Pathfinder Chronicles: Rise of the Deathlords

[rhyn]

The Grand Lodge of Absolom has stood for nearly 500 years. It stories history full of heroes and villians. All stand equal as long as their dues are paid. This is the tale of one such group and their journey. The dangers, the victories and the epic story of how the world teters on the edge of oblivion.

[rhyn]

The four heroes coming from across the land arrive in Absolom, the elven wizard seeking to expand his knowledge. The righteous paladin and his holy crusade, the grim ranger seeking new horizons and the graceful beautiful rogue looking to line her pockets. They met with Venture Captain Shale who informed them they would be going to Cassomir to search for a lost companion and finish his task had he failed. The group once again boarded the Sea Sprite and took the voyage.

[The Dungeon Master]

The last few weeks have been quite amazing, I have meet some of the most interesting characters, fought some of the nastiest creatures and perhaps gotten myself into some serious trouble.
It all began when I heeded the call of the pathfinder. I do so admire the organization. It allows even the lowliest of beings to rise to greatness. Never shall I find myself idle in my quest for knowledge. I may be young as far as elves go, though even if I were to die tomorrow I would have lived a full life. I have been fortunate enough to venture alongside of extraordinary individuals.
There’s Argamel, a fierce ranger with catlike nimbleness. He seems capable of pulling off amazing feats, the kind you only read of in stories. His tracking skills are amazing; unlike any I have seen… though I haven’t the pleasure of observing many at the art. What really stands out about him is his knack for improvisational combat tactics. In fact I once saw him tie a rope to a an arrow, shoot it into a building and gracefully soar past scaffolding that was obstructing his path and manage to land right on target to the villain we were in pursuit of.

Geron is a paladin; guided by his deity, he conducts his every action with a true heart. He is one to be admired, for he has a moral compass that always points due north. I am almost willing to say that without him I would teeter on the brink of destruction. There’s a fine line that I walk, for I have always struggled with my chaotic nature. I have been cursed with a dark side that urges me to act less than favorably from time to time. Geron helps me with that through example. As long as there are characters like him in this world I know evil will never prevail, and that allows me to rest easy. His only fault seems to be his impatience. We once ventured deep into the bowls of a well in search of tome of prophecy… It seems as though every unfortunate mishap occurred at the hands of his follies. Of course the pain was all his own when he triggered those devices… Thankfully we came upon a healing fountain. I don’t know what we would have done had he perished… I don’t know what I would become without his moral guidance.

Then we have Emerald. What can I say? Her beauty is that which bards sing and lords wage war over. She is a gifted rogue with a lust for treasure and a tongue of gold. It seems she can sweet talk her way through any situation… Or at least bluff her way through it. She is quite adept at sneaking off into the shadows only to reappear at the most critical moments and deal a poor unsuspecting fool the most lethal of blows. I find this truly amazing, almost as amazing as her beauty. I must say however, her grace seems to have an effect on me, causing me to act the fool in the most inappropriate of situations. I fell for her the first time we met, though I fumbled over my words and fouled my first impression. She obviously did not feel the same, for she later made a dinner appointment with a charming young man I believe was from the pathfinder society as well. None the less, I followed them.. They dined on the top of the ship, candle light, music, fancy drink… He was such a gentlemen. I could take it no longer. I decided to give them a warm reception by elevating the temperature of their seats to a scorching heat. Then I invited my second true love to join the dinner…. FIRE. I set their tablecloth ablaze. This effectively ended the romantic dinner. Much to my dismay he seemed to handle it like a real stand up character. He apologized for “the unfortunate turn of events” and said his goodbyes. I don’t believe they heard my snickering in the distance. I realize the error of my ways and I’ll try not to interfere with her love affairs. I can accept my lot as a friend if need be. I must admit, it was deliciously evil setting that table on fire, reminds me of a tavern I once torched…. The Horny Toad… The Toads tongue… Licky Frog… Oh dear, I seem to have forgotten the name of that little dive. No matter, it no longer stands, and there are plenty more to torch.

I only hope that I can prove to be an asset to this group. Aside from a few minor cantrips and lowly spells, all I have to offer is a wicked blast from my wand… This little trinket certainly did come in handy recently… I torched a few guards and a wagon in which we were held… I don’t wish to sound boastful though. Perhaps that is a tale for another time.

[The Dungeon Master]

Looking back on it, I wonder what we were thinking when we agreed to take on the challenge of transporting this witch to the citadel.

The simple task has proven to be quite a handful. At one point she had escaped our grip and we were forced to track her down… She continues to surprise me, for she isn’t quite as she seems. No longer does she appear to embody evil as she did before. In fact she’s been pretty cooperative throughout the whole ordeal…. Even helpful at times.

Along the way we’ve run across a few situations that called for action and as usual we met the odds with bravado. We were riding along in the carriage, the cargo in tow and guards at our sides. I was studying a spell book I happen to come across in a recent venture that proved quite profitable, when none other but a Chimera broke the sky above. I knew exactly what it was right off and tried to warn my comrades, The beast has deadly teeth and claws that could easily rip a fellow to shreds. These wicked weapons accompanied by a vicious breath attack can easily steal the life from any soul unfortunate enough to deal with one of these foul creatures.
Luckily Argamel managed to land a arrow into the beasts right thigh. It must have hit an artery for the creature began to bleed heavily. His second shot wasn’t so lucky, it flew harmlessly wide and skimmed past its shoulder without scratching it at all.
I seized the opportunity and quickly cast a spell, breathing a deadly cone of fire and engulfing the beast…

Then he retaliated.

His attack caught Argamel and I by surprise.. It was cold, so terribly cold. I could feel it’s bite and the shock of the bitter chill almost caused me to lose my bearings.
Thankfully Emerald acted quickly, driving her scimitar deep into the Chimera, striking true and striking hard. This was followed immediately by Garon casting smite evil.
The battle was ours and the beast fell.

Upon searching its remains we found evidence of less fortunate champions that dared cross its path. Wedged in one of its scales, Emerald found a beautiful gem that I noticed had an interesting magical aura about it.

Garon found a masterwork sword and Argamel found a greatsword. Both these weapons were of great craftsmanship and undoubtedly worth a small fortune.

As for myself, I was in awe at the creatures massive teeth… The razor sharp edges, the sheer number of the things. While admiring the power of its maw I noticed a glimmer… A ring was caught just behind one of the creatures molars. Quite a find it turned out to be. A ring of protection, a ring that when worn can actually give its wearer an advantage in combat, making him harder to hit… Yes, quite a find indeed. I will certainly treasure it.

Over the next few days we traveled relatively easily, regained our health. But on the tenth day trouble found its way to our door once more. This time it arrived in the form of a bridge.

One at a time it wasn’t an issue… Not until the carriage had to be moved across. I waited on the other side, allowing the more hearty of our group the room needed to push the thing across. Everything was going fine until Argamel lost his footing. I held my breath as I saw the ranger slip and fall. I was sure he would meet his doom, but just then… The witch, that woman that was deemed evil, unholy and a scourge… The witch. She quickly reacted, slipping her hand past the bars and catching him just in the nick of time. She single handedly, Literally single handedly pulled him to safety. I was in awe. Thank the Gods, he was safe.

Now I saw it as a blessing, though the guards seemed to think otherwise. Each of them shooting her dirty looks and mumbling amongst themselves. I could tell they were plotting against her. Never the less, the group pressed on and the carriage reached the other side.
Just then Argamel lost his footing again, luckily I managed to react just in time to catch him. Once everybody was safely on the other side, the guards began talking again. The began speaking of horrible things. They began talks of murder.

Let me ask, had they killed the witch, Would that not make them just as much of a monster as she?
As their conversation was meet with disdain by the four of us, Emerald tried to smooth over the situation. As she spoke, we were attacked.

Fierce wolves sprang from the vegetation and tore at the guards throats. They tore them to pieces.
Our party seized this opportunity and we made haste. Emerald mounted one of the horses and o hopped on behind her so I could make use of myself and cast. Garon drove the carriage as Argamel worked his deadly bow.

I tried to harm one of the mangy things, only to singe its fur and piss it off. It charged at me and lunged, Its teeth sank deep into my thigh and as hard as I tried I couldn’t resist as it pulled me from my seat. Before I could really grasp what was going on, there were two of them on top of me.

I wanted to defend myself, I knew any somatic gesture I’d make in attempt to cast would cause the wolves to tear my to shreds as they did to the gaurds. I knew it was over. I was ready to die. Emerald tried to swing at them, but from her high mount it proved too difficult.

Argamel Came through for me. He landed Arrows in the sides of both the beasts, dropping them. As I turned I saw that the horse tied to the carriage had been mauled…. We could hear more of the beasts howling all around us. Emerald and I quickly tied the remaining horse to the carriage and we left the other, bleeding, dying…. We left it for bait.

A noble creature it was, sacrificing its life for us. You must admire its courage, for it did not become shaken in the heat of battle and run. I t fought along side of its masters, sacrificing its very life.

We rode.

We rode hard into the night. The constant shadow of death in pursuit. For four days we rode… I can still hear the chilling cries of the predators howls haunting my sleep. The image of the guards having their throats torn from their necks, stains my mind as I rest. I know that with time the memory will fade… Then finally, salvation was at our fingertips. The citadel was just ahead of us and the journey seemed to be coming to a close. Finally a good night rest, in a warm bed with a home cooked meal… But its never that easy is it?

As we approached the citadel, the biggest, most vile beast of them all jumped out in our path. The teeth on this one were 5 times as large as the others and its claws 5 times a huge. Its eyes promised death and the low growl that came forth was powerful enough to shake the very ground we rode on. I could feel the carriage shake, I could feel the book I had been studying shake. I could feel the pages vibrate in my hands. The sound sent chills to my very soul. And the creature wasn’t alone.

I could tell this next fight wasn’t going to be easy.

[argamel]

Wosley, Emerald, Geran, and I had defeated the peculiar moss creature that gained sustinance from heat. As we wandered through the dungeon, looking for the well from which we entered, we came upon a room with bones piled in the center on the floor. Suddenly the bones started shifting about, forming into three skeletons. I drew my sword and struck the closest skeleton cutting through many of it's bones.
What remained of the creature crumbled to dust. Immediately I attempted to cleave the second skeleton; however, it dodged my attack and stabbed me. As I fell Geran obliterated the skeleton, then everything went black. I awoke minutes later. Geran had dragged me to a fountain and was healing my wound. I assumed they defeated the other skeleton, but I never cared to ask who did it.
I was weary and ready to be done with this quest. I didn't know the others that well. I had worked with Rogues in the past but not this one. I believe that I had seen the wizard once before, I think at a tavern perhaps. He does resemble an Elf Wizard that became too inebriated and threatened to set the Bubbly Toad Inn ablaze a year or two back, but im not sure if it was him. I had heard about paladins but never saw one up close before this quest. I dont think they're all that special. Take a Ranger like me, teach him some religion and throw some magic up his sleeves and you got a Paladin. I don't need that shit. I can make by with my sword and bow and that's how it's going to stay.
Geran finished healing me and we decided to continue the search for the exit. After about an hour of searching we stumbled upon the well. The one rope we had left tied off at the top was gone. Wosley suggested that since I was the best climber out of the four that I climb up then send down a rope. After a few minutes of climbing I finally made it to the top. I pulled myself up and out of the aging well, then suddenly I felt a wave of magic overcome me. I was paralyzed; unable to move and warn the others that we weren't alone.
Standing before me were six dark figures. Four were wearing black armor while the other two wore black hooded robes. The armored ones didn't phase me. They seemed like typical lackey's hired with no real experience to be expendable muscle for a much greater power. I knew the two hooded figures were obviously that greater power. I could see one's face. He was pretty intimidating, but nothing in comparison to the other. It was like wandering through the forest and having a bear cub catch you off guard. It might make you jump for a second, but as you laugh over how silly the situation is and begin to collect yourself... the mother bear shows up. This other man shrouded in black was definitely the mother bear. I could not make out a face under his hood. Just darkness.
One of the armored men tied a rope to the well and lowered it down. One by one the others ascended from the well. As each one arrived at the entrance the same thing occured. They were struck with paralysis and were unable to warn the others, then it was too late. The four of us were all there, stiff as boards, only able to watch as this dark posse approached us. Soon they were a few paces in front of us. Still, I could not make out a face under this mysterious man's hood.
"How kind of you to retrieve that spellbook for me." The more powerful of the two hooded men spoke with a sly, eerie voice. His words slithered like a snake pierced like a thousand burning arrows. I had no doubt at this point that we were fucked. I could sense the fear in the others. The hooded man raised his hand and pointed at us. His fingers were pale and gangly, almost like a skeleton but there was still flesh on it. "Chalfon, would you be so kind as to relieve them of the spellbook. Also, the ring they picked up down there, I would like that too," the hooded darkness said almost softly shrieking, "Then please show them our utmost hospitality." Then in a cloud of black light he vanished.
The other hooded man started walking towards us. I figured he was Chalfon. He took the spellbook and ring from Wosley and Emerald and I could see the protest in their eyes. Chalfon ordered the men in armor to have us bound and put in a wagon. Our armor and equipment were piled on the other side of the wagon. The paralysis was still taking effect and we were helpless as the wagon began to move.
A short while later the paralysis wore off and we regained control of ourselves. Garron and the Rouge freed themselves from their bindings. Wosley and I didn't bother and they gathered there equipment and cut the ropes that bound us. As the wizard and I gathered our belongings Emerald decided to observe our surroundings and make an escape plan. She peered through the window leading to where the driver was. Chalfon was driving. They were somewhere in the city and the sun was up. Chalfon suddenly sneezed and his head moved in just a way that he could see the rogues eyes peering at him through the small window. "They've escaped!" Chalfon yelled as the Emerald thrust her dagger towards his face. He moved out of the way just in time dismounting the wagon and took off running. Garon leapt out of the back of the wagon, freed one of the horses pulling it and started to chase Chalfon. However, his armor was too heavy for the horse and Chalfon was getting away. I drew my bow and attempted to shoot Chalfon from the window on the wagon. I missed.
As we stood in the wagon the four men in black armor were closing in on the wagon out of any other ideas, Wosley cast a fireball just outside of the wagon door. We were protected inside of the wagon, but everything outside of the wagon was scorched. The four men, the horse still tied to the wagon, and some the surrounding area was burning. the smell of charred flesh was in the air. Geran heard the firey explosion and came back to see if we were alright. We escaped the burning wagon before the flames engulfed us. Immediately we all started the chase. We had to get that book back from Chalfon.
We were far behind him. The commotion from the wagon cleared the streets and left a clear path for us to follow... well somewhat clear. We eventually caught up to him; however, we chased him into an alley with a twelve foot wall, a wall he jump over with ease. Emerald hopped over the wall as well. I, along with Wosley, started to climb the wall. As I reached the top Wosley fell, only to be picked up by Geran and placed on the wall. On top of the wall we could see Emerald still chasing Chalfon. There was a building being built with many open spaces still and a large scaffolding. Chalfon slid under the scaffolding, and then Emerald soon after.
It didn't look as though she would catch up to him. I tied my rope to an arrow and shot it at a building just past the scaffolding. I didn't shoot my arrow as high as I would have liked, but did not have enough time to retry it. I grabbed the rope and swung at a high speed towards the scaffolding. As I neared the scaffolding I realized that not shooting high enough was very bad as I wasn't in a position to swing past the structure ahead of me. I had use all of my strength to pull myself up so as to move freely past the building. In the few seconds I spent swinging I saw Geran start to climb the scaffolding. Wosley merely cast a spell that dissolved a section of it for him to run past freely. Soon I swung past Emerald. Then I was right on top of Chalfon.
I let go of the rope and landed on top of him. Immediately we began to grapple. At first he had the upper hand. The others arrived soon after and Wosley cast a spell that fatigued Chalfon. I began to have the upper hand when suddenly he pulled out a dagger and stabbed me several times. I felt my health fading. Geran landed a hit on Chalfon but it wasn't enough. Before I bled out I drank a potion to stop the bleeding and keep me strong enough to stay in the fight. As I stood up I saw Emerald fall, wounded by Chalfon who was now brandishing a rapier seeminlgy charged with electric magic. I pulled out my sword and attacked. My sword found a place to put itself right between his armor. As I pulled my sword from his midsection his guts spilled out. Chalfon was dead.
After healing Emerald and myself we took the book and ring back then split all of the platinum and gold he had on him evenly amongst us. There was also some chainmail and a ring. Geran seemingly appraised the ring but didn't want to tell us right away. How noble of a paladin. We returned to the guild tired and ready to relax. It was interesting questing with these three. Perhaps the guild will have me accompany them on another quest. Still... I can't help but wonder who Chalfon's master was and will he ever come back for the spellbook. Oh well. I guess if I find out, I'll find out...