Background

Austin's Characters

The Party

The Reformed Church of Boniface discovered the dark mission last year. The temple of an evil cult was discovered along with their hideous plan. It appears they have been sponsoring missions to a distant tomb, the Tomb of Acererak. From was has been divined, Acererak was a tremendously powerful evil being from the Time of the Gods. He reigned terror across the lands with armies of undead. Now this cult seeks his power; to bring back the evil and death.

The following questions were answered during a Commune spell cast by Father Durant.

Is Acererak alive? NO
Is Acererak undead? YES
Does he dwell within his tomb? NO
Does he dwell on another plane? UNKNOWN
Will we have to confront him? UNKNOWN
Can we defeat him? UNKNOWN
Does a gate exist within the tomb? UNKNOWN
Are there any artifacts within the tomb? YES
Will we need these artifacts to defeat Acererak? YES
Is the spirit of Acererak contained within these artifacts? NO
Does this mission place our souls in danger? YES
Need we fear anyone in our own party? UNKNOWN
Does any other group of adventures actively seek the tomb? YES
Will we have to confront them? UNKNOWN

Mr. Louglyn scribed this poem while casting a lengthy Legend Lore spell.

Abomination Acererak,
Chosen was he before the fall,
Corruption came, rebellion of soul.

He took his armies on attack,
Defeat was his, weakness of flesh.
He brought unlife; must pay the toll.

He hid his home in seclusion.
His power grew, of evil night.
Once more his armies of death unleased.

He ruled the souls of many men.
He ruled so long his power waned.
His lands so foul the Gods released.

Their vengeance great, they sunk the earth.
Acererak accepted this fate.
He made his Tomb and marked it by death.

His powers hidden from all within,
But he escaped with borrowed life.
He hides again, his strength unknown.

With that information, the Reformed Church of Boniface began sponsoring their own covert missions to destroy any thing left of Acererak’s evil left in his tomb. The problem is no one has returned. The Reformed Church of Boniface has now recruited the best.

This mission, unlike the others, was to be as overt as possible. By amassing a large force of powerful adventurers, the Church hopes to send a message to any group wishing to spread chaos or evil through ancient powers. The Tomb is supposedly in the center of a vast swamp far down the coast. The selected adventurers sailed to Nearie, the closest port town to the swamp. Once assembled, the party made its way toward the swamp. Strangely they discovered the Tomb is far from secret in these lands. Its swampy location a mystery, but its forboding legend is well known as place of death. A few rumors of survivors are heard, but the tales they’ve supposedly told are have become so embellished as to be completely unbelievable. They also heard that there have been adventurers that ventured into the swamps, only to return claiming no such Tomb exists.

Few of those assembled appreciated the size of swamp until they neared. They needed a guide to get them through. Unfortunately a reputable guide was hard to find among the sparse population. Most capable people fear the swamp or could not be trusted. One man finally stood out as capable and willing. Geoff, an experienced swamp fighter to whom the surrounding villagers rely on to keep the swamps beasts from them. He holds a small fortress and village on the edge of the swamp. Although not everything desired, he was the best available.

Unbeknowst to him, the party spied on them before making their presence known. Geoff is a very successful mercenary. The villagers pay him to keep the nasty swamp beasts away. He does this regularly and they found no impropriety. He even goes on the attacks more often than not. He is chaotic neutral, but his behavior tends toward good, probably for selfish reasons. Dawn is more of an enigma. She too is not of law, but also neither good nor evil. She does not display her magic overtly, but she seems to keep a few charms active.

Geoff does not know the exact location of the Tomb. But if anyone can get them to the heart of the sunken earth where they suspect the Tomb to be, it is him. Of course his motivation is money, and they suspect a desire to adventure. Being, chaotic, Geoff and Dawn are not married, but obviously quite taken with each other. He wields a crossbow or two swords. She probably stashes a dagger away. They can hold their own with equipment. Nothing like Daern's Fortress of course.

He and three companions, Dawn his lover and a mage, and warriors Cletus and Dutch, accompanied the party into the swamp and proved to be very beneficial. During the trek, several times the party was attacked by lizard men, by frog men, and other denizens of the foul place. During the attacks, several hirelings and a couple henchmen were killed including Cletus. The party decided to send the hirelings back with Dutch and a couple their own henchmen. To his credit and to alleviate some suspicions, Geoff and Dawn stayed on and continued to fight.

Mike's Characters

Geoff

Geoff resides on the edge of a vast swamp known as the Grull. Few towns dot the plains near the swamp. Most are along the
coast about a hundred miles away. He spent his early adventuring years along the sparsely inhabited plain, clearing monsters
and humanoids for the villagers and would-be lords. It was profitable work. As the years passed the villages grew - thanks in
large part to Geoff, his companions, and others - and the wilderness has been tamed. There are still threats though. Gnolls and
worse make raids from the hills and mountains to the west, and lizard and frog men from the Grull. Being very successful,
Geoff cleared land and built a small fortress along a track commonly used by the Grull's denizens to raid the villagers. In
addition to the moneys made from the villages, Geoff and his men make money selling swamp produce. The fish are large,
snake skins plentiful, even crawfish became popular in the towns. Geoff now runs a small village of about 30 next to the
swamp. He is leading a very good life.

A few years ago, some foreign adventurers came looking for a guide into the swamps. One of Geoff's henchmen, Heinrich, went
with them and was never heard from again. Of course rumors of lost treasure spread; why else would anyone want to venture
into the foul depths of the Grull? Every few weeks another group would pass through and enter the swamp and never be heard
from again.

Most of the groups were very tight -lipped about what or where they were going; as treasure seekers should be. This peaked
Geoff's curiosity to do some investigation. Up and down the swamp's murky border, adventurers had been seen entering the
swamp. Yet few had returned, sane. Geoff even sponsored a few small groups to go in and find out what they could from the
bands of lizard and frog men. The only thing they were able to learn was that something was at the heart of the swamp that
even the foul beast men stayed away from. He contented himself with the gold these travelers left at his inn. Most of his
adventuring friends are dead or retired anyway.

Then Dawn came to Geoff's life. She was great, at least the best free fuck he has ever had. She was wild and powerful. Geoff
does not know where she learned magic, but with her by his side he feels undefeatable. She was also curious about the
strangers that came to search the swamps. She would try to get information from them, but only discovered that it was some
sort of ancient treasure filled tomb hidden in the swamp. She started talking about putting an expedition together. Geoff was
non-committal at first, until the latest group of adventurers arrived.

They were powerful and well organized. Serious money backed these guys. They wanted a guide and they wanted the best and
someone pointed them to Geoff. Dawn was overjoyed with this. The party was lead by two zealots of some religion, Father
Durant and Lady Cassandra. It is clear that neither of these two liked Geoff and Dawn much. They offered a horde of gold to
take them into and out of the swamp and energized by Dawn's exuberance Geoff decided to go along with Dutch an assistant
he'd been training.

Geoff's close friend, a stout warrior Cletus, insisted against Geoff's protests on accompanying him into the swamp to "watch
yer back". Geoff entered the familiar swamps but soon even he was out of his domain. Several times the group was attacked
by lizard men, by frog men, and other denizens of the foul place. The attacks cost several hirelings, and a couple henchmen
were killed including Cletus. The party decided to send the hirelings back with Dutch and couple of their henchmen.

The party is now Father Durant with Brothers Lee and Zodac, Lady Cassandra with Squire Lars, mage Mr. Louglynn and
assistant Steve, halfling Bart with gnome companion Norm, female half-orc Sarge with assistant Mug, bard Erin, and elven
ranger Leliath.

Dawn

Dawn's earliest memories come from a dingy apartment in some dirty town. Her mother taught her the Dark Art of Shadow
magic. Her family was run out of town and they drifted for years, often with a traveling circus. She never really enjoyed the
perversions and stupidity of those around her, but she lived through it. Her mother and she still studied and had quite an act.
Then her mother was led to join with a strange group of Shadowmages. Dawn did not like the ritualistic cult they formed, but
her mother was taken in. Despite Dawn's protestations, she chose them. Dawn went on her own.

She kept in touch with Dawn, however. And she would still teach Dawn some of the things she learned from the cultists. She
was different though. Seeing Dawn in need, she/they offered Dawn a job. They desired Dawn to investigate the groups that
were seeking the Tomb of Acererak within the Grull swamp. Dawn was to try and dissuade those that sought the powers
within, and to encourage those that sought their destruction.

They paid Dawn well, and all they wanted was a monthly report. So Dawn took the job. It was easy. Most of the adventurers
went through a tiny village on the edge of the swamp. Dawn's own curiosity about this tomb grew. Apparently the powers within
were great indeed. She was unable to dissuade many from their attempts to recover Acererak’s power. No one returned
though.

The local warlord, Geoff, seemed to be the most powerful and the most in the know. Dawn "befriended" him. He indeed knew
quite a bit of the activities of the adventurers, and was paying her way. As more and more intrepid adventurers entered the
swamp, Dawn began to desire to see this Tomb. Obviously, the powers it held were awesome, and if the Dark Cult desired
them destroyed, she could help to that end.

When this last large group came to the village, she suspected they would desire to recover the powers of Acererak. But, Geoff
said they were seeking the destruction of the tomb, and wanted the best guide. Dawn "convinced" him to go along. A group
this powerful, although lead by a couple of religious zealots that make her nervous, was sure to succeed. It was those religious
types that ran her family from their dirty birthplace; not that she really cared. But Dawn felt she better keep her Shadowmagic
subtle.