For Good IC

[Ajadea]

The drums of war sound, calling the brave to battle against the undead. The common people cry out for protection against the dreaded rakshasa. Horrors from the lands below rise up from their homes in the bowels of the earth, slaying few and kidnapping many. There are times when the world itself faces destruction, and escapes that fate only through the sacrifice of thousands of valiant warriors, each going down in history. This isn't one of them.

A hundred and fifty years ago, an empire of the undead was toppled. An empire that had ruled the continent for over three hundred years, led by Azaron Dalethein, an elven lich. He was slain by many great clerics, who worked together to destroy him, body and soul. Paladins and knights rode through the land, driving away the foul undead that remained. Clerics followed in their wake, cleansing the land of the taint that suffused it. War erupted, ambitious warlords conquering kingdoms for themselves. This all ended a hundred years ago.

But evil never is eradicated completely. Azaron's phylactery was never found. Undead still roam the land, rakshasa have returned, now inhabiting the Demon Wastes. The Demon Wastes themselves are still tainted with evil, an evil that refuses to leave. The drow still scheme, the illithids still work away in their mysterious cabals, the plots of many are still waiting to unravel. Betrayers and betrayed, fallen heroes and reformed villains, stories of the individuals weaving themselves into the tapestry known as history.

Now you will join it.

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Map (yes there are more towns, yes I don't know where they are):


Humans are the dominant species, followed by dwarves, then halflings

Dragons exist, but color-coding is out. You can have a CE gold dragon, an LG white dragon, whatever.

The year is divided into 6 lunar months of 60 days each and a short month of 17 days at the end of the year. Date is often written in a month/day/year fashion, as the rakshasa once used. Snow Moon, Planting Moon, High Moon, Solstice Moon, Harvest Moon, Lichfall Moon (Formerly Ghost Moon), and Saint's Moon (the short one) are the months.

There are 2 moons, a big one and a small one. The small white one follows a 28-day cycle (28 days from full moon to full moon), the larger yellowish one follows a 60-day cycle. The calender tells time by the cycles of the yellow moon.

Timeline:

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1460-1500 Before the Human Era: The earliest records of rakshasa history seem to state that this time period was when their empire, which spanned the continent, was founded.
1060-1080 BHE: Gray elves rebel and throw the rakshasa out, forming their own empire east of the Sjachir Mountains.
265 BHE: Records show that a plague swept through the gray elf lands, and many of them die.
53 BHE: The last gray elves disappear, apparently going extinct.
44 BHE: Emperor Ravana of the Rakshasa Empire dies without declaring which one of his twin children will inherit. The empire splits, and the humans rebel.
44-10 BHE: The Rakshasa Empire consumes itself in a civil war, and 90 percent of the rakshasa population dies.
10 BHE: The Rakshasa Empire falls.
0 Human Era: The Kallean Empire is founded. It covers the area that is now Brightwater and southern Laodren.
59 HE: The Kallean Empire takes over most of the central plains by this time.
163 HE: Huatlin is founded.
0 Dark Age/589 HE: Azaron Dalethein is born.
20 DA/609 HE: Nairen Sedranel, a Mithranda elf is born.
105 DA/694 HE: Sessara (a human from Kallean) is born.
117 DA/706 HE: Zombies begin to appear in the north. Nairen is believed to have allied with Azaron during this year.
High Moon 126 DA/715 HE: Sessara, now a trained assassin, is sentenced to die for her multitude of crimes. She escapes two days before the hanging.
Farmer's Moon 126-Fall 127 DA/715-716 HE: Sessara is believed to have allied with Azaron and Nairen some time during this period.
Ghost Moon of 127 DA/716 HE: Vampires rise in the north. They are all slain within a month by a group of 3 anonymous people, now believed to be Sessara, Azaron, and Nairen. Whether or not this is true, Sessara and Nairen became vampires during this month.
129-133 DA/718-722 HE: Azaron, Nairen, and Sessara are definitely allied by this time. They invade the Mithrandas Forest with armies of undead and demons, even drawing upon the nigh-extinct rakshasa warriors. By the 5th month of 722 DA, the Mithrandas Forest has become the Demon Wastes, and the rakshasa take the land over.
136-143 DA/725-732 HE: Azaron’s armies invade Kallean. By 143 DA, he has conquered the continent up to the Sjachir Mountains. Azaron becomes a lich.
144-431 DA: The Dark Age is retroactively named, and the Human Era is declared to have ended in 589 HE, when Azaron was born. Shadowkeep is founded, and Azaron will rule from there largely unopposed for the next 287 years.
431-438 DA: An army of the righteous is founded, overthrowing Azaron’s empire. Nairen is slain, Azaron is slain, but returns because his phylactery was still whole. Shadowkeep is sacked and burned to the ground. Sessara escapes, and it is believed that she took Azaron’s phylactery with her.
440 DA: Sessara is slain, but returns despite the fact her coffin was burned in Shadowkeep two years before.
Ghost Moon of 441 DA: Sessara is slain, this time for good. Azaron is killed two days later, and does not return. His phylactery is never found. The Dark Age ends with his death, and the Revival begins. Ghost Moon is renamed Lichfall Moon.
1-53 Revival: Warlords rise up, creating the kingdoms we know today.
Saint's Moon, 14th day, 3 Revival: The paladin order is founded in an abandoned grey elf citadel.
147 Revival: House Aeon falls.
151 Revival: Present Day.

{table]User Name|Character Sheet
BladeOfOblivion|Cygaar, Spear of Radiance
Cadian 9th|Razor
cd4|Temujin Khagan
Gorgontandess|Sariel
Lix Lorn|Johann of the Mental Point
Lord Mattos|Rhakan Tel'Daeos
Toxin605|Lord Aeon the Resolute
Zaydos|Thorgrim Steel-Cleaver[/table]

Someone runs in to the great hall, tired and sweaty. Dust covers his face. His clothes are dirty and ripped, his breath shallow and quick. He might be only a boy still, considering how scrawny he is. There's a strip of cloth that might be a makeshift bandage on his arm. His short brown hair is plastered to his scalp by sweat, and his eyes are filled with fear. "Iraness- sacked! Monsters, walkin' corpses, an' the cold'un, she killed me mum an' ripped her bones out, jus' by snappin' her fingers an' pointin'!" he babbles. "Me an' Mara an' Tobe an' Keran an' Hanna an' little Jan were the only ones to ge' away, an' Mara said ta come here, ta you, an' we did, 'cept the red-eyed demon bandits got Mara an' Keran an' every'un else and they're gone an' I'm scared!"

"Hold on, child. When did this happen?"

"We lef' 6 days ago, and we've been runnin' and runnin'!"

"But Iraness is two hundred miles away! You've been pushing yourself far too hard child, you need to rest."

"I can't rest! I've gotta save me friends!"

"We will rescue, them, do not worry." The cleric turns away from the child as another cleric leads the protesting child to the sleeping quarters "You, you, you, you, you, you, you, and you," she says, pointing at each of you in turn, "Go rescue the children. The rest of you saddle up and ride to Iraness!"

[Zaydos]

"As ye command," Thorgrim says quickly, "Just let me grab my axe and Ah'll be ready. Any idea what these red-eyed demon bandits may be? It's best to know yer foe ere ye charge."

[Cadian 9th]

Razor

The elf frowns with characteristic doubt. This world is ending... Let's make the next one a better place... He thinks. Picking up his sacred bow, he lifts arrow to bow and nods to the cleric, hood drawn and cloak present. The power of the Mithranda people broken, Razor has little to rely on, but his speed, skill and devotion to the forces of good and the blessing of Correlon will lead to triumph.

" This is the call of the singer, the song of the silent. We must go now, lest it end forever. Come now. " He says.

[Ajadea]

"I would assume that the child is referring to the drow, as they would likely recognize an orc."

[Zaydos]

"Ah, sun-haters is it. Never matched my axe with 'eir trea'ry. We'll bring 'em the light soon 'nuff." Thorgrim says as he leaves to get his waraxe.

[BladeofOblivion]

"These are Dark Times Indeed." The Half-Dragon stands to his impressive 6'2" height, puts his helmet on, and readies a mace. "It seems that this conflict will have to be resolved through a force of arms." He thinks a moment. "This "Cold One" the boy mentioned sounds like a Spellcaster, likely a Cleric. We will have to take extreme caution."

[Ranger Mattos]

Rhakan stays near the back of those paladins in the room, trying not to catch the eye of the child. He knows the reputation of his kind, the rakshasa, would most likey further frighten him. He raises his tiger-like head to speak. "We most likely have little time to waste. Let us go now." His voice is deep yet melodic.

[Lix Lorn]

"It is sad that this needs to be done." said Johann, sorrowful. "But I am sure we can do it."

[Toxin605]

Lord Aeon's grip tightens on his great-sword. He feels empathy for the child and is infuriated at any who would dare attack children, but some questions needed answers first."Why would Drow attack a random town out of the blue? What could this small town of country bumpkins have that could possibly want?

[Zaydos]

Thorgrim returns carrying his axe, and shield. "Shall we be off, I believe we have some kids to save."

[BladeofOblivion]

"Perhaps we should get moving. Temujin rides swiftly, and having Sariel in this room at all with that poor child's talk of walking corpses is unwise." The half-Dragon hefts his mace and his finger begins to glow slightly.

[Lix Lorn]

Johann gave a nod, and followed after him.

[Ajadea]

You leave the stronghold, heading towards the nearest entry into the Underdark. The air is crisp and clear, and there are no clouds in the sky. However, the seemingly peaceful area is not without dangers. Bugbears are known to inhabit these mountains, and there are many tales of the malevolent spirits which supposedly inhabit this mountain range.

[Zaydos]

Thorgrim walks quietly, holding his axe and shield read. His mind is sharp and focused, ready for any upcoming attack. He keeps a keen watch on the path, with glimpses towards the rocks to either side. He knows how dangerous bugbears can be, and is ready to face any that he encounters.

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I'm going to make sure I'm psionically focused so I can take advantage of my Focused Shield feat and/or expend it for Overchannel or another ability.

[Ranger Mattos]

Rhakan walks in the back, silently taking in the natural beauty. However, he is also keeping watch for any rogue monsters.

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Spot: (1d20+7)[6](13)

[BladeofOblivion]

Cygaar walks toward the front, mace in hand. He is aware that his eyesight is awful, but he still tries to keep a watch on his surroundings.

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(1d20)[2] - 5 = -3. What a failure.

[Zaydos]

OOC: actually remembering to make Spot (and Listen) checks.

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Spot: (1d20-5)[-2]
Listen: (1d20-5)[14]

[Cadian 9th]

Razor

The Cleric is silent but for the occasional scrape of metal against wood. He glances around, a devoted Traveler.

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Spot (1d20-1)[4]
Listen (1d20-1)[5]

[Lix Lorn]

Johann paid as much attention as he could to his surroundings as he walked.

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Spot - (1d20+3)[16]
Listen - (1d20+3)[22]

[Toxin605]

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Spot: [roll]1d20[/roll] - 1
Listen: [roll]1d20[/roll] - 1

Broke the Darned thing. I'll roll in the OOC.

Lord Aeon leads his mule through the mountains, wary but slightly distracted.
"I still don't understand why Sun-Haters as Thorgrim called them would just attack some town."

[Ajadea]

Johann

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You can hear guttural grumblings in a language that you do not understand and the soft steps of something above you. Looking up, you see the ear of a bugbear and the top of the head of a second one.

Nothing seems to be there, except your overactive imaginations.

[Lix Lorn]

Johann stopped still, getting his sword and shield from his back.
"Bugbears." he said aloud.

[Zaydos]

Thorgrim's lips turn up in a snarl,
"Where be 'ey? I'll show 'em the might of the Steel-Cleaver clan."

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Can I go ahead and use my Thicken Skin psionic power?

[Lix Lorn]

"I'm not exactly sure." he said. "Above us, I believe..."

[Ranger Mattos]

At the mention of bugbears, Rhakan unsheathes his greatsword in preparation for battle. But believing that not all are evil, Rhakan utters a short prayer to see if the bugbears are enemies.

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In short, Detect Evil, 2 rounds concentration.

[BladeofOblivion]

Cygaar responds: "What? Where? I don't see anything!" He readies his mace and casts a simple enchantment upon himself.

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I activate Celestial Deflection. (Same as Entropic Warding, but less chaotic-sounding.)

[Ajadea]

Thorgrim

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You'd spend 3 power points, because it's a 2nd level psionic power for you, right? But yes, you can.

Rhakan

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Wherever the bugbears are, it isn't in range of your detect evil, for you see nothing.

A shimmering white field of divine energy gathers around Cygaar.

[Zaydos]

Actually Thicken Skin is a 1st level power for me all of mine are.

[Cadian 9th]

Razor

The Elf glances around again, this time even more focused. Uttering a prayer to Correlon, he brandishes his... bow... and shouts the warcry of the Mithranda, a dead cry lost in time - living on in Razor's heart.

" Swift, Stars, show your fires! Let my black desires show themselves! BUGBEAR! Rogue, come hither, so I can teach you some honour! " He intones, quietly.

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A bit o' shakespeare.

[Ajadea]

Thorgrim

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Go ahead and manifest it.

A javelin flies down from the rocks above, clattering on the ground next to Razor. (1d20+3)[4] (1d6+2)[8]