[IRON DM] Winter '04 Tournament (IRON DM ANNOUNCED!)
el-remmen
Moderator Emeritus
Round One - Fourth Match-Up:
"Whoop-ass" Enkhidu vs. "Nice Try" Noskov
Ingredients
-----------------
Foggy Moors
Venerable Paladin
Hobgoblin War Party
Blinding Snow
Hangman Tree
Burned Corpse
We're starting it off simple.
You have 24 hours from the time stamp of this post.
Remember you 'ingredient review' at the end of your entry.
Remember, NO EDITING after you've posted.
Remember, NO READING your opponent's entry if he posts before you do.
Remember to include the the Round/Match and Opponent Info at the top of your entry (see above).
Good luck to both of you.
LazarusLong42
First Post
Well-played, Wulf. After reading yours, that was the judgment I was expecting. 
A couple of things for Nemmerle:
(1) Agoraphobia is one of those unfortunate words that has several definitions, including the one you mentioned. Various dictionaries are less than decisive on its definition, and I suspect the DSM V would have something entirely different to say about it.
(2) Um... the babau is a core monster (the first listed demon, in fact)--and it does, in fact, have a protective coating of acid. Very nice touch, Wulf! And good luck in the next rounds.
A couple of things for Nemmerle:(1) Agoraphobia is one of those unfortunate words that has several definitions, including the one you mentioned. Various dictionaries are less than decisive on its definition, and I suspect the DSM V would have something entirely different to say about it.
(2) Um... the babau is a core monster (the first listed demon, in fact)--and it does, in fact, have a protective coating of acid. Very nice touch, Wulf! And good luck in the next rounds.
carpedavid
First Post
Round One - Second Match-Up:
Mac "Is This A Dagger I See Before Me?" Beth vs. Carpe "Seize This!" David
Ingredients
-----------------
Missing Children
Winter Wolves
13 Vicious Gnomes
Wish-Granting Cow
Crumbling Tower
Complacency
In the Bleak Midwinter: A Fairy Tale
An adventure for four characters of 1st - 4th level
It always snows in the town of Midwinter. No matter the season, frost decorates the windowpanes of the town's modest homes, and small white flakes fall gently through the air. Most townsfolk are a good lot - content to hunt the elk that inhabit the Frozen Forest to the south and to grow what small amount of crops they can in the cold, hard ground. The town elders settle whatever disputes arise, and the local constable never has much to other than to chase down the odd goat that escapes its pen.
Yes, it always snows in Midwinter, and the Frost Lords like it that way...
Background - What the PCs know
-----------------
200 years ago, Midwinter was a sleepy little farming town that lay in the shadows of the Orcspine Mountains. Then, one day, a warband of goblins swarmed out of the Twisted Woods to the north and began terrorizing the town. The townspeople were terrified – they had never had to defend themselves from anything other than an occasional rabid raccoon, let alone a rampaging band of goblins.
To the town's initial relief, a group of 13 gnomish knights, calling itself the Frost Lords, came to its rescue. They handedly drove off the goblins, and offered to protect the town from further attacks for payment to be agreed upon later. The grateful townspeople readily accepted, and the Frost Lords set about building a large tower of solid ice high upon a hill in the middle of the Twisted Woods.
It wasn't until four years later that the town heard from the Frost Lords again. On the anniversary of the goblins being driven off, the Lords rode into town on the back of the their winter wolf mounts. As a crowd gathered, the Lords finally demanded payment: they needed a child, of no more then twelve years, to act as a servant in their newly completed castle. The townspeople initially balked, but the gnomes reminded them of their debit. After hours of heated debate, the town elders acquiesced, and a child was chosen.
The little girl's mother cried as she was hoisted up onto the back of the great white wolf, but the rest of the town simply looked on. The father put a had out to stop the gnomes from riding off, and the gnomes turned and simply pointed, and the man turned to ice, but the rest of the town simply looked on. They were happy to have repaid their debt and to be in the protection of the Frost Lords, and little else mattered other than getting back to their lives.
When the gnomes reappeared four years later and demanded another child, the town complied with considerably less furor than the last time. As the years passed, the townspeople became used to these visits, just as they became used to the change in climate as their lands turned from temperate, fertile farmland to frozen, snow-covered tundra.
Background - What the PCs don't know
-----------------
The 13 gnomish Frost Lords are really just one frost gnome illusionist named Snivilus. He came to the town of Midwinter because he had heard tales of an ivory statue that granted immense magical power hidden somewhere in the Twisted Woods. He wanted to prevent the locals from observing his activities in the woods, so he created an army of illusory goblins to keep the peasants busy. Once he found his treasure, an intricately carved ivory statue of a cow, he saw an opportunity to exploit the townspeople he had been terrorizing, so he created illusions of 12 gnomish companions. Calling his new group the Frost Lords, he proceeded to drive off the illusory army he created, and earned the favor of the town.
After a brief period of research, Snivilus discovered the statue's power: it would grant him three wishes. He wished first for a tower that would remind him of his arctic homeland. The statue nodded its head and began constructing an elaborate tower of ice and snow. When it finished, Snivilus wished for immortality. The statue granted his wish, but Snivilus' immortality would come at a price: he would need others to grow old for him.
Thus, the Frost Lords rode into town upon their winter wolves and demanded payment from the townspeople. When he arrived back at his tower, the statue froze the little girl, turning her into a statue of ice that began to slowly melt. Four years later, the last of the little girl turned from ice to water, and Snivilus rode back into town, to demand another child.
As the years passed, the climate around the tower began to change to reflect the powerful magic that influenced the region. The air grew colder, the snows lasted longer, and Snivilus occasionally temporarily froze a few troublemakers (a charge from a hold person wand combined with the illusion of cold and frost).
The Adventure
-----------------
Four years have past since the Frost Lords last claimed a child from Midwinter. The frost lords are due back in two days, and the parents of the child selected are very unhappy about giving up their son. The town elders, characteristically, maintain that it’s the best for the town. Besides, they say, it's simply how things are done.
Hooks
-----------------
-Ideally, the PCs will be residents of Midwinter. They will be familiar with the reputation of the Frost Lords and the tradition of giving over a child. The thought of rescuing the missing children and defeating the overbearing Frost Lords may be enough to spur the PCs into action.
-If the reputation of the PCs in the town is good, the parents of the townspeople may contact them for assistance in getting their child back.
-If the PCs are still very young, they might be friends with the chosen boy. Alternately, the boy chosen this year may be the sibling or cousin of one of the PCs.
-The town elder's son is much more progressive than his father. He wishes to be out from under the rule of the Frost Lords, and may contact the PCs to try to determine the feasibility of overthrowing them.
NPCs
-----------------
Roan - the town elder. Middle aged commoner, firmly set in his ways.
Trevor - his son. Young and ambitious, eager to be free of the rule of the Frost Lords.
Nevil - the child chosen to be the payment to the Frost Lords.
Mara and Trent - Nevil's parents. They are extremely distraught about having to give up their son.
Snivilus - 5th level frost gnome illusionist. Cruel and vicious, he is willing to take the lives of others to extend his own, but has little real power past that granted by the magic cow statue.
Marga - winter wolf enslaved by Snivilus. Dominated by a magical collar. She is more intelligent than most winter wolves (Int +4), but is less physically powerful, due to her advanced age (-4 to Str, Dex, and Con).
Encounters
-----------------
1. The Twisted Wood - The PCs may encounter any of the following on the journey through the Twisted Wood: black bears, boars, wolves, and wolverines. In addition, the Twisted Wood is extremely disorienting: paths seem to lead back to themselves and trees seem to move from one location to the next. Any survival checks made to avoid becoming lost suffer a -4 penalty while in the Twisted Wood. It takes three hours to reach the Tower of Ice on foot.
2. The Winter Wolf - Marga hunts outside of the tower, chasing down elk to feed both herself and her master. Careful PCs may be able to slip past her if she is actively engaged in hunting game (-2 to her Spot and Scent checks, since she is focused on the scent of elk, not of humanoids).
If PCs are unlucky enough to face her directly, they have a couple of options. She is clever in direct combat, but is not as physically powerful as she used to be.
Additionally, her loyalty to Snivilus is not freely given. Instead, her actions are controlled by means of a large, magical collar (Spot DC 18 to notice). If this collar is destroyed or removed, she will negotiate with the PCs for her life. While she is afraid of Snivilus (due to her long years in captivity) and will not attack him directly, she will stand aside, and may even give them tips about the interior of the tower (treat her initial attitude as unfriendly).
3. The Tower of Ice - Over the years, the tower has become increasingly brittle as the cold air leeches moisture out of the ice. Stairs have begun to crumble and walls have begun to collapse throughout. Instead of bothering to repair his home, Snivilus simply uses illusions to cover up most of the damage. Multiple natural traps are the result, for example - Collapsing ice wall: CR 2; natural; touch trigger (stepping in front of the wall); no reset; Atk +12 melee (2d6, ice bricks); multiple targets (all targets in two adjacent 5 ft squares); Search DC 20; Disable Device DC 20.
Besides the natural traps, Snivilus has placed no security measures in his towers. He is extremely overconfident about the sway he hold over the locals, so he believes that no one will attempt
4. The Frost Lords - At the very top of the tower are Snivilus' personal chambers. He possesses far more bark than bite. He relies on his illusions to intimidate, but possesses little offensive capability, as he relies on Marga to protect him when he leaves his tower. When encountered, he will use his illusion magic to attempt to intimidate the PCs. Failing this, he will use his modified wand of hold person (15 charges remaining, adds cold and frost illusion to effect) to disable any aggressive PCs.
If a PC is "frozen," inside the tower, he must make a Fortitude save (DC 18) or be turned to an icy sculpture by the cow statue. If Snivilus is killed, all creatures held by the tower are instantly returned to their natural state.
Resolution
-----------------
The magical cow statue has one wish left to give. If asked, it can communicate that it has the ability to restore life to all of the children drained by Snivilus.
Review of Ingredients
-----------------
Missing Children - the children taken by the Frost Lords.
Winter Wolves - the winter wolf mounts of the Frost Lords. The only real one is Marga, Snivilus' mount.
13 Vicious Gnomes - 1 real and 12 illusory Frost Lords, not above killing off children for the prize of immortality.
Wish-Granting Cow - a magical item used by Snivilus to build his tower and gain immortality. It also has the ability to undo what it has done.
Crumbling Tower - the tower of ice, grown brittle with age.
Complacency - the willingness of the town elders to sacrifice one of their children for the illusion of security.
Mac "Is This A Dagger I See Before Me?" Beth vs. Carpe "Seize This!" David
Ingredients
-----------------
Missing Children
Winter Wolves
13 Vicious Gnomes
Wish-Granting Cow
Crumbling Tower
Complacency
In the Bleak Midwinter: A Fairy Tale
An adventure for four characters of 1st - 4th level
It always snows in the town of Midwinter. No matter the season, frost decorates the windowpanes of the town's modest homes, and small white flakes fall gently through the air. Most townsfolk are a good lot - content to hunt the elk that inhabit the Frozen Forest to the south and to grow what small amount of crops they can in the cold, hard ground. The town elders settle whatever disputes arise, and the local constable never has much to other than to chase down the odd goat that escapes its pen.
Yes, it always snows in Midwinter, and the Frost Lords like it that way...
Background - What the PCs know
-----------------
200 years ago, Midwinter was a sleepy little farming town that lay in the shadows of the Orcspine Mountains. Then, one day, a warband of goblins swarmed out of the Twisted Woods to the north and began terrorizing the town. The townspeople were terrified – they had never had to defend themselves from anything other than an occasional rabid raccoon, let alone a rampaging band of goblins.
To the town's initial relief, a group of 13 gnomish knights, calling itself the Frost Lords, came to its rescue. They handedly drove off the goblins, and offered to protect the town from further attacks for payment to be agreed upon later. The grateful townspeople readily accepted, and the Frost Lords set about building a large tower of solid ice high upon a hill in the middle of the Twisted Woods.
It wasn't until four years later that the town heard from the Frost Lords again. On the anniversary of the goblins being driven off, the Lords rode into town on the back of the their winter wolf mounts. As a crowd gathered, the Lords finally demanded payment: they needed a child, of no more then twelve years, to act as a servant in their newly completed castle. The townspeople initially balked, but the gnomes reminded them of their debit. After hours of heated debate, the town elders acquiesced, and a child was chosen.
The little girl's mother cried as she was hoisted up onto the back of the great white wolf, but the rest of the town simply looked on. The father put a had out to stop the gnomes from riding off, and the gnomes turned and simply pointed, and the man turned to ice, but the rest of the town simply looked on. They were happy to have repaid their debt and to be in the protection of the Frost Lords, and little else mattered other than getting back to their lives.
When the gnomes reappeared four years later and demanded another child, the town complied with considerably less furor than the last time. As the years passed, the townspeople became used to these visits, just as they became used to the change in climate as their lands turned from temperate, fertile farmland to frozen, snow-covered tundra.
Background - What the PCs don't know
-----------------
The 13 gnomish Frost Lords are really just one frost gnome illusionist named Snivilus. He came to the town of Midwinter because he had heard tales of an ivory statue that granted immense magical power hidden somewhere in the Twisted Woods. He wanted to prevent the locals from observing his activities in the woods, so he created an army of illusory goblins to keep the peasants busy. Once he found his treasure, an intricately carved ivory statue of a cow, he saw an opportunity to exploit the townspeople he had been terrorizing, so he created illusions of 12 gnomish companions. Calling his new group the Frost Lords, he proceeded to drive off the illusory army he created, and earned the favor of the town.
After a brief period of research, Snivilus discovered the statue's power: it would grant him three wishes. He wished first for a tower that would remind him of his arctic homeland. The statue nodded its head and began constructing an elaborate tower of ice and snow. When it finished, Snivilus wished for immortality. The statue granted his wish, but Snivilus' immortality would come at a price: he would need others to grow old for him.
Thus, the Frost Lords rode into town upon their winter wolves and demanded payment from the townspeople. When he arrived back at his tower, the statue froze the little girl, turning her into a statue of ice that began to slowly melt. Four years later, the last of the little girl turned from ice to water, and Snivilus rode back into town, to demand another child.
As the years passed, the climate around the tower began to change to reflect the powerful magic that influenced the region. The air grew colder, the snows lasted longer, and Snivilus occasionally temporarily froze a few troublemakers (a charge from a hold person wand combined with the illusion of cold and frost).
The Adventure
-----------------
Four years have past since the Frost Lords last claimed a child from Midwinter. The frost lords are due back in two days, and the parents of the child selected are very unhappy about giving up their son. The town elders, characteristically, maintain that it’s the best for the town. Besides, they say, it's simply how things are done.
Hooks
-----------------
-Ideally, the PCs will be residents of Midwinter. They will be familiar with the reputation of the Frost Lords and the tradition of giving over a child. The thought of rescuing the missing children and defeating the overbearing Frost Lords may be enough to spur the PCs into action.
-If the reputation of the PCs in the town is good, the parents of the townspeople may contact them for assistance in getting their child back.
-If the PCs are still very young, they might be friends with the chosen boy. Alternately, the boy chosen this year may be the sibling or cousin of one of the PCs.
-The town elder's son is much more progressive than his father. He wishes to be out from under the rule of the Frost Lords, and may contact the PCs to try to determine the feasibility of overthrowing them.
NPCs
-----------------
Roan - the town elder. Middle aged commoner, firmly set in his ways.
Trevor - his son. Young and ambitious, eager to be free of the rule of the Frost Lords.
Nevil - the child chosen to be the payment to the Frost Lords.
Mara and Trent - Nevil's parents. They are extremely distraught about having to give up their son.
Snivilus - 5th level frost gnome illusionist. Cruel and vicious, he is willing to take the lives of others to extend his own, but has little real power past that granted by the magic cow statue.
Marga - winter wolf enslaved by Snivilus. Dominated by a magical collar. She is more intelligent than most winter wolves (Int +4), but is less physically powerful, due to her advanced age (-4 to Str, Dex, and Con).
Encounters
-----------------
1. The Twisted Wood - The PCs may encounter any of the following on the journey through the Twisted Wood: black bears, boars, wolves, and wolverines. In addition, the Twisted Wood is extremely disorienting: paths seem to lead back to themselves and trees seem to move from one location to the next. Any survival checks made to avoid becoming lost suffer a -4 penalty while in the Twisted Wood. It takes three hours to reach the Tower of Ice on foot.
2. The Winter Wolf - Marga hunts outside of the tower, chasing down elk to feed both herself and her master. Careful PCs may be able to slip past her if she is actively engaged in hunting game (-2 to her Spot and Scent checks, since she is focused on the scent of elk, not of humanoids).
If PCs are unlucky enough to face her directly, they have a couple of options. She is clever in direct combat, but is not as physically powerful as she used to be.
Additionally, her loyalty to Snivilus is not freely given. Instead, her actions are controlled by means of a large, magical collar (Spot DC 18 to notice). If this collar is destroyed or removed, she will negotiate with the PCs for her life. While she is afraid of Snivilus (due to her long years in captivity) and will not attack him directly, she will stand aside, and may even give them tips about the interior of the tower (treat her initial attitude as unfriendly).
3. The Tower of Ice - Over the years, the tower has become increasingly brittle as the cold air leeches moisture out of the ice. Stairs have begun to crumble and walls have begun to collapse throughout. Instead of bothering to repair his home, Snivilus simply uses illusions to cover up most of the damage. Multiple natural traps are the result, for example - Collapsing ice wall: CR 2; natural; touch trigger (stepping in front of the wall); no reset; Atk +12 melee (2d6, ice bricks); multiple targets (all targets in two adjacent 5 ft squares); Search DC 20; Disable Device DC 20.
Besides the natural traps, Snivilus has placed no security measures in his towers. He is extremely overconfident about the sway he hold over the locals, so he believes that no one will attempt
4. The Frost Lords - At the very top of the tower are Snivilus' personal chambers. He possesses far more bark than bite. He relies on his illusions to intimidate, but possesses little offensive capability, as he relies on Marga to protect him when he leaves his tower. When encountered, he will use his illusion magic to attempt to intimidate the PCs. Failing this, he will use his modified wand of hold person (15 charges remaining, adds cold and frost illusion to effect) to disable any aggressive PCs.
If a PC is "frozen," inside the tower, he must make a Fortitude save (DC 18) or be turned to an icy sculpture by the cow statue. If Snivilus is killed, all creatures held by the tower are instantly returned to their natural state.
Resolution
-----------------
The magical cow statue has one wish left to give. If asked, it can communicate that it has the ability to restore life to all of the children drained by Snivilus.
Review of Ingredients
-----------------
Missing Children - the children taken by the Frost Lords.
Winter Wolves - the winter wolf mounts of the Frost Lords. The only real one is Marga, Snivilus' mount.
13 Vicious Gnomes - 1 real and 12 illusory Frost Lords, not above killing off children for the prize of immortality.
Wish-Granting Cow - a magical item used by Snivilus to build his tower and gain immortality. It also has the ability to undo what it has done.
Crumbling Tower - the tower of ice, grown brittle with age.
Complacency - the willingness of the town elders to sacrifice one of their children for the illusion of security.
carpedavid
First Post
Eeeek!
I'm going to go curl up in the corner and quietly quiver for a while. That was hard!
I'm going to go curl up in the corner and quietly quiver for a while. That was hard!
