 
Search Posts
martellian wrote:
Thought about it some more and came up with the following: Colours: Magnimar's symbolic colours are silver, blue and black the colours of it's flag. Blue for the ocean, silver to represent the purity of the Arvensoar, and black for the serpent slain by their founder. Mascot: While the city doesn't have a mascot per se the slain serpent remains heraldic shorthand for city, representing not only the literal sea dragon slain by the city's founder, but also the city's freedom from foreign tyrants. Motto: I won't take a stab at ancient Taldan or anything but I figure it would be something like: Each for his own prosperity. Applying it to the setting: Beyond the usual flags and crests seen throughout the city I've used the colour scheme and symbols in the following ways in my own campaign. The ceremonial guards at Defiant's Garden and the Hall of Ushers, wear silvered armour with blue capes and helms with blue horse hair crests. The formal robes of the Ushers are togas with blue striping on the sleeves. While the spokesperson of the chamber, carries a silver (likely wood with silver plating or permanent illuison) staff with serpents and sea scenes carved on it as a symbol of their station. The watch wears blue dyed studded leather with a black tower and serpent over the heart as a symbol of their office. On the day of Magnimar's founding, the Lord-Mayor is carried to the spot where Indros entered the water on golem carried palanquin, where he dismounts and wades into the water with a sword and waits for a serpent to appaear, as none ever do, the Mayor then offers the sword to the sea as an offering for the city's continued prosperity and returns to shore(needless to say this is one of Gorbaras'least favorite duties)and at Serpent's Run, a fantastic re-enactment of the duel between Indros is put on with an illusionary serpent and the year's favorite competitor or actor in the role of Indros.
Starfury wrote: Just curious, has anyone ever devised a coat of arms for Magnimar? What about colors, mascot, motto, or other heraldry? (I liked those details for Korvosa and was hoping someone had similar ideas for Magnimar.) Been thinking about the same thing and I came up with a blue flag with a silver tower rising above a headless serpent. Basically referencing the Arvensoar and the founder's battle with a sea-serpent.
Need to think about what happened in what order next, but I do want to try to finish posting this by the time we get to our next session. Anyhow a couple of random notes: - The missing Aldern scene. Yes the group did agree to go along on the hunt but I really didn't make too much out of it on purpose to discount him as an early suspect of the Skinsaw Murders. I played him up as a bit of a braggart who is trying to cover up his natural cowardice through association with the Heroes of Sandpoint sowing the seeds for the envy obsession to follow. - Monster in the Closet and Shopkeep's Daughter: If I was playing with more than one player I'd have included these encounters but as it was Aerel was fine indulging his own interests during the interval between the Swallowtail Festival and Ameiko's abduction. - Character Backgrounds: Since it seemed that Savah and Tessara (Hannah) were going to be playing a major part in the campaign and unlike Ameiko and Shalelu they didn't come with pre-written backgrounds in the AP material I made some up. Tessara's was pretty stock stuff, I'm less than impressed with myself on this one, but basically decided she was very much one of the Forlorn, an orphan raised mostly by humans (all followers of Gozreh). By elven standards she's still just a kid but she's grown up with humans and after seeing two generation grow old and die she figures she's plenty grown up. Prior to the group she tended to take an outsider's view to Sandpoint not wanting to get attached because she knows the people and perhaps even the town will someday in her lifetime be gone, however being part of the Heroes of Sandpoint has changed her perspective a bit, though she still struggles with her heritage, and as she grows in power the influence of the primal god she serves (basically the temptation to slip from Neutral Good to Neutral and becoming truly a servant of nature). Savah's was a bit more interesting to me mostly because I knew it would provide some fun tie ins to upcoming material. Savah was born in Turttleback Ferry, the daughter of Irontooth Bevaniky, a former Black Arrow turned town smith. Life in Turtleback Ferry was nessisarily strict, after all going out of bounds could end with becoming an ogre's latest plaything, and quite simply it drove Savah nuts, so when she became of age, she left town and using the skills she learned in her father's forge got a job working as an armourer and guardswoman for Magnimar. When the Chopper crisis struck Sandpoint, Savah's unit was called up to assist and keep order. She fell in love with Sandpoint, and when Chopper met his end, she mustered out of the Magnimar Watch and took over the old armourer's shop (a victim of Chopper) where she's worked until she was called to serve along side the Heroes of Sandpoint.
25 Rova 4707 – 29 Rova 4707
[GM’s note: Adjusted Shalelu’s levels as well to be more on par with the party] During this time Aerel met Gandethus at the Turandarock Academy, Nisk Tander at Bottle Solutions and returned his borrowed crossbow to Savah. Though he did manage to advance his own quest of seeking skymetal through speaking with Father Zantus who told him the story of Desna’s Tear, a small meteorite that fell sometime after the Earthfall in the Age of Darkness, that was recovered by one of their clans and turned into a number of items they considered holy to Desna. Zantus knew the story because before the fire Sandpoint Cathedral housed one of those items, a pendant shaped like a butterfly which was said to be able to perform a wide number of magical feats over the years. However it disappeared in the fire and was feared lost, or worse, reclaimed by Desna in punishment for allowing her temple to burn. Aerel didn’t get much time to mull over the story or how to go about seeking these skymetal items that seemed to have been lost to time, as when he finished his shift on patrol he was woken by Evan Corwin and his mother, Bethana at the Inn, and told that Ameiko was missing and there was a note in her home that suggested she’d gone to meet her brother at the Glassworks at midnight that night. Aerel and Carangal picked up their weapons and informed Vachedi who sealed off the building while they explored inside. After carefully moving through the living quarters and offices of the Glassworks they encountered the bodies of the dead workers and Ameiko’s father, as well as the goblins who dwelt within. There was a quick but noisy battle, and by the time the party went downstairs Tsuto had fled into the smuggler’s tunnels with Ameiko, though he wasn’t quick enough to entirely elude the party and they caught up with him before he reached the Catacombs of Wrath, where he managed to con the party long enough to try to ambush Aerel only to be shot by Carangal instead, a quick battle ensued and Tsuto was taken alive and Ameiko was restored to health. The party returned to the surface and handed Tsuto over to the town watch and looked over his journal, which as soon as they got to the part about a much larger attack on Sandpoint quickly made their way to the Mayor’s Office. Once the Mayor heard that firstly, Nualia was alive, secondly what she had in store for Sandpoint, she called together a number of the local luminaries and they discussed what should be done. After a bit of debate the following was decided: 1) Nualia wasn’t likely to move until she summoned this Malfeshnekor 2) That taking out Nualia was likely going to both stop the demon being summoned and break apart the alliance of goblin tribes and 3) given the numbers called for in Tsuto’s plans that a small group would likely be more effective in getting in and dealing with Nualia than a full assault. [GM’s note: This meeting went pretty well though I was worried Aerel would push for a full assault given that we’d assumed all 200 or so goblins would be on site, but he was on board with the ‘Fellowship of the Ring’ style mission pretty much from the start.] Aerel, Carangal and Ameiko were among the first to volunteer for the mission, and shortly afterwards Tessara, Shalelu and Savah were either assigned or volunteered to go. Once the group was assembled they decided to take the day to rest, equip, and go out in the morning.
[GM’s note: I’m of two minds when it comes to the shameless exploitation of the town’s merchants, on one hand, I was wondering if it was going to negatively affect game balance, on the other, the town wasn’t exactly paying much so I figure it was fair enough. Anyhow, I found it worked out alright in the end.] 30 Rova 2707
Their first taste of goblin blood for the morning behind them, they made their way towards Thistletop proper, and began crossing the bridge. The front members of the group had almost made it to the far side when the maximum weight was exceeded and the bridge gave way. Meycho, sent ahead, made the jump to land, while Aerel, Carangal, Ameiko and Tessara all managed to grab hold of the bridge, while Shalelu and Savah were dumped into the sea below. Luckily for Savah Shalelu’s damage roll had a lot of ones in it, as the fall knocked Savah unconscious and Shalelu was able to save her by a continuing streak of luck with her swimming rolls. However Savah was in no condition to continue and Shalelu knew to leave her alone like this was to risk her death, so both remained behind. Meanwhile the others were quickly embroiled in a new fight with the goblins on far end of the bridge. They managed to dispatch the guards and their dogs who came at them first, and deal with the guards on the north-most tower firing arrows down on them, then when the door s were opened for other goblins to join the fight, Carangal, acting like a true follower of Cayden Cailean leaped into the opening and held them off long enough for the rest of the party to come up behind him and join the fight in the doorway. From there they made their way room to room through the southern end of the fort, across the yard and into the goblin privy without dealing with more than the goblin dogs and calming the horse. In the privy Aerel’s elven ability to find secret doors revealed the treasure chest which the party quickly looted after Savah had disabled the blade trap, then carrying on, descended to the next level. From there, they made quick progress through the planning room to the next room (Lyrie having been summoned upstairs when word of the attack reached Rippnugget) and down to the lower levels. [GM’s note: The party guided by Aerel’s player pretty much b-lined through Thistletop straight for Nualia. It was pretty funny and as things turned out, pretty fortunate.] On the lower level Aerel was excited to find himself wandering in a true Thassilonian ruin and took a few moments to puzzle out why the floor was slanted and how the temperature was so even and hospitable down here. Though they quickly got back to business as they passed the entry way, noting with concern the claw marks in the stone as they did. Aerel lucked out considerably when he failed to make his jump check and activated the trap, he made his reflex save and was able to jump off the deadly square before the portcullises slammed down and watched with a mix of fascination and horror as he witnessed what could have happened to him had he not moved as quickly as he did. Needless to say the rest of the party exercised more caution when the trap reset and they were able to cross. They continued down to the next intersection where they were faced with the choice of going north or going south left with the decision Aerel chose north reasoning that Desna gifted him with the ability to always know which way was north and that meant it had to be lucky (he took the Starchild trait from the elf book). Sure enough his choice led him directly to Nualia, though the ‘luck’ of that choice is still something for debate. Nualia having heard the trap going off was waiting for them and before they got more than five feet into the room she attacked with her bastard sword inflicting a painful wound to Aerel and bottlenecking the group in the corridor. “So these are the so-called heroes of Sandpoint” she taunted as she readied a second strike looking to finish Aerel off. Fortunately, he had time to cast mage armour before hand and was able to avoid her second attack which surely would have killed him. Then he braved the blade again moving past Nualia to allow Carangal into the fight. The party had no words to answer Nualia only blades. Carangal lunged at her with his longsword, but had it turned aside but was able to avoid the brutal counter attack, though Aerel was able to score a hit with his newly acquired wand of fire creation. Then it was Carangal’s time to brave the blades to let more people join the fight. It cost him dearly and the blade cut deep through his chain shirt and left him bleeding and weak, as he moved past her, missing his counter attack. She then took a strike at Meycho, who had come up to take Carangal’s place. Meycho was hit and went down with a helpless bark, as the blade cut deep into his flesh. Aerel was quick to get revenge pressing his wand into Nualia’s exposed belly and letting loose with another burst of flame. Meanwhile the Yeth Hound joined the battle and attacked Carangal, though the half-elf’s chain saved him. The battle continued on desperately, Ameiko after boosting everyone’s morale with powerful song dove into the frey with her wakazashi, and managed to score a hit on Nualia, before the dark cleric healed herself. Tessara countered by healing Aerel and the fight continued back and forth. Until finally Nualia was unable to either stave off or heal the attacks she suffered and with a final scream of fury tried to cut down Ameiko only to see the bard slip under her blade and have Aerel jab his wand one more time into her side giving her the fatal blow that sent her to the abyss. Somehow Carangal, who was greviously wounded had managed to hold off the Yeth Hound until its master was destroyed where it then quickly fell to the combined might of the party. They all took a moment to rest and recover, and healing potions were quaffed and Tessara used the last of Gozreh’s blessings to heal Meycho and Carangal to the point where they were no longer in immediate danger of dying. After quickly gathering up what they could of Nualia’s possessions they decided it was time to go, their mission accomplished, and fled the lower levels quickly. Though once they arrived on the level above they heard voices on the stairs they’d descended from the fort, and quickly made their way out into the corridors of Thistletop’s second level running blind and trying to find a way out before their enemies found them. They were lucky, they stumbled through a rough stone corridor and found a smooth floored room with access to the sea below, checking the height of the drop quickly they leaped for the sea and helping each other along managed to escape Thistletop to rejoin Shalelu and Savah on the beach. [GM’s note: The Nualia battle was fun, and really did challenge the group especially since she was prepared ahead of time and had them backed up into the hallway for the first part and forced the characters to open themselves up to attacks of opportunity to get around and flank her. And it was fun to hear the groans when she healed herself, over and over. And I had to laugh when Carangal managed to survive fighting the Yeth Hound with only 3hp left; the dog never landed a hit. As for the departure, they really did pretty much blunder their way through to the exit, clearly Desna favours the bold.]
I’m beginning the campaign journal a bit late in the game, we’re just at the start of Hook Mountain Massacre and have been playing since late September early October (not sure which) so for the benefit of those reading this I’ll try my best to summarize our adventures so far, but first a bit about the group. Our ‘group’ is really a friend of mine and myself, who play generally once a week over Skype (we live something like 8hrs apart) as such the adventuring group is my friend’s character and a small troupe of NPCs most of whom were taken right from the pages of the Sandpoint info in Burnt Offerings. Anyhow the characters taking the most active part in the adventure are: Herion Farbird, an Elven mage that goes by the name Aerel who at the beginning of the adventure had traveled by a fairly meandering route from Kyonin to the Meirani forest looking for word of Skymetal. Having been turned away from the Meirani forest, he and his familiar a dog, Meycho, traveled south hearing rumor that there was some ancient Varisian records stored at its temple that might shed some light on his quest. Joining him on his journey from the Meirani forest is Tallak Astravedes called Carangal a half-elven fighter who had just left the service of the elves of the Meirani forest in hopes of taking some time to explore his human side. Later on in the adventure they are joined by: Savah Bevaniky, Shalelu Andosana, Amieko Kaijitsu and Hannah Velerin (though I re-named Hannah to Tessara, sadly my little cousin has forever made that name associated with Hannah Montana, and well that wasn’t going to happen in my game.) So on with the story. 22 Rova 4707 Aerel, Meycho and Carangal were making their long and footsore way south from the Meirani Forest and were nearly at Sandpoint when a wagon surrounded by goblins came into view. The little freaks were menacing its horse and firing arrows up at its occupants, a wild haired woman and her Halfling companion. Needing no encouragement the trio leapt into action and joined the fight on the side of the woman and Halfling, and handily turned the fight against the goblins despite several embarrassing missed bowshots from Carangal and Meycho getting caught in a tanglefoot bag. Once the last of the goblins had been dispatched the allies met at the wagon and the lady and her companion introduced themselves as Ameiko Kaijitsu and Evan Corwin respectively. They offered Aerel and Carangal a ride into Sandpoint, and as it turned out Ameiko ran an inn, a free room as well. Never ones to pass up a free ride let alone free lodging they joined them in the wagon and rode on to Sandpoint, learning a little bit about their companions and the town ahead as they did. In particular that tomorrow was the Swallowtail Festival, which Aerel was embarrassed to have forgotten being that he had once been training as a priest of Desna, and that goblin attacks were pretty common for the area, but even Ameiko had to admit that the attack on her wagon was pretty brazen, especially when a dog joined the fight and no one ran, also the fact that the goblins had Tanglefoot bags were concerning. [GM’s note: This was an early attempt by Tsuto to ‘recruit’ Ameiko, and he supplied them with the tanglefoot bags] Aerel felt this was concerning enough that when they reached town and after they got settled he sought out the town’s sheriff Belor, and warned him about the goblin activity on the Lost Coast Road and suggested he keep a stronger watch on things during tomorrow’s celebrations. Belor, agreed and said he’d send out a patrol to look at the remains of the goblins and check things out. [GM’s note: As it turned out the goblins were Seventooth tribe members so the presence of tanglefoot bags were dismissed as have been salvaged, likely rejects from Bottled Solutions.] Aerel returned to the Inn and all was well, for now at least. 23 Rova 4707 The day’s festivities started early with the Rusty Dragon Inn filling quickly with the smells of exotic spices and cooking fish. Aerel and Carangal had breakfast and headed out early to partake in the games and sights of the town promising Ameiko they’d stop by her booth later to say hi and to try out her curried salmon. The day went by quickly and they got the chance to meet a few locals and fellow newcomers while they wandered, such as Rynshinn Povali, whom Carangal took an immediate interest in and Aerel was sold a bit of harpy musk from an ‘honest’ merchant by the name Gedwin Tabe. [GM Note: Actually the musk has been watered down to half strength, and despite the fact Aerel’s still got it with him he’s at the point where goblins are more like a fun diversion than a real threat] They both stopped in at Ameiko’s booth and helped out until the crowd was summoned for father Zantus’ big speech. As they made their way up towards the front of the crowd they heard shrieks coming from the back, and quickly changed direction in time to see a small dark figure slit a dog’s throat and lick the blood off its blade. A moment later goblins swarmed into the square and the battle began. [Note: This was a while ago so the details are a bit hazy for me on this fight so this is how I think it went.] Meycho rushed forward to avenge the dog’s killer, as townsfolk headed for the safety of the new Cathedral and the rest of the group attacked a party of goblins who had seized the food booths and were busy stuffing salmon in their pockets or throwing silverware at passing townspeople and high-fiving each other when they scored a rare successful hit. The fight was quick, but mages being less than the most sturdy of adventures Aerel took a bit of damage, and then he and Maycho took some more as they moved from fighting the food booth goblins to the pyros and Warchanter. [GM’s note: I recommend downloading the MP3 of the Goblin Song it’s a lot of fun] Fortunately the group had already got their hands on some healing potions (Aerel and Carangal started with one each) and Father Zantus healed them up before they were drawn in to once again help Ameiko as she and a nobleman found themselves facing a pack of goblins led by one mounted on a goblin dog. [GM’s Note: Had a feeling that Ameiko would be joining the group at some point so I lowered her levels to match Aerel and Carangal, hence why she can’t just clean the floor with her attackers here.] The fight was pretty brutal, and in the process Aerel looted the currently empty Savah’s Armoury of its repeating crossbow to help out against the goblins. In the end the goblins were dispatched and the nobleman, Aldern Foxglove, thanked them profusely. However Meycho had taken the brunt of the damage in facing the goblin commando and so they headed for the Cathedral, and finding the main doors locked, went through the graveyard looking for another entrance. Before they found one though they spotted a small party of goblins stealing over the wall of the cemetery and they gave chase, killing too stragglers but were unable to follow the rest as they fled into the forest. They went back to the Cathedral where Naffer Vosk let them in long enough to grant Aldern and Meycho shelter, before they headed back out to slay some more goblins. Though by the time they had rejoined the fight the goblins were in retreat as Belor and his men had rallied and driven them out of town. However it didn’t mean the day was done for the heroes as their encounter with the goblins in the graveyard led to the quick discovery that Father Tobyn’s remains were missing and a posse was assembled led by Daviren Hosk and Savah which Aerel and Carangal joined which road out to see if they could cut off the goblins before they reached Thistletop (the goblins were recognized as belonging to the Thistletop tribe). The posse rode out as far as where the Lost Coast Road crossed the Thistle River then doubled back to Leb’s Tors to set up watch for the night in case they’d outdistanced the goblins. The night passed nervous and cold, but there was no sign of the goblins or the remains. There was some discussion of scouting Thistletop among the posse, but ultimately it was decided by Savah to head back to town and avoid giving the goblins the chance to ambush them in the Nettlewood. They returned on the morning of the 24th and Aerel and Carangal retreated to their room for some much needed rest and slept until the next day.
In our campaign Tsuto got hauled in to the Garrison jail, but when the party killed Nualia (it was funny they effectively B-lined right to her) they were pretty close to being done themselves so they left before facing Lyrie. Who later freed Tsuto and fled to Riddleport with Nualia's body. Fun and games ensued and eventually the group was able to re-capture him and Lyrie and was able to take them for trial to Magnimar. As for what happens next, well, that's coming up next session.
Name of PC: Aerel
|
