Two Weeks Have Passed...

Lharvion 14 - Lharvion 28, YK 998

Since your adventuring band made its way into the Cogs to find a lost Cannith foundry and recover an ancient schema for Lady Elaydren d'Cannith. In the meantime, your characters have been going about their usual duties for Morgrave. Hoping for more work from Lady Elaydren, you have begun making weekly (and sometimes more frequent) excursions to the House Sivis message station in Barmin Tower, usually as a group but occasionally on your own. You have also been involved in the following:

William - William was called in to speak with his Uncle Maresh d'Deneith the day after he returned from the Cogs. His Uncle told him sternly that he knew what William had been up to, and then the facade cracked and he told him how proud he was of his adventurous and skilled nephew. "What your mother doesn't know," Maresh said with a wink, "certainly won't hurt her." He cautioned William about the dangers of adventuring, however, saying that if anything happened to him Maresh would have hell to pay with William's mother. He also arranged for all of William's messages from his mother to be routed through the Sivis message station at the Barmin Tower (in the Dragon Towers district of the Middle Central Plateau) rather than picked up by a house servant, to make it easier for William to covertly check for any messages from Lady Elaydren without his mother getting wind of it.

Brand - A message has come in from his mother, Sheryn Wayfinder, via the Sivis message station in Barmin Tower. "Looking forward to your next visit. A friend in a faraway location has sent you a gift for your next birthday."

Tock - Tock has been spending most of his downtime in Goath's artificer workshop, learning and perfecting the secrets of brewing potions while he begins his lessons on wondrous items at the same time.

Lysander - His old teacher Chiarlan (has been in town, performing a variety of new stories and songs learned in Zilargo from the gnome bard Herschel Proudhome. He is performing with (and learning from) the great gnome bard Kessler at the famous Khavish Theatre in Upper Menthis (see Sharn: City of Towers p. 66). He has been teaching these songs and stories to Lysander, as well as passing along some information gleaned in his conversations with the information-hungry gnomes. He has heard that the Emerald Claw is on the move, with a line on some sort of powerful artifact from before the war. He has heard that there is a new skyship being built called The Golden Dragon as a monument to the peace of the Five Nations, and that it is supposedly the largest skyship ever built. When he said he was coming back to Sharn, Herschel told him to be careful, as he'd heard that the Inspired had infiltrated some of the most powerful organizations in the city.

Chiarlan has also been able to get Lysander a job as an understudy in the nightly performances of Kinlen's Folly, a musical comedy being performed at Gailan's in the Torchlight District, which is a big step up in Lysander's career. (see Sharn: City of Towers p. 78)

Pel - Pel has made his monthly visit to The Cracked Mirror in a separate identity from his identity at Morgrave. The Cracked Mirror is located in The Callestan district of The Lower Dura Plateau, coincidentally the same district that holds The Broken Anvil tavern, where the adventurers met Lady Elaydren for the first time. The Cracked Mirror is a front for the Tyrants, and Pel goes on a random day each month to check in with Xain, a changeling loyal to his father, to pass on any new information gained at Morgrave. This time out, he's passed on the information about Lady Elaydren, the schema they recovered, the Lord of Blades' interest in it and the lost Cannith foundry and its location in the Cogs. His father, in return, passes on the information that Cord has gotten them embroiled in a turf war with Moloch, an ogre who runs a Daask cell in Lower Dura, over the distribution of dreamlily. In short, be more cautious than ever of the Daask in the area, who are taking out the feud on any and all changelings in the area.

Character/Equipment Updates

Questions from last adventure regarding equipment:

1) Who wound up picking up the Longsword +1 to use?

Pel

2) Who traded up in weapons? I know William picked up a couple, Brand got the masterwork rapier, and I think Tock got the masterwork heavy mace... any others?

See above.

With the gold he also picked up a cloak made of Darkweave material, which give a +1 circumstance bonus on hide in dark or shadowy conditions. GM permitting, of course.

Potion & Scroll Costs

"Invisibilty would be quite lovely, yes, thanks," said Pel, raising an eyebrow, "even though I suppose one couldn't actually see it."

Brand would totally dig a Cure Light Wounds or two (though we could just plan to brew up a bunch for the party). I'd also spend 150 on a Potion of Cat's Grace. Maybe Pel or Lysander would dig Invisibility? Anyone else have any requests so that Nate can figure out what to brew with his available craft reserve?

Nate,

It'll take you 1 day to create any of these scrolls or brew any of these potions, and you'll have about 14 days between the end of the Forgotten Forge and the beginning of the next adventure, Shadows of the Last War. You can spend 20 points of your craft reserve (that's the XP cost) on scrolls only, and the remaining 40 points on either scrolls or potions. You'll need to cover the gold cost too, but you've got 300 gold and presumably if you're making party potions you can get money from the party treasure and other party members, so presume you've got in the neighborhood of 500 gold to spend.

You'll also have to make Use Magic Device skill checks in order to create these items. If you fail the check, you still spend the gold and XP and the day required to create. The good news is, as an Artificer, if you fail the check, you get to make it again as a "last ditch" effort, so essentially you get two chances to roll. We can do all of this before we start gaming next time, if we both show up around 7:00... but I'm going to provide a list of potions here so you can have a general idea what you might want to do. These are all spells, which should be in your Player's Handbook... which is probably at Ben and Chris's place, I realize.

Cure Light Wounds, Endure Elements, Hide from animals, Hide from undead, Jump, Mage Armor, Magic fang, Magic stone, Magic weapon, Pass without trace, Protection from (alignment), Remove Fear, Sanctuary, Shield of Faith +2, Shillelagh, Bless Weapon, Enlarge Person, Reduce Person - All would cost 25 GP and 2 XP, and require a Use Magic Device roll of DC 21 (12 or better, essentially).

Aid, Barkskin +2, Bear's Endurance, Blur, Bull's Strength, Cat's Grace, Cure Moderate Wounds, Darkness, Darkvision, Delay Poison, Eagle's splendor, Fox's cunning, Invisibility, Lesser restoration, Levitate, Misdirection, Owl's Wisdom, Protection from Arrows 10/Magic, Remove Paralysis, Resist Energy, Spider Climb, Undetectable Alignment - 150 gp, 12 XP and requires a Use Magic Device roll of DC 23 (14 or better)

Anything above that you're going to need one more level in Artificer to achieve, at which point you'll probably start making Wondrous items anyway. Anyway, think it over and we can take care of it when we start gaming next week.

Eberron Adventure Journal: "The Forgotten Forge"

Lharvion 12 - Lharvion 14, YK 998

Our story begins as the adventurers took a contract with Jaina Dewell, of Dewell Potions, to deliver a box of potion components to the Dewell Potions Shop in Dava Gate. For their trouble, they were paid with a potion of cure light wounds each.

The rain was pouring down in Sharn that night, and the party walked through sheets of water across the labyrinthine walkways of the City of Towers. As they reached a skybridge between Dalannan Tower and the Kelsa Spire, Pel spotted a figure in a dark cloak moving quietly through the rain. Lightning flashed, illuminating the figure and a dark shape lying on the bridge for a moment, before the cloaked figure dove over the side of the bridge.

The party moved forward to investigate, and they saw that an elderly human was lying dead on the bridge, a leather satchel clutched tightly in his hands. Before they had much chance to investigate, the cloaked figure returned, leaping from the underside of the bridge to attack! The figure was Cutter, a warforged barbarian in service to the Lord of Blades. She swung her axe wildly and inaccurately, chopping first one side of the bridge and then the other as Pel nimbly dodged her attack. Her mithral-laced form resisted many of the attacks levelled against her, but Brand was able to sink two arrows deep into her form, and William moved in to finish her off with a strong stroke of his two-handed greatsword. The adventurers watched as a final messenger lifted from Cutter's body and flew off, presumably informing the Lord of Blades of what had transpired.

With the battle over, and the Watch clearly on the way thanks to citizens shouting from other platforms, the party took a moment to inspect the body. It was Bonal Geldem, a provost of Pre-Galifar Studies at Morgrave, and the party discovered that the satchel, in addition to containing writing implements, paper and a snack, contained some kind of well-made leather journal.

They didn't have much chance to inspect it, however, as Sgt. Dolom of the Watch arrived with two other guards. He blustered and demanded to know what was happening, but Lysander quickly convinced him that they had intervened on Bonal's behalf and killed a renegade Warforged. A poor inquisitive, Dolom had his guards pick up Bonal's body for transport to Morgrave, and told the party to move along, and "perhaps leave these kinds of things to the Watch in the future."

The party then delivered their potion components, earning a small tip in response from Jaina's uncle Malin. They decided to spend this tip at an inn where they could get a better look at the journal. On their way to the inn, they were intercepted by another cloaked figure, one who held out a signet ring indicating he belonged to House Cannith. "If you would know the truth of Bonal Geldem's murder," he said, "go to the Broken Anvil tavern at dawn." With that, he disappeared into the rain and the night.

The party arrived at a tavern and inspected the journal. They found it to be of high quality, with a mithral thread woven primitive version of the House Cannith seal on the cover and entirely blank pages within. Lysander detected a strong universal magic aura from the book, but Tock was unable to identify it, as his spell wouldn't properly decode the magic, clearly of an older age.

After retiring to their apartments to rest and recover, the party met up once more and journeyed to the Broken Anvil. There, they met the Lady Elaydren d'Cannith, who told them that Bonal had been trying to recover a schema by locating a foundry from Pre-Galifar Sharn, located beneath the sewers of Dorasharn Tower. She also used her signet ring to activate the journal, revealing the pages to be full of notes, maps and other work done by Bonal. She offered the group 1,000 gold, plus 100 gold to outfit themselves, if they would journey into the sewers, find the foundry and recover the schema. With William encouraged by the promise of combat, Pel and Lysander intrigued by the potential information and Tock interested in pre-Galifar magic, they were an easy sell.

From there, the party used Bonal's map (given to them by Elaydren) to find a Rat's Market in the lowest inhabited level of Dorasharn Tower. They met with a goblin named Skakan, who informed them that he had spoken with warforged and knew that they were seeking the E-213 Valve Cluster. His attempts to extort money were whittled down considerably when Brand bargained with him and William backed up the bargaining with physical intimidation. As they bargained, Pel and Tock noticed a shifter eyeing them warily, but he vanished into the crowded market when he was noticed. Skakan lead them to a narrow staircase descending down into the darkness, pointed the way and said "The valve cluster is down there. Pleasure doing business with you!"

As they entered the staircase, the party was wary of a trap, and indeed they found one. A warforged rogue attacked them, and was quickly dispatched by William's sword. A final messenger detached itself from the rogue's body, flew up and out of the sewer. When they emerged into the sewer, with a series of 12 valves discharging sewer runoff into the shallow water, they were attacked by the warforged's minions, a pair of razorclaw shifter. The shifters moved in, attacking Tock and Lysander, but they were quickly dealt with by the party.

Moving down the waterway, the party discovered a circular metal hatch set into the tunnel wall, engraved with arcane runes and bearing a glowing symbol of mithral depicting the same icon as Bonal's journal. Pel inspected it, determined that there was an acid splash trap attached, and couldn't find any easy way to open it. Instead, he held aloft the journal, which glowed, and the door glowed in response and slid open.

Once inside, the party found a vertical shaft about five feet wide descending into the darkness. Using the climbing gear they had purchased earlier, they sent a sunrod down, learning that it bottomed out at about 90 feet. They each descended down the rope and walked down the corridor that they found at the bottom, until they emerged at the entrance to a large, open chamber.

Dropping down the six feet from their entrance to the floor of the chamber, the group was set upon by swarms of carnivorous beetles. Tock used his magic to ignite his mace, and Brand lit a torch from the mace, offering some weapons against the vile swarms. William, meanwhile, ran farther into the chamber, encountering a pair of Horrid Rats, which he smashed one by one with no damage on his own part. After the beetles swarmed over Brand and Pel, the party fled to where William was, and the beetle swarms dispersed.

The party then located the ruins of a former temple, which still had a serene aura indicating that its battered shell retained some of the calming, sanctuary effects of its former use. Rather than rest, however, they pressed on, discovering the long lost forge of House Cannith that they had been seeking. The door was trapped and featured an amazing lock, and the forge had solid walls, but William climbed the twenty foot walls and found a gaping hole in the ceiling. He threw a sunrod down to see what awaited him below. There he saw stone and rubble that had crushed a metallic dog-like creature, and across the way, he saw two more of them, their eyes glowing with arcane light. With a hearty cry of "Metal dogs! Hurrah!" William plunged down into the forge.

The rest of the party soon joined him, as William engaged in battle with two Iron Defenders. The Defenders put up a good fight, injuring and nearly killing Pel and hurting William as well, but they were eventually defeated. When they died, each Defender popped an iron rod out of its forehead. One was triangular, the other rectangular, and the party realized that the other dog probably had one as well. Working as a team and spending about twenty minutes, they managed to lift the stone and pull out the remaining rod, which was pentagonal in shape. These shapes corresponded to depressions in the wall of the forge against the far wall. In the meantime, Brand and Pel searched the shelves along the southern wall, locating a number of items, including a masterwork small chain shirt, masterwork heavy mace and a masterwork rapier.

William and Pel reasoned that the rods should be inserted in order of how many sides they were, triangle first, rectangle second and pentagon third, and this worked, unlocking the forge. Within they found gold, silver, gold ingots, potions and the schema they were seeking.

The party began to climb out of the hole, and as William climbed out, he tried to remain prone, but he was still struck by a flaming crossbow bolt. A metallic voice cried out "Weak flesh! Now you face Saber, greatest of the devoted followers of the Lord of Blades. Throw down the schema and walk away. This day does not have to end with blood on my hands."

Lysander used a Silent Image spell to throw up a cover of fog, as Brand used his dragonmark to teleport outside and find cover. Using the fog as cover, the party began climbing up onto the roof, looking to see if they could find Saber. As they did, Lysander began singing a war ballad about a brave soldier who had faced down 200 warforged all on his own.

Eventually, the party spotted Saber, staying under cover across the chamber and trying to find another shot with his crossbow. Pel moved out under cover of shadows to try and get behind him, as William disembarked to the floor of the chamber and Tock did the same. Brand kept Saber covered, waiting for an open shot, which he got when Saber moved out into the open, trying to get closer. The party jockeyed for position, and when Saber finally spent his last flaming crossbow bolt on a failed shot at Lysander, they moved in to attack. Saber put up a brief but impassioned fight, but ultimately William brought him down with a swing of his greatsword. Pel, who had been waiting, used his cloak to catch and smash the final messenger, preventing news of Saber's battle from reaching the Lord of Blades later.

With Saber's magical sword now tucked away in Pel's belt, the party went up to the surface, met up with Lady Elaydren in the Broken Anvil and gave her the schema in exchange for their gold. She expressed her gratitude, and told them to check in periodically with the House Sivis message station at the Barmin Tower for more work in the future.

XP Reward: 1020

Eberron Character: Brand Wayfinder

Name: Brand Wayfinder d'Orien
Human Ranger 10
Fighting Style: Beast Mastery
Beast Companion Type: Wolf
Background: Eldeen Reaches (+2 to Athletics)

FINAL ABILITY SCORES
Str 20, Con 10, Dex 13, Int 13, Wis 16, Cha 10.

STARTING ABILITY SCORES
Str 16, Con 10, Dex 13, Int 13, Wis 14, Cha 10.

Init +6
Speed 7
Passive Insight 18
Passive Perception 23
Languages Common, Giant

AC: 22 Fort: 23 Reflex: 20 Will: 20
HP: 67 Surges: 6 Surge Value: 16

TRAINED SKILLS
Perception +13, Nature +13, Endurance +9, Acrobatics +10, Athletics +16, Stealth +10, Arcana +11

UNTRAINED SKILLS
Bluff +5, Diplomacy +5, Dungeoneering +8, Heal +8, History +6, Insight +8, Intimidate +5, Religion +6, Streetwise +5, Thievery +5

FEATS
Mark of Passage, Blade Initiate, Two-Weapon Fighting, Two-Weapon Defense, Novice Power, Acolyte Power, Adept Power

POWERS
At-Will: Circling Strike, Hit and Run, Twin Strike

Encounter: Enclose the Prey, Paired Predators, Dimensional Vortex

Daily: Hunter's Bear Trap, Two-Wolf Pounce, Dimensional Bond

Utility: Pack Dimensional Warp, Weave Through the Fray, Companion Emplacement

ITEMS
Adventurer's Kit, Candle (3), Climber's Kit, Everburning Torch, Fine Clothing, Flask (empty), Flint and Steel, Grappling Hook, Hammer, Journeybreads (20), Oil (1 pint), Pitons (10), Pouch, Belt (empty), Ritual Book, Rope, Silk (50 ft.), Sunrod (4), Tent, Torch (3), Waterskin, Deathcut Hide Armor +2, Longbow, Arrows (60), Dagger (2), Sacrificial Longsword +3, Lightning Short sword +1, Boots of Striding (heroic tier), Amulet of Physical Resolve +1, Bag of Holding (heroic tier), Alchemist's Acid (level 1), Alchemist's Fire (level 1), Antivenom (heroic tier), Panther Tears (heroic tier), Ghoststrike Oil (level 3) (2), Woundpatch (heroic tier), Alchemical Silver (heroic tier), Lodret Leaf (heroic tier), Tanglefoot Bag (level 7), Quickhit Braces (heroic tier), Arcane Signet Ring, Identification Papers, Standard, Traveling papers

RITUALS
Raise Beast Companion, Water Walk

History: Brand's father, Traega d'Orien, was a noble in the House of Orien and was next in line for succession to a position of influence within the house. A cousin who was next in line after the father was not strong like most in his house. He was sickly and weak and grew to be quite diabolical, especially for the House of Orien. When Traega d'Orien fell in love with Sheryn, a druid from the Eldeen Reaches, the cousin revealed their love affair and arranged things so that the Traega was exiled. Traega and his lover went to the Eldeen Reaches. The cousin hired mercenaries to kill Traega once he was far away from the watchful eyes of House Orien, but he survived the attack. Traega d'Orien escaped and drew his pursuers after him to keep them away from his lover.

However, he had left Brand’s mother, Sheryn, pregnant. She quickly wed a close friend to cover up the fact that the child came from the House of Orien. Brand’s dragonmark manifested as a teenager and he and his mother went to great lengths to cover it up. One day he had to use his power to save a friend and thus his mark was revealed. The cousin had left a spy in the village all these years, just in case the father should return. The spy reported that the father had a son, so the cousin led a delegation from the House of Orien to retrieve the boy. The elders of the Eldeen Reaches declared that Brand should return with the cousin for political reasons.

Once he was in his new environment, Brand tried to learn the ways of the House of Orien. However, he was very put off with the intricacies of political maneuvering. He learned from someone loyal to his father the truth about his father’s exile and the cousin’s treachery. He also learned that his father is still alive. He took off, heading out to look for his father. He learned that his dad was last spotted in Xen'drik, the lost continent, so he went to work for Morgrave University in Sharn as a cartographer. When fate finally brought Brand to Xen'drik, he had little hope of finding his father on so vast a continent. However, when Brand was struck by a mummy in combat and began to feel the ravages of its disease upon his flesh, he learned that his father had been keeping an eye out for him as well. For in that grave moment, Brand's father appeared from a Dimension Door, saying, "It's good to have oracles, boy." Then Traega d'Orien spirited Brand away to locales unknown.

As it turned out, "locales unknown" was his father's camp in Xen'drik, where Brand got to stay with his father and his allies for a few months, training and studying until he rejoined the Wolves a few months later. Upon returning to Khorvaire, he returned to House Orien and revealed that he was alive, beginning his training as a Blade of Orien.

3.5 Stats:
Race: Human
Class: Ranger 6/Rogue 1/Blade of Orien 2
Experience: 38,022 (Next Level 45,000)
Alignment: Chaotic Neutral
Religion: Balinor/Sovereign Host
Homeland: Eldeen Reaches
Age: 18 Height: 6'1" Weight: 162 lbs.

Statistics: STR 14, DEX 18 (22), CON 12, INT 14, WIS 14, CHA 11, BAB +8/+3, Fort +5 (+7), Ref +10 (+17), Will +2 (+5), Init +4 (+6), AC 23 +25% miss chance (AC 22 when not using 2 weapons) (+4 armor, +6 Dex, +1 Two-Weapon Defense, +1 Ring, +1 Amulet), Move: 40, HP 62

Skills: Balance +2 synergy (+8), Bluff (+2 vs. Warforged/+4 vs. Humans) Climb +1 (+3), Concentration +1 (+2), Diplomacy +3 (+6), Handle Animal +9 (+9), Heal +3 (+4), Hide +10 (+16), Jump +0 (+9), Knowledge (Dungeoneering) +6 (+8), Knowledge (Geography) +1 (+3), Knowledge (Nature) +8 (+12), Listen +3 (+4/+6 vs. Warforged/+8 vs. Humans), Move Silently +12 (+18), Profession (Cartographer) +2 (+3), Ride +3 (+11), Search +3 (+5), Sense Motive +5 (+6, +8 vs. Warforged/+10 vs. Humans), Spot +8 (+9, +11 vs. Warforged/+13 vs. Humans), Survival +12 (+15, +17 above ground, +18/20 vs. Warforged/+20/22 vs. Humans), Tumble +9 (+15)

Spells: 1st - 2/day Default: Embrace the Wild (SC), Blades of Fire (SC)

Class Abilities: Favored Enemy: Warforged +2/Humans +4, Track, Wild Empathy (+2 synergy), Two Weapon Fighting, Endurance, Animal Companion, Improved Two Weapon Fighting, Trapfinding, Sneak Attack +1d6, Heir's Mark, Improved Dimension Leap, Swift Leap
Weapons/Attacks: +15/+10 (1d6+3/+5 vs. Warforged/+7 vs. Humans, Rapier +1), +15/+10 (1d6 Electricity +1d6+2/+4 vs. Warforged/+6 vs. Humans, Shortsword of Shock), +13/+8/+13/+10 (Two-Weapon Fighting: Rapier/Rapier/Short Sword/Short Sword), +15/+10 (1d8 +1/+4 vs. Favored Enemies, +1 Hunting Longbow w/20 arrows) SNEAK ATTACK: +1d6

Equipment:

+1 Rapier (Keen), +1 Masterwork Short Sword of Shock, +2 Chitin Armor (w/Crystal of Lifekeeping), +1 Bastard Sword, Light Mace, Amulet of Natural Armor +1, Minor Cloak of Displacement, Vest of Resistance +1, Ring of Protection +1, Gloves of Dexterity +4, Bag of Tricks (Rust), Golembane Scarab, Hat of Disguise, Potion Bracer, Potion: Cure Moderate Wounds (3), Potion: Cure Light Wounds (3), Potion: Lesser Restoration, Potion:Protection From Evil (2), Potion:Hide From Undead, Oil: Magic Weapon (2), Oil: Bless Weapon (3), Silversheen (4), Scrolls: Restoration, Charm Animal (2), Magic Fang (9), Summon Nature's Ally I, Cat's Grace, Speak With Animals (4), Cure Serious Wounds, Aspect of the Wolf (2nd), Boots of Striding & Springing, Pearl of Power (1st level), Bracer of Continual Flame, Wand: Cure Light Wounds (48 charges), Daylight Pellet (2), Backpack, Belt Pouch, Traveler's Outfit (Glamerweave), Acidic Fire (2), Noxious Smokesticks (2), Smokestick (1), Feather Fall Token (3), Wandering Wolves signet ring, 6 CP, 10 SP, 243 GP, 11 PP, Gems worth 2,095 GP, Letter of Credit: 600 GP

In Bag of Holding (Type 2):
Candle, Map Case (1), Map of Giant City from someone working for his devious uncle Aeromus, Fishhook, Flint & Steel, Ink (1 oz. vial), Inkpen, Small Steel Mirror, Parchment (5 sheets), Trail Rations (1 day), Eternal Rations (0 days), Sewing Needle, Torch (2), Waterskin, Whetstone, (1) Sunrod, (5) Antitoxin, Panther's Tears (1 - gives low-light vision, but with strong light sensitivity), (1) Vermin Ointment (drives off vermin), Hunter's kit (+2 circumstance bonus to Survival when hunting/foraging, or helps throw off trail of those tracking by scent - 10 uses), (2) Dagger, Glamerweave Noble's Outfit

Feats: Least Dragonmark (Dimensional Leap 90' 4/Day), Lesser Dragonmark (Dimension Door 2/Day, 1,380', 4 passengers), Greater Dragonmark (Teleport 1/Day, 1,200 miles, 4 passengers), Weapon Finesse, Two-Weapon Defense
Proficiencies: Simple & Martial Weapons, Shields, Light Armor
Languages: Common, Sylvan, Goblin, Drow
Contacts: Lionel d'Vadalis in Sharn

Name: WHITEHEARTH
Race: Wolf
Statistics: STR 14, DEX 16, CON 15, INT 2, WIS 12, CHA 6, BAB/Grapple +3/+2, Fort +6, Ref +6, Will +1, Init +3, AC 17 (Touch 13, Flat Footed 14), Speed 50', HP 29

Skills: Hide +2, Listen +3, Move Silently +3, Spot +3, Survival +1 (+4 to track by Scent)
Feats: Trace, Weapon Focus (Bite)
Tricks (7): Attack, Track, Down, Guard, Heel, Stay, Defend
Special Abilities: Low Light Vision, Scent, Link, Share Spells
Weapons/Attacks: +6 (1d6+2, Bite), +6 (1d6+2, Full Attack, Bite)
A wolf that hits with a bite can attempt a trip (+1 check modifier) as a free action with no touch attack or attack of opportunity. If the attempt fails, the opponent cannot attempt to trip the wolf.

Name: Crowley
Race: Medium Viper
Statistics: STR 8, DEX 17, CON 11, INT 1, WIS 12, CHA 2, BAB/Grapple +1/+0, Fort +3, Ref +6, Will +1, Init +3, AC 16 (Touch 13, Flat Footed 13), Speed 20' (climb/swim), HP 9

Skills: Balance +11, Climb +11, Hide +12, Listen +5, Spot +5, Swim +7
Feats: Weapon Finesse
Tricks (7): Attack
Special Abilities: Scent, Link, Share Spells
Weapons/Attacks: +4 (1d4-1 plus poison, Bite)
Poison (Ex) - Poisonous bite that deals initial and secondary damage of 1d6 Con (DC 11).

Name: LANDSTRIDER
Race: Magebred Light Riding Horse
Statistics: STR 16, DEX 17, CON 17, INT 2, WIS 12, CHA 6, BAB/Grapple +2/+8, Fort +6, Ref +6, Will +2, Init +1 (+4), AC 17 (Touch 14, Flat Footed 14), Speed 70', HP 30

Skills: Listen +6, Spot +6
Feats: Endurance, Run, Excellent Learner, Alertness
Tricks (8): Come, Heel, Stay, Track, Fetch
Special Abilities: Low Light Vision, Scent
Weapons/Attacks: -1 (1d4+1, Hoof), -1/-1 (1d4+1, Full Attack, 2 Hooves)

Who is this Woman?

Who is she? What does she have to offer your characters, and ask of them in return? You'll find out on Friday!

Oh, and unless my calendar is incorrect, I believe Friday is also Ben's birthday!

Feng Shui Some Other Friday!

Gaming is called on account of lack 'o gamers. We'll pick up with Forgotten Realms next week, and then start Eberron on the 24th (or 31st, depending on schedules and whether or not we get to an FR stopping point).

Feng Shui Friday!

Feng Shui is an RPG based on action movies, specifically influenced by the Hong Kong action movies of John Woo, Tsui Hark and the like. Kung-fu, gunplay and sorcery. The game also includes some sci-fi and fantasy elements. You guys won't need to worry too much about the details of the setting, as for the introductory adventure (which may be the only adventure, if we just run a one-shot), your characters will just be modern-day heroes who don't really know about all the strangeness they're about to encounter. Think Jack Burton in Big Trouble in Little China.

Basic Rules:
1. Dice - You'll have two dice, six-sided, of two different colors. One is your negative die, the other your positive. You roll both, subtract negative from positive, add it to whatever attribute/skill you're using, and aim for a target number. Most of the time, if you roll a six (on either die), you'll roll again and add that number in. So it's a dice mechanic similar to Shadowrun, for those familiar with that, except with the addition of negative dice.

2. Stats - You have four primary attributes - Body, Chi, Mind and Reflexes. Each of these has sub-attributes: Bod (Move, Strength, Constitution, Toughness), Chi (Fortune, Kung Fu and Magic), Mind (Charisma, Intelligence, Perception, Will), Reflexes (Agility, Manual Dexterity, Speed).

3. Combat - Combat basically works like this: You roll initiative, which is one six-sided die (no rerolling sixes on this one) added to your Speed sub-attribute. The action is judged in terms of "shots" instead of rounds or turns. Think "shots" like shots from a movie set, rather than shots from a gun, and it mostly makes sense. The highest initiative count determines how many shots are in the "sequence," which represents more or less three seconds of real time. The GM counts down the shots, and each time it hits your initiative, you act. Each action uses up a certain number of shots (firing a gun at one opponent is one shot, at two is two, dodging an attack is one shot, etc.) and reduces your initiative count. When the shot clock hits 0, we roll initiative again. Don't worry too much about how damage works, I'll explain it on the fly and it's pretty easy. Mostly you'll be fighting unnamed mooks, and as long as you do about 10 points of damage, they'll be taken down with one shot.

4. Style - The style of Feng Shui is to do everything big and loud. Don't say "I shoot the guy" when you can say "I spin around, whip my .45 out of my coat at blinding speed and put two bullets into his head." Don't say "I punch the guy" when you can say "I pull out the desk drawer, push his face down into it, and slam it shut." This sort of imaginative, over-the-top description of how your characters fight and move is the key to making the game fun.

Characters:
Since I'm running a one-shot on relatively short notice, we're not going to go real in-depth on character creation. I'm going to build four different characters using their templates, bring them to the game, you guys can take one of the characters and we'll go from there. What I'm planning on having right now are: Ex-Special Forces, Killer, Martial Artist and Maverick Cop.

Background:
When we start, your characters will be mostly strangers to one another. The Killer and Ex-Special Forces guys will have trained together way back when, but otherwise, mostly unrelated. You'll all be attending the funeral of Old Man Fong, a kindly ice cream vendor in San Francisco who you've all run into and befriended at some point during your lives, and that's where things will start.

Any questions, post 'em in the comments section. See most of you on Friday!

Eberron Character: Lysander d'Phiarlan

Name: Lysander Llyddellyn d'Phiarlan
Elf Bard 10 (Unaligned)
Build: Cunning Bard
Bardic Virtue: Virtue of Cunning
Background: Occupation - Entertainer (+2 to Bluff)

FINAL ABILITY SCORES
Str 10, Con 10, Dex 18, Int 14, Wis 13, Cha 18.

STARTING ABILITY SCORES
Str 10, Con 10, Dex 14, Int 14, Wis 11, Cha 16.

Init +9
Speed 6
Passive Insight 19
Passive Perception 21
Languages Common, Elven

AC: 24 Fort: 15 Reflex: 20 Will: 20
HP: 67 Surges: 7 Surge Value: 16

TRAINED SKILLS
Arcana +14, History +14, Acrobatics +13, Bluff +16, Diplomacy +14, Thievery +13

UNTRAINED SKILLS
Dungeoneering +9, Endurance +7, Heal +9, Insight +9, Intimidate +12, Nature +11, Perception +11, Religion +10, Stealth +11, Streetwise +12, Athletics +7

FEATS
Ritual Caster, Mark of Shadow, Sneak of Shadows, Arcane Initiate, Bardic Knowledge, Jack of All Trades, Combat Virtuoso

POWERS
At-Will: Vicious Mockery, Guiding Strike

Encounter: Magic Missile, Inspiring Refrain, Rhyme of the Blood-Seeking Blade, Deflect Attention

Daily: Verse of Triumph, Compulsion, Saga of Vengeance

Utility: Song of Courage, Synchronicity, Veil

ITEMS
Ritual Book, Gloves of Storing (heroic tier), Mithral Finemail +2, Lightning Scimitar +1, Doss Lute +2, Magic Longbow +3

RITUALS
Traveler's Chant, Wizard's Curtain

History: Lysander was born into House Phiarlan and had, for the house in question, and an elf reared in the city of Sharn, a fairly normal childhood. That is, until the war, and specifically, the tension within the old organization, cost the lives of both of his parents, presumably; the bodies were never recovered. An only child, his fate may have been difficult, but House Phiarlan takes care of its own and Lys found himself cared for and educated, if not as lovingly as in a family home, certainly as thoroughly.

When his dragonmark manifested, that care and education became an intense interest in the future of this young elf. He was given, somewhat reluctantly, to be the apprentice and student of Chiarlin the Heretic, a Bard and spy of some reknown. Chiarlin found his way into many circles of information, not just because of his entertainment qualities, but also because he constantly asked trouble-making questions in such grandstanding ways that people wanted to hear him and host him just to see what he would do next.

He ingrained in his apprentice his distrust of those who wish to control and anyone who claimed special authority from the Gods. His unorthodox view of Story not Song being the cornerstone of creation earned him few friends among the more mainstream Bards. (In fairness, Chiarlin taught that Song was part of Story.) He also claimed that the known Gods were too involved in the stories, as they were passed down, to be actual Storytellers. So the Elder Dragons must be the Storytellers, if they were not in fact characters themselves. Lys learned the discipline of thorough research and the art of telling the story with an emphasis on the points he needed highlights for either his employers or his audience, or both.

At the end of his training, Lys did some minor work for the House, before he was posted to Morgrave University to be part of an adventuring team. He has built good relations with the others in his team and begins to show promise as a gatherer of information.

Unlike even most Elves in the human world, Lys is driven by a fierce curiosity and an earnest desire for knowledge. He is also something of an adrenaline junkie, a dangerous descriptor for a barely-tested adventurer.

3.5 Stats:
Race: Elf
Class: Bard 7, Dragonmarked Heir 3
Experience: 45,406
Alignment: Neutral Good
Religion: Unknown
Homeland: Breland (Sharn)
Age: 137 Height: 5'5" Weight: 105 lbs.

Statistics: STR 12, DEX 18, CON 12, INT 14, WIS 14, CHA 19 (16), BAB +3, Fort +5(+1), Ref +8 (+4), Will +8 (+2), Init +4 (+4), AC 22 (+1 buckler, +1 Mithral Shirt, +4 Dex), HP 60

Skills: Balance +7, Bluff +8, Climb +3, Concentration +5, Craft (Painting) +2, Decipher Script +5, Diplomacy +9, Disguise +5, Escape Artist +4, Forgery +2.5, Gather Information +8, Hide +10, Intimidate +6, Knowledge (Arcana) +3, Knowledge (Geography) +3, Knowledge (History) +7, Knowledge (Nobility and Royalty) +5, Knowledge (Religion) +3, Listen +4, Move Silently +10, Perform (Act) +10, Perform (Dance) +5, Perform (Oratory) +9, Perform (Sing) +14, Perform (String Instruments) +10, Search +4, Sense Motive +9, Sleight of Hand +5, Spellcraft +6, Spot +5, Tumble +11.

Action Dice: 8(11)

Spells: Spells Known (Brd 3/4/3/1): 0 -- Dancing Lights, Detect Magic, Ghost Sound, Know Direction, Read Magic, Resistance; 1st -- Charm Person, Cure Light Wounds, Identify, Sleep; 2nd -- Eagle`s Splendor, Invisibility, Mirror Image, Hold Person; 3rd -- Allegro, Glibness;
Class Abilities: Inspire Courage +1 - Fascinate - Countersong - Inspire Competence-Suggestion-Bardic Knowledge +8, Additional Action Points, House Status, Improved Least Dragonmark (Mark of Shadow: Minor Image, Disguise Self), Lesser Dragonmark (Mark of Shadow: Shadow Conjuration)
Racial Abilities: +2 vs. Enchantment spells & effects, Immunity: Sleep Effects (Ex), Low-light vision (Ex)
Weapons/Attacks: +8 (1d6+2+1d6, +1 keen, shocking burst rapier), +78(1d8+1, Longsword +1), +7, +11 thrown(1d4, Dagger), +12(1d8, Longbow w/20 arrows)

Equipment:
Coin: 241 pp, 8 gp, 4sp; Musical instrument (5 gp); Entertainer`s outfit (3 gp); (2 sp); (2 gp); Bedroll (1 sp); Ink (vial) (8 gp); Parchment (sheet) (2) (4 sp); Paper (sheet) (4 sp); Backpack (2 gp); Signet ring (5 gp); Smokestick (2) (40 gp); Sunrod (2 gp). Magic: Wondrous: Hand of the Mage (900 gp);; Wondrous: Silversheen (250 gp); Wand: Darkness (4) (Charges: 7) (6,000 gp); Wand: Cure Light Wounds (1) (charges:37) (750 gp); Wondrous: Glove of Storing (10,000 gp); Wondrous: Cloak of Charisma +2 (4000 gp); Potions: Cure Moderate Wounds (400 gp), , Cat's Grace (4) (400 gp), Scroll: Major Image, Dispel Magic ; Wondrous: Hat of Disguise: +2 Ring of Protection; 13 =1 arrows: Amulet of Health
Feats: Least Dragonmark (Minor Image), Extra Music, Favored in House, lesser dragonmark, improved least dragonmark, improved lesser dragonmark, weapon finesse
Proficiencies: Simple Weapons, Shield, Light Armor
Languages: Common, Elven, Draconic

William's 15th Birthday Present

For William d'Deneith's fifteenth birthday, his kindly Uncle Maresh commissioned a portrait of the boy. Being of the House of the Blademark, there was little doubt what the theme of the piece would be. Bedecked with crimson and gold, the family colors, and wielding his grandfather Gowan's storied blade, William stands triumphant on a battlefield, facing westward towards Cyre. The bodies of his foes litter the torn earth around his feet.

William was thrilled.

Click on the little version for the big version.