KidCthulhu
First Post
Dread Night snos! tee-hee-hee. That's still funny.
Defenders of Daybreak, The Early Years.
- Thread starter Sialia
- Start date
Bandeeto
First Post
Arcade’s Journal – Crellar’s Inn Part II, Dopplegangers and Death
...after several days travel we have again arrived at Crellar’s Inn. Despite the deep snow outside, the place is jammed with merchants and other folk returning from New Year’s celebrations, and we have decided to spend the evening....
...all is not well. Kelsey, the younger of Crellar’s boys is very upset and blames the trouble on us. He told us that shortly after we left the first time his brother and father began acting very strangely. They have been cold and cruel to the boy, and seem to communicate without speaking. We immediately suspected doppelgangers. However in the interim, Gertrude, the boy’s mother, has become pregnant, so Tom-Tom “hypnotized” the boy to be sure it was not simply jealousy on Kelsey’s part.
Jealously apparently plays no role here. The lad remembers the exact day that his father and brother began acting strangely. It started after they went outside to move the woodpile closer to the inn. Kelsey also reports that his father closely guards a box that he keeps under the bed....
...chose a new password, and warned everyone to stay alert. Nolin entertained the crowd to create a distraction while Tom-Tom and Grundo went out to search the woodpile.
...I was sitting with Kellog, the older brother, and asked him whether he liked the bard's music. He stared searchingly at me for a while, and then gave a nonchalant answer. It seemed plain that he was reading my mind! Then it occurred to me that he must now know my suspicions about his identity. He quickly rose and started for the kitchen. I followed to prevent him from escaping or warning his colleague. Just inside the kitchen door he turned and ambushed me, his features flowing like wax. A Sleep spell had no effect on him. As I began to cast Color Spray, his rubbery fingers found my neck, wrapped themselves around my throat, and squeezed.
I died.
[Ed. I was stunned to have died in this idiotic fashion, especially as I had failed to follow the cardinal rule and bring someone with me into the kitchen. P’Cat had taken me into the next room for this encounter. As my character slumped lifeless to the floor, P’Cat offered me an “opportunity.” Continue playing for the rest of the evening as my own slayer. The next entries are from the journal of Drd’zzoth of the Shapeless, doppelganger.]
...after several days travel we have again arrived at Crellar’s Inn. Despite the deep snow outside, the place is jammed with merchants and other folk returning from New Year’s celebrations, and we have decided to spend the evening....
...all is not well. Kelsey, the younger of Crellar’s boys is very upset and blames the trouble on us. He told us that shortly after we left the first time his brother and father began acting very strangely. They have been cold and cruel to the boy, and seem to communicate without speaking. We immediately suspected doppelgangers. However in the interim, Gertrude, the boy’s mother, has become pregnant, so Tom-Tom “hypnotized” the boy to be sure it was not simply jealousy on Kelsey’s part.
Jealously apparently plays no role here. The lad remembers the exact day that his father and brother began acting strangely. It started after they went outside to move the woodpile closer to the inn. Kelsey also reports that his father closely guards a box that he keeps under the bed....
...chose a new password, and warned everyone to stay alert. Nolin entertained the crowd to create a distraction while Tom-Tom and Grundo went out to search the woodpile.
...I was sitting with Kellog, the older brother, and asked him whether he liked the bard's music. He stared searchingly at me for a while, and then gave a nonchalant answer. It seemed plain that he was reading my mind! Then it occurred to me that he must now know my suspicions about his identity. He quickly rose and started for the kitchen. I followed to prevent him from escaping or warning his colleague. Just inside the kitchen door he turned and ambushed me, his features flowing like wax. A Sleep spell had no effect on him. As I began to cast Color Spray, his rubbery fingers found my neck, wrapped themselves around my throat, and squeezed.
I died.
[Ed. I was stunned to have died in this idiotic fashion, especially as I had failed to follow the cardinal rule and bring someone with me into the kitchen. P’Cat had taken me into the next room for this encounter. As my character slumped lifeless to the floor, P’Cat offered me an “opportunity.” Continue playing for the rest of the evening as my own slayer. The next entries are from the journal of Drd’zzoth of the Shapeless, doppelganger.]
Last edited:
Bandeeto
First Post
Drd’zzoth’s Journal – Crellar’s Inn
...the Frozen Ones failed to locate all members of our hunting party during their stay in this place of warmth and isolation. I escaped by killing one of the elves and then claiming that he had tried to take my form. Astonishing gullibility. Joined my comrade in the woods, and waited for the departure of magic and sharp steel from the house. We are entrusted to ferry the thrice-cursed blade to its destruction, and must not fail. However, there is danger in travelling with diminished numbers during the months of cold. We shall remain here, and play our games....
...I slew the magic wielder, donned his garb, and placed his corpse within the cold meat locker. I dared not take the staff, for it Knew me. The noises continued in the common room. I mingled with these Stiffs, these Defenders of Daybreak. The ones called Grundo and Tom-Tom have returned. Tom-Tom cannot be penetrated, but knowledge of my deeds burns in Grundo’s mind. They have found the hidden bodies of Gardis Crellar and his son Kellog beneath the wood pile.
Great care, now. My comrade has already been warned. A distraction is needed. I must get The Sword....
...went with Alix and Tom-Tom to search the bedrooms. They found the box and bypassed the well-laid traps upon it. Opening it, they uncovered The Slayer, glittering with runes upon the velvet. I attempted to take it, on pretext of examining the runes. No longer caged in its container the blade turned upon me, blazing with white light and searing my fingers. Dropping The Slayer, I howled and fled the room....
...while Tom-Tom examined the blade, Alix came to assist his friend. I found Alix alone with me in the hall with his back briefly turned. Silently, I made an end of him with my hands....
...distraction has been achieved. While the Defenders sought the body of Arcade Deltarion, I rapidly passed through the house and set it afire at strategic points. We dare not remain. They have The Slayer, and despair finds me. But as we flee into the night I am comforted, for my comrade’s seed grows even now within my “mother” this night....
[Ed. Tom-Tom left the bedroom seeking Alix, only to find him lying dead in the hall. Instantly he knew that Arcade was dead as well. He searched the kitchen, but while looking for Arcade’s body with infravision missed it entirely in the cold, lightless, meat locker. He then spiked the door to the locker closed!
Tom-Tom then returned to the common room and gathered the party to tell them what had happened. Suddenly a green flash lit the room and Arcade’s staff appeared in Glimmer’s hand.
“I am displeased,” it said.
“Why is that?” said Nolin, astonished that the staff could speak.
“My perambulatory extremities have been disabled!” said the staff.
The staff informed the party of Arcade’s location. Just at that moment a chambermaid ran down from the upper floor screaming that the inn was on fire. The Defenders managed to grab their supplies and Alix’s body, extricate Arcade’s body from the locker, and flee.
They spent the night in a magic pavilion created by one of the merchants. The party was then faced with the horrible task of telling Gertrude Crellar what had happened. She became, naturally, distraught and hysterical. Cadrienne took charge of her and escorted her to a nearby relative’s home.
Later, the sword recovered from under the bed was revealed to be “Cambion”, a unique Sword of Shapechanger Detection. It glowed strongly in the presence of shapeshifters, was plussed against them, and with a successful hit had a high probability of forcing one back into its own shape.
The doppelgangers escaped, and nothing more was heard of them.
For several years.]
...the Frozen Ones failed to locate all members of our hunting party during their stay in this place of warmth and isolation. I escaped by killing one of the elves and then claiming that he had tried to take my form. Astonishing gullibility. Joined my comrade in the woods, and waited for the departure of magic and sharp steel from the house. We are entrusted to ferry the thrice-cursed blade to its destruction, and must not fail. However, there is danger in travelling with diminished numbers during the months of cold. We shall remain here, and play our games....
...I slew the magic wielder, donned his garb, and placed his corpse within the cold meat locker. I dared not take the staff, for it Knew me. The noises continued in the common room. I mingled with these Stiffs, these Defenders of Daybreak. The ones called Grundo and Tom-Tom have returned. Tom-Tom cannot be penetrated, but knowledge of my deeds burns in Grundo’s mind. They have found the hidden bodies of Gardis Crellar and his son Kellog beneath the wood pile.
Great care, now. My comrade has already been warned. A distraction is needed. I must get The Sword....
...went with Alix and Tom-Tom to search the bedrooms. They found the box and bypassed the well-laid traps upon it. Opening it, they uncovered The Slayer, glittering with runes upon the velvet. I attempted to take it, on pretext of examining the runes. No longer caged in its container the blade turned upon me, blazing with white light and searing my fingers. Dropping The Slayer, I howled and fled the room....
...while Tom-Tom examined the blade, Alix came to assist his friend. I found Alix alone with me in the hall with his back briefly turned. Silently, I made an end of him with my hands....
...distraction has been achieved. While the Defenders sought the body of Arcade Deltarion, I rapidly passed through the house and set it afire at strategic points. We dare not remain. They have The Slayer, and despair finds me. But as we flee into the night I am comforted, for my comrade’s seed grows even now within my “mother” this night....
[Ed. Tom-Tom left the bedroom seeking Alix, only to find him lying dead in the hall. Instantly he knew that Arcade was dead as well. He searched the kitchen, but while looking for Arcade’s body with infravision missed it entirely in the cold, lightless, meat locker. He then spiked the door to the locker closed!
Tom-Tom then returned to the common room and gathered the party to tell them what had happened. Suddenly a green flash lit the room and Arcade’s staff appeared in Glimmer’s hand.
“I am displeased,” it said.
“Why is that?” said Nolin, astonished that the staff could speak.
“My perambulatory extremities have been disabled!” said the staff.
The staff informed the party of Arcade’s location. Just at that moment a chambermaid ran down from the upper floor screaming that the inn was on fire. The Defenders managed to grab their supplies and Alix’s body, extricate Arcade’s body from the locker, and flee.
They spent the night in a magic pavilion created by one of the merchants. The party was then faced with the horrible task of telling Gertrude Crellar what had happened. She became, naturally, distraught and hysterical. Cadrienne took charge of her and escorted her to a nearby relative’s home.
Later, the sword recovered from under the bed was revealed to be “Cambion”, a unique Sword of Shapechanger Detection. It glowed strongly in the presence of shapeshifters, was plussed against them, and with a successful hit had a high probability of forcing one back into its own shape.
The doppelgangers escaped, and nothing more was heard of them.
For several years.]
Piratecat
Sesquipedalian
Arcade did a fine job of playing his own doppelganger and then killing Alix. This session had even more of a sense of growing horror, especially when they uncovered the wood pile and realized that Crellar and his son were there. The ground must have been too frozen to bury them.
Favorite parts of the evening include the look on Bandeeto's face when TomTom opened the ice shed to look for heat signatures, found none, and spiked it closed... along with Arcade's body. The other fun part was the psionic staff coming back to sentience after having drained off part of the dying Arcade's life energy. Hey, it helped, though.
The long sword mentioned was named Cambion: 3e stats would be +2 shapeshifter bane, detect shapeshifters in a 60' r. by glowing (this almost led paranoid party members to attack a druid once), shapeshifters hit must make a fortitude save at DC 15 or be forced into their true shape as a full-round action.
Obviously, not everything the Defenders did came back to haunt them; in fact, they made friends and allies as well as enemies. Crellar's Inn (later renamed) became a sanctuary for them, and after their mother died Cadrienne ended up adopting Kelsey (the youngest boy) and his probably-a-doppelganger little brother.
Favorite parts of the evening include the look on Bandeeto's face when TomTom opened the ice shed to look for heat signatures, found none, and spiked it closed... along with Arcade's body. The other fun part was the psionic staff coming back to sentience after having drained off part of the dying Arcade's life energy. Hey, it helped, though.
The long sword mentioned was named Cambion: 3e stats would be +2 shapeshifter bane, detect shapeshifters in a 60' r. by glowing (this almost led paranoid party members to attack a druid once), shapeshifters hit must make a fortitude save at DC 15 or be forced into their true shape as a full-round action.
Obviously, not everything the Defenders did came back to haunt them; in fact, they made friends and allies as well as enemies. Crellar's Inn (later renamed) became a sanctuary for them, and after their mother died Cadrienne ended up adopting Kelsey (the youngest boy) and his probably-a-doppelganger little brother.
KidCthulhu
First Post
Piratecat said:
Which lead to no end of confusion later in our career when we ended up fighting a Cambion (half-fiend).
"Get the Cambion!"
"Already wielding it!"
"No, not that Cambion. The other one!"
Bandeeto
First Post
As much as everyone in the party occasionally wanted to strangle Alix, I (as the doppleganger) was the only one ever given the means, motive, and complete justification for doing so. 
I have been invited to play monsters by many DM's, and I have always loved the thrill of matching up against a whole party (especially if I know the players well.)
One advantage of this approach is that it lets the monsters fight as hard and nastily as they can, giving them more verisimilitude.
One disadvantage is that you lose the unified "game-face" that a single DM presents, and risk damaging the game thereby.
The wonderful thing about playing with P'Cat is that he gives the party plenty of rope to hang themselves with at all times. Because the Defenders go so many places and make so many powerful enemies, their actions come back to bite them (or save them) over and over again.
This has led to another strange phenomenon.
The players know that P'Cat loves to take an old foe or plot hook and resurrect (or occasionally Reincarnate) it later. So the players (some of them anyway) are constantly trying to keep track of the hundreds of plot strings just in case, and trying to make connections between disparate events years and leagues apart.
This means that the party frequently does P'Cat's work for him. Thus... Defender's Rule One, never give the DM ideas.
I have been invited to play monsters by many DM's, and I have always loved the thrill of matching up against a whole party (especially if I know the players well.)
One advantage of this approach is that it lets the monsters fight as hard and nastily as they can, giving them more verisimilitude.
One disadvantage is that you lose the unified "game-face" that a single DM presents, and risk damaging the game thereby.
The wonderful thing about playing with P'Cat is that he gives the party plenty of rope to hang themselves with at all times. Because the Defenders go so many places and make so many powerful enemies, their actions come back to bite them (or save them) over and over again.
This has led to another strange phenomenon.
The players know that P'Cat loves to take an old foe or plot hook and resurrect (or occasionally Reincarnate) it later. So the players (some of them anyway) are constantly trying to keep track of the hundreds of plot strings just in case, and trying to make connections between disparate events years and leagues apart.
This means that the party frequently does P'Cat's work for him. Thus... Defender's Rule One, never give the DM ideas.
Bandeeto
First Post
Arcade’s Journal – Return to Rampart, Demon Bunnies
...awoke upon a bier, surrounded by my friends, in the temple of Eris. My grandfather Ortigal was there, weeping at the bedside. I found out later, from Nolin, that Ortigal was tremendously upset when the Defenders brought my body back to him, even shouting at my dead corpse. Ortigal paid the majority of the resurrection fees, and I have resolved to tithe him from my treasure until my debt is repaid. It is very good to be back amongst the living....
...I will need to have a long chat with my staff, the so called Master of Space and Time. It seems he is now animate, and requesting a lengthy polish with beeswax for his role in recovering my body. I have borrowed some money from Nolin for a donation to Eris....
...Alix will hopefully be joining us soon. He was returned to Lord Tarim-Loial in Kindric, and we have received word that he was resurrected and suffered dearly at the hands of his brothers. Tom-Tom tells me that Alix has escaped, and will be in Rampart within a few days. Grundo has gone to train with a local battlerager. Nolin has gone into the woods to “train” with Oania the dryad.
Ortigal has said that if I must be an adventurer he will insist that I be better trained as well. He is a crusty old man, and not truly of my blood, but he does love me and has stood by me my entire life. I can think of no better tutor in the arts of Transmutation than my grandfather. We begin early tomorrow....
...effort was worth it. My mind brims with new spells. I have also been reflecting. Since my return from Beyond, I feel a need for companionship, and although there are risks involved I have chosen to summon a familiar. I wish to bond with an owl, a creature I have always admired. I intend to travel this day to ask Oania where the ideal location for casting might be....
...dryads are incorrigible in the spring. She actually tried to seduce me! Nolin can’t stop laughing about it.
However, I have achieved success! After nearly a day of meditation within the magic, I found Nyquil. He is a young great horned owl, and we are getting along famously. I have already constructed a shoulder pad for him, with a pouch to store dead mice....
...Defenders were gathered at the Flaxen Manticore. A local farmer of my acquaintance approached and begged us to help with a terrible problem. He claims that a horde of demon rabbits have been ravaging his fields. While we are somewhat skeptical, the man is not known for indulging in strong drink. We agreed to go with him....
...horrendous fight. We encountered a group of giant, Blinking, unicorn-horned rabbits. They apparently were being directed by a giant flying rabbit that could destroy objects using only its mind as a weapon. Alix attempted to leap over the head of one of the rabbits and was practically impaled. I also was badly gored, but together we managed to fell the horrid beasts. It is well. Neither Alix, nor I, were looking forward to another trip Beyond.
We discovered that a brownie had been raising the creatures for riding, but had found them unmanageable. The leader’s head has been stuffed and mounted in our new trophy room in the Flaxen Manticore. The inn has become our official headquarters....
...awoke upon a bier, surrounded by my friends, in the temple of Eris. My grandfather Ortigal was there, weeping at the bedside. I found out later, from Nolin, that Ortigal was tremendously upset when the Defenders brought my body back to him, even shouting at my dead corpse. Ortigal paid the majority of the resurrection fees, and I have resolved to tithe him from my treasure until my debt is repaid. It is very good to be back amongst the living....
...I will need to have a long chat with my staff, the so called Master of Space and Time. It seems he is now animate, and requesting a lengthy polish with beeswax for his role in recovering my body. I have borrowed some money from Nolin for a donation to Eris....
...Alix will hopefully be joining us soon. He was returned to Lord Tarim-Loial in Kindric, and we have received word that he was resurrected and suffered dearly at the hands of his brothers. Tom-Tom tells me that Alix has escaped, and will be in Rampart within a few days. Grundo has gone to train with a local battlerager. Nolin has gone into the woods to “train” with Oania the dryad.
Ortigal has said that if I must be an adventurer he will insist that I be better trained as well. He is a crusty old man, and not truly of my blood, but he does love me and has stood by me my entire life. I can think of no better tutor in the arts of Transmutation than my grandfather. We begin early tomorrow....
...effort was worth it. My mind brims with new spells. I have also been reflecting. Since my return from Beyond, I feel a need for companionship, and although there are risks involved I have chosen to summon a familiar. I wish to bond with an owl, a creature I have always admired. I intend to travel this day to ask Oania where the ideal location for casting might be....
...dryads are incorrigible in the spring. She actually tried to seduce me! Nolin can’t stop laughing about it.
However, I have achieved success! After nearly a day of meditation within the magic, I found Nyquil. He is a young great horned owl, and we are getting along famously. I have already constructed a shoulder pad for him, with a pouch to store dead mice....
...Defenders were gathered at the Flaxen Manticore. A local farmer of my acquaintance approached and begged us to help with a terrible problem. He claims that a horde of demon rabbits have been ravaging his fields. While we are somewhat skeptical, the man is not known for indulging in strong drink. We agreed to go with him....
...horrendous fight. We encountered a group of giant, Blinking, unicorn-horned rabbits. They apparently were being directed by a giant flying rabbit that could destroy objects using only its mind as a weapon. Alix attempted to leap over the head of one of the rabbits and was practically impaled. I also was badly gored, but together we managed to fell the horrid beasts. It is well. Neither Alix, nor I, were looking forward to another trip Beyond.
We discovered that a brownie had been raising the creatures for riding, but had found them unmanageable. The leader’s head has been stuffed and mounted in our new trophy room in the Flaxen Manticore. The inn has become our official headquarters....
Plane Sailing
Astral Admin - Mwahahaha!
I think these were from the Fiend Folio, weren't they? Called Al-Miraj or something like that?
KidCthulhu
First Post
Plane Sailing said:
Got it in one. Yep, I'd been pestering Pkitty for an encounter full of something harmles like fluffy bunnies who like to give away treasure. We got the bunnies and the shaft.
Rule 1.5, for wives only, never ask for anything!
KidCthulhu
First Post
Bandeeto said:
Arcade made his save. He had every intention of making his save. Hence the long running Defender's quote that "Arcade couldn't get laid by a dryad, in a glade, in Springtime. One of these days, if Bandeeto doesn't offer me a sufficient bribe, I'll post the words of Nolin's biggest hit, "The Virgin Mage" written about Arcade.
Nyquil is dead cool, and I've always been honored that Bandeeto took my suggestion for his name. You had to be there for the look on Arcade's face the first time Nyquil ate a mouse, and he shared the experience over an empathic link.
For those of you unfamiliar with the product, Nyquil is a popular brand of cough syrup, touted as being good for nighttime coughs and helping cold sufferers sleep. It's chock full of alcohol, so they oughta sleep!
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