Sakutian
2013-11-01, 11:40 AM
Chapter One: The Free City of Greyhawk
Zagig's Bridge
Earthday, Growfest
Dark clouds roll across the sky promising a heavy rain some time in the near future. The warmth of the season is quickly vanishing in the absence of the sun and an unseasonably cold wind whispers over the Cairn Hills, making travelers pull their cloaks more tightly about them as they make their way down the road.
It's been hours since you saw another soul on the River Road to the Free City of Greyhawk. The rushing waters of the Selintan echo up the deep river gorge on your left, breaking the silence with an undercurrent of low, ominous thunder. As you crest a low hill, a small settlement comes into view some 100 yards ahead. Perhaps a dozen weather-beaten shacks and hovels crowd around a crossroads where the River Road branches west across the looming stone expanses of Zagig's Bridge. At the road's edge, a massive statue of a robed figure holding a longsword points across the bridge into the craggy spur of the Cairn Hills. Two caravan wagons crowd the center of the crossroads, their ransacked contents strewn about the road. At least three humanoid corpses litter the ground nearby, along with the carcasses of three horses. A half-dozen brutish, hulking humanoids in leather armor and wielding handaxes pick through the wagons, while several companions go door to door, terrorizing the inhabitants of the tiny community.
Several orcs in leather armor pick at the remains of a caravan in the middle of the River Road, just in front of Zagig's Bridge. Others are kicking in the doors of the nearby hovels. Judging by the screams issuing from within, their business is not benign. Overlooking the whole scene is a massive statue of a robed man holding a longsword, pointing across the bridge into a craggy spur of the Cairn Hills. Atop the bridge's framework looms a cloaked and hooded figure mounted on a mammoth draconic beast with a long tail ending in a wicked barb. This leader seems to be directing the raiders in their grisly business.
Fyodonn
Your caravan's towards Greyhawk has been steady and eventful for weeks, leaving you with little to do except scout the roads ahead and warn the other travelers in your party about which plants are poisonous. Troubling rumors from other travelers you've passed on the road have been making everyone the caravan nervous for some time now. Stories of attacks, and of entire caravans going missing.
Stories such as these are hardly uncommon, and hardly a month passes without some bandits or monsters waylaying travelers on the road. So when Delik, the ginger bearded merchant who hired you as an escort, sent you ahead to scout out the road for signs of trouble you thought he was being overly cautious. Seeing so many orcs picking over the ruins of a wagon and forcing their way into people's homes you see now that his fears were well justified.
Karloas
Summoned to Greyhawk by the worshippers of St. Cuthbert who dwell there, and ordered to make all speed possible to reach the Free City as quickly as possible, your journey has not been a pleasant one. The road has been packed with travelers going in the same direction as you and every inn you've passed has turned you away with an empty belly. Sleeping on the ground and eating the meager provisions you brought with you has done little to endear you to the people of Greyhawk.
When you heard screams in the distance you ran tracking them to their source and found wanton carnage being wrought at the hands of orcs. These transgressors have offended the decrees of St. Cuthbert and they seem intent on carrying out more acts of wickedness still.
Yurias
Many months have passed since your people exiled you from their ranks, and thus far your search for a worthy magic that will win you back into their good graces has been in vain. Tales of the great wizards such as Tenser and Mordenkainen himself who are said to dwell in Greyhawk drew you to the free city. For surely one of them would be willing to part with some scrap of arcane knowledge that would allow you to return home.
Screams and the ringing of steel spurned you down the winding road towards Greyhawk, and brought you to the site of a battle. The travelers laying slain at the orc's feet proved unable to stand before their might, and more innocents seem likely to fall if no one comes to their aid. Your magics might tip the balance in their favor thus brining you one step closer to returning home.
Cabraxis
For some time now you've been looking for a way to wash away your debt to the Thieves Guild, and they've turned away every attempt you've made to broker a peace. Bounty hunters, thieves, assassins, and city guards have all pursued you at one time or another looking to collect the reward the guild has offered for your head. Then you got the letter from a high ranking member of the guild itself, offering you amnesty if you would carry out a simple task.
Suspicious but curious you made your way towards Greyhawk stopping at a cluster of homes outside of the city itself. You paid a couple a few coins to let you sleep there for the night while you planned out your next move. Resting soundly you awoke to screams and the sound of splintering wood. Rough voices and heavy footsteps warned you that two robbers had forced their way into the beggar's home, probably the same people who have been attacking caravans on the road for days.
A window in your home gives you an easy escape route, all you'd have to do is climb down the tree just outside. However the couple who sheltered you will almost certainly be killed or lose what little they have if you do nothing.
Violet
The shadows provided by the clouds have granted you a break from the ceaseless Growfest sunshine, although the ominous clouds gathering overhead do promise to drench you to the bone any moment. Your journey towards Greyhawk has allowed you to hear many rumors that suggest the one you seek could be in the free city. Disappearances, murders, and dark acts have been going on for some time now. When you heard the screams of the travelers being slaughtered by the orcs you thought for a moment you had stumbled upon the vampire's latest victims. Despair wrestle with bloodlust as you catch the scent of blood in the air.
Map
Violet, Yurias, Fyodonn, and Karloas may begin at any point within four squares of the river road coming from either the north or the south. Cabraxis is currently in the home in the north west corner.
The O's mark the current locations of the orcs, the W marks the location of the Wyvern. https://sites.google.com/site/kenosaga/ZagigBridge.jpg
Zagig's Bridge
Earthday, Growfest
Dark clouds roll across the sky promising a heavy rain some time in the near future. The warmth of the season is quickly vanishing in the absence of the sun and an unseasonably cold wind whispers over the Cairn Hills, making travelers pull their cloaks more tightly about them as they make their way down the road.
It's been hours since you saw another soul on the River Road to the Free City of Greyhawk. The rushing waters of the Selintan echo up the deep river gorge on your left, breaking the silence with an undercurrent of low, ominous thunder. As you crest a low hill, a small settlement comes into view some 100 yards ahead. Perhaps a dozen weather-beaten shacks and hovels crowd around a crossroads where the River Road branches west across the looming stone expanses of Zagig's Bridge. At the road's edge, a massive statue of a robed figure holding a longsword points across the bridge into the craggy spur of the Cairn Hills. Two caravan wagons crowd the center of the crossroads, their ransacked contents strewn about the road. At least three humanoid corpses litter the ground nearby, along with the carcasses of three horses. A half-dozen brutish, hulking humanoids in leather armor and wielding handaxes pick through the wagons, while several companions go door to door, terrorizing the inhabitants of the tiny community.
Several orcs in leather armor pick at the remains of a caravan in the middle of the River Road, just in front of Zagig's Bridge. Others are kicking in the doors of the nearby hovels. Judging by the screams issuing from within, their business is not benign. Overlooking the whole scene is a massive statue of a robed man holding a longsword, pointing across the bridge into a craggy spur of the Cairn Hills. Atop the bridge's framework looms a cloaked and hooded figure mounted on a mammoth draconic beast with a long tail ending in a wicked barb. This leader seems to be directing the raiders in their grisly business.
Fyodonn
Your caravan's towards Greyhawk has been steady and eventful for weeks, leaving you with little to do except scout the roads ahead and warn the other travelers in your party about which plants are poisonous. Troubling rumors from other travelers you've passed on the road have been making everyone the caravan nervous for some time now. Stories of attacks, and of entire caravans going missing.
Stories such as these are hardly uncommon, and hardly a month passes without some bandits or monsters waylaying travelers on the road. So when Delik, the ginger bearded merchant who hired you as an escort, sent you ahead to scout out the road for signs of trouble you thought he was being overly cautious. Seeing so many orcs picking over the ruins of a wagon and forcing their way into people's homes you see now that his fears were well justified.
Karloas
Summoned to Greyhawk by the worshippers of St. Cuthbert who dwell there, and ordered to make all speed possible to reach the Free City as quickly as possible, your journey has not been a pleasant one. The road has been packed with travelers going in the same direction as you and every inn you've passed has turned you away with an empty belly. Sleeping on the ground and eating the meager provisions you brought with you has done little to endear you to the people of Greyhawk.
When you heard screams in the distance you ran tracking them to their source and found wanton carnage being wrought at the hands of orcs. These transgressors have offended the decrees of St. Cuthbert and they seem intent on carrying out more acts of wickedness still.
Yurias
Many months have passed since your people exiled you from their ranks, and thus far your search for a worthy magic that will win you back into their good graces has been in vain. Tales of the great wizards such as Tenser and Mordenkainen himself who are said to dwell in Greyhawk drew you to the free city. For surely one of them would be willing to part with some scrap of arcane knowledge that would allow you to return home.
Screams and the ringing of steel spurned you down the winding road towards Greyhawk, and brought you to the site of a battle. The travelers laying slain at the orc's feet proved unable to stand before their might, and more innocents seem likely to fall if no one comes to their aid. Your magics might tip the balance in their favor thus brining you one step closer to returning home.
Cabraxis
For some time now you've been looking for a way to wash away your debt to the Thieves Guild, and they've turned away every attempt you've made to broker a peace. Bounty hunters, thieves, assassins, and city guards have all pursued you at one time or another looking to collect the reward the guild has offered for your head. Then you got the letter from a high ranking member of the guild itself, offering you amnesty if you would carry out a simple task.
Suspicious but curious you made your way towards Greyhawk stopping at a cluster of homes outside of the city itself. You paid a couple a few coins to let you sleep there for the night while you planned out your next move. Resting soundly you awoke to screams and the sound of splintering wood. Rough voices and heavy footsteps warned you that two robbers had forced their way into the beggar's home, probably the same people who have been attacking caravans on the road for days.
A window in your home gives you an easy escape route, all you'd have to do is climb down the tree just outside. However the couple who sheltered you will almost certainly be killed or lose what little they have if you do nothing.
Violet
The shadows provided by the clouds have granted you a break from the ceaseless Growfest sunshine, although the ominous clouds gathering overhead do promise to drench you to the bone any moment. Your journey towards Greyhawk has allowed you to hear many rumors that suggest the one you seek could be in the free city. Disappearances, murders, and dark acts have been going on for some time now. When you heard the screams of the travelers being slaughtered by the orcs you thought for a moment you had stumbled upon the vampire's latest victims. Despair wrestle with bloodlust as you catch the scent of blood in the air.
Map
Violet, Yurias, Fyodonn, and Karloas may begin at any point within four squares of the river road coming from either the north or the south. Cabraxis is currently in the home in the north west corner.
The O's mark the current locations of the orcs, the W marks the location of the Wyvern. https://sites.google.com/site/kenosaga/ZagigBridge.jpg