Nymm 16 - Nymm 18, YK 1000
On the morning of Nymm 16, the Wandering Wolves, accompanied by Delano d'Orien, took on the job of private security to make sure that Aeromus d'Orien reached the Tower of Inquisition in Wroat in three days.
They were traveling aboard the lightning rail, in a secure private coach designed with help from House Kundarak. The rail car boasted a private kitchen, bedrooms for six and a private cell for Aeromus. It also prevented any teleportation from taking place, to keep any allies from breaking Aeromus out.
Aeromus spent three days trying to convince the Wolves that they should free him, trying to use whatever blackmail material he had. He maneuvered Brand into revealing Saia's aberrant dragonmark, warned Pel that he knew of his identity as Viorr and tried to use his knowledge of Delano's smuggling, all of which earned him nothing but further animosity. He also intimated that both Saia and Traega could be in danger back in Passage, and that he might have information that could help.
In order to check on Saia and Traega, Lysander and Brand jumped from the moving train, with Pel shifting to take Brand and Lysander's places from time to time so it looks like they're all still onboard.
Delano briefly talked with Pel, trying to convince him that it would be safer for everyone if they just killed Aeromus, but Pel wouldn't do that without Brand's permission. William, meanwhile, engaged in wordplay with Aeromus that neither one of them particularly enjoyed.
When Lysander and Brand reached Passage, they found that neither Traega nor Saia were where they were supposed to be, and set about looking for them. Brand used House Sivis to leave a secure message for each of them, and then he and Lysander found a safe place to use Seek Rumor, at which point they learned a rumor that Traega had been murdered and security was looking for the assassin. With no more time, they took a portal to get to Sword Keep before the train reached there.
Meanwhile, on the train, Delano used his magics to set Aeromus on fire, then opened the lock to put him out, bluffing both Pel and William to believe he had nothing to do with it. The end result was that William took up a more active guard over Aeromus, intent on protecting him as duty compelled him. He even resisted sleep, despite increasing weariness, as Pel and Delano took shifts outside of the cell.
At Sword Keep, Lysander and Brand reboarded with the help of Pel. Both Pel and Lysander noticed the familiar faces of House Tarkanan assassins Lady Hellena and Baron Garu through their disguises as they boarded the train. Pel made his way out into the passenger car to talk to them and assess the threat, but when he got into the passenger car, he spotted only another assassin that he recognized as a psion, not Garu and Hellena.
The psion, noticing Pel noticing him, used a domination effect to cause Pel to leap off the train. With their cover partially blown, the assassins made their way back to the private car.
Hellena used her ability to turn to mist and flowed into the cell, rushing forward and slashing at Aeromus's throat and very nearly killing him. William crashed into the cell to battle Hellena as Lysander began firing arrows at her and Brand used his dimensional bond to prevent her from escaping.
Delano unleashed flames on Hellena and Aeromus both, and as it appeared that their target was down, Baron Garu used his teleportation magic to cut a path through space and escape. The psion used his abilities to help Lady Hellena make her escape right before being compelled to get off the train by Lysander, and then three Minotaur mercenaries, protected by illusion spells, came crashing into the train car to fight. They were no match for the Wolves, however.
Aeromus quickly revealed that he was alive, and that he had pocketed something from Lady Hellena that could be used in scrying or locating spells to find her.
With the assassination attempt failed, and Aeromus out of options for escape, the Wolves delivered him to the waiting arms of House Medani before taking an Orien teleport circle back to Passage.
There they learned that Traega had indeed been assassinated, a professional job that included the use of a spell to steal his soul to prevent easy resurrection. Baron Kwanti spoke privately with Brand and offered apologies for how the House had treated his father, and how they hadn't treated his uncle.
Kwanti admitted that Saia's aberrant dragonmark made things politically difficult for him, but he had a solution in mind. If Brand would agree to exile with Saia in Xen'drik, taking over as The Native, Kwanti would grant them dispensation to marry (although never to have children) as long as they agreed not to set foot on Khorvaire again. He would also send Aeromus to Dreadhold, no matter the political consequences that would come from Aeromus's many allies.
Brand agreed, with the caveat that Kwanti also help him set up a new identity that would allow Brand to adventure with the Wolves from time to time. The deal was struck, and Brand went to say his goodbyes to the Wolves.
Thursday, September 30, 2010
Friday, September 24, 2010
12. The Giant Fortress
Nymm 15, YK 1000
Rrrgrr has stayed behind to prepare the Torrians and lead them to Argent. All of us save Magnus have memories of our experiences being possessed by Physandos and the Piscodemon who possessed Zargosz. Once we've settled back in, we resolve to follow the Giants' supply lines back to their headquarters and eliminate their leader in order to break the siege.
Zargosz flies, in raven form, out to scout the area and is attacked by a Roc, and he goes into the river and transforms into a fish. Magnus summons speedy horses for us. Alain uses his military tactical knowledge to determine that giants tend to be arrogant and don't worry about protecting supply lines. Zargosz finds an underground stream that will allow us to take our horses through underground. Magnus uses dungeoneering to make sure we stay on track. We come up a few hundred feet from the fortress.
We see two Ogres playing a game involving humanoid skulls, and a Hill Giant lounging by the doors. Xiu scouts past them and sees a rocky ridge on the other side of the castle. Magnus attacks.
Torgen attacks and marks the ogre, and then Zargosz unleashes a tremor to knock him and the other ogre down. The marked ogre stands up and swings his club at Torgen and critically hits him. The other one stands and throws a javelin at Magnus, followed by a charge, which also misses. Xiu moves up. Magnus uses inexorable advance to hit both ogres. Hill Giant bellows, steps back and opens the doors to let his Rage Drake out, then throws a rock at Xiu, which misses. Alain fires a runic resistance bolt into the ogres midst, bloodying one of them. The Rage Drake rushes out from the fortress and leaps at Xiu., hitting her with a pair of claws.
Torgen begins regenerating thanks to his armor, moves up to hit both ogres, hitting only the non-bloodied one. Zargosz calls lightning down on both ogres, hitting only the bloodied one. Ogres swing at Torgen and Magnus, missing both of them. Xiu moves in to flank the ogres, hitting and nearly killing the bloodied ogre. Magnus uses tide of iron on the bloodied ogre and kills him, then moves to attack the Rage Drake with his action point and tide of iron and immobilizes him. Hill Giant throws a rock at Magnus and misses. Alain uses curative admixture on Xiu, moves up next to Torgen and fires a repulsion strike at the ogre, bloodying him. Rage Drake bites at and misses Magnus.
Torgen swings and misses the ogre. Zargosz moves up on the Rage Drake and fires a storm spike back at the ogre. Ogre moves, drawing attacks from Torgen and Xiu, who kill him. Xiu moves to the Rage Drake and hits him. Magnus swings at the Rage Drake and misses. Hill Giant yells out for the shaman and runs back into the compound. Alain moves up near the rage drake, fires a magic weapon bolt into it that enchants Xiu's and Zargosz's weapons. Rage Drake bites at and misses Magnus.
Torgen charges and crits the Rage Drake. Zargosz turns into a snake and spits out a cloud of locusts at the Rage Drake. Xiu attacks the Rage Drake and bloodies it. Magnus hits the Rage Drake. Alain moves behind the group, fires at the Rage Drake and misses. Rage Drake hits Magnus.
Torgen hits with a critical holy strike and kills it. Another Rage Drake emerges from the castle, along with two Hill Giants who throw rocks at him, one of which strikes a glancing blow, and another Hill Giant Slinger. Zargosz moves toward them, shifs to his half-orc form and throws a storm spike at the drake, missing it. Xiu charges the Rage Drake and misses. Magnus bull charges the Rage Drake and marks him. Hill Giant throws a rock at Magnus. Alain moves up, fires an aggravating force bolt into the Rage Drake.
Torgen moves up. Rage Drake tries to leap in the air, but then Magnus hits him and keeps him from leaping, but he then leaps out of the fortress. The Hill Giant Shaman emerges, sends out a big explosion at Magnus, Torgen and Xiu, but only Xiu is hit and blinded, then uses his Earth Rage on Magnus and Torgen, knocking Torgen prone. Hill Giants move forward, one of them provoking an attack of opportunity from Magnus and dying. Hill Giant Slinger slings a stone at Magnus, which breaks open and showers him with acid. Zargosz attacks a Hill Giant with a Storm Spike and misses it. Xiu gets out her clearsense powder and uses it, then charges the Hill Giant and kills it. Magnus takes damage to end the acid and slowed effect, moves past the shaman and takes a hit from his staff, bloodying him, then uses come and get it on the Giants inside the fortress. He also looks over and sees a summoning circle inside the fortress. Hill Giant hits Magnus. Alain moves up, uses curative admixture on Magnus, un-bloodying him, then fires positive energy infusion at the Shaman.
Torgen stands, charges the shaman and hits him. Rage Drake leaps over Zargosz, clawing at him along the way and hitting him with one critical hit. The Shaman uses Earth Tremor, pushing Alain and blinding him, and then he shifts, drawing an attack from Magnus. Hill Giant Slinger swings a fist at Magnus and hits him. Zargosz moves up to joiin Alain and fires a Storm Spike at the Shaman, knocking him prone and healing to full. Xiu uses tornado strike on the Shaman and Hill Giant, heals up to full. Magnus uses his second wind, goes into a defensive stance, uses thicket of blades on the Hill Giant, Slinger and Shaman, hitting all but the Shaman and slowing and bloodying them. Hill Giant swings and misses Magnus. Alain uses clearsense powder and fails his save, moves forward, puts the crossbow on Torgen's shoulder, fires a blind shot and hits the Hill Giant with an aggravating force bolt.
Torgen swings and misses. Rage Drake leaps over Zargosz, clawing at him four times and bloodying him. Shaman stands up, moves to Xiu, draws recieve the charge attack from Torgen, then tries to flee, drawing an attack from Xiu that bloodies him. Slinger slams and misses Magnus. Zargosz runs inside the fortress, takes his second wind. Xiu chases down the shaman and hits him, switching places to keep him from getting to the summoning circle. Magnus and the Hill Giant exchange misses. Alain uses clearsense powder, throws a blinding bomb at the Rage Drake, moves in to flank with Xiu.
Torgen attacks the Rage Drake and bloodies him, healing Zargosz. Rage Drake claws Torgen and bloodies him. Shaman pushes Xiu out of the way and runs past her, taking an attack of opportunity. Slinger misses Magnus. Zargosz turns into a snake, unleashes a swarm of locusts on the Slinger. Xiu moves up on the Hill Giant to flank with Magnus and hits him, nearly killing him. Magnus hits the Hill Giant. Alain draws an attack from the Hill Giant, allowing Magnus to kill him with an attack of opportunity, then gives dancing shield to Torgen, fires aggravating force bolt at Slinger.
Torgen regenerates, is no longer bloodied, uses second wind, hits the Rage Drake and then uses lay on hands on himself. Rage Drake leaps over Torgen, but because of second wind and dancing shield, he is unharmed. Slinger slams Magnus. Zargosz shifts back into a half-orc, fires storm spike at the slinger and misses. Xiu moves up and attacks the slinger and kills him. Magnus begins moving to hold the doors. Alain fires an aggravating force bolt critical at the Rage Drake.
Torgen attacks the Rage Drake with a critical Holy Strike, killing it, and then moves back inside. Earth Giant comes through the far door, stepping into the summoning circle and throws a rock at Magnus, then calls out to Boris and Ung, his Hill Giant allies, who also throw rocks at Magnus, one of which hits him. Zargosz moves up and casts vine serpents at the Earth Giant and at Ung. Xiu moves in and uses handspring assault on the Earth Giant, then shifts back. Magnus uses defensive resurgence, then moves in and attacks the Earth Giant. Alain moves up, fires aggravating force bolt at Earth Giant.
Torgen charges the Earth Giant and misses. Hill Giant Shaman uses a whisper of pain on Magnus. Earth Giant takes vine serpent damage, swings at Magnus and misses, allowing himi to shift back. Hill Giant takes vine serpent damage, swings at Magnus and misses, allowing him to shift next to that Hill Giant. The other Hill Giant moves out and uses his sweeping club attack on Zargosz and Xiu, missing both of them. Fire elemental comes in and throws a firestorm into the room at Xiu and Torgen, missing them. More Hill Giant Slingers move up behind the Shaman and fire at Torgen, one of them hitting the shield and the other hitting him and showering him with acid. Zargosz summons a crocodile to flank the Hill Giant, and he misses. Xiu takes fire damage, moves to attack the Earth Giant, bloodying him, and goes into Sidestep Stance. Magnus uses knee breaker on Hill Giant. Alain moves up, switches to his staff and uses lightning motes on Earth Giant, a Hill Giant and the Fire Elemental.
Quotes:
"I'd rather have a shaman in front of me than have to have a frontal shamanomy."
"That's just great... my super power is dick jokes!"
Rrrgrr has stayed behind to prepare the Torrians and lead them to Argent. All of us save Magnus have memories of our experiences being possessed by Physandos and the Piscodemon who possessed Zargosz. Once we've settled back in, we resolve to follow the Giants' supply lines back to their headquarters and eliminate their leader in order to break the siege.
Zargosz flies, in raven form, out to scout the area and is attacked by a Roc, and he goes into the river and transforms into a fish. Magnus summons speedy horses for us. Alain uses his military tactical knowledge to determine that giants tend to be arrogant and don't worry about protecting supply lines. Zargosz finds an underground stream that will allow us to take our horses through underground. Magnus uses dungeoneering to make sure we stay on track. We come up a few hundred feet from the fortress.
We see two Ogres playing a game involving humanoid skulls, and a Hill Giant lounging by the doors. Xiu scouts past them and sees a rocky ridge on the other side of the castle. Magnus attacks.
Torgen attacks and marks the ogre, and then Zargosz unleashes a tremor to knock him and the other ogre down. The marked ogre stands up and swings his club at Torgen and critically hits him. The other one stands and throws a javelin at Magnus, followed by a charge, which also misses. Xiu moves up. Magnus uses inexorable advance to hit both ogres. Hill Giant bellows, steps back and opens the doors to let his Rage Drake out, then throws a rock at Xiu, which misses. Alain fires a runic resistance bolt into the ogres midst, bloodying one of them. The Rage Drake rushes out from the fortress and leaps at Xiu., hitting her with a pair of claws.
Torgen begins regenerating thanks to his armor, moves up to hit both ogres, hitting only the non-bloodied one. Zargosz calls lightning down on both ogres, hitting only the bloodied one. Ogres swing at Torgen and Magnus, missing both of them. Xiu moves in to flank the ogres, hitting and nearly killing the bloodied ogre. Magnus uses tide of iron on the bloodied ogre and kills him, then moves to attack the Rage Drake with his action point and tide of iron and immobilizes him. Hill Giant throws a rock at Magnus and misses. Alain uses curative admixture on Xiu, moves up next to Torgen and fires a repulsion strike at the ogre, bloodying him. Rage Drake bites at and misses Magnus.
Torgen swings and misses the ogre. Zargosz moves up on the Rage Drake and fires a storm spike back at the ogre. Ogre moves, drawing attacks from Torgen and Xiu, who kill him. Xiu moves to the Rage Drake and hits him. Magnus swings at the Rage Drake and misses. Hill Giant yells out for the shaman and runs back into the compound. Alain moves up near the rage drake, fires a magic weapon bolt into it that enchants Xiu's and Zargosz's weapons. Rage Drake bites at and misses Magnus.
Torgen charges and crits the Rage Drake. Zargosz turns into a snake and spits out a cloud of locusts at the Rage Drake. Xiu attacks the Rage Drake and bloodies it. Magnus hits the Rage Drake. Alain moves behind the group, fires at the Rage Drake and misses. Rage Drake hits Magnus.
Torgen hits with a critical holy strike and kills it. Another Rage Drake emerges from the castle, along with two Hill Giants who throw rocks at him, one of which strikes a glancing blow, and another Hill Giant Slinger. Zargosz moves toward them, shifs to his half-orc form and throws a storm spike at the drake, missing it. Xiu charges the Rage Drake and misses. Magnus bull charges the Rage Drake and marks him. Hill Giant throws a rock at Magnus. Alain moves up, fires an aggravating force bolt into the Rage Drake.
Torgen moves up. Rage Drake tries to leap in the air, but then Magnus hits him and keeps him from leaping, but he then leaps out of the fortress. The Hill Giant Shaman emerges, sends out a big explosion at Magnus, Torgen and Xiu, but only Xiu is hit and blinded, then uses his Earth Rage on Magnus and Torgen, knocking Torgen prone. Hill Giants move forward, one of them provoking an attack of opportunity from Magnus and dying. Hill Giant Slinger slings a stone at Magnus, which breaks open and showers him with acid. Zargosz attacks a Hill Giant with a Storm Spike and misses it. Xiu gets out her clearsense powder and uses it, then charges the Hill Giant and kills it. Magnus takes damage to end the acid and slowed effect, moves past the shaman and takes a hit from his staff, bloodying him, then uses come and get it on the Giants inside the fortress. He also looks over and sees a summoning circle inside the fortress. Hill Giant hits Magnus. Alain moves up, uses curative admixture on Magnus, un-bloodying him, then fires positive energy infusion at the Shaman.
Torgen stands, charges the shaman and hits him. Rage Drake leaps over Zargosz, clawing at him along the way and hitting him with one critical hit. The Shaman uses Earth Tremor, pushing Alain and blinding him, and then he shifts, drawing an attack from Magnus. Hill Giant Slinger swings a fist at Magnus and hits him. Zargosz moves up to joiin Alain and fires a Storm Spike at the Shaman, knocking him prone and healing to full. Xiu uses tornado strike on the Shaman and Hill Giant, heals up to full. Magnus uses his second wind, goes into a defensive stance, uses thicket of blades on the Hill Giant, Slinger and Shaman, hitting all but the Shaman and slowing and bloodying them. Hill Giant swings and misses Magnus. Alain uses clearsense powder and fails his save, moves forward, puts the crossbow on Torgen's shoulder, fires a blind shot and hits the Hill Giant with an aggravating force bolt.
Torgen swings and misses. Rage Drake leaps over Zargosz, clawing at him four times and bloodying him. Shaman stands up, moves to Xiu, draws recieve the charge attack from Torgen, then tries to flee, drawing an attack from Xiu that bloodies him. Slinger slams and misses Magnus. Zargosz runs inside the fortress, takes his second wind. Xiu chases down the shaman and hits him, switching places to keep him from getting to the summoning circle. Magnus and the Hill Giant exchange misses. Alain uses clearsense powder, throws a blinding bomb at the Rage Drake, moves in to flank with Xiu.
Torgen attacks the Rage Drake and bloodies him, healing Zargosz. Rage Drake claws Torgen and bloodies him. Shaman pushes Xiu out of the way and runs past her, taking an attack of opportunity. Slinger misses Magnus. Zargosz turns into a snake, unleashes a swarm of locusts on the Slinger. Xiu moves up on the Hill Giant to flank with Magnus and hits him, nearly killing him. Magnus hits the Hill Giant. Alain draws an attack from the Hill Giant, allowing Magnus to kill him with an attack of opportunity, then gives dancing shield to Torgen, fires aggravating force bolt at Slinger.
Torgen regenerates, is no longer bloodied, uses second wind, hits the Rage Drake and then uses lay on hands on himself. Rage Drake leaps over Torgen, but because of second wind and dancing shield, he is unharmed. Slinger slams Magnus. Zargosz shifts back into a half-orc, fires storm spike at the slinger and misses. Xiu moves up and attacks the slinger and kills him. Magnus begins moving to hold the doors. Alain fires an aggravating force bolt critical at the Rage Drake.
Torgen attacks the Rage Drake with a critical Holy Strike, killing it, and then moves back inside. Earth Giant comes through the far door, stepping into the summoning circle and throws a rock at Magnus, then calls out to Boris and Ung, his Hill Giant allies, who also throw rocks at Magnus, one of which hits him. Zargosz moves up and casts vine serpents at the Earth Giant and at Ung. Xiu moves in and uses handspring assault on the Earth Giant, then shifts back. Magnus uses defensive resurgence, then moves in and attacks the Earth Giant. Alain moves up, fires aggravating force bolt at Earth Giant.
Torgen charges the Earth Giant and misses. Hill Giant Shaman uses a whisper of pain on Magnus. Earth Giant takes vine serpent damage, swings at Magnus and misses, allowing himi to shift back. Hill Giant takes vine serpent damage, swings at Magnus and misses, allowing him to shift next to that Hill Giant. The other Hill Giant moves out and uses his sweeping club attack on Zargosz and Xiu, missing both of them. Fire elemental comes in and throws a firestorm into the room at Xiu and Torgen, missing them. More Hill Giant Slingers move up behind the Shaman and fire at Torgen, one of them hitting the shield and the other hitting him and showering him with acid. Zargosz summons a crocodile to flank the Hill Giant, and he misses. Xiu takes fire damage, moves to attack the Earth Giant, bloodying him, and goes into Sidestep Stance. Magnus uses knee breaker on Hill Giant. Alain moves up, switches to his staff and uses lightning motes on Earth Giant, a Hill Giant and the Fire Elemental.
Quotes:
"I'd rather have a shaman in front of me than have to have a frontal shamanomy."
"That's just great... my super power is dick jokes!"
Friday, September 17, 2010
11. Physandos and Friends
We take a portal to the Sheltered Wood, and are following the path to the outskirts of the Torrian village where we first spoke to Physandos. Reggie and Hadrai spot a strange bird with a forked tail flying high above. When we round the corner, we see Gruthow.
"Adventurers! You have no business here! Turn and go!"
Lycia thinks that Gruthow is not possessed, he's just being an asshole who thinks we're a threat. He's exhibiting body language that makes Magnus think he's afraid of us. Magnus tells him we're going to the cave to rescue our friends, but Gruthow says it's too dangerous for his people. Lycia moves in to talk to them and try to convince them that they shouldn't live as slaves. He isn't having any of it, and asserts that Physandos killed all the Torrians under the age of 15 when the last adventuring party failed.
He asks that we demonstrate our powers to him to let us through, and Lycia realizes that this is Physandos asking. Magnus walks up and hits him.
Hadrai fires swarming spirits at Gruthow for 19 hp and blinding him. Rrrgrr recognizes the younger middle-ages Torrians as thugs, easily led around and didn't seem to mind Physandos. He rushes in between Gruthow and another Torrian and attacks with five storms, hitting Gruthow for 15 hp, then uses his flurry of blows to do 8 hp to Gruthow and 2 thugs, moving them aside. Reggie makes the nearest Torrian his quarry, fires a bitingg volley at him and Gruthow, hitting them both for 21 hp. The Torrians move in to attack Magnus and Rrrgrr, and then a possessed Torgen comes out and attacks Reggie, Lycia and Hadrai for 13 hp. Lycia swings a Righteous Brand at Torgen, and he steps out of the way. Gruthow, blinded, swings and misses, and shifts backward. Magnus swings at all of the Torrians, hitting two of them for 22 hp and marking all of them.
Hadrai fey steps away, fires grappling spirits at Gruthow, bloodying him and slowing him. When he is bloodied, demonic spirits affect Magnus and Rrrgrr, stunning them, then Hadrian spends an action point and fires another grappling spirits at him. Rrrgrr is stunned. Reggie shifts back, quarries Torgen and fires at him with a pinning shot. The Torrians roar and poison Rrrgrr, but Magnus resists. Torgen pronounces a blasphemous word, regains hit points and slides between Lycia and Reggie, hitting Reggie for 18 hp. Lycia hits Torgen with inspiring strike, healing Reggie and dealing 35 hp. Gruthow steps back and blasts Rrrgrr for 18 hp, dazing and bloodying him. Magnus uses thicket of blades on the Torrians for 39 hp, bloodying and slowing two of them.
Hadrai fires savage archery at Gruthow and one of the other Torrians, hitting the Torrian but missing Gruthow. Rrrgrr takes poison damage, uses purifying meditation to overcome daze, then uses Five Storms to shift next to Gruthow and then uses Crane Dance on Gruthow and the Torrians, moving among them and attacking them, hitting *all* of them and knocking them prone. He uses flurry of blows on the nearest Torrian and kills him, and throws a dagger at Gruthow, and then saves against poison. Reggie puts away his bow, draws his sword and swings a twin strike at Torgen for 9 hp. One of the Torrians stands and roar at Magnus and Rrrgrr, missing them. The other one stands and attacks Magnus for 7 hp and remains slowed. Torgen yells out a curse that heals him again, then swings the axe at Lycia and Reggie, hitting Lycia for 13 hp. Lycia uses healing word on Rrrgrr, unbloodying him, then hits Torgen for 17 hp. Gruthow stands and moves behind a tent for partial cover, then fires at Rrrgrr and misses. Magnus draws attacks of opportunity from the Torrians as he charges Gruthow and misses.
Hadrai moves out and misses Gruthow. Rrrgrr uses Five Storms to move between the two Torrians and attack them, knocking one of them out. Reggie hits Torgen with Shadow Wasp Strike for 23 hp, bloodying him, then uses an action point to miss with twin strike. The other Torrian moves away from Rrrgrr and claws at him, missing. Torgen swings and misses Lycia, but crits Reggie for 32 hp. Lycia swings healing strike at Torgen and misses, uses healing word on Reggie. Gruthow swings his implement at Magnus for 8 hp, dazing him, then moves away from Magnus. Magnus shifts and attacks the Torrian.
Hadrai fires and misses Gruthow, then runs up next to him and draws his sword. Rrrgrrr uses Dancing Cobra to move up on Gruthow and attacks him with step between worlds, knocking him out, and he pleads with Rrrgrr to not let them kill any more Torrians. Reggie uses Careful Attack on Torgen for 12 hp. Torrian claws Magnus for 12 hp. Torgen crits Reggie for 35 hp, bloodying him again. Lycia hits Torgen for 22 hp with recovery strike, uses inspiring word on Reggie, unbloodying him. Magnus hits the last Torrian and knocks him out.
Hadrai fires a Flickerring Arrow into Torgen, nearly killing him but Lycia stabilizes him. Magnus senses that Physando's power inside Torgen is much weakened, but not absent. Lycia recalls that Gruthow did not seem to be possessed, but that he was using all kinds of attack powers that Torrians don't usually have, because he had a demonic rod. Magnus smashes the rod, and Torgen is freed from Physandos's influence.
We move between the tents, using cover to hide from the bird. Rrrgrr suggests going through the mercantile area. Hadrai climbs to the top of a 30' building to get a better view, but blows his stealth check. We hear rustles of movement throughout the area, although we don't see anything yet. Hadrai spots a Torrian hidden in some rubble, and he seems to have applied some paint or dye to his face and body.
Hadrai moves up and fires at the Torrian, killing him. He then spots four more Torrians hiding among the rubble. The Torrians move in, one attacks Magnus. Reggie steps out of the shadows and knocks out the Torrian next to him. Magnus uses crushing surge and knocks out a Torrian. Rrrgrr moves past a Torrrian, taking 7 damage, and then attacks with dancing cobra, knocking him out. Lycia moves to follow Magnus and Rrrgrr.
Xiu reveals herself as the Torrian sneaking around the corner to attack Reggie for 15 hp. Hadrai moves over, fires grappling spirits for 24 hp at Xiu. One Torrian rushes to attack Reggie for 7 hp, two others attack Rrrgrr for 14 hp. Reggie stows his bow, quarries Xiu and quick draws his sword to twin strike, missing her and the Torrian behind him. Magnus moves back and sees 2 Torrians attacking Reggie, moves in to attack the actual Torrian and knocks it out. Rrrgrr uses five storms, knocking out both Torrians next to him, and then he runs over to another one. Lycia runs down the alley to come out behind one of the Torrians.
Xiu vanishes when she uses a ruby ring. Hadrai gains blindsight, misses a Torrian, runs to the edge of the roof and spots Xiu. Torrians attack Lycia and Rrrgrr, and miss. Reggie moves to the end of the alley and attacks the Torrian attacking Lycia, knocking him out. Magnus moves toward where he hears Xiu is. Rrrgrr takes out the last two Torrians and uses dancing cobra to move nearer to Xiu. Lycia moves up next to Xiu, uses her action point to wrap Xiu in burning silver flame, then attacks Xiu for 17 hp.
Xiu attacks Lycia with bait and switch, missing her. Hadrai fey steps to the next building and hits Xiu with a flickering arrow, bloodying her. Reggie moves toward the fight and sheathes his swords. Magnus moves up and bull charges Xiu, hits her and knocks her prone. Rrrgrr steps between worlds to flank Xiu, uses tormented spirit to hit Xiu and knock her out. Magnus smashes the ring, and Lycia dispels Physandos from Xiu's body.
After a brief rest (and milestone), we continue on our way to Physandos's cave. We enter another marketplace area. Magnus sees Alain standing in the center of the town addressing the Torrians and Zargosz Duhr. There are Mezzodemons surrounding the crowd as well. Rrrgrr and Lycia see shadow demons perched on a few buildings. From above, there's a horrible scream/caw and the bird has spotted us. Alain is giving a speech convincing the Torrians that they are doing well under the control of Physandos, and how the alliance with the "Friends" has been very beneficial and the town will thrive now that they're out from under the thumb of the silver-cloaked champions.
Lycia notices that Zargosz has been influenced by Xoriat. Alain shouts "attack" and all the Torrians pounce in unison, and three of them attack Magnus for 21 hp. Lycia climbs the building and then jumps down on the other side. Shadow demons launch from their perches and fly into alleyways, one makes a diving attack on Lycia but misses her. Reggie climbs up the building and fires a biting volley at Alain for 30 hp. Rrrgrr holds for Hadrai. Mezzodemon moves up and uses poison breath on Lycia and misses. Hadrai fires swarming bats, knocking out half of the Torrians. Rrrgrr moves amongst the remaining Torrians and takes out three of them, leaving two in the cloud of bats, then uses his action point to use five storms and take out the last two Torrians. Zargosz summons a tremor that hits Rrrgrr and Magnus with tentacles, then uses an action point to crit Magnus for 24 psychic damage, causing him to attack Rrrgrr for 18 hp. Mezzodemon attacks Lycia. Alain fires a blast at Lycia, giving her a -3 to attack rolls. Magnus takes damage and shakes off the slowed effect, bloodying him, and uses blood iron to gain resist damage until the end of the encounter, takes his second wind, spends an action point to bull charge Alain, but he misses.
Lycia moves and uses solar wrath to hit the Mezzodemons for 17 hp, stunning them all. Shadow demons crit Magnus for 16 hp (with his resistance), other one hits Lycia. Reggie quarries a Mezzodemon, fires splintering shot at Alain and misses thanks to his shield, doing half damage and giving him a -1 to attacks. Mezzodemons are stunned. Hadrai leaps over, fires and misses a Shadow Demon. Rrrgrr steps between worlds next to Alain, attacks with tormented spirit for 21 hp and weakens him, uses centered flurry of blows to do more damage to him, then throws dagger at Zargosz, then uses action point to hit him for 19 hp and saves against slowed, doing 5 more damage to Alain. Zargosz aims a tentacle at Rrrgrr and crits him for 22 hp, who resists 15 with iron dragon defense, but is now grabbed. Zargosz uses his action point and misses Rrrgrr. Alain regains hit points, draws strength from Zargosz's aura and is no longer bloodied, then uses repulsion strike on Magnus for 9 hp (which he resists). Magnus uses appalling crunch on Alain for 35 hp, bloodying him again, then uses a minor action to regain bull charge with his power jewel, then spends an action point to use come and get it, hitting Alain, Zargosz and a Mezzodemon, knocking Alain out. Hadrai spots the "bird" coming down fast, which is the adamantine dragon.
Lycia moves to attack Zargosz with avenging flame for 25 hp, giving him ongoing 5 fire, then spends an action point to use strengthen the faithful on Zargosz and she misses. Shadow demons fly into the dark cloud over Alain and start flying up. Reggie fires at Zargosz and Mezzodemon and misses. Mezzodemon beast lord vanishes into an alley. Hadrai hits Zargosz with savage archery. Rrrgrr uses strike the avalanche on Zargosz, bloodying him.
The dragon absorbs the shadow cloud and shadow demons, and they fly away. The demons flee, and when we destroy Zargosz's staff he is returned to us. Then we take an extended rest.
"Adventurers! You have no business here! Turn and go!"
Lycia thinks that Gruthow is not possessed, he's just being an asshole who thinks we're a threat. He's exhibiting body language that makes Magnus think he's afraid of us. Magnus tells him we're going to the cave to rescue our friends, but Gruthow says it's too dangerous for his people. Lycia moves in to talk to them and try to convince them that they shouldn't live as slaves. He isn't having any of it, and asserts that Physandos killed all the Torrians under the age of 15 when the last adventuring party failed.
He asks that we demonstrate our powers to him to let us through, and Lycia realizes that this is Physandos asking. Magnus walks up and hits him.
Hadrai fires swarming spirits at Gruthow for 19 hp and blinding him. Rrrgrr recognizes the younger middle-ages Torrians as thugs, easily led around and didn't seem to mind Physandos. He rushes in between Gruthow and another Torrian and attacks with five storms, hitting Gruthow for 15 hp, then uses his flurry of blows to do 8 hp to Gruthow and 2 thugs, moving them aside. Reggie makes the nearest Torrian his quarry, fires a bitingg volley at him and Gruthow, hitting them both for 21 hp. The Torrians move in to attack Magnus and Rrrgrr, and then a possessed Torgen comes out and attacks Reggie, Lycia and Hadrai for 13 hp. Lycia swings a Righteous Brand at Torgen, and he steps out of the way. Gruthow, blinded, swings and misses, and shifts backward. Magnus swings at all of the Torrians, hitting two of them for 22 hp and marking all of them.
Hadrai fey steps away, fires grappling spirits at Gruthow, bloodying him and slowing him. When he is bloodied, demonic spirits affect Magnus and Rrrgrr, stunning them, then Hadrian spends an action point and fires another grappling spirits at him. Rrrgrr is stunned. Reggie shifts back, quarries Torgen and fires at him with a pinning shot. The Torrians roar and poison Rrrgrr, but Magnus resists. Torgen pronounces a blasphemous word, regains hit points and slides between Lycia and Reggie, hitting Reggie for 18 hp. Lycia hits Torgen with inspiring strike, healing Reggie and dealing 35 hp. Gruthow steps back and blasts Rrrgrr for 18 hp, dazing and bloodying him. Magnus uses thicket of blades on the Torrians for 39 hp, bloodying and slowing two of them.
Hadrai fires savage archery at Gruthow and one of the other Torrians, hitting the Torrian but missing Gruthow. Rrrgrr takes poison damage, uses purifying meditation to overcome daze, then uses Five Storms to shift next to Gruthow and then uses Crane Dance on Gruthow and the Torrians, moving among them and attacking them, hitting *all* of them and knocking them prone. He uses flurry of blows on the nearest Torrian and kills him, and throws a dagger at Gruthow, and then saves against poison. Reggie puts away his bow, draws his sword and swings a twin strike at Torgen for 9 hp. One of the Torrians stands and roar at Magnus and Rrrgrr, missing them. The other one stands and attacks Magnus for 7 hp and remains slowed. Torgen yells out a curse that heals him again, then swings the axe at Lycia and Reggie, hitting Lycia for 13 hp. Lycia uses healing word on Rrrgrr, unbloodying him, then hits Torgen for 17 hp. Gruthow stands and moves behind a tent for partial cover, then fires at Rrrgrr and misses. Magnus draws attacks of opportunity from the Torrians as he charges Gruthow and misses.
Hadrai moves out and misses Gruthow. Rrrgrr uses Five Storms to move between the two Torrians and attack them, knocking one of them out. Reggie hits Torgen with Shadow Wasp Strike for 23 hp, bloodying him, then uses an action point to miss with twin strike. The other Torrian moves away from Rrrgrr and claws at him, missing. Torgen swings and misses Lycia, but crits Reggie for 32 hp. Lycia swings healing strike at Torgen and misses, uses healing word on Reggie. Gruthow swings his implement at Magnus for 8 hp, dazing him, then moves away from Magnus. Magnus shifts and attacks the Torrian.
Hadrai fires and misses Gruthow, then runs up next to him and draws his sword. Rrrgrrr uses Dancing Cobra to move up on Gruthow and attacks him with step between worlds, knocking him out, and he pleads with Rrrgrr to not let them kill any more Torrians. Reggie uses Careful Attack on Torgen for 12 hp. Torrian claws Magnus for 12 hp. Torgen crits Reggie for 35 hp, bloodying him again. Lycia hits Torgen for 22 hp with recovery strike, uses inspiring word on Reggie, unbloodying him. Magnus hits the last Torrian and knocks him out.
Hadrai fires a Flickerring Arrow into Torgen, nearly killing him but Lycia stabilizes him. Magnus senses that Physando's power inside Torgen is much weakened, but not absent. Lycia recalls that Gruthow did not seem to be possessed, but that he was using all kinds of attack powers that Torrians don't usually have, because he had a demonic rod. Magnus smashes the rod, and Torgen is freed from Physandos's influence.
We move between the tents, using cover to hide from the bird. Rrrgrr suggests going through the mercantile area. Hadrai climbs to the top of a 30' building to get a better view, but blows his stealth check. We hear rustles of movement throughout the area, although we don't see anything yet. Hadrai spots a Torrian hidden in some rubble, and he seems to have applied some paint or dye to his face and body.
Hadrai moves up and fires at the Torrian, killing him. He then spots four more Torrians hiding among the rubble. The Torrians move in, one attacks Magnus. Reggie steps out of the shadows and knocks out the Torrian next to him. Magnus uses crushing surge and knocks out a Torrian. Rrrgrr moves past a Torrrian, taking 7 damage, and then attacks with dancing cobra, knocking him out. Lycia moves to follow Magnus and Rrrgrr.
Xiu reveals herself as the Torrian sneaking around the corner to attack Reggie for 15 hp. Hadrai moves over, fires grappling spirits for 24 hp at Xiu. One Torrian rushes to attack Reggie for 7 hp, two others attack Rrrgrr for 14 hp. Reggie stows his bow, quarries Xiu and quick draws his sword to twin strike, missing her and the Torrian behind him. Magnus moves back and sees 2 Torrians attacking Reggie, moves in to attack the actual Torrian and knocks it out. Rrrgrr uses five storms, knocking out both Torrians next to him, and then he runs over to another one. Lycia runs down the alley to come out behind one of the Torrians.
Xiu vanishes when she uses a ruby ring. Hadrai gains blindsight, misses a Torrian, runs to the edge of the roof and spots Xiu. Torrians attack Lycia and Rrrgrr, and miss. Reggie moves to the end of the alley and attacks the Torrian attacking Lycia, knocking him out. Magnus moves toward where he hears Xiu is. Rrrgrr takes out the last two Torrians and uses dancing cobra to move nearer to Xiu. Lycia moves up next to Xiu, uses her action point to wrap Xiu in burning silver flame, then attacks Xiu for 17 hp.
Xiu attacks Lycia with bait and switch, missing her. Hadrai fey steps to the next building and hits Xiu with a flickering arrow, bloodying her. Reggie moves toward the fight and sheathes his swords. Magnus moves up and bull charges Xiu, hits her and knocks her prone. Rrrgrr steps between worlds to flank Xiu, uses tormented spirit to hit Xiu and knock her out. Magnus smashes the ring, and Lycia dispels Physandos from Xiu's body.
After a brief rest (and milestone), we continue on our way to Physandos's cave. We enter another marketplace area. Magnus sees Alain standing in the center of the town addressing the Torrians and Zargosz Duhr. There are Mezzodemons surrounding the crowd as well. Rrrgrr and Lycia see shadow demons perched on a few buildings. From above, there's a horrible scream/caw and the bird has spotted us. Alain is giving a speech convincing the Torrians that they are doing well under the control of Physandos, and how the alliance with the "Friends" has been very beneficial and the town will thrive now that they're out from under the thumb of the silver-cloaked champions.
Lycia notices that Zargosz has been influenced by Xoriat. Alain shouts "attack" and all the Torrians pounce in unison, and three of them attack Magnus for 21 hp. Lycia climbs the building and then jumps down on the other side. Shadow demons launch from their perches and fly into alleyways, one makes a diving attack on Lycia but misses her. Reggie climbs up the building and fires a biting volley at Alain for 30 hp. Rrrgrr holds for Hadrai. Mezzodemon moves up and uses poison breath on Lycia and misses. Hadrai fires swarming bats, knocking out half of the Torrians. Rrrgrr moves amongst the remaining Torrians and takes out three of them, leaving two in the cloud of bats, then uses his action point to use five storms and take out the last two Torrians. Zargosz summons a tremor that hits Rrrgrr and Magnus with tentacles, then uses an action point to crit Magnus for 24 psychic damage, causing him to attack Rrrgrr for 18 hp. Mezzodemon attacks Lycia. Alain fires a blast at Lycia, giving her a -3 to attack rolls. Magnus takes damage and shakes off the slowed effect, bloodying him, and uses blood iron to gain resist damage until the end of the encounter, takes his second wind, spends an action point to bull charge Alain, but he misses.
Lycia moves and uses solar wrath to hit the Mezzodemons for 17 hp, stunning them all. Shadow demons crit Magnus for 16 hp (with his resistance), other one hits Lycia. Reggie quarries a Mezzodemon, fires splintering shot at Alain and misses thanks to his shield, doing half damage and giving him a -1 to attacks. Mezzodemons are stunned. Hadrai leaps over, fires and misses a Shadow Demon. Rrrgrr steps between worlds next to Alain, attacks with tormented spirit for 21 hp and weakens him, uses centered flurry of blows to do more damage to him, then throws dagger at Zargosz, then uses action point to hit him for 19 hp and saves against slowed, doing 5 more damage to Alain. Zargosz aims a tentacle at Rrrgrr and crits him for 22 hp, who resists 15 with iron dragon defense, but is now grabbed. Zargosz uses his action point and misses Rrrgrr. Alain regains hit points, draws strength from Zargosz's aura and is no longer bloodied, then uses repulsion strike on Magnus for 9 hp (which he resists). Magnus uses appalling crunch on Alain for 35 hp, bloodying him again, then uses a minor action to regain bull charge with his power jewel, then spends an action point to use come and get it, hitting Alain, Zargosz and a Mezzodemon, knocking Alain out. Hadrai spots the "bird" coming down fast, which is the adamantine dragon.
Lycia moves to attack Zargosz with avenging flame for 25 hp, giving him ongoing 5 fire, then spends an action point to use strengthen the faithful on Zargosz and she misses. Shadow demons fly into the dark cloud over Alain and start flying up. Reggie fires at Zargosz and Mezzodemon and misses. Mezzodemon beast lord vanishes into an alley. Hadrai hits Zargosz with savage archery. Rrrgrr uses strike the avalanche on Zargosz, bloodying him.
The dragon absorbs the shadow cloud and shadow demons, and they fly away. The demons flee, and when we destroy Zargosz's staff he is returned to us. Then we take an extended rest.
Sunday, September 12, 2010
Saturday, September 11, 2010
Wandering Wolves: Trial of Aeromus and Midsummer
Dravago 16 - Nymm 15, YK 1000
After the Wolves have gotten settled from their unsettling trip into the future, Dravago turns to Nymm.
Khorvaire politics are anything but dull. A border skirmish between Aundarian Phantom Knights doing "training exercises" in the Silver Wood and Thranish troops patrolling the Wood on their side of the border very nearly leads to open war. The matter is settled at Galifar's Hope, where it is agreed that a company of House Deneith blademarks will patrol both sides of the Silver Wood from now on.
In more peaceful news, the truce between Droaam and Breland has been extended until the summer ends. A formal non-aggression treaty between Droaam and Breland is currently a top priority at Galifar's Hope, and is expected to be ready for signing sometime in Barrakas, the last month of summer. The Golden Dragon is expected to relaunch at about the same time, rebuilt as the official ambassadorial transport of Galifar's Hope as a gift from House Lyrandar.
Meanwhile, rumors persist that one of the branches of House Cannith is gathering funds and approval to rebuild the White Arch Bridge that once connected Rekkenmark (in Karrnath) and Thaliost (in Thrane). Lysander is reasonably informed that House Phiarlan operatives have confirmed this, and that there was some kind of theft that threatened the funds, but that operatives of House Cannith, Kundarak and Phiarlan recovered the funds and dealt with the thieves.
The Young Wolves, shaken by their experiences in Xulo's nightmare future, have disbanded and mostly given up lives of adventuring. The sole exception is Elias Volan, who continues to study and work in Sharn.
The Wolves receive another note from Maechen Eyre, notifying them of another sudden departure. "Luggoth's new faith is an interesting turn in The Prophecy. It suggests something good, and my master wishes to consult with him in person. It wasn't easy, but I've convinced Luggoth to come with me to Argonessen to meet the Great Silver Dragon Vuulaytherus. Forgive me for not giving him time to say goodbye, or allowing you, his friends, to tag along. We will both return to you when it is possible."
This seems somewhat uncharacteristic of Luggoth, but he's been unpredictable lately. Savannah and Father Talandro are both skeptical, but can't say for sure if it's true or not.
Pel:
Kalibar Jenks has requested of Viorr/Pel that he be reassigned to the Golden Dragon when that occurs, as he knows the territory and thinks it will be fertile information-gathering ground, but this will require approval from Captain Vron as well as approval from the Boromars, who will think Kalibar is *their* operative aboard the Dragon.
Lysander:
With approval from his House and the completed recording crystal that Lysander brought back from the future, research has begun with House Sivis to replicate the device. They expect it will take at least a year, even with one prototype available for testing. Best not to think about the paradoxical implications of this one.
Upon hearing about this future from Lysander, the House immediately began researching Xulo to find out what they could about it. They promised to keep Lysander fully informed of their findings.
Arenydee is not waiting for Lysander when he gets home. Instead, there's an all-too-familiar, if heartfelt and emotional, letter indicating that she is undercover for the House. She can't tell him much more, but promises to be home soon, and besides, what are a few months, or even years, apart, to elves?
William:
Resolute informs William by Sivis message that Halas Martain made some kind of deal with The Twelve that resulted in him being something of an indentured servant to them. He's not technically free, but he is out of jail, operating at the behest of The Twelve to recover arcana of interest to that group. He has been permanently banned from The Wayfarer Foundation. Rumors abound that Halas was able to point out the member of The Twelve that was behind the massacre, and that his new position is a bribe to keep him from spilling it so that the Twelve can deal with the matter internally.
In addition, Karola d'Deneith has officially joined the Blademark guards at the Wolves' Reward, and continues to flirt with William quite openly.
Brand:
Though she is living part-time at the Wolves' Reward, Saia Borath has begun a job in Sharn. She doesn't talk to Brand much about it, and he fears she's fallen in with House Tarkanan.
The Trial of Aeromus d'Orien and Traega d'Orien took the better part of the month, and Brand was in Passage for most of that time. The other Wolves, especially Pel and Lysander, made several appearances in Passage to provide information that could be useful. In particular, Pel was contacted by a former acquaintance and current asset of the King's Dark Lanterns (which only Pel and Lysander know), Delano d'Orien, who works in the smuggling arm of the House and had considerable dirt on Aeromus's behavior.
It is clear to the jury that Traega's crimes were exaggerated at best, fabricated at worst, and it is determined that his years of exile have served as an effective punishment for any transgressions that may or may not have existed. House Orien also believes that it can make use of the Xen'drik operations he has set up, and they have reached out to House Tharashk, House Vadalis, House Jorasco and House Ghallanda to expand "The Native" into more of a permanent base of operations for House operations in Xen'drik, as well as being a resource for adventurers. Traega will be returning to Xen'drik to head up the operation, although he'll be reporting back in to House Orien officially from time to time. Baron Kwanti d'Orien himself will be coming to Passage to reinstate Traega in this position in the House and offer an informal apology for his treatment over the years.
Unfortunately, most of Aeromus's misdeeds relating to Traega are based on testimony from parties with an interest one way or the other, and so no determination is made as to his guilt there.
As for Aeromus's sale of the map to House Tharashk, and further crimes involving smuggling, much of the proceedings take place behind closed doors, and not even Pel or Lysander are able to get a full picture of what's going on. It's clear that some, if not all, of his smuggling operations have the tacit approval of powerful allies in the House. The map, being a move against the House, is a more serious crime, but Aeromus's nephew Breyten d'Orien claimed to have been operating on his own, and didn't crack even under interrogation by trained House Medani operatives. Although that interrogation was interrupted...
During the trial, there were three assassination attempts. One was a poisoning on Traega, which might have worked except that the House Medani security for the trial detected it before it got to him. Another was a witness, a drow smuggler from Xen'drik, who went mad halfway through his testimony and attacked Brand with a concealed knife, unsuccessfully. The third was actually successful, as Breyten d'Orien was poisoned in his cell before House Medani inquisitives could finish interrogating him.
The lead House Medani investigator, Trixn d'Medani, believes that this is the work of a team of highly-trained assassins. The hallmarks point to House Thuranni or House Tarkannan, but she hasn't ruled out talented independents.
Aeromus is the lead suspect in all of this business, although nothing can be tied to him. The unsatisfying result of the trial is that while he has been reduced in stature, ultimately he is free to go, as far as House Orien is concerned. However, pressure from House Medani to catch these assassins has led them to okay his transfer to the Tower of Inquisition in Wroat for a period no longer than two weeks so that House Medani interrogators can find out exactly what he knows.
Two days ago, Aeromus spoke to Brand with an unusual request: He wants him to work security on his train ride to Wroat. He can't trust his regular security or anyone he knows, and he knows he's being targeted by the assassins too. If Brand agrees to work security, Aeromus will reveal what he knows about them once he gets to the safety of Medani's tower, but not before. If he doesn't, Aeromus promises he will flee, and he will get away. He doesn't want to, he wants to retain his presence in the house, but he'll run before he lets himself be killed. Aeromus seems legitimately scared, although Lysander reminds Brand that Aeromus is one of the most talented liars he's ever met.
After the Wolves have gotten settled from their unsettling trip into the future, Dravago turns to Nymm.
Khorvaire politics are anything but dull. A border skirmish between Aundarian Phantom Knights doing "training exercises" in the Silver Wood and Thranish troops patrolling the Wood on their side of the border very nearly leads to open war. The matter is settled at Galifar's Hope, where it is agreed that a company of House Deneith blademarks will patrol both sides of the Silver Wood from now on.
In more peaceful news, the truce between Droaam and Breland has been extended until the summer ends. A formal non-aggression treaty between Droaam and Breland is currently a top priority at Galifar's Hope, and is expected to be ready for signing sometime in Barrakas, the last month of summer. The Golden Dragon is expected to relaunch at about the same time, rebuilt as the official ambassadorial transport of Galifar's Hope as a gift from House Lyrandar.
Meanwhile, rumors persist that one of the branches of House Cannith is gathering funds and approval to rebuild the White Arch Bridge that once connected Rekkenmark (in Karrnath) and Thaliost (in Thrane). Lysander is reasonably informed that House Phiarlan operatives have confirmed this, and that there was some kind of theft that threatened the funds, but that operatives of House Cannith, Kundarak and Phiarlan recovered the funds and dealt with the thieves.
The Young Wolves, shaken by their experiences in Xulo's nightmare future, have disbanded and mostly given up lives of adventuring. The sole exception is Elias Volan, who continues to study and work in Sharn.
The Wolves receive another note from Maechen Eyre, notifying them of another sudden departure. "Luggoth's new faith is an interesting turn in The Prophecy. It suggests something good, and my master wishes to consult with him in person. It wasn't easy, but I've convinced Luggoth to come with me to Argonessen to meet the Great Silver Dragon Vuulaytherus. Forgive me for not giving him time to say goodbye, or allowing you, his friends, to tag along. We will both return to you when it is possible."
This seems somewhat uncharacteristic of Luggoth, but he's been unpredictable lately. Savannah and Father Talandro are both skeptical, but can't say for sure if it's true or not.
Pel:
Kalibar Jenks has requested of Viorr/Pel that he be reassigned to the Golden Dragon when that occurs, as he knows the territory and thinks it will be fertile information-gathering ground, but this will require approval from Captain Vron as well as approval from the Boromars, who will think Kalibar is *their* operative aboard the Dragon.
Lysander:
With approval from his House and the completed recording crystal that Lysander brought back from the future, research has begun with House Sivis to replicate the device. They expect it will take at least a year, even with one prototype available for testing. Best not to think about the paradoxical implications of this one.
Upon hearing about this future from Lysander, the House immediately began researching Xulo to find out what they could about it. They promised to keep Lysander fully informed of their findings.
Arenydee is not waiting for Lysander when he gets home. Instead, there's an all-too-familiar, if heartfelt and emotional, letter indicating that she is undercover for the House. She can't tell him much more, but promises to be home soon, and besides, what are a few months, or even years, apart, to elves?
William:
Resolute informs William by Sivis message that Halas Martain made some kind of deal with The Twelve that resulted in him being something of an indentured servant to them. He's not technically free, but he is out of jail, operating at the behest of The Twelve to recover arcana of interest to that group. He has been permanently banned from The Wayfarer Foundation. Rumors abound that Halas was able to point out the member of The Twelve that was behind the massacre, and that his new position is a bribe to keep him from spilling it so that the Twelve can deal with the matter internally.
In addition, Karola d'Deneith has officially joined the Blademark guards at the Wolves' Reward, and continues to flirt with William quite openly.
Brand:
Though she is living part-time at the Wolves' Reward, Saia Borath has begun a job in Sharn. She doesn't talk to Brand much about it, and he fears she's fallen in with House Tarkanan.
The Trial of Aeromus d'Orien and Traega d'Orien took the better part of the month, and Brand was in Passage for most of that time. The other Wolves, especially Pel and Lysander, made several appearances in Passage to provide information that could be useful. In particular, Pel was contacted by a former acquaintance and current asset of the King's Dark Lanterns (which only Pel and Lysander know), Delano d'Orien, who works in the smuggling arm of the House and had considerable dirt on Aeromus's behavior.
It is clear to the jury that Traega's crimes were exaggerated at best, fabricated at worst, and it is determined that his years of exile have served as an effective punishment for any transgressions that may or may not have existed. House Orien also believes that it can make use of the Xen'drik operations he has set up, and they have reached out to House Tharashk, House Vadalis, House Jorasco and House Ghallanda to expand "The Native" into more of a permanent base of operations for House operations in Xen'drik, as well as being a resource for adventurers. Traega will be returning to Xen'drik to head up the operation, although he'll be reporting back in to House Orien officially from time to time. Baron Kwanti d'Orien himself will be coming to Passage to reinstate Traega in this position in the House and offer an informal apology for his treatment over the years.
Unfortunately, most of Aeromus's misdeeds relating to Traega are based on testimony from parties with an interest one way or the other, and so no determination is made as to his guilt there.
As for Aeromus's sale of the map to House Tharashk, and further crimes involving smuggling, much of the proceedings take place behind closed doors, and not even Pel or Lysander are able to get a full picture of what's going on. It's clear that some, if not all, of his smuggling operations have the tacit approval of powerful allies in the House. The map, being a move against the House, is a more serious crime, but Aeromus's nephew Breyten d'Orien claimed to have been operating on his own, and didn't crack even under interrogation by trained House Medani operatives. Although that interrogation was interrupted...
During the trial, there were three assassination attempts. One was a poisoning on Traega, which might have worked except that the House Medani security for the trial detected it before it got to him. Another was a witness, a drow smuggler from Xen'drik, who went mad halfway through his testimony and attacked Brand with a concealed knife, unsuccessfully. The third was actually successful, as Breyten d'Orien was poisoned in his cell before House Medani inquisitives could finish interrogating him.
The lead House Medani investigator, Trixn d'Medani, believes that this is the work of a team of highly-trained assassins. The hallmarks point to House Thuranni or House Tarkannan, but she hasn't ruled out talented independents.
Aeromus is the lead suspect in all of this business, although nothing can be tied to him. The unsatisfying result of the trial is that while he has been reduced in stature, ultimately he is free to go, as far as House Orien is concerned. However, pressure from House Medani to catch these assassins has led them to okay his transfer to the Tower of Inquisition in Wroat for a period no longer than two weeks so that House Medani interrogators can find out exactly what he knows.
Two days ago, Aeromus spoke to Brand with an unusual request: He wants him to work security on his train ride to Wroat. He can't trust his regular security or anyone he knows, and he knows he's being targeted by the assassins too. If Brand agrees to work security, Aeromus will reveal what he knows about them once he gets to the safety of Medani's tower, but not before. If he doesn't, Aeromus promises he will flee, and he will get away. He doesn't want to, he wants to retain his presence in the house, but he'll run before he lets himself be killed. Aeromus seems legitimately scared, although Lysander reminds Brand that Aeromus is one of the most talented liars he's ever met.
Tomb of Horrors Chapter Two
Pock examines the stone and sees that there are older runes on the stone and other runes floating around the stone, very otherworldly, visible to someone trained in arcana but not with the naked eye. They appear to be from the Age of Monsters. It looks like it used to mark an area coterminous with Thelanis.
Erich stops the runes with his telekinetic powers and holds them still. Quiver notices that this provided a slight change, as the runes on the stone started to begin a bit more readable. Pock tries to disrupt the runes, but he hears an annoyed voice in his head that throws him off, and they begin spinning again. Eldaen, using what he knows about elven, sees the elven rune for tree, and thinks that if we decipher the rest, it will provide clues. Baltazar recalls studying a battle here between elves and fey that was being reinforced from a portal in the area, and that this stone directed fey to the portal. Eldaen discovers that it is a rhyming code, meant to be spoken in Common. Pock tries again to disrupt the runes, and finds himself briefly in an empty, haunted place. Frustrated, Erich and Pock blast away at the runes and gray mist comes off the rock, revealing the poem.
"Walk to the sun, three by three... turn to the snow, find the tree." Eldaen, Quiver and Baltazar decide to walk to the west and see if it takes us where it goes. After walking about nine paces, Baltazar turns to the north and sees a configuration of trees, growing together as a single clump that seem to shun the rest of the forest, and realizes that this is the portal. We walk through the portal and find ourselves on a narrow trail in Thelanis.
Erich calls out Paleius's name three times, and he appears. He begins singing, and wherever he goes, there is a path. He points out the way to the Garden of Graves. A pair of hags riding crocodiles emerge from the forest. Pock goes to greet them, and they say "They're outsiders, sister! Is this where it comes from!"
Baltazar tells them that we seek the corruption to undo it, and one of the hags dismounts her crocodile, starts walking toward him and shifts form into a beautiful maiden. "I want to believe you, mortal... where do you think the corruption comes from?"
"We've been told it comes from the garden of graves... it is infecting our world as well."
The other one says "We did not know that. Let them go, sister!"
"If you do not end the corruption, we will not let you leave here."
"If we do not end it, we will perish."
She goes back and gets on her crocodile and rides away. We decide to take the path on the right, which looks slightly more difficult as it has water. We jump across the river and continue to follow the path. There is a ridge looming ahead of us, and a tunnel in the middle of the ridge, with a message carved into the stone next to the tunnel. Eldaen reads the ancient elven script, which seems mostly to be an intimidating message warning us not to enter.
Despite misgivings, we enter the cave. There are statues of maiden, mother and crone with their hands outstretched. Pock examines them with his arcane knowledge, sending him briefly into a different place, where he sees oozing black goo pouring from the walls and moans of despair, and senses powerful magic both from the statues and from beyond them, radiating energy related to polymorphing. Pock puts a gold piece in the maiden's hand, and she crushes it and the crone animates.
Eldaen swings a radiant smite at the crone, and Pock moves back and misses her with a blast of eldritch energy. Quiver fires a poison wasp sting at the crone, which bounces off her stony hide, and then moves to cover behind one of the other statues. Baltazar uses his warlord strike on the crone to mark her for his allies. Crone attacks Eldaen, who touches him and makes him feel older and weakened. Erich uses forceful push to slide her back and uses memory hole.
Eldaen takes a defensive stance and waits for his weakened state to wear off. Pock throws a witchfire blast at the crone and misses, Quiver moves to get a clearer shot and fires an arrow at the crone with a critical hit, pushing her back and knocking her prone. Baltazar orders Quiver to fire again, but he is disconcerted by his orders to "shoot her in the cooch" and misses. She stands and moves up behind the statue, and screams wordlessly at her. Erich uses dishearten to weaken her resolve slightly.
Eldaen puts a coin in the mother's hand, but there's no effect. Pock moves up and fires an eldritch blast and misses. Quiver fires at the crone and misses. Baltazar takes the coin from the mother's hand and tries the crone, but nothing happens. Crone teleports from the statue to where she is next to everyone but Eldaen and swings her whirlwind of claws, hitting them all and knocking them all prone. In response, Erich unleashes infernal wrath that bloodies her, Baltazar's shield knocks her prone, and Pock fades away. Erich uses his acrobat boots to stand, shifts away from her and tries to use memory hole, but she resists. He uses his action point to take a second wind.
Eldaen moves in, swings and hits her with strength from valor. Pock uses ghost sound to fake his location, then teleports away past the statues and uses his second wind. Quiver stands, fires an escaping shot at her, missing her and shifting back away. Baltazar stands up, strikes with a guarding attack, spends an action point to use inspiring word on himself. Crone stands up, reaches out to attack Eldaen but misses. Erich moves to the rear of the cave, uses dishearten and misses.
Eldaen swings twice and misses. Pock stands up, but can't see the crone yet. Quiver fires an arrow at the crone, uses action point to draw and fire again, but misses the second shot. Baltazar uses war of attrition to hit the crone and give everyone else a better shot. The crone swings at Eldaen but misses. Erich disheartens the crone, destroying her.
As we take a short rest, Pock decides to stay on the other side of the statues and tells us he sees paths and a cliff. Baltazar puts the coin in the mother's hand, and the crone reanimates.
Quiver fires and, using elven accuracy, crits the crone but she is immune to poison damage. She uses whirlwind of claws on Eldaen, but misses Baltaar. Pock teleports and uses mire the mind on the crone, making us all temprorarily invisible to her. Eldaen invisibly uses his radiant smite and valiant strike, bloodying her, but misses when Baltazar tells him to swing again. Erich augments dishearten and misses.
Quiver crits again. Crone swings at Baltazar, because she can't see, takes divine sanction damage and misses Baltazar. Pock uses witchfire on the crone and misses. Eldaen moves to flank the crone, hits her with a holy strike. Baltazar uses war of attrition on the crone. Erich uses memory hole and destroys her.
Third time is the charm, as we put a gold piece in the crone's palm and the statue move aside. We spin the gnome, who directs us to go to the right. The path travels about fifty feet and comes into a clearing. There are tents and camping tools, as well as a strange obelisk at the center of the clearing. We check the obelisk, thinking it might be the "weary eye."
As Quiver tries to climb the obelisk, Pock moves to inspect the tools. Everyone else moves over to Quiver and the obelisk. A bright glow emerges from the forest and drags Quiver to it. Then the logs, tools and tents start flying at us. Baltazar is hit by hammers and nails and nailed to the floor, then blasted by flaming logs. Another flaming log sparks and hits Eldaen. Baltazar uses warlord's strike on a flaming log, destroying it, and gives himself an inspiring word. Eldaen moves to the will o wisp, marks it and swings and misses. A powerful lethargy overcomes Quiver and Erich.
Quiver steps back and puts an assassin's shroud on the will o wisp, then fires at it with a poisoned arrow and falls asleep. Pock uses the decree of queen of errant darkness to force all the animated tools and logs to attack one another, killing eight of the twelve, then curses the will o wisp. Erich uses dishearten and destroys most of the rest of the tents and logs, and then shakes off the weariness. The nails try again to strike at Baltazar, who dodges. Eldaen uses his Blood of the Mighty on the Will o Wisp, then lays hands on himself to heal. Baltazar swings at the tools and destroys them. The obelisk wearies Baltazar and Erich.
Quiver is still asleep. Pock uses an eldritch blast on the will o wisp and misses. Will o wisp attacks Eldaen and then shifts back a bit. Erich uses dishearten and misses, falling asleep. Eldaen hits the Will o Wisp with strength from valor, bloodying it. Wearied Baltazar steps up to flank the Will o Wisp and uses stand the fallen, healing Eldaen from bloodied, and wakes himiself up. The obelisk wearies Eldaen.
Quiver is still asleep. Pock uses shared agony on Will o wisp, destroying it and teleporting closer to the obelisk, then uses teleport to try and get to the top, then uses his action point to try and disarm the obelisk. Erich is still asleep. Eldaen wakes Quiver with divine mettle, then shakes off his weariness. Baltazar moves to the obelisk and shouts encouragement to Pock. Obelisk wearies Quiver and Pock.
Quiver fires at the obelisk with his assassin's shroud and shifts away from it. Pock tries to disarm the trap, opens the sleeping eye and it is disarmed. After a short rest, we send Quiver up to scout the building, and sees that it has weird angles, and is clearly new and not of fey design. There is a spiral staircase. We take an extended rest.
Quiver climbs the staircase up into the building, and sees a table that seems to be a map of the area. Pock moves something on the map to see if it affects the world, but it doesn't. The map leads to a Garden of Graves by following the rope bridge to the west. Someone has built a number of stone structures that does not match the maps, and we follow the rope bridge into the structures.
Quiver steps into the hallway and vanishes, and suffers a sudden sense of vertigo, and is surrounded by rough hewn rock. However, he can still see the doorway behind him, and he re-emerges, tells us what he saw and then goes back in. Then when he went in, everything changes and he comes back to warn us that we all need to go in together. Baltazar unfurls a rope, we all link together and go in. There are echoing screams resounding off the walls, and the agony of loss passes through us, leaving behind a lingering gloom in our souls. An angelic-looking gray being emerges, seemingly bearing the lost mark of death, we try to talk to it.
Quiver offers up a "Hello, friend, we mean you no harm" and puts away his bow. Erich offers up "Hello, gray sir, we're sorry to intrude in your house. You look like you need some cheering up? Would you like me to play you a tune?" and begins playing a jaunty tune. It lets out a scream, steps forward and attacks Baltazar with his scythe. Eldaen swings and misses, then lays hands to heal Baltazar. Baltazar swings and misses. Pock fires witchfire at the angel.
Quiver puts a shroud on the other angel, then fires at it and knocks it further down the hallway, creating a swarm of bats around it. Erich uses memory hole on the same angel, making himself invisible to that angel. One angel attacks and retreats, then the other one retreats. Eldaen chases it down and swings at it, but misses. Baltazar chases it down and uses blood designation, missing it. Pock fires shared agony at the angel and moves, gaining concealment.
Quiver fires and misses the angel after moving the bats to surround it. Erich recognizes these as corrupted angels, and realizes that we're on some sort of constructed pocket plane, then moves invisibly down the hallway to see hundreds or thousands of humanoid bones jutting from the walls, and there is a robed and crowned statue in the middle of the room. There are carved footprints in the floor that lead to the eastern wall. He begins walking in the carved footprints, ends at the wall. Angel's dragonmark activates and he launches a burst of necrotic damage, the other angel moves out of the statue and attacks Erich with a mark, then uses his scythe, which triggers his wrath of hellfire. Eldaen swings and misses, then draws a brutal attack of opportunity and runs toward the other room to help Erich. Baltazar attacks the angel with bastion of defense, then uses stand tough. Pock uses forceful assault on the angel, dazing him.
Quiver fires an arrow of fiery and cold shadow at the angel, immobilizing him, calls on the spirits of his ancestors to push him back, bloodying him. Erich uses his telekinetic push to get the angel away, mind blasts him and stuns him, then runs down the hallway. Bloodied angel marks Baltazar, shakes off the effects on him. The other angel shakes off being stunned. Eldaen rushes back, charges the bloodied angel and misses. Baltazar moves to the bloodied angel and misses with furious smash. Pock blasts the angel, making us all invisible to the angel.
Quiver fires a swarm of arrows at the bloodied angel, poisoning him. Erich runs back in the room and critically uses hypnotic pulse on the bloodied angel and dazes him. Bloodied angel takes poison damage, swings at Baltazar and misses, saves against daze. The other angel moves and charges Pock, bloodying him, and he fades away. Eldaen strikes the bloodied angel with Blood of the Mighty and Valiant Strike, nearly killing it. Baltazar swings and misses the angel. Pock moves up next to Eldaen, takes a second wind and is no longer bloodied, then uses his action point to use ring of pain on the bloodied angel.
Quiver puts a shroud on the angel coming at him, drinks a potion of necrotic resistance and fires biting swarm at the other angel, missing it. Erich fires at the bloodied angel and destroys it, exploding him, but Pock is able to teleport away from it, so it only hits Eldaen and Baltazar, knocking them prone. Then Erich retreats back to the defenders. Angel attacks Quiver. Eldaen stands up and charges the angel. Baltazar stands and orders Eldaen to strike again, and he misses. Pock uses incisive dagger to cut a hole in the plane and teleport to the other end of the hallway, then curses the angel and fires an eldritch blast at it.
Quiver fires escaping shot at the angel, triggering his shrouds, dazing him. Erich uses memory hole on the angel and misses. Angel attacks Eldaen and bloodies him. Eldaen shifts and hits the angel with valiant strike. Baltazar charges through the crowd of bats to attack the angel, missing him. Pock blasts the angel and misses him.
Quiver fires a shadowy burst arrow at the angel, slowing him. Erich fires an augmented dishearten and misses. Angel hits Eldaen, damaging him badly. Eldaen swings and misses the angel, and lays hands on himself. Baltazar uses stand the fallen, missing but healing allies, then uses his action point to miss again. Pock fires and misses the angel.
Quiver fires and hits the angel, spirits biting at his eyes to make it harder for him to hit. Erich fires an augmented dishearten at the angel, making it even harder for him to hit, then uses his action point to blast him again, turning invisible and bloodying him. Angel misses. Eldaen uses divine strength and hits the angel with valiant strike, lays hands to heal himself almost to full. Baltazar orders Eldaen to attack and misses. Pock misses.
Quiver fires grappling spirits and misses. Erich uses memory hole and misses the angel. Angel uses his necrotic burst on Eldaen, Baltazar and Erich, then moves back, drawing attacks from Baltazar and Eldaen. Eldaen heals Baltazar, moves up and misses the angel. Baltazar moves, orders Eldaen and he misses. Pock comes back, but can't see his target.
Quiver runs down the hall, fires grappling spirits at the angel. Erich misses. Angel misses Eldaen, moves and draws an AOO. Eldaen moves in and misses, quarries the Angel. Baltazar orders Quiver to fire, and he misses, then runs up next to Eldaen. Pock runs up and fires his eldritch blast at him.
Quiver fires and misses. Erich uses memory hole and misses. Angel attacks Eldaen, then moves back. Eldaen moves up and hits him with valiant strike. Baltazar orders Eldaen to hit him, and he finally does. Pock sneaks forward.
Quiver moves up and fires at the angel, missing. Erich steps back, can't get into the room. Angel attacks Eldaen and bloodies him, then disappears into the statue. Eldaen moves up and hits the statue. Baltazar moves up and examines the statue. Pock moves into the room and uses arcana to examine the statue.
Quiver examines the statue from a distance, is pretty sure it's a statue, then moves into the hallway and runs to see the other statue. Erich steps into the room and walks in the footsteps. Angel emerges from the statue and attacks Quiver, missing him. Eldaen runs up to back up Quiver. Pock starts moving toward the group.
Quiver fires an explosion of shadowy spirits at the angel, pushing him back, and then he shoots at him, killing him and he explodes, knocking Eldaen out. Baltazar uses inspiring word to heal him back up, and he spends his second wind.
Erich stops the runes with his telekinetic powers and holds them still. Quiver notices that this provided a slight change, as the runes on the stone started to begin a bit more readable. Pock tries to disrupt the runes, but he hears an annoyed voice in his head that throws him off, and they begin spinning again. Eldaen, using what he knows about elven, sees the elven rune for tree, and thinks that if we decipher the rest, it will provide clues. Baltazar recalls studying a battle here between elves and fey that was being reinforced from a portal in the area, and that this stone directed fey to the portal. Eldaen discovers that it is a rhyming code, meant to be spoken in Common. Pock tries again to disrupt the runes, and finds himself briefly in an empty, haunted place. Frustrated, Erich and Pock blast away at the runes and gray mist comes off the rock, revealing the poem.
"Walk to the sun, three by three... turn to the snow, find the tree." Eldaen, Quiver and Baltazar decide to walk to the west and see if it takes us where it goes. After walking about nine paces, Baltazar turns to the north and sees a configuration of trees, growing together as a single clump that seem to shun the rest of the forest, and realizes that this is the portal. We walk through the portal and find ourselves on a narrow trail in Thelanis.
Erich calls out Paleius's name three times, and he appears. He begins singing, and wherever he goes, there is a path. He points out the way to the Garden of Graves. A pair of hags riding crocodiles emerge from the forest. Pock goes to greet them, and they say "They're outsiders, sister! Is this where it comes from!"
Baltazar tells them that we seek the corruption to undo it, and one of the hags dismounts her crocodile, starts walking toward him and shifts form into a beautiful maiden. "I want to believe you, mortal... where do you think the corruption comes from?"
"We've been told it comes from the garden of graves... it is infecting our world as well."
The other one says "We did not know that. Let them go, sister!"
"If you do not end the corruption, we will not let you leave here."
"If we do not end it, we will perish."
She goes back and gets on her crocodile and rides away. We decide to take the path on the right, which looks slightly more difficult as it has water. We jump across the river and continue to follow the path. There is a ridge looming ahead of us, and a tunnel in the middle of the ridge, with a message carved into the stone next to the tunnel. Eldaen reads the ancient elven script, which seems mostly to be an intimidating message warning us not to enter.
Despite misgivings, we enter the cave. There are statues of maiden, mother and crone with their hands outstretched. Pock examines them with his arcane knowledge, sending him briefly into a different place, where he sees oozing black goo pouring from the walls and moans of despair, and senses powerful magic both from the statues and from beyond them, radiating energy related to polymorphing. Pock puts a gold piece in the maiden's hand, and she crushes it and the crone animates.
Eldaen swings a radiant smite at the crone, and Pock moves back and misses her with a blast of eldritch energy. Quiver fires a poison wasp sting at the crone, which bounces off her stony hide, and then moves to cover behind one of the other statues. Baltazar uses his warlord strike on the crone to mark her for his allies. Crone attacks Eldaen, who touches him and makes him feel older and weakened. Erich uses forceful push to slide her back and uses memory hole.
Eldaen takes a defensive stance and waits for his weakened state to wear off. Pock throws a witchfire blast at the crone and misses, Quiver moves to get a clearer shot and fires an arrow at the crone with a critical hit, pushing her back and knocking her prone. Baltazar orders Quiver to fire again, but he is disconcerted by his orders to "shoot her in the cooch" and misses. She stands and moves up behind the statue, and screams wordlessly at her. Erich uses dishearten to weaken her resolve slightly.
Eldaen puts a coin in the mother's hand, but there's no effect. Pock moves up and fires an eldritch blast and misses. Quiver fires at the crone and misses. Baltazar takes the coin from the mother's hand and tries the crone, but nothing happens. Crone teleports from the statue to where she is next to everyone but Eldaen and swings her whirlwind of claws, hitting them all and knocking them all prone. In response, Erich unleashes infernal wrath that bloodies her, Baltazar's shield knocks her prone, and Pock fades away. Erich uses his acrobat boots to stand, shifts away from her and tries to use memory hole, but she resists. He uses his action point to take a second wind.
Eldaen moves in, swings and hits her with strength from valor. Pock uses ghost sound to fake his location, then teleports away past the statues and uses his second wind. Quiver stands, fires an escaping shot at her, missing her and shifting back away. Baltazar stands up, strikes with a guarding attack, spends an action point to use inspiring word on himself. Crone stands up, reaches out to attack Eldaen but misses. Erich moves to the rear of the cave, uses dishearten and misses.
Eldaen swings twice and misses. Pock stands up, but can't see the crone yet. Quiver fires an arrow at the crone, uses action point to draw and fire again, but misses the second shot. Baltazar uses war of attrition to hit the crone and give everyone else a better shot. The crone swings at Eldaen but misses. Erich disheartens the crone, destroying her.
As we take a short rest, Pock decides to stay on the other side of the statues and tells us he sees paths and a cliff. Baltazar puts the coin in the mother's hand, and the crone reanimates.
Quiver fires and, using elven accuracy, crits the crone but she is immune to poison damage. She uses whirlwind of claws on Eldaen, but misses Baltaar. Pock teleports and uses mire the mind on the crone, making us all temprorarily invisible to her. Eldaen invisibly uses his radiant smite and valiant strike, bloodying her, but misses when Baltazar tells him to swing again. Erich augments dishearten and misses.
Quiver crits again. Crone swings at Baltazar, because she can't see, takes divine sanction damage and misses Baltazar. Pock uses witchfire on the crone and misses. Eldaen moves to flank the crone, hits her with a holy strike. Baltazar uses war of attrition on the crone. Erich uses memory hole and destroys her.
Third time is the charm, as we put a gold piece in the crone's palm and the statue move aside. We spin the gnome, who directs us to go to the right. The path travels about fifty feet and comes into a clearing. There are tents and camping tools, as well as a strange obelisk at the center of the clearing. We check the obelisk, thinking it might be the "weary eye."
As Quiver tries to climb the obelisk, Pock moves to inspect the tools. Everyone else moves over to Quiver and the obelisk. A bright glow emerges from the forest and drags Quiver to it. Then the logs, tools and tents start flying at us. Baltazar is hit by hammers and nails and nailed to the floor, then blasted by flaming logs. Another flaming log sparks and hits Eldaen. Baltazar uses warlord's strike on a flaming log, destroying it, and gives himself an inspiring word. Eldaen moves to the will o wisp, marks it and swings and misses. A powerful lethargy overcomes Quiver and Erich.
Quiver steps back and puts an assassin's shroud on the will o wisp, then fires at it with a poisoned arrow and falls asleep. Pock uses the decree of queen of errant darkness to force all the animated tools and logs to attack one another, killing eight of the twelve, then curses the will o wisp. Erich uses dishearten and destroys most of the rest of the tents and logs, and then shakes off the weariness. The nails try again to strike at Baltazar, who dodges. Eldaen uses his Blood of the Mighty on the Will o Wisp, then lays hands on himself to heal. Baltazar swings at the tools and destroys them. The obelisk wearies Baltazar and Erich.
Quiver is still asleep. Pock uses an eldritch blast on the will o wisp and misses. Will o wisp attacks Eldaen and then shifts back a bit. Erich uses dishearten and misses, falling asleep. Eldaen hits the Will o Wisp with strength from valor, bloodying it. Wearied Baltazar steps up to flank the Will o Wisp and uses stand the fallen, healing Eldaen from bloodied, and wakes himiself up. The obelisk wearies Eldaen.
Quiver is still asleep. Pock uses shared agony on Will o wisp, destroying it and teleporting closer to the obelisk, then uses teleport to try and get to the top, then uses his action point to try and disarm the obelisk. Erich is still asleep. Eldaen wakes Quiver with divine mettle, then shakes off his weariness. Baltazar moves to the obelisk and shouts encouragement to Pock. Obelisk wearies Quiver and Pock.
Quiver fires at the obelisk with his assassin's shroud and shifts away from it. Pock tries to disarm the trap, opens the sleeping eye and it is disarmed. After a short rest, we send Quiver up to scout the building, and sees that it has weird angles, and is clearly new and not of fey design. There is a spiral staircase. We take an extended rest.
Quiver climbs the staircase up into the building, and sees a table that seems to be a map of the area. Pock moves something on the map to see if it affects the world, but it doesn't. The map leads to a Garden of Graves by following the rope bridge to the west. Someone has built a number of stone structures that does not match the maps, and we follow the rope bridge into the structures.
Quiver steps into the hallway and vanishes, and suffers a sudden sense of vertigo, and is surrounded by rough hewn rock. However, he can still see the doorway behind him, and he re-emerges, tells us what he saw and then goes back in. Then when he went in, everything changes and he comes back to warn us that we all need to go in together. Baltazar unfurls a rope, we all link together and go in. There are echoing screams resounding off the walls, and the agony of loss passes through us, leaving behind a lingering gloom in our souls. An angelic-looking gray being emerges, seemingly bearing the lost mark of death, we try to talk to it.
Quiver offers up a "Hello, friend, we mean you no harm" and puts away his bow. Erich offers up "Hello, gray sir, we're sorry to intrude in your house. You look like you need some cheering up? Would you like me to play you a tune?" and begins playing a jaunty tune. It lets out a scream, steps forward and attacks Baltazar with his scythe. Eldaen swings and misses, then lays hands to heal Baltazar. Baltazar swings and misses. Pock fires witchfire at the angel.
Quiver puts a shroud on the other angel, then fires at it and knocks it further down the hallway, creating a swarm of bats around it. Erich uses memory hole on the same angel, making himself invisible to that angel. One angel attacks and retreats, then the other one retreats. Eldaen chases it down and swings at it, but misses. Baltazar chases it down and uses blood designation, missing it. Pock fires shared agony at the angel and moves, gaining concealment.
Quiver fires and misses the angel after moving the bats to surround it. Erich recognizes these as corrupted angels, and realizes that we're on some sort of constructed pocket plane, then moves invisibly down the hallway to see hundreds or thousands of humanoid bones jutting from the walls, and there is a robed and crowned statue in the middle of the room. There are carved footprints in the floor that lead to the eastern wall. He begins walking in the carved footprints, ends at the wall. Angel's dragonmark activates and he launches a burst of necrotic damage, the other angel moves out of the statue and attacks Erich with a mark, then uses his scythe, which triggers his wrath of hellfire. Eldaen swings and misses, then draws a brutal attack of opportunity and runs toward the other room to help Erich. Baltazar attacks the angel with bastion of defense, then uses stand tough. Pock uses forceful assault on the angel, dazing him.
Quiver fires an arrow of fiery and cold shadow at the angel, immobilizing him, calls on the spirits of his ancestors to push him back, bloodying him. Erich uses his telekinetic push to get the angel away, mind blasts him and stuns him, then runs down the hallway. Bloodied angel marks Baltazar, shakes off the effects on him. The other angel shakes off being stunned. Eldaen rushes back, charges the bloodied angel and misses. Baltazar moves to the bloodied angel and misses with furious smash. Pock blasts the angel, making us all invisible to the angel.
Quiver fires a swarm of arrows at the bloodied angel, poisoning him. Erich runs back in the room and critically uses hypnotic pulse on the bloodied angel and dazes him. Bloodied angel takes poison damage, swings at Baltazar and misses, saves against daze. The other angel moves and charges Pock, bloodying him, and he fades away. Eldaen strikes the bloodied angel with Blood of the Mighty and Valiant Strike, nearly killing it. Baltazar swings and misses the angel. Pock moves up next to Eldaen, takes a second wind and is no longer bloodied, then uses his action point to use ring of pain on the bloodied angel.
Quiver puts a shroud on the angel coming at him, drinks a potion of necrotic resistance and fires biting swarm at the other angel, missing it. Erich fires at the bloodied angel and destroys it, exploding him, but Pock is able to teleport away from it, so it only hits Eldaen and Baltazar, knocking them prone. Then Erich retreats back to the defenders. Angel attacks Quiver. Eldaen stands up and charges the angel. Baltazar stands and orders Eldaen to strike again, and he misses. Pock uses incisive dagger to cut a hole in the plane and teleport to the other end of the hallway, then curses the angel and fires an eldritch blast at it.
Quiver fires escaping shot at the angel, triggering his shrouds, dazing him. Erich uses memory hole on the angel and misses. Angel attacks Eldaen and bloodies him. Eldaen shifts and hits the angel with valiant strike. Baltazar charges through the crowd of bats to attack the angel, missing him. Pock blasts the angel and misses him.
Quiver fires a shadowy burst arrow at the angel, slowing him. Erich fires an augmented dishearten and misses. Angel hits Eldaen, damaging him badly. Eldaen swings and misses the angel, and lays hands on himself. Baltazar uses stand the fallen, missing but healing allies, then uses his action point to miss again. Pock fires and misses the angel.
Quiver fires and hits the angel, spirits biting at his eyes to make it harder for him to hit. Erich fires an augmented dishearten at the angel, making it even harder for him to hit, then uses his action point to blast him again, turning invisible and bloodying him. Angel misses. Eldaen uses divine strength and hits the angel with valiant strike, lays hands to heal himself almost to full. Baltazar orders Eldaen to attack and misses. Pock misses.
Quiver fires grappling spirits and misses. Erich uses memory hole and misses the angel. Angel uses his necrotic burst on Eldaen, Baltazar and Erich, then moves back, drawing attacks from Baltazar and Eldaen. Eldaen heals Baltazar, moves up and misses the angel. Baltazar moves, orders Eldaen and he misses. Pock comes back, but can't see his target.
Quiver runs down the hall, fires grappling spirits at the angel. Erich misses. Angel misses Eldaen, moves and draws an AOO. Eldaen moves in and misses, quarries the Angel. Baltazar orders Quiver to fire, and he misses, then runs up next to Eldaen. Pock runs up and fires his eldritch blast at him.
Quiver fires and misses. Erich uses memory hole and misses. Angel attacks Eldaen, then moves back. Eldaen moves up and hits him with valiant strike. Baltazar orders Eldaen to hit him, and he finally does. Pock sneaks forward.
Quiver moves up and fires at the angel, missing. Erich steps back, can't get into the room. Angel attacks Eldaen and bloodies him, then disappears into the statue. Eldaen moves up and hits the statue. Baltazar moves up and examines the statue. Pock moves into the room and uses arcana to examine the statue.
Quiver examines the statue from a distance, is pretty sure it's a statue, then moves into the hallway and runs to see the other statue. Erich steps into the room and walks in the footsteps. Angel emerges from the statue and attacks Quiver, missing him. Eldaen runs up to back up Quiver. Pock starts moving toward the group.
Quiver fires an explosion of shadowy spirits at the angel, pushing him back, and then he shoots at him, killing him and he explodes, knocking Eldaen out. Baltazar uses inspiring word to heal him back up, and he spends his second wind.
Sunday, September 05, 2010
Game Schedule September - December
September 3rd - Tomb of Horrors (Randy, Chris, Jason, Ben, Paul, Dan)
September 10th - Tomb of Horror (Randy, Chris, Jason, Ben, Paul, Dan)
September 17th - D&D Against the Giants (Dan, Ben, Joe & Jamie, Chris, Randy)
September 24th - D&D Against the Giants (Dan, Ben, Joe & Jamie, Chris, Randy)
October 1st - Tomb of Horrors (Randy, Chris, Jason, Ben, Dan)
October 8th - Alt Game? / No Game? (Chris, Jason, Ben, Dan) (Randy & Paul in NY)
October 15th - D&D Against the Giants (Dan, Ben, Joe & Jamie, Chris, Randy)
October 22nd - D&D Against the Giants (Dan, Ben, Joe & Jamie, Chris, Randy)
October 29th - Tomb of Horrors (Randy, Chris, Jason, Ben, Dan, new player to be named later)
November 5th - Tomb of Horrors (Randy, Chris, Jason, Ben, Dan, new player to be named later)
November 12th - D&D Against the Giants (Dan, Ben, Joe & Jamie, Chris, Randy)
November 19th - D&D Against the Giants (Dan, Ben, Joe & Jamie, Chris, Randy)
November 26th - No Gaming? (Thanksgiving)
December 3rd - Tomb of Horrors (Randy, Chris, Jason, Ben, Dan, new player to be named later)
December 10th - Tomb of Horrors (Randy, Chris, Jason, Ben, Dan, new player to be named later)
December 17th - Tomb of Horrors (Randy, Chris, Jason, Ben, Dan, new player to be named later)
December 24th - No Gaming (Christmas)
December 31st - No Gaming (New Year's)
November and December are extremely tentative, but I figured with holidays that we might want to try and schedule a little further out. So those of you who aren't in both games (Royers, Jason) should post about November (and December, although I suspect that'll be a little more last minute) availability when you get a chance.
And Thanksgiving is actually that Thursday, but I'm guessing some/all of us might be traveling on the Friday after.
September 10th - Tomb of Horror (Randy, Chris, Jason, Ben, Paul, Dan)
September 17th - D&D Against the Giants (Dan, Ben, Joe & Jamie, Chris, Randy)
September 24th - D&D Against the Giants (Dan, Ben, Joe & Jamie, Chris, Randy)
October 1st - Tomb of Horrors (Randy, Chris, Jason, Ben, Dan)
October 8th - Alt Game? / No Game? (Chris, Jason, Ben, Dan) (Randy & Paul in NY)
October 15th - D&D Against the Giants (Dan, Ben, Joe & Jamie, Chris, Randy)
October 22nd - D&D Against the Giants (Dan, Ben, Joe & Jamie, Chris, Randy)
October 29th - Tomb of Horrors (Randy, Chris, Jason, Ben, Dan, new player to be named later)
November 5th - Tomb of Horrors (Randy, Chris, Jason, Ben, Dan, new player to be named later)
November 12th - D&D Against the Giants (Dan, Ben, Joe & Jamie, Chris, Randy)
November 19th - D&D Against the Giants (Dan, Ben, Joe & Jamie, Chris, Randy)
November 26th - No Gaming? (Thanksgiving)
December 3rd - Tomb of Horrors (Randy, Chris, Jason, Ben, Dan, new player to be named later)
December 10th - Tomb of Horrors (Randy, Chris, Jason, Ben, Dan, new player to be named later)
December 17th - Tomb of Horrors (Randy, Chris, Jason, Ben, Dan, new player to be named later)
December 24th - No Gaming (Christmas)
December 31st - No Gaming (New Year's)
November and December are extremely tentative, but I figured with holidays that we might want to try and schedule a little further out. So those of you who aren't in both games (Royers, Jason) should post about November (and December, although I suspect that'll be a little more last minute) availability when you get a chance.
And Thanksgiving is actually that Thursday, but I'm guessing some/all of us might be traveling on the Friday after.
Saturday, September 04, 2010
Tomb of Horrors Chapter One
We have been in the Mournland for days, we are battered and weakened by the Dead Gray Mist and several battles. We have been seeking a wizard's tower in a mountain area that had some archival evidence that would point to the origins of the Day of Mourning. Warforged approach us on the road and tell us to stand down in the name of the Lord of the Blades.
Quiver fires a swarm of shadow demons at one of the warforged, hitting him, destroying him and causing poison damage to him and the two around him. Erich begins playing a mournful tune on his flute, causing a psionic burst of damage on the four warforged at the end of the pass, destroying three of them. Eldaen summons the divine strength of Teros and swings a resurgent strike through one of the warforged, destroying him and healing Baltazar. The Warforged leader charges and slashes Erich. Baltazar calls out for us to stand tough, healing the group, and then orders Eldaen to strike and finish the last Warforged soldier, except for the leader. Pock launches witchfire at the warforged leader, and then becomes shadowy with his shadow walk.
Quiver fires a burst of shadows at the warforged leader and becomes visible, then lays an assassin's shroud on him. Erich slides the warforged leader off the edge, but he grabs onto the ledge and avoids falling. Erich then plays a soft tune that invades his memory, augmenting it with his psionic power, but the warforged leader resists. Eldaen moves up on the leader, uses his divine sanction and swings his radiant smite on him. The warforged leader shifts in to swing at Eldaen and Baltazar, missing Erich. He mends some of his broken parts with a blue patch of magic. Baltazar uses inspiring word on himself, then uses Stand the Fallen to swing his triple-headed flail, missing him but healing the group. Pock uses Mire the Mind, but he misses.
Quiver fires an arrow, pushing the warforged back, and the grappling spirits swirl around him and miss him. Erich misses the warforged with his disheartening strike. Eldaen uses his divine shield and hunter's quarry and swings his holy strike, missing the warforged. The warforged leader shifts and uses his knight's honor again, hitting Eldaen. Baltazar uses his Warlord's Strike and misses the warforged. Pock assaults him with spirits of the feywild, bloodying him, then casts an illusory sound of the cliff cracking behind him.
Quiver lays assassin's shroud on warforged, fires a swirling burst of spirits at him and releases the shrouds, damaging the warforged further. Erich uses disheartening strike, augmented, on the warforged and misses. Eldaen lays hands on Baltazar, then swings and misses a holy strike. The warforged, dazed by Quiver's attack and affected by Pock's illusion, shifts away from the edge and to a position next to only Eldaen. Baltazar uses a furious smash on the warforged, setting him up for a hit by Eldaen. Pock fires an eldritch blast from his dagger at the warforged, missing.
Quiver fires and misses the warforged, and he shakes off his dazed effect. Erich, now convinced that the warforged is immune to his psionic, begins playing a jaunty tune. Eldaen swings his holy strike at the warforged, leaving a huge scorch mark across his chest. The warforged swings and misses Eldaen. Baltazar uses guarding attack and misses the warforged. Pock fires an eldritch blast and misses.
Quiver fires and hits the warforged, binding him in shadows and casting him to the ground, where he is torn apart.
We take a five minute rest, and Pock sneaks into the tower to look around. He sees that the passage doesn't continue, but is covered in rubble. There is a magic circle engraved in the floor in a room with crates, a ladder and a trap door. After resting, Baltazar leads us into the tower. Erich and Pock identify the magic circle as a Cannith mark used as a small creation forge, as well as for summoning. Quiver looks at the crates and the rest of the room, noticing that there is some sort of copper wiring running underneath the floor, and some of the runes are also filled with copper. One crate looks like it was carted here and left, and doesn't appear to be locked.
Quiver investigates the unusual crate, and finds that it looks like someone's personal affects, including Cyran gold pieces and a sheaf of papers. This includes a list of people's names and supplies, as well as coded sections, and Baltazar determines they are from a caravan that left Metrol three days before the Day of Mourning. The small locked crates, unlocked by Pock, contained the missing seven square tiles and a crystal inscribed with a House Cannith rune that goes in the middle and copper wire to complete the runes.
Before giving in to Erich and Pock's desire to reactivate the runes, Eldaen and Quiver scout the upper floor. They don't find much of anything. Erich and Pock, given dispensation from Baltazar, use mage hand to put the pattern together.
They discover that it could be used to summon elementals, empower magic items or create a portal. Eldaen believes that a portal could be created to Thelanis. As Pock begins trying to put it together, Baltazar tries to recall anything he knows about the history of the area, but can't recall anything in particular. Quiver tries to recognize the pattern to help Pock and Erich put it together, and Erich applies his arcane knowledge, and they believe they've completed the portal correctly. Pock tries to climb up to get a bird's eye (gnome's eye?) view, but the floor is not stable enough for him. However, he does examine it to determine if it's a trap, and realizes that we're putting together an electrical trap.
With that knowledge, Erich tries to put the pattern together differently, realizing that removing the copper wire would only affect the creation aspect of the pattern. Eldaen and Quiver try to examine the new pattern, and try to figure out what we're doing wrong. Baltazar begins barking orders at us, but it doesn't particularly help. Eldaen uses his insight to try and see what the pattern is, and Erich tries again to use his arcana to put the pattern together.
Pock puts the crystal in as Baltazar orders the rest of us to back up and runs in to clear extra debris and crates out. The rune lights up, and a glow fills the area. There is a smell reminiscent of spring. Something begins to manifest in the circle, and a tall, pale-skinned eladrin wearing leather engraved with runes holds his arms out to us, palms up and says in elven "I bring you greetings."
He says that he has heard our names in Thelanis, and that he hopes to call us friends. "The great oracle of my people told me that you might help us." He introduces himself as Paleus of the Gloaming Fey of Quiet Hall, and tells us we'll have to find our own portal into the Feywild. "My people keep a cemetery, the Garden of Graves, that has been a place of peace and reflection for centuries. However, several years ago, a force moved in from outside and began to taint the countryside around it. They've changed the construction, and created buildings, desecrating the gravesite."
He tells us to return to the Wandering Inn, and the prophecy will lead us to the Thelanis portal that we need to find. Pock subtly pockets the crystal used to open the portal. Quiver buries one of the components nearby to prevent anyone from using it. We spend the night to rest in the tower, and head out of the Mournland, three days' journey to reach the Wandering Inn. The bard, known as the Silver Fox, immediately greets us and we are given a warm greeting by the inhabitants.
Telaran d'Ghallanda comes to our table to greet us. She tells us that their Orien contacts are moving them to the edge of Q'barra tomorrow. Baltazar knows of a Cyran refugee town in Q'barra that he wants to check into. We sell the copper wiring for gold.
Early the next morning, there is a big free breakfast and several guests leave, and the rest of us help pack everything up. Baltazar gathers the Ravens together to pitch in, and we gather together into the wagons so that the contracted House Orien operatives can transport us to the new location. We help pack everything back out.
After a day of rest, early the next morning, an alarm horn sounds, and one of the scouts comes running in. The Ravens are planting torches, and a couple of logging wagons, badly torn up, are making their way to the Inn. Baltazar and Eldaen move in to help heal the wounded, and discover that they are covered in tiny cuts and arrows. Pock, after terrifying one of the loggers, determines that it was done by pixies, which is unusual behavior for them.
We set off into Q'barra to find the origin of the pixie attack. Quiver thinks he sees something, and he and Pock scout ahead and find either a human child or a halfling. "What is a little girl doing in the middle of the jungle of Q'barra?" Quiver wonders. When Quiver doesn't move, Pock moves toward the child. Pock makes himself visible and causes the child to scream, drawing Eldaen to the area. She says her name is Mara, and that she isn't lost. She says she lives in the forest with her parents, and a "horse" came and stabbed her dad with its horn. Then it killed her mom by trampling her, and Mara ran.
The rest of us come out and meet Mara, except for Quiver, who is stalking alongside the group. Baltazar picks her up and carries her, giving her some Sarlonan candy. We move up on their cabin, and the place is cleared. Quiver examines the wound on her parents to determine that it is a unicorn wound, and spots blood-ridden tracks into the forest. We go into the house to scout it and get a toy for Mara. There's no indication that they drew this down on themselves.
We go to take the girl to her relatives, and Baltazar tells them that the Wandering Inn is nearby. The uncle tells us that there is a clearing with a standing stone nearby, and Eldaen takes them back to the Inn and then returns.
There are three dead bodies, all young women, surrounding the standing stone, and it looks like they may have been laying here for a while. Eldaen moves up to inspect one of the bodies, and recognizes some sort of illusion magic at work. As he moves back to report, we hear screeches and the dead bodies are revealed as dryads, and harpies fly in to attack.
Dryads move in on Eldaen, and two of them claw him viciously. Two of the harpies begin singing their alluring song, pulling Quiver, Eldaen, Baltazar, Pock and Erich and immobilizing them, and Erich causes infernal wrath damage to one of the harpies. Quiver fires an arrow at the harpy in the midst of the rest of the group, hitting it and anchoring it to the ground with shadow energy, then he activates his cloak of shades. Erich grabs a harpy with telekinetic force and turns it into a living missile, flinging her into the anchored harpy and knocking the original target done, and he is no longer immobilized. Pock curses the anchored harpy and uses shared agony on her, drawing psychic damage on himself for a deadly blast that bloodies her, then teleports back into the woods and is no longer immobilized. Eldaen misses with his holy outrage, but the burning anger of Teros still surrounds him. Baltazar uses war of attrition on the anchored harpy, killing it and giving all of his allies a bonus to attack. As the harpy dies, Pock curses all of the remaining enemies.
Dryads close in around Eldaen, only one of them hits him, bloodying him. The prone (living missile) harpy stands and unleashes a brutal scream on everyone but Quiver, hitting Baltazar and Eldaen. The other harpy uses alluring song on everyone, although Pock avoids it by teleporting deeper into the woods, and then it flies away. Quiver casts a shroud on one of the dryads, then fires a shadow wasp strike at that dryad. Erich pulls the harpy and swings it through the wasps and smashes it into a dryad, knocking it prone, then pulls the other harpy next to Eldaen, causing it to attack the prone harpy, then he moves out of the range of the harpies. Pock moves closer, still in the woods, and fires an eldritch blast at the prone harpy that bloodies it. Eldaen misses the harpy and uses lay on hands on himself. Baltazar uses inspiring word on Eldaen, then orders Eldaen to attack the prone harpy.
Dryad rushes into the woods past Pock, the other two chase after it. The prone harpy gets up and flies away slowly, the other one claws Eldaen. Quiver fires an arrow that bursts into a cloud of bats around the dryads, bloodying one of them. Erich uses betrayal on one of the harpies and misses. Pock uses forceful assault and misses the dryad, doing a bit of collateral damage. Eldaen misses and then saves against being immobilized. Baltazar orders him to strike and he swings and hits the harpy, then uses his circlet to save against being immobilized.
Dryads merge into the tree and then teleport to a different tree. Harpies use their alluring songs on Baltazar, Eldaen and Quiver. Quiver moves the crowd of bats and uses encaging spirits to burst the dryads and harpy away from him, then fires possessing spirits at bloodied Dryad, causing it to attack the other Dryad, and saves against immobilized. Erich uses betrayal and misses. Pock moves in, fires witchfire at the bloodied harpy, and mist seems to be emerging from its fingers and eyes, then uses his action point to mire the mind of that harpy. Eldaen hits other harpy with martyr's retribution. Baltazar misses with bastion of defense.
Dryads move to attack Erich and miss. The bloodied harpy disintegrates into mist, the other harpy claws Eldaen. Quiver fires an escaping shot at the bloodied Dryad, then moves the cloud of bats. Erich uses betrayal on one of the dryads to cause it to attack the bloodied Dryad, turning her into another gray mist undead, and Erich runs away from all that. Pock uses a ring of pain on the remaining harpy, leaving her with a nasty psychic echo. Eldaen throws his trident at the harpy and misses. Baltazar orders Quiver to fire a biting swarm at the harpy.
Dryad moves to attack Erich and misses, the mist one disintegrates. The harpy takes psychic damage and is bloodied, sings its alluring song and pushing Eldaen and Baltazar away. Quiver fires at the harpy. Erich shifts out of the cloud of bats and uses memory hole on the harpy and misses. Pock fires and misses. Eldaen throws and misses with his trident, and is still immobilized. Baltazar uses blood designation on the harpy next to him and misses, uses his action point to order Quiver to shoot the harpy with grappling spirits.
Dryads take ongoing damage from blood designation and ring of pain, move to attack Baltazar, who activates his recoil shield to knock that dryad prone. Harpy takes ring of pain damage, flies out of the cloud of bats and saves versus the psychic damage. Quiver fires an arrow at the harpy, activating the gray mist effect. Erich uses dishearten on the dryads, hitting one of them. Pock blasts that dryad as well. Eldaen uses divine mettle, runs over to flank the dryad and hits with holy strike, bloodying it. Baltazar misses the dryad.
Dryad hits Eldaen, the other one misses Baltazar, and the harpy expires. Quiver fires at the dryad with biting swarm, and Erich uses dishearten on the same one with a critical hit, killing it. Pock fires at the remaining dryad with eyebite, missing it. Eldaen moves between the dryads and swings his strength from valor at them. Baltazar attacks the dryad and sets it up for attack by Eldaen.
Dryad claws Eldaen, bloodying him. Quiver fires a biting swarm ino the dryad, bloodying it. Erich and Pock blast it, reducing it to misty undead. Eldaen takes his second wind, then hits it when Baltazar orders him to. It claws at Eldaen one last time, but can't hit.
Quiver fires a swarm of shadow demons at one of the warforged, hitting him, destroying him and causing poison damage to him and the two around him. Erich begins playing a mournful tune on his flute, causing a psionic burst of damage on the four warforged at the end of the pass, destroying three of them. Eldaen summons the divine strength of Teros and swings a resurgent strike through one of the warforged, destroying him and healing Baltazar. The Warforged leader charges and slashes Erich. Baltazar calls out for us to stand tough, healing the group, and then orders Eldaen to strike and finish the last Warforged soldier, except for the leader. Pock launches witchfire at the warforged leader, and then becomes shadowy with his shadow walk.
Quiver fires a burst of shadows at the warforged leader and becomes visible, then lays an assassin's shroud on him. Erich slides the warforged leader off the edge, but he grabs onto the ledge and avoids falling. Erich then plays a soft tune that invades his memory, augmenting it with his psionic power, but the warforged leader resists. Eldaen moves up on the leader, uses his divine sanction and swings his radiant smite on him. The warforged leader shifts in to swing at Eldaen and Baltazar, missing Erich. He mends some of his broken parts with a blue patch of magic. Baltazar uses inspiring word on himself, then uses Stand the Fallen to swing his triple-headed flail, missing him but healing the group. Pock uses Mire the Mind, but he misses.
Quiver fires an arrow, pushing the warforged back, and the grappling spirits swirl around him and miss him. Erich misses the warforged with his disheartening strike. Eldaen uses his divine shield and hunter's quarry and swings his holy strike, missing the warforged. The warforged leader shifts and uses his knight's honor again, hitting Eldaen. Baltazar uses his Warlord's Strike and misses the warforged. Pock assaults him with spirits of the feywild, bloodying him, then casts an illusory sound of the cliff cracking behind him.
Quiver lays assassin's shroud on warforged, fires a swirling burst of spirits at him and releases the shrouds, damaging the warforged further. Erich uses disheartening strike, augmented, on the warforged and misses. Eldaen lays hands on Baltazar, then swings and misses a holy strike. The warforged, dazed by Quiver's attack and affected by Pock's illusion, shifts away from the edge and to a position next to only Eldaen. Baltazar uses a furious smash on the warforged, setting him up for a hit by Eldaen. Pock fires an eldritch blast from his dagger at the warforged, missing.
Quiver fires and misses the warforged, and he shakes off his dazed effect. Erich, now convinced that the warforged is immune to his psionic, begins playing a jaunty tune. Eldaen swings his holy strike at the warforged, leaving a huge scorch mark across his chest. The warforged swings and misses Eldaen. Baltazar uses guarding attack and misses the warforged. Pock fires an eldritch blast and misses.
Quiver fires and hits the warforged, binding him in shadows and casting him to the ground, where he is torn apart.
We take a five minute rest, and Pock sneaks into the tower to look around. He sees that the passage doesn't continue, but is covered in rubble. There is a magic circle engraved in the floor in a room with crates, a ladder and a trap door. After resting, Baltazar leads us into the tower. Erich and Pock identify the magic circle as a Cannith mark used as a small creation forge, as well as for summoning. Quiver looks at the crates and the rest of the room, noticing that there is some sort of copper wiring running underneath the floor, and some of the runes are also filled with copper. One crate looks like it was carted here and left, and doesn't appear to be locked.
Quiver investigates the unusual crate, and finds that it looks like someone's personal affects, including Cyran gold pieces and a sheaf of papers. This includes a list of people's names and supplies, as well as coded sections, and Baltazar determines they are from a caravan that left Metrol three days before the Day of Mourning. The small locked crates, unlocked by Pock, contained the missing seven square tiles and a crystal inscribed with a House Cannith rune that goes in the middle and copper wire to complete the runes.
Before giving in to Erich and Pock's desire to reactivate the runes, Eldaen and Quiver scout the upper floor. They don't find much of anything. Erich and Pock, given dispensation from Baltazar, use mage hand to put the pattern together.
They discover that it could be used to summon elementals, empower magic items or create a portal. Eldaen believes that a portal could be created to Thelanis. As Pock begins trying to put it together, Baltazar tries to recall anything he knows about the history of the area, but can't recall anything in particular. Quiver tries to recognize the pattern to help Pock and Erich put it together, and Erich applies his arcane knowledge, and they believe they've completed the portal correctly. Pock tries to climb up to get a bird's eye (gnome's eye?) view, but the floor is not stable enough for him. However, he does examine it to determine if it's a trap, and realizes that we're putting together an electrical trap.
With that knowledge, Erich tries to put the pattern together differently, realizing that removing the copper wire would only affect the creation aspect of the pattern. Eldaen and Quiver try to examine the new pattern, and try to figure out what we're doing wrong. Baltazar begins barking orders at us, but it doesn't particularly help. Eldaen uses his insight to try and see what the pattern is, and Erich tries again to use his arcana to put the pattern together.
Pock puts the crystal in as Baltazar orders the rest of us to back up and runs in to clear extra debris and crates out. The rune lights up, and a glow fills the area. There is a smell reminiscent of spring. Something begins to manifest in the circle, and a tall, pale-skinned eladrin wearing leather engraved with runes holds his arms out to us, palms up and says in elven "I bring you greetings."
He says that he has heard our names in Thelanis, and that he hopes to call us friends. "The great oracle of my people told me that you might help us." He introduces himself as Paleus of the Gloaming Fey of Quiet Hall, and tells us we'll have to find our own portal into the Feywild. "My people keep a cemetery, the Garden of Graves, that has been a place of peace and reflection for centuries. However, several years ago, a force moved in from outside and began to taint the countryside around it. They've changed the construction, and created buildings, desecrating the gravesite."
He tells us to return to the Wandering Inn, and the prophecy will lead us to the Thelanis portal that we need to find. Pock subtly pockets the crystal used to open the portal. Quiver buries one of the components nearby to prevent anyone from using it. We spend the night to rest in the tower, and head out of the Mournland, three days' journey to reach the Wandering Inn. The bard, known as the Silver Fox, immediately greets us and we are given a warm greeting by the inhabitants.
Telaran d'Ghallanda comes to our table to greet us. She tells us that their Orien contacts are moving them to the edge of Q'barra tomorrow. Baltazar knows of a Cyran refugee town in Q'barra that he wants to check into. We sell the copper wiring for gold.
Early the next morning, there is a big free breakfast and several guests leave, and the rest of us help pack everything up. Baltazar gathers the Ravens together to pitch in, and we gather together into the wagons so that the contracted House Orien operatives can transport us to the new location. We help pack everything back out.
After a day of rest, early the next morning, an alarm horn sounds, and one of the scouts comes running in. The Ravens are planting torches, and a couple of logging wagons, badly torn up, are making their way to the Inn. Baltazar and Eldaen move in to help heal the wounded, and discover that they are covered in tiny cuts and arrows. Pock, after terrifying one of the loggers, determines that it was done by pixies, which is unusual behavior for them.
We set off into Q'barra to find the origin of the pixie attack. Quiver thinks he sees something, and he and Pock scout ahead and find either a human child or a halfling. "What is a little girl doing in the middle of the jungle of Q'barra?" Quiver wonders. When Quiver doesn't move, Pock moves toward the child. Pock makes himself visible and causes the child to scream, drawing Eldaen to the area. She says her name is Mara, and that she isn't lost. She says she lives in the forest with her parents, and a "horse" came and stabbed her dad with its horn. Then it killed her mom by trampling her, and Mara ran.
The rest of us come out and meet Mara, except for Quiver, who is stalking alongside the group. Baltazar picks her up and carries her, giving her some Sarlonan candy. We move up on their cabin, and the place is cleared. Quiver examines the wound on her parents to determine that it is a unicorn wound, and spots blood-ridden tracks into the forest. We go into the house to scout it and get a toy for Mara. There's no indication that they drew this down on themselves.
We go to take the girl to her relatives, and Baltazar tells them that the Wandering Inn is nearby. The uncle tells us that there is a clearing with a standing stone nearby, and Eldaen takes them back to the Inn and then returns.
There are three dead bodies, all young women, surrounding the standing stone, and it looks like they may have been laying here for a while. Eldaen moves up to inspect one of the bodies, and recognizes some sort of illusion magic at work. As he moves back to report, we hear screeches and the dead bodies are revealed as dryads, and harpies fly in to attack.
Dryads move in on Eldaen, and two of them claw him viciously. Two of the harpies begin singing their alluring song, pulling Quiver, Eldaen, Baltazar, Pock and Erich and immobilizing them, and Erich causes infernal wrath damage to one of the harpies. Quiver fires an arrow at the harpy in the midst of the rest of the group, hitting it and anchoring it to the ground with shadow energy, then he activates his cloak of shades. Erich grabs a harpy with telekinetic force and turns it into a living missile, flinging her into the anchored harpy and knocking the original target done, and he is no longer immobilized. Pock curses the anchored harpy and uses shared agony on her, drawing psychic damage on himself for a deadly blast that bloodies her, then teleports back into the woods and is no longer immobilized. Eldaen misses with his holy outrage, but the burning anger of Teros still surrounds him. Baltazar uses war of attrition on the anchored harpy, killing it and giving all of his allies a bonus to attack. As the harpy dies, Pock curses all of the remaining enemies.
Dryads close in around Eldaen, only one of them hits him, bloodying him. The prone (living missile) harpy stands and unleashes a brutal scream on everyone but Quiver, hitting Baltazar and Eldaen. The other harpy uses alluring song on everyone, although Pock avoids it by teleporting deeper into the woods, and then it flies away. Quiver casts a shroud on one of the dryads, then fires a shadow wasp strike at that dryad. Erich pulls the harpy and swings it through the wasps and smashes it into a dryad, knocking it prone, then pulls the other harpy next to Eldaen, causing it to attack the prone harpy, then he moves out of the range of the harpies. Pock moves closer, still in the woods, and fires an eldritch blast at the prone harpy that bloodies it. Eldaen misses the harpy and uses lay on hands on himself. Baltazar uses inspiring word on Eldaen, then orders Eldaen to attack the prone harpy.
Dryad rushes into the woods past Pock, the other two chase after it. The prone harpy gets up and flies away slowly, the other one claws Eldaen. Quiver fires an arrow that bursts into a cloud of bats around the dryads, bloodying one of them. Erich uses betrayal on one of the harpies and misses. Pock uses forceful assault and misses the dryad, doing a bit of collateral damage. Eldaen misses and then saves against being immobilized. Baltazar orders him to strike and he swings and hits the harpy, then uses his circlet to save against being immobilized.
Dryads merge into the tree and then teleport to a different tree. Harpies use their alluring songs on Baltazar, Eldaen and Quiver. Quiver moves the crowd of bats and uses encaging spirits to burst the dryads and harpy away from him, then fires possessing spirits at bloodied Dryad, causing it to attack the other Dryad, and saves against immobilized. Erich uses betrayal and misses. Pock moves in, fires witchfire at the bloodied harpy, and mist seems to be emerging from its fingers and eyes, then uses his action point to mire the mind of that harpy. Eldaen hits other harpy with martyr's retribution. Baltazar misses with bastion of defense.
Dryads move to attack Erich and miss. The bloodied harpy disintegrates into mist, the other harpy claws Eldaen. Quiver fires an escaping shot at the bloodied Dryad, then moves the cloud of bats. Erich uses betrayal on one of the dryads to cause it to attack the bloodied Dryad, turning her into another gray mist undead, and Erich runs away from all that. Pock uses a ring of pain on the remaining harpy, leaving her with a nasty psychic echo. Eldaen throws his trident at the harpy and misses. Baltazar orders Quiver to fire a biting swarm at the harpy.
Dryad moves to attack Erich and misses, the mist one disintegrates. The harpy takes psychic damage and is bloodied, sings its alluring song and pushing Eldaen and Baltazar away. Quiver fires at the harpy. Erich shifts out of the cloud of bats and uses memory hole on the harpy and misses. Pock fires and misses. Eldaen throws and misses with his trident, and is still immobilized. Baltazar uses blood designation on the harpy next to him and misses, uses his action point to order Quiver to shoot the harpy with grappling spirits.
Dryads take ongoing damage from blood designation and ring of pain, move to attack Baltazar, who activates his recoil shield to knock that dryad prone. Harpy takes ring of pain damage, flies out of the cloud of bats and saves versus the psychic damage. Quiver fires an arrow at the harpy, activating the gray mist effect. Erich uses dishearten on the dryads, hitting one of them. Pock blasts that dryad as well. Eldaen uses divine mettle, runs over to flank the dryad and hits with holy strike, bloodying it. Baltazar misses the dryad.
Dryad hits Eldaen, the other one misses Baltazar, and the harpy expires. Quiver fires at the dryad with biting swarm, and Erich uses dishearten on the same one with a critical hit, killing it. Pock fires at the remaining dryad with eyebite, missing it. Eldaen moves between the dryads and swings his strength from valor at them. Baltazar attacks the dryad and sets it up for attack by Eldaen.
Dryad claws Eldaen, bloodying him. Quiver fires a biting swarm ino the dryad, bloodying it. Erich and Pock blast it, reducing it to misty undead. Eldaen takes his second wind, then hits it when Baltazar orders him to. It claws at Eldaen one last time, but can't hit.
Thursday, September 02, 2010
Io’Lokar, The Bastion, Argonessen-approximately 984
"Your Grace," said the aged Elven woman without turning or hearing a spoken word, the very gravity of the room had seemed to change. "Thank you for seeing me."
"I would find it hard not to answer and urgent summons from you, youngling," rumbled a voice like mountain roots. The elf turned towards the voice.
"It has been many an era since anyone could call me youngling, Your Grace." Her many-lined face broke open with a smile from emotions now centuries old. She gazed up adoringly at the huge golden shape as he squeezed into the Hall of Records. After navigating the door Rutilisincendiaxx cocked his old head to one side, there was a sharp echoing crack as his neck again moved as he intended.
"That is perhaps true, Elebenna, but I reserve the right, I believe I am entitled," he paused, "by heritage and by experience, yes?"
"Yes, Your Grace," again she smiled at ancient memories, "You are entitled."
"What is it you have found?" He laid his claw open before her and she stepped in, her white robes a whisper along the floor. He raised her up and sat her on his shoulder her long, silver braid trailed her in her flight. She faced the configuration of multi colored crystals on the south wall of the huge chamber and waving her hands she spoke words that were ancient to both of them. Lights bloomed in the crystals and images began to appear on the wall.
"One of my searchers found this new pattern, Your grace, in Khorvaire, the region now called The Demon Wastes. It appeared etched in some ancient standing stones." An image of a menhir appeared, covered with the curving graceful runes that had intrigued the dragons for age upon age. "Now look at the same rune pattern appearing in this lava flow. And then on this Hobgoblin ruin. And then, oddly, in this painting by that so-called, 'mad' prophet in Cyre, the blind one that I spoke to you about? I believe these marks constitute a pattern that we have been looking for."
"I see," said the dragon, "and what do you think it means?"
"I believe it's a key. Look at this piece of undecipherable coutal journal from the Age of Demons." It appeared on the wall. There was silence.
"So then," whispered the ancient gold, "What have we here?"
"You see it then, Ruti?" she asked in a schoolgirl voice, decorum forgotten. "The Ancient Flame of Darkness-Spawn of Traitor and Mother, shall rise and fall twice, and then rise a third time." The dragon took over.
"A third time to grasp the heart of Siberys and lift himself above all powers, bending even the Word of the Progenitors to his will?' By Bahamut's silky beard, that can't be right!" This time the voice shook the hall.
"Wait, Your Grace, there is more. 'Unless he be opposed by broken powers from the Contagion Kingdom, the blackened iron scavengers, Khyber will open….' There's no more."
"There doesn't need to be anymore, youngling! Have you had a vision of this? When does it occur?"
"I know not, Your Grace." She lowered her head. "It must be after the birth of whatever the Contagion Kingdom is, that term appears repeatedly the last few decades. What is a 'black iron scavenger?"
"Black iron is what the dwarves call steel. That particular rune configuration for 'scavenger' is referring to a bird, a raven I think. What do you suggest we do youngling?" he lowered her to the ground. She stepped out and turn to face him, in a moment he was a golden clothed elf, ancient in years, but full of life.
"I suggest we wait for this Contagion Kingdom, and then watch for 'steel scavenger birds.' What do you think?"
"I think you are correct, and we should hold our findings close to us. There is no need for the 'Eyes' to know, nor the Order. I will inform our contacts in the Chamber. Keep your best long term searchers on it."
"Will I see you tonight?" she asked tentatively, "it's been a long time since you visited, Your Grace." She bowed her head, blushing.
"Yes, my love. You will."
Dame Tularin d’Ghallanda (as portrayed by Linda Hunt) on the Exiled, The Wandering Inn, Talenta, 998
Candy brought them in that first time. He had led them into the Mournland again looking for survivors and they had a rough go. How much sorrow can men take? Most of 'em already carrying the scars from what that big ruby made them do to those Hobgoblin children, and the one's that weren't there? They all had sorrow etched into their faces. So I offered him sanctuary, that's what we do on the Plains. And I quickly became friends with that motley bunch of vagabonds. The ones from Cyre? They still wear their Raven patches but that's all that separates them from the rest of the crew that Sandesh runs around with. The found us with amazing regularity whenever they were in need. Candy says it's because of the elf, not the Valenar, the one they call Quiver. He kept finding the Inn.
They helped us out of a couple of situations and I asked for and received permission to hire the Steel Ravens for security. So now the Steel Ravens are contracted with the Wandering Inn and headquarter out of it. Ostensibly that includes Sandesh (Candyman) but his group of friends, called the Exiled by our bard, work away from the Inn and only return between jobs, quests, what have you. They're good boys.
Candy you know about, and I mentioned Quiver, scary that one, and I think I mentioned the other elf? Eldaen? Holy warrior, but still Valenaran, not someone you want on the wrong side of you. Pock, the gnome, he's been with them since their first visit. Hiding something or I don't know anything, but hey, we keep your secrets, with no extra charge. Erich the tiefling, I don't get him, he seems…..distracted. And then came the day that brought Krotos into the Inn, it was silent as the grave, I knew we were in deep trouble and was already looking for the order forms for new furniture, but he was self-controlled and polite, and had a sense of humor! A minotaur! And he does flips!!!
They've called the Inn home for some time now. Most of their interests and connections are in this part of Khorvaire. I find them alternately amusing and scary as Khyber. But they always help, and they always pay their tab.
I just wish they could find peace. But so few of us have.
Cyran forces special note-
Cyre was, of course, noted for fielding fiercely independent, uniquely manned, free companies (detached) and squads. These seemed to work well in that the Cyrans were (and are, of course) independent, creative, technologically, and artistically advanced. The reader may find it strange to hear those adjectives used to positively describe military units, but consider: When warfare becomes art, when weapons are crafted rather than forged, when creativity paints itself in bold, unexpected colors across a battlefield canvas and the commander becomes the artist, victory cannot help but follow his banner.
One such commander was Captain Tiriel Alden of the famed Steel Ravens. Alden formed his company from the melting pot that was created by the open accepting nature of Cyrian culture. The Gem of Galifar drew settlers from far and near and made Cyre a repository of Eberron's culture, not just Khorvaire's. In the streets of Metrol, one could encounter any race of creature known the world over, and not just view them with the arrogant 'tolerance' of Brelish culture, but with an eye that beholds wonder and art in every living thing.
Alden recruited his company himself and trained them for guerilla strikes and recon missions. They were so successful at sabotage and quick strike that Alden was awarded a Cyran title and a gift. We can only speculate where the gift came from but it seems to have been a warforged raven. The company's men dubbed it Quickbeak because of its' propensity towards sarcasm and it's fiery temper. They adopted the moniker for themselves and Quickbeak became the model for their standard.
Two incidents towards the end of the war drove the Ravens from the pages of current events. One was the Massacre at Khreelic-tor and the other was the Valeran incident. Khreelic-tor, of course, was the complete annihilation of a goblinoid township in Darguun. Women, children, cattle, nothing was left alive. It was here that Alden lost his will to live. Some of his men say he was so disgusted with the loss of life, apparently caused by a mind affecting artifact within the township, that during their embattled retreat from Darguun he purposely left his guard down to be killed by an aged Hobgoblin . Said Goblin was then poleaxed by a Goliath soldier in the company. Quickbeak flew away upon the death of his master and one Baltazar "Candyman" Sandesh assumed command of the Ravens, leading them into the Valenaran incident which I have discussed in a separate volume.
Excerpted from A History of Cyre in Seventeen Volumes by Jelary Glenharrow, Korranberg
Friday, August 27, 2010
10. The B-Team
Nymm 10, YK 1000
Rrrgrr the Torrian has come to Argent to serve Obanar, as Magnus returns to inform Obanar of what has happened.
Lord Eversun of Shae Loralyndar (Eldeen Reaches) has sent Hadrai Quickarrow, Reginald/Tirador and Lycia Tarravan into Khyber. They had encountered savage dwarves, a goblinoid tribe and a deep gnome tribe in close proximity to one another, and they did not get along. They emerged from Khyber to see the city of Argent in the distance. A road intersects ours, and in the distance, we see Rrgrr, and we join forces.
As we approach the fortress, we see an army of earth giants, ogres, elementals and rocs. From the battlements, Magnus sees them preparing to siege the fortress. Obanar has protected the fortress with a field of magical force, which is holding for now. Magnus again suggests releasing the warforged titan into their midst.
Hadrai sees that they are setting up the siege on the south wall, that there are two gates there, and that the south side is the only side where the ground rises up to reach the gate. The other three sides are sheer cliffs. Despite the noises from the army, Hadrai catches the sound of a distant waterfall, and he spots a road cutting down the west side. He informs Tirador of all of this.
They begin sneaking through gulleys to get to the road on the west, keeping brush between us and the army and avoiding the gaze of the Rocs. Hadrai and Reggie grow somewhat tired as they move through the terrain, but Rrrgrr and Lycia are able to help them keep moving. Magnus sees a detachment of giants and ogres beginning to circle the city.
Hadrai thinks we can make it to the west gate before the giants do, but it would be a near thing and they'd spot us going in, and we decide to keep moving to the water. Lycia detects the force field before we run headlong into it. Obanar tells Magnus that he recognized contact from a smaller force, but he doesn't know their intent. Magnus climbs onto the battlements and moves to that side of the fortress.
Hadrai uses his fey step to get past the barrier, and then sneaks up to the culvert. He begins climbing up the walls as quietly as possible. He jumps up and runs into Magnus, and they do not hit it off. Rrrgrr begins digging in the dirt, looking for a way under the field. Magnus contacts Obanar to report. Hadrai convinces Obanar to open the portal for his allies, and Magnus tells Obanar they need to fix the teleportation hole in the field.
Magnus introduces himself to all of us and gives us the basics of Argent and its war with the giants.
Rocs have flown in through the hole in the field and dropped off four Earth Giants, and one Roc has been stuck inside the barrier, and we are defending one of the gates from their attacks. Rrrgrr throws a rope down the battlements onto the platform. Reggie fires off two arrows, hitting with a crit for 57 hp against the staff-wielding giant and 18 hp against another giant. Hadrai fires swarming spirits at a giant for 15 hp, leaving him blinded and in a swarm of bees. The Roc flies over to attack Reggie, but it just barely misses him. Hill Giants throws a boulder at us, hitting Lycia for 12 hp, and the other two move to attack the gates for 27 hp, cracking it. The blinded one manages to get to the gates and hit the gate for 9 hp. Lycia runs and slides down Rrrgrr's rope, landing onto the platform. The shaman signals to the Roc, then moves and unleashes a blast of volcanic fire at Lycia for 9 hp, giving her vulnerable 5 fire. Magnus jumps down off the battlement, taking 25 hp and bull charges one of the Hill Giants at the gate for 23 hp and pushes him back 1 square, then spends an action point to bull charge a Hill Giant at the gate, marking him.
Rrrgrr pounces from the wall, landing acrobatically and taking 13 hp and misses his attack on a Hill Giant. Reggie uses Eyebite on the Roc and uses elven accuracy to hit for 4 psychic, making himself invisible until his next turn. Hadrai misses the caster, but the arrow turns and hits another Hill Giant with grappling spirits instead, Reggie fires combined fire to hit the caster, and then Hadrai spends an action point and fires Corralling Shot at the shaman and the hill giant that was slowed, drawing them together. A Roc flies over and grabs Hadrai, dropping him into the clouds surrounding the fortress. Hill Giant swings his club at Rrrgrr, but he uses his iron hawk defense to reduce the damage. Another attacks and misses Magnus, causing him to laugh. The slowed Giant moves up and hits the gate for 17 hp. Lycia moves in and uses her righteous brand on one of the Hill Giants at the gate for 18 hp, and is still vulnerable to fire. Hill Giant Shaman creates an earth storm that catches Magnus and Lycia for 36 hp (crit) and Rrrgrr for 18 hp, blinding them. Magnus resists the blindness, then moves to attack the Shaman and the rest with Come and Get It, kills the Shaman and hits the others.
Rrrgrrr uses purifying meditation to save against blindness, then steps between worlds to hit one of the Hill Giants, teleporting it off the ledge and to its death, and then he teleports and spends an action point to roar at the two Hill Giants remaining for 8 hp, immobilizing them short of the gate. Reggie fires Pinning Shot at Roc, immobilizing it and sending it plummetting to the ledge for 100 hp, but it is still not bloodied. Hadrai makes his death save. Roc clambers to its feet, but decides that Hadrai is dead and not a threat. The Hill Giants swing sweeping club strikes at Magnus, Rrrgrr and Lycia, but only hits Rrrgrr, smashing him into the wall for 28 hp. Lycia uses Healer's Mercy to heal Rrrgrr and herself, un-bloodying both of them, she recovers from blindness. Magnus takes his second wind, uses appalling crunch on Hill Giant, bloodying him.
Rrrgrr stands up, attacks the bloodied Hill Giant for 18 hp and then teleports him to the edge, going along with him and watching him plummet to his death. Reggie fires Shadow Wasp Strike at the remaining Hill Giant for 32 hp, bloodying him. Hadrai fails a death save. The Roc begins flying back up. The Hill Giant swings at Magnus and misses, saves against fear. Lycia moves in on the Hill Giant and swings a Healing Strike, healing Rrrgrr and doing 27 hp. Magnus uses inexorable advance and misses.
Rrrgrr runs back, attacks Hill Giant with Strike the Avalanche and misses. Reggie determines that the Roc is not coming back to attack and fires Twin Strike at the Hill Giant for 25 hp. Hadrai fails his death save. Roc is trying to fly out, but bounces off the force field. Hill Giant swings at Lycia and misses. Lycia swings Strengthen the Faithful on the Hill Giant for 25 hp, killing him, then runs to the edge and lowers a rope over the edge. Magnus slides down the rope, drops the remaining 150 feet to Hadrai's side, uses unbreakable to resist part of the 74 hp damage.
Rrrgrr goes to the battlements and pulls the rope loose, Reggie throws him his rope and flips down from the battlements, Hadrai fails his death save and Magnus uses his MVP power to keep him from failing it. Lycia ties her rope onto Rrrgrr's and then onto the battlement. Magnus pours a potion of vitality into Hadrai, waking him up, then uses Argent Portal to teleport us to the Grand Mal.
Meanwhile, Lycia approaches the wounded Roc, which has landed on the platform, to use a healing power on it. Reggie uses his nature skill to calm it. The Roc flies into the air around Argent.
Magnus and Hadrai report back to Obanar, who tells us that there are attacks at the main gate that has broken through the barrier. He then opens a portal to Rrrgrr, Lycia and Reggie to get them to the main gate as well. The army of giants smash at the force wall, knocking it down briefly to allow a hill giant, a Behir and an earth elemental to charge in. We all see that the Hill Giant is carrying a large earthen sphere strapped to his back.
The Behir rushes toward the gate. Reggie fires his pinning strike at the Hill Giant suicide bomber and pins him. Rrrgrr ties a rope to the battlement and starts Soul Dance stance, granting him concealment, then slides down the rope to the ground below. He sees that the Earth Archon is standing in the ground, and is slowly turning the ground around him to quicksand. Hadrai fires an elemental spirits arrow at the Giant for 13 hp. The Earth Archon moves closer to the wall and raises its hammer, slamming it into the ground to create a tremor that strikes Lycia for 22 thunder damage and is knocked prone. Magnus uses his power jewel to regain an encounter power, and then leaps off the battlements and takes 30 hp, bloodying him, uses defensive resurgence to heal and un-bloody. Behir moves in on Magnus. Lycia stands, changes her armor to resist lightning, uses bastion of health to heal Magnus. Behir breathes lightning at Magnus for 21 hp and dazes him. Hill Giant hurls the sphere at the gate, it explodes and takes a small chunk out of it.
Behir moves. Reggie fires biting volley at Earth Archon for 30 hp. Rrrgrr moves in on Earth Archon and uses Supreme Avalanche Confrontation for 8 hp. Hadrai misses the Behir, runs toward the other part of the wall. Earth Archon hits Rrrgrr for 16 hp, uses Iron Dragon Defense to take only 1, and is pushed back and knocked prone, then it moves back out of range. Magnus uses bull charge on the Behir for 31 hp and pushes it back and knocks it prone and uses his pinning waraxe to immobilize him. Behir tries to eat Magnus and fails. Lycia slides down the rope and takes 19 hp, then moves over into the Behir's aura, spends an action point to give the Behir ongoing 14 radiant, then uses inspiring word to heal herself. Behir takes 14 radiant, eats Magnus for 12 hp, saves against radiant damage. Hill Giant charges Rrrgrr and crits him for 27 hp, uses strikeback bracers and misses.
Behir stands up, Reggie fires Shadow Wasp Strike at Earth Archon. The Guardian's tower begins firing lightning at the invading army. Rrrgrr stands up, uses step between worlds on the Hill Giant for 9 hp and uses flurry of blows for 7 hp and they both teleport closer to the Archon. Hadrai uses squall spirit for 30 damage on Earth Archon, Reggie uses Combined Fire for 37 hp to bloody him, then misses with Flickering Arrow and Inevitable Shot. Magnus swings and misses, uses action point for thicket of blades and misses. Behir moves, uses his action point to try and fail to eat Lycia, drawing an attack from Magnus that misses. Lycia moves in and attacks Behir with avenging flame for 27 hp. Behir takes 5 ongoing fire, tries to bite Lycia and misses. Hill Giant attacks Rrrgrr and misses.
Lightning burst comes from the tower and kills the Behir, and we mop up the rest of them.
Obanar believes that the giant army might be attacking other settlements, and the best way to blunt the threat of the army would be to follow its supply train back to headquarters and take out its leaders.
Quote:
"Elven balls are made of cotton candy."
"Never eat fighters."
Rrrgrr the Torrian has come to Argent to serve Obanar, as Magnus returns to inform Obanar of what has happened.
Lord Eversun of Shae Loralyndar (Eldeen Reaches) has sent Hadrai Quickarrow, Reginald/Tirador and Lycia Tarravan into Khyber. They had encountered savage dwarves, a goblinoid tribe and a deep gnome tribe in close proximity to one another, and they did not get along. They emerged from Khyber to see the city of Argent in the distance. A road intersects ours, and in the distance, we see Rrgrr, and we join forces.
As we approach the fortress, we see an army of earth giants, ogres, elementals and rocs. From the battlements, Magnus sees them preparing to siege the fortress. Obanar has protected the fortress with a field of magical force, which is holding for now. Magnus again suggests releasing the warforged titan into their midst.
Hadrai sees that they are setting up the siege on the south wall, that there are two gates there, and that the south side is the only side where the ground rises up to reach the gate. The other three sides are sheer cliffs. Despite the noises from the army, Hadrai catches the sound of a distant waterfall, and he spots a road cutting down the west side. He informs Tirador of all of this.
They begin sneaking through gulleys to get to the road on the west, keeping brush between us and the army and avoiding the gaze of the Rocs. Hadrai and Reggie grow somewhat tired as they move through the terrain, but Rrrgrr and Lycia are able to help them keep moving. Magnus sees a detachment of giants and ogres beginning to circle the city.
Hadrai thinks we can make it to the west gate before the giants do, but it would be a near thing and they'd spot us going in, and we decide to keep moving to the water. Lycia detects the force field before we run headlong into it. Obanar tells Magnus that he recognized contact from a smaller force, but he doesn't know their intent. Magnus climbs onto the battlements and moves to that side of the fortress.
Hadrai uses his fey step to get past the barrier, and then sneaks up to the culvert. He begins climbing up the walls as quietly as possible. He jumps up and runs into Magnus, and they do not hit it off. Rrrgrr begins digging in the dirt, looking for a way under the field. Magnus contacts Obanar to report. Hadrai convinces Obanar to open the portal for his allies, and Magnus tells Obanar they need to fix the teleportation hole in the field.
Magnus introduces himself to all of us and gives us the basics of Argent and its war with the giants.
Rocs have flown in through the hole in the field and dropped off four Earth Giants, and one Roc has been stuck inside the barrier, and we are defending one of the gates from their attacks. Rrrgrr throws a rope down the battlements onto the platform. Reggie fires off two arrows, hitting with a crit for 57 hp against the staff-wielding giant and 18 hp against another giant. Hadrai fires swarming spirits at a giant for 15 hp, leaving him blinded and in a swarm of bees. The Roc flies over to attack Reggie, but it just barely misses him. Hill Giants throws a boulder at us, hitting Lycia for 12 hp, and the other two move to attack the gates for 27 hp, cracking it. The blinded one manages to get to the gates and hit the gate for 9 hp. Lycia runs and slides down Rrrgrr's rope, landing onto the platform. The shaman signals to the Roc, then moves and unleashes a blast of volcanic fire at Lycia for 9 hp, giving her vulnerable 5 fire. Magnus jumps down off the battlement, taking 25 hp and bull charges one of the Hill Giants at the gate for 23 hp and pushes him back 1 square, then spends an action point to bull charge a Hill Giant at the gate, marking him.
Rrrgrr pounces from the wall, landing acrobatically and taking 13 hp and misses his attack on a Hill Giant. Reggie uses Eyebite on the Roc and uses elven accuracy to hit for 4 psychic, making himself invisible until his next turn. Hadrai misses the caster, but the arrow turns and hits another Hill Giant with grappling spirits instead, Reggie fires combined fire to hit the caster, and then Hadrai spends an action point and fires Corralling Shot at the shaman and the hill giant that was slowed, drawing them together. A Roc flies over and grabs Hadrai, dropping him into the clouds surrounding the fortress. Hill Giant swings his club at Rrrgrr, but he uses his iron hawk defense to reduce the damage. Another attacks and misses Magnus, causing him to laugh. The slowed Giant moves up and hits the gate for 17 hp. Lycia moves in and uses her righteous brand on one of the Hill Giants at the gate for 18 hp, and is still vulnerable to fire. Hill Giant Shaman creates an earth storm that catches Magnus and Lycia for 36 hp (crit) and Rrrgrr for 18 hp, blinding them. Magnus resists the blindness, then moves to attack the Shaman and the rest with Come and Get It, kills the Shaman and hits the others.
Rrrgrrr uses purifying meditation to save against blindness, then steps between worlds to hit one of the Hill Giants, teleporting it off the ledge and to its death, and then he teleports and spends an action point to roar at the two Hill Giants remaining for 8 hp, immobilizing them short of the gate. Reggie fires Pinning Shot at Roc, immobilizing it and sending it plummetting to the ledge for 100 hp, but it is still not bloodied. Hadrai makes his death save. Roc clambers to its feet, but decides that Hadrai is dead and not a threat. The Hill Giants swing sweeping club strikes at Magnus, Rrrgrr and Lycia, but only hits Rrrgrr, smashing him into the wall for 28 hp. Lycia uses Healer's Mercy to heal Rrrgrr and herself, un-bloodying both of them, she recovers from blindness. Magnus takes his second wind, uses appalling crunch on Hill Giant, bloodying him.
Rrrgrr stands up, attacks the bloodied Hill Giant for 18 hp and then teleports him to the edge, going along with him and watching him plummet to his death. Reggie fires Shadow Wasp Strike at the remaining Hill Giant for 32 hp, bloodying him. Hadrai fails a death save. The Roc begins flying back up. The Hill Giant swings at Magnus and misses, saves against fear. Lycia moves in on the Hill Giant and swings a Healing Strike, healing Rrrgrr and doing 27 hp. Magnus uses inexorable advance and misses.
Rrrgrr runs back, attacks Hill Giant with Strike the Avalanche and misses. Reggie determines that the Roc is not coming back to attack and fires Twin Strike at the Hill Giant for 25 hp. Hadrai fails his death save. Roc is trying to fly out, but bounces off the force field. Hill Giant swings at Lycia and misses. Lycia swings Strengthen the Faithful on the Hill Giant for 25 hp, killing him, then runs to the edge and lowers a rope over the edge. Magnus slides down the rope, drops the remaining 150 feet to Hadrai's side, uses unbreakable to resist part of the 74 hp damage.
Rrrgrr goes to the battlements and pulls the rope loose, Reggie throws him his rope and flips down from the battlements, Hadrai fails his death save and Magnus uses his MVP power to keep him from failing it. Lycia ties her rope onto Rrrgrr's and then onto the battlement. Magnus pours a potion of vitality into Hadrai, waking him up, then uses Argent Portal to teleport us to the Grand Mal.
Meanwhile, Lycia approaches the wounded Roc, which has landed on the platform, to use a healing power on it. Reggie uses his nature skill to calm it. The Roc flies into the air around Argent.
Magnus and Hadrai report back to Obanar, who tells us that there are attacks at the main gate that has broken through the barrier. He then opens a portal to Rrrgrr, Lycia and Reggie to get them to the main gate as well. The army of giants smash at the force wall, knocking it down briefly to allow a hill giant, a Behir and an earth elemental to charge in. We all see that the Hill Giant is carrying a large earthen sphere strapped to his back.
The Behir rushes toward the gate. Reggie fires his pinning strike at the Hill Giant suicide bomber and pins him. Rrrgrr ties a rope to the battlement and starts Soul Dance stance, granting him concealment, then slides down the rope to the ground below. He sees that the Earth Archon is standing in the ground, and is slowly turning the ground around him to quicksand. Hadrai fires an elemental spirits arrow at the Giant for 13 hp. The Earth Archon moves closer to the wall and raises its hammer, slamming it into the ground to create a tremor that strikes Lycia for 22 thunder damage and is knocked prone. Magnus uses his power jewel to regain an encounter power, and then leaps off the battlements and takes 30 hp, bloodying him, uses defensive resurgence to heal and un-bloody. Behir moves in on Magnus. Lycia stands, changes her armor to resist lightning, uses bastion of health to heal Magnus. Behir breathes lightning at Magnus for 21 hp and dazes him. Hill Giant hurls the sphere at the gate, it explodes and takes a small chunk out of it.
Behir moves. Reggie fires biting volley at Earth Archon for 30 hp. Rrrgrr moves in on Earth Archon and uses Supreme Avalanche Confrontation for 8 hp. Hadrai misses the Behir, runs toward the other part of the wall. Earth Archon hits Rrrgrr for 16 hp, uses Iron Dragon Defense to take only 1, and is pushed back and knocked prone, then it moves back out of range. Magnus uses bull charge on the Behir for 31 hp and pushes it back and knocks it prone and uses his pinning waraxe to immobilize him. Behir tries to eat Magnus and fails. Lycia slides down the rope and takes 19 hp, then moves over into the Behir's aura, spends an action point to give the Behir ongoing 14 radiant, then uses inspiring word to heal herself. Behir takes 14 radiant, eats Magnus for 12 hp, saves against radiant damage. Hill Giant charges Rrrgrr and crits him for 27 hp, uses strikeback bracers and misses.
Behir stands up, Reggie fires Shadow Wasp Strike at Earth Archon. The Guardian's tower begins firing lightning at the invading army. Rrrgrr stands up, uses step between worlds on the Hill Giant for 9 hp and uses flurry of blows for 7 hp and they both teleport closer to the Archon. Hadrai uses squall spirit for 30 damage on Earth Archon, Reggie uses Combined Fire for 37 hp to bloody him, then misses with Flickering Arrow and Inevitable Shot. Magnus swings and misses, uses action point for thicket of blades and misses. Behir moves, uses his action point to try and fail to eat Lycia, drawing an attack from Magnus that misses. Lycia moves in and attacks Behir with avenging flame for 27 hp. Behir takes 5 ongoing fire, tries to bite Lycia and misses. Hill Giant attacks Rrrgrr and misses.
Lightning burst comes from the tower and kills the Behir, and we mop up the rest of them.
Obanar believes that the giant army might be attacking other settlements, and the best way to blunt the threat of the army would be to follow its supply train back to headquarters and take out its leaders.
Quote:
"Elven balls are made of cotton candy."
"Never eat fighters."
Sunday, August 22, 2010
Torrian Race Rules
Here are the Torrian race rules, for Giants players:
+2 Constitution, +2 Strength or Wisdom
Size: Medium
Speed: 8 squares
Vision: Normal
Languages: Common, One other
Skill Bonuses: +2 Endurance, +2 Nature
Vitality: +1 Healing Surge
Leap: Treat all jumps made as if they had a running start.
Roar: You have the roar power.
Roar
Encounter * Fear
Standard Action Close Burst 3
Targets: All enemies in area
Attack: Strength +2 vs. Will, Constitution +2 vs. Will, or Wisdom +2 vs. Will
Hit: 1d6 + chosen attribute modifier damage and target is immobilized (save ends). Increase to +4 bonus and 2d6 + chosen attribute modifier damage at 11th level, and to +6 bonus and 3d6 + chosen attribute modifier damage at 21st level.
Special: When you create your character, choose Strength, Constitution, or Wisdom as the ability score you use when making attack rolls and to determine damage with this power. This choice remains throughout your character's life.
+2 Constitution, +2 Strength or Wisdom
Size: Medium
Speed: 8 squares
Vision: Normal
Languages: Common, One other
Skill Bonuses: +2 Endurance, +2 Nature
Vitality: +1 Healing Surge
Leap: Treat all jumps made as if they had a running start.
Roar: You have the roar power.
Roar
Encounter * Fear
Standard Action Close Burst 3
Targets: All enemies in area
Attack: Strength +2 vs. Will, Constitution +2 vs. Will, or Wisdom +2 vs. Will
Hit: 1d6 + chosen attribute modifier damage and target is immobilized (save ends). Increase to +4 bonus and 2d6 + chosen attribute modifier damage at 11th level, and to +6 bonus and 3d6 + chosen attribute modifier damage at 21st level.
Special: When you create your character, choose Strength, Constitution, or Wisdom as the ability score you use when making attack rolls and to determine damage with this power. This choice remains throughout your character's life.
Friday, August 20, 2010
9. Fall at the Hands of Physandos
Nymm 9, YK 1000
Zargosz transforms back into a half-orc, calls down lightning on invisible Torrian hunter, leaving him in a zone of thunder. Xiu moves next to Torgen, crits the invisible Torrian for 50 hp, bloodying him. Torrian strikes at Magnus and misses, the others are both out of the river and no longer dazed. Alain fires across the river with crossbow at the Torrian fighting Magnus for 17 hp, giving magic weapon to Xiu and Zargosz. Magnus swings his axe two-handed at the Torrian and misses. Torgen uses holy strike on invisible Torrian for 18 hp, making him visible to everyone.
Zargosz knocks the no longer invisible Torrian out with his club. Xiu moves and uses acrobatic strike on the Torrian guard or 23 hp, bloodying him. Torrian attacks Magnus for 17 hp, other Torrian hunter throws two javelins at Xiu, one of which hits her for 24 hp. Other Torrian uses rending claw on Xiu for 18 hp, and -2 to defenses. Alain fires positive energy infusion at bloodied Torrian. Magnus uses inexorable advance on his Torrian and bloodies him. Torgen marks the bloodied Torrian.
Zargosz checks to make sure the Torrian he downed is alive, then moves closer to the bloodied Torrian. Xiu stabs the bloodied Torrian, drawing on Alain's positive energy and doing 23 hp to him. Torrian next to Magnus tries to jump across the river, drawing an AOO from Magnus that stops him and does 21 hp to him, then he moves again and jumps behind the nearby rock. Other Torrian hunter throws javelin at Xiu and misses. Bloodied Torrian hits Torgen for 18 hp. Alain moves in, fires his crossbow and crits the bloodied Torrian, knocking him out and giving magic weapon to Torgen and Xiu. Magnus pulls out his shield, emphasizing that he does not need it for defense, and uses tide of iron on the Torrian for 14 hp. Torgen charges with ardent strike at Torrian hunter and crits him with jagged axe, doing 32 hp and 10 ongoing.
Zargosz uses tremor on Torrian hunter and hits for 20 hp, bloodying him and knocking him prone. Xiu moves over and knocks him out with a tornado strike. Remaining Torrian shifts back, drawing an attack from Magnus that knocks him out.
Alain and Magnus use their ropes to tie them up, during which we find treasure and a Helm of Able Defense, which Magnus claims, gives his Circlet of Second Chances to Alain. We take a brief rest.
On the other side of the river, there is a clearing and a small settlement made up of wood frame buildiing and thatched huts, full of Torrians going about their work in complete silence. One Torrian notices us and the entire town turns to look at us. A large Torrian with dark gray fur approaches us timidly and introduces himself as Gruthow, but does not appear to be frightened of us. We introduce ourselves in the most friendly way possible. They all seem to be following the lead of this Torrian, and Alain thinks that at the moment we're talking to Gruthow, but that Physandos is still subtly there. Zargosz mentions Thoror, and Gruthow smiles and says in a higher, more shrill voice, "Oh, champions, eh? They'll let anyone wear those cloaks these days, won't they?" We've met Physandos.
A female Torrian says "I'm over here!" and jumps from Torrian to Torrian to talk to us. Zargosz detects that he is a demon or a demon's servant, Torgen realizes that he won't let them go easily. Xiu tries to bluff him that we have Thoror's items, and intend to return them to him. Alain realizes he could use the positive energy of healing arts to confound Physandos, and uses a healing power on Gruthow. Zargosz applies a healing poultice that further confounds him, and a wave of dark energy emerges from Gruthow. Magnus begins inscribing wards and builds a magic circle against elementals, boosted by Zargosz, Torgen and Alain's arcane and religious skills. Magnus pushes Gruthow into the circle, and Physandos threatens us and vanishes as a cloud of darkness.
Gruthow comes out of his trance and they all look around in different directions. "Physandos goes to wake Urthix." We begin chasing Physandos up to the cave, and find a cave that looks like a dark maw.
Xiu moves up to the cave entrance and throws a sunrod into the cave, she sees a spot of shadow on the back wall that seems to be getting away from the light. There is a stench that gets more powerful the closer we get, there is a pile of bones just inside the cave entrance. We hear the sound of a very large foot hitting the ground, and a deep growl. Zargosz climbs up onto the bluff and sees a little further into the cave, but still doesn't see any monsters, although he does see a much larger pile of bones in the back of the cave, and uses his mage hand to pick up the sunrod and move it deeper into the cave. Magnus climbs up onto the blufff to join Zargosz. Torgen moves to the bluff climbs up. More shadows emerge from the cave and launch psychic attacks against Zargosz, and one of them pulls him in and explodes, damaging him and destroying itself. Torgen spots a Rakshasa in the back of the cave, who summons another shadow and then fires a ray of force at Torgen. Alain misses a minion with his crossbow, moves up and uses resistive formula on Xiu, who extends it to Magnus.
Xiu throws shuriken at one of the shadows and destroys it, and adapts her sidestep stance. A dragon emerges from behind the pillar and unleashes his thundering breath, hitting Zargosz with a crit for 32 hp and knocking him prone. Zargosz transforms into a swarm of flying scorpions and shifts next to the dragon, attacking him with floating death for 13 hp and shifting past him and stinging a shadow minion out of existence. Magnus drinks his elixir of will and moves to come and get it on two shadows and the dragon, destroying both shadows. Torgen is compelled to move forward next to Magnus and the dragon. Shadow sudden strikes and misses Zargosz, other shadows move in toward him and attack as well, nearly killing him. The Rakshasa fires his ray of manipulation at Zargosz, missing him twice. Alain climbs up, gives regeneration infusion and curative admixture to Zargosz. Magnus, using his newfound arcane knowledge, realizes that the dragon is controlled by the Rakshasa.
Xiu moves through the gap created by Magnus, drawing an AOO from Shadow, and moves over to attack the Rakshasa using an action point to use Bloodbath for 40 hp, giving him 14 ongoing damage as well. Adamantine dragon's thunder echo resounds for 15 hp on Torgen, Magnus and Alain, and then he activates his fear aura, stunning Alain until the end of his next turn, then he releases a thundering roar on Magnus, Alain and Torgen for 16 hp, knocking Alain prone. Zargosz absorbs the regeneration and heals, then sends forth a plague of locusts at shadow demons, creating a zone of locusts but not damaging them. He spends an action point to take his second wind. Magnus attacks the dragon with lasting threat, uses his pinning axe to pin it in place. Torgen swings his axe and misses Magnus, but is still dominated. Shadows sweep past Zargosz, attacking him on the way and moving in on Xiu, who is threatening the Rakshasa. Physandos takes ongoing damage, shifts back and uses deceptive attack on Xiu, damaging and dominating her, then summons another shadow. Alain is stunned.
Xiu charges Zargosz for 13 hp, is no longer dominated. Thunder returns and does 15 to Torgen, Alain and Magnus, then the dragon breathes again. Alain and Torgen are bloodied, the dragon attacks Torgen for 19 and 5 ongoing, drawing an AOO from Magnus for 16 hp. Zargosz turns back into a half-orc, moves to blast Physandos with a critical, hitting him with Vine Serpents and restraining him, and killing the shadow demon next to him. Magnus uses suppression crystal, uses appalling crunch on the adamantine dragon and misses. Torgen takes 5 ongoing, slashes at Magnus and crits for 38 hp and ongoing 10, and Physandos laughs out of Torgen's mouth, he is still dominated but no longer taking ongoing damage. Shadows move in and slash at Zargosz, and he takes 27 hp of damage, bloodying him. Physandos takes damage from vines, attacks Zargosz for 12 hp and dominates him, then fires again for 17 hp, knocking him down. Then he spends an action point and fires two rays at Xiu, critically hitting and hitting again for 26 hp, dominating her. Alain stands, uses restorative infusion on himself, fires predatory shards at the dragon and creates zone of force.
Xiu, dominated, moves in to provoke an attack from the dragon, which provokes an attack from Magnus, who takes radiant damage from Torgen's mark. The wing buffet does 26 hp and knocks her down. She remains dominated. The dragon's echo does 15 to everyone but Zargosz, he takes 5 force damage, then uses roar of thunder again, knocking Torgen out and knocking Alain down. Zargosz makes his death save, but is still dominated. Magnus attacks the dragon. Torgen fails his death save. Shadows swarm on Alain, one hits him, he has 2 hp left. Physandos moves toward the front of the cave, blasts Alain and knocks him out, also dominating him, then blasts Xiu for 15 hp. Alain fails his death save, but makes save vs. being dominated.
Xiu stands, and is no longer dominated. The dragon's breath rebounds and does 15, knocking Alain into unconsciousness, then he breathes again with non-lethal intensity. Zargosz fails a death save, is still dominated. Magnus stands, uses defensive resurgence and misses his attack. Torgen succeeds on his death save. Shadows converge on Xiu for 18 hp, knocking her down to 3 hp. Physandos fires at Xiu and hits for 18 hp and dominates her.
Xiu fails a death save, is still dominated. The dragon's breath rebounds and does 15, knocking Torgen into unconsciousness, then he blasts Xiu and Magnus, knocking her unconscious. Zargosz makes a death save, is still dominated. Magnus takes Alain's Deep Pocket Cloak and flees, after Physandos taunts him.
Quote:
"Bad rock! Bad rock! Go back to Hell!"
Zargosz transforms back into a half-orc, calls down lightning on invisible Torrian hunter, leaving him in a zone of thunder. Xiu moves next to Torgen, crits the invisible Torrian for 50 hp, bloodying him. Torrian strikes at Magnus and misses, the others are both out of the river and no longer dazed. Alain fires across the river with crossbow at the Torrian fighting Magnus for 17 hp, giving magic weapon to Xiu and Zargosz. Magnus swings his axe two-handed at the Torrian and misses. Torgen uses holy strike on invisible Torrian for 18 hp, making him visible to everyone.
Zargosz knocks the no longer invisible Torrian out with his club. Xiu moves and uses acrobatic strike on the Torrian guard or 23 hp, bloodying him. Torrian attacks Magnus for 17 hp, other Torrian hunter throws two javelins at Xiu, one of which hits her for 24 hp. Other Torrian uses rending claw on Xiu for 18 hp, and -2 to defenses. Alain fires positive energy infusion at bloodied Torrian. Magnus uses inexorable advance on his Torrian and bloodies him. Torgen marks the bloodied Torrian.
Zargosz checks to make sure the Torrian he downed is alive, then moves closer to the bloodied Torrian. Xiu stabs the bloodied Torrian, drawing on Alain's positive energy and doing 23 hp to him. Torrian next to Magnus tries to jump across the river, drawing an AOO from Magnus that stops him and does 21 hp to him, then he moves again and jumps behind the nearby rock. Other Torrian hunter throws javelin at Xiu and misses. Bloodied Torrian hits Torgen for 18 hp. Alain moves in, fires his crossbow and crits the bloodied Torrian, knocking him out and giving magic weapon to Torgen and Xiu. Magnus pulls out his shield, emphasizing that he does not need it for defense, and uses tide of iron on the Torrian for 14 hp. Torgen charges with ardent strike at Torrian hunter and crits him with jagged axe, doing 32 hp and 10 ongoing.
Zargosz uses tremor on Torrian hunter and hits for 20 hp, bloodying him and knocking him prone. Xiu moves over and knocks him out with a tornado strike. Remaining Torrian shifts back, drawing an attack from Magnus that knocks him out.
Alain and Magnus use their ropes to tie them up, during which we find treasure and a Helm of Able Defense, which Magnus claims, gives his Circlet of Second Chances to Alain. We take a brief rest.
On the other side of the river, there is a clearing and a small settlement made up of wood frame buildiing and thatched huts, full of Torrians going about their work in complete silence. One Torrian notices us and the entire town turns to look at us. A large Torrian with dark gray fur approaches us timidly and introduces himself as Gruthow, but does not appear to be frightened of us. We introduce ourselves in the most friendly way possible. They all seem to be following the lead of this Torrian, and Alain thinks that at the moment we're talking to Gruthow, but that Physandos is still subtly there. Zargosz mentions Thoror, and Gruthow smiles and says in a higher, more shrill voice, "Oh, champions, eh? They'll let anyone wear those cloaks these days, won't they?" We've met Physandos.
A female Torrian says "I'm over here!" and jumps from Torrian to Torrian to talk to us. Zargosz detects that he is a demon or a demon's servant, Torgen realizes that he won't let them go easily. Xiu tries to bluff him that we have Thoror's items, and intend to return them to him. Alain realizes he could use the positive energy of healing arts to confound Physandos, and uses a healing power on Gruthow. Zargosz applies a healing poultice that further confounds him, and a wave of dark energy emerges from Gruthow. Magnus begins inscribing wards and builds a magic circle against elementals, boosted by Zargosz, Torgen and Alain's arcane and religious skills. Magnus pushes Gruthow into the circle, and Physandos threatens us and vanishes as a cloud of darkness.
Gruthow comes out of his trance and they all look around in different directions. "Physandos goes to wake Urthix." We begin chasing Physandos up to the cave, and find a cave that looks like a dark maw.
Xiu moves up to the cave entrance and throws a sunrod into the cave, she sees a spot of shadow on the back wall that seems to be getting away from the light. There is a stench that gets more powerful the closer we get, there is a pile of bones just inside the cave entrance. We hear the sound of a very large foot hitting the ground, and a deep growl. Zargosz climbs up onto the bluff and sees a little further into the cave, but still doesn't see any monsters, although he does see a much larger pile of bones in the back of the cave, and uses his mage hand to pick up the sunrod and move it deeper into the cave. Magnus climbs up onto the blufff to join Zargosz. Torgen moves to the bluff climbs up. More shadows emerge from the cave and launch psychic attacks against Zargosz, and one of them pulls him in and explodes, damaging him and destroying itself. Torgen spots a Rakshasa in the back of the cave, who summons another shadow and then fires a ray of force at Torgen. Alain misses a minion with his crossbow, moves up and uses resistive formula on Xiu, who extends it to Magnus.
Xiu throws shuriken at one of the shadows and destroys it, and adapts her sidestep stance. A dragon emerges from behind the pillar and unleashes his thundering breath, hitting Zargosz with a crit for 32 hp and knocking him prone. Zargosz transforms into a swarm of flying scorpions and shifts next to the dragon, attacking him with floating death for 13 hp and shifting past him and stinging a shadow minion out of existence. Magnus drinks his elixir of will and moves to come and get it on two shadows and the dragon, destroying both shadows. Torgen is compelled to move forward next to Magnus and the dragon. Shadow sudden strikes and misses Zargosz, other shadows move in toward him and attack as well, nearly killing him. The Rakshasa fires his ray of manipulation at Zargosz, missing him twice. Alain climbs up, gives regeneration infusion and curative admixture to Zargosz. Magnus, using his newfound arcane knowledge, realizes that the dragon is controlled by the Rakshasa.
Xiu moves through the gap created by Magnus, drawing an AOO from Shadow, and moves over to attack the Rakshasa using an action point to use Bloodbath for 40 hp, giving him 14 ongoing damage as well. Adamantine dragon's thunder echo resounds for 15 hp on Torgen, Magnus and Alain, and then he activates his fear aura, stunning Alain until the end of his next turn, then he releases a thundering roar on Magnus, Alain and Torgen for 16 hp, knocking Alain prone. Zargosz absorbs the regeneration and heals, then sends forth a plague of locusts at shadow demons, creating a zone of locusts but not damaging them. He spends an action point to take his second wind. Magnus attacks the dragon with lasting threat, uses his pinning axe to pin it in place. Torgen swings his axe and misses Magnus, but is still dominated. Shadows sweep past Zargosz, attacking him on the way and moving in on Xiu, who is threatening the Rakshasa. Physandos takes ongoing damage, shifts back and uses deceptive attack on Xiu, damaging and dominating her, then summons another shadow. Alain is stunned.
Xiu charges Zargosz for 13 hp, is no longer dominated. Thunder returns and does 15 to Torgen, Alain and Magnus, then the dragon breathes again. Alain and Torgen are bloodied, the dragon attacks Torgen for 19 and 5 ongoing, drawing an AOO from Magnus for 16 hp. Zargosz turns back into a half-orc, moves to blast Physandos with a critical, hitting him with Vine Serpents and restraining him, and killing the shadow demon next to him. Magnus uses suppression crystal, uses appalling crunch on the adamantine dragon and misses. Torgen takes 5 ongoing, slashes at Magnus and crits for 38 hp and ongoing 10, and Physandos laughs out of Torgen's mouth, he is still dominated but no longer taking ongoing damage. Shadows move in and slash at Zargosz, and he takes 27 hp of damage, bloodying him. Physandos takes damage from vines, attacks Zargosz for 12 hp and dominates him, then fires again for 17 hp, knocking him down. Then he spends an action point and fires two rays at Xiu, critically hitting and hitting again for 26 hp, dominating her. Alain stands, uses restorative infusion on himself, fires predatory shards at the dragon and creates zone of force.
Xiu, dominated, moves in to provoke an attack from the dragon, which provokes an attack from Magnus, who takes radiant damage from Torgen's mark. The wing buffet does 26 hp and knocks her down. She remains dominated. The dragon's echo does 15 to everyone but Zargosz, he takes 5 force damage, then uses roar of thunder again, knocking Torgen out and knocking Alain down. Zargosz makes his death save, but is still dominated. Magnus attacks the dragon. Torgen fails his death save. Shadows swarm on Alain, one hits him, he has 2 hp left. Physandos moves toward the front of the cave, blasts Alain and knocks him out, also dominating him, then blasts Xiu for 15 hp. Alain fails his death save, but makes save vs. being dominated.
Xiu stands, and is no longer dominated. The dragon's breath rebounds and does 15, knocking Alain into unconsciousness, then he breathes again with non-lethal intensity. Zargosz fails a death save, is still dominated. Magnus stands, uses defensive resurgence and misses his attack. Torgen succeeds on his death save. Shadows converge on Xiu for 18 hp, knocking her down to 3 hp. Physandos fires at Xiu and hits for 18 hp and dominates her.
Xiu fails a death save, is still dominated. The dragon's breath rebounds and does 15, knocking Torgen into unconsciousness, then he blasts Xiu and Magnus, knocking her unconscious. Zargosz makes a death save, is still dominated. Magnus takes Alain's Deep Pocket Cloak and flees, after Physandos taunts him.
Quote:
"Bad rock! Bad rock! Go back to Hell!"
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