Shadows of Greatness, a Forgotten Realms campaign UPDATED February 1, 2008

Bad Mojo!

Yeah, Rock should have been able to clear out that gatehouse blindfolded.

His original plan was to clear out the gatehouse, then hold it against any attack or re-occupation while the rest of the group continued storming the castle. My original plan was to let him clear out the gatehouse then get bored and rejoin the group.

That plan didn't last long.

Fortunately, a last-minute change of plan from the group had them take the tower entrance, then go up a couple stories and move through the gate-house towards the main keep. If they hadn't gone that way, Rock probably would have been fighting that lone guard for the rest of the session.

When he recovered from being dead ("It got better!"), he was exhausted (-6 STR and DEX). I ruled that since he had been dead for a moment, he was also at -6 CON until he rested. That still made him better than the guard he was fighting. (Mostly.) Unfortunately, he still had that wizard to deal with.

Lucky for him, Pakkin the goblin was there to save his life.

Again.


D.

sniffles said:

Devo did a great job of padding this session to fill in time until we can storm the castle. He didn't want to proceed to the castle this session because Hedrin was absent.

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For the record, this wasn't padding. It was the adventure as planned.

I wasn't really sure what Singe would do once you found him, but I knew that he would be drunk, surly, and firey.

I also wanted to add more encounters to the game that could be overcome with Diplomacy. It's very hard, as a GM, to come up with this great storyline, then let the players take out the entire middle portion (or even end it completely) with a good Diplomacy roll. Some times, I think too many of my bad guys (or story elements) are overly immune to diplomacy.


D.

Oh now he wants to add more Diplomacy - when we've lost our uber-diplomat PC!

Victory is Ours

I don't have my notes, so I'm going to take a chance that I haven't got everything completely out of sequence.[

My friend's axe made swift work of the iron-bound door. Through the gaps he cut we could see that the priestess was in the company of a number of armsmen, and that she was donning her armor even as they prayed. Forewarned of our presence, the occupants of the chapel had formed a barricade of overturned benches and tables, though they had not attempted to block the door.

No sooner had Rock chopped the door to splinters than Nekaya raced into the chapel and began to work her way past the barricade in pursuit of the priestess. Rock burst in a heartbeat later and bypassed the wall of benches altogether with a prodigious leap, landing at the very feet of the priestess of Bane!

I determined that my friend could look after himself - I was not aware then that he had very nearly died in the gatehouse - and made to go to Nekaya's aid. Before I could do more than make a single strike at one of the soldiers, the priestess chanted a spell and called out to us to surrender in a most compelling tone. Curse Bane and all his worshippers, I found that I could not resist her command and laid my swords on the floor. Were it not that I keep nothing from my dear wife, I would be ashamed to confess that of my companions only Pakkin was also thus affected. It is a shame to me that I have no more strength of will than a mere goblin.

As I stood staring my friends made quick work of slaying the priestess and all her minions. Nekaya bounded up onto the altar and rained blows of her hakra upon the priestess, while Rock used his axe to slice her heavy mace nearly in two and Liadan hurled bolts of Lathander's holy radiance. Even Erim was able to resist the priestess's command and ply his blade against her servants.

Liadan approached me and I was able to overcome the compulsion long enough to join the battle, until I fell under the influence of yet another spell and was dazed for a few breaths. It was not my finest moment. Still, all that matters is that we slew the priestess and all of her compatriots with little injury to ourselves.

Having cleared the chapel, we made our way to the great hall, which lay on the same level of the keep to the north of the chapel. Though we proceeded with all the caution and stealth of which we are capable, we could not prevent the remaining defenders from being aware of our presence. We heard the sound of armored bodies moving about in the hall as we approached. The hall had no doors in its entries and Rock boldly strode into the chamber.

As in the chapel, the defenders had made barricades of tables and taken cover at the far end of the chamber. Rock called out a challenge to Tellusk, and was met with a bead of fire that the remaining wizard hurled in our direction. It landed in the corridor behind me, bursting into a mass of flame that engulfed all of us but Erim, who had chosen to remain out of sight around the corner. I was not so fortunate as my friends and suffered many burns. I had to forego entering the chamber at once while I put out the embers that burnt on my clothes. Had it not been for an enchantment Erim cast upon me before we entered the keep, I might have suffered a worse fate.

Rock rushed the wizard, while Nekaya took on Tellusk. Erim and I fought the armsmen to give her room to maneuver. We had been told by Jayda Foxfire of a 'secret' stair at the rear of the hall, leading both up to the bedchambers and down to the storehouses. The wizard retreated into this narrow stair and Rock pursued him.

Tellusk was no great challenge to our combined might. The members of the Dragonfire Guild arrived before we had disposed of him, and Kal Brimstone might have enjoyed exacting his revenge on his captor but was too weak from captivity to do so. Once most of the defenders were gone and the last had been made prisoner, Liadan went to aid Rock. Nekaya then spoke with the prisoner and with Kal Brimstone regarding the fate of the keep.

I think perhaps Nekaya sought to further her case against Gadron by learning what deeds the Dragonfire Guild had committed at his behest, but Kal Brimstone told her of nothing sinister. He had commissioned the sword, rather than being awarded it for some dubious activity. To my surprise he did not wish to keep it and offered it to us in gratitude for our efforts to free his castle. It is a fine blade and the enchantments upon it are of great use, but I prefer to wield the blade my wife gave to me, and I am not yet proficient in the use of a longsword in each hand. Still, I do not think it quite proper that Nekaya would sell such a gift for gold as she proposes.

Liadan had discovered that Rock had fallen victim to an enchantment cast by the fleeing wizard. He was unharmed, but was trapped on the stair within a cell of magical energy until the spell expended itself. The wizard had made good his escape.

Kal Brimstone intends to use the spoils of our conquest to make reparations to the local folk who were mistreated by the Zhentarim, as well as to make up for his own shortcomings as their ruler. It seems that he had become overly enamored of the power of command, and had not been the most benevolent of leaders in the days previous to his imprisonment. He offered us the ownership of the keep, but we have no desire to remain here. The keep may in fact be cursed in some manner that causes it to move its location whenever its possession is transferred peacefully. This seems to be the reason for which the Zhentarim sought to possess it. I should not like to find myself suddenly transported to some distant location without my willing it.

We will remain here for another day or two to rest before proceeding on toward Calimshan. As always, in moments of quieter introspection I think of my beloved Erendis and wish that she could be with me. May Corellon protect her soul.



Quips & Quotes for this session (apparently it was 'Make fun of Pakkin' Day ):

Zora: "Pakkin writes his name on the floor."
Devo: "'Cause you can't spell 'Pakkin' without pee."

Jubilee: "Pakkin's holy!"
Zora: "This guy's holey, too!"

Sniffles: "Who brings a sword to a Rock fight?"

Devo: "Pakkin does a little goblin dance."
Jubilee: "Ew!"

Devo: "Maybe he's an eye tyrant. Now that would be something to behold."

Actually, the sword was offered to the group in lieu of our taking any of the spoils from our other victories against the rest of the keep's defenders. Nekaya actually thought - supposing Telemnar or Rock wouldn't use a longsword with BRIMSTONE written on it in fiery letters - it should be sold and the money put back into the community around Brimstone Keep. When Jayda first saw the sword, she said "So that's where all the money went" - which Nekaya has assumed Jayda meant the over-taxation she told us Kal was doing to the land around the Keep.

If we really believe that Kal has been reformed by his time in prison, that his days of tyranny are over, and that he will put all of the Zhenarum loot towards rebuilding his little fiefdom, than Nekaya has no particular agenda for the sword. Perhaps I did not properly express this during the session.

Journal entry 6/16/06

Dear Grandfather,

Upon hewing my way through the door, Nekaya rushed in to confront the priestess but was waylaid by some of her guards. They had overthrown tables and pews as a barricade whilst the priestess donned her armor and finished her prayer to Bane.

As Erim went to the other side of the room from Nekaya, I managed to mighty leap to clear the makeshift barricade and land in front of the priestess, giving her pause. It seems all those instances in town after town of me getting into barroom brawls and needing to move around or over the tables has come in handy.

Nekaya managed to land a couple of mighty blows against the priestess, causing her to run in panic as I also managed to nearly chop her mace of Bane in half. It was short work after that, and I learned later that the priestess managed to give Telemnar pause with one of her spells. I'm glad he's alright, although I think he doesn't feel he contributed much to that battle. I saw him and I tend to disagree.

It turns out later I would fall prey to a similar occurrence, but more on that in a bit.

Once finished with the temple, we went along the floor to where the Great Hall was, and could hear sounds of men in armor awaiting our approach.

I made an attempt to get them to throw down arms, but their wizard threw a spell of Fireball at us, which hurt Telemar greatly, making me incensed to the point where I didn't care about warlord Tellusk, but wished to throttle the mage with my own two hands. I guess the Fireball was their attempt at Diplomacy, but I didn't care much at that time, as I could feel Erim's spell of Haste wash over me. I rushed forward, much faster than they had anticipated, making it past Tellusk and to the guard directly in front of the mage, striking him a mighty blow and telling the wizard he was next. It happens that he is the brother of
the mage in the gatehouse who cast the paralyzing spell on me. I wanted to make sure he didn't get a chance to do that to any of my friends.

He cast another spell on me to magically lift me in the air and hurl me away, but I managed to resist and taunt him that he'd better run. I removed the guard in front of me as another guard pushed the wizard into the secret stairwell behind him. I dispatched that guard and ran after the cowardly mage. Upon catching up to him, he said "Dwarves are so stupid" and cast a spell that trapped me in a bubble of force that I could not break through. I did feel a little unintelligent at that moment, but what could I do?

I waited for the spell to drop as my companions finished Tellusk and his men. Liadan went searching after the wizard, but to no avail. After the magic dissipated, I aided her in her search, but he must have made good his escape. We found some other men at arms who surrendered upon seeing Tellusk's charred remains. I was for killing them for their crimes, but said nothing as it was up to Kal Brimstone, who indeed had been rescued and arrived with the rest of his companions just before Tellusk was dispatched.

Kal related to us that he had not been the kindest of leaders as he tried to do what he thought was best for his people. He offered us the blade that Gadron had made for him, which was the package we had carried. It is a fireblade of excellent quality. He offered it to us in return for all the spoils from the castle, which belonged to him and the people of the town. He wishes to make amends to them. He even offered us the castle, but none of my friends have any desire to settle down with their quest unfinished.

Over the next couple of days resting here, I need to figure out how to tell them I do not wish to go on...

Jubilee said:

Actually, the sword was offered to the group in lieu of our taking any of the spoils from our other victories against the rest of the keep's defenders. Nekaya actually thought - supposing Telemnar or Rock wouldn't use a longsword with BRIMSTONE written on it in fiery letters - it should be sold and the money put back into the community around Brimstone Keep. When Jayda first saw the sword, she said "So that's where all the money went" - which Nekaya has assumed Jayda meant the over-taxation she told us Kal was doing to the land around the Keep.

If we really believe that Kal has been reformed by his time in prison, that his days of tyranny are over, and that he will put all of the Zhenarum loot towards rebuilding his little fiefdom, than Nekaya has no particular agenda for the sword. Perhaps I did not properly express this during the session.

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I don't recall any mention of giving the money back to the people at Brimstone Keep, but that could just be my bad memory. Telemnar probably still wouldn't be too keen on selling a nice sword. I am going to get Oversized Two-Weapon Fighting after all, just not yet!

sniffles said:

I don't recall any mention of giving the money back to the people at Brimstone Keep, but that could just be my bad memory. Telemnar probably still wouldn't be too keen on selling a nice sword. I am going to get Oversized Two-Weapon Fighting after all, just not yet!

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It sounded so nice, even Liadan was thinking about it. The mace is Lathander's weapon, but I don't think there is anything forcing her to use one.

Hedrin

The Grey Tower

We remained at Brimstone Keep for another week to recover from our recent exertions and to aid the local folk in rebuilding what had been destroyed by the Zhentarim invaders. In the aftermath of our battle to reclaim the keep, I had a long conversation with Rock regarding his role in our company. Once again my friend holds himself to far too high a standard. His only concern with his near death was that had he died he should have failed in his plan to take the gatehouse, thereby ruining our strategy for conquering the usurpers. He actually considered retiring from our travels, perhaps to return to Camber. I know this is not the first time he has entertained such thoughts. I can only remind him of how much I value his companionship. He must convince himself that his worth is greater than he credits.

In return for our efforts we have been given an assortment of objects acquired from the Zhentarim, or perhaps stolen by them from travelers. I am now in possession of a cloak that will protect me from lightning and other such energies. We agreed to take with us the armor we had removed from the priestess of Bane and the warlord, hoping to sell them elsewhere or perhaps to have them modified to suit one of us - the first modification being to remove the offensive emblems of Bane that decorate them.

At the end of the week Jayda Foxfire and her companion Blaze agreed to guide us to the Grey Tower, Havin Wayfinder's abode. We said brief farewells to the people of the town, which has once more been dubbed Kalton, and followed the pair to Havin's strange residence. It is not truly a tower, instead being a squat structure of grey stone. From the exterior we saw no windows and only a single heavy door, which proved to be ajar. Liadan called out that we came as friends before opening the door wider to admit our entry. There was no response. Jayda and Blaze did not accompany us within, for which they would no doubt be grateful had they known what awaited us.

Within the structure we found ourselves in a large circular chamber, entirely empty of any furnishings but for a stone table standing on a plinth in the center of the chamber. The chamber was filled otherwise only with darkness and dust. There was no sign that Rock could discern of any recent activity. A staircase to one side of the center plinth led both up and down, and Nekaya observed that a light was visible from the descending portion. She shouted down the stairs to introduce our presence to anyone below. Rock remarked that he heard a noise like a wind from whatever lay at the bottom of the stair.

I cautiously loosened my blades in their scabbards as we descended. Rock took the lead in the event of snares or other dangers upon the stair. As we proceeded we felt the air grow notably warmer. The light at the bottom of the stair was quite bright. As we emerged into another circular chamber, we readily saw the reason for this illumination: a white-hot orb occupied the center of the room, with a smaller orb rapidly circling it.

As we squinted at this miniature solar orb a familiar voice began to speak. I recognized it as the voice of Havin Wayfinder. I cannot recall precisely his words, but he spoke of being within arm's reach of our destiny. This seemed to provoke some response in Nekaya, for she began to recite something and strode forward. Sadly she spoke in her native Mulan tongue and none of us could understand her words. As we watched she walked purposefully toward the glowing orb and vanished into its fiery brilliance!

This had occurred so unexpectedly that we had no opportunity to react, though I think Rock may have called out to ask her what she was doing. Then the smaller orb appeared to return to its parent and it also disappeared from sight. A tendril of hot light shot out of the large orb and struck one of the windows that I had previously failed to notice. There was a window at each of the cardinal points, and a window midway between each of those. To my surprise one of the windows faced out on the post where we had tied our mounts, though from the exterior we had seen no sign of any opening other than the door.

While my attention was momentarily distracted by this discovery, I failed to realize that Rock was running full-tilt toward the orb. Before I could take a step forward he had vanished. Liadan then ran to the side of the area occupied by the orb to see if he or Nekaya emerged from the opposite side. More tendrils of flame shot out of the orb to connect with the windows.

I felt something rush past me and reached out to catch hold of Pakkin as the goblin faithfully attempted to follow Nekaya. I must give him credit for his courage; he meant to go where she went no matter how much he feared it, though he ran pell-mell with his eyes tight shut. He struggled mightily to get free of my grasp, but his strength was too little to overcome mine. As I gripped him, Liadan came to a decision and stepped forward to meet the painfully bright light herself. The sphere seemed to be growing unstable now and flares shot out from it in every direction, forcing me to step aside for fear of being impaled by one of its fiery limbs.

My eyes met Erim's for a brief instant as we both wondered what course of action we ought to pursue. But that choice was taken from us in a heartbeat as the sphere suddenly expanded to fill the entire chamber and we were enguled in its blazing glory.

A moment later I felt stone beneath my feet again, and was surrounded by an intense sensation of dryness. I opened my eyes to find myself in another chamber, this one not circular and lacking the miniature sun that had apparently just swallowed me. To my amazement I found myself facing a tableau of Rock, Nekaya and Liadan in battle with a skeletal figure bearing a large curved blade. Behind me our mounts stood in a cluster, nervously shuffling to escape the proximity of several more skeletons that were cowering on the sandy floor.

Liadan pronounced a prayer to Lathander and all of the cowering skeletons vanished into clouds of bone dust. Seeing that my three friends could no doubt manage the remaining skeleton, I went to calm the horses. Freed of my grasp, Pakkin ran to hide in a corner. Within a few heartbeats my companions had dispatched the skeleton and begun to explore our surroundings, but just as that occurred we heard the sound of a gong that made me feel a brief chill of distress. Something is very wrong in this place.

Rock went immediately to a stair that the sword-wielding skeleton had evidently been guarding. I heard an assortment of clattering noises and dwarven curses as he endeavored to destroy a dangerous trap that blocked the stair. In the meanwhile Nekaya was carefully examining the paintings on the walls of the chamber by the golden glow of her hakra. She then announced that we have been somehow transported to the tomb of an ancient Mulhorandi pharoah!



Quips & Quotes:

Hedrin: "It's a horse of last resort."
Zora: "I was thinking a horse of last dessert."

Erim: "Can we get a certificate of authenticity for this sword? Oh, darn, we took it out of the box!"

Zora: "Can I have a resurRocktion?"

Sniffles: "I need a cloak of will."
Zora: "Nah, everybody just fires at Will."

Erim: "I get my everburning corn out."
Devo: "Are you taking your shoes off?"

Hedrin: "My horse is a naysayer."

Devo: "You guys come in on round 3."
Erim: "Do we have to?"

Devo: "You seem to have captured a little bit of the sun."
Jubilee: "I hope he doesn't mind."

Journal entry 7/14/06

Dear Pepa,

Many things have happened in the last week.

I spent the 2 days following the battle in Brimstone Keep working on the hammer you made for me. It had become slightly damaged, so I took what skills I have and managed to put it back in working order. I discovered something truly amazing about it in the meantime. I wish to thank you for putting your heart into this fine weapon, as I can almost feel your presence radiating from it.

I just don't have the words…

So instead I'll relate to you the profound discussion I had with my closest of friends Telemnar. During the 2 days in which I expressed my desire for solitude, I asked Telemnar to hear me out. I wanted him to know the decision I had come to in regards to parting company with my friends. I felt he should know first, that I owed him that much.

We talked for hours.

As it turns out, we had a good laugh at each other's expense, as we were both suffering from some of the same feelings. I then told him of my near-death experience. He was -I think- slightly shocked to hear that Pakkin had indeed saved my life. I told him of the irony that whilst I had come to accept Pakkin as a companion and wished to use the gatehouse as a chance to work closely together with him, I ended up instead not being able to come to his aid. And this after he had just saved my life. I told him that that was when my mind turned towards the idea of going back to Camber and retiring.

You know what he asked me? "Do you remember what Covenant told you when he asked you to join us?" He said "If we run from life, we do not honor the dead; we disappoint them." I still remember being shocked that a human holy warrior of Lathander would quote to me one of the tenets of Dumathoin.

It was a refreshing discussion that I'm glad we had. I knew I had not really desired to part ways with my companions. Turns out I just needed to talk to someone to work it out for myself. I knew I could count on Telemnar.

During this time, I showed him what I discovered about my warhammer. He was truly impressed. I can't wait to see it in action.

After the 2 days, I came out to discover that Erim was studying some new spells that would take a few more days. We all decided to throw ourselves into helping the town rebuild. Nekaya has some very handy spell that repairs things in but a moment's time. Quite useful, although I prefer the feeling of hard work and sweat to accomplish the same thing. I focused my time on the town's temples and shrines, as no one else really desired to. I know how I feel about priests, but I feel that a person's worship is important. I had 5 days of nearly nonstop work that gave me such profound joy to be creating something. It was a bittersweet joy, as I wish I could be in Camber doing the same thing, but I'll take what I can get.

During this time, the rest of my companions and the Dragonfire Guild decided to split the spoils of battle. The Guild took most of the money and many items that most likely originally belonged to them. Kal wishes to return the money to the town in a new beginning of making amends. He left the commissioned sword with us, as well as a few other things recovered from the Bane worshipers. Included amongst this were three suits of armor, some full-plate, that had Bane iconography on them. We destroyed the unholy mace of the priestess and the sword of the warlord. I convinced my friends it would be better to keep and sell the armors rather than simply destroy them. I told Liadan I would help her to possibly get one re-fitted to accommodate her.

After all was said and done, Jayda and Blaze told us they would escort us to Havin's tower. Hopefully we can find some answers there, or some clues. Barring that, possibly something useful that would aid us in our mission.

We arrived less than a day later, and it is not so much a tower as a short, squat structure that looks like we would be more comfortable in it than humans. We entered through the heavy front door, and after some scouting, I could hear what sounded like forced wind or a very hot fire coming from downstairs. Upon descending, we could see from the bottom of the stairs that inside a small round room was what looked like a miniature sun. As we entered through the doorway, a message came from the wall from Havin saying that our destiny lay ahead or our fate was sealed.

I felt the fool that as I was pondering his words, I did not fully realize what Nekaya was doing, as she was saying something in that ancient language she knows and moving towards the miniature sun. As my mind was making the connection between Nekaya and her worship of two sun gods, she disappeared into the blazing inferno in the center of the room! I hastily ran after her, diving at her in the hopes of pushing her out the other side and preventing horrible bodily harm to her from the miniature sun.

Instead, I ended up in a room inhabited by skeletons working away on various things, and an armored and armed skeleton dressed in the fashion of a Mulhorandi guarding a passageway ahead. A gong sounded far off, and I quickly became afraid as it had a very evil feel to it. I shook that off as the skeleton guardian came forward. I pulled my hammer and Brimstone as Liadan appeared and her, Nekaya and I battled the guardian. We dispatched it quickly as I realized
the rest of my friends had arrived along with our mounts, which had been tethered outside of Havin's tower. Liadan had dispatched the rest of the skeletons with the power of Lathander.

As the rest began to check the mounts and Nekaya was busy reading the symbols on the wall, I went ahead up the stairs that had been guarded only to find out they were trapped with two big blades springing from the wall. Using the immovable rod and my hand axe, I destroyed the blades and continued up the stairs. There is fresh blood on the stairs and I wish to know where or whom it came from.

At the top of the stairs is a big ceremonial room where two mummies are wrapping a body in cloth for burial.

Not knowing if this might be the same individual that came before us, I pulled Brimstone into my offhand and start to move towards them...