The Necromancer IC

[Kaptin Keen]

Spoiler: So ...

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If you want to help Ardvil - he's being assaulted by a Swarm. If Ardvil was a luckier kind of guy, it would have been a crawling swarm - but it isn't, and so he cannot outrun it. He can try and fight it, and you can try to help him.

Other than that, the options are few. The Swarm has the Undead subtype, obviously, so ... if there was a source of holy water somewhere, that might help.

Watch him cower, Lord, as we assail him. None may stand against us, Lord, when our strength is gathered and the Host is assembled. This one will soon fall, and all who oppose us with him!

[iTookUrNick]

"Get back, Zheng!" warns Thanat as he sees the other man moving to help. The wizard himself stands transfixed by what is happening in front of him. he is no warmage, and none of the spells he knows would help in situation like this.

[Kaptin Keen]

The swarm lashes out at Ardvil. They are void, little packages of nothing-left-of-what-or-who-they-were-except-pain-and-misery. They are not evil - they are not equipped for neither will nor intent, then have nothing but their pain and the instinctive desire to lash out. They long only for a release they cannot know how to achieve.

Blood seeps from dozens of tiny wounds, and the 'paladin' - or whatever - decides to try his sword. He draws the blade and swings mightily, achiving as little in this way as he did with his attempt to turn undead. He screams again, frustration and pain mixed with fear and anger.

[iTookUrNick]

Spoiler: OOC

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Bureau? You here? Anything you want to add?

[Kaptin Keen]

Go ahead and take Thanats turn. Zheng will have to catch up if he wants to.

[iTookUrNick]

Thanat musters enough courage to try a spell on Ardvil. He casts Reduce person on the man, hoping to slow him down, then retreats toward the exit.

[Kaptin Keen]

Thanat musters enough courage to try a spell on Ardvil. He casts Reduce person on the man, hoping to slow him down, then retreats toward the exit.

Thanat invokes his magic, trying to transmute the knight to a more manageable size - but against the iron will of Ardvil, it's to little effect.

Did you conjure this vileness, wizard? I may not live to see the morning - but neither shall you.

Ardvil rushes forward, drawing his sword. He swings it in a huge circle, with terrifying force - easily enough to cut the meek wizard in half.

Spoiler: Rolls

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Attack: (1d20+8)[14] - he smites, but Thanat isn't evil.
Damage: (2d6+5)[7] - in principle, his sword - Justice - adds 2d6 damage to law breakers ... but Thanat is innocent of all charges. So. Tough.

Lets just see how that turns out. He can easily cut down Thanat in a single blow - but he's not going to. But I wont fudge unless I have to.

Edit: He takes a -2 on attack and damage, which serves to put Thanat at 1 hp.

There is ... it's a scream, of mighty and desperate effort, but it's weak, as if heard through many walls, or over great distance.

AAAaaiiiggh! I cannot .... hold him back, Lord. I can soften his blows somewhat, but I am weak. You must finish him.

What ever force summoned the swarm is struggeling, but manages to keep Thanat breathing. For now.

The swarm never relents. It's host of tiny wraithlings rip and tear. Many wounds - so many - cover poor Ardvils skin, and blood slowly covers him from head to toe. Still he stands - but he is not long for this world.

[iTookUrNick]

Thanat scream of agony matches the one of the mysterious entity as he feels the sword cut deep into his flesh. He does his best to complete the spell while keeping an eye on Ardvil's sword.Obscuring mist. Thanat steps away as the fog envelopes everything around the pair.

Spoiler: Roll

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Concentration - (1d20+10)[21]

[Kaptin Keen]

In an instant, everything is lost in the haze. Or ... everything perceived by the eyes, at least. The sounds are still there, the screams, the sword blows, the wet meaty sounds of grievous wounds inflicted.

[iTookUrNick]

Thanat retreats to one of the cave walls. There is nothing left for him to do, one way or the other. He whispers, his voice too soft even for his own ears to perceive: "I... thank you, I suppose..." He trembles, both because of the pain of the wound and the screams of the paladin. "I am about to flee, but I keep my word when I can: what would you have of me for the help you gave me?"

[Kaptin Keen]

For myself, I want nothing. I am the herald. I serve. I command the Host on your behalf. Where you go, I go. Whatever your goals are, they are mine too. Your enemies shall be laid to waste, Lord. None shall stand against us.

As the herald speaks, the struggles of Ardvil grow weaker. Finally, you hear him whisper:

Never untrue. Never unjust. This fight is lost, and it was my last. I go willingly to mechanus.

There is a wet sort of crunch, as the big man, clad in full plate, crashes to the floor, splashing blood everywhere.

See now, my Lord. The Host grows. I shall ... recruit this one. He is yours, for eternity. Loyal without question. Brave without fail.

As the mist clears, you see how Ardvils soul is torn from his broken body. He thrashes and wails, struggles to free himself - but it's no use. He fades into the ethereal, some sort of undead spirit now.

Spoiler: And thus ...

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... ends the tutorial. The world is at your feet. You have two units at your disposal, Fury and Despair. To summon them is a free action - since you really just inform the herald what you want, and he does all the actual work.

Fury is the swarm. I'll give you some sort of stats for it.
Despair is what has become of poor Ardvil. He is a simple melee combatant, but is surrounded by an aura of - you guessed it - despair, and all enemies around him suffer a morale penalty to saves and skill checks of -2.
And finally, the herald can curse a single combatant with -2 to attack and damage.

Such is the power of the Necromancer.

Where do you wish to go.

[iTookUrNick]

Spoiler: OOC

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Tutorial...

Btw, is there a body left?

"Me? Why me?". The question comes forth on its own, without thinking. Thanat considers himself a decent man, but not a great one. He can't think of anything he did to be granted such power. Such dreadful power too... He's never even thought of anyone as his enemy, though those responsible for his family's murder would certainly qualify...

"One question... about Ardvil. He's not... it's not really him, is it?" he leaves the implications unsaid, not daring to hope.

[Kaptin Keen]

Did you ever observe a flock of birds, Lord? And wonder why one bird decides to change direction, and all the rest follow? Speculate on the pattern behind it?

I am just the herald. I know that you are the Necromancer. I do not know why, any more than a bridge knows the destinations of the carts passing over it.

[iTookUrNick]

In fact, Thanat never speculated on the flight of birds before, but it is clear enough he will not get a proper answer just by asking.

Necromancer... the Herald calls him such, even if he does not actually know a single spell of that school. And yet it seems that he can wield a power beyond that of the masters of the academy. A power fit for one of the tales of old. The thought makes Thanat feel a bit of a cheat.

I know the tales - he thinks - and I will not make a classic mistake. I will be cautious with my power, and use it for a righteous cause. Vengeance counts as a righteous cause, right? he can only hope.

"All right, let's go. Follow me." says to the thin air.

[Kaptin Keen]

Spoiler: About undead

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My thinking on the topic of intelligent undead is this:

Becoming undead is never a good thing. There are no perks. No one in their right mind would ever willingly become undead. No, not liches either. No, also not vampires.

Undead are not complete souls. They are stripped down, reduced. All that remains is everything negative they ever felt - all the pain, and the longing, and the loss, the anger and the hate and spite and jealousy.

This is why undead act as they do. They lack all the things that make us human, all the compassion and empathy and love. They also, generally, lack ambition. You do not get vampire warlords trying to take over the worlds - you get vampires lusting, thirsting, longing, suffering. In vain, of course. Their desires cannot be fulfilled.

There is no such thing as a 'free willed' undead. Sure, they may make their own choices and decisions - but only inside the framework of what is left to them.

Anywhere you go Lord, I'm there at your side. Lead on.

[iTookUrNick]

Spoiler: OOC

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That's good to know. And quite fitting for a darker setting. I like it a lot.

Anything left inside the cave that i could use? Do I have provisions? Can you remind me what's around? If needed, I have a1 rank and a +4 total modifier in geography...

It's one thing to be decisive, quite another to have a plan. Thanat stops on the entrance of the cave, his gaze lost outward as he thinks about his next move.

[Kaptin Keen]

As the fight just ended, a curtain of unceasing downpour lies just beyond the cave entrance.

Inside, things are ... dry, but maybe not what might be considered hospitable. In the mist, Thanat managed to evade Ardvil - but Zheng was not so lucky. The two men both lie dead, their equipment scattered around them ((and I'll need to check Zhengs sheet to remember what he had)). Ardvils cloak remains where he left it, by the entrance. His packs are on the floor, and his great blade lies beside him.

Actually, there is only one bit of good news: The fire still burns.

Spoiler: Regarding Zheng

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Should he pop in, his wounds will turn out to be less than fatal. Otherwise I'll assume we lost him, and Ardvil took him down with his last breath.

[iTookUrNick]

Spoiler: OOC

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Seems fair.

Thanat stands at the cave's entrance. The pouring rain seems to wash away the pain and anxiety from his mind. Just a little, but it is something.
The first order of business is collecting anything useful from the cave, he thinks. That sounds better than 'looting corpses'. Then, the bodies of the fallen will have to be... composed... and sent off to rest... The usual ceremonies seems a bit hollow now. The last step for the moment will be choosing a destination. It will not be easy: he cannot go back to Madripor, but he's never been anywhere else. Heck, if it weren't for Zheng he would not have made it this far.
He focuses back on the rain: he is not keen on getting soaking wet once again. Before leaving, it might be a good idea to refresh spells and summon a familiar.

[Kaptin Keen]

Spoiler: Useful items

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Zheng had 18 gold on him, and a kama. He has a small pack containing one days worth of food, a healing kit, a vial of anti toxin, some candles and little else of value.

Ardvil had his full plate, his greatsword, a scroll case with various papers, 251 gold in various currencies, a potion of cure moderate wounds, an elaborate holy symbol, a small icon on a chain around his neck, and the cloak hanging by the door. He also had a pack which sports several days worth of quality rations, a more than decent wine, water, a water proofed tent, and a bed roll.

Other than that, the cave is as empty as you found it.

And the city is called Madripor.

[iTookUrNick]

Spoiler: OOC

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Right, Madripr. Names are not my strong suit.
Arcana - (1d20+7)[18] for a clue about the magic item function.

Thanat strips the cave of valuables and useful items: he pockets gold, the potion, rations and survival gear. He takes the paladin's magic items and studies them carefully, including the papers. He thinks about burning the bodies, but then decides to simply pull them in a corner in the most dignified position he can manage.

[Kaptin Keen]

The scrolls are authorizations, identification, warrants, and so forth - the paraphernalia of an agent of the law. He was recognized by crown, church and his home fief as a hunter of criminals, with the license to arrest even nobles. This wasn't just any guy.

Thanat bundles together all he can manage (and please check for encumbrance), and gets ready to head out once he's slept, and the weather has cleared.

Spoiler: Results

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Knowledge checks, in my book, are enough to identify magic items. The Identify spell is just a quicker way of doing it.

Justice - the greatsword - is +1, and adds 2d6 damage to law breakers. In case you're wondering, in an E6 world, that's extremely powerful.

His full plate is +1.

The cloak has a minor enchantment, warding off foul weather - sort of like Endure Elements, but with the additional benefit of keeping the wearer dry in heavy rain.

[iTookUrNick]

The cloak is indeed a pleasant surprise for Thanat, who dons it immediately. However, it is immediately clear that he will not be able to carry most of the rest. He wraps the plate with the wine, the tent and bedroll in a corner, thinking 'So this is how lost treasures are made...'.
He consider the sword, an item of great power and monetary value. It would make sense to keep it, even if he has no idea on how to wield it properly. At the same time, someone might recognize it and realize it does not belong with him...
A thought strikes Thanat: he will need to return to his city eventually, and get justice for his family's murder. What better cover than the one of a known hunter of criminals?
Of course, he will need a good disguise. A magical one, possibly. He knows there are ways to change one's own appearance at will, though he does not know how himself. He will also knows he will need a lot of practice to pull off something like that. And after he does, there will still be a murder to solve. It might not be the best plan, but it is a plan nonetheless: Thanat experience a tinge of anticipation as he delves into its details. As he does so, he goes back to the fallen paladin and takes what is left to begin his disguise. The papers are the most important piece, obviously, but the jewelry comes right after and even some of the clothes might fit with a few adjustments... He also cuts off a few strands of hair: you never know what sort of focus one might need for a good magical disguise.

Spoiler: OOC

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Regarding the familiar, do you have any indication on how to get one? I feel the bat might be the best choice thematically, and I'd like to have it at hand sooner rather than later.

[Kaptin Keen]

Spoiler: Old

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The cloak is indeed a pleasant surprise for Thanat, who dons it immediately. However, it is immediately clear that he will not be able to carry most of the rest. He wraps the plate with the wine, the tent and bedroll in a corner, thinking 'So this is how lost treasures are made...'.
He consider the sword, an item of great power and monetary value. It would make sense to keep it, even if he has no idea on how to wield it properly. At the same time, someone might recognize it and realize it does not belong with him...
A thought strikes Thanat: he will need to return to his city eventually, and get justice for his family's murder. What better cover than the one of a known hunter of criminals?
Of course, he will need a good disguise. A magical one, possibly. He knows there are ways to change one's own appearance at will, though he does not know how himself. He will also knows he will need a lot of practice to pull off something like that. And after he does, there will still be a murder to solve. It might not be the best plan, but it is a plan nonetheless: Thanat experience a tinge of anticipation as he delves into its details. As he does so, he goes back to the fallen paladin and takes what is left to begin his disguise. The papers are the most important piece, obviously, but the jewelry comes right after and even some of the clothes might fit with a few adjustments... He also cuts off a few strands of hair: you never know what sort of focus one might need for a good magical disguise.

Spoiler: OOC

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Regarding the familiar, do you have any indication on how to get one? I feel the bat might be the best choice thematically, and I'd like to have it at hand sooner rather than later.

Spoiler: Familiars ...

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... are summoned. In the way described in PhB. There's nothing stopping you from casting the ritual right here in the cave.

You can give me a knowledge arcane roll though, if you like =D

[iTookUrNick]

Havin taken care of things, Thanat eventually sits down at the fire. He wasn't cold or anything, thanks to the cloak (something he could really get used to after the last few days), but that's what humans do by instinct. He decides to take the time and summon a familiar. He learned the ritual asa student, but never bothered with it. Now, he realizes it might be handy to have an extra pair of eyes. And ears. Someone who might access places he cannot. He sends forth a call for a kindred spirit.

Spoiler: OOC

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Arcana - (1d20+7)[9]. On second thought, I'll go with a raven. Even more thematically appropriate...
Edit: yikes, bad roll...

[Kaptin Keen]

The ritual involves the drawing of magical circles, the lighting of candles, the recitation of formulae and the invocation of ancient names. It doesn't occur to Thanat that the spirits of this place might be slightly ... different, affected, tainted perhaps by forces beyond mortal ken.

And of course the herald doesn't pipe in until the very last. Just as Thanat is finishing his ritual, there it is - the whispered voice, at the very edge of hearing:

A familiar, Lord. But of course. I can help.

There is the slightest rising note to the voice. Like a smile.

Spoiler: Your familiar

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Is a raven.

Boo!

[iTookUrNick]

Thanat looks at the bird as it watches back with human-like intelligence, perched atop an outcrop just inside the entrance to the cave. As he's never done this before, he is unsure on how to address the creature. However, he knows he is supposed to give it a name...

"Well met, kindred spirit. I call you forth in my hour of need: you will obey me and help me on my journey, and I shall continue to provide you with the means to exist in your current form. I am Thanat, and I will henceforth refer to you as... hum... Blackwing". No points for originality, but then originality is quite discouraged when performing ancient rituals...

That said, Thanat shoulders his pack and offer one side for the bird to perch upon, meaning to head out in the wild. The first order of business, according to the Plan, is to find a way to disguise himself. He tries to ask the only other entity that might hear him: "Herald, I need a disguise. I know there are spells and magical items in existence that can do that. Do you know how to find either outside of Madripor?"

[Kaptin Keen]

The bird spreads it's wings in response. It flickers ethereally, droplets of shadow falling from it's feathers. You feel it's happy with it's name.

I know a great many things, Lord - but I have not been outside this cave for a long while. I know not how to help in this regard.

[iTookUrNick]

"No matter. We'll ask around. There are people living outside the city. Not many, but some... They might have what we need, or know where to find it."

Spoiler: OOC

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Geography - (1d20+4)[11] to see what I know myself of the world

[Kaptin Keen]

You can travel in each of the compas directions. South is tricky though - that's the direction of Madripor, and there might still be bounty hunters down on the plains.

To the east are frontier lands, settled areas and farms fighting tooth and nail for land and ressources against gnolls and orks, as well as nature generally being reluctant to let itself be tamed.

To the west are moors, a sort of wet desert. You know very little of the moors except they are inhospitable and very low population. Rumours speak of witches and monsters.

North lie the mountains. Hard terrain, very cold if you go high enough. There is stuff up there you know - but what knowledge you have is hazy and unprecise: There are mines, mountain strongholds ... elves? You're not sure.

[iTookUrNick]

Thanat examines his options: South is out of the question at the moment, and he feels unprepared to go west just yet. That leaves the northern mountains and the eastern plains. Of those two, he feels the plains might be his best bet. He starts to walk in that direction.