D&D Party Journal
Contents
Dungeons and Dragons
    What Is It?
    Campaign Overview
    Party Journal
        Calendar System
    Party Spell Library
    Party Reference
    Private Party Page
    Rule Expansions
    Site Map
    Guestbook
                          

Shades of Gray
  The Emporer With No Brain Flexes his Muscle
In which the new Emporer of Borizna tries to expand his empire and brings war to Sudanos. Factions in New Figon take advantage of the situation and cause civil unrest.

This extract is taken from the Red Book

436 Til 17: S. mid afternoon we cross the river twice and reach the town of Nimloth. Small roads leave here to the S and E.

The party are arrested as they enter Nimloth by Imperial troops at crossbow point. It seems that Nimloth is crawling with (5000) Imperial troops. They are put on trial, along with many other merchants and travellers, by Imperial decree. The court martial finds them Not Weird, Not having travelled up the south road, and Not intending to so travel. They are released replete with a piece of parchment describing them as Not Weird, to general amusement.

Head east out of Nimloth and make camp just past the last of the troops.

18: Awoken by the sounds of another Imperial legion arriving and camping around them. Try to head south but are intercepted by 50 cavalry who turn them back. Eventually they manage to make progress south eastwards, they can see more troops marching south, west of them, and digging in.
19: Still heading south-east they pass though several farms until they reach the great river. They cross the river and travel south west where they come to the village of Cole. They are now outside the Empire. They try their hand at entertaining the villagers, but these villagers have seen better.
20: Head west through the villages of Veen and Luuf until they strike a major road. Following a signpost they travel north to the town of Melkin Bridge.

Melkin Bridge is a fortified town on the south side of the great river, and therefore lies just outside the Empire. It is a place of many artists, who come here for the freedom, and many bars also. Consequently the main temples here are to the gods of Ptah and Bast. The citadel of Melkin Bridge is home to the Chaos Mages who also hold sway here. Seeking them out, the party discover that the Empire has blockaded the road to the north, It is thought that the new Emperor is seeking to enlarge the Empire by seizing this region "South Maedrehos". The group also encounter more strange looking people - tall generally blonde haired types - known simply as "The Vey". They speak a language of their own.

21: Hearing that the town of Suos lies just south of here, Erkun buys a swift horse and rides south to investigate. It seems that there are two places of that name, this is just a harmless little market town. Erkun returns.
22: The party leave Melkin Bridge and walk south through the forest to the town of Beft.
23: Walking through farmland and countless villages, following the road and a river (upstream) the party come to the town of Suos. It is as pleasant and harmless as Erkon described.

Still heading south, the farms become more scarce now, and they spend the evening strolling through a forest.

24: In the middle of the night however, Fulligar's tormentor returns. Levitating high above the road he first summons a host of Mink. Then he shrinks many members of the group until they are but a few inches tall. The mink then attack them. Philip, Fulligar, Straw, Akraan, Ted and Erkun are effected, but the others pluck them from almost certain death, just as the demon vanishes.

In an attempt to restore them to normal size, Erkon and John accidentally banish Straw.

With a long road across the wilderness lying before them, and there only being four full sized members of the group present, they reluctantly head north to Beft

25: Travel north to Melkin Bridge.
26: Spend the day in Melkin Bridge, the Chaos Mages cannot help them.
27: That night they take a barge upstream to Maedoon, although the Empire's troops fire upon them, they all make it through. Arrive at Maedoon about lunch time, locate the Nexus after a couple of hours. Whilst strolling around Maedoon they are a little surprised to hear the region they have just travelled from described as The New Territories

They see a unit of 500 Imperial troops who have just marched out of the NEXUS. Erkun overhears two of the officers talking about one of their generals "If he can't get his men through the right gate of the NEXUS, what hope has he on the field" They stand around and watch the troops march back into the NEXUS, they are a little surprised when the NEXUS is closed thereafter. Seeking out a Temple of Ra, they discover that the NEXUS is expected to re-open soon, however all NEXUS gates to New Figon and Suly have been closed for the immediate future: by Imperial Decree.

The Emperor's knowledge of geography seems a bit lacking however since the small Ra gate to the capital city Sudanos may still be used. The party venture through in two groups, the first leaving a miniature, invisible Erkun on the great balcony as a spy. Erkun reports seeing between ten and twenty thousand men march through from Borizna and Figan through the Suly gate.

Sudanos is the ancient capital of the nation that bears its name. This is the first time any of the party have visited it. It appears to be very similar, architecturally, to the Citadel quarter of New Figon; only quite a bit larger.

The news that the Empire of Borizna has invaded Sudanos and captured the city of Suly is already widespread. The King has already issued the order to muster his field army throughout the realm.

They try to see the King, unsurprisingly he is a little busy. They have many meetings with a variety of people at varies temples, military regiments and the Royal Mages Guild of Sudanos.

With the aid of Priests of Horus and Thoth Fulligar and Erkun are restored to their normal size.

28: The day is spent in more meetings. Akraan and Ted are restored to full size.
Lytil 1: Phillip, the last of those shrunk, is restored to normal size. They board the Emerald Rose a small merchantman bound for Meos
4: Arrive at Meos, Stenmeos, Headquarters of the Stenguard
6: Leave Meos for New Figon
8: Lytil 8th Arrive at East Harbour, New Figon at mid-morning. They can see several fires burning in the poorer districts, the port is very quiet, rumours of the war abound, no one is unloading the cargo vessels moored to the quay.

Whilst walking through the streets that lead to the Citadel, they are attacked by agents of Set, at the site of a barricade, for they are well known in this city, and not popular in this quarter. John, Akraan and Erkun are poisoned, John fatally.

They return to the harbour, commandeer the ferry (which is no longer running) and make for West Port.

Loading John's body upon a small wagon, they head for the grand bazaar, on route for the citadel. They are amazed to find it deserted, this great market has never been closed in living memory, things look very bad.

At first the guards on the gate refuse to let them in, until they realise that they have "John the Horse" with them.

The great citadel, the walled quarter of New Figon seem deserted, many of its garrison, mages and priests having marched north to the war. They hear many worrying stories of riots, barricades, and the existence of private militias operating in the various city quarters. It seems anarchy has come to New Figon, a city with a tenuous grip on law and order at the best of times.

They hook up with Hector, a priest of Horus, who has been left in the city running the Temple for the duration. Hector manages to negotiate with the priests of Nepthys for John to be raised, and then with the priests of Nepthys for him to be healed. Things are not helped by the current lack of personnel.

Hearing that there are only fifty guards left in the Citadel, to defend three bridges, they resolve to offer their assistance. Already a large mob are gathering the other side of the East Bridge. In an effort to simplify their problems they set it alight, and concentrate their forces at the other gates.

It seems that there are mages and priests, with their own agendas no doubt, aiding the mob and it is not long before hundreds of rioters cross the East Bridge and begin burning everything that will catch light. Hector stands alone outside the temple of Horus.

John goes berserk and slays many, but this slaughter is in vain for the crowds overwhelm him. Erkun has more success with his charismatic approach, aided by a powerful Ankh of Leadership. Eventually Meer stops the horde with a clever illusion.

Whilst all this is happening another mob breaches the Forest Gate to the north of the city centre. John, back on his feet, charges through the city and battles the mob saving the temples of Thoth and Nepthys.

By now it is apparent that the mob are focusing their hatred and frustration on the seven guilds of magic which dominate the city skyline, there is much activity as the remaining guild members try to disperse the crowds. The guild of Transmuters is slightly damaged by fire. It is about this time that John goes missing.

Hector is then attacked, and critically injured, by a priest of Crush: an evil sect apparently a parody of Horus, based in the city of Voire. The priest is eventually defeated by Ted, Erkun and 10 city guard armed with light crossbows.

The group then head north through the city to investigate the rioting around the seven guilds of magic. They are mistaken for rioters by the Guild of Conjury, and are forced to retreat. Soon after they come across the mutilated body of John, apparently he was an earlier victim of the priest of Crush.

9: The city is remarkably quiet in the morning. 100 reinforcements arrive from the Admiralty, they report a large battle in the Grand Bazaar last night.

Erkun and Akraan try to explore the bazaar, but are almost killed.

Meer sneaks and runs through the Grand Bazaar to West Port where she catches up on her contacts there.

It seems that there was a large battle between the Militia of Forest Gate and the mobs of East Harbour upon Tanner's hill about a week ago, and now Forest Gate have turned their attention upon West Port. Forest Gate, being the wealthiest quarter, have hired every mercenary they could find, ostensibly to defend their property. Apparently this included most of the Citadel Guard.

That night there is another surprise attack in the east, a powerful magician has summoned an Earth Elemental, which demolished a section of the East wall. John and Meer slay the elemental. The magician then creates a stone bridge across the moat, and the Mob charge. John tries to stop them, but covering fire from the magician stops him. Quarterweight arrives just ahead of members of one of the mages guilds. He and John are caught up in one of their spells, some kind of mass fear, and find themselves lost in East Harbour.

Whilst this is happening the North gate is again breached. There are some impressive, but inconsequential, magical effects at work here. Soon the whole gate area is shrouded in mist, as the mob trickles through the gate, their weapons glowing and steam pouring out of their ears. This makes quite a few people worried. Erkun hold the breach though, again by utilising the power of his Ankh and his oratory. Eventually the guards manage to barricade the gate.

As Meer sprints along the top of the East Wall, for the hole does not extend all the way to the top (there is a worrying crack though), she is knocked down by the Mage on the east bank.

Willos leads a catapult crew into the north tower, positioned strategically in the moat, and directs fire onto the new bridge. But the Mage simply fireballs the tower. At the last possible moment Willos jumps clear and takes a dive into the moat. Willos now finds himself alone in Tanner's Bank, East Harbour, smelling of sewage and the chemicals used in the tanning process. Although he does not realise it at first, his skin has been turned a strange orange colour - no doubt by some kind of leather dye.

Willos returns to the Citadel in the lull created by another mass fear - courtesy of the Mages of New Figon.

John and Quarterweight pass, lost, through East Harbour for quite some time, before ending up back near the old East Bridge. The decide to try to take out the Mage. They walk through the mob, and set the building he is in alight. He manages to escape in a cloud of fog though. They then stumble upon a priest of Set, and torch another house to smoke him out. He manages to paralyse Quarterweight and escape into the fog.

The mob gradually disperse as John waits for midnight in the mob filled street as he stands beside his companion. Just before midnight the rest of the party come to find them, it transpires that they are stuck now, east of the moat, because the breach in the wall has been magically sealed.

Undeterred, the party set off to walk all the way around to the West Gate, the only one still functioning, but are ambushed by the Forest Gate militia at the foot of Tanner's Hill. A fireball, high in the treetops, from Erkun soon disperses them.

Late at night, after the others have all gone to sleep, Erkun hears news via the temple of Thoth that the King has recaptured Suly.

10: The regular supply ship arrives at the citadel, and Erkun and Willos take a small boat over to the Admiralty Harbour.

Erkun hears news that a battle has begin near Suly.

Willos and Meer spend several hours on the roofs of the houses of East Harbour spying out the engine, and waiting to see if any other events transpire.

That afternoon rocks begin falling in the Citadel quarter. It transpires that someone in East Harbour has constructed a large catapult. It is not allowed to do much damage, because the Mages of the Guild of Evocation drop a large pile of rock onto the engine.

Later in the evening, there is a major retaliation when a large sheet of iron is conjured on top of the great guilds of Magic. Much damage is done as part of the Great Guild of Conjuration falls off onto the city. Many are killed and the Temple of Thoth is partially demolished.

Several Mages then flock to the walls and torch all of the houses in East Harbour which overlook the moat. This almost catches Willos and Meer offguard.

11: Around mid morning runners come to the west gate with the news that an army is marching out of the NEXUS. Soon there are two thousand men at arms at the North Gate keen to return to their posts.

Finally it emerges that the King has returned after concluding a peace treaty with the Empire, law and order return to the city. Strangely the size of the Citadel guard has now doubled.

The high priest of Horus returns gives them a full account of the War.

It was, it seems, all a big misunderstanding. The Empire wished to move troops through the NEXUS to Suly and then march them north to attack Melkin Bridge from the rear. Imperial Geography is apparently a little inaccurate, and the first Legion through the portal captured Suly "because it was there". The Imperial force then marched north.

By some means the King of Sudanos managed to recapture Suly, take control of the NEXUS, and cut the supply lines of the thirty thousand strong Imperial expeditionary force in South Maedrehos. The Emperor had little choice but to sue for peace, or risk total defeat, and an inevitable fall from power.

12: Meer takes the Ra Nexus to Shi, and then a ship to Ole to see Gif. The army starts clearing up New Figon.

Previous | Top of Page | Next

   

Copyright © 1997-2000 Graeme Williams
Email: webmaster@gwilliams.org.uk