Copperheads: Betrayal and Strange Runes and Burning Dead, oh my (short update 02/12)
- Thread starter arwink
- Start date
arwink
Clockwork Golem
Or it happened so long ago that no-ones going to notice as long as I keep things remotely right 
The good news is that this essentially closes what I consider "Part One" of the campaign. The next update will deal with the clean-up of the fire-cultists lair, and then we start on part two of the campaign, which was triggered by this conversation:
Me: So, what do you want to do next session? (mutter mutter mysterious gate/gauntian spies and silver spheres/other assorted plot hooks mutter mutter)
Capellan: Will Yip be back?
Me: Yeah.
Capellan: Then we're going to Borr.
Geoffrey: Yeah
Durhon: Sounds cool.
-blink blink-
Me: Okay. Um. Sure, why not. (mutter mutter puny players mutter mutter)
Lesson: Never put rough notes in a campaign introduction and assume you'll have time to develop them. Players routinely pick the bits and peices you consider a throwaway line and obsess about them, then promply forget about the adventure hooks you've carefully planted.
So what does Borr have? Ice, snow, small towns barely clinging to life, and a horde of gnolls. How in hell do you make that fun
?
The good news is that this essentially closes what I consider "Part One" of the campaign. The next update will deal with the clean-up of the fire-cultists lair, and then we start on part two of the campaign, which was triggered by this conversation:
Me: So, what do you want to do next session? (mutter mutter mysterious gate/gauntian spies and silver spheres/other assorted plot hooks mutter mutter)
Capellan: Will Yip be back?
Me: Yeah.
Capellan: Then we're going to Borr.
Geoffrey: Yeah
Durhon: Sounds cool.
-blink blink-
Me: Okay. Um. Sure, why not. (mutter mutter puny players mutter mutter)
Lesson: Never put rough notes in a campaign introduction and assume you'll have time to develop them. Players routinely pick the bits and peices you consider a throwaway line and obsess about them, then promply forget about the adventure hooks you've carefully planted.
So what does Borr have? Ice, snow, small towns barely clinging to life, and a horde of gnolls. How in hell do you make that fun
?
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Mathew_Freeman
Adventurer
How can a Horde of Gnolls NOT be fun?
Capellan
Explorer
[Halgo]
"'Copperheads: Three Cuthbert Worshippers and a Kobold'? What fool came up with that name? It's a gross misrepresentation! 'Three Cuthbertites and a Rather More Sensible Dwarf' would be far more accurate.
Calling me a Cuthbert worshipper, indeed! Like I'd dedicate myself to such a stuffy, uptight faith ... *mutter* *grumble*"
[/Halgo]
"'Copperheads: Three Cuthbert Worshippers and a Kobold'? What fool came up with that name? It's a gross misrepresentation! 'Three Cuthbertites and a Rather More Sensible Dwarf' would be far more accurate.
Calling me a Cuthbert worshipper, indeed! Like I'd dedicate myself to such a stuffy, uptight faith ... *mutter* *grumble*"
[/Halgo]
arwink
Clockwork Golem
A quick exploration of the other path reveals the cult's treasure room, a small chamber filled with sacks of silver and copper as well as a small urn of gold coins. Scattered among the wealth are a few lesser potions, but the rest appears to be scattered rubbish the orcs have stored as "treasure." Half-eaten rats, scaps of parchment and various mundane tools are littered across the floor, none in particularly good condition.
As they scour the rest of the complex, ensuring that no one has escaped the righteous anger of the Justicar and his comrades, they found a second stash of coins among the hellhound den. Also there is a long piece of darkwood, a staff with a silvery crystal bound to one end and numerous teeth-marks along its length. Halgo examines it, and discovers that it glows with divinatory magic. Fortunately, it appears to work despite the fact that it’s been used as a hellhound chew-toy. Also among the magical loot is a pair of enchanted gloves, worn by Gromeck.
In high spirits they return to Cadloren with news of the cults destruction and collect the reward. To their joy, they find that Yip is at the temple waiting for them – released from his months of messenger duty for the church in order to become part of the force being sent to Borr. Over the next few days they meet with the rest of the St Cuthbert worshippers making the journey; a relatively small group, a little under 60 individuals, who will be expected to found the first Temple of Law in the northern continent.
Geoffrey is one of only four Justicars making the trip, two of his fellows being relative novices like himself under the command of the fourth – High Justicar Camar Vengallar. Vengallar is a tall, burly man with sandy blond hair and a grim sense of humor. Unlike most Justicar’s, he’s left aside training with the mace and instead carries a greatsword the measures nearly six feet in length, glowing with the rigid lawful energy of St Cuthbert's blessing. There are nearly a dozen Yip Monks on the journey, and eight Drakkarim who will serve as bodyguards and elite warriors for the newly formed church.
The group is given but a day and half to recover before their ship, the Fist of Justice, sets sail. Everyone is put in the same cabin, cramped quarters that offer little space away from one another.
As early days of the trip pass, Halgo takes the time to scribe new spells and cast identify on the newly acquired magic. The Hellhounds chew toy turns out to be one of the Explorer Staves of Melekoth – a low powered staff that allows the user to detect magic and use both object loresight and creature loresight. The gloves, made of supple leather and bearing the holy symbol of Aphora (The lady of Luck) are Gloves of the Swift Kill, able to give a short-lived bonus to Str, Dex or Con once a day when the tide of the battle needs to be turned. Halgo keeps the staff, and the gloves are given to Blarth after Geoffrey declines to wear anything bearing the holy-symbol of another god.
The trip takes the better part of five weeks, traveling over an empty expanse of sea that gradually gets colder and stormier the further north they travel. Halgo takes to spending the latter half of the trip on deck, watching the weather conditions. Whenever anyone asks what he’s doing, he explains that the weather as they head north should be getting warmer rather than colder. Most of the sailors assure him that the Whitewall sea has always been this way, and promptly ignore him for the rest of the trip, occasionally muttering something about his mental state as they walk past him. The dwarf grumbles, pointing out the illogical weather patterns to his companions, but everyone else seems to content to take the sailors word for it.
At night, people dream of land and a firm bed that doesn't rock with the sea beneath. Bland meals are eaten twice a day, washed down by magically conjured fresh water. No-one is happy, and there is little excitement on the voyage. Everyone is edgy, bored, and tired of the cramped quarters. The only member of the mission that seems undisturbed by the endless expanse of ocean is Vengallar, striding back and forth along the ship barking orders at the other members of the mission.
"We'll get there," he says happily as the ship sails through yet another storm. "And then we'll teach them what Justice truly means."
As they scour the rest of the complex, ensuring that no one has escaped the righteous anger of the Justicar and his comrades, they found a second stash of coins among the hellhound den. Also there is a long piece of darkwood, a staff with a silvery crystal bound to one end and numerous teeth-marks along its length. Halgo examines it, and discovers that it glows with divinatory magic. Fortunately, it appears to work despite the fact that it’s been used as a hellhound chew-toy. Also among the magical loot is a pair of enchanted gloves, worn by Gromeck.
In high spirits they return to Cadloren with news of the cults destruction and collect the reward. To their joy, they find that Yip is at the temple waiting for them – released from his months of messenger duty for the church in order to become part of the force being sent to Borr. Over the next few days they meet with the rest of the St Cuthbert worshippers making the journey; a relatively small group, a little under 60 individuals, who will be expected to found the first Temple of Law in the northern continent.
Geoffrey is one of only four Justicars making the trip, two of his fellows being relative novices like himself under the command of the fourth – High Justicar Camar Vengallar. Vengallar is a tall, burly man with sandy blond hair and a grim sense of humor. Unlike most Justicar’s, he’s left aside training with the mace and instead carries a greatsword the measures nearly six feet in length, glowing with the rigid lawful energy of St Cuthbert's blessing. There are nearly a dozen Yip Monks on the journey, and eight Drakkarim who will serve as bodyguards and elite warriors for the newly formed church.
The group is given but a day and half to recover before their ship, the Fist of Justice, sets sail. Everyone is put in the same cabin, cramped quarters that offer little space away from one another.
As early days of the trip pass, Halgo takes the time to scribe new spells and cast identify on the newly acquired magic. The Hellhounds chew toy turns out to be one of the Explorer Staves of Melekoth – a low powered staff that allows the user to detect magic and use both object loresight and creature loresight. The gloves, made of supple leather and bearing the holy symbol of Aphora (The lady of Luck) are Gloves of the Swift Kill, able to give a short-lived bonus to Str, Dex or Con once a day when the tide of the battle needs to be turned. Halgo keeps the staff, and the gloves are given to Blarth after Geoffrey declines to wear anything bearing the holy-symbol of another god.
The trip takes the better part of five weeks, traveling over an empty expanse of sea that gradually gets colder and stormier the further north they travel. Halgo takes to spending the latter half of the trip on deck, watching the weather conditions. Whenever anyone asks what he’s doing, he explains that the weather as they head north should be getting warmer rather than colder. Most of the sailors assure him that the Whitewall sea has always been this way, and promptly ignore him for the rest of the trip, occasionally muttering something about his mental state as they walk past him. The dwarf grumbles, pointing out the illogical weather patterns to his companions, but everyone else seems to content to take the sailors word for it.
At night, people dream of land and a firm bed that doesn't rock with the sea beneath. Bland meals are eaten twice a day, washed down by magically conjured fresh water. No-one is happy, and there is little excitement on the voyage. Everyone is edgy, bored, and tired of the cramped quarters. The only member of the mission that seems undisturbed by the endless expanse of ocean is Vengallar, striding back and forth along the ship barking orders at the other members of the mission.
"We'll get there," he says happily as the ship sails through yet another storm. "And then we'll teach them what Justice truly means."
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