The Creation Schema:THE FINAL BATTLE FOR POSSESSION OF THE SCHEMA

[megamania]

EBERRON
10/09/04
SEGMENT 011
SHADOWS OF THE LAST WAR

Six skeletons claw and climb onto the ship from the water. Temper drives on back into the water easily with a powerful backhand and pulls out his Greatsword. Bonds snaps off the head of one before him but it advances still.
“%$#*! Everyone up!” He yells just in case.

The House Lyrandar ½ elves are the first to the deck. It would appear that traveling through these waters before has made them light sleepers.
Khora awakes and climbs the ladder minus his armor. Cedious also. Boddynoc dreams of the gnomes he saw in Korranberg.

The skeletons prove to be no challenge to the warforged. The ½ elves merely watch for more as the skeletons are broken up and thrown overboard.

Looking out, Bonds can see a figure on the shore but it is at the limit of his sight. He is uncertain if the figure was involved or merely watching the show.

In gratitude, the captain- Captain Ryag Meth, offers the best of food and service (not money as per the adventure suggested- PCs are loaded already sheesh!).

The ship continues inland from the bay and onto the river. Within the day, it arrives in Rhukaan Draal.

Rhukaan Draal is the capital of the goblinoid nation of Darguun. It was once a great city. Once.

“It is mid-morning when you finally arrive in Rhukaan Draal. The goblinoid city was built around what was once a Cyran frontier town, and today it has grown into a sprawling goblinoid metropolis. The city appears as a crazy architectural tapestry; mud and timber huts surround ancient structures of stone and brick, interspersed with canvas tents and pavilions. Most of the roads are bare earth, and few of the wonders or conveniences of Sharn are evident here. Within this ramshackle city, a single building dominates the skyline- an enormous tower of red stone that rises up from the very center of the city. This is Khaar Mbar’ost, the court of the Lhesh Haruuc, the hobgoblin king.”

“Fixer upper?” smirks Cedious.

“Lets not provoke them” says Boddynoc to the two warforged while eyeing three goblins that are obviously casing out the five outsiders. There are goblins, hobgoblins, bugbears and a few orcs working the docks. Khora spots an Ogre carrying crates on another ship. The ship, The Emerald Spirit, seems deserted and the dockworkers look nervous around it. The group otherwise ignores it as they walk down the gang blank and onto the docks. The docks creak under the great weight of the fighter and the barbarian. More than one goblin stare then snarl at Bonds and his shoulder pad, which he refuses to remove.

Boddynoc is not expecting a good reception.

“Bloody Market?” asks Cedious to a goblin with a limp.

“Bloody Market?” he repeats but in goblin. The goblin ignores him. “%$#* you” he says in goblin. The goblin freezes and turns with venom on his face. The halfling rogue has already taken off and “blended” into the crowd.

“Lets be serious guys. This can be very dangerous here.” Says Boddynoc looking at the large Bugbear before him that is publicly scratching his genitals. Disgusted they push forward.

Eventually the find the market area on their own and with no blood shed on the way.

The market is busy and smelly. The materials being sold here vary greatly in quality and substance. The finer goods are undoubtedly goods found in the Mourningland region. In goblin, Cedious and Boddynoc ask around for Failin. The reception is poor. The market guards, a Bugbear and two hobgoblins watch the group with feigned disinterest. They try to ask the sellers now. They offer a copper for information. This gets no answer. Then two coppers. The Bugbear walks over to them.

“Man- this place stinks” says Cedious in common. He nearly jumps out of his boots as he hears a deep snarling voice answer in common. “Must be the humanz child.”

He turns to see the Bugbear guard leaning over him. Cedious looks back and sees the other four have already moved onto the next table down. They are unaware of Cedious’ predicament.

“What do here? Start troubles?” He snarls more than asks. “I takes care of troublez.” He follows it up with hoisting up his morning star. Dried blood and tuffs of hair are still visible on it.

Cedious can not help himself. “Ugh! Say- as a servant to the market- can you tell me where Failin is?”

The Bugbear stiffens up in anger and surprise at how daring the halfling is. “Servant?!?” The bugbear snorts and spits at the halfling narrowly missing the agile halfling. By time the others see what is happening, Cedious has the bugbear enraged with a murderous look in his eyes. Bonds steps in with a happy glean in his glass eyes.

A stare-off begins that erupts as the Bugbear and hobgoblins attack. The warforged return blows slaying them. The entire market is screaming for the stranger’s blood. More bugbears come from out of the crowd. Soon a large-scale fight is beginning. Even as he pulls out his crossbow, Boddynoc seriously wonders if they will survive this adventure.

Blood, body parts and insults are soon flying. A few opportunistic goblins fire cross bows hoping to hit anything; strangers for show or Bugbears for revenge. The battle goes for several minutes. Boddynoc does everything he can to keep the group alive including Enlarging Khora. The group decides to escape into the alleys of the city thinking they may find a safe place to hide. Goblins run as spies and scouts letting the mob know where the strangers are at all times.

Angry by it all, Bonds enrages and can’t help himself. He chases down the goblins leading the group deeper into the city and into more danger. Word is out- there are strangers here killing everyone.

Survivors later wonder how this will affect Failin.

“Stay together!” yells Boddynoc but his small feet won’t allow him to keep up with the large barbarian. Khora chases after Bonds. They thought to talk him down but he begins to strike down orcs that get in the way.

“What?” comments the halfling, as everyone looks him. “What else did you expect from me?”

The warforged barbarian tears apart everything in his path. Khora is holding his own. The others are trying to catch up but find goblins and orcs are coming out of the alleys to attack them. A new crowd of bugbears enters the town park where Bonds and the human cleric are. Khora battles these but finds they are not attacking him. They taught him all the same. He doesn’t realize why until it is too late. A large Ogre walks up to him. He is dressed in fine clothes with a large but perfectly made great club.

As I said- word is out.

“Oh #$%*!” yells out Khora as he and this new foe are encircled by fans of the Ogre. Gork Broadshoulders, the youngest of the clan has arrived to attain justice.

The barbarian grows tired but tries to keep after the quick goblins. The others arrive just in time to hear it. The crunch of metal… the popping and shattering of bone….the death of Khora. The Ogre strikes him but once (crit with near max damage… OUCH!) then using his club, he hoists the offensive thing into the air for all to see.

“If he is trying to intimidate us …its working!” squeaks the halfling whom is now tugging on the gnome and the leg of Temper. “I think it’s been fun but its time to go now.”

They leave in a hurry to catch up with the Barbarian.

Khora is dead.

 

[megamania]

SEGMENT 12

 

[Boss]

Stolen!!!!

Oh yes, consider the certificate of death stolen for use in my own Eberron game!!!! I love it! Now I have to remember the information from the Artificier's death a few weeks ago so I can present one to him. Thanks and I hope you don't mind the rip-off!!

 

[megamania]

That's okay. I took it from a friend of mine during a CoC game.

 

[megamania]

EBERRON
10/09/04
SEGMENT 013
SHADOWS OF THE LAST WAR

The group, rattled and in pain find the river and follow it down against the current. They are careful to avoid any goblins or humans even in fear of being attacked. Everyone is seriously hurt and spells are very low. They have lost their healer (and his magic armor pouts one player) and are uncertain how to find the Whitehearth place now.

Deciding to continue upriver in the general direction they were headed, they set off. They are careful to avoid being seen as they are uncertain how far Draal’s reach is. In general, they are lost and uncertain what to do.

Several days go by. The river has changed design. It is narrower and rougher. They follow it until they come onto a strange sight. There is a boat, a sailing vessel no less, at a dock. The sun is beginning to set and the men seem agitated on board. Sneaking close, Cedious recognizes the men as Emerald Claw soldiers! What are they doing here!!!!!

He watches the boat and notes the boat has crashed into the dock. It would appear traveling on the river this far up is much more difficult than the open water of the seas and large bays. On board, near the rails, are several soldiers and a heavily armored large man with a thick beard. Cedious believed him to be the leader until another figure arrives. This one seems to shun the few beams of sun still thrown by the setting sun. This man, if it is a man, is tall, thin and looks undead like. His ears are pointed but curled. His robes are torn and old. Thinking about the leader’s appearance Cedious can think of only one thing- vampire!

Two men leave the building near the dock carrying a crate full of supplies. A hunch backed woman steps out from the doorway. She is looking behind her and at the building. Cedious misses seeing the faint smoke rise from the doorway.

Curious- the others are moving closer using the deepening shadows from the onset of night to cover them. They can see the smoke and note the strange activities on the dock and ship. Boddynoc looks at the creature on the deck and swallows hard. It resembles a vampire to the best of his knowledge. The Emerald Claw have a vampire- is there no right left in the world?

Suddenly a window from within is broken. Thick smoke rushes out from the new portal. An armored figure is within trying to get out. A soldier rushes over to keep him within. It would appear the Emerald Claw has set the building on fire with a living soul within. “The bastards!” says Boddynoc. They move behind the building to get a better look. Cedious meanwhile, needing to learn more has been sneaking under the porch, which leads to the dock. He carefully wads into the dark moving water to listen in. He catches some of the conversation. Words he hears include- Brother Gallow, Keltis and Mallora. He catches the words of Cannith, Whitehearth and Rose Quarry.

Cedious almost gives up his location hearing Rose Quarry. They are going to the same place they are! The Vampire is going to the same place they are!

Remembering something about the acute senses of a vampire, Cedious decides to move away before being detected. He returns to under the porch to look for his friends. His friends are just around the corner looking into the fire. They are not aware the ship is leaving until a loud crack is heard as the dock gives way. Restocked and with any information they were looking for, the ship of Emerald Claw thugs and vampire leaves.

The back door is struck from within several times. This has kept the group’s attention. A crash of glass can be heard. An impossibly large battle-axe has been thrown through a window. Thick black smoke with flames flow through the opening. An armored man then seems to fall through the window and hits the ground hard.

The man gets up and hefts up his battleaxe. Despite his medium size, he seems to hold the large weapon well. He turns and sees several figures in the dark. He prepares to fight when Boddynoc calls out to him. Anyone that the Emerald Claw wants to burn alive can’t be that bad (if only they knew!).

Introductions are made and some history given. Bane was here to do some trades and find out the general rumors and news when the Emerald Claw showed up. He watched as the female mage killed one man and the soldiers killed the other before him. He ran into the storage area nearly being hit by magical bolts of heat energy. They set the building on fire and left him to die. Now he wants them dead. Bane joins the adventurers.

They collect what food and supplies they can from the fire and try to follow the ship. It easily outdistances them but they continue. On the third day they find it again. The ship that is. It has run aground next to another trading house. This one has stables and many workers. The ship lists to the side and has taken in a lot of water. A gapping hole can be seen on the side. It has hit more things than just a few docks. Bane spots a bridge that crosses sides to the stables and goes. The others are more cautious. It is daylight but still- when it comes to undead, one can not be careful enough (player’s know I have many books on undead and special undead).

Bane tries to use intimidation on the stable workers to get information. He wants to know how many and where the soldiers are and who else is aboard the ship. The others see him motion with menace at the stable workers and begin to walk over themselves. Temper and Bonds see there are several guards of the Emerald Claw on the ship. They divert from the group and head for them instead. Cedious and Boddynoc are torn at where to go but to decide to backup their warforged friends over the new stranger.

Temper is careful enough walking down the dock to avoid possible weak boards. Bonds is not and finds himself falling through into knee-deep water. The dock reaches his chest. The soldiers meanwhile now begin to pay attention to them. This is okay with Temper. “It’s easier when they come to you.” He will be heard saying later. Cedious once more takes to the dock area and decides to check out the shattered hull. Maybe they have goodies here he figures. Boddynoc just hopes the leaders are not here.

Within the stables, Bane learns the ship arrived yesterday. They demanded repairs to be done and paid for most of it up front. They also bought many horses and asked for directions to the Rose Quarry. They did not seem to mind that it was at the edge of the Mournlands.

The soldiers keep Temper from boarding the ship. Bonds begins to become angry and tears up the dock to get free and at the men. Boddynoc supports them with his crossbow. Cedious discovers there is little to find within the hull. A few water logged supplies but nothing to note. He is deeply disappointed. The soldiers are taken down once Bonds is free to attack also.

“What now?” Temper asks of Boddynoc.

Boddynoc shrugs his shoulders. He honestly is not certain what to do. In the city he had some contacts that could help but in the wild within a separate kingdom he had no power. He didn’t know what to do.

“I am Bobbet. I could not help but overhear your discussion. Dorr could help. Assuming you can find him and pay him.” Intervenes a stable worker.

Uncertain at what else to do, Boddynoc asks where Dorr is. They leave immediately.

 

[megamania]

EBERRON
10/09/04
SEGMENT 014
SHADOWS OF THE LAST WAR

It is a days travel to reach the humble hut of the hermit known only as Dorr. When they find him, Dorr is sitting on his front porch sculpting a piece of wood. He doesn’t look up or move. He merely politely asks them to move on.

When they don’t he looks up. He stares hard and cold at Bonds and Temper. “Warforged… eh!” He says with disgust. “Ain’t seen one of you since the war. You are not here from Cannith are you?” Boddynoc misses the comment and goes on about hunting the Emerald Claw and what they have done that is wrong and even evil. Convinced these adventurers are not here to settle some sort of dept, Dorr asks them to leave again. It is a veiled threat and the others are sure he is convinced he would win if a conflict begins. Bonds is tempted to test it but remains quiet.

Everything they offer gets little to reaction from this mysterious man. Mentioning the Emerald Claw gets a hard look but he reverts to the inattentive bored look quickly. Boddynoc then remembers something said at the stables. “500 gold?”

The man sits forward and looks at the gnome. “I am to take you across rugged country to the Rose Quarry at the border of the Deadlands (his name for Mournlands). That is all. For this I will be given 500 gold.”

The five of them look at each other wondering what the catch is. Temper agrees as much out of impatience as anything.

“Fine. Lets go. I have things to do.” The man says as he hops up from his seat and walks behind his cabin to a shed. He reaches in and grabs a pack, a cloak and a sword and silently starts off. He nears the edge of the woods when it dawns on the others he is not waiting for them. They hurry after him and thus the group is once more on track for the adventure.

It becomes clear to the group that this man is veteran ranger. He seems to never waver or tire as he marches through the woods, brush and paths created by animals. The two warforged find traveling through these narrow paths a bother at best. Bane’s large axe catches on many branches. The two smaller members can only try to keep up with the others as they have much shorter stride. They travel until the sun goes down. The man sits down next to a tree, leans his hat over his eyes and seems to fall asleep. The others make a fire and try to relax. Boddynoc notes the man seems impassive about their activities, even creating a campfire doesn’t bother him.

The next day involves traveling through more fields, woods and traversing a river. The whole time the man has said nothing. Not even a grunt or growl. Finally they set up camp once more. This night is not as quiet however. A monstrous Large Mantis attacks the Monkey-gripping warrior during his watch. It moves about keeping running around. If the ranger ever woke up he didn’t show it. Finally the insect is dispatched. Cedious is curious if the ranger is alive. He creeps over to the man and leans down to his hat covered face.

“Better sleep curious one. Tomorrow we reach the edge where I stop, get paid and leave.”

“….oh…..” he looks over his shoulder and shrugs to the others. Then returns to the others. Boddynoc looks over his notes from the Bonal Journal again. He really wants to understand what the CREATION SCHEMA is. He feels the answers are inside but can’t find it.

The next day they do indeed see the Mournlands for the first time. They climb over a rise and see a low gray cloud. It seems to go forever. It resembles a slowly swirling sea of gray mist. It is eerie to behold.

“I have brought you to the Deadlands. Five miles beyond this wall of mist is the Quarry you seek. Give me my agreed on wages and we will depart.” The ranger says with his hand held out.

“You are not going in?” asks the halfling.

“I agreed to get you there, You are here. Now I go.”

“Why will you not help us? Why won’t you go in?” asks Boddynoc as he looks at the grayness before him. They are now within 500 feet of it.

“I tell you this as a warning- This land is dead. It is a testament to the dead and the art of death …of war. I have had my fill of it. I will not enter it …ever again.”

Boddynoc collects the money and gives it to him. The Ranger doesn’t count it. He merely hefts once or twice and then nods, turns on his heel and walks silently away. He disappears …engulfed by the green.

“Well …now what?” asks Cedious looking at the gray mist that seems more alive than not.

 

[megamania]

EBERRON
10/09/04
SEGMENT 015
SHADOWS OF THE LAST WAR

The party of adventurers decide to camp a safe distance from the mist and go in the morning. The warforged watch over the others as always. Boddynoc reads and studies his notes. Cedious looks over his tools and other goods. Bane cleans his oversized blade and waits for payback against the Emerald Claw and the mage that travels with them.

They camp about 500 feet away from the mist but awake with it being about 200 feet away. It appears the mists move around. They are not trapped or confined to a certain limit …or are they? Boddynoc walks up the mist. He detects no smell or magical aura. He swallows then looks to his teammates as he slowly reaches into the mist.

Nothing.

He sighs then takes a step into the mist. It is not humid but not ash laden either. It is strange and obviously unnatural. He steps back out of it.

“Let’s go.” And he steps back into it.

“The wall of rolling mist rises ahead of you, appearing solid and ephemeral at the same time. Passing into the cloying mist is like entering an alien plane of existence. Light barely reflects through the shifting layers of vapor. Sounds become muffled and distant, even when produced nearby. The place has a narrow, ominous feel to it, and a feeling of isolation and growing dread builds within you as you travel deeper into the mist.”

The others begin to walk into it. Once inside, they lose all sense of direction. They can not see or sense anything. Even the ones with darkvision have no luck seeing. Using their voices they try to keep close to each other. The voices seem to come and go however. Bane trips over something on the ground. Feeling around on the ground he feels a …HAND! “Ahhh!” and he scrambles to his feet.

Bonds is first to exit. He thinks he traveled about 500 feet but is uncertain. What he sees before him will bother him for a long while.

Cedious comes out next walking backwards. He was walking and turning trying to see things. He didn’t even know he was on the verge of exiting the mists. He trips over something and falls down onto something hard. He looks down and sees an elf’s stark face staring up at him. He has tripped over a dead body and now sits on an elf! “Arrrrrgh!” and he scrambles up and tries to wipe off his hands and body quickly. Then he stops and slowly turns. His eyes wide and his jaw down and unmoving.

Temper comes out of the mist in a mid-tirade of curses. His voice wouldn’t escape the mists until he exited them. He is about 400 feet down from Bonds and Cedious. He thought he was next to Bonds. He looks up and shrugs his head. “Deadlands.” And moves towards Bonds.

Bane is the next to leave the mists. He is nearly running as he is still uncertain what he tripped over. Once he comes out of the mists he is certain of what he tripped over. A body.

Boddynoc comes out last. He comes out about five minutes after everyone else. It seemed like he has been walking for an hour. He is quick to note that the mists remove any sense of direction and time. Not good. …and speaking of not good “…who are these dead people?”

“The fallen soldiers look as though they were killed merely moments ago, though they surely died more than four years ago during the Last War. Still, their wounds appear fresh and they have not yet begun to show the slightest effects of decomposition.”

After recovering from the horror of the site Cedious does what Cedious does- he begins to loot.

The five of they try to make their way to what was described by the Ranger as the location of the Rose Quarry. They come across a clear path. Looking, they see recent tracks in the dry and cracked dirt. Horses.

“I think the Claw came through here.” Offers Bonds looking at the tracks. “If not them, then another group of horse riders.”

“But are they recently made or years old? From what I see here, time has little meaning.” Adds Boddynoc still never taking his eyes off of the hundreds of bodies of soldiers …dead soldiers.

Maybe this is why he missed the monstrous large scorpion that was picking through the bodies for food.

The warforged attack (if only for something to hit and distract their minds from the bodies around them) the creature. Boddynoc and Cedious hold back. The other three need to climb over bodies and supplies to reach the menacing creature. It tries to take down the warforged as they close in. The battle is short but the warforged take a few hits in the process.

Moving around they find some silver and many common weapons and armors. They follow the horse trail.
Night begins to arrive early (or is it this place?). They stop and rest. In the night, they see lights in the distance. Before going anywhere to investigate, they are attacked by an Owlbear. They win but again the warforged take a hit or two. They use potions bought earlier to heal. They swear it wasn’t as good a healing, a rush, as usual. This place sucks …with the exception of critters to kill.

Together they move to a series of ruins. A campfire is seen with figures moving around.

“Could it be…?” asks Cedious.

 

[dravot]

What fun.

Thanks.

 

[megamania]

Thankyou. I was wondering- has any of the readers run through these adventures? Most of why I'm displaying these here is to get feedback on how different the story ends with each game group. I'm sure not everyone has a warforged running around with a goblin noble's skull on his shoulder pad.

Glad you are enjoying it dravot.

 

[megamania]

EBERRON
10/23/04
SEGMENT 016
SHADOWS OF THE LAST WAR

[DM note- some players were out for this battle. Be prepared players role-playing role players playing their characters. Gets crazy]

“A strange layer of glass covers much of the village. It coats the ground. It cascades from the shattered stone walls. Toward the center of the village, one or two buildings appear to be more intact than the rest of the ruins around them. Two other sights leap out at you as you look around. First, you can see the occasional forms of burned dwarves buried within the glass, their expressions twisted in fear and pain. Second, someone has been breaking the glass around some of the ruins, shattering it as though searching for something that may have been trapped within it when the glass cooled and hardened.”

Cedious looks closer. He has found the ground here is not just dry and barren but also covered in crude glass. It is a challenge to move silently anywhere near the camp. He dose get close enough to note that these are Emerald Claw soldiers and he sees a few possible generals. There are many tents. He hears chanting and looks around and sees a large man wearing no clothes doing his preys.

He hears other sounds of breaking glass and the moving of things. He returns to the group to inform them of what he has seen.

Impatient and remembering Lady Elaydren’s sense of urgency, they return to the ruins of Rose Quarry. They try to avoid as many guards as possible and move towards a church. They listen in the few soldiers they do encounter. Cedious hears something about a map room and a puzzle or riddle to use it. The soldiers have no idea what they are looking for. They are dispatched easily and quietly. Next, they move to the church. Here they see a strange sight. Three shiny zombies are digging in the graveyard. The zombies have glass embedded on their bodies. Uncertain of what else to do they attack these and begin to destroy them. Then the sharp eyed Cedious spots a strange looking bird looking at them. It is something like a vulture. Maybe it is diseased. Cedious throws a dart at it and strikes it solidly. Suddenly a call of intruders comes out.

“…ooops….”

The vulture takes flight with feathers falling off as it takes to the air. Cedious chases it down to destroy it. As he throws another dart he spots soldiers. About 6 of them.

“…ooops…”

…and the cleric (now dressed) and a mage.

“…ooops…”

More soldiers appear from the right of the church.

“…ooops….”

Then mist suddenly swirls in and out of it comes the Vampire.

“ooooh crap….”

The party finds themselves surrounded but the warforged and Bane hack it out. They are dismayed as the zombies are protected from damage from the glass. Their blades crack and split the glass then they can cut into the bodies with their next attacks. Bane spots the vampire next to the church. He rushes him to keep him on the defensive. His first strike with his great strength and oversized weapon nearly cuts the vampire in two. The vampire melds through the stone wall of the church and this angers the warrior whom strikes the church a few times. The blocks are lose and he pushes through hoping to follow through with his attacks against the undead creature (player not thinking is he?). The soldiers go down but then enter the cleric and the mage.

Fortunately for the group, they studied spells that were less combative. Still, Boddynoc receives a few magic missiles and is forced to back away from aiding the warforged. Bonds becomes enraged and cleaves through row after row of the soldiers. The mage (Mallora) holds back. She tries to support the soldiers but is more concerned about her own good. The cleric (Keltis Doran) commands more zombies to stop their work and attack the PCs.

Then another group of soldiers arrives led by a female fighter (Kaela). They box the party in. The large cleric forms a wedge that splits the party in two. Then the vampire returns looking to attack the weaker characters.

Looking at the odds, Cedious can only say “…oops….”.

The vampire tries for Cedious whom feints and sneak attacks the vampire (why not…?) and takes the vampire down. He doesn’t get to see the vampire and his robes change appearance as he is hard pressed to continue by a group of soldiers and zombies.

Temper avoids several deadly blows from both the cleric and the female fighter. He then critically strikes the fighter. The cleric backs off and demands soldiers to attack. The cleric and the mage turn tail and run for it.

Luck was very much with the party and they know it. They survived. They beat 4 zombies, 12 soldiers, a fighter, a cleric, a mage and what they thought was a vampire. The vampire was a changeling wearing glamored armor.

They loot the bodies and hope to figure out the next step before the deserters return.