drunkadelic
First Post
Exactly, you infiltrated his confidences.
That's what I said wasn't it?
That's what I said wasn't it?
-
The VOIDRUNNER'S CODEX is coming! Explore new worlds, fight oppressive empires, fend off fearsome aliens, and wield deadly psionics with this comprehensive boxed set expansion for 5E and A5E!
Agents of the Nexus - Planescape/Spycraft
- Thread starter drunkadelic
- Start date
drunkadelic
First Post
Hey there, (contact)!
Well, the first couple of missions they're being sent on are in the "simulator." Nexus doesn't want to waste 3 perfectly good Ressurections on throwing swords to the agents, smacking their butts, and saying, "Restore the balance in them there planes."
Rewards have yet to be seen, but I have a feeling *hint hint* that they're going to be getting something nice for their efforts soon.
I totally did not expect them to get past the first mission. Not that I take a particular delight in seeing PCs go down like drunken prom queens or anything. If they had bested my tactics, they would have received something for their exceptional performance.
As of yet, there are no consequences for failure other than less XP and a recovery time in the infirmary. However, in a few more missions, they're gonna be out in the planes.
It's gonna be nasty.
Well, the first couple of missions they're being sent on are in the "simulator." Nexus doesn't want to waste 3 perfectly good Ressurections on throwing swords to the agents, smacking their butts, and saying, "Restore the balance in them there planes."
Rewards have yet to be seen, but I have a feeling *hint hint* that they're going to be getting something nice for their efforts soon.
I totally did not expect them to get past the first mission. Not that I take a particular delight in seeing PCs go down like drunken prom queens or anything. If they had bested my tactics, they would have received something for their exceptional performance.
As of yet, there are no consequences for failure other than less XP and a recovery time in the infirmary. However, in a few more missions, they're gonna be out in the planes.
It's gonna be nasty.
drunkadelic
First Post
7.30.02 - Deadline: Part Three
Flabbergasted, the weathered halfling sputters, "Wha-wha-what? You want to BUY it?"
"Name your price." Smith replies calmly.
"I'm afraid it's not for sale there, uh, friend."
"But it's so beautiful, so masterfully carved, so lifelike, so wonderful!"
"Um....yeah."
"C'mon friend, name your price. I'm negotiating for a very wealthy individual and he LOVES this statue."
"Well, friend. To tell you the truth, the statue isn't even mine. It's a friend of a friend's and I was asked to watch it. You see, what happened, that most folks don't know about 'round these parts is back in my younger days, I used to be an adventurer. Me and my band o do-gooders went up into the hills 'round these parts long ago to take vengeance on an evil sorcerer who had burned the farm of one of our friends with him and his family in it. In any case, this here statue was part of the spoils. After the fight I was so scared that I gave up the adventuring life and just came back into town and took over this here bar. My friends asked me to keep this here statue for them, that some day they'd come back and get it, 'cept that it's been nearly 8 years since I heard from 'em last."
DM Note: Damn that charismatic Smith.
"Well partner," Smith says in hushed tones, "Everything's got it's price. I'll just slide you this piece of paper real slowly, you take it in the back there, figure up what she's worth to ya, write it on the paper along with your name so I can take it back to my employer and we can produce a counter-offer."
The halfling comes back momentarily and hands Smith a fresh beer, slipping the note into his hand at the same time.
Smith walks outside and ever so slightly nods at Drem as he leaves. He unfolds the note, and plain as day, Grayson's note says:
40,000 Gold Pieces
for Statue
Grayson J. Thimbletoad
Smith stares in abject horror at the crazy sum. After a regroup and a desperate discussion, the agents have come up with a new plan, full of malice and bloodshed. (It was only a matter of time, right?) With 30 minutes left to go, the agents launch their desperate attempt on the Peaceful Pipe.
Taking positions in the bar, Drem and Smith order food and look nonchalant, idly yapping in the corner opposite the bar.
A few moments later, a large Fireball strikes the bar and ignites many of the liquors on the shelves. Matthew giggles and runs into the adjacent alleyway.
In the following bedlam, the heroes aid the more sober individuals in safely escorting the patrons out the back door, two at a time. Meanwhile, the guards dispatch a large patrol split between seeking out this assassin and guarding the alehouse against any more attacks. Matthew sneaks unnoticed back into the warehouse.
As the last patron leaves the smoldering inn, Smith turns to Drem with a wicked smile.
"Nothing left to do but get her, now!"
He and the Elf each find a hand-hold and tip the statue over on its side, preparing to drag her gently across the street. What they don't know is an 8-strong dispatch of guards is waiting outside and a very angry Invisible halfling rogue is about to sneak attack them.
"Mother of g-aaak!" Smith yells as Grayson appears, twisting his dagger further into Smith's lung.
Drem steps back and unsheathes his sword. Grayson closes and swings but misses. From the floor, Smith chokes down a potion of Cure Light Wounds and stands back up. Smith launches an attack of his own and manages to re-draw Grayson's attention. While distracted, Drem casts True Strike and on his next action, drops the little halfling with a smirk.
It is about that time that Matt decided he'd send another of the Fireballs into the guards in front of the building. After another massive blast, all but 2 of the guards run into the warehouse, determined to catch this assassin.
"Uh-oh." squeaks Matthew.
Flabbergasted, the weathered halfling sputters, "Wha-wha-what? You want to BUY it?"
"Name your price." Smith replies calmly.
"I'm afraid it's not for sale there, uh, friend."
"But it's so beautiful, so masterfully carved, so lifelike, so wonderful!"
"Um....yeah."
"C'mon friend, name your price. I'm negotiating for a very wealthy individual and he LOVES this statue."
"Well, friend. To tell you the truth, the statue isn't even mine. It's a friend of a friend's and I was asked to watch it. You see, what happened, that most folks don't know about 'round these parts is back in my younger days, I used to be an adventurer. Me and my band o do-gooders went up into the hills 'round these parts long ago to take vengeance on an evil sorcerer who had burned the farm of one of our friends with him and his family in it. In any case, this here statue was part of the spoils. After the fight I was so scared that I gave up the adventuring life and just came back into town and took over this here bar. My friends asked me to keep this here statue for them, that some day they'd come back and get it, 'cept that it's been nearly 8 years since I heard from 'em last."
DM Note: Damn that charismatic Smith.
"Well partner," Smith says in hushed tones, "Everything's got it's price. I'll just slide you this piece of paper real slowly, you take it in the back there, figure up what she's worth to ya, write it on the paper along with your name so I can take it back to my employer and we can produce a counter-offer."
The halfling comes back momentarily and hands Smith a fresh beer, slipping the note into his hand at the same time.
Smith walks outside and ever so slightly nods at Drem as he leaves. He unfolds the note, and plain as day, Grayson's note says:
40,000 Gold Pieces
for Statue
Grayson J. Thimbletoad
Smith stares in abject horror at the crazy sum. After a regroup and a desperate discussion, the agents have come up with a new plan, full of malice and bloodshed. (It was only a matter of time, right?) With 30 minutes left to go, the agents launch their desperate attempt on the Peaceful Pipe.
Taking positions in the bar, Drem and Smith order food and look nonchalant, idly yapping in the corner opposite the bar.
A few moments later, a large Fireball strikes the bar and ignites many of the liquors on the shelves. Matthew giggles and runs into the adjacent alleyway.
In the following bedlam, the heroes aid the more sober individuals in safely escorting the patrons out the back door, two at a time. Meanwhile, the guards dispatch a large patrol split between seeking out this assassin and guarding the alehouse against any more attacks. Matthew sneaks unnoticed back into the warehouse.
As the last patron leaves the smoldering inn, Smith turns to Drem with a wicked smile.
"Nothing left to do but get her, now!"
He and the Elf each find a hand-hold and tip the statue over on its side, preparing to drag her gently across the street. What they don't know is an 8-strong dispatch of guards is waiting outside and a very angry Invisible halfling rogue is about to sneak attack them.
"Mother of g-aaak!" Smith yells as Grayson appears, twisting his dagger further into Smith's lung.
Drem steps back and unsheathes his sword. Grayson closes and swings but misses. From the floor, Smith chokes down a potion of Cure Light Wounds and stands back up. Smith launches an attack of his own and manages to re-draw Grayson's attention. While distracted, Drem casts True Strike and on his next action, drops the little halfling with a smirk.
It is about that time that Matt decided he'd send another of the Fireballs into the guards in front of the building. After another massive blast, all but 2 of the guards run into the warehouse, determined to catch this assassin.
"Uh-oh." squeaks Matthew.
drunkadelic
First Post
8.1.02 - Deadline: Part Four
Drem and Smith finally get the statue out the doorway and are faced by 2 angry, impatient guards.
"What are you boys doing with Mr. Grayson's prize statue?" they ask.
Drem hands them a familiar piece of paper that says:
40,000 Gold Pieces
Paid in Full
For Statue
Grayson J. Thimbletoad
The guards look at one another, baffled by this turn of events.
"Um, well, yah got a reciept right here, guess that's good enough, now clear out of here, citizens!" one of them barks.
The men smile and continue on their way towards the warehouse.
Meanwhile, in the warehouse, 4 guards rapidly advance on Matthew, hiding for dear life on the second floor of the guardhouse. As the heavy footsteps of the booted guardsmen begin to echo from the stairs, little Matthew jumps out into their view at the top of the stairs, plucks the largest bead from the Necklace of Fireballs and screams.
"Eat hot burning death, soft skins!"
A flash of light and heat later, what was left of the guardsmen and the staircase fall away to embers and ash. Matthew looks over the side of the landing, down the gap where the stairs used to be and sighs.
"Guess I overdid it."
One of the guards short swords, blown across the vast warehouse, finally hits the floor with a clang.
"Nah."
About that time, Drem and Smith drag the statue in, panting and wheezing.
"What--happened--to--the--bloody--stairs?" Smith yells between heaving breaths.
"Um. Nothing." Matthew lies.
Smith looks at the watch, seeing there is only 15 minutes left to get the statue up to the second floor and place it on the magic circle.
"What are we going...." Smith drops the watch and bends over to pick it up. At the same time, an invisible form comes back into view and stabs out at Smith, missing due to Smith's leaned-over state.
"Behind you, Smith." Drem yells, drawing his longsword.
The halfling is back, and he looks really upset this time. He positions himself between Smith and Drem again, hoping to give neither them the opportunity to cast or shoot.
Upstairs, Matthew begins smacking the floor with his dagger.
Backing away from the melee, at the insistance of Smith that he can handle the halfling, Drem throws a rope up to Matthew and gets up to the second floor as well.
Down on the floor, Smith isn't faring too well. The halfling is wily, and very skillful with the dagger.
"Steal my statue, will ya? Going to revive that she-devil and cause chaos in my town. I don't THINK so." The halfling drives his knife to the hilt in Smith's thigh.
For once however, Smith's witty repartee goes unheard, as the only sound heard in the warehouse at that moment is the screaming gurgle of a halfling shot in the throat with a heavy crossbow bolt.
"I dare say that's the end of you." Smith muses quietly before he steps on the halflings neck with a sickening, wet crack.
About that time, a 5 foot section of flooring comes cascading to the floor from above. As Smith looks up into the hole he sees Matthews grinning form, holding a now-dull dagger. On the floor is the magic circle, floorboards, supports and all.
Smith hurriedly drags the flooring over to the statue and slides it under. The succubus indeed animates, stretches its wings, mutters something in Abyssal and vanishes in a puff of brimstone.
Smith looks at the clock.
7 minutes left.
End of Deadline
Drem and Smith finally get the statue out the doorway and are faced by 2 angry, impatient guards.
"What are you boys doing with Mr. Grayson's prize statue?" they ask.
Drem hands them a familiar piece of paper that says:
40,000 Gold Pieces
Paid in Full
For Statue
Grayson J. Thimbletoad
The guards look at one another, baffled by this turn of events.
"Um, well, yah got a reciept right here, guess that's good enough, now clear out of here, citizens!" one of them barks.
The men smile and continue on their way towards the warehouse.
Meanwhile, in the warehouse, 4 guards rapidly advance on Matthew, hiding for dear life on the second floor of the guardhouse. As the heavy footsteps of the booted guardsmen begin to echo from the stairs, little Matthew jumps out into their view at the top of the stairs, plucks the largest bead from the Necklace of Fireballs and screams.
"Eat hot burning death, soft skins!"
A flash of light and heat later, what was left of the guardsmen and the staircase fall away to embers and ash. Matthew looks over the side of the landing, down the gap where the stairs used to be and sighs.
"Guess I overdid it."
One of the guards short swords, blown across the vast warehouse, finally hits the floor with a clang.
"Nah."
About that time, Drem and Smith drag the statue in, panting and wheezing.
"What--happened--to--the--bloody--stairs?" Smith yells between heaving breaths.
"Um. Nothing." Matthew lies.
Smith looks at the watch, seeing there is only 15 minutes left to get the statue up to the second floor and place it on the magic circle.
"What are we going...." Smith drops the watch and bends over to pick it up. At the same time, an invisible form comes back into view and stabs out at Smith, missing due to Smith's leaned-over state.
"Behind you, Smith." Drem yells, drawing his longsword.
The halfling is back, and he looks really upset this time. He positions himself between Smith and Drem again, hoping to give neither them the opportunity to cast or shoot.
Upstairs, Matthew begins smacking the floor with his dagger.
Backing away from the melee, at the insistance of Smith that he can handle the halfling, Drem throws a rope up to Matthew and gets up to the second floor as well.
Down on the floor, Smith isn't faring too well. The halfling is wily, and very skillful with the dagger.
"Steal my statue, will ya? Going to revive that she-devil and cause chaos in my town. I don't THINK so." The halfling drives his knife to the hilt in Smith's thigh.
For once however, Smith's witty repartee goes unheard, as the only sound heard in the warehouse at that moment is the screaming gurgle of a halfling shot in the throat with a heavy crossbow bolt.
"I dare say that's the end of you." Smith muses quietly before he steps on the halflings neck with a sickening, wet crack.
About that time, a 5 foot section of flooring comes cascading to the floor from above. As Smith looks up into the hole he sees Matthews grinning form, holding a now-dull dagger. On the floor is the magic circle, floorboards, supports and all.
Smith hurriedly drags the flooring over to the statue and slides it under. The succubus indeed animates, stretches its wings, mutters something in Abyssal and vanishes in a puff of brimstone.
Smith looks at the clock.
7 minutes left.
End of Deadline
drunkadelic
First Post
Glad to see ya, Enkhidu!
Wow, it makes me so happy to think that people are going to gank my idea. By all means, gank away!
It might be of note to say what I use from Spycraft and what I use from D&D for all (if any) who will want to gank this at some point.
My initial want was to do this before Spycraft came out, but then while I was forming ideas, it up and came out so I figured not to strain my brain too hard, AEG is a great company and I should rely on them to do the work.
However, a better way of describing the campaign that you have read so far might be "D&D with a Spycraft Flavor."
But don't fret, we have used a lot of Spycraft elements.
The characters are straight D&D. This is a fantasy game first of all, and characters like wheelman aren't going to fit in so well.
I'm toying with the idea of using action dice in the game. I've been a fan of this idea in another incarnation (AEG's L5R Void Points) since that game first hit the tables. I want to make that a part of my campaign but to a much less degree than Spycraft does. What I really like about it is that often I have seen in campaign's like Wulf's and PCat's that the players often times have some "ace up their sleeve" that we as DM's forget about when we try to plan out something particularly nasty. For instance, PCat put a 10th level Divine Agent in a bare-fisted brawl with a hulking brute for ownership of the Agent's stolen belt of giant strength. What PCat forgot was that the Agent had DR, and could just yawn all day while the brute hammered away at her. Action dice let the DM foil little snafus in planning like this at the option of giving their players an action die or two to use later. Players get a lucky crit and kill your major villain? Wait a second, give them an action die to use later and say the villain in fact, didn't die...that was merely a clone, hologram, whatever.
Also, a prominent item in my game due to Smith, the assassin, is the aiming feature. Aiming in Spycraft gives the character a +1 competency bonus to hit. Sometimes it can make all the difference. IIRC, it's a partial action to aim.
In the next session or so I'm going to implement the world-renowned "Awesome Cool Spycraft Chase Rules." Which will prove for an interesting game.
Also, it isn't very evident yet in the story hour, but the agents have a R&D team (Nizbah and Angrimm) working for them to make "Gadgets" like in Spycraft. I'm getting ready to unveil their first reward "Gadget" to them as a bonus for finishing this last mission.
All in all, I've found that not only has this been the most fun campaign I have even run, it's also so nice to be able to combine 2 systems almost seamlessly.
Perhaps the biggest draw, for me and for my players, is that I try to make each gaming night a self-contained mission, with a definite beginning and closure at the end. While this won't always be the case, (as we get deeper and deeper into the plot) it serves to give everyone a change from the normal, "and then you see some gnolls, and that's where we end."
So before I become a rambling idiot, I hope your group enjoys this as much as I have and will continue. There have been some very tense moments of white-knuckle gaming when the whole fate of our missions has rested on a single die roll.
And that's what I love.
Wow, it makes me so happy to think that people are going to gank my idea. By all means, gank away!
It might be of note to say what I use from Spycraft and what I use from D&D for all (if any) who will want to gank this at some point.
My initial want was to do this before Spycraft came out, but then while I was forming ideas, it up and came out so I figured not to strain my brain too hard, AEG is a great company and I should rely on them to do the work.
However, a better way of describing the campaign that you have read so far might be "D&D with a Spycraft Flavor."
But don't fret, we have used a lot of Spycraft elements.
The characters are straight D&D. This is a fantasy game first of all, and characters like wheelman aren't going to fit in so well.
I'm toying with the idea of using action dice in the game. I've been a fan of this idea in another incarnation (AEG's L5R Void Points) since that game first hit the tables. I want to make that a part of my campaign but to a much less degree than Spycraft does. What I really like about it is that often I have seen in campaign's like Wulf's and PCat's that the players often times have some "ace up their sleeve" that we as DM's forget about when we try to plan out something particularly nasty. For instance, PCat put a 10th level Divine Agent in a bare-fisted brawl with a hulking brute for ownership of the Agent's stolen belt of giant strength. What PCat forgot was that the Agent had DR, and could just yawn all day while the brute hammered away at her. Action dice let the DM foil little snafus in planning like this at the option of giving their players an action die or two to use later. Players get a lucky crit and kill your major villain? Wait a second, give them an action die to use later and say the villain in fact, didn't die...that was merely a clone, hologram, whatever.
Also, a prominent item in my game due to Smith, the assassin, is the aiming feature. Aiming in Spycraft gives the character a +1 competency bonus to hit. Sometimes it can make all the difference. IIRC, it's a partial action to aim.
In the next session or so I'm going to implement the world-renowned "Awesome Cool Spycraft Chase Rules." Which will prove for an interesting game.
Also, it isn't very evident yet in the story hour, but the agents have a R&D team (Nizbah and Angrimm) working for them to make "Gadgets" like in Spycraft. I'm getting ready to unveil their first reward "Gadget" to them as a bonus for finishing this last mission.
All in all, I've found that not only has this been the most fun campaign I have even run, it's also so nice to be able to combine 2 systems almost seamlessly.
Perhaps the biggest draw, for me and for my players, is that I try to make each gaming night a self-contained mission, with a definite beginning and closure at the end. While this won't always be the case, (as we get deeper and deeper into the plot) it serves to give everyone a change from the normal, "and then you see some gnolls, and that's where we end."
So before I become a rambling idiot, I hope your group enjoys this as much as I have and will continue. There have been some very tense moments of white-knuckle gaming when the whole fate of our missions has rested on a single die roll.
And that's what I love.
Salthorae
Imperial Mountain Dew Taster
cool
Well...this is cool I must say I really an enjoying the story so far. Can't wait for more updates...KEEP PLAYING
Played in a PBeM game once upon a time that was like this, incredible fun it was....and this is shaping up to be as much fun reading as it was to play in that one.
play on playaz
Well...this is cool
I must say I really an enjoying the story so far. Can't wait for more updates...KEEP PLAYING Played in a PBeM game once upon a time that was like this, incredible fun it was....and this is shaping up to be as much fun reading as it was to play in that one.
play on playaz
drunkadelic
First Post
8.2.02 - Awakening: Prelude
Corrina Graves, Aasimar Cleric, and medic of the Nexus, reviews the information on the scroll in front of her. Pinching the bridge of her nose, she sets the crisp paper on her desk and sighs. After a while, she slowly rises to her feet and exits her office.
Elsewhere in the Nexus, a dreamer lies still, focusing on the dream. In this dream, the dreamer is observing a gaunt form. All that can be seen of this figure is a white beard and two yellow points of light for eyes. Slowly, the form begins to speak.
"I have allowed you back, my son. It will not be an easy road, and because of our nature, you will discover that many of the powers you once posessed are now lost. I have gazed along the many skeins of the future, and I have seen the awakening of the great enemy. I entrust you to do the job I could not, my son. Re-unite our people, or we are all doomed to fall."
The dreamer reaches out in his sleep, but only touches the still, cool air.
The golden-haired form of Corrina enters the room at this point, noticies the grimace of pain on her patient, and administers a sleeping agent, to quell the pain.
The dreamer struggles against the medicine for a moment as it enters his body, but then falls limp as it begins to have it's effect.
Rranyak, the Githzerai, sleeps a dreamless sleep once more.
Corrina Graves, Aasimar Cleric, and medic of the Nexus, reviews the information on the scroll in front of her. Pinching the bridge of her nose, she sets the crisp paper on her desk and sighs. After a while, she slowly rises to her feet and exits her office.
Elsewhere in the Nexus, a dreamer lies still, focusing on the dream. In this dream, the dreamer is observing a gaunt form. All that can be seen of this figure is a white beard and two yellow points of light for eyes. Slowly, the form begins to speak.
"I have allowed you back, my son. It will not be an easy road, and because of our nature, you will discover that many of the powers you once posessed are now lost. I have gazed along the many skeins of the future, and I have seen the awakening of the great enemy. I entrust you to do the job I could not, my son. Re-unite our people, or we are all doomed to fall."
The dreamer reaches out in his sleep, but only touches the still, cool air.
The golden-haired form of Corrina enters the room at this point, noticies the grimace of pain on her patient, and administers a sleeping agent, to quell the pain.
The dreamer struggles against the medicine for a moment as it enters his body, but then falls limp as it begins to have it's effect.
Rranyak, the Githzerai, sleeps a dreamless sleep once more.
Last edited:
Similar Threads
Spelljammer
Spelljammer Collector’s Guide Revisited
