The Reconquista (Inactive)

Game Master Branding Opportunity

Veterans of the giant wars in the Sheldomar Valley return to their homes to claim their reward.


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Tanith 'Kordson' Creed wrote:
just do the math and include it in our character sheets?

This is fine.


Male Trapper/Guide 7 HP: 69/69; AC: 18, T: 13, FF: 15; Fort: +8, Ref: +9, Will: +5; Init: +5, Perception +17

I'll post them here anyway with how much I saved

Mort
+1 Keen Falchion (+4000)
+3 Mithral Breastplate of Comfort(+7000)
+3 Composite Longbow (+9000)

Sol
Belt of Dex +4 (8000)
Headband of Wisdom +4 (8000)
Bracers of Archery (12500)

so I got an extra 48.5k.


Er, I meant 3 total, not 3 each. but since that seems a bit skimpy, I'll say 4 total.


Male Trapper/Guide 7 HP: 69/69; AC: 18, T: 13, FF: 15; Fort: +8, Ref: +9, Will: +5; Init: +5, Perception +17

Ok, so just the Belt, the Bracers, my armor and my bow then. So only an extra 36.5k


Flynt wrote:
Ok, so just the Belt, the Bracers, my armor and my bow then. So only an extra 36.5k

Jeez, that still puts you at almost 150% of wealth per level. Sheesh. Sorry to change my mind AGAIN, but I will go ahead and cap it at 3 items. Sorry, didn't realize how much of a difference that makes at 11th level.


Male Suel Sacred Fist/Godling 15 | 161/161 hp, Init +0, AC 32 (39 presently) [touch 23, FF 24], Fort +20*, Ref +12, Will +21; Perception +7
Active Buffs:
Resources:
Blessing 8/8 | Fervor 9/9 | Smites 6/6 | Rage 15/15 | Ki 10/10 | Action Points 6/11

lol, 3 is fine too.

If it worries you that much though you should look at the crafters. They're going to be near 180-190% wealth per level.


Also, Matt and Jacob's character are also limited to three items, same as everyone else, otherwise it would be unfair.


Male Trapper/Guide 7 HP: 69/69; AC: 18, T: 13, FF: 15; Fort: +8, Ref: +9, Will: +5; Init: +5, Perception +17

Yea, welcome to crafting.


Been discussing this over Gchat. Limit is still three, but Matt gets a bonus wondrous item, and Jacob get's a bonus weapon or armor at crafting price.


That sounds fair.

I think this is why original 3.5 crafting rules cost the crafter XP. It balanced the notion that everything was simply half price all the time.


Munkwunk wrote:

That sounds fair.

I think this is why original 3.5 crafting rules cost the crafter XP. It balanced the notion that everything was simply half price all the time.

Well, neither 3.X or Pathfinder have figured out how much a feat is worth in gold.

Personally, I think that crafting shouldn't require feats, and just be a part of the game instead. That way, wealth-by-level can more easily assume crafting.

I'll have to adjust Sol's sheet for the limited crafting.

-Matt


You'll find the synopsis for your 1st-level adventure below. I'll also repost my original comment on what you should do with it.

Alex Greenshields wrote:


Okay, I think I am ready to start the "background" section of this adventure. What I will do is post the basic outlines of the first adventure: where and when it took place, what you encountered, what obstacles you overcame, what obstacles you did not overcome, and generally how it ended. These descriptions will be intentionally vague, as I would like you to fill in the rest.

After I post them, you will fill in the rest from the perspective of your character. You can focus on the entire adventure, or just pick out a dramatic scene and work on that. The only rule is that anything that has been written before you immediately becomes canon and cannot be changed, although different characters might obviously see things differently. You can post more than once on a given story, but try to let others get out their first post before posting again (unless someone is out of town and won't be posting for a while). This will give us all a chance to flesh out the PCs personalities and create backstory that we can draw on later.

ADVENTURE 1 SYNOPSIS

BACKSTORY
It is the 3rd of Fireseek, 585 CY and for the March of Sterich, it is the beginning of the end. Fate, that most inscrutable of mistresses, has brought you all to the village of Fitela, on the southern banks of the rushing Davish river. Each of you has come for different reasons, but you all find yourself as the best defense the village can muster today.

Much of the southwest and west of the March of Sterich is already in flames, put to the torch by large bands of marauding orcs and bugbears that have been slaughterering every living thing in their path for the past month. Sadly they seem to only have been the vanguard of the main assault. Once the brave Sterich halberdiers and the rightly famous light cavalry were drawn out onto the field of battle, the giants of the mountains, led by the mightly King Galmoor of the Frost Giants, appeared out of nowhere. They drove a blinding snow in front of them, freezing unprotected men in their tracks. Hundreds died in these assaults, and the brave men and women of the March’s forces, blinded and half-frozen, retreated in desperation to the capital of Istivin. That was a week-and-a-half ago.

The small village of Fitela is in a panic. Although they have not seen the enemy, they have heard rumors of humanoids massing in the Jotens to the south. The village aldermen, in consultation with the local priest of Allitur, have decided to wait for further instruction from the Earl before simply abandoning the settlement. They hope that the Marquis and his forces will stop the attacking forces at Istivin, and end the invasion there. The capital has been safe behind its enormous, protective curtain walls for centuries, and the village leadership has little reason to doubt they will be able to stop this attack in its track.

Flynt has been living in Fitela for the past few months, trapped here by an early winter storm. He had traveled up the Davish River from the Javan, and has been making a living as a trapper. He's grown to like the somewhat gruff, independent people of Sterich, and also appreciates that they don't immediately think he's a thief, just because he is Rhenee.

Tanith has the ignoble distinction of being the youngest member of the town guard. He was posted here the previous fall when the rumors of gathering humanoid forces in the mountains had first surfaced. He had hoped for a chance to prove himself, but has encountered nothing but the endless tedium of small town military life here.

Mortifice has been living as a spy among the orcish forces mustering in the Jotens south of Fitela for the past four months. Although he had vowed never to return to his orcish brethren, when rumor reached him in the town of Kalibac that humanoids were gathering in the mountains, he knew he could not idly sit this one out. He took off the robes of a devotee of Mayaheine, and disguised himself as a cleric of Luthic, traveling into the Jotens to find others of his kind. He found a group of orcs mustering not far away and successfully parleyed his skill in healing into becoming a member of their warband. Luckily for Mortifice, the orc leader was desperate for soldiers, and did not ask a lot of questions.

Solaufyn Ithilnelle has spent much of the last few years living among the wood elves of the Oytwood. These elves had been fighting incursions from giants and humanoids of the Stark Mounds and the Crystalmists for years, and have seen a rise in these attacks in recent months. Their diviners foretold that a great war was coming, and ordered their people to retreat deeper into the woods. Solaufyn thought that a message should be sent to the local non-elven populations, but the wood elf elders still harbored old grudges against the local humans and dwarves. Solaufyn decided to take matters into his own hands and traveled south through the Stark Mounds into Sterich. Although he was able to warn the gnomes of the Stark Mounds, by the time he got to Sterich, the attacks had already begun. He traveled through the March, warning of a great attack and advising folk to marshal a defense in Istivin or else flee the land. His travels have led him to the small village of Fitela in the past few days.

HERE ARE THE EVENTS THAT TRANSPIRE DURING THIS ADVENTURE. THESE EVENTS MUST HAPPEN, BUT NOT NECESSARILY IN THIS ORDER, AND YOU CAN ELABORATE ON ALL OF THEM:

  • All PCs (except for Mortifice) begin in the village of Fitela. A terrible snow storm has been raging for the past two days, cutting visibility to 20 feet. Most of the town is gathered in the barn-like town hall, deciding on whether to abandon the village or not. Most of the common folk want to leave and flee downriver to the much more defensible Godakin Keep, while the elders wish to wait to hear from Istivin. Nothing has been heard from Istivin since the great battle a week-and-a-half ago.
  • The PCs decide to go out and scout in the foothills to the south, despite the horrible weather.
  • While scouting, the PCs encounter a small company of dwarves (40-50) from a local mine, lead by Grinnur "The Hammer of Moradin". They are fleeing an attack by a combined force of orcs and bugbears who nearly trapped them in their own mine. Though the wounded wish to flee, there are some who might be convinced to fight with the PCs (10-12).
  • You encounter a small group of orcs and defeat them.
  • The weather breaks for a short time, allowing you see a much large warband of orcs and bugbears (numbering in the hundreds) headed toward Fitela. They are led by a terrifyingly huge bugbear.
  • The village is convinced to flee to Godakin Keep, but due to their numbers, many will not have enough time before the humanoids arrive.
  • You help delay the enemy forces, allowing most of the villagers to flee to the far side of the Davish. This is done by any means other than a frontal assault.
  • At some dramatic moment, Mortifice reveals himself, leading to the death of either the orc or bugbear leader, although not necessarily by his hand.
  • You make a last stand on the banks of the Davish against the humanoid forces.
  • You are somehow able to keep the humanoid forces from slaughtering you, and safely make your way to the far side of the river with the rest of the town's population.
  • You are assisted by the militia of Fitela for any or all of this, in addition to the dwarves of the mine.


Something I didn't mention is that in order to keep things moving, I was hoping you'd post your "versions" of the background stories more like normal prose, and less like normal PbP writing (i.e. less back and forth talking, more of a single story told from 1st or 3rd person perspective). I don't want to spend a huge amount of time on these, and move the story forward (unless we all end up having a lot of fun with these).


Oh, and don't worry about the mechanics of any of this. If you say you do something, it happens, unless it makes no logical sense, in which case I have veto power to excise it from the ongoing narrative. Does that sound fair?

EDIT: One final request. Let's move the actual storytelling to the IC Thread.


Stats for Fitela added to "Campaign Info"


Yay, I like all the stories so far. More, more!


Male Suel Sacred Fist/Godling 15 | 161/161 hp, Init +0, AC 32 (39 presently) [touch 23, FF 24], Fort +20*, Ref +12, Will +21; Perception +7
Active Buffs:
Resources:
Blessing 8/8 | Fervor 9/9 | Smites 6/6 | Rage 15/15 | Ki 10/10 | Action Points 6/11

Should we wait for Matt or just move on?


Tanith 'Kordson' Creed wrote:
Should we wait for Matt or just move on?

Since these are the first postings, let's wait for Matt. After he's posted it'll be a free-for-all.


Just talked to Matt. He's up in Seattle tonight but will be posting from the hotel later this evening.


Male Suel Sacred Fist/Godling 15 | 161/161 hp, Init +0, AC 32 (39 presently) [touch 23, FF 24], Fort +20*, Ref +12, Will +21; Perception +7
Active Buffs:
Resources:
Blessing 8/8 | Fervor 9/9 | Smites 6/6 | Rage 15/15 | Ki 10/10 | Action Points 6/11

Sounds good.


Great posts, guys! Feel free to make bold choices and really define the story if you feel like it. Nobody is right and nobody is wrong here. You're telling a story about your character, but you can also tell stories of the other characters as well, once you feel you have a good insight into who the PC is.

Let's try to finish this story up today if possible, unless the story takes an unexpected turn that we wish to explore in more detail.


Oooh, this is getting exciting! What happens next, what happens next?


Below you'll find the synopsis for the second adventure. As before, it's pretty general and needs a lot of fleshing out. Have fun!

ADVENTURE 2 SYNOPSIS

About two weeks after the defense of Fitela you find yourself at Godakin Keep (see Map of Sterich in the "Campaign Info" section), on the border between Sterich and Keoland. This time could be spent in many different ways:

  • You can protect the villagers of Fitela, who travel to Godakin keep for protection. There could be more humanoid attacks, or you could encounter a group of small ice elementals summoned by cleric of Kostchtchie.
  • You could break off from the villagers to try and find out what happened at Istivin and where the Earl and his forces are. After all, there's a war going on and where's the army?
  • You could try to track enemy troop movements to eventually report to someone important at Godakin Keep.
  • Anything else you could imagine.

Whatever you choose, you end up at Godakin. It is the lynchpin which secures the defense of eastern Sterich, as it sits on the confluence of the Javan and Davish rivers, controlling water access to both Sterich and Geoff. In addition to providing an inroad into both of these countries, the Javan River also forms the natural western border of Keoland, and is vital to that realm’s defense. If any serious bid is to be made to keep the invasion from spreading into neighboring territories, or to eventually retake the lost territories, Godakin must stand.

Once you arrive at Godakin, you discover that the war in Sterich has only gotten worse. The giant and humanoid armies have advanced much faster than expected, pushing Earl Querchard to declare a general evacuation of all of Sterich. He was convinced that this was the only viable option by the loss of Morrard, a small keep 45 miles northwest of Istivin. The lord of that manor believed that he could withstand a siege. The giants, however, were not interested in anything of the sort. With heart-wrenching ease they scaled the walls of the keep with simple grappling hooks, while orc shamans on a nearby hillside chanted foul spells of protection. In the end, the keep was burnt to the ground, although one survivor was allowed to flee the devastation in order to give account of what had occurred. The Earl feared that the giants would have similar success in Istivin despite its defenses, and withdrew.

  • How do you feel about these developments? Do you think the Earl was in the right?
  • Has your PC been to Istivin? Does he have family there or know anyone who lives there?

Now the Earl’s court is traveling as fast as it can down the King’s Highway towards Flen. The regular army is being used to defend the fleeing population, while the Sterich cavalry, under the command of Marshall Karri Velthundle launches hit-and-run attacks against the pursuing humanoid and giant armies’ flanks and rear.

Upon first arriving in Godakin Keep (which is under the command of the forces of Keoland) you undergo intense scrutiny by its defenders. Refugees have been pouring over the border from Sterich for weeks, setting up makeshift camps in the shadow of the castle. All crave the defense of the keep’s strong walls, yet few can fit inside. Eventually someone who knows one of you vouches for you and you are let inside.

Within the keep you find everything in an uproar. Volunteers from all over Keoland have been pouring into this part of the country, wishing to volunteer to defend their neighbors. Sadly, the local baron is not the best at managing large groups of people, and many are beginning to get tired of just sitting around, waiting for orders.

Eventually you decide to take surveys of the local warriors, dividing them up by experience and specialty. Knowing that there is a large lack of good intelligence, you organize and lead small scouting parties into enemy-controlled territory, and also make contact with small groups of sympathetic demi-humans and creatures who are willing to be of assistance.

  • What races/creatures do you make contact with? How do they help you? How could you convince them to help the people of Sterich?

Back at Godakin you start suspecting that the seneschal of the baron is more than he seems. After carefully monitoring his movements for a few weeks and using divination magic, you discover that he is secretly passing messages to a foreign power. Unable to get definite proof of this, and worried that the baron would not believe you (or worse, might be a co-conspirator) you follow the seneschal’s messages which eventually lead you to a seemingly abandoned house in a nearby boggy forest. Infiltrating the house you discover that it in fact houses a cell of agents working for the Despot Turrosh Mak, new lord of the Pomarj.

You eventually clear out this cell, discovering that the Pomarj had formed an alliance with King Galmoor of the giants, in addition to a quite nasty tribe of local goblins. The Pomarj agents were planning on taking and holding Keep Godakin from the inside, thereby cutting Sterich and Geoff from any outside assistance. In return, Galmoor was to promise certain mineral rights in the Jotens and Crystalmist mountains.

Armed with this evidence you return to the Keep, confronting the seneschal in front of the assembled court with his treachery (but not before a big battle erupts between you and those loyal to the overlord of the Pomarj).


Male Suel Sacred Fist/Godling 15 | 161/161 hp, Init +0, AC 32 (39 presently) [touch 23, FF 24], Fort +20*, Ref +12, Will +21; Perception +7
Active Buffs:
Resources:
Blessing 8/8 | Fervor 9/9 | Smites 6/6 | Rage 15/15 | Ki 10/10 | Action Points 6/11

Wow, a lot happens in this chapter. About what level are we at this point?


Tanith 'Kordson' Creed wrote:
Wow, a lot happens in this chapter. About what level are we at this point?

Let's say 3rd at the beginning and 5th by the end.


Male Suel Sacred Fist/Godling 15 | 161/161 hp, Init +0, AC 32 (39 presently) [touch 23, FF 24], Fort +20*, Ref +12, Will +21; Perception +7
Active Buffs:
Resources:
Blessing 8/8 | Fervor 9/9 | Smites 6/6 | Rage 15/15 | Ki 10/10 | Action Points 6/11

Sounds good. I won't be able to post tonight as I moved into my new place and don't have Internet setup yet. I'm posting from my phone now and this small amount of text was challenging enough.

Hopefully the others will get the ball rolling and things will be well underway when I get to a PC tomorrow.


Hmm, I'll have to think about this one. Turrosh Mak, who has likely sworn to exterminate all the elves of Celene, is involved.

-Matt


Tanith 'Kordson' Creed wrote:

Sounds good. I won't be able to post tonight as I moved into my new place and don't have Internet setup yet. I'm posting from my phone now and this small amount of text was challenging enough.

Hopefully the others will get the ball rolling and things will be well underway when I get to a PC tomorrow.

Good luck with everything!


Once again, really good and creative stuff, guys. Keep it up!

Scarab Sages

You guys are hilarious. It's 9:30 and I just finished reading the entire chat thread. I didn't even know it was happening. When I was first asked about the Earl and Istivin, I was literally getting into the car and then spent the next hour driving (which is why I didn't get in on any of the converation).

Do you have any ideas of where you are going to take the story now?


Male Suel Sacred Fist/Godling 15 | 161/161 hp, Init +0, AC 32 (39 presently) [touch 23, FF 24], Fort +20*, Ref +12, Will +21; Perception +7
Active Buffs:
Resources:
Blessing 8/8 | Fervor 9/9 | Smites 6/6 | Rage 15/15 | Ki 10/10 | Action Points 6/11

I'm thinking we should close in on the Pomarj traitor cell next.


Male Suel Sacred Fist/Godling 15 | 161/161 hp, Init +0, AC 32 (39 presently) [touch 23, FF 24], Fort +20*, Ref +12, Will +21; Perception +7
Active Buffs:
Resources:
Blessing 8/8 | Fervor 9/9 | Smites 6/6 | Rage 15/15 | Ki 10/10 | Action Points 6/11

I left the big reveal/showdown for someone else.


I know that Adventure II is not yet concluded, but I thought I'd give you a little bit of extra time to start thinking about Adventure III. At this point you are all 5th level, and will be 6th or 7th by the end of this adventure.

ADVENTURE III
We now take a large leap forward in time from your adventures at Godakin Keep. The time is early Coldeven, 586 CY, about a year after you led the evacuation of Fitela. The war for the liberation of Sterich and Geoff has been raging with many successes and failures. The Confederacy for the Reclamation of the Occupied Territories (or just Confederacy) now holds the banks of the Javan River, and is beginning to make inroads into the heart of Sterich. It is composed of the remnants of the Sterich military, combined with volunteer forces from Keoland, the Yeomanry, the Gran March, and even as far afield as the Duchy and Country of Ulek.

Spies have recently reported that something strange is happening among the giant and humanoid Occupation forces. After the betrayal of Hilden’s Grange last fall, where the orc chieftain Yagga One-Ear turned against the eldritch giant sorcerer Hawesti, there has been much infighting among the occupying forces. Reports of skirmishes between the giants and their erstwhile allies are heard with growing frequency.

Even stranger, there have been no reports of the frost giant King Galmoor in Istivin since last Sunsebb. None of the magical or mundane spies of the Confederacy seem to know what has happened to him; he simply seems to have disappeared. Without a strong central leader, the giants are becoming sloppy, and lesser leaders are siphoning men and resources to benefit their own territories and goals.

The forces of the newly titled Marquis Querchard, with the support of King Skotti of Keoland, are taking advantage of this by striking hard and fast against the nonhumans. Still headquartered in the Keolandish town of Flen, they have just begun a new campaign whose ultimate goal is to retake Istivin. The Marquis has offered noble titles and lands in Sterich to any knights who are willing to join him, and quite a number of men from all over the southwestern Flaness (many with noble titles of dubious provenance) have joined him.

Your group has been kept busy over the last year. After your success at Godakin Keep, you were put under command of Valtgraf Jorgen Wallur, a famous gnome noble from the Stark Mounds. Based in his secret, underground base about 50 miles north-north-west of the ruins of the village of Steryn, you have been conducting spying and hit-and-run operations against the local occupation forces headquartered at Oytpass Keep. You are also in contact with the wood elf forces of the nearby Oytwood, who are currently trying to keep the trail that leads to their sylvan home from falling into Occupation hands. Most recently, a small band of dwarves under the leadership of Chief Kurgi Hammerhand have crossed back over the Javan and have joined your group. They are here to support the retaking of the Oytpass Keep, but ultimately wish to retake their lost communities in the western Stark Mounds.

For this adventure, I’m going to leave it up to you to decide on exactly what happens. The only thing that is essential is that at the end of the adventure the Oytpass Keep is held by you or allied forces. How exactly you achieve this is up to you.

Forces on your side:
1. Gnomes of the Stark Mounds under Jorgen Wallur
2. Dwarves under Kurgi Hammerhand
3. Wood Elves from the Oytwood
4. Some Human Forces (mainly light infantry and skirmishers) from Gorna
5. The young adult Copper dragon Maetus who lives in the Stark Mounds, who although he is selfish, has no great love for the giants and their allies.
6. The Sisters of Righteous Vengeance, a flock of harpies from the White Oyt River valley whose initial attempt to ally with the giants was rudely dismissed and who are now out for a bit of payback.

Forces against you:
1. The defenders of Oytpass Keep. A collection of hill and stone giants.
2. Bonespear and Bloodmoon tribes of gnolls and flinds from the Stark Mounds. They know the area exceptionally well and are good at many of the same tactics you are. They are led by a powerful flind antipaladin named Keetith the Joker.
3. The fallen of the battle of Gorna. Mainly wraiths, specters and wights who haunt the Stark Mounds at night. They are not allied with the giants, but present a constant danger to anyone traversing the Stark Mounds at night.
4. The Tuskbreakers, a small band of near-feral wereboars working for the giants who have difficulty following orders.

Locations which you might avail yourselves of:
1. Oytpass Keep: A small keep surrounded by a tall curtain wall. It sits an a steep-faced hill overlooking the road. Its defensive towers contain ballistae and catapults, and the gates are defended by numerous murder hole with, boiling oil dispensers. The walls of the keep were reinforced magically and have heightened hardness and hit points. The main gate is magically warded and has the equivalent of SR 18. This effect can be dispelled, but this only lasts for 1d6+1 rounds.
2. Valley of Sorrow: Highly haunted area as a result of the Battle of Gorna in the 5th century CY. It is reputed to hold a magical weapon of some power.
3. Grey Wood: A small forest once connected to the Oytwood. Home of the Tuskbreakers who inhabit a complex on connected tunnels.
4. Ruins of Soraoh: Ancient Flan standing stones in the Stark Mounds. Used as a gathering place for the local gnoll and flind tribes.
5. Oytwood Trail: Connects Sterich to the Oytwood. Not maintained by anyone. Ancient path first used by the Flan people over a thousand years ago.
6. Roothome: The underground base of Jorgen Wallur’s band of gnomes. Not a full gnome community, more of a bolt hole for raids and hunting. Well-stocked with supplies and weapons. Not sized for Medium or larger-sized folk.
7. Oytwood: A dense deciduous forest, whose southern half is home to a large population of wood elves. The northern half of the forest is under the rule of a powerful hag coven allied with the giant rulers of lost Geoff and is quite dangerous.


Male Half-orc Oracle 11

Ooooh, open-ended.

Anyone have any ideas on where to start?


Male Suel Sacred Fist/Godling 15 | 161/161 hp, Init +0, AC 32 (39 presently) [touch 23, FF 24], Fort +20*, Ref +12, Will +21; Perception +7
Active Buffs:
Resources:
Blessing 8/8 | Fervor 9/9 | Smites 6/6 | Rage 15/15 | Ki 10/10 | Action Points 6/11

Well Tanith is going to start with some soul-searching and training.

As for the actual events Alex laid out, I like the idea of spending the first few posts reconnecting. Sol is apparently leaving to do elf-stuff. He can be found with the elves of the Oytwood.

What did you have in mind for Mort and Flynt?


Have we hit the wall on these player-led pre-adventures or have folks just been busy?


Alex Greenshields wrote:
Have we hit the wall on these player-led pre-adventures or have folks just been busy?

Nahh. I know I just felt a little burnt out from the heat wave, not the best for writing under. I'm planning out a couple of posts detailing Sol's journey east.

Though, the party-split could have messed with the dynamic a bit...

So, to get things moving, how about we all detail what our PCs are up to for the year in between, then we'll start slowing re-meeting up?

-Matt


Male Suel Sacred Fist/Godling 15 | 161/161 hp, Init +0, AC 32 (39 presently) [touch 23, FF 24], Fort +20*, Ref +12, Will +21; Perception +7
Active Buffs:
Resources:
Blessing 8/8 | Fervor 9/9 | Smites 6/6 | Rage 15/15 | Ki 10/10 | Action Points 6/11

That's what I was planning but I was waiting for the rest of you to post.


Male Suel Sacred Fist/Godling 15 | 161/161 hp, Init +0, AC 32 (39 presently) [touch 23, FF 24], Fort +20*, Ref +12, Will +21; Perception +7
Active Buffs:
Resources:
Blessing 8/8 | Fervor 9/9 | Smites 6/6 | Rage 15/15 | Ki 10/10 | Action Points 6/11

Once Sol's got his journey dealt with I was going to do a post about Tanith's trip through the woods, looking for him...


Sol's effectively in the Oytwood now, post away.

-Matt, now with new, funnier avatar!


Considering how much we've slowed down of late, I'm going to just summarize Adventure IV for your guys, okay? After that we'll go straight to the beginning of the actual adventure.


Male Suel Sacred Fist/Godling 15 | 161/161 hp, Init +0, AC 32 (39 presently) [touch 23, FF 24], Fort +20*, Ref +12, Will +21; Perception +7
Active Buffs:
Resources:
Blessing 8/8 | Fervor 9/9 | Smites 6/6 | Rage 15/15 | Ki 10/10 | Action Points 6/11

Sounds good.

Jacob's volunteered to handle this battle. After that's done we can finish up this chapter.


Here's the final adventure synopsis. As I stated, this is just a summary, and will not require your stories in the same way as the last three adventures have. I just want to get started on the actual adventure, but thought you might refer to this escape once we actually start the real deal. This adventure will probably be the last time you all are together before we move the story to the present (CY 593).

ADVENTURE IV

In the fall of 590 CY the group is hired by the Dwarven Union for the Liberation of Occupied Holds and Other Sundry Communities (D.U.L.O.H.O.S.C.) to investigate and if possible liberate the dwarven hold of Eagle’s Nest. It is located within the peak of the Witch’s Hump, a mountain between the Dear and White Oyt rivers.

The Union’s sources have revealed that although the Eagle’s Nest has been held by a family clan of fire giants and their hobgoblin mercenary allies since around 585 CY, there may be some upheaval happening. The hold sits on a large mithral (or mithril for the Tolkien purists) vein, so the Union members feel that it is essential that it be retaken. The party is hired partially because of their reputation in the retaking of the Oytpass Keep during the war.

The Union has recently received confirmation that a number of dwarven slaves have been brought to this location to assist in the mining and smelting of the precious metal. The melting in particular is quite difficult, dangerous, and labor-intensive process, requiring dangerously high heat, and the dwarves’ reluctant expertise is greatly needed. The work is being overseen by a misshapen half-illithid derro who has been employing his psionic or magical powers to keep the miners and metallurgists in line. This information was provided by a dwarf miner named Nadolf Pickstrike who managed to escape less than a year ago.

The party travels through the Stark Mounds where they encounter a raiding party of dire badger-riding gnome rangers and druids, who have recently relocated there from the north-eastern regions of the Stark Mounds. They are tracking a large band of gnolls who have been despoiling the lands around Gorna. They are mainly interested in this task, and are only secondarily interested in fighting the larger humanoid and giant menace. They seem to know nothing of the Eagle’s Nest.

After arriving in the vicinity of the Witch’s Hump, initial scouting reveals that all of the mapped entrances to the hold, including the supposedly secret ones, have been made impassible or are heavily defended by traps and/or monsters.The only seemingly undefended access to the Nest is through the ventilation shafts which descend over a quarter of a mile into the mountain to the foundries of the hold.

The party makes camp for the night in a well-hidden cave nearby. During the night they are partially surprised by a large drow raiding party. Rather than attacking, however, the dark elves indicate their desire to parlay, stating that fighting would only result in needless heavy losses on both sides. In addition, they state, your goals might be mutually compatible.

Whatever the party decides to do, one observant member of the party notices that the drow spokesman bears an unknown drow emblem which arouses his/her curiosity. If the party agrees to the parlay, the drow reveal that they have heard of the Eagle’s Nest but have avoided it due to the strength of its defenders. They are currently focusing their attentions elsewhere and agree to withdraw without incidence. If you attack, the drow quickly retreat.

The next day you make your way to the top of the mountain employing some stealth. Your carefulness pays off when you realize that an invisible, yet powerful air elemental guards the top of the shaft. You quickly dispatch it before it gets a chance to alarm its masters.

Following this encounter, you devise a way of lowering your party the quarter of a mile down the shaft. As you descend you notice that the gets colder and colder. Near the bottom you discover to your dismay that an enormous batch of brown mold has been planted here to provide some defense and aid in the circulation of air.

Once you devise a way around this obstacle you find yourself near the ceiling of a cathedral-like cavern. Dozens of forges line the floor, heated by geothermal forces. Scores of human-sized humanoids make their way between them, guarded by a handful of vigilant fire giants.

Through some subterfuge you eventually manage to defeat the surprised giant guards, including one who seems to be a wizard who paradoxically focuses on cold magic. Upon approaching the dwarven slaves, you find they have been horrifically transformed to better deal with the intense heat found here. Strange, heat-resistant scales have somehow been grafted onto their bodies, so that they barely resemble dwarves anymore. In addition, all seem to be under some form of mind control.

Through magical or mundane means you break one of transfigured dwarves’ control. At first he is overcome with grief at the sight of his new form, and begs to be killed. After being calmed down a bit, he realizes that he can still be of some use in freeing his companions.

With his help you track down the half-derro slave lord and defeat him in a pitched battle after first overcoming his enthralled umber hulk bodyguards. Before the party is completely over, the remaining fire giants return slightly bloodied from a raid, but soon flee before your onslaught.
Freed from their mind control the mutated dwarves liberate the rest of the slaves, but decide that they do not wish to return to their surface. Refusing further aid, they meet and tell you that they wish to travel further into the Underdark, and make a new home there, far way from everything they know.

THE END

After this adventure, you guys disband, supposedly for good. Each of you goes off to do your own thing, and being around 10th or 11th level, you guys have plenty of gold to throw around. The giant invasion is pretty much over at this point, although some distant holds are still held by the them or their allies. Because of your service to Sterich during the war, each of you is promised a decent plot of land, although some of them are still held by the enemy. If you try to collect on this land before the beginning of the next adventure, you are told that the government is still reforming itself and cannot immediately deal with your problem. You are told to return at a later date and petition again.

The next time you meet as a group is when you receive an invitation to return to Fitela in the Spring of 593 (three years after the end of Adventure IV) to be guests of honor at the rededication of their ecumenical temple that was destroyed during the war. You are to receive special honors for your bravery during the evacuation of the town.


Male Suel Sacred Fist/Godling 15 | 161/161 hp, Init +0, AC 32 (39 presently) [touch 23, FF 24], Fort +20*, Ref +12, Will +21; Perception +7
Active Buffs:
Resources:
Blessing 8/8 | Fervor 9/9 | Smites 6/6 | Rage 15/15 | Ki 10/10 | Action Points 6/11

Well I'm glad we're skipping that one. It was kind of anti-climactic.

No final battle for the retaking of Sterich? No epic duel on the lava planet?


It's only the prologue. Sometimes wars end with a whimper. And I can't believe you want to hold up "Revenge of the Sith" as a positive example.


Male Suel Sacred Fist/Godling 15 | 161/161 hp, Init +0, AC 32 (39 presently) [touch 23, FF 24], Fort +20*, Ref +12, Will +21; Perception +7
Active Buffs:
Resources:
Blessing 8/8 | Fervor 9/9 | Smites 6/6 | Rage 15/15 | Ki 10/10 | Action Points 6/11

An example of bad cinema: Yes.

Appropriately dramatic conclusion: Also, yes.


Male Half-orc Oracle 11

Looks like I never updated my character profile with my new equipment. I'll try to remember to do that tomorrow (That is, later today but after sleep).


*Sigh*
Everyone's a critic.


Does anyone else want to post a final time to wrap up the "prologue" before we begin the next adventure?


I plan to do a post today to talk about what Sol does in the in-between years. He's either helping out Ulek, helping out Geoff, getting stuck in Faerie by helping Geoff, or a combination of all three.

-Matt

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