The hapless and bold adventurers go searching for fame, glory. Along a country track two humanoids can be seen arguing, one halfling by the name of Bombur is complaining about where the next meal is coming from, to his long suffering travelling companion Brighide, a fighter, not of particular note. The sky blackens and a thunderous roar is heard over head. If they did look up instead of diving into a ditch, they would have seen an Alleancren Bird of Prey, the pride of Alleancre’s Spell Jamming Navy, patrolling the Karameikan skies. Alas our luckless adventures had other things to worry about, as they were over come by Bandits and lapse into unconsciousness.
Enter the evil Helena Meiglas, a human Thyatian, all she wants is to see her beloved Thyatis claim its rightful status in Mystara. Like most ladies she does not like getting her hands dirty, and a Thyatian operating in Karameikos would cause too many political problems since Stephan Karameikos from Thyatis decided to take the Grand Duchy and annex it from Thyatis during the Desert Master War.
The two luckless Adventurers are dragged before the Lady Helena. As Brighide prepares an insult the Lady Helena looks at them with contempt and utters one word "PAIN" and both Brighide and Bombur’s world becomes a sea of pain.
Many years ago the ruler of Ylarium, a desert country to the north of Karameikos decided that his little sand box was not big enough and started a little war. Nephren-Ka or more famously known as the Desert Master invented a device called a Slave Collar. Once put on a prisoner it allowed complete obedience and induced pain if the master desired. The Desert Master War was long and bloody, but that is another story for another time.
All the Lady Helena wanted was a magical artifact called a Nemesis rod, and Brighide and Bombur were the perfect couple to acquire the item for her. A reliable source of information had informed her that a group of smugglers were bringing a stolen one ashore. So she sent them off with two of her personal slaves Kelli, and Tela to bring the item back to her, as the Crimson Dawn had a use for it. karameikos would suffer for what they did to Thyatis during the war.
The sky is over cast as the group arrives at the coastal town of Kirvar, believed to be a smugglers haven. The party’s spirits are lifted only slightly at the site of the King’s Arms Inn, the prospect of getting a warm bed and more importantly for Bombur a middle afternoon pre afternoon meal snack. As she is prone to do Brighide complained about the establishment and tries to haggle down to the last copper piece with the innkeeper for food and lodgings.
Fallyn swaggered down the stairs after a rather tiring but interesting evening with the inn keeper’s daughter. He halts at the entrance to the bar, his heart missing a beat as he sees the woman who broke his heart all those years ago, the Lady Tela. Their eyes meet across the smoke filled room.
"At last someone who can remove this cursed slave collar " thinks Tela
Of course after introducing Fallyn to the rest of the group, she did thank him quite a lot that night.
Up bright and early the following day, without getting much information about the coast from the innkeeper, the party finally arrives at some caves. The smuggler's caves were dark and smelt of damp and cheap Glantian brandy. The guards were soon over come. Brighide even adopted a good looking one as a pet, ensuring his obedience she swiftly put her old slave collar on him.
It was a plain wooden box, lead lined, but the prize inside could cause the destruction of a small city. Once opened it revealed a sinister black rod approximately 7 foot long, the light seemed to be sucked into the thing, the runes on its surface shifting with each blink. It was not evil; it was only a tool, a tool invented by the Alleancre’s during the last war when the Gatherer’s took their part in the war. A tool that could eliminate everything within a 2 mile radius, all that was needed was the key.
The shadows in the cave shifted, one of the captured smugglers extended its insectoid razor sharp limbs, the humanoid shape it had taken no longer necessary. The party’s first sighting of a Gatherer, Alpha class, a singular warrior sent to guard the rod. It stood 5 foot tall, resembling an ant standing on its back legs the top two limbs like spears preparing to strike.
Battle started but a single warrior, no matter how skilled, is no match for back stabbing thieves and spell casters. In defiance its last act upon death was to release all its energy in one explosion. The party heavily wounded returned to the town to rest and ponder their destiny.
The innkeeper eagerly awaited their return, with most of the town on his side, he could easily retrieve what was rightfully his. He had worked many a year to set himself up as the fence master for the Minrothadian smugglers, and he was not going to allow some upstart adventurers eat into his profits. Brighide spotted the mood change immediately, her naturally suspicious mind, distrust and hating everything did not fail her this time. She urged the group to temporarily borrow a milk cart. She helped Bombur load the Nemesis rod onto the cart. Tela took the reins, and with a crack of whip the horses set off at a gallop. Fallyn stood dramatically on the cart his hair sweeping behind him in the wind, jeered at the townsmen as they quickly left the town. This did nothing to sooth the murderous emotions the townsmen were feeling towards the party, as horses were mounted.
The townsmen not laden down by carts, milk, people and Nemesis rod, soon caught up with the heavily laden cart. Bombur used all his strength to kick off one of the milk urns, the urn rolled, bounced a few times and neatly collided with a horse, sending its rider flying into a ditch. Brighide strung her bow and managed to fell a few more riders. Fallyn stood ready to attack the townsman that had managed to ride up along side the cart. With a thrust of his rapier the townsman went screaming to his death, but not before his horse collided with the cart. Tela tried to keep the cart steady, but alas she as a mage not a milkmaid, the cart hit a bump in the road and overturned.
All seemed lost, but the party somewhat shaken stood their ground and challenged the smugglers, they were somewhat surprised when the smugglers turned and fled. Only Bombur had the wisdom to glance behind him, as Brighide looted the dead townsmen, and saw the approaching troop of knights in full plate armor carrying the crest of the Black Eagle Baron Ludwig Von Hendriks, and so the party became the honored guests of the Baron.
At the Black Eagles Baron’s mainly ruined castle Bombur though about how wonderful dungeons were, the second he had seen in as many days, but at least he was not slave collared this time. Fallyn was not much company so Bombur decided to chat to the rats instead, such simple creatures all they ever seemed to want was food, shelter and make babies. Bombur was willing to find food for them if they would distract the guards. As the guys explored the dungeons after the guards were distracted and dealt with, the ladies had other problems.
The Baron’s weakness red heads, even though Brighide had tried to sell out her companion Tela to the knights, she could not hide the fact that although baths were a rare and strange idea to her, she was still a red head. Tela and Brighide, now in Ylari dancing girl outfits, that left little to the imagination, lounged on cushions awaiting their fate.
It was a good day for the Baron, he had a Nemesis rod, and the key, and what was so funny, that little halfling had the key as a necklace round his neck not knowing what it was. It was in this joyous mood he entered his harem quarters to sample his new red heads.
Gabrielle Von Hendriks was beginning to find her father’s manner a tad tiresome, ever since he sided with the Desert Master during the war nearly losing everything, and his obsession red haired ladies was getting a bit weary and his insanity was not good for ones health. These thoughts crossed her mind as she quite accidentally opened the lead lined box that contained the Nemesis rod. It was time to remove her father and the Alleancrens were so much better equipped to deal with this small task than she was. She smiled to herself as she knew it would only be a matter of hours before an Alleancren Bird of Prey patrol would pick up the magical emanations from the stolen rod and come to claim their property. She entered the harem just before her father was getting down to business to inform him that some prisoners had apparently escaped. The Baron stormed out the room cursing all Halflings and Half elves. Gabrielle smiled and gestured to Tela and Brighide to follow her.
Fallyn had just finished hit another guard they had encountered over the head with a chair leg when the building around him was rocked by an explosion from above. As fast as his little legs could carry him Bombur went of to investigate, Fallyn having no other option or more importantly way out of the dungeon followed the suicidal Halfling, stopping only briefly to pick up the fallen guard’s short sword, it was not a rapier, but would have to do.
With the help of Gabrielle the group quickly located their cart, still loaded with the Nemesis rod. Fleeing from the Baron’s men and avoiding the Arial attacks from the Alleancrens was an adventure in itself but Lady Luck was on their side and Petra the Goddess of hearth, home and defense did not want the baron to destroy Cairo this day. The Baron wish was to destroy Cairo the new capital city of Karameikos. The old capital Specularum lay in ruins after the Desert Master war. Stephan Karameikos wanted the old capital to be left as a reminder to what war can bring, and as a monument to the brave people that died for Karameikos. Cairo was built to show the new strength of Karameikos. To the baron the destruction of Cairo and the annihilation of the royal family would ensure that Karameikos would be his Baron Ludwig Von Hendriks domain.
Helena lay in waiting, her plan to retrieve the rod was not going as planned. Why was she surrounded by incompetent fools. Well if one wants something doing one has to do it oneself, and the Alleancrens turning up did not help matters. She checked with the pilot of her wasp class air ship that is was ready to flee at a moments notice. Cassandra the Drow pilot waited ready and patiently for the orders of her superior.