Tuesday, October 28, 2008

An ode to Bodush and Eolar


affront ahead
after sneaking behind
to turn to dust
undead without mind

the sorcerers wrath
burning flame and blast
shook off and returned
with a mace and a laugh

what next?
what ingenous device
to mame and vex
these feuders devise?

Friday, October 24, 2008

Bodush Strikes Back

Oooh take that - this could all turn a bit nasty.
Fireball in the face - now you know why they are called Friars

hee hee

Thursday, October 23, 2008

Wednesday, October 22, 2008

Raindrops Keep Falling on their Heads

After recovering from the long journey, Mendez counts Garris’ retirement money properly.
It’s almost 20,000 gold coins!
Feeling a pang of guilt, Mendez resolves to give some of it at least to a local charity or Church, but which one?
Wandering around the small town, he comes to an orphanage.
It’s not much more than a large shack with a poorly thatched roof. So poorly thatched that it barely keeps the sunlight out and would leak like a sieve in even the feeblest rain.
Mendez knocks on the door and is greeted by a harassed but beautiful young woman.
“Can I help you?” she enquires.
Mendez smile widens considerably as he invites himself inside.
“I think that perhaps we can help each other.”
The conditions are grim, but the young woman obviously does her best to keep the children clean, clothed and fed.
The woman introduces herself as ‘Etta’ and explains that she used to run the orphanage with her mother, who sadly died just recently. She starts to cry as she tells Mendez that unless she can find some money soon, the orphanage will be forced to shut.
Mendez smile grows wider still. Garris was a good man; he’d have wanted to help these children.
In response to Mendez’s kindness, Etta smiles in return and the depressing shack seems to brighten around her. Taking his hand, she leads Mendez to meet the dozen or so children.
After a few hours of entertaining the children with stories of sky battles and monsters, Mendez leaves.
At around 6pm he returns, followed by several serving maids from the local tavern. They are all carrying trays piled high with hot food and sweet drinks for the children. After a moment of stunned silence there are whoops of delight followed by the sound of happy guzzling.
Etta and Mendez spend several carefree weeks together, buying toys and new clothes for the children and hiring carpenters and roofers to repair the building. Mendez, Etta and the children paint it themselves in sunny yellows and peaceful blues.
Finally, when it’s time for Mendez to head back to Seawell, he hands Etta a bound folder. As she opens it, she cries for the first time since Mendez arrived. The tears are not just for the breathtaking sum of money Mendez has placed in the local bank for her, but for the fact that Mendez himself will not be sharing her bed from now on.

Tuesday, October 21, 2008

Of Knowledge and of Possession

He put quill to parchment once more. Chen knew it was important that the Elders knew how his mission was progressing. This recent letter included many new things that the council would be keen to learn. While they had heard of undead before, of course, Chen had carefully described the horror he witnessed in the prison. The fetid stench of decaying flesh, and the sickly, pulpy texture of the bodies as he had punched through them would remain with him forever.

He relayed tales of the prowess of his friends - how Telfis and Wer had walked across the ceiling, to blast the zombies with a musical horn, how Ned had summoned the elements to strike at their enemies, how Thesis could attack so many at once, how Durin had bulldozed his way through countless zombies, and how the clerics had turned the undead into dust without batting an eyelid.

Demons and Golems made of chains were new, however. As were the Baatezu as he had later learned them to be called. While his arcane knowledge was excellent among his peers, it was obvious that Chen still had much to learn of the various... what had they called them...? Ah, yes, that was it... 'Planes'.

Chen sealed the letter and fastened it carefully to the leg of the carrier pigeon. He kissed the bird gently on the head before releasing it, certain that it would return speedily to his Sifu at the monastery. Ah, the monastery - it seemed such a distant dream as he looked out of the window over a bustling Seawell.

Chen shook his head as the memory faded. The night was young; his friends were conducting their business or drowning themselves in good ale. For some this was the same thing. Instead, he was looking forward to immersing himself in a good book. He hadn't had time to complete the Tome of History he had purchased yet, and he had also acquired new volumes from Mayor Parson's library. He had intended to give them back, but now? Well, he doubted the deceased Mayor would require them any longer - and they would be of such educational benefit to the young Novitiates.

As he plucked the plain bookmark from its place he smiled. He must remember to speak with his friends tomorrow to see if any of them wanted the slippers they had found. He assured himself that he only wanted them to help in his mission, and that they would hold no materialistic sway over him once they had served their purpose. He looked down to see that he was stroking his Ring of Shocking Blows...

Monday, October 20, 2008

Team Bodush!

Don't fancy his chances against Eolar though...

Friday, October 17, 2008

The Seawell Times

Mayor Parsons was discovered dead this morning by one of his servants.
Nobody knows exactly how the tragedy occurred, but bizarrely he was somehow strangled with his own ceremonial chain of office.
His body was discovered in the early hours in the walled garden of the Mayoral house.
Oddly, it seems that he was digging up the courtyard as he was found covered in mud with a spade in his hand and surrounded by deep holes in the ground.
Mayor Parsons was also attacked several days ago but was saved by the same group of adventurers that had destroyed the zombie infestation of the city prison cells and rescued several of the cities charitable young women.
Many suspected Mayor Parsons of being in the pocket of the shadowy ‘Thieves guild’.
This leaves the position of Mayor open again after the execution of popular past Mayor Boscorm.

Wednesday, October 15, 2008

Alone

It was a nice and sunny day in the valley. She was walking in her woods to refresh her power. She knew that the time it took to refresh her energy got longer and longer. Her power slowly faded. She could feel it more and more and it was crucial that her daughter got strong enough to take over.
Some of her animals watched curiously how she changed and, beating her wings, started to head east. It would be chaos if her kingdom fell. She could feel other powers growing even now. Long ago it was the three towers ruling the valley to equal parts and since the lady of the black tower left to the north, the power was divided between the two remaining ones. But things changed. She could feel a dark power rising in the valley. Packs of wolves are roaming her forests defying her control. And the wolves are not the only threat to the balance of power. There were other, darker creatures amongst them.

Something has to be done. The old bonds have to be strengthened once again to face and scotch the rising powers before it's too late. She reached the lake that encloses the white tower. It was centuries she had been that close and the energy radiating from it weakened her power. They hadn't met for a long time and it was reassuring now that the white power was still strong. If the white lady would have left as well, the power of the remaining tower wouldn't have been strong enough to face the rising darkness.
She had proposed to meet on neutral ground but the white lady didn't answer. That was not like her. Since the three towers existed, the wielder of the corresponding powers respected each other. Sometimes only out of necessity as an imbalance of power would mean destabilisation. Since the time where only two powers remained, the bond grew stronger and could even be called friendly at certain times.

Back on the ground she could feel it. A strange power mixed into the familiar energy of her counterpart. Something was wrong, but she couldn't risk getting closer without losing her powers. The white lady must be able to sense her and by know she would normally have come out. This was not at all like her but the old lady wasn't in a position to investigate this mystery.

She started to change again to make her way back. Now she was really worried! With her powers fading, the white lady not responding and the new, unknown power getting stronger, hope was fading. If only she would know where her daughter was. Together they could perhaps stand a chance. Her only hope was that her daughter didn't get caught or killed by the dark creatures after she left following a fierce argument. This would mean the end to the valley as it was now for thousands of years. She has to renew old bonds and gather new allies or the valley would fall into darkness.

Taking it on the Chen

It’s early the next day when the Party returns to the Mayor’s house to dig up Boscorms treasure.
Most everyone had been seriously hurt. The Monk Chen would have surely died if not for the timely and brave intervention of Eolar.
The house looks remarkably undamaged and it would be hard to believe that a battle against a cadre of devils had just been fought scant hours ago.
All the devils evaporated shortly after they were killed and the Chain golem resembles nothing more sinister than an inanimate pile of chains.
Durin and Thesis do the digging while the other look on.
After about twenty minutes Durin’s spade hits something hard. Thesis jumps down into the hole and hauls out a sizable chest.
Breaking the lock open, they all stare for a moment. Twenty five thousand gold pieces and all of it theirs!
Mayor Parsons scowls a little but has the grace to try to hide it.
Elogyn though is just happy in the knowledge that she and Eolar have done this city a good service and helped uphold the law.

End of Days Experience and Treasure

Everyone's current experience:

Thesis: 38,118 xp (Goes up to 9th Level!)

Chen Yong: 22,940 xp (Goes up to 7th Level!)

Durin: 40,099 xp (Stays at 9th Level)

Wer: 43,354xp (Stays at 9th Level)

Eolar: 49,709 xp (Stays at 10th Level)

Elogyn: 23,798 xp (Stays at 7th Level)

Ned: 13,604xp (Stays at 5th Level)

Telfis: 45,097xp (Stays at 10th Level)

Bodush: 37,576 xp (Stays at 9th Level)

Mendez: 52,419 xp (Stays at 10th Level)

Kruddo: 17,668 xp (Stays at 6th Level)

As expected, only Chen and Thesis went up a level. (Wer and Ned are very close though.)

Treasure:

From the treasure chest dug up from the courtyard:

25,000gp!

(Mayor Parsons is obviously surprised by the amount, but is too relieved to be still alive to voice an objection.)

Wednesday, October 8, 2008

Bodush learns a new trick

Bodush hoped that his host would not notice just how uncomfortable the smell in the room made him. While he had the greatest appreciation for why the hooded figure preferred to be underground, he wished that he had not picked such a particular damp area of the underdark to conduct his studies

Well, young Bodush”, the figure whispered, “It seems that you may be ready to attempt the spell yourself now. While sorcery such as ours depend on the personal power of the sorcerer, rather than the book-learning of wizards, the writings of ancient Theynar do contain considerable insight. I would even go as far as saying that when it comes to the art of necromancy, none could surpass them.

Bodush swallowed and nodded. He looked down at the decaying body on the slab in front of them. He opened his mouth and started a low, guttural chant. His mind was reaching out, calling up the power of the shadow, the plane of negative energy, the source of death, just like his host had shown him. He felt strange, his body feeling limp, as if his very life was giving way to the force he was wielding.

As he continued his chant, his hands motioned slowly over the face of the dead orc.

Very Good! Keep going!” His host kept encouraging him, as the dead orc started twitching.

Bodush strained, feeling an alien presence within the orc, trying to break free. He focused his mind, mentally locking the body into place, making it nothing more than an extension of himself.

Bodush grinned as he growled 'Get up', in orcish. The zombie rose from the slab, and stood in front of him, almost as if to attention.

Bodush made a dismissing gesture, and the orc collapsed to the ground. “Not bad, for a first attempt?” He turned to his host.

No, young Bodush. Not bad at all. But there is more power within the dark arts of Theynar than you can imagine.The powers of the Imperial line of Theynar was immense, their infernal blood strengthened through generations of incestous marriage The dread tome of Zhuanol Oloth, contained knowledge beyond any living man.

Bodush found himself smiling despite himself “Living, you say?”.

His host shrugged, “...and me as well, I am afraid. The tome is lost forever, destroyed in the madness that is the forbidden lands.

Bodush looked down at the corpse in front of him. He was content with this spell, for now.

Tuesday, October 7, 2008

Mendez likes the Birds

Mendez walks the remainder of the way to Redford and books himself into the better of the two Inns.
After a simple but delicious meal, he retires back to his room.
The amount of gold that Garris was carrying is impressive. Mendez could afford to stay, drink and eat in this Inn for years!
Still, what’s gold without companionship?
Pulling out a quill and parchment, Mendez begins to write…

Dear Father,
I find myself temporarily separated from my friends and missing my family.
Would you send me one of your trained hunting Falcons as a reminder of home?
Please send Razor. Although he isn’t the biggest or the strongest, he is the fastest and by far the most beautiful.
Give my love to my Mother and Sister and get Sancho to check regularly on Zia.
Your loving son,
Mendez.

Sliding it into an envelope, he calls one of the servants to organise the delivery. The boy seems delighted when Mendez tells him to keep the change.

Thursday, October 2, 2008

Better the Devil you Know

In the burning darkness, a figure unfurls.
Her chains rattle and grind as she rises slowly to her feet.
“You have failed.” A voice hisses from above her.
The Kryton cowers back, not daring to look up. “They were many and the undead crumbled before them…”
The voice in the darkness ponders for agonising moments.
“I shall not punish you yet. In fact, I shall show my generous nature and allow you another opportunity to prove your worth.”
The Chain devil prostrates itself upon the unforgiving ground.
“Send me back now and you will not be disappointed.”
She waits for what seems like an age for a response, and then…
“I had better not be!”

Wednesday, October 1, 2008

Smashing chap that Thesis

Sometimes the impetuous youth need an experience shoulder to lean on (or to smash down a door).

Nice Banner Kirk ;)

Mind you I was ready to whirlwind attack the 3 guards - but fortunately I was talked out of that!
Could have been nice though ...

PS - Telfis can pay me later :D

Half time Experience and Treasure

Everyone's current experience:

Durin: 36,832 xp (Goes up to 9th Level!)

Wer: 40,087xp (Goes up to 9th Level!)

Eolar: 46,442 xp (Goes up to 10th Level!)

Elogyn: 21,511 xp (Goes up to 7th Level!)

Mendez: 48,825 xp (Goes up to 10th Level!)

Telfis: 45,097xp (Goes up to 10th Level!)

Ned: 10,337xp (Goes up to 5th Level!)

Thesis: 34,921 xp (Stays at 8th Level)

Chen Yong: 19,673 xp (Stays at 6th Level)

Bodush: 37,576 xp (Stays at 9th Level!)

Kruddo: 17,668 xp (Stays at 6th Level)

(Everyone should be happy apart from Chen and Thesis. Sorry boys but you're both so close.)

Treasure:

From Muggers:
3gp
Longsword.

From Chain Devil:
Slippers of Spider climbing!

From Dead Adventurers:
Magic LargeShield
Magic Long Sword
Magic War Axe
Magic Longspear
(Rather than pay, you can probably guess the enchantment bonus.)
MWKs Battle axe
MWKs Full plate
MWKs LargeShieldx2
MWKs Leather armour
Arcane Scroll:
135gp

Reward for rescuing the hostages: 1,200 gp
Reward for killing Boscorm: 2,000 gp
Reward from Boscorm: 5,000gp