Welcome to the Renaissance World of Aterra
A New 3rd Edition AD&D Campaign Mod
Campaign Rules Campaign PC Generation Campaign Settings
Campaign & PC Group Pre-History
DM Kevin S. McCarley
This is an outline of the events that the PCs lived prior to the start of our game, the group's "pre-history" if you will. This is just an outline, enough so we can start the game. We can, as a group, add to this as we need and want to.
Our pre-history starts ten years ago, in the year 515 as time is counted in the Kingdom of Carradain. A small, disparate group of travelers are making their way to the city of New Lendor, the capitol of New Carradain since the Great Crossing twenty-five years earlier. Among this group of travelers are Quarian; a young man just recently finished training and making his first trip into the larger world. Quarian has made a friend already; a halfling bard named Kitiara who is also making her first great journey. Also in this group are four Southroners, people of the desert lands called the Caliphates. These four are obviously together, a middle-aged man who leads the group, two warriors who seem to be his retainers, and his young son. The leader calls himself Mulay Achmed el-Raisuli, a strange name to northern ears. The Southrons keep to themselves mostly, although their leader seems friendly enough. These diverse folk travel in the company of a caravan of six large ox drawn wagons filled with pig iron. They travel through wild, largely untamed country, a place where it is safer to travel in a group.
The caravan makes camp one night, still over three day's travel outside of New Lendor and safety. One hour before dawn the sleeping camp is attacked by orc raiders. The quiet of the night is broken by the crack of orcish hand gonnes as the raiders fire into the camp then draw blades and charge in to finish off the travelers. A wild melee ensues. The caravaneers and their guards try to establish a defensive line but the orcs are already among the tents and wagons. The battle becomes a dozen small fights to the death, with the orcs winning most of them. Our group of travelers, Quarian, Kit, and the Southrons, find themselves fighting together, back to back as the orcs close in for the kill. Quarian's bow and Kit's shortbow stop many an orc in their tracks, but the arrows are running out. The curved blades of the Southrons flash in the firelight and their black robes swirl like clouds of shadow as they fight. Even the young boy fights well with his curved dagger. The first wave of orcs is stopped and they retreat. The defenders look around them and at their newfound companions. As they catch their breath and gather arrows a few words are exchanged. It is clear to all that they will not live to see the coming dawn. All are wounded and they are outnumbered at least ten to one. Mulay Achmed el-Raisuli looks his new companions in the eyes and raises his hand. Speaking first in his own tongue and then in Common, he swears an Oath of Brotherhood, all will fight together until their last breath. His retainers and son raise their hands and repeat the oath. After looking at each other, both Quarian and Kit also raise their hands and Swear.
The moment of desperate brotherhood is ended as a number of orcs fire their reloaded hand gonnes at the defenders. The shots whiz around them and one of the retainers goes down, hit in the leg. The orcs now charge, howling fiercely and yelling curses in their foul language. Quarian and Kit let their few remaining arrows fly and then the defenders, now sworn Brothers, brace for the attack. Again blades glint in the firelight and orcs cry out in pain. But the defenders are hard pressed and take many minor wounds. The second retainer dies as he leaps in front of a thrown spear aimed at the Raisuli's back. The orcs again retreat, leaving another eight of their number dead at the defender's feet. Quarian sees that both retainers are now dead, the one wounded in the leg has been chopped with an orcish great axe.
Once again our four travelers have a moment of peace to catch their breath. They can hear the orcs arguing among themselves, Quarian and Kit explain to the Southrons that some of the orcs want to return to their battle barge, saying that dawn is near and the fight is too difficult. Their leader cracks his whip and yells that the iron is too great a prize, they will overwhelm the defenders with just one more charge.
The sun just peeks over the ridge as the travelers prepare for what will surely be their last stand. They can hear and barely see the orc leader cracking his whip as the raiders form up for another charge. Then another sound is heard, the thunder of many hooves and the clatter of armor. A troop of lancers, their pennants flying in the wind and the newborn sun glinting off their armor and lance points, is galloping toward the camp. The orcs cry out in rage and despair as they flee the charging cavalrymen. Our travelers are saved.
Later that morning, rested a bit from the battle and with their wounds tended, the new Companions meet again. Quarian and Kit have decided to return to their homes for now. Quarian says that he must speak to others about this orc raid. Kit has taken a wound that needs time to heal and has had enough adventure for now. She will compose a ballad about their battle. while she rests. Mulay Achmed el-Raisuli says that he and his son will continue to New Lendor, there to take a ship bound for their homeland to the South. However, before parting, the four renew their Oath, saying that if the Fates allow them to meet again, they will remember their Brotherhood.
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