Seebo: Annie Brookhollow

The inn was loud and full of life. Seebo sat with Rygorh and Neil at a table in the Pig & Whistle Tavern enjoying an evening ale. The two clerics were discussing something about their recent crafting activities. Seebo looked interested for the sake of the company but actually didn't hear a word they said.

His attention was focused on the patrons of the inn. He enjoyed watching people, see how they act and react. There was a table of dwarves regaling each other with tales of their bravery traveling from the nearby Underdell to Crescent City. They laughed and cheered each other on as each story was told. Neil's priest friend was at the bar talking to a few plain looking fellows while enjoying an ale. He was an odd one, Seebo mused to himself wondering about his particular ties to Jimmy the Tailor.

But the person that caught Seebo's eye was a smaller figure at the far end of the bar trying to get the bartender's attention. This person stood on the barstool much the same way Seebo had to when he ordered his drinks. A lavender cloak with the hood pulled up hid the frame and face of this unknown person. In such a place, that stood out quite blatantly but Seebo was still unable to tell who the person was. The bartender finally came over and spoke with her briefly. He motioned towards Seebo's table, the figure turned slightly but not quite enough to reveal who it was, and the bartender moved on to serve a paying customer.

When she turned, light auburn hair spilled from the hood revealing just enough to keep the mystery of who she was alive. She had small hands, though well groomed. She reached around and pulled her cloak tighter, jumping down from the barstool and moving towards the exit.

She was looking for them and she had found them. Its time to meet this stranger who seems so interested in us, Seebo though to himself. He stood and excused himself from the conversation, making for the door. He reached the exit but could not find the woman. Somehow she had managed to evade him while his back was turned. With a shrug, Seebo turned to head back to his table. His hand went weak and he dropped his mug of ale as he turned to stare in green eyes of a ghost from his past.

---

A shrill scream pierced the chill morning air. A woman cried in fear from behind the inn. She slowly came stumbling out of the side alley, her face ashen white. The constable came rushing to catch her as she dropped to her knees crying.

The sleepy town of Greenfield was unaccustomed to such things. Before long, the whole town had come out to see what was going on. Constable Kerny gathered everyone together and asked them to remain calm while he assessed the situation. He handed the shaken woman to one of his deputies and advanced into the alley.

What he saw was a disturbing scene. Three young halfling men lay on the ground with weapons beside them and a young girl lay next to the far wall. Kerny rushed to the woman to see how bad she was hurt. He body was covered in bruises and patches of blood but she had no visible cuts. The blood appeared to be from the two others. She still breathed, though very unevenly. He quickly checked the other three bodies, all dead. He lifted the young girl in his arms and carried her out to the street. "Get the healer, Annie needs some help now!"

A few people from the crowd ran off down the street. The inn door opened and a portly halfling came stumbling out holding the back of his head. A deputy rushed over to him, helping him steady himself. The man looked up seeing the constable carrying his daughter and cried in anguish, running over to him.

The next few hours were spent trying to figure out what happened. Annie was resting comfortably in a bed at the inn while Kari, the town healer, watched over her. Her father had suffered a vicious blow to the back of his head but suffered no apparent permanent damage. Constable Kerny talked to the distraught innkeeper trying to discern what transpired the night before.

"These four boys walked in and started poking around. They were after my lockbox. Before I knew it, one of ‘em had snuck around and clocked me in the back of the head. Everything went dark and the next thing I knew it was morning. One of ‘em said he was Seebo, it was the damndest thing."

"Annie looks like she'll be ok. I'll have to ask her what happened and who those other boys were when she wakes up if that's alright with you."

The constable and innkeeper talked for a few more minutes before heading up to check on Annie. Though weak she was coherent enough to give a quick description of what happened. The four boys had indeed stolen her father's lockbox. She had watched them attack him and then swipe the box. She had thought they killed him so she went and grabbed his crossbow and stopped them in the alley. She fired and took down one of them but before she could reload, two of the others had grabbed her and started beating her. The third walked closer and she could see his face. She recognized his voice. It was Seebo. She didn't understand what he was doing with these thugs. But it was Seebo that saved her. He turned on his two friends. He killed them before they could kill her. She went unconscious before the fight ended but she knew what he had done had saved her life.

The constable listened attentively to her story. He gave her a comforting pat and told her to rest. He would have this whole thing sorted out. He motioned for the innkeeper to follow him outside so they could speak privately.

"I'm not sure I completely believe her. It sounds like Seebo is the one who caused this whole mess but I know her judgment may not be reliable right now because of both what happened last night and her past relationship to the boy. I want you to keep an eye on her and make sure she gets better. I think I need to try and track Seebo down and see what kind of trouble he's brought down on us."

Weeks went by and Annie made a full recovery. She was a picture of beauty once more, spry as ever. She was not as cheerful though. In the weeks she had spent recovering, rumors of Seebo and the vile associations he kept floated through the town. The constable had found out the three boys that were killed the night Annie was attacked were criminals. Seebo assumedly was as well though there was no record of him. Annie was the only one in town who refused to believe he would do such things, commit such atrocities.

When she had recovered, she vowed she would find him and find out the truth. She spent a few days gathering her belongings and made ready to head out. Her father vehemently opposed her leaving but there was little he could do to stop her. Not wanting her to leave on bad terms, he made his peace and let her go, giving her a kiss on the forehead and telling her to come home safely. She set out to find her childhood friend, Seebo, "The Knife."

---

The hours passed by and the two halflings continued to talk well into the evening. Seebo sat with Annie Brookhollow, the girl he grew up with, the girl he had loved, the girl he had though he killed. Years of pain and guilt were washed away at seeing her alive and well. He told her everything that had happened. He wanted her to know everything that had happened to him. She was his salvation.

Likewise, Annie wanted to tell Seebo everything that had happened to her. It had been a long and very dangerous journey trying to find him. She had followed the path of "The Knife" the entire way. From Chillhame to Crescent City, she had followed the rumors, eventually tracking him down to this inn. She told Seebo of all the rumors about "The Knife" as well as a ship captain named Seebo too. Annie was pleasantly surprised to find out that Captain Seebo was in fact the same Seebo that sat with her.

It was like old times. Annie and Seebo laughed and talked through the entire night. For the first time in a long time, Seebo had found his happy. The darkness of his past and future didn't seem so dark anymore. He felt at peace with himself and able to face whatever was to come.

Late that evening, Seebo escorted Annie to his ship where he introduced her to his companions, the Starborn. He showed her to some quarters and told her she's welcome to stay until they left town. Little did he know that she had no intention of leaving now that she had found him after searching for so long. His future was to be her future as well.

Seebo: Reflections on Leadership

"I didn't want to be a leader. I'm not a leader. I just want to do what I want to do. I never asked to be here. I never asked to be a Starborn or to try and stop this invasion. I'm an insignificant nobody from a small island in the middle of nowhere.

"But if I don't do it who will? We've managed to skate by barely surviving sometimes. We spend countless hours arguing over what to do and never coming to a concrete decision yet we complain that we take too long to figure anything out. I was sick of it so I took the reins.

"Rygorh didn't want a leader so I never told him about it, I just did it. He didn't seem too unhappy at following my direction when I made the final decisions for us. No, it worked like a well greased gnomish contraption. We accomplished so much under my direction. But I didn't want it, I'm not a leader.

"So why did it bother me so much when Rygorh tried to step up and do what I had already done? Why was I so threatened by someone else wanting to be a leader? I keep saying it, I didn't want the job. It was my chance to just hand it over to someone who did.

"I don't know if you used to watch me when I was younger, probably not. Well, there was this one time when me and the boys were doing an odd job for Knuckles. He said we just had to go see a guy about some money that was owed. It seemed easy enough. We walked in this guy's place of business and no one did anything. We stood there almost a full half minute before I stepped in. I do it because no one else will.

"And now I'm the target. I want to just disappear in the crowd and be another nameless face among the greater mass. But I can't. I have an obligation, I have a duty. For once in my life I'm going to do the right thing not because its easier or because I'll find fame and recognition for it. No, this time I'm doing it because it has to be done and we're the only ones who can do it."

Next Post

Chapter Eleven: Loose Ends (the drow are coming!)

Crescent City, June 29 - July 8

On the morning of June 29 all of the tower bells in Crescent City are ringing and criers are calling out the news of the day: King Titus has announced a full alliance with the drow who will assist in the war against Ghael! The drow have asked only that they be allowed to live and worship freely within the bounds of Caldraza. In exchange they will provide military assistance in the war against Ghael.

The people of Crescent City are of two minds on this issue, each diametrically opposed to the other. Some who most despise the people of Ghael and will not forgive them for the murder of Prince Rufus call this alliance a great thing. It is long past time that Caldraza found real allies . . . the elves have never been of any use to anyone and the dwarves of Underdell have refused to help in the battles against Ghael. The drow are ready and willing to throw in against Ghael.

Others who have a bit more memory of the history of Ashfar mutter darkly that no good can come of this alliance. The drow are a dark and evil race that seek only to subjugate others. How King Titus could turn his back on the dwarves of Underdell and take sides with such an evil race is unfathomable, but it is what it is . . .

Over the next few days the elves of the city quietly pack their belongings and leave Caldraza for other more pleasant climes. The swamp elves stay behind . . . they are slaves, but all others flee the lands. They cannot stay in a country that allies with their greatest enemies. One notable exception is Ruthven Calamus, the propritor of the Crescent City Central Bank. He's going no where, but has spent some time and effort fortifying his place.

Neil and Rygorh finish up some additional magical item crafting while the rest of the Starborn investigate the face thief murderer . . .

After all is said and done the heroes determine that the murderer is actually a ghost who possesses random passersby and uses their bodies to commit the murders. Jocelyn Turvey has killed dozens of people over the last several months . . . but it all began with her husband. The heroes learn that a couple of weeks before his death, Segmund Turvey, the landlord of the Laughing Lord tavern, lost his wife. She left the city to live with her mother. Two weeks later Segmund was the first victim of the face thief.

The heroes venture into the Laughing Lord tavern and get permission to search the residential floor. There they find the body of Jocelyn Turvey with massive acid burns on her face. She has been folded in half and stuck into a small box. Rygorh uses speak with dead to determine that her husband killed her in a fit of jealous rage. She wants to be buried her family's plot in the town of Carroll which is north of Crescent City.

The Starborn take the body to the Church of Marius, tell poor Jocelyn's story and see to it that Elizabeth Saunders is set free. The Church agrees to see to Jocelyn's proper burial.

While Neil finishes up creating some magical items the heroes debate their future plans. Having heard additional rumors about the goings on in Beacon City they begin to doubt that the king is still alive:

• Princess Romilly refused to convert to Marianism when the rest of the court did. She worships Firinna, the goddess of battles. She has expressed contempt for all men and has said that she will never marry, no matter what her father wants.
• It is said that she used to sneak out of the palace at night to a secret pagan chapel, though nobody knows how she did so without being detected, or where this chapel was located.
• King Titus has ghastly body odour. It is said that he never bathes, as an act of mourning for his dead son.
• A person who has seen the King up close claims that he looks slightly different, but he cannot put his finger on exactly what is wrong.
• King Titus’ body odour has mysteriously gone over the last couple of days.
• Word from the fort at Pengallin is that Princess Romilly has gone missing in the Forest of Meere – if she is not found quickly, there will be no hope for the royal line of Caldraza.

The heroes determine to set out south by ship to Delta City at the mouth of the River Meere. Crescent City has become distinctly uncomfortable . . . there are a few dozen drow soldiers operating as night patrols in the city. Governor Malthus has sworn his support for king and country and for the alliance with the drow. The Church of Marius has no official position on the treaty, but will support whatever brings stability to the land. Alev learns from Archbishop Vigilance that there are some great misgivings about the situation within the chruch, but that the church will not act in an overt way in the politcal arena . . . thus they are neutral. The heroes plan to take passage by boat from Delta City to Pengallin where they can find Princess Romilly and then work things out from there.

Next Post

PC Fiction: Chapter Eleven

This is an archive of the past player-posted fiction from Chapter Eleven:

• Neil: Magic Items
• Seebo: Reflections on Leadership
• Seebo: Annie Brookhollow

Next Post

Neil: Magic Items

Magic items . . . the power of spells permanently imbued into physical gear. Nothing feels like a new piece of equipment being suffused with magic. The glow and pulse of the energy. The echoes of spells cast and prayers chanted. The scent of fresh incense burning in the censer. And then . . . birth is given to a new device.

Spells are great; don't get me wrong. They are the conduit of magic for most creatures. But they are fleeting and temporary. Magic gear on the other hand may radiate its power and be utilized for hundreds of years. Not for a few mere minutes per day, like spells. No, these items function all day, every day.

I've imbued several items myself. Yeah, really. Cloaks and amulets and bracers . . . some are defensive, some heighten a persons natural abilities and talents. But these are all minor items in the grand scheme of the world, trinkets with minor powers to aid those who wield them.

I still depend on others for some spells needed to craft. Heakun, why are these arcane and druidic magics denied me? Are you not the god of magic? I would never abandon you to learn these things, but I think you should consider granting your followers a broader range of magic. Yes . . . I suppose I do ask for too much. It's not that I'm ungrateful. I just wish to become a better example to the world. A true disciple of Heakun, who can accomplish anything with magic. I wish to show the world the power and beauty of our beloved energies.

I'm also ready to imbue stronger magics such as these boots of speed, which Rygohr wants. My understand of how to imbue magic into physical objects has grown immensely over the last few months. Given the time and funds (and your blessings Heakun), I think I . . . I mean we . . . could make some damn powerful items. But despite my desire, these items would still be inanimate & unconscious.

Heakun, when will you share the secrets of imbuing life into my work? I can heal people and repair objects, but when do I get to create life, an intelligence in and of itself? Or even something like my new Starborn amulet? It's amazing! A magic item that grows in power as the wielder grows in experience and ability. This must be some powerful magic!

But someone, somewhere has surely aspired and succeeded in accomplish such feats. You guide me & share your wisdom, but sometimes I think you drop me into bad situations on purpose. Is this to build character? Or make me stronger, the whole "what doesn't kill you" thing? I suppose you have your reasons. My abilities to control the energies of the universe are growing. And some day I will learn these secrets. If I have to journey to every corner of the world & read vast libraries, I will learn to bestow life into my creations. The secrets are out there, somewhere. And I will find them.

Perhaps some day I will even channel your blessings into a new place of power. A place where our brethren can come to worship you and delight in your presence. A place awash with the energies of the universe, healing, blessing & attuning visitors to magic. Something with the power of these nodes, to restore life to broken bodies. A living, conscious temple, where everyone can revel in the power of magic.

How does that whole coming back to life thing work anyway?

More incense? What? Oh yea . . . I've gotta finish this amulet today. Very well, back to the present. But some day . . .

Next Post