I think the game is officially dead. We could try to reboot: I need to work on improving my DMing skills.
In retrospect, I should have led more -> the main complaint from my last live gaming group was that I did too much handholding. Here I don't think I pushed enough, so I appologize and will try to find a happy medium.
Give me a week or two to finish up my summer class, and if anyone is still around and interested, I'll reboot or start a new game.
I'm seriously debating running a Carrion Crown campaign.
You all were awesome, and if possible I would like to play with you again.
The room is disheveled, and most of the belongings from the previous occupant have been removed. What stands out, strikingly among the mess, is a series of nautical maps predating the cataclysm. In the sequence, tacked to the wall, is the current location and what apparently is the route that the ships sailed to Xak Tsaroth. However, some of the maps in the sequence are missing- removed from the wall.
The origin of the fleet, the route that they took, is from the east. However the first (or maybe first several) maps are not present.
Other than the mess from the goblin's nest, you find a sextant and compass useful for navigation at sea.
The cabin door flies open, revealing a dusty and cluttered mess.
You notice the piles of clothes and rags turned into a makeshift nest under the captain's desk. It is apparent that the goblin left to guard the ship found the leftover stash of rum and settled in to the best digs on the ship.
AVASTTT YEEE! screams a small green goblin who leaps from his hiding spot among coils of rope for the rigging. He wears a jaunty black hat, and wields a cutlass almost twice his size. Apparently this is the guard left to mind the ship!
The ships sway in waves, anchored so that they do not drift far or into each other. The deck you climb up to on the closest ship is wells scrubbed, and mostly empty.
Perception > 15:
You hear the sound of snores coming from a pile of ropes nearby. Other than that, the deck appears to be abandoned.
The hound speaks in a gravely voice I have been trapped here for nearly 300 years. I feel the disks and the dragon below us. I can feel that the dragon takes flight out of the cave to hunt. Unfortunately I do not know the layout below us. You will have to find your path yourself. The crypts below this temple lead further down, but outside of the protection of the temple there may be just as many dangers as scaling the side of the cliff.
Human, goblin, and hobgoblin tracks crisscross the beach, both barefoot and with boots. However, they're faded with wind and surf. The general pattern is that tracks enter the beach en mass, with a few returning to the surf, dragging the boats.
So it looks like the bulk of army landed, milled around on the beach, and moved out- some across the thin band of beach moving south, and some to the landing where the winch hoisted them up.
Your check tells you that most of the tracks are over a week old. 3 or 4 pairs of fresh tracks lead back to the water.
The diminutive companions wrap their arms around the chain, and slide as quietly as possible down past the cave opening on the landing, and to the sandy beach. A number of rowboats have been left abandoned under the protection of the ledge.
Trap & Durom:
The cave has a few points of light,deep in the distance. You can tell by the breeze of stale air, that the cavern is huge, and full of stagnant water.
None of the checks help you recognize the owners of the Red Dragon sigil. Considering they united goblin-kind, tribalistic humans, and dragons in some sort of army, they may be from the far east.
The army has cleared out- for how long, you're not sure. It would be a safe bet that the dragon is not the sole occupant of the caverns beneath the ruined city.
The hound archon waits patiently for you to proceed, having returned to his mastiff form with impatience.
Recap:
Gods have returned. Somehow a copy of the neutral disks were let loose unto the world.
Evil clerics have been masquerading as seeker priests. An army has invaded; one that labels itself with a red dragon wing. They sailed to Xaks Taroth, established a landing base, and marched south toward Solace. The dragon wing may not be imagery- a black dragon lives in the ruins, and guards the missing disks.
No worries, just checking that our pace hasn't crawled to a stop..
As Hu stares off into the sea, he notices something overlooked earlier. The huge trees that hang off the edge of the precipice have been outfitted with a series of winches attached to lifts. 400 yards below a small beachfront hosts a handful of rowboats. Beyond, anchored in the safety of the cove are half a dozen warships, each flying a red dragon wing banner. The sails are raised and the oars are tucked up... the host who sailed these vessels has moved ashore some time ago.
Leaning over the edge you can see an enterance to the collapsed city, halfway up the cliff face. A small ledge extends out, currently the counter weight lift sits upon it. The other lift basket is on top of the cliff. Just would be easy to descend via the lift, but also loud.
The staircase down is 5' wide, with carved marble spiral stairs descending into darkness. The first step down you can feel the warmth and safety of the temple fading. Below, darkness and silence await.
Rumal looks bleary-eyed at the stick Durom holds in his hands, "That, my frendwarf, is a shtick. It loogs poiny, an can prolly be used as a weppin. My ma aways sed you could put an eye out wif one." He seems certain of his assesment, adding as an epiphany "Mebbe is mashicul too, an makes someone skilled at usin shticks to put out eyes. Souns powerful! I think I might hole onto that if you don mine?"
Sorry, given the Tower's chokehold on magic use, and that Alchemists don't have Detect Magic on their Formulae list, Rumal is pretty useless in the magic Item ID department.
After the Archon speaks.
"Stairs, wells, or cliffses. Plese tell me I don haf to be the olny one to make the sober disishun an say stairs?" He asks worriedly
Identify works as detect magic with a +10 bonus. You could also have a cleric cast dm. Option 3 is to try and activate it blindly with use magic device skill.
I propose a new house rule that allows alchemists to detect magic by sprinkling a mixture onto the object to be studied. The chemical reaction's color and intensity would indicate school and power level retrospectively. I understand not bothering with 0 level formulas, but for our game Rumal serves as our arcane master. Any objections to the rule?
The hound archon shows you the back pathway down to the crypts below the temple. The statue of Paladine has a false wall that hides circular staircases. He warns that outside the sphere of the temple's protection, the pathway may become damaged or blocked from the upheaval of the cataclysm.
Although he doesn't know what's buried deep beneath the city, he can tell you that pre-cataclysm there was a series of crypts and vaults- one of which held the master set of disks. The neutral temple and the rest of the city must have collapsed inward into the space below. He senses the disks in close proximity to the massive evil of the dragon you encountered earlier.
Two other potential pathways down exist: the well- a dark deep shaft that you know the dragon can traverse.
The third is to go over the side of the cliff and see if there's an entry way where the cavern split open as the city broke apart.
Between Trap and Durom, you figure out that they would make excellent sling bullets. However, you're not sure what would happen when they impact with something solid- they seem like they might break apart easily.
Silver rapier & Dagger:
A few practice bouts tells you that the rapier and dagger are both somehow quicker or more accurate than your prior weapons. You can add a +1 to attack and damage when wielding them. You have an inkling that the enhancement is magical in nature
No worries. It seems like the game has kind of stuttered to halt. I'm hoping after the holiday weekend people will stumble back, drunk on cadburry eggs.
one vial is cure light wounds, the other is an invisibility potion. Caster level is 3.
Janos:
The names are not familiar; he is not speaking of earthly beings. Apparently he is some sort of Angel. Also, you can specify which this you serve later
The steel shield is a light shield, not heavy steel.
No problem on the neutral gods. I would say the basic rituals are currently on the available discs. Only the 3rd level devotions are on the missing ones.
I'll level up soon. And Trap, why on earth would you want to be a Cleric when Kender look so nice in mage robes. And all those interesting spell components. And some much shiney, shiney stuff. And it's like a game. You get to walk around and shout incoherent mumbo-jumbo and make all kinds of funny hand motions. Being a real wizard is probably the most amazing thing ever. Well, I'll bet there has never been a KinderMage before. Plus, they give you more pouches...
The temple, with it's magical protections and healing fountains, makes a good resting place. I'm assuming you're all recovering, healing, and taking some time to read through the disks- particularly if you're taking a/some level(s) in cleric.
Trap: you could multiclass in paladin. I'm not sure how to spin a story about WHY a kender would like to be a paladin, but it would be an interesting tale.
I'm flexible. There are some suggestions from other fans:
http://www.dlnexus.com/fan/rules/20606.aspx
Lists potential pairings and powers for priests of each deity. Habbakuk might be your best match, if we're going by preferring a travel domained deity.
Y'lendon turns to Hu, putting his hand on the elf's shoulder Most of the deities here can grant healing magicks to their faithful, but mostly for small injuries and repairing damage on the field of battle. For the worst disease and other healings, only prayers granted by Mishakal to her most devout followers can help. She heals the sick and maimed. Her followers tend to be more likely to settle their differences with words than fists, however, so it may be difficult for your to earn her favor. Perhaps, when word of her returns to the world, you can find someone who is capable of being her voice on earth. That person may be able to channel the power capable of healing your father. I think, my friend, that the disks lost below us may hold your salvation. The sooner they are retrieved and distributed, the sooner we can begin to push back the veil of darkness that is passing over your world.
He turns to the others. I may be able to offer you some more help. There is a small cache of supplies that the temple collected. They were ultimately destined for destruction in Istar, but had not been shipped out prior to the fiery mountain falling.
He walks over to the statue of Paladine, and moves a panel aside. He pulls from the space a small bundle of goods. Pulling aside a tarp, he reveals a silver rapier, a copper colored dagger with a bird on the pommel, two small flasks, a wooden case containing three grey rocks, a wand, and a steel shield with Paladine's dragon embossed.
Hi all. I've been playing D&D sporadically since the late 80s. I've usually GMed, and so I haven't had a lot of time to be a player. I got back into the hobby in 3.5, and had a subscription to dungeon & dragon magazines when they got canceled. That led to pathfinder. Gmpathfinder was my email BEFORE pathfinder, which I find to be pretty funny.
You may multi class as a cleric of one of the good pantheon, or Paladin, etc. If any character wants to rework their current levels into cleric levels, I would allow that as well.
Rumal, my diminutive friend, Reorx is a greater God. He shaped the world, after all. Yet, when it comes to the affairs of men he takes a more balanced approach: only when his children are threatened does he align with the gods of light and justice. The temple of he and his aloof brethren was to the east of here prior to the cataclysm. The missing disks include books from his church. Trap finder, I might have enjoyed that, after all, I been trapped in this hall for centuries.
Sir Knight, the span of human life is short, yet still some memories carry on. Paladine and his sons are indeed gods. From time to time they have taken human form and walked among men. The founding of your order was one such visit. Forgive me for my explanation may be difficult for you to understand. I am a knight similar to yourself, however my home is not among mortals such as yourself. Rather, I am tasked to serve Paladine by fighting the hordes of Devils controlled by the dark queen.
Paladine has welcomed many good souls to heaven, even in the darkest of years. Now, however, he sees the dark hordes massing on earth and in hell. It is his healing that brought back Mr Rumal. Had either Reorx or Paladine or any other god lay claim to his soul, Rumal's spirit would not have returned to hide body. Only a will to live and an unfinished business would make the soul return on the ethereal path, and only divine energy can reunite soul to body.
The archon has arms of flesh, but wears an inscripted breastplate. A massive 2handed sword is strapped to his back. He is a nearly perfect, unblemished being to your eyes, one unlike you have ever seen.
Durom is amazed as a brown leathery hand returns the grasp. In a blink of an eye the mastiff has grown into 6'2" dark skinned humanoid with a mastiff's head I am Y'lendon, Marshal of the Fifth Golden Flight. Servant of Paladine. Tasked to guard this temple until the proper priests return. He pauses, turning to Janos Sir Knight. The world is in need of many faithful to take up their symbols and heed the words of Paladine and his consorts. No one man or woman can bear the burden of returning faith to all potential followers. There may be many who wear the mantle for each church: how you organize, how you structure your faith is up to each group. For now, the choice is simple- read the disks. Find a faith that you believe in, and select that god as your patron. I see your hearts are free of evil; you will be good vessels to return light to the land.
Ooh, i should elaborate: cleric is now a choice for leveling. If any character had levels in it they would gain access to the missing divine powers. If you want to add cleric as your fourth level you may. Inquisitors and other classes that have divine powers are also available. Even the alchemists' cure light wounds is now full strength.
Although, everyone with a free priest level is interesting, i don't know if everyone wants to be limited by the good alignment.
Neutral priests have to wait for the rest of the disks.
woof says the dog. Not a bark, a simple stated woof in a deep human voice. He continues Elf-man. This is a holy place. The waters lose their powers the further you go. The same is true for more. Before the cataclysm my lords called all of the faithful priests home, but spared this chamber. The altar holds the first pages of each of the gods' holy books, however the disks are not complete. The more powerful prayers were kept in the treasury vault of the city. I sense that they are still here, below the city, shrouded by some immense evil. If one of you is to champion the return of goodness to the land, you must have those disks. Be forewarned, the evil chapters have been stolen as well, and their new owners have had months to study them.
The disks are as series of thin platinum sheets with a long platinum chain connecting them. You can see how the disks fit together, and would form a round book about a foot in diameter. Right now the collapsed disks would be 4 to 5 inches thick. There is no way to estimate exactly how thick the complete set would be other than it could reach 2' if the platinum chain were stretched tightly. They weigh 1lb currently.
Reading the disks grants you the ability to take a level as a good aligned cleric: the basic prayers and rituals of each church are here. Included are 1st and 2nd level spells. Advancement beyond that requires the rest of the writing. Each of the statues have a compartment containing three copies of the deity's holy symbol.
The water continues to heal drinkers in the chamber, but reverts to simple holy water when it leaves more than 25 yards. Unfortunately, it cannot repair a missing limb, so Rumal will have to find another solution for his damage arm.
The hound pauses it's greeting, sniffs the air, and howls. It runs back to the fountain, laps up a mouthful of the sparkling water, and then runs out into the courtyard. It dashes over to the other temple, and stops at the body of your fallen companion Rumal.
You see the dog bend over and release the mouthful of water over Rumals slashed face. It pools into the deep gash left by the dragon. Moments later, the wound begins sealing itself, and the poor tinker gnome begins coughing and sputtering. He sits up, grasping his chest as air floods back in. He's still severely damaged, but alive.
No evidence of any mess or foodsource for the canine, except for the water fountain. It does appear friendly and excited to see you... Of course, there's very little difference between tail wagging of happy and tail wagging of about to devour...
At the touch of your hand the marble doors slip open, revealing a room full of light. Similar to the first temple, it contains 6 large statues arranged on pedestals around the room. However the contrast between the two temples is night and day: this room has a bubbling fountain a few feet in, two rows of pews span the middle of the room. From the altar, clear of debris, flashes a silver gleam.
The room is brightly illuminated by 9 flickering orbs of light hanging in braziers around the perimeter of the room.
The other major difference between temples is that this one is inhabited: immediately in front of the fountain a large mastiff bares its fangs and drips a stream of spittle out the side of its mouth.
From the previous page (predragon), emboldened for extra emboldeshness
GM Trajan wrote:
The broken walls and crumbled buildings begin to fare better; some of the structures begin to look like buildings and the main road through the city is passable. Ahead, bigger structures loom in the near fog. The city rises in elevation as you travel deeper, following the ridge line dividing land from the sea.
Ahead, the path through the broken structures widens into a large plaza. Two building seem out of place- almost untouched compared to the collapsed structures around them. Both are similar in size, round with domes that reach nearly 3 stories in the air. The northern building, made of solid marble, has large doors decorated with human figures. Its doors are closed. The building to the west stands open, with their massive doors broken and laying scattered on the steps leading up.
A large well, or perhaps a fountain, spans the center of the plaza. It's center is a black abyss.
The illumination from the lantern shows the fine craftsmanship of the statues. The Solamnics put a great amount of detail into their display of the evil gods: although there doesn't appear to be any worshiping areas in this temple, it's a clear sign of the respect for the power over men's lives the evil gods wielded in the last age.
The labels below each statue tell some of the stories of the evil nature of the gods. Some tell snippets gleaned from unholy ceremony. Others describe the cruelty of the gifts granted to their followers- always a lesson about the cost of choosing to worship the dark. In each tale, unlimited power was offered to a faithful member of the church accounting for superhuman powers. In the end, though, these faithful are granted the unending torture of being bound to various levels of hell.
The whole building seems more of an education diorama than temple- a place of learning about the enemy. Xak Tsaroth was known as a place of learning, only dwarfed by Palanthas and its great library.
Perhaps there was another area of the city, like another temple, where the gods of good were given equal or greater stature. And perhaps, if this representation of evil survived the destruction of the cataclysm, the holy place of the good gods might also have survived... Like behind some sealed doors mentioned above...
It takes but a moment to realize that the statues represent the pantheon of evil gods. Centered around the dark lady Takhisis are her fellow brethren, consorts, and children. [ooc]http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Dragonlance_deities#Gods_of_Evil all but Nuitari are depicted
perception >10 when you brush aside the filth on the altar, or >0 after 3 rounds of cleaning and scraping:
Written in an archaic script common to old Solamnic is the description of the temple:
Fear not the darkness; instead shine light upon it. For it is in the dark that evil hides. We fear no evil, we hold faith in Paladine and Mishakal, Kiri-Jolith and Habbakuk. In their grace, we shall banish these gods from the worship of men. See them. Learn them and their weaknesses, for it is this knowledge that shall help us defeat them. And keep to the faith. Stray not from the light.
...and if you cleaned off the altar, roll a fortitude check.
