So where we stand now, the characters have defeated the vampire in his lair deep under the city of Jonas Point, and have found a link to him and the lich that is extending his dark powers further into the world. Finding a note, and a map, the party of heroes has chosen to leave the city and strike out to the south, towards the ice covered caps of the silver mountains (don't sue me RJD)in hope of finding a powerful ally in the battle with the undead. Are the characters prepared for the cold weather that is fast setting in? What adventures await the intrepid 4? Why is the DM writing this summary and not a player who can gain plot points? These questions and more will be answered in the sessions to come.

New and Even More Improved Ulrik Ironring

I leveled up Ulrik today. Instead of being crazy and taking that level in Kensai like I've been planning I decided to wait til next level. I took another level in Rogue. Ulrik now has evasion which will be helpful in fighting magic users. I am also looking forward to using sneak attack mostly for dealing out extra damage. Oh, and I also fixed the errors I noticed on my character sheet last time, so everything should be accurate now.

Next level up (in 7000 plus XP) I get a bonus feat. Any ideas on what I should take?

See you all Tuesday.

There be gnome's!

With the loss of the groups one and only healer, the need for a cleric was dire, so, player Pat has stepped up and offered to run two characters, Ulric, the stout dwarf fighter, and a new, yet to be named cleric. Pat had one request though, the new cleric needed to be a gnome, how can I as a DM argue with this. I will roll up the character sometime this week and figure out how to work him/her into the game.

Player down

I have removed "Sir John" from the list of active players, and have revoked the players permission to post on this blog. I have not heard from him in 3 weeks, not one email, one post on this blog, or one phone call. To me that just tells me the person is no longer interested in playing our game. I have no problem with people missing games, being late or what ever, but come on, three weeks is more then enough time to send some sort of notice, of course, maybe he is dead! Anyway, if you, Sir John, see this and feel there was a mistake, send me a email, if not, then good luck to you.

Dirk!

(As reposted from the Google Group)
Backstory

Dirk never knew his birth parents. He was found as a baby on the side of the road, one dark and stormy night, by Tarn Darkhammer and his young daughter, Theresa ("Tessa" to a young Dirk). Tarn had been a fighter and adventurer in years past. But his best days were behind him, so he had married and settled down in a small village called Alro as the local blacksmith. Tarn's wife and own infant son died during a complicated delivery. So with a little prompting from his daughter, he took pity on the obviously half-orc child he found that night and raised him as his own. Of course, Dirk was picked on by the other children in the village. At least, until he outgrew them (which didn't take long). But he didn't have many friends except his "father" and "sister" whom he was very protective of. When he was big enough (again, didn't take long) he started helping the smith at his forge, as well as learning the basics of combat, etc. from him. Then, when he was around 13 or 14 (pretty much full grown for a half-orc) a raiding band of orcs swept through Dirk's village. Tarn was killed defending their home. Dirk's raw fighting prowess impressed the orc chieftan, one Thorak Dreadscar, who decided to keep him as a slave. Thorak was the leader of the Gorefist tribe, a particularly brutal and rapacious tribe of orcs. Tessa also managed to survive, but was captured and sold to slavers by Thorak, ending up Kord knows where. This weighs heavily on Dirk to this day, not knowing what has become of his closest friend. He still keeps his eyes open for any sign of his sister in his travels.

Dirk lived among the orcs for a year or two. Thorak used him primarily as entertainment in gladiatorial fights. Much to Thorak's pleasure (at the time) Dirk quickly distinguished himself as a natural fighter. Though he was a lowly half-breed and a slave, he managed to gain some small amount of respect with his fighting ability. This translated to some small freedoms, or at least less abuse. Still, his days among the orcs left him changed. The treatment he was subjected to, and inflicted upon others, hardened his heart. While he despised his orc masters and their brutality, it was through that brutality that he found a sense of purpose and self-worth, as well as some insight into the beast within him. He managed an escape while traveling to a fight, killing his captors and fleeing into the wilderness. Thorak still thirsts for his blood, since one of Dirk's handlers was the chief's oldest son. Dirk has been on his own ever since, making a living as a mercenary and adventurer for hire, while trying to balance his orcish rage and his human soul.

Gunnar son of Brock, of the tribe of TorbjØrn

(As reprinted from the former Google Group.)

BACKSTORY:
Gunnar son of Brock, of the tribe of TorbjØrn. Gunnar hails from a northern village. In the remote wilds, life is hard. Gunnars was no exception. As a child he learned the hard lesson that power is survival. A few of the other children and Gunnar were gathering wood. This day they were in a section of the woods not often frequented. Well after gathering wood, they were returning to the village when they were attacked. Unknowingly they stumbled into the territory of a dire badger. Which are very aggressive in protecting there territory. It attacked the group. The others fought valiantly. Using wood that had been gathered as clubs. Gunnar that day had been entrusted with the axe. Which he put to good use. They over came the dire badger. But lost two of their four. But if it were not for Gunnar with the axe, surely the day would have been lost. He learned that the axe (weapon) was power. And that power equaled survival. To this day he wears a claw from the badger as a reminder of that.
At the age of seventeen Gunnar went through the tribal right of passage into manhood. He was given a spear, and a knife. These two items alone. Then sent into the forest. His mission to kill a boar then bring it back to the village. Or don't come back. Gunnar was gone for several days before returning. With the biggest boar ever brought back to the village. He wears one of this boars tusks as keep sake of his right of passage.
At eighteen Gunnar left his village to seek his own path. Shortly after this he learned another important lesson. That power was not only physical items such as weapons and money. But friendships and social connections are power too. During his journeys he encountered a group of halflings being bullied then attacked by an ogre. Gunnar immediately came to the halflings assistance. Together they defeated the ogre. They pal'ed around for a couple days then went their seperate ways. Months later in a tavern Gunnar found himself in argument with several orcs over a game of chance. They were preparing to mess Gunnar up. When out of the nowhere, the halflings came. Together they overcame the orcs. He then proceeded to drink till dawn with his halfling friends. This cemented the idea that sometimes friendship is as powerful as a blade.
Gunnar is boisterous and brash. Not afraid of danger, but not foolhardy either. He values power. Its what he wants more than anything. Except at the loss of his friends. Whom he is quick to defend. He is an uncivilized brute, that can be savage and vicious. But he a good person at heart. That acts proper to women and children. On the other hand his enemies should and do fear him. For he is like a force of nature. A furious storm to be reckoned with.

Hey guys, other then Ulrik, I still need your background stories. I have checked all the material I got from Mike, and there is nothing there on your guys. So if you can find them, or rewrite a quick story in typical "tragic childhood driven to revenge" D&D fashion or whatever, it will help with some ideas I have coming up. Nothing too long, just something to flesh out your character alittle more is fine.

New and Improved Ulrik Ironring

So, I updated Ulrik using Heroforge today, and it was very impressive how the software just told me what to change, and kept track of everything for me. As we discussed I added a level in Rogue, which hopefully will be handy in dungeons. Unfortunately my disable device is pretty low right now, so I may be able to find traps, but not disarm them. Oh well, next level I suppose.

On that note I will be able to become a Kensai when I next level up, which is the goal I have been working on with this character, so that is pretty exciting too.

See you all next session.

I would like to offer a way to keep this blog updated, and also for your characters to benefit from it, both by keeping the story going and through experience awarded. In other words, I will give extra xp to those who keep a posted journal, or summary of the past adventures here on this blog. Now I am not asking for a "Robert Jackson" diary, but if you want to post a quick paragraph about the session, either in first person narrative, or just a overview, that's cool.