How about an untold tale? The first time Skiesbane meets the King of the Southland, Raphael Saberstrike. Raphael was constructing a large castle/palace complex on the annex Albiele Isle when the great wyrm known to men as Skiesbane decided it was fit to demand tribute. Raphael was outside the castle on the steps before his grand hall when the dragon swooped down and let his presence be known.
The dragon Skiesbane demanded a king’s ransom or the dragon would demolish the castle and kill the king. Raphael being one to placate the creature offered up several chests of gold and silver that was to be the castle workers pay. Skiesbane the dragon took the loot and told Raphael that he would kill him one day but as long as the gold is offered as tribute the king could buy himself time.
How about another untold story? The Royal Flush Gang was given permission to set-up and operates a casino, and Karem planned on a grand casino that would attract guests from all over Anuire. Under this guidance skilled workers were hired and the casino began to take shape; name the shape of a spade. The dragon Skiesbane could see the spade from far up high and saw it as a personal insult. When the dragon Skiesbane came a courting, Salim the King of Spades was not present but another high ranking Royal Flush Gang member was: Larry Diamond, the King of Diamonds.
Larry Diamond invites the dragon in, but Skiesbane does not take a humanoid form fore that is below a great wyrm of his station. Skiesbane offered Larry a game of chance of his own; what will you give the dragon for your life? Larry Diamond had no choice but to empty the grand casino of all gold and sliver to present to the dragon. Skiesbane demanded one more thing; that Larry conceals the shape of the spade so that Skiesbane is not offended when he flies over. Skiesbane the dragon has not returned to the casino but then neither have very many guests, the casino maintains minimal profits for how elaborate and huge it is.
One more? Sure, how about how the dragon got to be known as Skiesbane. Long, long ago when man was barely able to understand the world before him; a great dragon menace loomed in the world. Unbeknownst to the world of men, the Age of the Dragon followed the Age of the Titans but many of the dragons were mortally wounded or slain outright. While the dragons were in control of the world for thousand upon thousand of years, one dragon stood out more than others, being a constant bane to all other races. The elves gave the dragon a name that is now lost to the ages but early human scholars translated it as, “Skiesbane.” Whenever goblin or elf would try to dominate the world of Birthright, Skiesbane would be there to let them know their place. But the coming of man was quick and Skiesbane was sleeping. The war of the gods changed Birthright forever but Skiesbane has not changed and every creature in the world of Birthright is soon to learn who rules the sky.
Wednesday, June 30, 2010
The Far Flung Adventure part 1
The Warlock of the Stonecrowns (TSR 3110) aka the Far Flung Adventure, an adventure in two parts. In part one we catch up the brave and the bold: The Royal Flush Gang meets the Monster Society of Evil. These groups are run by Karem the Shade and Duke Nightmare (aka Alexander) from each group respectably. The combined adventuring party totaled fifteen when all accounted for and after meeting the Eyeless One, the adventurers were ready to jump into the Dark Path. Malik Toadspit had dug a hole outside of his tower to access the Dark Path and the adventurers hopped in the hole: Duke Nightmare ordered one of his henchmen to go down, one without fear, an orog berserker (whose name escapes me at this time). As the orog jumped down the hole, Karem along with two new thief trainees joined (one a gnome thief/illusionist and the other a grippli thief). The only menace the adventurers ran into were a series of huge bats (the orog berserker torn them up and the frog-like grippli thief scored his first kill).
Once the entirety of the adventuring party was inside of the underground tunnels below the
While winding through the maze like underground passages, Alyza about stubbles into an odd natural trap, a dozen hairy spiders had formed a ball of web and were all chilling on it waiting for a passerby to walk into a ball of thirteen spiders. Alyza is trained as a thief, even though her profession is as a cleric to the new Dark God, so Alyza deftly avoids the spiders and alerts her compatriots to the hairy spiders. Arquan the Gary being a dwarf and naturally resistant to poison wants to just kill the spiders while the Red Hand wants to eat them if it is possible. Karem considers burning them with fire and moving on but instead moves to trap them.
With the assistance of Arquan, Karem moves to cut the line on the web and grab the spiders in a sack (in game terms Arquan rolled badly and Karem rolled even worse). Karem fails to successfully cut the line and the spiders assail him. Karem take the bites and slowly removes the spiders one at a time and put them in the sack, getting bite by the spiders along the way. Arquan helps out and by the time they are done, Karem had been bitten over half a dozen times (game terms Karem was hit eight times and took forty eight damage). Karem had a magical item in his possession that allowed him to shrug off the brunt of the spiders attacks. Karem and Alyza used some of their clerical power to restore health and vigor to Karem, afterwards the four members of the stealth squad moved on.
The stealth squad would come across a patrol of six orogs in armor carrying weapons. The player’s rolled their hide in shadow skills and Karem noted that Alzya had real crummy hide skills and wondered why by DM fiat she was in the party. I reminded him it was because Duke Nightmare declared Arquan the Gray as Alzya’s personal bodyguard so it was the best chance for us to see the pair in action together. So of the four members of the stealth squad, three of them hide themselves from orogs while Alzya is sticking out like a swore thumb.
The orogs notice a lone human female in their cave system and move to attack. Alzya steady herself and cast clerical protection to dampen the sound around her in fifteen feet. The orog rush forward and Alzya moves back to allow the orogs to move into the kill zone for her hidden compatriots. When the orogs move to get into striking distance of Alzya, Alzya decides to try and attack but falls to the ground helpless against her attackers (in game terms the player rolling for her got a natural one on the dice).
The orogs stand menacingly over Alzya momentarily but their death is imminent when Karem, the Red Hand, and Arquan the Gray all successfully backstab and slay three different orogs. The orog numbers cut in half, the next round of battle was swift. Arquan the Gray easily moved and stab two different orogs with his long knife, dropping both dead to their knees. Karem drove his pick deep into the brain of the last orog (in game terms Karem rolled a natural twenty).
By the time that the stealth squad has finished looting the bodies of the orog guards, Duke Nightmare has caught up to their position and seeing no live orog to interrogate, uses evil clerical power to speak to the dead. Duke Nightmare asks three questions of the fallen orog: where to these tunnels leads (to the orogs mines), where is the warlock (the orog knows of the warlock’s personal tower), and do you know about the Dark Cauldron (special orogs drink from a well in the Great Hall). Karem asks five questions of the dead and then Duke Nightmare raises five of the orogs as skeletons to serve him. Karem cuts of the head of another to fashion into a trophy.
I had just recently picked up this module and has impressed by the intricate work the Warlock had put into his citadel, but the players somehow found the quickest room to his personal bed chamber. Upon review we are really surprised how unguarded the Warlocks disposal shoot was, there was only a grease spell protecting the lining. Master thieves easily get around programmed illusions and level one wizard spells routinely, so for all the death traps the Warlock put in I guess he through the dead-body shoot was just that, a greasy place to drop waste. The adventures would come up out the sewer in their own words to kill the Warlock.
Alyza and Arquan were retired from the stealth squad and Duke Nightmare along with the necromancer Andre Livengud joined Karem and the Red Hand to move in and investigate the orog mines. The stealth squad found the mines empty and quickly moved into a cross paths section, with four possible ways to go. Two of the ways were blocked by wizard protected doors, the other two were just more caves. The stealth squad moved down one while the rest moved to the other (and that is when we leave these guys for part two).
The stealth squad moved cautiously down the path be fore them but was eventually overtaken by the stench of death and decay. The adventurers began to search for traps and Duke Nightmare discovered a false section of the floor was an illusion. Upon searching the players found a small shat that would lead up to the floor above. Duke Nightmare prepared himself by using a ring of free action and using his thief training ascended up the shaft. It was simple business for Duke Nightmare to lower a rope to get the rest of the stealth squad past the grease trap on the walls that the ring of free action allowed Duke Nightmare to pass easily.
Duke Nightmare wanted Karem up in the next room to see an incredible sight, a bound celestial deva. The Warlock had bound a movanic deva in chains with words of evil written on the wall. The deva begs for his release and the players can see the deva has been tortured and scared by the Warlock. The players simply proceed up the stairs in this room to find themselves in the bed chamber of the Warlock.
I decided that because the players had moved so quickly the Warlock was caught up guard and while the players were checking out the deva, the Warlock was able to cast a few protection spells and hide himself in the room using his shadow form ability hide in the room. The Warlock thinks himself a cunning individual and tried to tempt the players with ticks and treats if they would leave him alone or work for him. Duke Nightmare talked up the guy while Karem read from a scroll. Now the Warlock is a smart individual but did not have time to roll a spell craft check when Karem started reading the scroll, the Warlock was caught up in planning a backstab on Duke Nightmare. The Warlock sensed only cleric magic from Karem so thought nothing of the scroll (thinking that there is no way Karem would be reading a wizard scroll) and the Warlock wanted Duke Nightmare’s blood power (being that Duke Nightmare was the person in the room with the most blood power).
The Warlock strikes Duke Nightmare out of the shadows with a dagger to the back (in game terms inflicting more then twenty five percent of Duke Nightmare’s total hit points). Karem’s scroll being read surrounded him in a five foot globe of anti magic aura. Karem then rushed the Warlock and got so close that none of the Warlocks magic or blood abilities would function. What proceeded next I dubbed the weakest melee battle ever (Duke Nightmare assisted Karem in killing the Warlock). Karem would eventually stab the Warlock in the heart, claiming a fraction of his blood power and all the Warlocks remaining regency points.
The Warlock was dead, they collected his ashes, but for the adventures the real adventure had only begun. The Royal Flush Gang and the Monster Society of Evil needs still to rescue the goblin ambassador for the Eyeless One and loot the Warlock’s citadel before the Gorgon arrives with a new blood-silver spear in hand only to find his son already dead.
Tuesday, June 29, 2010
The Far Flung Adventure
Ruins of the Empire (TSR 3100) set the time at 551 MR, thee Warlock of the Stonecrowns (TSR 3110) starts activity 554 MR going till 558 MR (until the Warlock either becomes a regent of a sizable territory or has fallen into war with the Gorgon). The timeline I am working is flawed because I never set as the particular starting date. Alexander hosted his grand tournament roughly 6 years ago, putting the Warlock in a considerable position of power in the region. For game purposes I am going to run the adventure about two years into the Warlock’s rise to power (basically meaning the Warlock has had time to rise up some fhoimorien wizard sons and secure more troops).
The Gorgon recently acquired Alexander’s blood-silver spear and is heading directly to kill his son the Drake. Alexander learns of this when using the aide of Karem, the pair spied through Karem’s crystal ball the Gorgon with Alexander’s blood-silver spear in hand given to him by a woman dressed as one of the Seven Daughter’s of the Sword Mage. Karem and Alexander will learn through a bit of leg work that the Warlock in the Stonecrowns is the Drake and now the pair must out race the Gorgon to be the ones to claim the Warlock’s treasure.
The adventure hook is going to follow: word comes that wizard’s are needed to cure a nobleman in the realm of Cariele (in game terms they are looking for people who could cast limited wish to cure the nobleman Prince Tresmer who is ploymorphed into the form of a sparrowhawk). Karem was looking for wizards of high talent will be alerted of this news and with Alexander make departure to investigate the occurrence. Karem hopes to meet “the Wizard” but for story purposes their contact will be “the Eyeless One.”
The Eyeless One lost an ambassador Ysterac (male elite goblin wizard) whom the Warlock took prisoner; if the players can rescue Ysterac the Eyeless One will make them one magic item of their choosing. The Eyeless One will guide and pay for their passage with the mercenary group run by Malik Toadspit (male elite goblin wizard). Malik has a tower along the Stonecrowns that is positioned so that his orog warriors could dig down into what Malik refers to as “the Dark Path.”
Alexander along with whatever retinue of assistants he chooses will join Karem and the Royal Flush Gang to travel into the Dark Path to hope to assault through the bottom-up the stronghold of the Warlock. The players plan should be to rescue the goblin wizard for the Eyeless One, get the Warlock’s blood power, and when Alexander hears about the rumors of the Dark Cauldron he must have it.
Sunday, June 27, 2010
Sorry for lack of updates (was out of town in conferences for a week). Came up with many great new ideas but really came up with a barn burner for an idea when I got back to town. I had spent the air plane ride thinking of what the players might have schemed up and what my NPCs are plotting themselves. But when I got back to town and hung out with two of my players a great idea struck me. I mentioned the name Duso Lamonte and Karem said, "age 16 starting adventurer."
Sunday, June 20, 2010
So began the siege of Diemed: Trogdor’s raiders pillaged the mountains of Bhliene while the Roesone forces would finish off Diemed’s forces in Ciliene and Aerele. Alexander ordered the pillaging of provinces and destroying of anything that belonged to the Duke of Diemed. Medoere pulled out of the alliance as news spread of an evil warrior killing the Duke of Diemed while riding a nightmare.
The news of the nightmare rider stared to spread so Alexander just rolled with it and began to raise taxes while militarily occupying the lands of Diemed. The odd rule of Alexander continued by allowing new immigration of the provinces of Roesone (game terms: Alexander used the Rule action to increase most of the provinces of Roesone from 3/2 to 4/1). With the new girth of people, the taxes raised even further until the end of his rule when paladins would come and seek out the evil regent.
Alexander had the service of the efreeti Firebeard Blackaxe for one year and one wish left. This year would be the last for Alexander Roesone; his death would become public knowledge by years close. Firebeard Blackaxe told Alexander about an infernal bazaar that is held in the City of Brass once every ten years and that it was coming up by the end of the year. Alexander set up his last year as regent of Roesone to rob the coffers for all their worth before faking his death and escaping to the outer planes to use his ill gotten gain at the infernal bazaar. But before that all could happen, Alexander and the other adventures would have a few more memorial encounters.
Karem the pirate sought to expand his holdings and the best way would be to take over someone else’s holdings that were of like mind. The Eoele of Mieres was the target and the adventures headed out to the colony. Karem and a the adventuring party headed into the port of Seward aboard the stolen caravel, while a few of the Royal Flush gang would stay out of port on the xebec. After paying the docking fee, the adventures headed out to their various points of interests.
Karem, Trogdor, Lady Deathstrike, and Duke Nightmare headed off the ship and into the city. When the city guard demanded a fee of 25gp per weapon and set of armor that anyone wanted to pay to get into town, Trogdor reacted badly and refused payment. Duke Nightmare quickly handed over the gold and proceeded into town by himself. Trogdor declared that he was going to cut one of the guards in half and rolled very well. Quickly more guards appeared and Trogdor cut them down too, Lady Deathstrike might have attacked but that was not really important, the deaths of so many guards caught the attention of the wizard Mhistecai.
Mhistecai magically appeared in the sky above the adventures and demanded they lay down their weapons. Trogdor did not want any of that and used a ring of jumping to try and slash at Mhistecai but the wizard used some mass effect spell that immobilized the aggressors. Trogdor, Lady Deathstrike, and Karem were arrested and placed in the governor’s castle. The wizard inspected them, found Karem’s black dagger (holy symbol of Eoele) and Trogdor’s sword (the sword was taken from the paladin that was killed to get the Tighmaevril spear). The black dagger was enough to get them imprisoned and the sword of a paladin was enough to get them the death sentence.
Duke Nightmare disappeared into the city and let the distraction of the murder on the docks allow for him spread some gossip. Duke Nightmare traded gossip for information that led him to a gambling den. As sly as possible Duke Nightmare insisted that he was an assassin and was looking for gainful employment. The thieves of the gambling den quickly learned of the disturbance on the docks and that one captured had a black dagger but was not part of the local Eoele. And then some assassin comes looking for a job, the thief’s smell what is up and set Duke Nightmare up.
Duke Nightmare is given an assignment to kill some dude at midnight in some graveyard. The dude shows up and Duke Nightmare kills him but then a lot of people show up and find the murderer and victim. Duke Nightmare eluded authorities and made his way back to the thieves den, were he was jacked my more thieves and a wizard. When Duke Nightmare realized that the numbers were against him summoned his magical steed and fled all the way to the xebec.
Duke Nightmare would eventually make his way back to the caravel and meet up with Josef the Kid, the Ten of Spades. Josef informed Duke Nightmare about what had transpired and that Trogdor, Karem, and Lady Deathstrike were being held in the castle and that the port was closed, no ships could come or go. Josef came up with a plan to get arrested for a petty crime, be placed in jail, use his thief abilities to escape and check out the jail, find and release the captives, and escape with them all too where they could meet up with Duke Nightmare who would go and get the xebec.
All went to plan but meeting up with the xebec, the port was truly shut down to ships coming or going. The escaping prisoners had to hide out on the caravel locked down in the port. The governor began to search the city and the port to find the escapees and it was just a matter of time before they would be caught. While talking over what to do, a messenger approaches the ship and delivers a message.
The message says it is from the Vos of Mieres and would offer shelter to the Vos escaping the law; Trogdor and Lady Deathstrike. The two Vos decided they got nothing else to lose and check it out, they are led to the gambling den were Duke Nightmare was at earlier (but I made the players role-play that they did not know this and they hated me for it). Basically Trogdor and Lady Deathstrike were taken to a back room and killed, their bodies given to the governor to curry more favor with him.
Karem the pirate waited and waited, but the Vos never came back and Karem decided to check it out himself. Sleuthing around the city was hard as the guards were out in numbers and not taking bribes. Eventually Karem found the same gambling den and was dealt with as well.
Two player characters were killed (Trogdor and Karem) and one of the most prized henchmen (Lady Deathstrike, we still sing her praise). Trogdor’s body would be displayed for awhile to show what happens to evil people and the paladin’s sword sent back to the proper church. Trogdor’s body would disappear one night, a night the locals say that was filled with unusual weather (Trogdor’s body was taken by Baba Yaga and raised back to life; Trogdor was always her favorite from the adventuring party and had raised him before, so Baba Yaga felt a little insulted that her work was undone).
Karem’s body would be taken by somebody quite different. It was determined that of the three deaths each would be dealt with differently. Trogdor would be brought back the quickest, Karem would return eventually, and Lady Deathstrike was killed right out. Karem was killed by the Eoele of Mieres and dumped into the sea were it was salvaged by the vampire/cleric from Storm Tower.
The vampire/cleric worshipped a new dark god and saw an opportunity with Karem. Karem felt betrayed by Eoele when the clerics of Mieres killed him for being a threat but to be fair Karem’s plans were the same. The vampire/cleric offered new dark shadow power but it would take time to train Karem. From a player’s aspect, I killed Karem and allowed him to play as his henchmen for the year led up to the Infernal Bazaar.
Salim the Sailor was promoted to King of Spades, Josef the Kid was promoted to Jack of Spades, and the Mystery Man remained the Ace of Spades. The Royal Flush Gang was devastated by the Eoele of Mieres but still had all their tangible assets; temple holdings in Abbatuor and Albiele Isle, a few pirate vessels, and the support of the other player characters. Everyone loved the idea of a tri-class, so for the new Ten of Spades a half-elf fighter/thief/wizard was hired and brought aboard.
I guess I should have mentioned it before now, but when Alexander Roesone hired Otto the Rake, Alexander also hired several clerics from Karem. Karem allowed five level one clerics to serve Alexander while in the guise of Duke Nightmare sought to explore more of the Underground Forest. Duke Nightmare reported that all the clerics of Eoele were killed and it was very believable that low level clerics would not survive long in a dungeon. Duke Nightmare lied to Karem and one cleric was still alive; a young Khinasi woman, Alyza, whom Duke Nightmare kept secret from the rest of the players (it was attempt to gain clerical power apart from known sources to allow Duke Nightmare to go on solo adventures). But when news of Karem’s death eventually reached Alyza, she escaped Duke Nightmare’s confines and rejoined the Royal Flush Gang as the new Queen of Spades.
Later we would ret-con a lot of the back stories for the henchmen and Otto the Rake would become an alter identity for the Mystery Man, the Ace of Spades. It was determined that while there is no honor among thieves, one can by loyalty with some coin. Otto the Rake would train Alexander as a thief but kept an eye out for Alyza because she was property of the Mystery Man’s other master, Karem. Otto the Rake would simply tell Alyza about the death of Karem and it was on her own initiative to leave Alexander and rejoin the Royal Flush Gang. But why wouldn’t Alexander get mad about losing his secret cache of cleric power? It was determined later that Alexander got with Alyza and that they had an intimate relation ship (this was determined about the time when the players began to think that they might want children as replacements if their main characters die or act as heirs).
With the death of Karem came the revolt by the lizardmen who began to tear some ass across the countryside from Abbatuor working their way through Roesone and Arenewe eventually settling in the swamp of Spiritsend. Karem only had one unit of lizardmen but the reports came in that there were hundreds of them, maybe thousands. Now the players were suppose to go on an epic adventure to rescue Trogdor from the clutches of Baga Yaga who had moved her hut to Spiritsend and summoned the lizardmen as her defenders.
Now the player playing Trogdor did not like that I just killed him in the back alleys of Seaward or that he was going to have to roll as henchmen or nothing at all until he was rescued. The player playing the Red Hood switched to 3rd shift to make a hellva lot more money (3rd shift is 11pm to 7am for you who have not worked in a factory). So that left Karem (really just the Royal Flush Gang) and Alexander Roesone, so it was decided that having an evil regent with his own cadre of thieves and assassins was enough to keep the story moving forward.
Alexander grew tired of administrative affairs, of having to play the game of diplomacy, and not being able to out right attack whoever he felt like. Alexander decided to hand over his kingdom to the Red Hood who under the disguise of Raphael Saberstrike was seen as the defeater of pirates and the people’s champion. After the death of Alexander’s clone, Raphael could be appointed the regent of Roesone but Alexander had also conquered much of Diemed but Medoere lied in the way of that too.
In the Player’s Secrets of Medoere (TSR 3106) talked about the Sword of Enlien, a powerful sword that was used to liberate Medoere from Diemed and that it is waiting for the rightful champion to claim it. Hermphedhie used her position in Medoere to get a close examination of the sword and found that it radiates good and as history goes it was a flaming long sword. Hermphedhie makes a fake up that any player can hold and when they do; they radiate good (which is good for the players who are all evil). The plan becomes that some how a switch needs to be done so Raphael Saberstrike can claim the fake sword and thus claiming regency of Medoere. The only problem, none of the players were good enough thieves to be able to steal a lawful good paladin’s sword. But the idea was laid out that Raphael Saberstrike would become regent of Abbatuor, Roesone, Diemed, and Medoere.
Alexander robbed as much gold and other treasure from his kingdom as possible and headed off to the infernal bazaar. The Royal Flush Gang (being the other active player) did not have the ability to travel to the outer planes like Duke Nightmare on his fiend’s steed, but unbeknownst to Alexander, Karem had returned and was infused with the power for a new dark god. Karem stayed in contact with the Royal Flush Gang but took on a new roll, instead of the King of Spades; Karem would be the Shadow Emperor or the Shade as the new dark god was granting him shadow magic. Karem secretly ran the Royal Flush Gang and stole the Sword of Enlien.
Alexander arrived quite sometime before the infernal bazaar would get into full swing to check out the scene and get a feel for the environment. The efreeti under Alexander’s control was named Firebeard Blackaxe and he worked for a malik known simple as Deth. Malik Deth was unlike any other noble in the City of Brass because he was not an efreeti. Deth was a demi-god, once a powerful fighter that ascended into legendary status. The Great Sheik of the Efreeti held a tournament to find the bravest warrior to defend a portal between the Elemental Planes of Fire and Air. Using some loop-hole in the rules the demi-god known as Deth entered and won the tournament, the right to defend the portal, and the title of malik.
Alexander was impressed and took an offer to worship Deth as a god in return for the ability to level as a cleric. Alexander was given some minor quest to prove his worth and spent time in Deth’s brass citadel house in the City of Brass and time at Deth’s war fort guarding the portal between elemental planes. It feels kinda lame to explain Deth and the new dark god of Karem’s so I think I won’t.
The news of the nightmare rider stared to spread so Alexander just rolled with it and began to raise taxes while militarily occupying the lands of Diemed. The odd rule of Alexander continued by allowing new immigration of the provinces of Roesone (game terms: Alexander used the Rule action to increase most of the provinces of Roesone from 3/2 to 4/1). With the new girth of people, the taxes raised even further until the end of his rule when paladins would come and seek out the evil regent.
Alexander had the service of the efreeti Firebeard Blackaxe for one year and one wish left. This year would be the last for Alexander Roesone; his death would become public knowledge by years close. Firebeard Blackaxe told Alexander about an infernal bazaar that is held in the City of Brass once every ten years and that it was coming up by the end of the year. Alexander set up his last year as regent of Roesone to rob the coffers for all their worth before faking his death and escaping to the outer planes to use his ill gotten gain at the infernal bazaar. But before that all could happen, Alexander and the other adventures would have a few more memorial encounters.
Karem the pirate sought to expand his holdings and the best way would be to take over someone else’s holdings that were of like mind. The Eoele of Mieres was the target and the adventures headed out to the colony. Karem and a the adventuring party headed into the port of Seward aboard the stolen caravel, while a few of the Royal Flush gang would stay out of port on the xebec. After paying the docking fee, the adventures headed out to their various points of interests.
Karem, Trogdor, Lady Deathstrike, and Duke Nightmare headed off the ship and into the city. When the city guard demanded a fee of 25gp per weapon and set of armor that anyone wanted to pay to get into town, Trogdor reacted badly and refused payment. Duke Nightmare quickly handed over the gold and proceeded into town by himself. Trogdor declared that he was going to cut one of the guards in half and rolled very well. Quickly more guards appeared and Trogdor cut them down too, Lady Deathstrike might have attacked but that was not really important, the deaths of so many guards caught the attention of the wizard Mhistecai.
Mhistecai magically appeared in the sky above the adventures and demanded they lay down their weapons. Trogdor did not want any of that and used a ring of jumping to try and slash at Mhistecai but the wizard used some mass effect spell that immobilized the aggressors. Trogdor, Lady Deathstrike, and Karem were arrested and placed in the governor’s castle. The wizard inspected them, found Karem’s black dagger (holy symbol of Eoele) and Trogdor’s sword (the sword was taken from the paladin that was killed to get the Tighmaevril spear). The black dagger was enough to get them imprisoned and the sword of a paladin was enough to get them the death sentence.
Duke Nightmare disappeared into the city and let the distraction of the murder on the docks allow for him spread some gossip. Duke Nightmare traded gossip for information that led him to a gambling den. As sly as possible Duke Nightmare insisted that he was an assassin and was looking for gainful employment. The thieves of the gambling den quickly learned of the disturbance on the docks and that one captured had a black dagger but was not part of the local Eoele. And then some assassin comes looking for a job, the thief’s smell what is up and set Duke Nightmare up.
Duke Nightmare is given an assignment to kill some dude at midnight in some graveyard. The dude shows up and Duke Nightmare kills him but then a lot of people show up and find the murderer and victim. Duke Nightmare eluded authorities and made his way back to the thieves den, were he was jacked my more thieves and a wizard. When Duke Nightmare realized that the numbers were against him summoned his magical steed and fled all the way to the xebec.
Duke Nightmare would eventually make his way back to the caravel and meet up with Josef the Kid, the Ten of Spades. Josef informed Duke Nightmare about what had transpired and that Trogdor, Karem, and Lady Deathstrike were being held in the castle and that the port was closed, no ships could come or go. Josef came up with a plan to get arrested for a petty crime, be placed in jail, use his thief abilities to escape and check out the jail, find and release the captives, and escape with them all too where they could meet up with Duke Nightmare who would go and get the xebec.
All went to plan but meeting up with the xebec, the port was truly shut down to ships coming or going. The escaping prisoners had to hide out on the caravel locked down in the port. The governor began to search the city and the port to find the escapees and it was just a matter of time before they would be caught. While talking over what to do, a messenger approaches the ship and delivers a message.
The message says it is from the Vos of Mieres and would offer shelter to the Vos escaping the law; Trogdor and Lady Deathstrike. The two Vos decided they got nothing else to lose and check it out, they are led to the gambling den were Duke Nightmare was at earlier (but I made the players role-play that they did not know this and they hated me for it). Basically Trogdor and Lady Deathstrike were taken to a back room and killed, their bodies given to the governor to curry more favor with him.
Karem the pirate waited and waited, but the Vos never came back and Karem decided to check it out himself. Sleuthing around the city was hard as the guards were out in numbers and not taking bribes. Eventually Karem found the same gambling den and was dealt with as well.
Two player characters were killed (Trogdor and Karem) and one of the most prized henchmen (Lady Deathstrike, we still sing her praise). Trogdor’s body would be displayed for awhile to show what happens to evil people and the paladin’s sword sent back to the proper church. Trogdor’s body would disappear one night, a night the locals say that was filled with unusual weather (Trogdor’s body was taken by Baba Yaga and raised back to life; Trogdor was always her favorite from the adventuring party and had raised him before, so Baba Yaga felt a little insulted that her work was undone).
Karem’s body would be taken by somebody quite different. It was determined that of the three deaths each would be dealt with differently. Trogdor would be brought back the quickest, Karem would return eventually, and Lady Deathstrike was killed right out. Karem was killed by the Eoele of Mieres and dumped into the sea were it was salvaged by the vampire/cleric from Storm Tower.
The vampire/cleric worshipped a new dark god and saw an opportunity with Karem. Karem felt betrayed by Eoele when the clerics of Mieres killed him for being a threat but to be fair Karem’s plans were the same. The vampire/cleric offered new dark shadow power but it would take time to train Karem. From a player’s aspect, I killed Karem and allowed him to play as his henchmen for the year led up to the Infernal Bazaar.
Salim the Sailor was promoted to King of Spades, Josef the Kid was promoted to Jack of Spades, and the Mystery Man remained the Ace of Spades. The Royal Flush Gang was devastated by the Eoele of Mieres but still had all their tangible assets; temple holdings in Abbatuor and Albiele Isle, a few pirate vessels, and the support of the other player characters. Everyone loved the idea of a tri-class, so for the new Ten of Spades a half-elf fighter/thief/wizard was hired and brought aboard.
I guess I should have mentioned it before now, but when Alexander Roesone hired Otto the Rake, Alexander also hired several clerics from Karem. Karem allowed five level one clerics to serve Alexander while in the guise of Duke Nightmare sought to explore more of the Underground Forest. Duke Nightmare reported that all the clerics of Eoele were killed and it was very believable that low level clerics would not survive long in a dungeon. Duke Nightmare lied to Karem and one cleric was still alive; a young Khinasi woman, Alyza, whom Duke Nightmare kept secret from the rest of the players (it was attempt to gain clerical power apart from known sources to allow Duke Nightmare to go on solo adventures). But when news of Karem’s death eventually reached Alyza, she escaped Duke Nightmare’s confines and rejoined the Royal Flush Gang as the new Queen of Spades.
Later we would ret-con a lot of the back stories for the henchmen and Otto the Rake would become an alter identity for the Mystery Man, the Ace of Spades. It was determined that while there is no honor among thieves, one can by loyalty with some coin. Otto the Rake would train Alexander as a thief but kept an eye out for Alyza because she was property of the Mystery Man’s other master, Karem. Otto the Rake would simply tell Alyza about the death of Karem and it was on her own initiative to leave Alexander and rejoin the Royal Flush Gang. But why wouldn’t Alexander get mad about losing his secret cache of cleric power? It was determined later that Alexander got with Alyza and that they had an intimate relation ship (this was determined about the time when the players began to think that they might want children as replacements if their main characters die or act as heirs).
With the death of Karem came the revolt by the lizardmen who began to tear some ass across the countryside from Abbatuor working their way through Roesone and Arenewe eventually settling in the swamp of Spiritsend. Karem only had one unit of lizardmen but the reports came in that there were hundreds of them, maybe thousands. Now the players were suppose to go on an epic adventure to rescue Trogdor from the clutches of Baga Yaga who had moved her hut to Spiritsend and summoned the lizardmen as her defenders.
Now the player playing Trogdor did not like that I just killed him in the back alleys of Seaward or that he was going to have to roll as henchmen or nothing at all until he was rescued. The player playing the Red Hood switched to 3rd shift to make a hellva lot more money (3rd shift is 11pm to 7am for you who have not worked in a factory). So that left Karem (really just the Royal Flush Gang) and Alexander Roesone, so it was decided that having an evil regent with his own cadre of thieves and assassins was enough to keep the story moving forward.
Alexander grew tired of administrative affairs, of having to play the game of diplomacy, and not being able to out right attack whoever he felt like. Alexander decided to hand over his kingdom to the Red Hood who under the disguise of Raphael Saberstrike was seen as the defeater of pirates and the people’s champion. After the death of Alexander’s clone, Raphael could be appointed the regent of Roesone but Alexander had also conquered much of Diemed but Medoere lied in the way of that too.
In the Player’s Secrets of Medoere (TSR 3106) talked about the Sword of Enlien, a powerful sword that was used to liberate Medoere from Diemed and that it is waiting for the rightful champion to claim it. Hermphedhie used her position in Medoere to get a close examination of the sword and found that it radiates good and as history goes it was a flaming long sword. Hermphedhie makes a fake up that any player can hold and when they do; they radiate good (which is good for the players who are all evil). The plan becomes that some how a switch needs to be done so Raphael Saberstrike can claim the fake sword and thus claiming regency of Medoere. The only problem, none of the players were good enough thieves to be able to steal a lawful good paladin’s sword. But the idea was laid out that Raphael Saberstrike would become regent of Abbatuor, Roesone, Diemed, and Medoere.
Alexander robbed as much gold and other treasure from his kingdom as possible and headed off to the infernal bazaar. The Royal Flush Gang (being the other active player) did not have the ability to travel to the outer planes like Duke Nightmare on his fiend’s steed, but unbeknownst to Alexander, Karem had returned and was infused with the power for a new dark god. Karem stayed in contact with the Royal Flush Gang but took on a new roll, instead of the King of Spades; Karem would be the Shadow Emperor or the Shade as the new dark god was granting him shadow magic. Karem secretly ran the Royal Flush Gang and stole the Sword of Enlien.
Alexander arrived quite sometime before the infernal bazaar would get into full swing to check out the scene and get a feel for the environment. The efreeti under Alexander’s control was named Firebeard Blackaxe and he worked for a malik known simple as Deth. Malik Deth was unlike any other noble in the City of Brass because he was not an efreeti. Deth was a demi-god, once a powerful fighter that ascended into legendary status. The Great Sheik of the Efreeti held a tournament to find the bravest warrior to defend a portal between the Elemental Planes of Fire and Air. Using some loop-hole in the rules the demi-god known as Deth entered and won the tournament, the right to defend the portal, and the title of malik.
Alexander was impressed and took an offer to worship Deth as a god in return for the ability to level as a cleric. Alexander was given some minor quest to prove his worth and spent time in Deth’s brass citadel house in the City of Brass and time at Deth’s war fort guarding the portal between elemental planes. It feels kinda lame to explain Deth and the new dark god of Karem’s so I think I won’t.
Friday, June 18, 2010
Karem the pirate lived up to his name by going on several pirating adventures but none more profitable when he seized a ship belonging to the Prince of Avanil. Some cousin of the Prince’s was onboard and trying to smuggle some type of contraband into the Imperial City. After finding out all pertinent information, Karem killed the cousin through bloodthieft and claimed the vessel for himself. Karem then though, hey might as well smuggle this stuff into the Imperial City myself and sell it.
Karem the pirate delivered the contraband to a wizard known as the Swamp Mage in the Imperial City. Karem asked a lot of questions of the Swamp Mage and I pointed out that a smuggler really would not be so nosey. But for whatever reason the Swamp Mage was looking to make some money that day and told Karem that he could make any wish come true for the right amount of gold.
Karem thought it over and came upon the idea that he would love a unit of lizardmen in a battleship. The Swamp Mage and Karem were at the Swamp Mage’s holding in the Imperial City and the two went down to a basement with a large room. The Swamp Mage used his magic to fill the room full of water and mask the two with an invisibility spell. Then the Swamp Mage summoned a drakkar filled with lizardmen warriors, lead by a four-armed lizardman king.
Karem appeared from the invisibility spell and used literally every spell he had available to try and impress the lizardmen. Karem walked on water, talked in tongues, was surrounded by a variety of auras, used light spells and summoned food and drink. The lizardmen were impressed and Karem negotiated the price of delivering two humans a week in tribute to the lizardman king. The Swamp Mage then used more magic to make the summoning of the lizardmen drakkar permanent.
The Swamp Mage told Karem that he should come back and visit and bring others with gold as well. Karem told Alexander Roesone about the wizard and the two returned to the Imperial City with lots of gold. This was still about the time Alexander was undergoing an identity crisis and asked the Swamp Mage if there was a way Alexander could study to be a wizard. The Swamp Mage sold Alexander a scroll that the wizard told the regent that after a year of reading and studying, Alexander would gain the skills of a first level wizard (in actuality the scroll would place a powerful magical geas that would allow the Swamp Mage to control several of Alexander’s actions).
But Alexander sought more than just the knowledge of wizardly magic, Alexander wanted raw power; a magical item that could accomplish anything for him. Alexander paid the Swamp Mage to summon and bind an efreeti in a lamp to grant Alexander three wishes. But after the magical scroll and the magic lamp, Alexander still needed one more thing. The Swamp Mage made a clone of Alexander, the clone would be used to allow Alexander to fake his death after ruining his kingdom. After Alexander and Karem left the Imperial City, neither would see the Swamp Mage again for years.
The efreeti that was bound to the lamp that the Swamp Mage created for Alexander was inhabited by a strong warlord of an efreeti named Firebeard Blackaxe. This particular efreeti would be important in the future but until then the efreeti laid down some ground rules for Alexander; do not summon the efreeti for petty stuff and that all three wishes had to be used in one year.
Alexander made his first wish right away; wishing to be a prince. While this might seem a complicated wish to fulfill, all I did was declare, “ok, you’re a prince now, good for you.” It would not become until much later that Alexander would learn that I made him Prince of the Faries (one of the unseelie). Alexander would next have Sedrie Bellamie summon a nightmare, while Alexander feed the beast platinum shavings in the shape of oak leaves, while the efreeti used a second wish to bind the nightmare to Alexander. This would leave to Alexander taking up the identity of Duke Nightmare.
Alexander Roesone ruled his kingdom with an iron grip; truly living up to the name Black Baron. Alexander lost control of the Church of War (Cuiraecen) but issued many decrees that would tax them heavily. Alexander mustered a large army and secured the building of the bridge between his domain and Medoere and brokered a secret deal with the wizard Hermpedhie and the Red Hood to lead the aid of realm spells for an assault on one of the Duke of Diemed’s castles. While Trogdor’s assembled mercenary army was in the service of Ghoere, Trogdor still had a small band of drake riders at his disposal (elite warriors, with heavy lances and crossbows, mounted on battle drakes) and would be helpful on the assault on a castle in Diemed.
Alexander appealed to the clerics of Medoere for military support for the right to spread their religion unfettered in Roesone. The armies of Roesone crossed Medoere where they were meeting with Medoerean reinforcements and proceeded to cross the borders into Tier and Duene. A series of small battles where fought with local garrisons and scouts of Diemed, the Roesone forces pushing for the river city of Moerel. The Duke of Diemed secured himself in a river castle along the city Moerel, with the wall city being fortified by his troops.
Even more secret dealings were revealed when the wizard Caine used magic to allow Hermpedhie and the Red Hood to cast realm spells in the province of Moere. Using powerful realm spells the wizards razed the castle to the ground leaving the Duke of Diemed exposed in the walled city. That is when Trogdor’s drake raiders assaulted, and an adventuring party lead by Duke Nightmare sought out the ruler of Diemed. The Duke of Diemed put up and good fight and escaped on a boat down the River Maesil. Duke Nightmare then summoned his fiendish steed and gave case down the river after the Duke of Diemed. Over the River Maesil, the rightful regent of Diemed was pierced through the heart by a dark clad warrior wielding a spear, riding a fiery hoofed horse. The death of one duke lead to the rise of anohter; Duke Nightmare.
Karem the pirate delivered the contraband to a wizard known as the Swamp Mage in the Imperial City. Karem asked a lot of questions of the Swamp Mage and I pointed out that a smuggler really would not be so nosey. But for whatever reason the Swamp Mage was looking to make some money that day and told Karem that he could make any wish come true for the right amount of gold.
Karem thought it over and came upon the idea that he would love a unit of lizardmen in a battleship. The Swamp Mage and Karem were at the Swamp Mage’s holding in the Imperial City and the two went down to a basement with a large room. The Swamp Mage used his magic to fill the room full of water and mask the two with an invisibility spell. Then the Swamp Mage summoned a drakkar filled with lizardmen warriors, lead by a four-armed lizardman king.
Karem appeared from the invisibility spell and used literally every spell he had available to try and impress the lizardmen. Karem walked on water, talked in tongues, was surrounded by a variety of auras, used light spells and summoned food and drink. The lizardmen were impressed and Karem negotiated the price of delivering two humans a week in tribute to the lizardman king. The Swamp Mage then used more magic to make the summoning of the lizardmen drakkar permanent.
The Swamp Mage told Karem that he should come back and visit and bring others with gold as well. Karem told Alexander Roesone about the wizard and the two returned to the Imperial City with lots of gold. This was still about the time Alexander was undergoing an identity crisis and asked the Swamp Mage if there was a way Alexander could study to be a wizard. The Swamp Mage sold Alexander a scroll that the wizard told the regent that after a year of reading and studying, Alexander would gain the skills of a first level wizard (in actuality the scroll would place a powerful magical geas that would allow the Swamp Mage to control several of Alexander’s actions).
But Alexander sought more than just the knowledge of wizardly magic, Alexander wanted raw power; a magical item that could accomplish anything for him. Alexander paid the Swamp Mage to summon and bind an efreeti in a lamp to grant Alexander three wishes. But after the magical scroll and the magic lamp, Alexander still needed one more thing. The Swamp Mage made a clone of Alexander, the clone would be used to allow Alexander to fake his death after ruining his kingdom. After Alexander and Karem left the Imperial City, neither would see the Swamp Mage again for years.
The efreeti that was bound to the lamp that the Swamp Mage created for Alexander was inhabited by a strong warlord of an efreeti named Firebeard Blackaxe. This particular efreeti would be important in the future but until then the efreeti laid down some ground rules for Alexander; do not summon the efreeti for petty stuff and that all three wishes had to be used in one year.
Alexander made his first wish right away; wishing to be a prince. While this might seem a complicated wish to fulfill, all I did was declare, “ok, you’re a prince now, good for you.” It would not become until much later that Alexander would learn that I made him Prince of the Faries (one of the unseelie). Alexander would next have Sedrie Bellamie summon a nightmare, while Alexander feed the beast platinum shavings in the shape of oak leaves, while the efreeti used a second wish to bind the nightmare to Alexander. This would leave to Alexander taking up the identity of Duke Nightmare.
Alexander Roesone ruled his kingdom with an iron grip; truly living up to the name Black Baron. Alexander lost control of the Church of War (Cuiraecen) but issued many decrees that would tax them heavily. Alexander mustered a large army and secured the building of the bridge between his domain and Medoere and brokered a secret deal with the wizard Hermpedhie and the Red Hood to lead the aid of realm spells for an assault on one of the Duke of Diemed’s castles. While Trogdor’s assembled mercenary army was in the service of Ghoere, Trogdor still had a small band of drake riders at his disposal (elite warriors, with heavy lances and crossbows, mounted on battle drakes) and would be helpful on the assault on a castle in Diemed.
Alexander appealed to the clerics of Medoere for military support for the right to spread their religion unfettered in Roesone. The armies of Roesone crossed Medoere where they were meeting with Medoerean reinforcements and proceeded to cross the borders into Tier and Duene. A series of small battles where fought with local garrisons and scouts of Diemed, the Roesone forces pushing for the river city of Moerel. The Duke of Diemed secured himself in a river castle along the city Moerel, with the wall city being fortified by his troops.
Even more secret dealings were revealed when the wizard Caine used magic to allow Hermpedhie and the Red Hood to cast realm spells in the province of Moere. Using powerful realm spells the wizards razed the castle to the ground leaving the Duke of Diemed exposed in the walled city. That is when Trogdor’s drake raiders assaulted, and an adventuring party lead by Duke Nightmare sought out the ruler of Diemed. The Duke of Diemed put up and good fight and escaped on a boat down the River Maesil. Duke Nightmare then summoned his fiendish steed and gave case down the river after the Duke of Diemed. Over the River Maesil, the rightful regent of Diemed was pierced through the heart by a dark clad warrior wielding a spear, riding a fiery hoofed horse. The death of one duke lead to the rise of anohter; Duke Nightmare.
Thursday, June 17, 2010
One unfortunate day Trogdor was killed in the Underground Forest, the adventuring party was going to take him to a temple and pay the fat gold to raise him, Trogdor insisted (which is weird because he was dead) that they take him to Baba Yaga instead. When the adventuring party gets to the Hut of Baba Yaga, they find that her young servant girl has run away. The adventures fan out and quickly cover the swamp, finding the young girl and not listening to her pleas; they return the girl to the witch. Baba Yaga agrees to bring Trogdor back from the dead somehow (I do not know how but the Wish spell solves DM problems). Baba Yaga then decides to allow them to tempt fate and draw from her Deck of Many Things (it should be noted that the deck would work different in the Hut, but each time the adventures dealt with Baba Yaga it was outside of her Hut, within her skull fence barrier).
The adventuring party had to hand over a lot of their loot for a chance at a draw; Baba Yaga had no need for any type of coin but would take jewels, magic items, and spell components. Trogdor drew the King of Hearts (18 CHA and a small keep), it was decided (by me the DM) that Trogdor married a noble lady in the province of Ciliene in Diemed. Karem drew the Joker and opted for two more draws; the Jack of Hearts (level 4 fighter) and King of Clubs (body functions, soul trapped else where). I do not quite remember what Alexander or Raphael drew; I will ask and might post it later.
Karem wanted to get his soul back for whatever selfish reason and it was decided by random fate that it was controlled by some Slaadi in Limbo. Trogdor paid off Baba Yaga to summon, bind, and negotiate with the outsider for them. The Slaadi wanting to escape quickly accepted the soul of the level 4 fighter that was drawn off of the Jack of Hearts (basically both Karem and Trogdor lost loot to Baba Yaga on that three card draw). This was also the point where most of them realized how evil they were actually being when they negotiated with a witch to barter souls with an evil outsider. The phrase, “a soul for a soul,” started to get used a lot; with other variants, “a sword for a sword, a favor for a favor.”
After a few months of adventuring it was time to get domain turns underway. Trogdor secured permission from Alexander to raise a mercenary army within his kingdom but then unexpectedly moves the army to Ghoere and works for Baron Tael for his invasion of Osoerde. This leaves Alexander a little sore because that depleted the source of mercenaries in Roesone; meaning that Alexander could only raise standard units. Alexander would get the last laugh on Trogdor though, by stealing Trogdor’s Tighmaevril spear and replacing it with a forgery.
Karem the pirate secured rights to hire more sailors, train marines, and have docking access along the Spider River. Karem used the town of Greatbridge as his center of operations and Alexander started construction of a real great bridge to connect Roesone with Medoere (which would be key if Alexander sought to invade Diemed). Somewhere around this time Karem was given permission to start a thief’s guild in Abbatuor by Raphael. Karem assigned his Jack of Spades, Salim the Sailor to start operations with the Ten of Spades, Josef the Kid acting as lieutenant. What was interesting about this level zero thieves guild was how it operated; the thieves would meet in eight different alley ways every day (one for each day in Birthright). The Queen of Spades, Lady Deathstrike, was used to train up marines while the Ace of Spades, the Mystery Man, was used primarily as Karem’s personal bodyguard (all players had fear of Alexander and his Tighmaevril weapon and unstable personality).
Raphael Saberstrike proceeded to mass units and navy vessels for an assault on Albiele Isle. Alexander Roesone added a few caravels, Trogdor had a few longships that were used for additional grappling, and Karem offered up his xebec to Raphael’s armada. The pirates from Albiele Island are quite strong on the wiki with several galleons and lots of caravels. Raphael secured some realm spells from Hermphedhie, court wizard of Medoere, to aid in battle once it started. Raphael had a realm spell of his own prepared for the battle as well.
A strong pirate force crashed with Raphael’s armada and the loses were great, for one side. Mass Destruction spells where unleashed, outright destroying some ships and catching others on fire. Karem’s fast moving xebec, allowed the adventuring party to maneuver around to allow Sedrie Bellamie and Raphael to unleash spells that would damage other ships. The pirates were routed and Raphael was able to land hundreds of soldiers and supplies on Albiele Isle.
Karem acted as the cleric for an investiture that created a new realm of Abbatuor (4/5) and Albiele (1/4) with Count Raphael Saberstrike as the regent. Alexander Roeseone allowed the split to happen for many reasons; Raphael swore allegiance as a vassal and it would further along Alexander’s goals of robbing his nation for all it’s worth. Raphael’s domain consisted of the two fore mentioned provinces, source throughout holdings in Roesone, and about four guild holdings ranging from level 2 to 4. Raphael also began to establish his own spy network, the Crimson Guard, thief/fighters that were trained in disguise (upstanding citizens in the day, cutthroats at night).
Raphael also began to really distinguish his alter ego’s: Count Saberstrike and the Red Hood. The Red Hood was the leader of the Crimson Guard and the identity that was used when adventuring. Count Saberstrike was ruler of Abbatuor, defeater of the pirates, the people’s champion. Under the guise of “the people’s champion,” Count Saberstrike organized his law holdings as “the People’s Society for a Better Anuire.” This would come be of great importance as Count Raphael would rise in power along the Southern Coast.
Back to adventuring again; this time the party went to explore the forests of Abbatuor and Storm Tower therein. The Red Hood thought it a good idea to track down a unicorn and cut its horn off so he acquired a pair of exotic lions (known through lore to be the natural enemy of the unicorn). A small unit of players went into the forest and began to try and seek out a unicorn, which they eventually found with magical aid. The death of the forests protector alerted the attention of a noble ranger who summoned his allies in arms against the slayers of the unicorn. The ranger in question was simply named, Ranger Bob, a chaotic good werebear ranger along with an elf wizard, a half elf tri-class(fighter/thief/wizard), human cleric, and dwarf fighter they sought out the adventuring party and a mass melee ensued. Only the tri-class survived, swearing revenge. The players noticed a fire in the distanced and went to investigate (after looting the bodies of course).
The evil adventuring party discovered a log cabin ablaze, with a young adult standing in front of it. They found a kid named Ted, who was the nephew of Ranger Bob. When Ranger Bob was in battle, he turned into a hybrid werebear and used a variety of wrestling moves to wreck havoc on the adventures, but when Ranger Bob was slain he died with one last death roar. Ted heard that and set the cabin on fire, hoping the killers would come, so that the chaotic evil Ted could go with them. The players learned that Ted was trained as a ranger, that he is a werebear, and that his sister fled into the forest when he set the cabin on fire. The Red Hood adopted Ted and gave him the name Lil’Boozie (which looks and sounds absurd).
The adventures found lots of undead at Storm Tower, fighting their way through levels of skeletons and ghouls until they fight a vampire/cleric in the basement of Storm Tower. The vampire escaped within gaseous mist and when I went to roll some random treasure I came up with the Mirror of Mental Prowess. I am not sure if you are aware of that item but it is quite powerful. I told the players I was not going to give it to them because they would abuse it and am dicks about it, of course they got mad. Then they discovered a portal in the basement room that when cleared of dust revealed a magical way of traveling into another world. The adventuring party thought that after mopping up the undead it was time to move on to the boss fight, so they proceeded in.
The Portal (aka the Mirror of Mental Prowess) led them into a pocket-dimension created by a long past Khinasi enchanter of great power and renown. In one of the accessory books I read about a powerful gem that caused great tragedy, I believe for the Red Kings of Aftan, anyway that gem was artifact level and said that if it was the only way to kill the Gorgon; by impaling the Gorgon in the heart with it: utterly destroying all his blood power (found it, The Viper’s Eye, TSR 3126 The Book of Priestcraft). The players could see a magical portal that through it could see back into Storm Tower. The adventuring party now entered what I dubbed as the Crystal Forest and boasted it could be the next Underground Forest (as in where the players could level up at). The first guardians of the Crystal Forest they encountered where the crystal pillars that came to life to form glass golem equivalents that when slain exploded in a burst of shredded glass (doing damage to the players). The adventures barely survived and when spying a crystal drake flying around, they fled back to Storm Tower. Only Karem the King of Spades would return to Storm Tower.
The adventuring party had to hand over a lot of their loot for a chance at a draw; Baba Yaga had no need for any type of coin but would take jewels, magic items, and spell components. Trogdor drew the King of Hearts (18 CHA and a small keep), it was decided (by me the DM) that Trogdor married a noble lady in the province of Ciliene in Diemed. Karem drew the Joker and opted for two more draws; the Jack of Hearts (level 4 fighter) and King of Clubs (body functions, soul trapped else where). I do not quite remember what Alexander or Raphael drew; I will ask and might post it later.
Karem wanted to get his soul back for whatever selfish reason and it was decided by random fate that it was controlled by some Slaadi in Limbo. Trogdor paid off Baba Yaga to summon, bind, and negotiate with the outsider for them. The Slaadi wanting to escape quickly accepted the soul of the level 4 fighter that was drawn off of the Jack of Hearts (basically both Karem and Trogdor lost loot to Baba Yaga on that three card draw). This was also the point where most of them realized how evil they were actually being when they negotiated with a witch to barter souls with an evil outsider. The phrase, “a soul for a soul,” started to get used a lot; with other variants, “a sword for a sword, a favor for a favor.”
After a few months of adventuring it was time to get domain turns underway. Trogdor secured permission from Alexander to raise a mercenary army within his kingdom but then unexpectedly moves the army to Ghoere and works for Baron Tael for his invasion of Osoerde. This leaves Alexander a little sore because that depleted the source of mercenaries in Roesone; meaning that Alexander could only raise standard units. Alexander would get the last laugh on Trogdor though, by stealing Trogdor’s Tighmaevril spear and replacing it with a forgery.
Karem the pirate secured rights to hire more sailors, train marines, and have docking access along the Spider River. Karem used the town of Greatbridge as his center of operations and Alexander started construction of a real great bridge to connect Roesone with Medoere (which would be key if Alexander sought to invade Diemed). Somewhere around this time Karem was given permission to start a thief’s guild in Abbatuor by Raphael. Karem assigned his Jack of Spades, Salim the Sailor to start operations with the Ten of Spades, Josef the Kid acting as lieutenant. What was interesting about this level zero thieves guild was how it operated; the thieves would meet in eight different alley ways every day (one for each day in Birthright). The Queen of Spades, Lady Deathstrike, was used to train up marines while the Ace of Spades, the Mystery Man, was used primarily as Karem’s personal bodyguard (all players had fear of Alexander and his Tighmaevril weapon and unstable personality).
Raphael Saberstrike proceeded to mass units and navy vessels for an assault on Albiele Isle. Alexander Roesone added a few caravels, Trogdor had a few longships that were used for additional grappling, and Karem offered up his xebec to Raphael’s armada. The pirates from Albiele Island are quite strong on the wiki with several galleons and lots of caravels. Raphael secured some realm spells from Hermphedhie, court wizard of Medoere, to aid in battle once it started. Raphael had a realm spell of his own prepared for the battle as well.
A strong pirate force crashed with Raphael’s armada and the loses were great, for one side. Mass Destruction spells where unleashed, outright destroying some ships and catching others on fire. Karem’s fast moving xebec, allowed the adventuring party to maneuver around to allow Sedrie Bellamie and Raphael to unleash spells that would damage other ships. The pirates were routed and Raphael was able to land hundreds of soldiers and supplies on Albiele Isle.
Karem acted as the cleric for an investiture that created a new realm of Abbatuor (4/5) and Albiele (1/4) with Count Raphael Saberstrike as the regent. Alexander Roeseone allowed the split to happen for many reasons; Raphael swore allegiance as a vassal and it would further along Alexander’s goals of robbing his nation for all it’s worth. Raphael’s domain consisted of the two fore mentioned provinces, source throughout holdings in Roesone, and about four guild holdings ranging from level 2 to 4. Raphael also began to establish his own spy network, the Crimson Guard, thief/fighters that were trained in disguise (upstanding citizens in the day, cutthroats at night).
Raphael also began to really distinguish his alter ego’s: Count Saberstrike and the Red Hood. The Red Hood was the leader of the Crimson Guard and the identity that was used when adventuring. Count Saberstrike was ruler of Abbatuor, defeater of the pirates, the people’s champion. Under the guise of “the people’s champion,” Count Saberstrike organized his law holdings as “the People’s Society for a Better Anuire.” This would come be of great importance as Count Raphael would rise in power along the Southern Coast.
Back to adventuring again; this time the party went to explore the forests of Abbatuor and Storm Tower therein. The Red Hood thought it a good idea to track down a unicorn and cut its horn off so he acquired a pair of exotic lions (known through lore to be the natural enemy of the unicorn). A small unit of players went into the forest and began to try and seek out a unicorn, which they eventually found with magical aid. The death of the forests protector alerted the attention of a noble ranger who summoned his allies in arms against the slayers of the unicorn. The ranger in question was simply named, Ranger Bob, a chaotic good werebear ranger along with an elf wizard, a half elf tri-class(fighter/thief/wizard), human cleric, and dwarf fighter they sought out the adventuring party and a mass melee ensued. Only the tri-class survived, swearing revenge. The players noticed a fire in the distanced and went to investigate (after looting the bodies of course).
The evil adventuring party discovered a log cabin ablaze, with a young adult standing in front of it. They found a kid named Ted, who was the nephew of Ranger Bob. When Ranger Bob was in battle, he turned into a hybrid werebear and used a variety of wrestling moves to wreck havoc on the adventures, but when Ranger Bob was slain he died with one last death roar. Ted heard that and set the cabin on fire, hoping the killers would come, so that the chaotic evil Ted could go with them. The players learned that Ted was trained as a ranger, that he is a werebear, and that his sister fled into the forest when he set the cabin on fire. The Red Hood adopted Ted and gave him the name Lil’Boozie (which looks and sounds absurd).
The adventures found lots of undead at Storm Tower, fighting their way through levels of skeletons and ghouls until they fight a vampire/cleric in the basement of Storm Tower. The vampire escaped within gaseous mist and when I went to roll some random treasure I came up with the Mirror of Mental Prowess. I am not sure if you are aware of that item but it is quite powerful. I told the players I was not going to give it to them because they would abuse it and am dicks about it, of course they got mad. Then they discovered a portal in the basement room that when cleared of dust revealed a magical way of traveling into another world. The adventuring party thought that after mopping up the undead it was time to move on to the boss fight, so they proceeded in.
The Portal (aka the Mirror of Mental Prowess) led them into a pocket-dimension created by a long past Khinasi enchanter of great power and renown. In one of the accessory books I read about a powerful gem that caused great tragedy, I believe for the Red Kings of Aftan, anyway that gem was artifact level and said that if it was the only way to kill the Gorgon; by impaling the Gorgon in the heart with it: utterly destroying all his blood power (found it, The Viper’s Eye, TSR 3126 The Book of Priestcraft). The players could see a magical portal that through it could see back into Storm Tower. The adventuring party now entered what I dubbed as the Crystal Forest and boasted it could be the next Underground Forest (as in where the players could level up at). The first guardians of the Crystal Forest they encountered where the crystal pillars that came to life to form glass golem equivalents that when slain exploded in a burst of shredded glass (doing damage to the players). The adventures barely survived and when spying a crystal drake flying around, they fled back to Storm Tower. Only Karem the King of Spades would return to Storm Tower.
Wednesday, June 16, 2010
Alexander had a map of Roesone that is identical to the one that comes with the Roesone Player Secrets (TSR 3104). Alexander noticed a small set of ruins in the province of Fairfield. Those small ruins would become a major part of the campaign and serve as the adventure zone for many levels. Underneath an old fort, down many flights of stairs, through some twisting tunnels lies the Underground Forest. I have always been a fan of the Underdark and decided to ad a weird almost surreal subterranean jungle.
The adventuring party was very large, as many of the people going are regents and need bodyguards. Alexander Roesone took a handful of elite bodyguard and clerics along with his brother Sir Arvour and his cousin Sedrie Bellamie. Trogdor was a solo rider. Lady Deathstrike was accompanied by the rest of the Royal Flush Gang (we always got great amusement that Karem’s henchmen were more famous then him). Raphael Saberstrike was accompanied by his loyal bodyguard, Axe-man Bones, an Orog fighter. This put the adventuring party at about sixteen people with several characters doing what we called “clanking.” Fighters like Alexander, Lady Deathstrike, Arvour, Trogdor, and Axe-man Bones were all wearing some version of plate mail, leading them to “clank” were ever they went. This distraction allowed the thieves to get into flanking positions very easily.
The Underground Forest proved to be very menacing and dangerous for the low level characters but after a few days and many pitched battles, the adventures started to handle themselves very well. This lead to over confidence and mistreatment of their opponents. The thieves tripped a trap left by some gnome miners. When the miners’ guard team of two gnomes and four badgers showed up, the party attacked without question. The party then tracked the gnomes back to their mining pit and laid waste to the rest. The loot was very fat indeed but the War Clerics of Cuiraecen and Sir Arvour could not stand the fact that the party was outright killing everything that moved and were doing things like keeping “gnome eyes” to be used later. This set the party down the path of evil and Alexander Roesone quickly learned that he needs to separate his public image from his private. The War Clerics of Cuiraecen and Sir Arvour would not come to the Underground Forest again, but sometimes the party would travel out to a temple of Cuiraecen to heal or raise dead a fallen comrade.
After awhile in the Underground Forest, the players were ready to stretch their legs and see a bit more of the world. Trogdor had been coming and going from between Roesone and the mountains in Bhielne, hiding his drake in the swamp of Elvenmeres. One day, Trogdor sees that the weather is super crazy over the swamp and nothing seems as it should. The party gathers and goes to investigate, where they discover the Dancing Hut of Baba Yaga. It was a very weird encounter for the players, Baba Yaga was standing outside her hut stirring her cauldron. The magic rich world of Birthright gave Baba Yaga lots of power and vitality, asking her a question did not age the questioner.
Baba Yaga pretty much sealed Alexander’s fate by telling him that a paladin of Haelyn was in possession of a Tighmaevril weapon. Alexander hunted down the paladin in question, killed him, and claimed a blood silver weapon or so he thought. The mission involved Raphael Saberstrike and Trogdor. Upon further inspection, the Paladin’s main weapon, a two-handed sword, was not the blood-sliver weapon but rather a humble spear. A humble spear that Trogdor claimed from the loot. This lead Alexander Roesone to plot against the mercenary Trogdor, to forge a copy of the spear, and replace the spear so Alexander could start committing blood theft.
The killing of the paladin was the last straw for Cuiraecen and sent an avatar to beat up Alexander and strip him of his cleric powers. The 2nd edition Birthright source book made clerics of Cuiraecen to have lots of warrior traits, so when Alexander’s god stripped him of all divine power, all he was left with were his blood powers, hit points, saving throws, and THAC0. Alexander would have to choose a new class and start leveling as, and Alexander seeing that choosing fighter would be redundant for many levels choose to train as a thief.
Alexander needed someone to train him to be a rouge so he hired Otto the Rake, a professional assassin from Brechtur. This also became about the time were all the players started to develop aliases for their characters (expect Trogdor, this was about the time he stopped playing full time). Alexander Roesone thought about going by the name Two-Face but thought that would give away the fact that he is trying to hide something. Alexander would latter settle on the title Duke Nightmare, a step up from Black Baron. Raphael Saberstrike starts to develop the identity of the Red Hood to hide his evil deeds. Karem the pirate was already known as the King of Spades.
The adventuring party was very large, as many of the people going are regents and need bodyguards. Alexander Roesone took a handful of elite bodyguard and clerics along with his brother Sir Arvour and his cousin Sedrie Bellamie. Trogdor was a solo rider. Lady Deathstrike was accompanied by the rest of the Royal Flush Gang (we always got great amusement that Karem’s henchmen were more famous then him). Raphael Saberstrike was accompanied by his loyal bodyguard, Axe-man Bones, an Orog fighter. This put the adventuring party at about sixteen people with several characters doing what we called “clanking.” Fighters like Alexander, Lady Deathstrike, Arvour, Trogdor, and Axe-man Bones were all wearing some version of plate mail, leading them to “clank” were ever they went. This distraction allowed the thieves to get into flanking positions very easily.
The Underground Forest proved to be very menacing and dangerous for the low level characters but after a few days and many pitched battles, the adventures started to handle themselves very well. This lead to over confidence and mistreatment of their opponents. The thieves tripped a trap left by some gnome miners. When the miners’ guard team of two gnomes and four badgers showed up, the party attacked without question. The party then tracked the gnomes back to their mining pit and laid waste to the rest. The loot was very fat indeed but the War Clerics of Cuiraecen and Sir Arvour could not stand the fact that the party was outright killing everything that moved and were doing things like keeping “gnome eyes” to be used later. This set the party down the path of evil and Alexander Roesone quickly learned that he needs to separate his public image from his private. The War Clerics of Cuiraecen and Sir Arvour would not come to the Underground Forest again, but sometimes the party would travel out to a temple of Cuiraecen to heal or raise dead a fallen comrade.
After awhile in the Underground Forest, the players were ready to stretch their legs and see a bit more of the world. Trogdor had been coming and going from between Roesone and the mountains in Bhielne, hiding his drake in the swamp of Elvenmeres. One day, Trogdor sees that the weather is super crazy over the swamp and nothing seems as it should. The party gathers and goes to investigate, where they discover the Dancing Hut of Baba Yaga. It was a very weird encounter for the players, Baba Yaga was standing outside her hut stirring her cauldron. The magic rich world of Birthright gave Baba Yaga lots of power and vitality, asking her a question did not age the questioner.
Baba Yaga pretty much sealed Alexander’s fate by telling him that a paladin of Haelyn was in possession of a Tighmaevril weapon. Alexander hunted down the paladin in question, killed him, and claimed a blood silver weapon or so he thought. The mission involved Raphael Saberstrike and Trogdor. Upon further inspection, the Paladin’s main weapon, a two-handed sword, was not the blood-sliver weapon but rather a humble spear. A humble spear that Trogdor claimed from the loot. This lead Alexander Roesone to plot against the mercenary Trogdor, to forge a copy of the spear, and replace the spear so Alexander could start committing blood theft.
The killing of the paladin was the last straw for Cuiraecen and sent an avatar to beat up Alexander and strip him of his cleric powers. The 2nd edition Birthright source book made clerics of Cuiraecen to have lots of warrior traits, so when Alexander’s god stripped him of all divine power, all he was left with were his blood powers, hit points, saving throws, and THAC0. Alexander would have to choose a new class and start leveling as, and Alexander seeing that choosing fighter would be redundant for many levels choose to train as a thief.
Alexander needed someone to train him to be a rouge so he hired Otto the Rake, a professional assassin from Brechtur. This also became about the time were all the players started to develop aliases for their characters (expect Trogdor, this was about the time he stopped playing full time). Alexander Roesone thought about going by the name Two-Face but thought that would give away the fact that he is trying to hide something. Alexander would latter settle on the title Duke Nightmare, a step up from Black Baron. Raphael Saberstrike starts to develop the identity of the Red Hood to hide his evil deeds. Karem the pirate was already known as the King of Spades.
Tuesday, June 15, 2010
Each Ruler to Their Realm
I want to tell you the story of my AD&D Birthright campaign and the adventures that have transpired in about six game years. Each ruler to their realm:
Alexander Roesone, Anuirean War Priest of Cuiraecen, Regent of Roesone and the “
Raphael Saberstrike, Anuriean Wizard, Lord-Captain of Abbatuor, Regent of Source holdings in Roesone
Karem Walli-Jabar, Khinasi Priest of Eoele, pirate captain of a zebec
Trogdor the Spearweilder, Vos Fighter, mercenary captain
Each player was allowed to roll for blood according to the 2nd edition Birthright source book. Alexander opted to take the standard Roesone setup plus the inclusion of a created realm of temples (replacing large portions of the Impregnable Heart of Haelyn). Raphael took the option of getting points to spend based upon blood line power and created a fine network of source holdings and ley lines in Roesone, with enough left over to increase the province of Abbatour to level (4/5) and build a castle there. Karem choose points and constructed a pirate fleet and crew. Karem spent a great deal of his points creating the Royal Flush Gang; four other henchmen that would serve Karem as the King of Spades (the other four naturally filling out the suite: Queen of Spades, Jack, Ten, and Ace.) A great deal of time can and will be spent talking about these henchmen. Trogdor took the points and spent it all on cold hard gold; then by the grace of a generous DM, purchased as many drake eggs as possible to try and form a unit of drake riders.
Alexander, the Black Baron of Roesone, started the game by announcing a grand tournament to celebrate his ascension to the throne. Alexander summoned all his noblemen for private meetings at
Back at the grand tournament people begin to arrive from many other kingdoms. Karem the pirate hears word of this and devises a plot. Trogdor the Spearweilder wants to serve a grand king so he keeps his drakes hidden and comes to the tournament on foot. Alexander gets many opportunities to talk to either the rulers or ambassadors from nearby realms.
Alexander begins to court Suirs Enlien of Medoere to join into a passive alliance.
Raphael gets surprise visit form the Rogr of Ilien asking for an informal alliance against High Mage Aelies which Raphael accepts with the provision of unfettered access to the
Alexander surprises the ambassador from Ghoere by offering an alliance that would allow Roesone to invade Diemed and Ghoere to invade Osoerde.
When Karem’s Zebec arrives in the
The grand tournament was for nobles only but even with that Lady Deathstrike would have to seek out permission to compete because she is a woman. Karem used a bit of leg work and bribery to get an audience with Alexander and pleaded the case to allow Lady Deathstrike to compete. Special permission was given and all was set to go. That was until Alexander’s half-brother, Arvour Raemel showed up. At first Alexander was shocked and taken back that he had an older half-brother that could try and claim his throne and that particularly that Arvour looked just like the original Black Baron of Roesone. But Arvour convinced his brother that he cared not for all that and lived life as an adventurer. Alexander accepted his brother and gave him the title of Sir Arvour to allow him to compete in the grand tournament.
The grand tournament should have gone better for Trogdor but that is how dice roll sometimes. I let Alexander roll for his brother Arvour but that did not good as Lady Deathstrike won three out of the five competitions to win the title of tournament champion. The tournament proved a great opportunity for Alexander to hire Lady Deathstrike and Trogdor as well as pick up henchmen in the form of Sedrie Bellamie and Sir Arvour. Which would prove useful as these henchmen would become characters in their own right.
It should be noted that Sir Arvour caught the fancy of Queen Liliene Swordwraith of Aerenwe. Sedrie Ballamie started to court a young lady from the family Algael, as in the province in Osoedre. Because of the tournament, Trogdor would soon become married to a noble lass from the
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