated to studies in the sub-sub basement of the governor's mansion (castle). Each group was given a cart, supplies, and instructions and sent off to retrieve magical items of great renown to be put on display in the Guild's trophy room (thus increasing the guild's prestige). They were given three months to find something (approved by their wizard) and return. They were also reminded that Damas and She'dra were there to help and keep them from running. In addition, each man was covered in a mark of justice, promising dire consequences to deserters...
Sir Damas opened his package and revealed that the group's destination was the great library of Pungumplia. If any place in all of Galen Tur had information to lead them to powerful items, then Pungumplia was probably the most likely. (At least the most likely place that was easily accessible.)
Sadly, the journey got off to a rocky start... literally. A broken wheel sidelined our adventurers for a few moments and sent them searching for some way to fix their wheel until they could purchase a replacement. However they were not the only creatures in the area searching for something. A nearby hunting party of giants was searching for lunch!
The party sprung to life! Sending his owl Bubo to distract a pair of Brown Bears accompanying the giants, Emerys took to the trees with his bow and arrow. Ryo, Quint and Edgerrin took up their swords and set about engaging the giants. Taking a crippling blow from a greatclub, the party nearly found itself short one wizard. Sir Damas, however, leapt to defend his companion (regardless of his feelings about him...not that he dislikes She'dra per se... he just finds him... strange...). Diving into the cart, he retrieved a healing potion that cured most of the wizards substantial wounds.
And so the pitched battle raged... the giants gave almost as good as they got, managing to take Quint down (also saved by a potion) and doing some pretty serious damage to the others. Unfortunately for the giants, the men were just too skilled for them to win. Two of the giants lay dead, and one used his last vestiges of life to retreat into the forest.
Fearing for the life of his trusted friend, Emerys called for Bubo to return to him... unintentionally unleashing the two brown bears upon the party! Catching Ryo the samurai unawares, one of the bears viciously clawed into his chest. As Ryo stumbled the bear stood to his full height and with a mighty swipe hit him in the back, jarring his neck and moving him in close. Rearing back he plunged his sharp white teeth down into Ryo's exposed throat. His teeth sinking in and tightening, the bear shook his head side to side, ripping Ryo's throat out and sending blood and gore spurting all about the area. He barely managed a gurgle as he dropped to his knees. Dead.
Or did he?
Looking on in horror (as much as you could tell from his calm facade) , She'dra pulled a die out of his pocket and began to mumble some words of considerable arcane might. Throwing some of his very soul into spell, he hurled the die towards the blood soaked bruin. With a loud smack and a crackle of white light, the world moved in reverse. The next thing She' dra knew the scene was playing out again... Only this time after the initial swipe Ryo was positioned a fraction of an inch differently... The bear's second strike bounced off of his shoulder armor, and the bear's slobbering maw snapped shut mere inches from Ryo's nose.
After this incident, the party made short work of the bears. Of special note may be the prowess of the man called Edgerrin. Although claiming not to have touched a sword in years and having little skill in the art, he performed some of the more amazing displays of swordplay one could imagine... by even one who dedicated his life to the craft. At the very least he did not seem "rusty" as he had claimed.
Always a student, She'dra retrieved a brain from one of the giants and spent much of the next few days studying. He found little more than the fact that giants are common to the area... but also something odd that he couldn't put his finger on. Perhaps if he had more time and resources to research...
The party took a much needed rest at a small community which pretty much consisted of a roadside inn. Resting their wounds and fixing their wagon, the men spent a few days of their precious time. 3 days later, and people were beginning to get a bit antsy...
posted by Ryan Vaughn | 12:18 PM
1 Comments:
So far, so good, I'd say. I like the potential for the storyline, and I particularly like the potential for character development (since we're all kinda introverted right now). A good mix of personalities makes for a good variety of motivations once people get pulled into the events.
I kinda wish I had opted to hold off on using the powerful maneuvers until later in the battle. I feel like it would've made more sense to keep it secret until the situation got more dire. Oh well.
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