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<blockquote data-quote="the Jester" data-source="post: 7475873" data-attributes="member: 1210"><p>The city has many tales. Oh yes, do not be fooled into believing that the story I have been telling you is the only one of, or in, the city. There are many more, and they intersect, many of them, interweaving like strands on a loom. You only see the pattern on rug when you look at the whole from above. </p><p></p><p>Hear, for instance, the cries of the prophet near the gates. “The end has come!” he shouts. “The world is over! Our time is done! Can't you hear the call of the gods? They want us to move on to a better place. Follow me, and I will lead you there!”</p><p></p><p>We shall hear of him again. His story will interweave with many others in this city.</p><p></p><p>See the tensions rising as secret emissaries from the farmers argue their case to the druids of the Oaken Circle. “It's time to take drastic action!” a pregnant woman cries. “We can't wait any longer! We're barely better than slaves!”</p><p></p><p>“What you are suggesting could harm the entire city,” one of the druids replies.</p><p></p><p>“Then maybe they'll listen for once!”</p><p></p><p>Or look back in time a few years, to an angelic visitation, selecting a young half-elven woman for divine attention... perhaps for a special fate. Her story will touch us, too, as will that of her brother and his lover. </p><p></p><p>But let's get back to the seven heroes, standing together atop the Black Gorge in animated discussion. </p><p></p><p>***</p><p></p><p>Seven strong! Seven, now! That's quite a party!</p><p></p><p>Flint, of course, ready with bardic magic. The halfling with the dwarvish name. Then Sarec, leaning against the haft of his halberd; the two dragonborn, Carl Hungus and Mad Max, who is packing another bowl of hempflower; Dzedz Orcslayer, dwarf evoker; Drolc, half-orc with one-third of a brain; and, of course, Benthum, reluctant companion, something between a slave and a very well-paid man-at-arms.</p><p></p><p>Don't get too used to this particular group. </p><p></p><p>By now they have introduced themselves, and have established that they are all adventurers, and all are interested in the megadungeon for one reason or another. They've even made a run into town in the hopes of finding a healer for Dzedz's manhood, but alas, there is nobody powerful enough to do so. </p><p></p><p>“There might be someone in the dungeon that I'm supposed to find,” Dzedz now remarks. “This guy I know, Lazarus, asked me to find this wizard... Mileen, I think it was.” </p><p></p><p>“We're looking for someone, too,” says Sarec, “but we're bounty hunters.”</p><p></p><p>“Bad man,” Drolc agrees. </p><p></p><p>“Yes, Drolc, the bad man.” Sarec pulls a folded wanted poster out of his purse and passes it over to the dwarf. Dzedz unfolds the battered sheet and studies it for a moment, then grunts and passes it to Hungus.</p><p></p><p>“We haven't seen him,” says Hungus, “but maybe we could help each other out.”</p><p></p><p>“For equal shares of the treasure, of course,” adds Mad Max.</p><p></p><p>“Have you had any luck finding your Mileen?” asks Sarec. </p><p></p><p>“Not yet.”</p><p></p><p>“Well!” Sarec grins and claps his hands together, momentarily leaving his halberd to balance on its butt end before grabbing it again. “Let's go!”</p><p></p><p>“Only this time,” suggests Dzedz, “let's go in the front.” He glances at the newcomers. “Do you know about the fee?”</p><p></p><p>***</p><p></p><p>The dwarves are happy to admit the party to the dungeon, once everyone pays the entry fee. One of them leads the party down the stairs and into the first area, which they call the Dwarf-Works, and then returns above. Down below, more dwarves are on guard; one leads the party through a series of halls and chambers, then down another long passage.</p><p></p><p>Drolc wrinkles his nose. “Stinks.”</p><p></p><p>Their guide nods. “Aye, that'd be the garbage.” The passage opens into a very large room, lit with torches in sconces and lanterns set upon the floor. A large heap of refuse is in the center. Several more dwarves are on guard, scowling at the far end of the chamber, where the finished walls give way to rough, unfinished work.</p><p></p><p>“Down there.” The dwarf who walked them here points to where the rough area fades into blackness. “At the far end, there's a breach into the dungeon proper. Good luck.” With that, she turns and trots away.</p><p></p><p>“All right, then,” mutters Flint. </p><p></p><p>The group moves forward, lighting a torch of their own. Dzedz casts <em>light</em> on Hungus' shield, as well. At the end of the chamber they find the aforementioned breach- a hole that leads into a passageway, running to the right and left. They move through. The hallway is very high and wide, with strange, unnaturally smooth stonework that seems to hold itself up without more than minimal supporting architecture. “I've never seen anything like this,” Dzedz remarks. </p><p></p><p>***</p><p></p><p>They head to the left. The hall they are in is easily big enough for them to walk four abreast, but that's nothing compared to the huge chamber that it leads to. It extends well beyond their light, both across and to the right, though they are near the left hand portion. As they start to move in, a brace of kobolds attacks them, howling and yipping as they charge out from the darkness. </p><p></p><p>They outnumber our heroes, but not badly. And our heroes outweigh and outclass them. Blades cut, hammers crush, spells scorch, and the fight is over. </p><p></p><p>The giant room is some sort of ruined bazaar. The ruins of many booths and small shacks are smashed in the central zone.</p><p></p><p>“Who the heck set these up?” wonders Flint. “They're too big for kobolds.”</p><p></p><p>“A lot of them are too big for humans,” Dzedz notes. </p><p></p><p>They keep exploring. There are many exits from the huge hall. They pick one and find a hallway. It turns to the right after a short distance, but past the corner it slopes upward. </p><p></p><p>“Huh,” says Hungus.</p><p></p><p>They advance. The shaft levels out and turns again before entering another kobold-infested chamber with some sort of mechanism in it. After a brief clash, the heroes check out the weird mechanism. It consists of several large, thick chains that run up from the floor, across a cog, and then back out through the floor. Some sort of large metal spoke extends from one wall and through a link in the chain.</p><p></p><p>Dzedz studies it for a moment. “I bet if we disengage this, something somewhere else moves.”</p><p></p><p>“Let's wait until we know what it might be,” suggests Flint. </p><p></p><p>“Chain,” remarks Drolc.</p><p></p><p>There are no other ways out of the chamber. The group returns to the ruined bazaar and picks another exit. </p><p></p><p>***</p><p></p><p>They explore several chambers and halls in a bewildering array of directions, getting caught by a swinging blade trap at one point. It's obvious that the kobolds inhabit this general area in numbers; the party repeatedly encounters groups of them and either puts them to the sword or chases them off. Still, some of the encounters leave wounds on our heroes, and soon enough Flint's bardic healing magic is being taxed. </p><p></p><p>“Oh, uh, I might be able to help,” says Hungus. He <em>lays on hands</em>, causing some of the damage Mad Max has taken to fade.</p><p></p><p>“Thanks! I didn't know you were religious, Hungus.”</p><p></p><p>“Oh, hm.” Hungus turns away. “Anyway, I-”</p><p></p><p>“Who's your god?” </p><p></p><p>“That's not important right now. Anyway, let's-”</p><p></p><p>“I think it is. I think you should tell us who your god is.”</p><p></p><p>Hungus heaves an exasperated sigh. “Don't worry about it.”</p><p></p><p>“What kind of priest won't talk about their god?” Mad Max demands. “This is madness!”</p><p></p><p>“I'm not a priest,” Hungus retorts, “I'm a paladin.”</p><p></p><p>“Oh!”</p><p></p><p>And with that, the subject changes. </p><p></p><p><em>You don't really need to know,</em> thinks Hungus. Somewhere in a distant corner of his mind, he hears a five-fold roar.</p><p></p><p>***</p><p></p><p>It's not just kobolds, of course. At one point, they fight a foursome of orcs, who prove much more dangerous than the kobolds. And when the group finds a strange, dead garden, several of the shrubs extract themselves from their dry beds and reveal themselves to be twig blights. </p><p></p><p>But there are seven members of the party! Seven! </p><p></p><p>Together, they break the twig blights, run through the orcs, scatter the kobolds that they meet. </p><p></p><p>Unfortunately, this doesn't find them either Mileen or the wanted person, whose name is Pa'ash Svenko.</p><p></p><p>On the bright side, they do find whaa the chain mechanism leads to. With kobold corpses strewn all about, Dzedz exclaims, “It's an elevator!”</p><p></p><p>There is a lever in the back wall of the cage-like contraption, currently in the uppermost position of three. The chains run both up through the ceiling and down through the floor. The party hurries back to the hallway that led to the mechanism- perhaps not surprisingly, it's pretty close by- and disengages the metal pick from the chains. Then they return to the elevator and crowd inside. </p><p></p><p>“Let's go!” grins Sarec, throwing the lever down to its central position.</p><p></p><p>With an awesome clattering sound, the elevator begins to descend. </p><p></p><p><em><strong>Next Time:</strong></em> The party descends!</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="the Jester, post: 7475873, member: 1210"] The city has many tales. Oh yes, do not be fooled into believing that the story I have been telling you is the only one of, or in, the city. There are many more, and they intersect, many of them, interweaving like strands on a loom. You only see the pattern on rug when you look at the whole from above. Hear, for instance, the cries of the prophet near the gates. “The end has come!” he shouts. “The world is over! Our time is done! Can't you hear the call of the gods? They want us to move on to a better place. Follow me, and I will lead you there!” We shall hear of him again. His story will interweave with many others in this city. See the tensions rising as secret emissaries from the farmers argue their case to the druids of the Oaken Circle. “It's time to take drastic action!” a pregnant woman cries. “We can't wait any longer! We're barely better than slaves!” “What you are suggesting could harm the entire city,” one of the druids replies. “Then maybe they'll listen for once!” Or look back in time a few years, to an angelic visitation, selecting a young half-elven woman for divine attention... perhaps for a special fate. Her story will touch us, too, as will that of her brother and his lover. But let's get back to the seven heroes, standing together atop the Black Gorge in animated discussion. *** Seven strong! Seven, now! That's quite a party! Flint, of course, ready with bardic magic. The halfling with the dwarvish name. Then Sarec, leaning against the haft of his halberd; the two dragonborn, Carl Hungus and Mad Max, who is packing another bowl of hempflower; Dzedz Orcslayer, dwarf evoker; Drolc, half-orc with one-third of a brain; and, of course, Benthum, reluctant companion, something between a slave and a very well-paid man-at-arms. Don't get too used to this particular group. By now they have introduced themselves, and have established that they are all adventurers, and all are interested in the megadungeon for one reason or another. They've even made a run into town in the hopes of finding a healer for Dzedz's manhood, but alas, there is nobody powerful enough to do so. “There might be someone in the dungeon that I'm supposed to find,” Dzedz now remarks. “This guy I know, Lazarus, asked me to find this wizard... Mileen, I think it was.” “We're looking for someone, too,” says Sarec, “but we're bounty hunters.” “Bad man,” Drolc agrees. “Yes, Drolc, the bad man.” Sarec pulls a folded wanted poster out of his purse and passes it over to the dwarf. Dzedz unfolds the battered sheet and studies it for a moment, then grunts and passes it to Hungus. “We haven't seen him,” says Hungus, “but maybe we could help each other out.” “For equal shares of the treasure, of course,” adds Mad Max. “Have you had any luck finding your Mileen?” asks Sarec. “Not yet.” “Well!” Sarec grins and claps his hands together, momentarily leaving his halberd to balance on its butt end before grabbing it again. “Let's go!” “Only this time,” suggests Dzedz, “let's go in the front.” He glances at the newcomers. “Do you know about the fee?” *** The dwarves are happy to admit the party to the dungeon, once everyone pays the entry fee. One of them leads the party down the stairs and into the first area, which they call the Dwarf-Works, and then returns above. Down below, more dwarves are on guard; one leads the party through a series of halls and chambers, then down another long passage. Drolc wrinkles his nose. “Stinks.” Their guide nods. “Aye, that'd be the garbage.” The passage opens into a very large room, lit with torches in sconces and lanterns set upon the floor. A large heap of refuse is in the center. Several more dwarves are on guard, scowling at the far end of the chamber, where the finished walls give way to rough, unfinished work. “Down there.” The dwarf who walked them here points to where the rough area fades into blackness. “At the far end, there's a breach into the dungeon proper. Good luck.” With that, she turns and trots away. “All right, then,” mutters Flint. The group moves forward, lighting a torch of their own. Dzedz casts [i]light[/i] on Hungus' shield, as well. At the end of the chamber they find the aforementioned breach- a hole that leads into a passageway, running to the right and left. They move through. The hallway is very high and wide, with strange, unnaturally smooth stonework that seems to hold itself up without more than minimal supporting architecture. “I've never seen anything like this,” Dzedz remarks. *** They head to the left. The hall they are in is easily big enough for them to walk four abreast, but that's nothing compared to the huge chamber that it leads to. It extends well beyond their light, both across and to the right, though they are near the left hand portion. As they start to move in, a brace of kobolds attacks them, howling and yipping as they charge out from the darkness. They outnumber our heroes, but not badly. And our heroes outweigh and outclass them. Blades cut, hammers crush, spells scorch, and the fight is over. The giant room is some sort of ruined bazaar. The ruins of many booths and small shacks are smashed in the central zone. “Who the heck set these up?” wonders Flint. “They're too big for kobolds.” “A lot of them are too big for humans,” Dzedz notes. They keep exploring. There are many exits from the huge hall. They pick one and find a hallway. It turns to the right after a short distance, but past the corner it slopes upward. “Huh,” says Hungus. They advance. The shaft levels out and turns again before entering another kobold-infested chamber with some sort of mechanism in it. After a brief clash, the heroes check out the weird mechanism. It consists of several large, thick chains that run up from the floor, across a cog, and then back out through the floor. Some sort of large metal spoke extends from one wall and through a link in the chain. Dzedz studies it for a moment. “I bet if we disengage this, something somewhere else moves.” “Let's wait until we know what it might be,” suggests Flint. “Chain,” remarks Drolc. There are no other ways out of the chamber. The group returns to the ruined bazaar and picks another exit. *** They explore several chambers and halls in a bewildering array of directions, getting caught by a swinging blade trap at one point. It's obvious that the kobolds inhabit this general area in numbers; the party repeatedly encounters groups of them and either puts them to the sword or chases them off. Still, some of the encounters leave wounds on our heroes, and soon enough Flint's bardic healing magic is being taxed. “Oh, uh, I might be able to help,” says Hungus. He [i]lays on hands[/i], causing some of the damage Mad Max has taken to fade. “Thanks! I didn't know you were religious, Hungus.” “Oh, hm.” Hungus turns away. “Anyway, I-” “Who's your god?” “That's not important right now. Anyway, let's-” “I think it is. I think you should tell us who your god is.” Hungus heaves an exasperated sigh. “Don't worry about it.” “What kind of priest won't talk about their god?” Mad Max demands. “This is madness!” “I'm not a priest,” Hungus retorts, “I'm a paladin.” “Oh!” And with that, the subject changes. [i]You don't really need to know,[/i] thinks Hungus. Somewhere in a distant corner of his mind, he hears a five-fold roar. *** It's not just kobolds, of course. At one point, they fight a foursome of orcs, who prove much more dangerous than the kobolds. And when the group finds a strange, dead garden, several of the shrubs extract themselves from their dry beds and reveal themselves to be twig blights. But there are seven members of the party! Seven! Together, they break the twig blights, run through the orcs, scatter the kobolds that they meet. Unfortunately, this doesn't find them either Mileen or the wanted person, whose name is Pa'ash Svenko. On the bright side, they do find whaa the chain mechanism leads to. With kobold corpses strewn all about, Dzedz exclaims, “It's an elevator!” There is a lever in the back wall of the cage-like contraption, currently in the uppermost position of three. The chains run both up through the ceiling and down through the floor. The party hurries back to the hallway that led to the mechanism- perhaps not surprisingly, it's pretty close by- and disengages the metal pick from the chains. Then they return to the elevator and crowd inside. “Let's go!” grins Sarec, throwing the lever down to its central position. With an awesome clattering sound, the elevator begins to descend. [i][b]Next Time:[/b][/i][b][/b] The party descends! [/QUOTE]
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