Our two-year campaign “Guardians of the Pass” recently came to a halt. We only got to mid-paragon level, but there’s more to their story than that. We decided to fade out the story, and let the next campaign take up the trail, in the same overall setting, 20 years later.
Meet the as-yet-unnamed group in the Legacy of the Guardians campaign:
It has been 20 years since the legendary Guardians of the Pass helped defend Talon Pass from the advancing dragonarmies. Several settlements around the fledgeling city were destroyed, and Talon Pass welcomed the refugees with open arms. In the intervening 20 years, Talon Pass has grown quite a bit. Were any of the original Guardians to show up, they’d be hard pressed to recognize the formerly ruined fort. The Pass was liberated by the Guardians, and they took up the task of turning it back into a settlement. They met a disgraced knight by the name of Sir Derrick. After taking his measure in battle, offered him the job of stewarding the rebuilding effort. He accepted, and under him, Talon Pass has thrived.
Derrick has recently retired, and the Council of Talon Pass has been formed to manage the government of the small city. He is still a consultant to the council.
Derrick’s son, Mikel (played by Robert) was pushed into the Talon Pass militia at a young age, to curtail his wild ways. He has since grown into a fine young officer. Having fulfilled his oath of service, he now believes it is time to see the world. Derrick suggested he contact the daughter of his friend, Tam (see below).
Derrick also adopted a young minotaur into his family, shortly after the attack of the dragonarmies. Asteron (played by Thomas) doesn’t remember much of his mother, but he knows he was traveling with her some time before he was found and taken to Talon Pass. In truth, his mother was traveling with the dragonarmies, and left him in a safe place before the battle of Talon Pass. She perished in the battle, and Asteron was left alone in the world. A scouting party found the calf, and took him to Derrick for a decision what to do with him. Remembering how he had been given a second chance from a bad situation, Derrick resolved to take him in. Learning the common language, and the knight’s code from Derrick, Asteron has grown up with a code of honor that Mikel never quite grasped. He has agreed to join Mikel and the others to keep Mikel out of trouble.
Rolen (played by Louis) has not been in Talon Pass very long. He was left in the care of traveling missionaries by his elven father. He doesn’t remember his mother, a half-orc adventuress who took advantage of his elven father, and then left the product of their union on his doorstep. The missionaries eventually settled in Talon Pass for a while, and Rolen decided to stay. His father instilled in him a pretty severe mistrust of women, and Nynaeve is the only female he has really ever grown to trust and respect. Rolen has heard rumors of a fey “Ice Queen” who has been enslaving men and children somewhere in the vale, and has offerend to travel with Nynaeve and her friends, in hopes of tracking down this “Ice Queen.”
Elm Brighthawk (played by Russ) was a young member of a nomadic band of elves who sought out dark artifacts to destroy them. They had learned of some relics associated with the keep at Talon Pass, and were there investigating them when the dragonarmies attacked. Only Elm and one other member survived. Elm learned that the artifacts in Talon Pass had already been destroyed, and settled in the upstart town, with no new “mission”. He too, has agreed to join Nynaeve, if only to get moving again.
Thoradin Soulsmith (played by Matthew) came from Forges Heart with a small group of dwarves set on helping Talon Pass rebuild after the dragonarmy attack. He met Tam when his family arrived from Hillside, and was taken with the righteousness of the former miner. He dedicated his life to protecting Tam and his family, and now sets out with Tam’s daughter, Nynaeve, as she sets out to lend aide to the people of Elsir Vale.
Nynaeve (played by Jamie) came to Talon Pass when her family fled Hillside during the dragonarmy attacks. Her father had been a miner and retired soldier. He met Skyeriven and was inspired by her teachings following the attacks. He took up the cloth of the clergy, and became Talon Pass’s dwarven priest of Bahamut. Nynaeve grew up at his feet, and has learned a reverence for all life. She seeks to lend aide to those in the vale who are still struggling after the attacks. She also wishes to learn what ever happened to the Guardians of the Pass, who disappeared without a trace shortly after they defended Talon Pass.
They are now taking a few jobs to gain funds for their travels, then the true adventure will begin.