A crow's eye view

The relative quiet morning of the day of the Crow in the week of the Ember of month of the Hawk on the Fromth Plains was disturbed by an argument between two young men. A crow lazily flapped nearer to investigate insatiably curious as any member of it's kind. The 2 young men where handsome as humans judge such things and with them were 6 other youths and a Centaur not far removed for being a colt as the young men were all close to being children. Intrigued Corvus, as he was known to the members of his murder, drifted closer.

“I won't be long Peter I just need to get, uh see a few friends before we leave for good” The better looking of the two was saying in a reasonable tone. “Then we should all go or do you have friends we don't know Marcus?” Responded a sandy haired youth possessed of an aura of confidence presumably Peter. After a quick pauses Marcus replied, “I have a sweetheart and farewells between a man and a girl are not generally a spectator event!” Before Peter could respond a red haired youth who hither to now hadn't seemed to be paying attention to anything for long spoke up. “You do not only Kale has a girlfriend sorta and besides you won't find what you want to get where you left it anyways.” After the briefest pause a welter of voices broke into a discordant chorus. A red faced youth of notably large size was denying an amour betraying him as Kale. Marcus was demanding Samoth tell him where his belongings where thus identifying the red head. “Alright quiet down everyone” Peter said coming to a halt and turning to face the others then meeting Samoth's gaze. “Samoth what is going on I should know about?”. A stern glance quieted Kale and Marcus. With a shrug Samoth answered his big brother, “Marcus has been performing at the roadhouse and has some nice clothes and a bunch of money he had hidden in an unused sheep cote, A rather pretty young lady shows up know and again and her and Kale go off together I have tried to find out where she is from but she always heads out into the plains to far for me to follow without getting in real trouble. Doren wants Abel to meet some smiths along the way 'cause he is really good. I haven't found out what Victor is up to yet. Mott can talk to animals by looking at them and Merzbow can't believe how weird we all are.”

“Anything else?” Peter asked. “Othon wets the bed.” A bespectacled and up to that statement quiet youth howled with rage “You will pay you lying little bastard the Sisters aren't here to hide behind now!” Peter and Samoth seemed somewhat stunned by the heat in Othon's anger. “Nnn no if you try and hurt Samoth I will hurt you more.” The largest and quietest of the youth stammered slightly as he effortlessly picked Othon up by his collar. “Whoa, whoa whoa we are all brothers and even if we say things to hurt one another we should never try and harm one another. Samoth that was mean to embarrass Othon, Othon you should think about the consequences of your own cruel words to Abel and Abel please put Othon down.” Peter drew in a breath a scrubbed his face with a hand. Corvus could tell things would really get good now and alighted in a bush near the youths. “alright we are all uneasy or upset to be leaving our home and heading out to the unknown but you are my brothers and I will never abandon you or leave you to face any hardship alone as I would hope any of us would do for any one of us.” The quarrelsome ones looked somewhat ashamed at Peter's sad tone. “Lets try to treat each other with a little respect and pull together on our way to the Stone, now what did you mean about Marcus' belongings no longer being where he left them, Samoth?”

“I put them in Abel's pack figuring he wouldn't notice the weight.” It was apparent Samoth's attention was waning. “Okay why did you do that?” Peter tried again smiling at Samoth in understanding of his need to be doing something other than standing around talking. “Well The Sisters decided we would be leaving today so last night I got his stuff so we wouldn't have to detour and get it.” Peter just sighed, by his inflection Samoth must have meant Mother Beatrice and Sisters Anne and Judith the three ladies most responsible for raising them and Peter didn't need to ask how Samoth knew because he probably had been eavesdropping by climbing up the outside of the tower. A new uproar erupted just them Corvus's own eavesdropping had allowed Mott's wolf companion to creep up on the bush and startle the crow into a hasty flight and loud complaint. “Serves you right for not paying attention” a chuckle in his brain whispered cutting the crow's outcry short. As the group moved off the crow kept them in view. Knowing it wasn't wise the large black bird could not help it they were the most interesting thing encountered in a long time.

So I could make up some lame excuse for not posting but I got nothing

So I have been flirting with unemployment and financial crisis since April. My choice to leave best thing ever! Anyways I finally got a stable job I like well enough to foresee staying at for awhile and most of my debts are current. Why babble all that? because it is the excuse I used to tell myself I didn't have time to do RPG stuff, ummm no same amount of time just laziness. So here we go again.

Done Stuff
1. Roleplay Market is where the game is under Northern Lights if anyone would like to try and play Ogres and Underworlds as Play by Post.

2. All 9 sample characters are created and posted

3. 1 encounter and 1 adventure site slightly beyond idea stage.

To do stuff
1. Write a non-game mechanic piece of fluff rattling around in my head to set character's personalities. Ben and Trog from the earlier posts changed as I went along so this is to see where I will go with 9 characters.

2. Build the dungeon and print out character pawns I like

3. Figure out the decks to use for the site

4. play out both, review rules see mistakes write as story

No promises stuff
1. Write up adventure as a module and turn it over to J to distribute or give the permission to make available on my Google site.

2. Grow up

3. Become responsible

Who needs an attention span anyways?

Well everything started well and then real life bogged me down (actually kicked me in the nuts a couple times). I decided QADD was to rules light for my tastes and tried a couple more systems before settling on Sacrosanct Games Altus Adventum. I adapted the characters and restarted the "Tunnels of Terror". It was okay although still not quite what I wanted but before I could write that up New Realms Publishing released Ogres & Underworlds a skill based system that integrates with the card decks I have been using. Grrr, not wanting to do the group again (it would have been like the 6th time as some other systems were tried as well) I decided to start again with new characters in a different part of the world. Head over to my Google site and you can get to the drive folder with the stuff I did. All is good and I made up the new characters; did a very brief history; decided to use Oone's Ruined Town which I stumbled over on my computer and was getting ready to finish adding the characters when I found my Arcana stuff.

Avalon Games' Arcana setting is on I quite liked 2 years ago when I breifly tried to run a Play by Post game set in it. It's moribund corpse is still on Roleplay Market under Northern Lights if you want to take a peek. Anyways I have decided I really like the setting there is an enormous amount of source material. Each month a journal comes out detailing a hex on the map with who rules there and the entire feudal tree with heraldry. Also there is an encyclopedia section which is very very cool as it is mostly a couple sentences about places; things and individual people which you can use for rumors or idle gossip and what not. It is a low power setting without gods and I am okay with the super deep dark world secret and how to use it. Lastly I love the maps. I also like the premise I was using for a campaign so I am going to go over and hide the threads were stuff had happened make up some new characters to fit the setting and post over there instead as it is set up really well to handle RPG's. I will leave the thread for of topic stuff open for comments from anyone in case you feel the desire to look over there and offer a suggestion.

They are some sick little monkeys in this town

As soon as the History Teachers had finished their epic poem Benjamin climbed up to stand on Tragonothor's shoulders and took a deep breath. "This needs to stop right now!" a surprising loud and forceful bellow came from the small halfling. All eyes turned to stare at him. "Do you really want to amuse yourselves by watching people die? Is this the kind of people you really are? One of your neighbor's is so desperate from illness and despair he is going to be beheaded just to entertain you and you have a party for this?" Benjamin's voice shook with emotion as he pleaded with the crowd. "Are you going to become a town of monsters who distract themselves from the very real problems you have by inflicting cruelty on other beings? Your two supposed pirates what did you actually prove? Is it not true that all you did was say guilty in one building and cage them in another? The church is an empty shell with no meaning since the gods left and now you are going to make a courthouse the same kind of empty and meaningless shell with this travesty." "That will be enough you little foreign bastard!" Pomcus the town official screamed at Benjamin his face red and distorted with anger. "Who are you to judge us? You are just a snot nosed half-man who issues threats relying on his traveling companions to intimidate others into silence." Drawing a deep breath and swelling up Pomcus continued his rant "Yes he volunteered to provide for his family and also to end his own suffering and out of mercy we agreed not wanting to watch him die, who is more compassionate now punk? And the pirates are just that how else would they have come to posses Deagle's fishing boat? They can't say and tell some wild tale of being escaping prisoners of pirates themselves. Possession is 9/10th of the law and they are in possession of a missing man's boat so the law says they die unless you can get Deagle to tell what happened. What are you going to do summon Death and ask?" The smug officious man sneered seeing how frightened the halfling was. "Excuse me Mr Death can you please ask Mr Deagle if the two men accused of his murder really did kill him?" Benjamin stammered out in a hushed frightened whisper. Pomcus noticed everyone looking terrified at something behind him. Whirling around he was confronted by a figure dressed in a long hooded robe a skeletal hand clutching a long heavy staff with two cold green points of light deep in the cowl of the hood. "The Deagle you ask about is not in my realm so no these two did not kill him" the voice chilled everyone to their bones as they could hear the shrieks of the damned in it. Pomcus was never the brightest fellow and he challenged the figure "So you can't prove they aren't guilty can you? As a matter of fact how do we know you are actually Death and not some Lich or wraith with delusions of grandeur?" Death banged the staff on the ground and with a steely rasp a 4 foot long blade sprang from the end with casual ease the figure swung the scythe beheading the official.  The other bony hand caught the head as it fell all the blood sprayed through the air to be absorbed by the dark figure and then the body withered to dust before it could even fall to the ground. "That is how you know" the same cold voice said.

A moment of stunned silence passed before the crowd responded to what they had witnessed. "Death! Death! Death!" the crowd chanted while doing the wave and applauding wildly. The undertaker approached Death and thanked him for the most awesome thing the people had seen in a long time. Benjamin was slewing his head back and forth wildly looking for at least one normal reaction. His gaze met Sim's "That was EPIC! Best ever the next three beheadings are going to be kind of a let down" the boy shouted. Glancing around Benjamin could see no one was making the slightest effort to free the three men whose plight had started this whole scene. With an audible swallow Benjamin slid down Tragonothor's back and approached the angel of death. For his part Death was basking in the crowd's adulation with both arms raised and occasionally blowing kisses to the crowd before noticing the halfling. "Yes?" he asked in the voice made from despair. Benjamin was trembling uncontrollably and had difficulty in speaking. "Mr Death I travel with some very violent people and if you could spare the two pirates I am sure the addition of them to our group will raise the body count to something that would impress even you." Benjamin was close enough to see Death's head was a bare skull with two corpse candles burning in the eye sockets and he wondered if he was going to go insane or die as the figure regarded him for several moments. Death shifted it's attention to Tragonothor "what do you seek that would cause you to confront any obstacle without backing down?". "My one true love" the barbarian answered with simple sincerity. "Not even I can thwart true love only delay it" the cold whisper reached every ear, "release the two pirates". "What about the third man? Do you really need him right now?" Benjamin had no idea where the bravery to ask came from. Again the specter of death rested it's otherworldly gaze on him "You have courage my fame will spread further when I take thee from this world." The skeletal hand made a beckoning gesture toward Grisby and an evil red haze rose from his body, solidified into a large red bat and flew away. Death nodded to the undertaker exchanged salutes with the headsman and exploded into a cloud of scarabs that dispersed into the night.

Benjamin swayed and would have collapsed if Tragonothor hadn't scooped him up and cradled him in his arms. Normally this would have annoyed Benjamin but in the aftermath of speaking with death he was in need of feeling completely safe and for all Tragonothor's faults he did excel in protecting people. Pixie was leading the two pirates over two them. "What luck Igor is a mage and his friend Capt'n Bob is well a Capt'n." Capt'n Bob's greeting turned into a yelp of surprise as Seceese came up behind him and did some inappropriate touching "I suppose it wouldn't hurt to keep traveling with you a while longer" she purred.  The group made their way through the crowd with difficulty as Benjamin was repeatedly stopped and thanked for the best show ever to come to Glimmerdale. Finally breaking free the group gathered around a picnic table under the gazebo near the church to decide what to do next.

Probably the only non-story post to go here

Having just learned I can make my own Google site which allows me to do the file link page and my thoughts page I won't be updating them anymore however the functions of those two pages will be available at Warren doesn't know how to use Google+. I will make files available on the sites resources page.

2 Transient murder hobos walk into a tavern

Benjamin’s head was awhirl after interacting with the ghoulish little beasts that passed for children in this town. They are going to execute someone for being desperate to care for his family with no hope left for his own chances and kill 2 people who may have stolen a boat although he rather doubted they had done anything. Spotting Serceese ahead he rushed over. “Make a muscle for me!” Serceese squealed kneading the bicep of the brawny blacksmith. “Oooh, very nice, now you” she turned her attention to another beefy young man under her other hand. Benjamin stopped, looked at her flushed face and left to find Tragonothor and Pixie. After several more minutes he was directed to the Red Jackal Inn. 

Opening the front door he turned to his left and entered the taproom. 

The other patrons and the innkeeper were warily watching Tragonothor and Pixie. “Crud I wonder what they did now” Benjamin said to himself. With a shrug he headed over “Do you know they are going to kill three people tonight?” “No, no little Ben they are going to execute them” Tragonothor pronounced the word with exaggerated care. “Ummm, that means kill.” “Tragonothor know that Ben Ben but it is okay because it is the law” the big man spoke with conviction. “And you are okay with this as well?” Benjamin asked Pixie in turn. “If Tragonothor is okay with it then so am I after all true love is guiding him” Benjamin mentally shuddered at her sincerity. “One of the men is sick and has volunteered to be killed so the town will provide for his family; does that sound like the law?” Benjamin had turned back to Tragonothor determined to do all he could to stop this. “Who is telling Tragonothor’s little man these things?” He asked gently tilting the halfling’s head back with his enormous hand. The whole room tensed up and waited in terror for what they were sure would follow. “Why are all these people afraid of you Tragonothor?” Benjamin asked noticing this reaction. “Hee Hee whoops my bad” a giggling Pixie said. “Tragonothor and I were asking if anyone was a mage and this guy said he was. He said he had an elephant in his pocket and was going to show its trunk. He was lying and when I realized that I head butted him but missed his forehead and broke his nose.” The girl wrinkled her nose up “He started to bleed and Tragonothor knowing how hard bloodstains are to get out of the carpet yelled Blood! Grabbed the guy and ran outside with him and now no one wants to talk to us.”

Benjamin stared at Pixie realizing she was both sad and confused as to why the ordinary folk would be frightened of two people capable of such casual violence. “You not answer Tragonothor Ben Ben” The barbarian reminded him in a firm voice. Turning his attention back to Tragonothor Benjamin replied “Some boys I met by the river they told me a lot of things going on in Glimmerdale that are scary.” “Good for you making friends your own age it must be hard traveling with grown ups and no other kids.” Pixie was smiling sweetly at him as she patted his check and ruffled his hair. Benjamin was momentarily lost as he realized just how attractive Pixie was and she that she smelled like a summer day. Benjamin pulled back with a start he was not going to be attracted to her ever. “Time lady and gentlemen we’re closing early to head over to the beheading grounds.” The innkeeper announced. With some grumbling the men in the tavern edged to the far end of the bar to settle their tabs while staying away from Pixie and Tragonothor. “You folks should head over soon too otherwise you won’t be able to see particularly your companion” Simmons said pointing to Ben with his chin. “Tragonothor not think beheadings appropriate for little men.” He picked up the halfling and put him on his hip. Simmons looked puzzled first at the barbarian and then at the halfling raising one eyebrow. “I should think he could decide himself but if you will feel better there is going to be some educational stuff for kids during the pre-show 

and kids love that singing druid group 

that will be doing a set in between the pirates.” Benjamin almost burst into tears as he realized someone knew he wasn’t a child. “There, there little camper if Ben Ben wants to go that much Tragonothor guess its ok.”

Benjamin isn't like ther other boys

Benjamin looked at the river in disgust dead fish floating in oily unhealthy looking water. When a breeze blew across the water the smell nearly gagged him and he backed away. Turning around he was confronted by an officious looking townsman with a sheaf of papers in his hands looking somewhat angry. “Juvenile delinquency is a crime in this town youngster, take me to your parents so they may pay the fine!”  Benjamin could feel his rage boil over after two days of being treated like a child he wasn’t going to take any more. “Listen and listen good you inbred cretin-like halfwit I am a halfling not a child, furthermore I don’t care for your attitude so I may very well run to the 7 foot 330 pound barely intelligent mass of muscle who also thinks I am a child and under his protection. When I get there I will tell him and his two murderous female companions you tried to do naughty things to me it is my guess at least half to ¾ of this miserable town will be in flames in the next 20 minutes. You want to try greeting a traveler to your town again sir?” Benjamin had not raised his voice through his whole speech but there was no mistaking the venom and hatred in his tone. “I I I am sorry sir I apologize for my mistake and welcome you to Glimmerdale enjoy your stay and the beheading” stammered the shaken villager as he turned and quickly walked away.

Whistling he turned to make his way in search of alcoholic refreshment and noticed 5 or 6 human boys around the age of eight standing a little ways away near a small building. “Dude that was epic! We never saw Pomcus run away from a kid before. You want to play with us? We were just going to bully you like we do to all the new kids but your cool” said the apparent leader of the group a lanky blonde boy. Benjamin pinched the bridge of his nose and sighed and then decided to hell with it,”Sure guys that would be swell.” Several minutes passed as they introduced themselves before Benjamin could start digging for information. “What is wrong with the river it looks and smells nasty?” Benjamin asked. “Well Bennie mostly it’s the plague killing the fish, us in town too” Sim (the leader) answered in a matter of fact tone. “Plague?” Benjamin asked in horror. “Don’t be a sissy it only kills old people mostly, hey want to go see if the baker has Pox Sickles?” this from a brown haired boy named Kelk. “Pox Sickles? What the hell is that?” Benjamin was becoming uneasier the longer he talked to these small lunatics. “Bennie’s a girl” chanted the group in a sing song voice. “Aw its just cornbread with dried cherries in it, looks just like the dead people’s skin!” Wick (the smallest boy) said with eyes shining bright with eagerness. “Umm, sounds yummy maybe later though. With the town suffering from plague why is everyone so upbeat?” Bennie inquired fervently hoping to change the subject.

“Tonight is going to totally rock! The traveling headsmen got to town last night, which means tonight’s the beheading.” Sim said obviously anticipating the event.

 “Errr is that some kind of game or folk ceremony or do you really cut someone’s head off?” Benjamin had a sick feeling he knew the answer. “Well we haven’t had one in a long time, the guys and I have never seen one but tonight it’s a triple de-header!” Sim enthused. “All the parents keep saying it will help everyone to take their mind off their own problems for awhile” added Wick. Kelk was motivated to add “I heard Ol’ Simmons say it is giving the economy a boost too with all the people coming to town to watch.” “Alrighty then what did these three do?” Benjamin asked. The boys looked blankly at him. Benjamin tired again “Why are they cutting the three men’s heads off, assuming they are all men of course.” “Oh I see what you mean well one is Mr. Grisby he is really poor and has got the plague so he volunteered to serve as warm up and the town is going to look after his wife and 4 kids after that. We are going to give them the little house by the church. The other man is a pirate as is the dwarf with the rock in his head.” Sim was a veritable goldmine of horrifying information. “You asked for volunteers? Never mind where did the pirates come from?” Benjamin found himself missing Tragonothor and his conversations. “They sailed up to the dock in a boat.”

 “And you knew they were pirates because?” Benjamin asked with trepidation. “Well the boat weren’t theirs so they must be pirates otherwise they wouldn't have had the boat. Besides it’s all good; they was taken to the court and declared guilty; 

given a night in the church to review their sins;

 a professional headsman is going to do ‘em; they get burnt up in an abandoned house 

and their ashes go in the creep-o-torium over there” Simon ticked these points off on his fingers as the other pointed to the various landmarks he mentioned. “Do you mean crematorium?” Benjamin asked as he was trying to process all he was being told. “Nah, Creep-o-torium it has these creepy torch things that light up with a scary green flame all on their own now and then” Kelk said with a tone of derision. “Me Da says it means someone is going to die when the light up” this from the previously silent boy named Bokum. They all looked over and as they watched the eerie flames appeared as the boys had said. “I gotta go” Benjamin said faintly but the others paid him no mind as the hooted and hollered on their way to fool around with the corpse candles.

A daring rescue from pirates is rewarded with a beheading

Several days before Tragonothor and the others made it to town....

Capt'n Bob was becoming concerned; not of the fire spreading from the ship he was traveling on to the river pirate's vessel but of the river pirate with the pole axe trying to kill him. He had been in the rigging when he fell off a spar, caught a rope on his way down which snapped off at the rail swinging him on to the pirates foredeck, standard stuff for Capt'n Bob. Having a hulking orc see this happen and come after him was not. The pirate had forced CB back against the railing and then out on to the bowsprit itself. He tensed as the orc wound up for a might swing. "Looks like you're dead" said a dwarf lashed to the front of the ship as a figurehead. Startled by this odd sight he failed to dodge as the orc swung and having counting on CB to dodge left missed completely with the axe nearly cutting the dwarf's arm off. Igor had his arms and torso freed when the orc's wild swing cut the ropes around the but his legs were still tied he quickly reached over his shoulder rummaged through the enormous pack on his back and pulled out a bowie knife and started cutting himself free. Capt'n Bob had assumed his usual pose one hand on his hip they other hold the rapier with its tip on the ground. The orc was swearing and trying to free his poleaxe. Igor looked up and decided to be helpful "You moron you need leverage! Put one foot against the rail and heave like you mean it."

"The orc now enraged by the dwarf's taunts brace a foot against the end of the bowsprit and did heave like he meant it. Capt'n Bob fell off the bowsprit as the whole front rigging including figurehead lurched out and down 3 feet as the rotted wood gave way under the orc's assault. Both the man and dwarf where hanging onto some ropes as the forward end to the pirate ship continued to slowly break free. "Now what?" Igor asked. Capt'n Bob was looking past the dwarf as something came down the side to the pirate vessel "We let go right...NOW!" and he dropped 8 feet to the deck of a small fishing boat drifting below. Igor also let go and landed more awkwardly "Where did this come from?" he asked in amazement having fully expected to be sinking to the bottom of the river. Capt'n Bob just shrugged "We were lucky".

"We should get to Glimmerdale probably by morning I am Capt'n Bob but you can call me CB" the man settled comfortably at the tiller. "I am Igor...Igor the mad! They mock my inventions but they will all rue the day when I return" the dwarf was shaking his fist at the sky. "Soooo how long where you tied to the front of the ship?" CB cautiously asked. "About 2 days, well mostly nights actually did you notice the glowing stone embedded in my forehead? The pirates where using me as a lamp." The dwarf seemed rational again and CB wondered how not to upset his mental state again. "Yes now that you mention it I do notice it" Of course CB had seen it the stone was an inch across and had a bright yellow inner light. "It is a magestone isn't it? Aren't those usually on the palms of you hands?" "My fool brother shall shall be the most ruesome of them all for it was he who found the cursed thing and knowing of my superior intellect and keen reasoning brought it to me!" the Dwarf raved. "But just bringing it wasn't enough for him, no! Jealousy consumed him and he bounced it off my work bench so it struck me in the head!" Capt'n Bob sighed it was going to be a long trip. "I think it is "Rueful" not ruesome. Did you get struck in the head a lot growing up?"

Benjamin is big enough to go off on his own

"Tell me we can stop this now that we are in town." Benjamin said to Serceese. She sneered down at him "This was your fault anyways." "Was not!" he squeaked in surprise. Tragonothor's baritone voice boomed back to them "Behave you two." He was impervious to the two looks of scorn directed at his back. "How do you figure that anyways?" he asked in a calmer quieter voice keeping a wary eye on the two members of the group walking ahead of them. "You were the one who asked how we could get to town faster weren't you?" Serceese said with some hostility, though quietly. "You seriously expected me to know that the moron twins would say singing would get us here faster?" he replied. "And your being a gloomy gus is why we had to hold hands and skip like them for half the day don't forget." Serceese had a expression of thoughtfulness on her face and alarm bells were ringing in the halfling's head. "What are you thinking Serceese?" he asked warily. Smiling sweetly she said in a happy tone "I am deciding which of you three I hate more and if I should kill any of you because I hate you." Benjamin just sighed "Look at them now, I am thinking you should kill me first." Ahead of them Tragonothor and Pixie had been joined by some of the town children all skipping and singing. "You are worth killing Ben-Ben you would understand the malice it would be wasted on those two." Serceese said as her lip curled in disgust.

"Howdy folks" said the town guardsman when they got to the gate. Benjamin looked at him, looked at the town gate and even though he knew it was a bad idea he could help asking anyways. "Ummm, there are no walls just this one archway so the point of having this is what exactly?" "Well we got a town so we needed a town gate, all the towns have started getting them and we didn't want to get left out little fella." The man ruffled his hair and looked a Tragonothor and Pixie "Is this your boy, cute little guy" but leaning over and speaking behind his had to Tragonothor "But he don't seem to bright I am sorry to say." "Tragonothor and Pixie aren't Ben-Ben parents but if we don't find them before we find Soonamor, Tragonothor and Soonamor will keep him, he is my little man." The barbarian looked down at Benjamin with unconditional affection. The halfling started and stopped several times trying to come up with any kind of response. When Serceese couldn't help herself and started laughing he ground his teeth in frustration. Then he had an evil thought "Tragonothor can I go look for frogs along the river I promise to be careful, when you Pixie and Serceese find an inn Pixie can come get me." The halfling positively glowed with hopeful delight as he tugged on the big man's hand. "Tragonothor supposes that is okay Ben-Ben". Unable to resist Benjamin stuck out his tongue a Serceese and humming to himself skipped off. Shortly he realized what he was doing and stopped "Oh no I am turning in to one of them. There will be no more of that." and with that thought he stalked off toward the river bank.

Back at the gate the guard was still talking with Tragonothor and the two women, "So you folks in town for the beheading?" "No Tragonothor needs to find a mage and Serceese wants another warrior before we set out to rescue Soonamor again." "I said meat shield" Serceese muttered under her breath. "Oh well then best of luck with that then enjoy your stay" the guard waved them through the arch with a broad smile.

In which we watch the power of true love

"Is he asleep?" Benjamin whispered. "Were do you think that racket is coming from?" Serceese hissed back. Motioning with his hand the halfling stealthy crept away from the fire with the sultry elf woman. "Okay we should be able to talk without waking him now" Ben said softly. "What is up with him? and you? and you and him anyways?" she asked in return. "Did you zone out listening to him, I do" he asked with sympathy. "Well after the dungeon of moderate naughtiness turned into the tale of completely boring crap the scenery distracted me" Serceese admitted.

"By which you mean Thragonothor's torso?" Benjamin asked with a smirk. "No matter I'll cover the high points three days ago Tragonothor's one true love botches a spell of some kind and poof off to somewhere she goes. Tragonothor sets out from her tower to rescue her with no clue where she is or how to find her other than the giant disk thing he uses as a belt buckle. Along the way he rescues me from some goblins and decides I am a little boy and therefore need the protection of an adult. Then we came across you and having listen to him prattle on for hours about his broken heart I decided to cheer him up and suggest he rescue you. To end we are now lost in the woods under the care of a melancholy giant who won't change his mind." Benjamin's voice had dripped sarcasm a various points in his narration "Any questions?" Serceese looked thoughtful for a moment and slowly said "So if you told him you could read the markings on the disk he would have to take off his belt, right?" "Are you serious right now?" the halfling asked after a moment of stunned silence. "A girl has needs and men don't get to his size without having them as well." "You mean like 8 hours of sleep, 3 square meals and plenty of sunshine and exercise?" a puzzled voice ask from over their heads.

Tragonothor jerked up from his bedroll "Stranger danger!! Did she touch your naughty place Ben-Ben?" he was still mostly asleep but the twin girlish shrieks of terror had awoken him. Benjamin came sprinting back to the campsite "there is someone out there Tragonothor! Wait what? no!" The poor halfling was truly confused as too many things had just happened. Serceese strutted back into camp, "Way to go there manly man abandoning the girl". "Do you mean me or you?" said the figure walking behind her in a voice like a 6 year old girl. "Who is she?" the halfling asked. "Hi I'm Pixie" she bubbled cheerfully. "Aren't pixies smaller and with wings?" Benjamin asked. He could now see she was an elven girl (young woman as the fire flared up and showed more of her) with blonde hair, cornflower blue eyes, freckles and a button nose.

She giggled infectiously "No silly i am not a pixie Pixie is my name." "Forgive Ben-Ben he is still Tragonothor's little man and gets confused especially past bedtime." Tragonothor frowned at Benjamin and Serceese. The halfling was sputtering in indignation Tragonothor had talked to her like an adult and still treated him as a child. "What are you doing here anyways?" asked a hostile Serceese, she had no intention of sharing the barbarian with this airhead. "Gosh, you already know that, true love." Pixie said in a matter of fact tone of voice. "Come again? What the heck is that supposed to mean?" Serceese was starting to wonder if she was still dreaming. Benjamin tugged on her sleeve and whispered "Please tell me she didn't just say gosh". "Golly Mr. Tragonothor I didn't mean to listen to your friends private conversation but they were talking right under where I was sleeping and it would have been rude to interrupt" she looked somewhat embarrassed. "No problem Pixie they shouldn't have been out past curfew anyways Tragonothor understands". The halfling and elf woman looked at each other in silent amazement they didn't have to say "curfew" aloud to each other. "Gee that's swell of you Mr Tragonothor" the girl gushed. "It must be spiffy having a true love, I am waiting on mine. So anyways when I heard them say you were lost and depending on true love to guide you I knew that was why they ended up under my tree so in the morning we can set out for Glimmerdale." "Thank you Pixie Tragonothor wasn't worried he and Soonamor are fated to be as one but even I wasn't hoping for true love to guide me with someone so nice." The large man and small elf exchanged grins before lying down and almost immediately falling asleep.

"Holy crap we're cursed" Benjamin said despondently. "What do you mean?" Serceese asked. "Our guide is a small female Tragonothor, do you know what tomorrow will be like?" he looked in horror at the two of them sleeping. Serceese shrugged "Much like today for me he is quite large and muscly, stare at Poxies undersized girly bits and you won't have to actually listen to them either." Benjamin sat down and seriously thought over his situation and could one come up with only one explanation and it chilled him to his core. It had been 20 years since what was called "the night of being left Alone" over half of the intelligent creatures of Medorca vanished in one night. All the great heroes; high priests; kings; despots you name it there was no one left to lead and everyone expected an apocalypse that didn't actually occur. Most people just shrugged and went on with their lives as much as possible and along the way new leaders emerged but not clergy. The gods had stopped answering on "The Night" and no prayer had produced an effect since. Benjamin was worried some gods had returned and were the kind that did look kindly on thieves and swindlers, he might actually be forced to go straight. Benjamin did not sleep well that night at all.

Later that afternoon..

Benjamin had started to doze off listening to Tragonothor go on and on about Soonamor and his quest to save her that started 3 days ago. He had to admit this was a safer and quicker way to travel as long as he humored the lumbering barbarian about him being a child. He crossed his arms across the top of Tragonothor's head and rested his chin on them. He had never considered the possibility of posing as a human boy and was ruminating on how to use the ploy in his line of work, thievery. It was not an easy career for a halfling everyone  seems to assume that was what he was ever since what his name published that stupid book. Glancing down the track he perked up, was that really a woman being surrounded by what appeared to be bandits? "Tragonothor I think that lady may need rescuing".

Serceese wrinkled her nose in disgust, honestly first to become lost and now to be faced with a pack of bandits planning on acting on impure thoughts. Scanning the faces and finding none to her liking she shrugged the cape off the creamy white perfection of her shoulders and drew her elven Long Blade so quickly it seemed to appear from nowhere. Dropping into a fighting stance she prepared to meet there attack. The look of terror on there faces was comical and she smiled to herself as a cloud briefly blocked the sun. Make that a huge man being ridden by a halfling, huh? The bandits had broke and ran by this point easily outpacing there pursuer. She could now see her rescuer was a Frost March Barbarian, a young and handsome one at that. Tragonothor came back whistling as usual, "Hi pretty elf lady thank you Tragonothor needs practice for rescuing girls so he can free his Soonamor" the halfling rolled his eyes at that statement. "You can pick your cape now and come along with Tragonothor and Ben-Ben" the man stated in a matter of fact tone. "Why would I be safe traveling with a big wild man like you" Serceese was definitely interested in this one and spoke in her most husky voice. "Tragonothor decided to rescue you of course you safe now" the barbarian seemed offended. "It is best to do what he says he won't change his mind once he has decided something" the halfling's voice had a ring of resignation in it. Serceese shrugged picked up her cape and walked over and wrapped her hands around the barbarian's arm "Make a muscle for me" she whispered looking up at him with her wide grey eyes. "Soonamor used to like it when Tragonothor did that too" the man said sadly. "You had to get him started on that again didn't you" the halfling said in disgust.

Sometime passes before...

Benjamin Bookman the third was about to be the last of his name. Small even for a halfling he clung desperately to the top of the wildly shaking aspen he was in.Below the nasty little goblins were laughing uproariously while shaking the tree trying to cause the little man to fall down where they could do even more nasty little things to him. Then they started throwing stones and Benjamin knew his end was near. A deep voice from the left caused him to open his eyes and stare as openly as the goblins at the source of the voice. A huge man almost 7' tall with impossibly broad shoulders and a sword so large it couldn't really be wielded, could it? Troganothor bent down and picked up a stone that easily weighed 15 lbs and looked at the goblins, "Troganothor know his mom say people should treat others the way they want to be treated so.." he effortless threw the stone 30 feet snapping a good size branch off a tree as it passed very close above the goblins heads. "You smart little green people Troganothor had fun" and whistling he started scuffling through the forest litter for more rocks.

The goblins decided they didn't want to play any more and left post haste. Benjamin looked down when the man walked over to his tree and looking up with a mournful expression said "But Troganothor wasn't done yet little boy make them come back." "I am not a little boy" he said in a huff and then remembered his predicament and fell silent. "Okay little man Troganothor can see you are big now, jump down and we'll go find your mommy and see you safe." The huge man held his arms up and out to catch Benjamin expecting him to jump. Taking a deep breath and speaking calmly Benjamin tried to correct Troganothor again, "Good sir I am a halfing not a human child and my mommy is far from here I am indebted to you for my rescue but I can take care of myself from here." The big man's face hardened into a glower, "Ho ho little man knows big words but still has a mommy, Troganothor has decided he will look after you until we find your mommy now jump down before I have to get you down, you won't like that as naughty little men get spanked." Benjamin looked at the shovel sized hands of the now menacing hulking brute and followed instructions. Troganothor easily caught him and laughing tossed him up again before catching him, enfolding him in a bear hug and setting the halfling on his shoulders. "You a good little man" he boomed. Resigning himself to this unusual situation Benjamin timidly asked if he could get his belongings pointing to a staff with a bundle tied to the end. Whistling again the big man scooped it up and kept striding along.

We meet our Hero and his love, watch the campaign plot happen and put on pants

Tragonathor tugged at the ropes binding his mighty thews to the wall of the sorceress's dungeon wall. Warily he eyed the seductive beauty who lured him here and grumbled, "When you suggested a trip to your dungeon of moderate naughtiness and tied me to the wall I thought something else was on your mind Su-Su". The diminutive half elf stomped her foot and whined "you promised not to call me that, I don't like it!". Tragonather grinned and said "If you are mad at me then I know you aren't thinking of some other guy." Soonamor rolled her eyes annoyed but in love with the big goof. "We will get back to moderate to severe naughtiness in a minute the engraving on the disk says I need to paint the runic circle at 3 of midnight on the 24th." "what is a minute, or midnight and the 24th of what?" the puzzled Barbarian asked. "Some kind of time measurement system anyways the divination said it is now" the woman said without looking up from painting a circle along the floor and up the wall. Tragonathor grunted sulking he wasn't the center of attention but also knowing nothing would distract Soonamor from her arcane studies.

"There that should.." the rest of what the woman was saying was cut off as the circle turned black and crimson bands of force flicked fast as lightning from the portal to wrap around her and pulled her back through the opening which then returned to paint on a stone wall. Stunned silence reigned for a moment before the huge man pulled free of the wall he was tied to and with a roar bounded over to hammer on the uncaring stone calling his lover's name over and over. Soon coming to his senses Tragonathor gathered his thoughts and decided on a course of action. First put on pants; Second take the disk that had lead Soonamor into a trap; third find someone to figure out where Soonamor was; Fourth gather companions for the epic quest and finally kill many many evil things until Soonamor was back where he could keep an eye on her. He started immediately.