Rod of the Mongoose
This long grey rod has a mongoose head with two movable ears. It can produce one of three effects.
Both ears down: Telestatic sphere 60' radius. Sending and telepathy do not function.
One ear down: Silent shell 30' radius. Sound functions within shell, but does not cross barrier.
Both ears up: Telepathic echo 60' radius. Overhear all sending and telepathy.
Total use: 10 min/day.
Friday, May 23, 2008
Rod of the Mongoose
Session 24, 2008-05-23: Waecleft Moves
Session 24: wherein everyone slays their fair share of goblins
Players (Characters)
Scott (Filthy Ike)
Jeremy (Flynn Flamm)
Rachel (Lotus)
Tom (Nathaniel Graythorne; Brother Jakob)
DM: Catherine
Enigma is generally the picture of poise, but today at Lonely Sparrow she is bruised, singed, sweating, and grateful to be alive. It has been a long day. Barely twenty-four hours ago, she was a Serpenti noble in Melmershaulk, and a master spy. In the space of a day, a year's work has gone up in smoke, and she is grateful to be alive. She speaks.
"I have been a spy among the Yuan-Ti for nearly a year, but only recently have I pieced together their history. Here is what I have learned.
"Serpenti children learn in school that they are the pinnacle of civilization, and never doubt it all their lives. Sure, the vast desert holds the ruins of ancient civilizations, and occasionally a wandering tribe will take up residence in a crumbling ruin and fancy themselves a nation. But until recently, none could hope to challenge
the might of the great serpent. Then two summers ago, she had reason to doubt herself.
"For ages unremembered, the myriad races of Marruspawn had wandered the desert as fractious tribes or howling and writhing abominations, the legacy of a long-gone people known as the Marru, whose legacies are common in the desert. The Marru left behind ruins and rubble, magic and machines, sandblasted landscapes and oceans of glass. The Marruspawn--their created servants--were a testament to their skill in spawncraft.
"In ages past, the mighty kingdom of Serpenti had paid the ascetic tribesmen little heed. The jackal-heads were too lost without their masters to be of either use or threat. Yet two summers ago, the Marruspawn suddenly began to unite across the desert. From the western shores to the eastern cliffs, they declared themselves Mizram, the Empire of Thirst, right rulers of all Semferia. Cities were rebuilt, ancient magic awoken. Hierarchies and armies and laws materialized as though they had never slept.
"Serpenti did what she did best; sent spies among them. They saw Marruspawn prophets proclaiming the return of the Marru. They said that the Marru commanded their servants to rebuild the ancient empire in all its glory, covering all Semferia as it ought. Renew Semferia to the desert it once was, and make it a fit dwelling for their masters. Once pleased with their work, the Marru would return in glory to iniate the second age of the empire. United by vision and devotion to their masters, the tribes arose as one and swiftly conquered the high desert.
"The terrible day came when Mizram marched on Serpenti. Right past her border villages, shattering her walls and defenses, they came straight to her capital and surrounded it. Their black heads and golden robes continued legion by legion over the hills; Melmershaulk seemed to float on a sea of black sand.
"A tall figure with a dark bearing emerged from the sea and announced himself as Wisdom, the high prophet of the Marru. He challenged Serpenti, saying, 'We are the builders of Mizram, and the heralds of the Marru. The land on which we stand belongs to the Marru by ancient right, and we claim it for the Empire of Thirst. The time of a Semferia divided among lesser peoples is over; Armageddon has come, and then a new age! Prove yourselves fit servants of the Marru or here meet your end.'
"At this, the Serpenti high cleric Ansennet is said to have smiled, and he replied, 'We have always longed for an empire, and love the sands nearly as much as you. Too long have the cool lands of the north sat at ease, and the wild tribes of the south run amok. For order and ancient glory, we gladly proclaim this your land and ourselves your humble servants. Today, Mizram has grown to touch the eastern sea.'
"Wisdom replied, 'We judge you strong servants, but strength must be proven by deeds. This shall be your task to prove your worth: Lead the way into the North; learn the land, weaken the peoples, and destroy or test every people East of the Stonetower Mountains.'
"So Serpenti became a province of the empire that day. Mizram changed her currency from gold to tseferu, her language from Yuan-Ti to Marru, her lands from grass to desert, and her god from Mershaulk to Senneth. She paid a hefty, yet bearable, tribute to her new lords, and her formidable spies and assassins were perpetually in demand. Yet Serpenti was otherwise given autonomy; Mizram agreed to leave her rulers, traditions, and peoples intact, and to visit her cities only in small numbers and rarely.
"Of course, Serpenti was two-faced. Many of the snakes genuinely loved bringing about an empire, even if it wasn't theirs yet. But ever-proud, they bristled under many of Mizram's changes, and found loopholes. The nobles adopted the use of tseferu pieces, and demanded them in payment for all the tools of war and nobility; gold became the currency of the nameless purebloods, and another means of their oppression. Marru was spoken in public, but Yuan-Ti in private.
"Serpenti already had a cult to Senneth--tiny, but a bitter rival of Mershaulk nonetheless. She was far too devoted to her dark god to give up even a single cleric, and maintained Mershaulk's temple in full glory. But to impress their Marruspawn visitors, Serpenti would trade temples between the priests, so she could claim Senneth held the place of honor on the hill. Mershaulk himself was driven to jealousy by this, and proclaimed that should Senneth's temple ever stand higher than his, they would see how Serpenti liked serving Senneth alone for an hour.
"But Serpenti undertook one command wholeheartedly, and far exceeded what was asked: the conquest of the north. Asked for or not, her spies were everywhere, her saboteurs busy toppling kingdoms from within. We all know firsthand the devastation she wreaked, but her strength is in subterfuge and sabotoge, not open warfare. In the end, her rival Westlay tricked and outmaneuvered her. In her zeal to impress her new masters, and her fear of defeat, Serpenti committed nearly everything to the assault on White Sands--and lost it all.
"A few days passed. The dust had barely settled upon Melmershaulk, and the image of the Ninja Mongoose Rockstars still grated on the serpent pride, when Mizram returned to Melmershaulk in thunder. Of course, it was against their contract for Mizram to enter a province in force, and Mizram took contracts very seriously. Yet the army skirted every defense, ignored every protest, and entered every major city. A burly Marrusault stood on every streetcorner, and the sky turned black with Marrutact wizards.
"Then the voice of Wisdom boomed in every city, from a thousand illusions. 'Good servants of the empire, you have served well this past year; the north is weakened, and the south is subdued. Your zeal is admirable, and your subtlety enviable. Yet you have failed at the test of strength the Marru set before you; the time has come to lead the assault on the north, and we find you paralyzed. The foes you were sent to smite now stand poised to destroy you. Great you are, and great you have been, but not great enough for a place in Mizram. We bid you glory at the end of your age, and speed the coming of the ancient empire.'
"The slaughter was total. Neither abomination nor pureblood, child nor grandmother, Serpenti or Marruspawn, priest or beast, bird, angel, devil, or grasshopper was allowed to leave the city. The blood-channels of Mershaulk's temple overflowed onto the streets as Mizram spared none. In the chaos, I was able to move about the city disguised as a Marrusault soldier, but the legions were organized and tight-knit; without alias or background, I was quickly discovered whenever we crossed paths. I hid in the city walls, while overhead the city burned. The legions were called out of the city one by one and every soldier counted. They remained and watched as the city turned to ash.
"Mizram then departed to the north. As as soon as they were over the dunes, I struck out West. Melmershaulk is nearest the edge of the Serpenti teleport shield in that direction, and I hoped to avoid Mizram. Others survived, but not many; I saw footprints, tentative groups of one or two striking across the desert to villages which had been--for now--ignored.
"Mizram is on the move, and will certainly come to Westlay soon. I feel certain that she will be offered the same options: prove her strength in service to the Empire of Thirst, or be destroyed."
Enigma's tired voice trembled as she spoke these last words, and then she stepped aside. Minellin stood to address the group, sharing a more pressing bit of news.
"A week ago, the goblin city near Waecleft emptied. They swarmed over the hills and road like locusts, their masters herding them more than commanding. Waecleft, sat oblivious and idle while three thousand goblins approached.
"We, the Last Watch of the Ten kings, have taken an oath to serve the ten kings and their cities, and to remember their ancient alliance, so it has always been our place to inform and not to interfere. Yet I could not allow Waecleft to remain ignorant of the coming storm. I summoned Mary to the gates of the city with the dire news, but they answered only that Waecleft was closed and would admit none. Feeling that the situation was perhaps a bit more dire than they realized, I transgressed slightly against my oath, and sent Mary to sneak inside.
"She found the city locked in a civil war long frozen in stalemate. The three heroes of the city--Jearn, Borin, and Bearn, all brothers--were divided. Bearn stood with the paladins of the Order of the Narrow Way, and demanded abolition of the monarchy, justice for the people, and most importantly that Waecleft loose its mighty cavalry and destroy the goblin city. Jearn stood with the Elite Guard, swearing undying allegiance to King Edward, who saw Bearn and his uprising as treason. Borin took no side, but begged for peace and reconciliation.
"Of course, none was to be had. Even had his monarchy not been at at stake, King Edward believed the city was in danger. He had barely dared to slay the spies of the powerful Serpenti, and feared her retribution. He was certain that if Waecleft made itself visible and powerful, she would invite destruction. No, the best strategy was to close the gate and wait out the storm. It was not the strategy Jearn would have chosen, but Jearn was champion, not king. King Edward felt that Bearn's demands were treasonous and suicide, and would not budge.
"Bearn was no less unwavering. Too long had the people of Waecleft endured well-meaning but ultimately unjust laws, the unavoidable result of having a city run by one man. It was time to appoint judges, to abolish unjust laws, and to rid the city of monarchy. Bearn believed that the goblins, if left unchecked, would multiply until they were a serious threat, and Edward's unwillingness to confront them was one more example of the failure of monarchy. Bearn believed that only in open battle, bringing Waecleft's mighty cavalry to bear, could the city be saved.
"Both sides believed the fate of the city hung in the balance, and each viewed the other as a traitor to the people. As the hour grew later and the circumstances more dire, each became more convinced that he must win. Of course, the fighting was rare and downright civilized. They spent as much time in debate and diplomacy as they did trading blows, and even what blows were given resulted more in well-treated prisoners than casualties.
"Mary assessed the situation and decided to bringnews of the goblin threat to Bearn. They would be on the city within the week. Bearn summoned Jearn, Borin, and King Edward to yet another diplomatic meeting to share the news and come, if they might, to terms. Jearn was alarmed, but King Edward was unmoved, and declared that the Kingsmen had always taken Bearn's side. This, he said, was a trick to sway his resolve--and even if it was not, Waecleft was secure against any assault. The king stormed off in a huff, but Bearn and Jearn talked long into the night.
"The next morning, the city was shaken by wonderful news: Bearn had announced the surrender of the Order! The barricades were already dismantled, the prisoners released, and on every corner stood a paladin of the Order of the Narrow Way, shouting at the top of his voice that Edwards was king over the entire city. And then a few hours later, the city was shaken by terrible news: King Edwards was dead! Bearn had impossibly stolen past all three layers of the Elite Guard, entered the palace, the king's very chambers, and--unthinkable act of treason--struck him down! There could be no mistaking it. He sat weeping at the very scene, and openly confessed what he had done.
"Of course, he was executed immediately for high treason, though widely considered to have gone mad. Now, rule of the city would normally have passed to Edwards' oldest son, but he in fact left no heir. The law stated that the reigning champion was to take up the throne--in this case, Jearn. The Waecleftians were swiftly honor-bound to their new king, and where eighteen hours earlier they had been a divided people in stalemate, they now followed their leader with zeal. Jearn immediately opened the gates of the city, declared war on the goblins, and rode out into the night with five hundred horsemen.
"The cavalry of Waecleft even now rides on the hordes of the goblin army; they will meet in two days, just north of where Rogar first recruited you to our service.
"The tide is rising, and the storm is upon us. Yet we know too little about our foe. We have too little time for Enigma's methods; I must send the Ninja Mongoose Rockstars into the south, to strike Mizram where it is weak, assassinate her heroes while they feast, and learn how they can be stopped.
"Yet, one does not simply walk into Mizram. I shall procure tools for you, and send scouts. In about two weeks' time, I will send you; help where you can until then, but try not to get killed in any way.
"In the mean time, I believe Waecleft could use your help. Her cavalry will destroy the goblins easily, but I hear that many wizards of Mizram ride with the goblins. I fear to lose any of Waecleft's fine horsemen; we may need them before the end. Go to the Desolation of Kelzun and await the coming of the goblin army; destroy the heroes and mages."
Minellin passed out some equipment, and the Ninja Mongoose Rockstars set out for the Desolation of Kelzun. On the way, Nate reaffirmed Minellin's message: try not to get killed in any way. Lotus thought this was ridiculous -- "how can you say you've really lived if you've never died?" In any case, Nate disguised the party as hobgoblins, and they teleported in near the cliffs where Kelzun had first attacked them. Ahead, a group of four horsemen from Waecleft scouted -- and they were quickly met with poisoned arrows fired from within a nearby cave. Three were paralyzed, while the fourth moved to find cover.
Jakob stepped into the cave mouth and grabbed a goblin, throwing him into a marruspawn spellcaster at the back of the cave. The impact broke the goblin's neck. Ike ran across the way and tossed his rope up the cliff face. The goblins and marruspawn focused their attention on Jakob, but the arrows could not find their mark, and the wizard's Flesh to Salt spell caused only minor harm. "You are no hobgoblins; you're the ninja mongoose rockstars!" Flynn began singing, and Jakob rolled through the goblins and stood on the wizard's head. Ike fired four arrows into the cave, placing one right through the marruspawn's head and killing it. The fleeing goblins were quickly picked off by Flynn, Jakob, and Ike. The still-conscious scout from Waecleft led his companions' horses, with their paralyzed riders, back toward the main attack group.
From the hilltop, Ike spotted the goblin army a mile and a half away. Two walking siege tower constructs moved near the front of the army, and six marruspawn wizards were interspersed among the 3000 goblins. NMR teleported half a mile behind the group of goblins while Flynn gave the party haste and started singing, and then used a dimension door to get Ike within range of the rearmost marruspawn. His five arrows dropped the spellcaster (189 damage, one crit.) A group of goblins started moving toward where Ike had shot from, and two of the other wizards took a sand form. Nate dimension doored the group into position to strike another two wizards, and Ike's five arrows killed one and wounded the other. The remaining wizards took sand form and disappeared into the crowd. Nate created an image of a large group of archers on a hill, which kept the attention of several goblins while NMR teleported back to the cliffs.
Nate, Lotus, and Jakob then took the form of simple goblins and walked into the army. Nate positioned himself behind one of the marruspawn and probed his thoughts. He sought the following information:
Nate, Lotus, and Jakob walked through the pack to find the next marruspawn. Nate's feeblemind failed, but Jakob's Divine Surge and Lotus' arc lightning seriously wounded him and took out some nearby goblins. Lotus hit the caster with another bolt of lightning, and Jakob tossed him airborne, giving Ike a clear shot from his far-away hilltop. The marruspawn's body landed on top of a goblin, killing it. Several nearby goblins surrounded Jakob and Lotus, and one or two managed to slightly scratch them. Nate cast confusion on a big pack of goblins, while bluffing the others into thinking he'd tried to cast a spell on the obvious infiltrators. Lotus used a dinosaur stampede to clear an escape path through the now packing up goblins, and Jakob took down those who had him surrounded. Ike sent some arrows in to further sow confusion. The confused goblins started brawling, and various other goblins piled on, thinking they'd identified the "bad guys" from within the scrum. Nate, Lotus, and Jakob walked toward the next spellcaster, and Nate's feeblemind took full effect.
Meanwhile, a pack of three marruspawn wizards and a powerful-looking Marruspawn abomination teleported in next to Flynn and Ike. Flynn's Dimension Door took the two to just a few yards in front of Waecleft's cavalry. Ike fired a pack of arrows back toward the cliffs, severely wounding one of the spellcasters, and Flynn turned Ike invisible. But the spellcasters had dimension doors of their own, and they made a quick assault on Flynn, allowing the Abomination to tear his body apart in the few seconds before they fled the oncoming cavalry. The casters left behind a pit of mud to slow Waecleft's army somewhat. Nate feebleminded the final spellcaster within the main assault group as those who'd just killed Flynn teleported to assumed safety within the goblin army. Lotus used a second dinosaur stampede to cause more confusion.
Ike, upset that Flynn had just been killed, fired a pack of arrows at the casters a quarter-mile away, killing one and seriously wounding another. Lotus' Flesh to Salt left the wounded one barely standing. Jakob boulder rolled through several goblins, stomping the wounded marruspawn caster's head in and knocking the Abomination to the ground. It stood up and approached Jakob as the remaining wizard tried to disintegrate him. Nate's feeblemind wasn't quite enough to take down the remaining wizard, but Ike's arrows, including a headshot from a quarter mile away, were enough for the kill. At this point, only the abomination, a large pack of goblins, and two siege towers remained.
The cavalry advanced, and Flynn's spirit heard "oh my God, it's Flynn Flamm!" as a cleric started working on reviving him. Flynn responded inaudibly "oooh, I can give you a ghostly autograph. Woooo, don't steal my stuff." Lotus tried to flamestrike the abomination, but it resisted. Jakob and the abomination started clawing at each other, but only the Abomination was able to land solid strikes. Ike focused his shots on the abomination as the badly wounded Jakob tumbled through the crowd. Lotus used Ice Flowers to wound the Abomination and keep it from pursuing, and as Flynn was raised, he began singing to inspire the cavalry. Over the next few minutes, Ike wore down and eventually killed the Abomination, while Lotus' dinosaurs and Nate's confusions left the goblin army in ruins. Once the cavalry finally got into position, they met little resistance, and were easily able to chase down all of the goblins.
Everyone but Jakob reached level 15.
Players (Characters)
Scott (Filthy Ike)
Jeremy (Flynn Flamm)
Rachel (Lotus)
Tom (Nathaniel Graythorne; Brother Jakob)
DM: Catherine
Enigma is generally the picture of poise, but today at Lonely Sparrow she is bruised, singed, sweating, and grateful to be alive. It has been a long day. Barely twenty-four hours ago, she was a Serpenti noble in Melmershaulk, and a master spy. In the space of a day, a year's work has gone up in smoke, and she is grateful to be alive. She speaks.
"I have been a spy among the Yuan-Ti for nearly a year, but only recently have I pieced together their history. Here is what I have learned.
"Serpenti children learn in school that they are the pinnacle of civilization, and never doubt it all their lives. Sure, the vast desert holds the ruins of ancient civilizations, and occasionally a wandering tribe will take up residence in a crumbling ruin and fancy themselves a nation. But until recently, none could hope to challenge
the might of the great serpent. Then two summers ago, she had reason to doubt herself.
"For ages unremembered, the myriad races of Marruspawn had wandered the desert as fractious tribes or howling and writhing abominations, the legacy of a long-gone people known as the Marru, whose legacies are common in the desert. The Marru left behind ruins and rubble, magic and machines, sandblasted landscapes and oceans of glass. The Marruspawn--their created servants--were a testament to their skill in spawncraft.
"In ages past, the mighty kingdom of Serpenti had paid the ascetic tribesmen little heed. The jackal-heads were too lost without their masters to be of either use or threat. Yet two summers ago, the Marruspawn suddenly began to unite across the desert. From the western shores to the eastern cliffs, they declared themselves Mizram, the Empire of Thirst, right rulers of all Semferia. Cities were rebuilt, ancient magic awoken. Hierarchies and armies and laws materialized as though they had never slept.
"Serpenti did what she did best; sent spies among them. They saw Marruspawn prophets proclaiming the return of the Marru. They said that the Marru commanded their servants to rebuild the ancient empire in all its glory, covering all Semferia as it ought. Renew Semferia to the desert it once was, and make it a fit dwelling for their masters. Once pleased with their work, the Marru would return in glory to iniate the second age of the empire. United by vision and devotion to their masters, the tribes arose as one and swiftly conquered the high desert.
"The terrible day came when Mizram marched on Serpenti. Right past her border villages, shattering her walls and defenses, they came straight to her capital and surrounded it. Their black heads and golden robes continued legion by legion over the hills; Melmershaulk seemed to float on a sea of black sand.
"A tall figure with a dark bearing emerged from the sea and announced himself as Wisdom, the high prophet of the Marru. He challenged Serpenti, saying, 'We are the builders of Mizram, and the heralds of the Marru. The land on which we stand belongs to the Marru by ancient right, and we claim it for the Empire of Thirst. The time of a Semferia divided among lesser peoples is over; Armageddon has come, and then a new age! Prove yourselves fit servants of the Marru or here meet your end.'
"At this, the Serpenti high cleric Ansennet is said to have smiled, and he replied, 'We have always longed for an empire, and love the sands nearly as much as you. Too long have the cool lands of the north sat at ease, and the wild tribes of the south run amok. For order and ancient glory, we gladly proclaim this your land and ourselves your humble servants. Today, Mizram has grown to touch the eastern sea.'
"Wisdom replied, 'We judge you strong servants, but strength must be proven by deeds. This shall be your task to prove your worth: Lead the way into the North; learn the land, weaken the peoples, and destroy or test every people East of the Stonetower Mountains.'
"So Serpenti became a province of the empire that day. Mizram changed her currency from gold to tseferu, her language from Yuan-Ti to Marru, her lands from grass to desert, and her god from Mershaulk to Senneth. She paid a hefty, yet bearable, tribute to her new lords, and her formidable spies and assassins were perpetually in demand. Yet Serpenti was otherwise given autonomy; Mizram agreed to leave her rulers, traditions, and peoples intact, and to visit her cities only in small numbers and rarely.
"Of course, Serpenti was two-faced. Many of the snakes genuinely loved bringing about an empire, even if it wasn't theirs yet. But ever-proud, they bristled under many of Mizram's changes, and found loopholes. The nobles adopted the use of tseferu pieces, and demanded them in payment for all the tools of war and nobility; gold became the currency of the nameless purebloods, and another means of their oppression. Marru was spoken in public, but Yuan-Ti in private.
"Serpenti already had a cult to Senneth--tiny, but a bitter rival of Mershaulk nonetheless. She was far too devoted to her dark god to give up even a single cleric, and maintained Mershaulk's temple in full glory. But to impress their Marruspawn visitors, Serpenti would trade temples between the priests, so she could claim Senneth held the place of honor on the hill. Mershaulk himself was driven to jealousy by this, and proclaimed that should Senneth's temple ever stand higher than his, they would see how Serpenti liked serving Senneth alone for an hour.
"But Serpenti undertook one command wholeheartedly, and far exceeded what was asked: the conquest of the north. Asked for or not, her spies were everywhere, her saboteurs busy toppling kingdoms from within. We all know firsthand the devastation she wreaked, but her strength is in subterfuge and sabotoge, not open warfare. In the end, her rival Westlay tricked and outmaneuvered her. In her zeal to impress her new masters, and her fear of defeat, Serpenti committed nearly everything to the assault on White Sands--and lost it all.
"A few days passed. The dust had barely settled upon Melmershaulk, and the image of the Ninja Mongoose Rockstars still grated on the serpent pride, when Mizram returned to Melmershaulk in thunder. Of course, it was against their contract for Mizram to enter a province in force, and Mizram took contracts very seriously. Yet the army skirted every defense, ignored every protest, and entered every major city. A burly Marrusault stood on every streetcorner, and the sky turned black with Marrutact wizards.
"Then the voice of Wisdom boomed in every city, from a thousand illusions. 'Good servants of the empire, you have served well this past year; the north is weakened, and the south is subdued. Your zeal is admirable, and your subtlety enviable. Yet you have failed at the test of strength the Marru set before you; the time has come to lead the assault on the north, and we find you paralyzed. The foes you were sent to smite now stand poised to destroy you. Great you are, and great you have been, but not great enough for a place in Mizram. We bid you glory at the end of your age, and speed the coming of the ancient empire.'
"The slaughter was total. Neither abomination nor pureblood, child nor grandmother, Serpenti or Marruspawn, priest or beast, bird, angel, devil, or grasshopper was allowed to leave the city. The blood-channels of Mershaulk's temple overflowed onto the streets as Mizram spared none. In the chaos, I was able to move about the city disguised as a Marrusault soldier, but the legions were organized and tight-knit; without alias or background, I was quickly discovered whenever we crossed paths. I hid in the city walls, while overhead the city burned. The legions were called out of the city one by one and every soldier counted. They remained and watched as the city turned to ash.
"Mizram then departed to the north. As as soon as they were over the dunes, I struck out West. Melmershaulk is nearest the edge of the Serpenti teleport shield in that direction, and I hoped to avoid Mizram. Others survived, but not many; I saw footprints, tentative groups of one or two striking across the desert to villages which had been--for now--ignored.
"Mizram is on the move, and will certainly come to Westlay soon. I feel certain that she will be offered the same options: prove her strength in service to the Empire of Thirst, or be destroyed."
Enigma's tired voice trembled as she spoke these last words, and then she stepped aside. Minellin stood to address the group, sharing a more pressing bit of news.
"A week ago, the goblin city near Waecleft emptied. They swarmed over the hills and road like locusts, their masters herding them more than commanding. Waecleft, sat oblivious and idle while three thousand goblins approached.
"We, the Last Watch of the Ten kings, have taken an oath to serve the ten kings and their cities, and to remember their ancient alliance, so it has always been our place to inform and not to interfere. Yet I could not allow Waecleft to remain ignorant of the coming storm. I summoned Mary to the gates of the city with the dire news, but they answered only that Waecleft was closed and would admit none. Feeling that the situation was perhaps a bit more dire than they realized, I transgressed slightly against my oath, and sent Mary to sneak inside.
"She found the city locked in a civil war long frozen in stalemate. The three heroes of the city--Jearn, Borin, and Bearn, all brothers--were divided. Bearn stood with the paladins of the Order of the Narrow Way, and demanded abolition of the monarchy, justice for the people, and most importantly that Waecleft loose its mighty cavalry and destroy the goblin city. Jearn stood with the Elite Guard, swearing undying allegiance to King Edward, who saw Bearn and his uprising as treason. Borin took no side, but begged for peace and reconciliation.
"Of course, none was to be had. Even had his monarchy not been at at stake, King Edward believed the city was in danger. He had barely dared to slay the spies of the powerful Serpenti, and feared her retribution. He was certain that if Waecleft made itself visible and powerful, she would invite destruction. No, the best strategy was to close the gate and wait out the storm. It was not the strategy Jearn would have chosen, but Jearn was champion, not king. King Edward felt that Bearn's demands were treasonous and suicide, and would not budge.
"Bearn was no less unwavering. Too long had the people of Waecleft endured well-meaning but ultimately unjust laws, the unavoidable result of having a city run by one man. It was time to appoint judges, to abolish unjust laws, and to rid the city of monarchy. Bearn believed that the goblins, if left unchecked, would multiply until they were a serious threat, and Edward's unwillingness to confront them was one more example of the failure of monarchy. Bearn believed that only in open battle, bringing Waecleft's mighty cavalry to bear, could the city be saved.
"Both sides believed the fate of the city hung in the balance, and each viewed the other as a traitor to the people. As the hour grew later and the circumstances more dire, each became more convinced that he must win. Of course, the fighting was rare and downright civilized. They spent as much time in debate and diplomacy as they did trading blows, and even what blows were given resulted more in well-treated prisoners than casualties.
"Mary assessed the situation and decided to bringnews of the goblin threat to Bearn. They would be on the city within the week. Bearn summoned Jearn, Borin, and King Edward to yet another diplomatic meeting to share the news and come, if they might, to terms. Jearn was alarmed, but King Edward was unmoved, and declared that the Kingsmen had always taken Bearn's side. This, he said, was a trick to sway his resolve--and even if it was not, Waecleft was secure against any assault. The king stormed off in a huff, but Bearn and Jearn talked long into the night.
"The next morning, the city was shaken by wonderful news: Bearn had announced the surrender of the Order! The barricades were already dismantled, the prisoners released, and on every corner stood a paladin of the Order of the Narrow Way, shouting at the top of his voice that Edwards was king over the entire city. And then a few hours later, the city was shaken by terrible news: King Edwards was dead! Bearn had impossibly stolen past all three layers of the Elite Guard, entered the palace, the king's very chambers, and--unthinkable act of treason--struck him down! There could be no mistaking it. He sat weeping at the very scene, and openly confessed what he had done.
"Of course, he was executed immediately for high treason, though widely considered to have gone mad. Now, rule of the city would normally have passed to Edwards' oldest son, but he in fact left no heir. The law stated that the reigning champion was to take up the throne--in this case, Jearn. The Waecleftians were swiftly honor-bound to their new king, and where eighteen hours earlier they had been a divided people in stalemate, they now followed their leader with zeal. Jearn immediately opened the gates of the city, declared war on the goblins, and rode out into the night with five hundred horsemen.
"The cavalry of Waecleft even now rides on the hordes of the goblin army; they will meet in two days, just north of where Rogar first recruited you to our service.
"The tide is rising, and the storm is upon us. Yet we know too little about our foe. We have too little time for Enigma's methods; I must send the Ninja Mongoose Rockstars into the south, to strike Mizram where it is weak, assassinate her heroes while they feast, and learn how they can be stopped.
"Yet, one does not simply walk into Mizram. I shall procure tools for you, and send scouts. In about two weeks' time, I will send you; help where you can until then, but try not to get killed in any way.
"In the mean time, I believe Waecleft could use your help. Her cavalry will destroy the goblins easily, but I hear that many wizards of Mizram ride with the goblins. I fear to lose any of Waecleft's fine horsemen; we may need them before the end. Go to the Desolation of Kelzun and await the coming of the goblin army; destroy the heroes and mages."
Minellin passed out some equipment, and the Ninja Mongoose Rockstars set out for the Desolation of Kelzun. On the way, Nate reaffirmed Minellin's message: try not to get killed in any way. Lotus thought this was ridiculous -- "how can you say you've really lived if you've never died?" In any case, Nate disguised the party as hobgoblins, and they teleported in near the cliffs where Kelzun had first attacked them. Ahead, a group of four horsemen from Waecleft scouted -- and they were quickly met with poisoned arrows fired from within a nearby cave. Three were paralyzed, while the fourth moved to find cover.
Jakob stepped into the cave mouth and grabbed a goblin, throwing him into a marruspawn spellcaster at the back of the cave. The impact broke the goblin's neck. Ike ran across the way and tossed his rope up the cliff face. The goblins and marruspawn focused their attention on Jakob, but the arrows could not find their mark, and the wizard's Flesh to Salt spell caused only minor harm. "You are no hobgoblins; you're the ninja mongoose rockstars!" Flynn began singing, and Jakob rolled through the goblins and stood on the wizard's head. Ike fired four arrows into the cave, placing one right through the marruspawn's head and killing it. The fleeing goblins were quickly picked off by Flynn, Jakob, and Ike. The still-conscious scout from Waecleft led his companions' horses, with their paralyzed riders, back toward the main attack group.
From the hilltop, Ike spotted the goblin army a mile and a half away. Two walking siege tower constructs moved near the front of the army, and six marruspawn wizards were interspersed among the 3000 goblins. NMR teleported half a mile behind the group of goblins while Flynn gave the party haste and started singing, and then used a dimension door to get Ike within range of the rearmost marruspawn. His five arrows dropped the spellcaster (189 damage, one crit.) A group of goblins started moving toward where Ike had shot from, and two of the other wizards took a sand form. Nate dimension doored the group into position to strike another two wizards, and Ike's five arrows killed one and wounded the other. The remaining wizards took sand form and disappeared into the crowd. Nate created an image of a large group of archers on a hill, which kept the attention of several goblins while NMR teleported back to the cliffs.
Nate, Lotus, and Jakob then took the form of simple goblins and walked into the army. Nate positioned himself behind one of the marruspawn and probed his thoughts. He sought the following information:
- What are the numbers and strength of the marruspawn army? Over 10,000 strong, with many elite units.
- What are the most powerful creatures you have seen among your allies? A blue dragon that creates storms, an undead sand dragon, a withered old lady with scary eyes who doesn't wear armor, and the marruspawn national champion.
- What is the attack plan for northern conquest? Several simultaneous strikes to force the northern kingdoms to fight divided. The main attack will happen in two weeks time, and this attack is just another maneuver in setting it up.
- How powerful is this attack force? 3000 goblins, six marruspawn wizards of equal power, two siege towers, and some anti-archer help is incoming.
- Are the wizards telepathically linked in any way? No.
- What effect does this sand form have? It makes the body into an ooze.
- Is your mind protected from spells via Mind Blank or a similar effect? No.
Nate, Lotus, and Jakob walked through the pack to find the next marruspawn. Nate's feeblemind failed, but Jakob's Divine Surge and Lotus' arc lightning seriously wounded him and took out some nearby goblins. Lotus hit the caster with another bolt of lightning, and Jakob tossed him airborne, giving Ike a clear shot from his far-away hilltop. The marruspawn's body landed on top of a goblin, killing it. Several nearby goblins surrounded Jakob and Lotus, and one or two managed to slightly scratch them. Nate cast confusion on a big pack of goblins, while bluffing the others into thinking he'd tried to cast a spell on the obvious infiltrators. Lotus used a dinosaur stampede to clear an escape path through the now packing up goblins, and Jakob took down those who had him surrounded. Ike sent some arrows in to further sow confusion. The confused goblins started brawling, and various other goblins piled on, thinking they'd identified the "bad guys" from within the scrum. Nate, Lotus, and Jakob walked toward the next spellcaster, and Nate's feeblemind took full effect.
Meanwhile, a pack of three marruspawn wizards and a powerful-looking Marruspawn abomination teleported in next to Flynn and Ike. Flynn's Dimension Door took the two to just a few yards in front of Waecleft's cavalry. Ike fired a pack of arrows back toward the cliffs, severely wounding one of the spellcasters, and Flynn turned Ike invisible. But the spellcasters had dimension doors of their own, and they made a quick assault on Flynn, allowing the Abomination to tear his body apart in the few seconds before they fled the oncoming cavalry. The casters left behind a pit of mud to slow Waecleft's army somewhat. Nate feebleminded the final spellcaster within the main assault group as those who'd just killed Flynn teleported to assumed safety within the goblin army. Lotus used a second dinosaur stampede to cause more confusion.
Ike, upset that Flynn had just been killed, fired a pack of arrows at the casters a quarter-mile away, killing one and seriously wounding another. Lotus' Flesh to Salt left the wounded one barely standing. Jakob boulder rolled through several goblins, stomping the wounded marruspawn caster's head in and knocking the Abomination to the ground. It stood up and approached Jakob as the remaining wizard tried to disintegrate him. Nate's feeblemind wasn't quite enough to take down the remaining wizard, but Ike's arrows, including a headshot from a quarter mile away, were enough for the kill. At this point, only the abomination, a large pack of goblins, and two siege towers remained.
The cavalry advanced, and Flynn's spirit heard "oh my God, it's Flynn Flamm!" as a cleric started working on reviving him. Flynn responded inaudibly "oooh, I can give you a ghostly autograph. Woooo, don't steal my stuff." Lotus tried to flamestrike the abomination, but it resisted. Jakob and the abomination started clawing at each other, but only the Abomination was able to land solid strikes. Ike focused his shots on the abomination as the badly wounded Jakob tumbled through the crowd. Lotus used Ice Flowers to wound the Abomination and keep it from pursuing, and as Flynn was raised, he began singing to inspire the cavalry. Over the next few minutes, Ike wore down and eventually killed the Abomination, while Lotus' dinosaurs and Nate's confusions left the goblin army in ruins. Once the cavalry finally got into position, they met little resistance, and were easily able to chase down all of the goblins.
Everyone but Jakob reached level 15.
Monday, May 19, 2008
Brother Jakob's Backstory
One never knows which way the wind will blow at Jade Feather; high in the Stonetower Mountains, the breezes are as ephemeral as they are cold. The monastery stands in marked contrast, carved into the very rock. Sharp points and precarious gravel slides paint the mountainside in red and gray, and no paths can be discerned. It is fully forty winding miles to the nearest road, and that itself is the high and treacherous Unlit Pass. There are no easy paths to Jade Feather. The monks prefer it that way. The simple act of coming and going is an exercise in both discipline and dexterity.
Yet the gates of Jade Feather are open to all who make the journey. Tolerence is the byword of the monastery, and strength from weakness its motto. Entry is never refused those who submit to the grueling challenge of reaching the gate, and training is never refused those who submit to the stern commands of its masters. Orphaned girls and lost goblins have passed its gates and emerged many years later as changed creatures, yet most commonly young warriors and monks visit to seek instruction and wisdom.
One such Jacob Newfellow had sought instruction at the gates of Jade Feather in years past. A young soldier, he was fascinated with the art of war, with the myriad forms of movement--be they a graceful dance or an expedient improvisation--which led to victory. He sought to study as many of these paths as possible, visiting Jade Feather on his long journey from the brutal Gherni Pits of Pain in the West to the renowned Seven Wooden Swords on the cliffs bordering the eastern sea. Whether due to his broad experience, his passion for the art, or some innate talent, his mastery over the basics of the seven schools favored by the Jade Feather monks was swift. A mere two years after entering the gates, he acheived the rank of Wanderer. At this rank, he was expected to wander the world, seeking his own enlightenment and mastering his own style. Wanderers returned when they believed themselves Masters, and if Jade Feather agreed, they returned to the school as peers and fellow students with their former masters.
Jacob took his leave of the monastery and continued his journeys throughout the world, seeking schools, instruction, or simple experience wherever he could find them. He worked as a mercenary, and was more highly sought as the years went by. Some fifteen years after his departure from Jade Feather saw him assisting militia in the enchanted forest, teaching hobgoblin raiders unforgettable lessons. One such raid was particularly brutal; the hobgoblins breached the walls of a village, and had slain many of its inhabitants before Jacob and his fellows could arrive.
In such cases, it was his habit to pick up the pieces, seeking out survivors and clearing rubble. On this particular day, he came upon a familiar sight: a broken shack at the edge of the villiage, its roof and walls in pieces. Within was the body of a girl; perhaps 15 or 16. Jacob had trained at Ghern, and knew firsthand their brutal methods; this was typical of their work. All signs were that she lived alone, and the tender-kept infant's bed of rags explained that. Indeed, such outcasts on the edges of the village were usually the first hit by these raids and the least missed.
Jacob looked over to the tiny bed, and was taken aback. The child was alive, but was not human--not remotely. It was--at best guess--a foundling ogre? Too soft for that; a half-ogre, then. He let out a low whistle. And about six months old, too. Such aberrations were usually abandoned to the wild, and here this one had been nurtured this long.
Jacob stood a while in thought. It was a scene he had encountered many times before, but usually the baby was human, and the village held an aunt or a grandmother or at least a merciful friend. That was unlikely here. Ogres were a menace in the region, and no one willingly chose a monster for a son. Except, apparently, that someone had. Jacob himself was inclined to leave it, but its mother had clearly thought it worth caring for. Surely that was worth something. Who would care for it now? Certainly not Jacob Newfellow, the mercenary. No one would accept it, except for . . .
. . . except Jade Feather, which turned away none who made the journey.
Taking leave of his present company, Jacob Newfellow made the four week journey to his old home. The visit was brief; conversations with old masters about what he had learned in the wide world--with the implicit agreement that he was no master yet, and a quick explanation of the child's origin. The monks, true to their promise, did not turn him away, and named him for his benefactor. So Brother Jakob was born. Jacob Newfellow was gone that same night.
Life at Jade Feather was demanding, but not unpleasant. Everyone in the monastery, from the youngest to the oldest, rose an hour before dawn, completed all chores and meditations, and was present in the courtyard at sunrise. Together, they underwent eight hours of demanding physical training, followed by four hours of no less demanding study. The simplest matters were done with utmost care and precision; the sweeping of the courtyard--which for many years was Jakob's duty--was to be done four times, once in each of four directions.
Some found the rigor hard, while others found it invigorating. Even as a young boy, Jakob was in the latter class. There were drills and exercises, meditations and self-disciplinary studies. Once they spent an entire morning striking a target a thousand times exactly the same way. Some students chafed at what seemed like makework; Jakob struck a thousand times, consciously seeking to understand what it was he was to learn. By noon, he was not satisfied that he had learned it, and continued until three in the afternoon, when at last he accepted his own work. At barely six years of age, the Masters marked with approval his integrity in his studies.
Fully half of the day was devoted to sparring--between peers, between masters and students, across schools and across ranks. Everyone fought everyone, and anyone was open to challenge at any time. Excellence had to be proven daily. Jakob--the youngest at the monastary for many years--was often sought out for his size. It was not only his peers who challenged him, but often much more advanced students who saw in his physical advantages and monstrous bearing a worthy challenge with which to impress their masters. In fact, it was with Jakob the masters were usually impressed. While often consciously intimidated by his opponents' skill, he was never cowed, and made good use of his superior reach and bulk to trip and grapple his foes, rendering his opponents' beautifully-executed maneuvers ineffective. Lacking the skill to truly retaliate against the more able monks, Jakob didn't think much of his own crude attempts to frustrate them--but the wily masters credited him with victories over much older students, and commented on the warrior spirit he manifested.
At twelve, two years early, he was taken on by a master: the venerable Master Michael, the expert in the Setting Sun school. Brother Michael, at over eighty, could still throw young men in their prime like sticks. Rare was the opponent who could pierce his defense. His matches often ended like Jakob's: with the foe sprawled ignobly on the ground and feeling humiliated as much as bruised.
Brother Michael was warm and engaging, the very picture of humility, but woe to the student who perceived his humor as weakness. His method was one of encouragement to uncompromising rigor. He was the most forgiving of the masters, but was also the most easily underestimated--quick to apply a lesson broadly, to construe an assignment laboriously. He was an ideal teacher for young Jakob, as their techniques closely matched. Moreover, Jakob wanted to study grappling, and Michael was the only of the masters who knew anything about it. Most considered the art too low and ungraceful to merit attention, focusing on the more beautiful strikes and maneuvers. Brother Michael knew better, and like his student, would exploit his opponents' hubris to bring the most skilled an ignoble defeat. He taught that strength lay in victory, not beauty, and that ultimate strength was demonstrated by bringing about bloodless capitulation. He taught broad tolerence of many styles and creatures, saying that there was always something to learn. Despite Brother Jakob's immense advantages in bulk and strength, it was several years before he was able to pin his master even once. Years went by pleasantly for Brother Jakob under Master Michael, and he continued to gain distinction at Jade Feather as he approached the rank of Wanderer.
Back when Brother Michael became Master Michael, his first act had been to seek out a distant oracle. He had spent half a lifetime achieving great skill, so he had then asked what he might best accomplish with it. Apparently, the oracle had given him a quest. While he never spoke of the details, he mentioned the quest itself often. Then suddenly, as Jakob approached his tests, Brother Michael announced that he was going to the Mount of Shadow to pursue his quest. The news he received must have been urgent, for he was not one to lightly abandon his students. He stated that he hoped to return within the week. Yet weeks went by, and he did not return. At last, Brother Jakob sought permission from the abbot to follow his master.
The trail was long cold when Jakob set foot in the windswept outdoors. The Mount of Shadow was vast. It was so named for its many shadowed crevices, one of which was the Unlit Pass. Jakob methodically investigated every cave and crevice. For seven days and nights, he circled the mountain, with no clue as to his master's whereabouts but the eerie shrieks in the night. The mountain was known to be haunted, though Jakob was confident of both his and his master's skills, and did not fear the spectres.
On the eighth night, he woke to a cry for help from one of the caves along the road. Rising instantly and running to the cave, he saw in the shadowy starlight that he was too late--two wraiths, and a heap of equipment in an empty camp. The wraiths turned to him with murderous hunger, and he returned no less grim an expression. He slew the first easily as it approached, but the second chilled his heart: he saw in its face a mockery of his old master's, and its tattered robes bore the emboidered jade feather. It was none other than the twisted remains of Brother Michael's soul, murdering travellers on the road.
Grim battle was joined. The cold eyes of the wraith betrayed no recognition, and though its movements half recalled the maneuvers it had known in life, the wraith's hunger dominated Brother Michael's famous restraint. Swallowing his grief at his master's death and failure, Brother Jakob used every trick he had been taught against his old friend. Once, twice, three times the wraith struck him, chilling him to the bone, but in the end Jakob had the victory. As the wraith vanished into the nether world with a silent black flame like rushing wind, Brother Jakob himself collapsed to the cave floor, crippled by the battle.
He rose, as was customary, an hour before dawn, and carried out his chores and meditations. The sundries of both the hapless traveller and old Brother Michael were buried, though Jakob kept the now-tattered robes of his master. Then without further ceremony, he returned to Jade Feather.
The abbot, Brother Lawrence, listened intently to Jakob's tale, and announced a day of mourning for the passing of a great monk. Jakob was allowed to take the Wanderer's test from Lawrence himself, and passed it easily. Then he was told that Brother Michael had left the details of his quest behind, with instructions to pass them on to Jakob when he himself became a master--or sooner, should the world warrant. For now, Jakob was to take up the Wanderer's quest, and seek enlightenment and mastery in the wide world.
Jakob left that very night, at first merely travelling the roads (a dangerous task in itself). Bandits haplessly found him both penniless and dangerous, but beasts and savages pursued him nonetheless.
Jakob had always felt a close affinity to animals--whether because they too were unimpressed by flashy styles or because of his monstrous heritage. One day, a group of Kingsmen patrolling a road came upon Jakob wrestling with a Dire Wolf, the violent beast playing like a puppy with the rough blows of the big half-ogre. Impressed, they invited him to join them, and--seeing an opportunity to wander and learn--he gladly did so.
Yet the gates of Jade Feather are open to all who make the journey. Tolerence is the byword of the monastery, and strength from weakness its motto. Entry is never refused those who submit to the grueling challenge of reaching the gate, and training is never refused those who submit to the stern commands of its masters. Orphaned girls and lost goblins have passed its gates and emerged many years later as changed creatures, yet most commonly young warriors and monks visit to seek instruction and wisdom.
One such Jacob Newfellow had sought instruction at the gates of Jade Feather in years past. A young soldier, he was fascinated with the art of war, with the myriad forms of movement--be they a graceful dance or an expedient improvisation--which led to victory. He sought to study as many of these paths as possible, visiting Jade Feather on his long journey from the brutal Gherni Pits of Pain in the West to the renowned Seven Wooden Swords on the cliffs bordering the eastern sea. Whether due to his broad experience, his passion for the art, or some innate talent, his mastery over the basics of the seven schools favored by the Jade Feather monks was swift. A mere two years after entering the gates, he acheived the rank of Wanderer. At this rank, he was expected to wander the world, seeking his own enlightenment and mastering his own style. Wanderers returned when they believed themselves Masters, and if Jade Feather agreed, they returned to the school as peers and fellow students with their former masters.
Jacob took his leave of the monastery and continued his journeys throughout the world, seeking schools, instruction, or simple experience wherever he could find them. He worked as a mercenary, and was more highly sought as the years went by. Some fifteen years after his departure from Jade Feather saw him assisting militia in the enchanted forest, teaching hobgoblin raiders unforgettable lessons. One such raid was particularly brutal; the hobgoblins breached the walls of a village, and had slain many of its inhabitants before Jacob and his fellows could arrive.
In such cases, it was his habit to pick up the pieces, seeking out survivors and clearing rubble. On this particular day, he came upon a familiar sight: a broken shack at the edge of the villiage, its roof and walls in pieces. Within was the body of a girl; perhaps 15 or 16. Jacob had trained at Ghern, and knew firsthand their brutal methods; this was typical of their work. All signs were that she lived alone, and the tender-kept infant's bed of rags explained that. Indeed, such outcasts on the edges of the village were usually the first hit by these raids and the least missed.
Jacob looked over to the tiny bed, and was taken aback. The child was alive, but was not human--not remotely. It was--at best guess--a foundling ogre? Too soft for that; a half-ogre, then. He let out a low whistle. And about six months old, too. Such aberrations were usually abandoned to the wild, and here this one had been nurtured this long.
Jacob stood a while in thought. It was a scene he had encountered many times before, but usually the baby was human, and the village held an aunt or a grandmother or at least a merciful friend. That was unlikely here. Ogres were a menace in the region, and no one willingly chose a monster for a son. Except, apparently, that someone had. Jacob himself was inclined to leave it, but its mother had clearly thought it worth caring for. Surely that was worth something. Who would care for it now? Certainly not Jacob Newfellow, the mercenary. No one would accept it, except for . . .
. . . except Jade Feather, which turned away none who made the journey.
Taking leave of his present company, Jacob Newfellow made the four week journey to his old home. The visit was brief; conversations with old masters about what he had learned in the wide world--with the implicit agreement that he was no master yet, and a quick explanation of the child's origin. The monks, true to their promise, did not turn him away, and named him for his benefactor. So Brother Jakob was born. Jacob Newfellow was gone that same night.
Life at Jade Feather was demanding, but not unpleasant. Everyone in the monastery, from the youngest to the oldest, rose an hour before dawn, completed all chores and meditations, and was present in the courtyard at sunrise. Together, they underwent eight hours of demanding physical training, followed by four hours of no less demanding study. The simplest matters were done with utmost care and precision; the sweeping of the courtyard--which for many years was Jakob's duty--was to be done four times, once in each of four directions.
Some found the rigor hard, while others found it invigorating. Even as a young boy, Jakob was in the latter class. There were drills and exercises, meditations and self-disciplinary studies. Once they spent an entire morning striking a target a thousand times exactly the same way. Some students chafed at what seemed like makework; Jakob struck a thousand times, consciously seeking to understand what it was he was to learn. By noon, he was not satisfied that he had learned it, and continued until three in the afternoon, when at last he accepted his own work. At barely six years of age, the Masters marked with approval his integrity in his studies.
Fully half of the day was devoted to sparring--between peers, between masters and students, across schools and across ranks. Everyone fought everyone, and anyone was open to challenge at any time. Excellence had to be proven daily. Jakob--the youngest at the monastary for many years--was often sought out for his size. It was not only his peers who challenged him, but often much more advanced students who saw in his physical advantages and monstrous bearing a worthy challenge with which to impress their masters. In fact, it was with Jakob the masters were usually impressed. While often consciously intimidated by his opponents' skill, he was never cowed, and made good use of his superior reach and bulk to trip and grapple his foes, rendering his opponents' beautifully-executed maneuvers ineffective. Lacking the skill to truly retaliate against the more able monks, Jakob didn't think much of his own crude attempts to frustrate them--but the wily masters credited him with victories over much older students, and commented on the warrior spirit he manifested.
At twelve, two years early, he was taken on by a master: the venerable Master Michael, the expert in the Setting Sun school. Brother Michael, at over eighty, could still throw young men in their prime like sticks. Rare was the opponent who could pierce his defense. His matches often ended like Jakob's: with the foe sprawled ignobly on the ground and feeling humiliated as much as bruised.
Brother Michael was warm and engaging, the very picture of humility, but woe to the student who perceived his humor as weakness. His method was one of encouragement to uncompromising rigor. He was the most forgiving of the masters, but was also the most easily underestimated--quick to apply a lesson broadly, to construe an assignment laboriously. He was an ideal teacher for young Jakob, as their techniques closely matched. Moreover, Jakob wanted to study grappling, and Michael was the only of the masters who knew anything about it. Most considered the art too low and ungraceful to merit attention, focusing on the more beautiful strikes and maneuvers. Brother Michael knew better, and like his student, would exploit his opponents' hubris to bring the most skilled an ignoble defeat. He taught that strength lay in victory, not beauty, and that ultimate strength was demonstrated by bringing about bloodless capitulation. He taught broad tolerence of many styles and creatures, saying that there was always something to learn. Despite Brother Jakob's immense advantages in bulk and strength, it was several years before he was able to pin his master even once. Years went by pleasantly for Brother Jakob under Master Michael, and he continued to gain distinction at Jade Feather as he approached the rank of Wanderer.
Back when Brother Michael became Master Michael, his first act had been to seek out a distant oracle. He had spent half a lifetime achieving great skill, so he had then asked what he might best accomplish with it. Apparently, the oracle had given him a quest. While he never spoke of the details, he mentioned the quest itself often. Then suddenly, as Jakob approached his tests, Brother Michael announced that he was going to the Mount of Shadow to pursue his quest. The news he received must have been urgent, for he was not one to lightly abandon his students. He stated that he hoped to return within the week. Yet weeks went by, and he did not return. At last, Brother Jakob sought permission from the abbot to follow his master.
The trail was long cold when Jakob set foot in the windswept outdoors. The Mount of Shadow was vast. It was so named for its many shadowed crevices, one of which was the Unlit Pass. Jakob methodically investigated every cave and crevice. For seven days and nights, he circled the mountain, with no clue as to his master's whereabouts but the eerie shrieks in the night. The mountain was known to be haunted, though Jakob was confident of both his and his master's skills, and did not fear the spectres.
On the eighth night, he woke to a cry for help from one of the caves along the road. Rising instantly and running to the cave, he saw in the shadowy starlight that he was too late--two wraiths, and a heap of equipment in an empty camp. The wraiths turned to him with murderous hunger, and he returned no less grim an expression. He slew the first easily as it approached, but the second chilled his heart: he saw in its face a mockery of his old master's, and its tattered robes bore the emboidered jade feather. It was none other than the twisted remains of Brother Michael's soul, murdering travellers on the road.
Grim battle was joined. The cold eyes of the wraith betrayed no recognition, and though its movements half recalled the maneuvers it had known in life, the wraith's hunger dominated Brother Michael's famous restraint. Swallowing his grief at his master's death and failure, Brother Jakob used every trick he had been taught against his old friend. Once, twice, three times the wraith struck him, chilling him to the bone, but in the end Jakob had the victory. As the wraith vanished into the nether world with a silent black flame like rushing wind, Brother Jakob himself collapsed to the cave floor, crippled by the battle.
He rose, as was customary, an hour before dawn, and carried out his chores and meditations. The sundries of both the hapless traveller and old Brother Michael were buried, though Jakob kept the now-tattered robes of his master. Then without further ceremony, he returned to Jade Feather.
The abbot, Brother Lawrence, listened intently to Jakob's tale, and announced a day of mourning for the passing of a great monk. Jakob was allowed to take the Wanderer's test from Lawrence himself, and passed it easily. Then he was told that Brother Michael had left the details of his quest behind, with instructions to pass them on to Jakob when he himself became a master--or sooner, should the world warrant. For now, Jakob was to take up the Wanderer's quest, and seek enlightenment and mastery in the wide world.
Jakob left that very night, at first merely travelling the roads (a dangerous task in itself). Bandits haplessly found him both penniless and dangerous, but beasts and savages pursued him nonetheless.
Jakob had always felt a close affinity to animals--whether because they too were unimpressed by flashy styles or because of his monstrous heritage. One day, a group of Kingsmen patrolling a road came upon Jakob wrestling with a Dire Wolf, the violent beast playing like a puppy with the rough blows of the big half-ogre. Impressed, they invited him to join them, and--seeing an opportunity to wander and learn--he gladly did so.
Friday, May 16, 2008
Session 23, 2008-05-16: Run Away! Run Away!
Session 23: wherein discretion proves the better part of valor
Players (Characters)
Scott (Filthy Ike)
Jeremy (Flynn Flamm)
Tony (Brother Jakob)
Rachel (Lotus)
Tom (Nathaniel Graythorne)
DM: Catherine
The party continued down the mountain, following the twists and turns of the road. Soon, the road straightened out and followed the smooth top of a ridge. Suddenly, images of wraiths popped out of the ground and flew up to the sky, darkening it for miles around. A voice boomed out "your breath defiled this mountain. The price for trespassing is your souls." After a few moments, the wraith images stopped, and a group of real wraiths appeared. Ike fired several arrows to kill one, and Flynn began singing to inspire everyone. Nate fired a crossbow bolt, and Jakob's Wolf Fang Strike dropped a second wraith. The third wraith struck the wagon driver, and the fourth couldn't land a decent strike on Jakob. Lotus put a bolt of lightning on the wraith Nate had shot, killing it.
The voice boomed again, this time with an evil laugh. Four more wraiths and two dread wraiths emerged, and the ground rumbled. Ike's 50-cal severely wounded one of the dread wraiths, and Jakob pounded on the other, while using his defensive rebuke to draw the attention of both it and another lesser wraith. Flynn hasted the party, and Nate unlucked all seven enemies. The caravan's mercenaries fired a few shots at another wraith, leaving it nearly dead. The wraith swarm continued attacking, but only one dread wraith landed a solid blow, draining some of Ike's life force. Lotus' arc lightning passed beneath the wagon and shocked both dread wraiths, killing them.
Two colossal nightcrawlers and several more wraiths emerged from the ground, and this time the voice boomed from a huge and intelligent wraith -- obviously, this was Vash. He brought Ike under the effects of a spell that left him emotionally unstable, laughing and crying. Flynn barely resisted the spell due to Nate's subtle manipulation of fate, and Flynn was able to counter the maddening voices to break Ike out of his insane state. Jakob triggered a searing blade and pounded on one of the nightcrawlers, but his strikes were not as effective as hoped. Nate reached out to Jakob and Flynn and yelled "I didn't get to be 187 by fighting tough enemies on their terms. Let's get out of here." He teleported the group to Lonely Sparrow, and let Minellin know the pass should be closed even to powerful adventurers -- a group of nightcrawlers and a powerful wraith are not to be trifled with. A few hours later, the party teleported back and Jakob pulled the wagon off of the mountain. Once it was safe, the merchants continued on their way.
Jakob recieved a sending from Brother Lawrence at Jade Feather, saying that Jacob Newfellow had delivered news of the outside world and that it was now clear Jakob was to take over Brother Michael's quest. Knowing that it was customary to walk to Jade Feather, Nate teleported the group a short distance away and they walked for the final mile. The monks were not fooled, but appreciated the gesture. Brother Lawrence presented Brother Jakob with two notes. One said that Brother Michael hoped to make sense of his quest on the road, and that Brother Jonathan (who made his home at the Red Scorpion monastery) knew where the quest would lead. The other was the original oracle given to Brother Michael:
Shortly thereafter, Minellin contacted the party to let them know Enigma was in trouble. Serpenti had been betrayed, and she was fleeing westward through the desert. The Ninja Mongoose Rockstars were to disguise themselves as marruspawn and provide escort. The party teleported to the edge of Serpenti's teleportation shell, and with the wind at their backs from Lotus' spell, they quickly approached. Near the banks of the river, the sand began to boil over, and a hairy octopus-like creature (a Crawling Apocalypse) approached. Ike nailed it with three arrows, taking out a far-off squirrel with the fourth. Flynn sang a song about the coming of the horsemen and the end of the world. The apocalypse writhed its way over and through the sand and slapped Ike with a tentacle. Jakob pounded the beast with searing fists, and was surprised that the beast seemed overly sensitive to fire. Lotus fused the sand around it, leaving it completely immobilized and giving Ike a clear shot that he took to kill it. A few moments later, Ike started feeling sick, and Flynn was sure he'd caught Mummy Rot. Flynn was able to overpower the curse that made the disease so hard to cure, and Lotus was able to remove it and heal Ike from the harmful effects.
The party waded across the river and soon located enigma, who was grateful for the protection. She wasn't really trained for wilderness survival, and the nasty beasts that roamed this area were likely to shred her. Back at the river, Ike saw the tracks of a crocosphynx, and was able to track where it was hiding under the banks. Flynn hasted the party and began singing, and Nate cast telekinesis, planning to push the crocosphynx away when it showed itself. Jakob jumped in the river and the crocosphynx lunged at him, but he deftly tossed it aside. Ike and Jakob quickly turned it into a corpse, and Jakob dug some treasure out of its lair.
Shortly thereafter, a cloud of dust approached. Ike thought it was likely a sand dragon, and began ineffectively firing arrows into the dust cloud. When the dragon got closer, Ike finally landed several arrows, including one directly to the eye. Flynn began singing "another one bites the dust". Nate cast feeblemind, crushing the dragon's intellect and personality. The dragon, having lost its sense of danger and its keen understanding of when it's time to run away, flew through Lotus' attempt to bind it to the earth, and blasted a breath of sand at the party. This was painful, but not nearly so painful as the punches and kicks Jakob used to bring the dragon first to its knees, and then to its death. The party continued onward to the edge of the teleportation shield, and then headed back to Lonely Sparrow with enigma.
Players (Characters)
Scott (Filthy Ike)
Jeremy (Flynn Flamm)
Tony (Brother Jakob)
Rachel (Lotus)
Tom (Nathaniel Graythorne)
DM: Catherine
The party continued down the mountain, following the twists and turns of the road. Soon, the road straightened out and followed the smooth top of a ridge. Suddenly, images of wraiths popped out of the ground and flew up to the sky, darkening it for miles around. A voice boomed out "your breath defiled this mountain. The price for trespassing is your souls." After a few moments, the wraith images stopped, and a group of real wraiths appeared. Ike fired several arrows to kill one, and Flynn began singing to inspire everyone. Nate fired a crossbow bolt, and Jakob's Wolf Fang Strike dropped a second wraith. The third wraith struck the wagon driver, and the fourth couldn't land a decent strike on Jakob. Lotus put a bolt of lightning on the wraith Nate had shot, killing it.
The voice boomed again, this time with an evil laugh. Four more wraiths and two dread wraiths emerged, and the ground rumbled. Ike's 50-cal severely wounded one of the dread wraiths, and Jakob pounded on the other, while using his defensive rebuke to draw the attention of both it and another lesser wraith. Flynn hasted the party, and Nate unlucked all seven enemies. The caravan's mercenaries fired a few shots at another wraith, leaving it nearly dead. The wraith swarm continued attacking, but only one dread wraith landed a solid blow, draining some of Ike's life force. Lotus' arc lightning passed beneath the wagon and shocked both dread wraiths, killing them.
Two colossal nightcrawlers and several more wraiths emerged from the ground, and this time the voice boomed from a huge and intelligent wraith -- obviously, this was Vash. He brought Ike under the effects of a spell that left him emotionally unstable, laughing and crying. Flynn barely resisted the spell due to Nate's subtle manipulation of fate, and Flynn was able to counter the maddening voices to break Ike out of his insane state. Jakob triggered a searing blade and pounded on one of the nightcrawlers, but his strikes were not as effective as hoped. Nate reached out to Jakob and Flynn and yelled "I didn't get to be 187 by fighting tough enemies on their terms. Let's get out of here." He teleported the group to Lonely Sparrow, and let Minellin know the pass should be closed even to powerful adventurers -- a group of nightcrawlers and a powerful wraith are not to be trifled with. A few hours later, the party teleported back and Jakob pulled the wagon off of the mountain. Once it was safe, the merchants continued on their way.
Jakob recieved a sending from Brother Lawrence at Jade Feather, saying that Jacob Newfellow had delivered news of the outside world and that it was now clear Jakob was to take over Brother Michael's quest. Knowing that it was customary to walk to Jade Feather, Nate teleported the group a short distance away and they walked for the final mile. The monks were not fooled, but appreciated the gesture. Brother Lawrence presented Brother Jakob with two notes. One said that Brother Michael hoped to make sense of his quest on the road, and that Brother Jonathan (who made his home at the Red Scorpion monastery) knew where the quest would lead. The other was the original oracle given to Brother Michael:
Shortly thereafter, Minellin contacted the party to let them know Enigma was in trouble. Serpenti had been betrayed, and she was fleeing westward through the desert. The Ninja Mongoose Rockstars were to disguise themselves as marruspawn and provide escort. The party teleported to the edge of Serpenti's teleportation shell, and with the wind at their backs from Lotus' spell, they quickly approached. Near the banks of the river, the sand began to boil over, and a hairy octopus-like creature (a Crawling Apocalypse) approached. Ike nailed it with three arrows, taking out a far-off squirrel with the fourth. Flynn sang a song about the coming of the horsemen and the end of the world. The apocalypse writhed its way over and through the sand and slapped Ike with a tentacle. Jakob pounded the beast with searing fists, and was surprised that the beast seemed overly sensitive to fire. Lotus fused the sand around it, leaving it completely immobilized and giving Ike a clear shot that he took to kill it. A few moments later, Ike started feeling sick, and Flynn was sure he'd caught Mummy Rot. Flynn was able to overpower the curse that made the disease so hard to cure, and Lotus was able to remove it and heal Ike from the harmful effects.The party waded across the river and soon located enigma, who was grateful for the protection. She wasn't really trained for wilderness survival, and the nasty beasts that roamed this area were likely to shred her. Back at the river, Ike saw the tracks of a crocosphynx, and was able to track where it was hiding under the banks. Flynn hasted the party and began singing, and Nate cast telekinesis, planning to push the crocosphynx away when it showed itself. Jakob jumped in the river and the crocosphynx lunged at him, but he deftly tossed it aside. Ike and Jakob quickly turned it into a corpse, and Jakob dug some treasure out of its lair.
Shortly thereafter, a cloud of dust approached. Ike thought it was likely a sand dragon, and began ineffectively firing arrows into the dust cloud. When the dragon got closer, Ike finally landed several arrows, including one directly to the eye. Flynn began singing "another one bites the dust". Nate cast feeblemind, crushing the dragon's intellect and personality. The dragon, having lost its sense of danger and its keen understanding of when it's time to run away, flew through Lotus' attempt to bind it to the earth, and blasted a breath of sand at the party. This was painful, but not nearly so painful as the punches and kicks Jakob used to bring the dragon first to its knees, and then to its death. The party continued onward to the edge of the teleportation shield, and then headed back to Lonely Sparrow with enigma.
Friday, May 9, 2008
Session 22, 2008-05-09: Shooting at the Darkness
Session 22: wherein Master Michael's gravesite is the site of another death
Players (Characters)
Scott (Filthy Ike)
Jeremy (Flynn Flamm)
Tony (Brother Jakob)
Rachel (Lotus)
Tom (Nathaniel Graythorne)
DM: Catherine
The party camped a short distance down the road. In the morning, Nate again disguised himself and Jakob as oxen, Lotus as a pack donkey, and Ike and Flynn as merchants. The party continued down the mountain, passing several holes that looked as though they'd been carved by more nightcrawlers. There was a wagon overturned next to one of the holes, and Lotus spotted the wagon's former Westlayan owners had been turned into zombies. Ike fired four arrows with his "50 cal" longbow, dropping both zombies and a squirrel. Lotus walked up the hill and spotted a third zombie inside the overturned wagon, so she blasted it with a bolt of lightning. Nate fired his crossbow at that part of the canvas, and Jakob ran up the hill and punched a hole in the wagon, slaying the zombie. Lotus sent some daylight to the bottom of the nightcrawler's hole, where she spotted a wraith and some money, so she let another lightning bolt fly. Jakob jumped down the hole and attacked the wraith with a divine surge, killing it. He tossed the box of money and several boxes of spices out of the hole, and as Flynn approached with a rope, Jakob climbed back out and asked "what's that rope for?" Ike identified the most valuable spices and added them to the wagon, marking the remnants as "spices, free for the taking, this crate worth 800gp" and placing them along the side of the road.
The party continued onward until about 5 in the evening, when they reached the "unlit pass" -- an old dwarven tunnel through the mountain of shadow. Nate cast daylight on a stick and hung it off the edge of the wagon, and the party could see the tunnel had numerous recently-carved side tunnels inside it. Jakob, invisible in the darkness, scouted out in front, while Lotus used Stoneshape to create tracks for the wagon to pass over one of the nightcrawler tunnels. Jakob noticed a pair of giant-sized clubs just barely visible in the two side hallways, so he snuck around behind one while Nate placed an illusory mercenary in the tunnel with the other. As the fake mercenary's armor clanged, Jakob got into position behind a giant zombie and a bodak, killing the bodak in a flurry. He called out "bodaks and zombies! Beware the death gaze!" Flynn started singing a song about dying zombies. One zombie tried to attack Jakob, but couldn't pinpoint his location. A pair of bodaks stepped out, one unsuccessfully using its death gaze on the illusion, and the other unsuccessfully gazing at Ike. The remaining giant zombie recognized there was something funny about the illusory mercenary (natural 20), so he walked right past.
Ike fired a series of holy arrows, killing one bodak and leaving the other nearly dead. Nate tried to finish the job with his crossbow, but the giant zombie's leg interfered with the shot. Lotus' Vortex of Teeth chewed the bodak up. Jakob's fists turned to flame as he pounded on the zombie in front of him. Flynn hasted Ike, Lotus, and Nate. One of the zombies again failed to locate Jakob, but the other charged and attacked Lotus. Ike fired five shots from his 50-cal longbow (158 damage.) Nate laid down some grease under the zombie's feet, but it stayed up (same zombie, second natural 20.) Lotus' flamestrike lit up the grease and the zombie, and Jakob's blinding strike took out the other zombie.
The party headed down the far side of the mountain, where they located a cave that was familiar to Jakob. There, alongside the cave, were the year-old graves of Master Michael and his final victim. Jakob told the tale of his fight with Michael's wraith, and then stopped to meditate over the grave. Lotus planted some flowers, and Nate asked Ike for his squirrel jerky recipie, mostly to keep Ike from defacing the gravesite. The party set up camp for the night, and Nate disguised himself as a zombie. During the third watch, Lotus noticed some of the stars blinking out, as if a shadowy bat was passing over them. Lotus yelled to awaken the rest of the party and then cast True Seeing to try to track the incoming nightwing. Ike used his headband to trigger the same effect. The nightwing approached and cast finger of death on Lotus, killing her in spite of the luck Nate tried to send her way (roll: 4. Reroll: 4.) Jakob ran and leapt over the wagon, grabbing the nightwing and trying to drag it downward. Flynn woke up and started singing an inspiring song about sleep deprivation and dying shadow-things. Nate tried to make the nightwing unlucky, but it resisted his magic. He also took cover inside the cave, hoping not to become its next victim.
Lotus' soul, now free from her body, wandered around saying "BOO!" and trying to scare people, and checked to see if Nate wore Depends. Ike fired a holy arrow that had little effect on the nightwing, so he followed it up with a series of force arrows that were more effective. Jakob and the nightwing continued to struggle against each other. Flynn poured an oil of Lingering Soul on Lotus' body, and her soul suddenly became very interested in her body's glow. Nate finally managed to ruin the nightwing's luck, and again found a nice hiding spot inside the cave. Ike blasted it with a few more arrows, sending it crashing to the ground, where Jakob tumbled off and made a dramatic landing.
Nate sent word to Minellin that Lotus had been killed, and that the pass most definitely wasn't safe for lesser travelers. Shortly thereafter, a pair of kingsmen arrived, including a cleric who revived Lotus. Jakob started asking her all sorts of philosophical questions about death -- what it's like, and so on. Lotus pulled a leaf from her hair and asked "have you ever smoked this stuff? It's kinda like that."
Players (Characters)
Scott (Filthy Ike)
Jeremy (Flynn Flamm)
Tony (Brother Jakob)
Rachel (Lotus)
Tom (Nathaniel Graythorne)
DM: Catherine
The party camped a short distance down the road. In the morning, Nate again disguised himself and Jakob as oxen, Lotus as a pack donkey, and Ike and Flynn as merchants. The party continued down the mountain, passing several holes that looked as though they'd been carved by more nightcrawlers. There was a wagon overturned next to one of the holes, and Lotus spotted the wagon's former Westlayan owners had been turned into zombies. Ike fired four arrows with his "50 cal" longbow, dropping both zombies and a squirrel. Lotus walked up the hill and spotted a third zombie inside the overturned wagon, so she blasted it with a bolt of lightning. Nate fired his crossbow at that part of the canvas, and Jakob ran up the hill and punched a hole in the wagon, slaying the zombie. Lotus sent some daylight to the bottom of the nightcrawler's hole, where she spotted a wraith and some money, so she let another lightning bolt fly. Jakob jumped down the hole and attacked the wraith with a divine surge, killing it. He tossed the box of money and several boxes of spices out of the hole, and as Flynn approached with a rope, Jakob climbed back out and asked "what's that rope for?" Ike identified the most valuable spices and added them to the wagon, marking the remnants as "spices, free for the taking, this crate worth 800gp" and placing them along the side of the road.
The party continued onward until about 5 in the evening, when they reached the "unlit pass" -- an old dwarven tunnel through the mountain of shadow. Nate cast daylight on a stick and hung it off the edge of the wagon, and the party could see the tunnel had numerous recently-carved side tunnels inside it. Jakob, invisible in the darkness, scouted out in front, while Lotus used Stoneshape to create tracks for the wagon to pass over one of the nightcrawler tunnels. Jakob noticed a pair of giant-sized clubs just barely visible in the two side hallways, so he snuck around behind one while Nate placed an illusory mercenary in the tunnel with the other. As the fake mercenary's armor clanged, Jakob got into position behind a giant zombie and a bodak, killing the bodak in a flurry. He called out "bodaks and zombies! Beware the death gaze!" Flynn started singing a song about dying zombies. One zombie tried to attack Jakob, but couldn't pinpoint his location. A pair of bodaks stepped out, one unsuccessfully using its death gaze on the illusion, and the other unsuccessfully gazing at Ike. The remaining giant zombie recognized there was something funny about the illusory mercenary (natural 20), so he walked right past.
Ike fired a series of holy arrows, killing one bodak and leaving the other nearly dead. Nate tried to finish the job with his crossbow, but the giant zombie's leg interfered with the shot. Lotus' Vortex of Teeth chewed the bodak up. Jakob's fists turned to flame as he pounded on the zombie in front of him. Flynn hasted Ike, Lotus, and Nate. One of the zombies again failed to locate Jakob, but the other charged and attacked Lotus. Ike fired five shots from his 50-cal longbow (158 damage.) Nate laid down some grease under the zombie's feet, but it stayed up (same zombie, second natural 20.) Lotus' flamestrike lit up the grease and the zombie, and Jakob's blinding strike took out the other zombie.
The party headed down the far side of the mountain, where they located a cave that was familiar to Jakob. There, alongside the cave, were the year-old graves of Master Michael and his final victim. Jakob told the tale of his fight with Michael's wraith, and then stopped to meditate over the grave. Lotus planted some flowers, and Nate asked Ike for his squirrel jerky recipie, mostly to keep Ike from defacing the gravesite. The party set up camp for the night, and Nate disguised himself as a zombie. During the third watch, Lotus noticed some of the stars blinking out, as if a shadowy bat was passing over them. Lotus yelled to awaken the rest of the party and then cast True Seeing to try to track the incoming nightwing. Ike used his headband to trigger the same effect. The nightwing approached and cast finger of death on Lotus, killing her in spite of the luck Nate tried to send her way (roll: 4. Reroll: 4.) Jakob ran and leapt over the wagon, grabbing the nightwing and trying to drag it downward. Flynn woke up and started singing an inspiring song about sleep deprivation and dying shadow-things. Nate tried to make the nightwing unlucky, but it resisted his magic. He also took cover inside the cave, hoping not to become its next victim.
Lotus' soul, now free from her body, wandered around saying "BOO!" and trying to scare people, and checked to see if Nate wore Depends. Ike fired a holy arrow that had little effect on the nightwing, so he followed it up with a series of force arrows that were more effective. Jakob and the nightwing continued to struggle against each other. Flynn poured an oil of Lingering Soul on Lotus' body, and her soul suddenly became very interested in her body's glow. Nate finally managed to ruin the nightwing's luck, and again found a nice hiding spot inside the cave. Ike blasted it with a few more arrows, sending it crashing to the ground, where Jakob tumbled off and made a dramatic landing.
Nate sent word to Minellin that Lotus had been killed, and that the pass most definitely wasn't safe for lesser travelers. Shortly thereafter, a pair of kingsmen arrived, including a cleric who revived Lotus. Jakob started asking her all sorts of philosophical questions about death -- what it's like, and so on. Lotus pulled a leaf from her hair and asked "have you ever smoked this stuff? It's kinda like that."
Wednesday, May 7, 2008
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)