Heathy's Isle of Dread Thread
Game Master Heathansson

I have an old Dragon (cant remember if it was 2E or 3E) that gave a druid(Real-world, not D&D)/Merlin type of wizard. His schtick was that he cast runes instead of spells. BAsically worked out to pretty much the same, so many runes per day, same spell lists, you had to inscribe them to cast them. The class DID have a 'new' inscribe rune ability, which basically let you use one of your spell/rune slots to scribe a rune on a weapon or armor, basically made it a +1 for 1 hr/level. Or was it 1/day/lvl??? I seem to remember thinking that if used exactly as written, the runes lasted for a day/level, so even a 1st lvl runemaster could have double his daily allotment available to him on every second day!

Ah, no. Powergamers? Where?

See everyone in the NEW thread!

Huzzah! Just finished memorising spells - just to clarify, could we scribe those that we found in the Amber necromancer's spellbook? Otherwise, I'll swap out Polymorph.

Yeah, sure.

Trying to get it done, but just so tired I can hardly see straight.
Been a heck of a week, oh wait, it's Monday,...
!@#$%^&-it!

Still thinkin' about taking a level in SOrcerer, but having so much fun with the shifty-goodness, may just stay with druid all the way!
Trouble with playin the shifter is, since I got shifty at the start, there's no PrC to aim for! heh.

See you all soon,...

'Sall good.
It'll make the eating all the more tasty or whatever I meant.

Altai Iscarni wrote:

Huzzah! Just finished memorising spells - just to clarify, could we scribe those that we found in the Amber necromancer's spellbook? Otherwise, I'll swap out Polymorph.

Yeah, sure.

Sweet! I'm ready. My plan is essenially to be the fighter-buffer, so I have Enlarge person and Protection from evil for both Stig and Gittik. Couple that with a couple of summoning spells and Haste, and I can just break out the popcorn and watch. Or at least that's the plan.

At the end of the long, yet surprisingly refreshing night, Altai hands the vampire-killing stick to anyone who wants it. Gittik or Beldan might be the best candidates with a grin. "This'll hurt his undead innards. We pin the bastard down, then nail him to the floor. After we kill his guards, of course."

Craft (weapons) check 16+6=21. Thanks to Stig's magic whetstone, it is a silver shortspear +1.

Black Company hasty vampire prison shank.....check.

I need low level spells that are still useful at higher levels and don't violate the spirit of the class.... Any other ideas?

Expeditious retreat, maybe? Or something that emulates the effects of See invisible or Spider climb?

"Hey Stig, once we're back from killing our vampire friend, I want to make the chieftain a new leg. It'll have to be a little neater than this abomination here, though." He gestures at the crude, but lethally sharp, stake. "Want to help with the smith-work?"

Now I'm really confused!

Where's my dot!

"Want to help with the smith-work?"

"Aye. Perhaps we ken poot some weaponry en et."

Beldan sleeps the night away while others are playing in the fire and such. He wakes up feeling well rested.

“I had the weirdest dream,” he yawns upon waking. “There was this strange eyeball monster who ended the world, and then this yappity silver dragon … and you were there, and you were there, and …”

Ready to go. I can take the stake if you like, though Gittik has a better attack bonus than me.

Pip is updated. rolled a big 1d6=1 on the HPs ... *sigh*

Pip awakens feeling refreshed and surging with song.

Turns out the two PrCs in Complete Arcane are for 10 lvl+ so I'm gonna have to work on them. I took K(Arcana) to prep for eligibility, if you want to RP it, I would assume I study with the various spell-slingers in the group

Why don't I get a dot? EDIT: Ah, much better.

"Meh, me take pointy silver stick. Deaf and Blind probably miss or something...."

Have we levelled or something - sorry, wasn't really paying attention for a couple of days and suddenly there are four hundred posts and the thread has moved.

Ah! I feel much better.
Hmmm. Let's see what spells will be handy.

I had forgotten about my Fiery Spell metamagic from a level or so back! My Firebolt(arcane thesis) will be adding +1 damage per die for 5d6+5 total. Searing spell is my next feat so that they can overcome all fire resistance and still do half damage to creatures with fire immunity.
Leveled, ready to rock, and I am basically a mobile artillery platform. FIRE!!!

Altai Iscarni wrote:

"Want to help with the smith-work?"

"Aye. Perhaps we ken poot some weaponry en et."

I'm reminded of a thread about a black guy with a cybernetic arm a while back...

Why don't I get a dot? EDIT: Ah, much better.

"Meh, me take pointy silver stick. Deaf and Blind probably miss or something...."

Have we levelled or something - sorry, wasn't really paying attention for a couple of days and suddenly there are four hundred posts and the thread has moved.

Yes; we made 7th level. I think Elgan might get to it tonight, so no big grinding rush or nothing; I think it's just you and Elgan to go though.

Pip is updated. rolled a big 1d6=1 on the HPs ... *sigh*

Pip awakens feeling refreshed and surging with song.

Turns out the two PrCs in Complete Arcane are for 10 lvl+ so I'm gonna have to work on them. I took K(Arcana) to prep for eligibility, if you want to RP it, I would assume I study with the various spell-slingers in the group

I don't usually require much of anything really....;) if it goes for a good roleplaying hook, though, go for it....or I might figure out something.

Oso's spells are done, and he has a PHB2 spell, Crown of the grave, let me know is thats OK or not, Heathy?

Oso watches the stake made and the runes applied with great interest. "Stig is good how you learn this? Never seen dis done."

I got the PHB II--it's all good.

CRYPTIC MESSAGE FROM GARY AND THREAD NAME CHANGE - OLD THREAD - WTF? - CHECK IT.

Heathy. Stig wants to take Monte's lesser conjuring rune instead of summon weapon, but I don't really want to summon animals cuz it's not really synco-compatible with my idea of a dwarven summoning rune. KnowwhatImean?

Instead of getting a creature from the summon monster II list I'd like to make an elemental list. After all, he already has elemental rune, so it is more thematic to conjure any small elemental. Their size is smaller, but their hps and abilities are comparable to the critters on summon monster II's list. Summoning medium elementals would be way too kick-ass for a lesser rune..... What do you think?

And it would be totally uber-cool.

RUNE OF ELEMENTAL CONJURING:

Also, maybe a rune point value of 5 is a little too high. Instead of changing the base stat for rune point value from INT to CON, maybe we can just give Dwarves a racial bonus to rune point value? I think +2 is enough, and it allows Stig to use his three main runes in battle.

It makes dwarves more uber-cool, too: +2 Rune Point Value, 2 free runes at first level. There will be a lot of Dwarven runeblades in Heathy's greyhawk.

Cool! I thought you would summon elemental animals, but this probably works better. Is the rune one-shot, or reusable?

That'll work then; 2 point bonus for dwarves in lieu of the con stat.
I say go for it with the elementals.

Cool! I thought you would summon elemental animals, but this probably works better. Is the rune one-shot, or reusable?

One shot. But I can write it again once it is used after an hour or something like that.

I wonder what Gary is up to. Will we still be able to read the first 90 pages of the game elsewhere? Actually, just the first three or four pages - hilarity.

I haven't had this much fun makin' characters since Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and Other Strangeness. Kudo's to Monte Cook.
I also noticed that the "runeblade" is pretty related to the "rune thane" from Arcana Unearthed. I have that book and two supplements, so....there's plenty to do about this whole rune thing.

looks like I need to check out some more of Monte's stuff!
Heathy, I'm going to try to work on lvling up in a bit. If I stay with Druid it shouldn't be too difficult.

Be back,...

ok, pretty much done, (Not much to do on lvl 7 druid)just tweaking spells now, thinking about trading in my 'Gust of Wind' for 'Body of the Sun' (Com Div) SInce if I get into the fight again, it'll be close up. That gives me automatic dmg each round to anybody within 5' of me! (But only 1d4+1)

Added Lesser Vigor and Stabilize to my list. Lesser Vigor lets ONE person get fast healing 1 for 15 rounds.

I also get flyby attack for a free feat when in Avian form, but NEXT level i get Slayer Form, basically Dire critter with 3 attacks. (Bite/Claw/Claw) You just SEE what I do THEN! Gittik might be taking lessons from me! ;)

OH, and BTW, My shapeshifted attacks count as silver, all I need is a spell that makes me count as 'good' and I will be able to damage him myself! (If I'm using natural weapons, like a bite, and I'm a good character, does that count? Or does it have to be a spell???)

EDIT- Nevermind, my attacks only count as MAGIC, not silver, sorry,... wishful thinking,...

Why don't I get a dot? EDIT: Ah, much better.

"Meh, me take pointy silver stick. Deaf and Blind probably miss or something...."

Have we levelled or something - sorry, wasn't really paying attention for a couple of days and suddenly there are four hundred posts and the thread has moved.

Yeah, the old thread was a lead ball on the rubber sheet that is the site, Gary shut us down.

Beldan looks set to protest, looks thoughtful for a moment, then shrugs and hands the pointy stick to Gittik. "Sharp end goes in the vampire," he says helpfully.

"Stig, since when did you learn to do this magic sort of stuff?"

all in then....

The dawn is heralded by the ever present chilling mist. Beams of sunlight fight through it here and there, leaving delicate fey beams in the fog. The lizardmen start going about the business of hunting and gathering, and the lizard chieftan falls asleep finally on his throne.
Everybody's rested, and spells are replentished.
About 1 hour past sunrise it is, you start seeing 1 or 2, here and there, lizardmen trickling in from the swamps, members of the cadre of 50 or so that remained living still when your group took it's leave of the tree.

cue player characters...

"Meh, not too many them left."

You see one of the lizardman's tail falls off as he's walking up to the front of the gate. They all look pretty battered.

"Hee hee!"

strums Lucille while chanting in Ancient Hobbit Hero Verse

Now the vanquished
Know their evil
Begging great king
for his pardon
Mighty king Hrrth Grrrhar
Noble leader
Stretches hand out
Welcoming them home
Fiendish trickster
Baal Sakatha
Has been beaten
but his evil
Is not undone
Soon the heroes
Riese's comp'nay
Face the villian
One last time.

Pip looks up

"I am gonna make a mint off this tale!"

One of the lizardfolk comes up to your assembled group:

"We all broke up, headed into the swamp. Sakatha sought us out. I...don't know how many made it out of there alive.
He was on us with fangs and claw....fangs and claw...
I hope we bought you some time to get ready."

"You did indeed. It was a brave thing you did, a deed that will be memorised in prose and song and retold across generations of young ones. We'll make sure your sacrifices were not in vain."

Pip strums some more

"Fearful tribesmen
See their error
Semuyana turns her face
Bravely they fight
Baal Sakatha
Gain their redemption
With blood-stained coin"

[ooc]the lizardman starts throatily grunting like a gator in rhythm with Pip's meter. He feels a little better about the past night's horrors.

As the battered tribesmen slowly return, Elgan places himself next to the chief's throne, and a little behind, with his arms crossed across his chest. He may not take himself as seriously as his teachers would have liked, but he DOES take his job very seriously. And Most of this tribe seem to think that the druid was sent there for a reason. Lacking any evidence to the contrary, he is perfectly willing to accept that responsibility. He places himself near the wounded king to show that the aging lizard has his support, if needed.

After insuring that they are all come penitent and not seeking to add more harm, he relaxes his stance somewhat. After hearing what they did, and what happened to them, he steps to the one who spoke. He lifts his slender arms and places a slim elvin hand on the taller, broader, scalier shoulders and looks the battered lizardman in the eye. He softly intones a whispered prayer. It is in elvish, but its tone is unmistakable. It is a blessing, whispered in the language of the wind thru the trees.

"You have done well." he continues in common. "And will be remembered. Know that by this deed you have earned your redemption, and the forgiveness of your deity. Now go and ask forgiveness of your chief. If he grants it, stand by him from now on as you have this day. Once this day is done, give me no reason to return."

The slim elf steps back, nods once in respect, and stands back to watch the rest of the show,...

The chief slumbers in his throne. He's been up all night....
Crocodile Smile speaks up..."he will rest.....I'm sure he will forgive. We need warriors, now more than ever.
We will go back to the island, and have at the sahuagin there."
Then he stares at Elgan for a second;
"Whether we have the smuggler weapons or not..."

“Sahuagin? They’re those underwater fish sort of people right?” Beldan looks about at his more learned companions for confirmation, then turns back to the lizardman. “So what about some island? IS that we're you're from orginally?”

"We hailed from here in the Hool...
a generation ago, some more...adventuresome lizardfolk found an island, a calderon really, of a volcano....with a pyramid in a lagoon where the ancient volcano lie dormant. They led us there, and we built a village.
Then the sahuagin came....nigh on 8 moons ago.
So we returned here. We bought weapons. Or tried to. And tried to forge alliances with the people of the sea, in order to return and take the place back.
But the chief's son.....Baal Sakatha....was seduced by the Resurrection Man into believing Orcus would give us power against the sahuagin.
Power over life, and death....
and thus you find us."
Speaks Crocodile Smile

Bardic Knowlege Check: 1d20+11=30

Pip casts his mind back to any mention of Sahuagin, volcanic islands, Orcus, Ressurection Man and the Hool.

"Being fooled is not a crime." Elgan says in a much softer tone of voice than previously.

"Doing what is right, even when you know the results could be,... disastrous, that is courage." He says, indicating the returning, battered lizardfolk. He looks curiously at the lizardman.
"When this nights work is finished, I would like to hear more of this tale you weave. Perhaps my job here is not yet done after all."

"Stig, since when did you learn to do this magic sort of stuff?"

"Me grandpappy taught me when Ah was a wee laddie, but th' lessons didne tak' tae weel coz Ah drenk tay much an' 'en Mammy threw heem doon th' weel an' he didne come back up 'at a las' time. Ah ne'er saw heem agin. Anyhoo, Ah guess th' recent sobriety 'as knickered some mince an' cleart 'e cobwebs."

"Truth bein' ah dunnae kinn jobby abit magic. Et's th' rooones 'at hae th' powah."

“Oh! You’re sober? You mean you always talk like that?” Beldan seems genuinely surprised. “Runes huh? Well … it’s all magic to me, but if it can help us against vampires and harpies and hags and such, then I’m all for it.”