[OOC: suggested soundtrack: Derelicts by Carbon Based Lifeforms]

The sun is sinking over the Crystal Mountains, and you are riding back to Hellwinter’s Tower after the feast at Tyntern where you have been appointed Knights of the Black Dragon, known to most commoners as Knights of Hellwinter by Baron Bedivere Grayson. The good Baron, after a stream of weird and worrying happenings along his norther border, the one that divides his fief from the lands of his treacherous cousin, the Duke Mornay, decided to revive the ancient and mysterious Order of the Knights of the Black Dragons to have a better sentry on that mountain range, especially during Winter, when an attacking army may be able to sneak across the high and freezing mountain passes, reaching the plains before alarm is raised.

You have the impression that Baron Bedivere was not so worried about his treacherous cousin, as much as about the legends about an ancient and wise race of Elf Lords that once inhabited the mountain region, before disappearing mysteriously, leaving behind all sort of magic, including doors to weird dimensions. Perhaps for this reason he entrusted on your newly reborn order of knights the fabulous Staff of Hamaskar, an artifact that is said to be the only key to the Library of Skelo, where the ancient Elves hid their most secret knowledges. Unfortunately, nobody knows anymore where Skelo is.

Now you’ll have to decide how to organize the Knights of Hellwinter, as you will have more free time at the end of Winter, when it becomes impossible for a full army crossing sneakily the high mountain passes covered by the bad weather as shepherds and flocks go back to the high pastures.

The brisk air of the first days of spring is slowly turning colder as the sunbeams idly retire, dripping away within the mountain gorges. You’ll have to kindle the fireplace with a generous load of oaken logs this night, if you want to banish the chillness from the common room as you will have your first dinner together in the Tower as Knights of Hellwinter. As you approach the Tower, however, you find that a small fellowship is peacefully waiting for you at the watchtower’s entrance. An eerie feel pervades the whole scene, whilst the three strangers manifest themselves. They are Elves, undoubtedly, clad in flowing white robes that dance in the air as if by their own will. Two of them wear an elegant silver chainmail with willowy helms and bear sheathed swords, while the remaining holds a blinding-white banner bearing the blazon of a prancing unicorn as a sign of peace.

When you get near enough, the Elves’ herald will take a step forward and will start to speak: «Hail, brave Knights. My name is Chlandhor, of the House of Faelar, the third Matriarch of the High White Elves of Kiryel Than.
We undertook a long journey to confer with you. We know you wield the Staff of Hamaskar, and we are pleased with that, as you acquired it honorably and not by theft or betrayal. Now we all hope you will make the right move… In the Staff’s heart, as you know, resides the key to unlock an incredible power, for the artefact is the only way to open the doors of the Library of Skelo!

Millennia ago, during the wondrous Age of Dawn, the Elves ruled over a magnificent kingdom. Daring cities spired up to the skies, challenging the Gods themselves with their breathtaking architectures. The most fulgent of all was Skelo, where unimaginable wisdom and knowledge was collected and protected by unworthy people.

Just centuries ago, our kin decided, for many reasons, to have no more connections with Humans and other races. Your heroic and unselfish deeds, however, earnt our respect and the blessing of our gods… Please, noble heroes, you must find the way back to the lost city of Skelo and enter the Library. There you will confront with an Evil so ancient and powerful that… but we will give you our aid and guide. We will give you the means to destroy that Evil, once and forever!»
This message was last edited by the GM at 05:33, Sun 09 Dec 2018.

"Hail, Sir Elf," Storm greets. 'You are too polite. It is a pleasure to be here to hep. May I ask how may we proceed to the place and what do we need to open the library?" Storm asks.

Robustous stood with the other, arms folded and a stream of smoke coming from his well stuffed pipe. As Storm speaks Robustous cocks his ear interested in the response from this Chlandhor fellow.


-

Garl leans on the Staff of Hamaskar, which he carries personally.  He had become a bit lightheaded as the other elves spoke of unlocking the Library of Skelo.  Needless to say, this prospect appeals to him!

Finally he clears his throat and simply says, "When shall we leave?"

"We will walk with you for a week through steep mountains and hidden passes, we will teach you something and we will give you tools and weapons to fight the evil. Then we will leave the final part of the quest to you. We can leave as soon as you are ready."
You know that your allowance is of ten items, plus your weapons and armor. Each meal takes one place in your backpacks and a purse with up to 50 Gold Crowns takes as well one place in your backpacks (you can assume that you have enough gold to fill your backpacks, if you want, but if you can't eat two meals a day you will start losing your STAMINA and you don't know if you will be lucky enough to find places to buy food).
You can go with your horse, that you got as part of your knighthood and the horse can carry ten more items in the saddlebag.

"I will be pleased to receive your instructions,"'storm says eagerly. He elects to take 18 meals and 100'crowms.

Garl will pack ten meals in his saddlebags.  Also, he asks around to find out if anyone could use his lantern & oil, as he no longer needs them.

The Elves teach you how to walk in straight lines in the snow in order to hide your numbers, by leaving only one set of footprints. Then, after a week of march, you descend a last mountain, arriving at the borders of a desolate region outside the control of the law: the Badlands.
They tell you that the swiftest route to Skelo is northward, straight across the Badlands, but they have been banned from entering that lands, so it is time to part ways.

Before saying farewell, the Elves give you a Seized Sunbeam. It’s a small globe of gold, etched with ancient runes of power. The globe may be opened, thus releasing the sunbeam which was been seized inside it. The sunbeam has the power to kill outright any creature which belongs to the realms of Undead, Evil or Demons within 10 meters radius. Make a good use of it, as it is suitable for just one use.

As you have been walking for a week and you ate most of your provisions, the Elves donate to each of you 4 rations of Elvish Waybread. One ration of Elvish Waybread occupies just ¼ of space in the backpack, never expires and restores not only a hungry body like the most nutritious meal, but also 1 LUCK point.
Finally, the Elves show you five artefacts. Each of you may choose one of them as a support in your quest. Once an artifact (from the list below) has been chosen by a character, of course no other character can claim it.

• An ancient magic tome with the following Wizardry spells: Ward (1), Sentry (2) and Explode (4). A Wizard reading once the magic book in deep concentration will learn these spells with no XPs expenditure. Then the book turns itself into ashes.
• A silver Zilath Spear +1 Damage Table, +1 Initial STAMINA
• A pair of Dragonskin Boots -2 Damage from fire
• An elven silver bastard sword +1 Attack rolls
• An elven Hawk Eye Longbow, that nullifies the lowest cumulative penalty potentially applied when shooting an arrow.
This message was last edited by the GM at 02:29, Sun 16 Dec 2018.

If he can wield the bastard sword in one hand and attack with his other sword, Storm will choose that as a weapon.
He thanks the elves for their generosity.

The dwarf lifts the spear and thanks the elves and then gets down to the important business of stuffing his pipe.

-

I’ll gladly take the ancient magic tome, and I can hardly wait to cast Explode on something.
This message was last edited by the player at 00:14, Mon 17 Dec 2018.

Yes, he can.

[OOC: please double check that your character sheet is properly updated (in doubt, please contact me) and then continue the adventure here: link to a message in this game ]