There's No Place Like Home

You Can Never Go Home

Finding themselves in a bizarre city like Sigil, the group attempts to find Osirian a way back home. The newly formed Order Of The Obsidian Dagger needs tending to if it is to survive and flourish. Aluvis Ruskin, the ageless tiefling who is a purveyor of portals directs the group towards the Clerk's Ward in Sigil. The scholars there, perhaps, have knowledge of a way back home to Diafthora back in the Netir Vale.

Ummm...so which way is north?

Moving through Sigil is disconcerting, as it's streets curve up and overhead of the group as well as circle around as they are contained within a torus. Finding citizens on the street who know directions is not difficult, as long as you ask the right race. Orcs, goblins and the like are abundant here and easy peace is kept but that doesn't mean that they will be friendly. Zaya strolling down the streets of Sigil, turns the head of an attractive male elf, who himself catches Zaya's eye. He pleads with Zaya to meet him in 3 hours at a local tavern. She demurs but not really giving him an answer. Eventually, they find the Clerk's Ward and are directed to find Rey Treeforger, the head scholar.

Inside one of the administrative buildings they find many bodies busy at work and Osirian is able to convince a novice that he is hear to deliver a singing message to the elderly clerk, after hearing that it will take a few weeks to schedule an appointment. The entire staff ceases their work to watch the old man descend from his office and listen to the message which suggests that the old man has a female admirer. Easily convincing him that there is more to the message, but the rest is intended as a private message the group retires back up to his office.

There, Osirian tries to pawn off Zaya to the old man as a date but the elf will have no part in this prostitution of herself, besides she already has a date. The group is able to get the head clerk to expedite the process of locating a portal that will take Osirian back to Diafthora with little or no time passing since their departure. The price is large though. Osirian decides to offer the stone, which is shaped like a large egg, that he has in his possession. Before he is able to complete the offer Fluffy notices that he may recognize this as a true egg. He pries off a piece of rock to reveal a gleaming bit of metal beneath. Rey Treeforger is instantly interested and offers a substantial sum of gold. Osirian thinks better of the trade and decides instead to pay the original price. Fluffy, a scholar in his own right strides off to find information on what they have just discovered about their egg-shaped stone. This after all is a place of learning and he should be able to find what he needs. He is only briefly seen by various workers, leaving random buildings muttering, "Nope, not that one.", for the next three hours.

While they wait for one of the clerks to retrieve the location of the portal Osirian requires they move off to witness Zaya's date.  The date goes fine, if you like the male elf to order for you, ignoring your own wishes and talking about himself incessantly. Realizing this is not the elf for her, Zaya departs but not before giving him a dragon scale of hers as a memento of her, as well as proof of her heroic deeds which far surpasses his.

It is now time to retrieve their map to the portal which will send Osirian home. It turns out that the portal is in the Lower Ward, the part of the city which is rife with random portals. As they approach the Lower Ward the group says their goodbyes to the halfling. It seems more of a good-bye than a 'see you soon' but shortly they turn around and leave the area as they are wary of being pulled through a random portal to a place they do not wish to go. This is Osirian's worry as well.

This part of the city is largely quiet. The grey light of 'day' has faded into a darker shade of 'night' here in Sigil. The streets fill with cold, damp fog. Osirian, map in hand, turns to face the first archway he must move through to get to his destination. Know that each doorway, archway, window or any other such opening, may prove to be a portal to somewhere, he makes a quick prayer to his god before he takes his first step through.

The odd looking dabus creatures, which are nearby tending to the their task of removing razor-vine from buildings, hear Osirian's whispered prayer and move quickly towards him. Osirian cannot see their mouths move but he hears their words none-the-less in his mind. "Do not make prayers to gods here in Sigil!" As they continue to approach menacingly, Osirian begs forgiveness as he is new to the customs of Sigil. They give Osirian a stern warning then retreat away, back to their work.

Guys? Maybe this isn't such a good idea.

Osirian moves cautiously through successive archways and after passing through each without incident moves more confidently. That is until the last archway. As his striding hand touches the threshold of the archway, the air within the archway shimmers like a ripple in water and reflected back is the image of a summer view of a river and forest from a high vantage. Osirian is just able to jump back in time in order to not be pulled through. He then tosses copper coins through the archway and each disappears while the exact view is seen but in in an entirely different season (year? decade?). Finally when the shimmer ceases to occur after tossing a copper through Osirian rushes through.

Finally reaching his destination, a simple looking plain door. He pauses only to give a thanks to his god, if only in his mind. He moves through. As he moves through, he is compelled to look back. There behind him is the figure of a tall and imposing lady in grey robes. It is The Lady Of Pain. She whispers in his mind, "You were warned!". There is no ripple. No bright light. Just Osirian walking into a stone rubble strewn building which has seen better days. Emerging to the outside he finds himself back in Diafthora standing in the still ruined keep. It is night. The scholar had given the group the impression that little or no time should have passed since their departure from Diafthora.

He continues on to Rosegate Manor, the Order's headquarters and Osirian's home. There he finds strangers eating at the main table and after his triumphant announcement of his return, he also finds no one recognizes him. Questioning the people at the table he comes to realize that 100 years has passed since the time the Order Of The Obisidian Dagger was founded.

Dum dum dummmmmmm.

Without Music, Life is A Journey Through A Desert
3, 000 XP

Meanwhile back in Sigil the group prepares themselves for their journey to Athas. Some trading in metal armor for more desert suitable armor. All purchasing water and supplies for a desert journey. They then follow Kirvin to The Hive, a sprawling slum like area of Sigil. There they climb through a dark window. Fluffy who has never experienced true dark before is nervous. He nervously reaches to Zaya for comfort. Zaya understanding his fear.....pushes him unceremoniously through. 'Boy' who has not been without a mentor to look up to and emulate, sticks close to Zaya.

Transported to the desert world of Athas, the group finds themselves half buried around the peak of a massive pyramid buried beneath the sand. Once extricated they travel under the blazing heat of the large red sun. Zaya is the first to succumb to the heat and she depletes almost a whole days ration of water. Moving on, Sparrow and 'Boy' are also unable to continue under the stifling heat and they too waste much of their water ration. They are quickly finding that they were fortunate to have purchased extra water/food/sun protection unguent rations.

Reaching a rocky outcrop they decide to rest for the night. A debate ensues over the merits of day versus night travel. Each presents a hardship. Day travel risks Sun Sickness. Night travel must endure plunging temperatures and risking unseen dangers. As they begin to rest, Fluffy awakens the rest as he has heard distant sounds which he doesn't recognize. Soon enough it is revealed that it is a sand skiff. Kirvin informs them that they are Slavers. It looks like elves aboard the ship but different from the elves the group is used to. The elves of this world are tall and lean. Built for the desert.

As the group readies themselves, they witness a mul, a large well muscled bald humanoid, emerge from the nearby rocks, run along the side of the skiff and leap aboard. The group works together with the mul to defeat the slavers. They had heard Kirvin and Aluvis speak of the nature of Arcane magic in Athas. Now they witness firsthand the power and destruction which accompanies arcanic magic. Sparrow issues forth a spell and feels the draw and seduction of the arcane. His power is amplified but everyone around him suffers a blow to their health. Kirvin himself collapses unconscious.

The battle moves on and around the skiff. 'Boy' too feels the pull of arcane magic but resists pulling more power than he needs. Zaya is able to shoot and arrow from atop a rocky outcrop and into the head of an elf below her, embedding the arrow deep within the skull. Sparrow uses his teleportation powers to devastating effect. 'Boy' stays back out of the fray and continues to rain magic missles upon the enemies.

The mul, Ninaki, uses his brute strength and toughness to move through multiple enemies and despite little armor is able to move swiftly and fend off attacks. In fact, the rest of the group notices that even though their enemies are not fully armored in the manor they are used to, the enemies make up for that in their sheer toughness.

Finally, the enemies are overcome and the group befriends Ninaki and his monkey companion, Osworld. Ninaki, perhaps not the brightest torch in the dark, is a valuable ally. They also now have at their disposal a sand skiff. Together they suss out the method of how to direct the skiff and in the morning are off.  Soon, they arrive at a fair sized walled city.

Unfortunately for the group some of the desert elves just outside the city gates, claim that the skiff is stolen and the group is in fact slaves who have killed their masters. Even though a couple of them, Kirvin and Ninaki, are able to produce papers of freedom the other cannot. They are sent to see a local council member, Damari Leafgaze. He is unmoved by their story and decides trial by battle within the arena is the solution. In fact, that is usually Damari's solution of choice in most matters as can be heard by the massive sounds of cheering from the crowds within the arena.



MetaGame Spoiler Inside

(DM Note: I had figured out two plans based on the skiff. If the group took the skiff they would be accused of being escaped slaves. If they didn't they would have to travel 3 more days through the desert and have difficulties that way. I'm kind of glad the group took the skiff though.

That was MY copper piece!

Coins In The Coffer
2,900 XP

The group soon enough finds themselves in the arena. On each end of the arena is a large stone bowl. Throughout the arena floor there is large bushes which have sharp grabbing vines. And in the center is a scattering of coins. Ninaki recognizes the game. Coins In The Coffer.

They have several minutes to collect a coin, one at a time and return them to the bowl. At the end of the time, whoever has the most coins wins. Killing is definitely an option.

What ensues is a total one sided blood bath. The adventurers, working as a well oiled team, are able to collect 7 coins in their bowl, while the opposing side has collected only one. But due to devious cunning one of the enemy muls decides to topple the bowl containing the groups coins. and the group looks like they shall lose. In a flurry of activity in the last couple of rounds they are able to kill most of the opposing team while collecting up enough coins in their coffer to win.....by one coin.

This is a world much different to their own. But they still kick ass.


MetaGame Spoiler Inside

(DM Note: I don't think there has ever been a time in our games together in which I actively try to beat the group. But I got caught up in the game within the game and was having so much fun trying to make it hard for the group. I think it ended up more fun by winning at the last moment by a single coin anyway.

A Victory Enjoyed All Too Briefly

The Battle To Save The City Continues

Maybe don't stand on the walls just now. Just ask Zaya.

This sessions begins mid-battle with the giants just having breached the city walls and their leader, Fraenir, lying dead upon the ground. As the group defends their city along with the quickly dwindling soldiers giants continue to enter the city as well as a group of giants are hurling boulders from outside the city. Each of the group has taken massive damage and are barely holding their ground.

Zaya is atop the city walls delivering arrows to various giants using her enchanted arrows.  Sparrow is near the breach in the wall trying to repel the entering giants. Osirian is being badly injured trying to hold the final portcullis holding back 2 giants. Fluffy and Princess are doing their best to inflict damage while healing the others. But soon the courtyard is filling with dead giants and the giant threatening Osirian is dead, entangled in the nearly broken portcullis. Some of the city's soldiers, having lost a majority of their ranks, abandon the battlefield.

As a giant enters the courtyard and sees the carnage as well as his leader he loses faith and turns and begins to flee ignoring the vicious hack inflicted by Sparrow. The tide of the battle seems to be turning, that is until 4 more boulders crash into the city's walls, one of which causes Zaya to be flung from atop the wall. Zaya survives the fall only to be buried in ruble from another boulder. Unconscious and dying she is saved by Fluffy.

The small contingent of remaining giants stomp off back into the woods. Osirian climbs atop the dead Fraenir and addresses the remaining troops  and rallies their broken morale. There are obviously more giants somewhere else in the city, as both Zaya and Fluffy have heard far off crashing and most of the soldiers expected have not arrived. Sparrow flies off to survey the city as the rest of the group tend to their wounds and the wounded. Zaya attempts to find her enchanted arrows but finds it difficult to get past the broken portcullis, so directs the smaller Fluffy to go outside the city and retrieve her ammunition. Fluffy almost effortlessly finds each arrow, save for the arrow that is underneath the giant that was first felled.

Osirian inspects the body of the fallen giant leader, Fraenir. The necklace he wore is a bizarre collection of animal and human body parts. Some old and sun bleached while others have flesh still clinging to the bone. He also finds the giant's great club is an enchanted club. With the other's helpl he is able to work the club into his bag of holding. Remove the necklace, Osirian hopes that proof of the dead leader will be enough to break the ranks of the, typically solitary, giants.

Sparrow returns with news of another breach in the wall and at least 4 other giants in a section of the city and are tromping through heavily populated area. Deciding that time is of the essence, the group marches off with little healing ability and lacking some of their more potent powers.

They quickly encounter a large group of giants being barely contained by the rest of the army. The group is able to concentrate their fire power along with that of the soldiers and slowly take the giants down one by one suffering much damage in the process. Osirian tries to draw attention to Fraenir's necklace but is too small and there is too much battle noise for the halfling to be overheard. It is then that the old man who was with the giants back in the Juren Forest walks into the fray.

The old shaman uses the same magic that was witnessed from the giant shaman to the same devastating effect. The group quickly concentrates all of their efforts to kill the shaman. The old man is able to teleport to a vantage point from which he is able to hurl chains fashioned from the earth itself and injures Zaya. But the shaman who has suffered incredible damage, teleports away and tries to shuffle away to safety.

When the last of the giants is killed by falling upon the massive amount of arrows and driving them through its heart, the group spies the fleeing shaman and pursues. Osirian stays behind to tend to the wounded and dying soldiers and civilians. The pursuing group is barely able to catch up the old shuffling man who is able to finally lose them via a portal, leaving the group standing in a blind alley.

It is early morning so the group leaves orders for the soldiers and heads back to their manor to get some well deserved rest.

XP earned: 6,550



MetaGame Spoiler Inside

(DM Note:The XP was really difficult to calculate as it had to be split among the soldiers but at the same time XP had to be awarded for commanding said soldiers. I hope the number I calculated is fair. Much Googling was done for precedence. Basically I treated each division as a NPC and halved the XP awarded to them between the commander and the division. The final XP just has to be divided among the PCs then. Again, waaaaay to much time trying to figure this out.

The Dawn Of A New Day

The next day the group awakes to find their newly formed council ready and waiting for their leader's orders. Much will be needed to be done. Repairs to the walls. Repairs to many of the people's homes and businesses. Building something new from the remains of the old Order Of The Thundershield's Keep. Form a navy from the existing ships currently used solely for trade.
Osirian decisively issues many orders and each member is quickly dispatched to begin their work.

Keyon, the city's Lord Steward, is quick to point out  that the cities coffers will be run dry before much of the work can be done. The tax base has been recently been reduced by giants. The mines only recently have been reopened. The cost of repairs will be phenomenal. He presents the group with numbers which seem to estimate that based on past tax years, it will takes several years to see repairs and changes implemented. Osirian asks what amount of gold would it take to see things progress faster. Keyon, performing math upon parchment like a medieval spreadsheet master, say it will take an additional 50,000 gold to speed up progress enough the see these changes made within the next 6 months. And...Winter Is Coming.

When the group finally has the manor to themselves again, they are visited by a new face. He is a tall, lean, dark figure who pleads for the groups help. His name is Kirvin and he says the group is that foretold of in an ancient prophecy. They are to be the ones to save his world. He describes his world as one which has been nearly destroyed and where life barely clings to. Kirvin is relishing his time in this world which has running water and lush greenery. Osirian offers him the luxury of bathing in a tub full of warm water as the group discusses what has been presented.

Zaya and Fluffy go off to retrieve her final enchanted arrow. They find it is still embedded in the underside of the dead giant but Zaya can feel it still trying to worm itself through its enemy. With the aid of Fluffy's anatomical knowledge Zaya performs some quick and dirty surgery using her sword and digs out the arrow which has been working tirelessly to inflict damage upon the corpse.

'Boy', or as he should be probably addressed now as Elric Lord Adivsor of Diafthora, went off to find Jane Longshore of the Golden Thread. She was the one who had done such an amazing job on Zaya's dragonscale robe. He asks her to adorn his royal robes with fiery arcanic symbols and scroll work as befitting both his station and his skill as a fire mage. He then asks and is given direction to someone who may be able to fashion a mask which would also befit a royal fire mage.

He finds the store, Hat Haven, run by a brusque and busied fellow Yrrak Shearbane. He doesn't seem to lend to much of an ear to 'Boy' and 'Boy' has to follow him around his store giving him directions as to what he wants. Finally Yrrak sketches out a mask which matches what was in 'Boy's mind. But Yrrak is both rude about the mask and swindles 'Boy' for it's cost in the process.

'Boy' returns to Osirian, who is already pondering about finances, and ask Osirian for the exorbitant cost for both the robes and the mask. Osirian promises to pay Yrrak a visit before paying the rude mask maker.



MetaGame Spoiler Inside

(DM Note: 'Boy', I wasn't calling your design of cape and robe stupid. It was the NPC. The Story Dice I rolled said the NPC would be rude. So, again. not me. Not the DM....just the NPC

An Unwanted Vacation

Uggg....I feel nauses when I look up.

When the group is finally back together, Kirvin, freshly bathed, pleads with them again to come to his home and help save his world. The group is hesitant. They have worked hard to get to the station in life where they are. They have saved a city. They need to rebuild the city and build a new order, The Order Of The Obisidan Dagger. They can help but perhaps not just now.

Seeing his pleas are failing, Kirvin places a dark crystal star like object upon the table and the group is quickly  and unceremoniously transported...somewhere. As their senses return to them they find themselves in a twilight city. Cool and damp.

Zaya is the first to notice that the horizon curves upwards until it bends and returns above them, The city streets and buildings continue in a curve until they are also about a mile above them. The light comes from everywhere and nowhere. They also notice that there, walking the streets, is a confusing mix of all sorts of races. Hobgoglins. Elves. Drow. Dwars. Humans. Kobolds. All seeming to let each other be.

Fluffy has to hold back Osirian, preventing the halfling from disemboweling Kirvin for the abduction from their home. Kirvin explains that they are in Sigil. The Cage. A world which connects to all other worlds. He directs them to a seemingly small building, inside which they find a vast building with shelving containing all sorts of paraphernalia as well as a very noble tiefling, Aluvis.

Between Kirvin and Aluvis they piece together some sort of story. Kirvin's world, Athas, has been destroyed by Arcane magic. Arcane mages there are reviled. Kirvin's secret sect, the Vield Alliance, is trying to restore the world by finding the seed from the Tree Of Life.

Aluvis can only return the group to their home world, the Netir Vale, by a portal piece which is in Athas. But to use it they must sacrifice a life, as Kirvin had done with his young escort. Athas has a very difficult climate and metal is rare as is gold currency. They can seek out Tivvum who is always willing to trade items for use in other worlds, for a fee. The passage of time in the various worlds may be a factor which may play into things as well.

Aluvis also hints that even without aiding Kirvin, there may be other ways back home from here in Sigil.




MetaGame Spoiler Inside

(DM Note: I had warned some of the players they may be mad at what I was going to force upon them. I wasn't too far off. Don't worry there are always ways out of things. Hope I didn't piss you off too bad.

"I'm Gonna Clean Up This Town"

“Politics is the art of looking for trouble, finding it everywhere, diagnosing it incorrectly and applying the wrong remedies.” ― Groucho Marx

This session begins the morning after our group has inherited the mansion, Rosegate House. They awake to a bustling household with the servants cleaning up after the groups efforts to turn the manor upside down looking for treasure.  The group quickly acclimates to their new found status and have the servants draw baths, acquire new clothes and arrange meetings.

The morning is spent shopping in the finest shops for clothes befitting their new station and the meeting of the potential new members of government that evening.  Osirian spends a small fortune on fine clothes for him and 'Boy'.  'Boy' seems to take a long time to decide upon which new robe to purchase.

Zaya has realized that she has, for far too long, ignored her feminine side and has taken off her mud, blood and grime spattered armor to be cleaned and purchases a fine dress made of a dark blue silk. Ignoring Osirian's gut busting laughter at his Master of Arms donning quite obviously non-combat themed attire, Zaya concedes that she may have to conceal a knife and some throwing daggers underneath her dress.

Fluffy explores the house looking for ale but all the finds in the kitchen are several bottles of very expensive aged wine.  Which he single-handedly polished off, which of course leaves the household barren of any fine drink to offer the guests in the evening.

Sparrow is tasked with flying over the Juren Forest to scout for signs of giants and their activities. Sparrow finds only a few giants with very little organized activity. He notices a couple of giants in among the ritual circle of stone monoliths. One of them seeming to practice or learn some sort of magic.  The other one spots Sparrow alighting on top of one of the stone monoliths and for fun picks up a rock and throws it at Sparrow.  Dodging the rock Sparrow flies back to the city to report what he has seen. On his way he spies another giant trying to move carefully below and laying down, to keep watch or simply to nap he cannot determine.

To the dragon: "This is why we can't have nice things."

Aelar, spends most of the day trying to reorganize the broken military that was The Order Of The Thunderhshields.  They are now barely a rag tag group of soldiers living in the remains of the former Keep.  He finds Thorton Sharpsail, a former officer, and tasks him with finding and reforming the militia. He then accompanies Aelar back to Rosegate House for the meeting.


Back at the manor, Plother has assembled much of the parties that the group has requested, along with some which took it upon themselves to appear.  One of the uninvited is Paz Titanborn, a member of the thieves guild, The Sons Of Cenarius.  He has come to seek compensation for the damage and humiliation done to some of the guild from the "enchanted mushrooms" that Zaya had given them in exchange for letting her go.

It would seem that 3 of the lesser intelligent thieves had ingested the greenly glowing mushrooms and proceeded to vomit for the next 24 hours. One of the unfortunate thieves was Paz's nephew and now has to answer to the guild and his sister-in-law for the incident.  Osirian persistently tries diplomatic ways out of the situation, trying to make a good first impression upon the assembled group.

It is at this moment Zaya makes her entrance into the room.  She descends down the staircase looking like the beautiful elf she is dressed in her finery, for once not encased in her usual armor. As she witnesses the conflict already in progress, her first instinct is to go for her armor and weapons which she has ready nearby with her servants. The group convinces her to stop and quietly pleads with her not to shed blood, at least not yet.

After some tense moments, and a whistle signal from outside, the group finally lets Paz go after he demands at the very least the elf's beautiful bow. Zaya hesitantly concedes, especially after realizing that the bow is just a normal bow.

The situation defused, the group proceeds with their meeting. Osirian presents his outline for the governmental organization to the assembled and tells them of the groups wishes. Along with the power he offers he also tells them of the magical oath they must be willing to swear if they will be part of the new order. Offering them a copy of the oath the meeting adjourns and will reconvene the next night for those who wish to swear the oath.

“For so sworn good or evil an oath may not be broken and it shall pursue oathkeeper and oathbreaker to the world's end.” ― J.R.R. Tolkien, The Silmarillion

3,000 XP

The next day the group prepares for the meeting.  Osirian and 'Boy' visit the market square to acquire the materials needed to perform the ritual of the oath. Zaya shops for a new bow.  Finding most of the enchanted bows are exorbitantly expensive she looks to see how many gems she has in her possession. Much to her horror she cannot locate her gems. (I'm sure they are there in the bag of holding somewhere. She will have to just concentrate harder when she calls them forth from the bag next time).  She returns to the manor with only a normal bow but she is now carrying 5 enchanted arrows. (which will figure in prominently in just a bit)

This forest is quiet. Perhaps too quiet.

Sparrow flies again over the Juren Forest to check on the giants activity. He finds very little movement in the forest and so decides to return to where he had seen the giant which was settling in the previous day. Sparrow bravely alights on the ground beside the giants head. He is not sure if the giant is dead, sleeping or otherwise. As Sparrow approaches even closer the giant' eyes spring open and a huge hand swings down trying to capture the bird for a quick snack. Sparrow is just able to take flight in the nick of time and returns back to the city once more.

Aelar, by now, counts the slowly returning soldiers nearing 800 strong, if more than a little disorganized. He gives orders reorganizing the soldiers into divisions, forming a new calvary, obtaining oil for defenses, sets up patrols for the wall, institutes training regimes, forms a personal elite guard and finallly starts on dying the soldiers uniforms black to unite the new army while cutting ties to the old Order Of The Thundershields.

As the manor is preparing for the next meeting that evening, which includes orders that Fluffy may not enter the kitchen for feat that he will drink the evening's supply of wine and ale, remainder of the group is returning from their market venture when they hear of the girl that Osirian had saved many days ago from the slaughter of the SoldShort Inn, and who he has been not so silently pining for since. They are told that she now works as a waitress in the fine inn called the Ghostly Minstril, which they had visited before.

They enter and Osirian quickly finds the object of his obsession. What he fails to notice is that she has eyes for the resident minstrel, Tarin Ursalatao. Being the Lord Commander of Diafthora, he plays the diplomat to the overconfident Tarin.  But it is not long before Osirian passively aggressively challenges Tarin to a bard-off. Letting Tarin sing first, the inn is entranced with Tarin's beautiful signing voice but is distracted by Osirian's play acting of the woman's role during Tarin's part of the song to great comedic effect. At Osirian's turn to sing, it may not be his night to shine vocally but it certainly was acting wise. Tarin, trying to mimic Osirian's comedic ways, utterly fails and the audience cringes in pain at his embarrassment.  With that Osirian is able to convince the maiden, Fleur Leafmaker, to become his personal attendant and all the wealth, for her and her family, which that entails. With some desperate attempts from Tarin to dissuade her, she finally agrees to Osirian's offer.

Proudly returning back to the manor, they are in time to greet the reassembled people who are to take part in the oath. Along with the requested parties are a couple of people who used to be in power under the old regime who still want a place of power. One of them, Damari Leafgaze has brought a slender meek young man and presents him as Tiberius Drumfang a master alchemist, as Orisian had requested.

It does not take Osirian long to suss out that Tiberius is not all that masterful of an alchemist. His chief specialty is an amazing glue which he proudly states is used all throughout the city. Osirian tests him by presenting him with a drink and then proceeds to lie to him that it was poisoned. Panicking the young man runs from the manor, in hopes he can return to the alchemist's lab to concoct an antidote. Osirian berates Damari for bringing in an obviously unqualified alchemist which Damari had hoped to control. Osirian then calls for a master alchemist .

Shortly thereafter, an old woman, perhaps in her seventies, arrives by pony driven carriage. Osirian greets her and explains the situation. She berates him for psychologically abusing one of her students. A student who already has been bullied by the others in the alchemist's school, usually using the exact same prank Osirian chose to play on the tramatized acolyte. After apologizing, Osirian gets Bella Firehair to agree to help produce a weaponized Alchemist's Essence.

Finaly, back in the manor the assemble proceed to perform the oath. Each is presented with a candle which 'Boy' lights all at once while at the same time he dowsing the other lights in the room. Now each person is lit only with their small candle in front of them as they say the oath in unison.

You're probably wondering why I've assembled you.  We're going to play a massive D&D session.

The Oath of the Obsidian Dagger 

Our light is darkness 
Obsidian knife 
Release all worries 
And right thy life 

Trust thy brothers
And know thy worth
For all are equal
At death and birth

Be he beast 
Of claw or feather
Or lonely wanderer
In plate or leather

Strength in darkness
Or fall to fear
That haunts thy dreams 
When evils near

Thy fallen dragon
Our touch of hope
Has brought forth change
On grander scope

So stand ye tall
Hand on hilt 
To spread thy word 
A world rebuilt 

To serve our justice 
That knows no border
Till my last day
I am the Order

Ni daro a vaetho?
(Will you stay and fight?)

The last line being the question put to each one there. One by one, as the dagger is passed to each person, they reply with the response.

Amin weera, ne serke ar osp
(I agree, by blood and smoke)

At which they take the dagger across their palm and spill enough blood on the candle to extinguish it. As each candle is extinguished the dagger is passed back to Osirian in the centre of the runic circle. He runs the dagger through the flame and passes it to the next person.
Finally, as the dagger is passed back to Osirian, he himself draws the dagger across his palm extinguishing his own candle and the room is plunged into darkness which is only for a brief second as the circle of power emits a cool blue glow which quickly grows in intensity until it too goes out.

The candles and the fire places within the manor then return to life on their own and all is quiet.

The assembled personnel will now make up the seeds for the new age of Diafthora.

Osirian Sivertongue - Lord Commander
Zaya - Master Of Arms
Fluffy - Master Of Spirits (double entendre there)
Elric 'Boy' Padraig - Lord Advisor
Aelar Mindlasher - Captain of the City Watch
Sparrow - Master Of Espionage

Plother - Peoples Representative
Keyon Lightglove - Lord Steward
Demarcus Bearbeard - Master Builder
Laird Copperwind - Master Blacksmith
Zaire Dawnhound - Master Of Clergy
Otto Dawnhound - Harbor Master

Just as Osirian is going to say a few words, they hear the faint bugle call from outside, a pathetic attempt as a replacement for the former tower bell which was the Order's battle signal. They move outside to see what is happening. They see a few soldiers running northwards while Thorton Shaprsail, an trusted officer informs Aelar that there is a group of giants attacking the north wall.

“A locked big door always kneels down in front of its little key! Every giant has a weak side!”
― Mehmet Murat ildan

No XP Calculated Yet ('cause your not done yet)

Fraenir Smash!

Sparrow is the first to arrive at the wall as he is able to fly. He is greeted by the sight of 3 large giants hammering away at the wall while a couple of divisions of soldiers are raining down arrows on the giants. With only enough time to take this sight in, a large rough hewn boulder plows through the top portion of the wall on which Sparrow has alighted. He is splattered to the side of the boulder as it makes its way through the wall and crashes in the courtyard bellow.

Arriving shortly behind is Aelar and Zaya who run to the top of the wall and proceed to rain down damage on the giants. Fluffy then arrives while the short legged Osirian and 'Boy' finally arrive via the pony driven carriage that was still outside the manor, Osirian's feet up smoking a pipe.

As the battle progresses Fraenir, the self proclaimed Giant King, The Great Uniter, climbs over the city wall and causes great damage to Osirian while 'Boy' survives, again, because Osirian is able to teleport him to safety. Both Fluffy and Sparrow feel the pain of thrown boulders while huge sections of wall crumble beneath them allowing the other giants to enter. Osirian is trapped between Fraenir on one side and the giants dire wolf, Nekare, on the other.

Zaya is able to use her newly acquired arrows to devastating effect as the arrows continue to burrow into their victims until the victim is able to yank the arrow out  Unfortunately, the dire wolf does not have the ability to pull the arrow out and receives mounting damage until it dies just on the other side of a very fragile portcullis from, the now also fragile, Osirian.

Aelar continues to deploy slowly arriving divisions until just sheer numbers are able to overwhelm the giant king and he falls, while soldiers are barely able to jump out of the way to safety. Meanwhile, a giant who has some magical abilities uses his powers over the earth to send damaging waves of earth to great effect on both wall and soldiers.

During this time, Fluffy and Zaya both are able to hear distant sounds of pounding. Clearly it is another attack on the wall somewhere far off.  A short while later the pounding ceases but also does anymore arriving divisions of soldiers.

The session ends with the some of the party becoming bloodied, giants gaining access to the city and several divisions obviously diverted by another attack elsewhere in the city.

A very long but very satisfying session.

Steel Meets Steel

May 31, 2015

PCs present:
Osirian Silvertongue
Zaya
Fluffy
Aelar
'Boy'
Sparrow

Fraenir - The Giant Who Would Be King
XP 1,000

This session begins with the group trying bravely to revive 'Soldier Boy' after being attacked by the Fey Spitter Spiders which the group had just finished overcoming, along with the Hangman Trees and Flying Daggers.  They found him stashed in the bushes completely covered in web and unresponsive.  Fluffy being the healer he is used his formidable skills to first make an incision into the webs, enough to perform CPR using snout to nostril resuscitation but then quickly gets his own claws ensnared in the webs  and had to rely on Zaya to cut him free from 'Soldier Boy's face....repeatedly.

Osirian took to carefully taking a torch to the webbing on the rest of the soldiers body.  Finally after bloodily ripping off the webbing from the soldier's face, which quickly and painfully revives him back into consciousness, the soldier is soon  back on his feet, if a little shakily.

The party then scouts ahead and comes to a large clearing in the woods.  Within the center of the clearing they see casually sprawled upon the ruins of an old tower, a Hill Giant.  On the other side of the clearing the party can just make out a few other giants patrolling the area.  Aelar sends his rat companion through the grass to scout the area and finds along with the giant, an old man in robes laying down near the giant as well as a caged sparrow.

They decide to rest overnight to regain their powers before meeting the giant.  During the night they are awakened by a giant patrolling the area.  Most of the group are expertly hidden, except for Osirian who is laying among leaves.  The giant stops right above the halfling and Osirian holds still for his life.  The giant then proceeds to empty his bladder near, not on, the buried halfling.  The giant moves on and the party is able to continue to rest.

The next morning the group, except the two elves who remain hidden, approach the giant and address him respectfully. They find the giant is Fraenir who has named himself The Great Uniter as he will unite the, usually solitary giants, into an army that will reclaim the land, as he believes the giants were among the first creatures of the world before the arrival of man and other magical creatures.  The old man looks on and tells the group of the disdain for the 'infestation' of the Fey into the world first inhabited by the giants, calling Elves disgusting and full of their own perceived superiority.

A large grey dire wolf then approaches Fraenir as it appears to be his companion.  Around the neck of the wolf is a collar adorned with miscellaneous items, including a black obsidian dagger.  Osirian tries to convince the giant that it would be beneficial for both the group and the giants to join forces to overthrow Amael, the steel dragon, The giant seems more amused by the halfling and his boldness rather than intrigued by the proposal.

Finally, an agreement is struck, the dagger can be Osirian's if he is able to take it from Nekare, the dire wolf.  Osirian begs for 24 hours.  He is given two.  After two hours of contemplation, Osirian and 'Boy' approach the dire wolf and ask if they can first pet it.  As 'Boy' is about to try and stealthily slip the collar off, Nekare sees what is going on and bites down at the boy.  Just before the jaws can clamp shut over 'Boy's head, Osirian teleports 'Boy' out of danger and onto the back of the dire wolf. There 'Boy' is able to use 'magic missile' to break the collar and if drops off, landing before Osirian.

During the excitement of the challenge, Fluffy uses the distraction to force apart some of the vines of the cage holding the sparrow, releasing it to land on his shoulder.
The old man witnesses the deceit and alerts Fraenir.  Fraenir is angered as he has intended to kill this obviously magical creature, who can transform between bird and man form.  Osirian convinces Fraenir of Osirian's own hatred for such creatures and begs the opportunity to torture and kill the creature himself.

Impressed and amused Fraenir lets the group take the dagger.
And thus the group now has a new member and a rough hewn black obisidian dagger.

Amael's Downfall
XP 4,000

The group makes it's way back to the city and stops at the edge of the forest facing the city.  Using 'whispering wind' and a bit of prestidigitation, they call forth Amael to meet them.  A short while later a young boy makes his way to them telling them of Amael's demand to have the group come to the Keep.

There at the Keep they find Amael perched atop what is left of the main keep building while below him is Jamril Songsteel, the Captain of the Order Of The Thundershields, who is now holding his sword to a group of people chained together.  The adventures recognize some of them.  The boy, Gedlong, who was the son of Rickster, the man the group agreed to protect along with other villagers. As well as the young cleric who had entreated the group for help.

Jamril angrily approaches the group but 'Boy' quickly casts 'Memory To Mist' and stuns the evil soldier.  Osirian quickly takes advantage of the situation and delivers the coup-de-grace and slits the throat of the man he swore he would kill.  Thus enraged the dragon takes flight and attacks.  At one point the dragon takes his anger out on the chained villagers and kills all but the young boy, Gedlong. Aelar conjures a stone wall between the boy and the dragon sparing his life while breaking the chains around his wrists.


MetaGame Spoiler Inside

(DM Note: Arrrggghh. 'Memory To Mist' has become my arch enemy!

What followed was a battle that none could have foreseen.

Between Aelar's spell which reduces all of the dragon's defenses, Osirian possessing the Obsidian Dagger which protects the holder from almost all damage from the dragon's attacks, 'Boy's magic missles, Zaya's hard hitting arrows and Fluffy's constant hinderance using the spirit of Princess, the dragon hardly had a chance.

The group barely takes a scratch, except for 'Boy's epic fail of a spell which blew up in his face.  Zaya boldly jumps on the dragon's back delivering massive damage but the dragon in an attempt to dislodge her takes to the sky and Zaya is barely able to hold on during the dragon's aerial twists, turns and dives.  But hold on she does and when Amael lands she is able to deliver another crushing blow.

Finally, sensing the dragon is down to its last few breaths, Osirian gambles and decides to throw the Obsidian Dagger at the weakened dragon.  It hits and for a few moments it would seem that the dragon will simply laugh it off.  That is until he stops and collapses dead.

Zaya quickly takes to ripping off the steel scales of the dragon.  More trophies for the eager elf. While Osirian rips out the heart of the dragon and, with the aid of several citizens who have now come to celebrate the dragon's downfall, work to remove the head of the dragon.

The city celebrates with much rejoicing while eating roasted dragon's heart.

The group is encouraged to take over Rosegate House which was the residence of the now deceased evil soldier, Jamril.  There they find a large household with servants and are excited to take inventory of their new abode.  Piling treasure after treasure upon the large central table they take stock and are mighty pleased with themselves.

The next day brings a new found energy to reinvent the city, the government and The Order of The Thundershields themselves.

The future will hold many changes.

But what else is new.