Shadows of Greatness
Beginning in early 2003, our gaming group began a homebrew Forgotten Realms campaign using 3rd edition rules. The concept for the campaign was that the player-characters were all children/spouses/apprentices/followers to a group of experienced adventurers, but they would eventually become the heroes themselves.
I decided at the beginning that I would keep a campaign journal, which I originally shared on a gaming messageboard. I wrote the journal in the form of a diary kept by my character, Telemnar. He kept his diary initially for himself, but later on it was to help him recall all the details of his adventures while he was separated from his beloved wife, Erendis.
While I chose to play a male character, my then-boyfriend (now my husband) played a female character, Liadan.
As a private in-joke, the NPC paladin Covenant was named after an NPC from another campaign the same GM had run for the same group a couple of years earlier. Our party in that campaign were called the Dreadnaughts.
Player-characters:
Liadan deSeyruun, female human, fighter/cleric of Lathander
Sandrue Davants, male human, wizard/cleric of Azuth
Rock Battlehammer, male dwarf, barbarian/fighter/ranger
Phaele NaSarade, female human, Halruuan sorcerer
Erim Ithron, male sun elf,
sorcerer/wizard/fighter
Telemnar Rohendil, male sun elf, fighter
Nekaya, female half-elf, paladin of Horus-Re (beginning on 5/3/03)
Major NPCs:
Covenant - male human, paladin of
Lathander, father of Liadan and mentor of Rock
Erendis - female sun elf, cleric of
Corellon Larethian, wife of Telemnar
Havin Wayfinder - male human, wizard/cleric,
mentor of Sandrue and Phaele
Jastra Moondown - female moon elf,
wizard, mentor of Erim
Garret Weiss - male human, thiefcatcher,
mentor of Fallon
Fallon Nightstar - male human, rogue,
student of Garret
Pakkin - male goblin rogue
1. The Journey Begins
(Saturday 02/02/2003)
Cormyr
I have kept a journal since I first met
my beloved Erendis, but when I look back I see that I seldom wrote but when she
returned to our home from her many travels abroad. Perhaps now that I ride by her side I shall
fill this small tome with our experiences together. The journey will also give me a chance to
season Aratan, for he is young and spirited and will someday be a very fine
steed.
It is now autumn, near to the
solstice. We departed from Evereska some
weeks ago, riding to the west to the point where we were meant to meet Erendis'
companions. We skirted past the borders
of the Great Desert and came to the western land of Cormyr, a kingdom of Men
among the Storm Horn Mountains. At an
inn in a small town we met with Covenant, the Man whose summons called Erendis
forth into the outer world once more. I
had not thought that a Man could have such wisdom and dignity. He reminds me of the Hill Elders of my
home. He is a knight devoted to a god of
Men, Lathander the Morninglord. Had
Erendis not told me of this it would nonetheless be obvious for he wears the
symbol of his deity everywhere on his person.
He rides upon the most impressive steed I have ever seen, by name
Califax. Like Telperien, the fine mare I
trained for my wife, Califax is not a young horse, but he is as wise as a man
and as strong as a horse of few years.
Also with Covenant came a young woman of
the name Liadan deSeyruun. It seems she
is his student or squire. She is quite
young even in the short lives of Men, and her eyes follow Covenant with awe at
all times. She is tall and
broad-shouldered for a human woman, and her hair is the silver color sometimes
seen among the Gray Elves, though I do not think she has elven blood. We had overshot the point at which we were
meant to meet the rest of Erendis' companions, so we rode in good company with
Covenant and his charge to the appointed place.
As we neared another small town of Men
we heard the sounds of fighting.
Covenant at once rode forward with all speed and my wife followed
him. We came upon a group of young bravos
engaged in a brawl with a dwarf. Though
the young humans were many the dwarf stood against them as though an army in
himself. He had worked himself into a
fury and flung them about like sacks of meal.
Covenant went forward to bring peace; his very presence brings calm to
those about him, though this did not have so much effect upon the infuriated
dwarf. Erendis went to offer healing to
those of the Men who had been harmed in the fighting.
A group of Men on horseback arrived,
seeking to imprison the dwarf for some damage he had caused in the town. Covenant offered them gold in reparation and
proclaimed that the dwarf might join our small company. The dwarf had struck Covenant with a plank of
wood before his wits returned to him and he appeared much chagrined by the
damage he had caused to Covenant's attire - which also revealed that Covenant
has a very fine shirt of mail beneath his silken garments. Nonetheless he accepted the dwarf's offer to
pay for the damage to his tunic, though the dwarf confessed that he did not
then have the funds to make such payment.
The townsmen were satisfied with what Covenant gave them and rode away.
The dwarf introduced himself as Rock
Battlehammer, a strange name to my ears and perhaps not his true name, but the
one by which he wishes to be known. He had no
horse, only a pack mule which he calls Filthy Beast, though I have seen that it
is well cared for and he does not treat it harshly. Covenant has increased the dwarf's debt to
him - or so Rock sees it - by purchasing a fine riding pony for the dwarf's
use.
Thus our group of five companions came
to the town of Shadow's End. The Storm
Horn peaks are filled with goblins and orcs, or so I am told, and the town is
fortified against them for it is a meeting place of roads. Its fortifications seem little to my eyes,
but it is a town of Men and does not have the power of elven mythals. There are two inns in the town and Covenant
led us to the smaller, the King and Pawn.
We were the first to arrive and we made ourselves comfortable to await
the rest of our group.
After some little while an older Man of
kindly demeanor entered the inn. He was
accompanied by two young folk, a boy and a girl who are his students or
apprentices, for he is a mage. His name
is Havin Wayfinder. Covenant and Erendis
greeted him with great pleasure. His two
young companions were introduced as Sandrue Davants and Phaele NaSarade. Sandrue is a tall and handsome young man of
serious mien and formal speech. He
listens more than he speaks. Phaele is
slight of build and red of hair. Her
demeanor is of one who finds all that she sees amazing. When all had taken seats Liadan spoke with
Sandrue and told him much of her life, eliciting surprise when she proclaimed
that she has twelve brothers. Though Men
are many I had not thought their families to be so large.
I found it difficult to choose whether
to follow the converse of my wife and her old friends or listen to the speech
of the three young humans. But my
attention was caught when Havin remarked that someone was watching us. Another young human man was pointed out to us
as the watcher, and he at once made to depart from the inn. When Covenant called out to him he fled with
much haste. Rock the dwarf, who had been
sitting apart from our company, made to follow the stranger. But as he strode toward the door his journey
was interrupted by the sudden arrival of two elves who appeared by some magical
means in the center of the room. The
other patrons of the inn were much disturbed by this event.
Rock was most startled by the appearance
of two more strangers and mistook them for assassins. His misperception only grew deeper when one
of the new arrivals and Havin Wayfinder both pointed to a man at a nearby table
and cried out the name Garret, which I recognized as another of my wife's
former companions. But Rock became angry
and struck at Garret with his weapon.
Garret's appearance abruptly altered, from that of an ordinary traveler
to a man of dangerous quality. Rock made
a blow with one of his axes that connected with Garret but did him no injury. The second of the two elves chanted out some
magical incantation, and the dwarf dropped to the floor and began to
snore.
Garret was much perturbed by the attack
upon his person and made to lay hold of the sleeping dwarf, but my wife
prevented him and calmed his ire. The
two elves were introduced to us as Jastra Moondown, a Gray Elf who had come
from Evermeet, and her student Erim Ithron, who is of my own people though he
also dwells in Evermeet. Jastra had at
first found great humor in surprising us with her magical entrance, and she and
Havin had been much pleased at identifying Garret despite his disguise. But Jastra was sorrowful that her appearance
had caused such trouble.
When once all tempers had been soothed
by Covenant's good humor, Garret called upon the young man who had earlier fled
the inn and introduced him as his own student, by name Fallon Nightstar. Fallon said little and did not join our
table, though once Rock had awakened he was persuaded to sit with us. Though he did not explain for what purpose
this group had come together - and my wife has not told me - Covenant announced
that on the morrow we would depart and seek a portal. We shall make quite a caravan as we travel,
for we are twelve companions.
2. Departure from Shadow’s End
This day we departed
the town of Shadow's End. Though Covenant sought to begin our journey
early in the day it was difficult to manage with so many folk of different
kinds. Last evening many of our company remained in the common room of
the inn long into the night. Rock the dwarf was the first to retire to my
surprise, for I have heard that the dwarves are hardy folk. Once he had
gone Liadan took great pleasure in recounting to Fallon the tale of the dwarf's
altercation with Garret. Erim and Sandrue began a game of chess after
Liadan and Phaele retired for the evening. Havin was the first of the
Erendis' friends to take to his room, being the eldest of the humans
present. After a time Rock returned to the table and tried his skill in
chess against Sandrue. They played still when Erendis and I departed for
our own room.
We rose at dawn for
my wife to make her prayers to Lord Corellon, then rode for a short while as we
awaited the rising of our companions. Covenant seemed disappointed that
we would not be able to depart from Shadow's End as soon as he had
wished. Once all the group had joined our table in the common room, he
asked each of those with whom he had not traveled before if they chose to join
his as-yet-unknown venture. No one wished to remain in Suzail as he
suggested, which pleased him. When we had broken our fast we
gathered our belongings and departed from the town. I wonder how Jastra
and Erim came by their mounts.
For the remainder of
the day we rode to the north into the Storm Horn Mountains. At midday we
paused to rest and refresh ourselves, and my wife called upon the blessing of
Lord Corellon to provide a fine repast. When we had dined, she and I
spent time honing my skill with the blade, using the practice swords she has brought.
I observed that some of her old friends also have capacious magical bags such
as hers. We saw that Garret and Fallon also practiced their martial
skills - or perhaps I should say that Garret drilled Fallon in his skills, for
it seems that Garret needs no practice. I am glad to say that Erendis
does not use the harsh methods that Garret employs. Fallon was afflicted
with many bruises and bloodied knuckles after their short training.
As sunset neared we
came upon an ancient ruin, which we were told was once a temple to some
now-forgotten god of Men. This would be our campsite for the night.
All during our journey Garret has seemed anxious, as though he expects foes to
come upon us with every step. Though we have seen nothing of danger,
Covenant recommended that those who went to gather firewood go in pairs.
Perhaps Garret is not altogether overcautious. My wife tells me that
Garret was once Covenant's protégé, and that Covenant may find Garret's
constant wariness a disappointment, for it does not suit Covenant's open and
friendly manner. But as I have said, since we arrived at this ruin
Covenant has grown more cautious and we shall stand watches this night.
Our watches last
evening were without event, and we rose before dawn to make our departure at
sunrise. It seems that the portal is here in the ruined temple, and it
can only be activated at sunrise or sunset. I suspect that we would have
used the portal yestereve had we not arrived too late. Covenant called
upon Liadan to use the power of their deity to activate the portal. We
made our way swiftly through the magical gateway with all our mounts and pack
beasts, Covenant coming after. When we stepped through we found ourselves
in another structure. There we met two Men of fierce and scarred
appearance, who greeted us as foes. Many of our number went to draw
weapons, but I saw that both men wore the same emblem that Covenant and Liadan
wear and left my sword in its scabbard. When Covenant emerged from the
portal the men greeted him with familiarity. It seems that he had left
them to guard this end of the portal, though against what we do not yet know.
3. The Ruined Temple
We have arrived in a
large ruin among the Cloven Mts. near the Darkwash in Tethyr, far to the south
of our starting point. The two men who
guarded the portal are called Brandle and Chosn, though I will learn little
more of them it seems, for one of them is now dead. We had scarcely taken in our surroundings
when another group of travelers was observed approaching this place. Some twenty folk arrived, led by a man called
Nethimil who was known to Covenant’s companions. It seems they are Red Wizards from Thay. I have not heard good things said of that
people, and after today I am inclined to believe the ill words spoken of them.
One of Nethimil’s
company was a large fellow of fierce aspect called Rogan. He seemed glad to meet Covenant, though not
in a wholesome manner. Nethimil demanded
that our party depart the ruins at once.
Covenant replied in his customary friendly manner that our group might
remain here for some little while. This
appeared to anger Nethimil’s folk, and Rogan at once charged up to Covenant to challenge
him to combat. Erendis said to me that I
should not become involved in any fighting, for there would likely be much
magic about. In retrospect this seems
wise advice, but at the time it was difficult to stay my hand from Sulian’s
hilt. As I have seen before, Covenant wears
some fine armor of mithral beneath his silken garments. This stood him in good stead against the
vicious blows of Rogan. It seems that
Nethimil commanded his red mages to cast spells to aid Rogan against
Covenant. Though I could not see much
from my vantage, Havin and Jastra were soon flinging magics back at the Thayan
company.
The others of our
group who are new to adventuring were evidently also told to refrain from
getting involved in the fighting, but Rock found this as difficult to do as did
I, and he acted more quickly. Soon there
were several warriors facing Covenant alongside Rogan. The dwarf ran out to try to give some
aid. I was preoccupied with my
wife. Though in all the years of our
marriage I have known that this life she has chosen might bring her death, it
was hard to see her coming to harm and be able to do nothing. I do not flatter myself that my blades could
have had much effect against the warriors in Nethimil’s retinue. Still, when one of the red mages struck my
wife with bolts of magical lightning I could not refrain from running to her
side. It was foolish of me. Her swift arrows soon dispatched her
spellcasting foe.
In the meanwhile,
Covenant had disposed of the loutish Rogan.
Nethimil’s folk had ordered some of their servitors to close with
Covenant. These people were no warriors;
some of them were armed with little more than ordinary tools of their
trades. It now appears that they may
have been under some magical compulsion.
But their attack on Covenant drove Rock into a rage and he rushed
several of them. Among the mages with
Nethimil there was still a fellow dedicated to some fire god who continued to
trouble our party. I said to Erendis
that I wished for some way to help, and she directed me to use my bow – I feel
ashamed now that I had not thought of that myself. I plied my arrows to little effect, so
perhaps it does not matter that I was so slow to think. My wife’s arrows disposed of the fiery
fellow. Covenant and Rock had little
difficulty in eliminating those poor serving-men and women who were forced to
fight on the Red Wizard’s behalf.
Nethimil now found himself entirely alone on the field.
It came as a great
surprise to me to see that evidently the Red Wizard was blind. He groped about him sightlessly for a moment
as he realized that all of his companions had fallen. Then he cast some spell that permitted him to
flee the area. None of our party were
close enough to act against him before he vanished. I heard Jastra remark that he could not have
gone far with such a spell, but Covenant did not wish to pursue him. Instead we saw to our own wounded and to
those of the Thayan group who still lived.
Not all had been slain; some had fallen to spells of sleep. These were wakened and allowed to depart. Jastra had enspelled one warrior so that he
would serve as her ardent defender, but she set him free to leave with the
other survivors. Of our own group
several had suffered wounds, but none were severe and all could be healed with
the magics of the gods. The most serious
harm had come to Garret, who had been struck by a spell that rendered him
immobile. No one could remove the spell,
but it was our good fortune that its effect faded after a short while.
I learned after the
battle that both Liadan and Sandrue had stepped into the fray against
Nethimil’s servitors and had slain someone.
For both it was the first time to have caused the end of another human
life, and I can see they found it hard.
I do not know how I will feel when I have used my sword to end the life
of another person. I do not think I will
take it as hard as they did, in particular as Liadan did, but I must wait until
my time comes to know the answer. Today
was not the time for me. Curiously,
Fallon seemed to greatly enjoy fighting and had no regrets if he slew anyone.
By the end of this
struggle it was only mid-morning. We
gathered up our horses and continued our journey, taking on some of the horses
left by Nethimil’s group. When we had
traveled a short distance from the ruins it was asked of Covenant that he
explain our purpose here. He told us
that he seeks a great artifact called the Sword of the Dreadnaught, which he
hopes will be used to turn back some terrible evil – though he does not know
what evil, for his knowledge comes from a book of prophecy. To find this sword he needs another object,
the Gauntlet of Dawn, which he believes to be part of the hoard of an abyssal
dragon that lives in this area. He hopes
to treat with this dragon, Ssurrathrax by name, for possession of the gauntlet. But before we seek the dragon we must meet
with a mage called Gadron. After we set
up camp Covenant produced a huge emerald, which he somehow employed to contact
Gadron. We should meet the mysterious
wizard on the morrow according to Covenant.
Next: parts 4-7
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