It's not for me to judge the actions of others or even to attempt to rationalize their actions. So let me open with a question: If you're going to go AWOL, why stop at the closest island in the bay from your command post? That seems really stupid. And these guys were stupid. There were a few guys that threw some magic at us but by and large, the group of deserting soldiers really didn't know what they had in store for them.
In some ways you almost feel bad for them. Bumpkins that were duped into this notion of escape only to stop at the closest island and think they could hold out. Really, I blame their captain and the officers for getting them into this mess. One can always claim to be "just following orders" and I generally object one's readiness to forfeit their personal accountability. However, when you don't know any better and the odds facing you in the other direction are bleak, I get why you might choose this path. Regardless, the moment they decided to desert their fate was sealed. So you're better off dying fighting for the recapturing of the Domelands than to be yet another mission of conquest in the saga that is the "Recapturing of the Domelands." Morons.
Overall, not much to say about the combat itself. It was pretty standard fair. The soldiers never stood a chance. And they faced some pretty high-end magic being thrown at them. The wetwork was hack and slash and the poor saps could barely land a hit.
A note on tactics: divide and conquer worked well here. However, we should try to really focus more on the high-level casters as a group and then focus on the grunts.
I used the hexblade's curse again and it worked.
Later.
Friday, March 29, 2019
Saturday, March 23, 2019
Khalo's Journal: Here There Beholders (and Dragons, Too)
We have embarked on a couple of missions now into the part of the city still occupied by monsters. In doing so, we have learned a few things - for instance, that the dragons (and their ilk) appear to be organized, at least loosely - making patrols, and working with some sort of undead cadre. We need to learn more about that.
According to the beholder we met, they (the beholders) are largely unaware that the dome has been lifted, and should they find out, it could mean trouble for the rest of the world, as they were in the midst of an invasion that our interlocutor believed they are eager to resume. To that, I say "perhaps" - a great deal can change in 800 years. Note to self - see what you can find out about the natural life expectancy of beholders.
We killed the beast to prevent him spreading the news to his fellows. In the course of the fight, Soromir was turned to stone, and so we traded our information at the liason's office in exchange for his restoration. The magic was provided by a wizard in service to The Condor, a human called Nordo whom Nimnock claims is an agricultural savant. I would be interested in talking to him further, to find out if his methods are sustainable.
While we were with Nimnock, he alerted us to a job that needed doing, and set us up with the military officer who wished to see it done. I found it best for my temperament to stay removed from the conversation, and as such, I do not recall his name. Of the mission - a group of soldiers deserted their duty and took up residence in a keep on a nearby island. For the sake of morale, the Condor's army needs to see these men executed for their crime, and the officer who gave us the job thinks it is best done not by the hands of their fellow soldiers, but by mercenaries, which our acceptance of this task so makes us.
Osbert has objections, but he has chosen to accompany us all the same. I am less interested in the laws of the Condor and his army, but am certainly willing to reduce the invasive population. They brought along some spell casters - a wizard, and a cleric, which is wise on their part. As I write this, I have just returned from a scouting mission to the island, where my disguise as a bird was detected by the deserters resident bird behavior expert. I remain convinced of the verisimilitude of my performance.
Entry concluded.
According to the beholder we met, they (the beholders) are largely unaware that the dome has been lifted, and should they find out, it could mean trouble for the rest of the world, as they were in the midst of an invasion that our interlocutor believed they are eager to resume. To that, I say "perhaps" - a great deal can change in 800 years. Note to self - see what you can find out about the natural life expectancy of beholders.
We killed the beast to prevent him spreading the news to his fellows. In the course of the fight, Soromir was turned to stone, and so we traded our information at the liason's office in exchange for his restoration. The magic was provided by a wizard in service to The Condor, a human called Nordo whom Nimnock claims is an agricultural savant. I would be interested in talking to him further, to find out if his methods are sustainable.
While we were with Nimnock, he alerted us to a job that needed doing, and set us up with the military officer who wished to see it done. I found it best for my temperament to stay removed from the conversation, and as such, I do not recall his name. Of the mission - a group of soldiers deserted their duty and took up residence in a keep on a nearby island. For the sake of morale, the Condor's army needs to see these men executed for their crime, and the officer who gave us the job thinks it is best done not by the hands of their fellow soldiers, but by mercenaries, which our acceptance of this task so makes us.
Osbert has objections, but he has chosen to accompany us all the same. I am less interested in the laws of the Condor and his army, but am certainly willing to reduce the invasive population. They brought along some spell casters - a wizard, and a cleric, which is wise on their part. As I write this, I have just returned from a scouting mission to the island, where my disguise as a bird was detected by the deserters resident bird behavior expert. I remain convinced of the verisimilitude of my performance.
Entry concluded.
Saturday, March 9, 2019
Khalo's Journal: First Impressions of the Domelands
The more Bornos has become a memory, I find I am feeling more of myself again.
The team encountered another member of the Fiftygnomes, named Douglas. He is an off-worlder, gathering intelligence in this realm. He was being hunted by a tiger man with backwards hands. We slew the tiger man.
As we made our way closer to the Domelands, a few occurrences and encounters of note:
We were followed by members of the Topaz Syndicate. They attempted to harass us, but we showed them what's what. They were out of their element now, and we were into ours.
The Yallathune cultist wagon was attacked, and its inhabitants were killed. We inherited the wagon. The style isn't to my taste, but at least the wagon is covered.
A troll stopped the wagon train to demand a toll. A bit cliche, sure, but from the meeting, we learned that some of the Domelands natives are growing hostile to the increasing number of explorers, settlers, and soldiers brought over to these lands by the Condor. I must admit I sympathize with their plight somewhat.
I learned about two different packs of direwolves that call these lands home. One of these packs has an unnatural aspect to them, and my worldview calls me to see them destroyed. Hopefully this will lift the stigma on direwolves in general, as they are noble, natural creatures and have rights to these lands.
Here in the Domelands, ruins and remains suggest that in earlier times, many of the inhabitants of this area were followers of Frumious the Shepherd (so named by me based on my reading of the Knights of Mist Valley texts).
The Condor did not send for his children. This means that we accompanied them kind of for nothing - other than the thickening of the plot and my growing distrust of Jericho. My compatriots' treatment of him in a favorable to neutral manner continues to be a source of concern to me. Continued association with him strikes me as unwise.
We have started to get to know the city a bit. There's a section with tight military control, and a bigger section that is not as under control. The Condor's policy is to tame it through the entrepreneurial spirit of the settlers and adventurers. So far, this policy hasn't ended in catastrophe. I should list the shopkeeps we are getting to know, but my memory for names is less than stellar. A weapon smith and his gnomish friend make magical weapons and armor - Holm, I think his name is? A kind halfling woman sells potions. A tiresome human man sells scrolls and wands. There's a tailor who makes wearables. There's a dealer in items of wonder and power. I will rely on my friends who recall these things better than I do.
I remember Nimnock, though - he's another member of the Fiftygnomes, and he works for the Condor in the Office of the Liason. A good source of information. I'll expand upon him in another entry.
Lito is dead. We went out on a mission for Jericho, which yielded valuable information in spite of the questionable motivations for going out in the first place, and the pitiable result. This mission is where we discovered a cemetery for followers of Frumious, and where we received elixirs that improved our acuity. For me, the elixir boosted my capacity for and desire to learn, and increased my curiosity. I am eager, and a little nervous (which is something I don't recall being in some time) to discover how this augmentation will impact my personality.
Lito's death came upon his discovery that Vas Ra, his primary motivation for adventuring, was within the laboratory we were exploring for Jericho. Unfortunately, this Vas Ra is not a creature of good. He is at least a vampire, and according to some we have spoken to, a figure of great legend and dread. His full name was revealed to us when we found his tomb - Harvas Raeth.
Finally, a couple of thoughts about the city - I am distressed at the rapid deforestation that is occurring at the city wall. The soldiers claim it is for defense. I can see the wisdom in that, but I do not think the defense of the city justifies the level of wanton habitat destruction I have seen. I plan to do something about this.
The "wild" sections of the city's ruins are infested with creatures such as dragons and beholders. I have no particular enmity for dragons, but the concentration I'm seeing suggests that thinning out their numbers, particularly the hostile ones, might not be a bad thing. Beholders are not creatures I deem to be of value, so we should endeavor to eradicate them. I look forward to the challenge.
Entry concluded.
The team encountered another member of the Fiftygnomes, named Douglas. He is an off-worlder, gathering intelligence in this realm. He was being hunted by a tiger man with backwards hands. We slew the tiger man.
As we made our way closer to the Domelands, a few occurrences and encounters of note:
We were followed by members of the Topaz Syndicate. They attempted to harass us, but we showed them what's what. They were out of their element now, and we were into ours.
The Yallathune cultist wagon was attacked, and its inhabitants were killed. We inherited the wagon. The style isn't to my taste, but at least the wagon is covered.
A troll stopped the wagon train to demand a toll. A bit cliche, sure, but from the meeting, we learned that some of the Domelands natives are growing hostile to the increasing number of explorers, settlers, and soldiers brought over to these lands by the Condor. I must admit I sympathize with their plight somewhat.
I learned about two different packs of direwolves that call these lands home. One of these packs has an unnatural aspect to them, and my worldview calls me to see them destroyed. Hopefully this will lift the stigma on direwolves in general, as they are noble, natural creatures and have rights to these lands.
Here in the Domelands, ruins and remains suggest that in earlier times, many of the inhabitants of this area were followers of Frumious the Shepherd (so named by me based on my reading of the Knights of Mist Valley texts).
The Condor did not send for his children. This means that we accompanied them kind of for nothing - other than the thickening of the plot and my growing distrust of Jericho. My compatriots' treatment of him in a favorable to neutral manner continues to be a source of concern to me. Continued association with him strikes me as unwise.
We have started to get to know the city a bit. There's a section with tight military control, and a bigger section that is not as under control. The Condor's policy is to tame it through the entrepreneurial spirit of the settlers and adventurers. So far, this policy hasn't ended in catastrophe. I should list the shopkeeps we are getting to know, but my memory for names is less than stellar. A weapon smith and his gnomish friend make magical weapons and armor - Holm, I think his name is? A kind halfling woman sells potions. A tiresome human man sells scrolls and wands. There's a tailor who makes wearables. There's a dealer in items of wonder and power. I will rely on my friends who recall these things better than I do.
I remember Nimnock, though - he's another member of the Fiftygnomes, and he works for the Condor in the Office of the Liason. A good source of information. I'll expand upon him in another entry.
Lito is dead. We went out on a mission for Jericho, which yielded valuable information in spite of the questionable motivations for going out in the first place, and the pitiable result. This mission is where we discovered a cemetery for followers of Frumious, and where we received elixirs that improved our acuity. For me, the elixir boosted my capacity for and desire to learn, and increased my curiosity. I am eager, and a little nervous (which is something I don't recall being in some time) to discover how this augmentation will impact my personality.
Lito's death came upon his discovery that Vas Ra, his primary motivation for adventuring, was within the laboratory we were exploring for Jericho. Unfortunately, this Vas Ra is not a creature of good. He is at least a vampire, and according to some we have spoken to, a figure of great legend and dread. His full name was revealed to us when we found his tomb - Harvas Raeth.
Finally, a couple of thoughts about the city - I am distressed at the rapid deforestation that is occurring at the city wall. The soldiers claim it is for defense. I can see the wisdom in that, but I do not think the defense of the city justifies the level of wanton habitat destruction I have seen. I plan to do something about this.
The "wild" sections of the city's ruins are infested with creatures such as dragons and beholders. I have no particular enmity for dragons, but the concentration I'm seeing suggests that thinning out their numbers, particularly the hostile ones, might not be a bad thing. Beholders are not creatures I deem to be of value, so we should endeavor to eradicate them. I look forward to the challenge.
Entry concluded.
Saturday, March 2, 2019
Soromir's Journal Entry # 25
Finally fought a dragon. I kicked its ass then it kicked mine. Real hard. It was a black dragon that did acid damage. We haven't checked for any treasure yet but there is probably a ton. 40,000 here we come.
We came across the dragon as we were making our way toward the center of the city. As it turns out there isn't nearly as much of Norhall that's been reclaimed as originally fought. Nem-Nock at the Liason's office gave us the details on a couple of tasks, the first being the retaking of the mithril mines and the second being the Palace (which we are currently working our way toward). We fought the dragon on the way to the Palace and Nem-Nock did tell us that things get more dangerous the further into the city we go. Safe to assume the Palace is the most dangerous part of the City.
Jerricho laid some startling news on us: The Beholder Dominion is in the city and very close to the settled portions of the city. Jerricho came across a "half-dead and desicated beholder" about 1/3 of a mile from where we call home. There is suspicion that the Dome was put over the Domelands to contain the Beholders in the area. Welp, the dome has fallen and we are here. So the Beholders are going to be here and in force most likely.
Jerricho also speculated that there is a Hawk under magical control in Bornos that had the idea of shipping the Condor's kids to Norhall. Alvin will address that situation when he returns to Bornos.
Alvin is also going back to Bornos to address the above but more importantly to bring back more troops. Alvin informed us that the reclamation of the Domelands is at a standstill and the reclamation is becoming a military operation, holding on to what the Condor has already taken. The additional troops from Bornos will help with whatever strategy is chosen.
Its getting serious here.
In closing, when I have the Dark Blade reforged, I'm going to call it "Steve."
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QhksrIKkqtw
We came across the dragon as we were making our way toward the center of the city. As it turns out there isn't nearly as much of Norhall that's been reclaimed as originally fought. Nem-Nock at the Liason's office gave us the details on a couple of tasks, the first being the retaking of the mithril mines and the second being the Palace (which we are currently working our way toward). We fought the dragon on the way to the Palace and Nem-Nock did tell us that things get more dangerous the further into the city we go. Safe to assume the Palace is the most dangerous part of the City.
Jerricho laid some startling news on us: The Beholder Dominion is in the city and very close to the settled portions of the city. Jerricho came across a "half-dead and desicated beholder" about 1/3 of a mile from where we call home. There is suspicion that the Dome was put over the Domelands to contain the Beholders in the area. Welp, the dome has fallen and we are here. So the Beholders are going to be here and in force most likely.
Jerricho also speculated that there is a Hawk under magical control in Bornos that had the idea of shipping the Condor's kids to Norhall. Alvin will address that situation when he returns to Bornos.
Alvin is also going back to Bornos to address the above but more importantly to bring back more troops. Alvin informed us that the reclamation of the Domelands is at a standstill and the reclamation is becoming a military operation, holding on to what the Condor has already taken. The additional troops from Bornos will help with whatever strategy is chosen.
Its getting serious here.
In closing, when I have the Dark Blade reforged, I'm going to call it "Steve."
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QhksrIKkqtw
Friday, February 8, 2019
Soromir's Journal - It's been a hot minute
So, how's it going. There has been a lot going on lately and I regret that I haven't had the time to spend with you that I normally would. So, let me give you a run down of what's happening in the world of Soromir right now:
1. So right before we departed for the Domelands, I discovered that I'm a ruidmentary sorcerer. I can't do much, but what I can do is pretty powerful. A target's uncontrolled laughter could make a scrap easier. And Bull Strength on myself never hurts.
2. We are almost to the Domelands. We can see what I think to be Norhall in the distance.
3. Shortly before departing Bornos, we more or less cleared Night's Reach. We took care of the prime target well before we actually left the tower. Lots going on there. We found someone named Elicor, who was/is a key Protagonist in the Knights of Mist Valley. He knows Bajol. We failed to ask Elicor how Bajol became maimed.
4. Not sure if I mentioned this previously but Night's Reach was used as an outpost for the Giant's in the Godslayer War. So what happened as we were exiting Night's Reach is apropos...
5. We killed this shit out of two frost giants. Not before we got a ton of information though. Something along these lines: Norhall (see above) is thought to be the "resting" place of the God King of the Giants. Some Giant big-wig (pun intended) named Strom is cooridnating the assembly of the Giants and someone named the High Wizard or some such nonesense is assembling the "Host" which will be all things Giant-like (bugs and dragons included).
6. The Dominion of the Beholder is still in play though to what extent remains to be seen. They will probably be at Norhall in some fashion too.
7. Argoth, King of Hell, loves chaos. Orrenthal talked to his dolly and learned as much. Also that Argoth, not Yallathun, is really the cause of the trouble. So he says.
8. Jerricho has taken care of the little mindflayer girl and her retinue. We now have two wagons - one normal looking and one looking like a hearse that we are using on the final leg of the Journey.
9. We crossed a frozen lake and at the other end was a giant statue called "Fromm's Rest." People in the party think this is important. The statue is missing it's head and hands.
I will try to be better about spending time with you but since we are almost to Norhall and it really looks like things are about get even wilder...you get it.
I'm still not sure why people don't like Jerricho. Dude is powerful and helpful. We couldn't kill that mindflayer toddler. He did. So there.
1. So right before we departed for the Domelands, I discovered that I'm a ruidmentary sorcerer. I can't do much, but what I can do is pretty powerful. A target's uncontrolled laughter could make a scrap easier. And Bull Strength on myself never hurts.
2. We are almost to the Domelands. We can see what I think to be Norhall in the distance.
3. Shortly before departing Bornos, we more or less cleared Night's Reach. We took care of the prime target well before we actually left the tower. Lots going on there. We found someone named Elicor, who was/is a key Protagonist in the Knights of Mist Valley. He knows Bajol. We failed to ask Elicor how Bajol became maimed.
4. Not sure if I mentioned this previously but Night's Reach was used as an outpost for the Giant's in the Godslayer War. So what happened as we were exiting Night's Reach is apropos...
5. We killed this shit out of two frost giants. Not before we got a ton of information though. Something along these lines: Norhall (see above) is thought to be the "resting" place of the God King of the Giants. Some Giant big-wig (pun intended) named Strom is cooridnating the assembly of the Giants and someone named the High Wizard or some such nonesense is assembling the "Host" which will be all things Giant-like (bugs and dragons included).
6. The Dominion of the Beholder is still in play though to what extent remains to be seen. They will probably be at Norhall in some fashion too.
7. Argoth, King of Hell, loves chaos. Orrenthal talked to his dolly and learned as much. Also that Argoth, not Yallathun, is really the cause of the trouble. So he says.
8. Jerricho has taken care of the little mindflayer girl and her retinue. We now have two wagons - one normal looking and one looking like a hearse that we are using on the final leg of the Journey.
9. We crossed a frozen lake and at the other end was a giant statue called "Fromm's Rest." People in the party think this is important. The statue is missing it's head and hands.
I will try to be better about spending time with you but since we are almost to Norhall and it really looks like things are about get even wilder...you get it.
I'm still not sure why people don't like Jerricho. Dude is powerful and helpful. We couldn't kill that mindflayer toddler. He did. So there.
Monday, January 21, 2019
Khalo's Journal: Wagons West
Eventually, our retinue came to the conclusion that we could spend a very long time in Night's Reach if we wished, and so, satisfied with the evils we had vanquished, and in possession of the metal discs that society values so much as to exchange them for the tools and means for comfort and survival, we returned to Bornos.
Upon our return (and after a stop at the Blue Star Lore Seekers' Guild house), it became apparent that we needed to arrange our affairs for the trip - at long last - to the Domelands. We met the caravan's leader, a soldier named Alvin, who accidentally revealed a bit about Tamlin's past to us - a period of his life spent in the thrall of the creatures of the fey realm. We druids have developed a healthy caution for the fey, but fortunately, we are rarely the target of their mischief.
There was also the matter of updating Inspector Murphy about the Black Sticks' connection to the Night's Reach. Once the treacherous story had been laid out to him, he understood the sudden change in competency among his colleagues. And Osbert reported to his order and his master, Frederick, and we reacquainted ourselves with the Condor's children prior to the journey.
I am trying as mightily as I can to develop or at least feign an interest in the safety and well-being of these children, but it is difficult for me. We did not need this charge, but as we accepted it, I will perform my role dutifully. Fortunately, so far that has mostly meant driving the cart.
I attended a meeting of the cart drivers, and they seemed keen to stand together in case they felt mistreated or overlooked. However, I saw no evidence of mistreatment, but I paid my dues nonetheless.
More enjoyable have been my occasional outings in aviary form to scout the road ahead. In these first four weeks - admittedly, likely the safest stretch of the journey - there has not been much danger to speak of. On my last excursion to the skies, met a blue dragon, who tried to make lunch of me. Fortunately, I could fly faster than the creature. It is a pity that in my alternate form, I am unable to better communicate with them. I cannot be certain if they will be something we encounter later on. Perhaps I will be able to get an audience with Alvin later to find out more.
Entry concluded.
Upon our return (and after a stop at the Blue Star Lore Seekers' Guild house), it became apparent that we needed to arrange our affairs for the trip - at long last - to the Domelands. We met the caravan's leader, a soldier named Alvin, who accidentally revealed a bit about Tamlin's past to us - a period of his life spent in the thrall of the creatures of the fey realm. We druids have developed a healthy caution for the fey, but fortunately, we are rarely the target of their mischief.
There was also the matter of updating Inspector Murphy about the Black Sticks' connection to the Night's Reach. Once the treacherous story had been laid out to him, he understood the sudden change in competency among his colleagues. And Osbert reported to his order and his master, Frederick, and we reacquainted ourselves with the Condor's children prior to the journey.
I am trying as mightily as I can to develop or at least feign an interest in the safety and well-being of these children, but it is difficult for me. We did not need this charge, but as we accepted it, I will perform my role dutifully. Fortunately, so far that has mostly meant driving the cart.
I attended a meeting of the cart drivers, and they seemed keen to stand together in case they felt mistreated or overlooked. However, I saw no evidence of mistreatment, but I paid my dues nonetheless.
More enjoyable have been my occasional outings in aviary form to scout the road ahead. In these first four weeks - admittedly, likely the safest stretch of the journey - there has not been much danger to speak of. On my last excursion to the skies, met a blue dragon, who tried to make lunch of me. Fortunately, I could fly faster than the creature. It is a pity that in my alternate form, I am unable to better communicate with them. I cannot be certain if they will be something we encounter later on. Perhaps I will be able to get an audience with Alvin later to find out more.
Entry concluded.
Wednesday, November 28, 2018
Khalo's Journal: Night's Reach
Night's Reach is a curious place. Grimlocks on the bottom, along with some kind of malevolent commanding entity to lead them. On the upper-middle levels, one finds all manner of undead Giant-kind. And at the top, our goal - the Cowl. He was dispatched - I won't say easily, but the entity he summoned, which he referred to as the Emissary, caused most of the trouble. Depleted of significant spells, Mome Rath and I were mostly bystanders to the battle. And yet, we were victorious against this Emissary, which did not qualify for Orenthal's dismissal magics, but was still alien in nature. I am not wise to the nuance of it all. Osbert and Soromir brought the creature down through sheer determination.
The living dead had to be dealt with, then. This was a foregone conclusion. The overwhelming majority of us cannot tolerate their existence, so in violation are they with the various codes and credos we adhere to. That they are of the Giant variety is an unexpected bonus. I had not fought such creatures before, but something (probably in my baser nature) takes great satisfaction in taking them on. I was particularly proud of the way I immobilized a mummy, severely limiting its ability to spread the foul disease it carries.
In my opinion, I'm willing to leave the Grimlocks be. Our retinue seems anxious to return to Bornos with some of the information and lore we have gathered here, and while we can't abide the living dead, a Night's Reach infested with Grimlocks is something with which I could be perfectly content. They are basically confined to subterranean spaces as a result of their physiology, and the fact is, Night's Reach is such an ideal lair / hideout, I'm sure the people of Bornos would be happy to have a manageable threat to occupy it if they themselves don't see fit to turn it into an outpost for the Condor's military or the Black Sticks, which seems distasteful to me anyway.
And then there's Ellicor. I'm not one to carry books around with me, and so I've read the adventures of the Knights of Mist Valley more than once now. I wish he had been game to accept my bargain for information. As it is, he wasn't, and now I find myself wondering if I shouldn't have given it to him, anyway. It's not every day you meet an important character from a legendary tale, and even though we played a significant part by freeing him from his centuries-long imprisonment, I could have done more. Next time, I will endeavor to think beyond what benefits merely me and my compatriots, and try to make the decision that is best for this realm. And if I ever see Ellicor again, I will make sure he knows that Osgood Hawthorn yet lives.
Entry concluded.
Sunday, November 25, 2018
Soromir's Journal Entry #24
How's this for anti-climactic: The Cowl's name was Trevor. That's a name you give a little dog or a mouse, not a high-level necromancer. Jeebus. I think we killed him rather easily. We hit him hard but before we could confirm the kill, he fell off Night's Reach and into the sea. Orrenthal sent his familiar, Icarus, to investigate Trevor's death. More on that later.
We knew that there was some magic and shennanigans tied to the full moon and the tower, that something was supposed to arrive with the full moon. In Trevor's abyssal-driven madness, he was screaming something about an "ambassador" or "emissary" or something like that, arriving. What arrived was something we identified as a "Moon Calf." And when it arrived, it at first didn't seem interested in us, only wanting to complete its mission which I guess had something to do with shooting a light beam from the Night's Reach into the sea below. I'm no expert in these things, but that's probably not good.
The Moon Calf came from The Dark Side of the Moon; no, not the head shop in the Scholar's District. The literal dark side of the moon. Interestingly, while the creature certainly had the appearance of something extraplannar, one of the Os (Orrenthal or Osbert) was able to identify it as something from this plane. In other words, it's not related (at least I don't think so) to the creatures from the Void (i.e., the Dominion of the Beholder). It's all tied together though, I'm sure.
The Moon Calf was smart. I tried repeatedly to get it to wrestle with me, but it didn't take the bait. The thing was hard to bring down and as it kept flying around and attacking. Missle attacks did the most damage. Finally Osbert was able to grab it with his grappling hook and rope. However, that twenty foot through of a three pound object proved too much for Osbert and he was unable to hold on. So I grabbed the rope and did my thing. We killed it.
Moving back to Trevor, here are some key facts and assumptions to remember, based upon the notes we found in what appeared to be his quarters in the Night's Reach (8th Floor I believe):
1. He was working in the Black Sticks - Icarus retrieved a Black Stick's patch from the sea and the notes seem to indicate as much.
2. He was working in the Black Sticks as a Cook.
3. He was working in the Black Sticks as a Cook and he was skilled in poisons.
4. He was working in the Black Sticks as s Cook and he was using his skills in poisons to poison the Black Sticks.
5. He was poisoning the Black Sticks during cooking for the Black Sticks
6. The poison he was using on the Black Sticks was a poison that caused fear. (this may explain their ineptitude and general reticence to enforce the law. This might explain that.)
7. He was searching the Graveyard (where we met/fought Bill)(The Spectre Bill told us that someone was using 'necromantic rays' to raise undead in the Graveyard and the rays were coming from the palace)(As an aside, Jerricho has the hand of Vecna and has requested us to locate the eye)
8. He was searching the Graveyard looking for powerful necromantic object(s).
9. He was working with Horace, whom we interviewed before hiring Tamlin
10. Horace cleared out the poisons from the Apothecary at the direction or in partnership with Trevor
11. Trevor was going to raise an undead army to defeat the Topaz Syndicate
This last bit is interesting and where I start making assumptions: We know that the Topaz Syndicate is running this city. We know the Black Sticks are having a very difficult time with the Topaz Syndicate. Why would a powerful necromancer work in the Black Sticks and concern himself with something as seemingly mundane as the Topaz Syndicate; the necromantic interests seem to lie with larger concerns. My hunch is someone knew what Trevor was doing and implicitly sanctioned it. In other words a deal was made something along these lines: you raise me an army to defeat the Topaz Syndicate and I'll ignore the rest of your business. This is an assumption, I have nothing firm to base this on.
Moving on from Trevor and the Moon Calf, after resting from the fight we moved to the 7th Floor. The 7th floor contained another tomb, but this tomb was sealed by an ornate door with Giant script written on it basically warning us not to open the door. We opened the door. Because, why not. Standing in the tomb was a massive figure wearing gold armor. The figure was mechanical in nature but it was intelligent. One of the Os identified the figure as an "Inevitable" called Marute. He was summoned by the people that retook the tower 800 years ago, roughly the time of the Godslayer Wars. We decided it best not to involve ourselves with the Inevitable. He was guarding something in the room beyond the antechamber we were standing in. We asked him if anyone else had opened the doors to the antechamber before us and he said no one else had. I'm not sure we will keep this to ourselves. Probably not.
We knew that there was some magic and shennanigans tied to the full moon and the tower, that something was supposed to arrive with the full moon. In Trevor's abyssal-driven madness, he was screaming something about an "ambassador" or "emissary" or something like that, arriving. What arrived was something we identified as a "Moon Calf." And when it arrived, it at first didn't seem interested in us, only wanting to complete its mission which I guess had something to do with shooting a light beam from the Night's Reach into the sea below. I'm no expert in these things, but that's probably not good.
The Moon Calf came from The Dark Side of the Moon; no, not the head shop in the Scholar's District. The literal dark side of the moon. Interestingly, while the creature certainly had the appearance of something extraplannar, one of the Os (Orrenthal or Osbert) was able to identify it as something from this plane. In other words, it's not related (at least I don't think so) to the creatures from the Void (i.e., the Dominion of the Beholder). It's all tied together though, I'm sure.
The Moon Calf was smart. I tried repeatedly to get it to wrestle with me, but it didn't take the bait. The thing was hard to bring down and as it kept flying around and attacking. Missle attacks did the most damage. Finally Osbert was able to grab it with his grappling hook and rope. However, that twenty foot through of a three pound object proved too much for Osbert and he was unable to hold on. So I grabbed the rope and did my thing. We killed it.
Moving back to Trevor, here are some key facts and assumptions to remember, based upon the notes we found in what appeared to be his quarters in the Night's Reach (8th Floor I believe):
1. He was working in the Black Sticks - Icarus retrieved a Black Stick's patch from the sea and the notes seem to indicate as much.
2. He was working in the Black Sticks as a Cook.
3. He was working in the Black Sticks as a Cook and he was skilled in poisons.
4. He was working in the Black Sticks as s Cook and he was using his skills in poisons to poison the Black Sticks.
5. He was poisoning the Black Sticks during cooking for the Black Sticks
6. The poison he was using on the Black Sticks was a poison that caused fear. (this may explain their ineptitude and general reticence to enforce the law. This might explain that.)
7. He was searching the Graveyard (where we met/fought Bill)(The Spectre Bill told us that someone was using 'necromantic rays' to raise undead in the Graveyard and the rays were coming from the palace)(As an aside, Jerricho has the hand of Vecna and has requested us to locate the eye)
8. He was searching the Graveyard looking for powerful necromantic object(s).
9. He was working with Horace, whom we interviewed before hiring Tamlin
10. Horace cleared out the poisons from the Apothecary at the direction or in partnership with Trevor
11. Trevor was going to raise an undead army to defeat the Topaz Syndicate
This last bit is interesting and where I start making assumptions: We know that the Topaz Syndicate is running this city. We know the Black Sticks are having a very difficult time with the Topaz Syndicate. Why would a powerful necromancer work in the Black Sticks and concern himself with something as seemingly mundane as the Topaz Syndicate; the necromantic interests seem to lie with larger concerns. My hunch is someone knew what Trevor was doing and implicitly sanctioned it. In other words a deal was made something along these lines: you raise me an army to defeat the Topaz Syndicate and I'll ignore the rest of your business. This is an assumption, I have nothing firm to base this on.
Moving on from Trevor and the Moon Calf, after resting from the fight we moved to the 7th Floor. The 7th floor contained another tomb, but this tomb was sealed by an ornate door with Giant script written on it basically warning us not to open the door. We opened the door. Because, why not. Standing in the tomb was a massive figure wearing gold armor. The figure was mechanical in nature but it was intelligent. One of the Os identified the figure as an "Inevitable" called Marute. He was summoned by the people that retook the tower 800 years ago, roughly the time of the Godslayer Wars. We decided it best not to involve ourselves with the Inevitable. He was guarding something in the room beyond the antechamber we were standing in. We asked him if anyone else had opened the doors to the antechamber before us and he said no one else had. I'm not sure we will keep this to ourselves. Probably not.
Sunday, November 11, 2018
Khalo's Journal: Dwarves and Their Hangups
I have not yet recorded it within these pages, but the member of our retinue known as Jace is now known as Zayn. I was not involved, or at least not engaged with the reasoning behind his updated monniker, but I think it had something to do with the state-sanctioned sport fights he was promoting and organizing. The event has now occurred, but not to the fulfillment of our friend's dreams. The proverbial weed in the garden preventing the event from flourishing is the Topaz Syndicate, a local organized crime group that has been holding sport fights outside of the legal boundaries of the city's purview. Their corruption of the event left many in Bornos with a poor opinion of the whole enterprise. The Topaz Syndicate has shown itself to be a parasite within this city, and while some parasites can have a symbiotic relationship with their host, this one seems to be more of the one-way variety, like that tapeworm Elmo the Loon acquired during his lycanthropic period. Those types of parasites must be purged, and the host must be sanitized of them entirely.
This, however, is but one of many things on our team to-do list. After a quarrel between Osbert and Orenthal, the rest of us decided to give them some space to work out their troubles, and we went to an inn and tavern that Tamlin knew of called The Earth's Embrace. It's a wonderful place, by and large. The owner is a noble sort, and his animal companion is mightily impressive. Plus, he had a bottle of Ice Draught, and I was finally able to taste the famous beverage. It's quite good. While enjoying The Earth's Embrace, we were recruited to investigate eerie transpirations at Darmoor Manor, just on the edge of town. Based on the description of the place by Claire, a manor resident who sought us out for the job, I had some idea of what to expect, and those expectations were met almost exactly. There was a good deal of evil within those walls, and we purged most of it - a little unfortunately got away due to Claire's aunt's dastardly use of animals as vessels for her wicked soul.
After we concluded our work, we returned to the inn, bringing along the bodies of previous adventurers who had failed in the effort before us. I gave those bodies over to a still-living member of their party, and even offered to reincarnate them if they so wished - a new ability of mine that I am eager to practice before it becomes necessary for me to try it on someone close to me. Osbert and Orenthal joined us, and the party complete returned to Darmor Manor the next day to conduct further investigation of the grounds, which turned out to be fruitful, and in relation somewhat to our next agenda item, a visit to Night's Reach in the hopes of turning out The Cowl from what is believed to be his hideout.
The night before we left, I drank heartily, which is not my usual custom, but for the mood I was in after discovering that Kenneth, the dwarven armorer, now bears cold feelings towards our group thanks to the fallout of the sport fight. To make matters worse, The Earth's Embrace's door was darkened by a band of musical dwarves who not only insisted on playing music poorly, but then they wanted to talk to me. I did not behave with great dignity, but I did not embarrass myself overtly, either.
I look forward to crawling around in a cave and feeling less complicated emotions.
Entry concluded.
This, however, is but one of many things on our team to-do list. After a quarrel between Osbert and Orenthal, the rest of us decided to give them some space to work out their troubles, and we went to an inn and tavern that Tamlin knew of called The Earth's Embrace. It's a wonderful place, by and large. The owner is a noble sort, and his animal companion is mightily impressive. Plus, he had a bottle of Ice Draught, and I was finally able to taste the famous beverage. It's quite good. While enjoying The Earth's Embrace, we were recruited to investigate eerie transpirations at Darmoor Manor, just on the edge of town. Based on the description of the place by Claire, a manor resident who sought us out for the job, I had some idea of what to expect, and those expectations were met almost exactly. There was a good deal of evil within those walls, and we purged most of it - a little unfortunately got away due to Claire's aunt's dastardly use of animals as vessels for her wicked soul.
After we concluded our work, we returned to the inn, bringing along the bodies of previous adventurers who had failed in the effort before us. I gave those bodies over to a still-living member of their party, and even offered to reincarnate them if they so wished - a new ability of mine that I am eager to practice before it becomes necessary for me to try it on someone close to me. Osbert and Orenthal joined us, and the party complete returned to Darmor Manor the next day to conduct further investigation of the grounds, which turned out to be fruitful, and in relation somewhat to our next agenda item, a visit to Night's Reach in the hopes of turning out The Cowl from what is believed to be his hideout.
The night before we left, I drank heartily, which is not my usual custom, but for the mood I was in after discovering that Kenneth, the dwarven armorer, now bears cold feelings towards our group thanks to the fallout of the sport fight. To make matters worse, The Earth's Embrace's door was darkened by a band of musical dwarves who not only insisted on playing music poorly, but then they wanted to talk to me. I did not behave with great dignity, but I did not embarrass myself overtly, either.
I look forward to crawling around in a cave and feeling less complicated emotions.
Entry concluded.
Soromir's Journal Entry #23
So my hunch about the Tin Man was a bust. It's still some creepy shit though. Compounding the creepiness was the identification of these four porcelain dolls as effigy/icon of some really evil gods. One is an icon of Ne'Rul, one is an icon of Agroth, one is an icon of Set, and one is an icon of Tinmet (not to sure about this one but the gist is evil dragons).
So, on top of everything else we're dealing with in this town, there will be dragons most likely. The Darmor family had stained glass windows depicting dragons. So yeah, this bullshit is coming our way too.
Zane and I took time to peruse the family library, looking for any sort of history on this family. Turns out Auntie has been around multiple generations. The eccentric biddy was straight evil. And now it looks like her soul might have transferred to that crow that escaped. The cages holding the animals in her tower were some kind of magical soul transferrence mechanisms. On paper, that seems pretty cool. But whatever. Fuck this fucked up family. And now we have some damn dragons coming up in our business.
We are about to head out to Nights Reach tomorrow morning. Guess what - there is a connection between Nights Reach and Darmor Manor. The two keeps seem to have a way of communicating with each other via their respective patios/landings. There is some bone chair on Darmor Manor. And some moon rocks or something on Nights Reach. Something appears in the light of the full moon. We'll likely be at Nights Reach with the next full moon.
Party, party, party.
So, on top of everything else we're dealing with in this town, there will be dragons most likely. The Darmor family had stained glass windows depicting dragons. So yeah, this bullshit is coming our way too.
Zane and I took time to peruse the family library, looking for any sort of history on this family. Turns out Auntie has been around multiple generations. The eccentric biddy was straight evil. And now it looks like her soul might have transferred to that crow that escaped. The cages holding the animals in her tower were some kind of magical soul transferrence mechanisms. On paper, that seems pretty cool. But whatever. Fuck this fucked up family. And now we have some damn dragons coming up in our business.
We are about to head out to Nights Reach tomorrow morning. Guess what - there is a connection between Nights Reach and Darmor Manor. The two keeps seem to have a way of communicating with each other via their respective patios/landings. There is some bone chair on Darmor Manor. And some moon rocks or something on Nights Reach. Something appears in the light of the full moon. We'll likely be at Nights Reach with the next full moon.
Party, party, party.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)