Savage Blight - Rune Stoners go north

Game Master Rev Rosey

As soon as your feet touch the golden disk, you are dragged from your body. Buffeted by screaming winds and thrown from side to side you are lifted high in the air ending in the branches of an ancient nest built over generations into the side of a cliff.

You are confronted by an enormous raven, seemingly composed of many ravens. This is the totem spirit of the intellect and it speaks to you in a harsh language you have never heard but can, if only in this place, fully understand.

"You are worthy to test."

OK, you pass the initial requirement which is Int 16 or more. Skill challenge. You need three successes in History, Arcana or Religion before one failure.

The Raven fixes Vel with its gaze and you understand perfectly what you have to do to complete the trial. Out of the corner of your eye you see how very far up you are and realise all too well that the consequences of failure may be bad indeed.

The Raven stabs at Vel with its beak, breaking her skin. You toy with me, you who look only at magic to find your way. Seek the tomb, if seek you must, but know that you are unworthy. GO!

Raven beak stabs you for 1d10+3=8 damage.

You watch in horror as your body falls from the tree to the ground. As you hurtle back to the pool, you are able to tell yourself this is not real, and fail to sustain any further damage.

Raven rolled 1d20+8 against Vel's Will and managed a majestic 12, so you take no further damage.

You're back and conscious, but very wet and bleeding from a wound in your arm.

Like Vel before you, you are dragged from your body. Buffeted by screaming winds and thrown from side to side you are lifted high in the air ending in the branches of an ancient nest built over generations into the side of a cliff.

You are confronted by an enormous raven, seemingly composed of many ravens. This is the totem spirit of the intellect and it speaks to you in a harsh language you have never heard but can, if only in this place, fully understand. The Raven's head tilts to one side.

Another arrogant soul seeks to pass my test. So be it.

You pass the initial requirement which is Int 16 or more. Skill challenge. You need three successes in History, Arcana or Religion before one failure.

The Raven fixes Kia with its gaze and you understand perfectly what you have to do to complete the trial. Out of the corner of your eye you see how very far up you are and realise all too well that the consequences of failure may be bad indeed.

History checks for the Raven. (1d20+11=28, 1d20+11=16, 1d20+11=31)

"Did I pass?"

The Raven places its beak on Kia's head.

You are truly worthy daughter. Go with our blessing and our mark.

Kia notices with some bemusement that she has acquired a thin layer of black feathers over her arms. As the totem spirit touches her, she feels as if some part of her mind has opened up and she knows something she had never realised she knew.

You gain a permanent +2 to your History checks, since that was the skill you used to pass the test. You may also, once per day, replace any roll using a statistic other than your Int with your Int mod. For example, if you were rolling an attack with a Str mod, you can, once per day replace it with your Int mod.

Kia smiles serenely and floats back to the pool.

Here you fall before an ancient white dragon, composed of many dragons. This is the totem spirit of the ability to endure, to survive the impossible. In your head, the voice of many dragons crackles and burns.

Little mortal seeking worth, look into my eyes. You are fit to make the attempt.

Arctic chill sweeps over you and you understand what you must do.

Basic requirement of Con 16 met, so you now get the skill challenge. Three successes before one failure. Please roll Endurance checks.

Endurance rolls: 1d20+8=20, 26, 19. My dice like me this morning, hopefully those all pass!

Boldly meeting the eye of the totem dragon, Whitelaw allows waves of chill to flow around and through her and she takes them as her own, using her powerful constitution to turn the cold into warmth for herself.

As she opens her eyes again, the dragon nods. You are worthy and may pass onwards. You are marked as our own.

A band of white dragonscale appears around Whiteclaw's wrists and she feels strengthened by the encounter.

Gain a permanent +2 to any Endurance checks you have to make in future. Additionally, once per day, when making any kind of roll that does not involve your Constitution score, you may substitute your Con instead. For example, if you were rolling damage or a Wisdom skill or something you wanted to beef up for some reason, you can swap it for your Con mod. Combined with the Jarovit blessing, you now have a potent buff at your disposal.

Oh yes, comfortably good enough!

The dragon nods in dismissal and you are returned to the pool.

Griping claws grasp your body as what can only be the totem spirit of all owls clutches at you and lifts you high in the air. The pool vanishes and you are aware only of branches whipping your face and the ground receding in dizzying circles.

The gigantic owl speaks with the voice of all owls in your mind, the dusty, muted tones of the professional killer.

This is the totem spirit of instinctive knowledge.

You are worthy to test. Speak to me of your knowledge, show me your honed instincts.

You pass the initial requirement which is Wis 16 or more. Skill challenge. You need three successes in Healing, Insight, Nature or Perception before one failure. You can pick any combination of skills you wish.

The Owl's claws hold you fast, preparing to flex if you fail.

He attempts to discover what the owl wants: Insight (1d20+9=17)

And he attempts to repair the damage the owl has done to him: Heal (1d20+9=16)

Those aren't very good rolls for my best skills. :/

You are dragged upwards into the surrounding cliffs through caves of ice wrought by time into unfathomable shapes, eventually coming to rest in a chill cave.

Here you fall before an ancient white dragon, composed of many dragons. This is the totem spirit of the ability to endure, to survive the impossible. In your head, the voice of many dragons crackles and burns.

Little mortal seeking worth, look into my eyes.

The totem spirit looms high over your head, realising you do not have the necessary ability to undertake the task. It breathes out, enveloping you in ice. Holding the beast's gaze, you realise this is but another test and hold your ground. The ice rolls away to nothingness. Claws lash out at you, each tipped in ice, raking at your body. The wounds are real enough to you and made more agonising by the bitter chill that accompanies them.

There may be more worth in you than appears. Take the trial if you so will it.

Arctic chill sweeps over you and you understand what you must do.

Basic requirement of Cons 16 or above was not met, so you had to suffer two mental attacks (one for each point of Con below the requirement). Rolled 1d20+8 v Will for you to believe you were being attacking by the breath weapon for a total of 11. 1d20+8 v Will for you to believe you were being clawed for a total of 24. TRK takes 2d8 damage for a total of 15.

You now get the skill challenge. Three successes before one failure. Please roll Endurance checks.

The terrible claws grip slightly and then release.

But barely worthy and yet your humility may yet serve you. Go with our mark.

Owl feathers bloom on Reason's arms and he is returned to the pool.

You made the DC on all three by the narrowest of margins. You gain a permanent +1 to your Perception skill as your highest roll, but no other goodies.

I don't know if I pass.

"Father Kord, give me strength!"

Boldly meeting the eye of the totem dragon, The Rogue Knight allows waves of chill to engulf him, focussing on the power of Kord to give him strength to endure.

At length the cold passes and he opens his eyes again. The dragon nods. You are worthy to bear our mark.

A band of white dragonscale appears around The Rogue Knight's wrists and he feels strengthened by the encounter.

Gain a permanent +1 to any Endurance checks you have to make in future.

In the act of dismissing the paladin, the totem dragon pauses.

Damaged one. One extra boon we grant you in recognition of your courage. You may ask a question pertaining your fate or that of your comrades.

You sense that a great and rare honour has been vouchsafed you.

The spirit dragon's eyes cloud for a moment.

No path is certain until it is trodden. You know this mortal. She is a dangerous foe, wily in cunning and charm. Brute strength alone will not cause her fall.

There is a small pause, as though the totem spirit is wondering whether to continue.

Yet, it may be your brand of courage will bring her ending. She torments one of our kind beyond endurance and his end is certain. You aided him in finding that end, and he may yet aid you.

The mighty claws extend once more towards you, but this time they rise in a gesture of salute.

Your time here is done. Return to your world.

Jaws fasten around you and pull you down into the earth. Roots of trees and spirals of cruel bramble tear into you and at length you lie before an arctic fox. Composed of many foxes, this totem spirit is the guardian of the virtues of dexterity, the power to hide, to jump and lurk with cunning.

The orange eyes survey you coldly and a rasping voice sounds in your head.

Mortal, you have not the skill to be here.

Jaws snap hard on your leg, drawing blood, followed immediately by two hard clawing attacks.

Go. This is not your place or your test.

You need a Dex of 16 to go direct to the test itself. You're at 14, so you suffer two mental attacks v your Will, one for each point of Dex you don't have. Bite attack - 1d20+8=18, 1d8+3=4 damage. Claw attack - 1d20+8=26, 2d6=6 claw attack damage. Total 10 damage because you believe the attacks to have happened. Failing both Will saves boots you back to the pool I'm afraid and you can't try the fox totem again. Welcome back by the way.

You are thrust backwards towards the pool and lie face down in the water bleeding hard.

As you step onto the disk darkness spills over you, pulling you towards two small points of light. Whispering dark floats past as you are drawn inexorably closer to them, speaking on the one hand of your weakness and folly and on the other of the joys of power and the thrill of the luring hunt. The lights become the eyes of the spirit totem of the snake and you kneel before it in awe, as the great creature arcs high over your helpless body.

The voice in your head is quiet, almost gentle, composed of the voices and qualities of all snakes. It is the guardian of the virtues of charm, deception and the leadership of fear.

You are most surely mine to test.

The great head drops to look you in the eyes and you see the fangs ready to bite if you fail. You know instinctively what you must do.

Prerequisite of Charisma 16 is met. Skill challenge. You need three successes before one failure in Bluff, Diplomacy, Intimidate or Streetwise. Pick any combination of skills you want (and you can use them as many times as you like).

You leave gaps in your defences mortal. Your worth is proven nontheless and you may pass on to the tomb. A pity that you may not bear our mark.

There is slight regret in the voice of the spirit totem.

The great head lunges forward and you accept with grace the puncture marks on your arms. 2d4=5 poison damage.

As the snake draws back, you fall back towards the pool.

Each totem corresponded to one of the basic stats (bear=Str, fox=Dex, dragon=Con, Raven=Int, Owl=Wis, Snake=Cha). As The Rogue Knight and Arianwyn found out, there was a basic minimum of 16 in the relevant stat with an associated number of Will saves if you didn't have it. Had Vel taken the bear, she'd have had to make 8 Will saves and I'm mighty glad she didn't try it! Once that was met (two fails booted you back to the pool), then it turned into a skill challenge based on the skills associated with the stat. 3 before 1 failure made it tough for everyone, but reasonable as you'd all be likely to have at least one skill high enough to make it plausible.

A straight set of successes was permission to move on and the animal marking. One fail meant you could still go on, but no animal marking and no extra goodies. Rolling +10 on the DC got you extra boni, based on the skill you used. Kia and Whiteclaw both have a handy buff at their disposal now.