Playing with Fire

The land of Murghôm is region torn by the games of the dragon princes. They do battle on large scale with the lives of their subjects as game pieces. The constant warfare provides constant work for the Dragon's Blood Mercenary Brigade-- A campaign by Jorge Jaramillo

Characters

 * Tal Grugach: An elven ninja who has traveled from the far east on the long road towards vengeance. -- Played by Jorge
 * Neil Essender: A human monk trying to make sense of a destiny thrust upon him. -- Played by Ignacio
 * Ovarc Bellman: A dwaven fighter out to reclaim his precious ring that was stolen from him. -- Played by Joe

Fallen Heroes

 * Jebediah Ashfer Colrayne V: A human gunslinger whose failure to deliver a package on time cost him the ultimate price. -- Played by Ignacio
 * Alaran Fenton: A half-elf cavalier who bravely died trying to save his companion from a fire. -- Played by Joe
 * Churchill Hixx: A human sorcerer who literally lost his head when trying to stop a pair of ogres from stealing the cattle from the McAlister Farm. -- Played by Joe

Prologue

 * The ruler of the city state Delbyl is waging war with his neighbor, the city state of Khalab, over a boundary dispute. Delbyl's ruler sees this as an opportunity to expand his land and wealth.
 * To ensure his victory he hires the Dragon's Blood Mercenary Brigade to fight alongside his army.
 * The battle is a long and bloody encounter. Neither city army wants to yield. Though, by the day's end that battle is won by joint forces of Delbyl's army and the Dragon's Blood Mercenary Brigade.
 * It is said that the battle's turning point was when a small unit of three soldiers took on an advancing enemies troop by themselves as well an opposing captain.
 * After the battle is won, the mercenaries are paid and given some time off.

Chapter I: The Box of Flame

 * On leave from their mercenary camp, Jebediah, Alaran, and Tal decide to go to a tavern to celebrate their victory.
 * During their night out, they are approached by an unassuming man named Darren Fars. He has come seeking the people responsible for taking out the opposing captain in the battle earlier that day. When the three claim responsibility, he offers them a potential job from his employer. He tells them to meet him the next day and gives them a sack of gems for listening.
 * Realizing that they received nearly one hundred times their payment for their battle in this one sack of gems, they decide to call it an early night and meet with Darren Fars in the morning.
 * Early the next morning, the three set out to meet Darren Fars at the agreed upon location and find him with no difficulty.
 * Before they can really speak with him, though, they are all attacked. Darren Fars states that his combat abilities are merely average, mutters some incantation, and disappears.
 * They are attacked by some thugs, a few dogs and a wizard. The wizard seems very interested in Darren Fars and his employer. He seems to believe that he'll be well rewarded if he captures the two, and that, for this, he will become the "one who wears the purple robes."
 * Unfortunately for the wizard, though, they are easily defeated. Darren reappears to the party. Tal suggests that no survivors be left alive, and the bodies are tossed into the river.
 * Darren is pleased and takes the party to a fine inn where they will meet with his employer at last.
 * Darren Fars employer is a young man, almost a child. He speaks down to the party and treats them poorly. However, he correctly assumes that all they really care about is the pay from the job. He tells them about the job.
 * These people are after him because he has failed to deliver a package to them. It is very important that they get the package in four days.
 * Unfortunately, the package was stolen by a group of goblins.
 * The party needs to retrieve the package from the goblins and deliver it to the people. The boy doesn't think it is wise for him to deliver it himself, seeing that they are already sending people after him and Darren.
 * The three agree to the mission and leave the boy's room. Darren accompanies them out and gives the party a second sack of gems, with more promised once the job is complete.
 * The group gets their new found gems appraised and quickly proceeds to sell them and use the money to buy supplies for their quest. After they are done shopping, they head out.
 * After a day-and-a-half of riding, the party reaches the borders of the goblin lands. There, Tal scouts out ahead and finds an entrance to a tribe lair. Tal lets the others know, and the three of them start to head towards the goblin lair as quietly as they can. Unfortunately, Alaran, the cavalier with a lance and shield, is not quiet enough, and alerts the goblin guards.
 * The goblins investigate the sounds that Alaran make while Jebediah and Tal hide as best they can. Soon enough, though, a battle begins. While the three goblins did put up a fight, they were no match for the adventurers.
 * Tal points out that between the fighting and the loud explosions coming from Jebediah's firearm, the party has totally lost the element of surprise. Jebediah and Alaran aren't phased, though. They all do straight into the goblin's lair.
 * Thankfully, with a good mix of perception, stealth, misdirection, ambush tactics, and brute force, the three navigate their way through the goblin tunnels (as well as through several goblins).
 * They eventually find a room filled with the spoils of the goblins' ill deeds. However, it is being guarded by a fearsome bugbear.
 * The bugbear ambushes Tal and fells the elf in one mighty swoop. Alaran, still injured over his several battles with the goblins follows suit. It is up to Jebediah to defeat the monster.
 * Blows and shots are traded. In the end, though, Jebediah comes out on top. With the bug bear, riddled with bullet holes, lying dead at his feat, Jebediah administers potions to Tal and Alaran to save them.
 * The tree quickly search the small hoard to see if they can find the package that was stolen from Darren Fars and his employer. Alaran notes a small but heavy box that bears the family crest that was on the boy's clothing. They decide that this must be what they were looking for and quickly make an exit from the goblin lair, but not before encountering more goblins.
 * After some more battles with the goblins, the trio finally escape with their prize. The ride home is thankfully, uneventful.
 * That evening, upon reaching Delbyl, they seek Darren Fars to learn more about the people they are delivering the package to. Unfortunately, he cannot answer their questions. Darren repeats the importance of delivering the package on time, however, and leaves the group once again.
 * The next day Jebediah spends at work, improving his firearm. Alaran spends a few hours restocking on supplies.
 * It is Tal, alone, who decides to try to search for these people. Unfortunately, his efforts are in vain. He is unable, after ten hours of searching, to get any workable information as to how to find these people. Frustrated and angry, he returns to Jebediah and Alaran. He berates them for not assisting him.
 * Eventually they decide to help, but it is already very late in the day. They get nothing accomplished. The three decide that maybe opening the box will give them an idea. Unfortunately, none of them can do this.
 * Jebediah decides to hold onto the package, and the three retire for the evening. They know that time is about out, but they cling onto hope that they'll be able to finish the job early in the morning.
 * This is not the case, however. Toward the end of the night, Jebediah is awoken when the package opens without warning. Two greater fire elementals emerge from the box and lay waste to the room, easily defeating Jebediah.
 * Panic soon ensues because of the elementals and the havoc they are wreaking. Tal decides to flee. Alaran, however, realizes that the fires came from Jebediah's room. He rushes to his friend's aid and picks up his burnt body.
 * By this time Jebediah has already succumbed to the fire, but Alaran valiantly tries to save himself and his companion. Sadly, Alaran would also fall victim to the flames.
 * Of the three, only Tal survives this evening. He is unsure of what his fate holds for him.

Chapter II: The Werewolf Lord, Gallon

 * While Tal escapes with his life from the burning inn, other members of the Dragon's Blood, including Neil Essender and Churchill Hixx, watch the immense fires burn from the safety of their camp outside the city.
 * Tal Grugach returns to the camp and the Dragon's Blood begin their march towards the next battle.
 * As they approach the next battle, Commander Robert Lorrenk asks a small squad to perform a special mission.
 * He wants Tal, due to his accomplishments at the previous battle, as well as Neil and Churchill to sneak through the Ralwood into the enemy encampment. Once there, there are to set fire to their supplies. This will knock the Khalabi army from an offensive position to a defensive position and drastically lessen their capability to wage war.
 * Later that day the three start their mission and start going through the Ralwood. While navigating through the dark, overgrown forest is difficult, the group has no problems during the first day. The first night, however, is a different story.
 * During the final watch of the night, Churchill is caught unaware while a swarm of spiders attacks the party.
 * Neil and Tal quickly realize that their weapons are useless against the swarm. It takes Churchill a little while longer before he realizes that his magic is no good against the swarm either. Eventually, the three drive the swarm back with their torches. Aside from a lot of bites, no serious harm is done to the party. It is too soon to rest, though.
 * They hear a scream out in the distance. The party races to see what's the matter, and they find a pixie woman trapped in a spider's web. She's about to be eaten by a giant spider.
 * The three spring into action to save the pixie. The giant spider proves far easier to deal with than the swarm of spiders.
 * After the giant spider is dealt with, the three cut the pixie free from the spider's web. The pixie, Jesmaraya, is overjoyed and offers each member of the group a favor.
 * Neil asks the best route to take to reach the Khalabi encampment. Jesmaraya is displeased because of the war that the humans are bringing so close to her home. However, she says that approaching away from the stream would probably be best.
 * Tal cuts to the chase and asks Jesmarya to aid in their mission. She refuses to get herself mixed up in the wars of humans. She does mention, though, that there lives a fearsome werewolf in these woods by the name of Gallon. If he doesn't kill the party first, Gallon may help.
 * Churchill asks if perhaps the creatures of the forest could help them out. Jesmaraya says that is not up to her. They would have to see, themselves, if they could get the wild animals of the forest to help.
 * After their talk, Jesmaraya gives the three a short blessing that heals them of all their wounds and flies away.
 * The group rests up and continues their journey. All goes well until the evening when a pack of wolves attack the party.
 * At first the party is dealing with the wolves without too much trouble. However, as time passes, more and more wolves show up. The group is starting to get worn out, and they attempt to retreat into the trees where the wolves cannot reach them.
 * Then the party hears a fearsome howl as a large lycanthrope appears before them. They quickly realize that this beast must be the werewolf Gallon that the pixie warned them about.
 * Neil tries to reason with the creature, but Gallon knocks him out of the tree and renders him unconscious. As the werewolf prepares for the kill, Tal mentions Jesmaraya.
 * The name of the "Winged Wench" stops Gallon from killing Neil on the spot. Tal and Churchill climb down from the tree, and Churchill tries to explain what is going on to Gallon.
 * Churchill eventually asks the werewolf for assistance in their mission to burn down the supplies in the enemy camp.
 * Gallon would like nothing better than to kill those encroaching on his forest, but he has absolutely no desire to put himself in danger. He demands to know how the three plan to accomplish their mission.
 * The werewolf quickly tires as the three struggle to present a decent plan to him. He threatens to kill Churchill and tells the young sorcerer to run.
 * Gallon chases down the fleeing Churchill and is about to make good on threat to kill him when Churchill spouts a plan that involves sneaking, camouflage, etc.
 * Gallon doesn't expect the plan to work, but he decides to let them try and fail on their own. If their plan for getting in is success, he will aid them. However, Gallon warns the three that when their plan fails, and when the three are fleeing from their enemies, he will hunt each one of them down.
 * The three of them work their way towards the enemy camp at the edge of the Ralwood. It is, of course, guarded. Quietly, the group approaches.
 * When in position, Churchill casts a Sleep spell on two of the guards. Another pair of guards realize that something is amiss and approaches them.
 * While the guards hear Churchill and Neil in the brush, they do not hear Tal. When these guards get close, Tal springs on one of them, killing him instantly. Neil takes out the other just as quickly. Thankfully, no one else notices the commotion.
 * The party takes the uniform off the guards and wears them in hopes that they are not noticed as outsiders in the army. It works.
 * While trying their best to blend in and convince everybody that they belong, they look to find their targets. They find two areas that they believe will hurt them: their food cache and their ammunition hold.
 * The three quietly discuss how they are going to do this. Neil assures Tal that he has a plan for taking care of the food stores by the stream, though he will need Churchill's help. Tal is confident that he can take the other target himself. Tal goes his off and let's Neil get his plan underway.
 * Unfortunately, Neil had only come up with half of his plan. He had originally planned on crossing the stream and striking from behind, then leading a worried camp in the wrong direction. He soon realizes, after Tal left, that this likely wouldn't work.
 * He crosses the stream with Churchill as planned, telling a guard that he has to relieve himself, and that Churchill is going to keep watch from wolves. The guard doesn't buy this explanation, but he knows that men often have certain needs. He lets them through.