SitN Session #18: A Little Creative License

Warning: Spoilers below for the adventure, Siege of Bordrin’s Watch (albeit a modified version).

From Chris (who plays Rawr): “I took a bit of liberal license with this weeks journal, hope you enjoy.”

“Bertos,” he heard a shrill voice calling his name even through the solid oak doors, “are you here.”

Bertos Vain, Wizard of the Third Order, looked up from the parchment strewn desk in annoyance. With a quick gesture of his gnarled hand, he pushed the magnifying orb away from his bearded face. The glowing white orb hung in the air next to his head, but out of his line of sight.

“Bertos,” he heard the voice call out once again, and considered not answering.

He knew that such behavior was not dignified, and that it would waste far less of his time if he just dealt with the matter at hand. Not to mention, the voice was drawing closer, and he was sure his hiding place would soon be discovered.

He cupped his hand, and whispered in them. With a flick of his wrist, he opened his palms outward, and a misty impression of his words “In the study” flowed from his outstretched hand. The words danced on the air currents, out of the keyhole in the door, and beyond sight.

A shrill “Ah, of course you are” told him the message had found its mark.

Bertos watched as the study door opened and then closed, appearing to admit no one.

“You must see this discovery. Oh my, oh my, what a wonderful find. I will most certainly need your help. Oh yes, your help will most certainly be required,” a high pitched voice rambled on as a shuffling of feet padded closer to Bertos desk.

Bertos leaned forward on his elbows so he could peer over the mound of books and scrolls littering his desk. Alkterran Dorn, the gnome, looked up at Bertos, his frizzy hair just even with the upper edge of Bertos desk.

“What are you going on about,” Bertos said dryly.

“This of course,” Alkterran responded, holding up a rotted leather bound book in his tiny hands for inspection.

“And what is that.”

“This, this is an actual accounting of early travels of the mythic Silver Daggers,” Alterran beamed, “but there is a problem. Oh yes, very serious, it’s all in draconic script. Very hard to read, very, very hard.”

Bertos knew he was being bated. Everyone knew he was the foremost expert on ancient languages and history, but his interest had risen. However, he would not let the insufferable little gnome know he had won so easily.

“Well, I suppose I have time to look at your supposed discovery” Bertos sighed. He reached forward and gingerly took the worn tomb from Alkterran’s grasp. With fingers practiced in the art of handling the delicate pages of ancient documents, Bertos scanned the journal; his excitement rising with each turn of the page.

“What does it say,” Alkterran pleaded.

“I believe this is an actual telling of the fabled incident at Overlook. The script is worn and some of the accent marks are missing, but I believe I can translate.”

Bertos read with authority…

On the 4th day of Cinder by the Draconic Calendar, we arrived at the Dwarven monastery deep in the Northern Mountain above Overlook. We attempted to warn the Moradin priests of the impending danger, but they spoke of a holy day to Moradin. The dwarf showed much disrespect and treated us as a hatchling. The Ruben…

“Could he mean Ruben Rybnik,” Bertos said excitedly, “his treatise on the one hundred and one fundamental principles of Thunder Wave are stillrequired reading at the Arcane College.”

“Yes, yes, keep reading,” Alkterran urged.

Bertos adjusted the Ever Burning Orb, and continued his translation…

The Deornoth stated the dwarf was a Vorelsa, a liar, most dishonored. The Ruben and the Tyrande spoke about the dwarves needing help. They decided the dwarves would not be lying without cause, but could not decide if the dwarves were asking for help. We needed more information.

I attempted to scale (Draconic pun) the outer walls, but was unable to find the proper footing. For a lesser race, the dwarves are skilled in their use of masonry.

The Ruben shouted about invading orcs, a clever ruse to lure the monks to the monastery entrance for one must not worry about offending honor against the Vorelsa. Our efforts were met with the silence of the mountains.

It seemed we would fail in our task. I only hoped that my dishonored life would be enough to satisfy the debt of my clan.

It was then the Berran contrived the best plan. We would break down the mighty door that barred our path. A ram and trebuchet were both discounted, as there was not enough wood in the mountains to make such a mighty weapon. We would instead use the trickery of the Fey.

The Berran and the Roxy would pass through the fey wild, and appear on the other side of the door. Rawr would only have to make a small hole in the door…

“Delinda’s Deliberate Delivery,” Alkterran interrupted with an introspective tone to his voice, “I bet that’s what they used.”

Bertos sniffed, “Delinda was born 100 years after this journal was written. You really should brush up on your history. Now if you don’t mind, this is about to get exciting.” Bertos continued.

It was a trap. Two fists of orcs laid waiting in ambush. As the Berran and the Roxy appeared on the other side of the door, the orcs leaped from hiding and attacked. The Berran brought great honor upon his clan name. He fought back the foul creatures, while the Roxy tried to unbar the great doors.

The Roxy is brave and powerful in many ways with her fey witchery, but small; smaller then one who has yet to see her first molting. The Roxy could not lift the bar.

Though the Berran was fighting with the heart of a Wyrm, the orcs numbers were too many. It seemed we would helplessly watch the orcs slay our brothers, but the Berran called upon his might. Charging through the orcs, he lifted the bar allowing the Deornoth and the Tyrande to throw open the great passage. We rushed through the gate to meet the orcs in most glorious battle.

We did not know that a betrayer hid among the many statues that covered the temple grounds. A dwarven wizard began hurling spells as we engaged the orcs. The Vorelsa wizard blinded our eyes with clouds of poison, but we continued to fight the orcs until none stood before us.

Knowing his dishonored death was approaching, the cowardly wizard fled. He escaped into his own poison cloud taking the shape of Berran. While Rawr is not smart, the Roxy and the Berran were smarter then the betrayer and stopped him from escaping. We tied up the betrayer, but before we could question him. A second band of orcs rushed forth from within the temple itself.

We quickly dispatched the orc reinforcements for we have become proficient in our slaying of the green monsters. Within the temple, we discovered the bodies of the dwarven monks. The Deornoth and Rawr gathered the bodies for an honored burial, while the Ruben interrogated the betrayer wizard.

The wizard changed his shape many times to confuse us, but the Ruben convinced him to show his true
form; that of a Shadar-kai, dweller of the Shadowfell. The betrayer spoke of a deep conspiracy within Overlook, and the infiltration of the Shadar-kai. He spoke of the Emissary leading the Rowven River Consortium, which contain members of the Overlook council. It seems to Rawr that the dwarfs cannot be trusted He also spoke of Rage, an orog…

“A what,” Alkterran interrupted yet again.

“They are not common. A nasty blending of orc and ogre,” Bertos explained patiently before continuing.

He also spoke of Rage, an Orog leading a band through the tunnels beneath the temple. The Tyrande gave the betrayer a quick death, and its dead body changed form yet again to that of a Yuan-ti. Rawr is so confused.

We will enter the tunnels to face this threat…

“Unfortunately, that is all. The remaining symbols are too faded to read any further,” Bertos placed the journal on his desk, “Are there any other pieces.”

“Oh my, I shall have to go back and see if I can find more pages. This is most exciting. If we can find more then I can update the reference about the Silver Daggers in the anthology of Deities and Demigods,” Alkterran swooned.

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