Session 0 / 1
Sunday 9th August 2002
It all began in a long forgotten temple, forgotten by time, forgotten by the humans who died in the fields above it; long forgotten by even its architecht. Not until times called for a soul, a carrier…
A puppet.
An Alrussian lieutenant investigating an uncovered tomb of ancient Üstün origins; guiding the famous Alrussian Archeologist Professor Volodymyr Krauchenko, the Lieutenant and his men would not leave the chamber in one piece.
Murdered by the guardians of the tomb and finished off by an Aşağı assisting the Professor; the tomb was sealed by the war.
That was Wineday the 17th of Dusk, 1763.
When Vadi Kzyrgo stepped through the portal after a substantial conversation with his new “Sua’Sah”, he emerged on a mission, a task assigned by his new Lord. He emerged thirty years later, the War he fought now long over and lost; deep in the land of his former enemy, the puppet of his Sua’Sah headed north.
Swordsday the 44th of Godsnight, 1786. They called it “The Night of Long Nights” but what most of the men and women who served in the second and third battalions serving in the Siege of Vandus would call that day was beyond reckoning.
Most would not come out of that battle unharmed; physically, emotionally, and mentally damaged. Fresh recruits and green troopers of the Second battalions stood against the hordes of demonkind and undead alike, standing shoulder to shoulder with the Dragonkin of two Clans; the Tora and the Korath. Standing shoulder to shoulder with the newly risen Imperator and King of the Ilmarian Imperium; Andreas Vandersryke the Fifth.
Lieutenant John Johnson, a Cabal Gunslinger of the 23rd Amstadt Foot’s Second Batallion had served in that battle, ten years ago. Serving now in the Oxwall Garrison and waiting out his retirement; he is given one last mission by his Commander, Colonel Bridges.
“Investigate rumours of a raiding Non-Human bandit group North and East of the city.”
And so Lt. John Johnson headed out.
Hanz Schimtz was brought up on a small island off the western coast of Ilmarian’s Adestein region, his father a priest of Bodar and a former woodcutter. After learning of the ways of Bodar, the God of War, he took his oath of service and his badge of status; now a Paladin of Bodar Hanz had his first quest.
A friend of his father had requested help from Hanz’s father and he had given Hanz the job. His father’s friend had a daughter, she had died a number of months ago to a fever; she had many suitors and one of them continued to send letters to her address.
It saddened her father and finally asking for help, Hanz was to find this suitor and request he stop sending letters and relay the fate of the one he wrote for.
Taking passage on the monthly trading vessel sent from the mainland, Hanz arrived in Oxwall only to be acosted by dock thugs.
Cuthroat Admiral John McRogers had led a heavy life of crime, one that was now coming back to haunt him.
Somewhere and somehow he had done wrong by some important people, he could not remember how and neither would they tell him why; all he knew was that they wanted him dead.
Hiding out on the Ilmarian Mainland was the only way to avoid them, they would not expect him on land!
On the docks of Oxwall, he observed some thugs hasseling an armoured figure fresh of the boat, in a feat of friendly kindness, the pirate captain stepped over and skewered the first man on his rapier, only for the armoured figure to drop his heavy battle axe into the neck of the other thug.
One quick escape put both these two new aquaintences on a path out of Oxwall and heading East.
After ten long years of service in the Ilmarian Imperium’s Redcoat army, David O’Beatty had been free to walk and work the land as he saw fit; given Citizenship by his service in the military, David was no longer just an Aşağı, he was an Ilmarian Citizen, with rights to land, business and even the right to vote!
Serving Bywulla proud, he travelled the land passing her teachings and helping those who needed it. One such man was the owner of a Castle to the North East of Oxwall; apparently bandits had been attacking nearby places and one such castle had been scouted recently. The Guardian of the place would, apparently acording to rumour, pay handsomely for support.
And so David bumped into three figures on the road.
Lt Vadi Kzyrgo had drunkenly found himself aiming his musket at a pair of travellers, the pirate and the paladin; John & Hanz. After a brief interaction they were attacked.
Apparently the empty saddle of the horse had not given them poise to think danger was afoot, even though the saddle had the signs of damage and monster claws.
During the fight with the archietechs of the empty saddle, the Ghouls attacked all four of the party. A quick thirty seconds was all the fight lasted as the party came out on top.
After a passing Ilmarian soldier questioned their purpose, the party headed to the Castle of Nov for the task of assisting its owner. A half-crazed Dwarf by the name of Jekyll and his apparent “around-here-somehere” friend Tien.
The party got straight to work, apparently a thief had been scouting out the place and Jekyll had ran them off but he had caught the ear of the Aşağı bastard and caught his discarded armband. A symbol well known to Vadi.
The first night went quietly, only a triggering of one of Jekyll’s bell trap by a rogue crab from the nearby river. The second night was invaded by a smash of a window on the second floor; upon investigation, the party found a rogue bird had smashed through the window.
Suspicious of the events that Jekyll stated was normal, David went on a patrol, catching sight of a foot sneaking in through a window.
Inside, Vadi and McRogers both took a crossbow bolt to the shoulder; it seemed that tonight was not going to go quietly.
That’s where we’ll pick up next session!