Prologue: An Unseen Enemy Part 3

The sound of approaching footsteps grows ever louder. Narimar, Jaegle, both of you can easily make out three distinct owners approaching. Not the cavalry, but nor is it just a single guard on its way to investigate your position.

There is a crowd gathering around the entrance to the alleyway, staring down at the three of you, and blocking that possible escape route.

Jaegle, from your vantage point, you spot a small amount of debris next to one of the ladders seem to spontaneously shift, and then fall to the ground with a clatter. Your intuition tells you that there is no possible way it could have done that on its own. Your keen ears (Listen: DC 20) pick up the sound of soft-soled boots on the ladder, though your eyes tell you that there is nothing there.

The guards will arrive in less than one minute!

Prologue: An Unseen Enemy -- Part 2

Jaegle rushes to the body of the fallen man. There are three crossbow bolts lodged in the very expensive silk clothing that the man is wearing, and they are buried almost all the way to the feathers. The man is not breathing, and the pool of blood is spreading rapidly beneath him. A quick look-over of the fallen man indicates that he is human, middle-aged and appears to be very rich, but there is no money or even empty pouches that might have held some cash anywhere on him. He is definitely high-class, which is peculiar -- that brand of folk don't often come to harbor areas of cities. He is not carrying any weapons. The trajectory of the bolts indicates to Jaegle that they came from behind the three of you, but none of you heard the twang of a crossbow, nor did you hear the bolts go past you.

The alley is a dead-end only about fifty yards further in, past the fallen man. There are ladders that go to the roof on both sides of the alley, but they are wooden and look like they've been there for many years. Narimar, you'd probably be concerned about their weight-bearing ability. The halfling could probably scale them without a problem, but you and the druid might have trouble.

The sound of armored feet is growing louder.

((DM SPEAK: Everyone give me a Listen check to determine how many guards are on the way. Also, Jaegle, roll a Spot check and a second Listen check for me due to your position in the alley. Please post the results of these rolls in your next action comment as SPOT: -Result- or LISTEN: -Result- You can go ahead and factor in your modifiers yourselves and just post the final result of the check in your action.))

((Mechanics: Dice))

((Hey guys, just a little housekeeping here. There are now two dice rollers on the page, but the official D&D dice roller is at the bottom. I tried moving it to the top but it just doesn't work, and it doesn't really fit in the sidebar too well. I've left it at the bottom, but I also added a different die roller to the sidebar. You have to scroll over to view the results. I'm going to leave both on the page for now, and you'll have to tell me which one you like better as we get into this gaming, and I'll remove the one that doesn't work as well.

Thanks!))

((EDIT 11/19/08 22:21 : So I'm dropping Dice Monkey. It's got some kind of Java error that causes Internet Explorer 6 -- the one I use at work -- to completely crash. Unless they fix the gadget at some point we're gonna have to rely on the official D&D one.))

Prologue: An Unseen Enemy - Part 1

As you turn to face the alley behind you, the problem is immediately apparent. Deep in the shadowed part of the narrow street, a figure dressed in resplendent red and white has collapsed to the ground, a pool of blood spreading beneath him.

Three short crossbow bolts protrude from his back, the feathered ends standing straight up in the air. He is collapsed in the alley facing away from you, and in fact, it looks as though somehow, the bolts would have come from the direction in which you are standing.

A concerned citizen raises the cry, 'Guards!' and the populace begins milling around the end of the alley where you are standing. There are shouts of 'It was them!', and 'That damn Samhadi must have done it!'

The music of the elven bard has stopped, and a quick glance about you reveals that he is nowhere to be found.

The clanking sound of armored guards is fast approaching.

Introduction

The city of Kirstar is extremely busy. The sun has just risen over the horizon on the third day of winter, in the 451st year since the fall of the great Empire. The morning is seasonally comfortable, the first frost yet to set in.

In the harbor district of the city, great ships with their vast sails sit comfortably in the water, the water too choppy from the winds for anyone to set sail. There is a bit of a chill on the wind, and everyone is beginning to hunker down and start the long wait until the spring thaw comes to the southernmost portion of Yuloria.

Merchants and traders are beginning to fill the streets of the harbor, hawking their wares to the sailors who are stranded here until the winds die down. Many of those sailors are eager to return to the mainland, to where it is considerably warmer and less rain falls, and tensions are beginning to run high between the locals and the foreigners.

Narimar, Keik and Jaegle are spending the day in the harbor. There is a new ship due to come in today, though many fear it will be delayed by the sudden winds, from the elven kingdoms on the mainland, and another due in from the northern port city of Riane, both carrying important supplies and trade goods which are due to leave in a caravan at sunset, heading northward.

The Samhadi rogue, human druid and halfling fighter find themselves standing on the corner of Harbor Street and Long Street a few hours after sunrise. There is an elvish bard playing on the street corner, who is receiving small tips from many of the passerby due to his superb singing voice and fabulous tales of days long gone. Children run laughing and playing through the streets, ducking and weaving amongst the legs of horses and men. The day smells crisp and the salt from the sea is thick in the air. The noise is beginning to rise as merchants shout out to the passing sailors about their wares.

Through the gate to the west lies the trade district; an even livelier place of business and home to many fine establishments. Northward is the center city. Narimar, Keik and Jaegle, you've all arrived by ship only a few days before ((whether from another Yulorian city or from the mainland is up to you)) and you have lodgings established in the center city, at an inn known as the Singing Gull.

A strangled cry emits from an alley behind you.

((This is the only time I'll position your characters for you guys, I promise. We'll add more characters as we get character sheets -- we're still expecting Andy and Matt, and possibly Dave. For now, we'll just go ahead with the game and introduce the others as we go along. The world of Yuloria is yours, guys -- let's get going!)) -- ((This is no longer valid))

((EDIT #1: Okay, we've got three in by Monday night: Narimar (Samhadi Rogue), Keik (Human Druid, now w/killer dog action!) and Jaegle (Halfling Fighter). This is where we're starting, so have at!))

((The Kirstar Peninsula))

((Long ago, the far southeastern portion of the Yulorian island was home to the great Kirstar clan, ruled by the matriarch, Arella Kirstar. When the Great War raged on the rest of the islands, the Kirstar clan drew themselves inward, refusing to participate in fighting and instead delving further and further into the recesses of magical research.

It is said that when the Nicoli Kirstar -- the prodigal son -- returned home from an extended absence, that he discovered a great portal to realms unknown in the labyrinthine catacombs beneath Kirstar Castle. It appeared to him that some of his clan had died in the process of opening it, and that most of the others, including his mother and father, had passed beyond this world into other worlds.

After the departure of the Kirstar aristocracy, legends began to build around their disappearance. Some say that many of them were not in fact killed, but transformed into horrible beasts that now dwell within the castle's catacombs. They also speak of the great riches that lie beneath the crumbling castle, but none who have ever ventured there have returned, and those few that have gotten close but turned tail at the last moment have returned forever haunted by those images of which they will not speak.

Centuries later, the city of Kirstar (now under the dominion of the kingdom of Taneth) is a bustling port metropolis. Most major trade from the mainlands comes into Kirstar, and it has the most diverse population of any of the Yulorian cities due to its constant influx of ships.

The city of Kirstar is ruled by a duke of Taneth who calls himself Arteras Kirstar, and claims to be descended from the great clan, though his claims are doubted by most. He resides in a mansion on a hill that overlooks the city's richest housing district. There is a great stone wall that surrounds the northern part of the city, which was once a fort protecting a small fishing village. Now sprawl has caused the city itself to surround the fort and spread all along the banks for a league in each direction from the center of the city.

On a tall hill, in the northwestern distance, the ruins of Kirstar Castle still overlook the city...

It is in this vast city that we will find our heroes.))

((Race and Class Background Info))

((I'm going to keep this post updated with information on background info for character race and class as our characters get posted on the blog.

Halfling

Halflings are one of those races, it seems, that no matter where you go you'll always find one underfoot. In fact, that's a common saying in the north Oren city of Damara, where the publican of the Northwall Tavern, Jondala Underfoot, raises the only halfling family in the entire city. There are halfling families scattered all over Yuloria, mostly in cities and towns. There is a halfling sherriff (Arrowen Stouthill, Level 5 Paladin) and his family that live in the city of Winterlight, just over the border from Oren into Adragev. They are usually quiet, not stirring up trouble in the human-dominated lands of Yuloria, but they are welcomed by most and despised by few.

Across the short waters to the mainland, however, and halflings are a proud race of plainsfolk. They live in small, clustered villages on the great Plains of Halifax. These societies tend to produce daring fighters, cunning rogues and dangerous barbarians. Due to the recent settling of peace, many halflings are making the trek across the waters to the island of Yuloria in pursuit of the legendary treasures.

Human

Humans are everywhere in Yuloria. They are the dominant race, and as such, they are the most commonly encountered folk on the island.

Druid

There are few druidic orders on the island of Yuloria since the Great War. Most of the druids fled as their forests were burned, and many more died in the attempt to repel the orc invasion in the north. There are still druidic circles on Yuloria itself, but they are few and far between, accepting only those who are the most dedicated to the preservation of nature. They are very exclusive, but journeyman druids are sometimes seen in the more populated areas, cleansing waters and occasionally rising to fight an unnatural evil or an orcish incursion at the Northwall.

There are also many druidic circles on the mainland, and some have been known to cross the waters to reach the island, though few know what their purpose might be.

Once more characters get added, I'll update this post with further information.))

((Campaign & World Info: Yuloria))

((Cross-posting basic world information from our Google Group for readers' information))

The island of Yuloria -- once a prosperous and united kingdom, with a long and storied history.

Now, 500 years after the death of the last great emperor -- now known to everyone across the land as Saint Arasin -- the once-great kingdom has fallen into ruin. A series of ineffective and inept rulers drove the economy into the ground and many fled the land, and many others fell into poverty. Plague gripped the people, and famine destroyed many households. Wars broke out amongst the provinces of the kingdoms, pitting dukes and lords against one another. The once proud blue flag of the kingdom was changed to many colors and when the Great War broke out, many tens of thousands more died under sword and spell. The Samhadi -- a race created out of a great darkness, but one of the most peaceful and productive races of the land -- found themselves fleeing in large numbers when they became persecuted by the human rulers of the land.

The Great War ended due to orc and goblinoid raiders from the mainland establishing a foothold in the northeastern part of the island. The people were forced to come together to fight their common enemy, but already they were weakened. Three kingdoms now stand where once there was one; the kingdom of Oren -- named for a legendary blade once held by a great hero -- still holds the once-capital city of Norrano. The kingdom of Taneth holds the eastern side of the island, while the kingdom of Adragev holds the western side of the island.

The treaties ensured that each of the three kingdoms would have some border exposure to the northern threat, so that each would be forced to do their part to hold the front against the orcs. A great Wall was erected along the northern border of the kingdoms to help repel the threat, under fire from orc and goblin attacks.

After a grueling war lasting nearly 10 years, the three kingdoms were finally able to repulse the orc advance into their kingdom. Still they hold the northernmost part of the island, but no longer do they actively press, seeking more land.

Finally, prosperity began to creep back into the kingdoms. With the Northwall safely guarding the northern border of the kingdoms, trade re-opened in the south with the mainland. Mages began to return to the kingdom, bringing their own brand of wealth and beginning to train new apprentices.

All is not well in the three Kingdoms of Yuloria, however. Pirates -- many of them soldiers with nothing left after the war ended -- raid the coastlines, disrupting trade routes. Cities are thick with thieves and many of them are little more than slums, though reparation efforts are on the way. Wizards, with intentions both good and ill, have set themselves up as teachers and, in some places, as advisors to those in power.

Peaceful relations were once again established with Alverennia, the sun kingdom of the High Elves on the mainland, and many have come seeking fortune and wisdom in these difficult times. The dwarves which once lived on the eastern steppes of the island and fled under a persecuting ruler have begun to return in small numbers, now that they are welcomed back by Queen Danarren of Taneth, who is offering money and land to dwarves who return to claim the lands of their tribal ancestors and open shops. Haflings and gnomes, too, come from the mainland for trade, or to explore the vast and lost riches of the fallen kingdom.

And still, beneath all of this strife beats the heart of something terrible. Could a great and forgotten evil be rising once again to swallow the land?

Blog Gaming

I'm posting here an excerpt of my original treatise on blog-based gaming (http://base10.yuloria.net):

"The way this will work is relatively simple, at least in theory. The Game Master (that’s me) will post articles here on the blog about the current in-game situation, in a category known as ‘The Game’. Pertinent technical or out-of-character information will be posted in the ‘OOC’ category, and enclosed in double parethesis ((like this)). Both will be available publicly, so that viewers can follow the game if they like. The players (who will be registered users, and they will be the ONLY registered users) will login and post their actions in comments on the article. Each player will respond in turn, building on the action of the person who posted before them, until the round is complete.

There will not be initiative per se; instead, the characters will act in whatever order their player happens to respond. This is one of the changes that must be made in order to make this work. In essence, the first player to respond is the first character to act.

This way, non-players can watch and see what’s going on, but cannot influence the game itself. Only the players will be able to post comments as character actions, or can post necessary out-of-character discussions in separate comments enclosed in double parentheses ((like this)).

The GM will then post the results of the character’s actions in the next article, and advance the story. Once again, the players will respond in comments, and the game shall continue thusly.

I've omitted the parts that don't apply to this particular instance. This time, I'm going to have the players post any necessary die rolls. One thing I'm going to have everyone do is that, during combat, I'll have you roll both attack and damage and post them in your action comment. That way, if you score a hit I can immediately apply the damage without needing to go back to you for a damage roll, and if you miss I can just disregard the damage roll. That will help things flow more nicely, I think, and still allow the players to be involved via rolling dice.

I think I can plan to post at least three times a week; if we have everyone responding faster than that, we'll try to pick up the pace!

((Characters))

((This is where the characters which will be participating in the D&D campaign will be posted. We'll get name, class and race in comments on this post, and then when the character is all rolled up, we'll have each player do an individual blog post with their full character information. That way all of the character stats will be archived on the blog as well for easy reference for both players and the DM.

Go ahead and add your characters when you're ready!

As usual, please keep as much off-table discussion as possible to the e-mail group, unless you think it's something that should be posted here publicly.))

First Post! ((OOC))

((So here's the first testing post on the new GetcherGeekOnGame blog! We're going to be running a D&D 3.5 edition game right here on Blogspot as a test of a potential online gaming method, designed to bring together players from various locations. We're an actual real-life gaming group as well, but our meetings have been so infrequent that we've decided to try and give the online thing a shot to feed our gaming addictions while we're all busy with our "real lives".

The first actual game post will go up in a few days, once we actually get the game together and have characters set up.))