Flashback - Death and Rebirth (Lafayette)

Inside a rat infested dungeon Lafayette attempted to ponder what had happened, and although escape had been on his mind, felt it was pretty futile given the amount of thickness the walls were made of, and the regular gaurds which patrolled his cells.

At around 01:00 hours, Lafayette, became aware of a mist, which permeated his cell and began to approch him. Although alarmed, Lafayette thought to himself, so their planning to execute me whih some alchemists poisiness gas, well very well, their is not much i can relly do.

To Lafayette's suprise, a quiet voice whispered something to him.

" " I am aware of your situation Lafayette and know of your innocence " ".

To Lafayette's amazement, materialising in one corner of the cell, was the silouette of a dark-skinned woman.
and seek to make a pact with you. I could help you to escape your situation Lafayette

/Lafayette: whatever you are, I would give anything to be out of this situation, and if you can influence the judge in this matter, i would be eternally grateful.

/dark-skinned woman: Thats an interesting way of putting things Layayette 'Eternally grateful'. I have no inflence on any judge sadly, but i do offer you the chance for freedom, in a round about sort of way.

/Lafayette: I'll gratefully take it in any way, just get me out of here.

/dark-skinned woman: You would do to know, that this pact is forever binding, and will require you to feed me regularly. This will also receive a montly wage of 100 gp, to help you manage your life's finances.

/Lafayette gulped: feed you ... what are you. That it became very apparent in his mind ... Sighing ... You have my word of honour. Now how do i get out of here?

/dark-skinned woman: The only way possibly ... through death, well of a sort. The creature fed and disappeared very rapidly.

The next morning, to the befuddlement of the gaurds, Layafette was pronounced dead and buried.

Flashback - The Trial of the Ranger (Lafayette)

The last 18- months of incarceration had taken their toll on Lafayette, and now he was acutely aware that he had used up the last of his appeals.

Attacking and seriously injuring a high level religious practioner during a time of war is a most heinous crime, and one which you will NOT be given the opportunity to repeat Lafayette ...

... Sir i must protest, 'Kempo' is not what he seems, and is using his influence to make you perceive something, which is false.

... you dare insult the integrity of a man of the church in my court-room ... You have had 18 months of time to reconsider your case and ask for forgiveness of your crimes. Instead, you make a gambit that Bishop 'Kempo' is not what he seems, and you expect me to accept that as genuine. where is your evidence Lafayette.

Bishop Kempo is clever, and will no doubt have removed it your honour. I seen a dark metal symbol of unknown origins in his posession, as was a summoning circle painted on the floor of his church.

The bishop has already given evidence that it was a 'healing' circle Lafayette, somthing which was supposed to be used to help wounded citizens.

I tire of you accusitions Lafayette, as do i your un-repetant manner. You will be executed in 7-days time Layafette. May Kord cleanse your soul.

Flashback - The Siege of Waterdeep (Lafayette)

My lord , the Gnolls are making an advance on the west and north walls of the city.

Master Lafayette ... take your troops to the west side of the city and give the clerics some protection, to enable them to keep the cities enhabitants healed. Ensure that the hosptial the clerics have set up is well protected and equipped.

My lord, it shall be done.

/Lafayette leads a battalion of troops from the war-room of waterdeep, to the west-side of the city.

/Someone shouts ... the North Wall has been breached ... The Gnolls have entered the city .

/The sound of the battle being brought forth into the city is evident with the screams of people dying, and the sounds of metal clattering.

Seargeant darkwind ... yes master Lafayette. Take 1/2 of the batallion and secure that 'god damm' north wall. I'll take teh rest to the west-side and protect the clerics and their damm hosptial.

Lafayette and his batallion make their way to the west side of the city, passing numerous injured civilians, damaged structures from different siege weapontry and fire's running out of control.

Eventually the 1/2 of batallion make it to the main city church where, their greeted by the Bisphop kempo.

Master Lafayette at your service. He /bows. I have orders to protect the hosptial, and ensure the safety of your clerics.

... Lafayette suddently becomes aware that no hospital has been set up ...

A brief history of Alesia

A brief History of Alesia
From the archives at Waterdeep Monastery Library

(With thanks to Patriarch Edinson)

Many have tried, your Excellency, to write down an exact history of Alesia, and how mankind came to make his home in that frozen continent. It is, by all reports, a cold and forbidding continent where only the foolhardy would venture. In times past, it was known only for it's wildlife; beasts that eked out a living amongst the frozen tundra and snow laden mountains. Sailors would avoid heaving to on it's coastline, even to resupply their water barrels, for fear of the denizens that lurked on that continent.

That is, until mithril was discovered by certain hardy explorers in the northeast mountains.

Mithril, often more so than gold, has a strange effect on a mans wits, in that they appear to desert him completely. Upon the discovery, shiploads of prospectors (and their assorted bodyguards) made their way to Alesia to earn their fortune. After the establishment of some shanty border towns, the mithril began to flow from the depths of the mountains, and a rudimentary dock was constructed to cater for the ships that came and went with the precious cargo. It should be pointed out, your Excellency, that at this time (some three hundred summers past) there was a high degree of lawlessness amongst the prospectors, and they lived according to their own greeds and desires. As more intrepid miners arrived, news of the mithril mines spread, and very quickly traffic from our continent to Alesia stepped up tenfold, as did the number of bar fights, robberies, and occasional murders.

It was into this maelstrom of greed and lawlessness that Sir Arthur came, under orders from Vanion, Preceptor of the Pandion order of which Sir Arthur was a knight. The Preceptor saw the benefit of a lawfully controlled mithril flow, the taxes that would come with it, and the opportunity for the Pandion Order to benefit from the trade. At first Arthur and his knights were reviled when they tried to impose order on the prospector community. This revulsion quickly turned to mute acceptance after the knights casually began to lop off certain people's heads. Some number of prospectors still persisted in their protestation against the Pandion Order and its newly imposed rules, but they were either imprisoned or given object lessons in which end of a lance is the sharpest, and order was quickly restored to the border towns.

Arthur first saw to it that a new settlement, larger in size than the shanty towns, was built some two days journey up from the docks. This was to become what we now know as Weddenvale, although the histories are unclear, your Excellency, regarding whether Arthur himself labelled the town such or not. Weddenvale became the hub of the mithril trade, as prospectors and miners were now under law to pass through and pay their levy to the Pandion Knights before taking their precious wares to the docks, and selling there to the merchants.

As you know, Excellency, the Pandion Order is deeply rooted in it's religious beliefs, and in it's devotion to their god, Kord. A church was soon established at Weddenvale, with the flock overseen by Preceptor Vanion's own son, Khallan Vanion, a rather religious man of long temper and kind heart (to remind your Excellency, Bishop Khallan was of no use to the military wing of the Pandion Order after an accident that cost him the use of one of his arms - but that is in the Pandion Histories for all to read). Very shortly thereafter, the flock flourished under Bishop Khallan, and religion became part of the Alesian culture as much as the mithril trade. At this point, some ten years had passed since the prospectors had first come to Alesia, and children were starting to be born. The town of Weddenvale gave families shelter and protection from the wild, and thus families began to flourish. Arthur had achieved what he set out to achieve, the imposition of law and order in Alesia had resulted in a stable, well to do community, reliant upon the steady flow of mithril from the mines.

In the next part, your Excellency, I will try to explain the root causes behind the Weddenvale township Rebellion, an event that threatened all that Arthur had helped to build, some ten years after the establishment of the Church of Weddenvale.

[GAME] Attack in the woods

Garf lay very still on the makeshift bed Lafayette had created for his injured companion. Brad was slumped and breathing heavily, leaning against a tree. The fight had been short but intense, and Garf had definitely come off worse in the group. "Stoke up the fire Brad, we need to keep him warm", said Lafayette as the snow continued to drift down from enormous clouds. Brad wearily got up and did as he was told, as Lafayette tended to Garf's injuries as best he could. His methods were rather rudimentary, involving cauterising the wounds with a rather hot implement (luckily for Garf, he was unconscious at the time). Given a little time, Garf began to come round groaning and complaining about the pain in his head.

After a decent nights sleep, the small group were once again ready to continue their journey. Garf's devotions to Kord had been very successful, and the Cleric was in a most chipper mood as the party set off along the well worn, but snow covered road. Before long, there came the sound of drunken singing coming from up ahead. Lafayette mildly suggested that Garf go forward to meet the singing stranger, so the man of the cloth nudged his horse forward to find out who was creating all the noise. At the side of the road sat a shabbily dressed old man, white hair and beard matted with the dirt of weeks without bathing. The old man introduced himsef as Garath, a storyteller of some repute, and offered a tale in exchange for an ale. Garf readily agreed, despite Lafayette's mild suspicion, and the four travelled until sundown later that afternoon.

As they sat around the fire, Garath regaled them with his tale. It seemed there was once a very powerful sorceror in these parts, but he had sadly fallen on hard times. His most prized possessions, an orb and a spell book, had been stolen from him some time past by persons unknown. The sorceror dreamed of one day receiving his powers back if only some adventurers were brave (or foolhardy) enough to get them back for the old man. Garf and Lafayette listened intently, and speculated as to whether there was a grain of truth in this sad tale, but the old storyteller was non-commital, presently falling off the log on which he was sat, and fortunately landing on his bedroll.

The talk lasted late into the night, but the party eventually succumbed to sleep. When they awoke the next morning the old man was gone, leaving very obvious tracks back further into the forest. Lafayette's suspicions were immediately aroused, and he began to track the old storyteller into the trees. Garf was busily watching him go, when very suddenly he received a blow to the back of his (already injured) head! With a flash, three figures leapt upon the unsuspecting Garf, Brad, and Lafayettes dog. A brutal fight ensued - the cleric focussed all his energy on the tip of his mace and breathed a spell of light into it - the whole area was illuminated with divine light as Garf swang the glowing mace at the bodies of their attackers. Brad quickly hefted his waraxe and leapt into the fray.

Some ways back in the woods, Lafayette abandoned looking for the disappeared old man when he heard the commotion back at the camp. He raced through the trees, his footfalls almost silent in the padding of snow that still lay thickly on the forest floor. Raising his arm, he hurled one of his tomohawks into the fray, narrowly missing the surprised Garf, then grabbed one of the attackers around the throat, wrestling him to the floor. The encounter was short, but bloody. It was quickly determined by the adventurerers that their assailants were of the same order of monks that attacked them all the way back at the tomb of Sir Arthur in Weddenvale. Two of the attackers were quickly dispatched, but a third was able to survive. Whilst trying to make an escape, Garf man handled him to the ground and Lafayette was able to get bindings around his neck. The monk said nothing, merely made a gesture towards his pocket. Quick as a flash, a vial of dark green liquid was in his hand, and with a quick movement the monk had taken the liquid.

Garf tried his best to save the life of the monk, but it was to no avail. The poison had an immediate effect. It was at this point that the old man, Garath, reappeared from the woods. "In the name of Kord, where have you been!", cursed Lafayette. Garath stared open mouthed at the carnage in the camp, and almost dropped the bundle of firewood he was carrying. Lafayette cursed again and set about removing the head of one of the dead monks. Garf was almost apoplectic at this mistreatment of the dead, and a compromise was reached. One head on a pole, the other two with a decent burial.

The party gathered their things together, and with Garath in tow set off again towards the palace of Lord Blenheim. The mood was as glum as the snow laden clouds that threatened again overhead, as Lafayette muttered half to himself, "Somebody knows we are coming".

[GAME] The Long Journey Begins

Mid-morning, and the snow once again fell softly around them as the two adventurers made their way back to Weddenvale for their supplies. The five day hike ahead of them to Lord Blenheims' palace had caught them under-prepared, and they needed to stock up. Garf made his way to the blacksmith, but found little to help out there, finding instead that the leatherworker had a good supply of tents and bags for the journey. Lafayette tried unsuccessfully to hire a known felon from the prison, the guards naturally not wishing to release criminals back into the general populace. The guard pointed him to the Merchant Adventurers Hall, where Lafayette found two people lounging outside looking for work. Lafayette walked straight up to the larger of the two and punched him squarely on the nose. In a flash, the man had pulled his sword and levelled it directly at Lafayette's throat. "You're hired", was all the ranger said. Brad, for 'twas his name, looked blankly for a moment, then laughed uproariously and clapped Lafayette firmly on the shoulder. "I like your style!", was all he said, and the companions had added a third to their number. Lafayette unceremoniously then punched the other man in the face, who fell in a crumpled heap to the floor. Unsurprisingly, that fellow received no job that day.

Garf, Lafayette and Brad then convened at Bartholemews house and checked in with the old Dwarf that the armour of Arthur was still stowed away safely in his basement. Bartholemew confirmed that it was, and offered the adventurers lunch before they set off. All readily agreed and ate their fill, then with the Dwarf waving at the door, they began their five day trek.

As they passed out of town, they couldn't help feeling a certain atmosphere to Weddenvale that had not been there before. Neither of them chose to question a local about it though, so they passed unawares out into the surrounding countryside. As the afternoon wore on, the snow began to fall thicker covering their tracks on the road nicely, although all three companions shifted uneasily in their seats as the sound of wolves in the countryside nearby continued to reach their ears periodically. Presently, conversation turned to religious matters and Garf was stunned to discover that they had in common a mutual friend in Abbot Kempo of Waterdeep. It turned out that Lafayette had fought at the Abbott's side in the Siege of Waterdeep and Garf had enjoyed some tutelage at the monastery from the aging cleric. A common friend strengthened the blossoming friendship between the two unlikely companions, and as the afternoon wore on they discovered that they had more in common than at first thought. Brad travelled several metres back covering the rear of the party, and despite his insistences as the afternoon wore on and the sun started to set, no camp was set for the night until well after darkfall.

Despite the freezing cold and the pitch darkness, the camp was set for the night and the fire soon roaring with their evening meal cooking. After some quiet dinner conversation, Brad offered to take the first watch, and settled down some yards from the camp (within the confines of Lafayette's hastily erected defenses) to take his turn. After four uneventful hours, and with the fire now well and truly dying, he awoke Lafayette to take his watch. Lafayette refused to get up, and instead told Brad to go kick the cleric, a duty to which he duly obliged. As Garf took his watch, his keen senses heard a rustling on the outskirts of the camp. Coming alert and hefting his mace, he quietly woke the others again, and all three took up arms against the night. Within moments, a bell rang on the camp perimeter and all three spun to see two cold blue eyes staring back at them through the darkness. The fire lay dying as the creature made its attack, leaping at Lafayette! The ranger grappled the creature, and started a vicious fight with it. Garf swung his crossbow around and quickly loaded a bolt - his aim was wild and he narrowly avoided striking his companion Without warning, something large suddenly struck Garf in the back, sending him crashing to the ground, and within an instant the animal was almost upon him. Desperate, Garf cried out to Kord, and his deity duly obliged as a deafening burst stunned the creatures attacking them. As their eyes became accustomed it was obvious they were under attack from two winter wolves. "If only we'd kept the fire going!", muttered Garf as the two wolves tried to shake the deafening burst from their heads.

Suddenly, one of the wolves opened his mouth wide and breathed cold all over Garf, who knew a magical touch when he felt it. Freezing and stunned, he was helpless when the wolf sunk it's giant fangs into him. The creature could not get a good purchase through Garf's armour and was presently wrestled from his prey by Brad who was enraged and hacking and slashing with his battleaxe as hard as he could in the direction of the deadly creature. Lafayette finished off the wolf he was wrestling and threw his tomahawk at the wolf, burying the hatchet in the animals shoulder. Dazed, and moving poorly the wolf leapt at Lafayette, leaving Garf (now unconscious) to his fate. Between them, Brad and Lafayette subdued and killed the second creature, then breathing heavily set about patching up Garf's wounds. Though unconscious, Garf was saved from an almost certain death by the moderate healing skill administered by Lafayette.

All three companions, plus Lafayette's dog, laid back on the ground breathing heavily, and looked up at the dark snow laden skies. They had been lucky to escape, even considering Garf's injuries. A little voice somewhere in the back of Lafayette's mind suggested he make a mental note to ensure the fire is kept stoked at all times during the night in future...

[GAME] A narrow escape, and an angry dwarf

The sound of steel on bone still ringing in their ears, the two adventurers considered their next move. Though the skittering, cracking noises from across the blackened courtyard were no longer audible, tension hung in the air like a millstone. Both men breathed heavily as they tried to silently pick there way through years of decay and rubble back out the way they had entered the castle. More than once Garf looked back over his shoulder thinking he heard something, but Lafayette just looked resolutely forward trying to pick out the half broken wall over which they had climbed, and which would now become their means of escape.

After several minutes of searching, they located their route and clambered over into the adjoining gardens as quietly as they could. The gloom seemed to lift somewhat as they made their way through the foliage back towards the town. On occasion, Lafayette considered heading back up the sewer they had come out of with Leah the previous night, but thought twice. They were in no state to be caught unawares by the evil Cleric's nefarious minions twice in one night. On the way they summarised all they had learned since arriving in Weddenvale, taking stock of the situation. The, now obviously evil, Cleric that had usurped Garf's job. Lafayette's plan to retrieve the armour of Arhtur, First Lord of Weddenvale, that he now carried on his back. The mysterious and sudden disappearance of Leah, their newest travelling companion. Lafayette thought back mournfully to his old hound, Rover, that had been killed by the town guards back at the docks on his first night in Alesia.

The lights of Weddenvale drew them home. Lafayette snorted. Home, right. He had had nowhere to call his own home for so many years he could not remember. With a sidelong glance he appraised his unlikely travelling partner, as the cleric Garf hefted the weight of his mace from one shoulder to the other. Not a bad man to have around in a fight, thought Lafayette quietly to himself - despite an inauspicious beginning on the beach. Before long they arrived at the gates of Weddenvale, but were met with resistance when trying to enter. "We don't lets no-one in this time o'night, now be on yer way!", came the gaurds reply to Garf's request to enter. Curiously, after a couple of flicks of his fingers, the guard was in the next moment opening the door and letting them in. Hmm, thought Lafayette, definitely not a bad guy to keep around.

They two hunted for somewhere to sleep the night for some time, but all boarding houses and taverns had been closed up against the biting cold for the night. Suddenly Garf had a wave in his brain. "Bartholemew!", he uttered. Lafayette looked at him quizically, offering him a chance to explain. "He's a dwarf that lives nearby. Put me up the other night, decent sort. My nostrils are icing over here, we need to get out of this cold". Lafayette hesitated, not wishing to entrust himself into the house of some dwarf he didn't know. Eventually he was persuaded and the two of them trudged off to Bartholemews house through the ever growing snowstorm around them

They knocked several times, but still there was no answer. Eventually Lafayette lost patience and stoved the door in with his mace. Stepping over the now disintegrated doorframe his face connected squarely with the stout fist of a rather angry dwarf. "Get ye oot a ma hoose ye theif!" shouted Bartholemew as he raised his fist to pummel Lafayette some more. "Bart! Bart! Its me, Garf!", shouted Garf as Bartholemew tonked Lafayette another plumper on the side of the temple. Eventually Bartholemew came to his senses and recognised the young cleric from a few nights back. "Ye could have jist knocked, laddie!" He said as his face spread into a grin. Together they took some food and ale, before Lafayette hit upon the bright idea of hiding Arthur's armour in the basement of Bartholemew's house. The dwarf was reluctant at first, but Lafayette managed to sway him with the promise that they could go beat up Elves together when this was all over. Bartholemew laughed as he took the armour, but then the sound stuck in his throat. He regarded the pieces he was holding suddenly with a look of almost religious significance on his face. "Mithril laddie! This is made of mithril!", both Lafayette and Garf looked stunned at the armour, as realisation dawned on Bartholemew's face as to where the fine armour had come from. After more persuasion by Lafayette, Bartholemew reluctantly stowed the armour away safely.

The next morning Bartholemew bid the two adventurers farewell as they set out in search of horses in town. The purchase was easy, and soon they were on their way towards the house of the missing Patriarch of Weddenvale. They hadn't gone an hours journey when Lafayette suddenly turned to Garf. "I need to buy a dog", he said. Garf just looked at him. "A dog? Don't you think we have more pressing concerns? Like finding this official, stopping the dastardly villain, and finding out what happened at the silver mines?". Lafayette shook his head. "I miss my dog, and need another. I am not taking one more step forward until I have one". Garf sighed, and they adventurers turned to head back to town, in search of canine company.