Author: Dave Clark

  • Sessions Two and Three: Finding and Defending the Tower of Glass

    Sessions Two and Three: Finding and Defending the Tower of Glass

    Just a half day from Telse, the group is in a different land.They passed one of the guard towers being built as defense in depth. Five towers are being built. One to the west, one on the road to Sheljar, another to the Ferments and then each river has a tower as well.

    Today, back towards that western tower they see smoke, closer they see a small Halfling riding an axebeak. A fox plays at the feat of the war bird. It closes on them rapidly. It’s heavy head bobbing and the tiny person swaying, holding onto reigns like they are handles.

    The prior evening’s death is behind them. They are a touch wary, but Shonie recognizes young Mo. The rest recall the Telsian as one of those processed to the jail. He is one of them, but not yet blooded. His worth not yet known, he is accepted.

    At the split in the trail, it is certainly not a road, they must make a choice. The trail edging to the south heads towards the Cliffs of Gallinor and a Goliath community. They tend to be ignore Telsian affairs and focus on their dream, the land of Gallinor, where Goliaths are free. Birds large enough to ride thrive and people are respected for their thoughts, their arts and their words, not power.

    The Five (now six) take the path north. A large shadow drifts overhead. Saffron looks up and sees an eagle so large it is unnatural. They head to Dakhan Thaeeb, the Smolders. These active volcanoes lack wealth. There are communities scattered in these mountains.Some farm a weed, others a seed. It is a land where lava will flow at times.

    The nearest town, hardly a town, acts as a central market for these independent farmers. There the Five learn that there is a mystic nearby. This clue comes from a local boy, who offers to help Saffron. An illness came over her. She stays behind, as the the Five (actually five again) move towards a waterfall and pool inside the darkest of woods.

    Beyond that point will be a tower of glass. It takes them some time to get to the falls, but they see a light with that note that visually declares it is behind glass. Determined, the group pushes on. There are many webs, eventually two stupid, and large, spiders try to stop them.

    They are a mere nuisance.

    After the arachnids, the group breaks out of the trees. Darkness wasn’t too dark. Without the forest there is enough light to continue.

    Like most shared buildings in Kin this Tower of Glass is built with Goliaths in mind. The main entry is a double-door big enough for the huge people. There is also a smaller door for Halflings, with a tiny entry for dogs and an open window for small birds. Each of the three floors is about 12 feet high. Mostly wood, the third floor features huge glass panes and a shake roof.

    A Goliath with grey skin, grey hair and a grey braided thrown over his shoulder opens the doors.

    “Enter”

    He has an ancient axebeak at his side and a raven on his shoulder.

    “Please.”

    His movement is slow. With a straight back he is probably near 11 feet tall, but he is now quite hunched. He walks down a spiral stair to a large cushioned chair. He is weak. He needs the soft space. The basement also has large cushioned spaces for his aged axebeak. On both floors are hundreds of books and scrolls.

    Mo and Samul do not follow the group. Both charge up the stairs, youthful exuberance gives them hope that they can learn the space before they are missed. The second story is a huge bedroom, again there are books on shelves and piled on the floor. Samul starts to search.

    In the basement.

    “What brings you?”

    Aamar answers “We came from Telse and seek the Lorebook. Who are you?”

    “I am Cortez. Why do you seek this book?”

    Mo sprints up the the third floor. A small book intrigues him. It is sized for a Halfling, though there are markings that look as if it was bitten by a bird.

    Below

    “For it’s knowledge, for answers.”

    There is a crashing sound. A second later another crashing noise. It is as if hundreds of wine glasses fall to the floor at once. A thud.

    Below the mood changes, it isn’t the mix between introductions and interrogation. Now it is alertness. There is violence here.

    Samul is the first to the third floor. Two eagles are present. They have riding equipment. Two men are with them. Samul sees Maurice’s body on the floor. One of the men stands over him. The other takes a colossal book from a space of nothingness into his hands. Samul charges, whipping his chain about his head.

    The man that struck Mo is crushed. The other leaps aboard the eagle closest to him.

    Behn’s head pops above the floor. His assessment is quick. His crossbow is in hand.

    Shonie calls out to Aamar, “the doors!” Someone is knocking them down. Shonie grabs the beast companions of all and takes them to safety (?) in the basement. Aamar and Bernie, the bear cub, guard the door. There is a group of men and wolves there.

    Samul’s taken out one of the riders, but the other flies off. Behn rushes the window in time for a single shot – a hit! The other rider and book fall, right to the feet of a man in chain mail. Nearby is another human, this time with a long bow aimed towards the door. They are on a ridge about 70 or feet from Behn at the edge of the window.

    Those two now have the book, and a dead body and a very live giant eagle.

    Rather than leap from the windows Behn and Samul rush down the stairs to the first floor. They want that book back.

    There is a problem. A man and two women, all wearing wolf masks are at the doors. Not too surprisingly they have two wolves with them. Samul, Behn, Aamar and Bernie are engaged. Things are touch and go. Bernie is told to retreat as the small bear is severely wounded. He heads down to the basement with Shonie and the dogs.

    Cortez crests the stairway when the conflict is down to a single wolf and woman. His firebolt blasts the wolf into nothingness. It is not singed, it is a poof of ash. One of the Five drops the woman, as the others exit the Tower.

    Another group is approaching. An arrow just misses Behn. Off to the west a copse of trees burns.

    This group is another three humans with masks. They have just one wolf. Cortez lets off another blast, this one misses, the partially obscured man dodges out of the way. Another tree now burns.

    Clubs, swords, chains, bolts and arrows fly. Combat is fast.

    In the distance more fires are starting, the longbowman is not firing on the Five and the Tower. Something is moving through the woods and drawing his fire. The man in chain mail mounts the eagle of the fallen acolyte and escapes.

    Behn is hit and goes down. Aamar and Samul are what is left. They leave a path of waste behind them, but the book is gone. The movement in the distance is huge; it is a Goliath. He seems to be acting in support.

    The opposing bowman is gone. He’s fled back on the ground, but that Goliath has the sickly body of Saffron with him.

    Tension eases. The Five live, and are reunited. But most are wounded. The Glass Tower is damaged. The forest is afire.

    “What brings you Mansaray Falcon?”

    “The Laksais son left this tiny woman vomiting in their barn. Master Laksai asked me to bring her to you for healing.”

    “Ah, yes,” Cortez answered. “I can help her. Can you and you help put out those fires?” He points to Mansaray and the recently healed by Aamar Behn. “You, bring me the tiny one from the observatory. I can heal him.”

    Samul heads up the stairs.

    Cortez pours a concoction down Saffron’s throat.

    Repairing the group and the Tower takes some amount of time. They put out the fires. Not all can heal fully. They need rest. Only Aamar and Saffron are capable of moving on, so under Cortez’ instruction they chase the one that left on foot.

    It is the deepest of night, in unfamiliar territory, but the group needs information. They go.

  • Session One: day wolves, night wolves

    Session One: day wolves, night wolves

    These simple five are part of the born generation. They know they have powers that are unusual, but their parents learned. The all know of an idyllic time that seems naturally unattainable, forgotten. None are lost. They just know that by growing up on Kin in a post-Awakening world violence and turmoil are normal.

    Questing is just a path. For Aamar and Shonie the well-being of Telse matters. Others are searching for money, relatives, purpose. The initial five with their dogs, iguana and bear cub make their way through the streets of Telse for the West Gate where they will collect foodstuffs. A short pause when Aamar and Behn buy a mule to carry their things is all their time in this city of kin and beasts. Passing doorways with varied openings that span sizes for Goliaths down to small dogs the journey starts.

    On the Telse side of the West Gate is authority, civilization. On the western side is one of the many ghettos growing as various others try to jockey for power and influence in the once minor town. Which power controls a gate changes regularly. As the Five leave Telse’ simple life they weave through a crowd of Obscon’s followers.

    A cult that believes the Awakening signals the end times, followers of Obscon take what they want. They do not worry about punishment in the current world, because it is a failing world. One of the faster growing powers on Kin the Obsconders are dangerous in that they want only joy of self, not political power.

    Carefully the Five work their way past this assortment of people. There is no violence, just worry.

    Keeping a standard pace the Five walk along a path through the hills of the Wilde. To the northwest they see Dakhan Thaeeb’s active volcanoes. The rough land of commodity farming where any day could end in fire. To the south is the Ferments, a land of liquors both natural and Kin-made.

    As the afternoon passes fewer caravans pass. This western road is fading to trail as it winds through these hills. With sunset coming our Five hopeful heroes settle into the night. A warm fire with a mix of gathered and brought wood starts quickly. Watches are set. The mule is staked off in the dim light, but still within this common camp clearing.

    Samul’s iguana sneaks inside the warm nook of an armpit. The Western Wildes aren’t the warm lands of Mehmd.

    A watch is planned. Still just over a half day from Telse the idea of an attack feels absurd to the group. The rotation is about preparedness for an unknown future.

    Until late, during the witching hours, when dogs’ hackles rise. Something is near. Eyes glint in the darkness.

    By Night Vision original here https://flic.kr/p/bPpZTe
    By Night Vision original here https://flic.kr/p/bPpZTe

    It is a pack. Four standard wolves and one that looks like it could take down an Goliath roams slightly behind two to the north.

    A battle ensues. Behn sets fire to a tree when his fire bolt misses. Samul’s chain smashes the great wolf across the shoulder and face. Shonie and her retriever take one down. Aamar and his cub take a couple down. This is a winnable event.

    Blood flows. An initial confrontation pushes the group, but not to the edge. Behn fells the final wolf at a couple dozen feet. His crossbow is more effective than his spell.

    After the battle is a time for recovery, relaxation. Samul takes the ear of that massive wolf. His first souvenir.

    Wakefullness comes late. Midmorning after some gathered roots and berries, along with a small portion of the purchased rations is a meal. The wolf bodies are set aside, none of the Five’s animals dine on the flesh of wild beasts.

    They’ve survived. They’ve learned something about each other. They may have learned more.

    As they return to the trail two things come apparent. There is a small dust cloud of speedy rider headed their way, and the dark smoke of a fire back towards Telse.

  • Prelude to a discovery

    Prelude to a discovery

    The recent empowerment of cantrips sparked the greatest interest in the Font of Two Paths out in Western Kin. This place is holy, clearly something unnatural creates the Everflow. Each day a new group shows up in worship, or to search the lands for a clue as to why this Awakening occurred.

    A generation ago Telse was just a merchant town that connected upcountry villages to the great port city-states of Mira and Qin. Now it is overwhelmed with newbs. They are taxing the ability of the town to feed everyone. The villages in the area cannot provide enough. Food is now being brought into the area by barge.

    Formerly a pastoral town and region Telse is the new frontier. Cultures are mixing in ways that are unexpected. Due to Telse’s history as a faith retreat and shipping region the language is commonly known, but new tongues enter the town constantly. Outside the walls, which enclose the Font, there are districts of the Five Kingdoms, as well as the guilds, clans, tribes, faiths and ways. They have their normal conflicts and worries, but in much closer proximity.

    The town guard and militia are overwhelmed. When dustups between the ghettos flare to a great enough level they are ignored. Violence, robbery, assassination, forced conversion, slave trading and other evils disgust the people whose families called Telse home for generations.

    Mayor Kellamon (Halfling) is losing control. His guard is needed to have some semblance of peace.

    He formulates an idea. Find the greatest scholar in all of Kin. Find the Lorebook. Use its immense power to set things back to normal. Rid the outsiders from Telse. The last Mayor tried creating a rumor that the Lorebook was in Aszel, held by the Emperor. Adventurers ran off to Aszel to take the Book. They were slaughtered or enslaved. Aszel stepped up its involvement in Telse-ian affairs and Kellamon because mayor by freeing a significant number of slaves. Prior to that he was a shepherd with three dogs and even earlier he had a dark past.

    Mayor Kellamon gathered a group of about twenty at the base of the Everflow Falls. He stands on a dias that preachers typically use. At his side are Captain Piyu, Corporal Allison, Elder Sealm and Bishop of Quar Ollium. Nils is in the rear with a doubtful scowl on his face.

    His amplified voice booms over the selectees and the other crowds.
    “Thank you for coming. Telse is changing. It is not the simple place of pleasure and pilgrims, but now boom town. After the various wars and quests of the Awakening, Telse doubled in size. I am trying to get a handle on things here, and am getting help. Bishop Ollium is working with other faiths about shared access to the Font of Two Paths, this should go a long way to soothing the needs of the religious. Piyu and Allison are continuing their efforts to train the guard and militia, as well as leading an effort to build a new wall. The towers are helping provide early warnings about those that would raid our lands.

    “These, here before us are on a different mission. They are to search for the Lorebook. If our small village is to become a city, we must know the cause. Maybe then Telse can use the knowledge to build something great together, rather than have outsiders define our future.

    “Piyu and I talked with all, and have grouped them together. They are not criminals beings sent on a fools errand as Mayor Benson sent those souls to Aszel.  Some will stay behind to reinforce others that near success.

    “You, you, those two, that one, her and her see Elder Sealm when we are done.”
    A fight breaks out between two of that group. A sergeant of the guard and his squad pull apart a Halfling and Goliath about to go at it. They are taken to the overcrowded town jail.

    With a broad gesture, “those to my right see the Bishop. Those to my left will talk to Allison. Piyu will join you after he  jails the idiots. Thank you for volunteering.”

    Kellamon walks away followed by his three herd dogs. Nils starts climbing the Cliffs of the Everflow.

    Sealm’s advice for the group is simple. Do not assume the myths are lies. Go West, away from troubled times, because what scholar would seek violence while trying to learn? He hands Aamar a smooth stone and indicates the group should leave on the western trail to the Cliffs of Gallinor and Dakhan Thaeeb.

    Samul, Shonie, Saffron, Behn and Aamar lack direction, but not hopes. They have their own reasons for participating in this foolish errand. Heading through the boom town and its multitude of neighborhoods with their menagerie they do not get odd looks, except for Samul due to the rare iguana and Aamar’s bear cub.

    The mostly Halfling group does not have a pack mastiff, so they purchase a mule to carry supplies on their journey. They head to the western gate. They look to the hills of the Western Wildes not knowing what their future is.

  • Chasing Piyu

    Chasing Piyu

    Finding this one was going to be trouble. The rough lands towards Telse along the Bell’an Range is a good place to hide. Getting into the unclaimed hills is a way to avoid the Crinth-Aszel war and, probably more importantly, a way to find evade capture. Some rush to the front, where the number of Aszel soldiers and their dogs make hiding harder. But, those that rush to the front also stand a chance of finding their tribe.

    Piyu took the other route towards sharp crags, forests, brambles, and streams. The goliath’s massive frames make hiding hard, in the Range and Upper Telse there is hope.

    Kellamon does not care for Piyu’s hope. He doesn’t care for his ability to hide. This hunt already cost him Latarza. It wasn’t even violence, just a horrendous accident away from any help. A stupidly rushed river crossing so as to not lose the scent. Lat had the lead, a little slip and Bastos’ littermate is gone.

    Pain had ripped through Kell. A companion of several years torn from his little pack. Losing the food, other traveling goods and time meant little. Latarza is gone. He was a damn fine dog. He’s gone.

    That was two days ago.

    Now Bastos cannot find the scent. There’s a narrow path, and it is likely that Piyu followed it. An abandoned homestead sits off to the west. Recent rains weigh down tall grasses, they may be some kind of grain gone wild.

    A shadow passes over Kellamon as he’s bent to the ground inspecting trail sign. He glances to the sky and sees a massive eagle. It is circling. Bastos is several dozen feet away, and could be the center of that circle. Kell gave the whistle for come. Losing a second dog just trying to catch an escapee would be foolish.

    The wingspan and that grand beast could cover a cloud. As it drifts off away, Kell wonders about the kind of place he’s in where a bird that large would be free. Kell, also thanked As that Piyu’s bond is just a heron. Piyu wouldn’t run out of food, but there’s nothing to scare Kell and Bastos. Impracticality would be Piyu’s downfall.

    Dark clouds roll overhead, chasing the giant eagle to the mountains. The storm would be massive. Since the escaping goliath’s trail had stopped here recently, the abandoned shed could be shelter again. He’d lose little time to this soon-to-rage storm. Piyu could try to keep running, but these rains would slow him, the winds would threaten his bird.

    Another night with no fire, but at least he’d be warm with Bastos curled next to him. Dinner is nuts, tack bread and some dried roots paired with a bit of fresh water. It was the best night of the chase, even if both he and Bastos were lonely.

    Maybe tomorrow he’d catch Piyu or that damn bird. One would lead to the other. Maybe tomorrow he could start a journey home and grieve properly. For now, he could sleep. Tomorrow he’d recapture the massive goliath.