Welcome to the Archives...

This was the campaign that I (Lady Saria) ran for Ben and Paul. I have reformatted this to take less space because the campaign is over and I have washed my hands of Archon's character.

Who's Who in this Campaign

Archon - Elementalist, Obsidiman
Xyra - T'skrang, Archer
Ishari Merim - Blood Elf, Blood Woodsman
Ashur Kiran - Elf, Warrior
Livia Kildaen - Ork, Warrior
Lazis - Ork, Elementalist Master
and others...

Archon, the Obsidiman Elementalist, has met his travelling companion, Xyra, the T'skrang Archer. They are heading to Ganart, an Ork town, to answer a summons sent to Archon by a powerful Elementalist. Along the way, they encountered a group of gremlins that had organized into the early stages of a tribe. The next, and continuing, event left them with a strange sword and a dead ork warrior's journal which they must return to his House. Their burial of this warrior lead to the encounter of lightening lizards, which they dispatched quickly.

The pair resumed travel to their destination with the sword and journal. Along the way, they encountered a manticore who considers that area of the forest her domain. After a brief exchange of words, and the fact that the pair saw her standing over a pair of volus' corpses, they traded a pair of lightning lizard eyes for advice, thus making a powerful ally. Their day continued and they set up camp. The next morning, they ran into a mysterious blood elf during her karma ritual (which they disturbed). After a strained introduction, Merim, a woodsman, says she can guide them quickly to Ganart, which she does.

Finally in Ganart, Merim points them toward the guildhouse, where Archon is to find Lazis. Merim then leaves to take care of her own business. The pair head to the guildhouse where they meet Lazis, and her apprentice, an elf Aziel. Lazis laments her hasty choice and promises to train Archon while he is in Ganart. As the pair leave the guildhouse, a group of 6 ork thugs bust in and attack. The pair assist the ork guard, the most notable attacks being made by Xyra's tail (once to the groin and once to the ankle, breaking it).

Session 2

After the brawl in the guildhouse, Xyra and Archon go to House Rechward - the house mentioned in the journal. They present the sword and the journal to Brandik (the dead warrior) to his widow and daughter. Strangely enough, his daughter, Livia, is wearing armor. His widow, Asta, insisted that, for their noble action of providing a funeral and returning the sword and journal, they must stay and eat with the family. She also insisted that they stay with them as long as they are in Ganart. When they arrive in the dinning roon, Merim is already there, chatting with Livia. They eat and talk, until Livia mentions a man named Ereith. The topic is treated with disdain and discarded, hastily. Merim takes the pair out shopping and helps Xyra to get a good deal on some weapons. Afterwards, they return to the house and, as a gesture of good will, Merim gives Xyra a very nice light crystal. Good night. . .

Session 3

The next morning, Merim takes Archon and Xyra to visit the temple of Thystonius. As they enter, there is a ork at the altar. Merim draws her sword and shouts at him, "On your feet soldier!" She charges him, looking intent to kill. They fight briefly and, after Merim pins the ork, they laugh and she helps him to his feet. They are old friends, and his name is Keane and is of House Rechward, Livia being direct blood kin. Merim and Keane talk quietly for a moment and he hands her a scroll with a rune on it.

After introductions and pleasantries, Keane suggests that they prove they are heroes worthy of the praise they have received. He takes them to an old, retired ork troubador named Zeling, and she tells them an impossible legend...

He was First Shaman for over 30 years. When his death was near, he took his spirit and poured it into his medicine bowl upon which is carved the glyphs of life, death, and the Passions. Many generations of our families received their death blessing from Thystonius, their Naming annointment, and Astendar's wedding devotions from that bowl. It came to hold not only Garuk's spirit, but the spirit of our people, as well.

Sadly, Garuk's bowl has been lost to us for almost 100 years. Only I remember the stories of it's importance. I beg you, will you help us? Only those noble enough to restore Rechward's honor could hope to accomplish this task. Please,go into the old kaer and retrieve the bowl. Give me a new tale to tell.

Zeling provides a map of the kaer and warns them to be careful...

Session 4

On the way to the kaer, Xyra and Archon are confronted with a Brithan, half way through the fight, Xyra (having landed on the brithan's back) discovers a leech rat manipulating it. They kill the rat and the brithan leaves.

They continue on to the kaer and inside encounter many, many preces, which they deal with... (It's too long of a story to post.)

They head down to the temple (which is set lower than the rest of the kaer). It is dark, too dark. Hearing the rustle of wings and having a bat fly around their heads, they cautiously attempt to light the large room. Archon casts flame weapon on a dagger and throws it across the room, noting that there is a dark pit in the center of the room that sparkles as the flame passes over it. Eventually they encounter a Demiwraith, but one of an uncommon type. These are able to pass some of their essence into other creatures, wraithspawn. They kill the creatures and discover that the pit has black sand in it, some of which Archon keeps.

They find the bowl in the center of the back altar. Inside the bowl, Archon they find a gold amulet with an eye etched on one side. Archon puts on the amulet and they prepare to leave to go back to Ganart.

Session 5

Upon returning to Ganart, Archon and Xyra find Merim and Keane outside the gates with the guards - Keane is throwing stones and Merim is leaning against the wall, carving wood into a mask. After she sees Archon, Merim tells him, "I wouldn't be seen wearing that [amulet] if I were you." He hides it.

Going into town, they return the bowl. At its return, there is a lot of posturing and Zeling promises that they will not be forgotten. During this, there are a lot of strange looks and whispering behind hands. As the group leave, someone in the crowd says, "So, who gets to put it back this time?"

{GM NOTE} It's not nice to play practical jokes on your players, especially initiation stunts. It is, however, very funny.

Outside, Merim asks Xyra about her missing sword. Xyra is forced to relate the story of how it got stuck in the ground and how pulling it out BROKE it. Merim offers to get her a new one.

Just then, the group comes across a fortune teller. Merim departs, saying she will meet them later at the House, with Xyra's new sword.

The fortune teller is a Troll, with another Troll standing behind her, wielding a BIG sword. Her name is Sen, his is Drim. Sen looks at Archon and Xyra and says she would rather read the t'skrang first.

For Xyra-

I see you walking with another t'skrang. He has keen flashing eyes, like yours. You look very happy together, but be cautious - if you're not careful, it won't last. (Sen blushes.) He's really quite attractive. I see him offering you a gift. His intent seems clear, but you-- I'm sorry, it's gone. Visions from Astendar never last quite long enough."

Sen turns to Archon. "Are you ready, sir?"

For Archon-

I see you standing in a dark place, lit with fire. In one hand you hold a book, in the other (she shudders) a bloody sword. But the blood is not only on your sword. It is everywhere - your armor, robe, (she pauses) your face. You are alone, but you have more power than you ever dreamed. Before you floats a staff that calls out to you. You reach for it and--

Sen sits with her back straight, her last words still hanging in the air. "I know where it is." She looks surprised. "Let me take you there."

The pair return to House Rechward and tell Merim what they heard. Merim tells Xyra that she is about to head Vyn, in the forest just south of the Blood Wood. She tells them that if they want to accompany her, Xyra can borrow a sword, her new one will be ready when they return.

To make a longer story a little shorter, Archon and Xyra put Sen and Drim up with a running tab at The Charging Boar Inn/Bar in Ganart.

Session 6

The next morning, Ashur and Ishari are gone when Archon and Xyra wake up. They come back together with three rabbits. "It seems that the four of us will be traveling on," Ishari says. "Ashur has business in Vyn as well. Once we are there, my business should only take a few hours and we can be on our way back tomorrow morning. But we should eat now. Who wants to skin these rabbits?"

On the road, both Ishari and Ashur stop and insist that everyone be silent. After a moment, Ishari grins and runs into the woods. Within seconds, a shrill whistle is heard and Ashur takes off into the woods as well, stopping long enough to say, "Are you coming?" They get 3 gargoyles.

While they are walking, Ashur says something in Sperethiel and Ishari whirls around, sword drawn and attacks Ashur and they fight for a while until she throws up a Glamour and two copies of her appear to step away from her position and circle him. While they move, she moves behind him and grabs his hair and pushes him to his knees. Placing her blade at his throat, she says, "Never say that again." He swallows audibly and nods as best he can. With a glare at Archon and Xyra, she says, "Do either of you have anything to say?" {Gotta love NPC fights.}

After a long while in silence, Ashur decides to scout ahead. Ishari thinks she heads something following them, so she circles around to check. While they are gone, A&X encounter a griffin. Upon her return, Ishari tosses a backpack to A&X and tells them to keep what they want. They finish the walk to Vyn uneventfully.

Session 7

Once in Vyn, Archon is set up for a meeting with Mona, head of the Seekers. He agrees to join their chain of information and is given a magical maroon knot. Some other mundane shit happens {because shit always happens...} and they leave the next day.

On the road, they are greeted by some bandits. "HA HA! Give us your money!" {Best line ever!} and the four of them promptly trounce the bad guys. However, they let one of them live to take them to the bandit hideout, because every good bandit group has a hideout. It's a house, deep in the woods. They kick the guard bandits asses and go through the house getting a true load of treasure, the best being Nasha's Breath, an elementalist grimoire.

Blah, they get home, blah (Passions save us, these adventurers are boring). And the NEXT DAY, the two of them, only Archon and Xyra, set out with the two trolls (Drim and Sen, who my players dubbed the Troll Ho).

As they set out with the two Trolls, they could see dawn spreading over the land. Birds flew across their view, away from them. Drim scouted ahead and disappeared from view. When they noticed he was gone, they felt as if they were being watched. He came back and the feeling went away. Heading East and into a light forest, they walk. After a while, they began to feel hungry. With a smile, Sen, heading the rumblings of the stomachs, suggests you stop and hunt for food. "No need in using rations before they are needed." They split up, A&X going together. When they arrive back at the campsite, Sen has set up a fire and arranged sleeping accomodations.

Night falls and Sen says there is no need for a guard, "We shall be safe until we arrive." She enters her tent early, leaving Drim to the nightly cleaning, just on the edge of the ring of light from the fire. As they prepare for sleep, A&X discover a note in Xyra's pack with the rune of the Warders of Ae.

Kill the man in his sleep, then kill the girl -- she is marked by one far more powerful than you wish to deal with. Do not let her lead you to your deaths. Fare well and safely.

The next morning, they take off again, this time, A&X noticing that there strangely, no animal activity. {No encounters until they arrive at their destination.}

When the cave is within site, they camp before they get there. That night, they kill the Trolls and are able to find the Cave of Blizzards without help. {Want to know what would have happened if they had let the Trolls live? Go Here}

This cave is obviously unnatural and could not exist in its present location. It has an entrance in the side of a hill. Steps go down and around so that the bottom is beneath where they stood before As they near the cave, they notice that the plants nearby are not thriving, as if they were drying out. When they enter, they are enclosed in a blizzard though it is silent. The blizzard suddenly disappears, revealing a large open chamber that narrows to a door on the far end.

There are carvings in the wall, appearing to be interlocking spirals but when looked at as a whole, it appears to be a repetitive drawing of a woman with spirals everywhere and for her eyes.

The door and the opposite end is slightly open and there appears to be a spiral in the dust on the doorknob. Once inside, they see a thin bridge across a pit of fire to an island where a blazing white staff floats. When they set foor on the bridge, it becomes covered in (imaginary) ice and everyone of the 6 steps across it require dex checks. But nay, they disbelieved it!

Once Archon takes the staff, the fire and ice disappear and the darkness seems to swirl. {It might be best to get the frag out...} Once they both exited the cave, it disappeared behind them. And so, they traveled back to Ganart.

This is the end of the official game log that I originally wrote up for this campaign. Unfortunately, I have lost my notes for what happened between the end above and their journey to Bartertown where Archon is now missing, presumed kidnapped and dead. Nasty things can happen to Obsidimen when unscruplous armor dealers go looking for new products to sell... Xyra has joined up with a few of Saria and Aryx's friends to continue her adventures.

This game officially ended with the dissolution of the group in 2002.