Game play began with the party beginning their journey to Barovia. On foot, this required them to pass through a sparse, unpopulated wedge of Silar. En route to Barovia, Scaramouch returned. He delivered the report of Fifty Gnome agent Rashoman on code Burrowmaster, revealing Gruth’s spy to be Terick, who had been unwittingly enchanted. The enchantment was dispelled, and no further disciplinary action against Terick was taken. In addition, Scaramouch reported that in accordance with Floyd’s request, the publication of Guy’s autobiography had been expedited, and was now being sent out for duplication.
In addition, Scaramouch delivers a visual image spell, recorded by a spell casting Fifty-Gnome agent:
In what appears to be a room at an inn somewhere, Visgoth is talking to Harves Raeth. As viewed through the keyhole, Visgoth tells Raeth that the Order of the Abbey destroyed his previous lieutenant, and he means to make Raeth his new one. Raeth expresses reluctance at the thought of this idea, indicating that the party has beaten him before. Visgoth assures him that his new powers will make up for the insufficiency, and shows Raeth the Imperial Scepter, revealing that he also has Malus in his thrall. Visgoth then performs the ghastly ritual on him that transforms Harves Raeth into a vampire. Visgoth then teleports from the room (Virgil recognizes the spell), and the Fifty-Gnome agent attempts to get away, but he is caught and killed by the newly vampiric Raeth.
As the boys are left to contemplate the implications of what they have just seen, they begin their journey into Barovia.
Journeying into Barovia, they discovered a vast amount of farmland, and eventually happened upon a Half-Orc named Heinrich who engaged Axe in a friendly manner. Through this, the party was invited to the Village De Feo, a small commune of Half-Orcs that had been rescued and cared for by a devout Halfling woman named DeFeo, now deceased. The party was invited to dine with the commune. Over dinner with Heinrich, the party learns more about Barovia. There are not many towns in the nation. Its capital, Breckendorf, is the largest. In addition, there are towns known as Eagles’ Peak and Ostrogoth, and settlements such as Oslov’s Bones and Gwyneth Crag. There are also two church abbeys, following the teachings of St. Isadora and St. Zachariah.
Due to recent Orc raids in Barovia, trade has been cut off to DeFeo by Eagle’s Peak, who supplied the settlement with meat. The party agrees to help negotiate a new deal for the Half-Orcs and the people of Eagle’s Peak, and to do their best to discourage the Orc raids (Heinrich informs them that the Orc king is known as Thaddanus).
That evening, Virgil tries unsuccessfully to woo a Half-Orc woman. After spending the night, the party wakes up to find the Half-Orcs practicing combat maneuvers outside. Although they are a peaceful people the Half-Orcs practice these maneuvers out of self-defense and as a means of physical fitness training. Impressed, Guy asks Heinrich if he would be willing to train the Freelands army, to which Heinrich replies that it would be best left to Guy or someone else to conduct this training. However, Heinrich is willing to share his knowledge, and a plan is devised to send a military representative here for training to pass on to the army.
Afterwards, Guy, Virgil, Axe, and Brix venture out far from the village to test the Apocalypse sword again, now that it is filled with the blood of the boys. Guy draws the sword, summoning a vastly intimidating storm cloud with lightning, stirring up winds and darkening the world surrounding. After some time spent contemplating this magic, Virgil determines the effect of the Apocalypse Sword:
The Apocalypse Sword creates a 5-foot circle of safety around the wielder. Outside of the circle, for 60 feet surrounding, all living objects take 2D6 points of Constitution Damage – no save, and suffer from a constant (every round) Call Lightning Spell. This circle expands 60 feet per round for as long as the sword is drawn, presumably until it engulfs the earth. As a weapon, the sword is a Maximized +5 Vorpal Brilliant Energy Longsword of Greater Dragonbane. The Sword is sentient, and desires to be disarmed, granting a -8 penalty to the wielder to defend against disarmament.
Armed with this mind-blowingly frightening knowledge, the party once again hides the sword from view, and heads off to the mountains to deal with the orcs.
On the first day in the mountain pass, they encounter a ravine that appears to be an open canyon into a river of molten lava. They camp for the night, and it passes uneventfully.
On the second day, they find an ancient shrine to the Dagda. It seems to have a very old version of a calendar on it, marking such events as the day of the High Feast and each new moon. Scrawled over these letters in old celestial script is the phrase, “Beware the Bellmaker.” Floyd recalls that the Bellmaker is a figure of legend that appears in, but never has a prominent role in many ancient legends and tales. He is an artificer, a creator of magical bells.
The party travels a bit farther, and camps for the night. On Guy’s watch, he notices a familiar low-lying fog creeping in, and immediately awakens the party, informing them that the Wild Hunt has returned. In what is perceived to be in acquiescence to the Hunt’s wishes, the party attempts to flee in terror, deciding to head for the Dagda shrine in the hopes that the Hunt will be unable to enter.
The party manages to get close to the shrine when they are attacked by one of the Hunt’s dogs. Although Guy is able to destroy it, they notice that it requires a tremendous amount of effort to subdue even one dog, and there are many of them and to Floyd and Scaramouch’s dismay, they can fly. Finally, the party fights their way back to the shrine, where the dogs dare not enter. The Hunt Lord, on the other hand, seems to have no such hang-ups about the shrine, and enters to combat the party.
Floyd engages the Hunt Lord in a two hour discussion, trying to convince him to call off the Hunt, but his negotiating tactics eventually come up short against the Hunt Lord’s zeal. He moves to combat the boys, but Virgil manages to dispatch the Hunt Lord with a Dismissal spell. The Hunt Lord is forced to return to his native plane (the dogs follow) for the time being, but from his conversation with Floyd, it is clear that he intends on returning until he finishes the job. The party manages to sleep that night, albeit fitfully.
The remainder of their journey is uneventful until they happen upon the village of Oslov’s Bones, so named because the original city wall was comprised of the skeleton of a Titan. There, they see a parading band of fifty orcs. A couple of well placed Fireballs later, the orcs are dead, and the party proceeds to the Bones.
The original Oslov’s Bones lies in ruins, with a prominent collapsed Bell Tower in the center. On the other side of bones, however, is a new village that has cropped up. The party opens the map with the guide to Visgoth’s soul pieces to obtain the piece in Oslov’s Bones, but are shocked to discover that the piece has since been claimed since the party last looked at the map. The boys decide to head for the new village to investigate.
In the town’s tavern, the party sits down for a drink. Shortly after, a hard-looking fellow comes down the stairs, notices the party, and tries to head back up. However, Floyd snares him with his bardic music, fascinating him, and suggesting that he come down and talk to the party, which he does.
The man identifies himself as Number Four, a member of the Fist of Set, one of the other parties on the hunt for pieces of Visgoth’s soul (this was the group that nearly destroyed Harves Raeth). He reveals that he is one of a five-member team, the leader of which is called The Thumb, and the others are One, Two, Three, and Four (not necessarily in order of importance). Four reveals that the Fist of Set did not get the last soul piece in Barovia, but they know that the Council of Shadows (Jarrod’s organization) did. The Council of Shadows is planning to auction the piece off to the highest bidder, and it is known that in addition to the Fist of Set, Harves Raeth and the Half-Orc group will be there to bid on it.
Having exhausted their questions, Floyd puts a bag on Four’s head, but this has the unintended effect of breaking off the fascination. Four begins to thrash, and the party makes a run for it.
They return to the ruins and to the Bell Tower specifically. Guy is interested in exploring further, so the party ventures down the bell tower steps, discovering a cavern full of fire and lava (it’s very hot down here).They cross a large bridge (over which they see a creature swimming in the lava – something large and serpentine), and come to a set of huge double doors, where they hear hammering within. Venturing inside, they happen upon a fire giant who identifies himself as The Apprentice (the last follower of The Smith). The Apprentice is aware of the party as the legion who brought down Strom, but his allegiance was not to Strom, and he harbors no ill will towards the party. The Apprentice spends his time forging weapons and armor, and the party asks if he will make Axe a suit of armor, which he agrees to do if the party will release the Bellmaker, who is currently being held in captivity in Breckendorf by – guess who – Mitchell.
Brix asks The Apprentice if he has ever heard of Graxx, and The Apprentice warns Brix that he should be careful who he says that name to. Confused, The Apprentice tells him to visit the Baldun Tomb north of Gwyneth Crag for more answers. The Apprentice also tells the party that the creature swimming in the lava is a Hellfire Wyrm, an insidious creature whose stomach is a pipeline to Hell. The boys pledge to return, having freed the Bellmaker, in exchange for a suit of armor for Axe.
The party exits Oslov’s Bones and heads north to Gwyneth Crag. At the cemetery of the Crag, they find many burial plots, but there is only one mausoleum, dedicated to Brix’s family. As they had heard, the tomb is the site of an old-fashioned grave robbing. The body of Hargrove, who has been dead four-hundred years, is missing from its spot.
The party heads into town and chats up the local barman, who directs them to a sage outside of town. The gang travels to his house, finding a lanky old man (still very spry) in a room full of maps. The man, who calls himself Charles (Fox), demands money for the information he has, and after being paid, directs Brixmore to find his answers about Graxx and his family by traveling a couple of days northeast to Darkenhold.
With a whole slew of new action items on their plate, the party departs Fox’s house and heads towards Darkenhold to discover more about Brix’s family.
End of Session
The party is awarded 1,000 XP for the session.
Tuesday, October 13, 2009
Monday, October 5, 2009
October 4 Game Notes
Gameplay picked up where we left off at the end of last Sunday, with the party having defeated a group of Chaka baddies in a room with a ziggurat. After defeating everyone, the final Chaka escaped down a fire pole into the ziggurat, and the party followed. Down below, they discovered more goons, and busted them up roundly, collecting some Falchions for the Freelandian army.
Next, the party ventured further into the Chaka chambers, where they encountered a creature called a Roper, which took out Floyd handily (fear not, gentle readers! He was merely incapacitated), and took a mighty effort by everyone to kill. After some restorations were doled out, the party tried to get their hands on a chest, only to discover it was filled with sand and rags.
Moving further in, the adventurers found a room with Griks, and a chamber filled with snakes. Guy and Axe handles the Grixes, while Virgil burned most of the snakes, and Brix roundly smashes the others. A Medusa popped out of the chamber, but Floyd clicked his heels and ended up right next to her, and a couple of well-placed stabs made short work of her. Everyone took some Medusa blood for later magical enchantment, and Floyd kept the head.
Past the snake chamber, there was a room with several stone statues. After fighting through that room, another chest was discovered, this time with some really good stuff in it. However, Floyd, Guy, and Axe were turned to stone by an invisible Medusa causing trouble. Brix and Virgil dispatched her, but they had to rest eight hours so Brix could memorize spells and return the other party members to normal. While Brix rested, Virgil fought another group of Chaka. In addition, Brix and Vigil took out another Roper.
Descending to the bottom level, the party discovered an apothecary, but Floyd detected a cacophony of traps set on the door. Deciding to bypass it, the group made their way in to the final hall, where they fought the boss lady snake and her six Yuan-ti sorcerers. A tough, fiercely fought battle resulted in a win for the party, and some rewards.
After resting, the party made its way back to the apothecary, where Virgil managed to dispel the most heinous traps, and the party looted the room. Then, Virgil became an eagle and flew to tell the people of Nobis that they had been saved, and the rest of the party joined soon after. A big party was thrown in the group’s honor, and Guy obtained the next piece of Visgoth’s soul – a chalice. However, he did not fuse it with the rest of the soul, and gave it to Virgil for safekeeping. The Nobians offered the party a house in town, which Guy and Virgil accept on behalf of The Freelands for the formation of an embassy.
After staying in Nobis a few more days to scribe scrolls, learn spells, rest, etc., the party makes plans to head for Barovia.
End of Session.
Treaure List
PLEASE NOTE
When treasure is assigned, the recipient is in parentheses.
Floyd carries all party items and money in his belt, which has unlimited carrying capacity for coins, and in his backpack, which has additional magical carrying capacity.
WEAPONS / ITEMS
+2 Dagger (Axe)
+2 Short Bow (Axe)
Head Band – grants +2 Listen, +4 Spot, +1 Intelligence (Virgil)
Earring – Allows wearer to listen through walls w/out penalty (Floyd)
3 Scrolls – Dimensional Lock, Eyebite, Mass Hold Person (Virgil)
+4 AC Robes (Floyd)
+2 AC Robes, put into the party kitty after Floyd exchanges for the +4 ones
Necklace of Charisma +2 (Axe)
APOTHECARY ROOM
6 vials of different colors – Red, Blue, Yellow, Orange, Green, & Purple
6 Cure Moderate Potions
3 Cure Serious Potions
2 Bear’s Endurance Potions
1 Cat’s Grace Potion
2 Invisibility Oils
1 True Strike Oil
Several pints of Naptha (a fire oil)
Several Pints of Lantern Oil
Ingredients for Spell Components (Brix & Virgil)
Portable Alchemist’s Lab
BARON HUMPRHEY’S CASTLE
Gold-gilded Goblet – piece of Visgoth’s soul (Virgil)
MONEY
10,000 gp from Medusa Room chest
3,500 pp from final hall
FREELANDS ARMY EQUIPMENT
Several Falchions
6 Scimitars
Next, the party ventured further into the Chaka chambers, where they encountered a creature called a Roper, which took out Floyd handily (fear not, gentle readers! He was merely incapacitated), and took a mighty effort by everyone to kill. After some restorations were doled out, the party tried to get their hands on a chest, only to discover it was filled with sand and rags.
Moving further in, the adventurers found a room with Griks, and a chamber filled with snakes. Guy and Axe handles the Grixes, while Virgil burned most of the snakes, and Brix roundly smashes the others. A Medusa popped out of the chamber, but Floyd clicked his heels and ended up right next to her, and a couple of well-placed stabs made short work of her. Everyone took some Medusa blood for later magical enchantment, and Floyd kept the head.
Past the snake chamber, there was a room with several stone statues. After fighting through that room, another chest was discovered, this time with some really good stuff in it. However, Floyd, Guy, and Axe were turned to stone by an invisible Medusa causing trouble. Brix and Virgil dispatched her, but they had to rest eight hours so Brix could memorize spells and return the other party members to normal. While Brix rested, Virgil fought another group of Chaka. In addition, Brix and Vigil took out another Roper.
Descending to the bottom level, the party discovered an apothecary, but Floyd detected a cacophony of traps set on the door. Deciding to bypass it, the group made their way in to the final hall, where they fought the boss lady snake and her six Yuan-ti sorcerers. A tough, fiercely fought battle resulted in a win for the party, and some rewards.
After resting, the party made its way back to the apothecary, where Virgil managed to dispel the most heinous traps, and the party looted the room. Then, Virgil became an eagle and flew to tell the people of Nobis that they had been saved, and the rest of the party joined soon after. A big party was thrown in the group’s honor, and Guy obtained the next piece of Visgoth’s soul – a chalice. However, he did not fuse it with the rest of the soul, and gave it to Virgil for safekeeping. The Nobians offered the party a house in town, which Guy and Virgil accept on behalf of The Freelands for the formation of an embassy.
After staying in Nobis a few more days to scribe scrolls, learn spells, rest, etc., the party makes plans to head for Barovia.
End of Session.
Treaure List
PLEASE NOTE
When treasure is assigned, the recipient is in parentheses.
Floyd carries all party items and money in his belt, which has unlimited carrying capacity for coins, and in his backpack, which has additional magical carrying capacity.
WEAPONS / ITEMS
+2 Dagger (Axe)
+2 Short Bow (Axe)
Head Band – grants +2 Listen, +4 Spot, +1 Intelligence (Virgil)
Earring – Allows wearer to listen through walls w/out penalty (Floyd)
3 Scrolls – Dimensional Lock, Eyebite, Mass Hold Person (Virgil)
+4 AC Robes (Floyd)
+2 AC Robes, put into the party kitty after Floyd exchanges for the +4 ones
Necklace of Charisma +2 (Axe)
APOTHECARY ROOM
6 vials of different colors – Red, Blue, Yellow, Orange, Green, & Purple
6 Cure Moderate Potions
3 Cure Serious Potions
2 Bear’s Endurance Potions
1 Cat’s Grace Potion
2 Invisibility Oils
1 True Strike Oil
Several pints of Naptha (a fire oil)
Several Pints of Lantern Oil
Ingredients for Spell Components (Brix & Virgil)
Portable Alchemist’s Lab
BARON HUMPRHEY’S CASTLE
Gold-gilded Goblet – piece of Visgoth’s soul (Virgil)
MONEY
10,000 gp from Medusa Room chest
3,500 pp from final hall
FREELANDS ARMY EQUIPMENT
Several Falchions
6 Scimitars
Friday, October 2, 2009
NPC Profile: Nikolai
Cardinal Nikolai was the alias of Argoth, Lord of Hell, during his time in Western Aggravail in which he attempted to sieze power in the Universal Church and use a generation of Year of the Ram children to fulfill several apocalyptic prophecies. As Nikolai, he was the Cardinal of Arimathea.
Nikolai first entered prominence in the game while the party members were still children living at the Morningstar Abbey. One evening shortly after the party's first adventure, a dwarf traveling north through Arimathea stopped at the abbey to spend the night; over dinner, he told the brothers and the boys the news that the old Cardinal of Arimathea had died, and Nikolai had been named his replacement. This news upset Abbott Teris very much, not only because of his good relationship with the old Cardinal, but also because of Teris' distrust of Nikolai. It is not clear exactly how much Teris knew or suspected of Nikolai, but he never directly implicated him as Argoth or any other kind of infernal outsider.
Shortly after this news, Nikolai sent Faust and Barris to the abbey to end Teris' tenure as Abbott. They succeeded, but did not manage to capture the six boys from the Year of the Ram, as it is suspected Nikolai may have instructed them to do.
After the party finished their apprenticeships and training, they began adventuring in the Twilight Lands, and largely lost track of Nikolai and his activities. In the course of an early adventure, Guy encountered a Ravvid who made Guy promise to one day destroy Cardinal Nikolai's ring, although it was unclear why.
The party did not encounter Nikolai again (except through a run-in with Faust), until a good while later, when they were taken prisoner in Arimathea and placed in the dungeon of the Cathedral of Arimathea. There, they met Nikolai for the first time. Nikolai demanded that the boys pledge their services to him. When they refused, Nikolai stormed out, claiming to already have a Year of the Ram child under his control. In addition, during this capture, Nikolai obtained the Imperial Scepter from the party, which gave him control over Malus.
Upon their escape from the Cathedral, the party, Art, and Ethan happened upon Nikolai's chambers, where they found a large summoning circle that required a considerable amount of evil to create. The boys destroyed the summoning circle, and promptly left the Cathedral.
Later, while traveling in the Bodian Protectorates, they foiled a plot by Nikolai to assasinate Cardinal Aloe, one of Nikolai's political enemies. The party dispatched Barris, who had been sent to carry out the job, and obtained a ring that allowed them to communicate with Nikolai.
When the party founded The Freelands, Nikolai attended the summit of nations along with Luth, King of Arimathea, Lord of the West, Doogal's twin brother, and a member of the Year of the Ram lineage. Nikolai's intent on attending these meetings was to coerce the party into signing the Church Treaty, which The Freelands decided not to do.
Shortly thereafter, Nikolai traveled to Larst, where he began a campaign to have the Universal Church's College of Cardinals choose a pontifical leader. The party traveled to Larst to attempt to influence these discussions as they were certain that Nikolai intended to win the election. The party uncovered a massive conspiracy of bribery and mercenary-dom, paid in gold coins that Brixmore determined to have been forged in Hell from the souls of the damned. This raised considerable alarm among the party, and Brixmore developed an elaborate and dramatic plan to reveal the bribes' infernal influence and to destroy the money.
The party attended several debates and conferences on the matter of elections, even going so far as to back their own candidate. When the election came down to two parties, the party summoned a massive representation of Western Aggravail's power into attendance, including King Gorom of Tutia, several Seekers, members of the Fellowship of the Golden Eagle, Illrean Rangers, Fifty Gnomes, and other governmental and heroic agencies. Under enormous pressure from the College of Cardinals and other agencies to account for accusations brought before him, Nikolai took the podium of the debate hall in the Basilica and revealed himself as Argoth, Lord of Hell.
This revelation ignited the Battle for the Basilica, an enormous skirmish that resulted in the deaths of several innocents, Churchmen, and heroes. After destroying an artifact found by Herbert (the 2nd Gnome of the Fifty Gnomes) in the catacombs of the Basilica that kept Argoth impervious from harm, confronting and defeating (but not killing) Malus, and wading through an army of infernal creatures, the party confronted and destroyed the material prescence of Nikolai / Argoth, forcing him back to Hell.
Nikolai's revelation and death spurred massive reform of the Universal Church, creating a widespread distrust of the Church hierarchy that will take a long time to rebuild.
Nikolai first entered prominence in the game while the party members were still children living at the Morningstar Abbey. One evening shortly after the party's first adventure, a dwarf traveling north through Arimathea stopped at the abbey to spend the night; over dinner, he told the brothers and the boys the news that the old Cardinal of Arimathea had died, and Nikolai had been named his replacement. This news upset Abbott Teris very much, not only because of his good relationship with the old Cardinal, but also because of Teris' distrust of Nikolai. It is not clear exactly how much Teris knew or suspected of Nikolai, but he never directly implicated him as Argoth or any other kind of infernal outsider.
Shortly after this news, Nikolai sent Faust and Barris to the abbey to end Teris' tenure as Abbott. They succeeded, but did not manage to capture the six boys from the Year of the Ram, as it is suspected Nikolai may have instructed them to do.
After the party finished their apprenticeships and training, they began adventuring in the Twilight Lands, and largely lost track of Nikolai and his activities. In the course of an early adventure, Guy encountered a Ravvid who made Guy promise to one day destroy Cardinal Nikolai's ring, although it was unclear why.
The party did not encounter Nikolai again (except through a run-in with Faust), until a good while later, when they were taken prisoner in Arimathea and placed in the dungeon of the Cathedral of Arimathea. There, they met Nikolai for the first time. Nikolai demanded that the boys pledge their services to him. When they refused, Nikolai stormed out, claiming to already have a Year of the Ram child under his control. In addition, during this capture, Nikolai obtained the Imperial Scepter from the party, which gave him control over Malus.
Upon their escape from the Cathedral, the party, Art, and Ethan happened upon Nikolai's chambers, where they found a large summoning circle that required a considerable amount of evil to create. The boys destroyed the summoning circle, and promptly left the Cathedral.
Later, while traveling in the Bodian Protectorates, they foiled a plot by Nikolai to assasinate Cardinal Aloe, one of Nikolai's political enemies. The party dispatched Barris, who had been sent to carry out the job, and obtained a ring that allowed them to communicate with Nikolai.
When the party founded The Freelands, Nikolai attended the summit of nations along with Luth, King of Arimathea, Lord of the West, Doogal's twin brother, and a member of the Year of the Ram lineage. Nikolai's intent on attending these meetings was to coerce the party into signing the Church Treaty, which The Freelands decided not to do.
Shortly thereafter, Nikolai traveled to Larst, where he began a campaign to have the Universal Church's College of Cardinals choose a pontifical leader. The party traveled to Larst to attempt to influence these discussions as they were certain that Nikolai intended to win the election. The party uncovered a massive conspiracy of bribery and mercenary-dom, paid in gold coins that Brixmore determined to have been forged in Hell from the souls of the damned. This raised considerable alarm among the party, and Brixmore developed an elaborate and dramatic plan to reveal the bribes' infernal influence and to destroy the money.
The party attended several debates and conferences on the matter of elections, even going so far as to back their own candidate. When the election came down to two parties, the party summoned a massive representation of Western Aggravail's power into attendance, including King Gorom of Tutia, several Seekers, members of the Fellowship of the Golden Eagle, Illrean Rangers, Fifty Gnomes, and other governmental and heroic agencies. Under enormous pressure from the College of Cardinals and other agencies to account for accusations brought before him, Nikolai took the podium of the debate hall in the Basilica and revealed himself as Argoth, Lord of Hell.
This revelation ignited the Battle for the Basilica, an enormous skirmish that resulted in the deaths of several innocents, Churchmen, and heroes. After destroying an artifact found by Herbert (the 2nd Gnome of the Fifty Gnomes) in the catacombs of the Basilica that kept Argoth impervious from harm, confronting and defeating (but not killing) Malus, and wading through an army of infernal creatures, the party confronted and destroyed the material prescence of Nikolai / Argoth, forcing him back to Hell.
Nikolai's revelation and death spurred massive reform of the Universal Church, creating a widespread distrust of the Church hierarchy that will take a long time to rebuild.
Thursday, October 1, 2009
Decisions, Decisions
I've started putting some of our game material up at a website called http://www.obsidianportal.com/.
Obsidian Portal is a site that's designed to host D&D games - in addition to a blog (or adventure log), it gives you a wiki, an NPC tracker, space to put maps, a campaign overview, and all that jazz I've been doing amateurishly over here. It would really be the ideal space to follow the game.
However, I like the ease of the blog. Sure, I can't get that fancy with it, but I don't know that I'll get rid of The Adventures of Floyd Fiftynames simply because most (of the what, eight?) readers of this blog will not want to go to the trouble of creating a profile for Obsidian Portal, and then wade through all the other stuff to get to our game. This blog, on the other hand, you can check, see if there's an update, read, or move on. It's very low-maintainence.
In other news, we're reaching the point where my game-by-game logs started to taper off, so I won't be posting game notes as companions to Floyd's installments for a while. I do have notes for the gaps, but they are large and encompass ten to fifteen sessions at a time, so I won't post them until I've covered everything in puppet show so as not to spoil the plot for anyone who doesn't know what's going on. Granted, some of the NPC profile stuff has already done that, but... shut up.
New notes and Puppet Musical installments soon.
Obsidian Portal is a site that's designed to host D&D games - in addition to a blog (or adventure log), it gives you a wiki, an NPC tracker, space to put maps, a campaign overview, and all that jazz I've been doing amateurishly over here. It would really be the ideal space to follow the game.
However, I like the ease of the blog. Sure, I can't get that fancy with it, but I don't know that I'll get rid of The Adventures of Floyd Fiftynames simply because most (of the what, eight?) readers of this blog will not want to go to the trouble of creating a profile for Obsidian Portal, and then wade through all the other stuff to get to our game. This blog, on the other hand, you can check, see if there's an update, read, or move on. It's very low-maintainence.
In other news, we're reaching the point where my game-by-game logs started to taper off, so I won't be posting game notes as companions to Floyd's installments for a while. I do have notes for the gaps, but they are large and encompass ten to fifteen sessions at a time, so I won't post them until I've covered everything in puppet show so as not to spoil the plot for anyone who doesn't know what's going on. Granted, some of the NPC profile stuff has already done that, but... shut up.
New notes and Puppet Musical installments soon.
Tuesday, September 29, 2009
PC Profile: Floyd Fiftynames
Floyd Fiftynames does not know where he was born. Since he was an infant, he had been raised in The Morningstar Abbey, a non-combatant, religious brotherhood in northern Arimathea, a southwestern country on a continent known as Western Aggravail. Floyd, along with his twin brother Guy, grew up at the Abbey and served as an apprentice to the brothers of the Abbey. Specifically, Floyd was apprenticed to Brother Art, the monastery's quartermaster. Along with his brother Guy, Floyd's friends are the other boys his age who live at the Abbey - the dwarf Brixmore, and humans Virgil, Eric, and Zarin.
When he is sixteen years old, Floyd learns that he and the other boys his age at the Abbey are members of a group known as the Year of the Ram, a select group made unique by the fact that they are born during an annual (recurring every 50 years) wherein births rarely occur. The six boys at the Abbey are half of the only twelve that were born during this year, and the monastery's chief, Abbott Teris, believes that they boys born in this Year of the Ram cycle are bound to fulfill many prophecies about the upcoming fate of the world.
After the shocking news of his origin (compounded by the death of Abbott Teris and the administrative changes made at the Morningstar Abbey), Floyd and his contemporaries are sent off to various adventurers to begin learning necessary skills. Floyd is apprenticed to a minstrel named Titus, who starts Floyd on the path to becoming a bard.
After two years, their training is complete, and four of the boys re-assemble: Floyd, Guy, Virgil, and Brixmore. Eric remains on the periphery doing furhter research into their heritage, and Zarin is heard from very sparingly. Floyd begins adventuring with his brother and their two friends, whereupon they almost immediately fall into some serious business.
Floyd's exploits become known far and wide largely due to Floyd himself, who is a prolific songwriter and talented performer. Floyd tells the tale of the self-christened "Order of the Abbey," through songs, storytelling, and an on-going puppet musical.
Floyd eventually becomes a licensed bard at the now defunct Bardic College of the nation of Illrea, and he is a founding member and author of the bylaws of the League of Bards and Skalds, a branch of an Adventurer's Guild formed after the epic Battle for the Basilica of Larst. In addition, Floyd is a founding member and original Executive Council Member of The Freelands, a democratic nation founded in the former anarchic Twilight Lands. Floyd has since resigned his position on the Council, finding the life of a statesman and politician unsuitable to him, although he has retained his position as the Fiftieth Gnome of the Fifty Gnomes, an intelligence and operatives organization founded in The Freelands by Floyd to be an agency for The Freelands and democracy throughout the continent.
Floyd is a devout agnostic, despite the overt religious symbolism of his birthright. He is a member of the ancient House of Bostwick, one of the original high families of Western Aggravail. Floyd tends toward a life of comfort and ease, and is more often than note driven towards adventure by Guy, Brixmore, and Virgil, who have aggressive personal agendas they wish to promote. However, despite this lack of drive, Floyd is an avid and eager swordsman, and enjoys diving into a good fight (particularly when it seems winnable).
Floyd values friendship very highly. In addition to the inseperable bond he shares with his brother and adventuring companions, he has found many friends and like souls in the Fifty Gnomes' organization, including Ajax, the original First Gnome, who replaced him on The Freelands' Executive Council, and Scaramouche, his young Copper Dragon co-hort. In addition, Floyd is fond of Garam, Abbott Art, Bjorn (formerly Eric), Bricka, Pskenart, and many others. Although he occasionally comes to disagreements with some of his fellow party members (particularly Guy and Virgil), he views them as family, and worth overcoming any disagreements.
Floyd maintains an easygoing relationship with the ladies, preferring no hard and fast commitments. As far as types are concerned, he has a thing for seamstresses and laundresses.
Floyd actively dislikes very few people, and when he does, it's usually because they have done something to deserve it. Floyd was once the victim of identity theft when another Gnome bard named Mitchell played Floyd's songs and claimed them for his own, but Floyd managed to eventually deal with the Mitchell situation without need for bloodshed. In addition, Floyd has no love for followers of the lizardfolk's pagan god Krissk, finding them unreasonably difficult to talk to. He finds Centaurs haughty, religious types hypocritical, and Gruth to be a major d-bag.
Floyd's eventual ambition is to retire as the greates adventurer / entertainer who ever lived. He has designs on the purchase and renovation of The Cracked Flagon, an inn in the unincorporated part of The Freelands, as it was the site of many fond memories. He plans to remain with the Fifty Gnomes organization, and to enjoy good food, fun, and cheer for as many days as he has.
When he is sixteen years old, Floyd learns that he and the other boys his age at the Abbey are members of a group known as the Year of the Ram, a select group made unique by the fact that they are born during an annual (recurring every 50 years) wherein births rarely occur. The six boys at the Abbey are half of the only twelve that were born during this year, and the monastery's chief, Abbott Teris, believes that they boys born in this Year of the Ram cycle are bound to fulfill many prophecies about the upcoming fate of the world.
After the shocking news of his origin (compounded by the death of Abbott Teris and the administrative changes made at the Morningstar Abbey), Floyd and his contemporaries are sent off to various adventurers to begin learning necessary skills. Floyd is apprenticed to a minstrel named Titus, who starts Floyd on the path to becoming a bard.
After two years, their training is complete, and four of the boys re-assemble: Floyd, Guy, Virgil, and Brixmore. Eric remains on the periphery doing furhter research into their heritage, and Zarin is heard from very sparingly. Floyd begins adventuring with his brother and their two friends, whereupon they almost immediately fall into some serious business.
Floyd's exploits become known far and wide largely due to Floyd himself, who is a prolific songwriter and talented performer. Floyd tells the tale of the self-christened "Order of the Abbey," through songs, storytelling, and an on-going puppet musical.
Floyd eventually becomes a licensed bard at the now defunct Bardic College of the nation of Illrea, and he is a founding member and author of the bylaws of the League of Bards and Skalds, a branch of an Adventurer's Guild formed after the epic Battle for the Basilica of Larst. In addition, Floyd is a founding member and original Executive Council Member of The Freelands, a democratic nation founded in the former anarchic Twilight Lands. Floyd has since resigned his position on the Council, finding the life of a statesman and politician unsuitable to him, although he has retained his position as the Fiftieth Gnome of the Fifty Gnomes, an intelligence and operatives organization founded in The Freelands by Floyd to be an agency for The Freelands and democracy throughout the continent.
Floyd is a devout agnostic, despite the overt religious symbolism of his birthright. He is a member of the ancient House of Bostwick, one of the original high families of Western Aggravail. Floyd tends toward a life of comfort and ease, and is more often than note driven towards adventure by Guy, Brixmore, and Virgil, who have aggressive personal agendas they wish to promote. However, despite this lack of drive, Floyd is an avid and eager swordsman, and enjoys diving into a good fight (particularly when it seems winnable).
Floyd values friendship very highly. In addition to the inseperable bond he shares with his brother and adventuring companions, he has found many friends and like souls in the Fifty Gnomes' organization, including Ajax, the original First Gnome, who replaced him on The Freelands' Executive Council, and Scaramouche, his young Copper Dragon co-hort. In addition, Floyd is fond of Garam, Abbott Art, Bjorn (formerly Eric), Bricka, Pskenart, and many others. Although he occasionally comes to disagreements with some of his fellow party members (particularly Guy and Virgil), he views them as family, and worth overcoming any disagreements.
Floyd maintains an easygoing relationship with the ladies, preferring no hard and fast commitments. As far as types are concerned, he has a thing for seamstresses and laundresses.
Floyd actively dislikes very few people, and when he does, it's usually because they have done something to deserve it. Floyd was once the victim of identity theft when another Gnome bard named Mitchell played Floyd's songs and claimed them for his own, but Floyd managed to eventually deal with the Mitchell situation without need for bloodshed. In addition, Floyd has no love for followers of the lizardfolk's pagan god Krissk, finding them unreasonably difficult to talk to. He finds Centaurs haughty, religious types hypocritical, and Gruth to be a major d-bag.
Floyd's eventual ambition is to retire as the greates adventurer / entertainer who ever lived. He has designs on the purchase and renovation of The Cracked Flagon, an inn in the unincorporated part of The Freelands, as it was the site of many fond memories. He plans to remain with the Fifty Gnomes organization, and to enjoy good food, fun, and cheer for as many days as he has.
Monday, September 28, 2009
September 2009 Session Notes
What follows are the notes from our September 2009 sessions. Again, these monthly notes are out of sequence, and reflect what has been happening most recently with the game.
Sessions:
September 20
September 27
September 20 Notes:
After completing their business at the carnival, the party headed south to the Abbey to pick up Guy, then east to Guy’s Port. On the way to Guy’s Port, they passed Malus’ farm, noting that the area had not been tended in quite some time, and the corn crop had begun to grow wild. At the edge of the field, they found a spot where a box had been unearthed. Discussing the matter with a gopher did Guy no good, but the party did find an open wooden box not far from the dig site. The box did not appear to be shaped for holding a body, and the current hypothesis is that it held a weapon of some sort.
Floyd sends Scaramouche with a letter to Rashoman, the FiftyGnome at work on operation Burrowmaster, to see what developments have been made in the case. He instructs Scaramouche to find him in Nemia.
The gang proceeded to Guy’s Port, where they booked passage on a ship bound for Barradon, a coastal town in the country of Nemia. Virgil expressed a desire sew some oats with the captain of the ship, a woman named Amies, and Floyd aided Virgil’s effort to the best of his ability. The results were disappointing.
The trip itself was fairly uneventful until the end, when it became apparent that a hurricane was approaching. Thanks to Floyd’s inspirational singing and speaking and Brix’s spellcasting, the ship made it into port just ahead of the storm. Floyd was exhausted, but Guy removed his exhaustion so that they could run up the steps to the town, and seek refuge in a Barradonian tavern called (name?). Mere moments before the storm hit, Dr. Ethan joined them at the tavern.
While riding out the storm, Ethan revealed to the party that the reason he had asked them to come to Nemia was because he had located his daughter Ashlynn (Visgoth’s chief lieutenant) living in this town. Determined to destroy her, he enlists the party’s help. The boys are to attack Ashlynn at her residence in town, and defeat her, forcing her to retreat to the location of her coffin, where Ethan will deliver the final blows.
After the storm, Ethan shows the boys the cave where Ashlynn’s coffin is located, and the house where she conducts business. Sensing that there may be some trouble leaving Ethan to destroy his only daughter, Virgil casts a word of recall on the cave so that he can quickly arrive and assist Ethan and ensure that nothing goes awry with the plan.
At the residence, the party waits for the appropriate moment, then storms the house, easily dispatching the low-level guards inside. Ashlynn herself proves to be much more difficult, as she placed numerous traps in the house to deter intruders, and enlisted a pair of dopplegangers which explode when destroyed. Finally, after the dopplegangers and Ashlynn are defeated, she turns into mist and retreats to her coffin. Virgil attempts to use his word of recall, but finds it has been dispelled, likely by Ethan.
The party runs towards the cave. Virgil, aided by an Expeditious Retreat spell, arrives first, just as Ethan has successfully destroyed his daughter. The toll it has taken is extensive, and Ethan tells Virgil he cannot live with himself after having to endure this task. He asks Virgil to promise that the party will make it their mission to defeat and eradicate Visgoth, to which Virgil agrees. Ethan then falls to his death from the precipice of a cliff by the cave.
Brixmore and Guy arrive and retrieve Ethan’s body, burying it in the cave next to his daughter. Virgil stoneshapes the mouth of the cave shut, and inscribes a simple mark to notate the burial site of one of the party’s oldest friends and mentors.
The group returns to Ashlynn’s house to find it has been looted of all valuables by the guards. Feeling unsatisfied and hollow, the party contemplates its next move.
September 27 Notes:
Gameplay starts off with the party in Barradon, shopping around for equipment that would bring Axe’s gear up to speed with the rest of the gang. After looking around in some of the local shops, they determine that the best prices available are in Dreia, and that shopping will need to be tabled until they return home. In the meantime, Brixmore loans Axe his shield, significantly boosting Axe’s magical gear quotient, and beginning Brix’s transition into a two-handed holy war machine.
Guy purchases a travel guide to Nemia and a city map, and begins plotting a course to bore Virgil and Floyd with a trip around the Holy Land. While the trip is being planned, Virgil spends a few days scribing scrolls, and Floyd plays the Barradon taverns, earning a few gold, and learning about the goings-on in Nemia.
Floyd learns that Nemia has been treasure-searched out, but that there are legends to be explored as the party travels north. In addition, he hears tell of dark times for the northern Nemian city of Nobis, and decides that the group should investigate the goings-on. This works out coincidentally as Guy determines that Nobis is the closest town to the next missing piece of Visgoth’s soul.
The gang disembarks from Barradon and visits the site of the Proclaimer’s first proclaiming. Guy and Brix take this trip very seriously, so Floyd and Virgil do their best to hang back and stay interested in something out of earshot. Axe, meanwhile, becomes interested in the teachings of the Proclaimer, giving Guy and Brix a focal point for their lecturing and praying.
Next up, the party visits the site of the hanging. In stark contrast to the simple marker of the first site, the Bishop at the site, one Bishop Rory (silk robes and all), has turned the site of the hanging into a veritable religious Graceland. Exorbitant admission prices and souvenier / trinket prices are charged to all who enter, and Guy, Brix, and Axe begrudgingly pay the admission price and pray at the site, which gives them a boost to their wisdom for a time. Brix attempts to give a sermon at the site, but he is forbidden. Suppressing their anger at the commercialization of the site, the party leaves.
The group heads to the site of the ascension, and finds it more simple and peaceful. Guy, Brix, and Axe take it all in, and the pilgrimage chapter of the session comes to an end.
From the ascension site, the boys head to Nobis. As they reach town, they find that everyone is very happy to see them, and eager for them to be happy with their stay. The townspeople escort the party to the inn, where they are met by Helga, the proprietress. Helga tells the boys that they are welcome because the news of the bad situation in Nobis has reached the surrounding lands, and visitors and commerce have all but disappeared. The townsfolk are also hopeful, based on the party’s appearance, that they might want to help with the problem.
That evening, Baron Humphrey, the local ruler of Nobis arrives at the tavern and meets with the gang up in a private room. There, he explains a less-than-human sect has been terrorizing Nobis, demanding material goods such as game meat, gold, and recently, human sacrifice. He is careful to describe three distinct types – the monsters themselves, whom the Baron calls “Chaka,” their humanoid, skinless servants, and a figure clad in black who arrived after Nobis put up an initial resistance to the Chakas’ bullying who has the ability to emit a terrible scream. These Chaka come from the north, and demand sacrifice from the town once per week. This reign of terror has been going on for almost eight months. Furthermore, the next visitation is scheduled to take place the next night.
The party pledges their help in any way they can provide it, and sets about preparing for the battle. After a night’s rest, Virgil polymorphs into an eagle and flies north, looking for signs of their encampment. He spies a castle, a house, and a place with smoke, but his animal instincts prevent him from exploring much more. Meanwhile, back at the tavern, Floyd keeps the townspeople from being a nuisance to the rest of the party by regaling them with stories of the boys’ exploits and making the citizens of Nobis feel confident about the party’s chances against the Chaka.
Helga approaches Axe and tells him that they may be able to learn more about the Chaka by visiting an old paramour of hers, Sien, a woodsman who lives in the forest outside of the town. Guy, Brix, Virgil, and Axe go to visit Sien, who, after disabling a trap Axe almost triggers, lets them into his home. Sien lives a Spartan life, but he has a wicked cool bow that Virgil admires.
Sien tells the boys that the group that Nobis knows as the “Chaka” is actually a sect of a cult that worship the pagan god Toth. The Chaka themselves are snake-people, and their servants, referred to as “Changed Ones,” are former humanoid races made to resemble snakes. The leader of this sect is an individual known as Yuantiki.
Sien and Vigil talk bows for a bit, and exchange a few arrows with each other for good measure, then the group returns to the town. After explaining the Sien encounter to Floyd, the party gets set for the arrival of the Snake-folk.
Virgil and Brix position themselves at the North end of town to prevent the escape of the cultists, and Axe, Guy, and Floyd wait in the tavern with Baron Humphrey. When the cultists arrive, they take the sacrifices of gold and meat, but do not demand a person this time. However, it’s moot since Virgil drops a fireball on the cultists and Guy carves up the one guy remaining. An illusory version of Yuantiki shows up to inform Baron Humphrey that Nobis is now doomed.
The party gets eight hours of shut-eye and then heads out to the cultists’ lair. After attempting to check for traps, the party eventually sets off an alarm and a horde Changed Ones surround the party. A fight ensues, but it is largely one-sided as the party easily bests the low-level creatures. Proceeding through, the party encounters four large snakes, who try to swallow the heroes. Those snakes are defeated handily, and the party continues into a room where they see an individual being transformed into a Changed One. There are Chaka, Changed Ones, and vipers throughout the room. Big fight, and the room is cleared out by the gang. One Chaka escapes, and when Brixmore goes to investigate how he disappeared, he finds there is a hole at the top of the ziggurat in the room. As they ponder their next move, it is the end of the session.
Sessions:
September 20
September 27
September 20 Notes:
After completing their business at the carnival, the party headed south to the Abbey to pick up Guy, then east to Guy’s Port. On the way to Guy’s Port, they passed Malus’ farm, noting that the area had not been tended in quite some time, and the corn crop had begun to grow wild. At the edge of the field, they found a spot where a box had been unearthed. Discussing the matter with a gopher did Guy no good, but the party did find an open wooden box not far from the dig site. The box did not appear to be shaped for holding a body, and the current hypothesis is that it held a weapon of some sort.
Floyd sends Scaramouche with a letter to Rashoman, the FiftyGnome at work on operation Burrowmaster, to see what developments have been made in the case. He instructs Scaramouche to find him in Nemia.
The gang proceeded to Guy’s Port, where they booked passage on a ship bound for Barradon, a coastal town in the country of Nemia. Virgil expressed a desire sew some oats with the captain of the ship, a woman named Amies, and Floyd aided Virgil’s effort to the best of his ability. The results were disappointing.
The trip itself was fairly uneventful until the end, when it became apparent that a hurricane was approaching. Thanks to Floyd’s inspirational singing and speaking and Brix’s spellcasting, the ship made it into port just ahead of the storm. Floyd was exhausted, but Guy removed his exhaustion so that they could run up the steps to the town, and seek refuge in a Barradonian tavern called (name?). Mere moments before the storm hit, Dr. Ethan joined them at the tavern.
While riding out the storm, Ethan revealed to the party that the reason he had asked them to come to Nemia was because he had located his daughter Ashlynn (Visgoth’s chief lieutenant) living in this town. Determined to destroy her, he enlists the party’s help. The boys are to attack Ashlynn at her residence in town, and defeat her, forcing her to retreat to the location of her coffin, where Ethan will deliver the final blows.
After the storm, Ethan shows the boys the cave where Ashlynn’s coffin is located, and the house where she conducts business. Sensing that there may be some trouble leaving Ethan to destroy his only daughter, Virgil casts a word of recall on the cave so that he can quickly arrive and assist Ethan and ensure that nothing goes awry with the plan.
At the residence, the party waits for the appropriate moment, then storms the house, easily dispatching the low-level guards inside. Ashlynn herself proves to be much more difficult, as she placed numerous traps in the house to deter intruders, and enlisted a pair of dopplegangers which explode when destroyed. Finally, after the dopplegangers and Ashlynn are defeated, she turns into mist and retreats to her coffin. Virgil attempts to use his word of recall, but finds it has been dispelled, likely by Ethan.
The party runs towards the cave. Virgil, aided by an Expeditious Retreat spell, arrives first, just as Ethan has successfully destroyed his daughter. The toll it has taken is extensive, and Ethan tells Virgil he cannot live with himself after having to endure this task. He asks Virgil to promise that the party will make it their mission to defeat and eradicate Visgoth, to which Virgil agrees. Ethan then falls to his death from the precipice of a cliff by the cave.
Brixmore and Guy arrive and retrieve Ethan’s body, burying it in the cave next to his daughter. Virgil stoneshapes the mouth of the cave shut, and inscribes a simple mark to notate the burial site of one of the party’s oldest friends and mentors.
The group returns to Ashlynn’s house to find it has been looted of all valuables by the guards. Feeling unsatisfied and hollow, the party contemplates its next move.
September 27 Notes:
Gameplay starts off with the party in Barradon, shopping around for equipment that would bring Axe’s gear up to speed with the rest of the gang. After looking around in some of the local shops, they determine that the best prices available are in Dreia, and that shopping will need to be tabled until they return home. In the meantime, Brixmore loans Axe his shield, significantly boosting Axe’s magical gear quotient, and beginning Brix’s transition into a two-handed holy war machine.
Guy purchases a travel guide to Nemia and a city map, and begins plotting a course to bore Virgil and Floyd with a trip around the Holy Land. While the trip is being planned, Virgil spends a few days scribing scrolls, and Floyd plays the Barradon taverns, earning a few gold, and learning about the goings-on in Nemia.
Floyd learns that Nemia has been treasure-searched out, but that there are legends to be explored as the party travels north. In addition, he hears tell of dark times for the northern Nemian city of Nobis, and decides that the group should investigate the goings-on. This works out coincidentally as Guy determines that Nobis is the closest town to the next missing piece of Visgoth’s soul.
The gang disembarks from Barradon and visits the site of the Proclaimer’s first proclaiming. Guy and Brix take this trip very seriously, so Floyd and Virgil do their best to hang back and stay interested in something out of earshot. Axe, meanwhile, becomes interested in the teachings of the Proclaimer, giving Guy and Brix a focal point for their lecturing and praying.
Next up, the party visits the site of the hanging. In stark contrast to the simple marker of the first site, the Bishop at the site, one Bishop Rory (silk robes and all), has turned the site of the hanging into a veritable religious Graceland. Exorbitant admission prices and souvenier / trinket prices are charged to all who enter, and Guy, Brix, and Axe begrudgingly pay the admission price and pray at the site, which gives them a boost to their wisdom for a time. Brix attempts to give a sermon at the site, but he is forbidden. Suppressing their anger at the commercialization of the site, the party leaves.
The group heads to the site of the ascension, and finds it more simple and peaceful. Guy, Brix, and Axe take it all in, and the pilgrimage chapter of the session comes to an end.
From the ascension site, the boys head to Nobis. As they reach town, they find that everyone is very happy to see them, and eager for them to be happy with their stay. The townspeople escort the party to the inn, where they are met by Helga, the proprietress. Helga tells the boys that they are welcome because the news of the bad situation in Nobis has reached the surrounding lands, and visitors and commerce have all but disappeared. The townsfolk are also hopeful, based on the party’s appearance, that they might want to help with the problem.
That evening, Baron Humphrey, the local ruler of Nobis arrives at the tavern and meets with the gang up in a private room. There, he explains a less-than-human sect has been terrorizing Nobis, demanding material goods such as game meat, gold, and recently, human sacrifice. He is careful to describe three distinct types – the monsters themselves, whom the Baron calls “Chaka,” their humanoid, skinless servants, and a figure clad in black who arrived after Nobis put up an initial resistance to the Chakas’ bullying who has the ability to emit a terrible scream. These Chaka come from the north, and demand sacrifice from the town once per week. This reign of terror has been going on for almost eight months. Furthermore, the next visitation is scheduled to take place the next night.
The party pledges their help in any way they can provide it, and sets about preparing for the battle. After a night’s rest, Virgil polymorphs into an eagle and flies north, looking for signs of their encampment. He spies a castle, a house, and a place with smoke, but his animal instincts prevent him from exploring much more. Meanwhile, back at the tavern, Floyd keeps the townspeople from being a nuisance to the rest of the party by regaling them with stories of the boys’ exploits and making the citizens of Nobis feel confident about the party’s chances against the Chaka.
Helga approaches Axe and tells him that they may be able to learn more about the Chaka by visiting an old paramour of hers, Sien, a woodsman who lives in the forest outside of the town. Guy, Brix, Virgil, and Axe go to visit Sien, who, after disabling a trap Axe almost triggers, lets them into his home. Sien lives a Spartan life, but he has a wicked cool bow that Virgil admires.
Sien tells the boys that the group that Nobis knows as the “Chaka” is actually a sect of a cult that worship the pagan god Toth. The Chaka themselves are snake-people, and their servants, referred to as “Changed Ones,” are former humanoid races made to resemble snakes. The leader of this sect is an individual known as Yuantiki.
Sien and Vigil talk bows for a bit, and exchange a few arrows with each other for good measure, then the group returns to the town. After explaining the Sien encounter to Floyd, the party gets set for the arrival of the Snake-folk.
Virgil and Brix position themselves at the North end of town to prevent the escape of the cultists, and Axe, Guy, and Floyd wait in the tavern with Baron Humphrey. When the cultists arrive, they take the sacrifices of gold and meat, but do not demand a person this time. However, it’s moot since Virgil drops a fireball on the cultists and Guy carves up the one guy remaining. An illusory version of Yuantiki shows up to inform Baron Humphrey that Nobis is now doomed.
The party gets eight hours of shut-eye and then heads out to the cultists’ lair. After attempting to check for traps, the party eventually sets off an alarm and a horde Changed Ones surround the party. A fight ensues, but it is largely one-sided as the party easily bests the low-level creatures. Proceeding through, the party encounters four large snakes, who try to swallow the heroes. Those snakes are defeated handily, and the party continues into a room where they see an individual being transformed into a Changed One. There are Chaka, Changed Ones, and vipers throughout the room. Big fight, and the room is cleared out by the gang. One Chaka escapes, and when Brixmore goes to investigate how he disappeared, he finds there is a hole at the top of the ziggurat in the room. As they ponder their next move, it is the end of the session.
Friday, September 25, 2009
Significant NPCs in The Order of the Abbey Campaign
As of today, The Order of the Abbey has been a weekly running campaign since August 26, 2007. Although we have probably missed more sessions than we would like to admit, we have easily played at least 75 sessions during that stretch. In a game of such scope and size, it is probably no surprise that the campaign has come to have over three hundred significant NPCs, and the number is still growing. What follows is a list of considerably important NPCs as well as guest PCs (those who have played at the table on a non-weekly basis). I will not take the time to describe them herein, only rest assured that each and every one of the characters listed will be the subject of an NPC Profile at some point in the future. It is certainly possible that more names will be added to this list as well.
Characters with an asterisk (*) already have had their profile written.
KEY NPCs
Abbott (formerly Brother) Art
Abbott Teris*
Ajax
Alvin
Barris
Bart
Bjorn, formerly known as Eric
Bricka
Brother Abel
Brother Jarrod
Brother Samared
Cardinal Aloe
Cardinal Nikolai
Doogal
Doovin
Dr. Ethan*
Eric, formerly known as Bjorn
Faust
Garam
Garvey
Goldschmiddt*
Gruth
Harves Raeth
Havern
Herbert
King Gorom
Kleppos
Liam Strongbow
Lil' Skimpy
Luth
Malus*
Mason
McGrath
Mitchell
Murdoch
Oak
Orin
Pope Benedict I
Prince Calay
Pskenart
Rumplemintz
Sally
Scaramouche
Sebastian
Sikator
Strom
Terick
The Allfather
The Bandit King of Clovica
The Duke of Darkenhold
The Harvester
The Huntmaster
The Proclaimer
The Winter Queen
Tok
Uru
Vain
Viggio
Visgoth
Yalla Sola
Zarin (also known as Linus)
I also would like to see each of the PCs write profiles of themselves at some point, but I thought it would be worthwhile to give you some idea of where we're going here.
Characters with an asterisk (*) already have had their profile written.
KEY NPCs
Abbott (formerly Brother) Art
Abbott Teris*
Ajax
Alvin
Barris
Bart
Bjorn, formerly known as Eric
Bricka
Brother Abel
Brother Jarrod
Brother Samared
Cardinal Aloe
Cardinal Nikolai
Doogal
Doovin
Dr. Ethan*
Eric, formerly known as Bjorn
Faust
Garam
Garvey
Goldschmiddt*
Gruth
Harves Raeth
Havern
Herbert
King Gorom
Kleppos
Liam Strongbow
Lil' Skimpy
Luth
Malus*
Mason
McGrath
Mitchell
Murdoch
Oak
Orin
Pope Benedict I
Prince Calay
Pskenart
Rumplemintz
Sally
Scaramouche
Sebastian
Sikator
Strom
Terick
The Allfather
The Bandit King of Clovica
The Duke of Darkenhold
The Harvester
The Huntmaster
The Proclaimer
The Winter Queen
Tok
Uru
Vain
Viggio
Visgoth
Yalla Sola
Zarin (also known as Linus)
I also would like to see each of the PCs write profiles of themselves at some point, but I thought it would be worthwhile to give you some idea of where we're going here.
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