A Short History of an Armor Lost by Ferrin F. Fezzelswatter (Part 1)

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Introduction

It is unfortunate in this day and age that most adventurers have become so disattached from the mysticism inherent in magic, in particular to enchantments. In a city such Ptolus, where the unbelievable becomes mundane, the histories of even some of the most powerful items becomes overshadowed.

This compilation, then, is an attempt to bring to light some of the more notable stories of valor I have discovered in my research. They may not be the most powerful items in our world, but without doubt their journeys have been legendary.


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The Lost Armor

Even nonartifact armor can last for hundreds, even thousands, of years, provided its owners manage to take good care of it (and themselves!). One suit in particular, a set of adamantine plate, has a history of at least a thousand years, and its survival is nothing short of remarkable.

At least seven names have been attributed to the armor. The earliest records suggest that it was originally a set of half-plate forged by the dwarves from metal remaining from armor mauled in the fall of Dwarvenhearth. Dubbed "Turtle's Plate", it was used by the Turtle regiment of dwarven defenders during the Ghulwar. During these times, the bearer of Turtle's Plate bore an odd curse: so the story goes, it was inevitably he who wore the armor who would end up in the rear guard during a retreat, and many of said bearers did not fare well during the many retreats Ghul forced.

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During this series of terrible retreats, a dwarf by the name of Ruddywren acquired the armor. He is the last recorded dwarf to have owned the Lost Armor. Records suggest Ruddywren was separated from his regiment, or perhaps he deserted. Either way, he ended up in the company of an adventuring group seeking to rescue a powerful cleric, Farmmut, who had be captured by the Ghul forces.

The group tracked the missing Farmmut to a series of caves, guarded by orcs and goblins. Inside, they found hundreds of captured slaves, but Farmmut himself had been moved: they had something "special" planned for him. The matter divided the group horribly: some felt they must attempt to rescue Farmmut immediately, lest the opportunity pass; others felt the slaves must be taken to freedom, for they would surely die without aid.

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The division proved to be the groups undoing. Those who sought Farmmut went deeper into the caves, encountering all manners of strange guards. Meanwhile, the first group vainly tried to organized the starved, scared slaves. The orcs, once they realized that the slaves had been freed, took advantage of the divide and hurled fire into into the slaves ranks, killing many and sending the adventurers into retreat. Cut off by the orcish army, no record exists of the party that attemptted to rescue Farmmut. Ruddywren and his few remaining friends, failing both their fellow adventurers and the slaves, barely managed to keep one step ahead of the orcs: in one late night ambush, in fact, Ruddywren and the others had to flee without grabbing their provisions, and most notable, the Tutrle's Plate: the Lost Armor.

And thus the Lost Armor found a new home....