We were still doing all our work for the town when Shynte, our drow companion (as it seems he is now), comes back from his assignment to tell us that he may have found something to help us in our ‘quest’. One of his contacts from Memnon, Grey Fox, has told him that if we can find for him an amulet in some catacombs, he may be able to help us. It seems that we have no other clue right now on how to defeat the Genasi or how to go back home, so why not try this.

So we leave Almraiven to go to Suldolphur, a town that we can reach crossing some mountains. This is a nice travel where we can discover what this new world has to offer in fauna and plants. Nothing major happens during the 3 days trip, but Joelle keeps on eyeing the drow with a really dark look, muttering something about thieving and gold. It seems that our dark elf companion has not been happy to get no share of the money that was retrieved and that I got some without participating. As I said, money will make them lose their minds if they go on like that. Joelle even pretends that the drow tried to pick her pockets. I don’t know what he would gain in that. I’ll have to settle the dispute between those two one day before it degenerates. Maybe when we get back to Almraiven…

On the last night of the travel, we stop at a monastery. This is a place for weary traveler to stop in those mountains. The place has very simple cells to sleep and simple food that the monks grow, but the welcome is warm and the place is filled by children that play, people that talk and monks that … pray. I spend most of the evening to help at the monastery to pay for our stay. I wish some of my companions would help me but it seems they have better to do. At one point, when I’m cutting wood outside, I hear some commotion inside. During supper I hear people talking about a thief that was chased by a monk. And yet another person causing trouble because of money…

The next morning, an old man is waiting for us next to our rooms. He is accompanied by another monk and they accuse Shynte to be the thief. They don’t really have other proof than what this monk is saying, but Joelle has this ‘told you so’ look, which is actually followed by a real ‘told you so’.

I can’t have this kind of problem stopping us in our travel. Shynte is the only one that knows the contact that can help us and I really can afford to lose whatever information he may have that may be able to get us home. The old man doesn’t look upset either and is very quiet when he talks with me, but usually monks are not known for great displays of character. I ask if there are any ways we can repay for the trouble he may have caused, that I’m ready to answer for him. The old man says that he wants to help the drow coming back to right and thus he asks us to take his young apprentice with us so that he can teach him what is right and wrong. This makes Joelle chuckle.

I fear that this travel is getting more and more complicated; what did I do to Kord to deserve so many troubles. As I want this to end quickly and without any trouble, I accept the old man’s request. Having another party member in this mission may prove a good thing in the end.

After this, we pack up and leave to Suldolphur. We head directly to the place where the crypt is. According to Shynte, the paw of one of the Gargoyle will open the way. The main problem is that the place we go to is ‘Gargoyle City’. They are everywhere. We are ready to try to pull all the paws of all the gargoyles there, when I realize that one of the gargoyles near me is set up in a way that it covers something. Like an underground passage. That is my lucky day, at last! I lift the paw and the gargoyle moves, leaving a 2ft wide opening, going underground.

I crack a sunrod, and Joelle points to me that she can cast light. Years of training with the elves and I’m already forgetting the fundamentals. This trip will kill me, I fear. I decide to go first in the cave, what has fate in store for us…

Prior to the edition of new 4E modules for their Dungeon Crawl Classics line, Goodman Games published three edition-free books this summer.   Let’s review those, beginning with the first one published : GM Gems.

This 64 page book, available in PDF or paperback, gives tools for the GM/DM that will allow him to flesh out his fantasy games.  Sure, we are playing Dungeons & Dragons, but there’s a lot more to the game than dungeons and dragons.  The information is presented in three sections – The Urban Experience, Getting There Is Half the Fun, and The Dungeon.

Like Engineering Dungeons, the fact that it is black and white and small makes it a good PDF buy (it’s cheaper at only $9). The version on DriveThruRPG is composed of the original one and a printer friendly one.

Chapter 1: The Urban Experience

This chapter includes information that will make every town, village, and hamlet memorable.  After all, every adventure should begin in a civilized environment (and not at the gate of the dungeon).  There are sections about Local Folklore, Truth Behind the Myths, Unique Taverns and Inns, and Unusual Holidays.

There are ten sections on twenty pages that give a sparkle to your NPCs or the places the PCs would like to visit.  The random table for Tavern names gives 2500 possibilities.  Another table gives a hundred ideas of strange items possessed by an NPC.

Enter a venerable elf, wielding a polished ebony staff capped with a preserved pseudo dragon head.   How about an orc that wears a sash woven from the teeth and hair of fallen enemies?  Maybe a bard with a sword enchanted with a permanent ghost sound spell of men singing chants that has to store it in a padded sheath to muffle the sound? Every NPC and every location becomes special – not just the ones that railroad the PCs to the next quest.

For urban environment campaigns (like some parts of Paizo’s Adventure Paths), it is useful to color things. Most importantly, the places and people can be used for great adventure hooks.  Where did the chanting sword come from and why is someone trying to kill the bard to get it?

Chapter 2: Getting There Is Half the Fun

In this chapter, the travel to the Dungeon/Cave/Tower/Bandit Camp is discussed.   The chapter describes caravans, ruins, PC camps, merchants, storms, war, etc.  There are dozens of places, NPCs, and events that can cause conflict for the PCs and again, many adventure ideas.   Twenty pages of valuable information compose this chapter.

Chapter 3: The Dungeon

If they are still alive after the encounters on the journey, the PCs arrive at the dungeon where the fun can begin.   It would be bad to create a simple dungeon, with the same monsters and traps seen in dozens of modules.   I know you agree, but how do you make each dungeon different?

This chapter has sections like: Empty Rooms Worth Describing, New and Unusual Light Sources, Short Encounters for Short Attention Spans, and Familiar Creatures with Unfamiliar Faces.   It gives the opportunity to surprise your players with something unique and exciting.

This chapter is about 25 pages long and is full of random tables for DMs like me that love to improvise things.   Of course, you can also pick or roll in advance if you prep your games.  I don’t!

One part deserves a special attention.  It describes familiars left behind in the dungeon by their master (who died or was teleported in another dimension) and what players may want to do with them.   It’s always good to know you can find other things in a dungeon besides that +5 keen vorpal scimitar.

Conclusion

I loved this book.   It’s small and full of incredibly good ideas that can fuel many campaigns.  Coupled with Engineering Dungeons that I presented few days ago, you should have plenty of good material to make memorable campaigns for your players.

Pick up GM Gems from amazon.com today
and put it under the tree for your favorite GM!

You see, I was still working on the fortifications for Almraiven, when the group came to me, saying things about going out or whatever.  I was really deeply involved in a conversation with some officers to set up the watches and the pairs between wizards and soldiers and I hadn’t time.  I was sure that my wife would oversee that everything was fine there.

To say I’ve been disappointed is an understatement…

They encounter armed forces, watched a fight, got involved in some way and came back with hundreds of thousands of gold pieces. After asking some questions, it seems they have mislead the persons that previously owned the money into a false trail. My thought on that is that they stole money from an army that may want it back, let witnesses that can recognize them go away and took no real precaution than hiding the chest in a curious illusion.

My wife being the nicest person I know have decided that I should get a part of the money which is very sensitive. But this money is dangerous, and maybe dirty and the wizards of Almraiven may need it to help secure the town.  I’ve decided to give my full share to the town.

And you’d think that they would be thankful after taking us by force here, having us help them in their war and me giving them about 80k gold pieces, but no, noithing! It makes me wonder if this town and those people deserve to be saved…

Because of your knowledge of warfare, you have been asked to join the city guard to help strengthen their defenses.  In the process, you will learn more about the Genasi battle tactics, their leadership structure and desert warfare.

Week 1:

As the old manuals say, know your enemy.  I’ll spend my first week this way:

• Morning training with the soldier of the militia. Getting to know them, to know their strength and have a better understanding of the area (patrols, getting their experience of actual fights against Genasis, and their potential allies).
• Lunch with Joelle, what would be a day without her.
• Afternoon, between the academy and the library, getting as much information as possible on the genasis.  I will also discuss with some wizards on how they would fight against Genasis, get actual facts about fights against them, their known strength and weaknesses.
• Diner with Joelle, what would be a night without her.  Followed by a discussion on arcane facts about the Genasis, I know she’ll get a lot of information being inside the academy all day.

Week 2:

• Day 1: With everything I know about the area, our strength, our weaknesses and our enemies, I’ll spend the day to prepare an action plan. I hate acting without planning.
• Day 2: Calling a meeting with officer of the militia and wizards of the Academy. Exposing my reflexions about our chances. The fact that our enemy rely a lot on its arcana background is our best hope. For every soldier of the militia, a wizard must also train to help defending the town. Soldiers will be the steel against the steel, wizard the magic against the magic. It is time to have some more coordination between all the people of this town.If we act against them, they will eventually try to attack the town. Some examples of defense are putting fire wizards near the river. Water/Ice Genasis would attack from there and would probably be more susceptible to fear fire magic.
• Day 3-5: Time to recruit wizards that will be able to help the soldiers. Forming pairs, they will have to learn to weave their differences into one strong force.Being used to working with both weapons and magic, I will be the teacher.   I’ll ask one of the wizards of the Academy to help me, showing some of the things I had learned with the elves.
• Day 6-7: I will take some of the most promising pairs to perform some operations in the area. I will be able to see what they are worth (in a very little time) and also have them see what it is to really fight. (There are probably big game to catch in the nearby woods).

What has been done during days 3-7 of week two, will be repeated, under my monitoring, or officers of the militia (that will be paired with teachers of the academy).

The most important thing to do will be to equip soldiers with magical weapons that would help the work with the wizards.

Engineering Dungeons

For those who don’t know, Troll Lord Games is a small independent editor that publishes Castles & Crusades (C&C), a d20 game with a strong AD&D1 flavor.  In the last years of his life, Gary Gygax worked for them and wrote a number of books and games.  For those who don’t know, Gary Gygax is… No, just kidding!

This is a very useful product for GMs that want to create fun dungeons but don’t have the time to think about them too much.  This product is an improved version of the random dungeon generator from Appendix A of AD&D First Edition.

What’s Inside

You’ll find 28 pages of tables, all with long explanations and some very nice drawings.  There are also a few examples of dungeon maps (one complete, some partials, some rooms and passages).  Basically what Mr. Gygax did in his games, but with additional flavor, the Troll way… in a way.

This small book helps you create your own dungeons.  Not just the map, but also the dungeon’s purpose, origins, contents and lots of flavor bits to make it more believable.  Bear in mind that even if the book is published by TLG and has the C&C colors, this is completely generic material.  Of course, the monsters in the tables are from the Monster & Treasure book by TLG, but otherwise, it is good for every hack’n slash fantasy game.

To give you a better understanding of what this product has to offer, I’ll give you one example of what I’ve generated with it.   Everything here is the result of the roll of the dice.   I’ll present the general description of the dungeon and two of its rooms.   You’ll see with the rooms, that sometimes, you’ll probably have to tweak the numbers to make it work for your campaign.

My Dungeon

Purpose:     Economic and Shelter.  (I chose to roll two purposes as suggested in the book.)

Builder:       Natural conditions.

Location:    Terrain, Hot desert.

Size:            1 level, with 2 entrances, both known (but one is hidden so very few must know of it).   The first entrance is a shaft and the second is a door.

Age:            2 millennia.

As a GM, what can I make out of that?   I immediately thought about a desert smuggler cache (due to the purpose), probably in a rocky desert in some natural caves.  The entrances can be easily placed this way.

Then I rolled for the layout.  My opinion is that people should use their own dungeon design, but this book can give some really nice ideas for layout.   There is lots of advice about how to interpret your results and adapt them to your design.  I will give you two examples of rooms I rolled up.  Once again, all the information come from various tables.

Room 1

This is a rectangular room, 15ft x 30ft, built for medium sized creatures, with one other exit and no doors. It is not trapped and contains no treasures.  This is a unoccupied ramshackle Arboretum where venomous snakes are hidden.  There is a really softly glowing light and some debris around.  (Where are the snakes – in the debris or the trees? It’s up to the GM).

Room 2

You’ll see that this one is not usable as rolled.  It will need some work, but the ideas are great.  My ideas are in parentheses after the information from the tables.

This is a rectangular room of 10ft x 10ft, built for medium sized creatures, with two doors that are neither locked nor trapped.  The room looks like a cell.

There is a tricky non-lethal trap in the room.  It looks like a confusion trap (probably some gaz trap), but it is a movement trap that will take the character or party up to 50ft away (the first trap is a lure hiding a second trap).  The difficulty level of the trap should be 3 below the average party level.  The room also gives mild vertigo (a side effect from the movement trap, teleport?).

There is a functional object in the room.  (Perhaps the lever to disarm the trap?)

There is an NPC in the room with a party of six other characters. The NPC is a level 18 elf.  (Whoa!!! High level, probably a fighter in this place…)  He has a level 2 treasure. (How cheap!)

Tweaking Your Results

What is a high level elf doing with six other people in a 10 by 10 cell?  This is where the GM will have to do some work.  The first room was quite good and would fit this place (with a small irrigation system for the trees), but for the second room will be harder.

Let’s say that there are several 10 by 10 cells, where the elf and his party are trapped due to the movement trap.  The characters may be able to help them thanks to the object in the guard area.  So, you see that even if the rolls were strange, the result can give nice stuff.  As for the level of the NPC and his party (and the treasure), I’ll adjust it to the characters’ level.

Final Thoughts

Two last things to mention about this book are two really great tables.  One gives you 100 objects to fill a torture chamber – really great inspiration!  The other is a set of tables giving lists of monsters for different dungeon locations (swamp, desert, planar, etc.) and the monster commonality.   It’s five pages of lists to help keep your encounters consistent.

I think I’ve said everything I have to say about the book, don’t hesitate to post comments if you need more explanation.  You’ll have to admit, for under $10, it’s a blast!

Pick up Engineering Dungeons today!

I exchange a few words with one of the guards that is close to us, trying to get some information on where we might be.  He knows no Punjar or Aereth, he says that the world we’re on is called Toril.  I’ve felt that the magic seemed different here, like we were in another place.  I’ve learned a few things about the planes during my apprenticeship with the elves, but not enough to know exactly where Toril would be.

After that we are taken in a dressing area where we are given some armor.  Slaves in armor?  This sounds strange.  Are we going to a dangerous place?  I mean, more dangerous than a place with elemental-like beings that enslave people from other worlds…

In my armor, I find a piece of paper, written in elven.   It says – Don’t do anything rash. When we are out of sight of the city you will get your gear back. I have been sent to rescue you all. – R.

I keep the note in his armor wondering what this means.  Friend or foe, I cannot put my trust in anybody but my wife.  And maybe my companions, even if I don’t really know them that well.  After donning the armor, we’re put in manacles (arms and feet).  We have to climb into a cart (which is not easy with the manacles) pulled by a donkey, driven by the drow.  I ask him where he’s taking us.  He says that we’re going to see our masters, pointing the brand on my arm and that he doesn’t have time to talk now.

The cart is covered and we cannot see the outside, but the various noises imply that we are leaving the city.  When the noises all around us are no more than a memory and only the wind of the desert can be heard, the drow stops the cart and tells us to get out.  The heat of the desert is almost unbearable and the manacles burn on my flesh.

“I’m sure you have several questions.” says the drow.  “We’re still near the city. I suggest you get out of your bindings quickly.” He tosses me a key. “It’s for the collar of your friend,” he says pointing Robinn. We are all unlocked and… free.

“You’ll find your equipment, weapons, rations, and a healing potion each in the wagon. I suggest you get your stuff and keep up,” adds the drow.

We get our stuff and go back in the cart, puzzled by what happened, too surprised to react.  We grab our belongings and everything. We’re in the wagon. I try to ask questions to the drow but he says he’ll explain at night.  When we stop, I help him to set up the camp, trying to gauge this man who was the one that put the paper in my armor.

Once the camp is setup, I try to talk with the drow to get some information.  He’s gruff and not very talkative but I manage to get some idea of what we’re doing here.  He’s part of the Orion Group; they are a group of ‘rebels’ against the Genasi, the elemental-like people.  He said that we’re supposed to be champions that have been brought here to fight them, or at least help the Orion Group to fight them.  He says also that our branding will grant us passage and will serve as identification documents, but as we’ll be in a safe place they will be removed. Thanks be to Kord, my wife’s pretty butt will get back to normal…

He’s not ready to say more.  We’ll have to wait to reach our destination to exactly know what’s happening to us.  The next morning we get back on the cart.  It takes 3 days to get to our destination.  I sit up front with the drow talking about the history of Calimshan, to try to get a better understanding of our situation.  That’s Military 101 – knowing your surroundings, the history, the fighting forces, etc. J oelle doesn’t seem very happy that I talk with the drow, but this is for the greater good.  I’m sure she’ll understand.

After the 3 days trip, we arrive in the morning in Almraiven, a very big city, surrounded by a forest.  This is a big change from the desert and it seems that no Genasi dwell here.  We see a lot of humans and practitioners of magical arts.  We are directly led to a big meeting hall to see the elders of the city.  The drow introduces us as the people that fit the profile, but he implies that we are small fry and that something is wrong. Then he leaves with one of the elder.

The remaining one tells that his name is Micah and asks us to follow him in his office where he’ll answer our questions.  We go in a smaller room where he sits behind a desk a motions us to sit.

“Let me explain to you why you’re here. We’re Orion – the last remaining free humans in Calimshan.  About 100-200 years ago there was a magical explosion known as the spellplague.  When it happened, a prison that held two beings of great power was destroyed.  Calimshan used to be ruled by the humans.  The beings caused the Genasi from around Toril to come to Calimshan.  They overthrew us and have enslaved our people.”

Robinn interrupts, asking if it’s why they chose to enslave people from outside their realm to help fight against the slavers.  Micah looks embarrassed and goes on with his explanation.

Almraiven is the premier center for magical research.  They think they have the power to fight back.  In their studies, they have found an ancient text that explains that they should find and locate champions to help them meet our goals and one ritual of summoning to get those heroes.  It sounded like a prophecy and they have decided that every little bit of help could be good.  Apparently the ritual didn’t work properly.  They were supposed to summon the most powerful champions to end the Genasi reign, but it seemed – sorry for the insult – that it didn’t work.

I tell them that we are sorry that we are not as good as expected.  They can just send us back and try to get better champions if they think it will help them.  He looks even more embarrassed than before when he says that were a little hasty in their process and don’t really have a way to send us back home.  I tell Micah that as this seems to be a town with a lot of magical knowledge, we’ll try to find our way home and we won’t bother them.

We are put up in a very nice inn, for free.  We walk around the town, trying to get to know this place that will be our home while we find our way to Punjar.  My thoughts are still for my family.  What is happening to them while I’m here?  But brooding won’t help us, so we try to learn thing about this place.  In Faerun, magic was once contained by the Weave.  Upon the death of Mystra, the local Goddess of Magic, the Weave exploded causing a massive change in Toril, the Spellplague.  Maybe this is what cause the problem in the ritual.  Maybe we can try to restore things, find the real heroes and get back home.

At the end of the day in Almraiven, a messenger is waiting for us at the inn, asking us to go to the meeting area.  Three wizards are waiting for us, the two elders from yesterday and a new one.  They confirm my idea that the ritual was damaged during the Spellplague.  And for them, the ritual chose us.  Not the result I was expecting… According to them (and the Gods and the Planes then), we are the saviors of Calimshan.

I want to go back home and I want the elders to fix the situation.  They say that this is the will of the Gods and let us time to think about it.  Robinn is the only one in the group that is not eager to go back to Aereth and particularly Punjar.  He’s wondering what’s for us if we stay.

The elders offer us weapons, money, a free house as a base of operation.  They say that will try to find a way to send us back home, and ask us to consider helping them meanwhile.  We don’t agree on anything yet as I want to find by myself if what they say is true. We try look at the ritual but we’re so sleepy we can’t make sense of it. It will take time to find the answers.

We go to bed and get some sleep at the inn, waiting for a house to be set up for us.  The next morning we check out the ritual again, trying to get as much information as possible.  I try to use my knowledge of the Arcane to understand our situation and exchange ideas with Joelle.  By the end of the day, we reach the same conclusion: it was definitely the gods that chose us.  For some reason, the gods chose us to help the Orion Group to free Calimshan from the Genasi.

This is time for us to try to do something.  Only the will of the Gods will take us home.  We go to get our markings removed, and traveling papers.  They won’t work everywhere, and as a human, I should avoid Genasi patrol and cities.  The Genasi hate Almraiven… but it seems that their ranks are not as strong as they used to be.

The prison that shattered held a djinn and an efreet.  Both are enemies and rule over a genasi tribe.  The Genasi hold on Calimshan is tenuous at best.  If we get the two Genasi tribes to fight each other we can get them to destroy themselves.  I fear that they’ll use the slaves to fight for them which doesn’t seem to bother Robinn.  We’re in a tricky situation.  It’s time to plan for battle, and this what I was born to do…

I can see a long corridor with cells on both sides, some empty, some occupied, all are naked and humans.  I try to talk with the guy in front of me, my throat feels a little parched when I try to talk.  I wonder how long I’ve been here…

“Hey, yes you there, excuse me, could you tell me where we are?”

“You just woke up here? You’re in the slave prisons.”

“Where? What town?”

“You’re in Calimport.”

Never heard about his town and when I try to get some more info a guard comes up.  A strange creature: humanoid, human height, blue crystals all over his body, light leather armor, carrying short sword and manacles.

“Ah, you’re finally awake,” he says.  “Step back from the bars.”

Another guard comes up and I decide to obey.  There’s no point trying to fight if you don’t know your opponent.  They open up the cell and put me in handcuffs and walk me off to the end of the hall.

I’m brought to a larger room with a desk and behind it is another of the humanoids.  As soon as I enter he asks me to sit.  He looks like the guard but instead this icy blue color, this one has fiery red gems on his body.

“I have questions for you,” begins the red guy.

“I have questions for you too.”   This answer bringing instantaneously a smack at the back of my head by the guard that has followed me.

“You will not speak until spoken to.”

From there a series of questions and answer led me to think that my situation is not bright.  They don’t believe that I come from Jolzin on Aereth, but insist on the fact that we are supposed to be in the city of Calimport, country of Calimshan on the world of Toril.  Never heard those names before.  Even the map I’ve drawn for them don’t seem to make them believe me.  Names can change from one side of the world to another, but something lead me to think I’m really somewhere else.  And where is Joelle?  I must not ask the question and show I may care for another slave, who knows what they could do, what they have already done.

At the end of the interview, I know that I’m a slave, about to be sold and that they are going to dress me (finally), but my story of black tendrils in the sky is not a good thing for me.  They don’t hope I’ll give them a good price, I may become a dispensable resource.  This is not going well.

In the hour, I am given some simple robes and brought into a viewing area.  I see Joelle and run towards her.  A guard tries to grab me but misses.  I kiss her, hold her, look at her and have many questions to know how she is and how she was treated.  She does the same and we are quickly separated.  I’m glad to see she looks not too bad.

We’re put behind bars on a sort of stage.  There are two Halflings in line with us.  One of the strange humanoid appears with a drow.  They seem to be on business as we are all described one by one, like merchandise.  On Joelle’s turn, the humanoid insists on the fact that she is a very pretty half-elf.  “Don’t you dare touch her!!” I yell.  The humanoid adds: “That’s the human of the group – he’s 15g because he’s human.”  It’s like I haven’t spoken, like I don’t exist.

The drow then decides to tell what he thinks of us: “I’ll take the eladrin and elf, long life spans… they’ll be of use to us.  And we’re down a couple women in the harem.  The half-elf has got good hips on her.  She could help restock our slave supply.  Humans – they’re fun to kick around…”  This won’t help our feelings toward drows.  I know Joelle hates them, as does every single elf I’ve met.  I didn’t know the drows, but I already despise this one.  The two haggle the price and it’s settled.

We’re surrounded by 6 guards put in line in front of the door behind which some screams have been heard.

“These are going to the Genasi Trading Company – they need to be marked.”

We’re branded on the arms, but Joelle asks if she can get it somewhere else.  They say she can have her rear branded and she lifts her robes.  Sometimes, this woman has no shame…

After the little ceremony, we hear: “You are property of the Genasi Trading Company.”

Who are Genasis?  And what do they want with us?  The drow gets our clothing for us, but keeps our weapons.  They take us to the slave house and board us there.  Joelle is muttering about drows and their filthy habits.  Robinn the Eladrin adds that he wouldn’t piss on a drow if he was on fire.  The mood is decidedly bad.  At least we are all together, in a good health.  That could have been really worse.

Stay tuned for Joelle’s side of the story… next on He Said, She Said.

And it seems that this is the best inn in this awful place.  Punjar stinks, there are beggars everywhere looking at you like they would cut your throat. Why did I bring my lovely wife to a such horrible place.  But at least the inn is clean, the owners seem nice and the patrons clean. I buy us a room for the night.  1 silver piece per night, doesn’t seem too pricey.

After putting our baggage in our room, we go to the main room to have some dwarven goulash and nice elven wine.  Who would have thought that these would go well together?  The mix is excellent and we have time to relax.  Tomorrow, we’ll have to look for my family.  I take some time to look at the patrons in the inn.

A lonely swordmage is eyeing the door and the two innkeepers.  By his looks, he seems to be an eladrin. At another table, a drow and an elf are talking.  This is strange, I’ve always thought that they hated each other. In fact, everybody in Aereth hate the drows.  But in such a place, who knows what other surprising alliances we may find.

Everything seems to be quiet, when a town guard enters the inn, look around and go to the table where the elf and the drow sit.  They talk a little together, then go to see the eladrin.  Being closer to us, they ask if they are a group of adventurers.  It seems that the guards are looking for a group of people and that they will be giving money.  Those three people have helped the innkeepers the day before and the guard seems to trust them to a point.

Something strange is happening in the city.  The slums have been covered in a strange fog.  People are talking about a magical plague sent by the Gods.  For the guards, it may have something to do with the Beggar King.  The guard is not confident that they can act against the Beggar King easily.  So they have gathered as many gold coins as they could and are ready to give that to freelancers.

I’ve heard things about this Beggar King.  He may be the responsible in the attacks against my town and the area.  He seems to run things here.  Even if the 1000g  reward seem a little strange to me (it’s a big amount of money from guards), I tell Joelle that helping the guards may help us find my family in the end. I propose that we join this group and she accepts.

We get up and go to the table to propose our talents to his strange group of people.  My wife seems to be upset by my choice of words.  I explain that she is a skillful wizard and that I’m a soldier, a commander on the battlefield.

The guard seems to think that our group will be able to handle this mission and he gives us some advance so that we can buy some supplies and leaves.

The drow introduces himself as Zartin, the elf as Ruarin and the Eladrin as Robinn.  Zartin leaves almost immediately, saying he has to see his master, the two other companions stay with us and we exchange a few words.  Robinn leaves the inn too, he seems to have his own home in this city.  We go to bed as the day was exhausting, tomorrow may be worse.

The next morning, we get up and ready ourselves.  While having a good breakfast, Robinn tells us that one of the patrons of the inn seems suspicious.  A man in a green cloak is not far from our table.  This man is so quiet that I hadn’t noticed him.  According to Robinn, that has joined us for breakfast, it may an agent of the Beggar King.  The news are going fast here, we should be careful.  I knew there was something fishy in this story, but I can’t let Joelle see that I’m concerned.  I wouldn’t want her to be afraid.

The guard meets us in the inn to give us our advance.  100g for our supplies. Robinn points that we will be marked as strangers in the slums if we go like we are.  We choose to buy old ragged cloaks to try to pass as beggars.  This is in fact an idea of Zartin who seems to be a nice guy for a drow.  I don’t know why everybody makes such a fuss about them.  I give Flint 2 sp to cover for the room while we are away, and we go where the smoke is told to be the thickest, according to the guard.

Cold rain falls on us, making the trip to the Smoke a really bad experience.  Nobody seems to pay attention on us though, the disguise must have work.  The place is an horrible sight, has a foul smell, and you could feel eyes on you from every dark openings in the walls that are supposed to be windows.  Following the instructions, we go deeper in the fog, until we reach an iron gate, a big portal from which gargoyles seem to look at us with hungry eyes.

We decide to try to climb on some roof to pass the gate.  Zartin helps me to get there and then I help everybody to join me.  Joelle has some issues to climb, but physical exercise has never been her best asset.  It depends on the exercise though… but climbing is not one of them.

When we are all there, we realize that men are coming on our roof too and they don’t seem friendly.   Two of them have nets which makes me think that they want to capture us.  Zartin begins to intimidate them, and one of them actually jumps from the roof in the alley.  I really like this drow!  I decide to run up to them, seeing the the group is mainly composed of spellcasters, I have to be like a wall that protects them.  Sadly, the roof is slippery and and I fall on my back.  Joelle casts one of her freezing spell and the bandits seem to have trouble to stand up.  It may buy me time to stand up.

Then, when we think that the fight has just begun, the rain stops, the clouds seem to disperse above us, as we were in the eye of a cyclone.  A light shines on us, very bright, coming from the sky, and long tendrils appear from it, grabbing us.  I call Joelle but I’m already passing out, her name dying on my lips…

Stay tuned for Joelle’s story after the bright light…

So I joined the army, ready to follow the elves into their forest, at the boundary of the Feywild.  So many things to see, to do, to discover.  The elves welcomed me in their ranks.  Part of them was looking at me with curiosity, part of them congratulated me for my battle, part of them had contempt in their eyes, and some even hatred.  That wasn’t going to be easy, but nothing in life is.  I was ready to fight for what I wanted.

The trip was silent, in memory of the dead, but everybody was still happy that this orc band was obliterated.  The forest around us was slowly turning into something wild.  I don’t have the words to explain how it is to live so close to the Feywild.  Even after spending many years there, I’m still amazed by this place.

During the trip I made a few ‘friends’ that would help me to settle the first days and integrated me in their troop.  After being a captain, I was again a simple soldier, but I had everything to learn again.  And I learned a lot.  Even if I was well considered, I was just like any other people and soon, they forgot who I was and focused on whom I could become.  They taught me many things, their tactics being very different from the human ones I was used to.

One day, we were sent in the forest to track some magical beast that was predating on our cattle.  To help us, some wizards were sent, because it seems that these beasts are better killed with magic than steel.  And she was there, in the group, this half-elven girl that their leader spoke to when I choose to tie my life with the elves.  She looked so fierce, so confident and so stingy when I tried to talk with her.  I know her eyes were often on me, but she was gauging me, as if she was trying if I was worth what everybody was telling.

One of my companions told me that the orc leader I had killed had killed her father before she was born.  He was a great human fighter, someone that their people really liked.  She was probably wondering how a young one like me had been able to defeat the one that had killed such a great warrior.  Yes, she looked young, but she was part elf, she could have been 100 and I wouldn’t know.  I felt so young, so inexperienced, so stupid that because of a feat that may have been a question of luck, I was there now, far from my family, far from those that love me.

And then, when I was not paying attention, the beasts were on us.  There were several of them; the fight was going to be tough.  We had to be a wall protecting the wizards while they were killing them.  I felt the magic around me, strong, powerful, killing the beasts one by one.  Then only one remained.  Their pack leader, the most powerful of them, and the mages were all exhausted.  They only had petty spells left, and those magic missiles, were not doing much damage.

The beast just decided to charge us and I was ready to give my life to protect the elves so I stood in front of it.  I felt the wizards trying desperately to cast one last spell, I felt the magic, and without knowing how, I joined them.  I could feel the flow of Arcana around me as they were trying to tie their small spells in a bigger one.  I gave them my strength and I directed their energy into my blade and sliced through the beast.  The flow was so strong that I passed out, in pain.

I woke up several days later, with almost no memory of the fight.  I was told by my friends what happened and I could feel the taste of magic in all my body, as well as the pain.  Near my bed, was an old elf (or at least he looked old, as much as an elf can look old you know) and this girl, Joelle.  They explained me that I had some affinity with the Ars Arcana and they were ready to help me train my magical aptitude as well as my combat abilities.

Joelle was asked to be my trainer as it was part of her study to train a young one.  But I learned later that I was barely a few months older than her.  This is how my life was really changed forever.  Oh, believe me, it’s not always easy to live with her, she is too witty for her own good if you ask me, but she is smart, independent and sweet when we are alone together.  I let her be ‘in charge’ when we are in company.  I’ve learned that with the hardest element in a group, the better way to lead them is to let them believe that they have chosen the right path.  You know… let them feel responsible.

Anyway, the following years have been really intense.  Joelle is a wonderful person that taught me a lot.  Spending so much time together I grew fond of her and fell in love.  We got married about one year after the fight in the forest.  I love so much her practical mind and her dedication.   She is more strong willed than me.   And she says she needs that to teach me magic.  I’m not a really proficient magician, but I’ve learned a lot of the Ars Arcana.   Joelle will probably still instruct me on the road, as we are going to leave the elves for a while.

We decided to leave for a few weeks as I wanted to present her to my family.   After all, it was about time after more than 3 years together.   So we left the forest to go to Jolzin.

The town is doing well and I’ve been really happy to see everybody.   But my family was not there.   It seems that lately pirates have raided the area.   They come from Punjar, this filthy place in the north-west.   A troop has been sent there to investigate, and my two brother have been there.   As for my parents, they were not in the farm and nobody knows were they are.   They have been missing for 2 weeks now.   They only have found tools in one of their fields.   They wonder if they have not been kidnapped by the pirates.

Joelle and I have decided to go to punjar and look for my brothers, and maybe my parents.   I hope that everything will be fine…

I was born a little more than 24 years ago, in a small hamlet near the town of Jolzin, on the southern shores of the Lirean Sea, about 500 miles south-east of Punjar.   The town borders the splendid Gherdian Forest.  You probably know that the Lirean Sea is the result of a cataclysm that destroyed the lands of the Elves and Dwarves during the wars of Divine Rights about 3200 years ago.   There are still many Elves and Dwarves that live around the Sea, especially in the Gherdian Forest and the Sentinel Mounts.   At least in our area.   What it does have to do with me?   Ok, ok, let me get to it.

I was raised in this small village by my parents.   My father was a farmer and my mother a nice housewife.  I have no siblings.   My birth was a very difficult one and both my mother and I almost died during that terrible winter.   I was very fragile and I stayed in the farm with my mom.   Books were the only thing that kept me busy when I was a kid and I was very shy and afraid of other people.   According to my father, my mother was overprotecting me.   He was right in a way, but would I be the man I am now without that?   Who knows…

Anyway, my youth made me a lonely kid filled with books and stories of heroes fighting against monsters to protect their families and friends.   I learned very early to read and write as my father thought that a healthy body must come with a healthy head.   And he was right.

When I was about 10, the first orcish raids began in the area.   The militia of Jolzin came to help us, but there were so many villages and hamlet and farms that they couldn’t protect everybody.   A family close to our farm lost everything and only two of their sons survived.   My parents took them home and this is how I got two brothers – an elder one Loris, and younger one Justin.   They both have been traumatized by the death of their parents and were like me silent kids, only sadder than me.   Loris was 13 and went to help my father in the farm.   Seeing him working so hard made me go out of the house more often and work out a little bit more.   This helped me build that strength that helped me killed orcs in many occasions!

Justin was 8 at that time.   He knew a little bit how to read and I decided to help him improve.   After a few months, we were really good friends, almost like real brothers.   Life was a little better as the militia finally put an end to the raids and the area was safe again.   I heard that the elves helped us too because this orc band caused many problems in their forest too and killed many of them.   Of course, I learned later the extent of the story, but those were just rumors.   Elves could sometimes be seen in Jolzin, as well as Dwarves, but not in our villages and then I had to rely on peddler’s stories.

But back to the farm!   After a year, Loris, Justin and me were really close and our family was a really happy one.   We boys were happy to have siblings and my parents were happy to have more kids at home.   Life was a little frugal, but the village was a nice place to live, especially after building some defense and guard towers in the area for if the orcs decide to come again.

At the age of 15, Loris entered in the militia of Jolzin to help protect the city.   I would join his steps 3 years later, followed by Justin 2 years after that.   A band of brothers, united to protect our beloved ones.

Loris was the strongest one and became one of the most valorous fighters of the garrison.   His feats were numerous and made our father really proud.   Being more intellectual than physical, I quickly gained promotions and became the youngest to become captain of a troop at the age of 19.   Loris and Justin joined my group and our work was so good that we were able to get rid of various menaces like bandits, roaming kobolds and even some daring orcs that tried to come by our area.

I had the chance to meet some elves during that time.   They would provide us with good weapons and armor in exchange of some goods.   Their friendship with us would prove decisive one year later, when the strongest orc army ever seen in the area fell upon us.   Thanks to the various protections we built and our guard towers, we were able to protect most of the people of the surrounding in town in time, but the siege didn’t last long.   They came with a big army, siege machine and the city was about to fall when the elves arrived.

With my brothers and our friends, we decided to turn our militia troop into commandos.   Seeing the coat of arms of the orc army, we knew what leader was there, it was the one that took the life of Justin and Loris’ parents.   This orc had been raiding the area for more than 20 years now, it was payback time.   While the elves charged the orcish army from the forest, the orcs tried to invade the town.   We used armor taken off dead orcs to sneak through their ranks (I tell you the smell was barely bearable) and arrived near their main HQ.   Most of the orcs had been sent either to secure an area in town or to stop the attack from the elves, so the place was not too heavily guarded.

Attacking during the day, when the orcs where more vulnerable (they have no tactical brain, if it wasn’t for their numbers, we would have wiped them out of the surface of Aereth long ago…), made our task easier. Leading my men, I was able to give the final blow to Grorthuk, as I learned later his name.   With his fall and the proficiency of the elves, the orcs where annihilated.

The town had suffered some damage, but the fight had only lasted a few days and most of it could be repaired. The losses were big amongst us but thanks to the elves, we were able to survive.   Again.   And the elves would help us the following days to clean the town, bury our dead, humans as well as elves, and heal the wounded.   A delegation came from their towns to help us heal who could be saved, and thanks to them, the town was almost like before the attack.

During those days, the word of our deed spread through the city and soon my troop was considered to be the heroes of the town.   Even if we only did our duty, killing the orc leader put our names on everyone’s lips, and soon, the leader of the elves asked to see us. I had seen some of them in the city, but nothing could have prepared me for that.   Their majesty, the way they move, their equipment… I could only see how great it would be to train with them until I met their leader.

The elves were grateful that I killed Grorthuk.   They told me that a great number of their valiant fighters had fallen under the weapons of this beast and his death was a great relief for their people and for the whole area.   And then he asked me that he would give me anything I asked in exchange of my bravery, and the same for all of the men of my troop.   I let my friends and brothers ask for what they wanted, not listening to their requests as I was trying to see what I would like.

Then I realized the silence, people wanted to hear what I had to ask.  I saw my friends with splendid armors and weapons offered by the elves, but it seemed that it was not what I wanted most.  I looked at all those elven soldiers, wizards, priests, all incredibly powerful and majestic.  I knew what I had to ask.

“Sir, I’d request to join your army to learn about your ways of fighting.”

My proposition seemed to shock many people around.  My friends and family were surprised that I asked to leave and the elves are not accustomed to such requests.  The leader smiled at me and turned to one of the young female wizard.

“Joelle, this young lad reminds me of your father.   And as he killed Grorthuk, I think that fate has put him in our path.”

Then turning to me, he said: “Young man, your request is accepted. You have 2 hours to pack everything you want to take with you and say good bye to your friends. Then we leave with or without you.”

My two brothers came to me and held me in their arms.  I could see their eyes full of tears that they tried to suppress.  They were sad to see me go away, but they knew that reading was not enough for me, that I wanted to see the world, see things that I wouldn’t see in this town.  No words were said.  After a few minutes, I left them, ran to the farm, grabbed my things and joined the army.  I didn’t say a word to my parents as I knew I wouldn’t be able to go through with my commitment if I saw them.

I thought about the young wizard and how she looked at me intently.  I don’t know what she was thinking but she seemed to evaluate me.  By her appearance, I realized that she was probably half-elf.  Was her father a human like me?  Was she as young as she looked?  How do elves age?

Suddenly my head was full of questions.  Why did I ask to go with them?  I only knew this town, and the people here.  I was going to be alone, again…

Coming next…  Part 2 of the background stories… How they fell in love, were married, and set off for Punjar, of all places.