Difference between revisions of "Category:The Duumvirate"

Revision as of 08:53, 28 May 2021

THE CAMPAIGN UNFOLDS...

Before the full onset of winter in early 874, Avish Shandar permanently took residency at his tower in the wilds outside of Hathbell, thereby quietly assuming his office of Captain of Scouts for Lord Marnaus, and training his band of followers as the new spies of Hathbell and the Kanosian League. With suspicions of the growing power of the Blackstone Triumvirate thus allayed by the voluntary removal of the ninja elf, Lars St. Morning Glory and Demetrius Hammerhand could rule the Valley of Mazaros and all its dependencies unimpeded by the jealousies of the lords of the Furnorkanasos, and therefore the great wizard and dwarf lord became known as the Duumvirate, the two masters of Castle Blackstone.

Player Characters

Demetrius Hammerhand, 11th level neutral dwarven fighter, Lord of Blackstone, Thane of Bagras Dragonfriend, Knight of Five Pillars

Lars St. Morning Glory, 15th level neutral good human mage, the Wizard of Blackstone

Oruvyn Torgidal, ?th level neutral good gnomish cleric of Flandal Steelskin/?th level thief

Campaign Chronicle

All days of the week follow the Kanosian, as opposed to the Encyclonian or Abbadonian, reckoning. Annamane corresponds to Hebdomon (Sunday), or the day of worship to the Deity, in the Abbadonian Rite. To avoid unnecessary confusion, roman months are retained, although the Encyclonian monthly system has largely replaced the constellation months of the ancient Kanosians."

August, 873: The Nikoloi depart Blackstone for Elvenspire to craft and enchant red dragon scales as armor for Demetrius

12 March, 874: The Nikoloi return to Blackstone empty-handed

28 March, 874 (Annamane): Bishop Nikolos casts the astral spell on the party. Upon entering the Astral Plane, the spirits of the heroes are set upon by a great astral storm, and party is violently separated.

03 April, 874: Having saved the bishop from captivity or worse in an astral city, Demetrius defeats a githyanki scouting party and at last discovers a color pool to Mt. Celestia. The entire party is reunited and reconstituted on the starlit shores of Lunia, the First Heaven. Leaving the holy shores, the party is given transport on a longship, and taken to a town upon the Courtlands, the realm of the god Tyr. A dispute between the Bishop and Demetrius ensues, and the party separates for a time.

04 April, 874: The party reunites, discovering that the inhabitants of the Courtlands war with one another, and they begin to ascend Mt. Celestia.

07 April, 874: The party encounters a sleeping immortal frost giant, who seeks his daughter at the abode of a local demi-god. Meeting the gnome Oruvyn in the same encounter, the gnome tricks the frost giant, and they escape him for a time. Arriving at the demi-god's abode, Oruvyn summons the frost giant, and the party does battle with him. Demetrius and Oruvyn release the giant's magical bracelets, and the archpriest Nikolos banishes the evil frost giant. The demi-god is physically destroyed, but his wife provides the party sanctuary while they recover. The party discovers the giant's treasure, of a singing silver harp, who may turn all who listen to silver. They leave the wife of the demi-god the harp, but cause the harp to return to life many silver statues. The rest they return to Castle Blackstone, using the astral magic of the bishop.

10 April, 874: At the outer bounds of the Courtlands, the party is set upon by a valkyrie named Brynsilber. With much struggle, the party subdues her, with Larweiaen restraining her combat fury. Brynsilber declares that she is a proxy of Forseti, a lesser god of Tyr's realm, who's secret rune of immortality has been stolen, ostensibly by an astral projecting gnome called Mayben and a similarly traveling bard, perhaps with accomplices. Brynsilber has been sent to find these thieves, punish them, and return Forseti's immortality. She agrees to join the party, discovering that the gnome Oruvyn but holds the false enigma of immortality.

13 April, 874: The party passes the 2nd Gate of Mt. Celestia, entering Mercuria, taking with them Kandalantas, the last of their followers who were transformed from silver, for unlike the others, Kandalantas, a bariaur warrior and priest, possessed a living soul. They are invited to sojourn at the palace of the enigmatic Brave Lord. Thereat, the heroes elect to stay within the realm of the Brave Lord for a month. The Nikoloi and Oruvyn spend a full month of prayer with the Brave Lord during his holy month, gaining much inner wisdom, whereas Lars and Sayeen make love in the gardens of paradise belonging to the Brave Lord, thereby conceiving a child in Sayeen's astral body of fine sand. Larweiaen and Brysilber fly to appeal to the ruling archon of Mercuria for succor, although become separated, with Brynsilber continuing on the Tome Archon's court at Golden Spire, while Larweiaen became diverted to another quest. Demetrius spent the month at first in leisurely hunts in the gardens of paradise, but at length pursued the sanctum of the Son of the Brave Lord, who forged for Demetrius the Sword of Accounts, a blade made of black shadow and Demetrius' own blood and sense of justice. Oruvyn practices

16 May, 874 (Ammane): The holy month of prayers of the Brave Lord comes to an end, and along with his month of rigorous prayer, Oruvyn concludes a month of nocturnal labors upon the forge of the Brave Lord, learning much lore. Outside of the Brave Lord's palace, Lars and Sayeen are accosted by holy spirits and then an archon for fornication, and to avoid further sins before the Brave Lord, are married at his palace by the archpriest Nikolos. As agreed, Larweiaen returns from his adventures beyond the Brave Lord's realm, bringing with him the enigmatic Celestial Princess, whom he has saved from the gnome Mayben. After considerable deliberation, the party agrees to split ways, seeking to outmaneuver and entrap their enemies. Demetrius and Larweiaen travel to the Third Gate to head-off Mayben, should he attempt to pass there. The Nikoloi and Demetrius' minior Agerik travel to the Crystal Tarn to use the divination powers there to learn more of their enemies. Lars, Oruvyn, Sayeen, and Kandalantas take custody of the Celestial Princess and proceed to attempt to take her back to her Holy Mountain.

21 May, 874: Lars and his party arrive at the castle of Sir Relbenor, making secret camp outside.