Kestra was distraught and neither sleep nor endless practice would calm her. She accepted Bronwyn’s decision, and even understood her reasons; but she didn’t expect Rowe’s reaction - at least towards her. Despite that, Kestra didn’t hold any ill will toward him or her; yet she didn’t know if she would be staying with her friends or leaving. If they all felt as Rowe did (even her cousin Lucan expressed his disappointment), then she would be forced to depart. Something she didn’t want to do.

To honor Bronwyn, Kestra couldn’t let things simply go sour. She had made some good friends and they had done many good deeds together. By Torne’s will she had gained both important life lessons and achieved a measure of the fame she so craved. She would not let the freedom dearly bought by Bronwyn to go to waste. By Bronwyn’s example she hoped to enjoy and cherish life and freedom more than even before. She hoped to do so with her close friends around her. Rowe, who was most angry at her, was the key. Should he wish her to stay, she would, and by his understanding of what happened that last day of the Crucible perhaps the others would grant her a measure of undrestanding as well. more…

Rowe haunted the maze of hallways that connected the temple’s quarters, meeting rooms, audience chambers, meditation rooms, and game rooms all day since leaving the balcony overlooking the gardens. He couldn’t get Bronwyn’s sacrifice and his friends’ silence on what she’d told them out of his mind. Eventually he began to see things as they were now, however. He couldn’t change what she’d done, and he couldn’t change the decisions that had been made about him but against his will. What he *could* do something about was what still remained of the future.

The first thing he realized was that he was not the only one that had been hurt by the loss of a loved one. Early that day, he’d spoken with his father and told him the truth. Sir Kanderus was a knight of the realm of Arcasia, entrusted with enforcing the peace and the king’s law in the conquered provinces of Riall. That included Carn and the surrounding land. more…

The grim-faced cleric had returned from his journey to his father’s home that morning. His emotions were stretched tight in a painful knot over what Bronwyn had done. The fact that his friends had let it happen felt like a twist of the knife that had already been slammed in his gut.

He’d read the letter she’d left for him at last when he was alone in his room at the temple. He didn’t know how he knew where he was going as he strode swiftly up corridors and empty stairways in the temple of Torn. His mind was wholly on what she had told him.
more…

Rowe discovered that Naya was romantically seeing Valerian, Crown Prince of Arcasia! He also knows Bronwyn is up to something she refuses to discuss with him. Rowe decided to go to bed. He had a lot of studies to work on and some potions to brew.

Kestra and Bronwyn returned and joined Naya. They talked about sex and baths in tubs.

We fought a carrion crawler but defeated it. Next round we faced off against 4 sword wraiths and an immolith. This was a long, hard battle and we barely won.  We then fought basilisks, angels of valor and spider-men demons. Suulwyn was badly injured in this fight, as well as Sirelia. Then we fought a bunch of fire creatures such as salamanders. more…

After practice, Kestra decided to find Bronwyn and seek her advice.

“What’s up?” Bronwyn asked as the Fae approached her.

Kestra answered, “Hi Bronwyn, I wanted to see how you are doing and was looking to get your advice. About how to handle some things I really don’t have much experience in.

One delicate eyebrow raised as Kestra spoke.Not much was delicate about Bronwyn, but she does have her ladylike charm when she applied herself. “You need my advice? Oh do tell.” She patted the ground next to her motioning for Kestra to sit next to her. more…

A quick list of PCs and their associates:

Bronwyn (GM run) — a wily female human ranger who wields a pair of swords who seeks magic cards, part of her family tradition. She is Rowe’s long-time best friend.
Rowe (Dustin) — a huge male human cleric with a heart as big as he is, who isn’t afraid to reforge his enemies with his two massive warhammer. He seeks out a beautiful woman of his dreams (waking and not) that he believes was named Tristen hundreds of years ago and seems willing to do anything, undergo any trial to find her. In the lifetime he last knew Tristen, he was a man named Rowyn.
Lucan (Joel) — a sharp-eyed male elven ranger who specializes in the use of a bow — which he demonstrates to our foes with persistent, devastating effect. He is cousin to Kestra and in a previous life was sister to Liandra. In that life, he was a female named Jara.
Kestra (Ed) — a quick female rogue deadly with dagger or rapier who has unfortunately been captured by slavers. However, she has been reunited with our team for the duration of the Crucible tournament and her freedom promised — should we survive! In a previous life in which she knew her current companions, she was a male named Shivan who held a close friendship “with perks” with a woman named Liandra.
Naya (Ryan) — a tough female drakkis fighter that’s not only tough enough to lead our front lines, but bold enough to claim the crown prince of Arcasia as a boyfriend! In a previous life, Naya was called Hayden, loyal companions (and in love with) the woman named Evayne — the previous incarnation of the crown prince of Arcasia, Valerian!
Suulwyn (Curtis) — A powerful male eladrin wizard who, while fearsome on the battlefield is weak in social battles. This wizard, in an attempt to prove Rowe wrong (the cleric had wondered aloud why the team wanted to charge in and destroy goblins in one scene instead of simply talk with them), opened what he thought would be a failed negotiation with one of the goblins. To his chagrin, it worked out to be wildly successful! This netted him not just a follower, but a goblin who was blessed to become an eladrin paladin who will faithfully follow him anywhere! In a previous life in which he knew the others of his current troupe, he was a wily female rogue named Liandra.

Which brings us to Sirelia who was seemed to be merely a goblin but who then metamorphosed into this lovely and loyal paladin defender!

Lastly, there is faithful Shanks, a being who really is a goblin and nothing more, but who was brought to Suulwyn by Sirelia and remains as loyal as his payment!

Average party level is 10.

Where Kestra, still forced to wear a slave collar that can induce pleasure or pain at the collar master’s whim or if she disobeys, finds Rowe at a bar after their first day of fighting in the Crucible contest.

This conversation occurs after Session 4.

At the house prepared by Kestra’s so-called master (buzzzz, crackle, pain…), or more accurately the sponsor of the team; Kestra, who had returned that evening after the first fight, sought out Rowe.

Once he had realized he was a priest of Torne, Kestra had been one of the first to openly follow him. As good or bad as the events were, they had a reason behind them. Torne had a reason for the spate of ill luck Kestra had suffered, she understood that now. She had even begun cooperating with the ’sponsor’ istead of defying him constantly, at least so far this evening. But she had questions about this, and an earlier dream that still was strong in her thoughts. more…

Sylvana
Goddess of War
Unaligned Manifested God
Description: Depicted sometimes as a warrior woman, other times as a raven or crow, picking over the corpses of the battlefield. To Arcasian thinking, war is unpleasant, sometimes horrific, but often necessary. She is respected and venerated in hopes she will ensure your casualties are few and your enemy’s casualties are many.

Polyssah
Goddess of Cities
Lawful Good Manifested God
Description: Sister to Nyssah, she is thought to be the inspiration and bringer of civilization. Her sister Nyssah, helps makes cities possible through agriculture. more…

 Jack_of_Tears on November 18th, 2008, 6:15 pm

Mythology of how the gods came to be: In the beginning there were two primordial gods, Soleria, the godess of light and Nox, the god of the darkness. Both of these gods lived in harmony in the ether of space with dominion over their respective spheres of influence. In time Soleria made the sun as a reflection of her power and energy. Not to be outdone Nox formed the earth as a physical representation of his domain.

The energies that Nox used to make the earth unexpectedly gave rise to sentient entities. In this process emerged Gath, Cirrus, Phlegothon, Nemonon, and Menos the gods of earth, wind, fire, water and magic respectively. They would in time become primordial deities themselves, known as the elemental gods, but in essence they were created by Nox. Nox was pleased at his creations as was Soleria. Both of them began to experiment with creating life in other forms. Nox allowed Soleria to use the earth as well since the sun bore too much energy for any being other than a god to live. more…

Kestra, after having to report to the master of her collar, returned later and had a conversation with Rowe at a nearby bar. They discussed her situation, visions, and the party’s new patron. Kestra didn’t know the master of the collar’s name, but Rowe decided he wanted to meet their patron. Although Kestra was unsure how to go about it, they went to see if Rowe could meet with him.

Bronwyn joined us as well as Lucan. Together we went to find our patron. We met Tobias, a go-to man for the patron. Rowe told him he wanted to see the patron and that the team’s continuing to participate in the Crucible was contingent upon meeting him. Bronwyn was very angry at that.

Meanwhile, Naya has been missing, away with a mysterious gentleman named Val. The next morning she described him to Rowe. He is likely to have been Evayne in a past life.

more…