Working on the Rule Book

So, I've been very focused these last few days. I've been in a bit of a breather from the story, and I've been working on The Hero's Tale rule book. It's our hope to have a first edition ready in a few weeks!

To that end, I've been scanning a bunch of old drawings!  Here are a few. I still have to tweak them in 'shop to make them good and contrasty...

There were some significant chunks of the rules that had to be rewritten since the last time I compiled it. We had changed the skills tree, the character creation process, and swapped the initiative system for "priority". 

I'm very excited to get the book printed and ready!  I'll keep you posted!

“And Who Are You?” - A Tale of Heroes - Scene 41: Granthurg

For the last hour, Granthurg had steered the barge westward in silence. Thissraelle lay near his feet, on the platform, wrapped in a blanket, fast asleep. Antonerri and DeFrantis sat together on the deck, huddled together, to tense to sleep. They weren’t talking, but just looked at Granthurg and the other woman, who sat between them and to one side.

Granthurg noticed that she was also nervous, and looked back and forth between him and the others.  Granthurg leaned forward and picked up a bundle of blankets. He stepped away from the rudder and off the platform. He offered blankets to Antonerri and DeFrantis. Antonneri wrapped one around DeFrantis’ shoulders.

Granthurg hesitated and looked at the unknown lady. She looked not quite human, but was too stout to be elvish. She didn’t look weighty, but rather that her shoulders were more broad and her back stronger than most elvish women. How did she get here? I wish I knew what she’s thinking, what she’s planning.

Finally, he stepped to her and offered her a blanket. She looked up at him, a bit surprised, and took it.

“I can pay my passage.” She didn’t look up.  “At the first village, I’ll get off the barge and return to Twynne Rivers.”

“Sure. There’s a small dock at a town just on the other side of the forest. We’ll be there by late tomorrow.” He hesitated. “I’m Granthurg. Who are you?”

She looked up. “My name is Karendle.” She said nothing more.

Granthurg nodded. He moved to a trunk by the side of the platform, and drew out bread, cheese, and a jug of ale. He offered her some, but she looked uncertain as to how to respond to his gesture.

“Go ahead,” he said, and offered again. This time she took a loaf and some cheese and began to eat.  He moved to the others and offered to them as well. Finally, he took his own bread back to the platform and stood by the rudder.  “You were quite a surprise. I appreciate your help in the fight, but I’m not sure what you’re doing with us. How did you come to be on my barge?”

She didn’t seem to be too sure how to answer. After a moment, she said, “I guess I’m a bounty hunter.”

“And you caught your target?”

“Yeah, I suppose.”  Granthurg noticed DeFrantis keeping a watchful eye on her. “I’ll have to take him back to the city.”

Granthurg continued, “Where are you from?”

She was done with her bread, and leaned back. She broke off a piece of cheese. “Originally, I’m from the Western Mountains.”

“AH! I am, too! You’re part dwarf, am I right?”  She ate, then nodded. “I wondered. You’re a little short for a human, but you don’t have elvish features! Have you been gone from the mountains long? I was hoping to get back to my city after this river run.” She replied, and Granthurg started talking about the mountains and his home. Before long, he glanced out over the barge and saw that all three were laying down, asleep. He smiled to himself and nodded. We’ll sort everything out tomorrow.

He took a hold of the rudder. It will all be fine tomorrow.

<<<>>>

This continues the story of the heroes in Wynne, in Twynne Rivers, in the world of The Hero's Tale, Family Friendly RPGs. Here's more info on The Hero's Tale, and family friendly RPGing.


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Start the whole story from the beginning. Start from where this current story arc begins.

“How Did You Do That?” - A Tale of Heroes - Scene 40: Karendle

For a moment, everyone on the barge just looked at each other. No one seemed to know who anyone else was, or why they were there. All except the giant, who was frantically looking around trying see where the elf girl had gone.  The shadow wizard girl and her friend were pretty badly beaten up, and looked like they didn’t know who they were fighting, or why. Their attackers were looking at the fire wizard in the middle of the boat like he was some sort of avenging angel, and he wasn’t there to rescue them. Suddenly something clicked in Karendle’s mind.

They’re from the Wizard’s Guild! But that revelation brought more questions. What are they doing here? And why do they want the girl?

She reached into her pouch as she scrambled to her feet. Well, I don’t care! I’m here to catch wizards, and I hate the Wizard’s Guild, so that’s all the understanding I need!

She pulled out the entrapment oculus, and pointed it at the mage in the middle of the barge, shouting, “I’m taking you down, wizard!” Surprised faces turned to look at her as the oculus glowed. A silvery light enveloped the man, drawing him toward the oculus. The light surrounded him, then shrunk around him, shrunk with him, and finally sucked him into the glowing stone.

Karendle looked at the grey gem in her hand and mused, “Amazing! It worked!”

The silent confusion was shattered by the giant’s grunts of rage as he rushed at the man who had attacked him, swinging his hammer before him. “Get! OFF! My! BOAT!” He landed a solid hit, smashing the man into the railing, which broke and sent him tumbling into the river.

The one in the white tunic rolled from his prone position on the deck to grab his sword and slash the legs of the man who had been beating him. He screamed and fell to the deck, where he was kicked off the other side of the barge. He then crawled over to the shadow mage, and helped her sit up. They, Karendle, and the giant looked from one to the other, in awkward and confused silence.

That silence, moments later, was broken by a crackling sound from the bow of the boat. As everyone looked, reality again distorted and swirled, finally spitting the elf girl, screaming, out onto the deck, sprawled across a few of the cargo crates.

“Thissraelle!” The giant ran to her and lifted her up.

“Thanks!” She shivered, clinging to his warmth, “Can I get a blanket?”

As they made their way to the steering platform, the soldier in white asked her, “What happened to the one who had you trapped?”

She smiled, “I left him in The Vast.” Karendle didn’t understand, and obviously neither did anyone else. “I’ll explain later.”

The giant wrapped Thissraelle in a blanket, then handed blankets to the others before climbing onto the platform and steering the barge out over the dark river. As she wrapped herself up in the blanket’s soft comfort, the giant sighed, then muttered, “West. West is Best.”

<<<>>>

This continues the story of the heroes in Wynne, in Twynne Rivers, in the world of The Hero's Tale, Family Friendly RPGs. Here's more info on The Hero's Tale, and family friendly RPGing.


Previous Scene, Next Scene
Start the whole story from the beginning. Start from where this current story arc begins.