Session 28/51, 2008-07-05: Inevitability

Session 28/51: wherein five Waste Lords learn the folly of working alone, and eleven adventurers prove the value of teamwork

Players (Characters)
Scott (Filthy Ike; Rain)
Jeremy (Flynn Flamm; Grokk)
Tony (Brother Jakob's ghost; Roland; Amber)
Rachel (Lotus; Horkina)
Tom (Nathaniel Graythorne; Garlen)
DM: Catherine

The Ninja Mongoose Rockstars and Rubble Rousers materialized in Anor's sacred grove, a clearing surrounded by thick trees and a hurricane. They had a brief conversation with this god of fate, storms, and nature, whose avatar was a huge tree. Nate was particularly curious about the "fate" part, Lotus the "storm" part, and Amber and Garlen the "nature" part. Anor planned to begin summoning a storm in the morning, and Lotus would imbue it with Anor's sap in the evening, washing away the black sands. Anor knew the waste lords would come one by one to try to stop him once he'd begun. Lotus kept trying to hug Horkina, saying something about "kindred spirits", which led Horkina to ask "can someone get me away from this fucking flake?" As the group was planning for the next day's fights with the waste lords, Minellin sent NMR a message: "Mitzram has assembled several powerful wizards and abominations. Can you and your allies deal with the threat?" Roland scried on the area, Flynn hasted the parties and started singing, and Nate disguised Rubble Rousers to look like Minellin, Jinle'a, and some giants.

Nate teleported the parties a short distance away from the camp, and then Nate and Flynn cast dimension door to bring NMR-RR into the middle of the camp. About thirty marruspawn wizards and fifteen abominations looked both shocked and amused for about a quarter of a second. Then Lotus' Mass Drown spell killed four wizards and an abomination, and Roland's Field of Icy Razors killed four wizards and wounded another abomination. Garlen and Rain each killed one abomination with several strikes, while Grokk did it with just one critical blow. Horkina took out a pair of wizards with one axe still behind her back, and Ike blasted one more with an extremely precise shot. Amber put a blade barrier on a group of fleeing wizards. Garlen's White Raven Hammer stunned another abomination. Roland's Firebrand erupted all around, killing over a dozen wizards and wounding many abominations, six of which he finished off with a quickened Moonbow. Rain shadow-blinked next to one of the few remaining abominations and stabbed it repeatedly in its sensitive bits, killing it. Ike's precise shot took out another abomination, and Horkina left the last one near-dead with a solid hit. Nate cast Otto's Irresistable Dance, and the final abomination waltzed right into Horkina's axe and died. The party gathered up a large amount of treasure, and Roland planeshifted to sell it all. Horkina paid Lotus a large part of her share to stop trying to hug her.

In the morning, back in Anor's sacred grove, Roland cast Mind Blank on everyone, and also brought the Ninja Mongoose Rockstars into the telepathic bond. Amber cast Mass Fortunate Fate and Mass Conviction. Grokk dragged some rocks in from the trees surrounding the clearing. Nate cast Nate's Multilayer Ruse to make Garlen look like Nate, Horkina look like Amber, Grokk look like Flynn, and Rain look like a flying squirrel (outer) or Grokk (inner). Amber looked like a bird, Lotus looked like a squirrel, Flynn and Nate looked like rocks, Ike looked like a tree, and Roland looked like himself, but with his flaming eye on the wrong side. Nate also disguised a pair of rocks, one to look like Nate (inner) and a rock (outer), and another to look like Flynn (inner) and a singing rock (outer).

At sunrise, Anor intoned "first comes Omenank, who lurks in shadow and preys on the weak", and a cloud of darkness surrounded the grove. Rain spotted a group of about 20 blackscale yuan-ti ninjas approaching with Superior Invisibility. Flynn cast Haste and began singing, and Ike, Lotus, Grokk, and Horkina got true seeing from either themselves or Amber. Garlen ran to where Rain had seen a blackscale and started swinging, killing it. Lotus cast Mass Drown, killing one herself. A pair of more elite blackscales materialized from etherealness and attacked the rock that sounded like Flynn. Another pair materialized around Roland and tried to decerebrate him, but he resisted their psionic attacks, and their attempts to stab his vital organs were foiled by his many magical defenses. Omenank, with runes for "stealth" and "dagger" on her head, slipped out of the ground next to Flynn and prepared to attack. Jakob's ghost materialized to protect his old friend, and Omenank suddenly found herself lying between Grokk and Horkina. She tried to decerebrate Horkina but failed, and her attempt to cast Fuse Flesh was interrupted by Horkina's axe. Horkina felt justified in training to interrupt spellcasters.

Ike opened fire on Omenank with six arrows, leaving her seriously wounded. Rain, wearing armor of the celestial battalion, charged in from the air and started crippling Omenank. After two strikes, her strength was completely drained and her "stealth" rune triggered, healing her completely. Four strikes later, she was again paralyzed and her "dagger" rune triggered. Horkina laid her axe into the waste lord, chopping off several of her fingers before finally killing her. Grokk charged at one of the elites attacking the Flynn rock, and a pair of critical hits split the enemy into more pieces than anyone wanted to see. Nate used telekinesis to push another elite away from Roland, and Amber's Holy Word took out a large pack of blackscales. The blackscales, still oblivious to the illusion, started attacking the Nate rock, Horkina (who they thought was Amber), and Garlen (who they thought was Nate), and were completely ineffective. Roland's intensified Maw of Chaos killed one of the elites and one blackscale, and he stunned a second elite. Garlen stunned the remaining elite with White Raven Hammer, and the party quickly dropped the remaining foes.

Mid-morning, Anor again spoke "next comes Aol, who goes straight for the heart." As Flynn cast haste and began singing, Aol teleported into the grove, riding atop the Tarrasque. He had four marruspawn abominations and four marruspawn clerics along, and they surrounded Anor. Aol had two runes on his head: "immunity" and "ferocity". Aol and his Tarrasque both attacked Anor, gashing his bark. Garlen jumped and swung at Aol with a White Raven Hammer strike, stunning the huge abomination. Roland empowered a sonicbrand spell and killed three clerics, wounding some abominations in the process. His quickened moonbow finished off two abominations, and snake's swiftness allowed Rain and Grokk to strike at the Tarrasque. The two remaining abominations kept attacking Anor. Horkina hit the remaining cleric with three solid swings to bring him down, and landed four more solid blows on the Tarrasque, including one critical that brought the beast down. Ike put a series of arrows into the nearest abomination, stunning it with a headshot. Rain flew in at Aol, but only landed one hit on the thick-skinned creature. Amber used a miracle scroll to keep the Tarrasque dead, dispelled all of Aol's protection spells, and healed Anor somewhat. Nate's Slow spell failed against the still-standing abomination, but a big bolt of lightning from Lotus' storm badly wounded Aol.

Jakob materialized and started punching Aol as Garlen's Flanking Maneuver, plus some luck from Nate, gave Grokk, Horkina, Rain, and Jakob each an extra chance to hit the enemy. Roland's pair of Snake's Swiftness spells let each attack again, and Horkina triggered Aol's invulnerability rune, which healed him and gave him immunity to elemental damage. Roland's moonbow killed one of the remaining abominations, and Ike's longbow killed the other. Horkina and Grokk pounded on Aol, and his second rune triggered, speeding him up as he healed again. Rain's attacks and Nate's unluck spell proved useless. Lotus healed Anor and Amber put a wall of stone between him and Aol to keep him protected. Aol turned his attention on Horkina, who he dropped with a series of attacks, but she stood right back up due to Fortunate Fate. "We don't have fancy runes, but this works just as well", she said. Rain drew his antimagic dagger and stood under Aol, nullifying his magical speed. Garlen, Grokk, Horkina, and Ike all laid into the enemy, and Amber healed Horkina. Roland tried to distract Aol with a slapping hand, but he shrugged it off. Aol's next attack on Horkina was far less effective, and soon the impact of axes and shortswords brought him down.

About noon, Anor said "next comes Kelzun, who relishes pain, seeks to sow chaos, and overwhelms with the swarm." Soon, Kelzun flew in from the west, with runes of "protection" and "insanity" on her head. She raised her fist, and three balors and nine vrocks appeared. Flynn kept singing while Roland informed the party that she had both Repulsion and Antilife Shell protecting her. Garlen's arrow storm struck each of the enemies, wounding them all. Ike focused his arrows on Kelzun, striking her six times from his hiding place in the trees. One balor charged at Horkina, thinking she was Amber, and dealt a trivial wound. Two others charged at Garlen, thinking he was Nate, dealing minor damage. Flynn moved behind Anor for cover as Rain shadow blinked behind a balor and filled it with holes. The exploding balor wounded Roland and killed the previously-wounded vrocks. Horkina took out another balor, whose explosion somewhat harmed Nate. Kelzun focused her spells on Roland, twice trying to cast Eternity of Torment and twice being turned away by Roland's duelwards.

Amber cast Mass Heal, which hurt Kelzun and closed the party's wounds. She then dispelled most of Kelzun's protections, pushed her to the ground with a downdraft, and dimensionally anchored her to keep her from teleporting away. Roland removed the rest of Kelzun's spells and triggered a new duelward, swapping places with Grokk in the process. Grokk leaped to kill the last balor, and Nate's unluck spell was again useless. Lotus sent some lightning at Kelzun, who shrugged off some of the damage. Then Garlen yelled out "I HATE DEMONS! EVERYONE GET HER!" and led with a Warmasters Charge, while casting rhino's rush, smiting evil and flying into a rage. Jakob materialized and piled on, along with Grokk, Rain, and Horkina. Horkina's strike triggered Kelzun's first rune, and Rain's series of stabs soon triggered the second. Kelzun tried to drive Rain insane, but his mind-blank blocked the effect, and her attempt to cast Wrack gave Horkina a clear shot with her axe, which in turn gave Rain an opening to stab her. Ike's arrows and Grokk's axe soon sent the third Waste Lord back to her phylactery.

Early in the afternoon, Anor said "fourth is Shinsiri, who walks alone. He buys time with his storm." As Flynn sang, a tornado covered the grove and pulled him into the air. Shinsiri appeared next to Anor, with runes of Sand and Thirst on his head, and storm spirits appeared next to each party member, trying to grab them. Shinsiri started withering Anor, quickly draining his life. Garlen charged around the edge of the tree and hit Shinsiri eight times, including three critical hits, sickening the half-dragon and triggering his first rune to create a barrier of sand. Lotus transmuted the sand into rock and then into mud, and Shinsiri's protective wall slumped to the ground. Roland cast Mind Poison twice, draining Shinsiri's wisdom and triggering his second rune, which created a dessication aura. Rain shadow-blinked opposite Garlen and charged at Shinsiri, landing every single strike (125d6+272, +210 from CON drain = 924 damage.) The half-dragon died, and his storm spirits dissipated.

As dusk settled in, Anor said "last is Oshirix, who embraces the void. He will enchant and paralyze, patiently waiting for the prize." Flynn again inspired the group for battle as the red dracolich Oshirix, with runes for Eternity and Stillness on his head, approached from the east. Eight extremely large dragons, with marruspawn wizard riders, flew in from all sides. Roland let loose a pair of acidbrands, killing three of the wizards and wounding all of the other wizards and dragons. He followed up with an acid moonbow, which killed three dragons and sent their riders falling to their deaths. Garlen's arrow storm took out the last two wizards, and Ike's arrows took down another dragon. Amber's Sunburst and Sunbeam each wounded Oshirix, and she blinded one of the four remaining dragons. Nate shattered a dragon's mindblank and dove under a rock, hoping to avoid detection. Lotus' arc lightning wounded two more dragons.

The dragons flew down into the grove and started breathing cones of sand. One blew Flynn off into the surrounding hurricane, and two left Nate and Lotus seriously wounded. As one approached Nate, Jakob materialized and pounded it to death. Oshirix dispelled Rain's protections, and tried the same on Roland, but duelward blocked his attempt. Oshirix' powerful breath killed Lotus, left Rain nearly dead, and left Roland very glad for Fortunate Fate. Roland cast Field of Icy Razors, killing two dragons, and Disrupt Undead, causing Oshirix' first rune to trigger and provide the dracolich with fast healing. Roland followed up with an empowered acid moonbow, leaving Oshirix in bad shape. Horkina killed one of the remaining dragons. Garlen cast Lions Charge and attacked Oshirix, triggering his second rune, which made the dracolich far more dangerous in melee. Amber revived Lotus and used Mass Heal to bring Roland, Lotus, and Rain back to relative health. She followed with another sunburst and sunbeam on Oshirix. Ike took down the last of the dragons. Grokk turned his full attention on the dracolich beside him, and with a critical hit, killed the last Waste Lord.

A few minutes later, Flynn came walking back through the trees, soaking wet from the hurricane. He exclaimed "Worst. Fight. EVER."

wastelord rune count: Rain 3, Horkina 2, Garlen 2, Roland 2, Grokk 1.
wastelord kill count: Grokk 1.5, Horkina 1, Rain 1, Ike 0.5. One "party" kill.
Grokk critical hit count: 5

The Battle of Scorched Earth

Troop numbers for the battle of scorched earth:

Master of Storms

The Master of Storms is of kindred spirit with the wild thunder. She gains the following innate abilities:

Stormfriend: A master of storms in unaffected by any storm she controls. She can stand firm in the center of her tornado, direct her hailstones to fall around her, and see right through the whiteout of her own blizzard.

Summon Storms: Swift action. A Master of Storms summons and controls a small storm (5' radius) appropriate for the climate and region. Each round she continues to summon, the storm grows by 5' in radius, with no upper limit on size (after 8 hours, continuing requires a Con check DC 15 + 1 per previous check each hour). Freely control the initial intensity of heat, cold, wind, rain, and cloud cover. As long as she controls it, the storm remains always centered on the summoner, matching her movements at a maximum speed of 100' per round. If she ceases summoning for longer than a minute, or moves (or is moved) farther from the storm's center than it can follow, control is lost. All supernatural elements dissipate, and the storm becomes natural (but will likely continue). This power may also be used to take control of an existing storm; the area under control grows by 5' in radius per round spent summoning.

Imbue: Standard action. A master of storms may imbue a controlled storm with elemental power or natural materials. The effect covers the entire storm, and remains in place for the life of the storm or until dismissed. Any storm may only be imbued with only one condition at a time.

Healing [Shower] – All living creatures in the area of the storm heal 1d6 hit points per round.
Nourishment [Shower] – One hour of rain nourishes a living creature enough to avoid hunger or thirst for three days.
Acid [Any Rain] – Storm deals acid damage once per round. Shower: 1d6; Downpour: 2d6; Monsoon: 3d6.
Quiet [Flurry] – Sonic effects minimized. Listen checks at -2.
Peace [Any Snow] – All creatures receive a +2 bonus to spell resistance and saves against spells or magical effects.
Shout [Any Thunder] – Rolling thunder deals 2d6 sonic damage every 1d4 rounds.
Uplifting Spirits [Light Breeze] – Ignore effects of fatigue.

Intensify: Standard action. Choose an area inside the storm. Choose a radius and a number of d6 damage to deal (up to twice your caster level). This area persists for 2d4 + 3 rounds, with a reflex save 13 + charisma bonus for half damage. Reduce the radius of the controlled storm by 15' for each 5' radius of intensified area and for each die of damage (The intensified area must still fit within the storm). This area moves with the storm, in relation to the summoner. A storm may have only one intensified area at a time.

Rainstorm – Acid; Monsoon – Bludgeoning; Windstorm – Bludgeoning/Slashing/Piercing; Extreme Heat/Cold: Fire/Frost; Lightning: Sonic or electrical; Hail: Bludgeoning; Snow: Cold; Firestorm: Fire

Smite: Standard Action. The full energy of the storm may be focused on a single target, dealing incredible damage. Summon forth a single giant gout of flame, a bolt of lightning, a block of hail, or a gust of stinging sand upon a single target within the storm. Choose a number of dice (up to a maximum of five times your caster level), and deal that to a single target. Reflex save 17 + charisma bonus for half damage. Subsequently reduce the radius of the storm by 5 feet for each d6. The storm requires 2d4 rounds to react before this action can be used again.

Storm Types and Typical Effects

The Master of Storms may change the characteristics of the storm she controls at will, so long as the storm meets the prerequisite.

Category	type	prerequisite	effect
Wind	Light Breeze	-	No battlefield effects.
-	Gale	-	Ranged attacks suffer -4. Medium creatures checked (Fort DC 15).
-	Hurricane	[Storm 50']	Ranged attacks impossible. Snow/dust/sand/flying grass grants total concealment beyond 5'. 1d3 damage per round from particles. (Cumulative with other storm-related damage). Medium Creatures Blown Away (Fort DC 20); Huge checked. Increase temperature severity by one.
-	Tornado	[Storm 50']	Ranged attacks impossible. Snow/dust/sand/flying grass grants total concealment beyond 5'. 1d6 damage per round from particles. (Cumulative with other storm-related damage). Large creatures blown away (Fort DC 30); Gargantuan checked Increase temperature severity by two.
Temperature	Mild	-	No battlefield effects.
-	Moderate (Heat/Cold)	-	Fort save (DC 15) once per hour or take 1d4 nonlethal damage.
-	Severe (Heat/Cold)	-	Fort save (DC 15) once per ten minutes or take 1d4 nonlethal damage.
-	Extreme (Heat/Cold)	-	Take 1d6 points of damage per 10 minutes.
Cloud Cover	Overcast	-	No battlefield effects.
-	Stormclouds	[Storm 50']	-
-	Superstorm	[Storm 150']	-
Rain	Shower	[Overcast]	Light rains. No battlefield effects.
-	Downpour	[Overcast]	Exposed dirt becomes muddy & difficult terrain. Ranged attacks suffer -2.
-	Monsoon	[Stormclouds]	Standing water 2' deep (difficult terrain). Ranged attacks suffer -4.
Lightning	Thundershower	[Overcast]	Lightning flashes in the clouds overhead.
-	Thunderstorm	[Stormclouds]	Once per minute, any given square has a 2% chance of a 3d6 lightning strike.
-	Superstorm	[Superstorm]	Once per minute, any given square has a 5% chance of an 8d10 lightning strike.
Hail	Wheat-sized	[Stormclouds]	Deals 1d4 bludgeoning damage.
-	Fist-sized	[Stormclouds]	Deals 2d6 bludgeoning damage.
-	Melon-sized	[Superstorm]	Deals 4d6 bludgeoning damage.
Snow	Flurry	[Overcast, Cold]	Terrain becomes slippery (per Grease; save DC is 13).
-	Blizzard	[Stormclouds, Cold]	As above, plus whiteout conditions, plus 1' snow buildup per hour.
Firestorm	Firestorm	[50', Extreme heat, Gale+ wind, inflammable terrain]	Terrain burns. Deal 10d6 fire damage per round to every square.

Seven Skulls

Seven Skulls is a dice-based gambling game popular in the frozen north, especially among the Frost Giants. The game is played with seven twelve-sided dice: two per player, and three common dice. Each player puts one coin in the pot before rolling his pair of dice behind a screen, and must pay a second coin if he wants to continue after rolling. If both players have paid to continue, the first player (or a tournament official) calls out "skulls roll!" and rolls the three common dice. At this point, players may bet up to three coins, call the other player's bet, or raise a bet by an equal, double, or triple amount. Once the final bet has been called, the dice are shown, and the winner takes the pot. Play continues until one player is out of coins, with first chance to bet and "first player" status alternating between the two players.

Dice are compared based on the three highest-scoring dice among the five available (a player's 2 personal dice and the 3 common dice). Dice normally score their face value, but if a player has a triple, each die is treated as one number higher, and those are his scoring dice (so three 7's are scored as 8-8-8.) The third-highest die is compared first, with the highest taking the pot. If this is a tie, the second-highest die is compared, and finally, the highest die. If all three dice are tied, the pot is split.

Scoring Examples:
A has 12-6. B has 9-8. Common dice are 11-10-9. A scores 10-11-12, B scores 9-10-11. 10 beats 9, so A wins.
A has 12-6. B has 9-8. Common dice are 11-7-5. A scores 7-11-12, B scores 8-9-11. 8 beats 7, so B wins.
A has 12-6. B has 11-6. Common dice are 11-5-3. A scores 6-11-12, B scores 6-11-11. 12 beats 11, so A wins.
A has 12-6. B has 8-8. Common dice are 11-8-3. A scores 8-11-12, B scores 9-9-9 due to the triple. 9 beats 8, so B wins.
A has 12-6. B has 11-8. Common dice are 11-8-7. A scores 8-11-12, B scores 8-11-11. 12 beats 11, so A wins.
A has 12-6. B has 11-8. Common dice are 11-8-8. A scores 8-11-12, B scores 9-9-9 (rather than 8-11-11). 9 beats 8, so B wins.
Note that, if the common dice are a triple, both players automatically score the same and the pot is split.

Terminology and slang:
"Skulls" - the twelve-sided dice.
"Drop" or "drop the skulls" - allow the other player to take the pot; analogous to folding in poker.
"Goblin" - low-scoring die.
"Dragon" - high-scoring die.
"Ettin" - paired player dice.
"Big Ettin" - a pair of 12's for the player dice.
"Dog" - a triple, named after the three-headed Cerebrus.
"Big Dog" - a triple that includes the highest common die. Guaranteed to be the best hand.
"axe" or "axe mark" - dice with a wide split in value, like 12-3 or 11-1.

Lotus' backstory

The thunderstorms were especially intense the spring Lotus was born, so her cries had to contend with the rolling thunder. Her parents had named her after the hope of peace, but many in Cheela knew her as Nooyahyoulae, the StormChild. The wind blew her out to the woods, and she drifted back in her own time, bearing exotic tales and natural wonders.

Cheela was a small place--the huts and fields of a few simple farmers. The land was common, and all equally worked and shared its bounty. Lotus was far too wild for this mundane system, and did not work consistently. Still, none thought poorly of her for it; the girl was good luck, and had a way with the seeds. Her wild dances through the corn did far more good than anyone else's full day pulling slugs off and weeds up.

Cheela had no army. Really, she leaned more toward plowshares and pruning hooks than swords and spears. She instead enjoyed the protection of the Enchanted Forest. Semferia was dangerous, and the forest itself was wild, but the Ivani were vigilant and rightly feared by the evil and superstitious things of the world. The elves never let vile deeds go unpunished. What was wild and evil looked elsewhere for easy prey, and Cheela remained blissfully unaware.

Of course, old tales are sometimes tested. The Ironleaf orcs were as superstitious as the next tribe, but ghostly elves in the future were one thing, and wealth right before their eyes . . . well, that was something else entirely. Cheela was situated atop a rich iron vein, and the orcs wanted it. Ironleaf led a band of fearful scouts into the forest and to the huts of Cheela, flinching at every step lest man, elf, or tree should smite them. Instead, the Cheelans invited them to share in the autumn feast and rested them for the night. The orcs immediately smelled weakness. The forest had not smitten them; the men were not armed and did not seem to think it constituted a problem that the orcs *were*. And the iron smelled rich indeed. The scouts left with smiles and not a drop of blood spilled. Then Ironleaf returned the next day assembled for war.

The fight was swift and brutal. Many Cheelans fled to the woods. Many could not. Many who did were devoured by the dangers of the wild. Lotus escaped easily, for the wild had long been home to her, but friend and family were gone. In the months that followed, she watched as the orcs burned miles of forest to the ground and tore long gashes in the earth. She smelled the stink of their garbage and the poisons of their machinery, and her tears turned to wrath--no less for the crime against the earth than for home and kin. She named herself an agent of vengence, and sought an alliance with nature.

Her power grew, and in time she chanced upon allies meeting in the woods. Four woodling druids bearing the mark of the Order of the Inevitable Seed were talking with a handful of elven rangers. They were clothed with the grace of the forest, and had an aura of wild power. Heedless of any impropriety or politesse, Lotus burst into their meeting and forcefully demanded their help in avenging her home. It was granted immediately; news of an orc settlement drew grim looks upon the faces of the Ivani, and the mine set flames in the eyes of the druids. They set out at once for the ruin of Cheela.

The fight was swift and brutal. The elven arrows were sharp, but the druids were deadlier. No mercy was shown to miner or merchant, slave or master; all who contributed or profited from the mine were fair game. Rocks burst in violent explosions, and the ground shook and opened crevices to swallow the villians. Lotus herself wove slithering vines over the barren ground and entangled many of the orcs--then suddenly created razor sharp thorns as they grappled with them. The mine was flooded, and the stink of it purged. Cheela was avenged, and the superstition of the Enchanted Forest vindicated.

At their parting, the druids told Lotus, "Rightly do they name you Nooyahyoulae; you are a storm in spirit, and shall grow to be the master of storms. Anor shall summon you when the time is right, and your storm shall wash away the shadow."