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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Lazarus Long" data-source="post: 63857" data-attributes="member: 1800">Beginnings are the hardest (session 1)In the past, my group has played very linear games.  Basically I, as DM, would lead them around to the next adventure (this is mostly due to a lack in my abilities as DM, I have to say).  This time, though, we all decided to be more freeform, but only after the first adventure (which is the only way I could figure out how to get the ball moving.I also had to use a plot device- Lani and Harnol, to give the PC's a reason to be together.  But I tried to get rid of them as soon as possible.  So,please keep that in mind as you read.  Oh, and if you have any suggestions for me on how to be more free flowing with the plots, let me know.  Thanks!  Oh yeah, excuse the intro paragraph- its a WoT campiagn, you have to start this way <img src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/joypixels/assets/8.0/png/unicode/64/1f642.png" class="smilie smilie--emoji" loading="lazy" width="64" height="64" alt=":)" title="Smile    :)"  data-smilie="1"data-shortname=":)" />  and it wil lonly happen this once.The Wheel of time turns, and Ages come and pass, leaving memories that become legend.  Leend fades to myth, and even myth is long forgotten when the Age that gave it birth comes again.  In one Age, called the Third Age by some, an Age yet to come, an Age long past, a wind rose in the Blight warm and dank only chilling as it flows further south into Shienar, causing those that it caressed to shudder, not from the cold, but from the source of the wind.Hanna, Jogdush and Artimesia were sitting in the Common room of the Paved Way, a middle-to-upper class inn, waiting for Lani to come down from upstairs.  Harnol sat in the corner, making sure that the others know that he's not impressed with them.After a while the Aes Sedai comes down and orders tea for herself.  Harnol sends the youngsters out to "check on the horses."  As the three leave the room and go out into the feezing morning, they see a man dressed in very shabby clothes look suprised at them and turn around to leave the yard.The PC's decide to follow the man, who attempts to Bluff them into losing him in the early-morning crowd.  Luckily, the PC's are able to follow him, and corner him in an alley's dead-end.  After a combination of bluffing, intimidation and wheedling, they learn that this man works for Lord Jessem- thevery same man that Lani Sedai is negotiating with.  They're able to convince him that they work for Jessem as moles, but they only get insults about the Aes Sedai before they flub a password.  The man takes off into the crowd, and they loose him before they can catch up.When the PC's return to the Paved Way Harnol is waiting for them, looking impatient (and a little disgusted).  In a curt tone, he tells them that Lani Sedai wants them.Lani tells them to book passage down river to Tar Valon, for tomorrow.  They go down to the docks and find one captain willing to take them down river in the winter.  They're able to negotiate an acceptable price and head back to the inn to report back to Lani.On the way, they see the Shabby Man who gestures them to follow him into an alley.  the PC's follow and are ambushed by 3 ruffians, whom they easily dispatch, especially with the help of the Initiate and her Rend ability.The PC's hear the guard coming and dash off to the Inn, where Lani Heals their wounds and finds out what happens.  When she hears of the Initiate using The Power as a weapon to Kill people, she upbraids Artimesia and tells her that she owes Lani a HUGE favor, and goes on about the Oaths in detail.While the Aes Sedai is busy, Harnol takes this opportunity to tell the two Borderlanders that if anything should happen to his Aes Sedai, he'll take great pleasure in sheathing his sword in them.That night, Lani takes the PC's to the good part of town and tells them to wait for her in an alley.  She strips off her robes and is wearing a body suit with pockets  sewn all over which are stuffed with small tools.  She smiles quickly and climbs up the side of the wall.After dodging the guards a couple times, the Lani climbs down the wall and they run off, with her carrying a satchel full of what looks like padding.  they reach the riverboat and set off.Lani Sedai starts to get worried about the captian and forces him to let them off after a week of travel.  They all head off overland.A few days later, Harnol comes racing back from scouting and tells them that they've been followed by a large force of borderlanders.  Lani shoves the satchel into Artemesia's arms and tells them to rush to Tar Valon, and that they need to get there as fast as possible.  The PC's rush off.It took me a long time to get rid of Lani and Harnol, eh?  unfortunately, we're almost done with the sessionAfter a week of travel, Hanna notices that they're being followed and suggests an ambush.  They lay a false trail and wait.  As the chasers get into range, Hanna and Jogdush let their arrows fly.  Hanna's bow is unstoppable, and she kills 3 of the 4 warriors with one shot each.  Though, just as one of the warriors was about to smash Hanna into the ground, Artimesia Heals here, and Jogdush charges the last warrior, killing him.After another 10 days, the Pc's arrive at TarValon...the players were getting a little bored here- I think Lani and Harnol were in the session way too long, but I couldn't get rid of them sooner.  I rushed through this last part because I wanted to leave them at a decision nexus, and let them think about what's going to happen next.  So, shot story shorterOne of the Blue Sitters takes possesion of the satchel and opens it.  She takes out a disk in the shape of the Yin and Yang and tells them that this is one of the focuses of the Dark One's prison.  She assures them that the prison still holds, but the Aes Sedai want to gather the foci for safe keeping and to observe how strong the Dark One is getting (as the DO grows, the Seals weaken).She then asks them to go to Tear and get another of the Sealss from a Boat captain named Estevan.  when they arrive in Tear, they find the Estevan has left on a long voyage to Arad Doman to trade Ivory for some of their gold works.They also learn:<ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Winter is lasting much longer than it should</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Illian is going to call for the Great Hunt for the Horn</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">There was a local Prophet fortelling the Dragon Reborn's coming</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">The Prophet had been executed by the High Lords of Tear.</li> </ul>That's the end. <img src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/joypixels/assets/8.0/png/unicode/64/1f642.png" class="smilie smilie--emoji" loading="lazy" width="64" height="64" alt=":)" title="Smile    :)"  data-smilie="1"data-shortname=":)" /></blockquote>

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