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Post by TerraDave on Dec 9, 2008 10:41:20 GMT -5
The Adventure BeginsThe three had journeyed together from Watercross College, the tiefling wizard and half-elf warlock, both of House Melkar, seeking their lost mentor Douven Stoul (and perhaps lore or other treasure) who had left to find a dragon burial ground, and not returned. The third, a chaos worshiping human cleric, was looking for another don, Kalarel, but not to save him. The former professor was believed to be the leader of a deathcult. Into the Nearblight they went, that lawless land beyond the Rift of Retribution, looking for the village of Winterhaven. They somehow avoided danger until they came close, and where ambushed by a band of bloodthirsty kobolds. It was there good luck to first encounter an oddly friendly dog (“Dog”). Uncannily shifty and led by fierce warriors using dragon scales as shields, both the wizard and cleric fell, near death, at points in the battle. In the end, with the help of Dog, the three were just able to drive the scaly little beings away. They continued on the trail, following Dog, and finally arrived in Winterhaven. (See below). There they met the innkeeper Salvana Wrafton, local sage Valthrun the Prescient, folky Eilian the Old, a not very friendly elf named Ninaran, local merchant Bairwin Wildarson, and Lord Padraig. There was also a brief cleric-to-priest encounter with Sister Linora, a halfling devotee of Cosmic Order. They learned both that the kobolds had become more then a nuisance and the location of the dragon burial ground. They choose to focus on the latter, but again where confronted by the former, as more kobolds, led by a sinister Wyrmpriest, attacked them after leaving the village. Again, with the help of mysterious Dog, they drove them off. Following the direction of Eilian, they found what must be the burial site, and where greeted by a gnome, Agrid, supervising some men and a halfling, and warded by guard drakes, the size of large dogs and powerfully built. The gnome was not friendly. Another battle ensued, and the gnome skulk used his stealth and guile to great effect, bringing the 3 plus Dog to the edge of defeat. Then dog freed Douvan, tied up all along!, and with that sudden distraction, the gnome was finished off, and victory ensured. The grateful, Douven noted a magic amulet had been stolen by Agrid, if he could just have the picture of his wife back. The three agreed that the cleric needed its protective properties the most. They dragged their weary bodies back to town. The Lord was impressed with what they had achieved, and offered them the chance to take their final revenge on the kobolds, and 100 gold sovereigns for their trouble. 1: Outer Gate 2: Wafton’s Inn 3: Market Square 4: Stables 5: Smithy 6: Valthrun’s Tower 7: Bairwin’s Grand Shoppe 8: “Warriors Guild” 9: Tenements 10: Temple of Bhatera 11: Inner Gate 12: Supplies 13: Barracks 14: Manor
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Post by TerraDave on Jan 16, 2009 12:52:17 GMT -5
Excepting Lord Padraig’s challenge, the three set off, joined by Samm’s younger brother, a Northall tough with two swords, a certain charm, and an unexpected healing touch. Dog also reappeared, and followed (or led?) them to a waterfall, where sharp eyes could see the small reddish reptilians through the trees. The party approached with stealth, and got the jump on the kobolds. More then a dozen, most fought to the death, though one was captured through the adroit use arcane sleep by the wizard. He revealed the location of the main lair, right through the waterfall. Before advancing, feeling the danger that may lie ahead, the wizard called forth a small bird, and used a ritual to command the bird to send a message to the Lord, informing him of where they were, in case they didn’t return. Again, the band approached with caution, entering a complex of caves on the other side of the falls. At first, these kobold seemed no more deadly then before, but the appearance of the two dragonsheilds, wyrmpriest, and a goblin savagely wielding two battle axes known as Iron Tooth, changed the situation. Everyone found themselves near the door of death, but the chaotic power of the Watercrossers prevailed, and eventually Iron Tooth met his end. As he did, he cried out “Kalarel and Lord Orcus, prepare my way”. Over two dozen of the kobolds were slain. Did Lord Orcus frown at their defeat, or smile at the resulting mayhem? Searching the caves, the party found chest, and opened it using a key from Irontooth. They found a good number of gold sovereigns, and a fine suit of chainmail given to the cleric. The lucky cleric possesses both the +1 Dwarven Chain Mail and the +1 Amulet of Health, a sign of gratitude, deference for his goddess Katera, or perhaps just practicality. They also found a note: “My spy in Winterhaven suggests we keep an eye out for visitors to the area. It probably does not matter; soon enough, I’ll completely open the rift. Then Winterhaven’s people will serve as food for all those Lord Orcus sends to do my binding.”To Winterhaven they returned. They collected their reward, and learned many a new thing. As he was leaving, their mentor Douven noted that their was an old Keep in the area, even as he left with a band of traders to begin the long journey back to Watercross to see his wife again. Speaking to Eilian the Old back in the Inn, he would tell them of a strange dream: “Somewhere, a door has opened…and its dark behind that door! At least, that’s the dream I had” . And he wasn’t the only one acting strangely. The whole village seemed nervous. Wondering about the spy, they sought Ninaran, the quit elf who seemed to keep to herself. She seemed surprised…that they were alive…but otherwise gave no reason for suspicion. But it would be Valthrun the Prescient who would have the most to tale. Of the old Keep, built to protect the land from a rift in the heart of reality. A rift to the world of shadow and death, to an unholy shrine to Orcus. He told of Sir Keegan, the last knight to command the keep, who one night, at midnight, sought to slaughter all the residents of the keep, including his own wife and child, before he was driven into dark passages beneath it. When told of the note, Valthrun exclaimed with fears of the worst: “If death cultists unseal the rift…they would…establish a kingdom of death in this world.”
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Post by TerraDave on Mar 17, 2009 15:32:28 GMT -5
The warlock, wizard, cleric and the cleric’s paladin brother-henchmen finally found their way to the rumored Keep. All ruins on the surface, a path had been cleared…leading to…a stairway…into some sort of “dungeon” beneath the surface.
An inhabited dungeon. With a pit trap right at the base of the stairs. Samm the cleric of Katera fell into this, and staid in it. swarmed by rats while the others where snipped at by goblins. The results were bloody—for them and the goblins—but eventually Samm got out of the pit.
From this entrance, they realized there where a few directions to go, including more stairs, leading to a place where “overpowering odor of damp rot fills the air”. They didn’t go this way.
Instead they went to the goblins torture chamber. Fought more sneaky snipping goblins and a hobgoblin torturer in magic black leather armor with a mask wielding burning hot pokers. While attempts to “lure them out” (if that was the goal?) didn’t really work, a flaming sphere summoned by the wizard did. Plus, the warlock got the black leather armor (bloodcut) and the party got Splug. A personable goblin kept prisoner for reasons that were obviously baseless and unfair. In return Splug offered to lead them to the big fat boss.
Balgrom the Fat, to be exact. A crack shot with the crossbow, and sneakey to boot, only clever use of a table and the Curse of the Dark Dream kept the fat one and his various cronies from finishing off the adventurers. Instead, it was Balgrom that was finished off, with many other goblins. This left Splug feeling a combination of regret (this was new to him) and fear (more familiar).
Fortunately, the remaining goblins, elsewere digging for treasure with little luck, were talked into heading out, or at least taking a break, and with them went Splug, at least for now. This left the party the joy of exploring a whole other part of this “dungeon”: a series of natural caverns filled with dog sized rats and a huge, oozing, ochre jelly. The best part was when the jelly split into two! Then both Samm and his brother found themselves near death, even as the arcanist found themselves magically running away. Fortunately, in his conscious state, Samm took a hint from the Queen of Thieves, and brought some Avenging Flame down on the jellies. This and some arcane fire did the trick. And everyone lived to tell the tale.
This time.
Description: This creature is a slithering mass of orange-brown goo about 1 foot tall and 8 feet in diameter. It pours itself forward to move and blindly gropes about for prey with blunt pseudopods it extrudes from its mass.
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Post by TerraDave on Mar 23, 2009 13:34:06 GMT -5
After recovering in the relative safety of Winterhaven, the chaotic four are ready to return to the Keep, but which way shall they take when they arrive? Further exploration of the caves, or heading down those stairs and their damp rot?
Note 1: Bairwin is out of components for potions
Note 2: You are welcome, and encouraged!, to post here, but I reserve the right to edit the thread.
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Post by TerraDave on Mar 25, 2009 13:27:10 GMT -5
(based on a phone call with Randy)
The 4 return to the Keep, and notice little different in the surface ruins, except, of course, the pile of partially burned goblin bodies. There is a reek. They head down the first set of stairs, and avoid the pit.
Embracing his role as leader, Samm guides the party back to the other stairs to the west. Perhaps, it is the Chaotic thing to do, perhaps the cleric guesses that a deathcult of Orcus, and a place reminiscent of death, may be linked.
(more to come)
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Post by TerraDave on Mar 25, 2009 14:06:10 GMT -5
Discolored stairs lead down into cold darkness. An overpowering odor of damp rot fills the air.
You reach the base of the stairs. There are a few different directions one may go: -straight ahead (west), though after about 30 feet the tunnel bends out of sight. -ahead 10 feet then through an opening to the left (south) -right (north) then through an opening to the left (west) -right (north) and keep going
In that rightward tunnel, those with lowlight vision just perceive some large something on the floor, like a stain or etching.
Please post by Thursday night/Friday morning!
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DrSpice
Master of the South Wind
Posts: 467
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Post by DrSpice on Mar 25, 2009 19:33:43 GMT -5
Bart will sneak up to the tunnel close enough to examine the etching if he can.
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Post by TerraDave on Mar 26, 2009 9:44:44 GMT -5
Strange designs are inscribed into the floor
They cover a 10' by 10' area. Do you wish to examine, and how?
(Please see the emailed attachment).
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DrSpice
Master of the South Wind
Posts: 467
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Post by DrSpice on Mar 26, 2009 21:15:35 GMT -5
Bart will first listen for any noise of creatures other than the "House Melkar" team. Then he will cast light right over the designs. Then he will walk right up to the edge of the designs and study them. Any arcane meaning (check)
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Post by TerraDave on Mar 27, 2009 8:42:00 GMT -5
(roll 9 on arcana) Bart is not really sure...
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Post by TerraDave on Mar 27, 2009 9:56:51 GMT -5
(from a phone call with John)
Realizing that the tiefling is not having much luck, the warlock, still feeling sleepy from last nights revelry, comes over. His arcane knowledge reveals that this no mere inscription, and that touching it will trigger something.
So he touches it.
A throat tearing scream explodes from the floor. Low, hungry moans answer the dying screams from the north and south.
The burst of terror causes 2 points of (necrotic) damage to Bart, Thaedrius (sic), and Donn. Even worse, they start running south, to where the moans are emitting.
Donn comes right into a room full of undead.
Samm stands there. Oh well, at least he can finally call down the wrath of Katera on these undead.
ALSO: only the rune is well lit. Otherwise, you aren't seeing so much.
(you can all act normally. you have till Tuesday AM)
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samm
Initiate
Posts: 22
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Post by samm on Mar 30, 2009 23:35:58 GMT -5
"Well, perhaps we have found the death cult. That or at least we are on the right track. Now, where'd my brother go?"
Seeing that his brother has foolishly, for some reason, charged south into the midst of the undead, Samm will charge south as a move action to try to rescue his hapless brother. Samm will try to position himself as close as possible to as many undead as possible and, as a standard action, cast turn undead (close burst 2).
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DrSpice
Master of the South Wind
Posts: 467
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Post by DrSpice on Mar 30, 2009 23:44:34 GMT -5
All Bart can see is the light source, but he hears the noise. He uses a minor action to move the light source onto his (Bart's square) Seeing Donn and Undead, he uses another Minor Action to move the light onto the square Donn is standing.
Then he uses a standard action to target scorching burst just below the topmost "R" so that it hits the topmost "R" and the leftmost "R" but misses Donn.
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Post by TerraDave on Mar 31, 2009 13:52:17 GMT -5
As the chamber comes to light, some zombies seem to be in better shape then others, with some covered in torn and rotting flesh practically falling off their bones (the Rs) and others whose bulky forms lumber with menace, eyes glinting with ravenous hunger (the Zs).
Before the light, and after Donne charges in, two of the zombies immediately react, and charge back. One slams him for 8 points of damage (10 total). The other tries to grab him with rotting hands and fails. Two more also enter the room.
Bart unleashes his fire, lighting up the room in more ways then one, and fries both of the rotters in the corner (roll 18 and 17). Then Samm steps into the room and unleashes a burst of chaotic light (roll 15, 14, 15, 15, 13). It incinerates the three other rotters, and damages two zombies with radiant energy, which they clearly do not like (roll 8+2+ bonus for hitting with radiant). They are also turned and driven back. Katera’s fickle luck has turned again.
Two other zombies step up and flail away at the paladin (they move in where the others left). They don’t do much. Neither does the paladin.
The situation in hand, the warlock hangs back.
Please post by Friday AM.
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DrSpice
Master of the South Wind
Posts: 467
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Post by DrSpice on Apr 1, 2009 1:12:55 GMT -5
Bart moves into the light, leaving Thaedris behind, and occupies the square to the right of Samm. Then he lets loose another scorching burst, targeting the two visible zombies.
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