Storms over Tamriel: 1 - Before the Storm

  • The first session, Before the Storm, was run on the 27th of September, 2014.


    Before the Storm

    The adventure began in the city of Skywatch in Auridon, outside the local mages guild. Assembled in the training ground are a pair of Guild mages - Aethanar Carathryn, a High Elf bearing a scar over one eye, and Fernando the Valiant, an Orc battlemage. They are joined by a Fighters Guild hireling, Harry the Lizard spear fighter, as well as a number of independent mercenaries and treasure hunters:

    • Elistan Aralas, Wood Elf Ranger

    • Zakar Dantien, Redguard Spellsword

    • Licks, a Khajiit assassin with nasty tongue-related habits

    • Vriska, a Nord rogue.

    From the local ranking Guild mage, Itermerel, they are informed of their mission: to explore the ruins of Kynenmath on an island south of the Summerset Isles, and recover an Orb of Storms from the Storm Wardens which once resided there. They are offered 200 gold pieces each upon their return, as well as additional rewards for bringing back additional artifacts for study. The party embarks on their journey to the island the following day.

    After a few bouts of seasickness and a storm on the second day, the adventurers arrive at the island. After a failed attempt by Licks to pickpocket the captain of their small sailing vessel, a handsome Altmer man with a fine sword, they dock the ship at the large jetty of white stone and leave the rest of the crew (primarily Khajiit, Bosmer and Altmer) and venture on to the island. The ruins of Kynenmath stand atop a cliff, and a path winds around the bottom of the island up to the entrance.

    The adventurers carefully make their way up to the entrance, checking for any traps or ambushers on the way. They notice a distinct lack of either. The front door is solid stone, bearing a dull, blue crystal motif of a thundercloud over the open ocean. They determine that the door could be opened by a sufficient application of electrical energy, but had no source of such power. The building consists a large dome with crumbling spires at each of the compass points. The southern spire, above the front door, has collapsed entirely. Harry climbs on to the roof and throws a rope down for the rest of the party to climb up. The dome has collapsed here, and the adventurers are able to climb down the rubble, bypassing the Storm Wardens’ front door. They also find an Ayleid crystal lantern inside a locked box within the rubble. With the way forward and left blocked, they advance through the corridor to the right.

    After some scouting ahead, the adventurers come across a group of skeletal Storm Wardens, which they dispatch after a challenging battle. A pair of Storm Warden Knights had magical swords enchanted with shocking effects, which they take. Continuing through the curving circular hallway, they explore a side-room and discover an ancient forge and armory. They find a large supply of weapons, some armour smithing supplies, and some Fire Salts which they keep for later. They also found a chest containing some silver arrows.

    After another encounter in the hallway, they are joined by the mysterious Alpharius, Aethenar’s brother. Where did he come from? Why is he here? Perhaps time will tell.  The adventurers continue and explore another room to the north. After Licks spots a pressure plate in the darkness, Vriska disarms the swinging axe trap and they advance into what appears to be a crypt. It’s completely empty other than a single sealed sarcophagus in the center, bearing similar motifs to the front door. Now with a form of shock damage, they open the sarcophagus, ready for a fight. To the adventurers’ surprise, the sarcophagus contains a well-preserved Storm Warden hero, bearing a suit of Mail armour, an enchanted Silver sword, and a Welkynd stone. Before leaving the crypts, Vriska manages to scrounge up some extra gold from the empty sarcophagi.

    Before entering the large central room of the ruin, the adventurers decide to finish searching the outer hallway. Two ghostly wizards work a mage’s lab and are quickly dispatched by Elistan and Licks’ ambush expertise. Aethenar picks through the lab and finds some enchanting supplies as well as a locked jewelry box, containing a trio of enchanted rings. Vriska, Alpharius and Zakar pick through other side of the rubble near the entrance, and find a case containing a pair of Silver daggers.

    The adventurers then venture into the central room, containing the Orb of Storms. Arcs of lightning streak from the orb around the room, and have reduced everything within to rubble. Aethenar determines that the orb is damaged, and the adventurers spot pedestals with cages above them at each corner of the room, each with a switch on them. The adventurers devise a plan to hit all of the switches using the fastest members of the party and Fernando’s summoned scamp. In an alcove by the entrance into the Orb room, they also find a statue resembling the hero they found in the crypt, and hand it the hero’s sword. It enters the room, and holds up the sword absorbing 3 of the 4 lightning arcs as the adventurers dash around the room, hit the switches, and retrieve the Welkynd stones powering the Orb of Storms.  Aethenar determines that the orb has been damaged, and the others dig through the rubble and find a preserved Ayleid book. They take their spoils and go to exit the ruin.

    The adventurers climb back atop the rubble to find that their boat has been burned to the waterline and the island is swarming with Maormer - the Sea Elves. They recall that the Maormer have a large navy and practice shock and weather spells as well as a powerful form of snake magic, used to control sea serpents. After counting about 50 of them, Harry goes and scouts out the ship, seeing 3 sentries keeping watch on the deck and hearing the tortured screams of the crew of their ship belowdecks, As she swims away she sees a large sea serpent resting beneath the ship. Armed with this information, the adventurers devise a plan, beginning with some crafting, trap resetting and other preparations before lighting the forge using the Fire Salts to lure the Maormer inside. Two groups of a dozen elves enter, and soon after one group is cut down by the swinging axe trap and the adventurers lying in wait.

    Will the adventurers escape the island with their freedom? Their loot? Their very lives? We shall soon find out...

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Comments

6 Comments
  • The Long-Chapper
    The Long-Chapper   ·  August 19, 2015
    This is pretty cool. I have always wanted to play ESO, so I'll definitely be following. 
  • Sotek
    Sotek   ·  August 19, 2015
    Hello Ponty
    What I'm going to ask you to do is to firstly make a TOC in the Tamriel Tales Discussions. A TOC is your Table of Contents page. Here’s a link to help you. Start here!
    Once you have made your TOC you will need to add links to it fr...  more
  • Veloth the Prophet
    Veloth the Prophet   ·  August 19, 2015
    This is pretty cool
  • Ponty
    Ponty   ·  August 19, 2015
    Certainly, there was about 25 sessions all up and I am thinking of posting one a day.
  • Sotek
    Sotek   ·  August 19, 2015
    Hello Ponty and Welcome to Tamriel Tales.
    I'm somewhat curious with this. I presume you are intending to add more than just the one post?
  • Ponty
    Ponty   ·  August 19, 2015
    @Blog hosts - I know this isn't strictly a blog but I thought people might find it interesting. I've gotten the go-ahead from Paul but feel free to take this down if you don't think it belongs here.