D&D: The City of Shaldra~Zin

[Yesman]

After being escorted out by the dwarf bar keeper, Jaks decided to check if he could find anybody that would be willing to let him stay for the night. He searched his memory for any fellow rogues in this town. If not, well, he was no stranger to sleeping in the open.


[dice]16996[/dice]

 

[Grimsvald]

No names come to mind. Jaks search deep into his memories to recall working with any rogue from Shaldra~Zin, but finds nothing. While he makes his way down the roads of the slums he sees people toss out buckets of old water and chatting with each other in the alley ways between homes. None of these people looked like they were cut out for a rogues life.


Just as he began to get frustrated he noticed small symbols painted on some houses. Every other building seemed to have a combination of circles and lines painted on the side of it near the ground. It only took a few minutes for Jaks to decide they were directions. Following them would bring him to a small cove where rogues and unsavory gentlemen gather. Among them he would notice Kaiden Kassidy, the thieving bard from The Dizzy Dwarf.


"Ah, I seen your suave slight of hand back at the bar. Rudimentary but clever, I liked it. Guess I can't say much. I was caught just the same. A night like that is good enough reason to consider both of us down on our luck. Feel free to sleep here in the Troddin Court. We live by a code, so you have nothin' to fear." Kaiden offered show casing the small area.


It wasn't much more than an alley way, but the company seemed better than none. If Jaks chose to stay he would be able to find a cozy bed roll tucked between a building and a lamp post. Whisky and stew would be offered openly.

 

[GinjaGen]

Tier, after continuing to people watch with much entertainment for a considerable amount of time, was sad to hear that the bar was closing down. She heard the bartender explain at rooms were available, but everyone else was expected to find their way out. Tier decided to do just that.


She did not want to spend what little coin she had. Besides, she preferred to sleep outside. She sometimes found being inside a bit too crowding and confined. She needed to see the stars, to be able to howl at the moon if she felt lonely. Most landlords did not take kindly to their patrons hanging out of their room windows howling.


In Tier's defense, this had only happened once, but being chased out of a town wrongly accused of being a werewolf was something she would prefer to not repeat.


She stood, readjusting her pack. She was leaving at just the right time. The boots on her feet were starting to smart. The sooner she left the establishment, the sooner she could remove the infernal feet traps, climb a tree somewhere, and get some good sleep.


As she left the tavern, she glanced around, trying to figure out the best location to find a nice natural place to sleep, making a decision to find excitement tomorrow no matter what.

 

[Grimsvald]

There are no trees or comfortable bushes near Shaldra~Zin. The guard cut them down and ripped them up by their roots. This ensured that they would not compromise the security of the city walls. Many of these trees went to build The Dizzy Dwarfs tavern.


Tier would remember an area she had seen on her way into town. Compared to the journeys she is used to, this location was only a light stroll to the east. There was a small gathering of trees 70ft from a watering hole. She had only seen non-predatory animals drinking here and she recalled a particular set of branches that looked very inviting.

 

[Yesman]

Jaks looked around the cove. Rogues and the such were usually the last people a sane person would want to be sleeping around. The bard, however, assured Jaks that he would be safe among these gentlemen. As the rogue received a bowl of stew and made himself comfortable, he perked his ears to listen to what rumor/small talk circulated here.


[dice]17154[/dice]

 

[Grimsvald]

As Jaks listens in he catches here and there comments about drug trafficking. Some phrases keep being repeated and eventually he picks up on the details. Something called 'the red creep' which makes you feel good all over, but its so good you can't move. Another is called 'blue shade' which makes it feel like everything is in slow motion. The conversations became a little bit jumbled, but Jaks could gather that one of the drugs had people dying of overdose.

 

[Yesman]

As sleep filled the tired rogue's head, he made a mental note to himself to look into these drugs and who might be providing them. 'Red creep' sounded useful for incapacitating guards and 'blue shade' would be come in handy when in combat. He would also need to look up what the safe dosage would be for each drug. For now, though, sleep was needed.

 

[Grimsvald]

Jaks would awake to the sound of muffled screams and someone trampling over his sleeping bag. When he opens his eyes he would see a man crawling away in front of him crying, "Please no. NO!" A long sword would run him through and with a bit of screaming he went limp on the floor. Blood poured out of his fatal wound to fill the cracks in the cobble stone. His haunting eyes looked toward Jaks asking him to run. It looks like a pair of guards are raiding this little cove of thieves. Two armored figures walk around silently slaying anyone they can get their hands on. Bloody sleeping bags lay all around Troddin Court, those who live flee. One wields a long sword and shield, the other a ax.


Tier being a great distance out of town would hear nothing as she slumbers. At least nothing so far....

 

[Yesman]

Jaks was not unaccustomed to ambushes but his pulse quickened and he had to forcibly control his breathing as as he made eye contact with the dead man. He waited for the guards to move on before using the groans of other dying men to cover the sound of him retrieving his equipment before moving into the shadows behind the two killers. He nocked his bow and peered through the darkness in an attempt to gain more details on the aggressors and their equipment.


[dice]17253[/dice]

 

[GinjaGen]

Tier glanced around having a bit of trouble deciding where to sleep. If she had actually partaken in alcoholic consumption, she might have been able to attribute her uncharacteristic indecisiveness to that. As it was, however, that was not the case - she didn't want to spend money - and all she'd imbibed was water, so there was really no reason she should be so indecisive.


Finally, a suitable spot slipped into her mind, a place she'd seen on the way into town. Seemed safe enough, no signs of predatory animals - not a lot of people either thankfully - with large trees and easy access to water.


She reached the location with ease, and, after a brief examination of the area, she ascended into the branches and settled in for the night.


---


It was much later that Tier found herself awake. Nothing in particular in her environment had woken her, and it definitely wasn't fear.


It was a nostalgia. She was homesick - or, more accurately, 'pack'-sick. Looking up at the moon from the branches, she fought the desire to let out a howl, knowing that would probably not go over well with the people nearby. Most folks from towns didn't really like the idea of wolves wandering around nearby, and Tier didn't want to make it so that the guards would hunt down a perfectly innocent wolf because some stupid dwarf who thought she was a wolf did something stupid.


So, instead, she continued to sit in the tree, hoping sleep would once again overtake her, her eyes taking in the familiar and comforting light of the moon.

 

[Grimsvald]

Jaks didn't notice anything more particular about their gear. Though the darkness of night hides him, it hides their detail in equal measure. They are armed and armored figures standing on average height and build. At this point, no one in the cove is alive. Everyone has either been slain or fled. The two armored figures casually walk out of Troddin Court. They nod to each other and head towards the center of town.


----- Meanwhile at the Temple of Pelor located in the North end of town. -----


All the monks and clerics of Pelor had long since left the chambers of the falling sun in the west end of the Temple. All had gone to slumber save one, a paladin with hate filling his heart. An older man, grey in his years, still sat praying for the strength to smite the unworthy. He prayed until his knees bled beneath his holy robes, but he heard no reply. What he did here was the creaking of iron within the darkness.


The golden shimmer of prayer candles glimmers off moving metal. The paladin watched as legendary armors from heroes past peel themselves off of their honorable stands and stepped out onto the floor. The prized staff of Priestess Mora Tal slammed down on the paladin's shoulders laying him flat on the ground. He is able to roll out of the way before a second blow keeps him down. "So this is the test you put before me lord...I will pass it." The paladin Kelter Rowe says with determination.


Kelter swings his mace with righteous fury, but it makes contact with nothing in the dim room. Suddenly someone grabs his hand. He turns to see head priest Wadleighvena with a face painted in worry. "Run, run now! You will not beat these monsters alone!" Kelter wanted to stay and face these invaders, but he respected Wadleighvena's word and heeded it well. The paladin ran to the main room of the temple. He could see battles waging in all rooms.


----Just outside of town, at the animals water hole----


In the still air of the night, Tier may be able to hear a faint ringing in the distance. At this time of night she couldn't imagine it being anything other than warning bells. Trouble was arriving at Shaldra~Zin.

 

[Yesman]

Jaks waited for the men to leave before silently coming out of the shadow. He carefully stepped around the corpses as they laid on the ground. Looking around and seeing no living soul in sight, he began to scavenge the area; dead men had no need of weaponry or coins. He didn't search in detail, only quickly combing the corpses for coun purses and small daggers. He also kept his eyes peeled for any drugs.

 

[Grimsvald]

Jaks manages a loot of grand proportions. The demise of these local thieves turned into his great fortune. Their collective coin pouches brough him 15 gold in coin. As for drugs, there were two small puches of finely ground white powder and one larger pouch of what looked like red plant roots. None of them seemed to be carrying a weapon worth stealing, but there was a belt of ornate throwing knives stuffed into one of the sleeping bags. Another thing that Jaks may have noted in this looting was the absence of Kaiden Kassidy among the dead. He must have escaped.

 

[GinjaGen]

Tier's quiet introspection was interrupted by an initially unrecognized sound. For a moment, the tired and nostalgic part of her brain convinced her it was a distant howl, maybe from her pack.


Quickly, however, she realized it wasn't. That was just wishful thinking. These sounds were too melodical, and didn't carry with them implicit meanings to those that understood.


That said, as Tier sat up, her hood falling off to reveal white hair, shimmering in the moonlight, she recognized the sound was bells. The sound of bells from back in the direction of Shaldra~Zin.


For a yet another moment, Tier was puzzled. Why would they be ringing bells in the middle of the night. Tier would be the first to admit that she did not understand the functioning of the "civilized" people, yet, ringing bells loudly - and erratically - in the middle of the night seemed especially odd.


Curious, and somewhat concerned, Tier climbed down from her perch and slowly crept back towards the sounds, wondering if something was wrong.

 

[Grimsvald]

Kelter looked around the main room of Pelor Temple. These armored villains were cutting down his brothers and sister like wheat. He wanted to help, but knew he didn’t stand a chance. Warriors of the faith much stronger than him lay in heaps on the floor. The paladin stood still in shock, wide eyed and jaw dropped.


The voice that had lead their flock for years gave him guidance. “RUN!” Wadleighvena yelled pushing Kelter towards the exit. Many other monks and clerics were heeding Wadleighvena’s warning already. They poured out of the temple down into the market place. Kelter hesitated; he could see the enemies finish off the last of the resistance. Then they all turned their attention to Wadleighvena. “Master I…I cannot abandon you here. Let me fight beside you against these beasts!” Kelter nervously stuck to his vow of protection in the name of Pelor.


Wadleighvena gave Kelter a scowl and pushed him down the long temple steps. Thanks to his armor he only sustained light injuries. While he laid on the steps watching his master block the doorway, Kelter begged Pelor for answers, “Why is this happening? What must I do? Who can I help?” Wadleighvena’s skin began to crack like lava to reveal bright light beneath. He spoke a prayer too low for anyone to hear and golden smoke rose up from his eyes and mouth. Finally the light burst out of the priest.


For a moment Wadleighvena looked like a star. The stones of the temple around him ripped apart and for miles it was brighter than midday. The priest thought about his friend Shaldra~Zin’s sacrifice. He wondered if he too would be honored when this was all over. Then his star would supernova. The temple exploded and quickly imploded, crushing everything inside including those metal foes. The horrendous sound was so loud it was deafening within the city.


Kelter was left on a ruined stairway to nowhere. Ears bleeding and knees shaking….

 

[Yesman]

The throwing daggers were sharp and useable, that was all that mattered for Jaks. He had put away his bow and arrow and had now drawn his dagger (not the throwing ones).


As he followed the two men, the rogue kept his eyes and ears open for any patrolling guards or survivors. Suddenly, a bright light lit up the night sky.


A beacon...or something more sinister? wondered the rogue as he changed his course towards the light.


A deafening blast abruptly came ripping from the temple knocking Jaks off his feet. When he got up, a ringing remained in his ears and the light was gone.


Sinister, definitely something sinister. What in the infinite levels of hell was that?


If Jaks was getting anything tonight, they were more questions without answers. Deciding that stealth had little use to him now, Jaks broke into a sprint, away from the two men ahead and changing course towards where the light had been, switching his dagger over to his off-hand and drawing his rapier.


What in every deities' names is going on? Guards massacring the homeless, bells tolling, explosions. Maybe there are some survivors of the blast and, hopefully, some of them may have answers.

 

[Redsirrah]

Jameak awoke to a great burst of light followed by a deafening blast. He leapt out of the inn bed and hastily threw on his mail, grabbed his sack and clumsily ran out the inn. He began running as fast as a man in armor could run towards the source of the noise, reaching for his holy tome and his mace.

 

[Grimsvald]

----The Western Gates of Shaldra~Zin----

​

As Tier crept towards the western gates of Shaldra~Zin she would confirm her suspicions about nighttime bell ringing. It wasn't just odd, but cause for concern. She saw 4 half naked guards wrestling with armored figures outside the barracks. The 4 men were battered to the ground, standing little chance against there better equipped adversaries. Suddenly one of the armored foes was torn in half. The body fell to the ground with nothing more than a grunt, dead before it could realize it was in trouble.


A massive draconian stood over the slain foe. Though it is hard to identify him as dragonborn, a shimmer of green scales just beneath his armor would not escape the watchful eye of this druid. Armored from head to toe, greatsword in hand, Wardog was well known as the guards most powerful member. A cone of powerful flames sprayed forth from his snoutless helm. A second armored foe fell, reduced to a smoking pile of armor. One of the two enemies left screamed in horror then ran for his life. This figure adorned in elaborate elven scale male fled from Wardog, but unwitting rushed directly towards Tier.

----Temple of Pelor----
​

Jaks would arrive at the ruins of Shaldra~Zin's temple to Pelor without running into another foe. Here he would find about 100 injured survives. Monks and clerics sitting among the rubble trying to heal each other and cope with the lose of family. Dust was still settling in the air, people still yelled the names and searched through bloody stones. One of them, a paladin named Kelter, sat on the remains of stone stairs. He was white with soot, red with blood and black with radiant burns. Shaking his head in disbelief.

----Dizzy Dwarfs Tavern & Inn---

​

Jameak wouldn't make it far before he was amid the chaos. A long streak of blood trailed down the upstairs hallway of the inn. At the end of it an armored figure stood over a helpless man. "That's my armor!" He cried out in horror from his cowering position on the floor. "That's my armor!!" The armored figure pulled back its right arm, ready to strike a devastating blow. The paladin could hear more conflict beyond this. It sounded like war down stairs, but something in his soul told him that good was winning. A distant dwarven war cry reminded him that the bar tender was no slouch when it came to swinging steel.

 

[Redsirrah]

Taken by surprise, Jameak did the only thing he could think of: He pulled out a javelin and threw it at the armored man (Hit [dice]17440[/dice] damage [dice]17417[/dice] ).

 

[Grimsvald]

Jameak's javelin pierced the foe well. The tip of his weapon landed just between the enemies shoulders, biting deep into the armor. He fell forward onto one knee and slouched against the wall. It was clear that this surprise attack had done its fair share of damage.


The man on the ground delivered a weak punch to the side of his assailant. Then he attempted to flee. As the man clambered to his feet and took his first step down the stairs he felt armored fingers wrap around his shin. A successful trip sent the man tumbling down the stairs with painful yells.


The armored figure stood to its feet and turned to face Jameak. The Javeline in his back scrapped across the hallway wall making him groan. He made no attempt to remove the weapon from himself before slowly staggering down the hall way. "This is our land. You had no right to take it from us! Now we suffer while you gain...That ends."


By the time the enemy was within 10 feet of Jameak he would be ready to strike again. This armored foe moved so slowly it was easy to prepare for its arrival. The paladin may recall such sluggish movements from creatures like zombies. No eyes peer out at Jameak from the helmet of his enemy, only darkness. The paladin would get a sickening empty feeling if he gazed into that darkness too long. It felt like some form of ill magic. Something like a warlocks shroud or an identity cloak. He knew the answer in his heart, but he would need to search deep to find it.

 

[Redsirrah]

Jameak reached into the depths of his religious and historical knowledge and tried to figure out what the heck this guy was. He reached into his pack and pulled out his mace and his shield, and stepped forward to swing at his opponent.


Check on the Zombie


[dice]17453[/dice]


Hit


[dice]17457[/dice]


Damage


[dice]17458[/dice]


(+1 modifiers to check and to damage, +3 to hit.)

 

[Yesman]

All around Jaks, men and woman groaned from their injuries or wept for the dead as clerics, who were in no better condition, ran around, doing their best to treat the injured.


"Are you alright? What is going on?" Jaks asked some clerics. Getting nothing but a dismissive wave of a hand, Jaks moved on to other survivors. He continued to ask the same question but was given no answer. He eventually made his way to a paladin who looked dazed and just as clueless as the rogue.


"Sir," said Jaks, "do you know what is going on? What caused the explosion?"

 

[Grimsvald]

"The temple was under attack. Amored invaders were slaughtering my brothers while dressed in our own armors...they were mighty, much too strong for my brothren and I to contest. Wadleighvena, our head priest gave his life in an awesome display of Pelor's power. It was the only way to drive this evil back. Why must our greatest heroes be martyrs? He will be missed..." Kelter Rowe stood to his feet and brushed himself off a bit. "My name is Kelter Rowe and this is the horror I live to prevent." He reached out to shake hands.

 

[Yesman]

Jaks shook the paladin's hand. "Quite an introduction," he said. "I'm Jaks. Rogue, pickpocket, and drinker before some guards slaughtered some of my fellow gentlemen at Troddin Court. Do you think our situations are related? I don't remember homelessness being grounds for an execution before tonight."


As he spoke, Jaks cast his eyes over the people to get a more complete idea of who was here and what injuries they may have sustained.


[dice]17487[/dice]

 

[Grimsvald]

----The Dizzy Dwarfs----

​

Jameak concentrated on the creature before him. He knew there was something more to know about this foe than his eyes could detect. That sent his mind reeling for answers. The smells in the air were petrichor, menthol and some kind of liquorice root. It was like sweet medicines on a rainy day. That made no sense.


He could feel a magical tension in the air, hostile, but not innately evil. This is no warlock’s spell nor is it the meddling of necromancy. This was a being unwillingly torn from its natural form and forced to walk upon the earth as something new. It is something like a wraith, which never truly died.


Now that Jameak could understand the foe he could see it for what it really was. There was no corporeal form within this armor only a wisp of teal smoke. The creature would roar and swing as it closed in on its prey, but Jameak’s weapon swung true. With one hardy blow he sent the helmet flying and dented in the chest plate. The creature kneeled before him; a headless suit of armor leaking colored smoke. “Give….back….our…homeland..” It wheezed and thrashed. One unpredictable punch landed on the paladin’s knee. (1 Damage)


It is clear that this creature is near death now.

----The Temple of Pelor----

​

Jaks would notice broken and some times missing limbs, deep cuts and crushing wounds. One woman was laid across a large slab of fallen stone they had made into a table. Two monks hold her down while a cleric regenerates her missing leg. She bites down on a large stick delivering muffled screams. Twisted webbings of veins wrap around newly forming bone in an agonizing process that may or may not succeed in these conditions.


“Related incidences?” Kelter said looking confused and bewildered. He hated to think that his master died only to destroy a portion of these intruders. Equally so he hated to think that the town guard had suddenly gone mad enough to slaughter the down trotted. “Together or individual these are acts of great injustice…Jaks will you join me in putting this city right?”