I have decided to see how difficult/fun this will be adding the Dragonborn to the region as probably the only one for 2000 miles.  I am ready to take the challenge despite how odd it might make this new campaign...

Nadarresh is 22 years old born just north of Tyr and southwest of Belivich to "Human" parents, his mother Mraja and father Aidan.  He has an older brother as well named Kell.  He and Kell have trained with their father, a soldier of 29 years since they were young and although it has only been four years that Nadarresh has worked with the caravan, serving as cook, scout and general errand master, he's been looking to seek out more of the excitement that he has heard quite often.  His father has always been a guard, serving in Westhold and also Hildebrand where he met Mraja.

The twice a season journey to Westhold with his father, who was a guard for the dwarven and human caravan, helped his brother to be a well seasoned fighter but Nadarresh, sitting close to the supply wagon did little more than watch his family and the dwarves fight off the few bandits, goblins and orcs known to the region.

More to come...

It had been three hours since he’d seen any more deer tracks or any tracks for that matter.  Five miles from the river and any known paths only meant he needed to move faster.  Nadarresh had learned to track from his mother but oddly made mistakes when it came to recalling all that she taught him.  Preparing small game and herbs in a stew were easy to him, exact, measured, manageable.  Knowing the types of tree to see which one a rabbit would likely stay near because the soil there is soft enough to dig but hard enough to keep its shape in the rains and the types of grass that deer like because so do the rabbits is important to know. Not knowing every rock outcropping and where exactly those trees, grass and deer are located made the whole process difficult.  Looking to the west and the rapidly falling sun, he spotted a large Conifer and made his way to it, deftly dodging the rocks and loose dirt to make his way to its base.  He scanned around quickly and realized it was in fact the sturdiest and tallest in the area and he began to climb.  Finally reaching about thirty-five feet in the air he braced himself with one hand and shading his eyes, looked north first and slowly rotating to his right searching the area stopping suddenly as he saw a column of smoke.  It was easily ten miles from here seeming to be on the upper ridges, just by the side of the mountains smooth southwestern face.

Two figures came into view suddenly, running quite carelessly along one of the ridge trails that wound closer to the south.  They were closer than the column of smoke by almost half the distance but still too far from this tree.  If not for the smooth, light colored limestone, he’d never have noticed the figures due to the distance.  Five more figures followed the first two, one closing so fast to what appeared to be a warrior.  A sword appeared, the sun flashed briefly on the blade, stopped the blow that would have taken it in the back or head.  The first figure kept moving but the remaining ones fell upon the second, ripping into his flesh with swords and one grabbed the figure and bit into his neck, not so much to injure but most likely to inspire yet more fear.  Nadarresh saw the first figure fall as well and then suddenly be lifted into the air and cast from a height of at least seventy feet.  Orcs!  He recognized two of them with a red and yellow paint that identified their clan.

Knowing he could do nothing, he looked further south and spotted three deer in a small clearing just five-hundred yards from where he was perched.  The anger burned in him, by Bahamut those people would have justice one day very soon.  The anger not subsiding, he focused again on the deer that quietly ate and he climbed down from the tree and slowly and cautiously made his way towards the clearing to finish first things first.  Stepping in this mountain forest it was easy to stay quiet as the rains had come the day before softening the twigs, grass and soil.  Sixty yards away and downwind of the deer, he steadied himself and let his arrow fly.  One inch to the left of his mark, but solidly piercing the deer, it took off as the others did but not as quickly or surefooted.  Nadarresh cursed as he knew his anger had gotten the better of him, breaking his concentration.  He kept his bow in hand but drew one of his longswords running flat out to try and catch up to the deer.  A wounded deer may not move far but it was still faster than he was and he had to kill it quickly so it would not suffer long.  A few direction changes and a large log ended the chase as he easily cleared the log and quickly slit the deer’s throat.

Quickly, he used some rope, tying the feet together, inspecting the arrow but finding it was useless now, having been broken in three places and further imbedded into the body.  He swung the deer over his shoulder after cleaning his blade and made his way back to the caravan’s campsite.

Less than an hour later, he arrived just as the first few fires had been started.  Placing the deer in the wagon, he heard a boy pleading for help, something about a drunk Ogre and a girl missing.  He was just about to start skinning the deer when he heard, “Nadarresh!!  Come forth and warm yourself by this fire."

Arendis had left the group heading to report back to Nerisella and the others still packing up getting ready for the journey to Brix. 

Nadarresh had been on his own before a few days at a time but always within a few dozen miles from home as the forests and mountains were all a part of where he lived.  Now, so far from home, with his father and brother nowhere near him to ask advice.  He was finding out that in truth he did not need them and had made solid decisions in the past few days that he never would have thought to make.  His companions had neither questioned him nor doubted him not that his family did but it was odd to have others count on him so completely.

He searched all around the lean-to and moved 300 paces in four directions , circling the old wizards tower, searching for signs of anything the Ogre Grim jack might have stashed any of the towers goods.  It was possible Grim Jack had not found anything in the tower of value, had already sold them and spent the gold or worse yet nothing had been found at all.  Still after all they had done to defeat the wizard, it only seemed right to be as thorough as possible.  What if some other evil object or blade was found by someone else who would not know how evil and deadly it might just be.  in truth he was having fun looking for even the possibility of something new or valuable that he and his new companions might be able to use against this odd new evil.

The area might be somewhere he could gather more supplies as well.  He had scrounged up plenty of food, well at least 3 days worth but if he could gather more food it would mean less money they would have to spend in town.  What if like the Sea of Grass there were no towns before they could find food?  He decided to do what he could to lessen that possibility and if he found something of value left behind...

((edited for clarity))

Finding nothing of interest in the ogres den was a disappointment though hardly surprising. The brute had done little more than steal food and ale from the villagers for years.  With the caravan days in the opposite direction Nadarresh decides he mine as well travel to Brix with the others, besides a new city means new adventure! It takes a couple days to get acclimated to the city still hes glad for the a fair nights sleep had at the inn, even if the bed is too small he cant hear those damn birds and that alone is worth the coin.

While wandering the the narrow streets near the north gate, Narrdaresh finds the inhabitants not as unfriendly as he may have expected, then again he could have sworn he saw a pair of goblins picking through the trash in an alley behind the inn. He is recognized almost immediately everywhere in the district he goes and he finds himself enjoying his celebrity. While his armor passes well for clothes he has be admonished several times for wearing a sword in public, It seems knives are ok and nobles seem to wear foils but apparently those rules dont apply to his kind. Well hes seen more than one barbarian get hauled in by the watch for carrying blades so maybe...bahh its to much to think about.

Narrdaresh hears music and steps inside an tavern. The fire seems to be stoked with some sort of fruit wood, adding a smoky haze to the room but filling it with the smell of Apples and Cinnamon. About 5 of the dozen tables are occupied, no one is paying the gnomish bard on stage much attention.

"Ah for our newest patron I will tell a tale from your father's days..." the crowd consisting of mostly humans continues its conversations.

" There was a great evil in the hills to the west..
Elves named her Var' Korathem
And though Brix sent her very best
There was no hope for them

The heroes fell one by one
foul humors ate their bones
while as she tended her evil brood
Fair Brix cowered in their homes

Var' Korathem's reign lasted a score of years
Her black wings clouded the sky
not a single caravan did she let pass by

The house paid her tribute
Still her greed could not be fulfilled
So the diabolic Var' Korathem, rule Brix from the hills

Then the great prince Mallory drew his silver sword
and challenged the black foul beast
Every harvest we celebrate with  prince Mallory's victorious feast."

While the song explains the the harvest feast day, it doesnt do much for the crowd. The gnome looks somewhat disappointed and tries his luck with bawdy drinking songs featuring a well endowed damsel named " Bruge Bitties"

Looking about the room again, past the Gnome and then back around, Nadarresh notices that few seem to be carrying any weapons, anything visible at least so heading towards a corner, he discreetly pulls his bedroll out, wraps it around his swords and cuts off a length of rope around it.  The lower end is tied tight but the upper end is looser so that he can open it to retrieve his weapons.  I anyone looked it would just seem a "normal" traveler with his bedroll hanging over his shoulder.  In truth it was much bigger but his large size and girth made it seem small to most everyone else.

Satisfied he blended in as best he could, he joined the rest in the tavern and went to the barkeep and dropping a silver piece down asks for some ale.  Scanning the room for one of his companions but realizing suddenly that he rose early this morning just after dawn and his friends would probably be asleep still.  he looked over the crowd again hoping to find a woodsman or someone familiar with the forests in hopes of starting a conversation about the crows in town.

Hopefully since they didn't shun him perhaps he might be able to speak to one of them...by Bahamut he hoped it would go well!

"So word is YOU killed a dragon!"

Kell greets him the snide tone that Nadarresh has come to view as brotherly affection though every onlooker immediately recognizes as condescension. Kell walks quickly across the tavern. He grips a rolled up parchment in his tightly clenched fist.

“I found this map of a lost mine in the dwarf’s things. I’m off to seek my fortune, I wont be shown up by you….I’ve hired some porters to help carry equipment. I’ve even got Belbec here to help identify the best stones!”

Nadarresh sees Kell motion to two men and a gnome. The men Nadarresh recognizes from the caravan the gnome looks to have led a rough life. He is missing his left hand  and a scar rakes across the right side of his face this is apparently Belbec. The gnome smiles anxiously.

“You’ll see who brings greater glory to our father’s name!” Kell laughs , “I hear the ‘dragon’ was the vast size of a housecat!” Kell used finger quotes to augment his smirk  when mentioning the dragon.

Looking around the tavern again Kell snarls, “Nice place, I guess your too important to stay in trader's inns now.”


Kell storms out before Nadarresh can say a word. Ah well….Brotherhood.

Tired from moving the Dragon upstairs, Nadarresh goes downstairs to get a drink from the inn keeper's son, who like many this day have been doing, smiling, some genuinely.  He nods and hoists his flagon of ale and takes a deeps drink.

"So word is YOU killed a dragon!"  the voice shouts!  He doesn't even have to ask who it is as it's the same voice that always breaks into a conversation during evening meals.  He nods and gives his brother a genuine smile but it is not returned, as always, since he had bested him in their last sparring match, three months ago.

Since then his brother who was always leading the way did something he had never done, not talked to him as his brother anymore, just as the "cook", errand "boy", or "slop master!", the last one his brother preferred most often.

Since they were young, Nadarresh being younger, knew how different he was but his family had always been loving and close to him, never doing anything different.  His brother would play fight and pick on him around the house within earshot of his parents in a good natured way but out of the house he was an overprotective pain sometimes, making sure that "little" Nadarresh never got into trouble.

Nadarresh liked it that way, admiring his brothers skills that were very close to their father's.  The younger brother had always watched and learned, studying them as they sparred while he sat with their mother before supper.  He never thought he could be better than his older brother and never really tried to until four months ago, when he felled his first deer, all alone, after tracking it for five hours in one of the most difficult areas of the forrest.  It was in fact his brother who said to him that he was finally a man and that he might be able to beat him one day after all.  It inspired the younger sibling unlike anything his parents or anyone else had done or said before!

Their last sparring bout lasted almost an hour, as for once Nadarresh kept his guard fluid, looking for the right time to strike.  His brother seeing the change had pushed him hard that day in the match, forcing moves to test every angle and level of fury, controlled but fast, slow but powerful, never letting his brother get a chance to attack.  In the last moments he pushed his brother back with his shield to yield any advantage and then rolled around his own shield and attacked from the other side, his sword tip leading towards Nadarresh's shoulder at an odd angle in this daring overhand reverse strike from over the shield.  The move seemed unexpected but the younger brother swiped the sword away with both swords up and around, down to his right but then pushed forward, dipping his shoulder, dropping down low and spinning, stepped forward, thrusting first one and then the other sword at his brothers mid-section.  The first was caught by his shield, the second by his sword but the tide had turned and now Nadarresh was on the attack!

He struck left then right, then both swords, then right and left, and right again, never repeating his pattern of attacks.  After a dozen attacks, he sprung into the air, bringing both swords around for overhand chops, his brother seeing the obvious ruse, kept his eye on the swords and his shield up just enough to feign the block.  Kell stepped aside just as the first sword would have come down but instead, he had to quickly bring his shield up to block his brother's thrust just at the last instant!  He was too late however to protect his left side and Nadarresh and his full 350 pounds came crashing into his shield, knocking him flat on his back.  His sword was still up but only managed to deflect one sword but not the other as Nadarresh stood over him one sword resting by his exposed neck and shoulder.

“I found this map of a lost mine in the dwarf’s things. I’m off to seek my fortune, I wont be shown up by you….I’ve hired some porters to help carry equipment. I’ve even got Belbec here to help identify the best stones!”

Nadarresh sees Kell motion to two men and a gnome. The men Nadarresh recognizes from the caravan the gnome looks to have led a rough life. He is missing his left hand  and a scar rakes across the right side of his face this is apparently Belbec. The gnome smiles anxiously.

“You’ll see who brings greater glory to our father’s name!” Kell laughs , “I hear the ‘dragon’ was the vast size of a housecat!” Kell used finger quotes to augment his smirk  when mentioning the dragon.

Looking around the tavern again Kell snarls, “Nice place, I guess your too important to stay in trader's inns now.”

Still not grasping his brothers anger as genuine, he can only stand there smiling as Kell leaves the inn.  His words echoing in his mind...

Pronunciation guide rhymes with

Multimedia File Viewing and Clickable Links are available for Registered Members only!!  You need to or

((will post rp update sometime tomorrow))

Sorry I am slacking, I will have it up by tonight.

The recent evil that has fallen into Nadarresh's path has awakened him to so much of the world and shown him that along with the fine companions he has met, there are many evil forces in the world that prey on the weak.  His actions have helped him to learn more about himself and his fighting techniques and overall strategy.  As he wakes in the this odd magical place, he decides at once to dedicate the next few days to researching a better way to fight.

With so many recent battles, he has shown courage and insight but also a bit of recklessness.  Seeing Dayereth's ability to teleport out of harm's way but knowing that he himself will never be have such a power, Nadarresh practices with Luke and the others and studies his surroundings better seeing that if he can pull his enemy in after his enemy misses him, he can choose to gain the advantage on him, if only temporairily.  After many tries, he's able to pull in his opponent closer to him after HE is attacked.  Satisfied with his progress, he starts working on another issue he has noticed.

Having been caught without a weapon on a few occasions, has led him to work on keeping a weapon with him always, so adjusting his backpack and belt pouch, he sets the dagger in the small of his back, so it can be reached by either of his hands.  He then practices drawing and readying the dagger as quickly as possible until it feels natural.  He moves his second sword, opening the leather strap further so it drops just a bit lower on his waist, and does the same with his other sword.  Now both swords are easier to draw and after practicing drawing them, he realizes that he can do the same thing with some oil in his belt pouch as well as the flint and steel.  Amazingly his control has helped him become slightly faster or so it seems to him.  The rest of the journey he continually draws and sheaths his weapons, drawing looks from his companions.

...Unbalancing Parry; immediate reaction- An enemy misses with a melee attack; slide enemy into a square adjacent to you & gain combat advantage until the end of your next turn.

Feat- Quick Draw – Can draw one weapon (or object, such as a potion, stored in a belt pouch, bandolier, or similar container) as part of the same action used to attack with the weapon or use the object; gain +2 bonus to initiative checks...

In talking of not using his swords that his family gave him, he considers their value to him on a personal level then considers again that out here, sentiments will not help defeat his enemies only steel his will against them.  His actions in the past months have not been all that he would have expected nor would his family...most of all he realizes that he has been so very sheltered despite all that he was taught by Keshtik, his father and brother, everything.

He knows that learing on his own will be the greatest way he will grow in life.  His father's words ring in his mind, "I can teach you how to aim for the deer's heart, I can tell you why it is the best spot for a quick death, how long it will take and why it will be painless, but know that you take its life for the greater good, not for sport and not for pleasure.  It will sustain us and we can make use of it all so that we might survive.  Be sure that anything and everything you do will have consequences and that you must decide what is for the greater good."

Kobolds, dragons, wolves, stirges, centipedes, giant or otherwise, the minotaur, crows even all were part of this world and he had killed them all.  He knew that most Kobolds were evil in nature and serving the Dragon, was proof of that.  The wolves even if against their natures had taken lives and he had to stop their assault on the peoples of this region...they had killed his friends and broken up families.

He had used the dagger to rip the souls from the orb thinking only of defeating the evil undead thing and releasing the obviously tormented souls but his companions had treated him differently and seemed bothered that he had used it.  Was he being rash in absorbing them into the dagger?  He knew that he would take it to the shrine of We Jas and let them be at peace.  He also knew that the power and strength he felt when the dagger absorbed all the souls was not natural but it had to be done to save them in the end.  He knew that and would have to live with the results of his actions as he had been doing.

his actions did affect others but he felt he was doing the right thing in the eyes of bahamut and spirit of Mielikki.  He would remember and honor them and all would be at peace knowing that.

Walking with Luke, the two talk about combat and strategies and learn that they have similar styles at times despite their diverse training.  What happened to Zarb Zarba has been on Nadarresh's mind and he asks Luke whatever could have happened to him?  In some ways he thinks that Zarb was way too excentric and decided that staying on his own was better for everyone.  He smiles and recalls the odd way in which the wizard had acted.

The dagger seems heavy or perhaps it is his heart that troubles him.  As they bury the last of the caravan he canonly wonder how many more would have died had he and his companions not intervened.  Despite the odd looks he got from the others, he feels good about the souls being pulled into the dagger as he can safely put them to rest without fear that they would have fueled an evil being into a power in this region which might not have been stopped for some time.

When the others talked about the wizard’s guild of Holderness, he just shrugged and seemed to tune out what even Luke said along their journey.  Nodding but not offering any opinion on the subject.  The wizard's all seemed to be power crazy despite how normal Dayereth seemed in their time together.

As the trails grown more open he decides to work with Luke some more on something he has been going over in his head more and more.  As each time they fought, he realized that he moves quickly, gets into position but boxes himself into a tight situation that he can't escape from easily.  By attacking quickly but leaving himself room to move around he can attack and then move past his opponent before he can focus on the attack.

(Ranger power Cut and Run - Target one or two creatures - Strength vs. AC - two attacks, main and off-hand.  1[W] + strength +4; after the first or second attack you can shift a number of squares equal to 1 plus your WIS +2;)

Nadarresh finds the gruesome work of burial somewhat disturbing. Poor souls he had never met now find themselves grateful to a dragonborn who they would have shunned in life. As Nadarresh places the broken bodies in their shallow graves he sees a glimpses of their former lives...a wedding band, a holy symbol, tattoos proclaiming reverence to the Raven spirit each offering a peek into the lives of the caravan riders.

((Do you loot the bodies, the carts, or neither?))

Seeing the bodies, Nadarresh no starnger to the life in a caravan sees the small nuances and facets of their lives, seeing the small trinkets made of wood, metal, silver & gold.  He sees the simple but shining gold band a man wears, indicating his wedding band and wonders if his family even knows he is dead.  Another woman, obviously a guard, has a silver emblem of the god Tempus.  Little it did to protect her or those she was meant to protect...he thinks slightly saddened.

As he gathers their meager belongings, he does his best to keep what sems to go with each person, not truly sure if he is right in matching it all up.  As he thinks on this he has no idea what will happen in all of this choas, hundreds of questions flooding his mind at once.  What will happen to the families?  Will they be able to survive now that no income has come to them.  Are people still waiting for them?  What should be done with the goods from the wagons?  The Silver & gold?  Who would we tell of their fates?  Is their anyone left to tell or did they too die?

He stands suddenly in anger and lets out a tremendous roar, echoing that of a Dragon.  The trees surrounding them seemed to shake and truly he looks around looking for a Dragon but already knowing in his heart that it came from him.

He calms himself by thinking of his family and suddenly an idea forms in his mind.  Having gone through almost all of the wagons, he takes mental stock of what was left and decides to gather what was left in the wagons.  Knowing so many trading caravans, he knows his father's group would know almost all of the groups or at least who the guards may have worked for, which would tell him where the caravan originated from as well as who might have been among the dead.  Once he knows who the goods belong to he can return them via his father's group and send word to the families of those slain.  The goods will be taken care ofand so will the families and the bodies and their spirits will be at rest.

Thinking suddenly of where he is he looks to Luke wondering what he must think but Luke is leaning over a small container, staring quite intently.  He calls out to him but is still too distracted to notice...thinking perhaps someone is near, he drops down lower, and scans the treeline, checking for attackers and quickly makes his way to Luke, calling him as he gets closer realizing at last that there is no attack but Luke is quite distracted...

15 wagons worth of trade goods (flour, iron,  preserved fruits, cloth, dried fish, tar, charcoal, a few bricks of salt) can be recovered.

Far to much to carry without draft animals pulling the wagons.

Nadarresh realizing the amount of goods here, decides to stick to his plans of recovering what he can but will contact his father's group to come out and recover what they can and get it to the original caravan group as planned.  He does take some basic preserved fruits and food for the journey back to town since it will probably be another day before they will finish their work here...

[Very nice writing, Sean!  But please forgive my contradicting it slightly -- there is no way that Luke could be so distracted that he would ignore a roar so loud.]

((Rest of post moved to Luke's thread. Tom makes a good point though try not to RP other player characters for them, NPC's are fair game until taken over by Dm Fiat.-The Voice from the clouds))

((Sorry about the distraction notations Luke...I was adding in the point of him being distracted, a bit too much on my part...))

Feeling foolish for crying out and even a bit more disturbed at how powerful it sounded,

(Luke is so shocked by the sudden roar of Nadarresh that he trips and falls on his face.   He scrambles to his feet and whips out his sword, looking around for the attack.  Realizing that the roar is Nadarresh's, he feels a bit foolish and puts his sword away.

"Are you okay?  Did you see something terrible?"  He walks to Nadarresh with a concerned look on his face.

"I really don't know where that came from!  I was just angry at how much death came from all of this.  What do we do with their things as well?!  Burying them is the right thing to do & no one would even think to help these people even if they had the means unless someone told them to do it!  We are helping them to move on into the next life and I will ask Bahamut to usher them to a peaceful rest.  I think too of their belongings as personal but what use is their money to them right now?!?!  I plan to ask my father's caravan group to seek out who they might belong (Leigh are there any markings that establish who or where they hail from?)  If we can get some of these goods back to them or be sold and the proceeds passed onto their kin then I will rest well knowing that we have done even more good to the region.  I ask you though Luke...how many do we try to bury?  All?  Yes!  Do we try to describe these broken & torn bodies to every caravan merchant we meet?  how many before we stop looking?"  Nadarresh was quite agitated but in frustration now, not anger.

"I just wish to see them onward to whatever awaits them.  I know that we could use the coins that they carried to better supply ourselves and our companions and help to fend off the regions thugs and beings intent on harming these same people.  I wonder though is it theft if we take nothing personal of theirs and do our best to find the true owners?  No, it is not as long as we stay true to our hearts.  I am helping them as are you, so the coins we take serve the common good of the people that died here.  If it is marked we turn it over and pass on what personal effects we can perhaps to the goodly monks of the region (Leigh I figure that I would know which monks and priests are charitable and would help us...)

Assuming Nadarresh shares something of what is on his mind, Luke responds as follows:

"These people . . . it's bad, what happened here, but they're in a better place.  A lot of them, anyway."

Luke says "Telling someone what happened seems like a good idea, even though there's no way we could haul all this stuff.  If we go to Holderness next, maybe there's someone there we could tell?  The, um... owner of the caravan or whatever...")

Nadarresh takes his time with each person noting what they have on them, hoping to remember as many details as he can to better describe the people he has seen...

His mind settled by venting to Luke have calmed him.  Nadarresh looks at the goods and calls out to Luke, "15 wagons worth of trade goods (flour, iron,  preserved fruits, cloth, dried fish, tar, charcoal, a few bricks of salt) can be recovered.  Far to much to carry without draft animals pulling wagons, so we will need to get my father's group or another to some out here and recover the goods before the brigands come to claim them."

"We can get supplies here, carrying what dried goods and provisions we can carry comfortably.  Get the others and then continue on together, apart if necessary, although with all the evil we have faced I think it best we stay together!"

He smiled then and continued working.

Having just buried three more bodies and marking the graves, Nadarresh pauses to get some water and some dried fruit, leaning back low against a tree until he settles into a half lying position, his head ridges leaning against one of the larger roots.

Luke seems to have been looking at a box and opens it, examinging the contents.  Too far away to see anything except bits of metal as the sun shines off of it.  Nadarresh tries to shift up into a sitting position and suddenly the box is slammed shut.

Luke takes a long drink from his waterskin.

"Nadarresh, do you have any idea what six severed hands in a circle mean?"

Nadarresh just shrugs and shakes his head no, then grabs some more of the preserved fruits and heads over to Luke.  He looks at Luke trying to get an idea of what he's asking about.  Guessing it had something to do with what was in the box, he says, "Is there something bad in there?  (Leigh have I seen the six hands in a circle before while traveling with my father?)  I'm not sure if I have ever seen anything like that...skull and cross bones my brother drew once when he thought Pirates were interesting...but nothing with six hands let alone one..."

He sits next to Luke and hands him some of the preserved fruits.

Before leaving, Nadarresh goes back to the common room of the last place they stayed while in Brix.  He's wondering if anyone has heard about or from his brother who had nothing but contempt for him the last time they saw each other.

Nadarresh is worried if his brother Kell took on too much or was just too drunk and boastful.  It has been several weeks since this happened.  He asks the bartender and bar wenches if they have seen anyone matching his description, hoping that someone has heard something.  Mentioning as well the mine and the map.

(Having failed the streetwise check but passing a perception check later...Oh I’m sneaky)

While recovering from his wounds under the stars and thinking about his searches of his brother through the town Nadarresh recalls seeing a well dressed gnome with ladies of questionable morals on each arm skip out of a tavern while still awaiting a roast pig. He thought nothing of it at the time but with a food shortage it didn’t make sense to order and not eat, even for the lust crazed! Another thing, the gnome had something wrong with him.... He was missing a hand.

“Why is that striking me as familiar?”  Nadarresh sits up from his rest and notes from the position of the moon it’s not his watch yet.

Nadarresh makes a realization...

While recovering from his wounds under the stars and thinking about his searches of his brother through the town Nadarresh recalls seeing a well dressed gnome with ladies of questionable morals on each arm skip out of a tavern while still awaiting a roast pig. He thought nothing of it at the time but with a food shortage it didn’t make sense to order and not eat, even for the lust crazed! Another thing, the gnome had something wrong with him.... He was missing a hand.

“Why is that striking me as familiar?”  Nadarresh sits up from his rest and notes from the position of the moon it’s not his watch yet.

Suddenly more worried about his brother and more so about the Gnome he spotted in town, he thinks about how these past few months have moved him along in his life.

Responsibility has been something he never shied away from and his parents always pushing him to be strong of will and to work hard all of his life.  He never doubted he could achieve what he wanted as long as he worked to get there.

His path had been set as he learned about hunting, tracking, and the outdoors, he realized how much more there was to experience in life and the world.  Kell, a friend as well as his brother with subtle big brother attitude intact all the time, made it his duty, like their father did to teach him about finishing what you started but most importantly knowing how to finish a task by looking at as many options as possible and then choosing the best path.  As they moved down an unbroken set of leaves, covered in a layer of mist, moving as silently as possible towards their goal: a young boar.  The day was near to its end, the air cooling faster as the sun created long shadows and the tracks to their left were fully pressed into the soft dirt.  It was leading to a dense underbrush that wound around a section of jagged & rocky outcropping.  He had been near here and also knew that some caves were close by and figured that the young boar was heading towards them.

A section of the "trail" would turn to the left and then towards the river.  He knew if they pushed themselves that they could make it to the caves before the boar and ambush him.  They ran quickly towards the caves and in fact came out by a thicket within fifteen yards downwind from where the boar would be coming.  Twenty, long minutes later, they were well concealed and spotted the boar coming up the trail.  Aiming carefully,  below the tusks, above the shoulder joint, one single shot would bring it down.  No wind, good enough lighting, just a few more feet...three seconds later the arrow pierced the boars skin, felling it without so much as a squeal. 

His path had been set when his father asked him to join them on the road as a caravan guard.  He gladly accepted knowing it would show him more of the world than he had seen thus far.  He was welcomed by the dwarven companions and those that knew him through his father.  the others were a bit wary at first but soon realized that he was a kind soul that worked hard and was a good cook.  His first duties were foraging for extra food and preparing meals.  In truth he rarely ever served as a guard except when they were in the deep trails and wilderness where he and his brother were scouts making sure the pathway was clear of debris and obstacles.

His path had been set when his friends were slain, when they were attacked by the wolves and when one had been dragged away.  He met some good friends and companions who he had trusted and still was trusting with his life.  He knew that the people of the area were worth saving and that the wolves were as well.  Luke needed help as did his fellow followers of Heironeous and he'd do his best to make sure their task was completed.

The gnome had something to do with his brother Kell or with him and he would tell the others and see what they thought because it was not unlike Bahamut to guide his faithful.

He gets his waterskin out, takes a long drink and then sits again near the fire.  As he sits, he closes his eyes and thinks back upon the previous days fight and how ineffective he was in the overall fight, instigating the drakes instead of killing them.  His lightning breath, however much smaller than a true Dragons, could and had been effective but had to be used from its maximum distance.  Also, making better use of his weapons when fighting to make sure each strike would be the best possible strike.

He opened his eyes while listening to Dayereth commenting quickly and going back to his impromptu training session.

After speaking his peace, he pulled out his sword and flail, working them around himself, not faster, but closer to his body, letting it flow around him rather than striking out so randomly.  At first he did little more than scrape against his scales along his shoulders but after a few moments, his movements became more fluid and he was able to swing his swords with more grace.  He took several steps, towards a small copse of trees and bushes that had fallen and were dead, all the while weaving his swords around him.  As he came within weapons reach, he struck out first his sword, then the flail closely behind it hitting the same mark within a hands breadth of each other.  He turned again and struck at another tree, and did the same, this time a bit closer.  After about a dozen hits, he struck each time with each blow coming within two fingers of each other.  As he began to get bored, he stepped left and turned, continuing to whirl his weapons about him and then jumped forward and to the side, then unleashed his lightning breath.  Much to his surprise, it struck not the trees in front of him but the ones behind them nearly three times the distance.  Causing a mid sized ball of lightning to spark near and around the trees.

His sword and flail stopped moving then, as he moved back further and again unleashed his breath weapon.  This time he thought to aim it a little to his left at the dead trees he had been hitting.  He struck at the base of the one sending curling energy around it, singeing it slightly, as it was dry and brittled.  He started moving his weapons and with practice was able to draw the flail as quickly as his sword soon and after about an hour, he was able to aim his lightning anywhere he chose within about fifty feet.  Once though he aimed too close to himself and if not for him jumping away quickly would have gotten himself.

Please at his progress, he felt a bit stronger and he also built up his endurance in the process as well, figuring that having trekked through the deep woods and mountain areas had helped him.  Afterall moving large fallen tree limbs for several days certainly was a workout!

“So how is my favorite Lizardman eh? “ With a laugh the drunk gnome hits Nadarresh's back with a hearty slap.  “Shame about Kell then eh?” the gnome takes another swig of mead finishing the oversized flagon and throws 1about 10 beat up silver coins on the bar. “Another one for me and one for scaly here and I'll be pulling a coin back from the pile every second I wait!” The gnome lets out a belch fit for an ogre never mind a one-handed gnome. “That gets them hurrying. Like I said lets have a drink to err.....err... Kell thats right.  You know we found it, yep Kell's map was right, just too bad that tunnel  sealed him in there or he's be drinking with us.”  A bottle of expensive looking wine is placed on the br. “Spidersilk eh? Thats good stuff!” the gnome takes a hearty gulp but doesnt offer any to Nadarresh. A second drink never comes.

Nadarresh learns that Kess had an old map to a mine that was abandoned during some war and then forgotten. The gnome was part of an expedition to the mine and was one of only two who survived a cave in. He didnt mention the name of the other survivor. Apparently the rest of the expedition was sealed inside the mine. Ropple assures Nadarresh that Kell is most certainly dead and is all to willing to fill in details though as the night progresses the story makes less and less sense. Still the braggart gnome tells more and more stories until at last he passes out. Nadarresh goes to move him hoping to learn more when the gnome sobers up only to find him stiff and cold to the touch.  A quick search of the gnomes belongings finds a small scribbled note “ Little boy mountain” with a  bit of math “8X 50 = 300 silver!”

"Well he wasnt bright and he had a big mouth, still he seemed to now something of Kell and someone wanted him shut up."  Naderresh decides he should probably relocate inns before someone does "buy him a drink" besides the watch will come soon and he'd likely get arrested for being big and scary.

Nadarresh's Response about his brother Kell & the Gnome

Wiser than the gnome probably gives him credit for, Nadarresh billows out the folds of his cloak, and as discretely as he can (trained in stealth +8) he appears to be helping his gnome friend, continues searching for anything else the gnome might have regarding his brother and just loud enough for those around him to hear, raises his glass and says in a slightly slurred voice, a toast to the Gnome, “My friend, for once I finally out drink you…next time you’ll have to pay!”  He then puts his glass down on the bar, tips the bartender  8sp from the gnomes pile and says, “Please see my friend gets a bed for the night…he couldn’t out drink me tonight but I am not carrying him home no matter how little he is…”  he says laughing slightly.

This news along with how the town seemed to “get better” is troubling Nadarresh.  It seems only his father and his new friends have shown any signs of honor and loyalty.  Nadarresh suspects that the Gnome was not telling him all about his brother’s fate and it is quite odd that several times, the gnome seems to be the one that gets away and escapes death.  Having seen the devoted Cleric turn to evil, he thinks it is very possible that his brother may have been led astray.  He will have to investigate more about the “scribbled note “ Little boy mountain” with a  bit of math “8X 50 = 300 silver!””

When the gnome awakens he will be sure to get more info about his brothers apparent demise, standing on the premise that he would seek to find his body and give him a proper burial…it’s what their parents would want to be done.  He’ll talk to the others as soon as he sees them about pursuing this course.

Long after rest and recuperation heals the nagging infections of his friends Naderresh remains ill. The journey through the sewers did not sit well with him….perhaps it was his bare feet? In any case his persistent cough and fever has kept not only him but his companions up at night and the staff of the Filthy Ore have begun hinting that the sick lizard is bad for business. At one point Dayereth had taken to magic “just to keep the sickly lizard quiet” though everyone is concerned. Towns fear the plague as much as fire and none of the locals seem to be adept enough to handle this illness. 

Naderresh’s fever filled dreams are of a large rock outcropping rising above a jagged terrain. The dark clouds stream by with flashes of heat lightning but no rain. The only sounds are the snap of a whip and bestial grunts.

Moving towards the door, he says, "I'll be out the northeast gate, near the Hill Gates area.  Please meet me there and then we can decide where to go."

Once Nadarresh gets there, he will study all he knows of nature +9 dungeoneering +9 and history +3 to figure out where this large rock outcropping might be.  (not just the skills themselves but his knowledge of the area and all his travels with the caravan and what people have talked about, i.e. An old guard talking about the dryness of the hills of (insert area here) where he thinks it might be located.  An extended test of sorts.

((Note: the wyverndale area map shows the smallest spar of the thorn wood. Pull up the map on page 17? of the campaign guide to get a true scope of the size of the thing.))

Multimedia File Viewing and Clickable Links are available for Registered Members only!!  You need to or

;D

I love that movie!!!  Surprised that no one had said it before!

Nadarresh had served his friends well this day, having no choice but to charge into the battle as his friends were sorely pressed and his skills with his bow in now way came close to Elwyn's.  This frost or Ice Queen was powerful and seemed bent on killing all of them.  After all they had been through if he did not help them, the disease would not have to kill him.  Luke ever faithful to his friends charged right in and pressed his attack, pushing her back although it seemed to not have as much of an effect as he would have hoped.  Like pushing past a curtain made of the finest silks instead of cleaving into flesh, a feeling he probably didn't like.  Nadarresh saw the look on his friend's face as he swung, it was one of incredulity as if he had almost missed the mark.  The spirit companion did its best but had little effect on the Queen either.

As he charged in, Nadarresh felt his lungs burn and his muscles tighten, all in a way he still could not get used to.  he knew that if he pushed himself too hard it would be over quickly so he thought to dive into the battle quickly and then jump away, using a hit-and-run tactic.  He did okay at first but then was shocked to see his friend fall not from being hit but afterwards.  Asleep?!  In the middle of battle?  What powers did this ice Queen possess indeed.  He tried to flank her, striking her once or more, then he too succumbed to the attack and fell under this odd power.  He awoke to find things different but she was still standing.  Finally after what seemed an eternity they managed to end the battle though many were injured.

As the long journey seemed to come to an end, it was only Elwyn's mentor and friend that could cure him of the disease, so he lay on the table as she readied herself to cure his ills.  Power and magic beyond his understanding seemed to swirl in chaos and then in harmony, about him, around him, through him even!  He breathed as evenly as he could but it was difficult.  He was concerned it would not work but he trusted in his friends!  Friends who had fought next to him many times and who ventured this far with him, for him!!!!  They had not failed him...

The powers flowed through him forever it seemed, the pain and heaviness left him suddenly, flowing out of him like too much water from a wine barrel that had been opened & knocked over.  She had done it!  They had succeeded, he would recover.  Pain filled him though too, it was probably the strain of all the toxins leaving his body so quickly, making him deal with their effects all at once and quickly, he felt he could not take it, then there was quiet and a soft sleepiness that overtook him, letting him rest now, just drifting, the image of Little Boy came into his mind then...and then nothing else...