Seas of Fire

[rootbeergnome]

Session 2, part 2
At least we know that murder is not their immediate aim. Jared is encased in an amber shell, but Virian and Dexerion are quick to act.

Yes, but what is their immediate aim? Drunkadelic's character Jared was immobilized by the spell that struck him from the scroll, he was not pleased.

The first thug advances upon Virian and swings his sap at the bard, but the man cannot hit our agile friend. The second thug moves to flank and attack him. He is also unsuccessful. Virian responds by striking at the first attacker. A high-pitched whistle follows the tall man’s staff. Whoooooooooooom, THUD.

The attacker never knew what hit him. He is out cold. Impressive.

Virian was kicking butt and taking names, I have a feeling he will turn out to be a great bard. I don't often get bards in my groups because most people don't want to play them for some reason, but I was delighted when Virian's player told me he wanted to play a Bard. He actually writes songs for the game which I find really adds to his character and the game as a whole, and he wrote a new one recently for his Inspire Courage Bardic Music ability, I think you will definitely get to read it after the next game as I am certain he will want to use it.

When they set Jared down, the messenger pulls a roll of papyrus from the folds of his clothing. If that scrap of paper is what I think it is, we need to swiftly bring the man down.

The scroll was dropped when the attackers were arrested, and upon retrieval and closer inspection by Virian and Dexerion, was revealed to be a scroll of Invisibility. Apparently the kidnappers' intentions were to cast Invisibility on Jared and simply take him away, after all the guards wouldn't be suspicious if they couldn't see the immobilized Jared glowing with amber-colored magic being hauled away on the shoulders of the attackers right past the guards.

When Jared is released from his bondage, he immediately and discreetly eats the filthy envelope bearing his name.

This was really great because there was REAL dirt on that envelope, and Jared's player chewed it up. Just before the game I made the envelope and tossed it in some loose dirt, smeared it around, and dusted it off to make it look like it had been on the road for some time.

someone down at the docks had been asking incoherent questions and assaulting passersby. What is this world coming to?

Indeed! What is this world coming to? Zombies and Skeletons working for little or no pay! Ruffians roaming the streets, and gangs of scarecrows escaping their fields to attack caravans! And shouldn't someone get Toady to an Alcoholics Anonymous meeting soon?

-Rootbeergnome

 

[Rybaer]

Nice story so far...I like the setting and characters. Both this and the Sundered Sky story have a setting very similar to one I'd been conceptualizing.

Look forward to reading more.

 

[Rune]

Nice story so far...I like the setting and characters. Both this and the Sundered Sky story have a setting very similar to one I'd been conceptualizing.

Look forward to reading more.

Thanks! Glad to have you stop by! I'd love to read about your setting, when you get it going!

 

[Rybaer]

Thanks! Glad to have you stop by! I'd love to read about your setting, when you get it going!

The floating island setting I'd envisioned actually took place more on a gas-giant planet. The inhabitable islands were in the upper atmosphere. Below is a perpetual maelstrom, probably a seething brown/orange like Jupiter. Once in a while it can boil up and create nasty storms from below.

It's just an idea, though. I'm too busy running my more mundane game world Aftermath to start up another one right now.

 

[rathor]

neat

awesome idea. i am building and running a campain now where the world has a floating island. it is only one contenent though. it is help together and floating by a large magical gem in the xyz center of the contenent deep underground in a hidden temple. one the island live a hybrid elven, japanese type people that have no knowledge of magic, only martial arts and whatknot. they know notthing of the world below them, for they were only cave dwelers when their content was risen by a powerful mage race that is now exstinct. the island wildlife is species evolved from dragons, for after the contenint rose, only they and birds could access it. the birds were mostly hunted out and eattin by the dragons and people though, so only reptiles exsist there. below the floating island is a vivid fantasy world with several races, but the islanders know notthing of it and the races below know of the island only as ledgend. the campain players now is only two, brothers of a fuedal lord on the island. it is a very interesting campain, i modified the d20 system for it and added a ton of new skills. anyway, i am at work and shouldn't be on the net. lol. later.

 

[Rune]

Session 3, part 1

All hell breaks loose.

Virian bursts into a song that bolsters our courage and fires an arrow from his mighty bow into the pumpkin head of the scarecrow as it shuffles toward the main group of our friends. Another scarecrow—this one with the skull of some grazing animal resting on its shoulders and a corroded bronze sickle in its claws—steps from the rock. Maialin, Jared, and I are shooting fire from our bows, Dexerion is casting some diversionary spell (creating the image of a dwarven warrior?), and Fruffy is running forward, swinging, and…losing his courage.

Over all of it, the song of the four-armed bard can be heard:

I hold the courage of the many
You hold the courage of the few
Let the courage of the many
Now become a greater part of you…

With a loud clap of thunder, the skies open up and the storm begins. Within seconds, we are drenched. A third scarecrow shuffles from inside the image of the gnarled tree, as the flames from Maialin and Jared’s bolts—and my arrows—burn the hay from the twisted wooden skeletons of the other two scarecrow monsters. This third one has a burlap sack for a head. I am sure that it is the one from my cornfield.

A dense fog rises from the ground around the large rock and the tree. Within seconds, nothing can be seen within it, save the top of the stone.

Jared is surrounded by a red glow as the air around him seems to bend and then he is moving around the fog. He appears to be cutting through the fabric of time.

The two warriors and the tracker emerge from the tall grass and join the fray. The two warriors charge into the fog. Virian continues his song and takes another shot at the pumpkin-headed wooden skeleton. His massive bow drives the arrow through the ribcage and the sickly green glow fades as the wooden frame is fractured into thousands of wooden chips. The impressive display of power does more to inspire the rest of us than his confident tune.

The skull-headed scarecrow walks into the fog and disappears.

I hear Maialin’s scream cut off in a gurgle on the other side of the fog and run to it. The burlap-headed scarecrow has cut a chunk out of her side with its scythe. She is not dead, but is bleeding heavily and obviously in great pain. The tracker runs to my side and strikes out at the creature, but his bronze longsword does little more than shave some hay from the form.

Maialin steps back and fumbles for the potion that I gave her, finally drinking it in a rush. Her side glows with the light of day for an instant and her wound closes almost completely.

Lightning illuminates the horizon, where we can see what may be an airship, fast approaching. The thunder that follows is drowned out by the screams within the fog that end in strangled choking sounds.

In an attempt, perhaps, to make up for his previous display of fear, Fruff runs up and charges the shuffling, scythe-wielding, scare-creature and smashes into it with his club. He obliterates one of the legs. Brave little kid!

Behind the tracker, a wispy, tortured, almost human apparition has materialized. Virian runs up and swings his singing staff at the ghostly figure. Whoooooooooooooom. As is expected, the staff passes right through it. Through the fog, we hear Jared shout, “It doesn’t have a mind!”

Dexerion, who has memorized mostly mind-affecting spells, takes this to heart and begins to pepper the area with arrows.

A burst of colors springs forth from it and I feel something try to enter my mind searching for some hold over me, trying to drive a wedge between it and my body. Somehow, I fight it off, but I can see that Maialin is not so fortunate. Her eyes close and she falls into a deep slumber.

The burlap creature swings its scythe and I am crippled, but not out for the count. I slice through its hay with my blade and stagger toward the halfling druid. In seconds, he is at my side, grabbing my wound and…Green holy light flows from his arm into my side! I am healed! The scar left behind is a small price to pay.

The skull-headed scarecrow emerges from the fog behind Virian and swings its sickle into the bard. He collapses into a bloody heap, his quarterstaff sailing through the rain and tall grass. Whaaaaaaaaaah Swish. Pfthud.

Dexerion rushes in to drag Maialin off to safety in the tall grass, far behind us. Good lad…I was just about to do the same thing, but now I can devote my attention to another important matter…

 

[Rune]

Session 3, part 2

I know what I must do. I dash for the fog and cautiously step into it. First, the tree confronts me. I walk through it. As I suspected, it is illusory. Inside, crates of dry rations are stacked. I move on. Into the rock. At its center, the entrance to a sod hut looms before me. I do not immediately go in, but call for assistance.

From nowhere, a gnome materializes and drives a cold, blue hand into my side…my soul. I can feel my essence slip away, sucked into this evil little man. He laughs, but only for the few seconds that precede his death—Jared has driven his rapier into the back of the gnome’s neck…and out of the throat. I can hear Maialin screaming in the distance—she’s alive, at least—as I rush into the hut.

Inside, I see a dirty cot and various signs of prolonged encampment. In a corner, chained to massive stone spike and bound by rope, a wasting man in filthy yellow and white robes lies unconscious. He wears the emblem of the sun god. It is surely Father Mehmet!

I yell to Jared to find a key on the body of the gnome and try to pick the locks on the priest’s chains, anyway. I cannot quite do it, but in a moment, Jared is by my side with the key and I use that, cutting the rope bonds, at the same time. I wake the priest and tell him that all is well, recommending that he heal himself—his throat is rubbed raw and his jawbone is visible through a mass of gore. He does so, filling the room with sunlight at the same time.

Then two figures appear in the little hut…each wearing black robes and staring blankly from eyes dripping with blood. The swing black metal swords at Jared and I. Jared is dealt a heavy blow. I am…gone.

 

[Rune]

Session 3, part 3

Sunlight fills my existence. Fire burns through my wounds, bathing me in the essence of the day. I awaken with Father Mehmet standing over me, praying. And for the first time in my life, I am thankful to be in the presence of divinity.

Our companions, minus the two warriors and Virian, but including Maialin, stand in or just outside of the hut. Maialin has grabbed one of the black swords. I grab the other and hand it to the priest. In the doorway, Fruff exclaims in shock, "And they call us savages!” I am already running outside, out of the fog, while Fruff babbles some nonsense about stealing the ship.

The fog has dispersed.

The ship has landed. It is a massive rotting fish. The reek is almost beyond belief. Its mouth is open and an unhealthy green glow emanates from it as seven dog-sized rotting creatures run toward me. Father Mehmet has gone with Maialin and Dexerion to heal Virian and the tracker and Jared are at my side. Fruff has stumbled upon the corpse of the larger of the warriors and says a blessing over the body, bidding it return to the soil that gave it life. Foolish child!

All of my companions are running, wisely, from the ship, and the rotten rat-creatures, which are now enveloped in an unnatural darkness by a figure in the mouth of the fish-ship, whose only differentiation from the other two robed figures is a small red dot on his forehead. Upon seeing the ship, the halfling says, “I don’t want this ship anymore.” No kidding.

I cannot find it in my heart to run with them. I run to the body of the larger warrior, calling out to my colleagues for assistance in finding the other. I think I can just see him a little ways off as I hoist the fallen warrior at my feet over my shoulders.

My companions cannot believe what I am doing, as the rat-zombies quickly close the distance between their ship and my heels. I cannot help it.

“I came with them,” I tell them, “I’m taking them back with me!”

They pay me no heed, until I run to the other one and realize that he still breathes! Virian runs back to me and casts a song of health on the smaller warrior. The mustached man stirs to life as the musical magic sews his wounds together. Virian picks him up and runs toward the rest of our group. With the dead warrior on my shoulders. I follow, but I cannot resist the temptation to look behind me. The darkness that surrounds the creatures enters the sod hut, crawls back out, and rushes back to its ship.

We run through the tall grass.

The ship lifts into the sky and the dead eyes come to life as powerful green lights burst forth from them, searching the ground below the decaying fish as it sails toward us.

Searching. Searching.

We continue to run.

 

[drunkadelic]

Jared again.

Kudos to Rootbeer for finally giving us the mass melee that every gamer secretly wants in his heart. I can be happy for at least 5 more sessions of political intrigue and travel now. Just kidding.

It is also of note to add the ambience that rootbeer involves in his games. The party is fighting weird skeleton/pumkinheaded creatures, so right after we began our session, he reached into his bag of goodies and pulled out a jack-o-lantern and turned on the track "This is Halloween" from the Nightmare Before Christmas soundtrack. Most certainly we would have had much fun without these things, but its the little things like this that make us like rootbeer's games even more. That and the guarantee that at least once per session he will do the snooty frenchman or toady accent. Zootalo!

So to all you other GMs out there, just remember. A little ambience can set the mood for a wonderful night of roleplaying.

Drunkadelic

 

[rootbeergnome]

Session 3, part 2

From nowhere, a gnome materializes and drives a cold, blue hand into my side…my soul. I can feel my essence slip away, sucked into this evil little man. He laughs, but only for the few seconds that precede his death—Jared has driven his rapier into the back of the gnome’s neck…and out of the throat. I can hear Maialin screaming in the distance—she’s alive, at least—as I rush into the hut.

The sinister little illusionist's smirk turned into a look of pain and horror when Jared rolled a mean critical hit!

Then two figures appear in the little hut…each wearing black robes and staring blankly from eyes dripping with blood. The swing black metal swords at Jared and I. Jared is dealt a heavy blow. I am…gone.

The eyes themselves were not dripping blood, more like, crying blood While Roderick was unconcious Jared used the "Flick of the Wrist"(can you say "sneak attack!" ) feat against one of the pale men. His bronze rapier flashed from his scabard and slashed his attacker's throat.

Thanks for the praise Drunkadelic! I searched all over for that soundtrack because I knew it would be perfect for the battle
-RB Gnome