//------------------------------// // End: Session One // Story: Ogres and Oubliettes, Rise of the Shadow Empire // by ezra09 //------------------------------// Spike set the small timber wolf figure onto the table. Scootaloo leaned forward to get a better view. It was larger than any of the other figures, taking up four squares instead of one. It was a decent likeness of a real timber wolf, though the paint job was a little messy in places, and it looked like purple fuzz had been stuck onto the eyes. Spike rolled one of the larger dice, the one he’d called a d20, and made a note on his paper. “Okay, we’ll start back at the top of the initiative order, so Scootaloo, it’s your turn.” “Okay. Uh, I don’t think there’s much I can do other than shoot it, is there?” “Not really. You’ll get more options when we level up. We only started at level one to teach you and Mimic the basics.” Scootaloo nodded and rolled one of the dice. “Uh, fifteen plus six, so twenty one. And then nine damage. Oh, and can I fly up so it can’t bite me?” Spike nodded, making another note, “Sure. But as the arrow hits with a dull thud, it doesn’t do as much damage as you expected. You get the feeling that piercing weapons won’t do as much against its thick, wooden hide.” “Oh,” Scootaloo said, a little disappointed. “Well, at least one of us has an axe.” “Uhuh,” Apple Bloom said, grinning as she picked up a dice. “And Ah’m after Scootaloo, right?” “Nope,” Spike said. “As you take to the sky, the lumbering wolf rears its head back and lets out an ear splitting howl. You see the sleeping wolves begin to stir.” ***** Dusk’s arrow sank into the timber wolf’s shoulder with a dull thud, doing nothing to slow the creature’s advance. It’s hungry eyes, glowing purple in dim evening, swept over the group. It reared its head back and howled. Grogar howled back in defiance and charged, leaping over the smaller wolves and slamming his axe into the timber wolf’s side. The smaller wolves began to stir, roused by the timberwolf’s howl. The one closest to Elytra snapped at her, forcing her to duck away as the others flanked her. Galahad backed away, pulling a small crossbow from his pack and taking a shot at one of the wolves that were now surrounding his friend. “Elytra, get out of there!” ***** “But if I move, don’t they get to attack me?” Mimic asked, looking at the grid with a small frown. The three smaller wolves were all just one space away from her. “You can disengage,” Spike said. “Then nopony can attack you when you move, but that would be all you can do.” “I don’t want to lose another turn,” Mimic said, thinking and looking at the sheet Spike had helped her fill out. “Does attacking like that count as a reaction?” Spike nodded. “Then I cast Arms of Hadar. I think.” “Okay, yeah, that could work,” Spike said, rolling several times behind his screen. “Yeah. The one Grogar hit earlier makes its save, but the other two fail, so they can’t take reactions until their next turn. Go ahead and roll damage.” Mimic checked her sheet again and grabbed two of the six sided dice and rolled them. They bounced across the table and came to a halt, a six resting on the top face of both. Spike stared at the dice for a long moment before sighing. “Okay. So as the wolves are circling you getting ready to attack, you feel something else. Something at the back of your head, a crawling sensation across your neck. Something you’ve only felt a few times before. Something you don’t fully understand. A creature, watching you. You can feel power building in you, and you know it’s not your own.” Mimic listened, slightly confused. She’d expected Spike to note the damage and move on, as he had before, but she couldn’t help but admit she was a little intrigued at whatever it was he was talking about. “Your eyes begin to glow as the shadows beneath your hooves twist.” ***** The wolves lunged toward Elytra. Elytra stood unmoving as twisting arms of shadow erupted from the ground beneath her hooves and caught each of the wolves. The first wolf, already injured by Grogar’s axe, was slammed backward into the ground where it stood. The second was thrown into the corner of the nearest building and fell into an unmoving heap. The third tried to back away, but the remaining arms grabbed it and simply pulled in every direction at once. The arms dispersed, and the purple glow faded from Elytra’s eyes as the street was left in stunned silence, broken only by a single set of clapping talons. “Woo!” Galahad cheered. “You go, girl!” The timber wolf lunged toward Grogar. The dragon caught the beasts jaw with the haft of his axe and turned it aside. The blade caught the timber wolf across the side, sending it rolling back just as Breeze let loose another spell, marking the timber wolf with an unearthly luminance. Grogar hefted the axe above his head and brought it down with a roar of fury, scattering branches and splitting bark. He brought it down again and again, until nothing remained but a pile of firewood. Dusk watched the brutish dragon for a moment before looking back over the street to be sure the danger had passed. No other creatures stirred. “What now?” “Now we go back to that tavern, I think,” Galahad said. “Yes, I agree with our feathered friend. We should take a moment to rest and mend.” Grogar nodded. “I want to know more. They said these attacks were happening for weeks.” The Muddled Mare was just as they left it. A dozen ponies sat in fear, waiting for some news from outside. The thick smell of smoke was almost choking after the fresh evening air. “Your conquering heroes have returned!” Galahad announced as they entered the room, drawing the attention of everypony inside. “Conquering heroes? Wait,” the barkeep said, eyes widening, “you’re those ponies that ran off when fancy came running in. Did you...” “You may rest at ease, for tonight at least,” Breeze said. “We have overcome the threatening beasts.” There was a moment of silence and then everypony in the tavern began talking at once, some congratulating or thanking the party, others asking for more details, and some casting doubt on their claim. Grogar sighed, straightened, and raised a single, massive arm above his head. The tavern fell silent. “We have questions.” “Thank you, Grogar, now if you’d all please, what little we’ve heard puts us at unease. We’d like to know more about your troubles and pain, if somepony would be kind enough to step forward and explain?” “It’s like we told ya before,” one of the ponies said, “a couple weeks ago, the animals in the forest started coming into town and attacking ponies. We’ve had bears, wolves, even big snakes coming into town.” “It started when that stranger came around,” another pony said. “Oh, don’t you start that again.” “I’m telling you, I saw him. He was wearing all black, and he had a hood up the whole time. Other ponies saw him too! My buddy’s ex-marefriend’s cousin’s coworker said she saw him going into the forest the day before the first attack. Nopony’s seen him since!” “Well, that does sound suspicious,” Dusk said. “Uh, right?” “Totally,” Galahad agreed. “Unless it’s a red-herring.” “The beasts come from the forest,” Grogar said. “Whether this pony exists or not, the forest is where we will learn more.” “Wait, you’re not planning on going out there?” the barkeep asked. “I fear somepony must, if these attacks are to end. If somepony must face such danger, better me and my friend,” Breeze answered. “Yeah,” Elytra said. “Better her and her friend.” “Oh come on,” Galahad said. “Don’t be like that. Imagine the story. Some mysterious stranger in the forest, stirring up the beasties. Don’t you want to know why?” The changeling just sighed. “I’m going too,” Dusk said. “If there’s a threat out there, you’ll need my help tracking it down.” “Wow,” the barkeep said. “I don’t know what to say. Tell you what. It’s getting late, and the forest is more dangerous at night. Stay here and rest up. No charge for the rooms.” She hesitated, and then turned and pushed through a door behind the bar. She came back a minute later, carrying two small, dusty bottles willed with a dark red liquid. “I’ve been saving these for a rainy day. If you’re really going to help, I want you to take them.” “What are they?” Dusk asked. “Healing potions,” the barkeep answered. “They’re not that strong, but they’re better than nothing.” “Thank you,” galahad said, taking the bottles and handing them to Grogar. “You seem like you’re the least likely to fall, plus me and Breeze have healing magic. Hold on to these, and pour them down our throats if we need them, yeah?” The dragon nodded and stored the bottles in a pouch at his waist. And with that, the party sat down to eat, drink, and eventually retire to their rooms. ***** “And that’s a good place to call it for tonight,” Spike said. “Aww,” Thistleroot whined. “We’ll have more time next time, since we won’t have to make characters,” Spike said. “If everypony wants to play again, that is,” he added, looking at Scootaloo and Mimic. Scootaloo shrugged, still confused by the game. It hadn’t been a waste of an evening. She’d had a chance to spend time with her friends, at least. “If everypony else wants to, I’ll play again.” Mimic nodded. “It was okay. The arm spell was interesting.” “Great!” Spike said, perking up. “Well, now that you have your characters, feel free to flesh out their back stories so I can work them into the campaign. And Thistleroot, could you help Mimic and Scootaloo level up. We’ll play the next session at level two.” Thistleroot snapped a salute. “Sure. I wanted to talk to Mimic at some point about how our characters know each other.” Mimic tilted her head, thinking. “I actually had an idea, while we were playing.” Scootaloo raised an eyebrow at that, but shrugged. She hadn’t expected Mimic to be that interested, but it was hardly the most surprising thing the odd changeling had ever done. “Well, I was thinking we’d play every two weeks, if that works for everypony,” Spike said. The group gave a round of general consent, and after a few more minutes of chatting, Scootaloo, Thistleroot, and Mimic made their way back toward the train station.