Wednesday, July 23, 2014

(Hackmaster) Burning Trogs Rule! #6: Shadows Over Celsior

A day late with all the Historicon hub-bub, but here we are...

11th of Nondec 1132 - Barony of Celsior, Kingdom of Marakeikos
Cecelia Darkspruce was a battle-hardened warrior priest of Sif, travelling across the continent to find her friends.  Tales and rumors had led here to the town of Celsior, a larger trade town still a day's ride away from her final destination of  Califon. After checking in at the town gates, she settled into a local tavern and attempted to relax. Just after dinner, a member of the baronial guard entered the tavern, requesting Cecelia by name. He escorted her directly to the baronial manor.

She personally met Baron Desmond Celsior, who requested assistance in dealing with a local hobgoblin tribe that was enroute to them.  All she had to do was stall the hobgoblin king, until the baron was ready.  Stalling was much easier said than done, as over one hundred hobgoblins peacfully marched through the town gates and stopped at the front doors of the manor.  When the hobgoblins pulled swords and waved spears to demand entrance, the baronial guard fled in panic, leaving Cecelia alone.  With the king mere inches away from her face, Cecelia put the King to sleep (GM: a lucky Command spell) and prepared for a glorious death.
Just then a giant red dragon swooped over the roof of the manor and began to kill the hobgoblins catching a few fearful citizens in the frenzy as well!  Cecelia attempted to converse with the creature, but all it was interested in was death, so she tried to oblige it with its own.  After trading some blows, the dragon flew off, leaving many parts of the town in flame. 

Fearing attacks on his life, the Baron requested Cecelia stay and protect him with the same bravery she exhibited at the manor door, as well as helping extinguishing the surrounding fires. 

Cecelia got nary a wink of sleep, as strange shadowy forms kept appearing inside the manor and attempted to reach the Baron.  Cecelia journal notes killing "...two vampires, a ghast, and a bunch of hobgoblins, not mention a large giant thing and a rhino that chased me around the castle.  If it weren't for the help of "Speckles, the Baron's dragon/dog thing, I surely would have perished."   The Baron was saved, the assassinations thwarted, and negotiations with the hobgoblins the following morning proceeded brilliantly.

12th of Nondec 1132
Cecelia grabbed some much needed sleep, and by the time she awoke, the hobgoblins had left (fled was a word heard around town) and Baron Desmond annointed her "Heroine of the Barony."  For her service, she was awarded a house in town, so that upon her visits, she could be comfortable, when she wasn't defending the realm.  It had received some minor fire damage from the dragon attack, but it looked nice "for a small house to maybe start a temple or something."

Over a few days, she took the time to furnish the house with the basic necessities, hire a trustworthy fellow "Walter," as caretaker while she was gone, complete with a fund to pay the taxes, and she has off again to finally reach Califon.

GM Notes:  The adventure I ran Cecelia through was out of some Polyhedron issue that has since escaped my possession.  Just about all of the monsters mentioned were some odd shadow creature, of which I've completely forgotten who or what created them.  To be honest, I don't think Cecelia ever did either.  Luckily she survived the night, and a long friendship with good Baron Desmond Celsior was begun. 

NEXT:  Part 7:  Reunions at Califon

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