Chapter Nineteen - The Dark Wizard of Netheril

Session was held 30th of June at the Altar of Games

Melkor made Arius very upset. Poor kid.

As the great peril loomed over the Kingdom of Darnon, Arius prepared himself for a speech that was meant to raise the last remaining men for the final battle. Melkor had declared that they would should move with haste towards the city of Berdusk that was currently besieged by the Red Wizard Alzarseth. Melkor pointed out that encountering Alzarseth was crucial if they wished for Darnon's best, as the Red Wizard gathered strength with every passing hour.
But Arius found himself troubled by the late events. Melkor had always been close to him as a mentor and foster father, but now as it had turned out that the Black Wizard actually was his father, he had great problems accepting the truth. Even more so as his legitimacy for the Crown of Darnon had been forever lost. Although he still struggled with his thoughts, Arius heartened the remaining soldiers to join him for the final march. A march that was destined to end in suffering of many without a promise of victory.

The Final March
The preparations for the Last Stand of Justice were made roughly in one day. During their planning meet with the last remaining rebellion leaders they agreed that General Almatheus Ochrefield, Dortherion, Count Anthrop and Constantin Almert would join them for the last march. Uddard Blackcaster was nominated to act as regent while our heroes would be making war elsewhere, and he promised to give his fullest to prevent the conquered cities descending into turmoil. Cidela Pepperpath and Lot were stationed to guard the Cube of Tybor during the march and while Melkor would do his magicks.  During the meet Ochrefield stated they managed to raise around thousand soldiers for the march, many of them ex-Blackhelms who had deserted from King Osanders army.

While planning for the tactics, Blackcaster brought up alarming news. It had turned up that the carcass of Merthoflagrion, the red dragon that was slain few weeks ago in the Battle for Asbravn, had vanished into thin air. Blackcaster assured the rest that there was no reason to worry and that natural explanation for the disappearance of the huge rotting serpent was to be found.

Next morning the small army of tired freedom fighters began it's march towards Berdusk. Captain Ochrefield  calculated that march would take four days to the Great Bulwark, where they could ask Colonel Erebald (well known sympathizer of Free Darnon) and his men to join them. But before that they would have a long forced march ahead of them that would really test the endurance of the men.

Route of the Last March. 

The men marched almost two days in a row with minimum rest, but outside the village of Borhus they finally had a little rest among the village houses and maturing crops. After the nightfall when the camp had been built and most were fast asleep, Melkor was still writing to his notebook.

Zelthaum the Eldritch

Suddenly he noticed how his magical amulet began to hover on his chest, and how inside the tent every other item of magical nature did exactly the same. Arius woke up as his sword Ilbrandir began to float away from him, and soon all of our heroes charged out of the tent to see what was causing this magical anomaly. And as a thunder shook the camp, great giant appeared in front of them.He declared to be Zelthaum the Eldritch, claimant to possess the Cube of Tybor. The gigantic man listened no reasoning and the ownership of the Cube had to be dissolved with arms. Zelthaums gargantuan bastard sword was a force to be reckoned and his magical abilities boosted his power further, but as so many times before, our heroes proved to be triumphant. The giant was soon slain, heroes claim for the Cube restored and soon the camp returned to peaceful slumber.

The One who Returned
At dawn, the camp was dismantled and the march continued. Sun didn't illuminate their path anymore as a dark gloom had fallen over Darnon. The black clouds over Berdusk had grown even thicker, and the dense veil of darkness was spreading over the lands with ever growing speed. It was clear that Alzarseths magic was the cause of this unholy gloaming that hung heavily over the land. The army moved with haste towards the border Bulwark, and two days later they reached Hope's End, a refugee village outside the Morihig border station. The village was empty, sacked by the conquering army of Alzarseth. But death reeked also at the border station. Colonel Erebald, who was expected to join them, hang gutted, upside down with his close officers at the camps gate. Douglas donned his ring of invisibility (freshly acquired from Asbravnian merchant) and went for a quick recon mission. The thief soon returned and informed the others that the border station had been overrun by undead warriors. Jared was encouraged by these news and promised to get rid of the menace with his positive energy bursts granted by his deity Lathander. Talk about being positive, the crazed cleric walked all alone in the middle of the soldiers of unlife. An undead officer in black full-plate ordered them to turn because the border was closed, but the priest launched his positive burst that tore the skeleton army apart, but only partially, as many of the creatures rose again.

Death Knight Irongrave and his zombie-dragon steed.

By releasing the burst, Jared also evoked the high commander of the depot of living dead. Great doors of the wall gatehouse fell, as a gargantuan beast crawled in. And look, the beast was Merthoflagrion, once slain red dragon that had risen again. The zombie dragon had a rider, donned in black full-plate, wearing a cracked helm with huge deer antlers, and the rider was the greatest of the Skull Riders, Captain Irongrave. He was slain in the battle of Treeward, but now the captain was bestowed with unholy powers and risen as a Death Knight. As a response to clerics energy burst, Irongrave grunted "Here only you can die" and launched a volley of unholy fire towards Jared, knocking the priest down. Then the dragon vaulted to the sky and swiped behind our heroes, frying many soldiers with it's fiery breath. Furious battle ensued as the Death Knight dealt punishment from the Beyond. As Jared regained his consciousness and was ready to continue the battle, he unleashed another burst of energy, decimating the weakened Death Knight and his terrible minions. Without these superpowers of our heroic cleric, many of the men would have died in the claws of the skeleton horde, now they could sigh and wait for day or two longer for the Kothian blades to slay them.

The army marched through the border gate and gasped as they saw malevolent powers growing in the berduskian sky. A great red sphere glowed it's death on the doomed city and it was now crystal clear that there was n more time to be wasted. With a forced march our heroes and their army struggled onwards, but soon general Ochrefield had to call for a quick rest. They headed to a farm called "The Verdants" where the men gathered fresh water and crops for fast nourishment. But encounter followed as the main building was already occupied. A great warrior launched forward, killing two soldiers. He told the heroes to back off, but when questioned, the man, called Strong-Dong, revealed that he was serving a master. And the master answered when he was called forth.

Here Strong-Dong and Man-with-a-pointy-hat both marvel
how well the Man shot his arrow into Ebonmars ribs.

A wretched shadow of a man walked out of the building, and soon our heroes recognized that familiar scumbag, he was Lord Lullicius Ebonmar. The fat coward had escaped from Berdusk just before the siege, and was hiding here with few of his menservants. It didn't take long from our fellowship to negotiate Strong-Dong to leave his slavemaster and join for the glorious battle. That obese bastard tried to sneak out of the situation but by heroes command, a man with a pointy hat & feather stopped his escape with a well aimed arrow. The pointy hatted man was complimented for his bravery in action. The owners of the Verdant-farm were found and released from the basement, and they gave their sincerest gratitude for our heroes. During the night the farmer Matteus Verdant finished his issues with Lord Ebonmar who was left to die on the yard. As morning came even more hazily than the others before, resting troops found Ebonmar hanged into nearest tree. Many wondered how that chapped farmer had strenght to lift that fat carcass high up in the air. After this scene the last camp was dismantled and the march for final judgement began.

The Last Strike 

The red glowing orb over Berdusk and it's besiegers.

The Last Army of Free Darnon progressed with rather hasty pace, even though they were marching to their evident deaths. As the last hills and meadows of berduskian farmlands were left behind, the army reached a last little hill before the city, and on the top of that our fellowship finally saw how dire the whole situation actually was. The city was completely surrounded by besieging force. Dark black clouds hung heavily over the city, and in the middle of the clouds a gigantic red orb pulsated, sucking red energy from the city and the besieging forces to itself. And from that red eye, a small line of that same red energy streamed into a small mountaintop, which glowed with bright light. There on that artificial peak (that wasn't there before, foul magic of the red wizard once again) Alzarseth did his magics in order to destroy Berdusk.

Only one unit of enemy troops was not under the same lure that doomed Berdusk. These men guarded the small peak where the archmage was conjuring death and demise for thousands. Our valiant crusaders decided to head straight towards the peak in hope of intercepting the conjuring. The enemy let them proceed quite a distance until three-men sentry rode towards them. Their leader, Shadhum Khozo, the leader of Kothian mercenaries, announced that his master is currently occupied and cannot attend their business whatever it was. But mercenary captains speech was interrupted by the red mage himself telepathically saying "Shadhum, I do have time"
And with this sentence, dust began to move in a circle of hundred feet radius. And from that circle rose half-dozen enormous metal blades that reached the sky, still circling with blinding speed, enclosing our heroes into   deadly cylinder. And inside that cylinder was Alzarseth the Red. As predicted, the mage was wearing deep red robe, his face looked powerful, and his eyes stared under pitch-black brows.
This is the speech Alzarseth held when addressing our heroes:

"We meet at last! The King is dead, long live the King!

Congratulations Ariendur, there's finally a man on the throne who righteously deserves it!

And you must be Douglas of Berdusk. It seems that you've lost your face?

The priest of Lathander, Jared. We shall talk about the matters of faith later when all this is over, for then whe truly have time for it.

Oh but Melkor the Black, Confidant of Queen Aeliathe, The Wise Man of West, Descendant of the Great Ancient Wizards of Netheril. Far have you traveled from your books, and even farther from the havens of rationality are your thoughts, how do you believe that you'll ever reach your goals when even your closest ones do not know about your endeavors?

Melkor, let me explain to your little friends..

Don't you remember? You arrived to Iriaebor long time ago, visions of long gone artifact in your eyes. You had managed to dig up that the arch-wizard of the city could possess an item of tremendous power and you decided to investigate this lead. Yes, the Eye of Karsus was mine back then already, even though I had not yet unleashed it's true powers. 

Melkor and Arius back when everything was well.

You conspired with the beautiful Queen, but did you do it for love, I dare not to know. You managed to discover a lot, but much was yet to be discovered, when something unexpected happened. The Queen succumbed as did her first-born, prince Ariendur. But the people of Darnon didn't know that the boy was actually alive and safe, as the Queen foresaw her own death and gave the baby to you Melkor. Little prince was kept hidden in your servitude until now, as I couldn't suspect you back then when I order the Queen and her bastard to death! Yes, I gave that order as the weakling King Osander could not do it. Power is a cruel game my friend.

See, deaths of the Queen and the prince were good excuses for radical shifts in the power balance of the kingdom, because all these years that you call as grim years of tyranny and fear, were only running in for the terror machinery that will lift me to greater power. The Cult of the Bitter Lord has proven itself as crucial aid for my endeavor and without the Queens death and the national mourning that followed it, I couldn't been able to introduce it for the masses, not to mention spreading it.

But what comes to you Melkor, after receiving the boy, a sinister plan began to grow it's roots in your mind. I am even little envious how cunning your plan was. You raised the boy to obedient young man, and you never told him about his true origins. But when the boy turned eighteen, you betrayed him for the Order of the Black Cliff, who had been searching for him all these years. Then you rescued him from the dungeons and told all these tales and lies how he would be the legitimate king of Darnon and how the young prince would act as the sword of righteousness and release the kingdom from tyranny. And the boy believed and your route for power opened. People of Darnon dismissed the tyrant and welcomed Arius with great cheer as their new rightful King. Your success has been great and you almost managed to mess my own personal schemes. But Melkor, your destination is still ahead of you, but now you have managed to create your own machinery for power, which shield might be more polished than mine, but the insides are as covered in smut as mine. And now that  long forgotten artifact is at your grasp, The Eye of Karsus. You have been pursuing it all this time, heedless of anything else... As I said, power is a cruel game.


But now I must continue my own agendas. Extracting the souls from a whole city and from the army besieging it, in order to raise myself to godhood, is not a task done with ease. I am flattered that you've come to share my day of ultimate triumph. Thank you.

And with these words the wizard vanished and the great metal blades that formed the cylinder descended back to earth. Melkor grinded his teeth in anger, as the others looked at the wizard in disbelief, how could he betray them in this horrible manner. Arius especially was completely blown out. His blank expression was wiped when the earth below them began to tremble. As they backed up, the ground fell into abyssal pit more than hundred foot wide. And from the red depths of the pit rose a terrible many clawed and eyed abomination later identified as Elder Odopi.

And thus began the final battle for Darnon.

Manifestation of Tybor

Arius, Jared and Douglas struck against the bizarre aberration of hell, while Melkor concentrated his energy in awakening Tybor from his Cube. The Odopi trampled over many and struck forcefully with it's crooked claws. It grappled Arius and swallowed him. There Arius remained for almost the rest of the battle, fighting the nightmarish innards for his freedom. The creature struck Jared down, mangling the priest badly, but just then Melkor managed to release Tybor. With great white light, the ancient wizard manifested over his Cube, glazing furiously to the top of the peak where Alzarseth did his spells. Then Tybor released a burst of force that knocked the Red Wizard down, ending his dire spells. By that instant the red glaring orb on the sky of Berdusk began to fall. And just before reaching the rooftops it exploded with great white light. Force of the explosion tore down towers and walls, knocked the besieging army down and when it reached our battling army, reeled many. Soon the battle ensued, and the manifestation of Tybor withered slowly away. For a moment the Red Wizard was gone, but then he returned with terrible wrath.

Arius managed to force himself out of the Elder Odopi, just in time to help Douglas who had been left completely alone as Jared had succumbed to terrible agony. The young prince saw Alzarseth standing on a hill, but the wizards appearance had changed from the previous. The Archwizard was a twisted visage of it's former self, and it was quite apparent that the Red Wizard was a lich, terrible undead spellcaster of tremendous power.

Alzarseth the Red

The maddened Red Wizard began his battle by casting the feared Meteor Swarm upon our heroes. While dodging the terrible blaze, Arius was puzzled by Melkors apparent absence. The Black Wizard had put his eye on the Eye of Karsus, a powerful artifact that he had desired for so long. Now it laid unused on the ground as Alzarseth had thrown it away in his whims as he failed to re-activate it, thanks to Tybors strong dispelling charge. And so, Melkor abandoned his friends and pursued his own goals instead, a move that sealed our fellowships destiny.
As the traitorous loremaster disappeared into a dimensional door, Jared, who had already been struggling, was slain by Alzarseths meteors. None could have seen what happened next. The death of the faithful priest evoked a terrible spirit that had been lurking inside the priest since his first demise in Battle of Durunmer. Now the cleric corpse transformed into a shape of terrible demon that growled:

In some sources Arius is portrayed with a horned helm,
but like true heroes, he fought bareheaded. 

 "I am the Harbinger of Gor-Marrak the Eater of Nations! Alzarseth, your time has come!
And in instant the demon began to slay the men around it, progressing towards the Red Wizard who flew his spells on it. One of the spells was Horrid Wilting that killed brave Constantin Almert. Arius also rushed towards the wizard, as he wanted to deal with him personally. Some said later that his plunge towards the hill was archetype portray of recklessness, as he rushed through prismatic spray-spell to face archmage lich  and a terrible demon of horrific hellish power. But the daredevil hero did it, and for a moment he battled alongside with the demon. Alzarseth could not withstand such an attack for long, and our young king struck his glorious sword through the lich, slaying the Evil that had tormented Darnon for decades! Off-balanced by the shock that followed the Red Wizards destruction, the demon took the advantage, and even though Douglas did his best to support Arius in battle against the creature that once had been their friend, the demon struck Arius down with it's mighty heaves.

Arius fell, and while laying there in the middle of the battlefield, he felt his end coming. He saw how Douglas screamed as he tried to save his friend, but Arius couldn't hear him no more. Memories of wondrous adventures full of joy and friendship, rushed to his mind, but then the shadows began to roll over him. Everything grew darker and darker, and as Arius felt he was succumbing to the eternal darkness he knew that this is it, his end....

And amongst the shadows,
there,
there was MELKOR!

Chapter Fourteen - Misery & Sorrow at the Black Gates of Mor Shathûr

Session was held 9th - 11th of September at the Gustav's Hideout

Black Tower of Mor Shathûr

The sun rose as a grey behemoth as our heroes were penetrating deeper in to the Pass of the Setting Sun. It was first of december and a rain of hail was covering the black earth. Jared who had greeted the sunrise for his divine spells introduced the heroes to two local shepherds called Gudard and Blabbermouth-Benj. They told about the menace at the dark tower, how it was held by savage tribe of orcs called Gujat Kragor, the Long Tusks. These vile humanoids had tormented the pass since their rise to power, hampering the traffic at the pass to zero and reducing the land available for pasture to a quarter. Thus the shepherds agreed to help the Hope of Darnon, and showed a secret passage to the tower, once used by lusty monks of Deneir, as the main gate to the pass was overrun by the orcish horde.

Scruffy depict of Mor Shathûr.
It was made in haste as the danger was imminent.

When the night embraced the lands, our brave assailants proceeded to the secret entrance. The peasants returned to their herds, awestruck by magics performed by Jared who opened the large stone door blocking the secret passage with a single spell. Ancient tunnel led the party to a small meeting room, where a riddle of seven sins puzzled our heroes for a while. They passed it eventually and proceed onwards, eventually entering a guardsroom filled with orcs. Then began the violent bloodshed once again, and a sudden rush of death soon claimed the whole tower. The orcs of Gujat Kragor were fierce creatures of great might, as it were rumored that they mated with the ferociest of  mountain boars, at least if one's to believe the shepherds. Nevertheless, no orc proved to be mighty enough to resist the final punishment delivered by our glorious rampagers, and level after level were purified of the green menace.

From window slits of the higher levels of the tower our roughnecks saw that an another battle had ensued in the pass that the tower guarded. Unknown force of horseriders had attacked the orc camp, and the greenskins were getting beaten at the outside as well as inside of the dark tower of Mor Shathûr. Soon our heroes reached the top and encountered the horrendous leader of the tribe. "BIG MUTHAFUCKA", as it called itself, was propably the biggest orc one has ever seen, and its huge greatclub pounded Arius again and again. The struggle against the green giant was excruciating, but no orc were to spoil the great destiny that awaited our brilliant goodies and as the humongous bulk of the half-boar/giant/orc slumped down the staircase, they knew they were victors once again.

The Long Tusks also suffered a defeat outside the tower, and our braves met the horseriders. Their leader identified himself as Dortherion, a captain of one hundred riders from far north. They had rode in the name of Lord Alexander of the House Teudor, the ruler of the free city of Rhaum. Dortherion explained that Ariendurs mentor, Melkor the Wise had send a message to his Lord Alexander, and requested aid for the struggle of free Darnon. Thus the riders began their journey south, and luckily they found the heroes here. The riders of Rhaum also had company from another ally of Melkor, Balthor the Bothered, his old associate in magic and wizardy.

With these new allies, our brave champions of justice began their journey back to Treeward, the sanctum of refugees and rebels. Once there, Dortherion promised to begin training in martial arts for the commoners that are willing. Three war-smiths that had rode with him from the north also promised to teach the arts of weapon&armorsmithing for the village smiths, to increase the quality of equipment in the use of the rebellion. It should be noted that Treeward was constantly growing, as the need for change in Darnon grew everyday stronger and stronger. The village had allured several powerful figures to join, such as cleric Thendous Grayish, who shared spiritual guidance for the rebels. Man called Ralhold Silvermace had been selected to act as a village elder while the heroes were absent. Also, familiar barbarian, Baltrus the Hot-head joined the ranks of rebellion, chanelling his temper against the oppressors.

Howl in the Dark


Guulvorg

 Just a ten-day later, important guest arrived to Treeward. Thul Gilial was a scout from the elven kingdom of Evereska. His mission was to observe the kingdom of Darnon and areas near it, and now he came to warn the heroes from the terror that had arisen from the Sunset Mountains. Apparently, the death of the leader of Gujat Kragor had enraged the orcs. Thus the greenskins let loose a mighty beast known as Guulvorg. Thul Gilial urged the adventurers to slay the monstosity with haste, as it would certainly rend apart the unprotected villages east from Hluthvar.

And so the went, once again, and few days later, only some miles east from Hluthvar, the monster slayers arrived to small village of The Valley of Hluth. The night had settled and our braves witnessed terrible carnage, as several of the small villagehuts had  been torn apart, and dismembered corpses of the villagers lied scattered. Then a great howl broke the silence, and the giant beast attacked. Crossbreed of a worg and a dire wolf, the proportions of the huge wolf were unnatural. Nevertheless, if it bleeds, it can be killed, and so did our brave justifiers that they stroke down the vile abominations that the orcs had released for revenge, and the outskirts of Hluthvar had been saved.

Operation Leverage
Two weeks later, the heroes attended to a new affair that was mainly designed by Dortherion. They were to rob the armoury of Hluthvar, as the rebellion desperately needed more equipment and gold to fund itself. The strike was intended to be timed into the new years celebrations, as the city was less populated by the brothers of the Black Cliff, as the Cult of the Bitter Lord had a grande ceremony in Iriaebor. They were to use secret smuggling tunnels that ran under the city with the aid of freedom fighter-agents deployed earlier.

As the night of the New Year came, the Operation Leverage begun with a bang. Our heroes, Arius in front, smashed in to the well fortified armoury, cleaving down any resistance. Only true opposition they encountered was a commanding Brother of the Black Cliff, Captain Wormwood and his Defenders of the Iron Wall elite soldiers, who had grouped in to defensive positions at an arms vault. Nevertheless, their full plate armors and tower shields were opened like a tin cans, as our brave raiders pryed themselves through.
As the weapon-vault was secured, the aiding rebels begun to carry the arms out of the vault, to the smuggling tunnels, as the heroes focused their attention into solving a key-puzzle of a door that would lead into the inner-vault. Eventually the puzzle-mechanics were outsmarted, and our justified looters hit a motherlode, as the inner vault encased three chests of gold, one shiny magical mithral chainshirt and a peculiar item that resembled a deck of cards.

As they were carrying the chests out of the vault, sounds of battle ensued from the upper level, and the crude elevator to the vaults came crushing down. The party had to climb up via small staircase that were only accessible from the vault, and they found that the operation had been compromised. Dortherion and his men had barely fend off city guards who had tried to seize back the armoury. Thus the party and the leftover rebels dashed out of the armoury, rushing through the city alleys towards the entrance of the smuggling tunnels. Altough the route was short, many fell to the spears and swords of the pursuers. They had to force a  cave in at the tunnels entrance in order to escape, but the danger was far from over. Trapped into the dark tunnels, they began navigating hastily towards the exit outside the city. Then something went wrong. A creature attacked from a dark side tunnel, striking Douglas unconscious. Trapped in the cramped tunnels, Arius struggled to drive away the shadowy attacker, but before they managed to take a breather, they noticed that Douglas was missing, someone or something had dragged him to the numerous sidetunnels..

Sorrow at the Staggering Elk
As the shorthanded heroes finally entrenched themselves from the tunnels that might have proven to be one's doom, they proceed the the Tavern of the Staggering Elk that was located at the outskirts of Hltuhvar. In the case that something would go wrong during the armoury assault, they were to regroup there.
Douglas was still missing, and even though the operation achieved it's goal in gaining resources, many brave lives were lost. As the grand schemer and master executer of the operation, Dortherion took the losses heavily. Constantin Almert, who had supervised the transfer of the loot from the armoury to the tunnels, grieved after his long time hunting partner, Viril Massar, who was lost at the streets and alleys of Hluthvar.

Three days later, the main group of the participants at the armoury, left Staggering Elk. Lead by Dortherion, they headed back to Treeward, as our heroes were to stay and search for Douglas one last time. One might call it destiny, but a mule cart reined by old lady called Mirmos Sliver arrived to the yard of the Staggering Elk. The old lady asked from innkeeper Guysses the Sembian for a pitcher of water, as she was accompanied by two men in poor health. By whim, Jared paid heed to the conversation between the Innkeeper and the old lady, and he followed her back to her cart. There lied Douglas, looking gaunt, covered in filth. As the thief lingered between life and death, Jared used his divine powers, and restored the vitality back to the weathered rogue.



Luckily, Douglas managed to escape.

 As he was revived, Douglas told the others how he had woke up in a torture chamber. The torturer had asked him questions about the rebellion, but he had resisted the attemps, and eventually managed to break free and slay the man. After this he had escaped with another prisoner called Valvar. They had crawled through a narrow duct, full of sewage and contagious diseases. That explains his poor condition when Jared found him, and why Valvar had lost his life. Without the old lady Sliver, whom is to be thanked for picking up the two men to her cart, both of them would be dead.

Lord of the Hill 
Month and a half later the rebellion, known also as the Free Darnon faction, had gained major foothold in the northern parts of Darnon. Still a constant menace lingered as mercenaries streamed to Darnons capital, Iriaebor. The force that camped at Iriaebors outskirts could easily crush the rebellion, but for some unknown reason no movement of that sort had been noticed, and that worried the leaders of Free Darnon the most. But they were not the only ones with worries. Dundast Greygoblet, the halfling villagechief of Corm Orp had turned to the heroes for assistance. He and his entourage of his kin were overthrown by bunch of hill giants. And now he wished to get back to his village by the hills. The adventurers could not say no to the miserable littlelord, and so they headed north, through ice and snow that now covered the once so lush plains of Darnon.

Hill giant brothers Knuffa, Tor Tor and Rummaruk had enslaved the halfling villagers, and enstablished their lair to the villages centre. As our giant-slayers spied and work on their tactics for slaying them, they noticed an increase in giants number, two giants from the Anauroch desert had came to greet their distant cousins. Our brave slayers were not boggled by this, and decided to launch their attack to liberate the villagers. It is no common secret that fighting against giants is a hazardous task to do. This our brilliant braves were to find out, as the great clubs wielded by these potent yet imbecile slavers hammered down onto them. As brutal as the clash was, the humongous intruders were beaten and their northern kin driven away. The villagers who had endured the exploit of the giants cheered and began to organize a massive celebration for their liberators. The heroes, who were exceptionally modest this time, presented the village to its chief, and returned back to Treeward, knowing that they had gained new, yet small, allies.

End Of It All
It was 8th of May, 1373DR, and our dear adventurers rode along the treeborder of Reaching Woods. Arius, Cidela, Douglas and Jared had made a trip to Scornubel where they had visited the markets and shops in order to update their equipment. At the same time they had paid a visit to Mordiggian, the boss of United Merchants, or United Murderers as some knew them. It should be noted that Mordiggians tyranny at Scornubel no longer bothers city. And so, after this succesful campaign to neighbouring free city, our jolly lot were returning home, to Treeward.

Their ennobled state of mind soon changed into concern, as one of Constantin Almerts rangers, Ralfar, rode against them. He carried a message of most tremendous importance. The base of Free Darnon and safe haven for the refugees, Treeward, was under attack! Ralfar explained that with the morning mists, few hours ago, a large army commanded by Skull Rider Overlord, Captain Irongrave, had sieged the village. Also during the night, a great magical wall was conjured to the treeborder, in order to prevent the refugees from escaping, companied by antimagical barrier that blocked Balthor from sending the heroes a message of distress. As a skillfull rider, Ralfar himself managed to slip out before the King's Army closed in, and begun the search for the heroes, as their aid was desperately needed.

They rode along with the wind, as every moment was closer to the destruction of Free Darnon. Although their ride was a noble lunge through miles, they arrived too late. The battle had commenced without them, and the rebellion was losing in every single field. The struggle had taken place in a opening in front of the village, and even though the forest gave some cover for the rebels, the vision was horrendous. The well armed professional soldiers of King Osander II hacked down  masses of inadequately equipped rebels, and as zealous as they were, they didn't stand a chance. Only the men of Rhaum, who were led by their brave captain Dortherion, managed to fight back. But they toiled in vain, as the Brothers of the Black Cliff slayed men like pigs. There are no words that can describe how those vile servants of the Bitter Lord killed and dismembered their victims that day. In the middle of the battlefield was a large wagon, from where three poles towered towards the sky. To these poles, three tortured figures were bound.

Shocked by the slaughter in front of them, our fateful heroes plunged their mounts to the ranks of the enemy, striking down every single Black Helm, Skogarrim Mercenary, Bitter Lord fanatic and Skull Rider who crossed paths with them. Their fury was only increased as they saw how Balthor The Mage was mortally shot down from the sky with a powerful arrow of the Bitter Lord, where he was pouring his fire evocations down onto his enemies.

Even though they began their chivalrous charge in the lance formation, soon only Arius was advancing towards the head of the snake, Captain Irongrave. The others were hindered on their way, thus leaving the half-elf prince to face the menace alone. Just before reaching Irongrave, a  sudden blast knocked Arius and his horse to the ground. As he forced himself up he saw how Irongrave held Dortherion from his throat, as the minions of the Skull Rider Captain stabbed Dortherion again and again. Arius threw himself against the Captain of the Black Cliff, challenging him to a duel. As gallant as he was, Arius struggled against the Hammer of Doom, a powerful warhammer that was given by the Bitter Lord himself to Irongrave, his loyal servant. Jared tried to reach Arius to aid him, as he saw the upcoming doom, but too late. A powerfull blow knocked our brave prince prone, and as Irongrave was to deliver the finishing strike, a flash of bright green light occured. The Skull Rider Captain quailed in pain, and with a terrible cry, the champion of evil fell dead on the ground. And lo, on a hills surrounding the battlefield, stood Melkor!

The Return of Melkor

As Captain Irongrave was slain, the forces of King Osander II began to shatter. Melkor had summoned celestial dire lions to his aid, and soon the army was driven back. Only the Skogarrim barbarians and the fanatics of the Bitter Lord had to be killed to the last of them, so blinded were they by their lust of blood.

Finally the battle was over. As the cold drizzle drummed faintly the armors of the ones who fell, it was obvious that only the most lucky ones survived that day.In addition to the countless who had given their lives in order to defend the Free Darnon, Melkors old friend, Batlhor, had been slain. Hot blooded half-orc barbarian Baltrus was also killed, but severly wounded Dortherion managed to see another day, as did 32 of his men. Constantin Almert lost his eye as he led his rangers agains the back ranks of the enemy. In addition to him, only four of his men survived. Constantin also found out that one of the three figures bound to the pole-wagon was his friend Viril. They had tortured him to reveal the location of Treeward, and he had most likely been alive when the battle ensued.

Not even the return of Melkor gave consolation to the ones who survived, as months of hard work, not to even mention the lives lost, came to nought. And the worst part was that sacrifices like the battle that day, were only prelude for all the grief that was yet to come in order to liberate Darnon from it's tyranny.

As the night drew it's dark curtain over the scene of sorrow, our exhausted warriors sat around a campfire to hear what Melkor had to tell for an excuse of his long absence. The Wise Wizard told a magnificent tale how he had ridden to the shore of the Sea of Swords, where he had entered the ponderous vaults of Candlekeep. He had researched for ways to use the Cube of Tybor for their advance, and he was convinced that they could supress the powers of Alzarseth, the Red Wizard, who reigned as the archmage of Iriaebor. This would grant them an great advance in the battle for the throne. Melkor also told that he had used lot's of resources in order to gain new allies for their cause, and he felt that he had been quite succesful in that. Dortherion expressed his doubt that Free Darnon would never be able to restore it's ranks, as many good men had fallen that day. But the others who had travelled with Melkor before, saw a familiar glow in the eyes of the beloved magician, and it marked for yet another foolhardy adventure!

The enigmatic mage chuckled silently, slowly smoking his pipe.

Chapter Two: Refugees at the Court of the Hunters

Session was held 3rd of april 2010 at the Altar of Games

As guests in the camp of the hunters, Melkor promised for Constantin Almert, the sole leader of the merry hunter band, that they would perform suitable favor for the nuisance that they are. Before that they would however journey eastwards, to inn of Haphark Middleroad, to stock up rations and equip themselves with better equipment. After that they would do what mister Almert wishes.


During their voyage to Middleroads Inn they met women called Irene. She was travelling to Scornubel, independent caravan city behind the Reaching Woods. Reason of her journey was her harsh treatment in the city of Hluthvar, where reign the right hand of Lord Protector Mornburg of Asbravn, Captain Irongrave, cruel man in high status in the cult of the Bitter Lord. Our fellowship were sympathized by her. The treck continued, and at last the met mister Middleroad, who was happy to share what he had, as long as our heroes would do a little booze salvaging for him.



And off we go, the good guys left to place called Trallvik Farm, abandoned estate south from Middleroads. There they witnessed the horrors of plunder and decay, as the whole farm had withered to rubble. Nevertheless, they managed to dig up some nasty kobolds, little dog-lizards vicious as hell. After slaying these poor little critters they found the spiced moonshine that Middleroad was asking for and returned to the inn, and did they triumph!




After returning to the hunters camp they participated in a boar hunt, event that nearly cost someones life. Upon returning back to the camp they were suprised by few riders who had discovered the campsite, bloodhounds of the king. Battle was victorious, but it cost the life of the third hunter, Hulford Bronzevest, and in addition one of the mercenary riders managed to escape, and thus ruin their hidden status.


Camp had to be moved, and luckily mister Almert knew old lean-to near, and they moved to its positions, southwest from the orginal camp. During this movement they saved the life of Irene, women they had met couple of days ago. She was attacked by the most horrific monster in the woods, Urgallox, gigantic owlbear of abyssian aspect. And did they triumph! Closely, but they did!