Black Sands of Semferia

Black Sands Campaign Main Page

2010-12-15T16:49:00.000-08:00

UPDATES: December 15, 2010. Added the Rod of Nature's Wrath, Anor's Blessing, Session 29, and Postmortem.
July 7, 2008. Added session 28 and Nate's Multilayer Ruse.
July 1, 2008. Added session 27, Lotus' Backstory, Master of Storms, Seven Skulls, and the Battle of Scorched Earth
June 23, 2008. Added session 26, and "NMR live" to the NMR poster page.

World Information:
World Background
Maps: Semferia, Waecleft area, Westlay
Kingdoms
War of the Ten Kings
Cities and Shop Inventories
The Battle of Scorched Earth

Characters and Backstories:
Basic Character Information
Flynn's Backstory
Nate's Backstory
Jakob's Backstory
Lotus' Backstory and Master of Storms
Ike's Backstory
Anor's Blessing
Ninja Mongoose Rockstars logo
Ninja Mongoose Rockstars poster

Custom Rules, Spells, and Items:
The Thirsting
The Yuan-ti Taint
Spellsinks
Seven Skulls: a dice-based gambling game
Death and Resurrection Rules
Programmed Constructs
Teleportation Rules
Rules for Spot Checks and Illusions
The Manifold Path
Spells: Shatter Mind Blank, Mass Unluck, Nate's Multilayer Ruse
General Magic Items: Ranger's Compass, Runestaff of Construct Control
Personal/Custom Items: heightened spellshard: unluck, ki straps, Rod of Nature's Wrath, Rod of the Mongoose, Tent of the Flamms
Silent Hunter's Garb: Fox's Bite, Mask of the Fox, Fox's Poise

Session Logs
Chapter 1: Troubled Times
Session 1: wherein six diverse adventurers set out on a road trip and share many odd foods
Session 2: wherein Ike makes jerky out of Lotus' little friend, and an ambush doesn't go according to plan
Session 3: wherein Flynn wears a manly pink badge, a fork attacks, and spies get jacked
Session 4: wherein a messenger gets ninja'd, and an outpost does too
Session 5: wherein Jakob acquires a pen, a bottle of wine, and an inactive golem.
Session 6: wherein Serpenti spies spread sands, and sneaky singers and sorcerers slaughter snakes.
Session 7: wherein organized goblins bring about chaos
Session 8: wherein an arms race leads to blended goblins, a salty giant, and a dead dog
Session 9: wherein an escape from one outpost leads to the retaking of a second and the arrival at a third
Session 10: wherein specialized gear helps the NMR make short work of dinosaurs and dragons
Session 11: wherein the big picture comes into focus, and a dead dog isn't the worst part of Kelzun's day

Chapter 2: Trading Blows
Session 12: wherein an archery contest winner gets a trophy, and arrows beat antimagic
Session 13: wherein a spellsink is captured and an outpost is besieged
Session 14: wherein an outpost, a spellsink manual, and a Ghern commander are captured, and Rojin is defeated
Session 15: wherein some vrocks and wraiths fail in their assaults, and some junior kingsmen are impressed
Session 16: wherein a gazebo on a grassy knoll turns deadly twice
Session 17: wherein prisoners are freed, snakes are killed, and NMR leaves a calling card
Session 18: wherein a failed quest leads to an exploding temple, and the calling card gets bigger
Sessions 19-20: wherein a kingdom is crushed, a king is slain, and a city is buried

Chapter 3: Storm and Shadow
Session 21: wherein Jakob throws dogs and giants, and the undead become merely dead
Session 22: wherein Master Michael's gravesite is the site of another death
Session 23: wherein discretion proves the better part of valor
Session 24: wherein everyone slays their fair share of goblins
Session 25: wherein Flynn thwarts his brother and we thwart some assassins
Session 26: wherein the Ghern become allies, and Nate's bluff fails
Session 27: wherein Nate's old foes, Jakob's deceased master, and Posiccuit's guides join the team
Session 28: wherein five Waste Lords learn the folly of working alone, and eleven adventurers prove the value of teamwork
Session 29: wherein one god is fooled, two gods die, and fate wins out
Postmortem: wherein six players talk about the game

Postmortem

2010-12-15T16:48:00.000-08:00

1) General thoughts on the campaign
Jeremy: 2 thumbs up
Scott: can't believe you made it all up
Tom: epic scope, and the game grew appropriately
Rachel: got into the story and really cared about it. We were loyal to the land; in Cauldron it was mere convenience. The interwoven backstories helped.
Tony: The political challenges and such were really cool.
Jeremy: I get the sense this was Catherine's playground and she really enjoyed it.

STORY QUESTIONS
2) How was the tone (dark/light)?
Jeremy: It was dark but not discouraging. There was a struggle for all the right reasons.
Tony: much like Anor - struggle builds character.
Jeremy: Flynn mirrored it. Started lighthearted, but grew serious.
Rachel: we're never gonna be serious, but we were anyway.

3) How was the level of mystery?
Jeremy: seemed like Tom and Tony could follow it well.
Tom: the black sand mystery was cool
Catherine: Shackled City's mysteries were too opaque.
Tony: yeah. Enough of these mysteries, we solved ourselves.

4) How about the method of building backstories?
Rachel: was nice. Created a skeleton and then someone creative fleshed it out. Made me get involved.
Scott: Ike not having a backstory... actually worked.

5) Did you like the story?
Everyone: DUH!

WORLD QUESTIONS
6) How was the versimiltude?
Jeremy: for a fantasy world, the interactions were well thought out. Empires and kingdoms had reasons, culture, and history.
Rachel: the whole world had a history.
Tom: the custom mechanics helped.

7) Were the enemies tenacious, credible, and threatening?
Jeremy: always characteristic and intelligent, not just melee basheriffic.
Tom: felt like you were willing to gank us
Jeremy: I wonder if they were tenacious enough. Sometimes they couldn't sustain, like they ran out of big guns.
Tony: yeah, they tended to spread out damage too much.
Tom: because we were so ninja with our illusions and such. Bad guys never knew what to hit, and we could take things that should've been way too big for us. That's what NMR was built for.
Jeremy: yeah, fights were way off the XP table.

8) were the play aids like maps, store lists, and discounts helpful?
All: yes, cool.
Tony: the area discounts were nice and thematic.

9) How was the balance between railroading and too-open?
Jeremy: rubbed up against the rails a little bit but not often. Only one bad experience (the first Kelzun fight.)

10) How was the game difficulty?
Rachel: definitely harder than Shackled City.
Tony: the later stages were easier, but I don't know how much harder they could've been made.
Jeremy: from the Sid Meier comment (easy fun / hard fun) the balance was a little towards easy
Rachel: there were never "you can't win this" fights
Tom: there were plenty of really big fights, both in terms of being really tough and just being large scale
Jeremy: the scale was much better. The fate of the plane hung in the balance
Catherine: we were never the biggest things in the world
Scott: the Lord of the Rings analogy is good. It's on an epic scale.
Jeremy: we're not the focal point of everything, but we're doing key things.
Tom: we could succeed or fail at accomplishing really big things.

11) Balance between text and playing?
Rachel: we were involved in big stories. That helped make the text ok.
Scott: I understand that others need it.
Rachel: the story grew at the end. It was necessary.
Tom: the story enhanced the fights. There's a difference between fighting a huge snake and fighting Senneth, the source of the black sands.

12) What did you think of the custom rules like:
- teleporting - Tony: we were smart enough to use teleport and then dimension door to avoid the delay. Jeremy: worked out more reasonably for both us and the bad guys.
- constructs - Tom: loved the programming, wish we'd used it. Rachel: nice puzzles. Tony: Brilliant.
- Death - Jeremy: far better than cheezy, blocking, anti-cheeze cheeze. Scott: less accounting. Tony: the 5th level revive should've been slower or something. Tom: resurrection quest was great. Success or failure, Flynn will be a better king for trying it.
- the Summoning room - Scott: highlight of the campaign. Rachel: I kept trying to explain it to people during the week. Tony: with such a big level difference, I never expected it. Never thought it could work. Jeremy: I had a little inkling. It seemed inevitable. Rachel: totally worth it. Scott: quote me on it - fucking awesome. Tom: it was a nice capstone. Catherine: it was hard making bad guys who showed what the combined party could do. Everyone: the rune mechanic was cool.
- custom powers and items - Jeremy: cool, limited to a couple of unique things. Rachel: they let my character grow. Tony: I loved items tailored to my character. Tom: good variety between characters. Tony: stacking 3 class levels was nice.

DM STYLE QUESTIONS
13) how was pacing?
Jeremy: you and Tom make a good team. We're a bunch of goofballs and you kinda have to ride us.
Rachel: having a schedule for the epic fight helped.

14) what was your favorite mechanical encounter?
Rachel: the battle of white fields and nuking the temple
Tony: the early goblin fights with good use of terrain
Jeremy: the huge charisma/diplomacy battle with Abel. Heavy involvement there.
Scott: the guys with antimagic tricks
Tom: the fight in Old Rojin. All sorts of abilities at all different levels got used. And I think our answers here show, we're looking for different things from the game and you gave them to us.
Jeremy: and it allowed Catherine to grow.

15) Who were your favorite NPCs?
Tony: Enigma and the giant brothers
Rachel: yep, enigma and Anor
Scott: Snow... oh wait, different campaign...
Catherine: Minnelin
Tom: Abel... he wasn't fully a villain
Jeremy: Crazy Jared
Rachel: he'll always be a favorite

16) who were your favorite villains?
Rachel and Jeremy: Abel
Tony: Vash
Tom: Ghern -- they were lawful and motivated
Scott: Kelzun with the 1/4 mile of death

17) what about your favorite organization or nation?
Catherine: Westlay
Jeremy: agreed, the contests and festivals they held were collegiate, not brutish
Tony: the marruspawn were original, intriguing, and myserious
Tom: the kingsmen

18) what was your favorite story arc or event?
Scott: the epic summon
Jeremy: there are lots to choose from
Rachel: when we saw the mindfog guy back in session 1. Also the stormchild thing
Tom: gathering allies, not just going to bash things
Catherine: Michael and Jakob's quest
Tony: I don't want to sound too selfish, but yeah, those.

19) what was your favorite role-playing by someone else?
Rachel: Jakob donating to orphanages and monasteries
Tony: Flynn and Nate sticking to their roles, and Ike's jerky
Catherine: Nate's pragmatism
Tom: Lotus's different state of mind. Also Ike sleeping, rolling over to crit the wolf, and going back to sleep.

20) what was your favorite session?
Scott: EPIC SUMMON!
Jeremy: we were just rollin' and being funny that whole time.
Tom and Catherine: the cleric scrying on himself.
Rachel: we got so much joy out of that
Scott: taking the bow out of Ike's hands really pissed me off
Tony: Jakob jumping on the nightwing

21) was the boss fight good?
Rachel: very good. Would've got boring if it was longer.
Jeremy: watching Tony unload... damn!
Tom: the enemies had personality
Tony: they felt like good threats, like they could've killed us.

22) what engaged you the most?
Scott: I was always engaged, every week.
Jeremy: that's remarkable. It remained fresh and exciting.
Tony: there's only one group I've had this much fun with. Never had a series of campaigns last this long. Story involvement, characters, backstories...
Rachel: I liked being part of the campaign world and backstory
Tom: I liked watching other players succeed
Jeremy: we all had moments where someone else pulled something off and we're all "YAY"
Catherine: Tony and Tom's synergy scares me
Scott: it felt like I was stealing the show sometimes
Tom: we were all so badass. We all stole the show. And we built good relationships.
Jeremy: you created a playground other people wanted to play in.

Session 29/52, 2008-07-10: Shadow and Storm

2010-12-15T16:34:00.000-08:00

Session 29/52: wherein one god is fooled, two gods die, and fate wins out

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

As the parties stood in Anor's grove, Anor spoke once more: "Last comes the destroyer." A sandstorm arose, blowing everyone but Horkina and Rain back into the trees, and a huge black cobra emerged next to Anor. The cobra god Senneth bit at Anor, poisoning the great tree, and Anor's thunder blew Senneth back. As Anor began to wither and die, the parties materialized in a small plane that looked much like Anor's sacred grove. At its center, where Anor would be, was instead a plaque that read as follows:

-----

Semferia is a small plane by most standards. It is no vast cosmos of stars and planets, but instead a four-thousand mile wide bubble. The ground is flat; its ocean bumps right up against its outer wall. The sky is an image--an ever-changing illusion upon the barrier between plane and void.

Such artificiality is unusual for the gods, but Semferia was not designed as a place to live. It was designed as a battleground--an arena in which mighty titans and even deities themselves could fight for sport. Its outer walls constrain those who enter within for that purpose, and its broad fields offer fine turf for epic battles.

For eons, titans and demigods clashed over the fire-blasted plains, piling up mountains and tearing valleys in the earth. Yet as ages passed, Semferia fell into disuse as grander arenas were built. As the last of the titans battled for supremecy, Anor, seedling of Obed-Hai, entered the plane on his own quest.

Anor was a young deity, not yet truly counted among the gods. It was in Semferia that he was to earn his name by taming the last of the titans, quenching the fires, and sowing the seeds of life. He was to transform Semferia into a vibrant paradise full of both paragons of nature and pinnacles of civilization; this would be his masterwork, and then he would ascend beyond the stars, having achieved a greater rank.

He created first the icy north, which sent cooling winds out over the scorched rock, and then he began to plant grass under the feet of the clashing titans. It was crushed at first, for life is a fragile thing, but it was never eradicated. In time, the children of Anor grew and struggled and so became strong. Eventually the titans were overcome and the forests marched unhindered across the north.

Anor did not hurry to tame all of Semferia, for he wanted life to struggle. Civilizations began to grow, and more than once were nearly destroyed in cataclysmic war; yet they were stronger for it. The beasts in the deep places of Semferia forever beset its tiny towns, yet because of them, heroes arose. The feral wild was the pride of Anor, but its larger purpose was to sow greatness among those who are good. Anor showed his love by storms.

But another had designs on Anor's seedlings.

In ages past, Senneth was born--the dark bastard son of Mershaulk. He followed a darker path than his father; while Mershaulk taught pain and treachery, Senneth served death and thirst. When he came of age, the rivalry between them was intense. He desired to usurp his father's domain and subtly started cults on many planes among the Yuan-ti, and in some places--especially desert places--overthrew Mershaulk completely.

For an age, they battled across many planes for the devotion of the Yuan-Ti, who were happy to play one against the other. For another age, they battled by blows, the ancient green python and the young black cobra wrestling for dominance among the stars between the planes. Senneth was the stronger in open battle, but Mershaulk by cunning and treachery always overcame or evaded him. In the end, neither could gain the upper hand.

At last, Mershaulk declared that he had grown tired of the rivalry, and that they should fight their last upon Semferia, that ancient proving ground. Senneth, in his impatient arrogance, took Mershaulk at his word, and was glad to at last confront his foe head on. But Mershaulk deceived; he waited for Senneth to enter Semferia, and then shut its outer doors against him. Laughing, he crushed his rival's cults, while his son remained trapped on the tiny plane.

In his rage, Senneth murdered many of the battling titans, before settling down in his Black Hole in the south to brood and plot what revenge he could.

His anger and hatred had been simmering for long centuries when Anor appeared and Semferia began to see life. Civilizations flourished, both in the north and the south, and some took Senneth as a god, and his power grew. But Senneth's gains were minor; he yearned to see years of life are drained away by untimely death and unquenchable thirst. He watched and waited as life grew until he reckoned that it was strong enough, and then set forth to destroy it. By slaying every living creature and dessicating every green plant, he could grow strong enough to escape, and rise to challenge his old rival.

One by one, he sought out beings of power and like mind, and recruited them to his cause. He sought not devotees, but allies, and exchanged power for favors. To Omenankh, he promised glory; to Aol, ascention to deity and assistance in the rebuilding of the Empire of Thirst. To Kelzun he promised great divine power and help in her war against her own demon lord. Shinsiri and Oshirex he lured with arcane power and secrets only gods could uncover. To Vash he promised dominion of Semferia in undeath as the final state of all things. He named them the Waste lords and set on them a broad quest: to slay all living things in Semferia. Time went by and they grew in power as they achieved Senneth's goals and he achieved theirs; in the end, they rivaled even their own dark lord.

The Waste Lords and Senneth together wove deep plans, and each played his own part. Omenankh led spies, while Aol sought lost tribes. Kelzun spread lies and subtle corruptions and instanities; she ensorcelled Wisdom and many Marru leaders in a net of insanity and half-truths and fanned the fanaticism they had always professed. Oshirex turned his wizards and dragons to spies and warlords, while Shinsiri learned the secrets of the waste. Vash slew princes in secret, stealing those things the north would need most to survive, and he waited for his chance to burst forth and make an end.

Senneth's plans were deep and seemed infallible--then all at once, they began to come undone. His greatest ally was murdered under his own mountain. The civilizations of the north united against the armies of Mizram and presented an equal foe. In the end, even his inevitable black sands were imperiled under the storm of Anor.

Anor was a gadfly to Senneth--a lesser deity, but Senneth had tolerated him to prey on the life he created and reap death. But now life could survive on its own, and Anor's storm represented a threat to Senneth's last hope of escape. So in his wrath, he bid the Waste Lords to destroy Anor, and he set upon them enchantments of great power for the task. One by one they fell, even though Senneth had sacrificed much to ensure that no power on the plane was great enough to oppose even one of them. The clash of armies turned against him, and the storm yet grew; it seemed that all Senneth had worked to achieve would come undone. At last, in his arrogance and wrath, he appeared in Anor's sacred grove to finish the task himself. He was powerful, having grown fat on recent death, and felled Anor with a single venemous bite.

But Anor was not surprised, for he was a doomsayer, a god of fate, and he had already sown the seeds of Senneth's destruction. He bequeathed his mighty storm to the master he had created for it, and then with his last breath raised up his own set of champions.

-----

The parties found themselves rested, and more than that, they found Anor's blessing resting on them. All were divine, with the resistances, immunities, and powers that come with it, though this was merely a temporary state. Lotus wildshaped as a squirrel, and Nate cast his Multilayer Ruse to make her look like a squirrel as well. He used another casting of his ruse to disguise Horkina, Grokk, Rain, and Garlen, and a third to disguise himself, Flynn, Roland, Amber, and Ike. Flynn hasted the parties and began singing. Amber provided various spell protections, including Mind Blank. Lotus said "my mind is blank. I've entered into a state of nirvana." Then the party reappeared in Anor's grove as the huge tree crumbled in a pile of ash, and Senneth, with his runes of thirst and death, stood over the ash pile.

Roland fired off three empowered, enhanced, maximized moonbows at the great serpent (2430 damage). Ike fired a series of arrows, including a critical hit (181). Garlen led the group in a charge, and he, Rain, Grokk, Amber, the freshly-materialized Jakob, and Horkina all struck at Senneth (in order: 287, 113, 145, 43, 88, 119.) Jakob's ghostly form laid into Senneth (426) and Rain siezed the opportunity, taking a cheap shot (105) and triggering Senneth's Thirst rune, which wounded all who were nearby. Senneth spoke a word and demanded the lives of all nearby mortals, but Anor's blessing had temporarily granted godhood to both parties. Senneth then turned his full attention on Amber, and with a series of bites, left her lying dead on the battlefield. Horkina's attacks (496) and Grokk's Raging Mongoose strikes (372) both wounded Senneth. Nate used telekinesis to pull Amber's body away from Senneth, and Rain shadow blinked next to her and revived her with a spell from his ring. He slipped back beside the black snake, and Amber triggered fire seeds (212). Lotus bombarded Senneth with rocks (102) and continued hiding in the forest, knowing that Anor's storm must continue for the black sands to be defeated.

Roland repeated his series of moonbow spells (with crits, 2700), triggering Senneth's second rune of Death. The symbol of death did not affect any party members. Ike fired a precise shot (98) and Garlen stabbed at Senneth (754), and then gave Amber tactical advice that allowed her to act before Senneth could. She healed the whole party and then landed a critical hit with Lucent Lance (480). Rain's series of jabs (366) and lingering damage (131) left Senneth in fairly bad shape. The snake turned his attention on Grokk, triggering his Fortunate Fate and leaving him nearly dead after. Horkina (529) and Grokk (199) kept up the assault. Nate, seeing Senneth nearly dead, created an image to taunt him: the graphic seen in Senneth's temple, with various parts crossed out and marked with who had killed them. Fittingly, Roland's next series of moonbows killed Senneth.

The Rubble Rousers found themselves standing back on Possicuit, and the Ninja Mongoose Rockstars returned to the summoning room, where they were soon greeted by a huge radiant dragon named Throdenthurirl, who needed some assassins to help him kill some spell weavers who were working on a dimensional gate. Their work shut down the gate, and led to an explosion creating a place that was later called the Demonskar.

-----

It is not for mortals to know where deities go when they die. Suffice it to say that the halls of stories in the heavens are bigger and more complex than mortals might imagine. But Anor has not taken his place there yet, for his fate is not yet known. For most deities, their part in the story of the world is ended when they are slain, but Anor is a god of fate. His seeds were already sown in the soil of time when he fell. He argued before his judge that he had achieved his quest already; all that remained was to watch it unfold. Ascention would overrule even death, so judgement was withheld until time should reveal all. Even now, the entire celestial court watches as the years pass by in Semferia and Anor's marks of doom unfold.

As for Semferia, the battle is won and the tide is turned. The Battle of Scorched Earth was fierce and terrible, and thousands fell slain upon the scorched forest grounds. The Kirani rangers hid in trees and illusions, while the southern mages approached in darkness, teleporting out to blast wide swaths with arcane fire. Jinle'a led a contingent of Frost Giants and Spellsinks right up the middle, pinning Wisdom in place, and she slew him in single combat. The eagles of Westlay killed many of the elite southern wizards, as Mizram's abominations threw the Westlayan foot soldiers like straw. The tales of the battle are many; there is little space to describe the heroism of the Little Chariot Run, the Gambit of the Unstable Device, the War of Dragons, the Thundering Charge, Derrix' Coup, or the Thousand Axes of Rogar and the Iron Door. Jacob of the Manifold Path was there, as were all the heroes of Westlay and Waecleft, many monsters from under the mountains, Minellin and all the kingsmen, and friends and foes indescribable from every corner of the earth.

In the end, the darkness was dispersed, and the Westlayan archers, together with Ivani and Kirani, rained destruction down on the foe. Mizram was destrucive, but when the battle turned, proved to have little staying power and shattered. Many teleported away, but many could not and were pursued through the night. In the fading light of sunset, well over thirteen thousand lay dead in the ashes of the Enchanted Forest, including over four thousand of the northerners. Alex, Minellen's spellsink apprentice, had been a repeated target, and had already fallen five times when at last the abominations held the ground until he could not be revived. Spirits of valiance, Charles of Eonsburg and Jearn of Waecleft had ridden with the fateful charge that turned the battle, and suffered the brunt of the retaliation by Mizram's wizards, and could not be saved. Rogar himself had perished atop a pile of those he had slain; when he had thrown all his axes, and those he wielded had broken, he fought on with the splintered shaft and his fists until at the last he was overcome. Joanna had many close scrapes on eagleback, and was even felled once by Mizrami mages--but was narrowly saved by the heroics of the monks of Lonely Sparrow.

Throughout the day, deep clouds grew from one horizon to the other as a gargantuan rainstorm gathered. In the early evening, as the last beams of sunlight slipped below the horizon, and the shadow retreated south at a full run, the clouds let a light rain fall. It tasted sweet, and in time turned to healing, and washed away the wounds of many who lay unconscious on the field. It was the gift of Anor, won by the heroes of the north and beyond, at the Battle of Storms in the east. Clouds of steam hissed up from the ground as here and there the rains found their mark, and the black sands were washed away.

In the days and weeks ahead, Semferia awoke to an age of hope. Ancient evils that had haunted her since time unremembered had awoken and been vanquished, and though they brought great destruction, the peace in their passing was greater. Much of a generation had been lost between the battle of Scorched Earth and the plague of the Thirsting, yet those who remain saw the promise of an age of peace.

The buildings and walls of Westlay are ruined, its cities sacked and buried. Yet the people were saved at Oxhorn, and do not seem discouraged at all by the loss. They speak of building anew, building aright, building things the way they always should have been. The air buzzes with talk of founding cities, starting businesses, starting families. They also speak fondly of their new king Flynn, who worked for a time to set the kingdom in order before attempting to resurrect his father, and hoping at the least for peace and reconciliation during the resurrection quest.

The land itself bears many hurts, but the Order of the Inevitable Seed is fresh with purpose. Always Anor had restrained them from making Semferia too green too soon, but now the time to achieve that final quest has come. Overnight they have transformed from caretakers to crusaders. Their excitement is visible, and they have already begun to debate how best to bring about Anor's vision, now that it is up to them. Lotus, too, started bringing lifegiving storms throughout the continent.

Still, the sands have left their scars; wherever they sat most thickly, the land refuses to be healed. Shinsiri's swath remains barren. The battleground at White Fields will never see its proud orchards again. Many heroes are fallen, and many friends. The people of Westlay are anxious to mark the passing of a great king. Waecleft, too, mourns a beloved king--and those who are wise mourn not one champion, but two. Brothers Jakob and Michael are both numbered by historians among the heroes who fell in the war, though Jakob's ghost still concentrated on destroying the wraiths under the mountain.

In the ages to come, the waters of Semferia will always taste sweet, proof against disease, and a second wind in the face of death. Life grows especially hearty on such nourishment, and Semferia would become known in time by the strength of both its heroes and its beasts. In some of the deep and dry places, the black sands still linger, but they are confined there, as they cannot stand the sweet water in the places where life thrives.

Even in Anor's absence, there is no shortage of storms in Semferia. Kelzun has returned to her fortress in the abyss; without ally or obligation, she ignores for now the plane of her birth. Oshirex has returned to his worship of the void, deep under the world. Vash is gone, but leaves behond the Mount of Shadow, which is haunted deeply, though its malice no longer has a grand vision. In the wild places of the world, dragons prowl and ancient horrors hunt. Yet the war of the Black Sands has left in its wake many heroes, and the wise do not worry about the fate of the world.

Alliances made temporarily for the war dissolve; Smerdon goes back to its icy brooding, while Ghern turns to struggling with internal affairs. Jinle'a struggles to reform her new people, ruling the proud and tough hobgoblins with a righteous iron fist. Filthy Ike went off to the desert in search of stuff to shoot, though Nate left him with a sending stone in hopes that he could occasionally be called on to shoot very specific stuff.

The Last Watch of the Ten Kings leaves many of its rangers to other pursuits, returning to comparative sleep through the peaceful years. Nate became their leader, focusing on creating monuments of the wars and linking the people of the world together. As the War of the Black Sands passes into history, the Kingsmen and the old man at their head remain and watch, and remember ancient alliance.

Anor's Blessing

2010-12-15T16:25:00.000-08:00

During the final battle with Senneth, each character received all benefits from this list. At the conclusion of the battle, the characters retained the specific benefits where their names are listed:

- Immortal. Do not age, or need to eat, sleep, or breathe. Treated as Divine Rank 1. (Nate, Rain, Roland)

- Increase hit points to maximum per hit die. (Horkina)

- Increase base speed to 60'.

- Divine bonus to Armor Class +1. Deflection bonus to AC equal to charisma bonus. (Flynn)

- All attacks are considered to be epic and follow your alignment for the purpose of bypassing damage reduction. Attack rolls to not automatically fail on a 1. (Ike, Grokk)

- At-will use of Greater Teleport.

- Immunity to polymorph, petrification, and shape-altering attacks.

- Immunity to energy drain, ability drain, and ability damage. (Lotus)

- Immunity to mind-affecting effects.

- Immunity to electricity, cold, and acid.

- Immunity to disease and poison.

- Immunity to stunning, sleep, and paralysis. (Garlen, Amber)

- Immunity to death effects and disintegration.

- Damage Reduction 15/epic.

- Spell Resistance 33.

- Darkvision and low-light vision range: 1 mile. Remote sensing: view any area devoted to you or in which your name is mentioned. (Lotus, Garlen, Amber)

Rod of Nature's Wrath

2010-12-15T16:19:00.001-08:00

The Rod of Nature's Wrath: a magic item, granted to Lotus

Functions as a Rod of Empower Spell, 3 uses per day for a spell up to 6th level, but may only be applied to spells in tune with the local environment:

Forest (trees and undergrowth) -- Plant, Animal, and Poison spells
Swamp or Ocean (standing water) -- Water and Acid spells
Desert (high temperature) -- Fire and Dehydration spells
Arctic (low temperature) -- Cold, Paralysis, and Sleep spells
Underground (below 30 feet of earth) -- Physical damage, Stone, and Earth spells
Airborne or Plains or High Hills (100 foot hemisphere of open space) -- Electricity and Force spells

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

2008-07-05T14:20:00.000-07:00

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

2008-07-01T18:47:00.001-07:00

Troop numbers for the battle of scorched earth:

Master of Storms

2008-07-01T16:23:00.000-07:00

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

2008-07-01T15:41:00.001-07:00

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

2008-07-01T14:27:00.000-07:00

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."

Session 27, 2008-06-27: Unlikely Allies

2008-06-27T18:20:00.000-07:00

Session 27: wherein Nate's old foes, Jakob's deceased master, and Posiccuit's guides join the team

Players (Characters)
Scott (Filthy Ike)
Jeremy (Flynn Flamm)
Tony (Brother Jakob)
Rachel (Lotus)
Tom (Nathaniel Graythorne)
DM: Catherine

As the Ninja Mongoose Rockstars sat in the Dancing Bear tavern, Lotus returned from a walk out in the woods, and said "Guys, I'm not high, I swear. But listen, you'll never believe what happened! I ran into the four woodling druids who helped me avenge Cheela! One of them told me 'It is time, Stormchild; Anor summons.'" Some of the party looked over at Nate, who insisted "I had nothing to do with this."

Lotus continued: "The druids told me that Semferia was once a barren waste--intended for battle, not for life. Then the god Anor came into the world, and sought to make it green. His first efforts were dashed against in the mighty battles, for a life is a fragile thing. Yet life is destined to succeed; no unmoving challenge can suppress its nature. Struggle is its nature, and in struggle it thrives. In those ancient battles, Anor sowed the seeds of all life that was to be, and in the end it was victorious.

The Order of the Inevitable Seed (where the woodling druids are from) is devoted to finishing the quest of Anor. It is said that one day the whole land will be a lush continent, and then Anor will ascend to his rightful place in the stars. For now, he makes his abode in the sacred grove on the eastern peninsula. They said it was too holy a place for them, but I was summoned there! It was awesome, a place surrounded by the wildest storms and trees and animals! The druids put their hands together, and took me to the edge of a thicket knit of trees, and then disappeared. The trees wouldn't let me pass until I proved my strength, and there were immense wolves that came after me, but they had no taste for fire. Then I was caught up in a cyclone and lifted up into it. Lightning and thunder kept striking, and I was like a spirit in the storm, and I knew what it was like to be a storm. I was one with the storm!" Nate again piped up "I swear, I haven't cast any spells on her!"

Lotus continued again: "This was way more awesome than your spells. I knew how the winds and rain thought, and I knew the spirit of the storm -- I knew what drove it. I knew its purpose. I knew what it wanted. And all of a sudden, I was standing in a quiet grove next to an immense evergreen, and Anor talked to me. He said 'Well done. I name you the Master of Storms. Return to me when I call, and we shall wash away the shadow.' Then a soft breeze blew over me, and I was standing in the forest outside Ghern, still dripping wet."

A while later, Thameor showed up and started talking with Nate. Soon, the conversation turned to the oracle given to Jakob. At the words "if then the shadow holds the key", Thameor piped up -- "I know what key that is! It's the key to Kirani! It must be! Ten years ago, the prince was passing over the unlit pass, and the key was stolen! Normally this would be no big deal, as the moon spirit within the key simply reforms it in the hands of its master, even if it's destroyed... but whoever took it is very powerful, and has somehow kept the key and the spirit imprisoned. If our great city can again be reached, we may be able to win this dark war. Jakob must return the key!"

Shortly thereafter, Minellin joined the impromptu meeting. He congratulated NMR on their recent work in gaining the Ghern as allies, and Thameor on possibly solving the riddle. He also shared that the armies of Westlay, Waecleft, Tindell, Ghern, the Ivani, and others were gathering in the burned forest to make their stand against Mitzram, and that with the help of the elves of Kirani, they might even stand a chance. He also shared that the party would be sent to Mitzram's capital in two days, and that the tree sap was a highly effective cure for the Thirsting.

As Nate went outside, he saw smoke signals coming from the north. "It looks like the frost giants are having their yearly competitions. I'd love to go beat them all at gambling one last time. And I bet they don't like deserts any more than we do, so if we can get their attention by winning a few of their contests, maybe we can convince them to fight alongside us." The party agreed, and Nate teleported the party to the gate by the frosty mountain. A guard piped up "what you doing here?" Nate responded "I'm here to beat everyone at Seven Skulls and take their money." "You think you can play Seven Skulls?" "Yeah, when I was in your army 155 years ago when you lost the war so badly, I used to beat everyone. Unless the game has changed since then, I'll win." "Game is the same. OK, go ahead, I'm sure someone will be able to use you as slave." "If they survive being disintegrated, perhaps." With that, the party headed up the mountain.

First up was the mammoth-slaying competition. As a mammoth entered the arena, the first giant competitor started throwing rocks at it, and after cornering it, pounded it with a mace. The crowd cheered his decent time of 84 seconds. Other competitors did similarly, though none approached the ages-old record of 28 seconds. Soon, it was Jakob's turn, and he stepped into the arena with Flynn cheering him on. The gate opened and the mammoth crossed the line, starting the timer... and Jakob's pouncing charge, flurry of blows, and mind-shock fist killed it in just under six seconds! The frost giant crowd went wild with excitement! Ike was up next, and with Flynn cheering him on, prepared a shot with Fox's Bite. As the mammoth entered the arena, Ike loosed his arrow and landed a nearly-perfect shot, slaying the mammoth before the clock operator could react. Frost giants were on their feet cheering for the new mammoth-slaying champion. Lotus asked "are we going to be eating mammoth jerky, like, forever?"

Up next was the arena wrestling competition, and Jakob and three giants squared off. One giant attempted to push Jakob out of the center section, but couldn't get a hand on the quickly-moving half-ogre. Another pair of giants pushed on each other, and one slid across the line, being declared "out". Jakob grabbed his opponent and, with a comet throw, sent him 25 feet beyond the "out" line and into the arena fence. The remaining giant found himself in the same predicament -- he couldn't manage to grab Jakob, and Jakob easily tossed him just a few feet short of the other. Nate led the giants in a cheer of "N-M-R! N-M-R! N-M-R!" as Jakob did celebratory backflips.

Finally, Nate played his way into the championship round of Seven Skulls. Though he struggled to lift the massive wooden dice, he was quite capable of reading his opponent's intentions and bluffing, or not bluffing, his way to big wins. During the game, Jakob chatted with the giants who had been so impressed with him, talking about the desert people from the south coming to turn lakes into desert. Soon, word spread in the crowd that the foreigners were just as upset about the new desert to the southwest as the giants were.

At the awards ceremony, Jakob was granted a large golden belt with the logo for the "Wrestling in the Tundra Foundation". Ike was told that, normally, the mammoth-slayer got a mammoth trophy, but since he was an archer, he'd be given gloves taken from an archer they'd killed long ago: Fox's Poise. Nate piped up "I remember that battle. I killed 3 giants by making them fall off a cliff chasing an illusion." "Yeah, good times. Lots of killing. You clever little guy." With that, the giant presented Nate with a large silver twelve-sided die that he could barely lift into his bag. Then Nate addressed the crowd: "giants of Smerdon, we have come a long way, not just to participate in these contests, but to warn you of a great threat. Jackal-headed jerks from the south are coming to turn your lands into a desert, just like they did to the lake southwest of here. A hundred and fifty-five years ago, your enemies fell before you one by one until they united and drove you back. Now, we will all fall one by one before the desert creatures unless you unite with us to drive them back. And they will turn your beautiful frozen wasteland into a horrible hot wasteland!" The king spoke: "we hate deserts, but I'm not sure about fighting these weird creatures." Nate, remembering what motivated the giants in the past, called back "they don't wear armor. They're really squishy and fun to kill." The giants sent scouts to look at the desert-ized lake, and when they reported back that Nate had told the truth, hundreds of giant warriors began their march to meet with the rest of the armies of the north. In the mean time, Lotus asked if the giants wanted more snow. After her superstorm buried the area, they said "OK, that enough!" Lotus made a sad face and asked "don't you want more?"

A few days later, the party met Minellin at the teleportation circle in the eastern forest. The plan was to take some casks of poisoned, fake sap to be distributed in Mitzram (an effective way to take out already sick marruspawn), steal or destroy magic items from an important factory, and scout out a meeting of the Wastelords. Passing through the circle in Marruspawn disguise, the party placed the poisoned casks in a warehouse alongside a dwindling supply of useable sap. Then they moved toward the nearby magic item production area disguised as supervisors from the capital. Several tables were lined up neatly atop dry brush next to an oasis. Three powerful wizards and several subordinates created scrolls at the tables, and four burly guards stood over racks of weapons, armor, and various other items.

Lotus quietly began creating a heat wave, and Flynn switched the Rod of the Mongoose to one ear down to keep the sound of his lute from carrying. Ike positioned himself next to one of the biggest wizards while Jakob positioned himself next to another. As Flynn began playing, Ike released a nasty stench that (due to Nate's luck) drifted right into the nose of the nearby wizard, leaving him choking on fumes. Ike blasted another wizard with Fox's Bite, killing it. Jakob's Ancient Mountain Hammer left the final powerful wizard nearly dead. Lotus increased the wind and temperature all around the tables full of scrolls and dropped some arc lightning on the nearby guards, and Nate cast Otto's Irresistable Dance on the wizard next to Jakob. Jakob leaped toward the guards Lotus had just wounded, killing two of them with a flurry of blows. Flynn knocked over a table of scrolls into Lotus' superheated area. Ike moved away and took a precise shot at one of the two remaining guards, seriously maiming him. Lotus lit up her firestorm, killing the dancing wizard and leaving the nauseated wizard badly burned, and her arc lightning took out the guards. Nate disintegrated the final wizard, and the party started stuffing the shiniest magic items into bags of holding. As several marruspawn wizards approached to investigate the firestorm, Lotus turned the storm into a firebolt to melt the remaining treasure, and Nate teleported the group away. Among other treasures, the party recovered a luckblade, which was used to boost Lotus' wisdom. Flynn kept the blade and saved the final wish for later.

The party moved on to the next phase of their plan: kill a group of guards and replace them, infiltrating a meeting of the wastelords. As the guards made their scheduled meeting in a tiny outpost, Flynn played a loud note. Ike stood between a pair and released noxious fumes, but the guards had been eating chili earlier and hardly noticed. Ike also shot a guard. Jakob tossed one guard into another, Lotus drowned one, and Nate's Phantasmal killer made another die screaming. Ike's five arrows and a critical hit from Jakob killed two more guards, and Nate's Phantasmal Killer destroyed the last one. The party disguised themselves to look like these guards and went into the capital. Just before the meeting, the party exchanged all but one of their red coins for gold at a nearby marketplace; Nate held the final coin as a souvenier. This is what the party experienced at the temple:

To reach the temple of Senneth, you must walk past the bone-fields. Literally hundreds of captives are bound with leather cords and abandoned in the sand to die of thirst. The moans of the doomed mingle softly over the shards of scoured bone continually washed up by the sands. The quiet cruelty of the waste here reigns supreme.

Steps lead up through the mouth of a giant black snake; inside is a marble courtyard open to the air. A huge mosaic on the floor depicts Senneth's holy symbol: the black cobra and the words of fate. There are everywhere depictions of thirst and waste and death. Mosaics, illusions, even live-action drama--here and there around the temple, captive creatures are parched in most elaborate ways.

It is just after dark. The air that had been a blast furnace during the day suddenly drops to a bitter cold. The black marble floor is still quite warm underfoot. It shines under the full desert moon.

Marruspawn clerics and blackscale Yuan-Ti mingle around the edges of the courtyard, performing their minor duties and discussing fine points of dark theology. Toward the center, five marruspawn stand tall in robes, outlining an empty square. These are the guard you are here to releive. At their head stands a tall marruspawn in golden robes who is studiously bowed to by all the rest. Ashne, the head cleric. Seeing their replacements, the guards gladly leave, glad to be away from the dangerous creatures who are about to arrive.

The hour strikes, and the Waste Lords begin to arrive.

A black shadow creeps over the outer wall, nearly invisible in the dark. You can make out the form of a Yuan-Ti superabomination--her black skin writhes with embedded snakes, and her eyes glow yellow in the dark. Her body is covered with arcane tatoos and incomprehensible symbols. The air around her hums with quiet energy. With catlike grace, she leaps--or flies--from the wall and neatly flips twice in the air before landing adroitly in the center of the square.

Ashne intones: "Welcome Omenankh, Instrument of the Inevitable, high priest of Senneth".

The ground vibrates slightly under your feet as rumbling steps shake it. Above the edge of the steps appears the massive head of a jackal, with deeply feral eyes. As he rises over the steps, his ears brush the upper teeth of the snake--he's twenty-five feet tall if an inch, three times the size of the biggest marruspawn abomination you've ever seen. As he reaches the summit, he throws back his head and howls at the moon--and they can probably hear him in the icy north. A dozen of the nearest clerics immediately turn to salt, though one does not. With an approving laugh, the ebony creature thunders into the square.

Ashne intones: "Welcome Aol, Memory of the Ancients, Lost champion of the Marru."

In the distance you hear echoes of deep shouts and growls in some vile tongue, as though all of the abyss were having a party on an airship. The sky grows lighter to the south, and then suddenly over the wall arises the outline of a skeletal dragon surrounded by many winged creatures. A horde of demons begins to circle overhead, taunting all the stone serious folk below. Two massive Balor descend to perch on the wall, and the skeletal dragon descends before them. Then you see its rider--a dessicated woman in black armor, wreathed in flame. She raises a fist to the sky, and overhead the army falls silent. One by one they descend to perch on the southern wall. As she approaches, you recognize her face--it is Kelzun, but she has changed. Fully half her face is covered in demonflesh, and she sports a new pair of horns and wings. Last you met, her sheild bore the unholy symbol of Demogorgon; it now blisters with the rune for insanity. With an inferno blast, she dissapears from where she stands, and reincarnates in the center of the square.

Asnhe intones: "Welcome Kelzun, Queen of Corruption, Usurper and now Youngest of the Demon Lords."

Overhead, the air begins to stir. Sand kicks up in clouds, and soon the sandstorm blots out the stars overhead. It intensifies to a hurricane many feet above the ground, and all you can hear is the sound and fury of the storm. The sound alone shakes the ribcage, and even here on the ground, stinging grit bites your flesh. Some of the clerics--in the process of unfossilizing their bretheren--are interrupted in their task, and mutter low and dark curses. At the center, the storm finally coheres into a massive tornado, which snakes down towards the square. The wind is horriffic, and many of the clerics are thrown off their feet. The twister finally obscures the center of the square with sand, and then lifts again--revealing a man in long blue robes, with the head, wings, and horns of a blue dragon.

Ashne picks himself up and intones: "Welcome Shinsiri, Stormchief, Last of the sand emporers."

Overhead, there is the sound of many heavy wings, and looking up you see a flight of sand dragons. Fully eight collassal beasts beat the air with their wings, and at their head, a massive dragon with long-rotted flesh and holes in his wings. As they approach, you see that the dragons bear riders--marrutact wizards in golden robes, and surrounding their mounts are clouds of mist and forgetfulness. They land near the northern wall, and the air around each wizard crackles with intense energy. Their leader, a collossal dracolich, lands in the square in a blast of intense heat.

Ashne intones: "Welcome Oshirex, Spawn of the Void, Silent Chief of the Dark Secret Woven into the World."

The Waste Lords all arrange themselves around the outside of the square, and a few minutes of low chat ensue. As they make small talk about armies and torments, secrets and powers, it is clear they are all waiting for something. Suddenly, the warm marble is shot through with a deep chill, and each of the Waste Lords grows quickly silent. The stone seems to whisper and then to shriek, and overhead the stars slowly begin to wink out. The form of a black wraith flies over the moon before being joined by another and then another, and the sky is clouded with black. Slowly, like smoke arising from a smouldering fire, a giant black wraith mists up from the floor in the center of the square. His deep red eyes communicate unfathomable hunger. He nods briefly to acknowledge each Waste Lord in turn.

Ashne intones: "Welcome Vash, The Unlit Shadow, Lord of Death Under the Mountain, and Chief of the Waste Lords."

Vash nods his dismissal, and Ashne bows and leaves.

Vash: We are all here. Let us begin.

Oshirex briefly casts a spell, and the waste lords grow silent. Yet it is clear by their faces that they are holding converse, asking and answering questions.

Flynn subtly reaches his hand down and flips both ears up on the Rod of the Mongoose, and he begins eavesdropping on the conversation.

Aol: -- but four days' journey from the scorched fields, where it appears the northerners want to make their stand. They have drawn unlikely allies to themselves, but still Mizram has the upper hand. The battle promises to be long and bloody, but I see no other allies in the region which could further sway the tide.

Omenankh: Kirani may arise.

Vash: I have seen to it that it will not. I stole the key ten years ago, before the Forgotten People began to whisper about our threat, and it is safe in my wraithhold. I shall guard it personally until the end.

Omenankh: Kinari may yet arise.

Shinsiri: It is all one whether it does or not. Mizram may yet lose, and we still prevail; they are but one means to an end. The black sands now saturate the north; the time for total transformation has arrived.

Aol: Is the blood provided sufficient?

Shinsiri: It is. While the armies of the north look west, I can run unhindered throughout the east, and rain blood down upon the wild places. I have summoned one bloodstorm already, and the results are spectacular--the sands consume the plants like dry straw before fire, and the desert is made. Yesterday, I was able to fly two hundred miles, and left behind me a twenty-mile swath of new-made desert.

Kelzun: Then there are two roads to victory. Should Mizram win, we can bide our time while the empire destroys the tiny pockets of life throughout the land. Should they lose, the north is still weakened, and Shinsiri can rain bloodstorms down upon the land unhindered. Most can't survive in the kind of desert he'd summon anyway. We've come a long way since we relied on natural lakes.

Omenankh: The paths to victory are in fact three. After empire comes shadow.

Vash: And the shadow stands ready. My legions of wraiths beneath the mountain stand ready to wash over the land. Mizram may make an empire. The northerners may try to recover. It is all one; when the shadow arises, it shall scour all life from the land, Mizrami, Northerner, or any other.

Aol: You are deceived, my friend. The Marru shall come first.

Vash: Yes, you think we play the fool. Mizram thinks we are its fools, and I think Mizram is ours. But that battle is between powers greater than both you and I. I for one am content to play my assigned part and rule my promised empire; if the fates decree otherwise, I am content with that too.

Omenankh: It is inevitable. The shadow comes, and then the waste.

Vash: What your deity tells you is inevitable, and what he is actually able to bring about, are entirely different things.

Kelzun: Speaking of deities, has anyone accounted for Anor? He called a Master of Storms a week or so ago. I think he might be planning to undo the sands.

Shinsiri: That cannot happen! If he tries, we shall have to slay him!

Kelzun: Are you sure? Anor himself?

Shinsiri: You question what we have become? Immortality means immunity to old age, not death in combat. Anor is a god of storms and rest, and I know storms. I for one do not fear him.

Kelzun: Your funeral. But I expect you're right. We cannot lose the sands.

Vash: Then we are decided. Shinsiri shall scorch the east, while Aol watches the west. If Mizram wins, that is for the best; they shall do much of our work for us. If they lose, I shall swarm forth with the shadow legion and destroy what remains. And if Anor begins to summon a storm, we must all stop what we are doing and bend our effort to destroy him.

Oshirex: It is said. It is done.

One by one, the Waste Lords disappear into the night with their respective armies. The Mizram clerics carry on, reverently oblivious to their callous allies, and the desert moon shines down on the cold marble mosaic. Before departing, Ike steps across Senneth's symbol at the center of the temple, leaving a vile stench behind.

The party returned to Lonely Sparrow to report the news to Minellin, who replied "This is grave news, indeed... yet there is a glimmer of hope. If Jakob can return the key, then perhaps not all is lost. With Kirani, we may yet withstand Mitzram's assault, and perhaps Anor will be able to withstand the Waste Lords. It seems our only hope is for Jakob to complete his quest. And I have recieved word, Brother Jonathan is at Jade Feather. Jakob, you should speak to him." The party went to Jade Feather the next morning, and Jonathan spoke:

"Brother Jakob! I have wanted to meet you; Brother Michael spoke of you often. He was so very proud of you.

"When Father Lawrence sent to me, I refused to tell where to go until I could look you in the face. You have to understand, this quest is impossible--it is futility and suicide. Vash is invincible, and his wraiths are legion. Michael could not possibly have gotten the key out, and you are not even a master yet.

"He sent for me because he had been told he needed one of my black daggers to prevail. I don't use them much; they're little last-ditch rods for getting out of forcecages and the like. He apparently needed to get *into* one.

"We met on the unlit pass, and he led me to a rough hole in the mountain. I volunteered to follow him in, and for days we kept company under the mountains. We were continually beset by wraiths and spellthieves. It took many days to explore the tunnels, but at last he found what he sought: the wriathold of Vash.

"It was a massive chamber under the mountain--a full a mile wide, and nearly half as tall. The walls were bored through with nightcrawler holes, and looked like swiss cheese. All manner of abominations crawled over the ground, but the wraiths were the key thing--thousands of them swarmed in the air, constantly going to and from their dark lord.

"My heart sank, but Brother Michael was intent. 'After all, I am bid to defy fear.' He crept along the roof of the chamber, spider-walking to the apex, and then let go. I watched him fall those many feet to the floor. With the dagger outstretched, he piered the force wall, and entered the anti-magic field surrounding the table holding the key. Picking it up, he wrapped it carefully in a cloth, and then turned to look.

"Vash had come, and the wraiths were thick. With one nod, the fields of force were gone, and the wraiths pressed closer. With a second, the anti-magic field was dismissed, and Michael was swarmed. He could not get out, and so he took a mighty leap at the wraithlord himself.

"I shall never forget what I saw: One black hand reached out and touched him, and then he was no more. That's it--no struggle, no nothing. Just oblivion.

"I cannot understand why the oracle would lay such a burden on the shoulders of Brother Michael. It is an impossible task. I hope you do not take it up."

Jakob replied: "I have no choice. I must return the key." With that, Brother Jonathan handed Jakob one of his special daggers and retired.

As the party reached the beginning of the caves, with little indication as to where exactly to find Vash's chamber, a voice intoned "return the key." It was Brother Michael, or rather, his ghost. "Seek the wraith", he said, materializing and leading the way into a nearby tunnel. Over the next hour, Michael's ghost appeared time and time again to show the way toward Vash's chamber. Soon, a nightcrawler appeared, biting at Jakob but missing the surprisingly agile half-ogre. Flynn began singing and Ike fired five force arrows. Jakob's flurry tore the nightcrawler's flesh in several places. Nate and Lotus both tried to help, but their spells weren't powerful enough. A pack of dread wraiths emerged from the floor, with one attacking Ike and another attacking Nate, who both resisted the withering touch of the wraiths. Michael materialized and tossed one wraith through a nearby wall. The nightcrawler again bit at Jakob, and Jakob again deftly avoided its angry maw. Flynn cast Haste, and Ike's six arrows brought the nightcrawler down. Jakob stepped between the two remaining dread wraiths and pounded one into oblivion while hitting the other with a defensive rebuke. Nate's telekinesis was ineffective, but Lotus' cure spell caused significant harm. The wraith couldn't manage to hit Jakob, and Ike finished the battle with a few more arrows.

When the party finally reached Vash's chamber, Lotus cast death ward on everyone and passed Jakob a crystal that would protect him from wraiths and the like. With haste and inspiration from Flynn, Jakob took off running, covering a half mile in about 40 seconds. As he grabbed the key, Vash and his wraiths swarmed around the wall of force. Vash boomed out "what are you doing with my key?" "Your key?" Jakob replied. Vash brought down the wall of force, and Jakob started running back toward the party. As Vash prepared a spell, Jakob broke the key in half, releasing the moon spirit to return to the elven prince. Vash's maddening whispers dropped Jakob into a stupor, and the wraiths swarmed on him, killing him. Moments later, he rose as a wraith.

As he passed into the ethereal world, he felt the hungers of the wraith at the edge of his consciousness, telling him to turn and consume the living. The soft voice of Vash urged his control. Yet some combination of legendary discipline and psionic training allowed Jakob to deny this for a time. The shrouds and forms of the material world passed away, and he saw things clearly. Vash, the giant wraith, now appeared as a middle-aged man with an arrogant smile; the black billows of his wraithly robes faded away to the material world, leaving only the mundane dress of an accomplished sorcerer. The ghost of Brother Michael looked solid, moving with restraint and grace over some imagined surface. Jakob's equipment laid in a heap on the floor, but he carried wraith copies of those items most dear. The once-tattered robe of Brother Michael that Jakob had worn for so long now appeared whole--if worn.

In the distance, the Ninja Mongoose Rockstars glowed with emotion, wishing to reach Jakob, slay his wraith, and revive him. In another direction, Brother Michael approached Vash from behind as his attention was fixed on dominating Jakob. This was a drill they'd run a hundred times together; Michael trips, Jakob tackles. Jakob flinched momentarily under the massive psychological itch, knowing he had but a few moments before the final descent into madness. He turned to face Vash.

Michael stepped forward and tripped the huge wraith. In the distance, a spell from Nate boomed out loudly "Tripped by a ghost! OWNED! You suck, Vash!" Jakob stepped forward and attacked the unarmored sorcerer-wraith, swinging with mightly blows (285 damage.) Vash responded with a beam of disintegration that missed Jakob, and another that hit Michael, but the ghost-monk's legendary concentration allowed him to shrug off most of the damage. For Michael, time seemed to stand still as he smashed his fists into Vash, and Jakob's searing, mind-shocking flurry (313 damage) slew the Lord of Wraiths.

With their master dead, the dread wraiths began spreading out, moving without purpose. Jakob began to lose control and move with them, but Michael stepped forward and slew him. The rest of the party still wished to reach him, but thousands of wraiths blocked the way. As they closed in, Lotus loosed a sunburst, and Nate teleported the group to the scorched forest.

Minellin soon found the party, greeting them with the news that Kirani had been reached and the elves were massing for battle, and showed them the battle plan. The Waste Lords had three ways to victory: Mitzram could win, Vash the shadow could overrun the land, or they could slay Anor. With Vash dead and the elven army joining the fight against Mitzram, the Ninja Mongoose Rockstars had but one task remaining: protect Anor. Fittingly, Lotus heard his call -- he planned to bring a storm to wash away the black sands, and she would be needed. Before the party headed out, Gindralin, prince of Kirani, approached with a silver paintbrush in his hand and said "I have held this for a hundred and fifty years, looking for the right time to use it. That time is now." He loosed the paintbrush, which began painting a celtic knot on the ground beneath the party.

Suddenly, the Ninja Mongoose Rockstars found themselves in a perfectly hemispherical room, a hundred feet high and a hundred feet in radius. The white roof and floor emitted soft, pleasant light, and no shadows were visible anywhere. A shrine to the north was covered in silver holy symbols of various greater and lesser gods -- Heironeous, Eholonna, Kord, Pelor, Corellon Larethian, and many others. The walls held various inscriptions, again in glowing silver runes: "For those who fight alongside us", "for those who cannot fight for themselves", "for those who have gone before", "for those who are yet to come", and so on. Concepts of unity, freedom, honor, and continuity dominated the messages. A large sign to the south (marked "D&Dbay") described various magical items and their costs, displaying a new group of items every so often, though it wasn't apparent exactly how often. Time flowed vaguely, seeming to both rush by and stand still.

At the center of the room was a large circular table. An image projected above the table showed a perfect map of the sacred grove and its environs. There were four empty comfortable-looking chairs around the southern end of the table. The six chairs to the north were variously occupied, ignored, illuminated, and overburdened by their respective inhabitants. One was a veritable castle of books, another a castle of kegs. A twitchy centaur was on his feet before the party finished entering the room. The ugliest elf they'd ever seen looked up from the magic item console--which he had been continuously refreshing--and seeing Lotus called out, "Hey, baby--wanna see my sword?"

The party, including Ghostly Jakob, reached level 17. The Rubble Rousers remained at level 27.

Session 26, 2008-06-20: Desperate Alliances

2008-06-20T23:06:00.000-07:00

Session 26: wherein the Ghern become allies, and Nate's bluff fails

Players (Characters)
Scott (Filthy Ike)
Jeremy (Flynn Flamm)
Tony (Brother Jakob)
Rachel (Lotus)
Tom (Nathaniel Graythorne)
DM: Catherine

After the meeting, Joanna offered the Ninja Mongoose Rockstars 10,000 platinum pieces to help in the evacuation of Old Westlay. Dwarven miners had been working for weeks to get into the city by turning sand to rock and then carving tunnels, but the tunnels kept collapsing and killing the miners. Lotus procured a scroll of Mass Burrow, and the party headed into the most recently created tunnel. Nate used Ghost Sound to create fake rock-mining sounds partway through the tunnel as dwarven miners worked somewhat more quietly at the end. Suddenly, Lotus heard some creatures outside the tunnel, swimming through the sound. The miners ran for the exit while Lotus cast mass burrow, Flynn cast haste, and Nate created an image of dwarven miners still at work. As Flynn began to sing an inspiring song, two large holes appeared in the tunnel roof, and sand and tentacles poured through.

Jakob leaped forward and, with powerful attacks from searing fists, pummelled a crawling apocalypse. Ike, remembering how unpleasant his last encounter with such a beast was, used two arrows to slay Jakob's foe and three more to wound the other. Nate cast unluck to disrupt the second crawling apocalypse's attacks. Suddenly, a group of small scorpions with metal claws broke through the tunnel roof and started clawing ineffectively at the party. Jakob smashed one while Lotus turned three more into salt. Jakob then made a pouncing charge at the second crawling apocalypse, breaking off one of its tentacles. A single arrow from Ike finished it off, and the rest of his arrows killed the remaining scorpions, leaving one with a nasty sucking chest wound and another buried deep in the sand.

After a few minutes, sand stopped pouring into the tunnel, and the dwarves were able to turn what had flowed into stone for easier tunneling. With the help of a disintegrate from Nate, the group continued inbound toward Old Westlay. Soon, the miners had carved out a room just outside the door of Old Westlay, and three wizards arrived to help create teleportation circles. Lotus complained about being in a cave, so Nate cast an illusion to make the walls look like trees. Lotus was soon snapped back to reality by a sound outside -- again, something was swimming through the sand nearby. Flynn cast haste and began singing, Nate used veil to make Jakob look like a feeble wizard, and Jakob positioned himself near the source of the sound.

Suddenly, a sandformed dragon crashed its head through the wall, and sand flowed in. Jakob stood unmoved in the sand as the dragon-like construct bit at him, its teeth bouncing off of his magical defenses. Ike landed five solid arrow shots, but Jakob's fists were unable to connect, and Nate's disintegrate and Lotus' red tide were completely ineffective. Nate recalled studying spells to create sandformed creatures once, and told Jakob that if he could land a well-placed blow he could completely destroy the creature's structure. Flynn inspired Jakob to further greatness, making the sandformed beast's attacks miss wildly. Ike's arrows and Jakob's fists continued to chip away at the beast, and Lotus drained a large amount of its strength. Nate's second attempt to disintegrate the creature hardly scratched it. Flynn continued to inspire Jakob and Ike. The dragon now breathed a cone of sand into the room, dealing substantial though not deadly wounds to the wizards. Ike and Jakob again chipped away at its defenses (down 466 hp) while Nate missed with a disintegrate ray and Lotus' flamestrike was absorbed. The dragon couldn't manage to get a claw on Jakob, and after a series of arrows from Ike, Jakob finally landed the critical strike he'd been trying for (double 20's), smashing the sandformed dragon to pieces.

One of the dwarven miners sealed up the gap in the wall, and the wizards finished casting their teleportation circles. The signal was sent, and the people of Old Westlay began pouring out of the keep doors and into the teleportation circles. Soon, the city was evacuated and the citizens were on their way to the Iron Door, the dwarven city underground. As the party followed behind, Nate and Kerastrix exchanged information about Abel. Abel had been planning to have White Fields secede and fight on the side of Mitzram, but his support evaporated after Flynn's brilliant debate performance. Being selfish above all, and knowing that at this point he had nothing to offer Mitzram, Abel focused his energy on helping White Fields prepare for war.

Minellin briefed the Ninja Mongoose Rockstars on another plan. He wanted all available armies to gather in the enchanted forest, in order to bring the maximum force to bear against Mitzram. He even wanted to get Ghern involved -- spellsinks would be a great resource against a heavily magical army. Since Ghern respected raw strength rather than magic, they had willingly followed the marruspawn abomination who killed their previous king. A strong champion from Tindell had been chosen to challenge their marruspawn abomination leader: Jinle'a Graythorne. The Ninja Mongoose Rockstars needed to locate the abomination and get his escort to hold still for long enough to allow Jinle'a to challenge for succession.

The party took up a position on William's Hill and, disguised as sheep, kept watch over the city. From there, they could see a new desert to the north (created when the wastelords flipped a lake) and burned forest to the east. Lots of hobgoblins passed through the valley below. Soon, Lotus spotted a svaklor -- something like a yuan-ti dragon -- patrolling to the north. As it got within Ike's range, Flynn cast haste and began inspiring the archer. Ike took a shot at the svaklor, easily hitting at a quarter-mile distance. The svaklor summoned a pair of marruspawn who wielded large flaming swords and rode on crocosphynxes. Nate decided to keep the new defenders distracted by creating an illusion of several archers a few hundred feet out. Ike continued putting arrows into the svaklor, killing it before the marruspawn materialized, and then seriously wounding one of their mounts.

The marruspawn used dimension door to position themselves to engage Nate's illusion, and one realized his mistake. Nate used telekinesis to push him off of his mount and onto the ground far below, and Ike finished off the other crocosphynx, leaving both marruspawn on foot. The pair used another dimension door to get closer to the party. Nate used telekinesis to disarm one of the enemies (natural 20, for a net 59 disarm check.) Lotus cast arc lightning, and Flynn sang "you guys are so boned, so boned, you don't even know how boned you are." Jakob charged at one of the enemies and used comet throw to toss him into his ally, leaving both prone. He used his quicksilver boots to position himself behind both prone enemies, and they started to realize that these "sheep" were not what they appeared. Ike drew a brilliant energy arrow and fired it from Fox's Bite, right through the enemy's armor and into his heart (146 damage). The remaining marruspawn tried to flee, but Jakob kept him on the ground and knocked him out. Ike finished off the clueless crocosphynx while Nate probed the captured marruspawn's thoughts, getting details on the enemy camp within the desert.

An hour later, the marruspawn abomination and his Ghern escorts approached the valley. Nate sent the signal to his mother, and the party waited to ambush the all-melee group. As they reached the narrowest part of the valley, Flynn played a loud riff on his lute. Lotus cast red tide to knock over and nauseate several of the escorts, and Nate's great thunderclap stunned a pair. Jakob jumped into the middle of the escorts and pushed the abomination, but couldn't get it off its feet. Ike rained arrows all around the escorts and yelled "stay right where you are!" Jakob stepped back and took up a defensive posture, conjuring a psionic shield, and the marruspawn abomination bashed against it. Jinle'a approached as Flynn inspired her to greatness, and Nate yelled out a taunt: "you're about to get destroyed by my MOM! You SUCK!" Jinle'a challenged the marruspawn according to the Ghern tradition, and with Flynn's inspiration, easily crushed him. The hobgoblin guards stood and declared her high leader.

Nate stepped forward and said "hi, mom." Jinle'a responded "are you still gambling?" "No", Nate bluffed (45). Jinle'a glared and said "don't you lie to me, boy." "Sorry, ma'am." Jinle'a and the hobgoblins led the way back to Nate's childhood city, and he had an ale at the Dancing Bear tavern. He also sent word to his old friend Thameor to collect on the bet they'd made a hundred and fifty-five years earlier.

The party reached level 16.

Ninja Mongoose Rockstars poster

2008-06-19T19:00:00.000-07:00

Again, courtesy Djinn_In_Tonic (click for larger size):
And here's the Ninja Mongoose Rockstars, Live!

Session 25, 2008-06-13: Guiding Westlay

2008-06-13T18:57:00.000-07:00

Session 25: wherein Flynn thwarts his brother and we thwart some assassins

Players (Characters)
Scott (Filthy Ike)
Jeremy (Flynn Flamm)
Tony (Brother Jakob)
Rachel (Lotus)
Tom (Nathaniel Graythorne)
DM: Catherine

For destroying the goblin army, Minellin presented the Ninja Mongoose Rockstars with rewards for "conspicuous awesomeness". He also noted that, during the cleanup of the goblin army, the Waecleftian soldiers found a note on one of the Marruspawn wizards. It detailed the thirsting's harsh effect on Mitzram, and requested that a particular harvest of "northern sweetblood" be increased, for treatment purposes. A map sketched on the back showed the location of the harvesting operation.

Nate disguised the party as Marruspawn wizards and teleported everyone into the eastern forest. Jakob ran up a tree, just because he could. Ike started looking around and soon discovered a tap had been placed in one of the beech trees, and the sap was slowly draining into a bucket. Lotus cast Speak with Plants and got some information from the tree. A group of Marru had been around, putting taps in several trees in the area. They came around about once every other day to collect the sap, and were due sometime later today. Lotus also discovered the tree's favorite color was green.

Ike found some Marruspawn tracks in an obvious circuit and started tracing them backwards. Soon, the party came upon a large marruspawn who looked to have martial training, as well as a smaller marruspawn whose primary purpose was carrying buckets. Flynn turned Ike invisible and Nate made Jakob look much like the big marruspawn. As Flynn questioned the big marruspawn about his operation, including its production rates and such, Nate probed the enemy's thoughts with a pair of spells. He got details on the marruspawn camp and harvesting operation, including the names of this pair (Miniset and Mirok), as well as some details about the thirsting, an ancient curse from an area called the "black hole". He also discovered the marruspawn called NMR "the scourge of the north", which was not nearly so clever as "the chord of DOOM!" At the appropriate signal, Flynn made it clear the Scourge of the North was here with a loud chord, and Ike's precise shot (137 damage) and a disintegrate spell from Nate (113) slew the larger enemy. Jakob leaped at the smaller enemy and killed it with a powerful swing, and Lotus went back to talking to her tree-friend George. As the party was discussing strategy, Jakob experimented with the sap, finding it destroyed a patch of black sand nearby.

Nate disguised himself as Miniset, Jakob as Mirok, and Ike, Lotus, and Flynn as wizards. The party set out for the hidden marruspawn camp, and with details about the illusion hiding it, everyone but Ike was able to see right through the spells. Nate yelled at the bucket-carriers: "go pick up all the sap we left behind. It's out that way!" He'd hoped to separate them from the camp's more powerful residents to make the fight easier. As the weaker creatures were walking away, a wizard stepped around the corner and immediately recognized the party's illusion, yelling out "we're under attack!" Ike pelted the wizard with poison arrows, and Jakob leaped forward to trip and stun the wizard as well as one of his allies. Lotus drowned the stunned wizard. The bucket-carrying marruspawn surrounded Ike and let out stench-filled breath, leading Ike to exclaim "dude, that was a good one! Now pull my finger!" The fighter next to Jakob tried to stand and immediately found himself back on the ground, and another wizard stepped around the corner where Nate was waiting with a spell of Feeblemind. One more fighter stepped around the corner and, thinking Jakob was the little marruspawn Mirok, tried to walk past to join the fight. Jakob tossed him on the ground.

With that, Flynn pulled out his lute and started singing, and Nate boomed out "the scourge of the north is here!" Ike fired four arrows, killing the three enemies that had surrounded him. Jakob pounded on one of the tripped fighters, leaving him so close to death that a bolt of lightning from Lotus killed him. Nate cast solipsism on the other fighter, leaving him in a dreamworld, and leading Lotus to ask "would you cast that on me later? It looks fun." Jakob and Ike finished off the last pair of lesser marruspawn. The party contacted Minellin to let him know about the outpost, the tree sap, and so on. Minellin teleported in to examine the teleportation circle, discovering it led to the center of a large city within Mitzram. Soon, a group of kingsmen arrived to take the base over.

Two days later, Flynn recieved a summons. As a prince of White Fields, he was to participate in a governmental decision. The party arrived at an open theater in White Fields, where several nobles stood nearest the leader whose position they agreed with. Joanna explained: an army of marruspawn was less than two days away, and the attempts to excavate Old Westlay continued to fail. She suspected Mitzram would offer Westlay the same deal as they'd given Serpenti: serve, or die. Charles of Eonsburg suggested Westlay do the honorable thing, and stay to fight. Kerastrix suggested Westlay flee to the stone tower mountains and seek allies. Abel Flamm suggested Westlay should pretend to surrender to Mitzram and then strike them from within. Each presented a basic statement, and the party moved to stand by Kerastrix.

Kerastrix began the argument: "This is the most dire threat to our kingdom since the War of the Ten Kings. The lesson we learned then is that we must unite or we will lose." Flynn added "we have seen how they operate. You cannot stay and try to serve them partly. You will be slaves at best, and fodder for vile sacrifices at worst. Our only hope is to fight together. It's not honorable to stay and lose and eventually die; the marruspawn want us to do exactly that. We shouldn't fight them on their terms." Abel countered "staying and pretending to serve gives us the most flexibility and versatility." Flynn shot back "there is no flexibility under their rule; you do what they want or you die." Abel again countered "it's least disruptive to our lives if we simply stay here." Flynn's response was devastating to Abel's position: "the marruspawn disrupt everything. If they want something you have, they'll kill you and take it." Throughout this argument, nobles from Abel's coalition, as well as some from Charles', shifted closer to Kerastrix and Flynn.

Charles objected: "we can't abandon Old Westlay! Many of our friends and family are still buried, and we can't let Mitzram simply walk in and conquer them." Flynn answered "by staying to fight, we doom Old Westlay to destruction. We can't win by fighting here." Nate added "we must win, first and foremost. Losing the war is just as bad for Old Westlay as abandoning them; either way, they'll die to Mitzram's onslaught. We have to agree to do what it takes to win, and only once we've decided that can we decide how to rescue them too." By this point, Flynn had persuaded the majority of the nobles that leaving to find allies was the best choice of action. Joanna, on a flying carpet above the middle of the assembly, called a quorum and started moving toward Flynn to declare the decision of the council.

Just then, Lotus noticed some slight distortions in the air, and Jakob heard movement -- invisible creatures were nearby! Lotus cast True Seeing and spotted a group of black yuan-ti abominations with strange tatoos. She called out "assassins!" Jakob's finely tuned hearing let him grab a hold of the nearest enemy, who had been approaching Flynn, and toss it to the ground, where he stood on top of it. That yuan-ti tried to get up but Jakob kept it down. Another yuan-ti leaped onto Menco Flamm's flying carpet and stabbed him with a blurry blade. A third turned the ground beneath the majority of nobles into boiling mud, and a fourth turned a few nobles to salt. Ike, who was standing at a distance in the bleachers (in order to avoid offending the olfactory senses of the nobles) gave himself True Seeing. Lotus tried to drown an abomination, but it was too hearty, and simply spit the water out of its lungs. Kerastrix grabbed and started chewing on one of the spellcasters, and Flynn inspired the party to fight more effectively. Nate disintegrated the invisible blob Kerastrix was busy chewing on, leaving the old dragon with a mouth full of gray dust.

The nobles, surprised by the sudden outbreak of violence, started to flee as Joanna sent for help. Jakob jumped onto Menco's carpet and knocked down the attacking yuan-ti. Still, it was able to stab at Menco, whose lifeless body tumbled off the carpet and into the mud. Another yuan-ti moved beside Nate, and the final one cast flaying windburst toward Lotus and the fleeing nobles. Ike saw Nate was in trouble, so he rained arrows down on the abomination, killing it with a critical hit (and some luck from Nate.) Lotus spit in the eyes of the remaining caster, blinding it and making it that much easier for Kerastrix to maul, though the old dragon, inspired by Flynn's singing, had no trouble tearing the abomination apart. (Nate observed "Kerastrix" rhymes with "ass kicked".) Flynn dispelled the invisibility on the final yuan-ti, allowing Nate to trap it in its own mind with solipsism. Jakob snapped the abomination's neck, and within a few seconds, some local clerics had arrived to restore Menco and other nobles to life.

With the excitement over, Joanna called the meeting back to order, and the assembly voted overwhelmingly in favor of joining with any allies who could be found. As the vote was going on, the party realized the assassins had focused on Menco and Flynn first and foremost. Nate suspected Abel may have been involved, so he borrowed the rod of the mongoose and a spell of invisibility from Flynn, and cast probe thoughts on Abel. He learned that Abel hadn't planned the assassination, but was aware of it through some "contacts". The assassins targeted everyone who wanted to flee -- everyone who wanted to do the one thing Mitzram wasn't planning on. Abel had little other information to offer.

The yuan-ti abominations had tatoos with symbols of Senneth.

Jakob reached level 15.

Runestaff of Construct Control

2008-06-11T15:16:00.000-07:00

Price (item level): 13,500 gp (13th)
Body Slot: - (held)
Caster Level: 13th
Aura: Strong; (DC 21) transmutation
Activation: As spell used
Weight: 3 lb.

This staff looks nearly identical to a pipe wrench.

A runestaff of construct control allows you to cast any of the following spells (described here) by expending a prepared arcane spell or arcane spell slot of the same level or higher.

3/day:
Hide from Constructs (level 1)
Probe Command (level 2)
Scan Construct (level 3)

1/day:
Suppress Command (level 3)
Replace Command (level 4)
Command Construct (level 6)

Heightened Spellshard: Unluck

2008-06-11T15:13:00.000-07:00

Stars and scales decorate this indigo talisman (throat slot), inscribed in gold with the rune for "Ruin".

Usable 3/day: whenever you cast Unluck with this spellshard as the focus, the spell is automatically heightened by 4 levels, acting as a 7th level spell (+4 to save DC.) Whenever you cast Mass Unluck, it acts as an 11th level spell. Not cumulative with other heighten effects. Does not change casting time or spell level required to cast.

Cost 11,500 gp

New Spells

2008-06-11T14:17:00.001-07:00

Shatter Mind Blank
Evocation
granted to Nathaniel Graythorne as Sor 5
Components: V,S
Casting Time: 1 Standard Action
Range: Medium (100' + 10'/level)
Targets: One creature with a Mind Blank effect active
Duration: instantaneous
Save: No
Spell Resistance: Yes

Make a caster level check at +4 (d20+CL+4, maximum caster level 20) vs. a DC of 11+ the caster level of the mind blank effect. If you succeed, the mind blank ends.

Unluck, Mass
Transmutation (note: Unluck has been houseruled to Transmutation as well)
Sor/Wiz 7
Targets: Up to one creature per level, no two of which are more than 30' apart

This spell functions like Unluck, except that it effects multiple creatures.

Nate's Multilayer Ruse
Illusion (Figment/Glamer)
Sor/Wiz 9, Nathaniel Graythorne 8
Components: V,S
Casting Time: 1 Standard Action
Range: Long (400' + 40'/level)
Targets: Area up to four 10' cubes plus one 10' cube/level (S), plus one or more creatures, no two of which can be more than 30' apart
Duration: 1 hour/level
Save: Will partial or Will Negates; see text
Spell Resistance: No or Yes; see text

This spell creates the same effects as Veil, Hallucinatory Terrain, and Persistent Image, in both an "inner" and "outer" layer. Individuals, objects, or terrain segments may be disguised in either or both layers, and their disguises may differ between layers. Observers normally see, hear, and otherwise sense the outer layer of the spell.

True Seeing negates the visual effects of the outer layer of the spell, but provides a -2 circumstance penalty to Will saves to see through the inner layer. The saving throw DC against the outer layer is at -5 compared to spells at this level, while the saving throw DC against the inner layer is at +5 (the outer layer is more easily seen through, while the inner layer is more difficult to penetrate.)

Unwilling targets can negate the spell’s effect on them by making Will saves or with spell resistance. Those who interact with the subjects can attempt Will disbelief saves to see through the glamer (a single save against both layers; if the result is between the two, the subject sees past the outer layer, viewing the inner layer as real), but spell resistance doesn’t help.

Rod of the Mongoose

2008-05-23T15:23:00.001-07:00

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.

Session 24, 2008-05-23: Waecleft Moves

2008-05-23T14:07:00.000-07:00

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:

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.

Based on that knowledge, Nate cast feeblemind, and the now-stupid marruspawn continued walking, giving the others no indication that he'd been neutralized.

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.

Brother Jakob's Backstory

2008-05-19T17:28:00.000-07:00

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.

Session 23, 2008-05-16: Run Away! Run Away!

2008-05-16T17:38:00.000-07:00

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.

Session 22, 2008-05-09: Shooting at the Darkness

2008-05-09T11:19:00.000-07:00

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."

NMR Logo (rough draft)

2008-05-07T18:17:00.001-07:00

Flynn Flamm's Backstory

2008-04-08T23:25:00.000-07:00

If there's a shining beacon of civilization anywhere in the world, it's Westlay, and the people of Westlay know it. To be sure, the massive Yuan-Ti empire of Serpenti rivals them in size and power, but they're hardly civilized what with sacrificing their people to dark demons and all.

Westlay is a hundred miles of peace and justice, surrounded by a sea of chaos and destruction. One step outside its mighty walls, the world is swimming in dragons and werewolves. Within, its mighty eagles patrol constantly, and even its deep forests are safe. In Westlay alone, in all of Semferia, are the roads safe and the laws just. Even the enchanted forests of the Ivani are not so well protected--though the Westlayans are barely aware of what goes on west the Stonetower Mountains, and wouldn't compare themselves to the Forgotten People anyway. The peace of Westlay has stood firm for twelve generations, even through the war of the Ten Kings. No one else can say that!

Her people are busy humans and half-elves, proud, fierce, and lovers of life. They love music, competition, and innovation. Mount Korzhin is home to a race of giant eagles, the Goldbacks. They count themselves proud citizens. The annual Westlayan athletic games include an entire division of airborne sports the Goldbacks alone can enter, and they take great pride in besting their earthbound contrymen.

On the throne, in the capital city of Old Westlay, sits King Korethian Kelavin III, who has reigned for thirty-two years. At his side, chief judge and advisor Kerastrix, Who Remembers--an ancient gold dragon who has been guardian and protector of justice since the founding of Westlay. The many towers and walls of the mighty keep oversee the busy city of Old Westlay, home to much of Westlays military might, her finest schools, and an assortment of world-famous street musicians and atheletes.

Twenty miles southwest of Old Westlay stands White Fields. White Fields is larger, busier, and wealthier than Old Westlay. What it lacks in cultural and political clout it makes up for in economics. The wheatfields and orchards of White Fields could feed all of Westlay three times over; her fine tradesmen and practical magicians produce sturdy items valued throughout Semferia. Perhaps the richest people in all of Semferia are the noble family of the Flamms, on the White Fields throne.

As the most powerful noble families in all of Westlay, there is (of course) a rivalry between the Flamms and the Kelavins. But it takes the form of swimming competitions and displays of wealth; loyalty in Westlay is absolute. The Kelavins generally best the Flamms in fencing and magic, while the Flamms are generally more successful at driving their Kelavin rivals out of business in, say, the magic carpet industry. Nonetheless, the crown remains securely with King Korethian.

The life of a Westleyan noble is strenuous to say the least. Beginning at three years of age, a young lord or lady trains for ten hours a day. By age twelve, he is expected to have mastered Draconic, Auran, and Sylvan, together with swordplay, etiquette, geometry, history, the local and national laws, and eagle-back riding. Years of economics, magic, agriculture, philosophy, music (harp and horn are both mandatory), literature, and diplomacy await. By the time a lad assumes the throne, long twelve hour days of physical and mental labor are routine. This is a good thing, as the young king continues the habit of study and hard work through public speaking, diplomacy, lawmaking, warmaking, and physically helping his citizens. No one works harder to serve the people better than the nobles of Westlay.

It is the habit of the kings of Westlay to marry late in life, and retire from the throne as soon as an eligible prince comes of age. It is hardly a foregone conclusion that the eldest son will inherit the throne, though it is generally seen as his for the taking. All of the princes, and many in the royal family, train hard for the task, and the most promising, devoted, and wise is chosen. Sometimes it is a newphew or grandson, but more commonly it is one of the princes, and usually the eldest. On the young man's twenty-fifth birthday, the king retires from the throne and assumes the role of chief advisor, with no more power than is delegated to him by his son. For the first year, the old king remains as busy in the affairs of the court as ever, but eventually his power wanes, until finally he retires from regular appearance in the court at all, and lives his final days as a well-beloved friend of the people.

Flynn's father Boyent is the third of the line of Flamms on the White Fields throne, and is by all accounts a good king. Boyent succeded his grandfather's reign of fifty-five years--a reign that was a little long for Westlayan comfort, but the people feel Boyant was a fine choice over the mediocre princes of the previous generation. After reigning thirty-two years, Boyent is now ripe for retirement himself.

But that life was not for Flynn.

Maintaining goodness and justice among power-hungry nobles, to say nothing of running a city and supporting a kingdom, is a strenuous and difficult life. Flynn's training hardly stood him in good stead to take it up. His generosity and kindness were never in doubt, nor his wisdom, nor even really his capability and talent. It seemed obvious he could become a fine swordsman, but somehow swordplay was always neglected for swimming, draconic for drama, the fine intricacies of classical music for energetic and loud progressions of throbbing chords. Flynn's palate leaned more toward the peasant's meat pies than the royalty's seared quail, and his high etiquette suffered while his rapport with the common folk grew. It seemed he would be lucky to even pass his final tests and qualify for the throne; he was hardly anyone's first choice.

This didn't bother Flynn a bit. His mother Ingo worried a little, but Boyent liked Flynn as he was. Indeed, Boyent was fond of camping with Flynn when he could get away from the throne--the best vacations which could pack weeks of rest into days were always Flynn's doing. If Boyent didn't understand Flynn's lowbrow tastes well, he could certainly enjoy them.

Boyent's younger son, Abel, was more ambitious. He threw himself into his studies with a zeal that commanded respect. No subject escaped his amitious attention, and he pleased all of his tutors. Witty, aristocratic, diplomatic, his exacting draconic pronunciations were matched only by his ready knowledge of the doings of the third cousins of the Jetsam family. He was charming to a fault. At any given time, it always seemed nine of any ten nobles owed him a favor. His knowledge of the law was perfect, if his fervor for reforming it was lacking. If he had any drawback, it was that his ambition was selfish; he lacked his older brother's sincerity and generosity. Most of the court loved him dearly and did not know this, but Boyent was not fooled.

Boyent worried about the fate of White Fields under either Flynn or Abel, but worried about Abel more. Flynn's heart was good, and he was competent to manage the throne--if only he would persevere in his studies! The danger for a decadent reign was ever-present. Yet the greater danger lay in Abel's selfish ambition. Under Abel, Boyent worried for the preservation of justice--yet Flynn was no safeguard, as he seemed unlikely to stand up to the more corrupt families.

As Flynn's twenty-fifth birthday approached in May, Boyent made him a unique offer. Boyent offered Flynn the throne, offering even to undertake the hardest of the administrative duties for the first few years, but Flynn would have to study hard to make up for lost time. At the end of ten years, if Flynn had not grown to love the work, Flynn should pass the throne on to another candidate (a few nephews in the family seemed promising, but were far too young.) Boyent knew Flynn wasn't really cut out for a king's life, but pleaded with his son at length for what he felt was the good of the city.

In the days ahead, Flynn sought the advice of friends about the offer. His usual friends, though--farmers and chefs--had little appreciation for the life of the court, or what was at stake. Setting foot uncomfortably in noblemans' parties, he began to seek the advice of his social peers. A bit naive in this setting, he apparently chose the wrong confidants.

In the days leading up to his birthday, strange rumors began to grow. Flynn heard he was seen in places he knew he hadn't been. He was reported to have associated with the most decadant of the nobles, seeking their advice on how to hold the throne without doing the work. His friend the chief chef swore he had seen him preparing meals and inspecting the ingredients used for royal feasts. Late one night, a shadowy figure appeared at his door with an unasked-for delivery--a bright red vial
containing what looked like water.

The next day, an attempt was made on the life of the king. His food was poisoned, and Flynn saw immediately that he would be the only suspect. Flynn fled before he could be arrested and executed. Barely able to breathe, Boyent set on Flynn a sentence of exile, and forbade him return to his homeland on pain of death.

Boyent barely recovered, and remains on the throne. Yet what news Flynn has heard from home holds him still an exile. The diplomatic position enjoyed by the Kingsmen overrides his exile, and he may visit home on official business--but he dare not stay a day late.

Truth be told, Flynn is hardly bitter about the turn of affairs, and has found life on the road to be to his liking. If he misses his father and the comforts of home and wealth, the wonders of the world seem to make up for it.

Nathaniel Graythorne's Backstory

2008-04-08T23:24:00.000-07:00

A Short Biography of Nathaniel Graythorne

Family: Nathaniel was born in Hinnom valley, south of Jezrel, 32 years before the War of the Ten Kings. His mother, Jinle’a, had the blood of angels in her and could no doubt have chosen a mate from among the ranks of angels, but fell for a simple human farmer named Kenneth Graythorne. Jinle’a bore Kenneth three children: Andrea, Nathaniel, and Matthew. Andrea and Matthew lived fairly normal human lifespans, and their great grandchildren now live scattered about Westlay.

Nathaniel grew up and married his childhood sweetheart, a lovely young girl named Emily. She bore him four children: Dora, Jason, Michael, and Grace. Emily and Kenneth were both killed in the first raids during the War. Nathaniel stayed behind enemy lines while Jinle’a led his children to the south during William’s Gambit. It was over fifteen years before Nathaniel found his family again, and by that time, his children had families of their own and could not bring themselves to reconcile with the father they thought had died or abandoned them. His great grandchildren now live in an estate in Tindell, knowing Nathaniel only through Jinle’a’s stories.

Wartime Service: Nathaniel was an intelligence specialist during the War. He would often infiltrate giant encampments with his friend “Silent Mike”, both disguised as orc slaves. They would listen in on battle plans and transmit key details back to the city, and Nathaniel would often add insult to injury by winning large sums of gold from the giants through card games. With detailed knowledge of the enemy, the Jezrel militia was able to hold off the giants much longer than expected, but ultimately, it became clear that the city was going to fall.

William the Fox, one of Jezrel’s captains, devised a plan to evacuate the city. He and an elite squadron of archers, including Silent Mike, stationed themselves on a high rock and waited to ambush a group of giants patrolling outside the city. The plan was to draw the giants’ attention long enough to create a gap in the patrols so that Jezrel’s civilian population could flee on horseback, with most of the militia following on foot. The archers knew this would be a suicide mission, but their deaths would not be in vain. Many giants were slain, and Jezrel’s people and army made it safely to Tindell. Jezrel’s army later fought valiantly in the Battle of Thunder.

Nathaniel remained in orcish guise throughout William’s Gambit, placing illusory archers along the hills in order to slow and frustrate the giants’ progress. Unfortunately, he was injured in the fighting and was unable to flee. For the rest of the war, he remained active behind enemy lines, poisoning food and sabotaging equipment.

Postwar History: After the war, Nathaniel traveled the world seeking to make it a better place for his descendants. In the wild, he’d kill dangerous animals and even whole tribes of goblins through clever use of illusions. In society, his focus was on financially devastating those who exploited and mistreated others. He created the “Nate the Great” persona for two reasons: first, to lend credibility to the idea that he’d gained treasure from defeating goblins, and second, to fit in to high society so he could gain access to high-stakes gambling.

Nathaniel recently heard stories of a Sir Galron, a powerful and rich warrior who’d bullied, oppressed, and stolen from many widows in the area. Nate played up his persona as the naïve do-gooder son of a wealthy businessman, gaining invitation to Galron’s card game where he was expected to be an easy mark. Instead, he slowly accumulated wealth through careful and clever play, culminating in winning Galron’s armor and sword. In an outburst of anger, Galron stood and threatened to kill Nate with the very sword he’d lost in his final bet. Nate cast a spell to freeze his opponent, drained his strength, and took his things, selling them and distributing the proceeds to the local widows. A representative of the Kingsmen who had been at the card game believed Nathaniel would make a fine addition to Rogar’s team, and invited him to the outpost.

Philosophy: Nathaniel prefers to defeat enemies by striking them at their weakest point: their mind. He favors clever use of illusions and misdirection, preferring to convince an enemy to walk off a cliff or into a lion’s den rather than trying to attack directly. Convincing an enemy that he is a friend is often a precursor to that enemy suffering a freak accident.

Session 21, 2008-04-04: Making the Mountain Passable

2008-04-04T18:04:00.000-07:00

Session 21: wherein Jakob throws dogs and giants, and the undead become merely dead

Players (Characters)
Scott (Filthy Ike)
Jeremy (Flynn Flamm)
Tony (Brother Jakob)
Rachel (Lotus)
Tom (Nathaniel Graythorne)
DM: Catherine

The party set about upgrading equipment, and Ike found he was a bit short on funds. Lotus made an offer: "you can have 1500 gold pieces, but you can't kill squirrels for a week." Ike's response was "you can keep your damn money." Ike spent the next week killing squirrels. Lotus spent the time talking to and healing squirrels. Jakob spent some time playing with orphans. Nate researched Grayn family history to figure out his relation to Martin Grayn. Flynn threw a benefit concert for the people of Westlay, with Nate providing a lightshow and Ike preparing food.

Minellin informed the party that the Ghern had started travelling southward and burned much of the forest, but that there was no great need for NMR's help at the time. A few days later he let the party know a group of clerics was coming from the mountains to help deal with the Thirsting in Westlay. A day after that, the clerics sent word that they were under attack by big lumbering beasts -- Mivilorns. They sent coordinates, and Nate and the party teleported out, with Flynn casting haste on everyone just before teleporting. Ike started shooting, hitting a far-off squirrel with his first shot and one of the beasts with the next four. Jakob tried to throw another beast aside. Flynn started singing, providing everyone in the area with magical healing. Lotus cast lightning at the pack of beasts. Two of them tried to eat clerics, and two missed on their attempts to eat Ike and Jakob. The remaining clerics started running. Ike kept shooting, and Nate tried to phantasmally kill one of the beasts, but didn't succeed. Jakob's flurry of blows wounded one substantially (183 hp) and Flynn fired his bow. Lotus cast Languor, draining one beast's strength. Two kept eating the clerics they'd bitten, and the other two missed the slightly quicker than normal Ike and Jakob.

Ike finally took down the one he'd been working on, and took another shot at one nearby. Nate unlucked one who had been trying to eat clerics. Jakob tripped one and ruptured its spleen, killing it. Flynn fired a couple more arrows and Lotus flamestriked one of the enemies. It turned to try to eat Jakob, but failed. The other spit one of the clerics out of his mouth and sniffed to see if it was still alive, but his poor luck gave him a mouth full of gravel when trying to bite again. Ike's arrows and Jakob's fists combined to kill one of the remaining mivilorns, and Nate's Phantasmal Killer took down the unlucky one. Several clerics healed Ike and cast Lingering Soul on their fallen brothers, and the party teleported back to Westlay with the recently deceased and as many extra clerics as could be managed.

A couple days later, Minellin sent a message saying that two strange giants had closed off a key mountain pass, and had wraiths along with them. The party decided to disguise themselves as commoners and join a caravan heading over the pass. Lotus summoned a pair of wolves to lead the way. Nate gave everyone mage armor, and Veiled the wolves to look like big strong mercenaries. Lotus cast Death Ward on herself and Jakob, and Flynn hasted the party and sang a song from within the caravan's wagon. As the party reached the spot where the giants were known to dwell, the giants stepped out of a pair of caves. They were surrounded by ghosts, and one said "this is our mountain, claimed for Vash."

Jakob leaped up to the platform where one of the giants stood, and tossed him down onto the road (with some luck from Nate.) The giant stood and flung one of the "mercenary" wolves off of the cliff, and devoured the other with some sort of vortex. The other cast Unholy Blight, sickening Nate. Ike peppered the giant with arrows (191 hp), and his last painful poke made the giant move slower in his last, dying moments. Nate cast Sensory Deprivation on the other giant, meaning the giant could only feel crude sensations, and had no sense of sight, sound, or smell. Flynn nailed it with an arrow, and Lotus' Sudden Stalagmite immobilized it while providing a fairly crude sensation. The caravan's normal mercenaries fired ineffectively at the giant. Jakob's quicksilver boots let him leap over to the other platform, and his flurry seriously wounded the giant. The souls around the giant started screaming, and the valley echoed, scaring the caravan's driver, horses, and guards. Ike finished off the giant, and the ghosts dissipated, but the valley kept whining.

Nate created an illusion of several mercenaries standing on the edge of the road looking into the valley, and then disconnected the horses from the wagon so they wouldn't take it with them when they fled. Flynn tried to use a countersong to help those who'd been scared, but it had no effect. A shrieking undead creature materialized and tried to scare Nate's illusion. A pair of wraiths materialized next to Lotus and attacked, but her Death Ward kept her safe. Ike shot at the shrieking creature, hitting it with several force arrows. Nate unlucked one of the wraiths, and Lotus' sunbeam killed both plus the shrieker. Flynn's countersong counteracted the dying shriek (negative levels). Nate chased down the horses and caravan members, who had finally recovered from their fear, and the party checked out the cave behind the giants' platforms.

The party climbed into a swerving tunnel. Flynn cast a minor light spell on himself since he couldn't see in the dark. A group of wraiths came out from the walls. Flynn played the "OMG Wraiths are PWN3D" song. One wraith struck Lotus ineffectively, one missed Ike, one missed Flynn, and the final one hit Ike but he avoided the drain effect. Jakob's flurry took down two wraiths and Ike's bow took down two more.

The party stepped into a large cave with a pit in the middle. A big black worm-like creature called a Nightcrawler was in the middle of the cave. Jakob charged with a Divine Surge, but missed. Lotus' flamestrike was ineffective against the magically resistant beast. Ike's holy arrows were somewhat effective. Flynn cast Haste and started to retreat. The nightcrawler bit Jakob and held him tight. Nate's unluck failed on the creature, and Jakob barely managed to hit it. Lotus' force dinosaurs were also ineffective. Ike's force arrows made the nightcrawler start to bleed. Flynn stepped forward and cast Freedom of Movement on Jakob, but took a nasty hit for his trouble. The nightcrawler tried to swallow Jakob, but he slipped away. It spit out a cone of cold, catching Flynn completely unaware and leaving him badly hurt. Nate's unluck was again ineffective. Jakob's flurry and Ike's arrows, with some guidance from Lotus, were just enough to bring the nightcrawler down. Flynn kept his song going for the next few minutes as his body magically recovered from the fight.

The party reached level 14.

Sessions 19-20, 2008-03-21 and 28: The Battle for White Fields

2008-03-28T18:04:00.000-07:00

Sessions 19-20: wherein a kingdom is crushed, a king is slain, and a city is buried

Players (Characters)
Scott (Filthy Ike)
Jeremy (Flynn Flamm)
Tony (Brother Jakob)
Rachel (Lotus)
Tom (Nathaniel Graythorne)
DM: Catherine

As the huge group flew for the edge of the anti-teleportation shell, Richard, one of the kingsmen, gave the party an update from Westlay. They had conjured a huge rainstorm over the top of the siege camp, which forced the black sands to grow and the yuan-ti to move onto open ground. The armies from Old Westlay joined with those who broke through the stone wall at White Fields and surrounded the Serpenti army, whose clerics lost their divine connection a moment later. The eagles mission is to move to seal the breach in the wall, to ensure the Serpenti clerics can't escape. Unfortunately, a force of five hundred marruspawn launched a strike on Old Westlay, and they would be an additional threat to deal with.

With the help of a tailwind, the whole group got outside of the Serpenti anti-teleportation shell and teleported to the breach in Westlay's wall. Some guards were on top of the wall, and a group of marruspawn and a group of sand golems were preparing to strike from outside. The Ninja Mongoose Rockstars took position in the breach while the eagles hovered overhead. Jakob drew a line in the sand and taunted the oncoming enemies with a "bring it on" motion. Nate cast confusion on the middle pack of soldiers, who immediately lost unit cohesion. Two of the golems approached along with one group of soldiers. One wizard cast sandstorm to block visibility, and another turned three of the guards to salt. Flynn began singing with Words of Creation, and Ike fired a series of arrows at the remaining wizard. Lotus used Ice Flowers to hurt and slow the golems. The remaining enemies approached, and one wizard tried to turn the remaining guards to salt, but the guards (inspired by Flynn) let off a volley that took him down. The eagles filled the other two wizards with arrows.

Nate confused another group of enemy soldiers, who joined the brawl with the first group. Flynn un-salted one guard, who joined his friends in shooting at the soldiers below. Jakob punched one golem several times and Ike shot another. One golem moved forward and punched the wall, forming several cracks. Lotus created a tremor that knocked two of the golems over, and the eagles took out most of the soldiers, leaving a few to fight amongst themselves. Nate greased the third golem, which slipped and let its guard down, allowing Jakob to pummel it into a pile of sand. Flynn un-salted another guard, who dragged his still-salty friend away from the damaged wall. Jakob and Ike finished off the next golem, and the final golem failed in its attempt to retaliate against Jakob. Jakob and Ike combined to kill the final golem, Flynn turned the last salty guy back to normal, and the eagles said they could handle the breach from here on out.

Nate teleported the party in to where the main battle was going on. The yuan-ti army occupied an oval area about 1500 feet long and shrouded in magical darkness. Westlay's forces had them surrounded, and the muddy battlefield showed clearly how the battle had gone. Spots of black sand were apparent throughout the area, and yuan-ti made up the bulk of the dead. When the party arrived, those nearby began to cheer -- "NMR is here!" They said groups of yuan-ti psions kept teleporting behind the lines and trying to break through, and that the weakest point was on the east. The party's responsibility was to shore up the line and take out as many yuan-ti clerics as possible before they regained their spellcasting. Flynn hasted the party as they moved to the eastern part of the battlefield.

There on the east, a person Jakob recognized -- his old mentor, Jacob -- stood with a thin line of Westlayan soldiers, between the main Serpenti army and a small group of psions and other yuan-ti. Flynn began singing an inspirational song and approached to where Westlay's soldiers could hear him. Ike loosed five arrows at the nearest psion, killing him with the last critical shot. Nate shattered another psion's mind blank, and Lotus placed a dinosaur stampede atop the yuan-ti strike force. The psion Nate had just hit used his telekinetic ability to pull Ike's bow away, and the others closed in to try to kill the Westlayan soldiers holding the breach. Jakob ran toward Jacob, right over a psion, and stunned a Serpenti cleric. Two more psions attacked, one scrambling Jacob's atoms and the other trying but failing to make Jakob suicidal. Flynn continued to approach and sing, and the army perked up noticeably. Ike drew Fox's Bite and kept shooting at the bowstealing psion, and Nate feebleminded him as well. Lotus shattered the ground under some yuan-ti with Ice Flowers, and her force dinosaurs stampeded over another group. The feebleminded psion stumbled toward Jakob, who tripped and killed it.

A larger group of yuan-ti, including a pair of abominations, started teleporting in. Jakob punched another psion and then moved next to the preimages. Another psion scrambled Jacob's atoms again, and more yuan-ti tried to approach but got tripped by Jacob's swinging spiked chain. Jacob called out instructions to the soldiers next to him, who swarmed and killed one psion and a pair of clerics. As the new yuan-ti group materialized, the two abominations cast Timeless Body to avoid wounds, and the other pair tried to turn Jakob insane but both failed. Lotus' dinosaurs continued trampling yuan-ti as she cast Drown, killing a psion. Ike shot at the biggest abomination, to no effect, but Nate was able to shatter the psion's mind blank. Jakob killed the other, smaller psion with a flurry of searing blows, psionic fists, and stunning fists (177 hp.)

[The session stopped here and resumed one week later.]

Some yuan-ti tried to flee through a small gap in the line near Jacob, who tripped a pair in the path of the force dinosaurs. Jacob called out to Jakob "hey, come visit me at Jade Feather when this is over. I just got rescued from Senneth's temple down in Mer-Merrshaulk, and I've got business to attend to up that way." His Mithril Tornado slew several of the nearby psions, and Flynn's inspiring words had something to do with him being out of spells. More yuan-ti tried to push through the lines, struggling past the rubble from the Ice Flowers. The abominations cast Crisis of Breath on Lotus, who had to concentrate to keep breathing, and Death Urge on Jakob, who felt the need to do something insanely dangerous. Ike fired a precise shot at the big abomination, and Nate feebleminded the other one, taunting "you're not that tough without your Mind Blank, are you?" Lotus' dinosaurs ran into the main group of yuan-ti and she covered the area with an Entangle spell, but kept struggling to breathe.

Jakob's suicidal urge sent him running into the middle of the yuan-ti army. Luckily for him, his Ring of the Darkhidden meant he wasn't visible within the magical darkness. Unfortunately, he was wading in the black sand the yuan-ti were trying so desperately to get out of. One enemy tried to get Jakob to share his wounds, but failed, and another tried to crush Jacob's mind, but again failed. Flynn moved near Old Jacob, looking for protection from the hordes of enemies, but the inspired allies continued taking enemies down. Flynn felt a rush of wind coming down from above, but stayed focused on his music. The abominations teleported away (the feebleminded one under the control of the other), and the lesser yuan-ti continued to try to find a hole in the line. Ike took down the biggest remaining psion and one of the fleeing yuan-ti. Nate confused a group inside the main battlefield, and Lotus placed a Vortex of Teeth on the opposite side. She fainted due to lack of breath, but Flynn's magic brought her back to consciousness. Jakob tried to get out of the main group, stunning a psion on his way back to the line, and Old Jacob's Ancient Mountain Hammer maneuver took down another yuan-ti cleric.

The line stabilized quickly now that there were no threats outside. The Westlayan soldiers and Lotus' dinosaurs killed several enemies, and several others started killing one another because they were confused. Jakob took down a pack of four enemies who tried to move away from him, and Ike took down the last two yuan-ti who'd broken through the line before he turned his bow on the last nearby psion. That psion threw one of the humans into the vortex of teeth.

Flynn now heard the sound of eagle wings overhead, and heard Boyent's voice call out: "We stopped here to find our inspiration. Sennet must be stopped." A scroll fell from the sky at Flynn's feet, and the eagles flew off toward the middle of the yuan-ti formation. Nate knocked some enemies down with a thunderclap, and Lotus' dinosaurs and piranhas kept shredding the enemies. Jakob dropped another psion, but yet another stepped into view and dispelled Lotus' entangle. Old Jacob again called out instructions, helping Jakob and several soldiers reposition themselves. Now Jakob and Jacob were standing side by side, tripping and throwing enemies aside and laughing about old times. The rest of the Westlayan guard cut down all of the enemies within reach.

Nathaniel cast another illusion, placing a huge NMR logo, complete with sound and discouraging text like "we're in ur camp killing ur selves", above the battlefield. The yuan-ti who were visible were clearly shaken (-2 penalties) by this. Flynn looked at the scroll, and sang out "I've been pardoned, oh yes, I'm no longer exiled!" Ike shot down four more enemies and then got distracted by the logo, firing his final shot harmlessly away. Lotus' dinosaurs continued stomping on guys as the allies fired their bows at whatever targets they could see. Jakob and Jacob discussed strategy while taking out a few more enemies, and Jakob started roaring out taunts at the shaken yuan-ti.

Suddenly, the abomination/psion reappeared, this time with another group of allies, clearly hoping for one last shot to break the line open. At that moment, there was a bright flash -- a Sunburst in the middle of the yuan-ti formation. A hail of arrows came down on a target somewhere below, and with a loud crack, four yuan-ti and four dead-looking eagles became visible in that area. Ike positioned himself with the rest of the party, and Nate cast Daylight on Jacob's chain, helping the allies see and shoot more enemies. Ike fired several shots at the big psion, and Jakob stepped next to him. Nate cast confusion, which affected most of the lesser yuan-ti the abomination had brought along. Lotus cast Arc Lightning, which sparked across a group of enemies. Several psions tossed lines of flame at Flynn, who found himself seriously wounded. The abomination cast Microcosm on Jacob, but his Iron Heart Surge let him break out of the false world the psion implanted in his mind. Jakob punched and clawed at the abomination and one of his allies, and the rest of the Westlayan soldiers combined with Ike to kill the remaining psions within range.

Nate cast Veil on the yuan-ti who were flying above the middle of the battlefield, making one of them look like Ike and another look like Nate. Several waves of fire came out of the darkness and shredded the two of them. Lotus' dinosaurs started plowing a path into the middle of the battlefield, and Jacob, Jakob, and the Westlayan soldiers finished off whoever they could. Ike fired several arrows at the yuan-ti who now looked like him. (The party had 152 kills to their credit by now, including one champion and 17 elites.) Nate pulled the sending stones and tried to get instructions from Joanna and Boyent; Joanna said the battle had turned and that the line needed to be held, but Boyent couldn't be reached. Jakob picked Flynn up and started running around the battlefield, and Flynn's song inspired the rest of the troops to press the attack. After another minute of fighting, the remaining big psions and clerics gathered up and teleported away, and another minute later, the last remaining Serpenti troops in the area were dead.

Within minutes, word came as to the location of the psions and clerics: they had joined the attack on Old Westlay, sealing it in stone much like they'd done to White Fields. But this time, a huge blue dragon/marruspawn halfbreed joined the battle, covering the city with a sandstorm two miles wide. Korethean, Derex, and Proudbeak were trapped inside, along with the rest of the city's population -- and the remaining yuan-ti and marruspawn were killed by the sandstorm itself. Over the next few minutes, it became apparent Boyent had died in his strike on Serpenti's champion cleric, but the strike had succeeded. All five of the yuan-ti's champions had been killed in the war, three directly by NMR, one by some eagles who found him stumbling around feebleminded, and one by Boyent.

The next morning, a group of Woodling Druids came to the battlefield and buried all of the black sand. All of Westlay's clerics who were outside of the buried capital got to work on curing those who still had the disease. The storm over Old Westlay continued, its duration unknown. Abel took temporary stewardship of the throne of White Fields, and Joanna and Kerastrix joined him in trying to find allies to help out -- perhaps dwarves or druids could tunnel in to the city or stop the storm.

The party reached level 13.

Session 18, 2008-03-14: The Big Bang

2008-03-14T18:03:00.000-07:00

Session 18: wherein a failed quest leads to an exploding temple, and the calling card gets bigger

Players (Characters)
Scott (Filthy Ike)
Jeremy (Flynn Flamm)
Tony (Brother Jakob)
Rachel (Lotus)
Tom (Nathaniel Graythorne)
DM: Catherine

The party spent the next few days in Old Westlay, waiting for their next assignments. Ike and Lotus hung out in the fields, and Lotus made crop circles with her force dinosaurs. As Lotus was out in the fields, she noticed a Marruspawn skulking around spying, and resisted its aura of forgetfulness. Back in town, a little kid asked Jakob "are you a real ogre?" Jakob replied "I'm just a half-ogre." The boy said "wow, that's really cool!" Flynn came upon a group of street musicians competing over a small pot of gold, and decided to accompany a lady who was playing the flute. Needless to say, she won the competition. Gary Stonehearth, a shopkeeper and old friend of Flynn's who'd been watching the competition, called Flynn over. "I remember you; you played the best bass lute in all of Westlay!" He asked Flynn if he'd cleared up the assassination rumor, saying it made no sense for a failed assassination to get him accepted into an elite group of assassins. "Sounds like nobles makin up some hullabaloo", he said. In any case, Mr. Stonehearth offered Flynn an ongoing discount at his shop.

As the party was walking through a run-down part of town, they heard a group of guards yell "hey" and a voice call back "no, wait." A group of guards came running past, and Jakob headed to the corner to see what was happening. There stood a yuan-ti and a human warrior wearing a yellow cloak. Jakob stepped to the front of the pack and used a Shadow Garrotte strike on the yuan-ti. The yuan-ti tried to push Jakob back with telekinesis, and the human called out "you moron, don't!" Nate tried to unluck the yuan-ti as the fighter called out "stop, I command you all, in the name of the house of Grayn!" The guards moved to surround the yuan-ti, saying "don't listen to the illusion!" But Flynn recongized the man, and his name -- Martin Grayn was one of the prisoners who had been rescued from the yuan-ti camp. Flynn yelled out "halt in the name of the kingsmen!" Jakob moved between the guards and the yuan-ti and boomed out "He said, STOP!" The guards and the yuan-ti both stepped back. Martin Grayn said "now, that's enough of that. This guy is a friend." One of the guards was upset, saying "wait, he killed my brother at the gate!" "He's a friend now. Back off." Martin Grayn explained that the yuan-ti had been a prisoner along with the rest of them, and they'd let him out. They were now forming an adventuring group, the Brotherhood of Solace, to rescue other prisoners. Nate offered the yuan-ti a cast of Veil to keep him from getting attacked everywhere he went, and the yuan-ti and Nate swapped knowledge of certain magical effects (Unluck and Shatter Mind Blank.) Nate later learned that Grayn was a shortened form of Graythorne, and that Martin was likely a far-distant relative.

The party met back in the throne room with Joanna and Kerastrix. Also in the room was a goofy little gnome with a huge red device marked "DO NOT TOUCH!" Ike went to fiddle with the contraption, but Jakob wrapped a hand firmly around Ike and held him back. Joanna spoke: "Serpenti has overracted, and most of their clerics are now in the siege camp, leaving their own country virtually undefended." Kerastrix said "the mongoose provokes its prey into striking over and over again. Once the snake is tired and overextended, the mongoose crushes its head. So it will be with you. You will go to the dark temple at Mel-Merrshaulk and destroy it, and the dark god will abandon his people for one hour. During that time, we will strike and kill them here." Westlay would provide sixty eagles and riders (only five had participated in the strike on the Insidious Anklebiters) and the eagles and the Brotherhood of Solace would provide a distraction. Gorlinook the gnome would bring along an "unstable contraption" to destroy the temple.

In the morning, the party headed for Mel-Merrshaulk invisibly and on eagleback, with Lotus flying as a normal eagle. Teleporting south, beyond the yuan-ti kingdom, the party noticed the landscape was entirely desert, warmer than expected for this area and time of year. Approaching the yuan-ti capital from the south, it was clear the town was mostly empty. The majority of the people were gone fighting wars. From about 20 miles out, Lotus, with her eagle eyes, could see the head cleric in the temple raising her arms. Suddenly, the party was in a vision.

The Ninja Mongoose Rockstars materialzed in a circular cave with a flat floor and a dark circle in the middle. Five poles had rings on them, and Seth Ness'n (who looked somewhat older) was in the process of placing a sixth ring on the sixth pole. A voice spoke out "the summoning is complete, the final piece is laid, now turn and slay your slayers." The cleric Lotus had just seen was standing on the other side of the chamber, again looking somewhat older, and a spherical cloud with tendrils appeared within the circle. Ike fired an arrow at Seth Ness'n. The voice boomed "no, that will not be done", and Seth Ness'n disappeared through the wall. Ike fired a shot at the other yuan-ti, and the voice again called "not too swift, are you?" as the cleric disappeared through the wall. Ike fired a shot at the strange cloud and yelled at the voice to shut the hell up. Jakob punched the edges of the cloudy creature, which reached out and grabbed him. Lotus flamestriked the cloud and Nate unlucked it. Flynn began signing and playing his healing harp, singing out a description of the undead strength-draining creature and how Seth Ness'n's Resurrection Quest was destined to fail. Ike fired four holy arrows into the cloud and Jakob swung all around himself, and both seriously wounded the undead thing. It clouded over toward Ike and pulled him in, but unluckily for it, drained very little strength. Lotus empowered a Sudden Stalagmite, and the unlucky thing got stuck to it and died. Nate placed a big illusory heart with the text "I wuv you guys, thanks for having us visit" in the middle of the room as the vision ended. Shortly thereafter, Lotus saw the cleric back in the temple, dejected as the Resurrection Quest failed.

The temple to Merrshaulk was atop a hill, and at the base of the hill was a second temple to Senneth, with some sort of cobra as its holy symbol. Several human prisoners were laid out in the sand next to that temple, and a few yuan-ti prisoners were laid on the ground next to the head cleric in the temple to Merrshaulk. The party landed on the roof and Gorlinook, with an eagle keeping him invisible, started preparing his contraption as Martin Grayn and the eagles prepared for their assault on the lower temple. In the chaos down there, hopefully nobody would notice the commotion at the top of the hill. Flynn cast invisibility and haste on the party, and set the Rod of the Mongoose to block sound. Lotus cast Death Ward on Jakob, Nate made the party look like marruspawn with Veil, and Flynn began his song as he signalled the eagles to open fire on the other temple.

Lotus' kelp strand wrapped around the head cleric, but slipped off of her. Flynn fired a shot from his bow of songs and started blocking telepathy with the Rod. Ike took a precise shot, and with a bit of luck from Nate's fatespinning, caused a grievous wound. Jakob jumped forward with a Wolf Fang Strike, numbing the cleric's arm and causing her to drop her scimitar. Nate's Great Thunderclap knocked her over, and Jakob broke her other hand as he pounded her to death. As she died, she still thought the party were marruspawn, and cried "I knew this day would come, you treacherous beasts!" Nate signalled Gorlinook to prep the bomb as the eagles pressed their assault, and he used an illusion to make the temple appear completely normal in the mean time. As the bomb counted down its last few seconds, Derex sent a message about an intercepted communication: the yuan-ti had just sent word that the eagles were in Mer-Merrshaulk and it was time to strike. The party got some distance on the temple as it exploded, and Nate put a huge Ninja Mongoose Rockstars logo in the sky above it. The eagles, NMR, the Brotherhood of Solace, and several prisoners on magic carpets started flying back toward Westlay.

Flynn reached level 13.

Programmed Constructs

2008-02-29T23:02:00.000-08:00

Introduction to Programmed Constructs

Construct types

Constructs may be one of three types, depending on how they are controlled. They may be Controlled Constructs, Programmed Constructs, or Awakened Constructs.

Controlled Constructs are directly commanded by a master. They respond well to arbitrary commands, but require direct supervision at all times and are helpless without someone 'driving' them. Shield guardians are this sort of construct. The mythos is ‘mecha’. Vehicles are an outside example.

Programmed Constructs are clumsy to control directly. Instead, they are given an explicit set of instructions which they autonomously follow to the best of their abilities at all times. They are incapable of independant thought and prone to exploitation. Household servants and lone stone golem guardians of an ancient tomb are usually this sort of construct. The mythos is ‘robot’. Asimov's Three Law robots are an outside example.

Awakened Constructs have free will, possibly constrained by prior programming. Awakened constructs are required to follow any immutable programming they possess, but where their programming is silent, they are free. Inevitables are this sort of construct. The mythos is ‘android.’ RoboCop, C3P0, and Commander Data are outside examples.

How Programmed Constructs Work

A programmed construct has a set of four to eight command "slots", each of which is filled with a command. These commands are generally simple, represented as a sentence in plain English.

A programmed construct will fulfill each higher priority command slot as a top priority, to the exclusion of lower slots. However, if it is possible to accomplish both a high and a low priority goal, it will do both.

Here is an example of a guardian construct’s programming:

Remain within thirty feet of the cave mouth.
Remain at ease while peaceful Yuan-Ti are present
Destroy all living creatures.
Sound the alarm if attacking or being attacked.

Without knowledge of its programming this construct is quite dangerous--it remains inert until approached closer than 30 feet, at which point it becomes aggressive and alerts the entire area to intruders.

However, with knowledge of its programming, exploits become clear. It is possible to destroy it with ranged attacks, though its damage reduction still applies, and it will sound the alarm. Alternatively, it is possible to slip past it unhindered by persuading it a peaceful Yuan-Ti is present.

Gory Detail on Command Slots

While generally represented in plain English, a command slot really holds a complex arcane formula dictating every detail of an action. It cannot hold an arbitrary command, and is generally limited in scope and interpretation. Constructs have no intelligence and are not capable of interpreting complex commands which require judgment, ingenuity, or even actions it has not been told how to do. All behavior must be explicitly specified in advance.

A command slot can hold behavior as broad in scope as one or at most two related "tricks" taught to animals together with trigger conditions and constraints. However, specialized constructs have underlying knowledge which allows them to perform tasks much more complex than any animal can.

At creation, a construct may be imbued with innate specialized knowledge appropriate to its tasks. For example, a construct may be given a routine to "Clean the kitchen", complete with collecting and cleaning dishes, putting away and organizing ingredients and utensils, and mopping the floor. In a sophisticated construct, this routine may work on any kitchen--but generally it only works in a given one. At any rate, despite the behavior being complex, it is the same routine every time, carried out mechanically.

Innate knowledge is set at creation and cannot be changed or improved thereafter. Most constructs are given an innate understanding of how to effectively function in combat (though the exact strategy will vary from construct to construct). Some may be given specific battle strategies, an ability to write in certain languages, or knowledge of the complex controls of specific machinery (which it may then operate flawlessly). These routines are usually quite general. It is uncommon to encounter a construct with a built-in interpretation of something usually requiring judgment--such as "guard the cave"--unless the creator is sure she wanted every cave guarded according to exactly the same strategy.

Example Commands:

Destroy all living creatures within 200 feet of the door. (Valid - Construct has an innate definition of living creature and combat, and is given a visual/tactile definition of "the door" when the command is set.)
When commanded by any guest, play whatever music is set up on the harpsichord. (Valid - assuming the construct has an innate understanding of musical notation. Of course, the musical interpretation is rather mechanical.)
Do whatever John tells you to. (Not valid - the construct has no way to interpret arbitrary commands.)
Destroy any target John gives you, and desist on his command. (Valid)

Constructs, like most beings, are limited in perception to what they can see, hear, and feel. Trigger conditions are frequently vulnerable to exploitation through disguises and illusions. There is one exception to this: A construct has a permanent and supernatural connection to its master(s), and always knows who and where its masters are. A construct told to "find its master" cannot follow an intelligent route, but will always head in the right direction.

Due to the clumsiness of direct control, most constructs used in warfare or as personal servants are either awakened or commanded. Programmed constructs are most commonly encountered as guardians in remote places, or servants given simple tasks.

Command slots may have the following characteristics:

They may be suppressed. These slots are treated as empty, the construct ignoring any commands they contain. Suppressed command slots show as "empty" to scanning spells.
They may be immutable (set at creation). The contents of mutable command slots can be changed, but the contents of immutable Command Slots cannot be changed by any means.
They may be hidden (set at creation). Hidden command slots, though still active, show as "empty" to scanning spells.
They may be masked. Masked command slots scan as one thing, but operate as another.

A command slot may reference other command slots in a general way. For example, a valid command is "When asked, open the door for anyone protected by command #1". However, it is not possible to store a full copy of one command slot in another, and under no condition may a Command Slot change the contents of another command slot, or add to or change the construct's master(s). Constructs are capable of reading their own Hidden Command Slots, and are not aware of or fooled by masks. However, a construct will always treat Suppressed Command Slots as empty, even when referenced by other commands.

Gory Detail On Masked Command Slots

A masked slot has two elements: the Clear Command and the Mask.

The Clear Command represents the true contents of the Command Slot, and is a command in the usual way. It is subject to all the same constraints as other Command Slot contents, and is obeyed by the construct just like any other command.

The Mask is shown when spells like Scan Construct are used to read command slots. These spells show the Mask in the Command Slot, instead of the Clear Command, and give no indication that the Clear Command exists. The Mask has no other affect on the construct, and does not change its behavior in any way.

Due to space limitations, it is not possible to store two full commands in the same slot. Therefore, Masks are limited to a simple form. Masks may only take the form of passive constraints, and cannot be full-fledged active commands. A Mask always appears to limit a construct's actions, and never takes a form which would authorize any new activity. The plain language representation has the following form: "Do not [positive action or actions].”

Any construct can store at most one masked Command Slot at a time.

Some examples of masks and non-masks:

A guardian stone golem:

Do not move farther than 30 feet from the cave mouth. (Valid mask)
Do not engage in combat or movement while peaceful Yuan-Ti are present. (Valid mask)
Destroy all living creatures. (Not a mask)
Sound the alarm if attacking or being attacked. (Not a mask)

An enchanted broom:

Put yourself away and come back out when commanded. (Not a mask)
Sweep any dirty surfaces you find. (Not a mask)
Do not leave the castle.(Valid mask)
Roam freely. (Not a mask)

A mask must always forbid a positive action, and never enables it. A command such as "Do not remain silent" is not a valid mask, as it requires positive action. When Scan Construct translates arcane formulas to plain language, potential Masks are always translated beginning with the words "Do not".

Scan Construct is a translation from a complex arcane formula, so equivalent command wordings are considered the same command. Therefore, if a command can be re-worded as a Mask, this may be done without changing the apparent contents of the slot. (Metagame note: All potential constraints should begin with the words "Do not," so there is no confusion. But in the case of an oversight, a command such as "Remain silent" may be covered with a Mask of "Do not make sound," and the scanning spells will not detect a difference.)

Any effect which changes the contents of a Command Slot reveals the existence of the Mask. At the caster's option, the Mask may be discarded or retained. The Clear Command is not revealed and is erased in the process of replacing the command.

Command Slot Property Summary

Command Slot Property	Origin	Removed By	Scan Shows	Other Effects
Immutable	Set at creation.	N/A	(Im) Command.	Slot contents cannot be changed by any means.
Hidden	Set at creation.	N/A	Empty.	Slot contents cannot be revealed by any means (but may be deduced).
Masked	Mask Command	Changing Command Slot contents	Mask.	None.
Suppressed	Suppress Command	Dispel Magic effects.	Empty.	Construct treats Command Slot as empty.

Scan Details For Combined Effects

	Immutable	Hidden	Suppressed	Masked
Immutable	(Im) Command.	(Im) Empty.	(Im) Empty.	(Im) Mask.
Hidden	(Im) Empty.	Empty.	Empty.	N/A
Suppressed	(Im) Empty.	Empty.	Empty.	Empty.
Masked	(Im) Mask.	N/A	Empty.	Mask.

How Awakened Constructs Work

Awakened constructs begin life as programmed constructs. When awakened, they lose their command slots, but absorb any immutable commands into their consciousness. These commands do not function as command slots in the usual sense, and cannot be targeted by command-slot altering spells. An awakened construct cannot take further command slot commands, even from her master, but may be bound by immutable programming to obey a specific master or law.

An awakened construct always follows her immutable programming and is not consciously capable of doing otherwise (though she may accidentally do so while deceived or under the effects of confusion). She is consciously aware of her programming and may either agree with it or hate it, but in any case, she has no choice but to follow it.

A programmed construct prepared specifically for awakening which is never activated in its programmed form may include programming more sophisticated than is usually permissible. Commands requiring judgement and interpretation, such as "Uphold the law," may be immutably transcribed on the consciousness of an awakened construct.

Hidden commands are possible, although the construct will usually be able to deduce what they are when they come into effect.

New Spells

Hide From Constructs
Abjuration
Level: Sor/Wiz 1
Components: V, S, M
Casting Time: 1 Standard Action
Range: Touch
Targets: One touched creature / level
Duration: 10 min. / level
Save: Will negates (harmless)
Spell Resistance: Yes

Constructs cannot see, hear, or smell the warded creatures. Even extraordinary or supernatural sensory capabilities, such as blindsense, blindsight, scent, and tremorsense, cannot detect or locate the warded creatures. Constructs simply act as though the warded creatures are not there. An intelligent (awakened) construct gets a single Will saving throw. If it fails, the subject can’t see any of the warded creatures. However, if it has reason to believe unseen opponents are present, it can attempt to find or strike them. If a warded creature touches a construct or attacks any creature, even with a spell, the spell ends for all recipients.
Material component: A bit of cloth woven of thin copper fibers.

Probe Command
Divination
Level: Sor/Wiz 2
Components: V, S, M
Casting Time: 1 Standard Action
Range: Medium (100 ft. + 10 ft./level)
Targets: One programmed construct
Duration: Instantaneous
Save: No; Special (see text)
Spell Resistance: No.

Upon casting this spell, you immediately learn the number of Command Slots the targeted construct has. You may then choose one slot from the set. Probe Command reveals the contents of that slot, provided the slot is not Suppressed, Hidden or Masked. If the Command Slot is immutable, this is revealed. Any Suppressed or Hidden slots which are probed are shown as empty. Any Masked slot which is probed reveals the Mask, but not the Clear Command or the fact that the Command Slot is masked. If the probed Command Slot holds a potential mask (a command beginning with "Do not"), you may attempt a caster level check (1d20 + caster level) against the Command Slot DC (10 + Construct Hit Dice + command slot priority above lowest slot). If you succeed on this check, Probe Command reveals whether the slot is Masked, and if so, reveals the the Clear Command. The subject construct is not especially aware of the casting of this spell or that it is the target. It will take no actions against you (even if it sees you casting) unless it would do so otherwise—for example, if it had been commanded to attack anyone casting a spell. This spell does not work on awakened constructs, constructs designed to operate under direct supervision and command, or other constructs which are not programmed.
Material Component: A pair of thin copper rods.

Scan Construct
Divination
Level: Sor/Wiz 3
Components: V, S
Casting Time: 1 Standard Action
Range: Medium (100 ft. + 10 ft./level)
Targets: One construct with commands.
Duration: Instantaneous
Save: None
Spell Resistance: No

You know the commands a single construct is currently set to obey. The exact contents of its command slots are revealed to you, so that you are capable of fully specifying the construct's behavior. This spell reveals only active, visible, and unmasked command slots; suppressed or hidden command slots are shown as empty, while masked command slots show the mask. The subject construct is not especially aware of the casting of this spell or that it is the target. It will take no actions against you (even if it sees you casting) unless it would do so otherwise—for example, if it had been commanded to attack anyone casting a spell. This spell does not work on awakened constructs, constructs designed to operate under direct supervision and command, or other constructs which are not programmed. Constructs designed at creation with immutable commands may still be scanned, and this spell will reveal that those commands are immutable. If the casting time is extended to ten minutes, this spell will also reveal the full details of any innate behavior and knowledge the construct posesses.

Suppress Command
Transmutation
Level: Sor/Wiz 3
Components: S, F
Casting Time: 1 Standard Action
Range: Close (25 ft. + 5 ft./level)
Targets: One construct command slot.
Duration: Permanent
Save: No; Special (see text).
Spell Resistance: No

You suppress a single command slot, causing the construct to behave as though that command slot was empty. Any command currently in the slot or entered after this spell is cast is ignored. To cast this spell successfully, you must succeed on a caster level check (1d20 + caster level) against the command slot (10 + Construct Hit Dice + command slot priority above lowest slot). For example, the DC for a 12 HD stone golem with 6 command slots would be 10 + 12 + 4 = 26 for its second highest priority command slot. The construct is not especially aware of the casting of this spell or that it is the target. It will take no actions against you (even if it sees you casting) unless it would do so otherwise—for example, if it had been commanded to attack anyone casting a spell. This spell does not work on awakened constructs, constructs designed to operate under direct supervision and command, or other constructs which are not programmed. Constructs designed at creation with immutable commands may still be targeted. Immutable commands cannot be changed, but the slot can be suppressed. The effect of this spell is permanent. A construct’s creator may not simply re-fill the suppressed command slot, as any entered command will be ignored. However, the effect can be removed as a spell effects generally can by Dispel Magic, Break Enchantment, Greater Dispel Magic, Antimagic Field, and similar effects. A construct with no active commands takes no actions, and is considered helpless.
Arcane Focus: A tiny silver net worth 25 gp.

Replace Command
Transmutation
Level: Sor/Wiz 4
Components: V, S
Casting Time: 1 Standard Action
Range: Close (25 ft. + 5 ft./level)
Targets: One mutable construct command slot.
Duration: Instantaneous
Save: No; Special (see text).
Spell Resistance: No

You replace the contents of a single command slot, erasing any previous command. To cast this spell successfully, you must succeed on a caster level check (1d20 + caster level) against the command slot (DC 10 + Construct Hit Dice + command slot priority above lowest slot). For example, the DC for a 12 HD stone golem with 6 command slots would be 10 + 12 + 4 = 26 for its second highest priority command slot. The construct is not especially aware of the casting of this spell or that it is the target. It will take no actions against you (even if it sees you casting) unless it would do so otherwise—for example, if it had been commanded to attack anyone casting a spell. This spell does not work on awakened constructs, constructs designed to operate under direct supervision and command, or other constructs which are not programmed. Constructs designed at creation with immutable commands may not be targeted unless they have mutable command slots as well. This spell has an instantaneous effect and cannot be reversed or dispelled in any way. However, this spell does not hinder a construct’s creator from changing the command as a move action (as she can usually do). A second casting of this spell can also change the command.
Material Component: A rare pearl worth 250 gp.

Mask Command
Abjuration
Level: Sor/Wiz 5
Components: V, S, M
Casting Time: 1 Standard Action
Range: Close (25 ft. + 5 ft./level)
Targets: One construct Command Slot
Duration: Instantaneous
Save: No; Special (see text)
Spell Resistance: No.

You create a Mask over the targeted Command Slot. The superficial appearance of the Command Slot is changed so that Scan Construct shows the Mask in the slot instead of the Clear Command. This spell does not affect the behavior of the target construct in any way. It continues to obey the original contents of the Command Slot, which persist as the Clear Command. A Mask is a permanent, non-magical change to a Command Slot. It cannot be dispelled or disjoined, nor is it suppressed in an Anti-magic field. A Mask can be removed by any effect which changes the contents of the Command Slot. To cast this spell successfully, you must succeed on a caster level check (1d20 + caster level) against the command slot (10 + Construct Hit Dice + command slot priority above lowest slot). For example, the DC for a 12 HD stone golem with 6 command slots would be 10 + 12 + 4 = 26 for its second highest priority command slot. If this check fails, the spell is not cast, and you gain no information about what would have happened had the check succeeded. If the targeted slot already has a Mask, the new Mask replaces the old one. You do not learn that the Command Slot was masked, nor do you learn what the Clear Command is. If the target already has a Mask on a different Command Slot, this spell fails and you learn that the construct already has a Mask in a different Command Slot. If a hidden Command Slot is targeted, the spell fails and you learn that the targeted Command Slot is Hidden. A Mask must always take the form of a constraint, and cannot command any new action or activity.
Material Component: A tiny hollow figurine of a mare.

Command Construct
Transmutation
Level: Sor/Wiz 6
Components: V, S, M
Casting Time: 1 Standard Action
Range: Close (25 ft. + 5 ft./level)
Targets: One construct with mutable command slots.
Duration: 1 min. / level
Save: No; Special (see text).
Spell Resistance: No

The subject of this spell regards you as one of its masters. For the duration of this spell, as a move action, you may change the contents of any mutable command slot provided you are within 60 feet and the construct can hear you. The construct is given a supernatural ability to recognize you for the duration of the spell and knows where you are. Constructs speak a variety of specific arcane languages; the translation of your own language to this one is automatically carried out as part of this spell. Anyone who can hear you may make a DC 25 Knowledge (Arcane) check to understand what you are telling the construct to do. (Magical effects which permit understanding languages do not work on this.) To cast this spell successfully, you must succeed on a caster level check (1d20 + caster level) against 10 + Construct Hit Dice + Number of Command Slots. For example, the DC for a 12 HD stone golem with 6 command slots would be 10 + 12 + 6 = 28. The construct is not especially aware of the casting of this spell or that it is the target. It will take no actions against you (even if it sees you casting) unless it would do so otherwise—for example, if it had been commanded to attack anyone casting a spell. This spell does not work on awakened constructs, constructs designed to operate under direct supervision and command, or other constructs which are not programmed. Constructs designed at creation with immutable commands may be targeted, but you cannot change immutable commands. All command changes are an instantaneous effect and cannot be reversed or dispelled in any way. However, this spell does not hinder a construct’s original creator from changing the command as a move action (as she can usually do), even while the spell is in effect.
Material Component: A rare pearl worth 100 gp per construct HD.

Master Construct
Transmutation
Level: Sor/Wiz 9
Components: V, S, M
Casting Time: 1 minute
Range: Close (25 ft. + 5 ft./level)
Targets: One programmed construct
Duration: Instantaneous
Save: No; Special (see text).
Spell Resistance: No

The subject of this spell permanently regards you as one of its masters. As a move action, you may change the contents of any mutable command slot, provided you are within 60 feet and the construct can hear you. The construct gains a pernament supernatural connection to you and always recognizes you and and knows where you are. Constructs speak a variety of specific arcane languages; the translation of your own language to this one is automatically carried out as part of this spell. Anyone who can hear you may make a DC 25 Knowledge (Arcane) check to understand what you are telling the construct to do. (Magical effects which permit understanding languages do not work on this.) To cast this spell successfully, you must succeed on a caster level check (1d20 + caster level) against 10 + Construct Hit Dice + Number of Command Slots. For example, the DC for a 12 HD stone golem with 6 command slots would be 10 + 12 + 6 = 28. The effects of this spell in no way hinder the connection between a construct and its existing masters. This effect is permanent. Construct masters cannot be removed by any means short of Wish or Miracle.
Material Component: A magically luminescent green diamond worth 1,000 gp per construct HD.

Session 17, 2008-02-29: In Ur Camp, Killin Ur Boss

2008-02-29T18:03:00.000-08:00

Session 17: wherein prisoners are freed, snakes are killed, and NMR leaves a calling card

Players (Characters)
Scott (Filthy Ike)
Jeremy (Flynn Flamm)
Tony (Brother Jakob)
Rachel (Lotus)
Tom (Nathaniel Graythorne)
DM: Catherine

Nate cast veil on the party, disguising himself as the female psion who had led the yuan-ti party, and disguising the others to look like the remaining enemies, who were yuan-ti halfblood clerics and psions. At the gate to the siege camp, a group of guards gladly greeted the "insidious anklebiters" and said Seth Ness'n was waiting impatiently for the group. He also warned that teleporting within the camp was very bad -- all teleports would be redirected to a very bad place, no exceptions. Within the camp, snakes continually approached, looking to be petted. A few human slaves were being badly mistreated along the way, and Nate had to remind Jakob that the mission couldn't be compromised; slaves could only be rescued if it was safe. Flynn ran the Rod of the Mongoose in eavesdropping mode for a few minutes, hearing various lackies get summoned, but nothing of great interest. At one point along the way, a yuan-ti purebred coughed out some of the black sand associated with the Thirsting, and then healed himself. Jakob yelled at him to clean the mess up, so he kicked the black sand into one of the blood-filled trenches along the road. Elsewhere, in the market, the party witnessed items being purchased with red coins, and mistreatment of those who only had gold with which to pay. Throughout the camp, the yuan-ti class system was readily apparent -- the more snake-like one was, the more they would mistreat the lower classes.

Another yuan-ti halfblood approached the party and said he'd heard we had a mission assignment, with payment of "full scales" (that is, transformation into a higher class of yuan-ti), and that he wanted to be included. Nate, in his female yuan-ti voice, said he might consider it, and asked where they could meet later. After gathering up an address, the party headed for the temple that served as a gate to the inner ring of the camp. Ditches full of blood and other nastiness flowed freely from the temple, and inside, various forms of torture and killings were being performed on humans, elves, and lower-class yuan-ti. One cleric removed the heart from a living prisoner, and that was not the worst the party witnessed. The party decided to press onward, moving down the wooden pole at the back of the temple; Lotus wildshaped into a snake to make the climb easier.

Below the temple was a torture chamber where two yuan-ti guards had just accidentally killed a prisoner they were supposed to keep alive. The other guards pointed to them, and the party stepped forward and beat them to death. This did not surprise the remaining guards in the least, but when Flynn switched the Rod of the Mongoose to block sound and cast haste on the party, they started to suspect trouble. Lotus began summoning constrictor snakes, and Ike shot and killed a guard. One of the others yelled out "treason" and cast Sadism. Two others stepped back, out of where the psion Jakob was disguised as would have been able to reach, and began casting spells. They were quite surprised when Jakob knocked one on his back and punched the other in the face. One managed to cast Waves of Pain on Jakob, who resisted (melee-oriented Half-Ogres tend to have better physical resistance than yuan-ti psions, so this was a poor choice of spells.) Two more enemies approached Jakob, and he tripped one and took a minor wound from the other. Jakob used Searing Blade and killed two opponents with two strikes each. Nate used Hold Person to freeze the remaining cleric, and one of the human prisoners kicked at his captor.

Flynn fired a few shots from his bow, dealing minor wounds to one enemy. Lotus' snakes wrapped up two of the enemies and bit a third. Ike's five arrows left one enemy near death. Another turned invisible and started climbing the wall, hoping to get to safety. Jakob killed one of the enemies he'd tripped, and Nate fired an errant shot toward the wall-climbing enemy. Ike showed Nate how it's done with a critical shot that pinned the enemy to the wall, and Lotus' snake crushed the head of the final enemy. The party gathered up all of the arrows they'd fired, slashing dead enemies with scimitars to disguise their wounds. They also cast Lingering Soul on the recently killed prisoner, unlocked all of their cages, burned out a wand of Cure Light Wounds, and handed them a bit of gold. Nate cast Veil on the whole group, and Flynn handed the toughest-looking prisoner a pearl that allowed him to speak yuan-ti fluently. He gave the prisoners instructions to head out of camp and just keep walking for an hour, after which Nate would dismiss the spell and make them look human again -- so if they weren't away within an hour, they were going to be in trouble. Nate also used a permanent image to make the room appear occupied from afar.

The party walked out of the torture chamber and into the inner area. Some guards were talking about Azulu's recent attack on the Ninja Mongoose Rockstars. They thought the name was strange. Rockstars are loud, so they must not be very good ninjas, and the mongoose is an animal that kills snakes, which makes it some sort of hideous abomination of nature. It didn't make sense for a party to name themselves the equivalent of "sucky ninja puppykickers". No; a better name would be the "masked jackasses", and they'd be dead soon anyway. The guards then turned to greet the "insidious anklebiters", who obviously had a much better name, and told them Seth Ness'n was getting anxious. Nate asked where Azulu might be found, and got another address, this time to one of the nice stone houses in the middle of the camp.

The party headed over to meet Seth Ness'n, and Nate made sure to mute Ike via the Veil spell. Seth Ness'n said "you are late. I fear you've come to love your leader too much" and cast a spell on each party member that would harm the nearby person they loved most or were most loyal to -- a simple way to punish those who had too many loyal followers. Ike loved himself the most; Flynn and Nate were friendly with each other, as were Lotus and Jakob. "I suppose I have misjudged your loyalties. Ah well. I have a mission for you. It's simple -- kill the Ninja Mongoose Rockstars. This request comes all the way from the wastelands." Seth Ness'n headed back to his office, and Ike was clearly upset that they hadn't killed the enemy cleric on the spot. "Come on, Ike, let's go get your bow", Nate said, and Ike was satisfied.

The party walked to the tavern/sauna where Azulu was hanging out, and opened the door. Azulu was in the pool, holding Ike's bow in his hands and getting it wet and dirty as he spoke of how badly he'd destroy NMR "if they were here right now." Ike drew Fox's Bite and shot Azulu in the chest, and it was all the party could do to get the door swung shut before those outside would see. Flynn quickly set the Rod to block telepathic communications as Ike continued shooting. Jakob tripped one of the psions who was in the pool, and Nate used telekinesis to push another into Jakob's reach. Flynn played a quiet acoustic chord that inspired the party to attack. One of the psions dropped some lightning on Ike and Nate, and Azulu, recognizing who the party was, tried to telekinetically pull Flynn's lyre out of his hands. Flynn was able to hold on, so Azulu scrambled Flynn's atoms. A cleric who was in the pool with the psions and snakes cast True Seeing to try to figure out what was going on, and a pair of attendants panicked and tried to get to the door. Lotus called lightning down on Azulu, killing him and, to her dismay, some of the snakes in the pool. Ike fired four shots at the cleric, and Jakob's flurry of flaming fists hit solidly (rolled 2 20's and a third 20 to confirm) and killed the psion. Nate tried to bullrush the cleric away from his armor, but failed. Flynn's pair of arrows left the cleric barely alive, and the cleric cast Delay Death on himself. The attendants tried to send for help, but the Rod again blocked the effect. Lotus hit the cleric with lightning, which mattered little due to his Delay Death spell. Ike took down the attendants while Jakob, using his Quicksilver boots, strode across the water and knocked the enemy cleric unconscious. Jakob used his Shadow Sun Hand to pull life force from the cleric and heal the party, and Nate lifted Ike's bow from the water using telekinesis.

The Ninja Mongoose Rockstars headed back to Seth Ness'n's office, asking the guards for entry. The guards said "nobody is allowed to distrub Seth Ness'n. Come back later." Nate insisted "we were ordered to bring back information as soon as possible." After a brief staredown, the guards relented and moved out of the way. Inside the structure were three trapdoors, one with a cleric symbol, one with a psion eye symbol, and one blank. Flynn used the Rod of the Mongoose to block the sound from opening the door, and the party jumped down into Seth Ness'n's private chamber. The big yuan-ti stood and yelled "speak your piece and save your lives." Nate replied "the guards said to come right in." (bluff: natural 20.) "This better be important", the cleric said, backing off from his aggressive pose. "We got this bow from Azulu. We need to scry on the Ninja Mongoose Rockstars. It's time-critical." "I like your initiative." With that, Seth Ness'n grabbed the bow and began casting scrying as the party arranged themselves for battle. Soon, Seth Ness'n realized he was scrying on the room he was in.

Nate spun up his Great Thunderclap, knocking the enemy prone, but Lotus' Drown spell failed. Flynn played a loud lute riff and then flipped the Rod into its telepathy-blocking mode. Ike broke the AMF arrow out of its bottle and fired it at Seth Ness'n, hitting him solidly. Jakob stepped forward and took two swings, smashing the still-surprised cleric. Ike took a precisely aimed shot, Jakob hit the big cleric three times, and Flynn hasted the party. Seth Ness'n pulled the arrow out of himself and tossed it to the side, taking a hit from Jakob in the process, and then cast Dictum -- surely these "assassins" were chaotic and evil, so Blasphemy would not do. Everyone but Jakob was paralyzed by the powerful spell, but Jakob was able to grab the AMF arrow and toss it in the middle of the party, supressing the paralysis. Flynn fired a pair of completely unmagical arrows at the enemy cleric, killing him. ("We do a lot of assassinating for non-assassins." -Rachel) The party waited for the Dictum spell to wear off and then picked up various treasures from the room. Nate drew the Ninja Mongoose Rockstars logo on the floor in chalk, and then the party headed out.

On the way out, Nate told the guards "Seth Ness'n is really angry with you guys for letting us in, so I wouldn't go anywhere near him if I was you." They continued standing watch as the party walked toward the camp gates. Jakob bullied a few yuan-ti into giving up their human slaves, and Flynn traded a bunch of red coins for their gold equivalents. Once the party was outside of the camp, Nate contacted Derex to let him know the party was ready for pickup and that a group of "yuan-ti" ahead were really disguised human slaves. A group of kingsmen showed up to teleport NMR and the slaves back to Old Westlay.

Jakob reached level 12.

Session 16, 2008-02-22: Not Assassins

2008-02-22T18:01:00.000-08:00

Session 16: wherein a gazebo on a grassy knoll turns deadly twice

Players (Characters)
Scott (Filthy Ike)
Jeremy (Flynn Flamm)
Tony (Brother Jakob)
Rachel (Lotus)
Tom (Nathaniel Graythorne)
DM: Catherine

As the party stood at the gate, Johan asked Flynn if he was with the group, and warned him to stay with his friends. Flynn decided it would be a good time to share his history, explaining his exile.

As Flynn finished telling his tale, a bright flash showed a group of yuan-ti were teleporting in. Jakob moved into position to strike while Flynn began singing, Nate put some grease under the largest yuan-ti, and Lotus started up a vortex of teeth. Three arrows from Ike killed one of the smaller yuan-ti, and the largest dimension doored away from the grease. Another took a few feeble swings at Jakob. Nate tried to cast Sensory Deprivation on the largest enemy, but the effect was nullified by a Mind Blank. Jakob triggered a Searing Fist and tripped and punched each of the three next to him, and Lotus' vortex and arc lightning combined to kill a pair. The remaining nearby enemy cast Wrack on Jakob, who resisted. Flynn and Ike put five arrows into the largest yuan-ti, who triggered a temporal acceleration effect. He then reached out and telekinetically drew in Ike's bow, teleporting away with it. Ike started swearing in infernal while Jakob tried to interrogate the remaining enemy. The part-snake enemy spit poison at Jakob and said "we shall outlast you." Jakob responded "do you know where he went?" "Of course I do. Go to hell." Nate said "Ike, shoot him, his friend stole your bow." The captured yuan-ti cried out "OK, I'll tell you, he went back to our camp." Jakob decided to let the prisoner go -- right into the vortex of teeth.

Johan surmised another group must have known of the party's arrival. He had the group gather together and took them through the teleportation circle to Old Westlay before another strike force could come near. Flynn led the way to the throne room, where the party was to meet their new contact. Inside the room were Flynn's father Boyent Flamm; the former king Kelavin and his daughter, the newly appointed queen Joanna, who had been Flynn's childhood friend; Kerastrix, a gold dragon who had served as advisor to the throne of Westlay for many generations; Proudbeak the king of the eagles; Derex, the half silver dragon leader of the eastern kingsmen; and Enigma, the doppelganger. As the Ninja Mongoose Rockstars stepped inside, Derex called out "wonderful, the best assassins we have!" Joanna asked "are they... professional?" "Yes, yes, they're the best." Boyent expressed some surprise at Flynn's chosen career path, and Jakob again tried to clarify the Ninja/Assassin distinction.

Kerastrix reminded the group to focus on the task at hand. The yuan-ti had breached the wall to the southwest and encased White Fields in a stone wall with a teleportation blocking effect. Those inside were being slowly consumed by the Thirsting. The yuan-ti had set up a siege camp outside the city, and one of their most powerful leaders was inside. Westlay's goal was to systematically kill off Serpenti's spellcasters, leaving them with a small and ineffective military. To do so, we would try to draw out their high priest by killing the highest local priest within the siege camp. Once the high priest was nearby, Westlay's footmen would move as bait for Serpenti's army, and another group of assassins would take out the high priest. Enigma suggested taking the place of a group of Serpenti assassins, and sneaking into the camp to take out the lead priest. Joanna gave the party two scrolls of veil, the custom-crafted Rod of the Mongoose, and the promise that their first assault would be assisted by eagles. She also gave warning: the yuan-ti can redirect teleportation effects.

The party picked a yuan-ti scouting post near the siege camp as the best place to steal the identities of the enemy. A group of invisible eagles with archer-riders started shelling the outpost, a gazebo atop a grassy knoll, and the yuan-ti scouts took cover. The party teleported in on the sheltered side of the hill and placed the Rod of the Mongoose in anti-telepathy mode. Nathaniel created some illusory fog to block sight from the main siege camp, and the eagles stopped firing. The enemies climbed out of their holes, and NMR started the attack. Lotus grabbed one with a kelp strand, Nate confused three of them, and Flynn started singing. Ike took a single shot, and Jakob charged and made a Wolf Fang Strike, killing the unconfused enemy and making the others wet themselves. Ike took several more shots, killing a second yuan-ti. Jakob ran between the remaining pair and used Shadow Garotte to harm one, and Lotus dehydrated it to death (-9 CON). The final confused yuan-ti started running, but didn't make it far before Jakob and Ike took him down. Flynn marvelled at Ike: "he knows everything about bows and nothing about soap." Ike replied "I know what soap is. It's the stuff you put on the bow string. Why do y'all put string stuff on your bodies?"

Nate created a permanent image of the yuan-ti guards standing watch at the outpost, and the party hid behind some boxes. Nate made himself look like a yuan-ti who was telekinetically moving boxes around, and the eagles loitered invisibly overhead. As the target yuan-ti party walked past the outpost, Nate called them over, saying "someone left a message for you to take in to the camp." The enemies were somewhat surprised by this, but approached inside the Rod's telepathy-blocking barrier anyway. Flynn cast haste on the party, and then played a chord to signify the enemies doom. Lotus blinded one enemy with blinding spittle, Ike shot another, and Jakob used his quicksilver boots to wolf-fang strike and stun an enemy. Lotus put a sudden stalagmite into the stunned enemy, and Nate's great thunderclap knocked another down and shattered the eardrums of two more. Ike's arrows and a volley from the eagles left two of the enemies nearly dead, and a third with an antimagic arrow stuck through his body.

The yuan-ti caster tried to pull the antimagic arrow out of his arm, but this left him vulnerable to Jakob's leg sweep and stomp. The blinded yuan-ti tried to cast from inside the AMF and failed miserably, and one of the deaf ones stepped aside and tried to send for help, but his spell failed as well. Another stood and cast harm, holding the charge and hoping Jakob would come within reach. Jakob stunned the enemy who was still stuck to the stalagmite and killed the one Ike had shot, and then stepped into the AMF, daring the enemy cleric to attack. Flynn's Bow of Songs proved powerful enough to take down a second enemy. Lotus tried to extract a water elemental from the still stunned opponent, but failed. Nate sent the cleric with the harm spell sliding downhill with a bit of grease, and Ike sent the same cleric a pack of arrows, pointy-end first. The eagles sent a volley of arrows with a fireball onto the only unharmed enemy, who was killed instantly. The cleric cast Righteous Might and called out a taunt, trying to get Jakob to approach. Jakob grabbed the AMF arrow, and the guy it was attached to, and only then did he approach, landing a solid punch that dropped the cleric. Flynn fired one last arrow at the last living enemy, hitting him squarely in the throat. The party hid the bodies in boxes and then stored the boxes deep within the scouting post. Jakob bottled up the AMF arrow and handed it to Ike for later use.

Everyone but Jakob reached level 12.

Death and Resurrection Rules

2008-02-21T22:38:00.000-08:00

As I was reading Winter Heart's essay on character death, it occured to me the usual D20 system of death and resurrection is deeply flawed, both from a role-playing and a mechanical point of view. Heroes and Villians can easily die randomly, for nothing worse than rolling poorly once or twice. On the other hand, nothing short of divine intervention can keep a Hero or Villian dead. This all seems very wrong to me.

I want a death and resurrection system to have the following features:

1. Death is never random. When it does occur, it is because the player and DM agree it needs to. The system should allow enough 'outs' that death never occurs through mere bad luck.

2. Death is serious. It should be possible, even likely, that if the players do not act to save their friends, they will die. Permanently. Full stop.

3. Death is certain. You can verify someone has died within minutes of a battle, and if they're dead, they're dead. Keep villians dead when you kill them. When heroes die, they really die.

4. Death is epic (in the literary sense). When someone dies, it should not be an "oops, you're dead" experience. It should occur the end of an epic fight on both sides for the player's life.

5. True resurrection is possible, even at low levels, but it is a rare and legendary experience. It is not expected, even for heroes of organizations with lots of resources. It is not impossible, even for paupers. It is the sort of thing that requires purpose, sacrifice, and true love. It is the sort of thing that winds up in bard songs.

6. The circumstances surrounding the death and resurrection mechanic should not be hokey in any way. Keeping an enemy dead should not require guarding their corpse for years, binding a soul in a gem and hiding it in an extradimensional space, and so on. Death is serious. Respect it.

With all of that in mind, here is an alternate mechanic.

--------------------------------------------------------

Remove all of the usual resurrection effects from the game, and use only the spells below. Reincarnation, Revivify, Raise Dead, Resurrection, True Resurrection, and the related effects of Wish or Miracle (replace these with Revive, allowing a mass version only for Miracle).

Everything in the game that can kill you, still can. Falling to -10 hp does it, falling to 0 Con does it, failing a saving throw on a save-or-die does it. However, these experiences only slay the body.

Upon dying, a warrior feels as though she 'pops' out of her body. She observes the battlefield from above, hovering near where she died. The real world is gray and muted; unexpected sounds stand out, while others are muted (like being underwater), and the colors seem to fade away. At the same time, she views her life and the lives of her friends with the clarity of death, percieving glimpses of their true feelings and the significance of her life. Directly above, in the distance, is a bright light, which the soul feels drawn towards.

The soul lingers near the body for exactly 1 minute (10 rounds, same initiative count as death) before departing. During this window of time, it is possible to revive or even re-create the body, and draw the soul back into it (see Revive below). After the soul has departed, resurrection is impossible, except via Resurrection Quest.

The soul is a supernatural entity, and cannot be seen, targeted or blocked in any way. While the soul may be very interested in the happenings in the real world, and is able to concentrate on them and percieve them, she cannot wander farther than a few feet from her body.

For most purposes, the body of a slain warrior functions as an object. However, the soul is allowed a will save against any effect which allows one, and she can refuse spells which require a willing target. Treat teleport effects as though the body were still alive.

Spells:

Lingering Soul
Necromancy
Level: Drd 2, Clr 2, Sor/Wiz 2, Pal 2
Components: V, S, M/DF
Casting Time: Standard action
Range: Touch
Target: One corpse of a living creature no older than 10 rounds (or older, if the soul still lingers nearby.) Willing souls only.
Duration: 10 min/level (measured from time of death)
SR: No

For the duration of the spell, the soul percieves a glow emanating from its body, and is drawn toward it. The soul lingers nearby, extending the period during which the body can be revived.

This spell can be re-cast on the same corpse, but the duration is always measured from the original time of death, so re-casting it is useless unless the original has been dispelled or caster level has been increased.

If this spell is dispelled or its duration runs out, the soul once again percieves the light from above calling it, and will depart in 10 rounds (measured from the action which removed Lingering Soul).

If a creature's body has been mostly destroyed, this spell requires at least half of what remains. If a creature's body has been completely destroyed (as disintegrate), this spell cannot be cast.

Arcane material component: A small piece of white cloth.

Reincarnate
Transmutation
Level: Drd 4
Components: V, S, DF
Casting Time: Standard action
Range: Touch
Target: One corpse of a living creature no older than 10 rounds (or older, if the soul still lingers nearby) or see text. Willing souls only.
Duration: 1 hour
SR: No

Upon touching the corpse of the deceased, the soul is drawn into it. The druid then restores the corpse to life by creating it anew. Over the course of one hour, a new body is created for the soul. Use the usual reincarnation rules to determine the race and its effect on the abilities of the character, with the following exception: A creature who has been reincarnated more recently than one year ago has no chance of changing race. Instead, she is reincarnated as her current race, granting her a chance to fully appreciate the new form before moving on.

If the spell is dispelled or the new body is wounded before 1 hour elapses, the process is halted and the soul begins to depart. (This takes 10 rounds, measured from the action which halted the reincarnation).

Since the body has been created anew, the creature is restored to full hit points, any missing limbs or ability damage is restored, and any other effects tied to the old body are removed.

If a creature's body has been mostly destroyed, this spell requires at least half of what remains. If a creature's body has been completely destroyed (as disintegrate), this spell may be cast anywhere within close range (25 + 5/2 levels feet) of where the creature died.

There is no level loss, ability damage, or permanent penalty associated with being reincarnated.

Revive
Conjuration (healing)
Level: Clr 5, Pal 4
Components: V, S, DF
Casting Time: Standard action
Range: Touch
Target: One corpse of a living creature no older than 10 rounds (or older, if the soul still lingers nearby) or see text. Willing souls only.
Duration: Instantaneous
SR: No

Upon touching the corpse of the deceased, the soul is drawn into it, and experiences the sensation of having 'popped' back into its body before blacking out. The creature is at -1 hp, stable, and unconscious.

Minimal auxiliary healing occurs as necessary to restore life: Con score is raised to 1 (if it is lower), negative levels are reduced to 1 fewer than character level (if there were more), and so forth. Major damage to the torso and the head is repaired, and massive bleeding is staunched.

If the body had been mostly or completely destroyed, it is re-created, but any missing limbs remain missing until the target recieves a Regenerate spell.

If a creature's body has been mostly destroyed, this spell requires at least half of what remains. If a creature's body has been completely destroyed (as disintegrate), this spell may be cast anywhere within close range (25 + 5/2 levels feet) of where the creature died.

There is no level loss, ability damage, or permanent penalty associated with being revived.

Resurrection Quest
Universal
Level: Clr 9
Components: V, S, DF
Casting time: 10 minutes
Range: Touch
Target: Self or one willing living creature; intercession may be made for one soul who has been gone for no longer than 1 year/4 levels.
Duration: 30 minutes; see text.
SR: No

This spell is cast upon an intercessor who pleads with a deity to restore a friend to life. When the spell is cast, the intercessor finds herself in the home of the deity, speaking face to face. She must state the reason she wishes to return the deceased to life, and demonstrate her commitment to doing so.

Deities are free to refuse the request, at their own discretion, at which point the spell simply ends. Each deity will use her own criteria for determining whether the cause and the intercessor are worthy, but none take resurrection lightly. Generally speaking, diplomacy does not help the request, nor does status or position. Strong desire to return, a good purpose to serve, or strong love between the parties generally does help. Evil deities may have their own criteria, may be unwilling to give up prized souls, or may view giving a resurrection quest as an opportunity to lay an unreasonably difficult and painful challenge on someone who will fail.

The deceased will be consulted, and if both she and the intercessor are judged worthy and dedicated enough to undertake the task, the pair is assigned a resurrection quest.

A resurrection quest can occur anywhere--within a plane specially constructed for the purpose, in another world, or even within the mind. The intercessor and deceased are assigned a difficult and epic task designed to test their resolve, their dedication to the cause, and their love for each other. This task is tailored specifically by the deity as a test of dedication. Some ideas are given below:

- Kord: Participate in a wrestling match and contests of strength with Kord himself, until you can win. Includes years of training and preparation, as well as always losing and never giving up.

- Moradin: Descend (on foot) to the center of the earth and return with a handful of the sand found there. Includes many years of difficult combat and navigation, cultivating allies and following hard roads.

- Ehlonna: Ascend to the top of an extremely high mountain, through rough thicket, and constant storms, enduring all the extremes and hardships of nature.

- Any evil: Endure vile torture and mind games in silence for the entire duration.

- Any good: Seek out 100 orphans (listed) and reunite each a relative.

- Any: Participate in an epic war. Cause one side to win.

The resurrection quest takes enough time to age each participant one full age category. (If this is a disparate amount, the deity manages the subjective flow of time such that each percieves the full amount as having passed). The participants spend the time working together to complete the quest.

Resurrection quests are always difficult, and very easy to fail. For many deities, wavering in resolve for but a moment is enough to terminate the spell. For others, achievement of the final goal is all that matters, and moments of despair are allowed so long as they are overcome. In any quest, should the deceased or the intercessor fail to give their utmost (remember--it's a test of resolve!), the spell ends in failure. A request which ends in failure still ages the intercessor and deceased by the amount of time which has apparently passed.

Time spent in a resurrection quest flows at a different pace than normal. Those twenty (or two hundred) years of questing are compressed into a half hour, yet the body of the intercessor visibly ages. While the quest is going on, the intercessor's body is comatose, but under the protection of the deity, and invulnerable to all harmful effects (deity's discretion).

If the spell is completed successfully, the deceased is restored to life, her body re-created near the intercessor. Both have aged one full age category (and are as far into the next one as they were into the last). Treat childhood as an age category for this purpose (infants age to adults). The penalties and benefits of aging apply.

At the deity's discretion, skills or scars gained during the resurrection quest may be retained, but in general the character gains no experience points or levels for having undertaken the quest. However, the memory of the quest remains as a major life event for both parties, and the bond formed between them is permanent. Both parties gain a permanent, non-magical +1 (morale) bonus to Aid Another checks made to help each other.

Venerable characters cannot be raised by this method. Venerable characters may intercede, but die within minutes of returning after completing the quest. Time spent dead does not count against your age; your age as the resurrection quest begins is your age at the time of death.

Session 15, 2008-02-15: From West to East

2008-02-15T18:01:00.000-08:00

Session 15: wherein some vrocks and wraiths fail in their assaults, and some junior kingsmen are impressed

Players (Characters)
Scott (Filthy Ike)
Jeremy (Flynn Flamm)
Tony (Brother Jakob)
Rachel (Lotus)
Tom (Nathaniel Graythorne)
DM: Catherine

For capturing so many live hobgoblins with information, Minellin bought the Ninja Mongoose Rockstars drinks and gave them a nice cash reward. He sent the hobgoblin commander off to have his mind probed, and NMR headed to the halfling city of Pondwater to spend their newfound wealth. Lotus sat in a garden making a dandelion chain, while Jakob played with orphans in the park down the street. Nate sat in a bar and beat the locals at card games, while Flynn held a silly song contest. Ike got drunk and then stepped outside to crap on a tree. Lotus pointed out which of the trees needed the fertilizer the most, and Ike obliged.

A flash on the trees revealed a group teleporting in: four Vrocks, moving toward Ike. One spoke: "our lady Kelzun extends you an invitation to join us in hell." Ike left his pants by the tree and stepped toward the bar, firing a carefully placed shot at the nearest Vrock. Lotus' arc lightning bounced harmlessly off of the demons ("they're immune to electricity." "I'll put away my electric guitar." -Jeremy) Jakob's quicksilver boots brought him to the corner, and he was able to step forward and kick one square in the head. Two jumped over Jakob and a third moved around him, and the three clawed at Ike, though Jakob's Shadow Sun Hand disrupted one's aim. The fourth shrieked, but neither Ike nor Jakob were effected. Nathaniel feebleminded one Vrock from the doorway of the bar, and Flynn started singing a more serious and more inspirational song. Ike fired another shot at the healthiest enemy, and Lotus dropped a flamestrike on top of the pack.

Jakob reached over and healed Ike, then tripped, killed, and nauseated one Vrock, and tripped another. The vrocks again struck at Ike, though Jakob's careful positioning made them miss several times. Nate fired his crossbow at the most wounded vrock, leaving it nearly dead, and Ike's bow and a sudden stalagmite from Lotus killed another. Jakob tripped and pummelled the feebleminded vrock, who twice stood up and was tripped twice more. Ike made a series of rude gestures while Jakob again pulled health from the Vrock for Ike. The Vrock tried to teleport away, but couldn't speak the invocation correctly. Jakob took a few more swings, and Ike landed a critical shot with his bow (CON bleed), killing the enemy. Ike asked if anyone wanted demon jerky -- "it's not very good. Tastes like hell." When he'd cooked it up, he placed some parsley to the side to improve the presentation.

The next evening, Minellin sent word that a group of kingsmen coming over the mountains had been attacked by wraiths and needed help. The party teleported to the high mountain pass, all with mage armor from Nate, and Lotus gave Jakob a Death Ward. Lotus heard the kingsmen's heavy breathing and whispering deep inside one cave, so Flynn started singing and Jakob led the way into the cave. Four wraiths stood over a skeleton in a large suit of plate mail. Ike started firing force arrows, and instantly killed two of the wraiths. The other two moved toward Ike, but Jakob (invisible to the wraiths) struck and killed one with a psionic fist and wounded the other with a headbutt. Its draining touch slipped off of Ike's mage armor as he deftly dodged. Jakob's Wolf Fang Strike took down the final wraith, and he stepped further into the cave. A much larger wraith emerged from the armor, and Jakob roared to draw its attention. Flynn cast haste, and Lotus sent a stampede of dinosaurs at the wraith. Ike fired all five of his returning force arrows and killed the larger wraith (98 damage, killed it by 2.)

The party stepped to the back of the cave, where a group of scared kingsmen were hiding. One looked up and said "oh wow, they sent you guys! You're those guys who go by that stupid name!" The others responded with similar awe. The party provided the junior kingsmen with tips for avoiding wraiths and otherwise not getting killed, and kept watch for the night. In the morning, Minellin sent word to teleport to Johan at Westlay's northern gate. Johan instantly recognized the party, saying "excellent, the assassins have arrived." Jakob resisted the classification, protesting "we're ninjas! Ninjas!" Johan brought the group inside the wall and through the anti-teleportation shell, and pointed to the siege going on in Flynn's hometown of White Fields.

Jakob reached level 11.

Session 14, 2007-12-15: The Law of Inverse Ninja Power

2007-12-15T18:00:00.000-08:00

Session 14: wherein an outpost, a spellsink manual, and a Ghern commander are captured, and Rojin is defeated

Players (Characters)
Scott (Filthy Ike)
Jeremy (Flynn Flamm)
Tony (Brother Jakob)
Rachel (Lotus)
Tom (Nathaniel Graythorne)
DM: Catherine

As the hobgoblins retreated, they lit up a set of smokesticks to obscure their exit. Nathaniel cast a ghost sound into the hallway to try to distract the spellsinks and Ike killed the unconscious troll with a well-aimed arrow. Lotus cast Wind Tunnel on Ike, which allowed him to disperse the smoke in the hallway and get a clear view of the two portcullises surrounding a puddle on the floor. Ike fired several arrows at a hobgoblin soldier in the room beyond, nearly paralyzing the enemy. Flynn began singing about the arrival of the Chord of Doom. Nathaniel's attempt to Phantasmal Killer a hobgoblin engineer was dispelled, but Lotus' flamestrike succeeded. The hobgoblins retreated into the smokier parts of their room as Jakob threw a stone door into the puddle between the portcullises. Ike's blowing smoke revealed a hobgoblin foot, which he shot precisely in the most damaging spot with a poisoned arrow. Flynn again hasted the party, and Nate fired his crossbow, thinking it had a higher chance of success than spells did.

Lotus summoned a large air elemental as the hobgoblins continued to cower. Jakob tried to tear another stone door away from its hinges, but it barely held in place. Ike stepped forward and killed a spellsink and an engineer. Nathaniel's Great Thunderclap was blocked by another unseen enemy, but Lotus' air elemental blew the last of the smoke away to reveal the remaining engineer and spellsinks. The elemental tried to toss a spellsink in front of Ike, but the spellsink's magical defenses proved too potent. A few hobgoblin soldiers made feeble attempts to hurt the elemental, but its physical defenses proved the same. Ike fired a few more shots at a hobgoblin soldier while Nate created an illusory air elemental and Lotus summoned a dire wolf.

A spellsink stepped forward and tried to dispel Nathaniel's illusion, but failed. Jakob propped one portcullis open with the stone door he'd finally managed to tear down, and noted that the puddle was highly flammable oil. Ike shot at the spellsink who'd stepped into sight, but it was Nate's crossbow bolt that dealt the killing blow. The air elemental brought the other spellsink into view, and Lotus' dire wolf tripped the largest remaining soldier. The wolf also held the spellsink down, proving far more effective than the spell Lotus tried to cast. The hobgoblin soldiers focused their attacks on the pair of summons, bringing both near their ends. As Jakob stepped forward to lift the second portcullis, a hiding hobgoblin lit the oil on fire. Ike blasted the last spellsink and then fired a pair of arrows through the small slit in the wall, killing the hidden hobgoblin. Flynn fired some arrows at the remaining enemies, and Nate confused the pack before backing around the corner.

The elemental and the wolf kept pounding away as Lotus dehydrated the leading soldier, killing him. The confused hobgoblins started running and attacking each other, though one managed to kill the wolf before it fell to its confused ally. Jakob lifted the final portcullis and propped it open, giving Ike a clear shot to kill a hobgoblin engineer. Nate held another entineer while Lotus, Jakob, Ike, and the air elemental moved forward to finish off the remaining live enemies. The enemies tried to focus their last, desperate attacks on Flynn, but couldn't get into the hallway past Jakob. The party quickly dropped the remaining enemies, keeping one soldier and one engineer alive but unconscious. Jakob picked up valuable and useful-looking gear and broke the remaining weapons in the armory, thinking it important to leave future hobgoblins less able to fight.

The party moved down a hallway and opened the nearest door. Two hobgoblins inside the room fired a catapult full of flaming metal at the door, narrowly missing Jakob and barely injuring the somewhat fire-resistant Ike. Two others operated a metal dinosaur-like machine of the right size and shape to have carved out most of the complex. Ike shot one of the engineers in the face while Nate confused the other three. Flynn began singing, and Jakob killed the unconfused enginner. One of the confused engineers drove the dinosaur into a wall while the others stood babbling. Ike took out the engineer standing outside and Jakob popped the top of the dinosaur open, punching and killing one of the engineers. The other tried to draw his bow and attack, giving Jakob an opening to strike him dead.

Nate hopped in the dinosaur and tried to get it working, but couldn't figure out the complex machinery. The party piled all sorts of treasure into the dinosaur and Jakob dragged it outside, and Ike gladly burned other items in the outpost. Lotus took a few minutes to focus on some new spells while Nate chatted with an orc who had been cooking dinner, deciding to leave the civilian alive despite its questionable allegiances. In a room near the end of the complex, the party found an elf who had been a spellcaster but had been somehow neutralized by the spellsinks. The elf was tending to a library full of hobgoblin training manuals, including one that described the spellsink training process.

The party headed for the final door within the complex, with Flynn casting haste and singing on approach. Jakob kicked the door open to reveal a room full of ashes and burning paper and a single hobgoblin. Ike shot the hobgoblin, who charged at Jakob and found himself quickly on the ground. Jakob punched the hobgoblin unconscious, and Nate set about scouring the room for unburned papers. Only one held any tidbit of useful information: some group was apparently "ready for the legion of Ghern". Disappointed in the lack of written information, the party teleported the unconscious hobgoblin leader, the previously-captured soldier and engineer, and the dinosaur full of treasure back to Kinari, where the elves took over interrogation.

Early the next morning, the Ninja Mongoose Rockstars headed back into the outpost and stepped behind the door marked with the skull and crossbones. This led to a deep and dark shaft with a staircase circling downward. Lotus cast daylight on a stone and dropped it, revealing a stone inscription at the bottom of the shaft: "Here lies Rojin. Death awaits the unworthy." The party headed downward, discovering four doors marked with different symbols and a single tomb with four slits. Rojin's ghost materialized and matter-of-factly detailed the scenario: there were four tests ahead, each of which was necessary for a true ninja to pass. These were the tests of silence, darkness, numbers, and speed, each of which would wield a dagger that could be used as a key to the test.

Ike opted to approach the test of silence. Nate cast silent portal to quiet the door. Inside was a wall of greater dispelling and a room with several spouts hanging from the ceiling. Skeletons lay scattered on the floor. Flynn sang a song to inspire Ike and then quieted down, and Ike stepped quietly across the room, triggering some minor dexterity-draining poison when he breathed a little too loudly. Eventually Ike reached the far side of the room and grabbed a dagger, sneaking carefully back.

Jakob stepped into the test of speed. The door led to a long hallway with a dagger at the end. Jakob ran to the far end of the hallway, grabbed the dagger, and ran back, easily outrunning the spikes that started emerging from the floor.

Ike attempted the test of darkness. The door led to a pitch-black room with a narrow walkway and magical eyes above arrow slits. Jakob tied a rope to Ike and to himself in case retrieval became necessary. Ike stepped carefully around the room, using darkvision to guide him, but found he couldn't reach the dagger because a piece of the walkway had collapsed. He came out and Jakob took his place, easily reaching the dagger. Curious as to what would have happened, Nate threw a flaming bit of paper into the room after everyone had left, and a series of arrows shot through the paper.

Jakob and Ike moved into the test of numbers together. The door led to a room surrounded by 19 more doors and a dagger in the middle. Nate created webs around the room's perimeter and Flynn sang an inspirational song, and then Ike grabbed the dagger. The main door snapped shut the other 19 opened, revealing 19 beginning (summoned) ninjas who immediately became stuck in the webs. The ninjas threw shurikens at Ike, though only a pair managed to hit him. Ike started shooting back, dropping one ninja per arrow. Nate cast dimension door to bring himself, Lotus, and Flynn into the center of the room, saying "a box full of ninjas isn't dangerous; the more ninjas there are, the easier the fight." Flynn hasted the party and Lotus created a dinosaur stampede along the eastern half of the room. Jakob stepped toward one corner and punched one of the weak ninjas. A new group of 19 ninjas appeared, wielding a pair of swords each and finding themselves immediately stuck in the webs. Flynn shot three on the western half of the room, Jakob punched one, and Lotus' dinosaurs and some arc lightning dropped several more. A new group arrived, armed with bows. Nate stunned several, leaving only ten to fire at Ike, and three of those drew attacks from Jakob for their efforts. Ike used some minor healing on himself as the dinosaurs, Jakob, Flynn, and Nate kept dropping individual ninjas. Lotus created a vortex of teeth to cover the parts of the room her dinosaurs weren't already occupying, and the final group of ninjas arrived to find themselves in an ugly spot. A few of them managed to toss some poison at Ike, but he easily resisted and shot the few that Lotus' spells didn't kill. With that, the main door popped open.

With the fourth dagger in place, the ghost spoke: "to win the prize, you must face Rojin himself. Whoever dares, stand here on the floor. All others, step aside." Ike, Lotus, and Jakob stood at the center of the room while Nathaniel and Flynn moved aside. The floor sank a hundred feet downward and a pair of stone slabs closed above the newly-formed pit. Rojin's ghost suddenly disappeared. Ike used his headband to grant himself True Seeing, which revealed Rojin now standing upside down on the ceiling. Jakob began climbing as the ghost cast Find the Gap. Lotus cast wind tunnel on Ike, whose four arrows found their mark and killed the ghost. With that, the floor rose up and Rojin's corpse appeared, with Fox's Bite in hand. Ike spit on the corpse and grabbed the bow, wondering why Nathaniel and Flynn had been so cowardly as to stay out. Nate replied "I didn't get to be 187 years old by climbing into a box with one ninja."

Session 13, 2007-12-08: The Chord of Doom is Here

2007-12-08T17:59:00.000-08:00

Session 13: wherein a spellsink is captured and an outpost is besieged

Players (Characters)
Scott (Filthy Ike)
Jeremy (Flynn Flamm)
Tony (Brother Jakob; Lotus)
Tom (Nathaniel Graythorne)
DM: Catherine

Curious about the spellsinks, Nate teleported to Lonely Sparrow. He described the spellsinks to Minellin, who asked that one be captured for further study. Nate agreed, and Lotus set out in eagle form to locate one that could be captured. She soon found a group with two gargoyles, six soldiers, and a single spellsink. The party hid about 200 feet away (with Nate, Flynn, and Lotus all rolling natural 20's on their hide checks.) Lotus' opening volley was Ice Flowers, and Nate's followup Great Thunderclap left many enemies stunned, deaf, or half-dead. Jakob approached as Ike took down both gargoyles. Jakob then found his target and quickly knocked the spellsink unconscious. Nate fired a crossbow bolt into the dirt next to one of the stunned enemies, so Ike showed him how it's done, killing the largest soldier with a string of arrows. Ike and Lotus walked around killing the remaining soldiers while Minellin teleported in to study the spellsink's spell resistance and spell duration reduction effect. After Minellin left, Ike killed the spellsink and called Jakob a wuss for not doing it himself.

The party returned to Thameor's outpost, where a group of Ivani had arrived just before. The elves delievered a message: the Ninja Mongoose Rockstars were wanted in Kinari. One of the elves guided the party's teleport to the northeast, and then began dancing, which summoned a gate to Kinari. Inside the city, an Ivani commander requested the party gather information behind enemy lines, possibly striking at a Ghern outpost deep within their territory. Ike found an archery shop whose shopkeeper was very interested in Ike's mask. He told the story of William the Fox, whose sacrifice in William's Gambit had not gone unnoticed by the gods, and whose gear was granted great power in response to his sacrifice. Ike wore William's mask, but William's bow was an even greater prize. A ninja named Rojin had claimed the bow many years ago, and swore that it would never fall into the hands of a lesser ninja; that lair was now said to be guarded by Rojin's ghost, deep inside Ghern territory. This would be a perfect opportunity to complete the Ivani's request, so the party teleported to the area.

The lair's entrance was up on a hillside, and four hobgoblin soldiers and a spellsink stood guard. The road, heading eastbound, was heavily trafficked. The party snuck into a good position to strike, and Flynn began singing and playing his lute. Nathaniel filled the cave mouth with webs and Jakob ran in a blur of fur. Ike dropped the spellsink with a series of arrows while the soldiers yelled and struggled against the webs. Lotus' arc lightning and Jakob's shadow garrotte combined to bring a soldier down and wound the others. Flynn filled the tunnel behind with light, revealing a wide room with pillars and a fleeing troll.

Hobgoblin voices grew louder within the tunnel, and they soon began to shout "the Chord of Doom!" The party moved into the cave mouth, and Nathaniel created an illusory Jakob to try to bait enemies into combat. Flynn cast invisibility on the real Jakob, but the illusory Jakob fizzled away before the deception could be completed. Jakob moved forward and toward the center of the room, while Nathaniel used ghost sound to replicate Flynn's singing next to a door to the left marked with a skull and crossbones. Ike moved to the right and saw a large group of enemies approaching, so he fired a poisoned arrow at the largest target he saw. Jakob and Lotus joined back up with the party, and Lotus tried to impale another troll with a sudden stalagmite. Flynn cast haste and Ike backed up the group while firing more arrows. With the group all together, Nate was able to use dimension door to create some range.

The mass of enemies split as they entered the large room, with one group approaching the fake Flynn sounds and the other approaching the real party. A spellsink removed Jakob's invisibility and a troll moved to attack, but Jakob was able to trip it and knock it unconscious with a series of carefully-placed strikes. Lotus' Ice Flowers ripped through the pack of enemies, though a spellsink had tried to disrupt the spell. Flynn shot at the spellsink using his Bow of Songs, and Ike's critical hit helped finish the spellsink off. Nathaniel pulled the acid crystal from his crossbow and handed it to Ike, and prepared a Phantasmal Killer for the still-standing troll. A pack of soldiers found themselves in reach of Jakob, which led swiftly to their deaths as Jakob pummelled them and the unconscious troll (taking it to -160 hp with a pair of critical hits.) Jakob yelled out "come on! Come face the Chord of Doom!" Nate's Phantasmal Killer was ineffective against the troll, and a spellsink dispelled Lotus' tremor. Jakob tripped and pummelled the remaining troll and Ike took down a pair of spellsinks. Lotus' vortex of teeth ripped into most enemies, though the spellsinks seemed unaffected -- but Nathaniel's second, and more successful, Phantasmal Killer destroyed the healthier troll and sent the remaining enemies fleeing.

Session 12, 2007-12-01: We're Going to See the Elves!

2007-12-01T17:58:00.000-08:00

Session 12: wherein an archery contest winner gets a trophy, and arrows beat antimagic

Players (Characters)
Scott (Filthy Ike)
Jeremy (Flynn Flamm)
Tony (Brother Jakob)
Rachel (Lotus)
Tom (Nathaniel Graythorne)
DM: Catherine

Minellin gave Nathaniel a freshly-crafted Runestaff of Construct Control and then sent the party on their first "special ops" mission, northward to the Ivani-Ghern border. Gindralen gave Nate the teleportation coordinates and, after teleporting, led the party to a huge tree that was hidden by illusions as if it was just an average tree. Nate began studying the illusions, noticing they gave off no aura whatsoever. Jakob climbed the tree while Lotus licked the bark, noting its texture and flavor. Ike moved to shave some bark off the tree for use as a cooking ingredient, but the party held him back. Soon, everyone climbed the tree and stepped into the outpost high in its branches.

The outpost's director, Thameor, called out "hey, Nate! Did you get it yet?" Alas, neither of the two companions had returned to the Dancing Bear tavern since the fall of Jezrel 155 years ago, so neither had won the bet they'd made shortly after the war. Now that the Hobgoblins controlled the city, it would take a monumental effort to reach the tavern. The two old friends babbled on and on about life back when they were young, boring the rest of the party.

Soon, Lotus and Ike spotted a gargoyle flying about a thousand feet away from the tree. Thameor said it was a scout from the hobgoblins. Ike wasted no time, nailing it with a pair of arrows. Thameor fired his own pair of arrows but missed with both. Ike taunted Thameor as Flynn began singing, and Ike's next three poisoned arrows both killed and paralyzed the gargoyle (6-6-6 dex.) When the gargoyle hit the ground, it broke in half from the force. Jakob hopped out of the outpost, swinging and tumbling to the ground, and then ran to the gargoyle corpse. Some of the gold the gargoyle carried ended up wedged into nearby trees, but Jakob was able to pull the coins out of where they'd gotten stuck. He brought back the coins and the gargoyle's head, which Ike mounted with the inscription "Ike wuz heer."

About an hour later, the party noticed a golem walking around punching trees, obviously searching for fakes. Nathaniel used his staff to cast "hide from constructs" on the party, and they moved to surround the golem. Flynn began singing and Nate placed grease under the golem's feet, making it slip and fall. Jakob and Ike each hit the golem once, while Thameor's arrow bounced off of the golem. Ike shot several more arrows and even Nate got in on the action with an acid-covered crossbow bolt, but it was Jakob's flurry of fists and feet that ended the golem's existence. Ike and Thameor covered the golem's tracks and destroyed evidence of the party's involvement in killing it, and Jakob buried the golem itself.

Another hour passed and Ike spotted a group of hobgoblins moving around with a large wagon that had a large flaming bowl at its center. The Ninja Mongoose Rockstars moved to engage the hobgoblins. Ike fired a series of arrows at the lead hobgoblin and Jakob charged him. Lotus' Ice Flowers extinguished the flame and injured all of the others. Flynn began singing about how stupid hobgoblins were and how they'd look good in coffins. One of the hobgoblins, with a symbol of a triangle with a line balanced at its tip on his armor, relit the flame, which billowed thick obscuring smoke. Several others, with sword symbols on their armor, moved toward Jakob. Nate's Great Thunderclap stunned a pair of hobgoblins and knocked another pair over. Jakob waited for two hobgoblins to approach him from the smoke, and when their attacks swung wide, he took the opportunity to knock both over and kill them. Lotus' vortex of teeth killed all but two of the remaining hobgoblins. Ike and Nate finished off the one with a circle and X on his equipment (Ike said the symbol made a nice target), and Jakob grabbed the final one with the balance, wrestling him to the ground and unconscious. Nate discovered none of the hobgoblins had magical equipment, and in fact, one of them (the one with the "target") had an aura that looked to be anti-magical on his body.

Lotus put out the fire and then experimented with the wagon. She found that one lever released thousands of gallons of oil and tipped the fire bowl over, which likely would have charred acres of forest if the fire had been actively burning. Jakob destroyed the cart and began overturning soil to get the oil off of the surface quickly. Nate disguised himself as one of the "target" hobgoblins (the party later learned these were called "spellsinks"). He tried to interrogate the "balance" hobgoblin (an engineer), but the engineer refused to take orders from a spellsink, and tried to attack Nate. Ike's bow put a quick end to that drama and the party headed back to the outpost.

Lotus took eagle form and flew over the hobgoblin outpost. It was on top of a hill, and the forest had been burned away for several hundred yards around. Two dozen of the hobgoblin soldiers were practicing with their swords, and the outpost had at least one trebuchet. Rather than making a frontal assault, the party decided to destroy an inbound supply wagon. Lotus and Jakob stood near the road out in front of the wagon, Ike and Flynn took up positions off to the side, and Nate snuck behind the wagon as it passed. Nate's Great Thunderclap, Lotus' Entangle, and Flynn's Inspirational Boost all took longer to cast than expected. Jakob threw the wagon's driver aside, and Ike fired an arrow right through where the driver had just been a moment before.

Flynn began singing and Ike made up for his missed shot by putting three arrows right through the driver's body. A troll stepped from inside the wagon and attacked Jakob. Jakob was unable to trip the troll, but it was able to daze him. The spellsink dispelled Nate's mage armor and his spellsink disguise, but Nate's Great Thunderclap finally went off, knocking down the troll and horses. The spellsink was completely immune. Nate, upset that his spells seemed to be failing, shot the spellsink right in the throat. Lotus began casting Flamestrike, which again took longer than expected, and Flynn cast Rage on Jakob. Jakob and the troll each tried their same tricks, but the troll kept its feet and Jakob kept his composure. Jakob pulled the sides of the wagon down on top of the troll and the spellsink and then ran for help. Ike fired some arrows at the smaller lump in the wagon, killing the spellsink with a second shot to the throat. Nate cast unluck on the troll, and Lotus' flamestrike and dehydration hurt it and drained away its health. Flynn missed with a pair of arrows and the troll began to flee. Ike's pair of poisoned arrows made the troll significantly less agile, and Nate's phantasmal assailants paralyzed it. Jakob used the Touch of the Shadow Sun to heal himself and drain the troll. Once Jakob was fully healed, Lotus told Nate the troll would only die from acid, so Nate used his acidic crossbow to fire a shot right at the troll's heart. The unlucky troll died from the wound, and the party retrieved many supplies.

Session 11, 2007-09-29: Killing Her Dog Is Secondary

2007-09-29T22:23:00.000-07:00

Session 11: wherein the big picture comes into focus, and a dead dog isn't the worst part of Kelzun's day

Players (Characters)
Scott (Filthy Ike)
Jeremy (Flynn Flamm)
Tony (Brother Jakob)
Rachel (Lotus)
Tom (Nathaniel Graythorne)
DM: Catherine

As guests continued to arrive at Lonely Sparrow, Minellin asked Lotus to look at a nearby lake from on top of the tower. In the distance, she spotted a familiar-looking flying dog, as well as its companions. Without discussion, Minellin headed downstairs to meet with all of the guests, who described the state of affairs in the world.

Gindralen, an Ivani elf, spoke of the local hobgoblins causing trouble, as well as golems approaching from the north. Jason, a noble from Tindell, described mud critters attacking from the local bog and dinosaurs acting uncharacteristically hostile. Sir Reynald said the yuan-ti kingdom of Serpenti had spied and dealt treacherously with Westlay, and had now declared open war. Mary of Waecleft described many goblin attacks, saying King Edward was too foolish and too rigid to fight back, but had instead chosen to close the city to the outside. Enigma, a doppelganger, said the goblins were planning a direct assault on Waecleft and that Serpenti had gone through a serious drought. Sir Reynald noted Westlay's summer had been hot as well. Serpenti and marruspawn spies had been around various kingdoms for months, gathering information about water sources and assassinating wise clerics.

Reynald also spoke of the Thirsting, caused by the black sand, which was causing serious problems across Westlay. Mary had discovered the sand consumed both blood and water. Flynn recited the poetic riddle spoken by the living tree: "the thirsty blight knows of life but a part. His greatest foe lies in the woods heart." NMR also spoke of the dragon with the marruspawn rider, and of Kelzun. Minellin knew Kelzun had been summoned by goblins, and that she was now in the area. Phineas, from the northern woods, said both riders had gathered with others at a lake in the north, turned it to sand, and heated the whole area. A single skeleton was found in the center of the sand. Gindralen and other champions had saved another woman from the same fate only a few days ago, when Kelzun was delayed due to her dog dying. Finally, Minellin voiced his suspicions: all of the actions of the goblins, yuan-ti, hostile animals, and so on are simply distractions to allow these enemies to attack the lakes unhindered and to allow the marruspawn to continue massing in the south. Fighting back may turn the tide, but only if it's done quickly. Mary suspected Waecleft would not get involved.

After the meeting, Minellin called the Ninja Mongoose Rockstars for a second meeting. The party would become a special operations group, targeting important objectives including those behind enemy lines. For tonight, the objective was Kelzun herself. Minellin had intercepted a sending spell that made it known Kelzun would be alone for the night, and that the others would join her in the morning. Because Kelzun was a dry lich, water was very dangerous to her, and Lotus could be very effective in making the attack. The party spent some time preparing for the midnight assault.

Lotus gave the party mass camoflage and cast swim on Jakob. Minellin protected himself from spells. Flynn hasted the party, and everyone teleported to just a short distance away from Kelzun's campsite. Minellin cast analyze dweomer so he could make out spell effects on Kelzun. He then fired off an antimagic ray, which deflected off of her magical armor. Nathaniel created an illusory party off to one side, trying to distract the enemies. Ike fired a shot and Jakob tried unsuccessfully to grab Kelzun. Lotus raised the water level, covering Jakob and Kelzun. Lotus' kelp strand then started to hold Kelzun in place. Jakob tried to hit her but couldn't connect. Flynn turned Minellin invisible, and Minellin dispelled Kelzun's death throes. Kelzun teleported out of the water and tried to find Minellin, but he had stepped slightly off to one side. Ike fired some arrows and connected with one, and Nate's buzzing bee began following Kelzun. Several lesser enemies began to flee, including a quasit that Jakob killed, and a flying dog.

Jakob tried to throw Kelzun back into the water, but again, she evaded his grasp. Lotus again raised the water level. Flynn shot at one of the weaker enemies and Minellin fired another antimagic ray at Kelzun, which she easily resisted. She again teleported out of the water. Ike hit her with another arrow and Nate tried unsuccessfully to turn luck against her. Jakob missed Kelzun with yet another attempt to trip her. One of the enemies took a swing at Jakob, but he wheeled around and crushed it. A rushing wave from Lotus grabbed Kelzun and dragged her back past Jakob and into the water, and Minellin finally dispelled her boosted armor. Flynn kept shooting at lesser enemies. Kelzun tried to cast Blasphemy but Minellin counterspelled her cast. Ike fired several more shots, this time connecting and slaying the dry lich. The dog stumbled over to the dust pile and began sniffing it, and Nathaniel summon its worst fears to destroy it. The remaining enemies surrendered, and the woman Kelzun had planned to sacrifice was rescued.

This concludes Chapter 1: Troubled Times.

Session 10, 2007-09-22: Encounter with an Unlucky Dragon

2007-09-22T13:03:00.002-07:00

Session 10: wherein specialized gear helps the NMR make short work of dinosaurs and dragons

Players (Characters)
Scott (Filthy Ike)
Jeremy (Flynn Flamm)
Tony (Brother Jakob)
Rachel (Lotus)
Tom (Nathaniel Graythorne)
DM: Catherine

[NOTE: this session marked the one year anniversary of the first session with the whole group]

In the morning, Minellin and all the residents and guests of Lonely Sparrow met with the party in the Hall of the Ten Kings. Minellin announced the great deeds of the Ninja Mongoose Rockstars, including the slaying of Kelzun's dog. He handed out a set of custom items:

Flynn - the Bow of Songs (+1 shortbow, spend bardic music for +CHA to attack and damage for one attack)
Ike - Mask of the Fox (bonuses to sight, including activation for true seeing; set piece from William the Fox)
Nathaniel - Spellshard Talisman: Heighten Unluck (+4 levels)
Jakob - ki straps (can be enchanted by donating money to orphanages, monestaries, and the like. Enchantments only function for the person who made the donations.)
Lotus - Nature's Fury (rod of empower spell, functions only on spells that fit the local environment.)

Minellin also thanked the party for the construct control spells. He then gave Baern a quick teleport home.

Sir Reynald, a noble from the southern part of Westlay, told the party of life in Flynn's old neighborhood -- particularly, the effects of a black-sand induced plague. He also mentioned losing a part of his own party on his journey here, due to a red dragon to the east. NMR agreed to slay the red dragon, so Lotus put the winds at their backs and the party headed out.

On the open plains, a group of six raptors approached. Jakob stood in his Roots of the Mountain stance while Flynn cast haste. Nathaniel's phantasm was unsuccessful at killing a raptor, and Ike's arrows weren't quite sufficient. Lotus entangled four of the raptors but the remaining two charged at the party. Flynn started singing a song about dying dinosaurs and Nate retreated while enfeebling the nearest beast. Ike's arrows dropped one dinosaur while Lotus' vortex of teeth took down another. Jakob stunned the nearest dino, and Flynn, Nate, and Ike fired away at the dinosaurs that were struggling through the entangling vines. Jakob tripped the first raptor to come out of the vortex and Ike landed the final shots to finish off the pack.

As the party approached the mountain where the red dragon lived, Lotus gave everyone fire resistance. Soon, the dragon came into view. Flynn cast haste and started singing while Nathaniel created a pack of illusory archers spread across the ground. Ike hit the dragon with eight of his first nine shots, and some of the poison had a minor effect. Nate had his illusions call out "that was my shot! I totally nailed that dragon!" Once the dragon got into range, Lotus cast downdraft, but it stayed aloft. Nathaniel heightened an unluck spell, and the dragon was unable to resist as fate turned against him. Ike fired off several more arrows and Flynn tried to blind the dragon with glitterdust. The dragon responded by breathing fire on those nearest to it. Lotus' earthbind spell brought the unlucky dragon to the ground, where Jakob punched it and Ike hit it with four more arrows, ending its menacing ways.

The next morning, Lotus used a spider climb spell to allow the party access to the dragon's hoard. Lotus charmed a nearby rhino, which helped Jakob tow the dragon corpse back to Lonely Sparrow. A few foolish raptors tried to take the dragon for themselves, but found Jakob was too strong for them. Back at Lonely Sparrow, Minellin crafted a set of Red Dragon breastplate for Lotus.

Session 9, 2007-09-15: An overrun outpost is again overrun

2007-09-15T13:03:00.000-07:00

Session 9: wherein an escape from one outpost leads to the retaking of a second and the arrival at a third

Players (Characters)
Scott (Filthy Ike)
Jeremy (Flynn Flamm)
Tony (Brother Jakob)
Rachel (Lotus)
Tom (Nathaniel Graythorne)
DM: Catherine

The Ninja Mongoose Rockstars now had two captives: a goblin and a yuan-ti. Interrogating the goblin was fruitless, though Ike quickly learned his answer to "is your armor any good?" was a negative. Nathaniel used a charm spell on the unconscious yuan-ti and took up an appropriate disguise, and then had Lotus wake him. Nate asked "how can we join your organization?" The yuan-ti captive said to report to Sissineth in the goblin city near Waecleft and gave detailed directions on finding it. He also said the marruspawn were in charge of the overall operation. Ike again ended the interview with the question "what's your AC?"

The party headed for the main door of the outpost. Again, Baern broke down the door, surprising the pack of goblins outside. Nathaniel cast confusion on a pack of hobgoblins riding wargs, Flynn started singing about the death of goblins, and Lotus entangled the entire group of enemies. A poisoned arrow from Ike injured a hobgoblin leader, and Jakob tripped another. Ike kept working on his hobgoblin while Baern stepped forward and cut through a pair of goblins. Flynn fired a pair of arrows and dropped a goblin, and even Nathaniel landed a hit with a crossbow he'd just picked up. Aaron and Jakob both missed the goblins they were swinging at, but Jakob reacted quickly and managed to take one down as he taunted a large snake. Lotus' vortex of teeth left several goblins bleeding and killed one snake while Jakob caught another one as it slithered away, and Rogar whined "leave the snakes alone!" Obviously his disease had progressed somewhat.

The goblins, not accustomed to being attacked from within their own fortress, and not really wanting to take on a giant with considerable backup, tried to flee. Two of the confused goblins attacked their own warg mounts, while the wargs howled incessantly. Ike, sensing the battle was already won, turned around and fired several arrows between his legs, dropping a fleeing hobgoblin and two other goblins. Baern and Aaron moved around the force pirahnas to block off escape, and Flynn, Nate, and Jakob took out the goblins they could hit. The vortex finished off the remaining goblins and wargs.

Baern strapped the not-entirely-trustworthy Rogar to his back and the party kept moving toward Rogar's former outpost. Lotus took up eagle form, which allowed her to see Rogar standing at the outpost's gate from half a mile away. A second look showed the creature was a look-alike and that there were yuan-ti inside the outpost. The party approached quietly and Flynn cast haste on everyone, then he began singing an inspirational song. Nathaniel cast confusion above the outpost, which affected two of the yuan-ti guards. Ike, Tara, Jakob, and Baern focused on taking out the fake Rogar, who died to their series of attacks. Jakob pulled the outpost door open and tripped one of the yuan-ti, and Nate tried to kill it with a phantasm but failed. Ike fired a series of arrows at a spellcaster, leaving it seriously wounded. One of the confused yuan-ti bit Jakob, and another attacked him, leaving him nearly dead. Two others cast darkness, but Lotus and Flynn dispelled the effects with daylight spells. Baern killed the yuan-ti standing next to Jakob and used a maneuver to channel healing energy to the big half-ogre, who drank a potion for an added boost. Nate distracted an enemy with a buzzing bee while Ike took it out with arrows, and Tara tripped the remaining enemy. That confused yuan-ti stood and tried to bite Jakob again, but Tara, Baern, Jakob, and Aaron landed their attacks first, taking her to the ground.

Jakob stepped into a tent where he found another yuan-ti interrogating a group of humans. He tripped the snake-like enemy and Lotus impaled it on a stalagmite. A flurry of attacks from Jakob finished off this foe, though a few snakes bit him in the process. Nathaniel handed off his last antitoxin to allow Jakob to resist the poison, and Aaron and Lotus provided him with restoration. The captured kingsmen thanked the party for rescuing them and agreed to stay at the outpost with Aaron, and the party got some rest.

In the morning, the party headed toward Lonely Sparrow with the wind at their backs, courtesy of Lotus. On the plains south of Rogar's, various creatures could be seen hunting prey for miles around. At one point, Lotus spotted a yellow dragon flying in the distance. After a long day, the party reached Lonely Sparrow, where a monk greeted them and headed inside to wake Minellin. The powerful wizard removed the diseases from both Rogar and Flynn, and the party got some much-needed rest.

Session 8, 2007-09-08: Captured in Myriad Ways

2007-09-08T22:20:00.000-07:00

Session 8: wherein an arms race leads to blended goblins, a salty giant, and a dead dog

Players (Characters)
Scott (Filthy Ike)
Jeremy (Flynn Flamm)
Tony (Brother Jakob)
Rachel (Lotus)
Tom (Nathaniel Graythorne)
DM: Catherine

The party continued toward Lonely Sparrow with Baern and the paladins. Lotus, in eagle form, spotted four spellcasters and footprints from four invisible archers on a nearby hill. Jakob ran up to one caster and threw him into the middle of his group of friends, and Ike shot at another with poisoned arrows. Nate disguised himself as Garlen and then cast phantasmal killer on a goblin, leading him to exclaim "oh no, The Garlen is real!" Bearn trampled the pack of casters while Flynn and Lotus used glitterdust and faerie fire to reveal the archers. Tara bit one of the archers, which fled along with two others. Jakob chased one of the invisible archers, whose panicked screams gave away his location. Ike fired a pair of arrows to kill and paralyze one of the glowing archers while Nate yelled out "your doom is near!" Bearn, Jakob, and the paladins clobbered the remaining goblins.

A few hours later, Lotus spotted a large ambush gathered ahead. A dozen goblin archers stood atop one cliff, with four on another cliff, and a dozen more on an outcropping behind. Four sword-wielding hobgoblins stood in the valley between, with a human wiggling on the ground at their feet. Nathaniel handed Jakob and Lotus some antitoxins to help protect against poisoned arrows. Flynn hasted the party and then blew his horn, inspiring everyone for the upcoming battle. Nate used an illusion to block sight for the small group of archers to the south, and Lotus' vortex of teeth began to chew up the archers to the north. Ike's arrows injured some of the goblins in the vortex. The hobgoblins backed up to an area with more cover and formed up.

Jakob charged into the pack of hobgoblins and clobbered one with a stone bones strike, allowing him to shrug off some punishment. The archers behind Nate's illusion fired ineffectively, while those in the vortex tried to flee. The group in the back focused their attacks on Jakob, but did no damage. Ike's arrows, Nate's phantasmal killer, and Lotus' murderous mist combined with the vortex to drop most of the northern archer pack. Baern and the paladins moved into formation with Jakob. The hobgoblins approached, and Jakob tripped three while Baern and the final hobgoblin exchanged blows. A pack of goblins riding wargs approached Baern. Jakob moved into a small cave where goblin spellcasters had been hiding, and he killed one with a swift kick to the head. The "human" dismissed his alternate form and tried to cast a spell on Jakob, while the others tried to flee and were tripped. The remaining archers continued fleeing as Ike, Lotus, and Nathaniel picked them off. Bearn and the paladins kept attacking the remaining hobgoblins.

Suddenly, a huge flying dog approached. On its back rode a woman wearing red armor. Lotus noticed her face was shriveled and her eyes glowed green. She shouted at the hobgoblin leader "why do you always get in over your head?" and turned Baern into a pillar of salt. The wargs charged up and attacked the paladins while Jakob killed the remaining spellcasters. Ike fired four shots from his bow, including one perfectly aimed between the dog's eyes, and killed the flying dog. ("I can't believe you killed her dog!") The woman, a dry lich named Kelzun, floated gently to the ground and prepared to cast another spell.

Tara and the paladins continued fighting the wargs while Lotus prepared a flamestrike to interrupt Kelzun's next spell. Kelzun resisted the flamestrike and punched the ground, killing all vegetation within a quarter-mile radius and weakening everyone in the area. Jakob, Tara, and the paladins took out the last few casters and kept working on the wargs, while Nate's phantasmal killer and Lotus' dehydrate failed to overcome Kelzun's resistance. A pair of arrows from Ike caught her attention, though, so she cast greater visage of the deity to take on a massive demonic form. Flynn cast glitterdust to try to blind her, and Nathaniel created an illusion of several Ike lookalikes, but neither were effective. Ike kept shooting until Kelzun turned him to salt. Kelzun's summoned vrocks brought Flynn and Lotus down, and she cast insanity on Jakob and then allowed the archers to paralyze him. Nathaniel sent a message to Mary describing what had just happened, and tried to sneak away disguised as a goblin. When the vrocks surrounded him, he allowed himself to be captured, since he had no recourse. Kelzun removed Jakob's insanity, and he awoke to overhear her speaking to others. She found the quasit she'd had following Nathaniel and sent it on to other tasks. She also angrily cursed Ike for killing her dog, and refused to accept a ride from a strange hybrid blue dragon friend.

The rest of the party awoke to find themselves inside of cells in a stone dungeon, along with Baern, Aaron, and Rogar. A group of goblin guards sorted through the party's equipment. Soon, a yuan-ti stepped into the room and sent the goblins away, leaving only a golem guarding the door. Nathaniel tried to kill him with a phantasm, but it failed and the yuan-ti responded by silencing Nate. The strange snake-like creature then cast a spell on Ike and telepathically asked if there was any amount of money they could pay him to work for them. The same question was asked of each other party member, except for Flynn, who was infected with a disease that would slowly turn him into a yuan-ti. Rogar was already a couple days ahead in this process.

After the yuan-ti guard left, another came in and suddenly changed forms, revealing herself as a doppelganger. She began unlocking the cells and asked the party to wait a few minutes before they broke out so that her position wouldn't be compromised. Nathaniel froze the golem with one of his scrolls, allowing the party to move freely. Lotus tried to cure Rogar's disease but was not powerful enough. After a few minutes of waiting and re-equiping, the party headed out of the room, discovering they were in the basement of an ancient castle. Up the stairs, a group of goblins had their card game interrupted as Baern trampled them. Baern kicked open the next door, revealing a huge chamber full of goblins. Lotus dropped a flaming sphere at the far end of the room while Ike started shooting and Jakob and Tara charged into the fray. Nate and Bearn moved around an outer hallway to try to stop any fleeing goblins, and Flynn sang an inspirational song about Garlen the Goblin-slayer. Within seconds, all but two of the goblins were dead, and Jakob knocked the remaining two unconscious as they cowered and cried for mercy.

Baern led the way up to one of the castle's two towers. He smashed the door leading into the top room, and Jakob and Ike each landed a solid attack on the yuan-ti inside. Creeping cold from Lotus, a bite from Tara, and a powerful blow from Baern were enough to bring him to his end. Baern broke open a safe and pulled out some papers, specifically orders from a "Tem Hep'na" about capturing kingsmen and from "Ish Ni'seth" about meeting at a place called Death Rock. Baern led the way into the second tower, but this time he and Jakob pulled their punches in order to capture the yuan-ti who had been inside.

Session 7, 2007-09-01: An expedition to Lonely Sparrow goes south

2007-09-01T07:25:00.000-07:00

Session 7: wherein organized goblins bring about chaos

Players (Characters)
Scott (Filthy Ike)
Jeremy (Flynn Flamm)
Tony (Brother Jakob)
Rachel (Lotus)
Tom (Nathaniel Graythorne)
DM: Catherine

The party met together to discuss what name they might take. Having spent a lot of time sneakily killing snakes with the help of a bard, the name "Ninja Mongoose Rockstars" seemed appropriate. The Ninja Mongoose Rockstars then met with Mary, who wanted them to deliver some scrolls to the Lonely Sparrow monestary, as well as providing Jakob with escort since he wanted to make a donation there. NMR spent some time buying or upgrading equipment and then set out to the south.

Three hours outside of Waecleft, the party came upon a pair of slain messengers who had been returning to Waecleft. Lotus took up Eagle form and located a nearby goblin camp. As the party headed that direction, the ground trembled and a Land Shark popped up. Tara bit at it, and Flynn started singing an inspiring song. Ike fired a series of arrows and Jakob crushed its skull, killing it.

Lotus cast mass camoflage to allow the party to approach the goblin camp more stealthily. Most of the party set up to the northeast, with Ike on a hill to the south. Lotus cast entangle to block off the western exit. Nathaniel's phantasmal killer destroyed one goblin, while Jakob and Tara took another one down with claws and fists. Flynn's song provided everyone some inspiration. Lotus cast vortex of teeth, and the force-pirahnas shredded the camp. Ike, Tara, and Jakob continued dropping goblins as a pair turned themselves invisible. Flynn's glitterdust revealed one of the invisible goblins, who Nathaniel killed with a phantasm. Ike disabled the hobgoblin boss while Lotus and Tara searched for the remaining invisible goblin. The hobgoblin tried to hide using a smokestick, but Jakob grabbed him and threatened him. Nathaniel tried to fool the hobgoblin using various illusions and enchantments, claiming Selenshe had sent the party. The deception was ineffective, so Jakob knocked the hobgoblin out and killed him painlessly. Ike tracked down the remaining invisible goblin, and the party grabbed a "wanted" poster with crude drawings of themselves from the camp.

The party headed back on the road. During the early afternoon, a tree started moving. This wooden druid spoke of recognizing the party from a vision. In this vision, there was a black sand blighting a forest, a city being cleaned out, and people chasing the party away due to Ike. She spoke a riddle: "the thirsty blight knows of life but apart. His greatest foe lies in the woods heart." She then handed the party a gift -- a Raptor Arrow -- and departed.

That night, during the third watch, Lotus noticed the sound of crickets stopped suddenly to one side of camp. She shouted out a warning as four silenced goblin spellcasters became visible. Three tried to cast Hold Person on Lotus while the fourth swarmed her with centipedes. Ike fired off his bow while Lotus blinded several casters with murderous mist. The now-blinded goblins tried to flee, but Jakob and Ike finished three of them off, and a flaming sphere from Lotus cooked the centipedes to a crisp, with some help from Nate's grease spell. Jakob grabbed the remaining goblin and dragged him back to camp, where he offered up little information except to say that a goblin druid had helped him.

In the morning, the party sent word to Mary, who warned that other groups of Kingsmen had been attacked. As the party moved along the road, with Lotus in eagle form, a pack of invisible goblin archers peppered Nathaniel with dexterity-draining poisoned arrows. Ike fired back, but not in time to keep Nathaniel ffrom being incapacitated. Lotus spotted several more and quickly returned to her normal form. Flynn took cover and began singing while Jakob swung just over one goblin's head. The archers turned on Lotus, also paralyzing her. Jakob, Tara, and Ike each brought an archer down, and Flynn wounded one with his new Raptor Arrow. The archers now turned on Ike, but he proved far more resistant to their poison. Tara, Jakob, and Ike finished off the goblins while Flynn tried to heal Nathaniel. Jakob sent word to Mary about the paralysis, and she told the party that help was on the way.

Soon, Baern, one of the champion giants of Waecleft, rode up on the back of a triceratops. With him was Aaron and three other paladins from the Order of the Narrow Way. Using potions and spells of lesser restoration, they brought Nathaniel and Lotus back to their feet. Aaron explained that the goblins had grown powerful and targeted several groups of Kingsmen in the area, and that Waecleft's king was unwilling to send out the military to deal with the goblin threat. Only Waecleft's paladins were willing to help, but they were not numerous enough to completely destroy the goblin menace. The party rested in a cave with Baern blocking the entrance.

The Thirsting

2007-08-25T23:24:00.000-07:00

The Thirsting
The thirsting is a vile disease spread by contact with the black sands. Victims experience increasing thirst and symptoms of dehydration as their bodies are dessicated into sand. It is known to originate from a region of the Great Waste so hostile to water and life that it actively consumes them.

Transmission: Inhaled or Ingested. Extremely contagious, the disease can be caught from a single grain of sand. Any time black sand is handled or moved in its dry form, the disease can be caught.

Save: Fort DC 20 initial and daily. As usual for sickness, an initial save wards off the disease entirely. Thereafter, two successful saves in a row are required to fight off the disease.

Incubation: 1 day.

Effects: Daily save or take 1d4 Con damage. In addition, drink 2n quarts of water above and beyond your daily requirement (where n is the number of days since infection) or suffer the effects of dehydration. Dehydration in this instance:
Fatigue (-2 Strength and Dexterity, unable to run or charge).
Vulnerability to heat and fire based effects (1.5x damage).
After six hours, take 1d6 nonlethal damage per hour.
If unconscious, take 1d6 lethal damage per hour.
In addition, a victim who has taken any Con damage from the Thirsting periodically coughs out black sand.
A victim who dies from the disease--either through dehydration damage or blood loss--is rapidly consumed by the sand, leaving behind only bones and sand.
Due to the supernatural nature of black sand, this disease is considered magical.
[Further notes obscured due to continuing campaign relevance.]

Session 6, 2007-08-25: Cat and Mouse

2007-08-25T22:19:00.000-07:00

Session 6: wherein Serpenti spies spread sands, and sneaky singers and sorcerers slaughter snakes.

Players (Characters)
Scott (Filthy Ike)
Jeremy (Flynn Flamm)
Tony (Brother Jakob)
Rachel (Lotus)
Tom (Nathaniel Graythorne)
DM: Catherine

Mary met with the party and some other Kingsmen, outlining the current threat and planned response. "We have learned more about the spies in Waecleft. One of their meeting houses is owned by an old woman named Aleisha. She is old and poor -- and needs the money, so they pay her for silence. With frequent divinations, they would know if she told anyone they met there. Alicia's nephew Jonathan lives with her. She has not told him about the secret midnight meetings, but we gave him a clairaudience device and asked him to spy for us. He has agreed. Based on his information, we know there are three major spies in the city, directing other minor ones. We have identified all three. Their plans are to begin spreading something called 'the thirsting' in Waecleft before departing. The time to strike is now. Tomorrow night, Sarahain will be doing this outside town on farms. We must strike him. Another, James, an ambitious cleric of heironius who recently turned reclusive, will be doing it in the city. He will be a harder target. The third, Sannis, we plan to lure outside." The Kingsmen planned to simultaneously assassinate all three major spies right at midnight, to give them the least opportunity to warn each other of danger. One group of kingsmen would take out Sarahain, while our party would strike James and Sannis.

Nathaniel disguised himself as a yuan-ti operative, and, along with a bard named Eron, met with Sannis. Eron claimed to have important information that he wanted to share on a particular field at midnight. Sannis, who had a spell that would allow him to detect lies, asked Nathaniel "do you trust this guy?" Nathaniel's response was "absolutely." Sannis asked "can I trust him?" and Nathaniel responded "I've never had problems with him." This was enough to convince Sannis to meet with Eron at midnight. Unfortunately for Sannis, Eron brought Jakob, Flynn, Lotus, and Nathaniel to the meeting, and the "information" he had promised was quite painfully administered. Flynn began singing a highly inspirational song while Jakob and Tara dragged Sannis to the ground. Nathaniel rendered Sannis completely helpless, and he was easily slain.

Ike volunteered for the more dangerous mission -- an assassination within Waecleft. This would certainly lead to his exile if he survived, but since he didn't much like the city anyway, this wasn't a great threat to him. He and a paladin named Aaron positioned themselves to attack James. To begin the fight, Aaron tossed an exploding bead over the top of a nearby building, which distracted the local guards. He then stepped forward and stabbed at James, while Ike fired his bow from the shadows. James responded by casting Destruction on Aaron, which killed him but was not enough to destroy his remains. Ike's final few arrows were enough to bring James down, and he carefully snuck away as the guards began to filter in. One of the kingsmen-friendly guards sneakily poured an oil of lingering soul on Aaron's body to allow him to be raised later.

The Waecleftian guard cast a divination to determine Ike's involvement in the assassination, and gave their guards standing orders to arrest him. Aaron's remains were quickly buried outside of town, and he was secretly raised within the hour, though unable to return to Waecleft due to the town's strict laws regarding murder.

Session 5, 2007-08-18: Expedition to Nestull's Lair

2007-08-18T11:40:00.000-07:00

Session 5: wherein Jakob acquires a pen, a bottle of wine, and an inactive golem.

Players (Characters)
Scott (Filthy Ike)
Jeremy (Flynn Flamm)
Tony (Brother Jakob)
Rachel (Lotus)
Tom (Nathaniel Graythorne)
DM: Catherine

A local elven wizard named Kelialin summoned the party to his tower, and offered to pay them a moderate sum of money to retrieve a clay golem manual from a cottage outside Nestull's lair. Mary agreed this would be a worthwhile expedition, particularly if the party could retrieve any of Nestull's spells for controlling constructs. The party set off on the road, and quickly encountered a swarm of tiny needletooth dinosaurs. Ike fired several arrows into the pack, skewering dozens of little dinos while Flynn encouraged him. Lotus destroyed the remaining beasts with a quick blast of lightning, and the party continued onward. A green dragon passed overhead, and Ike nearly drew its attention with a flurry of arrows, but Nate managed to distract him with something shiny.

When the party stopped for a quick meal, Ike began cooking his freshly skewered dinosaur snacks. Soon, a pack of wolves approached, and one tried to steal one of the roasted dinos. Ike screamed out "bitch, get off my food", and soon had a wolf to go with his dinosaurs. Jakob broke another wolf's neck, and the rest quickly scattered, recognizing this group would not make easy prey. As the party continued on, they encountered a small group of forest trolls. Lotus cast a spell of Entangle, and Ike began picking off the helpless trolls one by one. The party retrieved a few construct-related scrolls from the corpses.

The next morning, the party approached Nestull's lair. A swarm of animated books charged toward the party, intent on bludgeoning everyone. Jakob grabbed one and broke its spine, while Ike pinned several others to nearby trees. Lotus burned a few more to end the threat. A short distance beyond, the party came upon a pit. Suddenly, a dinosaur skeleton leaped out of the pit and attacked. Jakob began pummeling it while Lotus hit it with various elemental effects. Nate and Ike sat back and watched, virtually useless in such a combat. Flynn's inspiration gave Jakob the strength he needed to crush the dino's bones.

The party's next encounter was with a manifestation of magic -- a living spell. The sphere of magical energy flew up to Jakob and dispelled his mage armor. Luckily, the spell was physically weak and easily dissipated. Shortly thereafter, the party encountered a living spell of suppress command, which was chasing after a clay golem. Soon, the golem was completely inactive, and the spell wandered away. Jakob began dragging the inactive golem behind him, hoping it would be of some value to Kelialin.

The door of the cottage outlying Nestull's stronghold was guarded by a massive and powerful stone golem. Not wanting to face it directly, Nathaniel used a scroll of hide from constructs to make the party invisible, and then distracted the golem with an illusion of a man passing by the cottage. Inside the cottage, most of the furniture appeared to be animated, including a hat rack that was dancing around in the main room. The party moved carefully between rooms, making sure to close doors behind them to limit the number of constructs that could attack if Nathaniel's spell ended. When the party opened a bedroom door, a tapestry flew past and attached itself to a nearby wall. Jakob narrowly avoided contact with the tapestry, which likely would have resulted in every construct in the room becoming aggressive. One supply room held only a single animated pen, which Jakob captured under a barrel and then dropped into his bag. The party easily retrieved a clay golem manual and several scrolls from the supply room, and then snuck past the stone golem guardian with yet another illusion. Heading back home, the party encountered a swarm of wine bottles. As the bottles attacked, Jakob caught and smashed each one in succession, until he simply caught and captured the final one. Nathaniel would reprogram the pen and the bottle when he had the opportunity.

The next morning, the party encountered a few more forest trolls, which were easily defeated. Mary sent a message for the party to hurry back, but didn't give any specific details. Once the party reached the main road, they were able to move more quickly. Soon, they noticed a cow standing by the side of the road drinking extremely large amounts of water. Flynn and Nathaniel spoke with the farmer who owned the cow, and found that both he and the cow had been feeling somewhat ill and drinking excess amounts of water. Both had encountered a strange black sand earlier in the week. Lotus cast remove disease to cure the farmer of this "thirsting" disease, and the party killed and buried the cow to keep it from spreading the disease, paying the farmer a few gold pieces to cover his loss.

Back in Waecleft, Kelialin paid the party generously for both the golem manual and the inactive golem. Mary promised the party a runestaff with each of the spells they'd retrieved for controlling constructs.

Session 4, 2007-08-04: Destruction of a Yuan-ti outpost

2007-08-04T11:40:00.000-07:00

Session 4: wherein a messenger gets ninja'd, and an outpost does too

Players (Characters)
Scott (Filthy Ike)
Jeremy (Flynn Flamm)
Tony (Brother Jakob)
Rachel (Lotus)
Tom (Nathaniel Graythorne)
DM: Catherine

Lotus found a rat nearby and used Speak with Animals to convince it to walk through the outpost. She then cast Chain of Eyes, and watched the world through the eyes of the rat scout. From this and outside observation, the party guessed there were about half a dozen yuan-ti inside, along with a marruspawn. The party sent word to Mary that they'd located a major outpost. Mary responded to hang tight and wait for help, that Kasvim was en route. The party decided not to attack any of the enemies unless they were clearly leaving the outpost -- those who stepped out to urinate were left alone. When the original messenger left, the party tailed him and killed him a short distance away from the outpost, quickly returning to their observation point.

Soon, a yuan-ti messenger approached the camp from the north. Nathaniel disguised himself as a half-blood yuan-ti and called out "halt!" The messenger seemed confused -- "who are you and what are you doing here? I wasn't expecting anyone." "What kind of crap intel do you guys run out north? You didn't get the memo? Get inside and read over the new security protocols." As the messenger rounded the corner of the rock, his face came into contact with Jakob's stunning fist. Nate successfully cast Hold Person to freeze him. Ike fired an arrow from atop the rocky outcropping and directly through the messenger's head, and thus, he was neutralized in three different ways.

When Kasvim the Silver Dragon arrived (in human guise), Nate used one of the recently acquired scrolls to scan the golem's programming:
1. Remain within thirty feet of the cave mouth.
2. Remain at ease while peaceful Yuan-Ti are present.
3. Destroy all living creatures.
4. Sound the alarm if attacking or being attacked.
Nate immediately took on the persona of Nessun Grisseth, a yuan-ti warrior. The party walked right past the stone golem and into the main room of the outpost. One of the yuan-ti clerics saw the party approached and asked "what's going on here? What is this?" Immediately, Flynn, who was standing invisibly in the entry tunnel, began singing of the demise of the yuan-ti. Jakob and Tara ran at the enemies and started tripping them, while Kasvim took dragon form and bit the marruspawn. Nate, Lotus, and the remaining yuan-ti traded a few spells while Ike steadily cut them down with several arrows. Icy breath from Kasvim killed the marruspawn he held in his mouth and seriously wounded the remaining yuan-ti, who proved to be only a minor challenge.

Nate ran to grab the important-looking papers that sat on a table off to the side, not thinking to check for defenses. A fireball ignited, burning the papers and seriously injuring Nate. A search of the camp revealed an eternal wand of mage hand, which would have proven useful for moving papers onto and off of the table without setting off the fireball. Disappointed with his mistake, Nate brooded as the party headed back toward Waecleft, wondering about the strange vial of black sand they'd found on one of the spies.

As the party headed home, they noticed a dead troll covered in red flowers. Flynn recognized the flowers as dread blossoms, calling out a warning as they began to attack. Lotus lit the flowers on fire while Jakob stomped all over them, quickly subduing the evil flowers. As the party neared the road, a great thunderstorm started up, leading them to seek shelter in a small cave. As the storm was letting up, Lotus heard a group of trolls approaching from on top of the cave. Jakob reached out and pulled one of the trolls down, and Ike and Tara brought it down. Jakob and Tara held their ground against the other three trolls while Flynn sang, Ike fired his bow, and Lotus unleashed the fury of mother nature.

Back at Mary's outpost, Flynn attempted to magically identify the black sand. The identification failed. Nate opened up the container and accidentally inhaled a tiny bit of the sand. The party poured it into a bucket and poured some water on top of it, and found that it fizzed and bubbled and increased in volume. Several speculations as to the nature of the sand were made, but none proved to be as bad as the reality the party would later learn.

Session 3, 2007-07-28: Tracing Yuan-ti Spies

2007-07-28T11:39:00.000-07:00

Session 3: wherein Flynn wears a manly pink badge, a fork attacks, and spies get jacked

Players (Characters)
Jeremy (Flynn Flamm)
Tony (Brother Jakob; Filthy Ike)
Rachel (Lotus)
Tom (Nathaniel Graythorne)
DM: Catherine

Mary gave the party a new mission: track some yuan-ti spies to their outpost. It was known that yuan-ti were intercepting tactical messages and copying them, so the party would give a yuan-ti spy access to a fake message and then track the spy using a custom Ranger's Compass. The drop would be made at a gate to the inner city, where only people with special access could approach. Mary also warned the party of the extremely strict laws inside Waecleft, and the danger of breaking them.

Nathaniel and Flynn went into town, but because Flynn was carrying a weapon, he was given a manly pink badge to signify he was allowed to be armed. Flynn pretended to be a poor minstrel while Nathaniel disguised himself as the very stuck-up "Nathaniel Garbanzo". The guards denied Mr. Garbanzo entry into the inner part of town, despite his insistence that he was important and his cries of "don't you know who I am?" Soon, the suspected spy Sirenza approached and said she'd be able to deliver a message to anyone inside. Nathaniel insisted "this message is very important" and said it needed to go to Aaron inside. While this was going on, Flynn tugged on Sirenza's cloak and activated the Ranger's Compass, while saying "pardon me, can you spare a few coppers for a poor musician?" Sirenza looked at him in disgust and then headed straight across the inner city to the opposite gate. Nate changed his disguise and he and Flynn circled around, following at a distance.

Sirenza went inside a nearby house. Nate knocked on the door, and when someone answered, he asked "is this where the card game is?" He glanced back to see Sirenza messing with the magically-encoded message as the doorman yelled "no, go away!" and slammed the door in his face. About an hour later, Sirenza left that house and delivered the original message to Aaron. Flynn followed her to her own house and then informed Mary and Aaron of the two locations the spies used. Mary gave the party a set of sending stones keyed to send to her, and said to follow Sirenza when she set out. Ike walked in to the outpost with several rats skewered on an arrow, asking where he could roast them. Luckily, Sirenza started moving a few minutes later. The party followed and discovered she'd turned around about a half-hour outside of town, so set up an ambush to take her out.

Nathaniel tried to charm Sirenza, and when that failed, also tried to make her laugh hideously. Ike jumped out from behind a tree and fired a pair of arrows. One hit the tree and the other hit Sirenza. Flynn started singing and Tara charged, but couldn't drag Sirenza down. She cast Darkness and hid. Jakob again ran through the darkness, which Lotus dispelled. Ike fired a pair of shots to drop her, and then Jakob stabilized her and picked her up. The party moved on to where she'd turned around and discovered a recently snuffed campfire. Careful placement of her body and modification of her wounds made it look like she'd been killed in a fight at this campsite. Ike began following a set of tracks and Lotus went into eagle form to try to find the next messenger. She discovered the cobra-headed man about an hour to the east, and the party pursued until he stopped near midnight. Ike snuck in to his camp to check on him a couple hours later, and the party easily handled a group of wolves that attacked while Jakob and Nate were on watch.

The next morning, Ike returned and led the party in tracking about a tenth of a mile behind the enemy, with Lotus tracking from the air. As they were walking, a troll came running at the party and poisoned Nathaniel. Nate put grease under the troll's feet to no effect. Jakob threw the troll in the air, and Lotus flew back to the party. Tara and Ike both failed to hit the troll. Flynn started singing. The troll stood up and got smacked by Jakob, missing him with its claw as he turned to hit it again. Tara finally dragged it to the ground and killed it, and Ike shot it an extra time just to make sure. Nathaniel barely resisted the secondary effects of the poison, mostly due to his rat Beauregard.

A short distance later, some wolves approached. Nate's hypnotic pattern froze two in place, Flynn sang, and Ike fired off two shots. Jakob threw one aside and hit another with a stone-bones strike. The two stepped forward to attack him and he whacked them again. Tara clawed one, and Nate's grease sent one to the ground. Ike shot one while Flynn cast Rage on Jakob. The fallen wolf stood and got clawed by Tara, while the others attacked and tripped Jakob. He rolled to his feet and smacked one, and Nate's grease brought two more to the ground. Ike's arrows killed one and Tara's bite wounded another. Flynn's glitterdust was ineffective, but the wolves panicked and fled. Tara and Jakob killed one as it stood, and Jakob chased down the one that had fled the farthest while Lotus killed the nearest one. Ike attacked the one Nate had hypnotized, and Jakob threw it to the ground to kill it.

As the party kept moving, Flynn realized we'd be passing by Nestull's Lair, a former hideout of a mage who built a lot of constructs. Soon, an animated chair came running past. At nightfall, Ike came across a recently vacated camp. Nate took hobgoblin form, Lotus spotted the snake-headed man hiding, and the party stepped away pretending not to have seen him. After the yuan-ti was sleeping, Flynn turned Ike invisible, and Ike snuck into the camp and activated the Ranger's Compass. The party rested, and those on watch noticed the occasional group of Wyverns in the night sky. Lotus noticed an animated fork approaching. Nate tried to distract it with some rations, but it ran right past and stabbed Lotus. She missed it with her scimitar and Nate's feeble kick completely missed. Flynn woke up, grabbed the fork, and handed it to Jakob, who snapped it in half.

The next morning, Nate disguised himself as a yuan-ti warrior. The tracking compass soon indicated that the messenger had turned around. Flynn turned Ike invisible and the party backed away. Ike saw the yuan-ti being chased by a clay golem, which eventually lost track of him and started pounding on a random tree. Once the golem wandered off, the party began tracking the yuan-ti again, not stopping to bother with the animated hat rack that ran past.

That afternoon, Lotus spotted a troll off in the distance, and heard its roar. Flynn started singing and Ike started shooting. Lotus entangled the troll, and Nathaniel tried to start a betting pool on how many arrows Ike would need for the kill. As the troll struggled through the entangling plants, Ike hit it with nine of his ten shots to finally kill it. It had been walking around with two scrolls of "scan golem". The night was mostly uneventful, though Nate finally recovered from his last bout with poison, and Ike reset the compass.

On the fourth day of travel, the party finally left the area where the constructs were roaming. A giant dire bear passed by in the distance, and Nate kept Ike distracted so he wouldn't provoke it. As the forest thinned out and the land became more hilly, Nate spotted a wyvern inbound. It swooped in and swung at Ike. Nate created a herd of illusory horses and Ike withdrew. Lotus cast Creeping Cold and Jakob unsuccessfully tried to throw the wyvern on the ground. Flynn's glitterdust didn't affect it, but it tried to attack one of the horses. Ike shot an arrow at it and Lotus added lightning to the cold. Flynn's glitterdust blinded the wyvern the second time, and Jakob jumped up and stunned it. The dead wyvern tumbled across the ground.

The party approached the rocky maze of Roakshi Kama. The yuan-ti messenger entered a cave that had a stone golem guarding its entrance and several tracks leading in and out. The party found a smaller cave nearby where they could set up camp and watch the yuan-ti outpost.

Session 2, 2007-07-21: Dangerous Roads and Goblins

2007-07-21T11:37:00.000-07:00

Session 2: wherein Ike makes jerky out of Lotus' little friend, and an ambush doesn't go according to plan

Players (Characters)
Scott (Filthy Ike)
Jeremy (Flynn Flamm)
Tony (Brother Jakob)
Rachel (Lotus)
Tom (Nathaniel Graythorne)
DM: Catherine

After repeated unsuccessful attempts to wake Ike, the party decided to leave him behind, figuring the ranger would have no trouble tracking them. Arabella received a summons to join another party that needed her services more urgently, so she headed back toward the crossroads. Jakob led the way, with Nathaniel and Flynn just behind, and Lotus and Tara bringing up the rear. Soon, the party heard a very large creature approaching along the road. Lotus could see that it was a giant mounted on a triceratops, with two armored horsemen and a nobleman behind. All of their shields had a symbol of a mountain split in two. The party quickly looked for cover, hiding behind bushes along the road. As the giant approached, he noticed Flynn, and boomed out "who are you hiding in the trees like a bandit?" Flynn responded "I'm just a traveling minstrel, looking to meet Mary in Waecleft." The giant introduced himself as Jearn, the champion of Waecleft, and said he'd been out clearing the roads and that they were now safe. Flynn responded "we've encountered goblin bandits along this road. Perhaps they're smart enough not to attack you, but they are out there." Jearn thanked us and continued on his way.

Two hours later, Jakob noticed a pair of goblin scouts along the road. He ran up to "hug" them, leading them to try to run away. One tried to cast "hold person" on Jakob, but failed. Flynn began singing an inspirational song, and Jakob swung his huge fist just over the head of the spellcaster. Tara bit the caster and dragged him to the ground. Nate laughed at the goblins as one of them continued to flee. The caster tried to stand to flee, taking hits from Jakob and Tara. Jakob tried to pick him up and throw him, but his hands slipped. Tara again dragged the caster to the ground, and again mauled him as he stood up, killing him. Jakob said "good kitty, pet the kitty" as he accidentally knocked Tara over. He then chased down and killed the fleeing goblin.

Further on, the party found the remains of a wagon. Jakob picked it up to look underneath it and found an amulet with the same cleft mountain symbol as Jearn's shield had. Lotus cast Speak with Animals to ask the birds and squirrels what they'd witnessed. Most of them just wanted some food, but one said some bad guys had gone up the road. Lotus thanked the squirrels and asked Jakob not to pet them. A short distance later, Lotus started talking about a strange blue dragon and rider with yellow robes, and wondered why the rest of the party was so confused. "It just flew overhead and we were all talking about it. What happened?" Jakob climbed a tree and looked out to the west, and then described the dragon, and its jackal-headed, black-skinned rider. When Jakob reached the bottom of the tree again, he'd forgotten what he saw. The dragon likely had a "modify memory" spell of some sort active on it.

Soon, Ike caught up to the party. He said he'd followed the tracks from the wagon, and that it had been wrecked for several days by now. He offered the party squirrel kebobs, which angered and disgusted Lotus. The party rested for the night without incident.

In the morning, the party came upon a goblin who was attacking a woman. Nate created lion sounds to try to scare the goblin. Jakob ran up next to it, and Tara positioned herself between the goblin and the woman. Ike shot the goblin, who took off running and took a nasty swipe from Jakob in the process. Nathaniel, in his "Nate the Great" persona, told the woman "don't worry, I'll save you" as Ike's arrow finished off the goblin. Jakob went to pick up the corpse while Nate talked to the vaguely snake-like woman. She introduced herself as Anna, and said she'd been traveling. Nate, sensing deception, charmed her. She introduced herself as Selenshe, in charge of intelligence for the goblin camp, and told the party to check in with the leaders. Suddenly she realized the party's hostility toward goblins (and, by extension, toward her), and ran. Ike fired a pair of arrows. Selenshe cast Darkness and hid somewhere inside it. Jakob ran through but didn't run into her, so Lotus dispelled the darkness. Tara jumped on Selenshe and dragged her to the ground, and Flynn began singing inspiring songs. Nate caused Selenshe to fall to the ground laughing hideously, and Jakob crushed her and took the cloak from her dead body.

The party suspected an ambush was waiting around the corner. Lotus turned into eagle form and flew up above, noticing seven goblins already in position on a pair of hills, and four bigger hobgoblins approaching from the north. Lotus landed and the party began their own ambush. She began summoning a bear to the south, and Nate created a second illusory bear to the north. Jakob, Ike, and Flynn moved onto the south hill behind the waiting goblins. Jakob attacked and killed one, and Ike shot another, wounding it grievously. Flynn used glitterdust to blind several goblins across the road. Nate made his bear roar loudly. One of the goblins turned to flee while two others shot at Nate's illusory bear, leading one to figure out the illusion. The fourth fired a shot that narrowly missed Jakob. The two remaining on the south hill tried to get some distance, but Jakob killed one and made the other lose the spell he was trying to cast, and Lotus' bear finished off the south hill.

Tara and Jakob crossed over to the northern hill and Lotus dropped a flaming sphere on one of the goblins. Ike shot and killed one and injured another. Flynn turned himself invisible, and Nathaniel made himself look like a hobgoblin and began climbing uphill. The three remaining goblins tried to flee, and Jakob dropped two of them easily. Jakob, Lotus, Tara, and the summoned bear climbed the hill to intercept the inbound hobgoblins, who came charging down at Jakob. Jakob tossed the largest one aside, while two others hit him and one hit the bear. Flynn cast Rage on Jakob, who used a Stone Bones strike on one, while Ike fired more arrows into the enemies. Nathaniel laid some grease beneath two hobgoblins, and Lotus' flaming sphere lit the grease on fire. Tara and the bear dragged one hobgoblin to the ground. Two hobgoblins again attacked Jakob, but one missed and one failed to penetrate his damage reduction. The biggest hobgoblin swung and missed, and Jakob's counterstrike clobbered him solidly. Jakob pummelled him to death while Tara kept another on the ground. Ike fired an arrow into the hillside and then took out the last goblin with another shot. Lotus' fire and lightning and Tara's attack finished off two hobgoblins, and the final one fled, but Jakob chased him down and killed him.

Nathaniel disguised himself to look like the hobgoblin leader and approached the camp. Two goblins stood around a fire, so Nate used a hypnotic pattern on them. Jakob threw one in the fire while Tara dragged the other to the ground. Lotus' lightning and Jakob's fists finished them off, and Ike exclaimed "we'll have goblin for dinner!" Nate watched in fascination as Ike cooked up some goblin stew. Jakob smashed open the locked chests around the camp and found a note from Tindell to Waecleft requesting Jearn's aid in killing off some dinosaurs. Ike kept asking "don't you guys eat? Are you sure you don't want any?" as the party tried to ignore the smell of cooked goblin. On the way out, the party set fire to the remnants of the camp.

The remaining two days of travel were mostly uneventful. The party approached the city of Waecleft, at the center of a split mountain. Nathaniel led the way to Mary's outpost just outside of town, and described the dragon, the goblins, and the found message.

Basic Character Information

2007-07-15T22:31:00.000-07:00

The Characters:

We begin the game with a 32-point point buy build at level 6. Explicitly allowed are a sundry of non-standard races and classes. We end up with:

Filthy Ike: A tiefling ranger/Order of the Bow Initiate [Complete Warrior]. Ike is a skilled sharpshooter. He grew up in the great waste, and is used to life in the wild. An avid hunter, he kills and eats for survival by habit. However, he has a strong aversion to water and an even stronger aversion to civilization. This works out all right, though, as civilization genrally has a strong aversion to him. (Played by Scott)

Flin Flam: A human bard. Fochlyan lyricist. Flin Flam is responsible for the joyful music we listen to along the road, and occasionally serves as a Knower of Things. (Played by Jeremy)

Nathaniel Graythorne: Nethanial introduced himself as Nate the Great, a mighty warrior. Standing before us in shining armor, with scores of defeated enemies marked on his shield, he remarked, "I win the battle in the enemy's mind." While we all were puzzling over this, he dismissed the illusion and stood before us in sorcerer's robes. Nethanial is an Asimar sorcerer focusing on enchantment and illusion spells. A professional gambler, Nate usually twists luck to his own ends. A master of disguise and illusion, he has more aliases than his allies can keep track of. Owing to his race, Nethanial is ancient on human terms--he fought behind enemy lines in the War of the Ten Kings. (Played by Tom)

Arabella: A half-celestial cleric focusing on archery and known for goodness and loyalty. And smiting things. (Played by Kate)

Lotus: An asimar druid, Lotus prefers civilization in its looser forms. Child and lover of nature, she grew up on a hippie commune, and loved life there. Disaster struck and her home was destroyed, forcing her out into the wild--where she seems comfortable enough. Lotus is accompanied by a faithful cheetah named Tara. (Played by Rachel)

Brother Jakob: A half-ogre Monk/Swordsage [Tome of Battle], with a psionic ability or two, Brother Jakob is deeply unique. Despite a monsterous appearence, Jakob's orderly character becomes quickly evident with a second look at his neatly clipped whiskers, polished large teeth, and simple monk's robes as he practices his morning katas. He was taken in as a baby by a monastery emphasizing tolerance. Being raised in a cloister has given him a degree of innocence about the world at large. This usually works out okay, as he is so physically imposing most things do not want to threaten him. (Played by Tony)

Some crunchy notes:

Half-ogre has been modified to have a level adjustment of 2.
Swordsage has been declared similar enough to monk to allow free multiclassing between them. (Usually monks cannot return after taking another class).
Druid wild-shape has been modified to replace your racial modifiers with the animals for the purpose of determining physical abilities. (Usually the animal's stats replace your own).
Druid wild casting has been changed to a metamagic feat with a cost of 1 spell level.

Session 1, 2007-07-14: An Introduction

2007-07-14T22:12:00.000-07:00

Session 1: wherein six diverse adventurers set out on a road trip and share many odd foods

Players (Characters)
Scott (Filthy Ike)
Jeremy (Flynn Flamm)
Tony (Brother Jakob)
Rachel (Lotus)
Kate (Arabella)
Tom (Nathaniel Graythorne)
DM: Catherine

At the little crossroads just south of Waecleft, in the western part of Semferia, six distinctive figures approached, each holding a card pointing them to the outpost. Most distinctive was Brother Jakob, the tall half-ogre with carefully groomed tusks and fangs, standing tall, proud, and ready to react to anything. In contrast, the bow-wielding tiefling Filthy Ike looked and smelled like the sort who considers bathing a foreign concept. Flynn Flamm, a human man dressed in fine purple clothing and carrying a lute, displayed his friendly and outgoing nature as he socialized with anyone who came near. The winged half-celestial Arabella flew a few feet off the ground, looking around as she kept her bow close at hand. A tall and well-armored aasimar, with long golden hair, golden eyes, and a polished shield that read "Nate the Great" and displayed body counts for many types of monsters, boasted of his many victories. Lotus, an aasimar woman whose puffy hair held all sorts of twigs and berries, whispered silently to her pet cheetah, Tara.

As the six reached the gate to the outpost at the crossroads, a large dwarf wielding two throwing axes stepped out to greet them. "I am Rogar, representative of the Ten Kings' Men", he said. "During the great war, many kings fell to the frost giant menace, and no one kingdom could withstand it. But an alliance was born, with representatives from each kingdom banding together to do what they could not do alone. Though the war is long done and many of the kings have passed on, the Kingsmen still remain as a memory of past alliances, vigilantly protecting the land. Each of you have been called here because you've displayed some ability which is useful to us, especially skills relating to tracking, scouting, and gathering information. If you accept our terms, you'll be paid as a group for tasks you complete, as long as you report whatever you learn and you continue working for the greater good. Step inside if you accept our offer." With that, Rogar stepped inside the gate.

Each of the six followed. "Good, I was hoping you'd all come together. You should make a great team. The first step is to introduce yourselves." Flynn, a noble from the great kingdom of Westlay, had grown sick of the aristocratic lifestyle and was seeking to inspire people to do great things. "I'm just here for the bow", the tiefling said as he fired an arrow through a tiny ring on the wall. "Name's Ike. Where's the armory?" Rogar pointed to the racks of weapons all around the group, and the forge a few yards away. Arabella was known far and wide as good and loyal, and a capable archer. Brother Jakob had been left at a monestary at a young age, and learned tolerance and discipline from the monks who raised him. Lotus was not quite sure why she'd come to this place, only that she had nowhere else to go since her commune was burned down. Nate spoke about the many foes he'd defeated "by striking them at their weakest point: in their minds." With that, his armor, shield, and sword faded away and his muscles appeared to shrink, and he was revealed as an old man wearing plain red robes. "I've defeated every foe marked on my shield, but not with the sword. Misdirection, trickery, and charm are my specialties."

Rogar gave the party the task of clearing the road between the outpost and Waecleft, with orders to check in with Mary once they reached the far end. Ike asked if he could get his bow enchanted. Nathaniel reached out his hand and touched the bow, and a small flame started burning on the bow and on each arrow Ike fired. As the party set out, Jakob walked alongside Tara, petting the "pretty kitty". Flynn sang a funny song, which Lotus identified as "totally the music that's in my head!" Ike walked several yards in front of the others, with Nate and Flynn at the back and Arabella flying a few yards overhead.

Ike noticed some movement on a slope alongside the road -- a pair of goblins, waiting in ambush. He fired an arrow that glanced off of a tree and fell harmlessly away. One of the goblins cast Hold Person, but Ike resisted. The other shot him with an arrow, and he started cussing it out in the goblin tongue. Arabella flew a bit higher and fired, hitting one of the goblins squarely in the chest. Nathaniel cast grease under the pair, causing them to slide down the hill and into the open. Ike fired an arrow at the spellcaster, landing a solid hit, and Lotus conjured some flame in her hand. Jakob jumped up on top of a rock and swung his big fist down on the goblin cleric's head, killing it. Flynn began singing an inspirational song and Arabella shot the remaining goblin, leaving him barely conscious. Nate called out "don't kill him, just capture him", so Lotus had Tara latch on to the goblin's leg. Nate called out to the goblin "why did you shoot? We're your allies." The goblin said he was sorry for the mistake and told the party where to find the camp where they'd be expected to check in. Ike said "OK, let's go attack the goblin camp", and the goblin screamed as he realized he'd been tricked. Jakob cracked the goblin's head and the party started walking again.

Arabella asked if the party could stop to have lunch. Lotus said "I make this great snack, it's called Wheat Nuts." Ike responded "your Wheat Nuts are crap! They're like particle-board flavored cardboard." Not wanting to waste daylight, the party kept moving. Ike and Lotus noticed a wolf was tailing the party at a distance, so Ike fired a warning shot over the wolf's head. Nate created an illusion of a hut around the wolf, leaving a "door" where there was actually a tree, and the wolf didn't emerge for several minutes. A while later, two wolves began tailing the party. Nate used Ghost Sound to scare one off, and Ike fired a parting shot at it. Ike then fired a pair of shots at the other wolf, and Lotus hit it with a flare. Arabella fired another shot and Tara ran and clawed the wolf. Flynn began singing an inspirational song. The wolf tried to run, but Tara bit it and Jakob outran it, pummeling it. Jakob took a few minutes to skin it, and Ike picked out some meat to make jerky.

At nightfall, the party set up camp. Lotus and Tara kept watch while Nate played cards and the others slept. Soon, a pack of five wolves approached. Lotus placed Spike Growth in front of the pack, which wounded their legs and slowed their approach. Nate's Ghost Sound created the growl of an angry bear. Arabella woke up and fired an arrow. Flynn cast Rage on Jakob. Lotus placed a Flaming Sphere on the lead wolf, and Tara bit another. Jakob moved between a pair of wolves. Two of the wolves turned to flee the sound of the bear, and Tara's swipe killed one of them while Jakob nearly killed another. Two others bit Tara. Nate created an illusory wall to try to slow the wolves down further, and Arabella shot right into the heart of the nearest wolf. Flynn began singing and playing his horn, and Lotus called lightning, but only a weak burst hit one of the wolves. Jakob punched one of the wolves with a Psionic Fist, killing it, and stunned another. Ike rolled over, grabbed his bow, shot a wolf right in the eye to kill it, and went back to sleep. The final wolf made its way past the illusory wall, but Arabella brought it down with another well-placed arrow. She healed Tara's wounds, and then the party got back to the important business of resting. When it was time to wake Ike, Nate used Ghost Sound to create a loud ringing bell.

World Background

2007-07-14T10:24:00.000-07:00

The World:

Semferia is the medieval frontier. Peoples huddle together in tiny cities, walled and fortified against the terrors of the wild. Travel is dangerous, and news is scarce. Inside city walls or guarded mine entrances, isolated civilization develops. Outside them, bandits, rogues, wild magical forces and herds of beasts reign supreme.

Semferia may be thought of geographically in four parts. East of the Stonetower Mountains lie the greater civilzations--the mighty human kingdom of Westlay in the forested north, and the equally mighty and vile Yuan-Ti kingdom of Serpenti in the plains to the south. The far eastern forest is ruled by a mysterious clan of druids.

West of the Stonetower Mountains lie the lesser civilizations. Two small fortified human cities--Waeceft nearer to the mountains, and Tindell on the coast. The enchanted forest to the north is ruled by the elven clan of The Lost in Waiting, who are at bitter war with the Ghern--a hobgoblin tribe inhabiting the ruin of Jezrel.

The north of Semferia is referred to only as "The Icy North." It forbids all life but that which freezes easily. To the south, fully half of the land, is a desert known as "The Great Waste." Uncharted and unwelcoming, tales tell of supernaturally hostile regions which hate all living things.

In the War of the Ten Kings, Frost Giants invaded from The Icy North. With white dragons and massive wooly beasts, they crushed all resistance to them. At the time, there were ten civilized kings on the land, and none alone could withstand the onslaught. One by one, the northern cities fell, six to the west of StoneTower, and one to the east. Refugees fled south. In a last desperate alliance, the peoples of Westlay, Waecleft, and Tindell came together, with all that remained of the people of the seven northern kings. On the Field of Ten Kings, in a long and bloody battle, the giants were at last repulsed.

It is now late July, the one hundred and fifty-fifth year since the War of Ten Kings. The seven northern cities still lay in ruins, inhabited by wild beasts, opportunistic tribes, and silent ghosts of the past. The land is much as it once was--alliances distant, and news scarce.

At the end of the war, The Last Watch of the Ten Kings was founded. Elite soldiers from each of the kingdoms came together and vowed to watch the land, deliver news, and serve good peoples. They are a memory of ancient alliance should it be needed again. The Kingsmen patrol the land from east to west, from the coasts at Tindell to the forbidding mountans east of Westlay.