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Sorry I haven't updated this recently. I'm unfortunately not really able to focus my energy on running more than one campaign at a time right now, so I think I'm going to have to put this one to bed. Thank you all for joining me, as brief as this was.
Hello everyone. I've just started a new job and I don't really have the energy to devote to running multiple campaigns for the time being. It's been a fun run, but I think I need to put this one to bed. Thank you all for joining me in this, as brief as it was.
My mother passed away this evening.
My mother passed away this evening.
This is going out to all the games I’m part of, whether as a player or as a GM. I won’t be able to participate for some time. My mother is on palliative care for cancer and her condition has rapidly deteriorated over the last three days. I feel that I owe you an explanation for my absence from posting. If you need to find a replacement player or GM, I understand. But for the time being I’m not ready to make any posts.
This is going out to all the games I’m part of, whether as a player or as a GM. I won’t be able to participate for some time. My mother is on palliative care for cancer and her condition has rapidly deteriorated over the last three days. I feel that I owe you an explanation for my absence from posting. If you need to find a replacement player or GM, I understand. But for the time being I’m not ready to make any posts.
Hello everyone. I believe I owe you an explanation for why I haven't posted lately. My mother's health has taken a turn for the worse and I haven't been able to post as a GM. I'll post when I can.
Hello everyone. I believe I owe you an explanation for why I haven't posted lately. My mother's health has taken a turn for the worse and I haven't been able to post as a GM. I'll post when I can.
Back from the hurricane. Still don't have much energy to devote to posting--stuff keeps coming up. I'll try to put a post together tomorrow.
Back from the hurricane. Still don't have much energy to devote to posting--stuff keeps coming up. I'll try to put a post together tomorrow.
Going out to all the games I'm running--I'm currently in the path of a hurricane and am anticipating losing electricity during its passage. I'll try to post as soon as I can, but I will be delayed. Sorry.
Going out to all the games I'm running--I'm currently in the path of a hurricane and am anticipating losing electricity during its passage. I'll try to post as soon as I can, but I will be delayed. Sorry.
Eugh... I'm really sorry, guys. I keep trying to post and unfortunately, my asthma's getting worse. I need to see to that before updating. Sorry for the delay.
Eugh... I'm really sorry, guys. I keep trying to post and unfortunately, my asthma's getting worse. I need to see to that before updating. Sorry for the delay.
Will see about posting in the morning.
Will see about posting in the morning.
Old Megus waves Tarka's offer away. "Oh, you're too kind, but I'll manage fine on my own."
"With my old knees?" Old Megus shakes her head. "I doubt you'd want an old lady slowing you down."
"Well, there's a couple of old ships that wrecked here some years ago." The witch nods. "Saw one to the west--not sure where the other one ended up." "There's an old waterfall cave on the southwest edge of the marsh. Never looked inside it myself--the nettles behind the water saw to that."
"Um... did you happen to notice where they were stalking from, or perhaps to?" "Strangest thing--some came from the west, others came from the southwest." "The chests! They were carrying two chests with them, and we found one in the goblin village. They were after the chests and that's why they attacked the goblins!" Old Megus tilts her head at Vigny. "Ya reckon so?"
Old Megus listens before nodding at Sona. "Is lil' Balor Hemlock still the sheriff?" She chuckles. "I remember back when he was just a lad of twelve summers--he looked so precious in that chain shirt. It was a few sizes too big for him, ya know!" "But, yes, I'll be sure to let him know."
Old Megus nods. "Yeah, I saw them a few nights ago. Stalkin' through the swamp--not shamblin' or rattlin' about, but stridin' as if they were on a mission. Had a skeleton in fancy armour and a big ol' helmet leadin' them--pointed a curved sword like he was some kinda army leader." "Some of them passed by my shack, carrying a couple of elaborately carved treasure chests with them. The rest crossed into my yard and attacked me." She grins. "They didn't get very far." "Never had undead wandering in this swamp before..."
"Name's Megusanilia." The old witch says. "But most folk call me Old Megus." She gives Tribim a little smile and a scratch behind her ears with a clawed finger. "Now, evening, all o' ya." She shuffles behind an elaborate, starry curtain.
The next morning, a light mist blankets the Brinestump Marsh. Old Megus emerges from behind the starry curtain. "Now, I remember you were chasing after some skeletons, last night?"
Sona's Sense Motive & Perception Rolls:
You get the impression that the old witch isn't joking. But upon closer inspection, you realize she's referring to the fact that the floorboards of her front porch have not seen a carpenter's attention in decades. Stepping on a loose board is likely to cause it to fly up and smack you. The interior of the old witch's home is quite cramped, with a few rooms within making it clear that the shack was designed with only one person in mind. However, with some work, the party can find enough room for themselves to settle in.
The threat of an angry goblin masticating their legs is sufficient to inspire the guards to work faster. Over the course of half an hour, the many booze barrels are carefully hauled out to the waiting wagon and stored away. The guards even wave goodbye as the party turns the wagon and sets off through the windy streets of the City of Cyphers.
Sorina's demeanour doesn't quite put the man at ease, at first... but when she turns on the charm, a blush rises to his cheeks. It's almost enough to distract one from the baffling fashion choice he made today. "Uh... yeah! Of COURSE!" He nods, getting up from his seat and pointedly turning away from Sorina, towards the storage room. "Come on lads, we've got work to do! Come on, come on, come on!" He ushers the other guards to work in quite a hurry. DC 15 Perception: It appears Sorina had quite an effect on the poor man--especially below the belt.
The old, wild-haired woman grunts and nods. "Alrighty, alrighty, I suppose I can understand why you're here." "Eh, the old place isn't much--and hasn't seen guests in a long time--but I reckon you can settle in." She turns and hobbles back indoors. "Mind the steps--they love to jump up and strike at your tender bits."
Oh dear...
Oof. That sounds pretty rough.
Will see about botting Sorina if she doesn't post by tomorrow evening. Also, Happy Birthday Eh-Acka!
"Eh?" The green light dims considerably. "Live ones?" There's a shuffling of feet from within the shack before the voice's owner emerges. Leaning on a gnarled staff of black wood and dressed in surprisingly well-kept green robes is an old woman with a wild mane of blue-grey hair. Deep blue veins line her wrinkled face and her long arms end in wicked-looking claws. "Well, can't say I've been expecting visitors. Especially not ones followin' skeletons. Ya do know it's past bedtime, right? Whatcha be doin' out here so late, eh?"
The party turns to follow the overgrown trail, the bony footprints leaving mud-drenched tracks through the foliage.
At the trail's end sits a sagging one-story shack, its walls dingy with age and encrusted with lichen and fungus. A partially collapsed shed sits just to the northeast, while small pouches, twisted knots of feathers, and dangling wind chimes made of bones hang from branches and roof edge alike. Strewn about the shack's front yard are several splintered bones--along with a couple of broken, rusted scimitars. The bones appear to have been scattered very recently. As the party approaches, a sharp *BUZZ* pierces the still air as a bright green light suddenly coalesces into being within the shack! "OI! That's close enough! If you be more skeletons, I'll warn ya only once--yer kin had no respect for an old woman's property an' paid the PRICE!" An old woman's voice shouts from within the shack, gravelly and thick with a mixture of contempt and fear.
So, how's everything going for everyone?
Sona's Knowledge Roll: The practice of necromancy is almost universally viewed as an unsettling one at best in Varisia. That being said, so long as the dead one raises for them do no harm to others and their bodies were freely given, no one will make too much of a fuss.
Pushing aside the fallen wooden walls of the Licktoad village, the party gets a clearer view of the bony footprints as they stalk deeper into the marsh, crossing a fairly wide channel. The channel is shallow enough in places to cross, but it's hardly a pleasant experience as the rushing cold water laps around the group's legs (or torso, in Tribim's case--assuming nobody carries the brave palico). The sky darkens as the group follows the bony footprints further, crossing another channel as they go, but before too long the tracks cross what appears to be a dirt path--one that's meant for people to travel upon. The footprints continue to the west, along the path. DC 15 Knowledge (Local):
This path is called the Witch's Walk--an old road that's said to lead to the home of Old Megus, the Witch of the Marsh. Old Megus is said to boast knowledge of strange magics--some torn bloodily from the dying bodies of all manner of monsters... DC 15 Survival: This path doesn't appear to have seen living feet for about six months now. The overgrowth here bears this observation out.
Vigny's Knowledge Roll: As you examine the map, you manage to puzzle out that there are two shipwrecks and what looks like a cave are marked on it.
As Sona's magic begins cleaning the mud and grime from the chest, Vigny finds the latch in its lid and pops it open. DC 15 Knowledge (Geography):
Once the chest is tidied up, you get a better look at the crane carvings on its sides. This chest appears to be of Minkaian origin. Inside are several valuable items, untouched by filth: --6 masterwork shuriken;
The party does a sweep of the remains of the goblin village, picking through goblin huts for any signs of more goblins lying in wait. Unfortunately, all they find are more goblin bodies, slowly sinking into the surrounding mud. Most of them bear ragged claw wounds across the throat and eyes, while others look to have been cleanly cut down.
Eventually, they find a breach in the southern wall of the village--and bony footprints gouged deep into the fresh mud.
DC 21 Spellcraft (Arrows): These are +1 animal bane arrows.
Edric helps guide the wagon to the front of the building before leading Sorina and anyone else who'd like to go with her inside. "Now, I reckon you'll be quite happy to know the spirits are in fine shape--not a leak, not a spot of mould and not a single drop taken from them." Edric starts with a grin before opening the door to the card game. The guards inside look up for a moment before doing a double-take. "Edric? Who's this now?" One guard clad in orange-tinted leathers asks, pointing at Sorina.
Tribim does a thorough search of the mud palace and concludes that no traps are within the building. Perhaps Chieftain Gutwad never expected anyone to be bold enough to break in and steal his things. The remainder of Gutwad's dwelling is swiftly cleared out. From within the goblin chief's treasure room, the party retrieves a magnificent-looking chest carved of lacquered mahogany. Though it's definitely covered in mud and dirt and scuffed in a few places, the images of cranes carved into the chest's lid and sides are still in good condition.
Post coming in morning.
Post coming in morning.
Without even thinking about it or taking his eyes off of Sorina, Edric snatches up Eh-Acka's flicked gold piece. Looks like his criminal instincts are still sharp.
Tarka lands a good hit as the goblin runs past, leaving a nasty gash along the goblin's side. The goblin only gets a few feet before it collapses, falling off the wooden walkway and landing in the bloodied mud. Vigny's sword drives right into Gutwad's guts. For a moment, the goblin chieftain clings to life--but then the holy knight twists her blade, and Gutwad gurgles his last!
Edric's mouth opens and closes for a moment before nodding. "Y-yeah! Of course, just pull up here and we can have these barrels on their way before nightfall." He swallows. "Hey, uh... what time do ya get off, eh?"
Between Vinexa's claw swipes and Vigny's blade, it's a simple matter to cut one of the goblins down. The remaining goblin, realizing he has no hope of victory, tries to run past the girls and Tarka at the entrance!
The blinding colours part from Gutwad's eyes, but they're still spinning in all directions!
Sleep schedule's out of whack. Trying to put it back on track. Post will come tomorrow!
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