I was just reviewing character sheets and I realized I havent disclosed much about languages. Like in RL, the dominant languages have dialects of their own depending on where they are located. You begin with one language relevant to your history, which does not have to be Common. The dominant languages of Nerul are...
Rhenyr (Common) - the dominant language of the international community. It developed as a trade language during the Ikarian Empire. It is spoken mostly in Maor, Anthropos, and Manava.
Rha'lis - the "old world" language of Anthropos. Many anthrosians speak it as a second language. Older generations resent the popularity of rhenyr, believing the harsh tones of orenic have butchered the melodic slender of rha'lis.
Orenic - the language of maorens. The orens to the north speak an older dialect. The language of rhenyr adopted many symbols from orenic.
Old Orenic - see above.
Asyri - the language of the manavir. Asyri ironically has the least influence in rhenyr due to its difficulty, however, the international language has adopted asyri numerical symbols entirely.
Yinjet - the language of the now reclusive Eastman, the ningen. However, draconic is replacing yinjet rapidly. Some southern ningen nations still maintain a presence in the international community, so it isnt fair tonsay they are completely reclusive.
Barentu - the language of the bantulu. However, many dialects exist as the Sun Kingdoms of Bantu are still very feudal among each other.
Khorgesh - the language of the khazahar (orc). It is very alien to humans due to the emphasis placed on body language. True khazahar oratory is in the form of action and not words.
Draconic - the language of the eridani. It is extremely hard to understand and they do not teach it to humans. The only knowledge available on the language is derived from interpreters who illegally decipher the language. If you select draconic, you cannot speak it completely and will often have to interpret it with successful rolls. The ningen that have converted entirely to the fanatical worship of the eridani are taught the language.
Cecil, I may edit your "limit break". I need to see your final character details.
Also, do you guys mind giving me more on your backgrounds? I can provide background suggestions for your characters if it's too difficult. Being homebrew, it's hard to get all the details on the setting and may leave you lost when creating your story. I will do my best to complete societal descriptions so you guys have more to go with. But one thing is certain about this world is that it is very diverse and about 50% larger than Earth. Cultures exist within cultures, and nothing is static. There is plenty of room for your own develop and stories.
Since we are all virtually done with intros, I'd like to welcome you all to the main game! I want to make this world come to life for you guys, so I hope you find I make it easy for you to explore. My preference is to do this sandbox style. This does mean it requires a little direction on the party's part, but I will not leave you guys stranded as far as the environment goes. You will have plenty to interact with. There will be plenty of hints and tips throughout the world directing you toward riches and adventure.
For the main quest to continue, the party must meet at Dulles; a small mining village north of Neo Ikarus.
Miles would go first, but both of your attacks are hits and are amazing. I'm proud of you two.
Miles goes for another strike on Azeban...
Miles atk:1d20 + 3 ⇒ (17) + 3 = 20dmg:1d6 + 1 ⇒ (3) + 1 = 4
Azeban's fort save DC 14:1d20 + 5 ⇒ (13) + 5 = 18 PASS
You feel your insides tingle and you vision went blurry for a brief moment. You immediately respond to the effects with mettle and shake off whatever was causing the effects.
Your turn occurs and it's amazing.
Miles's eyes nearly pop out of his head as he witnesses every wound he has ever had come back to life. He nearly fainted when he saw exposed bone through a deep cut on his forearm. He screamed in pain and you think you could hear him beg for his life among the screeching. He may have even said sorry.
Then suddenly, his neck splits open as if he were struck by an invisible razor. You look behind you to see Sydney standing there in a confident stance, as if she had nothing to do with it. Luckily you were not wearing your normal clothes, because she certainly made a mess of your prison rags.
You drop Miles to the ground as a shredded mess.
Jesus you guys! This s*#& is X-rated!
Though the threat was gone, his crying may have attracted the attention of the guards. Before turning to rush toward the exit, you hear heavy feat shuffling toward you. Appearing into the light is the homeless man that gave Sydney her bracelet.
"I have a message for you, sister." He extends his dirty hand toward Sydney. In his palm is a small brittle mineral. You know it as mica, but the Sisterhood augments them to contain temporary messages. The homeless man moves back into the darkness*.
You two continue to move toward the exit as Sydney pulls out her tuning fork and breaks the mineral between the prongs. The messages are usually unclear so they are concise and purposeful, but most of all, discrete. The message resonates between the prongs and into your ears.
"Cache on shore. Orc to Dulles**"
You both finally make your way to the main drain that dumps water into the sea. The rocky shores take a while to climb down but provide substantial footing, albeit awkward. Near a small rowboat is a medium sized sack.
Inside the sack: Azeban's gear! You have everything you bought when you created your character.
I will let you two finish up the intro with your posts. Please ascend to lvl 4! Azeban, your "limit break" is in the works!
*The homeless or "forgotten" citizens of the world often serve the Sisterhood of Lys. They do not know the identity of their "employers", but they act as messengers and perform other auxiliary tasks required of the Sisterhood. In exchange, they are given food and only food, and they must maintain their station as homeless. The Sisterhood is extremely secret, even to the other Daemon Guilds, and they will pay a lot to keep it that way. The Forgotten, as the Sisterhood call them, are very useful strings that can be plucked unnoticed by them.
**Dulles is a small mining village north of Neo Ikarus. It will take about a day to get there on foot.
I have lost count on how many zombies are left, so let's just call it six to get through the intro. I promise I do not rush things like this in the main game. Not nearly as many GM interventions.
With great east, your oversized sword's weight coupled with your strength cleaved the two zombies horizontally, dropping their top halves to the ground and crushing their bottom halves below. Their bodies are as dry as scorched wheat.
Sky quickly reloads and fires another shot, resulting in another meatplosion (“meat-explosion” if it wasn't clear). By that time Dru picks the lock, but she leaves the door shut until the undead in this room are cleared. Wouldn't want to face another trap, or worse yet, another room full of them.
”Brilliant.” Drucilla compliments herself. She springs to her feet and pivots again on her heels as if she were being rewound. Dru is now behind you. ”All set, ladies. I see you two have made quite a mess in just 10 seconds.” The rogue draws her dark-steel cutlass, “The Black Wave”, and twirls it with her fingers playfully as she hums a cheerful tune; as if the zombies were mere butterflies. It sounds like she's singing one of her chanteys.
Dru readies herself to attack any zombie that makes it pass Drake and Sky. Also, Dru uses her “special power” to grant you all one extra attack per round at -5. You gain the extra attack even when not doing a full-attack.
Chanteys of the Black Wave Drucilla can sing a chantey that either buffs allies or debuffs enemies. The saving throw, if it is required, is a Will save vs DC = 10+1/2lvl+CHA mod. The effects last until Dru finishes the song, or stops singing. The effects linger for an additional number of rounds equal to her CHA mod once she has stopped. If she is unable to finish a song, other effects take place during the additional rounds which are described below. She begins knowing three chanteys, but can learn more as the game progresses. Each chantey can only be used once per day. Because lets face it, songs get old.
Samson the Shark – This is a fast paced song with lots of energy. It's quick and heavy tempo provide an excellent combat rhythm, granting allies an extra attack at their highest BAB – 5. This attack does not require a full-attack to attain. The song takes six rounds to finish. If Dru stops singing prematurely, the penalty on the extra attack is doubled for the lingering rounds.
Dead Cloaks' Last Stand – This is a very proud and energetic song. The frequent deep notes that are sung at high volumes bolsters the heart and opens the lungs. With heightened awareness and uplifted spirit, you feel like you can take on anything. Allies add Dru's CHA mod to their saving throws. The song takes 10 rounds to finish. If Dru stops singing prematurely, the bonus is halved for the lingering rounds.
Dirge of the Krakken – This song is ominous and eery. Even though most sailors love the life at sea, it is a common fear among them about the water-devil that lies in the deep below. The legend surrounding the creature invokes despair in enemies. They take a penalty on saving throws equal to Dru's CHA mod. The song takes 10 rounds to finish. If Dru stops singing prematurely, the penalty is halved for the lingering rounds.
The undead seem to grow aggravated. Three of them charge at alarming speeds, one for each of you. One's trajectory is right in the path of the pressure plate (I believe you two are out of the way). He steps on it but is able to dodge the darts. However, he provokes an attack from both you and Sky (I usually roll AoO because it speeds up combat and they are only attack actions anyway).
You both simultaneously strike the dart-dodger has he lunges toward Dru. You feel bone dust splash in your face as the zombie broke to pieces between you two.
The other two zombies focus their attention just on Drake and charge him.
Post up Cecil and Carroc! Sorry if it's short and/or bland. I had to get Cecil caught up and you two will be encountering each other anyways, so I want you give you both some play time while I'll prep the next step. Thank you again everyone for sticking around, I know I say that every time but it really is appreciated.
You spent the rest of the day in their library. Scrolls and books saturate the shelves, but the knowledge contained within them is nothing compared to the information contained in the Nexus. At incredibly fast speeds, the Nexus provides a reservoir of knowledge; an ethereal storage unit of all the information Eridani society has attained to date. However, they refer to it and protect it as if it was an entity, and access to it is strictly limited.
The library is broken off in many sections that are cut out by stone walls. Around the corner to your left, you see a light. The shadows are moving, which means the source is mobile. Revealing itself in the same room as you, the source of light appears to look like a flying star. You can't help but feel you are being watched as it remains suspended in the air for a few moments. Shortly after, it continues toward another section and leaves you alone.
You try to access the Nexus, but are only able to visit training simulations and other information pertaining to your profession as a magus marine. All other requests are denied.
With the few hours you have to spare, you dug into some of their books. One in particular caught your eye. All of the books are written in Draconic, but being practiced, you make out the title "Lavecia Light".
It is hard to determine the context of the book, but you believe it to be philosophical literature. The author preaches about many things, namely the future of the Eridani. To a human, the tone may seem neurotic or obsessive as the author commands the adoption of specific lifestyles for their kind. The author wanted to see his kind reach the pinnacle of their form, believing through self-perfection they will quite literally exist on a different level of reality. The author also seems very disdainful toward Nerul as it is; thoroughly complaining about the limitations of its physics and denizens. You do not know for sure what the context is exactly, but it seems the information in this book correlates well with the possible motivations for the giants' invasion, and perhaps an insight into their general outlook on life.
You decide to bring the book and two others, titled “Atma Unfurled” and “Properties of the Gift”, back with you to your house in the Pristine Village. As you go to exit, the flying light races toward you and halts right in front of your face. Its light blinded you but you kept calm. After a few moments, it trailed off again, leaving you alone. You exit the library without a fuss.
With the insight provided by the island, you find your way to the Pristine Village. The architecture and landscape is very different compared to what you have seen. It seems it is more catered to humans than Eridani. Your house is modest in size but beautiful in architecture. It's as if they, or their automatons, constructed your home according to your aesthetic preferences. Once inside, you found the interior is fully stocked with dragontech appliances and functions. The house resonates with a certain essence; the technology within it gave it a certain 'life'. The lights dimmed upon your entry to the specific level you desired at that point, and the air seemed to fit a perfect memory of home. Despite the Eridani’s martial culture, they seemed to appreciate the holistic values of life as well, and all of it is achieved with their dragontech.
There were still some things left untouched by technology. Though they provided you with a food dispenser (okay, it's a replicator), they also installed a kitchen. Maybe they realize that humans sometimes like to cook their own food just for the sake of cooking, among other “chores”.
You enjoyed a nice meal you prepared and went off to bed shortly after. Despite the stimulating day, you easily fell asleep.
The next day you met with the Zorashti. Their government building is large and spacious with no seating. It is only a large stone dome with similar engravings to the ones in the Temple. Behind where the Zorashti stood, there is an unfamiliar graving that reaches from the floor to the ceiling. It appears to be a humanoid, similar to a human but more slender and with pointy ears. In its hands is a large spear; its blade pointing upwards and stabbing a fearsome dragon in its underarm. The humanoid figure is engraved with wings and reptilian armor, similar to that of the Deoxul.
"Approach, shyka," says the Eridani you delivered the stone to. The eight other giants stood as still as statues, their faces and bodies covered in robes, each one being unique from another. The one that spoke is still naked. "There is no return from Shyka. Your life will end as a Shyka. As an appendage of the Zorashti, your will is ours." He grabbed a bowl from a stone table behind him. He anointed you, which is something they have never done in the past. They show no concern for your clothing or comfort as the nude giant lathers you in oil (hahaha… this is getting kinky!). The Zorashti begin humming a prayer; their grinding voices sent vibrations through the floor and walls.
The nude one steps forward again while the eight others continue to pray, ”Do you know why we pray?”. You have never been asked a question by the Eridani. They seldom display any sort of inquisitiveness, and rhetorical questions are certainly a waste of time to them. But this one seems to have more of an affinity to humans.
To answer his question, you shake your head no. ”We pray for survival, shyka. We pray for ascension. When humans pray, they humble themselves to their gods. They submit. It is a fact of nature that subservient individuals will always follow the visionaries of a species. We have observed this behavior in all of your tribes. It is something we struggle to understand. When we pray, we do not humble ourselves to Dragon. We become them. To see what they see eliminates subservience. Once the mind of Dragon is harnessed, only one ambition is apparent – “. Just then, a loud explosion is heard outside! The giants barely react to the commotion as more explosions are heard. Your instinct is to act but you waited for their response.
The Zorashti seem to be entranced, as if they are concentrating on something. The nude Eridani regains his awareness turns his attention toward you. ”Continue gaining the trust of the insurgents. This is our only will thus far." With barely a gesture from the giant, you are surrounded by light that blinds your vision. Once it dims and your eyes adjust, you immediately feel the lack of comforts provided by Selest; the heavenly floating fortress is not even seen in the sky. An extremely brisk chill bites your face, but the snow is gentle. You are surrounded by conifers and you appear to be along a mountain trail. An obvious firelight dances on some boulders a short way down the trail nearby a stone cairn. To your surprise, you are dressed appropriately for the weather, clad in fur with studded leather and a thick black-fur cloak with a hood. You are also provided with your bow and other personal affects.
I may replace the armor, Cecil. I know you’re still deciding on a class, so depending on what that is, I may change your presents. Also, I have a gift for you…
Mind of Dragonkind You gain a pool of points equal to half your lvl rounded down. The points can be used in the following ways: Dragon Eyes: Spend one point to be considered under the effects of True Sight for one round. Efficient Combat Prowess: For the round you spend a point on, you can half the penalties for Combat Focus. So for every +2 to whatever you take only -1 to whatever (does that make sense?).
Carroc
It seemed the faerie’s prophecy was taking much longer than you thought (maybe if the GM had internet, it would have been fulfilled sooner). But suddenly, you see a flash of white light illuminate the pines, though you could not see the source due to the large boulders that are sheltering you from the wind and keeping the heat from escaping. After a few moments, you think you hear footsteps in the snow walking down the hill.
I know it’s mega short and you’ve been very patient, but take comfort know that both of your intros are now completed! The main game FINALLY begins with Cecil and Carroc meeting on the hazardous mountainsides of Haydron. I will write rough drafts tonight for the rest of the party and get some posts in tomorrow hopefully. Cecil and Carroc, please ascend to lvl 4!!!!
"Numbskull, eh!? Without me, you two pissers wouldn't have even gotten into this tomb! Speaking of which...". The rogue pivots her feet and gallops to the door behind the group, which leads into the next room. "... I'll have my way with this lock and you two numbskulls can hack great-grandma-Hyperior to pieces."
Two zombies shuffle forward. One is making it's way through the free space adjacent to the pressure plate. The other one, a female, looks as if her ungraceful walk might cause her to hit the plate.
Both are 10ft away from Drake a.k.a. within range.
"I think you got them covered, brother." Says Sky as he raises his rifle and fires a deafening shot at a zombie still making its way down the stairs. The bullet hit the skull, sending chunks of flesh and dust from demolished bone flying through the air.
Three more zombies shuffle toward the stairs; their mouths chomping at the air, longing for your flesh.
Next will be Drake. I hope he's still with us. I totes understand if not.
Then Cecil and Carroc, which will be linked. I'll be chilling with Cecil tonight, but he will let me post from his place as he's waiting to get back into this game.
Despite Sydney's stress, Azeban is determined to find his belongings.
With time running short, you (Azeban) draw out what remnants you could from the impaled Asylum guard; plucking and pulling on the strings of his being like a plaything.
WILL SAVE FAILED FOR THE SAKE OF MOVING FORWARD. I hate to do that, but jeezum crow, bub. I've been out of the loop for too long.
The guard's mouth begins to move, as strained words struggle to escape his mouth.
And then it hit you. You have been a slave for sometime now. Any personal effects a khazahar brings from the homeland are placed in a storage facility, where the items are then auctioned off or refined into raw materials. There is hope yet that your belongings are safe, especially your mask.
Roll with me here, Azzy. You'll get what you paid for.
The sound of the guard became louder. Miles "appeared" to be very irritated. In a stern whisper, he called to Azeban. "Look you filthy drawb! (oh no he didn't!) Our window is shutting and there's no way in Oblivion I'll go in the hole for you! So move your ass or I'll turn you in myself!" He turned his attention toward Sydney. "So how about it tuts? Show me the way out and I'll see I repay you in full."
If it's cool with ya'll, I will continue forward! Feel free to retcon in your posts if I do something that you wouldn't do.
Much in the manner you (Sydney) did before, you lifted the grate easily enough. Something was unsettling to you, however. What sense did it make to have such an easy escape route right on the bottom floor of a notorious high-security facility for arcane criminals? It was too easy...
Either way, a plan B was not an option, and down the grate you three went. The homeless man near the ladder was still there, apparently asleep despite the commotion. Azeban is the last to go down and brings the grate back into place. The three of you run toward the south, where the main sewer tunnel drains into the Twin Seas (not labeled on map, but it is the body of water just south of Ikarus, known for being a mix of both fresh and salt water).
It took about fifteen minutes for you all to hear the fall of water splashing from on high. At this point, Azeban had moved ahead of Miles in the marching order, with Sydney still leading the way.
Your informant told you that there is a small boat below, though you would have to climb down the cliff face. The coast is jagged enough, providing substantial footing for a relatively easy descent. As you both look back to see if you were followed, Miles appears to be gone again.
Go ahead and use the dead guard's corpse :) Though I prefer the need for an actual body to be raised, I will leave it up to you for the sake of easement. Raising an actual dead body would be more accurate to the nature of magic in this game, but I don't want to homebrew more than I already have. So if you want to restrict yourself (you wouldn't be too restricted) to needing a physical corpse to raise for the sake of immersion, by all means. Besides, that will lead to some interesting situations and conflicts among the party should you feel the need to murder someone so you can use them as a puppet, hahaha.
There is a chance posts will continue tonight :) Hopefully I can get a post in for Cecil and he can join the fun.
Thanks ya'll! Glad you feel it's worth the wait. Still getting my life in order. I have an interview today so hopefully I will know what the hell is going on in the near future. More delays coming, for sure.
During these delays I have focused on developing the campaign in more detail. We haven't moved very far so even if we come back to it at a later time, it won't be too difficult to refresh.
If you haven't noticed, I've given you all "special abilities". Drake and Azeban's have yet to be revealed. Most of these are like "limit breaks", especially in Carroc's case. Sydney's is more of a circumstantial ability and will be very effective when sneaking or engaging a helpless or flat-footed enemy.
As usual, thanks again for your patience. Are you still interested Drake?
Your organization were reclusive in reason for wanting the orc. However, they did stress the importance of bringing him back alive. You are to follow the sewers south where they are emptied into the Cerulean Sea. This is achieved by going back the way you came, though there may be guards patrolling the path to the exit for obvious reasons.
Azeban hears the echo of voices coming from the hall way. I believe Sydney put the grate back in place. Sydney notices his attention is caught and hears the same.
"Quit your yappin', you two. I think one of them may be able to help Azeban in his search."
The guards' conversation is inaudible but the tone begins uplifted and then drops to worry as they come closer. They may realize that a patrol is missing. It would appear they are still some distance away.
Take 20 on Perception for All
You estimate they are beyond the grate where Sydney entered. Maybe 24 seconds (4 rounds) away.
Take 4 rounds worth of actions. Would you like a map? The perimeter of the rectangular room is lined with sealed metal doors containing prisoners or empty cells. The center of the room has a large (10ft radius) hole containing unnatural darkness. It is guarded with a stone railing similar to the material the Asylum is constructed with. A 5ft section of the railing is missing, providing easy access into a mysterious pit.
Miles casts a spell and disappears from sight. If he moved to close to the hallway, he could be dispelled.
Unfortunately for the manavir, the iron doors are too sealed for any peering. As Sydney creeps closer to the open door, footsteps are heard walking over the sewer grate.
The necromancer Azeban and the magic-trickster Miles move out after he grabs the scimitar from the guard's corpse and hands you his wand-key. "You probably know this, but watch for torchlight. There will be orbs and nodes nearby."
As soon as Azeban and Miles leaves the cell they spot a woman pressed up against the wall shortly around the corner. Unfortunately for Sydney, Azeban can see quite well in dimmed light.
The figure you see, Azeban, resembles that of the one in your vision. There are subtle differences, but the vibe was all the same. Her fair complexion would intuitively indicate her lineage as maoren, however her eyes had the mark of the magically infused manavir (manavir eyes change color depending on hormone levels, though no one color is the same for every individual).
Pressed against the wall, their exiting the cell caught you off-guard. The room did not offer any hiding places save for the unnatural pit in the center, probably deliberately constructed in such a fashion. With no where to go, the prisoners, one of which resembles your person of interest, spot you easily. The orc is old but strong and is decorated with many scars and tattoos. One scar is the symbol for a Zakarai, or a "necromancer" in the common tongue. The orcs see Zakarai as bridges between life and death, and are not viewed with fear and disdain as those in the Federation might see. It is the same for your people. All magic is useful, and necromancy is no exception.
The anthrosian with him is much smaller framed and not bad on the eyes. He has a very modern haircut; the sides buzzed down while the rest grows long. He has a couple tattoos, one of which rises from his chest onto his neck. Typical anthrosian of the counter-culture.
You two have encountered each other! Rejoice! Azeband, your rolls unfortunately do not give you any insight. I'm sure you'll figure out a way to get that information >:-)
Sky calls out in the midst of firing his rifle, "Think it wise to fall back?! They got us 3:1!"
"Oh fu<k that, Arkham! We don't get paid unless they're all dead."
"If we fall back, the trap can thin their numbers you tit!"
"Oh. Brilliant." The deft rogue lobbed her other knife, which she calls "Chickadee", into the decaying head of a zombie before pivoting on her heel and moving beyond the trap. She is sandwiched between the pressure plate and the stone door that led further into the crypt. Sky shortly followed suit.
Sorry. I know I'm breaking combat a little bit, but I want to get you caught up. You may be able to kill them all yourself honestly, haha. That would be bravado.
You all had a general observation that the crypt seemed to be more ornate and "richer" as you moved further down; as if the history of the Hyperior family was written in the construction. The family is certainly old - really old.
You turned and ran back toward the door, making sure not to step over the plate. The undead shuffled toward you, some not even making it down the stairs. Seemed to be a lot of money for such an easy job. You've certainly faced worse undead. Finally, the leading zombie stepped on the plate and darts quickly shot out from the flanking pillars, quite literally shooting chunks off of the Hyperior's great great great great great great great great great great great grandfather.
"Eeeeeewwwwwwwwwww!" screams Dru as she swats flesh off of her dark leather coat.
It takes a couple seconds (one round) for the plate to reset and three zombies shuffle closely behind Senior Fleshy McNuggets.
I believe it is your turn. You can ready actions or do something else. There is one square between you and the zombies and one square between you and the ornate stone door behind. You are unsure of what lies on the other side. There is about one square of space on either side of the pressure plate, though occupying those squares puts you at risk if a zombie decides to step there a.k.a. the GM decides he needs to make your situation more difficult. I will allow you to take a retroactive action and give you a standard action before making your way between the trap and the door. You essentially can make two turns your next post. Does that make sense?
If I have not mentioned it before, DC's and AC's are beaten when they are greater than or equal to the die roll. I think I may have mentioned before that DC's can be matched and beaten and AC's would have to beaten with a greater value. I looked up the official rules so I figured I would go that route.
You always were a good listener. The faerie continued to speak...
"It pains me to have done what I did, but I will do you the courtesy of making you aware of what I have done. I, too, have corrupted you. Within you is my psyche; my essence. You humans might think of it as a 'spirit' or 'soul'. Your captors split your essence in two, while I have added one to you. You will have memories that are not yours, but this is the circumstance that will save you from those soon to be encountered. Your kind is met with fear by the rest of Nerul, and normal circumstances would result in death. Perhaps the seed we have sewn this night will help change their misguided perceptions."
"They will be coming soon. Fortunately, time is slower here. For what I have done, I offer you my insight. You may call to me to answer inquiries, but I cannot promise I will always respond. When the claws of Lupus tear at your mind, you may call to me for aid. Your environment, areas of supreme comfort, are where I will most likely respond. It seems trivial, but your environment dictates your very existence. If you have an inquiry now, then you may ask it." The glowing faerie bellows with the flame as if it were fading back out of reality, though you sensed a vibe of patience emanating from it.
Areas where Carroc feels truly at home increases the chances of contacting the faerie's psyche. To contact the faerie, roll a d100. If you roll a 15 or lower, you may make contact. You can ask for insight or even ask it to put Lupus back in his cage. In areas that are mountains and forests, add five, and in areas where it is both mountains and forests, add 10. As mentioned before, you now only have to roll a Will save DC 18 to resist transformation.
Thanks gambit! I didn't intend for intros to take forever so a synopsis is legit. Still no internet where I'm living and posting from my kindle is painful. Though the autocorrects could have some hilarity to them.
Honestly, I may just get a library card and use their computers. Or get the backlight fixed on my laptop. I feel really bad for you guys. Please don't think I'm booting the game. Life has just been difficult lately.
You easily remove the grate with barely a noise. The Asylum dungeon is fitted with magical lighting, save for where there a nullification nodes. Lantern light is present where nodes are nearby. The grate opening is in the corner of an L shaped hallway. The facility itself is not like conventional dungeons, being constructed from smoother stone and more augmented with magic. It certainly modernized with the introduction of dragontech.
Sydney only:
Your informant directs you toward the left, or north.
The voice you were hearing earlier fades, but a new source arises. It sounded like yelling but it was too faint to know for sure.
You creep closer toward the source.
Sydney only:
Which is where your informant is directing you anyway.
There are a series of iron doors in a large room. The large room itself has in the center a large circular opening with an almost unnatural darkness to it. Like light seems to not exist, rather than just being dark.
All the doors are shut with no means of seeing what's on the other side. In the far corner, however, one door is open and a shallow lantern light leaks into the main room.
How do you approach?
Azeban
"What!? Who made you Prime Elector? He gave in too easily for my comfort. I think he was just waiting for a good opportunity to rid us both. You carry him! You're the one who wants him. And no. I don't know where your possessions are." The snide anthrosian certainly has sand.
The orc in the cell heard every word you said. He hung his head solemnly in thought. His time was not worth it. His fate is his own, despite how wasteful of a soul he may be.
"Look, we'll look around a little but I'm not carrying your dead body. If you want to play puppeteer with him, fine. Just know that every second we linger we risk getting caught."
Carroc
Since you don't mind a synopsis, I will summarize the remainder of your introduction in this post.
The mountain air of late spring is revitalizing. A brilliant sun in dusk paints the partially clouded sky with magnificent colors, but it was nothing compared to the brilliant blue and green light rivers in Ferron's skies.
These southerners misunderstand the lands to the north. They fail to recognize the peacefulness of your people and let the more violent nature of your kind blanket their perception. Both people appreciate the beauty of nature.
It has been four days since you leaped from the window of the spire where the summit was located. You got along in the wild easily enough without your bow, having cleverly taken advantage of the spring spawn of grubbers; a meaty fish that moves upstream to breed and take advantage of brooding insect larvae in the gravel beds. Despite their protective status in the realm of Haydron, you hunted them anyway, trusting yourself to hunt with a courtesy toward nature that the southerners think they understand.
It was getting dark and you felt the temperature drop significantly with the receding sun. Midway up a mountain pass, you found a cozy spot with surrounding spruces which will be good for blocking the wind. You effortlessly made a fire. Likely the rain had ceased.
You fell asleep easily enough. Everyone sleeps better in their own home, yours being the wild. You had the strangest of dreams, however. The soul of Nerul is greatest in unmolested lands, and often people experience lucid dreams and "messages" from the Spirit River.
In your dream you open your eyes as if you had woken. On the other side of your fire is a blinding blue-green light that soon takes the form of a humanoid. You know this creature as a spirit of the wild, or a "faerie". They are messengers and stewards of Nerul, though no one seems to see them outside of your lands.
"Tenacious." says the faerie. "Indeed, tenacious. It's sad they corrupted you. Your people have much culture. They call you Carroc. Or Lupus. Yes. I see it now. They gave you another soul." You feel an overwhelming sense of sympathy coming from the faerie; as if its emotions had force and pressed on your heart.
"This defies the laws of nature." You have a vision abruptly. Though you are not physically seeing it, you can feel your two souls; like you feel a muscle or an appendage. You have a sense that you know where the "knots are tied", though the knots are tight. Will saves to resist "transforming" are lowered by 2 (DC 18).
Your vision ends and the faerie is where it was before you entranced. "You have something, don't you Carroc? They gave you an orb. And like a good dog you are going to give it to the giants. Soon, you will see a light. You will go to this light. Inside the light, you will see men taller than horses and some not so tall. They will be wearing strange clothing and seem unfamiliar, but do not worry. They will not harm you. In fact, you may be rewarded. This is a chance to escape your captors, but you will be unable to return to your home."
I definitely understand, Sky. If you decide to bow out, there will be no hard feelings. Things are just taking priority and GMing is a lot more work than it seems so I've had to put the campaign on the back burner. I'm hoping Thursday I can get posts up.
Welcome back, Sydney. How was vacation?
Carroc, your intro is near completion, so a quick synopsis should not be a problem.
Hey guys. Just wanted to update you. I know it's been a while. Been busy job hunting and what little time I have left at my current job has actually given me things to work on. The game is still on for me but I understand if anyone wants to bow out because of infrequent posts. I honestly might not be able to actually post until sometime next week. Maybe I can post Sunday but there are no guarantees because I have to start moving out as well. Apologies all around.
Let me know if you guys want me to do a "summary" of your intros for the next batch of posts just to speed things along and get the party together. That way you guys can RP (which I love) between my posts.
Sky's aim was spot on. The zombie1 screamed and extended his deadly clawed hand in your direction as if he has his sights on you. He charges down the stairs with one arm ready to rip a chunk of your skin off.
[ooc]Drake, I just remembered you used your one ability to redo that save. Yes, you passed and that dmg you took from the trap never happened :)
Drakes attack quickly ended the Regal Corpse, but not before its stench triggers a bodily reaction from you (Roll a Fort Save DC 15 or become sickened for 1d6 + 4 ⇒ (5) + 4 = 9 minutes). You nearly cleaved him in two just by the shear thickness of your sword. The zombie to your left does not hesitate to try and grab a hold of you and sink its teeth into your neck, however the attempt grants you a chance to strike.
Drake AoO:1d20 + 8 ⇒ (20) + 8 = 28Crit Confirm:1d20 + 8 ⇒ (13) + 8 = 21Crit dmg:4d6 + 20 ⇒ (3, 6, 6, 1) + 20 = 36oh MY GOD who ARE you!?!?
As the zombie tries to grab you, a strong swing of your sword cuts its way out of the Regal Corpse's gut and completely through the zombie next to him. To your surprise, the whole upper half of the zombie seemed to just burst into gore for whatever reason. Perhaps the strike was so perfect that it unlocked some property of martial physics that caused the very structure of the zombie to crumble into rotting gore. Visual? Baldur's Gate II CHUNKS!
"By the Sages! I think you got sinew in my eye and I'm two meters away!" Says Dru as she moves behind the zombie who struck her buddy Sky, dealing a flanked strike with her cutlass.
The zombie belts another scream but appears very alert and hungry still.
Now that Drake has a good visual of the room from the top of the stairs, he counts maybe 14 or 15 rotting corpses roaming the room, dragging their feet and moaning and crying out for life to feed upon.
Sky and Drake, you are up! Thank you all for your patience.
Your landing is deft and precise. The padded snow had little to do with your safe landing.
To your surprise you smelled no humans nearby. It is possible they left their posts to investigate the commotion in the room you were in. How your masters intended to escape is unknown.
The cool air awakened your senses, like the burst of energy one feels when touched by ice on a warm day. Your heart beats slower and your muscles are less tense. You were fatigued for a while, but you soon regained your energy.
The trip is going to be long. It took six days to get here by carriage. Your intuition assumes it could take twice that to get back on foot. The passage through the Haydron Mountains could shorten the journey by six days, but it is much more treacherous. In addition to snow lions and massive brown bears, wild wyverns have nested in the mountains. The other passage is the road, which will take maybe 12 days to get back to the castle and you risk being spotted by guards. News travels fast and it would only be a matter of time before the other houses hear of Lady Moira's coup.
Let me know which direction you want to go. If you choose the mountains, roll me six Survival checks. If you choose the main road, roll me 12 Stealth checks. For either rolls, a roll below 15 will trigger an event.
Your terrifying presence forces the guard into compliance. It is clear your body has withstood much pain. Many would break under such conditions, but it is not their ways. The way of the Khazahar is pain. Nature is unforgiving and favors the strong, and the only way to build true strength is through suffering. These "civilized" dakuiin(humans) are nothing short of prey, living in an illusion of safety when their lives are utter chaos before their eyes.
Without hesitation the guard deactivates the field on Miles's cell.
"Why thank you sir." Miles takes the guard's sword and callously impales him.
Asylum Guard DEAD!
The orc in the cell looks scared. He struggles to respond to your offer. "I... I I I.... we.... no. They will torture us with the room. We... I can't.... They will break me! If I am caught, they will break my soul with the room!"
Pathetic creature....
"Not to be a smart-ass, but the guard will be expected to return soon. We have a very short window here."
I can continue when you decide what to do about the orc in the cell.
Hey guys. Thanks for bearing with me. Work has been busy and stress from the job search is clouding my creative part of the brain. I will be unable to post today and tomorrow. Sunday evening I should get updates in. Thanks again for your patience.
The River Lord gives little resistance against your superior strength. That bash to his ribs really put him in bad shape.
Ecuilis -27hp but not pinned
"Sir Barrett. Place Sir Ledo into our custody. The face of Maor will transform. The old ways will no longer be shunned. And with the grace of our overseers, my house will reign for ages to come."
"Despicable b@+~%! You cannot possibly think the overlords will give you as much as crumb of gratitude! All you will be met with is war!"
"Silence, you fat worm! Do you think I am without allies!? This war against our gods is over."
"Then you have violated the Treaty of Lannon's Spire! As High Lord of Maor, I revoke you of your titles and your house!"
"Then I invoke the Rite of Maor. You would call it rebellion, but our laws, our true laws, would call it the birth of a kingdom. LUPUS! The stone."
"If this is about religion, then you should have voiced yourself more loudly at our sum-"
"Your summits be damned! I would have only been met with deaf ears of the 'holier than thou' that plague this court! LUPUS!" She attempts to grab your attention again.
Act how you wish. You are still under your "programmed" trance. Ultimately, you must retrieve the stone and escape back to Castle Ferron. The fall from the spire window wouldn't kill you. Like I said, it is not that tall.
Despite their apparent deadness, the dead rose with nothing but the desire to destroy life. They are glad in tattered burial clothes, one of which is donned with more regal attire. You all hear the moans and screeches of more than just the three in sight.
Mr. Fancy Dead-Pants slowly tilts his head to his chest to observe the knife sticking out, as if wondering why it is there. Turning his attention back to the group, it looses a disturbing screech.
Sky, you are up! so sorry for my delay. Work and life has been busy.
No problem, Sydney! I'll be slow myself. Things have been busy at work and I'm focusing on finding a new job. Enjoy your vacation! I may have to bot you a little just because you and Azeban's intros are tied. I'll make you super badass, don't worry :)
Not necessary! Figured a hobo would take gold over cheap jewelry any day.
The bums eyes light up at the sight of the gold. Though little light penetrated the sewers, an imaginative sparkle appeared in his eyes. He quickly removed the bracelet and took the gold. His extreme gratitude was shown in his expression of disbelief.
You examine the bracelet more closely. It is composed of hollowed wooden cylinders that are as long as a quarter of your forearm. The wooden cylinders that contain the acupuncture needles are held together by colorful threads. There is a particular weaving style that is both stylish and functional, ensuring that the bracelet will not come undone on its owns.
You acquired a Touch of Lys bracelet. Though you received some minor training in their use, you only recollect a few points on the human body where the needles can be stuck. New points can be uncovered in game, either from researching in select libraries, learning from trainers, or through other means. The limitation of this item is it is only useful if you understand the anatomy of certain types of creatures. You begin with type Humanoid (Human), so you only know how to use it on humans. Every five ranks invested in a specific Knowledge Skill grants you anatomical knowledge of an additional monster type associated with that particular skill (See List Here). Since K-local only has "humanoids" listed, every 5 ranks grants you an additional subtype. This also applies to "outsiders" with a subtype. The Touch of Lys does not work on constructs or undead that do not metabolize and the needle must make contact with skin to take effect. All attacks with the Touch of Lys are Challenging Called Shots with their own effects and your INT mod is used as a bonus rather than STR. This is why they are best used in conjunction with Combat Focus stances that increase your ATK and when your target is unaware of your presence. With a successful Stealth check, enemies may not even notice the needle. Poisons can also be applied to the needles for additional effects. All DC's for the Touch of Lys are 10+1/2 lvl+INT.
Acupuncture Points Known Degrasp: Target - enemy. Location - mid forearm. Forces the target's hand to tense and stretch itself apart, dropping whatever is in it. If the target has a locked guantlet, it is treated as if you dealt a Critical Called Shot to the hand. Lys's Lift: Target - ally or self. Location - bottom wrist. Stabilize a dying creature. Only lasts 1d6 round, afterwards the bleeding continues unless the target was healed in within those rounds. Dream of Lys: Target - enemy or willing subject. Location - just below the back of the skull and the top of the neck. Target is treated as if under the effects of Mad Hallucination for the duration listed or until the needle is removed. They receive a Will save to halve the duration. If you roll a nat 20, the target enters the Dream of Lys, and is considered helpless against anything in actual reality; a successful Will save reduces this to Mad Hallucination but does not reduce the duration.
A large tunnel begins parallel to the ladder that leads to the street. The direction you will want to go is down the tunnel. At the end, you see unnatural light casting a shadow of a grate.
Sydney only:
You sense an approving emotion from your informant.
The grate must lead to a floor at the bottom of the Asylum, which is the same floor your target should be located on. You make your way to the grate and cautiously listen for movement.
Take 20 on Perception: 23 Above the grate is a simple magical light spell placed in a concave section of the hallway arch. You heard one voice though it seemed far away.
Sydney:
Your informant sneaks a quick peak outside the great and gives you an assuring sensation.
GM only:
1d20 + 2 ⇒ (5) + 2 = 7
To open the grate, give me a STR check DC 15. If you fail by 5 or more, roll a Stealth check DC 7.
Due to the guard being caught... off-guard (nyuk nyuk nyuk) he does not receive an AoO. Your grapple succeeds with flying colors.
The guard's confidence in himself quickly depleted once you started manhandling him like tool. His eyes nearly popped out of his head from shock, and he quickly gave in to your demands. You noticed after you had cast the spell that a certain familiar energy became apparent again; one all practitioners of magic resonate with. It is safe to assume the field had been lifted.
"I'll... I'll do anything you say! Please! I have a family!" His life flashes before his eyes and will seem to do anything to keep his life. The Asylum Guard's disposition upgrades to Helpful.
"Make him dance, Azzy! Huahahahaha!" giggles Miles hysterically.
"Can't help but think...." Dru stops her words after she sees your distraction. "Looks like company".
You hear the moaning and shuffling of the undead. It is hard to see just how many from the bottom of the stairs, but there are three in clear view at the top of the stairs. On one side you have the dark trap pressure plate which can be walked around with 5ft of space. On the other, the undead await to destroy you.
It is dusk out. The Arcane Asylum sits on the outskirts of the central city of Ikarus. Your trek through the sewers should be relatively short; a mile at most.
You locate the manhole your informant referred you to. Oddly enough, the stench and filth is mild. Since the implementation of dragontech within the city, advanced recycling practices have reduced waste and pollution. The sewer water is not drinkable, but it is bearable.
If you don't mind, Sydney, I'll fast forward through the sewer part. There is not much in the way of goodies save for your dead-drop location.
Luckily the sewer is complete with signs associated with the varying entrances telling the location of the street above, which made locating the Asylum relatively easy. The sewer is populated with a few homeless people tucking themselves in for the night and some minor vermin.
It seems a denizen of the sewer had found your dead-drop. Though you were not sure what was inside before, you see the hobo fiddling around with a similar bracelet as the barmaid's at Sidane's. It is clearly meant for you. He sits down in a pile of collected scraps and junk he made into bedding and places the bracelet on his wrist, admiring his new look. You are not more than 15ft away, but he seems to ignore your presence.
The second River Guard quickly met his demise before he could even react. Your rapid kicks broke his jaw first and then his neck. He fell to the ground dead with his hand on the hilt of his sword.
Lady Moira draws her second chakram and lobs it at the second Mountain Guard. It hits him in the gut, piercing his armor. He falls to the ground gasping for breath and coughing up blood as he holds onto the bladed disc in a desperate attempt to remove it from his body. He is bleeding out and nonfunctional in a fight.
Sir Ledo Prei reaches for the orb, but his hand is quickly impaled by an arrow from Sir Barrett. Moira desperately stops Barrett from killing. "Leave him, Barrett! We will need him."
Lord Ecuilis catches his breath and quickly hops to his feet and draws his rapier. Thinking he has you off guard, he lunges for a strike.
His strike pokes you in the shoulder. The stab was deep but in a nonvital area. You barely notice the pain.
Lord Baldur reaches for his hammer that is leaning against the wall behind him. He stands in a guarded stance but does not engage anyone. Combat Focus (Cautious): -8 atk +8 AC.
"You have desecrated this holy place! You defiled our laws and have only brought ruin upon yourself, Moira! How do you expect to get away with this!?"
"I expect to get away with this because I will have the favor of the overlords. Lupus... the stone."
"Prevented my escape? No sir. I escaped alright. They found me in a brothel not too far from the Asylum. Figured I'd stay close to my enemies, assuming they'd figure I ran further away. Things were dandy till my scry-ward spell fizzled without me knowing. Guess I was too distracted at the establishment..."
"Good eye, orc. Those with exceptional power are often contained for study. They can get away with things here that they can't anywhere else, which is contradicting to popular Anthrosian values. But, the Dominion stuck its hands in here and lifted the bar. They leave me alone as far as experiments go. But for an orc... well, lets just say they lack a "humanitarian" outlook on orcs. You're more of a lab rat." His choice of words is crude but they're honest.
"So what do you say? Are you ready to bust out of here? It's dinner time..."
As if Miles timed his words perfectly, the guard walks in as soon as he finished speaking. He is clad in light leather armor with white and blue colors with the familiar black badge of the Asylum Guard. A simple design featuring a palm gesture used in arcane arts for disenchanting. He is armed with only a curved sword.
The guard takes his wand, which they use for a number of functions, and disengages the field between Miles's prison bars. "Mr. Stone; here is your slop." The guard throws the plate into the cell like a tossed disc. Miles says coyly, "I was told there would be wine with dinner this eve. Ghalish is prefered. Perhaps an Erhardt 5510? It was a warm year, so I think it would pair well with the steaming s!@! you have provided for my feast."
"Can it, Stone. Or I'll make you bunk with Goomba again. Don't think you'd mind. Supposed to be a chilly one tonight."
"Now now, you shouldn't talk like that about Goomba. He's a lovable giant and quite warm. A frigid b#*$~ like you could certainly use his thawing embrace."
The guard rolls his eyes and ignores Miles's comments. With a flick of his wand, the bars between the field engage again. He moves toward your cell and flicks the field.
"Why here you go, good sir. Your fine meal is ready." The guard drops the plate outside of your cell and spills the slop all over the floor. "Filthy f$++ing drawb*." The guards begins to reach for his wand....
Your move, my friend. You have two rounds of actions you can take. Unfortunately you were unable to identify the power level of the nullifying node, but that doesn't mean you can't disengage it. The guard is also adjacent to you on the other side of the cell and is within reach so you have other options before he reactivates the field between your bars. Let me know if you have any questions.
Good day, players. Currently I am awaiting my flight at the Charlotte north Carolina airport. I don't think I will work today, so that gives me time to post :-) I will not be back to my computer until 3:30ish.
I wish I played when I was younger. Didn't start until late high school with 3.5. Best campaign ever, though. We actually finished it, too. My character became the emperor of an entire planet and he was a half-elf, pot-headed, bard.
I made a glossary section for you guys to refer to as I molest you all with details about the setting. It will be gradually updated as we encounter new vocabulary particular to the game. Words in gameplay that I place an * on will be updated to the glossary.
Prepare for delays. I need to figure out how to get my internet working at my new place, so I may not get posts in today and definitely not tomorrow because I'll be heading to Myrtle Beach. Hopefully at night during my vacation I can post if my family remembers to bring their laptop. If not, I will post from my kindlefire, as difficult as that is. G~% d!#n touch-screens...
Drake: Nice! I envy those who have served. Never could do it myself, but I like to think I take inspiration from those willing to give up their rights in service of other people.
FF and Baldur's Gate are huge influences for me as well. To the woes of some, FF8 is one of my favorites until you get to the fourth disc. Haha.
Carroc: All ages are welcomed! I have to say, I've never heard of 'white box'. Is that first edition?
Great news, gentlemen! I will be moving into a new home at the museum that has heat and..... INTERNET!!!! Prepare for more frequent posts. I'll try to get updates tonight after I move over some essentials, but I may be spending the evening finally updating my mods for Skyrim and Fallout: New Vegas :-D Priorities and all...
"Looks that way, eh? Contract never said we can't take anything that made its way into the crypt. Lets see what our colleagues are packing." The treasure hunter gives a foxy grin.
Though Dru and Sky had an easy enough time getting the bodies off, Drake miscalculates his step and is caught in the cross-fire (CROSS-FIRRRRRRRRRRRE!!! from Matel).
Arrow Trap atk:1d20 + 15 ⇒ (15) + 15 = 30 hit by two arrows.
Trap dmg:1d4 + 1d4 + 2 ⇒ (3) + (4) + 2 = 9Drake is at 39 HP
As stated, HP represents stamina and flesh wound damage. So no worries, you are not impaled through the shoulder or anything. Just got a nasty scratch.
"You clumsy, t#!!!" Dru smacks drake upside the head 1,000,000 non-lethal damage ;)
Take 20 on Perception checks to search the bodies.
You all find 30g in total. Sky finds a coat pistol hidden in the jacket of one of the four men with no bullet loaded. Dru finds a necklace that is very ornate and looks out of place for these former adventurers to be wearing. Drake finds something quite interesting...
You find a note in one of the adventurer's pockets. It reads:
Dear employer,
Should you desire more gold, see that your mission is unsuccessful. My uncle is paying the three of you 10,000g. Split three ways, that is 3,333g and 33s and 33c a piece. I am offering you 10,000g to you personally should you sabotage this mission. There is a man in the crypt. His name is Elderro Nihlis. My uncle would want him alive. See that he is not and the gold is yours.
-A concerned individual.
As you reach the end of the note, you hear rustling back toward the main part of the room up the stairs.
Heal DC 15:
The man Drake was searching has a bullet hole in his chest, though it is heavily covered by the darts.
