Journal of a Spell-less Ranger (probably the 100th journal telling a RotRL campaign)


Campaign Journals

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Riding Bull wrote:
Similar to ability damage at Misgivings, I think inexperience is playing to our advantage here. We accept things as they are written and players don't yell "unfair" at things that some more experienced players seem to consider as such.

Also, I think general maturity is important. We're not pre-teen or teen boys here afterall. And our characters are friggin' god-touched Heroes(tm)! :D

Riding Bull wrote:


On that note, restoring ability damage/drain/negative levels have seemed to be so easy for my players with Harsk always ready to restore & cure disease that I really don't see the problem..

We <3 Harsk

I've let myself to believe one should not ever try RotRL without a) at least 4 PCs and b) without a cleric in the party. No joke.


Tomi Heikkinen wrote:
Also, I think general maturity is important. We're not pre-teen or teen boys here afterall.

Yet you giggle like one.


I giggle like a little girl but that's beyond the point ^^


Tomi Heikkinen wrote:
I've let myself to believe one should not ever try RotRL without a) at least 4 PCs and b) without a cleric in the party. No joke.

I wouldn't be so harsh. There's always ways for GM to adjust the difficulty and lack of cleric can be solved with diplomacy, potions, wands and such.


Riding Bull wrote:
Tomi Heikkinen wrote:
I've let myself to believe one should not ever try RotRL without a) at least 4 PCs and b) without a cleric in the party. No joke.
I wouldn't be so harsh. There's always ways for GM to adjust the difficulty and lack of cleric can be solved with diplomacy, potions, wands and such.

DIPLOMACY? IN OUR CAMPAIGN?


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I just found this campaign journal and I have REALLY enjoyed reading it. I was an avid follower of Nobodyshome ROTRL journal as well, and being able to compare and contrast the two is fantastic. His was an overall perspective from the DM's point of view, here we get to see a very well written account from an admittedly unreliable narrator.

Please, keep it up. You're providing a fantastic reading experience.


LOL. Imagine my surprise! Reading Useplanb's player journals, I get to see a different group running the same AP, but it's definitely two totally-separate experiences.

With Running Bull, I've noticed a couple of times where he embraced something I did, and it made me glow a little inside. And I'm loving this giant chase scene because I had nothing like it in my campaign (no one was hanging around in the woods while Sandpoint got sacked, UNLIKE Running Bull's group :-P), so I want to see where it goes...


Chakfor wrote:

I just found this campaign journal and I have REALLY enjoyed reading it. I was an avid follower of Nobodyshome ROTRL journal as well, and being able to compare and contrast the two is fantastic. His was an overall perspective from the DM's point of view, here we get to see a very well written account from an admittedly unreliable narrator.

Please, keep it up. You're providing a fantastic reading experience.

Thank you very much Chakfor, I'm so happy to hear you enjoy the story. As long as we play I'll keep writing! We've passed the mid-point in the six book-story already, so I guess we'll have to go all the way to the end!

"NobodysHome wrote:

With Running Bull, I've noticed a couple of times where he embraced something I did, and it made me glow a little inside. And I'm loving this giant chase scene because I had nothing like it in my campaign (no one was hanging around in the woods while Sandpoint got sacked, UNLIKE Running Bull's group :-P), so I want to see where it goes...

Like they say, learn (=steal) from the best..

Oh, and it goes somewhere quite interesting...


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Alpharius fumbled his stealth check (with a +20 modifier no less).. is the infiltration of Jorgenfist doomed from the start? Will the party be drowned in giants?

Read and find out!

38. BREAK AND ENTER*

Enjoy!

*also a very nice track by the Prodigy


Wow....

You guys like doing things the hard way, I've gotta give you that!

Looking forward to the next one!


NobodysHome wrote:

Wow....

You guys like doing things the hard way, I've gotta give you that!

Looking forward to the next one!

Yeah, that's what you kinda get with a party composition and skill modifiers like ours. (I think Alfred's and Harsk's stealth modifiers are negative..)

Sometimes, our style of play reminds me of a DOS game I loved playing in the nineties, a Finnish game "Tapan Kaikki" roughly translated as "I'll kill 'em all".

Which, of course suits the character Alpharius more than well! But the lack of planning, finesse and surprise, that's another discussion..


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Yeah, I keep forgetting my party invested heavily in a wand of Silence just for the paladin. Not to negate enemy spellcasters (though that was a plus), but so they could sneak in places using an Invisibility Sphere without her -6 Stealth "bonus" giving it all away...

(And the mental picture of a 6'1" drow paladin in full plate scurrying along behind a gnome sorcerer to stay within his invisibility sphere while they raced across the open before the 3 rounds of silence were up always delighted me...)


Haha, joint purchases?

Not in our team!


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The story within Jorgenfist continues. What guarded the Black Tower? Who lies dead in the pit at the center of the fort?

Read away!

39. FROZEN ASHES AND DEAD FRIENDS

Again, comments are most welcome!


Wow... 3 of 4 (OK, OK. 4 of 5, Duath!) down to the aura is bad bad bad!

Reading on...


But then:
Alfred happened.. :)


Riding Bull wrote:
** spoiler omitted **

Oh, I know you read my journal. You KNOW what happened in my campaign.

Spoiler:
I think that poor mummy is just doomed to get pounded into oblivion by any melee character not affected by the fear effect. Poor mummy!


NH I totally agree.. After all the build up I tried to make for him.. Seeing him fall so fast was a bit disappointing :(

But daaaamn that discussion with Conna the Wise, ladies and gentlemen, is fine example of what follows from half arsed preparation of info-feed.

Having read the chapter tens of times now, I sort of knew by hearth what she knows, but as we play in Finnish, I wasn't able to just read and repeat lines from the book the parts I didn't remember, so instead I tried to eye it some, pick key points and literally just say something about it.

So end result during session was along the lines of "she then mentions.. umm.. hold on.. no she doesn't.." times ten. I ended up re-feeding the players what she said in written form after the session, but it is evident the damage had been done already..

I really should start writing those speeches in Finnish when preparing.

It is well written Tomi, but almost every line goes south from what she was supposed to say.. And only I can take the blame from that :)


Yeah I might need to revisit that discussion, having read your infodump again. Thank the gods for the edit button!

Kinda forgot it last evening when I finished the chapter - or had the feeling my notes from the session were "90% there". Obviously, this is not the case, or at least some crucial facts are missing, and the point Conna was trying to make is a bit skewed, not false or wrong per se, but a little off.


1 person marked this as a favorite.

Who did our group find in the ritual chamber? Did they get them out alive?

Read about it in the newest chapter of Book of Alpharius that is about to go beyond 200 000 words.. If you've read it all you'd deserve a medal.

40. MY HERO

This chapter is a bit heavier, more emotional as I try to explore Alpharius and his character. But it's short.

Comments, as always, are more than welcome. Enjoy!


Best... fumble... EVER!!!

How many 1's did he have to roll to pull off that little stunt?


:D

Just two and a draw of a card as we use the fumble deck. I think it said something like: Your opponent gains control of your weapon (fort negates), which he also fumbled..


That was truly an epic fumble.

Love the deadpan snark toward Ven Vinder too. He struck me as a bit of a hothead when my group ran the AP. Sadly, our DM got deployed and we never got past book 4 and will never finish the AP.


Chakfor wrote:

That was truly an epic fumble.

Love the deadpan snark toward Ven Vinder too. He struck me as a bit of a hothead when my group ran the AP. Sadly, our DM got deployed and we never got past book 4 and will never finish the AP.

Yeah, Ven is a douche through and through. Though Alpharius's relationship with the Vinder family is weird. But then again, the guy seems to f*ck up every relationship he has outside the party and I'm fully expecting him to accidentally burn the bridges with Ameiko too eventually. There are no happy endings with Alpharius.

But curses Chakfor, don't say I'll lose another reader when our story reaches the end of book 4 (in case you don't want to spoil yourself that is) ?


Tomi Heikkinen wrote:


But curses Chakfor, don't say I'll lose another reader when our story reaches the end of book 4 (in case you don't want to spoil yourself that is) ?

Nah, we'll never finish the AP. I see no reason to not keep reading. Even if we do pick it up I'm playing a very withdrawn cleric of Pharasma in the campaign so I wouldn't foresee any issues with player knowledge being abused.


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We are back.

The hunt for Mokmurian under Jorgenfist continues. People get killed in funny and surprising ways.

Enjoy!

41. MASTER OF PUPPETS

PS. This is actually the first chapter that I wrote once and then said f*ck that and wrote anew. My problem, from a storytelling point of view is the barrage of enter room, kill baddies, enter room, kill baddies, ad nauseam. Fleshing out each fight just does not work, which is a shame since each has its moments.


Moments of fumble you mean! ..poor Teraktinus.

But yeah.. That "barrage" is and was my problem from GM point of view aswell.. On one hand I'd like to send them all at you at first sound of battle, but on the other it would then result with one long fight and ton of empty rooms which would probably be boring aswell (Sandpoint Glassworks, search for the remaining runner goblins).

Over a year ago before we started this campaign, I read a GM/dungeon building advice to not have empty rooms as they serve story wise no purpose, but having room after an other filled with combat encounters seems bit complicated to explain as well.


Man you delivered! Really well written with all the pieces that matter in and on spot :)

I love the improvement you've done with your writing (trying to promote more friends in to this hobby and reading you first chapter now..)


Awww ^^ thanks! I'm seeing the improvement there too, maybe later I'll rewrite chapters 1 to 30something :D

This was tough to write thanks to the constant open the door-fight-open the door-fight action, but just wait for the RP-heavy road trip back from Jorgenfist! That will be sweet to put down on paper..

Also, nice to hear our story is of use :D


Awesome again, Tomi! Keep up the good work!


Thanks RavenVoron!


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With Mokmurian slain, the group begins to wonder just how the hell they are going to get out of Jorgenfist. But they get sidetracked...

Some really nice RP ensues, including an idea and a roll of natural 20 for a certain handle animal check. Booooo-yah!

42. WE RODE LIKE KINGS

Enjoy!

PS. Also, ladies and gentlemen, please rate the chapters (possible at the end of each chapter), so I can get feedback on which work and which don't! Thanks :)


LOL. I'm loving them ALL, Tomi, I'm loving them ALL!


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The party travels back to Sandpoint, meeting strange folk and strange places on the way..

The session that is partly depicted by this chapter was one of my favourites as a player. Very nice interaction between the party and Riding Bull did a fantastic job setting up the places and the events.

43. A LONG WAY HOME

Enjoy! And please share me some feedback at least by rating :) thanks!


Spoiler alert: This is the day we died! - Live session #2.

- Riding Bull on the computer thou.. Spoiler might be incorrect. Or not?


Nooooooooo!!!!

Well, RB hasn't posted you all in the obits, yet. I know where you are in the books, and I don't know of anything particularly TPK-worthy there. Care to enlighten a distressed soul as to the cause of your premature demises?

It's hard to ask questions without spoilering, so I'll just leave it at that...


He was cheating you guys. Day Two of our live session #2 begins soon..


I apologize for my behavior! We indeed had live session at Tomi's and I couldn't resist the child in me to go and post something with his account as I was running the campaign on his computer :P

On topic.. Well I did try!


LOL. Never suppress the child in you! It's too much fun not to! :-P

(Well, OK, maybe, "Let's slip hot peppers into grandma's oatmeal and see what happens," SHOULD be suppressed, but you get the idea...)


Riding Bull wrote:


On topic.. Well I did try!

Spoiler: Alpharius again missed half the fight, and again a dragon was involved :P. So expect a short description of yet another epic (or dare I say, MYTHIC) battle!


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A long break comes to an end and the travels of Alice, Alfred, Harsk and Alpharius (and his loyal panther Dûath) continue. Book five of ROTRL begins as the party returns to Sandpoint from Jorgenfist, and they are yet again contacted by the leaders of Sandpoint to save the day...

This chapter massively downplays the combat while focusing solely on RP. A trend I assume will become the norm in the future, excluding fights that are simply too epic to just summarize *coughdragonscough* *coughAlfredfightinghillgiantsinhisunderwearcough*

Also,

Spoiler:
Xaliasa's
monologues and Q&A with the heroes got cut thanks to a tired player who wasn't really arsed to try to make notes of the discussion :D.

But please, enjoy!

44. THE KEY


I actually kinda enjoyed the focus on the rp side in this one, Tomi. It really kinda made everyone just a little more human. Not that you weren't before, it's just I viewed them as action heroes (which was awesome) and not so much people. In this one I got to see certain characters as just people. Especially Harsk with the kids. Keep up the good work!


RavenVoron wrote:
I actually kinda enjoyed the focus on the rp side in this one, Tomi. It really kinda made everyone just a little more human. Not that you weren't before, it's just I viewed them as action heroes (which was awesome) and not so much people. In this one I got to see certain characters as just people. Especially Harsk with the kids. Keep up the good work!

Thanks RavenVoron! And you make a very good point. Future chapters will include more of that "fleshing out" of the characters as people, for example I think one sellsword is quickly becoming religious and finding a purpose in life.. :D


Wait... Sleeping with wenches and drinking all the time isn't a purpose?!?! XD


Indeed, and I think he is taking his drinking to a spiritual level... or taking his drinking religiously.. bwahaaha


Cayden has always been my favorite god. Not even because of his ideal but just because he accidentally became a god... WHILE DRUNK!


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A new chapter, and we step up our game. 'Nuff said!

excerpt from the blog wrote:


The half-elf guffawed, and if by cue, his gang members laughed too. “You stole them from a horde of giants”, he repeated what I had said, tasting the words. “What a feat.” As an afterthought, he pulled a scimitar from a scabbard on his belt and pointed it at me lazily. “Then they really aren’t yours, and you won’t mind when I take them from you.”

45. MYTHIC

Enjoy :)


I *love* what you've done with your down time! Awesome write-up, as always!


Thanks NobodysHome :) !

The boys have their businesses, but just wait for what Alpharius has in store for his downtime ;)

Also, if anyone missed it, we are now MYTHIC HEROES :o expect cool manifestations of our powers and even more epic battles!!!11oneone

I spun a "Dark Side of the Force" kind of aspect into Alpharius's moment of ascension which Riding Bull did not include originally. I felt it apt to remind that there is another side of the coin when it comes to gaining such power. And I admit that I was inspired by the effects of a certain tunnel to Alpharius in a certain magical place that we are currently exploring in our game...


Inspired by the Christmas holidays, I wrote this small piece. It is completely fictional - this did not take place - I just wanted to mess around with the characters, the concept of Christmas and how it would fit into our story and the world of Golarion.

Happy holidays and enjoy :)

*******

THE STRANGERS - CHRISTMAS SPECIAL EDITION!

25th of Kuthona - Sandpoint

Evening had fallen and it was snowing large flakes outside. The long table at Harsk's temple was brimming with food and drinks of all kinds - pork, chicken, pies, cheeses, fish, bread, porridge, mead, wine and much much else. The heroes were preparing for a feast.

"Tell me again why we're doing this", Alpharius said as he placed yet another egg-sized glass orb onto a branch of a proud, green spruce. Dozens of the same kind were magically hovering around the branches, over golden and silvery swags he had spun around the tree.

"Like I told you, I happened to read about the cult of Santa Claus from a book I found", Harsk began to explain, "he seemed like a pleasant enough angelic outsider and I thought it fitting to adopt his ceremony for the 25th of Kuthona for the celebration of Iomedae." His expression darkened. "Especially since I missed Her Ascendance Day on the 6th of Lamashtan."

"That you did", the half-elf commented sourly as he adjusted the position of one silvery swag. Back then the heroes had been mourning druid Vidarok's second, final death and the holiday had went past unnoticed even by the cleric of Iomedae.

"And we don't have anything better to do anyway", the cleric added as he stirred a large bowl full of porridge.

"What was the name of the original ceremony again", the half-elf asked.
"I think the translation was Chreestmash", Harsk reminded him. Alpharius snorted with a hint of suspicion. "Hmmh. Sounds threatening."
"This Santa Claus person sounds more like a herald of Erastil, with all the gift-giving", Alice noted as she was slicing the crown of the dinner, a boar, with her crackling scimitar.

"I don't care. Just look at all the drinks and food!" Alfred exclaimed and poured himself another beer. "I love this idea, Harsk!"

Alpharius took a step away from the spruce at the corner of the main room. "Alice, light it up", he said, satisfied with his effort. The magus murmured a spell and the dozens of the glass orbs suddenly began to glow in different, warm and bright colours.

Harsk smiled from the porridge. "Good work you two. Beautiful. The children will love it." Alpharius grunted.

"Talking of gift-giving, I don't think we have anything to give each other", Alice pointed out. "But lass, we have each other", Alfred smiled cheesily and burped. The magus rolled her eyes. "No, Alfred here is right. I think that is the spirit of Chreestmash", Harsk cut in, stroking his beard. "The gifts are not the point."

"I don't think Alpharius would give any anyway", Alice smirked, ruffling the feathers of the half-elf. "You might be surprised.." The hunter murmured in response, mostly to himself.

"There is beer, and that is enough. I will gift myself with wenches of the Pixie's later this night", Alfred guffawed.

**

There was a knock on the door.
"That must be the others", Harsk said and asked the sellsword to go and open the door. He went, and as pulled the door open, he vanished into a blinding, golden light. The others shielded their eyes with their hands.

"HO HO HO, MERRY 25TH OF KUTHONA", beyond the all-consuming light a deep voice of a woman bellowed, somehow echoing, sounding like a choir of thousands. The shining receded and revealed a form of a glorious, beautiful woman in full plate armour. She was wearing a red cloak over her figure and carrying a large brown sack over her shoulder.

Harsk went to one knee immediately and bowed his head. "My goddess, my lady", he gasped. Alpharius, Alfred and Alice just stood there gaping, like fish on dry land.

"Well, mighty hero of Varisia, won't you let me in", the goddess Iomedae herself asked Alfred, smiling mightily. He couldn't say a word. He didn't move an inch.

"Step aside or I'll make you sing songs and sit on my lap!" Iomedae exclaimed in irritation and this finally made Alfred move aside with a startle.

"Good man", the former herald of Aroden, now of the pantheon of Golarion, said with satisfaction and entered the small temple / house dedicated to her. "Harsk, my most loyal follower. Rise." And the dwarf rose, but kept his gaze down. "It pleases me greatly how you honor my name with this new festivity. Our struggle at the Worldwound requires soldiers, and we can gain them through dedication and ceremonies like these. Very good. Too bad you're reaching out for that drunk Cailean", she said to Alfred, her voice a perfect storm, and then regarded Alpharius, "and Pharasma and Lamashtu are both eyeing you." Then she turned to Alice, who suddenly found something interesting at the tip of her toes. "How about you, great magus? Your talents would not go to waste fighting Lucifer and his minions." Alice said nothing, shrugged sheepisly. "I'll get you soon enough. But now, presents!" She swept down the sack from her shoulder. "First, Master Harsk." Her armoured hand sank into the sack. Harsk went back to one knee, as if in reflex. "I've heard you like longswords like a proper follower, so I had this forged for you." She offered the dwarf a gleaming adamantium blade. Its pommel was golden and there was a perfect diamond at its tip. "Honor me by killing my foes with it in my name." Still kneeling, the dwarf took the sword gently with his hands and kissed the blade.

"Then, sellsword. Come here. Say something."

"Thank you?" Alfred offered awkwardly, and stepped towards the living god who gave out presents. "I heard that little bastard giant Mokmurian disintegrated your spiked shield. For you, I have forged a new one." From the sack, she took a beautifully crafted shield. It too was of adamantium, perhaps vainly in the goddess's own colours. "This one I promise is invulnerable", Iomedae said and the old moustached sellsword took the gift with a deep bow.

"Magus! I heard you like reading, and your spells too." She produced a tome from her sack. "My lady", Alice said and curtsied.

"Bounty hunter.." the goddess turned slowly, her shining eyes searching the dark ones of the half-elf, "You've been naughty for the past year. Or years, as far as I know." She sighed. Her gaze was judgmental. "Just look at you, running around wearing that dreadful skull mask. For you, I have nothing."

Alpharius struggled to hold eye contact and grunted. "Typical. Why am I not surprised", he said with his low voice. This made the goddess laugh, a terrible and beautiful sound at the same time. "I'm just fooling with you, half-elf. I have something for you too." For the final time, she reached into her bag and pulled something out. "A quiver for an archer. Full of various slaying arrows!" Alpharius tried to keep a straight face but couldn't hold back a faint smile.
"There! Now I must go and return to my plane. My armies require their commander." She was about to leave, but hesitated. "Harsk.. keep up the good work."

"Have no doubt, my lady goddess", Harsk replied. He was still on his knee, his face towards the floor.

Then she was no longer there.

"I wonder will she come if we do this every year", Alfred said after a moment with a big smile.

**

Only minutes after Iomedae's visit there was yet another knock on the door. The heroes looked at each other nervously. Was it another god? Somehow, that would not have been surprising. Ultimately, Alfred went to the door.

Behind, in the snowfall, was a serious looking man with dark skin and a bald head. "Hemlock!" Alfred shouted happily, "at last. We've been waiting for you. You're the first, but where are the others? And the orphans?"

The sellsword's words made the Sheriff of Sandpoint even more serious, stricken even. "Alfred, all of the children.. they have been taken by a furious ice dragon that screamed your names in anger."

"A WHAT?" Alpharius and Harsk both yelled in surprise and got up from their seats at the table. Alfred covered his face with his palm. "I'll fetch my equipment", Alice said soberly. Everybody started to move, once more heeding the call of the town, again needing no further explanation, no further plead for assistance. Their town needed them.

Hemlock grabbed Alfred's shoulder who was turning to run to his battle-axe. He was holding back a laugh - very atypical to him. "Friends, friends. I was kidding." With those words a throng of people emerged into view beyond the doorway. Ameiko the innkeeper, Korvut the blacksmith, Mayor Deverin, Gaven Deverin, High Priest Zantus, Ven Vinder and her daughter Shayliss, Larz Rovanky, Savah Bevaniky, Nisk the potionmaker, Auron the paladin, all the orphans, and many, many more. It was a commotion, but there was room, food and drinks for everyone. The heroes sighed as one in relief and welcomed their guests to the feast.

Ameiko broke out the lute and played serene songs. Harsk, Ven Vinder, Alfred and High Priest Zantus got way too drunk, Alpharius and Shayliss disappeared sometime during the night, and Alice ate way too much chocolate. So went the 25th of Kuthona in Sandpoint.

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