Role Playing Games
 

Campaign Journal
Dramatis Personae

The Orbaal Campaign
or
What Happened in the North

The Tale of Telvarin the Sorcerer

Telvarin was born outside of Taztos the son to a legionnaire. He was treated badly and he fled the small outpost as a young boy. On the third night of his voyage to Tharda, he was set upon by a horrible beast which scarred him and infected him with lycanthropy which would surface later. He came to Moleryn and was quickly snatched up by Havril of the cult of the Midnight Dancer. Twisted magics and worship he was taught and he took life. He fled at the age of twenty, a butter and guilty young man. He came to Paranan and Orbellus took him in as an apprentice. Magic he learned and for a while his old scars were healed, but one bright night, Orbellas discovered him for what he was. Telvarin fled to Shiran, fearful and angry.

For many years, Telvarin lived in Shiran, using his sorceries to earn his way. For a time he was friend and partner to Catspaw, but that ended after Catspaw tricked him and left him to the knives of Grilly the Knife, a Shiran tough. Telvarin was bed- ridden for weeks. For a short year, he was companion to Khare Pesed, but he again was wounded by assassins and left for dead. His disease resurfaced, and strange dreams came to him, drawing him back to the service of Naveh. Dysdin, a Navehan, came to slay him, but Telvarin had lured him and managed to trick him into a long talk of theology. After a long day and night of discussion, Dysdin stood up and said that, while the talk had been good, Telvarin would die. At that point, Telvarin transformed and slew Dysdin; the timing of the full moon had been perfect. Telvarin took Dysdin's head to the hidden Navehans as a gift and they made him one of their own.

Telvarin was ambitious and his strange dreams drove him. A mercenary named Stryker told him about the Taztos treasure and about how a scroll which had been borne with a strange seal (a seal of Naveh) had been buried along with the merchant's treasure. Curious, Telvarin was tempted. Telvarin later killed Stryker in the Hefosia Highlands. The location of the Taztos treasure and the strange scroll died with him. Telvarin's opportunity came not much later when he learned that an expedition was planning to travel the Salt Route. Using knowledge and foresight, Telvarin attached himself to the expedition as an assistant advisor to the young nobleman Squis. Telvarin was also aware that Pug the Mug (a friend of Catspaw) and Wudjna (Orbellos' final apprentice) were to be a part of the expedition, and so decided on revenge. The expedition came to Moleryn. Here, Telvarin performed a double cross: He promised to sacrifice the caravan to Havril and his growing cult, and indeed at the start of the journey he allowed Squis to be kidnapped and the group ambushed by Havril's men. Yet he then helped the group to Havril's hideout and the cult was destroyed and Havril was silenced eternally by Telvarin. Telvarin had gained the group's trust and had eliminated a link to his past.

The group traveled on, and much plotting ensued. Telvarin found the scroll which prophesied a time when a demon would rise, a time when kin would slay kin. He realized that the Thardic civil war which loomed on the horizon would be that time. Strange visions drew him forward and great plans did Telvarin formulate. In Pesino, in the waters, Telvarin managed to divine the location of an old magic khuzdul treasure hoard near the Kaldoric manor of Loban. At the Trobridge inn, there was much betrayal, but Telvarin remained secure in his position of trust.

Later, on a night of his changing, he betrayed Wudjna and left him for dead. He claimed that they had been attacked by wolves and with sSlus in a fever, helped the group to its doom, with the help of Gurdum and Eidrik, two Navehans of Tashal. In Tashal, he betrayed the expedition to Eidrik and spent a few days in the Navehan libraries there. Then he fled as he realized that Eidrik planned his death. In Loban, he found the khuzdul hill, he slew a nolak (a troll) found great jmorvi magics, and an ancient blade, Trueheart. He also managed to trick first Sir Denzyn, a knight, into swearing fealty to him, and then Sir Maradan the Sherrif he tricked with the promise of power. Both planned to kill all pursuit of Telvarin, and the Sherrif further gave Telvarin eight criminals from the stocks and a cruel warden to keep him in line for Telvarin's plans. Telvarin then freed them all and promised them great power.

They traveled north to the valley of the Shem. There, Telvarin sacrificed the knight to a witch as a gift, and so he and the criminals entered the valley to deal with Durain the renegade khuzdul. Telvarin gave Durain the jmorvi lore and a promise that elves would die a plenty if the dwarf crafted armor and weapons for the criminals and for the best, Trueheart became Blackheart. Thus, Telvarin and the Eight Knights of the Deceiver rode south to Beijist. One knight was killed and one was captured by enemies, but Telvarin, using great trickery, made an alliance with the Beijist Navehans. By this time, Telvarin had realized that someone or something was helping him and guiding his fate. He prayed to Naveh, and found out the truth. He was being used as a pawn by Gwydriel the elven sorceress to free not the awesome demon Aedlad, but to free one of their kinsfolk. He greatly resented her trickery and evil, but he would be a tool for nobody (save for Naveh himself). He called out to her and met her. A deep discussion followed and a tenuous alliance was formed. Navehans and Morsindari, pacaelin and halflings, gargun and criminals gathered at Beijist and Telvarin built his power while sending out others to do the killing for him.

Telvarin and Gwydriel and the adventurers finally came into a three way truce and the three groups entered the tower, each with its own arms. Gwydriel had learned of the tower's trap, and using portals on the first level, left the tower with her morsindari, leaving Telvarin and the other group bewildered. A struggle ensued between the knights and Telvarin's foes. Telvarin perused his goal to the end and died at the hands of a Bearatulna member.

To My Beloved Master and His Two Lap Dogs

Three Fools

Ringed by walls of stone

Three Fools

Together, yet alone

One Crippled

In tool of speech

One Lacking

The will to breech

One With

A secret to teach

And To All And Each

There is no home

-Telvarin