Heroic Tier - Complete-

(This is a character related post dealing with the ongoing 5 Dungeons and Dragons chronicle. Psychic damage.)

After making there way into the ruined temple, and supposed lair of Chronepsis, the Two Scars immiediately began succumbing to the strange aura and magic of the island. The inside of the ruins was not very big, but it was filled with a strange magical vibration that hit the troupe from time to time. Not only was the psychic vibration damaging, but it also caused the troupe to see strange visions of various planes. After traveling for a while Kharask was displaced into time, traveling forward in time, and a bit deeper into the ruins. He spoke with Erantaelik, and this version of the drow was obviously one long into the future. From Kharask's perspective the drow looked like he had succumbed to darker ambitions. His sword looked like no blade the dragonborn had seen before, and the drows armor was something crafted out of nightmares. After hearing the drow out, kharask overheard dalanor speaking to the drow, and then the two vanished. Kharask vanished out of that time, and into a dire situation. The lich queen that Erantaelik had warned Kharask about had set a trap for his company. It took every ounce of his leadership and martial abilities to help the company turn the grim tide of that battle. Before long the magics of there enemies faded, and the magics of the two scars was brought against its foes. Afterwards the Company broke the magic that had trapped the great dragon, and freeing it, the greatful Chronepsis told the Two Scars of there grim destiny. Not only did they have to make many sacrifices, they would also have a new enemy. A great Lich Queen had turned her allegience over to Tiamat, and had aided the dragon queen in her quest to imprison Chronepsis to steal his mastery over time. After hearing of there next course of action, Kharask alone made the decision to condemn Ania and Baerd, as well as many others in the two scars for the sole sake of the future. In time he hopes that his sacrifices mean something, and that even though his very soul may one day be lost to the gods, that through his dedication he can bring a time of peace throughout all lands. For now the two scars returns to Caran Has, walking towards an ever growing destiny.

(and thats that. We'll be doing a vampire chronicle soon. I'll have more on that.)

One madness at an end

(This is a character related post detailing the last adventure of our Alternate characters. This post is from the perspective of Erik the Mad, or Erik the Damned. Also known as Zeriveth.)

Well, it came to an end. No ranting or raving today. Unfortunately the play is over, and too soon have the pawns of my life fallen out of sight. From the old library we made a hasty departure to Caran Has, and from there to the lost island. It was Lorelle who had the most maddening of visions, a vision that saw both into the future, and into the past. It angers me that I may never know my destiny, and mostly i blame the half elf bard. He kept us in the dark, all of us. We drew close to the truth as we came across the old ruins on the island. The island was guarded, but not well enough, all enemies that came before us were destroyed or driven back. It was baerd that stopped us, all of us i should say, for he stopped me just as surely as he chopped off Lorrelle's head and gutted Ania. He stumbled from within the great doors of some old ruin. He was smoldering as if from being recently attacked, and there were markings on him, the same markings that were on me the day Erik died and i was born. In the end we brought the mad dwarf down, my spell of pure chaos screaming into his mind until he collapsed. Ania and Gorum did there part, but Gorum was brought down by my magic, for as i tried to remove the magic seal on baerd I gathered too much energy and unleashed a torrent of force that sent the great goliath flailing over the side. I cant say i'll miss him much. After that Ania was cut down, although powerful, her resilience simply wasnt as great as the dwarf's strength. After she fell I used my magic and relied on Frosts magic to kill the dwarf. Frost himself was nearly killed in the process, but he managed to cling on to life. I had wondered about killing him off in his weakened state, I think setting him on fire would have been a fitting end to one with his name, but I decided against it. I convinced him that we should leave, spinning him some tale about how It wasnt my fight and that my only ties to the troupe were severed. There was at least some truth in those lies. I honestly just needed a way back. With the chaos that makes up my mind, its hard for me see things clearly, or to notice things, in this case directions. His convictions are like water, ever changing currents. It was an easy sell, and we were off. Ania, I had so wanted to kill frost and take her off the island. I believe my destiny is with her somehow. She made me after all, and i feel a connection to her, even in death. I will see about finding a means to bring her back, but i have heard that her kind are unique in that matter. The others, they dont really matter, they never did. The two scars have never needed lorelle, and never needed us, they have made there own progress, there own destinies, and so i leave them peacefully. Except for baerd of course, but that was an unforseen event. I wonder what i would have found inside those ruins, obviously my destiny is tied to some vision within, but I am not ready to face it. It corrupted baerd completely, destroyed his mind, and it had warped my body and mind once already. I must become more powerful, I must find my own answers. Maybe someday me and Ania will go in to those ruins ourselves. I hear that the deva reincarnate constantly, so I will be looking for her. So, me and erik shall leave now, as dead as the others of our troupe. Lorrelle, you will be missed. You were so close to what it was you wanted. A good heart and a good mind. Gorum, you were strong and full of spirit, but even I in my madness could see that the world had no place for you, and sure enough, it took you out of the cycle. Tuvok, you'r totem truelly does speak to me, a testimate to my madness? I dont think so, its told me things even i dont know. Frost, stay alive. Stay dangerous. You truelly do scare me, and i believe one day you and i may face each other. And Ania. I'm coming for you. Two Scars. I wish you luck, and give you a chance. Maybe someday i can truelly contribute in some meaningful way, but for now i must wander to find my true path, if i even have one.

(And thats that, Next week, the Two Scars have to face whatever it was within those ruins!)

Explode into Action

(This post is dedicated to Zeriveth. I'm not changing his name or personality by the way. I decided it would be too complicated to come up with a new personality and play it effectively, and i like his old personality too much. I will simply use what happened to delve deeper into the characters muddled psyche. So gaming group, its still Zeriveth, and he's still crazy. This post is dedicated to the events that happened to the secondary troupe of the Two Scars.)

Blood and fire. Guts and ambition. All at an end, becomes the beginning. Trolls with black claws tear at me. Seperated. Music of battle as the Dwarf crafts destruction on the battlefield. I follow in his wake, a bloody oceans mist on my face. Laughter. Pretty Lorelle scolding and yelling. Do not be alone he spoke. Be close to Gorum, be close to Frost, be close to Ania. The trolls were close, the blood was close. My magic escaped and hissed around me. Blood and magic scorched the ground. The sky opened. Fire and death came out. I went out. Darkness. Darkness. But not silence. Sounds, all the sounds. Talking, screaming, crying. Wind and pain, a smell of pure magic. A bit of cloth to soak it up. Soak up the sound. Become the sound. Become the cloth. Listen for them. Listen to them. Lorelle speaking. Goblins speaking. Only one moment to listen, only one moment to learn. Understand! the unspeakable is spoken. Slaves. A gorum slave. A Frost slave, an Ania slave, a Lorelle slave. Azriel is gone like cowardice. Zeriveth is gone. A coward. This one a coward. Never. Flesh is formed of words and magic. Bony fingers rip at space, tear it apart, warp it. Blood and fire. Light and ambition. Born again. Goblins scramble and run. Fire tears them down. They scream and break apart. Magic flows out, uncontrolled. A building falls down. Arrows cut my legs. There minds explode, free and streaming down there face. Laughter all around me. The smell of blood and burning goblins. I surrender. Take me alive. A trick! my body explodes into thunder and there flesh and bones are torn down to nothing. I sore into a building. There young. Protected. Frightened. I explode again. I set fire to everything. The young, the women, the buildings. All is aflame. They scramble to protect there young and women. They all die. They belong to the fires now. Blood fades from me. Arrows in my arms and back. Only one now that i see. A young one, dragging an old one. That ones father maybe? This one does not care. All goblins are for the fire now. Stalking. all things burn around me. The young one screams as I put the flames on the one he drags. He grabs at me. I grab at him. My fingers clutch for the life at his throat. The struggle softens. I see light in his eyes. A dim light, a deep hatred. Laughter. He fades further. His life grows dim. Gorum hits me. my grip tightens. Gorum strikes me again. I fall into darkness. A library! we are at a library now. Lorelle seeks knowledge for his mind, crippled as it is. The princess is dead! a broken statue, a broken promise, a broken dream. Find ghosts. We must find the ghosts that run the library. Guardians, tests, traps, all defeated. Mirrors of the past. Reflections of knowledge. To fly on a mountain, to jump through the chaos, to eat the world. All possible, all real, all within the mirrors. Erik grabs me through the mirrors and i am done. Tragedy! Kharask is gone, but he is not. A traitor in the two scars. One scar? or perhaps a third. Time will tell, or untell. The future may not be. Chaos draws them near. Slowly Zeriveth. Slowly.

Ok, thats that. I'll have more soon.

The Island Adventure

(This is a character related post regarding our last adventure)

The two scars left Caran Has by boat. The trip came about a months time after freeing the halfling slaves. Kharask was informed by the Dwarven elders that Corum, a sea captain known for long exploratory voyages may have knowledge of the location of Kronepsis, an ancient dragon from before the great collapse. Kharask needed to find this dragon to locate Bodak, and by doing that, locate the Banner of Arkhosia, a great instrument used by the last great Arkhosian king. After meeting with Corum, Kharask was informed that the Sable Drake, Corums ship, would take the troupe to there desired location. The trip was long and tedious. Most of the troupe was not used to long ocean voyages. Merric passed his time by playing games and climbing over the rigging, Erantaelik spent most of his time in a single spot, brooding over deep thoughts day after day. Dalanor studied his spells and practiced his magic, but he also spent a great deal of time sea sick. Kharask and Baerd helped with hard labour when they could, and Kharask used his healing skills to tend to disease and minor injuries. As they got closer to the island the two mages discovered a great disturbance in magical forces that seemed to be emanating from the island. They discovered that the forces could bend the fabric of time and distance as well as distort other aspects of magic. At this point the troupe were transported to the deck of the sable drake, where an attack from pirates was underway. After dispatching the pirates, tending the wounded, and rescuing the two prisoners from the boat did the troupe discover they had been transported ahead in time three days. One of the rescued prisoners was far less fortunate, the human warrior they had found was discovered to be from before the great collapse, in search of a fabled city known as tantelorn. After removing a curse from the other prisoner, they discovered he was a Vrell, a waste dweller like the dragonborn, they were regarded as sages and wisemen by the dragonfolk. The vrell offered his help to Kharask, who accepted it. The Vrell had a unique ability that allowed them to see through the eyes and experiences of those they prepared a special bond with. Kharask was informed that he would be able to tap into the knowledge and experience of the frail sage, and the sage could stay in the safety of the boat. After arriving at the island the troupe set out towards its center. After many hours of labored travel, a run in with a ferocious hydra, and an ambush by a bog hag, three troll bodyguards and her pet basilisk, the troupe made it to the ruins that appeared to be the center point of the island.

at this point we stopped playing. My dm will hopefully do a full description of the vrell. They are a cool race unique to his campain world. Similar to humans, they have slight spots on there skin similar a lizards scales, and they have no eyes, nor sensory organs to make up for eyes. I'll have more posted soon enough!