Episode 1: No Quarter
General Summary
The Strange Chamber
Unclear as to why, the characters travel to the woods outside of their homes where mad old man beckons them to step into a tree. Once inside, they find themselves in a dark room, lit only by crackling blue fire. Unable to move, they listen as a voice warns them that River of Time threatens to change its course for some reason and charges the characters with correcting its flow:
Welcome ardent heroes, to the far island outside the stream.
A task I shall charge you, one that might graft a rent in the river time.
O spirits, safeguard this warrior bold and true,
From a fate dire and grim, as the fates may construe.
Let not the Khardic kin fall to shadow's cruel hand,
Nor history's course break, but in triumph still stand.
They see the image of a bald Khadra, nearly as wide as it is tall, before everything goes black.
Battle on the Cliff's Edge
The party finds themselves transported onto a mountain path at the edge of a cliff, beneath the bright cold sun of an autumn afternoon. They hear the clang of steel and steel, the iron scent of blood heavy in the air. A massive brown bear, immediately strikes Joran, wounding her grievously. Upon its back, a Ork flails at her with a spring before she scampers away, extracting herself from the fight.
Khulad glances about to find a knot of Khadra and Orks embroiled in battle. Recalling the vision of the Khadra from the cave, he strikes at an Ork. Farkhom has no hesitations, throwing himself into a battle rage, lashing out at Orks with a pair of hand axes. From the distance, after healing herself, Joran rains arrows down upon the Orks and the party generally makes short work them.
After the last Ork has fallen, Fahkrim charges Khulad, axes held high, until at the last minute he pauses. Joran keeps her weapon at the ready, trained on both of her new companions. Joran attempts to heal one of the Khadra, but finds his wounds are mortal. She does, however, except a silver signet ring and scroll case, sputtering out "Must tell Varnick. Tell him Grat is coming. With the Horde. They come by Vorkallic Pass. Take the path through Kingsrest Deep."
The party exchanges curt greetings and attempts to piece together what has happened. After some deliberation, Fahkrim begins to believe that they have travelled through time to ancient homeland of his people, over two-five hundred years in the past on the eve of the famous battle at Vorkallic Pass where Varnick the Sly led a small Khadric force to victory of an Orkish Horde. With legendary locations such as Khardin and Kingsrest deep marked on the map, Fakhrim is convinced and suggests that they head north, to honor the dying Khadric scout's request.
Joran remains skeptical and frustrated. She does, after all, have plans for lunch.
The Path to Khardin
The party travels much of the day, up and down, east and west, winding their way through the mountains and over Kiernheim Pass, until they come to high path that looks down over a cobalt lake in a wide valley below. They make camp along the side of the mountain and in the setting sun see a pair of Ork, mounted on winged creatures - half-horse and half-eagle - approaching quickly. One Ork throws a javelin harmless off the mountainside while other males a series of arcane gestures and, spreading his arms wide, directs a blast of thunder into the cliff just above the party. Thousands of pounds of rock and rubble tumble down, forcing the party to scurry away, their supplies buried in the slide.
The slide, however, reveals a magnificent door of black, glass-like rock. Approaching it closely, the party hears a strange voice, speaking in rhymes. Its vocabulary is limited, however, and after repeating its rhyme twice Joran speaks the word “stone” (admits a stream of guesses) and the door slides open.
After exploring the tunnel - a perfectly carved corridor twenty feet across but only five feet high, they again attempt to make camp. Less than a turn of glass after had Fahkrim and Joran settled down to sleep, Khulad spots a strange, yellowish goo approaching in the ceiling. It drops, engulfing Fahkrim who awakes to a burning sensation as the ooze starts to digest him.
Joran and Khulad spring into action, attempting to save their new found comrade. Unfortunately, Khulad’s first strike with his blade causes the ooze to split into two, forcing them to fight on multiple fronts. Joranf tries to open the door but for some reason, it fails to open. Fahkrim frees himself and starts beating the ooze with his bare hands. Khulad calmly drenches the other with oil and Joran lights it on fire. Another blade strike depresses the remaining ooze in two and while the first is doused and burnt, they have no remaining oil with which to slay the third. Through a series of torch strikes by both Khulad and Joran they manage to burn away the last revenants of the creature.
Sickened by the smell, the party moves deeper into the tunnel system before finally collapsing for the night.
In the morning the party gathers their meager belongings and heads back to the door which, be it because the sun has risen anew or some other reason, opens upon command. They wind their way down the trail and around Drowned Lake, reaching the massive stone gates of Khardin late in the day.
The Lost City of Khardin
With its gates sealed, the party simply knocks on the gates and a small slit, eye level for a Khadra, slides open, a stern voice demanding to know why such a strange trio - obviously a skinny Ork, Soulmeliti child, and oddly dressed Khadric warrior, are doing at these gates in a time of war. The party attempts to explain their predicament and while their tale of delivering a message to General Varnick may be truthful, their tale of “stumbling upon a Khadric patrol while hiking” seems unbelievable to the guards who accuse Fahkrim of desertion. Joran demands to speak with an officer and after some deliberation - and showing the signet ring that belonged to the Khadric commander - they are ushered inside.
The Khadra escort the party to the General’s quarters where they deliver the message and wait expectantly for something - anything - happen. After a few moments, it is obvious that their quest has not been fulfilled and they join the General around his huge, three dimensional, carved map table of the region.
After Varnick comes up with his strategy, he advises the party that hey have been conscripted as messengers and suggests they get some sleep. Fahkrim willingly heads for his assigned quarters, eager to join such a historic cause. Khulad joins along, feeling little choice but the tug of history. Joran, however, still annoyed by missing her lunch plans, attempts to leave the city but is gently redirected back to her quarters.
Battle of Vorkallic Pass
The party sets out with the Khadric Army - a mere 4,000 strong, at midnight or face the Orkish Horde of Grat the Undefeatable at midnight. Shortly after dawn, the army halts a choke point along the Perlinkook River, a line of a thousand brave - and as Joran-al-tor notes foolishly lacking piles - Khadra across the pass to hold it. On either side, the remaining Khadra dig in. Armed with crossbows, they set the ambush and wait.
General Varnick, the party among his messenger corps, set up a command position further up the cliffs on the -western side of valley. From here the characters witness the first clashes of the battle: thousand of Orks thundering into the line of Khadra without mercy. As the Orks fully engage, the thwack of three thousand crossbows being fired echoes throughout the valley. The sound quickly followed by the cries of hundreds of dying Orks.
While the battle appears to be going according to Varnick’s plan, all is nearly lost when a squadron of Orksish berserkers, dropped from those same half-horse, half-eagle creatures, rain down upon the command post. Fahkrim charges while Joran-al-tor withdraws to get an open shot. Khulad, however, vanishes entirely thanks to the magic of a potion. The battles rages hotly but burns out in seconds, the party making short work of the attackers.
The General, however, falls, and lies dying. Joran rides to his aid, curing him with her magic and, as he rises to look at the slaughter of Orks in valley below, thanks the party.
The Return to the Island Outside of Time
Everything fades, the air crystallizing and reforming in the chamber of dark stone and blue fire. The strange voices thanks the characters for righting a wrong in history before sending them back to their lives with a warning:
Thanks to thee, valiant souls, for thy deeds ever grand,
The life of one vital was saved by thy hand.
Through thy boldness, the course of the ages holds true,
History owes its thanks to the courage of you.
Yet be wary, for shadows unseen caused this strife,
And tears yet may form to imperil all life.
Should such woe arise, let thy courage remain,
For Tarien may call on thy heroics again.
