[LP] DestinyQuest: The Legion of Shadow

Stories about games that you run and/or have played in.

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Omegonthesane
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Post by Omegonthesane »

Agreed, town then easy 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.

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Post by Darth Rabbitt »

Thirded.
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angelfromanotherpin
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Post by angelfromanotherpin »

• If you have already met Waldo...

There is a commotion at the edge of the camp. You lower your weapons, tired from the morning's sparring with Nyms.

'Trouble?' you ask, peering past the swordsman.

Nyms cocks his head, watching as soldiers hurry past. 'Looks like something's stirred up the ants...'

A wooden cart is rattling its way through the camp, led by a single piebald pony. The driver has removed his cap and is waving it through the air in greeting.

You fall into step beside Nyms as you head over to the new arrival. 'Perhaps it's a tinker.'

Nyms spins the grips of his swords with a smile. 'Hope so. They may bring word from the south. And a lot more besides.'

Soldiers are jostling each other to get a better view inside the cart, but one by one, with much grumbling, they break away and return to their duties.

The driver pats his cap down on his head as he brings the cart to a squeaking halt. 'Ah, some more discerning customers,' he smiles, watching you approach.

'Perhaps,' says Nyms, sheathing his blades. 'You come from the south?' He nods towards the glittering dome of magic that surrounds the ruined city.

'Yes, from Talanost,' says the driver, hopping down from his seat.

'Talanost? That's impossible!' says Lansbury, Redguard's medic, striding towards the cart. 'The city is taken. The mages have it guarded. No one can enter or leave.'

The driver shrugs. 'Where there's a will, there's a way.'

'Not when it comes to the Arcane Circle,' says Lansbury suspiciously.

'Ain't that the truth.' Nyms walks around the side of the cart and starts to examine its contents. You join him, scanning the clutter of objects.

'This is junk!' scowls Nyms.

For once, you find yourself agreeing with Nyms. The wagon is filled with all manner of bric-a-brac, but none of it is valuable – pots and pans, musty-smelling rags, a rusty spade, part of an old cabinet... there is even someone's front door in there.

The man shrugs. 'Times are hard, what can I say?'

Nyms starts back towards the trader, drawing one of his swords. 'How did you pass through the city unharmed? The shadow spawn would have torn you to pieces.'

The driver shuffles round nervously, watching the swordsman warily. 'Perhaps they took me for a fool, just like–'

There is the scuffling of boots as Nyms surges forward, grabbing the trader by the front of his coat and pushing him down into the grey-black ash. The tip of his blade rests against the man's throat.

'Hey, I meant no disrespect!' The panicked man raises his hands beseechingly. 'My name is Waldo, I'm just a trader.'

'Just a trader...' Lansbury passes her hand along the side of the cart. At her touch, glowing runes and sigils blossom into being, revealing a dazzling pattern that covers every inch of the dark wood. 'These are not dwarf runes,' she says, pausing to watch as the symbols glow and then dim to nothing once again. '... and certainly not the work of an inscriber. What manner of magic–'

'I found it!' interjects Waldo quickly. He tries to sit up, but Nyms forces him back withthe edge of his blade. 'Or it found me. I know nothing of magic. Just that it has its uses. Makes me go unnoticed...'

'Really?' Nyms offers the trader a skeptical frown. 'Not working now, is it?'

Waldo looks at you pleadingly. 'Talanost is in ruins. The legion destroys everything in its way, but they have no interest in the spoils of war. I have... things... items that I found among the rubble. I got a knack for finding it, see.' He looks back, towards his cart. 'It would be worth your while to see what I got for you. Could decide the fortunes of this war.'

Nyms snorts dismissively, but steps back from the trader. 'A cartload of broken junk is hardly what we need to win this war.'

Waldo stumbles back to his feet, brushing the dust from his weather-beaten coat. 'Have it your way, swordsman.' He gives you a sideways glance. 'But appearances can be deceiving.'

• Ask Lansbury about the strange runes?
• Ask Nyms for his opinion on the trader?
• Ask to see the trader's wares?
Omegonthesane
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Post by Omegonthesane »

Rune exposition dump plox.
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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angelfromanotherpin
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Post by angelfromanotherpin »

You join Lansbury, who is still studying the cart with a thoughtful expression.

'What do you think? Those runes... did they tell you anything?'

The medic gives a deep sigh.'I don't know. They are not of this world, if that is what you mean.' She traces a finger along a length of wood, forcing the sigils to glimmer briefly in the dull half-light. 'While not the same, I would say they share a common origin with... this.' She reaches out and takes hold of your arm, tugging back on the sleeve to reveal your branded skin.

You snatch your arm away defensively. 'A shadow mark?'

Lansbury shrugs. 'Some of the symbols on this cart follow a similar form, although I sense their purpose is different. I would say these runes have more to do with travel and safe passage than...' she glances down at your arm, '... murder.'

You tug back your sleeve, shamed and angered. 'I can't change the past.'

The medic holds up her hands, nodding. ' know. I know. Forgive me, I'm sorry.'

You give her a hard look before shifting your attention back to the trader. 'And what of him? Is he a spy or not? If these are shadow runes, that makes him the enemy.'

'Oh, hardly.' Lansbury leans over the side of the cart and pulls out an old cooking pot. Holding it to her face, she peers at you through one of its many rusted holes. 'I don't think we need to be frightened of old pots just yet, do you?'

• Ask Nyms for his opinion on the trader?
• Ask to see the trader's wares?
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Post by Ikeren »

Ask Nyms for opinion ---> then ask to see trader's wares?
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Post by Omegonthesane »

Agreed.
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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angelfromanotherpin
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Post by angelfromanotherpin »

I was wondering if anybody would care what jackass thinks.
Nyms studies the trader with a frown. 'I've heard of such things – charms that allow you to travel unseen or to confuse those that would seek to do you harm. I suspect this cart of his,' he taps one of the rickety-looking wheels with his foot, 'strange though it might sound, could have such a charm worked on it. Although, why anyone would want to give this junkyard that kind of attention...'

He tilts his head, regarding the trader with a half-smile. 'In a camp full of the king's own, he would be even crazier than me to cause trouble. And as you know... that is a whole lot of crazy.'

The swordsman turns and pats you on the shoulder. 'Perhaps you should find out what he has to sell. I mean,' Nyms makes a show of looking you up and down, 'you could really do with the makeover.'

• Ask Lansbury about the strange runes?
• Ask to see the trader's wares? √
'A-ha, I see you have a nose for a bargain!' Waldo grabs hold of the old riding blanket that covers his seat and, with a flourish, pulls it away to reveal an ornate chest. Putting the blanket aside, he takes the chest and lifts it down onto the ground.

You kneel beside it, entranced by the silver patterns that have been embossed onto its metallic surface. For a moment they make no sense to you – but then the lines appear to shift and take on form. You lean back, scrutinizing the scene that is materializing before you. It shows a vast city, crowned by towers and minarets. The bodies of three snakes form an arched entranceway, their bodies covered in glistening runes.

'What is this?' You cannot tear your eyes away from the intricate scene. 'Where did you find it?'

Waldo squats down beside you, hands resting on his knees. 'Does it mean something to you?' he asks hopefully.

'It is... familiar.' You trace the raised patterns with your fingers. 'This city, have you seen it before?'

'Is it your home?' he ventures.

You shrug your shoulders. 'I wish I knew... I have no memory of that place.'

'Well, I always say... it's what's on the inside that counts, eh?'

Waldo puts his hand inside his shirt and pulls out a silver chain. On the end of it is a small sparkling key. Lifting the chain over his head, he takes the key and inserts it into the lock of the chest. A turn and a click later and you find yourself staring into its velvet-lined cavity...

• If you are a warrior...
• If you are a rogue...

• If you are a mage...
Just like the tinker's chest in the town of 'No Hope,' the interior of the chest is larger on the inside, filled with a myriad of weapons, armor, and trinkets. It is a far cry from the battered pots and pans in the trader's cart.

'Now do you believe me?' grins Waldo, leaning over your shoulder. 'I got a knack for finding treasure. And rare stuff, too.'

'I suspect these don't come cheap,' you say with a wry grin as you lift out a gold-embroidered cloak.

'That depends. I got my rare items... real beauties those, then I got my special deals.'

• Ask to see the special deals? √
• Ask to see the rare items?
Yes, my special deals. Well, let's take a look...' He reaches inside the chest and produces three items, which he lays out on the ash-covered ground. 'For you, 450 gold crowns. I can't say fairer than that.'

You may purchase any of the following items for 450 gold crowns each:
Slipstream silk (cloak) +3 speed, +2 magic, Ability: surge (1/combat, +3 magic for 1 round, -1 speed on the next round)
Wrath of ages (ring) +2 magic, Ability: rust (if you win a combat round and deal damage, reduce the opponent's armor by 2 for the rest of the combat)
Chilblain's tears (necklace) +1 magic, +1 armor, Ability: piercing (1/combat, bypass enemy's armor)
• Ask to see Waldo's rare items? √
• Bid the trader farewell?
'Craving more magic, eh?' The trader gives a low whistle. 'Well, I reckon these are just what you need.' he reaches inside the chest and produces three items, which he carefully before you. 'Now, magic like this,' he catches your eye, his mouth twisting into a smile, 'could win you a war. Tell me, how can anyone put a price on that?' He rubs his jaw thoughtfully. 'It pains me... but, 900 gold crowns? Yes, that's a fair price. Risked my life for those little beauties.'

You may purchase any of the following items for 900 gold crowns each:
Slipstream gown (chest) +2 speed, +4 magic, Ability: overload (1/combat, roll an extra die for combat damage)
Talanost's reach (left-hand: wand) +2 speed, +4 magic, Ability: critical strike (1/combat, change each die you have rolled for damage to a 6)
Boots of shielding (feet) +2 speed, +1 armor, Ability: deflect (1/combat, if your enemy wins combat, prevent their damage and deal 2 dice of armor-ignoring damage to them)
• Ask to see Waldo's special deals?
• Bid the trader farewell?
Well, we can't afford any of his good stuff, but do we want any of his bargain stuff?
Name: Trellis
Path: Mage
Career: Pyromancer
Speed: +12, Brawn: +1, Magic: +18, Armor: +2
Health: 50
SlotItemSpeedBrawnMagicArmorAbility
HeadWreath of Woe+1+3Barbs
NecklaceSilver Cross+1+1Heal
CloakSparkcraft Mantle+2+2Life Spark
Main HandFirebrand+2+2Fire Aura
Left HandSprig of Corruption+2+3Corruption
GlovesVambraces+1+2Parry
ChestCinder's Gown+1+3Sear
FeetRune-Forged Greaves+2+2
TalismanCore of Flame+1Pyromancer
Ring 1Traveler's Ring+1+1Charm
Ring 2Circle of ThornsThorns

BackpackItem
1The Compendium of Dwarven Lore
2Elixir of Invisibility
3Spider's Leg
4Ghoul Hair
5

Rune Key
Plain Gold Ring
Money Pouch: 836 Crowns

Image
Last edited by angelfromanotherpin on Mon Sep 04, 2017 7:19 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Omegonthesane
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Post by Omegonthesane »

Pass. The only thing even worth considering is the slipstream silk, and we need more than a +1 to justify losing lifespark.
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 »

The Boots of Shielding have a decent ability and don't lose us any Speed, but they're probably not worth losing 2 Magic for. Conversely, the Slipstream Gown has better stat mods than Cinder's, but the relative +1 to both Magic and Speed aren't worth the worse ability.

TL;DR: agreed with Omegon.
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Post by Ikeren »

Agreed. Easy quest then
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Post by Darth Rabbitt »

Yeah, easy quest sounds good now.

I also noticed that I went over the premium items we couldn't afford, presumably because I can't read.
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angelfromanotherpin
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Post by angelfromanotherpin »

Waldo closes the chest and locks it with the silver key. When he straightens, he claps you on the shoulder with a wide smile. 'Guess I'll be sticking around for a while, unless those inquisitors move me on – so, come seek me out if you need anything else.'

You glance down at the strange chest. Its glittering embossed design now displays a winged dragon – identical to the one displayed on Redguard's fluttering standards. 'Hmm, appearances can be deceiving,' you mutter.

Waldo doffs his cap to you. 'I'll let others be the judge of that.'

Bidding the trader farewell, you head back into the camp. Return to the map to continue your adventure.
On to easy quest.
Quest: The warning

As the dull grey light darkens towards evening, you notice a gathering of guards at the southern tip of the camp. You hurry over to join them, wondering what it is that has caught their attention. Then you see it for yourself – a green halo of light flickering over the horizon. Every now and again there is a distant boom, as if of thunder, and for an instant the light flares brighter.

'What is happening?' you ask to the guard next to you. He is young, little more than a bou. His hand rests on the pommel of his short sword, and you notice it is shaking.

'That's... that's the shield... the mage shield over Talanost. It's what keeps the legion from breaking out of the city.' He jumps as another thunderous boom echoes across the plains. 'It's the legion. They're trying to break through... testing the defenses.'

Suddenly there is the piercing clamor of a bell. You all leap to attention, turning towards the source of the sound. One of the guards on the eastern wall is waving a lit torch in the air.

'Oh no,' sighs the young guard next to you. 'That can't be good.'

When you reach the wall, a number of guards have already assembled there, led by captain Redguard. You spot Nyms and Caeleb among their ranks, still hastily strapping on their armor.

'Tell me again what you saw,' demands Redguard, speaking to the guard that raised the alarm.

'It was a flare: a... a yellow light that shot up into the sky,' he says nervously.

Redguard nods. 'It's my ranger; she's in trouble.'

There is a disgruntled murmur from the guards as a tall, burly man barrels his way to the front. He is dressed in white and gold armor, the shick shoulder plates almost a man wide. His hair is like a lion's mane, thick and golden, held back from his eyes by a silver band. Redguard snaps to attention, saluting the man, who you assume is his superior.

'Inquisitor Mathis,' he says, with an obvious trace of resentment in his voice.

'What is this? What is going on?' the plated warrior demands gruffly.

Redguard gives a heavy sigh. 'I was given information... rumor, sir, that there may be an army gathering out in the bone fields.' His eyes flick to you for a second.

The inquisitor raises an eyebrow. 'Go on.'

'So I sent Janna out to scout. She was a ranger before she joined the garrison, sir. It appears she may be in trouble... my guard saw her signal flare.'

The inquisitor snorts. 'Of course she will be in trouble. The bone fields are a dangerous place.'

'Then what are we waiting for?' scowls Nyms, adjusting his sword belt. 'We better get out there.'

Redguard nods and looks about to assign orders, but stops when the inquisitor raises his hand. 'No, I forbid it,' he declares loudly.
Ah, the inquisitor was cunningly lying in ambush for you at the easy mission. Cunning devil.
'You forbid it?' repeats Redguard, visibly shaking with anger. 'On what grounds? She is king's army. She is one of my best soldiers.'

The inquisitor is already turning, to head back down into the camp. 'I will not have men's lives wasted. It was an ill decision to send a lone guard out into the fields, chasing rumor, of all things.' He stops and looks back toward Redguard. 'I forbid any member of this garrison to leave their post.'

'Wait!' Nyms slides through the assembled guards to reach the inquisitor. For a moment they stare, eyeball to eyeball with each other. 'I'm not army,' he says defiantly. 'And neither are these two.' He gestures towards Caeleb and yourself. 'So, you can't stop us. Your word has no authority over us.'

The inquisitor opens his mouth to protest, but closes it when he sees the assembled crowd nodding with approval. Redguard is smiling to himself as he looks to the three of you. 'I can't authorize this. If you go, it is your own decision.'

'Look there! There it is again!' shouts one of the guards, pointing. This time you all see it: a bright arrow of light arching up into the grey twilight.

'Come on,' says Nyms. 'Enough talking, I want some action.'

You and Caeleb follow him down the steps, ignoring the pouting inquisitor who is glaring at everyone with a furious anger. 'They will not return,' he growls, raising his voice so that it carries after you. 'They are fools to risk the bone fields. No good will come of this!'

As you head out into the grey ash-covered hills, littered with the bones of the dead, you wonder if the inquisitor may have a point.
Nyms and Caeleb set a grueling pace, sprinting at full pelt across the hills and valleys. You do your best to keep up, your eyes focused intently on the ground. The bones and rocks are proving treacherous, threatening at any second to twist an ankle or trap a leg.

Then your attention shifts to the sky, as it is lit up by another flare of yellow light. Nyms immediately changes course, swerving to the right. 'Over here!' he shouts back.

You follow him down into a steep-sided gorge. In the walls to either side you can see doorways cut into the grey earth. Some are blocked by tablets of stone, others are open, revealing nothing but impenetrable darkness.

Up ahead, you see a woman racing towards you. From the green tabard she is wearing over her shirt of chain mail, you assume this must be Redguard's ranger. She has a short bow clutched in one hand, with a quarrel of arrows bouncing at her hip.

'Janna!' shouts Nyms, waving to her. 'Are you all right?'

The ranger is out of breath when she reaches you, her skin and hair caked in grey dust. 'I saw them... I saw them,' she gasps.

From above, there is a deafening shriek. Looking up, you see four monstrous creatures sweeping down from the sky. They look like giant birds, save that they have no skin or feathers – their bodies are simply bone and sinew.

'Bone wyverns,' growls Caeleb, drawing his sword and raising his shield.

'Yeah, and they're not our only problem,' adds Nyms, his own swords leaping into his hands.

Each of the bone wyverns is carrying something in their claws. As they pass above you, they let go of their packages. The four of you scatter as the 'things' thump to the ground. For a moment, they look like piles of bones. Then suddenly they start to animate – the bones sliding and cracking into place to form giant humanoid creatures with bony claws and horned skulls.

'Bone constructs!' yells Nyms.

'Head up!' orders Janna, nocking an arrow to her bow. Her eyes are following the path of the wyverns, who are already sweeping back to join the attack.
Nyms and Caeleb charge into the monstrous bone constructs, agilely dodging their raking claws. They are outnumbered two-to-one, however; you wonder how long they will be able to fend off the creatures' savage attacks.

Meanwhile, Janna is firing arrow after arrow into the flock of wyverns. As each arrow takes flight, they burst into magical flames – slamming into the wyverns and sending them reeling back through the air. Yet despite the ranger's best efforts, one of the wyverns has peeled away from the group and is swooping in to attack.

• Help Nyms and Caeleb?
• Help defend Janna?
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Post by Ikeren »

I love the "We will tell you the creatures name now."

Let's help defend Janna. We came for her, after all.
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angelfromanotherpin
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Post by angelfromanotherpin »

Ikeren wrote:I love the "We will tell you the creatures name now."
That actually makes good sense to me. If the opposition has various distinct classes of enemy that require distinct counter-tactics, just straight announcing them by name as soon as they appear is a useful habit.
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Post by Omegonthesane »

Defend Janna. The other two should be in a better position to take care of themselves.
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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Post by Ikeren »

Do they? Are distinct counter-tactics a thing in this game? By the time you get to combat, it's not like you can re-arrange gear to get different abilities?
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Post by Darth Rabbitt »

There are probably abilities that you might opt to use or not use on given creatures if you know what they are, although I can't think of any in this book so far.

Help Janna, it looks like she needs it more and we need her more than than the other two. Also, the bone wyverns sound more dangerous (seeing as they can fly) so we should probably take them out first.
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Post by angelfromanotherpin »

You draw your weapons and head off the wyvern as it dives towards Janna. The ranger thanks you, scurrying away to find a safer vantage point to rain arrows on the remaining wyverns.

Dodging past the creature's clawing talons, you press home your attack:
SpeedBrawnArmorHealth
Bone wyvern13121070

Special Abilities
- Snapping beak: At the end of every combat round, you automatically take 2 armor-ignoring damage.
- Body of bone: Your opponent is immune to bleed and venom.
Easy!? Act 3 is apparently real real.
Round 1: Us 7+12, It 8+13; parry'd. *DOTs* We're at 48, it's at 67.
Round 2: Us 7+12, It 11+13; 1+12-2 damage, we're at 37. *DOTs* We're at 35, it's at 64.
Round 3: Us 7+12 (charm'd) 10+12 (life spark, we're at 39), It 7+13; ignite 9 damage, it's at 55. *DOTs* We're at 37, it's at 51.
Round 4: Us 10+12 (life spark, we're at 41), It 6+13; 6+19-10 damage (corrupt'd), it's at 36. *DOTs* We're at 39, it's at 32.
Round 5: Us 8+12, It 7+13; draw. *DOTs* We're at 37, it's at 28.
Round 6: Us 10+12, It 11+13; 5+10-2 damage, we're at 24. *DOTs*
We're at 22, it's at 24.
Round 7: Us 9+12, It 8+13; draw. *DOTs* We're at 20, it's at 20.
Round 8: Us 8+12, It 6+13; 5+19-10 damage, it's at 6. *DOTs* We're at 18, it's at 2.
Round 9: Us 5+12, It 6+13; 5+10-2 damage, we're at 5. *DOTs* We're at 3, it's defeated!
The creature beats its wings furiously, struggling to keep up as you dodge and weave about its body. Despite its strength, the wyvern is an ungainly fighter and it isn't long before the beast is finally brought crashing to the ground in a heap of bones and dust.

From its remains, you may now help yourself to one of the following rewards:
Wyvern jaws (head) +3 magic, +2 armor.
Wicked claw (main hand: dagger) +1 speed, +3 brawn, Ability: critical strike, Requirement: rogue
As the dust settles, you quickly scan your surroundings, taking in the current state of the battle.
Nyms and Caeleb have made short work of the bone constructs,
while Janna has dispatched the wyverns using her magical arrows.
However, there is little time for celebration. Echoing from the valley walls comes a gibbering chattering crescendo. As you regroup, you turn to see a horde of ghouls scampering around the corner, scattering ash and dust as they race towards you. Behind them, almost matching their pace,
is a man dressed in fur and leather. In one hand he holds a whip, which he cracks constantly, driving the bestial ghouls to greater feats of speed.

'Ghouls and a packmaster,' grins Nyms. 'You must have really made them angry, Janna.'

'We can't fight them here,' snaps Caeleb. 'They'll overrun us.'

'In here!' Janna starts sprinting towards a nearby doorway, cut into the side of the cliff wall. Raising her right hand, she calls up a golden flame,
to light the way as she rushes into the darkness.

You follow her into the earthen passageway. Once you are all inside,
Janna turns and begins chanting a spell. The light in her hands turns to green fire, which she hurls at the tunnel entrance. The moment the maic hits the ground, a wall of black thorns bursts up out of the soil.

'That should hold them for a while,' she says.
The passageway opens out into a square chamber. The air is stale and heavy with the reek of damp earth. Within moments, Janna has lit a set of torches, resting in sconces on the walls. As the chamberfills with a warm golden glow, your eyes come to rest on the large stone tomb at its center. Etched onto its lid is the figure of a helmed knight, with sword and shield resting on his chest.

'What a wonderful plan,' growls Nyms, who is pacing up and down like a caged lion. 'Now we're trapped. There is no way out of here.'

Janna gives him a narrowed look. 'Sorry, I missed the part where you were full of ideas, Nyms.'

'Guys! Guys, come here.'

It is Caeleb, who has stopped to study a mural, which covers the entire length of one of the walls. It is a masterpiece of artwork, depicting a battalion of mounted knights, charging across a battlefield in wedge-shaped formation. Facing them is a chaotic-looking mass of shadowy creatures, more teeth and claws than anything else.

'The Legion of Shadow,' gasps Janna, observing the grisly detail.

'Who are the knights?' asks Nyms, his brow furrowed.

'The Tor Knights,' states Caeleb, his voice filled with wonder. 'They fought in the last battle against the shadow. That's Arthurian, the king's son.
' He points to the armored knight leading the charge. 'They were slain in that battle to the very last man. They gave their lives to hold off the legion, buying time for his father's reinforcements to arrive.'

'Is this a Tor Knight then?' you ask, glancing back to the tomb.

Caeleb nods reverently. 'Arthurian and the knights were all buried here,
in the bone fields.'

'Enough of the guided tour,' interjects Nyms. 'We've got company.'

Back down the tunnel, you can see the ghouls clawing and tearng a thr wall of thorns. It won't be long before they are through and into the tomb.
Nyms races towards the wall of thorns as one of the ghouls breaks through. His swords whip through the snarling creature, severing it in two. Already, more of the ghouls are clawing at each other to be next through the breach. Nyms angles his swords, scraping one against the other and sending a flurry of sparks towards the thorns. Within seconds, the sparks have lit the dry weed, sending flames marching along its wiry limbs.

The creatures screech and recoil as the whole wall of thorns finally bursts into flame, burning those ghouls still struggling to get past. Nyms retreats down the tunnel, putting distance between himself and the blinding black smoke.

Back in the chamber, there is a sound like thunder, as dirt and stne rain down from the ceiling. Your eyes are drawn upwards as a pair of serated claws break through the soil, raking through the earth and cracking stone.

'What is it?' you gasp, readying your weapons. 'I'm not sure,' replies Caeleb, raising his shield to cover himself from the flying fragments.
'But it's big!'

There is another thunderous crack and then part of the ceiling gives way,
opening up a jagged hole. You move back around the tomb, as grey light spills into the chamber, framing an immense hulking creature. Its body is without skin - just a grisly mass of muscle and sinew, stretched tight over a frame of bone. As it hunches forwards, the creature's beady eyes rove back and forth. Then it proceeds to slide its wickedly-clawed hands through the hole. They find purchase and, with a bellowing roar, the giant hurls itself into the chamber, splintering the stone beneath its feet as it lands.

'A flesh golem,' calls Caleb. 'Back... get back!'

'Yeah, they really want us dead,' growls Nyms, turning to face the pack of ghouls, which are now scampering down the tunnel.

• Help Nyms fight the ghouls?
• Help Caeleb and Janna defeat the flesh golem?
Name: Trellis
Path: Mage
Career: Pyromancer
Speed: +12, Brawn: +1, Magic: +18, Armor: +2
Health: 50
SlotItemSpeedBrawnMagicArmorAbility
HeadWreath of Woe+1+3Barbs
NecklaceSilver Cross+1+1Heal
CloakSparkcraft Mantle+2+2Life Spark
Main HandFirebrand+2+2Fire Aura
Left HandSprig of Corruption+2+3Corruption
GlovesVambraces+1+2Parry
ChestCinder's Gown+1+3Sear
FeetRune-Forged Greaves+2+2
TalismanCore of Flame+1Pyromancer
Ring 1Traveler's Ring+1+1Charm
Ring 2Circle of ThornsThorns

BackpackItem
1The Compendium of Dwarven Lore
2Elixir of Invisibility
3Spider's Leg
4Ghoul Hair
5

Rune Key
Plain Gold Ring
Money Pouch: 836 Crowns

Image
Last edited by angelfromanotherpin on Mon Sep 04, 2017 7:20 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Omegonthesane
Prince
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Post by Omegonthesane »

We've got an AoE so should be better against plural ghouls. Also nonmechanical logic sayeth that the two need less help than the one.

So fight the ghouls.
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Ikeren
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Post by Ikeren »

Yep, sounds reasonable.
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Darth Rabbitt
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Post by Darth Rabbitt »

Also (d&d) flesh golems are traditionally immune to magic (which would mean most of our abilities) so we're probably less useful in that fight. So let's torch some ghouls.
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angelfromanotherpin
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Post by angelfromanotherpin »

The ghouls are everywhere, filling the passageway like a swarm of ants. Some have leapt onto the walls and ceiling, using their powerful claws to dig into the earth.

'Watch out! Above you!' shouts Nyms.

Almost too late, you dodge aside as one jumps down, its claws missing your shoulder by inches. Even as you fend off its continued attack, you can see more of the spindly creatures out of the corner of your eye, skilfully using the walls and ceiling to outflank you.
SpeedBrawnArmorHealth
Ghoul pack1371280

Special Abilities
- Pierce: The ghouls' attacks ignore your armor.
Joke's on them, we practically have no armor to ignore.
Round 1: Us 7+12 (charm'd) 12+12, Them 8+13; ignite: 8 damage,
they're at 72. *DOTs* They're at 68.
Round 2: Us 8+12, Them 8+13; 4+7 damage, we're at 39. *DOTs* They're at 68.
Round 3: Us 8+12, Them 4+13; 6+19-12 damage, they're at 55 (corrupt'd). *DOTs* They're at 51.
Round 4: Us 4+12, Them 7+13; 3+5 damage, we're at 31. *DOTs* They're at 47.
Round 5: Us 2+12 (life spark, we're at 35), Them 4+13; 2+5 damage, we're at 28. *DOTs* They're at 43.
Round 6: Us 10+12 (life spark, we're at 32), Them 9+13; draw. *DOTs* They're at 39.
Round 7: Us 7+12, Them 8+13; 2+5 damage, we're at 25. *DOTs* They're at 35.
Round 8: Us 9+12, Them 5+13; 6+19-12 damage, they're at 23. *DOTs* They're at 19.
Round 9: Us 9+12, Them 7+13; 6+19-12 damage, they're at 6. *DOTs* They're at 2.
Round 10: Us 5+12, Them 8+13; 5+5 damage, we're at 15. *DOTs* They're defeated!
As you clear a space around you, Nyms points down the tunnel.
'The packmaster! Get the packmaster!' he shouts.

You look up to see the man you saw earlier, standing at the entrance to the tmb. He has a whip in one hand and a knife in the other. He snarls,
revealing jagged teeth as sharp as the ghouls'. Then he charges towards you, hissing with a bestial rage:
SpeedBrawnArmorHealth
Packmaster13121270

Special Abilities
- Whiplash: For each 6 result that the packmaster rolls for attack speed, his whip lashes around you, dealing 2 armor-ignoring damage.
Aw shit, back-to-back!
Round 1: Us 4+12, Him 11+13 (whip'd, we're at 48); 2+12-2 damage, we're at 36. *DOTs* He's at 67.
Round 2: Us 6+12, Him 8+13; 3+12-2 damage, we're at 23. *DOTs* He's at 64.
Round 3: Us 11+12, Him 5+13; ignite: 8 damage, he's at 56. *DOTs* He's at 52.
Round 4: Us 7+12, Him 10+13 (whip'd, we're at 21); 3+12-2 damage, we're at 8. *DOTs* He's at 48.
Round 5: Us 12+12 (life spark, we're at 12), Him 5+13; 5+19-12 damage (corrupt'd), he's at 36. *DOTs* He's at 32.
Round 6: Us 12+12 (life spark, we're at 16), Him 7+13 (whip'd, we're at 14); 5+19-12 damage, he's at 20. *DOTs* He's at 16.
Round 7: Us 11+12, Him 6+13; 2+19-12 damage, he's at 7. *DOTs* He's at 3.
Round 8: Us 9+12, Him 8+13; draw. *DOTs* He's defeated!
Check out that legit rage comeback Trellis pulled off after getting her ass kicked in the first few rounds.
As the packmaster falls, you notice that the remaining ghouls appear to lose their bestial vigor. It takes only a few moments for Nyms and yourself to pick off the stragglers, one by one.

With the last of the ghouls defeated, you walk over and search the packmaster's body. You find 50 gold crowns and may help yourself to one of the following rewards:
Vagabond boots (feet) +2 speed, +2 armor, Ability: steadfast (immune: knockdown)
Bestial gloves (gloves) +2 brawn, +2 armor, Ability: adrenaline (sp; 1/combat, gain +2 speed for two rounds)
Lasher (main hand: whip) +3 speed, +3 brawn, Ability: bleed
When you return to the chamber, you see that Caeleb and Janna have skilfully downed the flesh golem. However, your problems are far from over.
There is a rumbling crack as the lid of the tomb shatters. From the broken shards, an armored knight rises to its feet, a tower shield grasped in one hand and a rune-etched sword in the other. From the narrow slit in the knight's visor, you see two red-glowing eyes.

'Ugh, why does everything want to kill us?' groans Nyms.

'Up there, look!' Caeleb points to the hole in the ceiling of the chamber.
Crouched at its edge is a black-cloaked man, his face partially concealed by a hood. Both his hands are pointed towards the knight, their tips crackling with black magic.

'A necromancer!' gasps Janna.

Before you can act, the hooded stranger drops down from the shattered ceiling. He lands in a crouch, his tattered cloak rippling from his thin shoulders. 'Fools!' he hisses. 'You cannot stand against the might of the bone army!'

The mage reaches for his belt, his black cloak shifting to reveal the hilt of a jeweled dagger. With a scrape of steel, he draws out the hooked blade. As he holds it aloft, a murky ochre light spreads from the hilt to its tip.
Your bones will rise again' he cackles. 'And you will fight loyally by my side, as my eternal champions!'

• Attack the undead knight?
• Attack the necromancer?
Name: Trellis
Path: Mage
Career: Pyromancer
Speed: +12, Brawn: +1, Magic: +18, Armor: +2
Health: 50
SlotItemSpeedBrawnMagicArmorAbility
HeadWreath of Woe+1+3Barbs
NecklaceSilver Cross+1+1Heal
CloakSparkcraft Mantle+2+2Life Spark
Main HandFirebrand+2+2Fire Aura
Left HandSprig of Corruption+2+3Corruption
GlovesVambraces+1+2Parry
ChestCinder's Gown+1+3Sear
FeetRune-Forged Greaves+2+2
TalismanCore of Flame+1Pyromancer
Ring 1Traveler's Ring+1+1Charm
Ring 2Circle of ThornsThorns

BackpackItem
1The Compendium of Dwarven Lore
2Elixir of Invisibility
3Spider's Leg
4Ghoul Hair
5

Rune Key
Plain Gold Ring
Money Pouch: 886 Crowns

Image
Last edited by angelfromanotherpin on Mon Sep 04, 2017 7:21 pm, edited 2 times in total.
Omegonthesane
Prince
Posts: 3680
Joined: Sat Sep 26, 2009 3:55 pm

Post by Omegonthesane »

After seeing the book treat "army of ghouls" as "one target" I am now a tad (more) skeptical of the benefits of area DoTs. On that basis, take the whip, because it probably is worth losing 2 magic for 1 speed at this point and even losing fire aura, stacking bleeds could plausibly close the gap.

Then attack the necromancer.
Last edited by Omegonthesane on Fri May 19, 2017 5:44 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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
Knight-Baron
Posts: 849
Joined: Sat Jan 08, 2011 8:07 pm

Post by Ikeren »

I'm inclined to agree. Speed seems the winning strategy here.
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