Final Fantasy:Chrystaria Lives- A d20 Egypt Campaign- Updated 8/6 Mega Update

[DonTadow]

Episode 20: Significent Others- Director's Commentary

# Want to see images of this episode, go to the Characters Gallery
# Brando'on dropped out of the campaign before this adventure. Neither Rahotep (whom also dropped) or Rykio were present.
# Jalentriel's showupmanship of the other bard was some interesting RPG'n that earned the party some much needed town rumors.
# This adventure went smooth with four players.
# There were a couple of roleplaying specific scenes that were ommited from the summary to keep a good flow. One of them was the long bar scene that Jalentriel showed upthe other bard. The other was the irritated messenger whom visited Vivian and Rin three tinmes.
# Also ommitted were the long scenes involving Nikylik and the halfling whom took a fancy to him. The suspicious Nikylik gave in to the woman eventually after much woeing. Nikylik's starting to make himself quite a name in the town.
# During the Lizard fight, Vivian is down to 12 hit point. I was hoping for more of a cat fight with Rin.
# I thought the party forgot about Ms. Bianca for a bit, their original purpose for being in the city.
# I liked this and last adventure because, often with this adventure and long campaigns, small things the party do now don't effect the world around them until a few adventures down the line. This time because of the storyline , the immediate consequences of not saving the minutemen are very apparent in the story.

 

[DonTadow]

Episode 21: Temple Revelations

Episode 21: Temple Revelations
Pachon 1, 1122

As the first day of Pachon’s dawned, a wary and ruffed up Nikylik stumbled into the Quarta Set Pyramid and to his room. Slamming the door, he awoke Jalentriel whom noticed the young gnome’s bruising and asked if all was ok. Nikylik did not wish to talk about his night and went immediately to sleep. Of course, now was the time for Jalentriel to begin practicing his hymns and prayers. Rahotep woke up as well to take his morning prayer at the temple on the lower floor. Before heading out he went to the ladies rooms, whom also were just getting up after their rough night. Rin was already up and about, exercising and watching the severed head of Tarus, whom they slain the previous night after he attacked them and tried to obtain the Masamune. Rahotep asked the ladies if they’d like to accompany him to the temple for morning prayer. Vivian scoffed at the notion and Rin neatly declined. The ladies told Rahotep about the head of Tarus and that they did not know how to destroy it. They also told Rahotep about the night’s previous events.

Rahotep quickly grabbed some water and prayed on it then doused it down the head. A green mist arose from the head, causing the head melt and evaporate. Rahotep began to explain that Tarus must have been some type of Lizard/ Vampire hybrid. Rahotep and the two ladies walked to room the men were staying in and told Nikylik and Jalentriel about their night. The party then decided that, instead of going about town this morning, they should travel to Tarus’s estate and search his home for clues about the connection between Ihat and the Yuan-ti. However, during the conversation Nikylik seemed to be acting extremely strange and hush.

After some talking it came out that Nikylik’s date with the young halfling woman did not go as well as everyone thought. Nikylik told the party that the woman was dead, but not by his hands. The party grew suspicious of the young gnome and demanded he tell them the whole story. Nikylik first said he did not know how the body was slain. Nikylik suggested that they cast a truth spell on him if they think he is lying. Rahotep called his bluff, casting the spell. Nikylik revealed that the young woman was murdered by a gnome his cousins had dealings with. The gnome mob boss had hired his cousins to build an experimental navigation system. The system was well worth 100,000GP. Nikylik did not know that the system was installed inside of the airship when he stole it to escort Rin to Torom. The gnome tracked Nikylik down and threatened to kill his family members if he did not return something of equivalent value to what was stolen. He also threatened to kill Timmy, the young gnome lass Nikylik was helping. Nikylik said that the gnome would kill a member of his family and the boy for each month that he does not receive payment.

The party was distressed by the news as it added yet another enemy to their growing list. It was decided that they go to Tarus’s estate while Rahotep goes and buries the body of the halfling woman.

At that point the morning news scroll was delivered. The scroll had a couple of stories of interest to the party. Nomarch Searse was in a lighter state of coma than he previously was, showing signs of recovery. Several Dignitaries from around the globe were traveling by airship into Quarta Set to see about his well being. They also discovered that the most prized treasure of Quarta Set was stolen by what witnessed described as men in dark paint in elf costumes. The party took note of this, as they are sure that they need the sword to cut the seal to the Elven Kingdom of Lanai. The party also pondered as to if that was the real sword or not. As the sword was stolen once before, perhaps the Quarta Set government was not so stupid as to put it in the same place to be stolen again.

After Rahotep left, the party decided to question the Madam Bianca Forge some more to see if she is hiding anything. Despite threats of dismantling and several divination spells nothing else was revealed. They lacked trust in her, and decided to take them along as to search the house.


Nikylik, Vivian, Rin, Jalentriel and the Forged Bianca rented some Chocoboo (bribing the stablemen to make sure that they were not seen) and road off into the country to find the estate. Through the dense forest and beyond a hill they found the estate where just the previous night Rin and Vivian had dined with the late Tarus. Sensing the front door was trapped, the party went in through the window. The house was a hunters dream with all types of game mounted and stuffed on walls. Jalentriel helped himself to several paintings and rugs throughout the house as the party searched for clues.

Upon entering the second dining room Nikylik was doused with a bucket of water. Vivian stopped the young gnome from entering into the next room and she ended up taking the blunt of an electrical field trap. Nikylik thanked her, and the five proceeded into the study where they were ambushed by two Lizard looking humans. The Yuan-ti fired off several rounds of bolts at them. However, the room was too small for the Yuan-ti to use their crossbow’s effectively. Vivian and Rin rushed into the room and quickly dispatched the Yuan-ti before they could learn any information about them.

The group continued to search the lower level and came across the butler and maid, both of them appeared to be human, but under a curse by the Quaa family. They are bound to the unhallow grounds of the estate and can not leave. Jalentriel hogtied the two and left them in the pantry as they searched the rest of the estate. The maid warned the party not to look into the urns or the treasure chests as they are trapped with monsters.
The party searched upstairs. In the guest bed room they found a coffin they suspected of belonging to Ihat Quaa when he visits the estate. Nikylik fashioned some stakes out of a table Vivian destroyed and they used caution to open the coffin which was empty. Madam Bianca then destroyed the coffin.

Further down in another room, Nikylik’s curiosity got the better of him, and he opened a large chest in the main library of the home, a grotesque man slimed out of the chest and charged for the door. Nikylik jetted out of the way as Rin and Vivian again made quick work of the undead creature.

In the trophy room, the party were immediately attacked by beings whom appeared to be composed of dirt and garbage. As Nikylik was the first to enter the room, the three surrounded him and began biting into him. Several bites later, Nikylik’s skin turned a bloated blue and green color. With the situation dire, Vivian filled the room with white fire and then a strength draining spell which left the Tome Mites weak enough for the Nikylik and Rin to finish off.

After nearly an hour in the house, the party finally made it into the guest bedroom where they located another coffin built into the bed. They took the same precaution, preparing their stakes. However, all that was found was a journal kept by Tarus. The journal was written in Draconic. Rin picked up the journal and immediately begin reading the last few entries. Tarus Quaa comes from a long line of Yuan-ti cultists. When Nomarch Regal buried the temple 500 years ago, the cultists whom worshiped the lizard people erected their tomb over the area. The knowledge of the temple being buried was lost as the many generations of the Quaa separated. It was not until two years ago, that Quaa and someone he describes as “The Master” found it. The journal spoke that some ritual is to be finished within a couple of weeks in the temple. The party immediately vacated the estate and headed back to the Pyramid Palace to discuss their findings with Rahotep. Rahotep had a bit of news to share himself. When he went to the woman’s house to bury the body and burn it down, there was no body, only a note that said that the woman had left for town to visit family in another Temple City. It seems that Nikylik’s powerful gnome friend tied up any loose ends.

As the party reconvened they received another knock on the door. It was the news carrier, whom had a special evening edition of the news scroll. The Nomarch had awakened from his coma and fired most of his security for their lapse in judgment. He even fired his trusted Forged, whom had been by his side and his personal bodyguard for 15 years. He then stepped down from office, appointing Ihat Quaa permanent Nomarch until the next elections.

 

[DonTadow]

Episode 21: Temple Revelations Director Commentary

Episode 21: Temple Revelations
Pachon 1, 1122: Director Commentary



* Want to see images of this episode, go to the Characters Gallery
* Nikylik and I resolved his night out through email The character of NIkylik was a lot more focused during the episode because of his dire situation
* Jalentriel could not bare to kill the two old servents out right so they left them in teh cellar to die
* This adventure was interesting. I did not think it would take as long to travel through the house, but the house had so many rooms it took the entire session.
* Hints were scattered throughout the episode of the new characters who will join next week.
* The paranoia of the party at the site of any coffin is funny

 

[DonTadow]

Episode 22: Why Won't You Die

Vivian Ravenclaw, Jalentriel Ahmaquissar, Rin Darastix, Nikylik Hensu and Ra Hotep sat their room this evening putting together pieces of the events of the past few days. The five know that they are being used by someone, more than likely Ihat Quaa, but the ultimate plan of the new Nomarch is still a puzzle. Jalentriel was quick to point out that time is not a commodity that the five had a lot of, as he is eager to get back to his daughter and use the ruby heart to revive her of her deep coma. And to do that, the five must travel to Lanai, the Elven Land.

They commented how it has been some days since they have seen Rykio or Brando’on, whom both left a couple of days ago to track down John Swift. Among news from the town, the Nomarch had awakened from his coma, and fired most of his personal guard. He also stepped down from his position and appointed Ihat Quaa permanent Nomarch.

The five put together the pieces of the puzzles they had. The sword that they suspected they needed was stolen last night by men adorned to look like darkened elves. They assaulted Tarus Quaa’s estate and uncovered a diary and a detailed map to the Quaa tomb, which he notes could possess an entrance to the Yuan-ti Temple. The Yuan-ti were rumored to have hoards of the diamond ore needed to fend off the poison of the deadly oceans of Chrystaria. They would go to the tombs before day break the next morning. As the party finalized their plans, they received a knock at the door.

Ra-Hotep answered, opening the door to a beautiful tanned woman and a large Forged made of a substance unusual for the creatures. A puzzled Ra-Hotep wanted to know what business did the church have with the Warrior Witchhunters.

“Much”, said the woman.

Ra-Hotep looked at his comrades whom hesitantly gave them the signal to let the two in.

The woman explained that she was Tsesnsisis Alexandra, she is not a priest of Quarta Set but of one of the other Temple Cities. She was a former priest, high priest, in Quarta Set, but was unusually transferred a couple years ago. She came to Quarta Set to see about her dear friend Paula Searse.

The party seemed indifferent to the woman’s information. Only Jalentriel was friendly as the rest of the party whispered and questioned the woman’s intentions. She admitted that it is odd, but she does not believe she can trust anyone but the Forged, a former longtime ally and bodyguard of the Nomarch whom was abruptly fired, with the other personal guard. She said that she used scrying to find out that Paula Searse has either been turned into some type of monster or replaced by a Yuan-ti. She told them that she suspects Ihat Quaa to be a major culprit in the plot, but without proof she is lost.

The various party members questioned her motives repeatedly, asking why she did not go to the church for help. She told them she was not sure how far the deception went and that the events of recent may be connected to why she was replaced to begin. The Forged, whom called himself Syxen, agreed, admitting grief for his friend. Rahotep recognized the Forged as the one whom survived the initial kidnapping of the Nomarch’s daughter Alexandra, for which he quipped. Syxen gave a threatening evil eye more so it seemed out of anger for his own failure than Rahotep’s comment.

Vivian questioned how they could help, being exceptionally dismissive to the priestess. Alexandra asked that she be included with any knowledge of the Yuan-ti that they might have. Ra-Hotep believed her sincerity and pleaded for her case. The remaining party members agreed that additional help maybe needed. They informed the priestess of their dealings so far with the Yuan-ti and that they suspect that it has something to do with the temple. However, they stood firm to tell her that they were doing it only for the riches the temple may produce and not to save a city they could care little for. Alexandra dismissed the behavior as typical Mercenary mentality. However, it was slipped accidentally by Vivian that their find could help them get to the Elven Kingdom, for which Alexandra appeared to raise an eye.

Jalentriel dismissed the comment as fatigue and she meant Nique. The Forged and Priestess were dismissed quickly and the five remaining members planned for the next day, going out to buy last minute supplies and secure wagons to haul back the diamond ore. They also decided that Rahotep would stay behind to give the impression that the party was still about town.

Syxen and Alexandra were staying at an in near the Airport district, hardly accommodations for a priestess of her stature, but her presence in the city was no longer welcome. Before going home, Alexandra visited the temple, and received access to a series of books only meant to be read by priests of her standards. She came across several historical texts that discussed the Yuan-ti civilization in Quarta Set. She found several important tads of information including the knowledge that the Yuan-ti were in Quarta Set before it was settled, and that the Yuan-ti temple possessed an object that was of significant value to Chrystaria. It even mentioned that the reason the temple was buried by a force of paladins 500 years ago and not destroyed was because the temple could not be. She would share this information with her party the next morning, despite their lack of willing to share information with her.

The next morning, the six met on the outskirts of the city complete with supplies and a wagon. Jalentriel used a charm spell to charm the guards and make sure they did not remember seeing them that day. Vivian navigated the party to the tomb, however, her poor skills caused the party to arrive their 12 hours after they left out, making their arrival shortly after the sunset. They found themselves at a small opening in the forest with several tombs located a few hundred yards apart. They made an attempt to open the tomb door but failed. Alexandra, used her divine magic to speak with one of the snakes, to which warned her and her friends to go back. It then borrowed into the ground. The grass around the party began to move as hundreds of snakes raised their heads above the grass and borrowed into the ground at once.

“I guess we lost the element of surprise,” quipped Jalentriel.
The Quaa tomb was guarded with a powerful arcane lock, which was easily dispelled by Alexandra. Inside of the tomb was 12 non-descriptive crypts. The dust in the room was extremely thick. Syxen was first to attempt to remove the lid from one of the sarcophagi but could not budge. The remaining members searched the tomb but could not find much of anything else. After a half hour of searching, Jalentriel told the others to get behind him, he pulled his flute out and began a silent song, a slight wind came out of the flute which grew in intensity until it became a great wind. The wind blew the dust off of the majority of the sarchophagi. Most of the sarcophagi still had a small degree of dust on them, however, there was one in particular that was completely clean. Syxen braced himself against a nearby sarcophagi and pushed the sarcophagi away from where it was placed, revealing a large whole in the floor. Fearlessly he jumped down, nearly smashing himself to bits. Alexandra turned herself into a snake and slithered down the whole, Jalentriel attempted to use his tumble skills to scale down but fell as well. Vivian used a fly spell to fly down.

They found themselves a hundred feet below the original tomb, in what appeared to be a stone structure. The six adventures made there way half way down the 50 ft tunnel before them before Jalentriel used one if his windup toys to check for traps ahead of him. It reached the wall and was smashed by a giant headless mummified dog. The dog, charged for the party attacking them with fierce claws and bites. Another followed it. Behind them, they could hear a desperate moaning that caused Jalentriel to run in fear. The party made quick work of the dogs. As they began to loot, the beings quickly regained life. Jalentriel was more aware this time taking part in the combat and destroying the dogs again, this time burning the bandages that were left behind. They began to proceed on, believing they had dealt the final blow, but again, the dogs appeared again and the howling continued.

Syxen and Alexandra noticed that the howling was coming from deeper inside of this tomb. Vivian, Jalentriel, Nikylik and Rin chose to hold off the dogs, while Syxen and Alexandra looked for the source of the howling. Vivian used her brash acid and breath weapons to kill the beasts as the priestess and the Forge went off to find the howling. Jalentriel also joined in the action using mind effects and another powerful magic wind attack to blow the two dogs further down the tunnel and away from them.

In the mean time, Syxen and Alexandra located a room sealed by a large slab of stone at the end of one of the tunnels. As they searched, Syxen received several massive headaches seemingly crushing his head.

Syxen removed the slab to the small room and went inside. The howling was coming from a statue in the room. Also in the room was a Sarcophagi and Canopic Jars. Syxen began to destroy the statue and found two maimed and mummified dog heads inside howling at him. This time the howling seemed to directly effect him and Alexandria. He destroyed one. Alexandria looked in the Canopic Jar and found a large brain inside. She attempted to break it, but was struck by a massive headache. Noticing she was in trouble, the large Forged and his sense of protection leapt into action, unfortunately, he tripped over the sarcophagi and crushed the glass jar, and nearly killed Alexandra in the process. The dogs Jalentriel was keeping at bay evaporated into the other nothingness of the crypt. The party caught up with each other as Alexandra picked up a ring and necklace she found in the rummage of the room. When Syxen tipped over the Sarcophagi, the decaying body of a child came out.



What lies ahead in this crypt and does it lead to the Yuan-ti Temple?

What is the artifact the sacred texts say were hiding in the Yuan-ti Temple?

Will there be enough Diamond Ore for a ship?

What is Ihat Quaa's ultimate goals for the party?

Toon in next time!!!

Enjoy images of the characters, NPCs and Villains on the characters page.

 

[DonTadow]

Episode 22: Why Won't You Die- Director's Commentary

Director's Commentary

* Want to see images of this episode, go to the Characters Gallery
* This is the first of hopefully many adventures for Alexandra and Syxen, well at least Randy and Racheal.
* Nikylik and Rin had to leave because of an abrupt sickness, get better.
* The awkward, hey our goals are somwhat similiar can we go with you, was more difficult than i thought to introduce the party to Syxen and Alexandra. It was more so because the party has never had a good experience with the Church. This was rpg'ed nice and handled well by both parties.
* Alexandra's character is special in that it is the first "real" pc.
* The rolls and rpg'n for Syxen really helped solidify his roll as the overzealous defender whom has had some bad luck and questions his abilities at times.
* The DC for the Arcane lock check was not high, but we lost our thief do to sickness and I did not want to rpg for him. Thankfully Jalentriel has some check trap skills.
* The trap in the crypt was designed so that someone gets in and disappears, however, Syxen rolled a 20 to movethe Sarcophagi which bypassed the trap door. I still found a way to show the pcs there was a trap door.
* The mummy dogs are the same ones found in Sardior's tomb. I liked the idea of a beast that keeps coming back until you destroy somethign else. I through in the Brain in the Jar from the Libris Mortis to add more of a challenge. Everytime I read how the egyptians used these jars for organs I think about that, what if it wasn't dead yet.
* The game fealt shorter this time around, but when I timed it with our other games it was only short play wise by about an hour.

 

[DonTadow]

Episode 23: Humbling Happenstances, Pachon 2-3, 1122

Episode 23: Humbling Happenstances
Pachon 2-3, 1122

Nikylik, Rin, Vivian, Jalentriel, Alexandria and the big Forge Syxen regrouped in the ordained cavern that Syxen and Alexandria had just decimated through what appeared to be the clumsiness of Syxen.

The makeshift tomb contained an overturned simple stone sarcophagus. The skeletal remains of a small board was scattered on the floor was well. The room was small, no more than 10 ft in width. On the skeleton was a ring and a necklace. Alexandria examined the skeleton and noticed the bones had a small tail nub. She collected the ring and necklace as party treasure. Examining those both revealed that the ring was identical to the one taken off of Ihat Quaa’s body. A snake emblem with a small gem sat were a diamond might normally be and the band was of a very weak gold.

The six grew tired in the musty, damp tomb, but it was decided that they must press on and investigate the other tombs in this portion of the catacombs before finding a place to rest. The party found three other tombs none no more ordained than any of the others though the sarcophagus in two of the tombs were booby trapped with a fire device that sniped some of the party members. Each of the tombs contained identical Sarcophgus, all of which contained skeletons baring rings and necklaces. One chamber, appeared to be that of holy followers, a man and woman, whom held weapons with emblems of Sobek. The statues in these rooms appeared to be that of the people buried, all of them showing some type of reptilian disfiguration. The rooms were very dusty and mildew. The Canopic Urns were nothing but dirty mildew. Beetles, spiders and other small insects danced in and out of the various tombs.

The six found an empty tomb and decided to rest there for the night. Syxen stood guard in front of the stone slab that posed as a door to the empty tomb. The night almost went by without a hitch, as Syxen’s senses failed to notice the increase in the amount of bugs. After several hours, it occurred to him that it was odd, and he peaked into the slab to check in on his comrades. Before he could get the slab halfway open, he saw a collection of beetles seeming to form a lower body. Within Seconds the beetles had formed into a humanoid figure and the wrapping of a mummy began to form. Syxen opened a screech out of his mouth, which awakened the other party members. He attempted to hit the being with his Falchon, but the sword slipped out of his hands with a giant thud, awakening any party members whom did not hear his dire screech. The being stood right over Alexandria and she as the first to felt its wrath. The mummy had beetles crawling in and out of its bandages and lashed out with its fists at the priestess. Having no spells, Alexandria scurried away and grabbed her mace. Nikylik also took cover as Rin and Vivian took the lead to fighting the being. Alexandria managed to let out an offensive ray of light incinerating part of the being as Vivian’s used her psychic powers to turn her claws into acid and burned the creature until it melted into a pile of sand in the room. Syxen could not get a hit on the being however, dropping his weapon several time. Jalentriel kicked the sand side of the walls and the exhausted party members agreed to attempt to sleep again.

Syxen this time stood in the doorway and an hour after the first battle, noticed the sand forming into a mummy again, this time around the meditating Vivian. Another warcry was shouted and the party took evasive positions again, this time using Alexandrias holy magic and Jalentriel’s bardic abilities to burn the sand until nothing more was left.

“Now can we get some sleep,” said the tired Alexandria.

And her request was answered, as she slept the rest of the night away with the rest of the party and no more attacks. The next day they searched the remainder of the tomb, finding a well ordained marble sarcophagus in one room that showed obvious times of trappings. They also found wording written in Draconic on many of the tomb walls. The wording appeared to be prayers but the dialect was so ancient that none could translate it well.

In one room, which appeared to be the servants burial quarters, the party found a clerical vestment of Sobek to which Nikylik put on and began to mock the god. Jalentriel warned the gnome that such things could turn bad and took the vestment back from the gnome. Also inside of the servant’s quarter, were two pressure plates to which Syxen smartly pushed the coffins on top of. Vivian and Alexandria heard moving in the hallway and investigated two remaining tombs to find a staircase leading down from inside of one of the coffins, obviously triggered by the pressure plate. Jalentriel almost broke the trap door in the coffin, but Nikylik managed to repair it. The party toyed around with the idea that the rings may have more meaning than simple ordination, and each put a ring on.

The party descended down the stone, rigged staircase into a set of windy caves. Heat vents blasted out steaming water and air as the ground was unbalanced and wet. The party took their time making their way up the paths. Sign of Yuan-ti use was evident as Sobeks holy symbols were etched on several of the walls in the caverns. Deadly snakes weaved in and out of the holes in the ridged stone appearing to be shadows darting about. Alexandria dropped to her knees in prayer. As the familiar white light that surrounds her during spells appeared, in a flash she appeared to be that of a snake again. She slithered to one of the snakes and used her charming abilities to ask it to take her to the Yuan-ti. The snake hesitated and a more affirmed spell was cast on it. It slithered through some tunnels and around some corners as the party followed the guiding snake.

The party reached a tunnel as the snake dipped into one of its holes. Arrows blasted at them nearly hinting Jalentriel and Nikylik as they searched for traps. Syxen bolted into the tunnel confronting the two Yuanti, but again, his combat proved ineffective as he immediately dropped his weapon. Jalentriel and Alexandria used their magic to hold off the Yuan-ti as Nikylik and Rin joined with crossfire cover. Vivian used her breath weapon to incinerate three of the remaining Yuan-ti. Noticing Rin’s missed attacks, Jalentriel enchanted Rin into a rage causing the often quiet and petite monk to charge at several remaining Yuan-ti, impaling them with her fist.

Most of he Yuan-ti were done for before they could get off a third or fourth shot, but one managed to escape after inducing fear into Alexandria. The Yuan-ti fled to a large cavern and down several tunnels before being corned in a empty room. He used his camouflage ability to hide from the six, but Vivian’s truth ability on her sword revealed them being to her and she quickly pointed it out to the remaining party. Syxen approached to attack but became idle by the charming effects of the Yuan-ti. Syxen managed to snap out of the spell in just enough time to redeem himself by slicing the Yuan-ti in half.

 

[DonTadow]

Episode 23: Pachon 2-3, 1122, Director's Commentary

* The title comes from the journal entry of Alexandria for this episode. It ties a lot of things that happened in this episode together.
* The mummy uses the swarm templates of sand and bettles in the Libris Mortis.
* Syxen had the most horrible time rolling dice. I've never seen four 1s one 3 different dice until this episode the funny thing is it goes with his character's background of his recent failures making him questions things.
* I was so upset this episode because I lost two secret rooms that were nothing but an extra puzzle thrown in. It wasn't needed after I found it and I scrapped it for later adventures.
* This episode shows the importance of talking to animals and druidic abilities in dungeon situations.
* The sand mummy encounter has now earned me the reputation of always making enemies come back (it's always legal though).
* The best move of the night came when Syxen was guarding and he had said he stands guard outside the closed tomb for the night. Then, he decided to check in on the party. If he hadn't that mummy would have had some fun before he was found out.
* Again, this wa a nicely paced episode and the unexpected happened again.

 

[DonTadow]

Episode 24: Almost Out of Time

Episode 24: Almost Out of Time
Pachon 3-4, 1122

The humid tempetures of the caveryns did nothing for the flesh and scale smell left by the dead Yuan-ti. Vivian discarded the snake head which landed in her arms as the ever opportunist Jalentriel gathered whatever useful items he could find on the Yuan-ti. Alexandria soon was overcoming her magical fear of snakes brought on by the Yuan-ti.
Irony Vivian called it.
Vivian, Jalentriel, Nikylik, Rin, Syxen and Alexandria followed the windy tunnels again, attempting to use clues to find an exist that may lead to the temple. They dodged the many open steam geysers scattered along there path. Before long, they reached the end of a tunnel that presented two tunnels heading north. The first tunnel was filled with snakes, some poisonous some your simple garden snake variety. As the Jester Jalentriel attempted to scurry past the snakes bonded together into a massive wall to block the path. Syxen suggested hacking through the snakes, but Jalentriel caught an idea as he slipped on one of the rings he pilfered off of the dead pureblood Yuan-ti buried in the Sarcophgus above. As he slipped on the ring the snakes parted. Jalentriel suggested they all attempt to do the same, but Alexandria had reservations about wearing the jewelry of Sobek, whom is a direct enemy of her god Isis.

The six argued a bit, as they have many times these last few days. It was decided they inspect the other tunnel, which turned out to be a dead end. Alexandria decided to turn into a snake and sit on Syxen’s shoulder as he wore the jewelry. The others had no hesitation about putting on the cursed ring and necklaces. They proceeded down the tunnel, but as Jalentriel reached the large opening on the other side, the floor fell from beneath them as they plunged 10 feet into a pit of snakes. Alexandria became lost in the snakes but turned herself into a scarab and flew out of the snakes while dodging the hungry vipers that lashed at her. The others pulled themselves out of the hole quite easily.

The tunnel opened up to another large area. A large fissure was ripped through this area. A wooden bread led over it to the other side. On the bridge, was a series of rocks, assembled to form a spider.

Another discussion broke out among the party as to whom would cross first, when Jalentriel again was the first to scurry across kicking the rock as he passed. Suddenly webbing began to sprout from the bridge nearly entangling the bard. He made it across and the other hacked there way through. Jalentriel noticed that the rocks were inscribed with some type of spell written in a language he referred to as drow.

The group pressed further, encountering an alchemy trap before reaching another large caveryn, that first appeared empty. Syxen was transformed into a small miniature version of himself by Syxen and sent into to scout the area. The forged eyes did not see the camaflouged Yuan-ti hiding behind the shadows of the steam. As the priestess Alexandria climbed through, crossbow bolts plunged into her stomach. She cast a spell that surrounded the Yuan-ti with fire and scorched there skin. The other soon rushed into the room and a brief skirmish took place with the Yuan-ti being quarter sliced by the large Flachon of Syxen in the end. The caveryn appeared to be a dwelling place for the Yuan-ti with sacks laid about and a kettle and pot on a makeshift fire. Alexandria found two oddly colored pieces of metal ore that she had never seen before. She showed Syxen whom also looked at the metal and could not identify it. Vivian and Jalentriel were quick to speak up and claim the item as party treasure, but Alexandria noted the strangeness of there voice and the eagerness of their actions.

The caveryn had two exits, the tunnel the party came through and a large door hollowed out in the form of the head of the God Sobek. The 10ft Stone door was that of the Alligator looking god with the scales of a dragon. The god’s provided the pc’s with a riddle and gave them four answers. With each incorrect answer the Door would unleash a different attack on the six. The riddle asked the party to provide the answer to the commonality between a Green Slaad, a Lillend and a troll. They had to pick between a witch, mummy, dragon and minotaur. Syxen stepped up first and said minotaur and received a heavy axe from the mouth of the door. Jalentriel’s response of witch almost turned him into a frog.

Alexandria then stepped up and said mummy, as she had figured that all of the other monsters had double letters in their names. The door opened.

Walking through the door was like walking into another plane. A purplish haze loomed above as the pcs found themselves walking out of a monolism and into a field of graves. Several other monoslisms were scattered about. Before the PCs could look around, more arrows darted at them. Several beings whom shared the elven features of Jalentriel were firing at them. Except these elves had darked skin and wore armor that bore jewels and gems shaped like spiders. Despite there awing appearance a fire beetle spell by Alexandria eveloped half of the drow. The others were quickly dispatched as Syxen took one hostage.

The Drow, Clufof, was left to guard the way to the temple by his leader Cyntharia. It was the same Cyntharia Vivian remembered whom attacked them at Omaro’s demiplane several months ago. Clufof at first refused to tell the Jalentriel anything, however Syxen’s grimacing look scared the young drow into sharing Cyntharia’s plans with the Yuan-ti. Clufof and the other drow were from Faerun, the same realm as Vivian. They were sent by Lolth. They had been using the Elond crystal, which was stolen from Vivian, to transport between the two planes. They have been using it to transport drow directly to Lanai, where they are preparing to overthrow the Gold Elf government and free the Dark Elves there whom are used as slaves for the most part. But Lanai was only one part of there plans, as Lolth has formed a trinity with Seredess, a former God of Faerun’s Astral Plane; Set, an evil god of Chrystaria and Sobek, his son and former god of the Underworld, also spritual god of the Yuan-ti. The gods wish to remove the barrier that prevents planar travel to Chrystaria, so that they may launch an assault on Faerun using Chrystaria as a platform.

The drow became more scared as Syxen approached closer, Alexandria, not wishing to see the torture of any creature, turned her head, as if to give approval for Vivian, Syxen and Jalentriel to do what is needed to retrieve any other information. Seeing this, the drow, fear dripping from his eyes, spoke more. He mentioned that Cyntharia was sent to Quarta Set to help the followers of Sobek revive their lost army. To do this, she has been performing an ancient Yuan-ti Ritual at the temple with the Yuan-ti priests that will open a door to a dimension in which the army awaits. Cyntharia used the Yuan-ti alchemical potions in the lab of one of the monolesms to make the potion to travel back in time and meet the clerics. The ritual will be complete in a few day said the drow, as he laughed and told them it was too late to stop them.

Jalentriel stripped the Drow of his clothes as Vivian gave him a quick death. The since of urgency was great as the party now knew that whatever they were in, was larger than what they had thought. They searched the tombs that the Drow told them too and found riddles that instructed how to make the potion. A blue liquid, an orange powder and red metal shavings put into a bowl and stirred counter clockwise produced the liquid. Smartly the party reversed the ingredients to make a potion so that they could return to there time period.

They rested a night to prepare for a journey they knew would be there deadliest leg yet.

The next morning they prepared there spells and sharpened their weapons. They sipped the potion at the same time. The result seemed to be the same. The minute it hit there tongues they blacked out.

What awaits our party and where in time did they go?

What is the artifact the sacred texts say were hiding in the Yuan-ti Temple?

Will there be enough Diamond Ore for a ship?

 

[DonTadow]

Episode 24: Pachons 3-4 Director's Commentary

# Want to see images of this episode, go to the Characters Gallery
# Nikylik and Rin were not available this game and character's were moved to the background
# Overall- this adventure was different as usual as it incorporated two puzzles in the plot. The first puzzle can be found in Traps and Treachary II, the second puzzle can be found in Cloud Kingdom's Wilderness Puzzle book.

# The first puzzle challenged the party for 45 minutes and the answer wasn't solved until 15 minutes after the party solved it... confused. Well the party took a guess on mummy because they were in a crypt, but Alexandria figured it out some minutes later.
# The second puzzle regarding the potion was so easy for Alexandria that she solved it and was working on the potion in 15 minutes.
# Jalentriel won player of the game and for good reason this episode. His cowardness is hillarious as he role plays it. Even his spells, whereas effective, are geared towards not doing things and getting others to do it for him.
# I realy wish the player who plays Rin would have been here as she loves puzzles and would have enjoyed the oens here
# The party smartly avoided an entangled trap on the bridge by simply getting rid of the items causing the spell.
# Jalentriel was hurt by one trap that caused a mist to spray on him and then the other room ignites the chemicals on his body. Thisis a trap from Traps and Treachary II.
# It's always fun when a character from 24 adventuers ago comes back again. And I loved that Jezz was mentioned again as the current formation "except vivian" has never seen the Drow Prince before.
# As a DM, I hope that hte ingame hints between a relationship between the Drow and Yuan--ti was thought about before this adventure.
# I hate time travel as a plot device, so I'm making sure I use it very carefully and not cheesy as some movies make the mistake ofdoing. Also with consequences. I played a great series of rpgs at the last three NASCRAG Gencons that had time travel in it and they did it very well. NOthing lets the pcs know how important they effect the world than when they travel through time and see their differences.
# Nothing to do with nothing, but this was the week Gencon events went on sale and... let me tell you... it was an event as usual. I'm glad I got into the Iron DM tournament and round robin DM'n. It will be the first time ever I get to DM at Gencon. Next year I will do a segment of the campaign there.
# Jalentriel and Vivians RPG secrecy was great.
# I love the dynamics of all of the character's personalities. The remarks Alexandria makes in game about her comrades are interesting considering that their goals are so different than hers.

 

[DonTadow]

Episode 25: Are We There Yet

Syxen and Jalentriel awoke from their second blackout in the same cemetery they had just left. The broken bodies of the drow was evidence that they had not gone anywhere. Rin and Nikylik were still there as well. The only ones missing were Alexandra and Vivian.
***

Alexandra and Vivian awoke, bound with leafy tight vines around their ankles and hands. Vegetation stuffed in their mouth’s to prevent them from screaming. They appeared to be in the below ground cemetery, only the time was not the one they were from. Many Yuan-ti bodies filtered the area, as other Yuan-ti warriors appeared to be digging graves and building monoliths. Several priestly looking Yuan-ti seemed to be scribing Yuan-ti. A rather a large Yuan-ti wearing priestly garments that only paled in comparison to the ones Jalentriel stole from tomb’s approached the two as they lie on their backs on the ground. His head looked like a giant alligators as his tongue slithered back and forth inside of his large mouth. As he approached, a fearful Alexandra turned into a small serpent, casting the spell quietly under her breath. She slithered underneath the large husky dragon looking Vivian.

“ I didn’t expect you hear so soon. Apparently my plan has worked. Those idiotic humans. Believing that we would rest content down here guarding the secrets of the temple. I am glad that we have eventually proved our superiority to the humans in the future”, said the yuan-ti priest, whom identified himself as K’stallo.

Vivian smiled and played along. K’stallo had obviously mistaken Vivian’s half-dragon heritage as that of a relative of the Yuan-ti. He even believed Alexandra to be her snake familiar of sorts. She knew that a false move could end her up on the other end of a blade. Her demeanor was more passive than previously.

K’stallo began to tell Vivian the true history of Quarta Set. She was back in time 500 years ago, just after the big battle between the humans and the yuan-ti. The yuan-ti had lost and as a last resort transported their temple beneath the ground into a tear between dimensions. But the human soldiers led by Nomarch Regal were persistent and found them deep underground where the tear occurred. There, they continued the battle there. The Yuan-ti was near defeat before surrendering and throwing themselves at the mercy of Nomarch Regal. Regal showed sympathy towards them after K’stallo explained that the Yuan-ti was protecting the temple which possessed one of the six portals to he locked dimensions. K’stallo told Regal that he needed to protect the portal until the legendary warriors come to take the crystals out as Isis commanded. K’stallo snickers as he tells the story; “I knew Isis would get him”.

K’stallo continued to tell the story. That he and Regal used there combined magic to send the temple 378 years into the future. Regal etched the coordinates on his sword and said that he would only share the knowledge with the highest church leaders. When the time was right they would know. However, K’stallo did not tell the Nomarch that he was only the second in line of the Yuan-ti and that the highest priest lay wait in the temple, insuring that only a Yuan-ti would protect the world.
Vivian smiled and nodded pretending to have read about K’stallo’s great stories. She told him that she had been sent here to retrieve the coordinates, as the sword was lost many years ago. K’stallo eagerly believed her, telling her how he had invented the time potions and was a major leader for a number of the alchemical marvels of the Yuan-ti. Vivian agreed and told him of her leader, now ruler of all Yuan-ti. K’stallo seemed puzzled as to why a grunt was sent to greet him and retrieve the coordinates. He expressed that he would like to have met the ruler of the Yuan-ti.

***

It took only Jalentriel and Syxen a few minutes to realize that the potion had not worked and they needed to drink more. They downed their remaining bottles along with Nikylik and Rin.

***

As Vivian tried to manipulate the coordinates out of K’stallo, Jalentriel, Syxen, Rin and Nikylik appeared. Seeing Jalentriel’s robes and Vivian’s quick greeting of Jalentriel, all of the Yuan-ti began to bow, as they believed him to be the future leader. Jalentriel played along well, commanding the Yuan-ti to give them provisions and the coordinates. He also asked Syxen and the others to help them dig graves. Syxen was immediately against the idea, but since the entire conversation was in Draconic, he could only look puzzled as Jalentriel bossed him around. Syxen was not alone, Alexandra as well could not speak the dragon tongue and spoke wonderfully of Isis at times, prompting Jalentriel to smack her several times, one time to the ground. The sweat from his brow grew as Syxen had to stop himself from protecting the priestess. The Yuan-ti believed Jalentriel’s story, that Alexandria was a slave girl whom he was trying to train against Isis.

The six were led to one of the Alchemical labs were Jalentriel asked that they be allowed to make more potions. Nikylik got to work, using his gnome knowledge of alchemy to mix ice Molotov cocktails, more time potion and special antitoxins for the Yuan-ti Venom. As Nikylik finished the final batches Isis’s disgust of the Yuan-ti temple grew more as she began to pray feverishly to her Isis for guidance. At that moment, Yuan-ti began rushing the area, no longer roused by the lies told by the party. K’stallo yelled that no leader would allow prayer’s of such a vile god. Hoping to avoid conflict, they all drank the red potion and warped into 378 years into the future

They awoke inside of a room with no windows, no doors and no air. Jalentriel began singing the best he could, casting a spell to produce air in the room for several hours. Alexandra began searching for cracks in the floor. After finding one she turned into a scarab and scurried through dirt and to the outside as Nikylik searched for a way out. The entire place had been trapped and obviously built by the past Yuan-ti after discovering they were manipulated. Alexandra dug a tunnel to the outside and released the party.

The outside had not changed, the familiar purple cloudy haze still loomed over, and however, this time monoliths and a path of snake statues led down a long road. At the end was a large mountain with a dark gray stoned temple pyramid atop. The six journey’s into the temple. Tapestries, statues and books clearly showed that the temple was dedicated to Sobek. The party investigated the various rooms, finding strange color ribbons in each room. In one room, the high priests room, they found a book that contained prophetic writings that echoed most of the story K’stallo gave. The party searched the room meticulously spending nearly a half hour searching each room. Jalentriel even helped himself to several expensive tapestries and statues.

They met a dead-end though in a storage room which contained what look to be a 9-slotted box that fit each of the ribbons. Figuring it was some type of puzzle. They placed the colored slots on the box. Every time they placed a slot the room location would change. Each color ribbon represented a room and they had to be put in a particular order to move on. Many tries and an hour after their first attempt, they solved the puzzle and moved into the next room, a large treasure room filled with Yuan-ti artwork. Syxen suggested we pass up on the items now as too much time had been wasted. They agreed and approached the last room, a large snake filled pool of water. Remembering the yuan-ti jewelry, all but Isis adorned it and jumped into the water with Jalentriel in the lead. Alexandria turned into a huge alligator, which did not fool the snakes at all whom bit into her with several near poisoning bites. The rapid water was too difficult to swim for the party however, as they drained into a large room.

Before them their hearts stopped as Princess Alexandra lay on a sacrificial bed, being chanted over by a 50ft tall Yuan-ti hydra hybrid and a familiar looking drow, Cyntharia. Approaching them swiftly was six drow with two bladed swords, one of which swords glowed with psionics energy.