Winter IrondDM (Winner)!
Wicht
Hero
The Plight of Yddipess
In which the PCs must battle a Llama to save a town from interdimensional pirates.
NOTE: The adventure is written for characters of approximately 10th level. It also has a bit of a greek flavor but should be easily alterable to fit into most campaign worlds. Ferfinigu is a completely ficticious deity and can be replaced with just about any male deity with a penchant for llama’s.
Background: Ferfinigu is a minor god of wind, rain and mountaintops and is given to the opinion that the best work he ever did was the creation of the Llama way back in the beginning. He says so often and loudly and as a result has come to be considered as something of a bore by his peers who have taken avoiding him. This has caused him, as is often the case, to seek solace in the company of mortals. One such recent quest for companionship resulted in the birth of a son, whom he named Fretch and of whom Ferfinigu was mighty proud. He even gifted Fretch with a powerful shield and a mighty sword, both highly enchanted.
Unfortunately, Fretch, being a warrior type, became involved in a battle between the cities of Yddipess and Antiguos and, despite his magical gear, he was badly injured. Though Fretch could have eventually and easily overcame his injuries due to his semi-divine nature, he never had a chance. A passing Yddipian soldier, thinking the young man’s injuries were fatal performed what he considered a mercy killing, cutting off the man’s head before looting his body (Fretch had been fighting for Antiguos).
The death of his son made Ferfinigu mighty angry and he cursed the city. He let it be known in certain unsavory corners of the multi-verse that there were great riches, easily plundered in Yddipess and then after a band of Xill pirates invaded the city, he set a powerful guardian before the gates of the city to prevent any ‘heroes’ from rescuing the unfortunate and once mighty city.
Hooks: PCs can be drawn into this adventure in at least three ways. They can have important business in Yddipess and on their way there discover the city needs rescuing before their business can be finished. Alternatively, someone else with business in Yddipess might hire the PCs to gain entrance for them into the city.
Or they could have heard about the great guardian forbidding people entrance into the city and killing those who incorrectly answer a riddle. Curiousity alone might compel them to investigate.
Thirdly, someone from Yddipess might have gotten out a plea concerning the Xill plight and begged for rescue, promising great rewards. The PCs hearing the plea and lured either by pity or greed can undertake to free the city
Regardless of the hook, PCs should be assumed to have gained entrance to Yddipess eighty-eight days after the Xill first invade.
The guardian: Ferfinigu’s powerful guardian is an extraordinary creature. It has the form of a Huge Dire Llama but is gifted with other powers (including DR 20/+2, SR 25, Fast healing 5 and the Clerical abilities of a 10th level cleric). This particular Llama also shines like the sun resulting in the ability to use the flare spell or the daze spell as a free action. The very bright llama will attack anyone who tries to enter the city without first answering what it considers to be a very challenging riddle.
Those who do not immediatelly try and get by will find the llama to be a good conversationalist (permanant tongue ability). It considers itself to be the most beautiful creature in the world and will even jokingly refer to a riddle it had considered using but thought too obvious (The most noble of creatures, born to run, a coat of pure silk which shines like the sun.) However, if PCs engage it in battle (or greatly insult it) it will fight until either they are dead or they run away. PCs that ask for its riddle are given the following riddle, “Not fit to breathe, Not fit to drink, If you tried to walk on me, you would surely sink. A fountain of life, An unending flow, From me comes all rain and to me all rain goes.” NOTE: DMs should feel free to throw in any riddle they think is harder. Any PC giving an incorrect answer is immediately attacked by the Llama. The answer to the riddle is of course the ocean.
Inside Yddipess: If the PCs can sneak around, fight past or answer the Llama’s riddle, they can gain entrance to Yddipess. They will find the city is in the midst of a depression and a panic. People huddle inside their houses while Xill bandits roam their streets. The wealth of Yddipess was built on grain (which grows around the city) and gems, which are mined out of the hills right behind the city. The Xill are searching each house for gems, killing any that resist. They are also kidnapping those that appear to be exceptionally healthy and strong. The Xill have been at this for eighty-eight days and are almost ready to leave. They are waiting for their eggs to hatch.
If the PCs question the people about their security, i.e. guards or the like. They will be told that one of the first things the Xill captain did (Xill Ftr5) was capture the town’s chief warrior, Captain Grintho using some strange magical device (Iron Bands of Billaro) The Xill are keeping the captain alive as a sign of their power atop a tower which once housed guardsmen. Captain Grintho is a Ftr7 and will aid the PCs if they rescue him. He is currently bound with the Iron Bands and barely alive. He is also, unknownst to him, host to Xill Eggs which are due to hatch in about two days. Another person of interest to the PCs is the queen. She has disguised herself as one of the common folks and is hiding out from the Xill in one of the houses, guarded by her remaining bodyguards. Many in the city know this but they would sooner die then reveal it to the Xill.
Though Grintho is being held atop a tower, the rest of the townsfolks being kidnapped have been taken to the keep in the middle of town. The Xill captain and the Xill spiritual leader (Cle4) have made this their headquarters and the keep is populated not only with Xill, but with several Ethereal Marauders the Xill have trained for war and with giant beetles the Xill have been raising in the basement for food. The townsfolks are kept barely alive and are each host to Xill eggs. The eggs were implanted one day after the eggs in Grintho and are due to hatch in three days.
DMs should note that the Xill captain is currently in possession of Fretch's enchanted shield and sword.
The Xill cleric has also been experimenting with the summoning of fire elementals. One smoke filled room (stone walls and floors) of the keep is currently housing several minor varieties of fire elementals and the Xills have been feeding them logs and straw on a regular basis. They plan on unleashing the elementals into the town after their eggs hatch and then escaping with their loot and their young back to their home on the ethereal plane as the city burns.
Conclusion: PCs who rescue the city completely are given a hefty reward and much glory and honor. There may even be talk of building them a palace and giving one of them (a male) rule of the city (if one of them marries the current queen that is). PCs who got rid of the Xills and bypassed the Llama will find the Llama does not move and will be quite upset if he finds out someone sneaked into the city around him. PCs who conquer the Xill speedily and free the people within the span of two days will find their celebration cut short by the grisly hatching of the Xill eggs (provided of course the PCs did not heal the hundred or so people so afflicted. PCs who save the people but only after the city burns down, will be thanked but grudgingly so and there certainly will not be any talk of the queen marrying any of the heroes.
In which the PCs must battle a Llama to save a town from interdimensional pirates.
NOTE: The adventure is written for characters of approximately 10th level. It also has a bit of a greek flavor but should be easily alterable to fit into most campaign worlds. Ferfinigu is a completely ficticious deity and can be replaced with just about any male deity with a penchant for llama’s.
Background: Ferfinigu is a minor god of wind, rain and mountaintops and is given to the opinion that the best work he ever did was the creation of the Llama way back in the beginning. He says so often and loudly and as a result has come to be considered as something of a bore by his peers who have taken avoiding him. This has caused him, as is often the case, to seek solace in the company of mortals. One such recent quest for companionship resulted in the birth of a son, whom he named Fretch and of whom Ferfinigu was mighty proud. He even gifted Fretch with a powerful shield and a mighty sword, both highly enchanted.
Unfortunately, Fretch, being a warrior type, became involved in a battle between the cities of Yddipess and Antiguos and, despite his magical gear, he was badly injured. Though Fretch could have eventually and easily overcame his injuries due to his semi-divine nature, he never had a chance. A passing Yddipian soldier, thinking the young man’s injuries were fatal performed what he considered a mercy killing, cutting off the man’s head before looting his body (Fretch had been fighting for Antiguos).
The death of his son made Ferfinigu mighty angry and he cursed the city. He let it be known in certain unsavory corners of the multi-verse that there were great riches, easily plundered in Yddipess and then after a band of Xill pirates invaded the city, he set a powerful guardian before the gates of the city to prevent any ‘heroes’ from rescuing the unfortunate and once mighty city.
Hooks: PCs can be drawn into this adventure in at least three ways. They can have important business in Yddipess and on their way there discover the city needs rescuing before their business can be finished. Alternatively, someone else with business in Yddipess might hire the PCs to gain entrance for them into the city.
Or they could have heard about the great guardian forbidding people entrance into the city and killing those who incorrectly answer a riddle. Curiousity alone might compel them to investigate.
Thirdly, someone from Yddipess might have gotten out a plea concerning the Xill plight and begged for rescue, promising great rewards. The PCs hearing the plea and lured either by pity or greed can undertake to free the city
Regardless of the hook, PCs should be assumed to have gained entrance to Yddipess eighty-eight days after the Xill first invade.
The guardian: Ferfinigu’s powerful guardian is an extraordinary creature. It has the form of a Huge Dire Llama but is gifted with other powers (including DR 20/+2, SR 25, Fast healing 5 and the Clerical abilities of a 10th level cleric). This particular Llama also shines like the sun resulting in the ability to use the flare spell or the daze spell as a free action. The very bright llama will attack anyone who tries to enter the city without first answering what it considers to be a very challenging riddle.
Those who do not immediatelly try and get by will find the llama to be a good conversationalist (permanant tongue ability). It considers itself to be the most beautiful creature in the world and will even jokingly refer to a riddle it had considered using but thought too obvious (The most noble of creatures, born to run, a coat of pure silk which shines like the sun.) However, if PCs engage it in battle (or greatly insult it) it will fight until either they are dead or they run away. PCs that ask for its riddle are given the following riddle, “Not fit to breathe, Not fit to drink, If you tried to walk on me, you would surely sink. A fountain of life, An unending flow, From me comes all rain and to me all rain goes.” NOTE: DMs should feel free to throw in any riddle they think is harder. Any PC giving an incorrect answer is immediately attacked by the Llama. The answer to the riddle is of course the ocean.
Inside Yddipess: If the PCs can sneak around, fight past or answer the Llama’s riddle, they can gain entrance to Yddipess. They will find the city is in the midst of a depression and a panic. People huddle inside their houses while Xill bandits roam their streets. The wealth of Yddipess was built on grain (which grows around the city) and gems, which are mined out of the hills right behind the city. The Xill are searching each house for gems, killing any that resist. They are also kidnapping those that appear to be exceptionally healthy and strong. The Xill have been at this for eighty-eight days and are almost ready to leave. They are waiting for their eggs to hatch.
If the PCs question the people about their security, i.e. guards or the like. They will be told that one of the first things the Xill captain did (Xill Ftr5) was capture the town’s chief warrior, Captain Grintho using some strange magical device (Iron Bands of Billaro) The Xill are keeping the captain alive as a sign of their power atop a tower which once housed guardsmen. Captain Grintho is a Ftr7 and will aid the PCs if they rescue him. He is currently bound with the Iron Bands and barely alive. He is also, unknownst to him, host to Xill Eggs which are due to hatch in about two days. Another person of interest to the PCs is the queen. She has disguised herself as one of the common folks and is hiding out from the Xill in one of the houses, guarded by her remaining bodyguards. Many in the city know this but they would sooner die then reveal it to the Xill.
Though Grintho is being held atop a tower, the rest of the townsfolks being kidnapped have been taken to the keep in the middle of town. The Xill captain and the Xill spiritual leader (Cle4) have made this their headquarters and the keep is populated not only with Xill, but with several Ethereal Marauders the Xill have trained for war and with giant beetles the Xill have been raising in the basement for food. The townsfolks are kept barely alive and are each host to Xill eggs. The eggs were implanted one day after the eggs in Grintho and are due to hatch in three days.
DMs should note that the Xill captain is currently in possession of Fretch's enchanted shield and sword.
The Xill cleric has also been experimenting with the summoning of fire elementals. One smoke filled room (stone walls and floors) of the keep is currently housing several minor varieties of fire elementals and the Xills have been feeding them logs and straw on a regular basis. They plan on unleashing the elementals into the town after their eggs hatch and then escaping with their loot and their young back to their home on the ethereal plane as the city burns.
Conclusion: PCs who rescue the city completely are given a hefty reward and much glory and honor. There may even be talk of building them a palace and giving one of them (a male) rule of the city (if one of them marries the current queen that is). PCs who got rid of the Xills and bypassed the Llama will find the Llama does not move and will be quite upset if he finds out someone sneaked into the city around him. PCs who conquer the Xill speedily and free the people within the span of two days will find their celebration cut short by the grisly hatching of the Xill eggs (provided of course the PCs did not heal the hundred or so people so afflicted. PCs who save the people but only after the city burns down, will be thanked but grudgingly so and there certainly will not be any talk of the queen marrying any of the heroes.
Nifft
Penguin Herder
Nifft vs. Wicht
Ingredients:
Smoke Filled room
Mercy Killing
Iron Bands of Billaro
Xill
Challenging riddle
Bright Llama
A Slaver's Red-Hot Blues
An adventure for 10th level characters.
Backstory: On a large outcrop of rock in the center of the Burning Valley, which lies in the hottest part of the desert, sits an iron tower. The base of this tower is ringed with flame, and a cloud of greasy black smoke fills the bottom of the valley. The tower is the home of Nikret al-Hazmat, a very angry and frustrated Efreeti Prince.
Four months ago, Nikret met with an unsual Xill, with whom he felt an unusual emotion -- not kinship, but perhaps empathy. This Xill was the infamous Tchakrix (CHAK-riks, a Xill with the Half Elemental (Fire) template). Nikret and Tchakrix emerged from the (literal and proverbial) smoke-filled room and informed their respective troops that they'd penned an agreement to work together for a period of one year gathering slaves.
Two months ago the first slave raids took place. The combined might of the Xill fighters and the Efreet spellcasters was more than any caravan could withstand, and soon each side boasted ten new high-quality slaves.
One month ago, emboldened by the apparent power of their pact and tactics, a joint strike team composed of 8 Xill and 3 Efreet made a raid on the large town, Slivant, which guards the mountain pass leading into the burning desert. In this team were both Tchakrix and Nikret's eldest son, Archi al-Hazmat. The raid was for the most part a success. Silvant was better defended than expected, though, for they had an unexpected ally: an awakened (and very bright) llama Paladin 5 / Lantern Disciple 5 (see below*), named (for some odd reason) Perlfive. The raiders did get away with 10 new slaves, but in the confusion no-one noticed Archi getting captured. The loss of his eldest son has infuriated Nikret. Tchakrix publically executed the three Xill who were assigned to Archi, in the hopes of gaining a measure of Nikret's trust back. He suggests that the combined forces now raid the settlements on the other side of the desert, as the ones on this side are clearly too well defended.
In truth, Tchakrix had ordered his troops to capture one of the Efreeti during the raid, and provided one of them with a set of Iron Bands of Billaro for that purpose. Unfortunately for his troops, the only Efreeti who separated himself from the view of the others was Archi. Tchakrix has implanted Archi with a Xill egg, in the hopes of creating another Half-Elemental (Fire) Xill like himself. Tchakrix killed the three Xill assigned to Archi because he knew that if he did not, he would have to hand them over to Nikret who might torture the truth out of them. Tchakrix would like to concentrate on the other side of the desert for the next two months, while his Xill larva matures within Archi, who is sequestered on the Ethereal plane in the mountains near Silvant.
Nikret knows none of this. He has paid handsomly to Commune with a power from the Plane of Elemental Fire, but all he got was this challenging riddle:
In taking, taken;
In making, unmade;
In granting, a wager;
In wisdom, repaid.
Nikret does not know what to make of this riddle, but his interpretation will aid the PCs.
Hooks:
1) The party hears of raids in the desert culminating with a raid on the settlement Silvant. They journey there, meet with Perlfive, and are implored to get to the bottom of the raids before the raiders return.
2) The party hears of a mysterious sponsor who is offering great power and wealth for a quest of the utmost discretion. (Nikret hires them directly to covertly investigate his son's disappearance.) Nikret offers them a Wish if they uncover the truth, two if they bring his son back alive.
3) The party is captured while traveling by a party of 10 Xill and 3 Efreet, who materialize around them (from the Ethereal plane). They are all given as gifts to Nikret, who decides to employ them to covertly investigate his son's disappearance, interpreting line 3 of the riddle as that he should risk granting someone their freedom. He offers the party a hefty reward (including their freedom).
Present Situation:
Tchakrix is now living on the Ethereal plane near Nikret's iron tower. He watches Nikret as closely as he can, visiting physically as often as is politically possible. Nikret does suspect foul play on Tchakrix's part, but without some sort of proof, he feels he cannot act against the Xill due to their contract. Of course, he also fears that the town of Silvant is to blame for his son's capture, and will exact a bloody retribution from them should he become convinced of the Xill's innocence.
Archi has two months left to live. He is guarded by six Xill who ensure that he is unable to escape the Iron Bands -- for without an active guard to discourage him, it's likely that he'd eventually be able to wriggle free. On the topic of wriggling, Archi is constantly nauseated as he feels the larval Xill slowly devouring his essence.
Perlfive has been tending to the wounded of Silvant. He will not leave the city while he thinks it may be in danger, and therefore asks for help from adventurers to ferret out the truth of the forces behind the recent attack. Perlfive has a celestial companion, a Lantern Archon named Yarephim, whom he will allow to accompany the party, to guard against the threat of ethereal attackers.
Clues:
Town Rumors (by Gather Info DC):
- DC 10: "A month ago we were attacked by Xill and Efreet!"
- DC 15: The raiders were here to capture slaves.
- DC 20: There's a nearby mountain where bandits once lived.
- DC 25: An evil aura is coming from somewhere near town.
- DC 30: Some of the Xill didn't seem to like the Efreet.
- DC 35: Goats seem to avoid a particular path they used to like.
The party, or the party with Yarephim, could Detect the Evil of the six Xill and one Efreeti on the Ethereal plane, if they pass near enough to their hiding place. (The hiding place is where the goats avoid -- the old cave is a red herring, but might hold some nasties unrelated to this plot.)
Perlfive is very bright, and will provide a very helpful interpretation of the riddle, if it is brought to his attention.
In taking, taken; -- How Archi was captured
In making, unmade; -- Archi's death will create another being
In granting, a wager; -- Nikret must risk trusting someone else
In wisdom, repaid. -- ... this is a mystery (for now).
Some townspeople saw what passed between the Xill and Archi, but were killed by the Xill. The party might be able to contact them.
Resolving the Adventure:
Should the party manage to rescue Archi before he dies, he will speak to his father regarding the Xill's treachery, then beg to be killed -- he is too far gone for a simple Remove Disease to cure him of the Xill larva, or his Outsider nature made the Xill larva stronger sooner, or some other handwaving reason.
His father won't have the stomach for the mercy killing, and will ask the party to assist him in this distasteful matter.
Should they ask Perlfive, he will tell them that he now sees the true meaning of the last line of the riddle -- both that the party can use one of Nikret's granted Wishes to Wish for Archi to be cured, and that Nikret risks much by granting a Wish, for the party could wish that he leave all that he took from the Material Plane forever, and he would be effectively banished from his current fortress, forever. In fact, Perlfive asks that the party use their granted wish exactly thus.
Should the party find a way to cure Archi (which requires a Wish or Miracle), Nikret is grateful and will grant them the full three Wishes he is capable of granting.
Should the party find evidence against Tchakrix but not find Archi, Nikret will grant them one wish, and will not interpret it as liberally as possible.
Should the party find Archi and slay him (as he will keep requesting that they should), Nikret will grant them two Wishes, and will interpret them more liberally if he feels that his son died with honor.
If the party convinces Nikret to leave the Material Plane forever, Perlfive will reward them as best he can -- most likely with the promise of a celestial boon in the future, should the party find itself in great need -- basically, a Miracle postponed.
-- Nifft
* Lantern Disciple: See my page of custom templates at
http://klimt.cns.nyu.edu/~fishman/DnD/templates.html
For a double entendre bonus, Perlfive's granted powers include the ability to shine like a lantern.
Ingredients:
Smoke Filled room
Mercy Killing
Iron Bands of Billaro
Xill
Challenging riddle
Bright Llama
A Slaver's Red-Hot Blues
An adventure for 10th level characters.
Backstory: On a large outcrop of rock in the center of the Burning Valley, which lies in the hottest part of the desert, sits an iron tower. The base of this tower is ringed with flame, and a cloud of greasy black smoke fills the bottom of the valley. The tower is the home of Nikret al-Hazmat, a very angry and frustrated Efreeti Prince.
Four months ago, Nikret met with an unsual Xill, with whom he felt an unusual emotion -- not kinship, but perhaps empathy. This Xill was the infamous Tchakrix (CHAK-riks, a Xill with the Half Elemental (Fire) template). Nikret and Tchakrix emerged from the (literal and proverbial) smoke-filled room and informed their respective troops that they'd penned an agreement to work together for a period of one year gathering slaves.
Two months ago the first slave raids took place. The combined might of the Xill fighters and the Efreet spellcasters was more than any caravan could withstand, and soon each side boasted ten new high-quality slaves.
One month ago, emboldened by the apparent power of their pact and tactics, a joint strike team composed of 8 Xill and 3 Efreet made a raid on the large town, Slivant, which guards the mountain pass leading into the burning desert. In this team were both Tchakrix and Nikret's eldest son, Archi al-Hazmat. The raid was for the most part a success. Silvant was better defended than expected, though, for they had an unexpected ally: an awakened (and very bright) llama Paladin 5 / Lantern Disciple 5 (see below*), named (for some odd reason) Perlfive. The raiders did get away with 10 new slaves, but in the confusion no-one noticed Archi getting captured. The loss of his eldest son has infuriated Nikret. Tchakrix publically executed the three Xill who were assigned to Archi, in the hopes of gaining a measure of Nikret's trust back. He suggests that the combined forces now raid the settlements on the other side of the desert, as the ones on this side are clearly too well defended.
In truth, Tchakrix had ordered his troops to capture one of the Efreeti during the raid, and provided one of them with a set of Iron Bands of Billaro for that purpose. Unfortunately for his troops, the only Efreeti who separated himself from the view of the others was Archi. Tchakrix has implanted Archi with a Xill egg, in the hopes of creating another Half-Elemental (Fire) Xill like himself. Tchakrix killed the three Xill assigned to Archi because he knew that if he did not, he would have to hand them over to Nikret who might torture the truth out of them. Tchakrix would like to concentrate on the other side of the desert for the next two months, while his Xill larva matures within Archi, who is sequestered on the Ethereal plane in the mountains near Silvant.
Nikret knows none of this. He has paid handsomly to Commune with a power from the Plane of Elemental Fire, but all he got was this challenging riddle:
In taking, taken;
In making, unmade;
In granting, a wager;
In wisdom, repaid.
Nikret does not know what to make of this riddle, but his interpretation will aid the PCs.
Hooks:
1) The party hears of raids in the desert culminating with a raid on the settlement Silvant. They journey there, meet with Perlfive, and are implored to get to the bottom of the raids before the raiders return.
2) The party hears of a mysterious sponsor who is offering great power and wealth for a quest of the utmost discretion. (Nikret hires them directly to covertly investigate his son's disappearance.) Nikret offers them a Wish if they uncover the truth, two if they bring his son back alive.
3) The party is captured while traveling by a party of 10 Xill and 3 Efreet, who materialize around them (from the Ethereal plane). They are all given as gifts to Nikret, who decides to employ them to covertly investigate his son's disappearance, interpreting line 3 of the riddle as that he should risk granting someone their freedom. He offers the party a hefty reward (including their freedom).
Present Situation:
Tchakrix is now living on the Ethereal plane near Nikret's iron tower. He watches Nikret as closely as he can, visiting physically as often as is politically possible. Nikret does suspect foul play on Tchakrix's part, but without some sort of proof, he feels he cannot act against the Xill due to their contract. Of course, he also fears that the town of Silvant is to blame for his son's capture, and will exact a bloody retribution from them should he become convinced of the Xill's innocence.
Archi has two months left to live. He is guarded by six Xill who ensure that he is unable to escape the Iron Bands -- for without an active guard to discourage him, it's likely that he'd eventually be able to wriggle free. On the topic of wriggling, Archi is constantly nauseated as he feels the larval Xill slowly devouring his essence.
Perlfive has been tending to the wounded of Silvant. He will not leave the city while he thinks it may be in danger, and therefore asks for help from adventurers to ferret out the truth of the forces behind the recent attack. Perlfive has a celestial companion, a Lantern Archon named Yarephim, whom he will allow to accompany the party, to guard against the threat of ethereal attackers.
Clues:
Town Rumors (by Gather Info DC):
- DC 10: "A month ago we were attacked by Xill and Efreet!"
- DC 15: The raiders were here to capture slaves.
- DC 20: There's a nearby mountain where bandits once lived.
- DC 25: An evil aura is coming from somewhere near town.
- DC 30: Some of the Xill didn't seem to like the Efreet.
- DC 35: Goats seem to avoid a particular path they used to like.
The party, or the party with Yarephim, could Detect the Evil of the six Xill and one Efreeti on the Ethereal plane, if they pass near enough to their hiding place. (The hiding place is where the goats avoid -- the old cave is a red herring, but might hold some nasties unrelated to this plot.)
Perlfive is very bright, and will provide a very helpful interpretation of the riddle, if it is brought to his attention.
In taking, taken; -- How Archi was captured
In making, unmade; -- Archi's death will create another being
In granting, a wager; -- Nikret must risk trusting someone else
In wisdom, repaid. -- ... this is a mystery (for now).
Some townspeople saw what passed between the Xill and Archi, but were killed by the Xill. The party might be able to contact them.
Resolving the Adventure:
Should the party manage to rescue Archi before he dies, he will speak to his father regarding the Xill's treachery, then beg to be killed -- he is too far gone for a simple Remove Disease to cure him of the Xill larva, or his Outsider nature made the Xill larva stronger sooner, or some other handwaving reason.
His father won't have the stomach for the mercy killing, and will ask the party to assist him in this distasteful matter.
Should they ask Perlfive, he will tell them that he now sees the true meaning of the last line of the riddle -- both that the party can use one of Nikret's granted Wishes to Wish for Archi to be cured, and that Nikret risks much by granting a Wish, for the party could wish that he leave all that he took from the Material Plane forever, and he would be effectively banished from his current fortress, forever. In fact, Perlfive asks that the party use their granted wish exactly thus.
Should the party find a way to cure Archi (which requires a Wish or Miracle), Nikret is grateful and will grant them the full three Wishes he is capable of granting.
Should the party find evidence against Tchakrix but not find Archi, Nikret will grant them one wish, and will not interpret it as liberally as possible.
Should the party find Archi and slay him (as he will keep requesting that they should), Nikret will grant them two Wishes, and will interpret them more liberally if he feels that his son died with honor.
If the party convinces Nikret to leave the Material Plane forever, Perlfive will reward them as best he can -- most likely with the promise of a celestial boon in the future, should the party find itself in great need -- basically, a Miracle postponed.
-- Nifft
* Lantern Disciple: See my page of custom templates at
http://klimt.cns.nyu.edu/~fishman/DnD/templates.html
For a double entendre bonus, Perlfive's granted powers include the ability to shine like a lantern.
Wicht
Hero
incognito said:Wicht: I was able to see it even without the highlight, for what its worth! (Although my first guess was "pee"
I can see it too if I get about two inches from my monitor. I was not sure the color though to make it be exactly hidden. A well, its a gimmick anyway
Though I am glad to here you would have gotten the riddle wrong on your first guess.
Greybar
No Trouble at All
Even with the skill with which these two competitors have wielded the ingredients, I can't imagine my players greeting either llama without a snort and a total loss of composure.
Both entries have elements that I'm sure people will be yoinking left and right. So thanks!
John
Both entries have elements that I'm sure people will be yoinking left and right. So thanks!
John
incognito
First Post
I gave a warning, like TWO WEEKS before I ran the contest Rune!?! It said "ALERT" and even advised the time I was going to start the contest!
Note to my two humble submitters: I have read your entries and am writing my rebuttal...err...judgement of these submissions!
Greybar: WRT the Llama...just.you.wait
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