Ormazd's Campaign Log

While Van suspected they might find information at the Peak's Shadow, Merrick was in the mind to knock on doors and see what they could find (since for all they knew Torrent could be just inside any one of the nearby houses). Van suggested that it might be better to investigate the effects of the curse than go poking through houses at random, but accepted the plan. Karuna and Alain followed without input, content to 'go with the flow'.

They knocked on a house, unanswered, and went in. Beset by the curse, the occupants had forgotten to eat. One man was dead in his chair and a woman, his wife, perhaps, sat staring off into space, wasting away. Merrick spooned some food into her mouth.

Assuming that this scene was indicative of the whole town, they knew they had to act fast. Van was assertive; the Peak's Shadow, and the soldiers congregating there, was a lead that needed to be followed up on.

They headed in that direction, only to come across a group of bewitched Ragesian soldiers. A couple guardsmen momentarily glanced their way, but then went back to idle tasks like endlessly sharpening their blades.

As the party began to move by them unopposed, Merrick spoke up. "This is our chance. If we kill them now, we won't have to fight them once we deal with whatever is causing this."

Van shrugged, surprised by the halfling's callousness. "They're defenseless. Besides, we don't have the time. The longer we stay here the more likely the curse is to affect us. We can deal with them later if it comes to that."

But Merrick was just getting started. "The way I see it, as of now, this curse is an ally. The Ragesians here aren't a threat, the monastery is safe. The best thing we could do is go around town and kill every single one of the soldiers while they are unable to defend themselves."

"...and people are starving in their homes. We don't have time for this. We need to find Torrent, and find out what's going on here."

"But this is an incredible opportunity. Once we deal with the curse these guys will come to their senses and we will need to fight them all anyway."

"If it's so important to you, go for it. You can meet up with us at the inn."

Merrick balked. As always, he wanted to reach a consensus, and continued to argue his point.

"If you want to murder these people, no one's stopping you, and we're wasting time arguing about it." Van chided, but the halfling would not take the initiative or concede the point, until Van snapped, shouting "Fine! If this is the only way to get you to shut up about it..." and drew his dagger to slash a guard's throat.

Emerging from torpor as the knife touched his skin, the guard jerked away from Van's assault and hefted his well-honed blade. A few of the other guards responded in kind, but a couple of them remained completely oblivious to the ensuing chaos.

The fight was a slaughter. Unsurprisingly, the half-starved, befuddled soldiers were no match for the powerful arcane spells wielded by the so-called Heroes of Seaquen. Throughout the battle, Karuna stood oddly disinterested off to one side, instead of fighting.

"Can we get moving now?" Van remarked, feeling quite dishonorable. He hoped they could get out of town before it was too late, especially now that Karuna was exhibiting some behavioral warning signs. However, despite everyone in town acting like stoned-out geriatric patients, Merrick felt it was necessary to hide the bodies. Van was fed up. "We'll see you at the inn" he said, and stomped off, hesitating for a moment to order the addled monk to assist Merrick.

When Alain and Van arrived at the Peak's Shadow, they found many soldiers milling around outside, but ignored them and headed inside. The inn was crowded with patrons, Ragesians and townsfolk alike, just sitting there in a silent daze. The bartender approached in a semi-lucid state, greeting them and offering to get them something. Van urged the man to divulge anything he could about the terrible curse; Alain ordered a drink. Merrick and Karuna came in, having hidden the bodies.

The bartender couldn't focus. It was difficult to get information from the poor fellow, but when pressed, he seemed to snap out of it momentarily and recognize what was going on. He divulged that Torrent and her companions had come through town a few weeks ago, when the Ragesians came and trouble started: Everyone began to stop caring. It was vague and foreboding. It was as if everyone was compelled to take the path of least resistance.

Finally, the bartender mentioned that Torrent's group had sought out the baker, whatsisname, who could be found at his bakery in the neighborhood to the north. With no better leads to follow, the party set out, hoping that the bakery and the darkened cellar where Torrent was might be one and the same.

Along the way they were beckoned into a house by a strange figure. They entered, but the place appeared empty, but for odd curtains hung about the place. A woman's voice wafted from behind a curtain. "We are balance. You've met our kin." Then, from behind a different veil, a man's voice: "Your actions go against our nature, which we will not tolerate (or somesuch)." But no one was behind the curtains.

Indomitability and Deception. Madness. And now, Balance. What could these strange forces be (besides being ever at odds with the party)?

Taking it as a dark omen, the party hurried on to the bakery. The baker was in the same condition as the bartender: Blank and unaware, except when the heroes took pains to make him understand the urgency of the situation. At last, he broke free from the effects for an instant and announced that Torrent was hidden within. He led the party to a secret door, blocked by a pastry cart, before returning to a hazy, passive composure.

They were happy to find Torrent, who, despite being in rough shape, seemed relatively alert. She explained that they had come to the town and been turned away at the monastery (just as they had heard), and slowly fallen under the curse. After realizing one day that all of her companions had simply disappeared, she decided to hide out in the bakery to be safe. Glad to have found her before she starved to death, the party, especially Van, decided it was time to get out of town. As soon as Torrent was ready, they headed outside and toward the long road up the mountainside to the monastery.

It became clear as they walked that Alain also was beginning to show signs of Balance's influence.

Then their path was blocked by two air elementals, which swooped at great speed over the icy crags and pinned the party down with frost, quickly wearing the heroes down with incredible crushing blasts of wind.

With supernatural agility, Karuna delivered a powerful flying kick, only to land on a fragile ice ridge, which broke away beneath him. Into the chasm he plunged...

Ormazd said:

THE BOOK WAS GONE.

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If I wasn't so in love with Zeitgeist, the events of this session would be enough for me to be starting a WotBS campaign.

Oh well, maybe if one of my players feels like running an off-campaign...

Mine is actually starting on Saturday, so I've been busily pillaging this and other story hours for ideas.

You've turned adventure 5 into quite the horror story. I wish I'd thought to play up the ominous and irresistible nature of the curse. I dig it.

RangerWickett said:

You've turned adventure 5 into quite the horror story. I wish I'd thought to play up the ominous and irresistible nature of the curse. I dig it.

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Thanks. The players certainly seem to be enjoying it, and they really went to their "paranoid places" all on their own. It was fun to watch.

Spirits of the wind, bound to our realm by the monk's strange magic. If it weren't for the strength of my allies I surely would have been destroyed again, perhaps for good; I sometimes forget how fragile this form is; so much closer to life than the rigid simulacrum my soul once inhabited. But perhaps that was my Queen's intention, for ever I walk on the edge of life and death, that shimmering veil, beyond which I will never again return, should I fail in my task.

T'was a fall from a great height into the chasm below that nearly did me in, but also shielded me from the vicious creatures' field of view, which, in a way, saved me from their ire.

My allies triumphed over the windlings while I recovered at the bottom of the chasm, accompanied by the remains of some poor adventurer, long dead. I am certain our group would have been routed or killed if it hadn't been for the valor of our new acquaintance, a master swordmaiden named Lumi. Her countenance and demeanor are admittedly a bit coarse, but it is clear that her intentions are as strong and pure as her heart. She is driven by the noblest of purposes: that she might find her lost love. And so, I felt a kind of kinship with her, though the painful topic compels me to turn inward and get lost in thought.

After fishing me out of the ravine we continued on to, and arrived at the monastery without further distraction. Immediately we were shut out, and so made our way over the walls on Alain's eagles; quite an entrance. The whole monastery leaped into action, and lines of wary monks eyed us with some consternation as we hastily made peace and sought conference with the headmasters.

Informed that Pilus was away for the time being, we were led to a windy room in the highest tower, where Master Longinus sat in meditation. He wore a mask, and we might have thought he was asleep if not for his strangely piercing gaze flicking over us.

We learned that the masters each embody one of the two winds. Longinus' path follows the West wind, patient and enduring, while Pilus, his brother, channels the East, which gusts with a sudden, unexpected intensity. Finding the masters tied so closely, in temperament and spirit, to the forces they embody put me ill at ease, having recently dealt with Balance and the other strange incarnations. But maybe it just happens to those who seek out better understanding or control; perhaps we all embody one ideal or another. Merrick is certainly the Storm, directionless and uncontrollable. Leska is the firey Torch that needs to be snuffed out. And I could be... Death? No, I am only Her hand. Judgment, perhaps...

What am I thinking? People needn't strive to become forces of nature.

We were offered quarters in the monastery and left early in the morning, back down into Eresh. Merrick, by this time, was completely assured we had nothing to fear from the curse; Alain looked somewhat more alert but I wasn't sure.

The town seemed more active than it had been the previous day. Shouts and activity could be heard occasionally; we didn't know it just yet but Balance's power was weakening. We walked past guards and townsfolk still stricken by the strange malaise, hoping indeed we might find clues at the site of the Ragesian incursion, when we encountered a crazed band of soldiers on a bloody warpath. After defeating them it occured to me that the helpful shade that found Lumi/Torrent might assist once again; as soon as the thought entered my mind, there it was, a spectral raven with a keen eye. I asked it to find the woman who beckoned us into the building (and subsequently disappeared) before, and in a short time we were heading to the house of healing where the creature called Balance lay in its death throes.

She told us our actions in the village had upset the balance and their time was coming to an end. Suddenly her form shifted and became that of a man. Oh, the questions we could have asked if only we had had time, but at least one great nugget of wisdom was gained: she/it/they and her kin are Trillith, a word which seemed familiar yet nearly forgotten. The case which we bore from Gate Pass to Seaquen, it seems like ages ago, had harbinged their collaboration with Ragesia.

At last we had a word for the creature/aspect Madness, and those like her, and I only hope that uncovering their specie might bring about their destruction, or at least the rebuttal from our world.

But the answers only led to more questions, which would remain unasked because of more immediate dangers. As Balance discorporated, shifting back and forth from its female and male forms, a new one emerged, possibly its true visage. And when it finally vanished, the curse was lifted, and sounds of terror and plunder erupted all over town as the Ragesian invaders restarted their campaign of violence against the townsfolk.

We rushed outside, heading toward the noise of the nearest struggle, with the smell of smoke in our nostrils. Ragesian thugs were putting homes to the torch, and as we moved to intercept them, dead-eye archers let fly in rapid succession, perforating our ranks. Without magic our quest would have ended there. Lumi charged forward, battling Ragesian soldiers and some sort of hell-hound, while I rushed inside the soon-to-be-engulfed house to ensure the safety of the occupants. Merrick and Alain battled the archers at range with their spells, each side suffering terrible wounds. Ours prevailed, of course, as our steely resolve and the inherent nobility of our actions outmatches the wild recklessness and brutality of the enemy. But it should be said that those Ragesian footsoldiers are no slouches.

I found a family huddling on the upper floor and led them to safety, only to be attacked by a lurking Ragesian infiltrator. I should have been skewered on his deadly short-sword, but somehow I was saved when the blow glanced off the cover of my shadowy tome; I do not remember having shifted my body to deflect the strike and yet somehow, it happened. Surprised by my miraculous evasion, the rogue balked and I was able to make short work of him. As I stepped back onto the street, with the villagers following close behind, and despite my comrades looking somewhat ragged, it was clear that we had won the battle. The fighting was far from over, however.

Van penned the post above ... the following is the same session from Merrick's point of view:

We destroyed the air elemental guards the monastery sent against us and then avoided their defenses rather easily. Luckily Alain was able to charm the monk who sent us into that mess without telling us what we were facing. Still the monastery was of no help at all but we did extract a promise of help from their passive leader, Longinus. His brother, Pilus, sounds much more to my liking than he is. Wonder where he is.

Yet we found Balance eventually and it was as I said all along. She was no threat to those of us with willpower. It turns out that the way to defeat balance was to destroy balance... by destroying Ragesian soldiers. But Van refused... until put us all at risk by acting like a child. Van and the vile beings he serves are becoming a hindrance more often. I should add subordinates to our party. Those loyal to myself, our mission, and Kord instead of undead servants of evil who become less trustworthy every day.

Now the Ragesians are rampaging through town slaughtering innocents in their homes. This is Van's fault but that could possibly have been his intent. I told him what would happen when Balance was destroyed and how we needed to take advantage of this opportunity to destroy this Ragesian army when we had the chance. Now the town burns.

These "Trillith" are worth investigating but it'll have to wait until after the Scourge is dead at my feet.

A post from Lumi, human knight, retconned to take the place of Torrent in the party that had been sent ahead to Eresh.
Several days ago I awoke from some sort of daze, a spell perhaps. Since Dreth's disappearance I've been wandering - lost, alone. Did I suffer some trauma, I wonder. I cannot recall much of what has happened since last I saw Dreth, nor how long ago that was. It is as if a veil has been lifted.

When I came to, I was in the midst of a fight. Somehow I'd gotten myself entangled with a group of adventurers battling some sort of air spirits. Though several of the party's members had lost their footing along the snowy path and fallen down into the ravines below, we managed to defeat them. The party was headed up the mountain path toward a monastery. Aimless, I followed.

Let me try to describe these adventurers as best I can. Van, a tiefling, has a somewhat disturbing countenance, yet seems to be a fairly reasonable being. I sense in him a certain kinship, though I know not why. The halfling monk, Merrick, is indeed a sight to behold. Though tiny in stature, his command over lightning and thunder is rather impressive. I am somewhat concerned by his insistent defiance of the Ragesian scourge. While honorable, it seems at times to border on obsessive. Ah well, who am I to judge? Finally, the monk, Karuna, and wizard, Alain, are something of a mystery. During our trek up the mountain they seemed entirely complacent, staring vacantly. I have since learned that they were under the influence of the Trillith, Balance. But I digress. Let me continue with the events that have unfolded since my mind has cleared.

The gates of the monastery were closed to us upon our arrival. Nothing the party said would convince the gate keeper to allow our entry. The others seemed determined to get in, convinced that the monks inside had some information we needed. Alain was roused enough to summon great eagles, on which we rode over the walls surrounding the monastery. We landed centrally and were immediately surrounded by the inhabitants. With a bit of negotiation, we were permitted to speak with one of the masters of the monastery. Master Longinus in fact gave us no new information, with regards to the town of Eresh at the base of the mountain. He restated his wish that we would determine the source of the town's malaise, and if possible disperse the Ragesian camp outside. Though ultimately an unfruitful visit, we were permitted safe lodgings for the night, and managed to recover soundly from the earlier fray.

Back down in Eresh, we managed to track down this Balance creature. The others explained that they had been taunted by it in an earlier visit. This time, the being was busy dying in the sickhouse. It told us that it had been influencing the town, providing balance in the face of discord. It explained it was a Trillith, the child of Trilla, a dragon who had been held hostage by Drakus Coaltongue. I wonder if this Trillith's presence was some foolhardy act of vengeance against the Ragesians camped outside the town. After the being apparently expired, its influence on the town was lifted and we were plunged once again into chaos.

We battled first a group of Ragesian soldiers, taking considerable damage and rescuing a family from a burning house. As we traveled through the town, we encountered a halfling rogue named Fiona, who had been a member of the party in some earlier adventures. She readily joined us just as we were attacked by more soldiers riding wyverns. One of them dropped some sort of explosive package right on me. Even after stamping out the blaze, I was essentially useless during the fight. The damned wyverns kept well out of reach of my sword, and truthfully I wouldn't trust even a magic crossbow with my life. Thing's always jamming up. Luckily the rest of the party was able to dispatch the creatures and the soldiers without much fuss, despite their wretched swooping about.

After gathering our strength we headed toward the bridge, thinking to hold it against what we thought was an onslaught of soldiers. During this time we could hear screams and a great rumbling sound coming from toward the town's entrance. We abandoned the bridge and cautiously approached the sound. We met the main Ragesian force, led by 2nd General Cygnus, riding a hideous eyeless beast. My comrades unleased their wrath upon the soldiers while I distracted the General and his dreadful mount. In the distance I noticed one of the General's men remove his turban. He had a devilish countenance, and I could feel some sort of power try to push into my mind. Praise to Avandra, I was able to overcome his attempt to control me. In the end, our party prevailed over the Ragesians, and much of the camp seems to have dispersed.

At this point, I suppose I will continue with this party. Though I do not revel in committing myself to yet another war, my skills seem to be a welcome addition. I do admit, the land would be well rid of this Ragesian abomination. The party seems bent on resisting the Ragesian army, and if Dreth was taken by Inquisitors as I suspect, they may lead me to him. Avandra willing, we will be reunited. The pains of battle cannot compare to the incessant, hollow ache of his absence.

All this journal-writing. It reminds me of a Civil War documentary. With destrachans.

RangerWickett said:

All this journal-writing. It reminds me of a Civil War documentary. With destrachans.

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Inspired by Robin Hobb's Soldier Son trilogy, I've often wanted to pen an in-character journal in an old leather-bound book, complete with hand-drawn illustrations of strange monsters and scribbled notes about their powers and weaknesses.

Unfortunately, I have all the artistic ability of a trout and the desire has so far gone unfulfilled