DM Darkshard's Swift Kills

[Hoihe]

Will the newest B&J get posted publicly? I enjoy reading random DM posts when i can't play .

[Darkshard]

~Red Revenge~

("Blood and Jealousy" Part Three)

Characters Involved:
Auron
Hoihe Dacino
Seth Siger

Synopsis:
Several weeks ago, Sarah Silverstone stopped replying to Hoihe's Sending spells; a most uncharacteristic turn. Unfortunately, with a crisis at Candlekeep, Hoihe was tied and could do naught but hope his messages reached his mentor. When the chance finally came for him to return to Earthfast, he enlisted the help of willing volunteers Auron and Seth, from the Orders of the Radiant Heart and Silver Rose respectively. Gorion assisted with the Teleportation spell, and they were away.

Upon arriving at the slopes of Earthfast, the party was dogged by yetis, frost giants as ice wolves. However, between Hoihe's newfound strength and that of his sturdy companions, they had no difficulty advancing up the slopes. Once they got nearer the young silver's lair, they began to notice tracks of blood in the snow, and they soon saw smoke billowing from the lair itself. Fearing the worst but trying to keep a cool head, Hoihe led the others inside. Instead of Sarah, they were greeted by a hideous undead dragon, which they fought to destruction. Its death triggered some sort of alarm, and Red Dragon Disciples teleported in to ambush the group. The battle was lengthy, but the party prevailed. Hoihe found the symbol of Tiamat on one of the bodies.

Unsure of what to do next, Hoihe sent for his aspirant clan brother, Ashalon. Ashalon seemed genuinely surprised at Hoihe's news but he was in fact only surprised at Hoihe's survival; soon after his arrival at the lair, Ashalon revealed that it had been him who had ordered the disciples to attack. They had murdered Sarah, and raised her as the undead dragon now vanquished. Shocked and enraged, Hoihe drew his blade on the elf, but Ashalon teleported away just as more disciples appeared. Caught on the back foot, the party fought a desperate defence and Hoihe was badly wounded and burned. However they managed to fight their way out as the battle-damaged cave collapsed behind them.

A weakened Hoihe contacted the Silverstone elder, who came at once. The enormous ancient dragon landed on the mountain peak, and he and Hoihe spoke at length in Draconic as Hoihe explained what had happened. The elder told Hoihe the clan would go to war to avenge Sarah, and that Hoihe must prepare. He teleported the party back to the beach south of Candlekeep.

With two personal blows to Hoihe in as many weeks, he has much to reflect on.

Rewards/Punishments: Decent xp to all. The death of a friend.

[Darkshard]

~The Switch~

("The Red Ink of Black Tenday" Part Five)

Characters Involved:
Daeva
Ecko
Gold
Whisper

Synopsis:
Having learned of the warehouse where goods earmarked for the first City Relief Committee convoy were being stored, some local opportunists made their move. The warehouse was guarded by two down-on-their-luck dockworkers, Kelhort and Keller, who were paid off (with a hint of blackmail) to leave the warehouse unattended for a few hours.

The opportunists made short work of the warehouse lock, and negotiated the traps inside to get to the goods. With Creep and Slick watching the street, they marked safe corridors through the traps with holy water, and Teela and Vicious began swapping out the goods for counterfeit ones. They left a top layer of legitimate merchandise to fool a casual inspection. Ecko managed to capture a cat to use as a scapegoat in case a trap went off, but it was not needed in the end.

The stolen goods were hidden amongst the crates outside, and gradually moved throughout the following day amidst normal dock activity to a secure warehouse before being fenced.

Rewards/Punishments: Decent xp to all, potential for a decent payday.

[DM Fugue]

~The Switch~

("The Red Ink of Black Tenday" Part Five)

Characters Involved:
Secret

Synopsis:
Confined to the DM boards for now.

Rewards/Punishments: Decent xp to all, potential for gain.

[Hoihe]

All these confined to the DM boards posts make me all too paranoid .

[DM Fugue]

Perhaps they involve your character !

[Hoihe]

Especially the Red Vendetta... Can't wait for it to be publicised.

[Darkshard]

~The Deal of a Lifetime~

("The Red Ink of Black Tenday" Part Six)

Characters Involved:
Delphinn Veil

Synopsis:
Delphinn was walking along the Trade Way when a carriage stopped beside him and Jhasso stepped out. Having been saved by Delphinn during the Tiamat Crisis, Jhasso greeted him like an old friend before telling him he had been summoned to the Palace. Delphinn got into the carriage and the pair travelled to the Gate.

At the Palace, Jhasso briefed Delphinn on proper etiquette as he led him upstairs to a private conference room where Duke Entar waited. Jhasso announced Delphinn and then left the two alone to talk. Their discussion was long and Entar elicited tales of Delphinn's early mercantile success before finally laying his proposal on the table. Delphinn negotiated fiercely, undaunted by the status of his opponent. The two came to an arrangement.

Before Delphinn departed, Entar emphasised that their dealings must remain a state secret, and ambiguously joked about how much he hated having people executed for treason.

Rewards/Punishments: Decent xp and the deal of a lifetime. Lifetime may be shorter as a result.

[DM Fugue]

Shard has 666 posts !

[Hoihe]

Poor Hoihe...He should change over to a open face helmet with Keif.

[Darkshard]

~The Gauntlet~

("The Red Ink of Black Tenday" Part Seven)

Characters Involved:
Auron
Domhnall
Elvina Aira-S'efarro
Gina Waynn
Guide Wendel Ashby
Haeman
Illen'vewyn Ferelve'dweth
James White
Kalana Swift
Kald Blake
Kaslyn Vulpix
Kestral Fyle
Lux
Malchor Arronax
Mel LurKep
Mendel
Narindir Jr'ein
Omar Mu'awiya
Pate
Peck
Seth Siger
Shialla Shi'arroh
Tara Rahn
Thiago II
Tyn Silverbeard
Vala
Valge Kylm
Varlok Banlin
Zavan Anwamane
Zendock Huffeldor
Some others I didn't catch

Synopsis:
Three wagons gathered in the farmlands to be the first small convoy to punch north through the bandit blockade. Much to everyone's surprise, the half-dozen hired guards were augmented by almost forty adventurer volunteers, representing many factions as well as individual freelancers. The large group divided to cover the front and rear of the convoy, and wagons began rolling.

They initially met little trouble as they rolled their way through the farmlands and into Thundar's Ride, but it was not long until the first ambush was sprung. Flames leapt up, blocking the road in both directions as bandits poured down from the hills. The escort fought a vicious defence, chasing bandits into the hills and then quickly withdrawing to repel the next wave. Many dozens of bandits were killed, and a couple of adventurers were badly wounded or knocked out. The most significant casualty, however, was the horse drawing the rear wagon. Various methods were used to push, pull and keep the wagon moving through the Ride, including frequent usage of Iron Golem shapes.

The convoy managed to struggle on, albeit with long pauses to repel more attacks, or free a stuck wheel in a tight river fording. They eventually arrived at Boareskyr Bridge and opted to take one wagon across at a time. However as the first one crossed, the bandits created rockslides to once again box the convoy in and then attacked in numbers. This time, the defenders fought them off expertly, taking no significant casualties. The rocks blocking the road ahead were blasted away, and the convoy punched through to the relative safety of the road north.

The first convoy is away.

Rewards/Punishments: Decent xp to all, gold to Level 30s, tons of xp to James for organising the event. Lag for the DM.

[Darkshard]

~Silver Lining~

("Blood and Jealousy" Part Four)

Characters Involved:
Hoihe Dacino

Synopsis:
Hoihe was leaving the warehouse in Ulgoth's Beard when he realised he was being scried. It began to gently snow inside the warehouse, before an elderly man with leathery wings and a silver gown teleported in behind him. Hoihe was startled as the man began berating him for being so easy to find. Hoihe was ready to draw his blade but something about the man stayed his hand, even when he bopped him on the head with his staff for asking stupid questions like "Who are you?"

The pair left the warehouse and walked down to the water's edge where the man introduced himself as Kifel Silverstone, and stated he had been sent to mentor Hoihe and finish what Sarah had started. He repeatedly bopped Hoihe on the head with his staff, whenever Hoihe spoke too much or asked too many questions. At the end of the night, he left him with a lot more bruises than answers.

Rewards/Punishments: A small amount of xp. A sore head.

[Nomster]

Valge approves of the beating btw..

[Darkshard]

~Wrong Tree~

("The Coulter Indictment" Part Five)

Characters Involved:
Laitae Lafreth
Mealir Ostirel
Mendel

Synopsis:
Two and a half elves set off to the Baldur's Gate farmlands to investigate rumours of a Cult of Malar. They donned disguises and pretended to be Malarites themselves to see if a cult member would trust them and reveal themselves.

They first came across the aspiring hunters Radly and Torsen, who did not recognise their archery mentor Mendel in his disguise. After a short conversation it seemed they failed to catch the hints and accused Mendel of being a bandit and a "weirdo". They warned him to leave or there would be trouble, and he obliged. Next, Mendel and Mealir tried their luck with the widower Jorge, and the girl Evey Winter who was bringing him a game bird she had killed. The conversation went badly and a distraught Jorge lunged at Mealir with a knife. Mendel was forced to wrestle him to the ground, and the two and half elves decided to call it a day.

Evey and Jorge ran off to report the incident to a disinterested Fist officer.

Rewards/Punishments: Naught but a lesson learned.

[Darkshard]

~Silver Path~

("Blood and Jealousy" Part Five)

Characters Involved:
Hoihe Dacino

Synopsis:
Hoihe met his new mentor, Master Kifel Silverstone, outside Nashkel and the pair set out for the high pass where Hoihe was building a shrine to Asgorath. Once they reached the high spot, Kifel encouraged Hoihe to meditate while he cooly lectured him on the Silver path. Kifel repeatedly bopped him on the head with his staff for not concentrating and losing focus, for talking too much and for asking foolish questions.

Hoihe struggled with the concept at first, his mind constantly wandering (or sprinting) off to contemplate various spells and reagents. However, he improved greatly after some time and many blows to the head.

Hoihe requires seven more dragon scale types to complete his shrine. Kifel told him that when the shrine was complete, so too would be Hoihe's journey, and he would no longer call him "Hatchling".

Rewards/Punishments: A decent amount of xp, an Amulet of Non-Detection, a quest of great personal growth. A sore head.