Astros
06-13-2004, 05:14 PM
I can't get into too much detail about the world, as my players are finding it out as they adventure, but I can let you in on a brief summary. There is a Church state of Talan to the north, with Talan being the primary human diety (monotheistic society). This state is rumored to be continually ruled by a man named Lorado Patern III who has been alive for nearly 800 years.
The middle kingdom of the land is Astros and is a fuedalistic state ruled by a line of kings that hail from a peasant warrior that led a great army against an uncountable evil.
To the south is the elven kingdom of Veileania, a knightdom. (about all the players know at this point).
To the east are great hills and mountains, among them the Hammerhorn, home of the dwarves.
Past those Arbol Hills lies the Yellow Sea, a desert of vast form, at its center is rumored to be the mercenary capitol Endless. Endless is also supposed to be the ancient capitol of the ancient empire. It is here where Orcs and worse gather.
And now onto the show.
Aaron Reinhart opened his weary eyes. The peircing sun shooting into his eyes through pacts of shadows made with trees and leaves. The glare coming and going as he was moved through the forest floor. His blurry vision catching glimpses of blinding light and pulsating shadow, until the repetitive joggling of his body, similar to a mother rocking her child, captivated him back into unconciousness.
Again he awoke, dreary eyed and dazed still. His failing vision this time watching the forest underbrush of decaying leaves and green moss covered roots pass by a set of moving feet that were not his own. The jostling of his body continued but this time it stirred fresh crimson from his brow which drowned his vision in a reddish devil-hue. The burning hot liquid life stinging the sensitivity of his eyes sending them shut once more.
When he awoke a third time he was propped up against a tree. His vision still blurred, double, and difficult to focus. He looks around and makes out figures lying still in a row five down each of two rows. His ears seem more perceptive as he hears a stream to his side but cannot turn his head to see its fog covered waters. What he does uncontrollably see is a makeshift table of wood, four figures one of which is prone on the table. Two others in semi-shiny metal hold this figure down as the final figure prepares a small saw. A bandage tightened around the prone man's bloodridden arm. As the man with the saw begins to cut and the muffled, leather-strap screams eminate from that direction, Aaron's vision is promptly cut off by a large dark figure.
The figure leaned down, wipped Aaron's brow and spoke to him softly. "Brother, it's good you are alive. But you should learn to watch your back."
The thoughts and memories of the attack surged back into Aaron's brain. His brother and him had been granted a company of men, 100 in all by the Baron of Southerton for service and deeds in the Southerland-Cormland war of succession. They were hunting the Black Company, the Dark Ravens, a mercenary group led by none other than Aaron's mother. They had tracked them for 3 months from the south kingdom, now traversing the Church State borders. An ambush, men dying, the attack was nearly flawless. Nearly... half his company survived.
It was Aaron's (once he had recovered somewhat) and his brother's decision to let the surgeon take the rest of the men back around to the East Gate, and home to the safety of Astros. Aaron and his brother Johnathan would continue on and search for the Black Company, and find out what they were up to. It was then that they set out for the north plains of Ral.
--------------
Rhonna and Albus, both ordained priests of the Church of Talan, and both in the order of the Animus Exspiro had arrived in the troubled small village of Easton on Lyfe. Strange tales had come from the village demanding their attention. It was their job to tackle such mysterious of the world. Albus had personally taken Rhonna under his wing, as head Preist of the order he was so entitled to choose his warriors of God.
They tracked through the forest for the entire day, arriving some time after darkness. The ruins of some ancient building, now overgrown with moss and forest life was testament to the ancient empire's downfall. In the rubble there was a dark tunnel, or possibly stair into the earth. As they approached they saw a gruesome sight, a woman, a young maiden fair of no more than child-birth age stewn about a stone heap, her entrials smattered about, her body fed upon by some canine animal.
And from the dark cave it stalked them, its yellow eyes wide pupiled in the full-moon light of the open glade. It's snarl allerting the elderly man and woman to its most unholy presence. Albus began his practiced prayers drawing lines in the dirt. He drew Rhonna in closer to him as his prayers incited the rage within the beast. It's powerful and large legs propelled it forward at an unholy speed. It's size enormous, as large as a man is tall at the shoulders and longer than the largest dog. It's malproportioned arms and legs awkwardly covered in loose patches of dark and gray fur. As it crossed the holy circle a burst of light and an emanation of force and holy symbols dissipating into the night chill. The beast bounced off the holy barrier and rolled for 5 paces. "Run, child," was all Albus had to say as he took Rhonna's arm and fled into the night.
They ran, Albus moving at a pace a middle aged man would have trouble even sprinting. Rhonna barely able to keep up, could not help to avoid the briars and bramble patches of the underbrush. The entire forest seemed to close in about her, it's hatred for her and her God growing with every snapped branch and twig underfoot. The wind rustled the leaves at every draw of blood from her cheeck or arm making it seem as if the forest delighted in her death struggle.
They soon arrived at a stream and crossed, halting abrutly as Albus began praying. The beast was not far behind and she could see it stalk them from the other side of the steam. She was not sure what was going on, beasts of the underland, beasts of this nature had no qualms passing running water. In Albus's hands she noted his right hand grasping firmly his cross shaped symbol of Talan with his prayer beads wrapped tightly around his clenched fist. In his other hand she noted the figure of a leaf, like that of a Bay leaf but she knew it not for cooking but for its true purpose, Belladonna, wolf's bane.
As Albu's prayer grew in power, so did the mist forming about the stream. Was he trying to create a fog, an escape in the thicket? No... something else was wrong... the beast could easily jump the stream, which it was exactly doing as she thought it. As the beast jumped across the stream Albus's prayer finished as the creature reached it's apex. It's ascent-descent halted abruptly as it pawed and bit at the mist about it, now wailing like an angry and upset dog. The mist began to solidify, forming crystal clear beads of water about the area. "Holy water," Rhonna muttered under her breath as the wieght of the dropplets became too much for the air, and the entire place became the subject of a holy downpour. The werewolf screamed in agony, the water burning holes in its patchy fur, the fragrance not of human hair burning filling the forest. The creature wracked by holy power wretched in ruin as it splashed in the pool of holy water. The heat-mist reforming as the pain of the curse lifted as that of steam. After a few silent and still moments, the figure of a naked small boy, no more than 12, rose to the surface, bruised and bloody from the water's effect on his unholy luck. Albus said a prayer as Rhonna watched amazed and terrified as the boy's body floated downstream and dissapeared into the forest's miasma. "We must rest and come again tomorrow," Albus insisted.
------------
The next day the two priests returned to the ruin. As they searched they found strange footprints, and realized - all too late- that they were in an ambush. Three mercenaries popped out of hiding positions and laughed in glee. "We should take our way with the woman, it will at least make it worthwhile," noted one. "I can't believe our luck, we get lost, and find this precious thing," noted another. "Me first," said one standing atop a rock.
Aaron and his brother Johnathan had been traveling in the plains for a few days, they reached a small forest and decided to enter to attain much needed water. They both heard the sounds of chatter up ahead, and proceeded to quickly get into position. They witnessed three armed men closing in about two priests, one of the men wielded a crossbow, the other two swords. Having split up they launched their rescue attempt.
Johnathan loosed his arrow at the man on the rock, missing. Aaron launched out of the forest sprinting and charging the man with a crossbow taking quite a hit to the man's head with his sword, but its true force glancing away. The man with the crossbow stepped back in surprise as Aaron continued to swing at the man's head landing another glancing blow. Johnathan knocking another arrow watched as the others reacted. The priests sought shelter and began praying.
Aaron fought the crossbow man, but he stepped back, his lunge missing and the crossbow being loosed directly at him, but his reflexes kicking in to raise his shield to absorb the dead-shot blow. Glancing blink-eyed at the bolt in his shield Aaron was now assailed by the second mercenary. The one on top also took a few steps back and prepared to jump on top of Aaron. As he did so Johnathan's second shot rang from the cover of the wood, but barely missed the jumping man. The man's attempted airial assualt missing Aaron who dodged out of the way. The crossbow man dropping his bulky weapon, ran for the sword pack near the edge of the forest. Aaron continued to battle the two men at once, striking one and then the other in a flurry of martial skill. Wounding them both to send them falling to the ground in pain, Johnathan dispatched the third.
The rescue was a success, and the priests were quite pleased at their salvation. Aaron kicked the wounded man, whom he had noticed had a pauldron from his company on his shoulder... obviously an attacker in the ambush. Rhonna immedietly healed the wounded men, attending to their wounds so they would not die, for even Talan had mercy for those who would not show it.
They became doctors for a time, attending wounds as Albus searched the area while Johnathan patrolled. But more work was needed, the priests needed to attain the ancient tomes within the cavern, if any existed. And Aaron and Johnathan needed to catch up to the Black Company, of who these mercenaries belonged to... what was in the crpyt? Who were these men? Aaron could not let these questions go unanswered anymore than he could let two unarmed priests descend into the earth alone.
End Chapter 1 - Flights
The middle kingdom of the land is Astros and is a fuedalistic state ruled by a line of kings that hail from a peasant warrior that led a great army against an uncountable evil.
To the south is the elven kingdom of Veileania, a knightdom. (about all the players know at this point).
To the east are great hills and mountains, among them the Hammerhorn, home of the dwarves.
Past those Arbol Hills lies the Yellow Sea, a desert of vast form, at its center is rumored to be the mercenary capitol Endless. Endless is also supposed to be the ancient capitol of the ancient empire. It is here where Orcs and worse gather.
And now onto the show.
Aaron Reinhart opened his weary eyes. The peircing sun shooting into his eyes through pacts of shadows made with trees and leaves. The glare coming and going as he was moved through the forest floor. His blurry vision catching glimpses of blinding light and pulsating shadow, until the repetitive joggling of his body, similar to a mother rocking her child, captivated him back into unconciousness.
Again he awoke, dreary eyed and dazed still. His failing vision this time watching the forest underbrush of decaying leaves and green moss covered roots pass by a set of moving feet that were not his own. The jostling of his body continued but this time it stirred fresh crimson from his brow which drowned his vision in a reddish devil-hue. The burning hot liquid life stinging the sensitivity of his eyes sending them shut once more.
When he awoke a third time he was propped up against a tree. His vision still blurred, double, and difficult to focus. He looks around and makes out figures lying still in a row five down each of two rows. His ears seem more perceptive as he hears a stream to his side but cannot turn his head to see its fog covered waters. What he does uncontrollably see is a makeshift table of wood, four figures one of which is prone on the table. Two others in semi-shiny metal hold this figure down as the final figure prepares a small saw. A bandage tightened around the prone man's bloodridden arm. As the man with the saw begins to cut and the muffled, leather-strap screams eminate from that direction, Aaron's vision is promptly cut off by a large dark figure.
The figure leaned down, wipped Aaron's brow and spoke to him softly. "Brother, it's good you are alive. But you should learn to watch your back."
The thoughts and memories of the attack surged back into Aaron's brain. His brother and him had been granted a company of men, 100 in all by the Baron of Southerton for service and deeds in the Southerland-Cormland war of succession. They were hunting the Black Company, the Dark Ravens, a mercenary group led by none other than Aaron's mother. They had tracked them for 3 months from the south kingdom, now traversing the Church State borders. An ambush, men dying, the attack was nearly flawless. Nearly... half his company survived.
It was Aaron's (once he had recovered somewhat) and his brother's decision to let the surgeon take the rest of the men back around to the East Gate, and home to the safety of Astros. Aaron and his brother Johnathan would continue on and search for the Black Company, and find out what they were up to. It was then that they set out for the north plains of Ral.
--------------
Rhonna and Albus, both ordained priests of the Church of Talan, and both in the order of the Animus Exspiro had arrived in the troubled small village of Easton on Lyfe. Strange tales had come from the village demanding their attention. It was their job to tackle such mysterious of the world. Albus had personally taken Rhonna under his wing, as head Preist of the order he was so entitled to choose his warriors of God.
They tracked through the forest for the entire day, arriving some time after darkness. The ruins of some ancient building, now overgrown with moss and forest life was testament to the ancient empire's downfall. In the rubble there was a dark tunnel, or possibly stair into the earth. As they approached they saw a gruesome sight, a woman, a young maiden fair of no more than child-birth age stewn about a stone heap, her entrials smattered about, her body fed upon by some canine animal.
And from the dark cave it stalked them, its yellow eyes wide pupiled in the full-moon light of the open glade. It's snarl allerting the elderly man and woman to its most unholy presence. Albus began his practiced prayers drawing lines in the dirt. He drew Rhonna in closer to him as his prayers incited the rage within the beast. It's powerful and large legs propelled it forward at an unholy speed. It's size enormous, as large as a man is tall at the shoulders and longer than the largest dog. It's malproportioned arms and legs awkwardly covered in loose patches of dark and gray fur. As it crossed the holy circle a burst of light and an emanation of force and holy symbols dissipating into the night chill. The beast bounced off the holy barrier and rolled for 5 paces. "Run, child," was all Albus had to say as he took Rhonna's arm and fled into the night.
They ran, Albus moving at a pace a middle aged man would have trouble even sprinting. Rhonna barely able to keep up, could not help to avoid the briars and bramble patches of the underbrush. The entire forest seemed to close in about her, it's hatred for her and her God growing with every snapped branch and twig underfoot. The wind rustled the leaves at every draw of blood from her cheeck or arm making it seem as if the forest delighted in her death struggle.
They soon arrived at a stream and crossed, halting abrutly as Albus began praying. The beast was not far behind and she could see it stalk them from the other side of the steam. She was not sure what was going on, beasts of the underland, beasts of this nature had no qualms passing running water. In Albus's hands she noted his right hand grasping firmly his cross shaped symbol of Talan with his prayer beads wrapped tightly around his clenched fist. In his other hand she noted the figure of a leaf, like that of a Bay leaf but she knew it not for cooking but for its true purpose, Belladonna, wolf's bane.
As Albu's prayer grew in power, so did the mist forming about the stream. Was he trying to create a fog, an escape in the thicket? No... something else was wrong... the beast could easily jump the stream, which it was exactly doing as she thought it. As the beast jumped across the stream Albus's prayer finished as the creature reached it's apex. It's ascent-descent halted abruptly as it pawed and bit at the mist about it, now wailing like an angry and upset dog. The mist began to solidify, forming crystal clear beads of water about the area. "Holy water," Rhonna muttered under her breath as the wieght of the dropplets became too much for the air, and the entire place became the subject of a holy downpour. The werewolf screamed in agony, the water burning holes in its patchy fur, the fragrance not of human hair burning filling the forest. The creature wracked by holy power wretched in ruin as it splashed in the pool of holy water. The heat-mist reforming as the pain of the curse lifted as that of steam. After a few silent and still moments, the figure of a naked small boy, no more than 12, rose to the surface, bruised and bloody from the water's effect on his unholy luck. Albus said a prayer as Rhonna watched amazed and terrified as the boy's body floated downstream and dissapeared into the forest's miasma. "We must rest and come again tomorrow," Albus insisted.
------------
The next day the two priests returned to the ruin. As they searched they found strange footprints, and realized - all too late- that they were in an ambush. Three mercenaries popped out of hiding positions and laughed in glee. "We should take our way with the woman, it will at least make it worthwhile," noted one. "I can't believe our luck, we get lost, and find this precious thing," noted another. "Me first," said one standing atop a rock.
Aaron and his brother Johnathan had been traveling in the plains for a few days, they reached a small forest and decided to enter to attain much needed water. They both heard the sounds of chatter up ahead, and proceeded to quickly get into position. They witnessed three armed men closing in about two priests, one of the men wielded a crossbow, the other two swords. Having split up they launched their rescue attempt.
Johnathan loosed his arrow at the man on the rock, missing. Aaron launched out of the forest sprinting and charging the man with a crossbow taking quite a hit to the man's head with his sword, but its true force glancing away. The man with the crossbow stepped back in surprise as Aaron continued to swing at the man's head landing another glancing blow. Johnathan knocking another arrow watched as the others reacted. The priests sought shelter and began praying.
Aaron fought the crossbow man, but he stepped back, his lunge missing and the crossbow being loosed directly at him, but his reflexes kicking in to raise his shield to absorb the dead-shot blow. Glancing blink-eyed at the bolt in his shield Aaron was now assailed by the second mercenary. The one on top also took a few steps back and prepared to jump on top of Aaron. As he did so Johnathan's second shot rang from the cover of the wood, but barely missed the jumping man. The man's attempted airial assualt missing Aaron who dodged out of the way. The crossbow man dropping his bulky weapon, ran for the sword pack near the edge of the forest. Aaron continued to battle the two men at once, striking one and then the other in a flurry of martial skill. Wounding them both to send them falling to the ground in pain, Johnathan dispatched the third.
The rescue was a success, and the priests were quite pleased at their salvation. Aaron kicked the wounded man, whom he had noticed had a pauldron from his company on his shoulder... obviously an attacker in the ambush. Rhonna immedietly healed the wounded men, attending to their wounds so they would not die, for even Talan had mercy for those who would not show it.
They became doctors for a time, attending wounds as Albus searched the area while Johnathan patrolled. But more work was needed, the priests needed to attain the ancient tomes within the cavern, if any existed. And Aaron and Johnathan needed to catch up to the Black Company, of who these mercenaries belonged to... what was in the crpyt? Who were these men? Aaron could not let these questions go unanswered anymore than he could let two unarmed priests descend into the earth alone.
End Chapter 1 - Flights