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  1. - Top - End - #1141
    Barbarian in the Playground
     
    BlackDragon

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    Default Re: Streets of Atalya Volume Two: Tentacles

    (I'm still alive! I swear! I just... can't get this website to work more than like, half the time. o_o I'm doing my best, I promise. Bear with me. I have to go talk to my ISP or something. Let me grab my wrench.)

    Oh, her! I can do that no problem. It's a bit of a ways for a direct connection, but I can pass along any information you want me to give her, just, ah, as soon as you decide what that is. Kumoru... I'd have to work on. He's a little hard to lock onto, what with the whole, you know, being undead thing he's got going on.
    "...so as it turned out, it was a really good thing I took those ranks in Craft: Leatherworking. And that's the story of how I became a blackguard."

  2. - Top - End - #1142
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    BlueWizardGirl

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    Default Re: Streets of Atalya Volume Two: Tentacles

    Daewell

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    yeah, it's been pretty buggy the last few days. I don't know why. Usually, it's around the time a new comic is released, but this seems to be something else entirely. Thanks for continuing to try!


    Daewell's mental voice dials back.

    Tahlion, I've already said what I think needs to get passed along, as soon as possible. I leave it to your discretion what you choose to do.
    Last edited by Toliudar; 2009-01-21 at 09:48 PM.
    "We are what we pretend to be, so we must be careful about what we pretend to be." Kurt Vonnegut

  3. - Top - End - #1143
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    ExHunterEmerald's Avatar

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    Default Re: Streets of Atalya Volume Two: Tentacles

    (I'm still alive! Just...very, very tired. Physical therapy's started, you don't need to hear the song and dance, just that I apologize and I'll try to be more active in the future.)
    Terry, having been mulling things over quietly, 'speaks' up.
    We're not going to get anywhere with conjecture and maybes. We need more answers. More time. And just maybe a way to speak with Gaudemus and walk away from the encounter. I'll be honest--I'm half hoping he is tuning in on this so he understands all of this. We have no real cards to be tipped to him.
    Terrence Randall and the Kinslayer by NEO|Phyte
    Dencamp Bertrande takes a bow.
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    Terrence Randall by The Stoney One

    Rennac Belnades by Lord Iames.

  4. - Top - End - #1144
    Barbarian in the Playground
     
    BlackDragon

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    Default Re: Streets of Atalya Volume Two: Tentacles

    I'd prefer to wait until after we speak to Gaudemus, but I don't know how mush you guys need to contact the bastion. Are you comfortable going into this with the information we have, or do we need to try and do some more recconaisance on the fly if at all possible?
    "...so as it turned out, it was a really good thing I took those ranks in Craft: Leatherworking. And that's the story of how I became a blackguard."

  5. - Top - End - #1145
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    BlueWizardGirl

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    Default Re: Streets of Atalya Volume Two: Tentacles

    I don't know why we need to choose between contacting them now, or later. Are you only able to use your telepathy a finite amount per day?

    Why not send the information, and the request on now, and as we learn more, continue the communications. Even if Gaudamus somehow overhears the conversation, after all, what we're recommending to the church is "exercise restraint" - hardly something that he'd be upset about.
    "We are what we pretend to be, so we must be careful about what we pretend to be." Kurt Vonnegut

  6. - Top - End - #1146
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    Mike_Lemmer's Avatar

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    Default Re: Streets of Atalya Volume Two: Tentacles

    Horacio

    It depends whether Gaudemus can overhear us or just tell we're sending telepathic messages out; the difference between seeing a thief & priest talk and hearing what they say. If he learns we're talking but can't tell the message, he'll get suspicious very fast.

    Besides, he didn't react so well when you tried to teleport in without his permission. How do you think he'll react if we try to get a message out without it?


    Horacio ponders for a moment, then glances at Jenna.

    ...However, if you think we must contact the Church now to start gathering info, there would be nothing wrong with asking Jenna if we can. That would be the diplomatic way, wouldn't it, Daewell?

    Horacio shrugs.

    Personally, I agree with Tahlion. Gaudemus would suspect the word of the Church, so we probably can't use it to persuade him. He would be more likely to allow us, and overhear us, if we ask him for permission to.
    PCs: Horacio, Gorby, Helionaluxis

    Avatar by Ceika

  7. - Top - End - #1147
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    BlueWizardGirl

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    Default Re: Streets of Atalya Volume Two: Tentacles

    Daewell

    "If you were worried about Gaudamus getting paranoid about the use of telepathy, you shouldn't have started doing it five minutes ago. If we assume that he can either detect telepathy or not, without intercepting the content, then it's reasonable to assume that he's registering the existence of telepathy now. One message more or less shouldn't make a difference.

    "I have no objection to including Jenna in this conversation, and would invite Tahlion to do so. Again, I think that we have nothing to hide.

    "I'm just suggesting that we try to give the Church advance word of what we've learned in case we fail, so that they can try in other ways to avert catastrophe, and benefit from the detective work that you and the rest of us have done. That seems wiser than putting all of our collective eggs in this basket, right Horacio?

    "I don't know what you mean about using the church to persuade Gaudamus. If we are able to get a clearer image of what actually happened, by comparing the accounts of survivors from both of the two sides, that's quite different than using opinions and claims, don't you think?"


    Daewell speaks aloud to Jenna.

    "As Horacio has said, we believe that both of our nations are being manipulated towards conflict. We'd like to send word back to Atalya to encourage them to moderate their defenses, to pull back as much as possible, in recognition of this fact. I'd also like to get more information about the accounts that Atalya's scouts have sent back regarding the skirmishes of the last little while. Perhaps, if we compare accounts, we'll learn something about the way in which we are both being mislead. Is that acceptable?"
    Last edited by Toliudar; 2009-01-28 at 04:37 PM.
    "We are what we pretend to be, so we must be careful about what we pretend to be." Kurt Vonnegut

  8. - Top - End - #1148
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    Mike_Lemmer's Avatar

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    Default Re: Streets of Atalya Volume Two: Tentacles

    Horacio

    Getting paranoid about in-party telepathy is one thing; getting paranoid about a telepathic message sent dozens of miles to the enemy is another.

    What I'm saying is that any information we get from the Church that makes it appear innocent will appear to be falsified to Gaudemus. To him, they
    would be opinions and claims.
    PCs: Horacio, Gorby, Helionaluxis

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  9. - Top - End - #1149
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    BlueWizardGirl

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    Default Re: Streets of Atalya Volume Two: Tentacles

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    Quote Originally Posted by Mike_Lemmer View Post
    Getting paranoid about in-party telepathy is one thing; getting paranoid about a telepathic message sent dozens of miles to the enemy is another.
    Spellcraft check to see if that makes any sense, given Daewell's understanding of magic: (1d20+29)[39]


    "Everything you just said is true of everything that we might say to Gaudamus. And again, what I'm suggesting is that we attempt to alter the way that Atalya responds to the advancing army, regardless of any information we are able to gather in return.

    "Besides, contacting the priests for more information was your idea in the first place!"
    Last edited by Toliudar; 2009-01-28 at 08:13 PM.
    "We are what we pretend to be, so we must be careful about what we pretend to be." Kurt Vonnegut

  10. - Top - End - #1150
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    Mike_Lemmer's Avatar

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    Default Re: Streets of Atalya Volume Two: Tentacles

    Horacio

    Horacio shrugs.

    I've had time to think about it now.
    PCs: Horacio, Gorby, Helionaluxis

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  11. - Top - End - #1151
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    BlackDragon

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    Default Re: Streets of Atalya Volume Two: Tentacles

    Jenna blinks.

    "I don't really care... just... don't tell me where you hid the messenger pigeon..."

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    As far as I am aware there are no magical effects in 3.5 that project telepathic messages for hundreds of miles, and even if there were they probably wouldn't function in exactly the same way as a potentially psionic artifact magic item. But as far as I understand how magic and its detection works no what Horacio just said doesn't make a very large pile of sense.
    "...so as it turned out, it was a really good thing I took those ranks in Craft: Leatherworking. And that's the story of how I became a blackguard."

  12. - Top - End - #1152
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    BlueWizardGirl

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    Default Re: Streets of Atalya Volume Two: Tentacles

    Daewell

    Daewell bows his head slightly to Jenna.

    "Thank you."

    "Well, from my years of study, things don't work the way Horacio is describing them. Tahlion, of course, it's up to you what you decide to do."
    "We are what we pretend to be, so we must be careful about what we pretend to be." Kurt Vonnegut

  13. - Top - End - #1153
    Barbarian in the Playground
     
    BlackDragon

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    Default Re: Streets of Atalya Volume Two: Tentacles

    You guys concentrate on convincing our friend not to go pyscho on civilization, I'll see what I can do about alerting the sphinx of our situation.

    You've arrived at what appears to be the entrance to Gaudemus' Mountain Stronghold. A long stairway leads up to a tall, ornately carved door. A couple of young men of various species step forward to take your mounts.

    "I don't think the master is in right now," an elven lad says conversationally to your guide, "but Brannon and Kayle are missing too, so it shouldn't be hard to find them."

    Jenna nods. "Thanks, that narrows it down. Come on guys." She leads you up to the entrance and into the structure. Two guards wearing ornate armor and leaning on dangerous-looking pole axes eye you suspiciously but allow you to pass with a nod to Jenna.

    As you cross the thrashold, you notice a poem carved into the far wall of the entrance hall.

    I am a king of honor
    gold and glory
    but every king must also die
    have I been just and righteous
    what is glory
    I know I've torn and taken life
    and here I stand
    a small and simple man
    "...so as it turned out, it was a really good thing I took those ranks in Craft: Leatherworking. And that's the story of how I became a blackguard."

  14. - Top - End - #1154
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    BlackDragon

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    Default Re: Streets of Atalya Volume Two: Tentacles

    Okay, gonna quit the GM voice now. I think we had a great run, there. Losing half our players in the middle of things didn't help, but... eh. We had some fun. I hope we had some fun. I had a little fun. But we're out of steam now, and I think we might as well just shoot this dog in the head before he goes rabid and tries to kill somebody.

    Thanks a lot for putting up with me guys, it was a pretty cool ride.
    "...so as it turned out, it was a really good thing I took those ranks in Craft: Leatherworking. And that's the story of how I became a blackguard."

  15. - Top - End - #1155
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    Mike_Lemmer's Avatar

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    Default Re: Streets of Atalya Volume Two: Tentacles

    Huh, quitting it? I know it was down to basically 2 players, but damn.

    Well, just so we get closure, mind wrapping it up? Or at least elaborating on a few of the loose ends we were wondering about?
    PCs: Horacio, Gorby, Helionaluxis

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  16. - Top - End - #1156
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    BlueWizardGirl

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    Default Re: Streets of Atalya Volume Two: Tentacles

    I understand, MS, and am sorry we weren't able to keep up the momentum.

    I'm also very curious as to what the heck actually was going on, but would (reluctantly) understand if you weren't willing to give a peek behind the curtain. Thanks to both of you for a good run!
    "We are what we pretend to be, so we must be careful about what we pretend to be." Kurt Vonnegut

  17. - Top - End - #1157
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    BlackDragon

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    Default Re: Streets of Atalya Volume Two: Tentacles

    Oh, right, the wrap up!

    Lesse....

    Jenna is Gaudemus' grandaughter, for the record. She's the daughter of Gareth and his wife, and she's currently dating the warchief. She gets you into see Gaudemus, but the negotiations don't go as well as you could have hoped, because the church is, in fact, directing assaults on Gaudemus' people.

    The Church of St. Cuthbert has been heavily infiltrated by tsochari, aberrations from another planet with the ability to crawl inside a live or dead body and use it as a disguise, and also the unique ability to steal spells from humanoid mages. Years ago Gaudemus and co. fought a few of them, tracked them to the intergalactic portal that had been bringing them to our world, and sealed it.

    They didn't seal the only portal, but tsochari don't tend to be organizers or team players, so while one rogue agent managed to infiltrate Atalya and kill Aerin Vadis, the majority could do little more than dream of even greater vengeance... until they met Bob the Cleric, AKA Robert Vaugn Soledis, Gaudemus' second brother, born after he and Kumoru had left home. Kumoru's investigations would have eventually revealed the boy's existence, and that Gaudemus had met briefly with his father a century ago after Kumoru's death, and that the meeting had ended badly- their father, mad with necrotic power, trying to use Gaudemus as a new host body and dying in the attempt, promising that his final, loyal son would have vengeance. Gaudemus dismissed this as an empty threat.

    Robert discovered the tsochari, and that they had a few years prior managed to arrange for the death of Gaudemus' wife, but were unable to raise another assault against his defenses. Robert directed their madness, rotting the Bastion of Righteousness from within by arranging for several key clergymen, including the high priest, to be possessed, their own holy magics and positions of authority used as shields against detection. They proceeded to direct a campaign of terror against the southern barbarians, largely through the use of a legion of interdimensional mercenaries that would wear the tabard of Cuthbert to war while the majority of the church in Atalya remained blissfully unaware.

    The ultimate goal of this plot was to force Gaudemus to take action and leave the protection of his stronghold, and then capture him. For Robert had discovered that through his innate power, the devotion of his followers, and sheer force of will, Gaudemus had transformed himself into something more than mortal. A quasideity of unusual magical potency, and one relatively unguarded by the standard of most gods. The tsochari had found revenge and power in a single being- they could keep Gaudemus alive and torture him daily while drawing on his vast magical powers for their own use. Robert, in turn, would usurp Gaudemus' place at the command of the barbarian hordes and ride roughsod over nations.

    Fast forward to the game, where you, hired by Robert and the Tsochari, are sent to the southern lands. After an abortive first attempt to reason with Gaudemus, he has Gareth take you away- which leads to the revelation that on his travels outside the mountain stronghold Gareth had been possessed by a tsochar. Engaging you in battle, he explains that you exist merely as the final spur to drive Gaudemus to all-out war, an assassination attempt on his own family made by otherwise innocent agents of Cuthbert come under a flag of peace. So saying, he judges that you have inflicted enough damage on his corporeal shell, and kills you.

    Except that the mindworm in Horacio's head is a trap laid to guard against just the kind of dark magics the tsochar employs against you. The worm's purpose fulfilled, it dissapears, and without its trump card, the tsochar is driven from Gareth's corpse and killed.

    Just in time for Gaudemus to arrive and see how deeply the infection has spread into his own family.

    Near mad with grief, he kneels beside his son's body, his elite guards and subjects looking on- fully expecting a miracle. A miracle which does, in fact, occur, as Gaudemus ascends to godhood and resurrects his son, the divine spillover empowering you as witnesses to the event. Kinslayer and Tahlion, likewise caught in the eruption of power, are returned to their humanoid forms. Kinslayer promptly gives Terry a noogie.

    But there is no time to celebrate- the tsochar know their plan has failed, and as a last resort they expend vast amounts of their magical resources to send the full might of their six hundred and sixty-six legions against the mountain, and with Gaudemus' troops deployed along the front lines between his mountain and Atalya, he cannot drive them back. Determined to make a stand, he races to his throne room and pulls down the great crystal mounted above his seat, which contains the body of his wife. She is called forth to life as well, and entrusted to your care. "Return to Atalya," says Gaudemus grimly, "do what you can against them there, and keep my family safe. I will stop them here."

    You flee, pausing only to rest and discover, via Tahlion, what Kumoru managed to discover just before the energies keeping him alive faded, and that the events Aerin has observed from Celestia confirm the identity of your enemies. Further mental networking would reveal that you do have allies- the tsochar have made their move to consolidate their power base within the city, alerting the remaining clerics of Cuthbert to the situation and uniting them under Nefertari, while Snake Eyes and The Devourer are likewise prepared to shelve their differences long enough to deal with this new threat. During the trip back to the city, you discover that Gaudemus, for all his power, has been overwhelmed by sheer force of numbers and captured, now imprisoned within the bastion in Atalya.

    The six hundred and sixty six guarding the city discover enemies from within and without- the main force of the Gaudemus' army arrives to do battle, bolstered by Cuthbert's faithful from other cities to the north, while the clergy of Atalya attack from within, aided by Snake Eyes' operatives, and the illithid offer their services through more discreet channels. Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is fairly simple- sneak into the city, liberate Gaudemus, and cut off the head of the snake by killing Robert.

    Assuming you are succesful at doing so, you find yourselves confronted by a nightmare in black and red armor, tentacles flailing wildly, great sword gripped in each hand. Robert, a powerful cleric of dark gods in his own right, wearing his brother's armor, still living and possessed by a tsochar wielding Gaudemus' stolen spells, stands before you. Should you manage to defeat him, Gaudemus is freed, and the tsochar, directionless, flee, and their army is routed. Peace once again settles onto Atalya, and Gaudemus returns to his mountain, now with his faimly reunited, and on much better terms with the church of Cuthbert in particular and Atalya in general.

    You guys are commended as heroes, laden with heaping bags of treasure, and live the remainder of your lives as living avatars of the power that birthed a new god. Horacio might get to bang Firethena, who knows.
    "...so as it turned out, it was a really good thing I took those ranks in Craft: Leatherworking. And that's the story of how I became a blackguard."

  18. - Top - End - #1158
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    Mike_Lemmer's Avatar

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    Default Re: Streets of Atalya Volume Two: Tentacles

    Epic.

    Perhaps he would settle down with Firethena. At the very least, he'd be reinvited to Nightfang's poker games. I love a campaign that ends with the characters still meeting for weekly poker.

    Nice to see his suspicions about Gareth being infected, the things infiltrating the Church, and the meeting just being a means to have something go down being right. He thought Gaudemus was summoning the Legion, though... well, can't be right about them all. I assume there was really no way we could learn about the dark magics the tsochar used or drive the thing out of Gareth without the mindworm?

    Also, what happened to Tahlion & Kinslayer afterwards?
    PCs: Horacio, Gorby, Helionaluxis

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  19. - Top - End - #1159
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    Mike_Lemmer's Avatar

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    Default Re: Streets of Atalya Volume Two: Tentacles

    Hmm, don't forget Vera, either, just to see Dae's reaction when she meets up with him again... Heheh.
    PCs: Horacio, Gorby, Helionaluxis

    Avatar by Ceika

  20. - Top - End - #1160
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    BlackDragon

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    Default Re: Streets of Atalya Volume Two: Tentacles

    I was playing pretty fast and loose with the story. If you hadn't gotten the mindworm in your head you would have found another way to survive the fight with Gareth. Any dark magics employed by the tsochar would likely have been epic or homebrewed spells stolen from or donated by random evil mages. This is just the direction I was planning on taking the game based on where we'd been thus far and where I thought I could make the story though- I guarantee you what would have actually played out would probably at least have been a little different. No story survives long after coming into contact with a group of PCs. :P

    Tahlion and Kinslayer I hadn't made concrete plans for, they remained fairly minor characters and would probably have been used as powerups somewhere along the way. Assuming they survived the final battle, Kinslayer would likely hang out with Gaudemus for a while before taking off for parts unknown, and Tahlion might have stuck around with you guys a bit or maybe taken a convenient interplanar portal to see how celestia's changed since she was there last.

    Nightfang might not have survived to the end of the campaign, I had vague plans for him to be possessed by a tsochar to slow you guys down/piss you off. Given the direction the game was going towards the end there, we can probably assume he would have either survived or been resurrected after that, though.

    Vera's actions at the end of the game would have depended on Dae's, though it is entirely probably she dragged him off to some quiet room and did naughty things to him while the victory celebration was going on.
    "...so as it turned out, it was a really good thing I took those ranks in Craft: Leatherworking. And that's the story of how I became a blackguard."

  21. - Top - End - #1161
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    Mike_Lemmer's Avatar

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    Default Re: Streets of Atalya Volume Two: Tentacles

    Wait, Kinslayer & Tahlion were minor characters?

    Also, Em & I were wondering exactly what the avatar-ish change would've done mechanics-wise.
    PCs: Horacio, Gorby, Helionaluxis

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  22. - Top - End - #1162
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    BlackDragon

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    Default Re: Streets of Atalya Volume Two: Tentacles

    They were intended to be. :P They were -swords-. You were supposed to use them like swords. Kinslayer was also there to provide some insight into the mystery, but largely you were supposed to use them as weapons and occasional helpful advice, and maybe some comic relief. Any backstory they have was made up on the fly because you guys were so interested in them. If you hadn't bothered asking, they never would have been fleshed out as characters, and I really didn't have a plan for how they would end up beyond 'whatever seems interesting at the time."

    I hadn't entirely worked out the mechanics of the "witness to the god's ascension" bit entirely but it was going to be a template somewhere on the order of ECL +2 or +4, or something in between. Something similar to Celestial with whatever interesting special abilities I could come up with.
    "...so as it turned out, it was a really good thing I took those ranks in Craft: Leatherworking. And that's the story of how I became a blackguard."

  23. - Top - End - #1163
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    Mike_Lemmer's Avatar

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    Default Re: Streets of Atalya Volume Two: Tentacles

    Sorry, I just find it hard to believe that the soul-stealing sword we spent the first part of the mission getting, that could corrupt everything around it, kill with a touch, and manifest around its owner as a demonic suit of armor was a minor character. Tahlion, maybe, but not Kinslayer. Hearing he really didn't have much of a role after that is a bit of a downer.
    PCs: Horacio, Gorby, Helionaluxis

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  24. - Top - End - #1164
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    BlackDragon

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    Default Re: Streets of Atalya Volume Two: Tentacles

    Next time you get to run a campaign and think up something new and exciting for the demon sword to do every day. :D
    "...so as it turned out, it was a really good thing I took those ranks in Craft: Leatherworking. And that's the story of how I became a blackguard."

  25. - Top - End - #1165
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    Mike_Lemmer's Avatar

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    Default Re: Streets of Atalya Volume Two: Tentacles

    As long as you have to think up something new & exciting for the holy sword in it to do every day, deal. :p
    PCs: Horacio, Gorby, Helionaluxis

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