Black Luke and the Wight.

  Black Luke sat almost peacefully in the 'Root Cellar' Inn common room, he looked over at the old dwarf warrior talking to Varek.
Varek then comes over and sits down and orders an ale, "He say the diggers should be here on the morrow, they bringing shoring, and we gonna need to escort them to the site because of the ogre slavers, 10 gold per digger, 60 in all, double in case of death."

"I see, and how long?" asks Black Luke.

"They think 8 hours, and after they finish, Esmeralda wants to camp in the first level, so we can start bright and early, she also wants to hire some guards to be on the outside to guard the exit."

Black Luke nods, "Good, getting jumped on the way out was getting old."

  The next day the elven sisters told Black Luke that escort services were going to be done by the Guardians of Willowwood, so he only needed to be on site for the over night camp, also that Magandella, Marsha and Rose would go with him that afternoon to get supplies for the excursion.

  The evening came, Black Luke and companions arrived with the supplies, lots of oil, and meals for the workers and guards. Half the guards were leaving in the morning with the diggers, all except one digger, a Halfling named Henery, who agreed to assist the group for extra pay.
  The morning came with out bother, the elven sisters keeping a watch in shifts, then Henery cooked the brerakfast, soon after they were at the new tunnel in the pool chamber, they passed thru it with Black Luke checking along for any deadfalls, and Varek inspecting the stonework. Coming to a 'T', they chose to turn right and there after a great stone door fell, blocking the way, with no way to lift it in evidence they moved on, finding long abandoned crypts and rooms with green slime or spiked pits.
  Soon they found a room with a large wheel that when turned lifed the stone door but also reset a moving wall trap and the group was split up, with Henery being crushed to death by the wall and Black Luke with Zac Anton also apparently killed, But unknown to the elves they fell thru a trap door into another chamber, where then Zac Anton confronted a wight and then that killed him.

Black Luke stared at the wight, then spoke in the language old, old from the fall,
the tongue of tyrants, Law twisted to Evil. "What is wanted, for to live myself?"

The wight hissed, "Words of old, not herd in ages, you have spoken, that said is bond of law, oath/make slay the other ancient, the vampire,
the chaos must be undone, oath this, and live."

"Oath this, the vampire, will be undone." spoke Black Luke.

"In the other crypt it waits, slay its lusts, and I will have peace." said the wight.

"Crawl." the word was softly herd, as the wight sank and pointed to a small dark hatch that must be the way out.

Black Luke crawled thru the tunnel feeling sharp pains from the biting worms untill he climbed upward and out of a hole behind the wall in the old orc knight's chamber.

He could hear Magandella crying over her lost companions

Black Luke verses the Ogre Slavers.

  Black Luke and Varek looked over the pile of zombie and skeletal remains.

"Thart were a good idea, sneaking and using the potion of invivibility to come behind that caster." said Rose.

"Well I'm not so sure." said Esmeralda, "We should have tried to take him or the orc back to the Guardians alive for questioning."

"I think this orc's sword is magical." said Zac Anton, "It has rune work on it, Rose you can dual wield, you can get it, better than trying to poke things in the eye with your left hand, like you usually do."

"You is just the jester, I would think it's better for Abigale, did you see the way the orc tried to kiss on her?" said Rose.

"If you are going to fight over who dosen't get it, I sure would like it." said Marsha.

"Every one agreed?" said Esmeralda, "Marsha gets the Runed longsword, and what did the caster have on him?"

"Not alot, some coin, a ring, some spell components." said Magandella, "His staff is just a wooden stick.Wait, a scroll, I found a scroll!"

Young Magandella casts her 'Decipher Scroll' cantrip, "Oh, Ewww, it's nercomatic magic, it has multiple Animate Dead on it, and a Charm Person as well."

"The orc has a map," said Zac Anton, "It shows a tunnel on the other side of that far wall, we didn't find it because it's not a secret door or anything, it's all original construction, so not obvious."

"And me with out my pick and shovel." comments Varek.

"Maybe we can use the Animate dead scroll to reuse some of these skeletons and whatnot, to dig for us? questions Black Luke.

Esmaralda scowls, "No, We not doing that, I'm going to conduct a rite to put them to rest, they can be put back in their watery grave."

Magandella looks over the scroll and thinks to herself, 'Well they are not evil undead, so maybe.' then ponders the distastefull thought.

"It's too high for me to cast off the scroll anyway, it would probably fail."

Magandella's sisters look at her blankly.

  On exiting the ruins they are soon set apon by Ogres, "What is it with exiting this place?" asks Black Luke.

"Where is Necromancer Master!" shouts an ogre, amist a barrage of arrows.

"In his grave! Where else?" shouts back Rose. Shooting more arrows from behind Varek, Abigale, and Zac Anton.

"Kill the Dwarf, take elves slaves as master wanted." said an Ogre.

"I'm special." said Varek. Dodging attacks and splitting the ogre's head open like a mellon.

The companions tried to take the last ogre alive as it tried to escape, but it turned and made one final charge at Black Luke, who then killed it.

"Oh, I should have use the charm person scroll." said Magandella.

Black Luke and the Necromancer.

  Black Luke sat by the campfire outside of Evanzanthis' abode checking the captured loot chest for traps, he found none, at least he hoped there were none, he then picked the lock. There were various flasks, and a small bag of gems, and several other bags of copper, silver, and electrum. He took the bag of gems and a handfull of electrum coins and put them in his pack, he then laid out his bedroll and went to sleep.

Inside Evanzanthis' abode Magandella listened as her sisters discused the matters at hand.

"So this Orc Knight had a shield with the same eye symbol on it." said Abigale.

"The stone scorpion fell in one of the dark pools, it looks to be unrecoverable." said Varek.

"Well, these ghouls, is what seems most troubling, some one animated horses for them to ride." said Mage-Master Evanzanthis. "and this some one has an intrest in those ruins, I'm in the middle of an important project and can't take the time to see for myself, as I have to be elsewhere, I'll send a message to the Druids, they will want to know about this."

"In the morning, put up my old tent outside for us to use as a meeting place and for our human assistant to stay in between excursions." said Evanzanthis. "Young Magandella, Take any of my low level spell scrolls for your use."

Magendella nods, "Yes, Mage-Master."

  The next day the loot was divvied up, and the potions were found out to be of healing, invisibility, speed, ESP, and water breathing. They set off for the ruins again and made it to the chamber with the pools with out finding trouble, but trouble found them.

  A group of zombie came out of one of the pools and the door of the orc knight chambers was opened during the melee, and out came a dark robed figure, accompanied by the orc knight and several skeletons. The orc charged Abigale, and the dark caster enacted a hold person spell, Abigale and Marsha made their save, Rose and Magandella failed. Varek fought off skeletons trying to rend Magandella, and Zac Anton went after the dark caster and wounded his personage with his glave, the caster attempted more magic but found he could not as his head had come off his body from an attack from behind done with Black Luke's bastardsword. The Orc Knight tried to ecsape again but he too was done in.

Black Luke and the Ghoul Riders.

  Black Luke was not happy with the Inn, as the local elves lived in the trees or in elaborate towers, what he got, was not what was expected. The Inn was a hole, it was called the
 'Root Cellar', and was mostly for those special friends of the elves, the few dwarves and halflings. As he was not one of them, he had to be taken in secret to a room, a room he considered a cell. He expected to be in it for only one day, he was there for three, with Varek the dwarf, his warden bringing him his meals.
  On the last day he was found out, and was removed from the Inn and Varek was given a 'talking to', and that was fine with both of them as the companions were ready to make their exploration past the secret door in the ruins that they had previously been in.

They were Black Luke, Wayward traveler (2nd level Assassin)
                 Esmeralda, 500 year old Elven Priestess, Acorn of Leaf Lord
                 Abigale, 250 year old Elven Warrior-Maiden (2nd level Fighter)
                 Marsha, Half-elven Mercenary Veteran (age unstated)
                 Rose, 99 year old Elf, Ranger of the New Way (2nd edition ranger)
                 Varek the Dwarven Fighter (3rd level fighter)
                 Zac Anton, Half-elf Master at Arms, Veteran Glave Specialist
                 Magandella, 50 year old Elf Mage in training, Daggers.

  Along the way things are discussed, the symbol on the Buheer's shield, and the disapearance of the horses. Rose said she had tracked the horses and they looked like they were taken by more bugbears, the symbol on the shield was an open eye of unknown meaning according to Evanzanthis.

  Arriving at the ruins, Abigale, Luke and Rose went first followed by the rest,
they passed stright to the unopened secret door and Varek was able to figure out how to open it. They passed down into lower levels where the companions skills were all put to full use, Rose finding goblin tracks and Luke detecting various boobie traps of a piercing nature, Varek saving the group from a crushing stone ceiling and Rose detecting the ambush of a group of goblins led by some self-styled orc knight. The Orc Knight seeing the battle going against him, made his escape with an arrow sticking out of his hide for good measure.

  Finely finding a series of pools they were attacked by some type of giant scorpion made of stone and then found the chamber of what was taken to be the orc knight, finding its chest of loot, they decided to make their way out, exiting at dusk out of the ruins. They were then assaulted by a group of ghouls riding skeletal horses, Esmeralda was able to turn some, but during the battle both Varek and Black Luke were paralyzed, and Marsha was put into a bleeding out condition before the last ghoul rider was glaved in twain by Zac. With Esmeralda saving her with the last healing spell, they decided to head to the abode of Magandella's teacher. Evanzanthis.                              

Black Luke and the Doubting Dwarf.

  Black Luke peered at the darkened figure standing in the light of the exit. All members of the group were wounded badly and Ceesul was dead. Only young Magandella, who during the previous conflicts either tossed daggers or got in lucky strikes when the fights were nearly over, was unhurt.

"Now what is all this about?" spoke the darkened figure.

"Stand forth and indentify yourself... Oh, it's you dwarf." Esmeralda said.

"Indeed only the one and only Varek, dwarf friend of the elves." states Rose.

"Never mind such talk, what are you doing draging the young one down here?"

"There was hardly any fighting at all, I did not even get to use any magic, and also i'm 50. In the ancient days i could get married and have children." Magandella beems.

"You better not!" Esmeralda, and Varek say in unison.

 It was at this point Varek began to scrutinize Black Luke and scowls at the phrase "wayward traveler". as he inspects the bugbear shield emblem.

"So, whats the plan now?" Varek asks.

"We have decided to take this man to the Inn, and are coming back on the morrow, so help us carry my sister Abigale." said Esmeralda. "We need to tell the patrol about the Buheer and that Corporal Ceesul has been done in."

  Standing at the upper ruins, the group see that the horses have either been stolen or have run off, Black Luke sees that his dressed rabbit is gone as well. Varek walks behind the group, inspecting Black Luke, 'leather armor, crossbow, and hand and a half sword'. Black Luke turns and glances at Varek.

Varek says, "Watching you."

Black Luke and the Bugbear.

  Black Luke stared at the being in awe, he had herd, and seen, and even killed goblins before, this being was different, it was large, hairy, and brutish. It barely fit down the hole. The elves with him stoped their small talk and a pause fell over them.

"A Buheer..." whispers Magandella.

"Elves die now."  said the Beast as it charged forward striking Ceesul and killing him.

"Arrows fly!" shouts Rose letting her arrows go. They deflect off the beast's shield.

  Black Luke's crossbow bolt strikes true. The Buheer smashes its heavy morning star into Esmerelda, she feels her ribs crack. Rose steps forth striking the creature and drawing blood, it attempts to strike Esmerelda again but misses while also deflecting Marsha's and Abigale's assault.
  The creature scowls at the group as it handedly blocks their next onslaught of swords and weapons. Abigale seeing an opening, then strikes the Buheer, wounding it. It immediatly strikes her back, felling her. Magandella lets fly with a dagger to no effect, but for the beast to turn its eyes toward her. Rose takes this moment to strike it again, wounding it more, and the chance is not lost by Marsha, and lastly Black Luke getting the final hit in, slaying the Buheer.

"Ok, thats enough for one day." said Black Luke "What was that thing?"

"Thart was a Buheer, you humans call them Bugbears." said Rose.

"Lets take it's gear back" said Marsha.

"I will check it for coin as well." nods Black Luke.

"Abigale still lives." Esmerelda states, "but needs more than i can give, my healing is spent, and I can hardly stand, we have to get her out and go now."

They once more turn toward the exit, and see another figure standing there.

" Oh, no." Magandella said "More trouble."

Black Luke and the Elven Sisters.

  Black Luke and the red haired elf named Rose watched the approaching riders, One in front attired in green, and two others in blue, the rest a motley bunch of what he assumed to be some sort of partol. As they came to a stop, those with bow, nocked arrows and pointed them in his direction.
  Rose began to speak in what he believed was the elven language, pointing around at the ground, and at him, and the location of the goblin bodies, then most of the elves rode off continuing on their way. The remaining elves introduced themselves.

Young Esmeralda, Priestess of Rillifane Ralathil, Daughter of House Winetree.

Young Abigale, Warriormaid, Daughter of House Winetree.

Young Magandella, Aprentice of Evanzanthis, Daughter of House Winetree.

Ceesul the Spell Blade, Corporal Guardian of the Willowwood.

Marsha of Willowwood, Half-elven Mercenary in service to the Guardians of Willowwood.

Black Luke only says he is called Luke.

  It is at this time that various ways of getting past the stone door are discused, and so finaly Ceesul takes it apon himself to use his second level spell levitate to lift it so it may be pushed away. With this done the group then agrees to treasure shares and to only make an initial survey of chambers.

  Exploring the under ruins they encountered various vaulted chambers, some being occupied by fire beetles, others by centipedes, and passing by a discovered secret door, a chamber with two huge spiders. Finishing off the spiders, a few gems and silver coins were found, they headed back to the tunnel exit, agreeing to return the next day. The elves spoke in elvish of how they should bring Luke to the Inn and if there would be a problem as he is a stranger to the elven folk.

A dark shadowy figure was standing in front of the way out.

TO PART 5.

Black Luke meets Rose.

  Black Luke tries to rest in fitful strides after a fight with goblins that he barely survived. Then he hears more movement from below his perch, He knows that combat with more goblins would probably finish him off as he was at the end of his endurance.

"Hallu! Hallu! Human are you there? Did you survive? I see your tracks zans know you there."

Black Luke peers over the edge, and his first thought is that, now that is some red hair.

"Greetings elf, yes I live, but am wounded, having taken bad goblin hits apon my person."

"I am called Rose of the Willowwood, Elf warrioress and tracker of the House of Wade."

"Others of my folk will be meeting soon here, you should climb down." said Rose.

  It was at this point Black Luke came down, and he introduced himself as a wayward traveler from the nearby human town, and had entered the forrest in search of making his fortune, or at least some game.
Rose gave him one of her last three remaining enchanted healing berries, it caused his wounds to heal, but he still felt he was not up to a good condition.
  He showed her where he deposed of the goblins, and that there was indications of a movable stone slab door in one corner of the floor. She could see for herself with her elvish senses that it seem to her that it was there, but some way of lifting it up was needed and that how was it that the goblins made entrance to underground in the first place, and why would they then come out in broad day light as such was not the goblin way.
  As they discussed the uses of crossbows verses bow, a cloud moved across the sun and the gallop of horses was herd aprroaching.

TO PART 4

Spells, Mage-Master Evanzanthis: Young Magandella: Day Three.

  Now it will be shown that by the combination and manipulation of all the true quanta of magic and the use of longer elaborate casting times, the addition of magical focus items with manipulation of aura by training in the usage of will as an additional spell component to manipulation of the weave of magic that surrounds us in accordance with gaining access to the lay line fields thru elemental based focus structures, a mage of the first circle can be more than a single shot one trick pony.
  I have endeavored to have constructed at the nexus of a nearby lay line an obelisk of arcane glyphs and induction, that thru ancient dweomercraft should create lineage to a withthe of willow, also bonding it to the forest aura.
  This wand used in conjunction with specially crafted spells should allow single minded elven casters to be a force within the confines of the dwimmers parameter.

                                                 Mage-Master Evanzanthis of House Goldenfae
                                                Blue Wizard of Willowwood and Sage of Falcons.

Spells, Mage-Master Evanzanthis: Young Magandella: Day Two.

  As is known auras are real. Magic uses auras to effect the subject of the casters spells, take the simple Shield spell, what sets its properties? the users own aura is the shield. Affect the subject and you affect the Aura, Affect the Aura and you Affect the subject.
Take the invisibility spell, why would such a spell render clothing and weapons invisible supposing one did not cast the spell on the item? the spell has affected the aura, the person and everything in it.
  There are however known to be ancient items created when there was a lesser understanding of magic that were in fact created that did only effect the being and not the aura, gaseous form potions that only change the user leaving clothing on the ground being one of them. My own ancient falcon form spell is similar. In the ancient past there were many Form spells now superseded by various polymorph type spell, these usually effect carried items, showing they effect the aura and the being.
  These ancient Form spells while seeming lesser magic have a modern advantage. The effect of the spell is real and the modern Dispel magic will not dispel it. An Invisible Form spell would make the user without equipment or armor, and only the user invisible, making an attack that would normally disrupt the aura of an invisibility spell forcing the user to appear would not happen. at this time I am not sure if even a detect invisibility spell would detect, does the modern spell detect the aura of invisibility or the state of invivibilty?
More research needs to be done.


                                                  Mage-Master Evanzanthis of House Goldenfae
                                                Blue Wizard of Willowwood and Sage of Falcons

Spells, Mage-Master Evanzanthis: Young Magandella: Day One.

 The supposed problem with Prestidigator level wizards, mages and magic-users, is the one spell a day problem, 15 minute work day, or Depleted Utility Magic Base. Many solutions are searched for and thesis devised, But we elven casters of the prismatic order have long had the secret and for good reason.
  As is known from spell researchers, spell power is the result of many quanta, One the verbal, second the somatic, third the material. Lesser known are Will, and Inheritance. Many creatures with at will powers or spells cast their so called magic using those inate methods, Dragons for instance cast many memorized spells with out porting material components, they inately replace material components with Will and Inheritance. Litches are known to replace some of their memorized spells with spells that will refresh every day with out needing spellbooks. this is an aspect of Inheritance. The same with the cone of cold of the Ogre Magi.
  Inheritance is by focus causing a portion of ones mind to function as a spell scroll or spell book, it is little understood.
  In some cases the material component can be done away with by use of longer casting times with new spells being the result, and in other cases thru the use of rare arcane proficiency and more expensive material components and longer casting times very powerfull effects can be achieved.
  Almost all spells and spell like powers only use three of the five, and even when casters think they using only one, they use more than one, a Wish spell being a notable example, it uses VERBAL, and MATERIAL in the form of the casters life force, and WILL, Will is why the spell often bites back, as up till that point will is not an issue only V, S, & M.
Their lack of understand of will is the failure of many Wish.
  We of the prismatic order have guarded the secret of certain arcane proficiencies,
that combined with longer casting times, training in the component of WILL, and the use of a magical substance that flows in the veins of all elves, their blood. have redescovered ancient magics, one being Ancient Elven Aprentice Aura.


                                                  Mage-Master Evanzanthis of House Goldenfae
                                                Blue Wizard of Willowwood and Sage of Falcons

Young Magandella and her Teacher

  Young Magandella stoped at her mage-master's tree domicile, she knew she had to get out her supplies quick.

"And where do you think you're going?" her master said.

".... I'm off poking around with my sisters."

"You can't even cast a first level spell yet."

"I can do 'Decipher Scroll' as a ceremony and as a cantrip, and can cast from a scroll  'Ancient Elven Aprentice Aura' and 'Falcon Strike.' " said Magandella.

"Your oldest sister, has come out of the ancient grove as a full priestess of the Leaf lord?"

"Yes, finaly." Magandella sang, "All praise the Leafe Lorde, all praise the sun."
                                               "Look to his holy star, and all he has done."
                                               "Noble Elf lords in the valley of the vine."
                                               "O' Honor the Leafe lorde, he is divine."

  "Fine, you can go, take my bracers of protection, and a scroll of cure light wounds out of my old adventure trunk, give the scroll to Esmeralda, i would like it back unused if possable, and try not to cut yourself on your own daggers."

  After the young elf lass left, Mage-Master Evanzanthis of House Goldenfae, the Blue Wizard of Willowwood and Sage of Falcons, turned to a figure in the next room. "Follow her, son of my old friend, for she is the next Blue Wizard".

Black Luke lookout.

 Black Luke reached the crumbling structure. He saw it had a crumbling chimney on the second floor and easly climbed the outer wall to reach an entry window. The upper structure had most of its roof gone and the floor was not much more than a ten foot platform with a fireplace, well enough for a hide hole when on the lam.
 
  Then he herd the sound of grating stone from below and unhuman whispers. Then more grating of stone and a thump. He peered over the edge and saw them,  Goblins.
The first one was struck down with his bastard sword, the second dodged.
Goblin 3 was missed, the other 3 attacked, and Black Luke was grazed.
His blade strike flew wide, the five goblins made ready to attack with short swords, a strike by one was made.
  Black Luke was off his game, another wide miss, luckly so did they. He spun around then and finaly made another hit and goblin went down, four now left. He dodged all the next attacks and struck another down, three to go.
  The goblins rushed at him and he held them at bay, one got a lucky hit in, then, it went down, finally the last two made another mad attempt, he was struck badly, but another miss by him. The 2 goblins circled, Black Luke knew this was it, either them or me. Black Luke lashed out, beheading the one that got too close, the last one bolted from the ruins.
  Both Black Luke and the last goblin both thought them selves lucky, but Black Luke had a crossbow, he fired it, missed. This goblin can't get away. Fired again and the last goblin was done. But was it too late? He felt an aching pain. This might be the last place I hold out at, my final rest, he thought.
  Black Luke collected the goblin shortswords and their coin bags, 30 silver in all, then stashed the bodies in a hole next to ruin's foundation, he climbed back back up to his spot to tend his wounds.


TO PART 3.

Black Luke on the lam.

  Black Luke approched the edge of the forest, he grimiced at the wanted poster with his discription on it, pulled it off the post and tore it to bits. Black Luke entered the forest and hoped the elves hadn't seen the wanted poster.
  He need loot and he needed it bad, he herd of the ruins over the edge of the forest, and hoped he could get lucky and at least have a place to rest up. Out of the corner of his eye he cought a movement, fired his crossbow, and shot a rabbit. Well, a meal at least.
  He didn't notice the goblin tracks.

  Rose of Willowwood was tracking goblins heading to the Ruins of Nox.
I better wait for the three sisters of the house of Winetree, she thought to herself, and who is that dark figure up ahead, this can't be good.

  Young Magandella awoke with a hope, that this first day of adventure with her older sisters would be a good one. She had the light riding horses ready, they were to meet the tracker Rose at the west edge of the forest at mid morning, something about some goblins was mentioned, they were to see what they were up to, and report to the local elven patrol.
It would be a good 50th birthday.