[Campaign] The Black Watch

[teh bunneh]

A new guy (and his wife) joined our gaming group recently, and he's running a game for us. He used to be a D&D guy, but with the announcement of the upcoming 4th Edition (he doesn't want to upgrade) and a few games of Pulp Hero (he likes Hero's versitility) he's decided to try to run a Fantasy Hero game!

 

It's called The Black Watch. It takes place in the World of Greyhawk. The Black Watch is sort of an unofficial police/federal marshal/FBI type of organization that investigates crimes, fights against evil monsters, and helps good people maintain the peace. We are playing new graduates of the Black Watch Academy going off on our first official assignment, and I've been keeping a journal of our adventures (told from the point of view of my character, so the perspective is a little bit skewed).

 

I'll post the first entry soon.

[teh bunneh]

Re: [Campaign] The Black Watch

 

The Journal of Niels Treymaine

 

4th of Planting

Today was graduation. Though I never had any doubt but that I would pass my final exams, I felt the excitement of the day deep in my bones. After the ceremonies (gods, but they love their ceremonies here! It's worse than at the temple!), we were given our assignments.

 

I am to go to Crag Keep, between the Dim Forest and the Oytwood. The story is, they've been suffering increased raids by the Giant-kin, and we are to reinforce their position. I've been assigned (I must remember, I'm not in charge – thank the gods for that!) Several other new graduates have the same assignment. Some of them I know, others not so well.

 

Crispin will be coming. He's the "wild mage" that I've written of before; we've had classes together. The poor fellow, no one around here seems to understand or trust him – which is understandable, since sometimes he loses control of the arcane forces he wields. The results can be… well, humorous or deadly, depending on the circumstances. I don't really understand what he does or how he does it, but he seems a pleasant enough fellow, despite the distance that most people keep themselves at.

 

Roxanna Greyhair is also on the assignment. I don't know her well, but I know she's the daughter of Captain and Lady Greyhair, also of the Black Watch. She has big shoes to fill, but she seems competent enough. She certainly knows the Black Watch regulations well enough! I hope she'll be flexible to be able to adapt to changing circumstances in the field – the rulebook can't cover every situation.

 

Tealca, the Grey Elf woodswoman, is also on our team. I've seen her at practice. Her archery skills are second to none, and she seems to know some odd Elvish magic, but other than that I know little about her.

 

Kelliana the tiger-woman will also be joining us. I'm sure I've written of her before – at over seven feet tall, she leaves an impression! I've heard rumors that she is demon-kin, but in all my dealings with her she's always given the impression of being a good soul. She's also wicked fast with that glaive of hers, and with 200 kilograms of mass to put behind it she can deal with most opponents.

 

Finally, Ithan of Pelor rounds out our group. A priest from the lowlands, he is quiet but competent. I'd like to spend more time with him, discussing our respective faiths, but he seems difficult to approach.

 

It is an odd, mismatched team to be sure – but that has always been one of the Black Watch's greatest strengths; to forge ironclad teams from such diverse talent. I only pray that I will be able to pull my own weight.

[teh bunneh]

Re: [Campaign] The Black Watch

 

7th of Planting

Two days ago, the Black Watch mages teleported us and our supplies to Istivan, a small town on the banks of the Davish River. Once we recovered from the disorientation, we set off, heading cross-country towards a lonely inn called the Yellow Gator, where we are to meet our guide before making the final leg of the trip to Crag Keep.

The rest of that day and the next were uneventful. Today was a different story.

We spotted a group of travelers heading in the same general direction as we were, riding a mile or so ahead of us. They looked like the sons of some lesser nobility, or perhaps wealthy merchants or even adventurers. As they rode along the trail towards an old wooden bridge crossing a stream, suddenly I noticed movement in the nearby woods. Some of the others spotted it, too – bandits of some sort!

They fired a volley of flaming arrows into the bridge, narrowly missing the travelers but setting the bridge ablaze. I told Crispin to extinguish the blaze while I spurred my horse to intercept the bandits, sensing Kelliana and Tealca doing the same.

The archers turned to meet us, and Tealca screamed in rage – they were Orcs. They fired another volley at us, but their shoddily made arms and poor training caused their aim to waver. Tealca did not suffer so, however, dropping at least two of the beasts. But I had stopped paying attention to the Orcs for the moment, for we had bigger troubles – Ogres! A half-dozen of the brutes stepped out of the treeline, wielding enormous clubs.

I rode past the first one, opening up his stomach with my blade, and clashed with the second. I felt Tealca's magic in the air, and vines rippled up from the ground to enwrap and entangle one of the giant creatures. Kelliana engaged the Orcs, ripping through them with her glaive.

I heard a sound in the forest nearby and turned to see what it was. That was my mistake. One of the Ogres took advantage of my momentary distraction and hit me across the back of the head with his club. The next thing I knew, I was on the ground beside my horse, the world spinning and my ears ringing. But I knew I mustn't fail now, when my friends were depending on me, so I shook the cotton from my skull and climbed to my feet.

Luckily, Tealca and Kelliana were nearby, taking some of the pressure off of me. I heard the sound of an explosion behind me, and knew that Crispin was likewise making his presence felt. I swung up under my horse's neck and slashed the Ogre that had clubbed me across his groin. He screamed and fell to the ground. I looked around to judge the battlefield, and saw only two Ogres still standing. "Leave that one alive, to question!" I shouted, pointing to the one who Tealca had enwrapped… just as it ripped itself free from her ensorcelled vines.

So that idea was shot. Kelliana and I both engaged the beast, dropping it, as Tealca wrapped up the other one. The remaining Orcs were fleeing, so I put the tip of my sword to the throat of the last Ogre and ordered him to surrender. Seeing that his side had lost, he was willing to comply.

The dumb brute didn't speak a civilized tongue. Luckily, Crispin was able to magically translate his babblings. He told us that he was of the Eye Tyrants, and that his group had been sent to ambush us before we could reach our destination. Unfortunately, he knew little else, so we dispatched him and continued our journey.

The other travelers were grateful for our timely assistance, and once they realized that we were the Black Watch they asked if we would travel with them, at least as far as the Yellow Gator. Thus it was that we reached the inn. A hot bath and a good meal later and I felt like a new man.

But the day's adventures weren't over yet. While we were eating, a horse rode into the compound in a lather. The man on its back was exhausted and terrified. "It's after me! It's right behind me!" he kept babbling. Ithan took the man inside to try to get some sense out of him while Roxanna, Kelliana, and I mounted up and headed out to find out what it was that was chasing the man.

Though we were able to follow his trail for a while, still we found no sign of anything threatening. Roxanna suggested we go back to the inn, but prepare in case something was on its way. We split the night up into watches. I hope nothing untoward happens tonight – I could use a good night's sleep! More tomorrow, when we follow the man's trail to see where he came from, and perhaps learn what is chasing him.

[teh bunneh]

Re: [Campaign] The Black Watch

 

11th of Planting

Apologies for not updating this journal as often as I would like, but it has been a busy few days. Just moments after I finished writing my last entry, I heard Roxanna shouting in the courtyard below. "To arms!" she screamed. "Something is coming this way!"

Kelliana and I sprung from our beds and immediately began donning our armor. Just outside on the balcony, we saw two of the inn's hired hands firing their shortbows off into the darkness. We barely had our armor on before something lumbered out of the night, coming straight towards the inn as fast as a horse at full gallop! I don't know how to describe it. It was huge – at least four meters tall, standing on its hind legs. It looked vaguely reptilian, with an elongated skull filled with razor-sharp teeth, but it was like no lizard I have ever seen nor heard tell of. Its mouth was covered in dried blood, and it made not a sound as it charged headlong at the inn. The whole building shook with the impact, and its head tore a hole in the wall less than a meter away from us!

Roxanna appeared out of nowhere to grab the terrified man we had rescued earlier that evening. "Keep it away from us!" she called out to Kell and I, dragging him away from the snapping jaws of the monster. We obliged, hacking at the thing's head with all our might – to no discernable effect, I might add! The beast's skin was impossible to pierce with our weapons; all we succeeded in doing was annoying it… and attracting its attention (so I suppose we were successful, looking at it a certain way).

Ithan called on the power of Pelor and sent a beam of purest bright sunlight directly into its eyes, blinding it. It lashed out randomly, taking a chunk out of Kelliana's chest and sending her reeling. I managed to avoid its thrashing, but I could feel the support joists of the inn cracking and sagging. I wasn't sure if I should grab Kelliana and leap out of the building before it came down, or keep attacking the beast in the hopes of finding some weak spot.

I suppose I erred, as the beast's gaping maw and thrashing limbs finally brought half the building tumbling down. I managed to avoid being struck by anything too heavy, but still found myself pinned under the remains of a wall. Luckily, I had some leverage and managed to free myself before the beast could stomp on me. Also luckily, Kelliana's half of the building didn't collapse on her, so she was able to keep its attention away from me while I freed myself.

Crispin came into view and worked his arcane magic. "I've got an idea!" he called to us. Suddenly, the blade of my sword and Kelliana's glaive burst into flame! "Try attacking it now!" he yelled, and we did so with no hesitation. Tealca fired arrow after arrow into its invulnerable hide; Ithan called fire from the heavens to burn it; Crispin fired bolts of arcane energy at it, and Kelliana and I continued slashing it with our now-enchanted blades, and finally the beast fell.

But it wasn't over yet. Despite our efforts -- the efforts of a half-dozen fully trained Black Watchmen, I might add -- the beast had not a mark on it. Though down, it was obviously not dead. We tried everything we could think of – attacking its eyes, its mouth, trying to pry loose its teeth and talons, but nothing seemed to harm it. Kell and I satisfied ourselves with hitting it over the head in order to keep it quiescent.

Shortly after the fight was over, Roxanna spotted two people approaching the ruined inn. She rode forth and demanded they identify themselves, and learned that they were the Black Watch guides sent to find us! They introduced themselves as Officer Snifastopalot Tikniknuk, a Gnomish tracker, and Officer Zenthor Quay, a Dark Elf knight. They told us they had run into the tracks of an unknown monster that lead straight here. We explained to them what had happened.

Officer Quay suggested that we follow the monster's tracks back to where it came from. He helpfully provided us a map of the way to Crag Keep for when we found what we were looking for. He and Officer "Snif" volunteered to stay here with the unmoving creature. Hopefully, we would be able to find out what it was and where it had come from – and knowing that, perhaps we would learn a way to stop it permanently.

The next morning, we questioned the man we rescued. His name was Vendar. He worked for a wizard named Nimlo the Pale. They were on some sort of expedition to the Stark Mountains (directly west of us). Apparently, Nimlo's group uncovered this thing, which proceeded to kill them all. Only Vendar, who was near the horses, had been able to escape. He knew little else of value, so we cut him loose to find his own way in the world. I pray he makes wiser choices in his employment in the future.

We traveled west for about a day and a half before we encountered the ancient ruin known as Gorna. We easily found Nimlo's site. There were four tents with supplies for an extended stay. There were also several bodies – at least six humans, and probably four horses (though it was hard to tell, as the bodies had been mauled beyond recognition). Ithan and I prepared the bodies for proper disposal while the others fanned out to search the area.

Roxanna and Crispin found something in Nimlo's pavilion. He had something like a journal. It said that he had been commissioned by Jarren Krymak of the Valley of the Mage (also known in some circles as "The Black One"). I've heard of this man – he is said to have sided with the Giant-kin in their invasion of the valley of Geoff, and is a tyrant to his own people. If he sent Nimlo to this place, then surely no good could come of it. Unfortunately, the journal lent little further enlightenment on what Nimlo was looking for, or why he was here.

Tealca identified some tracks nearby. Apparently, a troll smelled the carnage and had come to investigate. His tracks lead directly into a tunnel in the hillside, so we took torches from Nimlo's supplies tent and headed in. Down a flight of stairs, Kelliana suddenly grew agitated. Her cat-like senses detected something just up ahead. Roxanna told us to "Wait for her signal," then vanished from sight.

Moments later, we heard the sound of a huge creature stamping his feet and bellowing in pain. Kelliana and I rushed around the corner in time to spot an enormous troll with burning matches stuck between his toes! Roxanna may put up a serious front, but she has a wicked sense of humor!

The battle – such as it was – was over in seconds. Kelliana and I struck at him – she went high and I went low. Tealca let fly with one of her enchanted arrows. Roxanna dumped a bottle of lamp oil over the troll's head, and Crispin ignited the oil with a burst of mystic flame. The troll was dead before it knew what hit it. Rather anti-climactic after the battle against the nameless beast at the Yellow Gator Inn, but no one was hurt so I'm not complaining.

We went deeper into the cave, finding signs of recent excavation. Apparently, Nimlo's men broke through a wall into a natural cavern. We found signs of carnage here, so we cautiously went further in. We found a large chamber filled with yellow-gold crystal shards. Crispin sensed that the shards were magical, but their power was slowly fading. We found more tools and more bloodstains here, as well.

Ithan suggested that the monster had been trapped here, encased in a huge yellow gemstone like a beetle trapped in amber. Nimlo's people freed it – accidentally or on purpose, we cannot say – and paid the price.

While Crispin gathered up some shards for later study (perhaps we could use them to recreate the spell that originally had imprisoned the beast), we found a steel door. It was locked from the other side, so we left the cavern and tried to find the "front" of the door. It wasn't hard to locate – solid steel, bound on all four corners with mithral, and (according to Crispin) heavily enchanted. The door had a plaque, and written on it in several languages was a poem or riddle of some sort.

(insert riddle here)

It seems to indicate that the Dwarves had a plan to kill the creature (which they called "Dvalin's Bane" and the "Dracharadon") using enchanted weapons of some sort. Who can say why they didn't put their plan into action? Perhaps they didn't have the materials necessary, or perhaps they ran out of time. Or perhaps they tried it and it failed? It's impossible to know for certain.

Perhaps the Dwarvish clan who put these seals into place would remember? According to Crispin, they were called the Ragnarok Clan, and they may still exist somewhere in the Crystalmyst Mountains. Commander Quartzfist at Crag Keep is a Dwarf; maybe he'll know something?

We left that place of death and headed directly north, through the Oytwood so we could hopefully avoid trouble in the lands of Geoff. We stumbled onto a few Orc patrols, but nothing that we couldn't handle and hardly worth even noting. Tealca assures us we should reach Crag Keep tomorrow.

More later.

[SatinKitty]

Re: [Campaign] The Black Watch

 

Oh Boy oh boy oh boy OH BOY !! Another Bunny-tale !!!!

[matrix3]

Re: [Campaign] The Black Watch

 

I second the cheer! Looking forward to more updates, it looks to be an exciting campaign.

[TheQuestionMan]

Re: [Campaign] The Black Watch

 

Damn looks like fun.

 

 

Keep posting

 

 

QM

[SatinKitty]

Re: [Campaign] The Black Watch

 

Someone Rep the Bunny for me !

[Alibear]

Re: [Campaign] The Black Watch

 

Sure. Repped.

[teh bunneh]

Re: [Campaign] The Black Watch

 

We didn't play this weekend (went to visit the in-laws instead), but we should get a game of the Black Watch in next weekend (the 25th). Watch this space!

[teh bunneh]

Re: [Campaign] The Black Watch

 

12th of Planting

Our arrival at the Keep went without much fanfare – out here on the edge of civilization they don't pay much attention to formalities. I appreciate that a lot. We debriefed Commander Quartzfist out on the lists – he had each of us show him what we were made of on the field. He seems to be a survivor; hard but fair, and his men respect him a great deal.

At dinner tonight we met with the rest of the command staff and related our story about the unkillable beast. Sir Quay arrived at the Keep some hours after we did and told us that the monster had suddenly woken up, threw him through a wall, killed the digger whom we had rescued, and bounded off towards the east at great speed. Sir Snif was to follow it, at least far enough to get a bearing on where it was headed.

Commander Quartzfist suggested that, since we had been in on this mystery from the beginning, we should be the ones to follow it through. He told us that the Ragnarok clan still lived high in the mountains, between the Barrier and the Crystalmyst ranges. He explained that they were consummate craftsmen, putting even other Dwarf clans to shame. Once a generation, they become obsessed with perfecting a particular craft – be it forging weapons of great power or impregnable armor, or building great edifices. They are rather insular and do not often deal with outsiders, but they are not necessarily unfriendly – just private in nature.

Roxanna suggested that we leave right away – which I seconded. If the beast is bearing directly eastward, that will put him in a direct line towards the capital of the Duchy of Keoland, my birthplace. Commander Quartzfist offered to let us travel for a day with one of the Knights' patrols, to prevent spying eyes from discerning our plans. The next patrol leaves tomorrow morning at dawn, so we gathered our supplies and prepared to depart at first light.

More later.

16th of Planting

The night after we left the comfort of the Keep, our fellow Knights bid us farewell and we struck out westward on our own, skirting the forest. The next morning, we spotted a group of Hill Giants, obviously set there as guards along the frontier. It would have been difficult to sneak past them, and avoiding them would've taken us far out of our way, so we elected to attack them. The battle was quick and merciless. We caught them by surprise as they prepared their morning meal and left not one of them alive. We dumped their bodies in their own "bone pit" and continued along our way.

The second day into the mountains, we heard the sound of a pitched battle. Dwarvish voices were shouting and screaming in pain and fear. We rushed along a narrow canyon and came to a mighty glacial lake. On the shore of the lake, a half-dozen Dwarves were desperately battling for their lives against some sort of enormous squid, or kraken. One of them had been grasped in an enormous tentacle and was being drawn inexorably towards the beast's maw.

As one, we charged into the fray. Crispin had the bright idea to grant each of us magical wings that we might take the fight to the creature, rather than just standing on the edge of the shore. I leapt off my horse, flew across the water, and tried to grab the hapless injured Dwarf out of the kraken's tentacles, but the giant squid was far too strong. Instead, I opted to hack at its rubbery limb with my sword.

The Dwarf tumbled free, and Crispin grasped him with a magical hand and drew him back to shore. Kelliana and I continued to swarm around its head swooping and slashing at it, and Tealca fired arrow after arrow into its flesh. Roxanna rushed to help the other Dwarves. Unfortunately, we had arrived just moments too late, and most of them had already been crushed or drowned by the horrible beast. Ithan shouted out a warning – one of the rock walls of the canyon had been disturbed by the fight, and was slowly beginning to tumble down, so Roxanna ran, barely managing to get away from the collapsing rock.

The kraken knew that its meal had been lost, so it began to withdraw back into the icy depths. Crispin was having none of that and fired off a bolt of sizzling energy. It blasted a hole right through the creature's head (showing Kell and I with bits of goo). It was dead. Unfortunately, so were most of the Dwarves we had tried to save. Ithan and Tealca used their magic to heal the one we had managed to save, but his injuries were grave and beyond their abilities to fix completely. However, he regained consciousness long enough to ask us to take him to "Dragon's Egg Cavern."

Nothing else could be done that day, so we made camp on the banks of the lake. This morning, under the assumption that Dragon's Egg Cavern was his home, we fixed him to a travois and headed westward, deeper into the mountains. Around noon, a large group of Dwarves stopped us. They were suspicious at first, but we convinced them that we had managed to save one of their own from a Kraken. The sergeant-at-arms examined the still-unconscious Dwarf and recognized him instantly as their prince!

They granted us all honors and escorted us up the mountain to their underground city. For rescuing their prince, we were treated like royalty ourselves. Some part of me I had thought long-buried found this comforting, but I suppressed those thoughts as best as I could – this is the life I chose, not some other.

The king himself met with us to thank us for rescuing his eldest son. He is a simple warrior, much beloved and respected by his people, who does not stand on ceremony. He invited us to eat at his private table that night (to the consternation of his advisors, one suspects). At dinner, we each introduced ourselves to his people and recounted our tale.

Then cane the surprise of the evening. The king offered us a great gift, which he called "Blood Forge." He explained that the Ragnarok clan would make each of us an enchanted weapon or object, bound to us by our own blood. His advisors protested, but apparently this gift has been offered to outsiders at least once in the past, so there is precedent. We were honored to accept his generous offer.

We asked him about the Dracorodon and showed him the poem which we copied from the tomb, and he had his personal historian recount the creature's tale. It seemed that eons ago, such a creature attacked their clan. The beast could be knocked unconscious but not killed – and furthermore, each time the knocked it out, it would wake up some hours later, even stronger and deadlier than before! These Dwarves of yore used a magical forge which they called Valhalla's Forge to create a number of enchanted weapons which, used correctly, were able to kill the unkillable beast. Unfortunately, Valhalla's Forge had been lost to them generations ago, its pieces scattered to the four winds, so they could not recreate the magic that once killed Dvalin's Bane.

I have a feeling I know where next we will be headed.

More later.

[TimC]

Re: [Campaign] The Black Watch

 

Any chance of seeing the PCs sheets posted?

 

Great story!

[teh bunneh]

Re: [Campaign] The Black Watch

 

I can post the charsheet for my character Niels. I don't have the charsheets for the other characters.

[teh bunneh]

Re: [Campaign] The Black Watch

 

23rd of Planting

I've just woken up from a 16 hour sleep. The last six days were exhausting, but exhilarating in many ways. Let me start from the beginning.

 

The morning after the feast, we were introduced to six Forge Masters, who took us far away from the settled parts of the cavern to a distant and long-abandoned forge known as the Crystal Forge. It was named this because of the large number of diamonds that were once found here. It was abandoned generations ago, when the vein ran dry.

 

We found the door to the forge sealed by centuries of rust and neglect. Roxanna somehow managed to slip inside through the sealed door (I have no idea how she did it – just one of her secrets, I imagine) and knocked out the hinges so we could push the door open without damaging it. But while she was doing that, an enormous rat crawled out of a hole and leapt on her neck, biting her fiercely.

 

Kell, myself, and the Dwarves managed to push the door open and we saw the room was swarming with the creatures. We all leapt into action, butchering the rats quickly; but victory was not so easy, for three of the largest snakes I have ever seen came through some large holes in the walls. One of them managed to clamp onto my leg, biting through my mail and drawing blood. I hacked at its head, but its skin was like iron. Crispin ran over to help, and ignited the thing's tail, forcing it to let go of my leg. Once freed, I beheaded the beast.

 

Turning back to the others, I saw that Ithan, Kell, Tealca, and Roxanna had killed the other two. The forge was clear of enemies, so the Dwarves set us all immediately to work clearing out the bodies, cleaning up the fungus growing on the walls and floor, and repairing and oiling the long-abandoned machinery.

 

Then began the real task – forging the items of power. It took six days of hard, back-breaking work and, to be truthful, I remember little of it. By the end, all of us were working on instinct, without conscious thought. But in the end, we each held our enchanted weapon or device.

 

Crispin made a golden ring.

Roxanna made a short sword from black iron.

Kell made a suit of steel armor.

Tealca made a quiver of purest silver.

Ithan made ???

And I forged a hand-and-a-half sword.

 

When we were finished, we returned to Dragon's Egg Cavern. The king was delighted to see us again. His son was well on the road to recovery, and this pleased the king so much that he offered to make us honorary members of his clan. We each received a tattoo on our arm; the coat-of-arms of the Ragnarok Clan. Once we had been granted these honors, we retired to our chambers where we slept the sleep of exhaustion.

 

More later.

 

27th of Planting

We bid our fond farewells to our hosts and headed back to Crag Keep. We asked to be relieved of our customary duties so we could continue to pursue the mystery of Dvalin's Bane, and Commander Quartzfist agreed. We headed back south to Istivan, where we once again were teleported back to the main headquarters at Greyhawk. The Dwarves of Ragnarok told us that the Forge of Valhalla was last seen in these parts, which isn't much to go on but it is something. We informed the commander of our task, and he agreed to let us continue the mission. He also sent our riders to watch for sign of the Dracorodon along the frontiers of Keoland, for which I am personally grateful.

 

Tomorrow we begin our research. More later.

[teh bunneh]

Re: [Campaign] The Black Watch

 

28th of Planting

After checking in with the Master of the Black Watch and giving him our story, we headed into the city of Greyhawk. We soon found lodgings at an inn near the city library, where our search was to begin. That evening, while we were enjoying our dinner, I noticed a man sitting at a nearby table watching us. Curious, I went over to greet him. On seeing me coming over, he immediately began acting like he hadn't been watching us at all. I sat down in an empty seat and asked what his business was.

 

He claimed to be a tradesman who dealt in antiquities from around Faerun. However, when I asked where he gathered his antiquities, he showed a remarkable lack of knowledge. He claimed to be waiting for some friends to join him for dinner. He was very nervous speaking with me, and eventually he excused himself and left the inn. I relayed this information on to my friends, and Roxanna excused herself from the table and followed him into the night.

 

An hour or so later she returned. "He tried several times to lose anyone tailing him," she told us. "But he didn't see me. After taking several back-ways, he ended up at the headquarters of the Thieves' Guild. I didn't try to follow him in."

 

We stayed up late in the restaurant, enjoying being in civilization again. Roxanna noticed the fellow I had seen before -- dressed differently, this time -- peek into the room, but when he saw us he ducked out again. Most of us eventually went on to bed, but Roxanna (ever suspicious, as is her job) stayed in the common room, watching from the shadows.

 

The rest of this account is what Roxanna explained to us later.

 

Before long, a group of men entered. She immediately recognized my "friend," (again dressed differently) but didn't know who his companions were. They asked for a room and headed upstairs. Unseen, Roxanna followed them. She watched as they quietly jammed our doors shut, then left again. Just as quietly, she unjammed them and followed the men out.

 

Outside, the men put black hoods over their faces and pulled a large sack out from behind some bushes. She smelled the heavy smell of greek fire. The men removed several large flasks from the sack, lit each one, and threw them towards the window of our room. Roxanna sprang into action, leaping out of the shadows and slicing open the tendons of one of the men. He collapsed to the ground.

 

Unfortunately, the other men managed to throw their flasks. One of them flew through the window of our room; the rest impacted against the wall, lighting the inn on fire. Kelliana was the first to act, springing out of bed and leaping through the window. The assassins panicked at the sight of the enraged half-demon tiger woman, and began to flee.

 

I roused Crispin from his sleep and told him to douse the flames with his magic. Then I followed Kell out the window. Ithan was right behind us. The assassins put up little fight -- they were little more than rabble, good at attacking a man when his defenses were down, but useless in a straight battle. We left one of them alive to question at our leisure.

 

It just so happened that the man who survived our attack was the very same man I had spoken with earlier in the evening. At first, he had little to say. Then I reminded him what the penalty in this city was for arson -- he would dance the hangman's jig. He didn't want to die, but was still unwilling to talk until I offered him the possibility of serving out his sentance at the Black Watch headquarters. Surely 7 years of hard labor was better than visiting the headsman, and he agreed.

 

He was in the employ of the Eye Tyrants, he told us. The Tyrants had heavily infiltrated the city's Thieves' Guild, and were always on the watch for Black Watchmen. They would try to catch us alone, or unawares, and murder us. He didn't know how many of my fellow officers had died this way, but he said it had been a lot. He gave us a few names, and then we had the Greyhawk guardsmen take him to the Black Watch headquarters.

 

The next day, we split up to search for rumors and legends about the Forge of Valhalla. Myself, Ithan, and Crispin went to the city library. Roxanna, Tealca, and Kell went to the Sage's Guild. After a day of searching through ancient books, Crispin stumbled upon an old map. It was marked with Dwarvish runes, and seemed to be a map of the city -- but very old. It showed a lake where the city's public bath house currently stands, and we thought perhaps that would be a good place to start.

 

That evening, we went to the bath house. Unseen, we slipped from the sauna into one of the back passages to take a look around. While searching, we ran into an old Dwarf who worked there. Roxanna spoke with him, asking if he knew of the Ragnarok Clan, or Valhalla's Forge. He immediately shushed her. He said he couldn't tell us anything, but we should search out a Dwarf named Baine, who could be found at a certain bar at this hour. We thanked him and headed out.

 

More later.

[matrix3]

Re: [Campaign] The Black Watch

 

Has anything more happened with the Black Watch? It was a fun campaign to read. Of course, any write up by teh bunneh is a must-read.

[teh bunneh]

Re: [Campaign] The Black Watch

 

No, Sadly. Our GM Richard moved, so the game ended pretty abruptly. Kinda sux, cause the game was shaping up to be a good one.

 

The worst part was that Richard had been looking for a good group to game with for something like 6 years. He found us, and then less than a year later he had to move.

[matrix3]

Re: [Campaign] The Black Watch

 

No, Sadly. Our GM Richard moved, so the game ended pretty abruptly. Kinda sux, cause the game was shaping up to be a good one.

 

The worst part was that Richard had been looking for a good group to game with for something like 6 years. He found us, and then less than a year later he had to move.

 

Have you thought of an online game?

[Markdoc]

Re: [Campaign] The Black Watch

 

The worst part was that Richard had been looking for a good group to game with for something like 6 years. He found us' date=' and then less than a year later he had to move.[/quote']

 

Happens. Ask Susano about that

 

cheers, Mark