[Campaign] The Fearless Monster Hunters

[teh bunneh]

Re: [Campaign] The Fearless Monster Hunters

 

I had a horrible case of dice-lice that night. The bad guys failed EVERY SINGLE PERCEPTION CHECK I rolled, except one (where they almost spotted the invisible spies). The heroes' plan went off without a hitch because my dice were so bad.

[teh bunneh]

Re: [Campaign] The Fearless Monster Hunters

 

After spending a couple of days gathering rumors in Brills, the heroes set off back to their home port, with the Princess in tow. After they arrived, they headed for Hob's Hot Pot and told their mentor/financier about what had happened. Castilla told him that her father was dead, and he insisted that everyone toast the memory of a good man.

 

The next day, the heroes took the Princess to the Temple of Gaia to meet the high priestess Dulcinea, who welcomed Princess Anya to their fair city, and insisted that she attend a "coming out party" to meet and greet the nobility of Areian. The princess graciously accepted the invitation, which meant the heroes had to scramble to get themselves and their charge ready.

 

The party was in two days, so Castilla took the time to make sure everyone was presentable. On the night of the festival, they rented a carriage and headed for the Hall of Kings, where the party would be held. They were surprised to see the entire surrounding area filled with colorful tents, pavilions, carts, and people – it seemed like the people of Areian were looking for an excuse to party.

 

Finn played bodyguard all night long, following the princess and making sure she didn't get into any trouble. She seemed to be getting along quite well, spending time with priests and nobles alike. The rest of the heroes sort of mingled to the best of their abilities – Castilla found herself a boyfriend for the night, Leth and Illy were dour and grumpy, Chrissie met up with some musicians and formed a band.

 

At the end of the evening, Princess Anya told the heroes that she had been invited to stay at the villa of Lord Caspis, so they would no longer be required to stay with her. She expressed her thanks for their hospitality, and offered her assistance if they ever needed anything from her.

 

The heroes were now free to make their plans. They debated several ideas about where to go next – they wanted to be more proactive in tracking down the threats that they were facing. They really wanted to try to find out where the Riddle-King was hiding, because they knew that he was the real problem. However, they didn't have much information to go on. They decided that they should hit their most promising lead – the Sorceress of Shileen.

 

After several more weeks on the open seas, they arrived on the coast of Morjiim. Shileen is a town that exists along the nebulous border between the Plains of Morjiim and the nation of Korma, and is an important oasis along a trade route between the sea and the deep tropical forests of mysterious Lorrania. There is a town there, on the northern end of the trade route. It is a rough-and-tumble place, dirty, lawless and filled with scavengers and predators. It has no official name; most people call it Sand Harbor.

 

The heroes split up to search for rumors and possibly find a caravan heading south. Eventually, Leth learned that there would be a caravan leaving in a few days, and they would be making a stop in Shileen. Nobody seemed to think ill of Shileen – but then again, the moral fiber of most of the folks Leth talked to was questionable, at best.

 

As the sun set, the heroes began looking for lodging. Walking along a muddy side street, they witnessed what appeared to be a mugging. A young girl and her hand-cart had been accosted by five rough men. They were poking her with sticks and laughing while the girl begged them to leave her alone. The Fearless Monster Hunters could not stand idly by and watch this happen, so they rushed over to help.

 

"What do you think you're doing?" Illy demanded. The men laughed at her and told her to push off. She immediately cast a spell, subverting the will of one of them and causing him to stand staring blankly into space.

 

"She's a witch!" One of the men yelled. "Get her!" The remaining four men rushed over, but Finn stepped up to intercept. He clocked one mugger on the top of the head, dropping him into the mud. Leth fired his crossbow at the men's feet, as an incentive to back off. Styggiad moved forward to shield the girl from the toughs. Chrissie cast a spell, causing one of the men to become so terrified that he turned and ran for the hills (leaving a trail of urine behind him).

 

The last two men decided to exercise the better part of valor and fled back into the city.

 

Styggiad crouched down next to the girl. "Who were those men, and why were they picking on you?" she asked.

 

"Because they're a bunch of assholes!" the girl said, sniffling.

 

"That's obvious," Illy said. "Were they trying to rob you?"

 

"No," the girl responded. "I ain't got no money, if that's what you want."

 

"We don't want your money," Leth said, showing a hitherto unseen soft side. "We helped you because that's the right thing to do. What's your name, child?"

 

"My name is Suna," she said. "Those guys were trying to stop me from taking care of my mom, all proper-like, and now my cart is broken and... and... and..." Suna began to sniffle and was fighting back tears.

 

"Why don't they want to let you take care of your mother?" Illy asked.

 

"Because my mother was a witch," the girl said, angry and defiant. "She helped people when they asked, if they had the pox she'd give them a cure or if they wanted their fortune read they'd come to her, but try to go out and buy some food or just walk down the street and everyone would treat her like crap! And now they won't let me take care of her proper-like and they said I should just feed her to the crows!"

 

Finn told the others that Witches are a type of rural wizard who specialize in potions and elixirs. They're relatively common in his homelands (though seldom seen elsewhere). Many common folk regard them poorly, treating them with suspicion, fear, or even, sometimes, violence.

 

Castilla decided that she didn't want to frighten the girl, so she told the others that she was going to find them a place to stay. After she was out of sight, she snuck back to where they were and, from concealment, watched.

 

Meanwhile, Finn went over to inspect the cart. The wheel had broken completely off. He figured it was repairable, but beyond his meager skills. He checked to see what was in the cart, and found the body of an older woman. He called Leth over to take a look.

 

"Suna," the Dwarf called over. "We'd be honored to help you bury your mother. Show us the way to the burial ground and we'll help you give her a proper sending-off."

 

At that, the girl began to bawl. "I have to do it before dawn or her spirit won't be able to go to the happy place and demons will eat her and she'll be gone forever and..."

 

Chrissie took the girl in her arms to comfort her. "It's OK, honey, we won't let the demons get your mother."

 

Leth, Finn, and Styggiad took up the woman's body and, led by the girl, carried her out of the city and into the plains. Castilla stealthily followed, staying hidden the whole way. It was after dark by the time they got to their destination -- a tall hill with a stone platform at the crown. Carefully, they laid her mortal remains on the slab and stacked brush around her. It felt like a storm was approaching, a cold wind whipping up from the north, so they worked as quickly as they could.

 

Kaira began giving a benediction while Finn worked at getting the fire lit. However, every time he managed to get the kindling going, a strong gust of wind blew past and scattered his tiny fire. Illy felt like something was wrong, so she shifted her perception to see into the Ghost-Realm and was alarmed at what she found. There were a good dozen or so shapeless creatures lurking around the darkness, preventing the fire from being lit.

 

Illy immediately threw up a barrier to prevent the wind from disturbing Finn's work, and he finally got the fire lit. It was soon beginning to catch, but suddenly, the wind shifted again, taking the form of a half-dozen man-sized dust devils which quickly grew and solidified into hideous fanged creatures made out of sand!

 

The heroes rushed to defend the pyre. Illy threw up a magical barrier to prevent the monsters from getting close to the girl. Finn, Leth, and Styggiad interposed themselves between the beasts and the rest of the team. Chrissie started singing a heroic song, but suddenly realized what the creatures were. "They're imps – minor demons!" she cried. "Only magic can harm them!"

 

Kaira heard and rushed over to Finn, blessing his weapon with the magic of her goddess. He took a swing at one of the creatures and sliced it neatly in half! But more creatures pressed on him, slashing at him with their claws and drawing blood.

 

Illy failed to move quickly enough and one of the demons sliced open her belly with its razor-sharp claws. With a cry, she fell to the ground. Moments later, she stood up and growled, "Oh, now it's on!" Wyssian had taken control of her personality once again.

 

Leth danced around the demons that surrounded him but found his axe was doing little damage. Kaira bravely leapt over the pyre (singeing herself in the process) and enchanted his weapon (which helped immensely!). Castilla leapt out of the darkness and knocked one of the demons over, but it responded viciously by tearing open her shoulder. Styggiad and Wyssian took turns pounding at it over and over again and finally managed to cause it to disappear.

 

Meanwhile, Chrissie was taking care of Suna behind the magical wall when another imp appeared directly in front of her. She bravely fended it off with her sword (taking several scratches) until Finn and Leth rushed over and double-teamed it.

 

The last of the monsters was gone, the sand that made up their bodies slowly blowing away in the wind. The heroes were catching their breath when Suna said, "It's not over yet..."

 

To be continued!

[Enforcer84]

Re: [Campaign] The Fearless Monster Hunters

 

Duh duh DUH!

[MorpheousXO]

Re: [Campaign] The Fearless Monster Hunters

 

The w00tness continues to w00t my w00ted head!

[teh bunneh]

Re: [Campaign] The Fearless Monster Hunters

 

Thanks! Sadly, no game this week. One of my players got sick, another had to study for finals.

[MorpheousXO]

Re: [Campaign] The Fearless Monster Hunters

 

Thanks! Sadly' date=' no game this week. One of my players got sick, another had to study for finals.[/quote']

 

Bah! That's no excuse, slackers! *grabs bull whip* You must Game for our enjoyment... NOW!!!!

[teh bunneh]

Re: [Campaign] The Fearless Monster Hunters

 

The last of the monsters was gone, the sand that made up their bodies slowly blowing away in the wind. The heroes were catching their breath when Suna said, "It's not over yet..."

-----

 

Barely a moment passed when the heroes heard movement out in the darkness, and felt a chill rise up that seemed to suck the very heat from their bones. There was a skittering sound, and suddenly the night erupted with a half-dozen hideous, spider-like demons!

 

Illysandri (technically, Wyssian) threw up several magical barriers to prevent them from attacking Suna, Kaira, and Chrissie. Leth strode forward to meet one of the spiders, and Styggiad sprang up to intercept another. Finn stayed near the spellcasters to defend them – and lucky thing, too! A spider came out of the night and crawled up over Illy's magical barrier. Finn struck it as it came up over the barrier, hacking it to bits.

 

Castilla, still hiding in the darkness nearby, tried to stop one of them but the spider managed to sting her. She fell to the ground, paralyzed with the spider's venom, and it began to drag her away from the circle of light. When Illy and Styggiad saw that, they rushed over to help. Kaira, at Chrissie's prompting, enchanted Finn and Leth's weapons to help destroy the demon-things and, with their newly blessed weapons, the two warriors made short work of their foes.

 

Another demon crawled up out of the darkness and attacked Kaira. Leth, on his way to help Castilla, turned around and charged the monster. He and Finn managed to finish it off. Meanwhile, Styggiad speared her spider to the ground and grabbed Castilla, dragging her back to the fire.

 

Soon all the monsters were dead or dying, and the heroes paused to catch their breaths. The dead creatures quickly dissolved into horribly stinky black goo. Kaira healed who she could – including neutralizing the poison that threatened Castilla's life. "They're attacking us in waves," Leth said, his soldier's instincts kicking in. "We have to set up what defenses we can, and post pickets, before the next attack."

 

"The ritual I have to perform will last all night," Kaira said. "Once the light of the sun touches the body, her soul will be free. So we have to keep this up until dawn."

 

Illy/Wyssian got busy putting up more magical barriers, while Finn and Styggiad patrolled just outside the circle of firelight. Leth stayed near Kaira, Chrissie, Castilla, and Suna to protect them if anything got past the outer defenses.

 

The next several hours were tense. Finn and Styggiad saw slippery black shadows lurking in the darkness, always just out of sight. The silence of the night was broken by sudden noises – footsteps, skittering, howls of some unnamable beast, even distant chanting. The heroes were on edge.

 

Alone in the black night, someone – or something – approached Finn and Styggiad separately, offering them their heart's desire if only they were to step away for a moment and let the darkness claim its prize. Both of them managed to resist temptation and refuse. "You may end up regretting your choice," the darkness told them, slipping soundlessly away.

 

Just before dawn, the noises stopped. The Fearless Monster Hunters braced themselves for the attack they knew was coming, and they didn't have to wait long! First, Illy's magical barriers began to fall, one by one. Then two enormous spiders (even bigger than the last batch), plus a dozen of the demonic implings rushed out of the darkness and attacked the pyre. Just outside of the circle of firelight, the heroes saw a woman directing the demons. She stood eight feet tall, with dark blue scaly skin and enormous bat wings. Her head was crowned with a pair of ram's horns and her razor-sharp teeth glistened in the firelight.

 

"I am Sevgi," she roared. "The Queen of Hell! Give me what is my due and I will allow you all to live!"

 

"Don't let her take my mom!" Suna wept.

 

"Go back to hell with you!" Leth spat, fending off three of the demon creatures. He was worried that the two spider creatures didn't seem to be doing anything; like they were waiting for something.

 

Castilla charged the demonic woman. Sevgi uncurled an enormous flaming whip and lashed the Jill across the chest with it, dropping her. Illy rushed over to help, but the demon had already grabbed Castilla and was using her as a sort of "human shield." Illy, thinking quickly, caused the ground underneath Sevgi to collapse, but the demon just laughed. "I have wings," she said, grinning evilly. She stabbed at Illy with her curved dagger, but it glanced off of the wild mage's defensive enchantments.

 

Kaira blessed Finnegan's weapon as he did battle with several demonlings. He managed to bring them down, though they clawed mercilessly at him. Then he noticed that Chrissie and Suna were under attack. He broke off from the ones he was fighting to go help them. Leth similarly moved to help Styggiad, who was likewise being overwhelmed.

 

Then the heroes realized what the creatures had done – with Finn and Leth distracted, the two giant spider-demons rushed forward and began pulling the charred corpse of the witch-woman out of the pyre. "Finnegan! Leave off that and stop the spiders!" Leth called to his comrade. Finnegan reluctantly left the women to deal with the demons on their own and charged the spiders, managing to drive them away from the pyre. Heroically, he interposed himself between the fire and the creatures, taking several stings but refusing to give an inch.

 

Leth managed to kill the implings he was fighting and rushed to help Finn. Between the two of them, they drove the spiders back into the darkness and managed to kill one of them. It was about then that Kaira, having exhausted herself casting so many spells in the evening, passed out. The enchantments faded from everyone's weapons, as did the defensive charms she had thrown up. Sevgi grinned. "Now, my minions!" she cried out. "While they are defenseless!"

 

But the tide had already turned. Illy freed Castilla by pulling her into the ghost-realm, where Sevgi couldn't touch her. Styggiad killed the demonlings that had been surrounding her, and Finn and Leth drove the final spider-demon back and then managed to kill it. Kaira slowly regained consciousness and used her time to say the last few words of the funeral ritual. Then, the first rays of the sun leaked out over the horizon. Sevgi saw that her mission was a failure, and snarled. "You've kept me from my prize," she said. "I will not forget this insult!"

 

And with that, she disappeared into the fading darkness.

 

As the golden light of the sun crept over the plains, the last of Uma's body was consumed by the flames. There was a flash of light, and it seemed like a beam of white luminescence shot out from the pyre toward the rising sun. The heroes, exhausted and hurt from the long night, felt a wave of contentment pass over them. They knew that they had done right.

 

They took Suna back to town, then found lodgings for themselves and collapsed into sleep. Because of the wounds they took, they wouldn't be able to safely leave on their mission for a few days – which was fine, because the next caravan didn't leave for Shileen for a few more days, anyway.

 

To be continued!

 

Bonus: Here's a picture of what they were fighting:

http://wrightsonart.com/forums/index.php?autocom=gallery&req=si&img=3182

WARNING: Pretty creepy. Not for the faint of heart nor spider-phobes!

[matrix3]

Re: [Campaign] The Fearless Monster Hunters

 

It looks like such a blast playing in your campaigns. Your players are so lucky! Unfortunately, I've already repped you too much...

[Susano]

Re: [Campaign] The Fearless Monster Hunters

 

Bonus: Here's a picture of what they were fighting:

http://wrightsonart.com/forums/index.php?autocom=gallery&req=si&img=3182

WARNING: Pretty creepy. Not for the faint of heart nor spider-phobes!

 

Cooool.

 

Bernie Wrightson for the win!

[teh bunneh]

Re: [Campaign] The Fearless Monster Hunters

 

Cooool.

 

Bernie Wrightson for the win!

 

Yeah, I think I pulled that pic off a link that you originally posted, IIRC. Pretty damn scary (and I like spiders!).

 

This week was just a bunch of fights strung together. Except where Sevgi (looking rather more human than she did later) found Finnegan alone and offered the mercenary a large sum of money to just walk away. He thought about it, but ultimately turned her down.

[teh bunneh]

Re: [Campaign] The Fearless Monster Hunters

 

No FMH this week. Most of my players are on Christmas vacation. Will resume in early January.

[Enforcer84]

Re: [Campaign] The Fearless Monster Hunters

 

boo:(

[teh bunneh]

Re: [Campaign] The Fearless Monster Hunters

 

FMH Recap for January 5, 2008

Due to some serious injuries taken during the fight against Sevgi and her demonic minions, the heroes elected to stay in Sand Harbor for a few days to recuperate. Leth began hitting the streets, trying to find out everything he could about the city of Shileen and its ruler, Shaylarra the Sorceress.

 

He learned that the city had once been nothing more than an oasis, a small stopping point on the caravan trail. Generations ago, the Sorceress arrived and, using enslaved elemental spirits for labor, built a great tower overnight. With her army of spirits, she conquered and enslaved several nomadic tribes in the area and where once there was nothing, there was now a town. The small oasis was transformed into a major stopping point along the caravan route, and it became rich from the trade that passed through it.

 

According to the rumors, the city is a major trading site for rare commodities from the south, and even to this day has a thriving slave market. The Sorceress still rules with an iron fist, rarely coming out of her tower. She is said to have legendary fits of rage, sometimes killing entire groups of merchants who displease her. From what Leth heard, the city of Shileen is in a perpetual state of gloom and paranoia from all this.

 

While he was off making these inquiries, he picked up a small shadow. "All right kid, why are you following me around?" he demanded of Suna. "Haven't you got some other family to go stay with?"

 

Suna glared back at him. "I ain't got no family 'round here," she said. "And even if I did I wouldn't want to stay here! This town is full of @$$holes and I ain't staying. I'm going with you."

 

"Oh no, you're not!" Leth said. "You come with us and you're liable to get killed." But Suna was very insistent, and Leth felt some responsibility for the child's well being. "All right, come with me," he told her.

 

Together, they went back to the docks and boarded the Endeavor. Leth left her in the care of Shippy while he went to talk to the captain. "Do you have any room on this ship for a cabin-girl?" he asked Rackham.

 

The Captain shrugged. "Never had much use for an apprentice myself," he said. "I assume you're asking for a reason?"

 

Leth explained Suna's story to Rackham. The Captain scratched his chin thoughtfully and finally said, "Well, I'll take her on for our next voyage. If she works out, she's got herself a job. If not, we can always sell her on the open market…" The Dwarf glared angrily at him. "Just kidding!" He laughed, holding up his hands defensively.

 

"If she doesn't work out, I'll find some other use for her," Leth said. The two of them went back on deck to find Suna and Shippy arguing vehemently.

 

"A ship ain't nae place fer no infant!" Shippy was yelling.

 

"I ain't no infant you wrinkled-up old prune!" Suna shot back.

 

"Well, she's certainly got a sailor's mouth," Rackham observed. "Shippy!" he yelled, interrupting the fight. "This is Suna. She's the ship's new cabin-girl. Show her to her bunk."

 

Since the Captain put his foot down, Shippy had no choice but to obey. "Do as the Captain tells you and you'll have a home here for as long as you need," Leth told Suna. She grumbled sullenly, but Leth could tell she was grateful in her own way.

 

Also during their off-time, Chrissie got Castilla's measurements, then went out and commissioned a new set of tougher armor for her. She presented it as a gift – "We don't want you to keep getting hurt whenever we get into fights."

 

Castilla protested that she didn't want heavier armor; it would just weigh her down. Chrissie told her that her two choices were to not get into fights, or to wear the armor. Castilla finally relented and said she'd wear it, but she wasn't very happy about the idea.

 

The heroes talked about their tactics once they got to Shileen. Leth thought it best for them to enter the town in disguise; perhaps Shaylarra wouldn't see them coming. Once in the town, they would quickly scout out the lay of the land and see if there were any good ways to sneak into the tower, then they would make whatever specific plans were needed.

 

Right now is a very busy season for caravans, as most of the seasonal nomadic raiders from the plains have followed their herds away from this area. Because of the decrease in raids there is less likely to be trouble from the Osirans, either. So it wasn't hard to find out when the next caravan was leaving, and to make arrangements to travel along with it.

 

After about a week, the heroes were ready to get out on the road. They purchased a nice used wagon and a sturdy ox so Castilla wouldn't have to walk and joined the caravan heading south. Most of the folks in the caravan kept their own counsel and the heroes were happier that way – once they got to Shileen they wanted to be as anonymous as possible.

 

On the third day out, while camping at a regular stopping point, the heroes heard something shuffling around out in the darkness. Finn and Illy were both feeling a bit travel-worn and ill, so they had gone to bed early. Kaira and Leth decided to go out and investigate the noises – it could be bandits hoping to raid the campsite after everyone went to sleep!

 

Relying on their ability to see in the dark, they snuck out over a dune when suddenly the ground began shaking violently. Leth leapt backwards, but Kaira stumbled and fell into a hole that wasn't there a moment ago. And crawling out of the hole was a creature straight from a nightmare – an enormous spider, as big as a barn, snapping and rearing at the fallen Hobbit!

 

The spider stung Kaira, but before the burning, numbing poison overcame her she managed to quickly cast an Antivenin spell on herself, negating the effects of the toxin. Leth leapt forward with his axe, but before he could strike he was shocked by a familiar sound – the Most Annoying Laugh In The World ™.

 

Oh no, Nikki was back! "Dammit Nikki, you know the rules of the game! You already had your try on us; you don't get another!" Leth shouted.

 

"Oh, blow it out your ear, stumpy!" she shouted back. "Who cares about those stupid rules? I'm getting my vengeance on! And what vengeance it will be! Look at my big spider, isn't he beautiful? I bet you've never seen a spider this big! He's gonna eat you all up! Nom nom nom!"

 

At the sound of combat (and maniacal laughter), Castilla, Chrissie, and Styggiad jumped up from the campfire and rushed over to see what was going on. Styggiad charged the thing with her spear, trying to get it away from Kaira. However, Nikki had it under her control and she was after one thing – vengeance against the little Hobbit tramp who stole her man!

 

"I did not steal your man!" Kaira protested, scrabbling to get away from the enormous spider's jaws. "You don't even remember his name!"

 

"That's not important!" Nikki screamed. "I'll remember his name some other time – right now I'm busy killing you!"

 

Meanwhile, Leth had run around behind the spider and was climbing up one of its legs. Styggiad was burned badly and Castilla's legs got wrapped up in vines when Nikki cast a number of spells at them, screaming that this was between her and the Halfling. "The rest of you will just have to wait your turn!" she yelled.

 

Then Kaira managed to blind Nikki with a flare of light in her eyes. Without her controlling it, the spider went after the most obvious target, Styggiad. The elf warrior took a shot to the head which knocked her to the ground, stunned, but luckily her helmet took the brunt of the blow. The spider started to pick her up, but Castilla stabbed at its face.

 

Meanwhile, Leth had managed to crawl along the thing's hairy back and get into position behind Nikki. While she was distracted, he hit her over the head, nearly knocking her off her perch! "No fair throwing Dwarves at me!" she woozily protested, trying to shake her head clear.

 

Castilla took Leth's idea and quickly clambered up one of the monster's legs. Leth grabbed Nikki around the waist and shouted for Castilla to pummel her. Castilla pulled out her father's sword and stabbed Nikki in the leg. The insane druidess screamed in pain and suddenly transformed into a hot desert whirlwind, which slipped through Leth's grasp and flew off into the night.

 

About that time, Styggiad recovered from the pounding she had taken. She leapt up at the spider's head and drove her spear straight into its mandibles and through its head. The spider shrieked and collapsed, dying. Styggiad stabbed it a few more times, just to make sure it stayed down.

 

At this point, the heroes noticed that a bunch of people from the caravan had gathered and were watching (from a safe distance). Once the thing was down, there was a smattering of applause and the merchants and travelers in the group seemed much friendlier after that – you tend not to worry so much about bandits on the road when you're traveling with a group of people that can bring down a spider the size of a bar!

 

TBC!

[teh bunneh]

Re: [Campaign] The Fearless Monster Hunters

 

This was an off-the-cuff adventure. Two of my players didn't show up (one due to serious illness, one 'cause he's still on vacation), so I couldn't run what I had planned (it involved some background stuff for the guy who was sick). But my other players still wanted me to run, so I just made up the thing with the girl wanting to go with them. When they handily circumnavigated that obstacle, I threw Nikki and her wierd giant bug obsession at them.

 

It was fun.

[MorpheousXO]

Re: [Campaign] The Fearless Monster Hunters

 

Kudos! Sounds like improv still works

[teh bunneh]

FMH Recap for January 12, 2008

 

No fights, and hardly any dice rolls this session! We just did a lot of that... what do you call it... "roleplaying" nonsense. How bizarre!

--------------------

After three more days on the dry and dusty road, the caravan spotted the small, walled city of Shileen. The Tower was visible from miles away, its dark silhouette dominating the sky. The caravan began to break up as it approached the town. Some people headed towards a small, colorful tent city just outside the city walls; others went to the main gate.

After waiting for an hour or so, the heroes made it up to the gate. The guards at the gate asked the heroes' business, informed them that there was a tax on any trade goods that pass beyond the city walls, and said that if they needed a place to stay in the town there were several fine inns in the Olive District. If they prefer to camp outside they can rent a lot for a quarter a day. If they planned to set up a booth or a shop inside the city walls, the fee would be one rumee per day. "Enjoy your visit," he said, waving them through.

Inside, the town didn't look at all like the oppressed pit of squalor that Leth had heard about. It looked pretty open, with different types of people coming and going. Just inside the gates was a large open-air market; people selling food, pots, knives, everything a person would expect in a trade hub. The marketplace was a loud and busy place, with people of every stripe going about their business. The heroes saw a wide mix of people – black skinned folk from the lands of Kish, riders from Morjiim, dark-eyed Istani, lighter-skinned Westroners, Lizard-folk, Weemic, and even a few Aardnolls here and there. The air was filled with the sounds of people doing business, the smells of food cooking, and many colorful sights. There were soldiers here and there, but nobody really seemed to be paying them any mind, and they weren't really doing much beyond keeping an eye on things – no blatant abuses of power at all.

This made the heroes a little paranoid. They started to set up a small stand amid the hustle and bustle of the market (to further their cover that they were simple merchants trying to sell their wares) when a pair of soldiers approached. "Have you paid the rent on this lot yet?" they asked.

Illy told them that they had not. They told her that rent was one silver piece per day (or fraction thereof). "Who do I pay?" she asked, and they told her that any uniformed member of the town guard would be able to accept the fee. Expecting that this was nothing more than an attempt to muscle a bribe from her, she then asked for a receipt. The soldier took out a small pad of paper and wrote out a receipt for her. Later, another group of soldiers came by and asked if the heroes had paid their rent for the day. Illy showed her receipt to them. They checked it and moved along – much to everyone's surprise!

The FMH decided to split up into teams to try to get a few different jobs done. Finn, Illy, and Chrissie stayed at the tent to try to sell their wares, but they had little luck against the far more aggressive merchants around them.

Leth and Kaira went to the Olive District to try to find a few rooms to rent. The Olive district is a little quieter and cooler, with tall trees providing some shade and a large fountain in the center of the square. The square is lined with inns, and various boys and girls all pressed the heroes to come stay at their inn. Kaira ended up choosing the most expensive place in town, The Flowering Lotus, and Leth grumbled about the expense but paid anyway. The suite had a nice view of the Tower, and pretty much backed right up against the garden wall that surrounded the Tower, making this an idea place to stage a raid when the time came.

Meanwhile, Castilla and Styggiad wandered around through the Copper District (the name of the big open-air market) and tried to catch the scuttlebutt on the city and its mysterious ruler. However, they had very little luck in learning anything useful. So they decided to head to the Tower and check it out.

The Tower is surrounded by a lovely Garden filled with trees, shrubs, flowers, and herbs native to Kish, Korma, and Morjiim. The gates to the Garden are open all day and only shut after dark. Gardeners tend the plants through the day, gathering fruit and herbs when they are ripe. It seemed to be a nice place for young lovers to go, or folks just looking for a bit of quiet from the hustle and bustle of the streets to eat lunch or take a nap. Castilla carefully watched the Tower and noted that the only way in or out was a gatehouse with one large door and two smaller ones. The Gardeners used the smaller doors but no one seemed to use the large one. There were two guards stationed at each door, and they seemed fairly alert.

That evening, the heroes gathered together for dinner. After the meal was over, Mr. Hassan (the Flowering Lotus' proprietor) came over and engaged them in conversation. After assuring him that everything was satisfactory, they began chatting him up, asking him about the Sorceress and the town.

"Oh, we like living here," he told them. "The gods have been very good to us."

"No troubles? No danger?" they asked.

"Oh, the barbaric nomads have tried to raid the city in the past," he told them. "But they don't try that very often any more. Our guards and the Sorceress keep them away."

"Have you ever seen the Sorceress?" they asked.

"Yes, sir. Several times. She does not come out of her Tower very often, but when she does it is a big event."

"And what does she look like?" they inquired.

"Oh, she looks like a hawk, sir," he said, nodding his head. "A white hawk."

This confused the heroes a bit, but they decided to table the question for a while. "We've heard stories about how the Sorceress can have a bad temper," they suggested, trying to lead him a bit.

"No, no, she's always been kind for as long as I remember," he said. "Oh! I remember one time, years ago, some merchants from down south tried to set up a slave market right in the middle of the bazaar! They hadn't been open for business for a whole day when the Sorceress herself showed up out of nowhere, angry as a nest of hornets!" he exclaimed. "Killed each and every one of the slavers right then and there, and gave a speech about how the one law that no one was to violate within city walls was the buying and selling of men. It scared everyone in town. And you can believe word spread! Nobody has tried to sell slaves here since then, I tell you!"

This intrigued the heroes. "How on earth did she kill them?" they asked.

"I wouldn't know that, sir, as I wasn't there. But I do know that it was a bloody mess that took days to clean up, that's for certain!"

That night, after midnight, Castilla crept out of her room and slipped over the wall into the Garden. She prowled around for a while. The Tower was well-guarded, with six men at the gates and others patrolling along the Garden wall on a regular rotation. Other guards patrolled the Garden itself on an irregular rotation. Illy, in her room, found a small mirror and opened up a scrying lens to watch Castilla at work. On a whim, Illy tried to detect magic through the mirror, and saw that the entire Tower itself was warded with some kind of powerful defensive magic – though she couldn't exactly tell what it was. After a few hours of watching the guards, Castilla headed back to the inn.

The next day, while setting up their tent again, the heroes went over all the things they had learned the previous day. It was starting to look like they had gotten some bogus information – the town didn't seem to be filled with slavers and predators. The people didn't seem oppressed. The city watch weren't corrupt or depraved, and the people seemed to have a fairly good opinion of their leader.

This called for a new tactic. The heroes decided to send a few of their members as "ambassadors" to try to speak directly with the Sorceress herself. The others would remain in the city in case things went badly. Kaira volunteered to go, along with Chrissie and Illy. But while they were discussing this, they noticed that the people in the bazaar seemed to be growing excited. Something was going on.

Castilla went out to check and she saw a phalanx of guards approaching the market from the Tower. Among them was a very tall woman with black skin, dressed in a simple white skirt and sandals and wearing an ivory mask in the shape of a falcon. The Sorceress was an Osiran! The woman entered the marketplace and began shopping at the various stalls. The merchants were very polite and very excited that the Sorceress herself would deign to grace their humble shops with her presence!

After a while, the troops and the Sorceress approached the heroes' tent. "And what are you selling?" she asked in lightly accented Kidbodish. "Salt, your highness," Kaira said. "Salt, iron ingots, and tools."

One of the guards interrupted the Hobbit. "There are no kings nor queens in Shileen," he said. "You will refer to her as My Lady."

"Apologies, My Lady," Kaira said. "We are newcomers in your city. But I have something here that will interest you far more than salt," she said, pulling out the letter that the heroes had recovered from Nikki during their fight back at Honeybee Lane. One of the guards took the letter and showed it to the Sorceress.

"I would know more of how you came by this letter," she said. "Come to my Tower tonight for dinner and I will hear your tale."

That evening, Kaira, Illy, and Chrissie put on their best clothes and headed to the Tower. The rest of the heroes waited at the inn, prepared to act if anything bad happened. The trio was allowed into the Tower and escorted to a large dining hall, where a group of servants served them light appetizers and wine. After appetizers, the Sorceress made her appearance.

"Welcome to my home," she said. "I hope my servants have been treating you well. Forgive me for broaching the subject, but are you friends with Nikki?"

"No, we're not," Kaira confided. "In fact, we are the Fearless Monster Hunters; the descendents of the original Hunters who once confronted you, decades ago. We've come in peace to negotiate with you; we don't want any trouble."

The Sorceress laughed. "Oh, how delightful!" she said. "I am not interested in any trouble, either. You see, I am not the Sorceress of Shileen whom your parents confronted. That was my mother. In fact, I owe your parents a debt of gratitude for killing her and allowing me to become ruler of this city."

"You mean, you aren't the original?" Chrissie asked.

"No," the Sorceress laughed. "Most people think I am, but my mother and I couldn't be more different."

A light went off over Illy's head. "So… that must be the reason your reputation in far-off places is so harsh," she said. "Your mother was a slaver and a cruel mistress, but you – you're not!"

She nodded. "Having a reputation for cruelty is sometimes useful," she said. "Though other times I wish it were otherwise." She sounded wistful, almost lonely, as she said that. "But enough about me! Tell me all about yourselves. You," she pointed at Illy. "Tell me why your skin is blue. I've never seen anyone like you!"

The women talked late into the night, the Sorceress asking many questions about the heroes' homelands, families, and history. She seemed fascinated by every little detail, from cultural traditions to the types of plants that commonly grow in foreign lands. At first, the heroes were worried that she was probing for information that might be used against them, but the things she was asking about were so innocent – she never once questioned them about their numbers, their powers, or their intentions.

Finally, it was growing late and the heroes begged to be excused. She had the servants show them out, but only after they promised they would come back the next day for breakfast.

The next day, Leth and Styggiad joined the others for breakfast at the Tower, and were again peppered with questions about their homelands and their lives. Leth finally asked the question that had been on all the heroes' minds: What did she know about the Riddle-King?

"Oh, is that why you're here?" she asked. "Yes, I received an invitation to attend a big meeting on an island in the middle of the Sylvan Gulf. There were several others there – a liche, an old man in a wheelchair, that nice girl Nikki, a dragon, a few others. I didn't recognize any of them, really. The Riddle-King outlined his proposal and the others seemed quite taken by the idea, but as I told you last night I don't harbor your parents any ill will. Quite the contrary!"

"Do you know who he is?" Leth asked. "He's been trying to kill us all this time, but we have no idea who he is."

"I don't know," she admitted. "He wore a mask the whole time. I found it somewhat odd; I didn't think your people wore masks."

"My people?" asked Leth.

"You know, humans," she said. "Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to offend you."

The heroes chuckled. It seemed that the Sorceress really didn't have much experience dealing with the mortal races.

"What was the prize that the Riddle-King offered?" Kaira spoke up.

"Nothing," the Sorceress answered.

"What do you mean?" the heroes asked. "These people are risking an awful lot over nothing, if that's true."

"I mean, he offered everyone their heart's desire," she explained. "But it was an illusion. I was not fooled, but the others apparently were."

"Why are you able to remember all these things about the meeting, when the others we've encountered have all forgotten?" Kaira asked.

"Oh, he put a spell on everyone to make them forget. Part of the illusion, I imagine. He tried to do it to me as well, but I am a goddess," she explained, waving her hands as if such a thing were trivial.

"Do you know where the island is?" Illy asked.

She shrugged. "Not really. I had one of my servants carry me there. I'm sure he could find it again if I asked."

"Your servant?" Leth asked, looking at the scrawny men and women serving breakfast.

"No, not them," she said, laughing. "These are my household servants. I mean Abdul. Would you like to meet him?" she asked. She clapped her hands and a cloud of mist rose up behind her, resolving itself into a blue-skinned, heavily-muscled man standing a good 12 feet tall.

"What is it my mistress desires?" he said.

"Abdul, these are my new friends," she said. "Go ahead, ask him to do something!" she told the heroes, obviously very excited.

"What should we ask him?" Illy queried, obviously confused.

"Whatever you like!" Shaylarra laughed. "He is capable of most anything. The laws of physics are just guidelines, as far as he's concerned."

"Maybe later," Illy said, obviously uncomfortable with the whole thing.

"Oh, all right," Shaylarra said, a little dejected. "Would you like me to show you my city?" she asked, brightening up.

She took the heroes up to the top of the Tower, where they got a panoramic view of the entire city and the surrounding lands. "I like to come up here and watch the people going about their business," she said, growing wistful once more. "I like to think they are happy with their lives."

The heroes stayed in town for three more days, each day spending time with the Sorceress. Despite her fearsome reputation, she was quite friendly and likable; lonely and perhaps a little misunderstood, not evil. After dinner on the third day, she asked Illy to go up to the rooftop gardens with her. When they arrived, she casually said, "I've never before seen a single person with two souls in her body."

Illy looked uncomfortable, and reluctantly explained about Wyssian. The Sorceress grew somber. "What he has done is a violation of the rules of life and death," she said. "I will hear his side of the story."

Wyssian's personality came to the fore. He cavalierly told her that what was done was done, for reasons she wouldn't understand. Shaylarra grew angry and told him to be quiet, then she reached over to him and pulled his spirit away from Illy. The two of them – Illy and the soul of Wyssian – stared at each other for a moment.

"Two spirits cannot share the same body for long," the Sorceress said. "One of you will destroy the other, or you will both be destroyed, or something even more powerful than you will possess you, subvert you both, and take this body for itself. Do you wish for this to happen?"

Both of them said no, vigorously! "The best solution is to cut the bonds that tie Wyssian to this world, and let him go to his final reward," the Sorceress said resolutely. "This is the way of all mortal men."

"No way!" Wyssian protested. "Do you know how much effort I put into staying here? Besides, I've done… questionable things. I'm not sure what my final reward will be, but I don't want it!"

Illy reluctantly agreed. "Despite being rude and bad-tempered," she said, "He is basically a good person."

"Hmm…" Shaylarra thought. "The thing that ties him to this world, his phylactery, is the dagger which he enchanted. We can place his soul into the weapon."

"Will he still be sentient?" Illy asked. "Will he still be able to talk to me?"

"Oh yes, I expect so," Shaylarra said. "And he should still be able to affect the material world, at least to a limited extent."

"Will it hurt?" Wyssian asked nervously.

"Yes," Shaylarra answered. "But it will be far less painful than the alternative."

Wyssian and Illy looked at each other. "We have to," Illy said. Wyssian nodded.

Shaylarra clapped her hands, and Abdul appeared alongside her. "You know what must be done," she told the Djinn.

Those few people still awake at this late hour were witness to a spectacular light show from the roof of the Tower, though none can say what was really happening there. Even Illy's memories are a bit hazy; all she remembers is walking back to the inn and collapsing into bed, asleep before her head even hit the pillow. She slept the rest of the day and through the next night.

That day, Shaylarra asked why one member of the FMH hadn't visited her yet. The heroes told her that Castilla had been injured and was feeling poorly. The truth was that Castilla simply didn't want to visit this strange woman. But the Sorceress insisted, and Leth went back to the inn to talk the Jill into going to meet the ruler of the city.

Castilla was surly and rude, but despite her bad temper the Sorceress had Abdul heal her injuries. This lightened Castilla's mood quite a bit. Shaylarra asked what lands she hailed from, since she had never before seen a woman with red skin, a tail, and horns before.

"I'm unique," Castilla said. "You see, my father was cursed by an evil goddess. The goddess placed part of her soul into my father in order to be reborn on this earth. And here I am."

"How terrible," the Sorceress said. "I wonder if Abdul can separate the evil spirit from your soul?"

"He can do that?" Castilla asked.

"Let's ask him," Shaylarra said, once again summoning him. The powerful Djinn stared deep into Castilla's eyes, his dark gaze boring into her very soul. Then he announced that he could easily do it. "Her soul is pure," he said. "It is only her body that is changed. It would be nothing more than a cosmetic procedure."

"Wait…" Kaira said. "If her soul is pure, then what happened to the evil goddess' soul?"

The Djinn shrugged. "That is not for me to know," he said.

"What about your brother?" Styggiad asked. "Could he have inherited the soul, and you just got the looks?"

"No way, that's impossible!" Castilla protested.

"But demons are masters of deception," Leth suggested. "Perhaps that was her way of throwing everyone off her trail?"

The concept was intriguing, and frightening. Castilla declined the Sorceress' offer, deciding that she liked being unique. But the idea that her brother might be under the curse made her nervous. "Leth, we have to get back to Brills. I have to see my brother again!"

The rest of the FMH agreed, and they headed back to the inn to pack their goods. The Sorceress was sad to see them go, but they promised they would send her word of their travels, and that they would visit her again if at all possible.

The next morning, they were ready to go. But before they left, Shaylarra presented them with a golden ring, set with a large red stone. "If you need anything, rub the stone," she told them. "One of my servants will appear. Though he has nowhere near Abdul's power, he will perform any three tasks you ask of him. Farewell my friends. I hope our paths cross again some day."

And with that, the heroes headed back north on the caravan trail.

TBC!

[matrix3]

Re: [Campaign] The Fearless Monster Hunters

 

Yay, Fearless Monster Hunters! I take it that Shaylarra was a bit of a "radiation accident" so that the Castilla and Illy could reconfigure some disadvantages?

[teh bunneh]

Re: [Campaign] The Fearless Monster Hunters

 

In the case of Illy, that is correct. She wanted to move some points around. I didn't expect Castilla to take the offer -- she's way too proud of being unique.

[SatinKitty]

Re: [Campaign] The Fearless Monster Hunters

 

Kudos for another cool couple of sessions ! I hope someone can rep you for them.

[Enforcer84]

Re: [Campaign] The Fearless Monster Hunters

 

Neato! Is this sorceress single? Lonely? Perhaps I can arrange a meeting with Magnyr

[MorpheousXO]

Re: [Campaign] The Fearless Monster Hunters

 

That was totally wicked awesome sweet!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

As always.

[Cardinal]

Re: FMH Recap for January 12, 2008

 

TBC!

 

***cough, cough*** I believe the C in TBC is for continued... hint hint... cough cough ***

 

 

BTW, as if you couldn't tell from the subtle hint, I'm loving the recounts.

[teh bunneh]

Re: [Campaign] The Fearless Monster Hunters

 

Sadly, no update this week. We didn't game. Instead, we had a birthday party. There was cake, so it's all good.

 

FMH will resume on the 26th, and there should be a recap sometime after that.

[teh bunneh]

Re: [Campaign] The Fearless Monster Hunters

 

FMH Recap for January 26, 2008

The heroes discussed what their next step would be. They finally decided to find the island that Shaylarra told them about and see if they could find any clues there. The sorceress showed them where to find the island on the map, and they headed out.

 

After a week on the caravan trail, they made it back to Sand Harbor. They wasted no time, boarding their ship and telling the captain to head north towards Ariean. After about a day on the open sea, they told him to change course and head due west, towards the island. They were hoping to throw off any possible pursuit by changing their destination.

 

After a week or so on the water, Leth spotted something in the air flying towards them. He sent Kaira out (in owl form) to take a closer look. She saw that it was an enormous yellowjacket, and there was someone riding on its back! On closer observation, she noted that figure on its back is slumped over and appeared unconscious, possibly injured.

 

Kaira flew back to the Endeavor and told Leth what she saw. The giant bug was coming up fast, so the heroes told the sailors to get below decks and got ready to fend off an attack.

 

The big yellowjacket spiraled in and landed on the deck of the ship, but took no hostile actions. The figure on its back didn't move at all; the heroes could see she was injured – there was blood caked in her hair, her clothes were badly burned, and she had an ugly gash on one arm. Cautiously, Styggiad and Kaira approached and gently took Nikki off the insect's back.

 

Kaira cast a spell and asked the bug, "What are you doing here? What happened?"

 

The wasp replied, "Find Fearless Monster Hunters. Find ship. Giant fire-bird attack." The yellowjacket then spread its wings and flew away.

 

Kaira knelt to examine Nikki. The crazy druidess' injuries were extensive and damn-near fatal. She appeared to have healed herself with her magic as best as she was able; that was probably the only thing that let her survive. Kaira quickly cast a healing spell of her own. Nikki's eyes fluttered open and she gasped, "Fearless Monster Hunters, help me…" then she passed out again.

 

Kaira had the others carry Nikki into her stateroom and set about cleaning her and stitching up her wounds. Her burns weren't too bad, but she had a gash on her head (and probably a concussion), and her arm looked like it had been nearly torn from its socket. Kaira sewed her up, then the FMH took turns watching her to see if she would wake up.

 

After nearly 24 hours, she finally came to while Leth and Chrissie were watching her. "Where am I?" she asked groggily.

 

"You're on the Endeavor," Leth told her.

 

"Where?" she asked, squinting at them. "Who are you people?"

 

"We're the Fearless Monster Hunters," Chrissie told her. "You were wounded and you came to us."

 

"Nonsense!" Nikki disagreed weakly. "I would never come to you people! I hate you!"

 

"Maybe, but here you are," Leth told her. Chrissie went out to call the rest of the FMH and everyone filed in.

 

"How did I get here?" Nikki asked.

 

"Your giant wasp brought you," Kaira said. "You told it to bring you here."

 

"No, I didn't!" she insisted. "I told it to bring me somewhere safe!"

 

"Yes," Illy agreed. "You knew, deep down, that you would be safe among us. We would never hurt you, especially injured as you were. Part of you realizes that we aren't your enemies."

 

"That's crazy talk!" Nikki said.

 

"Takes one to know one," Castilla muttered under her breath. Leth elbowed her in the ribs.

 

"You were hurt, and we healed you," Illy said. "Now we just need to know who hurt you. Was it the Riddle-King? He found out you broke the rules of the Game, and he punished you, didn't he?"

 

"That bastard!" Nikki snarled. "It was his stupid pet dragon, Jade-Eyes! He came out of nowhere! He laughed at me! I had to send a whole swarm of my babies to distract him while I escaped. I… I needed to get away from him; somewhere safe."

 

"And so you did," Leth said. "Where is the dragon now?"

 

"Probably on his island," she said. "It's due west of here, many leagues, north of the coast of Kalon. If I ever see him again, I'll kill him!"

 

"There will be time for vengeance later," Leth said. "First, you heal. Then we'll see what happens."

 

Over the next few days, Nikki grew stronger and was soon able to walk on her own. She grew restless and took to stalking around the deck, terrorizing the sailors who got in her way. That's where Illy found her. "Nikki, you have to realize, we aren't your enemies."

 

"Tell that to the little tramp who stole my man!" Nikki said.

 

"Well, you've made her life miserable for the last year by constantly attacking her," Illy said. "Don't you think you're about even now?"

 

"We won't be even until she apologizes!" Nikki demanded.

 

Illy took this news to Kaira. "Apologize?" Kaira said. "I didn't do anything!"

 

"If you swallow your pride and apologize, you might be able to end this feud," Illy said. So Kaira (reluctantly) went to Nikki and apologized.

 

"Now the rest of you!" Nikki demanded. "Apologize for preventing me from killing her!"

 

It was a really, really difficult task – probably one of the hardest things the FMH ever had to do, but the rest of the heroes (well, those who were present) also apologized. "Now grovel before me!" she demanded.

 

"Don't push your luck," Illy told her. Thus mollified, Nikki began acting… well, not really nicer, but she stopped threatening everyone, at least.

 

The next day, the heroes reached the island where the Riddle-King had held his initial meeting. Illy scryed to see if she could spot anything, but there was nothing out of the ordinary. It was a small, overgrown island, typical of its type. There was a small pier in a lagoon on the east side, and a path into the woods.

 

The heroes waited until dark, then took a rowboat and landed on the opposite shore. Castilla and Finn bushwhacked through the forest and eventually came to a manor house. It was empty, and apparently had been so for months. The windows were shuttered and there were sheets on all the furniture. They went back to fetch the rest of the party, and the FMH examined the place closely. It appeared to be a hunting lodge, perhaps the seldom-visited vacation home of a wealthy nobleman or successful merchant. There was nothing that tied it back to the Riddle-King.

 

"He probably just was squatting," Finn suggested. "Using it as a convenient spot that wouldn't implicate or identify him in any way."

 

Disappointed at the dead end, the heroes went back to the ship and told Captain Rackham to head north, to Ariean.

 

"You want vengeance on that dragon and on the Riddle-King, right?" Leth asked Nikki at dinner one night.

 

"Oh, my vengeance will burn hotter than a thousand exploding suns!" Nikki said. "My vengeance will be as great as…"

 

"OK, OK, we get it," Leth interrupted her in mid-rant. "We want the Riddle-King too. Unfortunately, he cast a hoodoo on you so you can't tell us who he is, or how to find him."

 

"So what's your point?" the druidess asked, suspiciously.

 

"My point is, we're asking if you want to team up against him. Once we find out where he is, we want to go after him (and his dragon, if necessary). If we're working together, at least we won't be tripping over each others' feet. Get it?" the pragmatic Dwarf asked.

 

"Not that I need your help," Nikki insisted. "But fine, we'll do it your way. Not that I need your help."

 

"Good. We'll stop at Ariean to gather information and once we have our plan, we'll contact you."

 

Nikki agreed (not that she needs the FMH's help). A few days later, the Endeavor docked in Ariean. Nikki immediately grabbed her things, disembarked, and vanished into the crowd without a backward glance. "So how do we find her when we need her?" Kaira asked.

 

"Who cares?" Illy said. "At least this way, she'll be out of our hair for a while."

 

That night, the heroes gathered at Hob's for a discussion. "What do we know about this dragon?" Leth asked.

 

Chrissie cleared her throat. "I don't know anything about the current dragon," she said. "But I can tell you the story of the Green Dragon of Illich, who fought the original Fearless Monster Hunters…

 

"Illich was a fort on the coast of Kalon," she began. "Generations ago, a great dragon attacked it, drove off or killed all its defenders, and made it its home. The poison of its breath killed the plants and frightened off the wildlife for miles around, so it hunted along the seacoast. Its usual prey was the small whales that migrate up and down the coast, but it wasn't picky – if a ship came too near its hunting grounds it would happily attack, so sailors stayed clear.

 

"But the dragon was both greedy and crafty. Eventually, it decided it liked humans and the treasures their boats carried, and it began laying traps along the coastline to sink, capsize, or ground any ships that came by, then it would eat their crew at its leisure and steal their cargo. That's when the FMH got involved. They tricked it by sailing a derelict ship into one of its traps. When it went out to investigate, the heroes snuck into its lair and ambushed it when it got home.

 

"The fight was fierce; maybe the toughest fight the FMH had up to that point, but the heroes were victorious in the end. It really cemented their reputation – not everyone can kill a dragon! But they used teamwork and planning and they caught him by surprise (which is pretty much how most of those stories go… at least, the ones where the heroes win)."

 

The next morning, the Fearless Monster Hunters all split up to take care of their own personal business. They agreed to meet up again in a few days to share what they had learned.

 

TBC!

[MorpheousXO]

Re: [Campaign] The Fearless Monster Hunters

 

Fantabulous!