Aftermath - Campaign after the War
- Thread starter Rybaer
- Start date
Rybaer
First Post
Session #11.2 – Loopy and Lady
By mid-afternoon, the group was traveling north of Water Break toward the small town of Vineyard Pass to pay a visit to Nigel’s acquaintance Countess Lohna Goldenoak Graeble. The trip was to be a brief one, only a few hours through farmland and rolling hills. They kept a close eye on the road behind them, both for signs of a tail from the Thieves’ Guild and for Kisty trying to catch up with them. Finally, they spotted a middle aged male gnome jogging along, and when he caught up, Kisty removed the Hat of Disguise.
“Well,” she said, “I didn’t see anyone follow you out of town, but it’s unlikely that someone from the Guild didn’t at least see you while you were about your business.”
Kisty hopped up on Nigel’s horse and they were off again. Just as they were approaching a nameless small village at about the halfway point of the three-hour ride, Kisty asked Nigel if he had brought any sort of gift for the Countess. Nigel admitted that he had not even thought of it, and felt rather sheepish at the oversight. The village ahead didn’t have much to offer for shopping, but there were a couple shops that Nigel decided to peruse quickly. In the meantime, Rurik went in search of cool drink as the hot and humid summer afternoon was wearing him down through his full plate armor. Zalman, Amblin, and Kisty waited out on the street and watered the horses.
Just outside the shop where Nigel was shopping, a strange little gnome had a cart set up and was looking to sell his wares. Painted boldly across the front of it was “Loopy Vapour’s Alchemical Wonders and Elixers Extraordinaire.” Zalman, who was something of an alchemist himself, recognized several standard concoctions and had little interest in what the gnome had to offer aside from possibly restocking a few basic components for his own kit. Rurik returned, feeling a bit fresher, and was promptly accosted by the enthusiastic gnome.
“Welcome, welcome good sir!” Loopy exclaimed. “Allow me to show you some of my alchemical wonders, for surely a dwarf of your taste and lifestyle would surely benefit from some of these labor saving mixtures. Take this adhesive, for instance – bonds anything together in moments and holds like rock.” Rurik nodded politely but had little interest. “Or these handy little tanglefoot bags, excellent for slowing down unwanted pursuers or assailants.” Rurik and Amblin both nodded at that. A few of Zalman’s tanglefoot bags had turned their fortunes in fights before. “Or these wonderful new tindertwigs – merely strike them like so and they ignite instantly, even when wet!” The gnome demonstrated and, sensing a lack of interest, casually tossed the burning tindertwig away and pressed on with the next item in his inventory. The tindertwig, however, landed on one of the lower shelves of his cart in between four small wood casks of alchemist’s fire that he’d made as part of a custom order for some dwarven miners.
Nigel was continuing to go over the slim pickings of what amounted to a general store. There was little here that he felt could impress or would be worthy to give a noble woman. He was beginning to despair when shouts from the street outside caught his attention. When he looked up, all he saw was a giant fireball erupting from the gnome trader’s cart that was parked just outside the door. The front half of the general shop he was in caught fire and thick black smoke began to fill the room. The owners of the shop, an elderly couple, began to panic and sought to extinguish the blaze. Nigel realized the futility of it and encouraged them to follow him out the back door.
Out in the street, Zalman, Amblin, Rurik and Kisty had all backed well away from the blaze. Even at fifty feet, the intensity of heat was almost unbearable. At the very center of the fire, where the immolated cart once rested, the fire was white-blue, almost as painfully bright to look at as the sun itself. Zalman and Rurik both summoned small water elementals to try to extinguish the blaze. The elementals were unable to quench so intense a fire, but they were able to help contain it from spreading too quickly to some of the adjacent buildings.
As Nigel finally caught back up with the group, something began to move about in the core of the inferno. Was that a clawed foot? A massive, scaled jaw? Almost beyond belief, a huge reptilian monstrosity, fully twenty-five feet long from head to tail and standing nearly twelve tall on two legs. Its scaly hide was obsidian black pebble with deep red fire escaping from between the cracks. Its eyes were bottomless sockets of soulless flame and waves of shimmering heat issued forth as it roared and surveyed its surroundings.
(DM note: This was a tweaked up megaraptor dinosaur with the fire elemental template added. Nasty little bugger.)
While the townsfolk scattered for cover, the group slowly backed away and mounted up. Zalman, who had an abundance of knowledge of all things planar, concluded that the sheer intensity of the fire might have causes a spontaneous hole to rip open between the prime material plane and the elemental plane of fire, allowing this creature to gain access. Such things were not unheard of. Occasional holes could open to the plane of water in the deepest depths of the oceans, or to the plane of earth in dark caves miles below the surface. While professionally interested in the phenomenon, Zalman had a more personal and immediate interest in survival. They, as a group this time, fled town.
The creature, being drawn to the motion of their horses running, chased after them. As the group urged their horses down the road north, the creature pursued with alarming speed. In fact, it was quite clearly gaining ground on them – particularly Amblin’s dog. Sensing that they couldn’t continue to outrun the thing without eventually losing someone, Zalman was the first to turn his horse around to face the raptor. He slipped from his saddle and called forth a lightning bolt that stuck the charging creature head on. It scarcely slowed down before catching the lone Zalman and chomping down with teeth like daggers still red-hot from the forge.
Amblin quickly joined the fray, springing in and out of the beast’s reach and landing a couple feeble blows. Each hit Amblin landed earned him a nice burn. Rurik wheeled his horse around and tried to get back to the action, drawing out his axe and readying his shield. Nigel, meanwhile, hopped off his mount from a bit further down the road and started plunking it with arrows.
The fight ended rather quickly. The beast, while it managed to land a few good blows on Zalman and the others, soon fell to the abuse the combined group was able to unleash upon it. As Rurik healed Zalman’s wounds, Zalman explained his theory about what the creature was and how it crossed over from another plane. They agreed that while the fire really wasn’t their problem, they were probably the best-equipped folks around to deal with it. So, they returned to town to see about extinguishing the blaze.
Luckily for them, by the time they got back the intense fire had already consumed nearly all its fuel and the townsfolk were now working quickly to try and quench the flames that had erupted in the adjacent buildings. From the couple witnesses who had seen the group take on and take down the fire elemental, word spread quickly of their heroic deeds. They were cheered and treated to food and drink for their efforts.
The group graciously accepted a bit of drink but was eager to get back on the road. It was already late afternoon and they didn’t want to impose upon the countess too late in the morning. On the way back out of town, as they passed the smoldering corpse in the middle of the road, they paused to claim a couple trophies – the massive sickle-shaped claws from its powerful hind legs.
The balance of the trip to Lohna’s was uneventful. The terrain became rockier and more broken. True to its name, Vineyard Pass had many vineyards and the locals were busy tending to their crops. When asked, a peasant indicated that the Countess lived in an estate just north of the city, down the left fork in the road. It was not difficult to find.
The estate consisted of several buildings including a beautiful L-shaped, three-story house made of stone and timbers. In front of the house was a magnificent water fountain. Well-manicured trees and shrubs lined the road and grounds around the house. To the right side of the property was a magnificent gazebo situated among winding flower gardens in full bloom.
A servant, noting their approach, offered to tend to their horses. When they knocked at the front door, a gorgeous young half-elf answered. She wore simple yet fetching servant’s garb and bore an aura of confidence and competence.
“Can I help you?” she asked, looking the dirty and road-weary bunch over unassumingly.
Nigel stepped forward and introduced himself and his companions.
“Master Nigel!” the girl said. “Mistress Lohna told us to expect a visit from you, though I must admit that we had anticipated you arriving some time ago.”
“Yeah, sorry about that,” Nigel said. “We were pulled away unexpectedly on some business.”
“I understand sir,” she said. “Please, come in. I will see to it that you have rooms and baths made available as needed.” They followed into a modest foyer dominated by a massive framed mirror facing the door. Mirrors were uncommon, almost rare, and were rarely anything more than a small bit of highly polished metal. This was something entirely different. Their reflections were perfection itself and they were, to a person, shocked at their own appearances. Three months on the road had taken a toll. They looked worn and dirty but, more importantly, they looked like confident and accomplished adults.
“This way, please,” the servant led them down a hallway and then up a flight of stairs to the second floor. She opened three rooms for them, two for the men and one for Kisty. “Hot baths will be drawn shortly. We can also tend your garments, if you so desire.”
Everyone thanked her for the hospitality extended. “My Mistress usually does not awake for another hour or two. I’m sure she will wish you to join her at her evening meal. I will fetch you when she is ready. My name is Linnea and you can feel free to ask me or any of the other staff for anything you need in the meantime.”
Once Linnea’s footsteps were out of earshot, each of the group turned and looked at Nigel.
“She doesn’t wake up ‘til sunset?”
“Did anyone else notice that all the windows in this place are shuttered and curtained? And it’s the middle of summer?”
“Does anyone else have a nagging feeling in the back of their mind that something’s just not right here?”
Next session: Dinner and dinner guests...and a late-night caller.
By mid-afternoon, the group was traveling north of Water Break toward the small town of Vineyard Pass to pay a visit to Nigel’s acquaintance Countess Lohna Goldenoak Graeble. The trip was to be a brief one, only a few hours through farmland and rolling hills. They kept a close eye on the road behind them, both for signs of a tail from the Thieves’ Guild and for Kisty trying to catch up with them. Finally, they spotted a middle aged male gnome jogging along, and when he caught up, Kisty removed the Hat of Disguise.
“Well,” she said, “I didn’t see anyone follow you out of town, but it’s unlikely that someone from the Guild didn’t at least see you while you were about your business.”
Kisty hopped up on Nigel’s horse and they were off again. Just as they were approaching a nameless small village at about the halfway point of the three-hour ride, Kisty asked Nigel if he had brought any sort of gift for the Countess. Nigel admitted that he had not even thought of it, and felt rather sheepish at the oversight. The village ahead didn’t have much to offer for shopping, but there were a couple shops that Nigel decided to peruse quickly. In the meantime, Rurik went in search of cool drink as the hot and humid summer afternoon was wearing him down through his full plate armor. Zalman, Amblin, and Kisty waited out on the street and watered the horses.
Just outside the shop where Nigel was shopping, a strange little gnome had a cart set up and was looking to sell his wares. Painted boldly across the front of it was “Loopy Vapour’s Alchemical Wonders and Elixers Extraordinaire.” Zalman, who was something of an alchemist himself, recognized several standard concoctions and had little interest in what the gnome had to offer aside from possibly restocking a few basic components for his own kit. Rurik returned, feeling a bit fresher, and was promptly accosted by the enthusiastic gnome.
“Welcome, welcome good sir!” Loopy exclaimed. “Allow me to show you some of my alchemical wonders, for surely a dwarf of your taste and lifestyle would surely benefit from some of these labor saving mixtures. Take this adhesive, for instance – bonds anything together in moments and holds like rock.” Rurik nodded politely but had little interest. “Or these handy little tanglefoot bags, excellent for slowing down unwanted pursuers or assailants.” Rurik and Amblin both nodded at that. A few of Zalman’s tanglefoot bags had turned their fortunes in fights before. “Or these wonderful new tindertwigs – merely strike them like so and they ignite instantly, even when wet!” The gnome demonstrated and, sensing a lack of interest, casually tossed the burning tindertwig away and pressed on with the next item in his inventory. The tindertwig, however, landed on one of the lower shelves of his cart in between four small wood casks of alchemist’s fire that he’d made as part of a custom order for some dwarven miners.
Nigel was continuing to go over the slim pickings of what amounted to a general store. There was little here that he felt could impress or would be worthy to give a noble woman. He was beginning to despair when shouts from the street outside caught his attention. When he looked up, all he saw was a giant fireball erupting from the gnome trader’s cart that was parked just outside the door. The front half of the general shop he was in caught fire and thick black smoke began to fill the room. The owners of the shop, an elderly couple, began to panic and sought to extinguish the blaze. Nigel realized the futility of it and encouraged them to follow him out the back door.
Out in the street, Zalman, Amblin, Rurik and Kisty had all backed well away from the blaze. Even at fifty feet, the intensity of heat was almost unbearable. At the very center of the fire, where the immolated cart once rested, the fire was white-blue, almost as painfully bright to look at as the sun itself. Zalman and Rurik both summoned small water elementals to try to extinguish the blaze. The elementals were unable to quench so intense a fire, but they were able to help contain it from spreading too quickly to some of the adjacent buildings.
As Nigel finally caught back up with the group, something began to move about in the core of the inferno. Was that a clawed foot? A massive, scaled jaw? Almost beyond belief, a huge reptilian monstrosity, fully twenty-five feet long from head to tail and standing nearly twelve tall on two legs. Its scaly hide was obsidian black pebble with deep red fire escaping from between the cracks. Its eyes were bottomless sockets of soulless flame and waves of shimmering heat issued forth as it roared and surveyed its surroundings.
(DM note: This was a tweaked up megaraptor dinosaur with the fire elemental template added. Nasty little bugger.)
While the townsfolk scattered for cover, the group slowly backed away and mounted up. Zalman, who had an abundance of knowledge of all things planar, concluded that the sheer intensity of the fire might have causes a spontaneous hole to rip open between the prime material plane and the elemental plane of fire, allowing this creature to gain access. Such things were not unheard of. Occasional holes could open to the plane of water in the deepest depths of the oceans, or to the plane of earth in dark caves miles below the surface. While professionally interested in the phenomenon, Zalman had a more personal and immediate interest in survival. They, as a group this time, fled town.
The creature, being drawn to the motion of their horses running, chased after them. As the group urged their horses down the road north, the creature pursued with alarming speed. In fact, it was quite clearly gaining ground on them – particularly Amblin’s dog. Sensing that they couldn’t continue to outrun the thing without eventually losing someone, Zalman was the first to turn his horse around to face the raptor. He slipped from his saddle and called forth a lightning bolt that stuck the charging creature head on. It scarcely slowed down before catching the lone Zalman and chomping down with teeth like daggers still red-hot from the forge.
Amblin quickly joined the fray, springing in and out of the beast’s reach and landing a couple feeble blows. Each hit Amblin landed earned him a nice burn. Rurik wheeled his horse around and tried to get back to the action, drawing out his axe and readying his shield. Nigel, meanwhile, hopped off his mount from a bit further down the road and started plunking it with arrows.
The fight ended rather quickly. The beast, while it managed to land a few good blows on Zalman and the others, soon fell to the abuse the combined group was able to unleash upon it. As Rurik healed Zalman’s wounds, Zalman explained his theory about what the creature was and how it crossed over from another plane. They agreed that while the fire really wasn’t their problem, they were probably the best-equipped folks around to deal with it. So, they returned to town to see about extinguishing the blaze.
Luckily for them, by the time they got back the intense fire had already consumed nearly all its fuel and the townsfolk were now working quickly to try and quench the flames that had erupted in the adjacent buildings. From the couple witnesses who had seen the group take on and take down the fire elemental, word spread quickly of their heroic deeds. They were cheered and treated to food and drink for their efforts.
The group graciously accepted a bit of drink but was eager to get back on the road. It was already late afternoon and they didn’t want to impose upon the countess too late in the morning. On the way back out of town, as they passed the smoldering corpse in the middle of the road, they paused to claim a couple trophies – the massive sickle-shaped claws from its powerful hind legs.
The balance of the trip to Lohna’s was uneventful. The terrain became rockier and more broken. True to its name, Vineyard Pass had many vineyards and the locals were busy tending to their crops. When asked, a peasant indicated that the Countess lived in an estate just north of the city, down the left fork in the road. It was not difficult to find.
The estate consisted of several buildings including a beautiful L-shaped, three-story house made of stone and timbers. In front of the house was a magnificent water fountain. Well-manicured trees and shrubs lined the road and grounds around the house. To the right side of the property was a magnificent gazebo situated among winding flower gardens in full bloom.
A servant, noting their approach, offered to tend to their horses. When they knocked at the front door, a gorgeous young half-elf answered. She wore simple yet fetching servant’s garb and bore an aura of confidence and competence.
“Can I help you?” she asked, looking the dirty and road-weary bunch over unassumingly.
Nigel stepped forward and introduced himself and his companions.
“Master Nigel!” the girl said. “Mistress Lohna told us to expect a visit from you, though I must admit that we had anticipated you arriving some time ago.”
“Yeah, sorry about that,” Nigel said. “We were pulled away unexpectedly on some business.”
“I understand sir,” she said. “Please, come in. I will see to it that you have rooms and baths made available as needed.” They followed into a modest foyer dominated by a massive framed mirror facing the door. Mirrors were uncommon, almost rare, and were rarely anything more than a small bit of highly polished metal. This was something entirely different. Their reflections were perfection itself and they were, to a person, shocked at their own appearances. Three months on the road had taken a toll. They looked worn and dirty but, more importantly, they looked like confident and accomplished adults.
“This way, please,” the servant led them down a hallway and then up a flight of stairs to the second floor. She opened three rooms for them, two for the men and one for Kisty. “Hot baths will be drawn shortly. We can also tend your garments, if you so desire.”
Everyone thanked her for the hospitality extended. “My Mistress usually does not awake for another hour or two. I’m sure she will wish you to join her at her evening meal. I will fetch you when she is ready. My name is Linnea and you can feel free to ask me or any of the other staff for anything you need in the meantime.”
Once Linnea’s footsteps were out of earshot, each of the group turned and looked at Nigel.
“She doesn’t wake up ‘til sunset?”
“Did anyone else notice that all the windows in this place are shuttered and curtained? And it’s the middle of summer?”
“Does anyone else have a nagging feeling in the back of their mind that something’s just not right here?”
Next session: Dinner and dinner guests...and a late-night caller.
Well, IMHO we were not told how tough this sucker was - or how big. This was a while ago, so my recollection may be faulty, but I don't remember "fire-megaraptor" being the description at the time. (or anything that would have provoked extra caution) It wasn't until I turned to engage the critter that I was led to believe how tough the sucker was. Then it was too late.
Well, here is life threatening experience #17.
I don't remember who took the claws off of the megaraptor - it may have been Amblin. I wonder what he did with those. As Rybaer said, I had some knowledge/interest in planar activities. Dinner tonight at Lohna's would just heighten my interest.
Well, here is life threatening experience #17.
I don't remember who took the claws off of the megaraptor - it may have been Amblin. I wonder what he did with those. As Rybaer said, I had some knowledge/interest in planar activities. Dinner tonight at Lohna's would just heighten my interest.
clockworkjoe
First Post
Zalman said:
It's an archive of a bunch of ww2 american propaganda posters photoshopped by people on the something awful message boards. I host the archive and I thought some people might think its funny.
Just completely random i guess.
Rybaer
First Post
Zalman said:
Well, I seem to recall my description to have been rather more accurate than you do. It was something like: "Okay, y'all remember to velociraptors from Jurassic Park? Right. Now, imagine one of them, but it's nearly the size of a T-Rex. Still with me? Okay, now, give the critter skin that has the look and temperature of magma that has cooled just enough to form a thin black crust. Now, add to that the fact that it stepped out of an incredibly intense fire and is now chasing you...outrunning your galloping horses."
Now, as to how tough it actually was...well, it had a very poor AC and not real good hit points (hence the reason it fell so quickly). What it did have going for it was that it could hit like a ton of bricks - a ton of razor-sharp, red-hot bricks.
Of course, your interpretation of its description could have been skewed by intangibles such as other people talking or certain people dozing... In the end, though, no one was killed, the town was saved, and a few unusual trophies were claimed.
Claws
Amblin in: Yes it was I that procurred the Dino claws and some day I'll make a neckless with those and the wolverine claws, and the dragon claws, and the troll teeth. Oh wait I didn't grab any troll teeth. Mental note, kill more trolls. As for the size of the Dino I remember it as pretty big, and hot, and mad. So I ran like everybody else. Then Zelman stopped so I turned around. I do take offence to the term ineffectual. It seems to describe my attacks all to often.
Now Lonna the vampire with a big mirror in her entry hall is much more entertaining. Well at least I think she's a vampire. Mental note vampire teeth.
Amblin in: Yes it was I that procurred the Dino claws and some day I'll make a neckless with those and the wolverine claws, and the dragon claws, and the troll teeth. Oh wait I didn't grab any troll teeth. Mental note, kill more trolls. As for the size of the Dino I remember it as pretty big, and hot, and mad. So I ran like everybody else. Then Zelman stopped so I turned around. I do take offence to the term ineffectual. It seems to describe my attacks all to often.
Now Lonna the vampire with a big mirror in her entry hall is much more entertaining. Well at least I think she's a vampire. Mental note vampire teeth.
Lazybones
Adventurer
Rybaer,
Although I'm only on page 2 at this point, I just wanted to weigh in and say that I'm enjoying your story hour. Very creative setting and cool scenarios. The adventures in the dome reminded me of a scenario I wrote for 2e based on a bunch of creatures that were in an old Dragon mag; it included "death sheep", "were-rabbits," and a few other a-typical monsters. I look forward to catching up with the tale.
Lazybones
Although I'm only on page 2 at this point, I just wanted to weigh in and say that I'm enjoying your story hour. Very creative setting and cool scenarios. The adventures in the dome reminded me of a scenario I wrote for 2e based on a bunch of creatures that were in an old Dragon mag; it included "death sheep", "were-rabbits," and a few other a-typical monsters. I look forward to catching up with the tale.
Lazybones
Rybaer
First Post
Thanks Lazybones. Glad to hear you enjoy it.
I did have particular fun with creating the critters and challenges contained within Shadykin's Golden Dome. I took an idyllic Disney-esque custom-made world and added 20 years of malfunction. Turned into a twisted Alice in Wonderland sort of deal. Since that episode, the players haven't faced many things quite that strange, but they've still seen a few things that caught them off guard. I'm a big fan of using templates on otherwise mundane monsters.
"Death sheep"...hmmm...I like that one...hehe.
I did have particular fun with creating the critters and challenges contained within Shadykin's Golden Dome. I took an idyllic Disney-esque custom-made world and added 20 years of malfunction. Turned into a twisted Alice in Wonderland sort of deal. Since that episode, the players haven't faced many things quite that strange, but they've still seen a few things that caught them off guard. I'm a big fan of using templates on otherwise mundane monsters.
"Death sheep"...hmmm...I like that one...hehe.
Dino Claws
I took one of the long claws off the rear feet. Don't really know what to do with it...but I have it. I guess it's one more thing to brag about.
"So one time, we came up against this 40...50 foot dinosaur...and it was made of fire. If fact, it breathed fire and had fire shooting out of its eyes..."
I took one of the long claws off the rear feet. Don't really know what to do with it...but I have it. I guess it's one more thing to brag about.
"So one time, we came up against this 40...50 foot dinosaur...and it was made of fire. If fact, it breathed fire and had fire shooting out of its eyes..."
