Book I - A Song of Shadows
Chapter 1 -The Sunless Citadel
It was midday in the town of Oakhurst, and the inn was in full swing. The recent summer soltice fair had brought many a traveller from throughout the region, and the inn was packed. The musky smell of sweat permeated the air, and the odor of stale smoke stained the walls. The scene was jovial, and the air full of laughter. But not all those there were there for fun, some had come to answer the call of a merchant womans plea for help. The merchant lady Hucrele had send out a cry for those who could find her lost children, and she would pay dearly for them. Two hundred gold pieces for each of the children. If they could not be found alive, then return of the signet ring will suffice. It was in the Ol' Boar Inn; that by the hand of fate, several lone strangers would come together to aid this womans plea. It was here that the elven ranger Cyquis Mil'Baelar would meet the dwarven warrior; Brondel Thunn and the old gnome mage, Flurgle Flabbergast. Together they made plans to find the merchant Hucrele and take the job. No sooner had they said this, than a large red haired man by the name of Doan Firemane, offered his axe to there cause. The group would then boorishly charge into the house; scaring the merchant Hucrele half to death. After a little coaxing, the merchant opened up and told them her plight. It was at this time, that the cleric, Winter Lightwill arrived and offered his service to the lady Hucrele, and join with the band. After accepting the mission, the lady Hucrele paid for their stay at the inn. Here they met a young red haired songtress by the name of Alania Arkaniyae, and a young man named Laren Milan. *These two bicker like a married couple* After a peaceful nights rest, the group left for the Sunless Citadel. After travelling for hours through the forests of the Old Road, the heroes found themselves in an ambush from two creatures made of twigs. The heroes made quick work of them, but not before one of them cut the dwarf with it twisted talon, releasing a poison into his blood. For hours, the dwarf stumbled in pain and nausea, but eventually it passed. Soon, the group found the path to the citadel, and some warnings written in goblin slang. The heroes pressed on. The elven ranger decended into the darkness with a rope. At the bottom he was assaulted by a pack of dire rats; that he made quick work of. The group decended in after him. They found themselves walking on perilous old walkways of the old fortress. A few of them fell in. But they survived. While exploring, the songtress Alania took a spear from a goblin corpse, and noticed that the words Ashardalon was written on the wall next to the body. Who is Ashardalon? Soon the came across a kobold named Meepo. He told them of how his clan lost their dragon, and asking for them to help them. The heroes followed the kobold, and when they arrived, they were fired at. Was this an ambush?! The arrow missed its target, and with cat lie reflexes, Cyquis knocked an arrow and fired square into the kobold; killing it immediately. Panic ensued as all the kobold descended upon the heroes. Many kobolds would die that die, but not without a price. In the heat of the battle the elf had taken a nearly fatal shot, and to be carried off by the barbarian, Doan. After regrouping in a safe location, the group began to make a plan. After a resting for the night; and the help of Winter's healing powers, the group was ready to go forward/ The group stormed the entrance of the kobolds lair, and took out the first defenses, then they took a different route, that lead them into the goblin territory. It was here that the barbarian Doan displayed an unusually ability to understand Draconic. He explained it as part of his ancestry in his tribe, as it is said that his clan descends from dragons. As they explored, they were ambushed by a pack of dire rats, and their bloated queen, Guthash. Quickly dealt with In the rat's nest they found the rotten remains of the ranger Karakas who had gone down exploring with the merchant's children. Hmmm Where are the children? After this, the group took another path that led down a trapped hallway. Tiptoing around the traps, the group walked up and slew the goblins guarding the area. The group then snuck down the hallway and came out into a large room, with six goblins in it. The heroes made short work of 5 of them, but failed to kill the last one. not noticing the escaping goblin, the group was unawaring of the approaching goblin ambush. But it did not matter, the goblins were cut down. Well except for the gnome, who got knocked down on his arse. After this, the group proceeded down the hallway the goblins had come from, and when they checked all the other rooms around it, they entered a cold damp room, with glowing eyes staring at them. The eyes belonged to a young white dragon. The wyrmling leaped at the intruders and breathed a cone of ice into their faces, and tried to escape. It was too slow. After an intense battle with the young dragon, the heroes defeated it, and found a weather piece of parchment. THe parchement was the secret map to Khundrahar; the old dwarven stronghold of Durrigendinn the Black. Now the heroes wounded and in hostile territory. What will happen next?
