Mathew_Freeman
First Post
Having had a 12th level fighter go from 110hp to 15hp in one surprise round today, I fully sympathise with the nastiness of a good ambush. 
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Cydra: the Early Years
- Thread starter the Jester
- Start date
the Jester
Legend
Journey to Yafall
Man, if only I had a scanner at home. I always forget to take maps in to work to scan 'em so I can attach them here... I really want to try to post a map of Gorel and Yafall with this next update! Sigh... well, we'll see. Maybe I can manage to bring it in with me when I go to work today...
In any event:
Yafall is nestled just off the coast of Gorel. It's small, and there was no official 'state' or anything there. At the time, as now, over two and a half centuries later, Yafall was officially a part of the Forinthian province of Gorel, but it was mostly lawless and lightly inhabited at most.
It seemed, to our poor heroes, battered and depleted after their battle, like a place to search for a hideout that might not lead them directly into the hands of genocidal cannibalistic elves. So, after hiring on a sufficient crew- strongly desiring to be able to fight off an ambush by a war party of grugach or something similar- the party set sail for Yafall.
The new crew members included a strange human named Rajah and Sh'larn Eloh'myr, one of the merellin the party had met previously on Captain Drake's vessel at the Coral Caves. As the party sailed, they gradually gathered a few interesting things about Rajah- namely, that he was raised by tigers and that someone was trying to capture him.
Then the party reached Yafall and took the Sea Hag up a river. The river led them to a lake surrounded by low hills and a few cliffs. "Maybe," Malford reasoned, "we can find a hidden cove or even a cave to use as a hideout." Galiger nodded and barked orders to the crew; the knarr glided out across the water, staying reasonably close to the edge for easier searching. Some areas showed beach; and, strangely enough, a vessel- a small galley- was beached on it. Listing to one side, the vessel seemed to be empty, at least at first glance; and so our heroes obliged....
Next Time: A strange boat, an ambush, and a strange disappearance!
Man, if only I had a scanner at home. I always forget to take maps in to work to scan 'em so I can attach them here... I really want to try to post a map of Gorel and Yafall with this next update! Sigh... well, we'll see. Maybe I can manage to bring it in with me when I go to work today...
In any event:
Yafall is nestled just off the coast of Gorel. It's small, and there was no official 'state' or anything there. At the time, as now, over two and a half centuries later, Yafall was officially a part of the Forinthian province of Gorel, but it was mostly lawless and lightly inhabited at most.
It seemed, to our poor heroes, battered and depleted after their battle, like a place to search for a hideout that might not lead them directly into the hands of genocidal cannibalistic elves. So, after hiring on a sufficient crew- strongly desiring to be able to fight off an ambush by a war party of grugach or something similar- the party set sail for Yafall.
The new crew members included a strange human named Rajah and Sh'larn Eloh'myr, one of the merellin the party had met previously on Captain Drake's vessel at the Coral Caves. As the party sailed, they gradually gathered a few interesting things about Rajah- namely, that he was raised by tigers and that someone was trying to capture him.
Then the party reached Yafall and took the Sea Hag up a river. The river led them to a lake surrounded by low hills and a few cliffs. "Maybe," Malford reasoned, "we can find a hidden cove or even a cave to use as a hideout." Galiger nodded and barked orders to the crew; the knarr glided out across the water, staying reasonably close to the edge for easier searching. Some areas showed beach; and, strangely enough, a vessel- a small galley- was beached on it. Listing to one side, the vessel seemed to be empty, at least at first glance; and so our heroes obliged....
Next Time: A strange boat, an ambush, and a strange disappearance!
the Jester
Legend
Galiger's Logs
These are Galiger's logs from the period up to the last update. The player made up an arbitrary calendar, refusing to use the "Our Lord Galador" dating system.
Month 2, Day 5, Year 56 BB
Fought worshipers of Galador (anyone who attacks me is a worshipper of him). Killed a strong mage, captain hit by a lightning bolt. No dead, many wounded. Need sand buckets to put out fires, spikes to stop boarders. Need to build cabins, hold religious ceremonies and such.
2/6/56 of our lord Bleak
Bought spikes, buckets and will start repairs on ship and modification. Starting to check out town militia. Need to repair wooden struts. Leave to see Old Man Rhumy write more when we come back. (Found out average size town's garrison's 40 men.) Need brass bell.
2/18/56 in the year of the Ixithoil
Returned from a adventure up in to the forest, captured by elves escaped attacked by spiders. Vido and Flipper have gone to see Bleak. Need to get weapon hire crew to look for a hide out. Will leave tomorrow. OLD MAN RHUMY will die.
Vido was mine (sorry went a little out of hand)
2/19/56 month of Everdark
design outfitting list: 10 axes, 8 hammers, 2 large 2-man saws, 2 barrels of tar, 2 small saws, a winch, 1000' thick hemp rope. Dexter's back.
2/20/56 The first day of the rest of your sh*tty lives
One day before the hiring of the crew. Armor will be done this month 2/86/56 BB. Need ceremony to Bleak for ship morale.
2/21/56 Hiring Day
Hired 2 gnomes to man the guns. One follower of Bleak, an elf. Watch the human. Indecisive boy. Kicked the kid off the ship. Lyr left, good.
2/22/56 in the shadow days before Bleak
Hired the chick elf. Consider the day unsuccessful. Lyr returned, darn.
2/23/56
Hired halfling painter (I don't know why). Elven sniper. Finish buying supplies, are ready to sail, full crew and supplies for a voyage.
2 days of waiting...
These are Galiger's logs from the period up to the last update. The player made up an arbitrary calendar, refusing to use the "Our Lord Galador" dating system.
Month 2, Day 5, Year 56 BB
Fought worshipers of Galador (anyone who attacks me is a worshipper of him). Killed a strong mage, captain hit by a lightning bolt. No dead, many wounded. Need sand buckets to put out fires, spikes to stop boarders. Need to build cabins, hold religious ceremonies and such.
2/6/56 of our lord Bleak
Bought spikes, buckets and will start repairs on ship and modification. Starting to check out town militia. Need to repair wooden struts. Leave to see Old Man Rhumy write more when we come back. (Found out average size town's garrison's 40 men.) Need brass bell.
2/18/56 in the year of the Ixithoil
Returned from a adventure up in to the forest, captured by elves escaped attacked by spiders. Vido and Flipper have gone to see Bleak. Need to get weapon hire crew to look for a hide out. Will leave tomorrow. OLD MAN RHUMY will die.
Vido was mine (sorry went a little out of hand)
2/19/56 month of Everdark
design outfitting list: 10 axes, 8 hammers, 2 large 2-man saws, 2 barrels of tar, 2 small saws, a winch, 1000' thick hemp rope. Dexter's back.
2/20/56 The first day of the rest of your sh*tty lives
One day before the hiring of the crew. Armor will be done this month 2/86/56 BB. Need ceremony to Bleak for ship morale.
2/21/56 Hiring Day
Hired 2 gnomes to man the guns. One follower of Bleak, an elf. Watch the human. Indecisive boy. Kicked the kid off the ship. Lyr left, good.
2/22/56 in the shadow days before Bleak
Hired the chick elf. Consider the day unsuccessful. Lyr returned, darn.
2/23/56
Hired halfling painter (I don't know why). Elven sniper. Finish buying supplies, are ready to sail, full crew and supplies for a voyage.
2 days of waiting...
the Jester
Legend
Lela said:
I'm glad you like it!
As others have often pointed out, there's often a certain mix of light-heartedness with foulness in my games and story hours. I attribute a lot of it to the bizarre sense of humors my group tends towards (myself included, of course).The other swath of story hours- my old story hour, Agents of Chaos and To War Against Felenga- covers a lot of mid to high level craziness, and at the current point in To War Against Felenga the party has several 20th-level members. My old story hour isn't exactly part of the same thread as the other two, but several characters from it make appearances. I actually really recommend the old story hour thread a lot- it's full of weird stuff going on, metal ships, and the incredibly funny but frightful tale of Captain Clambake.
Mathew_Freeman
First Post
Hurrah for Captain Clambake, me hearties! Arrrr!
the Jester
Legend
The Ghost Ship pt 1
The strange galley creaks around them as our heroes climb aboard it. It seems deserted, at least at first glance.
“This is creepy,” murmurs Dexter with a shiver as he looks around. The wheel has something glowing in it, and a thick-looking metal door bars entrance to the cabin. Rajah and Sh’Larn approach the wheel while Malford and Galiger warily eye the door.
The captain of the Sea Hag cautiously looks the door over, then turns to his first mate. “What do you think?”
“Let’s see what’s behind it,” Galiger answers, just as a tremendous sound indicates the detonation of a trap on the wheel. Sh’Larn has touched what he shouldn’t, and a blast of fire rips over him. The merellin screams, staggers back, and collapses, moaning. He’s not dead, but only by a hair.
As if that wasn’t enough, Gepp suddenly points. “Look! Skeletons!” And indeed, there does seem to be a party of skeletal figures walking down the beach towards the boat. Worse, almost as if his words were a premonition, the ship’s boats’ covers are suddenly cast aside as skeletons arise from them as well! Caught by surprise, our heroes are engaged by nearly twenty undead, and the group on shore is at least as numerous!
Dexter screams in fear as he swings his quarterstaff at the nearest skeleton, smashing its ribs in. My psionics won’t help here! he thinks wildly. Nearby, Malford is thinking the same of his illusions. Rajah tries to stand guard over Sh’Larn’s unconscious form, but he’s driven back by the press of enemies. Lyr stabs brutally with her harpoon, completely surrounded and beset by five skeletons herself, crooning an invocation of the wrath of the sea, sky and land. Malford thrusts and dodges to her aid.
Gepp, emulating his captain, tries to move to help Lyr, but he’s intercepted by a cadre of enemies. They hack at him ruthlessly, stopping him from advancing and closing in around him. Rajah smashes his fist into a skeleton, sending it to join the few that our heroes have brought down, but to his dismay he sees another of the skeletons slash with its scimitar and connect with Gepp’s head! The gnome gurgles and falls, slain!
“We can’t take them all like this!” Captain Malford cries. “Especially with more of them coming! Retreat, over the side and back to the Sea Hag!”
A fighting retreat begins. Rajah jumps up, kicks out and destroys another skeleton even as Lyr finally fights her way to Sh’Larn. She grunts with effort as she pulls his pudgy body up into her arms and struggles through the melee to the edge of the vessel.
She looks to the ground 20’ below. Glances to her left to see the advancing skeletons.
I hope he survives, she thinks, then dumps Sh’Larn over the edge. The merellin’s unconscious form falls limply, hitting head-first with a sickening snapping sound. The gods Lyr worships are not kind. She’s already turned to defend herself again as the skeletons assail her with club and- ironically- harpoon. Clang! The enemy harpoon is parried aside, then she sweeps the butt into the skeleton’s face, crashing through its skull and laying it low. Then she’s over the side, climbing down as best she can. Missile fire is already coming down at her escaping comrades, and the landward party of undead is hurrying to the fight as well....
“Let’s go!” shouts Malford. “Back to the ship!”
In a quarter of an hour the survivors have returned and are grimly planning a full-scale attack on the enemy ship....
Next Time: The first appearance of a seagate in my campaign!
The strange galley creaks around them as our heroes climb aboard it. It seems deserted, at least at first glance.
“This is creepy,” murmurs Dexter with a shiver as he looks around. The wheel has something glowing in it, and a thick-looking metal door bars entrance to the cabin. Rajah and Sh’Larn approach the wheel while Malford and Galiger warily eye the door.
The captain of the Sea Hag cautiously looks the door over, then turns to his first mate. “What do you think?”
“Let’s see what’s behind it,” Galiger answers, just as a tremendous sound indicates the detonation of a trap on the wheel. Sh’Larn has touched what he shouldn’t, and a blast of fire rips over him. The merellin screams, staggers back, and collapses, moaning. He’s not dead, but only by a hair.
As if that wasn’t enough, Gepp suddenly points. “Look! Skeletons!” And indeed, there does seem to be a party of skeletal figures walking down the beach towards the boat. Worse, almost as if his words were a premonition, the ship’s boats’ covers are suddenly cast aside as skeletons arise from them as well! Caught by surprise, our heroes are engaged by nearly twenty undead, and the group on shore is at least as numerous!
Dexter screams in fear as he swings his quarterstaff at the nearest skeleton, smashing its ribs in. My psionics won’t help here! he thinks wildly. Nearby, Malford is thinking the same of his illusions. Rajah tries to stand guard over Sh’Larn’s unconscious form, but he’s driven back by the press of enemies. Lyr stabs brutally with her harpoon, completely surrounded and beset by five skeletons herself, crooning an invocation of the wrath of the sea, sky and land. Malford thrusts and dodges to her aid.
Gepp, emulating his captain, tries to move to help Lyr, but he’s intercepted by a cadre of enemies. They hack at him ruthlessly, stopping him from advancing and closing in around him. Rajah smashes his fist into a skeleton, sending it to join the few that our heroes have brought down, but to his dismay he sees another of the skeletons slash with its scimitar and connect with Gepp’s head! The gnome gurgles and falls, slain!
“We can’t take them all like this!” Captain Malford cries. “Especially with more of them coming! Retreat, over the side and back to the Sea Hag!”
A fighting retreat begins. Rajah jumps up, kicks out and destroys another skeleton even as Lyr finally fights her way to Sh’Larn. She grunts with effort as she pulls his pudgy body up into her arms and struggles through the melee to the edge of the vessel.
She looks to the ground 20’ below. Glances to her left to see the advancing skeletons.
I hope he survives, she thinks, then dumps Sh’Larn over the edge. The merellin’s unconscious form falls limply, hitting head-first with a sickening snapping sound. The gods Lyr worships are not kind. She’s already turned to defend herself again as the skeletons assail her with club and- ironically- harpoon. Clang! The enemy harpoon is parried aside, then she sweeps the butt into the skeleton’s face, crashing through its skull and laying it low. Then she’s over the side, climbing down as best she can. Missile fire is already coming down at her escaping comrades, and the landward party of undead is hurrying to the fight as well....
“Let’s go!” shouts Malford. “Back to the ship!”
In a quarter of an hour the survivors have returned and are grimly planning a full-scale attack on the enemy ship....
Next Time: The first appearance of a seagate in my campaign!
the Jester
Legend
Lela said:
Ah, and of course it comes back eventually too...
the Jester
Legend
Pursuing the Ghost Ship
A bizarre bolt of silvery light arced down with a thunderous crash, blasting the water between the Sea Hag and the nameless ghost ship, seemingly directed by the glowing sword in the hand of the undead commander. It seemed they weren’t yet in range.
The crew of the Sea Hag manned their battle stations, and as Chanticleer led the group in a sea chantey to Bleak, the knarr headed to cut off the undead vessel; but sadly, it had already managed to pull itself somehow from the beach and was making quick progress towards the center of the lake.
“After them!” Galiger cried, and the crew heaved to, rowing and turning the sail til it puffed full of wind- the breeze was with them- and pursuit commenced.
But the enemy vessel, perhaps enhanced through some sort of eldritch trickery, seemed just a little faster than the Hag. Rajah climbed into the crow’s nest to make sure that they didn’t lose sight of their quarry, but to his chagrin, the vessel abruptly vanished. “They’re gone!” he called down from the nest, disheartened.
“What do you mean, gone?” Captain Malford the Magnificent shouted up at him. Rajah shrugged, keeping an eye out, and yelled down a quick explanation.
“They just vanished... maybe turned invisible or teleported or something...?”
Swearing like only pirates can, Malford and Galiger ordered the ship to pursue, and they started sweeping through the area where the vessel disappeared. They found no sign. “Maybe they went invisible and put ashore again,” Galiger suggested, and added darkly, “Nobody messes with out crew like that!” The captain nodded, and they ordered the crew to take them in close to the shore again. Their plan was to search for signs of the ghost ship and a hideout simultaneously.
“If we’re lucky, we’ll find their hideout and take it over,” commented one of the crew wryly. His name was Farenth; if only our heroes had a clue as to the amount of heartbreak and death he was going to eventually cause them, they would have killed him, hacked him to pieces and cast him overboard right then and there. But alas, there’s no sign of his treachery yet.
For now, the ship advanced along the perimeter of the lake. Carefully, our heroes watched for any sign of enemies, plunder or hideouts. Several hours passed at a crawl before a sharp-eyed crewman manning the fore ballista (his name was Toby) pointed at the cliff face they were passing. “Look, a cave!” Indeed, a jagged opening, around 30’ wide, faced them.
“I wonder if it narrows,” commented Malford, and ordered the sail furled. Moving by oar alone, the knarr slowly swung about and headed in. The group passed a passage off to one side and gradually crossed a hundred yards of slowly-widening cave. At its end the long tunnel opened up into a vast chamber almost 200’ across and about 120’ wide, with a small beach at the far end.
“Keep your eyes open,” Malford warned, just before a sea serpent reared from the water and attacked, letting out an ear-splitting roar. Its neck was as thick as a man’s chest, and it snapped down, trying to snatch a tasty morsel from the deck of the Sea Hag.
Unfortunately for the beast, its target wasn’t about to let herself get eaten. Chanti poked its nose with her sword as it came at her, and it squealed and drew back, then sneezed. Sizzling gobs of blood spattered out. Screaming, the monster spat a long streamer of acid!
Rajah leapt, smashing Chanti aside, and the acid didn’t kill her. She screamed as the stringy, phlegmy acid brushed across her arm and leg, burning her horribly. But then Rajah’s weight was off her as he sprang, catlike, onto the monster, clinging to its neck and savaging it with his bare hands*! He looked almost tigerlike in his fury as he tore at the monster.
Plarenth and Urlah, two of the hired crew, swung the aft ballista towards the thing and let fly! The shaft struck the monster square in the body, and it shrieked again. Lyr’s harpoon flew towards it, as did a spattering of spells from Urick and Malford. It weakened, and with a scream, Rajah plunged his hand into its eye! A final spasm signalled the monster’s death, and it fell with a loud splash back into the water. Rajah swam back to the ship....
*Rajah practiced the Way of the Tiger, a 1e-style martial art that we worked up from the original Oriental Adventures. He was, after all, raised by tigers.
Next Time: Building a lair!
A bizarre bolt of silvery light arced down with a thunderous crash, blasting the water between the Sea Hag and the nameless ghost ship, seemingly directed by the glowing sword in the hand of the undead commander. It seemed they weren’t yet in range.
The crew of the Sea Hag manned their battle stations, and as Chanticleer led the group in a sea chantey to Bleak, the knarr headed to cut off the undead vessel; but sadly, it had already managed to pull itself somehow from the beach and was making quick progress towards the center of the lake.
“After them!” Galiger cried, and the crew heaved to, rowing and turning the sail til it puffed full of wind- the breeze was with them- and pursuit commenced.
But the enemy vessel, perhaps enhanced through some sort of eldritch trickery, seemed just a little faster than the Hag. Rajah climbed into the crow’s nest to make sure that they didn’t lose sight of their quarry, but to his chagrin, the vessel abruptly vanished. “They’re gone!” he called down from the nest, disheartened.
“What do you mean, gone?” Captain Malford the Magnificent shouted up at him. Rajah shrugged, keeping an eye out, and yelled down a quick explanation.
“They just vanished... maybe turned invisible or teleported or something...?”
Swearing like only pirates can, Malford and Galiger ordered the ship to pursue, and they started sweeping through the area where the vessel disappeared. They found no sign. “Maybe they went invisible and put ashore again,” Galiger suggested, and added darkly, “Nobody messes with out crew like that!” The captain nodded, and they ordered the crew to take them in close to the shore again. Their plan was to search for signs of the ghost ship and a hideout simultaneously.
“If we’re lucky, we’ll find their hideout and take it over,” commented one of the crew wryly. His name was Farenth; if only our heroes had a clue as to the amount of heartbreak and death he was going to eventually cause them, they would have killed him, hacked him to pieces and cast him overboard right then and there. But alas, there’s no sign of his treachery yet.
For now, the ship advanced along the perimeter of the lake. Carefully, our heroes watched for any sign of enemies, plunder or hideouts. Several hours passed at a crawl before a sharp-eyed crewman manning the fore ballista (his name was Toby) pointed at the cliff face they were passing. “Look, a cave!” Indeed, a jagged opening, around 30’ wide, faced them.
“I wonder if it narrows,” commented Malford, and ordered the sail furled. Moving by oar alone, the knarr slowly swung about and headed in. The group passed a passage off to one side and gradually crossed a hundred yards of slowly-widening cave. At its end the long tunnel opened up into a vast chamber almost 200’ across and about 120’ wide, with a small beach at the far end.
“Keep your eyes open,” Malford warned, just before a sea serpent reared from the water and attacked, letting out an ear-splitting roar. Its neck was as thick as a man’s chest, and it snapped down, trying to snatch a tasty morsel from the deck of the Sea Hag.
Unfortunately for the beast, its target wasn’t about to let herself get eaten. Chanti poked its nose with her sword as it came at her, and it squealed and drew back, then sneezed. Sizzling gobs of blood spattered out. Screaming, the monster spat a long streamer of acid!
Rajah leapt, smashing Chanti aside, and the acid didn’t kill her. She screamed as the stringy, phlegmy acid brushed across her arm and leg, burning her horribly. But then Rajah’s weight was off her as he sprang, catlike, onto the monster, clinging to its neck and savaging it with his bare hands*! He looked almost tigerlike in his fury as he tore at the monster.
Plarenth and Urlah, two of the hired crew, swung the aft ballista towards the thing and let fly! The shaft struck the monster square in the body, and it shrieked again. Lyr’s harpoon flew towards it, as did a spattering of spells from Urick and Malford. It weakened, and with a scream, Rajah plunged his hand into its eye! A final spasm signalled the monster’s death, and it fell with a loud splash back into the water. Rajah swam back to the ship....
*Rajah practiced the Way of the Tiger, a 1e-style martial art that we worked up from the original Oriental Adventures. He was, after all, raised by tigers.
Next Time: Building a lair!
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