Common Worlds

On 5/3/2010 we gathered at Mike's while our characters gathered near Honour Rock where King Broyan & his retinue encamp.
Oshun leads his cavalry with "Light the Way" making an impressive entrance (critical vs failure).
Javerin Spithorn says, "It is not my place to welcome you, so I will take you there. I bring you to my warband leader. It is his place to welcome you."
Orgun Thundercape asks who we are and Will answers in Heortling, "We are the heros of Pavis who stood with Kalleer at the Unicorn Temple, defeating the Jagkregreans who came from the sky." Then Griffer Olfson challenges us, but Will understands Hoertling customs and is recognised as undifferentiated, so King Broyan accepts Will, Rasa, Osun, Senech and Uzkor plus their followers saying, "Guests, you come at a dark time. I offer you meat to fill your belly. This is a thing we only offer to kinsmen and those as good as them. As Veskarthan was greeted by Orlanth, I offer you more: Here is salt, for you show promise. So, you are welcome to our camp and under my protection. I, Broyan, High King of Heortland welcome you!"

The heros thank him for his hospitality, insisting they will tell of his generosity to their countrymen. Then they trade gifts and alliances in return. Even Uzkor, the Mighty Zhong Hunter Troll, offers his hunting skill to which King Broyan responds, "There is no sauce like hunger."

Minareth Purple, well fed and standing tall in his robes speaks in bad Pavic, "I hear you come from Pavis. I, Low Speaker for Iron Ring with King's trust and Kalleer's ear. I am "man to ask". Illusu, the trickster is also introduced.

Elmalendetti, Bluespruce aka Wildstorm wishes that he could just farm his land. "Some seek this life and some have it thrust upon us." Orsultor Spearlord, bald and portly says, "Don't mind him. You're welcome in my hall."

Minareth Purple continues, "This is council of King Broyan. Now, in this place, comes our time to make a stand. We do not know how many come now. General Taskeveth comes later. He comes from the Dara Happen Imperial War College." It turns out that King Broyan's plan is that when Earth Season begins in 2 days and Ernalda's strength grows, he will perform the "Summon Evil" ritual at a place known as Two Top to force the Lunars into battle on the third day of Earth Season, also called Brastelo's Day or "day-of-still-winds" or"day-of-no-wind". This also fits the auspicious date of Earth 3 in the Auroch Hills that Ravin revealed to the heros back in Pavis.

Oshun calls upon the prophetic spirits to explain themselves and to make clearer the understanding of their prophecy, "Still winds may still rise". This gives the Orlanthi a faint wisp of hope in their time of ultimate need. Orngrin is concerned because "the sleepers are defenseless". This refers to women, children and a few old folk who cannot fight. The sleepers are barely concealed as they "sleep like Ernalda" in the surrounding woods. However, they all agree to their King's plan and preparations for the ceremony begin.

On 5/24/2010 the players reconvened at Mike's and the characters discuss their own assets plus resources and options: The Dara Happens might have silver shield riders, but Oshun commands 56 cavelry/archers + 20 Orlanthi dragoons to augment his lancers. The Lunar mages are a force to reckon with so it is decided to create an opposing force of mages with backboys for defense.

Earth 1 dawns bright and cold. Will leads his "Power of the Healing Will" hero band in worship and adds moral support to King Broyan's ceremony. Blood sacrifices from both clean and unclean animals mix while Shamen process around Two Top. Then the worlds open up. Good and Evil are close. Blood marks on Iron Ring members creates a feeling of being enclosed together followed by a sense of expansion and then feeling bound together. After the ritual everyone takes positions according to their dispositions. The result is for the Lunar General to fight on Dark Day vs. strange company and optimistic Pavisites. Will salutes King Broyan, "May the Power of Pavis, combined with your forces, bring us victory!"

Earth 2 is spent riding with King Broyan to assay the field of battle prior to the engagement of forces. Together, they meet up with all deployed troops and moral is boosted because that goes on through the night. Will sees Gods all around(except Orlanth) watching expectantly. It is learned that Tashkeveth is the Half Moon General, Victor of Three Battles over Stonemen, Master of the Bronze Horses of Melsokorth and the Field Commander of Tarshius Expeditionary Forces. As a devotee of Pavis, Will leads Pavisites in prayers and sacrifices. He also includes Raven traditions and his innate awareness to prepare for the battle ahead.

On 6/7/2010 the players assembled at Mike's and the characters assemble on the field of battle for Earth 3. First Dernu & Gernu beat down some Tarshites who must retreat or be wiped out. Leonides attack Dernu & Gernu so Oshun and his cavelry reinforce D&G. Diavisi engage Oshun's riders and are driven back by Griffer and Kitori. Doberduni skiers shoot down King Broyan's guard. Orsultor and company go to his aid and so ends the first phase of the fight.

On 7/19/2010 the players continued the game and the characters continue their fight to withstand the Lunar assault. Minareth Purple moves forward with his guard in support of King Broyan. A blue clad runner approaches Will and asks, "Is it time to burn the woods?" Will sees no reason for setting fire to the forest at this time, so he tells the messenger, "No". Will, Rasa, Senech plus Uzkor and the back-boys deploy to support King Broyan also. Lunar Hoplites, known as the Beryl Phalanx, intercept them along the ridge, shields glowing and forcing a fight. Will and Rasa shift stones beneath the Hoplite's feet causing them to fall back and regroup instead of attacking King Broyan and the back-boys.

Oshun clears the field of Lasodag Lions, but Uzkor does not sense danger in time to prevent 24 magic (lawn-sized) darts from targeting him. He hears their keening, masterfully evades impalement and procedes to back up King Broyan. 20 mages and bushwizards assist Will & Rasa to "Cast Out the Invader" which works so well that half of the Beryl phalanx flees in fear. This emboldens the back-boys, especially a berry wizard, who holds onto Will's spear in an attempt to help, inadvertantly hindering Will, who says, "Get thee behind me berry wizard!" Melee on the hillside ensues. Will & company critically smash through the Beryl phalanx's failing defenses and send them running straight into an ambush by previously hidden Heortling clansmen.

Meanwhile, on the field below, Dobraduni and Hoplites are surrounded by King Broyan, Dernu & Gernu and Orsultor. Uzkor reaches King Broyan and shores up his flank. Then Uzkor takes the point against a giant hoplite at the vanguard of his troops. They trade mighty blows until Uzkor splits the sternum of his opponent so King Broyan's forces can break through and scatter the remaining Hoplites. Imperial magicians appear upon a rocky spire while a Dragon Pass Yelmalian unit preceed something that hides behind a wall of smoke to the East. A dozen Black Horse troops appear on the West ridge and suddenly things don't look so good for the Orlanthi defenders. Legend has it that the White Horse leader took his troops to hell and returned with claw footed horse demons. Sometimes the riders control their mounts and sometimes the mounts control their riders. This ends the second phase of the fight.

On 7/26/2010 the players resume the story and the characters resume the battle. Emalanditti Bluespruce asks for a wind to fly on vs a flock of golden hawks that swoop down. Oshun's bad wind spit may help, but first the black horse troops begin their charge while the hawks circle overhead, waiting for the chance to divebomb the Orlanthi. Black horse troops ride widershins around the heros. Seven riders incanting plus 3 mounts incanting. At the same time, Tarshite Hooskarons attack from the unburned woods. Will casts tireless labor on the wizards and back-boys. Rasa casts a ward around all the heros to protect them from the black horse troops and the golden hawks.

Everyone helps Rasa, including Senech, whose illusion of phallic spikes on top of the ward keep the hawks at bay. Leather armored winged men with hooked spears attempt to snag the heros by their necks. They are called the Renlitti and their surprise attack gives them an advantage, but they are no match for our hero's skills and determination. Simultaneously, a screeching chaos beast is summoned by the Lunar mages and appears from beyond the veil of black smoke. It howls and Uzkor, in madness, beats his own brains to mush with the "Blue Balls". Upon seeing Uzkors demise from the hillside, Will beats the Drum of Dark Harmony and, with assistance from the back-boys plus wizards, blasts that chaos beast with "Hurt Otherworldly Attacker". The monster is also attacked by a swarm of trolls emerging from the "Gift of Darkness". The trolls finish off the tainted thing by hacking it to bits. The Colymar Fyrd lends its support to the Orlanthi Heortlings and now the tide of battle turns as the Yelmalians refuse to engage in battle due to a technicality of loyalty. Their contract specifically stated that there would be no use of Chaos by the Lunars. Therefore, the Yelmalians were no longer obligated to fight for the Lunars in this battle. They withdrew and that is what saved them all as Emalanditti's band, carried by a wind, strafed the Lunars on the ground with Hedkoranth hail the size of helmets. The wind blows, but it isn't cold. Lunar forces are routed. Rain (not ice) begins to fall on the field of battle. Speth kicks away her "Shield the Earth" and emerges behind the Lunar high command. Surprise!

On 9/13/2010 the players conclude the adventure and the characters conclude the conflict. Speth plus 30 Babeester Gori axe sisters attack the Lunar High Command's bodyguards from behind. Blood starts to drain from their faces even before the slicing and dicing begins. Elsewhere, burning arrows, the size of javelins, rain down on the heros from giant fire-tribesmen on the spires surrounding the battlefield.

Will summons a "Fire Spirit, who is not Serviam, rescued from the Zorak Zorani named Kruggik Ogg, come to my aid!" Speth's squad hurl 9 axes through the Lunar's defenses and into their mages. One of whom unleashes the "Eater of Flesh" from an iron jar. Before it can devour anyone, it is repelled by earth protecting magic.

Out of the neitherworldly veil comes the summoned fire spirit. Will commands the Morak Spear to carry the fire spirit against the giant fire-tribesmen shooting those lance sized burning arrows down on the heros. The firey spear topples one giant after another from their lofty perches until that threat is no more.

Speth and her axe maidens take out the archers and lower mages. General Tashkeveth's bronze horsemen attack Speth from the front while Black Leopard warriors proceed to attack from behind. Speth & company defeat the Black Leopards while General T continues his frontal assault until he miscalculates Speth's attack and she leaps high overhead and catches him from above. There is hardly a Lunar or Lunar ally left to capture. Ravens emerge from the trees and comb through the bodies littering the ground. Each of the heros is approached by Raven, himself, bearing trophies from the corpses of enemy combatants. Rasa receives a headband with which he can "See the Scene" as though from above. Will accepts a left handed glove of catching and holding.

Kalleer, the last free queen of Heortland, Leader of the Iron Ring, appears in an ice cube. Will grabs the frozen block to free her and his own blood melts the ice and Kalleer is released. She says, "You freed me from the last step of my HeroQuest. I recognise you from a starlight vision." With that, a small girl in a Spring frock, materializes. She is Voria, Goddess of Spring. She leads the survivors through ritual questions. "Have you kept the traditions? Have you honored the Earth? Have you kept your promises to Ernalda? Have you done good deeds?" As the ice melts, Spring returns to the region and a great celebration begins with feasting and dancing.