CHRONICLE VAULT 20080403, FROM THE LIBRARY OF RHAVUS THE FIEND-SAGE ...
Coldeven 22, 595 CY
Five of the companions - Argo, Drake, Kong, Duke, and Kaspar - were caught surprised by their nemesis Loris Raknian, who jumped out of the crowded marketplace with murder on his mind! His assassin friend, Captain Okoral, joined in the fray, and soon a deadly melee was engaged between the two sides. Loris fought with tenacity and recklessness, a trait which served him well in the gladiator arena.
But he had not faced such an opponent as the Kings of the Road, and even with Okoral's help the two were not doing well. Kong was struck by the assassin's blade and felt poison course this body, but after a pitched and fierce battle the two were killed. Just to be sure, Drake cut their heads off for good measure.
The violence attracted the attention of the Blessed Angels - erinyes devils dressed in black that patrolled the skies of Alhaster. As the heroes looted the fallen bodies something terrible happened.
A dragon appeared out of invisibility and stomped on Kong and Argo! This was a massive black dragon, old and powerful, and announced the death of the heroes in a high-pitched female voice. With a start the companions realized they were facing off against the Black Mother, whose brood they had destroyed in the Mistmarsh months before!
Ilthane, the Black Mother, was a terrible foe, and the party - already weakened from their battle with Loris Raknian and Okoral - found victory slipping further and further away. The dragon was a master tactician, keeping the barbarian and halfling under foot while engaging the remaining opponents. Drake caught the full force of her acidic breath weapon and did not get back up.
Drake the Slayer died when the Black Mother breathed a line of acid in his face.
Duke cast spell after spell as Kaspar tried to keep the dragon busy, the victory came from the least likely of places. Under foot, Argo had given up trying to wriggle free and simply tried to stab the dragon repeatedly. One of his blows struck a major vein in Ilthane's leg, and she let out a shriek. It would be her last shriek, as the life and blood fled from her body, she collapsed in a heap.
The Black Mother was finally defeated after months of searching for her. The Blessed Angels told the surviving heroes that they had to clean up the mess, and they suggested a halfling taxidermist who worked with exotic animals. Duke took the fallen body of Drake and they decided to use a reincarnate spell to bring him back to life - it was the only option they had available to them. While the dwarf wizard prepared the spell the rest of the companions sought out the taxidermist.
Finding the Curious Owlbear was not a problem, and proprietor - a portly halfling named Chosk Underpate - was more than happy to mount and stuff many parts of the fallen dragon. He needed at least two weeks to complete the work, however, and demanded payment up front. The heroes gladly paid, but one thing gnawed at them - where was Ilthane's lair?
Asking around yielded some promising information which pointed them towards the Traitor's Graveyard where traitors were hung. They decided to wait for Duke to reincarnate Drake, which he did - returning his soul to life in the body of an orc. Drake the Slayer was now Drake the Orc, a fact which did not please him. He was fairly depressed after that.
Searching the graveyard for the lair of Ilthane cheered him up some, and eventually all of the companions (including Klaus) uncovered the Black Mother's lair. Inside was a treasure cache, smaller than expected, but which would prove to be both great and troublesome at the same time. The first thing they found were six elixirs, which had the draconic symbols of strength, health, speed, wit, wisdom, and charisma. These increased corresponding physical traist of the imbiber, and were divied out accordingly.
The only other treasure worth finding was a strange object - the Deck of Many Things. This was a terribly powerful artifact, whimsical with its boons and dangerous to boot. Right there the heroes decided to draw from the deck and test their fate.
Kong stepped forward first and pulled the Sun, a powerful card which increased his experience by leaps and bounds. Duke drew next and got the Key, gaining possession of a magical greatsword where the blade was made of crackling energy. The dwarf wizard gave this to Kong.
Drake pulled next, and got the Moon - granting him a series of magical wishes. He immediately wished to be human again, and he reverted to his original form. He also drew the Vizier, and had an answer to a dilemma up his sleeve.
Argo drew the Jester and also gained in experience knowledge. When it came time for Klaus to take his turn, however, a sense of dread came over him as he pulled out the feared Donjon card - Klaus disappeared in the blink of the eye. Kaspar decided to try his luck, and he pulled the Void - his eyes went blank as his soul left his body.
Klaus Kopperthumbs is imprisoned somewhere from pulling the Donjon out of the Deck of Many Things.
Kaspar Nailo's soul is trapped somewhere but his body functions from pulling the Void out of the Deck of Many Things.
The six companions were reduced to four after nothing more than an artifact. They had defeated gladiators, dragons, demons, undead - and only now did they truly feel loss.
Session Updates
Decks of Many Things, huh? Hilarious!
'Till next, Game On!
"Weird" Dave Olson
Sunday, June 29, 2008
Saturday, June 28, 2008
Age of Worms Campaign Update 4/3/2008
CHRONICLE VAULT 20080403, FROM THE LIBRARY OF RHAVUS THE FIEND-SAGE ...
Coldeven 20, 595 CY
With the knowledge of the impending events leading up to the apocalyptic Age of Worms weighing heavily on their minds, the six companions boarded the skyship Sunshadow in the depths of the Amedio Jungle. They requested that the shadow elf Captain Shadowstalker take them to the crystal tower of Malakara the Mad Mage so that they could figure out their next move. The mysterious captain obliged, making all haste to return to Point Harrow.
The journey was largely uneventful and they arrived in only five short days. Malakara welcomed them back with a gruff "hey" and invited them inside. He asked what they had learned and was keenly interested in the prophecies leading up to the Age of Worms. The last two he knew about, and offered some insight of his own.
After the companions had left bound for the Spire of Long Shadows, Malakara did some research of his own regarding the location of Grimoire Barackus. He found that the wizard had looked into a cult called the Ebon Triad, which believed in the unification of Vecna, Hextor, and Erythnul - a thoroughly ridiculous concept. It seemed that Grimoire Barackus believed that the cult was a front for something far more sinister, and the wizard had underlined a reference to Alhaster and made connections pointing many members of the Ebon Triad cult leaders to this town in the Bandit Kingdoms nation of Redhand.
Malakara found a copy of the book "A History of Alhaster", an outdated tome on the city's history written by a cleric of St. Cuthbert named Rhorsk only a few montsh before a despotic ruler named Prince Zeech seceeded from the Shield Lands. One section of the book recounts the emergence of a cabal of Hextorian heretics attempting to establish an underground cult somewhere in the city. The cult made particular use of what they called the "Writhing Dead." The cult was defeated by an elven noble of the city named Lashonna.
Malakara gave the heroes Grimoire's notes on the subjects, which ran as follow:
Alhaster is the key. Missing heretics never captured ... Possible site of Ebon Triad foundation? Did they turn to the cult of Erythnul for aid, and then more recently to Vecna? Are new Triad leaders trained somewhere in Alhaster, and then sent out to start their onw cult cells in other cities?
To Do: * Lashonna (helped defeat heretics, may know more about them that wasn't printed) * Rhorsk (research indicates he did not flee Alhaster after it fell - he's probably dead but may have left some sort of legacy) * Ebon Triad (are they still active in town? Find out if their original hideout/shrine still exists)
It seemed Grimoire's trail led to Alhaster, and this is where Malakara suggested the heroes travel to next. It was decided that they should go to Alhaster, but first they needed to stop by Greyhawk City to resupply and more research. Aboard the Sunshadow the trip took one day and the heroes arrived in the Gem of the Flanaess.
In the city Duke sold most of the magical equipment they had retrieved from the Spire of Long Shadows while everyone stopped by the Temple of Pelor to stock up on potions of healing. Kaspar went to visit the Temple of St. Cuthbert and spoke with the blind High Inquisitor Dorian McKnight about the artifact. Dorian was in posession of three of the fragments, and upon speaking with him Kaspar decided to give him their seventh piece. It seemed only natural to give the blind priest a fragment of this potentially powerful artifact.
Klaus continued his search of the elusive Thieves' Guild, but this time his efforts bore unexpected fruit. After working contacts in the underworld of the city, the dwarven rogue finally met the guildmaster - a dangerous and sly halfling named Kelkep. Kelkep wore about his shoulders a cloak made of living shadows that masked his very presence. For a price to be named later, the halfling guildmaster told Klaus that their old foe Loris Raknian was spotted recently in the city of Alhaster. It seemed he had some friends in that city on the northern shore of the Nyr Dyv.
Armed with this information, the heroes boarded the Sunshadow and made their way north. Captain Shadowstalker told the companions that he would not bring his skyship within twenty miles of Alhaster - the airspace was hostile. He would not explain further, and the heroes had little choice but to accept matters. After three days of flight the Sunshadow set down on the shore and Duke, Kong, Drake, Kaspar, Argo, and Klaus dismounted and headed up shore to Alhaster.
The trip was uneventful if cold, as it was still late winter. The six companions arrived at the gate leading to the city of Alhaster and were confronted by hobgoblin guards. The guards demanded a tribute of 100 gp each, but when Kong flexed his muscles and told them to move along, they listened. It seemed the residents of Alhaster respected might over right.
Alhaster itself was known as the City of Scoundrels, and it earned its name. Everywhere they looked the city was a mix of the depressing and bright. According to the banners, the ruler of the city - the despotic Prince Zeech - was holding a celebration to honor the 20th year of his reign. The people, a mix of the downtrodden and downright evil, seemed to be in good spirits at first glance, but upon further notice their cheers were lackluster, their mirth forced.
Asking around for Lashonna the heroes were directed to the far northwestern portion of the city, which was clearly the "better" part of town. It was, at Mistwall Manor, that Lashonna lived, but according to the guards at the gates she was not in town. If they wanted to see her, the guards directed them to Zeech's Anniversary Banquet - but good luck getting tickets to that, they laughed!
Argo and Duke decided to investigate getting access to this banquet, which was to be held in three days. Kong, Klaus, and Kaspar starting asking around, looking for anyone who had seen Loris Raknian. They were directed to the city's market, where they wandered around looking for the gladiator. Drake hit the bar and started drinking.
In their pursuits, the halfling and dwarf were pointed to the Deluxury, one of the more luxurious inns of Alhaster, and a man named Armhin Loration. They found this weasel-faced man sitting at the inn's bar, and Argo slyly asked how one might obtain invitations to Prince Zeech's upcoming banquet. The man wouldn't give the halfling the time of day, but when Duke mentioned that they were in fact the Kings of the Road, winners of this year's Champions' Games in the Free City of Greyhawk. This caught Armhin's attention, who asks that Argo and Duke bring whomever else they want to the Deluxury in two hours and he'll begin the interview process.
Argo runs out and collects the rest of the group, and they meet with Armhin one at a time. He asks them each to explain their exploits, and seems most impressed by everyone's description of the Champions' Games. Except for Drake, who was mostly drunk at the time. At the end of the interviews Armhin gives each of the companions an invitation - but takes Kong aside and tells him to watch Drake closely during the banquet.
With three days to wait until the banquet, the heroes set out once again to find what they can find. They decided to get rooms at the Deluxury, and the next day they head out into the city. They all meet up in the marketplace of Alhaster, looking at the various things for sale. A large crowd had gathered at the western end of the marketplace, with angry shouting welling up from the mod. Their hatred was directed at a trio of figures who stand on a gallows, nooses limp around their covered faces. Standing nearby is a tall man, a symbol of a gauntleted hand clutching six downward-pointing arrows emblazoned on the front of his black robes. He holds up his hand and speaks before the hushed crowd.
"By the Grace of his Most Beautiful Majesty Prince Zeech, I condemn these wicked heathens to their fate - they are fortunate that Prince Zeech is merciful, for had I the power, their deaths would last a fortnight. And so by His Decree, let these heretics go their maker!"
Shouts of "death to the Ebon Triad" well up from the cowd as the robed figure pulls a lever, opening a trap door in the gallows floor. The three hooded figures drop, kicking for a few moments, and then hang still. The crowd disperse slowly after this.
Klaus take this as a sign to stay off the streets and they return to the Deluxury to wait. Kaspar asks around about the Temple of St. Cuthbert, and discovers that the temple was burnt to the ground almost 20 years ago. With little else to go on, Kaspar, Duke, and Argo decide to check out the remains to help to see if they can find any remnants of the priest Rhorsk. Kong and Drake continue to ask around about Loris Raknian.
At the site of the former St. Cuthbert temple the three heroes find only a burnt shell of a building with barricaded doors. Argo pries the barricades off carefully and they sneak inside, searching around. The sharp eyes of Kaspar discovers a hidden doorway buried under rubble, and beyond is a steep stairway leading into darkness. The three of them make their way down, and eventually they start hearing soft moaning. Lighting a torch, they finally reach the bottom and see a gray, gaunt figure rocking slowly back and forth in a huddled position. As the light shines on him he turns and gasps, revealing himself to be a ghoul. Argo and Kaspar prepare to defeat the undead menace, but Duke stops them.
The dwarf wizard calls out "Rhorsk," to which the ghoul stops. Duke points silently to the symbol of St. Cuthbert on the undead man's chest as explanation to his companions. Duke asks about the book Rhorsk wrote, and the ghoul seems to get almost wistful. He explains that almost all of the Hextor heretics were caught, but they were fed information by a person called Mother Maggot. This mysterious figure was responsible for giving the cultists the worm-eaten undead. Rhorsk never found out who Mother Maggot was or her true goals, but he did discover that the cultists met with her in a subterranean room under a house in the southeast section of the city.
Kaspar asks that Rhorsk lead them to the house, and the ghoul happily obliges. He leads the three through the sewers and tunnels below Alhaster, arriving finally at a point just below a sewer grate. He points upwards and tells them the house on the corner is where Mother Maggot met with the cultists, but he was never able to find anything at the house. Wishing the heroes luck, Rhorsk disappears back into the darkness of the sewers.
Duke, Argo, and Kaspar climb back to the surface of Alhaster and find themselves standing in front of Sinner's Sanctum, or so claimed the sign. Inside held the stench of death, and it seemed it was a house where people went to die. A dozen people of various races were kept by Furpotia, an insane woman who "healed" the dying. After sneaking inside Argo and Kaspar did not find any secret trap doors of any kind.
The next day all of the companions (except for Klaus) return to the marketplace, looking around, when a burly shout stops them in their tracks. The crowds part and make way for a retinue of seven hobgoblins led by a particularly well-groomed hobgoblin. He calls hims B'kruss, leader of the Knights of Redhand, and demands to know what the companions did that was so great to get into the banquet.
Kong steps up and tells the obnoxious hobgoblin that they were the Kings of the Road, winners of the Champions' Games! B'kruss snorts and demands that they have a little contest to see who's the better hero. Kong accepts the challenge, and the hobgoblin knight says the first contest is going to be a race. B'kruss grabs his mount, a dire boar named Gristlegape, and challenges Kong to a race around Alhaster - first one back is the winner. The northern barbarian brings out his yak and accepts the challenge.
The race was close, but after a few problems Kong and his yak win by a hair's breadth. B'kruss, not to be outdone, says the next challenge is a rooftop leap over an alley thirty feet wide. The hobgoblins lead everyone this time to the roofs of a nearby building, and demonstrate what needs to be done by leaping gracefully over the length. Kong gives a good running start and clears the gap, but Drake is not so lucky - he falls in the alley. Argo makes the jump, impressing the hell out of the hobgoblin knight.
The third challenge, B'kruss explains, is the Mindless Courage of the Dreadful Mauling! The knight's mount, Gristlegape, needs to be grappled and pinned before the dire boar mauls the contendor. B'kruss demonstrates, wrestling his mount to the ground in a matter of moments. Kong, experienced with the ways of animals, leaps onto the Gristlegape when it's his turn and pins the beast - beating B'kruss' time by seconds.
The infuriated hobgoblin stalks away with the rest of the Knights of Redhand, but promises that this won't be the last they see of him. As the five heroes revel in their victory over the hobgoblin showboats, a familiar voice shouts out from behind.
"Remember me, champions?"
Turning around they find Loris Raknian charging forward!
Session Updates
Yeah, not much to update anymore. I don't have an XP recap for this session in my notes, but I don't think that matters too much.
'Till next, Game On!
"Weird" Dave Olson
Coldeven 20, 595 CY
With the knowledge of the impending events leading up to the apocalyptic Age of Worms weighing heavily on their minds, the six companions boarded the skyship Sunshadow in the depths of the Amedio Jungle. They requested that the shadow elf Captain Shadowstalker take them to the crystal tower of Malakara the Mad Mage so that they could figure out their next move. The mysterious captain obliged, making all haste to return to Point Harrow.
The journey was largely uneventful and they arrived in only five short days. Malakara welcomed them back with a gruff "hey" and invited them inside. He asked what they had learned and was keenly interested in the prophecies leading up to the Age of Worms. The last two he knew about, and offered some insight of his own.
After the companions had left bound for the Spire of Long Shadows, Malakara did some research of his own regarding the location of Grimoire Barackus. He found that the wizard had looked into a cult called the Ebon Triad, which believed in the unification of Vecna, Hextor, and Erythnul - a thoroughly ridiculous concept. It seemed that Grimoire Barackus believed that the cult was a front for something far more sinister, and the wizard had underlined a reference to Alhaster and made connections pointing many members of the Ebon Triad cult leaders to this town in the Bandit Kingdoms nation of Redhand.
Malakara found a copy of the book "A History of Alhaster", an outdated tome on the city's history written by a cleric of St. Cuthbert named Rhorsk only a few montsh before a despotic ruler named Prince Zeech seceeded from the Shield Lands. One section of the book recounts the emergence of a cabal of Hextorian heretics attempting to establish an underground cult somewhere in the city. The cult made particular use of what they called the "Writhing Dead." The cult was defeated by an elven noble of the city named Lashonna.
Malakara gave the heroes Grimoire's notes on the subjects, which ran as follow:
Alhaster is the key. Missing heretics never captured ... Possible site of Ebon Triad foundation? Did they turn to the cult of Erythnul for aid, and then more recently to Vecna? Are new Triad leaders trained somewhere in Alhaster, and then sent out to start their onw cult cells in other cities?
To Do: * Lashonna (helped defeat heretics, may know more about them that wasn't printed) * Rhorsk (research indicates he did not flee Alhaster after it fell - he's probably dead but may have left some sort of legacy) * Ebon Triad (are they still active in town? Find out if their original hideout/shrine still exists)
It seemed Grimoire's trail led to Alhaster, and this is where Malakara suggested the heroes travel to next. It was decided that they should go to Alhaster, but first they needed to stop by Greyhawk City to resupply and more research. Aboard the Sunshadow the trip took one day and the heroes arrived in the Gem of the Flanaess.
In the city Duke sold most of the magical equipment they had retrieved from the Spire of Long Shadows while everyone stopped by the Temple of Pelor to stock up on potions of healing. Kaspar went to visit the Temple of St. Cuthbert and spoke with the blind High Inquisitor Dorian McKnight about the artifact. Dorian was in posession of three of the fragments, and upon speaking with him Kaspar decided to give him their seventh piece. It seemed only natural to give the blind priest a fragment of this potentially powerful artifact.
Klaus continued his search of the elusive Thieves' Guild, but this time his efforts bore unexpected fruit. After working contacts in the underworld of the city, the dwarven rogue finally met the guildmaster - a dangerous and sly halfling named Kelkep. Kelkep wore about his shoulders a cloak made of living shadows that masked his very presence. For a price to be named later, the halfling guildmaster told Klaus that their old foe Loris Raknian was spotted recently in the city of Alhaster. It seemed he had some friends in that city on the northern shore of the Nyr Dyv.
Armed with this information, the heroes boarded the Sunshadow and made their way north. Captain Shadowstalker told the companions that he would not bring his skyship within twenty miles of Alhaster - the airspace was hostile. He would not explain further, and the heroes had little choice but to accept matters. After three days of flight the Sunshadow set down on the shore and Duke, Kong, Drake, Kaspar, Argo, and Klaus dismounted and headed up shore to Alhaster.
The trip was uneventful if cold, as it was still late winter. The six companions arrived at the gate leading to the city of Alhaster and were confronted by hobgoblin guards. The guards demanded a tribute of 100 gp each, but when Kong flexed his muscles and told them to move along, they listened. It seemed the residents of Alhaster respected might over right.
Alhaster itself was known as the City of Scoundrels, and it earned its name. Everywhere they looked the city was a mix of the depressing and bright. According to the banners, the ruler of the city - the despotic Prince Zeech - was holding a celebration to honor the 20th year of his reign. The people, a mix of the downtrodden and downright evil, seemed to be in good spirits at first glance, but upon further notice their cheers were lackluster, their mirth forced.
Asking around for Lashonna the heroes were directed to the far northwestern portion of the city, which was clearly the "better" part of town. It was, at Mistwall Manor, that Lashonna lived, but according to the guards at the gates she was not in town. If they wanted to see her, the guards directed them to Zeech's Anniversary Banquet - but good luck getting tickets to that, they laughed!
Argo and Duke decided to investigate getting access to this banquet, which was to be held in three days. Kong, Klaus, and Kaspar starting asking around, looking for anyone who had seen Loris Raknian. They were directed to the city's market, where they wandered around looking for the gladiator. Drake hit the bar and started drinking.
In their pursuits, the halfling and dwarf were pointed to the Deluxury, one of the more luxurious inns of Alhaster, and a man named Armhin Loration. They found this weasel-faced man sitting at the inn's bar, and Argo slyly asked how one might obtain invitations to Prince Zeech's upcoming banquet. The man wouldn't give the halfling the time of day, but when Duke mentioned that they were in fact the Kings of the Road, winners of this year's Champions' Games in the Free City of Greyhawk. This caught Armhin's attention, who asks that Argo and Duke bring whomever else they want to the Deluxury in two hours and he'll begin the interview process.
Argo runs out and collects the rest of the group, and they meet with Armhin one at a time. He asks them each to explain their exploits, and seems most impressed by everyone's description of the Champions' Games. Except for Drake, who was mostly drunk at the time. At the end of the interviews Armhin gives each of the companions an invitation - but takes Kong aside and tells him to watch Drake closely during the banquet.
With three days to wait until the banquet, the heroes set out once again to find what they can find. They decided to get rooms at the Deluxury, and the next day they head out into the city. They all meet up in the marketplace of Alhaster, looking at the various things for sale. A large crowd had gathered at the western end of the marketplace, with angry shouting welling up from the mod. Their hatred was directed at a trio of figures who stand on a gallows, nooses limp around their covered faces. Standing nearby is a tall man, a symbol of a gauntleted hand clutching six downward-pointing arrows emblazoned on the front of his black robes. He holds up his hand and speaks before the hushed crowd.
"By the Grace of his Most Beautiful Majesty Prince Zeech, I condemn these wicked heathens to their fate - they are fortunate that Prince Zeech is merciful, for had I the power, their deaths would last a fortnight. And so by His Decree, let these heretics go their maker!"
Shouts of "death to the Ebon Triad" well up from the cowd as the robed figure pulls a lever, opening a trap door in the gallows floor. The three hooded figures drop, kicking for a few moments, and then hang still. The crowd disperse slowly after this.
Klaus take this as a sign to stay off the streets and they return to the Deluxury to wait. Kaspar asks around about the Temple of St. Cuthbert, and discovers that the temple was burnt to the ground almost 20 years ago. With little else to go on, Kaspar, Duke, and Argo decide to check out the remains to help to see if they can find any remnants of the priest Rhorsk. Kong and Drake continue to ask around about Loris Raknian.
At the site of the former St. Cuthbert temple the three heroes find only a burnt shell of a building with barricaded doors. Argo pries the barricades off carefully and they sneak inside, searching around. The sharp eyes of Kaspar discovers a hidden doorway buried under rubble, and beyond is a steep stairway leading into darkness. The three of them make their way down, and eventually they start hearing soft moaning. Lighting a torch, they finally reach the bottom and see a gray, gaunt figure rocking slowly back and forth in a huddled position. As the light shines on him he turns and gasps, revealing himself to be a ghoul. Argo and Kaspar prepare to defeat the undead menace, but Duke stops them.
The dwarf wizard calls out "Rhorsk," to which the ghoul stops. Duke points silently to the symbol of St. Cuthbert on the undead man's chest as explanation to his companions. Duke asks about the book Rhorsk wrote, and the ghoul seems to get almost wistful. He explains that almost all of the Hextor heretics were caught, but they were fed information by a person called Mother Maggot. This mysterious figure was responsible for giving the cultists the worm-eaten undead. Rhorsk never found out who Mother Maggot was or her true goals, but he did discover that the cultists met with her in a subterranean room under a house in the southeast section of the city.
Kaspar asks that Rhorsk lead them to the house, and the ghoul happily obliges. He leads the three through the sewers and tunnels below Alhaster, arriving finally at a point just below a sewer grate. He points upwards and tells them the house on the corner is where Mother Maggot met with the cultists, but he was never able to find anything at the house. Wishing the heroes luck, Rhorsk disappears back into the darkness of the sewers.
Duke, Argo, and Kaspar climb back to the surface of Alhaster and find themselves standing in front of Sinner's Sanctum, or so claimed the sign. Inside held the stench of death, and it seemed it was a house where people went to die. A dozen people of various races were kept by Furpotia, an insane woman who "healed" the dying. After sneaking inside Argo and Kaspar did not find any secret trap doors of any kind.
The next day all of the companions (except for Klaus) return to the marketplace, looking around, when a burly shout stops them in their tracks. The crowds part and make way for a retinue of seven hobgoblins led by a particularly well-groomed hobgoblin. He calls hims B'kruss, leader of the Knights of Redhand, and demands to know what the companions did that was so great to get into the banquet.
Kong steps up and tells the obnoxious hobgoblin that they were the Kings of the Road, winners of the Champions' Games! B'kruss snorts and demands that they have a little contest to see who's the better hero. Kong accepts the challenge, and the hobgoblin knight says the first contest is going to be a race. B'kruss grabs his mount, a dire boar named Gristlegape, and challenges Kong to a race around Alhaster - first one back is the winner. The northern barbarian brings out his yak and accepts the challenge.
The race was close, but after a few problems Kong and his yak win by a hair's breadth. B'kruss, not to be outdone, says the next challenge is a rooftop leap over an alley thirty feet wide. The hobgoblins lead everyone this time to the roofs of a nearby building, and demonstrate what needs to be done by leaping gracefully over the length. Kong gives a good running start and clears the gap, but Drake is not so lucky - he falls in the alley. Argo makes the jump, impressing the hell out of the hobgoblin knight.
The third challenge, B'kruss explains, is the Mindless Courage of the Dreadful Mauling! The knight's mount, Gristlegape, needs to be grappled and pinned before the dire boar mauls the contendor. B'kruss demonstrates, wrestling his mount to the ground in a matter of moments. Kong, experienced with the ways of animals, leaps onto the Gristlegape when it's his turn and pins the beast - beating B'kruss' time by seconds.
The infuriated hobgoblin stalks away with the rest of the Knights of Redhand, but promises that this won't be the last they see of him. As the five heroes revel in their victory over the hobgoblin showboats, a familiar voice shouts out from behind.
"Remember me, champions?"
Turning around they find Loris Raknian charging forward!
Session Updates
Yeah, not much to update anymore. I don't have an XP recap for this session in my notes, but I don't think that matters too much.
'Till next, Game On!
"Weird" Dave Olson
Thursday, June 26, 2008
Age of Worms Campaign Update 3/27/2008
CHRONICLE VAULT 20080327, FROM THE LIBRARY OF RHAVUS THE FIEND-SAGE ...
Coldeven 2, 595 CY
The steaming Amedio Jungle is an inhospitable place, even for a band of brave heroes. But especially inhospitable considering Argo, Duke, Kong, Drake, Klaus, and Kaspar still needed to penetrate the Ziggurat of Kyuss to learn the dread secrets behind the Wormgod's ascension to godhood thousands of years ago.
Kaspar joined the companions on their return trip to the ruined city of Kuluth-Mar and he took the seventh section of the fabled Rod of Seven Parts as well. The six heroes returned to the ziggurat where they had fought the minions of Kyuss the previous day and decided to search the remaining antechambers of the main room before descending into the natural fissure.
The first chamber was to the north, out of which came the corrupted eladrins previously. As they entered their vision wavered for a moment and they knew that they looked upon a vision like before. This time they were standing in a torture chamber, in which stood two figures. One was Kyuss, handsome and dressed in flowing robes. The other was a strange, six-armed creature that looked as much insect as it did humanoid. Its eyes were hollow sockets and its flesh rotted and festered. Duke recognized the being as a spellweaver - a strange creature capable of great arcane mastery. This was clearly some sort of lich spellweaver, a terrible thought indeed, and it held a jeweled gold box in one of its sets of hands. Kyuss opened the box and removed from inside a writhing green worm. The priest's expression changed to exultation as he looked upon the worm ...
And suddenly the heroes were standing back in the present, looking upon the torture chamber as it stood now - ruined and decrepit. Kong definitely recognized the worm as a Kyuss worm, one of those things that infested spawns of Kyuss. They realized they had just witnessed the man who would become a god first seeing such a terrible thing as that wriggling green worm. It was a sombering thought.
Across the fissure chamber to the south wwas the room where the wormcaller priest and swords of Kyuss emerged from previously. As they stepped into the room a vision washed over them again, and this time they saw Kyuss sitting at a desk in a grand library, the undead spellweaver at his shoulder. The man studied a collection of worn and pitted bronze disks arrayed on the desk before him. The spellweaver pointed to one of the plates, which had runes and markings that seemed to shift in an alien way. Kyuss suddenly gains comprehension ...
And the heroes are left again standing in the room as it existed now. It was clearly a library, but unlike the torture chamber there were still some secrets to be found here. Duke found on several of the shelves jars containing floating worms. The worms were covered in runes, and the dwarf wizard remembered hearing something about these. They were called "knowledge worms" and if you ate them it would dissolve in your brain. But it took a strong constitution to keep the worm from killing you before it imparted its knowledge. Feeling confident, Duke sucked down one of the knowledge worms - and immediately regretted it. It was a glaringly painful procedure, but at the end of a minute or so the worm dissolved in his brain, imparting knowledge.
Nobody else volunteered to eat a knowledge worm, and Duke stuffed the remaining eleven jars into his bag for later study.
The only path left open to the heroes was the fissure, and they decided to descend. They used rope to get down, aided by immovable magical rods carried by Kaspar, and they reached the bottom of the 500 foot shaft. The large chamber at the base of the shaft was covered with a mat of green worms, and as they prepared to blast the swarm with magic a trio of the hunched wormcallers arrived. They caused the wormswarms to lunge at the heroes and used magic to drop everyone but Duke and Kaspar to the ground. Argo squared off against one of the wormcallers while Drake and Klaus took another and Kong took the third. Duke used magic blasts to keep the swarm of worms at bay while Kaspar provided emotional support, not wanting to get taken over by one of the worms.
It was a tough combat, but eventually the swarms crawled into the cracks of the room and the wormcallers collapsed to the ground, defeated. Three halls led out of the room, and they decided to check out the one to the east first. Behind a door was a room lined with religious icons dedicated to Kyuss the Wormgod, complete wityh a beautiful but disturbing fountain carved from black marble. There seemed to be some sort of liquid in the fountain, and Drake was suddenly overcome with a powerful thirst.
He stepped forward to drink and no one stopped him. When he put the water to his lips the magical hold over him snapped and he found in his hands brackish water crawling with digusting Kyuss worms! He spit the water out and managed to help stop Kong from drinking as well. After a moment, everyone's surroundings faded and were replaced by another vision.
This time they had a birds eye view of Kuluth-Mar at its height. The streets were empty, as the thousands of citizens were gathered in a mass in the central plaza surrounding the Spire of Long Shadows. A foul energy welled up from the spire, sweeping outward and killing the living as it passed. Each person that died rose a moment later as a shambling creature, and the heroes were struck the inexplanable feeling that the souls of these poor people were sucked forward and absorbed by the strange black monolith at the top of the spire. A body compsoed of a million writhing worms began to take monstrous shape around the Spire of Long Shadows, its arms raised in triumph. Another moment later and its pose changed to one of rage, and a soul-wrenching cry of fury tore from the undulant face. The massive body of worms shrunk, imploding wit ha horrific wet burst, as the thousands of dead citizens rose up with green worms crawling over their corpses ...
And just like that the heroes were back in the fountain chamber. Duke had heard of such an event happening - a being calls upon the souls of its followers to attain limitless power. This was how Kyuss rose to godhood, but clearly he could not control such an apotheosis - he lost control and seemed to have been trapped in the monolith. A good thing, considering if he had succeeded there would be no limit as to what he could do.
Returning to the previous chamber they went south this time, and were confronted by a veritable sea of wriggling, writhing Kyuss worms. They blanketed a small lake, coating the surface and moving like lichen on the surface. It was a particularly disgusting sight, but they could see branching hallways across the undulating mass.
Utilizing flying spells and sheer strength the six companions reached one of these hallways. They stepped carefully down the corridor, prepared for anything, and opened the door at the end. Inside was an opulent room yet somehow alien, with furniture placed at odd and uncomfortable angles. The walls were decorated with intricate tapestries depicting scenes of carnage and torture in great detail. It was all very disturbing, culminating in the room's single occupant.
The undead spellweaver sat in the middle of the floor in a meditative stance, staring intently at the heroes. Nobody said anything for several moments, when suddenly their minds were filled with the spellweaver speaking to them. It called itself the Harbinger of Worms and demanded to know what prophecies had been fulfilled. Had the Malgarius seed come to fruition? Did the burning comet strike the ground? Did the shadows within shadows rise within the city? Did the volcano erupt?
None of these questions meant anything to heroes, who only looked on in blank amazement. The Harbinger of Worms fell silently after that, staring intently but not making any move. After a moment waiting for something to happen, Kong led the way and they returned down the corridor from whence they came.
When suddenly they were struck by a powerful prismatic spray spell from behind! Nobody suffered grievous wounds, and when they turned around they found the Harbinger of Worms facing them, its six arms weaving arcane spells like a potter works clay. Kong, Drake, Argo, and Kaspar charged forward, facing off against the undead menace in melee while Klaus kept back and shot crossbows. Duke tried to counter the spells of the creature but its arcane power was beyond the dwarf's.
Eventually, after a pitched battle, the Harbinger of Worms was killed. As it collapsed to the ground the room melted away into darkness. A hundred strange and frightening whispers filled the air that seemed to be speaking a hundred languages. But after a moment the voices became one and announced the prophecies of the Age of Worms, visions that appeared before the heroes' eyes ...
... legions of worm-eaten dead rose from soggy graves ...
... an immense and demonic tree exploded into destructive life from the heart of an unfamiliar city ...
... a burning comet lanced down from the heavens to strike a small town in a tremendous, mushroom-shaped cloud of devastation ...
... another city, its town square wreathed in a cloud of black smoke filled with eyes, is held in the grip of shadows that move independently from their source ...
.. a cackling man attaches a clawed and withered hand to the bleed stump of his arm ...
.. a city built in the heart of a volcano suffers tragedy during a partial eruption that sees the collapse of its southeastern quadrant ...
As each event transpired they were accompanied by the crushening sense of certainty that these events had already occurred. The whispering voices spoke of two more prophecies unaccompanied by visions ...
"A tripartite spirit once again becomes one, and at its advice are the mighty undone..."
"On the eve of the Age of Worms, a hero of the pit shall use his fame to gift a city to the dead ..."
Then only silence, and the vision faded. The heroes recognized many of the things in the vision. The worm-eaten dead were clearly spawns of Kyuss. Duke recognized the giant tree as the physical manifestation of a demon lord named Malgarius. Argo remembered hearing about the comet that destroyed the town of Big Rock that turned out to be a temple called the Fane of Scales. Drake recognized the shadow city as Istivin, a place long held to be cursed and haunted by demonic spirits. Kaspar knew the hand that the man attached to his stump was actually the horrid Hand of Vecna. Klaus remembered the volcano that almost destroyed the city of Cauldron, not too far from the Amedio Jungle to the west.
All of this left the companions with the crushing realization that the Age of Worms was set in motion, and that there weren't many people in the world who knew enough to stop it. As they contemplated their future, the present decided to grab their attention. The entire underground structure began to buckle and shake, and the heroes decided to beat feet towards the exit.
Utilizing flying spells and effects the six companions quickly fled from the underground chambers and out the doors - just in time to see the ziggurat collapse. The power of Kyuss seemed to have been broken over the ruins of Kuluth-Mar as the worms were no longer in sight as well. Somber in their duty, the heroes returned to the Sunshadow and take their next step.
Session Updates
Ha! Bet you thought you'd never see this one, did ya!
XP Recap
13th-level 14,600
12th-level 19,300
'Till next, Game On!
"Weird" Dave Olson
Coldeven 2, 595 CY
The steaming Amedio Jungle is an inhospitable place, even for a band of brave heroes. But especially inhospitable considering Argo, Duke, Kong, Drake, Klaus, and Kaspar still needed to penetrate the Ziggurat of Kyuss to learn the dread secrets behind the Wormgod's ascension to godhood thousands of years ago.
Kaspar joined the companions on their return trip to the ruined city of Kuluth-Mar and he took the seventh section of the fabled Rod of Seven Parts as well. The six heroes returned to the ziggurat where they had fought the minions of Kyuss the previous day and decided to search the remaining antechambers of the main room before descending into the natural fissure.
The first chamber was to the north, out of which came the corrupted eladrins previously. As they entered their vision wavered for a moment and they knew that they looked upon a vision like before. This time they were standing in a torture chamber, in which stood two figures. One was Kyuss, handsome and dressed in flowing robes. The other was a strange, six-armed creature that looked as much insect as it did humanoid. Its eyes were hollow sockets and its flesh rotted and festered. Duke recognized the being as a spellweaver - a strange creature capable of great arcane mastery. This was clearly some sort of lich spellweaver, a terrible thought indeed, and it held a jeweled gold box in one of its sets of hands. Kyuss opened the box and removed from inside a writhing green worm. The priest's expression changed to exultation as he looked upon the worm ...
And suddenly the heroes were standing back in the present, looking upon the torture chamber as it stood now - ruined and decrepit. Kong definitely recognized the worm as a Kyuss worm, one of those things that infested spawns of Kyuss. They realized they had just witnessed the man who would become a god first seeing such a terrible thing as that wriggling green worm. It was a sombering thought.
Across the fissure chamber to the south wwas the room where the wormcaller priest and swords of Kyuss emerged from previously. As they stepped into the room a vision washed over them again, and this time they saw Kyuss sitting at a desk in a grand library, the undead spellweaver at his shoulder. The man studied a collection of worn and pitted bronze disks arrayed on the desk before him. The spellweaver pointed to one of the plates, which had runes and markings that seemed to shift in an alien way. Kyuss suddenly gains comprehension ...
And the heroes are left again standing in the room as it existed now. It was clearly a library, but unlike the torture chamber there were still some secrets to be found here. Duke found on several of the shelves jars containing floating worms. The worms were covered in runes, and the dwarf wizard remembered hearing something about these. They were called "knowledge worms" and if you ate them it would dissolve in your brain. But it took a strong constitution to keep the worm from killing you before it imparted its knowledge. Feeling confident, Duke sucked down one of the knowledge worms - and immediately regretted it. It was a glaringly painful procedure, but at the end of a minute or so the worm dissolved in his brain, imparting knowledge.
Nobody else volunteered to eat a knowledge worm, and Duke stuffed the remaining eleven jars into his bag for later study.
The only path left open to the heroes was the fissure, and they decided to descend. They used rope to get down, aided by immovable magical rods carried by Kaspar, and they reached the bottom of the 500 foot shaft. The large chamber at the base of the shaft was covered with a mat of green worms, and as they prepared to blast the swarm with magic a trio of the hunched wormcallers arrived. They caused the wormswarms to lunge at the heroes and used magic to drop everyone but Duke and Kaspar to the ground. Argo squared off against one of the wormcallers while Drake and Klaus took another and Kong took the third. Duke used magic blasts to keep the swarm of worms at bay while Kaspar provided emotional support, not wanting to get taken over by one of the worms.
It was a tough combat, but eventually the swarms crawled into the cracks of the room and the wormcallers collapsed to the ground, defeated. Three halls led out of the room, and they decided to check out the one to the east first. Behind a door was a room lined with religious icons dedicated to Kyuss the Wormgod, complete wityh a beautiful but disturbing fountain carved from black marble. There seemed to be some sort of liquid in the fountain, and Drake was suddenly overcome with a powerful thirst.
He stepped forward to drink and no one stopped him. When he put the water to his lips the magical hold over him snapped and he found in his hands brackish water crawling with digusting Kyuss worms! He spit the water out and managed to help stop Kong from drinking as well. After a moment, everyone's surroundings faded and were replaced by another vision.
This time they had a birds eye view of Kuluth-Mar at its height. The streets were empty, as the thousands of citizens were gathered in a mass in the central plaza surrounding the Spire of Long Shadows. A foul energy welled up from the spire, sweeping outward and killing the living as it passed. Each person that died rose a moment later as a shambling creature, and the heroes were struck the inexplanable feeling that the souls of these poor people were sucked forward and absorbed by the strange black monolith at the top of the spire. A body compsoed of a million writhing worms began to take monstrous shape around the Spire of Long Shadows, its arms raised in triumph. Another moment later and its pose changed to one of rage, and a soul-wrenching cry of fury tore from the undulant face. The massive body of worms shrunk, imploding wit ha horrific wet burst, as the thousands of dead citizens rose up with green worms crawling over their corpses ...
And just like that the heroes were back in the fountain chamber. Duke had heard of such an event happening - a being calls upon the souls of its followers to attain limitless power. This was how Kyuss rose to godhood, but clearly he could not control such an apotheosis - he lost control and seemed to have been trapped in the monolith. A good thing, considering if he had succeeded there would be no limit as to what he could do.
Returning to the previous chamber they went south this time, and were confronted by a veritable sea of wriggling, writhing Kyuss worms. They blanketed a small lake, coating the surface and moving like lichen on the surface. It was a particularly disgusting sight, but they could see branching hallways across the undulating mass.
Utilizing flying spells and sheer strength the six companions reached one of these hallways. They stepped carefully down the corridor, prepared for anything, and opened the door at the end. Inside was an opulent room yet somehow alien, with furniture placed at odd and uncomfortable angles. The walls were decorated with intricate tapestries depicting scenes of carnage and torture in great detail. It was all very disturbing, culminating in the room's single occupant.
The undead spellweaver sat in the middle of the floor in a meditative stance, staring intently at the heroes. Nobody said anything for several moments, when suddenly their minds were filled with the spellweaver speaking to them. It called itself the Harbinger of Worms and demanded to know what prophecies had been fulfilled. Had the Malgarius seed come to fruition? Did the burning comet strike the ground? Did the shadows within shadows rise within the city? Did the volcano erupt?
None of these questions meant anything to heroes, who only looked on in blank amazement. The Harbinger of Worms fell silently after that, staring intently but not making any move. After a moment waiting for something to happen, Kong led the way and they returned down the corridor from whence they came.
When suddenly they were struck by a powerful prismatic spray spell from behind! Nobody suffered grievous wounds, and when they turned around they found the Harbinger of Worms facing them, its six arms weaving arcane spells like a potter works clay. Kong, Drake, Argo, and Kaspar charged forward, facing off against the undead menace in melee while Klaus kept back and shot crossbows. Duke tried to counter the spells of the creature but its arcane power was beyond the dwarf's.
Eventually, after a pitched battle, the Harbinger of Worms was killed. As it collapsed to the ground the room melted away into darkness. A hundred strange and frightening whispers filled the air that seemed to be speaking a hundred languages. But after a moment the voices became one and announced the prophecies of the Age of Worms, visions that appeared before the heroes' eyes ...
... legions of worm-eaten dead rose from soggy graves ...
... an immense and demonic tree exploded into destructive life from the heart of an unfamiliar city ...
... a burning comet lanced down from the heavens to strike a small town in a tremendous, mushroom-shaped cloud of devastation ...
... another city, its town square wreathed in a cloud of black smoke filled with eyes, is held in the grip of shadows that move independently from their source ...
.. a cackling man attaches a clawed and withered hand to the bleed stump of his arm ...
.. a city built in the heart of a volcano suffers tragedy during a partial eruption that sees the collapse of its southeastern quadrant ...
As each event transpired they were accompanied by the crushening sense of certainty that these events had already occurred. The whispering voices spoke of two more prophecies unaccompanied by visions ...
"A tripartite spirit once again becomes one, and at its advice are the mighty undone..."
"On the eve of the Age of Worms, a hero of the pit shall use his fame to gift a city to the dead ..."
Then only silence, and the vision faded. The heroes recognized many of the things in the vision. The worm-eaten dead were clearly spawns of Kyuss. Duke recognized the giant tree as the physical manifestation of a demon lord named Malgarius. Argo remembered hearing about the comet that destroyed the town of Big Rock that turned out to be a temple called the Fane of Scales. Drake recognized the shadow city as Istivin, a place long held to be cursed and haunted by demonic spirits. Kaspar knew the hand that the man attached to his stump was actually the horrid Hand of Vecna. Klaus remembered the volcano that almost destroyed the city of Cauldron, not too far from the Amedio Jungle to the west.
All of this left the companions with the crushing realization that the Age of Worms was set in motion, and that there weren't many people in the world who knew enough to stop it. As they contemplated their future, the present decided to grab their attention. The entire underground structure began to buckle and shake, and the heroes decided to beat feet towards the exit.
Utilizing flying spells and effects the six companions quickly fled from the underground chambers and out the doors - just in time to see the ziggurat collapse. The power of Kyuss seemed to have been broken over the ruins of Kuluth-Mar as the worms were no longer in sight as well. Somber in their duty, the heroes returned to the Sunshadow and take their next step.
Session Updates
Ha! Bet you thought you'd never see this one, did ya!
XP Recap
13th-level 14,600
12th-level 19,300
'Till next, Game On!
"Weird" Dave Olson
Wednesday, June 25, 2008
Age of Worms Campaign Update 3/20/2008
CHRONICLE VAULT 20080320, FROM THE LIBRARY OF RHAVUS THE FIEND-SAGE ...
Readying 28, 595 CY
After resting from their first foray into the ruins of Kuluth-Mar, the heroes set out again to explore it depths and find out all the information they could on Kyuss and his rise to power. Kaspar Nailo, the elf monk, decided to stay back at the Sunshadow and take time to investigate the powers of the Rod of Seven Parts (with the help of Captain Shadowstalker).
As the remaining four party members prepared to depart, a commotion came from the bow of the airship. A pair of shadow elf crewmen pulled out of hiding a stowaway, which turned out to be none other than Drake the Slayer! Drake explained that after he was rescued from the doppelganger lair in Greyhawk he traveled to the hall of Grunther Moradinson in a quest to find Captain Shadowstalker. Using a supply of potions of invisibility he stowed aboard the Sunshadow in hopes of talking with the elusive captain. Alas, he found himself sealed in a large crate when the ship took off several days ago. He only now managed to get someone's attention.
Drake was a bit bewildered as to where they were, but looking at the stern stares of the shadow elf crew he volunteered to help the heroes in whatever way possible, especially if it meant finding a way to where he needed to go. He was vague on the details, but the party decided they could use the help.
The jungle was uncharacteristically unquiet as Kong, Drake, Duke, Argo, and Klaus approached the ruins of Kuluth-Mar and the Ziggurat of Kyuss. They climbed over the 30 foot high obsidian ring and crossed the worm-laden ground carefully and quickly. A deep sense of foreboding came over them as they stepped up the stairs into the very site of a god's ascension.
The ziggurat was built simply, with four chambers around a large central hall. The stairs the heroes went up led into one of the four chambers, which depicted Kyuss as a mortal holding sway over a populace of ancient Flan people. In the murals painted along the walls they discerned that Kyuss was a powerful priest, perhaps of an older version of Nerull, but that the people of Kuluth-Mar worshipped him and not a deity. The companions stepped carefully into the large central hall.
Four massive pillars stood defiant against the ages in this hall, and in the dead center of the large chamber was a fissure in the ground. Their dwarven senses keen, Duke and Klaus could tell that the rent in the floor was a natural one. As the five companions stepped into the hall to investigate further commotion erupted from the doors on teh north and south. Within moments the heroes were not alone in the Ziggurat of Kyuss.
From the south door came a trio of armored skeletal figures, girded in steel and silver plate mail that carried a sickening green sheen and carrying finely crafted greatswords in the bony hands. Leading them was a hunched skeleton dressed in similar armor and empty claws, though it moved with a sense of purpose. Green worms writhed in what could be seen of the skeletons' bodies.
From the north door came a strange sight, and it gave the heroes a moment of hope. There were three celestials, a ghaele eladrin and two sword archons, who came flying out into the main chamber. But the brief glimmer of elation was replaced by the sickening sense of dread as it become clear that these were not servants of the celestial host. Even from their distance the companions could see the tell-tale signs of worms crawling just below the celestial's flesh and coupled with the gleam of insanity in their eyes they knew that they were not here to help.
Weapons were drawn and the heroes took up defensive positions. The skeletal warriors of Kyuss were relentless foes but moved slowly, a fact that Kong and Drake took full advantage of. Klaus was paralyzed by the lead skeleton's black magic, but Duke squared off in a titanic struggle of magic against magic. Argo kept the corrupted celestials busy, aided by the flashing blades of Kong and Drake.
It was a fierce struggle. Their opponents were dedicated to the memory of Kyuss and fought with a tenacity that left the heroes drained. But after much blood and combat their foes were finally defeated. Wounded, the companions did little other than strip their opponents of any valuable gear and took their leave, moving quickly over the field of green worms that stood between the ziggurat and the wall of obsidian.
They retreated through the jungle and sought shelter at the Sunshadow, with the shadow elves providing rest and aid. The heroes knew that their journey into the heart of Kyuss' ancient realm had just begun.
Session Updates
Phew! Way late on this one. I'm working on the other ones as well, but it's not easy. Damn I should've posted these a hell of a lot earlier!
XP Recap
11th-level Characters 15,600
12th-level Characters 11,300
Uhh, that's all for now. Soon I shall have a house and the Age of Worms shall continue once more.
"Weird" Dave Olson
Dragonfyre Gaming Assocation
weird.dave.dfga@gmail.com
Readying 28, 595 CY
After resting from their first foray into the ruins of Kuluth-Mar, the heroes set out again to explore it depths and find out all the information they could on Kyuss and his rise to power. Kaspar Nailo, the elf monk, decided to stay back at the Sunshadow and take time to investigate the powers of the Rod of Seven Parts (with the help of Captain Shadowstalker).
As the remaining four party members prepared to depart, a commotion came from the bow of the airship. A pair of shadow elf crewmen pulled out of hiding a stowaway, which turned out to be none other than Drake the Slayer! Drake explained that after he was rescued from the doppelganger lair in Greyhawk he traveled to the hall of Grunther Moradinson in a quest to find Captain Shadowstalker. Using a supply of potions of invisibility he stowed aboard the Sunshadow in hopes of talking with the elusive captain. Alas, he found himself sealed in a large crate when the ship took off several days ago. He only now managed to get someone's attention.
Drake was a bit bewildered as to where they were, but looking at the stern stares of the shadow elf crew he volunteered to help the heroes in whatever way possible, especially if it meant finding a way to where he needed to go. He was vague on the details, but the party decided they could use the help.
The jungle was uncharacteristically unquiet as Kong, Drake, Duke, Argo, and Klaus approached the ruins of Kuluth-Mar and the Ziggurat of Kyuss. They climbed over the 30 foot high obsidian ring and crossed the worm-laden ground carefully and quickly. A deep sense of foreboding came over them as they stepped up the stairs into the very site of a god's ascension.
The ziggurat was built simply, with four chambers around a large central hall. The stairs the heroes went up led into one of the four chambers, which depicted Kyuss as a mortal holding sway over a populace of ancient Flan people. In the murals painted along the walls they discerned that Kyuss was a powerful priest, perhaps of an older version of Nerull, but that the people of Kuluth-Mar worshipped him and not a deity. The companions stepped carefully into the large central hall.
Four massive pillars stood defiant against the ages in this hall, and in the dead center of the large chamber was a fissure in the ground. Their dwarven senses keen, Duke and Klaus could tell that the rent in the floor was a natural one. As the five companions stepped into the hall to investigate further commotion erupted from the doors on teh north and south. Within moments the heroes were not alone in the Ziggurat of Kyuss.
From the south door came a trio of armored skeletal figures, girded in steel and silver plate mail that carried a sickening green sheen and carrying finely crafted greatswords in the bony hands. Leading them was a hunched skeleton dressed in similar armor and empty claws, though it moved with a sense of purpose. Green worms writhed in what could be seen of the skeletons' bodies.
From the north door came a strange sight, and it gave the heroes a moment of hope. There were three celestials, a ghaele eladrin and two sword archons, who came flying out into the main chamber. But the brief glimmer of elation was replaced by the sickening sense of dread as it become clear that these were not servants of the celestial host. Even from their distance the companions could see the tell-tale signs of worms crawling just below the celestial's flesh and coupled with the gleam of insanity in their eyes they knew that they were not here to help.
Weapons were drawn and the heroes took up defensive positions. The skeletal warriors of Kyuss were relentless foes but moved slowly, a fact that Kong and Drake took full advantage of. Klaus was paralyzed by the lead skeleton's black magic, but Duke squared off in a titanic struggle of magic against magic. Argo kept the corrupted celestials busy, aided by the flashing blades of Kong and Drake.
It was a fierce struggle. Their opponents were dedicated to the memory of Kyuss and fought with a tenacity that left the heroes drained. But after much blood and combat their foes were finally defeated. Wounded, the companions did little other than strip their opponents of any valuable gear and took their leave, moving quickly over the field of green worms that stood between the ziggurat and the wall of obsidian.
They retreated through the jungle and sought shelter at the Sunshadow, with the shadow elves providing rest and aid. The heroes knew that their journey into the heart of Kyuss' ancient realm had just begun.
Session Updates
Phew! Way late on this one. I'm working on the other ones as well, but it's not easy. Damn I should've posted these a hell of a lot earlier!
XP Recap
11th-level Characters 15,600
12th-level Characters 11,300
Uhh, that's all for now. Soon I shall have a house and the Age of Worms shall continue once more.
"Weird" Dave Olson
Dragonfyre Gaming Assocation
weird.dave.dfga@gmail.com
MORE Thoughts on D&D Classes
After I picked up the 4E Player's Handbook on Saturday the 7th, I found myself in a bit of a funk. The book was definitely NOT D&D, and gave me the distinct impression of being a computer or video game. Perhaps if there was no alternative it would work, but since the Pathfinder RPG exists there is hope.
I posted my thoughts on how to categorize the classes a few weeks ago. In that post I postulized that there should be 15 base classes, based around the six ability scores divided between two groups and the mixing of them. But perhaps that's not the way to go. Perhaps there is a different way.
What if there were only 6 base classes, each based on one of the prime attributes? This starts with the same basic premise as my previous post but stops there.
Fighter = Strength
Barbarian = Constitution
Rogue = Dexterity
Wizard = Intelligence
Priest = Wisdom
Lord = Charisma
That includes the two new classes I created to better re-focus the base classes - Priest and Lord. That doesn't mean the other classes go away - far from it. Instead, they are created as prestige classes. This idea was actually presented in the Unearthed Arcana book, introducing the Bard, Ranger, and Paladin as 15-level prestige classes. Well, why not expand that out to the other non-basic classes into 15-level prestige classes.
Does this take a feeling more like d20 Modern? I don't think so, mainly because the base classes were SO generic as to be unusuable and pointless to pursue after the point where you qualified for a prestige class. But this method means that you would start out as one of the basic six, and then by 5th level or so you could focus yourself into one of the prestige classes.
Just another way to look at it. Thoughts welcome.
I posted my thoughts on how to categorize the classes a few weeks ago. In that post I postulized that there should be 15 base classes, based around the six ability scores divided between two groups and the mixing of them. But perhaps that's not the way to go. Perhaps there is a different way.
What if there were only 6 base classes, each based on one of the prime attributes? This starts with the same basic premise as my previous post but stops there.
Fighter = Strength
Barbarian = Constitution
Rogue = Dexterity
Wizard = Intelligence
Priest = Wisdom
Lord = Charisma
That includes the two new classes I created to better re-focus the base classes - Priest and Lord. That doesn't mean the other classes go away - far from it. Instead, they are created as prestige classes. This idea was actually presented in the Unearthed Arcana book, introducing the Bard, Ranger, and Paladin as 15-level prestige classes. Well, why not expand that out to the other non-basic classes into 15-level prestige classes.
Does this take a feeling more like d20 Modern? I don't think so, mainly because the base classes were SO generic as to be unusuable and pointless to pursue after the point where you qualified for a prestige class. But this method means that you would start out as one of the basic six, and then by 5th level or so you could focus yourself into one of the prestige classes.
Just another way to look at it. Thoughts welcome.
Saturday, June 14, 2008
Minnesota's First Specialty Beer Store!
http://www.thefourfirkins.com/
We have to go. Grand opening is today (Saturday, June 14th) and there will be Surly beer and Flat Earth beer sampling at 6 pm. That is all.
We have to go. Grand opening is today (Saturday, June 14th) and there will be Surly beer and Flat Earth beer sampling at 6 pm. That is all.
Thursday, June 12, 2008
Star*Drive on the Horizon ...
So I've been watching Babylon 5 lately, which is a really wonderful show that I think I've mentioned to everyone. But watching it has started my old noodle going and I've gearing up towards the Star*Drive campaign. One of the things I'm going to incorporate into the campaign is the interactive universe mapping software called AstroSynthesis, which will give you a map of the universe to do whatever the heck you want to do in.
More so than any other campaign I've run this will be player-motivated. I have events I'm going to incorporate, but the thrust of the campaign will be driven by the players not by flavor text or scripted occurrences. Because of this I'll need more detailed backgrounds for characters with NPCs that I can mine to make things more involved.
The other thing is that the campaign is moving to the Savage Worlds rules rather than the clumsy Alternity rules. Savage Worlds is fast, furious, and fun, and very easy to pick up and use for everyone. The system is light on details and heavy on story, and the presented rules are very simple for starship construction and modification. I'm working on a hybridization of the detailed Alternity starship rules and the overly-simplified Savage Worlds starship rules. I think that will give the players access to the toys they want and the customization options while still making my job easy.
Star*Drive is coming. It won't be long. Soon we're going to need a session to remake characters (I hope everyone keeps their characters). Reminder of who they are:
* Luke - Axel Hargreaves, grizzled old starship captain of the Iron Fox
* Harris - Philander Shirow, smooth arms merchant and smuggler
* Griff - Jack Krueger, human former space marine
* Aaron - Sheshak, t'sa engineer and parts expert
* Lee - Ereshkigal, sesheyan assassin and freedom fighter
Those are the players who made characters for Star*Drive originally. There were also two extra characters (Katrina Apollo, human thief played by Jesse and Gar "Sawbones" Torgin, weren surgeon and field medic played by Travis). If Jesse and Travis are interested in playing they can create their own characters or use these pre-gens.
Soon. Not long now.
More so than any other campaign I've run this will be player-motivated. I have events I'm going to incorporate, but the thrust of the campaign will be driven by the players not by flavor text or scripted occurrences. Because of this I'll need more detailed backgrounds for characters with NPCs that I can mine to make things more involved.
The other thing is that the campaign is moving to the Savage Worlds rules rather than the clumsy Alternity rules. Savage Worlds is fast, furious, and fun, and very easy to pick up and use for everyone. The system is light on details and heavy on story, and the presented rules are very simple for starship construction and modification. I'm working on a hybridization of the detailed Alternity starship rules and the overly-simplified Savage Worlds starship rules. I think that will give the players access to the toys they want and the customization options while still making my job easy.
Star*Drive is coming. It won't be long. Soon we're going to need a session to remake characters (I hope everyone keeps their characters). Reminder of who they are:
* Luke - Axel Hargreaves, grizzled old starship captain of the Iron Fox
* Harris - Philander Shirow, smooth arms merchant and smuggler
* Griff - Jack Krueger, human former space marine
* Aaron - Sheshak, t'sa engineer and parts expert
* Lee - Ereshkigal, sesheyan assassin and freedom fighter
Those are the players who made characters for Star*Drive originally. There were also two extra characters (Katrina Apollo, human thief played by Jesse and Gar "Sawbones" Torgin, weren surgeon and field medic played by Travis). If Jesse and Travis are interested in playing they can create their own characters or use these pre-gens.
Soon. Not long now.
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