Age of Worms Campaign Update 1/17/2008

CHRONICLE VAULT 20080117, FROM THE LIBRARY OF RHAVUS THE FIEND-SAGE ...

Fireseek 18, 595 CY
On Fireseek 7, the heroes were invited to home of Eligos the Sage, who was contracted by the companions to research the writhing green worms and reports of unkillable zombies. The heroes arrived at Eligos' home promptly, and enjoyed a fine meal of turducken over pleasant conversation. As the meal drew to a close, Argo mentioned the mind flayer Xyrzog's sale of something called the Apostolic Scrolls to Loris Raknian. Eligos visibly paled at this, excusing himself from the table with haste and retreated to the library.

The heroes finished their meal in silence, and joined Eligos in the library shortly thereafter. By the light of the fire Eligos explained what he had learned about the green worms and tales of a coming apocalypse.

* The green worms, and zombies that carried them, were known as spawns of Kyuss - terrible undead killing machines that spread their curse by way of the worms. The humanoid spawns of Kyuss the heroes had encountered at Blackwall Keep were only the lesser versions. Stronger variants were known to exist.

* Kyuss is a lesser known god of undeath and the mastery of the undead - his cult was usually small and sometimes attached to larger organizations, such as the faithful of Hextor, Nerull, or Vecna.

* Referenced in dozens of texts going back hundreds of years, on cave walls and in obscure references, are whispers of an oncoming apocalypse of great magnitude. Called by many names (such as the End Times and the Era of Desolation), this momentous event seems linked somehow to Kyuss through the older referenced Age of Worms. Books such as Libris Mortis, the Necronomicon, and the Apostolic Scrolls all tell of this coming age of death, destruction, madness, and chaos. All of Eligos' research indicates this Age of Worms is fast approaching.

The heroes informed the sage that Loris Raknian had hired Xyrzog to assassinate them, and that the same Loris had purchased the Apostolic Scrolls beforehand. Eligos pointed out that Raknian must be part of the Kyuss cult, though whether he's the leader or simply a puppet remains to be seen. The Apostolic Scrolls were penned by Kyuss himself when he was a mortal, and detail the summoning of the Apostle of Kyuss. More commonly referred to as an ulgurstasta, this creature was a massive, bloated worm capable of swallowing people whole and spewing them out as zombies. There have been tales of some ulgurstastas vomiting forth spawns of Kyuss as well.

All of these details pointed to one terrifying fact - the cult of Kyuss was alive and well in the Free City of Greyhawk, and they had pinpointed the companions as a threat. Loris Raknian was the only firm lead they had, but it was a difficult one to follow-up on. Raknian is a powerful figure in the city, with ties back to the Directing Oligarchy and many influential guilds. Confronting him directly would only force him to cash in whatever favors he had. This would pose a problem but for one fact - Loris Raknian is in charge of the Champion's Games, a gladiatorial festival set to start in ten days. With his attention turned towards the event's organization and promotion, the heroes may have the opportunity they need to get to the bottom of the conspiracy.

Eligos smiled and said that the fates might just be smiling on them. A few days ago, he was visited by an adventuring friend, who was asking if the sage knew any competent people interested in fighting in the Champion's Games. The heroes thought about it and decided that joining the gladiator games was the easiest way to get to the bottom of things. Eligos promised he would put them in touch with his friend named Celeste in the next couple of days.

In the meantime, he advised keeping a low profile. Duke mentioned they had an appointment with the Lord-Mayor regarding the doppelgangers that have infiltrated the government, but Eligos stronger encouraged them to not present that information directly. He volunteered to handle the details, and promised that if there were any rewards he would pass them on completely.

With the evenings events drawn to a close, Eligos bid them a good night. The heroes returned to the Crooked House, almost supernaturally aware of a constant presence staring at them from the shadows. Probably just their imaginations. Probably.

The next few days the companions heeded the sage's advice. Duke penned several scrolls and created some alchemical items, while the rest of the heroes hung around the common room or ducked out for a quick stop at a shop. On Fireseek 9 a beautiful platinum-haired woman entered the Crooked House, accompanied by a short but relatively pleasant man. She quickly found the heroes and introduced herself as Celeste, Eligos' friend. She introduced the man next to her as Ekaym Smallcask, a merchant from the south who had acquired a manager's license for the Champion's Games but had no champions to enter.

Ekaym stepped up and smiled at the gathered companions, asking them point blank if they would fight for him in the gladiator arena. Ekaym also explained the general proceedings and possible winnings before they made their decision.

The Champion's Games was a massive gladiatorial event lasting five days. Twenty-four teams compete and only one wins the final round. The night before the games begin is the Champion's Dinner, where merchants and managers can meet the teams and place bets. The first day consisted of six team battles, with four teams pitted against each other in a battle royale. The six winnners of that day continued on, but the second day was one of rest - no gladiator combats. The third day featured three team-on-team matches. The fourth day consisted of two large matches, with one featuring two of the teams against each other and the other pitting a team against a monster. Usually the honor of fighting the monster went the previous year's winners. The two teams who were victorious fought each other in a knock-down, drag-out battle free-for-all on the fifth day, the winners being declared as Champions!

Kaspar pointed that this was all well and good, but what about payment? Ekaym proposed the following: he would 50% and the team would split the remaining 50%. With the help of his companions, the elf monk pointed out that this was not at all logical, and managed to get the flamboyant man to come to a 40/60 split. After Kong flexed his muscles, Ekaym and the heroes settled on equal shares split six ways.

The next point of contention was the name of the gladiator team. Ekaym suggested Ekaym's Team, which was immediately rejected, along with series of ridiculous, outlandish, or arrogant names suggested by everyone. They eventually settled on the Kings of the Road as their team name.

With arrangements made, Ekaym thanked the heroes and told them to arrive at the Free City Arena on Fireseek 17 by 5:00 pm - that was the start of the Champion's Dinner. From that point on they would be restricted to the arena grounds, so they should prepare accordingly. With a bow and a flourish, their manager left. Celeste had departed at some point during negotiations.

The next seven days passed slowly for the companions. They kept their heads down, always fearful of retributive strikes from the powerful Raknian. But thankfully none came, and eventually Fireseek 17 - the day of the Champion's Dinner - arrived.

Arriving in full battle gear, the heroes were not out of place. All sorts of gladiators were gathered around the banquet tables set in the grand Free City Arena itself, from the traditional dwarves, barbarians, archers, and wizards, to traditional monsters, such as gnolls and animals. The heroes met up with Ekaym quickly, and were introduced to a multitude of merchants and government officials, all of whom seemed to have an eye on them for betting purposes. Amongst the people mingling around were the legendary heroes Loncer Amorocco and Rugrunt Garoul, who were guests of Raknian and would be performing on the second day of the games.

During the festivities, Argo noticed Ekaym's attention always seemed intently focused on Loris Raknian, the charismatic organizer and previous Champion's Game winner also attending the event. Kaspar noted that Loris' eye seemed to drift towards their own table, but only briefly. He clearly was aware of their presence but did nothing untoward his status during the evening's events.

As the evening drew on, Shanks was approached by a beautiful elven woman in a leather bustier. She introduced herself as Vivian, and indicated that a certain organization (*wink, wink*) was interested in making a large wager on the final match, and they picked the heroes' team to win. The previous year's winners was a team called Auric's Band, and they would very likely make it to the final match as well. If the heroes would put 2,500 gp up front and win the match, this guild would give them a return of 10,000 gp. Vivian also indicated that taking this wager would be a good way to join this guild, something Shanks had attempted to do initially upon entering Greyhawk.

The halfling took the offer to his companions. Duke, Kong, and Argo decided to take the bet (Shanks was too poor and Kaspar was saving up his coins), and they ponied up the dough to make the wager. Argo also placed all of his remaining coins on their team to win the first match.

Around midnight, the moderator of the Champion's Games put on a pyrotechnics and fireworks show that dazzled all attendees. Loris Raknian announced the games had begun in a large, booming voice, and the gladiators were ushered into the arena underground. The underground consisted of two levels - the first, just below the arena itself, was a well-maintained series of chambers for managers and other important people. The level below that was cut into the caverns and consisted primarily of the Coenby (pronounced "see-no-bee"), where the gladiators were taken. This was the chamber where the teams would rest and spend the next five days. Security was tight, and the heroes learned that Raknian's palace was attached to the arena grounds on the upper level.

The night passed relatively uneventfully, and the next day the matches were posted on the wall. The Kings of the Road were set to fight at 10:00 am against three other teams. The first was Arcane Auriga, a team of four elven woman who specialized in archery. They were icy and cold to everyone, but especially seemed to hate men. The second team was Badlands Revenge, which had an angry druid and two gnolls with halberds. They were likewise silent towards everyone. The third team was Azure Riders, and the leader of this team was a flamboyant janni of a boisterous and womanizing nature. He approached the heroes with a proposition - him and his team of mounted mercenaries would focus on the women of Arcane Auriga if the heroes started with Badlands Revenge. That way they can focus on one team at a time.

The heroes were leary but accepted the proposal. The appointed time came and the gladiator teams were ushered up to the top level and positioned at each side of the arena. The stands of the Free City Arena were packed with thousands of spectators, and the announcer - enhanced though he was by magic - could barely be heard over the roar of the crowd. Each team was introduced and brought up to the blood-stained sands of the arena in turn. Loris Raknian announced the match had begun and a gong rang out. The four teams surged forward to meet in the blood-thirsty combat.

The mounted warriors of Azure Riders made ride-by attacks on Arcane Auriga but it was clear they were outmatched. The Kings of the Road, enhanced by a haste spell cast by Duke, charged fearlessly forward towards Badlands Revenge. Kaspar let arrows fly from his bow while Kong charged, his icy greatsword flashing in the morning light. Argo and Shanks followed right behind.

The druid in charge of Badlands Revenge gave a mighty shout, matched by Kong's feral raging roar. The barbarian cut his opponent deep, but the return blows from the twin gnolls and their halberds cut him deep. Argo and Kaspar teamed off against one of the gnolls just as Kong raised his greatsword and cut the druid deep. Roaring in response, he morphed into a giant crocodile and took a chunk out of Kong's hide. Duke rained magic missiles from a safe distance.

In the firm grips of his inhuman barbarian rage, Kong cleft his crocodile opponent with the mighty swing, spraying blood in a hot arc. The crowd went nuts, and they leapt to their feet when the barbarian brought his still-bloody greatsword in a spin and cut the head off the second gnoll. Argo and Kaspar finished off the other gnoll easily and the crowd started to chant "KINGS! KINGS! KINGS!" The heroes relished the rush of adrenaline for but a moment.

On the other side of the arena the Azure Riders were getting pounded on by Arcane Auriga. One of the mercenary riders galloped towards the heroes, and Kong saw an opportunity. He charged and made a mighty leap, intent on tackling the rider, but instead wound up with a face full of sand. Shanks was thereto pick up the slack, however, and the halfling gave a tiny roar, leapt onto the back of Kong, and drove himself straight into the mercenary rider's flank. The two of them tumbled head over tails on the sand, and the unmounted horse galloped away.

The Azure Riders surrendered at that moment, realizing they were outmatched, so the Kings of the Road turned their attention towards Arcane Auriga. The heroes were peppered with well-placed arrows, but when the fight was brought to melee the elven women didn't stand a chance. Kaspar, whipped up by the frenzy of the crowd, drove his fist into the jaw of one of the woman, killing her instantly. The other three surrendered immediately afterward. The Kings of the Road were proclaimed victors!

In the announcer's booth, Ekaym was presented with the trophy and coin reward from Loris Raknian while the heroes were led downstairs to the chants of "KINGS! KINGS! KINGS!" They collapsed, wounded and exhausted but ultimately victorious, in the Coenby. Other teams came and went as the day passed on, and after the final match was done the heroes were visited by Ekaym.

In a hushed tone, Ekaym congratulated the heroes on a job well done, but admitted a secondary motive in entering the games. His sister, Lahaka, was a traveling entertainer that disappeared immediately after last year's Champion's Games. All his attempts to divine her fate have met with failure, so his quest brought him to Greyhawk itself. Asking around, it seems Lahaka and Loris became lovers, and that the arena manager took her as his consort for a time. Then - nothing. She was never seen after last year's games and Ekaym belives Loris had something to do with it. But he's exhausted every avenue of research available to him, and pleaded with the heroes to search for any evidence of his sister in the arena underground. He promised to give them his share of the winnings if they would only try.

The heroes agreed, and Ekaym brought them potions of healing from the nearby temple. The first day of the Champion's Games drew to a close on Fireseek 18, but it seems the heroes' journey had only just taken a new turn.

Campaign Updates
Alright, sorry about the delay on this one. Nothing much to update here, though, so I'll just move on.

I'll post the details of Quest Cards and XP later today.

'Till next, Game On!

"Weird" Dave Olson
Dragonfyre Gaming Association
weird.dave.dfga@gmail.com