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11:39, 28th March 2024 (GMT+0)

Part 20 - The Forest Kingdoms.

Posted by Dungeon MasterFor group 0
Dungeon Master
GM, 793 posts
You're trying what?
Hahahahahahaha!
Wed 27 Dec 2017
at 21:50
  • msg #1

Part 20 - The Forest Kingdoms

Shortly before mid-afternoon the ox cart, now laden with a more pleasant cargo than when it had arrived at Crossroad, sets out along the eastern road.

In spite of the close proximity of a fresh side of bacon, Colwyn seems a little more morose than usual as he follows the cart deeper into the forest, where the overhanging branches provide some shelter from the rain that can still be seen falling when the sky shows through some break in the canopy.  The road winds through an endless green-lit tunnel, and Colwyn's mood grows worse with each passing mile.

Finally he stops and watches as the cart carries on.  He looks back, towards Crossroad for several heartbeats, before shaking his head and hurrying to catch up with the others.

And it is shortly after this that the wooden markers signifying that the road is neutral territory, belonging to all of the petty kingdoms in this region, come to an abrupt end...
Aarnr Foultongue
Player, 994 posts
Human (technically)
Cleric of froggin' Bowbe!
Thu 28 Dec 2017
at 05:20
  • msg #2

Part 20 - The Forest Kingdoms

"Did thou froggin' forget somethin' ?" Aarnr asks Colwyn, annoyed that his attempt to spur the oxen on and make the rogue think that he's been left behind has failed miserably since the beasts best efforts made no appreciable improvement in their steady plodding.  At least he thinks they were trying to comply with his orders ...

The priest is quite pleased that he can now see the trees for the wooden markers have stopped cluttering up the landscape.  Maybe if they'd all had heads nailed to them it would have been more interesting, but the incomprehensible scratchings upon the bare planks signify nothing.  Whereas a head nailed up says quite plainly that 'I can and will do this to ye if the mood takes me'.  Certainly gets the message across.

"Not far now !" Aarnr enthuses, perhaps rather optimistically.
Colwyn Akbar
NPC, 308 posts
It's a trap!
No problem.
Fri 29 Dec 2017
at 21:31
  • msg #3

Part 20 - The Forest Kingdoms

Colwyn shakes his head, "Naw.  I were 'avin' a bad feelin' 'bout movin' on so late in the day.  'specially 'avin' a villige what we was jus' burnin' down be'ind us.  I mean, they was maybe actin' friendly ter get us ter move on so's they could be comin' up on us an' killin' us in our beds."

"Then I were 'memberin' 'ow we was bein' told 'ow these 'ere woods is full of tiny little kingdoms, an' they's all bein' scared of strangers, an' none too friendly like."

"If'n these 'ere woods is bein' filled with places like that there Crossroad, we mightn't be findin' good lodgin's fer a bit.  'specially if'n we keeps burnin' them down."

Bilfro Gabbins
player, 222 posts
Magnetic personality!
Death Unseen watches!
Sat 30 Dec 2017
at 09:03
  • msg #4

Part 20 - The Forest Kingdoms

"I beg your pardon!"  The falsetto cuts through the air like a rat in a frying pan caught under the foot of a stampeding herd of nondescript stampeding things.  "We were burnign down?!  I, I remind you, had less than naught to do with that, thank you very muchly!"

Bilfro Gabbings gathers up his beard and harumphs in dignified protest to such widely cast web of lies of accusative nature, in all its falsehood of inaccuracies.

"Next time you do that, I will put my foot down, I tell you!"

"Not that there will be a next time!"
he corrects himself.
This message was last edited by the player at 09:04, Sat 30 Dec 2017.
Aarnr Foultongue
Player, 995 posts
Human (technically)
Cleric of froggin' Bowbe!
Sat 30 Dec 2017
at 13:20
  • msg #5

Part 20 - The Forest Kingdoms

"It's all the froggin' same," Aarnr assures Colwyn. "In cities they try to rob and kill ye ... outside in the wilds they try to rob and kill ye."

The priest is still a little foggy as to exactly how the palace in Crossroads burned down, but assumed Erista, as the only wizard present, was responsible, and in any event approved wholeheartedly ... but is not minded to argue with an esteemed madman.
Dungeon Master
GM, 795 posts
You're trying what?
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Sun 31 Dec 2017
at 18:47
  • msg #6

Part 20 - The Forest Kingdoms

The road winds on, the space beneath the forest canopy growing ever gloomier as the rain-soaked afternoon slides towards an evening which promises to be no more dry.

At last, with the way ahead as black as night, a light appears in the darkness ahead.  Then a second.  A third.  Until, in all, there are six torches coming around a curve in the road.  As they come closer it becomes apparent that they are being borne by a group of riders.

Nearer, and it can be seen that the riders all hooded, and swathed in heavy cloaks an robes.  Not all of them are holding torches.  In all there are about a dozen of them.

They steer their horses to one side and slow their advance, until they come to a dead stop.  Their leader throws back his hood to reveal that "he" is, in fact, a "she".  An elf by the look of her.

"Well met travellers." she says, her voice soft and musical, yet carrying over the rumble of the cart wheels, "Come ye from Bard's Gate?  Bear ye news of that fair city?"
Aarnr Foultongue
Player, 996 posts
Human (technically)
Cleric of froggin' Bowbe!
Mon 1 Jan 2018
at 05:02
  • msg #7

Part 20 - The Forest Kingdoms

Aarnr's disappointment that the riders don't immediately appear to be after their blood (though on the upside, the conversation is just getting started) is entirely banished as he hears the words spoken by the pointy-eared, whey-faced flax-wench.

Finally !  Someone who learned to speak Common proper, not the odd dialect that his companions seem to have picked up !

Basking in the heady glow that he understood every word directed his way, the priest simply enjoys the moment, mindful that his friends might have some questions for these fat-kidneyed, sheep-bitin' lewdsters before he picks a fight1.


1 ie, before he says anything ... anything at all, really
Eilieen
Player, 849 posts
Cure Serious Wounds!
Cure Serious Wounds!
Tue 2 Jan 2018
at 17:06
  • msg #8

Part 20 - The Forest Kingdoms

Still solemn from the ceremony, still caught in a dark mood over Ozzy's loss, Eilieen remains quiet for much of the beginning of the journey.  She rouses herself, however, as the travellers approach, staring at them curiously.

Raising her hand in greeting, the priestess rides forward.  "Well-met indeed," Elieen replies.  "We travel from Bard's Gate," she affirms.  "There is some unrest, but it otherwise stands, a welcome respite from the dangers of the road.  And yourselves?  From where do you hail?"
Dungeon Master
GM, 797 posts
You're trying what?
Hahahahahahaha!
Sun 7 Jan 2018
at 21:11
  • msg #9

Part 20 - The Forest Kingdoms

The elven woman replies, "We come from Varagost, on the coast of the Great Sea, and have travelle via Freegate and Derindin, bound for Bard's Gate, that we may attend the marriage of my husband's niece."

One of the other riders clears his throat and bows his hooded head, before speaking in a gruff voice, "My Lady, if there be unrest in Bard's Gate, as this priestess attests, then it were perchance best if we turn back.  Events there may put ye in peril.  Ye should... "

Raising one bejewelled hand, she silences him, "Mayhap we can determine the degree of danger to my person, Veldrostin, afore making such a decision."  Then she addresses the party, "What form does this unrest take.  Think ye that it would imperil me sufficiently that I should forego this visit?"
Aarnr Foultongue
Player, 998 posts
Human (technically)
Cleric of froggin' Bowbe!
Mon 8 Jan 2018
at 13:33
  • msg #10

Part 20 - The Forest Kingdoms

Those ye's continue to be music to Aarnr's ears, albeit the heavy thrumming drumming kind which he favours, though the conversation loses a bit of its gloss at the mention of the marriage of the husband's niece which sounds suspicious, even though the convolutions of the relationships involved are beyond his understanding.  Certainly the sort of thing his mother and his father's other wives would frown upon.

'Imperil' ... sounds like the sort of thing that the priest might be accused of.  Indeed, he'd be the first to admit, even boast, that now that he's left the city it's almost certainly a lot safer for both residents and vistors.  Much less likely to catch fire, for one thing.

Just one thing is puzzling him, or at least one thing puzzling him enough to stir him to ask his companions ...

"Which froggin' one was Bard's Gate ?  Was that where we buried Ozzie ?"
Eilieen
Player, 851 posts
Cure Serious Wounds!
Cure Serious Wounds!
Mon 8 Jan 2018
at 13:39
  • msg #11

Part 20 - The Forest Kingdoms

Pursing her lips, Eilieen considers her reply. "I was accosted in the street by a gang of toughs," she recalls - it didn't end well for them, "but that is not out of the question for any large city.  However, the Justicars of Muir had an issue in their crypt - an infestation of undead," strained, her smile, "which we assisted them in cleaning out."

There is a peculiar emphasis on the final two words.

"As it so happened, the undead in question were part of a plot of a demonic cult."  Not exactly casual conversation, but Eilieen states it as fact.  "The cult, however, has been driven from the city -" that they know of, mind "- and as such, it should be safe now."

The priestess beams.  "I feel the marriage will proceed without issue; only be wary upon the road, though I am certain you already are."

She shoots a glance at Aarnr.  "In Bard's Gate," the priestess corrects with a doleful sigh, "we lost Fergus."  Everywhere they go, they leave dear ones behind.
Aarnr Foultongue
Player, 999 posts
Human (technically)
Cleric of froggin' Bowbe!
Mon 8 Jan 2018
at 13:59
  • msg #12

Part 20 - The Forest Kingdoms

The priest listens with rapt fascination to Eilieen's reply.  Certainly this Bard's Gate sounds like a place he'd be keen to visit.

Lost Fergus. That's another puzzler.  He thought he remembered his friend dying at the hands of the giant that also slew the old Justicar, and being planted in the ground in the temple of his goddess.  Perhaps the priestess meant 'mislaid'. These people do have a lot of words that all mean much the same thing.

And of course, 'mislaid' is far more appropriate as Aarnr was against burial from the start, preferring a proper bonfire such as Ozzie got.  Pity his blood-brother was six feet under it and not on top of it though.

"There were froggin' bandits on the road," he decides to be helpful.  "You might find their rottin' corpses disturb thy horses."  Skittish beasts, not at all stolid and dependable like his oxen.
Dungeon Master
GM, 798 posts
You're trying what?
Hahahahahahaha!
Wed 10 Jan 2018
at 19:42
  • msg #13

Part 20 - The Forest Kingdoms

"My thanks to ye.  'tis good to be forewarned of possible dangers.  Though I believe I have sufficient warriors accompanying me that I need not be overly concerned."  The elf smiles.  Then, "Mayhap I can reciprocate ye for the kindness ye have shown.  Where are ye bound.  If I have news of your destination, then I will gladly share it with ye."

Her mount fidgets nervously, and the elf lays one pale hand against the side of its neck to calm it...
Aarnr Foultongue
Player, 1000 posts
Human (technically)
Cleric of froggin' Bowbe!
Sat 13 Jan 2018
at 05:57
  • msg #14

Part 20 - The Forest Kingdoms

"We're goin' to Rappan Athuk," Aarnr assures the spokeself, proudly, boastfully even. "To kill all the froggin' monsters."

If the priest were one for second thoughts, he might regret those words, for undoubtedly such a prize might tempt these travellers to join him and his companions in that endeavour ... but he's not, so he doesn't.  There's supposed to be plenty of monsters there anyway - more than enough to go around.
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