Related Information to Zudguard's Dungeons & Dragons 5e Main RPG

Zudguard's Dungeons & Dragons 5e Main RPG

Zudguard's Dungeons & Dragons 5e Main Role-playing Game

To create a Character or ask Questions: Zudguard's Dungeons & Dragons 5e Create Characters & Rules

Note: Make sure to use the Role-playing Game Etiquette when participating in the Main Role-playing Game Thread.

For my first play by post I shall keep it simple. This is where all game play goes. Discussion between characters (In game), actions taken and the like. Please with hold from posting here until the 21st of Sept, when I will kick things off with an initial scene for everyone.

Some more General information to read over for now.

As you might know, the current Emperor of these lands is: The Mad Emperor Marcus Sestius Fadus. He is a Half elf, from a long line of half elves, or the Sestius Family.

Over a mellennia ago, three beings, made a pact between their tribes to work together in harmony for the betterment of them all. While their names have been lost to the shadows of time we know that Sestius, was the name of the leader of this trio, two Elves and a Human.

Putting aside their racial differences they recognized the advantages of their half breeds, an extended lifespan of the elves, and the push, or the drive to expand/develop rapidly of the humans. Utilizing this, two from the Trio created the initial bloodline, and the legacy of the Sestius family. They settled in a basin, or almost a caldera, with only easy access from the south. The two tribes proceeded to flourish, well protected from most directions while exploiting the almost untouched riches of what was later to be called Aerocion.

As the centuries passed, what was a small kingdom enveloped the entire basin and pushed outwards, absorbing the surrounding lands as the warlike nature of the humans took it, and then the wiser s aspect of the Elves developed and tended the lands. The Royal family became more and more secluded and wary of who they added to the family. As a result inbreeding eventually took place over the centuries. While it took longer for the generations to develop the typical traits of inbreeding it still happened. The odd Emperor was canny, or politically astute, enough to choose perfect additions to the royal family, however this only forestalled the inevitable. The result being the Mad Emperor: Marcus Sestius Fadus. As mad leaders go, he is on the mild side. Something his quality advisers can work around and still present a competent leader to the people. At this time, the blood of the royal line is almost sacrosanct, therefore removing him has not been even thought of… up until now....

RPG Main e Dragons and Dungeons Zudguards

Act 1: The Pledge.

Welcome, Alexi, Brennic, and Rhovador to the lands of Aerocion.

(This applies to all of you)

“Death follows me, I know it is there. Must….. Not let it find me, the line needs to continue, ill as I am.”
You are following a man, or…..are you the man? He is striding down a deserted corridor, small lanterns casting pools of light, failing to light up the vast hallway. His steps are confidant, he knows where he is going, but your mind is in a jumble. You fear to look behind you, the darkness providing ample ammunition to your fevered imagination, as you search for the right door……
“Number six, number seven,” your breath gets pulled up suddenly, then you continue, “number nine, number ten,” as you reach the door with the XI (Or 11) marked upon it you struggle to draw breath and collapse on the ground.
“NO!” you cry. Crawling forward, “num...ber….. Thirteen!”
Feeling a chill touch creep up your body you haul yourself back towards door XI.
“Must….not…. Let…...” In a fit of movement you yank out a potion, not having the finesse or dexterity you slam the lid against the wall and chug the contents, cutting your lip as you do so on the broken potion vial. Pushing the door outwards, it opens, and the chill takes your body.

You fall…… your mind spinning off into the blackness.

You wake up. Soaked in sweat and shaking. You haven't died before, but this must be what death feels like. The dream, or should I say nightmare, has been inhabiting your sleep on and off now for several weeks, always the same, doors, the counting, and the chill. Thinking you would get used to it you ignored it at first, however the falling at the end is impossible to get used to, the fear of not knowing has gnawed at each of you, sapping your will and vitality until all the peace you have left is during your waking hours.

Fearing to go to sleep has indeed led to some sleepless nights. You each are exhausted, [you each now have one level of exhaustion], as you try to find a cure or a balm to soothe your nights.

Consulting with the magi, or the clerics have each told you fairly similar things, (Apart from the hedge-wizards, those folk cannot be trusted to light their pipes with magic, let alone deal with a mystical nightmare) the heartlands of Aerocion might be the answer, as they have had little success with their limited powers to discern the cause, or even a cure for, your affliction. The heartlands, or the Basin, where Aerocion was founded, millennia ago. Perhaps the wizards or clerics in their prestigious Academies might know more?

Traveling for weeks, you each, start having these dreams less and less frequently. Starting to feel better your spirits soar as you spy the town of Oharius, off in the distance. The fortress town marking the boundary between True Aerocion and it's acquired lands. True civilization! Nothing quite like it.

Bedding down for your last night of sleeping rough, you relax, to your mistake. The nightmare returns, ravaging your will once more. Waking in the early hours of the morning you totter down the road, rather than continue trying to sleep, and into Oharius. Finding the nearest Tavern, (The Unnatural Rose Inn), you slam open the door and collapse at the nearest table. Desperate for a fine cooked meal.

[Just as a quick clarification of a couple of things, I will be using things like square brackets [] for out of story adjustments when appropriate, just like I did for your one level of exhaustion. This still applies by the way. But if I am not writing a post with lots of in story content, such as combat, the squarer brackets shall be discarded. Also you don't each arrive at Oharius the same morning, think spread out over a week at the most perhaps.]

As you each recuperate at the Inn, your presence becomes standard in the mess room in the early hours of the morning(Due to your nightmares), and thus you notice when another enters at this ungodly hour. [unless anyone has any objection the first to post is the first to arrive, and so on]

Zudguard's Dungeons & Dragons 5e Main RPG Archive Pathfinder / D&D

The Repentant Soldier says...

Alexi sits at the table of the inn nursing a mug of ale and rubbing his temples trying to get the images of the nightmare to fade away. When the nightmares first began they were a welcome change to his usual restless dreams which included images of his victims amidst images of battle and. Fire and bloodshed. As the nightmare persisted, however, and drove out all other dreams along with all hope of a dreamless sleep, it began to wear on him.

He sits with both hands clasping the mug, head bowed, his mind struggling to come to terms with the meaning of the dreams. The past few days Alexi has been in the common room long before the sun rises doing his best not to return to the land of dreams and nightmares; unsure of what to do next or where to go. Fighting sleep until exhaustion finally overtakes him each night, there have been days (This one included) in which he simply fell asleep at the table, a mug of ale in his hand in a desperate and ultimately unsuccessful attempt to drown out the nightmares.

RPG Main e Dragons and Dungeons Zudguards

The barkeep (You know him only as Remus by now) always rises early to tend to his bakery, and now to Alexi who he can see is obviously troubled. Shuffling over after his Alexi's eyes finally close, he gently takes the mug from your hands and places it on the table. Taking a cloak off his shoulder he shrouds you in it. Hearing his door open as he straightens, he turns to greet his next customer.

[Referring to the next player character who comes through the door]
"The name's Remus, and this is my Inn, the Unnatural Rose Inn, or the Rose Inn for shor..." His voice trails off. "By Ilmater's suffering! you look horrible! Nearly as bad as this one here" Waving his hand back to the comatose Alexi, "Sit down sit down, I'll bring you something soothing."

The Innkeep bustles off in search of the right drink.

RPG Main e Dragons and Dungeons Zudguards

Rhovador enters and:
[If I know Alexi] sits opposite him at the same table.
[If I don't know Alexi] sits at an empty table.

Zudguard's Dungeons & Dragons 5e Main RPG

As Rhovador stumbles in he sees Remus prattling away. The words pass him by and it is all he can do to take a seat. However he does notice a crumpled figure at the table behind the inn-keep and it sparks something in him. The weary face, the slouching stance...the troubled sleep. Something tells you that this human has been through something similar to you.

Rhovador collapses into a chair opposite this fitfully slumbering human.

"Here we go, I heated it up just for you. My finest honey mead, now drink it slow, it will warm you and calm you down. Oh dear me, what a pair we have here! [I am taking a small liberty here Alexi, but I think it would have happened] His name is Alexi, you should introduce yourself when he wakes up. He came in a couple of nights ago, just like you. Practically living down here rather than his room."

"I'll bring out some breakfast as soon as my bread finishes." Remus bustles off, busy with his baking once more.

Zudguard's Dungeons & Dragons 5e Main RPG

The Repentant Soldier says...

The nightmare began almost immediately as Alexi's head fell to the table. He stirs in his chair occasionally throughout the morning muttering; mostly incoherent, but some phrases come across more clearly "No!" He moans "Thir...thirteen" Sweat begins to form on his brow "Mhlnd..elef..."

When he does awaken, Alexi's eyes spring open and he twitches in his chair. Wiping the sweat from his brow he slowly sits up and looks around. As the blurring of his vision slowly fades his eyes flicker and fall on Rhovador. He jumps slightly in surprise at finding an elf, or anyone really, sitting across from him at this hour.

Reaching for his mug he finds only air and quickly realizes that it is no longer in front of him. Alexi's armor and weapon are in his room and as he sits in the chair his travel garb is obviously worn and dirty, hair disheveled and his eyes sport dark circles under them. The sight of Rhovador brings a memory to the forefront of his mind, his hands wrapped around the throat of a young elf man, or was he just a boy? It's hard to tell with elves. He remembers choking the life from elf feeling the bones in the neck beginning to crack under the pressure and the horrid garbling sound that the poor creature made as his life was snuffed out.

His hand goes to his face and his fingers dig into his eye sockets trying to rub the image out of his mind. He blinks "Sorry.." He says with a throaty phlegm filled voice which he tries to clear "Long night."

Out of Character: No problem with the liberties taken. Same here, begging forgiveness for any liberties I might take with my posts.

Zudguard's Dungeons & Dragons 5e Main RPG D&D / Pathfinder Archive

Brennic enters, his features covered in sweat as if running hard. He stumbles towards a table and notices the others.

"Does everyone have trouble sleeping?"

He looks at the barkeep.

"Do you have anything to aid me sleeping? And these fellows look like they need some too."