DOM circus troupes were known for one other thing besides entertainment.  They were a refuge for the dispossessed.  For the cast offs.  Smaller kingdoms that had lost their royal position in previous wars seemed to be slowly reclaiming favor with King Orsan over the years and their conquerers saw little benefit in keeping them alive - if they could find them.  Nobles took to doling out their children in order to preserve them.  This was true for two of our protagonists, and soon to be a third.  In the old days, it was common even for peasants to name their progeny after the realm that they grew up in.  Thus "Lythe of Petros" did not necessarily confer noble birth.  Often the "of" was lost and no one complained.  Yet in the case of both Lythe and Jared, the moniker actually meant something.  Lythe actually was a grandson of the noble Petrosian royal family, the same family that had migrated from Zorbesh so long ago.  He was to be brought to DOM to grow up free from the threat of the Corvarran royals who had taken over Petros much earlier.  But he was abducted as a baby by an ambitious kidnapper and sold to a Porthan trader.  He was later purchased by Hatch Bonna, a circus performer, not knowing who he was.  Lythe was lucky, as the rest of his family was killed by the Corvarrans.

At that time, the Malpedi province was run by the Brennor family at the behest of Fane.  Young Jared Moresby Malpedi was distantly related to royalty, (thankfully distant), as the Malpedi family had a history of lycanthropy since the days of Fuegon.  Jared was sold by his impoverished father and purchased but by an Energeticist named Mordecai Moresby who travelled a lot, but died relatively young while in Brennor.  Young Jared was raised in that town by a relative of Mordecai's.  They had removed Jared's real last name (and it's stigma) early on. 

Garthon Blade was also later traced very distantly to noble lineage in the Blaad family, Garthon's family had lost any fortune they had long ago.  Garthon was seeking a better fortune than farm life.

None of these young men would discover their lineage until much later.  They grew up as peasants.

The small troupe's performances did not start out to acclaim.  Lythe provided minor phantasms that he learned from Dragoras and Jared provided the Energetics fireworks, They had two flash-bang spell-casters and a bodyguard.  They could do style, but had little substance.  One of their first shows took place in Buhween, a stones throw from the raglan grove of Hamellil.  A young raylan named Tirian [Dave Tedhams] saw their show and became more interested in the earnestness of the young men than in their act.  As an Empath, Tirian felt that they had not yet been corrupted by the usual human desire for profit above all else.  Tirian was a student not only of the Raylan groves, but of Esamic elemental faith.  He knew that armed with faith, this troupe could speed a message than had been stalled with Esam's demise.  He suddenly felt that exploring the kingdom with this adventurous group might be a good idea.  Accepting him into their troupe, they became an elemental traveling show, and within the year, their shows began drawing modest crowds.  Their careers as performers was cut short however, as the Articles of Contest of DOM Triplo were announced at the end of year 1,198.

Next: The Articles of Contest

One of the few popular achievements of the reign of Orsan Fane was the promotion of the arts.  Orsan loved circuses, and gave free tax status to traveling performers.  One of these touring groups was Baldoral's Big Top.  This dysfunctional group was run by Baldoral Defkins whom the others seemed to universally hate including his young helper Portas [Sam Hood].  Typical of troupes in DOM, this circus featured variety acts.  An Enchanter named Dragoras, Animals and animal trainers Thorsby and Corelle Dell with their young helper Garthon Blade [Brian Berg] , Bella Torfrey a Diviner, Corbin the hill giant, Og the ogre, puppeteers Lor and Lilla, Tyrsis - a Poona knife thrower, and Hatch, a guy with a skin disease "the 1000 year old man".  Hatch's duties included overseeing tent construction and transport.   He had taken in a three year old orphan boy that he intended to use as a helper as he grew.  Bella had warned him that the boy would not stick around - "that the boy was destined for greater things."  The boy's name was Lythe Petros [Kevin Crowley].

The boy had just turned twenty when the circus self-destructed.  They were camped a day outside of Brennor Castle in Malpedi where they had provided a show for the Duke of Malpedi on the previous night.  Hatch and Thorsby had worked out a plan to murder Baldoral for his money and make it look like a suicide.  Armed with a Scroll of Reduction that he purchased in Portha, Hatch planned to enter Baldorals' wagon that night, kill him, steal his money, then leave a suicide note and lock the door from the inside.   He would then use the scroll to reduce himself.  Thorsby was to remove him the next morning before the spell wore off.  This plan backfired due to the presence of a minor etheric entity that Baldoral held contained in a Magic Box.  This entity was a beautiful female imp.  Baldoral had been sold the box by a Zorbeshi Necromancer.  This imp was Geased to exit the box upon Baldoral's call and protect him, then retreat back to the box.  Everything worked according to Hatch and Thorsby's plan at first.  Hatch entered the cabin quietly and dispatched Baldoral.  The imp heard the sound, but as it was not a call, she did not act.  She knew that this was her ticket to freedom.  "The old man was a fool to love an imp held against her will.  Yet I will reward his foolish kindness before I go" 

His work completed, Hatch read the scroll quietly and reduced in size to a crumb.  Her owner dead, the imp burst out of the box, picked up the tiny Hatch as he attempted to flee and popped him into the small square Magic Box.  Then she disappeared forever.
In the morning, Thorsby came knocking with Lythe, Portas and Garthon.  They discovered the body of Baldoral after having to force the door open.  Thorsby secretly groped around looking for Hatch, but he was nowhere to be found.  A hour later, an explosion was heard from the quarantined wagon of Baldoral.  It was Hatch.  The box could not contain the expanding animal trainer.  His remains decorated the wagon.

Aided by a young Energeticist named Jared Moresby [Chris Spitler] who had travelled with them from Brennor, Lythe, Portas and Garthon figured out the tragic events. The circus was brought back to Brennor.  Baldoral's will was eventually read, he had bequeathed the entire circus to an ancient aunt still living in Fortan.  Outraged, the members of the circus split up on the spot, and eventually went to other troupes.  Portas Bandreth went with Bella to Fortan.  Left only with a few wagons and their wits, Lythe, Jared and Garthon left Brennor seeking their fortune as a troupe of their own.  In the end, they would peddle far more than entertainment.

Next: Tirian

We had been playing in the Dinrhun/Gilamil world for a long time.  But at one point I had the not-so-bright idea of doling out quadrants of that world to other GMs.  I did this mainly because Sam was leaving and I wanted him still involved with the game.  It became impossible to determine what happens when someone goes from one section of the world to another.  Just a bad idea.  So I decided to produce a new world.  Tested out in the large Halifax group game, I officially went with DOM in 1985? (help me out here guys).   We started first with the DOM Triplo campaign. 

I think we played it in the old El Molino Manor.   Funny, but the adventures are far more clear in my mind then the circumstances surrounding them.  This is pretty sketchy, but I think the players were Sam Hood, Kevin Crowley, Chris Spitler, David Tedhams and Richard Cable.  Linda Durie might have been in here and there.  Was Kraft in on it? I think he had gone off to Chicago by then.  Sam was up north.   I think the game started out with the first four and others were added in and out afterwards.  Richard Cable was down to attend Art Center and was in for a cameo as the hapless Tassan Noble, whose name I cannot recall.   Sam Hood only played in the very first game.  In any case, the campaign went on for at least a year, and others followed hard on it's heels.

My recounting of the tale of DOM Triplo follows.  It  is based on memories and a few notes.  If anyone has a clearer head and can recall omitted details (or correct stuff I am just plain making up) then pipe up.  If you have old notes, dust 'em off and send them to me!

If a discussion (arguement) over details is needed - feel free to use the Forum instead of comments.

Next: Baldoral's Big Top