The Last Pilgrimmage

[Campbell]

Lucann feels tendrils of shadow reaching towards his very spirit, but the mistress of the dark will not have her way today. The gentle wind of Sehanine's grace comforts him and a rare moment of serenity finds its way to his heart. Lucann takes a knee and lays his hands upon the floor. He prays an ancient prayer not often muttered within the confines of human lands - "The world is constantly changing and that is why it is beautiful. Those of the shadow court do not understand or appreciate the real beauty of the world. To them there is only beauty in stasis - in the shadow of a world that never was. That is why they are not welcome here. They wilt before dynamic beauty of nature. The Queen of the Dark is but a shadow of The Green Lady. The Lady of Shadows is only beautiful in the abstract. When she acts she shows an ugliness that not even she can hide. She cannot stand beside the beauty of Sehanine who embodies the living beauty of The World That Is. She will not allow you to destroy another beautiful creature. You will leave this place and not tarnish the Dame Naquel any further. "




[sblock=Mechanics]
Defy Danger 2d6+3=11
Cast A Spell - Sanctuary 2d6+3=10

Spells: Hold Person, Sanctuary, Cure Light Wounds, Magic Weapon

HP 22/22
XP 2/13

I'll keep the same spell load out I had previously. When I have a minute I'll go back and address our end of session questions.

[MENTION=42582]pemerton[/MENTION] It appears Lucann will be just fine. By the way I'll be out of the loop for the next couple days or so. Saturday I'm having a party to celebrate my 30th birthday.
[/sblock]

 

[pemerton]

Saturday I'm having a party to celebrate my 30th birthday.

Happy birthday! (Ah, memories of my youth.)

 

[pemerton]

Complication from 6- on H&S below...

1) She is armed with her trusty longsword (no Knight of the Iron Tower is without their sidearm!). She snaps to attention at your command, rips the longsword from its sheathe. But...as she does...

2) The infernal orb animates, levitates a few feet off the ground, gives off a strange WUUUUUH sound, and a pulse of magical energy forcefully slams against you and Dame Naquel, attempting to throw you back. Dame Naquel is separated from her weapon and she is thrown from her feet, landing a wee bit down the corridor.

OK. Thurgon will keep himself between her and the animated orb (or, at least, try to do so).

What about Thurgon (need DD or something here to resist)?

Thurgon tenses the ever-mighty thews in his legs. Even as Dame Naquel is hurled down the corridor, the paladin holds his ground!

[sblock]Defy Danger (STR): 2d6 + 3 = 3+3 = 6, +1 XP[/sblock]
But, overwhelmed by the blast of energy, falls to his feet and loses his grip on his blessed mace. [I'm not 100% sure what the protocol is on narrating my own complication. I'm going to proceed on this assumption, for ease of posting, but await any revision.]

Corridor features:

a) There is an extremely heavy light fixture overhead, anchored via chains and hooks. You figure if you can trigger its collapse (with a move), it should do the trick. b[2d8]

b) Likewise, there is a stone statue wearing a suit of armor. If you could topple that thing or destroy its stone stand, it should also do the trick. b[2d8]

EDIT - WORLD MOVES FOR a) and b)

Bring down the fixture or Topple the statue! Roll + (relevant stat). On a 10 + Hold 3. On a 7-9 Hold 2. Spend Hold 1 for 1.

* Deal its damage.
* No one gets hurt as collateral (d4).
* The builders don't request 20 gold for the Iron Tower's coffers to do the necessary repairs!
* Gaining passage to the door to Lucann doesn't require a DD move.

Reeling on his knees, Thurgon is in no position to reach the heavy chandelier, hanging on its chain from the ceiling.

But he lunges forward, doing his best to push the statue onto the orb:

[sblock]Topple the statue: 2d6 + 3(STR) = 9+3 = 12: choose 1, 2 and 3. Damage is b[2d8]=2! Less 4 armour = 0[/sblock]
The statue falls onto the orb, smashing it to the floor. Pieces of armour go flying everywhere, but miraculously nothing is broken! (No repair bills.) Unfortunately the statue is blocking the doorway into Lucann's room. And as Thurgon sees the orb rolling across the floor still intact, he calls out in a rage. "Quinn, curse you and your dark mistress!"

And he launches himself after the orb, trying to grab hold of it:

[sblock]Defy Danger, I think, via DEX: 2d6-1 = 8-1 = 7[/sblock]
As Thurgon grabs the orb in his gauntleted hands, . . . [something bad happens - I'm seeing a heavy stone statue leaning precariously against a door, a heavy chandelier more-or-less directly overhead, and a dangerous sorcerous orb up close and personal, but [MENTION=6696971]Manbearcat[/MENTION] I await your verdict].

If you succeed at resisting this thing and you can IAtL her with a 10 +, that will bulwark her strength enough to resist the repulsion effect and help you in whatever you want to accomplish (+1 forward). If you just want her to H&S, she can get her blade and take your SS bonus. Please resolve that for her (2d6 + 2; d8 + 1d4 from SS) and we'll see what happens.

OK, so I missed this bit while getting carried away with the above. As I see it, at the moment Naquel is still somewhat dazed on the floor, no weapon in hand.

As whatever catastrophic thing that is about to happen starts to happen, Thurgon turns his head over his shoulder and calls out desperately "Naquel!":

[sblock]I am the law: 2d6+1 = 8+1 = 9[/sblock]
She springs to my aid (still no weapon in hand), giving me +1 forward in coping with whatever bad thing is about to happen.

Thurgon: 17 hp, 3 XP, temporarily disarmed of his blessed heavy mace.

 

[Manbearcat]

@Campbell ,

1) Happy Birthday!...tomorrow...

2) The cold presence that was attempting to shunt you from this location (world?) is sufficiently thrwarted in its efforts to do so. The cold remains but your prayer of Sanctuary (in this room only) reveals the malignant presence to you. Your spell of consecration serves to repel the spirit momentarily and sufficiently ward it forevermore (as per the spell's description) but you can sense that there is some sort of nearby conduit allowing the dark essence to become manifest here. You can certainly tell that your companions are in a hellacious battle in the hall...

3) In the midst of your casting of Sanctuary, a cacaphony was raging in the corridor outside of your chamber. Something extremely heavy smashed loudly against the hardwood, iron-reinforced door. When you finish consecrating the room with your Sanctuary spell, your chamber door that exploded closed releases. However, it doesn't open as it should have as the extremely heavy object must be set against it from the outside. Opening it will be a feat!

@pemerton ,

1) You guys are certainly entitled to impose some fitting opposition to yourselves when resolution dictates and you feel so inspired. I certainly trust you both to manage that in good faith. Further, as you mentioned, the format will basically require it.

2) Everything happens as you present it. We've got a 6- and a 7 on two DDs soa hard move and a a soft move. We've got you disarmed and Lucann shut in his chamber with a huge stone object. That is pretty close to good enough fallout from that. However, I'm going to give you guys just a wee bit more adversity, unrelated to your immediate situation:

A call to arms emanating from the courtyard finds its way through one of the nearby windows. A rider has just gallopped through the gate with ill news. "Stonefort is under siege by the dragon's forces! 50 orcs and a handful of giants. The Seawatch Tower has fallen! Rubble with an untold number of dead. I need archers and heavy cavalry! Assemble on me!

One of your lieutenants is gathering a force to beat back the siege. They have been performing guerila raids since they were routed, but this is much more bold.

Stonefort is an hour's hard ride from here. It is the Iron Tower's bastion that protects against seabourne invasion and one of the two main flanks of the Iron Tower proper. I'll let you fill us in on any other details about it or about the man assembling reinforcements.

3) Finally, Dame Naquel springs to your aid by way of clawing her way through the repulsor field, grasping your mace and sliding it across the floor to your feet. The will of your trooper inspires you with + 1 forward.

Beyond that, its both of you guys' moves. Let me know what you're doing with your present situations.

PS - After this situation is resolved, let us move Dame Naquel mechanically to hireling/companion status. I'll let you guys figure out how you want her to be. You can both use her as Lucann has resolved a bond with her and Thurgon is Knight Commander of the Iron Tower. You guys get 6 points to distribute between Loyalty and 2 Skills (I'll let you guys figure those out...possibly a Defend and possibly something for when Parlay is deployed and her station is relevant..whatever you guys think fits). Then figure out a Cost for her.

 

[Campbell]

As the presence of the malevent fey from the court of shadows fades into the ether, Lucann tries to open the door leading back to Turgon and Dame Naquel. Feelin that it is unresponsive to his attempts, Lucann is overtaken with an urgency to reach his compatriots. He runs back to the other side of the room and runs towards the door at a breakneck pace.m The door falls to the floor, but slides down slowly rather than landing with a thud.

[sblock=Mechanics]
Bend Bars, Lift Gates2d6=9
2 Propositions: Doesn't take a long time, Doesn't make an inordinate amount of noise.

[/sblock]

 

[Manbearcat]

Looks like Lucann has shouldered the door open and the statue has moved enough to allow his egress from the chamber! As Lucann emerges into the corridor, the situation is as we left it with Thurgon:

1) Dame Naquel on her belly crawling toward Thurgon who has grasped the orb. She has just grabbed his hammer/mace and slid it across the floor to his feet.

2) Thurgon grasping the levitating orb, repulsion field hammering against him but he is defying it with his might.

3) Statue toppled, armor on the floor, heavy fixture on chains overhanging the scrum in the corridor.

4) Lucann just out of melee range as he emerges into the chamber.

5) The sounds of emergency assembly in the courtyard far below.

6) The phantasmal manifestation of the dark power appears to have (momentarily?) retreated.


You guys are both free to make a move at your discretion. @Campbell , if you want to approach Reach (or closer) range with Thurgon and the held orb, you're going to have to make some kind of move (probably DD) to overcome the strength of its repulsion field.

 

[pemerton]

Thurgon smashes the orb with all his might against the stone floor of the tower!

[sblock]Unarmed H&S: 2d6+3(STR) for 1d10 damage = 4+3 for 1d10 damage = 7, hitting for 10 damage, -4 armour = 6 damage[/sblock]

The crystal orb shatters into tiny shards. Thurgon does his best to resist the explosion of magical energy that is released:

[sblock]Do I get to defy danger? My reading is no - that [MENTION=6696971]Manbearcat[/MENTION], as GM, gets to make a move against me which might include damage. If I do, here is the roll: 2d6+1(CON) = 5+1 = 6 which is a failure in any event.[/sblock]

Thurgon, dazed but still alive (one hopes!) gets to his feet. "Lucann, do you hear the clarion in the courtyard below? I must ride to Stonefort and the Seawatch Tower. Will you ride with me? I need to speak with you."

[MENTION=16586]Campbell[/MENTION], if Lucann agrees then (from Thurgon's point of view) things continue thus:

"Dame Naquel, in my absence I vest command of the Iron Tower in you."

Campbell, if Lucann wants Naquel to ride out also Thurgon hasn't cottoned on to it. You'll need to explain/persuade. In this case, I'm also happy for you to stat her up per the previous parameters.

Thurgon calls to Theren as he sees him running down the stairs to the courtyard. "Theren! Bring an extra spear - Lucann may need it before our work is done!"

Thurgon picks up his blessed mace.

Thurgon: fewer than 17 hp (I'm guessing), and 3 XP (4 XP if the Defy Danger counts, but I don't think it does).

 

[Manbearcat]

@pemerton , you had the right of it with automatic damage to you and no opportunity for DD. The attack is magic damage so armor doesn't apply. Roll 1d6 and subtract from your HP.

A little further breakout on how this works beyond your auto damage from H&S 7-9. Since the fiction calls for this to be a short range (basically CB1 in 4e terms) AoE magic, forceful burst, if Lucann was in Reach (or closer) range, I would make Campbell roll some kind of DD to avoid the effects (the tag forceful and the magic damage). If Dame Naquel was there, I would simply decide whether I wanted to make a soft move, using her, to complicate you guys' lives (or not).

---

Dame Naquel - She humbly accepts your bequeathing of the tower's command to her while you lead the rally to defend Stonefort. As you're in flight, she calls to you "In light of these events, would you like me to send a courier to the king with a message from you...or do you wish to handle this personally upon your return?"

---

Theren - Nods up to you as he is assembling with the rest of the men. You see him try out a few spears on a rack of arms, looking for the one with the most particular balance [precise tag] for Lucann.

---

Assuming Lucann joins Thurgon (if not, we'll sort things out from there), Theren and the warriors of the Iron Tower, you guys go ahead and do your thing (chat each other up, etc) as you have an hour's hard ride. There is an opportunity in this ride for a Bolster move (which makes sense in the fiction) for preparation.

Finally, for the upcoming battle you each gain + 1 damage due to archers support and the following moves are going to be available to you guys for this coming conflict:

Lucann:

Sehanine's Fury
When you Hack and Slash with a 10 +, roll + Wis. On a 10 + choose 2. On a 7-9 choose 1.

* Subtract 1d6 damage from your primary target and apply it to another target within range.
* take +1 (divine) armor forward.
* take + 1 forward to Defy Danger in navigating the battlefield to engage an enemy.

Thurgon:

For the Glory of Kord!
When the enemy force is vulnerable to a cavalry charge, roll + Cha. On a 10 +, the charge claims a handful (5) of enemy fodder and choose 2. On a 7-9, the charge claims a few (2) enemy fodder and choose 1.

* The cavalry doesn't get surrounded and embroiled in a melee.
* The cavalry doesn't lose half their men.
* The charge inspires the good guys. The good guys take +1 forward (not each - next action).
* The charge demoralizes the bad guys. They take -1 forward to deal damage.

 

[Campbell]

As preparations are under way Lucann ushers Thurgon and Dame Naquel into the santified alcove graced with his Lady's presence. He speaks: "There is little time, but I would speak to both of you before our departure."

He turns to Thurgon first. He cleanly cuts off the left cuff of his robe which is emblazoned with a pair of green leaves, Sehanine's holy mark. He wraps it around Thurgon's mark. He speaks a rare prayer in common: "On this day Sehanine has made her presence known in the domain of the Storm Lord and declared her allegiance to the god of Courage. We will stand together in this - no matter what comes." As he speaks Sehanine's calming winds surround Thurgon, emboldening his spirit and hastening the recovery of his wounds.

Once Lucann is finished speaking to Thurgon, he approaches Dame Naquel and places one hand on her shoulder and his oppisite thumb on her forehead. He speaks a prayer he had heard many years ago, but has not yet had the need to speak before: "Dame Naquel you have the heart of a true elf. The Lady Who Resides In Both Worlds sees your beauty. She sees you and welcomes you. She asks only that you will always follow your heart. You are now her warden." After finishing the prayer Lucann looks upon Dame Naquel. There is a softness in his emerald eyes few get to see. He continues to speak in common: "Dame Naquel, you are both elf and human. Not part one or the other. You are both at the same time. Sehanine and Kord both call you to their service. What role you take from here on is up to you. I'm sure Sehanine will speak to your heart when the time is right."

Lucann takes a moment and then speaks to both Thurgon and Dame Naquel: "Once we have settled matters in Stone Fort I intend to travel to the forest and make my way back to the other world. I do not relish the thought of waking the Eladrin Queen, but I believe her appointed hour has come. I would have you both join me if you would. The time for restoration of all Old Accords has been delayed for far too long, even if that means the Courts of the Fey must once again tread mortal soil."

[sblock=Mechanics]
Cast A Spell - Cure Light Wounds2d6+3=11
Healing To Thurgon1d8+1d4=11
Cast A Spell - Bless 2d6+3=10

I'm positioning Bless in order to ordain Dame Naquel as a priestess of Sehanine if that is acceptable.
[/sblock]

 

[Manbearcat]

I'm positioning Bless in order to ordain Dame Naquel as a priestess of Sehanine if that is acceptable.

That is acceptable.

The divinity of the prayer washes over the Dame. She looks squarely at Lucann and says "...on the field when Dunderman fell...there was a prismatic bird that took him and from its assault he fell on my sword. An illusion or spirit I know not. I don't know if you saw it or if it was a secret for only he and I. I now know that was your Lady...and without her I would have perished."

She struggles to keep her composure, "I have spent the bulk of my life steeled by battle, never shirking a fight and always holding to the adage of death before dishonor. I initially felt dishonored when the fairness of that death...the legitimacy of my defeat was...stolen...I guess you might put it...from me. I felt remorse for Dunderman. I felt guilt.

But now I feel something different and I'm not sure what it is. I am not learned in the divine philosophies. You are both learned holy men. If I might be so honored to have your tutelage on these mysteries at some point, I would be humbly grateful."

You guys can wrap this scene up as you see fit and transition to the courtyard assembly and/or your ride at your discretion.