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Road Trip to the Dragon Isles - Deep Shale Hold (Part 3)

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04 Newkolt 349 AC Harvek’s memorial was held in the Hall of Ancestors, a vast chamber carved from black granite veined with silver. All two hundred of the clan's dwarves attend. Granite’s cousin, Fargain, officiated the ceremony. Harvek Ironthane's armor,  battered and torn by umber hulk claws, had been cleaned but not repaired. It rested atop a stone coffin. His warhammer had been laid across his chest. Shard Thornwallen, commander of the militia, spoke, " Harvek Ironthane died where every dwarf hopes to die. With steel in hand and his kin behind him. The ranks of the honored dead welcome him." Brunna Ironthane approached the bier carrying a heavy stoneware mug. S he filled the mug from a cask of dark ale and set it beside her brother, kissed his head, and whispered, "Save me a seat," before stepping aside. One by one, every dwarf in the hold approached Harvek’s casket. A miner placed a small iron chisel. A brewer left a polished tankard. A smith laid ...

The Battle for Tarithnesti (Part 3)

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07 Deepkolt 349 AC EN ROUTE TO TARITHNESTI The wind roared past Kysek’s ears. The chemical stench of the first dragon's chlorine breath still clung to Dusk. The elf twisted in his saddle, craning his neck to get a good look at the lance-wielding rider closing on him from behind and cast a spell. Arcane power gathered around him, invisible tendrils of energy stretched out toward the mind of the rider. Kysek pushed his thoughts forward, searching for an opening in the man's concentration and, upon finding it, slipped inside. The rider stiffened suddenly in his saddle. For a brief moment, he appeared confused. Then his expression went blank as his resistance crumbled against Kysek’s mental assault. Kysek tells the lance wielding rider the other dragon rider has turned on him. He tells him he must strike the other dragon and rider first to gain the upper hand. There can be no mercy! The command flowed through the magical link joining the elf's mind to that of the rider. T...

Ginfardwgak - The Deep Shale Hold

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Ginfardwgak was created using rules found in the AD&D 2nd edition supplement "The Complete Book of Dwarves" and the 3.5e DMG. Ginfardwgak (Hamlet/Dwarven Stronghold): Population:  201 (154 Hill Dwarves, 33 Gully Dwarves, 10 Mountain Dwarves, 3 Humans, 1 Kagonesti Elf Government:  Monarchy Religions:  Reorx Imports:  Food, Livestock (specifically mules), Lumber Exports:  Tin, Copper GP limit:  100 stl;  Ready Cash:  1,000 stl Authority Figure:   Baron Fargain Shalecutter (LG Hill Dwarf Expert 10) Important Characters:   Shard Thornwallen, Militia Commander (LG Mountain Dwarf Fighter 6); Pog Grubcatcher, "leader" of the Gully Dwarves (N Gully Dwarf Commoner 2);  Durnic Feldspar, Roadwarden of the Southern Delves (LN Hill Dwarf Ranger 4),  Brunna Ironthane (LN Hill Dwarf Expert 1) Beneath the Delving, the dwarves of the Shalecutter clan, have established a fortress to protect a line where they have harvested tin and copper fro...

Road Trip to the Dragon Isles - Deep Shale Hold (Part 2)

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03 Newkolt 349 AC Davaa carefully lifts Harvek’s body across his shoulders with quiet reverence, despite his injuries. Arthur helps Altan to his feet. The archer winces immediately. "There is not a single part of this that I don’t hate." "When we return, I will use whatever magic is available to me to continue mending your wounds," Agnes tells him. Granite nods, "May the stone remain above you and guide your road upward." His eyes drift to Harvek. "When the rest of us return to the surface, I will speak with his family." Then the two wounded Khurs begin the slow journey back toward the surface, disappearing gradually into the distant glow of quarry lanterns behind them while carrying Harvek home. The group watches them go until the darkness swallows them completely. Phineas takes up his Don't-Stub-My-Toe-in-the-Dark-astor and points it down the tunnel. A perfectly circular shaft roughly forty feet wide descends straight down into blac...

Monster Truckers Revisited - Waffle House

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Earth-3845 Several months ago, I picked up a copy of the Monster Truckers RPG. I have not really had much opportunity to do anything with it aside from making some characters . I spitballed a couple first-adventure ideas but nothing really felt right. Then last night, as I was putting the kids to bed, "Turn the Page" began playing in my head. Within minutes, I had plotted the story beats for three adventures and had put together some lore for the setting.  Despite many of their locations being destroyed during the war, Waffle Houses remain open across what is left of the US south. Most operate under FEMA Yellow conditions - generator power, propane-fed grills, some menu items are unavailable but the coffee is always hot and fresh (even if nobody knows where they source their beans from). The  jukeboxes still play music. Waffle House serves as Accorded Neutral Ground , a policy which is rigorously enforced, serving all comers, regardless of sobriety, criminal or metaphysical...

The Battle for Tarithnesti (Part 2)

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07 Deepkolt 349 AC EN ROUTE TO TARITHNESTI Kysek triggers his wand of lightning. The bolt leaps from the enchanted baton and streaks through the air toward the rider atop the second dragon. The blast strikes an invisible field surrounding the rider and dissipates harmlessly. Dusk beats her wings rapidly, picking up speed as she heads straight toward the other dragon's rider. As she draws closer, the aura of terror that surrounds the wyrm's washes over her. Kysek the sense of impending doom that comes with facing such powerful creatures. The elf calls up the discipline developed over more than a century to steel his nerves. His griffon has no such tools to work with. Her eyes go wide with terror. She panics, breaking and diving toward the cover of the trees. The dragons bank, turning after their much smaller target. The first dragon exhales a poisonous cloud of gas. Dusk plunges straight into the caustic fumes. Kysek manages to cover his face and hands with his cloak, avoidi...