[LP] DestinyQuest: The Legion of Shadow

[angelfromanotherpin]

'A wise choice,' nods Lansbury. 'I'm glad to see someone listens to my counsel.'

Nyms starts past you, rolling his eyes as he does so. You grin back at him as you follow, with Lansbury and Caeleb bringing up the rear. Moving quickly, you take a wide arc around the paved courtyard, keeping to the shadows of the smaller outbuildings. Most are grey and crumbling, their stonework clogged with weeds and thorny brambles. As you pass around the side of the domed building, Nyms suddenly halts, dropping down for cover behind a fallen column. He waves for the rest of you to do the same.

'What is it?' you whisper, crouching beside him. 'I don't see...'

Nyms puts a hand on your sleeve to silence you, and then nods towards a smaller tomb over to your left. As you scan its weed-choked stonework, you suddenly hear voices amidst the drumming rain. They appear to be coming from the other side of the tomb, obscured from view by a moldering statue.

• Insist that the party investigates?
• Ignore the distraction and continue onwards?

[Judging__Eagle]

Why not check out noise? Assuming that the noise is new to the story, and not something expected in the cemetery. I haven't been keeping up w/ this thread for a few pages now.

[Omegonthesane]

INVESTIGATE ALL THE THINGS

Random noises might not register next to shiny objects, but we can't see any shiny objects, so go follow the random noise.

[angelfromanotherpin]

You draw your weapons and start towards to the tomb, intrigued as to the source of the voices. As you near, there is the crunch of booted feet - and suddenly two black-robed figures appeararound the side of the tomb.One is shorter than the other, his rain-sodden hood pulled low over a youthful face. You note that his hands are raised and magic is flickering around the ends of his fingers. His companion appears to be a tutor of soem sort, offering encouragement.

'Yes, that's it,' he states in an eager tone. 'You don't have to force the magic. Once the connection is made...'

You freeze, aware that you are in full view of the mages, your sudden halt forcing Nyms to knock into you with a grunt. The necromancers notice you, their eyes widening. Like lightning, the tutor tugs a wand from his belt and aims it at you. There is a blinding flash of magic and then the sound of crackling flames. You are able to dodge aside, but Nyms takes the full force of the blast, reeling backwards into the sodden ash.

Caeleb races to your side, raising his shield as another bolt tears across the space, slamming harmlessly against the shield's runed steel. Lansbury has hurried over to Nyms, who is groaning in pain. You see her hands flare with healing magic, as she passes a palm across the charred armor. Then you hear a guttural snarl. Behind the young mage lurches a hunched misshapen figure.

It has the appearance of a ghoul: its body haphazardly formed from bones and rotted flesh. The creature shuffles forward, its scraggly arms ending in knife-like claws slick with rainwater. It is then that you realize that the young mage is controlling the beast. With a cruel grin, the youth raises his hand and extends a finger out in your direction. The ghoul's glowing eyes narrow to angry slits, then with a gibbering cackle of delight, it scampers towards you, claws raised to strike.

While Caeleb battles with the tutor, it is up to you to defeat the young mage and his ghoulish companion:

	Speed	Magic	Armor	Health
Apprentice	12	9	8	85

Special Abilities
- Giblets: The zombie causes 3 armor-ignoring damage at the end of every combat round; it is defeated when the apprentice is.
- Dark master: If you are a necromancer you can attempt to wrest control of the zombie. Roll a die at the start of each combat round, if it comes up 6 you have won control and for the remainder of the combat Giblets will inflict his damage on the apprentice instead.

Oo, we are a necromancer. Also, this guy has an actual loss reference.
Round 1: 1, Giblets stays loyal. Us 5+14, Him 6+12; 2+19-8 damage, he's at 72. *DOTs* We're at 47, he's at 70.
Round 2: 1, Giblets stays loyal. Us 9+14, Him 7+12; 4+19-8 damage, he's at 55. *DOTs* We're at 44, he's at 52.
Round 3: 2, Giblets stays loyal. Us 8+14, Him 8+12; 6+19-8 damage, he's at 35. *DOTs* We're at 41, he's at 31.
Round 4: 4, Giblets stays loyal. Us 8+14, Him 3+12; 1+19-8 damage, he's at 19. *DOTs* We're at 38, he's at 14.
Round 5: 6, Giblets is ours! Us 10+14, Him 8+12; 3+19-8 damage, he's defeated!

The apprentice is defeated, his ghoulish creation dropping to the ground in a jumble of blood-flecked bones. Meanwhile, Caeleb is still trading blows with the tutor, who has summoned a black blade into his hands. Deflecting the mage's desperate strikes with his shield, the cavalier thrusts his sword past the necromancer's guard, taking him down.

'Nice work,' grins Nyms, wandering over. He brushes the wet ash from his leathers. 'Anyone would think you no longer needed me.'

Caeleb kneels beside the necromancer, wiping his bloody sword against the mage's robes. 'And anyone would think a rogue couldn't dodge a fireball.' He looks up, his eyes glinting mischievously beneath his helm.

Nyms scowls, rubbing his right shoulder. 'Yeah, took me a bit by surprise, that's all.'

You cast a nervous glance over your shoulder, fearful that the battle might have drawn the attention of the bone sentry. But thankfully there is no sign of the winged abomination. Sheathing your weapons, you search the body of the apprentice. You find 30 gold crowns and may help yourself for one of the following items:

Home brew (backpack) 2 uses, any time in combat for +3 magic for 1 round.
Cracked spectacles (head) +2 speed, +2 magic, Ability: focus (mo; 1/combat, +3 magic for 1 round)
Stink bomb (backpack) 1 use, use at start of round to reduce an opponent's speed by 2 for that round.

• If you are a mage...
• Otherwise...

(Another opportunity to pick up the Necromancer career.)

You pass around the back of the domed building, hoping to find an alternative entrance to Arthurian's tomb. However, as you gaze upon the wide expanse of mildewed stone, your hopes are dashed.

'Nice idea,' groans Nyms, pushing against a section of the wall. 'Were you hoping to find a secret door, Lans?'

You glance over your shoulder, waiting for the medic's retort. To your surprise, Lansbury isn't there.

'Over here!'

Your attention is drawn to a wedge-shaped mound of dirt, set away from the building. Lank yellow reeds and tangled thorns cover much of its surface. Lansbury is standing next to it, her staff pointed to a section of the mound.

'What have you found?' grumbles Nyms, walking over. 'A new herb for your collection?'

When you join the medic, you give a snort of surprise when you see the secret entrance that she has discovered. It is a slab of dark grey stone, set into the earth. Someone or something has pushed it inwards, revealing an ash-clogged set of stairs, leading down into darkness.

'A back entrance,' grins Lansbury. 'You just need to have faith.' The medic utters a quick word of magic, summoning a brilliant white light to the tip of her staff. 'Care to join me?' With a smug smile, she starts down the stairs.

Nyms draws his swords and gives you an uneasy frown. 'I've a bad feeling about this.'

'That's not like you,' chuckles Caeleb, pushing him forwards into the earthen tunnel. 'Need me to hold your hand?'

Nyms gives Caeleb a playful shove as they head down the stairs. You pause, your eyes shifting to your shadow mark, which has started to tingle beneath your skin. Not a good sign, you realize grimly. Readying your own weapons you follow the others into the secret passage, grateful – at least – to be finally out of the incessant rain.

The air quickly becomes hot and stifling; the tingling from your arm intensifying as you descend into the musty tomb. At the foot of the stairs, you find yourself in a large stone chamber. Most of the ceiling is a crumbling ruin, the dark rock split by thick snaking roots and vines. Dust motes drift lazily through the twilit space, forming a hazy white veil as they swirl before Lansbury's pale light.

Nyms starts into the room, but Lansbury puts out her staff to stop him. 'Wait...' Her attention is focused on the far side of the chamber, where something is moving.

You squint, trying to discern what it is. It appears to be a growth of some description, a mold or lichen, covering an entire side of the room. Parts of its rotted form are rising and falling, as if beating with some form of sentient life.

'Now, let's assume that isn't friendly,' says Nyms, grimacing with revulsion.

'It's a magic anomaly,' whispers Lansbury, glancing at her staff as its light begins to flicker. 'We should stay well away from it. Learn from those who were less fortunate...' She nods to the paved floor of the chamber, where you notice several fleshy mounds smeared across the stone, punctuated by splintered shards of bone.

'We don't have to go near it,' says Caeleb firmly, pointing his sword in the direction of an archway in the west wall. 'I suggest we move on from here.'

• Investigate the magical anomaly?
• Leave the room through the archway?

Pick a loot. Also, do we poke the thing that we don't know what it does?

Name: Trellis
Path: Mage
Career: Pyromancer
Speed: +14, Brawn: +4, Magic: +16, Armor: +3
Health: 50

Slot	Item	Speed	Brawn	Magic	Armor	Ability
Head	Hood of Night	+2		+3		Deceive
Necklace	Silver Cross	+1		+1		Heal
Cloak	Sparkcraft Mantle	+2		+2		Life Spark
Main Hand	Lasher	+3	+3			Bleed
Left Hand	Sprig of Corruption	+2		+3		Corruption
Gloves	Vambraces	+1			+2	Parry
Chest	Cinder's Gown	+1		+3		Sear
Feet	Rune-Forged Greaves	+2		+2
Talisman	Bone Fetish				+1	Necromancer
Ring 1	Traveler's Ring		+1	+1		Charm
Ring 2	Circle of Thorns					Thorns

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

Rune Key
Plain Gold Ring
Money Pouch: 966 Crowns

[Darth Rabbitt]

Take stink bomb, ignore anomaly.

[Omegonthesane]

Take home brew, ignore anomaly. (Stink bomb is used at the start of the round so its effect could be wasted, whereas the brew can be used to add +3 when we know we've hit.)

[Ikeren]

I'll vote homebrew with Omegon's reassoning.

I actually will dissenting vote for investigate anomaly. Curiosity killed the cat, but satisfaction brought it back.

[Judging__Eagle]

Poking swords where our noses lead has worked fine all this time. It's not like we haven't been beating the power-scaling encounters up until now. Also, this sort of book doesn't seem to have Die-no-Save/Battle type encounters one finds in the Fighting Fantasy franchise of CYOA books, so we'll probably find an encounter.

Also, the Stinkbomb vs Homebrew debate; unless the Stinkbomb was a much higher modifier (& it's not) than the Homebrew; the fact that it's 1x use and can only be used at the start of the round makes it bullshit along three axes.

Only if it didn't take a Backpack slot at all, would it be reasonable to choose.

[Omegonthesane]

Changing vote to investigate anomaly so that there's a tie-winning single position for both loot and plot.

[angelfromanotherpin]

As you approah the anomaly, your shadow mark starts to burn. You tug back your clothing to expose the branded serpents. Their purple runes are burning with their own dark life, mirroring the rhythmic beating coming from the strange growth.

'Do not go near it!' cries Lansbury. 'It will kill you!'

You glance over your shoulder. 'It doesn't look that dangerous...' Suddenly you hear a sickening series of squelches. The growth has started to move, its long tendrils of rotted fungus ripping themselves free from the crumbling stone.

'Oh, that's not good,' cries Nyms. 'That's really not good.'

From the creature's mold-encrusted center, a noxious steam escapes into the air, reeking of death and decay. You raise your arm, covering your face against the eye-watering stench. As you do so, an agonizing wail fills the room. In horror, you realize it is coming from the anomaly. It is trying to draw awat from you. Its bloated fungal body seeking to drag itself across the stone wall.

You glance over at your arm and the shadow mark that is burning with an immense heat, sending dark smoke curling up into the earthen chamber. Your eyes flick back to the anomaly. A sudden hunger, a longing for its power, overwhelms your senses. You take a step forward, arm outstretched, to try and absorb the magic.

The air ripples as some invisible force grips the anomaly and attempts to drag it towards your mark. In a desperate effort to defend itself, the anomaly sends thrashing tentacles whipping out through the air, seeking to knock you away:

	Speed	Magic	Armor	Health
Sentient Anomaly	12	16	-	-

Special Abilities
- Absorption: You cannot harm this magical foe. If you win a combat round, roll one die. If you roll a 3 or greater then the anomaly's magic is reduced by 4. Once the anomaly's magic is reduced to zero then it has been successfully absorbed into the shadow mark.
- Concentration: You cannot use potions or special abilities in this combat.

This is a weird one.
Round 1: Us 10+14, It 10+12; 6, it's at 12.
Round 2: Us 6+14, It 10+12; 5+12-2 damage, we're at 35.
Round 3: Us 6+14, It 7+12; draw.
Round 4: Us 8+14, It 2+12; 2, no effect.
Round 5: Us 8+14, It 7+12; 6, it's at 8.
Round 6: Us 7+14, It 7+12; 4, it's at 4.
Round 7: Us 5+17, It 4+12; 2, no effect.
Round 8: Us 12+14, It 7+12; 5, it's absorbed!

The anomaly breaks apart into glittering strands of green magic, which streak towards your arm. As they hit the branded flesh, you feel a cold surge of power rush into your body. The magic is old and corrupted, but it is welcome all the same, feeding your muscles and enhancing your senses. When the last of the anomaly has been absorbed, you stumble back half-gasping and half-laughing at your newfound power. Lansbury is at your side, regarding you with a mixture of horror and fascination.

Nyms, on the other hand is is patting you on the back. 'Nice move,' he grins. 'And look - your way of finding secret doors is much more interesting.'

You look up to see a square opening cut into the stone of the wall, previously covered by the magical growth. Caeleb helps you to your feet, watching you intently from between the slits of his helm.

'Are you okay?' he asks. 'Is that thing... inside you now?'

You nod, lifting your arm to reveal the absorbed magic, flickering along the branded mark.

Caeleb jerks his head away. 'It reeks of evil,' he growls.

'And it will be the death of you,' hisses Lansbury, knocking your arm away with her staff. Her face is flushed with both anger and upset. 'You have no idea of the magic you are playing with!'

Nyms shrugs his shoulders. 'No complaints here, I don't have to look at that disgusting snot-beast anymore. Now, what're we doing, people? I say, secret room equals treasure.'

'And I say we have more pressing concerns,' snaps Caeleb. 'We cannot let Zul's followers gain the upper hand.'

• Leave the chamber by the archway?
• Investigate the secret room?

[Omegonthesane]

Do we get a keyword of some kind to reflect our absorbed magic, given it doesn't appear to be represented by a stat boost? I mean I assume this comes back to bite us later in the dungeon.

Investigate the secret room.

[angelfromanotherpin]

Nope, no keyword, nor the temporary stat boost we got last time.

[Darth Rabbitt]

Investigate.

[Ikeren]

Huh, that was interesting. I'm contented with my vote.

Investigate secret room.

[angelfromanotherpin]

You enter a small square chamber, hewn from the bare rock. The low ceiling peaks into a natural shaft, which angles upwards through stone and roots to reveal a narrow band of daylight above. In a corner of the room lies the skeleton of an adventurer. Their clothes are rotted with age, brushed with a carpet of tangled cobwebs. A jeweled dagger is still clutched in the bony fingers of one hand.

Lansbury kneels beside the skeleton, her brow creased. 'I wonder what happened here.'

'Tomb robber,' snorts Nyms, loking up at the narrow shaft. Probably climbed down here hoping for some easy loot. I guess they found more than they bargained for.'

Lansbury frees a loose bone from the cobwebs, turning it over in the light from her staff. 'Thisarm was severed,' she states grimly, tracing the uneven edge with a finger. 'I think they may have done it themselves.' The medic nods to the dagger in the other hand.

'Why would someone do that?' asks Caeleb.

'An infection perhaps.' Lansbury lets the bone drop from her hand. 'It doesn't reallymatter now. I think they are beyond helping.'

'No, I meant this.' Caeleb is stood facing one of the walls, his head craned back. You move to join him, your jaw falling open in bewilderment when you see what has caught the warriors' attention.

The entire wall is covered in hundreds of marks, cut deep into the rock by a blade or stone. Most are purely random symbols, but some are clearly an attempt at communication. You edge closer, the light from Lansbry's staff casting flickering shadows over the crude engravings.

Not me. Not me. One God punishes. I punish. Punish. Not me! I die for him. Not me. Not me. The rest descends into gibberish, the marks becoming more erratic.

Lansbury looks back at the skeleton. 'Perhaps they were trapped in here. That anomaly could have existed for a very long time.'

You feel a sudden prickling along your skin. Instinctively, you spin round to face the far wall. There, hanging like a glimmering curtain, is another anomaly. While the previous one had been a glutinous mass of mold and decay, this one is sparkling like dew on a spider's web, its thin strands rising and falling on an unfelt breeze.

'What s it?' asks Nyms, trading confused looks between yourself and the far wall.

You glance at your companions. 'Don't you see it?'

Lansbury's face hardens. 'Another anomaly...;

'Then why can't we see it?' growls Caeleb, raising his shield as he turns slowly on the spot. 'It's something to do with that thing you absorbed, isn't it?'

Nyms has started backing up, edging towards the entranceway. 'This could be very bad. I think it's time to leave, don't you?'

• Agree and leave the stone chamber?
• Investigate the anomaly?

[Ikeren]

YAY! ANOTHER ANOMALY! LET'S DO IT GUYS!

[Omegonthesane]

Collect ALL the anomalies!

[Darth Rabbitt]

Gotta catch 'em all!

[SGamerz]

'Anomaly' can be used as a synonym for curios and antiques too, so they must be valuable! LootAbsorb them all!

[Judging__Eagle]

We must boldly seek out all phenomena, anomalies, and other novelties.

Of course, it's likely that the third anomaly will overload & anomalize us into anomalous matter.

Too bad we can't cut our infected arm now. That might stave off potential madness & death.

[angelfromanotherpin]

The anomaly's sparkling strands are almost hypnotic, blurring into intricate patterns of light as they dance before your vision. Mesmerized by its gentle radiance, you find yourself moving closer and closer, until you are almost touching its glowing, rythmic form.

Then, in an instant, the web-like strands wrap around you, encasing you in a suffocating prison. There is a scream from somewhere behind you – then you are enveloped in a white light. You feel yourself falling forwards. Frantically, you put your hands out to cushion your fall, but there is nothing to hold on to – the space is empty, featureless. Then there is a rush of cold air followed by another flash.

You land heavily on your stomach, the air punched from your lungs. Rolling onto your back, you gasp for air, your whole body trembling.

'Lansbury?' you croak. There is no answer. Something is wrong... different.

As you push yourself up, you realize that you are in the same chamber, but it has somehow changed. It is darker, night time – the rough-hewn walls cut by shadows of flickering torchlight. Rain pours in torrents from the open shaft, the rain glittering as lightning flashes overhead. You catch the sound of dirt being scraped beneath a boot heel...

Agilely, you spring to your feet, your weapons drawn and ready. In the corner of the room, a figure is watching you. They have one hand around a lantern and the other gripping a jeweled dagger.

'Who are you?' he snarls, his voice shaking with anger. 'Are you more spirits to punish me?' A peal of maddened laughter echoes around the chamber. 'Yes, yes, you are here to test me. Test my faith.'

He cautiously circles around you, a flash of lightning picking out his grime-stained features. The man is thin and wan, clad in a tattered black coat. It hangs open, revealing the faded remnants of a military uniform. Between his long and ragged hair, you catch a cruel smile.

'Did you think I would fail?' He spits with scorn. 'I am a great man. I was not born to this.' He holds out his dagger, his hand shaking. 'I can cut you, yes – yes. Do you bleed, spirit?'

You glance past the stranger, towards the entranceway in the far wall. It appears to be blocked by something. There is no sign of the skeleton or your companions.

• Attack the stranger?
• Try and convince him you mean no harm?
• Demand to know what he is doing here?

[Darth Rabbitt]

Try and convince him we mean no harm. I think he's crazy enough to see a demand as a threat, and he's obviously seen something interesting so I see no reason to attack right away.

[Ikeren]

Agreed! TIME TRAVEL! WOOO!

[Omegonthesane]

See if he can point us to some shiny objects.

[SGamerz]

I wish there's an option to cut ourselves and show him how we bleed.

Tell him we mean no harm.