Army, Afghanistan

by: Charles Plemons - July 11th, 2007   Filed under: Letters Add Comment

Received the following email:

Dear Charles,

Hi, I’m a PFC in the U.S. Army. I’ve been in for about a year now. I love serving and defending our freedom. Let me tell you a little bit about myself. I’m —– years old born in Seoul, Korea. My father was prior service and made the rank of 1SG. I’ve lived all over the world in places like Tennesse, New York, Indiana, Germany, Austria, and know I am stationed in —– with the —–. I love jumping out of airplanes and getting paid for it. Besides that I sit in an office most of my time until I get to go out on missions. Well I haven’t went out just yet, but my first time will be this week.

This FOB is pretty small, but we do have electricity. We also have a laundry service that the afghans run with a two day turn around. We do have a microwave in our office and a refridgerator. We also have a PS3. We had the afghans build us a satelite so we could receive a couple of channels. They are some crafty people. We’re pretty much good on hygiene but food products are always appreciated. We have a café with a tv but a limited selection of dvds and games.

I see you’re a fan of muscle cars. I used to drive a 72 Cutlass with a 350 rocket until I went to Italy, then I sold it. I would have loved to have owned a 99 Z-28. UFC is huge out here. We sometimes get it on our satelite. I saw that Ace Franklin and Okami fight. I didn’t like it. Okami should have been more aggressive. I guess I was just rooting for him to win.

Thanks for your endless support, letters, and packages. Its like Christmas morning when the bird gets here, we sort the mail, and I see my name on a package or letter. God Bless you, and thanks again.

—–
U.S. Army

Age of Worms Adventure Path – Game Session 45

by: Charles Plemons - July 11th, 2007   Filed under: Age of Worms 1 Comment

Game summary for July 10, 2007; present characters included Iapetus Hasur (hu-charad giant rogue/vigilante), Lady Aridarye Phylund Brokengulf (human aristocrat/harbinger/ranger cohort), Lyrin Sinbal (simian incantatrix/warmage), Morak Beardfist (shield dwarf fighter/rage cleric), Pitamian Kalal (human yang monk), Syvarius Strongbow (moon elf archer-ranger), Taravin Truesilver (human gray guard/paladin of honor), and Thoril Songsteel (human thug).

With the air elementals defeated, the Mercenaries searched the room over. They lowered Taravin 340 feet into the fog and still found no bottom. With no more rope, they gave up that route. Eventually, their elven tracker, Syvarius, discovered an indention on one of the pillars. When the Mosaic of Icosiol was placed within, the party found the route up into the true tomb of the fallen Djen general. Within the room floated a seemless stone sarcophagus carved with images of Icosiol on top and bottom. The bottom depicted him with a pair of swords, while the top held out empty hands.

Soon after entering the room, they were assaulted by a powerful oculus demon from the foul layers of the Abyss. The hulking creature wielded a deadly sword particularly deadly against good creatures. Dark rays of negative energy blasted forth from the eyes covering its body, and those who met its gaze for too long found themselves paralyzed by the sight. The arcane casters, Lyrin and Moreto, found their spells rolled off the creature more often than not, and flaming arrows seemed not to phase it. The fighting was brutal and bloody, but eventually, Lyrin began a barrage of lesser sonic orbs capable of inflicting devastating wounds. The simian caster ended the battle with a well-placed orb that exploded the demons head like a melon.

After nursing their substantial injuries, the party turned to the room. They searched it top to bottom and eventually placed the Mosaic of Icosiol into the upreaching hands of the sarcophagus. This caused the slab to flip over, lower down and the top to melt away. Inside were the dusty and bone remains of General Icosiol as well as his weaponry, preserved through the ages to fight rising evil when needed. The spirit of Icosiol washed over the group, filling them with its anger and jealously at their living state, but once it divined their intent, his blessing settled up them. In addition to the treasures within the sarcophagus, the ring of the Djen, a lightning sword, the sword of Teshyllal, and a fragment of the Shattered Scepter of Calim, Icosiol’s blessing also awakened the full power of the party’s talisman of the sphere and the diadem of Icosiol.

The rejoicing was short-lived however, because the hiss of a drawing blade filled the air, and a wickedly grinning Moreto boldly told the Mercenaries, “I’ll take those.”