We Go Way Back: Chapter II

Regal Kingsley | 100% Life | Inventory: Ritual knife

Spoiler:

You are Regal Kingsley, apprentice to the great Wizard who devoted his life to defending the small village of Midiel, in the valley below this tower; he protected the town from evil forces, the attacks of the forgotten beasts and other rampant creatures. You practiced the magic arts diligently for years, but in the days following your master's death, your heart grew cold. Polymorphing your former lovers into various household objects in a fit of all-knowing rage and ennui combined, you branded yourself a warlock and turned away from the village you were meant to protect, leaving them to fend for themselves.

There is something wrong with the ley lines, though, and you feel the power that binds you to this world drifting away. You read over the spellbooks again and again, but find yourself unable to afford yourself the ancient blessings as you would every morning.

Something's wrong, you've got to figure out what, and you only have so many spells to do it with. Today, you'll try to use weaker ones, to maximize your energy.

((Which spells would you like to prepare today?:

*Bolt: Casts forth a cutting orb of mystical energy that can wound living creatures and damage inorganic material.
*Dazzle: A mental spell that can overcome the minds of lesser beings and disorient smarter creatures.
*Figment: Conjures a convincing illusion, complete with sound; illusion is incorporeal, and requires concentration to maintain.
*Dimension Door: Teleport up to twenty feet in any direction, at will.
*Ray of Enfeeblement: Sends out a ray of energy that can drain the physical attributes of living beings.
*Magic Armor: Creates an invisible field of force around a living being that will defend them from attacks.
*Anti-magic Field: Generates an area wherein the effects of magic will be cancelled.
*Cantrip: Magically lift, clean, dirty, chill, warm, flavor, or conceal any object that is five pounds or less, as long as it is within ten feet of you. Produce bright lights, annoying sounds, and useless fireworks.
*Astral Projection: Purges your spirit from your body temporarily, allowing you to move through walls, levitate, and scout invisibly.))

David Huxford | 100% Life |
Bruce Boehner | 100% Life |

So, an orc and a dwarf walk into a bar.

Except not really.

You're not really sure how where you are, or how you got here—hell, at this point, you barely remember where you came from—but you just stumbled upon this cabin outside what you're convinced is a nearby town. You just came down from the hills to the north; people told you that if you were looking for something, you'd find it down here in Midiel.

So that's where you think you are. Not much of a story, but it does fine for you, doesn't it? There's a lot of assumptions in this place, you notice. People apparently think you're a “dwarf”, but you are pretty sure dwarves aren't real, so there's that.

Oh, the green guy? You picked him up on your way down. He's not all that talkative, but he carries his weight and yours, probably a couple times over. You've seen him push boulders around like they weren't even there, and he hasn't done wrong by you so far, though he does seem to have a bit of a violent streak.

Old Max Orchard | 100% Life |
William "Will" Bennit | 100% Life |
Magnus Vilulf | 100% Life |

The bar here in Midiel is a quiet place, where a few of the locals have gathered—at this point, they're probably going to share a drink, maybe remember if they're carrying anything important, and probably try to out-do one another with war stories, fictional or otherwise.

Yeah, that'll be fun.

Will: Remember what you're drinking, who that person across the table from you is, and what you have on you.

Bruce: Walk over to and try to open the door, but fail due to a lack of experience using technology. Smash down the door by hitting it simultaneously with both of your hands.

Max: Nurse the alcoholic beverage before me and make certain that I haven't become drunk enough to lose any personal possessions yet.

Magnus: he looks once in his pack before downing the alcoholic beverage. He then boasts about the time he once murdered a giant cyclops.(eagle you can make the story if you want personally i want to see what you write) afterwards he belches and sighs," ahhh good times".

Old Max Orchard | 100% Life |
William "Will" Bennit | 100% Life |
Magnus Vilulf | 100% Life |

@Will – The girl across the table is, well, you don't really know her. You sort of just set your drink down over there for a second and walked back over here to listen.

@Max – Not quite. The drinks here are a little watery, but cheap; they get the job done, it just takes a while.

“Aye, y'call that a story!?” Magnus laughs heartily, taking a swig of ale before slamming the glass back down. “I remember the day I took on a cyclops on me own! Separated from the rest of me kin, I was, when I spotted the beast, traipsin' right 'round the gorge like 'e owned the place! With no sword to speak of, I wrestled the beast down, gouged'm right in 'is eye, I did! Ah, good times!”

The three of you begin to check your possessions—it dawns on you that it's up to you to remember what you're carrying. Stands to reason, though, that none of you would have brought anything terribly unreasonable to the good old tavern—a few coins, perhaps?

Magnus realizes he dropped his purse of money, containing 20 gold, on the ground right next to his iron sword and a treasure map supposedly leading to gold. he quickly picks up his coin purse and stuffs the map inside of it. He then reattaches his coin purse and sword to his body.

Max: "Murdering a poor-sighted simpleton on his own land, eh? That is a bit low, but I'm sure you were just frightened..."

I assess my person, just to make sure. It seems that I didn't leave home without my trusty crossbow slung beneath my cloak. I can feel that 'firearm' contraption bound to my waist, although it remains a last resort weapon. And the chafing in my boots reminds me that my throwing knives must someday find a better place to be tucked away.

Interestingly, I may have recently spent the last of my coin on a drink.

Magnus: "The beast staired into mah soul ready too rip aye from lim' tah lim' he did. Aye had seen a pile a' bones right by 'im. That's how aye knew tah kill the buuga'!"

Max: "He must have seen the soul of a man who would kill a cyclops just finished with supper."

David: "Come on you oaf, let's get inside and see what we can find."

David Huxford | 100% Life |
Bruce Boehner | 100% Life |
“Come on, you oaf. Let's get inside and see what we can find.”

“RAAAAAAAARGH!”

Boehner smashes the door open. This looks like a nice and quiet cottage, though you feel an air of something strange.

Regal: Prepare Bolt, Astral Projection, Magic Armor and Figment. Oh, and Cantrip, can't forget about Cantrip.

Regal Kingsley | 100% Life | Inventory: Ritual knife

Spoiler:

You study the runes, and the arcane knowledge within becomes yours to command. Steeped in the tower over Midiel, you have mastered all the gramaryes this world and those beyond can offer.

There is something amiss, and it is up to you to find out what.

Today, you make your own destiny. Today, you write your own grimoire.

Now, what to do?

Will: Remember that you've still a few coins for drinking money. Approach the other table. "You and I both know that a cyclops isn't exactly the prime example of a perfect citizen friend. They aren't exactly asking for the food and clothing they steal. If you've got a better battle to tell of, speak up."

Bruce: Look at the thing on the table. The thing that looks like some type of chest, maybe.

Old Max Orchard | 100% Life | Inventory: masterwork crossbow, throwing knives, shoddy flintlock pistol
William "Will" Bennit | 100% Life | Inventory: 30 gp
Magnus Vilulf | 100% Life | Inventory: 20 gp, mysterious treasure map, iron longsword

"Murdering a poor-sighted simpleton on his own land, eh? That is a bit low, but I'm sure you were just frightened..." Old Max speaks up.

"The beast staired into mah soul ready too rip aye from lim' tah lim' he did. Aye had seen a pile a' bones right by 'im. That's how aye knew tah kill the buuga'!"

"He must have seen the soul of a man who would kill a cyclops just finished with supper."

William makes his way over to the table with the other two men. “You and I both know that a cyclops isn't exactly the prime example of a perfect citizen friend. They aren't exactly asking for the food and clothing they steal.”

“He's right.” The man behind the bar cuts you a grin. “Last one that showed its face around here wasn't too friendly. Would have torn the damn village in two were it not for old Arren.”

A pause, then Will looks back at old Max. “If you've got a better battle to tell of, speak up."

David: Shakes his head as he enters the cabin.

"When I said let's go inside, I didn't mean let's go be destructive and tear the place up!"

Examine the table.

"Oi, go poke around with that thing on the table, will ya? If it's a booby trap, I think you'd be able to handle it better than me!"

Bruce: Try to open the thing, if it is an openable thing.

Magnus: "Aye aye have anotha'. me and mah frend kith were goin' about the forest after ah night in the pub. We found sum giant tracks so we put it in ou'r great minds tah follow them. when we got tah the end ah the tracks weh found a sleeping baby drake! Can yah believe it ah drake! anywho ah digress. Kith got it in 'is head to trah an' rahde it. So he jumped ahn the drake an' spurred it awake.", Magnus boasts again and then he bursts out laughing ," Yah shoulda seen the look on 'is face. He got flown off the drake an' landed on 'is back. Ah was to busy laughing tah notice the drake comin' at me! He was on top of me when ah stopped laughing. But he tried to bite me he did so ah pulled mah knive ahtta mah sheath an' stabbed it in the neck about a thowsand times before he was finished. Kith an' me pulled 'im back to town where we all ate 'im."

Max: "♪Of the poor cyclops and his meal, I spoke in jest to prod at your pride; but doubtful am I that your drake is real, as no teeth can pierce its steely hide.♪"

David Huxford | 100% Life |
Bruce Boehner | 100% Life |
“I said 'let's go inside', not 'let's go be destructive and tear the place up'!” David sighs, then follows Bruce into the cabin. “Go poke around with that thing on the table. It could be a booby trap.

Boehner flips the lid of the silver-coated chest, loosing a layer of dust into the air and nearly breaking it from the hinges. There's a few gold coins inside, some candles like the one burning on the table, and what looks like an old knife or letter opener.

David: "I think it's best if I handle these things, greenie. No offense but I think you have holes in those pockets of yours."

Grab the coins, the knife/letter opener and the candles.

Examine the hatch underneath the table.

"Hmm, I wonder what's in here."

Attempt to open it.

Will: "The singing man has a point. I've never heard of a man taking down a drake other than in fables. How do we know you aren't just making it all up? What proof do you have?"

Old Max Orchard | 100% Life | Inventory: masterwork crossbow, throwing knives, shoddy flintlock pistol
William "Will" Bennit | 100% Life | Inventory: 30 gp
Magnus Vilulf | 100% Life | Inventory: 20 gp, mysterious treasure map, iron longsword

“Aye, have anothe'! Me and me friend Kith 'ere about the forest after a night inna pub. We found some giant tracks, so we put it innar great minds ta' follow 'em. When we got to the end, we found a sleepin' baby drake, can ye' believe 'at? Anyway, Kith got it in 'is head ta' try an' ride the thing, so he jumped on it and spurred it awake... 'e got thrown off, an' landed on 'is back! I was too busy laughin' to notice the thing comin' at me—he tried to bite me, he did, so I pulled me knife ahtta her sheath, an' stabbed it in the neck about a thousand times. Kith an' me pulled 'im back to town where we all ate 'im." Magnus laughs heartily.

“That's quite the tale.” The man behind the counter rolls his eyes.

"♪Of the poor cyclops and his meal, I spoke in jest to prod at your pride; but doubtful am I that your drake is real, as no teeth can pierce its steely hide.♪" Old Max responds in a singsong voice.

"The singing man has a point. I've never heard of a man taking down a drake other than in fables. How do we know you aren't just making it all up? What proof do you have?" Will says.

“Proof sounds good to me too.” The woman from the other table approaches as well. “I'd like to hear more about this drake... if you're telling the truth, where and when exactly did this occur?”