[LP] DestinyQuest: The Legion of Shadow

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Omegonthesane
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Post by Omegonthesane »

Take revenge on Roe for trying to feed us to vampires.
Kaelik wrote:Because powerful men get away with terrible shit, and even the public domain ones get ignored, and then, when the floodgates open, it turns out there was a goddam flood behind it.

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Darth Rabbitt
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Post by Darth Rabbitt »

Agreed.
Pseudo Stupidity wrote:This Applebees fucking sucks, much like all Applebees. I wanted to go to Femboy Hooters (communism).
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angelfromanotherpin
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Post by angelfromanotherpin »

Good choice, Roe has the Mage-friendly loot drops.
You rush to attack Lady Roe, while Eldias moves to intercept the baron. The vampiress raises a blood-coated sickle, then gives a hellish ear-splitting screech as she flings herself at you:
SpeedMagicArmorHealth
Lady Roe88550

Special Abilities
- Blood harvest: Each time you take health damage from Lady Roe, the vampiress can automatically heal 2 health. This cannot take her above her starting health of 50.
- Vampire: Vulnerable to stake and reflect.
Pretty buff, but we straight outclass her.
Round 1: Us 7+11+2, Her 9+8; 5+11-5 damage, she's at 39. *Thorns* She's at 38.
Round 2: Us (haste) 16+11, Her 9+8; 1+11-5 damage, she's at 31. *Thorns* She's at 30.
Round 3: Us 12+11, Her 7+8; 3+11-5 damage, she's at 21. *Thorns* She's at 20.
Round 4: Us 5+11, Her 7+8; 2+11-5 damage, she's at 12. *Thorns* She's at 11.
Round 5: Us 10+11, Her 8+8; 4+11-5 damage, she's at 1. *Thorns* Lady Roe defeated!
You silence the vampire with a killing blow, watching as the woman's delicate porcelain features crumble into a fine powdery dust. Lady Roe has been defeated. You may now take one of the following items:
Vermillion heart (necklace) +1 speed, Ability: life spark (Every time you roll a double, you heal 4 health)
Blood harvest (main hand: sickle) +2 speed, +1 magic, Ability: leech (Every time your damage score/dice deals damage to an opponent, you heal 2 health), requirement: mage
Eldas is still sparring with his foe, appearing to take delight in dodging the baron's slow and heavy swings. At last, the black-coated man sheathes his blades and pulls out two flint-lock pistols. Aiming them towards the ceiling, he fires two shots in quick succession. There is a grinding ripping sound – then the huge crystal chandelier hanging above the baron's head plummets to the ground, its spear-like tip staking him straight through the heart.

As the dust settles, Eldias spins his pistols and then holsters them. He flashes you a cocky grin. 'Now that, my friend, is how you do it in style.'

You can't help but marvel at the man's self-assured skill. He makes killing these deadly foes look like child's play. It seems you are not the only one to appreciate his performance.

'Bravo!'

The sound of clapping forces you to turn. The count is standing amidst the wreckage of his hall, watching you both with dark hungry eyes. At his side stand two guards, dressed in heavy chain mail, armor.

'It is time,' hisses the count, his lips curling back over his fanged teeth, 'for you to die.'
The two guards charge towards you, their gleaming swords held high above their heads. Eldias intercepts them, his own swords cutting a skilful dance through the air. One of the guards goes down in seconds, his armor dropping empty to the ground as his body is turned to ash. Ducking beneath the remaining guard's swing, Eldias kicks him backwards. Then, sheathing one of his blades, he summons yellow fire into the palm of his hand.

'I judge you,' he shouts, his voice suddenly taking on a frightening intensity, 'and I find you guilty!' He hurls the fire at the guard. It hits him squarely in the chest, lifting him off his feet and slamming him against the far wall. The guard crumples to the ground, his body turning to dust.

With a snarl, the count spins on his heel and makes a run for it, his black cloak billowing out behind him. You are about to pursue when a scream echoes around the chamber. It came from the far end of the hall, where the last survivors are defending themselves from a mob of vampires. You can see Spink and the blacksmith with their backs to a pillar. The scream must have come from one of the vampires, as you spot an explosion of black ash billowing across the room.

'They need help,' scowls Eldias. 'There are too many of them.' He draws a pistol and starts running towards the crowd of vampires. 'Go after the count,' he shouts back. 'I'll handle these. Go!'

Without a moment's hesitation, you hurry after the escaping count.
You see the count slipping behind a red velvet curtain. Jumping over the bodies and broken furniture in your way, you reach the curtain and pull it aside. Behind it is an open doorway and a set of stairs leading upwards. Taking them two at a time, you race up the steps – to find yourself in a narrow hallway lined with paintings. The door behind you slams shut of its own accord.

The count is stood at the end of the hall. Behind him hangs a large solemn painting, depicting a sour-faced woman in a white-lace wedding dress.

'Fool,' hisses the count, his golden mask reflecting the light from the nearby candles. 'Only Eldias is worthy of my attentions. You are no witchfinder!' He turns to face the painting. 'Countess,' he calls, 'I call you forth. Come to me now, at the time of the witching hour...'

Suddenly, the painting comes alive. The bride throws herself forwards, her malign face stretching out of the canvas. She opens her mouth, sucking in a great lungful of air... then she screams. It is a shrill piercing wail that drives you to your knees. You try and cover your ears, but the eldritch noise is deafening – sapping at your resolve, eating away at your courage. Every inch of your pained body is screaming at you to flee – to run from this place and never come back.

The count strides towards you. There is a flash of steel as he unsheathes his rapier. 'Come, my love. Let us dine on this one's flesh!'

• Fight the count in this hallway?
• Use something from your backpack?
• Try and open the door behind you?
• Look for an alternative escape route?
Also, pick a loot.
Name: Trellis
Path: Mage
Career: Alchemist
Speed: +11, Brawn: +1, Magic: +10, Armor: +4
Health: 38/40
SlotItemSpeedBrawnMagicArmorAbility
HeadHorns of the Bull+1+2Charge
NecklaceSilver Cross+1+1Heal
CloakDiaphanous Wings+1+1Haste
Main HandCrucifix+1Heal
Left HandBook of Black Deeds+2+2
GlovesVambraces+1+2Parry
ChestCinder's Gown+1+3Sear
FeetRune-Forged Greaves+2+2
TalismanSap-filled Gland+1Heal
Ring 1Traveler's Ring+1+1Charm
Ring 2Circle of ThornsThorns

BackpackItem
1The Compendium of Dwarven Lore
2Gourd of Healing (1 use) Use any time in combat to restore 6 health.
3Spider's Leg
4Ghoul Hair
5Bees' Wax

Rune Key
Money Pouch: 386 Crowns

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Last edited by angelfromanotherpin on Mon Sep 04, 2017 6:59 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Darth Rabbitt
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Post by Darth Rabbitt »

Plug our ears with beeswax and then attack the count.
Pseudo Stupidity wrote:This Applebees fucking sucks, much like all Applebees. I wanted to go to Femboy Hooters (communism).
Omegonthesane
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Post by Omegonthesane »

All that, except alchemise crucifix for blood harvest first.
Kaelik wrote:Because powerful men get away with terrible shit, and even the public domain ones get ignored, and then, when the floodgates open, it turns out there was a goddam flood behind it.

Zak S, Zak Smith, Dndwithpornstars, Zak Sabbath, Justin Bieber, shitmuffin
Ikeren
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Post by Ikeren »

With Omegonthesane; Alchemise the crucifix for the Blood Harvest, plug ears with wax, and kill kill kill!
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angelfromanotherpin
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Post by angelfromanotherpin »

• If you have the bees' wax then you can use it to plug your ears. √
• Otherwise, rummaging around in your backpack has cost you time, you must now fight the count in this haunted hallway.
Well-guessed!
With the plugs of bees' wax blocking your ears, you are now immune to the countess' wailing. (Remove the bees' wax from your hero sheet.) With the odds a little more in your favor, it is time to finally face the count:
SpeedMagicArmorHealth
Count98540

Special Abilities
- Blood drinker: If the count rolls a 6 for damage, he sucks your blood! He immediately rolls an extra die for damage and restores 2 lost health.
- Vampire: Vulnerable to stake and reflect.
Without his progressive-speed-draining wife, he's softer than Lady Roe.
Round 1: Us 6+12+2, Him 7+9; 3+12-5 damage, he's at 30. *Thorns* He's at 29.
Round 2: (haste'd) Us 8+12, Him 7+9; 1+12-5 damage, he's at 21. *Thorns* He's at 20.
Round 3: Us 6+12, Him 6+9; 4+12-5 damage, he's at 9. *Thorns* He's at 8.
Round 4: Us 4+12, Him 6+9; 2+12-5 damage, Count defeated!
If youdefeat the count, the infernal screaming stops and the painting of the countess becomes still once again.
Your final blow sends the count's golden mask skittering across the floor, revealing his very scarred disfigured face. It begins to wither and age before your very eyes. 'No! I will not die!' hisses the vampire. He tries to grab you, but the count's legs give way beneath him. He collapses to the ground, his body crumbling into a pile of grave dust.

Congratulations! You have defeated the vampire lord. You may now take one of the following special rewards:
Silk cut (main hand: sword) +2 speed, +2 brawn, Ability: riposte, requirement: rogue
Cloak of shadows (cloak) +1 speed, +2 armor, Ability: feint (1/combat, re-roll any/all dice you rolled for attack speed)
Velvet slippers (feet) +1 speed, +3 magic, Ability: haste
'A good show,' says a voice. You look up to see Eldias Falks watching you with a grim smile. 'Carry on like that and you'll put me out of business.' Removing his hat, the witchfinder walks towards you, offering out his hand. 'Well done, my friend. Truth and justice have triumphed this day.'

• If you are a rogue and have the witchfinder's signet ring...
• Otherwise... √
Rogues who killed the witch in Act 1 have the chance to join the Witchfinder career, which grants two abilities: A 1/combat hurting your enemy after they hurt you, to the tune of half your speed; and, if you have a main hand sword, insta-killing an enemy with health less than your speed.
You return to the grand hall where Spink is tending to the wounded survivors. From your original group there are only a handful remaining. One of them is the blacksmith, who grins and waves at you, his face and hair caked in matted blood and vampire dust.

If you have any of Spink's items still on your person, you can hand them back as they will be of no further use. If you wish, you may now retrieve your original main-hand and left-hand equipment before leaving the castle. Return to the quest map.
Pick a loot. Figure out if you want either (damaged) Ancient Sword (+1 Speed, Bleed) or Stone Shield (+1 Speed, +2 Armor, Slam) back. Finally, where to next?

• More gladiatin'?
• Go back for the dragon?
• Hard Quest?
• (Other?)
Name: Trellis
Path: Mage
Career: Alchemist
Speed: +12, Brawn: +1, Magic: +11, Armor: +4
Health: 40
SlotItemSpeedBrawnMagicArmorAbility
HeadHorns of the Bull+1+2Charge
NecklaceSilver Cross+1+1Heal
CloakDiaphanous Wings+1+1Haste
Main HandBlood Harvest+2+1Leech
Left HandBook of Black Deeds+2+2
GlovesVambraces+1+2Parry
ChestCinder's Gown+1+3Sear
FeetRune-Forged Greaves+2+2
TalismanSap-filled Gland+1Heal
Ring 1Traveler's Ring+1+1Charm
Ring 2Circle of ThornsThorns

BackpackItem
1The Compendium of Dwarven Lore
2Gourd of Healing (1 use) Use any time in combat to restore 6 health.
3Spider's Leg
4Ghoul Hair
5

Rune Key
Money Pouch: 416 Crowns

Image
Last edited by angelfromanotherpin on Mon Sep 04, 2017 7:00 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Omegonthesane
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Post by Omegonthesane »

Alchemise greaves for slippers. We're not likely to need the +1 often enough to make trading it for Haste a bad plan.

Then hard quest.
Kaelik wrote:Because powerful men get away with terrible shit, and even the public domain ones get ignored, and then, when the floodgates open, it turns out there was a goddam flood behind it.

Zak S, Zak Smith, Dndwithpornstars, Zak Sabbath, Justin Bieber, shitmuffin
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Darth Rabbitt
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Post by Darth Rabbitt »

Leave the sword and shield behind. Sickle and hammer book kick more ass.

I'd rather alchemize the wings and take the cloak (I think the 2 armor and extra gold is worth losing a point of damage for, and the reroll strikes me as being about as good as the extra die, although I'm too lazy to actually calculate the probability on that last part). Haste is a good ability but an average of +3.5 to Speed 1/combat isn't as nice as +1 to Speed for every round of a combat.

Agreed on the hard quest though.
Pseudo Stupidity wrote:This Applebees fucking sucks, much like all Applebees. I wanted to go to Femboy Hooters (communism).
Ikeren
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Post by Ikeren »

I'm with Darth Rabbit. Alchemize wings and take cloak. Then go on hard quest.
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angelfromanotherpin
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Post by angelfromanotherpin »

Quest: The unicorn's horn

You are drawn into the forest by the smell of smoke and the cries of battle. Hurrying through the thick undergrowth, you finally emerge in a grassy clearing. Dotted around a campfire are a dozen dead goblins. Most are riddled with arrows, looking like they died before they even had chance to arm themselves. Others made it as far as drawing their swords and daggers, but from the surprised expressions, now frozen on their faces, it appears they accomplished very little.

The camp has already been ransacked and searched. As you wander through the scattered debris, you realize that the goblins must have been poachers. There are several half-broken wooden frames lying in the grass, with fresh animal skis still stretched across them.

You notice a money purse on one of the goblin's belts. You kneel down to take it, wondering why the attackers hadn't bothered to loot the bodies. (You have gained 20 gold crowns.) As you stand, you feel a sharp point pressing into your neck.

'One more move,' growls a woman's voice, 'and you die!'

From the edges of the clearing, you see figures start to appear from out of the forest. They are all female – clad in tunics of woven leaves and wildflowers. Their skin is the color of the forest, mottled with patches of brown and grey. No wonder the goblins had no chance against them; the women are almost invisible as they stand against the forest backdrop. You count nearly thirty of them – each armed with a short bow and a quiver of green-fletched arrows.

One of the women strides towards you, her bow held in one hand and a sword in the other. Unlike the others, she is wearing a long cloak of golden-colored leaves. You guess she is their leader.

'Why do you trespass here?' she sneers, her amber eyes flicking to the weapons you are carrying. 'Are you a hunter also?'

• Say that you are looking for Cornelius?
• Ask why they attacked the goblins?
• State that you can go where you please?
Name: Trellis
Path: Mage
Career: Alchemist
Speed: +12, Brawn: +1, Magic: +10, Armor: +6
Health: 40
SlotItemSpeedBrawnMagicArmorAbility
HeadHorns of the Bull+1+2Charge
NecklaceSilver Cross+1+1Heal
CloakCloak of Shadows+1+2Feint
Main HandBlood Harvest+2+1Leech
Left HandBook of Black Deeds+2+2
GlovesVambraces+1+2Parry
ChestCinder's Gown+1+3Sear
FeetRune-Forged Greaves+2+2
TalismanSap-filled Gland+1Heal
Ring 1Traveler's Ring+1+1Charm
Ring 2Circle of ThornsThorns

BackpackItem
1The Compendium of Dwarven Lore
2Gourd of Healing (1 use) Use any time in combat to restore 6 health.
3Spider's Leg
4Ghoul Hair
5

Rune Key
Money Pouch: 446 Crowns

Image
Last edited by angelfromanotherpin on Mon Sep 04, 2017 7:00 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Omegonthesane
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Post by Omegonthesane »

Ask why they attacked the goblins, then if possible state the purpose of our visit.
Kaelik wrote:Because powerful men get away with terrible shit, and even the public domain ones get ignored, and then, when the floodgates open, it turns out there was a goddam flood behind it.

Zak S, Zak Smith, Dndwithpornstars, Zak Sabbath, Justin Bieber, shitmuffin
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Darth Rabbitt
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Post by Darth Rabbitt »

Cornelius is more important to us than the goblins, but we'll probably get the chance to ask both, so I'm with Omegon.
Pseudo Stupidity wrote:This Applebees fucking sucks, much like all Applebees. I wanted to go to Femboy Hooters (communism).
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angelfromanotherpin
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Post by angelfromanotherpin »

'They are poachers,' says the leader, eyeing the corpses with contempt. 'They are trespassers in the grove and their foolish actions may have harmed the–'

'Enough! Do not speak of our secrets!' This comes from the woman behind you. She presses her knife deeper into your neck. 'This one must have seen something. Let me get the truth out of them – my way!'

The leader looks displeased at being spoken to in such a way. There is a heated exchange in a dialect that you have never heard before. It ends with you taking a kick in the back, which forces you down onto your knees. 'There will be no grove and no magic unless we take action.' The woman behind you grabs hold of your head, pulling it back – then places the blade of her knife against your throat.

'Hold! All of you!'

To your surprise, it is a man's voice. From the corner of your vision, you see a warrior in forest green leathers emerge from the trees. He has long blonde hair, braided with feathers and cords, and about his neck hang a number of beaded charms. 'Since when do the dryads hunt so openly,' he scowls, 'and without judgement or mercy?' He starts forward into the clearing, a yellow glow cascading down his arms to gather along the tips of his fingers.

'Bern Farstrider,' snaps the woman standing at your back. 'This is none of your concern. Stand down or face the consequences.'

From around the circle, there is the creak of bowstrings as the archers nock arrows and take aim at the warrior.

He shakes his head sadly. 'Has it really come to this – that my return is welcomed with an arrow in the back. Well, so be it.'
You don't see who fired the first arrow, but within seconds the air is humming with their flight as their steel-tipped heads streak towards the warrior. Calmly, he raises his hands and utters an arcane command. Suddenly the ground around his feet cracks open as thorn-covered vines burst up out of the soil. They whip through the air, snapping or deflecting the arrows from their path.

As the archers reach for fresh arrows, the warrior utters another word of command, his fingers crackling with a yellow light. There are answering flashes from around the circle as the archers' bows burst into flames. With shrieks of surprise, the archers drop their weapons, leaving them to smolder and blacken among the grass.

'No!' snarls the knife-woman, stalking towards the warrior. 'We do not trade words with your kind – not any longer!'

'Solandris, wait!' cries the leader, raising her sword high in the air. 'We are not savages. I command you to stop.'

The knife-woman leaps at the warrior, hissing through her sharpened teeth. He makes no move to counter her. Instead, the writihing vines snap to attention, forming a wall between the Dryad and her prey. As she attempts to cut through them, smaller shoots erupt from the vines, wrapping quickly around her wrists and binding them together. Similar shoots weave a net around her ankles, rooting her to the spot.

It is all over in a matter of heartbeats. The warrior steps around the wall of vines. Ignoring Solandris, who is cursing and struggling against her bonds, he approaches the leader. His sword remains in its scabbard, although the golden glow still dances across his fingers. He stops in front of the leader and then, to your surprise, he goes down on one knee, his head bowed low.

'Your queen summoned me, Talandra,' he says softly. 'I bring no malice or ill to your lands. I know of your loss and I give you my word that I will do all I can to put right this terrible wrong.'

The leader's face softens. 'Bern. I am sorry. My sisters are... we... are not ourselves. This is a time of war. Our precious lands grow smaller and smaller. Evil encroaches on our borders and now, with the loss of the horn, I fear we will diminish and the grove will be no more. We cannot afford to be weak – not now, not in the face of this danger.'

The warrior rises to his feet. 'Then, take me to the unicorn.'

'And what of this one?' asks Talandra, pointing her sword-tip towards you. 'Do we let it go? It has the taint of shadow about its person.'

Bern walks over to you and places a hand on your shoulder. His clear blue eyes fix on your own, staring intently as if gazing into your very soul. Feeling uncomfortable, you flinch and look away – a cold tingle running along your branded skin. Bern nods to himself, as if something has just been confirmed.

'The queen will want to see this one, I think,' he says. 'You're coming with us.'

• Demand your freedom?
• Show him your mark?
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Darth Rabbitt
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Post by Darth Rabbitt »

They seem aggressive enough that demanding to be let go will just get them hostile. So show them the mark and hope that knowing where our dark aura is coming from will calm them down enough that they won't want to kill us.
Pseudo Stupidity wrote:This Applebees fucking sucks, much like all Applebees. I wanted to go to Femboy Hooters (communism).
Ikeren
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Post by Ikeren »

I vote the same.
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angelfromanotherpin
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Post by angelfromanotherpin »

A couple of comments:
First, what's up with all these trying-too-hard-to-be-awesome NPCs? That sort of thing fits in an Act 1 environment to give the player something to aspire to before there are any expectations, but having the PC play the hapless captive while Bern humiliates our captors after we've established our legendary monster-killin' credentials is just really lame.

Second, this book has 939 entries, the maps serve as a divider roughly in the middle of the book, and we have seen maybe five entries from the back half of the book. There's totally room for something crazy like an end of Act 2 choice that sends you into a hidden alternate Act 3 or something. Of course, the author's about to spend a big chunk of pagespace on pointless extended description, so who knows...
You peel back your sleeve, revealing the branded mark. Without looking at it, Bern quickly snatches your hand. 'Do not show that here,' he whispers, through clenched teeth. 'Don't you understand what that is? What you are?'

You shake your head, explaining that you have no memory of your former life. Bern leans in close to you, ensuring that he is not heard by Talandra or the others. 'That is a shadow bond. It means you are a survivor from the shadow war - and that makes you dangerous. What your people did... what they are capable of...' He visibly shivers. 'I should kill you, stranger. I would have every right. And yet,' he cocks his head to one side, his eyes narrowing, 'there is something about you. My instinct tells me that you have no malice in your heart. That I do not understand... but the queen will be your judge, not I. Now, come with us. Time is pressing. If you wish to learn more, then the queen will give you your answers – if you are deserving of them.'

You agree to accompany the warrior. If this queen really can help you to understand more about your former life, then perhaps it will throw light on what happened on that fateful night at Avian's castle.
You follow Bern and Talandra deeper into the forest. Solandris, now freed from her bonds, walks beside you, occasionally casting a dark glance at yourself and Bern. Her fingers are continually tapping the pommels of her daggers, tucked into her garland belt. It is clear that her defeat in the clearing has only served to intensify her desire for revenge.

The thin, almost invisible, trail meanders south, taking you across streams and over steep muddy banks. At last, you pass beneath an archway of blossoming roses, to find yourself in an area of forest more beautiful than you could ever have imagined.

Golden light streams through the tree tops in brilliant beams, casting an otherworldly hue over the hills and glades. From a rocky cliffside, carpeted in climbing roses, a marvelous waterfall plunges down into a wide crystal-blue pool – its many rivulets and streams sparkling in the sunlight.

Everywhere you look, there is something that steals your breath away, from the ancient trees that soar impossibly high, to he intricate marble statues bedecked in garlands of red and gold. You walk through this paradise as if in a dream, the fragrant air and melody of cricket song and cascading water making you feel both relaxed and light-headed.

'Come, the unicorn is this way.' Talandra leads you to a cave, its entrance almost hidden from view by trailing foliage. Pulling the vines aside, she gestures for you and Bern to enter.
As you enter the cave, your eyes widen further in amazement. Instead of being a damp gloomy space, the cavern is filled with color and light. From the holes and spaces in the rocky ceiling, amber columns of sunlight stream down across a carpet of rose petals and woven reeds. They form a natural pathway, leading up to a bed of purple blossom at the center of the cave. There, lying on top of it, is a magnificent white stallion. The beast's eyes are closed, as if in sleep, its ragged breathing the only sound in the still silent cave.

'Follow me,' says Talandra, leading the way up the path. 'The queen is here, also.'

At first you wonder who or what she is referring to – then, as you get closer to the horse, you see a woman lying perfectly still next to it, her eyes closed and her own breathing stilted and irregular. She is like all the other dryads you have met – green-skinned with mottled patches of grey and brown – but her beauty surpasses all. As she lies in slumber, her blonde hair cascades around her thin body like spun gold, mirroring the delicate leaves that adorn her robes.

'My queen,' gasps Bern, rushing to her side. 'What happened here? How long has she been like this?'

'Since the unicorn's horn was lost to us,' says Talandra. She walks over to a carved wooden table set beneath a natural overhang of rock. From it, she takes an arrow and hands it to Bern, who studies it with interest.

'That was the arrow that brought down the unicorn,' says Talandra, her face hardening. The hunters took the horn. Without it, the grove will lose its magic. The queen already weakens... trapped in a slumber from which she cannot awake. Their magic, their fates, are intertwined. Without the horn. the unicorn will pass away and our dear queen will...' She stops, taking a deep breath to compose herself. 'Bern, can you help us?'

The warrior studies the arrow. 'This is not the work of goblins. The wood is weak – marsh wood from the mangroves. And look, this fletching is oiled. The wreekins are responsible.'

'No!' gasps Talandra. 'But they are a peaceful race. They honor our borders as we do theirs. Why would they take the horn? They know it is precious to us.'

Bern gets to his feet. 'I intend to find out. Can you take me to where you found the unicorn? I can pick up the trail from there.'

As you are led out of the cave, Bern stops beside you. 'I'm afraid the answers you seek will have to wait. The queen's life is now in the balance. Unless we find the horn, everything you have just seen will be gone forever.'
Solandris is waiting for you when you step out of the cave. 'Well, are you going to help us, then?' she snaps, looking sullenly at Bern. Taladra looks about to reprimand her, but Bern interjects by raising a hand.

'It was your queen who granted me my powers. I swore to use them only in defense of the forest. Last night, she came to me in a dream and begged for my aid. And that is why I am here. I am a ranger and I can track your enemies to the ends of the world if I must. Now, I insist we do not waste time. Lead on.'

You are taken to the edge of the glade, where a patch of bloodied grass marks the site of the attack. Bern disappears into the trees – then returns only moments later. 'There are tracks here, leading south towards the marsh. They belong to wreekin; about seven in number by my estimate. They have about a day's lead on us.'

'Then what are we waiting for?' says Solandris, drawing her daggers. 'Let us go and kill them, and get the horn back. Before it is too late.'

Bern looks to you. 'I will go with this one,' he says. 'I have a charm that I can use to give us swift flight. The two of you should stay here and protect your queen until we return.'

Solandris looks to her leader, pouting angrily. 'I will not stay! I want to see justice done, by my own hands!'

Talandra shakes her head. 'No, Solandris. We are friends with the wreekin. What has happened here may not be an act of aggression or war – there may be more to this. Your anger will only make things worse.'

Solandris gives you a sulky glare, then turns her back on the gathering. 'So be it.'

Bern reaches into one of the pouches hanging from his belt. 'This is glimmer dust,' he explains, producing a vial of sparkling powder. 'Sprinkle some on your boots, then follow me. And,' he offers you a wry smile, 'try and keep up.'

You take the vial and dust some of the powder onto your boots. Suddenly they start to glow, as a whoosh of magic spirals up around your legs, making them feel as light as air.
The forest whips past you in a blur of brown and green, as you race at breakneck speed through the undergrowth. Bern is at your side, matching you step for step as he leaps and bounds over logs and fallen branches. Incredibly, despite the unnatural speed that you are both traveling at, he appears to be studying his surroundings with a keen eye. He gestures to the left, veering off in that direction in a blazing trail of glittering light. You follow suit, the tight-press of trees whipping past you as the wind roars in your ears.

Within seconds, the blurred wall of trees is gone, replaced by a wide expanse of boggy marshland. Your feet skim the surface of the water as you hurtle onwards, across the grey-green swamp. Eventually, you begin to slow; your feet sinking deeper and deeper into the brackish water. Soon you are wading through it, up to your knees, Bern only a few meters ahead of you.

'That powder will have helped us close the distance,' he says, surveying the featureless landscape. 'Over here. Come on.' He points to a swelling of hills, that rise up like some hump-backed creature from the scrubby wetlands.

Arriving atop the hill, you spot your prey. A number of creatures, that look like man-like frogs in reed skirts, are scurrying across the marsh. One of them is wearing a headdress made from animal bones. Across his back is slung a palm-leaf sack.

'There they are,' says Bern. He loosens his sword in his scabbard. 'I do not imagine they will give up the horn without a fight. Are you ready?'

You nod, readying your own weapons. Then, together, you race after the fleeing wreekin.
The creatures are slow-moving, their bow-legged gait not designed for speed. You close with them fast, but not before one of the party has noticed you. It gives a warbling cry of alarm, drawing the wreekin to a halt. The one in the headdress barks guttural orders to its companions, then hurries away, heading further into the marsh, while the rest of the wreekin turn to face you, tridents and barbed nets held ready in their frog-like hands.

'So much for the diplomatic approach,' Bern grimaces. In a singing blur of steel, the warrior draws his sword, its blade bursting into yellow light. With a thunderous war cry, he charges into the pack of wreekin.

• Help Bern fight the wreekin?
• Run after the wreekin in the headdress?
Last edited by angelfromanotherpin on Wed Mar 01, 2017 6:41 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Ikeren
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Post by Ikeren »

Don't seperate the party; Help Bern. We can slog through the lot of them if we have to.
Omegonthesane
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Post by Omegonthesane »

Last time we abandoned a competent companion they survived. Then again, it's not like these people even tried the diplomatic approach before trying to shiv us.
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Darth Rabbitt
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Post by Darth Rabbitt »

I'd go after the wreekin in the headdress--I assume that as a DMPC Bern will survive.
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angelfromanotherpin
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Post by angelfromanotherpin »

Weapons raised, you follow Bern into the pack of wreekin. The air rings with their warbling cries, as the creatures spin their nets about their heads, weighted with hook-like bones. Bern quickly becomes entagled in one of the nets, falling to the boggy ground. You try and go to his aid, but are brought up short by a bolt of green light, which rips into the swamp ahead of you, throwing up mud and water high into the air.

As you spin round, you see one of the wreekin holding a wand fashioned from strips of bone. It levels the wand at you again, preparing to fire another blast:
SpeedMagicArmorHealth
Wreekin mage116545

Special Abilities
- Charge her up!: The wreekin mage does not roll for damage if it wins a combat round. Instead, for every two rounds of combat it wins, it launches a bolt from its wand. This deals 10 armor-ignoring damage. You cannot use vanish, evade, or sidestep to avoid this.
Winning two combat rounds against Trellis is a questionable strategy, but it's a little distressing that random unnamed wreekin mage is more dangerous than the last quest's vampire count end-boss.
Round 1: Us 9+12+2, Him 9+11; 3+11-5 damage, he's at 36. *Thorns* He's at 35.
Round 2: Us (haste'd) 13+12, Him 7+11; 5+11-5 damage, he's at 24. *Thorns* He's at 23.
Round 3: Us 6+12, Him 5+11; 6+11-5 damage, he's at 11. *Thorns* He's at 10.
Round 4: Us 2+12 (feint'd) 5+12, Him 8+11; Charging blast. *Thorns* He's at 9.
Round 5: Us 5+12, Him 2+11; 2+11-5 damage, he's at 1. *Thorns* Wreekin mage defeated!
Quickly and skillfully, you dispatch the mage. You may now take one of the following items:
Ring of the marshes (ring) +1 brawn, +1 armor, Ability: swamp legs (1/combat, reduce enemy's speed by 1 for 1 round).
T-bone wand (left-hand: wand) +1 speed, +1 magic, Ability: bolt (1/combat, when you win a round, cancel your damage to charge your weapon; the next time you win combat you deal 3 damage dice ignoring armor - note that Sear will add 1 to each of those dice), requirement: mage
You turn your attention back to Bern. The ranger has got back to his feet; two wreekin now lie dead in the swamp around him. As he battles with a third, you feel something whipping around your legs, dragging you to the ground. Startled, you look down to see one of the wreekin's nets snagged around your legs. Before you have a chance to cut your way free, the net's frog-like owner is upon you, stabbing with its pronged trident:
SpeedBrawnArmorHealth
Wreekin hunter88540
Wreekin net215

Special Abilities
- Entrapment: You can only roll 1 die to determine your attack speed while you have the net around your legs. If you win a combat round, you can choose to attack the wreekin hunter or the net. If the net is destroyed then you can roll 2 dice for your speed as normal. If the hunter is killed first, then you can simply cut yourself free of the net.
Unusually, you get to see the next fight before you pick a loot.
Name: Trellis
Path: Mage
Career: Alchemist
Speed: +12, Brawn: +1, Magic: +10, Armor: +6
Health: 40
SlotItemSpeedBrawnMagicArmorAbility
HeadHorns of the Bull+1+2Charge
NecklaceSilver Cross+1+1Heal
CloakCloak of Shadows+1+2Feint
Main HandBlood Harvest+2+1Leech
Left HandBook of Black Deeds+2+2
GlovesVambraces+1+2Parry
ChestCinder's Gown+1+3Sear
FeetRune-Forged Greaves+2+2
TalismanSap-filled Gland+1Heal
Ring 1Traveler's Ring+1+1Charm
Ring 2Circle of ThornsThorns

BackpackItem
1The Compendium of Dwarven Lore
2Gourd of Healing (1 use) Use any time in combat to restore 6 health.
3Spider's Leg
4Ghoul Hair
5

Rune Key
Money Pouch: 446 Crowns

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Last edited by angelfromanotherpin on Mon Sep 04, 2017 7:02 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Omegonthesane
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Post by Omegonthesane »

Wow, those are both trash drops. I'm not even sure it's worth losing Thorns for that shit and we're well past the point where 1 damage a round is enough to mean much.

Destroy the net first; we're at <50% to win each combat round until we do.
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Post by Darth Rabbitt »

Leave the wreekin's trinkets to sink in the mud.

Attack the net first round, which will nearly kill it even if we roll poorly, and then let Thorns finish it off and go for the hunter.
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angelfromanotherpin
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Post by angelfromanotherpin »

I think the wand would be interesting if it wasn't 1/combat. You'd trade a little general effectiveness for a second combat mode that was good against highly-armored enemies. It could also be decent for mages who had made some bad choices and wound up with a low damage stat.
Round 1: Us 3+12+2, Him 8+8; 1+11-2 damage, net's at 5. *Thorns* He's at 39, net's at 4.
Round 2: (haste'd) Us 7+12, Him 6+8; 4+11-2 damage, net's destroyed. *Thorns* He's at 38.
Round 3: Us 5+12, Him 4+8; 6+11-5 damage, he's at 26. *Thorns* He's at 25.
Round 4: Us 6+12, Him 2+8; 3+11-5 damage, he's at 16. *Thorns* He's at 15.
Round 5: Us 7+12, Him 11+8; draw. *Thorns* He's at 14.
Round 6: Us 5+12, Him 9+8; draw. *Thorns* He's at 13.
Round 7: Us 5+12, Him 7+8; 5+11-5 damage, he's at 2. *Thorns* He's at 1.
Round 8: Us 10+12, Him 6+8; 1+11-5 damage, hunter defeated.
You hack away at the reed netting, finally clambering free of its painful barbs. Meanwhile, Bern has dispatched the last of the wreekin warriors, his glowing blade now coated with green blood. Grimly, he eyes the dead bodies. 'Let's search these and see what we can find.'
You search the bodies and find 10 gold crowns and the following items, which you may take:
Wreekin net (left hand: net) +1 speed, +2 brawn, Ability: webbed (1/combat, opponent rolls -1 die for combat speed for 1 round)
Trident of the south seas (main hand: trident) +1 speed, +3 magic
If you have Lorinwold's Field Guide to Roots, Herbs, and Leaves then you may pick 2 bramble thorn and 1 thimble sage from the swamp.

Bern sheathes his blade and turns to view the misty horizon. 'As I suspected – the one that fled probably has the horn. Hmm, he won't have got far. Come on, let's go finish this.'
I'm confident that those both also count as trash.
You track the fleeing wreekin across the swamp, to a small settlement of mud huts on the banks of a stagnant lake. A crowd of the creatures have gathered outside one of the larger huts.

As you approach, a pair of sentries hurry towards you, armed with spears. Bern doesn't slow. Instead he raises his hands and summons roots of thorny vines to trap the sentries in place. 'That is the last of my magic,' he says, his face looking pale and drawn. 'I hope we don't face much more resistance this day.'

Thankfully, the wreekin in the village are so intent on pushing and jostling each other to see into the mud hut, that they don't even notice your arrival. As you make your way through the crowd, there are a few warbling cries of alarm, but when Bern draws his glowing sword and raises it high into the air, the wreekin cower away, covering their eyes. Most of them appear to be simple fishermen and hunters, unlike the fierce warriors that you fought in the swamp.

Unhindred, you follow Bern into the hut. The single large room is dominated by a large pallet bed and sprawled on top of it is a giant road, its brown-green skin glistening with moisture. From his size and appearance, you can only assume that this is the leader of the village – and he looks as though he is dying. From between his rubbery lips comes from a moan of pain, as his bulging glassy eyes roll back and forth in a feverish delirium.

The wreekin in the headdress has already unwrapped his pack, revealing a glowing ivory horn. He now holds it over a bowl of steaming liquid, a knife held ready to begin cutting into it.

'No! Wait!' demands Bern, rushing forwards. He snatches the horn from the surprised wreekin's grasp, and clutches it protectively to his chest. He speaks something in a guttural language. The wreekin answers, stabbing a finger towards his dying leader. Their exchange continues for some minutes, before the wreekin finally appears to concede. Bern walks over to the bowl, rolling up his sleeves.

'They took the horn for its magical properties,' he says to you. 'Their leader has a fever. He could die unless he gets a cure. It looks to me like a rare strain of the marsh fever. I can cure it, I think – but I will need your help.'
Bern issues orders to the wreekin, who hurriedly leaves the hut, returning a few minutes later with a reed basket filled with herbs. The ranger begins adding some of these to the steaming liquid.

'I can slow the onset of the fever,' he says, his brow furrowed with concentration. 'But to heal it completely I will need some black mandrake. It grows out in the swamp, on the edge of the mangroves to the east. I need you to go and get me some – I must stay here and do what I can.' He looks up from his work, his eyes settling on the unicorn's horn, resting next to the bowl. 'I promised them that I would save their leader, in return for the horn. There is very little time – now go!'

The wreekin scatter out of your way as you hurry from the hut. With your eyes set firmly on the mist-shrouded horizon, you set out into the marsh.
The further into the swamp you go, the thicker the swirling mist becomes. Soon you are stumbling through an impenetrable white haze, with little sense of which direction you are headed in.

(next section determined randomly)
As you continue across the swamp, you spot a pale watery-yellow orb gleaming through the mist. Having lost all sense of direction, you decide to head towards it in the hope that it might be a fellow traveler or at least some building that will provide a helpful landmark on your journey.

The land quickly begins to rise, becoming a series of boggy hills covered in boulders and patches of crab grass. Relieved to be out of the brackish water, you trudge across the soggy ground towards the light. It is coming from inside a rock cave, resting on top of one of the hills.

You step inside, the light hovering just ahead of you. It appears to be a strange ball of magical light, which is bobbing up and down as if on a string. As you near, you see that it is on a string; the globe is attached to a greeny-brown tendril that dangles from the dark ceiling. You go to touch it – and suddenly, there is a deafening roar as something lurches out of the darkness. Stumbling back, you realize in horror that the light is simply a lure, attached to the forehead of an immense fish-like creature. As it crawls towards you on slippery fins, your eyes become fixated on its immense cavernous maw. Inside, you see row upon row of hooked teeth, forming a deadly tunnel of gnashing death that leads all the way back into the creature's stomach. Determined not to become its next meal, you draw your weapons and prepare to defend yourself:
SpeedMagicArmorHealth
The angler11101660

Special Abilities
- Indigestion: The creature's rubbery skin is difficult to penetrate. If you win an attack round, you can either strike the angler fish as normal (against an armor value of 16) or run into the creature's stomach and attack it from the inside! If you decide to enter the stomach, then you automatically lose 5 health from the fish's teeth, but you can roll for damage as normal, and the damage you inflict ignores the creature's armor. The fish then spits you out – meaning you must win another attack round to decide whether to attack as normal or enter the stomach again.
Metal.
Round 1: Us 5+12+2, It 5+11; (stomach'd) 2+11 damage (leech'd), it's at 47, we're at 37. *Thorns* It's at 46.
Round 2: (haste'd) Us 9+12, It 5+11; (stomach'd) 5+11 damage (leech'd), it's at 30, we're at 34. *Thorns* It's at 29.
Round 3: Us 2+12 (feint'd) 8+12, It 8+11; (stomach'd) 1+11 damage (leech'd), it's at 17, we're at 31. *Thorns* It's at 16.
Round 4: Us 9+12, It 11+11; parry. *Thorns* It's at 15.
Round 5: Us 7+12, It 5+11; (stomach'd) 6+11 damage, angler defeated!
The giant fish-like beast collapses to the cave floor, its bobbing light flickering for a second before winking out into darkness. As your eyes slowly become accustomed to the gloom, you spot an area of the cave littered with the remains of the creature's many meals. Searching through those scraps you find 30 gold crowns. You may also take one of the following items:
Lucky fishing rod (main hand: rod) +2 speed, +1 brawn, Ability: charm
Twin furies (left hand: pistol) +1 speed, +3 brawn, requirement: rogue
Scaled vest (chest) +1 speed, +2 magic, Ability: swamp legs
You also find a treasure map, scratched onto a tattered piece of parchment. Make a note of the entry number, any time you wish to view the map, turn to that entry number (keeping a record of the entry you were on previously).

Concerned that this distraction may have cost you valuable time, you delay no further in leaving the cave and continuing your journey.
Pick a loot.
Name: Trellis
Path: Mage
Career: Alchemist
Speed: +12, Brawn: +1, Magic: +10, Armor: +6
Health: 40
SlotItemSpeedBrawnMagicArmorAbility
HeadHorns of the Bull+1+2Charge
NecklaceSilver Cross+1+1Heal
CloakCloak of Shadows+1+2Feint
Main HandBlood Harvest+2+1Leech
Left HandBook of Black Deeds+2+2
GlovesVambraces+1+2Parry
ChestCinder's Gown+1+3Sear
FeetRune-Forged Greaves+2+2
TalismanSap-filled Gland+1Heal
Ring 1Traveler's Ring+1+1Charm
Ring 2Circle of ThornsThorns

BackpackItem
1The Compendium of Dwarven Lore
2Gourd of Healing (1 use) Use any time in combat to restore 6 health.
3Spider's Leg
4Ghoul Hair
5

Rune Key
Money Pouch: 456 Crowns

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Last edited by angelfromanotherpin on Mon Sep 04, 2017 7:02 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Omegonthesane
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Post by Omegonthesane »

A pistol we can't use, a Brawn weapon when we're a mage, and a chestpiece with strictly inferior numbers and a worse ability. Leave the fish's loot to rot.
Kaelik wrote:Because powerful men get away with terrible shit, and even the public domain ones get ignored, and then, when the floodgates open, it turns out there was a goddam flood behind it.

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