Flaming Bob
First Post
Lucien, looking less like a cunning rogue and more akin to a half-drowned rat stares resignedly at the oncoming misery and begins to mutter to himself "If I ever make it back to the Hive, I'm going to kill that sodding Imp".
Legacy of Death Part I: Most Infamous Danger
- Thread starter TerraDave
- Start date
TerraDave
5ever, or until 2024
You try to sail off the massive swell until Buckthorn realizes that it is now coming down too fast and the ship might capsize
...it actually rolls...
Eventually the storm breaks.
No one has drown (all those athletics checks) or has succumbed to illness from the cold.
You are now in the sea, somewhere. Rigging is severly damaged. Ship is taking on some water.
I think we can stop here for now, but think what you want to do for when we meet.
...it actually rolls...
Eventually the storm breaks.
No one has drown (all those athletics checks) or has succumbed to illness from the cold.
You are now in the sea, somewhere. Rigging is severly damaged. Ship is taking on some water.
I think we can stop here for now, but think what you want to do for when we meet.
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TerraDave
5ever, or until 2024
Malachai and Nar-Heru: You are both wizards, graduates of Watercross College--a school known for its arcanists--and members of Melkar House. You also took some Pyromancy together, and were tutored in it by an older Melkarian, Bart. Melkar House is not afraid to take in those that might be described as “outsiders”, especially those with great talent, and tolerates rules breakers, up to a point. Hence you both fit in fine, for your own reasons…
Bart would latter go off and have adventures involving various cults and cultists, rifts into The Realm of the Dead, a labyrinth built by minotaurs…while you have had some adventures of your own, you were a bit jealous, and secretly pleased when asked to join him on his next one. If only he would give you a few more details…
You have all ventured to a city in the east, Borivostok. Barts been acting a little odd, seems obsessed with some old tome, and has been a little evasive on what you are all doing. You have confirmed that you will be meeting with other—non wizard—adventurers, that you will going into the Shadow Coast, an infamous wilderness to the north of this city, and that you are looking for an old ruin of some kind that will make you famous, has great treasure and lore, and seems pretty dangerous. But Bart claims at least one person went there and made it back alive.
DM Note: Previously circulated by email.
Bart would latter go off and have adventures involving various cults and cultists, rifts into The Realm of the Dead, a labyrinth built by minotaurs…while you have had some adventures of your own, you were a bit jealous, and secretly pleased when asked to join him on his next one. If only he would give you a few more details…
You have all ventured to a city in the east, Borivostok. Barts been acting a little odd, seems obsessed with some old tome, and has been a little evasive on what you are all doing. You have confirmed that you will be meeting with other—non wizard—adventurers, that you will going into the Shadow Coast, an infamous wilderness to the north of this city, and that you are looking for an old ruin of some kind that will make you famous, has great treasure and lore, and seems pretty dangerous. But Bart claims at least one person went there and made it back alive.
DM Note: Previously circulated by email.
TerraDave
5ever, or until 2024
Savage situations
With Lucian and Buckthorn sewing and the Ghen and Forge patching, the ship was repaired, and the journey resumed. Eventually, Borivostok came into sight. But what to do when they stepped into port?
It was the realization that the dead bodies of the crew were lying in Dussleburg somewhere that pushed the crew into coming clean, well mostly, when they arrived. The strange preserved bodies kept onboard made the case. With some bargaining, the agent there to receive the cargo even agreed to pay each of them 75 gold each, and pay 100 more if they came back in a few weeks.
Meanwhile, some days earlier, Bart finally told Malachia (the magnificent) and Nar-Heru (the somewhat temperamental) the truth about where they were heading…
The four sea-rats are directed to the Hopping Hut, where most foreigners apparently stay. And in the common room sit Malachai and Nar-Heru! Still, it takes a while for the six to all meet, and when they do, not THAT much is actually said. Eventually, the newcomers go there separate ways, and Malachai and Nar-Heru decide to look for Bart in his room.
They find his headless and slashed corpse. There are signs of a struggle, but there could not be much of one, as whatever happened seem to cause so little commotion.
By coincidence, Lucian was outside, and overhears something on tall gaunt beings in odd clothes moving at great speed. He guesses at a link when he runs into the two wizards. When Forge returns and learns what happens, and that the two had not been entirely forthcoming, he grabs the shorter, elfier of the two and gives him a good shake. Which almost leads the whole inn to be burned down, but Nar-Heru shows unusual restraint. (or just begins plotting his revenge).
The two wizards do say more, of a dangerous ancient burial site and the lich it may inhabit, though its not entirely clear how much the others took in of Malachai’s somewhat subtle description.
After some talk of trying to find, or wait for, the assailants, its decided to make an expedition out of the city into the Shadow Coast, and try to find the Tomb, as indicated on a map found amongst Bart’s possessions. Curious as to where exactly they are going, Forge and Lucian find a dwarf who works in the city—apparently dwarves live(d) where they are going. Fenmir, his own tattoos and scars belying a Shadow Coast ancestry, basically encourages them not to go, and be wary if they do. (and mentions his brother in Northall).
Somewhere along the way, Bart’s body was removed and burned as Ghen performed a final ceremony, though this was done so subtly that it is as if it hardly happened at all.
(sometime before or after…) With newly acquired horses, a mule, and the Book, given to Nar-Heru by Bart shortly before the decapitation—and the leading suspicion as to its cause—the six are almost ready to go. But first, they terrorize Volkhov the server into telling them of Rasputin the blind beggar, who, after much gold falls in his cup, in turn tells them of a place by a crossroads, that if he circle back three times…
…the hut is revealed just so, after Lucian does in fact do as instructed. He does not go in. Ghen-* and Nar-* do, and see two, and almost three, of the hags that happen to sell all sorts of potions, rituals and other items. They find their items, but Ghen almost has the bad luck to see the third hag.
Then its northward. A few days of villages, then the going gets rougher. A band of friendly gnomes and their pack dogs also warn the party: trust no one and nothing on the way. At some point shelter is asked about, and the party is informed to avoid using any of the old dwarf settlements. The Book (see next post, when its posted) that the two mages are reviewing gives the same warning. And it, and the others, mention elves.
It is not explained to the party that the elusive snow elves could in fact come within feet of them and probably never be noticed, and their rarity is a testament to both there few numbers but also a desire to be avoided. Elves, snow and other wise, do appear before the party, quite suddenly. They praise their new “lord”, and seem oddly intent on spending some time with the party.
Buckthorn, out of the corner of his eye, sees the other 10 or so, longbows ready, that did not make their presence known. Then the “lord” itself appears. A nasty, lizardy manticore. The fight is on!
The manticore has little luck as Buckthorn evades it and the others target it. But the archers make up the difference, dropping the halfling then the dwarf and peppering the shifter for good measure. The two wizards call forth fire and Lucian brings great frustration to the manticore, as it is first driven from the field, and then returns to meet its end. Its not too long before the archers break and run, and only one sword wielding elf remains.
Captured by Lucian to try to find the “manticore’s treasure”, and forced to march back to the elves camp, which is looted for some gold coin. The hapless elf, or his being alive, greatly offends Forge, who in a savage act cuts him down, in spite of the council of Buckthorn and the wizards. No attempt is made to climb into the hills to the location indicated as housing the “manticore’s treasure”.
They continue. The find “the head” indicated on the map, the top of a once great dwarven statue, and then leave what remains of the main road to plunge east into the wilderness. The march takes its toll, especially when compounded by a local storm. Still, they climb up into the hills, and, again indicated by the map, find the pass to a swampy valley below. Nearby is an opening to some kind of carved caverns, most likely the old dwarven type they have been warned about. Lucian creeps in and takes a look, but discerns little, and the party continues.
Through the mists only Ghen can see the sure sign that the broad hill rising above the fens below is their destination: an odd rock pattern he describes like a “Jack-O-Lantern”. After almost 20 days of travel (after a month at sea, or at least several days coming from Watecross then waiting in Borivostok) they are almost there, just this stream to ford, by some circle of stones.
This is when the huge, blood sucking vines attack. Forge throws himself in their midst…and is eventually dropped by them, as is Lucian (the closest to death he has come since, well, the doppelgangers) and Ghen. When not falling in the stream, the wizards' fire, magic missiles, and even illusions, give the party the edge they need and the deadly greens are destroyed.
The odd hill awaits.
With Lucian and Buckthorn sewing and the Ghen and Forge patching, the ship was repaired, and the journey resumed. Eventually, Borivostok came into sight. But what to do when they stepped into port?
It was the realization that the dead bodies of the crew were lying in Dussleburg somewhere that pushed the crew into coming clean, well mostly, when they arrived. The strange preserved bodies kept onboard made the case. With some bargaining, the agent there to receive the cargo even agreed to pay each of them 75 gold each, and pay 100 more if they came back in a few weeks.
Meanwhile, some days earlier, Bart finally told Malachia (the magnificent) and Nar-Heru (the somewhat temperamental) the truth about where they were heading…
The four sea-rats are directed to the Hopping Hut, where most foreigners apparently stay. And in the common room sit Malachai and Nar-Heru! Still, it takes a while for the six to all meet, and when they do, not THAT much is actually said. Eventually, the newcomers go there separate ways, and Malachai and Nar-Heru decide to look for Bart in his room.
They find his headless and slashed corpse. There are signs of a struggle, but there could not be much of one, as whatever happened seem to cause so little commotion.
By coincidence, Lucian was outside, and overhears something on tall gaunt beings in odd clothes moving at great speed. He guesses at a link when he runs into the two wizards. When Forge returns and learns what happens, and that the two had not been entirely forthcoming, he grabs the shorter, elfier of the two and gives him a good shake. Which almost leads the whole inn to be burned down, but Nar-Heru shows unusual restraint. (or just begins plotting his revenge).
The two wizards do say more, of a dangerous ancient burial site and the lich it may inhabit, though its not entirely clear how much the others took in of Malachai’s somewhat subtle description.
After some talk of trying to find, or wait for, the assailants, its decided to make an expedition out of the city into the Shadow Coast, and try to find the Tomb, as indicated on a map found amongst Bart’s possessions. Curious as to where exactly they are going, Forge and Lucian find a dwarf who works in the city—apparently dwarves live(d) where they are going. Fenmir, his own tattoos and scars belying a Shadow Coast ancestry, basically encourages them not to go, and be wary if they do. (and mentions his brother in Northall).
Somewhere along the way, Bart’s body was removed and burned as Ghen performed a final ceremony, though this was done so subtly that it is as if it hardly happened at all.
(sometime before or after…) With newly acquired horses, a mule, and the Book, given to Nar-Heru by Bart shortly before the decapitation—and the leading suspicion as to its cause—the six are almost ready to go. But first, they terrorize Volkhov the server into telling them of Rasputin the blind beggar, who, after much gold falls in his cup, in turn tells them of a place by a crossroads, that if he circle back three times…
…the hut is revealed just so, after Lucian does in fact do as instructed. He does not go in. Ghen-* and Nar-* do, and see two, and almost three, of the hags that happen to sell all sorts of potions, rituals and other items. They find their items, but Ghen almost has the bad luck to see the third hag.
Then its northward. A few days of villages, then the going gets rougher. A band of friendly gnomes and their pack dogs also warn the party: trust no one and nothing on the way. At some point shelter is asked about, and the party is informed to avoid using any of the old dwarf settlements. The Book (see next post, when its posted) that the two mages are reviewing gives the same warning. And it, and the others, mention elves.
It is not explained to the party that the elusive snow elves could in fact come within feet of them and probably never be noticed, and their rarity is a testament to both there few numbers but also a desire to be avoided. Elves, snow and other wise, do appear before the party, quite suddenly. They praise their new “lord”, and seem oddly intent on spending some time with the party.
Buckthorn, out of the corner of his eye, sees the other 10 or so, longbows ready, that did not make their presence known. Then the “lord” itself appears. A nasty, lizardy manticore. The fight is on!
The manticore has little luck as Buckthorn evades it and the others target it. But the archers make up the difference, dropping the halfling then the dwarf and peppering the shifter for good measure. The two wizards call forth fire and Lucian brings great frustration to the manticore, as it is first driven from the field, and then returns to meet its end. Its not too long before the archers break and run, and only one sword wielding elf remains.
Captured by Lucian to try to find the “manticore’s treasure”, and forced to march back to the elves camp, which is looted for some gold coin. The hapless elf, or his being alive, greatly offends Forge, who in a savage act cuts him down, in spite of the council of Buckthorn and the wizards. No attempt is made to climb into the hills to the location indicated as housing the “manticore’s treasure”.
They continue. The find “the head” indicated on the map, the top of a once great dwarven statue, and then leave what remains of the main road to plunge east into the wilderness. The march takes its toll, especially when compounded by a local storm. Still, they climb up into the hills, and, again indicated by the map, find the pass to a swampy valley below. Nearby is an opening to some kind of carved caverns, most likely the old dwarven type they have been warned about. Lucian creeps in and takes a look, but discerns little, and the party continues.
Through the mists only Ghen can see the sure sign that the broad hill rising above the fens below is their destination: an odd rock pattern he describes like a “Jack-O-Lantern”. After almost 20 days of travel (after a month at sea, or at least several days coming from Watecross then waiting in Borivostok) they are almost there, just this stream to ford, by some circle of stones.
This is when the huge, blood sucking vines attack. Forge throws himself in their midst…and is eventually dropped by them, as is Lucian (the closest to death he has come since, well, the doppelgangers) and Ghen. When not falling in the stream, the wizards' fire, magic missiles, and even illusions, give the party the edge they need and the deadly greens are destroyed.
The odd hill awaits.
TerraDave
5ever, or until 2024
A book yet unamed
Malachai and Nar-Heru: The Tome is an odd one. Clearly cobbled together from various books and manuscripts—not an unknown practice by itself—it has the journals of Simon Amber (a cousin of that infamous family?) mixed in with more standard rituals and much that, at this point, is barely comprehensible. From what Bart said (and Lucian could verify, if he clawed that far back into his memory) is that the he first found the book beneath an old crumbling keep in the Nearblight. Beneath the keep was a bizarre cathedral to undeath, and the book was being used by a cultist of Orcus to make in a rift in the firmament between Thraeya and the Land of the Dead.
You think Amber wrote the journal some decades back. Below are various bits of the journals that are comprehensible and seem relevant:
“Perhaps the most famous tomb outside of the ruins of Ta’Khem, in the Shadow Coast!...Built even as the dwarves still ruled, a testament to the degree of their decadence—or perhaps the untamable nature of those lands—and the deadly foresight of its creator. For of course the region would become a wilderness that would rival the Blight and perhaps be even less accessible.”
“Five centuries ago, a philosopher turned malicious sorcerer king in the waning days of Illumaria’s might [a reference to the last great empire]. His real name was carefully removed from all records and shielded from practically all divination. This acolyte of Vecna, just as that other lich’s cult was rising, would seek his own path to undeath that would rival his master. He is known to us as Acererak.”
“We took the old North Road. In bad repair, but passable. After about 15 days (it would have been less had we approached this with more focus), we came to the statue, or part of a statue, of a great dwarven head. My own notes seemed to indicate that this was key clue, and with much searching we found the trail, barely a path, east.”
“The signs of the old dwarven settlements are found here and there. We made the mistake of exploring some. Too much time taken, and the first lives lost….”
“Trust nothing here! The savagery was too great for the Old Kingdom of the dwarves, and is to great now. Also, beware the elves. One snow clan was helpful, but others had degenerated badly [unreadable]”
“We climbed high into hills, and then, barely visible through the mists, was the face! But first, into a swampy valley did we have to travel. There was an opening to some old settlement nearby. This we avoided.”
“The entrance to the place is well concealed, and takes digging! In any case, its in the middle of the hill, or should I say below the middle of the ‘face’”
“From the entrance on, the duplicity and trickery here is astounding! One deadly choice and trick after another. I will attempt to take careful notes of what I find.”
The two wizards who may be reading this realize that large parts have in fact been blackened out. The nature of the damage is unclear.
Malachai and Nar-Heru: The Tome is an odd one. Clearly cobbled together from various books and manuscripts—not an unknown practice by itself—it has the journals of Simon Amber (a cousin of that infamous family?) mixed in with more standard rituals and much that, at this point, is barely comprehensible. From what Bart said (and Lucian could verify, if he clawed that far back into his memory) is that the he first found the book beneath an old crumbling keep in the Nearblight. Beneath the keep was a bizarre cathedral to undeath, and the book was being used by a cultist of Orcus to make in a rift in the firmament between Thraeya and the Land of the Dead.
You think Amber wrote the journal some decades back. Below are various bits of the journals that are comprehensible and seem relevant:
“Perhaps the most famous tomb outside of the ruins of Ta’Khem, in the Shadow Coast!...Built even as the dwarves still ruled, a testament to the degree of their decadence—or perhaps the untamable nature of those lands—and the deadly foresight of its creator. For of course the region would become a wilderness that would rival the Blight and perhaps be even less accessible.”
“Five centuries ago, a philosopher turned malicious sorcerer king in the waning days of Illumaria’s might [a reference to the last great empire]. His real name was carefully removed from all records and shielded from practically all divination. This acolyte of Vecna, just as that other lich’s cult was rising, would seek his own path to undeath that would rival his master. He is known to us as Acererak.”
“We took the old North Road. In bad repair, but passable. After about 15 days (it would have been less had we approached this with more focus), we came to the statue, or part of a statue, of a great dwarven head. My own notes seemed to indicate that this was key clue, and with much searching we found the trail, barely a path, east.”
“The signs of the old dwarven settlements are found here and there. We made the mistake of exploring some. Too much time taken, and the first lives lost….”
“Trust nothing here! The savagery was too great for the Old Kingdom of the dwarves, and is to great now. Also, beware the elves. One snow clan was helpful, but others had degenerated badly [unreadable]”
“We climbed high into hills, and then, barely visible through the mists, was the face! But first, into a swampy valley did we have to travel. There was an opening to some old settlement nearby. This we avoided.”
“The entrance to the place is well concealed, and takes digging! In any case, its in the middle of the hill, or should I say below the middle of the ‘face’”
“From the entrance on, the duplicity and trickery here is astounding! One deadly choice and trick after another. I will attempt to take careful notes of what I find.”
The two wizards who may be reading this realize that large parts have in fact been blackened out. The nature of the damage is unclear.
TerraDave
5ever, or until 2024
You manage to round up the horses and cross the stream. You remain bruised and battered from the blood sucking foliage. Ghen, Forge, and Lucian are also feeling the effects of the journey (-1 surge). It’s a little cold, and you are all wet to varying degrees.
The hill lies before you, around it is a mix of fen and dense clumps of forest. The hill is about 200 yards wide. Ugly weeds, thorns and briars grow on the 60 foot high mound. You can see black rocks on top (though only Ghen saw the pattern they made). There is no arch or door into it.
Let me know what you want to do…
Date: 10d 10m, Monday; Make up days (average): 49
The hill lies before you, around it is a mix of fen and dense clumps of forest. The hill is about 200 yards wide. Ugly weeds, thorns and briars grow on the 60 foot high mound. You can see black rocks on top (though only Ghen saw the pattern they made). There is no arch or door into it.
Let me know what you want to do…
Date: 10d 10m, Monday; Make up days (average): 49
TerraDave
5ever, or until 2024
You are now close to the hill. Ghen performs his ritual. You are not cold and this is good. (I will just let him extend to all 6 party members). You still have not taken an extended rest.
Nar-Heru (by email): I propose to the party that I spend a few moments performing the Detect Secret Doors on the face of the hill, while I can still see it, hopefully giving us a target to aim for. (pun intended) [James, I thought this was a good color for you...].
Presumably no one objects, and he also initiates his ritual. Though its not entirely clear that is constisten with what he read in the book. As he begins inspecting the hill, he does not initially find anything...(then the DM realizes what the ritaul does...see a few posts down).
Nar-Heru (by email): I propose to the party that I spend a few moments performing the Detect Secret Doors on the face of the hill, while I can still see it, hopefully giving us a target to aim for. (pun intended) [James, I thought this was a good color for you...].
Presumably no one objects, and he also initiates his ritual. Though its not entirely clear that is constisten with what he read in the book. As he begins inspecting the hill, he does not initially find anything...(then the DM realizes what the ritaul does...see a few posts down).
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