Against the Shadows VI - A Faded Glory Story Hour
- Thread starter Old One
- Start date
Lela
First Post
Re: Re: Re: I gotta a couple of more...
Hmmm, not sure about Most Annoying NPC but Most Loved NPC is easy. How about Worst Defeat changed to a tidbit with a new name of Most Embarrassing Moments. This way I can add a few more things besides just Lew and the cripples. Of course, just to keep some mystery, I might award Lew's cripple bashing as something else. You know he is going to get an award for that, it's just a given, the reall question is what award will it be?
Any other ideas? Some things that might focus on the later Sessions would be great, just after Lew and the cripples.
I plan to update my first post as I find new awards. That way there will be a running list of what will happen.
Darklone said:
Hmmm, not sure about Most Annoying NPC but Most Loved NPC is easy. How about Worst Defeat changed to a tidbit with a new name of Most Embarrassing Moments. This way I can add a few more things besides just Lew and the cripples. Of course, just to keep some mystery, I might award Lew's cripple bashing as something else. You know he is going to get an award for that, it's just a given, the reall question is what award will it be?
Any other ideas? Some things that might focus on the later Sessions would be great, just after Lew and the cripples.
I plan to update my first post as I find new awards. That way there will be a running list of what will happen.
Last edited:
Session 15 (Part One)
During the last session, our intrepid band accepted a commission from Lady Andrimia and Captain Rook of the “Reds” faction to raid one of the sewer-based strongholds of Oar’s underground, the Shadowblades. They are searching for evidence that Antoinine Sestius, leader of the “Greens” faction, is in league with the Shadowblades or is actually the Shadowblade leader known as Maythrax.
Drusilla Cassuvius surprised the party by accompanying them, armed and armored.
What was designed to be a “hit and run” raid quickly degenerated into a full-scale battle with the party gaining the upper hand. Although bruised and battered, they currently stand in the remains of the dining hall with five Shadowblade prisoners…
Once More Into the Breach
Quintus finished whispering in Lew’s ear and jerked his head towards their prisoners. The quizzical look that had graced the priest’s face a grain before transformed into a widening grin. Quintus nodded at Rosë and pointed at one of the prisoners. “Deal with him!” The sorcerer said in most menacing tone.
The Brigante, still slightly winded from the earlier battle, had no trouble dragging the struggling wretch through the double doors into the practice chamber. Lew and Drusilla followed and the quartet disappeared from view. Quintus turned his baleful eye towards the remaining prisoners, regarding each in turn. Rowan moved up beside him, sword in hand and Quintus pointed to two of the men. “That one and that one.”
The ranger drug each ten paces from the others and positioned them so they could not see their companions. Just as he finished arranging the pair, agonized screams echoed from the room occupied by Rosë, Lew, Drusilla and their charge. A severed hand sailed through the open portal and flopped sickeningly on the stone floor. The screams redoubled and another appendage followed the first. Quintus picked up one of the bloody trophies and regarded it idly. “Right, whoever answers my questions fastest gets to live. We will let the other one of you live as well, but he will be a handless, eyeless, footless beggar!”
The blood drained away from the face of the rightmost prisoner and the man’s eyes rolled back into his head as he fainted. Quintus turned the full force of his malice to the other Shadowblade. The man swallowed hard, then tried unsuccessfully to wet his suddenly dry lips with the tip of his equally dry tongue. “How many more Shadowblades are in this place?”
“A dozen or so.” The wretch stammered.
Quintus continued, “How long until reinforcements arrive?”
“T-t-they should already be here.”
The man turned deathly pale and began to shake as Rowan squatted next to him, grasped the hem of his gray tunic and casually began to clean the blood from his sword blade, smiling all the while. Quintus fought hard to suppress a grin. “Where is your commander’s office?”
The trembling prisoner inclined his head towards the left hand corner door along the wall opposite the double doors they had entered through.
“Why do the Shadowblades focus their attacks on the ‘Reds’?”
“I-I-I just does what my boss tells me…please!” The man’s voice trailed off into a strangled whisper as he focused on something behind Quintus.
The sorcerer looked up to see Sextus gesturing wildly towards the right hand corner door. An oblong gray sphere, about the size of a cavalry scutum, floated above the portal. A low voice ragged with age and dripping with venom, issued from the arcane manifestation. “Well done! It seems I have underestimated you.”
“Just like your grandson!” Quintus shot back, convinced the voice belonged to Antoinine Sestius.
“Perhaps,” the disembodied voice purred. “Let us see how you fare against those who are not asleep!”
Deranged laughter peeled forth from the sphere and echoed through the chamber for a moment before fading as the spatial disturbance winked out of existence. The left corner door – the same one indicated by the prisoner – swung open with a metallic click. Quintus, Rowan and Sextus tensed themselves for a rush of enemies, but nothing happened. Breathing a momentary sigh of relief, Quintus recalled Lew, Drusilla and Rosë.
They emerged from the other chamber, prisoner in tow. The man was as white as a bed sheet, but otherwise unharmed. They deposited him on the floor next to his fellows and the party shared a quiet laugh at the effectiveness of their ruse.
(DM’s Note: I was wondering how the party was going to deal with the prisoners. They are all good aligned, so outright torture was out of the question. They took one of the prisoners around the corner, where Rosë and Lew persuaded him to scream like he was being killed. Meanwhile, Drusilla hacked the hands from a dead man and hurled them back into the room. Quintus then made use of his considerable Intimidate skill – and I rolled really well for him – to browbeat the information from one of the remaining prisoners. Even Lew went along with this one!)
A short discussion ensued.
Most of the party was for continuing forward, although several votes of caution were registered. It was obvious that whoever was up there knew they were coming, but the primary purpose for their mission was unfinished. Rosë cut the discussion short. “We go!”
He sauntered over to one of the Shadowblades that Sextus had been watching, producing one of his heavy fighting dirks as he went. Terror reflected in the man’s eyes as the hulking barbarian loomed over him with the deadly instrument. Rosë chuckled to himself as he severed the ropes binding the man’s feet and hauled him roughly to his feet and nodded towards the slightly open door. “Traps?”
The man shook his head violently.
“Good. You go first!”
The Brigante thrust the man bodily through the doorway, swinging the barrier open. “Stairs going up,” Rosë called.
Everyone one else tucked in behind the massive barbarian and his human shield. Quintus whispered to Lew to be ready for undead and pushed him directly behind Rosë. The sorcerer followed, with Drusilla, Rowan and Sextus completing the file. Surmounting the short flight of stairs was a shallow landing and a pair of polished doors cut from dark hardwood.
Rosë stopped on the landing and gestured towards the lever on the left most door. The trembling prisoner reached out and opened the door. As soon as the door opened a bit, the barbarian used his prisoner as a battering ram to fling it all the way open. At the base of the stairs, Sextus’ blood ran cold as hideous screams echoed from above.
To Be Continued…
Next: Session 15 (Part Two) – Big Trouble in Shadowblade Land
~ Old One
During the last session, our intrepid band accepted a commission from Lady Andrimia and Captain Rook of the “Reds” faction to raid one of the sewer-based strongholds of Oar’s underground, the Shadowblades. They are searching for evidence that Antoinine Sestius, leader of the “Greens” faction, is in league with the Shadowblades or is actually the Shadowblade leader known as Maythrax.
Drusilla Cassuvius surprised the party by accompanying them, armed and armored.
What was designed to be a “hit and run” raid quickly degenerated into a full-scale battle with the party gaining the upper hand. Although bruised and battered, they currently stand in the remains of the dining hall with five Shadowblade prisoners…
Once More Into the Breach
Quintus finished whispering in Lew’s ear and jerked his head towards their prisoners. The quizzical look that had graced the priest’s face a grain before transformed into a widening grin. Quintus nodded at Rosë and pointed at one of the prisoners. “Deal with him!” The sorcerer said in most menacing tone.
The Brigante, still slightly winded from the earlier battle, had no trouble dragging the struggling wretch through the double doors into the practice chamber. Lew and Drusilla followed and the quartet disappeared from view. Quintus turned his baleful eye towards the remaining prisoners, regarding each in turn. Rowan moved up beside him, sword in hand and Quintus pointed to two of the men. “That one and that one.”
The ranger drug each ten paces from the others and positioned them so they could not see their companions. Just as he finished arranging the pair, agonized screams echoed from the room occupied by Rosë, Lew, Drusilla and their charge. A severed hand sailed through the open portal and flopped sickeningly on the stone floor. The screams redoubled and another appendage followed the first. Quintus picked up one of the bloody trophies and regarded it idly. “Right, whoever answers my questions fastest gets to live. We will let the other one of you live as well, but he will be a handless, eyeless, footless beggar!”
The blood drained away from the face of the rightmost prisoner and the man’s eyes rolled back into his head as he fainted. Quintus turned the full force of his malice to the other Shadowblade. The man swallowed hard, then tried unsuccessfully to wet his suddenly dry lips with the tip of his equally dry tongue. “How many more Shadowblades are in this place?”
“A dozen or so.” The wretch stammered.
Quintus continued, “How long until reinforcements arrive?”
“T-t-they should already be here.”
The man turned deathly pale and began to shake as Rowan squatted next to him, grasped the hem of his gray tunic and casually began to clean the blood from his sword blade, smiling all the while. Quintus fought hard to suppress a grin. “Where is your commander’s office?”
The trembling prisoner inclined his head towards the left hand corner door along the wall opposite the double doors they had entered through.
“Why do the Shadowblades focus their attacks on the ‘Reds’?”
“I-I-I just does what my boss tells me…please!” The man’s voice trailed off into a strangled whisper as he focused on something behind Quintus.
The sorcerer looked up to see Sextus gesturing wildly towards the right hand corner door. An oblong gray sphere, about the size of a cavalry scutum, floated above the portal. A low voice ragged with age and dripping with venom, issued from the arcane manifestation. “Well done! It seems I have underestimated you.”
“Just like your grandson!” Quintus shot back, convinced the voice belonged to Antoinine Sestius.
“Perhaps,” the disembodied voice purred. “Let us see how you fare against those who are not asleep!”
Deranged laughter peeled forth from the sphere and echoed through the chamber for a moment before fading as the spatial disturbance winked out of existence. The left corner door – the same one indicated by the prisoner – swung open with a metallic click. Quintus, Rowan and Sextus tensed themselves for a rush of enemies, but nothing happened. Breathing a momentary sigh of relief, Quintus recalled Lew, Drusilla and Rosë.
They emerged from the other chamber, prisoner in tow. The man was as white as a bed sheet, but otherwise unharmed. They deposited him on the floor next to his fellows and the party shared a quiet laugh at the effectiveness of their ruse.
(DM’s Note: I was wondering how the party was going to deal with the prisoners. They are all good aligned, so outright torture was out of the question. They took one of the prisoners around the corner, where Rosë and Lew persuaded him to scream like he was being killed. Meanwhile, Drusilla hacked the hands from a dead man and hurled them back into the room. Quintus then made use of his considerable Intimidate skill – and I rolled really well for him – to browbeat the information from one of the remaining prisoners. Even Lew went along with this one!)
A short discussion ensued.
Most of the party was for continuing forward, although several votes of caution were registered. It was obvious that whoever was up there knew they were coming, but the primary purpose for their mission was unfinished. Rosë cut the discussion short. “We go!”
He sauntered over to one of the Shadowblades that Sextus had been watching, producing one of his heavy fighting dirks as he went. Terror reflected in the man’s eyes as the hulking barbarian loomed over him with the deadly instrument. Rosë chuckled to himself as he severed the ropes binding the man’s feet and hauled him roughly to his feet and nodded towards the slightly open door. “Traps?”
The man shook his head violently.
“Good. You go first!”
The Brigante thrust the man bodily through the doorway, swinging the barrier open. “Stairs going up,” Rosë called.
Everyone one else tucked in behind the massive barbarian and his human shield. Quintus whispered to Lew to be ready for undead and pushed him directly behind Rosë. The sorcerer followed, with Drusilla, Rowan and Sextus completing the file. Surmounting the short flight of stairs was a shallow landing and a pair of polished doors cut from dark hardwood.
Rosë stopped on the landing and gestured towards the lever on the left most door. The trembling prisoner reached out and opened the door. As soon as the door opened a bit, the barbarian used his prisoner as a battering ram to fling it all the way open. At the base of the stairs, Sextus’ blood ran cold as hideous screams echoed from above.
To Be Continued…
Next: Session 15 (Part Two) – Big Trouble in Shadowblade Land
~ Old One
Last edited:
MavrickWeirdo
First Post
Re: *sigh dreamily...*
I would guess that the Gray sphere was an example of "Scrying"
From PHB "This spell creates a magical sensor located near the subject. Any creature with Intelligence 12 or higher can notice the sensor by making a Scry check (or an Intelligence check) against DC 20."
In fact, haven't they had a feeling that they were being watched ever since they killed "Scarnose".
By the way, Scry is a level 4 spell for wizards, So whoever cast it would have to be at least a level 7 charcter.
Darklone said:
I would guess that the Gray sphere was an example of "Scrying"
From PHB "This spell creates a magical sensor located near the subject. Any creature with Intelligence 12 or higher can notice the sensor by making a Scry check (or an Intelligence check) against DC 20."
In fact, haven't they had a feeling that they were being watched ever since they killed "Scarnose".
By the way, Scry is a level 4 spell for wizards, So whoever cast it would have to be at least a level 7 charcter.
MW gets a cookie!
MW (and Darklone) -
You are on target (as usual)! The phenomena has appeared several times and they have deduced that it is some type of scrying. This is the first time, however, that anything has passed through it!
I use a lot of different effects, so the end user might be casting a Scry spell and be at least 7th level...or it could be something else entirely!
Check back soonest!
~ Old One
MavrickWeirdo said:
I would guess that the Gray sphere was an example of "Scrying"
From PHB "This spell creates a magical sensor located near the subject. Any creature with Intelligence 12 or higher can notice the sensor by making a Scry check (or an Intelligence check) against DC 20."
In fact, haven't they had a feeling that they were being watched ever since they killed "Scarnose".
By the way, Scry is a level 4 spell for wizards, So whoever cast it would have to be at least a level 7 charcter.
MW (and Darklone) -
You are on target (as usual)! The phenomena has appeared several times and they have deduced that it is some type of scrying. This is the first time, however, that anything has passed through it!
I use a lot of different effects, so the end user might be casting a Scry spell and be at least 7th level...or it could be something else entirely
!Check back soonest!
~ Old One
I am exhausted after reading it for two days! Three cheers for Old One - When are you coming to Australia to run a game 
Pillars of Hercules
First Post
Urrkkk
Another cliffhanger!
[explodes]
[re-assembles using dark powers]
More, please!
Another cliffhanger!
[explodes]
[re-assembles using dark powers]
More, please!
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