Legends of K'Darl #8 - Gambling Man

Upon arriving in Werdenton our group headed through the market, heading straight for the governor. As they wandered through the market, K'rang acquired himself a single steel gauntlet, but for what reason, no one knew.

Upon reaching the governors office, they were ushered inside by his guards. They began to question him about the other group that had been sent here, only to find out that no such group had arrived. Our band of fearless *ahem* warriors thanked the governor and headed to speak with the guards.

The captain of the guard had little more information for them, only being able to tell them of the attacks, all of which sound the same as those they had experienced previously. 

Deciding that they would learn nothing new here, the group headed to the inn. Upon entering, Joran immediately seeks out a group of gamblers and joins them in their card game. From his conversation with them, he gleaned that they had arrived recently, having passed through one of the attacked homesteads themselves. They could offer little in the way of additional information, re-itterating what they already knew. They did, however, show Joran a sword which they had recovered from the wreckage. They were even willing to sell it.

Joran, ever the gambler, looked at the sword and said "Let's make this interesting." The hush that fell over the table was palpable. "If I win" continued Joran "I get the sword. If you win, you get 70 Gold." He looked at the trader, trying to gauge his reaction.

He answered almost immediately "If I win, lets make it 100 gold." Joran agreed and they picked up their dice, rolling them on the table. They clattered and then came to a stop, with the trader scoring higher and looking very smug "Looks like i've got some gold" he grins slightly "unless you wanna' call it double or nothing?"

Joran, sweating slightly, agrees to this and both once again roll their dice. Again, the trader wins. Now looking rather pleased with himself, he looks to Joran. Joran, managing to hide his worry behind a mask of pure calm says "One more game. 300 gold for you if you win." The trader, his mind fogged by the thought of such riches, agrees. Once again they pick up their dice and roll, the crowd around the table holding its collective breath.

The dice come to a stop and a sigh of relief leaves Jorans lips as he sees he has beaten the trader. Crestfallen, the trader says "So, you've beaten me at last. Who says I need to give you the sword though?" In answer, the E.M.W levels his spear at the traders throat and says "I do."

The trader, rather hastily it may be added, gave the sword to Joran. The group, happy at their comrades victory, observe the sword and see that it belonged to one of the kings guard. This didn't bode well as to their fate.

Deciding that they could do with the rest, they retired to their rooms, ready to start again in the morning.

Benson & Hector #2 - Better luck!

The sun was high in the sky, glaring down angrily at the world below, as it let its heat pound on those  that were foolhardy enough to venture out into it. The horizon line shimmered and danced and every tree and building was greeted with joy, granting short salvation in the form of cool shade.

The farm lay deadly silent, not like its usual midday bustling self. Crows chirped around, looking at the stains on the ground. A short distance away from the farm there stood the remains of a great fire, still smouldering.

All was quiet.

Over the horizon, there appeared 2 silhouettes, walking along the road from the capital. As they got closer to the farm, they went from being wobbly black silhouettes to the outlines of two men, one tall and thin, one smaller and wider. They walked along, and as they were nearly upon the farm, there conversation could be overheard (if there had been anyone to overhear it that is). The shorter of the two seemed to be in disagreement with his traveling companion, and wasn't afraid to show it.

"I just don't see why we should trust him again Hector, that's all. I mean, he didn't tell us nothing about what was in that soup. Supposing we had had a little morsel ourselves eh? I for one would not have enjoyed those consequences, not if the rumours going around were true." He stopped his rant only to shudder and looked as though he was about to continue, but his companion, Hector, cut him off.

"Relax Benson. I told you, we didn't have any so it's all good. What are we, amateurs? Besides, Marcus has never steered us wrong before now has he? The message said he has some high value goods that need to be out of his possession pronto. Once we get them to another city it's fair game, and we will be rolling gold. Come on Benson, cheer up!" With that he stopped to lean on a wall on the outskirts of the farm, close by to the remains of the fire. He took a skin from his hip and drained the water held within.

Benson looked around nervously while his friend drank. "How can you be so calm in a place like this?" He glanced over to the remains of the fire, still smouldering. "What do you think happened here anyway?"

Hector stored his water skin and looked over the scene in front of him. He knew the old man that owned this farm. He wasn't close friends by any account, but they had stopped on their travels in the past, sharing a mug of ale and a story or two, even staying in the barn when there travels had not gone as swiftly as they would like. Yet now, the farm was deathly quiet. The old man was nowhere to be seen. As Hector glanced across the path further up the road, he saw what looked like dried blood.

"You know Benson, for once you might not be far off with that bad feeling of yours. Looks to me like something bad happened here, and I sure as hell don't wanna' hang around to find out for myself." With that, he turned to continue up the road, but stopped almost instantly as a glint caught his eye.

Years in the business of buying and selling goods (not always acquired in lawful ways) had taught Hector two things. The first was to never trust anyone, no matter how often you deal with them. The second thing was the amazing ability to spot expensive gear a mile off. So, when he spotted a glint coming from the pile of ash, he knew it was valuable.

"On second thoughts, let's just take a look over here shall we?" and with that, he trotted off over the grass, heading towards the smouldering mound. Benson looked around nervously and then followed him, glancing around as he did.

Once close enough, Hector saw that the shiny object was a very very expensive looking sword, with a heavily ornate pommel. He could almost hear the sound of gold raining down on him as he reached out and pulled it from the wreckage. 

"Benson, I think someone up there likes us." He hung the sword through his belt and turned back towards the road. Benson, as always, followed his friend, still glancing around. "What is the owner comes looking for it though?"

Hector stopped. "Benson, for once, can we not just enjoy the moment. The owner must be dead, burnt with the rest of them. Lucky for us this sword wasn't damaged too. Now, just relax, and let's get going. We've got some money to make."

Cities of K'Darl #2 - Werdenton

Werdenton sprung into existence around the monument of King Jarraxe Britemane, built some 500 years previously. Used initially as a meeting point for traders, eventually stalls and living quarters were built around the area and before too long, a small village had been established. As time rolled ever onwards, the village are into a town and then, inevitably, into a city. They occupants named it 'Werdenton' after the Dwarfish traveller that had overseen the construction of the monument and had, for many years, helped grow the community and industry. 

Looking at Werdenton now though, we see a completely different city. Now considered the kingdoms industrial capital, Werdenton is a vast city of building, welding, smithies and all other manner of fabrication you can think of. Its proximity to the Kaba-San mountains mean it has a rich supply of raw minerals and other materials.

There is practically no residential area to speak of, as most of the residents live above their respected shops. The city boasts only one inn, though it is likely the largest in the kingdom, playing host to all the travelling traders that pass through.

Hidden amongst the various shops, trading stalls, smithies, jewellers and mining contractors, is the towering monument of King Jarraxe Britemane the First. Used now as it always has been as a meeting place, it is the only square in the city where you won't find any stalls or shops.

Cities of K'Darl #1 - Kreshington

Around 500 years ago, King Jarraxe Britemane commissioned six monuments of himself to be constructed around K'Darl. One of these was to the West, near the old town of Telwin. Those who had worked on the construction of the monument here had settled in the area and, over time, the small encampment grew and grew until it became a bustling town in its own right. Then, as fashions changed and time passed, people abandoned their old town of Telwin to seek out a new life in the new city of Krashington, so named after the great Dragonborn warrior Krash, who had been sent to oversee the construction of the monument and had, later, returned to govern the city and found the great school of war there.

If we pull ourselves from the distant past and look at Kreshington, its name having changed somewhere along the line, as it is today, we see a very similar scene to that which would have presented itself all those years ago.

The city is surrounded by a great wall, with guards patrolling day and night, more out of tradition than because of any real threat. The guard is commanded by twelve Dragonborn captains, each of whom serve for one year after graduating from the Academy of war before they leave to pursue their own career. This ensures little or no corruption, as there are no 'old hands' that are set in their own ways.

If we venture inside the city wall, we will find ourselves in the bustling market sector. The market hugs the inside of the wall all the way around, making it easier for passing traders and travellers to buy and sell goods without having to move through the entire city. The proximity of the city to the western port of K'Darl means that many traders from abroad stop here before continuing across the island, providing a rich trading community.

Just past the market sector is the residential area. This is where the majority of the population live and socialise, in the various taverns and inns. Most of the jobs in the city are either selling on the market or working in the taverns.

The only other jobs are in the city guard, and at the Academy, which stood just past the the residential area. Consisting of the tallest buildings in the city, the Academy was visible throughout the city. Dragonborn from all over the known world come here to train in the ways of combat and war. The top 12 graduates every year serve as the captains of the guard for the following year. This is considered a great honour. The only other thing of note is the statue of King Jarraxe Britemane the First, which stands in the centre of the city. 

The city's motto is carved above doors, on buildings and on every gate into the city. It is "Only through flame is the true path revealed." 

Legends of K'Darl #7 - Bound for Werdenton

Our group of daring adventurers *cough splutter cough* set out from the capital, heading North East towards the industrial city of Werdenton. As they travelled further North the winds grew colder, and the group came across more of the attacked farms and smallholdings, each of them showing the same signs of an attack and slaughter, with a pyre smouldering close by where the bodies had been cremated. They met no travellers on the road, which was odd given Werdenton was known as the industrial capital of K'Darl. Yet in their three day journey, the roads remained still and silent. 

They finally arrived in Werdenton on the evening of the third day. Guards were posted around the outer city wall but they waved them through. They asked what business our group had in Werdenton, and so they explained they were looking for the unit that was sent some weeks ago. The guards looked at each other, then back to our gang, telling them that no other group had been received there in Werdenton.

With no clear answer presenting itself and no further leads to go on, our group headed to City's statue of King Britemane the First, eager to see if they would discover similar hidden secrets to those they found in Kreshington.

And now for something completely different!

I've only really posted story fluff on this page recently. Following the adventures of our heroic *cough cough* group of warriors, we've travelled far across K'Darl, seen them conquer unearthly foes and meet interesting characters. We've also seen the world from behind the eyes of some of the NPC characters. I hope you've been enjoying reading about their adventures (or more often, misadventures) as much as I've been enjoying writing them.

Today, however, I thought I would unveil the real life piece of terrain I've built to represent the monuments of King Jarraxe Britemane the First. 

Sculpted wielding his infamous daggers, Pity and Fool, and wearing the skin of a great wolf that his majesty himself slew whilst touring the Kingdom.

There's a more detailed post on my other blog about how I built it, but wanted to share it with my fellow fans of K'Darl!

Hope you like it guys!

Views from an NPC #1 - Librarian

*This entry takes place at the same time as 'Legends of K'Darl #6'*

Beatrice had been the head librarian in the capital for nearly 40 years. She had overcome so much to attain such a high title. Beatrice was a dwarf, you see, and therefore couldn't reach any higher than 3, maybe 4, shelves. It didn't matter much here in the grand library, where ladders on tracks were fitted, meaning anyone could reach any book, even those hidden far above in the darkness. It had, however, hindered her in her younger years while training. The ridicule she had endured. The mockery and comments and laughter she had had to listen to every day. It had all made her so angry, though with years of practise, she had learnt to control her anger.

Right now, that control was slipping. For the past week, a group of miscreants had been stinking up the library, hardly ever leaving. Most of them had been sleeping here even. As Beatrice organised a pile of books, she thought back on the past week. The first had been annoying, dropping books around left right and centre, no respect for them at all. He had smelt awful that one, like he had spent a day and a night on a privy and forgotten to wipe.

Then, the rest of them had turned up, apparently companions of the first. There was the she elf, who insisted on prancing about and informing all she could of how tragic her life had been. There was not one, but two dragonborn. Both were stereotypically moody, stomping about the place, scaring other readers. At least she knew what all these were though. They also had in their company a walking suit of armour who, she had been alarmed to find out, could talk. He was extremely rude and made an awful noise when he walked around, creaking and clunking. The last was...well, she wasn't sure what it was. It appeared to be a man, though such a hulking brute she had never seen in her life. Where its stomach would normally be flat, there was an evil squiggly face grinning out at her. She hadn't dared look at it for more than a few seconds, but she knew she didn't like it.

She would have kicked them all out, barring the door behind them, but she had been informed that they were here on royal business. So, she put up with the noise, the mud, the unsavoury noises, the constant presence, the smell and, most irritating of all, the complete lack of respect for the organisational system.

Yes, she put up with it all, as she had put up with everything all her life. She slowly rose from her desk, picking up the stack of neatly organised books as she went, ready to place them back in their proper places. As she turned, she collided with something and was sent reeling backwards, the books scattered, their pages getting ripped and bent. As she looked around, she saw that the group of miscreants had been walking out of the library, and the hulking mass with the squiggly face had knocked her with his arm. They all walked onwards, completely oblivious. She watched as they left, leaving a lingering smell and a muddy trail behind them.

Beatrice sighed and started to gather her books.

Legends of K'Darl #6 - Waiting

The group arrived in the capital to discover they were the first group back. Out of the thirty six members of the royal task force, they alone had returned. They therefore decided to hold of their report for the king, deciding to wait until they heard of the other groups reports. 

While they waited, the group spent much of its time in the great library, trying to learn more on these creatures. Joran, now fully recovered, had told them of his discovery and they in turn had informed him of what had transpired in Kreshington. Long nights they spent in the library, trying to learn something more than they already knew.

A week passed by and still no-one else returned. Eventually, the group received a message from the king, advising them that they were to give their report the next morning as the king had new orders. The group huddled between the towers of books, deciding what to tell him, their week of solitude making them paranoid and untrusting of everyone, including his majesty. The decided to tell him only what they needed to, keeping as much secret as they could.

The next morning the king received them in the royal hall. They told him of these shadows but nothing more than needed. Satisfied with their report, he told them they were to head to Werdenton, being the nearest of the cities, and discover what happened to the group sent there.

The group left his presence and readied themselves for the journey ahead.

The Legends of K'Darl #5 - Beneath Kreshington.

As our party arrived back in Kreshington, they headed straight for the ancient statue of the great King Jarraxe Britemane the first. The magic users sensed some kind of seal on the dais, but not how to disarm it. Thinking of the towns motto ("Only through fire is the true path revealed") the group decided to try using fire on the dais. 

While the group stood in the well lit courtyard, trying to think of a way to get fire, the torches lining the well lit courtyard burned ever on. Eventually, Rakash had an amazing idea, and grabbed one of the torches. Holding it against the dais, the group watched on as it opened up, creating a doorway, with steps behind leading down into darkness.

The group descended into the ancient dungeon, lighting torches as they went. They managed to disarm traps and work their way further and further into the vault. Suddenly, the group found themselves surrounded by a dark shadow, which seemed to form skeletal figures that moved and attacked them. Readying themselves the only way they knew how, they fought off the spectral beasts, as one by one they fell, dissolving into nothingness as they did. Eventually the room was clear, and K'rang confirmed it was the same magic he had sensed at the site of the attacks. Weary, they carried onwards.

They entered what seemed to be the final room. A single pedestal stood in the centre, a shimmering forcefield atop it. Two cupped dragon born hands stuck out from the pedestal, with the motto carved into it above them. Ganon took the torch and placed it in the hands. With a blinding flash, the forcefield was dismissed. When the group regained their eyesight, they saw a thin leather necklace, decorated with what seemed to be petrified orc ears. Ganon took the necklace, putting it on straight away.

The group hastened upstairs, fearing that more of these spectral beasts may be attacking the city. Yet their worry was for naught, as the city lay peaceful and quiet, exactly as they had left it. Our group decided to head back to the capital and await news from the other groups and try to learn more on their deadly new foes.

Legends of K'Darl #4 - Suspicions confirmed

The group traveled as quickly as they might, and arrived in the small village long after the moon had risen into the sky. The scene that greeted them was one of death and destruction. All around, lay bodies, once residents here in the village, now grotesque decorations strewn around, a midnight feast for the crows.

The EMW, always excited at the sight of a fresh corpse, headed straight to the nearest body, examining it, looking for any clues as to what caused the wounds. In all his years of service, he had never seen wounds quite like these. 

The group headed towards the village hall, discovering a similar scene inside to that which lay outside. As the group moved to check the records to try and fathom why these attacks were taking place, they heard a cough from a nearby wall. Thinking it was strange for a wall to cough, the group stood still and listened closely. Again, a cough and a small whimper. Someone was hiding.

Walking up to the wall, the EMW looked, seeing it was indeed a false wall, but could not fathom how to open it. Pushing the him aside, K'rang smirked as he drew his fist back and threw a punch towards the door, tripping at the last second, causing his fist to connect with the door at an awkward angle, twisting his wrist in ways it should not twist. As he looked frustratedly at his now ruined hand, the EMW moved back in front of the door, moving its eye slits as it did in what must have been an attempt to roll it's eyes. It lowered its shoulder towards the door and charged with all its strength, smashing the door to splinters and nearly crushing the startled man on the other side.

Pulling him out and sitting him down, the group started questioning the man. He was one of the residents here, and had hidden as soon as the attack started. He told them that he had heard everything through the walls, but he couldn't help them. The EMW asked him if he could check to see if there were any bodies of old blood families. The man checked and confirmed that none of the old bloodlines bodies were there.

The group, deciding that this was their best lead, decided to make camp here for the night, and then head back to Kreshington. It was about time they found out why someone was so interested in the statues of King Britemane the First.

Unexpected Adventures #1 - Joran and the Never Ending Bowel Movement!

*This entry takes place at the same time as 'Legends of K'darl - #3'*

Joran had sent word to the rest of his group, letting them know that he wouldn't be able to join them on their quest. Having eaten what he thought was a bowl of mushroom soup, he had spent the last 24 hours hunched over in agony as he experienced feelings that no man should ever feel. Eventually, he dared to leave his privy sanctuary and went in search of the two men who had sold him the soup. Alas, his search was fruitless, the two men having left town the day before.

Exasperated (and considerably lighter), Joran decided to put his time in the capital to good use, heading to the great library to search for any mention of these 'shadows' that were spoken of in the reports of the attacks. He sat up long into the night, finding only fleeting mentions in old and dusty tomes. Undeterred, he continued his search, night after night, never leaving the library.

It wasn't until three nights later that he stumbled across anything substantial, and it was only by chance. Stood atop one of the ladders used to reach the higher shelves, Joran was reaching for a book just on the edge of his reach, when his sleeve caught the spine of a large, heavy, leather bound tome. Not noticing this, he snagged it from its resting place, causing it to topple from the shelf and fall towards the floor far below, cracking Joran across the head as it went. Joran, dazed for a second by this unexpected assault, nearly fell from the ladder, but managed to regain his balance. Climbing down to retrieve the book so that he could replace it, he stopped just short of it. The book had fallen open, the pages showing the image of a dark skeletal figure surrounded in shadow. 

Picking up the book, Joran managed to make out a brief paragraph or two, which spoke of these spectral beings being summoned using old, powerful dark magic. They didn't mention how this was achieved, only that it was old magic, and that the beings could stay in the realm without being sustained and without being close to the summoner.

Making a note of what he had discovered, Joran replaced the book, deciding that he had found all he was likely to find. He left the library after his long search, glad he had made himself useful in some way to his groups cause. Now he would await their return. He headed to the inn where they had met the night before they received their orders and, tentatively, ordered a bowl of mushroom soup.

Legends of K'Darl #3 - Arrival in Kreshington

Our heroic *ahem* group of adventurers travelled day and night, resting only as they needed to. They passed through abandoned hamlets, homesteads devoid of life, all showing signs of a struggle, wreckage littering the ground.

Stopping at one of the larger farms, the group disembarked from the newly named wagon (Rolling Thunder) and cautiously explore the area. They find broken objects and dried blood, yet nothing of value seems to have been stolen. A large pyre sits some distance from the buildings, still smoking. Ganon and K'rang, both being trained in magic, sense the lingering presence of some dark magic in the area, though what it was used for they cannot say. Having gleaned what information the could from the site, they once again climb aboard Rolling Thunder and continue their journey.

After another days travel, the group arrive in Kreshington just as the sky is starting to darken. The group speaks with one of the city guard captains, learning that they had been burning the bodies they found at the various homesteads, explaining the pyre they had seen. He pointed them in the direction of an in where survivors were taking refuge. The group then split, some heading to the inn, others heading to the markets and some heading to the academy to utilise the library. 

Between them, they learn that the hamlets are being attacked by dark shadows, summoned into being by some ancient and dark magic, almost beyond all knowledge. The only information they managed to obtain from the refugees was that none of the older families had been killed, and that they had been taken by these things, whatever they were. When pressed further, the survivors told them that the older families are descendants of the builders who helped to originally found Kreshington, having worked on either its construction, or the construction of one of the great statues of King Britemane the First that were present in all 5 of the major cities and in the capital too. As they are questioning one of the survivors further, a fresh face appears in the inn, stumbling across the room, muttering of shadows and evil. The group quickly learn that he has travelled from a nearby homestead, which was attacked the previous night. 

The group gather their things and head out, hoping to find some fresh clues at the site of this latest attack.

Legends of K'Darl #2 - Our Heroes Journey Begins

The heroes of this story all received their orders whilst in the capital. They were to report to the captain of the guard, and there they would hear of the task ahead of them.

Reporting at first light, they heard the news of attacks on outposts and homesteads, slowly closing in on the main cities all across K'Darl. They, and the other members of the task force, were sent out to investigate in the different areas, to try and glean some information. All they had to go on was that the attacks were being carried out by shadows in the dark, that few survived and that no tracks were made by these...shadows.

Our group headed to the markets to stock up on weapons and supplies, planning to regroup at Rakash's newly purchased wagon and mule at the Western gate. Everyone arrived back, bar Joran, who had indulged in a bowl of mushroom soup whilst shopping, and was now sat occupying a privy, regretting that decision with all his being. He sent word to the rest of the group that he wouldn't make it, and so they departed on the Western road, headed for Kreshington. 

Benson & Hector #1 - Mushroom Soup

*This entry takes place after 'Legends of K'Darl - #2'*

The inn was abuzz with its usual trade. Travellers from all across K'Darl passed through the capital, and those without much in the way of sense, or good luck, ended up here, in The Wooden Horse. Infamous amongst the seedier population of the capital, it attracted thieves and swindlers, sell swords with questionable morals and gamblers. If you wanted to keep a low profile, this was the inn to stay at.

In a secluded corner of the room sat two tieflings, empty tankards littering the table, a large purse spilling over with gold coins in the centre. The first one speaks to the second "How...how, how much we got left then Hector?" He slurs his words, the effects of the ale obvious. He was slight, scrawny even for a tiefling, with straggly brown hair atop his bony head. The second, Hector, looked at his companion for a moment, then picked the purse up, shaking it gently next to his ear. "Still more than enough Benson, no need to worry." He smiled as he said this, thinking of all the gold they had acquired over the last couple of days. "I think, and I'm sure you'll agree Benson, that this scheme was quite possibly one of our best ever. With this much gold, we can invest in something bigger, maybe even go legit!" With this final word, the pair look at each other, eyes glazed over slightly, as though thinking deeply. Then the pair explode into raucous laughter, knocking their tankards against each other and drinking deeply.

Benson, who was noticeably rounder than his friend, with no hair left to speak of, set his tankard down. "As if we would ever survive going legit Hector. You don't half come up with some crazy notions." He smiled again, leaning back on his stool. "I tell you what though Hector, I'd hate to bump into any of the poor saps that bought that slop from us! I caught a whiff of it in the barrel, I'd hate to think what it does to your insides!" At this thought, he laughs again, draining the last of his ale.

Hector nods his head in agreement, " I'm not sure what those chunks were floating in it, but I think it's safe to say it wasn't just mushroom! Still, at ten gold pieces for 20 barrels, it would have been a shame to waste such a good business opportunity. I mean, you saw 'em Benson, they couldn't get enough of the stuff! These travellers, they'll try anything in the capital. Especially when we sell it to them at the special offer price of one gold piece for a bowl. I mean, that's an absolute steal." He laughed again, evidently proud of his genius cunning.

Benson joins in, then stops to ask "Seriously though, when are we skipping town? I wasn't joking when I said I'd hate to bump into any of those people what bought it." He suddenly looks around the room, as though expecting to be greeted by an angry customer. Looking back to Hector, he sees his friend smiling, peaceful as anything. "Fear not my friend, fear not! We've our rooms here for the night and then, after a modest breakfast, we shall move on to pastures new!" He raised his tankard as he said this, waiting for his friend to do the same. Benson raises his own tankard, and they both drain them of their remaining ale. 

Hector sets his now empty tankard down. "Don't worry my friend. Any unsatisfied customers will more than likely be otherwise engaged at present anyway, unable to come seeking out a couple of honest traders. Tonight, we drink."

And drink they did, long into the night, until eventually they both slumped unconscious over the table between them. Night turned to day, the sun streaming through the open windows of the inn. The pair stirred, groaning and complaining of thick heads. As they peeled their faces off the table and strained their weary eyes against the harsh morning sun, they looked around. The inn was empty, except for them. Smiling, they looked across the table to each other. It was only when they both realised that, where their large purse of gold had been sat the night before, there was now a noticeable lack of the aforementioned purse of gold. Slowly looking back to each other, neither knew what to say.

After a few seconds, Benson manages to sum up his entire thought train into one elegant sentence. 

"Oh fuck."

Legends of K'Darl #1 - The Beginning

The sun kissed the horizon as Sonkla put the baby down to sleep. He was growing so fast, they would need to decide on a name soon. She still wanted to name him after his father, Rendon, but he said that he already heard his name being shouted often enough for this job and that, he did not wish to give cause to hear it more. She smiled at this, the memory of her husband making her long for his return more than ever. He should be back any day now, maybe even tomorrow if the weather stayed fair. Hopefully he would have made enough on this last trip to allow them to move to the capital. Sonkla couldn't stand the place, all that noise and the people bustling around, too busy to just stop and enjoy the day. No, she didn't like the place, but she wanted more for her son than to just be another farmers boy. If they moved to the capital, he could enrol in the academy, maybe even travel to Kreshington or Astlevonia to pursue some teaching or other. One day he could be in the Kings guard even, or perhaps he might turn to teach others what he has learnt. Whatever happened, he would have a chance at a better life.

Sonkla moved to leave the room, turning back at the doorway to take one last lingering look at the tiny boy, sound asleep, oblivious to the many futures his mother was imagining him in. She smiled and turned away, gently pulling the door to behind her. She headed downstairs and stood at the back door, looking out over the freshly ploughed fields. She could hear the horses stabled round the other side of the house, chomping on the carrots she had left for them earlier. She saw two of the workers heading into their quarters across the way, waving as they disappeared through the door, their work finished for the day. All was calm and quiet, just the way she liked it.

Sonkla headed to the pantry and fixed herself a small supper of cheese, bread and tomatoes. She poured herself a small glass of her own home made wine. Settling herself in front of the unlit fireplace, she began to eat her modest feast. Once finished, she tidied her plate away, bringing back with her the rest of the bottle of wine, setting it down next to her chair. She sat, enjoying the peace, drinking her wine. Dusk faded to night outside, and still Sonkla drank and drank and drank...

***

Sonkla suddenly shot bolt upright, the sound of glass shattering in her ears. Her wine glass. She must have dozed off, the sudden sound startling her from her slumber. No, that wasn't it. There was something else. Her brain was foggy from the wine, and she struggled to work out what was wrong. Then, she heard. A blood curdling scream across the otherwise silent night. It was coming from the workers quarters. She heard the scream again. Suddenly sober, she headed to the door, trying to see what was going on. As she opened it, she saw one of the workers knelt beside a slumped shape. Sonkla felt her stomach drop as she realised it was a body. Around them there was some sort of dark shadow, formless one moment, skeletal the next. As she watched, the woman turned and saw her. She screamed, telling Sonkla to run, but was cut off mid sentence, the darkness suddenly becoming solid, as a blade sliced clean through her, her now lifeless body dropping to the floor.

At this, Sonkla screamed in terror. She turned and slammed the door, running upstairs as fast as she could. She needed to get the baby and get out before that...that thing, whatever it was, got them too. She had never been so scared in her life. Throwing the door open into the baby's room, she hurried over to him, bundling him up. He was crying, his mother having startled him from his sleep. As she held him, she heard a crashing downstairs, the door coming off its hinges. She stood frozen to the spot,  not knowing what to do. She closed the door to the baby's room and backed away, her mind racing. As she watched, the shadow seeped under the door, rising higher and higher. Once it reached the ceiling, it suddenly turned almost solid again, revealing a skeletal form with a twisted face. It's mouth opened wider than should be possible and it let out a single, blood curdling, unnatural scream. Sonkla tried to huddle further away, but she was already as far into the corner as she could go. The baby was screaming now, the creature upsetting it more and more. She held him close to her chest, tears rolling freely down her face. The skeletal figure drifted towards her, the darkness consuming all light around her, until all she could see was its twisted face, as though it was in agony. She looked to it, her mouth moving trying to beg for mercy, but failing to produce sound. She saw the figure draw a shimmering black blade from no where and raise it high. A gentle "please" leaves Sonkla's lips. The skeletal figure held the blade high, for what felt like an eternity. Then, as though time had caught up, it brought it down hard and fast. Sonkla felt herself screaming, joining her child for a split second, before both were silenced. 

Sonkla felt a moment of searing pain, and then nothing, the darkness consuming her as she faded, until eventually, she knew no more.

Meet the Heroes

As promised, here is the post where you get to find out a bit more about our daring heroes *ahem* and see the figures my friends are using to represent them on the board when we play. The backstories that come with each character were written originally by each of my friends, but I've shortened them and edited them to fit with my writing style. So, without further delay, let's meet the heroes *cough cough*.

Joran Munroe (Andy)

Joran is an human male Psion, searching for a greater purpose in life. He knows the conflicting history of others with similar abilities, even looking up to them in a way, for they at least achieved something of note, whether good or bad. He came to discover his powers early on in life, and as a consequence, he found himself in and out of trouble as a youngster. Since then, however, he has learnt to control them better, using his powers to avoid detection when discretion was needed or to move objects to allow safe passage for him and his fellow adventurers. Yet Joran still wants more. With this goal of achieving greatness in mind, Joran serves as a member of the royal guard task force, ever searching for that one great deed that will immortalise him in future histories.

K'rang (Mike)

K'rang, as we see him now, is but a shadow of his former self. Once a powerful dark sorcerer, he was despised all along the Western coast of K'darl. He commanded an army of flesh puppets, or he did at least, until he was undone by an ancient Liche, who's remains he disturbed in his arrogance and haste. The Liche having stripped him of his powers, his army and even his body, K'rang now exists inside a hulking flesh puppet, the last he was able to summon. Seeking out spellcasters and feeding on their flesh, he hopes to regain his former knowledge, and reap revenge. He was, however, recently captured by the kings guard and, being too weak to escape, is complying with their demands, helping this task force until he is strong enough to escape and exact the revenge he so strongly desires.

The Emergency Medical War-forged (Will)

The Emergency Medical war-forged (or EMW for short) has been in the service of the royal task force for longer than any of the rest of our group. Originally meant as a gift to King Britemane IV, the war forged was left gathering dust for many years before anyone realised it was sentient. Once this secret was discovered, the EMW was donated to the royal guard. Since then, it has grown quite the reputation for getting patients drunk on Glade Hill whisky, which it seems to use in place of real medicines, and for being a tad over enthusiastic about lopping limbs off and attaching new 'donated' ones, which he seems to be constantly searching for.

Rakash (Pete)

Rakash, or Rakash of house Gheshinn to give him his full name, is a Dragonborn of old lineage. Following in tradition, as had the previous two generations of his family, he was sent to study at the ancient academy in Kreshington, founded by Krash the Unforgiving. Finding himself, however, on the receiving end of bullying from his larger and stronger siblings, pushed Rakash to learn other ways to resolve differences. He therefore studied as an ardent in the capital for many years, serving both there and in Kreshington before finally taking his place amongst the royal guard. He is not a Dragonborn of many words, as many are, but when he does speak, it is to the point and always of importance. He is a valuable asset to the task force and, more specifically, to the team.

Lesat (Steve)

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Lesat is not only the youngest member of our party, but is in fact the youngest person to ever be granted a place in the royal guard. Least has spent most of her life studying, first at the great academy in Astelvonia, then later honing her skill as a seeker at the temple of Melora. Her skills have grown stronger with each passing year, though no matter how hard she tries, she is unable to atone for her earlier sin, that of having killed her father and, by mistake, her mother also. This darkness follows Lesat around, a constant reminder of what her powers can do if they go unchecked.

Ganon (Jason)

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Ganon is the last of a once great and powerful Dragonborn house, brought low by poor leadership and misfortune. Teaching him in the ways of magic throughout his early years, his mother always stressed the importance of regaining their once proud title. Ganon excelled in the use of magic, but seeing that it alone would not be enough, he also trained in melee, using his own natural strength to his advantage. After the passing of his mother, he set out to seek fame and fortune, hoping to one day rebuild his once glorious house. It was with this same goal in mind, that he joined the royal guard, for what better place was there to earn respect, fame, riches and influence?

So, now that you've had a chance to get to know our legendary heroes, all that is left to do is to start with the story. I think I'll start at the beginning, as I often find that that is the best place to start.

*SIDE NOTE*

Some of the pictures above are not of the models being used. This post shall be updated as and when I get pictures through.

How this is going to work

So, now that I've put a few bits and pieces up about K'Darl itself, it's time to start telling the story that is unfolding currently. I'll put posts up as story fluff, but sometimes they will be out or sequence. I'll try and post events sequentially, but when I do put a post up out of sequence,  I'll be sure to make it clear where it fits in time wise. I might do this on every post, just to be doubly clear.

I think, as far as writing style goes, I'm going to adopt a style similar to that of the 'Game of Thrones' books. This means that each post will be written either from the viewpoint of a different character, or will focus on a particular character. I'm still not sure if I'll use first or third person for writing. First would be better, I think, but I'm conscious that these characters are not my characters, but those of my friends. I wouldn't want to write something that goes against their character. I'll give it some more thought and make a decision soon anyway.

This is going to be a very very long lasting project, so be prepared to stick with it for the long run. I always welcome feedback, so feel free to get in touch.

I think I'll be posting a 'Meet the Heroes' post before I start posting the story stuff, so look out for that coming in the next few days.

The History of K'Darl (shortened version)

Below is the shortened version of K'Darl's history, Chronicling major events dating back to the initial discovery of the island. I do have an extended version, but it is still a work in progress. Once it is finished, I will no doubt post it up too, but it will only be interesting to fanatics of K'Darl. For now, here is the shortened version.

The age of discovery

- Year 392 - K'darl is discovered by Valaith Alreven and his expedition fleet from the West. Over the following months the village of 'Telerwin' is established, along with 'Telerwin port' and expeditions move out over the rest of the island. These are met with resistance but nothing very notable.

- Year 393 - Settlers arrive and begin to populate the island. 'Durningway', 'Craythen' and 'Driffwood' are all established. 'Telerwin' is expanded and named as the capital.

- Year 395 - Settlers from the East arrive and establish the city of 'Bowingdon'.

- Year 396 - Wars break out over resources, leaving the island split, the region of Dunmoor to the West and the Region of Eringden to the East.

- Year 398 - A truce is called into effect, between the two kingdoms. The lonely river is named as the boundary to both Kingdoms. Neither may cross without the others permission. Both Kingdoms, paranoid of the others betrayal, construct great fortresses and armies in Duningway and Barrowden.

- Year 399 - Dunway is named as the Capital of Dunmoor. Bowingdon remains the capital of Eringden

The age of peace

Many years passed during this age, with barely any wars of note, and none between the two Kingdoms. This age was focused on construction, and civilisation rather than exploration. As a result, much of K'darl was left to it's own devices. Strange things began to happen in the North. Rumours came back to the Kingdoms from the miners, rumours of strange beasts and worse things.

In the South, to the Village of Driffwood came the elves and Eledrin. Peace between the humans and the newcomers lasted a while, but the Humans eventually moved on and established the village of Crosselworth. Driffwood, and it's surrounding forests, now belonged to the Eladrin.

A settlement of Dwarves arrives in port South of Bowingdon. An alliance is formed in secret between the peoples of Eringden and the Dwarves.

The age of Darkness

- Year 465 - Curious as to what lay beyond the mountains, a force of Dwarves set out to discover what lay there. A peninsula full of life and beauty lay before them. As the continued North they spied an island, off to the West. Setting up camp on the mainland, scouts where sent across to see what lay there. To there dismay, it looked like an ashen waste. However, upon further exploration, they discovered the remains of a vast tower. What excited the Dwarves, however, was the material from which it appeared to have been constructed. Vast stone blocks, shimmering to look at, warm to the touch even in the middle of night, lay scattered around the site. Though the tower had been destroyed many centuries ago by the look of things, no damage had come to the stones from which it had been made. The leader of the expedition, Kanin Ryrir, ordered the stones be returned to Bowden.

- Year 467 - The armies of both Dunmoor and Eringden are being tested, and neither are in great shape. Forces attack both, from the Dark woods and from the Kaba-San mountains. Forces of Orcs and trolls and beasts too numerous to mention. These are dire times indeed.

- Year 468 - Kanin and his Dwarves return with the cargo to find Bowingdon under attack. As the draw near they are seen by the attacking forces and set upon. During the following battle, Kanin is thrust into one of the wagons carrying the stones, and its cargo is spilled. Upon seeing the Stones, the nearby orcs let out a blood curdling screech of "Zuul!" and within minutes, the Dwarves are left alone in the desolation. The Town gates open and survivors come out to see there saviour. Some begin to pray to the stones, praying to Zuul, there protector. Others flee at the sight of them, damning them and begging they be taken away. In the end it is decided that the stones would be moved to the East coast, where they would be constructed into a mighty tower once more.

- Year 469 - Construction on the tower of Zuul begins.

- Year 470 - A force is sent north from Dunway to the Dark woods to eradicate the orc menace. Upon arrival they find the place deserted. As they make there way through the woods the come to the North coast and find a make shift port, and in the distance, a small island. They make there way across, only to find a crater in the middle, filled to the brim with orc bodies. Looking down upon this murder site, Kotan Rakor, captain of the kings guard, saw that none of them had been wounded in anyway he could see. No blood had ben spilled here. To the East, he spied a Peninsula, beyond the Kaba-San mountains. Taking out an eye glass, he looked upon it and saw desolation, Ash and fire. No living thing was to be found there. They returned to Dunway, fearing that if they stay any longer, they might discover how the Orcs had met there demise.

- Year 471 - Construction on the Tower of Zuul is completed. Some people travel to it and worship it, like a God. Others shun it and refuse to speak the name.

Over the next century, life carried on in much the same way it always had. Places became known under different names, agreements where made between the two Kingdoms. Men and Dwarves seldom travelled to the North now, fearing what was now residing beyond the mountains. A watch was kept from the great Fortress of Barrowden, but none dared stray any further than its shadow reached. People preferred to live in ignorance.

The Lost Years

There are varying theories about what happened after the year 580. There are barely any concrete records left between then and the year 600. Some tell us of a band of mighty warriors, who unified two kingdoms and thwarted a dark threat, bringing the war that would have been the end for the people of K’Darl to an early conclusion. This is the most popular theory. There are however, as mentioned above, other theories. Some would tell us that this band of mighty heroes, who's names had been all but lost to the erosion of time, were nothing more than a group of petty mercenaries, low born with next to no ability. Through sheer dumb luck, and a series of strange and impossible events, they thwarted an evil plot, without fully realising they had even done so. Some have even dared to suggest that, amongst this groups number, was none other than the ancient king, Jarraxe Britemane. It is suggested that he was a low born thief with no morals, no respect for personal space and no inhibitions. By some stroke of unbelievable good luck, he married the princess of an ancient house, and thus secured himself the throne. House Britemane has held the throne for over 500 years, with the first born Son of each successor being named Jarraxe, to continue the tradition. 

This is all just drunken speculation, of course, as the scraps of history still available to us now confirm House Britemane’s lineage going back for more than 1000 years. Jarraxe himself commissioned, under his rule, for the history of his time to be once again recorded, so that future people would be able to marvel at his deeds. This is how we are able to confirm events once more.

The Rule of Jarraxe Britemane I

Year 601 - Jarraxe Britemane crowned king.

Year 601 - King Jarraxe goes on a tour of K’Darl, to better unify the different areas.

Year 602 - King Jarraxe returns from his tour. He calls it a success, with warring neighbours now at peace.

Year 604 - King Jarraxe declares that there will no longer be separate kingdoms within K’Darl, but a unified kingdom under his rule.

Year 605 - Lady Britemane, the Queen, dies, falling from her horse while on a ride with King Jarraxe.

Year 605 - King Jarraxe remarries, to Lady Selista Walworth.

Year 605 - Prince Jarraxe is born to the King and Queen. 

Year 610 - The Queen dies, hit by a stray arrow blown of course while on a hunt with King Jarraxe.

Year 611 - King Jarraxe remarries, to Lady Tenaria Walworth, the younger sister of the late Selista Walworth. The common people commend the King that he is able to continue his search for love, even after the hardships he has faced.

Year 620 - King Jarraxe commissions statues of himself to be built throughout K’Darl. 6 were built, 5 in areas of some importance to the King, with the final being built in the capital. To oversee the construction of these grand statues, the King assigned one of his trusted advisors to each. He oversaw the final one himself.

Year 625 - The statues are completed. The build sites, after 5 years of construction and labourers living there, soon turn from small encampments, to large bustling towns. Below is an account of each one:

-In the North, just before the Kaba-San mountain range, the town of Werdonton was established. In years to come, Werdenton would become a major town of industry, with the Kaba-San mountains providing endless resources.

-Further East and South, the town of Astelvonia. This town became the gathering place for those wishing to study magics. A great school was built in 640, and soon became the most notable in the kingdom for training in magic.

-Further South still, built upon the Lonely Coast, was the town of Gromingdon. Initially was supposed to become a haven for those wishing to study magic, but soon became a fishing town.

-Over to the South West, lays the town of Valantia, built upon the ground that was once covered by the forest of Driffwood. That great forest was cut back and back during construction of the Kings statue, until only a small amount was left, right on the cliff edges.

-Just North of Valantia, is the town of Kreshington. This town became a gathering place for travellers from abroad. It is also the home to the greatest fighting school in K’Darl,  outside the royal guard. The founders name has been lost to time, but there are legends told by its students that he was an ancient warrior, who conquered the evil in K’darl, wearing their remains as a warning to others who might wrong him.

Over the next 100 years, these towns grew and grew, absorbing smaller nearby villages.

Year 665 - King Jarraxe dies making love to his wife. He was 89 years of age. He is buried in the crypts beneath the Royal keep. 

The age of peace

What follows is the longest period of peace seen by K’Darl in all recorded history. Each new King carries his fathers values and ideals forward with him, carrying on the naming tradition and keeping the peace throughout the Kingdom. Nothing of particular note happened. In the year of 1087, the Kingdom is under the rule of King Jarraxe Britemane VII. Recently widowed (his wife was accidentally hanged whilst putting up new curtains with King Jarraxe) he cannot look to find love, as he has other troubles within the kingdom. 

Raids on smaller villages on the outskirts…

The land of K'Darl

When I first started writing campaigns for my friends time in K'Darl, I decided to go the whole hog and draw up a map for them to use. It showed the major settlements and the roads between them, the names of the kingdoms and everything else. To give it the authentic 'ye olde' look, i ripped the edges, dipped it in tea and then put it in the oven for a bit. The result can be seen below.

So, when I decided to start a new adventure in the land of K'Darl, set 500 years later, it stood to reason that I would need a new map. My housemate decided she would like to draw it for me, and so I showed her the original, identified the changes I wanted and then let her crack on. The result (which is in colour and is also laminated) can be seen below. It has proven handy already, letting our adventurers see where they are going and where they want to go next.

Welcome to K'Darl

Greetings reader, and welcome to the land of K'Darl!

K'Darl is a fictitious island in the world of Dungeons and Dragons, and is the setting for the adventures of me and my friends characters. I first started writing adventures in K'Darl some 2 or 3 years ago, for a group at my weekly gaming club. As DM, I guided my friends through an epic campaign, seeing two neighbouring kingdoms go to war against each other and a dark magic resurface after years of quiet. This campaign ended with our party, literally, caught in-between the two waring sides. A year later, we got together to play a one off session for Mike's Stag Don't (don't ask). This one off adventure saw our group sent off on a quest to defeat evil by the king, only to find that he was behind it all! After saving the princess from being used as part of an ancient ritual, Mike's Character (Jarraxe Britemane, a rogue with questionable morals at best) married this princess, becoming the king of the kingdom. That was the end of the one off session, and the end of our adventures in K'Darl.

...or so we thought.

I recently decided that I wanted to start playing D&D again. Already having a game world ready to go, it took less setting up. After some thought, I decided that K'Darl would suit my needs, but to ensure a brand new story, I would set it 500 years after we last visited. This way, it would be familiar, but at the same time, different. Setting it 500 years later also gave me the basis for the new story I wanted to tell.

500 years have passed in K'Darl since we last visited. Since then, House Britemane has ruled over all of K'Darl, uniting the once hostile kingdoms, and bringing the entire island under one rule. The last 500 years has seen the longest peace seen in K'Darl since records began, with only minor disturbances too trivial to mention. This peace is not the only change seen in K'Darl. Across the land, new cities have sprung up at the sites of ancient grand statues, built centuries ago to celebrate King Britemane the first. The lands to the North of the Kaba-San mountains lay quiet, now bereft of the darkness that once consumed them.

Our latest story begins, as mentioned, some 500 years after the last. Reports have started coming in of raids on some of the smaller homesteads, apparently closing in on the larger cities. Not wanting to cause a panic, King Britemane VII has assembled a group of warriors, splitting them into smaller groups and sending them to investigate these attacks. The rumours coming in talk about shadows striking in the dark, about entire villages massacred.

This is where our adventure begins.