Menu
News
All News
Dungeons & Dragons
Level Up: Advanced 5th Edition
Pathfinder
Starfinder
Warhammer
2d20 System
Year Zero Engine
Industry News
Reviews
Dragon Reflections
Columns
Weekly Digests
Weekly News Digest
Freebies, Sales & Bundles
RPG Print News
RPG Crowdfunding News
Game Content
ENterplanetary DimENsions
Mythological Figures
Opinion
Worlds of Design
Peregrine's Next
RPG Evolution
Other Columns
From the Freelancing Frontline
Monster ENcyclopedia
WotC/TSR Alumni Look Back
4 Hours w/RSD (Ryan Dancey)
The Road to 3E (Jonathan Tweet)
Greenwood's Realms (Ed Greenwood)
Drawmij's TSR (Jim Ward)
Community
Forums & Topics
Forum List
Latest Posts
Forum list
*Dungeons & Dragons
Level Up: Advanced 5th Edition
D&D Older Editions
*TTRPGs General
*Pathfinder & Starfinder
EN Publishing
*Geek Talk & Media
Search forums
Chat/Discord
Resources
Wiki
Pages
Latest activity
Media
New media
New comments
Search media
Downloads
Latest reviews
Search resources
EN Publishing
Store
EN5ider
Adventures in ZEITGEIST
Awfully Cheerful Engine
What's OLD is NEW
Judge Dredd & The Worlds Of 2000AD
War of the Burning Sky
Level Up: Advanced 5E
Events & Releases
Upcoming Events
Private Events
Featured Events
Socials!
Twitch
YouTube
Facebook (EN Publishing)
Facebook (EN World)
Twitter
Instagram
TikTok
Podcast
Features
Top 5 RPGs Compiled Charts 2004-Present
Adventure Game Industry Market Research Summary (RPGs) V1.0
Ryan Dancey: Acquiring TSR
Q&A With Gary Gygax
D&D Rules FAQs
TSR, WotC, & Paizo: A Comparative History
D&D Pronunciation Guide
Million Dollar TTRPG Kickstarters
Tabletop RPG Podcast Hall of Fame
Eric Noah's Unofficial D&D 3rd Edition News
D&D in the Mainstream
D&D & RPG History
About Morrus
Log in
Register
What's new
Search
Search
Search titles only
By:
Forums & Topics
Forum List
Latest Posts
Forum list
*Dungeons & Dragons
Level Up: Advanced 5th Edition
D&D Older Editions
*TTRPGs General
*Pathfinder & Starfinder
EN Publishing
*Geek Talk & Media
Search forums
Chat/Discord
Menu
Log in
Register
Install the app
Install
The
VOIDRUNNER'S CODEX
is LIVE! Explore new worlds, fight oppressive empires, fend off fearsome aliens, and wield deadly psionics with this comprehensive boxed set expansion for 5E and A5E!
Community
Playing the Game
Story Hour
Shackled City Epic: "Vengeance" (story concluded)
JavaScript is disabled. For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding.
You are using an out of date browser. It may not display this or other websites correctly.
You should upgrade or use an
alternative browser
.
Reply to thread
Message
<blockquote data-quote="Lazybones" data-source="post: 1051217" data-attributes="member: 143"><p>Wolff: I think the gnomes often get overlooked by designers, or minimalized (forgive the pun) as silly tricksters. I tried to go against the grain somewhat with Cal and now Mole, while still remaining true to the race as described in the PH and FRCS. Certainly I've seen few non-gnome PCs bother to take the language, but in this case the fact that Zenna and Mole both speak it has already been significant in a few places of the story. </p><p></p><p>* * * * * </p><p></p><p>I got Issue 102 yesterday, and the newest installment in the Adventure Path. I've only had time for a cursory look, but it appears as though our adventurers have some quite interesting challenges ahead. </p><p></p><p>Of course, first they have to survive Jzadirune and the Malachite Fortress...</p><p></p><p>I'm ahead in the story, so multiple updates this week, starting with: </p><p></p><p>* * * * *</p><p></p><p>Chapter 19</p><p></p><p>Trust. </p><p></p><p>Trust was a double-edged sword, one that could turn on you and be thrust into your back when you least expected it. This was a truth that Yuathyb understood all too well, given what he was, and his current position. </p><p></p><p>The fact was, he was desperate, but he kept that fact well hidden from his minions. He’d always been suspicious of them, a wise precaution in any circumstances, but especially so given recent developments. Over the last few days, he’s seen the way that the creepers had looked at him, the furtive glances that seemed to be weighing options, opportunities...</p><p></p><p>He did not blame them for that. In their circumstance, he would likely be doing the same thing. </p><p></p><p>One of the creepers came over to him, nimbly avoiding the broken pottery and glass that carelessly littered the floor. Of course, there was nothing careless about it, but there was nothing to be done for it now anyway. </p><p></p><p>The creeper looked up at him with hooded eyes, the rest of its face covered by the enfolding wrap of his cloak. Yuathyb knew what it was thinking, knew it was trying to judge how far the sickness had progressed since their last meeting, but he refused to draw his own cloak closer around himself. </p><p></p><p>“Report,” he snapped. </p><p></p><p>“They have taken control of the automaton,” the creeper hissed. “They have a gnome among them. Mzrak is keeping watch, in the tunnel.”</p><p></p><p>Outwardly, Yuathyb betrayed nothing, but inside he cursed. He should have anticipated that the intruders might have a gnome among their number. He glanced at the skulk, who at the moment was living up to its name, huddling in a corner. The creature had been less than useless in terms of describing the intruders, failing to report even this basic snippet of information, but the stalker could not blame it, either; at least the blasted things were consistent in their cowardice. </p><p></p><p>Yuathyb turned back to his minion. “Tell Mzrak not to engage, but to monitor the progress of the intruders and report back. We will ambush them here, and put an end to their meddling in a single blow.”</p><p></p><p>The creeper nodded, an anticipatory gleam in its dark eyes as it bowed incrementally before darting away toward the tunnel entrance. </p><p></p><p>The stalker watched it depart. The two other creepers that remained eyed him with the same evaluating stare as their companion, but Yuathyb ignored them, already lost in the complex machinations of thought. </p><p></p><p>He did not believe that the creepers would betray him—not now, with a common enemy to fight. Perhaps after these enemies were beaten, if he were left sufficiently weak, but Yuathyb was too canny a veteran to let himself be drawn directly into a battle if minions were available instead. They resented him, to be sure, particularly so with the memory of the lesson he’d had to impart just a few days ago fresh in their minds. It was a pity that had been necessary; he could have used Zirtak’s skills in the coming confrontation. </p><p></p><p>A sound drew his attention, a metallic scrape that seemed to come from the direction of the gnome door in the south wall. His creepers and the skulks alike avoided all of the gnome portals with their resetting traps and defensive wards, still quite potent despite the decades that had passed since the gnomes had abandoned Jzadirune. Once Yuathyb had discovered the pulverizer, they’d been able to create new tunnels that bypassed the doors, making them moot. </p><p></p><p>The stalker gestured, and one of the creepers slinked over to the door, careful not to touch it, leaning close against the wood to listen. </p><p></p><p>Suddenly there was a loud CLANG! and the door shuddered visibly. Almost immediately, a dense cloud of cloying purplish smoke erupted from all around the threshold, engulfing the creeper and filling a good portion of the space directly in front of the door. Yuathyb himself drew back quickly, although it was clear that the smoke was not spreading further into the room. The noise continued, accompanied now by the sounds of splintering wood as the door gave way before what had to be the assault of the automaton. </p><p></p><p><em>It would appear that I underestimated them,</em> the stalker thought grimly to himself. He watched as the creeper staggered out of the cloud, clearly suffering its effects, his face ravaged and blackened, his cloak sagging as the acidic vapors continued to burn through the fabric. The creeper he’d sent just a few moments before emerged from the tunnel well away from the door, and Yuathyb froze the skulk who’d already begun edging away toward the passage exit in the north wall with a cold look. </p><p></p><p>The cloud was already beginning to clear. The stalker drew his sword, pointing it to the ruin of the doorway where the pulverizer was just coming into view. </p><p></p><p>His minions moved into position.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Lazybones, post: 1051217, member: 143"] Wolff: I think the gnomes often get overlooked by designers, or minimalized (forgive the pun) as silly tricksters. I tried to go against the grain somewhat with Cal and now Mole, while still remaining true to the race as described in the PH and FRCS. Certainly I've seen few non-gnome PCs bother to take the language, but in this case the fact that Zenna and Mole both speak it has already been significant in a few places of the story. * * * * * I got Issue 102 yesterday, and the newest installment in the Adventure Path. I've only had time for a cursory look, but it appears as though our adventurers have some quite interesting challenges ahead. Of course, first they have to survive Jzadirune and the Malachite Fortress... I'm ahead in the story, so multiple updates this week, starting with: * * * * * Chapter 19 Trust. Trust was a double-edged sword, one that could turn on you and be thrust into your back when you least expected it. This was a truth that Yuathyb understood all too well, given what he was, and his current position. The fact was, he was desperate, but he kept that fact well hidden from his minions. He’d always been suspicious of them, a wise precaution in any circumstances, but especially so given recent developments. Over the last few days, he’s seen the way that the creepers had looked at him, the furtive glances that seemed to be weighing options, opportunities... He did not blame them for that. In their circumstance, he would likely be doing the same thing. One of the creepers came over to him, nimbly avoiding the broken pottery and glass that carelessly littered the floor. Of course, there was nothing careless about it, but there was nothing to be done for it now anyway. The creeper looked up at him with hooded eyes, the rest of its face covered by the enfolding wrap of his cloak. Yuathyb knew what it was thinking, knew it was trying to judge how far the sickness had progressed since their last meeting, but he refused to draw his own cloak closer around himself. “Report,” he snapped. “They have taken control of the automaton,” the creeper hissed. “They have a gnome among them. Mzrak is keeping watch, in the tunnel.” Outwardly, Yuathyb betrayed nothing, but inside he cursed. He should have anticipated that the intruders might have a gnome among their number. He glanced at the skulk, who at the moment was living up to its name, huddling in a corner. The creature had been less than useless in terms of describing the intruders, failing to report even this basic snippet of information, but the stalker could not blame it, either; at least the blasted things were consistent in their cowardice. Yuathyb turned back to his minion. “Tell Mzrak not to engage, but to monitor the progress of the intruders and report back. We will ambush them here, and put an end to their meddling in a single blow.” The creeper nodded, an anticipatory gleam in its dark eyes as it bowed incrementally before darting away toward the tunnel entrance. The stalker watched it depart. The two other creepers that remained eyed him with the same evaluating stare as their companion, but Yuathyb ignored them, already lost in the complex machinations of thought. He did not believe that the creepers would betray him—not now, with a common enemy to fight. Perhaps after these enemies were beaten, if he were left sufficiently weak, but Yuathyb was too canny a veteran to let himself be drawn directly into a battle if minions were available instead. They resented him, to be sure, particularly so with the memory of the lesson he’d had to impart just a few days ago fresh in their minds. It was a pity that had been necessary; he could have used Zirtak’s skills in the coming confrontation. A sound drew his attention, a metallic scrape that seemed to come from the direction of the gnome door in the south wall. His creepers and the skulks alike avoided all of the gnome portals with their resetting traps and defensive wards, still quite potent despite the decades that had passed since the gnomes had abandoned Jzadirune. Once Yuathyb had discovered the pulverizer, they’d been able to create new tunnels that bypassed the doors, making them moot. The stalker gestured, and one of the creepers slinked over to the door, careful not to touch it, leaning close against the wood to listen. Suddenly there was a loud CLANG! and the door shuddered visibly. Almost immediately, a dense cloud of cloying purplish smoke erupted from all around the threshold, engulfing the creeper and filling a good portion of the space directly in front of the door. Yuathyb himself drew back quickly, although it was clear that the smoke was not spreading further into the room. The noise continued, accompanied now by the sounds of splintering wood as the door gave way before what had to be the assault of the automaton. [I]It would appear that I underestimated them,[/I] the stalker thought grimly to himself. He watched as the creeper staggered out of the cloud, clearly suffering its effects, his face ravaged and blackened, his cloak sagging as the acidic vapors continued to burn through the fabric. The creeper he’d sent just a few moments before emerged from the tunnel well away from the door, and Yuathyb froze the skulk who’d already begun edging away toward the passage exit in the north wall with a cold look. The cloud was already beginning to clear. The stalker drew his sword, pointing it to the ruin of the doorway where the pulverizer was just coming into view. His minions moved into position. [/QUOTE]
Insert quotes…
Verification
Post reply
Community
Playing the Game
Story Hour
Shackled City Epic: "Vengeance" (story concluded)
Top