Here's the thing are you guys still enjoying the session - cause it seems like I've heard a lot of complaining recently about multiple things that aren't going the way some of you think they should - if you don't think I'm treating you fairly and it's effecting your enjoyment of the campaign talk to me about it, give you an argument from RP or mechanics and I'll consider it.
The fact is this is supposed to be fun for everyone involved (including me), and recently its just been me feeling like I'm defending every decision I'm making. I'm just trying to make an Interesting, but also Challenging game that's is balanced by the mechanics as I understand them.
I usually put at least 4-8 hours every 2 weeks between updating this blog and preparing for the game itself to make sure what I'm doing is fair balanced and you have every opportunity to understand what is going on and evaluate it for consitency as well as make comments or suggestions for the direction for your character or campaign - generally the fact of the matter is you don't and aren't supposed to know everything about the world in its entirety, if you did there would be no decisions for you to make and might as well be reading a book or playing the game solo - thus there will be times when you are just going to have to trust that I'm trying to make a balanced campaign and not trying to screw you over and that even in the darkest hour I've built ways for you to succeed (though there has to be cause and effect that may eventually lead to your failer or demise - ie. you level 1 try to take on the great wyrm), if you can't do that at this point then I really don't need to be running games for you guys.
I will accept responsiblity for not having prepared to guide you all in a specific direction for the session outside of picking out a variety of monsters you might fight, I expected that you all would come to some conclusion amongst one another relatively quickly, or if you didn't have a clear plan in mind that you would roll a check to see what your character would think to do or try based on their motivations. I also expected to tell you that with regard to the captains if you kept off radar you would likely have "days if not hours" before the captains lives might be in danger, given what your characters should know about the logistical consequences of yet another group failing to defeat all of the gatekeepers, thus putting pressure on you to move forward quickly or emerge to the cercators again so that they will have reason to continue forward with the current cycle.
At the same time I hope you guys would recognize the contributing factors, when we are 2 hours into the session and no decision has been made and not a single roll has been made, all I have left is the infamous duh check, in this case it was for the most likely character to know of a potential fast way to travel - your arcane knowledge based wizard. With the knowledge from previous sessions imparted by other characters (TJ) most of you would know that the Cercators are based in Rygenhijo, being months from the Lolth tower his character would be able to put together that there should be a teleportation circle nearby to get to such an important place quickly.
I will accept blame for not explaining specifically where the portal leads in Rygenhijo; I expected if anyone wasn't certain or wanted to know more they would make a check, again no checks were rolled at all. I knew when I told you guys there was a portal, where I would have it go. Everything the Cercators do revolves around Lotus and the Nobunaga, knowing that it would be logical to infer that the teleportation circle would from it's last use go to a protected or Cercator controlled location and not just out on the streets somewhere in the city - a conclusion that if you didn't come to on your own might have if a roll was made - not everything is going to be a passive check when there are heavy consequences involved.
You all were heavily pressing for combat this session to test out your abilities, well I saw this as a way to do that and then get you right back on track with trying to stay in the shadows - you can't be in the shadows and low key if you are looking for direct combat out of game. The plan once I knew you were going, was to have you get to have a combat with something new, including undead and a hollow, showing you a preview of what is to come at the heart of the Cercators - the alarm was meant to give you the option for combat but not want to hang around long enough to see who you've alerted, given you all said you wanted to be off radar and alarms sounding doesn't exactly fit with being off radar - no one puts builds and alarm that takes over 10 minutes for something or someone to show up and check it. I am not going to tell you guys how to run your characters, if you in character want to ignore alarms go off to find out more about where you are that's fine, I'm going to give you the chance to do so and if it is a really dangerous place I'm going to try to give you time to reconsider the decision.
In this case you had and have a great deal of time given that the character the party chose to interact with ran off shutting down the entrance exit gates behind him, giving you even more time to think about and give clues to where you are or how difficult your path is. Even so far as to rethink the questions that were asked of the hand of fate where I according to it only have to have it point a direction I don't have to give any explanation at all as to why, I was trying to explain the answers so you guys would make the most informed decision given what your characters might be able to interpret from the hand choosing what it chose given the questions that were asked.
At any rate if you guys don't like what went down this session I don't care if we scrap the whole session, or if you guys aren't enjoying what I'm doing for and with your characters I'm fine with someone else running or just going to Friday Night Magic or xboxing. I run because it's fun to create something and see you guys get into your characters and play through them to see what new and creative ways you can come up with to defeat the challenges I create, but if all I do is defend what I'm doing and feel like you guys aren't enjoying it, then I really don't have any reason to do it, because it isn't fun for me at that point.
So post your opinions comments and etc. we'll go from there.
I don't want to make a big deal out of nothing, ordinarily Geoff doesn't leave the house out of session to chat, which leads me to believe some of you guys were not happy with the session, and from running for you guys for awhile now I realize the seemingly small margin for error and heavy intrigue campaigns aren't up you guys' alley which is why this one isn't that way, and has a much larger scope for success, but as I mentioned parts of the storyline have been again advanced more quickly than I anticipated and am balancing those things out, but that results in there being areas or potential paths that will have much small margins for success, this current through the Cercator HQ being one of them.
Anyhow I'm just tired in general, been busier than usual, without the time to prepare for what I can't predict what you guys will do, and each time I don't the game suffers or has some issue or another, I would just like to get through a session where I get to wing it, everyone have a good time, and there not be an issue afterwards. I could just be getting burnt out, previous years the DM's would swap who was running to try to keep that from happening, but with TJ gone and no one else really having the time or desire that's been kind of hard, so to help me out I'm asking for a little extra slack.
I'm going to hit the sack but I'll check this some time before next session and see what all your suggestions or comments are.
11.29.2008
11.21.2008
After the meeting with the Raven Queen and Rukia, Sun is starting to think that maybe she is not as powerful as she says she is. However he does start to show his fanaticism to the Raven Queen. Every thing to the letter, dotting all "I's" and crossing all the "T's." His interpretation of the religion and beliefs of the Raven Queen are very cut and dry, black and white. Any grey areas brought up by Rukia especially will be questioned to the Raven Queen. That is unless Rukia catches wise and stops making questionable comments.
Then forever after, Sun's trust and acceptance of Rukia's lead will strictly be out of desire to get it over with and be done with her. He strongly desires the spear of his uncle's to continue his quest of redemption, which probably is mistaken for desire of the power it holds.
Over the next year, Sun will slowly become more dark and uncaring. His view of this whole matter is that it steps in the exact opposite direction and they are losing ground on the big picture. However he does maintain his friendship with Finn, overlooking Finn's new 'sorority girl' phase.
Also, to physically display his disgust of this waste of time, he commissions a mask to be made that resembles the ones worn by the egyptian immortals from 300. He also dye's all his apparel black, and blacks his metal possessions as well.
As for my items I would like
Reckless Spear +2 (lvl 8)
and
Amulet of Protection (lvl 6) +2 to fort, reflex, will defenses
(unless I find a better set of armor for level 6 when I see the Adventurers Vault)
Then forever after, Sun's trust and acceptance of Rukia's lead will strictly be out of desire to get it over with and be done with her. He strongly desires the spear of his uncle's to continue his quest of redemption, which probably is mistaken for desire of the power it holds.
Over the next year, Sun will slowly become more dark and uncaring. His view of this whole matter is that it steps in the exact opposite direction and they are losing ground on the big picture. However he does maintain his friendship with Finn, overlooking Finn's new 'sorority girl' phase.
Also, to physically display his disgust of this waste of time, he commissions a mask to be made that resembles the ones worn by the egyptian immortals from 300. He also dye's all his apparel black, and blacks his metal possessions as well.
As for my items I would like
Reckless Spear +2 (lvl 8)
and
Amulet of Protection (lvl 6) +2 to fort, reflex, will defenses
(unless I find a better set of armor for level 6 when I see the Adventurers Vault)
11.19.2008
Fifth - Sixth Level Campaign History DM's Perspective, Out of Game Side Quests.
Ok guys, we'll pick up with Questions for the Raven Queen, Rukia, and etc.
Post them on the commment section, and I'll repost/answer them in blog for everyone.
Second if you want to discuss where you want to go with your character you can do it here or via e-mail, or whatever.
I'll check back often.
General information conveyed by Rukia or the Raven Queen.
Process of Death - when a humanoid dies it's soul is conveyed from this world into the next by a Soul Reaper who using their zanpakuto (soul-cutting sword) performs the soul burial (konsÅ). Souls have a certain amount of time they may exist without a soul chain appearing, but eventually a soul chain appears and binds the soul to a particular place or person; this starts the clock, from that point on the soul chain that binds their consciousness to merely being a 'whole' soul begins to errode.
Once the last link in the chain errodes away that soul instantly transforms into a hollow, losing much of it's previous consiousness and the 'hole' in it's heart becomes quite litteral. The soul takes on a porcelain painted mask that and a shadowy figure with a hole in it's chest, all of these things symbolic of what has transpired the soul looses it's identity and becomes a consumption machine obsessed with filling it's emptiness with the literal or figurative bodies and souls of humanoids.
Soul Reapers are charged with guiding souls before they turn into hollows on to the next world, and if they cannot do that, then they are to destroy the hollow that emerges and purify the soul contained by it.
Why? Because souls that pass on, emerge in the soul society to live a new life and when a soul dies from the soul society they return to the material world to animate a humanoid on that plane of existence. But each soul that is destroyed has the potential to unbalance this harmony - filling huecomundo (purgatory or place where the hollow exist when not in the material world)
Only Reapers can perform the konso, thus any PC trying it will only destroy the hollow for the purposes of our game we will call you Quincy, a group of spiritually aware humanoids who throughout history have secretly emerged and protected the humanoid material plane from Hollows - their general belief is that destroying a single hollow while resulting in the loss of a soul, is better than all the souls that would be consumed by that single hollow. (technically soul reapers and quincy are bitter enemies, but Rukia nor the Queen will tell you more on this, other than if you come across any other reapers you do not let on that you can see them or are even aware they are there.)
Those of you with a hight insight 19+ (lowered check because of the extremely difficulty of hiding this fact) - will know that there is something very odd with the way Rukia acts around and about the Raven Queen. Rukia seems to treat her with the respect a subordinate would but at the same time seems uneasy about being near her at all, as though she is conflicted between some duty or obligation and the feelings she has for your group specifically Ookami, and when the Queen's returning to the soul society is brought up Rukia usually interjects that the Queen has only today to spend with you all and then has somethings she has to attend to - never actually admitting that she is returning to the soul society, but the Queen herself always seems to acknowledge what Rukia is saying as though Rukia is protecting the Queen and the group from something.
General Re-introduction to the NPC Rukia Kuchki
Rukia eventually comes to tell you all how she even became involved with your group, that Ookami came across her doing battle when an extremely powerful hollow, and in the process of the battle she was forced to convey part of her power to Ookami, but because of Ookami's extremely strong spiritual power he accidentally took all of her reaper powers and has been acting in her place guarding Kyotenichi while she has been forced to remain in a gegai (humanoid shell body) to recover. She told Ookami to not confront hollows unless it was to protect those that are important to him, and the party must be a close group for him to risk facing me afterwards. She admits she is glad he protected you, but now it seems it may have made things worse for all of you, and appolgizes she can't do more for you as she isn't completely healed. For now you will all have to rely on your own strength and her training in kido to survive.
ANYONE FOR LOOTS?
Alrighty well lootwise you guys get 500gp each.
As for the items, I'm going to basically do an exchange though some of the leveling will have to be adjusted up or down to match the DMG tables - also except for Geoff, try to make the swapped weapons not have the same ability as your old one to reflect the fact that it isn't the same weapon - preferrably your 'mod' weapon will have the abilities you really want rather than this replacement, representing the unique factor of the mod weapons.
Geoff - swap your weapon with one up to a level 9, (though yours isn't actually taken from you, just represents your characters improvements) then find something up to a level 4 item.
Drew - swap your weapon with one up to a level 8, and then find something up to a level 6.
Sean - swap your weapon with one up to a level 8, and then find something up to a level 6.
Ryan - swap your weapon with one up to a level 8, and then find something up to a level 6.
Ray - no changes however remember to take the above gp in case you have enough to make some purchases.
The some of the above swaps are actually slightly higher than the DMG table suggests but I figure it will all work out in the wash.
Geoff wanted me to suggest that someone might buy into some of the items you are loosing with the players that are leaving the game - ex. TJ's thundering crossbow or etc. (I'll post those if anyone wants to look at them for ideas, if not I won't bother.)
One Mod Weapon Down:
Ryan requested in the down time Geoff to perform the konso on his mod weapon, which with Rukia's guidance Geoff is able to do - but as it turns out there is only a minor flicker of soul energy that emerges and fades, leaving anyone who thinks about it very long wondering did it truly contain a sentient soul, and if it did, did that soul move on to the soul society like those of other humanoids?
Group Census:
After polling most of the group, Geoff, Drew, Ryan, Ray - I gather the impression is that with the knowledge that for now to the Cercators you all are dead and gone (meaning you can drop off the radar for any stealth/rescue missions you may want to attempt) are left with two possible paths, go and seek out your long captured NPC friends who may have out lived their usefulness to the Cercators at the outset of your Demise or confront the next gatekeeper, again revealing yourself to the Cercators once again. (difference between confront this problem head on allowing your battles to decide your fate, or find another route that may be just as battle intensive but more subversive and with lesser combatants. It seems like the subversive route for now to make a more informed decision felt right to at least Geoff and Drew. Now with Sean on board with keeping low on the Cercator radar I'll prep for a more infiltration/recon design.
that's all I've got for now maybe more later.
Post them on the commment section, and I'll repost/answer them in blog for everyone.
Second if you want to discuss where you want to go with your character you can do it here or via e-mail, or whatever.
I'll check back often.
General information conveyed by Rukia or the Raven Queen.
Process of Death - when a humanoid dies it's soul is conveyed from this world into the next by a Soul Reaper who using their zanpakuto (soul-cutting sword) performs the soul burial (konsÅ). Souls have a certain amount of time they may exist without a soul chain appearing, but eventually a soul chain appears and binds the soul to a particular place or person; this starts the clock, from that point on the soul chain that binds their consciousness to merely being a 'whole' soul begins to errode.
Once the last link in the chain errodes away that soul instantly transforms into a hollow, losing much of it's previous consiousness and the 'hole' in it's heart becomes quite litteral. The soul takes on a porcelain painted mask that and a shadowy figure with a hole in it's chest, all of these things symbolic of what has transpired the soul looses it's identity and becomes a consumption machine obsessed with filling it's emptiness with the literal or figurative bodies and souls of humanoids.
Soul Reapers are charged with guiding souls before they turn into hollows on to the next world, and if they cannot do that, then they are to destroy the hollow that emerges and purify the soul contained by it.
Why? Because souls that pass on, emerge in the soul society to live a new life and when a soul dies from the soul society they return to the material world to animate a humanoid on that plane of existence. But each soul that is destroyed has the potential to unbalance this harmony - filling huecomundo (purgatory or place where the hollow exist when not in the material world)
Only Reapers can perform the konso, thus any PC trying it will only destroy the hollow for the purposes of our game we will call you Quincy, a group of spiritually aware humanoids who throughout history have secretly emerged and protected the humanoid material plane from Hollows - their general belief is that destroying a single hollow while resulting in the loss of a soul, is better than all the souls that would be consumed by that single hollow. (technically soul reapers and quincy are bitter enemies, but Rukia nor the Queen will tell you more on this, other than if you come across any other reapers you do not let on that you can see them or are even aware they are there.)
Those of you with a hight insight 19+ (lowered check because of the extremely difficulty of hiding this fact) - will know that there is something very odd with the way Rukia acts around and about the Raven Queen. Rukia seems to treat her with the respect a subordinate would but at the same time seems uneasy about being near her at all, as though she is conflicted between some duty or obligation and the feelings she has for your group specifically Ookami, and when the Queen's returning to the soul society is brought up Rukia usually interjects that the Queen has only today to spend with you all and then has somethings she has to attend to - never actually admitting that she is returning to the soul society, but the Queen herself always seems to acknowledge what Rukia is saying as though Rukia is protecting the Queen and the group from something.
General Re-introduction to the NPC Rukia Kuchki
Rukia eventually comes to tell you all how she even became involved with your group, that Ookami came across her doing battle when an extremely powerful hollow, and in the process of the battle she was forced to convey part of her power to Ookami, but because of Ookami's extremely strong spiritual power he accidentally took all of her reaper powers and has been acting in her place guarding Kyotenichi while she has been forced to remain in a gegai (humanoid shell body) to recover. She told Ookami to not confront hollows unless it was to protect those that are important to him, and the party must be a close group for him to risk facing me afterwards. She admits she is glad he protected you, but now it seems it may have made things worse for all of you, and appolgizes she can't do more for you as she isn't completely healed. For now you will all have to rely on your own strength and her training in kido to survive.
ANYONE FOR LOOTS?
Alrighty well lootwise you guys get 500gp each.
As for the items, I'm going to basically do an exchange though some of the leveling will have to be adjusted up or down to match the DMG tables - also except for Geoff, try to make the swapped weapons not have the same ability as your old one to reflect the fact that it isn't the same weapon - preferrably your 'mod' weapon will have the abilities you really want rather than this replacement, representing the unique factor of the mod weapons.
Geoff - swap your weapon with one up to a level 9, (though yours isn't actually taken from you, just represents your characters improvements) then find something up to a level 4 item.
Drew - swap your weapon with one up to a level 8, and then find something up to a level 6.
Sean - swap your weapon with one up to a level 8, and then find something up to a level 6.
Ryan - swap your weapon with one up to a level 8, and then find something up to a level 6.
Ray - no changes however remember to take the above gp in case you have enough to make some purchases.
The some of the above swaps are actually slightly higher than the DMG table suggests but I figure it will all work out in the wash.
Geoff wanted me to suggest that someone might buy into some of the items you are loosing with the players that are leaving the game - ex. TJ's thundering crossbow or etc. (I'll post those if anyone wants to look at them for ideas, if not I won't bother.)
One Mod Weapon Down:
Ryan requested in the down time Geoff to perform the konso on his mod weapon, which with Rukia's guidance Geoff is able to do - but as it turns out there is only a minor flicker of soul energy that emerges and fades, leaving anyone who thinks about it very long wondering did it truly contain a sentient soul, and if it did, did that soul move on to the soul society like those of other humanoids?
Group Census:
After polling most of the group, Geoff, Drew, Ryan, Ray - I gather the impression is that with the knowledge that for now to the Cercators you all are dead and gone (meaning you can drop off the radar for any stealth/rescue missions you may want to attempt) are left with two possible paths, go and seek out your long captured NPC friends who may have out lived their usefulness to the Cercators at the outset of your Demise or confront the next gatekeeper, again revealing yourself to the Cercators once again. (difference between confront this problem head on allowing your battles to decide your fate, or find another route that may be just as battle intensive but more subversive and with lesser combatants. It seems like the subversive route for now to make a more informed decision felt right to at least Geoff and Drew. Now with Sean on board with keeping low on the Cercator radar I'll prep for a more infiltration/recon design.
that's all I've got for now maybe more later.
A year off
Finn is glad to have a year off to train with the people he hopes to join the ranks of after he falls to battling the raven queen's enemies, old age, sickness, or whatever his future holds. He will spend much time in philosophical discussion concerning all living creatures, souls, mod weapons and the entities wihin the weapns, cercators, llolth, and how cercators and lloth are related (more of a political than philosophical discussion, that last one is).
He agrees that mod weapons are far too dangerous to be weilded by us, and gladly gives up his until such a time that he could weild it safely. He decides the best way to get his weapon back is to earn it, and decides he will prove himself worthy.
He will trade in his lvl seven weapon, along with his plus one holy symbol, and if necessary use unspent golds to get a buffed up holy symbol. Also, he will get a pair of warm-up pants with "leader" written on the seat.
He is fully devoted to and on board with this soul reaver business, especially how it relates to the raven quuen's business. He asks about tacticts for fighting the shadow/Wraith things. The political association of the soul reavers (whether they like it or not, they are the enemy of both the cercators and lloth, so an organized resistance is, in the opinion of Finn, a critical development); to remain underground, whether we should be recruiting, etc. These concerns would be of great importance for Finn.
He agrees that mod weapons are far too dangerous to be weilded by us, and gladly gives up his until such a time that he could weild it safely. He decides the best way to get his weapon back is to earn it, and decides he will prove himself worthy.
He will trade in his lvl seven weapon, along with his plus one holy symbol, and if necessary use unspent golds to get a buffed up holy symbol. Also, he will get a pair of warm-up pants with "leader" written on the seat.
He is fully devoted to and on board with this soul reaver business, especially how it relates to the raven quuen's business. He asks about tacticts for fighting the shadow/Wraith things. The political association of the soul reavers (whether they like it or not, they are the enemy of both the cercators and lloth, so an organized resistance is, in the opinion of Finn, a critical development); to remain underground, whether we should be recruiting, etc. These concerns would be of great importance for Finn.
11.02.2008
Coffee with Finn
Merry the Jolly: Hi, this is Merry the Jolly here. I am interviewing an adventurer named Fine and he--
Finn: Excuse me? Yes, excuse me, but it is Finn. Not Fine. Finn. As in dorsal fin. See, I have a crest on my head.
MtJ: Oh. Well. Finn? (yes) Finn. Yes. Well, moving along. I am doing a project for the school paper, and they told me to interview a local celebrity, and I'm not even getting paid or anything, and I actually had to give him....but that is ok...but I'm not sure how this recorder device really works...anyway, um, Finn? Finn. Finn. Does anyone ever call you Finn MacKool?
F: .......... I don't get it.
MtJ: Right. Ok, this should be fun...(sigh) Ok, why don't we start with "What does he or she do?"
F: I am the humble servant of the Glorious Raven Queen, and also am a professional adventurer.
MtJ: Oh, professional! That sounds fun. Now, the next one..."What is the philosophy of him or her, and how does that effect their work, family, etc.?"
F: Life is a serious of obstacles and tests. How the individual responds to these tests dictates the growth and development of the soul. It is not about winning, it is about how one overcomes these events. The Raven Queen is the keeper of the life cycle. Birth, growth, death, rebirth, etc. You wouldn't understand this, Merry, because you're just a kid, and you're what, a bard? Last I checked they don't even have that class written up. So you don't even have any skill points. I'm surprised they let you read and write! But adventuring is hard work. There are lots of tests and trials...and puzzles, lots of puzzles...but if you overcome, you can earn exp and gain new powers and whatnot. Back when I was level one, breathing a spout of cold-based dragon-like-breath was pretty much the coolest thing I could do. Now I can Command a monster from up to ten squares away, and if it works properly, I can push them back a number of squares equal to my CHA modifier. That means Charisma. And its +4. So yeah...I don't really have a family. Well, I assume I have one, but I never met them. I'm an orphan. Monks in a secluded mountain temple to the Raven Queen reared me up. Does that answer your question?
MtJ: What? Oh, I am sorry. I think I just fell asleep.
F: You know, I just remembered I didn't tell anyone where I went. We were taking an extended rest at the magic hag swamp, and I was on guard duty, and I was just sneaking back to town real quick to get my adventurer's kit resupplied while everyone else was asleep. It's been like four days. They're probably worried about me. Look, kid, good luck on your project, but I gotta go!
MtJ: Oh. Well, I guess this will have to work then because I gave you my lunch money for the rest of the month. So now I'm broke. Actually, could you pay for the cappuccinos before you bust outta here?
F: Sorry kid, I'm late. I hope it all works out for you. Here's a picture of me, but I don't have time to sign it. Ok? Ok, bye-o!
MtJ: That was the worst 25gp I ever spent.
Finn: Excuse me? Yes, excuse me, but it is Finn. Not Fine. Finn. As in dorsal fin. See, I have a crest on my head.
MtJ: Oh. Well. Finn? (yes) Finn. Yes. Well, moving along. I am doing a project for the school paper, and they told me to interview a local celebrity, and I'm not even getting paid or anything, and I actually had to give him....but that is ok...but I'm not sure how this recorder device really works...anyway, um, Finn? Finn. Finn. Does anyone ever call you Finn MacKool?
F: .......... I don't get it.
MtJ: Right. Ok, this should be fun...(sigh) Ok, why don't we start with "What does he or she do?"
F: I am the humble servant of the Glorious Raven Queen, and also am a professional adventurer.
MtJ: Oh, professional! That sounds fun. Now, the next one..."What is the philosophy of him or her, and how does that effect their work, family, etc.?"
F: Life is a serious of obstacles and tests. How the individual responds to these tests dictates the growth and development of the soul. It is not about winning, it is about how one overcomes these events. The Raven Queen is the keeper of the life cycle. Birth, growth, death, rebirth, etc. You wouldn't understand this, Merry, because you're just a kid, and you're what, a bard? Last I checked they don't even have that class written up. So you don't even have any skill points. I'm surprised they let you read and write! But adventuring is hard work. There are lots of tests and trials...and puzzles, lots of puzzles...but if you overcome, you can earn exp and gain new powers and whatnot. Back when I was level one, breathing a spout of cold-based dragon-like-breath was pretty much the coolest thing I could do. Now I can Command a monster from up to ten squares away, and if it works properly, I can push them back a number of squares equal to my CHA modifier. That means Charisma. And its +4. So yeah...I don't really have a family. Well, I assume I have one, but I never met them. I'm an orphan. Monks in a secluded mountain temple to the Raven Queen reared me up. Does that answer your question?
MtJ: What? Oh, I am sorry. I think I just fell asleep.
F: You know, I just remembered I didn't tell anyone where I went. We were taking an extended rest at the magic hag swamp, and I was on guard duty, and I was just sneaking back to town real quick to get my adventurer's kit resupplied while everyone else was asleep. It's been like four days. They're probably worried about me. Look, kid, good luck on your project, but I gotta go!
MtJ: Oh. Well, I guess this will have to work then because I gave you my lunch money for the rest of the month. So now I'm broke. Actually, could you pay for the cappuccinos before you bust outta here?
F: Sorry kid, I'm late. I hope it all works out for you. Here's a picture of me, but I don't have time to sign it. Ok? Ok, bye-o!
MtJ: That was the worst 25gp I ever spent.
11.01.2008
Halloween means Character Side Quest for Die Hard Gamers!
CHARACTER INTRODUCTION, WHAT'S A BARBARIAN?
So we were down a few players for the halloween game, because of folks having party goodness to go to, but for the die hards and a new to the campaign player, it seems like a good time to have character introduction sidequesting action.
We lead off with the PC's having escaped the Lolth tower and searching the Howling Hag Gatekeeper and to stop Lotus from doing something stupid, in the process of rafting down the primary current of the swamp lands, the party comes across a 26 year old chainmail wearing human with claw mark scaring on his face and body, gripping an axe with spiked protrusions massocistically placed on the handle. The party approaches cautiously as their NPC river guide attempts to disguise his cowardess in an offer to tie off the raft up stream from the brooding Human.
The party asks what the barbarian what he is doing in the swamp, he replys 'waiting for death.' To which the party says something along the lines of 'you picked a good place to do it, there's plenty of that around here.' The party probes him further if he knows of a 'witch' around here aka. howling hag. He replies 'I do ... you might say I have an axe to grind with her.' The party tells him, we don't know if we can trust you or not as it seems the cercators have agents everywhere, so take us to her but know if you turn on us we won't hesitate to put you down, to which he replys 'you can try.'
The barbarian leads the party to a familiar looking ritual site (reusing old maps), that looks very similar to that of the werewolf den entrance - this time there's a new puzzle. They find the same looking burried cellar off to the side and this time discover long rectangular strips of semi processsed oar, an alchemical agent, and cylindrical spikes. The party sees on the altar 3 holes similar to those that were the keyholes to enter Lolth's tower, but also similar to the size of those cylindrical spikes. The party tests a mixture of the spikes, oar, and alchemical mixture and discover it produces a delayed explosion, which they decide to pour the chemical into the holes in the altar, and rub the oar on 3 spikes and then place them into the holes. Unfortunately it seems as though you must drive the spikes into the holes as they don't go down far enough to start the chain reaction. The party resets the altar and this time they push down onto the spikes and in anticpation of a explosion leap away from the altar between the outer ring of pillars each in a different direction, however one party member fails the check and doesn't make the jump. An explosion underground triggers 4 trap doors placed between the pillars where the party members jumped, so that when the one left behind looks around everyone else has disappeared, sliding down underground tubes into one of 4 detention cells.
The party member left on the surface places transforms his weapon into the same cylinder as the one used to enter lolth's temple and he is transported into the dungeon just outside of the detention cells. But is unable to free the other party members before they find avenues of escape, brute force, teleportation, or etc.
Having escaped their cells, they party proceeds to dive into the cistern that lead to the solo werewolf the last time they were in a similar dungeon. But this time it leads up to a grate somewhere below the fountain room that had a flooding trap in it the last time.
The fighter grabs the rack in the flood room, and the bed (trapped) in another room and props them against the door of the flood room (setting off the matress trap, which misses) before he searches the room for the pressure release switch that last time opened the flood gates to the room, and nearly drowned the party. This time it is hoped it will be the mechanism to unblock the cistern passageway.
The fighter finds a rock and ties a rope to it, tossing and dragging the rock until he hears a click, followed by several loud clangs from the adjoining cells. This initiates suprise round of combat where the shadowfell under the control of another emerge from beneath the grates in the adjoining cells.
The shadow gloom blade, chain wielder, and soldier type emerge from the cells apparently with their eyes clouded over, all wearing the Rygenhijo ninja emblems. The party quickly finds ways around the gloom blads invisibility, the chains shifting reach weapon, and the soldiers double attacks - mostly by a head on we can out damage you sort of way. Though the Rygenhijo ninja appear out of sorts, the party quickly off's them without leaving any alive to question or etc.
After a quick search of the bodies, they find the ninjas' orders, to hunt down someone that looks like what the barbarian did before he was all scarred up, and kill the traitor. However, while it is a sanctioned manhunt, it wasn't ordered by Rygenhijo, these ninja were hired by someone outside of Rygenhijo.
The party feeling like they had solved the puzzle of the cistern re-enter with the barbarian in the lead, he pops out on the otherside of the cistern onto the top of a stone platform carve out of the top of a stallagmite that towers 100ft above a cavern below with only a 10ft wide gap between the ledge the party emerges on and the outer 10ft wide ledge the Kyotenichi emblemed and bloodied female ninja stands.
After some debate about what a running jump entails, the party discovers it isn't such a hard check after all, but some are still hestitant, a joke about indiana jones and the secret walk way is made - partly as a hint to remind players, that a passive check doesn't always cut it, and spending a minor action to use perception may be useful (in this case there was a hidden by artful design a ledge from the inner to the outer that one could walk across).
The female ninja wearing the kyotenichi emblem, seeing the barbarian emerge, already quite injured leaning against her longsword looks at him and says you coward of course you emerge now after your minions have done their dirty work - here to finish me as you did my mother? I won't let you leave here until I know what you did to her back then. She plunges herself onto her blade and as the blade pierces her body, the sharp tail of a black dragon errupts in time with the blade from out of her back, as though her body were being turned inside out and transmuted into this new black dragon form.
A level 4 solo black dragon emerges with 134 hp (-100 hp from max.) The party takes a heavy breath weapon early on, and the cleric heals back the party from that before they make the leap across to the cornered dragon.
The dragon hit by the barbarian's first attack is sent bloodied, and uses it's when first bloodied breath attack as an immediate reaction, again hitting most of the party. She threatens the party, instruct your friend to tell me what I want to know. what does he know of what happened to my mother, did he kill her? (the barbarian responds raising his blade, this is all I know.)
One round of pummeling from the party later, the dragon is on the verge of complete defeat, she uses her cloud of darkness to conceal her escape as she plummets intentionally into the cavern below to escape to the caves. she say, I will not give up, I will find you again when I am healed, and you will tell me what you know of my mother.
The party asks the barbarian a few more questions as to what exactly he knows about the woman's mother and he replies that he doesn't know what happened to her, he was knocked unconscious soon after the battle started that her mother was in. The party finds on the ground a historical headband, with markings of Kyotenichi that stand for the 2nd hokage - the hokage that disappeared on a intercept mission just before the crimson dragon appeared that killed all approaching Rygenhijo ninja near kyotenichi during the last part of the revolution. No one knows for sure what happened to the 2nd hokage after that.
If you guys member anything else or want to add to it, don't forget the comment box.
So we were down a few players for the halloween game, because of folks having party goodness to go to, but for the die hards and a new to the campaign player, it seems like a good time to have character introduction sidequesting action.
We lead off with the PC's having escaped the Lolth tower and searching the Howling Hag Gatekeeper and to stop Lotus from doing something stupid, in the process of rafting down the primary current of the swamp lands, the party comes across a 26 year old chainmail wearing human with claw mark scaring on his face and body, gripping an axe with spiked protrusions massocistically placed on the handle. The party approaches cautiously as their NPC river guide attempts to disguise his cowardess in an offer to tie off the raft up stream from the brooding Human.
The party asks what the barbarian what he is doing in the swamp, he replys 'waiting for death.' To which the party says something along the lines of 'you picked a good place to do it, there's plenty of that around here.' The party probes him further if he knows of a 'witch' around here aka. howling hag. He replies 'I do ... you might say I have an axe to grind with her.' The party tells him, we don't know if we can trust you or not as it seems the cercators have agents everywhere, so take us to her but know if you turn on us we won't hesitate to put you down, to which he replys 'you can try.'
The barbarian leads the party to a familiar looking ritual site (reusing old maps), that looks very similar to that of the werewolf den entrance - this time there's a new puzzle. They find the same looking burried cellar off to the side and this time discover long rectangular strips of semi processsed oar, an alchemical agent, and cylindrical spikes. The party sees on the altar 3 holes similar to those that were the keyholes to enter Lolth's tower, but also similar to the size of those cylindrical spikes. The party tests a mixture of the spikes, oar, and alchemical mixture and discover it produces a delayed explosion, which they decide to pour the chemical into the holes in the altar, and rub the oar on 3 spikes and then place them into the holes. Unfortunately it seems as though you must drive the spikes into the holes as they don't go down far enough to start the chain reaction. The party resets the altar and this time they push down onto the spikes and in anticpation of a explosion leap away from the altar between the outer ring of pillars each in a different direction, however one party member fails the check and doesn't make the jump. An explosion underground triggers 4 trap doors placed between the pillars where the party members jumped, so that when the one left behind looks around everyone else has disappeared, sliding down underground tubes into one of 4 detention cells.
The party member left on the surface places transforms his weapon into the same cylinder as the one used to enter lolth's temple and he is transported into the dungeon just outside of the detention cells. But is unable to free the other party members before they find avenues of escape, brute force, teleportation, or etc.
Having escaped their cells, they party proceeds to dive into the cistern that lead to the solo werewolf the last time they were in a similar dungeon. But this time it leads up to a grate somewhere below the fountain room that had a flooding trap in it the last time.
The fighter grabs the rack in the flood room, and the bed (trapped) in another room and props them against the door of the flood room (setting off the matress trap, which misses) before he searches the room for the pressure release switch that last time opened the flood gates to the room, and nearly drowned the party. This time it is hoped it will be the mechanism to unblock the cistern passageway.
The fighter finds a rock and ties a rope to it, tossing and dragging the rock until he hears a click, followed by several loud clangs from the adjoining cells. This initiates suprise round of combat where the shadowfell under the control of another emerge from beneath the grates in the adjoining cells.
The shadow gloom blade, chain wielder, and soldier type emerge from the cells apparently with their eyes clouded over, all wearing the Rygenhijo ninja emblems. The party quickly finds ways around the gloom blads invisibility, the chains shifting reach weapon, and the soldiers double attacks - mostly by a head on we can out damage you sort of way. Though the Rygenhijo ninja appear out of sorts, the party quickly off's them without leaving any alive to question or etc.
After a quick search of the bodies, they find the ninjas' orders, to hunt down someone that looks like what the barbarian did before he was all scarred up, and kill the traitor. However, while it is a sanctioned manhunt, it wasn't ordered by Rygenhijo, these ninja were hired by someone outside of Rygenhijo.
The party feeling like they had solved the puzzle of the cistern re-enter with the barbarian in the lead, he pops out on the otherside of the cistern onto the top of a stone platform carve out of the top of a stallagmite that towers 100ft above a cavern below with only a 10ft wide gap between the ledge the party emerges on and the outer 10ft wide ledge the Kyotenichi emblemed and bloodied female ninja stands.
After some debate about what a running jump entails, the party discovers it isn't such a hard check after all, but some are still hestitant, a joke about indiana jones and the secret walk way is made - partly as a hint to remind players, that a passive check doesn't always cut it, and spending a minor action to use perception may be useful (in this case there was a hidden by artful design a ledge from the inner to the outer that one could walk across).
The female ninja wearing the kyotenichi emblem, seeing the barbarian emerge, already quite injured leaning against her longsword looks at him and says you coward of course you emerge now after your minions have done their dirty work - here to finish me as you did my mother? I won't let you leave here until I know what you did to her back then. She plunges herself onto her blade and as the blade pierces her body, the sharp tail of a black dragon errupts in time with the blade from out of her back, as though her body were being turned inside out and transmuted into this new black dragon form.
A level 4 solo black dragon emerges with 134 hp (-100 hp from max.) The party takes a heavy breath weapon early on, and the cleric heals back the party from that before they make the leap across to the cornered dragon.
The dragon hit by the barbarian's first attack is sent bloodied, and uses it's when first bloodied breath attack as an immediate reaction, again hitting most of the party. She threatens the party, instruct your friend to tell me what I want to know. what does he know of what happened to my mother, did he kill her? (the barbarian responds raising his blade, this is all I know.)
One round of pummeling from the party later, the dragon is on the verge of complete defeat, she uses her cloud of darkness to conceal her escape as she plummets intentionally into the cavern below to escape to the caves. she say, I will not give up, I will find you again when I am healed, and you will tell me what you know of my mother.
The party asks the barbarian a few more questions as to what exactly he knows about the woman's mother and he replies that he doesn't know what happened to her, he was knocked unconscious soon after the battle started that her mother was in. The party finds on the ground a historical headband, with markings of Kyotenichi that stand for the 2nd hokage - the hokage that disappeared on a intercept mission just before the crimson dragon appeared that killed all approaching Rygenhijo ninja near kyotenichi during the last part of the revolution. No one knows for sure what happened to the 2nd hokage after that.
If you guys member anything else or want to add to it, don't forget the comment box.
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