Crime-Fighting Duo

Crime-Fighting Duo

Some heroes are born.  Others are created.  Still others are called.  When the god of Justice asks you if you love justice; if the fire of justice burns in your heart?  Halmar and I were compelled to say, “Yes,” to both.

“Excellent,” beamed Justice’s avatar.  “If you are strong of mind and body, you may be able to see this task to completion.  The time has come for the most heinous fiends that cower in the shadows to find the light of justice shining down upon them. I ask you to seek them out and deliver our sentence.”

We did not have to ask what the sentence was.  The gravity of his words told us what we had to do.

welkOur first criminal was Branack Welk, whom we tracked to the Academy of Arcane Sciences in Freeport.  We decided to hail him, on the off chance he would understand the error of his crimes and appeal to the Tribunal for mercy.  We quickly realized that the reason we had been given this task was the criminals in question were so hardened that there was no saving them.  As soon as we identified ourselves as working on Tribunal’s behalf, he attacked.  His last mistake in this Plane.

After Branack we were able to follow some local tips that led us to Neriak, where we found Encan V’Dal in the house of D`abth.  Needless to say, his fate was identical to that of Branack.  The same was true for Eoando Kelu who we found in North Felwithe, Gloribo Hammerbreaker who was hiding in Kaladim’s warrior guild hall, and Snogge who was tucked away in Oggok.

stenkTomee Stenk in Qeynos’s Lion’s Mane Inn put up quite a fight.  We were able to corner him in a first floor room.  He nearly slipped out past us, but my trusty Rokkath blocked his retreat.  “Going somewhere?” he growled.  He must have felt he had nothing to lose, taking on the three of us.  He was, of course, wrong.  Wrong also was Doran Keez in the tall trees west of the waterfall in nearby Surefall Glade.  Then, in Grobb, we met another hardened criminal by the name of Bronkks in a tunnel near a froglok prisoner.  We suspected his friend Uzak the Jewelcrafter was helping to hide him, based on his proximity, but in the end, Uzak watched on the sidelines as Bronkks succumbed to Justice.   (more…)

City of Mist: Shortcut

City of Mist: Shortcut

cityofmistAs we lounged in the splendor of our Guild Hall and caught up with each other’s latest adventures, my good friend Halmar, the Erudite wizard, suddenly turned to a matter that he had been working on. His eyes twinkled as he recounted a quest he had undertaken, and how he had already completed the initial phases; some by himself and some partnered with Amphar, our Froglok cleric guildmate. These initial steps were both great adventures in their own right, and may possibly be chronicled in this collection as well.

Halmar leaned over the table toward me and described a powerful scroll that holds the secrets of using a magical mental “burst” to confuse enraged foes and lower their rage. “What can I do to help?” I grinned. (more…)

Steamfont: An End, And A Beginning?

Steamfont: An End, And A Beginning?

To: Investigator Geo Friinok, Gem Choppers

From: Reconnoiterer Okosar

Re: Final Report

An End, And A Beginning?

As I’m sure you heard, Meldrath’s fortress has been repelled for the time being, and Gnomes all over Faydwer are starting to resume their normal lives again. I am thankful to have had the opportunity to have contributed, even in a small way, to the defense of our people, our city, and our culture.

As I roam the mountains of Steamfont and watch her residents pick themselves back up and put together their old lives, I am struck by the resilient nature of us Gnomes. I know your investigation will officially close soon, if it has not already done so, but I wanted to share with you something a terrified Brownie was trying to tell me, what seems like so long ago.

Sages and Seers will tell you that every time a door closes, another one opens. They are talking about opportunity. I recently took the opportunity to look around at the mangled landscape of the construction site and launchpad of Fortress Mechanotus.

The fortress is gone, but it left behind an avenue to lands we could not previously reach. As I close this final report, I leave to you and to our people, this opportunity for further exploration and adventure. Many safe travels!

Dutifully yours, Okosar

Steamfont: The Threat Revealed

Steamfont: The Threat Revealed

To: Investigator Geo Friinok, Gem Choppers

From: Reconnoiterer Okosar

Re: Sixth Report: The Threat Revealed!

I awoke in my bed in Ak’Anon to a thundering sound, louder than the rumbles that had until this point been coming from the mining caves. As I gathered my gear, I came up with a score of questions for Commander Gearswitch. On my way out, I decided to inspect the old defenses inside the city itself. I thought to myself the giant crossbow that had saved the city in the past was looking a little antiquated in light of this new danger.

I patted the clockwork soldiers manning the bow on the back and gave told them to stay sharp. Of course, they were already designed to do that. As I rushed out the final tunnel to the surface, I bid farewell to Emissary Delbin. His demeanor was night and day from that of the clockwork defenders. “The sky! The sky! Is this a sign of our lord’s displeasure? What have we done to alienate ourselves from him? Surely this means dire consequences for the world of Norrath. Without the sun we shall all perish! Repent! Repent! The end is nigh!”

Sensing I had no time to calm him down, I immediately ascended to Steamfont. Though I could not see it at the moment, I gathered by talking to Gnomes on the way out to Commander Gearswitch’s command post that Meldrath had launched a giant fortress into the sky and was periodically bombarding the lands! Everyone was tense: I asked one of the Gnomes watching the entrance to Ak’Anon if he needed anything. Bigilam Wantilans snapped, “This matter is far too advanced for you to handle..come back after you’ve killed a few more large rats.”

I have been adventuring long enough to accumulate every last Veteran Reward the Pantheon of Masters has to offer, and as I considered Bigilam himself, it was very possible I could take him in a fair fight. However, pride is a sin, and these are desperate times. I wished him well and made my way to Commander Gearswitch who confirmed the stories about Meldrath’s fortress. “We appreciate your help with the ground forces lately, but it appears things have only gotten worse. We’ve been attacking his fortress as best we can, but his steamworks keep destroying our catapults. It’s bad enough that we’re running out of materials to keep them operational.” (more…)

Steamfont: Escalation in Steamfont

Steamfont: Escalation in Steamfont

To: Investigator Geo Friinok, Gem Choppers

From: Intelligencer Okosar

Re: Fifth Report, Escalation in Steamfont

Based upon my recommendations as garrison commander at the gates of Ak’Anon, the King has decided to dramatically increase our defensive presence in Steamfont Mountains. My recent discovery of a new kind of steamwork in the mining valley helped make the decision easy.

The King also freed me from the responsibility of commanding the defense force in order that I continue to pursue my investigation of the growing chaos in Steamfont. Our tactical victories allowed me to venture into the wilderness early in order to get a jump on the investigation.

On my way out, I found what looked to be a small abandoned enemy camp. The only remaining occupant was too weak to flee.

Even injured and completely helpless against me, he would not divulge any information on the Minotaurs, their plans, Meldrath, or the steamworks. I did not take pleasure in what I had to do. If word got out, though, that Minotaurs who didn’t give up valuable intelligence may still be spared, our efforts at unraveling this mystery would be seriously handicapped. (more…)

Steamfont: Clashes in Steamfont

Steamfont: Clashes in Steamfont

To: Investigator Geo Friinok, Gem Choppers

From: Investigator and Defender, Okosar

Re: Fourth Report, Clashes in Steamfont

Between waves of Minotaur skirmishers, I’ve designated myself “scouting party of one” and taken the opportunity to continue the investigation as well as determine the displacement of enemy forces. The investigation turned up a new name you would do well to keep an eye on. Feddi Dooger.

Feddi Dooger interrupted my rounds by calling to me, “I find your sanity sickening and the madness of Meldrath cannot tolerate you much longer.” “Do I know you?” I asked. Dooger refused to utter another word, instead eyeing me disdainfully. Once again, the theme of sanity and madness brings itself into the forefront of the investigation. We must all keep our wits about us, that is for certain. I will have to meditate on the significance of this “shadow of madness” that Meldrath seems to cast over those his presence touches.

My investigation continued, and I met a remarkable Gnome named Fodin Frugrin. He greeted me, “Hello, Okosar. Have you ever peered beyond our little world? Somewhere out there in the vast darkness is a world filled with great technology and adventure. Our people should concentrate on reaching these distant worlds beyond the sparkling skies.”

What he said hit a chord with me as I remembered my Brownie friend’s admonition, “’You just wait, soon enough the sky is just going to fall right down on top of you. Don’t bother looking up, you won’t be able to do anything about it.” I asked Fodin if he’d seen anything unusual in his astronomical observations recently, but he noted nothing out of the ordinary. I asked him to keep an eye out for me, and thanked him for his service to Ak’Anon.

My arrival back to the gates of Ak’Anon was met with the chaos of battle as the largest Minotaur force yet was trying to breach our defensive line. In fact, I caught a Minotaur captain who slipped by in all the confusion. He got no further than the tunnel down, I assure you.

After the attack was finally repelled, I devised a plan to keep them off balance for awhile. To counter the increased organization the Minotaurs are showing, I would go “mix things up” a bit at the source of the disturbance: the Minotaur mines. (more…)