Incorporating magic items into an adventure story

Discussion of all things magical for DCC RPG -- "Let the Phlogiston take you where it will..."

Moderators: DJ LaBoss, finarvyn, michaelcurtis, Harley Stroh

Post Reply
User avatar
Blood Axe
Cold-Blooded Diabolist
Posts: 530
Joined: Mon Jul 11, 2011 10:58 am
FLGS: The Portal
Location: Bethlehem, Pennsylvania

Incorporating magic items into an adventure story

Post by Blood Axe »

This was a cool little story from an old (30+ years) Rolemaster book. It features some unique magic items, Hurmgar's Chain, Cudgel of Smiting, the Ogre Sack, and Net of Drowning.

The Price of Passage

"They'll be on us in a half mile. " I told Hurmgar flatly as we topped the hill. Dour Hurmgar nodded once as he looked back at the rolling hills behind us. The baying of our pursuers sounded off in the distance, and the crashing roar of the surd boomed in those hounds' voices.
"We'd do best to turn and stand there, " he replied in an iron voice and gestured with one thick finger at a copse of trees a hundred yards down the lee, " best you ready your wizard's curse."
I peered back over my shoulder as we descended the slope, for the howling of the pack grew closer. Gerendil caught my eye as i turned, though his face held no expression or message. I knew his thoughts well enough. He muttered something under his breath and i half fancied that cudgel he carried dangling from his wrist answered him.
We stopped under the eaves of a stand of fifteen trees and looked back whence we came. I felt no fear in my heart though we faced a hard fight, for the hulking might of mighty Hurmgar loomed on my right, and hard-eyed Gerendil stood to my left. Lorambok i felt some concern for, as he was young, untried, and little used to his steel, but the dwarf beside him I knew was sturdy.
"Here they come" Gerendil said, laying his cudgel at his feet and opening the old leather drawstrings to a homespun bag. Was that a sly grin upon his face?

Eyes narrowed , I regripped my staff, and then the ravening pack came crashing surf-like over the hill. A dozen or more great hounds bayed in that swirling tide, blue-furred and furious. Down the hill they raced for us, and in their wake strode their master. Over seven feet tall he stood, naked save for a string of shells about his neck. His body too perfect to be human, and he covered the ground with strides like a giant. Short cropped hair colored blue-black framed his beautiful face and flawless smile. He bore a long pike carelessly in his right hand and a great net hung from the left.

Anger smouldered in the merman's blue eyes, for we had slain his thralls when we forced passage at the ford. A half-dozen gilled river Trolls had demanded a toll for our crossing, and we objected to their fee. With the River Lord away they'd chosen to fight, a decision ill-made. We'd forged across the river despite them and left five trolls sinking behind us. A sixth had fled- with one arm hewn off- for his master's manor in the cool depths.

"Stand fast" tall Hurmgar muttered deeply, and readied his heavy blade. They were nigh upon us.
As I spoke the words to a spell, Gerendil took a step forward. The battered sack he turned upside down and shook vigorously: from its battered mouth tumbled two burly Ogres. I heard Lorambok and Browd the Longbeard gasp in surprise, as the two brutes bounded to their feet and turned to the merchant for their task. He spoke to them in their own hoarse and ugly tongue, and they faced about to glare at the charging Zephyr Hounds. He thrust the wadded bag back in his belt. I discovered later, he spoke the Ogre's tongue only so long as he carried the sack, and they would need to return to it soon.
To defend: This is the Pact.
But when life loses its value,
and is taken for naught -
then the Pact is to Avenge.
User avatar
Blood Axe
Cold-Blooded Diabolist
Posts: 530
Joined: Mon Jul 11, 2011 10:58 am
FLGS: The Portal
Location: Bethlehem, Pennsylvania

Re: Incorporating magic items into an adventure story

Post by Blood Axe »

The howling of the river pack was thunder in our ears. When they had hurled themselves to a distance just thirty paces from me I wrought my magic. Lightning crackled scream-like from my throat, and shrieked forth from my mouth and outstretched hands to strike amidst the River Lord's vanguard. Two hounds took my charge and dropped blackened to the earth. Smoke rose with steam from their mouths, eye sockets and burnt coats, but their fellows raced over them unheeding. Another tumbled shrieking with Lorambok's spear in its breast, then they were upon us.

A half score mouths gaped. With a gurgling rush and roar, the hounds retched forth seething bolts of water. I spoke a Word and gestured, and half the attack was turned aside. Some burst through to strike an Ogre in the chest and send it reeling, while more knocked Gerendil sprawling. Lorambok screamed with pain as his shield arm was wrenched around and broken by the force of the onslaught.

Hurmgar, Browd and the two Ogres charged the pack to meet it at the very fringe of the wood, where the impetus of its rush would be broken. Spray rose and cold water shocked my comrades as the hounds coursed among them. I stood guard over Gerendil and incanted another curse while he regained his feet. Lorambok dashed around the swirling melee before us and threw himself at the River Lord, who staid his advance to mourn his two slain dogs.

The fight was brief but vicious.

Ogre fists rose and fell like hammers while Hurmgar and Browd laid about them with sword and axe. Browd stood well protected by a coat of matchless dwarven mail, and Hurmgar , though unmailed, was equally warded by the chain that hung gleaming around his neck. Hounds teeth rent and tore while their watery breath belched and roiled. I slew one hound menacing Hurmgars broad back with a spell. Gerendil cursed and threatened while he splinted a broken leg.

Lorambok's screams rent the air , piercing the tumult of our battle, and I turned to look for him and swore. The River Lord handled the youth with ease. Grinning , the towering merman had speared Lorambok with his pike, not even bothering to use his off hand. the thrust was too strong to parry , and the lad's shield hung useless from a broken arm. He hadnt even come close enough for his own stroke before the River lord's lance had split his byrnie's chain links and run him through. I could only watch as Lorambok was hefted into the air on the pikes end, and while the lad dangled there, kicking and screaming , the Zephyr Hound's master hurled his net upon Browd.

The Dwarf had broken free of the pack and was hastening to avenge Lorambok when the whirling net struck him like a giant fist. The force of the blow knocked him stunned to the earth and flung a fine mist of water for yards around.
Gerendil broke a hounds back with his gnarled cudgel and my attention was wrenched back to the fight around me. One growling brute of a hound was in mid-leap for my throat. i side stepped , chanted a spell, called a sword of roaring flame to my hand, and cleft its blue furred skull as it snapped past.

One of the Ogres lay unmoving with its fellow looking lornly over it. Hurmgar hacked the last hound down, standing with his feet planted apart amidst a pool of crimson splashed, blue-pelted bodies.

Now only the River Lord remained.
To defend: This is the Pact.
But when life loses its value,
and is taken for naught -
then the Pact is to Avenge.
User avatar
Blood Axe
Cold-Blooded Diabolist
Posts: 530
Joined: Mon Jul 11, 2011 10:58 am
FLGS: The Portal
Location: Bethlehem, Pennsylvania

Re: Incorporating magic items into an adventure story

Post by Blood Axe »

Hurmgar and the remaining Ogre moved slowly to face the merman, while Gerendil hobbled over to look at Browd. The River lord's pike was planted like some grisly standard, with Lorambok a limp banner at its point. I shouted in rage, as blood pounded in my ears. Taking quick action, I cocked my burning sword back and hurled it over my fellows heads to smite the merman full in the chest. He bellowed and staggered as my stroke of flame seared his breast. Hurmgar and the Ogre leapt upon him while I chanted out another canticle of power.

Even wounded as he was, the River Lord was hardy. Though thin wisps pf smoke curled up coyly from his breast, he twisted away from Hurmgars stroke and smote the Ogre a terrific blow with a huge fist. The Ogre dropped to the ground like a poleaxed steer, unconscious with a shattered jaw. Hurmgar struck him across the thigh and cut him deeply. The merman's return blow buckled Hurmgar's shield and wrent it into useless shape.

The air cooled about me as I sang my paen, and when I clapped my hands together a swirling blizzard stormed and screamed around the merman, yet leaving Hurmgar untouched. The shrieking gale battered him mercilessly for bare moments - then departed as quickly as it came, leaving him tottering in its wake.

Hoarfrost rimed the River Lord's flesh, and ice hung from his hair in the middle of summer. He bled from countless places where shards of razor ice had flayed his skin. i struck him in the eyes with a magical shock bolt hard after the storm, and when he reeled back blinded, mighty Hurmgar roared and cleft him from crown to teeth.

The merman toppled slain to the earth.

An awful hush descended over us.

"Browd is slain." Gerendil whispered grimly. The dwarf lay saoking wet and dead in the merman's net, with the waxen pallor of one long drowned.

Hurmgar took Lorambok down then went to check on Gerendil's broken leg. With little else i could do, I coiled the River Lord's net and stowed it in my pack.

Browd we burned and Lorambok we buried. The hounds and their master we left to rot and wither in the sun.

No scar did that terrible fight leave me, but Ive seen Lorambok atop the merman's pike in many nightmares since.......
To defend: This is the Pact.
But when life loses its value,
and is taken for naught -
then the Pact is to Avenge.
Post Reply

Return to “Magic and Spells”