Pledge of Tyranny (updated November 13)
genshou
First Post
Lander and Shirl were one note into their duet when the man attacked. A brief scuffle between the burly attacker and the much smaller defender, a mug fell to the floor... then, the sound of a well-placed blow accompanied the wiry man losing his ability to stand and falling to the floor with a groan. It wasn’t the first time Shirl had seen things get a little rough in a tavern she was performing at... but this time was different. There was a dangerous gleam in the attacker’s eyes. And he obviously outmatched the smaller man physically. She stopped her singing at the same moment Lander did the same–also the same moment she noticed the blonde-haired young man from outside being pulled into the room by one of the serving girls. He looked ready for combat, and she agreed with his reaction. Raising her right arm in an arcane gesture accompanied by Draconic spoken in a lyrical accent, she gazed at the burly man as her innate energies combined with her spoken word to produce a faint light in front of her hand. Her left hand quickly darted into the leather pouch on her waist to draw out a pinch of wool, and she tossed it into the air as her spell was nearly complete. The energies coursing through her reached out for the wool, burning it and completing the matrix of energy that she had prepared. And then, that energy unleashed itself upon the unsuspecting target. He paused in his actions, confused by the cloud her spell had placed on his mind. That will stall him for a moment, she thought, but we’ll need to restrain them both before things can erupt any further in here. Little did she know how much of an “eruption” was about to occur...
Evendur stepped forward as the spell was unleashed, his staff at the ready. “Break it up, you two!” If either of them tried anything, he’d clobber them good!
The wiry man lifted his head from the ground and wiped a trickle of blood from his chin. “Fool...” he muttered in response to his burly adversary’s actions. Then he held up a circular wooden disc with a clenched black fist painted on it. Green rays shot out from the fist. As he began to mutter obscure words, Evendur recognized the obvious holy symbol and spellcasting action, and attempted to whack the man with the butt end of his staff. As the man moved to avoid the attack, he succeeded in maintaining his concentration on the spell*, and the attack missed by less than an inch. As the wiry man’s spell energies formed in his twisting hands, it was apparent this was not as inert of a spell as the one Shirl had cast but a moment before.
A flash of light accompanied the end of the spell, and the tavern patrons were surprised to see a black-furred wolf appear next to the wiry man. It opened its eyes, and a red glow appeared within them. The wiry man uttered a command to the foul creature in a tongue not known to most mortals, and it turned to Evendur, growling fiercely. Its bite matched its bark, but Evendur managed to step back just in time, and the fiendish wolf’s snapping jaws caught nothing but his tunic.
Lander recognized the holy symbol immediately. It wasn’t one that was encountered very frequently. The symbol was that of the dead god Bane, which meant the man was a cleric of Bane’s son, Iyachtu Xvim. He could tell by the scope of the spell the cleric had used that the man was not an initiate of the order, though unarmed and unarmored as he was, he would be an easier victory for the defenders. Seeing this as a good opportunity to test Shirl’s skills, he chose to aid them by singing a simple battle lyric to bolster their courage and determination.
Shirl’s spell lost its effect at the same moment she was ready to make another move. Seeing that the situation had shifted to lethal combat, she felt the need to aid the staff-wielding warrior. She pulled her whip dagger from its sheath on her belt and lashed out at the fiendish animal, praying that her attack would be more successful than the last time she was in a dangerous situation. And her whip struck true, sticking into the back of the vile wolf. She pulled the slack in the whip and the bladed end freed itself with a disgusting snap, and a spray of blood issued forth from the deep wound. The wolf’s actions seemed to diminish somewhat as a result, but it continued fighting ferociously.
Just as the unholy priest made preparations for his next spell, Evendur shifted his hands on the quarterstaff and swung the right end at the wolf in front of him. He could hear its ribs crunch under the impact, and it fell to the floor, unconscious. He followed through with a jab at the priest, but the man dodged the attack easily, moving back a few feet in the process, and began his spell. His hands remained motionless, but his mouth uttered the words of a spell Shirl and Lander were able to identify as it was cast. The spell was, appropriately, known as darkness, and–true to its name–all around the combatants became black...
*Because this game uses vitality/wounds in place of normal hit points, the best way to maintain balance with reference to concentrating on spells is to require a Concentration check whether the damage dealt was to wound points or vitality points. The amount of effort required to turn a potentially lethal blow into a near miss makes concentrating on spell energies just as difficult as actually being struck would (that’s the idea, at least).
Evendur stepped forward as the spell was unleashed, his staff at the ready. “Break it up, you two!” If either of them tried anything, he’d clobber them good!
The wiry man lifted his head from the ground and wiped a trickle of blood from his chin. “Fool...” he muttered in response to his burly adversary’s actions. Then he held up a circular wooden disc with a clenched black fist painted on it. Green rays shot out from the fist. As he began to mutter obscure words, Evendur recognized the obvious holy symbol and spellcasting action, and attempted to whack the man with the butt end of his staff. As the man moved to avoid the attack, he succeeded in maintaining his concentration on the spell*, and the attack missed by less than an inch. As the wiry man’s spell energies formed in his twisting hands, it was apparent this was not as inert of a spell as the one Shirl had cast but a moment before.
A flash of light accompanied the end of the spell, and the tavern patrons were surprised to see a black-furred wolf appear next to the wiry man. It opened its eyes, and a red glow appeared within them. The wiry man uttered a command to the foul creature in a tongue not known to most mortals, and it turned to Evendur, growling fiercely. Its bite matched its bark, but Evendur managed to step back just in time, and the fiendish wolf’s snapping jaws caught nothing but his tunic.
Lander recognized the holy symbol immediately. It wasn’t one that was encountered very frequently. The symbol was that of the dead god Bane, which meant the man was a cleric of Bane’s son, Iyachtu Xvim. He could tell by the scope of the spell the cleric had used that the man was not an initiate of the order, though unarmed and unarmored as he was, he would be an easier victory for the defenders. Seeing this as a good opportunity to test Shirl’s skills, he chose to aid them by singing a simple battle lyric to bolster their courage and determination.
Shirl’s spell lost its effect at the same moment she was ready to make another move. Seeing that the situation had shifted to lethal combat, she felt the need to aid the staff-wielding warrior. She pulled her whip dagger from its sheath on her belt and lashed out at the fiendish animal, praying that her attack would be more successful than the last time she was in a dangerous situation. And her whip struck true, sticking into the back of the vile wolf. She pulled the slack in the whip and the bladed end freed itself with a disgusting snap, and a spray of blood issued forth from the deep wound. The wolf’s actions seemed to diminish somewhat as a result, but it continued fighting ferociously.
Just as the unholy priest made preparations for his next spell, Evendur shifted his hands on the quarterstaff and swung the right end at the wolf in front of him. He could hear its ribs crunch under the impact, and it fell to the floor, unconscious. He followed through with a jab at the priest, but the man dodged the attack easily, moving back a few feet in the process, and began his spell. His hands remained motionless, but his mouth uttered the words of a spell Shirl and Lander were able to identify as it was cast. The spell was, appropriately, known as darkness, and–true to its name–all around the combatants became black...
*Because this game uses vitality/wounds in place of normal hit points, the best way to maintain balance with reference to concentrating on spells is to require a Concentration check whether the damage dealt was to wound points or vitality points. The amount of effort required to turn a potentially lethal blow into a near miss makes concentrating on spell energies just as difficult as actually being struck would (that’s the idea, at least).
Lela
First Post
Hmmmmm, you're first attempt at writing up combat. Much better than other attempts I've seen, first or otherwise. Don't let the slow response rate slow you down my friend. You've got potential that shouldn't be wasted. Especially with your ability to write up the actual character conversations.
Lela
First Post
genshou said:
Well, you can. Technically, no one's stopping you. But I don't recomend it. Holes tend to be rather dirty (in the literal sense) and hard on the party anyway (that's how I always kill mine). Besides I'd miss you (not in the creepy, weird sense). *Winks*
Anyway, I'm here to talk if need too.
genshou
First Post
Sorry for the delay, loyal readers (all one of you... 
heh, I know there are at least two, and probably a lot more actually). The gaming has gone fairly slow over the past few weeks while the player and I discussed the wonderful Elements of Magic available from our very own RangerWickett via E.N. Publishing. Since both my player and myself are rather tired of the 3E magic system, but I'm not particularly interested in the UA alternative (for various reasons), this book came as a refreshing thing. But enough advertising for Ryan's book.
Obviously, implementing a complete and total magic system overhaul mid-campaign is rather time-consuming–even more so in a Forgotten Realms game–and while building the foundation work, I didn't find time to update the SH. Now that most of my work is done, I'm ready to start writing the next update. I'll have it written up–and hopefully posted–by late tonight.
heh, I know there are at least two, and probably a lot more actually). The gaming has gone fairly slow over the past few weeks while the player and I discussed the wonderful Elements of Magic available from our very own RangerWickett via E.N. Publishing. Since both my player and myself are rather tired of the 3E magic system, but I'm not particularly interested in the UA alternative (for various reasons), this book came as a refreshing thing. But enough advertising for Ryan's book.Obviously, implementing a complete and total magic system overhaul mid-campaign is rather time-consuming–even more so in a Forgotten Realms game–and while building the foundation work, I didn't find time to update the SH. Now that most of my work is done, I'm ready to start writing the next update. I'll have it written up–and hopefully posted–by late tonight.
genshou
First Post
You may notice a big change in the way I describe spell effects from now on. This is due to the change in magic system. I probably won’t go back to edit that first spell Shirl cast, but I’ll modify other descriptions from the campaign itself where necessary, changing minor details for story purposes. Do not be alarmed, however. The world is not going to end. Or at least not as a result of the change in style.
* * *
The globe, larger in size than Shirl had anticipated, enveloped the entire group in its effect. At least that means it won’t last very long, she thought with a dour expression. The tavern patrons were just as confused as the fighters themselves as the sounds of combat continued to ring out. Shirl’s whip struck true against the one whom she was fairly certain was the Banite cleric... Meanwhile, the burly man and the Banite both muttered words in the tongue of magic as Evendur focused his attention on the sound of spellcasting and attempted to strike the two men with his staff. The scene could only be described as one of utter chaos. A blast of magical energy flew out of the burly man’s fingers, narrowly missing Evendur. He felt a deathly chill as it passed and struck the Banite. Realizing he was in between the two, he stepped a few feet back, only to find himself bumping against a table. He tipped backward slightly, but managed to retain his balance remarkably well. His staff struck out in the darkness, but it found empty air or tables more often than his foes as the three stepped back and forth in the darkness.
Just as suddenly as it had appeared, the darkness was gone, revealing the two who started the combat once again on the floor grappling. They were struggling to hold onto their own holy/unholy symbols while causing their opponent to lose his. The burly man was revealed to be a priest of Tempus, god of war. Lander held a small globe aloft, his globe of dispelling. “Finally this thing came in handy,” he said with a wry grin. As soon as the two clerics were revealed, Evendur spun his staff above his head and brought the tip down across the shoulder of the cleric of Tempus. A satisfying crunch accompanied the blow, and the man ceased to effectively struggle, though he was not unconscious nor incapable of moving enough to avoid a coup de grace. He grunted in pain at the broken shoulder, collapsing on top of the Banite. This gave Evendur the opportunity to bludgeon the Banite in a less vulnerable area, knocking him unconscious but avoiding any serious injury. Lander glanced over Shirl briefly to make certain she was alright, then returned his globe of dispelling to one of his many belt pouches. Shirl coiled her whip dagger and placed it in its special sheath, then approached Evendur. “That was some fancy fighting. Are you all right?”
Evendur, for his part, was more or less uninjured, though the fight had taken a lot out of him. “Aside from a bruise on my leg, caused by that stupid chair, I’m unharmed. I’m surprised they focused all their spells on each other the whole time. One of those dark energy blasts and I’d have been in trouble.” He set his staff down on a nearby table. “Thanks for the help. My name’s Evendur.” His right hand reached out in greeting, and she offered her own for a shake, but was surprised when he brought her hand up to his lips and brushed them lightly against her glove. The unexpected act made her cheeks turn pink. After he released his hold on her hand, she brought it close to her collar and unconsciously rubbed the backside with the fingers on her other hand. “Well... I didn’t expect you to be so... polite.”
Evendur chuckled. “Ah, yes. I apologize for my earlier comment. You spoke to me before I ate breakfast–not the best time to see my true self. And I know I don’t look the part of a noble or anything, but appearances can be so deceiving. My present state is merely a temporal circumstance brought on me by a recent woe.”
So well-spoken, thought Lander. What is he, a bard in disguise? Or just a silver-tongued thief? He certainly has the oratory talent to be a skilled diplomat. “It sounds like you have an interesting tale. As a talespinner, I’m sure you’ll understand why I’m intrigued.”
Evendur shrugged. “It’s a story for another time. If you two wouldn’t mind dealing with the authorities when they arrive... I should very much like to get all this hay off of myself. Then I’d also like to hear about what brings such accomplished performers as yourselves to our humble inn.” There was more to it than that. Ever since his hand had touched Shirl’s, his amulet had been vibrating faintly against his thigh. “Would you two mind waiting for me in the common room and sharing brunch with me?” Lander and Shirl nodded, and Evendur declined his head respectfully in return. “Very well then. I shall see you in a few minutes, Talespinner, Milady.” He turned to find Mishli returning from the rooms upstairs.
“You’re in luck, Evendur, I found you some hot water this time.” Her eyes sparkled mischievously. “Hopefully that’ll keep you from freezing to death, like last time.”
Evendur simply chuckled and gave her a playful nudge on the shoulder as he walked past. “Silly girl...” he muttered humorously.
* * *
The globe, larger in size than Shirl had anticipated, enveloped the entire group in its effect. At least that means it won’t last very long, she thought with a dour expression. The tavern patrons were just as confused as the fighters themselves as the sounds of combat continued to ring out. Shirl’s whip struck true against the one whom she was fairly certain was the Banite cleric... Meanwhile, the burly man and the Banite both muttered words in the tongue of magic as Evendur focused his attention on the sound of spellcasting and attempted to strike the two men with his staff. The scene could only be described as one of utter chaos. A blast of magical energy flew out of the burly man’s fingers, narrowly missing Evendur. He felt a deathly chill as it passed and struck the Banite. Realizing he was in between the two, he stepped a few feet back, only to find himself bumping against a table. He tipped backward slightly, but managed to retain his balance remarkably well. His staff struck out in the darkness, but it found empty air or tables more often than his foes as the three stepped back and forth in the darkness.
Just as suddenly as it had appeared, the darkness was gone, revealing the two who started the combat once again on the floor grappling. They were struggling to hold onto their own holy/unholy symbols while causing their opponent to lose his. The burly man was revealed to be a priest of Tempus, god of war. Lander held a small globe aloft, his globe of dispelling. “Finally this thing came in handy,” he said with a wry grin. As soon as the two clerics were revealed, Evendur spun his staff above his head and brought the tip down across the shoulder of the cleric of Tempus. A satisfying crunch accompanied the blow, and the man ceased to effectively struggle, though he was not unconscious nor incapable of moving enough to avoid a coup de grace. He grunted in pain at the broken shoulder, collapsing on top of the Banite. This gave Evendur the opportunity to bludgeon the Banite in a less vulnerable area, knocking him unconscious but avoiding any serious injury. Lander glanced over Shirl briefly to make certain she was alright, then returned his globe of dispelling to one of his many belt pouches. Shirl coiled her whip dagger and placed it in its special sheath, then approached Evendur. “That was some fancy fighting. Are you all right?”
Evendur, for his part, was more or less uninjured, though the fight had taken a lot out of him. “Aside from a bruise on my leg, caused by that stupid chair, I’m unharmed. I’m surprised they focused all their spells on each other the whole time. One of those dark energy blasts and I’d have been in trouble.” He set his staff down on a nearby table. “Thanks for the help. My name’s Evendur.” His right hand reached out in greeting, and she offered her own for a shake, but was surprised when he brought her hand up to his lips and brushed them lightly against her glove. The unexpected act made her cheeks turn pink. After he released his hold on her hand, she brought it close to her collar and unconsciously rubbed the backside with the fingers on her other hand. “Well... I didn’t expect you to be so... polite.”
Evendur chuckled. “Ah, yes. I apologize for my earlier comment. You spoke to me before I ate breakfast–not the best time to see my true self. And I know I don’t look the part of a noble or anything, but appearances can be so deceiving. My present state is merely a temporal circumstance brought on me by a recent woe.”
So well-spoken, thought Lander. What is he, a bard in disguise? Or just a silver-tongued thief? He certainly has the oratory talent to be a skilled diplomat. “It sounds like you have an interesting tale. As a talespinner, I’m sure you’ll understand why I’m intrigued.”
Evendur shrugged. “It’s a story for another time. If you two wouldn’t mind dealing with the authorities when they arrive... I should very much like to get all this hay off of myself. Then I’d also like to hear about what brings such accomplished performers as yourselves to our humble inn.” There was more to it than that. Ever since his hand had touched Shirl’s, his amulet had been vibrating faintly against his thigh. “Would you two mind waiting for me in the common room and sharing brunch with me?” Lander and Shirl nodded, and Evendur declined his head respectfully in return. “Very well then. I shall see you in a few minutes, Talespinner, Milady.” He turned to find Mishli returning from the rooms upstairs.
“You’re in luck, Evendur, I found you some hot water this time.” Her eyes sparkled mischievously. “Hopefully that’ll keep you from freezing to death, like last time.”
Evendur simply chuckled and gave her a playful nudge on the shoulder as he walked past. “Silly girl...” he muttered humorously.
